For lunch today I threw together an easy dish of Southwest Style Quinoa Casserole.
This was a delicious and filling lunch…especially for after a workout. The casserole included:
- 1 serving cooked quinoa
- 1/2 of a cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup frozen pepper & onion stir-fry veggies, defrosted
- 1/4 cup black beans
- 1 tbsp Cuban-Style Mojo sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
There are no instructions for this other than to simply combine all of the ingredients and heat through! Simple as that. Not to mention that these sort of casseroles are a great way to use up leftovers and pack an easy, one-tupperware lunch.
Tan Free Tuesday: Prevention Article Review
Today’s Tan Free Tuesday article review is actually one that my mom found while scanning through Prevention at the doctor’s office. Thanks Mom! 
The article, titled Sunscreens Under Fire, addresses a few of the criticisms that have been brought up about sunscreen. The first topic, which I found to to be the most relevant, was regarding the fact that most sunscreens don’t provide protection from harmful UVA rays.
According to the article, “In a recent study of 13 popular sunscreens, only 5 offered a high degree of UVA protection (though not the highest possible amount); the majority yielded only a medium level. Those are scary findings, considering that UVA accounts for more than 95% of the UV rays we’re exposed to and triggers far more free radicals that lead to wrinkles and brown spots.”
Wait…what?! I don’t know about you, but I find that to be very disheartening. To make sure that you’re getting proper UVA protection, the article recommends making sure your sunscreen contains the following ingredients: avobenzone, Mexoryl, and zinc oxide. Also look for sunscreens that include antioxidants. Here are the sunscreens that Prevention recommends as being safe and effective.
Another concern that is addressed is whether the ingredients in sunscreen can raise the risk of breast cancer. According to this article, no studies have proven that sunscreen can increase the risk of breast cancer. However, this is an issue that I wouldn’t mind doing some more research on.
Regarding sunscreen possibly leading to a vitamin D deficiancy, the article recommends getting more vitamin D through food sources and supplements. “‘It’s so easy and a whole lot safer than frying your skin in the sun,’ says James Spencer, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.”
To read the full article with more facts and advice when it comes to sun protection, pick up the June issue of Prevention!
[Repinski, K. (2010, June). Sunscreens under fire. Prevention, 62(6), 61-67.]
- What brand of sunscreen do you usually wear? What SPF?
Wow! Thats a super scary thought. I just have to go with the least irritating sunscreen available. My skin reacts to so many sunscreens so my options are really limited :/
The quinoa casserole looks yummy!
I heard about the sunscreen, ugh. Have to find one with “safe” ingredients now. 8)
Jenn
Wow that Quinoa looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it. I’ll have to see if I have all the ingredients and if not stop at the grocery store to grab them and make that for dinner tomorrow. PS macadamia butter looks so tasty. I might have to snag some of that too. What does it taste like?
Lately I’ve really been contemplating going to a natural sunscreen. I just don’t know how I feel about all the chemicals. At the same time though I really want uv protection. Even now, though I apply sunscreen religiously, I still feel as though I’ve darkened considerably while running outside this past week and it’s not something I want. This article is a must find for me!
What is your recommended method for crushing almonds?
Kady @ Livin, Lovin, Learnin says
Your bfast bowl looks so good! I love sweet potato with yogurt and nut butter!!
Honestly, I use whatever sunscreen is cheapest. Right now I have Banana Boat Sport SPF 50 (it has Avobenzone but not the others you listed) and off-brand Aveeno SPF 70 for my face (again, only Avobenzone). I’m an avid sunscreen-wearer, but I should probably start being a little pickier about the kinds I buy. Thanks for the info! This website is a good place to check the safety of the ingredients in any skin care products: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
I watched The Bachelorette but never saw The Bachelor that Ali was in. I don’t have a favorite guy yet, but Roberto is definitely in the running
The yogurt bowl with the sweet potato sounds sooooo amazingly good!
Lisa says
Hi Gracie!
After a long hiatus from The Bachelor/ette, I’m hooked again. Ali is still kinda irritating to me, but the teaser at the end of the episode is what hooked me. World traveling, hospital rides, the drama of a non-Bachelor, and Ali (and the guys!)looking totally gorgeous sold it for me.
Lisa
That sweet potato looks delicious!
I have The Bachelorette recorded on my DVR, am about to watch it.
