Fruit for Dessert

Growing up, we did not have dessert every day.  It seems like that is the "norm" now: something sweet and decadent after a big dinner.  Even if you aren't hungry.  
But, when we did have dessert as kids, it was often just fruit.  Especially in the summertime.  A slice of watermelon, a peach or nectarine, or some fresh picked berries.  Or sometimes strawberry shortcake or baked apples - on a special occasion. 
Fruit is sweet and full of natural sugar.  It really is the perfect dessert.  I think with the overabundance of diets/dieting and always feeling guilty, we have made fruit an obligation food and forgotten what a treat it is. My husband calls it "nature's candy".  And it really is!  BUT - it is also an amazing whole food that is full of nutrients and fiber.  See, I said fiber, and you were immediately thinking "oh, right, that sound delicious and desserty", right??   I think we might need to separate the health benefit trivia facts from fruit and just enjoy it again.
One of our favorite summertime dinners as children was what we called "fruit for dinner".  Mom would slice up 8-10 different fruits and arrange them on a huge platter and we'd dive in.  It was so fun and seemed a little naughty to be eating just fruit for dinner.  It's crazy that something so incredibly healthy could be considered a treat to a child. And to the grown-ups too! 
June into early July is one of my favorite times of year, living in New England, because we get fresh local strawberries.  The strawberry season comes and goes so fast, you can miss it if you blink too long, but there is nothing like them.  My husband Mark and I will sometimes get a quart from a farm stand and go sit somewhere in nature and eat the whole thing.  Not a bad way to spend an afternoon!  The berries do not survive until dessert time, but they fill that craving for sweets.
When I do want to make something more decadent, I try to keep it healthy.  Whole grain strawberry shortcakes, "raw" banana cream pie, or a berry parfait made with fat free Greek yogurt and chopped toasted pecans.  These things are all truly delicious, but also healthy.  Did I ruin it for you with the "h" word? 

It's long past strawberry season in Connecticut, but buying frozen strawberries is a great alternative, especially for making a warm mixed berry compote or a fruit crumble. Most berries are frozen right at the farm, preserving them at their peak freshness.

I found this strawberry tea cup at a neighbors tag sale for $0.50!  I couldn't resist filling it with fresh berries I had just picked up at the farm.  This photo is the only evidence of their existence, we ate them minutes later! 

What are some of your favorite fruits to have for dessert?

Hacking my Favorite Meal in Austin

My husband and I recently spent 9 days in Austin, TX for the South By Southwest Film Festival (SXSW).  We have been going every other year, and I was crazy excited to go back to Austin.    Our last trip was full of great food and drinks, so we were both looking forward to a similar experience.

Unfortunately, sometimes things in life are not as good as I remember them to be.  We did eat some good food and had a few good drinks, but nothing like the trip of two years ago.  I will not give any bad reviews here, because everyone has their own tastes and experiences, but we were a little bit disappointed.

One new place my husband found on our pre-trip food research was a place called The Launderette.  Thank goodness, this was one place that did not disappoint!  Especially because it was about a 2 mile walk from our hotel and a fairly muggy day.  I had stripped down to my tank top by the time we arrived. (Mark and I rarely take a taxi or other transportation on vacation.  We like to walk and see the places we are visiting on foot.  PLUS, we can usually eat and drink all we like and burn it all off on the walk there and back).

The atmosphere and decorations were fun and not too busy.  We sat at the counter and got a couple of drinks.  I ordered the beluga lentils with labneh, grilled squash, avocado and a soft cooked egg.  I LOVED it!  It sounds fairly basic and I have to admit, I really only ordered it because it was vegetarian and had labneh in the ingredient list, which is like a thick yogurt/cheese.  I find I often order an entire dish from a menu because of one ingredient that I love.  Which does not always pan out in my favor.  But this one did!  The avocado and labneh seemed to have fresh lemon juice squeezed over it and that made everything taste very light and fresh.  It was one of those rare meals where every bite is mind blowing.  I think I talked about that meal for days!

