Thursday, July 5, 2012

Healthy meals & healthy snacks: How to make grilled Okra.

Grilled Okra.




How to make a quick & healthy snack with Okra
     by Goodhealthdiva


    

My ingredients of choice: Olive oil, homemade seasoning mix with salt,  and ground oregano.



 Mix and coat my Okra , warm the indoor grill, as I am grilling I am brushing more of the oil mix on my Okra.

10 minutes later....after snacking on some as I was grilling the rest, here's what's left...



The meal version:
That's the only grilling I did on the 4th of July.
                          
                         
                     Healthy eating: Grilled Okra
                                                  by Goodhealthdiva

My husband and I used to enjoy eating grilled Okra at a local restaurant known for their BBQ sauces. I started getting tired of  their grilled Okra because their Okra was sometime overcooked and not always attractive. It seemed like we were sometimes given leftovers and that the okras has been warmed over and over again.

I decided to make my own from now on and... boy oh boy... what a great idea.

1 pound fresh Okra from a local Indian store.


Washed and rinsed with white vinegar and water.
 Seasoned with homemade seasoning mix (Turmeric, salt, ground and dried Oregano) & Olive oil.


5 to 10 minutes of the grill
                           

A healthy and inexpensive meal for 2...


Ready to chow and happy that...

I can now enjoy fresh Okra, seasoned with my favorite herbs, and for only $2 the pound versus $2.50 for a small serving.

Do you also like okra? How do you prefer yours? Do you have a favorite okra recipe?  Please share it here or on our Facebook page "Healthy can be done"

Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following on the site , Liking the Facebook page, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all these good stuffs...(smiles)
Until next time have a better and healthier life...
N'na

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Health and fitness tips: How to work out on a budget.

How to work out on a budget and turn your home into a gym by Goodhealthdiva.

We tend to create many excuses for not working out. The most common ones are: not having time to go to the gym or not having money for a membership, the weather is..."too hot"..."too cold"..."it's pouring down rain"..., "I don't have a lot of time", "I have to take care of".... "the kids, the errands",...

Well, we know what we like to come up with, and I know, I've been there done that! But seriously, we need to stop making them, get moving and learn to take care of ourselves. We need to work out to take care of ourselves. See your workouts and your health as a gift from you to you and from you to your loved ones. Working out is not a shore, it's a well deserved activity. True it's challenging but so what? We can handle it and deep inside we know we can!

The truth of the matter is, unlike all the common excuses we heard or made before...

It doesn't take a trip to the gym or even a gym membership to get an effective workout. 

Truly, rain or shine, summer or winter, there's no excuses for not working out AT HOME.

10-30 minutes every day is manageable. Ask me, I have 4 kids and one of the four is a newborn.

My suggestion for today: Turn an area in your home into your mini fitness studio.

I do have a room upstairs with a treadmill and other home equipments but I need to keep an eye on my kids when they are active or when the baby is sleeping in my room. The living room is my best spot. I can glance outside when they are playing with the neighbors and I can hear the baby when she wakes up.

So here is my mini fitness studio minutes ago

                

and one of my YTB trainer of the day was Jillian Michaels. I did a 30 minutes workout, then 3 small 10 minutes classes with FitSugar also on YTB.


This is ideal but most people don't have the space, the budget nor the motivation for that...


                    HOW TO WORK OUT ON A BUDGET...
  • Get your stretch/yoga mat if you have one.
  • Get your dumbbells ready if you have some.
  • Get some bottles of water ( you need to drink during and after your workout)
  • Keep your phone near by in case your spouse or immediate family need to reach you but ignore temporally phone calls if you know they can wait.
  • Get your small towel to clean your sweat! You plan on sweating right?
  • Pick some good videos on YouTube that you like. 10-30 mns if you are short on time,45 minutes and up if you have more time to spare. There are some short videos that are very effective.
I like to do a 30 minutes video first and 3 small 10-15 minutes videos. I figure that if I get interrupted while doing a 10 minutes video I can easily redo it or be satisfied that I have at least accomplished something!


