National Nutrition Month Advice from Health and Wellness expert: Beth Bielat

Did you know that March is National Nutrition month? Our Health and Wellness expert, Beth Bielat has some advice on how to make changes to our daily routine and increase our nutrition intake.

It's National Nutrition Month and a great time to take a look at your nutrition and well-being. Here are some helpful tips that (if you follow) will make you a little healthier, energetic and just might keep you living longer with a better quality of life....

Water - It is so important to drink lots of water, approximately eight 8-oz. glasses a day. I know we are all very busy during the day and we don't always remember to consume the necessary amount of water needed, but I came up with a new idea to help keep us remember to drink our water! I have been implementing this idea while down in Florida and it's been loads of fun and very successful - here is what you will need: Purchase 8 easy-to-get on bangle bracelets of your choice (We have used inexpensive plastic one's bought at a party store or retail store. At the start of the day, you put all eight bracelets on your left wrist. As you drink each glass of water, you switch a bangle to your right wrist. At the end of the day you should be "ALL RIGHT." It's amazing, fun, and a real talking piece. We have hundreds of people doing this at my club. Often times, members THINK they drink plenty of water, but it's a real eye-opener. You could become a health advocate just by sharing this with others!

Tweaking - (NOT twerking) Often times, making small changes in your diet can make a huge beneficial difference in the long run. Here's a few easy tweak's:

• Eat Breakfast!
If you never skip breakfast, you're already on the road to better health. If you don't like "breakfast food," try things like soups, salads, or fruits. 

• Eat Often!
Eating smaller portions every few hours is a great tweak. 

• Eat lighter, later!
Try to eat heavy meals earlier in the day when you are more active, and end your days with a light dinner. Calories are meant to be used to energize you throughout the day, we really don't need a lot of calories sitting in our stomachs as we try to fall asleep at night. 

If you feel you have trouble over-eating or want to cut out some unnecessary calories try these:

• Eat a small meal before you go out to dinner or are attending a dinner party. You will feel less hungry, make better choices and if you drink alcohol, it won't go straight to your head.
• A small salad before lunch and dinner. (It will keep you from over-eating your main course) 
• Add fruits and vegetables to meals and snacks. (fruits and veggies should be served with ever meal)
• Ask for the dressing on the side. 
• Try salsa or humus as a salad dressing.

If you're trying to lose weight or just wanting to better your eating habits, try avoiding these:

• Sugar
• White flour
• Crackers
• Cookies
• Chips and dips
• Cheese
• salad dressings with chemicals and hydrogenated oils
• Soda and fruit juices
• Fried foods
• Processed foods
• High Fructose Corn Syrup 

"You don't have to be a good cook" In my nutrition classes, I teach my clients food preparation. I always tell them that they do not have to be good cooks, just good choppers. Making chopping fun and easy, by having easy-to-get tools and having fresh foods on hand to make cooking a "no-brainer." When you shop, purchase lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and keep them ready in the fridge. I like to take a few hours on the weekend and prepare my snacks and meals for most of the week. This helps me stay on a healthy track and I spend a lot less time doing it. 

The New "Big One's" So the new war on nutrition is anti-sugar. Experts are linking many diseases with consumption of any type of processed sugar. Diseases such as Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and Arthritis have all been connected. Another lifestyle that we are trying to change is Americas sedentary lifestyles and obesity. This struggle is considered just as important as our fight against cigarette smoking and will continue to plague our society until Americans switch their daily routines with healthier practices. STAY ACTIVE.

Reveille Readers: March

We've got three great books for you here and we can't wait to hear what you have to say about them!  We love receiving Reveille Reader recommendations, so keep 'em coming! 

Reveille Readers: 

This one has been recommended by MANY camper including Jamie Krauss Hess (camper in 2007 - 2013) & Ashley Sabia (camper in 2011 - 2013). Our Reveille staff Joan & Lindsay also read this book and highly recommend it!

Their Pick: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Book Description: On Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears from the happy couples McMansion on the Mississippi River. Under extreme pressure from the police, a growing media frenzy and Amy’s very worried parents, Nick parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior which leads him to be a suspect in his own wife's murder case. Nick becomes oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter, but is he really a killer?

A New York Times Bestseller, Gone Girl is in the process of being made into a motion picture that will star Ben Affleck as Nick, due out October, 2014. 

Reveille Reader: Sue Gilmore

Sue's Pick: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Sue's Review: This book is an inspirational true story of based on a true story of Joseph Tamborini, and his life as an Olympic athlete and WWII aviator who is shot down and taken as prisoner of war by the Japanese. The trials he endures are almost unimaginable, but through it all, he never loses his remarkable attitude and positive spirit. If you haven't read "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand yet, you definitely should.

Book Description: WWII Lt. Louis Zamperin, a teenage Army Air Force bomber finds himself stranded, floating along a tiny raft after his aircraft went down in the center of the Pacific Ocean. An athlete before the War, Louis is faced with thousands of miles of exposed ocean, aggressive sharks, thirst and starving, and the ultimate test of endurance.

A New York Times #1 Bestseller and soon to be a motion picture, Laura Hillenbrand's (also the author os Seabiscuit) Unbroken is a World War II story of survival, Resilience and Redemption.

Reveille Reader: Carolyn Glassford Drew

Carolyn's Pick: Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life By Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend.