So, I decided to try and recreate it at home.  We finally cut open a huge hubbard squash that we grew in our garden last fall and needed to use it in multiple dishes (it really was enormous).  I very simply roasted small cubes of the squash, sprayed with PAM, in a 400 degree oven until tender.  I used Fage Greek yogurt in place of the labneh (I really need to find a source or learn to make it myself).  I cooked the lentils as directed on the bag, but cooked them in vegetable broth in place of water, to give them some extra flavor.  The Launderette's dish had sprouts, which I do not love (I feel like they taste like my front lawn would), so I just left those out.  

Here is my version of the beluga lentil dish.  I added quick pickled cucumber slices, using Ume plum vinegar, which is salty and tangy.  I squeezed lemon over the top, but it wasn't quite the same zing.  Next time, I will try adding lemon zest to the yogurt too. 

Dining out can end up being high calorie and sometimes poor quality food (carby, fatty, fried).  I love when I find an item on a menu that is nutrient packed and that is also full of flavor.  It's great to have recreations of these dishes in your back pocket when you want something a little more fancy but don't feel like going out.  Eating in can be healthy AND feel like a treat!

As you can probably see, I had a very hard time peeling my soft boiled egg.  I have tried many "tricks" on how to peel an egg, with little success.  If you have a no-fail technique, please send it my way!

Healthy Fat Vs. Unhealthy Fats - What's the Deal?

There are a few food topics that show up again and again in the news and fitness magazines, and fat in our diets is one of them.  Is fat healthy?  Which fats are best?  In my experience as a dietitian, I have heard many differing views on fat and what we should be eating.  

Dr Oz had a show where he talked about the fat in dairy (saturated fat) and said that we actually need to eat full fat dairy to be able to absorb the fat soluble vitamins in the food.  To me, this is an example of getting only one side of the story.  Eating saturated fat increases our bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, increasing our risk of heart disease. After that show, I had (many) people I counseled say that they had switched to full fat dairy and would not consider changing back.  Ack!   

So, here's the deal.  Yes - dairy contains some great fat soluble vitamins that we need.  Yes - we need to eat fat to absorb those vitamins.  BUT - that does not mean we need to eat the saturated fat from dairy (or other animal products) to absorb the vitamins, ANY fat will do.  SO - if you add some almonds or almond butter, toasted pecans, peanut butter, or ANY nut to your fat free morning yogurt, you will have plenty of healthy fat to absorb the vitamins, and a more complete meal/snack!    You can add avocado to your lean chicken breast, nuts to your cereal and skim milk, peanut butter to your smoothie, etc etc.  Send me a full fat dairy or meat dish and I can find you a healthy fat to add to the meal instead!

One of my favorite, quick breakfasts is: fat free Fage greek yogurt, 1 tbsp almond butter, topped with fresh raspberries and a few crumbled toasted pecans.  It takes 60 seconds to prepare and I enjoy it every time.  Any fresh fruit or nut can be used, whatever is in season or is your favorite.  I get a serving of healthy fat, a serving of high protein dairy, and a serving of fresh fruit.  For about the same calories as a tiny full fat yogurt. 

A note on peanut butter:  Peanut butter contains healthy fats.  There is no reason to purchase reduced fat peanut butter.  Hungry Girl recommends it in her emails and it drives me mad.  The worst thing about reduced fat peanut butter?  It has the EXACT same calories as regular!!  How is that possible? They actually add sugar to the mix, removing a healthy fat and adding back junk.  When you are buying peanut butter, the best ones just say "peanuts" and maybe "salt".  My favorite brands are Stop & Shop and Teddy (I like the Teddy with the flax meal added).  

I just attended a great presentation in transfats, but I think that is a whole separate post to share what I learned (spoiler: transfats are definitely bad!).

Shows like Dr Oz that need to fill 5 shows per week with something are a part of why I think we are so confused about what to actually eat.  The best part of my job is trying to help people cut through the noise and  find a healthy balance.  

What is the the latest fad, superfood, or diet that you are hearing about?  

The Secret of Mise En Place

January has flown by and in trying to figure out how to stick to my goals, I haven't had time to blog about it!

