A Reminder to Enjoy Life's "Strawberries"

Today I am sharing a passage from one of my favorite books, The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chödrön.

“There is a story of a woman running away from tigers. She runs and runs and the tigers are getting closer and closer. When she comes to the edge of a cliff, she sees some vines there, so she climbs down and holds on to the vines. Looking down, she sees that there are tigers below her as well. She then notices that a mouse is gnawing away at the vine to which she is clinging. She also sees a beautiful little bunch of strawberries close to her, growing out of a clump of grass. She looks up and she looks down. She looks at the mouse. Then she just takes a strawberry, puts it in her mouth, and enjoys it thoroughly. Tigers above, tigers below. This is actually the predicament that we are always in, in terms of our birth and death. Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.”  

These words are so powerful to me and I often return to them when I am feeling sadness  or when I wish I could hide or escape from my current situation.  We could all benefit from savoring the sweet "strawberries" that life has to offer, setting us free from the fear we create within ourselves. We may want to escape, but the truth is there will always be tigers above and below us, big and small, and being mindful to what is presently beautiful around you just may deliver a life experienced to the fullest. A life where you appreciate and accept the moments you do have and can share with others.

I hope that you will remember today and everyday to stop and taste life's strawberries (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a dietitian! ; )  )

With this snoozing pup and playful baby in view this morning, I am reminded that life looks pretty sweet.♡

A Dietitian's Response to the Worst Diet Advice Given in History

A few days ago I read an article, that was shared on Facebook and written by a personal trainer/ medical student who has spent years reading books and studies on nutrition. It was about the "Worst Nutrition Advice" given in history and alluded to the fact that much of this advice is given out by dietitians and doctors, or the "so-called experts" he remarks. I fumed after reading it and looked for a comment section, however I could not find one, and decided to leave my comments here.

So, what is this horrible nutrition advice?

1) Throw away the egg yolks, only eat the white. This one is often up for debate, but I do not educate my patients to do this, nor do I know many RDs who do anymore. Why? The yolk is an great source of choline (super important for pregnant women) and Vitamin D. And yes, the yolk is high in cholesterol, but as long as you are eating your eggs prepared healthfully and mindfully (not loaded up with butter, grease and cheese), they are an egg-cellent (yup, went there) source of low-cost protein in the diet that may have little effect on your cholesterol level. In fact, I encourage my budget conscious patients to eat eggs frequently to save money on meat and to load up their egg dishes with veggies.

2) Everyone should eat a low-fat, high carb diet- even diabetics. What? Again, I do not advise this. Low-fat means low-satiety and can cause you to eat all day! Fat is very important to get enjoyment and a feeling of fullness after meals and I encourage it in its most nutritious forms (think nuts, seeds, avocados, oils etc.). I also encourage including carbohydrates, not necessarily high-carbohydrate, especially for diabetics who do need to be aware of carb intake. I encourage being more aware of the types of carbohydrates you choose to eat, opting mostly for whole-grains, fruit and low-fat dairy in place of processed snack foods and soda (among others).

3) A Calorie is a Calorie. Food Quality is Less Important. I very much believe that the quality of your calories matters AND I never encourage meticulous calorie counting. I often ask my patients to think about their diets and how their health would be if they consumed 1,500 calories worth of soda and honey buns or 1,500 calories worth of wholesome, nutritious foods. We need nutrient-dense foods to fight disease, give our metabolism what it needs and to regulate our satiety.

4) Use Polyunsaturated Cooking Oils for cooking. I have never recommended using corn, cottonseed or soybean oil to cook with. Yes, I am guilty of often recommending patients use olive oil or canola oil to prepare foods with (which are mostly heart healthy monounsaturated fats by the way). Why? For many of my patients this is a huge change already and a much better choice than deep-frying. The author's remark does not take into account that dietitians do not give blanket nutrition advice for all populations--we have to meet our patients where they are to help them improve their health. Some of the folks I work with are mostly concerned about preventing another hospitalization and getting food on the table, and it is easier to provide them with realistic and easy to understand recommendations vs. explaining their proper Omega 6- Omega 3 ratio. It is true that at high temperatures olive oil's healthy benefits are destroyed. So it is best to use this oil for salad dressings or drizzling over cooked food etc. I could do a whole blog post on cooking oils, so I will stop here and pick this up another time! I do want to mention the author of the article did not suggest any alternatives to cook with however, I guess he has not read that book yet!

