Energy Bars

From the Bicycling magazine blog. My mixture didn't look like this;
mine are chocolaty! The chocolate chips melted after pouring
in the heated maple syrup and peanut butter mixture. Yum!

I typically do not like the name "energy bar," but in the case of these bars they definitely gave us energy (or helped us maintain our energy) during some hiking at 8000+ feet elevation.

I found this recipe in a friend's facebook group (Smoky Mountain Military Cycling), and it's actually from a Bicycling magazine blog. These are very tasty bars and I really appreciated the versatility and simplicity of the recipe.

View the recipe here. For my bars, I used oats, my son's favorite cereal (multi-grain and low-sugar flakes), finely chopped walnuts, chopped dried apricots, chia seeds, maple syrup, natural peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. I only made half a batch the first time. I wanted to make sure we liked them before using so much liquid gold (aka maple syrup.) My conclusion is that these are definitely easy to make and delicious to eat. The problem is that these have quite a few calories - I didn't even calculate the calories in ours - but at least I know that each ingredient in these bars is a good one! No hidden additives, artificial anything or preservatives. We all enjoyed these on the trail. These energy bars are a good idea for extended exercise such as long runs, hiking or cycling.


Action Item: Make your own energy bars or granola bars when you can. Homemade versions are healthier, cost less and prevent lots and lots of unnecessary packaging!

For Further Reading: Eating During Exercise. A reminder that each person has different needs during long-duration activities (over 60 minutes), and it usually takes trial and error with hydration and nutrition to learn what works best for you and your body.

Seriously?

I read yesterday that Taco Bell was rolling out it's new waffle taco breakfast (link to the article is below). Seriously? These "foods" are completely unnecessary in my opinion, and probably yours if you are reading this. If you are even considering eating the waffle taco breakfast (or anything similar), please choose not to if you value your health. Not just because of the high fat content and the unnecessary calories, but I can only imagine the added ingredients to make it salty and addictive. In the time it takes to drive to a fast food restaurant and wait in line, I'm pretty certain you could toast some bread, add peanut butter and grab a banana for the road! It costs less, it's healthier and there's no wasted wrappers and containers. Win, win, win, win and win. OK, I went a little too far, but I've very passionate about skipping fast food restaurants completely and especially for the meal that sets the tone for the rest of your day!

In the coming days, I'll talk more about healthy meal options. If you have a favorite quick & healthy breakfast or lunch, email me at foodsthatfuelus@yahoo.com.


Action Item: If you eat at fast food restaurants regularly, try cutting back a little each week. Find other convenient ways to eat. Making your lunch in the morning will take extra time, but consider that if you make your lunch you could have time to sit quietly in the sun while enjoying a lunch that fuels you for the afternoon. If you run to Burger King, you're probably in a car, in traffic, waiting in line and rushing. Choose health.

For Further Reading: Taco Bell Rolls Out Waffle Taco Breakfast (If you really want to see what this "breakfast" looks like!) Check out Taco Bell's Ingredient Statement if you want to see what's in their food. I'm not picking on Taco Bell (I was gained my freshmen 15 by eating Taco Bell); I feel the same about most fast food restaurants. I'm sure you can now also find other restaurants nutritional info online.

And remember, there are still a few days left in National Nutrition Month. A great time for you to start or reinforce some healthy eating habits. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website for more tips and advice: www.eatright.org.

Know Your Products

Concerned with where your food comes from? Is it safe? How are the products made? Are they tested on animals? OneGreenPlanet.org has gathered some great apps for quick research on your favorite items. There was a time when we could please ignorance and buy products without knowing their history, and I think some companies loved that idea. Today we can be smarter and we must be smarter to keep ourselves and our environment healthy. I've listed a summary here, and the link is at the bottom of this page.

1. Farmstand - Eating local is becoming more than just a trend; it’s a way for people to reconnect with their food and their local communities. Farmstand allows you to keep this connection alive by providing you with information on where to find local area farmers’ market.

2. Dirty Dozen - Want to keep your body, your family and the environment safe from harmful pesticides? Start by speaking with your wallet and buy foods that require minimal to no pesticides to grow. The Dirty Dozen app made by the Environmental Working Group can help guide you in your purchases.

3. Animal Free - While certain products on store shelves are clearly sourced from animal, other times deciphering labels can be more difficult especially with ingredients like casein, gelatin, whey and L-Cysteine, which don’t sound like they’re derived from animals even though they are. The Animal Free app helps make humane shopping easier by identifying common and hidden animal ingredients.

4. Cruelty-Free - Thanks to the Leaping Bunny Program from the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), it has been much easier to identify cruelty-free cosmetics in recent years. Now, there’s an app to assist you while you shop for makeup and hygiene products. The Cruelty-Free shopping guide lists over 200 U.S. and Canadian companies that do not test their ingredients, formulations or finished products on animals.

