Ingredients:

• 2 6-8 oz. mahi mahi fillets
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 limes, juiced
• 3 tbsp. tamari soy sauce
• 2 in. fresh ginger root, grated
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Lemon, cut into 4 slices

Directions: Rinse fish, season with sea salt and pepper, and place in a shallow baking dish. Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, and olive oil in a small bowl and pour over fish. Turn over the mahi mahi in the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Preheat skillet on medium-high heat. Cook fish with marinade for 6-7 minutes per side or until fish is firm and opaque. Garnish with a slice of lemon. Makes 2 servings.

Recipe provided by Institute for Integrative Nutrition

As we coast into 2012 many of us have re-committed to eating more fruits and vegetables. But if you are like me, you get to the market, load up on gorgeous looking produce and then sadly have to toss some of it a week or so later. Of course, menu planning is one way to avoid this problem, as well as frequent trips to the store or market but what if you really need to buy more at one time and want to keep it in tip top eating condition? Well, I found this storage guide on the Ecology Center website and thought I should share these oh so helpful tips!

How to: Store Fruits and Vegetables – Tips and tricks to extend the life of your produce without plastic.

Fruit:

Apples – Store on a cool counter or shelf for up to two weeks. For longer storage in a cardboard box in the fridge.

Citrus – Store in a cool place, with good airflow, never in an air‐tight container.

Apricots – On a cool counter to room temperature or fridge if fully ripe.

Cherries – Store in an airtight container. Don’t wash cherries until ready to eat, any added moisture encourages mold.

Berries – Don’t forget, they’re fragile. When storing be careful not to stack too many high, a single layer if possible. A paper bag works well, only wash before you plan on eating them.

Dates – Drier dates (like Deglet Noor) are fine stored out on the counter in a bowl or the paper bag they were bought in.
Moist dates (like Medjool) need a bit of refrigeration if they’re going to be stored over a week, either in cloth or a paper bag‐ as long as it’s porous to keeping the moisture away from the skin of the dates.

Figs – Don’t like humidity, so, no closed containers. A paper bag works to absorb excess moisture, but a plate works best in the fridge up to a week unstacked.

Melons – Uncut in a cool dry place, out of the sun up to a couple weeks. Cut melons should be in the fridge, an open container is fine.

Nectarines – Store in the fridge is okay if ripe, but best taken out a day or two before you plan on eating them so they soften to room temperature.

Peaches – Refrigerate only when fully ripe. More firm fruit will ripen on the counter.

Pears – Will keep for a few weeks on a cool counter, but fine in a paper bag. To hasten the ripening put an apple in with them.

Pomegranates – Keep up to a month stored on a cool counter.

Strawberries – Don’t like to be wet. Do best in a paper bag in the fridge for up to a week. Check the bag for moisture every other day.

Veggies: Always remove any tight bands from your vegetables or at least loosen them to allow them to breath.

Artichokes – Place in an airtight container sealed, with light moisture.

Asparagus – Place them loosely in a glass or bowl upright with water at room temperature (will keep for a week outside the fridge).

Avocados – Place in a paper bag at room temp. To speed up their ripening‐ place an apple in the bag with them.

Arugula – Arugula, like lettuce, should not stay wet! Dunk in cold water and spin or lay flat to dry. Place dry arugula in an open container, wrapped with a dry towel to absorb any extra moisture.

Basil – Is difficult to store well. Basil does not like the cold, or to be wet for that matter. The best method here is an airtight container/jar loosely packed with a small damp piece of paper inside‐left out on a cool counter.

Beans (shelled) – Open container in the fridge, eat ASAP. Some recommend freezing them if not going to eat right away.

Beets – Cut the tops off to keep beets firm, (be sure to keep the greens!)by leaving any top on root vegetables draws moisture from the root, making them loose flavor and firmness. Beets should be washed and kept in and open container with a wet towel on top.

Beet greens – Place in an airtight container with a little moisture.

Broccoli – Place in an open container in the fridge or wrap in a damp towel before placing in the fridge.

