Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

by | Nov 19, 2010 | Uncategorized

 

Are you hosting the holiday festivities this year? These ideas can help you beat the stress and save your energy for the party.

Things to consider while planning…

Don’t try to do everything yourself!
You may want to impress your friends and relative and really wow them, but trust me, keeping it simple will turn out best in the long run. Plan on providing the main course for the meal and then ask your guests what they would like to bring or assign dishes and supplies for your friends and family to be in charge of. Often times, people have signature dishes that they would love to make and share. For those who are not talented in the kitchen, give them simple things to bring, such as beverages or rolls. This way you can focus on making a few things really spectacular rather than a million things that turn out just pretty good.

The menu
Carefully select the dishes you are making. You want to be able to do as much of the preparation and cooking as you can before the day of the party, so choose dishes that allow you to do that with minimal cooking necessary the day of. Make sure you have enough equipment and serving dishes for the foods you are making and that you won’t have to juggle preparing too many things at once. Choose dishes you are comfortable making or have made before and really enjoyed so that you aren’t stressed out and working with unfamiliar ingredients and techniques. Make it easy for yourself!

Allergies and dietary restrictions
Make sure you ask your guests if they have any allergies or dietary restrictions. This can greatly affect your menu planning. You might have to leave certain ingredients out or keep some dishes separate. If you aren’t familiar with a restriction or aren’t comfortable cooking food for a restriction, just ask that person for suggestions! If you aren’t able to find out about allergies or dietary restrictions, it’s best to have a variety of food options so that if it does so happen there are restrictions, that person still has plenty of food options.

Shopping
This is closely related to menu planning. Grocery stores are not fun places to be during holiday season, they can be crowded and stressful, so it’s best to have a plan of attack. Choose dishes that don’t require obscure ingredients; you definitely don’t want to be going to multiple stores searching for one specific thing. Make a list organized by where you will find the food in the store; all produce listed together, canned goods etc. Go to a store that you are familiar with so you don’t have to spend time wandering around searching for what you need.

Keep a list
Keep a running list of what people are contributing so that you don’t have doubles of certain items, too many similar dishes or something that is forgotten altogether.

Leftovers
Have to go containers available to send off with your guests. Then you aren’t stuck with too much food to store. And eat.

Check your inventory
Make sure you have enough serving dishes, plates, utensils, glasses etc. You don’t want to be scrambling the day of to find where you stashed your paper plates and plastic silverware.

Feng shui the space
Look at your space and make sure it isn’t cluttered. Rearrange the furniture so there is ample seating space but also enough free space for people to move around in. Clear off table tops so there is room for people to set drinks and plates. When decorating, stick to a few simple pieces; this both make your life easier because you won’t have to spend so much time and money in decorations and it will most likely create more space for your guests.

Check back for clever tips to use on the day of the party!

Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

“It was great to be with people who were finding success at losing weight, but more importantly building healthy habits and a new lifestyle.”

by | Nov 15, 2010 | Areas of Weight Loss Resistance, Natural Weight Loss, Uncategorized

Jacquie’s Story
17.5 pounds of fat and 19 inches in 13 weeks!

Jacquie before the OBB program

Jacquie after 13 weeks!

 

 

I am so thankful for the Optimal Body Balance Program. I had been steadily gaining a few pounds every year and was 30 lbs. over my best weight. When I listened to the teleseminar about what keeps us from losing weight, I knew I had to sign up. The OBB program uses every strategy for losing weightin a healthy way, but the best part was Sheila’s coaching every week. Each week she gave me strategies to help me balance out my life in every area.

It turns out that I was not only dealing with stress, fibromyalgia pain and constant headaches, but with sensitivity to foods that caused weight gain and belly fat. When I took the blood tests for food sensitivities I found that egg whites and lemon were my food sensitivities, so I cut them out of my diet. Right away I lost belly fat and I began to lose about 2 lbs a week. Through metabolism testing Sheila set an eating plan for me that upped my protein intake, and helped me burn fat all day and minimize the effects of cortisol stress on my body. She provided not only specific meal plans, but also shopping lists for the exact amounts of food I would need.

