It’s Apple month!
Do you love apples but have a hard time biting into a fresh one? Here are some ways to enjoy them rather than just taking a bite!
- Peel and chop apples to use in baked goods, like pies, muffins, and cobblers.
- Core apple, cut in half, place on microwave safe plate, and microwave until soft. Eat with a spoon!
- Peel, chop, and place apples in saucepan with water. Cook until apples are soft and can be mashed. Mash with potato masher, sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
- Core, slice thin, and bake until crisp. Eat as a crispy snack!
- Make herbal tea by boiling apple peels, orange peels, and cinnamon in a pot of water.
Feeling Depressed?
National Depression Screening Day is October 6. It’s a good time to check in with yourself and how you’ve been feeling recently. Major depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting 6.7% (more than 16 million) of American adults each year.
Like screenings for other illnesses, depression screenings should be a routine part of healthcare.
Why Screen For Depression? Clinical depression is a serious medical illness.
Screenings point out the presence or absence of depressive symptoms and provide a referral for further evaluation if needed. You should see your doctor or a qualified mental health professional if you experience five or more of these symptoms for longer than two weeks or if the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily routine.
Check out this screening tool to start or call your health care provider. https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/depression/
It’s Chili Month!
1. Protein
2. Fiber
3. Vitamin C
4. Iron
5. Capsicum
6. Endorphins and Serotonin
7. Immune System Boost
8. Regulate Blood Sugar
9. Clears Congestion
10. Best reason – it tastes great!
(And chili is on our Choice menu this Fall!)
What can you do to Check your Medications?
Why Screen For Depression? Clinical depression is a serious medical illness.
October 21 is National Check Your Meds Day, so it’s a perfect time to take your medications and supplements to the pharmacist for a review. The benefit from a review is that your pharmacists can check for important information on interactions between medications and for help in identifying redundant medications. In addition, pharmacists can help you determine if there are more cost-effective medication alternatives during the medication review.
Chili Mac
Prep Time: 5 min, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Servings: 6, Serving Size: 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 8 oz. low -sodium tomato sauce
- 3 C. low-sodium beef broth
- 2 C. uncooked macaroni
- 1 C. shredded cheddar
Directions
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Add the onion and garlic to a large pot with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes).
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Add the ground beef to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the beef is cooked through.
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Add the flour, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and oregano to the skillet with the beef and onions. Continue to cook and stir for about two minutes.
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Add the tomato sauce and beef broth to the skillet and stir well to combine.
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Add the uncooked macaroni and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come up to a full boil.
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Once boiling, give the pasta a quick stir to loosen any that is stuck to the bottom, turn the heat down to medium-low, and place the lid back on top.
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Allow the macaroni to simmer, stirring every few minutes and always replacing the lid, until the macaroni is tender (about 10 minutes).
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Take lid off and top with cheese.
