Healthy Recipe: Grilled Portobello Burgers

Packed with the kind of immune-boosting nutrients that will help keep your family safe and healthy, Portobello mushrooms and spinach make a great protein alternative while eliminating loads of heavy fats, as well as the threat of food-borne illnesses common to incorrectly cooked meats and poultry. These vitamin and antioxidant-rich veggies grill beautiful and pack a flavor filled punch. Serve these delicious sandwiches at your next backyard barbeque, and you’ll have a risk-free dish that’s sure to please. You’ll need 4 Portobello caps, cleaned with stems removed 4 whole wheat buns ½ cup whole, fresh spinach 4 slices organic beefsteak tomato 4 slices red onion 4 tbsp cream cheese (or less to taste) 1 cup vegetable broth ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp Black pepper Fresh dill Combine mushroom caps, olive oil, broth, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper in a large dish. Make sure mushrooms are completely covered by fluid mixture. Cover dish and refrigerate for minimum two hours. After marinating period, fire up the grill to a medium heat. Place Portobello caps topside-up on grill, and cook for 6 minutes. Flip, cook for another 6 minutes, then check tenderness. Caps should be tender, but not mushy. Continue cooking topside-up if needed. Optional: grill tomato and red onion with a light olive oil baste for 2-3 minutes. While caps are grilling, combine fresh dill and cream cheese to taste. Apply generously to the bottom bun. Stack spinach, onion and tomato, then serve when Portobello are tender with a mild char. Plate with fresh watermelon for an low-cal, immune-boosting meal that’s sure to please. Serves four.

Shaklee Pure Performance Athletes in London

Shaklee has announced they would like to congratulate eight of their Pure Performance Team athletes who have qualified for the Olympic Games in London this summer. Dennis Bowsher, Pentathlete Corey Cogdell, Trap Shooter Caryn Davies, Rower Troy Dumais, Diver Margaux Isaksen, Pentathlete Seth Kelsey, Fencer Eleanor Logan, Rower Keith Sanderson, Rapid Fire Pistol Shooter Way to go! Especially exciting is that Shaklee Pure Performance athlete and 35-time national champion Troy Dumais has qualified for his fourth diving team, joining Greg Louganis as the only American men to do so! See the story on ESPN.com About going to the Games for the 4th time, Troy says, "It's an amazing feat and a great feeling but our job isn't done. We set out for a goal and this is just one of the steps to our goal. We have a lot of training to do. London awaits." See the full interview with Troy here. Troy Dumais will dive in the 3-meter synchronized event on August 1. The 3-meter springboard will take place August 6-7. Shaklee announced they look forward to supporting Troy and other members of the Pure Performance Team, and would like to introduce a few of the athletes as they compete in London this summer. Dennis Bowsher is a 4-time Senior National Champion, World Cup medalist, and soldier in the US Army. This will be his first Games and he says, “Training for pentathlon is grueling. We run 60 miles a week, swim 12 miles a week, fence for a total of seven hours a week, shoot for 7½ hours a week, and ride for 1½ hours during the week.” Margaux Isaksen found early success in pentathlon, competing in the Games in Beijing at just 16 years of age. Last year she was crowned Champion of Champions in Sicily, Italy, and won gold at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, qualifying her for the 2012 Games in London. Asked if she ever feels like quitting, Margaux says, “I ask myself, ‘Why on earth do I do this to myself?’ Then I snap back to reality and remember that if it were easy, everyone could do it. And the struggle makes the reward that much sweeter.” The modern pentathlon is a one-day, five-event competition: pistol shooting, épée fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, and cross country running. It’s a sport that tests both the mind and body of an athlete. Watch pentathletes Dennis Bowsher and Margaux Isaksen compete in London on August 11-12. Seth Kelsey, épée Fencer is a 2008 Beijing Games competitor and Pan American Games gold medalist and will be competing in his third Games this summer. Seth’s favorite Shaklee products are Shaklee Vitalizer™ Men, OmegaGuard® and Vivix®. “Every bout you have to fight—even in practice,” says Kelsey. “You have to say, It’s practice, and I’m down 4-2, but I’m going to fight and win.’ You have to be ready to fight to win.” Watch Seth compete on August 1st. Learn more about each member of Shaklee's Pure Performance Team at www.athletes.shaklee.com, and be sure to share the excitement with everyone you know.

Pure Pride - Staying Fit and Staying Safe in Honor of the U.S. Olympic Team

With the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics, citizens all over the country are flying their flags high and coming together to support America's athletes. Patriotic pride takes many forms, and staying fit by participating in outdoor athletics is an excellent way to show your support for the men and women in red, white and blue. Whether you and your team are gearing up for a gold medal, or simply heading out for some extra exercise, making sure your body has access to all the healthy nutrition it needs is essential for summertime safety. Beyond hydrating with plenty of water, most physical fitness experts recommend the following for outdoor activity: Dress lightly. Shorts and a t-shirt may be fine for a stroll in the park, but gearing up with the right garb can make a tremendous difference in how your body manages heat. Seek out thin, breathable fabrics in light colors to help your body stay cool. Stretch. Adequate stretching before any exercise not only helps your body feel better during the workout, it also helps prevent cramping and aids in recovery. Stay limber. Drink the right fluids. Your body needs more than just plain water to recover from strenuous exercise – especially in warm weather. Studies show that using clinically tested sports drinks to replace electrolytes during physical activity, or within fifteen minutes of an exercise period, can help your body retain necessary water and improve physical condition. Recover. You may think the workout’s over when you leave the field, but proper recovery is one of the most important parts of healthy exercise. Support your sport with a post-game recovery shake that will help your body recover and rebuild exerted muscles. You’ll feel better the next morning, and you’ll look better if you stick with it.