And I use an Olay moisturizer with sunscreen for my face, and Jane Iredale’s dry sunscreen (it’s a powder) for mr arms/legs. I love it, and it is sweat/water proof.
I really didn’t know that about the UVA in sunscreen, now I have to go check mine. I usually use Aveeno suncreen for my face and then coppertone for the rest. I really love these Tan Free Tuesdays!
Holy deliciousness that sweet potato looks amazing! It’s been ages since I had macadamia nut butter, and I think I need to get on that asap
My moisturizer has SPF 15 so my face is protected, but I’m horrible about putting it on my body unless I’m going to be in a bathing suit!
I am having mixed feelings about sunscreen lately. I need to definitely do more research, but I have read in more than one place that some of the chemicals in it actually CAUSE skin cancer. Especially when, (HELLO,) heated by the sun! I have changed my diet a lot in the past few months, eating just a crapload of produce every day, and strangly found that my skin is much more tolerant to the sun. Dr Oz talked about this once.. he used tomato paste as an example.
After saying all this, I do not want to burn this summer. That’s the worst, so I think I will head over to Whole Foods and see what natural sunscreens I can get.
thelittlebeet says
You know, I take code liver oil as a way to get my vitamin D AND omega-3’s. You can get it at any health food store. Just make sure you are getting a well know brand, as I’ve heard there have been problems with CVS, Walmart and GMC brands having a lot of toxins in them.
Also, check out this site I found about choosing a good sunscreen: http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/buyer-beware/
Anyway, good post!
Jenny
Hayley @ Breath of Fire says
Yikes… that sucks that some sunscreens are like, fake sunscreen. My vampire-like complexion needs all the protection it can get!
I usually wear Neutrogena. Sunscreen makes my face break out if it’s too heavy, but Neutrogena ones never do. I also love Dermalogica’s facial sunscreen, but I only use it for the beach since it’s greasier.
Emily says
I felt 100% the same about Ali, I was very turned off by her whining and constantly complaining about other women… But she was cute on the show Monday night & she seemed a lot more humble-I hope she makes good choices, I feel like Jillian made some weird/unexpected choices. ANYway, I can only use neutrogena and I use baby neutrogena lotion on my face (I’m allergic to most types of sunscreen-there’s one ingredient in most sunscreens that makes me break out in hives, I wish I remembered that ingredient’s name…) I’ve only recently started using sunscreen (in the last few years) because it always made me so itchy… Oh well! Very interesting blog post I didn’t know much about the sunscreens we use. Scary.
Gracie says
@thelittlebeet - thanks for the tip and the link!! I’ll have to look into cod liver oil. I’ve been thinking about taking fish oil, but my cardiologist said it might raise my LDL (which is already high).
Gracie says
@Rachel - I think getting natural sunscreens is a great idea. This Prevention article seemed to dispell the rumors that sunscreen can lead to cancers and other health problems, but I’m still a skeptic!
Gracie says
@Cammy - hey Cammy!! To crush almonds/nuts, I put them in a ziplock baggie and then crush them with a meat pounder! A full jar, can, or frying pan would do the trick as well
Gracie says
@Miranda @ MirandasJeans - macadamia butter tastes like…macadamia nuts! haha, that’s the only way to describe it 😛 It’s (naturally) very sweet and creamy, and tastes more buttery than most other nut butters. You should definitely try it! MaraNatha makes it
Mallory says
I actually heard abt this sunscreen issue yesterday in someone else’s blog. I found this website (http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/) that lists over 100 different sunscreens. You can even search for the one you use. I never leave the house without sunscreen and I learned that the 2 I use (Hawaiian Tropic and Neutrogena SPF 100) are among the worst sunscreens you can use! I couldn’t believe! I guess wearing one of the worsts is better than not wearing any at all! I’m going to go out this weekend and try to hunt down the best kinds of sunscreen.
OMG, yum! Way to bust a food rut. I’m going to try the quinoa salad for sure. As far as the macadamia butter, do you know of anything similarly sweet without nuts? I’m allergic
I like sunflower seed butter, but that sounds like it would be kinda weird over a sweet potater.
nicole says
Do you know anything else I can use instead of the Mojo sauce for the southwest quinoa? I’ve never seen that before and don’t know what to compare it to in terms of taste. thanks!
Hi Nicole! You could try using BBQ sauce…? The Mojo sauce has more of a citrus-y flavor, so maybe you could even add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to the BBQ sauce. If you end up trying that, let me know how it turns out!!