In the Kitchen of...Chelsea Patton

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live. -Henry David Thoreau

Oh boy, have I stood up to live which now gives me great purpose to write. I got the wonderful opportunity to spend a night in the kitchen of Chelsea Patton (and the apartment 24). I knew Chelsea would be a great example of a well-rounded, and healthy cook. 

 She starts off the meal with a scrumptious apple and walnut spinach salad. I am such a fan of complementing fruit with other foods. Fruit and...chicken, veggies, bread, CHOCOLATE. Also, this is a great way to spice up your salads. Chelsea added nutmeg and raspberry vinaigrette to top it off. I will definitely try adding more nutmeg to my salads! 

 Chelsea prepared a classic for her and James. Yet to me, it was a delicacy! Chicken Alfredo. I can genuinely say I didn't know it was so easy to whip up! Start with melting butter on a pan, and gradually adding a couple tablespoons of flour. Then add milk, and some spices. And voila! She thawed and grilled the chicken, as you can see in the picture above. 

Note: when thawing chicken, don't thaw it in hot water!T hat creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow in between 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit. The Food Safety and Inspection Services "recommends three ways to thaw chicken: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave" (fsis.usda.gov). Chelsea was a great example and thawed her poultry in cold water! 

What a simple, easy meal that can be prepared for one, two, or a company! These are also general ingredients in your home: 

• apples
• spinach
• nuts
• dressing
• chicken
• noodles
• flour
• butter 
• spices
• milk

Chelsea also gave some great advice about how to choose meals. She and James first pick a base grain/starch (rice, potatoes, noodles) and then build a meal around that. If you're struggling with meal planning, it's a great place to start! Alyse and Chelsea both agreed that eating healthy just feels better! 

Bon Appetite! 

Let Us Run with Patience the Race that is Set Before Us

With finals coming up in a couple of weeks, I want to remind you to stay physically active while we mentally prepare for our upcoming tests. I know it's not easy, but there are a lot of benefits to it.

For my jogging class, here are some facts that I learned about running that you might find interesting:
Why should you run? Here are the benefits of running: INCREASES red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin,  and blood volume. DECREASES respiratory and resting heart rate.

Like running on the street? Face traffic so you can see what’s coming.

Are you wanting to buy new running shoes? Most significant design of running shoes is to absorb shock. Shoes should be snug, not tight. Not fit like normal shoe. ½ to full width of thumb between end of the shoe & longest toe. Also, feet enlarge as day goes on. Shop for shoes in the afternoon/end of the day.

Why do my legs hurt? Normal aches and pains from running: tight calves, gluts, and hamstrings. If it goes beyond that, you should see your doctor or medical professional. 

What's the BEST time of day to run?  Best time to run is the time that works for you! 

How should I breathe? It's a MYTH that the right way to breathe while running is to breathe through nose rather than mouth. The important thing is to BREATHE.

What should my form look like while running? The trunk of your body should be held steady/erect with a slight forward lean. You want to be running at 90+ cadence/minute. This means that within a minute, your left foot should touch the ground 90+ times. If it's lower, than pick up your feet more! Also, when swinging your arms, they shouldn't cross the center of your torso. Finally, keep your hands in a comfortable position (like your holding a potato chip). 

What surface should I run on? Here are surfaces ranked in hardness: Concrete>asphalt>dirt>sand (duh, right?). It's just something to consider if you're injured. I remember my doc once telling me to avoid running on concrete. I  could still run, just on softer surfaces.

What/when should I eat after a run? You should consume 100 to 150 cal of sugar within 15 min of workout. 

Do you drink enough water? Drink water before you get thirsty. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.

What's the difference between running and jogging? There's no agreed upon speed when jogging becomes running. 

Want to burn a pound of fat? Walking/jogging/running 36 mi all burns 1 lb of fat (It doesn't matter the speed; what matters is that it's the same amount of work for the same distance).

