Martha A. Cheves's Blog, page 21

Indoor House Plants that Won't Die On You - #1 - Pothos

I love house plants but seem to kill everything but my ivy and I have killed a few of those plants too.  I found this group of 15 house plants that are supposed to be the easiest to grow and not kill.  I just might give a few of them a try and thought that if you're like me and love them but kill them you might want to try a few too.  
According to Today.com growing indoor plants is easy and fun.  In fact, indoor plants not only help clean the environment around them, but they act as a quick decorating tool.  The 15 hardy indoor plants they have picked can be "kept alive and thriving by anyone."  Some do have warnings that if you have kids or pets, to read carefully as some may be toxic.  

Pothos
Why you want it:First of all, this indoor plant has an air-purifying quality that can absorb and strip toxins like formaldehyde from materials in the home like carpet. How neat is that? It has trailing stems and works well in a hanging basket or as a climbing plant with some training onto a trellis or whatever object you like that will support it.
How to care for it:This indoor house plant can produce stems that trail eight feet or longer, so just cut them back when they get too long and your plant will continue to look full and healthy. It can thrive in an array of lighting conditions, but low light may diminish the leaves' variegation. Allow soil to dry somewhat between watering. Pothos does well in an array of normal room temperatures. 

Banana Nut Cake Bread

4-5 medium, ripe bananas
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped nuts
1 Butter Pecan cake mix
Ingredients listed on cake box - excluding water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl peel and mash bananas.  Let sit for 20-30 minutes.  Add cake mix and ingredients requested on the box excluding the water.  The bananas will replace the moisture that the water would provide.  Pour into a tube style pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Comment:  I had 5 medium bananas that were too ripe to eat and I hate to throw them away when they get that way so I usually just make banana bread.  When I opened my pantry I spotted a Butter Pecan cake mix and decided to combine the 2 and see how it turned out.  I added the eggs, oil and bananas to the mix and noticed it had the thickness needed without the water so that was eliminated.  And of course I added the nuts - 3/4 cup for me because I like a love them in my banana bread.  The tube pan was used because I thought it might give me a cake/bread combination texture.  It did!  This is one of the easiest banana breads I've ever made.  And the taste of the Butter Pecan and bananas combined is perfect.  So moist!  Yep, the food lovers wanted more.

Weight Loss Tip #21 (End)

Focus on the positives. One of the fastest ways to jump-start weight loss is to focus on what you can eat instead of what you can’t. Investing all of your energy to stop yourself from eating higher-calorie foods (think: dessert) can leave you feeling drained and deprived. Instead, focus on drinking at least two quarts of cold water and eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. This naturally leaves less room for higher-calorie foods, and every time you are successful, it will leave you with a positive feeling of accomplishment.
– Cindy Heroux, RDN, author of “The Manual That Should Have Come With Your Body”

Instead of creating unrealistic goals this year, jump-start your weight loss with these tried-and-true tips from the nutrition experts.

Weight Loss Tip #20

Get a good night’s sleep. While you may think that the road to weight loss begins at the gym or in the kitchen, research has shown that it might start in the bedroom. Getting a good night’s sleep (ideally eight hours) helps guide your food choices by controlling your hunger and fullness hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin tells your brain it is time to eat, but when you lack sleep, your body makes more ghrelin. The reverse is true for leptin, the hormone that cues fullness; sleep deprivation slows down leptin production. These hormonal changes cause you to overeat, resulting in unwanted pounds, so put the phones away, cue the sound machine and plan for six to nine hours of shut-eye.

– Holley Grainger, MS, RD, Lifestyle and Culinary Nutrition Expert at Holley Grainger

Weight Loss Tip #19

Set a small, reasonable goal, one goal at a time. You can easily get discouraged if you can’t reach the big goals you set for yourself. Choose one goal at a time, and once that feels easy and routine, set your sights on a new goal. Slow and steady always wins the race!
– Emily Cooper, RD, LD, of Sinful Nutrition

Weight Loss Tip #18

Find ways to move more during the day. Aim to get 10-minute increments of exercise at a time; this could be walking around while on the phone, parking in far-away parking spots or taking the stairs. Just find ways to sit less because small changes make a difference, especially if you move to boost energy instead of hitting the candy jar or vending machine.

– Rebecca Clyde, RD, CD, of Be Truly Nourished

Weight Loss Tip #17

Slow down and use all your senses when you eat. Look at your food, smell it, touch it (with your fingers, fork or tip of tongue, depending on what’s appropriate), listen to it (Is it crunchy, mushy or slurpy?) and, of course, taste it. Eating with all your senses involved is an important part of mindful eating.

– Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, of Nutritioulicious

Weight Loss Tip #16

Make small changes. Think about what small change you can make in your daily routine that will help improve your health. For some, it may be taking the stairs instead of the elevator. For others, it may be opting for water instead of Coke for lunch. Bottom line: Remember, small changes make big differences over time!

– Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RD, CLT, of Simple Swaps

Weight Loss Tip #15

Eat with intention. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. Think about what you are eating, and, most of all, savor and enjoy it! Being aware is the key to weight loss.

– Wendie Schneider, RDN, LD, owner of Pantry Doctor LLC

Weight Loss Tip #14

Plan to eat at home! It’s no secret that home-cooked meals typically have smaller portions and contain less sodium and fat than eating out. I think packing homemade lunches and eating at home for dinner makes a big difference in my clients’ long-term weight-loss success. Ideally you should eat 90% of your meals at home; in a week, that allows for three meals out. Plan your meals out as an enjoyable event, and aim to eat or pack your lunch the other 18 meals for the week. The more you do it, the easier it will become.

– Carissa Bealert, RDN, owner Evolution Fitness Orlando at Carissa Bealert