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Kitchen Spring Cleaning

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

As warmer days settle in many people start to think about spring cleaning. One room in the house that greatly benefits from the proper organization and de-junking is the kitchen. A tidy well-organized pantry and fridge can help make daily tasks more healthful, simple and more efficient. Allowing more time to go outside in Mother Nature enjoying the newfound sunshine.

Here are three simple tips for spring cleaning the kitchen.

  1. Arrange like items together. Whether it’s the fridge or the pantry try to keep items organized in food groups or by usage. Oils, vinegars, sauce, and dressings go well together, while produce and fresh whole foods store nicely together in the refrigerator.
  2. Toss dry ingredients that you’ve had for more than a year. After a while, canned goods, spices, baking soda, noodles, and oils need a refresh.
  3. Give the shelves a solid clean. Meaning, wipe down the refrigerator, pantry shelves, cabinets, and storage areas. Clear away excess grime, crumbs and spillage. Natural cleansers (see below) such as vinegar and water can help make kitchen surfaces shine.

Here is a simple all purpose cleaner recipe.

Natural All-Purpose Cleanser:

  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 lemon rind wedges
  • 1 rosemary spring

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well then let sit for at least 1 week. All-Purpose Cleaner works great on most bathtubs, toilets, shower walls, and plastic item

Growing Your Own Greens

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

The cool mornings and sunny afternoons of spring make an ideal growing season for leafy greens. This salad staple is easy to grow even if you have a busy lifestyle. Lettuce adapts well to container gardening, so you can grow your veggies in a sunny spot in your kitchen. All lettuce requires is moist soil in a pot that drains well, and a nice window seat so it can catch lots of sun.

When harvesting your lettuce cut the outside leaves of each bunch, but leave the inner foliage so it can keep producing more greens. After harvesting your lettuce rinse the leaves in cold water to keep them crisp. Whether you start your lettuce from seed or transplant have fun enjoying the colorful harvest.

Signs Of Spring

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

As the tulips start to sprout from the ground they cause us to take note of the delightful transition into Spring. It’s refreshing to see all the sights and sounds of Spring budding around us. It’s also refreshing to see a new lineup of fresh fruits and vegetables at your local grocery store. The extra sunshine and warm weather bring in a whole host of new foods to pick from to liven up your meal plan.

My favorite spring veggies are sugar snap peas. They add a nice crisp crunch to a salad and they are sweet and delicious eaten by themselves. Asparagus is also another family favorite, it goes great scrambled with eggs in the morning. Other seasonal foods include arugula, rhubarb, strawberries, radishes and all varieties of sweet peas. Next time you’re at the store take advantage of the quality and freshness of Spring’s seasonal produce.

Colorful Plate

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

We all know we should eat a balanced diet. However, it’s difficult to know what that looks like on your plate every day. One possible guide to good nutrition is focusing on having a colorful plate at each meal. This mantra has been a guide in many diet programs over the years. Health professionals believe that to reap the most benefits from fruits and vegetables we should consume at least one daily serving from each of the five main color groups: blue/purple, green, white, yellow/orange and red.

Blue and purple foods include nutritious items such as blueberries, grapes, eggplant, blackberries, and prunes. Green foods could be leafy greens, spinach, kiwi and honeydew melon. The white color group includes cauliflower, onions, garlic, banana, pears, and potatoes. Yellow and orange options are carrots, oranges, pineapple, peaches, sweet potato, pumpkin, and cantaloupe. Red foods include tomatoes, raspberries, red apples, and watermelon. Now just imagine a daily meal plan with foods from each of these color groups paired with lean meats and fish. Focusing on having a colorful plate is a great guide for consuming a balanced diet with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Festive St. Patrick’s Day Foods

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Whether or not you have Irish roots St. Patrick’s Day seems to draw most people into a state of celebration around green beer and corned beef. Although these are St. Paddy’s Day originals here are a few other festive and healthy ways to enjoy this Irish holiday.

Try our Shamrock Smoothie. This green minty drink is where healthy meets indulgence. The vibrant green color comes from Mother Nature – Spinach! However, the added sweetness from bananas and dark chocolate make the smoothie seem like dessert.
https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/shamrock-smoothie/

Potatoes are an Irish staple. Try this simple sweet potato recipe for a fun and delicious way to roast any kind of spud. Organic sweet potatoes are a filling and nutritious way to balance out any meal, any time of year.
https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/spiralized-sweet-potato-fries/

Stay hydrated with mint or lime infused water. Sticking with the green theme is the essence of St. Patrick’s Day so keep yourself hydrated after your green beer with fresh mint water. Limes and oranges are also great citrus add ins that make water refreshing and easy to drink.
https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/nutritionist-corner-hydrate-with-a-twist/

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Dark chocolate has long been recognized as a healthy treat. As many American’s have savored this festive indulgence on Valentine’s Day or celebrate National Chocolate Lover’s Month, it’s good to know what the standards are surrounding dark chocolate health benefits. To get the most antioxidant benefits from cocoa beans it’s best to pick chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content. A higher cocoa percentage typically means the product is lower in sugar and is associated with heart health benefits.

