Three "Healthy" Foods This Dietitian Never Buys

Three Healthy Foods This Dietitian Never Buys  

  1. Egg substitute. If there's one thing to remember when it comes to food, it's that an imitation is never going to beat out the real thing. The cholesterol in eggs actually doesn't have much of an impact on blood cholesterol and whole eggs are chock full of nutrients. Egg substitutes, on the other hand, get rid of the yolk, which is nutrient rich, and then throw in additives and cheap vitamins in an effort to make up the difference. Instead, go for the real thing (my Feta Red Onion Frittata is a great place to start) and find a local supplier who raises their chickens on pasture.[gap size="50px"]
  2. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Believe it or not, chickens aren't boneless, nor are they skinless. :) Instead, buy whole pastured chickens from a local supplier and roast them, or cut them up into parts yourself. You'll be able to afford high quality meat (because whole chickens are cheaper than parts) and you'll get the benefit of the different nutrient profiles found in the various parts. Plus, when a chicken is raised properly on pasture, the fat composition is different, meaning you can eat the skin without any worries. As a bonus, you'll have the bones leftover too, which can be used to make a healthy and delicious homemade chicken stock.[gap size="50px"]
  3. Skim milk. Again, we've got to get off this anti fat train. Many nutrients can't even be absorbed by the body unless there is some fat in the mix. If you can tolerate dairy well, find milk that comes from cows raised on pasture (noticing a trend here?) and buy the whole stuff. For those of you who want some more info and explanation on why I love whole milk, I made a video all about it.

Did any of these items surprise you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

4 Must-Dos Before the Farmers Market Opens!

Spring is finally here and that means that farmers markets across the country are getting ready to open for the new season. In this video, I share my top 4 must-dos before your local farmers market opens, so you can be ready for all of those fresh fruits and veggies! [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed='' no_container="true"]

Which foods are you most looking forward to getting your hands on this season? Are you a tomato fanatic like me? Share in the comments below!

Quick Tip: Switching To Whole Wheat Flour

Switching over from white to whole wheat flour in your cooking is a big step when it comes to healthy eating, but finding 100% whole wheat recipes can be challenging and a lot of the "whole wheat" recipes out there still use some white flour. In today's video, I share a quick tip for making your favorite recipes 100% whole wheat, and also some strategies to get the whole wheat haters in your life on board. [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed='' no_container="true"]

One Crazy Tip For No More Onion Tears!

Onions are in most savory recipes, but the pain and tears that come along with cutting them up can be a constant struggle. In this video, I'll share the one crazy tip for cutting onions that will end your onion tears for good! [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed='' no_container="true"]

How To Make Natural Food Coloring For Valentine's Day

In this video, I teach you a couple simple ways you can make you own natural red and pink food dyes at home. Be sure to send me pics if you try any of these tips! [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed='' no_container="true"]

9 Tips For A Healthy Holiday

It's the time of year that everyone loves: the holidays! But with all of the fun also comes lots of yummy food that isn't always the healthiest. It's important to enjoy this time of year, but also to avoid the consequences of enjoying ourselves a little too much.  Fear not, I'm here to help with a few tips. You can use all of them or pick and choose the ones that work for you. I don't think we need to be too crazy about being restrictive on these special days. As long as we treat them like the special occassion they are and eat well most other days, it's fine. At the same time, I don't want you to have that sick, overstuffed feeling that no one likes.

Healthy Holiday

Note: Even though I'm posting this with the fall and winter holidays in mind, these tips can apply to any holiday or special event.

  1. If you're not hosting the event, offer to bring something to make things easier on your host. That way, you can make sure there is a healthy option available to fill up on.
  2. If you are the host, make sure you're making your dishes with real, whole foods rather than relying on processed, chemical nastiness. Even if you do eat a little too much, it will all be things that your body can work with. If you need inspiration, check my previous post on Thanksgiving recipe ideas.
  3. Be active! Whether it's a workout before the meal or a walk with the group after, find a way to get your body moving. Not only will this make you feel great and give you an energized glow, but it also discourages you from over-eating. That awesome feeling you get from exercise and being stuffed just don't go together.
  4. Make half your plate non-starchy vegetables (just like any other day). Filling up on these nutritious, lower-calorie options will ensure that you can still enjoy your favorite foods, but not eat too much.
  5. Stick to one plate rather than going back for seconds or thirds. Get a little bit of everything you want and enjoy it. The first few bites are always the best and, after that, it often just becomes mindless.
  6. Be a picky eater. Don't feel pressured to put every item offered on your plate. I love food and I am not about to give up precious tummy room for something I'm not crazy about. Only select the items that are your favorites and leave the other filler foods behind.
  7. Slow down and enjoy each bite as well as the company of those around you. This is one I especially struggle with because it is my natural tendency to shove my food down as fast as possible. Something I need to work on. :)
  8. One day isn't going to make or break you as far as your health goals are concerned. The important thing is not to let one day turn into a week or month of over indulgence.
  9. Remember what the holiday is about. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the logistics of a special get together or only think about the food, so focus instead on celebrating the true meaning of the holiday.

