Photo by Adrian van Leen at RGBStock.

Hi Everybody! How are you doing with this month’s Add a Vegetable at Dinner change?

I know (from personal experience) that coming up with creative ways to cook vegetables is a challenge.

The good news is that for one of the DCSD wellness committee‘s family events last year, we invited La Rana chef, Justin Scardina, to teach us a thing or two about making vegetables (and beans) taste amazing.

Justin gave us all the recipes for the amazing food he cooked up for us, and I would like to share my favorite with you today. (Justin said it was OK.)

Roasted Root Vegetables

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Ingredients

1 cup Parsnips, peeled cut in 1/2″ quarter moons

1 cup Rutabagas, peeled, cut in 1/2″ cubes

1 cup Sweet Potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2″ cubes

1 cup Potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes

Oil

Salt/Pepper

2T Fresh herbs (e.g. thyme, rosemary, savory, marjoram, oregano)

Instructions

In a large bowl (enough to hold all the cut vegetables), pour enough oil to coat all the veggies.

Season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs and toss well again.

Place veggies on a roasting sheet and place sheet in the oven.

After 20 minutes, lower heat to 350 degrees F and stir the veggies.

Allow to cook for another 20 minutes and stir again.

Check every five minutes now to make sure none of the veggies are burning, but instead caramelizing evenly (fancy!). You are looking for golden brown edges and crisp sides and creamy centers.

Remove from oven when done and taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

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I have made this recipe several times, and it always comes out amazing! It’s great with a side of crème fraîche or flavored sour cream. You can eat it your main meal or serve with meat.

Over to You!

Do you have a favorite easy-to-prepare vegetable recipe? Share it in the comments or share a link on our Facebook page!

About the Author

Tabita is a member of the DCSD Wellness Committee and the editor of Change of the Month. By trade, she is a writer and content strategist and enjoys writing about wellness on her blog, Simply Enough. She is also studying to become a holistic health coach. Connect with Tabita on Google+.

The post A Simple and Seasonal Vegetable Recipe appeared first on Change of the Month.

We all know we should eat more vegetables, but for various reasons we don’t. Perhaps we forget to buy them or don’t have time to prepare them. Or maybe we think we don’t like the taste of vegetables.

That’s why it’s important to set a specific goal related to eating more vegetables.

How to Make the Change

Here is the change we suggest this month to reach your daily recommended intake of vegetables:

Add a vegetable at dinner.

Why dinner? Generally, there’s more time to prepare food at dinner vs. breakfast. And most families don’t eat lunch together. Dinner is also a good time to eat lighter foods, since it’s closer to bedtime.

Consider this progression to get you to the point where you’re eating a variety of vegetables:

• Week 1: Eat a familiar vegetable or salad. (E.g. iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes.)
• Week 2: Buy seasonal vegetables and build your meal around it. (E.g. roasted root vegetables.)
• Week 3: Try steaming vegetables for a warm, simple side dish. Carrots, broccoli, and green beans are great options.
• Week 4: Buy a vegetable you’ve never tried before and look up a recipe online. Adventures in the kitchen is fun!

Take it to the Next Level

Want to make sure you’re getting enough vegetables? Check out the USDA Choose My Plate website to learn the recommended daily amounts.

Once you know how many servings of vegetables you and your family members should be eating, figure out ways to sneak veggies into your meals:

• Mix veggies such as cauliflower into mashed potatoes.
• Make green smoothies to get your leafy greens (great any time of the day).
• Enjoy a healthy alternative to coleslaw by mixing shredded cabbage and carrots with raisins, nuts, apple pieces (go wild!), and tossing with a balsamic vinaigrette.
• Make root vegetable soup.
• Pack kid-friendly veggie sticks in lunch boxes.
• Roast cubed sweet potatoes with a dash of cinnamon for a sweet treat.

How do you get creative with vegetables? Share in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

Sponsor of the Month

This month the Oneota Community Food Co-op is giving a box of beautiful, fresh assorted veggies and fruits to four families.

Check out their classes such as “Fabulous Finger Foods: Veggie Starters Invade Your Dinner” to learn more about healthy cooking and living!

The post Add a Vegetable at Dinner appeared first on Change of the Month.

Photo by Gesine Kuhlmann at RGBStock.

I am new to the world of meditation.  In fact, I hadn’t tried it much or…at all.  I just couldn’t seem to find the time to sit quietly for 10 minutes.  Or maybe it’s not about finding the time but rather the desire.  I am what my mother calls “a recovering worrier.”  That means that most of my thoughts consist of worry and though I am aware of it, it still happens in just about every situation of my life.  So why would I want to sit quietly and be alone with my worries?

