Many of us have heard the recommendation to eat “whole
grains” but often it is not understood what that is. This term means that grains such as rice,
corn, wheat, oats, barley, etc. have not been altered from how they occur in
nature. Because the grains are “whole” and
contain the bran, germ, and endosperm (still contain the vitamins/minerals and
fiber) which means they have not been refined or processed and stripped of its
nutrients. This is key when stabilizing
blood sugar and filling you up.
Eating whole grains is also very economical for the
family, especially when buying in bulk, but grains by themselves can be very
boring and bland. When cooking with
grains, it’s important to add herbs, spices, or sea salt and experiment with
flavorings that are appealing to you and your family. Grains are super easy to make, just adding
water or broth and seasonings and let the stovetop or rice maker do the work. Any grain can be cooked in a rice maker, such
as oatmeal – not just rice!
Nutritional
Homework
I have asked Nikki to pick
a whole grain and cook this week. I have
asked her to experiment with flavorings that she might enjoy and open her
awareness and senses to new flavors as she is cooking. Part of getting in the kitchen and cooking is
experimentation – so have fun with it!
Exercise
Homework
This week I have added in “alternating” movements. This means that you are working one leg or
arm at a time. The benefit of these
movements will incorporate more core strengthening during the exercise as well
as increase the duration for each exercise, increasing fat burning potential. Another important benefit is when
strengthening one arm/leg at a time you can often sense that a particular side
(right/left) is stronger than the other – allowing you to create more balanced
strength. I also had Nikki perform ab
crunches on the mat using an exercise band to help her properly perform
crunches which are often difficult in the beginning when lacking abdominal
strength – practice makes perfect!
Nikki’s
Comments
I’ve never considered myself a good cook. My mother is
a natural – the kind who can whip up a yummy (albeit fattening) dish with any
random ingredients. Well, I stumbled through those early years of marriage
thanks to hamburger helper and cheesy casseroles. It wasn’t until I had
children that I really started trying to improve my cooking skills. I’ve come a
long way, but I still don’t necessarily enjoy cooking, and when I find a new
recipe I tend to stick to it exactly instead of creatively making it my own by
altering it to fit my family’s liking. Now that I’m trying to prepare more
healthy meals, I’m realizing the need to expand my palette and try different
ingredient combinations and cooking methods. I’ve appreciated Jodi’s
encouragement in this area. She’s nudging me to try something new each week. So
far my family have been troopers with my ‘experiments’ but it’s an area I think
we all wish I’d continue exploring! J
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