Chew your way into a healthy lifestyle this National Nutrition Month! What better way to launch yourself into the spring season than by motivating yourself to have a healthier lifestyle? National Nutrition Month was first celebrated in March of 1973, for only one week. The purpose was to deliver nutrition education to the public while also promoting the profession of dieticians. As interest in Nutrition grew, the week expanded into a month-long celebration in 1980! With this growing awareness of Nutrition, and the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits, National Nutrition month can be exactly the call to action you need to get started on your health journey! Every year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics establishes a theme for National Nutrition Month, this year the theme is “Celebrate a World of Flavors” - meant to embrace global cultures, cuisines, and inclusion.
This week, we will dive into Five Tips to kick off National Nutrition Month on the right note, as well as explore a Wellness Recipe with Chef Janet Lee that is FULL of flavor!
Wellness Tip #1: Eat Real Food. Buy fresh food and vegetables as much as possible. When buying processed foods, make sure to look at the ingredient list. If you don’t understand - don’t buy it.
Wellness Tip #2: Cook as much as possible. Cook, cook, cook! The more you practice the more comfortable you’ll feel with it. This is also a great way to learn how to appreciate food more - because you are the one putting in the work!
Wellness Tip #3: Enjoy your food. Our digestive system starts when we chew! Sloooowwww down with your chewing, eat slowly and savor every bite.
Wellness Tip #4: Everything in moderation. In regards to nutrition, it is okay to avoid extremes. For example, not eating too much or too little of something, or don’t go overboard with meal prep and burn out too quickly. And lastly…
Wellness Tip #5: Break the rules once in a while. Even though it’s National Nutrition month, life is still moving! There may be special occasions where you want to treat yourself - do it! You deserve it. Enjoy the sweets and treats. Just remember Wellness Tip #4 when doing so.
Wellness Recipe with Chef Janet Lee
This week’s recipe is a beautiful Yellow Curried Pate. Pates are a combination of nuts or seeds, veggies, and spices or herbs to create the flavor you desire. All are easy to make with a food processor. Using a food processor over a blender helps create space in the canister and doesn’t mush the food in the bottom like a blender would do. Additionally, Pates can help make salads and wraps be more filling - or can also be a great dip! Leftovers can be multi-use too - you can dehydrate the leftover pate to make burgers, protein balls, or add chia or flax seeds to make crackers! The possibilities and flavors are endless!
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Curried Pate (yields 4 to 6 servings) 1 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds, soaked 1/3 cup onion, chopped ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped 1-inch fresh ginger, minced 1/8 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/8 cup water ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste Dash of cayenne pepper ¼ cup golden raisins, soaked for 20 minutes |
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• Place all ingredients except raisins in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade and process until smooth. • Drain and mix in soaked raisins either in the processor. Options: blend in a food processor or fold in whole in a bowl. • Serve wrapped in a collard leaf or stuffed in bell pepper. • Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator: lasts up to 5 days. |
