Marilu Henner's Blog, page 216

Oops! Plan B, anyone?

We had a little adventure with lightening and a subsequent power outage late on Saturday… and into Sunday. We missed Spirit Sunday!

It was definitely a "Plan B" night… and day.

Our Plan B was concentrated on making sure the food in the freezer stayed cold, and the electric company cleared the streets of power lines, and we weren't going to blow a breaker when the power returned. We learned that it would be good to keep our cell phone fully charged, especially if there are storm warnings. So ...

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Cold soba salad

There's nothing like a cold salad on a hot day. This one has refreshing Asian flavors. Soba noodles are common in Asian cuisine; you can find them in most grocery stores. They come in a few different varieties – this recipe uses mugwort, but feel free to use what's available to you – they're prepared like pasta. Another Asian noodle that could be substituted is udon.

If you don't have carrots (or want a variety of veggies), try zucchini or yellow summer squash (peeled to make ribbons)...

Be prepared

Saturdays are often errand days. Are you prepared to be out and about all day?

Did you eat a good, healthy breakfast? It really is the most important meal of the day – you're breaking a fast (of 10-12 hours), so the first fuel of the day should be something that really starts your engine.

Are you wearing clothes that make you look good, feel good, and can move comfortably in? When we look good, we feel better about everything. So don't go out looking like something the cat dragged in. You...

Date night

Enjoy a "date" tonight.

Spend some time with someone you love (and that can be YOU) doing something you love.

Eat by candlelight
Read a great book
Cuddle up and watch a movie you've been looking forward to
Dance
Watch the sunset or the moonrise
Take a walk
Take a bath

 

Fitness Friday * Mini-workouts

Create four 5-minute workouts that can be done anywhere, anytime. Think simple, light and low-injury.

Try leg lifts, calf raises and squats.
Try crunches – do them standing.
Try wall push-ups or counter push-ups, curls and dips.
Consider what you can do with resist-a-bands or light weights.

Now incorporate those mini-workouts into your day. Try a workout *

while you're on the phone waiting for an elevator in a check-out lineat the airport security line or gatewaiting for your kids to get...

Marilu at the Kripalu Center * Will you be there?

Marilu is teaching The Role of Your Life workshop at the world-renowned Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health the weekend of July 2-5, 2010. Yikes! Sign up now!

Treat yourself to an amazing health retreat and take the class with Marilu. There are also evening activities (a chanting concert and a salsa dance party are currently on the schedule for that weekend, as well as regular evening programs) and yoga classes for all experience levels. Oh, and the food is good, too. This is a great...

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Lemon chicken artichoke soup

Member Sunshineluvr shared this soup recipe with members. We tried it – and it was great!

Soup is good in the summer, too! The lemon in this soup makes it feel light and refreshing, even though it's a hot meal. You may be tempted to add additional ingredients because this recipe is so simple, but restrain yourself and enjoy the simplicity.

Enjoy a baguette and a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers on the side.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Lemon Chicken Artichoke Soup

Green * Serves 8

4 split chicken breasts...

Play with your produce

Yes. Play with your food. Especially with your produce – that's fruits and vegetables.

This is berry season. If all you eat are strawberries and blueberries, it's time to try something new. Raspberries and blackberries are good, and easily available (and can you say fiber? Chew those berries!).

It's also the season for salad greens. There are so many kinds of salad greens – way beyond iceberg, spinach, and romaine. Try butter lettuce, frisee, arugula, red leaf lettuce, green leaf...

Turn OFF the TV…

… and turn ON the action!

Get your kids outside. Heck, get yourself outside!

Go dig in the garden. Weed it, water it, harvest it.

Go play on the playground. Swing, slide, climb.

Go out on the trails. Hike or bike.

Go out on the water. Swim, paddle, hoist the sails, drop the skis.

Go play. Red rover, kick the can, flashlight tag, hopscotch, kickball, badminton.

What? It's raining? Put on some boots and a jacket and jump in puddles (not during severe weather, of course).
What? It's too...

You still don't need dairy

June is dairy month, but… we don't need no stinkin' dairy. (Have you been in the cheese aisle lately? It really does smell like feet – the feet of a 13-year-old boy who hasn't changed socks in a week. Not very appetizing, is it?

After giving up dairy, people report having more energy, better digestion, better skin, less puffiness, and less stuffiness in their sinuses. Seriously – you'll look and feel better. And you'll smell better, too.

Antibiotics are frequently used to treat the...