5. Buycott - Newest to the eco-shopping app world is Buycott, created by a 26-year-old freelance programmer. Buycott helps you purchase products that align with your values. Initially, you’ll set up a profile and select which issues and campaigns you support. Then while you’re shopping, you can scan a product to see what brand it belongs to, what company owns the brand, who owns the company and how the brand and company line up against your principles as outlined in your profile.


Action Item: If you have a smartphone, try one of these today. If you don't have a smartphone, you can visit these the websites and/or follow them on facebook for updates and information.

For Further Reading: Top 5 Apps for Conscious Consumers. Take your buying power a step further and check out these 10 additional apps for one that might interest you (Free2Work, Social Impact, GoodGuide and more).

Big Salad

We tried another recipe for you! This one looked really good, so I wasn't concerned with a "flop."

The Big Salad article (actually five salad recipes) is also from a recent Runner's World issue. Here's the one I made last night:

Quick Hummus Salad
Easy to assemble and rich in vital nutrients for runners, this deconstructed hummus is perfect for weekday lunches. Chickpeas, the main ingredient in hummus, provide protein, carbs, and plenty of insoluble fiber. "The fiber in chickpeas can improve the health of your GI tract," Katz says. Walnuts (and other nuts) provide crunch and protect against heart disease. Harvard researchers found that people who eat nuts regularly are 29 percent less likely to develop the disease. Nut-eaters are slimmer, too. A synergy of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals is likely behind nuts' potent health benefits.

In a bowl, toss 2 (14-ounce) cans drained and rinsed chickpeas, 2 shredded carrots, 1 diced red bell pepper, 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 3/4 cup diced feta, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup golden raisins. Divide 8 cups mixed salad greens among 4 plates. Top with chickpea mixture and tahini dressing. Serves 4.

Tahini Dressing:
                                                             

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons tahini

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Calories per serving: 618
Carbs: 53 g
Fiber: 15 g
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 39 g

Note: The nutrition data for each salad is calculated with dressing.

The salad and dressing were very tasty, very filling and had a great texture with all the different ingredients. The recipe makes a lot; so we have leftovers which is a good thing with a meal that we enjoyed.

Check out all of the Big Salad recipes at RunnersWorld.com.


Action Item: Try this protein-packed salad for dinner or make it for the next pot-luck you attend.

For Further Reading: Check out other Runners World recipes; great ideas for foods and meals to fuel your body!

And here's a good article from One Green Planet, Why Chickpeas are a Healthy Eaters Best Friend.

Sweet Potato Muffins

Here's a recipe I pulled from Runner's World in 2011. Tried them for the first time this morning! My reaction is mixed. First of all, I had to change some ingredients based on what I had in the house, and of course I always add a personal touch. Be that good or bad. So as I mentioned, my reaction is mixed, but I will definitely make these again and try to follow the recipe exactly. OK, except maybe for the vegetable oil. The texture of the muffins is great, but there's not tons of taste. Knowing these muffins are packed with nutrients though makes it even more appealing for me. The mild taste makes them very versatile; I could eat them for breakfast (and I did), eat them post-exercise (which I might in a little while) or they'd be great in my son's lunch or easy to eat on a road trip. Filling and good and healthy!

 

"These are the lightest, fluffiest, easiest whole-grain muffins—ever," promises Bittman. Using sweet potato adds moisture and nutrients, such as beta-carotene.

Sweet Potato Muffins
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (preferably pastry flour)
3/4 cup sugar (I tried mostly honey and some brown sugar, still didn't equal 3/4 cup)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used applesauce)
1 cup pureed or mashed cooked sweet potato
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used coconut milk mixed with a little Greek yogurt)

Our batch was very dry so we added extra applesauce and milk at the end.

• Heat oven to 375° F. Grease 12 muffin cups or add paper liners.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
• In a bowl, whisk butter, oil, sweet potato, egg, and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into the dry; stir until just combined.
• Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Banana Nut Variation Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup. Replace sweet potato with 1 cup mashed, very ripe banana; add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the batter.

Pumpkin Coconut Variation Replace sweet potato with 1 cup canned pumpkin; add 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut to the batter.

CALORIES PER MUFFIN: 248

CARBS: 37 G

FIBER: 3 G

PROTEIN: 4 G

FAT: 9 G

MARK BITTMAN may not be sure which marathon he's running next (he'll either tackle November's Philadelphia Marathon or December's Palm Beaches Marathon Festival), but he is sure about one thing: his training. "I'm doing a long run, speedwork, and tempo run every week," says Bittman, author of The Food Matters Cookbook. "And I'm following hard weeks with easier ones." For more, go to markbittman.com

 

Omega 3s for me, please.

