by Guest | Apr 20, 2022 | Recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) chopped tomatoes
- 2 cans (15 ounce each or 3 1/2 cups) low sodium vegetable or beef broth (see notes)
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup uncooked macaroni
- 2 small zucchini, sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- In a 5 quart saucepan over medium heat, cook onion, celery and carrot in oil, stirring constantly until onion is soft, but not browned.
- Add potato, tomatoes, broth, beans and basil.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add macaroni and zucchini. Cook another 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Broth can be canned or made using bouillon. For each cup of broth use 1 cup very hot water and 1 teaspoon or 1 cube bouillon.
- Use any vegetables you have on hand.
- Add cooked meat if desired.
- Cook your own dry beans. One can (15 ounces) is about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups drained beans.
Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/minestrone-soup
by Guest | Apr 20, 2022 | Move Well
This is the second post in a series exploring Tillamook County Wellness’ ‘This Way to Well-being’ map. Today we explore the role movement plays in our health and wellbeing.
Have you ever noticed that you are in a better mood after taking a short walk around the block? According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s not your imagination: “regular exercise can increase self-confidence, improve your mood, help you relax, and lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety.” Making time to move can even help you get better sleep. In addition to helping cope with stress, the physical benefits of movement (like reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes) keep our bodies healthier and improve mobility throughout our lives.
Finding ways to fit in short neighborhood walks, playing fetch with your dog, gardening, or riding a bike can add up to significant positive changes in your health. Making a plan, adding it to your calendar and inviting friends to join will help keep you on track to your fitness goals. If you haven’t been active in a while, make sure to start off slow and increase duration and intensity as your fitness improves.
Tillamook County residents interested in experiencing the benefits of exercise have access to a wide spectrum of opportunities. The ‘This Way to Well-Being’ offers several ways we can integrate movement along the path to wellness; from the great outdoors, to the climate-controlled indoors, and activities you can do on your own or with a group.
- Visit a Park: You don’t have to travel far to find a park in Tillamook County, and you might find the one closest to home is a great place to take a lunchtime walk.
- Explore the Tillamook Coast Recreation Map: Between ocean beaches at Bob Straub State Park, the Hoquarton Trail in Tillamook and forest trails on Mt. Hebo, it might be hard to choose.
- Try a new Fitness Class: Exercising with a group can keep us motivated and connect with other members of our community. You can find classes at the Tillamook County Family YMCA, North Coast Recreation District, or Kiawanda Community Center . Keep an eye out for the Tillamook Bay Community College Course Catalog in your mailbox which lists upcoming fitness classes in the county.
- Join a Walking Group: Walking season has arrived! There are groups in North, South and Central County that meet to walk rain or shine starting in April. You can find information about a group near you on our website here.
- Walk along the beach: Known as The People’s Coast, after the 1967 law that guaranteed free and unrestricted public beach access, the Oregon Coast is among the most accessible in the USA. Trails along the coast and bays in Tillamook County are wonderful spots to birdwatch, storm watch, or view tide pools (Barview Jetty and Nedonna Beach). With a tide table, clam shovel, and shellfish license from ODFW you might even bring home lunch.
For information and resources about points of interest for moving well, visit our This Way to Well-Being page on our website. By participating in our well-being campaign, you may be eligible to win a prize! See our website or Facebook page for details.
AUTHOR: Brett Buesnel, AmeriCorps VISTA with Tillamook County Community Health Center
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 | Apr 13, 2022 | Eat Well
We know that what we eat matters for our health. What might be a surprise is that our relationship with food, where it comes from, and who we eat it with are just as important. Exploring these things and being intentional with our eating patterns can help us develop healthier habits and improve our overall quality of life.
The path to eating well doesn’t have to involve kale smoothies or vegan nut cheese, it will look different for each person. That’s why we included many different ways for eating well in our This Way to Well-Being map. (Information about the map and related campaign can be found here.)
You may have tried eating healthier in the past without much success. The key to changing our habits is to find our own “hook.” Do you enjoy being outdoors? Do you want to have more energy? Are you interested in supporting local businesses? Your path to well-being involves exploring activities that are meaningful and interesting to you.
There are several food-related “points of interest” along the Way to Well-Being map, including:
- Plant a Garden
- Eat More Fruits & Vegetables
- Cook a New Healthy Recipe
- Visit Food Roots (Storefront in Downtown Tillamook)
- Visit a Farmers Market
Do any of these appeal to you? Maybe you have been thinking about growing your own food for a while and just haven’t taken those first steps yet. Or perhaps, you have thought about supporting local farms or buying locally sourced foods but weren’t sure where to start.
Convenience drives our behavior and decision making. If we know where to find food at the local grocery store, we may not be willing to invest the time in finding local products in other locations. The Food Roots storefront in downtown Tillamook has year-round sales of local produce, eggs, meat, sea salt, honey and other products. Farmers Market season is just around the corner and markets are located throughout the county. Scheduling a visit to one of these locations before doing your regular grocery shopping ensures you get fresh, locally sourced products into your weekly meal plan.
Knowing where our food comes from – who is tilling the soil and bringing these nutrients to our plates in our own homes, is important. If we garden, we reap the health benefits of that directly. If we buy from local producers, we are supporting our local economy. Either way, it’s a win-win.
