Cozy Crockpot Recipes

With everything going on our lives on a daily basis like work, school, running errands, or whatever else it may be that’s keeping you busy, it’s nice to have an easy-to-make, yummy meal that’s waiting for you when you get home after a long day. Crockpot meals are the absolute BEST when it comes to finding time to make meals while living a busy life. You can’t go wrong with these meals that are easy, ready when you get home from work, healthy, and of course delicious!!! Here are some great recipes to try out this season!

Creamy Beef Stroganoff

This creamy, delicious crockpot beef stroganoff is a wonderful spin-off of your classic stroganoff. Its made with sour cream, steak or stew meat, and no cream of soup! I mean what’s better than a big bowl of noodles to fill you up on a cold fall day?!

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken & Veggies

This slow cooker honey garlic chicken and veggie recipe is SO easy to make, not to mention super delicious. Just throw everything in the pot, let it stew all day in juicy goodness, and that’s it! No cooking, no sautéing, just let it sit and open at dinner time for an awesome meal you’ll want to make again and again!

Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

Balsamic chicken?! Yes please! This crock pot dish has so much flavor, you’ll come home to the amazing aroma of balsamic-laced chicken with onions and tomatoes and all kinds of delicious sauce. Gotta love a good sauce!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Grab & Go! Healthy Snacking For Busy People:

Let’s be real, we all snack. Whether it be between classes, at work, laying on the couch at home, or a late night snack, we’re all guilty of it. Snacking has often been seen as the enemy of a healthy diet, but actually, snacking isn’t bad for you if you do it in moderation and make healthy choices. Try these tips to do both!

Fuel up between meals with a combination of food groups. One fruit or veggie serving combined with a serving of whole grains, protein or a dairy makes for a delicious snack to keep you going throughout the day!

Some ideas to choose from for fruits or veggies: Pear, apple, mixed berries, bell pepper, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, pineapple, peaches, salsa, spinach, or banana

Some ideas to choose from for whole grains, protein, or dairy: sharp cheddar, corn tortilla chips, yogurt, guacamole, hummus, fresh mozzarella cheese + balsamic vinegar, cottage cheese, tortilla + cheese, pita bread + turkey + swiss cheese, or pita bread + hummus

As a college student, I know it can be hard to go all day in classes or working without having a little snack in between. Even staying up late studying in the library can make you hungry! So, here are a few ideas for snacks that is a little bit better for you than things like chips, sweets, or ramen noodles (not to mention these healthy snacks give you a ton more energy and make you feel better!).

Easy Snacks to Take to Class:

  • Sliced Veggies
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Rice Cakes w/ Peanut Butter
  • Nuts & Seeds
  • Dried Fruit
  • String Cheese
  • Granola

Late Night Hunger? Try This:

  • Popcorn
  • Yogurt w/ Fruit
  • Pretzels & Hummus
  • Corn Tortilla Chips & Fresh Salsa or Guacamole
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Whole Grain Crackers
  • Pitas or Tortillas

Of course these are just some examples of some of the MANY combos of snacks you could make! But hopefully this helps you build some delicious, nutritious snacks that’ll keep you going and satisfy your hungry all day long! Happy snacking everyone!

5 Healthy Reasons to Get Excited for Fall!

Happy Fall Y’all! Because it is October 1st, I think it’s definitely necessary to talk about fall and all of the great things about this fabulous season! The fall colors, pumpkin patches, scary movies, Halloween, apples, flannels, sweaters, fall candles, apple cider donuts… I could go on and on! But, the transition to shorter and busier days of fall can be a challenge on not just your schedule, but your health. To help ease the change of seasons, I’m here to give you some tips to get you ready for the colder months to come and keep your mental and physical health in check. Here are 5 Healthy Reasons to Get Excited for Fall!

1. An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!

That old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” has a lot of truth to it. Apples are truly one of nature’s best diet foods and they have a ton of nutritional benefits to them as well. They fill you up for only around 100 calories, and they’re packed with cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. There are TONS of different types to choose from to find the perfect flavor for your taste, not to mention they’re absolutely delicious! A food that tastes great and is great for you? Can’t pass that up!

Visit an apple orchard this fall and spend an afternoon picking your own supply. You’ll have fun while seeing where your food comes from and supporting a local orchard.

