Gluten Free Power Cookies

I'm not gluten free, but I am wheat-free and therefore love to experiment with gluten free baking. I typically use oat bran flour or brown rice flour in place of wheat flour, which seems to work well for me when I make cookies, muffins, and pizza, but a couple weeks ago I wanted to try making a flour "blend" with xanthan gum as the replacement for gluten. Xanthan gum is meant to replace the gluten and therefore it helps add the structure, elasticity, and viscosity back into gluten free products or baked goods. For my first truly gluten-free baking experiment I used the following gluten free flour combination;

Brown Rice Flour (a whole grain!)

Tapioca Flour (gives a nice chewy texture)

Xanthan gum

When using this blend, for every cup of wheat flour called for in the original recipe you instead use 1/2 cup of brown rice flour, 1/2 cup of tapioca flour, and 1 tsp. xanthan gum.

Gluten Free Power Cookies

(Makes 25)

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

2 tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 cup protein powder

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg white

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine first seven ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together honey, oil, vanilla, and eggs.

4. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients; fold in cranberries, nuts, and chocolate chips.

5. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray and drop cookie mixture (in rounded spoonfuls) onto pan.

6. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges.

7. Transfer to a plate of a cool rack so they do not continue cooking. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts
(for 1 cookie)


Ok, so the cookies received a D+ grade, but, what do you expect? It's a cookie! I think the 5.5 grams of protein is pretty impressive, and the mere 150 calories...not so bad.


And they are pretty darn delicious...


More Wheat-Free/Gluten Free Recipes

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread

Oat Bran Pizza

Today's Dietitian posted this great article about the use of nut flours in gluten free baking. Have you ever tried almond, hazelnut, or walnut flours in our baking?? I haven't, but really want to start experimenting soon.

QUESTION: Do you have a gluten free flour combination that you love? I need some ideas for my monthly gluten free support group meetings!

Raw Fruit and Nut Balls; The Perfect On-The-Go Snacks

After my first attempt at making raw balls (a food/snack I have read about on many blogs) I feel as though I'm a raw ball PRO! haha, well, that's not saying much because it's actually quite easy. Here are two of my first raw ball recipes, which I've adapted from several bloggers and other dietitians throughout the years (yes, I've been meaning to make raw balls since I first saw them posted two years ago!).

Raw Ball #1
Raw Fruit and Nut Balls

(Makes ~22)

Ingredients

1/2 cup almonds and walnuts
1 cup fresh prunes
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions

1. Use a food processor to blend all the ball ingredients

2. Use clean hands to scoop out the ball dough and roll the dough into nice round balls :)

3. Make the balls about half the size of a ping pong ball (should make about 20-22 balls). *** You could really make them any size you want, obviously ***

4. Freeze the balls (after eating a couple, of course).



These were soft and chewy in texture, with a fruity flavor. Delicious.

Nutrition Facts
(Serving size: 1 ball)

And I swear I did not plan for these balls to have 69 calories. It was just a coincidence :) I have to say I disagree with the C- grade (almost failing!). I mean, any snack with prunes, walnuts, and almonds deserves at least a B, don't you think?!

Raw Ball #2
Raw Fruit and Nut Protein Balls
(Makes ~10)

Ingredients
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 T honey
1/4 cup soy protein powder
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup diced apricots

2 T wheat germ
(** Are you gluten free? Use coconut! **)

Directions: Throw everything together into a bowl and mix! Then form into balls and roll in the wheat germ.

These had a harder and nuttier texture and flavor.

Nutrition Facts

(Serving Size: 1 ball)

They were definitely a tad on the dry side, but they were still very tasty (and Nick approved!). They tasted great with a giant glass of vanilla unsweetened almond milk.

Other Ways to Enjoy Your Raw Balls

- Pack them in your lunch for a sweet meal-ending snack/dessert

- Keep them in your freezer for those late night sweet cravings (it's better to grab these than a cookie or ice cream, right?!)

