Who says you can’t eat healthy while dining out. Watch as Vittorio Assaf, co-owner of world famous Serafina Restaurants, shares delicious, plant based dishes with Peter K, including spaghetti squash, and Grandma’s ratatouille.  They also throw in a couple of fish dishes that you’ll love.  The great news, fine dining can be healthy and delicious!  Check out Serafina around the world.

I recently spoke in Mystic Conn. and an audience member wanted to know a quick way to stay motivated.

Often we have great health goals, but before we realize it, we’ve missed several workouts, or indulged in one too many meals.  What’s going on?  Sometimes it’s a matter of losing focus.  To stay focused, every morning take 5 minutes to review your health goals for the day, and why you want to be healthy, (your vision).

Some audience members reasons for getting healthy and staying focused, (These are real):

• I want to play with my grandkids, on the floor
• I want to dance with my daughter at her wedding, (She’s currently 5)
• I want to wear a sleeveless evening dress to show off my tone arms when I going to the opera with someone I love

Stay focused, stay successful, be your best.

If you eat meat, you may occasionally enjoy the classic sausage & peppers.  This is a twist on the classic, grilling the main ingredients instead of using the oven, then placing them over a peppery bed of arugula leaves.  You can save some calories and saturated fat by using chicken, instead of pork, but don’t feel obligated, because you’re placing everything over a salad for more health.

As always, try to buy organic veggies, or grow your own.  I picked the arugula fresh from my garden minutes before preparing the dish.  Also, look for organic, grass fed meat, which will not contain growth hormones or antibiotics.  Studies show that when we choose organic foods, we are helping the earth heal.

Serves 4-5 people

Ingredients:

Chicken (or pork) sausage, 6 links

Arugula, 1 large bunch, washed and dried

Yellow or red onions, 2 large, sliced into 1/2 inch disks

Sweet peppers, 2, red, yellow or orange, washed, cut into quarters, and seeded.

Balsamic vinegar, best quality says “Traditional” on the label, enough for drizzling on veggies before grilling, then more for drizzling over finished salad

Olive oil, extra virgin, enough for drizzling on veggies before grilling, then more for drizzling over finished salad

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat your grill to medium-high.  Peel and cut onions into 1/2 in disks.  Wash peppers, quarter, seed, then drizzle peppers and onions with vinegar, oil, salt & pepper.  Let marinate 10 minutes to an hour, whichever comes first .  Place vegetables on hottest area of grill for 7-10 minutes, then lift, turn and place on cooler part of the grill. Place sausage on hot part of grill for 7- 10 minutes, turn, and cook till done- juices will run clear, about 7-10 minutes. Remove all from grill and let sit 10 minutes.

Wash arugula leaves while food is on the grill. I like to use a salad spinner.  Place  washed and dried arugula in large salad bowl.   Slice sausage in 1/4 in disks, and chop onions and peppers.   Lay ingredients over arugula, drizzle with oil and vinegar, salt & pepper, serve.

Bon appétit

The veggies before you chop them.

I can’t say I wasn’t concerned when I saw “bucket of salad” on the fancy steak house menu, while recently in Wyoming.  When it actually came to the table in what I recognized as a mop bucket, I missed home a bit.

While the people I met in Wyoming easily qualified as the friendliest, most down to earth folks I ever had the pleasure to meet, it was difficult to find a healthy meal.  2 dinners consisted of steak, a la bucket o salad, and a burger.  See below.

I did manage to find some healthier alternatives. That included fresh fruit and vegetables, and not much else, for breakfast and lunch, except the last day when I couldn’t resist and had, what else, steak and eggs.  I did work out both mornings in my hotel room, doing my PK IGNITE Workout.