 

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How do you stay healthy during the holidays? Share in the comments below!

7 Tips for Easier Meal Planning!

plannerI'm sad to say that there is no Body Revolution post for today. :( The muscle I hurt in my back a few months ago was bothering me and I did NOT want to go down that road again. Pain + not being able to do anything except lay around was not what I wanted. Instead, I did some walking and gave myself a break. Real life here people. Things will pick back up this week so we will be on track to talk about week 10 next Monday. So, instead of exercise, let's talk about food! If you are a regular reader, you know I'm all about scratch-cooking and making as much stuff yourself as you can. It's definitely a constant process, and I am always evolving in this area, but those slow gradual changes are what make things stick. As you begin to make more and more things yourself, there is one thing you can't deny: eating whole, real food does require more time in the kitchen than popping a frozen entree in the microwave. Now, I don't think that's a bad thing. Why should something as important as the food we eat become another chore or afterthought? Still, I also know that we are all incredibly busy and with so many responsibilities, some things are gonna fall by the wayside. While I can't eliminate your need to cook all together, I do have some tips that I think make things a whole lot easier.

  1. Make a Meal Plan. We're starting at square one here. It surprises me how many people don't have a plan at all. Running by the store on the way home from work fretting about what you're going to cook for dinner or digging through the fridge and pantry hoping a great idea will pop out at you is way too stressful. All of that time running about like a crazy person could be spent preparing a meal that's on your calender with all of the ingredients on hand.
  2. Keep Your Old Meal Plans. I do all of our meal planning in a notebook. That way, if I'm struggling to come up with a dinner idea for Thursday, I can flip back through the last few weeks for inspiration.
  3. Be Flexible. When you're cooking with fresh, local ingredients, you can't always have what you want. I never plan our meals before I've been to the farmers market. Now, if you're going to the market regularly, you will have some idea of the things you're likely to find, but there are no guarantees. Something in abundance last week could be limited this week or a new item might have ripened and be overflowing out of the bins. You have to work with what they got.
  4. Take a Picture. If you're following me on social media, you know that I post a photo each week with everything I get at the farmers market laid out on our kitchen table. This is partially because it's pretty and people seem to like it, but it has the added bonus of making meal planning much easier. I can simply look at the picture and see everything we have to work with. Then I can make my meal plan, keeping everything in mind, and go shopping for any additional items we might need like meats, milk, and spices.
  5. Roast Those Veggies. We have roasted veggies at least one night each week. It doesn't matter what they had at the market because everything can always be roasted. Plus, roasting makes vegetables delicious!
  6. Just Plan Dinner. Breakfast and lunch will work themselves out. Most people eat the same few things for breakfast and lunch and we are no different. Lunch for us is usually leftovers from dinner. Easy.
  7. Have an Optional Meal. Every Friday on our meal plan is the same thing: pizza. It is one meal that I can make with ingredients we always have on hand. The toppings can be flexible depending on what we haven't used during the week and any extra veggies can get used up as a side dish. In the end, we don't end up having pizza every week due to the random things that happen. If we find ourselves eating leftovers for dinner one night because something came up and I didn't have time to cook or we have an unplanned dinner with friends or our parents, the pizza meal can fall off the calendar and there are no worries about ingredients going bad.

Do you have any meal planning tips? Share them in the comments below!

Avoiding Plastics

Avoiding PlasticsI LOVE reader requests and today's post is just that! A quick look around and it's easy to see that plastics have become a big part of our every day life. Many (including me) are concerned with the impact this could have on our health. At the same time, part of health is sanity and it could just about drive you crazy stressing over and trying to remove all of that plastic! With that in mind, I wanted to provide you guys with some info on how I prioritize when to avoid plastics at all costs and when to not worry so much. I've numbered them, with the first being the most critical.