For more ideas check...
Tips to keep and exercise routine

Please share your "home studio" pictures with us on facebook@ "Healthy can be done!"

 A short list of great workout videos available online
(My hubby just showed me these videos I haven't tried them yet but you go ahead...)

  • "Your Body is Your Gym: How to do a full body workout with no equipment" uploaded by MoTalks Sep 24, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFX5Ju-mvvE&feature=related
  • "No excuse workout" uploaded by GMuscleFitness Apr 13,2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4WAeS0fUVE&feature=related



Do you have any favorite online workouts? Share the link with us on facebook @ "Healthy Can be done!"

How do you work out on a budget? Any tips?

Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following , Liking the FB page, "Healthy can be done", subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and spreading the word.(smiles)

Until next time, have a better and healthier life...

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Good Eat: Healthy smoothie recipe for weight loss


                              Homemade (protein) smoothie for weight loss
                                              by Goodhealthdiva


This recipe is the way I made my smoothie earlie today. I always play around with my ingredients but my staples are Flaxseed, Coconut oil, Turmeric and other herbs. I keep a variety of frozen fruits and have fun with my recipe. I sometimes use apple juice or homemade citrus juices instead of almond milk especially when adding veggies.
The benefits of this recipe
This recipe contains no sweeteners except for the natural sweetness of the fruits selected.
It will fill you up thanks to and ingredients like Flaxseed and coconut oil.

My Ingredients







1 cup of Almond Milk 
 ¼ cup of Flaxseed 
 1 large spoon Coconut oil (melted)*
Frozen fruits of choice. here I had (6) Strawberries & (3 pieces) banana.
I use the bananas as my natural sweetener. It keeps me from adding sugar or honey. I do limit the amount of bananas to just a few pieces because bananas are high in calories.

1 Yoplait Greek yogurt
Herbs:  1/8 tsp each of Oregano powder, Fennel powder and Turmeric powder.

Put all the ingredients in the blender starting with the Almond milk and blend for a few minutes.

Serve and sprinkle with cinnamon for additional weight loss benefits and natural sweetness.


Why Almond milk? Almond milk provides twice the calcium of dairy milk and almonds are healthy proteins with many health benefits.

Why Coconut oil? Coconut oil is a healthy fat, great for athlete, packed with health benefits and assist with weight loss.

Why Flaxseed? Flaxseed will over needed bulk to your smoothie and protein. Flaxseed contains omega 3 fats and Alpha Lipoic Acid known to help with weight loss reduction.

Why Greek yogurt? Greek Yogurt has twice the protein of regular yogurt. For more info on Greek yogurt ‘s benefits read:  http://www.goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2012/07/healthy-choices-benefits-of-greek.html

Why frozen fruits? Your fruits do not have to be frozen. I freeze mine because they last longer and I can simply reach out for them at anytime for my smoothies. I also like the fact that the frozen texture will ‘bulk’ my smoothie and keep me from adding ice to my mixtures.  When I happen to have fresh fruits available I mix some frozen fruits with the fresh ones.
                       
Why Oregano? Oregano has more antioxidant than most fruits and many health benefits.
Why Fennel? Fennel provides great fiber and bulk to your smoothie, good for digestion and offers weight loss benefits. Fennel has many other health benefits.
Why Turmeric? Turmeric is widely use in India for its health benefits to learn more check the link http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/01/benefits-of-turmeric.html  and JOIN the site www.goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com for additional health ideas.




*You want to make sure to melt your Coconut oil before blending otherwise it tends to harden creating small tiny white balls in your drink. Due to the summer heat I didn’t have to melt it but during the winter I put a little in a ramekin or small bowl and keep it next to the stove while I boil some water or cook some food.



Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following , Liking the FB page, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all those good stuffs...(smiles) Until next time have a better and healthier life... N'na

Healthy choices: What are the benefits of Greek Yogurt

  The benefits of Greek Yogurt. What's the big deal about Greek Yogurt?
                                     by goodhealthdiva


   
Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by, it's always a pleasure to have you around.
Do you like yogurts? Just curious! I have always had a weakness for yogurts and I would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between. I just love yogurts.

