Back to School Lunches Parents and Non Parents

It's that time of year again.. Back to School!!! Are you prepared to help your child succeed? What do I mean by that? Do you make sure they eat a nutritious breakfast before school? Do you make sure they get an adequate nights sleep? What about school lunch? Do you pack for them or let them buy? If you let them buy, please make sure the lunch of the day is a healthy one. Because let's be honest, school lunches are not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. Fried whatever served with french fries and corn does not a healthy meal make! Oh, and let's not forget the chocolate or strawberry milk as a drink option. You might as well serve your child/teenager 15 servings of sugar! What is a parent or guardian to do? Wake up and demand your school's have better lunch options. You, the tax payer, pay school tax. That means you have a say. What is considered a healthy lunch? A baked, broiled or grilled protein, steamed fresh vegetable or salad, a grain or sweet potato and a piece of fruit. Wraps filled with vegetables and lean protein and a piece of fresh fruit. Drink options: water, plain skim, almond, soy or rice milks. These are just some examples of a healthy lunch.

Packing Ideas:
Leftovers for lunch
Wraps filled with lean protein, veggies and avocado
Lean protein wrapped in Romaine or Bibb lettuce
Tuna, Chicken, Egg or Turkey salad filled inside of a tomato or pepper

Snacks:
Fresh fruit with peanut, almond or sunbutter for dipping
Sliced veggies with hummus
Tortilla chips and salsa; especially black bean salsa
Almonds with fresh fruit

Note: Can't have nut butters in schools or workplace because of food allergy?  Try making a fruit cream cheese dip. Take 1 brick of 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese (Neufschatel) and 1 8oz jar of your favorite All-Fruit Spread and beat with electric mixer until well blended. Two ingredients that take only seconds to make.

These are just some suggestions. Be creative. Have fun with your food. No one says you have to have the same ole' thing everyday! Try new recipes. Have your kids help you prepare lunch supplying healthy options. Let's stop obesity in it's tracks!!! Childhood obesity is on the rise and climbing everyday. Choose heart healthy choices and foods that supply a great supply of energy! Don't have children? That's okay. Apply the same rules to yourself! Make sure you eat breakfast and have a good night's sleep. Exercise is important too! So get your body moving (your kids too for those that have them)!

What I've written does not apply to just children. Make small healthy changes in your life. Let me help you! Have suggestions on healthy lunch? Let me and the world know... We can do this!

In Honor of Steve Jobs, CEO Apple

From his commencement address at Stanford, 2005:
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." ~ Steve Jobs

Turning Point of Lehigh Valley's Step Out Against Domestic Violence 5k

Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley Step Out Against Domestic Violence 5k
Saturday, October 1, 2011

If you are donating, interested in sponsoring and/or walking/running in Step Out Against Domestic Violence 5k, Sat. Oct. 1st please click the links below:

Sponsorship -  http://www.turningpointlv.org/pages/2011%20Step%20Out%20Sponsorship%20Opportunities.pdf

Registration - http://www.active.com/running/allentown-pa/step-out-against-domestic-violence-5k-walkrun-2011

Brochure - http://www.turningpointlv.org/pages/Step%20Out%20Brochure%202011.pdf

Donation Page - http://www.active.com/donate/stepout2011

Text to Donate 

You can now make a donation to Turning Point via text. Just text the word SAFE to 80000 and make a $5 investment in ending domestic violence in our community.

$5.00 donation to Turning Point. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 80000 to STOP. Text HELP to 80000 for HELP.

Terms of Service :: The mGive Foundation

www.mgivefoundation.org

Back to School

Here we go.. Back to School time! Summer is winding down but there is still so much to do! Sports are in full swing with the midget leagues playing and the middle/high school teams practicing. Please make sure that your kids are eating healthy and eating enough. Also, hydration is very important! Water, water, water! Be mindful of sugary drinks. Make sure you and your children are eating plenty of whole foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, quality proteins such as chicken, turkey, legumes/beans, and fish, and quality grains; such as brown rice, barley, wild rice, and whole grain breads.

Worried about what kind of school lunches to pack? Be creative. Have fun with it. Get different kinds of cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into. Try different kinds of wraps stuffed with goodness! Make big batches of homemade soups and freeze them. Take them out the night before and heat in the morning for the thermos. Cut up fresh fruit and veggies. Pair the veggies with hummus or an organic ranch dressing (without MSG) for dipping. Lunch and snack time don't need to be boring. There is nothing wrong with leftovers for lunch either. Healthy doesn't mean boring. Help your kids pack their lunches giving them some choices. Contact me for more info!

True Blue Mediterranean Cafe, Emmaus PA

For those of you that don't know me, I love food. I love it alot! There pretty much isn't a food I won't eat other than cottage cheese and beets. To me, they are the most vile foods on the planet. Bold statement I know but nonetheless it is what it is. I haven't eaten all of the foods on the planet. So, for now, those stand out.

Now, why am I writing this? Simple really. I live in a small town that has quite a few not so hidden gems. One of them being True Blue Mediterranean Cafe. I went in yesterday looking for a donation for my son's school. Ziad, the owner, was happy to help. He couldn't prepare the gift certificate right away so I told him I (along with my kids) would stop back in later to eat dinner and pick the gift certificate up then. I almost didn't go back since the kids (13yrs and 9yrs soon to be 10yrs) were acting like 2yr olds in the grocery store. As luck would have it, my son's friend invited him to go with he and his mom. So, that left me and my daughter. We went back to True Blue Mediterranean Cafe and I am sooo happy we did. You see, I love Mediterranean food. I cook in the Mediterranean, Spanish and Farmer's Market kind of way. It's very healthy and delicious! We decided to eat there. Again, another good decision. Ziad was fabulous as usual. Very attentive and lovely. I got the steak gyro which was on special and my daughter got the lamb gyro. It comes with homemade pita chips and homemade hummus. It is hard to put that first bite of the gyro into words. It was rather euphoric! My daughter was equally in Heaven. I have to say, I was very sad to see the last bite go:( However, I was very full and very satisfied! We hung out for awhile and talked with Ziad in between him helping the other happy patrons.

I purchased a spinach pie to go so I could have it for lunch today. It comes with homemade tzaziki sauce. Now, you could microwave it but I don't recommend doing that. Heat it up in the toaster oven or regular oven. The first bite was out of this world and again, sad to take the last bite. Yet again, comfortably full and happy. This is a place I will go back to time and again. I shared pictures of my food on Facebook with friends and family so they would go too. My plan is to work my way through the menu! There is also different varieties of coffees, teas and desserts. If you like baklava, it is worth the trip just for that!

So the next time you are looking to try something new and different try new restaurants in your town. If you are in the Lehigh Valley, make a trip to Emmaus and visit.. Tell Ziad I sent you!

TRUE BLUE MEDITERRANEAN CAFE
East Penn Plaza, 1301 Chestnut Street, Emmaus, PA 18049
610-966-8555

What's the Answer to Weight Loss?

So, I get asked the following all of the time: "Can you design a weightloss menu for me?" Well, of course I can I'm a certified nutritionist. But, you need to ask yourself, "Self, what makes this time different?"

Do you know why you eat the way you do? Are you an emotional eater? Do you eat out of stress, boredom, anger, sadness, or just because? What's your relationship with food and for that matter yourself? Yes, these are just some of the questions I ask you and prepare you for. Life is a journey. It's a process. A never ending learning and changing process. So here it is, The Answer to Weightloss: It comes down to you and facing yourself .. the good, the bad, the ugly. Once you do that, your life will forever be changed for the better. Are you happy with who you are? If the answer is truly yes, Awesome! If it's no, then what are YOU going to do to change it? You only have you. It doesn't matter how much family you have. It doesn't matter how many friends you have either. Because in the end, if you don't like yourself or love yourself, how can you truly like or love another? The bottom line is you have to eat healthy, exercise and learn to love yourself.

Get Out and Play

Summertime is for fun! Yes, some days are hotter than others. That's okay. Get in a pool, go to a local park, ride your bike or hike on trails. The Lehigh Valley has much to offer. Play baseball, kickball and/or play on the playground. It's okay to let loose and feel like a kid again. My point is, be active! You don't have to do regimented routines at the gym. Be silly and let your hair down! You will be so happy you did. Lead by example; especially if you have kids. If you're active chances are they will be too! Plus, if you do have kids, giving them time with you is a great gift and memories will be made. How cool is that?

Not in the Lehigh Valley, that's okay. I'm sure wherever you live there are plenty of things to do! Have a great time!