Q&A with Blogger Laura Wright, Author of The First Mess

With more people choosing a healthy lifestyle — and caring about where their food comes from and how it makes them feel — home cooks are flocking to Saveur award-winning blogger Laura Wright of The First Mess for both accessible seasonal vegan recipes and her captivating storytelling.

Why start a food blog?
Laura Wright: I was honestly just bored when I started my blog. I had been working in restaurants for a while and was getting called off shifts at a not-so-busy spot. So my friend suggested I take all of these things I had learned about plant-based cooking and apply it to an online project.

How did you learn to cook plant-based foods?
LW: I attended a nutritional culinary program that had me learning meat, fish, dairy, egg and produce preparations. Just learning the basics of classic cookery helped me when I applied it to my plant-based preferences. For my internship portion of college, I went to a strictly vegan restaurant, which was interesting in a lot of ways, but quite educational. I also grew up with a mother who cooked from scratch pretty much every night, so watching and learning from her gave me a good start.

What impact did growing up on a farm have on your perspective of food, cooking and community?
LW: I wouldn’t call it a farm — more of a large-scale hobby garden. The constant presence of fresh, seasonal food on the part of my family definitely put me on the right path. I cook at home and plant my own vegetables in the summer because of my upbringing, which is a huge part of my life now. I don’t really waste food because I know what goes into its passage from seed to dinner. I have such a reverence for the superior flavor of good produce, whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc. They make cooking easy, nourishing and fun — and that’s the message I try to convey with my work.

Why cook by season when these days so much produce is available year-round?
LW: I do bring some imported produce into my kitchen during the deep winter. My diet is entirely plant-based and nearing the end of February, things like cabbage, potatoes, and other stored items start to get old. I get the greens, avocados and citrus from California like so many other people do around that time, and I feel fine about it. Once we get into proper spring though, and right up until early November, I try to cook as seasonally as I can because it just feels good. I think the body naturally craves what’s popping up out of the ground and off the branches as it all happens. The flavor is also hard to beat.

Why do you recommend plant-based meals every day over eating everything in moderation? 
LW: I don’t think I generally recommend one over the other, and I think you can eat plant-based with a sense of moderation at the same time, too. A plant-based lifestyle has helped me feel my best, my most energetic and I love the food that I make with it as a guide. I respect that every body is different, and everyone responds differently to certain foods. I’m not trying to get the whole world to go vegan, but if a family decides to forgo meat or cheese one night a week in favor of one of my recipes, that gets me excited.

How did your body feel differently when you first went vegan in college? Do you still feel the same health benefits are true? 
LW: I immediately felt like I had a surplus of energy. At that moment of life when I made the change, I was doing plant-based with lots of fresh vegetables, whole grains, pulses and nuts/seeds (I still eat that way). Nothing processed or pre-fab like tofu “chicken” nuggets or something. I was sleeping better and didn’t find myself hitting the afternoon slump as hard. And I do feel the same benefits now! I’ve had to change some things as I get a tiny bit older, but I feel like those core whole foods still give me the best energy.

Is vegan cooking easy — and affordable enough — for every day? 
LW: Yes and yes. If you learn a few basic preparation methods—like how to make a good salad dressing, a batch of brown rice or quinoa, a pot of beans, a good smoothie that you like, you’re already on your way to eating well with relative ease. I don’t think good food has to be complicated, but I also feel like anyone can learn to appreciate the transformation that cooking more often brings into your life. As long as you’re starting with whole foods, plant-based eating is quite affordable. You don’t need to stock your pantry with superfoods and fancy vegan versions of cheese, or anything like that. Whole grains, dried beans and nuts/seeds in bulk are accessible for a lot of people.

Why do you think there’s a perception that vegans don’t get enough protein? What are your favorite sources of protein?
LW: I don’t understand that perception! I guess it makes sense if you grew up with meat/eggs at the center of your plate. I eat a highly varied, whole food, plant-based diet, so I know that all the grains, pulses, vegetables, nuts, etc. will eventually add up to a complete protein that my body can use over the course of the day. I’ve never in my life felt deficient in protein and I work out regularly. My favorite sources of plant-based protein are quinoa, hemp seeds and chickpeas.

What three pieces of advice would you give a vegan beginner? 
LW: 1. Start small. Learn five core meal-appropriate recipes from front to back, and keep experimenting once you have those locked down.
2. Watch YouTube videos of professional plant-based cooks to get a better idea of what sensory cues you’re looking for with basic recipes.
3. Remember that it’s just food and even the most colossal failure is usually edible or easily repurposed.

Veganism is on the rise — especially among teens. Do you think social media has helped elevate its popularity? 
LW: Oh, for sure! The amount of YouTube and Instagram accounts dedicated to eating healthy and vegan (many of them started by young people) create an infectious energy. These accounts showcase such beautiful, colorful food. The positivity that beams off many of these pages is easy to catch. I also think a healthy lifestyle has become much cooler in the last 5 years or so. People care more about where their food comes from and how it makes them feel.

What are five must-have items every vegan starter pantry should have? How about every vegan dream pantry?

5 Must-Have Items Every Vegan Starter Pantry Should Have
1. Brown rice
2. Dry/canned beans
3. Tamari soy sauce
4. Canned tomatoes
5. Good olive oil

5 Must-Have Items Every Vegan Dream Pantry Should Have
1. Miso paste
2. Nutritional yeast
3. Spices
4. Maple syrup
5. Vinegars (balsamic, apple cider, sherry)
6. Roasted almond butter

Please share a favorite season recipe from your cookbook.
LW: Yes, I’d love to share my Gingered Brussels Sprout and Shiitake Pot Stickers. They look fussy to make with their folded tops, but they’re anything but. After I moisten the edge of the wonton wrapper, I quickly pinch and secure in any way I can to get the Brussels sprout and shiitake filling locked in. They wind up looking pretty in that “perfectly imperfect” way. If I’m serving these as a snack or an appetizer, I brown them ahead of time and just keep them warm on a low setting in the oven. The salty-sweet soy dip absolutely makes these!

 

Gingered Brussels Sprout and Shiitake Pot Stickers (pictured above at top right)

Makes: about 25 pot stickers

 

Dipping Sauce:

¼ cup (50 mL) gluten-free tamari soy sauce

2 tablespoons (30 mL) pure maple syrup

½-inch (1 cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated with a Microplane grater

1 green onion, finely sliced

2 teaspoons (10 mL) sesame seeds

 

Pot Stickers:

1 tablespoon (15 mL) virgin olive oil, plus extra for cooking

1 medium shallot, fine dice (about ¼ cup/50 mL diced shallot)

1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

2 cups (500 mL) sliced Brussels sprouts (about ½ pound/227 g)

1 clove garlic, minced

1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

salt and pepper, to taste

25 wonton wrappers

 

Make the dipping sauce: Whisk the tamari, maple syrup, ginger, green onion, and sesame seeds together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make the pot stickers: Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots. Stir and cook until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms. Stir and sauté the mushrooms until they start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, garlic, and ginger, and stir. Season everything with salt and pepper. Keep stirring the filling until the Brussels sprouts are bright green and slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and allow the filling to cool slightly.

Set out a small bowl of water. To assemble the pot stickers, divide the vegetable filling among the wonton wrappers, placing about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Take one filled wonton wrapper and dip your finger in the bowl of water. Moisten two sides of the wrapper, fold all sides together, and pinch along the edge to form a seal. Repeat with the remaining filled wrappers.

