A Healthy “Southern” Meal

Sometimes your body craves comforting, hearty meals.  However, your body might not appreciate all the fat and calories that can come along with them.  Barbecue Chicken and Macaroni and Cheese are two Southern foods that are not traditionally very healthy.  Think chicken skin, lots of sugary barbecue sauce, tons of cheese and pasta.

Last week I decided to make a super simple (nothing fancy) healthier type of “southern” meal.

The dinner I made consisted of Annie’s Whole Wheat Mac & Cheese, BBQ Chicken Breasts, and Roasted Broccoli.  The meal was well balanced: whole grains – check; lean protein – check; vegetables – check; low fat dairy – check. And there was virtually no artery clogging fat.

For the BBQ Chicken Breasts – I don’t really have a recipe, but this is what I did:

• I added 1 tsp canola oil to a skillet over medium-high heat, and seared two chicken breasts on both sides just to lock in the moisture.
• Then I topped each breast with 1 Tablespoon of BBQ Sauce (look for one that’s not too high in sodium or sugar), and I baked it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes (they were thick breasts, if you use thin ones it will take less time).

For the Mac & Cheese – I prepared it according to the box with skim milk and instead of butter I added 1 triangle of light laughing cow cheese for creaminess.  As you can see I also added in some peas for extra nutrition and flavor.

To Roast Broccoli, simple clean and cut broccoli.  Place on cookie sheet, add cooking spray salt and pepper.  Place in 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.

Healthy, comforting meal made in less than 30 minutes!

Get the Day Started Right

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  I’ve spoken about oatmeal to go here, portable breakfasts here and navigating european breakfasts here.

Today I want to concentrate on breakfasts you can make at home. When it comes to breakfast try to include these three components: whole grains, fruit, and protein.

The combination of fiber (from the whole grains and fruit) with the protein will lead to maximal satiety for the day.  If you want to make it more satiating, make sure to include a little fat in there too.

Whole Grains

• Oatmeal
• Whole wheat (ww) bread; ww english muffins; ww pita; ww tortilla; ww bagels
• Whole grain cereal (just make sure it’s low in sugar)
• Granola or muesli (read the label and look for one that is low in fat and sugar)
• Whole grain waffles

Protein

• Low fat or fat free milk or yogurt (plain 0% greek yogurt is my favorite)
• Low fat cottage cheese
• Low fat cheese
• Eggs or egg substitute/whites
• Peanut Butter (or other nut butters)
• Nuts
• Smoked Salmon (lox)

Some Combination Ideas

• Cereal with skim milk, fruit and flaxseed
• Greek Yogurt topped with granola and fresh berries
• Whole grain waffles topped with peanut butter and banana
• Trail Mix: combination of high fiber cereal, nuts and dried fruit
• Whole grain english muffin with low fat cream cheese and a piece of fruit
• Oatmeal made with skim milk and topped with nuts and dried fruit
• Whole wheat bagel with eggs and cheese
• French Toast made with whole wheat bread, eggs (combo of whole & whites), skim milk and cinnamon.  Topped with maple syrup and fresh berries.
• Egg Salad on a whole grain english muffin with a piece of fruit

Remember portion size will depend on your calorie needs and whether you are trying to lose, maintain or gain weight.  Some of these foods are higher in calories (bagels, nuts, granola) so if you’re trying to lose weight make sure to watch your portions.  Ultimately, listen to your hunger and eat until you are satisfied.

What is your favorite go-to breakfast?

Planning for Pregnancy

Today’s post is geared towards Planning for Pregnancy.  If you’re not pregnant but are thinking about getting pregnant in the future you should be aware that there are various things you should do before!

