National Nutrition Month Games

    For the last day of National Nutrition Month I'm adding links for some quizzes and games from the National Nutrition Month website.  Have fun!

Rate your Plate game:  click here

Nutrition Sudoku:  click here 

Word Search:  click here

For fun Fad Diet Timeline:  click here  (click on the date to see the Fad Diet of that time)
 

For kids:

Nutrition Sudoku:  click here

Word Search:  click here


Hopefully by now, if we've been following some healthier food choices this month we have now made a good habit of eating right.  Let's try to keep up with National Nutrition Month all year long.   Eating healthy is a habit we want to keep up with each day for our families, friends and for ourselves.

Pretty In Pink Facial

     This recipe is an all natural recipe for your face.  It comes from the show "The Doctors".  These homemade remedies are so fun and so economical.  Don't forget, since this is all natural if you have some left over after putting it on your face you can eat the rest, it tastes great.

    The Pretty in Pink facial helps cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and fortify your skin, leaving your
face feeling young and supple. The facial uses all-natural ingredients and costs less than $5!
Ingredients:
• Guava fruit
• Plain yogurt
• Chilled grapefruit slices
• Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
Procedure:
• Wash face with warm water
• Cut one ripe guava fruit into halves
• Remove seeds and cut the fruit into small pieces (Do not peel off the skin)
• Mix the guava and yogurt together to make a paste
• Using your fingers, rub the paste on your face in a circular motion
• Leave paste on for 10 minutes, then rinse the face with a warm cloth
• Dip a cotton ball in the grapefruit juice and lightly dab all over the face
• Do not rinse
• Let face dry and apply regular moisturizer
How it Works:
Guava
Guava fruit is an excellent natural source of astringents, agents responsible for shrinking tissues
and dissolving oil. Guava is also a good source of potassium and vitamins A, B and C, which help
keep skin glowing, fresh and wrinkle-free.
Grapefruit
Grapefruits are loaded with citric acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid, which helps exfoliate and loosen
dead skin cells and polish dry skin. Grapefruits are also a natural astringent, which helps combat
oily skin.
Yogurt
Plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt contains lactic acid, which softens the skin, reduces wrinkles
and helps hydrate dry areas.

  View the video to see this recipe in action. Note you can mute my blog music on the right hand side below before watching this video.

Here is the link to view the video:  click here

Tip of the Week - Pantry Items You Can Use for Your Beauty Routines

     There are some products we have in our pantry that we can also use for our beauty routines.  It can be very cost efficient and they are effective as well.  I've tried a couple of these and they really work.

     One pantry item most of us have on hand is baking soda.  You can add some baking soda to your regular cleanser and get an exfoliating effect.  It will leave your face feeling very smooth.  It also helps neutralize your skins PH balance.  Another item is apple cider vinegar.  It promotes blood circulation and is also an antiseptic. You can dilute it with some water and rub it on your face with a cotton ball after cleansing in the morning and evening.  For a good facial you can mash an avocado and put it on your face for 15 minutes then rinse it off.  It has natural emollients that will make your skin feel conditioned.  Plain yogurt is another good facial.  It contains alpha-hydroxy acids which are great for fine wrinkles and it's also rich in the B-complex vitamins which promote skin healing.  After you clean your face you can leave this on for 15 minutes then rinse off.

     Trying items you have at home can help save you money and they work.  So if you find yourself running out of your favorite scrub or facial product try an at home remedy until you can restock. 

     I'm adding another great tasting recipe.  I had this one for lunch yesterday.  I cut the recipe in half for one serving.  Instead of sun dried tomatoes I used fresh cherry tomatoes and instead of Feta cheese I used some shredded Colby Jack.  It's a healthy meal with protein and fiber.  If you make the full recipe you can eat one portion for lunch and use the other half as a side for dinner.  Or you can eat lunch with a friend and impress them with your cooking skills.  This is another good recipe to try for National Nutrition Month.  It has a mix of color and tastes great.  I got this recipe from my latest edition of Self Magazine, the April 2011 issue. 
 

