Monthly Archives: August 2018

5 Secrets to Eating a Sustainable Diet

by

Today, healthy eating habits are more than just good for individual well being; it’s also contributing to the community at large. If you are looking to eat a more sustainable diet, here are five tips to steer you in the right direction.

Buy Locally

Start looking to buy locally grown foods. Farmer’s markets are usually great to find sustainable groceries. If you live in an area that does not have a close enough farmer’s market kiosk or location, find a grocery store near you who imports produce from nearby farms in your city. Some markets collaborate with grocery stores to sell their produce for easy access to fresh local goods.

Go Plant-Based

Vegan is now a rapidly growing diet of choice for people choosing to eat clean. But if you are not ready to make this transition entirely, no worries. Just start adding more fruits and vegetable to your meals. Eatingbetter.org suggests eating more fresh produce and decreasing your animal consumption. This will contribute to fewer health risks and reduce greenhouse gases pollution. Plus, plant-based foods are loaded with antioxidants, which is one of the main benefits of a plant-based diet. Rather than making meat the main course, for example, perhaps serve it as a side dish occasionally.

Recognizing Sustainable Groceries

In addition to farmer’s markets, as stated above, there are other ways to locate sustainable groceries. Most notably, food co-ops are where a group of people in a community or organization come together as owners of a store, for the benefit of all members involved. They make a more conscious effort to favor sustainable, local and organic products. Sustainabletable.org reports that if you shop at larger chain markets, you can still find sustainable or organic products, but you still might have to ask.

Grow Your Own

You don’t necessarily need to have a large backyard designated for gardening. There are select herbs, fruits and vegetables you can begin seeding inside your home and grow outside on a small patch of earth, or on your balcony, come the right season. Growing your own produce is a gratifying and sustainable, cost-effective way to eat. If you really don’t have outdoor space, join a community garden. Growing your own food can also open you up to inspiration in the kitchen, especially when you have a restrictive diet. For example, if your a fan of pizza and a vegetarian, but feel as if you can’t really enjoy one, you can always replace typical toppings with the contents of your gardens. Mushrooms can be a great protein replacement in pizzas, or you can spice things up with jalapenos and other peppers.

Check the Label

Look for products carrying the Fair-Trade Certified label. This allows producers from poorer countries to get fair deals for their products. Fairtradecertified.org provides an excellent resource for contributing companies who support this global movement.

These are all easy ways to practice a more sustainable lifestyle. Clean eating and living will give you good health while making your planet better. Cheers!

References:

Mind Body Green | 9 Tips For Anyone Who Wants To Go Plant-Based

Kiwi Power Company | What it Means to Live a Sustainable Lifestyle, and How to Do It

Forbes | Green Efforts, Golden Opportunities: Two Grocers Explore Different Paths

ASEA | What Is It and Why Are People So Excited About It?

How To Eat Healthy Anywhere

by

You have worked so hard on sticking to a strict eating plan such as the paleo diet. However, it can prove challenging when you need to leave your house, especially when it is time to go to work. At the office, it can be even more tempting when your co-workers bring in special food to share that may not be on your meal plan. Here are some helpful tips for managing these temptations while staying on track with your progress.

Pack Your Meals The Night Before

It is more than likely that you will not have enough time to pack your approved meal when getting ready for work. Therefore, make sure you have all of your meals, snacks, and drinks packed the night before so that you can grab it as you run out the door. You are more likely to stick with your eating plan if you have your food on hand to eat at lunchtime.

 

Have The Right Essentials

Back in April, we posted about some ways to eat better specifically when on the road and I mentioned that the right food containers make all the difference. My love of the Lock and Lock line always makes for some great handy food options. But other essentials make sense. A new favorite is the Yeti brand Rambler. This 18-ounce container is a perfect fit for most briefcases and bags, keep temperatures perfect and with the extra accessories, like the Rambler Chug Cap you can both the option of an open mouth container and the removable smaller cover. Great for beverages, soups, stews etc.

