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31
Mar
2010
 Hilarious Peeps



I don’t ever eat peeps around Easter time, and I consider them quite inedible. However, they are a “food” item that can be fun to play with :D Here are some funny Flickr finds. Though, you can find the best, cutest peep idea at Serious Eats–peeps made into sushi!
 
 
 
 
 

 Star Wars http://www.flickr.com/photos/magandafille/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

 
Peeps Nutrition Facts: 32 calories per peep, 8 carbs per peep (mostly all sugar, corn syrup, gelatin).
I believe peeps are so indestructible due to the amount of wax in them. Do you really want to be eating something so indestructible? Poor stomach… that is why I would rather have peep wars with them. 
 Or, make your own peeps like the photo below. You just have to be able to make marshmallow.


31
Mar
2010
 What’s In-Season: April



April is around the corner, and new produce will be available with the warmer months ahead. What’s in-season?

 Root Vegetables:

  • Celery Root
  • Chives
  • Fennel
  • Garlic
  • Rhubarb
  • Shallots
  • Sweet Onions

Greens (Spinach, Dandelion, Arugula, Watercress, Romaine, Iceberg)
Fruits:
  • Oranges
  • Papaya
  • Strawberries
  • Limes
Other:
  • Asparagus
  • Artichokes
  • Morel Mushrooms (the fancy mushrooms)
  • Crab and Crayfish 
  • Mussels and Clams


30
Mar
2010
 Healthy Ideas for Easter



We all know the dreaded Easter chocolate eggs and jelly beans will be coming our way. So, what are some ways to enjoy this Easter with our health in mind? I have compiled some tips for the upcoming weekend!

Bunny cake I made a few years ago!

Quick Tips for a Healthier Easter:

  • Fresh fruit is a great idea because of springtime–make a fruit bowl with melon balls which remind us of little Easter eggs.
  • Healthy Candy Substitutes: Small boxes of raisins/craisins/dried blueberries, sugar-free fruity chewing gum, bunny-shaped graham crackers, mixed nuts, fruit loops cereal
    • For Kids: give them things they can play with instead of so much candy like stickers, little toys, play dough, travel games etc.
  • What to Avoid: Solid chocolate anything, unless it’s dark chocolate and you share with a few other people!
  • Make Your own cookies- Low Fat Sugar Cookie Dough:
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 1 egg white
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 1/2 cups flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • Bake at 350 for 10 mins.
      • Note: This dough will not be as firm as most, so it may not be best for cookie cutter shapes. Just decorate with icing!

Up Next: Healthy cupcake ideas, and more healthy Easter ideas. And a recipe for how to make stuffed artichokes.


29
Mar
2010
 Sinful Sunday: Make Your Own Nutella



So we’ve all seen the lame commercials that say, “Nutella gets my kids to eat healthy foods”… more like gets your kids to eat more chocolate and sugar and palm oil. Hopefully, if you go through all the hard work to make it yourself, you will want this precious jar to last a while and be less tempted to eat the whole thing in one sitting! haha! 

Quick Tip: My boyfriend and I eat Nutella with apples to get some fiber and yummy crunch.
Ingredients:
1 cup hazelnuts (buy the unpeeled kind), toasted lightly OR (if you can find it: 1 cup hazelnut butter)
12 oz bag chocolate chips (milk or dark chocolate)
2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil (an oil that has no flavor)
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa (depending on the end consistency, I would add more or less to make it thicker or thinner)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1. If using hazelnuts, toast lightly in a pan for about 2 minutes, cool. Add to food processor with the pinch of salt and chop until smooth. This make take a little effort and take a little while. It is ok if you have a few chunks left because it will come out like chunky peanut butter style.
2. In a separate bowl, over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips while continuously stirring. You can melt them in the microwave (with 30 second increments), but I always tend to over cook the chocolate in the microwave and it never gets as smooth and delicious.
3. Add melted chocolate to blender with hazelnuts. **If you used hazelnut butter, just add the hazelnut butter and chocolate to the blender now, but omit 1 Tbsp. of oil from recipe**
4. Add the oil, powdered sugar, vanilla, cocoa to blender. Blend until smooth and creamy and dreamy!
5. Store in the refrigerator, and when ready to serve let it come to room temperature if you like.
***Note: Mixture will thicken significantly upon cooling.
Recipe changed from PheMomEnom.
Approx. Nutrition Facts of Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (2 Tbsp. is a serving): 170 calories, 11.5g fat, 5g saturated fat, 17g carbohydrates.
*Note: Hazelnuts contain more saturated fat than almonds, etc. and chocolate accounts for some of the additional saturated fat. Remember, if you use dark chocolate with a higher cacao percentage, you will have a spread that contains more antioxidants!! It may taste a little more bitter, so you can add a pinch more sugar to your mix.
Now, you may enjoy a preservative-free, and palm-oil-free hazelnut chocolate spread. And you can remember that this is still not a “health food”, and I’m guessing you are not likely to spread nutella over broccoli to get your kids to eat vegetables :P