- Throw them in a baggie and keep them in your purse for those moments you get hungry on-the-go.

- Toss them on (or crumble in) some ice cream, frozen yogurt, or regular yogurt.

I'm also really loving the idea of these Carrot Cake Balls. This is next on my "raw ball" list!

QUESTION: Do you have any other fun recipes for raw balls?! I'm into them!


Very Important Question: I have written a label booklet that takes you through the grocery aisles and explains what to look for and what to be cautious of on labels. I am debating whether to pay to have it printed and stapled or to just send it via an e-book to those who purchase it. Would you buy this booklet if it was sent to you in a PDF file, which you would have to then print and staple? It will be in the appropriate format so when it prints it will print like a little label book, all you would need to do it cut and staple it, and you'd have the file forever! Or, would you rather pay a little more to have it printed and stapled already? Or, would you not buy it at all? PLEASE be HONEST!

Butternut Squash LASAGNA!

Did you really think I had exhausted all of the possibilities for butternut squash recipes?! Ha! I have several more to come, but today's might have been my favorite (thus far). It started with the leftovers from my butternut squash sauce...

Butternut Squash Sauce

Ingredients
(~6 servings)

(Adapted from Simply Recipes)

1 large butternut squash (or 2 small)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup half and half
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 T scallions
1 T chopped parsley
2 t lemon juice
Pepper to taste
Water to thin the sauce

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the guts and seeds and discard them. Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the squash. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Scoop out the squash flesh from the skins and either puree in a large blender or put it in the pan in which you will be making the sauce and just mash with a large fork (this is what I did and it was less mess and very easy).

2. Cook the puree for about a minute to get hot. Add the half and half, a tablespoon at a time, slowly stirring it in to incorporate and to avoid lumps. Stir in the parmesan. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add water (or low sodium chicken stock) to thin to the consistency you want. Take off heat and add the parsley, scallions, and lemon juice. Cover the pan to keep warm.

4. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.

What do you do with extra sauce? Make lasagna of course!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

(Adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 16 ounces mushrooms
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  
• 4 cups butternut squash sauce (see recipe above)
  
• 1 (16 ounce) package fat free cottage cheese
• 1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet saute (with the EVOO) mushrooms on medium until soft. In a separate skillet cook and stir ground beef until brown. Combine the mushrooms and beef into one skillet and stir in pasta sauce, and heat through.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and eggs.
3. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Layer with uncooked lasagna noodles, cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce. Continue layering until all ingredients are used, reserving 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 minutes. Uncover, and top with remaining half cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Nick and I both scored this dinner a 10. It was delicious. If you like a really "wet" lasagna, I would suggest watering down the sauce a bit, by adding more water or stock to the sauce while it's cooking.

And check out the nutrition facts. Not too shabby for lasagna!

Lasagna Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/8th of the pan

If you think 600 calories is a lot for a serving of lasagna, you're mistaken! Most lasagnas have between 800 and 1500 calories (no joke) and not to mention two to three times more sodium. So, my friends, that "B" score is pretty amazing.


And now for this week's nutrition and health news updates;

NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams; What Does "Natural" Mean Anyway?
(There are many lawsuits against foods companies who are falsely using the term "natural" on their products. Let's face it, until the FDA actually creates a standard definition, this will continue, lawsuits or not. To read more about the lawsuit, check out this article by the Wall Street Journal. If you can't read the article due to not having a subscription, check out the comment section!)


Why Even Resolute Dieters Fail
(Like we've always said, fad diets don't work...and for a good reason. As it turns out slow and steady weight loss is the key to staying slim for a lifetime.)


Eating Low-Fat Yogurt During Pregnancy Tied to Hay Fever and Asthma
(Ugh. What next? Chocolate?! I know I read this same study about peanuts once. What a bummer. The good news is that more research is needed at this time.)

QUESTION: What was the BEST thing you ate this weekend/week?!

