HEALTHY HABITS/CULINARY

Jan 16

MY FAVORITE RESOURCES

I love supporting women to pursue the best version of themselves. I want to share resources and tips to help you achieve your ideal lifestyle.

HI, I'M PHYLLICITY

As women, we’re often called upon to care for others. But we need to remember that we also must take care of ourselves. Taking care of ourselves should be top priority; if we don’t take care of ourselves, we won’t be able to take care of others. In this article, we’ll discuss some ways to feel healthier and better in your own skin.

14 WAYS TO BECOME A HEALTHY WOMAN

Although there are many ways to become healthier, here are some of the best ones you can start right now.

1. INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF HEALTHY FATS

Increased intake of avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and other omega-3s helps with weight loss, improved brain function puts you in a better mood, and reduces your heart disease and cancer risk.

2. EVERY NIGHT, GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Sleep should not be skimped on if you want to maintain your health. Sleep deprivation can affect your mood, concentration, and personality. A study done on half a million people published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2019 linked sleep deprivation to an increased risk of heart attack. There was a 34 percent increase in risk among those who slept more than nine hours a night. Keep a regular bedtime every night.

3. EAT A BALANCED DIET

Eating a healthy diet sounds easier than it is, but making yourself eat fruits and vegetables pays off. Many benefits come from fueling your body appropriately. You’ll have more energy, your skin will be clearer, your immune system will be top-notch, you’ll stay strong as you age, and you’ll continue to be an Attractive woman with a Healthy women Body

Eating plenty of leafy green vegetables, beans, and citrus fruits also provides women with folic acid, which they need For so many things.

4. VITAMIN D IS ESSENTIAL

While sunscreen is important, getting vitamin D from the sun is also beneficial to your health. It lowers the risk of fracture, so it’s essential for healthy living. Since it’s only found in some dairy products, sardines, beef liver, and a few types of fish, you must consume it in any way you can, including walking in daylight. Not only will it boost your mood and energy, but it also plays a crucial role in your mental health.

5. REDUCE SALT INTAKE

Salt may enhance the taste of everything, but too much salt isn’t good for your health. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, too much sodium makes your heart work harder, which raises your blood pressure. By cutting back, you can keep your body working properly and help stay at a healthy weight.

6. TAKE CARE OF YOUR GUT HEALTH

When you keep the bacteria in your gut happy, you’ll also be happy. Angry stomach bacteria has not only been linked to mental health issues like anxiety and depression but also to health problems like colon cancer. To keep your gut healthy, eat some fermented foods, and probiotics, and exercise regularly.

7. AVOID BAD CARBS AND EAT HEALTHY CARBS

There is nothing bad about carbs – it is just how they are portrayed. Eating healthy carbs throughout the day, such as brown rice and whole grains, can provide you with much energy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In order to stay healthy, avoid damaging carbs such as white bread, white rice, and baked goods; unlike the good stuff, they are usually stored as fat in the body.

8. MAKE REGULAR MASSAGES A HABIT

Stress has a lot of negative effects on the body, including anxiety, depression, strokes, and heart attacks. Therefore, it’s important to lower your stress levels whenever possible, and a massage can improve both your mental and physical health.

9. PREPARE SOME BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels sprouts are mini cabbages. Their high vitamin C content boosts your immune system, makes digestion easier, and keeps your hormone levels in check. A study done in 2012 found that they can also help keep your memory sharp as you age.

10. KEEP THE FRIDGE STOCKED WITH HEALTHY FOOD

If you have healthy food in your home, you’re more likely to eat it rather than grab something unhealthy for your body. Keep carrots and hummus, plenty of fruit, or some pre-made juices available instead of your typical junk food.

11. MEDITATE EVERY DAY

There are many stereotypes about meditation, but it works – and that’s probably why some of the world’s healthiest and most successful people do it often. The good news is you need 10 to 20 minutes every day for meditation to reduce stress and anxiety, which will help you get a good night’s sleep, and prevent premature aging.

12. YOU SHOULD VISIT YOUR DOCTOR YEARLY

Regardless of how you feel, regular physicals and Woman’s Wellness checkups can improve your chances of detecting women’s health problems like breast cancer.

13. BE AWARE OF YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

You should know about your family history of certain diseases, such as diabetes, skin cancer, high cholesterol, and blood pressure. Depending on how many people in your family have these diseases, you could be at an increased risk of them.