27
Mar
2010
 Popcorn Nutrition Facts



How many calories are you really eating when you pop a bag of popcorn? The nutrition facts on the box can be so confusing!  
You don’t know whether to read the unpopped or popped nutrition facts? Well, read the “popped” facts.

3 cups of popped regular popcorn (from the package) = 120 calories, 9g fat, 12g carbohydrates
5 cups popped popcorn (kid size) from the movie theater = 470 calories, 37g fat, 22g saturated fat
I consider popcorn a healthy snack because it is a whole grain (you are eating the whole kernel of corn), it contains fiber, you can eat a few handfuls for only 100 calories, and contains magnesium (good for heart health). The only down side is that it can be full of salt and leave you feeling like you need to drink a gallon of water. Yikes.
Quick Tips: 
  • Buy the smaller bags of popcorn that only pop a portioned amount. 
  • Any lower fat brand of popcorn generally has less sodium because it is marketed towards the health conscious.
  • Make your own popcorn–preservative free! Just buy the whole kernels, add a few tablespoons to a paper bag, staple closed (one staple only), throw in microwave for a few minutes, and your done! Just add some Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and you have homemade popcorn.



26
Mar
2010
 Interns Brunch Party: Carrot Cake, Monkey Bread, Parfaits, Breakfast Casserole



The Life Interns and I decided to celebrate the end of of clinical rotations at Grady Hospital with a little brunch party. After all, we love any excuse to bring in food.

So, one thing that was brought was carrot cake with amazing icing (with walnuts) that dripped all over the cake. Lauren’s secret is that she used smart balance in the cake to make it a little healthier.
Then, we had some strawberry and vanilla yogurt parfaits that I made. I just used light Activia vanilla yogurt, lots of strawberries and a few pieces of strawberry granola on top for decoration.
Up next, breakfast casserole made with reduced fat sausage, eggs, cheese.
Finally, we had to have monkey bread!
 
For the monkey bread recipe go here to pioneer woman because she has step by step instructions to explain. It is so easy and no live monkeys are involved ;) Enjoy!

PS- Did I mention that it is not healthy? Sorry for those health nuts, but no one can resist monkey bread. I think it is called monkey bread because the sugar and fat in it makes you go crazy! So, maybe we are not the healthiest dietetic interns on the planet on party days, but we eat healthy all week long and deserve some super sweet yummy food.
Below is a picture of the new demonstration kitchen at the school; it’s like our real own food network kitchen, except we never get to use it! Oh well, we can dream…


24
Mar
2010
 Dinner with the Family: Red Potatoes Recipe



 
Last saturday, I had a lovely dinner with my family, and I will share some recipe ideas with you!

I made some red potatoes, with the skin still on to give them a crunch and preserve some of the nutrients. Red potatoes are surprising high in vitamin C, are a good source of folate, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese, pack some iron when you eat the skin, and 1 potato has 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams protein!

Directions for Herb Red Potatoes:

1. Cut small red potatoes into quarters, and add to large saute pan with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Slice 1 yellow onion, and add to pan.
2. Saute on medium with lid on for 5-7 mins. Add salt and pepper.
3. Add 2 Tbsp. rosemary, 2 Tbsp. Italian seasonings, 1 Tbsp. chili powder, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 4 cloves garlic chopped (or 2 Tbsp). Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until tender. 
4. For the last few minutes turn up the heat to get the skins to get crispy. Season to taste.

 Then, after eating our salmon, salad, and potatoes, we had some brownies for dessert! The secret to extra yummy brownies is to add some chocolate syrup (about 1/4 cup) in your mix before baking. Got this idea from another intern in my program, such as great idea, and makes the brownies more chewy and moist. Not so healthy, but no worries, they were delicious!