Wipe the sauté pan and heat a thin slick of olive oil over medium heat. Fry the pot stickers in batches until they’re golden brown on all sides, about 1 full minute per side. Add more oil to the pan as needed to finish cooking all the pot stickers.

Serve the pot stickers hot with the dipping sauce on the side.

Per serving (1): Calories:43; Fat 1 g (Saturated Fat 0 g); Sodium 302 mg; Carbohydrate 8 g; Fiber 1 g; Sugar: 1 g; Protein 2 g

Recipe reprinted from The First Mess Cookbook by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2017, Laura Wright

Silvana Nardone is the author of Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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Myth or Fact? Cooking with Aluminum Foil is Dangerous

Lining sheet pans, packets for the grill, and storage in the fridge are just a few of the uses that aluminum foil can have in your kitchen. But can cooking with foil can have dangerous consequences?

Myth or Fact?
Over the years, rumors have swirled about high levels of aluminum leading to health risks including Alzheimer’s and kidney disease. The truth is aluminum is all around us (even in the water supply), and regular contact does not appear to cause problems. Thankfully, the body has numerous mechanisms in place to help rid the body of excess amounts of this metal. That said, consumption of toxic levels over time could eventually be dangerous to bone, brain, muscle and other tissues.

In the Kitchen
Is there a concern for the home cook? It may depend on how you use foil in your kitchen. There’s not enough research to date to say use of foil will pose immediate harm. Studies that do exist reveal that wrapping cold or cooled foods in foil for storage did not lead to leeching of any aluminum. However, a study published in 2012 did find that cooking with aluminum at high temps and the use of acidic foods, salt, and spices did perpetuate a greater amount of leeching.

Bottom Line
More research may be needed to warrant tossing all your foil in the trash. Determine if the food you prepare comes into contact with foil and assess if this could potentially contribute to a higher than desirable intake of aluminum. If you are concerned about your intake, reserve foil for food storage instead of cooking.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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8 Healthy Meal Hacks to Steal From Dietitians

I love a nutritious meal, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m all about the shortcuts that make healthy cooking easy and fast! I was curious about what hacks my dietitian colleagues use in the kitchen, so I asked them for their best:

 

Heat hacks

• Turn your rice cooker into a workhorse. “Like steel-cut oatmeal, but don’t like waiting 40 minutes?” asks Maggie Moon, MS, RDN, author of The MIND Diet. “Add oats and water according to package directions, and use the porridge setting on your rice cooker. Do it at night, and you’ll have perfect steel-cut oats in the morning. Rice cookers can also steam vegetables, cook fish in 15 minutes, or even slow-cook chicken or pork—just add broth and aromatics.”
• Cook extra portions. “Make extra servings of food that you can repurpose,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It. 
  “Tonight’s grilled salmon for dinner can become tomorrow’s salmon over salad for lunch. Or just mash the salmon along with chopped veggies, egg, spices, and breadcrumbs. Then shape into salmon patties, and you’ll have a great dish for Sunday brunch!”

 

Fridge hacks

• Stash prewashed veggies. “I always keep a bag of prewashed spinach in the fridge to add to breakfast wraps or muffin-tin omelets,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, owner of com.  “For lunch, spinach makes a perfect bed for any protein like tuna or salmon salad—or it works as a nutrient-rich sandwich topper. And, it sautés in about a minute for a perfect add-in to any pasta dish or to bulk up a microwavable frozen entree.”
• Refrigerate extra veggies. “Chop and sauté a large batch of onions, peppers, mushrooms, and fresh spinach,” says Hope Warshaw, RD, CDE, author of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy. “Refrigerate it, and use it in a pasta sauce, on a pizza, in an omelet—or in couscous, quinoa, or other healthy grains. You’ll have a jumpstart on dinner.

 

Freezer hacks

• Make smoothie packs. “Save time at breakfast by making smoothie packs,” says Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, CSCS, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Fill multiple quart-size plastic bags each with a cup of leafy greens, a cup of cut-up fresh or frozen fruit, a Tablespoon of chia or flax seeds, and two Tablespoons of nuts. You can also freeze plain Greek yogurt in ice cube trays, and toss the frozen yogurt cubes in the bag. Stick the smoothie pack in the freezer, and pull one out when you want to make a quick smoothie.”
• Stock your freezer with frozen veggies. “I love to keep a few bags of frozen veggies on hand to throw together dinner in a flash,” says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, owner of com. “Frozen peas and any sort of frozen greens are my veggies of choices, because you can heat them up in minutes and throw them into a tortilla with a little cheese and canned beans to make a quesadilla. They also go great in an omelet. Just be careful of trying to eat frozen veggies alone because they can be slightly mushy after reheating.”
• Prep your greens. “We blend three cups of tightly packed spinach or kale with one-half cup water and then pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it,” say Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CFT, co- authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure. “We simply drop a few spinach cubes into smoothies, soups, omelets, stir-fries, and pasta sauces—and even use the cubes as broth.”
• Freeze extra stock. “I often whip up a chicken stock to make my kids a warming chicken noodle soup,” says Toby Amidor, MS, RD, author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen. “Instead of letting extra stock go to waste, I freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, I place the frozen cubes into a resealable bag labeled with the date frozen, as well as a three- month use-by date. When I’m making quinoa or brown rice—or just want to punch up the flavor in dishes, I can easily defrost the chicken stock ice cube in the microwave or stovetop.”

 

Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in Jersey City, NJ. She’s a regular contributor to many publications, including ReadersDigest.com, Shape.com, FitnessMagazine.com, Dr. Oz the Good Life, Runner’s World, and more—as well as WeightWatchers.com, where she was a longtime editor. She also pens a recipe-focused blog, Amy’s Eat List.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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Have You Tried Pinole?

Have you heard of pinole (pih-nole)? It may soon be giving quinoa a run for its money.  While this trendy superfood may be new to America, it has been around for centuries. Pinole is a grain mixture, made predominantly of heirloom blue and purple maize that’s roasted with raw cacao beans, then ground into a fine mixture. Served a multitude of ways, it’s most commonly combined with milk to form a thick, warm porridge. Similar in texture to oatmeal or grits, it’s a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.  Just two ounces of pinole provides 7 grams of fiber, 40 grams of complex carbohydrates, and 100 milligrams of anthocyanins; a specific antioxidant that may help reduce rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer and boost cognitive function.

In addition to being a great breakfast choice, pinole has historically been used as a source of fuel for endurance athletes. The Tarahumara Indians of northwestern Mexico, known for long-distance running, consume pinole as their daily staple. These native people, whose lives are highlighted in the book Born to Run, relied on two things to fuel their hundred mile journeys: chia seeds and pinole.

Of course, starting your day with this cornmeal porridge won’t turn you into an ultra marathoner, but can be part of a nutritious breakfast. Much like other complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, brown rice, and farro, pinole is a good source of energy, fiber, vitamins and minerals. While it’s slowly making its way into retail shelves, you can often find pinole online (Rancho Gordo sells a 1 pound bag for for $5.95), or at or at your favorite international or Mexican grocery store. If you’re looking to switch up your typical bowl of oats, give pinole a try.

Alex Caspero MA, RD, RYT is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher. She is the founder of Delish Knowledge (delishknowledge.com), a resource for healthy, whole-food vegetarian recipes. In her private coaching practice, she helps individuals find their “Happy Weight.” 

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

Photo courtesy of Rancho Gordo.