Broccoli Rabe – Left in an open container in the crisper, but best used as soon as possible.

Brussels Sprouts – If bought on the stalk leave them on that stalk. Put the stalk in the fridge or leave it on a cold place. If they’re bought loose store them in an open container with a damp towel on top.

Cabbage – Left out on a cool counter is fine up to a week, in the crisper otherwise. Peel off outer leaves if they start to wilt. Cabbage might begin to loose its moisture after a week , so, best used as soon as possible.

Carrots – Cut the tops off to keep them fresh longer. Place them in closed container with plenty of moisture, either wrapped in a damp towel or dunk them in cold water every couple of days if they’re stored that long.

Cauliflower – Will last a while in a closed container in the fridge, but they say cauliflower has the best flavor the day it’s bought.

Celery – Does best when simply places in a cup or bowl of shallow water on the counter.

Celery root/Celeriac – Wrap the root in a damp towel and place in the crisper.

Corn – Leave unhusked in an open container if you must, but corn really is best the day it’s picked.

Cucumber – Wrapped in a moist towel in the fridge. If you’re planning on eating them within a day or two after buying them they should be fine left out in a cool room.

Eggplant – Does fine left out in a cool room. Don’t wash it, eggplant doesn’t like any extra moisture around its leaves. For longer storage‐ place loose, in the crisper.

Fava beans – Place in an air tight container.

Fennel – If used within a couple days after it’s bought fennel can be left out on the counter, upright in a cup or bowl of water (like celery). If wanting to keep longer than a few days place in the fridge in a closed container with a little water.

Garlic – Store in a cool, dark, place.

Green garlic – Store in an airtight container in the fridge or left out for a day or two is fine, best before dried out.

Greens – Remove any bands, twist ties, etc. most greens must be kept in an air‐tight container with a damp cloth‐ to keep them from drying out. Kale, collards, and chard even do well in a cup of water on the counter or fridge.

Green beans – They like humidity, but not wetness. A damp cloth draped over an open or loosely closed container.

Green Tomatoes – Store in a cool room away from the sun to keep them green and use quickly or they will begin to color.

Lettuce – Keep damp in an airtight container in the fridge.

Leeks – Leave in an open container in the crisper wrapped in a damp cloth or in a shallow cup of water on the counter (just so the very bottom of the stem has water).

Okra – Doesn’t like humidity. So a dry towel in an airtight container. Doesn’t store that well, best eaten quickly after purchase.

Onion – Store in a cool, dark and dry, place‐ good air circulation is best, so don’t stack them.

Parsnips – An open container in the crisper, or, like a carrot, wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.

Potatoes – Store in cool, dark and dry place, such as, a box in a dark corner of the pantry; a paper bag also works well.

Radicchio – Place in the fridge in an open container with a damp cloth on top.

Radishes – Remove the greens (store separately) so they don’t draw out excess moisture from the roots and place them in a open container in the fridge with a wet towel placed on top.

Rhubarb – Wrap in a damp towel and place in an open container in the refrigerator.

Rutabagas – In an ideal situation a cool, dark, humid root cellar or a closed container in the crisper to keep their moisture in.

Snap Peas – Refrigerate in an open container.

Spinach – Store loose in an open container in the crisper, cool as soon as possible. Spinach loves to stay cold.

Spring Onions – Remove any band or tie and place in the crisper.

Summer Squash – Does fine for a few days if left out on a cool counter, even after cut.

Sweet Peppers – Only wash them right before you plan on eating them as wetness decreases storage time. Store in a cool room to use in a couple a days, place in the crisper if longer storage needed.

Sweet Potatoes – Store in a cool, dark, well‐ventilated place. Never refrigerate‐‐sweet potatoes don’t like the cold.

Tomatoes – Never refrigerate. Depending on ripeness, tomatoes can stay for up to two weeks on the counter. To hasten ripeness place in a paper bag with an apple.

Turnips – Remove the greens (store separately) same as radishes and beets, store them in an open container with a moist cloth.

Winter Squash – Store in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Many growers say winter squashes get sweeter if they’re stored for a week or so before eaten.