22
Mar
2010
 What is the Appropriate Body Fat Percentage for a Runner?



A person’s body fat percentage will vary greatly based on the person’s natural genetic body shape, and type of exercise the person does. This is a general overview of what I agree with and scientific evidence I have found. 
 
 The best way to assess the appropriate body fat for a person is to have an assessment for that individual and a registered dietitian is recommended. Secondly, everyone should be aware of the inaccuracy of body fat testing methods. The best method of testing is to perform a few tests multiple times. One example of an effective measurement is to have a skilled professional take skin fold measurements several times and use the average of all the measurements. Even with this method, the actual results may vary.
What are appropriate percents?
General minimum body fat percent for athletes: 5% for male and 12% for female (these are the minimum percents of fat in the body needed for basic human function–for example, cells need fat for survival). For women, it is especially dangerous to drop to a low percent because it will likely put you at greater risk for osteoporosis later in life. This is largely due to excessive exercise which suppresses the estrogen needed for bone formation and maintenance, and this stress and estrogen suppression will likely cause irregular/absent menstrual cycles.
 
Important Points:
  • If weight loss is the goal, it should be done mostly in the off season and assessed in the off season
  • During training, reduction in calories will not improve performance
  • If body fat percentage is too low, lean muscle mass will be lost which is necessary for performance and health
  • Progress in athletic performance should always be monitored by performance markers, and not by weight gain or loss.
Finally, all food  is part of a healthy lifestyle and each individual should be encouraged to be at their healthiest weight.
*Information from the 2009 Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance
**This article is not a substitute for medical advice.

21
Mar
2010
 Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Bread



Made this bread with my sister, and she was reading off the ingredient list and forgot to tell me to put sugar in! Haha! It actually came out just fine, and tastes more savory. But, mmm I would’ve liked a little sweetness. This bread is made with whole wheat flour and contains lots of healthy fats from the olive oil. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup toasted almonds or pine nuts, divided
3 eggs
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided (optional, if you want a dinner/non sweet bread then, omit some)
2 cups lemon yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or the juice of 2-3 large lemons)
1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. dried thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 2. Sift together the flour, salt, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup of the nuts. 3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and sugar and beat until fluffy. Stir in the yogurt, then the lemon juice, lemon rind, rosemary, and thyme. Stir in the dry ingredients, just until moistened. 4. Pour batter in 9 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the top of the batter. Sprinkle each loaf with 1 tbsp. sugar. Bake for 1 hour.  *Recipe changed from Colavita’s website

20
Mar
2010
 How to Look Your Beach Body Best: Day-of Tips



My beautiful sister
So many (women mostly) fear how they will look at the season’s first pool party of the year. And it’s coming to that time… it’s almost the end of March! Never fear! I have some tips for day-of beach body toning. 
  • In the morning, drink water, tea, or coffee to keep hydrated (not bloated!). 
    • If you are not hydrated and have eaten too many salty processed foods, that sodium/salt attracts water and holds onto it and and creates bloating.
  • For breakfast, have some yogurt which will not cause bloating.
  • 2 hours before your pool party debut, sweat it out a little if you have time (ex: jump rope 20 minutes or quick jog or jumping jacks) to get rid of some body water (but, still remember to stay hydrated or this will not work).
  • Before you walk out the door do 5 minutes straight of lunges and squats to pump up the blood going to your legs (your muscles will temporarily increase in size and create less “jiggle”). Do another 3 minutes of sit-ups and 2 minutes of push-ups (and do not stop while performing these exercises!). Total time= 10 minutes.  Total confidence increase=100%. Total “jiggle” decrease= 50%.
  • While at the pool party: Snack on things like all natural unsalted almonds, keep hydrated with water and a squeeze of lemon, and do not drink carbonated beverages. And stay away from foods with sugar alcohols because they may cause a little abdominal gas (maltitol, sorbitol, etc. in diet granola bars and candies and some flavored waters).
  • Lunch at the pool: A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is actually an anti-bloat food if you use the peanut butter without a ton of added salt. 
  • Don’t forget to have fun and play around in the pool! Moving around in the water will help get your heart pumping to move blood to those muscles!

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