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5 Nordic Food Trends to Eat Now

Nordic food is hot. It’s healthy too. A recent study in The Journal of Nutrition found that a Nordic diet — rich in foods like whole grain rye, unsweetened yogurt, wild berries, root vegetables, herbs and fatty fish — can lower levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, and even lead to weight loss. While you may not make it to restauranteur Claus Meyer’s new Great Northern Food Hall in New York, the popular Minneapolis’ Fika Café or Broder Söder at the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation in Portland, OR, you can certainly discover these delicious ways to enjoy the new Nordic diet.

Canned or jarred fish

Pickled herring anyone? While not typical lunch fare, a Swedish smorgasbord would be incomplete without it. In the Nordic Diet study, people ate two to three servings weekly of fish. And eating fish more often is as easy as opening a jar of pickled herring from IKEA stores or most supermarket deli sections. Herring are mild tasting fish that are often pickled in a vinegary onion and black pepper brine, and are addictive on dark rye crackers topped with red onions, fresh dill and a bit of sour cream. And don’t forget canned sardines, which are harvested in the frigid waters of the Norwegian fjords; these trendy tins are packed with immunity boosters. Norwegian salmon is also an appealing choice; add it to potatoes and greens in our hearty-and-healthy Salmon Hash.

Pickled vegetables

The old technique of pickling vegetables is new again. This is evidenced by the whopping $14 price tag found on a jar of pickled seasonal veggies – and by their appearance on restaurant charcuterie platters. Participants in the Nordic diet study ate a lot of cukes and cabbage. Both would be perfect in this quick pickle recipe.

Icelandic yogurt

If you’ve never tasted the Icelandic yogurt known as skyr, get ready to really taste yogurt. With minimal sugar, the true tangy taste of cultured dairy comes through. Skyr is made by culturing non-fat milk and then straining the liquid, which leads to extra creamy cups. Probiotics in yogurt may play a role in heart health. Skyr can be substituted for cream cheese in most recipes, like this one, or try it in savory yogurt bowls.

Dark rye or barley breads

The open-faced sandwich, or Danish smorrebroad is usually anchored by dark rye or barley bread. These whole grains contain healthy fats. In the Nordic diet study, researchers noted that diets high in whole grains like rye, barley and oats can increase a person’s blood level of good fatty acids, like plasmalogen, which helps decrease their risk for inflammation-based diseases, like type-2 diabetes.

Wild berries

Cloud berries are tiny, native Scandinavian berries that grow wild and have become known for their powerful antioxidant profiles – and the outrageous prices they command on the world market. Closer to home, you’ll be lucky to find antioxidant-rich domestic wild berries at summer farmers markets: huckleberries in the West, tiny wild blackberries in the Midwest and the South, and in the East, wild blueberries. Fortunately, many supermarkets now carry frozen wild blueberries from Maine. Generally, the more a wild berry has to struggle to survive, the higher the berry’s antioxidant content. Frozen red raspberries are thought to contain the highest antioxidant amounts among domesticated berries – as they grow in the short, intense growing season of the Northwest. Snack on the whole berries, or blend them up in a quick morning smoothie.

Serena Ball, MS, RD is a food writer and registered dietitian nutritionist. She blogs at TeaspoonOfSpice.com sharing tips and tricks to help families find healthy living shortcuts. Follow her @TspCurry on Twitter and Snapchat.

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Vegan Butternut Squash Chili

Ok guys, this vegan chili is pretty freakin’ awesome

This is one of those recipes that you think will be really complicated because of the long ingredients list, but once you have everything bought and on your counter, it’s actually pretty easy to make!

Made with sweet butternut squash, savory and warm spices, fiber and protein-packed black beans, crunchy corn, and acidic tomatoes, this chili has just about every flavor you could possibly want!

It’s the perfect winter meal: it’s stick-to-your-ribs good.

The husband was skeptical of this recipe because he’s not a huge fan of butternut squash. “It’s too squishy,” he says. After all these years he still has textural issues when it comes to some foods

But I was determined to make butternut squash taste great even to him! I figured, if he liked this recipe, then most people probably would too. And I was right!

This recipe turned out to be a huge hit.

It’s vegan and gluten free, and for those of you who are vegetarian and love cheese, feel free to top each bowl with 1 tbsp shredded cheese as well! It’s slow-cooker friendly too – I’d just saute the onion and garlic beforehand, and then you can throw everything else into the slow cooker and let it simmer all day. The longer it cooks, the better the flavors will be.

Layla loved this recipe and literally asked for it 4 days in a row. Success on all fronts

I hope you love this as much as we do!

Print

Vegan Butternut Squash Chili

Makes 10 servings. 207 Calories, 2.9g Fat (1.1g Saturated), 355.8mg Sodium, 39.3g Carbs, 10.4g Fiber, 4.8g Sugar, 9.7g Protein

Ingredients

• 1 3lb butternut squash
• 3 carrots
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 peppers
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 12 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2-3 cups low sodium vegetarian broth
• 2 (10oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 2 15oz cans black beans
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp regular paprika
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• Chopped green onions, to serve
• Shredded cheddar cheese, to serve (non-vegan option)
• Adapted from [The Kitchn|
• http://ift.tt/1F5pQXO]

Directions

1. Peel the squash and cut into 1 inch pieces
2. Peel the carrots and cut into 1 inch pieces
3. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
4. Stir in the butternut squash, carrots, bell peppers, onion, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and corn.
6. Stir in all the spices (chili powder through cayenne).
7. Bring back to a simmer then reduce the heat and cook for at least 1 hour, or until the squash and carrots are tender. The longer it simmers, the better the flavors will be!
8. Serve hot with chopped green onions and 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese per bowl (optional!)

3.1

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Recipe by: The Picky Eater, pickyeaterblog.com

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A Protein-Pack Giveaway from Orgain!

Hi Everyone! I’m very excited to announce that this month’s giveaway is a protein and superfood pack from Orgain (worth $70!) Orgain’s protein powders and superfood blends are 100% organic, with both vegan and vegetarian options. They have dairy based shakes and powders with grass-fed whey; and vegan, plant-based products with organic plant proteins. All of their products are free of: hormones, antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, and pesticide and herbicide residues. They are Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-GMO too.

And they taste great!

So I was pumped when Orgain reached out and asked if I’d be willing to try their new years box: filled with delicious, organic protein-packed products, recipe ideas, and little healthy freebies (like a jumprope and meditation guide!)

And now, one lucky reader has the opportunity to win this awesome prize pack (a $70 value!). The box includes: 1 blender bottle, 2 packs of whey protein powder, 1 huge bottle of their superfoods blend (perfect for adding to smoothies), 4 protein bars, a jumprope, a meditation guide, and one of their shelf-stable shakes (that doesn’t have anything weird added to it and is low in sugar!)

To Enter: You can enter in one of six ways (each option below counts as a separate entry):

1. Follow me on Instagram
2. Like The Picky Eater on Facebook
3. Follow me on Twitter (@pickyeaterblog)
4. Follow me on Pinterest
5. Subscribe to The Picky Eater via RSS or via email
6. Sign up for my free, monthly newsletter (it has healthy recipes and tips – no annoying ads  plus you’ll get a free healthy meal plan when you sign up!)

This giveaway will be open until 11:59pm PST on Monday, March 13th. I’ll be announcing the two winners in the comments of this post on Tuesday, March 14th.

