december.2015
10 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS STICK
6 HEALTHY RECIPES
EATING CLEAN ON A BUDGET
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MICO WELLNESS COMMITTEE
PINEAPPLE COCONUT CHAMPAGNE
CHAMPAGNE PUNCH BELLINI
1 (750ml) bottle champagne, sparkling wine, or prosecco 1/2 cup raspberry sorbet (or your favorite flavor sorbet) Fresh raspberries (or your favorite fruit)
Organic Pineapple Juice well chilled Organic Coconut Juice Blend well chilled Champagne or Prosecco well chilled Simple Syrup Unsweetened finely shredded coconut.
The amount of servings you get depends on how big your champagne glasses are.
Pour some simple syrup in a small bowl and the shredded coconut in another small bowl. Dip the top ¼ or so of your champagne glasses in the simple syrup and then in the shredded coconut making sure the rim is well coated. Set aside to dry a little Fill each champagne glass with 1 ½ ounces of EACH pineapple and coconut juices. Fill the rest of the way with the champagne or Prosecco. Serve immediately.
For each serving: place 1 tablespoon scoops of sorbet in the bottom of a champagne flute. Fill with champagne and top with a fresh berry. Serve immediately.
TREAT YOURSELF THIS NEW YEARS
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS ORANGE-CHERRY CHAMPAGNE
3 seedless oranges Peel of 1/2 orange ½ c. red cherries ½ c. sweet vermouth (such as Carpano Antica) ¼ c. blended Scotch (such as Famous Grouse) 1 bottle champagne or other dry sparkling wine (such as Domaine Saint Vincent Brut) Transfer orange juice to a blender. Add cherries and blend until fruit is pureed. Strain juice into a pitcher. Stir in vermouth and Scotch. Divide cocktail mixture among 8 glasses and top off each with about 1/3 cup champagne. Garnish with orange peels.
FIZZY SORBET COCKTAIL Assorted sorbets Chilled Champagne Place 6 martini or wine glasses in freezer for 30 minutes or until very cold. Fill chilled glasses with 5 or 6 mini scoops of assorted sorbets, then top each with champagne.
6 EASY TIPS FOR CLEAN EATING ON A BUDGET By Kristen Domonel, Daily Burn
Ever thought about cleaning up your diet but worry about the price tags on all that healthy food? You’re not alone. Whole Foods Market, often nicknamed “Whole Paycheck” for its prices, recently announced the launch of a new, budgetfriendly store geared toward millennial shoppers who share these cost concerns. “It’s really challenging for people to make the right choices when price is sometimes the thing that strikes them in the face,” says Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson, Libby Mills, MS, RDN, LDN, a nutrition and cooking coach in the Philadelphia area. But is there really merit to the claims that cost makes eating clean unattainable for budget-minded people? And how can you reap the benefits if you’re not willing to fork over huge amounts of cash?
THE PRICE OF CLEAN EATING
If you’ve ever walked down the snack food aisle or visited a convenience store, you know that you can buy a jumbo-sized bag of chips for less than the price of a bag of baby spinach. A recent Cambridge University study found healthy foods to be three times as expensive per calorie as unhealthy foods. And researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that healthier diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts cost about $1.50 more per day — or $550 more per year — than the least healthy diets rich in processed foods, meats and refined grains. As far as organic foods are concerned, while they will cost you more than their non-organic counterparts, the price gap is getting smaller, says Allison Enke, RD, a product compliance and nutrition analyst for Whole Foods Market. “In general, as
demand for organic products has grown and volume has increased, prices have become more competitive over time,” she says.
