Airline Food

September 19th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (1 Comments)

I forgot to tell you all about the airplane food I had on my trip! I flew SAS (Scandinavian Air) and I got a lucky free upgrade to economy extra which just means that you get a foot rest, free wine, and food that is a little better.

Mixed greens salad with little bits of crab, piece of cheese, crackers, some kind of caramel dessert, and a seafood/corn/bean/ravioli dish. I was pretty impressed with this. I enjoyed the salad that seemed pretty fresh, and the main meal nice because it did have some veggies and beans!

Then, we got a breakfast meal that was a Greek yogurt with honey, little packet of granola, hard boiled egg, slice of some kind of meat that I didn’t eat, slice of swiss cheese (do not like), and some melon. They always offer you bread, coffee, and tea with all meals as well. I was impressed that their breads were high quality dark whole grain/rye blends. This seemed to be a trend in the Baltic countries.

Anyway, I got the feeling that most above-par airplane meal was the luck of flying SAS. I think they just have slightly better meals. Everyone else I talk to complains of their airplane food, and I have seen pictures to go with the stories!

One thing I learned is that when in doubt, call ahead and request a vegetarian meal. I didn’t do this and I was OK, but would suggest it for others. Another important tip is to bring your own snacks or at the very least, do not plan on eating a good meal on board.

Do you have any tips?

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Foods of the Baltic

September 12th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (3 Comments)

Just got back from my Baltic cruise vacation. Was super jet-lagged yesterday. Felt like I was in the Twilight Zone all day.  I drank some kefir this morning to ward off getting sick due to lack of sleep–I swear by drinking kefir to prevent the common cold.

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure here are the foods I ate while on the trip. I did not stick to the healthiest foods because I wanted to try different things while in a different country.

Copenhagen:
The main strip in Copenhagen, Nyhavn, is full of expensive $40 entree dinners. We lucked out, and found this small little local bar place right off the main canal. Took us a while to find, but we got affordable wine, beer, and these open face “sandwiches” that they are known for. Just a small square of flat real rye bread with a piece of fish or egg and shrimp with fresh herbs and some type of sauce. They were meant to be little appetizers to eat with a beverage, but we made it our dinner–it had been a long day of travel!

Cruise Ship Food:
Made a salad topped with a beet/corn salad and I loved getting roasted turkey because it is such a pain to make at home. Great to take advantage of on a cruise ship.

The first night I got a Mediterranean curry type dish that was super tasty. Loaded with veggies.

Princess love boat dream dessert. Super cute dessert. 

Lots of shrimp dinners.

Plentiful desserts. The ice cream was a favorite.

My snack/lunch food one day. So funny because I have a load of veggies and then throw a piece of bread and cookie on the plate.

I loved having the julienne vegetables because it was something different, and they always had some type of new veggie sandwich.

Ate a load of cantaloupe because it was the main fresh fruit they had that I liked.

I tried escargot for the first time. What you taste mostly is butter, garlic, and something that tastes halfway between shrimp, crawfish, and mussels.

The tastiest vegetarian dish–very rich and decadent, though. A pumpkin/sweet potato crepe with a cream garlic topping and dallop of tomato sauce. I already dug into it before taking a picture. Then, when I ate it, I said hold on this is so good, I have to take a picture to remember!

Germany:

Russia:

Loved this apple, celery, walnut yogurt salad.

Borsch and other pickled soup that I actually liked!

Russian vodka for the birthday man. I rarely drink any vodka or hard liquor, but this was a pretty decent vodka, or so it seemed…

Helsinki, Finland:

Gross large hot dogs. I despise hot dogs.

Massive meringues. Everywhere we went seemed to have massive pastries and fresh breads. What I started to realize is that these countries had fresh baked pastries and breads and NOT super processed packaged sweets.

Cocktail Time:

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Away from the Blog

August 30th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Blogging - (0 Comments)

Hey everyone! I will be gone on vacation on a Baltic cruise for a little less than 2 weeks.

See you when I return! Will have some food stories to tell you, I am sure ;)

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Healthy Airplane Travel Snacks

August 26th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week | Healthy Living - (0 Comments)

I don’t like to get stuck in a situation where I don’t have healthy food options available to me (unless I am prepared to eat something less healthy, then that is OK). Preparation and planning is the key for overall healthy nutrition.

