From time-to-time we all tend to forget about what our bodies are truly nourished by.   Whether we’ve been distracted by a hectic schedule, an indulgent vacation, or a busy holiday season, a simple program for getting back on track is in order.

Back by popular demand…the Spoon & Skillet 28-Day Refresh — a FREE program designed to help you learn how to customize your diet and feel your best.  4 weeks of mindful eating give you the chance to reconnect to your food, your body, and your mind. Learn what your body thrives on (and what it doesn’t!).

The 28-Day Refresh isn’t a crash diet or a weight loss plan — it’s a path to refocusing on what nourishes you.  We start with emphasizing fresh, whole foods, avoiding processed items, and eliminating common food allergies and toxins.   You’ll then reintroduce them slowly, taking care to watch how your body reacts.   This gives you a chance to connect with how each food makes you feel. Every body is different, so why should we all adhere to the same nutritional guidelines?  This program will help YOU determine what’s best for YOU.  Here’s how it works:

Week 1: Eliminate grains, dairy, legumes, alcohol, and refined sugar
Week 2: Reintroduce gluten-free grains
Week 3: Reintroduce legumes
Week 4: Reintroduce dairy

You may be wondering, what can I eat?  Well, plenty of fresh fruit & vegetables, meat & seafood, eggs, nuts, GUACAMOLE!!  If that’s still not convincing you, then just remember it’s only a month and our team is here to help.  Each week we’ll provide you with recipes, and clean eating tips to keep you on track.

Customers will receive “Refresh-friendly” meal kits to provide nutritional variety and help make the process easier.  If you haven’t signed up for the Spoon & Skillet meal delivery service it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of our introductory offer, or simply follow along using the recipes and tips provided.

To sign-up for the 28-Day Refresh simply fill out the form below.  As always, thank you for your continued support of our business, and please let us know if you have any questions!

Before anything else…CONGRATULATIONS! You’re almost done with the 28-Day Refresh! And we are hoping that you’ve noticed some differences. It’s great when your clothes start to feel a little looser, but where I noticed the biggest change was in my energy levels – they got a huge bump! To celebrate that, here are 3 energizing yoga poses that you can channel that energy into, and maybe boost it even more. Or if you’re looking for a full sequence of poses to flow through, check out this video from yogi Jason Crandell.

Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

Description: Beginning from standing with feet together, bend deeply into knees and reach arms upward. Squeeze thighs together and shift your weight to your heels so that you can just see your toes. Reach your tail bone down and activate your lower abdominals to straighten out your lower spine, and pull your heart up.
Benefits:
* Stretches the chest and shoulders
* Strengthens the legs, back, and ankles
* Stimulates the heart and diaphragm
* Reduces flat feet
Link: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/chair-pose/

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

Description: Beginning on all fours, place the hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips, Curl the toes down under and lift the hips towards the sky as the legs straighten. Encourage your heels to come down to the earth, pressing firmly into the palms. Reach the tail bone up to the sky, and press your chest towards your thighs. Engage your triceps and work on spinning your upper arms in towards your face.
Benefits:
* Strengthens the legs and arms
* Improves digestion
* Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and shoulders
* Helps relieve headaches, insomnia, back pain, fatigue, and the symptoms of menopause
* Energizes the body
* Calms the mind while relieving mild depression and stress
* Therapeutis for asthma, flat feet, sciatica, high blood pressure, and sinusitis
Link: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/downward-facing-dog/

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

Description: From standing, find a spot 5-6 feet in front of you that’s not moving to focus your gaze, and place the right foot so that the right heel rests on the left ankle (like a kick stand). Press the ball of the right foot into the floor, and externally rotate your knee to the right. To take it a step further, raise the right foot to the calf, pressing the foot into the calf, calf into the foot. To take it even deeper, take your right foot up to your left inner thigh, using your hands to help you get it there. Press the foot firmly into the thigh, and the thigh into the foot. In any of these 3 variations, keep the hip of your standing leg activated, pulling it in and up, and extend your spine up. Root your standing foot into the ground, spreading your toes wide, while you focus on opening your right knee out further. Keep your hands palms together at heart center, or raise them up to the sky, with your gaze following. Take a few breaths, then release your foot down and switch sides.
Benefits:
* Strengthens and tones the muscles of the legs, spine, arms, and abdominals
* Improves a sense of balance
* Improves concentration
* Relieves sciatica
Link: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/tree-pose/

We’re at it with those darn formulas again…just can’t resist!  Chicken Salad is a lunch time winner, and we’re feelin’ it this week.  Wrap it up in lettuce cups, scoop on top of mixed greens, serve it in a bell pepper, or whatever “vehicle” suits your mood.  Sometimes, that means just a fork.