14. DO SOME STRENGTH TRAINING A FEW TIMES A WEEK

Strength training not only helps you keep strong muscles, it also helps you keep healthy bones. You don’t necessarily need to use weights to do strength training – there are plenty of exercises you can do to build bone health without weights. You can also participate in some of these hobbies that keep you in shape to improve your bone health.

HOW TO BECOME A HEALTHIER WOMAN

Those are just some healthy lifestyle changes you can make to start feeling good again. As you start incorporating these Healthy habits for women your overall health will improve. These healthy lifestyle changes will go a long way towards helping you start feeling good again

· Nov 13th 2023

Puerto Rican Empanadas

VS Empanadillas/Pastelillo

Recipe By Phyllicity Drennan

Print Recipie

Growing up in New York, I loved Puerto Rican Empanadas. This is how we made Empanadillas at our Home. Similar to turnovers, empanadas are filled with savory or sweet ingredients. This recipe is for the classic beef and potato. Some of my other favorite flavor varieties are: chicken, cheese and pizza.

Empanadillas vs Pastelillos

Regionally on the island, Puerto Rican Empanadas are known as empanadillas or pastelillos. While this topic usually follows with an intense debate, for the purpose of this blog post, I’ll say all names are right. Consider me peace maker😊.

Beef Filling

The first step in Puerto Rican Empanadas is creating the beef filling’s flavor profile; and with almost every Puerto Rican dish, this recipe starts with sofrito! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it forever – sofrito is king. When made from scratch, with fresh herbs and spices, sofrito truly enhances any dish.

Here’s my sofrito recipe:

First saute sofrito with tomato sauce and olive oil. Then add the ground beef. It’s important to use lean ground beef in this recipe, because if the filling contains too much grease it can cause the empanadas to burst when frying.

Here’s A sofrito recipe: Below

Make Sofrito

A drier filling is crucial for a perfect empanada seam.

Next, as the beef renders begin to season the filling with hearty spices. My favorite spices, that compliment the sofrito are: ground cumin, dried oregano, adobo, sazon, and red pepper flakes. Once the meat is brown and crumbled, I add in the small diced white potatoes and cover with a lid. Since they’re diced small, the remaining liquid from the beef will quickly steam the potatoes until tender.

Empanada Assembly

First and most important step in assembling empanadas is preparing the dough. This Puerto Rican empanada recipe is a quick version, so I used frozen empanada discs from the brand Goya. I prefer my dough with some color, so I use discos with achiote.

Nata Tip: Defrost frozen empanada dough for 2-3 hours in a cool refrigerated area.

Once the dough is 90 percent defrosted and not too soft, roll the dough discs flat on a floured surface. For a crisper, flakier dough, roll the discs thin. This promotes more filling too, and who doesn’t love that?!

Then add the cooled filling in the center of the disc. Make sure to not overfill! A tablespoon of filling in more than sufficient. Fold the over and firmly press the edges with your thumbs. I call this the pre-seam. To ensure a true no-leak proof seam, crimp the edges with a fork.

Fry or Air-Fry

The great thing about this recipe is you can use a healthy alternative to cook the Puerto Rican Empanadas. With the rise of air-frying, these empanadas work great baked in an air fryer. For a true fried flavor and texture WITHOUT the excess oil, I opt for shallow frying a skillet. Below are the recommended cooking times based on your desired frying method.

Deep Fried – 3 to 4 minutes in 350 degree hot vegetable oil
Shallow/Pan Fry – 1 to 2 minutes on EACH SIDE in hot vegetable oil.
Air Fried – 15 minutes on 350 degrees

Stay Connected

Puerto Rican Empanadas – Empandillas/Pastelillos

Puerto Rican Empanadas, sometimes known as Empanadillas or Pastelillos are turnovers filled with beef, chicken, cheese or even pizza toppings. These crispy empanadas can be fried or oven baked.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

PREP TIME 20 mins

COOK TIME 10 mins

TOTAL TIME 1 hr 10 mins

COURSE Snacks, Street Food

CUISINE Puerto Rican Cuisine

SERVINGS 12 servings

CALORIES 300 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of lean ground beef
1/3 cup of homemade sofrito
1/3 cup of tomato sauce
1 packet of sazon con achiote
1 tablespoon of adobo all purpose seasoning
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 1/2 cups of small diced potatoes (frozen potatoes work too)
1 package of Goya Brand- Empanada Discos con Achiote

INSTRUCTIONS

Defrost frozen empanada dough for 2-3 hours.
On medium heat cook homemade sofrito with tomato sauce until fragrant. Then add lean ground beef.
Crumble the meat and season with sazon, adobo, cumin, dried oregano and red pepper flakes.
Once meat is brown add diced potatoes and allow remaining liquid to steam potatoes until tender. Cool your mixture.
On a flat surface, sprinkle some all purpose flour and lay out your empanada dough.
Add a tablespoon of the meat mixture in the center of the dough. Fold over the dough and firmly press with your thumbs. To properly seal the seam, crimp the edges with a fork.
In hot oil, fry the empanadas for 1 minute on each side. Let them rest on a paper-towel and enjoy!

