Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust are the elements of NEWSTART, a program at Northwest that teaches students ways to live a healthy lifestyle. Students have enjoyed trying new recipes in the NEWSTART classes. These recipes can be found further down on this page.
Nutrition - Nutrition provides the fuel for our bodies. To get the best nutrition, we need to make informed decisions about what we eat. Choose whole wheat options, add nuts to your diet, and avoiding fried foods are just a few of the things we can do to eat well.
Exercise - Playtime! We need to get up and getting moving. Take a walk, play a sport, or enjoy an exercise class are all ways to get the body the exercise it needs.
Water - Water is essential to good health. Eight glasses of 8 ounces of water a day are optimal, and your kidneys will thank you.
Sunshine - Sunshine converts cholesterol into Vitamin D, which is needed for good health. The only way you are going to get it is to step outside and enjoy nature.
Temperance - Temperance is about making the best choices and doing things in moderation.
Air - Don't smoke and get fresh air from the outdoors.
Rest - Our bodies need to rest to grow and perform the best they can. We've learned going to bed early is beneficial; each hour before midnight count as much as 2 hours of sleep after midnight!
Trust - Stress takes its toll. Use trust to cast aside stress.
| Haystacks | Personal Pita Pizzas |
| Veggie Burgers | Smoothies |
| Tortilla Chips | Chili Beans, recipe below |
| Romaine, Green Leaf, or Red Leaf Lettuce | Cucumbers |
| Onions | Salsa |
| Tomatoes | Non-dairy sour cream |
Directions:
Place tortilla chips on a plate. Top with the remaining ingredients.
Chili Beans
| 2 cups dried pinto | 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste |
| 1 medium onion, chopped | 1 bell pepper, chopped |
| 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed | 1 tablespoon cumin powder |
| 1/2 tablespoon sweet basil | 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes |
| 2 cups tomatoes, or more to taste | 1/2 cup tomato puree |
Directions:
Soak Pinto Beans over night in a large pot, and then rinse beans thoroughly. Cover with about 2 inches Water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Adding water if needed. When tender add all other ingredients, and simmer until beans are well flavored and sauce is thickened.
Simplified Chili Beans
| 3 cans chili beans | 1 can kidney beans |
| 2 cloves garlic, crushed | 1 medium onion, chopped |
| 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes |
Directions:
Sauté Onions and Garlic in a little Olive Oil and add to beans. Add Nutritional Yeast, heat and serve.
What you will need:
Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Pizza Sauce (Recipe below)
Veggies (Ideas Below)
Non-dairy/cholesterol free cheese
Directions:
Spread Pita bread with sauce. Top with your favorite veggie topping choices. Can use as many or as few items as you like or have available at the moment. Top with non dairy cheese. Bake at 400° for ten minutes and serve.
Pizza Sauce
| 1 jar pasta sauce (Classico brand Tomato Basil is a good choice) | 1/2 can tomato paste |
| 1 onion, chopped and sauteed | 1/2 bell pepper, chopped and sauteed |
| 4 cloves garlic | 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons basil | 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley | 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint |
| 1/2 teaspoon sea salt | 1/4 teaspoon Vegetarian Express Pepper Like Seasoning |
| 1 pinch cayenne pepper |
Veggie Topping Ideas
| Olives | Pineapple |
| Broccoli | Onion |
| Bell Pepper | Zucchini |
| Yellow Squash | Mushrooms |
| Artichoke | Eggplant |
| Tomato | Garlic |
| Spinach |
| 3 cups water | 1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos |
| 1 tablespoon Bill's Best Beef-Like Seasoning | 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning |
| 1 teaspoon garlic powder | 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder |
| 1/2 teaspoon sea salt | 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes |
| 1 tablespoon molasses | 1 medium onion, cut in pieces |
| 1/2 cup walnuts | 1 tablespoon tomato puree, optional |
| 2 cups quick oats | 1 cup bulgur wheat |
Directions:
Blend all ingredients EXCEPT Oats and Bulgur Wheat in a blender until smooth. In a saucepan put blended ingredients and Bulgur Wheat and simmer on stove for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add Oats and stir. When cool, shape into burger size patties. (about ˝ cup) May put a little oil in a skillet and fry OR bake in a 350° oven until browned on both sides.
| 1 banana, frozen in chunks | 1/2 cup frozen strawberries |
| 1/2 cup frozen raspberries | 1/2 cup frozen blueberries |
| 1 cup soy creamer or soy milk | 1/2 cup soy yogurt |
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender, and process until you reach a smoothie consistency.
Hints:
To make it easy on yourself, peel and cut the bananas before freezing them. Cut the bananas into three or four pieces - bigger pieces cause wear and tear on the blender.
