the health nut

substitution

2012-02-15T21:35:00.001-06:00

Umm, this is not a valentine’s day post. Sorry for the disappointment, but I feel like there’s enough schmooze going around the interwebs this time of year. Not that it’s a bad thing to celebrate love, but I think every day is a good day to love the people in your life…

So, let the swappage begin…

1} $9 wraps at the deli hurt the wallet and the soul

Good news; you can make your own. Roasted red pepper hummus + lettuce + grated and cooked sweet potato, onion, lentil, and egg mixture + feta cheese on a whole wheat wrap. And it doesn’t cost a kidney.

2} goodbye office supplies of boringness and monotony that make me want to poke out my eyes.

This is my work survival stash: crazy colored post-its and highlighters courtesy of my very thoughtful boyfriend, gum, chapstick, inkjoy pens, peppermint tea, and lots of lined legal pads.

3} bad restaurant food that makes your insides want to die.

I recently met a friend for dinner at the electric cheetah. Black rice with green beans, fresh mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and grilled tofu = extremely simple but delicious. One of those meals that I’d like to replicate at home.

4} work clothes of uncomfortableness and varying shades of taupe.

Who decided that tailored trousers and uncomfortable tops and blazers were considered more work appropriate than say…colored skinny jeans, Toms, and cardigans?

And thus, I end my rant for the night. What sort of things are you swapping out these days?

february so far

2012-02-08T19:18:00.001-06:00

Well, hello February.

January was a busy month as evidenced by my lack of blogging. This warm winter has been fantastic, though, especially because I walk to work. A couple of weekends ago we did finally get some snow, but it’s completely gone now.

I don’t know if you’ve tried lentil hummus yet, but I’ve been a bit obsessed with it lately. It’s also really inexpensive to make, probably even less expensive than homemade bean hummus ($0.12/oz). The last time I did a comparison this = 3x cheaper than storebought hummus.

With the new month, I’ve noticed a change in breakfast patterns. I have been on 3 different breakfast kicks since starting this blog during grad school in 2009.

[2007-2010] oatmeal in every way imaginable
[2010-2011] egg + toast
[2012] green smoothies are making a comeback

I have to admit that this latest kick has been inspired by convenience and trying to streamline my morning routine.

Overnight, I refrigerate directly in the blender container:

1/2 cup oats,
~1 cup almond milk
1 cup of raw kale
1 T peanut butter
1 banana
cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract

In the morning, I just turn the blender on, and breakfast is served in 2.5 seconds.

Do you eat the same thing every day for breakfast?

And I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about food and the standard American diet (SAD), how nutrition is a simple yet seemingly impossible solution to a wealth of diseases, how we have the power to take control of our health yet continually choose quick fixes, and how we have to make decisions about whether or not what we buy at the grocery store is real food. Nutrition isn’t simple stuff anymore.

The ready availability of energy dense, nutrient poor junk food and fast food doesn’t help anything. I know a lot of these thoughts are coming from frustration after reviewing a lot of diet records filled with processed products, but it just makes me sad that so many people truly don’t know what it looks like to eat things that don’t come out of packages and boxes…and for that matter, why the American Dietetic Association even promotes some of these products. Personally, I find that incredibly shameful, and it’s part of the reason I’m no longer a part of that organization (still a registered dietitian, just not a formal member of the ADA).

But enough on that…in other [good] news, my ankle is nearly healed; thanks for all the well wishes. Running is such a huge outlet for me, and I’m glad that it can be part of life again. And I’ll try to be more careful this time. ;)

vegetable dilemma

2012-01-18T18:05:00.002-06:00

Well, it seems that winter has finally arrived. Despite the colder weather, it is quite beautiful out. So beautiful that during my run on Saturday, I managed to distract myself and sprain my ankle for the 3rd time this running season. Not fun. Yoga, it is.

The weekend wasn’t all bad. One of my favorite Saturday morning activities is making breakfast creations such as giant omelets with tomatoes, kale, onion, and local hot pepper cheese.

And I’m still hooked on roasted root vegetables over lettuce or quinoa and drizzled with tahini (and sometimes hot sauce). I know I’m supposed to like vegetables as a dietitian, but I really love them…seriously…and not just because they are good for me. I see a lot of kids in clinic who hate veggies, and it makes me wonder how much patterning is involved. As in, parents feed children baby junk food (Gerber Wagon wheels, random crackers, cookies, juice, etc) and continue these feeding habits until kids are old enough to declare they hate all types of fruit and vegetables (exceptions: french fries and corn).

Sometimes I wonder what things would look like if veggies and fruit, whole grains, and healthy protein were staples. Sometimes I wonder if I would see so many teenagers with abdominal pain because they are eating pop-tarts and chips for breakfast and energy drinks and pop while scarfing fries and tater tots at lunch. Those things come at cost, and the cost quite often is constipation, weight concerns, and abdominal pain. It makes me sad to realize what the American diet has become and that people are often more willing to live with pain or take drugs vs paying attention to what they’re eating. I get dirty looks when I say words like whole, unprocessed foods, like I'm suggesting some kind of Asian water drip torture.

I’ve been experimenting with a few different recipes, but in the meantime if you’re interested in some good eats for the rest of your week/weekend…

butternut squash and apple soup :: goat cheese quesadillas :: whole wheat oatmeal waffles :: spiralized zucchini and polenta

So, I’m curious. Did you grow up eating vegetables and fruit, and do you like them now? Or do you just eat them because you know they’re good for you??

a good start to 2012…

2012-01-05T18:47:00.002-06:00

Are you used to writing that on everything yet? It takes me a while to correctly date everything. Lately, I’ve been getting the year right but the month wrong. Clearly, I want it to still be December.

The holidays flew by but were an enjoyable time of eating good food and spending time with family and friends, including my favorite twin sister.

And someone super awesome knows my organizational obsession pretty well and got me these fantastic highlighters and post-it notes to make work more fun. Best gift ever.

Our family makes Swedish cardamom bread every year, and it’s wonderful with my favorite coffee. Such a good ~~Asian~~ Swede.

NY Eve was spent waiting for the ball to drop and playing legos with some good friends. Love them. Photo courtesy of Misty’s iphone.

As a dietitian, I’m very aware that this time of year comes with resolutions to be healthier, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing…but the motivation often doesn’t last. Rather than go crazy, I believe in baby steps toward better health; start where you are and grow toward something more. If that means walking during your lunch break or eating vegetables 2x a week, that’s good. If it means making dinner from scratch one night a week and giving up diet pop and Splenda, that’s good, too. And if it means giving yourself a break to eat ice cream, that is also good. ;)

My favorite thing right now is roasting a ton of vegetables (sweet and red potatoes, brussels sprouts (?! i know, i know), onions, beets, squash, etc) with garlic and olive oil (and a ton of black pepper) and eating over lettuce with tahini or on top of quinoa. So good. It also is a quick meal to throw together at the end of the day when my energy level takes a dive.

We got our first snowstorm in Michigan last weekend, but the snow has melted, and it’s back to running in 40 degree temps. It’s been perfect running season for a while, and I hope it stays that way. Wishful thinking? Perhaps…

And…I don’t particularly like making NY resolutions, but I think it’s always good to keep moving in a forward direction, and if anything, I hope that this year I’ll keep growing and pursuing good things, being creative, and seeking adventure [while avoiding becoming a boring, working adult without any imagination].

What about you?? Pro NY resolutions or not??

happy christmakuhwali

2011-12-24T14:47:00.001-06:00

So the space between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been pretty busy. Lots of thrifting and scouring etsy for unique gifts and making [and eating] delicious food. And lots of running to temper those things because the weather has been snowless, and no one wants to turn into a human donut in a single month.

Eating at holiday parties is always interesting. I usually get away with my food selections because people a) assume that I have weird dietitian food preferences or b) I bring a vegetarian dish. Otherwise, ethical eating can be a great conversation starter or surefire way to become uninvited to someone’s next dinner party.

For one such xmas gathering, Dave and I made flatbread pizza using this dough recipe and adding goat cheese, onions, sundried tomatoes, and basil for toppings. It was so popular that I didn’t get any.

And although Christmas is definitely not about the gifts for me (in fact, I would be ok without; the commercialization of this particular holiday is kind of obnoxious), I kind of love artsy gift tags and craft paper {or paper grocery bags, courtesy of Meijer). And it’s super fun to pick out gifts for others that are not necessarily expensive but still thoughtful.

And I finally experienced homemade ice cream, thanks to a collaborative effort from the Friday night culinary club.

I made peanut butter cups to slice into mix, and they were pretty great, not to mention super easy to make. It literally takes 10 minutes.

The result? So much richer than store-bought ice cream. And I’m super excited about the wealth of recipes that exists…and that I’ll actually recognize all the ingredients in each batch.

The Christmas eve craziness at my house is about to begin…but hope that you enjoy the festivities, wherever you might be. :)

a very un-foodie thanksgiving

2011-11-29T19:23:00.001-06:00

So, last year’s Thanksgiving was a kitchen marathon of sorts (aka Foodbuzz 24^3 event), which allowed for a lot of culinary creativity and local food. It was a fun (but exhausting) day culminated with $80 worth of homemade ice cream.

Unfortunately, this year I caught the plague of death, which got me banned from the kitchen and all food preparation. So much for getting the flu shot this year [totally bitter about this].

So, instead I present two post-Thankgiving recipes. The Brussels sprouts can really be made whenever. I’ve come to appreciate this vegetable after years of associating it with water chestnuts, jicama, and beets (the other 3 foods I despise). It’s quite miraculous, actually.

For this recipe, I halved the sprouts, tossed them with olive oil, salt, garlic, and pepper and roasted them @ 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. After roasting, I drizzled them with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup and added some dried cranberries.

A break from traditional turkey soup (although that was also consumed in our house post T-day). I made a basic pizza crust and topped it with a thin layer of cheese, sundried tomatoes, leftover turkey, onions, and mozzarella cheese.

I felt better on Thanksgiving day and was super thankful for that among other things. And it was pretty fantastic to get 4 days off…one of the perks of switching to outpatient nutrition.

Looks like I’ll be downing the vitamin C and ordering more wheat grass stat. Being sick is not something I’d like to repeat anytime soon…

Any favorite ways to use up Tgiving leftovers?

adventures in pasta making

2011-11-16T19:59:00.001-06:00

Making food with other people is one of my favorite things ever. There’s just something fantastic about taking time to cook good food in a culture which thrives on fast-paced everything.

The fact that this from-scratch dinner was created on a Friday night post an exhausting work week was especially significant. I guess that would explain {in part} why I made and then forgot a pan of garlic bread in the oven…until the next morning. Croutons, anyone?

Other people kept themselves entertained by riding my bike around the living room and rearranging furniture. So helpful.

Homemade pasta is tricky. We used whole wheat flour, which made the noodles more dense, but they were still delicious. We also didn’t end up using the extruder attachment because the dough was pretty sticky. Any tips from seasoned pasta experts?

vegetarian pasta sauce [dave made this, and it was deeelish]

2 T. olive oil, divided

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 T. flour

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 T. nutritional yeast

1/2 t. sea salt, plus more to taste

creative additions: goat cheese and parmesan cheese

Grind cashews in food processor. Sauté onion, garlic, and basil in olive oil. Create roux from 1 T olive oil, 1 T flour, and 2 cups milk. Add nutritional yeast, salt, and goat cheese if you want. Add sauté mix to roux and cashews and process in blender until smooth.

We capped the meal with amazing tiramisu, thanks to my friend Jenn’s handy work with egg yolks, ladyfingers, and an abundance of mascarpone cheese. It was so good and so food-coma inducing.

Making food with excellent company is wonderful, as are good friends who help you do the dishes when all you really want to do is turn off the lights and pretend a mountain of dirty pans will not be sitting in your sink the next morning.

In other news, the warm weather this weekend brought a return to running. I took a week off, and it definitely helped, although I was completely antsy and ready to run by the time Saturday rolled around. However, I have decided that the extra yoga was definitely beneficial and a pretty great endoftheday destresser.

Until next time, friends…

btubs :: when was the last time you made dinner with someone else?

quick dinners and dumb ankles

2011-11-08T21:20:00.001-06:00

Quick weeknight dinners are even more essential now that it’s darker and colder, and I have an overpowering desire to take a nap as soon as I get home from work. I’ve been living on soup for the past few weeks, but that does start to get old after a while. Especially since I end up eating the same soup for a week straight.

A new favorite…whole wheat tortillas with goat cheese, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and caramelized onions.

Another quick dinner idea: sautéed, spiralized zucchini with onions, garlic, a shake of parmesan cheese, and lots of black pepper. and organic polenta.

And…sad day for bad gymnastics ankle and running. I’ve had bad ankles since my days as a flippy mcflipperson and an injury that included simultaneous ankle sprains. I heard a pop during my windy run on Sunday that does not bode well for running this week [which is frustrating]. Looks like a whole lotta yoga (and icing) is on tap…

In other news, I have decided that it would be super fantastic to learn Copland’s Clarinet Concerto this year [not so sure my neighbors agree]. I worked a little on this piece my senior year of college…and it’s funny how listening to it brings back a ton of memories, kind of reminiscent of how certain smells immediately remind me of particular places and people.

Amazing dinner of epicness planned for Friday night…and it will not involve soup.

btdubs :: fave quick weeknight meal?

corn maze, soup, and an apartment tour…

2011-11-01T19:09:00.000-05:00

My latest fall adventure involved a trek through a corn maze with some friends; I now fully understand why people get lost in these things. In fact, I think it’d be absolutely terrifying to wander through at night.

Unfortunately, it had been a very rainy morning, so the maze was pretty muddy. One of the kids in front of us completely wiped out. I bet that was one unhappy trip home. I hope his parents bought him a donut.

The corn maze was conveniently housed on a farm, so I bought a butternut squash to make one of my fave cold weather soups (also a delicious way to use up some of the apples left over from last weekend). Topped with a smattering of local cheese, this soup is packed with lots of vitamin A and C. Winter squash also contains fiber, potassium, omega 3 fatty acids, and B vitamins, perfect for helping the immune system as flu season sets in.

And now a little apartment tour…if you’re totally not interested, I won’t be offended; you can skip right down the post. :) Most everything is vintage, thrifted, repurposed, or handmade.

These lovely [slightly crooked, I know!] frames are courtesy of Happy Go Vintage, the ex-apartmentmate’s Etsy store. She has lots of awesome vintage finds if you’re interested in unique housewares.

Sadly, the fireplace is out of commission, but it’s a great spot for my collection of random candles.

I converted an old trunk my parents had into a coffee table and home for artsy poetry magazines. I made the magazine coasters a few years ago…oh, the magic of modge podge.

