Still Resolved to keep well fed and fit in 2021

If my birthday weren’t in January, I’d be as fit as all The News readers have been since 2021 hit us, right? It’s a Capricorn bump I have to face, but I’m back to plant-based options and I haven’t missed my 10,000 steps goals. Read on for tips on healthy ways that may serve you well:

When seedy is good Top Seedz could be the best cracker I’ve ever eaten. Dense with seeds, they’re baked in a sheet so we get the “cracked” pieces. No sleeves of uniformity here. Each bite is a treasure, just like the sporty New Zealand mum who conceived of them imagined. There’s a sea salt version, another with cumin and more options. One of the things that makes them memorable is that different seeds create a pattern resembling an edible mosaic. Artsy huh? They’re crunchy, gourmet, on the healthy side and delish. The 6-Seed version could be my favorite weighing in with sunflower, sesame, flax, pumpkin, chia and hemp. I had them as a birthday treat with wine and I believe I could feel their health benefits with each crisp bite. I had to say “mmmm” after each sample and I kept holding them up to the light to enjoy the seedy designs. Rosemary with sunflower, sesame, flax and pumpkin was a top pick. Top Seedz does just seeds, too, but they’re “just” roasted with Maple Magic to give a sweet and nutty crunch. There’s more for your lunch, yogurt topping snacks, etc. at topseedz.com “Whole Person Integrative Eating” You may be consuming “foodish” substances instead of the fresh, real food your body deserves. Ditch the preservatives, slow down and enjoy, authors Deborah Kesten, M.P.H. and Larry Scherwitz, Ph.D., write in this book, offering “A Breakthrough Dietary Lifestyle to Treat the Root Causes of Overeating, Overweight and Obesity.” Easy to read and follow advices includes the “raisin meditation,” where you pause to ponder the feel and flavor of your food and also appreciate how it got to you. What’s your best meal memory? Probably not a cold bite over the sink or a burger while stuck in traffic. The WPIE method asks us to enjoy food with family, collect relatives’ recipes, experiment with cultural traditions and even include your pets in dining time. Some of us don’t even know how to eat real food so recipes for wild spinach omelet, Thai basil rice, and fig fruit salad can help in a journey that should change us for the better. ISOPURE Think beyond smoothies with this zero carb protein powder you can cook, blend and bake with. Unflavored powder can give you an oatmeal boost, but think about game day with recipes such as Protein Boneless Chicken Bites. It’s a food supplement (not for weight reduction) that comes in many forms, as well as flavored infusions. Here’s a double tip: I put some powder in a tea strainer and sprinkled over French toast. It looked like powdered sugar but my husband got a breakfast boost instead. Learn more about this 100 percent whey protein isolate at www.theisopurecompany.com Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie resolved to keep well fed and fit in 2021. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com