Tag Archives: yoga lean

The Limited Reach of Red Wine’s Health Benefits

Recently, there’s a fitness rumor going around that consuming one glass of red wine is equal provides health benefits equal to the ones we get out of doing a one hour workout at the gym. This is a seductive headline– “Score!” Readers are thinking, “A glass of Cabernet every day will keep me just as fit as 60 minutes on the treadmill? Fill ‘er up!”

Yes, it’s no surprise that this circulating nutrition trend is attracting lots of attention. It’s easy to believe in things we want to believe in, like, for example, the notion that kicking back with a nice red will do just as much for you as sweating through a tough cardio session.

I feel a duty, however, to set the facts straight in the name of the yoga and fitness program I believe in so fully and those who practice it.

I used to enjoy drinking more than I do now. At a time when I was enjoying multiple drinks per week, I was also having a lot of trouble ridding extra bulk from my mid section. My fitness trainer asked me about my alcohol intake, and reminded me that each of my drinks was going straight to my waist despite my commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise.

Yes, red wine contains resveratrol, a compound that carries a variety of health benefits. But I would have had a very hard time persuading people over the past twenty years to tap into the amazing power of proper nutrition and regular exercise if it were really true that red wine does just as much for our health. Red wine delivers resveratrol, yes, but like all alcoholic beverages, it also contains ethanol, which behaves like poison in the metabolism, plus a ton of sugar and calories!

Daily exercise strengthens your cardiovascular system, purifies your skin, jumpstarts your body’s ability to burn calories, and releases a flood of natural endorphins that noticeably enhance your energy level and sense of well being. If there’s an equivalent trade-in for the myriad gifts of regular exercise, human society hasn’t found it. Exercise is unique in its ability to keep the body and mind happy and healthy, and while, alcohol in close moderation is not a critical impediment to overall health, I recommend that anyone aiming to truly calibrate his or her body and mood eliminates it entirely. Alcohol provides momentary relaxation and poses a subsequent obstruction of our digestion, and mood. It is a fleeting fix to a larger question of how to make ourselves feel relaxed and happy on the larger scale whereas mindful eating and fitness support big-picture wellness.

With regard to this popular but uninformed fitness rumor, give your right mind, instead of the vino, a minute to breathe, and get back to the mat!

Tofu Simple Sandwich

June 10, 2015 – Rene MacVay, Food Blogger | Healthy Recipe Variations

I was looking for a quick and healthy meal to have post workout. I had about an hour to eat and get ready for an appointment so I worked with what I had. I looked in my refrigerator and found the following items already cooked:

Roasted bell peppers
Roasted red onion
Roasted garlic

I also knew I had available:

parmesan cheese and gluten free hamburger buns
extra firm tofu as well as gluten free deli turkey … so decided to go with the tofu
a head of cauliflower and some low sodium vegetable broth

Therefore, in less than 30 minutes I had dinner on the table. If nothing was prepared, this would have taken an hour.

Directions:

Chop the cauliflower stem and leaves into small pieces. Add the stalks and flowers to a pan with 1/2 cup low salt vegetable broth. Cover and let it simmer. (Check your pan from time to time…add some more broth if broth is almost gone and cauliflower is not at your desired texture. I prefer it to have a bit of a crunch. OPTION: dice a clove of garlic and add to the pan for flavor.
Drain the tofu by wrapping it in a kitchen towel and putting it between two dinner plates with a BOOK on top. How long to you drain the tofu? That is a personal choice. You can omit this step or drain it for up to an hour. After the tofu drains, if you decide to drain it (I prefer my tofu dry so I drain it as long as I can), cut the tofu block in half length and width wise…creating 4 evenly sized pieces.
Sautee the tofu in a pan with toasted sesame oil and some black pepper.

NOTE: If you wish to add another step and a few minutes to your meal…marinate the tofu in Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce or Sriracha Sauce. Adding the sauce TO the tofu means you will not need to add the sauce to the sandwich.

Defrost (if necessary) and toast the buns (adding a small amount of parmesan cheese) while the tofu and cauliflower cook. I started the buns with about 5 minutes to go. I warmed up the left over roasted items at the same time.
The sandwich was great open faced…with stacked vegetables on the bottom and thick tofu wedge on top. (I added gluten free teriyaki sauce on my toasted buns to add flavor. You could add a gluten free sauce of your choice.) A smaller sandwich would have thinner slices of tofu. The crunchy outer shell of the tofu, the softer interior, the vegetables melting in your mouth, and the bread to absorb the flavors was a delight after a long day.
I served with a side of roasted vegetables with rosemary (already cooked).

Variations:

OMIT vegetables and add lettuce, spinach, or arugula (or include them as well)
Substitute a chicken breast or gluten free deli turkey meat for the tofu
Omit cheese if you are trying to avoid dairy
Omit bun and use butter lettuce or another green as your mock bun

Enjoy this fast and simple YogaLean meal. Be active and eat healthy to be the best you that you can be. Enjoy this recipe and other gluten free recipes at Healthy Recipe Variations Blog.

Salsa Style Blackbean Pasta

June 1, 2015 – Rene MacVay, Food Blogger | Healthy Recipe Variations

Since I had to become gluten free I have reduced my pasta intake quite a bit. Pasta used to be a great go to for me, as it was a quick meal to fix and great leftovers to take to work the following day. A few Gluten Free pastas have come along that are organic, non-GMO, high in fiber, and cook without getting soggy. I can enjoy pasta again!

Tolerant Black Bean Pasta is a great addition to my pantry as it has great texture and flavor. I was looking for something to make for a quick evening dinner and decided to us up a few ingredients I had from my recent trip to the farmer’s market. I had a little of each ingredient, so pasta was the perfect way to marry the flavors and use the fresh ingredients.

This recipe takes less than a half hour from opening the refrigerator to finishing clean up. Enjoy a healthy meal…or put it in an airtight container and take it with you for a great lunch. Enjoy as a meal on its own or a side dish with a sandwich or salad.

Base Ingredients:

1 ear of corn … corn cut off the cob (yields about 2 cups)

½ Red Onion

½ Red Bell Pepper

1 Tomato (I used vine ripe)

Basil (for garnish)

Pasta – 1 Cup Tolerant Black Bean Rotini

Olive Oil

2 TBSP Butter (unsalted)

¼ Cup Vegetable Broth

Variations in keeping with Salsa theme:

 Add a few cloves of crushed Garlic

 Substitute Shallots for Red Onion

 Add a Hot pepper like a Jalapeño, Serrano, or Habanero depending on your personal interest in HEAT

 Add a cup of diced Mango if you wish a bit of sweet flavor

Instructions:

1. Cut the corn off the cob

2. Use a mandolin to cut the pepper and onion into small slices (or dice small with a knife)

3. Sautee all three ingredients in a pan with 2 tbsp butter and ¼ cup vegetable broth

4. Once onions are translucent turn off heat.

5. Add 3 cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of Tolerant Black

Bean Rotini. Stir from time-to-time. Drain after 5 minutes…reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.

6. While pasta is cooking dice the tomato.

7. Add pasta water, diced tomato, and pasta to pan with the sautéed vegetables.

8. Cook until water evaporates.

9. Transfer to a plate, bowl, or airtight container. Sprinkle with Olive Oil and/or Basil to garnish.

Enjoy this YogaLean meal and other Gluten Free Recipes on Healthy Recipe Variations.