And I Thought I Hated Coleslaw!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. My weekend actually ended yesterday (oh, and it started yesterday too..). But I can't complain because I get three days off next week :)

If you're interested in some updates on my new job, and our new house, stay tuned for some posts coming up next week. I'll be providing some updates/recaps on both. Until then, I'm talking about FOOD!



When I was a kid I truly despised coleslaw. I never understood the interest in such a runny and "sour" food (that's what I thought back then). After college I worked at a restaurant that served fish and chips and of course we also served coleslaw with the fish. If you've ever worked in a restaurant you understand how certain foods may become completely unappetizing to you after handling them so often in a restaurant setting ( although I worked in an ice cream shop once, but I never got sick of ice cream....). I already hated coleslaw, but then after having to serve it (from a cardboard container, no less) over a thousand times to hungry customers, I truly detested the stuff. That is.....until I discovered broccoli slaw!



I also discovered the beauty of having control over how much slaw dressing I used. Most places drench their coleslaw in dressing to the point where it's ruined (similar to what some places do with salads). I probably add half the amount of slaw dressing to my coleslaw.



Why make a healthy food unhealthy? Slaw dressing is far from healthy, but the broccoli slaw itself, well, take a look!


Three great highlights of this product include; fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C. And of course there are certain nutrients missing from this nutrition panel, and those would include; folate, vitamin K, quercetin (a type of flavanoid with anti-inflammatory properties), and lutein/xeazanthin (types of carotenoids, which can benefit the aging eye).

A WILD WHOLE GRAIN

After researching a bit on Wikepedia, I learned that wild rice is grown in shallow lakes and slow-flowing streams. It's made from four species of grasses, meaning it's not even a variety of rice at all. WILD! A while ago I posted a video blog about the nutritional differences between quinoa and brown rice, but wild rice is pretty impressive too. Like quinoa and brown rice wild rice is wheat and gluten free and does count as a whole grain (even though it's a grass). It has a characteristic nutty and mild flavor.

A while ago I received some free samples of wild rice. The one below is a fusion of brown and wild rice.

Delicious!

Nutritional Highlights For 1/4 cup of the average dry wild rice (~1/2 cup cooked)

Fat: ~1.25- 1.5 grams

Protein: 5-10 grams (similar to quinoa), and this includes the amino acid lysine, which is the limiting amino acid in most whole grains. This can be used as a great complementary source of protein for vegetarians.

Fiber: 4-5 grams (more than brown rice and quinoa)

Good source of: B vitamins, phosphorus, and potassium (quinoa is the better source of iron)



Question: Is there a food that you hated as a kid, but now you really love?!

Source: iStockPhoto

Other than coleslaw, I hated tofu (oh wait, I still hate tofu) and artichoke hearts (love them now). Something else I hated was chunky peanut butter. Now that's all I eat!

The Summer of SQUASH

The last time I posted an update on our garden we were getting ready to harvest some squash. Since then we have consumed about six homegrown squash and are anticipating enjoying many, many more throughout the next few months.

Right now we have summer squash and acorn squash. This (below) is the yellow squash.


Here's the boring way to prepare yellow squash (cut it up and throw it in the steamer!).



The exciting way is to sautee the squash in a pan with some olive oil and some vidalia onions.


When the onions and squash are nice and soft (and still hot) sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top and watch it melt into a bowl of deliciousness.



I also tested this Squash Souffle recipe, but it didn't turn out quite as I had hoped. I guess I wasn't too surprised, as I had to use flaxseed for the eggs, and I didn't use bread crumbs like it suggested (since I don't eat wheat I used corn meal). In addition, I didn't have eight ounces of shredded cheddar cheese, only five ounces.

This was what it looked like prior to baking.


I left it in the oven for about 30 minutes longer than the recipe suggested. I wanted a crispy outer layer! It was definitely good, just not amazing like I had hoped. It actually reminded me a lot of my polenta recipe.


And what about the acorn squash? I haven't done anything creative with the acorn squash, because both Nick and I love it just baked and jazzed up a bit.


I simply throw it into the oven at 370 degrees, for about 30 minutes. Then I take it out and cut it in half. I then place it back on the baking sheet, seed side facing down, for another 30 minutes.