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Market Watch: Romanesco

Romanesco

With its florescent lime-green hue and funky spire-shaped florets, Romanesco looks a little like broccoli from another planet. In fact, its alien appearance earned it a cameo in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (In one scene, Rey is shown biting into an apple studded with Romanesco florets, which drew commentary from famed astrophysicist and Star Wars fact-checker, Neil deGrasse Tyson.) In reality, this cruciferous veggie, sometimes referred to as Romanesco broccoli, is more closely related to cauliflower than broccoli. It’s also a bit crunchier with a milder, slightly nutty flavor. Though Romanesco has been on the menu in Italy since the 16^th century, it didn’t make its debut in the United States until the late 90s. Until recently, it was found mostly at farmer’s markets. These days, however, you might spot it at your local supermarket during the fall and winter.

 

Romanesco Facts

Like other members of the Brassica family, including kale and cabbage, Romanesco is high in Vitamins C and K, and is a good source of dietary fiber. Romanesco is also particularly high in carotenoids and phytochemicals.

 

When buying Romanesco, choose heads that are bright in color. The stem should be firm, with no signs of wilting. Any attached leaves should be perky and crisp. Pick it up: it should feel dense and heavy for its size. Store it in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerate for up to a week.

 

 

What to Do with Romanesco

Though broccoli and cauliflower are perfectly respectable vegetables, let’s face it: they get a lot of play. Romanesco, with its exotic appearance and earthy flavor, might be just the ticket to spruce up familiar dishes. Luckily, you can do just about anything with Romanesco that you might do with cauliflower or broccoli. Try it on a crudités platter, paired with an herb dip. To preserve its brilliant color, first blanch the florets in salted, boiling water, and then shock them in an ice bath. Roasting might be the best way to concentrate the vegetable’s earthy, sweet flavor. For a simple weeknight dinner, pair olive oil roasted Romanesco florets and canned, drained chickpeas with pasta, a handful of chopped fresh herbs, and grated Parmesan. It also makes a nice side dish for fish, steak or roast chicken: simply sauté florets in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. The most important thing to remember: don’t overcook it! You’re aiming for al dente, not mushy.

 

Here are a few recipes to try (some call for broccoli or cauliflower, but you can easily swap in Romanesco):

Cauliflower with Avocado-Cilantro Dip

 

Roasted Cauliflower

 

Sicilian Cauliflower Pasta

 

Healthy Broccoli Roman Style

 

 

 

 

Abigail Chipley is a freelance recipe developer, writer and cooking teacher who lives in Portland, Oregon.

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Fix Your Diet, Fix Your Sleep

You snooze, you win! Turns out eating sleep smart will deliver enough zzz’s to boost your immune system and shrink your stress. “Sleep is one of the first things I ask patients about,” explains Dr. Donielle Wilson, N.D. naturopathic doctor, certified nutrition specialist and author of the upcoming, A Natural Guide to Better Sleep, “because it tells me about their health and how well they’re holding up under stress.”

But a good night’s sleep — generally defined as 7.5 to 9 hours of uninterrupted slumber per night — can be elusive. Sure, caffeine and alcohol are known sleep disrupters, but your daily eating habits could also be sabotaging your shut-eye. Besides perfecting a bedtime routine (see below), here are Wilson’s top 5 ways to fix sleep issues by giving your diet an upgrade:

• Balance your blood sugar level during the day, which affects your blood sugar balance while you sleep. If you eat large meals, infrequent meals and/or high sugar/carb meals (including bananas), especially near bedtime, you’re likely to wake up from blood sugar fluctuations.
• Reduce inflammation in your body, which for many people means avoiding gluten and dairy. Inflammation can travel to the nervous system and cause symptoms from anxiety to insomnia.
• Boost nutrient-dense foods high in sleep-friendly vitamins and minerals, including magnesium (nuts, seeds, fish, dark leafy greens, dark chocolate), B6 (salmon, beef, chicken, turkey, sweet potato, hazelnuts) and melatonin (cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, pineapple, oranges, tomatoes).
• Ditch your sugar-filled, late-night treat for a non-dairy protein powder–fueled smoothie to break those sweet cravings.
• Calm your nervous system with herbal teas like chamomile and lavender. Stress triggers a stress response involving stimulating cortisol and adrenaline, which leads to disrupted sleep patterns.

 

Dr. Doni’s Sleep Routine

• Set a reminder for your bedtime on your phone. You’re less likely to get distracted and more likely to get in bed on schedule.
• Turn on blue-light blocking apps in the evening for optimal melatonin production.
• Reduce noise and your activity level a couple hours before bedtime.
• Set up your bedroom environment, which ideally is uncluttered, completely dark and at an ideal temperature of around 65º.
• Reduce or eliminate electro-magnetic influences on sleep by placing electronic devices (like your phone) away from your bed and even in another room.
• Spray lavender or other calming essential oils on your pillow.

 

Silvana Nardone is the author of Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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Make Whole-Grain Swaps to Burn Calories, Boost Metabolism

A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that people who replaced refined grains with 100-percent whole grains absorbed fewer calories from foods eaten with whole grains and burned more calories. These losses added up to a 100-calorie deficit per day, according to the Tufts University researchers who conducted this 8-week study.

While 100 calories might not sound like a lot, eating 100-percent whole grains consistently could add up to significant savings when spanning weeks, months and years. Losing 700 calories per week by cutting calories with a traditional weight loss plan, for example, could add up to nearly a pound of fat loss per month. A brisk 30-minute walk also burns 100 calories.

Eating intact whole grains like brown rice and steel-cut oats versus those that are ground or milled could potentially offer more calorie-saving benefits, the researchers hypothesized.

If you’re ready to up your whole-grain game, there are a few things to consider.

 

What 100% whole grain is

A whole grain has the germ and outer bran either still intact, as in the case of brown rice, or ground, like in 100-percent whole-wheat flour. The milling process of refined grains, however, removes the outer bran and germ. During this process, fiber, protein, and other important nutrients decrease. Oftentimes food manufacturers add nutrients back in another form, as is the case for white fluffy bread.

 

When grains can be deceiving

Confusingly, terms like multi-grain and 9-grain shed no light on whether or not a product contains whole grains. “Enriched wheat” equates to refined white flour with vitamins and minerals added back in. Sometimes grain products are even darkened with molasses or caramel coloring, therefore, you can’t count on brownness to indicate whole-grain content, either. “Organic wheat” is not whole wheat, despite the health halo. To be sure that you’re eating whole grains, look for descriptors like 100% whole wheat, brown rice, whole-wheat flour, whole-grain oat flour, whole white wheat flour, oats, oatmeal and whole [other grains]. “Made with whole grains” means that while some whole grains were used, the amount doesn’t stack up to a full serving, which equates to 16 grams or more of whole grains per serving.

 

Easy Whole-Grain Swaps You Can Make From Breakfast to Dessert

At breakfast: Toast a slice of sprouted grain bread in place of white bread. Microwave rolled oats instead of pouring a bowl of crispy white rice cereal. Or make a big batch of this Whole-Grain Breakfast Porridge made with steel-cut oats, wild rice and barley. When making pancakes and waffles, it’s super easy to swap in whole-wheat pastry flour, like in these Whole-Grain Waffles made with rolled oats.

At lunch: Fill a 100-percent whole wheat or brown rice tortilla instead of a white tortilla. Add whole grains to salad bowls as is done in Mexican Brown Rice Salad.