Within a few weeks I not only had started to lose weight and inches, but I suddenly realized that I had no headaches and no fibromyalgia pain in my muscles or joints. I also did not have the least bit of craving for sugar. Before I started the program, I would get intensely hungry at about 10:30 and 3:30, and felt I had to have something sugary to keep going, so this was amazing. I also had more energy, and less “brain fog”.

Each week when we met Sheila and I set goals for the next week – not only for an eating plan, but for other important components of a balanced life – sleep, exercise, and relaxation activities. When I went on trips she helped me plan how to get the meals I needed while at conferences or on the road, so I could continue to lose weight. She was also incredibly encouraging when I felt I hadn’t done as well as Icould have.

One of the best aspects for motivation was having metabolism testing. A simple test showed how much fat I had lost, how much muscle I was gaining, and how saturated my cells were with water (to maintain good hydration). One week I was discouraged because the scale showed that my weight stayed the same. Then the BIA showed that I had lost 2 more lbs of fat, but gained muscle weight – a good thing. That encouraged me to keep going because good things were happening, instead of giving up because itdidn’t seem like my efforts were working.

A BIA printout showed my weekly progress, and over the course of the program I lost 17.5 lbs of fat, and 19 inches, my belly fat disappeared, and I dropped two sizes. I am still following the program to continue to lose weight and gain muscle, and have now lost 18 lbs of body fat.

Another aspect of the plan was having meal/cooking demonstrations where we could learn new healthy recipes, and try them out during class to see what we liked best. The recipes were delicious, and I am building a new cookbook of really healthy and tasty meals. It has been fun to meet other people in the program and share food hints and where to get groceries at the best prices, and how to change the recipes for new dishes. It was great to be with people who were finding success at losing weight, but more importantly building healthy habits and a new lifestyle.

I am really enthusiastic about the OBB program, and love telling people where they can find help when they have been struggling to lose weight and get healthier.

Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

More Recipes from the Happy Healthy Holiday Cooking Class!

by | Nov 14, 2010 | Uncategorized | 3 comments

As promised, here are the rest of the recipes.

Wild Rice
We actually added everything to the rice cooker and let it do its thing. It worked great if you don’t have the time to it all on the stove!

1 cup wild rice
1/3 cup brown rice
5 cups boiling water
1 carrot
1 large stalk celery
6 green onions
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
pinch rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
dash pepper
1/4 cup sunflower seeds and/or unhulled sesame seeds

  1. Rinse grain well.
  2. Chop carrot and celery in 1/4” cubes.
  3. Chop green onions and sauté them with chopped garlic in oil.
  4. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook gently for an hour or more, until rice is tender.
  5. Add seeds about 20 minutes before serving.

Garlic Green Beans
Make sure you really mince the garlic well or use your garlic press so that the beans really get that garlic flavor.

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups fresh string beans
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
2 cups water
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
pepper (optional)
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

  1. Heat oil in a saucepan.
  2. Add garlic and beans and sauté over high heat to sear beans.
  3. Stir beans frequently so they don’t burn.
  4. Add thyme, sea salt and pepper.
  5. Add water. Bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until beans are tender. Add more water if necessary.
  7. Remove from heat. Drain excess fluid and place beans in a serving bowl.
  8. Add squeeze of lemon juice and toss.

Sweet Baked Yams
These were a huge hit at the class and so simple! Instead of boiling, you could also pop the sweet potatoes in the oven whole, bake until soft and then just peel off the skin once they cool down enough to handle.