I have two huge windows in my kitchen, which allows for a wealth of natural light. I appreciate this.

And yes, that is an art piece made out of paper towel and toilet paper tubes.

Another busy week of fielding food allergy questions and TPN (IV nutrition) calculations. Hoping to blog about some test recipes I’m using for some kiddos with allergies soon.

So excited that it’s already Wednesday tomorrow…

btdubs :: what things are you grateful for this week?

apple addiction

2011-10-25T17:58:00.001-05:00

So my kitchen sink is still incredibly full of dirty dishes.

If that’s not a sign of a happy weekend of cooking, I’m not sure what is. There were chocolate chip pancakes, goat cheese and spinach quesadillas, and creamy carrot soup…for starters.

And while my last trip to the apple orchard was slightly unsuccessful [in terms of picking apples], this trip to Robinette’s was pretty awesome.

Of course, when my partner in crime and I picked the bag that was supposed to hold 20 apples, our first priority was to make sure we got at least 30 in the bag (31 for the win, thankyouverymuch).

So many delicious things to do with apples, but classic apple pie just seemed fitting. Needless to say, this recipe provides quite the sugar high.

Sunday morning post church ritual has become coffee and/or breakfast at a local diner. Usually I have eaten breakfast by this time, so anything I choose to eat I label “second breakfast.” This puzzles my friends…and then they tease me for eating cinnamon rolls or chocolate chip pancakes because they know I’m a dietitian. As if I eat salads for breakfast or something. Puh-lease.

I also drank some powerful coffee (why is hole-in-the-wall-diner coffee 60 billion times stronger than regular coffee?!) that turned my 3.5 mile run into a 6.5 mile run. It’s officially fall running season.

btdubs:: i need apple recipes because i still have apples galore in my fridge. i want your best strudels, salads, etc. give me the tops, friends. what’s your fave way to use apples?

weekend of wonderfulness

2011-10-18T20:45:00.001-05:00

Back from a fantastic weekend get away to the hipster town of Bloomington, IN. Saturday morning started off with a bike ride to the farmers’ market to pick up lettuce and taste mini watermelon cukes. Not a fan…they were pretty sour. But kind of adorable as much as a vegetable can be adorable.

There was also a trip to the apple orchard slash pumpkin patch. Just seems like a necessary fall activity, no?

Pie pumpkins remind of my dietetic internship at St Louis University, where I once made a ginormous batch of pumpkin dip from pie pumpkins, which do not taste or look like solid pack pumpkin, which may or may not have caused a rowdy class of 4th graders to engage in a near food fight. Lesson learned.

You know, sometimes the best conversations about life happen around mountains of pumpkins and vats of apples in the crisp fall air. We had a good time chatting about dream jobs and traveling and living in the spirit of adventure, which I hope to do even when I’m 84.

We were sad to discover that all of the apples had been picked and bagged but consoled ourselves with hot apple cider and biscuits with amazing homemade apple butter.

Vanessa and Trevor brought their new dog, Donner, along for the excitement.

I think it’s safe to say he had a good time…

And no fall trip to Btown would be complete without a trip to the Chocolate Moose for pumpkin ice cream. In this case, it seems I am eating hot fudge with a side of pumpkin ice cream. This may be true, but it was totally worth it.

But now it’s back to the real world of working and running and yoga-ing and making (hopefully) good food. The weather has been perfect for fall running, so I’m looking forward to more of that in the near future. And there may be some additional fall weekend adventures just ahead…

btdubs :: what did you do this weekend? and your thoughts on pie pumpkins?

october

2011-10-12T06:49:00.001-05:00

So obviously I haven’t been any better about blogging lately. This has certainly been a year of transition, and I think I’m still trying to find consistency in the midst of everything. When you change cities, jobs, and apartments as much as I have recently, it’s difficult not to feel like you’re just on one long road trip.

Balance has always been really important to me, lest life become a spin cycle of workrunsleep[repeat]…and returning to some sense of this is something I’m working on, whether it is doing more of the things I love or escaping the science of the everyday with some creativity.
Or drinking lots of kale smoothies (frozen banana slices, kale, almond milk, Michigan apple!, touch of cinnamon) to taper the effect of eating ice cream for dinner.

And although it now seems we’re experiencing the remnants of a pretty awesome (read warm) summer, the previous week straight of rain induced a lot of soup making.
{the easiest vegetable soup ever}.
Step 1 : Make a simple roux: melt 1 T butter, sauté 1/4-1/2 cup of onions until translucent. Add 1 T flour.
Step 2: Add 1/2-1 cup of milk (almond milk for me) and 2 cups vegetable stock. Heat until boiling, stirring until slightly thickened. Add lots of vegetables, black pepper, and you’re done.

Step 3: Make homemade crackers (why are crackers so good in soup?!). I used whole wheat flour and almond milk instead of cream. But I’m sure they’re incredibly delicious without recipe alteration.

And speaking of balance…I laughed when I read this article in the NY Times. Super doses of vitamins apparently don’t prevent diseases. What.a.surprise. While I didn’t read the specifics of each study, I usually find that most vitamin superusers do so to compensate for other unhealthful habits, as in: hey, I’m going to down this bottle of vitamin C to counteract my daily McDonald’s habit. Bottom line: strive for health, not quick fixes.
Adios, friends. Time for another fun filled day of food allergies and the wonderful world of all things gastrointestinal.

btdubs: out of curiosity, do you take any vitamins/supplements? (i'm a vitamin c fan and i like amazing grass).

fall in full force

2011-09-29T22:02:00.001-05:00

How’s that for alliteration?!

Fall [weekend] mornings = big sweaters, opaque tights, and homemade pumpkin spice lattes.

And the farmers’ market…do you have certain things that make you feel at home no matter where you may be? This is definitely one of them for me. Buying eggs and fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers makes me incredibly happy.

Making curtains was also on my hipster hit list. I got these fantastic curtains from the ex-apartment mate, took out 60 billion weird pleats, and worked a little sewing machine magic.

Finished product. Oh, yes. That is a record player, and it is amazing. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. Or maybe I just enjoy things that were more thoughtfully made and built to last vs everything fashioned from cheap particle board.

And here is an interesting recipe for you. Meat-less muffins with a lot of flavor, but you have to be ok with a bean-y texture. I’m always looking for quick weeknight recipes, and I’ve made this one twice.

Excited for the weekend, which will (among other things) include sleeping in and making delicious something(s) from my farmers’ market produce…

delinquent updater

2011-09-21T22:28:00.001-05:00

Guilty as charged.

So I’m not sure what really happened in between my last post and now. Actually, I do know. Craziness and pure insanity. I’ve been at my new job for about a month and really love a lot of things about it so far. I’m working with kiddos who have various gastrointestinal disorders, and food allergies are a recurring theme, which is really interesting and challenging. Future post on that to come…

Here is a little preview of my new space. Lots and lots of character, hardwood floors, high ceilings, tons of natural light [I like it a lot].

View Full Album

And…I guess we’re officially cut off from summer weather now, although fall is my favorite season, and I love sweater weather and the colors of the changing leaves and all of that jazz. I snapped this at a wedding last weekend….the warm weather may be gone, but there are still fantastic sunsets to be enjoyed.

And with fall weather comes the first of many batches of homemade soup. Vegan carrot ginger soup is a fave and super easy to make. Get the recipe here.

Also, fall (for me) means pumpkin everything. Pumpkin pancakes were the star of Saturday morning breakfast. So good.

I’m still exploring Grand Rapids, but it seems to be a pretty artsy city with a bent toward the local food movement, which I appreciate. I had my first pumpkin ale of the season with a good friend visiting from Honduras earlier this week.

And ArtPrize just started today…there are a lot of random pieces of art in yards, on the side of buildings, restaurant lobbies, etc. It’s pretty cool.

Fave thing about fall?

crazy(ness) and changes

2011-08-21T11:04:00.001-05:00

So…these past few months have been super crazy. I know I haven’t blogged much, and honestly that is because when stress hits, I usually try to eliminate things vs. adding them.

But fastforwarding through the stress leads me to the present, where I’m moving (again) to take a job as a pediatric outpatient dietitian in Grand Rapids, MI. Pretty excited about this!

A lot of the past few weeks have been spent at the beach and finishing up work with the wonderful ladies in Ann Arbor; I will miss them and am grateful to have learned so much during my time there.

So, thank you for being patient in all of this. I do want to continue blogging, at least for the time being. I’ve still been creating and trying new recipes, despite not blogging about them.

Constant change is exhausting, but there have been lots of good changes, and I’m excited to see how life continues to evolve.

Hope everyone is enjoying summer!

check 1,2,3…

2011-07-17T22:27:00.001-05:00

I’ve started this post a few dozen times over the past month, but life has been pretty busy lately. I’m hoping things will become a little less crazy soon. Some recent things:

Spending quality time with my favorite twin sister…

Making whole wheat oatmeal waffles…I don’t make waffles often, so I kind of forgot how awesome they are. As if I needed one more reason to love weekends.

Experimenting with more lentil recipes…

This lentil salad is really easy to make. And it makes a lot, so it’s best to have a dinner party or expect to eat a ton of leftovers.

I made my own French Vinaigrette dressing, which was also super easy. Definitely one of those meals that is a lifesaver after a long work day.

And I’m home in West Michigan for a week, spending most all of my time here. The beach is definitely one of the best things about my hometown. Who wouldn’t love a running route that ends here?!

What have you been up to lately?!

Back soon! It’s supposed to be in the 90s this week, so I forsee lots of smoothies and homemade ice cream in the future.

a confession

2011-06-08T18:11:00.002-05:00

I have a relationship with my BBQ sauce. It is delicious, and I love it a lot. But…it also contains high fructose corn syrup and modified corn starch among other things. Now, I’m pretty sure a couple tablespoons per day won’t kill me, but I’m always up for a challenge, and reducing the number of processed products I consume is a constant process.

Homemade BBQ sauce is surprisingly easy to make (recipe here), and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out; I might use a little less smoked paprika next time. I also added pineapple concentrate for a little sweetness.

I made a huge batch of this salad last week and ate it pretty much every day. It is fantastic to have a giant bowl of vegetables at your disposal after work…makes it easy to sneak in your veggie servings each day.

[In the mix]: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, olives, cucumbers, wild rice, and homemade Italian dressing (olive oil, vinegar, Italian spices).

I also made almond milk ice cubes for my coffee; I normally add a little almond milk anyway, so now it won’t be completely diluted just because it is iced coffee.

Whenever I feel like life’s getting a little too measured, I do something random like making wall art out of paper towel tubes (design sponge idea). At the rate of my paper towel usage (probably not the most green friendly), this piece has the potential to go far…

In other news, it has been incredibly hot here lately, causing two temporary power outages at the hospital (thank goodness I was NOT in the middle of writing a chart note), and making me want to eat ice cream for dinner.

What are some things you’ve done lately to make life easier…or entertaining?

nutritional yeast and B12

2011-06-06T04:55:00.002-05:00

Good thoughts on the USDA’s rollout of My Plate. Andrea made a really good point; the plate does NOT encourage non-processed food over processed food, but because the food industry is so huge, I have to say I’m not surprised.

I went to the Jolly Pumpkin, an Ann Arbor craft brewery with some friends this weekend. Definitely a fun place; they have a rooftop deck that is perfect for summer nights. And they use ingredients from sustainable farmers, organic growers and artisan producers, which is pretty fantastic.

[photo via b.rostad]

Sunday is always a big food prep day because I have pretty much zero energy to pack lunches or cook during the week. I experimented with this recipe for tahini curried carrot salad.

I’m not crazy about sweet vegetables, so I had to do a little improvising. I left out the raisins and added some spiralized cukes. I think next time I’d leave out some of the maple syrup, too.

The recipe also calls for nutritional yeast, which is big in the vegan world because it contains vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12:

required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis; plays a role in fat and protein metabolism
bound to protein in animal products and is released by the activity of hydrochloric acid and gastric protease in the stomach; however synthetic vitamin B12 (aka that in nutritional yeast) is already in free form and doesn’t require separation
the body needs very little B12 on a daily basis; B12 is stored in the liver, so unless you have been a vegan for a long time without supplementation or have digestive issues or kidney disease, you don’t likely have a deficiency.

amounts listed on a nutrition label are based on 6 µg/day; the nutritional yeast I have contains 40% of the daily value for B12 or 2.4 µg per tablespoon.
it is beneficial to get B12 from a variety of fortified sources because absorption can vary.

Do you eat animal products? If not, where do you get your B12?

salad season + goodbye food guide pyramid

2011-06-04T08:56:00.005-05:00

Things are starting to heat up around here, meaning many of us say goodbye to hot soups and hello to salads. I’m more than slightly excited about the variety of vegetables and fruit coming into season pretty soon.

[ideas]:

spiralized salads: cukes, carrots, red onion, feta cheese + balsamic vinaigrette. you can get a spiralizer here.

waldorf salad: try the vegan-friendly homemade mayo.

classic potato salad: picnic staple…and not like the weird potato salad at the grocery store that looks unnaturally yellow. ugh.

black bean salad: tomatoes, corn, black beans, cucumbers, red onion, and cilantro + olive oil and red wine vinegar.

apple and cherry salad: this one is a hit at dinner parties; the dressing is pretty fantastic.

cherry tomato couscous salad: adding whole grains to vegetables is an easy way to make a side dish into a main course.

5 week fennel salad: this is called such because I made it 5 weeks in a row after discovering the recipe. It’s pretty addicting.

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And I’m sure that most of you have seen My Plate, which replaces the former (and incredibly confusing) My Pyramid.

While it’s not perfect, I think it’s a big improvement over My Pyramid. At least vegetables and fruit are given more of a presence. However, I like this model by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) even better.

Half of the plate is composed of vegetables, which I think would be very beneficial for most of the population. You’ll also notice that there is not a protein group, which is due to the group’s conclusion that animal products are not needed for a healthful diet, and observation that protein can be obtained from grains and vegetables. I agree with this; I don’t have a problem with including meat in moderation, but as factory farming makes ethical meat less available, alternative sources of protein are definitely more attractive and affordable (read my thoughts on protein here and here).

This report by the PCRM is pretty interesting. Although the government is encouraging us to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables, more than 60 percent of agricultural subsidies in recent history have directly and indirectly supported meat and dairy production. Less than 1 percent have gone to fruits and vegetables.

So in other words, eat more vegetables and fruit but don’t expect the government to make them more accessible or affordable. Go figure.