Asparagus Whole-Wheat Pasta With Lemon Dressing

Asparagus is in season (that is, cheap). Our testers, aka your trusty SELF staffers, raved about this delish dish from vegetarian chef Emily Malone of Alexandria, Virginia.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 oz whole-wheat penne
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta

PREPARATION

1. Boil asparagus until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove asparagus from water with a slotted spoon. Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on package. Drain pasta and add to a bowl with all remaining ingredients except cheese. Stir to combine. Portion into 2 bowls and top with feta. Salt to taste. (Craving a creamier, richer taste? Swap goat cheese for feta.)

The skinny

387 calories per serving, 13 g fat (3 g saturated), 58 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 17 g protein

Updates on Jason Pure and Natural Hand and Body Lotion and Burt's Bees

     I went to the store to buy my Jason Pure and Natural Hand and Body Lotion Aloe Vera but it was out of stock so I purchased a new scent, Vanilla.  I love this one too.  It has vanilla and coconut milk and smells like a tropical blend.  It works just like the Aloe Vera scent and has the same consistency and does not contain any harsh chemicals either.  I will probably wear this one during the summer months.  If you like the tropical scent, you will enjoy this hand and body lotion.

     I also tried a new Burt’s Bees Lip Balm.  This one is the Mango Butter flavor and also 100% natural.  It’s a good one too.  It is a sweeter taste than the Honey Lip Balm and moisturizes just as well.  My husband told me when he kissed me that my lips tasted like cherries.  It was neat that he noticed.  I also tried the Burt’s Bees Exfoliating Body Bar and I liked this one.  It made my skin feel smooth and is 99.9% natural.  It contains jojoba beads and royal jelly.  The fragrance is the portion that isn’t natural but it isn’t an overwhelming scent and it is also pleasant for both men and women.

     All three of these items are great and I would purchase them again and recommend them to others.

Burt's Bees Exfoliating Soap and Burt's Bees Lip Balm

Jason Vanilla Lotion

A Tasty Recipe for National Nutrition Month

    Today I'm attaching a recipe from the show Spice Goddess on The Cooking Channel.  It's an easy and tasty dish that can be made quickly.  It's a recipe called Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes.  The host of the show is Bal Arneson.

    Cauliflower is low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol and a good source of protein, potassium and dietary fiber.  Sweet Potatoes are also low in cholesterol and saturated fat and also a good source of vitamin A, potassium and dietary fiber.   This is a good recipe for something different to try instead of baking a sweet potato or boiling cauliflower.  And since it's easy to make and great tasting you might try it again sometime. Enjoy!

Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes

Recipe courtesy Bal Arneson
Show: Spice Goddess Episode: Indian Main Dishes

Photo: Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes

TOTAL TIME:35 min

Prep:5 min

Inactive Prep:--

Cook:30 min

YIELD:4 servings

LEVEL:Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

Directions

Place the oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, and salt and toast for 15 seconds and then add the tomatoes and sweet potatoes, and cook until they are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the cauliflower and stir well to combine. Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and cook until the cauliflower is crisp- tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Today's Featured Product Wen Cleansing Conditioner By Chaz Dean

     I began using Wen Cleansing Conditioner over a year ago.  At first I was very skeptical that you could actually get your hair clean with a conditioner and no shampoo.  But I wanted to try it because these conditioners are made with natural ingredients and do not contain any SLS's (Sodium Laurel Sulfates) or other harsh chemicals that many shampoos and conditioners on the shelves contain.  I was using a baby shampoo before thinking that was better than other shampoos, but if you read the labels, you will see many chemicals listed even on some of the baby shampoos. So I had to try something with natural ingredients to see if it would work.  I had to play with the amounts to use because in the beginning I may have used too many pumps as it seemed to weigh my hair down.  But I've since figured out the exact number of pumps to use and I also thoroughly rinse as my final step.  I was using a combination of the Sweet Almond Mint, Cucumber Aloe and Lavender cleansing conditioners as my hair cleansing routine but recently switched over to using an equal amount of Sweet Almond Mint and Pomegranate.  Pomegranate is a newer "flavor" option and I love this combination of scents.  My hair is a little longer than my shoulders and for my length of hair my routine is listed below.

Sweet Almond Mint and Pomegranate.