Carolyn's Review: As women we tend to extend ourselves to the limits that totally exhaust us emotionally and physically. Reading this book and putting the writers suggestions into play has given me permission to say "no" in business and family when it comes to being the one that does everything and fixes everything.

Book Description: Boundaries help us define who we are and who we are not. This book discusses how to acquire responsibility for our actions, and hope that we cannot only pull through, but thrive to create a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Soup, Chips, & Sweets: Yummy Cold-Weather Reveille Recipes

Silky Cauliflower Soup

Reveille Camper: Lindsay Weinberg

Reveille Camper: Since 2007
Reveille Staff Member: Since 2008

SILKY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

I love soups in the winter and I love cauliflower. I think it is one of the more underrated vegetables and I love to use it in cooking. My husband and I have a favorite date night spot near our apartment in NYC. It's a delicious steak house that opened a more casual version of the namesake next door, smartly named Strip House Next Door. We love to go there on cold winter nights and share a steak, a caesar salad, and a couple of their yummy sides. At the beginning of each meal while you look over the menu they bring you a taste (in a large shot glass) of the most delectable creamy silk cauliflower soup. I have been trying to recreate it without using a pound of butter and a vat of heavy cream! You can make a really rich indulgent version but I have been wanting to have this soup more often so I found this recipe on Food Network (love!) that is a lighter version of the creamy soup. I always love variations of dishes I'm making, so let me know if you have one! 

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
• Optional: splash of heavy cream to finish a creamier soup or some butter to add extra rich flavor at end
• Garnishes: Here are my personal suggestions for add-ons that will really enhance this soups flavor without adding a ton of calories: Truffle oil, extra shaved parmesan, rosemary, thyme, cracked black pepper, pesto or pesto oil, truffle salt, cayenne pepper, roasted garlic, chopped green onion, or crisp pancetta or bacon crumbles.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 
• Remove the leaves and core from cauliflower and coarsely chop
• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat
• Add onions and garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes
• Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil
• Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes
• Remove from heat and using a handheld immersion blender (one of my favorite tools!) purred the soup.  You can also puree in small batches in a blender* and then return to pot
• Add Parmesan and stir until smooth
• Optional: This is where you can stir in some heavy cream for some extra creaminess or some butter to finish off the rich flavor
• Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Serve warm with garnishes (see below for suggestions) and enjoy! 
• Here are garnishes that I think enhance the flavor of this soup: Truffle oil, extra shaved parmesan, rosemary, thyme, cracked black pepper, pesto or pesto oil, truffle salt, cayenne pepper, roasted garlic, chopped green onion, or crisp pancetta or bacon crumbles.

*Blending hot liquids can be dangerous so be sure to let your soup cool for at least 5 minutes off the heat before starting this process. Do not fill the blender more than halfway. Release one corner of the lid to avoid a "vacuum effect" that can create a heat explosions. Place a towel over the machine while pulsing a few ties before switching to high speed to finish the process. 

Debi's Sweet Potato Chips 

Reveille Recipe Contributor: Debi Gray from Harrison, Maine

DEBI'S SWEET POTATO CHIPS 

I'm a huge chipaholic. YUP, I loooove chips! Love them so much that I eat them just about every day. Blue, kale, corn, and zucchini, but my favorite are sweet potato! Ok, so truth be told, I don't eat them just because they're undoubtedly delicious, I eat them for my skin. That’s right; sweet potatoes have a very high nutritional value. They are loaded with vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin. So if you want your skin to glow...eat up!

Ingredients:

• 2 organic sweet potatoes 
• Sea Salt (Debi's recommendation is Real Salt. Find out where to purchase here.
• Pepper to taste

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
• Scrub potatoes and dry completely. 
• Slice thinly (I use a mandolin) 
• Add Salt & Pepper to potatoes, then toss with your hands to get the best coverage. 
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. 
• Yum! I bet you can't eat just one!

ASK's Apple Treat

Reveille Camper: Eileen Kaplan

Camper In: 2010, 2011, 2013 

ASK'S APPLE TREATS

My husband is a great chef!  He cooks great dinners to help me while i'm on my diet. The other day he made me the most delicious apple dessert...sugar free! I love apple pie and apple crumble and this recipe keeps the carbs down while I still get the delicious satisfaction of eating an apple desert. 

Ingredients: 

• 6-7 peeled & sliced Gala apples
• 1 tbsp Splenda OR 4 packets of Truvia
• Cinnamon to taste 
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 plumped raisins (if desired)

Directions:

• Peel and cut apples into slices. 
• Place into large bowl
• Add cinnamon, sweetener of your choice, and Vanilla. 
• Add plumped raisins (if you choose) 
• Mix up good
• Transfer apples into an 8x8 pan (I always us glass)
• Bake for 30 mins UNCOVERED until tender at 375 degrees F
• NOTE: Careful not to let it turn to applesauce
• Eat cold or warm up in a microwave
• Top with a swirl of light or low cal whipping cream.
• Enjoy!

Our Reveille Heart Art

Thank you to all of our Reveille February Hearth Health Campers who shared your heart health stories with us throughout the month! We featured selected heart health stories each day and each woman's message has been inspiring and motivational.  We are lucky to have you a part of the Camp Reveille Community!