Veggie Spring Roll

If you are in search of new ways to add more vegetables into your diet, this is a fun easy recipe to try!  There are no pictures because I have not mastered the art of rolling that sticky rice paper!  Nevertheless, they are packed with flavor and nutrients!

Ingredients

Spring roll rice paper

2 cups of any assortment of veggies shredded or sliced very thin such as:

- carrots

- zucchini

- yellow squash

- scallions

- red pepper

- green pepper

- cabbage

- broccoli

garlic powder

sea salt

black pepper

Directions

Place veggies in bowl, add seasonings to taste. Dip rice paper in warm water until moist. Place on plate. Spoon veggie mixture onto wrap and roll up. Serve with hummus or your own favorite dipping sauce!

What is age, anyway?

I was talking with a gym member that has attended several of my classes the last couple weeks and was very surprised to find out she was 20 years older than myself.  She has no gray hair, is in good shape and even held a side plank for a minute yesterday... on both sides!  So what is the secret to aging well? 

Another friend and I were discussing skincare routines.  Many of us have known older women that look great and swear by the use of certain products like Mary Kay, Oil of Olay or Lancôme. Others (me) want to keep their youthful fit appearance by working out daily and eating as healthy as possible.  It seems everyone is on a search for the fountain of youth to look and feel young.  Or maybe just age gracefully...

Yes, I have vowed to color my hair for at least another 20 years and sworn off gluten & dairy.  There are days that I burn the candle at both ends but other days that I try to rest and rejuvenate my body and soul.  I know I'm not perfect but strive to live a life of honesty, forgiveness and love. I want to feel, look and be my best for myself and my family because that's who I am.  That is who God created me to be. 

Sure, there are some years and seasons in my past that I may have not been living my best.  I'd love to turn the clock back and be younger, wiser and live fuller.  Maybe I can... a little. After all, isn't 40 supposed to be the new 30?  What is age, anyway?  It's just a number to mark the time we have passed on earth.  When I think about the possibility that I have fewer years left than I have already spent, it kind of freaks me out. I'd rather focus on where I am now and live a full, healthy, happy life.  Will I act my age?  Probably not.  Will I look my age?  I sure hope not!  Is there a secret to aging gracefully or feeling younger?  Most importantly, does it matter?  Age is just a number... it's how you live that truly matters.  Let's live well!

Quinoa & Vegetable Salad

Need a new healthy version of an old pasta salad recipe? I made a few modifications to one of my favorite recipes and came up with a new favorite just in time for our Memorial Day cookout!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup chopped zucchini

¾ cup chopped green pepper

¾ cup chopped red pepper

½ cup chopped onion

¾ cup sliced black olives

1 can rinsed garbanzo beans

 

 

Dressing:

 

1/3 cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons raw sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ teaspoons oregano

Directions:

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitted lid & shake well. Pour dressing over all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Enjoy!

It's okay to take a break!

So maybe some of you have been wondering where I've been for a couple weeks.  Yes - I started off strong and posts slowly became few and far between, then nothing...  Many of you know that I'm going back to school in pursuit of a Masters Degree in Nutrition so for the last year and a half, I've been taking various science classes to fulfill the prerequisite requirements for that program.  I have never been a science person.  Some of it is hard for me to understand.  Maybe because my brain is 20 years older than most of the students or because I didn't take any basic science classes to refresh my memory of tenth grade biology before jumping right in.  To say the least, this has been a challenging semester in more ways than one and my blog had to be put on the back burner for a little while as I geared up for finals.

If there's one thing I have learned this year (aside from how NA+, K+ and Ca+ all work within every cell in the human body,) it is that balance is key to life and that is something we all need to work at.  I have found that at some times I have more energy for one area in my life and need to devote less energy to other areas.  Whether it be school, work, family, friends, volunteering, working out, church, hobbies, etc., there is only so much of me to go around and I need to constantly work on keeping it all balanced.  Sometimes it's okay to take a break for a season, even if it's something I enjoy doing so that I can balance out the other more important areas of my life.

So as this semester ends and summer break begins, I plan to spend more time here with you on the blog.  There are many posts to be written and recipes to be posted.  Even though my summer is already filled with camps, ball games, swim meets, travels, and many other activities, I look forward to finding balance among it all!

Turkey Meatballs

Another great recipe I found on www.bodybuilding.com and tweaked a little bit.  I love making a batch or two of these at a time to keep in the freezer for a quick healthy meal option.  We like them served with BBQ sauce and steamed broccoli or on top of spaghetti!  They are packed with protein and can be made a variety of ways, depending on your vegetable and spice choices. 

 

Ingredients

2 lbs ground turkey

1 cup oats

2 eggs or 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes/cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves

1 small onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

optional add ins: ½ cup grated carrots, 1 cup shredded cabbage, ½ cup chopped peppers

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

Grease muffin tin with olive oil or line with muffin wrappers.

Mix ingredients together in bowl.

Roll or scoop into balls and place in pan. 20 – 24 per recipe.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.