Hydrating Foods

Most people could do a better job of staying hydrated. Counting glasses of H2O is important, but so are the foods you eat. Here’s the lowdown on some in-season foods to perk up your hydration.

Assess Your Hydration
The best way to tell if you’re getting enough fluids is to pay attention to your body. Urination should be frequent and light yellow to clear in color. The more fluid you lose in sweat, the more you should replace. Aim to take in half your body weight in fluid ounces as a baseline – that’s 75 fluid ounces for a 150-pound person. If you exercise, drink more — especially when working out in the heat and humidity.

Fluid-Boosting Foods
In addition to drinking plenty of water, reach for these seasonal foods to help stay hydrated this summer.

Lettuce
Iceberg is low in calories and has one of the highest water contents of any food. Other leafy varieties like romaine and green leaf are also good options.

Get more from: salads and lettuce cups

Watermelon
You can feel the hydration pouring from this melon; it also contains plenty of the antioxidant lycopene.

Get more from: smoothies, salads and frozen treats

Cucumbers
Nothing says cool and refreshing like a fresh cuke! Keep the peel on for extra nutrients and flavor.

Get more from: snacking on raw veggies, infused water and salsa

Tomatoes
It’s the very best time of year for juicy tomatoes, which are rich in vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium.

Get more from: pizza, salsa and gazpacho

Cauliflower
It may be surprising, but there’s a hefty dose of water in this cruciferous veggie; it also has potential cancer-fighting properties.

Get more from: cauliflower rice, or a new take on tabbouleh

Fresh herbs
Leafy fresh herbs like basil, parsley and mint have a remarkably high moisture content — use them often in a wide variety of recipes to reap their nutritional benefits.

Get more from: salads, pressed juices and pesto

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.

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Arugula Salad with Peaches, Sorghum, Almonds and Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

This arugula and peach salad is like summer sunshine on a plate! Sweet, juicy peaches are the star of the show. Nutty tasting and fiber-rich whole-grain sorghum, nutrient-packed peppery arugula, and healthy fats from the flavorful Marcona almonds, plus a light drizzle of Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette, round out the cast of simple ingredients in this light, yet satisfying, seasonal salad.

If you’ve cooked the whole-grain sorghum ahead of time, this dish can be assembled in under 10 minutes, which means less time in the kitchen and more time relaxing on the beach — or wherever you like to chill in the summer. The recipe serves one, so treat yourself to a light and healthy summer lunch, or double, triple or quadruple the recipe and invite your best buds over to join you.

Arugula Salad with Peaches, Sorghum, Almonds and Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette
Serves 1

Ingredients:

Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons neutral-tasting vegetable oil (e.g., high-oleic safflower oil)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup warm cooked whole-grain sorghum*
1 peach, sliced into wedges
1/4 cup salted/seasoned Marcona almonds*
2 tablespoons Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

Directions:

Make the vinaigrette: Combine the oil, lemon juice and honey in a small jar, and shake well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, and set aside until ready to prepare the salad.

To make the salad, place 2 cups of arugula on a salad plate and top with the cooked sorghum. Top with peach slices and sprinkle with Marcona almonds. Drizzle 2 tablespoons Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette on top, or to taste.

*Note: The sorghum can be cooked a day or more ahead of time and lightly warmed in the microwave before you prepare the salad. If you can’t find whole-grain sorghum, feel free to use cooked quinoa or your favorite cooked whole grain.

Per serving: Calories 480; Fat 31 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 275 mg; Carbohydrate 50 g; Fiber 6 g; Sugars 15 g; Protein 13 g

EA Stewart, MBA, RD is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in wellness and GI nutrition. In addition, EA is the creator of The Spicy RD, which features delicious gluten-free recipes made from healthy, seasonal ingredients.

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A Lighter Blueberry Pie

Do you love a pie bursting with fresh berries, but wish you could cut back on all the fat and calories? Here’s how to create a homemade blueberry pie that doesn’t come with a side of diner’s remorse.

Tips for a Skinnier Pie
You can’t deny the healthy qualities of antioxidant-filled blueberries. They are low in calories and contain plenty of fiber. But once these low-cal berries are mixed up with sugar and sandwiched between two layers of flaky crust, the resulting pie can tip the scales at more than 450 calories and 20-plus grams of fat per slice. Add a few hundred more calories with dollops of whipped cream, or serve the pie a la mode, and it’s a real diet-buster.

