Toss all ingredients together, refrigerate 30 minutes, and serve.
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To Prepare: Combine all chopped ingredients into a 2 quart bowl with cheese and nuts. Just before serving, whisk together Salad Girl Lemony Caesar and Crisp Apple Maple with a twist of fresh cracked pepper. Tweak your dressing to taste, blend dressing and ingredients together, and serve.
Enjoy!
]]>Serves 3-4
Happy, Yummy add-on options: chicken, tofu, salmon, feta, parmesan cheese
To Prepare: Fill each bowl with handful of greens and scoop of quinoa. Decorate with other ingredients around the quinoa. Just before serving, drizzle with your choice of Salad Girl.
"Numm"maste. Enjoy!
]]>This St Paddy's Day Salad is inspired by the Irish boiled supper my family used to share along with several other noisy, large, Irish Catholic families on St Paddy's day in the 1960's. Our dinner was served to us in the back room of the famous St. Paul landmark, O'Gara's Irish Pub & Restaurant - a traditional Irish meal of boiled & buttered parsley potatoes, boiled cabbage, juicy corned beef w/ brown bread & butter.
My St Paddy's Salad is a Minnesota-made, healthy, tasty twist on the traditional Irish dinner.
Slainte!
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Hello! It’s been awhile. Crystal (Herrington) Medal here with @SavoringHealth - I’ve had recent inspiration to share my health journey again after a long, long hiatus. Life looks different now!
I was promoted 9 months ago and now am the Whole Health RN at the Minneapolis VA. I’ve gained so much from this role, from health coaching veterans. The disease reversing, life overhauling, chain breaking differences I’ve seen in these veterans lives has been nothing short of miraculous.During this time, I’ve learned one common theme holds true: Lifestyle is Medicine. It’s not just food -- it’s sleep, mental health / mindset, relationships, surroundings, spirituality, movement, and so much more. Looking at health and wellbeing through this lens changes everything about the way we should be providing medical care, but also changes how we should be living.
Through these experiences, I’ve found a lifestyle that makes me feel my absolute best. I’m more in tune with my body then I’ve ever been. Practicing mindfulness in each separate area allows us to recognize when there is a gap between where we are and where we want to be.
That’s the Secret: Identify the gap, and acknowledge what it’s going to take to get to where you want to be.
This is where it’s helpful to have the support of somebody who can actively listen to you. Often times as a health coach I feel like a set of ears and not too much more than that. It’s a lot of listening to what’s going on in the person's heart. More often than not we know what we need to do to feel our best. Whether it be getting back on the walking routine we used to daily, or having those morning smoothies that always made us feel more energized. Sometimes it’s just a matter of talking it through and reminding ourselves what actually made us feel so good in the past.
The definition of Medicine is “the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.” Typically, we take two parts of this definition and tend to forget the third. Practicing medicine, at its heart, is the prevention of disease.
It’s the little choices we make day in and day out that add up and dictate our health outcomes years later. Most of the time breakfast or your daily walk doesn’t feel like medicine, but when we shift our mindset about what medicine truly means, we begin to understand that it is first and foremost our lifestyle that fits the very definition of medicine.
I challenge you to think of your life through this lens and to identify an area that you’d like to improve. What change would make the biggest impact in your life?
Focus on reasonable and sustainable changes. Don’t tell yourself you’re going to run 5 miles a day if you haven’t even walked 5 miles in years. Choose an action that fits seamlessly into a routine so you’ll be motivated to complete it.
Humans take the path of least resistance, so make it easy for yourself to make the healthy choice. Put the unhealthy choice out of site, and keep the healthy choice front and center.
- Keep a glass of water next to your bed at night so it’s convenient to drink first thing in the morning.
- Put your yoga mat on the floor next to your bed, so you’ll already be on it and ready to stretch prior to falling into bed at night.
These types of simple switches are what make being healthy the easy route, the path of least resistance. Once you start making these choices, recognize your bodies response to the choices you’ve made.
- Do you notice less sugar cravings when you eat more protein?