  1. Hot/Heated Foods. If there is one thing you take away from this post it should be this: never heat your food in plastic! Risk for chemical leaching is higher when the plastic is heated so use reusable glass containers or ceramic dishes for anything you plan to reheat or that is to be consumed hot. An example would be avoiding hot coffee or tea served in a Styrofoam cup. Opt for a proper mug instead!
  2. Most Used Items. Switching out the things you use on a daily basis is going to give you the most bang for your buck in terms of limiting exposure. Try replacing your plastic water bottle with a glass one.
  3. Long Term Storage. The longer something is stored in a plastic container, the higher the chance of chemical leaching. Look for large glass jars or containers to store these foods instead.
  4. Cold/Frozen. This is the area I would tackle last. Remember, if you plan to reheat the food you need to make sure to transfer it before heating.

Also, as a general rule in all categories, the more liquid a food is the more concerned I am with chemical leaching. Think soup vs a sandwich.

I don't think there is any need to go out any buy all new containers and have your bank account crying on the way home. If you have the money, feel free to do an overhaul, but, if your budget is more limited, institute a gradual and calculated change. Start with the containers for hot foods and your most commonly used items and replace things as you're able to from there. Also, keeping a ceramic plate or bowl at work for reheating is a great option. Just make sure you have a way to clean it after each use.

Do you try to avoid plastics? Share in the comments below!

Eating Organic On A Budget

moneypileIt's a common complaint that eating healthy and organic foods is more expensive than eating junk. While this can be true if you buy a lot of specialty or processed products, it can also be affordable to eat well if you know how to do it. With that said, I don't know why it is virtuous in our culture to spend as little on food as possible (see Extreme Couponers). Obviously if you aren't bringing in enough money to feed yourself this should be a concern, but even those who are well off get sucked into this mentality. Spending as little as possible on food and dropping thousands on a designer handbag are both admirable. What? I recently had a request from a reader to write a post with tips for those who want to eat organic, but aren't independently wealthy. I'm here to tell you that you can eat delicious, healthy food on a budget, if you put in the effort. It's all about doing what you can, prioritizing your food dollars, and giving yourself a break some times. Jasen and I definitely don't spend unlimited amounts of money on our food, but we're still able to eat well.

  1. Grow your own. No matter if you live on several acres or in an NYC apartment, you can still grow something. Potted herbs are a great place to start!
  2. Shop at your local farmers market. You can get great prices and, as you start to build relationships with the farmers, you can often get deals or freebies.
  3. Use the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" lists to prioritize your organic dollars. These list which foods have the most pesticide residue (most important to buy organic) and which have the least (less important to buy organic). If you have to choose, you're better off getting organic versions of the thin skinned fruits and veggies like apples and tomatoes, and buying non-organic when it comes to thick skinned foods like oranges and watermelon.
  4. Eat less meat. Organic and pastured meats can be expensive, so, rather than eating cheap meat every night, opt for organic meats 2-3 times per week.
  5. Stop buying chicken in pieces. Buy the whole chicken and cut it up yourself. Not only is this cheaper, but it gives some variety in your diet and you can use the left-over back bone to make stock.
  6. Buy foods in bulk. Often, this can be cheaper (but check to make sure it is)! When it comes to meat, buy a whole cow or hog and freeze it for the year. If you are single and/or don't have a huge freezer to store the meat, go in with some friends and split it.
  7. Don't get sucked into organic specialty products like bars, crackers, and cereal. They're quite expensive. Choose whole, real foods instead.
  8. Make as much yourself as possible. You can save lots of money by taking the time to soak and cook dried beans rather than buying canned. I've recently started making my own yogurt. Start with one change at a time and add them on gradually. As you go, what was once a big deal will become your new normal.
  9. Eat in. Eating out is super expensive and often the quality of the food isn't that great. When you do eat out, make it a special occasion and choose restaurants that specialize in something you can't make yourself and/or ones that use local and organic ingredients.
  10. Find the money. Most people spend some of their income on extra items they don't need. Now, while there isn't anything wrong with this, if you are on a limited budget, you might need to eliminate or reduce these items in order to put that money towards your food. It all comes down to what is more important to you.

A great resource if you need meal ideas is 100 Days of Real Food. After this mom and her family completed a 100 day real food challenge, they went on a 100 day real food on a budget challenge where they spent less than what they would have received on SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits. You can read all about their struggles and tips here.

Even with these tips, the bottom line is that you have to make healthy eating a priority. It does sometimes require sacrifices, but the benefits are much greater.

Do you guys have any money-saving tips when it comes to eating well? Share them in the comments below!

