Resiliency — the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness; the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity; ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy — the ability to persist and even flourish when handling challenges. Developing a mind that can walk evenly over uneven ground. How is your level of toughness feeling right now? Are you still feeling like elastic girl or guy, never to return to your original shape — both mentally and physically? I think we were starting to feel a bit more buoyant towards the middle of the summer, until we had to deal with the fall. The waves of summer came crashing down with the reality that fall was going to be tough. Different we expected, but every turn started to go left. So, we must create our own right turns. So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune. — Makers interview, 2012, the late RBG. No one has ever demonstrated more resilience. Eating and Resilience When it comes to weight management, we often create these yo-yo types of eating cycles. We either feel completely in control, tightly wound, yet often to a point that is too difficult to sustain for the long-term. Or we feel out of control, like we are unraveling, eating anything and everything in our path. A goal for the Jewish new year (whether you celebrate or not😊- but the time is now), find your sweet spot of freedom and flexibility. You are in charge of you. Mindfully fuel your body. Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are full. Eat for sustainability, pleasure, enjoyment, fun, special occasions. Be mindful of the decisions you make, never expecting perfection. Persist and flourish — be resilient. Yes, we are going to take our resilience to the kitchen :-) — actually outside the kitchen. Yes, we need to stay outside... Let’s keep the grill lit and the fire pit smokin’! Fall is one of best seasons to be outside. Nutritionally speaking, grilling helps you create lean dishes, yet high on flavor. Here are some grill tips to keep you outside:
BUFFALO TURKEY BURGERS These are a fun, delicious addition to any seasonal menu. They are simple, quite tasty and help you easily create a balanced meal. Serve with a side salad, on top of a salad or wrap it up with lettuce leaves — and stuff it with tomatoes, onions, avocado, etc. Are they resilient? No, but YOU are resilient! INGREDIENTS 1 pound lean ground turkey ¼ cup bread crumbs (You could toast whole grain bread and whirl in the Cuisinart, or go with pre-made bread crumbs. Pre-made bread crumbs are higher in sodium.) 3 green onions, chopped into small pieces ¼ cup buffalo wing sauce 2 Tablespoons blue cheese crumbles 4 whole grain flatbread rolls (like Arnold’s 100-calorie) or whole wheat buns; all optional Lettuce pieces or Boston lettuce leaves to fully wrap burgers PREPARATION Preheat the grill to medium heat. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, onions, buffalo wing sauce and blue crumbles, mixing well. Shape turkey mixture into 4 patties (always best to divide mixture into equal portions first). Place burgers on grill and cook for about 4–5 minutes per side. Serve on flatbread, hamburger buns, lettuce wrap or on top of salad. Makes 4 servings. GRILLED RADICCHIO ORZO WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR Chicories are members of the daisy family, closely related to lettuces and dandelions. Escarole, Belgian endive, curly endive and radicchio are varieties of Chichorium intybus or Cichorim endivia. The romaine-shaped radicchio in this recipe actually has a more official name, Rossa di Treviso. Just something fun to say when you are trying not to talk politics… And definitely something even more delicious and peppery to consume :). INGREDIENTS 2 small heads of radicchio 1 medium sweet onion, sliced into rings 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups orzo, whole wheat 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1–2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Additional options: feta cheese crumbles, olives, pine nuts; for a main dish: chicken or veggie sausage PREPARATION Prepare and preheat grill to medium. Wash the radicchio, removing any bruised leaves and cutting off any stem. Slice each radicchio into quarters. Place radicchio and onion in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil and a few whirls of salt. Place both directly on the grill. Grill radicchio until slightly wilted, but not charred, about 4–5 minutes, turning frequently. Grill onions for another few minutes, turning once. Remove from grill, chop into bite size pieces and set aside. Prepare orzo according to package directions. Mix orzo, radicchio, onion in serving bowl. Add balsamic vinegar, basil, salt and pepper to taste, and any additional ingredients desired. Makes 5–6 servings. CUCUMBER RAITA There are never too many veggies on the table. Cucumber has that refreshing crunch to it, making it a great side dish, or even the last course of the meal. INGREDIENTS 4–5 cucumbers 2 cup Greek yogurt, nonfat 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt PREPARATION Wash and peel the cucumbers. Slice each cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out all of the seeds. Slice into bite-size pieces. Toss with salt. Place yogurt into medium-size serving bowl. Mix in cayenne pepper. Add cucumbers and dill. Mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 7–8 servings. To new citizens at a naturalization ceremony:
