Acorn Squash and Weight Maintenance Info.

I'm seriously on a roll with these vegetable recipes lately, no? Last night I cooked an acorn squash in the oven. After reading many of the comments on my blog I noticed many of you really LOVE acorn/butter/winter squash! I could not agree with you more. This was such a simple dish that was so delicious, Nick begged for more. Nutritionally speaking, squash is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, some B vitamins, and fiber!

After cutting it in half, I scrapped out the seeds (I pretended like I was carving a pumpkin, but it was much easier!).

And this is what they looked like after 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

After scrapping out the squash, I mixed in 2T Smart Balance margarine, and 2 t Splenda brown sugar. Nick asked for a little bit of syrup (what?! weirdo).

Weight Maintenance Information

So yesterday was my first official day of my new job. It wasn't really a full day, just a meeting and a review of the plan for the month. I didn't get to workout in the morning, like I usually do, therefore I had to workout later in the afternoon, which was really strange. Andrea of Andrea's Wellness Notes posted about this yesterday, and she provided some great tips to use in order to make afternoon workouts better/easier. But now I just need more motivation to actually get moving in the afternoon and evenings, does anyone have any tips?

On that note, I'd like to share with you an article I read yesterday, which focused on weight loss and weight maintenance and whether counting calories or exercising is more important. The article was called Exercise Vs. Counting Calories. Here are some highlights:

On "Addictive" Foods: Some foods are more "addictive" than others because they have a bigger effect on the brain chemicals that control the "reward" circuits in our brains. From a neurobiological point of view, sweets, fats and salty foods make us want to eat more of the same, as Dr. David S. Kessler, the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, makes clear in his book "The End of Overeating." This makes sense, right? Thinking back to my childhood and listening to my brother, I can understand why we always prefer the Taco Bell bean burrito over our mom's "recreated" version. I've read that you shouldn't combine a lot of different flavors in your foods, but instead keep them simple, so as not to initiate that "addictive" response. Simple foods can be some of the best foods.

On Exercise and Appetite, the Positive Side of Things: Exercise can suppress appetite, says Dr. George Blackburn, because it triggers not only the chemical dopamine, which governs the brain's reward system, but also endorphins, those feel-good brain chemicals. These substances act on the hunger and satiety areas of the brains for as long as four hours afterward. "You don't need cigarettes or drugs or food, all those things in the pleasure areas of the brain, because exercise has already activated them," says Blackburn.

Question: Do you feel like your appetite is suppressed after you workout? I actually feel hungrier, but could this just be a "placebo effect??"

On Exercise and Appetite, Where there May be a Problem: Psychologically, as opposed to biochemically, some experts theorize that exercise might lead people to believe they can reward themselves with treats afterward or that they may be tempted to be less active for the rest of the day. And some studies, says Evans, do suggest that if you exercise, say, for 40 minutes a day, you will "then compensate by decreasing how active you are at other times of the day, leaving total energy expenditure unchanged" or that you might reward yourself with food.

Question: Do you find that you allow yourself to be lazier on days you workout? Do you over-compensate by treating yourself with snacks/desserts? I think a lot of people do this. It's mind over matter in this case. As I've learned more about how weight maintenance works, I've become much better at NOT rewarding myself with food and on keeping up my active lifestyle even on days I workout (in other words, not sitting all day long).

I hope everyone has a great day today. Check out my post tomorrow, which I hope will contain my latest Big Loser review (I'm actually looking forward to watching and reviewing the show again.) Thanks for reading!

Beware Of Spider!

Happy Monday!! Today is my first official day of my new job. I never thought I would be excited about starting a job, but I am :) I'm not full time yet, but hopefully if we build the business well enough, I will be soon.

So yesterday, my "kitchen prep day", I prepared some vegetables for the week, including marinated mushrooms, another batch of the delicious kale, and then some cauliflower patties! I like cauliflower, but Nick hates it. I found this recipe in a magazine I was reading and I thought it might be a good way for Nick to try some cauliflower, and maybe learn to like it! If you are interested in this recipe, click the link above (same with the kale). It was easy to follow and only called for a few ingredients.

