Cyd Notter

Author and Nutrition Educator, Founder of The "Plan A" Diet™

Flexible Sheet Pan Dinners

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I received an article today about one pan meals that are ready in 40 minutes. I'm interested!

I'd never heard of a Sheet Pan Dinner (or 'tray bake' according to the article). But I can certainly see the benefits!

By combining an uncooked grain, freshly cut veggies, a can of beans or peas, spices, and veggie broth/water on a baking tray, you can have a complete, nutrient-filled meal in 40 minutes. Add in your favorite sauces or dressings if desired, as well as optional nuts, seeds, or nutritional yeast.

Here's the entire article (along with recipes) on the Forks over Knives website.

I was leery that my baking tray would hold 3.5 cups of liquid, so I did a test and it surely does. I typically use a silicone baking sheet liner (or at the very least, a piece of parchment paper) when roasting or baking, but that may not be necessary with this type of dish. I plan to make the "curry and rice" recipe first, but the flexibility of Sheet Pan Dinners offers countless possibilities!

Minimal effort, minimal clean-up, flexible recipes, and foods which are packed with protein, calcium, and other vital nutrients. What's not to love?

P.S. Want to make quick, Roasted Veggie Pasta? Watch my video here on how to roast the veggies - without oil! Then serve the roasted veggies over whole grain pasta which is topped with a healthy pasta sauce (Aldi has oil-free, organic pasta sauce for under $2 a jar). Everyone loves it!

Let me know if you try the Sheet Pan Dinners (or the Roasted Veggie Pasta)!

Other helpful resources:

A free class: 3 Reasons Dieters Regain the Weight 

A free copy of The 21-Day Meal Plan

Most popular class: Inflammation & Your Diet

Dieting this January? Instead, get this course now and be ready for a permanent change.

Need a gift idea? A signed copy of The "Plan A" Diet would be a great stocking stuffer!

 

Score a Win-Win with that Leftover Halloween Candy

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Have you heard about the national Halloween Candy Buy Back (HCBB) program? It was started back in 2005 by a dentist, Dr. Chris Kammer, with the goal of getting the surplus candy ‘off the streets’ and reducing the over consumption of sugar by children. 

Not only does the program “buy back” the candy, the collected treats are then sent to our troops abroad as a token of appreciation for serving to keep us safe.

Image by Vecteezy.com

 

 

Since the time HCBB was founded, dental offices across the nation have responded in increasing numbers, and hundreds of tons of candy have been collected over the years. HCBB has been featured by dozens of local news outlets and was even featured by Diane Sawyer on ABC News. 

Dental offices generally pay the kids $1 per pound for the candy (usually a 5 lb. limit), and then send it to Move America Forward or Operation Shoebox, organizations who sort/package/ship it to the troops abroad along with other necessities. 

Not only do the kiddos benefit from eating less sugar and getting a lesson in generosity, the troops abroad get a nice treat as well. Definitely a win-win!

To find a participating dental office near you who’ll buy back your candy, go to the HCBB website and type in your zip code. 

 

When you’re given a box of candy, don’t gulp it all down; eat too much chocolate
and you’ll make yourself sick. (Proverbs 25:16, MSG)

Can Weight Loss Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer?

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In light of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I'd like to share some very interesting facts that Dr. Kristi Funk presented on a recent YouTube interview hosted by Chef AJ.

Dr. Funk is a breast cancer surgeon who happens to be extremely energetic and passionate about what she does!

Here are a few things she covered:

  • Red flags for the BRCA gene mutation; when to be tested, and what it means it you have it
  • Being overweight is the highest preventable risk factor. Think of your weight at age 18, and then consider these statistics according to your current weight: Those who gain under 8 pounds stay at normal risk; a weight gain of between 8-14 pounds increases breast cancer risk 25%; a weight gain of 14-29 pounds = a 60% risk increase; over 29 lbs = a 90% increased risk.
  • That's because fat cells contain/lead to increased estrogen levels.
  • BUT, anyone that loses weight can reverse the trend.
  • Which foods are so anti-estrogen that they block cancer? Whole SOY foods, because of the genistein content. She recommends daily consumption (and shares all the soy stats).
  • Ground flax seed are also super cancer fighters, because of their LIGNAN content; lignans are anti-estrogen.
  • Broccoli (raw or lightly steamed) - the sulforaphane is another powerful cancer fighter.
  • Cacao powder - at least 70% cacao - a breast cancer superfood.
  • Alcohol should be reduced or eliminated - even moderate drinking raises cancer risk.

I highly recommend watching the entire video!

She shares the weight gain statistics "not to PANIC anyone, but to incentivize them."

PS: Be sure to check out this FREE training class:

3 Food Mistakes You're Making Which Lead to Painful Joints, Extra Pounds, and Health Problems the Doctors Aren't Solving. 

 

Cholesterol and Breast Cancer – is there a connection?

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Another October has rolled around, and it's time once again for all things PINK.

October is commonly known as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month," a campaign that was founded over 30 years ago as a team effort between the American Cancer Society and a pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca.

Except for skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, and their second leading cause of cancer death (only lung cancer kills more women each year).

It's my personal opinion - and one that I express every October - that the campaign's focus of "awareness" is sadly misplaced. Instead of mainly focusing on early detection and subsequent treatment, let's bring more awareness to the area of prevention since breast cancer is largely a lifestyle-related disease.

To do otherwise is like constantly mopping up the water under the sink while neglecting to turn off the faucet.

A woman's lifestyle choices matter more to her health than toxins, environmental chemicals, and genetics...

...which brings us to the question initially posed. Cholesterol and breast cancer - is there a connection?

There absolutely is. Oxidized cholesterol (concentrated in products containing eggs, processed meat, and parmesan cheese) has cancer-fueling estrogenic effects on human breast cancer. Read more about it here.

The good news is that there is MUCH you can do to tremendously reduce your risk of breast cancer. This previous blog post provides more dietary tips that all women should consider.

 

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. 

(Romans 12:2, MSG)

 

 

Sopa de Fideo – soup or spaghetti?

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Have you ever heard of Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)?

I sure hadn't, until a couple of years ago when I stumbled upon two easy recipes by that title and decided to give them a try.

Sopa de Fideo is a flavorful, tomato-based soup which is made with toasted noodles. Toasting the dry spaghetti noodles in a skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the soup browns them up nicely and adds a distinctive flavor.

The two recipes I tried differ slightly, but both call for canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, and vegetable broth as the base.

The recipe from PCRM adds two zucchini, while the recipe from Brand New Vegan calls for Mexican Oregano (which I had to order online). You can make it with regular oregano, though.

I probably add too many noodles. You can see by my photo that it looks more like a spaghetti dish than a soup!

Sopa de Fideo

Hubby says something about this recipe reminds him of eating Franco-American canned spaghetti as a child (but in a good way!) Who can forget RavioliOs and Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs? Of course the biggest difference is that these recipes are HEALTHY. Give these soups a try and see if you agree!

By the way, do you know what goes great with tomato-based soups? Vegan grilled cheese sandwiches! Watch my video here for how to make delicious 'Colby Cheeze' sandwiches.

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