I love all kind of yogurts, even soy yogurts. But it's only recently that I started a serious love affair with Greek yogurts. One of my friend visited me at the hospital the day after I had my baby and brought me for breakfast Greek yogurts and bagels from Panera. It was my first time eating the rich and creamy yogurt and having seen many commercials on TV I was pretty curious to see how they taste.

I have diligently added them to my grocery list since then. Since I just returned from my late shopping at Target with some Yoplait Greek Yogurts, I figured it would be fun to share some facts about Greek yogurts with you all.
I wanted to share a little about Greek yogurts as a healthy smart choice for anyone conscious about their diet or just wondering " what's the big deal" about Greek yogurts?



For people watching their weight and interested in lean muscles, Greek yogurt is a great healthy choice for breakfast or as a snack. It's even a good ingredient for baking and cooking.

What makes Greek Yogurts better than regular yogurts?







Protein: Greek yogurt has double the protein of regular yogurt. For weight conscious people,it's high protein content makes it easier to ward of hunger.

Carbohydrate: Greek yogurt has fewer carbs than regular yogurt.

Sodium: Greek yogurt has about half the sodium of regular yogurt.

Texture: Greek yogurt has a thicker and creamier texture than regular yogurt because it's strained more. Regular yogurt is strained twice while Greek yogurt is strained three times.

Greek yogurt is also better than regula yogurt for cooking because it doesn't curdle when heated.

What are the similarities between Greek and regula yogurts?

Calories: There's little difference in calories between the two as long as you consistently select plain yogurt without extra sweetness/sugar.


What are other ways to use yogurts?

Yogurts, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt, are healthy substitute for mayonnaise, heavy creams and sour cream. When baking you can substitute the eggs and oil with yogurts as well.Both types can also be used in place of other high-calorie ingredients in dips, sauces, salad dressings, smoothies, and desserts. 

For example, you can top your baked potatoes with yogurt instead of sour cream.
Yogurt makes a great marinade for meat. Check here for my marinade for meat kabobs.

Greek yogurt cost more than regular yogurts and has less calcium but again, for a healthy choice to support your weight management endeavors the amount of proteins in Greek yogurt makes it a worthy contender.

Why is protein so important?

Proteins are the building blocks of life and the body needs it to maintain itself and repair itself. Every cell in your body contains proteins.

What are some good sources of proteins?

Animal sources of protein:
  • Fish or shellfish
  • Turkey or chicken with the skin removed.
  • Lean cuts of beef or pork, such as round, top sirloin, or tenderloin (trim away any visible 

Non animal sources of protein:
  • Nuts and seeds such as almonds, almond butter, almond milk, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, walnuts, peanuts, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, etc.
(Make sure to watch how much you eat, because nuts are high in fat)
  • Beans such as black beans, kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans etc
  • Tofu and other soy protein products
  • Low-fat dairy products 
  • Greek Yogurt!!!

 What else can you do with yogurt?

You can also use plain unsweeten yogurt as a deep conditioner for your hair.

You can use plain yogurt as a face mask because yogurt moisturize the skin.

Come back for future posts sharing deep conditioner or face mask recipes!

What do you prefer? Greek or natural yogurt? Why? If you like Greek yogurts which brand is your favorite? How do you cook with Greek yogurt?

Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following,Liking the FB page, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all those good stuffs...(smiles) Until next time, have a better and healthier life...


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Music Theraphy: What are the Health Benefits of Music?


                             Tropical Inspiration & Music Therapy

Like many people, I love music and I believe that music has a marvelous therapeutic effect.
I believe that music is a powerful tool to:

  • change our moods
  • lift our spirit up
  • and energize us.  

 I grew up in a tropical country and naturally, I find tropical vibes to be the most uplifting. On beautiful summer days like today, the sounds and images of some videos contribute to my cheerfulness.

So below I am sharing 2 of my very favorite tropical music videos. (Pause the pink music player above )and enjoy...

