Wellness

@ Moraine Valley

Kelly Devine Rickert

Healthy Fall Snacks!

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Try some of my fall favorite snacks!

Pumpkin Dip for Apples

Pumpkin peanut butter dip for apples
Ingredients:
1/2 can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I use Splenda)
1/4 cup smooth peanut or almond butter

Roasted pumpkin seeds: Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, and add a layer of pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle the seeds with a dash of sea salt, and then roast them at 325 F for about 25 minutes, or until toasted.

– Popcorn: Place kernels in paper lunch bag, spray with olive oil cooking spray, fold down top of bag two times and microwave on popcorn setting. Add some fall spices to spruce your popcorn up! (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger).

– Honey Crisp apple and slice of cheese

– Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice English Muffins with natural almond butter or peanut butter. Try to limit the topping to one tablespoon.

For nutrition/exercise questions or for more tip ideas, email Kelly at
Kelly Devine Rickert, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN, CPT
Moraine Valley Wellness Coordinator

Walktober Challenge! Tips to to get moving!

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Tips on how to Increase Your Steps and to move more during your day!

10 Ways To Walk Your Way To Better Health | Henry Ford LiveWell

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.

Business 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

Chicken Pot Pie made with Greek Yogurt and Grilled Pork Chop recipe

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Made a new recipe last week and it was DELISH so had to share.
(this pot pie recipe is much lighter than your standard version!)

Add a tossed salad or some steamed veggies to complete this hearty meal.

Chicken Pot Pie (made with Greek yogurt)

1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded chicken (I shredded a no salt rotisserie chicken from the deli to save on time)
1-1.5 cups frozen veggies
Premade pie crust in refrigerated section (2 sides)
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. Saute onions in butter for a few minutes until cooked through. Add flour and combine.
2. In a bowl stir together the yogurt, broth and chicken. Add in seasonings, onion mixture, and frozen veggies.
3. Place 1 side of pie crust down in pie pan, add mixture on top and cover with the second crust. Pinch sides so both sides are sealed together.
4. Cut a few lines on top for the pot pie to breathe. Lightly coat the top layer with beaten egg so top crust browns.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, turning 1 time in the oven. Let stand while you prep salad and any side items. (We added some mashed potatoes for our side last night.)

I’m talking the best tasting pot pie I’ve made with a TON less fat than usual.  Makes for a great Sunday meal with the family!

Let me know how you like!

Grilled Cuban Pork Chops

Cuban Rub
2 Tablespoons grated lime peel
1 Tablespoon cumin seed
1 Tablespoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Pork Chops
4 boneless pork loin or rib chops, about 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds)

Directions
1. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Remove excess fat from pork. In small bowl, mix all Cuban Rub ingredients; rub evenly on both sides of pork.
2. Cover and grill pork 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until pork is no longer pink and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160°F.  Garnish with mango slices.

Serve with rice or baked potato, roasted broccoli.

In good health,
Kelly Devine Rickert MS RDN CSSD LDN

What’s for Dinner?

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The age-old question…. what’s for dinner? (or the question most mom’s dread!)

In the last 13 years as a Registered Dietitian, I have noticed that the one meal a day people struggle with the most is dinner. Why?
Here are some of the common responses I receive:
– no time
– too busy rushing around with work/kids/extracurricular’s
– don’t want to just cook for 1 or 2 people
– don’t know how to cook/I am not good at cooking
– too many picky eaters at home… and many more.

But the fact is, it is MUCH LESS expensive and MORE healthy to eat at home than anywhere else. If you sit down once a week and plan your dinner meals, you are more likely to stick to your menu decreasing any chance of you ordering last-minute take out food.

Not only is it less expensive to eat at home but it also has some other great benefits as well!

– You consume less sodium, fat, sugar and overall calories when eating at home.
– Family dinners are more important than play, story time and other family events in the development of vocabulary of younger children.
– Frequent family meals are associated with a lower risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs in preteens and teens ages 11 to 18.
– Adolescent girls who have frequent family meals and a positive atmosphere during those meals are less likely to develop eating disorders.
– Children who eat most often with their parents are 40 percent more likely to say they get mainly As and Bs in school than children who have two or fewer family dinners a week.
– Dinner with family can be a stress reliever. Believe it or not, if you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may actually leave you feeling less stressed.

Tips for dinner meal planning:

  1. Sit down once a week with your calendar to see what nights you will be at home to make dinner and what evenings you need to have something quick and easy to go (grilled chicken wraps with fruit)!
  2. Shop the sale ads on the weekends to plan which protein’s you will have that week with dinner.
  3. Start with your protein first, then figure out your sides (add a whole grain starch and some veggies to each dinner).
  4. Prep ahead when you can. Example: When making kids lunches at night, I boil my noodles and brown my ground turkey to make a pasta bake for the next night. All I have to do is throw in the oven when I get home from work!
  5. Cook once, eat twice! This is my motto! Example from earlier. If I brown my turkey tonight, I may season some turkey and make into patties for the next night. Make your life as easy as you can!

Do you have any time-saving tips in the kitchen for dinner? Do Share!

~Happy planning!

~Kelly Devine Rickert MS RD CSSD LDN

Apple, Apples, and More Apples. It’s Apple Season!

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The 10 Best Orchards To Pick Apples Near Chicago - Care.com

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Although this common saying may not be entirely true, it is true that apples are healthy for you.

Fun apple facts:
– Apples really pack a vitamin C punch. The antioxidant power of that apple is equal to more than 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.
– Apples also contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lower blood cholesterol. Since apples are high in fiber, they help to feel that full sensation in your stomach.
– Fruit consumption has also been linked to cancer prevention and lower weights.
– There are about 2,500 known varieties of apples grown in the United States alone! (Who knew?!?)
– Apples are best stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Ways to add some apples into your diet:
-Apple & peanut butter
-Chopped apple in green salads or fruit salads.
-My Favorite! Bake apples with cinnamon,a small amount of brown sugar and a sprinkle of oats (Heat in oven for 20-30 min at 350 degrees).
-Cooked apples with vegetables such as carrots, winter squash and sweet potatoes can make vegetables a bit sweeter.

Where can you find apples?
Apples go out of season by early winter, so pick some today!

County Line Orchard in Hobart

Garwood Orchard in LaPorte, IN

Prairie Sky Orchard, Union IL

Apple Holler, WI

Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard

Chocolate Coffee Protein Shake

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Here is protein shake recipe that tastes great and fills you up! I make in the mornings when I am in a rush or post run on Saturdays. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coffee Protein Shake

1 cup milk (I use Fairlife but you can also use soy, or alternative milks)
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
Ice
1/4 cup whey protein powder (I use Red Mill)

Blend and drink! (I add a Stevia packet to sweeten it up a bit).

Need to boost the calories a bit? Add some strawberries and half of banana if you wish!