Roasted Tomatoes and Mashed Potatoes

  
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp coarse-ground Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¾ lb pork tenderloin, trimmed

Instructions

  1. Whisk together vinegar, honey, oil, mustard and thyme in a large zip-top plastic bag.
  2. Add pork; seal bag, and marinate 30 minutes in refrigerator.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  4. Remove pork from marinade.
  5. Boil marinade 3 minutes.
  6. Place pork on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil; brush with half the marinade.
  7. Bake 25 minutes and brush with remaining marinade after 15 minutes.
  8. Let pork rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Side Dish Ingredients

  • 1 cup organic grape tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ tsp honey
  • ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
  • ¾ lb organic new potatoes, cut into chunks
  • ¼ cup 2% reduced-fat milk

Side Dish Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil, honey and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.
  3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until tomatoes release their juice.
  4. Meanwhile, bring potatoes and salted water to cover to a boil; boil 15 minutes or until tender.
  5. Drain and mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency; stir in 2 Tbsp milk and remaining salt and pepper.
  6. Add remaining milk, if desired.

Bacon-Cheddar Spaghetti Squash

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • 1 (3-lb) spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
  • 3 slices center cut bacon
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ (8-oz) block ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 (6-oz) pkg baby spinach
  • ¾ cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler. Place squash, cut sides down, in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Use a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands from squash.
  2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.
  3. Add onion and garlic to hot drippings; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in cream cheese, broth, and salt; cook until smooth.
  4. Gradually add spinach; cook until thickened and spinach is wilted. Stir in squash strands. Spoon mixture into squash shells. Sprinkle with Cheddar and bacon. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is golden.

Time
Clock
10mPrep
20mCook
30mTotal

Nutritional Information
Servings 3
Calories 345
Servings 3
Calories 345
Fat (g) 18
Sat. Fat (g) 10
Protein (g) 16
Carb (g) 31
Fiber (g) 7

The basic formula of a facial is the same from spa to spa: cleanse, exfoliate, extract, treat, and moisturize. It’s the quality of ingredients, delivery system, and the aesthetician’s technique that makes the difference in a facial that’s beneficial for your skin.

At Carrington Medical Spa, we are so selective with our treatments — when you book a facial with our Lead Aesthetician at Carrington Medical Spa, you can feel confident you’ll be receiving the best treatment available which is, in our experience, a HydraFacial.

We would like to highlight what you can expect when you book a HydraFacial with us.

Personalized treatment for every skin type and need

HydraFacials don’t have a type — they address all skin care needs, including fine lines and wrinkles, elasticity and firmness, tone, vibrancy, and texture, brown spots, oily skin, congested and enlarged pores.

Intense hydration from unique serum delivery

It’s true, serums are having a skincare moment — but for good reason. These hyperfocused, superpowered products can be tailored to pinpoint a variety of skin concerns, as well as layered on top of each other. And while they’ve become an essential part of your at-home skincare routine, HydraFacials are able to better penetrate your skin to maximize absorption and hydration. The results are longer-lasting than typical facials, rebuilding your skin’s health over time versus simply providing short-term plumping and smoothing. Your skin will stay better hydrated, making your at-home routine more effective and your makeup apply easier, even eliminating the need for makeup.

Add a booster to further target specific issues — from addressing signs of aging to an evening out tone and fading dark spots.

Effective yet comfortable

While some peels and facials come with an understanding of discomfort, HydraFacials are comfortable and soothing — all you’ll feel is a light suctioning, accompanied by a cooling, soothing feeling.

How to prepare for your HydraFacial

Because each HydraFacial includes a chemical peel for exfoliation and extractions, you are generally left with a bit of redness that will fade after a few hours. Because of this, however, we generally suggest booking your facial at a time when you won’t have to go anywhere or apply makeup after — in order to allow your skin to continue to soak in the benefits after leaving. If you’re booking a facial prior to a big event, like a wedding, we recommend scheduling your appointment a few days to one week ahead of time, giving your skin plenty of time to recover.

It’s also a good idea to talk to us ahead of time about any products you’re using that may leave your skin more sensitive, such as retinol.

How often should you come in for a HydraFacial?