You also want to consider the quality of the ingredients. Store-bought crusts are convenient, but the ingredients reveal trans fat galore and a list of preservatives. Homemade crusts call for a hefty amount of butter and shortening, often more than two sticks for one pie.

What’s a pie lover to do? Less fat, less sugar and more fruit are the keys to a skinnier pie. You certainly don’t need to skip the butter and sugar altogether (but forget the artificial sweeteners, please). Downsize the crust and make the fruit the star, such as in this recipe for a flavor-erupting Blueberry Crostata.

Blueberry Crostata
Serves 6

This rustic dessert is incredibly simple but looks professional. Use a pizza cutter to slice it into wedges.

Crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons cold butter, diced
Ice water (about 2 tablespoons)

Filling:
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 egg, beaten
Sparkling sugar (optional)

To make the crust, place flour, salt and sugar in a food processor fitted with a steel blade; pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it is in small pieces and distributed throughout the flour. With the machine running, add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill for at least one hour. Once it’s chilled, roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle and place back into the fridge for an additional 20 minutes. To prepare the filling, combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, zest and cornstarch in a medium bowl; mix gently until berries are evenly coated and glossy.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Gently fold in the edges of the crust all along the circle. Brush crust with egg and sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if using. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until crust is golden and filling just begins to bubble. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving: Calories 265; Fat 12 g (Saturated 7 g); Cholesterol 31 mg; Sodium 97 mg; Carbohydrate 38 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugars 16 g; Protein 3 g

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.

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Gluten-Free Pasta Primavera (and a Giveaway!)

Pasta with vegetables, homemade sauce, garlic, and parmesan cheese is a weeknight staple in our house.

It’s ridiculously easy to make, light and tasty, and is guaranteed to be on your dinner table in under 30 minutes!

You can change it up based on whatever veggies happen to be in season. In the summer I love using summer squash — this time I used zucchini, yellow squash, zephyr squash, and an 8 ball yellow squash; along with red peppers and baby spinach. Sometimes I like serving it with just olive oil, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese – like a fancy pasta salad, and other times I’ll make a simple red sauce or use a store bought one like Muir Glen Garden Vegetable sauce.

You can top it with fresh herbs, roasted garlic, or just about anything you like!

It’s super versatile and is guaranteed to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Usually I use whole wheat penne pasta when making this dish. Whole wheat pasta is such an easy, healthier swap for regular pasta: it’s high in fiber so it keeps you fuller longer (and it takes longer to digest so you don’t get that pasta “hangover”) and you can eat a smaller portion and feel just as satisfied as a bigger portion of regular pasta!

But this time, I used TruRoots Organic Ancient Grains Pasta. TruRoots reached out to me to try their newest pasta line, which also happens to be gluten free! As you might know, I’m not usually a fan of gluten-free products because often times they are heavily processed compared to their gluten-full counterparts. But TruRoots‘ pasta is made with just 4 grains: Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic Quinoa Flour, Organic Amaranth Flour, and Organic Corn Flour. It’s lower in fiber than whole wheat pasta, but more nutritious than regular pasta thanks to the variety of whole grains used!

And the best part – it tastes just as good as regular pasta or whole wheat pasta. Perfect texture, and slightly nutty from the different grains.

The recipe is below – and did I mention one huge serving of this recipe is under 300 calories? Now that’s a pasta you can feel great about eating!

Before we get to the recipe though, I’m excited to share that TruRoots will be offering their entire line of gluten-free pastas to one lucky winner!

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

1. Subscribe to The Picky Eater via RSS or via email
2. Like The Picky Eater on Facebook
3. 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!)
4. Follow me on Twitter (@pickyeaterblog)
5. Follow me on Pinterest
6. Follow me on Instagram

This giveaway will be open until 11:59pm PST on Sunday, July 31st. I’ll be announcing the winner in the comments of this post on Monday, August 1st.

And now, here’s the recipe! Enjoy!!

