Two Amazing Basics To Love

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to two amazing and healthy foods...they are primarily seen as sides, and they can also be the main star in your primary course! They are both easy to prepare, and versatile to use. And best of all, kids LOVE them!

1. "Petite Pastas" -- orzo, acini de pepe, stars (if you can find them), cous cous (both Israeli, and the more traditional varieties)

2. "Great Grains" -- amaranth, Quinoa, coarse ground cornmeal

Great additions to all of the above :

* Lemon or lime juice
* Feta or goat cheese
* Kalamata olives
* capers
* Roasted red peppers
* Olive oil
* Fresh spices
* Fresh tomatoes (or canned)
* Basil
* Turkey pepperoni
* Fresh diced veggies
* Edamame

Here's a really easy, quick, nutritious recipe to try :

Lemon Orzo Pasta (with or without protein)

Choose one of the "petite pastas" (I will use Orzo as my example). Bring your water to boil on the stovetop with some sea salt tossed in. Once it's to a rolling boil, add the Orzo. Cook as directed on the package, until the pasta is al dente. Drain and rinse in cool water. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator while you prepare your other ingredients.

To make a dressing for enough to cover a full box/package of cooked Orzo :

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbl of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp of lemon zest, a pinch of coarse ground sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and 2 generous tsp of fresh dill weed (you can use dried dill weed if you'd like, but stay away from dill SEED as it imparts a somewhat bitter taste to your dish). Set aside.

Finely chop 1 medium bell pepper (I like the flavor, color, and visual appeal of red peppers in this salad), 1 head of broccoli (raw broccoli can be "grated" on a cheese grater to give some bright green accents to this salad) grated or very finely chopped (no large chunks of broccoli in this particular dish).

Combine all ingredients with the Orzo pasta, toss to coat. At this point you may want to add more dill weed depending on the deepness of flavor that you'd like to achieve. Cover, refrigerate until ready to serve.

This salad is a wonderful, light, healthy option that can play a supporting role in any Vegan summer supper, and also has starring role potential by adding one of the following :

* Freshly grilled chicken breasts (marinate in fresh citrus juice, fresh minced garlic, cracked black pepper)
* Grilled jumbo shrimp (same marinade as the chicken)
* Steamed/blackened/grilled citrus Tilapia filets

And, most important of all : invite someone to share this meal with you! After all, surrounding yourself with positive people helps your lifelong fitness/wellness journey that much easier!

Nehemiah 8:10

"Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'"

Think Like A Child

1 Cor 13:11 says :

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."

In applying this to our fitness philosophy, most of us find that we are "adult-like" in our thinking. We no longer enjoy exercise, as we once did in our childhood. After all, how many of us groaned and moaned about playing dodgeball? How many of us rolled our eyes and dreaded going to our organized sports team practices, or dance classes? Most of us did not. So, fitness tip number one :

PLAY.

Get out and PLAY! Do you live near a beach? Grab a friend, a frisbee, and a cooler full of water and hit the beach! The resistance of the sand works your legs (and you don't even notice until the next day!), and you can get a decent cardio workout chasing a frisbee down the beach.

Don't live near a beach? That's OK! Grab a friend (or 2 or 3) and a football, head to your nearest park and toss the pigskin around for a few hours! You'll build social relationships, have fun, and best of all burn major calories!

Go outside and blow bubbles!
Go swimming!
Buy some sidewalk chalk, mark off a hopscotch board, grab some neighborhood kids, and hopscotch yourself silly!
Jump rope! If you sing "Cinderella dressed in yella..." it doesn't feel like working out!
Play water volleyball with some friends!
Have a waterballon or watergun fight!
Play a game of capture the flag!

Anything you can do that puts you in a carefree state of mind, that lets you forget you're "working out" is acceptable!

Your challenge today : break out of the box, and do one active thing that you enjoyed doing as a child! Than post a comment, sharing your experience with the rest of us so that we may be blessed as well!

Stay tuned tomorrow for some easy, inexpensive, and healthy menu options!

Welcome To The Fitness Witness

This is a blog where we hope you will be Blessed! Our goal is to uplift you, to guide you, to encourage you. Look for upcoming posts to give dietary suggestions, work out theories, and all the while we hope to Glorify God in the process.


"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."
--1 Cor 6:19

Looking forward to getting to know you!

Any questions, suggestions, or other thoughts? Email fitness.witness@yahoo.com