Sunday, November 8, 2009
Quinoa - An Almost "Perfect" Whole Grain!
Ingredients:
1 Cup Quinoa
2 - 2.25 Cups HOT, Salted, Water, Tea or Broth
As with any grain, quinoa can be cooked in just about any liquid at a ratio of about 2:1 liquid-to-grain. Broths, juices, sauce, teas & infusions all provide additional flavor possibilities. Quinoa can be cooked within a soup or can be added later, after it has been cooked.
Procedure:
Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a small strainer or by running fresh water over the quinoa, scrub with hands and drain
Quinoa seeds are covered with saponin, a soapy, resin-like substance that is extremely bitter. To remove the saponins the hand-scrub it and rinse thoroughly through a sieve.
Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan over high heat. Roast the quinoa, being careful not to burn it by keeping it moving in the pan. Shake, toss or stir the seeds frequently until they begin to pop and crackle rapidly.
After about 3 minutes, they will brown and begin to smell nutty.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a minute or two.
Add liquid and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). The quinoa is done when the water has been completely absorbed and the grains are tender and fluffy. Also the seeds will appear translucent and the germ ring will be visible.
Serving Recommendations:
Often, quinoa is fluffed with a fork and served as a hot cereal with fruit. It can be added to soups, casseroles and salads. Quinoa is a very versatile ingredient and can be used in any recipe that calls for rice, millet, oats, amaranth, buck wheat or any other grain.
Roasting quinoa is not necessary but it does give it a deeper texture. If you are short on time or patience, you can skip this step. It is advised, though, that you start with HOT water to soften the outer covering of the seeds.
Nutrition Facts: Quinoa
Serving Size ½ Cup (Cooked)
Calories 127
Total Fat 2g
Sodium 10mg
Total Carbs. 23.5g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Protein 4.5g
Potassium 251.5mg
Nutritional Data
from www.calorieking.com
Your one-stop Internet diet stop? Maybe.
To make the deal even sweeter, they have really powerful social networking tools that allow you to find new friends or connect with people you already know that are trying to lose weight.
I think what I like most about this platform is that it is so robust. What I mean is the site offers a lot of features and applications that will appeal to computer geeks while remaining user-friendly enough to makes the rest of us happy.
One feature I thought was real cool was the Challenge section. Here, I found all sorts of cool things to strive for, with names like "30 min. of exercise 5 days a week," "Nothin' after Nine (p.m.)," and "Unstuff for the holidays," among others. Even cooler is that when you join a challenge, you get to fight the good fight alongside other members who offer support and encouragement.
They also have a section on how some top popular diets are performing based on FatSecret members' own experiences. See, something for everyone.
Another important feature (Okay, THE most important feature) is that it is TOTALLY FREE!
Yup, FREE. Not only that, but they are soliciting input from weight loss professionals and the food industry so their database of foods is HUGE!
You not only have access to complete nutritional information about nearly any name brand food, but you can also get the nutritional dirt on what you order at your favorite restaurant. These are just a few of the chains I was able to pick up right on my Blackberry AND on their website:
Applebee's, Au Bon Pain, Arby's, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, Ben & Jerry's, Burger King, Chuck E. Cheese's, Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle, Dunkin' Donuts, Denny's Del Taco, Fazoli's, Five Guys Fatburger, Godfather's Pizza, Hooters, Hardee's, IHOP, In-N-Out, Jason's Deli, Jack in the Box, Krystal, KFC, Little Caesars, Long John Silver's, McAlister's Deli, McDonald's, On The Border, O'Charley's, Olive Garden, Panera Bread, Panda Express, Pei Wei P.F. Chang's, Quiznos, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, Starbucks, Subway Schlotzsky's Deli, Taco Bell, Tasti D-Lite, Taco Time, Uno Chicago Grill, Whataburger, Wahoo's Fish Taco Wendy's, Zaxby's . . .
What about store brand food?
Well, they have that too. You can get the nutrition information from stores like: Albertsons, Compliments, Central Market, Fresh & Easy, Food Lion, Giant Eagle, Great Value, Hannaford, HEB Hy-Vee, Kroger, Kirkwood Kirkland Signature, Market Pantry, Meijer Member's Mark, No Name, Publix, Pathmark Private Selection, Ralphs, Schnucks, Safeway Stater Bros., Trader Joe's, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market, Winn-Dixie . . . .
And exercise?
There are many great diet-based websites out there like www.calorieking.com, www.nutritiondata.com and www.obesityhelp.com, but no site I have found puts all these features in one place.
If you become a member, you can be my buddy. My user name is . . . . can you guess?