CLEAN EATING ON THE CHEAP
While clean eating can be a money sucker if you let it, it doesn’t have to break the bank. These tips and shortcuts will help you plan and shop smarter, so you can save those hard earned dollars for something more fun than groceries (or, you know, for paying your rent). 1. Emphasize in-season produce. During harvest time, the costs of in-season produce often drop due to increased availability, explains Enke. That also happens to be when fruits and vegetables are at their peak in terms of both flavor and nutrition. If you’re not sure what’s in season when, staff in the produce department can usually help point shoppers in the right direction. During summer months, organic strawberries, stone fruits (like peaches, apricots, cherries and plums) and melons are some of the best values, Enke notes. 2. Know when to skip organic. Certain foods, such as corn, onions, pineapples, avocadoes, and cabbage absorb a minimal amount of crop chemicals and are OK to buy conventionally grown. Others known as the “dirty dozen,” including apples, strawberries, grapes, celery and peaches, can have high levels of pesticide residue, so splurging on organic will eliminate your chance of consuming chemicals. 3. Don’t be afraid of store brands. Unlike knockoff handbags and clothing, you don’t have to sacrifice quality when choosing store brand products at the supermarket. Whole Foods Market’s 365 Everyday Value line, for example, features more
than 3,000 food products, almost half of which are organic. Other brands to look for at supermarkets include Safeway’s O Organics, Trader Joe’s, Stop & Shop’s Nature’s Promise and Wegmans Organic. 4. Buy in bulk. Buying up supersized quantities of everyday staples like grains, beans, nut butters, spices and olive oil can help you score big savings, Enke says. “[It] also helps eliminate excess packaging and reduce spoilage and waste, which means even more savings,” Enke says. Grains, such as rice, barley and quinoa, are especially good bulk buys, because they’ll double in size once cooked, explains Mills. 5. Take advantage of frozen convenience. Frozen fruits and vegetables can be a great, affordable option when it comes to eating clean on a budget, says Mills. “Whether it’s summer or winter they are often more nutritious than the fresh vegetables and fruits,” she says. That’s because they go right from the farm where they’re picked to the processing company where they’re flash frozen at the peak of ripeness, so there’s very little time for the produce nutrients to deteriorate from air exposure. Plus, retailers will often have their store brand of frozen fruits and veggies for sale, which means you can stock up at an additional discount. 6. Save some for later. Preparing leftovers can help cut back on food waste, and will allow you to take advantage of produce when it’s at its peak (and cheapest), says Mills. “If your casserole calls for tomatoes during tomato season when they’ll be at the height of flavor, nutrition and most available, then why not make a double recipe of that casserole?” she says. “When you’re done eating for the evening package the leftovers in usable quantities and freeze it for another time.”
10 ways to stay strong in the face of tempting cupcakes, pricey shoes, and the urge to hit the snooze button instead of the gym. There’s an inevitable rhythm to January 1 at my house. I take down the tree, vacuum up pine needles, and start making my New Year’s resolutions. The list usually looks like this: Lose weight. Swear off TV and saturated fat. Eat salads. Call Dad more. Write that novel. Floss. By midday I’m worn out, intermittently dozing in front of a football game and swiping my husband’s million-calorie nachos. It’s not that I totally lack discipline. It’s just that I don’t sufficiently appreciate what’s going on in my brain, explains Joseph Shrand, M.D., an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Self-restraint is a rational desire, which means it lives in the front of the brain, the section that’s most recently evolved and most vulnerable to being overruled by survival instincts. Pleasure resides in the brain’s most primitive part, which has spent millions of years learning to reward us with a deeply satisfying jolt of dopamine when we give in to these kinds of urges. And while that brain circuitry evolved to encourage life-prolonging desires like eating and sex, says Dr. Shrand, we now get a rush from giving in to anything we want, whether it’s an illicit drug, chocolate, or buying expensive purple peep-toe boots, even when the more evolved part of our brain tells us we’ll quickly regret it. So how do you help the rational (i.e., your New Year’s resolutions) triumph over the pleasure-seeking? You need to outsmart it with these research-proven strategies.
1. GIVE IT A WORKOUT
10 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
STICK
By Sarah Mahoney, Good Housekeeping Magazine
I’d always thought of willpower as a steady, steely resolve that made some women triathletes and some (not my real name) couch-nappers. But it’s more like a muscle, says Marvin D. Seppala, M.D., chief medical officer at Hazelden, the well-known addiction treatment center. That means the more we use it, the stronger it gets — and quickly. In an experiment at the University at Albany — State University of New York, researchers asked 122 smokers who were trying to quit to exert extra self-control for two weeks, either by avoiding sweets or by squeezing on a grip strengthener for as long as they could twice a day. In the following month, 27 percent of those who were diligent about practicing their self-control exercise successfully kicked their cigarette habit, compared with just 12 percent of volunteers who’d been given a task that didn’t call for self-control.
To try this at home, squeeze a grip strengthener (available at sporting-goods stores for under $10) or a rubber ball till it becomes uncomfortable, then hold as long as you can. Repeat at least twice a day. Or, flex your self-control emotionally by trying not to tear up during a sad movie. Just don’t expect to become the Wonder Woman of Willpower, advises psychologist and study author Mark Muraven, Ph.D. As with a muscle, push too hard or under conditions that are too challenging, and your resolve (like an overworked hamstring) will collapse. “If you’re very hungry, I can’t imagine that any amount of willpower will keep you from eating a cupcake,” Muraven says.
