This past weekend I had the opportunity to participate in my 2nd Startup Weekend. It was a great, stressful, and overall rewarding experience.
I had the good fortune of being able to wrangle four of the events mentors and asked them about tips for Success. Here's what they shared:
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
(TOT) Thought on Thursday - Startup Weekend Eve - (throwback post)
Since I'll be attending startup weekend this weekend - I thought it would be appropriate to revisit a post I wrote after my first startup weekend. Let me know what you think:
http://www.motivating-minutes.blogspot.com/2013/03/top-7-things-i-learned-from-startup.html
So I had the opportunity to to attend the Columbus Startup Weekend
event. It's a weekend event where you get 54 hours to take a business
idea from rough idea you just thought up on Friday night of to an actual
business plan you're pitching to investors on Sunday night. It was a
great experience and I'd like to share a little bit of what I learned.
1. Prepare your pitch and make it unique, funny or be a girl - So I definitely attempted to prepare my pitch ahead of time but when I actually got up and pitched I guess I looked nervous -like a deer caught in the head lights. At least that's the feedback I got from a couple people immediately following. It could have been the fact that it was easily the largest crowd I've ever spoke in front of - 100 to possibly150 people. Needless to say my scaredy-cat pitch did not get chosen on Friday.
Those that did do well had one of the following qualities:
2. Network, Network, Network - I think another reason I didn't really get that far with my pitch is because I thought I had the perfect idea and didn't want to share it with too many people. One thing I learned too late about the voting process is that extroverts rule - immediately after the pitching, pitchers are supposed to go on a campaign of their idea. Now those who tried to meet as many people as they could before pitching got a disproportionate amount of votes. I made the mistake of meeting a couple cool people and then hanging out with one person for about 20 minutes straight before pitching began. When the campaign process started I was immediately at a disadvantage because it looked like I was trying to hard sell people while others were just talking to the new connection they had just made earlier.
3. Form a team of people with deep knowledge in 1-2 different, different areas:
I'll be honest, that first night I was about to go home broken and defeated that my idea was not chosen. I'm glad I stayed around and developed someone else's idea. I followed a guy I met at another networking event and we both joined a team centered on a music app. We had the perfect mix of people too. Here's why.
We had the very analytical guy without the ability to code - Market Research
We had the very analytical guy with the ability to code - Developer
We had the business-focused guy - COO and/or CFO
We had the very artsy yet focused guy - Designer or Creative Director
We had the very artsy, people person - Idea Originator / Founder
Then there was me - Honestly I'm bad at self evaluation so it's hard to say. I felt I was keeping us focused and working on marketing strategy but who knows what my team thought.
4. Sacrifice Perfection - the only time that I started to get annoyed was when I was a little bit low on energy, everybody had just got their food to eat and I was submitting an application on Saturday so we could pitch on Sunday - then I was going to get my food. I read the application off to everyone and everyone was OK with some minor tweaks except one member who kept wanting our tagline to be the PERFECT tagline. We came up with a bunch of good ones and then a GREAT one and the holdout kept hemming and hawing over if the tagline was perfect enough. Don't do this. Don't hem and haw over something so minor. The model's going to change anyway, the markets going to change anyway and something as minor as the tagline can be changed quicker than the speed of thought - maybe even while you're doing your final pitch.
5. Prep, Prep, Prep on Sunday - We didn't really do this. The funny things is that we had a definite idea of what we were going to do on Saturday evening. By about 1:00 on Sunday (2.5 hours before we had to give our presentation in) we determined we had to change a couple things in our presentation. And we kept changing ...and changing things until it was the last minute - mainly due to the next point:
6. There is such a thing as TOO MUCH mentoring - I personally thought the more mentors we'd have the better a presentation we'd have. WRONG! If there is a mentor critical mass - we definitely reached it.. Some said to only go with 2 slides. Others advised us we had to start with 6 slides and possibly add more. Some said we should have one presenter others said we should have multiple people doing the pitch. Some said tell a story others said go straight to Problem/Solution. Although we were fortunate to get feedback from just about every mentor at our event this definitely added to some last minute analysis paralysis.
