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Blue Zones Project

Blue Zones Project is a community-wide well-being improvement initiative to help make healthy choices easier in Dodge County. Blue Zones Project encourages changes to our community that lead to healthier options. By bringing residents, worksites, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, and government together, Blue Zones Project will inspire a community movement that has the power to improve the quality of life for everyone.

-Blue Zones Project

By studying the communities that have the highest life spans, Dan Buettner, the author of The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest, has come up with 9 principals that are designed to help us live healthier lives.

To read more about those principals and the history of the project, click here to go to their website!

Dodge County is about to be a part of something big: a well-being initiative called Blue Zones Project. Inspired by the world's longest-lived cultures, the Project is all about making healthy choices easier right here in Dodge County. Bringing more place sto walk and bike outdoors. More healthy foods. And more ways to connect with family, friends and neighbors. 

Eating well has never been easier! Here are a few recipies that the Blue Zones Project swears by!

For Breakfast:

   Granola
One of the ways Adventists like to start their day is with a bowl of granola. It's often made with cholesterol-lowering oats. Serve it with goat's or soy milk. This granola will keep in a sealed, airtight container for about 2 months.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped unsalted nuts
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup walnut oil, pecan oil, or olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup drid berries, apples, pears, or pitted dates

Preparation:

  • Position the rack in the center of the oven and heat theoven to 350 degrees F
  • Mix the oats, nuts, honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until web comined. Spread on a large lipped baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and continue baking until golden brown, about another 10 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack. Sprinkle the dried berries or fruit on top; stir well. Cool to room temperature about 1 hour. 

 

For Lunch:

   Corn Chowder
Corn chowder is universally appealing, especially among children, because of its sweet taste and creamy texture.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion
  • 6 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 to 7 cups FOK Vegetable Stock
  • 6 cups fresh or forzen corn kernels
  • 1 large resset potato
  • 1 medium red bell peper
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fesh thyme
  • 1/3 cup almong flour
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

  • In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, place the onion, garlic and 1 1/2 cups of the vegetable stock. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the corn, potato and 4 1/2 cups of the remaining stock. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is soft, 10 to 15 minutes. 
  • Transfer half the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot. Add up to 1 cup stock to adjust the consistency if necessary.
  • Add the bell pepper, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, until the flavors have blended and the pepper is tender. Meanwhile, place the flour and 1/3 cup water in the blender and blend until smooth. Stir the almond cream into the chower. Add salt and peper to taste. Serve hot.

 

For Dinner:

   Zucchini Noodles

While some legumes take preparation, lentils require no soaking. They're as easy to make as a serving of pasta, but have a much denser nutrient profile.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup white lentils
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons filter water
  • 1 teaspoon mellow/light miso
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure maple syrup/agave nectar
  • sea salt and ground black peper to taste

Noodle Ingredients:

  • 4 medium zucchinis
  • roasted vegetables
  • extra basil for garnish

Cheesy Sunflower Sprinkle Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon mellow/light miso

Preparation:

  • Start by bringing a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lentils to the water and stir. Bring the lentils back up to a hearty simmer. Cook the lentils until slightly mushy, about 25 minutes. Drain the lentils and trasnfer them to the bowl of a food processor.
  • To the food processor bowl, add the chopped spirng onion greens, basil, olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, miso, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Run the motor of the food processor on high until you have a smooth and creamy consistency, stopping to scrape the sides down a couple times. Check the saue for seasoning, adjust, and set aside.
  • Run the zucchinis through a spiralizer or make strands out of them with a julienne peeler. Place zucchini noodles in a large bowl. Toss zucchini noodles with teh spring onion miso sauce, and some salt and peper to taste. Once the noodles are coated, divide them among 4 serving bowls. Top the creamy zucchini noodles with the cheesy sunflower spirnkle, roasted vegetables, and chopped basil. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Sunflower Sprinkle Directions:

  • Combine the sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, and miso in the bowl of a food processor. 
  • Run the motor of the food processor on high until you have a crumbly, dusty consistency.
  • Transfer chessy sunflower sprinkle to another bowl, wipe the food processor bowl out with a dry towel, and return it to the base.

If you would like to see more delious and healthy recipes, click here to go to their website!

Blue Zones Project is proud to announce the first ever Blue Zone Resturant!

NOLA North Grille held a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 28th, 2017 to celebrate their Blue Zones Project approval!

“Our mission will always be to provide affordable, wholesome, and delicious food that can be enjoyed for a casual night out with friends or a special occasion within an inviting, historic setting,” said Keith Hill, owner of NOLA North Grille. “We believe that the enhancements we have achieved while becoming Blue Zones Project Approved enable us to accomplish this mission for a greater audience than ever before.”

Blue Zones Project principles are based on lifestyles in Blue Zones, areas of the world where people live longer with less chronic disease and higher quality of life. NOLA North Grille added new, plant-based choices to its menu. Patrons will find tasty additions such as the Heirloom Bean Salad with Brussels Sprout Slaw, Quinoa, and Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette; the Roasted Vegetable Gratin with Chickpea, Tomato, and Roasted Cauliflower "Fondue"; and the Red Goat "Pizza" with Roasted Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomato, Thin Red Onion, and Goat Cheese served on a whole grain brown rice crust.