We've probably all heard how important it is to consume Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet for lowering triglycerides and blood pressure. Omega-3s are essential fatty acids; we need them for our bodies to work properly. One of their most important benefits is that they seem to have an anti-inflammatory effect. And there are studies, reports WebMD, showing that omega-3 fatty acids may help with other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and many more.

Are you getting enough in your diet?

According to experts, probably not. And most people you know – your spouse, your toddler, and your mom – probably aren’t either.

 

“Pretty much everybody’s diet is deficient in omega-3s,” says David C. Leopold, MD, director of integrative medical education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. (from WebMD)

What foods, beside wild salmon, contain Omega 3s? Check out Your Omega-3 Family Shopping List.

Early research is showing that infants, children and teens can benefits from Omega-3s for cognitive development, growth, ADHD and asthma (read the article below for more information.)

 

How do you get your child to eat more Omega 3s?

Parents magazine offers some tips:

• Introduce fish to your baby during the first year, to help her develop a taste for it. Then serve it often.
• Be creative: Grill fish on skewers, sauté fish cakes, make fish tacos, or mix it into pasta sauce.
• Buy DHA-fortified milk, soy milk, eggs, and orange juice when possible.
• Get into the habit of cooking with canola, flax, hemp or soy oil.
• Bake chia, hemp or ground flaxseeds into muffins, pancakes and crepes, and sprinkle them over yogurt or cereal.
• Give your bigger children omega-rich walnuts to snack on.

Just like any other important nutrient, mineral or food – don't over do it and don't leave it out. Incorporate omega-3s into a varied, healthy diet.

 

 

Action Item: Seek out ways to incorporate fish into your meals. And keep eating those leafy greens! Check out allrecipes.com for salmon or tuna recipes that interest you.

 

For Further Reading: Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fact Sheet, Omega-3 and Brain Health, and Who Needs Omega-3s?

Dress Your Greens

I ran across this cute graphic on Pinterest, and so far I've tried the balsalmic vinaigrette. It was perfect for me. Many of you might already make an oil/vinegar type salad dressing, but I have a history of buying a pre-made dressing, not liking it and having to suffer through until the bottle is empty!

These recipes are great because they only make a small amount, and like it says - you probably have most or all of the ingredients in your kitchen already. Better yet is that these made-at-home toppings have  no artificial ingredients, no added sugar and no unnecessary salt! Perfect way to top off a healthy salad.


Action Item: If you have the ingredients, try one today!

For Further Reading: If you search, you'll find an unlimited number of salad dressing recipes. Narrowing them down and/or trying any of them is the hard part for me. Start here, and see if these interest you: Three Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

Beyond-Super Food

Can you guess? Is it a leafy green? Is it a new super chia seed? Nope, I'm talking about crickets! I haven't lost my mind, I haven't eaten any variation of cricket (yet), but an article in Outside magazine caught our attention. Ron actually introduced me to the article.

Here's an excerpt, "Indeed, insect meal stacks up against other superfoods. It has more protein that a wild caught salmon, with a complete set of amino acids. Cricket flesh has more iron than beef, more calcium than milk, and plenty of B vitamins absent from vegetable-based protein sources like hemp and soy. But the real advantage? Surprisingly, the taste. Bug flour is relatively easy to disguise compared with whey and soy powders, so the bars made from it don't need to contain as much sugar."

As you well know, people around the world regularly eat insects. In our culture, bugs are basically  "gross" unless you're a seven-year-old boy who loves gathering, watching and protecting them. Articles like this one cause us to stop and think about why we feel a certain way about things. Is an insect truly gross to eat or is that just what we've been taught to think? I'm not advocating bug eating. That's completely up to you, your adventurous spirit and the particular diet you follow. Insect eating would be a definite yes for the paleo diet, probably a no for vegetarians, and a big no thank you for vegans is my guess, and everyone else probably falls along the spectrum of "sure, give me a bite" to "no way!"


Exo Bar ingredients

The article in Outside magazine focuses mainly on cricket meal or flour and the companies making products with this superfood flour (links are below).

Let me know what you think! Have you eaten cricket meal, a fried insect or a live one for that matter? Would you?

Action Item: Be on the lookout for energy bars or foods that contain cricket meal. You might give it a try! I know I'm curious.

For Further Reading: Check out this National Geographic article, UN Urges Eating Bugs:  8 Popular Bugs to Try, Exo website, Chapul cricket energy bar website, and Bitty Foods (made with cricket meal).

Simple Reminder

 

Food is your fuel. Feed your body right to get the results you want.

Feed your body junk and expect poor performance in return.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

In honor of my dear friend Claire (who lives in England and I miss very much; and she's Irish!), I'm sharing her recipe for brown soda bread. I ate this delicious bread at her house one day then asked for the recipe which she promptly sent me. I have yet to make it, but I'm going to today. I promise! She even tells me that it's easy and fun for kids too because there is no yeast, so no kneading and waiting for the dough to rise... just mix the ingredients and bake.