7. Explaining revenue is important: Since this is a business competition, it kind of helps if you explain where you're going to get your money from. Our presenter was definitely someone who can speak in front of a crowd in fact he does this just about every weekend for fun. Yet we also had a numbers guy backing him up the primary presenter who knew all the facts and figures like the back of his hand.
Although we didn't win overall it was a great experience - well worth the $100 I paid to get in.
How about you? Have you ever been to a Startup Weekend event? What was your experience like? Would you add anything else? I'd love you to share by adding a comment below.
http://www.motivating-minutes.blogspot.com/2013/03/top-7-things-i-learned-from-startup.html
(originally posted 3/5/13)
Top 7 things I learned from Startup Weekend
1. Prepare your pitch and make it unique, funny or be a girl - So I definitely attempted to prepare my pitch ahead of time but when I actually got up and pitched I guess I looked nervous -like a deer caught in the head lights. At least that's the feedback I got from a couple people immediately following. It could have been the fact that it was easily the largest crowd I've ever spoke in front of - 100 to possibly150 people. Needless to say my scaredy-cat pitch did not get chosen on Friday.
Those that did do well had one of the following qualities:
- UNIQUE One of the pitches that didn't win top 10 but that is still sticking with me is the idea of a Tech Haunted house. The guy actually went over on his time but, man, I definitely gave him one of my votes because I'm into art and tech and I would've loved seeing those two areas come together to scare people either on a reactive of subtle (think singularity) way.
- FUNNY: Some of the most memorable pitches were ones that put big jokes or lots of little jokes into the pitch. One of the last pitches was -in my opinion a horrible idea but, the pitcher was completely confident and humorous with his idea and he got votes. Ended up being in the top 10. It turns out when he got around to re-pitching the idea on Sunday it was actually beginning to make sense.
- BE A WOMAN*\: This may just be a Columbus thing but I think it might be universal - there are a lot of guys here. Some are geeky, some not so much. So when a woman goes up and pitches they gain attention instantly. Of the 5 girls I recall pitching. 4 of them got a ton of votes. 2 -3 of them were in the top 10. This was out of about 40 pitches. Not to say they weren't good ideas. Some of them were. Just to give you an idea of the ratio there though - there were easily 100 people there on the first night, of those 100+ I'd say about 9 were of the female persuasion. Side note to my fellow black people in case you're wondering - yup - our numbers were even (sad but predictably) less.
2. Network, Network, Network - I think another reason I didn't really get that far with my pitch is because I thought I had the perfect idea and didn't want to share it with too many people. One thing I learned too late about the voting process is that extroverts rule - immediately after the pitching, pitchers are supposed to go on a campaign of their idea. Now those who tried to meet as many people as they could before pitching got a disproportionate amount of votes. I made the mistake of meeting a couple cool people and then hanging out with one person for about 20 minutes straight before pitching began. When the campaign process started I was immediately at a disadvantage because it looked like I was trying to hard sell people while others were just talking to the new connection they had just made earlier.
3. Form a team of people with deep knowledge in 1-2 different, different areas:
I'll be honest, that first night I was about to go home broken and defeated that my idea was not chosen. I'm glad I stayed around and developed someone else's idea. I followed a guy I met at another networking event and we both joined a team centered on a music app. We had the perfect mix of people too. Here's why.
We had the very analytical guy without the ability to code - Market Research
We had the very analytical guy with the ability to code - Developer
We had the business-focused guy - COO and/or CFO
We had the very artsy yet focused guy - Designer or Creative Director
We had the very artsy, people person - Idea Originator / Founder
Then there was me - Honestly I'm bad at self evaluation so it's hard to say. I felt I was keeping us focused and working on marketing strategy but who knows what my team thought.
4. Sacrifice Perfection - the only time that I started to get annoyed was when I was a little bit low on energy, everybody had just got their food to eat and I was submitting an application on Saturday so we could pitch on Sunday - then I was going to get my food. I read the application off to everyone and everyone was OK with some minor tweaks except one member who kept wanting our tagline to be the PERFECT tagline. We came up with a bunch of good ones and then a GREAT one and the holdout kept hemming and hawing over if the tagline was perfect enough. Don't do this. Don't hem and haw over something so minor. The model's going to change anyway, the markets going to change anyway and something as minor as the tagline can be changed quicker than the speed of thought - maybe even while you're doing your final pitch.