 

Politely Refuse

If someone passes you a slice of cake at an office birthday celebration, you can help pass it along onto another willing candidate. Make sure to practice an answer such as, “Thank you, but I’m all set,” ahead of time so that you are not caught off guard. There is no need to mention your eating plan at this time. You can also give an extra congratulations to the special person that is being celebrated. Sometimes it also means the “fake out”, grab a small plate fork, a napkin and put some food on it.. then as you work your way around the party, you can dispose of it. But in peoples eyes, you will have “had something” and allows you to maneuver out of those more pushy folks.

Stack Emergency Snacks

Portion out some small amounts of your favorite meal plan food that are shelf stable that you can keep at your desk or car. These can be eaten when you are stuck late at the office and get hungry. The last thing that you do not want to do is raid the vending machine out of convenience. Wherever you store these treats, whether in a drawer or in your car, make sure that they are in a sealed container. The last thing that you want to do is to attract ants, bugs, or mice to your workspace. I do this a lot, it may mean spending a few dollars more on some prepackaged snacks – but they keep longer that way.

Keep Motivating Pictures At Your Workspace

Have a tangible reward in mind when you reach your goal weight. If you plan on going somewhere special, you can print out a picture and stick it in a spot on your desk where you can see it frequently. You have worked this hard to stay committed, and this is one assignment that you can see through to the end.

Sources:

  • Bon Appetit | 100 Lunch Ideas on What to Pack for Work
  • Kyani | Eating Healthy While Working
  • Zen Habits | 17 Strategies to Stick to Your Diet and Get Fit

Office Picnic Saturday

by

Office Picnic Challange – because I love coming home to an “oh by the way”

Dino has it rough

Picnic panic defense! With us, both being on vacation for two weeks and then Paul had to work in Baltimore right after it’s been a busy catch up with on my end. Paul then reminded me that it as his annual office picnic on Saturday too. So I managed to get into the kitchen and make some of my favorites to being with.  Of course, Dino was hoping I would spend more time with him after his two weeks at Hightail Hotel, than my being in the kitchen while Paul was away – but he got plenty of snuggle time later.

First – the cookie!

Perfect for a picnic as it is for dinner is one of the favorites of his office is the variation to the Black Pepper Biscotti Ifrom Valerie Bertinelli. I have made this a bunch of times and its become a perfect goto not to mention is a great based to change it up from. In today’s version, I made one with chopped walnuts and almonds (because that’s what I have handy). I also used a bit of lemon extract in place of the peel that is mentioned in the previous post since I didn’t have any handy. But go easy on lemon extract, a little goes a long way. The second version is essentially the same but without nuts or almond extract. For this one, I amped up the vanilla, added some powdered ginger and a bit of homemade ginger syrup (see the recipe below). The third version was a Spicey Chocolate Biscotti with dried cherries. This was a made up recipe, so is in draft form but I liked the version enough to bring. I think next time it needs more cayenne (most likely 3/4 tablespoon in total).  Once it gets done I will repost the final version recipe.

Second – the fruit salad

This was an easy one Summer + Picnic+ Fruit Salad. I have been making this cool watermelon chili, but on a recent episode of Sara Moulton I saw this new version that uses Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Feta Cheese, and Procuitto. I have made it now for several potlucks and news this one would be perfect. She adds paprika which gives it this sweet smokey flavor for a different twist. Sara’s version of Two-Melon, Proscuitto and Feta Salad is really good as is. Try it first then change it up for your needs. At times I have swapped in smoked ham slices and or pepperoni in place of the prosciutto. I change up the nuts from time to time.

For this weekend version, I kept it pretty much the same but swapped out 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of a local Habanero infused olive oil. You will notice that this shot has a lot of extra marinades. That is on purpose. I like to much that I save it and use it as a salad dressing base or as we did on vacation when I made it. Just add more melons.