Here's the recipe, just as she sent it to me:

Jenny’s Mum’s Loaf

1 lb wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bread soda
1 tablespoon bran
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 tablespoon pinhead oatmeal (I just use normal porridge oats)
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pint buttermilk (or natural yoghurt and fresh milk mixed – about 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt if doing this)

Mix all dry ingredients. Then add milk – it should be porridge-like consistency. Pour into loaf tin and bake for 50mins - 1 hour at 200 degrees.  (Betsy adding something here... that would be almost 400 degrees F)

A few more fun facts for anyone celebrating your heritage or just pretending to be Irish:

• If shortened, it's St Paddy's Day, NEVER St Patty's Day.
• The Irish do celebrate by eating green food (I thought it was just us Americans taking the holiday a little too far) -- for example, pea and spinach soup, followed by Irish stew and spuds (there always has to be spuds!) and then lime jelly* with Satsuma pieces in it and served with vanilla ice cream. Not just green, but green, white & gold which are the colors of Ireland's flag!
• Wear green, wear a shamrock on your coat she says (sorry, but we probably won't be wearing a coat in New Mexico today but many of you are in colder places right now!)
• If you like beer, make it a Guinness!

*jelly is like jello, not the jam we put on our toast.

Oxygen Transport

I was researching iron, an essential mineral, for various reasons and discussing it with my husband. I decided this might be good information to share. Not to make you worry. Not to make you run to the doctor. Just to encourage you to look at your diet and make sure it is varied enough to provide all the minerals and nutrients you need. If you feel like your iron levels may be low, add more iron-rich foods and talk to your healthcare provider. Do not take an iron supplement without talking to him/her; more is not better!

What is iron and why do we need it?

Iron is a mineral needed by our bodies. Iron is a part of all cells and does many things in our bodies. For example, iron (as part of the protein hemoglobin) carries oxygen from our lungs throughout our bodies. Having too little hemoglobin is called anemia. Iron also helps our muscles store and use oxygen.

Iron is a part of many enzymes and is used in many cell functions. Enzymes help our bodies digest foods and also help with many other important reactions that occur within our bodies. When our bodies don't have enough iron, many parts of our bodies are affected. (from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)

How much do I need?

This depends on your age, gender, and overall health, says WebMD:

Infants and toddlers need more iron than adults, in general, because their bodies are growing so quickly. In childhood, boys and girls need the same amount of iron -- 10 milligrams daily from ages 4 to 8, and 8 mg daily from ages 9 to 13.

Starting at adolescence, a woman's daily iron needs increase. Women need more iron because they lose blood each month during their period. That's why women from ages 19 to 50 need to get 18 mg of iron each day, while men the same age can get away with just 8 mg.

After menopause, a woman's iron needs drop as her menstrual cycle ends. After a woman begins menopause, both men and women need the same amount of iron -- 8 mg each day.

You might need more iron, either from dietary sources or from an iron supplement, if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have kidney failure (especially if you are undergoing dialysis, which can remove iron from the body)
• Have an ulcer, which can cause blood loss
• Have a gastrointestinal disorder that prevents your body from absorbing iron normally (such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis)
• Take too many antacids, which can prevent your body from absorbing iron
• Have had weight loss (bariatric) surgery
• Work out a lot (intense exercise can destroy red blood cells)

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you may also need to take an iron supplement, because the body doesn't absorb the type of iron found in plants as well as it absorbs the iron from meat.

 

What foods are rich in iron?

Top Iron-Rich Foods list from the National Institutes of Health

Table 1: Selected Food Sources of Heme Iron [10]

Food	Milligrams per serving	% DV*
Chicken liver, pan-fried, 3 ounces	11.0	61
Oysters, canned, 3 ounces	5.7	32
Beef liver, pan-fried, 3 ounces	5.2	29
Beef, chuck, blade roast, lean only, braised, 3 ounces	3.1	17
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, 3 ounces	2.0	11
Beef, ground, 85% lean, patty, broiled, 3 ounces	2.2	12
Beef, top sirloin, steak, lean only, broiled, 3 ounces	1.6	9
Tuna, light, canned in water, 3 ounces	1.3	7
Turkey, light meat, roasted, 3 ounces	1.1	6
Chicken, dark meat, meat only, roasted, 3 ounces	1.1	6
Chicken, light meat, meat only, roasted, 3 ounces	0.9	5
Tuna, fresh, yellowfin, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces	0.8	4
Crab, Alaskan king, cooked, moist heat, 3 ounces	0.7	4
Pork, loin chop, broiled, 3 ounces	0.7	4
Shrimp, mixed species, cooked, moist heat, 4 large	0.3	2
Halibut, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces	0.2	1

Table 2: Selected Food Sources of Nonheme Iron [10]

