As promised, here are some pumpkin recipes:
Pumpkin Nut Bread
An old family favorite, pumpkin nut bread makes a wonderful snack, breakfast or dessert. This recipe makes one large loaf or 2 mini loaves for gift giving. The bread also freezes well. Freeze on a plate 6 hours, wrap frozen loaf in heavy duty aluminum foil and return to the freezer for up to six months.
2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each: salt and nutmeg
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree or 1 cup solid pack canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup skim milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup each: chopped pecans and black walnuts (may substitute raisins or any combination to equal one cup)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt and ground nutmeg.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, milk and eggs. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients, oil and nuts mixing until just moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Do not over mix.
Spoon batter into well greased (use vegetable oil) 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or two 7-1/2 x 3 3/4 inch loaf pans, may use aluminum pans.
Bake (in the middle of the oven) large loaf for 65 minutes or two mini loaves for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes in the pan.
Use a knife to go around the edge of the pan to loosen bread from the sides of the pan, invert, cool on a cooling rack or plate. Slice and serve.
Pumpkin Nut Bars
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
1/2 cup butter or margarine (melted)
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
2 cups oats
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup chopped salted peanuts, pecans, or almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat egg whites slightly; add pumpkin and melted butter or margarine beat until smooth.
In another bowl combine oats, brown sugar, coconut, wheat germ, and nuts.
Fold oat mixture into pumpkin mixture to form stiff dough.
Press dough into a lightly greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch jelly roll pan.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, cut into 2x3 inch bars.
Yield about 30 bars. Serve warm or cool completey.
We thought these were the best. You can find more recipes and nutrition information at: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/nutrition.html
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Reducing stress over holiday season: The PLAY Model
The PLAY model is the key to getting through the “stress season”.
The fall season can mean many things to us. It is back to school season, the end of the summer season and time to prepare for the holidays. All of these definitions can lead to a season of stress. So how do we cope with “stress season”?
I call it the PLAY model. By focusing on these steps, you can actually enjoy the coming months!
1. Planning- Planning your events and obligations can make it more manageable. Before committing to everything, take a look at when and where things are taking place.
2. Listing- Once you have decided which events you will attend, list them or put them on your calendar. Seeing them in an organized (planned) way can feel less overwhelming.
3. Attending- This seems odd, I know, but by attending the events and consciously and making an effort to enjoy yourself will remind you of why you are going in the first place. Some people like to list all of the positives of attending events before they go in order to focus on the positives.
4. You- It’s all about you. This should probably be the first step, but that would ruin my acronym. YOU can decide what is realistic and what’s not. Making sure you stick to your plan through busy times will help you stay energetic. If you are feeling good and taking the time for yourself, you will be able to prevent unnecessary stress from ruining your holiday season.
Keeping this in mind will help you keep your routine in mind. When your routine is in mind, life is easier and you can keep progressing. More importantly, you can enjoy it.
The fall season can mean many things to us. It is back to school season, the end of the summer season and time to prepare for the holidays. All of these definitions can lead to a season of stress. So how do we cope with “stress season”?
I call it the PLAY model. By focusing on these steps, you can actually enjoy the coming months!
1. Planning- Planning your events and obligations can make it more manageable. Before committing to everything, take a look at when and where things are taking place.
2. Listing- Once you have decided which events you will attend, list them or put them on your calendar. Seeing them in an organized (planned) way can feel less overwhelming.
3. Attending- This seems odd, I know, but by attending the events and consciously and making an effort to enjoy yourself will remind you of why you are going in the first place. Some people like to list all of the positives of attending events before they go in order to focus on the positives.
4. You- It’s all about you. This should probably be the first step, but that would ruin my acronym. YOU can decide what is realistic and what’s not. Making sure you stick to your plan through busy times will help you stay energetic. If you are feeling good and taking the time for yourself, you will be able to prevent unnecessary stress from ruining your holiday season.
Keeping this in mind will help you keep your routine in mind. When your routine is in mind, life is easier and you can keep progressing. More importantly, you can enjoy it.
Monday, September 22, 2008
3 Steps to Getting Active
Do what you like best. If you like running, run. If you like doing aerobics, do aerobics. The exercise that will work for you is the exercise that you will do consistently. There are many programs out there that will tell you what the “right” way or “wrong” way is. That is not something that I put any stock in at all. There is no right and there is no wrong. The only right is exercise and the only wrong is living a sedentary lifestyle.
So how do you get active? Well, it starts with the mode. Choose to do something you like to do. But you also need to select a time that will work for you. Many will debate what time of day is best, but the fact is, the time of day that exercise will help you the most is the time of day that you exercise. Often the selection of a time is the single step that allows people to get started on a routine. Pick a time that you can realistically see yourself not only exercising, but keeping the time dedicated to your exercise.