For dinner: Use rolled oats in meatballs and meatloaf in place of breadcrumbs. Experiment with different types of whole-grain rice in place of white, like wild and brown rice in pilafs, brown basmati rice with stir-fries and Chinese black rice. When it comes to pasta, opt for whole-grain versions of thin spaghetti, brown rice pad Thai noodles and Japanese buckwheat noodles. This Whole-Grain Pasta with Chickpeas and Escarole is a great place to start.

During snack time: Surprise! Maybe you didn’t realize that popcorn is an intact whole grain. Next time try this Spicy Citrus Popcorn. Use 100-percent whole-grain crackers in place of refined versions. Brown rice crackers tend to be super crunchy and satisfying, especially with seeds. If you buy chips, opt for tortilla chips made with stone-ground whole corn.

When making dessert: Use whole-wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose flour in muffins, cookies, brownies and cakes. You can even use it in piecrust, as in this Butternut Squash Orange Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream. Grind rolled oats in a blender to make oat flour and use in breading. Oat flour may or may not work in your favorite baking recipes that depend on gluten for structure. Use crispy brown rice in bars in place of white, as you see done in this recipe for Crispy Rice Treats.

Many restaurants now offer whole-grain wraps, rolls, buns, noodles and pizza crust, making it easier to make the whole-grain swap whether you’re at home or away.

 

Michelle Dudash is a registered dietitian nutritionist, Cordon Bleu-certified chef consultant, and the creator of Clean Eating Cooking School: Monthly Meal Plans Made Simple.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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Manly Burgers, Feminine Salads: Does Gender Affect Our Diets?

We all know the stereotypes: Men like red meat and hefty portions. Women like salads and eat modestly, picking delicately at their meals. Men like it spicy. Women like it sweet.

Fries or fruit on the side? Men, we imagine, may be more likely to choose the former, women the latter. Ditto when choosing between, say, wine or beer.

Whether or not there is intrinsic truth in these cultural preconceptions about gender and food, societal reinforcement of them may influence the decisions we make about what we eat, the Washington Post suggests. What’s more, the paper recently posited, given the body of research indicating that eating plant, rather than animal, proteins, is better for your health and longevity, that may not be great news for men.

One key issue may be the way different foods are marketed to men and women, the messages sent out via advertising and packaging, says Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian and nutritionist who writes about food and health trends.

“For both younger men and women, the messages about food relate to appearance. For women, that usual translates more into ‘how do you eat to be lean and have healthy, glowing skin?’” Jennings tells Healthy Eats. “For guys, it might be ‘how do you bulk up?’”

Take for instance, yogurt. Commercials aiming to reach a female audience often create “this sense that women crave sweets and need to ‘indulge,’” Jennings observes, targeting them with yogurts that sound both decadent and healthy, a la “sugar-free cheesecake yogurt.” Men, meanwhile, may be fed a message about strength and power and eat-it-with-a-fork thickness: Male-targeted yogurt brands may have packaging that is black and squared-off (think: razor-blade ads), bespeaking masculinity.

“Men are ‘supposed to’ have hearty appetites. Women are often expected not to,” Jennings notes. “People think it’s worth commenting on when a woman has a hearty appetite.”

Awareness of how these gender expectations can influence our choices and impact our lives, however, may be the first step in taking control of our diets and our health. For men, especially, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

In other words, scuttle the stereotype and hold the fries, guys. And would a salad kill you? In fact, it may do precisely the opposite.

Amy Reiter is a writer and editor based in New York. A regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, she has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Daily Beast and Wine Spectator, among others, as well as for Salon, where she was a longtime editor and senior writer. In addition to contributing to Healthy Eats, she blogs for Food Network’s FN Dish.

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5 Apps That Will Help You Eat Better

There are so many nutrition and fitness apps hitting the market that you just don’t know which to try. I set out to find some apps that may not be on your radar and are worthy of space on your smartphone.

 

HealthyOut

Cost: Free

There are now more options than ever for healthy eating when dining out. This app helps you find the best dishes at both chain and non-chain restaurants. Categories include heart healthy, high protein, lactose free, low calorie, low fat, vegetarian, vegan, and more. It’s a quick and easy way to sift through long menus to find choices that are better for you.

 

Food Intolerances

Cost: $5.99

If you have strict dietary intolerances or allergies, this app may be right for you. Those who have conditions like histamine intolerance, fructose malabsorption, sorbitol intolerance, gluten sensitivity or low FODMAP diet will likely find it a helpful tool. The database of hundreds of foods tells you if the food is allowable with the food sensitivity. A con of the app is that it categorizes all processed foods the same, such as a regular tomato sauce verses one that was created specifically to be low FODMAP-friendly.

 

Lifesum

Cost: Free

When it comes to making healthy changes to our own habits, many nutrition experts will tell you to make small, attainable goals. Once you keep up with a small change for at least 6 months, it becomes a habit. This app helps you attain these small goals, by setting reminders and providing feedback on how to improve your diet.

 

Luvo CheckIt

Cost: Free

CheckIt is a mobile nutrition label reader designed to help consumers make better informed and balanced food choices. The app works by scanning the barcode of any packaged food item, at which point the user is provided with insight on the food’s nutritional value along with responding to the burning question, “Is this product good for me?” The insight is pretty simple with a basic yes or no with an explanation of why, but a sliding scale in terms of a products healthfulness (like 0-10) would have been more useful. For anyone who wants quick feedback, it’s easy to use (just scan on the products barcode) and get a response within about 5 seconds.

 

Instacart

Cost: Free; Delivery: from $5.99

Looking to save time in your insanely busy schedule? This app allows you to find recipes, ingredients and order groceries for delivery within an hour. An Instacart personal shopper will pick up your order for you (think Uber for groceries) and deliver them to your door. Instacart partners with grocers like Whole Foods, Costco, Rainbow Grocery and Target. You can even order at multiple stores in the same delivery. The app will save your grocery list, so it’s easy to re-order your favorites next time. Instacart is available in over 25 cities in the U.S. Deliveries start at $5.99, a similar price point to other grocery delivery programs.

 

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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5 Pulses That Are Great For You

As a vegetarian dietitian, I eat a lot of pulses, the group of legumes that includes beans, lentils, dry peas and chickpeas. I top my salads with them, mix them into brownie batter, and bake them into casseroles. And while 2016 was the Year of Pulses, these superfoods continue to grow in popularity. Here are a few of my favorite pulses — which all happen to be great for you — plus some ideas for cooking with them.

 

Chickpeas

A half-cup serving of cooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) offer up about 7 grams of protein, or 15 percent of the daily value. They’re an excellent source of fiber and offer 13 percent of the daily value for iron. Use them to make a Chickpea Crust Pizza or a Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew—or bake them into a Spicy Baked Chickpeas dish. Reserve the aquafaba, or chickpea water, and use that to make a vegan meringue.

 

Black Beans

These beans are terrific in a Black Bean and Corn Salad. They’re versatile way beyond Mexican dishes—and make a great protein addition to Black Bean Brownies. A half-cup serving of the cooked beans offers close to 8 grams of fiber, providing 30 percent of the daily value. Black beans are a good source of protein and an excellent source of folate, a nutrient of particular importance during pregnancy.

 

Lentils

There are many types of lentils, including green, French green, red, and black. Lentils are one of the highest-protein beans, boasting almost 9 grams, or 18 percent of the daily value, per half-cup serving of cooked beans, as well as about 8 grams of fiber. They’re also a good source of blood-pressure-helping potassium. Have them in a Lentil Soup, as Cilantro Lentils, or in an Herbed Lentils with Spinach and Tomatoes dish.