As an extra – cold marinated cucumbers and carrots

This is one from my childhood I revamped. its quick and easy to make – tastes better the longer you let it chill. But equally as good with a 30-minute marinade. Unlike the Pickled Carrots and Jalapeños I did before, these require no heating. Just chop, pour, season and chill. This one I eyeball for measurements – eventually, I will try to measure it out. Slice up some 2-3 English cucumbers on an angle, toss in come carrot slices (or buy them already fancy sliced), add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, juice of 1/2 lemon, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, add chopped parsley or cilantro, 1/2 cup of sugar and 7 or 8 ice cubes (1/2 of chilled iced water works too if you are short on time). Mix well and leave in the refrigerator 30 min to overnight. Taste to flavors. You want a tart, sweet, herbed crunch. Most fresh herbs work. As does add sliced raw peppers (hot or sweet), radishes, even celery.

 

Ginger Syrup 

Ingredients
  • Several large pieces of ginger, peeled and rinsed and sliced, approximately 4-6 inched or about a cup sliced.
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Directions

In a saucepan – cook the ginger, water, and sugar first to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool 5-10 min. Once cool, strain out the cooked ginger into a clear glass jar. add a few uncooked peeled pieces of ginger and refrigerate.

Note: If you want some extra zing, add cinnamon sticks or rosemary to the simmer and strain out.

9 Ways to Make Sure You’re Buying the Best Supplement on the Shelf

by

Supplement all that good food and excercise

As many fitness enthusiasts know, you can work out incredibly hard, eat healthily, and do everything right, but still see room for improvement. This is where supplements come in. Supplements are a way to overcome a body’s natural deficiencies in areas such as amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, or some other vital nutrient. For those of us who like to work out and stay in shape, supplements are a way to help us attain our performance goals and to achieve the look we want.

The problem, though, is there are so many supplements on the market, how does one go about finding the right supplement? The following is a short list of tips to help you navigate the complex world of supplements and help you find the right supplement for you.

Check Out The Company

It only seems natural to check out the company who is trying to sell you the supplements before you do anything else. Do they have a website? See if they share results of their research. There’s something a bit suspicious about a company asking you to put something in your body that isn’t willing to show you the research they’ve done to prove it is both safe and effective. Check out their reviews on third-party sites. Also, make sure if you are purchasing them from an online reseller that they are authentic.

Look For Certification

Check on the bottle to ensure that the product has been certified by a third party organization such as USP (United States Pharmacopeia) or NSF (National Sanitation Foundation). Certification will assure potency, purity, strength, and how well the product will dissolve in your body.

Check The Price

Sometimes the cheapest product isn’t always the best. Quality products, not to mention certification from one of the above organizations, costs money. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many manufacturers sometimes opt for lower quality ingredients, or even skip certification, in their attempt to save money.

Check Out the Ingredients

By reading the label, you can see exactly what ingredients are included in the product. The quality of raw materials is essential to the ability of the body to absorb and process them. If your body can’t absorb the supplement, then the supplement is doing you no good. It’s also a good idea to Google the supplement you’re considering to see if there are any health warnings related to it because some supplements have hidden ingredients as part of the brand’s proprietary blend. For example, an investigation in 2016 revealed anabolic steroids hidden in muscle-building supplements. These hidden ingredients can have unintended consequences for the people who unknowingly ingest them.

Check The Daily Values

First of all, it is essential to know that Daily Values are not the same as the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of a nutrient. The RDA is based upon your individual factors such as age or gender. The Daily Value will be listed as a percentage. You want to get a supplement that contains about 100% of the Daily Value, not a very large amount like 4000%. In some cases, a nutrient can actually be toxic at this dose and should be avoided. In this case, more of a good thing is, in fact, a bad thing.

Review the Other Ingredients

There shouldn’t be more than five ingredients in any given supplement. This is unnecessary and can hinder the absorption and processing of the supplement in your body. This is especially true of things like added sugars or artificial flavors and colors. Dyes should also be avoided. Likewise, look on the label to see if there are any allergens in the supplement. Many people are allergic to peanuts, wheat, or seafood. A supplement should mention what allergens it does not contain on the label.

Avoid Exaggerations

Supplements are not prescription medications. There is no such thing as a “pharmacy strength” supplement. Supplements that contain such claims on the label might actually be perfectly good supplements. They also might be charging a premium for a claim that, quite frankly, is not true.