5. Prep, Prep, Prep on Sunday - We didn't really do this. The funny things is that we had a definite idea of what we were going to do on Saturday evening. By about 1:00 on Sunday (2.5 hours before we had to give our presentation in) we determined we had to change a couple things in our presentation. And we kept changing ...and changing things until it was the last minute - mainly due to the next point:
6. There is such a thing as TOO MUCH mentoring - I personally thought the more mentors we'd have the better a presentation we'd have. WRONG! If there is a mentor critical mass - we definitely reached it.. Some said to only go with 2 slides. Others advised us we had to start with 6 slides and possibly add more. Some said we should have one presenter others said we should have multiple people doing the pitch. Some said tell a story others said go straight to Problem/Solution. Although we were fortunate to get feedback from just about every mentor at our event this definitely added to some last minute analysis paralysis.
7. Explaining revenue is important: Since this is a business competition, it kind of helps if you explain where you're going to get your money from. Our presenter was definitely someone who can speak in front of a crowd in fact he does this just about every weekend for fun. Yet we also had a numbers guy backing him up the primary presenter who knew all the facts and figures like the back of his hand.
Although we didn't win overall it was a great experience - well worth the $100 I paid to get in.
How about you? Have you ever been to a Startup Weekend event? What was your experience like? Would you add anything else? I'd love you to share by adding a comment below.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
(T4T) Tips for Tuesday - (video) The Most Influential Black Entrepreneur gives his tips
Mr. Earl Graves Sr, founder of Black Enterprise gives his tips:
Monday, July 22, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
(TOT) Thought on Thursday: 10 things I love about my lady
- or -
10 ways my wife makes me better:
So I was having a "discussion" with my wife the other day and I began to daydream about how great it would be single again...
Then, I tried to take back my wandering mind from veering off the negative deep end and instead decided to shift my focus on what I would be missing without ever meeting my wife.
My son - "Mr. White" and my wife.
10 ways my wife makes me better:
So I was having a "discussion" with my wife the other day and I began to daydream about how great it would be single again...
 |
| from tsminteractive.com |
Then, I tried to take back my wandering mind from veering off the negative deep end and instead decided to shift my focus on what I would be missing without ever meeting my wife.
- I'd be a much messier person - I was a complete and total slob when I met my wife. My wife comes from a background that is extremely clean. Over the years the "neat-Nellie" persona that my wife has conquered the messiness that I used to default to. I am much more organized than I was 5+ years ago and I have only my wife to thank.
- I'd indulge in a lot more nervous habits without her - I have a nervous habit, that I'll omit from listing here, that is very distracting and I tend to do without thinking. My wife, makes me keenly aware of this nervous habit every time I do it and has likely helped me reduce the urge to do it.
- I'd still be anti-social - I used to be very anti-sociaI and hated chit chat. (In some respects I'm still that way sometimes) Overall I've become much more comfortable going to networking events, much better at introducing myself to random strangers and I can just hang out and have a conversation that doesn't have to end in an "outcome". I credit this all to My wife and her extended family who have a deep love of conversation.
- I still wouldn't know a lick about Papua New Guinea - My wife is Papua New Guinea and since marrying her I've learned a wealth of knowledge about the island and also the Pacific Islands and Micronesia. (Mi save tok tok lik lik pidgin ...too)
- I would probably still drink with reckless abandon - drinking is fine if you can do it without affecting other areas of your life. My drinking did. So, I don't.
- I'd probably dress a lot worse than I do now (as if it were possible) - 'Nuff said. She censors (secretly gets rid of) outfits that would embarrass her in public.
- I'm a much better listener - I used to listen very little and now I listen quite a bit, both spoken more to what is going on (both spoken and unspoken)
- I'm little too old to score a wife as hot as my wife is - I personally feel my wife is very attractive. I don't say it as much as I should. (That being said, this sentiment is apparently shared by a few neighbors who check her out regularly.)
- I'd likely play video games about 1000% more than I do now - (kind of ambivalent about that) but, I simply don't have time.
- If I didn't have her I wouldn't have:
My son - "Mr. White" and my wife.
 |
| Me, "Mr. White" & My wife |
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
(T4T) Tips for Tuesday 5 ways to "Find Summer Love"
I am thankfully spoken for but, when I was younger I always used to daydream about meeting Misses Right.
