Weekly Healthy Working,

Learning, & Living

from Home Survival Guide   

In This Issue
Part 1 - Nutrition
Part 2 - Daily Movement
Part 3 - Mindfullness/Mental and Emotional Health
Nutrition Energy
Covid-19
Update

Due to the Coronavirus, Nutrition Energy is excited to offer phone and virtual appointments to all our clients!

Working in collaboration with our professional colleagues, including physicians, coaches, and therapists, Nutrition Energy is available to any individuals who may desire/require nutritional counseling or medical nutritional therapy during this difficult time.  

We completely understand how challenging  it can be right now to buy food, plan meals and snacks, cook, and know when we want or need to eat. Some people tend to not be hungry under times of uncertainty or stress, while many others may turn to food during emotional times or when bored. We are here to help you navigate those challenges, and since we are doing phone and virtual video sessions right now, we can do virtual sessions with you right from your own home or even your kitchen. Let us help you listen to and acknowledge your hunger, or create a schedule for shopping, meal planning, cooking and snacking during this unprecedented time. 

If you, your family, or friends need help managing your blood sugar, cholesterol, or just need help figuring out meals in the kitchen please schedule a virtual appointment by contacting our office!

Nutrition Energy

Uptown:
57 W 57th St, Suite 1211
New York, NY 10019

Downtown:
55 Broadway, Suite 201
New York, NY 10006

Phone: 646-361-6803
Fax:  212-759-7400
Email:
info@nutritionenergy.com

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Issue: #121 May 8, 2020

Hello Nutrition Energy Friends!


By now, it may seem like you may never see the inside of a restaurant or gather with friends again, but we at Nutrition Energy urge you to keep looking for something to motivate you each day! We know firsthand just how difficult it can be to transform your kitchen into an office/school and exchange dumbbells for sacks of flour. Creative juices are flowing rampantly, and let's keep it up! We've all come so far, and the simple act of staying home is saving so many lives, so we thank you for doing your part.
            
Last week, we gave you some ideas of delivery services of meat and fish, which can be great options when you can 't find the protein sources you've been craving in the grocery store and also eliminates the need to leave your house. This week we shift to fresh produce, and will discuss community supported agriculture, or CSA. CSA's are a fantastic way to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer and another way to #supportlocal. Similar to food delivery services, buying into a CSA also removes the burden of having to go to the grocery store.

Part 1 - Nutrition


Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

The basic concept of a CSA is that members (that would be you) purchase a share of a local farmer's harvest for the season up front and receive their box of vegetables every week throughout the farming season, typically from Memorial Day or early June through Thanksgiving in N
ovember. Most members will then pick up their weekly share at a set pickup location or at the farm itself. As you might expect, several changes have been made recently, to accommodate for social distancing guidelines including possible delivery if you live too far away from a pickup point and staggered pickup times to limit contact. Check out
Local Harvest to find a CSA near you!

Variations of the original model also exist including a "market style" in which members load their own boxes so they have some personal choice - sort of like a typical farmers market that you pre-buy at the beginning of the season. Some farmers then donate what's left over to food banks, so you don't have to feel guilty about not taking everything offered to you!

Many CSAs offer much more than just produce, too. Along with your vegetables, you can purchase fruit, eggs, freshly made bread, cheese, meat, and other farm products. Bonus: flowers are sometimes available for you to take advantage of. Especially during a pandemic, we all could appreciate something beautiful to brighten up the room.
 
Now that we have you thinking about fresh vegetables, let's move on to our recipes of the week.
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Recipe Corner
We want to thank Nutrition Energy's Administrative Assistant, Brandy LeClair for her family's delicious Italian zucchini meatball recipe!
 
Gluten Free Italian Zucchini Meatballs
Makes about 40-50  meatballs depending on size

These meatballs are just what you want them to be! Light, and flavorful. Instead of using tons of breadcrumbs to keep them light this recipe uses zucchini for extra veggies! This is a double batch perfect for meal prep, and they freeze very well.
 
Ingredients:
  • 1 lb ground bison
  • 1 lb ground turkey or pork
  • 2 cups fine shredded zucchini (Pressed in a colander to remove excess water. Measure the 2 cups after you press out the water)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup oatmeal, pulsed in a food processor or blender into a course flour
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 2 eggs
  • About a teaspoon of the following (adjust to your taste preferences): garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper
  • Optional: finely minced fresh basil (we process our fresh basil along with the oatmeal, this worked really well), thinly sliced chopped chives, or scallions
Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 375ºF.
  • Line 2 cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix all ingredients together, then form into small balls and place them on cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes, turning meatballs over after 10 minutes for even browning.
Warm Lentils with Wilted Chard, Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese
Source: Feasting at Home
Serves 2

This dish screams spring to us, and includes vegetables you might find in upcoming CSA boxes! It's a great balance of hearty lentils you might already have in your pantry and fresh seasonal produce.

