Healthy What is Quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced Keen – wah) is a Superfood—one of the only plant foods that provides a complete protein—offering all the essential amino acids in a healthy balance.

Quinoa has an unusually high ratio of protein to carbohydrate since the germ makes up about 60% of the grain. For comparison, wheat germ comprises less than 3% of a wheat kernel. Additional features of quinoa include:

• Highest in potassium of all the whole grains, which helps control blood pressure. 
• Gluten-free, making it extremely useful to the celiac community and others who may be gluten sensitive. 
• Although technically not a grain, botanically quinoa is related to beets, chard and spinach. 

Bolivian Farmer with Quinoa crop in the Andes, South America
Photo: Michael Hermann—http://www.cropsforthefuture.org/

It’s a very cost effective base grain that can be used to create different recipes. Use it for dinner in place of rice, in salads and for breakfast.

Quinoa is a 5,000-year-old ancient grain grown in the Peruvian and BolivianAndes. Buying it helps support farmers in underdeveloped communities. It is the original non-GMO seed.

How to Prepare Quinoa for Breakfast
If you can boil water you can make quinoa for your family—and it’s inexpensive at about 50 cents per serving. These directions are for cooking quinoa for any recipe.

• Use 1 cup of quinoa to 1½ -­ 2 cups of water to equal 4 servings
• Use saucepan with lid, measuring cup and small wire-mesh strainer

1. Rinse the Quinoa in cold water and pour through the mesh strainer to remove the bitter husks and grit (Important).
2. Boil the water (optional: add a little olive oil or salt).
3. Add the quinoa, letting it boil for a moment as you stir.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
5. For breakfast serve with fresh fruit or trail mix. Add maple syrup and a splash of almond or coconut milk.
6. Store any leftovers in a container with lid to re-­heat later.

Hint: Use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water for dinner recipes

While no single food can supply all the essential life sustaining nutrients, quinoa comes closer than most. Try it and I think you will find yourself eating it on a regular basis like me.

Have you ever eaten quinoa and if so, what's your favorite way to prepare it? I love it for breakfast.

Healthy 13 Bean Vegetable Soup

For the chills and cold weather, here's a soup I've made twice now. Bought a bean mix from the bulk bins at my favorite grocery store (Nuggett Market—sorry it only has locations around the greater Sacramento, California area). They have a huge produce section right up front that extends most of the width of the store. Behind the produce are the bulk bins with an assortment of items like flours, grains, nuts and trail mix.

You can also pick up Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix off the grocery shelf and you'll be ready to go.

Remember you need to soak the beans overnight. So plan ahead.

13 Bean Vegetable Soup

from Chris Pedersen

yield 6-8 servings

category Soup

cuisine Vegan

ingredients

2 C 13 bean mix

4 C vegetable broth

2 C filtered water

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 C chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 broccoli stalks, chopped

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tsp smoked paprika

sea salt and pepper to taste

directions

1. Wash the 13 bean mix and soak overnight. Drain and rinse the next morning.

2. In a large pot, add beans, water and broth. Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer for 3 hours or until beans are soft.

3. When beans are almost done, add olive oil to pan over medium heat. Saute onion until cooked.

4. Add garlic, red pepper, zucchini and broccoli to onions. Cook until veggies begin to soften (about 5 minutes).

5. Add cooked veggies, diced tomatoes and paprika to pot of beans. Add more water if desired. Simmer 30 minutes to heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simple and easy to make. If you don't have the vegetables listed in the recipe, no worries. Use what you have. No magic to this. Just wholesome, healthy and alkalizing in the body.

What's your favorite bean soup recipe?

Pleading with Cancer

Cancer . . . it’s me.

Come later

when my life

is more complete.

Let me see wrinkles

so deep

and skin

so thin

from elasticity gone.

I beg you,

stop

the lassitude,

the pain

Cancer . . . it’s me.

Let me see

my children grow

to be adults,

to be on their own,

that’s all I want.

Death too soon

is death unfair.

It takes from me

and from them,

too.

Memories missing,

pages empty,

lost to me,

by your bombardment,

hard to bear. 

Cancer . . . it’s me.

Stop this game you play,

out-smarting, outwitting, out maneuvering

us all.

Unfurl your madness

unfurl your mystery

so others will know

and early steps into the darkness

will cease

because your dress

will finally look different

than other dancers

and my body

will see you

and take back what is mine.

Scans show your control, 
reveal your destruction.

Each day

you grow.

Each day

I slow.

Cancer . . .  it’s me.

Stop hurting.

Stop growing.

