Eating Seasonal... Summer Recipe Favorites

Eating seasonal and local is an exciting lifestyle choice that pays off in more ways than one.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables cost less!

Seasonal fruits and vegetables have higher nutrient density - so you get more healthy fuel from each bite!

Eating vegetarian meals atleast a few times per week can be a very healthy way to limit your intake of unhealthy saturated fats and foods that have undergone processing.

There are more farmer's markets in existence now than ever before... Check out of a few of these recipes and support your local farmers this week!

Baby Eggplant with Mozzarella and Basil Oil

Serve with your favorite rice such as basmati, brown, or wild rice for a seasonal vegetarian meal.

For the meat lovers in your life serve with a baked pesto marinated pork or turkey tenderloin that is preferably grass fed, free- range, antibiotic and hormone free.

Heirloom Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza's

Pairs well with an easy to prepare whole wheat crust pizza crust.

For the carnivorous serve with hand torn baked or boiled chicken meat that is preferably free-range, antibiotic and hormone free.

Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta

Serve this pasta sauce over penne or spiral pasta to reduce the amount of pasta you eat. When you use penne and spiral pasta the sauce is also able to cover more of the noodle!

Skip the pasta altogether and make it a well rounded nutrition powerhouse by substituting barley or wheatberries.

For the meat lovers serve with blackened shrimp or baked chicken that is preferably free-range, antibiotic, and hormone free.

New Class Offerings!

Destination Yoga - a customized Yoga class delivered at your convenience to a destination of your choice.

We fit your:

Budget

Wellness-Minded perspective

Work Schedule

You name the destination and leave the rest to us!

Class Times:

Rise and Shine Yoga: One hour long class before the workday begins.

Your Yoga: One hour long class customized to your workplace and available at any time throughout the day.

Happy Hour Yoga: One hour long class after the workday concludes.

Short and Sweet Yoga: A minimum of a 30-45 minute class squeezed into your day.

Styles of Yoga:

Flow: An energetic practice linking movement with deep breathing. Stretches the major muscle groups through active movement meditation. Develops deep breathing and promotes flexibility.

Partner Play: A fun and less traditional Yoga class geared towards working with another and balance.

Restorative: A restful and rejuvenating practice geared towards slowing down and relaxing into the moment. Relieves deep rooted stress and is calming at it’s very nature.

Yin Yoga: A less active and slow moving practice geared towards stretching out the connective tissue in the body.

Workshops: A customized two-to-three hour session on Stress-Reliving, Mindfulness, Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle habits, or a wide variety of Wellness topics that suits your specific needs.

Special Areas of Customization for Workshops or Classes:

Eating Disorders, Nutrition, Healthy Cooking, Green Living, Yogic philosophy and breathing, Managing stress, Family Health, and the stresses associated with Food Service, Running, Cycling, and Rock Climbing

Benefits of Yoga in the workplace:

Increases productivity

Increases mental alertness

Reduces Stress Levels

Increases Balance

Increases Flexibility

Reduces Repetitive Injuries

Promotes Health and overall Well-being

Reduces Blood Pressure

Weight Loss

Reduces Illness and absenteeism

Reduces Depression and Insomnia

Establishes Peace of Mind

Increases Satisfaction in Life and Work

Encourages Camaraderie

Enhances Awareness

Increases Energy

There are a variety of ways to fund Destination Yoga see the chart below. Each individual class is priced according to travel, number of students, and the funding option selected by employers. Prices may range from free to 15 per class for participants depending upon conditions.

Funding Options

Employer’s offer class free to employees as part of health benefits package.

Employer and employees share the cost of the Yoga class by each paying a portion.

Employees fund the class independently.

You Commit to Provide:

A quiet room that has a minimum of 21 square feet for each participant.

Contact us:

Keri Rogers (864) 430-1275

BAYAWellness@gmail.com

Wellness Tips for the Alcohol Enthusiast

It's summer time and the living's easy. I've compiled a list of 10 facts/tips to help guide any alcohol enthusiast towards maintaining their wellness goals while enjoying the hot days of summer and having fun.

1.Moderation is key. As in all things in life when practiced in moderation drinking alcohol can be a part of a healthy lifestyle. Some benefits have been proven and associated with moderate consumption, however, if you haven't drank alcohol before the pro's do not out weight the con's so don't start now. Whether or not you choose to drink is a very personal matter and all individuals should consult with their doctor if debating this decision.

According to the American Dietetic Association, moderate drinking is defined as:

2 drinks or less per day for men

1 drink or less per day for women

1 drink = 1-12 oz beer, 1.5 oz liquor, or 5 oz. wine

2. Hydration is important! Alcohol in it's very nature is drying and dehydrating for the body. If you choose to enjoy an alcoholic beverage drink an extra glass of water afterwards to compensate. Especially in the days of summer it's important to drink water all throughout the day.