In the same way, preparing our own food changes our relationship with it. The time and care it takes to turn raw ingredients into a soup, salad, or omelet, makes a big difference. Better yet, cooking as a family and teaching our children how to grow their own food and make their own meals is one of the most lasting gifts we can give them. After all, everyone eats throughout their entire life. Encouraging young people to think about how their bodies need food as fuel can help them establish healthier habits earlier in life and could prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes later in life.
When we eat food that we prepare ourselves, we consume less salt, sugar and fat as these are added to commercially processed foods so that we will buy and eat more of those products. It can feel overwhelming to shift our habits, but at the same time, it can give us perspective to grow our own tomato plant and have fresh, sliced tomatoes on a sandwich we pack in our own lunches. There is a deep sense of satisfaction in providing for ourselves and by supporting others in our community. And, of course, there are the health benefits that come from eating more nutritious foods.
For information and resources about points of interest for eating well, visit our This Way to Well-Being page and explore our website. By participating in our well-being campaign, you may be eligible to win a prize. To be entered into a prize drawing, visit Food Roots at 113 Main Avenue in downtown Tillamook, and let them know you are there as part of the campaign. You can also participate by taking an online survey or by posting and tagging us on social media.
AUTHOR: Michelle Jenck, Adventist Health Tillamook Director of Community Well-Being
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 | Apr 13, 2022 | Recipes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Place a single layer of eggs in a saucepan. Add cold water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch. Heat over high heat just until the water comes to a full boil.
- Take the pan off the heat and cover with a lid or plate. Leave eggs in the hot water. Time depends on egg size: medium – 9 minutes; large – 12 minutes; extra large – 15 minutes
- Immediately drain eggs. Serve warm, or cool completely under cold running water or in ice water. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Use peeled eggs within 2 days or refrigerate in the shell for up to a week.
Notes
Tips for easier peeling:
- Refrigerate the eggs for 7-10 days before cooking. This gives time for the two membranes inside the shell to separate slightly.
- Let eggs cool after cooking.
- Roll the egg gently on the counter until the shell has small cracks all over.
- Start peeling at the large end.
- Hold the egg under cold running water to help loosen the shell.
Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/perfect-hard-cooked-eggs
by Guest | Apr 6, 2022 | Archive, Being Well
When you think of the word “wellness”, what comes to mind? For some, images of green juice smoothies and marathons might flash through your mind. But the idea of wellness acknowledges that there is much more to our state of being than just our physical health. Wellness is not just the absence of disease, but something that evolves over time as we strive to live our lives fully. As pointed out by the University of Maryland, “Wellness is fueling your body, engaging your mind, and nurturing your spirit.”
So what exactly does this look like? The answer is a bit different for everyone. There is no “wrong” path to wellness – any steps towards a healthier, happier life are valuable and worthwhile, no matter how small.
The good news is that taking the first step doesn’t need to involve training for a marathon. In fact, there are plenty of options for fun and engaging activities that also benefit your health, whether that’s physically, mentally, or emotionally. For inspiration, we have created a map of local activities here in Tillamook County to help you get started and continue down your own unique journey towards a happier, healthier you. Visit the “This Way to Well-Being” page on our website to see the full map, along with details for each of the stops.
In honor of the idea that well-being is much more than just our physical health, we have collected ideas for exploring different aspects of our lives. You’ll see that our map is color-coordinated:
- The green “eat well” stops represent ideas for enjoying locally produced food, whether this is visiting Food Roots in downtown Tillamook or trying your hand at growing your own produce this spring.
- The orange “connect well” stops offer ideas around prioritizing self-care and connecting with those around us, such as volunteering in the community or calling to check-in on a loved one.
- The blue “move well” stops represent inspiration for exploring the trails, beaches, and parks that are abundant throughout Tillamook County.
- The red “work well” stops acknowledge that we spend much of our time in the workplace and therefore this space is just as important to our health as our personal lives.
- And finally, the purple stops offer a few ways to connect with Tillamook County Wellness as you continue on your path!
It’s worth noting that these activities are often intertwined and therefore the benefits can actually multiply in effect. For example, you can connect with others while also enjoying the outdoors by joining one of the TCW Walking Groups. These groups meet weekly at a range of times and locations across the county (drop-ins welcome!) Click here to find a group near you this spring.
And as an extra perk, participating in activities along the map gives you the chance to win prizes. Anyone in Tillamook County is welcome to participate and individuals will have the opportunity to win more than one prize through any of the following:
- Joining an in-person activity designated by a star shape on the map, such as walking groups, fitness classes, local workshops, or visiting Food Roots
- Posting about your wellness map on Instagram or Facebook and tagging @TillamookCountyWellness
- Sharing your feedback about your experience with activities on the map through our quick online survey found on the map webpage.
You can find the full map on our website, or at your local Tillamook County library branch or another participating location, such as the North County Recreation District (NCRD), Tillamook County Family YMCA, Kiawanda Community Center, and Food Roots. Participants will be eligible to win prizes from April through October 2022 so let us know about your experience through social media, our survey, or by joining an event! Check out our website for details about each stop on the map and reach out to us with any questions at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. We hope that this map can serve as a jumping off point in exploring the fun and engaging opportunities here in Tillamook County for leading a happier, healthier life.
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.