6 Things I Do Everyday for My Mental and Physical Health

Who says that resolutions have to wait until January 1st? Is there a special fairy dust that we get sprinkled with at the stroke of midnight that helps us achieve our goals any quicker than the rest of the year?

Look, I’m all for celebrating New Years by reflecting on the year prior and setting appropriate action items to improve your life moving forward. But, I don’t believe that this gives us any excuse to feel stagnant, or to wait until January to make changes if we feel drawn to do so.

In my eyes, every single day I wake up is a fresh start (and a reason to be thankful).

Once we settled into our new life here in NH, I noticed an unconscious pattern of activities that I began practicing every day that truly makes me feel my best. Each one of these has made its’ way into my life and my daily to-do list over time (note: it wasn’t an overnight shift).

Today, I am sharing the 6 things that I do (and you can, too) to feel more connected, grateful, energized, kinder, and happier overall. I notice that when I skip these things or give priority to something else going on, I’m a little more anxious and impatient, I get flustered easily, and I feel bloated and groggy throughout my day.

Without further ado, I hope that you feel inspired to try 1 (or 6) of these out and see if they create a positive impact in your life as well!

1. GRATITUDE JOURNAL

This may be my favorite addition to my daily routine because journaling is something I had struggled to do consistently for years. I tried a few different methods before I stumbled upon this journal, but each of them felt more like a chore or a waste of time (that I could have been using to write a blog post).

It wasn't until our wedding anniversary Celebration in August that I decided to try something new. Enter: A five minute Journal Each day is 1 short page with an inspirational quote (or a weekly challenge) at the top, and prompts/questions following that.

This form of journaling has been extremely useful for me because it helps challenge my mind. Rather than staring at a blank page and basically just wanting to write out my to-do list for the day, now I am consciously searching for specific moments or feelings that have more of a long-lasting effect.

Here is how each page is laid out:

Inspirational quote - ex. today’s is “I don’t associate with people who blame the world for their problems. You are your problem. You are also your solution. - Melissa McCarthy“

Weekly challenge - ex. this week’s is “Identify 3 things to appreciate about your adversity.”

MORNING PROMPTS:

I am grateful for…

What would make today great?

Daily affirmations. I am…

EVENING PROMPTS:

3 Amazing things that happened today…

How could I have made today even better?

Even when I’m not actively writing in it, I’ve found that my gratitude journal has a way of sticking with me throughout my day. Oftentimes if something uniquely positive or negative comes up, a prompt will immediately pop into my head (my mantra from the day/what amazing things have happened so far/how I can reframe this).

2. 10 MINUTE MEDITATION

Similar to journaling, meditating has been something that I have tried on and off for years now. At one point last year, I remember thinking, “this probably just isn’t for me”. At the time, I was using an app that would guide me through a 3-4 minute meditation with either a story or some type of inspiration. I found that I was only beginning to relax once the meditation was about to end.

If you can relate to this, I highly recommend experimenting with a longer, quieter meditation practice (whether that is complete silence, calming music, or an app). I simply believe that 3-4 minutes isn’t enough time to allow you to fully relax and crowd out your conscious voice.

I am currently using a cycle-tracking app called Glow that has free 10-minute meditations built in (there are only 4 available, so I generally listen to the same one everyday). I try to make this a top priority in the middle of my day no matter how busy it is. It gives me a boost of energy, helps me be present rather than allowing my day to fly by, and improves my interactions with people going forward especially if it is a particularly busy or stressful day.

During these 10 minutes, I sit in a crosslegged position with my palms open facing up on my knees. I don’t force my mind to be quiet, I just try to focus on my breath and positive messages rather than my to-do list or unhelpful distractions. The most life-changing thing I started doing is visualizing giving myself a hug and providing encouraging words, and grace/permission/forgiveness/compassion just like I would if I were talking to one of my sisters or best friends. I know it sounds super “woo-woo”, but it has definitely made my inner voice a lot kinder.

