Discovering The Mature Lifestyle
‘All a dance’: Kung Fu, Zumba, Tai Chi Story inside
Health & Exercise January Issue
January 19, 2018
Working with young people keeps Eden Prairie woman active By SUE WEBBER Contributing Writer
Nancy Sward was always into working out, she says. As early as her 20s, she was taking a weight-lifting class. “The more you move, it just feels so good,” Sward said. As a full-time educational assistant at a special education high school, Sward finds herself walking 9,000 steps a day as she helps with volleyball, pickle ball and floor hockey. “I love these kids,” she said. “They’re good kids from unfavorable backgrounds, or they’re physiologically different.” Some are young people who don’t have much of a family life, or who live in a group home. Some are African American students who have never been around an older white woman, Sward aid. “They keep coming to school so they can graduate,” Sward said. “It’s pretty rewarding. We try to make it fun. It keeps me young. I never have the same day twice.” The students have nicknamed her “The Silver-Haired Beast,” she said.
Here is one of Sward’s favorite recipes:
Flourless Blender Muffins
Nancy Sward is an advocate of staying active and eating well. “I’m 62, and I start doing jumping jacks and tell them to get out here and start exercising with me,” Sward said. She has three classes a week, and also works out every day at school, doing push-ups. “I’m self-motivated,” Sward said. “If it’s a nice day, I go for a onehour walk at SWARD - TO PAGE 15 a good pace.
Total time: 20 min. Yield: 8-9 muffins Ingredients • 1/2 cup quick oats or quinoa flakes, loosely packed (40g) • 3/4 tsp. baking powder • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1/8 tsp baking soda • 1 medium (1/2 cup) mashed overripe banana (120g) • 1 can white beans (250g without liquid) or 250g cooked beans • 1/4 cup peanut butter or allergyfriendly substitution • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract • Optional: handful mini chocolate chips, crushed walnuts, shredded coconut, or a pinch of cinnamon. Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350° F and line
eight or nine muffin cups. Drain the beans and rinse extremely well, then pat dry. This is important because it gets rid of any bean taste. Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender or high-quality food processor. (If using a blender without a tamper, stop occasionally to stir ingredients with a spoon so they will blend evenly). Pour into the muffin cups – don’t overfill or they will rise and then sink in the centers. Bake 20 minutes. They will look underdone – let sit 20 minutes and they will firm up. “I like to bake for only 16 minutes and then refrigerate overnight, because I like the texture a little underdone even the next day,” Sward said. “These muffins are supposed to be fudgy, not fluffy and flour-y like traditional muffins.” Muffins last for three to four days refrigerated, or two to three or weeks frozen.
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