by Guest | Dec 14, 2022 | Lunch & Snack Recipes, Recipes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 12 Large Brussels sprouts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 slices lean turkey bacon(diced)
- 1 clove garlic(minced)
- 3 oz soft goat cheese
- 2 tbsp skim milk
- ½ tsp salt(optional)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Parmesan cheese(grated)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half, lengthwise. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the sprouts for 2 minutes, drain and set aside.
- Using a melon baller or Tsp. measure, core the sprouts, set aside the shells and roughly chop the scooped cores.
- Add olive oil to a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until almost crisp. Add the chopped sprouts and garlic and sauté for a 3-4 more minutes until the sprouts have softened.
- In a bowl, mix together the goat cheese, milk, salt (optional), black pepper and parmesan cheese. Add the sautéed bacon and sprouts and mix thoroughly.
- Divide the filling mixture evenly among each sprout core (about a rounded Tsp.). Lay sprouts on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the filled sprouts are a golden brown. Serve warm.
Recipe Source: https://www.diabetesfoodhub.org/recipes/stuffed-brussels-sprouts-bites-%E2%80%93-foodie-recipe.html
Photo Credit: Peter Papoulakos
by Guest | Dec 7, 2022 | Being Well
The most wonderful time of the year is known to prompt joy, but the reality is that it may invoke stress as well. While this season is often associated with sentiments of love and happiness, for some people, unpleasant feelings or memories may be sparked as well. From Thanksgiving preparations until we ring in the New Year, self-care is essential to protect yourself from the holiday blues.
During the holiday season, it’s common to experience an increase in your social and family calendar but taking some time out for self-care is a gift that you can give to yourself and a practice that you can share with your family members as well. Some of the members of our health promotions team have shared a few ways that they use to practice self-care.
“Spending time with friends and family during the holidays is wonderful, but it can also be a whirlwind of activity. The gift of self-care I try to focus on is spending a little time each day walking or stretching to decompress. I’ve found that the little bit of movement or fresh air always helps organize my thoughts and boost my mood, even if it’s just a quick 10-minute break. I always feel a little lighter and a little more energized.” — Ariel Slifka, Public Health Program Representative, Tillamook County Community Health Centers
“I would say the greatest gift I give to myself is sleep. I used to stay up late and struggled to get up every morning. During those years I felt rundown and frequently battled colds and strep throat. Over many years, I worked to create a consistent sleep routine. Most nights I am asleep by 9:30 p.m. and I wake up every day at 5 a.m., even on weekends. I also started taking a vitamin D supplement. My sleep routine and taking vitamin D give me consistent energy to do the things I enjoy.” — Michelle Jenck, Director of Community Wellbeing, Adventist Health
“The two health-related gifts that I gave myself this past year was to take more walks and to be more consistent with my sleep routine. For me, the walks have been an enjoyable way to stay active even when my days are too busy to get a workout in. The second gift I gave myself was to be more consistent with my sleep routine. Having a consistent sleep routine has allowed me to feel well-rested each day.” — Janeane Krongos, Prevention Coordinator, Tillamook Family Counseling Center
“My daily self-care ‘reminder’ just came in my office, he’s a two-year old chocolate lab named Boon. Since I spend most of my day in front of a screen, I make sure that I get up and stretch, move and give my brain, eyes and body a break. And Boon is always ready to go outside for a walk. If you don’t have a Boon (which means blessing) – just set a timer to remind yourself that it’s time for a break at least once an hour for 5-10 minutes. It makes a world of difference at the end of the day – for your body, mind and spirit.” – Laura Swanson, Editor/Partner, Tillamook County Pioneer
“During the holidays, one of the greatest self-care gifts I give myself is the commitment to be adventurous, and to step outside of the norm of my day-to-day routine. I find great joy in spontaneity and trying new things: picking out an ingredient I’ve never used before and finding a recipe, traveling to a new park or hiking trail to explore, or picking up a new hobby. New experiences make life interesting and foster greater emotional health. What am I going to try this year? I’m going to attempt to make my own cheese, learn how to roller blade, and explore new genres of music.” – Lewis Martin, Nutritional Director, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council
AUTHOR: Patti Atkins, APR, Communications Consultant, Tillamook County Community Health Centers
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 30, 2022 | Recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups sliced onion
- 2 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes (4 generous cups)
- 2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced, or 1 can (15 ounces) sliced pears, drained and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 Tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (see Notes)
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onions and stir until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add squash, pears, garlic, ginger and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add broth and water; bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until squash is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Purée soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender. (If using a blender, follow manufacturer’s directions for puréeing hot liquids.)
- Return soup to pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice.
- Garnish each serving with a spoonful of yogurt.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/autumn-squash-bisque-ginger
by Guest | Nov 30, 2022 | Being Well
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects more than 30 million Americans and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. Most of us know how important weight control, exercise, and nutrition are in controlling blood sugars. What impact does sleep have?
Sleep is extremely important in maintaining our body’s performance, not only physically and mentally, but also down to the body’s chemical balances. Diabetes, whether type 1 or 2, comes down to an imbalance of the insulin and blood sugar relationship.
The right amount of sleep is needed to keep the endocrine system working well so insulin and blood sugar stays balanced. Studies have shown that too little sleep (less than 6 hours) or too much sleep (greater than 9 hours) can increase the risk for developing diabetes and make pre-existing diabetes more difficult to control. Some research suggests a 40% increase in the risk of developing diabetes if sleeping less than four hours per night. The human body is very complicated, and it needs just the right amount of sleep to work properly. The recommendation of about 7-8 hours a night comes from years of research to evaluate the amount sleep needed for our bodies to function at their best.
