Foodie

My Favorite Things...

2011-04-28T18:39:00.001-07:00

Eat breakfast. Every day.
Why? Because when you don't, you set your whole day up poorly. Firstly, you haven't put anything in your body in nearly 12 hours-- your metabolism has slowed and you need to stoke that furnace if you are going to be a lean, mean, calorie-burning machine today. Without carbohydrate, you won't have energy and your mental capacity is lower (mine's bad enough before my second cup of coffee), plus your body will turn to burning lean tissue (a.k.a. muscle) for fuel... without protein, your body can't rebuild and repair itself... plus carbohydrate alone won't last you very long. Your body can plow through some straight carbohydrate (a.k.a. Cheerios or many other popular cereals) in less than 2 hours, leaving you feeling sluggish and reaching for your next carb fix. The solution? Start your day with a balance of nutrients, mainly carbohydrate, protein and some fiber to slow down digestion and make those carbs a little more complex (so they last longer).

So, there are a few products out there that I recommend to just about everyone. Let's start with breakfast-- this cereal is top-notch. 9 grams of protein (before you even add milk!), 8 grams of fiber plus essential fatty acids. The plain ol' GoLean (minus the crunch) has only 140 calories per serving and a whopping 10 grams of fiber plus 13 grams of protein.

Put the Cheerios away, people.

2011-03-22T19:23:00.001-07:00

Dinner... in 30 minutes... because I had a plan.

Rule #2: Have A Plan

2011-03-22T19:19:00.001-07:00

What governs the majority of our food choices? Often, what's around. Controlling your food environment helps with this, but so does knowing what you are going to eat BEFORE you are so hungry that you no longer care. Take an hour of your weekend to plan your meals for the upcoming week. Post 'em on your fridge so you remember. Then, make a shopping list for those meals and stick to it.

Rule #1: Control Your Food Environment

2011-03-20T16:14:00.001-07:00

This starts at home, folks. Stock you fridge and cupboards with fresh vegetables and fruit, lean meats and whole grains. If you don't want to eat junk, DON'T BUY IT!

Feed Yourself.

2011-03-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

See my plate? That's dinner. It's 1/2 full of vegetables, a vegetable-based starch topped with heart healthy fat and a 3 oz. portion of lean meat. It took me about 20 minutes to prepare. It was delicious. It was filling.
This is not rocket science... I would go so far as to say it's common sense (if there is any such thing). People pay me for this advice-- it's nuts.

What to Eat

2011-03-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

I tell people what to eat. Every day. All day. Some people listen, some don't. While it's true, there is no "one perfect way to eat for every person," there are some basics that work for damn near everybody. I can tell you this... calories in vs. calories out is a myth. At best, it is an oversimplification. Energy balance is a complicated equation that involves common sense (I mean, seriously-- we all know what to eat... often, we just choose to disregard this knowledge), individual biometrics (height, weight, age, activity level) and a healthy dose of planning and mindfulness. Do you want to best your best self? Fantastic-- are you willing to put in some work to make it happen? No? Well, then I hope you like the person you are now because it isn't going to change... and it might get worse. Chew on that.

Back... By Popular Demand.

2011-03-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

Excuse me while I rant.
America needs an enema.
24 million of us have diabetes. 81 million of us have cardiovascular disease. 74 million have hypertension. Over 60% of us are overweight-- over 30% of us are obese. America, wake the hell up! You are killing yourselves. You eat a diet based on convenience with absolutely no regard for nourishment. You estabish this pattern as the norm for your children. You feel bad. You are so accustomed to feeling bad, you don't even realize how bad you feel. Don't you want to change? Don't you want to eat food that not only tastes good, but that makes your feel good... inside and out? Don't you want to have energy? Don't you want to feel good about yourself, maybe even love the person staring back at you in the mirror?

No one can make this committment for you. Simply wanting to change is not enough. This is a call to action.
More to follow...

