Thanksgiving – Jenna Jamieson, Author

An open letter about kindness!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 22, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

I just celebrated my 30th birthday a little over a month ago. It’s always an exciting time to celebrate my birthday, not because I get gifts or eat my favorite local pizza, but because it starts a new year of random acts of kindness. It’s a new year of pledging to do a minimum of 30 different surprises of giving back, helping others, and spreading more kindness out into the world. The world has enough craziness, chaos, and uncertainty in it that every little bit of kindness helps.

My ultimate dream through my random acts of kindness is to be the person on Ellen that gets to surprise a deserving family or person of something extraordinary that will change their life – notifying someone they will be able to provide presents for their kids on Christmas, a new car that allows them to get to work safely, helping a college student pay for tuition who may not otherwise have the opportunity, supporting a food drive or coat drive, etc. My favorite acts of kindness are the random ones to strangers and people I barely know.

So, one day I hope to be that person that can spend an entire day(s) or hour(s) surprising others with things that will change their life. After all, when you spread kindness and give back you are changing the world one good deed at a time. Keep that in mind today and every day, not just around the holiday season, on #GivingTuesday, #SmallBusinessSaturday, or during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

And, remember to join me on the #ProjectKindnessBook pledge and follow my Project Kindness by using your birthday as the minimum number of times you give back, help others, and spread kindness throughout the year. Use #ProjectKindnessBook in your post to show you have made the commitment to making a difference in the lives of others and changing the world around you.

Simple and easy ideas include leaving a note for a veteran, baking cookies for your local police or fire department, reaching out and thanking your child’s teacher, leaving a large tip for a server, buying someone’s coffee or meal, and donating food and coats throughout the year. My high school students created cards for veterans, the elderly, and sick children this week to celebrate others. This small project helps the students see how their gesture can change the life of someone else. Keep spreading cheer and kindness…it’s the best gift you can give during the holiday season and every day throughout the year!

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Holidays…family, friends, and FOOD!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 19, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

This is the weight-gaining, cookie-eating, mouth-stuffing time of the year! It’s the time of the year when people eat cookies, cupcakes, chips, dips, and other sugary and salty foods. It’s the time of the year when diets seem to be filled with more junk food than fruits and veggies. It’s the time of the year when there are parties, potlucks, and events. And, it’s the time of the year when health educators and counselors know what to expect come January when New Year’s resolutions come around!

I am getting ready to cook my “gluten free” Thanksgiving this weekend so that I can actually enjoy it! Otherwise the day of Thanksgiving I get stuck with meat and potatoes without all the other lovely sides that fill the Thanksgiving table (but are often filled with gluten)!

As a way to cut back on fat and to reduce the calories in my gluten free dishes I will be making roasted brussels sprouts and corn with a couple of slices of bacon rather than a corn casserole or corn pudding which are filled with heavy cream, cream soups, and other fattening additives. This is a great way to reduce fat and calories while still having great flavor. The bacon will provide flavor along with chili powder, but since the two bacon slices will be divided among 6 people the amount consumed is very little.

My homemade mashed potatoes will feature part cauliflower. That may sound awful to some, but I promise you won’t taste the cauliflower and it will save a ton of calories! I will also use potatoes, but I will combine them with cauliflower to reduce the calories and add some veggies. I will use reduced sodium, reduced fat cream cheese or greek yogurt to add creaminess to the potatoes.

I will not have bread since I will be making cornbread stuffing. I made cornbread with reduced fat milk and will make the stuffing using reduced sodium chicken broth. To save calories, it is great to consider how many “bready” sides or carbohydrate sides you will serve with your Thanksgiving dinner. Consider having stuffing or bread, pie or cake, with more sides filled with veggies or fruits (i.e. brussel sprouts, corn, green beans, cranberries, mixed fruit, sweet potatoes – healthier than regular potatoes).

If your family does a green bean casserole each year consider roasted green beans, grilled green beans (these are delicious!), or pan seared green beans to cut back on the creamy soups, butter, and fried onions that are all high in calories.

Remember to fill your plates with more veggies than “bready” items and when you go back for seconds fill up on the veggie sides rather than more stuffing, bread, pie, and other high calorie dishes. Oh, and take a quick walk before or after dinner so your food doesn’t sit in your stomach all day or all night. You will thank yourself later when your food has a chance to digest rather than sit and make you feel miserable all night! 🙂

Happy eating, enjoy spending time with your friends and family, and have fun making new memories that you will remember forever!

