It’s also one that I’ve enjoyed making my own. I love the way I eat now. I love that I’ve said goodbye to a lot of the processed, chemical laden foods of the past and traded those in for healthy, fiber-filled, fresh foods. I feel better than I have in years. It took me 12 years to gain the weight and so far it’s taken me 16 months to lose weight. It’s slow, it’s steady and I’m thrilled.

But plateaus come up from time to time and that frustrate me. I’ve been on a weight loss plateau for several weeks now and it’s driving me nuts! In the middle of my frustration, I saw an old friend in the grocery store. She looked amazing! She’s lost a heap of weight. We complimented each other on our weight loss and then began comparing nutritional plans. She’s on “The Flat Belly Diet” plan while my journey started on “The Sonoma Diet”. Seems our plans are both based in the Mediterranean logic and we’ve both been successful.

The main differences between what I’ve been doing and what “The Flat Belly Diet” asks you to do are:

1. “Flat Belly” is very portion controlled 400 calorie meals 4 times a day.

2. Each “Flat Belly” meal must include a good for you mono-saturated fat (they call them MUFAs)

That’s pretty much the difference. Not a lot, but I’m hoping it’s enough to get me off this plateau and on toward my weight loss triumph!

Here’s what I’m having for a snack later today! A Strawberry Cheesecake Chocolate Dessert!
1 container of fat free Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurt (90 calorie), 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts. Toss together and enjoy!

Now, much to my surprise, I’m learning chia seeds are a healthy vegetable source of protein and omega-3s along with an impressive amount of vitamins, minerals and soluble fiber, according to the press release from Navita’s Naturals.

The seeds are sustainably harvested in the highlands of Chile and marketed by Navitas Naturals in whole seed and sprouted whole seed powder. According to the press release, chia seeds have a great deal in common with highly regarded flaxseed, but has the added benefit of containing natural antioxidants which they say make it a more stable product. The sprouted seeds are processed into powder form by low temp milling and this apparently increases the nutrient content, bio-availability and absorption.

So, ok, it’s good for you, but how do you use it and incorporate it into your diet? Navitas Naturals recommends that you blend the seeds into smoothies, granola, oatmeal and yogurt. Also, sprinkle the seeds on soups, salads and rice dishes. Use the seed powder as a flour substitute for bread, muffins, cookies, and pies. You can find helpful chia seed recipes from the company by clicking here.

The company sent me a teeny tiny little packet of seeds (less than 2 tablespoons). I used their recipe for making what they call a chia gel. You basically soak the seeks in water or juice and the seeds produce a gel like substance that can be used as a thickening agent. I added the chia gel to my smoothie for breakfast. I found it to be tasteless and odorless. Since I didn’t have enough to make more than one serving of the chia gel, I can’t tell you that all their claims are true and how it affected my body, but I can tell you it didn’t do anything bad to my smoothie!

During the summertime, my family devours sandwiches on a daily basis, mostly the rolled kind. They make for great take along meals. I roll mine up, wrap them in a paper towel to keep the moisture in check and then roll them in plastic wrap. I also go ahead and slice my wrap in half and slip both halves into a Ziploc bag before putting it in my cooler. It’s cool, pretty and ready to eat as quickly as I am.

In my quest to find more healthful products, I discovered Flat Out breads. These little wonders are great for wraps. Sometimes when using a torilla they break or split, but these flat breads are marvelously full of fiber, substantial enough to hold together and also full of flavor. You can’t beat that. Not to mention that Flat Out flat breads have been featured on Oprah and in Bob Greene’s Best Life diet, so you are also very “in” while eating a flat out sandwich!