I first softened the cauliflower by boiling it, then mashed it up as well as I could.

After seasoning the mash and adding some flour (I used whole wheat instead of white) and 1 egg (enriched with DHA), I hand-pressed them into patties and put them on a hot skillet with a bit of EVOO.

The end product was actually really delicious. Nick would only try them if he was allowed to have ketchup. Obviously that was fine with me, and to my surprise he liked them! They actually did taste really good with the ketchup. Does anyone else get serious gas when they eat cauliflower? Yikes. I had to take a couple Beano before I ate these.

After about an hour and half in the kitchen, I grabbed this all purpose Green Works spray, which I recommend to those of you who are into the "all natural" cleaning supplies. I just bought it for the first time about a week ago and it works REALLY well! I'll admit, I don't insist on buying all natural, environmentally safe stuff, but this was cheap, so why not?

Question: What's your favorite fall fruit or vegetable? Do you have any clever recipes that you use to make a not-so-popular fruit or vegetable taste better?
I'm hoping my mom can use this new cauliflower recipe with my 13 year old brother, who seems to be living off of Subway, Chipotle, and Donatos lately. Is this what happens when you have a child later in life?! My parents NEVER used to let me eat that crap as much as Joe does! I consider myself lucky.

I saved this for last. Meet our first pet, Billy! He's stuck between our screen and our window, and I swear if he gets out, I will have a heart attack. Nick is too scared to kill him, haha, great help!

Cooking with Mom!

Last night was a night of cooking at my parent's house. My mom and I slaved over the stove to produce this amazing dish:

Ok, it took us 20 minutes, so it was actually quite easy to make! The most difficult part was chopping the onion. I even wore sunglasses in an attempt to prevent the eye burn, but nothing ever works.

The recipe is Pomegranate and Walnut Chicken and it's from Rachael Ray's magazine. I'm not a huge fan of Rachael ray (ahh, don't hate me!) but maybe I haven't give her a fair chance. This recipe was perfect for the fall, as it contained many fall flavors; cinnamon, onion, walnuts, and POM juice. It called for cranberry-pomegranate juice, but I still had three bottles of plain POM left, so I used it! This dinner was fabulous, and I rated it 9 out of 10 (it was cheap, and easy to prepare, plus the flavors were perfect.)

On Friday I made chocolate peanut butter frozen yogurt. I used the basic recipe that you can find on the right column of my blog, then I added about 2T natural peanut butter and about 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder. I liked it a lot, but Nick said he misses the pumpkin. I need to find more!! All local groceries are still out of it :(

If you haven't noticed, I make frozen yogurt/ice cream quite often. I didn't used to purchase organic half and half, but since we clearly go through a lot of frozen yogurt/ice cream, and thus a lot of half and half, I have been using organic half and half lately.

I don't buy everything organic, but I try to buy organic dairy and meat products, as well as certain "dirty" fruits and veggies (strawberries, spinach, lettuce, apples).

I'm still continuing on my mission of finishing all the random bars/other snacks I have in my cabinets before buying any more snack food. So yesterday I tried this:

It was really good, but I think I'd rather eat my granola for 180 calories! Or heck, I'd rather eat a buckeye (chocolate covered ball of peanut butter, in case you aren't form Ohio :) )

Question: Do you still cook with your family? What was the last great meal that you cooked with them, or on your own?

So today is another rainy, crappy day here in Columbus. Everyone's in a good mood though because yesterday we slaughtered Illinois. They didn't even score ONE POINT! Muahaha. Today I plan on working out, walking to Kroger for bananas and other fresh produce for the week, practicing a couple presentations, reading my new book (called Comfort Food, by Kate Jacobs), then watching the premier of The Amazing Race!!
Have a great day, and thanks for reading :)

Kale and Bulky Burgers

I couldn't believe all of the wonderful responses I got about my Biggest Loser Review! I knew it was a popular show, but everyone had such amazing reactions and thoughts about the show, and I enjoyed reading them. I have decided to keep watching and relaying my thoughts on a weekly basis, as I enjoy hearing everyone's own thoughts in return.