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Tis’ the season for healthy casserole dishes!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 20, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Winter is upon us again and with the cold weather comes lots of holiday favorites and casseroles being baked for dinners, parties, and holiday festivities. Casserole dishes and holiday favorites tend to be full of cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness, which is also known as endless calories in the minds of dietitians and an extra 10 pounds in the minds of many people. I thought it would be appropriate to share some tips that will help keep casseroles healthy, but still satisfy our appetites! There are great ways to keep casseroles healthy this holiday season while also incorporating tons of great flavors. People often think that without the pound of butter, whole milk, pound of cheese, or heavy cream that dishes lose their flavor, and that is definitely not the case…I promise! Keep reading for some great tips to maintain the flavor and decrease the calories in your casseroles this holiday season…you will thank me later! 😉 There are 3 major tips that I think are beneficial when making casseroles.

First, consider replacing cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and other cream soups with plain Greek yogurt, which you can flavor with garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, etc or even add regular, low-sodium broth soups such as chicken broth or vegetable broth to flavor your dishes without the added calories. Further, try to buy items that are fat-free, low fat, low sodium, or sodium free. For example, green bean casserole calls for cream of mushroom soup, so replace it with Greek yogurt and vegetable stock. Be sure to check the labels because sometimes low calorie, low fat, and low sodium items can be deceiving. By this I mean that sometimes they have other equally bad ingredients for you, so you have to determine which products will be best. This is why plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and other plain, non-flavored items that are less processed can be great because you can add the flavor you want to them.

Second, cut back on the dairy products if possible and yes, this includes cheese! I know how awful that sounds because cheese is delicious, but I am not saying cut it out completely. Rather, be cognizant of how much cheese you are putting into your casserole dishes, especially if they have other dairy products in them such as heavy cream, milk, and butter. What I mean by this is that a veggie casserole can easily be made unhealthy and fattening by adding tons of cheese and cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and other cream soups. Milk, heavy cream, cheese, and other dairy products can quickly add calories, making healthy veggie casseroles unhealthy. So the best thing you can do is stick to what recipes call for. If the recipe calls for one cup of cheese, use one cup of cheese rather than a cup and a half to add additional cheesy goodness. I realize it is the holiday season, but I promise you that your guests will still love your casserole side dishes and will appreciate the fewer calories in their already high calorie holiday meal!

Third, stick with vegetable casseroles or vegetables rather than carbohydrate-heavy or starchy casseroles that are high in calories. I realize that many people love potatoes and what says Thanksgiving more than turkey and mashed potatoes?! I am not suggesting that you completely do away with your mashed potatoes, but consider doing a split in your potatoes of part potato and part cauliflower. Also, consider having one potato casserole or mashed potato dish rather than several. Instead, make up for the fewer starchy dishes by having several vegetable casseroles or vegetable dishes such as sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecans as a side dish rather than sweet potatoes with marshmallow fluff on top. Some other options might be brussel sprouts with bacon, butternut squash with a butter sauce, or honey and balsamic glazed carrots.

Enjoy preparing your holiday dishes and remember that while the holidays are a fun time, it doesn’t mean you should give yourself the excuse to eat whatever you want and as much as you want! While it might sound like a novel idea at the time, it won’t be when you gain 10 pounds, can’t button your jeans, or feel so full you want to bust! So, make some healthier casseroles that encourage cleaner eating, but still impart great holiday flavors that you and your family enjoy! Happy clean eating this holiday season from my table to yours!

~jj

Tis the season to help others, donate, & give!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 29, 2013 | Comments 0 Comment

Since it’s the holiday season, I deemed it appropriate to throw in an entry that is very, very, very (shall I say VERY again to emphasize my passion) dear to my heart. While the holiday season is a great time of year, it can quickly become a very self-indulgent, over the top, season that is filled with buying the next best phone, computer, or tablet, more toys for children that have an overflowing toy box and toy room, and presents for friends that have everything they could possibly want and more. We want to buy the perfect presents for our moms and dads, brothers and sisters, cousins and children. I was as equally guilty of this at earlier times in my life, but I have come to realize that I would rather reach out to those that are less fortunate than me. The holiday season is the perfect time to reach beyond yourself and your family to touch the lives and hearts of others. This may sound silly and may not seem like a fitness tip, but when you help others it gives you that “feel good” feeling deep down that is great for your mind and body. So, while helping others, donating, and giving to those who are less fortunate may not be physical fitness and exercise, it is a wellness tip that will do a lot for your mind, heart, and emotional well-being.

The holiday season is a time of celebration and joyous occasions for most people, but there are also lots of people in the world that are less fortunate or need help. As a young adult, it is very, very, very (and yes, I shall say VERY) hard for me to watch people give thanks and appreciate their blessings on Thanksgiving Day only to become greedy, materialistic, and crabby human beings on Black Friday. I am headed into working my 4th Black Friday in retail so I do have the experience to say this! While I am not judging those around me, I am rather hoping to encourage and light a spark in others to reach out and help those around them.