Cowgirl Supper

2009-02-22T17:30:00.001-08:00

Been a while since I’ve posted a recipe…
I’m calling this one “Cowgirl Supper” because my little girl loved it (can’t remember the last time I saw her eat with such relish!)… and my husband and I liked it too. Such a rare treat to find something we all enjoy.

What you’ll need:
1 lb. lean (90/10) ground bison (although beef would work fine)
1 can reduced sodium black beans (15 oz) - Undrained
1 can petite diced tomatoes (15 oz) – Undrained
1 cup frozen yellow corn (extra sweet Niblets work great!)
1 jar Traditional spaghetti sauce (15 oz)
1 ½ cups elbow pasta (I used DHA fortified Barilla Plus)
½ cup water
Shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Brown the beef at medium high heat in a large walled-skillet. Then add all remaining ingredients except cheese and simmer until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle top with cheese. Enjoy!
(For some extra zing you can add a couple of tablespoons of chili powder, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you are trying to feed a picky toddler)

Eating Well's Nutrient Library

2008-12-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

Want to know why a certain vitamin or mineral is good for you? Want to know what foods to find it in and how much you need in your daily diet? Then check out Eating Well Magazine’s online Nutrient Library.

This resource features highlights on 27 essential nutrients and why they promote good health. The site even offers a Food Sources Table which tells you which foods are rich in the featured essential nutrients. You can then browse the website to find recipes that incorporate these foods.

If you want to know more about the vitamins and mineral required in your diet, what happens if you get too little or too much, and which foods offer the best nutrient composition, this is the place to look. I’ve taken entire courses on this material and can honestly say that the info. presented here is all most of us would ever need to know…

Check it out: http://www.eatingwell.com/health/nutrient_library/nutrient_library.html

Seasons Eatings!

2008-12-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

Some of my friends say I ruin the holidays with all my talk of healthy eating, moderation and compensation for over-indulgence with physical activity. I want to thank my Mother-in-law for the following instructional guide to making the most out of the holiday season. Enjoy!

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS from Nancy:

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave
immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare... You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog'oholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car
with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the
buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and a vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the
center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert?
Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start
over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn
out and screaming 'WOO-HOO, what a ride!'"

So, to be clear, the views expressed in this post are not necessarily those of the blogger. Pretty much do the exact opposite of these tips and you'll respect yourself on New Years Day!!!

Happy Holidays.

Don't just believe what you read...

2008-12-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

It seems one cannot open a newspaper or magazine, turn on the television or log on to their computer without being inundated with health-related news. Countless publications and websites are dedicated to informing the public about everything from drug efficacy to nutrition advice, often presenting conflicting information. Some sources seem reputable, others may not. How do you sort out the fact from the fiction?

Check out Health News Review.org. I first heard about this website from a spot on NPR’s Morning Edition and am very impressed. This project, supported by The Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making, was established to improve the accuracy of health reporting and help consumers make informed decisions about health care. Reviewers are qualified members of the medical and public health fields, with the appropriate credentials to be authorities on health-related topics. They review news stories which make specific claims with regard to treatments, procedures, drugs, vitamins and nutritional supplements, and diagnostic/screening tests and score them based on a standardized rating system. Articles are given “stars” based on how they fair on 10 different criteria, specifically:
1. Availability of treatment/product/test/procedure
2. If and how costs are mentioned in the article
3. If there is evidence of “disease mongering” in the story
4. Does the article grasp the quality of the evidence? (e.g. adequately point out limitations)
5. How harmful evidence of treatment/test/product/procedure is reported
6. Does the article establish true “novelty” of approach (is it really new information?)
7. How the benefits of the treatment/test/product/procedure are framed (through objective, quantitative data)
8. Whether the article seems to rely solely or largely on a news release
9. Is information from an independent source or are potential conflicts of interest reported?
10. Whether or not alternative options are presented.

