but with the recent outbreak, we are taking additional measures to ensure your safety.

We want our patients to feel safe no matter how they choose to be seen; in a traditional office setting or via Telemedicine.

Here’s an Overview of our Process for Office Visits

• Patients will be pre-screened at check-in for COVID-19 related symptoms

• Those who have COVID-19 related symptoms will be asked to register in their vehicle

  and will be brought directly into an exam room when the provider is ready to see them

• Those who do not have COVID-19 related symptoms:

   •May choose to wait in their car if they prefer to OR

   •They may remain in the lobby while following safe distancing procedures

We’re Taking Additional Steps to Ensure your Safety

• Hand sanitizer is readily available throughout the lobby and exam rooms

• Routine cleaning of the lobby, counters, restrooms, and door handles

• Lobby magazines, books, and children’s toys have been removed as these items are

  difficult to disinfect

•Exam rooms are sanitized after every patient

•Limit of 1 accompanying person per patient

•All employees’ temperatures are checked at the beginning and end of every shift

•Staff are wearing appropriate PPE, which may include masks, gloves, and sometimes goggles and suits, to reduce risk of exposure so we may stay healthy to care for our communities 

In addition to our precautionary methods, we continue to offer same-day COVID-19 testing. Click here to find out how to schedule an appointment at one of our locations or via Telemedicine.

The post We’re Taking Steps to Keep our Offices Germ-Free appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Work it Out

There aren’t many activities that double as a low-impact work-out regimen and provide you with some healthy subsistence to keep you going. Gardening offers plenty of both.

Between the squatting down, the pulling of weeds, and kneading the soil, your body gets plenty of movement to get your blood pumping. You don’t even realize all the work that goes into maintaining the garden until you feel it in your muscles by the end of the day.

Getting in some time in your garden gives you 1.5-2 hours of physical activity a week, which goes a long way. There’s always plenty of upkeep to do; between the soil, weeding, watering and checking on your little growing seedlings.

Healthy Eating

Maintaining a garden guarantees you know exactly what you’re eating when it comes time for harvest. There’s no need to worry about what pesticides or other chemicals are being used. Plus, you get to grow what you want to eat and get plenty of it.

Nothing tastes better than produce grown with your hard work. You end up eating more vegetables and fruits, which is never a bad thing. Vegetables picked when ripe have more nutrients, unlike some store-bought vegetables that are picked early.

Top off your gardening with some vitamin D from your time in the sun and an increase of dopamine from spending time in your garden, and you’re looking at some great benefits. It reduces stress while being a physically challenging yet enjoyable activity.

Staying Safe in the Sun

While you sit out in your garden soaking in the sunshine and tilling to your garden, it’s important to remember to keep yourself safe: apply sunscreen regularly, use insect repellent, and wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face.

Wear gardening gloves to reduce rashes, cuts, and chemicals from getting on your hands as you work in your soil. If you end up using any machinery or power tools, make sure you wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes, and long pants.

When using any tools or chemicals, make sure you follow the instructions and heed any warnings. Keep your tools sharp, and out of the reach of children.

Drink plenty of fluids, take breaks often, and pay attention to sign of any heat-related illnesses. The last thing you want is for your relaxing day of gardening to take a turn for the worst.

Gardening is a great relaxing activity if you are prepared and have the right mindset. Plus, it can be great fun getting the whole family involved.

If you happen to overdo it while gardening, whether it’s muscle strain, heatstroke, or insect bites, please drop by one of our locations, or click here to schedule a Telemedicine visit.

The post Tips for Happy & Healthy Gardening appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Baked Apples Stuffed with Yumminess

8 medium to large apples (Honeycrisp, Empire, or Braeburn apples work great for this recipe)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries or raisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon                                                                                                                    
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp finely ground sea salt
2 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup + 3 tbsp water, divided

 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) degrees

 2. Wash and carefully core the apples with a paring knife. Scrape the bottom of the core out with a spoon, making sure that you don’t put a hole in the bottom of the apple.