So now onto the food! As a child I grew up eating a lot of greens, including kale and collard greens. Of course my mom usually bought canned greens, which is why I still buy canned greens today. They are tasty! And now they come seasoned and with less sodium.While I think canned produce (low sodium and light syrup please) can be a great addition to a healthy diet, part of my goal as a dietitian is to teach people how easy it is to incorporate fresh vegetables and fruits into their diet, and how amazing they can actually taste. The only canned foods I buy are greens and beans, everything else is fresh or frozen, but the other day I walked past the canned aisle and decided to buy some fresh kale so I could prove to myself that I don't need to rely on cans for my greens. I also figured they would taste a bit better.

Step 1. Rinse and chop some fresh kale

Step 2: Throw it into a large pot and fill with water until the water is about 1/2 inch past the kale.

Step 3: Bring water to a boil, then simmer the greens, covered, for about 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Pour our about 3/4 of the water, then add your favorite can of tomatoes (I chose fire roasted) and whatever herbs and spices you would like (I added pepper and garlic)

Step 5: Serve and enjoy!

This recipe is from Dole Foods, as is the following nutrition outline:

At only 36 calories per cup (cooked, 130g), kale provides over 1300% of your vitamin K needs and over 94 mg of calcium (9.4% of the Daily Value), making it a Superfood for your bones. This same serving provides 350% of your vitamin A needs, an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of fiber and copper. Like other cruciferous vegetables, kale supplies an abundance of glucosinolates, such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Studies show I3C reduces levels of harmful estrogens that can promote cancer growth in hormone-sensitive cells, such as breast cells. Kale is also a top source of eye healthy carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Burgers
The other day I purchased some 90/10 ground beef. Yes, I made the right choice this time (last time I accidently grabbed the 85/15). I stuck with my goal of eating the frozen meals from my freezer before making any new meet products, yeah! I wanted to add some things to the burgers for a couple reasons 1) I needed to get rid of my guacamole that was about to go bad 2) adding things makes it look like Nick is getting a bigger burger! muahaha!

Ingredients in the Burger
pepper, garlic
guacamole
spinach
Added to sandwich: Fat free cheddar, wasabi mayo, avocado
Question: What do you add to your burgers for bulk and/or juiciness? How do you like to prepare kale? I know I've heard a lot about kale chips, which I want to try sometime.

Sloth and the OmniHeart Diet

Monday I gave birth to a little baby boy named Sloth. Isn't he adorable?!

At Dave and Busters on Monday Nick and I decided to try out the booth where they combine your pictures and create a child. I swear they just have a stock pile of about 100 pictures they randomly choose, as this looks nothing like either of us!

I'm continuing with my Zevia drinks and yesterday I tried the cola flavor. It really tasted like Coke Zero, which happens to be a drink I really enjoy!

As a snack yesterday I cut up some fresh cucumbers and dipped them into some balsamic vinaigrette (Kraft).

And instead of eating my delicious granola, I dug into my cabinets and found a Kashi bar.

I really enjoyed this bar, a lot. I was impressed with these nutrition facts; 7 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 115 mg sodium and .5 grams of saturated fat.

For dinner I grabbed some tuna and created a tuna and veggie pizza. I really like these tuna creations, but the entire packet has 675 mg sodium, yikes! I only used half on my pizza.

My pizza was made on a whole wheat tortilla. I added broccoli, red peppers, and fat free cheddar cheese on top of this pizza, along with the tuna.

Even though I knew this would be delicious, it blew me away! It was even better than I had expected. There's nothing like a good meal full of whole grains, omega-3, calcium, and veggies.

The OmniHeart Trial
This trial tested three diets. One was higher in carbs, one was higher in protein, and one was higher in unsaturated fat. Please click this link to read more specifics about the Omniheart trial. The diets were tested to see which one had the most positive effect on heart disease risk factors (blood pressure, HDL, LDL, triglycerides). Results were tied between the diet higher in protein and the diet higher in unsaturated fat. A combination of these two diets was created for a snapshot of "a days worth of food" for a healthy heart:

Vegetables and fruit: 11 servings
Grains: 4 servings
Low-fat dairy: 2 servings
Legumes & nuts: 2 servings
Poultry, fish & meat: 1 serving (4 ounces cooked)
Desserts & sweets: 2 servings per day (not necessary, but allowed)
Oils & Fats: 2 servings per day

Question: Which part of the above diet plan is most shocking to you? For me it's the 4 servings of grain. That is not much at all. This diet is really focused on fruits and vegetables, and everything else is seriously limited. Even the meat/poultry is low, at 4 ounces. I think it's clear, fruits and veggies are incredibly important and MUST be incorporated in everyone's diets, no matter what.