What should I wear in hot or cold weather? Best clothing is synthetic because it wicks moisture. I know it's expensive, but it's so worth it on those really hot or really cold days! They also serve multiple purposes, not just running (i.e. rock climbing, snowboarding, skiing, biking, etc.)

Feel discouraged about running in cold weather? Give your body time to adapt to warm/cold weather. 

Ever been a runner but feel discouraged because you haven't run in a while? Here's some good news for you!   Running also follows the "riding a bike" concept. Our body remembers the principles of running! Just go out and do it!

If that's so, then why is it still so hard to get back into running? Because of the training reversibility principle. Sorry guys, but you lose the benefits of exercising after a week of two of no practice. Our body adapts well to what we do. It can be a blessing and a curse. So, although our body remembers the motion of running, we have to do it consistently to see the benefits. 

One of my favorite scriptures is Hebrews 12:1 when it states: let us run with patience the race that is set before us." I encourage you to run, hike, bike, climb, swim, dance, walk, jog, etc. to keep you sane these upcoming weeks! You can still sign up for the 10k (it's 6.2 miles!) in Moab this weekend too. Click here for the race information. 

Good luck on finals! And run with patience that race that is set before you. 

D-FENSE!

Self Defense! What a blast!

Kelby not letting anyone grab her wrists

Alyse attacking strangers?! Don't worry, it's  for practice.

Who knew you could have so much fun choking some one you've just met? While they, in turn, pop your ear drum and ram your face into their knee. Now that's some good, pure Relief Society bonding!

We met together this last Thursday along with the 34th Ward to learn some good techniques for protecting ourselves in emergency situations. Now, when I think of self defense classes I imagine big, burly instructors that tell you scary stories to make you paranoid and scared about life. 

How scary! :)

And this self defense class did not disappoint ;) but I am an easily scared person.

Sister bonding time

More than paranoia and fear though, this activity brought me joy! It was fun to hang out with some of the beautiful, wonderful girls of the 33rd ward and build closer and stronger relationships. 

Joy+Friendship=better health! So let's go forth and make some friends and find some joy!

Also, if you missed the activity and would like to know how to get out of a choke hold, just ask me or Kelby or Suzette or Hannah or Maddy or Sarah or Alyse and we'll be happy to teach you!

(Written by our very own Morgan Kitchen.)

HIYA!

Fall into a Baked Apple

It's fall! I cannot believe it. I love fall. Cozy beds, cups of hot cocoa, colorful leaves. So, in tribute to the fall, I've come up with a new tradition: baked apples. They are absolutely divine. The epitome of fall, if I do say so.

If you were at the last ward SUNDAE activity, you might have tried one. I wasn't able to be there because I was at my grandparents, but I helped my roommates prepare this recipe. I've heard a couple requests for the recipe, so here you go! I figure it's a pretty healthy recipe (you can even tweak it to make it low-fat, or low-sugar):

Baked Apples with Granola

1 1/2 cups low-fat granola
1/3 cup raisins or craisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
6 medium to large Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup apple cider
(opt: 8 oz. vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon honey)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Place granola, raisins, cinnamon and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl and combine well.
3. Scoop out the core from the top of each apple. Cut a small slice off the bottom so that it sits flat, but do not cut into the core opening.
4. Stuff each apple with 1/4 cup of the granola mixture (it usually isn't that much; maybe we just don't make the core opening too big) and dot with 1/2 tablespoon butter (I usually put a small slice; on the ones for the ward we didn't use any butter). Place in a shallow baking dish and pour apple cider around the apples. Bake the apples, basting occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until fork-tender and caramelized.
(Opt) 5. Mix together yogurt and honey; drizzle over or serve with baked apples. Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appetit!

You go, yoga!

You know when Cinderella can't go to the ball unless she finished all of her chores? Here's a clip to remind you.

That's what I felt like on Saturday. If I could just finish all of my chores, I could finally relax at the yoga activity. 

After scrubbing the grease and grime off of a well-used oven, and becoming overly meticulous over organization in my room, the clock struck 8:30! I could go get ready for a wonderful, stress-free activity! 