Thoughts on the new plate? And any good salad recipes? I’m always expanding my recipe file in the name of creative vegetable dishes…

Hope it is warm + sunny wherever you are…

on holiday

2011-05-31T21:28:00.001-05:00

***Blogger has had some major hiccups recently. You should now be able to comment on posts; sorry for any confusion.

I spent most of the holiday weekend outside, which made me incredibly happy. On Saturday, the farmers’ market was busier than I’ve ever seen it, which was weird because we don’t even have that much produce out yet. Mostly root veggies and plants. I bought basil plants and local eggs.

I left the basil for my mom to take care of…we all know that I’d probably kill it. I’m hoping it will grow a lot in the next couple of weeks, so I can make pesto when I visit again.

Visited Oddside Ales. a tiny brewery in Grand Haven, MI. Coffeehouse feel, good selection of craft beer (I sampled a raspberry wheat), and good company. I would definitely visit again.

Monday was pretty much the only nice day out of the holiday weekend, and at 82 (heat index of 90), this called for ice cream.

We also took a family outing to the driving range. Let it be known that I have no patience for golf. I can drive decently but not always straight, and my putting skills are more appropriate for miniature golf.

Also, it should be noted that I don’t even remember the last time I swung a golf club, and today my back and shoulders feel like an elephant crushed them. Yoga is probably in order.

So sad that the holiday weekend had to end…it’s back to the grind but thankfully only a 4 day week.

What did you do this weekend?

It’s 91 in Ann Arbor today…time to get out my best salad recipes.

a conglomeration of randomness

2011-05-26T17:15:00.001-05:00

First of all, thanks for the bday wishes! I now have high expectations that 26 will be even more fantastic than 25…

At the farmers’ market this past weekend, there was definitely a musician with a parrot roost attached to his bicycle. And said parrot danced to the music.

There were so many plants and vegetables seeds that I got kind of sad because I really have no space to grow anything…and then I remembered that I kill plants anyway.

We ate black bean burgers and drank local beer at the Upland Brewing Company. I’ve had a lot of veggie burgers, but the best ever award goes to the Northstar Cafe in Columbus, OH.

It has rained pretty much everysingleday this month, which is awesome for white noise but not so awesome for being productive. It makes me want to drink coffee and sleep, which really don’t go together?

You might be curious about what a clinical dietitian does all day…we usually don’t set foot in a kitchen, which is a shocker to some.

A lot of my nutrition interventions involve nutrition support, which includes enteral (tube feedings into the stomach or small intestine) or parenteral nutrition (nutrition into the veins).

Examples of situations where enteral nutrition would be used include: a patient who can’t eat enough by mouth to meet his or her caloric needs (failure to thrive, prematurity, cardiopulmonary disorders, etc.), has problems digesting regular food, or has a neuromuscular disorder that prevents safe swallowing.

First, we calculate estimated calorie, protein, and fluid needs. We then choose a formula based on the patient’s age and medical condition. Next, we determine if we will feed continuously or do several bolus feeds over the course of the day. We figure out the rate per hour for the tube feeding and feeding volume.

Once these things have been decided, we monitor our patients closely to ensure they tolerate the feeds. We start off at a slower rate and gradually increase to full feeds to avoid gastrointestinal upset. Things get trickier when we have to add electrolyte supplements (sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, etc) to the formula and adjust based on laboratory results. Being a dietitian actually involves a lot of math!

So that’s a little slice of my day…different than what you visualized a dietitian doing in the hospital setting? Are there things about your job that people find surprising?

[time]

2011-05-17T20:52:00.001-05:00

Time is the biggest issue most people have when it comes to cooking and eating healthfully. It’s even hard for dietitians, who deal with early mornings and long days, to be excited about cooking a meal after work. I try to do most of my meal prep during the weekend, to save time (and energy) during the week.

Dave (who is now famous) is more of a kitchen adventurer than I am these days and recently recommended this lentil dish. I have to admit that my fave part was actually the lentils + cinnamon and cumin. And you probably shouldn’t make this unless you like onions…or have an intense fear of vampires (6, count ‘em, 6 cloves of garlic in this dish!).

Super easy to make, but you should plan to get at least 3 pans dirty, spill rice (or quinoa in my case) on the floor multiple times, and end up with tomato sauce in your hair. Or maybe I’m just talented like that…

Is it ironic that a plate of non vegan cookies (so, sometimes I bring cookies to work. newsflash: dietitians eat cookies) are sitting next to JSF’s Eating Animals? Still digesting bits and pieces of this gem…ethical eating for me is (and probably always will be) a process. I’ve had a lot of convos about this recently, and it’s always interesting to hear responses to questions like, “what are your thoughts on GMO crops?”

Mini SLU dietetic intern reunion slash wedding this past weekend (congrats R & J!). I honestly cannot believe it’s been almost a year since I finished my dietetic internship. Crazy. It so was good to catch up with these ladies, who are all now dietitians and colleagues. I promise my hair looked halfway decent before all of the dancing started.

And…I just got back from a rain run. In St. Louis, it rained so often in the spring that I promised myself I’d never use rain as an excuse not to run. It’s funny, but I actually like running in the rain now…as much as I’m addicted to my ipod, sometimes it’s nice to take a break and run without.

Speaking of time…this is my last post as a 25 year old!

magical fat burning foods

2011-05-12T05:46:00.000-05:00

The week is more than halfway over, but I still haven’t blogged about last weekend! Yes, things are still a little crazy around here.

Anyway, my sister visited Ann Arbor for the first time, and it was good to catch up on life in person. She just finished year 2/3 of her MFA in poetry at Indiana University and writes super cool stuff that I am not good at interpreting.

Banana pancakes from scratch are the perfect start to the weekend.

Find of the weekend: 2 vintage Nancy Drew books at a tiny, extremely cluttered bookstore in Kerrytown. I was pretty obsessed with becoming a detective when I was 10 and read every single book in our library.

We saw Jane Eyre (pretty sure I read it in high school British Lit) with a friend, and it was kind of depressing but also refreshingly not completely cliché. And eating delicious Mediterranean food made things slightly better.

Saw these gorgeous tulips on the way to the farmers’ market. Probably my fave flowers. Things are definitely starting to warm up around here, so I’m crossing my fingers for no more snow.

Recently the NY times ran this article about foods that can serve as appetite suppressants. Researchers found that adding 1 gram of chili pepper (I’m guessing this is just over half a teaspoon) to soup caused subjects to burn 10 extra calories. [Whoop de whoop.] The effect appeared to be greater for those who didn’t regularly consume spicy foods. Subjects not accustomed to consuming spicy foods also ate fewer calories (mean reduction = 143 calorie) after receiving a dose of red pepper.

My opinion: I don’t really like spicy foods, so why would I purposely eat them to burn an extra 10 calories? I think going for a run sounds like a much more enjoyable idea. Also, the study found that the calorie burning effect was lesser in subjects who already regularly consumed spicy food, meaning there is a chance you could develop a tolerance and consequently not burn as many calories (as if 10 is a huge number, anyway). I did think it was interesting that subjects ate fewer calories 4.5 hrs after consuming a spicy meal. Heartburn, maybe?

The article mentioned another study which found that adding vegetable puree to recipes (see 2 of their sample recipes here) caused subjects to consume 200-350 fewer calories per meal.

My opinion: Subjects likely consumed more calories because a) vegetables are low calorie, so they naturally displace higher calorie ingredients when using them as substitutes. b) vegetables contain fiber, which increases satiation. I also appreciated how one of the study authors mentioned that it is important to offer whole vegetables on the side to children, so they learn to develop a taste for them.

So all this to say…I don’t believe in magical fat burning foods.

Thoughts?

survival skills

2011-05-04T04:42:00.001-05:00

So this week is seriously punching me in the face….enter my best skills for survival. [btdubs, I feel like I do a post like this at least once a month. But hey, probably a sign I need constant reminders of these things, right?!].

Green smoothies. The trick is using super ripe bananas. And a shake of cinnamon…don’t let the green scare you.

Good Food. Channa masala is super easy to make and actually tastes better as leftovers, which is a bonus.

Tea. Lots of it. Conveniently brewed in my coffeemaker. I should probably invest in a tea kettle, yes?

Schedules, nice pens, paper chain countdowns, moleskin journals. And my iphone, which I’m kind of in love with right now.

Running.Even a 3 mile loop after work does wonders for my energy levels and motivation. Somehow I always feel like I can conquer the world…after a run.

Sleep. I’m bad at this one, but I’ve fallen asleep before 10 pm every night so far this week. By that I mean laying in bed with ipod on and eyes shut. That counts, right?

What are your best survival skills? Please share so I can selfishly add them to my list. ;)

health halos

2011-05-01T14:51:00.002-05:00

My favorite thing about Saturday morning (besides sleeping in, duh) is visiting the farmers’ market. I used to go to Soulard in St. Louis every weekend, I love my hometown’s market, and I’m slowly getting to know Ann Arbor’s market, too.

I was joined by about 60 billion other hipsters this morning. You will seriously not find a bigger conglomeration of skinny jeans, crossbody bags, and Tom’s shoes in one location (unless you live in Portland).

I have my favorite vendors in my hometown, and I’m glad the vendors here also don’t mind when I ask them questions like, “how are your chickens raised?” or “do you use pesticides on your plants?”

And there is just something fantastic about interacting with the people who grow the food you buy. Grocery stores are so intangible, and sometimes I just really enjoy the relational aspect of letting farmers know I appreciate them by buying their produce.

I really wish that a) I was good at growing plants and b) I had somewhere to grow them. I’d love to at least get a herb garden going, so I can have fresh basil and cilantro whenever this summer.

Roos Roast Coffee is really good. I tried the Cowboy Blend last time and picked up Lobster Butter Love at this visit. Plus, I think their artsy bags are pretty awesome.

I read a pretty interesting press release from the American Society of Nutrition recently talking about health halos or labels/characteristics of certain foods that cause people to think they are more healthful. A graduate student from Cornell found that people were more likely to perceive foods with an organic label as significantly lower in calories, lower in fat, and higher in fiber. Organically-labeled chips and cookies were considered to be more nutritious than their “non-organic” counterparts.

vs.

This seems to suggest that people are interested in organic products or know there is some potential benefit to them but don’t fully understand the labeling term. And then you have the whole debate of organic vs. local. The other day, I noticed my organic cucumber was from Mexico; I wonder how many nutrients were left by the time it got to the US (and also about the carbon footprint…yikes). It seems to me that more education is needed.

And even if it has less preservatives or additives, an organic cookie is still a cookie…thoughts?

easter and such

2011-04-25T15:21:00.001-05:00

Well, hello blog friends.

I have been super busy with work and finding time to sleep but had a fantastic weekend with the fam in West Michigan.

Brother with the infamous Easter banner…it is 60 billion times brighter than this photo shows, but I styled it vintage-y so you wouldn’t be blinded.

Parker House rolls [recipe here]. I used half whole wheat flour and mixed the dough on Saturday and refrigerated it overnight. On Sunday, I let the dough warm up and rise and then baked the rolls. Super easy.

I am not a fan of traditional Easter food in general. In fact, I thought spinach lasagna would be a pretty fantastic meal of choice. Unfortunately, I was outvoted, and everyone else ate ham.

Post lunch tag to work up an appetite for dessert. This was mostly a game for the little kids, but the big kids had fun, too. :)

Apple pie (and pecan pie) + ice cream = awesome and made up for the lack of lasagna.

Easter bunnies found in the backyard…since this photo was taken, one of them met his unfortunate end with a giant crow. It was sad…my dad referenced Lion King and called it “the circle of life.” So does that mean I can go smash the crow with a shovel? (joking, only joking…sort of).

Dog who wanted Easter pie but did not get any. Don’t feel bad for her; she got an Easter roll and some Easter ham.

If you celebrate Easter, what kind of food did you eat? Do you ever feel like eating non-traditional food for a holiday? I’m all about breaking the mold..

seriously?!

2011-04-18T07:35:00.001-05:00

So the symphony and Eighth Blackbird were amazing. I loved Jennifer Higdon’s modern piece using bowed piano, meaning the musicians actually used violin strings to play the strings of the piano. Pretty cool stuff and definitely outside the normal realm of classical music.

Our theatre is gorgeous and not used nearly enough. My fave seat is in the back balcony because the acoustics are almost perfect up there. Nerdy, but music makes me incredibly happy.

When I lived in St. Louis, zucchini was my fave purchase at the farmers’ market every weekend. So versatile (I actually like it raw sometimes) and useful in all sorts of recipes.

I was flipping through my folder of bookmarks marked “recipes to try” and decided that zucchini quinoa lasagna would be an exciting culinary adventure.

It was super easy to make…and now my freezer is stuffed full with leftovers (I did use daiya vegan cheese but omitted the tofutti sour cream).

I ran 6.5 miles yesterday in the sun and thought that winter was finally over (my new Brooks are awesome btdubs, like running on marshmallows)…

Until I woke up to this. Uggh. Seriously? I mean, I guess I should have expected it because I do live in Michigan (it has snowed here in May before) but still disappointing.

Umm, so I definitely did not bring anything snow-related back with me, like a winter coat or boots. This could be interesting…

Happy Monday?

*good luck to all running Boston today!

you know you’re in hipsterville when…

2011-04-14T18:57:00.001-05:00

There are more coffee shops than car dealerships.

You share the road with a cyclist 95% of the time.

There are restaurants like the Owlery (nod to Harry Potter), an all vegetarian eatery filled with kitschy owl decor.

Your sister and friends aren’t at all intimidated by eating a completely vegetarian meal. And they actually enjoy it.

Your waiter thinks veggie sandwiches are awesome (almost as awesome as his man-pris).

Drinking bacteria is perfectly normal.

I can’t believe it’s almost the weekend again…this week has been pretty crazy so far. I visited my sister in Bloomington, IN last weekend, and it was fantastic. I enjoyed hanging out with all of the artsy writers, dancing to bad music, running outside, and sitting in the park after sunset eating ice cream with the twin while chatting about life (obviously we are ridiculous…see photo below for reference). I may have eaten ice cream twice in one day. But it was 80 degrees, so cut me some slack.

Back home this weekend to hear On a Wire, a piece by Jennifer Higdon co-commissioned by the West Michigan Symphony. I played a couple of her pieces for wind symphony at Ohio State, and she writes pretty amazing stuff. I also love her philosophy about music…that it is best when shared with others.

Happy Weekend!

the sourdough adventure

2011-04-06T05:30:00.000-05:00

This is where the culinary magic happens, people. Or rather the culinary DISASTER that was making sourdough starter.

Exhibit A: tried and true sourdough recipe that my mom uses week after week (originally from Amy Dacyczyn of the Tightwad Gazette).

Exhibit B: sourdough starter looking like sourdough starter should.

