Sharetools

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Quick and Easy Dinner Prep Ideas We're Sure to Love

 
Couple Preparing a Pasta Dish



Most of us prefer to keep dinner meal planning simple and healthy, especially on busy days. This post offers tips and ideas to streamline our efforts so we can prepare a wholesome meal and still have time and energy to enjoy our evening.


Hopefully this post will help all level cooks, and each can take away something to make dinner prep more of a delight.


Quick and Easy Dinner Prep Ideas We're Sure to Love


1. Save time, and use frozen fruits and veggies when produce is called for in a recipe, and fresh is of poor quality or too expensive. Frozen foods have the same benefits as fresh, plus — some frozen products actually are more nutrient-dense. 


One example is a pack of frozen, unseasoned mixed veggies. These veggies are picked when they are at the peak of freshness and flash frozen (and therefore contain more nutrients than imported fresh but wilted produce). 


Imported items found in most markets may be several weeks old and have had to travel for miles and miles to get to your food outlet.


2. Update tried and true recipes to make them healthier and more user friendly. Replace part or all of the animal protein with vegan items. One important benefit of doing this is plant-based foods including lentils, tempeh, and beans are high protein, yet do not contain cholesterol as animal sourced products do. 


Read "Higher Ratio of Plant Protein to Animal Protein May Improve Heart Health" for details. Plant-based proteins have been shown to be more eco-friendly than animal sources, usually are less expensive, and have numerous health benefits. For more read  "Is Plant-based Protein for You? Here's What You Need to Know."


3. Learn which fresh fruits and vegetables are in-season and local. In-season produce is flavorful, eco-friendly, and nutritious. In-season fruits and veggies don't have to be processed or preserved. 



Note: This post is intented for entertainment and educatonal purposes only, and not intented as nutritional or health advice. Speak to a health professional if that is what you are seeking.


Peak season produce comes from farm to table, so it retains more of its flavor and nutrition. It also costs less than crops that are imported. For more read "Benefits of Eating In-Season Fruit and Veggies.


4. Set the intention to vary meal plans by using a few new in-season fruits or veggies or new recipes each month. This is an easy way to get food that's on sale, and try out unfamiliar ingredients that are available when we actually do our shopping. 


Colorful fruit and veggies feed our senses and satisfy our appetites as well. Please see "Frugal Food Shopping Tips to Improve Health on a Budget" for additional ideas. 


5. Make a double batch of food (soups, stews, and casseroles are great for this) and heat and eat leftovers for other meals during the week or freeze. Eat the bounty from our home garden and let it star as an ingredient in a quick and easy meal.

Use foods you have on hand before buying more.
eat foods on hand before purchasing more



Switch up a dish by seasoning it with a new herb, spice, or condiment like Dijon mustard. If you prefer, top with tomato sauce to give the recipe a new twist. Want additional food seasoning ideas? Read "Savvy Food Tips to Reduce Salt Intake."


6. Make one pot, sheet pan, salad bowl, or power bowl dinners whenever possible. Less to clean up and more time to do fun things.


Keep it simple by finding recipes that have 8 or less ingredients or dishes that allow for ingredient substitutions. Use those products you have in your pantry and refrigerator, and reduce food shopping errands, curtail food waste, and save money too.


7. Don't schedule phone calls or do business stuff during dinner time. Practice eating mindfully and notice how rich mealtimes can become. For tips and ideas about this topic read "Key Reasons to Eat Mindfully with Tips to Succeed."


Devote meal time to savoring a meal with your family by getting everyone into the act. Get help with food prep, serving, or clean-up, and spend quality time to re-connect. 


Here are links to recipes  that are delicious, simple to make, and healthy.


"Tofu Tips to Make it Taste Amazing" from yours truly includes food prep ideas and simple, yummy tofu recipes for Tofu Scramble and Marinated Tofu in a Veggie Stir-Fry on a Bed of Brown Rice. 


Tofu Tips to Make it Taste Amazing


"Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers" is a recipe created by Alex at the New Baguette. These vegan burgers have a Tex-Mex vibe and are so flavorful.


Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers Photo Credit Alex at the New Baguette





See "Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas" from the Minimalist Baker website for an easy soup recipe that covers many good nutrition bases.

Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas, Photo Credit Minimalist Baker


"Mediterranean Pasta Bake with Mushrooms and Eggplant" a recipe from Laura Marzen, RD, LD appears on the Forks Over Knives website. See how easily it comes together- one, two, three. 

Recipe from Laura Marzen RD, LD and photo from Forks Over Knives Website




"Broccoli Pesto Quinoa Salad," is an easy to prepare one dish dinner salad from Love and Lemons. It's fresh and filling, and features blanched broccolini, lemony pesto, crispy chickpeas, crunchy veggies, and avocado.


