Catching up

I'm behind!! I haven't blogged in so long and  yet I have so much to update on. For starters, I want to thank my Curves members for raising 538lb of food(better late than never). It was amazing to see everyone participate in such a great cause. As always, I thank all of you for caring so much about my center and showing me, our staff and the Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center lots of  L-O-V-E! I'm super lucky to have such great students.


We have lots of new members at Curves and I wanted to welcome you all. It's a great place to start a healthy life. If you haven't yet, please be sure you check out all the great products Curves has to offer or sign up for Curves complete. Remember, its 70% food and 30%exercise..., eating healthy is super important in order to lose weight.Please encourage friends and family to join us and most importantly tell them about all the great things we offer.

 For my members at Impact: We have just started our journey but we have come a long way. Our class is growing and we have new faces each day. Welcome all new members and to my regulars; thank you for attending class each day. I wouldn't be who I am without ya'll :)

I try my best to give all my ladies tips. Here is something I have become obsessed with lately. I discovered it while eating a meal from My Fit Foods. It does have a different texture but its so much better for you than rice or pasta. Perhaps many of you have already tasted this before but for those who haven't...her is a  little history of Quinoa and a recipe to go with it :)

Quinoa- What is that??

Technically, quinoa (KEEN-wah) is classified not as a grain but as a type of seed, that of the goosewort plant, a relative of spinach and chard. Quinoa provides a complete protein, making it especially valuable for those who prefer to reduce or completely eliminate animal protein from their diets. It contains all the essential amino acids, including lysine, which is crucial for growing and repairing body tissues. One cup of quinoa provides 9 grams of protein which is one more gram than a medium chicken egg (and unlike the egg, quinoa is unlikely to come from a factory farm).

Migraine Protection
Its high magnesium and riboflavin (B2) content make quinoa an excellent nutritional ally for migraine sufferers. Magnesium prevents the migraine pattern of constricting and rebound dilating of the blood vessels. Migraine sufferers who consume more magnesium in their diets have reported fewer headaches. Riboflavin's ability to promote cellular energy production has a beneficial effect on energy, brain and muscle cells metabolism, providing further protection against migraine attacks.


Cardiovascular Health
Magnesium's ability to relax blood vessels also means eating foods high in this mineral helps reduce hypertension, heart arrhythmias and ischemic heart disease.

Digestion and Detoxifying
This seed-like grain has prebiotic properties, feeding the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. Since it is easily digested, your body can readily access the vitamins and minerals it contains. Quinoa also provides a good source of insoluble fiber, promoting healthy elimination processes, helping maintain colon health and preventing the formation of gallstones. The folate and vitamin B in quinoa also boost the liver's ability to eliminating toxins from the body. People at high risk for cancer, as well as those with high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease are often advised to eat more whole grains, yet if they have celiac disease or other forms of gluten sensitivities, they must steer clear of many popular grain products. Quinoa is gluten-free, so those who cannot tolerate gluten can eat it.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034110_quinoa_nutrition.html#ixzz1wK5TaCXX

 

 Here is my favorite recipe I use when making Quinoa. (www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, and rinse under cold, running water until the water no longer foams. Bring the quinoa, salt, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Once done, stir in the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley to serve.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 185 | Total Fat: 5.4g | Cholesterol: 0mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Databas

Now how often do you find a meal this healthy? Not to mention all the great things it does for your health. Please post comments if you decide to cook this. If you did something different and didn't follow the recipe exact, tell us what you did different. If you didn't like it, tell me why you didn't like it. If you LOVED (as much as I do) tell me why you loved it so much. Or  better yet, email me a picture of your "quinoa" preparation so that I can make a quick collage of all my healthy eaters(include yourself cooking it or eating quinoa).

 

Remember ladies, I blog for you. If you don't participate or give me any feedback I don't ever know what you're feeling or thinking. If you have something you'd like me to blog about please let me know so that I can make it a topic.  I accept any pictures, ideas or comments via email at zumbawithmarysol@gmail.com Please stay active, we have to support one another. I feed off of ya'll...if you don't motivate me, how will I motivate you?? Lets encourage one another to maintain a healthy life :)

With that said.... I'm off to bed to catch some Zzzzz! Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. Good night :)

xoxox

Marysol