Three large yams, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons Molasses
4 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Southern Pecan Pieces
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
Salt & Pepper to taste

  1. Boil the yams in water until soft.
  2. Drain well and mash with potato masher in medium-size glass or Pyrex casserole dish.
  3. Mix the yams with molasses, butter, pumpkin pie spices, and salt/pepper to taste.
  4. Top evenly with pecan pieces.
  5. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Raw Apple Pie
This may not sound that great when you read it, but trust me, it’s amazing! For those of you who can’t have the sucanat, agave works just as well.

Crust:
2 cups raw almonds
2 cups dates
Raw cashew or almond butter (1/2 to 1 cup optional)

  1. On a cutting board chop the almonds and dates thoroughly.
  2. Knead the nuts and dates together and then press into a pie plate.

Filling:
4-6 Granny Smith apples, chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons orange juice
~1/4 cup sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)

  1. Toss the sliced apples with the lemon and orange juice to coat completely.
  2. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins and mix.
  3. Spoon into pie crust, sprinkle sucanat over the top.

You can have dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner and still be eating better than most the people on the planet!

Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

“Naturally Delicious”

by | Nov 13, 2010 | Uncategorized

The final post on “healthy marketing!” This one is on “natural” foods. When we think of a “natural” food, we tend to think of it being more nutritious. This isn’t necessarily true and there are food companies who use the term “natural” when they shouldn’t.

Under FDA policy, products which contain chemical preservatives, such as citric acid, cannot use describe their products as natural. But food companies often ignore this rule and do it anyway. Two examples of this are Hunt’s “100% natural” tomato sauce and “all natural” Snapple teas. Snapple teas contain chemical preservatives that the FDA specifically says are not natural. The tomato sauce not only contains added citric acid, but also is made of reconstituted tomato paste… it’s made from concentrate, not fresh tomatoes like the “100% natural” claim suggests. Many “all natural” products also contain high-fructose corn syrup and are artificially colored.

The USDA regulates the term “natural” for meat products. Under it’s regulation, it allows “natural” products to contain added broth which increases water and sodium content of the meat to unnatural levels. It also increases the weight of the product, so you are paying more.

“Natural” deli meats often contain ingredients not naturally found in the animal. Looking at the ingredient list can easily tell you this. Hormel “Natural Choice” roast turkey breast contains carageenan (from seaweed), baking soda and lactic acid starter culture (not from milk). Turkey doesn’t naturally contain those ingredients. Make sure to read ingredient lists when buying natural products to ensure you aren’t paying a premium for added water and preservatives.

That wraps up our “health halo” series. You are all now more informed shoppers and hopefully you will save yourself some money and confusion when visiting the grocery store from now on!

Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

Recipes and Pictures from the Happy Healthy Holiday Cooking Class!

by | Nov 12, 2010 | Uncategorized

Hi everyone,

For those of you who weren’t at the cooking class, here’s a little sneak peak at what we enjoyed. (Also, you don’t have to miss the next one! For more information visit our website!) We had so much fun, thanks to everyone who came! And especially to those who did dish duty afterwards…

This apple walnut salad was a hit! It had great crunch and everyone loved that it was made with watercress. Definitely recommend trying this one out. Here’s the recipe:

Dressing:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil

Salad:
2 cups watercress, tough stems removed
1 large carrot, shredded
1 red delicious apple, cored and shredded
1 golden delicious apple, cored and shredded
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

  1. Make dressing: In small bowl, mix lemon juice, broth and oil until blended. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  2. Place watercress around outside edge of serving platter. Scatter carrots overwatercress. In small bowl, toss shredded apples with lemon juice, then spoon into center of platter. Scatter nuts over apples. Pour dressing over salad and serve.