Food	Milligrams per serving	% DV*
Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, ¾ cup	18.0	100
Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared with water, 1 packet	11.0	61
Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup	8.8	48
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup	6.6	37
Beans, kidney, mature, boiled, 1 cup	5.2	29
Beans, lima, large, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Ready-to-eat cereal, 25% iron fortified, ¾ cup	4.5	25
Blackeye peas, (cowpeas), mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.3	24
Beans, navy, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.3	24
Beans, black, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Beans, pinto, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	21
Tofu, raw, firm, ½ cup	3.4	19
Spinach, fresh, boiled, drained, ½ cup	3.2	18
Spinach, canned, drained solids ½ cup	2.5	14
Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, boiled ½ cup	1.9	11
Raisins, seedless, packed, ½ cup	1.6	9
Grits, white, enriched, quick, prepared with water, 1 cup	1.5	8
Molasses, 1 tablespoon	0.9	5
Bread, white, commercially prepared, 1 slice	0.9	5
Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared, 1 slice	0.7	4

Drink red wine, tea or coffee? These drinks might inhibit your iron absorption! Read more from reputable websites and talk to your doctor if you have concerns.


Action Item: If you fall into a higher-iron needs category, track your intake for a week and see how you're doing.

For Further Reading: Read these articles to learn more, especially about iron absorption. Iron Rich Foods, What You Need to Know About Iron Supplements, Iron and Iron Deficiency, Iron

No Eggs? No Problem.

A few people have mentioned to me about using flaxseed as an egg replacement, and I had never tried it until this morning. While making pancakes, I was about to use flaxseed meal to replace some of the flour when I remembered that I can use it instead of the egg! It worked great for pancakes, and the taste was great. My son ate three of them!

Eggs have more protein, but flaxseeds have fiber so use what works best for your diet. Use flaxseed if you are trying to get more Omega-3 fatty acids* in your diet, if you are out of eggs, or if you are cutting back on cholesterol and saturated fat intake.

Care2.com explains that flaxseeds are a nutritional powerhouse and sneaking some into baked goods is an easy way to get some of their wonderful nutrients into your diet. Read on for an easy tip on how to substitute flaxseeds for eggs.
 Flaxseeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and a variety of other health conditions. They also contains a group of chemicals called lignans that may play a role in the prevention of cancer.

With all of this goodness, it seems like a great idea to get flaxseeds into one’s diet in any way possible.

To replace one egg:
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
3 tablespoons water (or other liquid)

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Stir together until thick and gelatinous.

You can also use whole flaxseeds:
1 tablespoon whole flaxseeds
4 tablespoons water (or other liquid) Process seeds in a blender to a fine meal, add liquid and blend well. You can make a bigger batch by increasing the ingredient amounts. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

*According to MayoClinic.com, flaxseeds contain a precursor to omega-3 fatty acids. These fats play a critical role in your brain function, growth and development. They may also reduce inflammation in your body and lower your risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis, according the University of Maryland Medical Center. Most eggs from the grocery store don't have a significant omega-3 content, however hens that are free range and eat a large amount of grasses tend to lay eggs with a high omega-3 content. --SF Gate Flaxseed vs Eggs


Action Item: Try this in one of your baking recipes. The articles below give some helpful advice when using flaxseed.

For Further Reading: Flaxseed vs. Eggs and Flaxseed Egg Substitute

Mmmm, the smell of Perfluoroalkyls and Diacetyl

What am I talking about?

These are two ingredients that are likely in your microwave popcorn! 

• Mercola.com says that in microwave popcorn you are getting: Perfluoroalkyls, which include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). These are chemicals used to keep grease from leaking through fast food wrappers, are being ingested by people through their food and showing up as contaminants in blood. Microwave popcorn bags are lined with PFOA, and when they are heated the compound leaches onto the popcorn. These chemicals are part of an expanding group of chemicals commonly referred to as "gender-bending" chemicals, because they can disrupt your endocrine system and affect your sex hormones. The EPA has ruled PFCs as "likely carcinogens," and has stated that PFOA "poses developmental and reproductive risks to humans." Researchers have also linked various PFCs to a range of other health dangers.

• Other concerns, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, revolve around the chemical diacetyl, and it's used in the production of microwave popcorn, but it has also likely led to scores of factory workers developing a severe lung condition. Diacetyl occurs naturally in some foods, including butter and many dairy products, fruits, wine and beer. It's reportedly used in "thousands" of food products to add or increase butter flavoring. Other articles report that it is safe when eaten (research for another day), the problem arises when it is heated to high temperatures and inhaled. Such as when opening a bag of steaming hot microwave popcorn.

There are risks with microwave popcorn, like with many other things we encounter, but we need to be aware of them in order to limit or eliminate our risk. You can rationalize your way out of this by saying "well, I don't eat it often" and "I let mine cool before opening the bag" etc, but why take the chance and why eat popcorn with added chemicals and preservatives? Some companies have already removed diacetyl from their microwave popcorn which is a start.
 