Then I sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top (I use the Splenda brown sugar), and about 1-2 T Smart Balance margarine.


Then serve it with something delicious, OR just have it by itself! On this particular day we made soft tacos with wheat-free tortillas, ground turkey, tomatoes, wild rice, and lots of spinach.


Pretty soon I'll be posting about my pumpkin. Check it out! I can imagine this pureed and in my oats already :)

Question: What's your favorite way to eat SQUASH?!

Should Fruit Snacks Count As Fruit?

I was reading through some articles online today and I found this one from the LA Times. This article was the perfect summary of why I always tell people whole; "real foods are best"! Emily also posted a blog recently, which talked about the benefit of real, whole foods, as compared to their more processed counterparts.



I've said this numerous times, but why buy a supplement when you can get those same nutrients by enjoying a real apple, a real banana, and a cup of real yogurt?!



Similarly, like the article says, why give your kids (or buy for yourself) a bag of fruit snacks, which claim to provide "2 whole servings of fruit", when you can enjoy an actual bowl of fruit?!


This bowl of fruit may have a bit more calories than some of the popular fruit snacks, fruit leathers, and fruit bars, but there are many things that you will get from the real fruit that you will not get from the "processed fruit that's disguised as real";

1) Certain antioxidants and phytonutrients (plant nutrients)

2) FIBER!

3) ZERO added maltodextrin, corn syrup, and sugar

4) More water to keep you hydrated, and full

Bottom Line: Buy the fruit snacks, fruit bars, etc. as a quick snack for when you're in a hurry, but don't use them for your, or your children's, daily fruit consumption. Explore the delicious world of real fruit, and enjoy.

Check out this article about how studies have shown that bottled teas have less polyphenols than real tea. Once again, real comes out ahead!

Innovative Ways To Increase Omega-3s!

Recently I was sent some coupons for Tempt Living Harvest Hempmilk. I was also sent a coupon for a free container of hemp ice cream, but even Whole Foods doesn't carry it. So my question is.....who the heck does?!



Here is a little background about the company and their products.



To read more about hemp, visit this page on their website. I love the first line, "It isn't marijuana!". haha

Hemp milk contains two types of fatty acids of which you may have never heard before. GLA is gamma linolenic acid. Is is produced in the body from linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid. GLA has been shown to help reduce inflammation. It's sold in supplemental form, but as I always say, I prefer to get my fats, vitamins, and minerals from food.


SDA (Stearodonic Acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid, which efficiently converts to EPA (the omega-3 found in fish oil) more so than ALA (alpha linolenic acid). In fact, some studies have shown that SDA converts to EPA 2.5 times more efficiently than ALA alone! The great thing about SDA is that it's typically found in vegetable oils, not animal sources, therefore it's a great vegetarian source of EPA. The only downside is that there is no conversion of SDA to DHA, which is another important omega-3 found in fish, and which may play a major role in heart health.


Sometimes you have to be careful when you buy different types of milk, such as almond, soy, hemp, or rice, because they are not always fortified with vitamin D, and some aren't even fortified with calcium! This hemp milk didn't disappoint; 30% DV calcium, and 25% DV vitamin D. Did I mention it also tasted fantastic?!


Are you someone who hates swallowing pills? We sell this (below) at Giant Eagle, and it seems to be really popular.



I added it to one of Nick's smoothies and he didn't even notice. In fact, when I asked him how his smoothie was (when I do this he always gets suspicious) he said, "It's great! Very citrusy". HA! I did taste his smoothie and I could sort of taste the lemon, but I think that was because I knew it was in there. I figure it could also be added to yogurt, or if you're daring you could eat it (drink it) alone. One Giant Eagle customer said she likes it in her strawberry milk. That sounded strange to me at first, but strawberry and lemon may actually be tasty!

Supplement Facts

~720 mg EPA/DHA (perfect!)

Sweetened with the sugar alcohol, xylitol

NOT vegetarian

How about some omega-3 in your burgers?!

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Adding flaxseed to this very lean ground beef was the perfect way to increase the moisture without increasing the saturated fat (and with the flaxseed you get some essential omega-3 fats).