Exhibit C: sourdough starter freaking out completely. This happened x 2. I’m not sure why because I actually measured and followed the directions this time. Maybe because my apartment is abnormally warm? You might try using a little less than 1 T of yeast…

A starter is an easy way to have fresh bread at your fingertips without a lot of waiting around. Just mix up the bread (you only have to make the starter once) before going to bed and bake the next day after a short proof time.

sourdough bread starter

Combine in a glass jar:

1 T yeast
2 cups of chlorine-free water (let a pitcher of water sit out overnight, and the chlorine will evaporate)
2 cups of flour (I used 1/2 whole wheat)

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to sit for at least 48 hrs at room temperature, until it foams and develops a sour smell (for the record, my starter began erupting after 8-9 hrs, so watch it!). Place in refrigerator. Every time you use the starter, replace 1.5 cups of water and 1.5 cups of flour and return to the fridge.

sourdough bread [2 loaves]

5 1/2 cups flour
2 cups starter
1 T salt
1 cup water

Dissolve salt in a mixing bowl (non-metal). Add starter and flour and knead into a ball. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise overnight. In the morning, punch down and shape into 2 loaves. Cover with damp cloth and let rise for 4 hrs. Place a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes.

[Read about the benefits of sourdough bread in a previous post].

Fresh sourdough bread is awesome with black bean hummus.

black bean hummus [adapted from Dreena Burton’s recipe]

2 cups rinsed black beans
1 small clementine
2 1/2 Tbsp almond butter or peanut butter
2 large cloves garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together via food processor and enjoy.

Have you ever made sourdough bread or used a starter before? This has been quite the adventure, but it is homemade and non- processed, and that makes it worth it to me.

why april is better than march [so far]…

2011-04-04T06:33:00.001-05:00

1) 45 degree weather and new running shoes (long overdue). My ?? pair of Brooks Adrenalines. Love them.

2) Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market. I rode the bikeski to the market this weekend for organic fair trade coffee from Roos Roast. Sorry for the candids, Ann Arborite strangers.

3) Sleeping at Last’s April EP (they release 3 songs per month as a part of their Yearbook project). Especially fantastic and timely songs this month. Love falling asleep to their thoughtful lyrics on repeat.

4) New recipes. This Moroccan quinoa and pistachio salad brings a whole new meaning to pesto. My good friend Dave (with his ever expanding culinary skills) made this for me a couple of weeks ago, and it was pretty amazing. The recipe calls for orange juice, but I blended an entire orange (minus the peel) in my food processor instead. Quinoa is also one of my fave vegetarian sources of protein.

I recently read this article in the NY Times about quinoa [keen-wah]. As ethical eating is a continual process for me, I realized that I know absolutely nothing about where the quinoa I buy is grown.

According to the article, Bolivia is one of the chief producers of this complete protein-containing pseudo-grain, and it’s ironic that as the demand for quinoa increases, few fewer Bolivians can now afford it, hastening their embrace of cheaper, processed foods and raising fears of malnutrition in a country that has long struggled with it.

It’s also fair to note that some of the decrease in buying quinoa there may be due to food preferences vs. economics. Processed food is attractive for many, just as it is in the US.

So what, then is our response to this problem? Buying quinoa from Bolivia certainly aids their economy, and the government is trying to beef up domestic aid, but it still remains to be seen just how much of an impact this will have on malnutrition. I wish the article had talked more about the kind of wages Bolivians make in return for growing the crop.

Hope April has started out well for all of you, too. :)

favorites

2011-04-01T07:13:00.001-05:00

I love buying spices at my hometown health store. They seem fresher, and they’re usually less expensive than buying an entire jar. Plus, I’m nerdy, and I like making my own labels.

Snobby joes are one of my favorite make-ahead meals. If you don’t like super spicy food, don’t add 3 tablespoons of chili powder like I did. It may cause crying.

Lentils are the base of this dish, and they’re pretty amazing, especially if you’re trying to find sources of vegetarian protein:

in the legume family
18 grams of protein per cup (cooked)
16 grams of fiber
excellent source of folate
good source of iron, phosphorus, thiamin, and potassium

Although they probably would be better paired with naan, I tried a new recipe for honey whole wheat rolls that turned out pretty well. And yes, you have to use yeast.

It should be noted that snobby joes taste much better after being refrigerated overnight. Something magical happens to the flavors. Seriously.

Anyone else have a good lentil recipe? Leave a comment if you do!

I’m going to make a sourdough starter soon, and I’m really excited about this. It makes yeast bread baking a cinch. Tutorial to follow…

Happy Friday (and April)!

sustainability fused music

2011-03-30T17:51:00.003-05:00

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that music has been a big part of my life. Last weekend I went home to see an orchestra concert centered around the theme of sustainability. Super nerdy, but I actually like going to concerts alone; I don’t enjoy them if I’m constantly worried that the people I’m with are bored or want to leave.

[I used to spend HOURS in a practice room…in college and grad school, I played at least 2-4 hrs/day!].

While there were some absolutely fantastic musical moments, the corresponding media presentation left a lot to be desired. But still, it was refreshing and exciting to see that my hometown is beginning to explore the concept of sustainability.

Speaking of green-friendly things, lately, I’ve been all about the smoothies. I especially crave them after running…

kale + banana + almond milk

kale + blueberries + banana + almond milk

Can you tell I’m kind of obsessed with kale right now?! And I’m excited for more produce to be in season. This summer, I’m pretty sure I’m going to pick a crazy amount of blueberries.

Also, CSN sent me this lovely set of knives to review [while I received them for free, the following review is my own opinion)].

After picking them up at a Fedex holding center (which very much resembled a maximum security prison), I tested them on some celery.

Their sharpness didn’t blow me away, but then again maybe that’s a good thing…I’d like all my fingers to remain intact, thank you very much. And let’s be honest, the last knife set I owned was a Target special, so these are a huge improvement.

favorite smoothie ingredient?! ready, go…

p.s. did anyone see the article in the NY Times about food dyes and behavioral problems?! pretty interesting stuff…but I still think companies should be required to disclose GMOs just as they’re required to alert us to artificial food dyes.

the renal diet is [seriously] crazy

2011-03-27T14:55:00.003-05:00

I’m working with a lot of patients with renal (kidney-related) disease at my new job, and the diet I have to recommend for many of these patients is one that would be very difficult to follow myself.

For being such small organs (approximately each the size of a fist), the kidneys do a whole lotta work!

filter waste from the blood
release erythropoeitin, which stimulates production of red blood cells
regulate electrolytes (sodium, potassium) and release renin, which regulates blood pressure
release calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, which helps maintain calcium for bones and for normal chemical balance in the body
regulate acid-base balance

When your kidneys aren’t working properly, this affects sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein regulation, which may require you to decrease consumption of foods that contain these items.

These would be some of the hardest ones for me to give up…

bananas
oranges
sweet potatoes
beans
peanut butter
chocolate

I’d really love to come up with some fun food ideas that fit into the kidney diet guidelines, a sort of cookbook to give to clients with creative recipes. Like cauliflower mac & cheese and faux chicken nuggets (because let’s face it…all children love these foods).

I made whole wheat apple muffins recently. If made a smidge smaller, they might just fit into the renal diet [**edited to add: Since I've received some comments about this, I wanted to say that in general, these muffins would not be acceptable as a regular part of a renal diet. I think that most foods can fit into the renal diet as special treats, but they should not be consumed occasionally. As always, consult your renal dietitian, who is familiar with your specific case, labs, meds, etc. before making any dietary changes].

My modifications: sub applesauce for the butter and leave out some of the sugar (or don’t…I won’t tell).

Yes, these are giant muffins because I have a Texas-sized muffin tin, which is incredibly fun to use and requires less filling of muffins cups, which I also appreciate.

Time for a run…it’s sunny but still cold here! Spring can come anytime…..anytime.

How would you do on the renal diet?!

[pseudo] spring break!

2011-03-19T07:33:00.001-05:00

Currently taking a self-imposed spring break before work gets super crazy. Pretty much the best idea ever:

family ski trip: lots of laughing, some faceplanting (never try to push me as we get off the lift or bad things will happen to you), and gorgeous weather.

epic day of yeast-bread baking: yeast is a unicellular organism that ferments sugar into carbon dioxide gas, causing bread to rise. Making yeast bread can be a little tricky because the water temperature for dissolving has to be just right (100-110 F).

I helped Dave make this recipe for whole wheat bread with caraway and anise, which ends with semi-braiding the bread. It was hardcore (as in 10 minutes of kneading which I didn’t do) but turned out really well…it’s pretty amazing to make and eat your own bread.

The second best use of yeast is to make homemade pizza dough. I actually prefer homemade pizza over other pizza. And it’s incredibly easy (and cheap!) to make.

Super excited that spring starts this Sunday…it’s about time!

Do you have a fave recipe that incorporates yeast?

preservative-free snackage

2011-03-13T21:02:00.001-05:00

I officially finished M. Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma this past week. If you haven’t read his books, I’d highly recommend them for an in-depth look at what our food system has become. Seriously scary.

Many of Pollan’s sentiments regarding food echo my own, and I’ve definitely become enlightened on the whole industrial organic scheme and the crazy ingredients in packaged products. I don’t eat many, but even the ones I occasionally buy sometimes make me cringe.

For example:

Ingredients: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LEAVENING (CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA), SALT, SOY LECITHIN

Hello, sketchy ingredients.

Enter this version:

Ingredients: whole wheat flour, salt, turbinado sugar, baking soda, olive oil, butter.

Much, much better. I left out the extra salt and butter because you’ll find these already have plenty of butter.

Now, there is no way I could possibly make as many crackers as some autobot-powered machine. However, I also was ill-equipped (no clue where my rolling pin is…I used a can of olive oil spray). I think the yield should really be between 40-50 crackers (mine was closer to 30).

These crackers are also pretty awesome with peanut butter dip [greek yogurt + PB + vanilla extract + cinnamon]. And you don’t have to eat 60 billion because they definitely are more filling than those of a certain brand.

Maybe I was excited to eat them. Or maybe I was excited that it was 40 degrees outside = perfect running weather. Or…maybe it was that extra hour of sleep I lost…

I also outsmarted my super sensitive smoke detector by taking out the battery…success!

What did you do this weekend?!

***Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by the craziness happening in Japan. I can’t even completely comprehend the situation but am most certainly thinking of all who are grieving…

rainy wednesday

2011-03-09T17:45:00.001-06:00

It rained all day, and I have to confess that I actually enjoy rain. Despite the fact that the sun is hiding, I like the sound of rain, the slightly melancholy mood it potentiates, and the excuse it provides to eat soup and homemade bread.

[Even without the heat on, my apt is 60 billion degrees, which is awesome for proofing bread.]

I love homemade sourdough bread, but I decided to try this no-knead bread from Mark Bittman since I haven’t made any starter yet. It was pretty easy; you can quickly mix up the dough before work and bake it when you come back. Using whole wheat flour makes the bread especially dense and gives it a nutty flavor.

And this butternut squash and apple soup has become one of my favorites. I pre-cooked the squash yesterday to save time. Confession: I never roast the spices. And I don’t measure them either. But it always seems to work out okay.

In other news, I’m kind of in love with running in the rain. Although I splashed through some major puddles and was completely soaked after an hour, I see rain as a sign that spring is coming (finally…geez!), and I’m pretty excited about that.

Rain…love it or hate it?

belief ----> action

2011-03-07T16:12:00.002-06:00

Whenever I move to a new place, it’s not long before I start to notice little quirks…like the large flock of geese that honk at all hours of the day (and night) and a very sensitive smoke alarm that went off no less than 4 times when I was roasting butternut squash. But, that just gives the space character, right?!

I had some requests for an apartment tour. Honestly, it makes me cringe to let you see everything half finished, but here’s one wall in progress; there are faux polaroid photos going on top of the corkboards eventually. Btdubs, everything is not crooked, the photographer just doesn’t know how to hold a camera straight…

Embroidery is super easy, and it makes inexpensive wall art [tutorial here!]. The frames are simply embroidery hoops that I painted in 5 minutes.

I stitched this piece during the snow craziness this weekend. To me, trees symbolize growth and hope, so I think it’s a pretty relevant piece of wall art for this stage in my life…

Lately, I’ve been pondering the intersection between belief and action. If you truly believe in something, won’t you do it? And if you don’t, does that mean you don’t really believe it after all?

For me, this means putting into practice the nutrition principles I value: eating real food, moderation, local and sustainable food, etc. I find it ironic that my busy dietitian job is forcing me to be more thoughtful about nutrition [as in, I have to plan healthful meals or they won’t happen!].

I’ve seen variations of sweet potato hummus floating around the blogosphere, so I decided to give it a try. I’m definitely more of a savory hummus fan, and the sweet potato gives this a sweet bent, so I’m not quite sure what I think of it.

[modified] sweet potato hummus :: based on gena’s recipe

1 large sweet potato, cooked, skin removed, and cut into chunks
1 can chickpeas, drained,
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
juice from 1/2 an orange
1 small clove of garlic
black pepper to taste
shake of cinnamon
water

Mix everything together and blend via food processor. This hummus also weirdly tastes good with bbq sauce. Maybe because I love eating sweet potato fries with this particular condiment?

Anyone else have any unique hummus recipes?!

back in the loop

2011-03-05T10:23:00.003-06:00

I was only without internet for a week, but I kinda feel like I’ve been disconnected from the world! I have a habit of starting each morning with the New York Times website (in an attempt to be more educated about world events) + coffee, and I’m a compulsive email checker.

When I was home this past weekend, the most bizarre thing happened. In the midst of moving furniture, I left my wallet on the trunk of my dad’s car…and he drove off with it like that! I didn’t realize it until the next morning but miraculously found it in a snow bank. Everything was still there…just snowcovered.

Moving, as expected, was a giant pain. But I have to say I LOVE having my own space. After being around patients and craziness all day, I just need Pandora and a clean apartment. And I can now walk to work, which is pretty fantastic.

Other than that, I’m trying to up my vegetable intake to combat the effects of stress and increased exposure to all sorts of lovely germs. Bring on the kale smoothies…

And I definitely tested out my oven this weekend by baking some banana bread. I think my new neighbors will love living next to me…maybe this will make up for playing my clarinet in the apartment (ha).

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! More nutrition-related posts coming soon…promise.

p.s. another CSN review coming. Lately, I've been browsing their office furniture, especially since my desk chair got lost somewhere in transit during the move.

still alive

2011-02-26T20:22:00.001-06:00

I know I’ve been horrible at blogging lately! Life has been pretty crazy and stressful with the new job and getting to know Ann Arbor. I also just found a lease takeover and am moving into a different apartment this weekend, which is one of my least favorite things to do, but it’s a small price to pay for getting my own space.