5) Replace Butter with Trans-fat Laden Margarine: I have never heard an RD recommend this one! Yikes! In fact, for most patients who want to, I encourage the real stuff--butter--in very small portions vs. using margarine which can negatively harm both our good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels. I do frequently recommend Earth Balance or Smart Balance as well. Dietitians teach cooking and flavoring without adding butter too.

I hope this is not too harsh, but it is frustrating to read an assumption that dietitians are stuck in the dark ages with their recommendations. Nutrition advice has changed over the years and as more research is conducted, dietitians do their best to make sense of it all for the public. I do praise the author for learning about nutrition, but perhaps he could have interviewed some RDs to see what they are recommending. There is so much nutrition advice given out and sometimes, when offered up by someone without credentials and training, it can be harmful, or without your best interest in mind. If a professional is telling you need to break the bank on special supplements or crazy food combos, it might be time to visit a registered dietitian who will work with YOU. I am sure my fellow RDs agree, I cannot believe the number of times that I chat with people who balk at the price of fruits and veggies, but drop lots of cash on the latest miracle supplement Dr. Oz mentions!

Check out the article here: Worst Diet Advice

A Taste of Turmeric

Lately it seems that many of my newsfeeds are filled with recipes and articles boasting the health benefits of turmeric. So, I finally decided to see what this little root is all about! I read up on the spice in a book that is dear to me, Healing Foods, a gift from a preceptor during my dietetic internship. A few pages in (yes, pages!) I quickly realized why turmeric has been all the rage.

In a nutshell, the curcumin (a.k.a. the yellow part!) in turmeric has beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in the body, as well as the ability to zap free radicals that lead to cell damage. This is important because early research indicates that curcumin may be instrumental in abating tumor growth. Other research has found that turmeric may have a role in preventing heart disease (cholesterol-lowering effects), multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's.

Health benefits aside, I love spicy food and curry and have wanted to do a little more with turmeric in the kitchen. We frequently add curry powder or turmeric to eggs, but what about those other recipes I have been eyeing lately?

 

My first attempt at experimenting with turmeric was tumeric milk. I was a little hesitant about this one, yet have heard it is the next best thing to hot tea. I found a recipe that called for almond milk, turmeric, ginger, honey and a dash of black pepper. It smelled amazing. It looked beautiful. First sip. Wow pretty good. Second sip. Gag reflex kicked in and I gave the rest to my hubby (who did not finish it) and cozied up to a glass of wine. Maybe it needed more honey? We decided we would come up with our own recipe using vanilla bean infused almond milk and possibly Cardamom (I will share if we perfect it!).

My second attempt at experimenting with tumeric was my own design--a coconut,  raisin and turmeric oatmeal. I brought two cups coconut milk and two cups water to a boil with 1 cup steel cut oats. I stirred in fresh grated ginger, about 2 tsp. ground turmeric and 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes.  I covered the pot and stored in the fridge overnight. The next morning I added raisins and heated it up until thickened on the stove top (about 20 minutes) and served with a sprinkle of coconut on top. It was quite yummy and even toddler approved! 

Next on our weekend menu was turmeric blackberry muffins. You can find the recipe at greenkitchenstories.com (I used whole wheat flour, frozen blackberries and honey in place of the dates).These were also delicious and next time around I'm going to add more turmeric for extra color and flavor. 

All in all it seems this health-boosting root is pretty versatile. I'm already thinking of adding it to chili, roasted vegetables and air popped popcorn!

                   What ideas do you have?

Birthday Cake for Breakfast?

We recently celebrated my son's first birthday. While I did not want to forgo the traditional cake smash,  I did not really want to offer Jasper an overly sweet and sugary cake just yet. Like one of my fellow friend RDs said on her daughter's first birthday, "it's not like she is asking for a cake!" So with a little recipe inspiration from Pinterest, I decided to bake Jasper a "healthier" cake, one that I have even let him eat for breakfast! 