1. Reach a Healthy Weight – Being underweight or overweight can lead to troubles getting pregnant and can cause complications for mom and baby.
2. Start Eating a Healthy Diet – Just because you are at a healthy weight does not mean you consume a healthy diet.  Make sure you are getting in all nutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water).  Most Americans (according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans) do not get enough: Calcium, Fiber, Magnesium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Carotenoids, and Potassium.  Additionally women who may become pregnant should monitor her intake of Iron and Folic Acid.  It may be smart to start taking a multivitamin to fill in any nutritional gaps that you may have in your diet.  Then switch to a prenatal vitamin a few months before you start trying.  If it happens by accident, don’t worry just start taking a prenatal asap!
3. Go for your yearly Physical – It is important to know what your current health condition is, and if there are any problems to take care of them beforehand.  Iron deficiency anemia, diabetes, high cholesterol and thyroid issues are all common problems that you want to have a handle on prior to getting pregnant.
4. Take Good Care of your Teeth – Germs enter your body through your mouth, and periodontal disease has been associated with pre-term birth and low-birth weight.  Pay a visit to your dentist and maintain good dental hygiene.
5. Ask your OB about Medications – Before you start trying, talk to your doctor about the medications you are on to find out which ones are safe and which ones need to be discontinued.  Also talk to him/her about any other dietary supplements you are taking.
6. Mind your Mercury – Women of childbearing age should monitor how much mercury she consumes.  Do not eat swordfish, shark, king mackerel or tilefish.  Consume approximately 12 ounces of varied fish each week.  Some good choices are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, catfish, cod, scallops, crab, flounder or sole.  White albacore tuna is higher in mercury than light tuna, so limit your consumption to 6 ounces per week.
7. Monitor Caffeine & Alcohol - If you are a heavy drinker, be that caffeine or alcohol you may want to start to cut back.  High intakes of both may interfere with fertility and can have negative effects on the baby.  Some doctors recommend completely cutting out alcohol while trying to conceive while others recommend keeping it moderate.  Either way, try not to have large quantities while you’re trying.  In terms of caffeine, start cutting back and limiting yourself to about 1 caffeinated beverage each day since you’ll need to limit your intake to 200 mg/day during pregnancy.
8. Quit Smoking! If you smoke, make sure you have quit before you start trying.  Not only is it harmful for you and the baby, but also it can interfere with fertility.
9. Get Active – You’ll want to start exercising before you begin trying, so that you’re body is used to it and you’ve developed some sort of a routine.  Exercise is incredibly beneficial to both the mom and the baby for health reasons and it makes you feel so good!
10. Relax – With so much information out there, you surely can go crazy.  Talk to your medical professionals about any concerns you may have.  Remember pregnancy is different for every woman, so try not to compare yourself to others.

Never Skip Breakfast Again!

Breakfast is such an important meal of the day for so many reasons, including:

• Jump starting your metabolism
• Providing your body with energy for the day
• Providing important nutrients (if a healthy one is chosen – such as fiber and calcium)
• Helping to prevent overeating later on in the day

A common complaint I hear from clients is “I don’t have time!”

Well yesterday, I decided to take advantage of Jamba Juice’s Special $1 Oatmeal on Wednesdays and I was very pleasantly surprised.  They serve delicious steel cut oats that are made in soymilk, and you have your choice of fruit topping and brown sugar.   I got the fresh banana oatmeal since I love bananas in oatmeal, and I added about half the brown sugar.

The steel cut oats (made with soy milk) contain: 220 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 12 grams sugar and 8 grams protein.  The various fruit toppings and brown sugar will add 40-70 calories each.

With options such as these around, there’s no reason to skip breakfast!   You can also get oatmeal from Starbucks, but I much prefer the steel cut oats that are cooked in a slightly sweet soymilk than plain instant oats.    And you can’t beat the $1 price tag on Wednesdays!

Have you tried Jamba Juice’s Oatmeal?

Slow Cooker Recipe: Mushroom Barley Soup

The cold months scream soup to me, and there’s nothing better than coming home from a long day and finding one ready for you via the Slow Cooker!  Yetserday I put my slow cooker to good use.  I threw all the ingredients in the pot, set it on low for 8 hours, and came home to warm deliciousness.

Slow Cooker: Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound White Button Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1/2 pound Baby Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
• Set on low for 6-8 hours
• Once finished, taste for seasoning

Do you cook soups in your slow cooker?

Migraines and Nutrition

MIGRAINES & NUTRITION

Written by my student intern: Ella Kenney

What are migraines?

Everyone has suffered headaches from time to time, but a distinct portion of the population – approximately 11% – experiences the chronic, painful, hours- or days-long kind known as migraines.  In addition to a throbbing pain (often felt on just one side of the head), migraine symptoms can include light sensitivity, nausea and vomiting.  An “aura” of warning signs may signal that a migraine is imminent; these are often visual cues such as blurred vision, temporary blind spots or eye pain.

Managing migraines

Although there is no cure for migraines, paying close attention to the situations in which they occur can give clues to their cause.  Lack of sleep?  Excess stress?  For women, a specific time in their menstrual cycle?  Particular foods eaten?

“Particular foods eaten” may be an especially important clue in migraine management.  Making careful notes of the foods and beverages recently consumed when besieged by a migraine can help point to consistent triggers.  Taking care not to skip meals and hydrating fully are also important – dehydration is a culprit as well.