So, my weekend started with this fantastic coffee, which is also sold in Ann Arbor, thank goodness.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that baking = a form of stress therapy for me. Needless to say, it was pretty wonderful to come home and make (and eat) cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

I don’t think my family minded too much either. I’m just trying to make sure everyone’s in a good mood when we unload box after box of vintage dishes on Monday.

I also experimented with combining 2 random ingredients we had in the house: eggplant and polenta.

I know it sounds like an interesting combination, but the recipe I used is actually Martha Stewart’s, and it was pretty good.

Anyway, I foresee many culinary adventures and dinner parties in the future. And I’m excited to explore Ann Arbor’s local food scene, especially when it gets warmer.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend…

bear with me, please…

2011-02-16T17:50:00.001-06:00

So, with all of the craziness going on, my blogging might become slightly sporadic for the next couple of weeks. I’m currently on orientation overload…after sitting for 8 hours on day 1, I am now an expert on all types of fire extinguishers and cultural competency.

I’m also back to working early hours, which means 7 am start times. It is so fortunate that I am a morning person. And yes, I do pick out my clothes and pack my lunch the night before…anything to save time.

I can’t do much cooking right now (moving to my own apartment in a couple of weeks!). Soon, I will have a ton more space, including a special counter spot for my beloved Kitchen Aid mixer, but until then I’m living on tortillas and hummus. And green smoothies.

But I’m really craving a bowl of this right now…if anyone wants to send some soup this way, you’d definitely be my hero.

Are you a morning person? If not, how do you function in the morning?!

hometown farewell…for now.

2011-02-12T16:04:00.001-06:00

This weekend is the move to Ann Arbor. It’s not a huge deal to me because it’s only 3 hrs away vs. my 8 hr commute last year. Moving back home was a hard transition, but I’ve learned a lot these past few months.

Even though my hometown is not very progressive and struggles with embracing sustainability, I have found that I love being part of that struggle. There are certainly more opportunities to talk with people about my passion for local food, and I’m constantly reminded why I do what I do because it’s not the norm here. And it’s been cool to see other people get excited about the same things…

I ate at the only local food restaurant in town today with my parents. So good. I will miss this little place and will definitely be back again. Their purple cabbage, fennel, and apple slaw is amazing. I also like their egg BLT (without the bacon, so I guess it’s an ELT?).

And…a couple of recipes for your weekend. Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate chip cookies (because it’ll be V-day pretty soon, which is just an excuse to eat more chocolate, in my opinion).

And homemade pita chips, which are great if you get tired of eating vegetables with hummus. I like splitting whole wheat pitas in half and brushing them with olive oil, garlic, and Italian spices. Bake at 400 until crispy (7-10 minutes).

Serve with hummus. I foresee a lot of hummus being made in the near future because I really like homemade pita chips…

As I was taking my “last run before I leave” this morning, I got sprayed by no less than 2 snowplows. Nothing like a good ole goodbye from West Michigan…

Happy Weekend!

cookies, fennel, and….noodle pillows?

2011-02-10T08:45:00.001-06:00

Thanks for all the congrats on life’s latest change. I started packing yesterday…I hate packing, but fortunately I am bringing mostly clothes and books at this point. And my blender.

Cranberry oatmeal cookies ala Smitten Kitchen made things go a little more smoothly. These are the real deal. No substitutions. This cookie is a cookie.

I’ve only eaten fennel in salad form, but last night we ate it braised and sprinkled with parmesan cheese and homemade croutons [recipe here]. It was surprisingly good.

We also ate vegetables on noodle pillows (I wish I were making that up, but that’s what they’re called). I wasn’t a big fan of the crunchy noodles, so I think I’ll just stick to plain soba or rice noodles next time.

It’s zero degrees (literally) here today, but I’m going to attempt a run anyway. Michigan running is always an adventure…at least we aren’t currently having a blizzard!

changes

2011-02-08T10:11:00.001-06:00

I had a lovely weekend of running, eating vegetables, and adventures in the snowy and freezing Michigan weather (yes, I do wear flats all winter, thank you very much).

At the risk of isolating myself from the entire blogging community, I will also say that lately I’ve been leaving oatmeal behind for delicious omelets with cheddar cheese and mushrooms. And lots of black pepper.

I’m teaching another cooking class tonight, and we’re making blueberry parfaits. The recipe calls for crumbled ginger cookies for one of the layers, but I decided to make my own to avoid the food dyes and GMO corn in the packaged version. Fantastic.

The biggest news in life is that I am moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan to work in pediatric nutrition. It will be a big change, for sure, but I’m trying to embrace all opportunities and adventures and to be open to using creativity and innovation in an often straitlaced environment.

Change can be really hard, but I know that the growth that comes with it is important. Reaching outside yourself to do things that are new and slightly scary can open opportunities to make a difference, and that’s valuable to me.

This is also a little rough because I’m a Buckeye, but I’ll be sure to talk lots about our winning record over the Wolverines. If you live in A2, let me know!

p.s. did anyone see this article about the class action Nutella suit? My thoughts:

1) Duh, we all know Nutella isn’t healthful or a great idea for children as a breakfast staple.

2) Yes, their commercials are annoying, but I’m not sure that warrants a lawsuit?

back in the mitten

2011-02-05T09:00:00.002-06:00

You might not be able to fully grasp how crazy the snow was in Chicago from this photo, but any car parked on a side street got completely buried. Most people had already taken a shovel to their vehicles at this point…

I can tell you that after living for almost a week on hotel and restaurant food, I was craving fresh vegetables like crazy! I think I chopped up every single vegetable in the refrigerator when I got back today.

Roasted with a little bit of olive oil, parmesan cheese, and pepper at 450 F for 30(+) minutes, I couldn’t have asked for anything more…

Except homemade [vegan] peppermint ice cream. If it’s zero degrees outside, why not make myself even colder by eating ice cream. It makes perfect sense.

I’m exhausted! Another cooking class coming up next week…plus some big changes ahead.

Does anyone else crave vegetables after being on the road?

I can’t be the only one!

p.s. Happy 55th Birthday to my dad!

snowpocalypse 2011

2011-02-02T09:33:00.001-06:00

Well, friends. As much as I’d like to have a fun nutrition-related post for you, I’m currently in Chicago waiting out a super nasty winter storm…that will hopefully not mimic this image from the blizzard of 1967.

This was prettymuch a last minute, unplanned trip, but I managed to grab a few breakfast essentials before leaving.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. This probably would have worked better with instant oats…oh well, just trying to be resourceful.

Free oatmeal vs. $7 oatmeal (hotel food prices are seriously astronomical).

Oh, I may have eaten some of this, too…before we got buried in snow. I definitely prefer homemade pizza, but Chicago-style pizza holds a special place in my heart.

It seems like half the country is closing down…who has a snow day today?!

good fuel = productive day

2011-01-28T17:03:00.004-06:00

You know you’re a food nerd when you wake up to a text message containing a photo of a kale smoothie…

…which inspired me to make my own smoothie this morning. Because I used up all the kale in stock during my recent experiment, I decided to try another leafy green…swiss chard.

Naturally, I had to play food detective to get the details on this colorful stemmed leafy green:

from the chenopod family (also includes beets, spinach, and quinoa)
contains at least 13 different polyphenol antioxidants that have detoxification and anti-inflammatory properties
may assist in blood sugar regulation
good source of thiamin, folate, zinc, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, B6; riboflavin, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese.

I have to say that my smoothie {which also contained an apple, banana, 1 T of almond butter, and 1/2 c. almond milk} was pretty fantastic.

I felt super energized after drinking it…or maybe it was the yoga session right before? Regardless, it was good, and you should make it. Smoothies are a great way to sneak in extra servings of vegetables and fruit, too.

Good nutrition helps set up a productive work day, right?! I conference called about the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans coming out on Monday [read my review of the first draft here], wrote material for cooking class # 2, and worked on info for private nutrition clients.

What’s your standard morning fuel?

Happy Weekend!

i love green

2011-01-26T09:11:00.001-06:00

My favorite color is green. I like this color because it reminds me of spring, sustainability, and one of my favorite vegetables, kale.

For a long time I thought kale was bitter and was only edible to small herbivorous rodents. Fortunately, I gave it a second chance…and learned how to properly cook it in the process.

Some kale recipes I’ve experimented with:

My latest adventure in kale was inspired by 101 Cookbooks.

If you’re a pesto lover, you will approve of this easy recipe [20 minutes tops!]. I opted to use feta cheese and whole wheat penne, but I’m sure the original recipe is delicious as it stands.

Nutritionally kale is pretty fantastic:

contains phytonutrients that may help prevent cancer
increases production of enzymes involved in detoxification
excellent source of pro-vitamin A
excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C
good source of fiber (1 cup cooked = 10.4% DV)
very good source of calcium (1 cup of kale supplies 93.6 mg of calcium, 9.4% of the daily value for this mineral)
good source of copper, vitamin B6, and potassium

Read about raw vs. boiled kale nutrition here.

All that green also justifies homemade blueberry ice cream.

What’s your fave way to eat kale?!

potato soup

2011-01-24T13:25:00.001-06:00

Great discussion on the organic post! A little follow up:

if industrial organic isn’t sustainable, what are my options? Industrial organic produce is still better than conventional produce because it doesn’t contain hormones and pesticides. Local food is also valuable because it is grown using the small farms model; you just have to ask about growing specifics.
what do I eat in the winter? Many of us aren’t fortunate enough to live in an area with a winter CSA (community supported agriculture), making it very hard to eat locally and seasonally. I’d recommend buying organic versions of the dirty dozen (if you can) and choosing fresh and frozen vs. canned produce.
how do I know if a farmer is telling the truth about his/her produce? There is an element of trust involved in the farmer-consumer relationship. However, you could play food detective and visit the farm to see firsthand how things are done. I’m actually really interested in doing this…

All that said…I don’t have all of the answers. I do know that the industrial factory farming system in place is definitely not sustainable, and there is a great need to find a better way to grow and distribute food. Simply being aware of where your food comes from and spreading the word about being a responsible consumer is important. The food industry will mold to meet the demands of the consumer, and if we demand fresh, local food, perhaps we can shake up the system.

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Last time I checked it was still winter; therefore, I’m still eating soup. I decided to attempt a version of potato soup today with a few more vegetables hidden inside.

[super easy] potato soup

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 onion or 1/2 large onion, chopped

1 1/2 pound red potatoes (~6-7 small ones), peeled and chopped

4 T butter

4 cups vegetable stock

Sauté the vegetables in butter until slightly browned (10-15 minutes). Add the stock and simmer until vegetables are soft (15 minutes). Blend soup in small batches via traditional or immersion blender.

Then make these 15 minute oatmeal scones, and you’ve got an easy (but delicious), homemade meal.

Sometimes I think eating healthfully is only complicated because we make it that way…simple food can be fantastic, but we have to make time to cook (and enjoy) it.

organic…what does it really mean?

2011-01-22T08:17:00.001-06:00

It’s currently –3 outside. It may warm up to 0 degrees by lunchtime. Lovely. But I can’t complain about this view…

It is one of my goals to watch the sun rise one of these mornings. I’m pretty good at catching the sunsets, but there’s just something about seeing the sun rise before the day starts…

Cold weather calls for warm soup. This kale and potato soup is a perfect way to thaw after…walking out to your mailbox. Ha.

I had this tidy little post written up about organic food and the dirty dozen, but after reading a chapter on the topic in Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, my thoughts have changed.

Pollan presents two different views of ‘organic.’ It can be:

a labeling term to identify food that meets USDA standards as described below.
a philosophy; a way of growing food that most closely mimics nature.

A little trip to the USDA’s website revealed this information:

100% organic: must contain only organically produced ingredients and processing aids.*
organic: must consist of at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients;* remaining product ingredients must consist of nonagricultural substances approved on the National List.
made with organic ingredients: 70% organic ingredients; can appear on the front of package, naming the specific ingredients.
contains organic ingredients: contains less than 70% organic ingredients.

*excludes water and salt; can be labeled with USDA organic seal

Most of us view organic food in the context of the first definition. It has met certain criteria; therefore, we view it as safe and environmentally responsible to eat. However, many organic farms are starting to follow the factory farm model and no longer fit into the second definition of organic.

While they do not use chemical pesticides, they grow so many crops that the land is depleted, and they must use artificial means to put nutrients back into the soil. While they do not treat their animals with hormones, organic farmers may still confine them to small spaces and feed them “organic grain,” when the animals are naturally meant to digest grass.

The produce you find at Whole Foods is not likely from small farmers; it is more expensive to deal with these farmers, and they do not grow enough produce to stock a grocery store. Instead, your produce may have come from a mega organic grower somewhere across the country.

So…what does this say about the farming model and the benefits of purchasing organic food?

there is still value in using organic methods to farm vs. hormones and pesticides.
the closer organic farming moves toward factory farming, which is not a sustainable practice, the more it becomes harmful to the environment.
seeing ‘organic’ as a philosophy vs. a labeling term changes the way we view products like organic tv dinners, organic cookies, and organic high fructose corn syrup (???!!!).

Personally, I find it more beneficial to purchase food from local farmers, since I can find out firsthand how they grow their crops and raise their animals. I know that is not possible for everyone, and it’s one of the things about modern culture (as in, most of us cannot choose farming as a viable occupation) that has also changed our food system.

Thoughts? How do you define organic food?

homemade vs. processed

2011-01-20T17:39:00.001-06:00

Maybe I’m the only one who gets stressed out by going to the grocery store these days. There is so much food that is not food, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of choices available.

For example, the deceivingly simple ice cream sandwich has always been a fave. But…have you checked the sketchy ingredient list lately?

I’m pretty sure half those ingredients are euphemisms for genetically modified corn. Fantastic.

When I saw a recipe for homemade ice cream bars from Mama Pea (anyone who successfully raises children on a veg diet is a hero in my book), I decided to test the waters.

Mixing, chilling, microwaving [because I tried to speed the chilling process by using the freezer], rolling, cutting, and baking…these little treats are a ton of work!

Sprinkles are a lot of fun, but they contain all sorts of weird food dyes and strange ingredients…and I just couldn’t buy them. Instead, I decided to use chopped pecans and dark chocolate chips for garnish.

Don’t expect these to taste like a storebought ice cream sandwiches because, well…they aren’t. But you at least get the satisfaction of recognizing every single ingredient.

Things I have learned:

Making homemade ice cream sandwiches is a lot of work.
Homemade ice cream sandwiches do not taste the same as machine made, chemically filled treats.
You will savor a homemade ice cream sandwich and have more appreciation for it because of the hours it took to create.
You will not eat ice cream sandwiches as often (see above points).

Now, I’m definitely a fan of moderation, and I’m not on a rampage against mass produced ice cream sandwiches.

It’s just that I realize I have the power to choose, and the more I think about it, the less excited I am about giving any money to sectors of the food industry that I don’t support.

