Curry Shrimp and Snow Peas

Orriant fan Tara Meade shared this delicious recipe with us, courtesy of Real Simple.

Ingredients

• 1  cup long-grain white rice
• 3/4  cup  snow peas, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2  cup  bean sprouts
• 1/4  cup  torn fresh basil leaves
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1  14-ounce can coconut milk
• 1 to 2  tablespoons  Thai red curry paste
• 1 1/2  pounds  frozen peeled and deveined large shrimp, thawed

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the snow peas, sprouts, basil, oil, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, curry paste, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the shrimp and simmer, stirring occasionally, until they are opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
5. Top the rice with the shrimp and curry sauce, then the snow pea mixture. Serve with the lime wedges, if desired.

Tips to a Healthier You

Tips to a Healthier You
• Fill half your plate with vegetables and eat them before anything else on your plate. You will fill up faster and prevent overeating.
• Include enjoyable exercise in your daily routine.
• Make small changes along the way to see big results in the long run.
• Keep realistic expectations for weight loss.

Did You Know...
• Weight gain has been linked to a lack of healthy sleep?
• You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television?
• It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile?

Sauteed Asapargus

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus
3/4-pound sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes, optional
Sea salt, for serving

Directions

Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus and slice the stalks diagonally into 2-inch pieces. Snap off the stem ends of the snap peas and pull the string down the length of the vegetable.

Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat and add the asparagus and snap peas. Add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste, if desired. Cook for approximately 5 to10 minutes until al dente, tossing occasionally. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot.

Total Time:20 min

Prep -10 min 

Cook -10 min

Source: The Food Network

Laughing Your Way to Better Health

Did you know that laughing improves heart health? Laughing helps to keep your artery walls strong.  A good hearty laugh could be considered a ‘workout’ for the heart. Laughing causes the endothelium (lining of the arteries) to expand. Stress can narrow the lining and slow blood flow, which increases blood pressure and puts strain on the heart. Laughing is an effective way to reverse that narrowing and increase blood flow.

While laughing, the body also releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killers. Laughing relieves stress, relaxes the muscles, boosts the immune system, increases blood flow, and improves mood.

Young children laugh 300 times a day, compared to an adult’s 15 times. Get in touch with your inner-child and laugh your way to a healthier heart. Next time you need to relieve stress, watch a comedy or do whatever it is that will get you laughing.

Helpful tips:
• Laugh at yourself.
• Keep things in perspective.
• Deal with your stress instead of hiding from it.
• Pay attention to children and emulate them.
• Even if you don’t feel like laughing, fake it! Your body releases the same hormones regardless of real or fake laughter.

Sugary Beverages Linked to 180,000 Deaths Worldwide

New research recently presented at the America Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions found some staggering and alarming statistics regarding soda and sugary beverage consumption.

A study conducted by the Global Burden of Diseases Study found that 180,000 deaths worldwide are linked to sugary beverages.

In the US alone, research found that that 25,000 deaths were linked to sugary beverages; and that drinks such as soda were also associated with 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 heart disease deaths and 6,000 cancer deaths.

Click here for complete story.

Stress Management

Stress can lead to low productivity in the workplace, costing your company money in related healthcare costs. What tips and advice do you have for stress management? Some of our tips can be found in this video to help you get started

How to Get Started A Guide to Managing Stress from Orriant on Vimeo.

We're on Twitter

Looking for even more great health tips and ideas? Be sure to follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Orriant

Success Stories from Orriant

When we asked some of participants how Orriant helped them succeed, these were some of their responses:

- "I participated and completed two 'Tough Mudders', 'Utah Spartan Beast', 'Man vs. Mud', 'Dirty Dash', and relayed for the whole 24 hours during 'Relay for Life'." - Vince F.

- "[Orriant Health Coach] Emily F. helped coach me towards better health to the extent that I passed my assessment and no longer require a coach." - Doug C.

- "I'm at my lowest weight from the last 10 years." - David G.

How can we help you? Visit Orriant's website to find out more.

Patrick’s Day Spinach Cake

This super moist cake gets its festive color, and an iron-boost, from naturally green spinach.
Serves: 15
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
 

Ingredients:
500g baby spinach, washed, drained (hint: 1 large container of baby spinach)
3 eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil, plus additional for oiling pan
1 1/4 cup honey
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups spelt flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda (note: this is to offset the acidity of the honey)
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt for garnish, optional
 
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Purée spinach in a food processor; set aside. Whisk egg and honey. Add oil, lemon juice and rind, vanilla and puréed spinach. Then add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix for a few minutes. Pour into an oiled rectangular cake pan.
3. Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes. (TIP: Check with a toothpick to test doneness; bake until toothpick comes out clean.) Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
4. Once cooled, remove cake from pan. As an optional garnish, cut off sides of cake (about 1 inch wide) and process in food processor to create a powder; set aside. Slice cake when ready to serve and spread with Greek yogurt. Then sift cake powder over top.
 