FOR THE FILLING

 1. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, walnuts, cranberries or raisins, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, vegan butter, and 3 tbsp (45 ml) of water. Use your hands to mix it together, pressing the butter into the oats until it becomes sticky.

 2. Put the apples in a deep baking dish and pour one cup of water in the pan. Liberally spoon the filling into the apples to the top and cover the pan with foil.

 3. Bake for approximately one hour, or until fork tender. Serve warm and top with vanilla ice-cream if desired.

3 Ingredient Banana-Busting Brownies

3 large bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed) very ripe will give the best flavor
1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
1 1/2 cups raw almond butter crunchy, oil slightly drained
(optional) ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-in. x 9-in. square baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray or rubbing coconut oil around the sides and bottom so the brownies do not stick.

 2. In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Add the almond butter and mix until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and optional cinnamon and blend until no visible cocoa powder is seen.

 3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until set and slightly dark on the top.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.

Instant Pot Caramel Apple Pie Yum-Yum

For the Whole Wheat Coconut Oil Pie Crust 
(can substitute with any pie crust, graham cracker crust, or prebaked puff pastry)2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, can substitute white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup coconut oil – scoopable, not liquid
5–6 tablespoons ice cold water

For the Caramel Apple Pie Filling

4 pounds honey crisp apples
1 1/2 cups whole dates
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons apple juice, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Apple Butter Whipped Cream 

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup apple butter
pinch of cinnamon
1–2 tablespoons maple syrup, optional for a sweeter cream

INSTRUCTIONS

 1. For the Whole Wheat Coconut Oil Pie Crust

 2. To the bowl of a food processor, add flour and salt.  Pulse a few times to combine.

 3. Next add scoops of coconut oil.  Pulse 5-6 times or until it resembles wet sand.  This could also be done with 2 knives or a pastry blender.

 4. Add 5 tablespoons of ice cold water and pulse 5-6 times until it starts to come together, adding an extra tablespoon of water if it’s too dry.  You should be able to press it with your hand and have the mixture stay together.  If it falls apart like sand, it needs an extra tablespoon of water.

 5. Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a flat disc with your hands.

 6. Flour the top of the dough and use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a circle just wider than a 9 inch pie plate and about 1/8-inch thick.  Add extra flour to the bottom surface and top to prevent it from sticking while rolling it out.

 7. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin to transfer it to your pie plate.  Shape the edges as desired.  Use a fork to poke the bottom of the crust.

 8. Bake pie crust at 350° F for 20-25 minutes.  The crust won’t brown significantly, so when it feels crisp and dry to the touch, remove from oven.

 9. Let cool completely before filling.  Can store in a gallon sized ziplock once it’s cooled if not using the same day.

For the Caramel Apple Pie Filling

 1. Peel, core, and slice all the apples to about 1/4-inch thick.  I like to use an apple peeler to make this really fast.  Place apples in the pressure cooker pot and set aside

 2. Pit the dates and use kitchen shears or sharp, clean scissors to cut them into 6-8 pieces each.  You can also use a sharp knife but the shears make it a lot easier.

 3. Add dates to the pot of apples.

 4. Add cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of apple juice.  Toss everything to combine.

 5. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 1 minute.

 6. While the apples are cooking, make the Apple Butter Whipped Cream (instructions below)

 7. When cooking is complete, use a quick release.

 8. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of apple juice.  Using the saute function of the pressure cooker, bring apples to a light simmer then stir in cornstarch slurry.

 9. Gently stir, just until mixture thickens, then immediately take off the heat to prevent the apples from overcooking.

 10. Pour the hot apples directly into the cooled pie crust.

Enjoy hot with a big dollop of Apple Butter Whipped Cream.

Can also be eaten at room temperature or chilled from the refrigerator.  Reheats perfectly in the microwave (for breakfast!).