Stop taking.

Stop stealing

my time.

Rationalization of death

does not exist.

No lessons learned.

Tragedy defines

my one day forgotten life!

Cancer . . . it’s me.

Help Save a Life by Donating at the Next Red Cross Blood Drive

According to the American Red Cross, someone in America receives a blood transfusion every two seconds. Five million patients will need blood this year. The good news is that it’s easy to help! The actual donation of one pint of “whole blood” takes only about 8 – 10 minutes and may benefit up to three people!

The American Red Cross stresses that donating blood is very safe. Blood is always drawn using a new, sterile needle, which is used only once and then discarded. While the donation itself typically lasts up to 10 minutes, the entire process, from registration to refreshment, takes about one hour.

Below is an overview of what to expect during donation of whole blood:

• Registration: After individuals first arrive for their blood donation appointments, they provide basic information about themselves and also show identification.
• Health History and Mini Physical: Potential blood donors confidentially answer questions about their health and travel history. Certain vitals are taken to ensure the individuals are eligible to donate.
• Donation: The individual’s arm is cleansed in the area the needle will be placed. A new, sterile needle is inserted to draw the blood, and the donor will feel a quick pinch. After about a pint of blood is collected, the donation process is finished. The “whole blood” is later separated into red cells, plasma, platelets and/or Cryoprecipitated Antihaemophilic Factor (a frozen blood product prepared from plasma).
• Refreshments: Donors enjoy complimentary refreshments and relax after their donation. Within about 10 or 15 minutes, they’re able to leave and continue with regular activities.

Within about 24 hours, plasma from the donation is replaced; red blood cells are replenished within approximately four to six weeks. A healthy donor may donate whole blood every 56 days

Getting Involved

GBMC holds community Red Cross Blood Drives throughout the year. The next is being held on Thursday, February 27, 2014 from 5:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. To learn more about blood donation, visit www.redcrossblood.org. To register for the next blood drive at GBMC, visit www.gbmc.org/redcross or contact Kim Davenport at 443-849-2400 with any questions.

Resolving to be Healthier in 2014

The beginning of a brand-new year is great time to think about self-improvement. Many people set goals or New Year’s resolutions and resolve to finally kick that bad habit or start exercising. Unfortunately, New Year’s resolutions are often quickly abandoned, especially when people don’t see immediate results. Without a plan in place to keep you on track, it can be challenging to measure your success, and frustrating when you don’t succeed. 

If you have the determination and willpower to change a habit, one way to help you stick to your resolutions or goals for 2014 is to set SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-focused and Time-bound. This proven method of goal-setting can be applied to virtually any habit you wish to stop or start, such as quitting smoking, eating healthier, exercising more or drinking more water. Using SMART goals, your chances of achieving success improve through following a carefully laid-out plan.

Steps of making a “SMART” goal:

S: Specific. Making your goal specific is the difference between an abstract idea and an achievable goal. Adding the way you will achieve your goal helps guide your goal into a more specific approach.

M: Measurable. Think about how you will determine whether or not you reached your goal. Results must be able to be measured; simply saying that you want to make a change can lead to giving up. 

A: Attainable. Ask yourself “Is this goal attainable?” Setting reasonable expectations for yourself will improve your chance of success.

R: Results-focused. Consider what your reasons are for meeting the goal. What is the purpose? How will it benefit you? Keeping the end in mind as you work to meet your goal will help you avoid the temptation to give up.

T: Time-bound. Setting a realistic, timely goal is critical to an effective goal. Not only will it help keep the end in sight, it will also be a motivating factor in sticking to your goal.

Examples of SMART goals - Before & After 

Before: “I want to be thinner.”

After (SMART goal): “I want to lose 10 pounds in four months through exercising four times per week and eating a 1,500 calorie diet, so that I can improve my overall health and reduce my risk of diabetes and heart disease.”

Before: “I want to quit smoking.”

After (SMART goal): “I want to quit smoking and completely reduce my dependence on nicotine within three months’ time, through using nicotine replacement gum as directed, so that I can reduce my risk of lung cancer.”

Before: “I want to consume less sugar.”

After (SMART goal): “I will begin to drink at least eight glasses of water every day and eliminate sugary beverages from my diet, to reduce my sugar intake and chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.”

What are your goals for 2014? Share in the comments. 

Healthy Wisdom Wednesday

Tip:
Top seven alkalizing vegetables: Spinach, Kale, Cucumber, Celery, Bell Peppers, Avocado and Broccoli. You should eat one or more every day.

