So my husband is trying Keto again. Wish us luck. Not that it is much different than how we usually eat, but there is a lot more prepping and cutting and planning… so a lot more work on my part.  🙂  I do not mind, especially if it is going to help him feel better in the long run.  One of the best things I have learned about meal prepping, even before my husband doing Keto, is the Frittata.  It is easy, it is delicious, and it lasts for days.

I am able to change up this frittata recipe for him on a weekly basis too so it does not get old.  Sometimes I use more egg whites than the whole egg.  Sometimes I use diced asparagus, sometimes I use spinach, and sometimes I use zucchini, it all depends on what I have extra of and what I know he will like.  I always change up the meat too, sometimes it is Canadian bacon, others its leftover steak, sliced deli meat, or sometimes its vegetarian.  Either way, he loves these frittatas and so do I!

I generally make it in a 9 inch round cake pan, I guess I could use a square cake pan as well but now it’s a habit.  I then cut it in 6 triangles and there is breakfast for either 6 days for him, or 3 and 3 for him and me.  The best part is its hart to mess up…forgot to set a timer and it overcooked?  Still delicious… didn’t have much on hand?  Eggs and cheese it is… still delicious.

Here is a sample recipe of my normal frittata for a daily dose of yummy, keto, protein-packed breakfasts.

Print

Meal Prep Frittata

An easy and delicious Frittata to make your mornings easy.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Hernandez

Equipment

• cake pan

Ingredients

• 8 Eggs or more with egg whites
• 15 asparagus
• 4 canadian bacon
• 1/2 cup quattro formaggio cheese trader joes of course
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Crack eggs in cake pan, add salt and pepper and mix well
• dice asparagus and Canadian bacon and spread evenly on top of eggs
• Place in pre heated oven for 10 minutes
• The last 5 minutes, sprinkle cheese (of your choice) on top and bake
• once cooled, cut into however big pieces you want and place in tupperware, i have even added salsa on top for extra flavor.

See more of our recipes here.

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When it comes to pampering yourself, pedicures are a fantastic way to do that. However, most nail salons are closed again and many have no real idea of when they will be opening. Doing your pedicure at home is a great way to save money, to give yourself a sense of pride, and to make a difference in the overall way that you feel during these strange times.

What You Need For a Home Pedicure

• Foot and Nail File

• Nail Clippers/cuticle cutters

• Foot Cream

• Foot Pumice

• Foot Soaker or tub

• Cuticle Oil

• Polish (optional)

When giving yourself a home pedicure you will need some tools to help get the job done. For starters, foot files, nail files, and nail clippers are necessary to help get your feet soft and prepped. Start by clipping and filing the nails to get them trimmed and looking great. You can then use a foot soak to help soften the feet and make callouses softer so that they can be removed.

After soaking your feet you can then use a foot file or a pumice stone to help remove the dead skin and the callouses that are on the feet to help make them softer and more supple. You can also use foot cream to help restore moisture to the skin and to help make them feel a bit more luxurious as well. When it comes to nail care, cuticle oil is a fantastic way to help make the cuticles easier to push back and to help nourish the bed of the nail.

If you want, you can finish off with some polish to help complete the pedicure. Polish helps to make your toes look great when you are out and about and polish can also help to protect the nail bed. With a great pedicure at home, you can save money, you can make the most of your time staying at home, and learn a new skill.  

Pedicures are fantastic to do at home while the nail salons are close, who knows, you might even enjoy it!

See our website for more beauty hacks. 

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There’s a much broader focus on the healthiness of food these days. Brown rice is better than white rice. Wheat bread is better than white bread. What about the kind of egg? Is one healthier than the other? Does the shell color make a difference? The answer is no. Shell color depends mostly on the breed of chicken that laid it. It has nothing to do with whether or not the egg is white or brown. Eggs are good for you, no matter what color they are.

Other Nutritional Factors

There are many factors in a chicken’s environment that affect the nutritional content of its eggs. The main differences are as follows:

• Chickens raised in the sunshine have four times more Vitamin D than those who aren’t.
  
• A chicken with a diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids will have more in their eggs.
  
• Feeding a chicken watermelon increases levels of A, B, and C Vitamins.
  
• A diet rich in mealworms increases the protein content.
  

The Reason for the Color Difference

The color of an egg depends on the type of chicken and the composition of the eggshells themselves. It has nothing to do with the rest of the egg. Brown eggshells have brown pigments that are rich in iron, but it doesn’t make a difference with how much iron the rest of the egg has. Brown eggs cost more because the chickens eat more. That’s the only reason.