3. Empty calories. Alcohol contains 7 kcal per gram and the calories provided are "empty" meaning that they are a not providing any noteworthy nutrients. Current science suggests that we have a limited number of "discretionary" or bonus calories that we can consume outside of what calories needed to supply adequate nutrition. You can think of these discretionary calories as "freebies" and on average it is suggested that we all have some where around 250-300 freebie calories a day.

Putting it in perspective...

1-8 oz. margarita = 300-700 calories

1-12 oz. beer = 90-300 calories

1-6 oz. glass wine = 100-150 calories

4. Filling up on alcohol and other empty calories prevents us from taking in adequate amounts of life sustaining nutrients. By drinking in moderation you allow your body to crave foods and beverages that are nutrient dense and will promote the health of your being.

5. Set limits for yourself and stick with them. Sometimes volunteering to be a designated driver will help you to keep your drinking in check. Also, setting a limit the amount or frequency of your drinking and communicating with friends will help.

If you know you want to have a maximum of two drinks only bring enough cash with you into the establishment to cover the cost plus tip.

6. Listen to your body. When you're having a get together with friends and responsibly drinking alcohol pay attention to how your body feels during the process. Your body will send you tons of signals when you're approaching your limit or you've had too much. Practice ahimsa or nonviolence. Drinking yourself into a drunken, angry, or nauseous stupor may be fun in the moment but will have lasting health effects. The body is an innately intelligent being and a night of heavy drinking can be both stressful and harmful.

7. Think quality over quantity. Have a nice drink - the one you really want. That way your less inclined to crave more!

8. Prevent the alcohol munchies. Pace yourself with the alcohol and make sure to drink plenty of water to prevent the ravenous alcohol munchies that many people experience. We are mostly like to sabotage our healthy eating habits after 10pm.

9. Choose low-calorie mixers! Some simple favorites: water with fresh juice with no added sweeteners (lemon and lime work well), club soda with a splash for fresh squeezed juice with no added sweeteners, diet sodas (limit the amount of artificial sweeteners you injest as these are newer substances and they are believed to "sit" in the liver and accumulate). Also, reconsider drinking that energy drink paired with alcohol due to the fact that energy drinks are high in calories and carbohydrates in the form of simple sugars! Alcohol is a suppressant and energy drinks are an upper - what message are you sending to your body?

10. Enjoy yourself and be mindful of your decisions. When we falter what is important is that we stand back up and keep going. Life is guaranteed to produce change and emotional roller coasters once in a while... smile and stick with what you believe in! :-)

Peace and love!

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Culinary Nutritionist, and Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Services and Products.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!


Contact me for details: www.BAYAWellness.com 

BAYAWellness@gmail.com 

Photo credits:

http://www.math.ucsd.edu/~bweinkov/wine.jpg

http://saltnews.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/istock_beer1.jpghttp://insiderspassport.com/images/manhattan_drink.png

http://www.poshcravings.com/blogs/eliza/champagne_toast.jpg

Creamy Fruit & Nut Breakfast Cereal

This recipe is a sweet, chewy, creamy breakfast cereal that is packed with protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Serve it warm or cool to suit your needs!

Ingredients:

1-1/4 c. cooked wheat berries (cook according to package)

1-1/4 c. rolled oats

2 cups milk

1/4 c. dried currants

1/4 c. golden raisins

3 tbl. chia seed gel (see blog about Chia Seeds)

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 tbl. sliced almonds, toasted

2 tbl. sunflower seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Place oats, milk, currants, and raisins in a microwave safe bowl and stir together. Heat in microwave for 3 minutes. Add wheat berries and reheat for 1 minute. Stir in salt, brown sugar, and vanilla. Let cool for 10 minutes and stir in chia seed gel. Top with a mixture of toasted almonds and serve at desired temperature.

Note:

It is best not to heat reheat this recipe at any point due to the chia

content. Chia seeds are an excellent source of both protein and monounsaturated fats that is not stable under heated conditions. However, this recipe will keep in the refrigerator for one week.

June Yoga Classes

Yoga Class Schedule

Tuesdays & Thursdays

9:30-10:45am Beginner's Yoga @ Dharma Yoga Studio $10

5:45-7:00pm Energetic Flow Yoga @ Dharma Yoga Studio $10

www.dharmayogastudios.com

I am also available for Corporate Yoga, private Yoga lessons, and Wellness consultations by appointment. Please contact me at KeriR0202@gmail.com for details.