Wholeness Health and YOU!

Butternut Squash Chili

The Fall Season brings bright colors, crisp temperatures, football . . . and a host of veggies that I really don’t know what to do with. One of my nutrition goals is to try new fruits and vegetables that I didn’t eat growing up or that I didn’t enjoy, as well as to spruce up our menus throughout the year so we don’t fall into a rut. And with the cost of food nowadays, I think it’s really important to take advantage of whatever is in season so as to get the best prices. And right now, it seems squash is king. Which leads me back to the fact that I don’t know what to do with it. So, I did a little research . . .

Apparently there are hundreds of varieties of squash – not very helpful when you’re new to it. It’s squash overload. But basically there are two kinds: Summer and Winter. Summer squash are ones like zucchini and yellow crookneck, but mainly these are picked in the warm months, have a slightly thinner skin, and don’t keep very long. (That explains a few things for me.) Winter squash, on the other hand, are picked in the cooler months, and because they have a thicker skin, can be stored longer. These are the acorn, pumpkin, and butternut types.

Turns out squash is pretty powerful, too. They’re loaded with Vitamins A, B₆, and C, plus calcium, magnesium, beta-carotene, and iron. These help with eye, skin, and mental health – and the fiber means it’s good for your gut. Not to mention it’s also pretty tasty. So here’s a recipe we recently tried that blew us away with its zingy, flavorful yumminess. We substituted the ground beef with ground turkey, by the way, and it’s a lighter, but still filling, alternative.

Prep: 10 min.

Cook: 30-40 min.

Total: 40-50 min.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey breast

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 1/2 cups diced butternut squash

2 cups diced tomatoes w/ juice (if canned)

1 cup tomato sauce (no sugar, if possible)

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the celery and red onions for about 3 minutes. Then, add the garlic, and sauté for another minute.

Add the ground beef (or turkey) cook thoroughly, breaking it up with a spoon, about 5 minutes or so. (If using frozen meat, thaw it first.)

Add the red pepper flakes, cumin, paprika, coriander, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything well.

Add the red bell peppers, butternut squash, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth, then mix well.

Bring the chili to a boil, cover with a lid, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro.

Note: If you’re watching your salt intake, this recipe can be made without it and still be full of flavor! Also, this makes really good leftovers!

Happy eating!

https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/a23457839/types-of-squash/

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-squash

https://www.verywellfit.com/winter-squash-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefit-4117503

Original recipe by Olivia at https://www.primaverakitchen.com/no-bean-whole30-butternut-squash-chili/

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

The Darin Olien Show: Working Out for Personal Growth with Sal Di Stefano

Let me begin by saying that even if you’re not a fan of podcasts, at least listen to this one episode. I’ve listened to it three times. And I’ll probably listen to it again whenever I need a bit of inspiration. The energy and passion of these two guys is powerful and I can’t help but get caught up in it! Darin’s guest is exercise guru and Mind Pump podcast cofounder Sal Di Stefano. He also authored the book “The Resistance Training Revolution” which is all about strength training as the way to more energy, more fat loss, increased metabolism, and better overall health and aging, which is true, but this episode isn’t about his book . . .

This particular episode is about how working out, though it may begin as a way to “fix” something we don’t like about ourselves, can become about the journey rather than the destination. Sal asks why we punish ourselves with [insert exercise of choice] if we don’t enjoy it? Why do we spend hours upon hours beating ourselves up to chase some imagined (and quite possibly unattainable!) aesthetic? Think about it . . . how many times have you heard people talk (or worse, complain) about the hours per day they spend at the gym? How many people do you know who have signed up for a gym membership in January, all pumped up to work out, only to fizzle a month or two later? In this episode, Sal relays a story about a woman whose friend was super-healthy and still died young, therefore she stated that eating well and working out didn’t prevent her friend’s death so she decided she was just going to enjoy life. This blew his mind – and suddenly set him on a new trajectory. If we don’t like the exercise we’ve chosen, then it turns into a chore, and we give up. He suggests that when we do the right kinds of exercises, and we stick with it because we enjoy it, “the result is the side effect and what you love is the journey and the journey is where everything happens”. The bottom line is this: “If you enjoy the journey, you’re going to do if for the sake of doing it.”

Sal also suggests one more thing: change the purpose of working out from self-hate to self-love. If we approach exercise from the perspective of ‘I’m going to take good care of myself’, it’s so much more sustainable than if we punish ourselves and circle the shame drain. (Plus, it’s much more uplifting – I know I’d rather spiral up!) And health isn’t just about working out and/or eating good-for-you food. He describes health as a “sphere”, encompassing many different aspects of our lives, not just the physical. And when we pay attention to those things, and incorporate them into our pledge to take care of ourselves, then it all comes together in a way we could never imagine.

There’s a LOT more to the episode, which I won’t detail here – I’m much too excited and would probably ramble more than I already have! Go! Listen to it! See for yourself. Listen to his story, his A ha! moments, his own health hiccup, and his no-nonsense, common sense approach to health. Get swept up in his energy.