Broccolini Pesto Quinoa Salad, Photo Credit Love and Lemons





Please let me know if you make any of these dishes and whether it nourished and satisfied you.


What foods do you cook to keep meals quick and easy and do you think they are healthy as well?


Please comment in the section below. Check out the creative recipe developers who shared their recipes here today, and leave a  comment at their websites as well.


Just remember not to put links in your comment, as I will not be able to publish it that way. Thanks for understanding.


Please visit Colors 4 Health often and ...

www.colors4health.com

This post has been shared at Talking About it Tuesday #64









Saturday, March 15, 2025

Tips to Help Us Gently Detox Our Lives This Spring

 
Spring Flowers


Spring is an opportune time to embark on a gentle, all-inclusive cleanse to refresh our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual
well-being.



Why Not Set the Intention to:

Release toxins from mind, body, and spirit

Increase energy and vitality

Relax nervous system and calm the mind

Reset one's natural state of balance

Make choices that promote optimal health and well-being


Spring clean our eating plans as well as our bodies, minds, homes, offices, closets, and spirits. 

With some research and planning, self-discipline, and a little elbow grease we can add more whole food choices to our meal plans and set aside adequate time for additional self-care. 

Then as we dust, scrub, and organize our living space, even tiny steps along the way help us feel more self-empowered.


Eating Vegetables Help Us Detox Our Lives


For best results, eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal products, sugary foods, fried foods, and highly processed foods. 


Feature salads and dishes that include cleansing ingredients including celery, parsley, beets, avocados, spinach, garlic, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, berries, and dark leafy greens that are in-season and local. 


Look for the freshest produce, the kind that's brightly colored, organic (not sprayed with toxic chemicals or comes from seeds that are genetically modified), and hasn't spent days or weeks coming to us from distant lands. 


Fresh fruit and vegetables are powerful foods that improve our outlook as well as satisfy hunger. Read additional tips to help us discover wholesome foods that elevate mood 


Reserve time each week to look inward. Deep breathing, tai chi, or other meditative arts calm our minds, soothe our nervous systems, and reduces information overload that builds up and contributes to our stress. 


Develop and maintain a meditation practice, as it helps reduce negative thoughts, detox our being, and improves energy over time. 


Unplug from electronic devices, email, phone, and other distractions for a set period of time each day. 


This is a direct, uncomplicated way to improve mental and physical well-being, focus attention on our priorities, reduce stress, and allow for better sleep and relationships.


Look at less TV and use that time for relaxing activities like walking or hobbies. Time spent with loved ones, engaging in physical or social activities, and in learning new things, does much to enliven living.



Fit movement and exercise into each day. Reap benefits of physical activity including improved cardiovascular health, better flexibility, weight management, enhanced mood and cognitive function, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. 



Create healthy outlets for emotional expression. Use journaling, art, yoga, dance, or music to help us get stuck feelings (energy) out.


Be proactive and participate in leisure activities that restore balance or shift our focus to something positive and calming. 


Woman and Man Dancing in an open field


Remember there is no one-size-fits-all detox method. We need only try ones that appeal to us.


Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night to support our body's natural detoxification process. For motivation we can read this article from WebMD, How Much Sleep Do I Need?


Get a dose of sunlight (Vitamin-D), exercise, and fresh air in the morning hours, as this combo stimulates feel good hormones, lifts our mood, and gives us more energy throughout the day. 



Stay hydrated. Water helps flush out toxins, supports the body's natural detoxification processes, and aids in maintaining proper organ function, especially the kidneys and liver.


Check-in with our body, mind, and spirit at some point during the day (I like to take a few minutes at the end of the day to do this) to review the day's learnings, insights, and areas where we still need work. 


Use this check-point to note our progress, and discover how we are  responding to the changes we're making. Then we can adjust our approach accordingly.



When we are trying out new behaviors, struggling to overcome something, or working on improving self-care routines, treating ourselves with self-compassion is essential. 


Self-compassion means being kind and understanding, especially when we face challenges or setbacks, rather than being critical or judgmental.


Make it a point to acknowledge the positives
in our lives by writing out a daily gratitude  list and counting our blessings often. 

Note: The information in this blog post is shared
for entertainment and educational purposes only.It is not intended as medical advice. If you seekmedical attention, consult with your health careprovider.

Have you thought about doing a spring detox
this year?

Which of the tips resonate with you?

Please comment below. Feel free to mentionpractices that help you detox.

Please don't put links in your comments.  I will not be able to publish them that way.

If you like what you see, spread the love on
social media.