You can eat the beef as a burger, or add it to rice and veggies for a nice healthy dinner (this is Nick's poker dinner, which I pack for him on Tuesday nights when he plays poker).

So, we've got liquid fish oil, hemp milk, and flaxseed in burgers, which are all innovative ways to get some essential fats in your diet.

QUESTION: What are some innovative ways you have increased your omega-3 intake?

Supplements; Are You Wasting Your Money?

If you were to visit me at work you would see that my desk/"office" is right in the middle of the supplement section of Giant Eagle. I really love being located right where I have access to customers looking for supplements. Many of you know how I feel about supplements, but if you don't, I will tell you that I think they can potentially play a very important role in a person's diet, but Americans know very little about the potential dangers of supplements and in my opinion we are taking way too many, and sometimes for the wrong reasons.




Nutrition Action Healthletter provided a fantastic article in their July issue, which described some popular supplements and what the data actually indicates about their reported "benefits". Here is some of what they said;



Garlic for Cholesterol? There have been several trials testing garlic, which have let to less than impressive results. Don't count on large doses of garlic, or garlic pills to help lower your cholesterol. Enjoy garlic in your dishes as a tasty and sodium-free spice, but there are better avenues for cholesterol lowering (reduce your saturated fat intake, consume some flaxseeds, and plenty of fiber).




B Vitamins for Energy? Clearly our bodies need B-vitamins to metabolize our foods and to derive energy from our foods, but taking extra B-vitamins will do you no good. There is no credible evidence that taking B-vitamins (via a pill or other supplement) will give you extra energy. In fact, most of the supplements I've seen with > 100% DV (daily value) B-vitamins are just a waste of money, unless you eat as many calories as Michael Phelps. Even he doesn't need 3000% DV! Solution? Eat a well balanced diet and take a multivitamin if you wish. No need for >100% B-vitamins.

Want energy? Eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

B vitamins for your heart? This is yet another piece of advice I learned during my years in school for dietetics, but which hasn't held true since. We were taught that B-vitamins could help lower homocysteine, which is a marker of heart disease. While B-vitamins do seem to lower homocysteine, unfortunately they do not seem to lower the risk for heart disease.




Gingko for memory? Results have been mixed, but studies have more overwhelmingly showed poor evidence that gingko can improve memory. My advice? Don't waste your money! Blueberries probably provide more benefit for memory and brain health. And they taste better.


Multivitamins for immunity? If you are well-nourished and free of disease, chances are a multivitamin will not improve your immunity. Heck, even those who are undernourished seem to obtain little benefit, if any, from taking a multivitamin. Studies are still being done in this area, but for now my best advice is to eat plenty of fruits and veggies, exercise, and get plenty of sleep (7-8 hours). These are all great ways to prevent sickness.




Biotin for hair and nails? You've probably heard this before, "Take a biotin supplement if you want your nails and hair to grow fast and stay strong!". Perhaps you even went out and bought some biotin at one time in your life. You may have noticed a difference, but chances are it was a placebo effect, "Wow! My hair really IS growing faster!...." Hmmm....I think not. The bottom line is that no credible studies have shown that biotin improves the look and speed of growth of nails or hair. My advice? Trim them both on a routine basis, find a good conditioning treatment to use on your hair (I use AVEDA), and a top coat for your nails (I use L.A. Girl Calcium. It's a clear coat and it works really well).

Question: Does any of this information shock you?! Do tell!


I'll be back on Friday. Until then, I hope everyone has a great week!

Minimizing Your Risk of Breast Cancer

I've done some posts in the past about breast cancer, specifically in regards to soy and breast cancer. I tend to get drawn into any research I see on the subject, as my grandma had breast cancer and I'm determined not to get it myself. This month's Nutrition Action Healthletter contained an article focusing on what the latest research says about how you can lower your risk of breast cancer. Here are some of the important points;


1) Watch your weight. Estrogen plays a large role in breast cancer, specifically it promotes it. Women who carry more fat also produce more estrogen. I was startled to learn that your risk for breast cancer can increase significantly if you gain 20 to 30 pounds after age 18. When I was 18 I weighed 95 pounds (I am naturally very small, but I also had an ED at that time). Now at age 27 I weight 105 pounds, so I've already gained 10. My goal is to not go far beyond 115 pounds, which I think is doable (not counting pregnancy weight!).