Click to listen to The Darin Olien Show episode featuring Sal Di Stefano. Enjoy!!

Check out Darin’s web site and all the things he’s into at darinolien.com

If you’d like to learn more about Sal and his book, go to theresistancetrainingrevolution.com or give the Mind Pump podcast a try.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

As I was flipping through my cookbooks, desperately searching for something tasty to get us out of the current food rut we’re in, I stumbled upon an old favorite: Stuffed Bell Peppers. I offered it up as a suggestion for our dinner menu and got the thumbs-up. As I perused the recipe, I realized that our way of eating has changed quite a bit since I last made them. Namely, we very rarely eat beef anymore and I don’t remember the last time we ate white rice.

Then my brain began to churn. How could I revamp this recipe so that it’s more in line with our better eating habits? First, I’d swap beans for beef, and brown rice for white rice. Second, I decided not to boil the peppers first in order to keep as many nutrients as I could. Not going to salt them either. No need. And, third, I’m definitely using real cheese instead of American. Ok, I thought, this might work. (Please keep in mind that I prefer to use fresh rather than canned items, but I also kind of did this on the fly and used what I had on hand.) Here’s what I came up with:

Prep: 5-10 minutes

Cook: 35 mintues

Total: 40-45 minutes

4 large bell peppers, any color
3/4 cup diced sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
14.5 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup organic brown rice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 cup finely shredded Colby jack cheese

In a skillet, lightly sauté onion and garlic in about a teaspoon of olive oil on lower heat to soften them. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, basil and marjoram, Worcestershire sauce, salt and/or pepper to taste, and about 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. While the mixture is cooking, wash and cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing the stems, seeds, and membranes. Arrange the peppers in a 9 x 13 pan. When the rice mixture is done, remove from heat and stir in about 1/2 cup of cheese until it’s melted. Scoop the mixture into the peppers, top with remaining cheese, and bake in a 375° oven for about 15 minutes. Let them stand a minute or two, then serve. Makes 8.

If you need less, cut the recipe in half – or keep it as-is and you’ll have easy leftovers! For some extra zing, you can sprinkle a little hot sauce on your pepper (we like Cholula or Tapatío) and my daughter likes a tiny dollop of sour cream. Have some fun with it. Maybe substitute vegetable broth for the water or try different spices. This recipe has some room for experimentation. Let me know what you think!

Happy eating!

Original recipe: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 10th Edition

Not All Flour is Created Equal

I don’t know about you, but I love toast. Lightly buttered. A sprinkle of cinnamon. Or with peanut butter. Maybe a little honey. Or crushed berries. I don’t have it very often, but sometimes it just hits the spot. Yes, I know it’s processed – but I love it anyway! And there’s a little trick I use to make better choices when it comes to buying bread at the store. Sure, I look for things like added sugars (not to mention all the different names for sugar!) and preservatives, but the one thing I look at FIRST is flour.

Let’s take a look at wheat bread, for example. We all know that looks can be deceiving. Earthy colors like green, brown, maroon, or gold dominate the packaging. There may be an image of grains of wheat somewhere. Or maybe leaves. Or the sun. Strategically placed and marketed to make us think it’s good for us. It also might say ‘Multi-Grain’ or ‘Whole Wheat’, but is it really? Like, 100%? Sadly, chances are that it’s not. So how do we know? Well, flip that bad boy over and take a peek at the ingredients list. What’s the first ingredient? Most likely it’s flour of some sort. And it might very well be wheat flour, but what we’re looking for here is the word ‘enriched‘. Is it there? Does it say ‘enriched wheat flour’? (Or something along those lines . . .) If so, put it back on the shelf. Here’s why . . .

During processing, the good parts of the wheat plant are removed – namely the husk and bran – and unfortunately, those are the parts with all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that we need. So the manufacturer puts those things back in later, thus making it an ‘enriched’ product. Problem is, that also makes it more processed and not so good for us.

You might ask, “Ok, so, is there a decent bread out there somewhere? And how do I find it?” Look at the ingredients list. The better breads will have something like ‘whole grain wheat flour’ as the first ingredient, and then whatever follows should be whole grain as well. Organic? Even better. Another tip: healthier breads usually have fewer preservatives and need to be refrigerated or even frozen or they’ll spoil (read: mold) much sooner than regular bread. And I suppose, if you have the time and desire, you could make your own bread with very few, much more wholesome ingredients, and you’ll know exactly what went into it. No guesswork involved. Plus, there’s something wonderfully satisfying about being able to say, “I made that!”

I could go on a tangent about the benefits of eating whole grains, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. Suffice it to say that if you choose breads that don’t have ‘enriched’ flour (of any kind – wheat or otherwise), you’re making a better choice for you and your family. Just something to keep in mind the next time you’re in the bread aisle.

ewg.org

The Green Movement train has really picked up steam in recent years – and that’s a very good thing! Many of us are becoming more aware of how what we do affects our health and our planet. As a result, we’re recycling more, buying more environmentally friendly things, finding sustainable resources, choosing organic foods, and paying closer attention to the products we use on a daily basis. Are they good for us? For the environment?