Thanks for the visit and please come back
soon. 
This post is FEATURED at  Welcome-to-senior-salon-pit-stop-354





This post has been shared at Talking About it Tuesday #64

This Post has been shared at Fiesta Friday #582

This post has been shared at Senior Salon Pit Stop # 353

This post has been shared at Creative-Muster-Link-up-Party- 628

This post has been shared at Talking About It Tuesday #62

This post has been shared at SSPS # 352

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Color Health and Safety Tips for Seniors


 


How often have you used your sense of color to navigate through your day, and not been conscious of your actions? 

This post presents ideas about color characteristics and how being color savvy as you age, can improve the quality of daily living. 

Learn how your color choices help you stay out of danger, create a mood, safeguard health, and encourage you to get back on track.




1.    Red is an energetic color, one that attracts attention.





Research indicates that red is a color that’s most easily seen by everyone, even from a long distance away. Stop signs, curb edges, and red clothes are just three of the ways red can attract attention. 

Play it safe. Keep a red night light on in a darkened room, including the hallway and bathroom. Red light is easier to see, than white light.

When you look at red, it speeds up reactions, and stimulates the appetite. Fast food restaurants choose it for their logos and feature it in their décor. 

If you need to put on a few extra pounds, decorate with red accent colors in your kitchen or dining room, because it increases your desire to eat more food. 

See additional information about how to Use Color Ideas to Cultivate Happiness.


2.   Yellow is a happy, easy to see color.



Yellow is the color of essential road signs, like a no passing zone or a warning sign that signals an obstacle or curve in the road. 

Yellow is a lively color, but when you focus on this color too long, it can cause eye strain. This happens because light is reflected by bright colors, resulting in excessive stimulation and irritation of the eyes. 

Lighter shades of yellow create a sense of cheerfulness and ease, and creamy yellow painted walls create a restful atmosphere. Soft yellow paint applied to walls in a small room makes that room appear larger. 

Yellow is the color most often associated with the solar plexus chakra. Learning how to use its color energy can empower you.


Use Yellow Color to Empower Yourseelf



3.   Color is an important clue to consider for food freshness and safety.

When you prepare, serve, and eat a food product, notice its color. 

Fresh produce is vibrantly colored, so shop for or grow fruits and vegetables in an array of colors including red, dark green, yellow, orange, and purple. 

Set the intention to let the food you eat provide essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, rather than try to get nourishment from supplements.




Eat at least 5-7 servings of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables a day, as it’s money in the bank for disease prevention, maintaining strong teeth and bones, and providing energy to work and play. 

If you’re ill or out of commission from a fall or other injury, remember it’s especially important to eat the rainbow to heal. 

A study from the National Institute of Health (NIH)  indicates why increasing fruits and vegetable consumption improves muscle strength in older adults (for that matter, anyone of any age).


4.   Certain colors warn of danger.


Molds are microscopic fungi that live in plant or animal matter. Unless you know for sure that a mold on food is intentionally grown, like those on blue-veined cheese such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola or the white mold on Camembert cheese, don’t eat it. 




When you suspect a food is spoiled, return it to the store for a refund or discard it. That old adage it’s better to be safe than sorry applies here. 

Several types of food mold can make you feel queasy, produce allergic reactions, or respiratory problems.


5.   Contrast helps colors stand out from their background.

 

As you age, the ability to recognize the differences in color shades may diminish slightly. Compensate for this by remembering not to put yellow, blue, and green in close proximity. These colors may become increasingly difficult to tell apart. 

If you arrange clothes in your closet or dresser by color, put contrasting colors next to each other.


MedlinePlus at the NIH advises seniors. “As you age, it gets harder to tell apart blues and greens than it is to see the difference between red and yellow."

Read details at MedlinePlus to discover possible ways vision can be affected as you age.


                       
                                🍁💙🍍🍆🎀


Notice how often your color choices support, protect, relax, delight, or excite you. Take advantage of each color’s unique characteristics to help you lead a more colorful, satisfying life!

 

***This post is offered for entertainment and information purposes only, and is not intended as health or safety advice.***

Please comment in the comment section below.

What is your favorite color? When you see it, how does it make you feel?

Are you mindful about the way colors affect your sense of enjoyment?

I welcome comments, and read every one. Just be aware that if you put a link in your comment, I won't be able to publish it that way.

If you like what you see, please spread the word on social media. THANKS. 



This post has been shared at Welcome-to-senior-salon-pit-stop-354

This post has been shared at Fiesta Friday #582


This post has been shared at Creative-Muster-Link-up-Party- 628


This post has been shared at Talking About It Tuesday #62


This post has been shared at SSPS # 352


This post has been shared at Welcome-to-senior-salon-pit-stop-351