Question: ATTENTION VEGETARIANS! I am creating a power point on how to be a healthy vegetarian. Do you know of any good vegetarian websites and/or good advice for new vegetarians?? Also, what are some great complementary proteins you consume? What's the best source of high biological value protein? Do you have any easy vegetarian recipes?

Have a great day, and thanks for reading!

Saying Goodbye to the RPAC

The RPAC (Recreational and Physical Activity Center) is one of the many perks that students get while attending OSU. As of tomorrow, I am officially not a member of the RPAC :( Tear.

Here are some pictures of the wonderful facility.

View from outside.

This is one of the first things you see when you walk in. There are about 15 ellipticals and 20 treadmills down here. I never had to wait for a machine, even during the busiest time right before spring break!

Across the way there is even more cardio equipment. Sometimes I preferred this area because the view outside was awesome!

That's not to mention the view of hot guys working out right here. None in this picture, sorry ladies.

Of course there was an inside track, with another great view of the outside.

My favorite ab workout! I will miss this half-ball gadget (I don't know what it's called!).

Today will be my last time to workout at the RPAC. I'm going to make it one heck of a workout.

Yesterday for lunch I stuck with my plan and dug out a Mountain Trail Mojo Bar.
I will admit I took off some of the chocolate chips. I just did not need all that sugar in the middle of the day, and the bar was still extremely satisfying.

I went to the grocery store and only purchased veggies, cheese, and ground beef (90/10) to cook AFTER I go through the frozen meals in the freezer. No extras!

Last night for dinner Nick and I chose to "eat out" cheap. We always eat out/order out once a week, so last night was our night. The Chipotle we had the other day was FREE so we did not count that!

I bought some sushi.

It was Nick's three month anniversary from quitting nicotene (go Nick!) so he celebrated with wings.
Instead of buying any special dessert, we ate some of the peanut butter chocolate ice cream I made the other day.
Check out those chunks of peanut butter.
Question: Last night I sort of angered Nick when I was nagging him about how many wings he was getting. Not only were they adding up in price, but they were not the best choice as far as health. He got very mad at me :( Ladies, what do you do to get over the fact that your man just don't eat as healthy as you? For those of you without a boyfriend, or for those of you who ARE the boyfriend, do you have any advice for me on how to just loosen up and let Nick be himself, without over-analyzing every thing he eats?? I always think about his father who had a stroke at age 60. I don't want that to happen to Nick.

Ok well have a great day, and thanks for reading!

I Was Published!

Ok, maybe not exactly, but this (below) is the abstract I will present at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. This was in a booklet that came with October's issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. All of the presenters' abstracts were published. I will let you know when my full research is actually published!

Check out my name :)

So other than that fun abstract discovery yesterday, Nick and I did some laundry. Nick is great at doing laundry, it's actually the one chore he does weekly. I consider myself a lucky girl because I despise doing laundry and I don't mind doing anything else really. He folds the clothes too, by the way. We're a perfect match.

Silver Torpedo Time!
Nick calls Chipotle burritos silver torpedoes. Remember that commercial? I ordered the bowl, he ordered the burrito.

I rarely drink soda, but I really wanted one last night. Diet Coke, which I don't even like, but it tasted great.
Nick's Chicken Burrito

My Chicken Burrito Bowl

QUESTION:
Between the top picture and the bottom picture, which is the best? Which makes you really want to go get a Chipotle burrito bowl?

Chipotle Fits the Rainbow!

The following is from the Hartford Courant

The natural color of a food can be a reliable indicator of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it supplies. When you order sensibly at Chipotle you can have a great tasting, healthy meal, that's relatively cheap. Check out how our meals were perfectly balanced, fast food!