So what do you do if you still want to snack on delicious but healthy popcorn?

Just like the answer to most other food questions... make it yourself. Eat foods that fuel your body!Make it in a skillet with oil like my Mom always did. Or buy a $20 air popper, buy a bag of kernels and make yourself some inexpensive, healthy, yummy popcorn. You'll save money, and look at the waste/recycling reduction with no boxes, plastic wrapping and chemical-laden bags!


Action Item: Stop eating microwave popcorn! This topic was brought up in one of Ron's nutrition classes; we stopped eating microwave popcorn that day.

For Further Reading: Is Microwave Popcorn Bad For You?, Is Microwave Popcorn Toxic?, Dangers of Microwave Popcorn and EPA Microwave Popcorn Emissions Study Finally Published

Nutrition Facts

By now, many of you have seen or heard about the new (proposed) nutrition labels.

To get started, you can read the FDA's press release here. The biggest differences are:

• More clearly defined number of servings per container.
• Number of calories' font size is drastically larger.
• A new line item for added sugar.

It's a good idea, in my opinion, for the calories to be listed in a hard-to-miss font size, and I especially like the proposed idea that serving sizes need to be what people are likely to eat. For example, even cereal is often listed as 3/4 cup serving size. I don't know about you, but I usually eat more than that it my bowl. Measure yours and see how much you are eating. So that 17grams of sugar in your cereal (if you haven't switched cereals yet) is misleading, because you're probably eating 1.5 to 2 times that. Now think about ice cream that's listed as a 1/2 cup serving size! Yikes. That's why it's good to make the calories so prominent. Who has tried not to look at the label when you know you're eating something "bad"? Raise your hand...

Dr. David Kessler, who was commissioner of the FDA when the original labels were created, said the proposed update is a "critically important" advance in public health. "The food label is not just about giving consumers information but about creating incentives for the industry to create healthier products," he said in an interview. "No company wants their product to look bad on the food label."

After a 90-day public comment period, the FDA will draw up final rules. These updates will take about three years to take effect.

Final Thoughts

Now all that being said... these are good steps, but please keep in mind that INGREDIENTS are what's really important! If you can read the ingredients and there are only a handful of them, then all the other will probably fall into place. For example, we buy tortilla shells that are made from corn, water and lime! I really don't even need to read the nutritional information, because I know I am choosing a product without added sugars and sodium.


Action Item: Do you have comments about the new labels? Read all about the new labels, the goal, and the research behind them, then leave your comments on the FDA website.

For Further Reading: U.S. proposes major update to food labels in bid to combat obesity

INFObite

For friends/family in east Knoxville, remember to buy your Swiss chard and other veggies from Holden Nursery!

Holden Nursery is a family business started in 1976. Kim and Kim Holden started as a small Nursery and now have a large wholesale and retail business. Locally and family owned we are proud to provide our community with quality plants and vegetables.

 

Better Than Kale

... better tasting to me anyway (milder taste than kale)! We received a bunch of Swiss chard in our CSA this week, so I turned to www.allrecipes.com again and found just what I was looking for. Ron said he was skeptical when he came home and saw it, but was very surprised. We both went back for seconds, and our son ate his one serving! Sometimes he is thrilled that I try new recipes to share on this blog... other times, not so much :)

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings        

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

                       

1 bunch rainbow chard - leaves and stems separated and chopped 

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounce feta cheese, broken into 1/2 inch pieces

        

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Toss the chard stems and onions in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and spread onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the chard stems have softened and the onion is starting to brown on the corners, about 15 minutes. Toss the chard leaves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the leaves over the stem mixture, then scatter the feta cheese over top.
4. Return to the oven, and bake until the stems are tender, the leaves are beginning to crisp, and the feta is melted and golden, about 20 minutes.                                           

 

 

I had to cook it a little longer than stated in the directions, but our oven is old and loses heat. I also noticed that I can probably use a little less oil next time. Start with less, because you can always add more if necessary.

 

 

Action Item: Pick up some Swiss chard at the grocery! This recipe called for rainbow chard, but I had red chard and used that instead.

 

For Further Reading: 6 Hidden Health Benefits of Eating Peels, Stems and Rinds

                                                 

 

Nutri Ventures

If you have a cartoon-watching child, introduce them to Nutri Ventures. At the moment, it's our son's favorite show and the only one he has watched since being introduced to it. He watches it on Hulu Kids.

Here's the story:

The heroes of the story, Theo, Lena, Ben and little Nina, live in a grey city, where food doesn’t exist. 30 years ago, Alex Grand, the terrible villain, ordered his army of G-Squads to destroy all the foods so his people would be forced to eat only Genex-100, a high calorie compound manufactured at the Grand Corporation of which he is the owner.