- How are your bowel movements after drinking more water?
- Do you have less self-deprecating thoughts now that you’ve incorporated a gratitude practice?
- Do you treat your family and friends better now that you’re sleeping more?
This is what mindfulness truly means. To bring a sense of non-judgmental awareness to how your body and mind react to different choices throughout the day. Recognizing when a new habit makes you feel good will solidify that choice as the one you’ll continue to make.
As you navigate your journey with health and wellbeing, my biggest tip is to Keep Things Simple.
When we begin to stick to one ingredient whole foods, we can figure out what our bodies reaction is to each food and in turn build our lifestyle around that which makes us feel our best. Water, nourishing whole foods, meaningful movement, and a positive mindset are powerful tools in healing and maintaining our wellbeing.
Warm Wellness Wishes,
Crystal
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Such a fun time on Twin Cities Live January 11th making this delicious
Pan Asian Citrus Chopped Salad with Kelli Hanson! See TCL segment and full recipe below...
Pan Asian Citrus Chopped Salad
4-6 servings
Prepare Dressing:
Whisk together: 1/2 bottle of the Salad Girl Toasted Sesame Ginger and 1/2 bottle of our Sweet & Sassy with 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds.
Prepare Salad:
In a pretty, shallow salad bowl add ingredients. Gently toss together and serve. Optional Add-ons: roasting chicken, shrimp, or air fried tofu.
]]>As the New Year approaches, the word "resolution" always seems to comes up. The idea of making a change in the New Year definitely resonates with people!
The New York Times gives some great advice on helping you keep your resolutions for the New Year -- Pick the Right Resolution: You’ll give yourself the best shot at success if you set a goal that’s doable — and meaningful too.
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/resolution-ideas
Last year around the beginning of 2022, I received a nice note from a customer Madison WI customer named Tony. In Tony’s note, he told me about making a New Year's resolution the year before to create a healthier lifestyle for himself and his family.
During Covid, Tony gained 20 lbs and so did his wife. They were feeling pretty awful. Instead of going on a fad diet, Tony asked a doctor friend for some advice on a sustainable eating plan for his whole family. His friend suggested to start following the Mayo Clinic approved Mediterranean Diet, and to take the family for a walk with the dogs every day. His Mom gave him her Mediterranean Diet Book from 2008, and they both ended up feeling healthier, happier and more than 20 lbs lighter.
In Tony's note, he thanked us for making his family meal preparation easier. Tony’s Mom introduced Tony to Salad Girl’s Crisp Apple Maple when he was in high school. He and his wife, both working artists in their 30’s with little kids and dogs, liked the simple, healthy convenience of using Salad Girl’s Mediterranean-style vinaigrettes on salads and for marinating seafood and chicken. Their favorites are the Citrus Splash, Lemony Herb, and our Pomegranate Pear Vinaigrettes -- definitely Mediterranean flavors and on the Mediterranean meal plan!
Tony talked about the ease of getting and staying healthy by preparing the simple Mediterranean plan meals, filled with healthy foods that really do taste good. All of the ingredients on the Mediterranean diet are always available in his Wisconsin Co-op year round.
His lovely note made me so proud, and it got me thinking how sensible, smart, and helpful the Mediterranean plan really is, especially for folks who are tired of drastic weight loss measures and just wanna find a way to eat healthy and stay healthy.
So, I did a little research and found the Mediterranean book Tony mentioned and added a couple of my own picks:
Nancy Harmon Jenkins writes “The Mediterranean diet is a delicious and sustainable way to live and eat full of the flavorful foods we have eaten when on vacation in Greece, Spain, France, Southern Italy, Turkey, Morocco."
The word “diet” in Greek means “way of living.”
So, back to resolutions: I am resolving to follow Tony’s journey with Jenkins. Since I can't afford to travel to Greece, Spain, Southern Italy, and Morocco, I will vicariously take this culinary journey right here in the Midwest by incorporating the colors and flavors of the Mediterranean right here in my own kitchen. I will be devoting 2 or 3 recipes a month to Cooking and Eating Midwest Mediterranean Style! Come along, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
So what does Midwest Mediterranean Style mean?
Let's eat healthier together in 2023!
]]>Serves 4
To Prepare Salad: Snip off roots of cress maintaining 2" of cress stems with leaves and petals. Rinse, pat dry, and divide between 4 pretty salad plates. Decorate with grapefruit sections and avocado. Sprinkle with cheese and pistachios. Just before serving, drizzle with your choice of Salad Girl.
Enjoy!
]]>Home Page Intro Video.mp4 from pamela powell on Vimeo.
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Entrants featured their choice of Salad Girl in their salad creations and ribbons were awarded to:
.
Directions:
________________________________________________________________________
Ellen shared the following with us: This was Ellen's very first time entering a recipe contest at the MN State Fair. She is retired from a banking career and found out about Salad Girl and the Salad Bowl Tournament State Fair contest from her friend, Beth Dooley, food writer for the Star Tribune. Ellen says she always makes this salad for their dog sitter. "She appreciates that I make it especially for her, and it makes me confident she will take good care of our beloved dog when we are out of town. Enjoy!" Congratulations, Ellen!
Ingredients - Serves 4
1 bottle Salad Girl Toasted Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
5 oz Mizuna, baby arugula, or baby spinach
2 oz Watercress, or add a bit more of another peppery green
20 Brightly colored cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1/2 Seedless English cucumbers, washed and thinly sliced
4 oz Sugar snap peas, washed and sliced on the bias
3 oz Soba noodles, cooked as directed
1/2 lb Shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
Shrimp Marinade (Note: Salad Girl Vinaigrettes double as great marinades):
2 T Soy sauce
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
pinch of Red pepper flakes
Garnish:
1 tsp White sesame seeds
1 tsp Black sesame seeds
Roasted Seaweed
Salad Preparation:
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Great info about "Winter Sowing" from our friend Michelle Bruhn at Forks in the Dirt.
Winter sowing is a way to work with Mother Nature to grow plants from seed. You plant seeds in a container and set them outside (in Late Feb/ Early March). They sprout in the containers and are ready to plant out into your garden from there. Trudi Greissle Davidoff was the first to write about this process, and still has a website dedicated to this style of seed sowing.
The concept started by mimicking nature with seeds that need to be cold stratified; meaning the seeds must spend time in the cold (either outdoors or in a refrigerator/freezer) for a certain number of days. Most also need to go through a freezing/thawing process to help weaken and break down their seed coats, breaking the seeds out of dormancy preparing them for germination. Planting seeds that need to be cold stratified inside a container gives you the best of both worlds. They will still be in nature (freezing, thawing) but you will also end up with a seedling that you can keep an eye on and transplant much easier.
When planting annual vegetable seeds, they obviously don’t require a stratification. But the bonuses include:
*Earlier Seedlings
*No Hardening Off
*Stronger Plants
*No extra equipment
This process does not require any extra inputs to start seeds a little earlier. I will say that up in Minnesota (zone 4) we can’t start our peppers, eggplant or tomatoes this way if we want to get a full harvest season out of those heat loving plants. But there are quite a few plants which work wonderfully using this method (e.g. Spinach, Beets, Romaine, Broccoli, and Kale).
Note from Salad Girl: If you're interest is piqued, read Michelle's entire article here: ForksInTheDirt
Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle!
]]>To Prepare: Arrange greens, decorate with pears, and grate frozen chevre over both. Sprinkle with pistachios and dried blueberries. Just before serving, drizzle with Salad Girl Toasted Sesame Ginger or Blueberry Basil Vinaigrette. Optional: top with sprigs of Upland Cress
Enjoy!
]]>Toss all ingredients together, refrigerate 30 minutes, and serve.
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Serves 4
Preparation: Whisk together the juice of 2 limes, 1 bottle of Salad Girl Citrus Splash, Tamari, and Sriracha. In a large, shallow container, marinate shrimp along with onions, pineapple, peppers, and sugar snap peas for 1 hour. Reserve marinade.