2. MAKE ONE CHANGE AT A TIME
Once you understand that you have only a limited amount of willpower, it’s easy to understand why multiple resolutions aren’t likely to work, says Ian Newby-Clark, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Guelph in Canada. Most resolutions actually require many behavior changes. Sure, some are straightforward, like remembering to take a calcium pill every day — but a successful weight-loss program, for example, calls for more than just a decision to eat less. You have to shop and cook differently, start or ramp up an exercise routine, maybe even ditch certain social or family events. “Thinking through these substrategies boosts success rates,” says Newby-Clark. “But it would take too much attention and vigilance to do all that and also decide it’s time to brush your teeth for the full two minutes and become better informed about world events.”
3. BREAK IT UP
Since your supply of self-control is finite, make resolutions that require small acts of will, not weeks of vigilance. “ ‘Lose 10 pounds’ sounds specific, but it’s less likely to work than behavioral goals like ‘This week I’ll try to go to the gym three times, take the stairs at work at least twice, and bring a healthy lunch every day,’ “ says Andrea Bonior, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC, and author of the “Baggage Check” column for the Washington Post Express. You’ll feel good when you accomplish each goal, and your success will help bolster your resolve: The better you are at making small changes, the easier it will be for you to keep going.
4. LIFT YOUR SPIRITS
Watching funny movies — or doing just about anything that puts you in a good mood — also helps when willpower starts wearing down. In a particularly sneaky study, researchers asked a group of 30 hungry students to sit in a room that smelled like freshly baked cookies. Although a plate of M&Ms and stillwarm cookies was placed within reach, participants were told to snack on a bowl
of radishes. Then they were left alone for 10 to 12 minutes in order to exhaust their self-restraint. Next, some of the students watched a film clip of Robin Williams doing stand-up, while another group viewed a film about dolphins. When, in the last part of the experiment, they were asked to perform a complex tracing project that called for lots of self-control, students who’d seen the funny film stuck with the trying task for about 13 minutes. The Flipper crowd hung in for only nine.
5. HAVE SOME OJ
Self-restraint — stifling your disagreement during a politically charged discussion, for example — can reduce blood glucose to less-than-optimal levels, report Florida State University researchers. But a glass of orange juice or lemonade can replenish your self-control. The brain relies almost exclusively on glucose for energy, so it has to be the real thing — artificially sweetened drinks won’t deliver the jolt.
6. OUTWIT YOUR INNER REBEL
To give your willpower some wiggle room, avoid making 100 percent resolutions. “Absolutes like ‘I’m giving up all sweets’ or ‘I’ll never use my credit card again’ set you up to try to get around your own overly strict rules,” says Connie Stapleton, Ph.D., a psychologist in Augusta, GA. Instead, try drafting more limited restrictions like “I’ll have sweets only when I’m in a fancy restaurant.”
7. CRANK UP YOUR GREATEST HITS
When you feel discouraged, remind yourself how much you’ve accomplished in the past, suggests Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D. “People beat themselves up about still needing to lose the baby weight or no longer going to yoga class. But they overlook the long list of things they have done that required major self-discipline, like building a nest egg or sticking with the computer training they needed in order to get a better job.” Lombardo’s advice: “Write down 100 things you’re proud of, right down to ‘I get out of bed when I don’t want to.’ It’ll remind you how much willpower you really have.”
8. BE EXTRA NICE (OR NASTY)
Do unto others, and you’ll be doing unto yourself as well. In a Harvard University study, psychologist Kurt Gray, Ph.D., gave 80 participants a dollar, told half the group to keep it and the other half to give it to charity, and then asked all the volunteers to hold a five-pound weight for as long as they could. Those who had donated their buck to a good cause held the weight significantly longer than the “selfish” ones. But imagining doing something not nice makes us even stronger. In another experiment, Gray asked participants to hold the weight while writing a story that
involved their helping someone, harming someone, or doing something neutral. Those who envisioned dastardly deeds held the weight longer than the helpful ones, who in turn beat out the neutrals. Whether we’re doing someone a good turn or a bad one, it increases our feeling of personal power, making it easier to stick with something uncomfortable, says Gray.