Since it's summertime, I thought I might as well ask the experts what one should do to find summer love in 2013. Here is what they shared:
1)
"Approach and be approachable. Too many people are too busy trying to be cute and neglect the need to engage with others. Smile, give compliments, and start conversations with others who have caught your eye. Give off a positive energy that is inviting to others and healthy for your inner peace. Sitting back and waiting for something to happen may leave you seeing that nothing will happen. Enjoy life, enjoy the summer, and just enjoy people in general."
To learn more about Mr. Labossiere - please check out his site - StephanSpeaks.com
2)
"Get out and be active. Summertime brings warmer weather and longer days, just calling to all singles to get out of their homes and engage in summer activities. Check the calendar of event section where you live for what summer events they are sponsoring. Are there any outdoor concert series? What about day long and weekend long festivals? You know everyone else will be there. Go to those! To take advantage of the event to stretch your social circle, sit where everyone else is seated. Then be friendly and chatty with everyone there. Wear a conversation starter in your cap, t-shirt or bag.
Additionally, if you’re already involved in social activities such as Social Dancing with its increase in popularity thanks to Dancing with the Stars, then be on the lookout for workshops, conferences, and weekend conventions dedicated to the dance style you do, whether it is Swing, Square Dancing, or Salsa, you’ll find there’s an increase in group activities with the summer’s warm weather. Maybe go to a different dance venue or club dance than you usually do. Cast your social net a bit further flung than you already do, and you will surely meet new people."
To learn more about Ms. Braswell - Please check out her site - aprilbraswell.net
3)
"If you want to find a life partner, be mindful of how you date. The way
you enter a relationship greatly influences the future of that relationship.Whether
it's finding love in the summer, winter, spring or fall, my best advice is
to genuinely be you. Step into dating as the chooser not the choose. Be
yourself, not whom you think your date wants you to be. Too many people
dress as they think they should, speak as they believe the other person
wants them to speak and share what they believe the other person wants to
hear. This is a recipe for disaster if you’re looking for a lasting
relationship. It’s way too hard to keep up that charade for the rest of
your life, so don’t set it up. Be yourself and trust that you will attract
the partner who is right for you. Be real, take things slowly and be
willing to wait for the right person to come along rather than molding
yourself into someone you think Joe Shmoe wants you to be."
To learn more about Ms. Merlo-Booth - Please check out her site - lmerlobooth.typepad.com
4)
"For singles, summertime brings a more laid-back vibe than winter. Winter holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve put a lot of pressure on singles to find someone to bring to family events and office parties. The great thing about summer is that there are no high-pressure holidays! Fourth of July? Check. Labor Day? Check! Beach day every weekend? Check. With low-key energy, it will be easy for people to feel less stressed about their love lives (or lack thereof).
With outdoor events such as concerts at a local beach, free museum days, and 5Ks or mud runs, the options for meeting someone with similar interests is endless. Another great thing that helps with summer loving is that there are often a multitude of birthday parties to attend (all those couples that got busy at New Year’s!), which helps ensure you’ll at the very least be expanding your social circle. So if you want to find summer love:
1. Get outside!
2. Be present.
3. Say yes to birthday parties!"
To learn more about Ms. Battista - Please check out her site - datingwithdignity.com
"Flirt! : The Easiest Way to Meet Men This Summer
Flirting is a simple, fun way to interact with men that makes it easy for them to approach you. It’s so simple you may be tempted to discount the tremendous power of simple actions.
Here are the 3 simple tips to get you started:
1. Smile. When you catch a man’s eye or notice a man looking at you, don’t turn away! Flash him a nice smile first. Keep in mind a smile is not a promise of anything – you are simply acknowledging another human being with your smile. He’ll feel good and so will you
2. Brief eye contact. When you are smiling, hold his gaze for only 2-3 seconds before gracefully turning away. This is purposefully brief so your look never approaches starring and won’t be seen as aggressive.
3. Be extra friendly. This may not feel normal to you but it’s very worthwhile. Push yourself to be friendly and you will have a lot more fun and meet a lot more men.
My dating coaching clients are surprised and thrilled with the results and you can be too. This one tip could be the best way to meet men all summer."
