Forks Over Knives Movie Screening Giveaway

April 27th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Giveaway - (17 Comments)

 

UPDATE (10/23/11): I actually saw this movie, and need to let everyone know about the portrayal of Dietitian’s and the ADA in the movie. Forks Over Knives negatively portrays us. They show interviews, and explain that the ADA and Dietitian’s get money from big companies like Coke and Hershey’s. This is true, but only a small percentage work for those big businesses. And even those that do, are not necessarily doing “bad” or anything that could impact health negatively.

Anyone who is a Registered Dietitian has a goal of trying to improve the health of a population through nutrition. We are not going to tell you the best food is processed food that appears healthy. Not at all. I can not speak for everyone, but I am just trying to get this straight.

Food for thought: Doctors get money from pharmaceutical companies all the time. Probably even more so than Dietitians get money from food companies. Do we need to really be pushing those medications?

For example, the only free food I ever received was Cabot Cheeses, and a few granola bars. No money. Now, what about those doctors who receive much more money, and may be persuaded to give you those pills with all those side effects by the drug company? Ever thought about that? The Dietitians are the ones doing much more good than harm.

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Looking for something to do for free on a Monday night? Forks Over Knives movie will premier May 20th, but I am giving away 2 free tickets per winner (total of 15 winners!) to the screening in Atlanta on May 16th at Landmark Midtown Arts Cinema.

You can view the trailer here.

The film looks interesting, almost in the same category as Food Inc. I am always up for seeing the latest food or nutrition related flick!

View the trailer to get a good idea about what it is about. Mainly, they talk about the failings of the Western diet, and its evolution. I don’t know a great deal about it because I haven’t seen the movie yet, but it seems like a film I may support.

Two Ways to Enter to Win:

1. Comment on this post, and give your e-mail address. If you win, you will be given a coupon code to redeem your passes.
2. Message about this event on twitter, and mention me @Chicknik. And say you want to enter the contest.

You have until Monday, May 2nd to enter. Winners will be drawn Monday night. Please remember: only enter if you live in the Atlanta area!

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Outsmart Rising Food Costs at The Farmer’s Market

April 26th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review | Recipes - (0 Comments)

Yesterday, after climbing Stone Mountain, I went with Mr Triathlete to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market. It is basically a huge warehouse of whole foods. Check out these prices on spices and grains:

$0.36 for rosemary, $0.93 for black sesame seeds, $2.00 for real paprika, $1.74 for sun-dried tomatoes

Crazy good deal! I think we spent $57 total on everything we bought when normally it would cost $120 (or more) if I went to Whole Foods or the regular grocery store (like Publix). I will be shopping there more often.

And of course, we stopped by the bakery to get some fancy treats.

We got some macadamia nut brownie thing, pistachio baklava (in the back) which was amazing, and an almond horn (right). We didn’t really know what the almond thing was. It turned out to be a chewy dense almond bar/cookie.

Anyway, that night I learned how to make the best kale ever. After trial and error, I think we found the best recipe. I will share it with you:

Best Healthy Kale Recipe Ever:
Serves 2 people

Ingredients:

  • 1 Large bunch of kale
  • 2 Tbsp. good olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Red wine vinegar
  • 1/2-1 Cup reduced sodium chicken stock
  • pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder or can use fresh garlic
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 Cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil) optional

Directions:
1. Wash the kale. Meanwhile, heat up a large saute pan with the olive oil.
2. Tear the kale leaves of the stem, and into the pan. Saute the leaves about 3 minutes until they wilt slightly. Season with spices.
3. Pour in the chicken stock and vinegar, and stir. Place a lid on the pan. Cook about 5-8 minutes until tender enough to chew.

It turned out perfect. A little tangy, spicy, and sweetness. And we all know how healthy kale is. Perfect detox food after the Holidays :)

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Easter

April 24th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (1 Comments)

Happy Easter, everyone!

This Easter I went to my parents’ house, and the Psycho Holiday Baker (she now refers to herself as Trixie Treats) was at it again. She made cupcakes for everyone with their favorite toppings on each cupcake:

But, before the sweets we had some appetizers. Psycho Holiday Baker aka Trixie Treats made some spinach artichoke dip (Emeril’s recipe), and it was so heavy and filling. I couldn’t bring myself to post a picture of the casserole dish because of all the grease on top.

