Winter tips: 10 minutes a day

How can you build in 10 minute blocks of activity into your day?

1.  Arrive at work 10 minutes early, after lunch or big meetings, or have walking meetings.
2.  If you have a small workplace, take advantage of mild days to walk outside or pick a large place nearby to walk.
3.  Make extra time at church, school, or while shopping.
4.  Get a walking buddy.
5.  Get a dog!
6.  At home, walk around the house while talking on the phone, meditation or prayer, or make it a game with the kids!

Get on your feet!

BLACK BEAN SWEET POTATO BURGER

Adapted from the Mininmalist Baker.
Yummy black bean burgers  with sweet potato and grain.  6 servings @ 2 burgers each

Ingredients
• 1 can of cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups mashed sweet potato (2 large sweet potatoes)
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice* (or sub cooked quinoa*)
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (to taste)
• Optional: 1/2 cup walnut or almond meal (or finely chopped)

FOR SERVING (optional)
• Sliced avocado
• Bed of greens
• Sliced onion
Instructions
1. Perce clean sweet potatoes several times with a knife. Wrap with a paper towel, and microwave 3 minutes a time, rotating and repeat until soft to the touch. Let cool. While potatoes are cooking, cook rice or quinoa (see notes for instructions).
2. Add black beans to a mixing bowl and mash half of them for texture. Then add sweet potato scooped from skin and lightly mash, then 1 cup grain, onion, nut meal and spices. Mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more rice or nut meal if the mixture feels too wet.
3. Lightly grease a baking sheet and line a 1/4 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap. Fill the lined measuring cup with sweet potato mixture. Turn over onto the baking sheet and gently press down to mash.
4. Bake burgers for a total 30-35 minutes, gently flipping 15 minutes in to ensure even cooking. The longer you bake them the firmer and drier they will get. I check them at the 25 minute mark.
5. Serve on thin buns (double stack for more bulk) or atop a salad with sliced avocado, red onion, greens, or salsa.
6. Store leftovers in a container in the fridge for up to a few days. Freeze and when needed grab one to thaw for easy snacks or on the go meal.

Notes
*For quinoa: rinse 1 cup quinoa and add to a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté in a bit of olive oil for 1-2 minutes, then add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until tender and fluffy and the water is absorbed.

Whole Foods Protein Breakfast Shake

Recipe borrowed from Dr Mark Hyman Makes 2 servings:  My version

2 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds (can be soaked overnight to make shake smoother and to release nutrients in seeds)
4 Walnuts
2 Tbsp Raw Pumpkin Seeds
3 Brazil Nuts
2 Tbsp Raw Almond Butter
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil Organic Coconut Oil or quarter ripe avocado
1 Banana (may omit banana if diabetic)
1 Cup Wild Blueberries
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
*Optional: Advocare’s Muscle Gain Vanilla or plant protein powder of your choice.  I have also used Advocare’s meal replacement shakes  which includes carbs so you would need to omit the banana!

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers. 3 John 1:2

Easy Pumpkin Protein Muffins

I loved the idea of pumpkin muffins, but after reducing my intake of gluten and increasing my protein intake, I knew I had to be creative.  I searched the net and talked to friends, and this is the best recipe I came up with!  Key, you must use baking powder or else all you will get is mush. 

These are only 86 calories (may vary according to your protein powder), 9 carbs, 1 fat, and 13 protein! This makes 12 muffins.

Preheat oven to 375F
Combine:

-1 cup of oatmeal processed in a blender/food processor into flour. *1 cup BEFORE it is processed, it will be less afterwards*
– 5 scoops of vanilla protein powder. * I use Advocare’s Muscle Gain but you could also use the Vanilla Meal Replacement Shakes, or get crazy with their seasonal Orange Cream  Meal Shakes!*
– 1 tsp Baking Powder
– 3 Egg whites from large eggs.
-1 cup of  pure pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
– 1/2 cup of no sugar added apple sauce

-1 tsp of cinnamon *or more to your preferred the taste. *
– 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice *

Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes depending on oven. Top with crumbled walnuts or pecans if you choose