Skewer ingredients and place on a tin foil lined grill pan. Heat and reduce remaining marinade for finishing sauce. Grill shrimp & veggies on med-low, 6 minutes each side, and serve on rice with fresh pea sprouts and lime slices.
Enjoy!
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Forks in the Dirt
Seeds are nothing short of magic!
You hold this seemingly inanimate object in your hand. Once you place it in soil, give it some water and light it GROWS! And it keeps growing, giving pollinators a purpose and habitat, sequestering carbon, building soil, and giving you food- plus providing its own seeds to continue the process.
Being part of this process ties us back into nature in a way that very few things can. And more of us are feeling that pull back to nature as gardening continues to grow as a hobby and passion across the globe.
https://forksinthedirt.com/seed-starting-101/
Thanks for sharing your article and photos, MIchelle!
]]>Fall harvest season is almost wrapped up. We’ve picked apples, fall raspberries, dug up our potatoes, and got our pumpkins for carving. Whew!
Fall is always a busy time of year for gardeners, but this year the ride into autumn feels extra bumpy– in all the ways. My elementary school kids are in the “hybrid version” of school this year. Whichever version of school your kids are in, they are likely home more, which means we’re feeding them more.
I have a secret to tell you -- I am HORRIBLE at menu planning! I end up letting the garden tell me what my next meal will be all growing season, and I typically love the variety and creativity it brings out of me. Right now, we all need some tricks up our sleeves, so I’ve gotten better at prepping what the garden (or farmers markets) gives us for healthy snacks. And what our bodies crave has changed from the dog days of summer to warming foods of fall.
A few simple things are saving my sanity (what’s left of it) while we finish harvesting, prep the garden for spring, integrate new hens into our backyard flock, and plan a Covid-safe WBL Winter Farmers Market…
We all know it but taking even a ten-minute walk resets us and our kids! Setting aside a few times a day to make sure we PLAY outside is so important for my family. Making sure we have time to just enjoy the moment during these last fleeting days of Fall will fuel our hearts and minds through Winter.
Some of these ideas are throwbacks (like ants on a log) and some are my own take, mixing them up to have a big variety of flavors and textures while being healthy keeps everyone happy. My main goal is to keep pumping my kids full of protein along with fruits and veggies.
Veggie Prep: Safety knives have been a fun way to get kids cutting on their own. When possible, I get each of the kids on a ‘prep task’ chopping or peeling. They end up feeling like a part of the process, especially if it happens to be a carrot they planted and picked too!
If you find me just before lunchtime, when the kids start their “I’m Hungry” chants, you’ll hear me singing the praises of leftovers. Also, my kids like packing ‘regular sandwiches’ for their school day lunches, so this is a good way to mix up the kind of food they get for lunch. I know some people have an aversion to leftovers (like my sister!) but knowing what foods work as leftovers helps.
For most meals, just doubling up the recipe is what works for us. Hearty soups and stews taste better the day after, once the flavors have truly melded together. Individual patties of turkey or bean burgers, meat sauces, mashed/baked potatoes all make great options for an encore the next day.
*Potato Power Play* – When baking potatoes, bake some extras. If they’re going with fish for dinner, you can have a potato bar for lunch the next day. Making potato soup is also a snap when you have the potatoes ready to go. I make a simple “Potato Hash” kind of like the midwestern version of stir fry… think peppers, onion, maybe some kale, tomatoes. Add in some ham or turkey with the potatoes, drizzle with Salad Girl Organic Dude Ranch.
I also love sheet pan meals. I can have all our protein and veggies roasting away on one pan. Which equals less time, less mess, and way more flavor! I have been known to throw in another pan of food to roast in the oven when I take our dinner out. The oven is already hot, and I end up with tomorrow’s lunch and/or dinner ready by the time we’re done eating.
*Salad Girl Curry & Fig Dressing is becoming one of our favorites to drizzle over pan roasted veggies.
While the struggle is real to balance everything right now, feeding our bodies healthy, whole foods is more important than ever. With any luck, and a little leeway from Mother Nature, we’ll still be able to get outside and eat from the garden for a few more weeks. Then, as winter moves in, we’ll shift to soups and even heartier meals made from the stored, frozen, and stocked up garden goodies.
I’d love to hear your whole food snack ideas and what is working to help keep the sanity in your home.
Dig In,
Michelle
]]>It's Crystal Herrington, Salad Girl's Nutrition Health Coach. As a health coach and nurse, I often get asked what the big deal is with buying organic foods instead of conventional products. I buy organic food as much as possible. If you know me at all, you know I dive deep into the research to make sure when I buy something that touts benefits, I’m not wasting my time (and money). In the general population (if you’re not a conventional farmer), food is the primary source of pesticide exposure that we experience. This has been proven in research by having participants take a urine sample after eating what they’d normally eat to check for “pesticide residues.” After the sample is taken, they only allow the participants to eat organic foods and then one week later, they recheck. To nobody’s surprise, they found a marked reduction in pesticide residues after just one week.
So, why do these pesticide residues matter so much? According to the research, these pesticide residues have long lasting effects, particularly on brain function. Exposure to pesticides has been shown to increase risk for Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancers such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and childhood leukemia. Studies show that higher concentrations of these residues mean significantly increased risk for ADHD in children. Children with detectable levels were twice as likely to have ADHD as those without. This information isn't meant to scare you, rather to educate you on what the facts are behind eating organic.
Ingesting oil is another controversial topic under this similar umbrella. Organic vs. non-Organic? Expeller Pressed or Solvent Extracted?
Conventional seed oils (not certified organic) like grape seed, avocado seed, olive seeds, walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds are grown and produced using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. When it comes to sunflower oil, like almonds, their high fat and oil content makes them sponges for chemicals.
All Conventional oils (non organic) are extracted from the seed or nut chemically with harsh solvents (i.e. hexane, ethanol, butanol, isopropanol, d-limonene, p-cymene, and α-pinene).
Only the organically grown, expeller pressed, chemical/pesticide-free seeds offer all the health benefits without any hidden extra ingredients. Organic seed oils are extracted without the use of any chemicals or heat. Instead, they are pressed by an expeller that uses pressure to extract the oil from the seeds.
The quality of the original raw ingredients (olives, sunflower, walnuts, and other nuts or seeds) is important in determining the eventual quality of the oil. As a general rule, organic oils are much preferred to their non-organic counterparts because oils are so concentrated that even a small serving of a non-organic oil contains pesticides and chemicals from the solvents used to extract the oil from the seeds.
I always prefer to use organic oils whenever possible, and Salad Girl uses only the highest quality, Certified Organic, expeller pressed, high oleic sunflower oil. Oil that is "high oleic" has a larger percentage of omega-9 fatty acid. In addition to enhancing heart health, eating these healthier types of organic oils with your veggies, fruits, and greens helps you absorb more nutrients.
The results of a 2017 study in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171009124026.htm) may ease the minds of countless salad lovers who fret about adding dressing to their salads. This study found that adding oil to salads aided in the absorption of seven different micronutrients in salad vegetables. Those nutrients include four carotenoids (alpha and beta carotene, lutein and lycopene) and two forms of vitamin E and vitamin K. The oil also promoted the absorption of vitamin A.
Furthermore, the study demonstrated that better absorption of the nutrients promotes a range of health benefits including cancer prevention and eyesight preservation. The study also found that the amount of oil added to the vegetables had a proportional relationship to the amount of nutrient absorption. That is, more oil means more absorption.
When shopping, it's also good to know the following:
Salad Girl is made with 100% certified organic ingredients. You can rest assured that whichever flavor you choose, you are nourishing your body with the highest quality ingredients. In addition to the health benefits, when you purchase organics, you are also supporting regenerative farming and the health of the environment.
