Here’s an interesting variation on a summer staple: a classic Cobb salad, but between two slices of bread. It’s colorful, super satisfying, and stacked with all the expected ingredients—chicken, hard-boiled egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a hint of blue cheese. Pack one for a healthy lunch in your breakroom or serve up a platter at your next outdoor gathering.
With the WeightWatchers program and app, you can lose weight and eat healthier. Costco employees can join WeightWatchers for as low as $14 per month, and spouses/domestic partners and dependents can join for as low as $19.50 each per month. Participants must be age 18 or older to join. Sign up at WW.com/Costco or call 866-204-2885.
The two ingredients for the pizza dough in this dish are plain fat-free Greek yogurt and white self-rising flour. If you can’t find self-rising flour, simply whisk 1 cup of regular all-purpose flour with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and 1½ teaspoons baking powder.
This recipe calls for canned tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and turkey pepperoni, but feel free to experiment with whatever sauces, cheeses and meats you have on hand. Be sure to top your pizzas off with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat right before serving. These small finishing touches really elevate the final dish.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Put yogurt and flour in a large bowl. Stir well with a wooden spoon until just combined, then knead dough with your hands until smooth, about two minutes. If kneading is difficult because dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stickiness is gone.
Step 3
Place a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface and sprinkle with a little flour. Place dough on paper. Use a knife to cut dough into four equal pieces.
Step 4
Roll each piece of dough with a rolling pin to create a 6-7-inch oval. Place each oval on prepared baking sheet.
Step 5
Bake until dough is beginning to turn lightly golden, about 18 minutes.
Step 6
Remove from oven and top each oval with ¼ cup sauce, 3 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese and 5 pieces of pepperoni. Return to oven and bake a few more minutes, until dough is cooked through and cheese is melted.
Step 7
Serve each pizza sprinkled with 1 tablespoon parmesan, ½ tablespoon basil and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
With the WeightWatchers program and app, you can lose weight and eat healthier. Costco employees can join WeightWatchers for as low as $14 per month, and spouses/domestic partners and dependents can join for as low as $19.50 each per month. Participants must be age 18 or older to join. Sign up at WW.com/Costco or call 866-204-2885.
Frozen ravioli serves as both the pasta and cheese filling in this super-easy and wallet-friendly riff on lasagna. Layered with marinara sauce, garlicky spinach, and a finishing touch of mozzarella, it’s saucy, rich and cheesy. While you could make this recipe in a casserole dish, using a muffin tin helps with portion control. Prep tip: Use frozen spinach in a bag instead of a box. Bagged spinach stays more separate and thaws more quickly than the solid block you’ll get from a box.
¾ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces)
Directions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli and boil 2 minutes. Drain and pat ravioli dry with paper towels.
Step 3
In a small skillet over medium heat, warm oil and garlic until fragrant and barely golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from spinach and “fluff” spinach with fingers. Stir spinach into oil mixture.
Step 4
Into each muffin cup, layer 1 ravioli, 1 tablespoon marinara sauce, about 1 ½ tablespoons spinach, 1 ravioli, 1 tablespoon marinara sauce, and 1 tablespoon mozzarella.
Step 5
Bake, uncovered, until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Broil 1 or 2 minutes to lightly brown the cheese, if desired.
With the WeightWatchers program and app, you can lose weight and eat healthier. Costco employees can join WeightWatchers for as low as $14 per month, and spouses/domestic partners and dependents can join for as low as $19.50 each per month. Participants must be age 18 or older to join. Sign up at WW.com/Costco or call 866-204-2885.
Sometimes, the best busy-day, time-is-tight meals are the ones you put together instead of cook. Here’sa great example: a rice bowl you build from convenience foods, including precooked rice, rotisserie chicken, coleslaw mix and salsa. Creamy avocado is the perfect finishing touch. Since all the seasoning comes from the salsa, choose one that delivers the flavors you love, from spicy to tangy to smokey. Serve the rice and chicken chilled, heated or at room temperature.
With the WeightWatchers program and app, you can lose weight and eat healthier. Costco employees can join WeightWatchers for as low as $14 per month, and spouses/domestic partners and dependents can join for as low as $19.50 each per month. Participants must be age 18 or older to join. Sign up at WW.com/Costco or call 866-204-2885.
Though many Costco employees are on the move throughout their workday, an increasing number of us spend far too much time sitting. And that can be disastrous for long-term health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not getting enough physical activity can lead to heart disease — even for people who have no other risk factors. It can also increase the likelihood of developing other heart disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.
So what can you do to keep moving? Any activity works, especially those you enjoy doing. Whether it’s yoga, Zumba, a pick-up basketball game or simply walking around your neighborhood, the benefits of moving can improve your long-term health, your mental outlook and your quality of life.
According to the CDC, physical activity is one of the best things you can do to improve your health. Here are 10 benefits of physical activity to get you moving today!
Better mood
Adding more movement to your life can immediately reduce feelings of anxiety and help you sleep better. One possible explanation is that physical activity produces endorphins, or “feel good” chemicals in the brain, helping you deal with stress. Try taking a walk during your work breaks to give your mood a quick boost, and forming or joining a walking group to help you stay socially connected to your neighbors and friends.
Better brain function
Physical activity helps to increase blood flow to the brain, improving concentration and mental clarity. Staying physically active can keep your thinking, learning and judgment skills sharp and delay their decline as you age.
More money in your wallet
In the U.S., $117 billion in health care costs each year are related to low physical activity. Not getting enough physical activity can increase your risk of developing a chronic disease, which comes with higher health care costs. Staying active is good for your health and your wallet, too.
Lower risk of heart disease and stroke
Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. About 110,000 deaths per year could be prevented if U.S. adults age 40 and older increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by even 10 minutes a day.
Being regularly active strengthens your heart muscle and lowers your blood pressure to help reduce your risk of developing these diseases. Regular physical activity can also improve your cholesterol levels.
Lower risk of type 2 diabetes or diabetes complications
More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, including approximately 18,000 Costco employees and their enrolled dependents. Another 88 million U.S. adults have a condition called prediabetes, which puts them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Regular physical activity makes your body more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that controls levels of sugar in your blood. This can help prevent type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes (type 1 or type 2), you can help control your blood sugar levels by staying active.
Lower risk of some cancers
Getting the recommended amount of physical activity can help keep the immune system healthy and regulate some hormones that contribute to the development of cancer. Being active can lower risks of cancers of the bladder, breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, lung and stomach.
Stronger bones and muscles
Aging can cause bones to become weak and fragile over time. We also tend to lose muscle as we age. Doing aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening physical activities of at least moderate intensity can increase muscle mass and slow the loss of bone density. Being physically active also strengthens muscles around joints to ease arthritis pain, and improves balance and coordination to reduce the risk of hip fracture.
Less time away from work
People who are not physically active tend to miss work unexpectedly. Want to add some activity to your workday? Try talking on the go, physical activity breaks during long meetings or taking a walk during your lunch break.
Better grades in school
For kids, school physical activity programs can improve attention and some measures of academic performance. Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, brain function and classroom behaviors. For kids with ADHD, exercise can also be a big help in managing their symptoms.
Improved relationships
In addition to producing “feel good” endorphins, physical activity reduces levels of your body’s stress hormones. And with less stress comes more patience, positivity and empathy. Make physical activity part of your family’s daily routine by taking family walks or playing active games together.
If you’re wondering how to add physical activity to your life, start by picking activities that are enjoyable and a good fit for you — and your kids. This will help everyone stay in the game! Also, if you have a chronic health condition, such as heart disease or arthritis, talk with your doctor first about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.
