Smile!

Have you ever noticed that when you say "Hi!" and smile at a little kid they smile back (most of them anyway;).  They are so happy and love smiling!  It makes my day when I get a big toothy smile from a little one.
When did we stop smiling at people and saying "Hi!"?
Let's follow those good examples and remember to say "Hi" and smile at someone today!

or at least just smile at someone....

It's Bike to Work Week!

If you forgot to bike to work this morning don't worry! There's still 4 more days this week to take part in Bike to Work Week!  There are bike to work day events going on in Orem, Provo and Springville this week. Check out your May Well4Life newsletter for dates, places and times.
and Provo has lots of fun things going on all month.  Check out this link for more details: http://www.bikeprovo.org/bike-month/

Are you Happy?

If you're not it could be affecting your health!  Click on the link below to learn more about being happy!
http://living.msn.com/life-inspired/the-science-of-happiness-2#1

Small Steps to Better Health

Taking the stairs is a great way to incorporate more physical activity into your day. In fact, one study published in Preventive Medicine found that after just 12 weeks, people who regularly climbed stairs had increased stamina, reduced their weight by 1%, reduced their waist circumference by 2%, and showed signs of lowered blood pressure and bad LDL-cholesterol. Small daily choices really add up!

When you pick up your April Take 10 Walking Punch Card, look on the back. You will find an additional Stairwell challenge this month! Take the stairs at least once sometime during your workday and give yourself and "X". Completed cards will be entered to win a fun prize!

Piano Stairs! Watch this fun video about taking the stairs

Fats: Myths & Facts

Have you heard these MYTHS about fat?

    "All fats are equal--and equally bad for you."

   "Lowering the amount of fat you eat is  what matters most."

   "Fat-free means healthy."

   "Eating a low-fat diet is the key to wieght loss."

   "All fat is the same."

Check out this article to learn more about healthy fats and how you can incorporate good fat into your diet HERE. 

The Final week's March Into Wellness Brackets!

Does Utah have a drug problem?

Utah has led the nation in prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths, and the state’s pain pill problem has caught the attention of the Deputy White House Drug Policy Director who was in Salt Lake City Friday.  Read what he has to say here!
http://fox13now.com/2014/02/28/white-house-official-addresses-utahs-prescription-drug-abuse-problem/

Prescription Take Back Events will happen around the county on April 26th!  More info to come!

Exercising Makes Me Happy!

It really does!  Check out this great article about how exercise makes us happier.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/work-smart/what-happens-to-our-brains-when-we-exercise-and-
how-it-makes-us-happier

In honor of National Nutrition Month, let’s try some new, healthy recipes!
Submit your favorite recipe(s) & we will share them here on the blog.  Expand your recipe collection by trying out your co-workers “Tried and True” recipes this month (and earn 5 quarterly points)!

Then come sample your co-workers favorite healthy recipes at our upcoming TASTE TESTING event!  All registered participants will receive a free copy our of “Tried & True” Recipe Book and will be entered into a raffle to win some fun prizes. Let’s make nutrition fun again!

Submit a recipe and/or register for the Taste Testing Here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bEFKxKneJYQCxHHqbQHmPVd__qBbQSjTPe5ZUtK8KlA/viewform

Tried & True Taste Testing
March 24th
12:00 pm
1600-1601 HJB

Some More "Tried & True" Recipes!

No-Bake Energy Bites

1 C. old-fashioned oats
2/3 C. toasted coconut flakes
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 C. chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 C. honey
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1 inch in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Makes about 20-35 bites.

Substitutions
Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey's thickness helps hold things together.

Some fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

• chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
• dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
• chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
• other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, M&Ms, etc.)
• other grains (different kinds of oatmeal, rice cereal, etc.)

Thanks Shad for submitting this recipe!

Broccoli, Grape and Pasta Salad

1 C. chopped pecans

1/2 (16 oz.) package bow-tie pasta

1 lb. fresh broccoli

1 C. mayonnaise

1/3 C. sugar

1/3 C. diced red onion

1/3 C. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

2 C. seedless red grapes, halved

8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

4. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

Thanks Diana for submitting this recipe!

Baked Oatmeal to go

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. applesauce, unsweetened

1 banana, mashed

6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1 1/2 tsp. stevia powder or use 1/2 C. honey

5 C. Old Fashioned rolled oats

1/4 C. flax seed meal

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 3/4 C. milk

optional toppings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and stevia together in bowl. Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients. Finally pour in milk and combine.

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners. Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups. If using topping add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter. 

Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cook and enjoy or freeze in gallon freezer bags.

Thanks Mike for submitting this recipe!