Wellness

@ Moraine Valley

Kelly Devine

Healthier Holiday Dips!

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Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dip

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup smooth peanut butter (or crunchy!)
½ cup sugar (or use Splenda or Stevia to lower sugar count)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Blend! Serve with sliced apples and celery!

Greek Yogurt Vegetable Dip

• 18-ounce container 2% Greek yogurt- Plain flavor
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

What To Do
1. Mix and store in fridge. Serve with chopped veggies.
2. Sprinkle some green onions on top to add some pop!

Holiday Cheese ball
Ingredients:
8 oz light cream cheese
8 oz reduced fat Kaukauna cheese spread
2 Tablespoon green pepper, diced
2 Tablespoons red pepper, diced
2 Tablespoon onion, diced
1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ -1 cup Grapenut nuggets

Directions:
-Mix all ingredients (except Grapenuts) and form into a ball. Roll cheese ball in Grapenuts. Chill before serving. Serve with whole grain crackers. (I like Kashi).

Nutrition: (1 tablespoon): 32 calories, 2 gm fat, 2 gm carbs, 1 gm fiber, 2
gm protein, 87 mg sodium. Recipe yields 32 tablespoons.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fish Tacos

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1-2 fish filets (1 per person) You can use grouper, mahi-mahi, red snapper, cod, tilapia, and even halibut.
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 corn or (low carb flour tortillas, my fav!) tortillas
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup diced red onion and 3/4 cup finely shredded red cabbage OR any diced cabbage/lettuce/greens you have on hand)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (best part)
2 limes, quartered
Directions

Pat fish dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is heated, Cook 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove fish from the heat, and divide into taco sized portions.
Assemble tacos: Top each tortilla with fish, avocado, onion, cabbage, cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime juice.

I added a side salad with Bolthouse Farms salsa ranch dressing. Made for a quick dinner!

Want to top those tacos with sour cream? Try nonfat plain greek yogurt as a sub! (I season mine with some cayenne pepper, salt and lime juice).

Enjoy!

~Kelly

Cucumber, Mango & Banana Smoothie

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Ingredients
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 cup Frozen Banana
1/2 cup Frozen Mango
1/4 Cucumber (medium, chopped)
1 cup Baby Spinach
2 tbsp Almond Butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 cup Vanilla Protein Powder

Directions
1. Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and
enjoy!

Notes
Leftovers: Best enjoyed immediately or freeze into popsicles 
Additional Toppings
Add chia seeds or hemp seeds.
Protein Powder
This recipe was tested using plant-based vanilla protein powder.

Nutrition
Calories 477
Fat 21g
Sodium 228mg
Carbs 51g 
Fiber 11g
Calcium 743mg
Protein 30g

Spinach Pesto Penne

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Ingredients
3 cups Brown Rice Penne (dry)
1 1/2 cups Baby Spinach
1 Garlic (clove, small, chopped)
1/4 Lemon (juiced)
1 1/2 tbsps Hemp Seeds
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

  1. Cook the penne according to package directions. Set aside.
  2. In a blender, combine the baby spinach, garlic, lemon juice, hemp seeds, and salt. While
    the blender is running, slowly add the oil through the top of the lid until fully emulsified.
  3. Toss the penne with the pesto and enjoy!
    Notes
    Leftovers
    Refrigerate in an airtight container for three days.
    Serving Size
    One serving is approximately two cups.
  4. Optional: Add a baked chicken breast or meatballs and add a small side salad

Healthy Holiday Apps!

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  1. Holiday Cheese ball (Kelly’s favorite!)
    Ingredients:
    8 oz light cream cheese
    8 oz reduced fat Kaukauna cheese spread
    2 Tablespoon green pepper, diced
    2 Tablespoons red pepper, diced
    2 Tablespoon onion, diced
    1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    ½ teaspoon lemon juice
    ½ -1 cup Grapenut nuggets

Directions:
-Mix all ingredients (except Grapenuts) and form into a ball. Roll cheese ball in Grapenuts. Chill before serving. Serve with whole grain crackers. (I like Kashi).

Nutrition: (1 tablespoon): 32 calories, 2 gm fat, 2 gm carbs, 1 gm fiber, 2
gm protein, 87 mg sodium. Recipe yields 32 tablespoons.