I am about to take a long international flight (more on that later), so I stocked up on some goodies:

Going counter clockwise from top:

  • Essential Eating sproutedwhole wheat and olive oil pretzels (good to calm nauseous stomachs and easy to travel with). Healthier than your average pretzel.
  • Packet of Justin’s almond butter (love these because they are super duper portable way to still enjoy almond butter)
  • 100 calorie Health Warrior Chia bar: It’s pretty small… but, good source of a few healthy fats. Made of chia seeds mainly, oats, some peanut butter, and brown rice.
  • Go Raw Spirulina Energy bar: I have had the little bite size pieces before, but not the “bar”. It is a little wacky, but taste slightly sweet with a nice sesame flavor.

  • Trail mix from Trader Joe’s: Cashews, almonds, raisins, and walnuts! Always need to bring some nuts for traveling.
  • Dried blueberries: This packet is only 130 calories, and they are fun to eat. Crunchy and flavorful (and dehydrated so it is plane safe).
  • Think Thin bars: for some protein if needed
  • Lara Bar: Could be part of a breakfast the morning my flight gets in. Lara bars are pretty much a pureed trail mix compacted into a bar. Pure fruit and nuts–nothing else.

I am not going bring every single bit of the snacks you see. I have put some of them into smaller baggies so they are compacted more. Most I will bring in my carry-on. And the rest of the trail mix and a bar will go in my checked luggage.

This was the current state of my packing about 1 day ago…

All lined up against the bedroom wall. So, I better go and get organized. See ya later!

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Protein Bar Favorites

August 23rd, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week | Food Review - (2 Comments)

I was not paid to write any of this and did not receive any type of compensation ;-)

I don’t normally buy many bars because I feel they are highly processed, and our bodies just weren’t meant to eat foods like that. However, sometimes they are a nice portable option. Here are a few of my current favorites. I choose these because they make me feel somewhat full, have lower sugar (or are at least sweetened with dried fruit), and are “cleaner” than some other bars.

Vega Bars: 


I think these are the nutrition facts for the bar I got… not 100% sure. But, if not, the nutrition facts would be very similar. I like this brand because the bars still contain a good amount of protein, are vegan, and contain a great amount of fiber. Plus, all whole foods are used!

Think Thin Bars:
I get the creamy peanut butter. This bar to me seems like a treat because it reminds me of a healthier candy bar. But, it has no sugar! They are gluten free, a little over 200 calories, and have about 20 grams of protein. And the good thing is that after about 10 minutes of eating one, you can feel fuller.
Main ingredients: whey protein, soy protein, calcium caseinate, maltitol (sugar alcohol), soy crisps, peanuts, canola oil, almonds, chicory fiber, vitamins, minerals.

Greens Protein Bar Whey Crisp:

I mentioned this one before. Of all the “Greens” bars, I like this one the best because it has lower sugar, more fiber, and a little more protein.

Gnu Flavor and Fiber Bars:

These aren’t quite a protein bar–they are more of a fiber bar of course. But, I like them because they do keep you fuller, and they do not contain any artificial ingredients. The main ingredient is oats!

I get the ones that are the lowest sugar like the banana walnut one. Mmm.

I would have put Lara Bars on this list as well, but I eat them more when I am exercising because they have a few more carbohydrates, and are easy to eat before and after workouts. They sit pretty well in the stomach. I love Lara Bars because they are made from dried fruit and nuts ONLY. No other ingredients!

Now, you are probably asking me, where can I get these bars? A lot you can get from Whole Foods. You can order online always. The Think Thin bars you should be able to get at your local regular grocery store.

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What To Do with a Peck of Apples?

October 17th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Kitchen | Recipes - (0 Comments)

We went to an apple festival in Ellijay, GA this weekend in search of some tasty apples. I came home with a peck of apples which I figured out is supposed to be about 10.5 pounds for only $8. That means it was only about $0.76 per pound. Great deal. And they are tasty, local pink lady apples.
I also tried fried green tomatoes for the first time this weekend–I am from the North, so give me a break. I know this is not health food. I am not stupid. There were also a few fried green beans that we tried which were not as good.

I liked the flavor and texture of the fried green tomatoes, but you can’t eat very many because they are so heavy. If you fry one whole green tomato (sliced), it is about 500 calories for the whole thing. This was still a better choice than the fried onion everyone else was walking around with which was closer to 2000 calories.

The weather was in the 80′s (in October!) this weekend, so I got an ice cream cone to cool off before selecting my apples.
Then, we went on a nice long hike to work off our more unhealthy choices, and spotted the 2nd largest tree in Georgia.
 Anyway, here are my ideas so far for the ten pounds of apples I have:

Any more apple recipe ideas?