This website is clearly a great resource to investigate health claims-- Access it for yourself at: http://www.healthnewsreview.org/

Hormones and Antibiotics, Oh My!

2008-11-29T11:57:00.000-08:00

Consumers, beware! Don’t believe everything you read on the label.

Due to concern over growth hormones and antibiotic accumulation, many companies have started labeling their products as “Hormone Free” or “Raised Without Antibiotics.” While this trend may have begun as a means to help us avoid taking in excess toxins with potential long-term consequences, this has evolved into a mere marketing ploy. For example, Tyson Chicken has recently “come clean” about their practice of labeling chicken as “Raised Without Antibiotics” even though they do, in fact, inject their chickens with them. They skirt the issue by injecting the birds before they are hatched so that their claim is still technically true. Shady.

With regard to “Hormone-free “milk, you simply have to trust the producer. The hormones in question occur naturally in cows, so it would be nearly impossible to test for the addition of extra, synthetic ones. Producers have to sign an affidavit stating that they don’t inject these hormones (specifically, rGBH), but who trusts corporations these days… Monsanto, the company that manufactures the synthetic hormone, claims that milk from these cows is just as safe as the all-natural variety. Maybe we should just believe them—I’m sure they have our best interest at heart (*wink*)

Sweet Potato Muffins

2008-11-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

I baked up a batch of some fabulously healthy, yet terribly delicious muffins this morning and thought I’d share my recipe!

Sweet Potato Muffins

You’ll need:

2 small sweet potatoes

2 eggs

1/3 c. canola oil

1 large apple, peeled and diced

1c. AP flour

1c. whole wheat flour

¼ c. ground flaxseed meal

2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until tender and scoop out the flesh (you’ll need about 1 cup). Mash or puree potato until smooth, then add the eggs, oil and apple.

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, then add to sweet potato mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon into greased muffin or mini muffin pan and bake 10 minutes for mini muffins, 15 to 20 minutes for full sized (or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean).

Enjoy!

Tonight's Tasty Supper

2008-11-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

No pics available because we ate it all...
Check out this month's Eating Well (I swear we'd starve without this magazine) for a delicious Ethiopian-inspired Lentil Stew... Magazine is in the bedroom (along with a sleeping baby), so let's see if I can get it from memory-- I tweaked it a bit anyway...
1 cup of green lentils, rinsed, sorted
1 cup frozen edamame
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 16oz. can diced tomatoes
6 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup quick cooking barley*
1/2 tbsp. ground chili pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika*
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cardamom*
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash Kosher salt*
dash ground clove
2 16oz. cans reduced sodium chicken broth* (because I left it cooking on high while bathing the baby and it soaked up all the water-- but I think this was a tasty addition)

Cook lentils in a small sauce pan (enough water to cover about an inch over the lentils) until tender
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions-- cook until translucent (5 minutes). Add tomatoes, edamame, spices, lemon juice, barley and one can of broth. Reduce heat and simmer until barley is cooked (10 minutes). Add mint and parsley. Add more broth as needed.
I served it with a loaf of crusty whole grain bread from the bakery.
Delish!!!!

*my additions

Stuffed Squash... Yum!

2008-11-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

Perfect Fall Recipe: Stuffed Acorn Squash
(adapted from Eating Well)

You'll Need:
3 medium sized Acorn Squash
1/2 lb. lean ground sausage (I use Gimme Lean vegetarian sausage)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 16 oz. can diced stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup frozen sweet corn
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Hot sauce to taste
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

To Make:
Cut squash in half and scoop seeds. Bake in oven preheated to 375 deg. , face down on greased cookie sheet for about 45 minutes or until tender.

While your squash bakes, prepare your filling. Brown sausage over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until soft (5 minutes). Add garlic, cumin and chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Next, stir in tomatoes, beans, corn, salt and hot sauce and cook until heated through.