For the Apple Butter Whipped Cream

Place apple butter, heavy cream, and cinnamon into a high speed blender and blend at medium speed, until thick.  Alternatively, use a bowl and a hand mixer.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Can be made up to 2 days in advance, although it becomes looser as it sits, which is actually amazing over the pie!

Easy as 1-2-3 Fruit Salad

1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups strawberries cut in halves
4 tangerines separated into sections
3 cups pineapple chunks
3 kiwi peeled and sliced
2 cups blueberries
2 cups red grapes
mint optional

 1. Add the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey to a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking for 3-4 minutes then turn off, add in the vanilla and let cool completely.

 2. Add the fruit to a large bowl and toss carefully with the sauce and refrigerate for at least two hours (you can also toss each fruit individually and line up the fruits in rainbow order then garnish the fruit salad with mint).

Easy-Peasy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup white sugar
1 egg

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

 2. Mix peanut butter, sugar, and egg together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Roll mixture into small balls and arrange on a baking sheet; flatten each with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern.

 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a plate.

The post Easy Desserts to Make While Self-Quarantining appeared first on Quick Med Care.

 

 

1.   Mixed Nuts and Trail Mix

• Nuts are a great nutritious snack, they provide the perfect balance of healthy fats, proteins and fiber
• They are very filling, so if you eat them in moderation, you may lose weight
• They don’t need refrigeration so you can take them anywhere and eat them anytime
• Add dried fruit, pretzels or maybe even some candy-coated chocolate pieces and you’ll have yourself a great snack 

2. Red Bell Pepper with Guacamole

• Bell peppers are nutritious, with red ones being high in antioxidants, like beta carotene, capsanthin and quercetin
• They are extremely rich in vitamin C, having over 300% of the daily recommended value
• Bell pepper, paired with guacamole, is high in healthy fat and fiber

3. Greek Yogurt and Berries/Nuts

• Greek yogurt is high in protein, calcium and potassium
• Add mixed berries, which are high in antioxidants, and maybe some nuts, and you get a delicious nutritious snack

4. Apple Slices and Peanut Butter

• This common snacking staple is tasty and good for you
• Apples are high in fiber and antioxidants that improve gut health and reduce heart disease risk
• Peanut butter in moderation has been shown to increase good cholesterol and reduce bad cholesterol

5. Hard Boiled Eggs

• Eggs are one of the healthiest and weight-loss friendly foods you can eat
• They pack plenty of protein and vitamins K2 and B12
• They are super filling and won’t leave you wanting to snack for a few hours

6. Cottage Cheese with Flax Seed and Cinnamon

• Cottage cheese is high in protein and very filling
• It pairs great with flax seed, which is known for blood sugar control and aiding in weight loss
• Add in some cinnamon for flavor, which aids in lowering blood sugar and may help with gut health 

7. Celery Sticks and Cream Cheese or Peanut Butter

• Celery has been a go-to food for healthy eaters for years for it’s inflammation-reducing antioxidant properties
• Pair celery with your choice of cream cheese or peanut butter and you get a delicious low-carb and filling snack

8. Kale Chips

• Kale is extremely healthy as it’s loaded with quercetin and kaempferol, which lowers blood pressure and reduces your risk of colon cancer
• Drizzle kale leaves with olive oil and salt. Bake them in a 350 ° oven for 10-15 minutes for a crunchy snack

9. Veggies and Hummus

• Hummus is great paired with many of your favorite vegetables
• Take any of the benefits of  your chosen veggies and add hummus to the mix to improve heart health and reduce inflammation 

10. Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella

• Tomatoes and mozzarella cheese match flavors beautifully
• Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium and lycopene, and are a staple food for many cultures
• Pair tomatoes with a high-protein, high-calcium, B12-loaded layer of mozzarella, and you have healthy snack

There are many more healthy snack pairings that you can eat and enjoy. We’ve just introduced you to a couple that are high on our snacking (and crunching) radar. Let us know what snacks you love and how you’ve paired them for extra tastiness.

The post Top 10 Healthy Snacks appeared first on Quick Med Care.