Hungry for Change

I really wanted to watch Hungry for Change while it was free, but time got away from me, and I missed it. Did anyone get a chance to watch it?  If you've watched it, what did you think? I'm hoping if I can't borrow it from a friend, it will come out on Netflix soon. I've found lots of other informative natural, healthy and/or green living DVDs on Netflix.

I did scoop up the Free Hungry for Change Action Guide and Sneak Peek at the "Food Matters" Recipe Book with Juice and Healthy Recipes Preview:

10 Step Action Plan -- Click on the Image above to view and print the complete, full-size Hungry for Change free printable.

Here are the highlights from the 10 Step Action Plan:

1. Add freshly squeezed vegetable juices into your day!

2. Detox your body with green vegetables & gelatinous plant foods.

3. Add parsley & cilantro into your diet.

4. Add cultured foods into your diet.

5. Eat yourself beautiful!

6. Dissolve stress in your daily life!

7. Use the power of visualization.

8. Transform your life with love!

9. Add healthy fats into your diet.

10. Avoid aspartame, msg, high fructose corn syrup & heavily processed diet and fat free products.

Sneak Peek at the "Food Matters" Recipe Book with Juice and Healthy Recipes Preview -- Click on the Image above to view and download the free sample recipes.  Some of these look so good.  I can't wait to try them!

Related articles:

• Diet Soda Linked to Poor Health
• Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones.  If you're like most Americans, you probably also overdid it with the Thanksgiving goodies.  Did you know that to burn off the calories from the average Thanksgiving dinner you have to walk, jog, or run a full-length marathon?  That's 26.2 miles!  Even scarier . . . the left-overs!  Many of you will eat that same meal again tomorrow and the next day.  Unless you're one of those wild and crazy ultra-marathoners (and I know a few of my followers are), I hope you will try to find some balance this weekend . . . a few less left-over Thanksgiving calories and a little more exercise.

The Infographic below breaks Thanksgiving dinner down by calories and by the miles of walking, running or jogging required to burn it off.

Source: newmango.com via Shannon on Pinterest

If you can't read the print, you can click the image for a larger view of the graphic or press Ctrl and + at the same time on your keyboard to enlarge everything on your screen. (Pressing Ctrl and - at the same time will decrease the size when you are done.)

A Thanksgiving Milestone for Me

I thought I'd also share a healthy little milestone that I celebrated today.  Today was the 22nd anniversary of the day I became a vegetarian.  That's 21 years meat free . . . no red-meat, no poultry, no pork, no seafood.  I chose Thanksgiving to officially go vegetarian because there are so many great meat-less side-dishes on Thanksgiving, I figured I would never miss the turkey.  I didn't miss it way back then and I never have since.

Source: meatlessmonday.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Peppers

My husband whipped these up for us last week and they were so delicious!  I could eat them every week! They  tasted great reheated over the next couple days for lunches too. They are without a doubt the best vegetarian stuffed peppers I have ever had!

  

Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Recipe
Makes 8 Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
4 Large Green Bell Peppers
15 MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Crushed Red Peppers (Optional)
1 tsp of Salt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of fresh Garlic (Minced)
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
¼ C of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 C Marinara Sauce

Directions:
Wash the peppers and remove their stems. Cut them in half from top to bottom and remove their seeds and veins. Boil the peppers in a large pot for 7-10 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove from the pot and drain. Microwave the sausage patties for 1 minute on each side. Then run the patties through a food processor to form a consistency similar to ground beef. In a large skillet, add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil and sauté the garlic. Add the crumbled sausage patties and toss. After a couple of minutes, add the Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper, and Salt. Continue to sauté for a few minutes. Add the Parmesan Cheese and toss for a minute. Add 1 Cup of the Mozzarella Cheese and toss until the cheese has melted. Add the Marinara sauce and cook for another minute, then remove the skillet from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350. On a baking sheet, greased with Olive Oil, arrange the Peppers with the open side up, creating small bowls. Stuff the sausage mixture into each of the peppers. Top each evenly with the remaining 1 Cup of Mozzarella. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Muffin Tin Monday

Have you tried Muffin Tin Meals for your little ones yet?  I've seen lots of posts about them all around Blog Land, but hadn't tried them until recently.  I only had full-size muffin tins (with 12 cups), so I purchase four 6-cups muffin tins at The Dollar Tree especially for muffin tin meals.  The cups in the tins are regular size, but the tins themselves are small (just six cups).  At first it was a little bit of a challenge for me to come up with six healthy, balanced servings of kid-friendly foods, but it gets easier and my girls really love them!