After you've finished baking the squash, reduce oven temp. to 325. Turn squash cup side up and fill with sausage mixture. Top each with cheese and bake 10 minutes (or until cheese is melted... but not burned!)

Seve with a side of kale sauteed with kosher salt, olive oil and garlic for a perfect Fall meal.

Eat to Fight Breast Cancer

2008-10-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Were you aware that there are dietary measures you can take to reduce your risk and possibly even increase the efficacy of treatment? A two-time cancer survivor and dietitian, Diana Grant Dyer, has developed what she dubs “The Breast Cancer Diet” which she credits with her own recovery.

3 to 6 daily servings of whole grains – maximize your fiber intake to lower cholesterol which the body uses to synthesize estrogen. High estrogen levels are associated with breast cancer.
1 or 2 daily servings of beans – again, to boost your fiber intake.
2 ounces of nuts several times weekly – more fiber and a healthy dose of monounsaturated fat. Research links high consumption of monounsaturated fat with lower incidence of breast cancer.
9 or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables – again fiber, fiber, fiber… plus phytochemicals and antioxidants that help your body fight off cancer causing free radicals.
1 to 2 daily servings of low fat, organic (hormone free) dairy products- it’s high conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content has been shown to fight cancer (and fat!). CLA supplements are not recommended, however, and the benefits are maximized when CLA is obtained through natural food sources, such as 2% or 1% milk.
1 to 2 daily servings of soy products – soybeans are full of naturally occurring anti-cancer compounds. Diets rich in soy (think that of Japanese women) have been associated with lower rates of certain types of cancer.
2 or 3 weekly servings of fatty fish – the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon have been shown to reduce inflammation and reduce rates of several types of cancer.
1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily – to provide more omega-3 fatty acids. Also, recent research suggests that flax may act to combat estrogen in the body, making it antagonistic toward certain types of tumors.
Drink green tea – it is rich in EGCG, which stops cancer cells from growing by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase action in the body, which in turn inhibits certain types of cellular growth..
Cook with olive or canola oil – boost your intake of monounsaturated fat!

These nutritional tips, along with increased physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight and limiting alcohol intake (or cut it out all together) are excellent ways to reduce your risk for breast cancer and may make your body more receptive to treatment if it has already been detected.
Show your support of the ongoing search for a cure by participating in a local Race for the Cure!

(http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/the-breast-cancerfighting-diet.html)

White Wheat Nutrition

2008-10-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

If you listen to many nutritionists, eating white bread is tantamount to eating straight sugar from the bowl. Its refined nature makes it very quickly digestible, therefore leading to a rapid conversion of its carbohydrate content to glucose. Consequently, it causes a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a subsequent drop. Don’t be fooled into thinking it is nutritional, simply because it is enriched with vitamins and minerals—they are only there to replace the natural nutrients that get lost in the manufacturing process.

White wheat is made from an albino strain of wheat, so if it is true white wheat, it is unrefined and unprocessed making it just as nutritious as wheat bread. It's a good way to boost whole grain consumption and daily fiber intake for folks who don't like wheat bread, as long as it is made from 100% white wheat flour (check the label for words like "enriched" that indicate it is the less-nutritious processed variety).

To maximize lunchtime nutrition, try making sandwiches on white wheat bread that has less than 70 calories per slice. Add a lean protein source, 2% milk-based cheese, fresh spinach and sliced tomato-- a perfectly balanced meal!