Before Alex could wipe out all the foods, Nexus, a wise nutritionist, told his seven most trusted scientists to escape, with the help of their Gugas, to a faraway place so that they could each preserve a food group. They became the Nutri- Guardians. Up until now they have lived in isolation in their far-off kingdoms where they have conserved the foods they were entrusted with.

Theo, Lena, Ben and Nina have the exciting mission of discovering these fantastic kingdoms and returning to the world the food variety which Alex had destroyed. During their adventures they will taste unknown foods, experience their incredible Nutri-Powers and engage in hard-won battles, always accompanied by their Guga!

Nutri Ventures Corp., which produces the series, has entered into partnerships with ministries of education and health around the world, as well as with the World Health Organization, with which it offers educational content for free to public education systems.

Parents can learn more, without watching all the episodes, at the website listed below. The Kingdoms do include meat and dairy, so this show may not work for everyone.


Action Item: If this interests you, let your child give it a try on Hulu Kids.  I'm not saying this is the perfect series (partly because I haven't watched them all), but we definitely appreciate the focus on healthy eating and the effort to teach children in a fun way. Nutri Ventures is an excellent alternative to the many mind-numbing cartoons that abound!

For Further Reading: http://www.nutri-ventures.com/pais/en/parents/

It's Magic

Since I mentioned food waste the other day, I am following up with a short article about food waste in restaurants and how you can help. If you have a minute, read The American Meal: The Massive Waste it has Become.

Here's another idea to reduce waste (and save money). Use food scraps to regrow vegetables! Has anyone tried this? It's on my list; I'll keep you posted when I attempt it. I'm pretty bad with gardening, but I think this just might work for me! This graphic came from www.cookingstoned.com (his last name is Stone if anyone is concerned and not intrigued by that name.)

Start Your Day with Vitamin C

 

 

To start your morning off right, whip up a quick, healthy Orange Julius-like drink with your breakfast!

 

My sister put this bug in my ear the last time she visited. I had some leftover mandarines that we weren't eating. She told me to put them in a blender with milk to make an Orange Julius. I had thought about it often, but just once again found myself with extra mandarines. I peeled several and added vanilla coconut milk and ice. Yummy! No sugar and didn't need to add vanilla because it was in the milk. Great addition to breakfast, especially since you get all of the fiber from the mandarin this way and not just the juice. Thanks, sis.




Action Item: Try this with clementines, oranges, nectarines, etc!

 

For Further Reading: Benefits of Oranges

Brussels Sprouts

I hate to admit this, but I had never cooked Brussels Sprouts until I found this easy recipe in Runners World a couple of years ago. Hope you like it too!

The season for Brussels Sprouts is September to Mid-February, but maybe you can still find some at your store.

Ingredients:

• onion
• Brussels sprouts
• water
• Dijon mustard
• maple syrup

Saute half an onion for 5 minutes. Add 1 lb Brussels sprouts cut in half. Saute 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook sprouts until tender and bright green. Whisk 1/4 cup Dijon mustard and 2 Tablespoons maple syrup. Toss with the vegetables.


Action Item: Add this healthy, delicious food to your regular rotation. And save the recipe for next Brussels sprouts season!

For Further Reading: Guide to Brussels Sprouts

Share Your Leftovers

When Ron was out of town, I noticed how quickly leftovers piled up in our refrigerator. It got me thinking about one- or two-person households and why people sometimes choose not to cook many meals or try new recipes. Though you can reduce a recipe, you can still end up with leftovers galore.

Some recipes you can freeze perhaps, but others you don't want to be eating for days on end. And you really don't want to pull them from the back of your fridge, covered with mold, after a few weeks. Then I thought... how about a Food Share?

We have time shares, job shares, why not a Food Share? You can so easily do this on a small scale. Have a family member close by? A like-minded coworker or someone in your church? Connect with someone and take them your leftovers after making a big batch of soup. And they'll do the same for you when they cook their beloved Indian dish. Win. Win. No food waste, you're not eating the same meal for days and there's at least one night you don't have to cook! Be sure to use re-usable storage containers; we don't want to create another type of waste.

Food waste is a huge problem in our country; a food share can be just another way to limit your waste while eating healthy and helping others. If you can't find someone to Food Share with you, perhaps you know a single parent, elderly person or someone facing challenges in your community... share your leftover lasagna with him or her! Your home may be like ours and leftovers get eaten quickly, but I think we all have times when there is extra food (think parties and holidays).

Does anyone do this already? Let me know how it works and how you got started.


Action Item: Find a Food Share friend today!

For Further Reading: Reducing Food Waste Basics and Share Your Meal (this website looks like a similar idea, but on a larger scale).

INFObite

Not our actual dinner, but looks pretty close.