My Trainer Gave Me This Diet Plan....

The other day someone came into the supplement aisle and asked about a product called "Alpha Omega". I had never heard of this product but I assumed it was a brand name that we just didn't carry (or maybe the name of a fraternity??). I quickly asked the customer where this recommendation came from and was sickened by the answer I received;


"my trainer told me to buy it, along with these other foods and supplements he recommended for my new diet plan".


UGH! You can't just tell your client to buy "Alpha Omega" supplements when that brand name doesn't even exist (I Googled it and had no luck), and when the term alpha omega means nothing. Did this trainer mean alpha linolenic acid (omega-3)? If so, how much is his client even supposed to take? Oh wait, he's not allowed to tell his client a specific amount to take, so at least the trainer did something right. But the better approach would have been for the trainer to recommend his client see a dietitian, like me :)

So what exactly are the laws regarding personal trainers or other professionals writing diet plans or recommending supplements (assuming they are not RDs)? I e-mailed the Commission on Dietetic Registration to get the answer and received this response;

State laws and/or regulations determine who can practice dietetics in a particular state. State licensure and state certification are entirely separate and distinct from registration or certification by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Neither ADA nor CDR is a regulatory agency. Dietetics practitioners are licensed by states to ensure that only qualified, trained professional provide nutrition services or advice to individuals requiring or seeking nutrition care or information. Only state-licensed dietetics professionals can provide nutrition counseling.

The laws are different in every state, but in Ohio if you are ever told by someone that they are a "nutritionist" or a "certified nutritionist" make sure to ask if they are a dietitian as well. All dietitians can be considered "nutritionists" (some dietitians call themselves nutritionists because the name sounds more familiar to people), but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. And in fact, if a "nutritionist" is not a registered dietitian it's actually illegal for them to call themselves a nutritionist in Ohio (and some other states).

* Check out these Facts Consumer Should Know About Licensed Dietitians in Ohio *

And what about personal trainers? The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is one of the leading fitness organizations that certifies personal trainers. Their Code of Ethics states that personal trainers should "refer clients to more qualified health or medical professionals when appropriate." In their training manual for personal trainers, they state:

"if you are not a registered dietitian or healthcare professional, you should avoid making specific recommendations and refer your client to a registered dietitian or physician."

On the topic of recommending dietary supplements, ACE has adopted a firm stance. Their Position Statement on Nutritional Supplements states:

"It is the position of the American Council on Exercise that it is outside the defined scope of practice of a fitness professional to recommend, prescribe, sell, or supply nutritional supplements to clients."


So what type of advice can a personal trainer, or other nutrition professional provide to their client if they are not in fact a registered dietitian? They can provide General Non-Medical Nutrition Information:

• Acceptable: "Orange juice is a good source of vitamin C."
• Not Acceptable: "You should drink more orange juice."

In other words, they can't perform individualized dietary assessments, prescribe an individualized diet or give individual dietary advice. If you accept personalized advice from a personal trainer who is not an RD just be warned that you could get much better advice from an RD who was trained for at least six years in providing personal, individual diet plans.

For more detailed information about the laws in Ohio regarding the use of the term "nutritionist", "sports nutritionist", "nutrition specialist" etc. as well as the type of non-medical nutrition information they are allowed to provide, check out this link.

Remember my experience with a personal trainer last year? It started out with a body fat test, and then my PT gave me a basic protein recommendation, which was not based on my individual stats. It was very general information about increasing my protein intake. I didn't think it was accurate information at all, but the good thing was that he only made very general recommendations that were not specific to my individual needs.


Before I forget, I want to add that as a registered dietitian with only a couple exercise physiology classes under my belt, I have no right to put someone on an exercise plan, or put them through a training session such as the grueling one I was put through....



Does that mean I can't tell someone to workout and suggest some of my own personal favorite moves? No, but like with personal trainers teaching nutrition, there is a fine line that should not be crossed.