Food Safety

2008-09-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

September is National Food Safety Month (and National Corndog Month, but I guess that's not exactly nutrition-blog worthy), so I thought I would highlight the need for food safety measures. When most people think of food safety, they think of restaurants and grocery stores, but many (perhaps even MOST) cases of food-borne illness happen at home. Case in point, when I was finishing my undergraduate degree in nutrition (and coincidentally enrolled in aServSafe food safety class) I gave myself the worst case of food poisoning I have ever experienced. Despite the fact that I got an A in the course (so I know how to safely prepare food!), I made a few cardinal mistakes in making a simple soup from leftovers. First of all, it is not a good idea to leave your leftover Thanksgiving turkey carcass languishing in a stock pot in the back of the fridge for a week. However, this was a transgression that could have been overcome had I not sampled the soup in preparation several times before it came up to temperature. Needless to say I was laid out by what I assume to be clostridium perfringens. Not fun. Learn from my mistakes and practice good food safety at home.
The website for the American Dietetic Association suggests the following measures to help prevent food borne illness:
*Wash your hands often- before cooking, after handling raw meat, wiping your nose, etc. etc. etc. Use antibacterial soap and scrub well (hum a verse of the birthday song to get in a good 20 seconds). Use a nailbrush to clean potentially harmful bacteria lurking under fingernails.
*Keep a clean workspace- don't reuse cutting boards after using with raw meats (wash and disinfect them), don't have your space cluttered with non-food items like your purse or beverage and wash your counters before preparing food.
*Wash all utensils, cutting boards and dishware in hot, soapy water before and after use.
*Wash towels and dishcloths often, using hot water in the washing machine. Sterilize sponges by microwaving or in the dishwasher on an NSF cycle... or throw them out!
*Maintain proper temperature in your refrigerator and freezer (and when cooking). Temps from 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit are the "temperature danger zone" where bacteria breed the best. Invest in thermometers to check your fridge temp and meat thermometers for cooking.
(www.eatright.org)

Watermelon and Vidalia Onion Salad

2008-08-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

I posted a few weeks ago about the virtues of watermelon. The first time we had this delicious salad was years ago at a restaurant in Buckhead (Atlanta) called Agnes and Muriel's. We've worked hard to recreate it. Watermelon is on its way out of season, so enjoy this delicious and healthy salad before they’re gone…

Watermelon and Vidalia Onion Salad

You'll Need:
One seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into bite sized pieces
One large Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips

2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. seasoned rice wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. coriander seeds (whole)
Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Combine watermelon and onions in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, wisk together vinegars, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir in mint and coriander. Pour over melon mixture and stir to combine.
Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.
(I’ve seen similar recipes that sprinkle with a little feta cheese as well)

More Summer Produce to Love... Zucchini!

2008-08-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

In keeping with my trend of highlighting summer produce, I would be remiss to leave out zucchini. This colorful summer squash, native to the Americas, boasts less than 30 calories per cup and is packed with nutrients. Specifically, zucchini has significant amounts of fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, beta carotene, and vitamins C and A. It is also rich in lutein and the antioxidant zeaxanthin which promotes healthy vision.

Zucchini is an excellent “stealth” food, meaning it is easy to sneak into other foods to boost their nutrition. I add a ½ cup to my turkey meatloaf, make an excellent zucchini bread, and a delicious zucchini fritter that can be an hors d’oeuvre or light meal. Brush medallions of zucchini with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and cracked pepper then throw them on the grill.

Although I didn’t grow any this year (a first for me), my sister-in-law has kept me well stocked—thanks Nicole!

Kid's Menus Killing Our Kids?

2008-08-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

According to a new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the nutritional quality of kid’s meals at many (if not most) chain restaurants is seriously out of whack. The Center examined 13 national chains and found that 93% of offerings exceeded 430 calories-- pretty high considering that children aged 4 through 8 only need about 1400 calories a day (and that’s if they are moderately active). One of the worst offenders, for example is a child’s meal at Chili’s which includes fried chicken “crispers,” cinnamon apples and chocolate milk to a total of 1,020 calories. A similar count weighs in from Burger King’s “Big Kids” (pun intended?) Meal with double-cheeseburger, fries and milk totaling over 900 calories. Is it any wonder that today’s kids are as overweight as their parents when you consider that the average family eats out at least once per week. It adds up.
So what’s a parent to do?
There are healthy choices out there—many of which are as easy on the wallet as they are on the waistline. Jason’s Deli serves up kid-friendly organic fare and beverages without high-fructose corn syrup. At many locations, kids eat free after 5:00 pm. Moe’s has healthy, child sized soft and hard tacos rounding out at just over 200 calories and also has certain evenings where kids eat free. If you look, you can find more healthful options than fried chicken fingers and macaroni and cheese, but it may take a little more effort from Mom and Dad. If you don’t cultivate a taste for unhealthy foods when your children are young, chances are they’ll make better choices when they grow up. Or better yet, rather than focus on the negative, emphasize a diet based on fruits, veggies and whole grains. I’m not saying you should deprive kids of the chance to be kids, just stress healthy eating and lead by example.