It depends on your individual skin goals — if you have pigmentation, dark spots, breakouts, or chronic dryness that you are trying to address, we may recommend a series, where you receive a treatment every few weeks. After that, every 4-6 weeks can help you stay on top of any issues.

Call us today at Carrington Medical Spa (205) 508-5723 to book your appointment.

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • 1 (16-oz) pkg peeled, cubed butternut squash
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 (8.5-oz) pouch microwavable seven-whole-grains mix (such as Seeds of Change)
  • 1 Tbsp basil paste
  • 1 (5-oz) pkg baby kale-spinach mix
  • 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Toss together squash, garlic, 1 Tbsp oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until squash is browned, stirring once after 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, microwave grains according to package directions. Whisk together 2 Tbsp oil and basil paste.
  3. Combine grains, squash, kale mix, and beans; drizzle with the basil-oil mixture, and toss.

Time
Clock
10mPrep
20mCook
30mTotal

Nutritional Information
Servings 3
Calories 435
Servings 3
Calories 435
Fat (g) 16
Sat. Fat (g) 2
Protein (g) 11
Carb (g) 63
Fiber (g) 10

There’s a ton of incredibly promising intermittent fasting (IF) research done on fat rats. They lose weight, their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars improve… but they’re rats. Studies in humans, almost across the board, have shown that IF is safe and incredibly effective, but really no more effective than any other diet. In addition, many people find it difficult to fast.

But a growing body of research suggests that the timing of the fast is key, and can make IF a more realistic, sustainable, and effective approach for weight loss, as well as for diabetes prevention.

Intermittent Fasting makes intuitive sense. The food we eat is broken down by enzymes in our gut and eventually ends up as molecules in our bloodstream. Carbohydrates, particularly sugars and refined grains (think white flours and rice), are quickly broken down into sugar, which our cells use for energy. If our cells don’t use it all, we store it in our fat cells as, well, fat. But sugar can only enter our cells with insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas. Insulin brings sugar into the fat cells and keeps it there.
 
Between meals, as long as we don’t snack, our insulin levels will go down and our fat cells can then release their stored sugar, to be used as energy. We lose weight if we let our insulin levels go down. The entire idea of IF is to allow the insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that we burn off our fat.

Try this healthy, tasty, and family-friendly meal this week!

Ingredients

1 cup crushed almonds

1/2 cup crushed bran flakes cereal

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound cod, rinsed and cut into 1-inch by 5-inch pieces

Prepared marina sauce, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Mix the almonds, bran flakes, wheat germ, sea salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and oregano together in a medium bowl. Crack the eggs into a separate small bowl and beat until frothy.
  3. Coat a baking pan with the olive oil. Dip the fish sticks first in the egg mixture, and then into the almond mixture. Place the fish sticks on the prepared pan.
  4. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce as a dip.

Try this healthy, tasty and family-friendly recipe this week. 

Ingredients

3 chicken thighs, skin removed

10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Juice of 1/2 lemon

20 tortilla chips

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

  1. Place the chicken, tomatoes (and juices), beans, broth, water, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and chili powder in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
  2. Uncover the slow cooker and use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred, then return the meat to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice. Crumble a few tortilla chips into each bowl and cover with some soup. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and grated cheese.

Per serving: Calories: 275; Total Fat: 8 grams; Saturated Fat: 4 grams; Protein: 22 grams; Total carbohydrates: 29 grams; Sugar: 7 grams; Fiber: 6 grams; Cholesterol: 56 milligrams; Sodium: 364 milligrams

It’s true: Being short on sleep can really affect your weight. While you weren’t sleeping, your body cooked up a perfect recipe for weight gain.When you’re short on sleep, it’s easy to lean on a large latte to get moving. You might be tempted to skip exercise (too tired), get takeout for dinner, and then turn in late because you’re uncomfortably full.If this cascade of events happens a few times each year, no problem. Trouble is, more than a third of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Yet experts agree that getting enough shut-eye is as important to health, well-being, and your weight as are diet and exercise.

Your Sleepy Brain

Skimping on sleep sets your brain up to make bad decisions. It dulls activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, the locus of decision-making and impulse control.

So it’s a little like being drunk. You don’t have the mental clarity to make good decisions.