Another tip for purchasing healthy dark chocolate is to look at the ingredient list. Look for cocoa, or a form of cocoa, as the first ingredient. Also avoid dark chocolate that contains trans fat, artificial flavors or high amounts of sugar. It’s also wise to look for fair trade organic chocolate. This kind of chocolate is usually more ethically sourced and pesticide-free. Visit the Clearly Organic blog for a homemade chocolate recipe this month.

Seasonal Foods In February

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

When you think of what’s in season the month of February your mind might wander to dark chocolate, gummy shaped hearts and red velvet cake. Although these foods are mighty tasty they are not going to provide us the nourishment our bodies need all month long. Surprisingly February offers a wide variety of vegetables that often get forgotten and overlooked in the produce department.

Leeks are at their peak in January and February. Don’t be intimidated by this large green onion looking vegetable. It has a nice mellow flavor that goes great in soups, casseroles and vegetarian dishes. Winter greens such as kale, endive, collards, and chard are perfect options for a unique texture and flavor in salads and wraps. The Clearly Organic blog has a colorful and delicious recipe for a collard green wrap.

https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/collard-green-hummus-wrap

Once you try a beet prepared well I promise you’ll go back for more. Beets are also an intimidating vegetable that most people don’t think to purchase on a regular basis. However, February is a great time to try our roasted beet recipe. They are simple and delicious.

https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/roasted-beets/

Cheesy Pizza Dip

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

This hot dip puts our love for pizza into dip form! Always Save® teamed up with Best Choice for this recipe that’s perfect for parties, tailgates or any kind of get-together. Serve with tortilla chips.

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced pepperoni, divided
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of pepperoni (cut in half or half-moons), basil and olive oil. Spread mixture evenly into a casserole dish. Sprinkle remainder of mozzarella across the top. Then, place the remainder of whole pepperoni on top of the cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

You can change up this recipe each time you make it by adding in your favorite pizza toppings besides just pepperoni. Try mushrooms, olives, additional cheeses or any combination to make your dip unique to your tastes.

Recipe courtesy of Always Save Brand

One-Dish Meals

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Do you ever find yourself short on time when making dinner? Yet you don’t want to compromise preparing a healthy meal for the convenience of a packaged entrée. When considering what to make in a pinch try a one-dish meal. By combining simple ingredients into one pot or pan you can prepare a healthy and delicious meal.

Your one dish can be a skillet, a roasting pan or a sauté pan. If you keep lean meats and fresh veggies on hand it’s easy to prepare a balanced meal. Pork chops, chicken breasts or thighs and salmon are great lean proteins for a one-dish meal. Sweet potatoes, squash, onions, Brussel sprouts, green beans, broccoli or cauliflower are some of the best vegetables for roasting with marinated meat. One-dish meals are the perfect quick healthy fix. These protein and vegetable-based combinations can also be made in advance. If you pre-chop veggies and meat you can let them sit together in a marinade for a day, then your meal is ready for cooking right when you walk in the door.

Forming New Habits

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

A new year always brings about an opportunity to step back and evaluate how we want to begin another season of life. New Year’s resolutions are a common time to make health goals and lifestyle changes. At the root of most New Year’s resolutions is a habit change, and habits are a big part of our overall wellbeing.

There’s a significant amount of psychological research behind the process of habit formation and change so we can be confident that for most people habit change follows a similar cycle. Here are a few simple ways to identify a potential need for habit change. These 3 tips come from Charles Duhiggs best-selling book, The Power of Habit.

1. Pinpoint a trigger or cue for a certain behavior

2. What is the action you take, or the behavior itself

3. What is the outcome or benefit from the behavior

Once you identify a habit you’d like to change use this structure to solidify your desired result. An easy way to remember the components of habit change according to author James Clear is 3 R’s: Reminder, Routine and Reward. Establish a reminder for your new habit, make it part of your daily routine and reward yourself along the way. Enjoy the journey of establishing new habits in the New Year!