Print

Gluten-Free Pasta Primavera

Makes 4 servings 1 serving = 1/4 cup pasta (dry) + 1/4 cup sauce + 3 tbsp cheese + 1/4 of the veggie mixture Nutritional Info Per Serving: 270 Calories, 8.3g Fat (3.3g Saturated), 641mg Sodium, 36.8g Carbs, 7.1g Fiber, 6.8g Sugar, 14.9g Protein

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry whole wheat or gluten free pasta
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 red peppers, diced
• 3 zucchini, cut into quarters and diced
• 2-3 summer squash, cut into quarters and diced
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 5-8 cloves of garlic, minced (depending on how garlicky you like it!)
• 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• Dried oregano, to taste
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 12 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (3 tbsp per serving)
• 1 cup Muir Glen Garden Vegetable Pasta Sauce (1/4 cup per serving)

Directions

1. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and garlic, saute 5 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini, squash, baby spinach, Italian seasoning, Oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper, saute 10 minutes or until the veggies have cooked through but are still slightly crisp.
3. While the veggies are cooking, cook the pasta according to package directions.
4. Serve the pasta with sauce, veggies, and top with parmesan cheese.

3.1

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Recipe by: The Picky Eater, pickyeaterblog.com

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Nutrition News: Kids and Vegetables, Losing Belly Fat, Probiotics and Weight Loss

This is a job for Veggie-Man!

As parents know, it can be tough to get kids to eat their greens. But a new study indicates that the methods marketers employ to sell junk food to kids can be used to compel them to eat fruits and vegetables. For the study, elementary-school kids were divvied into groups that either received no intervention, had banners featuring vegetable superheroes posted near their cafeteria salad bars, were shown (really rather cute) TV cartoons depicting those same veggie superhero characters, or were shown both the TV cartoons and the banners. The TV segments alone barely budged veggie consumption, but the banners increased it by 90.5 percent. And when kids were shown both the banners and the TV ads, their veggie intake shot up by 239.2 percent. “It’s possible to use marketing techniques to do some good things,” study author David R. Just, of Cornell University, told The New York Times.

Probiotics and weight loss

Can consuming probiotics — healthy bacteria that can be found in yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and other fermented foods, as well as in supplement form — help you lose weight and lower your body mass index? A new research review has concluded that it can. Researchers at Taizhou People’s Hospital in Taizhou, China, surveyed evidence from 25 studies and determined that consumption of probiotics may help reduce body weight and BMI. Further, they found, overweight adults and those who take more than one type of probiotic for eight weeks or more lose the most weight. Sounds intriguing, but before you start shopping for probiotics, check out these helpful tips.

To ditch belly fat, diet does it

Raise your hand if you yearn to shed the extra fat around your midsection. Lots of hands out there! The BBC set out to determine the best way to lose belly fat. Recruiting 35 volunteers, researchers divided them four groups. The members of Group 1 were told to stick with their usual diet but were given step counters and exercises to increase activity. Group 2 was tasked with doing sit-ups. Group 3 was told to drink three glasses of milk per day. Participants in Group 4 — “the diet group” — were told to reduce their portion size and eliminate between-meal snacking and were supported by a dietitian. After six weeks, Group 1 was healthier but hadn’t lost any belly fat. Those in Group 2 were neither lighter nor healthier, but had trimmed almost an inch from their waistlines. Group 3 lost no weight and showed no sign of improved health. Group 4 — “the diet group” — was deemed the “clear winner,” having lost an average of 8.2 pounds apiece and 2 inches off their waistlines and showing signs of improved health overall.

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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6 Slimmed-Down Desserts to Enjoy Without Turning on Your Oven

Here at Food Network, we believe you should break a sweat during your workout, not in the kitchen. Next time you’re in the mood for a sweet reward, treat yourself to one of our lighter-than-usual desserts that mercifully don’t require an oven. From no-bake cookies to lemony icebox bars that set up in the refrigerator, here are a few of our best summertime sweets.

Healthy Banana Split Parfaits
Banana splits are an obvious choice for a summer dessert, because you won’t break a sweat while preparing them. For that reason, they’re ideal in our book. Although these are carefully portioned, Food Network Kitchen’s mini splits pack in all of the essentials: ice cream, bananas, walnuts, chocolate sauce and the crown jewel, a pitted cherry.

Fruit Salad with Limoncello
If you tend to view fruit salad for dessert as a total cop-out, you clearly haven’t tried Ina Garten’s combination of seasonal berries topped with sweet, rich and citrusy yogurt. Ina amplifies the flavor of limoncello with a combination of Greek yogurt, lemon curd, honey and vanilla.