Any similar baking adventures? Any homemade versions of treats that have been amazing?

a snack and a lesson

2011-01-18T07:32:00.001-06:00

Alright, friends. Get yourselves a cup of coffee and a muffin…it’s story time.

Yes, I still have 20 cans of pumpkin in my basement…after the great pumpkin shortage of 2009, one can never be too prepared. But anyway, make these pumpkin gingerbread muffins.

*substitutions: 2 cups of whole wheat flour vs. 1 cup, applesauce for the oil, 1/2 cup of turbinado sugar instead of 1 cup of regular sugar.

Now that we’ve covered the snack part, it’s time for a lesson. When I published Patrick’s guest post as part of the 12 days of giving series, I alluded to the fact that fair trade might not be as fantastic as it sounds…here, Patrick presents another solution.

Patrick: I will be the first to admit that in today’s coffee world, where you can find anything from Organic to Fair Trade to Bird Friendly-certified coffee, the last thing most people want to worry about is another coffee certification. But before you give up on this blog, what do you really know about the Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, or Bird Friendly Certified coffee that you bought this morning?

The whole point of certifying a coffee is that the end consumer knows that certain standards have been met, but these standards are often so complex that it would take a college course to understand them all. There is a certification just starting to grow in the coffee world that is refreshingly simple and, in my opinion, much more beneficial to farmers:

Direct Trade Coffee.

There are three simple guiding principles behind Direct Trade Coffee:

(1) High wages.

(2) High quality.

(3) Direct purchasing through a relationship between farmer and buyer.

Since Direct Trade is a new idea, these ideals manifest themselves in different ways. Industry leaders like Counter Culture Coffee, Intelligentsia, and Stump Town Coffee Roasters each have their own standards for what these principles mean, but these standards all include a minimum purchase price, minimum cup quality, and minimum amount of contact between farmer and the company. Although Counter Culture may set quality standards based upon their proprietary tasting system, while Intelligentsia bases it on their own system, these companies are establishing their own set of guidelines they think best fulfill the three guiding principles.

In my mind, Direct Trade is the logical step forward from the current obsession with Fair Trade. First, Direct Trade is set up so that buyers, not farmers, pay fees. Fair Trade, on the other hand, requires large up-front costs from the farmers themselves. This policy actually excludes the small-scale, independent farmers that consumers often associate with the Fair Trade logo!

vs.

Second, Direct Trade is more sustainable. Since Direct Trade is as focused on quality as it is on price, it gives farmers a reason to continually improve their coffee growing and harvesting techniques. Fair Trade certification says nothing about the quality of the coffee. As such, people often end up paying a premium for inferior coffee grown by a large coffee plantation that can cover Fair Trade Certification costs. At least it has a Fair Trade Certified sticker on the bag, I guess.

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images via Counter Culture Coffee

Finally, even though we may just be “average coffee drinkers,” we should still have the opportunity to learn how our morning coffee got to where it is today. When buying a Direct Trade coffee, coffee shops will know if it came from a small-scale, independent farmer or a large-scale plantation, how much was paid for the coffee, and probably more than we would ever actually care to find out. With this knowledge, it is no longer coffee intermediaries, exporters or importers, or even local coffee shops that determine who we buy our coffee from and how much we pay them. It is us, the coffee drinkers of the world, that get to make this important choice.

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I think we buy fair trade products to feel better about ourselves, but in reality, do we know what this certification really means? I had never heard of direct trade before, and I find the difference from fair trade both significant and interesting.

Have you heard of direct trade? What are your thoughts on direct trade vs. fair trade?

snow running & a recipe…

2011-01-16T07:19:00.001-06:00

Thanks for the great responses to the commuter cycling post. Check it if you haven’t yet!

It has been a super busy week. Sometimes the best stress relief is a good run, even if there is a lot of snow outside, drivers don’t want to share the road with you…and you get sprayed by the snow plow.

Another thing that can ease stress after a busy day is a quick meal. This recipe was a little tricky for me to write out because I don’t usually measure anything…I just mix until things look right and taste good.

black bean burgers

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed (rinsing for 30 seconds can remove 30% of the sodium).
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2-3 T olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup crackers, crushed
1/4 cup salsa
pepper to taste

And here are my secret weapons…pastry cutters are traditionally used for making delicious pies, but they’re also great for mashing up black beans. Also, a jar lid greased with a little cooking spray is the best way to make burgers of uniform size that won’t fall apart. Any other helpful hints?

Heat 1-2 T of olive oil in a pan and cook burgers for 3-5 minutes on each side (depending on thickness). Top with a little guacamole for perfection.

Oh…my other favorite thing about winter is scraping the snow off the roof. It’s about as much fun as it sounds. And yes, the snow is up to my knees!

Alright…confession time. Are you a diehard outside exerciser, or do you stay inside in the winter?!

sustainability inspiration…

2011-01-13T09:26:00.000-06:00

As I’ve explored nutrition and responsibility, I’ve found that the principle of sustainability, or living in a way that contributes to the preservation and restoration of the world, is most certainly relevant.

Day 12: Give back to the environment

Although sustainability encompasses many things, I most often think about its relation to the environment. There are many ways [both big and small] to practice environmental responsibility:

buy local food
reusable shopping bags [I love baggu…but know they are “ethically” made in china]
recycle via thrifting
support sustainability efforts [Sustainable Harvest International, Microloan Coffee]

One thing I have always found interesting is the concept of commuter cycling…not only for its positive effect on the environment but for its contribution to health. I had the pleasure of interviewing 4 fantastic individuals from all over (St. Louis, Nashville, Chicago, W. Michigan) about their experiences with cycling as a primary form of transportation.

Dan is one my classmates from SLU’s dietetic internship. While the rest of us drove to our rotation sites and classes, Dan braved the crazy St. Louis drivers on his bike.

Dottie lives in Chicago and is a fantastic photographer. She and her husband decided to ditch their car after a year of living in Chicago…and never looked back.

Dave is a friend who’s made a lot of great strides toward sustainable living in a very non-progressive town. He loves Michael Pollan’s books and discussing food responsibility [and also commuted by foot for the first 1.5 years without a car].

Trisha is 1/2 of the blogging team behind Let’s Go Ride a Bike. She still has a car but bikes 2.5 miles daily to work.

What are some of the ways you practice sustainability? Have you ever thought about commuting via bicycle? If you have any questions, leave some comment love, and I’ll forward them to my contributors. Thanks to Dan, Dottie and Trisha at Let’s Go Ride a Bike, and Dave for collaborating with me on this post.

winter, etc.

2011-01-10T22:34:00.001-06:00

Well, the snow is back…I saw some sledders during my run this afternoon, which reminded me that I haven’t been sledding in forever.

This is partly because I’ve most recently lived in places without sledding hills…and going back farther than that, in highschool, I was always afraid I’d break my arm and have to miss the rest of my gymnastics season. Too bad I managed to tear my hamstring and sprain both my ankles in two separate seasons…without any help from the snow.

Anyway, while enjoying the lovely 19 degree temps, I’ve been wearing my favorite warm scarf (made by the ex-roommate), cooking up comfort food, and doing some quality reading.

apple crumble [martha rose shulman]

Incredibly easy…I substituted oats for the quinoa topping simply because there is only one oven in the kitchen I’ll be teaching in, and I’m trying to time all my dishes carefully.

I know I’ve talked a lot about my appreciation for Michael Pollan’s books, but a friend recommended Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals to me, and I haven’t been able to put it down.

While Pollan does an excellent job digging into the history of food and explaining how our country developed such a problem with agriculture and eating food that is not food, Foer speaks more to the tie between human experience relevant to food.

Foer talks about the process behind his decision to eat (or not to eat) animals in a completely entertaining but thoughtful way. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in food responsibility. Perhaps a more detailed review to come in the future…

vegan un-mac & cheese [my breakfast blog]

My taste testers said calling this dish “mac & cheese” was misleading because it doesn’t taste like the mac & cheese. Fine then. Call it magical vegan pasta or whatever your little heart desires.

Day 11: The gift of affirmation…

Words can be very powerful. Let your friends and family know what you appreciate about them. Your words of encouragement just might fall at a time when someone needs it most. A little cheesy, I know, but it’s definitely happened to me before.

Have you read Eating Animals? What is the best book you read in 2010?

Coming up…

the LAST day in the 12 days of giving series. I’m really excited about this one because it features commuter cycling, which is becoming a semi-hot topic in the blogworld.

quick weeknight meals

2011-01-07T07:54:00.001-06:00

Great responses on the NY Times eating before breakfast article. Last minute thoughts, then I’m done, promise!

Important things to remember when reading a media-reported health study:

the media loves sensationalist material and often misinterprets information.
one study will not necessarily change what we know about health slash nutrition; it takes many studies to validate results or form any sort of concrete conclusion.
studies are often conducted in highly controlled environments with variables designed to achieve results; applying the results of a study to the general population isn’t usually realistic.

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As nutrition counseling appointments stack up for the new year, I find requests for quick weeknight meals a common theme. It’s pretty stressful to have to make any meal, let alone a healthful meal at the end of the work day.

Here’s a favorite that’s ready in no time and is a fantastic way to sneak in those vegetables.

Step 1. Chop up an assortment of veggies…your choice. Season with olive oil, black pepper, garlic, maple syrup, and a shake of parmesan cheese.

Step 2. Place vegetable mixture in foil, and form into packets.

Step 3. Bake at 400 F for about 50 minutes.

Step 4. Serve over quinoa, which takes ~15 minutes to cook. Top with feta cheese if you’re feeling adventurous.

Not sure how it could get much quicker [or easier] than that.

If you have extra time, you can make this whole wheat carrot cake.

[whole wheat carrot cake]

ingredients

scant 1 cup turbinado sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups applesauce
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 9 x 13 pan.
Combine the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, soda, & applesauce. With an electric mixer beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the carrots and the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

*note: I made my own frosting with vanilla yogurt + powdered sugar. I didn’t measure anything, so just mix until it’s the desired consistency.

What’s your fave quick fix dinner? If you have a recipe link, please share! I’m in the process of making a book for my clients and would love your suggestions.

Day 10: the gift of reading

Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud [search for a program in your area].

You can give by volunteering to be a reader or donating gently used or new books. As someone who grew up doing a lot of reading (Nancy Drew was one of my favorites) and still loves it today, I know how much reading can contribute to educational development…and imagination.

Happy weekend, all. I’ll be in the kitchen testing out recipes for my first ever cooking class next week…wish me luck!

eating breakfast is for….losers?!

2011-01-05T15:20:00.002-06:00

In certain cities, blizzards incapacitate citizens…in West Michigan, half the city was at the health club I work at while the snow continued to fall [thanks to those lovely NY resolutions]. I hope this means they’ll want nutrition counseling, too.

While we’re on the topic of gym-ming, I want to revisit the whole eating breakfast before exercising debate. I briefly mentioned this in an earlier post, asking you about your pre-workout eating routine.

Some of you may have seen this article in the New York Times by Gretchen Reynolds. While the article was carefully crafted, many people drew the conclusion that skipping breakfast before exercising was the best way to go (as evidenced by the article’s comment section).

After reading the actual study, here’s what I found interesting:

the number of study participants was small (n=28); they were also regular, healthy exercisers vs. obese individuals (who are also often insulin resistant).
the workouts implemented in the study were pretty intense: 60 minutes x 2 days/week + 90 minutes x 2 days/week of cycling and running; again, not something in which the casual exerciser could likely engage.
all 3 groups gained weight while consuming a high calorie (>30% caloric needs) and high fat diet (50% total calories), regardless of whether they exercised or not.
Good things: insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were improved in the group that fasted before working out but not the breakfast before exercise group. However, both of these things should be fine if you’re healthy.

Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to eat a healthful diet and engage in regular, moderate exercise (let’s be honest…most people probably don’t run or bike for an hour at a time)? I doubt that eating breakfast before exercising will cause weight gain if one is not consuming excess calories. In addition, having low blood sugar before beginning a workout may lead to a pretty sub-par workout.

In all, I think that the breakfast thing is personal. If you can complete your morning workout sans breakfast without going into hypoglycemia, then kudos to you. If you can’t, I wouldn’t worry about turning into a donut anytime soon.

Day 9: Send a snail mail thank you…

Although email is incredibly convenient, there is nothing like getting a handwritten note via the good ole postal system...I still keep a collection of letters from friends that are always nice to return to after a rough day.

Thoughts on this post are welcome, as always!

reasons to celebrate the new year…

2011-01-03T20:37:00.001-06:00

Thanks for your comments on my 2010 recap. It was important for me to look back and remember all of the good things that have happened. The uncertainty of the future is overwhelming, but I was reminded that despite all of the challenges ahead, I am incredibly blessed.

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Warm weather! We had some unseasonably warm weather here in Michigan, which led to a 5 mile run in shorts in the middle of winter. Crazy.

As you can see, the snow melted (I’m completely ok with this). So sorry to anyone currently dealing with snow and shoveling and people who don’t know how to drive…but don’t be too jealous, I’m pretty sure it’s blizzarding outside right now.

Everything is pretty brown and ugly, though. I have to admit that the snow makes the park much prettier.

Homemade pizza…I love adding my own toppings and making the crust. Perfect for dinner parties with picky guests (ha).

Hello, new camera. Goodbye, old dinosaur camera which required me to take 60 billion photos(+) before getting a decent shot.

Ice cream is seriously my favorite thing ever, although I really don’t eat it a lot in the winter. CSN was kind enough to provide this Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, and Sorbet Maker for review. I like the idea of adding my own ingredients without additives, preservatives, and a plethora of food dyes.

The Cuisinart was super easy to use, and it didn’t take long to make this vegan coconut mango ice cream. One note on the recipe: cut the sugar in half or leave it out completely; coconut milk is definitely sweet enough on its own.

Catching up with friends…on life lately. Sometimes I’m bad at keeping in touch, but I really appreciate the friendships that pick up right where they left off.

Obviously 12 days of giving was not completed in December. But who says that giving needs to be isolated to the holiday season?! So…I’m extending the series into January.

Day 8: Donate your surplus sweaters…

The Salvation Army is a great place to donate your gently used but no longer worn clothing, furniture, and housewares (especially as you’re making room for your Christmas presents). When you donate or purchase from a Salvation Army store, you are also supporting their Adult Rehabilitation ministry. Find a store near you!

What things are you celebrating so far in 2011?

hello, 2011

2011-01-01T15:22:00.001-06:00

[2010 looks pretty different from 2009…]

:: 10 highlights from 2010 ::

1) Started part 2 of SLU’s dietetic internship…love these girls! We spent a lot of time together as the 4 peds interns, and I still have them all on speed-dial.