Here are a few of the combinations we've tried so far:

1. Morning Star Farms Chik'n Nuggets

2. Carrots

3. Raisins

4.Watermelon

5.Keebler Club Minis Multi-Grain Crackers

6. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Annie's Bunny Grahams Friends

2. Blackberries

3. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

4. Nature's Promise Organic Unsweetened Applesauce

5. Strawberries

6. Plain Quaker Oatmeal w/Raisins Added

1. Mashed Potatoes

2. Snaps Peas

3. Watermelon

4. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

5. Baby Carrots

6. Mozzarella String Cheese

1. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

2. Post Banana Nut Crunch Cereal and Milk

3. Grapes

4. Banana

5. Raspberry

6. Craisins

And here's my youngest daughter cheesing like a crazy baby in anticipation of her muffin tin breakfast:

Can you tell she loves them?

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Burritos

This recipe is quick, delicious, and very versatile. There are many substitutions or add-ons that can boost flavor, add certain nutrients, or strip it down to an even healthier version. This meal should take about 20-25 minutes to prepare and cook and is simple to clean up after as everything is thrown into one skillet.

Vegetarian Burritos with a side of Vegetarian Refried Beans and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Sweet Onion (Diced)
• 1 Can of Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes (Slightly Drained)
• 10 oz. Vegetable Crumbles (We used Morning Star Farms brand.)
• 1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
• 1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
• Burrito Sized Tortillas
• Sour Cream (Optional)
• Guacamole (Optional)
• Salsa (Optional)
• Lettuce (Optional)
• Tomato (Optional)

In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onions to sauté for 3-5 minutes on medium to medium high heat. Stir in the canned tomatoes and continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in the Vegetable Crumbles and the taco seasoning. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 5 more minutes.

As this simmers, begin to warm the tortillas by first sprinkling with water and then placing them between two paper towels. Microwave the tortillas for 20-25 seconds. The tortillas should be very soft and pliable.

Add the cheese to the veggie mix and stir it in until melted. Spoon about 3/4 of a Cup of the mixture into the center of each tortilla. Fold the tortilla at both ends and then roll it closed. Garnish with Salsa, Sour Cream, Lettuce, and/or Tomatoes.

* Other options to add variety to this meal include stuffing the burritos with Spanish Rice and/or Refried or Black Beans along with the ingredients listed above.

** For a spicier flavor, use Zesty Jalapeno Diced Tomatoes, add Jalapenos to the veggie mixture, or add Tabasco.

*** You can really cut out some calories, fat, sodium and add nutrients by using: Reduced Fat Sour Cream; Reduced Fat Cheese; Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning, and Whole Grain Tortillas.

Here's what the filling inside looks like right before you fold it up.

Meatless Monday -- Black Bean Lasagna

Years ago, my good friend Michelle made this hearty Mexican-flavored lasagna for me and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Even your most dedicated carnivores will love it! It reheats well, and in my opinion tastes even better then next day!

Black Bean Lasagna

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can chopped green chilies
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro (optional)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. fat-free sour cream
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
Large bottle thick and chunky salsa
12 Oven-Ready, No Boil Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
Non-stick cooking spray


Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the onion and garlic for a couple minutes, then add the beans, green chilies, red pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, and coriander, and simmer for ~15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set bean mixture aside.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray lasagna pan with cooking spray. Spread 2 to 4 Tbsp salsa in bottom of pan. Layer four lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping. Spread 1/2 bean mixture over noodles, and top with enough salsa to spread an even layer and 1/2 of the sour cream. Top sour cream with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Repeat noodle layer, bean mixture, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Finish with one more layer of noodles, salsa, and remaining cheese. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is browned on top (~7 to 10 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes before serving (If you don't it will be OK, just liquidy). Enjoy!

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Soup & Mini Corn Muffins

This recipe is from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons by Nava Atlas.  In addition to her many vegetarian cookbooks, Nava Atlas also has a great website called VegKitchen. 

Black Bean Soup

6 to 8 Servings

An American classic - robust and brimming with complex flavors. Perfect for cold days spent indoors, this soup is great served with fresh cornbread and a crisp green salad.