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Family Hike: Weekend of Good and Bad Eats

October 11th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Exercise | Miscellaneous | Recipes - (1 Comments)

This past weekend, I went over to my family’s house in the morning to go on a nice Fall hike. I started off my day by eating fruit, then stopping at Starbuck’s where I got a nonfat misto (coffee and steamed milk) and a Kind bar. Before buying the bar, I didn’t look at the full nutrition facts. But, when I did, I noticed that there are added sugars. I was disappointed because I thought it was just a bar of fruit and nuts.

At the house, my Mom has this urge to feed us, and she put a huge bagel with Smart Balance in my face. The bagels are awesome: from Bronx Bagels in Alpharetta, GA. But, they are huge, and I was in no mood to eat second breakfast. So, I gave most to my brother.

My youngest brother ate candy corn for breakfast. Just great.
 And then my Mom got more food for us all: Krispy Kreme doughnuts, again. Doesn’t she realize I am a dietitian yet?
Anyway, we went on out hike for the afternoon, and on the way back we stopped to get some local produce, apples, and pumpkins!
 And on the way home my Dad had to get some fries to eat. At this point I was ready to seriously health-i-fy my family.

So, I picked up some spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, and zucchini at the farmer’s market to make for dinner.
 This spaghetti squash I made turned out awesome. I added fresh garlic, fresh basil, chopped olives, feta, and salt and pepper.

Then, I prepped the veggies for my Dad to grill.
 We ate some chicken with the meal as well. At least I got my family to get in some antioxidants and good nutrition :)

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Food in St. John: Part 2

July 17th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review | Miscellaneous - (5 Comments)

For breakfast, with a view of the ocean (one of my favorite things this trip), my Mom made her famous french toast. The key to excellent french toast is getting big fluffy bread and baking it with the egg mixture.
Other mornings my brothers would eat these ridiculously unhealthy cinnamon buns:
Too much saturated fat, not enough fiber, too much sugar, too much sodium…

Anyway, we stopped at some local restaurants including Vie’s Snack Shack. This is a true local stop. I think the owner said they have been there 50 years.
They are known for their conch fritters, garlic chicken with Johnny cake, rice and beans, and limeade. Most conch fritters I have tried have always been like hush puppies–all breading and not much flavor. These conch fritters were the best I have ever had. They came with a tasty dipping sauce which I think had cumin in it.
Even though this food was fried, it was nice to be able to try something completely different from what I would normally eat. I am not a big fan of chicken on the bone and fried, but everyone else loved it and said it was the best fried chicken they have had. The Johnny cake tasted like a fluffy, fried, doughnut pancake.
Perhaps the most popular place in Coral Bay, St. John is Skinny Legs. It is a bar that is known for their burgers, and you can even play a game of darts, or shop at the connecting small local stores.
We decided that my Dad should be the mascot for Skinny Legs because his legs are the skinniest I have ever seen. Apparently the owner has very skinny legs. Our waitress said they could possibly be tied for the skinniest legs.

And of course we had to go to the famous Woody’s. They have a well-known happy hour from 3 to 6 where you can get $1 drinks! Crazy. And my 18 year old brother could legally have a drink in St. John (even though it is part of the US). No one even asked for his ID.
I ordered a salad with shrimp:
I also ordered another shrimp salad at Aqua Bistro (the best restaurant in Coral Bay, in my opinion):
I have always loved salads with shrimp. This salad (pictured above) is probably higher calorie than you would think because it is tossed with a creamy Caesar dressing. Caesar salad is never a lower calorie menu option. I wasn’t looking to watch calories. I wanted some cold, and fresh tasting.

Another pretty looking fish entree at Aqua Bistro:
The Drinks of Vacation:
Big Kahuna Rum Shack in St. Thomas had the best frozen drinks so far. The ice was nice and thick, and it was not too sweet. We also stopped at this smoothie truck in the middle of nowhere. They were offering free rum with smoothies. I noticed that the Virgin Islands likes to giveaway rum.
I got some kind of coffee smoothie. Starbuck’s doesn’t giveaway free rum. Oh, and there is actually no Starbuck’s in the Virgin Islands. I should open one up there, and then I could live in paradise all year long!

And we made plenty of frozen drinks and margaritas at the rental house thanks to my cabana man.
Well, that’s all for now. I am going to start planning my next trip…

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Food in St. John: Part 1

July 14th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review | Miscellaneous | Recipes - (0 Comments)

Plane Food
Did you know that Delta now has some food available for purchase in-flight? My Dad ordered a chicken salad sandwich that looked full of mayo, cheese, and white bread/croissant.
Not my idea of a healthy lunch. The red wine is a nice idea though. I grabbed a salad at the terminal earlier–smarter idea. I tried to check the nutrition facts of Delta’s menu items, but have not found any yet. They are trying to be somewhat healthy though. Delta has a Greek yogurt and Kind bar option for breakfast, and always has a fruit and cheese plate.

