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December 19, 2024

Easy Holiday Baking and Cooking Substitutes

Holiday meals are about bringing people together, but when some guests have food sensitivities or allergies, it can feel like a challenge to make ever

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 12, 2024

Doorstep Dining Done Right

‘Tis the season of parties, buffets, Christmas cookies and oodles of joyful gatherings that include delicious, even healthy, food. At the same time,

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 5, 2024

Post-Thanksgiving Mini Reset

Thanksgiving may have left you feeling a little too much like the stuffed turkey centerpiece. If you’re ready to shake off the sluggishness before m

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Christmas, Food, Fun, Health
November 28, 2024

Savor, Stroll, and Stay Thankful

Thanksgiving. A time to enjoy the company of loved ones, share stories, and of course, indulge in delicious food. Here’s a tip to help you savor

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
November 19, 2024

Gobble Up These Thanksgiving Preparation Tips

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, gathering, and indulging in an amazing feast. However, hosting can sometimes feel more like a marathon than a ce

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Food
November 14, 2024

Mediterranean Feel-Good Soups for Fall

As we transition from fall into the holidays, staying mindful of our health goals can help us enjoy the season without feeling run down or overwhelmed

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Food, Health
November 7, 2024

Healthy Eating FAQs and Answers

Before I get into this week’s topic, I must first retract a statement that I made last week about Mr. Non-Compliant. I stand corrected, as he did NO

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Food, Health
October 31, 2024

Mr. Non-Compliant’s Birthday Fest

This week Mr. Non-Compliant (aka my dear hubby) celebrated a birthday. He flaunted his morning non-compliance by leaving the EMPTY cinnamon roll box o

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
October 24, 2024

Not a Vegetable Fan? Read This

It’s not just kids that wrinkle their nose at a plate of green stuff. Lots of fully-grown adults feel the same—inclined to hide their Brussels spr

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Food, Health
October 17, 2024

How Safe is Your Cinnamon?

I’m a huge cinnamon fan. I shake it in my coffee, smoothies, muffins, stewed apples, and of course, pumpkin pie. Years ago I mixed it with a little

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Food, Health

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

January 27, 2022
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Food, Health, Main Dishes, Recipes

It’s soup season here in the Midwest. The high today was something like 11°F. Brrrrr.

Grateful that it was sunny.

Since we’re probably going to have a few more days like this, I’ve decided to share a soup recipe with you. 

I am aware that this recipe does not fall in line with authentic Greek recipes for lemon rice soup, however since I’m not Greek, I figured I can get away with it.

It’s easy to make. It takes time to cook because brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice. By using brown rice, the fiber intake is greater, and with the addition of the chicken, you get more protein. Bone broth will also add more protein and additional health benefits, especially if it’s homemade.

I think I’ll be making a batch this weekend.

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

  • 7 cups organic chicken broth or bone broth
  • 1 small onion, peeled and cut in half
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped in small pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup organic brown rice
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (optional)
  • Ground black pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth, onion, carrot, bay leaf and salt to a simmer. Add chicken breasts, cover and gently simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked.  Remove chicken breasts, let cool slightly and pull or cut chicken into thin strips. Set aside. Remove onion pieces and bay leaf from soup and return to boil. Add rice and gently simmer for about 40 minutes, then add chicken back to soup for another 5 minutes.

Whisk eggs until they are frothy, then whisk in lemon juice. Add a cup of the hot soup to egg-lemon mixture, very slowly, whisking while you pour it in. Add another cup in the same manner. Take soup off the heat and add egg mixture to it. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, season with pepper and serve.  Makes about 4 servings.

Bon appétit,
Health Coach Carol

“To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night all you really need is soup.”—Laurie Colwin

Simplify Your Health Habits

January 20, 2022
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Food, Health

Sometimes I start to lose it. My mind, that is. Eat this, don’t eat that, depending on the podcast of the day. (Or the food fad of the day.)

And if I feel that way, I’m guessing that sometimes you feel that way too.

 Life is complicated enough.

Today, I’m going to give you two simple things to consider when it comes to your health.

(These are not listed in order of importance. Both are good. Perhaps choose one and then add the other one when it won’t drive you over the edge. A little near the edge is ok, as that’s called “growth.”) 

Thing #1

Try to eat as many foods in their natural state as you can. For example, enjoy a baked potato instead of mashed potatoes from a box. Eat the orange instead of drinking orange juice. Bake or toss a whole chicken in the crock pot instead of heating up frozen chicken nuggets.

Will you do this perfectly? No. And that is ok. We’re going for better, not perfect.

 It’s impossible to not eat at least a few somewhat processed foods in a day.

The Slager home contains some processed foods.

I like my vegan protein powder and use it several times a week. It’s processed, since I’m not eating the peas, brown rice, and cranberries. It has its place in my life.

