RECIPE

BROWN RICE

Total time: 45 minutes Active time: 45 minutes Makes: 4 servings  2¼ cups water or vegetable broth  1 cup brown rice  Dash of salt

 In a medium pot, bring water or vegetable broth to a boil over high heat.

Add rice and salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Turn heat off and let rice sit for 5 minutes before serving. If you are not using the rice right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

BAKED TOFU

Total time: 1 hour (plus time for pressing tofu) Active time: 10 minutes Makes: 4 servings The key to preparing restaurant-quality tofu dishes at home is pressing the water out first. Thirty minutes will do the trick, but if you’re able to plan ahead, a few hours (or even overnight in the fridge) will give your tofu a fantastic texture. Alternatively, for recipes that call for Baked Tofu, you can buy pre-marinated and prebaked tofu. On especially busy weeks I’ll go this route so I have a ready-to-go protein option.  1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu  1 tablespoon olive oil  1 tablespoon tamari  1 teaspoon rice vinegar  1/8 teaspoon garlic powder  1/8 teaspoon onion powder

 Cut tofu into ½- to 1-inch slices. On a cutting board, layer slices

REUBEN-ISH BOWL

By Ilene Godofsky Moreno A much healthier twist on the classic NYC deli sandwich, this recipe is a flavor party in a bowl. Double your ingredient prep and pack a Reuben-ish sandwich for lunch the next day.  1 batch cooked Brown Rice (see below)  6 cups packed baby spinach  1 batch Baked Tofu (see below), sliced  ½ cup sauerkraut  ½ cup sliced pickles  1 batch Thousand Island Dressing (see below)  Salt and black pepper, to taste

 Divide the Brown Rice into 4 bowls. To wilt the spinach, put it in a pan with a splash of water and cook it over medium heat. Stir for about 2 minutes, until the spinach wilts. Spoon the spinach over the rice in the bowls.  Layer the Baked Tofu, sauerkraut, and pickles over the spinach. Drizzle the Thousand Island Dressing on top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

of tofu between paper towels. Place a heavy item (a teakettle filled with water works great) on top (or use a tofu press if you’ve got one).

Let the tofu sit for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator for extra-amazing texture). This will remove the excess water from the tofu and give it a better texture.  Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. To prepare marinade, in a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, tamari, rice vinegar, garlic powder and onion powder. Leave the tofu as slices or cut it into cubes. Toss the tofu with the marinade in the bowl and let it soak for 5 minutes.  Spread the tofu out on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 10–15 minutes (depending on the size of the pieces), until the desired crispiness is reached. Enjoy the tofu right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

Total time: 5 minutes Makes: 1 cup  ¼ cup vegan mayo  1 tablespoon ketchup  1 teaspoon pickle brine  1 teaspoon maple syrup  1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

TO IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS

By: Anja Springthorpe

Garmin Vívosmart HR+

Moove Now

GARMIN VÍVOSMART HR+

By tracking calories, steps, cardio workouts, running and even sleep, this activity band is everything you want in a fitness gadget. You’ll never have to use awkward chest straps since it comes with a built-in heart rate monitor. You can also review your fitness stats by syncing the device with the Garmin app.

The Vívosmart HR+ is waterproof, but unfortunately has no option to track a swim workout. Although a little on the pricey side, the Garmin Vívosmart HR+ is an excellent fitness tracker combining technology with design and comfort.

MOOVE NOW

If you are on a budget and don’t need your stats on a screen, the Moove Now may be the perfect fitness tracker for you. Worn on the wrist or ankle, the Moove Now tracks cycling, swimming, running, walking, boxing and even circuit training.

The Moove app displays all of the data on your phone and comes with a smart audio coach designed to improve daily activities. The only downside is that the device doesn’t include a heart rate monitor or a screen, but the battery life is up to 6 months. Other than that, this is a superb all-rounder for tracking your workouts.

Price: $199.99 Heart Rate Monitor: Yes GPS: Yes | Waterproof: Yes Battery life: 5 days Price: $59.99 Heart Rate Monitor: No GPS: Yes, if connected to phone Waterproof: Yes Battery life: 6 months

APPLE WATCH 2

For smartwatch fans, Apple has seriously stepped up fitness tracking with the Apple Watch 2. It comes equipped with a GPS, waterproof features and the tracking accuracy has improved. The Apple watch monitors heart rate and tracks a variety of workouts, daily steps as well as sleep. The vibration feature leads you through guided breathing practices and reminds you to get moving if you are inactive for too long.

The biggest downsides are the price tag and the Apple Watch 2’s incompatibility with noniOS devices. However, the watch stores and plays your music via Bluetooth, a rare feature offered by most fitness trackers.

Price: $269.00 Heart Rate Monitor: Yes GPS: Yes Waterproof: Yes Battery life: 18h

LEAF HEALTH TRACKER

The Leaf is not a traditional fitness tracker but a smart jewellery product designed to support female wellness. The Leaf connects to the Bellabeat app and tracks your steps, sleep, stress impact and menstrual cycles. Guided meditation and breathing practices support self-awareness and mindfulness.

If you want in-depth data on your workouts, this tracker is not for you. But if you are looking for a holistic tool to track and improve your overall wellness, the Leaf may just be the right fit.

Price: $129.00 Heart Rate Monitor: No GPS: No Waterproof: No Battery life: 6 months Leaf Health Tracker

YOUR HEALTH WITH FISH

By Chad Ruiz

It’s ubiquitous, it’s renewable, it’s extremely healthy and now Americans are finally buying into its nutritional benefits. It’s fish and it’s catching on according to the most recent study published by NOAA’S National Marine fisheries service.

Since 2013, fish consumption in the US has been on a steady climb; enough so that the US now ranks second in seafood consumption, behind China. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion suggests Americans should consume between eight and 10 ounces of seafood each week - and for good reason.

Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, fish is a staple of the Mediterranean region. Studies show the people of this region suffer with heart disease and other inflammatory disorders less than any other locale.

“Adherence to a Mediterranean diet confers a considerable reduction on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk… even subjects with unhealthy

lifestyle behaviors may benefit from adherence to this diet…” states the ATTICA study published by several institutions including the University of Athens in Greece.

Omega-3s are a vital part of cellular function but unfortunately, the body can’t produce these essential fats on its own. Thankfully, fish is loaded with omega-3s, more so than any other food group.

“…omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions,” reports the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Additionally, the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Seafood Selector suggests this super fat also aids depression and halts mental decline in seniors.

If you’re not a fan of fish or cooking fish (or cooking in general), taking fish oil supplements is another way of consuming adequate omega-3s. However, the EDF cautions that fish oil capsules can accumulate contaminants so they suggest buying products made from purified fish oil.

When picking fish at the grocery, the EDF advises consumers to choose eco-friendly varieties high in omega-3 fats and low in contaminants. Check out the EDF’s guide for picking the healthiest fish at www.seafood. edf.org/guide/best.