Zucchini – Does fine for a few days if left out on a cool counter, even after cut. Wrap in a cloth and refrigerate for longer storage.

Source: http://ecologycenter.org/factsheets/veggie-storage.pdf

This holiday season, skip the novelty sweaters and hot cocoa gift sets and give something that inspires health and well being. And while your at it, you can help support your community by purchasing your gifts from local businesses and practitioners. Below are a some of my favorite wellness related businesses and practices where you can pick up your gifts for the holidays. Want to save on gas and reduce stress? Give them a call and have them mail you a gift certificate.

Thank You Mama – Part Massage and Acupuncture clinic, part yoga and movement studio and part baby and mother care boutique. Thank You Mama specializes in women’s health but they can take care of the whole family! If you have any new or expectant mothers in your life, some goodies from Thank You Mama should definitely be on your shopping list. The boutique features organic and natural products including baby clothing, toys, Bum Genius cloth diapers, personal care items and so much more! Want to give the ultimate pampering treat? Try the 2-hour Maya Abdominal Massage. Thank You Mama massage therapist, Jen Poll, is one of the only practitioners of The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy practicing within Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. All of the licensed massage therapists at Thank You Mama are amazing. You just can’t go wrong here! Find them at: 1511 4th St N., St. Petersburg, FL 33704 (727) 289-7250 thankyou-mama.com.

Balance & Bliss Ayurvedic Lifestyle Center at the Lotus Pond – What is Ayurveda, you ask? Ayurveda is a system that honors your individual nature and helps you return to balance by focusing on lifestyle changes and personal care. Ayurvedic Practitioner, Denise O’Dunn offers a variety of services and products, including consultations, massage, traditional Ayurvedic body work, personalized teas, oils and more. Here is a list of packages and gift ideas. Not sure what to pick? Give Denise a call at (727) 417-4006 and she will help you decide. My personal favorite services are Ayurvedic Massage and Shirodhara. I promise you, a couple hours at Balance & Bliss is enough to unravel your nerves and send you into a blissful state. Find them at: 6201 Lynn Road, Tampa, Florida 33625 (727) 417-4006 balanceandbliss.com.

Mindful Meals – Got a loved one on your list who is too busy to cook healthy, nourishing meals? Give them a Mindful Meals gift certificate and Chef, Emily Golden will personally deliver a fresh, ready to heat meal to their door. All of her meals are made with 100% natural ingredients and she uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible. She features a new menu each week filled with delicious meal, sides and snack options and online ordering to make it super convenient! Find them at: mindfulmealspc.com.

YMCA – So far as gyms go, I love the YMCA. First, I love the community vibe. Second, there are so many great activities for my kids and as members we get major savings on dance and swim lessons. Third, there are no contracts. All memberships are month to month. This makes it perfect for gift giving. Consider giving a 1-3 months paid membership to get your  loved one on their way to physical fitness. There are many locations throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough County.

Here are a few more ideas:

Health Coaching – A certified health coach can help you define your wellness goals and create a plan for making them happen. Health coaches can help you with nutrition, physical fitness, stress management and more. Enliven has several great health coaches that do in-person and phone coaching sessions. Contact me for a recommendation.

Health Food Store Gift Cards – In St. Pete we’ve got Rollin’ Oats and Earth Origins (they also have a store in Palm Harbor). In Clearwater there is Natures Food Patch and in Tampa there is also a Rollin Oats and of course, Whole Foods. There are many others as well. A gift card is always appreciated in  large or small denominations. I know I always love it when I get a Rollin’ Oats gift card. Even a $15 card is great for picking up a quick meal and smoothie.

Yoga – Peace and quiet. Yoga class may be one of the last places where you can find this anymore. All yoga studios offer single classes and packages and they would be happy to sell you a gift card! Some popular studios in the area are Lotus Pond and Lotus Room, Yogani, Yoga 4 All,  Yoga Moves, Living Room Yoga, St. Petersburg Yoga and if your looking for a Bikram or hot yoga, Perfect Circle Yoga and Fitness is a great studio.