 

Black-Eyed Peas

Despite their name, these are actually beans and also go by the name cowpeas. Give them a go anytime of the year—not just on New Year’s Day when eating them is thought to bring good fortune! They’re an excellent source of both fiber and folate. Enjoy them in a Black-Eyed Pea and Spinach Salad or in a savory oatmeal dish, such as Healthy Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas Over Oats.

 

Lima Beans

Lima beans make a great Lima Bean Dip, and they also pair well with fish (try Lemon Salmon with Lima Beans). These petite green beans make an excellent source of fiber and a good source of protein, and a half-cup serving of cooked limas delivers 14 percent of the daily value of potassium.

 

Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in Jersey City, NJ. She’s a regular contributor to many publications, including ReadersDigest.com, Shape.com, FitnessMagazine.com, Dr. Oz the Good Life, Runner’s World, and more—as well as WeightWatchers.com, where she was a longtime editor. She also pens a recipe-focused blog, Amy’s Eat List.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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The Only Ways Nutritionists Will Eat a Bagel

Think nutritionists don’t eat carb-filled bagels? Think again! As all foods fit into a healthy eating plan — in moderation, of course — I got the inside scoop (pun intended!) on how 9 nutritionists from around the country love make eating bagels part of their well-balanced diet.

The Scoopers

“When I eat bagels (which are not often) I definitely scoop them! By getting rid of the dough, I am saving some extra calories. I always order whole wheat for added fiber and put some almond butter and a little all-natural jelly on it. It’s a yummy, satisfying and filling!”

–Ilyse Schapiro MS, RDN, co-author of “Should I Scoop Out My Bagel”

 

“My usual bagel choice is a whole wheat everything bagel. Once sliced, I pull out the inside doughy part, which eliminates some of the bread but gives room to add a lot of good vegetables and protein. First I put on some cream cheese, followed by capers and crumbled hard-boiled egg – the “moat” keeps all these goodies in and the cream cheese sort of locks them in place. Then on top I put lox, sliced tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers. Voila! A bagel full of great protein and vegetables. Other good additions or swaps include grated carrots, vegetable cream cheese, and peppers.” 

–Abbie Gellman, MS, RD, CDN, is a New York City-based registered dietitian and chef and owner of Culinary Nutrition Cuisine.

 

“I’m a bagel scooper. I’d much rather have room for extra filling and balance my meal to feature fewer carbs. I start with a whole wheat or oat bran bagel, truly because I prefer the taste as well as the nutritional boost. My fave is a bit of veggie cream cheese, smoked salmon, tomato, onion and a small amount of whitefish salad if it’s available.”

–Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, owner of Nutrition Starring YOU.

 

The Fueling Bagel

“One of my top favorite whole grain bagel toppings is Greek yogurt, chia seeds, blackberries and mint.  This powerful combination adds protein, essential fatty acids, fiber, probiotics and vitamin C. This is a perfect meal to start off your day with a ton of energy.”

–Jim White RDN, ACSM EX-P, Owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios.

 

“As a runner, bagels are one of my favorite ways to fuel during training. I grab a small or medium whole wheat bagel and add peanut butter and jelly. The combination of carbohydrates, plus a bit of protein and fat from the peanut butter, help me maintain energy during and after my long runs. Bagels aren’t a super high fiber food, which means it’s gentle on my gastric system as opposed to other foods that can cause stomach issues during intense exercise.” 

–Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD of Street Smart Nutrition.

 

The DIY Bagel

“I recently made homemade bagels (boiled then baked!) and wish I had a few hours built into each day just for bagel-making — they’re SO good! I love slathering a bagel with an almond or cashew based cream cheese substitute, mashed avocado, or plain cream cheese and topping with a thick slice of tomato, red onion, smoked salmon, and capers. I usually stick with half a bagel and pile the toppings high.”

–Willow Jarosh, MS, RD co-owner of C&J Nutrition.

 

The New York Bagel

“Being originally from New York City, I grew up eating bagels. My favorite way to eat them is with a thin layer of schmear (full fat, thank you very much!), an egg for protein and piled high with veggies like cucumber, tomato and sprouts! Since my mornings are jam-packed between getting my baby ready for the day and seeing back-to-back clients, this bagel breakfast keeps me full till the afternoon!”

–Jessica Spiro, RD of Jessica Spiro Nutrition.

 

The Half Bagel

“I don’t indulge in my bagel craving too often, but when I do I switch it up by adding protein and fiber. Since bagels are typically made with refined wheat flour and are very dense, I reach for a whole grain bagel and only enjoy half. I steer away from the typical cream cheese topping and add protein-rich skyr instead. Skyr is an Icelandic dairy product similar to Greek yogurt, but not as tart. I then add lox, tomato and onion.” 

–Kathy Siegel, MS, RDN Nutrition Communications Consultant for Triad to Wellness

 

“I stick with the whole grain kind, preferably one that’s loaded with seeds and grains. I cut it horizontally so that one half is larger than the other and then I toast it. I spread 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter on the larger half and then top it with smashed frozen raspberries and a drizzle of honey. That is my half. I do the same with the other, smaller half, using less of all of the same ingredients and that is my 4-year old’s half!”
–Culinary dietitian Sara Haas RDN, LDN.

 

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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What Nutritionists Feed Their Pets

Since nutritionists are very particular which foods they put into their bodies, I was curious to find out what these healthy food aficionados feed their beloved pets. So I talked to 11 nutrition experts from around the country, and was quite surprised what they feed their four-legged friends.

 

 “I cook for everyone else in the house, and our beloved pooch is no exception. I mix foods like roasted chicken, scrambled eggs, and canned tuna along with her food. I’ve created a bit of a monster, but she’s the best dog in the world.”

–Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, FoodNetwork.com Healthy Eats contributor and owner of Dana White Nutrition.

Four-legged family member: dog Violet Pickles

 

 “Bulldogs are GASSY, which means paying a ton of money for food is worth it because it helps suppress the gas. We always know when he’s been eating table scraps fed to him by my 3 year old. He doesn’t have to say a word but we know…”

–Holley Grainger, MS, RD 

Four-legged family member: Winston the bulldog

 

“My cockapoo does eat dog food (dry/crunchy type), but he loves cheese, whole grain cereal, pasta, and fruit like mango and berries. I like to be sure that gets some fruits or veggies in since I’m not sure about what exactly is in his dog food.” 

–Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat It.

Four-legged family member: Webster the cockapoo

 

 “My boyfriend and I mainly feed our cats Rachael Ray Nutrish Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe. We like that the ingredients are more wholesome, as the first ingredient is chicken. We were occasionally switching up the dry food to give the cats some variety, but we found out that Nermal has food sensitivities and that this food is safe for him to eat—so we mainly stick with it.”

–Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in Jersey City, NJ

Four-legged family members: cats Garfield and Nermal

 

 “I love to give my Havanese crunchy carrots as a treat. Rich in Vitamin A, an important nutrient for eye, skin, and immune health, but also low in calories, unlike many store bought dog treats. As an added bonus, the crunch makes them excellent for her dental health and they are a yummy treat we can share together!”

–Gena Seraita, RD, CDN, New York City based clinical dietitian.

