Aspire, Perspire, Nourish Yourself

What’s Your Word for 2015?

While running last Friday morning, I was listening to my favorite radio station, Krater 96.3, and the DJs were discussing their resolutions for 2015. They had an interesting twist on the subject that we’d like to share with you.

New Year, New You, New Life Resolutions

Resolutions are the hot topic in the first week of every new year, even though we know from research and personal experience that most resolutions are broken before the end of January!

Typically, on our blog we don’t like to discuss resolutions at this time of year because we believe people are pressured into setting them when they may not really be ready to commit to them. The New Year is just a convenient time to reflect on the past and consider the future but it may still not be the right time for you to ‘resolve’ to do something or not to do something going forward. The stick-to-it type decisions are ones that come from the gut or the fire in your belly. Something has to get you to the point where you want to act on it and stick with it. Look for that kind of motivation to drive your resolve and think of the positive image and not the negative. For example, instead of “losing weight” think “healthier living”. We’ve discussed the importance of positive images or positive psychology in past posts and want to remind you that language provides a vivid image for our minds.

The Twist for 2015

Okay! So getting back to the twist from the DJs at Krater 96.3. Last Friday, each of them talked about ‘their word’ for 2015. They didn’t spell out their list of resolutions but they shared a word they would use to cue themselves for 2015. The word described how they wanted to be this coming year or a general theme for what they would focus on for the year. For example, one of the DJs said his word was ‘commitment’ and that this year he wanted to be more committed to things such as show his commitment to his family, God, others in the community, his work. The other DJ said her word was ‘presence’. As she explained, she finds herself thinking forward, planning and worrying about the future and in 2015 she wants to spend more time appreciating and living in the present. The other DJ said that his word was ‘kindness’. He wants to show more kindness towards others this year. He explained that although he’s polite and appreciative he thinks he can be kinder.

We love this twist on resolutions because the words describe a theme or general sense of how they want to act or want to be. The themes can transpire throughout their lives. For instance, the one DJ who talked about wanting to be more present also mentioned that she always sets a resolution to lose weight and every year she seems to fail. Rather than setting this resolution yet once again, with the theme presence, she can use it to remind her to be present when she’s eating or making choices about nutrition and fitness. She can also use the word to remind her to be present when her daughter is asking her to spend time together instead of thinking about getting dinner ready and doing all the other chores she’d planned to do.

Start with Your Motivation

It’s not enough to just choose a word or theme. Like we said earlier, the theme or word needs to reflect something you really want for the coming year. How are you going to make it stick? Dig deep to find out what’s motivating that theme. Why has the word popped into your head? How will you use the word as your cue? Maybe it will be picture of the word! I plan to write my word down in every spot I look at in the morning, which is my computer screen. It will be my screen saver! Maybe I’ll add it to the blog post as a sign off or engrave it on a leather bracelet to wear throughout the year.

Our Words for 2015

Curious about what our words are for 2015?

Lia’s word is Giving. I’m so thankful for what I’ve got in my life, and it’s time for me to give back to others in 2015 – to my family, friends, and above all to my community. It can be a simple act or something more but essentially it’s about making a positive difference in someone else’s life. Although I’m not sure where this word will take me in 2015, I’m excited about the journey because it will surely give back to me in spades.

Mary’s word is Simple. After a hectic year, 2015 for her is about getting back to basics and keeping life simple. The idea is to enjoy life in the moment by minimizing stress, avoiding over commitment, and knowing when to stop obsessing. Getting together with family should be easy enough to be spontaneous, and cooking should be simple and enjoyable. Wholesome ingredients, cooked simply, taste good and need little work – maximum goodness, minimum fuss!

Now, it’s your turn. What’s your word? Share it with us in the comments.

Happy 2015!

Recipe of the Week: Pineapple Cherry Jam

Monthly Food Feature: Brussels Sprouts

photo credit: Dreamstime.com – Svetlana Kolpakova

What’s one of the most popular side dishes for the Christmas Holidays? Brussels sprouts, of course. For those who love brussels sprouts, the Holidays are so much sweeter when every meal features them. For the rest of us, this vegetable needs to be disguised in many ways to make it appealing.

We have to admit that brussels sprouts are not our number one choice for yummy vegetables but they contain such powerful health benefits that we feel strongly about building them into our meals more regularly.

When cooked properly brussels sprouts can be delicious. Most often what turns people off this healthy vegetable is the sulfur smell that emanates from them. When overcooked, the sulfur smell, similar to rotten eggs, can be quite strong.

Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits

photo credit: http://www.onthegreenfarms.com/fruit-vegetable/how-to-grow-organic-brussels-sprouts/

Brussels sprouts are part of the Brassica family and like other cruciferous vegetables, they are chock-full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

This low-fat and high fiber vegetable is also low in calories. One cup of cooked brussels sprouts is about 56 calories. Along with its fiber level, the high water content of brussels sprouts make them a filling food.

More specifically, brussels sprouts are:

An excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C
A very good source of folate, manganese, vitamin B6, fiber, choline, copper, vitamin B1, potassium, phosphorus, and omega-3 fats
A good source of iron, vitamin B2, protein, pantothenic acid, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin B3, calcium, and zinc
(source, accessed December 29, 2014)

© Dirima | Dreamstime.com - Detox Smoothie Before Running Workout Photo

Research about brussels sprouts reveals that they may have many health benefits given their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detox properties. As a result, this vegetable may help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain thyroid function, and lower risk of cardiovascular problems.

One of the main reasons for such powerful health benefits is the high and unique combination of glucosinolates in brussels sprouts. Glucosinolates are phytonutrients present in all cruciferous vegetables and are believed to be responsible for cancer-prevention and overall detoxing of our system. The high sulfur content nutrients of brussels sprouts are also important contributors to this vegetable’s detox benefits.

Where are Brussels Sprouts from?

Brussels sprouts look like mini cabbages and taste like them too! They got their name from the city in Belgium, where it is believed that this vegetable originated. In North America brussels sprouts are mainly grown in coastal areas of Northern California with a harvest season from June to January.

To get the most health benefits from this vegetable, be sure to let them sit for 5 minutes after cutting them up. Steaming them is the easiest and most beneficial way to cook them.

Easy Recipes

Brussels sprouts can be added to any dish to bulk up the dish without the added calories. For example, add brussels sprouts to a burritos filling or finely shred the brussels sprouts and add them to meatloaf mixture. As a side dish, mix brussels sprouts with any other vegetables on hand and sauté or bake with onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes.

Here are a couple of recipes that feature brussels sprouts that you might want to try.

From Real Simple:

from Real Simple website http://www.realsimple.com

Rigatoni with Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts

An easy pasta dish that can be made any weeknight. If you want to make this dish gluten-free, use soba noodles or rice noodles. Add small chunks of chicken to the roasting pan with the vegetables to add protein to this dish.

From Eating Well:

from Eating Well website
http://www.eatingwell.com

Wild Rice Pilaf with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

As a side dish or vegetarian main dish, it has deep, bold flavors and healthy ingredients.

Want to add more brussels sprouts to your meals? Experiment with them to find your best recipe. In the meantime, try out our Recipe of the Week or the ones listed above.

References: