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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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April 25, 2024

Is Too Much Protein Dangerous?

Twenty-five years ago, there was plenty of skepticism about protein. After all, bodybuilders ate lots of it—and they experimented with all kinds of

April 18, 2024

The #1 Nutrition Principle

“Red wine is better than white wine!” “Kale is better than spinach!” “GRAINS ARE EVIL!!” Ever feel like good nutrition is just too complic

April 11, 2024

Angelos Update and Green Thumb Time

If you’ve been following my blog for a few years, you may recall my weekly posts that were written comparing the size of my friend’s baby in utero

April 4, 2024

Tips to Get Past the Springtime Slump

Lately, I have this great desire to take a nap every afternoon around…well, anytime between 2 and 5. What is the deal with THAT? Can you relate? One

March 28, 2024

The Miracle of Breath and Easter

Today while I was busy breathing, doing my best to focus on my breath and not what I would blog about this week, I was flooded with a thought that sho

March 21, 2024

Celebrating the Spring Equinox

This year the spring equinox occurred on March 19 at 11:06 P.M. EDT. That was the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisph

March 14, 2024

10 Muscle Building Tips for Women

Most women I talk with would like to build more muscle and lose more fat. While strength or resistance training is a key component to building muscle,

March 7, 2024

A Taste of Spring

In case you’ve been missing out on some of the most delectable oranges, this is your friendly reminder that we are in the midst of SUMO season. This

February 29, 2024

10 Healthy Snacks for Busy People

My family loves snacks. I love snacks. Who doesn’t love a good snack? I believe snacking can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. When you c

February 21, 2024

Saving Dough and a Surprise Cake from Mr. Non-Compliant

Some say it’s expensive to eat healthy. I believe it’s even more expensive, especially in the long run, to eat unhealthy. Today I present some tip

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

  • 1 cup organic quinoa                                                                               
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup peeled and diced cucumber
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
  • ¼ cup kalamata or black olives, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoonful chopped mint (optional)
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package instructions. Let cool. Combine quinoa, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, cheese, olives, and mint in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Serve as a side salad or add grilled chicken to make it a main dish for lunch. This is also tasty as a topper for tortilla chips. (I like Late July brand chips.)

There are scads of variations for quinoa salad. Experiment to your heart’s content and have fun.

What’s the Best Diet for You?

There are many options when it comes to eating: keto, paleo, vegan, low carb, intermittent fasting, and more. Which one is the best?

I don’t endorse only one way of eating, and I’ve worked with people who enjoy a wide range of eating plans.

The best diet (or eating plan, since the word diet is restrictive), is the one that works for youyour body type, activity level, genetic makeup, health and weight goals.

A word of caution when you’re looking for a specific way of eating: please don’t base your decision on what is working for your best friend or rates high on a single or limited study.

Be careful not to be misled by those diets that promote quick weight loss. While they sound dreamy, most of them are not sustainable for 10, 20 or 30 years.

And by the way, that which is lost rapidly tends to come back and bring friends. 

Sustainability is important, unless you’re happy restricting food intake and food groups for the rest of your life.

Most of us are not. (Unless of course there are food allergies/sensitivities and it’s in our best interest. I have eliminated certain foods due to this.)

It’s good to experiment with different ways of eating, allowing at least a couple weeks before making judgements on how a specific way is working—or not.

 A few points about ALL nutrition plans:

*They raise awareness and attention about what you’re eating, which tends to contribute to improving health and weight goals.

*They focus on eating whole foods, helping to eliminate nutritional deficiencies. Limiting processed foods is always a good idea.

*They allow for better appetite control and food intake.

*They promote regular exercise.

 My role as a coach is helping people find their best eating plan, whatever it looks like. And we actually have some fun doing it together.

So, the best diet is the one that best suits you.

If you’re struggling with finding YOUR way, or if you’d like to take an easy, 16-question self-assessment quiz to determine how well your current plan is REALLY working for you, let me know.

Apricot Alert: This week I discovered some limited-edition, white-flesh apricots at Whole Foods. They are juicy like a really ripe peach and the sweetest apricots I’ve ever eaten. If you find them, you may want to try them. They are AMAZING! 