 

The recipe was adapted slightly from homemadebabyfoodrecipes.com and truly was delicious.

 

Banana and Blueberry Cake

4 oz (1 cup) old fashioned rolled oats
5 oz (1 1/4 cups) whole wheat flour
4 oz (1 cup) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger (my addition!)
good pinch of salt
6 medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
4 fl oz (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup blueberries, chopped (use fresh, or frozen berries thawed and drained--I also tossed in some raspberries!)
4 eggs, beaten well
6 fl oz (3/4 cup) frozen unsweetened 100% apple juice concentrate, thawed*

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F (175 deg C).
Put the first seven ingredients into a large bowl and mix them together.
Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir well until thoroughly combined.
Grease a 9 inch cake tin and pour in the mixture.
Bake for around 50 mins to one hour, until a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 20 mins, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
 
Cream Cheese Frosting Stir together one 3 ounce package of cream cheese (I used an organic Neufchatel cheese), 1/4 tsp of vanilla and 2 1/2 tbsp regular frozen apple juice concentrate (thawed). Spread over the top of the cake once it's cool. I decorated the top of the cake with blueberries and pomegranate seeds. I also made it smaller by pressing a tiny bowl on the top of the cake to act as a "cutter." This was done before frosting of course! 

 

What I Ate Wednesday

It's Wednesday again! Keeping it short and sweet this week....here are what my meals looked like today:

 

Breakfast: Steel cut oats (quick-cook ones due to the morning rush) topped with cinnamon, ginger, honey, raisins and a spoonful of peanut butter. Black coffee. 

 

Morning Snack: Mini egg/ veggie quiche that I made with a patient! Ingredients included eggs, chopped frozen kale, diced tomato, garlic and pepper. We made them in a muffin tin, they were delicious,  and I wondered why I do not do this more often....

 

Lunch: Quinoa/ brown rice mix topped with kale, carrots, olive oil, garlic and a spoonful of Annie's Goddess Dressing (I frequently throw frozen veggies into whatever I pack for lunch). Served with a tangerine and a leftover mini PB banana cupcake from my son's first birthday party. Cupcake not pictured as it took a terrible spill on the way to the office leaving it quite unimpressive looking. For those in Greensboro,  Sweet Megs made the cupcakes and they were very tasty! / seltzer

 

Afternoon Snack: Tomato basil lentil crisps (basically Snappea crisps) and a banana/ water

 

Dinner: Veggie burrito (most of, my son helped) from Chipotle.  Sautéed peppers, brown rice, black beans, lettuce, salsa and guacamole. Small glass of cabernet and water. 

I realized I had dinner out both of my Wednesday posts....picking up food has become part of my routine a few times per week in an effort to spend more time with my little one before he is ready to sleep. We do whip up some simple healthy meals on weeknights too and I'll be sure to share them!

Finding your Flow

My husband mentioned to me this morning that I have yet to really dig into the "flow" of my blog (FoodFLOWMama♡). Perhaps because this is something that does not come as naturally to me as writing about health and food. But it should and that is why I chose to share this portion of my life journey as well.

So what do I mean by flow? I believe this will be different for everyone. To me it is certainly flowing through yoga asanas and feeling the weightlessness of hoop dance, but it is much more than that. It is a way of life focusing on living mindfully and honestly and being truly present so you can love your best, be your best and give your best. I am not an expert in this, but a fledgling, struggling to find my flow on most days. I have many intentions for the new year that will help me practice, most of which center on being more thoughtful, honest with myself and present. I frequently battle anxiety which is not serving me or those I love. I started a more regular yoga practice about 6 months ago and I have experienced growth on and off the mat. I try to get on my mat daily, even if its just for a few minutes or with a one-year old climbing on my legs.

My flow posts will be one of the ways I make sure I reflect on my growth, in yoga, but all of my life flow as well. I hope this will inspire others to find their flow, whatever that may be. To end I wanted to share one of my favorite quotes that reminds me why my intentions are so paramount.