Now that you have decided what you are going to do and when you are going to do it. The only thing left is actually doing it. But there is a subtle step that can help your routine not only get on track, but also help keep it on track as you go. That step is the duration of your exercise session. Again, you may have heard the recommended 30 minutes or more. You may have also realized that you have not been doing any exercise lately. If you are starting from square one, you don’t have to do it all at once. Setting your goal to start gradually can be the difference between failure and long-term success. As you progress your goals will increase and so will your results.
The process is simple. The following steps will get you started:
1. Pick a mode that you enjoy
2. Pick a time that you will be able to do it
3. Pick a duration that is realistic and can be improved as you go
By taking these 3 steps, you will be on your way. The only step that can make these easier is to put the step of talking to your health coach in front of it all. By assembling your support team around you, all 3 steps are much easier to complete. Getting started may be a challenge, but with your coach, you will adjust and stay motivated. You can do it. You can reach your goals.
So how do you get active? Well, it starts with the mode. Choose to do something you like to do. But you also need to select a time that will work for you. Many will debate what time of day is best, but the fact is, the time of day that exercise will help you the most is the time of day that you exercise. Often the selection of a time is the single step that allows people to get started on a routine. Pick a time that you can realistically see yourself not only exercising, but keeping the time dedicated to your exercise.
Now that you have decided what you are going to do and when you are going to do it. The only thing left is actually doing it. But there is a subtle step that can help your routine not only get on track, but also help keep it on track as you go. That step is the duration of your exercise session. Again, you may have heard the recommended 30 minutes or more. You may have also realized that you have not been doing any exercise lately. If you are starting from square one, you don’t have to do it all at once. Setting your goal to start gradually can be the difference between failure and long-term success. As you progress your goals will increase and so will your results.
The process is simple. The following steps will get you started:
1. Pick a mode that you enjoy
2. Pick a time that you will be able to do it
3. Pick a duration that is realistic and can be improved as you go
By taking these 3 steps, you will be on your way. The only step that can make these easier is to put the step of talking to your health coach in front of it all. By assembling your support team around you, all 3 steps are much easier to complete. Getting started may be a challenge, but with your coach, you will adjust and stay motivated. You can do it. You can reach your goals.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Deciding to Change
You don’t need brain surgery to change your mind. So I don’t need to be a brain surgeon to help you. No matter how many degrees someone has, the bottom line is: YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE. If you’ve already made that change, you need to make it lasting and habitual. Common sense will eventually win out. We can continue to kid ourselves and blame age, kids, work or other things that we choose to define our lives. We can come up with new theories and create more specialties to deal with specific conditions. We can even give up.
But remember, whatever you decide to do is just that: you deciding. The things we now refer to as “reasons” are choices that we made. They may be results from the habits we’ve formed over the years. They may simply be excuses. Bottom line is: YOU DECIDED. You decided to eat that cup cake. You decided not to exercise for the past five years. You decided to stay late at work every day for the past month. Because you decided, I know that you can change.
Just as you decided to do all of these things that you now regret, I know that you can decide to do many things that you will love yourself for doing. You can decide to take care of yourself. You can decide to change your life. You can.
That is the first step in the process. “I can change” becomes the starting point for your journey of health. Notice I said health is a journey, not a destination. If health were a destination, I believe that more of us would stay there. But health is a journey. Health is something that can change on a day to day basis, for better or for worse. You can be “healthy” one day and not the next.
Some people look at this as a discouraging idea. I look at it as reinforcement that health is a journey. First of all, the fact that it can change so quickly emphasizes the importance of healthy habits. Without them, your condition or results are only temporary.
The results only last as long as the habits do. So with that in mind, bad health only lasts as long as bad habits do. That is why I know you can change. I know that you didn’t start these habits yesterday, so I don’t expect you to change them by tomorrow. I know that it took years to develop your current routine, so I am prepared for it to take you time to develop your new one.
But remember, whatever you decide to do is just that: you deciding. The things we now refer to as “reasons” are choices that we made. They may be results from the habits we’ve formed over the years. They may simply be excuses. Bottom line is: YOU DECIDED. You decided to eat that cup cake. You decided not to exercise for the past five years. You decided to stay late at work every day for the past month. Because you decided, I know that you can change.
Just as you decided to do all of these things that you now regret, I know that you can decide to do many things that you will love yourself for doing. You can decide to take care of yourself. You can decide to change your life. You can.
That is the first step in the process. “I can change” becomes the starting point for your journey of health. Notice I said health is a journey, not a destination. If health were a destination, I believe that more of us would stay there. But health is a journey. Health is something that can change on a day to day basis, for better or for worse. You can be “healthy” one day and not the next.
Some people look at this as a discouraging idea. I look at it as reinforcement that health is a journey. First of all, the fact that it can change so quickly emphasizes the importance of healthy habits. Without them, your condition or results are only temporary.