Just to let you know that tonight I tried the red beans & rice recipe from the Meatless Monday website. It was good, but needed a lot more spice and/or a little Tobasco sauce. I put our leftovers in the freezer and plan to eat it again next week after spicing it up and maybe making some cornbread to go with it! Tonight we enjoyed it with brown rice, salmon and broccoli. Hope your Mardi Gras was a great one!

Mardi Gras

To me, Mardi Gras brings to mind parades, beads, moon pies and New Orleans. Mardi Gras, says
Wikipedia, refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Epiphany or Kings day and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Foods associated with Mardi Gras in the United States of course have a Louisiana flair - red beans and rice, king cake and more!


If you are celebrating Mardi Gras, why not try one of the many healthier options listed below? And if you're not celebrating, there are still some good recipes here to try like the vegetarian red beans & rice or Cajun collard chips.

• Healthy Mardi Gras Recipes and More from Eating Well includes a gumbo recipe and a blackened salmon sandwich. Mmmm, sounds yummy.
• Skinny Mom website gives you some updated recipes, Fat Tuesday’s Skinny Makeovers: 11 Slimmed Down Mardi Gras Meals, for fried pickles with red slaw and many more. 
• Meatless Monday gives us a traditional vegetarian red beans & rice recipe on their website.
• Lastly, see what PopSugar's, Not-So-Fat-Tuesday: 8 Healthier Mardi Gras Recipes, article has to offer including Cajun Collard Chips!

Pizza

If you make the Vegetarian Korma and have tomato sauce left over, you might have just enough to make sauce for homemade pizza! Add some oregano, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper and... voila!

I find it difficult to believe that I haven't posted about homemade pizza before. At one time, I made it often. Sometimes I made my own crust, most other times I buy a whole-wheat crust. Our son went through a long period where he said he didn't like tomato sauce (spaghetti, lasagna, pizza.) We have introduced him to enough different pizzas that he eats it again!

The great news is that you can add whatever toppings you like. We chose, because these are items from our CSA this week, we ate: onion, spinach, yellow bell pepper and zucchini.

Some of our other favorite toppings include:

mushrooms

bell peppers

tomatoes

artichoke

boiled egg

ham

or whatever leftover veggies we have (even spinach or cauliflower, though not my husbands favorite!)

 I always shred my own cheese. It takes a little longer, but in my opinion it's a little healthier because shredded cheese often has extra ingredients to keep it fresh. Not to mention, it's less expensive in a block because you're not paying for the shredding. 

 

 

Action Item: Instead of going out for pizza, make your own! It can be a family affair; everyone can help with chopping or adding favorite toppings to the pizzas.

 

For Further Reading: Find recipes to make your own pizza crust, here's one I just found but have never tried for No-Rise Pizza Crust and you guessed it, my whole-wheat pizza crust recipe is on allrecipes.com. You can probably find a favorite there as well.

 

From www.eatright.org/nnm

ENHANCING THE FLAVOR OF YOUR MEALS

Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

According to research, taste tops nutrition as the main reason why Americans buy one food over another. The foods you enjoy are likely the ones you eat the most. So make taste a kitchen priority when preparing healthy, nutritious meals.

Cooking at home can be healthy, rewarding and cost-effective. During National Nutrition Month®, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers cooking tips to enhance flavor and retain nutrients without adding extra fat, calories or salt.

To maximize food's flavor and nutrition, start with high-quality ingredients at their peak quality. They don't need to be the most expensive foods—or served in big portions. It's also important to handle and store foods properly, because poor storage destroys flavor and quality.

Overcooking can destroy flavor and nutrients. So cook to retain nutrients, flavor, color, texture and overall appeal. Cooking can't improve poor-quality foods, but it can enhance the flavors of high-quality foods.

Try some of these simple techniques to enhance flavor and experiment with flavor combinations:

• Intensify the flavors of meat, poultry and fish with high-heat cooking techniques such as pan-searing, grilling or broiling. These cooking techniques brown meat and add flavor.
• Grill or roast veggies in a very hot (450° F) oven or grill for a sweet, smoky flavor. Before popping them into the oven, brush or spray lightly with oil so they don’t dry out and sprinkle with herbs.
• Caramelize sliced onions to bring out their natural sugar flavor by cooking them slowly over low heat in a small amount of oil. Use them to make a rich, dark sauce for meat or poultry.
• Pep it up with peppers! Use red, green and yellow peppers of all varieties—sweet, hot and dried. Or add a dash of hot pepper sauce.
• Add a tangy taste with citrus juice or grated citrus peel: lemon, lime or orange. Acidic ingredients help lift and balance flavor.
• Use small amounts of ingredients with bold flavors like pomegranate seeds, chipotle pepper or cilantro.
• Give a flavor burst with good-quality condiments such as horseradish, flavored mustard, chutney, wasabi, bean purees, tapenade and salsas of all kinds.

For more tips on experimenting with flavor while adding nutrients to your meals, consult a registered dietitian nutritionist and visitwww.EatRight.org/NNM.