It wasn’t until I found out that this month’s topic was on meditation that I thought I’d better give it a try.  I did some research and found out that it can be done in so many different ways, but – more importantly – that it wasn’t about sitting with your worries but in fact, to change some of those worries into positive thoughts or feelings.  The trick was to find the one that I could actually do, want to do and like to do.

I finally found a few different ways that I like to meditate and they are different every day according to my mood and need.  First, I decided that I like musical meditation.  I’m a fan of quiet music without many words.  Secondly, I also really like the guided meditation where someone is leading you through imagery while there is great music playing in the background. Lastly, I found I also liked to do my own guided meditation with music and a mantra of my choice.  As stated in the other posts, a mantra is something said over and over again to keep other thoughts from creeping in, in my case, the worry thoughts.  For example, a few of my mantras included, “I am worry free”, “I am worthy of great things”,  “I am positive” or “I deserve to be joy filled”.  I learned that if I made my mantra a powerful statement that a bit of my worries seemed to be less prevalent throughout the day.

As I finished my second week of my meditation trial run we all got the news of the Newtown, CT tragedy.  To be honest, I stopped meditating the next morning.  Like many of us all over the country, I find myself wondering why, why, why did this have to happen?  How will those families cope and continue on?  What can I do, from so far away to help them?  I found my worry thoughts increasing even more and it was even harder than ever to quiet my mind especially during my meditation time so, I gave up.  Then, I was sent an email from a vlog I subscribe to by Gabrielle Bernstein.  In this vlog, Gabrielle talks about how we can help from so far away by “praying” through meditation, sending light and love to the families who are left with such heartache and sadness.  So this morning I got up early, got my music going and found myself repeating “light and love” over and over again.  I have no idea if I’m doing this “praying” meditation right and maybe there is no right way, but I’ve decided to give this type of meditation a try too and to stop worrying about it.

So as we all struggle to make sense of something that will never make sense I hope you will try to find a way to sit still, reflect or pray, say a mantra, or at least give yourself a few moments out of the day for quiet time.  It could be the best gift you give yourself or give to others.  And to all the other “recovering worriers” out there, I wish for you a meditation full of positive thoughts and less worry.

About the Author

Robyn is a Certified Holistic Health Coach at LifeSpring Wellness where she empowers women to reclaim their vitality and self-worth.  She specializes in helping women learn how to lovingly nourish and accept their bodies by focusing on their eating  behaviors, sleeping patterns, stress triggers and their digestive health.  Robyn also holds a special place in her heart for new mothers looking for comfort as they navigate their new reality. Robyn invites anyone into her coaching practice from Decorah, Iowa to all around the US.

Email Robyn: lifespringwellness@gmail.com

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The first time I ever attended a yoga class, I thought I was going to die. Not because it was too hard, but because it was too slow. I was the kind of person who would sprint back and forth down the sidewalk to calm down after a stressful day. I showed up at work with a to-do list that I vigorously focused on until everything was scribbled out. I attacked the elliptical and raced anyone who dared to occupy the machine next to me. I had no patience for slow walkers in shopping malls, on trails, in hallways, or really anywhere. And I firmly believed that people who didn’t have their exact change counted out before they reached the front of the line were morons.

Basically, I wasn’t really going anywhere, but I was definitely going to get there fast.

So the first time I entered that dimly-lit yoga studio and was greeted by a scarf-sheathed instructor who bowed her head and said “Namaste,” I nearly walked out the door. I remember finding a place in the back of the room, struggling to inhale and exhale on cue, quizzically watching other people in the mirror, and impatiently checking the clock. At first, it truly didn’t occur to me that I might be able to learn something from the practice.

But something made me go back to the class. Over time, I found that moving slowly on the mat actually helped my endurance on the pavement. It also helped me concentrate on my homework. It calmed me down. My muscles felt worked out and stretched out. I slept better. And I found myself significantly better able to handle stress.

Fast forward ten years and a couple thousand yoga classes. I still run. I still tackle a to-do list with vigor. I still attack the elliptical. I still walk quickly when I’m by myself. And I even still have my change ready when I reach the front of the line. But yoga changed something in me and showed me how to live a life of balance instead of a life of stressful extremes. Today, I teach a variety of yoga classes – everything from hot power yoga classes to Vinyasa and Ashtanga flow classes to individual in-home yoga sessions to candlelight yoga classes.

But no matter what kind of class I’m teaching, I always include time for slowness by offering Savasana at the end of the practice. Why? Because I firmly believe that giving your body a chance to relax and your mind an opportunity to let go can be more beneficial than the extra cup of coffee we often need to drink to keep up with our own schedule.

Want to try Savasana out on your own? Follow these instructions for a little peace of mind:

• Find a soothing piece of music. I like to wind down to ”River Flows in You” or “Over the Rainbow.” Having a timed piece of music will help your mind let go, and the end of the song will serve as an alarm to help you know when to get up.
• Turn off your cell phone. Dim the lights. Shut the door to your office. Try to do whatever you can to create a calming environment.
• Lie flat on your back with your legs stretched out and relaxed. Turn your palms to face the ceiling and let the hands relax.
• Close your eyes and let the gaze remain soft. If possible, place a warm towel or an eye pillow over your eyes.
• Inhale slowly and fully. As you exhale, allow yourself to relax into the mat.
• Release any tension you are holding in the face and neck.
• Continue to focus on the breath; Let your mind wander as necessary and dismiss the thoughts with every exhalation.

 At the end of Savasana, I like to repeat my own mantra to re-center my thoughts. Feel free to try this mantra or to come up with one of your own.

“We press our thumbs to our foreheads for peace in our thoughts.
Thumbs to our eyes for peace in what we see.
Thumbs to our lips for peace in our words.
And thumbs to our chests for peace in our hearts.”

Interested in taking a slower-paced yoga class? Check out Candlelight Yoga by Sonja | Wellness & Yoga on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30-8:30pm this week!

About the Author

Sonja is a certified wellness coach and personal yoga instructor at Sonja | Wellness & Yoga. She specializes in working with children/adolescents and families, people in cardiac rehabilitation programs, and clients pursuing eating disorder recovery, but she welcomes everyone to her coaching practice. She currently maintains her independent wellness coaching practice and yoga business out of her home in Decorah, Iowa.

The post Close Your Eyes, Clear Your Heart, Let It Go appeared first on Change of the Month.

How can we slow down and reverse the ill effects of excessive stress?

One effective way is to take time out of your day (as few as 10 minutes) to clear your mind and be in the moment. Call it meditation, prayer, or quiet time.

It works.

Mindful quiet time also has benefits for children and youth. Take a look at this infographic about meditation in education from Edutopia:

How to Make the Change

Here is the change we suggest this month:

Sit Quietly 10 Minutes Each Day

You don’t need a Zafu cushion or a meditation gong to get started. Just pick a time during the day (perhaps before bedtime) for quiet time. Encourage your kids to join you on the floor (you can also use chairs), close their eyes, and be quiet. Start with one minute and work up to 10 minutes. You can set a timer to alert you to the end of your quiet time.

You can use this time to pray, focus on your breath, or repeat a mantra. A mantra is simply a word or a phrase you repeat while you sit quietly. An example might be “I have peace of mind.”

Beyond Sitting Quietly

There are other ways to practice being in the moment and reduce stress. Consider these suggestions:

• Go for a walk and focus on your breath. Notice the sounds around you. Inhale the fresh air and scents. (But don’t close your eyes! We don’t want any accidents.)
• When trying to fall asleep at night, start to focus on your breath. With each out breath let your body relax and “melt” into the mattress. It’s a really awesome feeling!
• Use your stretching time after a workout to focus on your breath and have quiet time.
• Consider taking a yoga class. There are several great options in town: The Yoga Studio, Sonja | Wellness & Yoga, Discover Happy, and Molly Lesmeister Yoga.
• Use a guided relaxation CD or YouTube video to help relax your body. There are even some for kids!
• If your kids are driving you crazy, set a timer for “The Quiet Game.” Whoever can be quiet the longest wins.
• A suggestion from Brenda Harris, LAc is to leave ten minutes early for appointments. This way, you don’t have to worry about being late. And if you get there early, you have time to sit quietly for a few minutes.
• Rather than getting frustrated with a long line, consider taking this time to focus your mind and relax. It works wonders!

Enjoy taking this big, but simple step toward a less stressful life.

Sponsor of the Month

This month, Milkhouse Candles & Gifts is giving away five 16 oz. Butter Jar Candles. These candles are good for 100 hours of quiet time!

Milkhouse Candles & Gifts is owned by Tonya Sparrow and offers the purest scented Soy and Beeswax Blend Candles on the market today. Stop by the store for a “scent-sational” experience. (And check out their cool gifts for kids too!)

Join the conversation on Facebook!

Photo Credit: Best of You Today

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