So whatever this customer I met in the supplement aisle received from his personal trainer could have easily crossed the boundaries. I didn't really look at the sheet of paper, but I'm guessing there were specific recommendations that were personalized for the customer, which is illegal in Ohio, unless his PT was also an RD. Read more about the difference between a nutritionist and a registered dietitian here. I also found a great blog post written by another dietitian, here.


QUESTION: Did you know that in some states (other than Ohio) anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, no matter what type of background/education they have? Do you think personal trainers should be able to give out personalized diets?

My Version of Thai Peanut Noodles With Shrimp

I'm all about taking recipes from magazines, especially magazines like Clean Eating. I seriously love all of their recipes (although I'll admit, I do not love all of their nutrition information, it's not always accurate....). The July edition had this wonderful recipe for Thai Peanut Noodles with Shrimp.


It looked absolutely delicious, so of course I had to make it. I'm not one to go out and buy a bunch of new ingredients just to make one dish, because I can't stand letting food go to waste (and that's inevitably what happens when I buy unique ingredients for new recipes). I also have to modify recipes because of my low FODMAPs diet (such as the honey in this recipe). So, I took this recipe and made it my own, using the ingredients I already had in my kitchen.

Picture Source: Clean Eating Magazine

Gina's Version of Thai Peanut Noodles With Shrimp
Makes ~ 8 servings

1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup no-salt-added tomato juice
1/4 cup unsalted, natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T sesame oil

2 T lime juice (fresh)

1 T molasses
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 pound frozen, pre-cooked shrimp (or fresh!)
12 ounces whole wheat penne (~ 5 cups cooked)
3 T parsley
3 T basil
3 T unsalted peanuts

** Add avocado if you want. It adds even more creaminess and deliciousness **

This is Nick's bowl (below). He added some Red Hot to his, because he can't eat anything without Red Hot (well, neither can I, but I didn't need it for this dish).

Here is my bowl (below). I served my pasta over some steamed veggies since I can't really eat a lot of wheat at one sitting without getting bloated (FODMAPs!). This was also a great way to add more volume to my meal without tons of calories, and with extra fiber. It was delicious.

Nutrition Facts
(Serving size, 1/8th of recipe)

Source

QUESTION: Do you modify recipes? Do you like peanut butter in your noodles??

Butternut Squash Sauce Served Over Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken

Nicole recommended that I try using our bounty of butternut squash to make some sauce. At first I thoght this sounded strange, but then I went searching for recipes and I realized it was actually quite a brilliant idea! Rather than making a sauce for pasta I decided to make a sauce to serve over some roasted chicken.

Autumn Grilled Chicken

4 ounces raw chicken breast
2 shakes of cayenne pepper (on each)
2 shakes of nutmeg (on each)
2 shakes of pumpkin spice (on each)
Dash of salt
1 tsp olive oil

1. Spray the chicken with some olive oil so the breasts are nice and coated
2. Spread the spices evenly over the chicken
3. Grill until no longer pink in the middle (should reach 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast).


Butternut Squash Sauce

Ingredients
(~6 servings)

(Adapted from Simply Recipes)

1 large butternut squash (or 2 small)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup half and half
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 T scallions
1 T chopped parsley
2 t lemon juice
Pepper to taste
Water to thin the sauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the guts and seeds and discard them. Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the squash. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Scoop out the squash flesh from the skins and either puree in a large blender or put it in the pan in which you will be making the sauce and just mash with a large fork (this is what I did and it was less mess and very easy).

2. Cook the puree for about a minute to get hot. Add the half and half, a tablespoon at a time, slowly stirring it in to incorporate and to avoid lumps. Stir in the parmesan. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add water (or low sodium chicken stock) to thin to the consistency you want. Take off heat and add the parsley, scallions, and lemon juice. Cover the pan to keep warm.

4. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Sauce Nutrition Facts

(Serving size, 1/6th of batch)

This meal was a TEN! I can't wait to show you what I did with the leftover sauce (that's for next weekend's post!).

