Marilu Henner's Blog, page 221

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Quick and easy lemonade

Sometimes you just need a refreshing drink right now. This lemonade recipe is really quick and easy – for those hot, hot days when you want something more than water, but don't want the over-sugared commercial stuff. This isn't the typical lemonade, but it's really refreshing and light.

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Quick and Easy Lemonade

Green * Serves 1

Crushed ice

Water

Lemon

Agave syrup

Fill a glass half full with crushed ice. Squeeze the juice of a quarter to a half a lemon over the ice. Add a half...

Try food combining for easier digestion

Food combining is the practice of eating certain foods together, and avoiding other food combinations, for the purpose of easier digestion. Food combining is one of the 10 Steps of Marilu's Total Health Makeover®.

Food combining was first discovered by a medical doctor in the 1890s. It's a theory that explains how to eat foods that don't fight each other for digestion. By following the basics guidelines, you can experience efficient, healthy digestion – and you may even lose a few pounds.

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Give your stomach a break

Allow at least four hours to pass between your last meal and bedtime.

You are less likely to store fat this way.

If you have any digestive difficulties, staying vertical after eating can help reduce your symptoms.

Besides it's much easier to wake up refreshed and eager to face the day when you haven't been digesting food all night while sleeping.

How to do it?

Clean up the kitchen right after dinner, then "close the kitchen." Turn off the lights, and treat the whole room like you just...

Who makes your dreams come true?

You know the answer to this question.

You're the only one who can make your dreams come true. It's easy – and sometimes even fun – to put that responsibility on someone (or something) else, but you know in your heart that it's up to you.

So whatever your dreams, take action to make them happen.

Do something today to make your dream a reality. If your dream is a hot bod, then get up from your computer and commit to some exercise. If your dream is a long life, then make choices to improve...

Think ahead to the weekend

Yeah, yeah, it's "only" Monday. But there's a holiday weekend coming up, and you'll want to spend it "on holiday" not wishing you'd planned better.

So…

What do you want to do this weekend? Go out? Stay in? Travel? Paint the house?

Who do you want to include in your plans? Kids? Spouse/partner? Friends? Extended family?

What do you need to accomplish your goal? Tickets to an event? Reservations at a restaurant? Boat rental? Paint and drop cloths?

What are you planning to eat? Plan...

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Sauteed broccolini with white beans

Sometimes we just want a really nice side dish – something that has great flavor, texture, and color. This recipe fits the bill, plus it can become part of the main dish – just serve leftovers over a bed of greens with a dash of your favorite vinaigrette on top.

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Sauteed Broccolini with White Beans

Blue * Serves 6-8

2 large bunches broccolini

2-15 ounce cans white beans

2 Tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and cook u...

Spirit Sunday * Be yourself

As you start to make different choices for the way you eat and the way you live, you may run into objections from people who love you (or just work with you… lol).

It's okay to make your own choices based on your own research and experimentation – don't give in to the pressure if you know you'll feel better (and look better, and work better) sticking to your own choices.

Marilu says that each day is like a lab experiment – when you eat this, how does it make you feel? What's your energy...

Green and blue, and purple, too

Marilu's rainbow theory is one way to keep yourself eating properly. Recipes categorized as purple, blue, and green can help you maintain or even lose weight. This is how we eat during BOOTY Camp – without feeling deprived or like we're on some restrictive diet.

Read more about the rainbow theory, Green, and Blue.

Check the Recipe Collection for recipes.

Of course, the Total Health Makeover® isn't only about food. So click on the green arrow below, and get moving! Get your blood pumping a...

Looking for dairy subs?

We're always looking for dairy substitutes – products that will keep us dairy-free, and loving it. Manufacturers change their ingredients regularly (based on price and availability), so always read labels before buying. Here are some of our favorite dairy subs.

Ice Cream * so many brands of soy ice cream to choose from. Try Purely Decadent ("gourmet" flavors), Soy Delicious (lighter, kind of like ice milk), Soy Dream. Or try Rice Dream or Coconut Bliss if you want to limit soyfoods. ...

Be a responsible host

It's summertime party season, with graduations and weddings and neighborhood gatherings and picnics.

Alcohol and parties go together like chips and salsa. While alcohol is not exactly healthy (except maybe that one glass of red wine once in awhile, for the resveratrol – an antioxidant), it's going to be at most adult parties.

When we're doing the hosting, we offer water as well as some alcohol. Pitchers of water with citrus fruits, pomegranate seeds, cucumber slices, pineapple spears, or o...