If you’ve ever wondered about how the common household items you have stack up, consider visiting ewg.org where you’ll find all kinds of useful information and product rankings of the things we use all the time. From laundry detergent and cleaning products to personal care items and makeup, chances are the Environmental Working Group has the scoop on something you use.

One note of caution: visiting this site can not only be eye-opening, but a little scary. If you’re not quite prepared for it, you may encounter information overload, then your brain may shift into over-reactive gear, especially if you find that a few products you use don’t quite measure up, then you may quickly become addicted to looking up more and more items and suddenly find yourself wanting to toss out everything in your house!

Sigh. Deep breath.

Don’t get rid of everything all at once. It’s not necessary. But if you DO find that you want to make some changes, consider finishing up what you’ve got and use that time to search for better choices and go with those next time. Little by little, one step at a time. If enough of us jump on board, we’ll be able to make a huge difference in the world. And, to be honest, once you start making those changes, it feels good to know that you’re doing the right thing, becoming healthier, and helping to create a better planet for generations to come.

Cinnamon

For me, the aroma of cinnamon evokes memories of apple pie, my mom’s homemade cinnamon rolls, and Christmas. But did you know there are some benefits of using cinnamon other than giving us that warm, fuzzy feeling? Here are a few to ponder:

Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory effects that may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Its antioxidants may reduce overall cholesterol by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, while preserving HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Its natural, zingy sweetness may help reduce sugar intake, which helps with weight loss and getting rid of your middle.
On a similar note, cinnamon could increase insulin sensitivity, which reduces blood sugar levels, and that helps combat insulin resistance, which leads to Diabetes! Wow!

So how can you incorporate cinnamon into your diet to start getting those health benefits? Easily, actually. You could toss a piece of cinnamon stick into your morning pot of coffee or tea. You can also sprinkle it on your oatmeal or whole wheat toast. Or maybe throw a couple of dashes in your yogurt or smoothie. Use your imagination, ask your friends or family, and try your own combos!

⚠️ Keep in mind that a little goes a looooong way! As with anything, too much isn’t always a good thing. When possible, go for Ceylon cinnamon rather than Cassia. It has much lower levels of coumarin which could cause liver problems if taken in high doses. It’s a little harder to find, but worth the effort. (Check your local health food stores or online markets.) And always check with your doctor to make sure cinnamon won’t interact with any medications you may be taking!

Visit health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-cinnamon health.com/nutrition/health-benefits-quitting-sugar and healthline.com/10-proven-benefits-of-cinnamon for more information.

Down to Earth With Zac Efron

In honor of Earth Day (April 22) I watched an episode of “Down to Earth With Zac Efron”. In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s an amazing Netflix documentary starring Zac Efron and health guru Darin Olien. It’s an eight-part series in which Zac and Darin explore ways to improve our own health, as well as that of our planet, by traveling around the world in search of people who are making a difference.

Each episode focuses on a different part of the globe and topics that affect us all, or will at some point, and the phenomenal people who are working to find economical, ecological, humane, and sustainable solutions to preserve and protect our planet and ALL of its inhabitants. From the jungles of Peru and Costa Rica to the bustling cities of London, Lima, and Paris to the islands of Puerto Rico, Iceland, and Sardinia, Zac and Darin discover what people are doing to create clean energy, water, air, and food, live longer, healthier lives, save and protect Earth’s plants, animals, and resources, and – more importantly – help each other in times of crisis.

And we really need to take notice.

The problems are real. We can’t ignore them any longer. But we can work together to find solutions that benefit everyone. We can learn from our mistakes (if we choose to) and work toward a better, brighter future not only for ourselves but for generations to come. We truly are all connected, whether we want to believe it or not, and we can make a difference.

I’ve literally lost count of the number of times I’ve watched this entire series. I laugh and cry and wonder with each episode. It is my sincere hope that you watch this series and are moved to make changes of your own, no matter how small. I personally, have taken the lessons to heart and I’m trying to do what I can to make the world a better place for myself and my kids and live life to the fullest!

P.S. I’ve heard that Season 2 will be released sometime in 2022 – fingers crossed! Can’t wait!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Wholeness Health and You! My name is Amy and I’m so glad you stopped by!

Wholeness Health and You was created based on my own health journey and wanting to share what I’ve learned (so far!) with you in a simple, real, and honest way that empowers you to take an active role in your health.

The concept is simple. You are not broken, you are whole. You have what it takes to achieve optimal health, you just might need a little help discovering what that means for you. And on your journey you will come to realize what you are really capable of.

On a slightly deeper level, it all begins with WHY. Finding our true “why” is the basis for all that comes after. And yes, it actually does matter! It can be the ‘make it or break it’ of our success.

So join me for the ride! Read about the different aspects of health, plus all kinds of informational tidbits, recipes, and recommendations for books, podcasts, shows, activities, and whatever else I can think of! Explore the site and begin YOUR journey…

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