To learn more about Ms. Ryan - Please check out her site - nevertoolate.biz
Since it's summertime, I thought I might as well ask the experts what one should do to find summer love in 2013. Here is what they shared:
1)
Stephan Labossiere
Certified Life & Relationship Coach
Author - Speaker - Relationship Expert
"Approach and be approachable. Too many people are too busy trying to be cute and neglect the need to engage with others. Smile, give compliments, and start conversations with others who have caught your eye. Give off a positive energy that is inviting to others and healthy for your inner peace. Sitting back and waiting for something to happen may leave you seeing that nothing will happen. Enjoy life, enjoy the summer, and just enjoy people in general."
To learn more about Mr. Labossiere - please check out his site - StephanSpeaks.com
2)
April Braswell:
Internet Matchmaker Profile writer
DatingAdvice.com columnist
Additionally, if you’re already involved in social activities such as Social Dancing with its increase in popularity thanks to Dancing with the Stars, then be on the lookout for workshops, conferences, and weekend conventions dedicated to the dance style you do, whether it is Swing, Square Dancing, or Salsa, you’ll find there’s an increase in group activities with the summer’s warm weather. Maybe go to a different dance venue or club dance than you usually do. Cast your social net a bit further flung than you already do, and you will surely meet new people."
3)
Lisa Merlo-Booth:
Relationship Coach
"If you want to find a life partner, be mindful of how you date. The way
you enter a relationship greatly influences the future of that relationship.Whether
it's finding love in the summer, winter, spring or fall, my best advice is
to genuinely be you. Step into dating as the chooser not the choose. Be
yourself, not whom you think your date wants you to be. Too many people
dress as they think they should, speak as they believe the other person
wants them to speak and share what they believe the other person wants to
hear. This is a recipe for disaster if you’re looking for a lasting
relationship. It’s way too hard to keep up that charade for the rest of
your life, so don’t set it up. Be yourself and trust that you will attract
the partner who is right for you. Be real, take things slowly and be
willing to wait for the right person to come along rather than molding
yourself into someone you think Joe Shmoe wants you to be."
To learn more about Ms. Merlo-Booth - Please check out her site - lmerlobooth.typepad.com
4)
Marni Battista
Dating Coach
& Expert
"For singles, summertime brings a more laid-back vibe than winter. Winter holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve put a lot of pressure on singles to find someone to bring to family events and office parties. The great thing about summer is that there are no high-pressure holidays! Fourth of July? Check. Labor Day? Check! Beach day every weekend? Check. With low-key energy, it will be easy for people to feel less stressed about their love lives (or lack thereof).
With outdoor events such as concerts at a local beach, free museum days, and 5Ks or mud runs, the options for meeting someone with similar interests is endless. Another great thing that helps with summer loving is that there are often a multitude of birthday parties to attend (all those couples that got busy at New Year’s!), which helps ensure you’ll at the very least be expanding your social circle. So if you want to find summer love:
1. Get outside!
2. Be present.
3. Say yes to birthday parties!"
To learn more about Ms. Battista - Please check out her site - datingwithdignity.com
Ronnie Ryan
Dating Coach
"Flirt! : The Easiest Way to Meet Men This Summer
Flirting is a simple, fun way to interact with men that makes it easy for them to approach you. It’s so simple you may be tempted to discount the tremendous power of simple actions.
Here are the 3 simple tips to get you started:
1. Smile. When you catch a man’s eye or notice a man looking at you, don’t turn away! Flash him a nice smile first. Keep in mind a smile is not a promise of anything – you are simply acknowledging another human being with your smile. He’ll feel good and so will you
2. Brief eye contact. When you are smiling, hold his gaze for only 2-3 seconds before gracefully turning away. This is purposefully brief so your look never approaches starring and won’t be seen as aggressive.
3. Be extra friendly. This may not feel normal to you but it’s very worthwhile. Push yourself to be friendly and you will have a lot more fun and meet a lot more men.
My dating coaching clients are surprised and thrilled with the results and you can be too. This one tip could be the best way to meet men all summer."
To learn more about Ms. Ryan - Please check out her site - nevertoolate.biz
Monday, July 15, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
(TOT) Thought on Thursday - Try Flexitarian
Flexitarian: Someone who is an occasional vegetarian.
