Feed Your Good Dog

Positive Thoughts | Positive Actions | Positive Results

TGIFYGDF

TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

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Happy and Healthy…Start Walking or Running and Get On Track!

By: Jared Denson
FYGD Contributor

We all want to live happy, healthy lives (or so I hope). One way to get on track is to begin walking or running daily. Whether your goals are weight-loss, toning, or just to clear the cob webs from your head, walking or running can help you reach your objectives. Through my experience as a long-time runner and veteran of the 10K Atlanta Peachtree Road Race, I’ve come to identify a couple tips and resources that will definitely keep you on track.

  • Check out Running in the U.S.A. or the Road Runners Club of America. These are in my opinion the most useful running resources on the net. They have all sorts of useful information about running. For example, Running in the U.S.A. lists races all over the country…click on the map to find a race in your area.
    Running in the USA race locator
  • Find and attend a race in your own neighborhood! All you have to do is navigate to your state on Running in the U.S.A. and it shows all the known races nearby. Many of the races have small entry fees with proceeds benefitting a good cause. If you’re aiming towards a main goal, it’s easier to stay on track.
  • Set small, incremental goals for yourself. Just because you can’t finish a 5K today doesn’t mean you will never be able to!
  • Be consistent. Try and find a partner – you will motivate each other!

Remember to always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program, and also remember to stay hydrated! In addition, you can check out our February 25th TGIFYGDF post for the CDC’s article on Healthy and Nutritional Tips.

Be good to yourself…
And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!

TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

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Here’s a motivator to get out this weekend and take a walk! At Webshots.com, people share their walks from all over the world. Not only do the beautiful images delight, but the shared photos also give us a glimpse of activities and events that are taking place in other parts of the world.

Webshots.com invites you to share your walk at their blog….

Photo walks, a popular activity among photo-sharing communities, let us all be a part of something no matter where we are in the world. By taking a walk this weekend and sharing the pictures with us, you’re contributing to a global mural of life.

So put on your walking shoes, grab your camera and go for a walk. You’ll be surprised at the photographic opportunities that present themselves. We’d love to see all of your photos as you can submit as many as you like!

Please tag your photos with Weekend Photo Walk 167 and then post your links in the comment section. Your entries won’t be judged—this is just for the fun of it!

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!

TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

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A good looking and better tasting vegetable soup for a chilly SOUPER Bowl weekend…thanks to Lya Sorano of The Accidental Gardener.

Winter Weather Calls for Soup

A simmering pot of soup on the kitchen stove can make a nippy winter day bearable. This is a time-consuming recipe (about one hour prep and two hours cooking), but it is oh, so worth it!

This is what you need:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
    (the regular kind, not the sweet ones)
  • 6 to 10 cloves of garlic
    (depending on the size of the cloves)
  • 4 stalks celery, cleaned and diced
  • 3 or 4 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 2 large, firm potatoes (red or Yukon gold)
  • 2 medium turnips, peeled and diced
  • 3 parsnips, peeled and diced
  • 1 14.5 oz. can of whole tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
    (or try a whole cup!)
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

This is what you do:

Stage 1 of 4:

  • Heat the oil in a large soup kettle.
  • Sautee chopped onions until golden.
  • Add garlic; stir for a minute or two.
  • Stir in celery and carrots.
  • Add cabbage; stir and cook till wilted.

Stage 1 of Winter Soup Receipe

Stage 2 of 4:

  • Add potatoes, turnips and parsnips.
  • Stir and cook for a minute or two

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Stage 2 of Winter Soup Recipe

Stage 3 of 4:

  • Add tomatoes, with liquid.
    (chop tomatoes a little)
  • Add parsley and stock; stir gently.
  • Partially cover the pot and bring to a boil.
    (gently!)
  • Cover completely, turn heat down and simmer for 2 hours.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Stage 2 of Winter Soup Recipe

Stage 4 of 4 – the best!
Eat!
Serving suggestion: to each soup bowl, add a few drops of Tabasco and/or sprinkle with some grated Parmesan or Gruyere. But it is good without the additions also!

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

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The weekends are always a good time to try out a new recipe; and any time is always a great time to do something to promote heart health.

So, following are four great healthy cooking links from the Queen of Hearts Foundation, whose mission it is to empower women regarding their heart health through awareness, education and information. If you find a recipe at one of these links that you like, please let us know and we’ll share it here with other readers.

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Nutrition Action is Americas most read health newsletter. With recipes, food guides and more, it is packed with heart healthy information and is a Queen of Hearts favorite!

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All Recipes is an amazing resource for any type of cuisine that can imagine. Most of all though, there is a great healthy eating part of the site so you can make anything your heart desires!

LifeScript provides personalized health and wellness solutions to help consumers make better and more informed lifestyle choices. The company’s premiere product lines span a range of health product categories.

Prevention is the #1 healthy lifestyle magazine brand and the 10th largest magazine in the nation, with more than 11 million readers. The top online health magazine destination, Prevention.com has 1.6 million unique visitors each month. Prevention publishes branded books, special-interest publications, international editions, bookazines, and DVDs under the bestselling Prevention Fitness Systems as well as leads Team Prevention walking programs at marathons across the country.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

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Winter Spices to Help Fight the Chills from The Crock Pot Blog

Spices play an important part in almost every recipe we prepare. They give our foods distinct flavor and aroma. Did you know that certain spices can give your body warmth and have other beneficial health properties? Here are just a few that can help warm a body and keep the winter chills away.

Cinnamon – This winter spice is used for its distinctive taste and smell. Add a cinnamon stick to a hot beverage. Ground cinnamon is a great topping for toast, oatmeal and fruit. Cinnamon also finds it way into baked foods, chili and soup. Cinnamon can be used as a natural sweetener for applesauce. Diabetics can use this winter spice to help reduce blood sugar levels along with triglycerides and cholesterol.

Ginger – Ginger not only warms a cold body, but is also quite healthy. This spice is known for having powerful anti-inflammatory agents. Many use this spice to help with migraine headaches, arthritis and nausea. Ginger can be added to soups, to top vegetables or sprinkled over meats to give them a tangy flavor. It can also give tea a zesty bite.

Cloves – Cloves have a unique taste. They are often used when roasting meats to give the meat a full flavor. Hams are especially tasty when topped with cloves. This spice can be used in teas or baked foods. Cloves are also known for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric – This Indian spice is usually found in powder form. It adds flavor to soups, stews and chili. It can be used when roasting meats and is often found in pasta sauce. Scientific studies have shown that turmeric not only warms the body but may also help in protecting the body against cancer. Turmeric has been used for treating stomach ulcers and relieving free radical stress in people suffering inflammation.

Cardamom – In experimental studies cardamom has been shown to help prevent cancer and help in detoxifying the liver. Cardamom is often used in conjunction with cinnamon. Teas, ciders and flavored hot waters are enhanced by cardamom. Cardamom can also be used when flavoring foods with cloves to enhance the flavors and aroma.

Pepper – Just the sound of pepper warms a body. Pepper is a strong spice often used when cooking bland dishes. This spice gives a pungent flavor to almost any food. Adding a little extra pepper instead of salt to your foods can be both a warming and healthy benefit. Pepper is also said to be helpful to those who have asthma.

These are just a few of the winter spices that will help head off that cold winter chill. Add them to any of your favorite foods recipes. The taste and smell are sure to warm the body and comfort the soul.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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