Healthy Recipe: Pineapple Coconut Water Smoothie

Substituting milk or yogurt with water in a smoothie may not seem so appealing, but with the right ingredients, it can make a clean, refreshing, healthy treat to help start your day or recover from a strenuous workout. Find flavor in healthy foods, and ditch the unwanted calories found in most smoothie bases. You’ll need: 1 large pineapple, skinned and cored 1 tbsp dried coconut flake 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1 cup purified water 1 cup ice Pinch salt Combine ingredients in a large blender starting with liquids on the bottom. Blend until smooth. If you’re drinking this smoothie after a workout, consider adding a healthy, naturally-derived vanilla protein powder to aid in physical recovery.

Shaklee Sports Nutrition

Summer just kicked into a whole new gear in the Midwest. In fact, the temperature here is actually higher than in Florida which is somewhat surprising but we are making the best of it. My family is cooling off at the pool and the kids are having fun on the slip in slide. But as a mom, I am also making sure we are keeping well hydrated with Shaklee Performance. It is very easy to get overheated working outside, exercising or playing. We are also moving into youth football in a week or two and many other youth sports teams are getting ready to begin practicing. It is very important to make sure our little athletes have good nutrition support and hydration. If we put in the best, we will bring out the best. But it isn't just for the kids... I went to the gym today and my trainer put me through a tough workout and I wouldn't have made it without Shaklee Energy Chews for extra energy, Performance during my work out and Physique afterwards to help my muscles recover.

Here is a little peek at Shaklee sports nutrition and why I trust it and you can too.

Shaklee Videos: Shaklee Sports Nutritionsup™/sup

Sports nutrition is not just for olympic athletes and world explorers but it is for you and most everyone you know...

•People who work out regularly at the gym
•People who play tennis or golf
•People who run to stay fit
•People who run competitively, as in marathons
•Parents of children on sports teams
•Parents concerned about the high sugar or caffeine content of sports and energy drinks, or about artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives
•People who are working out in order to lose weight

I am excited about how these products have made a difference in my family and I enjoy helping others learn how they can help their families as well. Through July 31st Shaklee is offering a FREE* Sports Nutrition Pack so if you want the products for free, click here to learn more or contact me for more details.

Happy Eearth Day!

Today is Earth Day. A day we set aside to consciously consider the things we do every day that may impact our future and our children's future. This week we also participated in "No TV Week" which really means "no screens", no TV or video games. It is a great exercise we do every year. I look forward to the opportunity to "detox" my children from their DS, XBox and occasional movie. We have had some interesting weather this week and one morning I had the news on to find out the weather forecast and my youngest son was worried that he was "cheating" by having it on in the background at breakfast. I assured him it was OK to check the weather. I think we connected more as a family, my children pulled toys out that they had almost forgot about and played with friends... really played using their imaginations. It is a great way to reconnect with simple things and realize what is important. I think Earth Day is an important reminder to recycle, reduce chemicals in our homes by choosing safe non-toxic options and enjoy nature; however, I also think it is an opportunity to appreciate simple fun things we can do as a family.

If you are looking for something to do tomorrow. Please come visit me at Earth Day Indiana in Indianapolis. It is the annual festival at White River State Park and runs from 11 am to 4 pm. There will be over 130 environmental and conservation exhibits, a children's area, music and food. We have covered tents so don't let a few raindrops get in the way. Come out and share a fun day and please make sure you stop by and say hello!

Harbour Walk for Hunger - Saturday, April 16th

HARBOUR WALK - This SATURDAY, APRIL 16th
Walk for Hunger!!

5K & 10K through South Harbour Subdivision in Noblesville, Indiana
Go to www.getmeregistered.com/harbourwalk to register NOW!!
This is the FIRST ANNUAL walk with all proceeds to benefit Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County and Food Rescue. Pre-register at the link above. All entry fees are donations to these local organizations!!

Location: Noblesville Athletic Club, 411 South Harbour Drive, Noblesville, IN 46062
At the entrance of South Harbour Neighborhood. NAC Phone: 317-776-0222
Parking: Parking will be provided next door to NAC
Entry Fees: $20.00/person or $40.00/family
Packet Pick-up: Pick up your packets at check-in between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m.
REGISTER ONLINE AT: www.getmeregistered.com/harbourwalk

Come out and support local non-profit organizations and give back to our local community. Don't forget to find me and say hello...I will be handing out Shaklee Performance for all the participants.