My Own Personal Food Sustainability Series: Episode 3

Life rule # 233956: EVERYTHING, tastes good on a baked potato with cheese; as is true when eating more "sustainably".

Potatoes are something I tend to just.... have around. May not be true for everyone, I'm not sure, but it tends to be true for me. Potatoes, yea, they're fairly starchy, but they are a really great source of potassium, which is good for most people (as long as your kidneys are in fine working condition), and eating the skin too provides a lot of fiber which will slow the absorption of some of that starch (which is tolerable... with cheese!). The other thing about eating a potato, which automatically helps account for all that starch, is to listen to your own body. For instance, sometimes I am ravenous and can eat an entire baking potato, and in those cases that is fine. But sometimes, I am stuffed when I have only eaten half of it, and that is fine too! I don't force myself to eat the rest, I try and be mindful; listen to the natural signals my body sends as I go, and I will have the other half for breakfast the next morning (I'm not that into actual "breakfast foods", I just eat at breakfast), or dinner the next night. The latter scenario is almost better because I get two meals out of one potato!

Potatoes are great carriers for left-overs, or whatever you have lying around (although... I would advise you not to put pasta on a potato). You have barbecue potatoes, classic potatoes, pizza potatoes, the list goes on! How do I like my potatoes?... BROCCOLI AND CHEESE POTATOES!

Ingredients:

-Broccoli

-Cheese

-Potato

1. Bake potato - I typically do mine in the microwave because it's so much faster, but some people think oven tastes better

2. If using frozen broccoli, just  microwave it a couple minutes - it will taste steamed, and the nutrients will actually be preserved quite well, if using fresh, sautee it a minute, or put it in the oven for a minute or two once the potato is done

3. However you go about your broccoli, in the end, once the potato is done you should open it up and put the broccoli and cheese inside it, and heat it for another couple of minutes until the cheese is melt-ey

FYI, if you keep potato flakes around, this will also work with that! just cook the flakes the way you normally would, and put the broccoli and cheese on them at the end. You can also add onion; that goes very well with this. Peppers would be good. Use what YOU have, and make it your own!

My Own Personal Food Sustainability Series: Episode 2

So, to better understand the purpose of this series, please see last week's post. This week's post is going to be short and sweet, and is regarding roasting veggies. This technique I started to not waste veggies has also managed to increase the amount of veggie in my diet, and it is very simple.

For a long time now I have taken a zip-lock baggy with raw vegetables in my lunch; usually a combination, sometimes just carrots... Just whatever I have, and I typically take a small container of some dressing or hummus with it, but how I eat it at lunch is really beside the point! what matters most is how I handle the left-overs later...

Lately I have not been finishing my whole zip-lock bag at lunch (in my defense, I do pack a lot). So, whatever vegetables I have left at the end of the day, I bring home, and mix in with whatever vegetables I am having with dinner! if it is a simple salad, I cut them up also and add them. In the picture below, I was roasting green beans, and just added them to the pan (brown thing on the other side is tilapia... JUST in case you were wondering...). 

If you find yourself saying something like, "oh, I can't do that because I don't have anything to add them to at dinner", it sounds like assessing balance in the diet may be an option.

So, anyways, that's it! I have been re-vamping un-used lunch to make me a healthier me :)

Bon appetite!

My Own Personal Food Sustainability Series: Episode 1

I am starting this series for a very particular reason, and I will give a brief introduction, but I think anyone who reads this will better understand it as we go.

Do you know people who spout a lot of rhetoric, "the environment is in trouble!"... "more people need to take the state of the earth seriously!"... "I have eight million opinions about food and distribution..." (or anything else for that matter; pick your cause related to the earth, food, sustainability, etc... in our country), and then throw away 75% of their lunch every day, for instance (I figure a lot of people could related to a work or school environment). Well, I sure have, and... it really gets under my skin. The reason being, everyone has a lot of ideas and opinions about how we should all be living our lives, but most people don't actually want to take responsibility for what they spout, or if they think they do, if you observe them closely, are very hypocritical. Not that mistakes can't be made, from the previous example I am not encouraging you to eat a steak that has gone bad for the sake of not throwing it away. No, not at all what I'm saying, by all means if you have food that smells bad or looks like this, throw it away and don't eat it! (see exhibit A below).

What I am saying, is it is all very interconnected. What I call "eating sustainably" can be very nutritious, save a lot of money both in your pocket, and in the whole business that is food, and cause a more even distribution of food to all people, in theory.

So, what I want to do in these posts is unlike other dietitians. I am not going to give you a recipe and encourage you to meal plan. I am going to share with you ways and ideas that I am using, in my every day life, to try and eat more sustainably, and you can take that and apply it to what you have in your fridge and cupboard right now. 