The Basics to Building a Healthy Meal

Today, we're going back to basics. I write a lot about the intricacies of the food system and the current issues I feel passionately about. However, sometimes I think we get so caught up in the details that we can miss out on the foundations of healthy eating. Generally, I don't subscribe to specific meal plans. Everyone is different and what works for one may not work for someone else. With all that said, my experience so far as an intern has shown me one approach that seems to resonate with a lot of people: the plate method. Now, this is similar to USDA's MyPlate, but it has a few difference that I like better and it came around long before the government's new graphic. The basic principle behind this is using the visual of a plate to teach appropriate portions of different food groups. When building your plate, follow these principles:

  1. Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables. This includes greens, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peppers, onions, summer squash, eggplant, asparagus, and many others.
  2. Fill a fourth of your plate with whole grains and/or starchy vegetables. Think pasta, rice, potatoes, peas, corn, beans, and bread.
  3. Fill a fourth of you plate with protein. This can be in the form of meat, nuts, seeds, and the like.
  4. Add a serving of fruit and/or dairy on the side. Not required, but worth considering.

Long story short, you're filling up on nutritious veggies! This can be an especially helpful guide when going to a potluck or family get-together. Just fill your plate accordingly and, as always, eat mindfully.

Fruit, A Salad's Best Friend

I love a good salad. Nothing feels better than filling up on a bowl full of different vegetables. However, we all know that not all salads are created equal. Loading up with heavy dressings, croutons, fried items, and other caloric fare can take your salad from virtuous to villainous. For the non-veggie lovers out there, this can be a real problem, making a healthy salad practically unbearable. If you find yourself falling into the salad-hating category, or you just want to take your regular salad to the next level, adding fruit can really make a difference. Some of you may feel a little leery about mixing the sweet with the savory, but I'm here to tell you that it is a killer combination. The sweetness compliments and contrasts with the other flavors and the acid found in many fruits can help balance the fat from the olive oil in your dressing or the avocado you slice on top. Whatever fruit you have on hand is fair game. Strawberries, peaches, apples, nectarines, cherries, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all great options (but not all at once). Basically if you like it, toss it in there. Whole fruit is going to be your best option over dried because you'll be getting the water that comes with whole fruit and you also won't have to worry about the extra sugar that is often added to dried fruits, particularly cranberries. So next time you make a salad, get a little crazy and throw in some chopped apple or fresh berries. You'll be amazed at the difference it can make. What is your favorite fruit to put in your salad? Let me know in the comments below. : )

Independence Day: A Diet Diary

Yesterday, like many Americans, I celebrated the Fourth of July with my family by cooking and sitting down to a summer feast. I figured that with so much good food around, it was a perfect opportunity to post about what we were up to and how I build a healthy meal at a summer cookout. Telling you is helpful, but showing you is so much more fun!

The first thing I made was a cold grain and vegetable salad called tabouleh. I got this particular recipe from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. It consists of bulgur wheat, tomatoes, cucumber, mint, and red onion, with parsley in the starring role (the recipe calls for 2 cups). These are all mixed together and then dressed with a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. This is a popular recipe at my house, especially with my 15-year-old brother. In fact, it's his favorite thing that I make! Sometimes, we add chicken to make it a little more filling as a main dish, but, this time, we kept it as a side. There was one minor "learning opportunity." I was a little naughty and didn't wash the parsley off before chopping it. Needless to say it was full of grit and we got a little bit every few bites. I like to think it added some more minerals. Lesson learned: always wash your produce!

I also made a salad from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors. This is a recent find that has been showing up often at the dinner table lately. Romaine is tossed with bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and avocado. Then, a dressing is added made with extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, mint, cilantro, marjoram, jalapeno, and salt. It can then be topped with sliced olives and crumbled feta, if you so desire.

To round out the meal, I made a burger with grass-fed beef, Worcestershire, and soy sauce and enjoyed it on a Food For Life sprouted wheat bun. The result was delicious and definitely worthy of being one of the few burgers I eat each year.

Mom made a cheesecake for dessert and I enjoyed a small slice to finish the meal off. I was completely satisfied and didn't feel awful the next day. When eating at a cook out or celebration it's important to eat what you love, but also not totally blow your healthy lifestyle out of the water. By filling your plate your veggies and whole grains you can get full on healthy fare and still enjoy dessert.