  
Step one:  Wet my hair thoroughly for about 1 minute
Step two:  Add 8 pumps of Sweet Almond Mint to the front, top and sides of my hair and work it in then I add 8 more pumps of Pomegranate to the rest of my hair and work it through.
Step three:  I add a little bit of water to help massage it through and I use my shower comb to get the product through to the ends.  I then rinse it for about a minute and add the same amount of Sweet Almond Mint and Pomegranate with the same process only this time I leave it in my hair for about 5 minutes.
 Step four:  I rinse my hair for 2 minutes (you can really feel how soft your hair is when you are rinsing the product out, I've never had my hair feel this smooth using regular shampoos).
Then I style as usual which includes blow drying and sometimes I will use hot rollers, or I will let my hair stay straight after I blow dry.  Either style looks good.   With Wen I don't end up with any dry ends or fly a ways.

    Since I've been using Wen Cleansing Conditioners, I can usually go about 2 to 3 days before having to wash my hair again and it still looks nice.  When I was using regular shampoos I had to wash my hair every day or at least every other day before the style started to come out of my hair. This product has really made a difference in the texture of my hair and I like that my hair feels clean for a long period of time.  The first time I used these conditioners I literally felt the difference while I was rinsing my hair.

Cucumber Aloe, Lavender and Sweet Almond Mint.

     On the Wen website you can see some before and after pictures of different types of hair (and there is an option to see the pictures rotate so you can see the back of their hairstyles as well) so you can see how it would make a difference on your type of hair.  They also list the ingredients and show steps of how to use the product.  I'm happy I made this transition because I like using a natural product that really works.  It made me believe you don't need a bubbly shampoo to get clean, beautiful looking hair.   You can visit the site here:  Wen by Chaz Dean.  I've ordered my conditioners on QVC.com and I've also seen them on Amazon.com as well. And of course you can order them from the Wen website as well.

Tip of the Week - Bethenny Frankel Yoga Video Clip

     Today I'm adding a video clip with some yoga exercises.  This is from Bethenny Frankel's video.  Bethenny is a natural food chef and author.  She has written two books and will soon be releasing two more.  Her first book Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting was released in March 2009 and her second book   The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life was published in December 2009.  Bethenny shares some of her healthy recipes on her website at:  Bethenny


     Note:  You can mute my blog music on the right hand side before playing the video.

Update on Green Smoothie

     Today I made the recipe listed from St. Patrick's Day by the Green Smoothie Girl for my husband.  He normally will not eat many greens such as spinach, kale or collard greens.  So I made this smoothie for us both today.  I did tell him in advance what was in the smoothie and he agreed to taste it before telling me he would not drink this one.  Once he tasted it with a spoon, he took a couple more tastes and told me he couldn't even taste any of the vegetables he doesn't like.  So he ended up drinking a glass of his own.  I was glad he was willing to try it because it is likely the only way I will get these great vegetables into his diet.  And once you taste these smoothies you can agree they actually taste quite good.  I used Agave nectar instead of Stevia in my smoothie and I added some orange juice as well.  If anyone was doubtful of the taste of the Green Smoothie, just give it a try, you might be surprised at how good it actually tastes.  And if you can get your family members to eat some of the greens they normally wouldn't, then it's absolutely worth making.  It's loaded with great vitamins and lots of fiber.  This one does not taste like your front lawn, it's delicious.

Destress at Your Desk

     Sometimes when we are working, it's easy to forget to take a moment to relax.  It's important to take a few moments for our mental and physical well being.   It can really give you the extra energy you need.  When you are working at a desk all day, it's easy to forget how important it is to rid your body of stored up stress.

     Today I'm attaching a video from Self Magazine called "Destress at Your Desk".   This instructor gives very easy to follow moves and if you need a moment during your day, just play this video.  This is a short video that is packed with some very helpful moves.  We've probably been taught some of these moves at work, but it's easy to forget to do them especially if you don't have a routine to follow.  With this video you have a good coach and that makes it easier to do them on a regular basis.   Play this one when you feel you need a moment to unwind or maybe a moment to relax before a big meeting. 

Note: (you can mute my blog music on the right hand side before playing this video)