Think Globally, Eat Locally

2008-07-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

As it is mid-summer, many seasonal fruits and veggies are in their prime. For most of us, that means that local farmer’s markets are abundant with ripe, delicious summer produce like tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers and melons. It’s hard to debate that these homegrown varieties taste far better than their mass-marketed, mass-produced supermarket counterparts and they are better for you and the planet, as well.
Local produce is allowed more time to ripen on the vine, since growers don’t have to worry about ripening during transport. This means that the produce has time to develop a better taste and also means a higher nutrient content. The reduction in transportation may also result in a lower price and certainly less fuel—good for the environment, as well as your wallet.
In the article “Food, Fuel and Freeways” published by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Iowa, the average conventional food travels as much as 1,500 miles or more to reach its destination, compared to just shy of 45 miles for locally produced items. This adds up to as much as 17 times as much fuel and 17 times the carbon dioxide emissions than if people were to buy locally grown foods!
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/ppp/food_mil.pdf

In short, buy locally or regionally grown products whenever you can. It boosts your local economy, saves gas, costs less, is more nutritious, and better for the Earth.

Low Sodium Black Bean Cakes

2008-07-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

My daughter isn’t exactly a picky eater. Quite the contrary—she’ll at least try pretty much anything we put in front of her. Lately she is very in to self-feeding, so we’ve been trying lots of fun new foods. However, at just shy of her first birthday, an adequate daily intake of sodium should be around 370 mg, nearly impossible on any sort of typical American diet (heck, adult RDA is around 2,000 mg and most people get double that in a day). With cheese, pasta and the veggie burgers we have started feeding her, she was probably getting way too much, possibly causing her to develop a “salt tooth” which could lead to heart problems later in life. Not wanting that on my conscience, I’m trying to be more aware of the sodium content in her foods. She loved the Morning Star Farms veggie and rice cakes, but they are loaded with salt, so today I created our own low-sodium version. They were a hit—probably tasty for bigger kids and grown-ups, too.

Jaimes’ Black Bean and Rice Cakes
¼ c. cooked brown rice (good way to use up leftovers!)
1 c. canned unseasoned black beans, rinsed
¼ c. cooked broccoli and cauliflower flowerettes
¼ c. whole wheat breadcrumbs
½ tbsp. minced garlic
1 egg white

Combine all ingredients in a food processor with metal blade and pulse until roughly chopped and sticking together. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high and spray with cooking spray. Patty up mixture (resembling small hamburgers) and cook a couple of minutes on each side until lightly browned. Leftovers would probably reheat best in a toaster oven.