Work and family and winter and relaxing are all real day-to-day factors that "interfere" with my plans.  But - I am trying to use all of these potential distractions to my advantage in order to reach my goals.  A concept my husband and I have come across is "mise en place" and I wanted to share how, even in a busy life, you can be better organized to get the best results.

Mise En Place

This concept has truly changed my life.  It is a culinary term, meaning "everything in it's place". Chefs use it to keep the flow of creating dishes efficient, every ingredient is ready and in reach. 

But I have started using this in all areas of my life.  In cooking, but also in getting myself ready for the day.  I prepare breakfast, lunch and snacks the night before,  choose and iron my clothes for work, pack my work bag, get anything out for dinner that can be set out or moved to the fridge from the freezer, etc.  It decreases my morning stress exponentially!  For some reason I can choose an outfit in 5 minutes in the evening, where the added stress of the morning would make that a 15 minute affair.  I wake up and get ready with no stress at all.  I cannot emphasize enough the difference it has made to my morning and thus the rest of my day.

Another benefit of mise en place is that I get off my tush in the evening to get things ready for tomorrow.  This time was often spent sitting on the couch watching mind numbing TV, adding absolutely no value to my life.  Now, I move around a bit before bed and get something accomplished! And I never think, "I wish I was sitting around watching TV".  

It also makes a huge difference to my health and diet.  When you try to put together a healthy breakfast or lunch in the morning, when you are pressed for time and need to get to work, you are more likely to cut corners or give up for that day entirely.  You grab a bagel or sugary breakfast cereal and hope to do better tomorrow.  When you get ready the night before, you have time to think and prepare something, and then you just grab it in the morning.  Preparation is the key, it really is the best way to stick to a goal! In the book Knives at Dawn, the author states when you mise en place "you are set up for success". I couldn't agree more!

Mise en place is the main reason I have been doing well with my goal of eating a healthy breakfast every day.  I have been making an apple muesli that is really easy, just a quick pulse in the food processor.  It's simply apple, unsweetened dried cherries, almonds, unsweetened coconut and a dash of almond extract.  I pour unsweetened soy milk over the top in the morning and am ready for breakfast (It's crazy that I have to specify "unsweetened" next to everything, but so many products are loaded with added sugar, I want to make sure anyone who wants to make this recipe finds the best ingredients)! I make two days worth each time, so I only have to make it every other day.  Here is the recipe:

Recipe
1 apple, chopped (use any variety you like)
1/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup unsweetened dried cherries
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup unsweetened soy milk (or other unsweetened milk- almond, coconut, cashew)

Makes 2 servings, each with a full serving of fruit

-Place almonds in a food processor.  Pulse until broken into smaller chunks.  Add all other ingredients except milk to food processor and pulse until combined and apple is in small bits.
-Portion into two storage containers or bowls.  Lasts up to 36 hours, so you can make the night before and eat for two days.
-Top with 1/2 cup milk up to one hour before eating.  

Note: you can make this with any nut or any unsweetened dried fruit.  Use dried apricots or raisons, pecans or hazelnuts!
-adapted from therawtarian.com

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For my January goals, I have found that reaching 10,000 steps every day is even tougher than I thought - and I knew it would be tough!  I usually get there with some hard work, so I figured this was one reachable goal without too too much planning.  But I am finding that I really need to be thinking about it all day long, or when I am winding down at the end of the day I find myself 3,000 steps short. I have been coming at this goal with too negative an approach, thinking "I can't get 3,000 more steps tonight, and if I can't reach my goal I might as well just give up and relax".  It finally struck me today that this is such the wrong way to approach it!  If you really don't think you can get to 10,000, maybe you can get at least 8,000, or more.  Anything extra is better than just where you are.  It at least moves us forward and closer to our goals.  I think changing my perspective and looking at it like this will make a big difference to me.  I can go to bed with a positive "hey, I got 800 more steps than I would have"!  