9. USE YOUR SENSES
The primitive cravings center is highly susceptible to visual cues, explains Tufts University psychologist Christopher Willard, Psy.D. Draw on the strength of images by putting a photo of a thinner you on the fridge, or a picture of a Caribbean beach in your wallet near your credit cards to remind yourself of the vacation that you’re saving for.
10. FINALLY, GET OUT OF DODGE
The same way a sprinter can tell when she doesn’t have another 100 yards in her, “it’s important to know when your resistance is tapped out,” says Dr. Seppala. “Stress will wear it down. So will being hungry or tired.” His advice for those times: Get away from whatever is tempting you until you’ve eaten and rested, which will give your willpower a fighting chance.
WRITE YOUR TICKET TO SUCCESS
People who put their goals on paper are significantly more likely to achieve them than are those who merely make mental vows, research from Dominican University of California has shown. What’s also key: posting your goal in places where you will see it often, says Marvin D. Seppala, M.D., of Hazelden. “Your will matters most the moment you make a resolution — and you’ll want to be able to recapture the intensity of that moment again and again.” Share what you’ve written, too: The Dominican study found that those who told friends or family about their goals did better than those who didn’t, and people who e-mailed their support team weekly progress updates did best of all. Social approval — as in “You look great!” — gives your brain a surge of soothing oxytocin, explains Joseph Shrand, M.D., of Harvard.
6 HEALTHY DINNERS TO KICK OFF THE
NEW YEAR
SALMON AVOCADO, WATERCRESS, AND PUMPKIN SEED SALAD 2 wild Alaskan salmon fillets (approx. 8 ounces total) 2 scallions, trimmed 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 2 ½ teaspoons lime juice 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes or kosher salt FOR THE SALAD: 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds 4 ounces watercress 1 teaspoon organic raw apple cider vinegar 1 small ripe avocado 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or kosher salt, or to taste Put the salmon fillets in a small frying pan and cover with cold water from the tap. Add the scallions and peppercorns, squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle in the salt, then bring to a boil, uncovered. When the pan is bubbling, turn the fillets over, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for 7 minutes. Then take the fillets out of the liquid and leave to cool completely, which could take up to 1 hour. Once cool, the salmon will be cooked through, with its flesh desirably tender and coral inside. While the salmon’s cooling, make a start on the salad. Toast the pumpkin seeds by tossing them in a dry, heavy-based frying pan on the stove. They will start jumping a little, and will darken and get a smokier taste. It doesn’t take long to toast them, so don’t leave the pan and, indeed, keep giving it a quick swirl. Then transfer to a cold plate. When you’re ready to unite salmon with salad, put the watercress into a large shallow bowl, sprinkle with the vinegar, and toss. Now add the salmon, removing the skin and tearing the fish into bite-sized pieces. Halve the avocado and remove the pit, then spoon the flesh out onto the salmon and watercress, or cut it into slices if you prefer. Drizzle the oil over the salad, sprinkle with the salt and half of the toasted pumpkin seeds, and toss gently to mix. Scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds on top, and eat.
SIZZLING MOROCCAN SHRIMP RAINBOW SALSA 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary 2 cloves of garlic Olive oil 1 level teaspoon smoked paprika 1 good pinch of saffron 6 large raw shell-on jumbo shrimp 2 oranges ½ cup whole-wheat couscous 14 ounces colorful mixed seasonal veg, such as peas, asparagus, fennel, Zucchini, celery, scallions, red or yellow peppers 1 fresh red chile ½ a bunch of fresh mint (½ ounce) 1 lemon 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 pomegranate Strip the rosemary leaves into a pestle and mortar, then peel and add the garlic and pound into a paste with a pinch of sea salt. Muddle in 1 tablespoon of oil, the paprika, saffron, and a swig of boiling water to make a marinade. Use little scissors to cut down the back of each shrimp shell and remove the vein. Cut 1 orange into wedges, toss with the shrimp and the marinade, and leave aside for 10 minutes. Put the couscous into a bowl and just cover with boiling water, then pop a plate on top and leave to fluff up. Take a bit of pride in finely chopping all your colorful seasonal veg and chile, and put them into a nice serving bowl. Pick a few pretty mint leaves and put to one side, then pick and finely chop the rest and add to the bowl with the juice of the lemon and the remaining orange. Add the couscous, toss together, and season to perfection. Put a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat. Add the shrimp, marinade, and orange wedges and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are gnarly and crisp, then arrange on top of the couscous. Dollop with yogurt, then halve the pomegranate and, holding it cut-side down in your fingers, bash the back so the sweet jewels tumble over everything. Sprinkle with the reserved mint leaves and serve.