Four-legged family member: Dylan the Havanese

 

 “Our German Shepherd is itchy and has a sensitive stomach so we feed him a hypoallergenic raw food that doesn’t contain grains or fillers. He gets 1 pound in the morning and 1 pound at night. We also add a squirt of omega-3 fish oil to his dinner bowl for a shiny coat!” ​

–Danielle Omar, Integrative Dietitian at Foodconfidence.com

Four-legged family member: Ezzo the German Shepherd

 

 “When our Vizsla was little he had a lot of stomach issues and wasn’t gaining weigh,t so I started cooking all his meals instead of giving him dog food. To this day every meal consists of a veggie (like broccoli, string beans, Brussels sprouts), carbohydrate (such as a sweet or regular potato, rice, pasta), and a protein (like chicken, ground beef, eggs, or sardines). I have always made sure that there was plenty of fat in the meal, adding olive oil if needed. Henry is now 15 years old and going strong.”
–Keri Gans, RDN, author of The Small Change Diet.

Four-legged family member: Henry the Vizsla

 

 “We’ve always fed our dogs Nutro brand dog food due to its quality. Right now, we have the chicken, whole brown rice and oatmeal recipe. For our old Lab Tucker, her formula contains extra omega-3’s as well as the glucosamine and chondroitin. Labs have a tendency to have bad hips as they age. We rarely feed our dogs human food and when we do, it is just meat or fruit. I’m happy to report that every dog we’ve had has lived a very long, disease-free life.”  

–Angela Lemond, RDN, CSP, LD  lemondnutrition.com

Four-legged family members: dogs Tucker and Kahlu

 

“We feed our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel kibbles for fiber, along with wet dog food. On top of that, my mother-in-law provides cooked chicken breast from Whole Foods for Sam. Half the time he eats around the kibbles and wet food to just get at the chicken. Smart boy.”

–Abby Langer, RD, owner of Abby Langer Nutrition http://ift.tt/2l4X33j

Four-legged family member: Sammy the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 

 

“My black and white Cocker Spaniel can’t hear very well anymore, but you could crack open a banana on the other side of the house and she’d come find you. The smell even wakes her up from a nap. Now every time we eat bananas in the house, everyone knows Cookie gets the “banana butt.” And, since she’s old and I obviously think about everyone’s gut flora, she gets a little Greek yogurt on her kibbles a couple times a week. She licks the bowl clean!”
–Leslie P. Schilling, MA, RDN, CSSD, CSCS, co-author of the upcoming book Born to Eat (May 2017).

Four-legged family member: Cookie the Cocker Spaniel

 

“I have a Mini Golden Doodle named Murphy and I love to feed him Skinny Pop because he eats it in the cutest way… He delicately takes a kernel with his front teeth. Then there’s lots of crunching with his mouth open. Murphy also gets a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese on his kibble. My mom started that and now he won’t eat without it!” 

–Christy Brissette, MS, RD, 80 Twenty Nutrition http://ift.tt/1P3owtO

Four-legged family member: Murphy the Mini Golden Doodle

 

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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5 Reasons Why Beer (Yes, Beer!) is Good For You

1. Beer is portioned controlled

Unlike mixed drinks and heavy-handed pours of wine, beer comes in a ready to drink container. Knowing that each can or bottle has an average minimum calorie count of 100 per serving can help keep you honest about how much you’re sipping. Savvy beer drinks drinkers also know to keep an eye on the percent alcohol by volume (% APV) the higher it is, the more calories in your brew.

 

2. Beer is filled with antioxidants.

Thanks to staple ingredients like barley and hops, beer boasts a plethora of cell-protecting antioxidants. Since each beer recipe is different, your brew of choice may also be made with various fruits, herbs and spices, all of which can bring more antioxidants to the party.

 

3. Beer can be heart healthy

There’s ample research to support that moderate alcohol consumption (that’s one 12-fluid ounce drink per day for women and two for men) can have a positive impact on heart health. This certainly doesn’t warrant an initiative to drink EVERY day of the week, but it can make you feel a little better about hitting up happy hour or kicking back after a long day with a cold one.

 

4. Beer is rich nutrients filled

Beer contains a long list of nutrients including soluble fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. While the amount of nutrients offered can’t take the place of healthy foods (nice try!), it does set beer apart from other alcoholic beverages.

 

5. Beer is tasty!

Let’s not forget about importance of a healthy relationship with all types of food and drinks. Beer can fit into a healthy lifestyle as long as you’re responsible about drinking it.

 

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

 

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The Healthiest Children’s Vitamins: 2017

Kids Vitamins can be confusing. There are so many questions: Is there a such thing as an “unhealthy” kids vitamin? Do you need a vitamin with iron? Which vitamins are the best? Do kids even need vitamins at all?

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Recently, I was talking with a friend and realized that a lot of these questions can be really overwhelming because there is so much information out there! So I did a bunch of research and found the healthiest kids vitamins out there today. This is your guide to multivitamins for kids: what to buy, what not to buy, and what to look out for!

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So first of all, do kids even need vitamins to begin with? 

Most pediatricians will tell you that it’s not necessary for most healthy children who are growing normally (source). For kids who eat well and eat a variety of food, they can get all of the nutrients they need from whole foods. But many kids are very picky, or don’t eat a lot of food, or aren’t growing well, and that makes a lot of parents worried that they aren’t getting the nutrients they need! In those cases, I’d recommend talking to your pediatrician, and if they suggest giving your child a multivitamin then definitely do so.

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When buying a multivitamin, what should you look for? 

So to start, kids multivitamins generally come in two groups: 1) With Iron and 2) Without Iron. You should buy a multivitamin that doesn’t exceed 100% daily value of any of the vitamins for your child’s age group (that will be indicated by the label on the back).

It’s also important to look for the ingredients that are added to the tablet that aren’t vitamins. Ingredients like: Sorbitol, carrageenan, artificial colors and flavors (Red #40 anyone?), aspartame, sucralose, to name a few! You definitely don’t want to be dosing your child with these ingredients on a daily basis along with their multivitamin.

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So let’s start with what not to buy:  The answer here is most of the commercially available, leading brands of multivitamins. The biggest offender of which is Flinstones Chewable Vitamins. 

What’s crazy is that on the label, Flinstones calls out that they are “Pediatrician’s #1 Choice.” And most people do buy Flinstones vitamins! I even remember eating them when I was a kid. They tasted so good! It was like a treat every morning. And if you are giving your kids Flinstones vitamins right now, don’t feel bad! You are not alone, and thanks to all of the deceptive marketing out there, there’s no way you’d know that Flinstones isn’t the best choice for any child. Before doing all of this research I didn’t realize how problematic they were, and why it’s important to switch away from them.

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The reason they are problematic, is because there are a ridiculous number of offensive ingredients in Flinstones Vitamins that truly, should not be there at all, and are not necessary. Take a look at two of their best sellers (I’ve highlighted in red all of the ingredients to avoid):

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#1 | Flinstones Chewable Vitamins with Iron

Sorbitol, Mannitol, Fructose, Sodium Ascorbate, Ferrous Fumarate, Silicon Dioxide, Carrageenan, Natural and Artificial Flavors, FD&C Red #40 Lake; Less Than 2% Of: Aspartame†, BetaCarotene, Cholecalciferol, Cyanocobalamin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, FD&C Blue #2 Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Lake, Folic Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Soy Lecithin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate.

