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

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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

The Surprising Truth about Eggplant, and a Recipe

A large eggplant. That is the vegetable size of a baby at week #28.

Oh, but wait just a minute. An eggplant is actually a FRUIT because it grows from a flowering plant and contains seeds. I just learned this.

There are many eggplant varieties that range in size and color. The deep purple skinned variety is the most common.

Eggplants contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, while being low in calories. It’s another good fruit to add to your repertoire. (I still keep thinking of it as a VEGETABLE.)

That being the case, they may help with weight loss. I’ve never had a client tell me that they gained a few pounds over the holidays because they ate too much eggplant.   

Watch, I’ll get a call later today on that one.

At any rate, if you’ve never tried eggplant, or think you don’t care for it, you may want to experiment with a recipe or two. Fine Italian restaurants typically make fantastic Eggplant Parmesan.

Here’s a recipe from Dr. Perlmutter’s The Grain Brain Cookbook. I’ll be making it tomorrow in a kitchen coaching session with one of my clients. We were looking for a vegetable lasagna recipe, and this fit the bill. We’ll see what happens!

Baked Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomato

Serves 4

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan

1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

4 zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices

Salt and pepper

½ cup tomato sauce

5 ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, and cut crosswise into thin slices

¼ cup torn basil leaves

12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly coat the interior of an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil and set aside.

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of the eggplant and zucchini with olive oil. Place the vegetables on the prepared baking sheets and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in the preheated oven and bake until just barely cooked and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.   

Ladle the tomato sauce into the prepared baking dish. Using half of the eggplant slices, place a layer of eggplant over the sauce. Top the eggplant with half of the zucchini slices, laying them in the opposite direction from the eggplant. Cover the zucchini with half of the tomato slices. Sprinkle half of the basil over the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then sprinkle half of the mozzarella over the seasoned tomatoes, making an even layer. Repeat the layers, beginning with the remaining eggplant and ending with the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan and transfer to the preheated oven.

Bake until hot throughout and the cheese has melted and browned slightly, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. This is also tasty at room temperature, making a perfect lunch the next day.

To your health,
Carol

“The simple act of moving your body will do more for your brain than any riddle, math equation, mystery book, or even thinking itself.”― David Perlmutter, “Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar—Your Brain’s Silent Killers”

My Least Favorite Vegetable and a Challenge

At week #27 baby is the size of…

…a head of cauliflower.

Most of you know that I do not care for this vegetable. I’ve tried.

Truth is that cauliflower is very beneficial for good health.     

It contains some of almost every vitamin and mineral you need. It’s high in fiber, water, choline, and contains antioxidants, which means it helps with weight loss, reduces inflammation, and protects against several diseases. Cauliflower is also rich in sulforaphane, a plant compound that helps reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.   

 Cauliflower appears to be the perfect child of the vegetable world. Lucky for me, it’s not the only perfect child. Broccoli is a bit healthier, in terms of fiber, vitamin, and mineral content.

AND it’s green.

I’ll stick with enjoying broccoli, thank you very much.

You can substitute cauliflower to reduce your carbs, if you feel so inclined.

  • Cauliflower rice–grate, then sauté. (I have eaten it this way and it’s acceptable, however I don’t make a habit of it.)
  • Cauliflower mash–in place of mashed potatoes.
  • Cauliflower pizza crust–tried a commercial pizza with this and never knew it was cauliflower. It even fooled Mr. Non-Compliant.
  • Cauliflower hummus–use cauliflower in place of chickpeas when making hummus.
  • Cauliflower tortillas
  • Batter-fried cauliflower–this is not a good idea at all and actually increases your carb intake. Just say, “NO.”  

If you like cauliflower, eat it often. You can roast it, steam it, sauté it, add it to soups, stews, stir-fries, or casseroles. Raw cauliflower is on many a crudités platter.

If you’re like me, it’s okay to skip it. There are lots of other nutritious vegetables in the produce section.

Remember, we’re not striving for perfection. We’re always trying to do just a little bit better.

********

To say that 2021 has been quite a year after only a week, seems to me, an understatement.

I’ve been challenged in maintaining focus, even with meditation, exercise, prayer, and eating my daily salad.

My health/continuing education studies of late have taken me to the land of mindful, conscientious eating and living.

I’ll keep it simple. Whatever your eating behaviors, they are related in some way to what is or is not, happening in your life.

Everything affects everything.

What I’m challenging us (yes, I’m in on this) to do in the coming week, is to pay a bit more attention to our food and the way we are living.

If you have set the intention to live healthier, what does that look like on a daily basis? Get specific and keep it simple.

If you eat food from a package, have you looked at the ingredients on the label? Are the contents REALLY what you’d like to ingest for optimal health? Or perhaps for comfort?     

