1-219-765-8600

carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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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

February 14, 2024

My Best Workout Tip for Top Results

Ever wonder how to get the most out of your run or walk or strength training workouts? It’s the same way you can feel the most productive about your

February 8, 2024

Celebrating the Birth Month Without FOGO

This year’s birth month is a rare one because I get to celebrate for 29 days. Those of you who get 30, or if you’re REALLY lucky, 31 days, may not

February 1, 2024

How to Stick with Exercise

Work is really busy. Or your kid is going through a “phase.” Or it’s chocolate season. Any number of obstacles, distractions, and competing dema

January 24, 2024

Find the Right Foods for You

You know what it’s like to create a pump-up playlist, right? You compile a list of songs that—when they come on—make you say: “Yes, I feel lik

January 18, 2024

Mastering a Dry or Damp January with Style

As the new year begins, many of us look for ways to reset and rejuvenate our bodies and minds. One popular approach is embarking on a ‘Dry Janua

January 11, 2024

Gluten-Free Substitutes for Healthier Baking

The world of gluten-free baking can be rather intimidating. Experimenting with various “other” flours and mixes can sometimes result in frustratin

Brown vs. White vs. Wild Rice

Rice is a staple carbohydrate in our house. The big question when I serve rice as an accompaniment to a meal: which variety?

White rice actually starts out as brown rice.

A milling process removes the rice’s husk, bran, and germ, making it white. You’ve probably already guessed this: the process also removes most of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

White rice is artificially fortified with nutrients and polished in order to look more appealing. Brown rice ranks higher in fiber, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The exact nutritional components will vary depending on the rice manufacturer.

Rice is probably the single most commonly eaten food in the world. It can be short, medium, or long grain. 

There are over 8,000 varieties of rice. Some of the more popular ones are Basmati, jasmine, arborio, sticky, red, and black.

Rice in its natural form is gluten free. This includes sticky or “glutinous rice,” as this term merely refers to the stickiness of the rice.

White rice has a higher glycemic index, which means its carbs convert more quickly into blood sugar than brown rice.

Brown rice should be kept in an airtight container in a dark, dry cupboard for up to three months, or in the fridge for up to six months. It can become rancid more rapidly due to the presence of the oil-rich germ, not found in processed white rice.

White rice is more stable and may be kept in an airtight container in a dry, dark area such as a cupboard for up to a year.

Rinsing rice before cooking removes its starchy coating, helps prevent sticking and clumping, and gives it a fresh and clean taste.

Once rice is cooked, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.

Wild rice is a semi-aquatic grass that grows in water, such as lakes, rivers and bays, between two and four feet deep, and is technically not a rice. It’s slightly higher in protein than most whole grains and is a good source of fiber, folate, magnesium and a slew of other beneficial nutrients.

Wild rice has a durable storage time. If you keep it an airtight jar, it stays fresh. Keep it in a dry place in a cool environment. Rinse thoroughly before cooking.

It’s commonly mixed with other rices due to its high price.   

The downside. The rice plant accumulates more arsenic than most other food crops. This becomes a problem where soil or water sources are contaminated with arsenic.

High intake of arsenic can cause a variety of health problems. Varieties that contain lower amounts are jasmine, basmati, as well as rice grown in the Himalayan region.

Additionally, arsenic tends to accumulate in the bran. As a result, brown rice contains higher amounts of arsenic than white rice.

The bottom line: vary your diet and choose varieties lower in arsenic.

 Stay tuned for next week’s blog on some substitutes for rice.

Much love,
Carol

“If you give me rice, I’ll eat today; if you teach me how to grow rice, I’ll eat every day.”—Mahatma Gandhi

Best Brownies and Bad Berries

First topic: Bad Berries

We have some trees in our yard that currently produce small, purple, inedible berries. They’re a nuisance.

The birds eat them. Consequently, our brick patio has lots of evidence that this occurs.

During these delightful summer days, I often use our backyard patio as my office. It’s secluded and is a great spot for working and writing.

As I was typing out the Best Brownie recipe, after having cleaned off my outdoor “desk” of all the purple droppings, I got splattered with more purple bird poop as it hit the table.

REALLY?

Go ahead and laugh. It wasn’t even 5 minutes after having completed my cleaning that this incident occurred.

At least it didn’t land in my hair, which is the WORST. I know this from personal experience.

Isn’t it lucky or something when a bird poops on your head?

Or something. It’s a nasty mess. A similar event happened to my friend Dave as we were on our way to take a pharmacy final back in our college days. His textbook got nailed. 

Keep in mind that lots of other “good” berries: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, are in their peak season and offer lots of nutritional and health benefits. They’re low in natural sugars and wonderful any way you choose to enjoy them.

Second Topic: Best Brownies

I’ve uploaded this recipe and thought it’d be fun to give you some background info on why these brownies may not be as “bad” as you think.   

To be clear, just because a food is gluten or dairy-free does not mean it offers any real nutritional value. GF, DF junk food is still junk food.