Look At the Expiration Date

Vitamin and minerals lose potency over time. Taking expired supplements can often be completely ineffective and expensive. You should also store your supplements in a cool, dry place. The medicine cabinet and refrigerator are bad places to store supplements as they can develop moisture which will, in turn, decrease the effectiveness of the supplement.

Check With Your Doctor

Finally, always check with your doctor about any supplements you are taking or planning to take. We all have our own specific medical histories, and not all supplements are right for everyone. In addition, supplements which may be perfectly harmless on their own can sometimes interact with a medication to produce unpleasant, even dangerous, side effects.

If you are already a fitness buff, you are probably already in the habit of reading the labels on your food. If you are planning to start – or if you already take – a supplement, it is essential to apply the same principals. Read your labels. Know who is making the supplement, know that a third party is overseeing its production, and make sure the quality of raw materials is up to the standard you apply to the food you eat.

References:

5 Things to Look for in Buying Supplements | University Hospitals

The Top 4 Things to Look for When Buying Nutritional Supplements | Sanesco

8 Questions To Ask When Finding The Best Supplement Manufacturer | Biovation Labs

Vitamins and Supplements: What to Look For, What to Run From | Everyday Health

How Do Anabolic Steroids Affect Your Brain? | The Recovery Village

What Is It and Why Are People So Excited About It? | ASEA

 

 

5 Other Must-See Beach Vacation Destinations

by

Image courtesy of SellingYouParadise.com

Beach Time!

With the United State’s long coastlines on the east, south and west borders and the coasts on the island of Hawaii, there is no shortage of varied and distinct beaches for all tastes. However, there are some beaches that stand out from the crowd and deserve a visit at least once if possible. No matter which coast, everyone will love soaking up the sun at these beaches. While many of you know that the beaches of Cape Cod always are some of Frank’s favorite, including the tip of the Cape, Provincetown. Since he will be posting more of Provincetown later this month, I will share some other beaches of note that are worthy of a mention. (Reader’s note – neither Frank or I am not affiliated with any of the links below listed below, nor do I get funds of any kind for the mention)

As a teaser, remember when Frank helped with this video back a few years ago?

You can read the full post here or search “Provincetown” in the BiteTheRoasearchch box above.

 

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is the quintessential beach resort of the south Atlantic coast. Its boardwalks are replete with arcades, restaurants, and shops, and the Family Kingdom amusement park and the SkyWheel Ferris Wheel are top attractions. The beaches offer some of the whitest sand on the Atlantic coast, and the golf courses are the best around.

Nantucket

The coasts of Nantucket Island are varied as to the types of beaches. The north shore is calmer and is popular with families. Jetties Beach offers lots of rentals and other amenities, and Children’s Beach features harborside waters and a playground. The south shore is windier, and the beaches have more surf. Those who want more secluded beaches or enjoy surfing will appreciate beaches such as Suftside and Cisco.

Kauna’oa Bay, Hawaii

Kauna’oa Bay is the essence of Hawaii. Beautiful white sand, calm blue water and lots of palm trees are what draws visitors to this crescent-shaped island. Visitors who stay at either the Westin Mauna Kea Beach Hotel or the Westin Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel have complete access to the beaches, and other beachgoers have more limited beach access.

Sanibel Island

Most people think of shelling when they think of Sanibel Island, but there is much more to this beautiful island. Visitors can enjoy miles of walking and kayak trails through the J.N. Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The kayak trails are lined with mangroves for a peaceful paddle, and there are also miles of biking, walking, and driving routes throughout. Visitors can stay at various resorts and other rentals or come for a day trip.

Coronado, California

This beach is situated across the bay from San Diego, California. The surf is gentle, the beaches are wide and the quaint streets and fine hotels offer both families and couples a fun respite from their busy lives. Visitors will enjoy visiting the many shops, gardens and mansions and partaking in activities like kayaking, sailing, and gondola rides. Make a point of visiting the iconic Hotel del Coronado that was built in 1888.