2) Ran my 3rd half marathon with 10 of my internship friends…maybe the half marathon itself shouldn’t really be a highlight. I have since decided spring races really aren’t my thing.

3) Completed a health promotion rotation at Washington University in St. Louis with ADA past president Connie Diekman, which really confirmed my love for nutrition counseling and communications and passion for working with college students.

4) Graduated from SLU’s pediatric dietetic internship…and said goodbye to 33 amazing friends and future colleagues. I feel like I learned so much in 10 very short months.

5) Became a registered dietitian! After 7 years of higher ed, I was definitely ready for this one!

6) Moved back to beautiful Michigan.

7) Started my own nutrition counseling business…I love talking about nutrition and life with people, and saving grace nutrition is the perfect outlet for this.

8) Wrote my second journal article on probiotics and necrotizing enterocolitis, forthcoming from the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group’s Building Block for Life.

9) Read Michael Pollan’s first book, In Defense of Food, which cemented my label as a hipster dietitian. I’m currently in the middle of his second book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which is also really interesting.

10) Foodbuzz 24^3 Hipster Thanksgiving…lots of work but lots of amazing food.

2010 feels like it has flown by! I’m not the type who makes NY resolutions…but I do think goal setting and reevaluation of progress is really important.

This post-dietetic internship period has been difficult for me as I sort out what I’m meant to do relevant to the nutrition world, but I’m trusting that God will guide me into whatever lies ahead…and I’m looking forward to embracing positive changes and amazing adventures.

Happy 2011!

What things do you want to accomplish in the year ahead?

protein and athletic performance {and vega review}

2010-12-30T16:43:00.001-06:00

Hope the Christmas recovery is going well for everyone…so much fantastic food and family time in one consolidated dose that it can be slightly overwhelming.

Mine has been filled with lots of game time…

Please notice the lovely scorecard below; I always consider it a good day when I beat the English major, who knows more words than I will ever know. Ever.

And now for the protein story, part II…[read the intro post here]. Protein is one of the most highly debated topics in the exercise world, specifically how much (and what kind) is needed for optimal athletic performance.

Fuel used during exercise

during short duration exercise (sprinting, weight lifting), protein and amino acid use is negligible.
during prolonged exercise (endurance cycling or distance running), amino acids may account for ~2-5% of total energy expenditure
there is little evidence that more than 0.8-1.6 g/kg of protein per day is needed.
carbohydrates are an important fuel: the rate of glycogen (stored byproduct of carb metabolism) breakdown is high during weight lifting, so replenishing CHOs to rebuild muscle glycogen is important.

The bottom line

excess calories consumed from any macronutrient (carbs, fat, or protein) will lead to weight gain and conversion to adipose tissue.
the main fuels used during exercise are carbohydrates and fat; protein use is usually between 2% and 10% of the total energy expended.
most people can meet protein requirements by consuming dietary protein.
while protein is important, an overall balanced diet containing sufficient calories is the key to increasing muscle strength and size.
There is no solid evidence that special mixtures of amino acids provide any advantage over normal dietary proteins in stimulating muscle growth.

*source: Sports Science Exchange Roundtable 42 VOLUME 11 (2000);4.

For those who do need extra protein, I prefer non-soy, vegetable based protein vs. whey or soy protein. Whey is one of the two types of protein found in cow’s milk (casein is the other), so it is a dairy by-product. Soy protein contains soy protein concentrate or soy protein isolate, which have a high concentration of isoflavones, the estrogen-mimicking compounds which are controversial for their potential effect on various types of cancer. However, if the protein supplement is not being used regularly, choosing whey or soy protein powder will likely not cause harm.

Vega makes plant based protein powders and shakes free of artificial colors and flavors and most common allergens including artificial sweeteners, corn, dairy, gluten, soy, wheat and yeast. I also appreciate their commitment to sustainability.

While I don’t always advocate protein powder for the normal healthy individual, and I’m not convinced that the branched chain amino acids or special ingredients like maca root extract will necessarily yield improved athletic performance or increased energy, I feel more comfortable recommending a plant based product free of artificial ingredients.

And here’s a little preview of my CSN review…can you guess what it is?!

What are your thoughts on protein powder? Do you use it regularly?

joy

2010-12-25T15:59:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas…from my family to yours!

Here’s to celebrating the good things in life and embracing the challenges it brings…

and to eating lots of delicious things [in moderation, of course].

Have a fantastic day, wherever you are!

p.s. another CSN review coming your way soon…although their modern furniture is pretty exciting, I’ll {of course} be reviewing a kitchen item. :)

holiday caffeination

2010-12-23T10:11:00.002-06:00

I may be a dietitian, but I love coffee (in moderation, of course…read my thoughts on caffeine here). You may remember Patrick’s guest post from earlier this year, and I’m happy to bring you an update.

Day 7: [better than] fair trade coffee

Patrick Hughes [read his guest post] once dreamed of a career as a mechanical engineer and a 9-5 desk job. When he realized that he was following the expectations others had for him instead of his own ambitions, he made the life changing decision to partner with some friends and form Unión MicroFinanza, a microfinance organization in Honduras [yes, as in Central America].

Instead of merely giving loans to coffee farmers, Unión MicroFinanza works to educate them on financial responsibility and better farming techniques. The extra effort has not gone unrewarded; Unión MicroFinanza has been extremely successful, with a loan repayment rate greater than 99%.

Despite his accomplishments, Patrick is still a pretty humble guy and not afraid of tedious tasks like putting 300 stickers on bags of coffee. He says one of the biggest challenges has been immersing himself in the Honduran culture while trying to induce positive changes.

Patrick’s passion for his organization and for helping others is infectious. He truly believes that hard work can land anyone a dream job. The other members of the Unión MicroFinanza team include:

Andrew Boyd, Manager of Business [special thanks for delivering Microloan Coffee to my doorstep on Thanksgiving!].

Michael De Wit, Manager of Development

Daniel Schwartz, Manager of Community Relations

Ways to help:

Become a fan of Unión MicroFinanza on Facebook
Buy coffee! [As a borderline coffee snob, I will say that this is the best coffee I’ve ever had].
Make a donation.

I also had a really interesting discussion with Patrick about direct trade vs. fair trade…more thoughts on that to come.

Where does your coffee come from? And does it fit into a sustainable lifestyle?
How many of you are working your dream job?

list for a tuesday…

2010-12-21T21:07:00.001-06:00

Thanks for all the comments on the protein post. I do want to say that although I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, I don’t worry about protein. I eat lots of vegetables, and I love nut butter and quinoa.

1]. I’m not over eating pumpkin yet. I don’t care if it’s winter. I miss fall, and I will continue to eat pumpkin in protest [pumpkin pancake recipe here].

2]. I love artsy gift tags. These were pretty fun to make, but I should probably practice cutting out circles by the looks of those edges.

Want to print out your own? Click here for the PDF download…

3]. Did you see the NYT article on exercising before breakfast? I always eat before running or working out in the morning, and I think this article was very interesting. More on that to come…

4]. I don’t know who is behind the christmas is happening music project, but it’s pretty awesome. I hear that some of the songs will be available for download soon, so check it out for some musical inspiration.

5]. Day 6: Forgive.

This one is definitely intangible but still powerful. Hurt we carry is often more damaging to us than the person who wronged us. So forgive someone else...or yourself, and welcome the freedom that comes with it.

Do you exercise before breakfast?!

the protein story

2010-12-16T05:50:00.001-06:00

I’ve blogged about the other 2 macronutrients already (carbs and fat) and get a lot of questions about whether I think dairy and animal protein is healthful, so I think it’s time to address the issue.

What is protein?

Daily, your body uses and turns over protein for tasks such as tissue building and repair, forming enzymes and hormones, and making antibodies to fight infections.

Protein can come from animal sources or plant sources. Protein from animal sources is called complete protein or high biological value protein. This means that the protein contains all of the essential amino acids (those that the body cannot produce on its own).

Vegetarians & Vegans

If you missed my other posts about vegetarianism and veganism, read them here and here. The American Dietetic Association states that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

Many people wonder if adequate protein intake is possible when consuming an animal-free diet. Vegetables and grains also contain protein, but it is important to remember that these are not complete sources of protein. It is best to consume a variety of foods throughout the day in order to meet protein requirements.

How much protein should I eat?

The ADA currently recommends 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (1 kg = 2.2 pounds). If you are 140 pounds, ~51 grams of protein (most 3 oz servings of meat contain ~20 g protein) would be adequate. This amount of protein is sufficient for recreational and some competitive athletes, although weight lifters and endurance athletes (marathoners, triathletes, etc.) may have slightly higher needs.

Endurance Athletes

Type of Training	Daily Protein needs/kg	Daily Protein needs/lb
Light to moderate training	1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram	0.55 to 0.8 grams per pound
Heavy training load and high intensity	1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram	0.7 to 0.9 grams per pound

Strength Training

Type of Training	Daily Protein needs/kg	Daily Protein needs/lb
Weight and Body-focused Sports	1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram	0.55 to 0.8 grams per pound
Body Building	1.4 to 1.7 grams per kilogram	0.63 to 0.77 grams per pound

Sports science experts Mark Hargreaves, PhD says: Strength and endurance athletes may need to consume 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram body weight each day (about 3-4 oz. per day for a 160 lb athlete), which is somewhat greater than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (0.8 g/kg).

According to Kevin Tipton, PhD, a metabolism expert: Studies from our laboratory indicate that exercise may actually reduce the requirement for protein intake due to the stimulation of muscle anabolism by the exercise itself. This may explain how some endurance athletes, such as the Kenyan distance runners, can thrive on very low protein intakes.

Most protein requirements can be met through dietary protein intake. If unable to meet requirements, you may consider a protein supplement…more on this in an upcoming post.

Benefits of animal protein and vegetable protein?

animal: complete protein; can consume less of it to meet requirements; may be high in saturated fat and calories.

vegetable: fiber and protein without calories and saturated fat but must consume more to meet requirements; less acidic for those with related health conditions.

I haven’t done enough research to conclude that complete elimination of animal products is beneficial for every person. Doing so is a very personal decision…I don’t believe in cookie-cutter diet recommendations. See a registered dietitian to help you plan an appropriate diet. :)

Day 5: Phone a friend

Text messaging has taken over a good chunk of our daily communication; take some time out of your day to catch up with someone > 160 characters, and you won’t regret it.

While text messaging is super convenient, phone calls are definitely more personal. They don’t have to last for hours; even a 10 minute shout-out can make someone’s day.

Who was the last person you called?!

sources: American Dietetic Association; Sports Science Exchange Roundtable 42 VOLUME 11 (2000);4

{gifts from the kitchen} a holiday guide

2010-12-13T08:20:00.001-06:00

As mentioned in my last post: while I think the material greed monster associated with the holidays is ridiculous, I do love giving and receiving thoughtful gifts. Here are some foodie-friendly ideas:

1) homemade bread

My family has a tradition of making Swedish coffee bread every year(side note: I’m adopted if you are thoroughly confused). While our recipe is [kinda] a family secret [meaning: if you emailed me, I’d probably share], here are some other breads that make great gifts.

2) sweet treats

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caramel photo via live, laugh, eat

40 homemade gifts from the kitchn
eggnog caramels from live, laugh, eat
gluten free brownies
hot chocolate mix + homemade marshmallows
peanut butter cups

3) cookies. I feel that an explanation here isn’t necessary. So many kinds of delish cookies to make…so little time.

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101 Cookbooks: Xmas Cookie Recipes
best big fat chewy chocolate chip cookies
beth’s oatmeal raisin cookies
peppermint pinwheels
sugar cookies

4) handcrafted items: Ok, so these aren’t really from the kitchen, but I thought I’d include them anyway. It’s no secret that I’m a little obsessed with crafting.

View Full Album

chapbooks
embroidered pillowcases
homemade cards
marble magnets
potholders
anything from etsy.com! [check out the ex-roomie’s store!]

Day 4: Time

I know I’ve focused primarily on monetary gifts so far, but I also want to think about other ways to give. Time is probably one of the most valuable non-material possessions in our society today, and there are so many ways to share it.

shovel your neighbor’s driveway: this is the ultimate gift, people, especially if you live in a snow-heavy area. and maybe they will offer you some hot chocolate in return?!
meet friends for coffee: this is mutually beneficial, but sometimes just clearing your schedule can be a sacrifice.
find somewhere to volunteer: read books at your local library, serve at a local food pantry…the possibilities are endless.
host a dinner party: what better way to show your friends that healthful eating can be delicious…and who doesn’t like free food?

Other ideas?!

Happy Giving…

supplemental, my dear watson.

2010-12-10T08:37:00.006-06:00

Well, hello there. I promise to stop ranting about the weather soon. I’m living in Michigan [land of plentiful lake effect snow] through the winter for the first time since 2003, and it’s a bit of a rough adjustment.

[however, Bayley the poodle doesn’t really seem to mind…].

In an effort to use up the surplus of frozen bananas taking over my freezer, I made banana muffins. They are vegan and delicious and have extra oatmeal for fiber power.

I am super excited about all those who are participating in…

and I also wanted to say that I am definitely not against giving {and receiving} gifts during the holiday season. When all focus on the giving aspect is lost or starts heading toward the realm of greediness…that’s when I start to get frustrated.

Day 3: Sustainable Harvest International

SHI was founded in 1997 by a Peace Corps volunteer and works to combat the tropical deforestation crisis in Central America by providing farmers with sustainable alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture. They use organic vegetable gardens, wood-conserving stoves, biogas digesters and a host of other projects to preserve our planet's tropical forests while overcoming poverty.

Ways to help:

*edited to add: SHI will match every donation received up to $10,000 through Monday!

Recently I did a little background research on supplements for a nutrition counseling client. My general thought on supplements: they are meant to supplement [ha] a generally healthful diet. You cannot eat a steady diet of twinkies and french fries followed by a dose of omega-3’s and expect a miracle.