HEALTHY PORK CARNITAS WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA Serves 8 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground pepper 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into small chunks 2 bay leaves ½ medium onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves ¾ cup orange juice Corn tortillas, to serve Sliced avocado, to serve Pickled onions, to garnish Pineapple salsa (recipe below)
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, oregano, cumin, salt, ground pepper, and chipotle pepper. Add the pork tenderloin and cover with the spice mixture, ensuring that it’s coated well. Add to slow cooker, along with bay leaves, onions, garlic, and orange juice. Cook for 3 to 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low, until the pork is fork tender. Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a large bowl. Discard all of the juice and mixture from the slow cooker. Shred the pork using two forks. Place the shredded pork on a cooking sheet and broil until the meat starts to get a little crispy, watching closely so that the pork does not burn. Serve carnitas on corn tortillas, top with avocado, pickled onions, an pineapple salsa.
PINEAPPLE SALSA
Makes 3 cups ½ red pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple, diced 2 roma tomates, diced ¼ cup white or red onion, finely chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided Kosher salt, to taste Ground pepper, to taste Roast red pepper: Brush lightly with olive oil and place on a heated grill or directly on the gas stove burner. Grill until the skin is completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them twice during roasting. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from grill/stove and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until the pepper is cool enough to handle. Remove the peels and seeds. Chop finely. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
SCALLOPS W/ HAZELNUTS AND WARM SUN GOLD TOMOATOES 1/4 cup coarsely chopped skin-on hazelnuts 3 tablespoons Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1.5 pounds large sea scallops, side muscle removed, patted dry 1 pint sun gold or grape tomatoes 1 small shallot, finely chopped 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Toss with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Season scallops with salt and pepper; cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Pour off most liquid in skillet. Add tomatoes and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until some tomatoes have burst, about 4 minutes. Mix in vinegar and serve with scallops topped with tarragon and hazelnuts.
THAI-STYLE LETTUCE CUPS Makes 4 servings 1 pound ground pork, chicken, or turkey 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass 1 garlic clove, grated ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon grated lime zest 3 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon sambal oelek 6 tablespoons lime juice (about 3 limes) 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar 1 tablespoon neutral oil ½ cup thinly sliced red onion ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro (leaves and stems) ½ cup roughly chopped mint leaves 1 head butter or romaine lettuce or ½ head white cabbage, leaves separated and washed Combine the meat, lemongrass, garlic, salt, lime zest, 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, and ½ teaspoon of the sambal in a medium bowl. Mix with your hands or a spatula until thoroughly combined. Cover and chill until ready to use. Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce and ½ teaspoon sambal until the sugar dissolves. Set the sauce aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat mixture and cook, stirring and chopping it into fine pieces with a metal spatula or wooden spoon, until the meat is just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the onion, cilantro, and mint. Scoop onto a plate or bowl and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with lettuce or cabbage leaves.
GLUTEN-FREE SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN Makes 6 servings 1 chicken (about 3 pounds, 12 ounces), cut into 8 pieces 2 cups buttermilk 31⁄2 cups rice flour 21⁄2 teaspoons salt 11⁄2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 3⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups milk 1 egg 2⁄3 cup tapioca starch Vegetable oil, for frying 6 sprigs herbs, such as sage, rosemary, and thyme Place the chicken and buttermilk in a large zip-top bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 4 hours. In one bowl, whisk together 11⁄2 cups of the rice flour, 1 1⁄2 teaspoons of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, and the cayenne pepper, and in another bowl, the milk and egg. In a large bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch with the remaining 2 cups of rice flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of pepper. Drain the chicken, discarding the buttermilk. Dredge a piece in the rice flour mixture (without tapioca starch), dip into the milk mixture, then dredge in the tapioca starch mixture. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Sprinkle about 1⁄4 cup of the remaining tapioca starch mixture over the pieces to ensure that they are thoroughly coated and let them rest for 5 minutes. It will look like there is too much flour mounded on top of the meat. Shake slightly before adding to the oil. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat to 320°F. Set a wire rack over a clean rimmed baking sheet. Place herb sprigs in the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes. The herbs will spatter in the oil, so stand back. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Working with half of the chicken at a time, carefully place the pieces in the hot oil. Fry, turning often, for 13 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Maintain a frying temperature of 315°F to 325°F. Drain the chicken on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Top the chicken with the crispy herb sprigs before serving.