Extra Credit Blog Post!!

So for my last blog post I decided to post my favorite summer salad and a workout I actually don't mind doing.

Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Ingredients: 

1 cup quinoa

3 cups water
Salt to taste
2 cups diced cucumber
1 small red onion, finely minced (optional)
2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 to 2 Jalapeño or Serrano peppers (to taste), seeded if desired and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.
2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.
3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs. 
(Serves Six)

Nutritional information per serving:  

236 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

 

Easy, Fast, Workout!

Do this 3 Times!!

10 Push Ups

20 Sit Ups

25 Squats

20 Lunges (10 per leg)

80 Jumping Jacks

60 second Wall Sit

 

Blog Assignment #8

When i first found out that we had to post all our homework assignments on Blogger I was a little hesitant and didn't really want to start a blog but once I got the hang of it and started reading other peoples blogs I realized blogging really isn't that bad.  I think blogging for our assignments is a really good idea because it allows us to research interesting topics and learn while being able to experiment and write them out the way we want to.  I'm not really sure if I'll keep blogging but I did enjoy doing the homework assignments through blogger. This class has been very enjoyable and these homework assignments have been very informative about my health and myself.  I really enjoyed this class and meeting everyone. Happy blogging everyone! :)

Assignment #7: Herbals, Botanicals, and Supps!

Parsley

Parsley is a herb that is used for both culinary and medicinal uses.  Putting parsley in your food provides a good source of vitamins and minerals for you and is a good extract for teas and oils.  It is used for many health concerns such as, arthritis, kidney problems, painful menses, digestive complaints and cancer.  It can also be used for inflammation, but it is very important to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before using it for inflammation or any other health conditions. 

Parsley does have some side effects and may cause some headaches, convulsions, and even kidney damage.  Also, pregnant women should avoid parsley seeds, juice, or oils because it may cause a miscarriage or uterine contractions.

Blog #6 Love Languages Quiz

10 Quality Time

6 Words of Affirmation

6 Physical Touch

5 Receiving Gifts

3 Acts of Service

The "Whats Your Love Languages Quiz" helped me confirm that I love spending quality time with the person I like and that it is very important to me in a relationship.  I love spending time with the person I'm dating and absolutely love going on adventures with that person and just spending as much time with them as I can.  Also, words of affirmation is very important to me because I always like talking about things and knowing that everything is okay between us because I always second guess things.  This quiz was pretty accurate about everything and helped me understand how I feel about my relationships and what I expect in them.

Assignment #5: Kids OFF Drugs!

I think as a parent it is VERY important to try to help prevent your children from using drugs.  To try to help prevent my children from using drugs I would first educate myself about drugs so that I could educate my children about them and be able to answer any questions that hey had regarding drugs.  I think being a good influence/role model and getting involved in their lives would help my children make good choices. I can get involved in their lives by supporting them and encouraging them to do school activities/events and after school activities like sports or hobbies.  School and after activities can help them find and choose good wise friends who share positive attitudes and since I will be supporting and getting involved in these activities I will be able to know their friends and their families better. Being supportive and involved with their activities will hopefully allow my kids and I to have a strong bond allowing them to be able to come talk to me about whatever they want and will be easier to get my message about drugs clear because they will see that I'm being serious and mean what I'm saying.  I will discuss the legal issues and state that it's illegal for a reason, and discuss what it does to your body and how it can hurt them and others. I believe that letting them know that it is okay to say "NO" and to not give into peer pressure and just walk away is very important, especially at a young age. I will simply state that they should think about their actions and the consequences before they try something because they will be the ones that have to deal with them and it's their life and they are in control of their life, nobody else and if they are ever in trouble or stranded somewhere I will always be there to help them!

Assignment #4: Stress Reduction!

I came up with 2 stress reduction techniques to try out! My first one was venting it out with a close friend or family and the second one was running/walking it out.

Venting It Out:  I talked and vented about what is stressing me out with a close friend or a family member.  First I told them that I need to vent for a max of 5 minutes and to just let it all get out and when my 5 minutes was up to stop me so I don't spend too much time on it.  So my friend or family member just sat there and let me ramble on and on about what was stressing me out and they would occasionally nod their head or say yup, yeah, uhuh so I would know, or at least think they were listening.

Running/Walking It Out: When my friends or family members weren't around or available when I needed to vent or if I wanted to just deal with the stress on my own I grabbed my iPod and just went for a run or walked around to have some time to myself to relax and think about things or to just clear my mind and distract myself with all the nature around me. Nature and music in my ears helped me come up with ideas and solutions  to avoid the stress or conquer it head on, also to just take a deep breathe and clear my mind if I just needed a break from everything.


After doing these stress reduction techniques I felt like myself again and much more relaxed and like I had all the pressure from the stress off my shoulders! Physically I felt like I was able to eat peacefully without feeling nauseous or uncomfortable because I wasn't able to fully enjoy myself.  Emotionally I felt good because I was able to connect with myself or another person by allowing myself to express my feelings with myself or others. Spiritually I felt joyful and like I could get through anything and conquer it head on with my beliefs and values.  Mentally I felt like I learned a lesson and am able to master any other obstacles that come my way by coming up with a strategic plan to master and conquer my stressor!

I think both of these techniques reduces stress and I now have 2 healthy solutions to conquer my stress and be able to move on and maintain a healthy and happy life!