Soup Starter Recipe

Soup Starter

Ingredients:

•  1 ½ cup dried beans  (chickpeas, black, pinto)

•  1 onion, chopped
•  2 carrot, chopped
•  2 celery stalks, chopped
•  1 cup tomatoes, chopped
•  2 bay leaves
•  1 tbsp fresh herbs  (rosemary, thyme, oregano)
•  6 cups water

•  ½ cup pasta of choice (optional)
•  garnish accordingly

      (cilantro, cheese, greek yogurt)

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients (but the pasta)

in a pot over high heat.

2. When the beans are almost tender, add pasta.

3. Cook until the pasta and beans are tender.

4. Garnish with fresh herbs, etc.

Tips to Call it Quits

Tips to Call it Quits

Making the decision to quit smoking is life changing.  You will improve your health and quality of life, as well as save yourself some cash.  However, quitting isn’t easy, so here are a few tips to get you started:

Change your attitude- In order to quit smoking, you have to want to.

Make a Plan- set a date within the next few weeks when you want to be officially smoke free.  Set rewards for reaching certain goals and know the actions you are going to take.  Having things laid out makes it easier for you to see progress. 

Tell People- by telling people you are putting yourself in a mind-set of expectation, making you more likely to reach your goals.

Find Distractions- find a new hobby or activity that keeps your mind off smoking.  Go for a run or hike, take up knitting…anything to keep your mind off of it.  Many people that are trying to quit use sunflower seeds as a distraction as well. 

Wait for the urge to pass- studies show that urges normally last about 3 minutes.  Take a deep breath and focus on something else, and before you know it you won’t want the cigarette anymore. 

Monitor your urges- When you crave a cigarette, it’s normally in response to something.  By recognizing those emotions, you can find something else that you can rely on. 

Smoking doesn’t have to control your life.  Take the steps to quit and become a healthier, happier you. 

Change the Way You Order

Change the Way You Order

Menus with calorie counts are making consumers re-think their dining options

It is becoming more and more popular for restaurants to list the calorie counts of their menu items.  They are also offering healthy alternatives that fit under a certain number of calories.  Still, people are choosing to order foods high in calories and fat content. 

Scientists recently conducted a study to see if listing how much physical activity it would take to burn off the food would encourage people to make healthier choices.  Check out the results they found here.  

Tips to Manage Stress

Managing stress is an important aspect of health and wellness!

There are many ways to manage stress, but here are just a few examples:

1. Regular exercise can help loosen muscle tension and remind your body to breathe deeply.

2. Eat a healthy diet.

3. Take a yoga class or try meditation.

4. Find time for yourself. Do something that you find relaxing, for example take a bubble bath, read a book, or take a walk outside.

5. Let loose and laugh a little. Find a funny movie, spend time with someone who makes you laugh, or just learn to laugh at the little things.

6. Learn to push away negative thoughts and spend more time dwelling on the positive.

7. Get 7-8 hours of sleep to help your body cope with stress emotionally and physically.

8. Cultivate close relationships with friends and family. Good emotional support systems help you live longer.

9. Get help if you need it. Talking with a counselor can help you find relief. 

Technology; the negative impact of a computer existence.

How many hours do you spend sitting hunched over a computer, cell phone, or tablet?

How much time do you spend surfing the web, texting, watching TV and movies, playing video games, checking Facebook, or reading news articles? If you are spending all your time or the majority of your time participating in the items listed above then technology is affecting your health in a negative way. We live in a world of convenience. Isn’t it great that we don’t have to spend excessive amounts of time hand washing our clothes and dishes? Staying active in a world full of technology can be challenging but not impossible! Technology has made our lives comfortable but let’s not get too comfortable.

Get up and do something that will benefit your health with the amazing technology that we have. A few ways you can use technology to benefit your health:

• Purchase a pedometer to track your steps. Most health organizations

recommend getting a minimum of 10,000 steps each day; this is

equivalent to about four miles depending on the length or your stride.