I
I'm attempting (again) to be a flexitarian on a regular basis. I think the diet is easy on the stomach and the environment while still getting your protein in occasionally too without popping pills.
I love the idea, How about you?
I
I'm attempting (again) to be a flexitarian on a regular basis. I think the diet is easy on the stomach and the environment while still getting your protein in occasionally too without popping pills.
I love the idea, How about you?
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
(OWW) Outside Wages Wednesday
Adsense = $0.46
Clickbank = $0.00
Amazon = $0.00
The online experiment is not going so well this far.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
(T4T) Tips for Tuesday: 7 Health & Diet experts give quick and healthy recipes
Over the last few weeks I've found myself gaining a lot of weight and losing a lot of time so this week I decided to ask some of the Nation's foremost experts in diet and nutrition for some quick and healthy recipes. Here's what they offered.
(I'm starting to get hungry already...)
1)
(a recipe originally from Ms. Gans' mother - tweaked by Ms. Gans)
To Learn more about Ms. Gans - Please check out her site
2)
RECIPE:DInner in a Packet
To learn more about Ms. Weisenberger - please visit her site
3)
RECIPE:Yogurt parfait
1 5 oz container Vanilla Greek yogurt,
1/2 cup mixed blueberries, 1/4 cup granola,
topped with 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts.
To learn more about Dr. Young - Please visit her site.
4)
RECIPE: Bananas Foster with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
Ingredients
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons ground flax meal
3 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil
2 bananas, peeled and sliced in to 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
1.For Streusel: Combine walnuts, flax meal, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in food processor. Pulse ingredients together until walnuts are very finely chopped. Set aside. {Note: You can make a large batch of this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.}
2.For Bananas: Heat coconut oil in sauté pan then add sliced bananas and cook on medium heat for approximately 1 minute. Sprinkle bananas with remaining cinnamon and brown sugar, then reduce heat to low and cook for approximately one more minute, or until bananas are nice and caramelized.
3. For each serving, place 1/2 cup Greek yogurt in a cup or bowl, then top with bananas and cinnamon streusel mixture.
5)
RECIPE: Pan-Seared Tilapia with Lemon Chives and Capers
Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup) (NuVal score: 99)
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, snipped (NuVal score: 96)
1 teaspoon rinsed and drained capers (NuVal score: 7)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (NuVal score: 11)
1 1/2 pounds fresh tilapia fillets (NuVal score: 82)
Salt (NuVal score: 1)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour – NuVal score: 91)
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, chives, capers, dash of salt and 2 Tablespoons of the oil. Set aside.
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Season with the salt (use no more than 1/8 teaspoon) and pepper. Place the flour on a flat plate and dredge the fish, coating both sides.
3. Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook, turning once, for 7 – 8 minutes, or until tender and browned on both sides.
4. To serve, place a fillet on each of four plates and drizzle with the lemon mixture.
“This is one of my favorite dishes to take to work because it is a complete all in-one satisfying meal. Every time I make it, it turns out a bit differently, depending on the vegetables and seasonings that I choose.” Says Ms. Evers.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, chilled
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 – 1 cup fresh seasonal vegetables (e.g. chopped tomatoes, peppers,
broccoli or cauliflower florets, squash, onions, garlic, etc.)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 avocado, cut into chunks
- Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Seasonings as desired (e.g. basil, oregano, dash of cayenne or hot sauce, etc.)
Directions: Mix all ingredients. Toss or cover and shake to mix. Chill for at least
one hour to blend flavors.
Makes 1 serving – Nutritional Information Per Serving: 480 calories; 15 g fat;
18 g protein; 71 g carbohydrate; 233 mg sodium; 17 g fiber; Calcium 9% DV;
Vitamin A 35% DV; Vitamin C 131% DV; Iron 32% DV
To learn more about Ms. Evers - Please check out her site
7)
RECIPE: Quick Crockpot Turkey or Chicken:
So what do you think? Do you have any recipes of your own? Please try a recipe or two and let me know how they turned out in the comments below.
(I'm starting to get hungry already...)