Spicy Chicken Taco Macaroni

Two days ago I needed to cook something for dinner, not unlike every single other adult currently living. I looked in my fridge and real quick in my mind took inventory of what I had, how long it had been sitting there, and what I needed to use. Some left over chicken had been in there a while, still good right now, but probably didn't have a whole lot longer. I had had burritos, quesadillas, some of the basic things, I needed to re-vamp it, I needed something new. I also had some sweet mini-peppers, and onion that I needed to use, and I had a package of boxed macaroni and cheese.

I am going to get off topic for a second, but I want to talk about boxed macaroni and cheese because some people are like, seriously? AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A DIETITIAN... But I'll try and be brief. Is it healthy? No... Not really. The pasta has some vitamins, but mostly not very healthy. HOWEVER... We can make it better! If I had carrots I needed to use, I would have put them in the water while I boiled the pasta. The pasta will absorb nutrients from the carrots, and the orange will give your pasta, and sauce, a nice, rich color. What I did, was add chopped veggies to the boxed macaroni, which helps too.

Ingredients:

- Boxed macaroni and cheese

- Chopped or shredded chicken

- Sweet mini peppers (diced or chopped - as many as you want)

- 1/2 Onion (diced)

-Chili Powder

-Garlic Powder

-Onion Powder

Notes: Cilantro would have been great, I just didn't have that. Diced jalepenos also would have been good, or some of the liquid from the can or jar of jalepenos would give it more kick. Instead of the various seasonings, you could use taco seasoning, however even low-sodium taco seasoning is going to contribute a decent amount of salt to your meal, and I personally did not want that.

Directions:

-Mix pasta as directed on box

-Add in everything else after pasta is strained and cheese is added

-Seasonings to taste - I would estimated that I used a little more than a tbsp of each, but I like spicy foods. You could probably follow that rule for garlic and onion powder, but definitely add the chili powder to YOUR liking.

Get it a little now? It's about analyzing what you already have, and working with it to create nutritious meals. So fast, so easy, tasted like... well... spicy chicken taco macaroni! and no extra money in ingredients I didn't have.

See you next week!

Rosemary in Cookies, say what?!...

We tend to think of Rosemary as a savory herb; rosemary chicken, rosemary potatoes, etc… However, like cinnamon and ginger, rosemary actually compliments “sweet” tasting foods VERY well!

Next question: aside from a fun spin on flavor, does rosemary actually provide any benefits?

YES… It does! Most herbs are comprised of varying amounts of certain nutrients. As far as rosemary is concerned, rosemary contains beneficial unsaturated fats and anti-oxidants, as well as vitamin B6, potassium, copper, Vitamin A, calcium, iron, and more! It also contains fiber, which we could all use a little more of.

Every holiday, my mother makes short-bread cookies, and puts chopped fresh rosemary in them. I know the holidays are over, but as far as I am concerned, cookies are acceptable at all times of year… (I guess since this is a nutrition page, I should probably put the whole “in moderation” line in). Try adding a little rosemary to your favorite basic sugar cookie, or short bread dough, and see what you think! I personally feel like rosemary would also be good in vanilla milkshake… but haven’t tried it yet… If you want, try adding rosemary to other sweet recipes, and share with me the ones that work!

Holiday Eating for Cardiac Health

Mediterane – eggs

Be aware, these eggs are no lower in calorie than traditional deviled eggs. However, this festive twist on traditional deviled eggs are a great source of mono-unsaturated fats from olive oil and hummus, which are very cardio-protective! As well as lycopene from the tomatoes, which is a potent anti-oxidant that may reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers!

Ingredients:

          -4 eggs

          -1 heaping tbsp. hummus

          -2 tsp lemon juice

          -1 tbsp. garlic powder (or ½ tbsp. fresh minced garlic)

          -1 tbsp. paprika

          -olive oil

          -pepper to taste

          -goat cheese

          -chopped sun-dried tomato

Instructions:

-Boil 4 eggs (tip: a wedge of lemon or lime in the water makes the eggs easier to peel!)

-Place eggs in ice bath, and/or allow to cool

-Peel eggs, slice long ways, scrape yolk into a bowl

-Add hummus, lemon juice, garlic powder, and paprika to yolks and mix

-Begin slowly pouring olive oil, continuing to mix

-Stop mixing yolks with olive oil when you reach the consistency you want

-Add pepper to taste

-Place spoon full of yolk back in each egg, top with sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese (tip: at Christmas can add a sprig of rosemary for garnish and added holiday color!)

Approximate Nutrition per 2 pieces: 200 calories, 28 g fat, 8 g protein, minimal carbohydrate

Pumpkin Chiffon Mini Dessert

This dessert is delicious for being completely sugar-free; yes, you read right! COMPLETELY sugar-free. It also provides a good source of Vitamin A, and some fiber – which can help remove bad cholesterol.

Ingredients:

-1 package Dream Whip (prepared per box instructions); can use Cool Whip as substitute

          -2 Cups Pumpkin (typically 1 whole can)

          -2/3 Cup 2% milk

          -1 package sugar free instant vanilla pudding mix

-1/4 tsp nutmeg

          -1/4 tsp cinnamon

-1/4 tsp ginger

Instructions:

          -Mix all ingredients

-Place in small, individual cup/bowl; garnish with extra cinnamon sprinkled over the top; garnish with a cinnamon stick

-Optional: lightly toast oats and chopped walnuts over the stove, serve chiffon alternately layered with oat and walnut mixture providing more texture, fiber, flavor, and anti-inflammatory omega-3’s to dessert!

Approximate Nutrition (should make ~16 servings): 44 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate*

*Keep in mind since these are mini-desserts, if multiple small servings are eaten these values will add up!

Sparkling Holiday Salad

This holiday fruit salad really does sparkle, and is packed with VERY strong flavor without any added sugar! The fruits add a variety of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, and the cinnamon contains chromium; shown to promote blood glucose control. Keep in mind – since this recipe is all fruit, it is solely carbohydrate!

Ingredients:

-Sliced/diced fruits of choice – example: apple, orange, pomegranate, fresh cranberries, blackberries

          -1 tbsp. ground ginger

          -1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

          -1 ½ tbsp. crystallized ginger

-2 cinnamon sticks (optional: for decoration, and will mull and continue to flavor fruit)

          -1 can diet Gingerale

-optional: ½ tbsp. honey if sweeter flavor desired, unsweetened coconut flakes to make salad sparkling AND snowing!

Instructions:

-Chop all fruits into bite size pieces and place in large bowl

- Add ginger, cinnamon, crystallized ginger, cinnamon sticks

-Pour Gingerale over mixture and toss

Approximate Nutrition per ½ Cup: 80 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g protein, 15-20 g carbohydrate

It's a Boy!... It's a Girl!... It's... a Hermaphrodite??... Hopefully...

I really, really like fruit. And sometimes at HEB, I pick up random fruits that look fun and interesting just to try them and see what they're like. Over the summer, I discovered a fruit called a Rambutan.





It looks kind of weird and like it would be difficult to peel, but it is not at all. The spikes don't poke you, you just dig your finger nails into the skin, and it peels easier than an orange to expose a golf-ball sized, white fruit. And how did it taste you may ask?

This fruit was absolutely delicious!... it was like candy that is good for you, and it really is good for you. Upon further investigation, I found that it is high in many micro nutrients, like copper, manganese, vitamin C (but so is everything else in the world it seems like), a small amount of riboflavin and niacin, and it even contributes a little iron to your day. There is not much fiber or potassium compared to other fruits, but... the reason we eat a variety of fruits (on top of the fact that they're tasty) is to put the missing pieces together, right?

I liked it so much, I ate two (to me, they're how most people would describe potato chips... can't have only one!), took the pits out, and put them in a pot in some dirt. To be honest... I didn't put a ton of effort into them, because I wasn't sure they would grow. They aren't native to Galveston, and the fruit was probably chilled in transport, which might effect the seed... I don't know, I'm not a plant scientist... And then one morning I woke up, and found this:



Hence the title.... IT'S A BOY!!... or.... IT'S A GIRL!!... or hopefully, so I can actually get fruit one day... IT'S A HERMAPHRODITE!!

It is growing! I did some research on growing it, once it started sprouting, and it will grow in tropical environments in the United States, cannot withstand temperatures less than about fifty degrees, and prefers soil high in phosphorus. It takes 4-5 years for fruit, so, I will follow up in 4-5 years for a gender reveal, and to let you know how it goes!

Exercise? I thought you said extra fries!!

Exercise? I thought you said extra fries!!

So, this post is about weight loss packages, programs, pills etc... I'm simply going to tell the story of a circumstance that recently presented itself in my life, and you can make your own judgments. 

Fade into story time....

Once upon a time, there was welcome weekend at UTMB. I met a lot of people, found my way around campus, learned to play texas hold 'em, and... Was given the opportunity to be a representative for a certain weight loss system. The specific one doesn't matter, because they are all about the same.

At first I was kind of interested for three reasons:

1) It would have been a good job to have while in school. You can sell as little or as much as you like so if you have a busy week, it's no big deal.

2) It appeared to be backed by legitimate people that know a great deal about nutrition that I felt could be trusted.