In March of 2007 I too found myself rather bell shaped and decided to do something about it. In my quest to regain my health, I started researching tasty and healthy recipes that could guide me to a healthier body. It was during that search that I discovered my new favorite grain. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) wasn’t a familiar grain to me. Maybe it’s because you can’t find recipes calling for deep fried quinoa. But back to my point, Quinoa is said to be one of the healthiest foods available! In fact, David Grotto has this cute little grain listed in his book titled 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. He says:

Nutritionally, quinoa is an amazing grain. Quinoa contains more protein that any other grain. And what’s unique about the protein in quinoa is that it is complete, containing all essential amino acids, being especially high in the amino acids lysine, methionine, and cystine. Quinoa is rich in iron, potassium, and riboflavin as well as B6, niacin and thiamin. and it’s also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese, and has some folic acid.

Studies have shown quinoa to have anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties AND inhibit cholesterol absorption. It has been linked to reducing migraine headaches and much more! The list literally goes on and on with reason why you should be including this clear little round grain with the crunchy tail in your diet!

From a cooks standpoint, it’s very versatile and quick! Quinoa is ready in as little as 15 minutes! The lighter colored quinoa grains take on the color and flavor of whatever you are cooking it with. But the darker colors including black and red also take on the flavors you cook with. It’s an excellent substitute for rice or small pastas. It’s great served cold or warm. Sweet or savory.

Pictured above is just one of my favorite recipes using quinoa. I called it Fruited Quinoa. Make up a bunch and it will keep nicely in the refrigerator for a few days. This particular recipe is good at breakfast or as a unique dessert!

Fruited Quinoa
serves 1
1/3 cup rinsed quinoa
2/3 cups diet fruit juice (I used diet grape cranberry. I suppose you could use regular juice, but you would up the calorie count significantly.)
splash of lemon or lime juice
Chopped fresh fruit of your choice (I chose strawberries and kiwi)

Bring the quinoa and the juice to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. If you are chilling it first, cover and put in refrigerator and toss with fresh fruit when it’s chilled. If you are serving warm, toss with fresh fruit and serve immediately.

Dannon’s new product has the tag line of “Light. But Not Light on Nutrients.” They could have also added “But not light on taste.” This stuff is so good. It’s creamy, dreamy good and full of fruit. It doesn’t have a tangy, strong “yogurty” taste like some brands. This tasty yogurt could be enjoyed by most anyone. Even those who might not be big yogurt fans.

According to a survey conducted by Dannon, women are committed to managing their weight. But sadly these same women also don’t have much knowledge of how to achieve their healthy diet goals. Or they sometimes turn a blind eye to what they eat on a day to day basis. In fact, according to the survey, 46% of the women do not think about the loss of essential nutrients when they cut calories from their diet. They are willing to sacrifice health for slimness. In reality, slashing calories will help you lose weight, but if you take out all the healthy nutrients in a diet, all you get is a slimmer but very unhealthy body. And folks, that won’t last long.

Dannon hopes this version of their yogurt will help women make wise nutritional decisions. 0% Plus has 50% more fruit than their regular Light and Fit 6oz. nonfat yogurt, which is also a favorite of mine. And this new version also includes healthy doses of calcium, Vitamin D and B2 in its 60 calorie, 4oz cup.

A good yogurt should be versatile. I ate the strawberry yogurt straight from the cup as part of a healthful breakfast. It rocked! Then I tried the peach flavor in a smoothie for a light slurpy lunch. Whoohooo, Dannon Light and Fit 0% Plus continued to rock! My only complaint is that the blueberry flavor doesn’t have as much fruit as the other flavors. But still, this yogurt snob approves and recommends that you give this new 0%+ variety a try.

Oddly enough, Doctors tell us that a reaction of this magnitude changes your body’s chemistry forever. Up until this point, I had enjoyed a variety of seafood and shellfish my entire life. So you can imagine my shock when my cruiseliner Physician said in a very heavy Swedish accent, “You can eat nothing that swfims in da sea.” And he meant nothing. A slip up years later, and another life threatening incident, proved him correct.