I have been much more active at work.  I go to the printer each time I print something, versus waiting until I'm done printing and going to pick up everything.  I run to the bathroom (all the way across the building!) every time I feel the need, versus waiting until the last minute.  I also take the long way over to that side of the building - to get ice water or heat up lunch - going down the stairs and back up on the other side of the office.  This helped me reach 10,000 on a day where I would normally be falling short before dinner.  Have you found ways to increase your activity at work?  Let me know any ideas you have!

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My 2016 February goals-keeping them all the same this month because they still need work!

1.     Eat a healthy breakfast every day

2.     Exercise 6 days/week

3.     Get to 10,000 steps every day

4.     Drink 16oz of water during the work day

5.     Eat 5 fruits and/or vegetables every day

6.     Keep a food journal

7.     Meditate 2 times per week

8.     Be in the moment while driving and listening to podcasts

9.     Take my vitamins every day

10.    Limit junk food 

What are some of the things you are working on this month?  Are you willing try the mise en place for breakfast or lunch?

10 New Years Resolutions You Can Make This Year

1.  Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Eating a healthy breakfast will start your day off right.  It sets the stage for healthier eating all day long.  But, even if you don’t keep eating healthy that day, one healthy meal is better than none.  Preparation is key to having a healthy breakfast.  The main reason people don’t eat healthy is that it’s not as fast and easy as grabbing a bagel, donut, pastry, etc.  You can certainly build a grab and go healthy breakfast: a banana, fat free Greek yogurt and some almonds would be a great quick choice.   If you want a more elaborate breakfast, it’s best to put it together the night before.  Try my pumpkin oatmeal recipe. Mix together the canned pumpkin, soy milk, Truvia and oatmeal and have it ready in a microwave safe container in the fridge.  Measure out and chop the pecans and dates and put them in your lunch bag.  Better yet, put it all in your bag and store it in the fridge, so you just grab your bag and run out the door in the morning.  Then microwave the oatmeal when you get to work, toss on the toppings and enjoy! 

2.  Exercise "X" times per week.
This one is going to be geared to where you are starting.  If you do not exercise much at all, then try 1-2 days per week.  If you are doing about 2 days per week consistently, then make your goal 3-4 days per week.  Don’t jump from nothing to a goal of 6 days a week, this is how we overwhelm ourselves and give up more easily.  I know, you want to be healthy, fit, whatever- ASAP, but it just doesn’t work that way.  Work your way up to a reasonable goal and you are more likely to stick with it.

3.  Get to 10,000 steps per day
This is the recommendation by many health experts and organizations.  Remember - this is not an amount for weight loss, it's for normal healthy living.  If you are active the recommended 30-60 minutes per day for adults, you will get there much more easily. This is not a simple goal - you need to have a plan to get up and get moving more often throughout the day to have a hope of reaching it, but it is a doable goal.  Pick up a $10 pedometer or invest in a Fitbit type tracker to help motivate you and keep track of your progress.

4.  Drink 16-24 ounces (2-3 cups) of water during the work day
Believe it or not - thirst is often mistaken for hunger.  Make sure to stay hydrated during the day, and this will help stave off food cravings.  This goal will help you on your way to the recommended 6-8 cups per day.  Water is the best choice, but you can start off with any zero calorie beverage.  Staying hydrated is also great for your skin, hair, organs, etc.  AND, it often makes you have to get up and use the bathroom during the day (seems like every 10 minutes!), so this gets you more steps!

5.  Eat 5 fruits and/or vegetables every day
The recommendation is 5-9 servings per day for adults, so 5 a day is the bare minimum.  But it’s probably better than most of us are doing.  Most people can go a whole day without even one serving of produce, so 5 might be a big goal to meet.  Just like exercising, think about where you are starting from and work your way to 5.  Add a fruit to breakfast, and a veggie to snack, etc and you can get there in no time.  If you are doing #1 and having a healthy breakfast, that meal should definitely include a fruit or veg!

6.  Keep a food journal
Keeping a record of what you eat will keep you aware and honest.  Did you grab a cookie from the break room?  Write it down and maybe that reminder will help you say no to the afternoon offer of chocolate from your desk mate.  It also helps build a record of food ideas.  Remember that day you finally got to the goal of 5 fruits and veggies?  What did you have for lunch again?  What did that day look like? Food journals are great to help you see both where you went wrong and where you went right.  If it’s months and months of writing down junk food, then fine.  Maybe five months of that is what you need to finally make a change. If you don't write it down, you forget and maybe it takes five years to make a change!