I wish for others to reach within their heart and think about the kids that will wake up with no presents under the Christmas tree, cancer patients that are dying and suffering during the holidays, and soldiers, airport employees, and first responders (police officers, firefighters, hospital personnel) who are working so that everyone else can have a joyful holiday season. This seems to quickly and easily be taken for granted by everyone, including myself at times. My pledge, wish, and challenge to you is to send a care package or box to solders in need, visit http://www.anysoldier.com, which is a reliable website to send care packages to soldiers who are serving overseas. Find an Angel tree and fill shoe boxes for children who otherwise will have no Christmas presents under the tree this holiday season or take freshly baked cookies, pies, and other treats to your local first responders to show them how much you appreciate their hard work during a season that is filled with chaos and stress for them. Or even consider donating your hair if you don’t have the money to spend toward children and soldiers. You can visit http://www.facebook.com/Beautifullengths8 for more information.

So, when you leave your house today, remember that one small thing to help others may actually be something that helps you as well! Cheers to donating, giving, helping, and changing the lives of others. And from me to you, I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe holiday season!

~jj

Cheers to the holidays…and good health!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 14, 2013 | Comments 0 Comment

The holidays are just around the corner, which means potlucks, family gatherings, and work parties. It’s a time of year which often means putting on a few extra unwanted pounds and losing the body definition you have worked hard on all year long. While it’s one of the most fun, joyous, and cheerful times of year, it can also quickly become the most dreaded when you add ten pounds to your waistline. To lessen your caloric intake and still enjoy the holiday season alongside your family and friends, consider some of these tips.

One tip that can be helpful is to drink plenty of water prior to going to holiday parties and potlucks. This helps give you a full feeling so that you will eat less. Further, you can eat something small and filling like an apple. An apple helps give you a full feeling for a long period.

Parties, gatherings, and potlucks often mean buffets, which can be very tough for many people. With buffets, avoid standing at the buffet tables and bars that have finger foods, appetizers, and hor’derves sitting out. Instead, grab a plate and fill it with 1/3 cheeses, meats, dips, chips, and snack foods while filling the other 2/3 of the plate with fruits and veggies. Additionally, allow yourself to only visit the table once and then throw your plate away. Upon finishing, socialize in other areas away from the buffet table so you cannot reach the food. Same goes for drinks because drinks add hundreds and hundreds of extra calories and often give people the munchies!

While parties and potlucks are a fun holiday tradition, they also tend to have an “appetizer and munch” period followed by a large buffet meal that is often followed by a dessert buffet. Rather than eating and munching on appetizers, try to stick to core meals during the holiday season so you don’t fall victim to eating so much. These core meals during the holiday season are already much higher in calories than an average meal, so sticking to core meals and avoiding the appetizers will help cut down on extra calories. Further, if your gatherings, potlucks, and parties include a dessert buffet, stick to one regular portion size of dessert OR choose up to three small, bite-size portions of several desserts that you would like to try.

I recognize that many people have family recipes, casseroles, and dishes that make the holiday season special, but one great tip is to limit your meal to one casserole and serve basic vegetables such as green beans, corn, asparagus, etc. as other side options. For example, choose either green bean casserole, corn pudding casserole, sweet potato casserole and then have basic vegetables as sides rather than as casseroles. This helps eliminate having three to five casseroles that have cream of mushroom soups, additional heavy cream, sugar, and lots of butter. If this is something that cannot be done and you must have many different casserole dishes at your holiday table, consider using substitutes (that you will love and feel good about and I promise your family won’t even notice). For example, use part cauliflower in mashed potatoes and low-fat milk in casseroles in place of heavy cream or melted butter.

Lastly, and I say this lightly (so that you don’t think of it as an excuse to eat whatever you want during the holidays!), it is important to remember that your body does not expect you to eat perfect all the time, everyday, all year. You can always redeem yourself later with motivation, will power, and a positive attitude of improving. So, while I won’t encourage you to eat a slice of pumpkin pie and pecan pie at Thanksgiving or eat cinnamon rolls, eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon on Christmas, I will tell you that if you do slip up, you can make it up, preferably sooner rather than later!

One last quick tip is try to squeeze in some brisk walking with your family before or after holiday gatherings. It’s a great way to socialize and it makes you feel even better when you sit down for your big feast! My family actually makes it a routine to take a brisk walk before eating Thanksgiving to keep us from feeling so full later in the day!

Tis the season…for GREAT food, family, and GOOD health!

~jj