3) I do feel that some people need a little bit of a weight loss boost before they can take over on their own. So, something like this could be beneficial for that reason as long as it is not harmful.

I wasn't sold, I'm skeptical, but my roommate and I decided to go to the "party" for it anyways to learn more information.

Upon our arrival, we were handed a glass with one of the product drink mixes in it. Remember this minor detail, it is important later. After about half an hour or so of small talk, we actually started the product "party". We were shown a lot of personal testimony regarding the product; people lost weight, people gained weight, people focused better, it is safer than energy drinks, the product knows EXACTLY what your body needs at any given time and gives it to you. Basically, want to be Spiderman? USE THIS PRODUCT!!

The thing is though, nobody could tell me HOW it worked. These were all medical students promoting this product, and they had absolutely no idea of the chemistry behind it's nutrition. For instance, they kept promoting the drink mix to my roommate and I because it is sugar-free. I noticed however that it had a few calories, so I asked where the calories came from if it's sugar free. The girl's response: vitamins and minerals. 

Ok...

FAT, PROTEIN, AND CARBOHYDRATES ARE THE ONLY SOURCE OF CALORIES. PERIOD.

Worded another way in case that didn't make sense: 

VITAMINS AND MINERALS DO NOT PROVIDE CALORIES.

Turns out, the product had a few carbs. Might not have been sugar carbs, but in the end they'll metabolize the same.

Even after moments like this though, I still gave those representatives the benefit of the doubt. I thought well, that's barely half a serving of carbs, so it doesn't count for much, and they're just representatives. They don't know the chemistry, but I can figure it out.

So at the end of the night, I didn't make a decision because I wanted more time to figure it out, but I did buy a box of the drink mixes. I figured if I was even thinking about being a representative, I should probably try the product myself.

One of their big cases was that this product was much safer than energy drinks, having just a little bit of caffeine, and loads of vitamins and minerals. So the first thing I did when I got home was look at the caffeine content. 120 mg my friends... ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY MILLIGRAMS... This "little bit of caffeine" is QUITE a lot of caffeine. Most people don't have a clear idea of caffeine content. To put it into perspective, Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine. I believe these people were just regurgitating what they had been told, and most people don't know normal caffeine amounts, but this is much more than most energy drinks. However, I now understood all those claims made about better focus and energy! no duh at 120 mg!

Then, I looked at the vitamin and mineral content. Many of the vitamins and minerals were well over 100% the daily value... More like 500-700%. Some of these will be stored, but some won't. So to a great extent, people are paying for fancy glow-in-the-dark pee...

Also, vitamins in super high amounts can cause adverse reactions...

Also, also... Past a certain threshold, extra amounts of a vitamin just aren't going to do a whole lot for you. Take Vitamin C for example. This vitamin is associated with good health. If you are deficient in Vitamin C, your immunity will be poor. But, when you have what you need, any extra your body will simply get rid of. More isn't always better, there is a threshold for EVERYTHING in nutrition. Everything. Protein is another popular thing to supplement in nutrition, however did you know that once you've achieved all the protein you can use, there is a pathway that turns the remainder to fat??... And no one wants that!

The thing is, I was very optimistic at the get go, but the more I looked at it, the more I viewed it as a money making scheme. Yes, if you follow it you will be consuming less calories, and a caffeine content that high will suppress your appetite and probably speed the metabolism some.

You'll also be taking questionable supplements all day long. You'll be pumping money into this, and if you stop, you WILL gain the weight back, because you didn't actually learn how to take it off to begin with; you're dependent on the product.

Also, the diet they recommend to go along with the various supplements is a healthy diet plan. If you simply ate a healthy diet like they recommend, you would lose weight without needing all the supplements.

At this point, I realized it was around 1 am. For those that know me well, you know that I am NOT a night owl. Not even a little bit. But I had SO. MUCH. ENERGYYYYYYYYY..... It was unbelievable! I cleaned the apartment, I did an hour long tae bo workout, I realized that I never ate my dinner, because I never got hungry for it. I wasn't actually able to lie down until 3 or 4. Remember why?? ;)

Now, I don't have much caffeine on a daily basis at all, like... Maybe 50mg, so it affected me more, but I had that drink at 8:30. Couldn't be calm enough to rest until around 3:30...

Then I thought about the way I eat, and how I get basically all the same components of this (minus the caffeine... clearly!) for a whole lot cheaper and feel excellent.

So... I decided not to do it. Which... was not wise for me financially, as I have not landed another job with nearly the pay and flexibility. But, that gives you an idea of how I felt about it, and I have lived happily ever after since!

Joke of the Day: I wanted to lose weight, so I went to the paint store. I heard I could get thinner there!

So, it's been a year, maybe next fall I'll make another post! Actually I'm going to try an keep it going :)