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 124
Fat: 5g
Saturated fat: 3.5g
Cholesterol: 33mg
Sodium: 150mg
Carbs: 17g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 4.5

Source: Shape Magazine

Red Thai Curry

Ingredients
2 cups of cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp of red curry paste
1 (13.5 oz.) can of reduced fat coconut milk
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half —cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp and 1-1/2 tsp of fish sauce
2 Tbsp of white sugar
3/4 cup of sliced bamboo shoots,
drained 1/2 red bell pepper,
sliced 1/2 green bell pepper,
sliced 1/2 small onion, sliced

Directions
1. In a bowl, whisk together red curry paste and coconut milk. Transfer to wok or large skillet, and mix in chicken, fish sauce, sugar, and bamboo shoots. Bring to boil, and cook for 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear.

2.Mix red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onion into wok. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, until peppers are tender. Remove from heat and serve over rice

Lemon Cranberry Muffins

These easy to make muffins make for a delicious afternoon snack or a great grain to accompany your breakfast. With just 20 minutes of prep time, these are sure to be a hit among adults and kids alike.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest, divided
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour (see Note)
• 1/2 cup cornmeal, preferably medium or fine stone-ground
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed), coarsely chopped (see Tip)

Preparation 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in cranberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins.
4. Bake the muffins until golden brown and they spring back lightly to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Tips and Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. To reheat frozen muffins, remove plastic, wrap muffin in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds. | Equipment: Muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) cups 
• Note: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. It is available at large supermarkets and natural-foods stores and online at bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com. Store it in the freezer.   
• Tip: To make quick work of chopping cranberries, place whole berries in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are coarsely chopped 

Nutrition Facts
187 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 18 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 10 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 255 mg sodium; 96 mg potassium.

Recipe Source: Eating Well
 

 

Benefits of Healthy Weight

Reaching your healthy weight can provide far greater benefits than just fitting into your favorite pair of jeans. Studies have shown that losing 5 -10% of your body weight can produce huge health benefits. For a 200 pound man to receive these health benefits, that equates to losing 10 to 20 pounds.

Health problems that could potentially be improved by weight loss are:

• Lower blood pressure
• Decreased risk of developing type II diabetes
• Easier breathing
• Reduction of sleep apnea
• Reduced risk for developing heart disease
• Greater self-confidence
• Healthier lifestyle.

Some people carry their weight around their abdomen (apple shape). These people may be at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. By reducing body weight by 2%, drastic improvements in health have been shown for individuals with an apple shaped body.

You can work with your Orriant coach to determine a healthy weight loss goal for maximum health benefits. Even after just a few weeks of making small changes in your health, you will notice changes in your mood and energy levels.

Get Healthy. . . Today!

Orriant coaches list the top 5 things you can do to be healthy today.

1. Set the alarm – Getting a good night’s sleep is a cornerstone to healthy living. “Get to bed at a decent time. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you that it’s time to go to bed,” says Orriant coach Taryn. Getting a full 8 hours of sleep can help you tackle tomorrow’s responsibilities.

2. Set the tone for the day – “What you have for breakfast is often what you will crave for the rest of the day,” advises coach Tiffani F., and fellow Orriant coach Karli J. couldn’t agree more. Karli suggests, “Start off each morning with a large glass of water. It helps me to re-hydrate after sleeping all night.”

3. Five a day – “Really shoot for eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, “says coach Karli T. “Include a fruit or vegetable (or both) into every  meal you eat during the day.”

4. Pantry Facelift – Surrounding yourself with healthy food options increases the likelihood of eating a balanced diet. Orriant coach Kali W. says, “Give your pantry and fridge a facelift. Clean them out, throwing away any junk food, candy and sweets.”

5. Create a Plan – Coaches Auston H. and Emily F. both agree that creating a game plan is crucial to healthy living. “Schedule your exercise like it’s a meeting and write it down in your planner,” urges Emily. Is the motivation to check an item off your list not enough? “Plan to do something active that you enjoy doing,” says Megan F. Playing a game of basketball with your friends or building a snowman with your kids is a great way to get moving while having fun.