Now for this week's nutrition news updates.....

A Squirt of Insulin May Delay Diabetes
(You have to read this to believe it. I think these scientists are truly on to something here!)



Nearly One in Six In Poverty In the US
(Can you imagine having to pick between a meal or a place to sleep? This is just so sad. Everyone should do their part and give back if they can. I gave to a favorite fund yesterday and I feel blessed that I could share with those who need it most.)


A Kitchen Scale- A Tool Whose Time Has Come!
(Yep, after reading this article, a kitchen scale is going on my registry!)


Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate Vs. USDA's MyPlate
(I hate to say it, but I think the Harvard researchers created something that blows the USDA's plate design out of the water. This new plate includes oil, is specific about whole grains vs. refined grains, and makes it clear that certain proteins are better than others.)

QUESTIONS: What do you think of Harvard's plate design?
Going back tot he sauce, do you like your sauces chunky or smooth? I like mine chunnnnnky!

Stuffed Tomatoes (A Quick After Work Meal!)

Many times when I get home from work I have no desire to make dinner. Wait, I take that back, I never have a desire to make dinner when I get home from work. Let's face it, I work around food all day long, and many times I cook and bake while at work, and when I get home between 6pm and 7:30pm all I want to do is sit on my butt. However, I know that in order to eventually raise children I will have to learn to just suck it up and prepare a good dinner on most nights, so I might as well practice now, right!? I'm lucky Nick is always willing to help (always as in most of the time).

I like to prepare proteins (fish, chicken, lean beef) over the weekend and then freeze them so they are ready to be incorporated into my random meal creations during the week. I let the proteins thaw in the fridge during the day, then use them in my "quick meals" in the evening. The other day I used this summer's bounty of fresh tomatoes from our garden to make stuffed tomatoes;

Simple Stuffed (Homegrown!) Tomatoes

Ingredients

3 large tomatoes
6 T dry minute brown rice
1/2 avocado
3 tsp hot sauce
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 t dried or fresh basil
1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I omitted this from my own)
Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste

3 ounces grilled chicken
OR
3 ounces grilled salmon




Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1) Hollow out the tomatoes and put the flesh into a bowl

2) Mix the flesh of the tomato with the spices, hot sauce, and soy sauce in the separate bowl

3) Add 2 T of the rice to each tomato

4) Add the tomato flesh/spice mixture to the tomatoes, filling the tomato a little under half-way full

5) Add about 1/2 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) to the bottom of a a glass baking dish

6) Place the filled tomatoes in the dish and cook for about 40 minutes

7) Add the cooked chicken or salmon and avocado and cook for another 10 minutes.

8) Take out of oven and shave some fresh parmesan on top and drizzle with the rest of the EVOO

9) Let sit for ~10 minutes to allow extra juices to soak into rice and tomato.

*** Serve this in a bowl as it will likely be watery, yet delicious!! ***

Nick added extra rice to the top of his.

Sorry, bad picture, the lighting is never good at 8pm...

Nutrition Facts
(Serving Size: Two stuffed tomatoes, with chicken)

QUESTION: Have you tasted any homegrown tomatoes this year?? What are some of your favorite tomato recipes? I would love to make tomato soup, do you have any good recipes to share?

Healthy and Tasty Appetizer; Baked Zucchini Roll-Ups

Do you have a party coming up? Or are you looking for something fun to do with the last of your fresh summer zucchini? Check out this great recipe!

BAKED ZUCCHINI ROLL-UPS
(Makes ~10)

Ingredients

2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into strips 1/4-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into quarters

1 T extra virgin olive oil

3-4 ounces herbed goat cheese

1 T finely chopped basil

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar (I used blueberry balsamic vinegar)


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cut zucchini with a mandoline or knife

3. Add about 1 tsp. EVOO to each of two baking sheets and coat each well.

4. Add the strips of zucchini and the quartered red peppers to the baking sheets

5. Brush the zucchini and red peppers with the remaining extra virgin olive oil.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if you desire

7. Bake in the oven about 3-4 minutes on each side (you may have to remove the zucchini and then allow the red pepper to bake longer in order to get soft).

