High School Musical Star & Healthy Eating Blogger – Monique Coleman Shares The Best Vegetables & Other Food Choices to Create The Perfect Healthy Salad Equation
We all know that too much processed and fast food can put you in the fast lane for fitness failure, but did you know that the biggest sabotage to healthy eating may actually come from an unlikely source? Your salad.
A salad may seem like a nutritious choice until you begin to pile on high-calorie ingredients. What starts out as a 400 calorie light meal can turn into a 1200 calorie land mine when you add cheese, high fat salad dressings, croutons, dried fruit, and nuts.
Lettuce and veggies are the typical salad base and eating more fresh vegetables is one of the simplest choices you can make to improve your overall health since a vegetable-rich diet can help protect you from arthritis, heart disease, stroke, dementia, cancer, and can even help slow down your body’s aging process.
In fact, a recent study by University College London found that people who eat seven or more portions of vegetables and fruit a day have a 42 percent lower risk of early death, compared to those who eat less than one portion—and vegetables have the greatest impact.
Healthy eating has been High School Musical Star Monique Coleman’s passion. As an actress in Hollywood, she always has to look her best and knows just how easy it is to get derailed on nutrition. Monique is on a mission to share her nutritious eating tips since her own family has struggled with making healthy choices and weight issues.
She discusses the benefits of incorporating the right variety and portion of vegetables, proteins and healthy fats into your salad to create the perfect healthy salad equation. Monique will also explain why it is easier (and tastier) than you think.
Monique Coleman discusses:
- Why salads that start healthy can turn into a high calorie land mine
- The correct portion of vegetables, proteins and healthy fats to create the perfect salad equation
- Why a variety of vegetables in your diet is so important
- Tips for selecting the best vegetables
- Her own personal recipes and tips to make healthy eating fast and tasty
ABOUT: Monique is most recognized as Taylor Mckessie in Disney’s High School Musical franchise. However, her most significant role came in 2010 when she was appointed the first ever United Nations Youth Champion for the International Year of Youth
With this title, Coleman self initiated and funded a global tour which spanned 24 countries in 6 months. Her aim was to raise awareness about the most pressing issues facing youth, encourage young people to foster progress in their communities and urge the international community to take responsibility on youth issues.
Following the tour, Monique has been the keynote speaker or host at several major events including World Youth Day (Madrid, Spain), UNESCO Youth Forum (Paris, France), International Day of Peace (UN Headquarters), and The World Leadership Dinner. She has had the distinguished honor of interviewing the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Her work with the UN continues to this day and she works closely with UN Women and SayNo_Unite to end violence against women as well as other interagencies.
Monique is the Founder and CEO of GimmeMo, a multi-platform community that amplifies youth voices and supports organizations who are working to make the world better for young people. You can find out more at gimmemo.com and on FB and instagram @gimmemotalk and on twitter @gimmemoyouth
Currently, Mo is a Champion for the UN Foundation’s Girl Up Campaign, a Peace One Day Education Ambassador, and a celebrity ambassador for PeaceFirst.org
Monique grew up in South Carolina and has been inspired to pursue healthy eating because of her own family’s struggle with making healthy choices and weight issues. She loves learning about how fresh vegetables are grown and get to markets so she can make the healthiest choices as well as sharing her nutritious recipes with fans on her blog (http://www.officialmoniquecoleman.com/healthy-eating-tips/). She is currently partnering with leafy greens grower WP Rawl to promote their brand Nature’s Greens® and healthy living. Monique is passionate about living a well-balanced life and wants to show her fans eating greens in healthy ways can also taste great! “Acting is my passion, advocacy is my purpose”. ~Monique Coleman
This interview is provided by Nature’s Greens® WP Rawl – Dedicated to providing fresh, wholesome vegetables
RECIPES
KALE CHICKEN SALAD
1 (5-6 oz. size) chicken breast, boneless, skinless (1 cup after cooking and shredding)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds
3 cups NATURE’S GREENS KALE™
1 cup VERSATILE VEGGIES® (Green Peppers, Red Onion, Tomatoes)*
2 tablespoons mandarin oranges
Optional healthy fat: 1-2 tablespoons chopped avocado
Optional flavor: fresh herbs or garlic
Dressing:
2 teaspoons lime juice
4 teaspoons virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch fine sea salt
Pinch black pepper
Sauté chicken in olive oil over medium heat for at least 7 minutes on each side or until chicken is done throughout. Cool and shred into pieces. Set aside. In sauté pan heat olive oil over medium heat add, pecans and sesame seeds. Lightly brown and remove from heat. Toss kale and red onions together in bowl. Add chicken, mandarin oranges and seed mixture. Stir gently. Pour dressing over chicken mixture, toss and serve.
1 Serving
Good Mo’rning Sunshine Kale Smoothie
2 cups Nature’s Greens® Kale
1 cup water1 cup pineapple chunks
1 Fuji apple, chopped
1 cup strawberries
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
Combine kale and water in a blender and blend until kale is liquefied. Add remaining ingredients and blend until combined.
*For a thicker smoothie, add half a banana.
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