Similar to our basic salad strategy, and that equation for satisfying grain salads, here’s a yet another flexible formula for a chicken salad that takes advantage of whatever you’ve got hanging around in the fridge.

chicken + dressing + vegetables + sweet + crunch

• Chicken – This one feels obvious…but there are a few options here.  Go with grilled, diced, shredded, poached, breasts, thighs, marinated, plain…or even (gasp!) turkey.
• Dressing – Something creamy always feels right in a salad like this, but use whatever suits your taste.  Yogurt, leftover salad dressings, a quick vinaigrette, even peanut sauce.
• Crunch – Add some crunch with crisp veggies, toasted nuts, or even fruit.   Change it up to mix and match with the rest of the ingredients or just use up what you have hanging around in the crisper drawer.
• Sweet – This component could come from the addition of some dried fruit, a honey-sweetened dressing, or firm fresh fruit like mangoes and grapes.

Here are some of our favorite combos:

• shredded chicken // yogurt-tahini dressing // celery & toasted almonds // grapes
• diced chicken // honey-mustard // red onion & toasted pecan // apple
• chicken // curry-yogurt dressing // green onion, chopped broccoli & toasted cashew // raisin
• grilled chicken // sesame-ginger dressing // bell pepper & sesame seeds // orange segments

Our very own Clare Weber suggested three simple yoga moves you can bust out to beat stress. For each pose, we’ve included a link to Yoga Journal where you can read more, and check out a picture of the pose.

Balasana (aka Child’s Pose)

Description: Kneeling on the ground, with big toes touching, fold forward, resting forehead on the earth, and reaching your hips back towards your heels. Allow your arms to reach out in front of you or relax them by your sides, with your hands by your feet, shoulders relaxing down to the earth.
Benefits:
*Helps to center and ground, relieving stress as it encourages the body to relax
*Gently stretches the hips, ankles, and thighs
*Helps relieve back pain
Link: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/child-s-pose/

Uttanasana (aka Standing Forward Bend)

Description: From standing (with feet together or hip distance apart), fold forward from the hip joint, keeping the back flat and long. Release hands down to the earth underneath the shoulders. Take a slight bend in the knees to help release your lower back, or gently start to straighten the knees to target your hamstrings.
Benefits:
*Stretches the hamstrings and back muscles
*Improves digestion, stimulates the spleen, kidneys, and the liver;
*Reduces fatigue and anxiety
*Therapeutic for high blood pressure, osteoporosis, asthma, infertility, and sinusitis.
Link: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/standing-forward-bend/

Viparita Karani (aka Legs-Up-The-Wall pose)

Description: Place one hip against the wall, sitting sideways. Gently fan out the feet and legs up the wall, lowering the back down to rest on the earth. Open the arms out to the sides, then bend the elbows, pointing the fingers away from the wall. Close the eyes, and remain in this pose for several minutes. To release from the pose, slowly roll over onto one side, resting in the fetal position for a few moments before sitting upright.
Benefits:
*Gently stretches the back of the legs, the front torso, and the back of the neck
*Relieves the symptoms of menopause and PMS
*Reduces stress, anxiety, and mild depression
*Calms the mind
*Relieves mild backaches and tired or cramped legs and feet
Link: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/legs-up-the-wall-pose/

Healthy eating can be a lot of work, especially at lunchtime when we tend to be busy & distracted.  You’ve probably already discovered that a little planning gives you a huge advantage when lunchtime hunger sneaks into your busy day.  Grain salads are the perfect solution!

The key is pre-cooking your gluten free grains (quinoa, rice, etc.) ahead of time.  We like to make a big batch of quinoa, keep what you’ll use for the next few days in the fridge, then spread out the rest on a baking sheet and stick it in the freezer.  Once frozen, transfer individual servings to bags and leave in your freezer.