I think of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 where it speaks of the different uses of time. "... A time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up..." Yoga felt like a time to heal.

Okay, I'm done getting all transcendental on you. I was excited for the success of our yoga outing. We had all ranges of experience levels attending. 

Here's us doing Warrior 2 and...I don't remember the other pose. But, our teacher was so nice! Her name is Jenny and she teaches for BYU's Aerobics and Fitness program. 6 o'clock in the morning classes if you're interested. 

What I got out of the experience: 

1. Try something new! Our honorary priesthood members could probably tell you about this one (especially Joey). Yoga is great for branching out of your comfort zone of ordinary exercising. 

2. Your body, not just your mind, takes on a lot of stress. Find ways to relieve that stress! It will save your from a lot of health problems. 

3. Exercise is a great way to meet and get to know people. I'm glad I got to meet Maddy, Hannah, and Alyssa as well as get to know Natalie, Rachel Z., and Courtney more. 

4. Jamba Juice is so worth it after yoga! 

Here's to more adventures! We'll be planning another Health & Wellness activity next month. 

Packing Healthy Lunches

Something that I'm working on this week is planning and packing a healthy lunch. I receive emails from a certified health coach (she was my Zumba instructor), and she sent a lovely one about healthier lunches.

Keep in mind when deciding what to eat for lunch:

1. Choose whole grain!
2. Pack bite-sized fruits and veggies. They're nutrient-dense, and fill you up.
3. Protein? Hard-boiled eggs are good for carrying along with you.
3. Buy a multi-compartment container. Here's what Shantelle, the health coach/Zumba instructor said about it: "As I researched a LOT of blogs and articles about creating healthy lunchboxes, I noticed that they ALL had one thing in common: every healthy lunch was packed in a Bento box or a multi-compartment tupperware container. It was obvious that multi-compartment containers make it much easier to pack fresh, healthy food in a way that is organized and visually appealing." Here are the ones that I made! I bought a container like these at SMITH'S. I think I got the 2 containers for $4. One for lunch, one for dinner.

Lunch: Tuna wrap, raspberries, and carrots

 Dinner: Seasoned brown rice, corn, and chicken

 I found a good trick if you're gone all day is to freeze your dinner and refrigerate your lunch so they'll both be ready when the time come's to eat them.

Here are some online examples. They're much more creative than I am! (Probably because they're mostly for children.) But, aren't they adorable?

Bon Appetit! 

On Behalf of Our Health...

To get this blog jumpstarted, I’d like to preface with a scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 49:18. “And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God.” The interpretation of this verse—as far as I understand it—is that those going around forbidding people to eat meat, or abstain from it, are at fault. Not that the actual food choice is bad. If you try to force your views on anyone else, then you’re not heading to the Lord’s counsel.

My friends, that is not the purpose of this blog. Our purpose is to fulfill our callings and hopefully help our Relief Society sisters by sharing our pursuits of health and wellness. This purpose ultimately ties into the gospel because we want to show our love towards Heavenly Father by:

            1. Showing our gratitude for our physical bodies by taking care of them

            2. Maintaining a mental and emotional balance throughout our trials

            3. Help others do so too

I love how we can tie this into the Relief Society Declaration too, when it states, “dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriage, families, and homes” and “love life and learning.” As we improve our health, we can be better prepared to start a family of our own. We will be more mentally, physically, and spiritual prepared to face the challenges that come with motherhood. Also, we are more capable of enjoy life!

Now, a little bit about the committee members. 

I'm Suzette. I am from Stow, Ohio. I'm a junior at BYU and studying Nutritional Science. I am very grateful to be called to help our relief society in health and wellness. There's still a lot I have to learn in these fields, so I'm humbled by this opportunity.

Here's a picture of me in Moab going rafting this summer. Who knew there was such adventure here in Utah?! I'm excited to embark on this semester's adventures as I help with the health and wellness of our Relief Society. 

We'll have more on Natalie and Alyssa coming soon.