Other tips: Take deep, 4-second breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Let go of any tension in your neck, shoulders, and mouth/teeth. Don’t judge yourself for “meditating wrong”, or for your body and/or mind feeling restless. Everyday is going to look and feel different in your meditation practice; all that matters is that you continue to show up for yourself and prioritize those 10 minutes.

3. WALK OUTSIDE

If there was ever an ideal time to adopt this practice, it is now. The crisp, Winter air is so refreshing and noticing the beauty in my neighborhood is incredibly rewarding. It feels Wonderful.

Since Roberts health has been steadily improving again, we have been taking slow, 30 minute walks in the morning before I start work. Then, in the afternoon if time allows, I love taking a longer, quicker walk alone (sometimes with added ankle weights). I find that stepping outside of the house, even if it’s only for 10-15 minutes to get my body moving, gives me a boost of energy and joy.

My biggest tip for this activity is to use a backpack (I have this one) or belt bag so you can stash away your phone and any other distractions. Be present with the sounds of nature (I literally felt my body cringe while writing that because it sounds so corny, but it’s true!!), feel the breeze of the air and the changing temperatures, and listen to your thoughts.

It’s no secret that our generation (and the younger generation) tend to be “plugged in” 24/7. The majority of us are constantly using something to distract us from our thoughts and feelings - whether that is social media, music, podcasts, the news, etc. There are so many incredible resources and outlets for entertainment available to us, so I can’t blame us. But, even more important than learning and connecting with others is taking time for ourselves.

Personally, this alone time on my walks and during meditation help me think creatively and come up with new ideas, evaluate goals and next steps I want to take, and deal with any conflict or unpleasant emotions.

4. INTERMITTENT FASTING

Hands down the biggest change in my mental and physical health over the past year has been (clean) intermittent fasting.

To simplify why I love IF so much, it’s because it has changed my entire mindset around eating and living. As a serial dieter from the age of 13, this has been the first time in my life that I feel like food doesn’t control my thoughts and emotions. I used to have so much baggage surrounding food; whether I saw it as a reward, a restriction, or a coping mechanism. I was constantly thinking about how I could eat less or better, and shaming myself when I didn’t live up to the unrealistic expectations I set.

Not only has IF helped with my emotions surrounding food and my constant yo-yo dieting and weight gain/loss, it has improved my mental clarity significantly. I never realized until I had become adapted to this lifestyle just how sluggish and cloudy my brain and body felt when eating constantly. I was one of those people that thought I would “literally die” if I didn’t eat something in the morning or for lunch. Oftentimes, I wasn’t even hungry, I just thought that was what I was supposed to do to keep my metabolism and energy up.

Intermittent Fasting has allowed me to adopt the mentality of “delay, don’t deny”. I now have 0 food restrictions for the first time in my life.. That being said, once I break my fast each day, I eat whatever I want to satiety. IF has helped tremendously with noticing what foods and nutrients my body is craving, and listening to my satiety signals so I no longer feel the urge to overeat or binge.

I currently follow a 18/6 (18 hours of clean fasting, 6 hours of eating) or a 20/4 (20 hours of clean fasting, 4 hours of eating) pattern, depending on the day and how I’m feeling.

5. 10 MINUTE YOGA SESSION or VR OCULUS WORKOUT

This is generally done after I complete my 10 minute meditation so that I am relaxed and can focus on moving my body. Let me preface this by saying that my yoga practice is nowhere near perfect. I don’t believe you have to be an expert to practice yoga. I havent been to plenty of yoga classes over the years so I just do whatever comes to mind when I’m in the moment or however I feel like I need to move that day (ex. if my back is super tight or I feel like focusing on my balance or flexibility).

I don’t do anything super fancy; honestly, This is my yoga mat. I just sit on an open space in MY Babe Cave on the carpeted floor and practice in whatever I’m wearing. I’m still surprised by how quickly the 10 minutes goes by and how easy this is to fit into my day.

I have learned over the months after Teaching High Intensity Dance Fitness Classes on Friday Nights and my Peloton Mirror workouts, that my body craves slow, restful workouts once in a while. I still use my Indoor Cycle Bike if I’m not walking outside that day, but even that isn’t high-intensity. Yoga is an exercise that I actually look forward to rather than dread, and it feels like just the thing my body needs during this season in my life.

If you are a beginner in yoga or want a quick guide on poses to try, this pin is a great resource (link here).