Here’s the strategies I used that helped me stay fit:

• Steak Dinner- I asked for a plain steak, no special sauce on top, 16 oz, instead of 24, substituted a baked potato for the mashed, and skipped dessert. I ate fruit and veggies for breakfast and lunch to prepare.  To drink I had a half seltzer, half cranberry juice, with a lime- no alcohol.
• Burger Dinner- I skipped the cheese and butter on the bun, but did have the fries- the vegetable of the day sounded blah.  I also skipped dessert, but had a couple of vodka and seltzers.
• Steak and Eggs- guilty as charged, but I swapped the butter laden home fries for the fresh fruit, and had the coffee instead of sugar packed orange juice.

The bottom line, I enjoyed beef, one of my favs, but balanced it with meals packed with fruit, vegetables, and little else, and skipped the extra calories of desserts, cheese, butter and juice/soda.

There’s a new study that shows shorter workouts can have greater benefits. We’ve known this for years.  That’s what my 5 Minutes to Fitness workout is all about.

I recently created a new workout, PK IGNITE, that anyone can do, anywhere, starting with just 5 minutes.  It includes high intensity circuit training.  I had attendees at a GE conference get up to try it, and they loved it! You can see a sample video below.  If you’re an advanced exerciser, jump right in.  If you’re a beginner, start slow and steady with 5 minutes.

Thrown out Items.

A friend recently asked me to go through her pantry and get rid of the “unhealthy” foods.  I love doing this.  Very early in my personal health journey, I discovered the power of throwing out junk food and supposed health food.  If you feel guilty about throwing out food, donate it to your local food pantry.

Here are some foods to consider chucking, or not buying, besides the obvious “junk” foods:

• Pre-seasoned rice mixes- contain lots of salt and additives
• Balsamic “glaze”- contains more sugar than vinegar
• Cake, cookie, muffin mixes- make them from scratch or find healthier brands
• Salad dressings- should be able to recognize ingredients
• General- processed foods with multiple unrecognizable ingredients, especially if first ingredient is not real food

Here are some general guidelines to help you stock a healthier pantry:

• 5 ingredients or less
• It came from a farm, the wild, or from the ocean
• It’s recognizable and pronounceable
• It’s organic

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_barber_how_i_fell_in_love_with_a_fish.html

Love the sweetness of baby spinach, the crunch of romaine, or the peppery spice of wild arugula?  What if you mixed your favorite leafy greens together for a super salad mix of your own.  I did this recently, picked fresh from my spring garden

Ingredients:

Baby Spinach

Kale- Tuscan, Dinosaur or Lacinato (they’re all the same type, different name)

Wild Arugula

Romaine lettuce

Dandelion Greens

Boston (Butter) Lettuce

Dressing Choices

Lemon, shallot vinaigrette

Garlic, Lime, Cilantro Dressing

Greek Dressing

Mix and max your favorite greens and dressings to spice up your salads. Bon Appetit!

I recently spoke with a young man who’s stuck in a rut.  He feels like he’s going nowhere, beating himself up along the way.  When you’re stuck, it’s a tough time to see a better future.  I’ve felt like him many times, even recently.

A mentor taught me, things don’t stay “bad” forever.  Eventually things start coming your way.  I believe our job is to whether the storm, plant seeds, and wait for the sun to bring new life.  Spring is that time.

In my 20 years of observing this phenomenon, It’s those that don’t give up that eventually run into good times again.  If you’re in a rut, don’t give up. It will get better.   Ask yourself, “If I quit now, what would happen?”

Reach out to good people, ask for their help.  You’re not alone.

I’ll try to write this post without my personal bias toward “health drinks” showing through.  Let’s start with some of the ingredients found in some of the Crystal Light drinks:

Citric Acid
Calcium Citrate
Maltodfextrin
Malic Acid
Aspartame
Ascorbic Acid or L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Magnesium Oxide
Natural flavor 
Artificial flavor 
Acesulfame Potassium
Soy Lecithin
Artificial Color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1)

As a matter of fact, I don’t think I need to comment. I think the ingredients may speak for themselves, loud and clear.

What’s the best healthy drink? Water.  What’s the next best healthy drink? More water. Want something with more flavor?  Add a squeeze of lemon or try a flavored seltzer.  Enjoy.