BetternessCoach
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
521 Fifth Avenue | Properties | SL Green Realty Corp., New York City's largest commercial office landlord
Sunday, October 25, 2009
GETTING A STRONG START BY ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
I once heard it said that the process of change begins at the moment a question is asked. Certainly, contemplating a well worded question can immediately cause us to alter the way we think and subsequently act. When a question is well crafted, it can create a joyful, positive, focused state of mind. When your mind is a resident of that state, you are primed for success. Have you ever heard a question that sent you on a journey that changed your entire life? I know I have.
Below are some questions that I, and other coaches, have crafted for their clients. They have been designed for you. They are not indented to test or challenge you. They are designed to set your mental compass toward success. Please consider these questions and e-mail your answers to me ahead of our initial session. Think deeply, be truthful and above all - have fun with the inquiries! You can be free to enjoy the process because this is your time to become better. I'm looking forward to exploring with you how you can live your best life.
Answer The Questions OnLine by clicking here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDlKblRVdXdOVWFZcDNlZ1JkWUthZUE6MA
Describe your three greatest accomplishments to date?
What made these accomplishments stand out for you?
What things from your past successes do you still incorporate into your current actions?
What can be learned from your past accomplishments that will help you right now?
What is a dream you have that's worth working for, starting now?
What are you passionate about?
What are you good at?
Who are your role models?
What attributes of these role models do you admire and most appreciate?
Who are the key supportive people in your life and what do they provide for you?
What is the one thing you do that gives you the most energy, makes you feel most alive?
What are the five most positive things in your life right now?
What would you like to contribute to the world?
What consumes your time and energy that most contributes to a fulfilling present or promising future?
What 3 really important things would you like to accomplish beginning RIGHT NOW?
What 3 really important things would you like to accomplish within the next 90 days?
What 3 really important things would you like to accomplish within the next three years?
On a scale of one to ten, how ready are you to make substantial changes?
On a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that you will be able to make these substantial changes?
Name a substantial change that you are proud of completing in the past.
What are your most important gifts, talents, strengths?
What motivates you?
Anything else you want me to know about you that will help me in coaching you?
What do you expect from me as your coach and from the coaching relationship?
What challenges are you facing now?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
SIMPLE ONION / LEEK / MUSHROOM SOUP
Small Steps, Big Changes by Russ L'HommeDieu, DPT.
SIMPLE ONION / LEEK / MUSHROOM SOUP
(Yields 4 servings)
Description: This soup makes a great base for the creation of more complex soups or can stand very well on it's own as a rainy day lunch. It is simple and quick to make.
Nutritional Data calculated from "Living Cookbook" software
Calories 132.08
Calories From Fat 15.93
Total Fat 1.79g
Saturated Fat 0.40g
Cholesterol 1.81mg
Sodium 885.55mg
Potassium 453.97mg
Carbohydrates 26.12g
Dietary Fiber 2.74g
Sugar 8.91g
Protein 4.75g
Ingredients:
2 Medium Onions, sliced
2 Leeks, halved and sliced
2 Cups Mushrooms, sliced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
½ Cup Balsamic Vinegar or Marsala Wine (divided)
2 Cups Mushroom Stock
3 Cups Vegetable Stock
2 teaspoons dried Thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh*
Procedure:
Cut off root end of leeks and discard.
Halve leeks lengthwise and thinly slice.
Soak leek slices in several changes of water to rid of any sand.
Peel, halve and thinly slice Onions, lengthwise
Rinse and slice Mushrooms
Dice Garlic
Heat 1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar (or wine) and 1 Tablespoon of either stock over low flame in a medium saucepan.
Sweat** Onions and Leeks by adding them to the pan with the liquid
When the Onions and Leeks turn translucent,
add Garlic and Mushrooms; sauté briefly
Add broth and remaining vinegar and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 20 Minutes.***
***To develop more texture, you may simmer up to 4 hours. After 2 hours, though, check regularly and add liquid as necessary. Do not add too much or soup will lose that velvety texture that comes from slow reduction.
Salt and Pepper to taste
Serving Recommendations:
Serve hot with a slice of your favorite bread (Remember, bread has Calories!)
Remember, for the most part, recipes are simply guidelines. I encourage you to experiment and substitute. Add ingredients, subtract ingredients, play with their proportions. In the end, it is a matter of taste. For this recipe, consider adding more onions if you want a more oniony soup, more mushrooms . . . . well, you get the idea. At home I sometimes use all mushroom stock but, 100% vegetable stock works just as well and, for those carnivores out there, beef broth brings a certain depth to the dish. I frequently substitute Marsala wine or Sherry for the Balsamic vinegar which subtly changes the flavor. One cool thing to remember is that most vegetables "go together." Try adding ½ cup of diced tomatoes, spinach, corn or other whole grain. My recommendation is to start with the original recipe and then exercise the three most important rules of cooking: "taste, taste, taste" to get what you want.
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