These brownies fall under the category of “if you’re going to eat something that does not serve your heath, it had better be AMAZING!”   

These are.

And here’s a look at why they’re a bit “better” (health wise) than other alternatives, such as store or bakery bought versions.

  • When you make a treat at home, you’re omitting the chemicals and preservatives.
  • I use organic ingredients whenever possible in order to minimize additional chemicals.
  • I’ve altered the original recipe, reducing the sugar by 10%, and also cutting the amount of chocolate chips. You could omit the chips to cut down on even more sugar.
  • Extra virgin olive oil is full of health benefits, and no one will know that you’ve used olive oil—at least I’ve never had anyone tell me that the brownies reminded them of eating olives.
  • For those who are on a gluten and dairy-free regimen, these are miraculously delicious. Of course, you could use regular flour and your favorite brand of chocolate chips if you are not one of those people.
  • Cacao vs. Cocoa. Cacao is minimally processed, containing an abundance of minerals. Dutch-process cocoa has been treated with an alkaline solution to reduce its acidity. This takes away the bitter edge off the cacao bean and also decreases health benefits. They can be used interchangeably in recipes.
  • I cut these into fairly small pieces, so that I can have more than one and still eat less. It’s a psychological thing. The original recipe yields 16 brownies. I may get 24 or so. Also, they live in my freezer so that it’s a more conscious decision for me to have a treat.     

Click here for The Best Dark Fudgy Brownies.         

Wishing you a delightful summer weekend.

Much love,
Carol

“I’ve learned that you know your husband still loves you when there are two brownies left and he takes the smaller one.”—H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

The Best Dark Fudgy Brownies

The Best Dark Fudgy Brownies
(That happen to be gluten and dairy-free)                 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2/3 cup cacao powder or Dutch-process cocoa
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 cup gluten-free flour (I like Namaste or King Arthur brands)
  • ½ cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips (optional)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil/grease an 8” or 9” square pan. Whisk together cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder, flour, and chips. Stir in eggs, oil, and water. Mix until well blended. Using a rubber scraper, scoop the mixture into pan, smoothing the top. Bake brownies for 45 minutes (for 8” pan) or 35 minutes (for 9” pan), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool on a rack for about 1 hour before slicing.

If using a glass pan, reduce baking temperature to 325°F and bake 5-10 minutes less.

Choose the Tastiest Cantaloupe, Every Time

I stumbled across some Tuscan-Style Extra Sweet Cantaloupes this week, and they certainly live up to their name.

They are produced by Dulcinea Farms which focuses on providing reliably great-tasting fruit—as opposed to a high yield and long shelf-life.

Choosing a delicious melon can be a gamble, even when following the tasty melon guidelines. 

Have you ever brought home what you thought to be a great-tasting melon or peach, only to sink your teeth into a piece of mush? UGH!

Since this company prides itself on controlling the growing, shipping and marketing of their produce, I feel a bit more confident tossing their fruit in my buggy. There were even tips on the label to help me find a ripe melon.

ripe cantaloupe will have beige, tan, creamy yellow or golden rind. Green rind indicates that the fruit is unripe.

I found these cantaloupes at Costco, two per net bag. It’s the “one for now, one for later” principle. Since they both smelled ripe, I put my second one in the fridge (intact) to keep it from getting overly so.

Dulcinea Farms produces a variety of melons (including mini-seedless watermelons), grapes, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, and oranges. If you spot fruit with their sticker, you may want to give some a try.

While their produce may be a bit pricier than other brands, your tastebuds may tell you it’s worth it.

Remember to always wash the outside of your melons before cutting them in order to avoid spreading any bacteria to the inner fruit.

Here’s a summer salad that fits the criteria of healthy, light, tasty, simple. (I found a salad using cantaloupe, but it was much more complex. Never mind.)

Dulcinea® Pureheart® Watermelon Mediterranean Salad (Yields 6 servings)

  • 5-oz bag Baby Romaine lettuce
  • 3/4 cups crumbled goat cheese
  • 2 cups cubed Dulcinea® PureHeart® Mini Seedless Watermelon
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cups walnut pieces (optional)

Toss lettuce, cheese and watermelon in serving bowl. Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl until well blended, season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss salad with dressing. Top salad with walnuts, if desired. 

Note: White balsamic vinegar has a sweet, subtle flavor and a clean color. This vinegar is mainly used in marinades, salad dressings and light-colored sauces. It is aged up to 12 years. Oxidation may occur over time, causing a darkening of the lighter product from gold to deep amber. The quality is not affected. Dark balsamic vinegar is considered to be the real balsamic and is the most commonly used vinegar. It’s aged for a minimum of 12 years. Both types are made from white grapes, usually Trebbiano, grown in Modeno, Italy.

If you’re trying to lose weight, I know that it can be complicated. I’ll help you simplify the process and even eat your favorite foods. Give me a call. 219-765-8600.

Much love,
Carol

 “The longer it takes you to select a cantaloupe, the worse it is!” — Kin Hubbard