But, here is what it looks like with some chips. A little too cheesy for me.

And then there was the star of the meal: The Ham. Ugh, gross. I hate ham. I don’t think I have ever liked it. Too sweet, salty, and chewy.

I had a piece of spicy BBQ chicken instead :) And then, went back for seconds!

We also had some delicious scalloped potatoes (Tyler Florence recipe).

And some festive deviled eggs:

After dinner, it was finally time to eat the Trixie Treats. Here was my pretty cupcake:

We also had an advanced level Easter egg hunt since we are all between the ages of 15 and 27. This means finding eggs in the dark. I won $16! Haha.

And the Easter Bunny brought me my Easter basket in a lunch bag–how convenient.

I got coffee, a bathing suit (not pictured), lots of chocolate, lip gloss, gift card to Starbuck’s, lotion, hand sanitizer, magazine, etc. I guess I was good this year because I got a lot of stuff. Either that or my Mom really misses having her girls at home, and likes to buy us girly things.

Anyway, it was a pretty day out, and everyone enjoyed it including Lucy.

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Earth Friendly Recipes from Around the Web

April 22nd, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (3 Comments)

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Here are some links to healthy earth friendly recipes around the web:

There are many more recipes out there, and I will update this list as I find some good ones! Do you have a favorite earth friendly and healthy recipe?

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Healthy and Easy Sloppy Joe’s

April 18th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (2 Comments)

I am a ketchup lover. So, since sloppy Joe’s are primarily made with a ketchup sauce, I love them. And sloppy Joe’s can be a healthy quick dinner–just a little messy.

Ingredients:

  • 16-20 oz. lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup ketchup (I don’t measure. I just squeeze some in until it seems a little saucy)
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard (must be yellow mustard, or it won’t come out right)
  • 3 Tbsp. reduced sodium Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large saute pan, cook the chopped onions until lightly golden.
  2. Add ground turkey, and break apart with spatula.
  3. Add ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic powder. I don’t measure, I just go by taste and what looks right.

And that’s about it! It’s so easy and delicious. I use whole wheat buns to serve it with, and have a vegetable side like broccoli dipped in light ranch. It reminds me of being a kid.

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Not Your Ordinary Crystal Light

April 15th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (7 Comments)

Crystal Light sent me free samples of their new product: Crystal Light Pure. I was actually curious to try them because this new Crystal Light is made with stevia instead of artificial sweeteners.

Disclaimer: I received no payment to write this, but I did receive free samples. The views and opinions expressed in this post are in no way affiliated with Crystal Light. This review would have still been published even if I hadn’t received free samples.

So, one packet is 30 calories (one serving which is half a packet is about 15 calories). For one tall glass of water I only used half a packet (15 calories). This new Crystal Light is a lot milder and not as overwhelmingly sweet as the regular Crystal Light. There is absolutely no artificial taste. To me, it tastes like a weaker, healthier Kool-Aid. It’s nice and refreshing–just that little hint of flavor and sweetness.

It is important to note that this product is not sugar free. Flavors have between 3 and 4 grams of sugar per serving. No big deal at all because that is not even a teaspoon of sugar. The ingredient list is also a lot shorter:

EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, CITRIC ACID, MALIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, CALCIUM LACTATE, SUGAR, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF DRIED KIWI JUICE, NATURAL FLAVOR, REBIANA (TRUVIA BRAND SWEETENER), POTASSIUM CITRATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, SODIUM CITRATE, SALT, DRIED PURPLE CARROT EXTRACT AND DRIED HIBISCUS FLOWER EXTRACT (FOR COLOR).

The first ingredient is sugar, but that is by weight. And like I said, there is only 3 to 4 grams of sugar per serving. Citric acid is in everything. It adds that tart flavor. The bad thing is that citric acid wears away at your enamel. The good thing is that they add the calcium lactate which helps to maintain healthy enamel.

So, overall, I really liked this product and would probably buy it at the store. There is not many junk ingredients, and the sweetness and flavor is perfect!

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Healthy Snack or Side: Garden Lites Spinach Souffle

April 10th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (2 Comments)

I always pass by these Garden Lites Souffles in the frozen section of the grocery store:
Finally I decided to spend the pricey $3.99 to try one small souffle. What caught my attention is that the packaging is BPA free. That’s one bad thing about a lot of frozen foods. If you microwave the food in a normal plastic container, you are likely getting BPA in your food.