Here are some supplements that have been popping up a lot recently:

multivitamins: I think these are ok to cover your bases and to meet any nutrient requirements you may have missed on a daily basis. Just make sure that none of the vitamins exceed the tolerable upper limit (check the Office of Dietary Supplements).
fish oil: role in cardiovascular health, decreasing blood pressure, lowering triglycerides; the American Heart Association recommends 2 servings (3.5 oz or ¾ cup baked, flaked fish) of fatty fish/week (salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna); Include oils and foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (flaxseed, canola and soybean oils; flaxseed and walnuts); recommendations: 3 grams or less per day (from capsules); if you are healthy but aren’t consuming fish or sources of ALA regularly, a supplement may be ok, depending on the amount of omega-3’s it contains.
L-carnitine: plays a role in fatty acid metabolism; not enough evidence to support L-carnitine for athletic performance, improved immune function, or weight reduction (Fragakis &Thompson, 2007); supplements not necessary for healthy individuals
green tea extract: possesses antioxidant activity; may have anticarcinogenic activity (anti-cancer); moderate doses demonstrated to be safe; may interfere with iron absorption; insufficient evidence to conclude that green tea improves heart health, assists in blood pressure control, or promotes weight control by increasing energy expenditure; get antioxidants by eating vegetables and fruit!
vitamin D: plays role in calcium metabolism; may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. The IOM recently released new recommendations: 600 IU/day, with upper tolerable limit 4,000 IU/day. This level is controversial, and some have taken well over 4,000 IU/day without negative side effects. Supplements not necessarily harmful but may not be needed if you’re already getting dietary vitamin D and vitamin D through your multivitamin (and the sun!); we don’t know the optimal level of vitamin D intake.

Do you take any supplements? Thoughts?

…and a shameless plug: My friend Sarah’s brother [Sam] is a finalist in the Lea & Perrins contest for his shake it up pulled pork sandwich…he is trying to raise money to study abroad and needs your votes!

snow

2010-12-06T09:29:00.003-06:00

Winter, I am so not ready for you. I was spoiled living in St. Louis last year…barely any snow at all. This week has been interesting exercise-wise, starting with a frosty 10 miler and ending with my first zumba experience, which was pretty fantastic. Not exactly like my floor routine days as a gymnast but great exercise to fun music.

My feelings on snow: as a Michigander, I’ve grown up shoveling it, driving in it, throwing it…so running in it is no big deal. Thanks to the jokester who offered me a ride, though [seriously?! I am hardcore unless a tornado is coming down the street].

Great responses to 12 days of giving! I’m really excited to feature some fantastic and very worthy causes during the holiday season, and I’m glad that so many of you are also committed to giving [also looking for a few more, so email me {healthnut.em@gmail.com} if you have ideas].

Day 2: Seeds for a family…

Giving doesn’t always have to be local. I think it’s nice to think globally, especially since the US provides more government support than many other countries.

For $17, you could provide seeds for an entire family! I think it’s really fun to give gifts like clean water ($25), a share of a sewing machine ($25), or 5 fruit trees ($30) in a friend or family member’s name. World Vision International will send a card to your recipient which gives more detail about their gift. Check out their website for more great gift ideas!

My coping strategies of choice related to < 30 degree weather and snow:

…tea, reading, and pumpkin chocolate chip scones [thank you, mama pea].

p.s. congrats to Stonyfield giveaway winner Megan D! Please email me {healthnut.em@gmail.com} with your deets!

a season of giving

2010-12-01T07:24:00.002-06:00

I love the holiday season. Christmas is probably my favorite, mostly because it’s always such a great time of getting together with family and friends…and because my family has a ton of fun traditions during this time [and let’s be honest…I love Christmas music].

I get pretty excited to give gifts (and am completely horrible at keeping them secret), but as I’ve grown older, I’ve seen more and more consumer greed pollute a pretty simple holiday. And I hate it.

I don’t often get preachy on this blog because that’s not what it’s about, but this holiday season, I really want to challenge myself to focus on using the resources I’ve been blessed with to help others who are truly in need. I’d love for you to join me on this, so today [December 1st?!], I’m introducing…

[Note: Since there are obviously not 12 weeks in December, and the 12 days of Christmas traditionally begin on December 25, I’m going to take the liberty of spacing the days out randomly throughout the month.]

Day 1: Fill a food bank

While my family consumes an abnormally large amount of food on Christmas Eve (we have a traditional Swedish smorgasbord), many families will be struggling just to put food on the table.

Here is a national directory of food banks, which are always looking for donations. I thought this poster was interesting regarding giving monetary vs. food donations.

From the website:

If people go to the store and buy food to give to a food drive, every dollar they spend puts only a dollar’s worth of food into the charity food distribution system, and the donor receives no tax benefit for their gift. If they give money (write a donation check) instead, they can claim half of what they give as a credit on their income taxes and as much as a quarter of it as a deduction on their Federal taxes, so each dollar they give may only cost them 25-cents, and then the Food Bank can turn around and turn their dollar into as many as 33 meals’ worth of food! Fund drives make adequately addressing the hunger problem possible by making it affordable.

Tax deduction? Yes, please. Just another fantastic reason to donate. So forgo your extra jar of $8 nut butter or $4 holiday latte at Sbux this week…and do something that really matters. :) Feel free to copy the logo above and put it on your blog if you’re participating! {and be sure to let me know!}.

On a food-related note: it’s still roasted vegetable season.

[image via 101 Cookbooks because mine was not half as pretty]

Beets actually pair pretty nicely with delicata squash…who knew? Loosely based off this 101 Cookbooks recipe…

What are you doing to give back this holiday season?

p.s. so fitting that it’s snowing on December 1st. Anybody else get their first winter dusting this morning?!

and don't forget to enter the Stonyfield giveaway!

giveaway + the {highly anticipated} chapbook tutorial

2010-11-29T09:59:00.002-06:00

If you haven’t checked out my 24^3 Thanksgiving post yet…I’d love for you to click on over. Lots of good food and good times.

[my fantastic sibs: they are way cooler than I am].

I promised a chapbook tutorial, so here you go. In case you were wondering:

chapbook: pocket-sized book filled with poetry, art, recipes, etc.

Supplies:

blank 4 x 6 notecards (you can also use recycled paper cut to this size)
brown paper lunch bags
padding compound
binder clips
waxed paper
heavy books
scissors, glue, q-tips

Step 1: Make a cover. I used wordle.net and typed in my own content.

Step 2: Print your content onto 4 x 6 notecards or paper. Arrange tightly in a stack, and attach binder clips to the side closest to the spine of the book.

Step 3: Use a q-tip to spread a thin layer of padding compound on the edge of the spine. Be careful not to let it drip down the back or front covers of your book.

Step 4: Let the padding compound dry overnight. In the morning, remove the binder clips, and press the book in waxed paper between a stack of heavy books for a few hours.

Step 5: Cut a strip for the binding from a brown paper lunch bag, and glue it to the book’s spine. Let dry.

Pretty easy! Let me know if you end up making a chapbook of your own. They make pretty fantastic gifts, and they can be green friendly if you use recycled paper.

And on a more food-related note…

One of the appetizers served on Tgiving was Michigan apples + pumpkin dip, which is slightly addicting [recipe here]. I used a homemade version of Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese.

Greek yogurt hit the blogworld about a year or so ago and is basically regular yogurt with the whey strained out, which makes it thicker. You can easily make your own Greek yogurt by draining regular yogurt through a cheesecloth lined strainer overnight.

If I use yogurt in a recipe, I prefer to use organic (free of hormones). Stonyfield is my go-to brand, and they were nice enough to provide this giveaway [lots of coupons for free yogurt!].

:: Two ways to win ::

1. Comment in response to this post. What’s your fave kind of Stonyfield yogurt, or do you have a fave recipe that incorporates yogurt?

2. Earn an extra brownie point by mentioning the giveaway on your blog or tweeting about it and linking back to this post. Let me know you did so when you comment.

Deadline is Friday, December 3rd at midnight (EDT).

After a busy weekend, I’m craving a long run and some good tunes. What was your fave dish this Tgiving?

Foodbuzz 24x24: a hipster(ish) thanksgiving

2010-11-25T19:46:00.003-06:00

Thanks to Foodbuzz (and a lot of help from friends & family), one epic Thanksgiving celebration is complete.

From peeling 60 billion potatoes from Visser farms…

to making chapbooks filled with poetry, art, and delish recipes [see menu here]…

it was a pretty fantastic time of eating and hanging out with friends and family.

This 24^3 event is titled a hipster(ish) thanksgiving because my hometown isn’t the most sustainable, food responsible city (but is growing!), and I consider it pretty hipster to eat local and organic food here.

I was really excited to support local farmers and businesses while creating an amazing meal and to share with my guests the importance of eating locally. Lots of vegetables were purchased from the farmers’ market…

and we made homemade stuffing from locally baked bread from Ryke’s Bakery.

We also served bread from the Laughing Tree Brick Oven Bakery, which runs entirely on solar power. It was amazing.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make my own marshmallows for the apple mallow yams.

Perfectly toasted and delicious. If you haven’t ever made your own marshmallows, you should definitely give it a try.

We tried a few unconventional dishes since Thanksgiving is usually pretty starch-heavy, including kale with garlic and cranberries…

apple slaw with local Michigan apples and cabbage,

and maple roasted brussels sprouts.

My family has a tradition of having our guests sign a tablecloth each Thanksgiving (to be embroidered later). It’s really fun to look back and see how many holidays have been celebrated over the years.

Lots of new names were added to the tablecloth this year, so I suspect a lot of sewing will be going down later.

And let’s be honest…every great Thanksgiving meal ends with pie. Homemade apple pie is a definite favorite for most of my family.

But I prefer the always festive pumpkin pie.

The only thing better than pie is pie topped with homemade ice cream. A local and sustainable restaurant, Mia & Grace, supplied this homemade Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream. Homemade ice cream trumps storebought ice cream any day in my book.

Some of you may remember Patrick’s guest post, and his freshly roasted coffee (as in roasted yesterday!) paired nicely with dessert. Attention coffee snobs: this is the best coffee you will ever drink. Get yours here, and support rural farmers in Honduras.

Although it’s been a crazy time since I finished my internship in May, I have a lot to be thankful for, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with good food + friends & family + supporting sustainability.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

if i could clone myself right now…

2010-11-19T08:05:00.002-06:00

This week has been seriously crazy. I’ve had lots of counseling clients and meetings and also taught another class at the health club.

And then there’s this…

Lovely little event that will be going down next Thursday thanks to Foodbuzz. I already spent $50 on local ice cream…priorities, priorities, people! This is the newly designed chapbook cover for Thanksgiving 2010. [I will also do a tutorial on making chapbooks, for those interested].

My class this week was on shaping up for the holiday season. I always like to serve food at classes to a) prove that healthy food can be delicious and b) shamelessly entice people to come.

herbed popcorn

image via 101 Cookbooks

harvest bars

carrot ginger soup

Here are some tips I found while putting together my class this week. They may be things you already know, but it’s always nice to have a list of strategies to keep you in your skinny jeans (taken from all over the place…not all my original ideas):

use a small plate: for some reason, we always want to fill the plate, no matter our appetites. or maybe we just need the plate size to remind us not to overindulge.
don’t eat next to the buffet table: it is so easy to munch mindlessly while talking. move away from the food…
keep some food on your plate: this way, your friendly hostess won’t push you into eating more.
fill half your plate with veggies: perfect way to get in those elusive daily servings.
bring a healthy dish: and get a friend to do so, also.
never use food rewards: treat yourself to new running gear, an i-tunes card, or a massage instead.
enjoy treats {in moderation}: food should be enjoyed, but just don’t go overboard.
watch drinkable calories: yes, they do add up, and alcohol does give you the munchies because it can lower blood sugar.

Any other tips to add to these?

p.s. there were a ton of questions on chapbooks, so I will dedicate some time to that subject in a future post…

blended soups, hipsters, and chapbooks

2010-11-14T13:32:00.001-06:00

My quest to find the perfect butternut squash soup recipe (ala the amazing bowl eaten at Farm) continues. The latest recipe included apples, leeks, and walnuts. It was pretty delicious, but the acidity of the apples + leeks were a little much, so I added some coconut milk. Not just right but getting closer…

The biggest news of late is that I will be tackling a local Thanksgiving meal or “a hipster Thanksgiving feast” for Foodbuzz’s November 24^3 event (24 bloggers, 24 meals, 24 hours). I’m really excited to have the opportunity to participate again (see last year’s epic 24^3 event), but this time I won’t have energy bar Dan’s creative expertise or culinary assistance.

Between 15-20 people will attend, so we’ll see how it all goes down. I am requiring my guests to dress appropriately. And we may be compiling a chap book as part of the event. I also wanted to make my own paper to print the menu on, but my mom said I was getting a little carried away…(yes, I’m all about go big or go home).

Exhibit A: a handbound chapbook (filled with poetry and art, etc.). Last year I made 33 of these…

I’ve also been researching different local products and delicious recipes to serve…if you have any creative Thanksgiving dish recipes, send them my way!

Exhibit B: delicious local bread from the Laughing Tree Brick Oven Bakery.

I’ll be purchasing the majority of food supplies locally, including an Amish turkey and lots of vegetables. This will be an epic Thanksgiving.

What’s your fave Thanksgiving dish (if you celebrate)…any unusual dishes unique to your family?

pumpkinhead

2010-11-10T13:21:00.001-06:00

Ok, ok. I promise that when fallslashwinter is over, pumpkin will disappear from this blog. Until then, please indulge.

Pumpkin gnocchi with pumpkin sauce. Loved the sauce, but I need to work on the gnocchi texture, probably because I used whole wheat flour. Any tips for perfecting gnocchi?

Super easy to make, and you also get to take part in some therapeutic dough rolling.

This week has been busy with meetings, the obesity project, nutrition counseling, writing material for my next nutrition class, and discussions about protein powder/supplements and athletic performance (anyone have good resources on this? email me: healthnut.em@gmail.com).

{ok, really?!!} I’m definitely more comfortable recommending something vegetable-based, but I’d love any feedback from those of you who use protein powder regularly.

My to-do list looks crazy. Seriously. There is a method to this madness, though…promise. [p.s. I am slightly obsessed with highlighters].

Also, a shoutout to my friend Emily Benson, who interviewed me on her blog, Embracing Liberties. Check out her blog for some pretty entertaining posts and a definitively awesome writing style. Welcome to any new readers!

Also, there will be commentary related to the result of Mark Haub’s research forthcoming. I may have a few things to say…

p.s. it is super nice today, and I just want to be outside!

weekend adventures

2010-11-07T17:32:00.001-06:00

Hmm, what does this look like to you?!

Here’s another hint…[no, it’s not a space convention].

Yes, yes! It’s a race! I went to Indianapolis this weekend to support my twin sister and Mica in the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon. I actually jumped in and ran the second half of the race, which was a lot of fun.

They both did really well and walked (or ran?) away with PRs, so congrats ladies! Being around 60 billion other runners always makes me want to race again, so I forsee some 10k or 15k races in my future…and maybe another half soon. It’s been hard for me to want to train for anything after the horrendous St. Louis half/heatstroke episode. Anyone else have a similar type of experience?!

Oh, and if you’re still looking for fantastic blended soup recipes, here’s another {carrot ginger soup}. I am going to eat blended soups until winter is over…just to warn you.

There might be another pumpkin recipe coming up, also…it’s time to start testing recipes for Michigan local thanksgiving 2010.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!