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December 29, 2006
Turn Over A New-Tritious Leaf
Whether you need to lose, gain or maintain your weight, make health your first priority for the New Year. Resolve to strive for a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime.
Keep a positive attitude and use internal rewards as motivation for better health, increased energy, self-esteem and feeling in control.
Focus now on your current weight or lifestyle and not where you want to be five months from now. The thought of losing one pound at a time is not as intimidating as losing twenty-five pounds.
For variety, eat different foods from MyPyramid's five food groups. No one food supplies all the nutrients the body needs. Eating a variety of foods, within each food group and among all groups, ensures that you meet your nutritional requirements.
For balance, eat appropriate amounts from each food group every day. A balanced diet supplies the nutrients and calories the body needs.
For moderation, choose foods and beverages to meet your energy needs and to control calories, total fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars and, if consumed, alcoholic beverages.
Posted by Lisa at 09:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 21, 2006
Top Ten Foods
10 foods a dietitian wouldn't be caught without - and you shouldn't, either
Registered dietitians and nutritionists dispense advice about healthful eating all day long. But how do they really eat? Fitness magazine recently asked leading nutritionists what's in their pantries and refrigerators. Here are the top 10 foods they said they kept in their kitchens.
1. Low-fat yogurt
This filling breakfast and snack was on everyone's list.
2. Low-fat milk
To add to high-fiber cereal, or to drink.
3. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar
For sauteing vegetables, cooking lean meat such as chicken and fish, and for drizzling on salads.
4. Nuts
"I love Planters 170-calorie almond packs because I can have a whole pack without overeating," says registered dietitian Dawn Blatner, a nutritionist at Northwestern Memorial Wellness Institute in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
5. Fruit for snacking
Have on hand some pears, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or Granny Smith apples.
6. Salad greens
Just wash, add dressing and some protein and veggies, and you've got lunch.
7. Baby carrots and hummus
The perfect pre-dinner snack, says registered dietitian Ellie Krieger, host of Healthy Appetite on the Food Network.
8. Whole-grain bread
Added fiber for your sandwich or toast.
9. Tomatoes in a can or jar
Good items to have on hand include marinara sauce, salsa or stewed tomatoes, says dietitian Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
10. Frozen vegetables
Good options: Green beans, snow peas and bags of mixed vegetables. "They're cut, clean and ready to cook," Blatner says.
Posted by Lisa at 07:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 19, 2006
The Wait Is Over!
It's been 2 1/2 long years of feeding, watering, trimming and caring for my very first orange tree. And... it's finally producing a crop! I ate my first home-grown orange yesterday. How exciting! Growing up in PA, citrus trees weren't part of the normal backyard landscaping like they are around here.
After peeling off the 1/2" thick rind, a small, juicy orange appeared. Very sweet and tasty! And..the one today was even better! The sad part is there's only about 7 on the whole tree (shrub)...maybe that's good for the first year?
Posted by Lisa at 07:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 18, 2006
Give The Gift Of Health
This holiday season, consider giving friends and loved ones presents that encourage a healthful lifestyle all year long.
* Gift certificates to local gyms or exercise classes
* Exercise apparel such as gym shoes or running pants
* Yoga kit with video and yoga mat
* Pedometer
* A copy of the revised and updated 3rd edition of the American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide
* Cooking class gift certificates
* Gifts for kids that encourage activity such as a jump rope, ice skates, bike helmet or dance classes
These gift ideas are examples of great stocking stuffers with benefits that will last long after the holiday season is over.
Posted by Lisa at 07:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 11, 2006
Hot drinks hold off cool weather
The seasons are changing, and our craving for hot drinks rises as the temperature drops.
"The benefits of hot drinks may be mostly psychological," says Kelli Morgan, registered dietitian at Paradise Valley Hospital. "Any time you can take a cup of coffee or tea and go have five minutes to yourself, it's a stress reliever. It's a good ritual to have."
But hot drinks also warm you on cold days. They relax your throat when it's sore, she says, and relieve congestion.
Hot drinks can add nutrients to your diet, too, and they easily can be made even more nutritious, Morgan says. Here's what she and other nutrition experts suggest - and if you want to create a peaceful escape, we threw in our own ideas for what could accompany your hot drink.
Tea
Health benefits: Green and white teas are high in the powerful antioxidant EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate. Antioxidants, which also are plentiful in fruits and vegetables, remove free radicals from the body, which, "theoretically, reduces cancer risk," Morgan says.
Nutrition boosters: Add fresh lemon for vitamin C or warmed nonfat milk for calcium. Stir in a few puréed berries.
Watch out for: Chai tea can be high in sugar and calories. Instead, add warmed nonfat milk and any combination of cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander or ginger to plain green tea. Skip or limit the sweetener.