Research tells the story. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when people were starved of sleep, late-night snacking increased, and they were more likely to choose high-carb snacks. In another study done at the University of Chicago, sleep-deprived participants chose snacks with twice as much fat as those who slept at least 8 hours.

A second study found that sleeping too little prompts people to eat bigger portions of all foods, increasing weight gain. And in a review of 18 studies, researchers found that a lack of sleep led to increased cravings for energy-dense, high-carbohydrate foods.

Add it all together, and a sleepy brain appears to crave junk food while also lacking the impulse control to say no.

Sleep and Metabolism

Sleep is like nutrition for the brain. Most people need between 7 and 9 hours each night. Get less than that, and your body will react in ways that lead even the most determined dieter straight to Ben & Jerry’s.

Too little sleep triggers a cortisol spike. This stress hormone signals your body to conserve energy to fuel your waking hours.

Translation: You’re more apt to hang on to fat.

Researchers found that when dieters cut back on sleep over a 14-day period, the amount of weight they lost from fat dropped by 55%, even though their calories stayed equal. They felt hungrier and less satisfied after meals, and their energy was zapped.

Sleep deprivation makes you “metabolically groggy,” University of Chicago researchers say. Within just 4 days of insufficient ZZZs, your body’s ability to process insulin — a hormone needed to change sugar, starches, and other food into energy — goes awry. Insulin sensitivity, the researchers found, dropped by more than 30%.

Here’s why that’s bad: When your body doesn’t respond properly to insulin, your body has trouble processing fats from your bloodstream, so it ends up storing them as fat.So it’s not so much that if you sleep, you’ll lose weight, but that too little sleep hampers your metabolism and contributes to weight gain.

Tricks and Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep

In today’s world, snoozing can be difficult, particularly when all your screens (computers, TVs, cell phones, tablets) lure you into staying up just a little longer.

The basics are pretty simple:

  • Shut down your computer, cell phone, and TV at least an hour before you hit the sack.
  • Save your bedroom for sleep and sex. Think relaxation and release, rather than work or entertainment.
  • Create a bedtime ritual. It’s not the time to tackle big issues. Instead, take a warm bath, meditate, or read.
  • Stick to a schedule, waking up and retiring at the same times every day, even on weekends.
  • Watch what and when you eat. Avoid eating heavy meals and alcohol close to bedtime, which may cause heartburn and make it hard to fall asleep. And steer clear of soda, tea, coffee, and chocolate after 2 p.m. Caffeine can stay in your system for 5 to 6 hours.
  • Turn out the lights. Darkness cues your body to release the natural sleep hormone melatonin, while light suppresses it.
EatingWell Test Kitchen
“Deep-fried falafel can be a total grease bomb. But these pan-seared falafel still get crispy in just a few tablespoons of oil with equally satisfying results. Be sure to use dried, instead of canned, chickpeas in this healthy recipe—canned chickpeas add too much moisture.”

Ingredients

    • 1 cup dried chickpeas
    • 2 cups packed flat-leaf parsley, divided
    • ¼ cup chopped red onion plus ¼ cup thinly sliced, divided
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
    • 5 tablespoons tahini
    • 5 tablespoons warm water
    • 6 cups sliced romaine lettuce
    • 2 cups sliced cucumbers and/or radishes
    • 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

Directions

  • Soak chickpeas in cold water for 12 to 24 hours.
  • Drain the chickpeas and transfer to a food processor. Add 1 cup parsley, chopped onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt; process until finely and evenly ground. Shape into 12 patties (1½ inches wide), using a generous 2 tablespoons each.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook the falafel until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn, swirl in 1 tablespoon oil and cook until golden on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes more.
  • Meanwhile, whisk tahini, water and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Transfer ¼ cup to a small bowl. Add romaine and the remaining 1 cup parsley to the large bowl and toss to coat. Top with cucumbers and/or radishes, tomatoes, the sliced onion and the falafel. Drizzle with the reserved ¼ cup dressing.

There is no better motivation than a friend who shares the same goals. I, for one, love going on runs with my friends and walks with my mom and sister. So many people us excuses that they are too busy to see their friends or exercise. This is a great tip to not only exercise but catch up along the way. Try this tip sometime this week.

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