Massage – Who doesn’t love a good massage? You pretty much just can’t go wrong with this gift! You can get massage gift certificates at Thank You Mama and Balance& Bliss as I mentioned earlier. Plus there are tons of great licensed massage therapists in the area. Need a referral? Enliven has many great therapists that practice in Tampa Bay. Contact me for a recommendation.

After all this talk about massage and healthy food delivery you might be thinking, “Hey, what about me?” Find a casual way to get this blog post in front of your loved one…or maybe not so casual. My husband always appreciates the suggestions at gift giving time! Happy Holidays everyone, wishing you a season filled with health and happiness!

Some days I’ll be out and suddenly get a craving for this soup and I have to make it sometime within the next couple of days. My mother told me once that a bowl of it kept her from getting cold. I took that as a compliment. The rouille can be added individually to each bowl or all of it can be added to the soup after cooking. The more you add of it the spicier the soup gets. With it’s beautiful yellow color, it would be a great soup for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

• Half tsp. saffron threads
• 2 TBS. olives oil
• 1 onion
• 4 large clove garlic
• 7 cubes of vegetable bouillon
• 3 small red potatoes
• 1 Yukon Gold potato
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 tomatoes
• Half c. matchstick carrots
• 1 celery stock
• 1 tsp. red chili paste
• Pepper
• Handful fresh parsley
• Salt

Directions:

Mix the saffron with a tablespoon hot water and set aside. Slice onion five times and cut those pieces into fourths. Cut potatoes and tomatoes into large bit-size pieces. Chop carrots into tiny pieces. Thinly slice celery. Heat olive oil in wok or large pot and add onions and garlic. Cook while stirring until translucent. Place the bouillon in a cup of hot water and let it dissolve. Stir in saffron and all remaining ingredients including bouillon with five more cups of water. Leave out parsley and salt. Bring to boil. After you reduce the heat, cover and let simmer until vegetables are tender. Add parsley and salt.

Rouille:

• Forth c. dried breadcrumbs
• Forth c. roasted red bell pepper
• 3 TBS. olive oil
• 2 tsp. red chili paste
• 1.5 tsp. capers
• 2 large cloves garlic
• Salt

Place breadcrumbs in a food processor with one-tablespoon water and blitz until dried and crumbly. Blend in the rest of the ingredients until smooth. Deposit in a closed container and let flavors blend at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Portion sizes have increased dramatically over the last few decades, requiring us to be proactive in our effort to eat moderately. Traditional approaches to “portion control” such as weighing and measuring food are often ineffective for the long term because they are require too much time and energy and they are disconnected from our body’s needs.

A simpler and more practical approach to eating moderate portions is to use your innate hunger and fullness signals as your guide. Despite the super-sized servings we often encounter, we can create a habit of eating to the point of “just right” rather than “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!” When the focus is on feeling good rather than being good, common sense will prevail.

Try these basic strategies to manage your intake based on awareness of your body’s natural cues, rather than using external rules:

How much food do I need?

Before you start eating, think about how you want to feel afterward. Do you want to feel content and comfortable, or stuffed and miserable?

• Imagining that your stomach is like a balloon inside your abdominal cavity. Gauge your hunger and fullness levels by picturing your balloon before, during, and after eating.
• Decide how full you want to feel when you are done eating; in other words, how full do you want your balloon to be?
• Estimate how much food it will take to get you to that level of fullness.
• Prepare, serve, or order that amount of food.
• If you serve or receive too much, move or remove the excess.
• Physically divide your food in half to create a “speed bump” – a reminder to re-assess your hunger and fullness level.

Check in during eating

• Calm yourself with a few deep breaths before eating. Remind yourself that it is just food.
• Remind yourself to stay focused on your food and how you are feeling.
• Pause for a couple of minutes when you reach your “speed bump” to notice how full you feel.
• Keep in mind that the feeling of fullness is often delayed and estimate how much more food, if any, it will take you to get to your desired fullness level.
• Re-center and calm yourself with a few deep breaths.
• Notice when your taste buds become less sensitive and food doesn’t hold your full attention.
• Pay attention to how full your balloon feels inside your belly.

