Clean Eating Recipe - Pork with Squash and Apples

.A savory recipe full of flavor and nutrients - Pork with Squash and Apples.

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30-40 mins Total time: 40-50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tsp grounded nutmeg • 1 ½ tsp minced garlic (about 2 large cloves) • 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage • 1 ½ pound pork tenderloin • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 butternut squash • 2 cooking apples • 1 medium red onion • 1 tbsp honey mustard • 1 sprig rosemary • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425° degrees. 2. Trim the fat from the pork. 3. Mince the garlic and put aside. 4. Mix the nutmeg, 1 tsp of the garlic and the sage in a bowl. Rub it over the pork and season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside. 5. Toss the squash, apples, onion, the remaining ½ tsp garlic, the honey mustard, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. 6. Spread the mixture out on a long sheet of foil. Add the rosemary and 3 tbsp butter, then bring the ends of the foil together and crimp to seal into a packet. 7. Place the packet on a baking sheet and roast on the upper rack in the oven until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Poke holes in the packet to release steam. 8. Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. 9. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter, and then brown the pork on all sides, about 8 minutes. 10. Add 2 tbsp water and scrape up any browned bits from the pan, then transfer the pork and sauce to an oven-safe pan. 11. Place the pan on the lower oven rack and roast until a thermometer registers 150°, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. 12. Return the cooking pan to medium heat. Add ½ cup water, scrape up any browned bits and simmer about 2 minutes. Slice the pork and drizzle with the pan juices. Serve with the squash and apples.

Enjoy!

Quality of life for everyone

.Last week’s events and this past weekend has made me reflect on my life and made me so appreciative about what life has given me.

As I mentioned earlier, last week I was fortunate to hear Jessika Kensky speak. Jessica was one of the victims in last year’s Marathon Bombing here in Boston. On Saturday my co-leader Jennifer and I volunteered at a local soup kitchen with our Girl Scout troop. The day was very humbling and rewarding. It made me not only very thankful for what I have, but it also made me realize that we have a responsibility to use what we have been given in life. Use it to help others. Part of that means to take care of yourself, so that you can take care of others. Taking the time to exercise doesn’t mean that you are selfish.

Take a moment today to say thank you, and then take care of yourself so that you can take care of others. Quality of life for everyone.

Let’s live!

Time to be honest!

.Often when it comes to eating and losing weight we are not being honest with ourselves. If we are eating right and moving, we will see results. So if you are not seeing results (feeling good, losing weight etc), you are either eating the wrong food, eating too much or not moving enough. It’s that simple.

Sometimes we also don’t know what we are doing wrong. By documenting everything you eat and your exercises, you will be able to analyze the information and figure out what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

Time to be honest! Here are two great templates that will help you get on track.

The Stellibell Weekly Food Journal Template

The Stellibell Weekly Exercise Journal Template

As always, if you have questions, just email me and I will help you get on the right track - molander@stellibell.com

Let’s live!

Enjoy life to the fullest

.I went to the AdClub's women's leadership forum in Boston yesterday. It was fantastic. The speakers really made a big impression on me. It made me think about what quality of life really means and what Stellibell is all about. One of the speakers was Jessica Kensky. Jessica and her husband Patrick were both victims of the Boston Marathon bombing last year. They both lost their left leg in the bombing and has since the event been grappling with the enormity of all they have lost. Things we all take for granted; our legs, future plans, independence, ability to work, housing etc.

I'm on a daily mission of creating quality of life because I want to enjoy life to the fullest. Jessica's story and journey of personal triumphs and challenges reminded me of what is the most important part of creating quality of life. I still think that life in today's society is a constant battle which is why I provide all tips and services I can to make life easier, but it's also crucial to stop in our hectic life look around and appreciate everything we have. Life is wonderful and we don't know what is going to happen tomorrow, so let's live!

What are you thankful for today?

Reward healthy eating

.Rewarding your child with food doesn’t promote a healthy relationship to food. Therefore Stellibell has developed a point system you can use to reward healthy eating. Every time your child tries or eats a new or healthy food give him/her points.

Create a chart for tracking together with your child. Have fun and decorate it with stickers, glitter etc. You also need to decide what the price is when your child has met the points goal. A great goal is something you can do together - go to the book store and buy her/his favorite book, go to the movies or show etc.

Based on the points below, 100 points is a good goal.

Trying a new food (even if it's just a bite) = 5 pts Eating most the veggies/fruits = 4 pts Eating most of the protein = 3 pts Helping with the cooking = 3 pts Cleaning up the table = 3pts

The most important step, have fun!!

Clean Eating and Ketogenic/LCHF Recipe - Vegetable Stir-Fry

.Delish vegetable stir-fry with lots of vitamins. Skip the rice and bread to make the recipe ketogenic/LCHF.