 

Pictured here is the coconut curry soup. If you like spice, this one can definitely heat you up. If you prefer less heat, just use less cayenne pepper for a creamy, delicious soup. The cooking instructions on this one can be simplified. What we did was roasted the squash (video about roasting to come soon), put all of the ingredients into the food processor, pureed it up to your desired consistency and then transfered it to the crock pot! Here’s the full recipe:

about 2 lb butternut squash (or substitute with acorn squash, delicata squash, pumpkin,etc.)
1 large onion, chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or more, to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  2. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon and discard
  3. Spread about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a roasting tray and place the squash halves cut-side down on the tray
  4. Roast for 30 minutes. The flesh should feel soft when poked and should have shrunken away from the skin a bit
  5. Flip the halves over and let cool. Once cool, scoop out the flesh and set aside in a bowl
  6. In a heavy bottomed pot sweat the onions over medium-low heat in about a tablespoon of vegetable oil
  7. Season the onion with salt and pepper and cook until translucent (about 8 minutes). Stir occasionally.
  8. Add the curry powder, cayenne, chopped tomato and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  9. Add the roasted squash, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Stir to combine thoroughly and bring just to a boil.
  10. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, covered.
  11. Use a blender or food processor to puree the soup to a smooth consistency
  12. Taste for seasoning and add more stock or coconut milk if consistency is too thick
  13. Stir in lemon juice to taste and serve

Here we have the vegan, gluten-free pumpkin custard. There were mixed reviews on this one, some LOVED it while others found it wasn’t exactly what they were expecting. It is super easy to make if you want to try it and see if it’s for you!

½ cup (raw) cashews
1 tablespoon agar flakes
1 pinch celtic sea salt
1 ¼ cups water, boiling
1 ½ cups roasted pumpkin
¼ cup agave nectar (plus a little more if you want it sweeter)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cloves
¼ teaspoon lemon zest

  1. Place cashews, agar and salt in a Vitamix and process to a fine powder
  2. Pour boiling water into Vitamix and process on high speed
  3. Add pumpkin, agave and vanilla and process again until smooth
  4. Blend in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and lemon zest
  5. Pour custard into ramekins or half cup mason jars
  6. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes
  7. Serve

I will also be sharing the recipes for the wild rice, garlic green beans, sweet baked yams and raw apple pie! Check back soon for those and enjoy!

Your Holiday Hosting Survival Guide Part 1

“Made With Whole Grain”

by | Nov 11, 2010 | Natural Weight Loss, Uncategorized

The topic of this post is misleading ingredient claims. Most of us want to see more whole grains and more fruits and vegetables in what we eat. Food companies know this and they fill the grocery store with packages that claim “made with” whole grains, fruits or vegetables. The FDA does not have any guidelines for the use of these ingredient claims. The FDA also does not require the food companies to include how much of the claimed ingredient is actually in the food. The ingredient list can give the consumer some sort of idea because ingredients are listed in order of quantity. The first ingredient in the ingredient list is the largest ingredient in the product and quantity goes down as the list goes on. But there is no way to tell what the actual amount of the ingredient is from the ingredient list position.

This means food companies can easily trick consumers into thinking their product has a lot of whole grains or fruit when it in fact contains miniscule amounts. When buying products that claim “made with whole grains” on the package, you should flip the package over and take a look at the ingredient list. Most of the time, the first ingredient will be “unbleached enriched wheat flour” which is not a whole grain. “Whole wheat flour” is a whole grain, and often times this will be in the ingredient list further down… meaning the product contains relatively little actual whole grains. If you want to increase your whole grain intake, make sure whole wheat flour is the first ingredient in the list.

“Made with” certain fruits and vegetables works the same way. Examples! Strawberry Splash Fruit Gushers say that they are “made with real fruit” if you look at the label more carefully you will find that they products doesn’t contain any strawberries! The “real fruit” is actually pears from concentrate and the strawberry color comes from Red No. 40 dye… the product is also almost half sugar which is not healthy at all. Knorr Chicken Broccoli fettuccini also uses this trick. By using the word “broccoli” in the name of the product it makes you believe there is a substantial amount of broccoli present. If you look at the ingredient list however, you will find that it actually contains more salt than broccoli.

Stay tuned for the next post on “all natural” foods!