1)
RECIPE: Best Breaded Chicken
½ cup oats
¼ cup ground flax
seed or wheat germ
Herbs and spices as
desired (I typically add one teaspoon of oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon
each of sage and thyme)
2 egg whites
1 lb. poultry
(approximately 4 skinless cutlets)
1 tablespoon olive
oil
Place oats in a food processor and process until they have the consistency of flour; place in a
shallow bowl, mix in ground flax and herbs, and set aside. Place egg white and a drop of water into a large bowl; stir. Dip
chicken into egg whites, and then flour mixture. Heat the oil in large skillet
over medium-high heat. When hot, add "breaded" chicken and cook for
about 10 minutes on each side, until no longer pink. Remove from pan, blot
excess oil with a paper towel, and serve.
(a recipe originally from Ms. Gans' mother - tweaked by Ms. Gans)
Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN
To Learn more about Ms. Gans - Please check out her site
2)
RECIPE:DInner in a Packet
1.
On a piece of parchment paper, place any favorite cooked grain to the
left of center. This can be brown rice, quinoa, wheat berries, whole
grain spaghetti or whatever is in your refrigerator.
2. Top the grain with about 4-ounces of uncooked chicken, fish or shrimp and a favorite vegetable.
3. Season to taste. Add a sauce such as pesto, marinara, salsa or any other if desired.
4. Fold the right side of the parchment paper over the food and seal by wrapping on all three sides.
5.
Place the sealed parchment paper packet onto a baking sheet and bake at
400F until the meats and vegetables are cooked. Shrimp and thin pieces
of chicken or fish may take as little as 15 - 20 minutes. Thicker pieces
of meats may take up to 35 minutes. Be sure to cut the vegetables the
appropriate size for the length of time they will be in the oven.
6. When done, unwrap carefully to avoid being burned by the steam.
7. Enjoy!
Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.
Author - Diabetes Weight Loss—Week by Week
Newport News, VA
3)
RECIPE:Yogurt parfait
1 5 oz container Vanilla Greek yogurt,
1/2 cup mixed blueberries, 1/4 cup granola,
topped with 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts.
Dr. Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD
Dr. Young is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University (NYU). She is the author of The Portion Teller Plan
To learn more about Dr. Young - Please visit her site.
4)
RECIPE: Bananas Foster with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
Ingredients
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons ground flax meal
3 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil
2 bananas, peeled and sliced in to 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
1.For Streusel: Combine walnuts, flax meal, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in food processor. Pulse ingredients together until walnuts are very finely chopped. Set aside. {Note: You can make a large batch of this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.}
2.For Bananas: Heat coconut oil in sauté pan then add sliced bananas and cook on medium heat for approximately 1 minute. Sprinkle bananas with remaining cinnamon and brown sugar, then reduce heat to low and cook for approximately one more minute, or until bananas are nice and caramelized.
3. For each serving, place 1/2 cup Greek yogurt in a cup or bowl, then top with bananas and cinnamon streusel mixture.
4.Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons ground flax meal
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- 2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil
- 2 bananas, peeled and sliced in to 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- For Streusel: Combine walnuts, flax meal, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in food processor. Pulse ingredients together until walnuts are very finely chopped. Set aside. {Note: You can make a large batch of this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.}
- For Bananas: Heat coconut oil in sauté pan then add sliced bananas and cook on medium heat for approximately 1 minute. Sprinkle bananas with remaining cinnamon and brown sugar, then reduce heat to low and cook for approximately one more minute, or until bananas are nice and caramelized.
- For each serving, place 1/2 cup Greek yogurt in a cup or bowl, then top with bananas and cinnamon streusel mixture.
- Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons ground flax meal
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- 2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil
- 2 bananas, peeled and sliced in to 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- For Streusel: Combine walnuts, flax meal, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in food processor. Pulse ingredients together until walnuts are very finely chopped. Set aside. {Note: You can make a large batch of this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.}
- For Bananas: Heat coconut oil in sauté pan then add sliced bananas and cook on medium heat for approximately 1 minute. Sprinkle bananas with remaining cinnamon and brown sugar, then reduce heat to low and cook for approximately one more minute, or until bananas are nice and caramelized.
- For each serving, place 1/2 cup Greek yogurt in a cup or bowl, then top with bananas and cinnamon streusel mixture.
- Enjoy!
EA Stewart - the "Spicy R.D."
