Blue Zones Project - Monterey County Blog

Looking for something meaningful, educational and fun to do this week? BINGO, we’ve got just that. This free 7-day game is for everyone to enjoy and be a part of.

This is a delicious and really easy recipe to create with any cooked whole grains like quinoa, farro or barley. 

First, cook your grains. For a cup of dry barley, bring to a boil 3 cups of water or vegetable broth and then simmer the grains for 50-60 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and any other aromatics (garlic, onions, herb) you wish to the water. For a nuttier taste, you can also roast the dry barley on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes at 350C and then cook your grain as explained above (this step is not necessary yet it creates a really good taste).  

As your grains are cooking, gather and chop all remaining ingredients:

• Spinach
• artichoke hearts
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Parsley
• Fresh cherry tomatoes
• Fresh avocado
• Feta cheese 
• Olive oil 
• Radish sprouts ( not necessary yet adds a great spicy taste and crunchiness)

When your grains are almost ready, start sautéing at medium heat - in a separate pan-  the sun-dried tomatoes with the spinach and artichoke hearts. The oil contained in the sun-dried tomatoes should be enough to sauté your vegetables. 

After a few minutes, add the parsley and the fresh tomatoes (cut in 2) and sauté for a minute. Then, add, your grains, olive oil and the feta cheese. Add pepper to your taste.

Serve in a bowl or a plate and top with avocado slides and sprouts!

Feel free to sauté other vegetables that you have in your fridge like broccoli, carrots olives or any other leafy greens and adjust the quantity of each ingredients according to your taste and what you have at home.

Bon appetit!

Note: This dish was initially prepared by Genevieve, Blue Zones Project Food Environment Lead, for the Blue Zones Project Monthly Team Potluck Moai (oh and yes, this potluck moai was on Zoom during Shelter-in-place).

There have been a variety of restaurants in Salinas that have already committed to providing their customers and our community with an abundance of healthy choices on their menu to choose from.

Consciously practicing healthy habits is more important today than ever before. As many of us adapt to our new circumstances with social distancing, we must also look for creative ways to continue working on our well-being. The good news is, Blue Zones Power 9 practices are easily adaptable during these unusual times.

Here are some tips from Blue Zones Project Monterey County on how to adapt the Power 9 practices while social distancing.

Move Naturally – Get out in the yard, work in your garden, and get your hands dirty in a healthy way. Fresh air, sunshine, and connection with living things and Mother Earth will do you good. Rather than going to the gym, many yoga classes and workouts are available online as well as via Netflix and YouTube. Walk the dog, go for a run, enjoy the sunshine, and smell the spring flowers while practicing safe social distancing.

• Take a virtual visit to ReBorn Fit to find new workout ideas and learn how to perform exercises properly.
• Visit 2 Steps Ahead Performance Training on Facebook or Instagram to participate in their specially designed live classes or virtual workouts that will keep you motivated and bring out the athlete in you!
• Get your sweat on with Richard Russell CrossFit's virtual workouts on Facebook and Instagram as they safely guide you through exercise routines
• Teach the younger generation how to ride a bike, go on family outings in your neighborhood, walk the beach, all while practicing social distancing.
• Clean up the play area before meals, naptime, etc. with a fun song i.e. “Clean Up the Room”
• Beachbody has some fun workouts to keep kids active at home.

Downshift – Stay informed, but don’t stay glued to the TV. Take care of yourself and relax. Read a good book. Meditate. Keep a journal. Breathe!

• Mindfulness Meditation is free and open to anyone wishing to reduce stress and isolation during difficult times.

• Get the family together to do some yoga at home! Cosmic Kids have some fun options.
• Here’s a guided meditation for kids to instill some calm after a long day of distance learning.

Purpose – Now is a great time to take stock of your strengths, skills, and talents. If you’re taking some time off or are stuck at home, why not reimagine your future and start planning how you can live a better life doing the things that you are meant to do?

• You don’t have to be out saving the world right now; simple things go a long way. Maybe go for a social distancing walk and pick-up litter in your neighborhood or use your talents in other ways to help those in need during this time – don’t forget to wear your mask.
• Visit Community Hospital's Resource Center to browse their list of smartphone apps for healthy living and more. 

80% Rule – Eat mindfully, enjoy your food, and stop eating when 80% full—the point when you pause to consider how you will handle the remaining food on your plate. One great way to eat only what you need is to not watch TV, news, or a movie while eating. Focus on your food and really savor it.

• Cook a healthy meal for your family and remind them during dinner, “hara hachi bu.” Try this healthy recipe here.

Plant Slant – Put more veggies and fruits on your plate than other foods. Your body needs nutrition, perhaps now more than ever. Grocery stores currently remain open, and produce sections are decently stocked. If some of your staples aren't available, consider trying a new recipe with a fruit or vegetable you've either never had or rarely use.

• Learn how to start a home garden to produce fresh veggies for your family.
• Try these new recipes incorporating vegetables!

Wine @ Five – If you can’t get together with friends in person to celebrate your day, try calling or video chatting with them. Many smartphones allow multiple callers on the same call, so connect with a few of your friends and say cheers.

• Plan a Virtual play date with your friends, far and near, new and from the past to reconnect and check in on them and their families.

Family First – Take care of yourself first; then look after your family. You will all feel better knowing that you’re doing the right thing by taking care of one another as best as you can.

• Eating one, or three, healthy meals a day together without technology or distractions.
• Discuss your day — share what went well, what didn't go as expected, what you learned and what you'll do differently tomorrow.
• Take this free time to make a slide show of family pictures and then set up a Virtual get together and see if family members can guess who’s in the pictures, where and when they were taken.

Belong – Perhaps you don’t want to attend a crowded worship service. Many faith-based organizations offer live-streaming or podcast services. Connect with congregants, share your concerns, and help one another. How can you help neighbors in need—possibly grocery shopping for the elderly who may be fearful of going to the store?

• Attend a virtual faith-based service, motivational speech or join your exercise buddies for a FaceTime workout.

Right Tribe – Remain connected with friends who are optimistic and help you to stay healthy and positive. The last thing anyone needs right now is more bad news, so focus on what you can and will do to help one another. Share good news and encourage one another to be resilient.

• Video chat friends while watering the garden.
• Host a living room dance party with your friends on Zoom. Follow Kids Dance Party Crew for some jams!
• Cook healthy meals and share recipes together on video chat.

Join Blue Zones Project Monterey County

Click here to hear founder Dan Buettner shares how you and your family can live longer, happier lives.

Now that you know how you and your family can live longer, join us and . . .

In the spirit of supporting our organizations across Monterey County and as many offices navigate a transition to remote colleagues and virtual meetings, we want to provide you with a few helpful tips for working from home:

Responding appropriately and positively to stress is healthy, satisfying, and could contribute to better outcomes. Certainly, the world is undergoing intense negative pressures which can be overwhelmingly damaging short-term or harnessed for good long-term.  

SALINAS, Calif., Jan. 15, 2019 -- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Taylor Farms, Montage Health, Blue Zones, LLC, and Sharecare, Inc. announce the launch of Blue Zones Project^® in Monterey County, California. Blue Zones Project is a growing nationwide well-being improvement initiative that makes healthy choices easier through permanent and semi-permanent changes to a community's built environment, policy, and social networks.