Stay Healthy,
Crystal Herrington, BSN, RN
]]>Keeping the family meals creative while also homeschooling and trying to work from home can be really challenging. Our friend, Jillian McGary, started a Minnesota company that has the perfect solution. She mostly makes a meal for you. Here we made a Tortilla Pie with her Mostly Made Enchilada filling. This delicious filling includes chicken, zucchini, green chili peppers, tomatoes, quinoa, and black beans. Mostly Made also offers Lasagna and Shepherds Pie fillings located in your grocer’s freezer Kowalski's Markets and other MN grocers.
Here is how we made the tortilla pie:
Preheat oven 400 degrees F
1. Toast three 6-inch organic corn tortillas in skillet quickly each side with sunflower oil
2. Thaw and mix Mostly Made Enchilada filling with 1/2 can organic corn
3. In a smaller bowl, mix 1/4 C chopped fresh spinach with 7 oz organic whole milk ricotta
4. Open 16 oz bag organic Tex/Mex shredded cheese and 1 can refried beans
5. Use 7-inch pyrex pie plate with oil or organic nonstick spray
To Assemble Tortilla Pie: Place 1 tortilla on bottom of plate, spread with 1/3 the refried beans, top with 1/2 Enchilada filling evenly, spread with 1/2 ricotta mixture, and sprinkle 1/3 shredded cheese. Repeat: tortilla spread with refried bean, rest of filling and ricotta, and another 1/3 shredded cheese. Top with tortilla, refried beans, and sprinkle remaining shredded cheese. Cut up some fresh cherry tomatoes the long way and make a flower on top. Cover with foil, and bake in 400 degree pre-heated oven 45 minutes. Let set for a few minutes. Serve Mostly Made Tortilla Pie with a side salad: Spinach, corn, tomato, avocado, sprouted pepitas, and a drizzle of Salad Girl’s Organic Chile Limon Dressing. Enjoy!
This was such an easy recipe to make! We buy Jillian’s Mostly Made and keep 2 in the fridge all the time. We love the Lasagna filling for Pizza, Chili, and Goulash. Lots of great recipes at www.mostly-made.com
Hey Salad Girl Family!
May is an exciting month for women. The month kicked off with National Nurses Week, transitioned into Women’s Health Week, and the icing on the cake, of course, was Mother’s Day right in between.
There are so many reasons to recognize the importance of Women's Health – this week and every week. Women’s health is the health of the world. We bear the weight (literally and figuratively) of carrying the next generation into existence. As women, we are often expected to be homemakers, full-time career women, raise our children, and have dinner hot on the table every night without batting an eye.
Oftentimes, our own health is sidestepped as we care for others. So, today I want to share with you some simple, practical self-care tools that will support your super-woman role for your family but most importantly for yourself.
Hydration. How much water have you had today? Did you know 8 glasses of water is not the standard recommendation for every human on earth because we are all different? Surprise! You should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day (e.g. 150 lbs = 75 ounces of water daily). Increase your water intake, and notice the difference. Positive benefits of drinking water include: Increases nutrient absorption, boosts energy, improves mood as well as aids cognitive function, digestion, and blood oxygen circulation.
Sleep. As women (especially you moms out there), our sleep can take a back seat when it comes to our health. Research is showing us just how impactful sleep really is on our health in the long term. Our circadian rhythm is a powerful tool that syncs our body with the rising and setting of the sun. When we disturb our natural sleep cycle by staying up too late, or waking too often during the night, it can have a lasting negative impact. If you have trouble sleeping, try a pair of glasses that block blue light for 2-3 hours before bedtime, or better yet, avoid all screen time before bed. In modern days, this is one of the most common causes of sleep issues as blue light impedes our bodies natural release of melatonin.
Emotional support. Too often, we let others lean on us for support and forget to take care of ourselves. Some researchers say that stress is the root of all inflammatory disease. Now, it is much easier said than done, but I'm going to share a technique I've found helpful in times of stress: the 5-5-5 method. Ask yourself, will this matter in 5 minutes? If no, move on. If yes, complete the task or focus your energy for 5 minutes and move on. Then ask, will this matter in 5 days? If no, move on. If yes, carve out some time in the coming days to brainstorm solutions. Then ask, will this matter in 5 years? If no, move on. If yes, reach out to your support network. There are people in your life who will help you find solace and solutions. Being mindful of the amount of time we spend worrying is important. Focus on the positive, find the good in your day-to-day life, and embrace the support others offer to you.