Fun Firefly Fact: The Say’s Firefly, a native species to the Hoosier State, was designated the official state insect of Indiana in February 2018 due to the perseverance of Cumberland Elementary School students in West Lafayette.

Prior to that time, Indiana did not have a state insect. The students became involved in the legislative process and accomplished their goal which had begun during the 2014-2015 school year.

And now I’m going to kick back and enjoy one of those white-flesh apricots while I watch fireflies.

Much love,
Carol

“Summertime is always the best of what might be.”—Charles Bowden

A Simple Celebration Salad

Happy Independence Day and the kick-off to summer!

Since there will probably be a few picnics and family gatherings happening at some point, I thought you’d enjoy a simple, tasty, and (don’t tell Mr. Non-Compliant) healthy salad.

This quinoa salad is great for hot weather events because there are no ingredients that will easily spoil. Also, you can make it ahead of time and the flavors will blend.

One cup of cooked quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has about 8 grams of protein and is a good source of fiber. It has a crunchy texture, nutty flavor and is gluten-free.

Quinoa is a complete protein source, which means that it provides all nine of the essential amino acids our bodies need. These are the amino acids that we cannot make and that must be acquired through diet.   

It is a good source of antioxidants and minerals, providing more magnesium, iron, fiber, and zinc than many common grains.

While I don’t care for warm quinoa on its own, I do like it in a cold salad with vegetables and a simple dressing. The first time I made quinoa I treated it like rice and decided that there must be a tastier way to enjoy it.

There are scads of variations for quinoa salad. Experiment to your heart’s content and have fun.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

  • 1 cup organic quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup peeled and diced cucumber
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
  • ¼ cup kalamata or black olives, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoonful chopped mint (optional)
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package instructions. Let cool. Combine quinoa, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, cheese, olives, and mint in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Serve as a side salad or add grilled chicken to make it a main dish for lunch. This is also tasty as a topper for tortilla chips. (I like Late July brand chips.)

I wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday weekend. 

Much love,
Carol

“Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.”—John Wayne

Ever try butter on saltines?

I’d forgotten about this childhood treat until a friend of mine mentioned it. We’d gathered for an informal dinner, and the next thing I knew we were all snacking on Glutino gluten-free crackers topped with Earth Balance (dairy-free) buttery spread.

It was almost like eating saltines with butter.

Of course, this was in addition to the veggie tray.   

This treat led to some other fun childhood summer memories like:

*Catching lightning bugs and keeping them in a jar with air holes in the lid. I put my jar in the freezer. Why I did this, I’m not sure, however catching them was a favorite summer night pastime with my neighborhood buddies.

*Eating fresh peaches and nectarines and the juice running down my chin.

*Riding bikes with my friends and staying out until it got dark and our moms made us come in.

*Homemade ice cream on Sundays when friends came to visit—banana, vanilla, or peach. Never chocolate because my dad didn’t like chocolate ice cream.

*Having more time to read Nancy Drew mysteries.

*Running through the sprinkler on really hot days.

*Setting up a Kool-Aid stand and ending up in the red. I think I employed a few too many friends.

Consider taking some time to live summer like a kid. I got my bike out for the first time in ??? years. It was fun, although I need to toughen up my “sitting on a bike seat” muscles.

It’s Fruit and Veggie Time

Many people I consult with are practicing the art of increasing their fruit and vegetable intake. This is a great aspect of eating to focus on, and one that is much easier now that more of the produce is local.

A simple way to do this is to take note of the number of servings of vegetables and fruits you typically eat in a day. Practice increasing it by one a day over time. I find that eating a tossed green salad almost daily is an easy way to add 2-3 vegetables.

Take a handful or two of greens, and add any of the following: chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, sweet peppers, zucchini, carrots, etc.

Toss with a simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Easy.

The ultimate goal is 10 servings per day. A good ratio is 3:1 vegetables to fruits, 5:1 if you’re interested in weight loss.

It’s easy for me to reach my fruit intake, tougher to get in the suggested number of veggies. I continue to practice. 

Just try to do a little bit better.

Whatever health challenge you’re facing today, I’m here to support you.

Much love,
Carol

“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape…” — Harper Lee