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups water • 1 ½ cups quick-cooking brown rice • 2 tbsp peanut oil • 1 small yellow onion • 1 small green bell pepper • 1 tsp minced garlic • ¼ tbsp red pepper flakes • 3 green onions • 3 tbsp soy sauce • 1 cup frozen petite peas • 2 tbsp sesame oil • Whole wheat bread

Directions

1. Cook the rice following the directions on the packaging. 2. Chop the onion and green pepper. 3. Mince the garlic. 4. Thinly slice the green onions. 5. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and pepper flakes, to taste. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in cooked rice, green onions and soy sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add peas and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Add sesame oil and mix well. 7. Serve with the bread.

Enjoy!

This week's workout challenge

.Hope you had a great weekend!

I usually kick-off the week with a new Stellibell workout challenge. I find trying new workouts a great motivator, and it's great way to start of the week. Depending on your fitness goal, fitness level and time availability, our workout challenges might be enough exercise for the week (I usually do the challenges three times a week). If you, like me, need to add some exercise to your routine, then looking for an exercise app might be a good idea.

Right now I'm using the app "Couch to 5k". The reason while I like to use an app is because it saves me time (no trip to the gym) and it helps me track my progress. I've never been a big runner, and this app has really helped me get going.

Here are some other good options:

Hot5 A great app which contains pages and pages of 5-minute video workouts that are super easy to follow. Everything from core to yoga. For us who need a quick workout, this app is great.

Kettlebell Training: The Basics RKC Certified Kettlebell Instructor Robert Budd safely walks you through the basic kettlebell exercises. With over 20 exercises and 12 complete workouts to follow, you won't get bored next time you work out.

GymPact If you are looking for serious motivation, this is your app. Make a commitment to work out a certain number of times a week. Choose the amount of money you are willing to risk if you don't reach your goal. If you don't achieve your goal? Your credit card gets charged. Achieve your goal? You get paid! The days of being paid to work out have finally come!

Which one is your favorite app?

Quality of life - for the kids

.This site is here to give us all tips on being happy, healthy and to have quality of life. But it's not just for us. It's for our families and for the everyone around us too. Do you think about how your actions impact your children's quality of life?

A new study suggests that smart-phones at the dinner is impacting the parent-child communication at the table. A communication which is crucial for both parties.

Researchers who observed more than 50 family-type groups eating out found a significant number of adults were preoccupied with their smartphones. This doesn't surprise me. We (my family) don't have any phones at the dinner table at home, but when we go out to dinner it's often right after work and my husband and I are stuck answering work emails. Instead we should be having conversations with our children.

Also, starting a conversation with children is tricky. Even trickier to get an answer that is more than just a “yes” or “no”. When I ask my kids how their day was I always just get a "good".

Here are some questions that can help you get the conversation started:

• What was the best thing about your day? • What was the worst thing about your day? • Describe your perfect day. • If you could change one thing in the world what would you change? • What is the most important thing in your life? • What is your favorite movie of all time? Why? • What is your favorite book of all time? Why? • What cartoon character would you most like to be? Why? • What is the hardest thing about being _____ years old? • What is the best thing about being ______ years old? • Who is your best friend? Why are they your best friend? • Who would you most like to meet? And why? • In what other country would you most like to live? • Are you looking forward to the next school year? • What's the hardest part about going to school? • What embarrasses you the most? • If you could take a family vacation any place in the world, where would you go? • Do you think it's more important to be rich or kind? • If you had three wishes, what would they be? (You can't wish for money or another wish!) • If you were the parent, what lesson would you like to help your mom and dad learn? • Do you know how much your family loves you? How can you tell?

I'm taking my 4-year old son out for a date to Panera (his favorite place) tonight (only fair if his sister gets to go to a Girl Scout tea party. And no I won't eat any bread!), and I'm so going to use these questions.

Read more about the study here.

Have a great Friday!

Time saving tips #5 - live in the moment

.This morning when I looked at the list of things that needs to be done this week, I couldn't help to feel a little bit overwhelmed. Lots of projects at work, tons of kids activities to keep track of etc etc. So what would be more perfect than living by my own words and reminding myself of how to stay sane:

• Live in the moment – don’t stress about tomorrow. Focus on what needs to be done today and tackle one task after another. • Let it go – I can’t go to my daughter’s Girl Scout tea party on Friday because of work. But you know what? She will go with her friends and have fun without me. I’ve taken her the last 3 years, so I don’t need to feel guilty. I’m letting it go. • Focus - stop checking texts when your friends are right in front of you. Stop watching TV while you eat. Don’t surf the web while you’re on the phone. Multitasking doesn’t always say you time.

These steps will not only save you time and make you more efficient in finishing tasks, studies also shows that these steps will significantly decreases depression and increase happiness!