#2 | Flinstones Chewable Complete

Granulated Calcium Carbonate (Calcium Carbonate, Dextrose Monohydrate, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Microcrystalline Cellulose), Sorbitol, Sodium Ascorbate, Ferrous Fumarate, Natural and Artificial Flavoring, Pregelatinized Starch, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate; Less Than 2% Of: Beta-Carotene, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Cholecalciferol, Cupric Oxide, Cyanocobalamin, FD&C Blue #2 Lake, FD&C Red #40 Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Lake, Folic Acid, Gelatin, Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Stearate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Niacinamide, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Phytonadione, Riboflavin, Silicon Dioxide, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Zinc Oxide.

.

Let’s take these one by one:

• Sorbitol and Mannitol are sugar alcohols. They have been known to cause digestive issues and discomfort in some people because they can’t be digested properly by the body.
• Carrageenan is an emulsifier that thickens products, but it has been linked to high levels of inflammation in the body, digestive issues, etc.
• Maltodextrin: this is an indicator that the food is highly processed. It’s used as a thickener, filler, or preservative in many processed foods, and it can cause spikes in your blood sugar because it has a high glycemic index.
• Natural and Artificial Colors – Red #40, Blue #2, Yellow #6. I mean, #wtf. What are these doing in a kids vitamin? These are so problematic and have been linked to all kinds of health problems including allergies, hyperactivity, learning impairment, irritability and aggressiveness.
• Artificial flavors – also highly processed and unnecessary in a kids vitamin.
• Aspartame and Sucralose – this is what diet sodas are sweetened with, and are highly controversial. Research hasn’t proven one way or the other whether they lead to long term health issues, but it has been proven that they cause an insulin-response by the body (because your body thinks you are eating sugar when you are not – source). If you wouldn’t give your child a diet coke, you shouldn’t give them a vitamin with this in it!
• Mono- and Diglycerides is one of the most widely used emulsifers to keep oil and fat from separating. It’s just an indicator that the food is processed.
• Oh, and gelatin. While this isn’t a harmful ingredient, it kind of sucks for any vegetarians or vegans out there who are giving their kids this vitamin without knowing that it’s not actually veggie-friendly.

So what should you buy instead? What’s the healthiest multivitamin out there? 

Luckily there are tons of options! Below is a list of my favorites: they all are made with natural ingredients, have no weird preservatives or any of the ingredients above added, and some even derive the vitamins from organic food sources which I absolutely love because they are better absorbed by the body that way.

With Iron:

• Natures Plus
• Seeking Health
• Rainbow Light
• KiddieVite (Note: it has a “natural bubble gum flavor” and I’m not exactly sure what that means. I couldn’t find any information on what it’s derived from, but it definitely has no artificial colors)

Without Iron:

• Garden of Life – While it doesn’t have iron, this would actually be my #1 choice. I take their women’s multivitamin daily and I love it. All of their vitamins come from organic whole foods, and they don’t have anything weird added to their vitamins. They are organic, clean, and healthy. Win!
• MegaFood – This is another brand that I love for vitamins. It doesn’t have iron but if you decide to go with this or Garden of Life, there is an iron-only supplement you can add to their diets!

Iron Only Supplement: This is a good option if you decide to buy Garden of Life or MegaFood, because it will add the iron missing from those vitamins back into your child’s diet.

Lastly – Runner Up: Solgar. This is one I’d get only if you can’t find any of the other ones on the list above, because while most of the ingredients are good, it does have carrageenan which – as I mentioned – it’s better to avoid.

I hope this helps you in navigating the world of kids’ vitamins!

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An Imaginative 3rd Birthday Party!

It was literally just yesterday that I was sharing photos of Layla’s 2nd birthday (I know, one year late! ) So to change the trend of late birthday posts, here are some photos from Layla’s 3rd birthday party.

Winter birthdays can be challenging in Ann Arbor, because there are only so many indoor spaces that are both fun and spacious enough for a bunch of crazy toddlers! And while it was easy to do her 1st and 2nd birthdays at home, our house was not equipped to hold 20+ 3-5 year olds

And so, we decided to rent out this awesome, imaginative play space in Ann Arbor called Kidopolis. It was the perfect venue for Layla’s birthday. Kidopolis is set up with all of these different rooms to explore — like a space station, fire station, forest, train station, etc. with tons and tons of dress up clothes that the kids couldn’t get enough of!

Layla especially liked this tiger costume

I love letting Layla indulge on her birthday. I keep her diet pretty strict and healthy most of the time (no sugar, no processed foods, etc.), but it’s important to me that she’s not deprived and learns that there are certain times and places to indulge: birthday parties being one of them. I never say no to treats on special occasions (birthdays, holidays, other people’s parties, etc.) because Layla needs to learn that no foods are “off limits” or “bad,” but rather that some foods we enjoy in moderation, vs. eating them every day.

We actually gave Layla two celebrations: one at home with just the three of us, and then her actual party a couple weeks later.

At her party, we had the obligatory pizza and cake, but also a bunch of veggie snacks like raw veggies with hummus, cheese and crackers, chips and guacamole, and a delicious Greek salad that came with the pizzas!

Layla had a blast. She totally dug into her cake, and got really into feeding us as well

I can’t believe our funny, curious, smart, empathetic, determined, tenacious, strong, silly and active girl is 3!

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Exercise May Not Only Make You Fitter, But Happier Too

Those of us who (try to) exercise regularly often do so with our weight or overall health in mind. Both great reasons, obviously. But there’s another benefit to staying active: It could make you a happier person.

“Exercise on a regular basis can keep your mood elevated,” says Ramona Braganza, a fitness expert and celebrity trainer whose clients have included, among others, Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Zac Efron and Ryan Reynolds. “Mood swings don’t occur as much, and overall wellness is achieved when balance takes place in the body.”

Exercise’s mood-boosting benefits were recently underscored by researchers at the University of Cambridge in England, who asked more than 10,000 study participants to track their happiness and physical activity using a specially developed smartphone app. The participants’ self-reported activity data (the researchers asked them what activities they were engaged in the last 15 minutes) was then tracked against information collected directly from built-in activity monitors (accelerometers) on their phones.

At the end of the 17-month-long study, published in the journal PLoS One, the researchers concluded that people who are more physically active are happier than those who are less active. “We found that, regardless of whether we looked at self-reported physical activity or physical activity sensed via the accelerometer on their phones, people who were on average more active were also on average happier,” says study co-author Gillian M. Sandstrom, Ph.D., who contributed to the work as a postdoctoral research assistant at Cambridge and is now a lecturer at the University of Essex.

What’s more, the study, which sent notifications to participants asking them to fill out surveys twice each day, determined that people are happier in the time period in which they are engaged in physical activity. When participants reported that they had been more active — walking, running or cycling, as opposed to standing, sitting or lying down – as well as when their phone’s accelerometers indicated that they had been active, “they also reported being in a better mood,” Sandstrom says.

Still, while the study shows a link between exercise and happiness, Sandstrom notes that it does not prove that exercise causes happiness. In fact, the researchers believe the relationship may go both ways. “We suspect that being happier probably causes people to be more active, and being more active causes people to be happier, resulting in a positive feedback loop,” she says.

The bottom line, Sandstrom says, is that exercise may improve not only our physical, but also our mental health. “Adding a little more physical activity to your day, even if it’s not rigorous exercise, might have the added bonus of making you a little bit happier,” she says.

Amy Reiter is a writer and editor based in New York. A regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, she has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Daily Beast and Wine Spectator, among others, as well as for Salon, where she was a longtime editor and senior writer. In addition to contributing to Healthy Eats, she blogs for Food Network’s FN Dish.

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