8. Once zucchini and red peppers are baked, place 1 tsp goat cheese about an inch from the end of each zucchini slice. Then place a strip of red pepper down on the zucchini slice.

9. Gently roll up the strip and place seam side down on a serving plate. Repeat this with each of the zucchini slices.

10. Top the serving plate with some fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Nutrition Facts
(Serving, 1 roll-up)

At first I just made a few (see picture above), but then ate them all (hehe, oops!) so I had to continue making more :)

I'm not creative with my food photos. As you can see in the picture above, I don't know how to garnish food. I mean, that basil is completely random. I did add a bit of the basil to the inside of some of the roll-ups and it tasted pretty delicious.

This is my new favorite way to eat zucchini. I could have easily eaten all of these in one sitting, but thankfully Nick was there to help. They are healthier apps, but their calories could still add up pretty fast. If you want to decrease the calories you could use something like Laughing Cow cheese instead of goat cheese (yum!).


QUESTION: Do you like to make fun appetizers? Do you have any favorites? Do you like goat cheese? Nick hates it, I LOVE it!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup and This Week's News

Thanks for all of the wonderful comments you left on my last blog post. I knew I would get some people who disagreed with me about the inclusion of fruits in the diet, and the fact that Weight Watchers now considers fruits to be free foods (some of you only sort of agreed with me). I loved reading all of your thoughts and opinions. I think the bottom line is that fruit is great, and much better than most sources of sugar, but if one really wants to lose weight they need to remember that sugar is sugar, and if you eat it in excess the weight won't come off.


Here are some of my favorite nutrition and health articles from the week;

People Eat Food Out of Habit, Even When Food Is Stale
(This studied showed that eating habits can be so ingrained that some people may even resort to eating stale popcorn at the movie theater simply because it's a habit. Don't let eating "habits" contribute to mindless eating, in the true sense of the word)



Moderate Drinking Tied to Better Health For Women, Study Suggests
(One drink a day may not be such a bad idea. And no, it doesn't have to be wine!)

Drinking Pattern Linked to Alcohol's Effect on Heart Health
(Research suggests it's better to have one or two drinks a day than to save all your drinks for the weekend. Hmm, sort of sounds similar to the recommendations for food! Right? Don't "save" calories for the weekend, and don't "save" drinks either. It just doesn't work that way.)


Battle Lines Solidify Over Bid To Distinguish Food From Supplements
(Is it a food, or a supplement? Many companies are classifying their products as supplements simply because the regulations for dietary supplements aren't as strict and there is no pre-market approval. Tricky stuff.)

And now it's butternut squash recipe time! We're down to about 25 butternut squash (even after giving away about 20!) and I'm still creating a new recipe each week. Caitlin from Feed Between the Lines recommended a roasted butternut squash soup, which sounded delicious but was way too similar to the butternut squash soup I made last year. So I decided to try out the Cabot Reduced Fat Butternut Squash Soup instead.


Here is the original recipe, with my modifications in red.

Ingredients
(Makes about 6 large servings)

2 pounds butternut squash (~2 butternut squash), peeled and cut into chunks

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium chicken broth)

1 cup Cabot Light Sour Cream or Regular Sour Cream (0% fat Greek yogurt)

1/2 cup Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar, grated (75% reduced fat white cheddar cheese)

2 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon sugar (omitted)

Several chives, cut into 1-inch pieces (omitted because of low FODMAPs diet)

Directions

1. In large saucepan, combine squash and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and let stand until slightly cooled; puree in batches in blender.

3. Return puree to saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir in sour cream (or Greek yogurt!), cheddar, butter and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir until heated through (do not allow to boil). Taste soup, adding sugar if squash was not particularly sweet. Serve sprinkled with chives (or not....).