Another great thing is that these souffles have all natural ingredients. Just vegetables, eggs, starches, and some seasonings.
One souffle is only 140 calories, 1 g fat, has 4 g fiber, and 10 g protein! This would make an excellent snack, or side for a meal. And it packs 140% of your daily value for vitamin A, and is an excellent source of vitamin C. The sodium is a little high. I would like to see it a little lower. 200 mg sodium would be more acceptable.
So, what does it taste like?

This gives you a size comparison of how big it actually is. It is a decent size. A little on the small side, but it was satisfying for me. I liked the flavor as well. I expected it to be bland, but it was quite tasty. I did end up sprinkling some Parmesan cheese on it though.

The inside is surprisingly very light and fluffy, and the outside is more dense. It is not crispy because I microwaved it. But, the texture is nice for a microwave product.

I would definitely buy these again, but probably only if they go on sale because they are more expensive.

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The Real Reason Chick-fil-A is Tasty

April 4th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (6 Comments)

I have never really viewed Chick-fil-A as a horrible fast food option. So, I occasionally go there and get a grilled chicken salad or sometimes the chicken salad sandwich–love it. I was curious to figure out the ingredients in the chicken salad sandwich because it just tastes so good.

Come to find out one of the main ingredients is MSG. MSG is not harmful to most people, but it is like salt on crack. It makes us want to eat more and more. For example, we sometimes sprinkle MSG on the food of elderly people who don’t seem to have an appetite.

Ingredients (Chicken salad sandwich):
Chicken (seasoning [salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika]), chicken tenderloins (seasoning [salt, autolyzed yeast, maltodextrin, spice, natural flavor, chicken fat, garlic powder, sugar cane syrup, onion powder, paprika, molasses, sodium diacetate, tomato powder, silicon dioxide {anticaking agent}, sugar, oleoresin paprika {color}, citric acid, smoke flavor, caramel color]), seasoned coater (enriched bleached flour [with malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening [baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate], spice, soybean oil, color [paprika]), milk wash (water, egg, nonfat milk), peanut oil (fully refined peanut oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness and Dimethylpolysiloxane an anti-foaming agent added), mayonnaise (soybean oil, water, egg yolk, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, spice, calcium disodium EDTA to protect flavor), diced cooked eggs, celery, pickle relish (cucumbers, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, vinegar, salt, xanthan gum, mustard seed, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate [preservative], natural flavors, polysorbate 80, dehydrated red bell pepper, turmeric), Wheatberry bread (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], water, bulgar wheat, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, honey, sugar, yeast, wheat gluten, contains 2% or less of each of the following: soybean oil, raisin juice concentrate, salt, calcium sulfate, dough conditioners [contains one or more of the following: sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, monoglycerides and/or diglycerides, calcium peroxide, calcium iodate, DATEM, ethoxylated mono and diglycerides, azodicarbonamide, enzymes], soy lecithin, calcium propionate [to retard spoilage], topped with rolled oats), green leaf lettuce.

A few of these additives are used in the making of plastics. Some of the additives are completely harmless, and others have not been tested enough to know. Calcium propionate is known to be slightly toxic, and is banned in other countries.

Just great… all this time I thought Chick-fil-A wasn’t that bad for you. As a dietitian I need to be aware of this!

And to make it worse, I thought the chicken salad sandwich was about 350 calories. It’s not. It is almost 500 calories, and 19 grams of fat. And I am pretty sure they use the leftover fried chicken to make these sandwiches. Nasty. I guess I won’t be getting that again. If you want to know true nutrition facts on a restaurant food, go directly to the restaurant website. Don’t trust these various calorie reporting websites except for livestrong.com which has some “verified” calorie listings.

Anyway, Chick-fil-A is pretty sneaky and smart because they use a bunch of additives that help to enhance the flavor of their chicken and food like disodium inosinate, for example. The best options are the side items, and the grilled chicken salad and sandwich aren’t terrible.

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Health Food of the Month: April

April 1st, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Miscellaneous - (1 Comments)

Processed, high in saturated fat, with trans fat, and more. If you go to their website, I wasn’t even able to find a full ingredient list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUST KIDDING! APRIL FOOLS!

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