Big Salad

We tried another recipe for you! This one looked really good, so I wasn't concerned with a "flop."

The Big Salad article (actually five salad recipes) is also from a recent Runner's World issue. Here's the one I made last night:

Quick Hummus Salad
Easy to assemble and rich in vital nutrients for runners, this deconstructed hummus is perfect for weekday lunches. Chickpeas, the main ingredient in hummus, provide protein, carbs, and plenty of insoluble fiber. "The fiber in chickpeas can improve the health of your GI tract," Katz says. Walnuts (and other nuts) provide crunch and protect against heart disease. Harvard researchers found that people who eat nuts regularly are 29 percent less likely to develop the disease. Nut-eaters are slimmer, too. A synergy of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals is likely behind nuts' potent health benefits.

In a bowl, toss 2 (14-ounce) cans drained and rinsed chickpeas, 2 shredded carrots, 1 diced red bell pepper, 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 3/4 cup diced feta, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup golden raisins. Divide 8 cups mixed salad greens among 4 plates. Top with chickpea mixture and tahini dressing. Serves 4.

Tahini Dressing:
                                                             

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons tahini

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Calories per serving: 618
Carbs: 53 g
Fiber: 15 g
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 39 g

Note: The nutrition data for each salad is calculated with dressing.

The salad and dressing were very tasty, very filling and had a great texture with all the different ingredients. The recipe makes a lot; so we have leftovers which is a good thing with a meal that we enjoyed.

Check out all of the Big Salad recipes at RunnersWorld.com.


Action Item: Try this protein-packed salad for dinner or make it for the next pot-luck you attend.

For Further Reading: Check out other Runners World recipes; great ideas for foods and meals to fuel your body!

And here's a good article from One Green Planet, Why Chickpeas are a Healthy Eaters Best Friend.

Omega 3s for me, please.

We've probably all heard how important it is to consume Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet for lowering triglycerides and blood pressure. Omega-3s are essential fatty acids; we need them for our bodies to work properly. One of their most important benefits is that they seem to have an anti-inflammatory effect. And there are studies, reports WebMD, showing that omega-3 fatty acids may help with other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and many more.

Are you getting enough in your diet?

According to experts, probably not. And most people you know – your spouse, your toddler, and your mom – probably aren’t either.

 

“Pretty much everybody’s diet is deficient in omega-3s,” says David C. Leopold, MD, director of integrative medical education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. (from WebMD)

What foods, beside wild salmon, contain Omega 3s? Check out Your Omega-3 Family Shopping List.

Early research is showing that infants, children and teens can benefits from Omega-3s for cognitive development, growth, ADHD and asthma (read the article below for more information.)

 

How do you get your child to eat more Omega 3s?

Parents magazine offers some tips:

• Introduce fish to your baby during the first year, to help her develop a taste for it. Then serve it often.
• Be creative: Grill fish on skewers, sauté fish cakes, make fish tacos, or mix it into pasta sauce.
• Buy DHA-fortified milk, soy milk, eggs, and orange juice when possible.
• Get into the habit of cooking with canola, flax, hemp or soy oil.
• Bake chia, hemp or ground flaxseeds into muffins, pancakes and crepes, and sprinkle them over yogurt or cereal.
• Give your bigger children omega-rich walnuts to snack on.

Just like any other important nutrient, mineral or food – don't over do it and don't leave it out. Incorporate omega-3s into a varied, healthy diet.

 

 

Action Item: Seek out ways to incorporate fish into your meals. And keep eating those leafy greens! Check out allrecipes.com for salmon or tuna recipes that interest you.

 

For Further Reading: Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fact Sheet, Omega-3 and Brain Health, and Who Needs Omega-3s?

Lasting Change

"Running yourself off the tracks of a predetermined future takes daily resolve. If January is the month of change, February is the month of lasting change. January is a month filled with the ghosts of failures past. January is for dreamers. February is for doers -- a cold, dark month that makes you gaze seriously into the proverbial mirror and run from your reflection. That's right, run: every day for five minutes, then seven, then 10, and then you're on your way."

 



I read this in THE NEWBIE CHRONICLES by Marc Parent in Runner's World magazine, and it definitely can be applied to healthy eating and other lifestyle changes as well.

Don't let yourself get bogged down with changing everything at once or fitting all the "superfoods" or powerful nutrients into your diet. But DO MAKE CHANGES. Add more nutritious food a little each day or week and before you know it you're eating to fuel your body and there is no space left for the processed, unhealthy stuff! Enjoy the journey!

 

Action Item: Resolve today to continue working toward a healthier you! Not only will you feel better, but those around you will start making healthier choices too.

For further reading: Go to Hulu or NBC and watch an episode of The Biggest Loser. Call me crazy, but I adore this show and I don't know how anyone can watch it without getting motivated to get out of your comfort zone!