Trust me when I say, these are a quick and easy solution to the lunchtime “hanger” strike that comes over our body when we’ve waited too long to nourish it!

Similar to last week’s salad strategy, here’s a quick and easy formula that takes advantage of whatever you’ve got hanging around in the fridge.

grains + veggies + protein + dressing/toppings

• grains:  They can be a great source of protein and minerals.  If you’re looking for gluten-free varieties, some of our favorites are quinoa, amaranth, millet, and rice (white, brown, wild).  Wanna know why they’re so good for you?  Check out this list of benefits.
• veggies:  Anything goes. Maybe you have some leftover veggies from dinner, or your Farmers Market haul.  Chop and go raw, or (if you’re thinking ahead) toss them with some olive oil and salt & pepper roast a batch to have on hand.
• protein:  Fresh fish, chicken breast, turkey, even lean steak are all good options. Don’t forget about eggs (hard boiled works well here).
• dressing/toppings:  coconut oil, olive oil and avocado will add healthy fat and flavor.  Salsa, a squeeze of citrus juice, or a splash of vinegar will add acid.  Nuts or seeds will add crunch. Herbs will add flavor and freshness.

Here are some of our favorite combos:

• quinoa // arugula, roasted beets & orange segments // salmon //  a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of orange & sunflower seeds
• brown rice // grilled onions & peppers  // chicken // avocado, salsa & cilantro
• quinoa // bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, capers & kalamata olives // a drizzle of olive oil & a squeeze of lemon

Lunches can be hard.  They can also be rather sad.  If you’re trying to squeeze more veggies in your diet, you may already be in the habit of taking a salad with you to work and trying really hard to enjoy it for lunch.  But are you finding that your homemade salads aren’t as good as what you get in a restaurant?  Or do they leave you still wanting a bag of chips?

Well, we’ve got a strategy for keeping lunchtime salads satisfying and delicious.  It’s all about the formula.

greens + veg/fruit + protein + crunch + dressing

• greens:  Anything will do, but the darker green you go the more nutrients you’ll be getting.  Use just one type or mix it up for variety (romaine, kale, cabbage, arugula, spinach).
• veg/fruit:  This one is pretty obvious.  Try to include a variety of color.  This isn’t just to make the salad pretty, but different colors actually indicate different nutrients.  Use whatever vegetables you like.  The ones that are more firm (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, apples) will hold up well when prepped in advance.  Softer vegetables are best prepped in the morning, or right before you eat (cherry tomatoes, avocado, mango).
• protein:  Build this into your leftovers strategy by cooking extra chicken/beef/whatever while making dinner.  Or just grill up a bunch at the beginning of the week to have on hand.  Thinly slice beef, cut pork into bite sized pieces, shred or slice chicken, break salmon into chunks.
• crunch:  Maybe you’ve already included some crunchy veggies or fruit, but another layer of crunch never hurts.  Try toasted walnuts, chopped almonds, sesame seeds, or toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
• dressing:  Don’t let anyone fool you, most of the bottled dressings you can purchase in the store are loaded with fillers, sugar, and/or unhealthy oils.  (Read the labels and then stop buying the stuff.) If you’re lucky enough to have a bottle of Spoon & Skillet vinaigrette base, you can mix 1 tablespoon of the base with 1 tablespoon of oil to make a quick and delicious vinaigrette.  Otherwise, grab a jar and fill 1/4 of the way with whatever kind of vinegar you like.  Add a little spoonful of dijon (if you’d like), chopped garlic or shallot (if you’re feeling fancy), a squeeze of honey (if you like it sweet) and a pinch of salt & pepper.  Pour an equal amount of olive oil into the jar.  Shake, taste, and continue to add olive oil to your desired taste.  We like a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to oil…but many prefer a 1:2 ratio…and it can vary depending on the type of vinegar.

Here are some of our favorite combos:

• romaine & kale // diced apples & shredded carrot // chicken // pecans // balsamic vinaigrette
• shredded cabbage & arugula // diced peppers & mango // salmon // sesame seeds // rice wine vinaigrette
• spinach // radishes, cherry tomatoes & onion // sliced steak // pepitas // honey mustard vinaigrette