Even if your body is getting the right amount of sleep, the sleep needs to be quality sleep. Quality sleep is needed to make sure your body is truly rested with good oxygen levels, few awakenings, and can achieve deep sleep. If the sleep quality is poor, blood sugars will rise and the insulin produced will be less effective, leading to prediabetic conditions or making diabetes difficult to control.
The most common sleep disorders affecting diabetes are Sleep Apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome. Sleep apnea is when the back of your throat keeps collapsing during sleep and oxygen levels fall, leading to disturbed sleep and lack of deep sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome is a when the legs are moving around a lot during sleep because of pain or tingling and numbness leading to disturbed sleep and lack of deep sleep. Both these conditions cause a rise in blood sugars, increased insulin resistance, increase in stress hormones such as cortisol and the hunger hormone, ghrelin, all which contribute to diabetes. Treatment of these sleep disorders will help balance these hormones and help manage and decrease the risk of diabetes.
Not only does poor sleep affect your blood sugars at night, but in the daytime your energy levels will be low leading to poor blood sugar metabolism, lack of exercise, and weight gain over time. In short, poor sleep will affect night and daytime blood sugars and insulin effectiveness.
The relationship between sleep and diabetes is complex. Not only do you need good quantity and quality of sleep for better diabetes control and decrease risk of diabetes, but if you have poorly controlled diabetes it will affect your sleep. This stresses the fact that the approach to diabetic management is a multi-approach program including good sleep, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, and medication as directed by your physician.
Making your sleep health a priority will not only help you cut down your diabetes risk or better manage your diabetes, it will help with your overall wellbeing, including managing other chronic health conditions.
Some steps to healthy sleep include:
- Have a regular sleep and wake time
- Bedtime routine: wind down, read, no TV, keep bedroom dark, cool, quiet
- Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed
- Avoid nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine close to bedtime
- In the daytime avoid napping >45 minutes, stay active, and exercise
Think of healthy sleep as priority in your health management as it can help you avoid unnecessary medications and health complications. Healthy sleep equals a healthy body.
AUTHOR:
Kam Atwal, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Pulmonary / Critical Care / Sleep Medicine
Adventist Health Tillamook
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 22, 2022 | Eat Well
AUTHOR: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven
Although the names sweet potato and yam are used interchangeably, these tubers belong to separate plant families and are quite different. In fact, sweet potatoes aren’t even a close relative to potatoes.
This starchy root vegetable is long and tapered with a smooth skin that can vary in color from beige to orange, brown or purple. Pale beige or light golden fleshed sweet potatoes have a much drier texture than the darker fleshed orange variety and are also less sweet. This robust (dark or light) vegetable has a storage life of around three months if kept in a cool dry place.
The bright orange variety of sweet potato is what Americans are typically used to finding at the grocery store, and the variety we most often serve at our holiday tables. They are fluffy and sweet and delicious in both dessert and savory recipes.
As for the health benefits of sweet potatoes: Orange fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A (an antioxidant) in the body. Vitamin A supports vision and a healthy immune system. They’re a reliable source of B6, a regulator of metabolism, and are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Incredible that an average sized sweet potato contains only 135 calories.
Well, it’s not too soon to plan those holiday meals – especially if you’re the chief cook and bottle washer. So, back to the “quandary”; what holiday worthy sweet potato dishes might adorn our holiday tables without ruining all those glowing sweet potato facts I just shared with you? How about recipes that aren’t slathered in globs of marshmallow and brown sugar?
Following is a recipe for Scalloped Apples & Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts & Cranberries from my recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times” where 100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity. The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes. Thanks for your support. Hope you enjoy these tasty original recipes.
Following is a recipe for Scalloped Apples & Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts & Cranberries from my recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times”.
100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity.
The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes.
Thanks for your support. Hope you enjoy these tasty original recipes.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes & Apples with Walnuts & Cranberries
(Gluten free and vegan or vegetarian)
People seem forever looking for a better sweet potato or yam recipe; something simple and wholesome (sans marshmallows – please) yet lovely to look at and even better if it’s filled with both nutrition and flavor. Try this original recipe for spiced scalloped apples and yams (sweet potatoes) with toasted walnuts and Oregon cranberries. It takes about 10 minutes to prep and bakes without any checking and fussing. It makes an attractive (inexpensive) presentation for a special occasion, and you’ll be delighted with the simplicity and the taste.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter or vegan margarine, for baking pan
- 2 or 3 medium Oregon garnet yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in ½ inch thick slices
- 3 or 4 large Oregon apples (two types if possible: (Fuji, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious), cored, partly peeled (in strips) and sliced in ¾ inch thick slices
- ¾ cup walnut chunks
- ½ cup raw Oregon cranberries – unsweetened (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup salted butter OR vegan margarine, melted
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup OR honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom OR ground coriander
Directions:
- Generously grease a 9” x 13” oven safe glass or ceramic baking pan with butter or vegan margarine. Preheat oven to 375º F. Place oven rack in center position.
- Alternate yam and apple slices (scallop) decoratively, in rows, in prepared baking pan
- Sprinkle walnuts and cranberries over yams and apples.
- In the saucepan used to melt the butter, combine the butter with maple syrup (or honey) cinnamon, black pepper, salt, nutmeg and cardamom (or coriander). Pour syrup or honey mixture evenly over all in the baking dish.
- Bake, covered with foil, at 375 F. for around 35 – 45 minutes. Remove from oven; uncover and serve. This is healthy, colorful and almost like eating dessert. A good side dish with poultry, pork, bean and rice herb pilaf or stuffed winter squash. Serves 4.
Recipe Source: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