"Man; because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he
does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having
never really lived."
- Dali Lama (On what he finds most surprising about man).

What does flow mean to you? 

Safari Snackers

I made this fun and tasty snack with one my younger patients yesterday and thought it was worth sharing. When getting little ones to fill up on fruits and veggies it often takes a bit of creativity and fun. It also takes setting a good example by modeling healthy food intake yourself and helping your children develop a positive relationship with food (forcing children to clean their plates or rewarding with unhealthy foods are generally not the best ideas in the long run--I'll write more on this later!). 

So, if your looking for a creative snack for the kiddos to make this weekend--here you go! My fellow RD coworker and I came up with Safari Snackers, a new twist on an old favorite—ants on a log. Enjoy!

Notes: The animal crackers I used were from Whole Foods (Barbara's Oatmeal Animal Cookies).

PB and Banana Boats	Creamy, Dreamy  Cranberry Treats	Ticks on a Stick
Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter onto a celery stick. Top with a halved banana slice and an animal friend (we like to use an animal cracker monkey!)   *You can use raisins, or your favorite fruit, in place of the banana! You could also use almond butter in place of the PB!	Spread a tablespoon of low-fat cream cheese onto a celery stick. Top with a tiny trail of cranberries and an animal friend (animal cracker).   *You can use pomegranate seeds, or your favorite berry, in place of the cranberries.	Spread a tablespoon of hummus onto a celery stick. Top with a tiny trail of black beans (canned—drained and rinsed- or dried beans that have been cooked).

What I Ate Wednesday

Many of my friends, family and acquaintances have been very interested in what I eat.  I am pretty sure it's not because i'm extremely fascinating,  but because I am a dietitian and people are constantly trying to figure out what the healthiest foods are for them to chow down on themselves. My meals have frequently been called “rabbit food”  (I am a vegetarian 95% of the time—I do eat turkey on Thanksgiving and the occasional locally-sourced meat) and I often hear exclamations such as “YOU are eating a cookie!” when I indulge. For myself, and for the patients that I work with, I encourage finding a balance amongst all types of food. I like to think of my calories as having a monetary value. I spend my “money” on food I need for my health like edibles full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fat and lean protein and then I splurge once or twice daily on my favorites (usually anything chocolate or red wine). Do I want to spend my calories on a rich, chocolaty mocha cupcake from a local bakery? Yup! Do I want to spend my calories on a basic sheet cake from a grocery store? Not so much. I pick and choose, savor my foods, and make choices that I know will nourish me physically and mentally. Food is highly emotional for many of us and I feel like I spend a lot of my day as a therapist as well as a dietitian. I encourage my patients to find their balance and make mindful choices. While there are certain foods and additives I choose not to eat, there is not a single food that I will tell you not to. I tell my patients, if you make a less than nutritous food choice at lunch, don't beat yourself up, but focus on whipping up a healthy dinner!

I have decided to kick-off a series called “What I Eat Wednesdays” to serve as a source of healthy meal and snack inspiration (and to keep myself on track too!). I will try to take some photos and I apologize ahead of time for my lack of photography skills! 

Today my meal plan was as follows:

·        Breakfast: Original Shredded Wheat drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. I added soy milk and blueberries; black coffee once at the office.

·        Morning Snack: Cashews and an apple; water

·        Lunch: Brown rice, salmon and broccoli topped with a bit of Annie's Goddess dressing and a tablespoon of Goat Lady goat cheese (packed from home); water

·        Afternoon snack: Plain fat-free Greek yogurt topped with my favorite granola (locally-made Gorilla Grains); water

·        Afternoon snack 2 (I'm often starving by dinner!): a few pita chips dipped in edamame hummus

·        Dinner: I tried out the Lentil Quinoa bowl with veggies and an egg at Panera (+ half of the baguette piece); seltzer water. A little salty and not overly filling--would have enjoyed on a big bed of greens! This meal was followed by a glass of red vino and a bit of dark chocolate. 