Why I Hate the Tour de France

2008-07-20T19:01:00.001-07:00

I used to be a big Tour de France fan—well, of pro-cycling as a whole, actually. I knew the teams, had favorite riders, even knew what all those silly points and colored jerseys meant, etc etc etc. Beyond just Lance Armstrong, I was a fan of many riders… until one by one I saw them dismissed from the sport in disgrace amidst allegations of illegal doping.
I no longer care about the sport. It has become pretty clear that it isn’t a matter of who’s doping—they all are. Honestly, if one or two are the rest of them would have to be just to keep up. It’s simply a matter of who is better at outsmarting the governing agencies, who has more money and power for covering it up and who has the best doctors and trainers up on all the most current drugs and methods of evading tests. I think even Lance has just been very good at “cleaning up after himself.” He doped... maybe not always, but he did and the fact that he won’t admit to ever doing it makes him utterly unbelievable entirely.
Perhaps it is as some claim, a big conspiracy to discredit top American riders. Perhaps the French really are just pissed off that they can’t produce an athlete worthy of winning their own race. Or perhaps the sport has become so mired in a tradition of finding the upper hand in an incredibly grueling competition that it isn’t a sport at all any more… just a bunch of incredibly fit guys looking for their next fix.

Corn on the Cob (second best thing about summer)

2008-07-18T13:49:00.001-07:00

Another famed food of summertime is the picnic superstar, corn on the cob. While carb conscious dieters may eschew this tasty grain, allow me to list its virtues…
1. A medium sized ear has only 110 calories.
2. It is roughly 80% carbohydrate, 20% fat and 10% protein, making it a very nutritionally balanced food… your whole diet should look this good!
3. With its 3 grams of fiber, it is about 15% of your daily recommendation.
4. It contains about 25% of your daily dose of thiamin (B1), which helps your body release energy from carbohydrates and necessary for a well-functioning nervous system
5. Vitamin A (in yellow varieties), Vitamin C, potassium, B6 and iron all round out the nutrient list of this delicious grain.
So enjoy!
Check this link for tasty corn on the cob recipes…

Supertasters

2008-07-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder why kids are such picky eaters? Physiology may be partly to blame.
Fungiform papillae are raised bumps on the surface of the tongue which contain taste receptor cells (taste buds). It is supposed that folks who have more of these projections are supertasters, with a heightened sensation for salty, sweet, sour, or bitter (and the fifth sense, umami, that I’ll expand on later) tastes. While adults have larger papillae, children have far more so the surface of their tongue has much more dense taste reception.
Some evidence suggests that adult supertasters are more likely to be women, as well as people of Asian, African and South American descent. I have read an interesting suggestion that these individuals may have an evolutionary advantage, with heightened sense of taste helping them avoid potentially toxic foods and decreased disease risk by a natural preference towards fruits and veggies.
To find out if you are a supertaster, the ADA suggests punching a small hole in a piece of waxed paper, putting you tongue through the hole and applying food coloring. Then use a mirror and magnifying glass to count the papillae. Your count should range between 5 for nontasters to 12 or more for supertasters…

Hooray for Hash

2008-07-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

No, not that kind... THIS kind

My modified version of a delicious Men's Health recipe.
Chicken Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded with box grater
1 medium sweet onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp. minced garlic
3 chicken apple sausage (got mine from the Kroger deli), chopped
1 tbsp. Smart Start Omega-3 buttery spread
Kosher salt
course ground black pepper
Franks Red Hot sauce (to taste)
4 eggs
3 tbsp. white vinegar

Directions:
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over high heat in large skillet. Add sausage, cook until browned and remove from pan. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to skillet and add onion and garlic. Cook until lightly browned, squeeze excess water from potatoes and add to pan along with butter. Season with salt, pepper and a few liberal dashes of hot sauce. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes to crisp. Flip mixture and cook another 10 minutes to crisp the other side. Add sausage and combine.
While potatoes are cooking, fill a saucepan 3/4 full with water, add salt and white vinegar and simmer. Add eggs one at a time to poach (about 3 minutes). Fill bowls with hash and top with poached egg and a bit more cracked pepper if desired. Men's Health will tell you this is 6 servings. They are in error. It is 4, trust me. Bowl in above pic is the double sized portion I served my husband and his tapeworm...