2. Early to Bed Early to Rise…

You know what they say..”early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise!” This is kind of, in a way, true! Sleep is one of the most important things for our body. With the changes in when the sun rises and sets, it can sometimes mess with our schedules. But, when you get the recommended 8-9 hours of sleep, your body functions so much better and you can get a ton more done with your day when you’re fully rested, not to mention you’ll feel so much better!

Getting enough sleep is one best things you can do for your health, so take this opportunity to stick with a bedtime schedule that’s right for your body’s needs. For a good night’s rest, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (even on weekends) and skipping snacks and exercise at least one hour before bedtime. With a full nights rest you’ll feel great and have a ton more energy to enjoy everything the fall season has to offer!

3. Cooler (But Not Too Cold) Temps!

Cooler fall temperatures means it’s time to break out the sweaters, boots, and jackets! But, it’s also a great time to enjoy the outdoors without getting really hot. Researchers suggest doing physical activity outdoors like hiking some trails, biking, going for a run, or even just raking some leaves, relieves more stress and boosts energy levels better than sweating inside the gym. Fall is the perfect time to attempt activities that may have been too taxing in the hot conditions of summer. It’s a lot more pretty outside than inside a gym anyways, so you might as well enjoy the fall colors while they last!

4. Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

The fall season is prime time for some amazing fruits and veggies. Foods like broccoli, apples, cabbage, eggplant, kale, pumpkin, squash, and dark leafy greens are all in season during the fall and are packed full of tons of nutritional benefits. Incorporating these foods into your meals and trying new recipes during this season is a great way to eat healthy all while giving your body the nutrients it needs.

Not only fruits and veggies, but spices too! Fall is the season for some great spices, such as cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and of course pumpkin spice! These spices and scents are all staple scents of fall, and they offer plenty of health benefits to add to your diet this fall. So, sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg on your coffee or bake some into your next meal to make the most of these seasonal spices.

5. Take Care of Yourself

The short days, sicknesses everywhere, and colder weather of fall can sometimes make it hard to keep your health in check. SO here’s a short list of things to keep in mind to make your health a top priority this season:

  • Take some time for yourself – Shorter days in the fall and winter is Earth’s way of telling us to slow down and take a breather.
  • Get your flu shot and yearly check-up – Self explanatory! No one likes getting sick.
  • Stay active – It can be easy to just sit around all the time when the weather gets colder, but it’s important to get in some physical activity in throughout the day. Even raking some leaves counts!
  • Boost your immune system – ‘Tis the season for getting sick! Boosting your immune system can help with this by drinking plenty of water, washing your hands a lot, and eating mostly nutritious foods.
  • As I mentioned before – Gets lots of sleep!
  • Stay warm! – Dress for the weather and always make sure to wear (or at least always bring along) layers to protect your body from the changing temperatures.
  • (And last) Take care of yourself!!! – The holiday season is full of eating too much yummy food, shorter days that sometimes cause low motivation, and the flu season. Listen to your body and give it what it needs.

Thanks for reading and hopefully some of these tips and tricks help you make the most of the season! Happy fall!

Welcome!

Hi everyone, thanks for visiting! Welcome to Mind / Body / Food, your source for tips on how to live a healthy life for a better you.

So, who am I? My name is Cameron and I’m a 21 year old student in my senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. I’m majoring in Corporate and Health Communication and minoring in Health Promotion. I love to be active (but also just do nothing, am I right?), spend time outside in the fresh air, hang out with my crazy friends and family, read good books, play with my dogs, drink lots of coffee and of course, eat great food!

I’m an aspiring health communicator/health promotion specialist who wants to work to educate people on how to live a healthy life, because oftentimes people tend to take their health for granted until it is too late. I just want to help people, improve their quality of life, and make a difference.

In this blog, I plan to provide tips, tricks, and information on how to make better choices for a better you for people interested in taking important steps towards living a healthier lifestyle. You can be at any point in your journey to better health, beginning or farther on, it doesn’t matter here! What matters is that you are working towards a better you!

There are a variety of different elements that factor into being a healthy individual, many things you may not even think about! From fitness, to wellness, to food, we’ll talk about it all. I’m not here tell you what you’re doing wrong or tell you how to live your life, just to offer suggestions on how to improve your quality of life, feel good, and be the very best YOU you can be!

So come on in, learn some stuff, grow, and help me help you!