  

Cutting out Food Waste

I recently heard a story on the radio about food waste that really got me thinking, especially about how much produce I have unfortunately let wilt away in my refrigerator. My intentions are always good as I load up on beautiful produce at the farmer’s market, but then the crazy week gets the best of me and I forget to actually wash, cut up and prepare my weekly bounty. The population that I work with is generally lower-income and I see many people struggling to put food, much less healthy food, on the table for their families every day. This makes me feel incredibly guilty when I have to toss out any foods in my home. The story mentioned a link to The Food Keeper (http://www.fmi.org/industry-topics/consumer-affairs/food-keeper-food-storage-database) which provides information on food safety and storage information for a variety of foods. This is certainly helpful, and is one answer to make sure we store our food properly to increase the likelihood we will use it, but still leaves me with a feeling that I could do more. After all, the estimate is that we each waste about 20 pounds of food per month! I wanted to share some of the tips I have collected over the years to help others and myself cut back on unnecessary spoilage and waste in the kitchen. Who is on board with me to reduce their family’s food waste this year? What ideas do you have?

·         Freeze leftover tomato sauce, tomato paste or broth in ice cube trays or storage cubes if you know you will not be using it right away (label and date!)

·         Turn stale bread into breadcrumbs in the oven (the bread should dry out in a few days without heat) or, if you have enough, make an overnight fresh toast casserole. We keep our bread in the refrigerator where it seems to stay fresh longer.

·         Freeze overripe fruit and blend it up in a smoothie later on

·         Freeze leftover lemon, lime or orange skins to make zest for a future recipe

·         Remove the greens from the tops of your vegetables (ex. carrots or beets) before storing them--the greens actually can remove moisture from the veggie itself. In some cases you can cook up the greens (turnips/beets).

·         Store your kale and collards in a container with a damp cloth to retain moisture

·         Remove your bananas from the stem—they actually ripen more quickly when stuck together

·         If you are like me and seldomly use butter, freeze it! It can store for about 6 months.

-     Use bulk bins at your grocer more often to buy just the amount you need for recipes

·         Make a big pot ‘o’ soup—especially appropriate for the chilly winter. This often uses up our last few carrots, potatoes, beans, greens…….you name it, and we have probably made it into soup!

-    This is one I often encourage my patients to do. Put a note on your refrigerator listing what fresh produce you have purchased and how you plan to use it 

·         Compost. I let my husband take care of this after he told me about all of the maggots in our compost bin! With that said, I do not know much about it, but local cooperative extensions frequently offer classes to help get you started.

I snapped a picture of the chili we made tonight to use up leftovers. Some of the ingredients included collards, black beans, carrots, canned  pumpkin and sweet potatoes, among others. It was randomly delicious! 

Healthy Snack Ideas for Tiny Tots

I often laugh to myself as I look back at the recommendations I have given several mothers over the years on working with picky eaters. While the advice still stands, there is nothing that can better prepare you to help others with a fickle little one than hands-on experience. My husband frequently reminds me to take my own advice when introducing Jasper to a variety of new foods. My son goes from eating eggs excitedly one day to spitting them out (adorable face included) the next. Some days I cannot get him to eat much of anything, yet he wants to nibble on food out of the dog's bowl. On occasion, it seems he cannot get enough to eat and he surprises me with his love for new fruits and vegetables on the first try. I am sure all mothers agree, no day is the same when it comes to menu options. I wanted to share a list of nutritious food ideas for teeny snackers (ages 10-12 months or so) and I hope that others will share some with me! This mama needs a few new ideas herself!