Good Nutrition. Eating whole foods (not processed) decreases your intake of salt and sugar and increases your intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Here's a delicious, nutritious recipe using Salad Girl's Lemony Herb dressing (my absolute favorite flavor). I meal prep this recipe weekly because it's a great grab-and-go salad for a busy day's lunch. My fiancé, Jake, gave me a hand. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I (we) do.
This world needs strong, healthy, forward thinking women to lead and nurture our communities. Maintaining a healthy diet abundant in fresh, organic fruits and vegetables is ideal to fuel our bodies. When that's not possible, fall back to the basics. Hydrate, sleep, and talk to somebody about what you're experiencing. As women, we are all in this together. Cheers to all of the strong women who have brought us up to be who we are, and cheers to a brighter, healthier, and stronger future for women hereafter!
Happy National Women's Health Week!
Stay Well,
Hey Salad Girl family!
My name is Crystal Herrington, and I'm Salad Girl's new Nutrition Health Coach. I'm here to help give you practical nutrition advice and showcase how Salad Girl has fresh, healthy, and healing organic ingredients that are a great addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle. I'm sure there are so many questions about how to maintain your health and vitality during this very different time. Social distancing is necessary to halt the spread of COVID-19, but it also can have a negative impact on our health as we become more sedentary and distant from the ones we love. Today, I'm sharing with you 5 practical and simple recommendations during the COVID-19 Stay at Home order that have helped me thrive.
1) Call someone (a friend, family member, elderly neighbor) every single day. If you have the ability to video chat with them, that's even better. Humans are social creatures, and studies show that elderly folks who are more social live longer happier lives. Share your unique experience with the coronavirus stay at home order and then move on! I encourage people to talk it out, but then try to avoid the subject. Talking about it too much in a negative way can have an impact on our mental health. Try focusing on the things you're thankful for!
2) Eat your veggies. When I do my big grocery hauls, I always make sure to stock up heavy on the veggies. Spinach, arugula, kale, chard, celery, cucumbers, and broccoli are must grabs for me. When I do this, it forces me to get creative with my eating, and pushes me to eat my veggies early on so they don't go to waste. It's easy to get complacent eating canned soups or sauces with starches. You may run out after about a week and have a week without as many fresh veggies before your next big haul, but your immune system will thank you. Salad Girl has a wide variety of local organic products that go great with any combination of veggies. I suggest getting a few bottles during your next haul to make eating your greens fun and delicious! Get an extra bottle or two to share with a neighborhood.
3) Get moving! We need daily movement to maintain healthy digestion, energy levels, and mental health. There are so many free resources for at-home workouts, but even just a short walk can turn your day around. My favorite way to exercise at home is by doing a 30-40 minute yoga video on youtube in my living room.
4) Boost your immunity! Over 70% of our immune system is housed in our gut, so I like to make sure I'm supporting my digestion by eating immune boosting foods on a daily basis. Garlic, kefir (other fermented products), and citrus fruits are a great place to start. Salad Girl's Blueberry Basil Organic Dressing is chalk full of antioxidants to boost immunity. Keep your immune system on high alert by supporting your diet with healthy fresh foods.
5) Get outside! Vitamin D is essential for immunity. Now that the sun is shining bright again, it's important we take advantage. You can maintain social distancing standards while still enjoying the great outdoors. Your mental health will benefit greatly from fresh air and sunshine!
Remember, we are all going through hardships during this time. It can be isolating and lonely, but when we prioritize our physical and mental health, you will find so much room to blossom. Feel free to reach out to me with any health related questions you have, and remember to continue to support local businesses!
Follow us on social media, and let us know how you like the recipes below -- write us a review/ comment or send a direct message.
The links for Salad Girl's Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are located on our homepage.
We'd love to hear from you :)
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