7.  Meditate
In this fast paced, crazy world, it is healthy to take five minutes to yourself and quiet your mind.  Most of us are overwhelmed with work and home and sometimes kids or parents to tend to.  It can help reduce stress and increase happiness to put this time aside and meditate.

8.  Be in the moment
This can be greatly helped by #7.  Our minds are used to multi-tasking, so I can listen to my husband talk about work while I watch TV and fold the laundry.  But our personal relationships can suffer if we do not stop and take real time to pay attention.  It took a few hurt looks and frustrated comments from my husband before I realized I was being insensitive with my half-listening.  I’m still not perfect, but I am more aware of it and continue to try harder.  Other things on our lives are also affected.  You make a grocery list while you clean the kitchen while you check your phone for texts or email.  It all seems to go together, but when we only give part of our attention to something, everything suffers.  Studies show we are more forgetful when we try to multitask.  And we can get overwhelmed and anxious.  It feels like we have a million things to do, because we don't take the time to do them fully. Meditation can help calm your mind, but then you have to take the time in your life to stop and be present in whatever you are doing.

9.  Take vitamins - IF needed
This is not for everyone.  If you eat a very healthy, complete diet you are probably fine. I take calcium and vitamin D because I don’t eat enough of these and stay out of the sun - religiously! I am a pale Irish girl and burn accordingly.  I take B12 because I am a vegetarian. Be safe and careful about what you take and why. High dose vitamins are not a good idea, and foods are always the best place to try and get your nutrition! Think about why you are low in certain nutrients and figure out how you can eat healthier to get there first.  B12 is tough, because it's mostly animal based, so that is a case where a supplement can fill the gap.

10.  Limit junk food
So many of us need to work on this one!  Walk into a grocery store and the majority of what you see is junk food.  Breakfast cereal is junk for the most part; chips, cookies, candy, ice cream, soda, JUICE.  So many things to tempt us that are just no good.   I finally realized one day that these things are not actually food.  They are calories and often some nutrients added in, but they are not real food that we are meant to eat.  When I do eat “junk” I try to make it the better choice.  Chips made from just corn.  Whole grain crackers.  Cereal with only 1 gram of sugar and only a few ingredients.  I limit this as much as I can, but making the best choice makes me feel better about these times.  You can eat junk sometimes, but recognize it for what it is and not as a real part of your diet. 

Share your resolutions for this year!  Have you resolved not to resolve?  Tell me about that?

Starting the New Year off Right!

Happy New Year! This is my first official blog entry.  I thought January 1st was the perfect time to start a new adventure. 

You can read all about me and the goal of this blog here.

Each new year I get off to a good start (like most of the population), and then veer off track.  This year, with this blog, I can stay accountable and reach my goals, because who wants to fail publicly, right? 

A few years ago I began setting goals for one month, not a full year.  I feel it has helped me focus a bit more and not get overwhelmed looking ahead at 12 months of trying to succeed. 

I like to make 10 reachable goals every month, and change them as they fit my life.  It has been a journey of a few years getting to these specific goals.  If you are looking to make a similar plan, don't get overwhelmed if my goals seem big to you.  I am a believer in starting small and working your way towards something. 

Here are my 2016 January goals.  I usually make a top 10.

1.     Eat a healthy breakfast every day

2.     Exercise 6 days/week

3.     Get to 10,000 steps every day

4.     Drink 16oz of water during the work day

5.     Eat 5 fruits and/or vegetables every day

6.     Keep a food journal

7.     Meditate 2 times per week (starting small here)

8.     Be in the moment while driving and listening to podcasts

9.     Take my vitamins every day

10.  Limit junk food (this one is vague, but if i say "limit junk food to 2 times a week" i will surely eat it that often!)

