Healthy New Year!

New year resolutions are on everyone's mind, and changes to our health are usually the goal. Weight-loss, eating healthier, and increasing exercise are all typical resolutions. 

Though all of those are great goals, wonderful even, many have a very hard time keeping and maintaining these goals. Perhaps time and life in general gets in the way, but more than likely the goal is too big to achieve to in a short amount of time. Change takes time, motivation, and dedication!

Here are some tips to stay on track for eating healthier and keeping goals for 2016!

• Keep goals SMART

Specific - ex: Cut out sugary drinks

Measurable - ex: one sugary drink/week

Achievable - Not cutting out every indulgence!

Reasonable- you're not an Olympic athlete, more than likely

Time-wise - ex: For the next month...

• Avoid "buzz words" when choosing healthier foods. Examples: Fat-free, sugar-free, diet, all-natural. Most processed foods will compensate for fat or sugar being removed by adding more of the other. It's better to eat fresh and control what goes into the dish!

• HAVE FUN. Experiment with new recipes, try a new fitness class, have a buddy!

Here are 3 recipes to help you stay on track that are healthy AND delicious (as seen on WBIR Channel 10).

Eggplant Parmesan Breaded with QRUNCH
1 package Spicy Italian QRUNCH burgers, toasted to perfection
1-2 eggs
1 eggplant
1 cup gluten-free flour
Parmesan Reggiano (optional for topping)

Toast or prepare 1 package of Spicy Italian QRUNCH burgers in the toaster. When cooled, place the burgers in a food processor until it has a coarse consistency. Slice the eggplant and prepare an egg wash in a separate bowl. Dip the sliced eggplant in the gluten-free flour, then dredge in the egg wash. Note: For a true vegetarian/vegan option, you can use your favorite almond milk or coconut milk. Cover with QRUNCH crumbles and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce.

Banana and Almond Butter Toast

1 tablespoon almond butter
1 banana, sliced
1 slice wheat bread, toasted

Spread almond butter on toast and add bananas.

White Bean and Herb Hummus

¼ cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. Serve with raw vegetables or rice crackers.

Enjoy!
-Ashley

Tropical Goodness: Mango diced and dissected

The first time I remember having fresh mango was my honeymoon in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in 2012. Sure, I had tasted mango flavored items, but I honestly cannot recall having it fresh before then. Of course, after having feasted on the local fruit and drinking freshly-squeezed mango goodness for a week, I wanted to include it in the grocery runs. Unfortunately, it took a few tries to figure out how to even cut the darn things!

There are wonderful nutrients found in mango (over 20!). These include, but are not limited to: folate (hello prenatal goodness!), Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K. One cup of mango diced has 100% your daily recommended amount of Vitamin C!

For newbies to the fruit: Mango has a very flat, very large core. Unable to cut through the middle, there has to be a few sections cut off instead.Color does not indicate ripeness, but how firm/soft. It should give slightly, much like an avocado when ripe.

How to dice a mango:

1. Wash your mango, dry

2. Just to the side of the stem, as it points downward, slice off the thicker "cheeks" of the mango

3. Without piercing the skin, score a grid

4. Push the skin in ward, making the grid spread outward (this is the fun part)

5. Gently scrape or spoon the dices of into a bowl

6. For what is left, maneuver around the core/seed to get remaining fruit off, using the grid technique where able 

Use your mango in salads, salsas, and desserts! Oh, by the way, the Chobani Greek Yogurt with mango on the bottom is to die for! I may/may not be obsessed with it. A great website to check out for more information would, in fact, be www.mango.org. Enjoy!!