The results only last as long as the habits do. So with that in mind, bad health only lasts as long as bad habits do. That is why I know you can change. I know that you didn’t start these habits yesterday, so I don’t expect you to change them by tomorrow. I know that it took years to develop your current routine, so I am prepared for it to take you time to develop your new one.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Accountability
While accountability is an important part of our lives, it often gets overlooked in the area of exercise. We know exercise is a key component to a healthy lifestyle, yet across the nation, we are not getting enough of it. The biggest reason for our lack of exercise is our lack of accountability.
Accountability is the foundation of business, relationships and any endeavor involving more than one person. It is the glue that holds teams together and allows them to progress. So, why does it get overlooked in regard to our health? It gets overlooked because many of us don’t hold ourselves accountable.
Would you stand your friend up if you had a lunch set up? Would you blow off a meeting at work? Would you tell your boss that “it’s no big deal that I didn’t show up to work today…I’ll try to be there tomorrow”? I don’t think so! These are all examples of ways that others hold us accountable. So we do have difficulty holding ourselves accountable?
Well, there are many reasons for each of our challenges to get enough exercise. Some of us don’t set realistic goals- we expect to be in the gym every day after years of inactivity. Others don’t manage time well- we expect to be able to cram more meetings and errands into each day than we have time for. And some of us just plain don’t want to change- we’ve all had days when we simply chose not to exercise. The simplest steps for any of us to start holding ourselves accountable are listed below. These are just a few of the steps that we can all take to make exercise a part of our regular routine:
1. SET AN APPOINTMENT- Make an appointment for your exercise session. You would never deliberately skip an appointment with a friend or coworker (if you would, we have some other goals for you to work on). So put an appointment on your calendar at the time you want to do your exercise. This is why having an exercise partner or a trainer works so well. Having another person meeting you there or going with you makes it harder to blow off.
(Stay tuned for more details on how to make your exercise appointments work for you)
2. WRITE IT DOWN- Write your goals down. People that set their daily, weekly or monthly goals in writing are more likely to achieve them. Sometimes just writing it on the calendar is enough to hold you accountable. This will not only help you get a feel for a realistic schedule, but it will also help you reach your goals and become more consistent.
(Coming soon: more specific ways to master goal setting)
These are just two ways that I wanted to share with you. There are many ways to make this more advanced and customized for you. Next time, I will elaborate on each of these two steps and help you to make them work in your routine. By taking each of these to the next level, you will be doing the same with your exercise routine. And we all know what the results will be.
Exercise is a major component of a healthy lifestyle. While many of us struggle to get enough, it doesn’t mean that we are doomed to suffer the consequences of a sedentary life. Changes can be made and they are often not as difficult as we think they are going to be. You are not alone. You can make changes in your life and your health coach can help you. You and your coach will work together to set realistic goals and they will support you on your journey to reach them.
Accountability is the foundation of business, relationships and any endeavor involving more than one person. It is the glue that holds teams together and allows them to progress. So, why does it get overlooked in regard to our health? It gets overlooked because many of us don’t hold ourselves accountable.
Would you stand your friend up if you had a lunch set up? Would you blow off a meeting at work? Would you tell your boss that “it’s no big deal that I didn’t show up to work today…I’ll try to be there tomorrow”? I don’t think so! These are all examples of ways that others hold us accountable. So we do have difficulty holding ourselves accountable?
Well, there are many reasons for each of our challenges to get enough exercise. Some of us don’t set realistic goals- we expect to be in the gym every day after years of inactivity. Others don’t manage time well- we expect to be able to cram more meetings and errands into each day than we have time for. And some of us just plain don’t want to change- we’ve all had days when we simply chose not to exercise. The simplest steps for any of us to start holding ourselves accountable are listed below. These are just a few of the steps that we can all take to make exercise a part of our regular routine:
1. SET AN APPOINTMENT- Make an appointment for your exercise session. You would never deliberately skip an appointment with a friend or coworker (if you would, we have some other goals for you to work on). So put an appointment on your calendar at the time you want to do your exercise. This is why having an exercise partner or a trainer works so well. Having another person meeting you there or going with you makes it harder to blow off.
(Stay tuned for more details on how to make your exercise appointments work for you)
2. WRITE IT DOWN- Write your goals down. People that set their daily, weekly or monthly goals in writing are more likely to achieve them. Sometimes just writing it on the calendar is enough to hold you accountable. This will not only help you get a feel for a realistic schedule, but it will also help you reach your goals and become more consistent.
(Coming soon: more specific ways to master goal setting)
These are just two ways that I wanted to share with you. There are many ways to make this more advanced and customized for you. Next time, I will elaborate on each of these two steps and help you to make them work in your routine. By taking each of these to the next level, you will be doing the same with your exercise routine. And we all know what the results will be.
Exercise is a major component of a healthy lifestyle. While many of us struggle to get enough, it doesn’t mean that we are doomed to suffer the consequences of a sedentary life. Changes can be made and they are often not as difficult as we think they are going to be. You are not alone. You can make changes in your life and your health coach can help you. You and your coach will work together to set realistic goals and they will support you on your journey to reach them.
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