Healthy Snacks for the Office

We asked our followers on and friends on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, and more as to what their favorite healthy snack ideas are for the office. Here are your responses:

Google+
"Baby Carrots and Hummus"
+Kerrilee DeHart 

"Natural yoghurt with strawberries and fresh blueberries! And sometimes a little sprinkle of pistachios too :)"
+The Honesty Path

 Twitter
"My home made granola bars they are the best. Nothing artificial"
-@Lets_Ride

Facebook
"Almonds!"
-Jennifer Lee Zvirzdin

"Sunflower seeds!"
-Eileen McLaughlin

"Yogurt with nutty granola"
-Tia Smith 

"Apples and peanut butter!"
-Tayrn Preece Sorenson

"Raw nuts"
-Sue Best

"Almonds or Fruit"
-MaryLucy Giufrrida

"Nori Make! (Asian seaweed and rice crackers: looks like party mix, tastes like fun, easy on the conscience.) ... Also, (probably from the same section at the market) seaweed crackers (toasted Nori), and miso soup. All low in Weight Watchers points."
-Lisa Baker

"Fruit like oranges, berries, etc with cottage cheese OR carrots and peanut butter"
-Kristin Burgoyne

"Laughing cow creamy Swiss cheese wedge and multigrain crackers."
-Julie Trujillo 

"I like to make my own trail mix. Raw almonds, raw sunflower seeds and dried blueberries are a great combo"
- Rachel Hamblin Van Meeteren
 

Pinterest

Don't forget Orriant fans, we're also on Pinterest.

Be sure to check out our Pinterest recipe board and follow our account for more great ideas to start living healthy.  

Baked Apple Yogurt

Ingredients:

Image Credit: National Dairy Council

• 1 medium apple
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup plain yogurt

 

Directions:

Dice the apple and combine the first four ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes stir-ring half-way through. Serve over yogurt.

 

Also good as a topping or layered with oatmeal to make a breakfast parfait. Same taste, but with more fiber and less fat than eating that apple cruller loaded with butter!

 

For more ideas and ways to start living a healthy life, visit our website:

www.orriant.com

Lifestyle Changes: An Alternative to Dieting

Did you give up on the ever popular “I need to lose weight” resolution this year? Before you try the newest fad diet, consider approaching your goal differently and make this the time you actually achieve your goal weight.  Diets are tough to follow and only produce temporary results.  Instead of following this yo-yo dieting pattern, try making simple lifestyle changes that you will be able to sustain through healthy weight management.

You know you want to lose weight.  Check.  You have a goal weight in mind.  Check.  Now what?  Before beginning to make these lifestyle changes, make a list of why you want to achieve your goals.  Do you want to look fabulous for your sister’s wedding?  Do you want to be able to chase your 3-year-old around the park?  Perhaps you want to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.  Identify your reason for making changes and write it down somewhere you will see it often.  Now that you know why you want to lose weight, you can set a realistic weight goal.  It is healthy to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.  Research shows weight loss is longer-lasting when it occurs slowly.  Starving yourself can result in loss of muscle and bone mass.

To start dropping pounds, remember this simple equation: healthy weight loss equals regular exercise and healthy eating.  Think of your body as a machine.  You need a certain amount of fuel in order to sustain basic life functions.  To lose weight, you need to burn more energy than you consume.  Consuming more calories than you burn causes weight gain.

Exercise

Try to exercise for 20-30 minutes most days of the week (4 or more days).  Once your body adapts, aim for 50-60 minutes per workout to see greater results.  Starting out too quickly and pushing your limits is a recipe for injury.  Begin slowly, giving your body time to adapt to the increased physical demands.  If you participate in activities you enjoy, such as walking your dog, you will be more likely to follow through with your exercise program.

Nutrition

To lose one pound a week you will need to reduce 3,500 calories from your normal diet. To do this you can cut your daily caloric intake by 250 calories & burn an additional 250 calories through exercise. This means, for example, giving up 1/2 cup of ice cream or replacing one 20 oz. soda with water.  Also, taking a 40 minute brisk walk, 30 minute jog, or 45 minutes of shoveling snow (based on a 160 lb. person) every day.

Another simple change is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables.  Also, writing down what you eat will help you realize where you can make positive changes in your diet.

One of the most important aspects of making lifestyle changes is to keep a positive attitude.  It is important to focus on becoming healthy and not on becoming thin.  Try making these small changes and see what works to help you reach your weight loss goal.