2) Avoid taking hormones! I think this is a no brainer. In July of 2002 it was clear that women taking hormones (mainly postmenopausal women) had an increased for breast cancer! Bottom line, find hormone alternatives, such as soy.


3) Get moving! There is plenty of research out there that suggests women who are active have lower blood levels of circulating estrogen (probably due in part to less body fat!). Exercise also helps decrease insulin (high insulin is also positively correlated with breast cancer) and may help decrease whole-body inflammation. How much exercise do you need? Most studies show that 30 minutes of brisk walking is sufficient, but many women aren't even getting that!



4) Minimize alcohol. This was the one that really shocked me (and made me very sad). While one drink a day for women, and two drinks a day for men might be good for heart disease, it's definitely not good if you're trying to prevent breast cancer. For postmenopausal women, even one alcoholic beverage a day can increase your risk for breast cancer by 12 percent, according to this article. Alcohol hasn't been shown to correlate with breast cancer only, but in fact it has been associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, rectum, and liver.

MAYBES

- BPA (Bisphenol A) is an estrogen-mimicking chemical that has been found in many plastic containers. It's not 100% clear if it has an effect on cancer, but it may be a good idea to watch your use of plastic in the kitchen, especially when pregnant or going through puberty.

- Pesticides were once thought to had a negative effect on cancer, including breast cancer, but data is still very unclear. The article reported that pesticide use has decreased in the past several years. I thought this was good news!

- Soy was once thought to help prevent breast cancer, then for a while many women were afraid to go near it after studies showed the opposite effect (especially in women with a history of breast cancer). The bottom line is that it's safe to consume soy, but stick to soy in the form of food (tempeh, soy milk, tofu, miso, etc.) not supplements. Twenty five grams per day may be beneficial, but it's a good idea not to consume too much more, especially if you have a history of breast cancer.

(After eating the tofu above, I vowed to never eat it again. It tasted delicious, but my body does not respond well to the carbohydrates found in tofu....)

Question: What have you learned about breast cancer prevention that I may not have mentioned? Which of the above ways to prevent breast cancer would be most difficult for you? (If you're a male, feel free to give your opinion as well! What do you do to prevent prostate cancer? Eating cooked tomatoes is a great start!).

Have a great weekend everyone! I'll be back on Tuesday :)

Eggs; The Perfect Protein For a Healthy Diet

Now that I work 40-50 hours each week I don't really spend much time in the kitchen. I do still manage to prepare tasty, healthy meals, but they're always pretty random! I really love mixing egg whites (sometimes I also add an egg yolk), baked beans, lots of veggies, and light provolone cheese.

Not the prettiest picture, but my taste buds disagree!

Have you ever had gas from eating real egg white? Or am I the only one? I buy egg whites in the container because the sulfur level is lower for some reason. The ingredients say "real egg whites" but I know they must do something to these because my GI system certainly doesn't react the same!



For Nick I have been making a lot of baked potatoes with sliced hard-boiled egg on top. Random, right? I always give him some type of vegetable too. On this particular evening he had his potato and egg with baked beans, yellow squash from our garden, and some cooked spinach.




When I was in school for dietetics, from 2001-2005, we were taught that eggs should only be consumed 1-2 times per week. Even though my college days weren't that long ago, research has come a long way since then and we now know that the once feared cholesterol in eggs actually poses less of a threat on our body's cholesterol than once thought. Research has been mixed, but as of now it's pretty clear that it is the saturated fat in foods that causes an increase in our cholesterol, not cholesterol in foods. So what does that mean for egg lovers? Eat up!

More Reason Why Eggs Are the Perfect Protein For a Healthy Diet!

- While eggs are high in cholesterol (~213 mg per egg), they are low in saturated fat (~1-3 grams) and free of trans fat. Saturated and trans fats are the fats that will increase your cholesterol.

- Eggs contain a high-quality protein source, which means the protein is more effectively absorbed and used by the body. Have you seen some cereals lately that claim to have "As much protein as an egg!?" Well that may be true, but it's not high-quality protein.

- Eggs are inexpensive, compared to most other high-quality proteins (such as meat, fish, and poultry).