In the coming months I might keep all 10 goals the same for every month, if they still need work.  But I only have January in mind right now.  Each day I can look over this list as a reminder.  You can make a pretty print out and post it at work and at home, so you have a reminder in your most frequented spaces.  You need to make it fun and visible, otherwise it's just a list that's hidden away and easily forgotten about.  You'll find it in a drawer three years from now and say "hey, yeah, I was going to do that"!

In my opinion, goals should not be dreaded tasks.  I enjoy taking a few extra strolls around the office to meet my daily step goal.  I actually think it makes me more productive, because I step away from a task and come back more focused.  I love fruits and vegetables, I just need the reminder to make sure to include one at every meal and snack. These goals are all things I want to do - to be a better me. These 10 things are positive reminders for my day.

I think where most people, including myself, get into trouble is trying to recreate yourself in one go.  The “all or nothing” approach.  “Tomorrow I am going to start working out and will work out 7 days a week”.  That’s huge if you don’t work out already.  I have started and failed about 50 exercise programs, trying to do too much too soon.  I’ll do it for 6 weeks, then nothing for 8 weeks (or more, who am i kidding?).  I have finally found a 30 minute exercise routine I can actually stick to and have been successful for over a year.  That is a first for me!!  So, I have the goal of 6 days/week, because I am finally there.  Goals should not be too far from where you are starting.  “Eat a healthy breakfast” is something I do often, I just need to make it a habit.  If you rarely eat a healthy breakfast, saying you’ll do it every day is a huge goal to jump into, and one you will probably give up on.

Changing our set behaviors is hard.  You have to make small, progressive changes to get to big change, or I just don’t think it will stick.
Each day, each month is a step along my journey.  Each success moves me closer to my goals.  Each “failure” is a step back, but just a step - not a fatal mistake.  I don’t like the word failure, cause it does imply an end.  I guess “misstep” is a better word.

I find it fun to have a reminder of my goals.  I am an introvert, so I am not going to post my goal sheet publicly at work, but I can remind myself of what I am working on.  I have a ridiculous number of tiny temporary tattoes that I have collected over my life.  I have begun placing one on my inner wrist, so I can see it during the day and keep my goals in mind.  They are colorful and whimsical, they make me smile as I remember to drink more water or get some steps (or not eat that office donut!).

My number one goal is to eat a healthy breakfast.  I love breakfast and I have a ton of healthy recipes, I just get busy in the morning sometimes and am unprepared. Well, I'm not so much busy as sleeping as late as I possibly can.  But while I'm busy sleeping late, I am not making a healthy breakfast,
This pumpkin oatmeal recipe is one of my favorites!  I know pumpkin-everything season is pretty much over, but I love pumpkin all year long.  It is especially fun and warming this time of year, and this recipe uses real pumpkin, not just flavoring, so it's a boost of nutrients too.  This recipe is fast, easy, and soooo good. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal

1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup soy milk
1 packet Truvia
2 pitted dates-chopped
10 toasted pecans-crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar-free Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavor syrup (Torani)
1 tbsp light cream

1. Stir together the oats, pumpkin, milk and Truvia.  
2. Microwave for 1 minute.  
3. Stir again and microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute more.  
4.  Stir in Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavoring.
5. Top with chopped dates and pecans.
6. Top with just 1 tbsp of light cream, if preferred.  

The main thing to think about when making a new goal is - why are you choosing this goal?  Did someone tell you to try it?  Have you heard someone talk about it and you want to be more like her/him?  
This goal has to be for you and it has to be something you are ready for.  I have done a lot of research on habits and behavior changes, and readiness to change.  Not being ready to make a certain change is not a flaw.  It’s normal human nature.  True behavior change is a complicated process and we beat ourselves up for it not coming easily.  I think we all need to cut ourselves some slack and come at our goals from a different perspective: small changes we can make last!

I enjoy hearing or reading about what other people are doing.  And then I think about if that’s a goal I would make.  Train to run a 5K??  No thanks, that’s not for me!  I do not enjoy running and it’s hard on the joints.  Cut out processed foods?  Yeah, I could and should work towards that goal--it’s just healthier and adds more real/whole foods into my diet.  

What resolutions are you thinking about making this year?  How did you choose?