• Find a good calorie tracking website. Feel free to check out the calorie

tracking websites below:

http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/caloriesneed.cfm

http://www.acefitness.org/calculators/daily-caloric-needs-calculator.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

• Call your Orriant health coach and track your goals online!
•  Try using a stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical, hand weights, resistance bands, or other equipment that makes exercising fun for you.
• Find a fun yoga DVD or other work out video. If you aren’t sure what kind of exercise you like, try checking out a couple styles of exercise DVDs from your local library.
• Listen to a book on tape or some music while you workout. The time will fly!

What the Sun Can Do For You

The Sun Supplier

Did you know that just 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure is enough to synthesize the amount of Vitamin D that your body needs for one day? Vitamin D is important in maintaining normal blood levels, aiding in the absorption of calcium, and it could help prevent against hypertension, cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. Deficiencies for this important vitamin are common in the winter months. Foods like seafood (cod liver and eel), dairy products, and mushrooms contain a type of Vitamin D, but often it is in very small quantities. The National Institute of Health recommends 600 IU (15 mcg) of Vitamin D for adults 19 through 50 years of age. It is beneficial to add these foods to your diet supplemented with a Vitamin D tablet. The best way however, to ensure that you are getting enough of this important vitamin is by spending a few minutes in the sun everyday.  So get outside and enjoy some beautiful weather!

Spring Farro Salad

Spring Farro Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked farro (or substitute with barley)
• 1 medium red onion, cut in half
• 1 clove garlic
• Handful of fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup of
• ¼" cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoons minced, pitted kalamata olives
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Add the farro, one onion half, garlic, handful of parsley and salt along with

2¾ cups water to a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit covered, for 5 more minutes. Discard the onion, garlic and large pieces of parsley. Spread out faro on a rimmed sheet pan and let cool completely (do not skip this step or the mozzarella will melt into the finished dish).

2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegars and honey to prepare the dressing. Finely chop the remaining onion half. Add onion, cooled farro, mozzarella, kalamata olives, tomatoes, remaining tablespoon of parsley, and basil to a deep bowl.  Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well to combine, using a long wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper.

3. The salad is now ready to serve! It can also be made and stored in the fridge, covered up to one day before serving.

The Benefits of a Good Night Sleep

The Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep

Getting a good night of sleep is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Some of the benefits of getting enough sleep are:

• Being more focused- you can see the bigger picture and make clear, focused decisions.  It also helps your creativity. 
• Looking more attractive- you won’t have those pesky bags under your eyes.  It also helps to maintain healthy skin.
• It improves your athletic performance- you won’t feel fatigued after your workout and you will increase your stamina. 
• Help you lose weight- if you want to drop a few sizes, try going to bed earlier.  People that are on a healthy sleep schedule often burn more fat.
• Eliminate Stress- getting enough sleep helps to decrease high stress levels.  A lack of sleep can cause spikes in blood pressure and increase your risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Sleep is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  By simply going to bed earlier, you can change your all around health and attitude.

Recipe for Cauliflower Cheese Sticks

Healthy Cheese Sticks

Ingredients        

•  1 head of cauliflower, “riced” (see below)
•  1 tsp. olive oil
•  2cloves garlic, minced
•  1 large egg white, lightly beaten
•  ½ c. mozzarella cheese shredded
•  ½ tsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
•  Marinara sauce for dipping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.

2. To “rice” the cauliflower, shred raw cauliflower with a cheese grater or pulse in a food

processor until chopped into pieces resembling grains of rice. Place the riced cauliflower into a

microwavable bowl (without water) and microwave until softened, usually about 5 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat and add garlic until softened. When cauliflower is softened, add the garlic

mixture, lightly beaten egg white, Italian seasoning, and most of the mozzarella. Stir and mix well, then spread onto your

prepared pan.

4. Bake until it starts to turn golden brown, usually about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip over and add the

remaining cheese and sprinkle more of the Italian herb seasoning. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is

melted and golden.

5. Cool and cut into pieces and serve warm with warmed marinara sauce.