Healthy Cancer Checkup Results—Part 2

I just got an email from my GI with the results of the biopsy for the 13 polyps they found and removed at my colonoscopy on Wednesday (January 8, 2014).

The polyps were all BENIGN! Meaning not cancerous, not pre-cancerous. Benign! Not harmful in effect the dictionary says.

Hopefully I can rest and relax in knowing that what I am doing with diet, exercise, sleep and attitude is working despite the stress in the past (which I will leave there).

Thank you to all who supported me in prayer and thought. You mean so much to me. I love you like you will never know.

Wahoo! I'm going out for a run now.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.      ~ Numbers 6:24-26

Chemo #13 Scans reviewed in 3 weeks

No news today, really.  The last three weeks were typical for side-effects.  My neuropathy in my fingers improved from my last treatment so that was a relief. 

Somehow I expected to have scans done before today and reviewed at this appointment.  I was jumping ahead too quickly.  The 3 week period I am now entering is the time for new scans to occur.  On February 3, those will be reviewed.  If everything is stable or if shrinkage is seen, a break from the beneficial but evil Taxotere, as far as side-effects go, may be the next plan for me.  Herceptin and Perjeta will act alone.  I am hopeful this is the case.  This scan really makes me nervous though.  I would really like a break from Taxotere.  Anytime I want something badly, the nerves can be troublesome.  It is not a happy drug as far as how it makes me feel.  If the two other drugs can do the job without it then that is a much better treatment option.  If my scans show growth, my treatment plan will change completely.  It is quite unsettling due to the fact that I am currently taking the best drugs available for my disease.    

For this appointment, the usual side-effects were discussed and lungs were assessed audibly.  All is fine.

This morning I had the 3 month MUGA scan to look at my heart function.  Herceptin can cause reduced heart function in about 2% of patients.  I have not had any problems so far and am hoping this will be the same today.  I will not know until my next appointment.

That is all for today.  Thanks for checking in on me.     

Healthy Cucumber & Wakame Salad with Clementines

This recipe comes from Summer Tomato's Elyse Kopecky. I love seaweed and need the iodine so thought I'd try it. Searching through our local grocery stores yielded no wakame. So I put the idea in the back of my mind and went about life. Then it happened. While on my way to a seminar on platform (you know… having one means you have thousands of followers, thus publishers and consumers pay attention), I saw a sign that read International Market. "Oooo!" I thought. "I must check that out afterwards."

I hit the motherlode! The market was huuuuuuuge—bigger than a football field. Giant produce section, live and fresh seafood and aisles dedicated to every culture you can think of. If you don't see what you're looking for, tell the owner and he'll bring it in.

I walked in the door to the food court, turned left, cruised past the assorted cooking and serving ware then spotted what I thought might be the seaweed section. Bingo! Now to find the wakame amongst the many kinds of seaweed offered... found it!

The Summer Tomato version of this salad called for navel orange segments, but the salad warranted smaller segments (IMHO). Winter is citrus season and I always have my favorite variety, the clementine orange, in the fridge. Voilà! Small, sweet and seedless, it gives the perfect sweetness to any salad. 

Scored & Sliced Cucmbers

Chopped Wakame

Cucumber Wakame Salad with Cuties

from Elyse Kopecky

yield 5 servings

category Salad

cuisine Vegan

ingredients

1 pound cucumbers (persian variety best)

sea salt
1/2 oz wakame (~1/2 Cup)

4 Clementine oranges (Cuties)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp rice or apple cidar vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

toasted sesame seeds or Gomasio (optional)

directions

1. Wash and score cucumbers along length with a fork and slice thinly. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Soak wakame for 15 minutes in cold water, drain and chop.

3. Drain excess liquid from cucumbers. Check for saltiness. Rinse lightly if too salty then pat dry. Add wakame to cucumbers.

4. Peel and segment the oranges.

5. Whisk together remaining ingredients (except sesame seeds) and pour over vegetables. Toss with oranges segments.

6. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or Gomasio and enjoy.

I elected to sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the salad since I had some Gomasio in my pantry. What is Gomasio? It's dry roasted, sesame seed ground with sea salt and garlic powder. Eastern cultures do not put straight salt on food. They use condiments like gomasio to balance and enhance. Sesame seed oil, released by roasting, coats the salt and amplifies it for more taste with less salt.

Maybe you've never tried seaweed—except perhaps when you ate a California roll. How about a New Year's challenge to try some different foods in 2014. This is an easy and delicious recipe to check that off.

Have you ever tried seaweed? What kind, what was the dish and where did you eat it?