Coffee
Health benefits: Coffee provides antioxidants known as polyphenols, and some studies have suggested that the drink lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes and liver cancer. But "there's really nothing healthful in coffee per se," Morgan says.
Nutrition boosters: Make it a latte or cappuccino (add one shot of espresso to a cup of hot nonfat milk) for one dairy serving.
Watch out for: Too much coffee can make you jittery and raise blood pressure temporarily. Try decaf or half-caf. Add milk for the calming effect of the calcium.
Vegetable broth
Health benefits: Antioxidant-rich vegetables deposit their nutrients in the broth, leaving health-builders such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, B-6 and C. There's no cholesterol, and broth is easy to digest.
Nutrition boosters: Make your own. Plop chopped celery, onion, carrots, zucchini, leeks, broccoli or any other vegetables from your crisper into a pot of water, and simmer. If the vegetable pieces are too large to swallow safely, strain the broth before serving.
Watch out for: Prepared broths can be high in sodium. Look for the kind labeled low-salt. If you use a meat-broth base for a change of pace, cool it in the refrigerator and skim off the fat before adding finely chopped vegetables.
Hot chocolate
Health benefits: Calcium in the milk is soothing and helps build strong bones, and cocoa beans are a good source of antioxidants.
Nutrition boosters: Make it with nonfat milk, which has the same amount of calcium as whole milk, and cocoa powder, which is extra-rich in antioxidants and low in sugar. Or use a sugar-free hot-chocolate mix.
Watch out for: A 16-ounce hot chocolate made with whole milk and whipped cream is 450 calories. Substitute Reddi-wip or low-cal Cool Whip, just 20 calories per dollop.
Posted by Lisa at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 07, 2006
Try Something New: Food Demo with Kids
Today was a crazy day including a food demo for 100 elementary school kids. Talk about chaos. It was supposed to be a vegetable burrito suppling almost half of their veggie needs for the day. They built their burrito, and most of them ate it, but a few dumped out the filling and just ate the tortilla with a sprinkle of chili powder.
Crunchy Vegetable Burrito Banditos
(Dole 5 A Day)
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup shredded carrots
* 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
* 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
* 2 green onions, thinly sliced
* 4 ounces shredded lowfat Cheddar cheese
* 1/4 cup nonfat ranch salad dressing
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 4 (7-inch) flour tortillas
* 1 cup torn iceberg lettuce, bite-size pieces
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and onions with cheese, dressing, and chili powder.
2. Lay tortillas flat on the counter and spoon about 1/2 cup vegetable mixture and 1/4 cup of lettuce down the center. Wrap each tortilla around the vegetable mixture.
Posted by Lisa at 08:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 05, 2006
Cooking your own food leads to better diet
U.S. dietitians say young adults who buy their own food and prepare meals at home have better overall diet quality than those who do not.
University of Minnesota researchers surveyed more than 1,500 people ages 18 to 23 about their food purchasing and preparation habits. The researchers found 31 percent of those surveyed who reported high involvement in meal preparation also consume five servings of fruits or vegetables daily, compared with 3 percent of those reporting very low involvement in meal preparation.
The researchers found the young adults most likely to be involved with food preparation and purchasing tend to be female; Asian, Hispanic or white; and eat at fast-food restaurants fewer than three times per week.
Still, even among study participants who were very involved in food preparation, the study found many young adults do not meet recommended dietary guidelines in what they eat.
The study is detailed in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Posted by Lisa at 10:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 03, 2006
Slow Food is Good Food
There's something about slow-simmered food that makes it taste soo good. Combine everything in a pot and 6 hours later - whala - a juicy, flavorful hot meal's ready to enjoy. I made brown rice instead of the egg noodles, added artichoke hearts and tossed together a green salad to round out the meal.
Pork Roast with Three-Mushroom Ragout
1 (3 1/2-ounce) package shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 (8-ounce) packages button mushrooms, cut in half
1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, cut in half
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 ounce sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, quartered (about 6)
1 3/4 pounds boned pork loin roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 cups uncooked pasta)
Discard shiitake mushroom stems; cut caps into quarters.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, and thyme in an electric slow cooker; stir well with a whisk. Add all mushrooms, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Trim fat from pork. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; place on top of mushroom mixture. Pour 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes over pork. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker; cut into slices. Serve over noodles.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork, 1 cup sauce, and 1 cup noodles)
CALORIES 460(22% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 3.4g,mono 4.4g,poly 1.8g); PROTEIN 34g; CHOLESTEROL 117mg; CALCIUM 62mg; SODIUM 444mg; FIBER 6g; IRON 5.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 56g
Posted by Lisa at 07:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack