Barbequed chicken quesadilla ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil One 8-inch whole grain tortilla 1-2 tablespoons barbeque sauce (or spaghetti sauce, if they prefer it) 1⁄4 cup shredded cheese (whichever kind they like) 1 cup cooked chicken, sliced or diced ½ cup roasted or pan-fried onions (if using spaghetti sauce, other leftover cooked vegetables such as carrots or mushrooms work well, too) Add a little olive oil to a skillet and preheat on medium heat. Place the tortilla in it. Fairly quickly (because you want to get everything on before the bottom browns too much) spread 1-2 tablespoons of sauce on the entire tortilla. Cover just half with the chicken and onions. Then top that half with shredded cheese. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filled half. Press down with spatula to flatten, and cover the pan for 1 to 2 minutes just to melt the cheese. Remove from pan with the spatula. Once cooled, slice in quarter triangles with a sharp knife so filling does not come out. Wrap snugly with waxed paper or aluminum foil and place in a covered container.
New research from Australia published in July wanted to find out if having more body fat affects the amount of joint pain you experience. The researchers said doctors often tell patients that obesity and musculoskeletal pain are strongly related, thinking that it’s simply because more weight is distributed onto joints, exacerbating joint issues. But there is new evidence that it is actually body fat, not body weight that is the risk factor for increased pain. This means that those individuals with a high BMI (which doesn’t take into account more bone mass and muscle for their height) will not necessarily have increased joint pain. The scientists studied over 10,000 citations and 28 abstracts and published their findings in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Fourteen studies found significant associations between total body fat and widespread pain. Individuals with low-back pain and knee pain had a higher body fat percentage; and body fat increased the both risks of having pain and the pain increasing in future. Even foot pain was associated with higher body fat.
Directions – Filling: In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onion and mushrooms and cook 5-7 minutes until mushrooms are lightly caramelized and onion translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer to a deep bowl, add the tofu, carrot, egg, cayenne, soy sauce and mustard. Pulse with hand blender to combine. Add bread crumbs and walnuts and stir to combine. Set aside. Directions – Zucchini Filo: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use a mandolin, vegetable peeler or cheese slicer to make very thin lengthwise slices down the entire length of the zucchini, (making them as wide as possible). On a chopping board, lay the ribbons flat, and pat them to make dry with a dish towel. Lay 2 zucchini slices lengthwise, side-by-side and slightly