Signal that you’re done

When you think you have had enough, let yourself (and others) know that you’re done eating:

• Put your napkin and fork over your plate on top of the food.
• Announce to someone at the table that you are done.
• Clear your plate and the table right away.
• Get up from the table.
• Chew a piece of gum or a mint or brush your teeth.
• Plan to take a walk or do something else you’ll look forward to.
• Remind yourself how you wanted to feel when you were done eating.
• Remember that you will feel even fuller in just a short while.

I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!

• If you’ve overeaten, don’t miss the lesson. What can you learn from this experience?
• Sit for a few moments to notice how you feel when you overeat—without judging or shaming yourself.
• Focus on the sensations so you’ll remember them the next time you’re tempted to overeat.
• Ask yourself, “Why did it happen?” For example: Was I too hungry? Did I tell myself it was a special occasion? Did I eat too fast? Was I distracted? Was I eating for emotional reasons? Was there too much food on my plate? Do I hate to waste food?
• Ask yourself, “What could I do differently next time?” For example, serve or order less food; pay attention while eating; ask for a to-go container before I start eating.
• Then, wait and see how long it takes for you to get hungry again. What you are hungry for now?

With practice, you’ll learn to trust your body to let you know how much to eat.

Michelle May, M.D. is a recovered yoyo dieter and the award-winning author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. Download a copy of 101 Things to Do Besides Eat at www.AmIHungry.com

Copyright 2011, Michelle May, M.D. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint, email enews@AmIHungry.com

We’re all used to thinking of improved flexibility as something that primarily benefits the muscular and skeletal systems in the body.  We start practicing yoga to relieve back pain, or are prescribed stretches to help with sciatica.  We add stretching to our workout routines in hopes of improving sports performance or intuitively stretch to counteract the pain and stiffness of working at a computer all day.

However, just as important as these benefits of stretching out the muscles and improving joint flexibility are the really exciting results of stretching the arteries and veins of the cardiovascular system, the nerves of the nervous system and the lymph ducts of the lymph system.  As detailed in this article, science is now supporting stretching for improved flexibility as having a whole host of health benefits.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-soram-khalsa/yoga-health-the-flexibili_b_570848.html

So improved flexibility seems to equate to improved heart health, not just in more flexible arteries and veins; but also there seems to be a direct correlation between improved flexibility and lower blood pressure.

That means today a yoga practice, begin a regular stretching routine or come see me regularly for Thai Yoga Massage; and help not just your muscles and joints feel better, but help improve your heart health!

Suzanne Andrew is a Thai Yoga Massage Therapist and Wellness Coach in St. Petersburg, FL.  Contact her directly to schedule a customized session.  Suzanne@TryThaiYogaMassage.com, www.TryThaiYogaMassage.com or 727-641-6941

Ingredients:

2 bone-in chicken breast halves

2 stalks of celery (sliced)

2 medium carrots (sliced)

1 small onion (diced)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 medium red potatoes (cubed)

1 yellow squash (cubed)

1 zucchini (cubed)

1 cup of spinach (chopped)

1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 32 oz. box of chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Add all of the above ingredients into a large pot. Bring to boil, then turn heat down to medium for about 30 minutes. Simmer for at least an hour or until chicken is cooked and vegetable are the desired softness. Once chicken is done, remove it from the pot and pull the meat off the bone and chop it into bite sized pieces. If you want your  veggies softer, turn up the heat to high while you are prepping the chicken. Put the chicken meat back in the pot and simmer for just a bit longer. You can also make this recipe in a crock pot.

Makes 4-6 servings

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in White, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

• If you are a woman between ages 50 and 74, you need a mammogram every 2 years.
• If you are younger than 50 or older than 74, talk with your doctor about whether you need a mammogram.

These are general guidelines. Talk to a doctor about your risk for breast cancer, especially if breast or ovarian cancer runs in your family. Your doctor can help you decide when and how often to get a mammogram.