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Hopefully everyone continues to make green efforts when it comes to the environment (as there is much to do there…), but we are focusing on going green → as in consuming greens as much as possible. What exactly are “leafy greens?” — they include kale, spinach, arugula, chard, collards, escarole, dandelion greens, mustard greens, etc. They are the most commonly consumed veggies in the United States today. These lovely greens provide us with an array of light and dark shades, but sticking with the darker shades is where you find your abundance of nutrients. Why should we eat them every day? Dark, leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium. Low in calories, high in fiber, vitamins, and phytonutrients, greens are a gift for your health, that you can keep on giving, every day! How to eat them every day — they can easily be added to absolutely anything you are making — any protein dish (fish, chicken, tofu), any grain dish (lentils, barley, pasta, rice), and even mixed into other veggies (eggplant, sweet potatoes, roasted tomatoes). Keeping frozen greens around is highly recommended, as you will always have some on hand — no washing or chopping needed! Not convinced you need daily greens? Check out the results from multiple recent studies:
Whether in whole food form or in smoothies, greens provide amazing benefits to the health of your body. HOT AND SPICY GREENS This quick method works with just about any greens — spinach, kale, escarole, collards, beet greens, etc. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to taste. INGREDIENTS 2 pounds spinach or greens, washed and stems removed 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2–3 garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers 1/4 — 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon salt Optional additions: currants, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds PREPARATION Place iron skillet over medium heat. Add oil and spread to cover bottom of pan. Add garlic cloves and sauté for about 4–5 minutes, until slightly browned. Turn heat down to low and add spinach or other greens to pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are tender and wilted. Remove from heat and stir in red pepper flakes and salt. Place in serving dish — a dash of balsamic glaze on top is a favorite :)! KALE WITH A TWIST Traditional greens tend to include a ham hock, which adds excess fat and sodium to an otherwise healthy dish (although very tasty flavor, of course). Using just a small amount of bacon can impart that traditional smoky flavor. INGREDIENTS 1 pound kale, washed, stems removed 1 slice bacon (turkey bacon works just as well), chopped into small pieces 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 Tablespoon olive oil, divided 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon miso Freshly ground black pepper PREPARATION Place cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel. Crumble bacon and set aside. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil and spread evenly to cover the bottom of the skillet, mixing with any leftover bacon grease. Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 5–6 minutes. Add kale to the pan and drizzle with final teaspoon of olive oil and miso. Mix into onions and sauté until kale is wilted, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Place in serving dish and top with crumbled bacon. Makes 4 servings. SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIE You could almost throw anything in a smoothie with greens, but this simple and tasty combination will make your gut smile. INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh spinach 1 cup frozen fruit — any combination like 1/2 cup strawberries + 1/2 cup mango; or banana, blueberries, pineapple, raspberries, etc. 1 cup almond milk 1 banana, peeled and cut in large pieces 1/2 cup non-fat greek yogurt, plain optional: squirt of honey PREPARATION Throw all of the ingredients in the blender, and blend for about a minute. (Tip: If your blender is not super powerful, blend the spinach with the almond milk first, then add the rest of the ingredients.) Pour into glasses and serve. Garnish with your chosen fruit. Makes 2 servings. Green Tips:
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The rebellious RdAs a longtime promoter of healthy cooking and eating, Amy's focus is on plant-based eating, with a rebellious twist - that she and no one, needs to be perfect. Archives
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