- For some individuals who are more sensitive to cholesterol in foods (such as my dad's family!) eggs may increase their LDL (bad) cholesterol, but at the same time they also increase their HDL (good) cholesterol, which evens out the good:bad ratio.

- Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids essential to the health of your eyes. They can help reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

- Eggs contain choline, which is essential for normal growth and development. Choline may also help improve memory!

- Eggs contain folate, B12, riboflavin, and vitamins A,D, and K. All of these are important components in a well-balanced diet.

QUESTION: How do you eat your eggs?

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I'll be back with another post on Friday! By the way, if you can, stop by Melinda's blog to enter her one year blog anniversary giveaway. You may receive something special from overseas!

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Do You Eat Late At Night?

Whenever I tell people I'm a dietitian I get one of several reactions. The most common reaction is for people to start rambling off their diet and their weaknesses for desserts, pizza, fried chicken, alcohol, etc. Sometimes they even throw out a nutrition question, such as the one I received last night, "Isn't it bad to eat late at night?!" My answer? NO! There are some exceptions, however (read below).

Nick and I are notorious for eating late at night. I typically have a scoop of homemade ice cream topped with some plain yogurt and frozen blueberries, followed by a few cups of freshly popped popcorn, and of course a piece of dark chocolate (Lindt's 85% dark chocolate).

Nick eats this:

2 scoops of ice cream, topped with my FODMAPs granola

2 slices of whole grain toast, topped with Smart Balance Crunchy Peanut butter, plus a side of chips and frozen blueberries

While I have never been against eating late at night, there are a few things you should consider before doing so;

1) Are you diabetic? If so, you should watch your carbohydrates (don't eat like Nick!) and always have some protein with your late night snack. Obviously this is a brief overview, and more specific recommendations depend on your diet plan and medication use.

2) Have you already had enough calories throughout the day? Some people really shouldn't eat late at night because they have already reached their calorie allotment for the day. This is when eating late at night will cause weight gain. You should always ask yourself "am I hungry? Or, am I just bored?". If you're watching TV and you see food commercials, you may think you are hungry but in reality you may just be getting sucked into the marketing schemes!

3) How late is it? You really don't want to eat too much, too close to going to sleep. Why? Some people may get acid reflux. If you eat something, then lay down, a common symptom is heart burn. This could have an effect on your quality of sleep. Also consider that it takes energy to digest your food. If you eat too much too soon before hitting the sack, your body will be working on digesting your food instead of concentrating on getting good sleep. This may result in not getting enough deep sleep (this may also happen if you drink alcohol, in any amount, before bedtime).

4) What are you snacking on? It may not be the best idea to eat really fatty foods late at night. These are the foods that take longer to digest. Carbohydrates are easier to digest, plus some data shows they may help make you sleepy!

Question: Do you do any late night snacking? What's your favorite late night snack?

Veggies, Veggies, Everywhere!

I thought I was the person in the house who was most excited about having a garden, but I thought wrong. Nick has become the "garden guru" and I swear he's spent more money on our garden than he has on anything, ever, in his life. When I came home from Pittsburgh I was happy to see he had purchased a compost bin (I think this was money well spent).


He also moved our water bucket closer to our garden. When it rains the water will go through the gutters and drop into the bucket, which will then be used by us to water our garden! The compost will be used for fertilizer the next time we plant a round of seeds.


Check out our pumpkin and squash plants! They are taking over the entire garden.



Who needs canned pumpkin when you can grow your own? Hmmm...actually I DO! While this little guy (below) really excites me, and I can't wait to puree it and add it to my oats, I still miss Libby's canned pumpkin :(


Nick has estimated that we will be producing over 50 squash. Some are yellow squash.


And some are acorn squash (our favorite!).


I saw a commercial for V8 juice the other day, which claimed "Drink one serving of V8 for three servings of vegetables!" Why would I drink V8 for three servings of veggies when I can enjoy them fresh and whole from the market or my garden?! Not to mention the fact that V8 is FIBER FREE.

This kale is from our garden. I added it to the skillet with some EVOO and roasted tomatoes.


Final product, over some egg whites, and sprinkled with some nutritional yeast. Perfect.

QUESTION: What's your favorite vegetable?