Kids and Food

This entry might not appeal to everyone, or seem important to some, but being a teacher and working with kids everyday and just having a general love for children and being around children. I feel like this is a very important topic that people might not take as seriously as they should, with all this childhood obesity epidemic talk and seeing the result of how bad habits can effect our youth, we NEED to get kids into the kitchen and excited about good for you food.

I feel there are two main ways to get kids excited about food: The first one being to take the kids to the grocery store with you. Let them help pick out fresh fruits and vegetables (this is a great time to teach them how to pick out good, rip and fresh foods). Also let the child pick out something new to try, give them they whole produce section to choose from, knowing that they got the choice to pick will automatically want to eat it when they get home. (I do this as an adult, so dont feel because you dont have children you can't go have fun and try something new then the grocery store)
The second is to cook with them! Get the kids in the kitchen, let them add, mix or make foods they can use there hands. One thing I have learned working with kids is they are more willing to try things when they have had a hand in making it. Sometimes it works out really well to where if the meal does not turn out the way they like they might want to change it and add or take away something and try it again.

You need to be enthusiastic about the food, and show that you, as the adult are willing to try new things and be open, there is no way children will get on board if you are not. Also just because you don’t like something does not mean you should not cook it or buy it for your children, they might love it! Kids learn by example.

                                                                             

             Try to remake these at home with kids:

            Homemade Pizza (fresh toppings)

           Mac and Cheese
         Quesadillas

          Hamburgers

          Homemade Chicken Nuggets

     Omelettes

      Make homemade baby food, its much better then the stuff you get at the store

         

Food and Your Mood

     How many times have you been sad, upset or angry and reached for the first sweet or salty thing in site? Or when you have nothing else to do (boredom) you open the fridge or the cabinets and look or pull anything out just to munch on. Even think, happy occasions, you go out to eat, or have cake. We all at some point or another associate food with our moods.


     It’s called comfort food for a reason. Its makes us feel warm and full, and in some ways safe, when you have them. I for example only want my mom’s chicken soup when I am sick because she always made it for me and on the same note when I’m upset I reach for chocolate. There is nothing wrong with that but how about trying to control it. Instead of going out to eat for special occasions, who not do something that the person likes to do (a movie/museum). When you’re upset or angry why not take a walk, or write about it in a journal, instead of eating that pint of ice cream. Finally if being bored is huge issues pick up a hobby (knitting, reading) or play a game with someone.

If you must reach for something though, make smart choices;

Sweet: Fruits with whip cream

          : Apple with peanut butter (or almond butter)

Salty: Cheese and crackers

         : Popcorn


Live Healthy,
     Nadia

Detox Warp Up

      My week detox is over,  though this week was really difficult. I made it though and I am so proud of myself(and my mother)! I have really learned a lot about my eating habits, I don’t  eat nearly as many fruits and vegetables as I now know I can, I give into my cravings a lot and now I know I can resist those cravings. My mother and I have also come up with some new (detox friendly) recipes.

       I feel like this detox was exactly what I needed to really get me to the next level of healthy eating.  I have always been one to watch what I eat, but now its on another level and I have proven that I can do it. I am now seriously thinking of doing a week long detox once a year, it really has made a difference, in not only my eating but I can feel it in my body as well. I would really suggest that people who want to get healthy but don’t know how to really get it started I would defiantly recommend you think of a detox.

Live Healthy, 

 Nadia 

Detox Day 3 & 4

     Things are getting easier!! Though I still felt tired a lot during the last two days I have been able to deal with it well. I think it just goes to show how much I depend on sugar or caffeine to give me energy, even if I only drink one cup of coffee or tea a day. I too fall for that mid-day sugar pick me up at work to get me to the end of the day, but I can see now that I don’t NEED to have it!

     On another note, I am so glad that my mother is doing this with me every night over dinner, that she so amazing and cooks, we talk about how we feel that day and how things went. We both are feeling kind of the same way every day, like today for example we both felt kind of sluggish, tired and a little out of it. I am so glad to get support from her, and a lot of other people in my life, it makes it a little easier to get through the day.

