Author: fritep15@uwgb.edu

Barley Pilaf

This is a lovely side dish for chicken or fish.Spinach and mushroom barley pilaf served on a blue plate with a spoon on the side

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes cut into strips
    • (if you use tomatoes that come in oil, add them first to the pan and omit the tablespoon of olive oil)
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 cups cooked barley
  • 2 tbsp. parsley

Directions

  • Heat oil in large frying panSauté onions until translucent and add tomatoes, spinach, and almonds.
    • Stir in barley.
    • When spinach is wilted and barley is hot, sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Each serving contains about 219 calories, 8 g fat (less than 1 g saturated fat, no trans fat, and no cholesterol), 102 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 7 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugars, and 6 g protein.

Recipe from the StayWell Company, LLC.

 

Don’t Dwell on Guilt Today

Guilty feelings are common. But are they healthy? Sometimes guilt can motivate us to do better. Studies have shown that people who experience guilt are more likely to be proactive in solving a problem. They are also more likely to reassess the problem later, see how they may have contributed to it, and learn from it.

Guilt over something trivial, such as eating an extra dessert, guilt that turns into shame, feeling that you’re not good enough, or blaming yourself for something that’s not your fault can be harmful. Both can diminish self-esteem and lead to depression.

Here are some tips to help you start handling guilt today:

  • Learn from what’s making you feel guilty.
  • Don’t be too hard on yourself. You can’t be kind and understanding all the time.
  • If you’re troubled by chronic feelings of guilt, a counselor may help to sort out the contributing emotions and issues

 

Article from the StayWell Company, LLCopportunity-road-sign-wooden-shining-blue-sky-background-47231617

Crunchy Chicken Salad

IngredientsP1140059

  • 2 cups chunked cooked chicken
  • ½ cup celery
  • ¼ cup green pepper
  • ¼ onion
  • ½ cucumber
  • 1 small diced apple (leave the peel on)
  • ½ cup grapes
  • ¼ cup yogurt, plain

Directions

  1. Use leftover cooked chicken, or cook enough chicken to make 2 cups of chicken pieces.
  2. Chop the celery and green pepper. Peel and chop ¼ of an onion. Peel and chop half of a cucumber.
  3. Chop the apple into pieces. It’s OK to leave the peel on the apple. Cut the grapes in half.
  4. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together.
  5. Serve on lettuce, crackers, or bread.

Makes 5 servings

Each serving is about ¾ cup each and provides: 140 calories, 4.5 g fat, 65 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 17 g protein.

 

Recipe from the StayWell Company, LLC.

Eat Spinach for a Better Night Sleep

If you toss and turn at night or struggle with a sleep disorder like insomnia, you could have a magnesium deficiency. But even if you sleep like a baby, it’s a smart idea to eat foods high in this mineral. Every organ in the body needs magnesium. It contributes to energy production, helps regulate levels of nutrients in your body, and affects sensors in the brain that promote sleep.

Spinach

Luckily, you can find magnesium in lots of foods, but many Americans don’t get enough. For maximum magnesium, look to spinach, other leafy greens, almonds, pinto beans, nuts, and legumes. It’s simple to incorporate them into your diet, too. Try cooking up some spinach with olive oil and pine nuts as a savory side dish, or make a spinach salad that includes chickpeas and almond slivers. Research a new recipe today to try out! You knew that spinach makes you strong—now you know it may also help you sleep.

 

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Panini for One

The Italians have it right when it comes to grown-up grilled sandwiches. You don’t need a Panini maker—you can use a frying pan and a heavy plate to press the sandwich.

IngredientsPanini for One

  • 1 4-inch-square Panini roll
  • 1 slice (1 oz.) low-sodium Swiss cheese
  • 2 oz. cooked pork tenderloin
  • 1/4 cup shredded zucchini
  • 1 Roma tomato, cut into thin slices
  • 1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • Olive oil spray

Directions

Slice roll and remove some of the interior bread to make for a crisper sandwich.

Put half the cheese on bottom of roll. Layer meat, zucchini, tomato, and onion. Cover with rest of cheese and top of roll.

Heat a sandwich grill. Spray grill plates lightly with olive oil. Bake sandwich until cheese melts and meat is hot, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Makes 1 sandwich

Each sandwich contains about 479 calories, 17 g fat (6 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 66 mg cholesterol), 539 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugars, and 31 g protein.

 

Recipe from the StayWell Company, LLC.

Treat Yourself Today!

Treat yourself to tea and bookcoffee or tea and a good book today. You read emails. You read text messages. You read the news. But have you read a good book lately? Reading for pleasure can be an escape from the stresses of everyday life, help keep your mind sharp, and even make you more likely to empathize with others.

So set aside a half-hour to curl up with a book. Grab a comforting cup of coffee or tea, too. Drinking black, green, or oolong tea can boost the body’s defense against disease, research says. Tea has also been linked to lower risk for heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and allergy symptoms. And coffee has been associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes. We’ll toast to that!

 

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Lime-Mango Whip

Serves 2

*(Gluten-free)

Each serving contains about 38 calories, less than 1 g protein, 1 g fat (24% calories from fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, and 5 mg sodium.

IngredientstmImU

  • 1/2 cup fresh mango flesh
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Directions

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and whip.

 

Follow these tips to keep your energy level up!

Tips:

  • Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.group-exercise
  • Get regular exercise.
  • Eat high-energy foods, including whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables.
  • Avoid fatty foods. Fat takes a long time to digest and makes the body feel sluggish.
  • Sugar’s OK, but don’t overdo it.
  • Get a good night’s sleep. Getting even an hour less than you need can result in slower mental functioning.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. You need to drink the equivalent of a half-gallon of fluid a day.
  • Coffee and tea will give you a lift — in moderation. Caffeine is a stimulant.

 

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC