Welcome to the September issue
of “Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice.” Here you
will find information you can use on a timely topic,
healthy eating, recipes and more! I welcome your
feedback and questions. Please send them to
Janet@nourishyourlife.com Thank you!
September is
the month to honor the work that we do.
Occasionally I
come upon an article that I can not improve upon.
Typically, it is an article written by Phil Humbert, a
man whom I have a great deal of respect for. And so it
is this month, as I ponder the work that I will be
continuing (as a college educator and my other
professions as a life coach, sports nutritionist and
Registered Dietitian.) that I am thankful to God and
offer this article to you:
(For the full article please visit his
website.)
True work … is one of life's great privileges. I've
often written that work is our chance to partner with
God and continue the process of creation. According to
the ancient story, God created the world in six days
(even He needed rest on the seventh day), but apparently
He didn't finish all the details.
He left the details for us, and I count that a great
honor.
Every day, through our work, we get to invent and build
and combine the resources around us to create a world
that our grandparents could hardly imagine.
Through "work" the Panama Canal was built. Through
"work" the Mona Lisa was created. Through "work' we have
computers, aircraft, computers and the internet. Because
lots of people went to work, we have modern medicine,
and I count these as good things!
There is tremendous dignity in human effort. My
grandfather often said that during his childhood and
early adult years, it was unusual to eat anything that
was grown more than twenty miles from where he lived. He
recalled the joy of getting a single orange ("All the
way from Florida!") as a Christmas present! The next
time you visit a grocery store, think about that. As you
look at the aisles full of food from around the world,
note that it all arrived on the back of human effort and
engineering.
I'm not sure how many countries around the world have a
"Labor Day" celebration, but I think they all should.
Work is an amazing thing. It's what makes us human, and
allows us to create our world, and modify it to suit our
preferences.
Do we sometimes mess up? Of course we do! Do we
sometimes build or do things that have unintended
consequences? Well, like Duh! Sometimes human beings
work for evil or unfortunate ends, and that's tragic,
but it doesn't change the fundamental truth. Work is the
cost of freedom and dignity.
Most Americans will spend this holiday weekend escaping
from work. We'll play and laugh, relax with friends, do
almost anything except "work." But I hope you'll also
take a moment over the weekend to give thanks for the
work you do. Your creative work makes a contribution to
this small planet. In some small way, each of us
contributes our energy, our talent, our skill to making
life better, and I suspect that's how God intended it.
Here's to the joy and dignity of honest, hard work!
My challenge
for you this month is to be especially mindful and
honorful of the work you do each day. And while we are
at it, let us also honor and thank those around us…
How does this
reflect in your heart, your attitude and in the work
that you do?
Write to us at
janet@nourishyourlife.com and tell us about your
experience. We would be honored to hear about it.
Quote for
the month:
"Work and play
are the same. When you're following your energy and
doing what you want all the time, the distinction
between work and play dissolves."
-- Shakti Gawain
Healthy
eating in September:
In our garden,
this year, we have an abundance of green, yellow, red,
orange and purple peppers! Just walking down the row of
pepper plants is a treat to both our sight and smell!
Not only are they beautiful and aromatic; they are also
exceptionally healthy. One cup of bell peppers gives us
almost 300% of the RDA for vitamin C, 100% of vitamin A;
they are considered a “very good” source of B6, fiber,
molybdenum, vitamin K, manganese, and folate. Peppers
are also a good source of potassium, B1, vitamin E,
tryptophan and copper.
To me, red bell
peppers are the “star” of all bell peppers. Dole
nutrition.com tells us:
THE SWELL
BELL
Why Red Bell Peppers Take SuperFoods Prize
Red bell
peppers are among the most nutrient-dense vegetables you
can buy, with just one medium pepper (148 g) containing
only 40 calories and providing an excellent source of
vitamin C (470%, one of the best sources), vitamin A
(90%), and vitamin B6 (see the vitamin B6 story for more
details about this DNA-defender). This same serving also
provides a good source of fiber and vitamin E (a potent
antioxidant). This diet-friendly treat has no fat,
cholesterol or sodium and very few carbohydrates (only
3%).
In addition, red bell peppers are loaded with
phytochemicals such as beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin
(one of the best sources and may reduce the risk of lung
cancer) and lycopene (may promote heart health and
reduce the risk of prostate, ovarian and cervical
cancer). Bite for bite, few vegetables contain as much
beta-carotene as red bell peppers. This is important
because besides being a potent antioxidant,
beta-carotene helps keep skin healthy, the immune system
hardy and eyesight keen. Some research suggests this
uber-antioxidant may prevent cancer both by neutralizing
free radicals and by promoting communication between
cells
My challenge
for you this month is to try every colored pepper
that you can find in your garden, at the Farmers Market,
road-side stand or grocery store. Eat them plain, in a
salad, stir-fried or…in this recipe!
Stuffed
Green Peppers
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 large green,
yellow and red peppers (try purple or orange)
1 ½ cups dry quinoa
3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup peas (thawed if frozen, precooked if fresh)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
season salt to taste
6oz feta cheese (optional)
3 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to
350 degrees
1. Slice off top of green peppers, remove seeds
2. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of
a bitter substance called saponins.
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for
15-20 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed.
5. Stir in tomatoes and **chopped onions.
6. Add season salt to taste.
7. Divide between the peppers
8. Place in a baking dish or muffin tins.
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until peppers are slightly
tender.
10. Add feta cheese and chopped tomatoes the last 10
minutes in the oven.
11. ENJOY!
Nutrition
facts: Calories 200; carbs 38grams; protein 7grams; fat
2 grams
Does not
include optional cheese and tomatoes.
**If you prefer
your onions less crunchy, sauté them in a little olive
oil before adding to the mixture.