     Turning to the actual food aspect of this whole detox, I am now eating at least 4 fruits and vegetables a day!! Its great, I have mostly been eating oatmeal for breakfast( I am sick of it though), then have a fruit ,then lunch, and a little later most fruit or vegetables, as for dinner my mother will make something simple like brown rice and kale in a tomato sauce with garlic, which we had last night and it was amazing! Also all week I have only had one cup of juice, other then that its been water!

Detox Day 2

I am at the end of day 2 of my detox, I can not lie it is HARD! It might be because it is just day 2 and my body is going through a little bit of a shock, but I really did not think it would be this hard to do a 7 day detox. Today for example, I felt like I was constantly hungry (not starving) through the day and by dinner time I had a horrible headache. I am trying to work out the kinks and know that I can eat a lot more fruits during the day. I hope it gets easier.

I know everyone wants to hear how great this process is for me, and though I am seeing some of the benefits already I can not lie and say its great and that I love it. I love food, healthy food and some not so healthy, and to be so restricted is not easy, but I am getting the hang of it, and well its only 7 days! I can do it!!!

Live Healthy,
  Nadia

Detox

Detox Day 1

This week I, along with my mother, are doing a 7 day detox. There are so many reasons to do a detox, to help in a weight loss rut, cleanse the body, or just p start yourself into a healthy eating change just to name a few. For me I am trying to help my weight loss and also cleanse the body. My mother was more than excited to do the detox with me, which is a great tip, find someone to do things with you so you can share the struggles and the joys, and someone who you can eat with and share recipes with does not hurt either!

I did my research before hand and there are many different detox options. Some you can eat sea food, the one I am doing as you can see you cannot, but you can have SEA salt, where some you cannot. I feel like this is something you can adapt to your lifestyle, as long as you follow the basic “rules” no meat, refined grains, artificial sugars and caffeine.

Live Healthy,
   Nadia

Portobello Mushroom “Burger”

These “burgers”  are a great way to have the burger effect but also being a little healthier. Try them out!

     - 1 Mushroom cap per person


     - 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

     - Salt and Pepper

 Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth, place them in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and let sit.

Heat up pan (or outside grill) add oil and cook about 3 minutes on each side, on medium heat.

Then top as you would any burger. I put blue cheese crumbles on mine when it was still in the pan (on the side where the stem comes out) and cover it to let it melt. Of course use any cheese you like though.

Then add lettuce, tomatoes, or onions, they would all be good.


Live Healthy,
   Nadia

Eating Out

     Who doesn’t love to eat out every once and a while, I mean you don't have to prep anything, there is no argument on who has to clean up after, and yes frankly it’s just easier! Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying to go out every day, but on special occasions why not, right? Well I am here to offer you some tips so that when you do go out to eat you can still be healthy.

     First, make a conscious effort to pick a place that offers healthy options, and then go on-line and look up the nutritional facts on the restaurants website; they are all required to have it. You can see the calorie count, sodium, fat etc. That way you know what to choose from and what to stay away from.

     Next, know the lingo! When you read a menu know what they are talking about(and don’t be afraid to ask your server). For example, breaded or tempura is usually FRIED. Creamy, cream sauce or alfredo is usually with heavy cream and butter! Anything scampi or in a scampi sauce is all butter! We all know what Buffets are comprised of, but no matter how hard we try we always fall into the trap of eating WAY too much, try avoiding buffets all together!

     Finally, some tricks to eating less would be to try and eat half of the meal and take the rest with you for the next day’s lunch or dinner. Also eat a little at the meal before going out to eat, for example if you are going to dinner, make sure you eat lunch so that when you go out you are not starving and eating everything in sight at the restaurant. Along with eating the meal before, eat something small 30 minutes before you go out, like a piece for fruit or a tall glass of water with lemon, again so you are not super hungry at the restaurant.

DO NOT forget that Alcohol counts! They are calories you need to factor in if you know you want a glass of wine or a cocktail with dinner.

