Spaghetti squash.......what??!!

Have you ever tried spaghetti squash pasta? I know it sounds weird but it tastes pretty darn good. This is so quick and simple to make. I had my dad and grandma try it while they were in town a few weeks ago and they loved it. My husband, not so much, but then again he's not a vegetable eater.

I pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees then when it's ready I stick the whole 

squash in the oven and bake it for 45 minutes. 

Once it's done I cut the squash in half and let it cool for a few minutes.

Then I "gut" it out. 

I literally take a fork and scrape out the middle, it just falls apart perfectly.

While the squash is baking, I will cook my choice of meat, we really like ground turkey. 

I cook that stovetop then add my favorite spaghetti sauce to it. 

Then I take a strainer and lay a paper towel in it and let the spaghetti squash "drain"

The paper towel helps the excess water to be soaked up.

 (this step is optional) 

I let the drained squash cook stovetop with some olive oil and garlic/garlic powder. 

Stir and after a few minutes it's ready to be eaten. 

I only do this because I really like the taste of garlic 

but you don't have to do this at all if you prefer not to.

Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top.

Then mix and enjoy! 

As I mentioned earlier my hubby did not like it because he's not a vegetable eater so I made him some

whole wheat spaghetti to eat with the ground turkey (pictured below) and he was happy. Easy meal for everyone.

Let me know if you try it! I'd love to hear your feedback.

Let's talk teeth

Did you know that your oral hygiene has a lot to do with your overall health?

I recently listened to a podcast about fitness (go figure!) and the speaker talked about how important oral hygiene is to your WHOLE body. Any infection, bacteria or tooth decay that is not taken care of can cause the acidity levels in the body to get all out of whack and cause your ability to fight illness to be weakened or even make you prone to more illness. This really is a cool fact to know when you are helping others be completely healthy. Just brushing your teeth alone is not enough. 

I am pretty serious about my oral hygiene but this made me think even more about it and the importance of it. Here are some facts below that I read and I was blown away to learn this information.

"Studies also suggest that oral bacteria and the inflammation associated with periodontitis — a severe form of gum disease — might play a role in some diseases. In addition, certain diseases, such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, can lower the body's resistance to infection, making oral health problems more severe." taken from this article

"Research has found an association between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints." also this article

"Proper oral hygiene is important in helping you stay healthy if you have risk factors such as diabetes and heart problems." According to the American Dental Hygienists Association:

• A major cause of tooth loss in children is cavities; while periodontal (gum) disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.
• Eating healthy snacks such as celery, carrots, or apples help clear away food loosely trapped in-between teeth.
• The leading oral health problem for infants is baby bottle tooth decay, which can be caused when babies are given a bottle filled with sugary liquids, like milk or juice, when put to bed.   

quoted from this

 

Below is a picture of the products that I use, including a tongue scraper. You may think that brushing your tongue is enough but it's definitely not. I had never even seen one of these things until my dental hygienist gave me one a few years ago and I am so thankful that she did. This handy little tool really helps to get all those hard to reach spots and be more thorough.

      He

                     

I usually will start out with flossing, then I rinse with mouthwash, then I use the tongue scraper and then I brush my teeth. I once heard someone say "Only floss the teeth you want to keep." Well, I know I want all of mine, ha!  I hope you all get to brushing better! Have a great day!


*There's a proper way to brush and floss. If you're unfamiliar with the correct technique, ask your dentist or dental hygienist for help. You can also visit the American Dental's Association's website to watch some great tutorials on proper technique.*

"The mouth is a portal into the rest of the body," said Dr. Donald Ratcliffe

from this article

A quick yummy snack!

I love these yummy energy bites! I’m a chocolate lover with a major sweet tooth. This is a great way to satisfy the sweet tooth with some good stuff. 

I used:

1/2 cup of almond butter 

1/2 cup of peanut butter (I personally like using both but you could use one or the other)

1 cup of oats

1/4 cup of ground flax seed

1/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds

A dash of pure vanilla

2 tbsp of honey

1 tbsp of chia seeds

Coconut flakes (optional) 

1 scoop of chocolate Shakeology or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips  

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, then form into individual bite-sized pieces and refrigerate, then snack as needed. Enjoy!