LiveWell Vermont

During our Reshape Your Plate challenge, one of our participants shared a great recipe for gluten free banana bread from Live Simply ! We thought it sounded so good we had to share it with all of you! If you're looking for a healthy treat, try this recipe. Thanks Kinsley for sharing this with us during the Reshape Your Plate Challenge!   Almond Flour Banana Bread Shared from Live Simply Ingredients: 2.5 cups blanched almond flour 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 eggs 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt 3 ripe bananas, mashed 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Grease a large bread pan with butter or coconut oil In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add in the honey, yogurt, mashed banana, and vanil...

Incredible, perfectly spiced healthy chili made with lean ground turkey, kidney beans and corn. This version is simply the BEST! Ingredients 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped 1 pound extra lean ground turkey or chicken breast (at least 90%) - (Vegetarian? Try lentils, peas or textured vegetable protein) 4 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt added diced tomatoes 1 cup shredded sweet potato 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth - (Vegetarian? Use vegetable broth) 2 (15 oz) cans low-sodium dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 can black beans and 1 can kidney beans - your choice!) 1 (15 oz) can no-salt added sweet corn, rinsed and drained (or 1 package unsweetened frozen corn) Instructions Place oil in a large pot and place over medium high heat. Add in onion,...

Did you make a new years resolution to have a healthier year? Try making small healthy changes in your life that help you take steps toward your goals. Changing everything at once can cause setbacks when it seems too overwhelming. Try adding some or all of these healthy lifestyle changes to reach your health goals for the year! 1.) Shop Smarter When you're at the grocery store, go with a list and stick to the perimeters. You may also try to divide your cart in half. Put all your fruits and vegetables in one half and everything else in the other half. That visual may help you realize what you're putting in your cart! 2.) Meditate in the Morning Even just 5 minutes in the morning can be beneficial in helping you start your day off relaxed and mindful. 3.) Pick Up a New Pillow One of the biggest reasons people don't get sleep at night is because they're not comfortable. Pillows lose their support after a year and making a mini investment in replacing t...

Greek yogurt is a thicker, creamier version of regular yogurt. It has become an increasingly popular food, especially among the health conscious, and is often promoted as a healthier choice than regular yogurt. Click here to read an article that explores the health benefits of Greek yogurt and checks out how it compares to regular varieties! Get the complete Healthy Yogurt Guide here.

We have all had those days where we don't feel like working out. Maybe you're tired from a long day of work or your to-do list is a mile long. Or, maybe it's cold outside. There's always a way to find an excuse not to work out. However, more often than not even a quick workout will make you feel better, more energetic, and motivated!   1.) Tell yourself to go for just 15 minutes or just run 1 mile and if you're still not feeling like working out you can stop. More often than not you'll keep going! 2.) Think about how great you feel after a workout. Sometimes this is enough to get you going! 3.) Call a friend/workout buddy. Making the commitment to meet someone somewhere is motivation to get out the door. 4.) Remind yourself of your fitness goals. Whether it's weight loss, health, strength, etc - remind yourself what you're working towards! 5.) Make a great playlist full of upbeat music.

Aromatherapy scents are great for stress relief and relaxation. If you're looking to save some money, try making these aromatherapy candles at home! Ingredients/Supplies Needed: Beeswax or Soy Wax Essential oils and/or Fragrance (Lavender is a great scent for stress relief and sleep!) Double Boiler or Metal Bowl that you don't mind using for candle wax Wicks and Metal Wick Ends Mason jars or Heat proof jars/glasses Optional : Dye if you prefer your candles to have some color to them! Directions: Melt the wax using your double boiler or boil water and place your metal bowl on top to melt the wax.  Adhere wick to the container while the wax is melting. You can do this by placing a little melted wax on the bottom of the wick end and placing it in the jar.  Add essential oils and fragrance to the melting wax and stir. If you are using dye - this is a great time to add that. Cool for a couple minutes and then pour into containers. Let cool, then top o...

When following a healthy meal plan often one of the hardest things to tackle is lowering the amount of sodium in your diet. This means consuming less salt. This is a challenge since salt can add a lot of flavor to your dishes, but there are many other ways to create flavorful dishes with little or no salt. One way to do this is to create your very own spice blends! To start, take a look in your pantry or spice cabinet and see what you have. Some chefs recommend keeping the following spices as staples in your kitchen: garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, dill weed, paprika, cayenne, allspice, thyme, chili powder, dill weed, curry, cumin, crushed red pepper, and cinnamon. Many of these spices can be used on their own to add flavor, but when used in combination, you create whole new flavors. Try out some of these combinations. Italian Blend Basil Oregano Thyme Rosemary Dry Rub Onion powder Garlic powder Black pepper Paprika Chili powder ...

Are you participating in our first Live Balanced challenge of the year? You can still sign up through February 5th! The Reshape Your Plate Challenge focuses on creating a healthy kitchen and getting your nutrition back on track. If you and some of your coworkers have signed up, take a look at some of these ways you c an support and encourage each other throughout the challenge! 1.) Have a fruit and veggie staff potluck at your location during lunch. Have everyone bring one veggie or fruit dish to share! 2.) Write"Caught Ya Being Healthy" messages. Every week, put an encouraging/motivational post it note message on the desk of coworkers that you caught being healthy throughout the week. 3.) Share the motivation! Print out tips, motivational messages, and/or healthy recipes and hang around the office. 4.) Replace the candy dish. Instead of a candy dish, have a fruit dish. 5.) Sharing is caring. Share ideas and tips with each other on how you're making h...