Do you see that little bubble to the left of the spoon? Yeah, I let it boil on accident. Oops. I talked to some of the chefs with whom I work and they said I "broke" my soup. In other words, I let it get too hot and it curdled the butter and yogurt. So the soup wasn't pretty, but it was still delicious!

This was so delicious that even Nick liked it (and he "hates" soup). It's delicious with a nice piece of crunchy whole wheat bread.

Nutrition Facts
(Per 1/6 batch)

It also tastes great with a good beer. If you're a beer lover, like Nick and me, you have to try Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. I tried it for the first time two years ago and now I think it's my all time favorite beer. It's pricey, but completely worth it! Nick and I have been drinking this since we found it in stores a couple weeks ago. I try to stick to "moderation", but sometimes it's so hard! And yes, I normally use this as my "dessert" (normally...).

QUESTION: What's your favorite fall drink (alcoholic or not)?

Ten Fruits a Day? Not So Smart

I'll be honest, I don't know much about Weight Watchers. I've actually learned about it just by talking to my own clients who follow the program. I did read about the new points system when it was first announced earlier this year, but I didn't go much further than reading the handful of articles that were published. I have a hard time having faith in a program that does not hire dietitians to help each of their clients. Every client of mine will tell me that they have never talked to an actual dietitian at Weight Watchers, but instead they talk to people who are past Weight Watcher successes. Maybe this isn't always the case, I don't know.

Below is a list of reasons why "Weight Watchers Works", taken directly from their website.

I do believe that they have done thorough research to create their new guidelines, as is indicated above with the "Latest Science" bullet, but I'm afraid I have to disagree with the concept that anyone trying to lose weight, and maintain a healthy weight, should be able to "enjoy fruits and most vegetables until satisfied". This may sound like a swell idea, but when a client of mine told me she was eating ten fruits a day, and that her instructor told her to cut it down to eight, I about had a heart attack. EIGHT?! Try two to three.

Source: iStock Photo

I won't try to explain my reasons why this amount of fruit is bad, because I found a dietitian online who has already explained the reasons; here. While fruits are extremely good for you, and certainly a better source of sugar than let's say, a candy bar, it's still sugar! And, they are still calories. To allow someone to count fruit as a "free food" when they are trying to lose/maintain weight (and often times still struggling with some type of food and/or sugar addiction) is simply absurd.

After talking with my client for about an hour I put her on a plan that included more protein and less fruit (she agreed to go down to two or three servings). I also told her that when she does eat fruit it's best to pair it with some type of protein, such as nuts, nut butter, cheese or Greek yogurt. The protein will help prevent a large spike in blood sugar and will also help keep her full longer.

Instead of a cup of cooked apples.....

I suggested apples and peanut butter or Swiss cheese. She told me she wasn't doing that currently because nuts, nut butters, cheese and yogurts were not free. In my opinion a cup of plain Greek yogurt or a slice of Swiss cheese would be more beneficial than an unlimited amount of apples (or any fruit), in terms of weight loss. Am I crazy?

Bottom Line: I like that Weight Watchers now counts fruits and veggies as free foods, as I know this will cause people to increase their intake of fruits and veggies, however, there needs to be a limit on the fruit, just as their is on starchy vegetables.

But don't worry fruit, I still love you!

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the unlimited amount of fruits now allowed on the Weight Watchers plan?

A Reduced Fat and Lower Calorie Avocado?

I can't remember who blogged about SlimCados about two or three weeks ago, but ever since I saw that post I really wanted to try one. Last week I finally found one at the local supermarket and of course I just had to try it.


They claim to be 50% lower fat and 35% lower calorie compared to the leading California avocados. I'll tell you right now, it's not worth it.

I'm not just saying that because I'm being picky. I mean, I eat Better'n Peanut Butter all the time and it's clearly not better than peanut butter. I think with the SlimCado it's just so bland and void of flavor and creaminess that it's just not worth it to me.