2. Brushetta

(In a bowl combine, 1.5 cups soft sun-dried tomatoes or freshly diced tomatoes, 6 basil leaves chopped, 3 tsp minced garlic, 1/8 cup olive oil and toss, sprinkle sea salt and cracked pepper. Spoon onto whole grain crackers (Triscuits, Kashi, Weight Watcher baguettes, etc).

3. 5 Spice Pistachio Nuts

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons orange juice
6 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
4 teaspoons kosher salt
6 cups unsalted pistachios

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 250°F.
Whisk orange juice, five-spice powder and salt in a large bowl. Add pistachios; toss to coat. Divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets; spread in an even layer.
Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until dry, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

4. Charcuterie Board!

Add some fruits and veggies in your seasonal charcuterie board this year 🙂

Happy Holidays!

Kelly Devine

Moraine Wellness Coordinator

Tips to Move More!

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Plan Ahead!
1. Set a goal for the length of time you will exercise or the distance you will cover while exercising.
2. Don’t forget to bring your walking/running shoes to work. (Side note from Kelly: Buy a GOOD pair of RUNNING shoes from a RUNNING store!)
3. Schedule a convenient time during your workday to work out and do it!
4. Make plans to meet a coworker for a walk break.
5. Write in your planner when you will exercise.
6. Warm up for a few minutes before getting into a faster paced exercise.

Getting to work:

7. Ride your bike to work (or before/after/lunchbreak)
8. Park your car as far away as possible and allow extra time to walk.
9. Come to work a ½ hr early or stay after to jog or walk.
10. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

At your desk:
11. Stretch throughout the day.
12. Squeeze a tennis ball to help strengthen your hand and wrist.
13. Try doing bicep curls with a paperweight.
14. Using a chair to brace yourself, do some calf raises to increase muscle strength.
15. Use your speakerphone for conference calls and stand instead of sitting!
16. Shoulder rolls, forward ten times, then repeat going backwards.
17. While sitting at your desk, rotate one foot to “write” each letter of the alphabet.  Switch feet and repeat.
18. Wall sits during those conferences calls or on your break.
19. Get out of your chair and move around for a few minutes an hour.
20. Shoulder shrugs are a great way to loosen up tight muscles.  Repeat 5-10 times.
21. Keep a water cup close by, but don’t forget to get up and keep filling it up!  Everyone should drink 8-10 glasses of water a day.
22. Stretch your lower back.  While seated, slowly bend forward at the waist. Reach forward with your hands until they reach the floor.  Hold for 15 seconds before slowly coming up.
23. Move your feet and legs while you are sitting at your desk to burn calories and increase energy.

Take a break:
24. Spice up your breaks with a jaunt around the building.
25. Do you need to clear your head?  Get up and take a five minute walk.
26. If you cant take a break for 20 minutes, try taking 10 min walks twice daily.
27. Leave a few minutes early for meetings to allow time to stretch your legs a bit.
28. Using the phone to talk to the person down the hall?  Get up and get moving.  The walk will do you good.

Lunch
29. Top off your lunch break with a 15 minute walk.
30. Going out to lunch? Why not choose a spot some distance away and walk.
31. Eat some whole grain carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables for energy.

Trips
32. Going on a trip? Take advantage of fitness facilities at your hotel.
33. Walk instead of using the moving airport walkways.
34. Pack hand and ankle weights or a resistance band for strength training on trips.

Stay Motivated
35. Try selecting indoor and outdoor activities
36. Grab a buddy. Exercising is always more fun with a friend.
37. Join a local health club for workday workouts
38. Keep track of your mileage. Choose a vacation spot and walk to it.
39. Have you met your goal? Don’t forget to reward yourself.
40. Bring along an ipod to play your favorite songs.

Staying motivated:
41. Habits are much easier to keep if you ENJOY them.  Find something you like!
42. If you aren’t too excited about a strenuous workout, try something more low key like a walk or yoga.  The important thing is just to keep moving!
43. To prevent boredom: change activity or location of activity often.
44. Don’t get down if you miss a workout, just schedule your next one.
45. Keep a record of your daily workouts.
46. Get a co-worker to join you for a lunch or break time walk.
47. Train for the Halloween 5k at Moraine Valley!
48. Buy some new exercise shoes (I recommend running shoes) and clothes.
49. Just Do It!  10 minutes is better than none at all!
50. Meet a friend at FitRec!

Happy Trrails!

Kelly Devine Rickert