NYC Trans Fat Ban

2008-06-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

July 1st marks the date for the official ban on trans fats in New York City restaurants. The city ordinance was passed in 2006, making NYC the first city to ban the artery clogging synthetic fat in dining establishments.
How are restaurants adjusting?
McDonald’s has switched to a fry oil free of trans-fats and has eliminated the substances from products such as apple pies and cookies in their NYC locations. Burger King has done the same.
Dunkin Donuts has stopped using partially hydrogenated and switched to a trans-fat-free blend of palm, soybean and cottonseed oil.
Other chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Boston Market have made similar changes.

Will these changes do much to help New Yorkers health? Not likely.
True, evidence suggests that trans fats raise LDL and lower HDL cholesterol, but this is only part of the picture when it comes to obesity and heart disease. A healthy lifestyle needs to include physical activity and a healthy diet—not just a diet that is low in trans fats. Plus, I would hate to see folks increase their consumption of fried foods under some false illusion that they are now “healthier.”
I suppose it’s a step in the right direction, as is another NYC ordinance which may require some restaurants to print nutritional info. on the menu. All told, restaurants simply serve what is in demand. If people were to demand healthy fare, lower in fat and calories and high in nutrient rich fruits and veggies THAT is what restaurants would provide. Perhaps it’s time for individuals to stop whining and take responsibility for their own health, rather than leaving it up to businesses and legislature…

Watermelon is the best part of summer...

2008-06-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

Fresh watermelon is undoubtedly one of my favorite things about summer. Jaimes and I can take down a watermelon like piranha on a cow. I’ve always loved them, but now that I know more about their nutrition I have even more reason!

A one cup serving has only 48 calories (which is good because I’d never stop at one cup) and is rich in a host of nutrients. For example, it has high levels of antioxidants vitamins A (11% RDA) and C (23% RDA) and the carotenoid lycopene (more than tomatoes!) which has been shown to reduce cancer risk. Watermelon is also a very good source of vitamin B6 and B1, potassium and magnesium. The fruit is also as rich in iron as spinach (and far tastier IMHO). Plus, the vitamin C it contains helps with iron absorption, making the nutrient more bioavailable than many other non-heme (read: plant based) sources.

Food and Politics

2008-06-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

Who really decides what food ends up on our plates? Check out the book Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH. This exposé examines how the food industry uses lobbying, advertising and even co-opting so called “experts” to influence our diet—often to the detriment of our health.
Even if you aren’t a food activist, you can learn ways to make better decisions for your health and that of your family. "If we want to encourage people to eat better diets," says Nestle, "we need to target societal means to counter food industry lobbying and marketing practices as well as the education of individuals."
She has a blog with current topics on nutrition at: http://whattoeatbook.com and another excellent book titled What to Eat that walks readers through a supermarket demystifying what constitutes health food to help you make the best decisions for your health. With so much information out there, people become so confused that they just give up. Nestle empowers readers to take their health back into their own hands, while exploring the sensual enjoyment of food itself. A Foodie must-read!

Nutritional Assessment

2008-06-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hopefully I will be able to cultivate a successful consulting business (at least as a side project) after completing my Master's work and obtaining my Registered Dietitian status (2010). In the meantime, I have been doing nutrition assessments for friends as practice and a learning experience. The best way to start is with a 3 to 5 day food log, which I then analyze with the help of some pricey software I have. To do this at home for yourself, I would suggest checking out www.MyPyramid.gov. This USDA sponsored website allows you to analyze your food log through the MyPyramid Tracker link. It doesn't provide as detailed of a report as I might be able to give, but it gives you a good idea of where your diet falls in...

What IS a Foodie?

2008-06-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Simply put, a foodie is someone with a love for food and drink. Here, that love is also combined with a taste for quality, healthful foods that nourish the body while enhancing (rather than detracting from) one's health.
In addition to current topics on food and nutrition, I'll be posting recipes-- some are my own, but many of which are published in magazines such as Eating Well, Men's Health, Women's Health, Women's Day and Self (to name a few). I'll let you know what works, what doesn't, what's good, what isn't...
Life is too interesting to eat the same boring foods every day.
Branch out!