Registered Dietitian
To find out more about Ms. Stewart - Please visit her site
5)
RECIPE: Pan-Seared Tilapia with Lemon Chives and Capers
Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup) (NuVal score: 99)
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, snipped (NuVal score: 96)
1 teaspoon rinsed and drained capers (NuVal score: 7)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (NuVal score: 11)
1 1/2 pounds fresh tilapia fillets (NuVal score: 82)
Salt (NuVal score: 1)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour – NuVal score: 91)
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, chives, capers, dash of salt and 2 Tablespoons of the oil. Set aside.
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Season with the salt (use no more than 1/8 teaspoon) and pepper. Place the flour on a flat plate and dredge the fish, coating both sides.
3. Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook, turning once, for 7 – 8 minutes, or until tender and browned on both sides.
4. To serve, place a fillet on each of four plates and drizzle with the lemon mixture.
Drs David and Catherine Katz
David L Katz MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP & Author
Catherine Katz, mother of five children and a Ph. D. in neuroscience.
6)Catherine Katz, mother of five children and a Ph. D. in neuroscience.
To learn more about Dr. David Katz - Please check out his site
To learn more about Dr. Catherine Katz - Please check out her site
RECIPE: Quinoa & Black Bean Salad
“This is one of my favorite dishes to take to work because it is a complete all in-one satisfying meal. Every time I make it, it turns out a bit differently, depending on the vegetables and seasonings that I choose.” Says Ms. Evers.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, chilled
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 – 1 cup fresh seasonal vegetables (e.g. chopped tomatoes, peppers,
broccoli or cauliflower florets, squash, onions, garlic, etc.)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 avocado, cut into chunks
- Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Seasonings as desired (e.g. basil, oregano, dash of cayenne or hot sauce, etc.)
Directions: Mix all ingredients. Toss or cover and shake to mix. Chill for at least
one hour to blend flavors.
Makes 1 serving – Nutritional Information Per Serving: 480 calories; 15 g fat;
18 g protein; 71 g carbohydrate; 233 mg sodium; 17 g fiber; Calcium 9% DV;
Vitamin A 35% DV; Vitamin C 131% DV; Iron 32% DV
Connie Evers, MS, RD, LD
Author, How to Teach Nutrition to Kids
Author, How to Teach Nutrition to Kids
To learn more about Ms. Evers - Please check out her site
7)
RECIPE: Quick Crockpot Turkey or Chicken:
1 split turkey breast or 2 whole chicken breasts (you could also use chicken thighs)
1 jar of good quality barbecue sauce
Add sufficient water to cover poultry completely
Turn on low on slow cooker. When you arrive home remove carefully from pot and cut off meat.
Vegetables:
yellow squash, zucchini, cherry/grape tomatoes - approximately 2 -3
cups chopped/sliced. Saute in olive oil and garlic until done but
still crispy. Add in cooked meat. Serve atop whole wheat cous cous or
whole wheat/whole grain noodles (cook as directed)
(If you pre-cut the vegetables and store in bags or plastic containers or get pre-cut from the salad bar it’s even faster!)
Leah McGrath – RD
Ingles Markets
Ingles Markets
To Learn more about Ms. McGrath - Please check out her blog
So what do you think? Do you have any recipes of your own? Please try a recipe or two and let me know how they turned out in the comments below.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
(TOT) Thought on Thursday - Freedom is not Free
Freedom is not Free
I used to think that this was just a sappy catchphrase. However, as I sit here in coffee shop on this 4th of July. Unable to go home because police and fireman have ordered me into a local coffee shop (one line coffee) due to a potential bomb threat. I realize that maybe it isn't just a catchphrase.
In one of the wealthiest countries, with a system of government that is the closest thing to a pure democracy, I often take for granted how much freedom I actually do have as an American.
We constantly cut the services of our police and firefighters but, simultaneously their are still people in the world who would want to harm people they've never met for the sole reason that they don't hold the same beliefs, same skin color or fly the same flag - to name a few.
It's my sincere hope that someday, in the far far future, policemen will only exist in history books as a reminder of a very immature human species that liked to harm each other. Firefighting duties will be handled by super-smart computers that extinguish threats before they ever become dangerous. Unfortunately that's just a pipe dream today but, it's something worth wishing for.
All that being said, I hope you had a nice and relaxing Fourth of July Holiday.
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