The following foods/beverages have been known to trigger migraines in some people:

• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners
• Any processed, fermented, pickled, or marinated foods
• Baked goods
• Caffeine
• Chocolate
• Dairy products
• Foods containing tyramine, which includes red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and certain beans
• Fruits (avocado, banana, citrus fruit), including dried fruits
• Frozen foods – particularly those that can cause “brain freeze,” which can trigger migraines
• Meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats)
• MSG, such as that found in Chinese food
• Nuts, peanut butter

Additional tips

Avoiding smoking, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep and reducing stress are all effective at migraine prevention.  Ultimately, some people seek relief in migraine medication, but many are able to manage with stress reduction, situational awareness, and careful diet and exercise.^*

Also try keeping a food journal and note when you have the migraines so you can start to draw connections to your diet.

*Be sure to call 911 if experiencing the following symptoms that have not been associated with past migraines: speech, vision or movement problems; loss of balance; the “worst headache of your life”; or a headache that is more severe when lying down. These may be signs of a stroke.

Do you suffer from migraines?

The Big Cheese Question

Is cheese safe during pregnancy? Many pregnant women ask this question all of the time, and the reason for it is that some are safe and some are not.  So how do you know?

The issue is whether or not the cheese has been pasteurized. During pregnancy you must make sure all the cheese you are consuming is pasteurized, this will ensure that all bacteria is killed so you are not exposed to the dangerous listeria.  The same goes for other dairy products (so don’t drink raw milk or yogurt!).

Most books and publications will tell you to avoid all the soft cheeses: brie, camembert, gorgonzola, blue cheeses, feta, goat, and the soft mexican cheese.  However, my experience shows that this is not really accurate.

So how do you know if the cheese you are eating is pasteurized?  Here are some tips:

When Food Shopping:

Most mainstream domestic cheeses are pasteurized, when you are shopping at your supermarket make sure to read the label, the ingredient list will say “pasteurized milk.”  If it does not say pasteurized on the label skip it!

If you go to a cheese shop where the cheeses are not packaged, make sure you trust the people behind the counter because they will be the ones to tell you which ones are and which ones aren’t.  From my experience, living in NYC, most cheeses are pasteurized.  At Whole Foods the cheese guy could only show me a handful that were unpasteurized (and they weren’t the bries, fetas or goats), and the other hundreds of cheeses were all pasteurized.  If the person helping you isn’t sure – then I would skip it and buy the prepackaged cheese just so you know 100%.

My dad is a huge cheese lover, and often buys his cheeses from Murray’s Cheese Shop; he’s been nice about keeping the labels for me or having them print out information about the cheese so that I know if he’ll be serving them when I’m over.  Basically, every cheese he has brought home has been unpasteurized!  But then again, my dad is buying some of the very obscure not mainstream types.  So again – you never know.

When Dining Out:

Ask, ask, and ask again.  Since I’ve been pregnant, I’ve only encountered three dining experiences that have had unpasteurized cheeses on the menu (and we dine out quite often!).    These were our special occasion dinners: Jean Georges, Eleven Madison Park, and Convivio (where they told me every cheese they serve is unpasteurized!).  All of which were fantastic dinners, but the waiter had to modify some menu items for me.

I have been shocked to find that every goat cheese (one of my favorites) I have asked about has been pasteurized!  This was a huge shock to me because I was expecting to give up goat cheese during my pregnancy.  My first experience was at a restaurant in Denver for FNCE (nutrition conference).  There was a beet and goat cheese salad (pictured above) on the menu that sounded fantastic, so I asked the waitress if it was pasteurized and she said that all of their cheeses were pasteurized.  For some reason I didn’t believe her so I asked several more people and they all confirmed that it was indeed pasteurized.  From then on I realized that I could probably eat more cheese than I originally though.

Most run of the mill Italian restaurants use nothing but pasteurized cheeses, however I still ask.  I have also had feta cheese in my omelets, and I always ask to confirm.  For me, I believe it’s better to be safe than sorry.  But I do love cheese and if it’s safe I’m in!

At Parties

This is one circumstance that you have to be very careful around.  If there is a cheese platter, you really have no clue if it’s pasteurized or not.  If you are close with the hosts, you can ask if they know or have saved any wrappers.  If not, you probably want to steer clear.

For me, if I don’t know I stay away.  But that’s my personal opinion.  If it’s a party there are probably lots of other food options and you won’t go hungry.

What has been your experience with unpasteurized cheeses?

White Bean & Sweet Potato Risotto

I wanted to share with you a delicious recipe I recently made.  Risotto is typically a heavier dish made with butter and lots of cheese.  However, it’s possible to make this delicious creamy rice dish without all the fat.  Risotto is such a comforting winter dish to me.

This recipe is sweet from the sweet onions and sweet potatoes and incredibly creamy from the risotto method, white beans and parmesan cheese.  Let me know what you think!