There are some simple things to think about at the drive through as well, Supersized/value size( STAY AWAY, more food=more calories/fat), Salt(drive through restaurants are known for high sodium foods), Bacon(salty and just adds more fat)
 
Live Healthy,
    Nadia

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

       I am always looking for new ways to incorporate vegetables into my diets, especially ones that I don’t necessarily prefer (like peppers for example). I came up with this idea because salsa is actually healthy, with most brands being about 10 calories for 2 tablespoons, and no fat! I made this easy appetizer for the super bowl yesterday and my family LOVED IT!!

 

Stuffed Sweet Peppers


Ingredients:

1 Block Cream Cheese

1 Jar of salsa (any brand you like)

Bag of Sweet Peppers

Directions:

Let the cream cheese soften on the counter for about 30 minutes so it is easy to mix.

Drain most of the “water” from the salsa and in a bowl mix the salsa and the softened cream cheese, put it in the refrigerator to get firm again.

Wash and cut the sweet peppers in half the long way (take out any seeds there may be)

When the cheese has firmed a little add it to each pepper half about a teaspoon of the cheese mixture

Bake in the oven, on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet, for about 20 minutes to roast the peppers slightly.


  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

              Nadia

Replacements

   There are so many great ways to replace some, not so healthy foods with things that are better for you. It can  be easy and fun too! I can not tell people enough to just have fun with food, try new things, replace things, and eat with an open mind.

   How many times do you just want a quick snack or have people come over in short notice, you need something to eat fast. It is always easy to just pull out a bag of chips or something out of the freezer. My go to snack or appetizer is chips and dip, I love salsa's, guacamole, hummus you name it! My first replacement comes from that love, instead of chips how about some veggies, and I'm not just talking about carrot or celery sticks(though there is nothing wrong with that), today for example I made a  guacamole salsa and I served it with sweet peppers. Which are just the perfect size for dipping!

   Next a good and easy thing that can be replaced is sugar, with Agave Nectar or honey. Agave Nectar is an all natural sweetener that comes in different "shades" or strengths, from light to dark. It can be used to cook with and it is also easy to sweeten hot and cold drinks because it is a little thinner then honey. I love to put it in coffee because it does not have as strong a taste as honey.

   Finally try replacing white rice or pasta with a new whole grain. Start small just try brown rice or whole grain pasta. Then you can branch out and try something like quinoa, that cooks just like rice and can be eaten in the same kind of dishes. As I stated in my Whole Grains post there are so many benefits to whole grains and just trying them.

Enjoy something new,
       Nadia

Go Nuts

      I am sure with all the health crazes going on now everyone has heard that nuts are really good for you. But have you really thought about how it benefits your body to eat nuts? Nuts are great for you because they are high in Unsaturated fats(that lower your LDL, bad cholesterol), they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids(which help prevent heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks), Fiber and Vitamin E.

      Their are many kinds of nuts out there, and though they have some small differences they are all good and beneficial. As long as the nuts are raw, or just oven roasted they will give you the benefits. All those nuts that have salt or different flavors defeat the purpose and benefit of the nut itself.  The one thing to watch out for is the amount you eat, though they are good for you they are high in calories. So just about a handful will do if you are replacing the nuts for more saturated fat foods.  

Almonds 

Macadamia

Walnuts

Pecans

Pistachios

Hazelnuts

Peanuts  

Cashews 

Enjoy some nuts,  
   Nadia

Greens

Who says Vitamin C only comes from oranges anymore? There are so many green leafy vegetables that offer not only vitamin C but also A and K, among other things! You can get a lot of great nutrients from just adding these simple and delicious foods into your daily meals. There are so many options of greens that I am sure everyone can find one that fits their taste.

    Iceberg lettuce can be known as the “starter green” because it is mostly water it has a very bland taste that many people can adapt with any flavor they want.

    Broccoli is probably the one green everyone has eaten, but it does not count when it’s smothered in high sodium take out meal. Just steaming them and having a yogurt dip, or in salads is a great way to eat them and get all their benefits!