Ingredients:
  • 3-4 beets
  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 4 cups (packed) Swiss chard or rainbow chard, chopped (can also substitute baby spinach, which is also in season for the spring!)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil or Italian parsley
Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  • Scrub and trim beets and cut into 1/2 inch slices or wedges. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until tender, about 25-30 minutes.
  • If cooking lentils, place 3/4 cup dried lentils in a small pot and cover with 3 inches of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat down to a simmer. Cook about 25-30 minutes or until tender but still hold their shape. Drain
  • In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add diced onion and sauté 3-4 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add garlic and cook 2 more minutes until golden and fragrant.
  • Low heat to medium low. Add chard and gently wilt, just slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add cooked lentils to the skillet, gently folding them in and warming. Season again with salt and pepper.
  • Add beats and splash with balsamic vinegar. Let vinegar cook down for just a couple minutes so it's not so acidic. Sprinkle with goat cheese and herbs. Taste again - if it tastes bland, add more salt. Serve immediately

Part 2 - Daily Movement

By Cynergy Physical Therapy

Nutrition Energy and Cynergy Physical Therapy go way back. Owner Cynthia Gormezano and Nutrition Energy director, Lauren Antonucci have known each other for 20 years through their mutual work with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and their Team In Training Program. Lauren turned to Cynthia for the essential do's and don'ts of abdominal PT exercises after having her first child, 14 years ago, when one of our Nutrition Energy offices was located in the suite at Cynergy PT.

Cynergy Physical Therapy's mission is to provide quality treatment that's always one-on-one. Currently, they are offering Telehealth sessions through HIPAA-compliant Zoom for patients who are interested in maintaining their rehab during the pandemic. While they can ' t perform manual therapy over Telehealth, their therapists can guide you through exercise programs and neuromuscular re-education activities. Patients are raving about the dynamic and engaging sessions, a much needed respite from working at home! For questions and their business hours, visit  cynergypt.com .
Check it out! Cynergy has been kind enough to provide us with a couple demonstration videos. One with some simple neck and shoulder stretches that can help out immensely when sitting and staring at a computer all day and another with basic core exercises for back pain and general conditioning. Sometimes going back to the basics and keeping it simple is the best thing for your body.

Part 3 - Mindfullness/Mental and Emotional Health

Continuing with our out-of-the-box thinking of bringing more mindfulness into our daily lives, we invite you to step out of your comfort zone (or maybe this is right in your wheelhouse) and think about activities you find peace and joy in. As Nelson Mandela said, "it always seems impossible until it's done." New habits always take time to form and to feel like, well, a habit. Once you get used to setting time aside, your body will become so accustomed to it and you might even begin to look forward to your peaceful, alone time each day.

This week 's mindfulness theme involves picking up a pen and paper. Many people have found that writing in a journal can be very therapeutic-and maybe at one time or another you were one of them? Writing/journaling can help you think things through and let go of stress you may be feeling as you transfer thoughts and feelings from your head onto a blank page. Whether you read it later or not, or even could if you tried, does not matter. Sometimes going back and reading how something actually happened or reliving a past event can be helpful, other times it is not. If you're new to journal writing, and thinking about giving it a try, here are a few examples of ways to get started.
  • A 3 minute daily journal is designed to help you begin (or end) each day with intention and gratitude. Quickly writing down all the things you are planning to do that day (if doing so in the morning), or right before bed (if you gravitate toward evening reflection writing) can help you let go of to-do items, stuck thoughts and feelings and move on. including what is going well for you right now, how you are moving closer to your goals today, or what you'll do (or already did) to brighten someone's day can be fun things to include.
  • A gratitude journal is just what it sounds like. Before you go to sleep every night, write down what you're grateful for that day. It can be as little and seemingly meaningless as watching the birds chirp outside - anything that brought a smile to your face! Focus on one thing and elaborate on it. Go into as much detail as you can.
  • A daily life journal is a great way to reflect on your day and think through things that you may not have understood at the time. Simply set aside 15-20 minutes (or longer as you wish), to record what you noticed and what happened that day; in your life and in the world. Who knows, this just might turn into your bestselling memoir one day!
  • An emotion journal can be like screaming into a pillow. Whatever you're feeling, write it down. Write it however you're feeling it - huge capital bold letters or little somber looking words. Make your emotion the title of the entry and try to think about why you feel that way and think it through with your pen. Sometimes writing it down can help us to set in to let it go...
We hope one of these journey writing activities has sparked your interest. Maybe now is the time to choose one of the above, try it for a week, and see what you find. As always, feel free to email us or message us on social media @nutritionenergy.com to let us know how it goes.

A Note from Lauren...



As always, the Dietitians at Nutrition Energy are here to support you during this difficult time, and  continue to offer telehealth nutrition sessions, (as video and phone sessions), for both existing and new  clients in order to help support you continuing (or beginning) to work towards your health and fitness  goals in the best way possible. If you, a friend, or family member could use some additional and  individualized help creating healthy nutrition, exercise and mindfulness habits right now, we are here to  help!

Sincerely,
 
Lauren Antonucci, Director
Nutrition Energy