Almost 13 months ago, I took a dramatic look at my life and made a decision to get healthy, lose weight and take better care of my body, which I believe is a temple of God. I made some drastic changes in diet and lifestyle.

One of those changes was determining that I needed Omega 3s in my diet, as do you. Omega 3s are essential to heart health. Study after study has shown that a diet heavy in healthy Omega 3 fatty acids significantly reduces incidence of heart disease. And with a grandmother who died from a heart attack and a father who had triple by-pass surgery, I need to be concerned with heart health.

The average diet is lacking in this essential fatty acid. The most plentiful and some argue the most tasty way to incorporate Omega 3s into your diet is by eating cold water, ocean born, oily fish. But what about folks like me who can’t eat fish or for someone who just flat doesn’t like fish?

There are many dietary Omega 3 supplements to use including fish oil, but for folks like them, those are not options I can use. Thankfully there are many other ways to get Omega 3s!

Dark, Leafy Greens, Flaxseed and walnuts are all natural sources rich in omega 3s.

Flaxseed is a part of my daily “fishless”diet. My favorite way to include flaxseed in my diet is grinding them up into a fine powder and including them in my morning smoothie. Not only does it provide the omega 3 fatty acids that I need, it also helps with regulating digestion with it’s high fiber content. Which also makes it a great supplement for those suffering from many colon disorders. Flaxseed is also rich in lignan, an antioxidant that shows promise in fighting many diseases, including breast cancer.

Morning Smoothie Recipe

3 Tbsp. Flax Seed (Ground with a coffee grinder) 160 calories
1/2 cup lowfat, light yogurt 40 calories
1 1/2 cup diet cranberry juice 7.5 calories
1 Cup frozen berry mix (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries) 70 calories

Blend all these ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve immediately. This 277 calorie smoothie is a great way to include omega 3s in your diet while also getting loads of fiber, probiotics and antioxidant rich dark berries into your morning meal or afternoon snack!

Some of the changes seemed expensive in the beginning. For instance, buying lots of fresh fruits and veggies does raise the grocery bill. At first, it seemed crazy to spend all that money on healthy foods when junk foods (or ready to eat foods) were so much cheaper, faster and, at the time, more satisfying. But as my body became accustomed to the new, healthier fare, I noticed I ate less and still felt full and satisfied. So, it kind of evened itself out. Not bad! I just had to hang on to the change until it became a part of who I am.

The same logic applies to taking care of the planet Earth. Sometimes changes seem expensive, but in the long run their benefits outweigh the initial expense. For example, I decided to stop buying so much bottled water. I chose a water filter pitcher, replacement filters, and a nice, washable water bottle for everyone in the family. Then, I headed to the check out. Yikes, the price seemed excessive. But after several months of not buying cases and cases of bottled water, the price wasn’t so bad. In fact, I’ve probably saved money in the long run.

Disposable plates were the same thing. We live a fast paced life. Paper plates seem like an easy out for rushed times — easy cleanup, little mess. But, as my family has become acclimated to healthier foods, I’ve embraced the fact that we eat with our eyes first. That means the food should be pretty and hold our interest visually before we ever take a bite. Part of pretty presentation is using nice dishes that compliment the dish. Serving my healthful, colorful food is much more pleasing to the eye when it’s served on a beautiful plate. It only takes a moment to wash up four plates for my family after dinner. Better yet, it saves four plates from going into the trash can and out to the land fill.

The fact is that our bodies won’t last forever. I will grow old and eventually die. But I’ve decided that while I’m alive, I want to feel as good as I can so I can serve others the best way I can. Same for the Earth. Isaiah 51:6 says “Lift up your eyes to the sky, then look to the earth beneath; for the sky will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants will die in like manner, but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not wane.” I guess my point is that it’s all eventually going to wear out regardless of what we do, but that shouldn’t stop us for doing all we can to preserve the gifts God gave us with the Earth and our bodies.

So, to celebrate Earth Day, what baby steps are you going to take?