Healthy No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
Loaded with protein and healthy fats, peanut butter is always a welcome addition to dessert in our book. These creamy bars contain natural peanut butter, tangy Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese, plus a chocolate-cookie crust. No baking is necessary; the dessert sets in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Craving the comforting chew of chocolate and oats in the summertime but can’t fathom turning on your oven? With Food Network Kitchen’s easy no-bake cookie recipe, there’s no need to. The recipe requires just five minutes of prep; the rest of the time is spent waiting for the cookies to harden into the rich, nutty, chocolatey delights that they are.

Lemon Icebox Bars
With a buttery graham cracker crust and a creamy lemony layer to sink your teeth into, it’s easy to see why Ellie Krieger’s no-bake icebox bars are a fan favorite. They do require a few hours to firm up in the refrigerator, so be sure to prepare them the night before you plan to cut and serve the squares.

Healthy Blueberry Ricotta Tartlets
These delicate tartlets filled with ricotta and sweet-tart blueberries are perfectly portioned to satisfy your sweet tooth without inducing a sugar coma. There’s no need to bake any dough if you use convenient store-bought tartlet shells. We certainly won’t judge you for it.

For more ways to get your sweets fix without turning on your oven, check out these recipes from our friends:

Dishin & Dishes: Nutella No Bake Cookies
The Lemon Bowl: Frozen Banana Pops
Creative Culinary: Milk Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter and Coconut Balls
The Heritage Cook: The World’s Easiest Lemon Curd Parfaits (Gluten-Free)
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Black Raspberry Bruschetta
Devour: Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth in Seconds with 4 Microwave Desserts
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Grilled Ginger Peaches a la Mode
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Arrowroot Milk Pudding with Dragon Fruit
FN Dish: 7 No-Bake Sweet Treats That Are Truly No Sweat

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Kung Pao Eggplant

Who doesn’t love a good Chinese takeout meal? The savory, umami flavors and bit of heat have us crawling back each and every time. But what if I told you that you could easily re-create Chinese takeout at home for a fraction of the calories and fat?

That’s right: Today I have a recipe that will be ready in less time than it takes to wait around for takeout. Enter Kung Pao Eggplant. Substituting eggplant for chicken, you add another serving of vegetables to the plate, not to mention additional nutrients like fiber. This version is vegetarian (and vegan!) friendly and can be made gluten-free by using tamari in place of soy sauce and arrowroot flour instead of cornstarch.

This recipe is bursting with flavor — it’s rich and savory with a hint of spice from the ginger and a kick of heat from the dried chiles. It’s so tasty that you can toss out the takeout menu stuck to your fridge for good.

Kung Pao Eggplant

 Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

6 dried red chiles, cut in half

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts

2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

4 cups cooked brown rice

For the marinade:

1 tablespoon mirin (rice wine)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons black Chinese vinegar (or substitute 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar plus 1 tablespoon rice vinegar)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

 

Directions:

Place eggplant in a large mixing bowl, add marinade ingredients and toss together until fully coated. Set aside.

To make the sauce, add black vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and cornstarch to a small mixing bowl, then whisk to combine.

In a wok or large saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil on high heat. Add eggplant and cook until lightly golden brown and tender, about 8 minutes, deglazing the pan as needed. Transfer cooked eggplant back to the large mixing bowl and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium-high. Add remaining coconut oil to the pan; add dried chiles and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender. Add the cooked eggplant, peanuts, scallions and sauce, then toss to coat. Cook for 60 seconds, or until sauce is thickened.

Serve immediately with brown rice and additional scallions for garnish.

Per serving: Calories: 410; Fat 14 g (Saturated 8 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 950 mg; Carbohydrate 62 g; Fiber 8 g; Sugars 16 g; Protein 9 g

 

Kara Lydon, RD, LDN, RYT, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, yoga teacher and self-proclaimed foodie. She is the author of Nourish Your Namaste: How Nutrition and Yoga Can Support Digestion, Immunity, Energy and Relaxation and The Foodie Dietitian Blog, which features seasonal vegetarian and vegan recipes and simple strategies to bring more mindfulness and yoga into your life.

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