Volume 19, Issue 9

Dec. 21, 2021

’Tis the season for entertaining and all things “over the top.”  Some people think it’s just fine to succumb to the temptations of the season — like over-eating and paying for it later.

But I think it’s becoming more popular to be mindful about our consumption, whether it’s food or energy or material goods.  So, how is it possible to dial it down a bit — especially when it comes to food —while keeping it festive and fun? 

When it comes to entertaining, Charcuterie Boards are all the rage this year, but they’re traditionally loaded with meats and cheeses.  My dear friend and celebrity nutritionist Zonya Foco has some great ideas on how to lighten it up while keeping the festive colors and flavors that appeal to all the senses.

I encourage you to watch her brief (3:34) and entertaining video on making a great board [Click here.] — but, to entice you, I’ll share some of her ideas here. (And don’t be put off if your YouTube clip is covered by an ad for something else. Just click on the arrow, and it will open to Zonya’s demo.)

 

Zonya Foco, RD, CSP – Festive In, Calories Out

How do you make a healthy charcuterie board that’s every bit as delicious as the traditional varieties, but that won’t raise your blood pressure and cholesterol?  Zonya Foco shows you how – by balancing smartly chosen meats and cheeses with fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. It’s sweet and savory and just what the doctor ordered — although your guests will never suspect that!

A traditional Charcuterie Board might be loaded with prosciutto, ham, and salami. Zonya recommends a little different take on that with slices of a Jamaican Jerk Pork Roast (chicken breast can also be substituted). It’s a quick and easy recipe that can be found on her Eat Real America membership site here. (I highly recommend this site where you get access to hundreds of healthy recipes for a very small investment).

For cheeses, she recommends lower fat varieties, like fresh mozzarella (only 5 grams of fat per slice), Jarlsberg and Cabot cheddar, which are all flavorful and low in fat.

While meat and cheeses take a lower profile on her board, fruits and vegetables step out as the stars. Sliced apples, beautiful grapes and raspberries add color and character. Dried cranberries or cherries and mission dates are welcome additions. 

For some savory flavors, open a jar of artichokes (tasty and high in antioxidants) and add some green and black olives to the tray. Snuggle in a pile of nuts, like crunchy almonds, and a row of small squares of dark chocolate.

Round it all out with a vegetable tray loaded with carrots, pea pods, red and green pepper strips, celery sticks, cauliflower, and broccoli florets, accompanied by a bowl of hummus.

When choosing crackers, Zonya says to look for clean ingredients — clean meaning ingredients that are WHOLE grains and seeds and unadulterated oils, and without harmful preservatives like TBHQ. For a full list of ingredients deemed safe and to avoid, visit https://cspinet.org/eating-healthy/chemical-cuisine.

For instance, the cracker brand Triscuits make the good list, but some knock-off store brands do not (TBHQ has been added). Always read labels, she advises.

Disgusted that not a lot of crackers make the list?  “No worries,” Zonya says, “vegetables make the perfect and oh-so-colorful replacements! Pea pods, radishes, carrots and bell peppers cut into wedges.”

As far as “unadulterated oils” go, she says high oleic oils are fine, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated are not, nor are interesterified oils. Canola is likely okay if organic. Bottom line, she says “Use veggies instead, unless the cracker really is just whole ground grains and seeds!”

Now, when you look at your Charcuterie Tray, your ratio of meat and cheese to fruits, veggies, and other healthy  choices, should be vastly different than the traditional selections.

I tried most of these ideas at a recent Open House I hosted and my trays (one was gluten free) were a hit!  In fact, there were only a few scraps (mostly crackers) left at the end of the party!
 

Thinking toward the new year, I highly recommend Zonya’s “How Greens Fight the Blues,” her 4-week virtual class, for a kickstart on maximizing your mental acuteness and feeling your best. I did this class last year, and I tried foods I didn’t think I’d like — and, lo and behold, I did like them!

Doing the class keeps healthy choices in the forefront. I’m looking forward to re-visiting it this year. Get all the details and sign up here.
 
And if you’re thinking of any kind of program that has to do with a healthy lifestyle in 2022 and beyond — whether to combat stress or to beat life-threatening diseases before they become serious — let’s talk about bringing Zonya to your community, live or virtual. For two reasons:
 
First, Zonya always gives an unforgettable presentation, made up of scientifically accurate facts and delivered with vivid demonstrations. She offers your audience education and personal improvement guaranteed to change their lives in a healthy way.
 
Second, Zonya (and her husband, Scott, who is a top-notch video producer) have mastered the virtual world, and that includes bringing the marvels of video production to live events as well as virtual.

Click here to go to her page and book her to make your program memorable and beneficial. Your audience will never forget the healthy choices they learn in a presentation by Zonya.
 

Being Mindful — for Your Well Being

It’s been another year of uncertainty and upheaval – a universal experience for all of us, like it or not.  And in some ways, I think that can be a good thing, helping us be more understanding of and compassionate toward our fellow human beings. After all, we’re all in this together. 

Just like being mindful about our consumption, whether it’s food, energy, or material goods, it occurs to me that being mindful of the present moment is one of best ways to get through these tumultuous times.

That means being mindful of our interactions with others – less judging, more loving – whether they’re strangers or members of our own households. Mindful of our choices that impact the environment. Mindful of our responsibilities and loyalties to our country and the worldwide community. Mindful of our choices that impact our health. Mindful of our blessings, for in that mindfulness is gratitude. To quote Melody Beattie:

   “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial 
    into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity . . . [I]t makes
    sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for
    tomorrow.”

Until next time, I hope your holidays are safe, peaceful, and filled with the people and experiences that bring you joy, even if they still look and feel a little different this year. Take care of yourself for your well being, and those you love. And take precautions to stay safe, especially if you’re traveling.

Yours truly,
Barbara

For Your Well Being is published with the intention of bringing you insider speaker reports, exclusive stories about special events around the country, meeting planner tips, and fun stuff from the worlds of health and well being. Be well and be in the know!

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Our speakers are hand-selected. They are not only experts in their fields, they connect with their audiences while bringing them life-changing information, smiles of recognition and ultimately a sense of well being and hope.

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