Mr. Non-Compliant still likes his cereal. Even though I buy him those without artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, and lots of sugar, they are all processed.

Side note: Applause for Mr. NC, as he knows he must eat some protein, like eggs or Greek yogurt, before having his cereal for a treat. He’s learning.

Thing #2

Get some exercise.

Do what you can. Walk, try strength training, do yoga, run, do some push-ups, play tennis, ride a bike, dance. 

Everything counts. If the benefits of exercise could be made into a drug, it would be the most widely prescribed drug on the planet. Only no side effects and much less expensive.

Exercise promotes health and wellness. It helps prevent and improve every chronic disease.

Side effects may include weight loss, mood elevation, improved sleep, and increased mobility.

If you’re not engaged in an exercise routine, check with your physician and get started. It helps reverse the aging process, and who doesn’t want that?

 Start slowly, and keep it going. Perfection is not necessary. Have fun.

Simplify. Make it easy.

If you need help with a plan that’s unique to you, shoot me an email. We’ll schedule a 30-minute call and figure out what simple thing you can do that will have the greatest impact on the quality of your life.

30-minutes. One simple thing. A great start to 2022.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

 “The most powerful medicine is at the end of your fork, not at the bottom of your pill bottle. Food is more powerful than anything in your medicine cabinet.”—Mark Hyman

How Great Can Today Get?

January 13, 2022
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Health, Personal Development

A colleague of mine made a post-it note to remind her to ask this important question each day. I like it.

“How great can today get?”

So, what about you? How great can YOUR today get?

It’s easy to allow complacency to set in. Making today great presents us with a challenge of stepping up in some way.

It may even bring about some discomfort, which is a good thing.

There are lots of choices, which makes it fun to think about.   

If you’re a life-long learner, you could find a book to read on a particular topic that interests you, or sign up for a course.

For music lovers, is there an instrument you’ve always wanted to learn to play? Or get reacquainted with an instrument you’ve set aside for a few (or more) years?

Maybe you’re making 2022 the year you focus on improving your health, but aren’t sure how to begin.

I can help with that.

A client told me, “After spending years counting points with my ‘diet’ plan, which didn’t work on a long-term basis, I now understand how to eat in a way that gives me a feeling of abundance, satisfaction, while meeting my health goals.”

That’s a great today.

Perhaps your day would be great if you knew how to make a vegetable tasty enough to enjoy it. 

Or if you felt it was within your control to kick your craving for sugar or caffeine.

A great today may be one that includes reaching out to a friend, feeling grateful for sunshine, getting a quality night’s sleep.

While everyone’s definition of a great day is different, I hope you explore the possibilities.

I’m making a post-it note to remind me.

Sending love,
Health Coach Carol

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Resolutions vs. Aspirations

January 6, 2022
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Health, Hope, Personal Development

Made any? Have any? What’s the difference and why am I even writing about this?

New Year’s resolutions are a thing. People make them. Most break them.

Statistics show that after 6 months, only 46% of people are successful at keeping a resolution.

By definition, a resolution is a decision to do something or behave in a certain manner.

An aspiration is a strong desire to achieve something high or great. 

Aspirations are the dreams you have for your life.

Making the resolution to hit the gym a few times a week sounds like a really good idea; until the alarm goes off and it’s cold, snowy, and the pillow is calling your name.

Aspiring to be a fit person who is living “fit person” ideals NOW, chooses to put on the gym clothes that were set out the night before. And then GO to the gym.

Both involve creating a different habit. Both take work. What differs is the identity behind the habit.

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, refers to these as “identity-based habits.”

Rather than resolving to lose 10 pounds, think about the person you’d like to become and take on that identity.

What would a fit person do? What would a fit person choose to eat?

The focus is on living as that type of person, not getting a particular outcome.

Resolutions tend to be outcome or achievement driven: exercise more, write a novel, save more money, stop smoking.

A few other examples of identity-based habits:

  • When you say “thank you” each day, you take on the identity of a grateful person.
  • The goal is not to read one book, the goal is to become a reader.
  • If you want to be a musician, practice your instrument every day.

Once you determine the type of person you would like to be (your aspiration), break it down into small steps that you can slowly build upon.

Let’s say you aspire to be a healthy eater. You are a healthy eater when you include at least one piece of fruit or serving of vegetables in your day. When you master that, you can up it to two servings a day. 

Any bit of improvement over where you were is a win. Continue to build on other areas as each habit gets easy.

What are your aspirations? Live them today.

If you could use some help creating simple steps to achieve them, email me. I’d love to help you map out a plan to get started.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance. If you got a dream, chase it, ’cause a dream won’t chase you back. If you’re gonna love somebody, hold ’em as long and as strong and as close as you can. ‘Til you can’t.”—Cody Johnson, “Til You Can’t”

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