I feel better already! :)

Clean eating and ketogenic/lchf recipe - Baked Halibut

.A simple and quick halibut recipe that is packed with flavor. Skip the rice to make the dish ketogenic/LCHF.

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins

Baked Halibut with Rosemary

Ingredients

• 4 4-oz halibut steaks (1/2 to 1 inch thick) • 2 tsp olive oil • 2 tsp lemon juice • 1/8 tsp salt • 1/8 tsp black pepper • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1 tsp dried rosemary • Brown rice • Salad; green lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber

Directions

1. Chop the tomatoes and cucumber and mix with the lettuce in a bowl for serving. 2. Cook the rice following the direction on the packaging. 3. Preheat the oven to 400°. 4. Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. 5. Cut fish into the four serving size pieces. 6. Brush fish with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 7. Mince the garlic. 8. Crush the rosemary. 9. Rub the fish with the garlic and rosemary. 10. Place fish on the greased unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from the heat until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork (about 4 to 6 minutes per ½ thickness of fish) 11. Place the fish on a serving plate. 12. Serve with the rice and salad.

Enjoy!

Lets go walking!

.Did you know that if you take less than 5,000 (!) steps in a day you are considered sedentary? And if you don’t workout on a regular basis and you sit most of the day, you are at a higher risk for early death, disease and being overweigth.

Walking is a great and easy way to incorporating exercise into your daily routine. If you are taking over 10,000 steps you are considered active. There are many ways to increase your amount of steps every day; talk a walk before work, during lunch or after work, park further away your job, grocery store etc. Instead of sending an email at work, get up from your chair and go and talk with people (my favorite since it also is good for collaboration, team building etc). A great motivator is to purchase a step tracker/pedometer so that you can track your steps every day. Lets go walking!

Clean eating and ketogenic recipe - Shrimp Stir Fry

.This flavorful and light Shrimp Stir Fry recipe is great in any season. Switch out the rice for a salad to make the recipe ketogenic.

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins

Ingredients • 3 tbsp flour • 1 ¾ cups chicken broth • 1 tbsp soy sauce • ½ tsp sesame oil (optional) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 pound of medium shrimp • 2 carrots • 1 green pepper • 2 scallions • ½ tsp ground ginger • 1 small garlic clove • Brown rice

Directions 1. Put the rice on to cook following the direction on the packaging. 2. Slice the carrots very thinly. 3. Cut the pepper into 2-inch long strips. 4. Cut the scallions into 1-inch pieces. 5. Chop the garlic very thinly or use a garlic press. 6. Clean the shrimp and put them to the side. 7. Stir the flour, chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame oil (optional) together until smooth and set aside. 8. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. 9. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes and until fully cooked (careful not to overcook the shrimp). Remove the shrimp from the pan. 10. Heat the rest of the olive oil in the pan. Add the vegetables, ginger and the garlic. Cook the vegetables until tender-crisp. Stirring to ensure that vegetable are cooked evenly. 11. Add the flour mixture to the pan. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. 12. Add the shrimp to the pan let cook a little bit until the shrimp are warm. 13. Serve the shrimp with the rice.

Enjoy!

High-protein diet linked to cancer

.New research shows high-protein diets linked to cancer. An article published in the journal Cell Metabolism says that, over an 18-year study period, Americans between 55 and 65 of age, who had the highest consumption of protein were more than four times as likely to die of cancer or diabetes, and twice as likely to die of any cause, than those whose diets were lowest in protein.

But a high-protein diet had the opposite effect on Americans 66 and older, a group of Americans and Italian researchers found. Those whose diets were highest in protein were 60% less likely to die of cancer and 28% less likely to die of any cause than were those whose protein intake was lowest.

This is when we as individuals have to educate ourselves and hunt down the true facts to ensure we have accurate information. I always find it astonishing when the news come out with big headlines about research that affect our health and they don't present all the facts. Does the survey take peoples lifestyles in to account (disease, smoking, eating junk foods, eating vegetables, exercise etc)...?

Also, just to be clear, the ketogenic/LCHF lifestyle doesn't advocate for an increase of red meat or other proteins. It's about eating healthy proteins, vegetables and fats until you feel full.

Forgot to eat!

.I just realized that I haven't thought about food or eaten since 7pm last night! It might not seem like a big deal, but it is to a person like me, who always have been obsessed with and addicted to food my whole life. The secret is to eat a ketogenic diet which is filled with healthy fats (keeps you full longer and increases your metabolism), good proteins and nutritious vegetables. The LCHF/Ketogenic lifestyle = freedom!

Happiness

.This morning before I left for work I asked my 11 year old daughter what little thing she would do today that would bring herself or someone else happiness.

I’m going to email a person I’ve never met and suggest we meet for coffee. Meeting new people = happiness. What are you going to do to feel good today? Let’s live!