Enliven Wellness Works helps raise awareness for prevention of disease with our on-site workplace wellness programs.  Want to get a wellness program started at your work site? For more information, visit www.enlivenwellnessworks.com.

No time for a regular workout today?  Try these  5 simple tricks to add more strengthening, stretching, balance and breath into your day-to-day living. While working out daily is great, it can be just as important to build a daily routine of adding little bits of exercise into routine activities.

1.  Stand while working on your computer.  If you’re not lucky enough to have an adjusting desk, work at a bar-height table, or make your own work platform by using books, overturned trash cans or milk crates to create the height needed for your computer. Standing while working on the computer helps strengthen the legs, back and torso, increase blood flow thruout the body and create a better posture for deeper breathing.

2. Balance on one foot while folding laundry.  Laundry folding has to be one of the most boring chores in the world; use it as a great opportunity to work on building balance and strength in the lower legs.  Switch from leg to leg every few minutes, and make this boring chore at least useful for your physical body conditioning.

3.   Go backless while driving.  Spend a short drive with the seat back reclined so far that you have to use your core muscles for strength to sit up instead of leaning on the structure of the seat back.

4.  Sweep and shovel instead of leaf-blowing or snow-blowing.  Sweeping and shoveling are excellent aerobic exercises that also strengthen the arms and upper torso muscles.   Sweeping and shoveling just might give you a great opportunity to focus on some deep breathing techniques, too.

5.  Sit on the floor and stretch to watch TV.  As tempting as it is to just sink down into the couch to watch TV after a long day; try sitting in the middle of the floor instead.  Stretch your body in a variety of ways, work the kinks out of your neck and back, make circles with your wrists and ankles, and practice some long, slow breaths.

Feeling better in our bodies isn’t something that needs to be put on hold while we do our chores or work; we can integrate movement and breath into all our routine activities, and do them in such a way they yield maximum benefit. Ahhhh…..

Suzanne Andrew is a Thai Yoga Massage Therapist and Health Consultant based in St. Petersburg, Florida, who at this very minute is walking home with her groceries in a backpack to add a little extra exercise into the shopping chore.  Contact her to schedule your customized session today: www.TryThaiYogaMassage.com or 727-641-6941.

Whether you are packing school lunches for the kiddos or your own to bring to work, there are many great options for keeping food fresh without causing negative impact on the environment. And while your at it, you may as well look fabulously stylish with some new pack and go containers!

To accomplish this task, here are a few guidelines to follow:

#1 -  Eliminate waste – get out of the plastic baggie mentality and invest in some high quality re-usable containers.

#2 – Get rid of plastic – or, at least go BPA free for your storage containers. Look for stainless steel, glass, silicone and even cloth as even better alternatives.

#3 – Buy something you like – you will be more likely to use you new eco-friendly meal on-the-go items if you love the way they look. Also, when it comes to eating more mindfully, pleasant feelings are created when you like the way your food looks when you eat and serve it. I know I feel happy and proud of my commitment to the environment and my health when I eat my salad out of a glass storage container as opposed to the disposable plastic-ware that I used to use.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Smart Planet – Eco Silicone Collapsible Lunch Box – Stylish and space saving! These come in smaller sizes too.

POMO 2-tier Stainless Steel Lunch Box – Cute as a button! This one would be great for salad in the bottom and a snack for later in the top tier.

Kids Konserve Caterpillar Go Wild Waste-Free Lunch Kit – Here’s a great “ready to go” kids lunch kit for you with everything you need!

Kid Konserve Food Kozy - Stop buying plastic baggies and use these for sandwiches, meat and cheese slices, fruit and veggie slices and more!

Lifefactory Glass Beverage Bottle – I love this glass water bottle! Stylish, easy to clean and ultra earth friendly.

Graze Organic Create Your Own Lunch Kit  – Super hip, that’s all I have to say!

One more resource that I’d like to mention is Weelicious. They have a great website full of recipes and packed lunch ideas for the “wee ones” in your life.

Happy, eco-friendly, stylish lunching everyone!