Women's Health Conference

A few nights ago, my mom and I attended a Women's Health Conference put on by Assembly member Alyson Huber.  My mom got the invite through her work but neither one of us was sure to expect.  We even joked that if it was lame we would sneak out for burgers and milkshakes ;).  Both us us were pleasantly surprised on how informational and fun it was.

We checked in and were immediately handed our free, vegetarian dinner consisting of a side salad and Green Garden Wrap: Zucchini, yellow squash, avocado, red tomato, romaine lettuce, mushroom, roasted red pepper, hummus, and olive oil wrapped in a chili tomato tortilla.

The room was lined with booths providing information on women's health issues.  Everything from breast exam info to ovarian cancer symptoms were provided.  I could write ten pages on all the organizations, but instead here are some links so you can learn more for yourself:

www.ovarian.org

lillyforbetterhealth.com

www.csaceliacs.org

www.ashayoga.com

www.championsforchange.net

Soil Born Farms was also there cooking up sauteed kale and butternut squash soup.  They were delicious, and made with just a couple ingredients

The guest speaker was Dr. Preston Maring, a primary care physician for Kaiser Permanente.  His talk was all about getting back to the basics with food and teaching families how to cook simple, nutritious meals.  He even started the first hospital sponsored farmers market outside his hospital in Oakland.  Visit his blog for in season recipes and more!

This conference was so informational and truly inspired me to do more. It made me realize how much potential I have to do big things for the community around me.  It also made me realize how lucky I am to work for a company that strives to help people make healthy choices when buying food. For the past year, I have been struggling with how to further my education and figure out what the "next step" is in my life. This conference reinforced my passion for helping people eat and live healthy.  Sometimes I think: "will this blog really impact my readers?" Maybe it will and maybe it won't; but if I can motivate even one person to start making healthy choices in his or her life, I have made a small, yet significant, change in the world.

Muffins and More

Thanks to an amazing cycle class this evening, I return home starving and ready to try out a new recipe.  It has been cloudy and raining all day; a reminder it is no longer summer and there are sure to be many days ahead like this one.  I can't think of a better day to bake :)

I decide to make Pumpkin Muffins from a book I just finished reading.  This book called "Carrots 'n Cake" was written by a blogger who turned her love for healthy living into a career.  She is my new role model as her lifestyle closely (almost scarily) mirrors mine.  She has so many amazing tips for living healthy while still having fun and enjoying great food.  Her blog, carrotsncake.com is interesting and her love for food and exercise is so addicting to read about.  Visit her blog, especially if you are thinking of starting one for yourself!

Keep Veggin' On

Happy Meatless Monday!

I am happy to report I have been a loyal member of the Veg Club for about 3 weeks now.  I am loving it more and more each day.  Contrary to my concerns, I have been full of energy, have had some amazing workouts, and am not bored with food.  Whether I'm cooking a meal at home or going out to eat with some friends, I have always found a variety of vegetarian options.  I'm not going to lie, there have been times (mostly at work) when my mouth waters at the smell of Teriyaki chicken or have the occasional craving for a turkey sandwich.  Surprisingly, the thing I have missed the most is sushi (No matter how you serve it, a vegetarian roll will never measure up to the spicy tuna roll).

Now on to the positives.  I have experimented with a culinary area I never knew existed.  The other night I made pasta with fresh basil, lemon juice, olive oil, and diced Roma tomatoes.   I sprinkled a bit of feta cheese on top and it was the perfect, filling entre.  For a side, I simply toasted a few slices of whole wheat sourdough bread (yes, it does exist! Think Trader Joes), and topped it with my own recipe I decided to call Spinach Bruschetta.