What did you do to celebrate Independence Day? What is your favorite recipe to bring to a cookout? Answer in the comments below. : )

How To Build a Vegetarian Meal

While I myself am not vegetarian, I am picky about where my meat comes from and I eat vegetarian meals more often than not. With this said, as I see more people switch over to a meat-free lifestyle (whatever their reasons may be), many do not know how to build a meal on this new eating plan. Most often, I see people continue to plan meals that are centered around meat, even though that is exactly what they are giving up. For example, they may eat frozen "chicken" nuggets that are made from plant-based proteins or subsist solely on frozen veggie burgers. These foods are highly processed, often unappetizing, and expensive. I saw this very sort of thing promoted on a recent show on the Cooking Channel. The episode was all about cooking using the Morning Star veggie burgers and the hosts kept talking about getting healthy with a vegetarian diet. I think they were doing exactly the opposite. The key to being meat-free is to think of food in a new way, and get the focus off of meat. The first step is to think of all the foods you are eating, rather than the few that you aren't. Vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy products, and eggs are all fair game for vegetarians and can be combined in many different ways to create a delicious meal. Make spiced black beans served over brown rice with grilled veggies and a fruit salsa on the side. Another option is to roast your favorite vegetables in the oven and make them the star. Then  serve with quinoa or over whole wheat pasta with a tomato sauce. Think outside of your normal confines and get a little creative. A good place to start is with a vegetarian cookbook. Make sure it's one based on whole real foods and not the franken-foods I mentioned above. Deborah Madison is a great cookbook author as well as Heidi Swanson. Start with their titles, and use them as a jumping off point for your own creativity.

Whether you are vegetarian or not, meatless meals can be a delicious and filling option. Learning to cook this way may take a little practice, but, once you drop the fake meat and embrace the yummy plant foods at your finger tips, you'll see that vegetarian does not have to mean cardboard.

How do you feel about vegetarian cuisine? Like it or hate it, I'm all ears!

Do you have a favorite vegetarian cookbook author?

Let me know in the comments below! : )

NNMC Picking Protein: Garlic-Lime Shrimp Skewers

Putting something on a skewer instantly makes it seem fancier. Plus, it can trick you into eating less because the food takes up so much more room on the plate. If you don't have skewers or it isn't warm enough to grill, you can also cook the shrimp in a pan on the stove-top (that's what I did). Shrimp are a great lean protein option and they take on other flavors quickly so no marinating is required. A simple toss will do.

Garlic-Lime Shrimp Skewers

serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lime*

3 cloves garlic

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

2. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

3. Put shrimp on skewers and grill. Alternatively, skip the skewers and sear in a pan over medium-high heat.

*Tip: To get more juice out of a lime, heat it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Then, roll the lime on the counter under your palm. Slice it in half and juice as usual.

NNMC Whole Grains: Change Your Pasta

When making the change to whole grains, a simple switch you can make is to use whole grain pasta. Nowadays, not only can you buy whole wheat varieties, but other grains are being used too, such as spelt, kamut, and even brown rice. Some people might be worried about the taste or texture of whole grain pastas compared to those made with refined flour. However, it has been my experience that most people don't see a difference when they switch over and, if anything, find that the whole grain pastas have a heartier texture. Another plus is that dried pasta is a cheap and quick meal that can be made on a busy weeknight and can be totally transformed depending on what toppings you use. It can also be added to soups or used in a casserole (lasagna anyone?). If you're still unsure, try mixing refined and whole grain pastas 50/50 in a dish and see how you like it. This can help you transition to eating only whole grain pastas by gradually increasing the amount of whole grain and decreasing the amount of refined pasta.

NNMC Whole Grains: Get Poppin' (with popcorn)

Believe it or not, popcorn is a whole grain. However, it gets a lot of flack because it’s usually covered with too much salt and butter. It’s a situation we see quite often, where the food itself is not unhealthy, but the preparation method or toppings take it to a bad place. As with any food, the best way to eat popcorn is to start as close to the raw ingredient as possible so you know what’s going into it. I prepare my popcorn using an air popper. If you don’t have one, they are quite affordable. Mine cost me about $20 and if you eat popcorn often, you will save money in the long run because you will only be paying for the unpopped kernels rather than all of the processing and packaging that goes into microwave varieties. Plus you only need a small amount of kernels (about 2 tablespoons) for a hefty serving. Then, you can add your own toppings like your favorite herbs and spices or grated parmesan. Here’s to healthy snacking!

NNMC Whole Grains: Try New Grains

We hear lots of talk about variety when it comes to our fruits and veggies. When you're eating a variety of foods you're likely to have a more balanced diet that provides all of the vitamins and minerals you need. I think we should extend this philosophy to the grains we eat as well. Most of us eat only a few grains including wheat, corn, and oats. However, there are so many different grains out there, such as kamut, farro, quinoa, and teff, and they are becoming more readily available all the time. These are often referred to as ancient grains because they have been around for thousands of years and have not been subjected to the industrial breeding that the more predominant grains have. This means that they have varied flavor, texture, and nutrient profiles, which can also help to make your meals more interesting. If you'd like a little background on the origin and flavor properties of some of these grains, be sure to check out this article from the Wall Street Journal.

Have you tried any interesting grains? How did you prepare them and what was the result?