When I eat a bowl of ice cream, or a salad, why am I eating it? What purpose is it serving?  

Begin this week to get conscious of your food and your life. Maybe you already are, and I applaud you.

Noticing what you eat and why you eat it, and why you do anything you do, is interesting. It gives you the opportunity to make any corrections that seem appropriate.

I’m here if you need me.

Much love,
Carol

“When you speak to yourself, let your interior dialogue be confident, optimistic, and visionary. Dare to live the life most people only fantasize about.”—Matthew Kelly, The Rhythm of Life

Cheers to Scallions and a New Year

At week #26, baby is the size of a scallion.

The first question that popped into my head is: What’s the difference between a scallion and a green onion?

Scallions are the younger version of green onions. The bulb of a scallion is about the same width as the green stem. The bulb of a green onion is slightly wider than the stem and is ovular in shape.  

This makes sense, since the green onion has spent more time in the ground.

They are 89% water and provide some fiber, a few micronutrients, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds.

You can probably use scallions and green onions interchangeably in any recipe, since young onions taste about the same.

Scallions are great in salads, stir-fries, soups and stews. They also make a nice garnish.

They are one of the first crops to plant and harvest come spring. Living on the farm, I remember my dad loving his raw green onions and eating them as a serving of vegetables with any meal.

He stayed pretty healthy too.

 

As we move into another year, I’m grateful for you. Thank you for following my blog week after week and taking steps to implement health and well-being into your daily routines.

With so much information available, it’s often challenging to sort fact from fiction. I relay to you that which makes the most sense, based on my years of ongoing study.

Together we practice the art of living well. And although it is an art that will never be perfected, we always strive to do a little bit better.

In 2021, I plan to have more fun Zoom Kitchen Coaching escapades, continue 1:1 and group coaching, and keep on writing.

What are some of your plans? Share them with me, if you feel so inclined.

You may hear a friend say that he/she is going to soon begin an exercise program, lose weight, and live healthier. Perhaps you’ve heard that person say this to you for as long as you can remember.

Here’s the next question: What is different this time?

Unless something is radically different, you can assure them that come December 31, 2021, you’ll be hearing the same statement.

 Making radical changes can be rather uncomfortable.

 Take a stand for your friend. Give them my name. A year from now they’ll be thanking you, as they too, practice the art of living well.

May 2021 bring you much health, happiness, and love.

In gratitude,
Carol

“Whether you are sixteen or sixty, the rest of your life is ahead of you. You cannot change one moment of your past, but you can change your whole future. Now is your time.”—Matthew Kelly, The Rhythm of Life

The Hope and Excitement of a Baby

A bit of background for my new readers: I’m taking the produce journey along with my good friend who is expecting. As we track the progression, we learn about the vegetable or fruit of the week as it relates to the size of the baby.

It’s fun to think about how different their family will look next Christmas, and the excitement of a new life.

Week #25 and baby is about the size of a rutabaga.   

If you’re thinking that the rutabaga is similar to the turnip, you are correct. It is commonly referred to as a cross between a turnip and a cabbage.

Which means I’m probably not very fond of them. The turnips (baby size at week #17) were rather bitter, and although I could prepare rutabagas as I would potatoes, carrots, or other root vegetables, I’m sticking with REAL mashed potatoes for our Christmas dinner.

Rutabagas can be:

  • boiled and mashed
  • cut into fries and fried
  • roasted in the oven
  • added to a soup
  • thinly sliced and added to a casserole
  • grated raw into a salad

They are an excellent source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamins E and C and other antioxidants. This vegetable is very high in fiber and takes longer to digest, keeping you feeling full longer. This may prevent overeating and, ultimately, weight gain.

They also contain powerful compounds that help fight inflammation, prevent premature aging, and are associated with a reduced risk of various cancers.

I purchased a rutabaga to try, since I think that eating a variety of foods is a good idea. It will probably get roasted along with some Brussels sprouts, another cruciferous vegetable. They’re related, so it may be okay.

As many of us celebrate Christmas, life still feels weird.

I was reminded at a recent prayer service that we think of Jesus’s birth as being all sweet and cozy. We picture him lying quietly in a little manger, surrounded by stable animals and Mary and Joseph. Maybe some shepherds showed up, along with a kid playing his drum.

It has the makings of a perfect Hallmark movie or Christmas card.    

Truth is that the barn and animals most likely smelled—along with Jesus’s diaper. Shepherds hang out with stinky sheep, and they weren’t wearing their Sunday best. And where did they all wash their hands?

It probably felt weird.

And yet, it marked the greatest birth in the history of the world.

May the hope of our Savior bring you peace this Christmas.

Much love,
Carol

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”—St. Augustine