    Popeye had the right idea eating all that spinach. It is mild in flavor and so easy to add into soups or stews and who knew that you get more of the nutrition when it’s cooked rather than raw!

    Kale has to be my new favorite vegetable, and also one of the best ones for you! Kale does have a stronger taste then many other greens but when you cook it right it is just so good. I sauté it with garlic olive oil and a little water then add some balsamic vinegar at the end and it is delicious and easy!

I encourage you to go to your local grocery store and pick up a new leafy green to try with dinner this week!

Live healthy,
Nadia

Quinoa Salad

As promised I am posting the recipe for Quinoa Salad that I tried out today for the first time and it was a HIT!!

Ingredient List
~ 1 red pepper
~ 1 cup quinoa
~ 1 1/2 cup water
~ 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
~ 1/2 cup chopped green onion
~ 1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted)

  Cut the red pepper in half vertically, and take out the seeds and membranes, roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes on foil, when the pepper is dark and blistered take it out and carefully wrap the foil around it. This is so the skin is easy to peal off. After about 30 minutes peal the skin off and cut into small strips.
    Rinse quinoa with cold water and drain. Then put it and the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then turn down the stove and let it simmer for 30 minutes. When it is done let it cool for another 20-30 minutes.
   After the quinoa is cooled mix cilantro, green onion, pine nuts and red pepper together in a bowl.

Dressing
~ 3 tablespoons lime juice
~ 2 tablespoon olive oil
~ 2 cloves garlic (minced)
~ 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients together and pour over the salad. (You may add or take away the amounts to the dressing to your taste)

I hope you enjoy the salad as much as we did!!

Bon Appetit
  Nadia

Whole Grains

       How many people see "whole grains" and think of wheat, like wheat bread or pasta? Its okay, I used to think the same thing! That is until I went through my certification program and it opened the door to a whole world of food I really knew nothing about!! Their are so many more options to having whole grains that are so much better for you than just wheat.

 Quinoa

Bulgur

Cornmeal(also known as polenta)

Buckwheat

Millet

Barley

Wild rice

Brown rice 

These are just to name a few. There are so many benefits to eating these options more than refined grains, for example reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and not to mention it helps better maintain your weight.  If these benefits are not enough to get you excited to trying a new grain, maybe like me, out of pure curiosity you want to see what they taste like! I have tried buckwheat, bulgar and brown rice. Today I will be experimenting with Quinoa (check back for recipe!!)

Try something new,
  Nadia                                                                              

Water, Water, Water

     Drinking water has to be the most important thing I can tell ANYONE! Not only because its good for you, but your body is 75% water, and your brain is 85% water. When your bodies cells are starved of water they "complain" and start to set up adverse reactions for example, you can get headaches, muscle aches dehydration and lack of energy just to name a few.  I know it seems like common sense, but if you really put the effort into thinking about what you drink in a day you might be surprised, some people can go a whole day and not drink water!

If drinking more water seems like a hard task try to add one water bottle in at a time. Also I have heard people say they don't like the taste of water, try adding a little lemon/lime or orange(fresh of course) into the water.  I am not saying only drink water all day everyday, I too like my cup of coffee or soda so I tell myself I get one free pass everyday, that's one thing to drink a day that is not water after that one thing...only water!

Also their are different ways to use water in more therapeutic ways. Showers for starters, the temperature of the water can help your skin, if you like a hot shower (like myself) take your shower like normal then the last minute or so turn it as cold as you can handle it and see how different your skin is after a week.  Other things would be, relaxing baths, a whirl pool, hot springs and steam rooms/saunas.

Enjoy a glass of water!
  Nadia

All About Me

Hello!! My name is Nadia Wasef, I am a Certified Health Coach and was trained in more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. I have always had a great desire to help people in any way that I can. I am here to provide information, support and guidance into the life you always dreamed to live, and make the choices that will help improve your life and the lives you effect everyday. I am motivated to make people the whole person they aspire to be because with a little help everyone can make it to the top of their personal mountain.

"At the center or your being you have the answer; you know who you are and what you want" Lao Tzu