White Bean & Sweet Potato Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 medium cooked sweet potato, diced, skin removed
• 1 can white beans, drained
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat dutch oven over medium heat, add oil.  Once hot add in onions and saute until transluscent, then add garlic cloves and stir until fragrant (do not let them burn).
2. Add risotto, and mix so that each piece of rice is covered in oil and becomes slightly transluscent around the edges.
3. Add white wine to pan and let all the liquid evaporate (if you don’t have wine on hand you can use all broth).
4. Once liquid is evaporated, add 1/2 cup of broth mixing until evaporated.  Continue adding broth until rice reaches desired consistency.
5. Add in cooked diced sweet potato (skinless), white beans, thyme and parmesan cheese to heat through.  Season with salt & pepper.

Nutrition Information (Serves 4): Each serving - 387 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 69 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams fiber, 14 grams protein

Sorry for the delay in posting this week…it’s been insane around here!

Are you Really Eating for Two?

During pregnancy people usually say you’re “Eating for Two”- but that doesn’t give the green light to double your calories.

First Trimester

• Weeks 1-13
• You don’t need any extra calories (unless you are carrying multiples)!
• Normal weight gain is up to 5 pounds during this time

Second & Third Trimester

• 2nd Trimester (weeks 14-26) you need an additional 330 calories daily.
• 3rd Trimester (weeks 27-40) you need an additional 450 calories daily.
• Healthy weight gain is approximately 1 pound/week or 4 pounds/month.  If you started off overweight you should gain approximately 3 pounds/month and if you were underweight pre-pregnancy then you should gain closer to 5 pounds/month

What is the Recommended Weight Gain?

• Pre-pregnancy BMI <19.8: 28-40 pounds
• Pre-pregnancy BMI 19.8-26.0: 25-35 pounds
• Pre-pregnancy BMI 26.1-29.0: 15-25 pounds
• Pre-pregnancy BMI >29.0: at least 15 pounds
• Twin pregnancy, any BMI: 35-45 pounds

Where does the Weight Go?

• Baby: 7-8 pounds
• Placenta: 1-2 pounds
• Amniotic Fluid: 2 pounds
• Breasts: 1 pound
• Uterus: 2 pounds
• Increased blood volume: 3 pounds
• Body fat: 5 pounds or more
• Increased muscle tissue and fluid: 4-7 pounds

I believe that the best way to keep track of whether you are getting adequate calories is to listen to your body and monitor your weight gain.  It’s not necessary to track every calorie.  If you eat nutritious foods when you are hungry and stop when you are full and you are gaining the appropriate weight then you’re right on track!

If you find that you’re gaining at too quick a rate, then evaluate if some of your meals have been higher in calories than necessary or if you’ve been giving in to too many cravings.  However, it is normal to gain a few pounds one week and less the next.  So listen to your doctor at your monthly weigh ins to see if you’re on track.

If you’re not gaining enough weight, then you’ll want to increase your caloric intake.  Think about making your snacks more calorie dense (nuts, dried fruit, granola), and increase your portions slightly.  Remember, it doesn’t give you free reign to junk food.

For me, I haven’t counted calories at all.  I have found that I’m much hungrier on certain days and less hungry on some.  If I’m ravenous (which happens quite often!) I add in a couple snacks or make my lunch bigger (usually when I’m hungriest).  I have found snacking consistently throughout the day works best for me to maintain my energy levels and keep my hunger at bay.  My snacks always consist of some sort of high fiber carb (fruit, veggies, cereal, whole wheat bread) with a protein (nuts, peanut butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, lattes, low fat cheese).

Lowering your Cholesterol

Yesterday I spoke about what Cholesterol is and why our body needs it.  Today I will tell you ways to lower it.

Here are the numbers that you’re aiming for when you get your blood taken:

• Total Cholesterol: <200 mg/dL
• HDL: >60 mg/dL
• LDL: <100 mg/dL
• TG: <150 mg/dL

Your doctor will tell you if he/she is concerned about your blood levels.

In order to improve your cholesterol there are many things you can do:

• Keep your total fat intake to 25-35% of your total daily calories
• Keep your saturated fat intake to no more than 7% of your total daily calories
• Keep your intake of trans fat to no more than 1% of your total daily calories
• Eat a heart healthy diet (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low fat and fat free dairy) which consists of at least 25-30 grams of fiber each day
• Consume omega-3 fatty acids and plant sterols
• Move for at least 30 minutes each day
• Quit smoking
• Lose weight if necessary

If all of these fail, your doctor may want to put you on medication.  Remember that genetics do play a large role in the production of your body’s cholesterol.