The first video is by Soumia and is entitled. "Mene Mwen" it could be translated as " Take me away"
                            


In the video below Soumia sings/asks to be taken to a place where she would relax , have fun and be away from her daily stress.

The next video below is by Kaysha and it's entitled " Something going on" . As you will see there's a lot going on in this video, it's just a beautiful video with sensual moves of Brazilian Zouk that I...                       
                             





Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following , Liking the Facebook page, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all those good stuffs...(smiles) Until next time have a better and healthier life...

N'na

Monday, June 25, 2012

Natural Hair: My hair journey update

Hello
Hope all is well with you as you read this post. I just wanted to share quickly an update about my natural hair. I haven't written about my own hair in a while and being asked what my hair looks like now I figured it was time for an update.

I have been transitioning for over one year and my hair is finally natural. Here's a picture I took recently, 3 months postpartum. I currently have braids on just because I enjoy the convenience of it.




Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following , Liking the FB page, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all those good stuffs...(smiles) Until next time have a better and healthier life...

N'na

Thursday, June 14, 2012

How to make a delicious cappuccino.

                My recipe for a delicious cappucino & a beautiful day


We are told to smell the roses each time we are encouraged to relax, take it easy and enjoy life. For a gardener like me I don't just limit myself to smelling the roses, I need to smell the Coffee as well to have a brighter day. You know... make it a " beautiful morning". During my pregnancy I had to limit my daily intake but I would literally open the cupboards and sniff the coffee. Smelling the coffee made me feel soooo much better.

If you are a coffee drinker I hope this post will make you smile!

I am not addicted to coffee by any means ( yes I say it humbly, they are people way worst), one to two cups a day is enough to make me happy especially when I have a lot to get done and I need a 'happy' boost!!!

Okay my own little disclaimer here before we get rolling:Too much coffee is not healthy but being happy is a healthy thing !!!


So today I wanted to simply share my own recipe for homemade cappuccino and share my happiness.

 My sister in-law was visiting recently and when I offered her some coffee she replied that she wasn't a coffee person and wasn't very familiar with cappuccinos. I offered to make her a cup and she asked to have just a little.
 I made her half a cup. She complained at first that I had given her too much but when I asked her minutes later if she liked it, she raised her empty cup and flipped it upside down to show me there wasn't even a drop left in it ...her proof that she liiiiiked.  So I figured...if she liked it why not 'show her how I do it'...

This is just my personal version I want to learn yours so please share your tips. If you have never made one please try this recipe and let me know how you like it!!!

My Ingredients:
  • Coffee grounds.
African coffee is (with Brazilian brands of course) my favorite. After all I grew up on the motherland!!! Coffee from Ivory Coast



Image of African coffee grounds from Ivory Coast

 is the best from the continent if you ask me, but oh well that's just my biais opinion.
  • Sugar. I prefer brown sugar



  • Cinnamon
  • Honey
  • Flavoring syrup. I love Hazelnut
  • Milk.  I prefer Silk Almond milk instead of dairy.
  • Whip cream would be yuuummmy but optional. I stopped using it as much as I used to just because I am watching the calories,otherwise it's a great indulgence!!!
  • One of many favorite cups/mugs of course!!!

Okay so what do I do?
Make the coffee as usual,
foam or warm my 1/4 cup milk ( I prefer to warm about a cup or more on the stove my kids love to drink the warm leftover).

Ready: A tablespoon of Hazelnut syrup, pour coffee in the mug, add milk, brown sugar, add a little bit of honey stir, top with whip cream ( optional) and add cinnamon.
 And voila!!!

Why Cinnamon? It not only adds flavor but also helps with weight loss soooo it's a way to limit the damage and have a drink packed with flavor!!!



What's your favorite morning drink? How do you make it?
Never had or made a cappuccino? Try and let me know how you like it!
For more fun coffee articles check here and here.


Thanks for stopping by, sharing your comments, Following , Liking the FB page, subscribing by email, sharing with your friends and all those good stuffs...(smiles)

Until next time have a better and healthier life...

N'na