Dark green veggies such as broccoli, spinach, and sugar snap peas are high in vitamin C.

Chipotle: I had lettuce in my burrito bowl (ok, I know, poor example, but I'm using it!).

Red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet peppers, and sweet potatoes are known for their high beta carotene, or vitamin A, content, but they can also be rich in vitamin C.

Chipotle: We both had tomato and corn. Tomato has lycopene, a beta carotene intermediate, and corn is high in fiber and provides some iron.

White fruits and veggies, like mushrooms, potatoes, and bananas, supply B vitamins and many minerals, while white dairy products--milk, yogurt, cheese--provide ample amounts of calcium (and are usually fortified with vitamin D).

Chipotle: Nick had cheese on his burrito, so there is some vitamin D for him (if it's foritifed, but it probably isn't). We both had rice, which is a great source of B-vitamins.

Purplish-blue foods, like grapes and blueberries, are best known for their anticancer and heart-helping antioxidants. But like most other fruits and vegetables, they're also high in vitamin C and fiber.

Chipotle: I ordered black beans, Nick ordered pinto beans. Both are a great source of antioxidants, and fiber of course.

Brown foods, in the form of grains, nuts, and seeds, supply vitamins E and B, which include folic acid. Brown and white foods like meat, fish, poultry, tofu, and legumes stand out as defining sources of protein and minerals like iron and zinc.

Chipotle: We both had chicken. Nick and I both got a healthy dose of iron and zinc form our chicken.

How healthy is YOUR Chipotle burrito?? The next time you go to Chipotle, keep in mind the more colors, the better. If you want to know the exact nutrition facts of your Chipotle burrito/bowl/taco, check it out here.

Question: What do you get on your Chipotle burrito/bowl/taco?
Don't forget to tell me which picture of my burrito bowl (above) you like best!

Today I am working on my presentations some more, meeting up with some friends for a drink and appetizers later in the afternoon, then hanging out with my family tonight! Have a great day. Thanks for reading!

Detox and Carbohydrate Cravings

Have you ever thought about doing a detox diet? I've always been weary of these diets, and products that claim to "detox your liver, colon, etc". From what I've learned in school our body is great at detoxifying itself. Check out this article I just found on Detox diets to learn more about the truth!

Here is How I Detox
By eating a well balanced diet and keeping my organs healthy! Salmon is packed with healthy fats, and it happens to be another great food to eat to prevent PMS. I've been making a lot of salmon tacos lately, using once-frozen salmon patties.

This Salmon taco included a whole wheat soft tortilla, Salmon patty, random cooked vegetables, avocado, fat free cheddar cheese, and wasabi mayo.

Many of you commented on the crazy carbohydrate and sugar cravings that come with PMS. Coco , of "Balance, Joy, and Delicias" asked me why this happens. I responded by saying it may have to do with the increase in metabolic rate that accompanies your period, which may cause your body to require more energy. I looked this up online and found another option, which claimed it may have to do with women trying to increase their serotonin levels, which drop before your period. Carbohydrates and sweets will increase these levels, therefore making you feel happier :)

Here is How I Dealt With My Cravings Last Night

I read a post by "Green Dog Wine" last night and she gave me the urge to make banana bread. I had three very, very ripe bananas in my refrigerator, which I knew would never get eaten, so bread was a must. Click here for the recipe. I managed to do what I do best, and make a few substitutions;

1/4 cup egg beaters replaced one egg
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter replaced 1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Smart Balance margarine replaced the other 1/2 cup of butter
Whole wheat flour replaced white flour
Splenda brown sugar replaced brown sugar
Calories: 170, compared to 230
Nutrition compared to original: More Omega-3s, less calories, and more fiber!

Despite the bad picture, this bread was very tasty.

Indeed, Another Book!
This book was one of my favorites yet. It was a fast read and I literally never wanted to put it down. Check it out.

Questions: What do you think of detox diets? What do you eat when you have a carbohydrate/sugar craving?


Check it Out: Take a look at my guest post interview on the blog "Defining Wellness"!!