A Healthy Superfood

Eggs are high in the “good cholesterol” that prevents heart disease. They contain lutein, which prevents the spread of disease and improves your vision. They are one of the oldest staples in the human diet, along with bread and milk. They can be cooked in thousands of different ways and can please any kind of palate. It’s more important now than ever to be careful about what you eat. Brown egg vs. white egg. Is one healthier than the other? No, but they are both rich in vitamins and proteins that your body needs to thrive.

See more posts about food here.

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There is somehting about being outdoors, especially the beach.  It sooths the soul and calms the nerves.  A beach getaway with kids can be a summer highlight. It also has many opportunities for trouble and distress. General tips can reduce exposing children to danger. It’s important to explain to children that the ocean is alive. The waves are constantly pulling and pushing, and not far away is an underwater world of sea animals.

Video Overview

Being Safe in the Waves

Danger Zone

Rip Currents are strong and narrow, flowing away from the beach through the surf, pulling swimmers into the ocean. A rip tide can be identified by a break in the pattern of waves, sometimes leaving lines of seaweed or foam towards the sea. They are also visible as choppy waves with perhaps a change in the color of water. Children should only play in the waves when lifeguards are present. Most importantly, kids must know not to panic or resist the pull of the rip current. They should either float or swim parallel to the shore until out of the current. Rip currents appear mostly near piers or low spots on the beach.

Wildlife is an unlikely source of problems, but still should be discussed with children. A shark attack is highly improbable, but it has happened. A painful encounter with jellyfish or sea urchins would be more likely.  Something common in southern California are sting ray wounds.  They hurt!  Make sure to research what is common to the beach of your destination for the best talks with your kids. 

Swimming in the ocean can be a hazard, yet that may be difficult to impress upon a young, strong swimmer. Children need to know to stay away from structures like piers and jetties, as rip currents tend to occur there or waves can push swimmers onto these hard surfaces. Parents should also be aware of high winds that can affect the size and force of waves. Big waves can knock children to the ocean floor, which can be covered with rocks, causing injuries. It’s always best to be near a lifeguard when children are in the water.

Sunburn can ruin a beach getaway with kids. There are several general tips regarding protection from the sun and heat: apply sunscreen before and during exposure to the sun, take a large umbrella to sit under, wear sunglasses, and drink water to avoid dehydration.

While all of those are important, its also a time to have fun!!  Make sure you bring lots of snacks and water or juice, playing in the sun and water is hard work! A great last tip is to plan your exit.  Give your children a warning of when you will be leaving so that you can start packing up and leaving without a tantrum.

Here are tips on staying safe in the heat.

Have fun and stay safe!

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Generally, people across the globe are in quarantine during these trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The national governments have requested all those people under quarantine to eat healthily, wash their hands frequently, sanitize as well as avoid stress. Also, people have been asked to stay indoors and maintain social distancing to reduce the spread of this pandemic. In addition, all countries are trying all they can to keep their citizens safe and healthy during this harsh period. Eating healthy and staying positive can help improve the mental health of the people amid quarantine.

Video Overview

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, most people have been left hopeless and in severe cases, some people have been developing mental illness.  It seems that this has happened more than we think.  Staying healthy as well as happy is very important. Getting helpful advice from mental health experts is the best effort to take to avoid depression and other health issues such as high blood pressure. This article discusses several tips for staying healthy as well as content amid quarantine.

Look for the Good

To begin with, ensure that you look for the good. Make sure that you only focus on the positive sides of the situation and try to tune out the negatives. Besides, your mind interprets what you focus most and your feelings will be recognized by your brain just the way you take it. In short, when you focus on good things you will be happy.

Exercise 

Avoid staying in the same place for a long time (like binge watching Netflix all day). Despite quarantine and social distancing, it is important to embrace home-based exercises. You can make use of daily online classes to ensure your body keeps on moving. In this way, you will be able to maintain physical fitness as well as mental health.

Eat Healthy to stay Happy

Ensure that you consume a healthy balanced diet. To boost your immune system, it is advisable to eat a lot of fruits and vegitables in your diet to help you emotionally as well as mentally. Usually, eating healthy involves eating first-class diets that contain a lot of minerals, antioxidants as well as vitamins. Such diets sustain the brain as well as shield it from depression.

We hope you are staying happy and healthy in these trying times.

For more ideas on staying happy, try journaling. 

The post Staying Happy and Healthy During Quarantine appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

So everyone who knows me knows that I am a Trader Joe’s junkie.  I know where everything in the store is, down every isle, every summer item (pickle popcorn is a must) or especially when it is Pumpkin season.  They have pumpkin everything!  But that is not what this is about.  This is about a healthier version of a spaghetti dinner and making enough for meal prepping the next few days for lunch.  I, of course, get everything from Trader Joe’s.   

The reason I like this recipe is because I mix the zoodles in with quinoa and brown rice spaghetti noodles.  It makes it so that is not such a drastic difference to switching to zoodles, or switching to the healthier version of this kind of spaghetti.  I have 2 young boys, and they love it! There are a few tricks that I have learned along the way, like having plenty of water when boiling the pasta. 

Quinoa pasta absorbs more water and leaves a heavier residue.  Also, stir the pasta frequently because those pesky noodles stick together easier, even with olive oil in the pot.  Another trick to make it tastier is to sauté the zoodles for a couple minutes in olive oil and salt and pepper.  This will ensure that this healthier version of noodles taste delicious and have a similar texture to the spaghetti, versus being slimy and crunchy… 🙂

Enjoy and Cheers!

Print

Zoodle and Spaghetti Dinner

A combination of zuchinni noodles and quinoa/brown rice pasta for a healthy all in one dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Spaghetti, zoodles

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Hernandez

Cost $20

Equipment

• spiralizer
• pan
• pot

Ingredients

• 3-4 organic zucchini
• 1 package quinoa and brown rice spaghetti
• 1 jar organic marinara sauce
• 1 package garlic chicken sausage
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• parmesean cheese to taste

Instructions

• Spirilize zucchini, another tip is to cut the zoodles alongthe way so they are not super long
  
• Sauté garlic and zoodles on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, addsalt and pepper
• Cook pasta according to package, remember to stir frequently
• Cut and sauté sausage while that is cooking
• Drain pasta and pour sauce in pasta pan, heat
• Mix both zoodles and pasta into sauce

The post Healthier Zoodle and Spaghetti Dinner appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

Why Stretching is Important

Have you ever visited a physician with some back pain, and he recommended to stretch out your muscles? Worry not, you are not alone. Stretching regularly has been linked with several health benefits. Most people believe that stretching before any physical activity is essential; however, stretching daily is vital.

Video Overview

Here are some of the reasons as to why you should stretch daily

Staying Healthy

Stretching has been linked to the art of staying healthy as it increases the range of motion in muscles hence increasing the efficiency of blood flow. In other words, stretching decreases muscle soreness from any form of strain, therefore, boosting the rate at which blood flows within one`s system. If you want to stay healthy, and avoid unnecessary visits to the doctor, make a point of stretching daily.

Decrease Stress

Stress has been the primary cause of depression among many victims. However, with simple exercises such as stretching victims of depression has been showing signs of recovering. One can decrease stress by stretching his or her body up and focusing on the feeling rather than the issues at hand. Therefore, instead of leading a stressful life, make stretching a daily routine, and you will lead a positive experience.

Improve Posture

Tight muscles have been linked with poor posture. Research studies indicate that the muscles of the back, chest, and hips can cause poor posture if they are tight. With the advancement in technology, many of us spend a good portion of our days sited around a computer or gazing at our phones or tablets. In most cases, the posture adhered to these activities is poor and can cause muscle tightness. However, marked improvement in terms of stance has been linked to getting in a good stretch.

Decrease Back Pain

Back pain goes hand in hand with poor posture. Research indicates that poor posture in the upper back causes pain to develop in the lower back. Also, hip flexors or hamstrings may cause lower back to compensate and cause pain. However, the art of stretching one’s muscles reduces back pain.

In a nutshell, if you want to lead a healthy life, avoid stress, and improve posture; make a daily stretch part of your routine.

Click here to see more healthy living ideas.

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My local gym has been closed for 2 months now, whats a stay-at-home person who is looking for ways to staying healthy to do? Walking every day while keeping a safe distance from the world has been great but, after many weeks now I need more.  Read on for the best at-home workouts.  

Video Overview

Staying Healthy

Staying healthy is the goal here so, I enthusiastically call my local gym looking for their best tips and recommendations for working out at home. With pep in my step, I create a list of goals for my work out at home routine. The goals are…

• Learn and master 1 new exercise each week
  
• Yoga or Pilates added once a week
  
• 30 minutes of workout at home exercises 3 times a week
  
• Jog to my community pool and back without needing to catch my breath
  

Warm-up before you work out

I feel like this goes without saying but, it’s an important reminder to avoid injuries. Warming up can be as easy as jogging in place, doing some jumping jacks, and then stretching a bit. Anything to get those muscles and heart ready for their 30 minutes to shine.

Working out made fun while you work out at home

I find the best way to enjoy working out is having fun while doing it. That’s why one of my goals is to add a new workout exercise to my routine at least once a week. Setting up a schedule for which exercises you will do will make staying on task a little easier. Be sure to have some fun. Here is an example of day one.

• Curls – try using milk jugs for added weight – 10 X each arm
  
• Plank – 30 seconds
  
• Walking Lunges – Complete a chore while doing so. – 10 Lunges per leg
  
• Incline push-ups – Feet on the floor arms on a bed, table or chair – 15 pushups
  
• Leg Swings – 10 each leg
  
• Burpees – 15 (but only if you’re up for it)
  

Staying positive while you work out at home

For me, music has a way of putting me in the best of moods. Working out while listening to my favorite playlist (at the moment) makes my workouts a lot of fun. Heck, I even manage to get a little dancing in while I’m working out.

For more ideas, click here. 

The post The Best At-Home Workouts appeared first on Happy Healthy Hub.

Junior Chef

Kids are always on the go. They have so many activities to keep them healthy and active that spending time in the kitchen is difficult to fit in. However, when a kid is interested in what goes on in the kitchen it is a good idea to make time for them to get involved. Educating them on what goes into their bodies is a good way to help them learn nutrition and how the body works. When they learn what goes into their bodies and how it helps them function, they pay more attention to what they eat.  Here are a few meals that kids can make by themselves.  

Meals For Kids

Meals for kids to make on their own can be challenging but also fun and educational. Many meals can be prepared for and by kids. Finding ones that are age-appropriate is the key to successful meal planning with your child. Some meals can be simple and easy with almost no cooking. Meals like peanut butter and banana sandwich. Spreading a little peanut butter on a piece of bread or toasted bread and add sliced bananas (slice them with a banana cutter or butter knife, under adult supervision) will make a nutritious protein-packed lunch. Add an apple and a glass of water or juice and it’s a complete meal. Chicken and bacon roll-ups are always easy and fun meals to prepare, again with some fresh veggies and juice it makes the perfect meal for a child. Quesadillas are also a quick and easy meal for kids to make with adult supervision on the heating of the tortilla.

A Step Further

There are several kids cookbooks on the market today. One for every finicky eater. One for every food allergy or sensitivity as well. Ingredients that are already prepared and ready to put together is the key to getting kids involved with making their own meals. Making fun shapes or critters out of fruit or veggies is also a fun activity and way to engage your child in preparing their own food. Kids are not in control of a lot of things in their lives and this is a great way to empower them and give them some independence.

For more ideas, click here.

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Healthy Foods Can Alter Moods

OK! How many times have you heard, my broccoli just kicked in and gave me a boost? Really? Probably never. We live in a fast-moving world and want to be satisfied quickly. This includes an immediate response to eating food to alter moods. Whether an energy boost or a way to improving your mood, the foods we choose may not be what you expect.  Read on to see which foods can make you happy. 

Video Overview

Chocolate Has Still Got It

Yes, chocolate is an old standby. It has earned it’s right to be listed as a food to make you happy. Dark chocolate can enhance the endorphins in your body. Endorphins promote pleasure feeling. We don’t need a lot to make this shift in our mood. Sadly though, we can’t stop with just a few small pieces. Rich dark chocolate does help and is healthy eating. However, keep your pieces in moderation.

Almonds On the Go

Almonds have been adopted as a go-to snack, even on a diet. They can elevate your magnesium level, which helps to improve your mood. They are perfect to take on the run.

Bananas Are the Old Standby

The banana is a great way to get potassium and magnesium. They are amazing as a snack to boost you into a happy mood and is healthy eating. The amino acid L-tryptophan in the banana gets converted to 5-HTP. Our brain, in turn, converts that into serotonin. This little gem is a relaxing neurotransmitter.

Honey is an Oldy But Goody

Honey has a wonderful reputation that has been used for centuries. It’s nutritious and delicious. Honey is naturally an energy source and has great benefits. It is a perfect food to boost your mood. Honey doesn’t impact your blood sugar levels.

Citrus Smells and Taste Great

Citrus fruits have been known for improving your mood. The citrus flavonoids can improve blood flow with a boost of vitamin C. This includes:

• Lemons
  
• Limes
  
• Oranges
  
• Tangerines
  
• Grapefruits
  

See more of our info here.

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