• Whole-grain or Whole Wheat toast pieces spread thinly with avocado, ripe banana, hummus or cream cheese sprinkled with cinnamon.
• Plain, whole-milk yogurt with Vitamin D. Why plain? No added sugar is necessary! I was so surprised to see that sugar is the second ingredient in a popular organic brand of baby yogurt--why?? My son gobbles up plain yogurt and sometimes we add some mashed banana or pureed fruit for a little extra flavor.
• Steamed veggies dipped in hummus. Tiny pieces of raw vegetable without tough skin work well too (ex. peeled cucumber).
• Tiny pieces of fruit (get creative and expose your little one to mango, kiwi, halved blueberries, papaya and melon--the old favorites such as peaches and pears are great too). Try dusting the fruit lightly with wheat germ for easier grasping.
• Lentil balls. I have pureed cooked lentils, garlic, baked sweet potato, avocado, brown rice, broccoli, olive oil and a little bit of flour together in a food processor, shaped them into balls and baked them. This works well for different grains and veggies you may have on hand. You could even use ground meat in place of the lentils!
• Noodles. We have dipped some of Jasper's cooked noodles in leftover baby food purees for "sauce."
• Shredded cheese or small pieces of cheese
• Cooked beans (remove any tough skin as needed)
• Harboiled egg (chopped into tiny pieces) or eggs scrambled with garlic, herbs and veggies.
• Homemade mini muffins
• Baked apples (skin removed) sprinkled with ginger and cinnamon
• Homemade sweet potato fries or other soft roasted veggies (my son loves roasted parsnips!)

I have learned that it truly can take 10-15 exposures to a new food or flavor before your little one accepts. Don't give up! In the case of the roasted beet pancakes I lovingly prepared for Jasper, it might just be a little closer to 20!

Just a word on food allergies etc. I mention several times that hummus is a great snack option—if you have severe allergies to nuts/ seeds in your family you may want to wait until your little one is around one-year old before trying it out (due to the tahini in the hummus). I also mention eggs--we started by giving Jasper egg yolks (the whites have a higher allergen potential) and then finally gave him whole eggs at around 7 months of age. We do not have egg allergies in our family, but if you do, you may want to wait longer before introducing and start with the yolk first. ALSO-because of the risk of botulism, wait before introducing honey until your little one is around one-year old. Check ingredient lists well--one of our favorite hummus flavors even had honey in it!

Say Hello to Food. Flow. Mama

I know what you are thinking. Oh great, another "mom blog." And, perhaps [sigh], this is. However, you may choose to journey with me, or not, and I am at a peace with that. One of my intentions for the year ahead is to make deeper connections within myself and within the community. One of the pathways I chose to make this a reality is through the written word, hence here we are, Food.Flow.Mama is born. I started a blog for my son Jasper the day that I found out I was pregnant. Soon after I started writing for him, I realized how powerful it felt to share my stories and my thoughts and I craved more opportunities to write and connect with others. My hope is that through my experiences I can become a voice in the community while using my knowledge of nutrition to empower others to make healthier choices.  No easy task my friends but I am excited about the opportunities that are ahead of me and my family. Have questions, just ask! Disagree with me, let me know! Have other ideas and experiences that I can learn from? Bring them on! 2015 is about honesty for me--being honest with myself most of all and recognizing how to let go of those things that do not serve me and welcoming new ideas and love as I receive them. What are your intentions for 2015?

Quick, Easy, Healthy: Bok Choy and Cashew Stir Fry

Between work, errands and spending time with my little family, I am always on the lookout for quick and healthy meals. My husband and I like to get creative in the kitchen and make it a game to create a tasty meal out of the random ingredients in our pantry. Here is one of our latest dishes featuring my favorite veggie-- bok choy!  We typically do NOT follow recipes and just add a bit of this and that here and there, hence no ingredient amounts. .. season to your own preferences!

Bok Choy and Cashew Stir Fry:

The ingredient list: one head of bok-choy, frozen stir-fry vegetable blend from Trader Joes, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, low-sodium soy sauce, orange juice, toasted sesame oil, pineapple (canned in 100% juice)—fresh would be a much tastier, but less “quick” option and brown rice (in a microwaveable pouch).

What we did: We sautéed the garlic with sesame oil, added the frozen vegetable blend, the bok choy stems, a splash of orange juice, grated ginger and pineapple, and then sautéed for a few minutes (until the frozen veggies were heated through) and then removed the pan from the heat. We added the rest of the bok choy (which wilts up nicely) and the cashews and served the mixture over a bed of brown rice. I then added just a touch of soy sauce for extra flavor.