St. Thomas Welcome Drink
As soon as we got off the plane in St. Thomas, they had free shots of rum and were playing music. I thought it was hilarious. And then there was a bar at the ferry terminal which is where we had our first rum drinks!
Shipwreck Landing
Our first night we went to get some seafood at Shipwreck landing in Coral Bay, St. John. I had some tasty shrimp, and this rice cake side that I have never had before. It was delicious, and makes me want to think of a way to make a healthier brown rice cake.
Homemade Dinners
We were staying at a rental house, so we made quite a few dinners at home. If you travel to the Virgin Islands, be warned that the grocery prices are very expensive (more on this later). Turkey was over $10/pound. Grouper was over $20/pound (locally caught). A box of triscuits was about $8. A can of tuna was $4.

Pasta dinner one night:
Ok, I know this picture is a little ridiculous with my man standing there looking off into the distance. Just silly. We had a lot of dinners out on this deck with such a great view. It was my favorite thing. And yes, I did make my Mom buy wheat pasta which she was annoyed with because she likes authentic Italian food (she is part Italian).
Arroz con Pollo night:
Served with mango, plantains, and a salad.
Shrimp and Mashed Cauliflower:
I made the mashed cauliflower which my whole family enjoyed including my brothers. I carmelized onions, steamed the cauliflower for a while, and added spices while steaming. I mashed the onions into the cauliflower with some whipped butter, sour cream, and a small amount of cheddar cheese.

Dinner by candlelight:
My Dad made grouper–finally, some truly fresh seafood. You could taste the difference. This grouper had a more sea salt flavor, and meatier texture because it was so firm and fresh.
Psycho Baker’s aka “Trixie Treats” Dessert: Key Lime Pie
I kept telling my Mom there was no way she was going to find all the ingredients to a key lime pie at a tiny island grocery store. But, she was determined and she did find the ingredients–even the key lime juice!
This whole pie cost about $30 to make since the ingredients were so expensive. Graham crackers were $6 and these weren’t even organic! Psycho baker insisted that it was worth it. So, I let her bake away. Hey, if she was going to all this trouble to make the pie, I was going to eat it even if it wasn’t my idea of healthy.
To be continued…

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“Healthy” Trans Fat Ice Cream

May 8th, 2011 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (3 Comments)

I took a trip down to Florida with Mr Triathlete and his Mom to be his cheerleader at one of his races. On a hot day we came across what appeared to be a “healthy” frozen yogurt store called D’Lites Emporium. They advertise ice cream that is low in sodium, sugar, fat, carbohydrates, cholesterol free, and a healthier alternative to regular ice cream.

“What harm can it do to try it?”, I thought.

The one on the left is creamsicle; the right is peanut butter brownie.

The advertise that 1/2 Cup (which is what we got) is only 50 calories, 1.5 g fat, 1 g saturated, 6 g carbohydrates, 3 g sugar, 1 g protein.

I asked the store manager what the ice cream was made of, and he said, “only skim milk”. I thought that was strange because skim milk does not have any fat. Where did the fat content come from? I was stumped.

So, we ordered the ice cream, and the texture was like a mousse. It seemed like one of those sugar free mousse products. D’Lites tastes like it contains sugar alcohols, but I found out it does not. It does not have much flavor, and it not very sweet. It is not tart like frozen yogurt.

The Scary and Shocking Real Ingredients:

SKIM MILK, SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, BUTTERMILK SOLIDS, WHEY SOLIDS, ARTIFICIAL VANILLA, MONO AND
DYGLYCERIDES, GUAR GUM, CELLULOSE GUM, POLYSORBATE 80 AND CARRAGEENAN.

Trans fat? Seriously, people? And it is one of the first major, main ingredients! 1/2 cup probably has 0.5 g trans fat. Just great. Most people don’t just get a tiny 1/2 cup. If you eat larger amounts of this on a consistent basis, this “treat” could actually raise your cholesterol and lower your HDL (heart healthy cholesterol).

Everything they advertise is correct, and they never call themselves “healthy” which is a term that is highly regulated. They advertise themselves more a dietary, lab-created product for those with strict dietary needs. Do not be tricked–they are not a health product by any means. I will stick with Yoforia, or some other healthy fro-yo place.

What to learn from this: never believe foods are trans fat free unless they state it, or you read the ingredient label.

Random sunset picture from the trip.

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