Ingredients:
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and sorted (or four 15oz. cans)
1 cup chopped onion
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery stalks, diced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup dry red wine or sherry, optional
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Garnish:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
or
1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon light sour cream
sprinkle with chili powder


Rinse and sort the beans, discarding withered ones and checking carefully for small stones. Soak the beans overnight in a large pot with plenty of water, covered. Or cover with water, bring to a boil, then let stand off the heat for an hour for a shortcut version of pre-soaking. In either case, drain the beans after soaking, and rinse. (Start here and skip the first hour of simmering, if you are using canned beans.) Place in a soup pot with fresh water in a ratio of approximately 3 parts water to 1 part beans. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer steadily for 1 hour. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, seasoning mix, nutmeg, and optional wine. Simmer for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are soft. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of the beans with a slotted spoon, avoiding as much as possible scooping out the other vegetables. Set aside. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the solid ingredients, in batches, to a food processor or blender. Use about 1/4 cup cooking liquid per batch. Process until smoothly pureed, (discard the rest of the cooking liquid) then return the puree to the soup pot along with the reserved beans. Season with salt and pepper and return to low heat for 15 minutes. I like to use garlic salt, chili pepper and Tabasco to spice mine up just little bit more! Just before serving, heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the sliced onion and saute over medium heat until golden brown. Garnish each serving with some of the sautéed onion, 2 lemon slices, and some chopped parsley. This soup keeps very well for several days, and the flavor improves as it stands.


Per serving of soup (1/8 of the pot without garnish):
Calories: 217, Total fat: 2 g, Protein: 10 g, Fiber: 12 g, Carbohydrate: 36 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 25 mg

Serve with a nice garden salad and mini corn muffins.  If you have a good recipe, I guess you could make these from scratch.  I usually just use the little boxes of corn muffin mix.  Just blend the mix with water and bake . .  so easy.  Do read the ingredients on any mix you might buy though as some box mixes including Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix contain animal shortening or lard, which you will definitely want to avoid on Meatless Monday!  If you try Meatless Monday and/or this recipe, please leave me a comment telling me all about it!


I'm linking to:

Meatless Monday -- Starts Tomorrow!

For a while I've been planning to start a Meatless Monday series on my blog, and finally tomorrow I am going to do it!  Since every Monday is meatless at my house (I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years.), I have lots of experience going meatless and lots of great recipes to share. I hope you'll join me tomorrow and every Monday!

Why Meatless? Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.      http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/

Why Monday?  Monday is the start of the week.  It's the day to start fresh.  Most diet and/or exercise plans are started or restarted on Monday.  Monday is the call to action built in to every calendar each week. And if this Monday passes you by, next week is another chance to go meatless!  

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-monday/

 I challenge you to try Meatless Monday at your house!  

What's for dinner?

My mom taught me to plan a menu each week before grocery shopping, and I've been passing that wisdom along to my clients for years. It takes a little bit of forethought, but it will save you money, headaches and stress and help your family eat better.

Recently, a friend of mine recommended The Six O'Clock Scramble. It's a great menu planning web site for quick healthy meals that makes it super simple to plan ahead! 


When you sign up for The Scramble (Subscriptions range in price from $19.50 for three months to $64.50 for two years.), you receive a weekly Scramble newsletter which includes five dinner recipes complete with side dishes and a corresponding grocery list. You can then choose to keep all the meals for the week or swap them out for any recipe in The Scramble's extensive recipe database to fit your family’s needs, tastes and/or schedule. Your grocery list is automatically updated with your choices and conveniently divided by section to make your shopping easier. Most recipes are under 500 calories for a hearty serving and provide enough left-overs for lunch the next day or you can freeze some for later. Since our children are still small and don't eat very much, we've been able to eat some for lunch the next day and freeze some for later with many of the meals.


We love The Scramble at our house! It's fun to try new recipes and new ingredients. Have you ever had parsnips? I hadn't until a few weeks ago! They're delicious! We feel good about the healthy, satisfying meals that we've been eating, and the shopping list is the best! No more missing ingredients!


If you'd like to sign up for The Scramble, please tell them Healthy Mommy (Shannon Brennan) sent you and use code GLSHA16117 to get a $3 discount off a 6 or 12 month subscription!


Here are two delicious Scramble sample recipes for you to try:

Vegetarian Chili

and

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

If you do decide to try it out, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.