Monday Challenge:

Friday Leftovers

Leftover quinoa, lentils, kale, and zucchini makes a great lunch bowl.

Do you often toss food you didn’t remember you had? Fruits and veggies that have gone terribly bad? Maybe there was a great “buy 1, get 1 free” sale that you couldn’t resist so you bought it whether you need it or not. 🙄

Some foods, like rice, quinoa, soups, and salads can easily be frozen but some things just don’t freeze well - I call these my Friday Leftovers.

I usually do my weekly food shopping on Saturday. So on Friday I like to check out what’s left in my fridge and create my Friday meals around that.

Your leftovers, (or food that needs to be eaten sooner rather than later) can be used in simple, tasty meals using a grain, a green, and a bean and topped off with a great sauce.

Leftovers can also be easily used in smoothies, soups, stir fries, tacos, wraps, and salads.

Some of the ways I like to use my Friday leftovers:

🥦Got Hummus that’s getting old? Use it on toast for breakfast or thin out and eat it with your salad. Or use it as a spread in a wrap with some leftover veggies.

🥦Got some veggies losing their crispness? Oven roast them and use in a grain bowl . Or add them to pasta with a great sauce.

🥦Have some fruit showing signs of age? These are great to use as sweeteners in your oatmeal (apples, bananas, and pineapples are great cooked with steel cut oats).

🥦Have tofu getting close to a “use by” date? Toast it in your air fryer and serve with a nice Asian sauce and some quinoa and greens.

🥦Greens or cabbage not as fresh as you’d like? Sauté them with some broth, Braggs’ Aminos, and nutritional yeast - delicious!

Prepping your produce in different ways can add appeal to your leftovers. Spiralizing veggies like zucchini can make leftovers fun to eat. Kids love spirals too!

Your challenge this week is to create tasty “Friday Leftover” meals.

Post your creations on Facebook and tag me (@Sarandwellness)

or Instagram: @sarandwellnes or #SarandWellness

Need recipe ideas? Let me know.

How will you enjoy them this week?

Be sure to hit the LIKE button 😊

Monday Challenge:

The Mighty Flaxseed

Flaxseeds may be small but they sure are mighty.

Flaxseeds are loaded with nutrients. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and minerals such a B vitamins, iron, and magnesium. Flaxseeds also have lignans which have antioxidant properties and fight degenerative changes in the body and brain.

Did you know that omega-3 fatty acids are the only type of fat that the brain needs daily because our bodies cannot make them? Can you get them from eating fish? Yes, but realize you are also eating toxic substances like mercury. 🙄Ever wonder why pregnant and breast-feeding women are discouraged from eating fish (because of the child’s developing brain) but somehow it’s ok for the rest of us?

Why you should be adding flaxseed to your diet:

Cardiovascular health: The good fats in flaxseed help reduce blood pressure, stave off artery hardening, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, and prevent strokes.
Digestion: The ALAs and the plant fibers in flaxseeds help to relieve constipation and inflammatory bowel diseases, which improves and balances the function of the digestive system.
Inflammation: The omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed can calm inflammation in the joints and also play a role in men’s health by preventing inflammation of the prostate as we age.
Cancer: Flaxseeds are high in lignans which may reduce the growth and spread of cancer tumor cells specifically in the breast, colon, and prostate.
Skin Health: Flaxseed can help calm skin inflammations such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea, and may also promote healthy hair and nail growth.
Menopause: The research is mixed, but some studies suggest flaxseed can help with symptoms of menopause like hot flashes.

Flaxseeds have an impermeable coating that enables them to pass right through your body undigested so you need to grind them before eating. Buy them whole, grind them in small amounts, and store them in the fridge for optimal freshness.

Make it a habit to eat flaxseed daily. The best way to do this to add a tablespoon or two to your morning oatmeal. They are also great in baked goods like breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and crackers. Or try adding them to smoothies or sprinkle on your salad and grain bowls.

Your challenge this week is to eat flaxseeds daily.

Need recipe ideas? Let me know.

How will you enjoy them this week?

Let me know in the comments below.

Be sure to hit the LIKE button 😊