To round out my workout, sometimes I’ll follow my meditation and yoga practices with 10 minutes of simple exercises with 3 lb. arm weights.

6. GREEN KOMBUCHA

Put Good In ….Get Good Out !!!!!

I have personally never seen someone do this, but it has been working for me and I enjoy the combo, so I figured I’d share with you as well! This is the concoction that I like to break my fast with. Sometimes I juice some fresh celery and have that first, but most days I don’t have much time, so I just grab my Ginger Lemon Health-Ade Kombucha out of the fridge (I buy the giant bottle to save $), add a giant ice cube and my metal straw and mix in 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder.

I personally can’t stomach the superfood powder on it’s own, and I’m not interested in making smoothies or shakes every day, so this is the only way I found that I can weasel it into my diet.

The Amazing Grass Green Superfood contains 3+ servings of greens, fruits, and veggies. It has more organic greens than any other blend I’ve found on the market and it is gluten free, plant-based, and has no sugar added.

In addition to the Superfood blend, Kombucha on its own has enormous beneficial probiotics to assist with gut health. Needless to say, this combo helps me get in all of the nutrients that my body needs without overeating during my “window”.

I would say that the green kombucha concoction is an acquired taste, but after your first few days I’ve found that you get used to it (and you may even find yourself craving it).

jeep hat photo.jpg — YOURS IN GOOD HEALTH
P.DRENNAN

BE KIND

Phyllicity Drennan

I would never carry out a lifestyle that I truly didn’t love and enjoy - I LOVE what I eat, how I train physically, and thoroughly enjoy every meal. When you truthfully love what you’re doing with and to your body it’s effortless to stick to! Not to mention, it makes me feel so amazing, energetic, and incredibly focused/productive (just a couple of perks!).

JUST INVESTED IN THIS MOUNTAIN BIKE !!!!

I Did Some Research Before Going to to Purchase My First Mountain Bike…..

THE FIRST BIKE ACCESSORIES YOU SHOULD BUY

A helmet. Budget from $45 - 100 for a good helmet with some different types of features. In the video, I reference my favorite city bike helmets mostly from Kali and Lazer.

The Second Bike Accessory You Should Buy

A good floor pump. If you ride a few times a week you should be pumping up your tires once a week. This helps prevent flats, makes your bike more efficient, and makes the tires last longer.

The Third Bike Accessory You Should Buy

Some type of bag to carry your stuff on the bike. I'm a big fan of Slap Bags, seat bags, and "bento" top tube style bags. All range from $15-35 and can carry your phone, keys, snacks, all the snacks.

The Final Bike Accessory You Should Buy

Lights. Most of the electric bikes they sell come with lights but it is always nice to have blinky lights on during the day and good bright light for night riding help you safer and more confident on the bike.

Happy Biking TBW Follower Peeps !!!!

Chocolate Blueberry Protein Smoothie

INGREDIENTS
1 portion(s)
80 grams Frozen Blueberries
1 Medium Ripe Banana
1.5 scoops Ideallean Chocolate 🍫 Protein Powder
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp cocoa Powder
160 Chobani Plant based Oat Vanilla , (or milk of your choice - almond, soy etc.)
Yours In Good Health 💕

The white space in my head, is always thinking about food. If I’m eating breakfast, I’m already thinking of dinner or who I should invite over or what is a new idea for Recipes. I am wildly interested in the entire concept of wellness - whole foods, exercise, mental health, relationships, mindfulness - all of it. Working in the restaurant Industry for 17 yrs has developed a big interest in my heart and i have seen and learned so much. Food is just the facet that I have the most experience with. I cook to feel good and also for pleasure; to slow my mind down by focusing on one task and also, for relationships - to gather people around a table. Food connects us. Caring for ourselves and others, by way of nourishment, is a big piece of that wellness puzzle.
My intention is to make healthy-ish food that fits into your everyday life, using mostly produce, whole grains, healthy fats, natural sugar alternatives and the like. I would qualify salad as my favorite food, but ice cream and a fudgy brownie come in a close second. I don't subscribe to one particular diet or foods that are labeled as "good" or "bad." I try to eat mostly vegetables, and listen to my body outside of that. In this space, you will find Photos of meals that work for my family. I find a beautiful thing about being in the kitchen is when you don't overthink things - so there is room for interpretation and your own touch in all of these recipes. Alter my suggestions based on your own tastes- a little more of this, a little less of that. I will also Post recipes here as well.