It's almost as if the green color in avocados is what holds all the flavor, because as you can see the SlimCados are more yellow. I could have done without them on my lean beef tacos with grilled red pepper, brown rice, and baked beans (yeah, I said baked beans!). Nick agreed.


In case you were wondering, SlimCados are still a great source of vitamin E, fiber, B-vitamins, potassium, zinc, and monounsaturated fat. It may be worth it to try one if you are really trying to watch your fat and calories, but for me, as with most things, I'd prefer to eat the real thing, just less of it.

And on another note, can you tell which tomato is home grown?

If you guessed the bright red one on the right, you would be correct. All that extra red pigment signifies more health-promoting lycopene. What's not to love?! After our bountiful tomato summer, I doubt I'll ever be able to eat another non-homegrown tomato again! Ok, maybe I'm lying.....

QUESTION: Have you ever tried a SlimCado??

In other news, I said YES to the DRESS on Saturday! I know I have an entire year before I get married, but I'm a planner so I thought I would start early. The lady at the dress shop said it would take six months to get in, so I'm pretty happy that I started so early! I can't wait to show everyone. And for all of you who have yet to get married, I have one tip; try on all dresses that you like, even if it's not something you ever imagined wearing. The dress I chose was one I would never have imagined choosing, in a million years.

Butternut Squash Cookies and This Week's News

Before we get into this week's butternut squash recipe, check out this week's health and nutrition news highlights.

Pro/Con Does Obesity Qualify As Child Abuse?
(I think my opinion on this is based completely on the individual situation. There are plenty of parents out there who need more resources, such as money and expert advice/guidance, in order to create a healthy food environment for themselves and their children. There are some parents who live in areas that are lacking healthy choices and are surrounded by violence that deters them from even sending their kids out to play. Is this abuse? No. But then there are others who just don't care. That's abuse.)




Penalty For Unhealthy Teachers
(Do you think it's fare to penalize employees for not taking part in a wellness program? I do!)



Ingredients of Shady Origins, Posing as Supplements
(This is a must read. Bottom line: don't be a full when it comes to buying supplements. Stick to well-known and trusted products that don't make outlandish promises.)



Coffee Break? Walk In the Park? Why Unwinding is Hard
(You know that time in the middle of your day when you just feel like oyu want to crash? Well, first, try some protein, then take about 1-5 minutes and go outside to get some fresh air. It may really help!)

Sugary Drinks Add 300 Calories a Day to Youth's Diets
(And we wonder why there is an obesity epidemic??)

Breast Cancer Risk Drops When Diet Includes Walnuts
(Yeah for walnuts! This study was pretty impressive. More reasons to make the cookies I posted below :) ).

And now it's time for this week's butternut squash recipe. A while back I asked for some butternut squash recipe recommendations. I received some great ones, including this Butternut Squash Muffin With Graham recipe from Chava of Food For Laughter. I was going to make these, but at the last minute I opted for a cookie recipe that someone gave me a couple years ago. I'll have to try the muffins another time, thanks Chava!

Butternut Squash Cookies

Here is the original recipe from Allrecipes.com. My modifications are in red

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup almond butter)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (1/4 cup + 2 T Splenda brown sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cup brown rice flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup raisins (omitted)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (2 cups chopped walnuts)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (omitted)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and squash. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices; add to mixture, stirring until well blended. Stir in walnuts. Spoon onto cookie sheets spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are golden.

Nick can't get enough of these cookies. I'm actually really surprised by this because they aren't very sweet. I contemplated adding chocolate chips in hopes of Nick actually enjoying these, but I'm glad I didn't because they clearly were not necessary!

QUESTION: I'm curious about your opinion of the first article I posted above. Do you think obesity should qualify as child abuse? If you don't want to answer, please tell me your favorite type of cookie or tell me what your plans are for the holiday weekend.