Getting Creative with Homemade Pizza

After my son was born we ate frozen pizza more than I care to admit. It was quick, easy and one of our favorite foods. Eventually the dietitian in me could not allow our habit to continue. We decided to start making our own and usually make one or two every other week. 

 What I like about making my own pizza is that 1) It is still pretty budget friendly, we can usually find a pack of two whole-wheat pizza crusts for under $5.00 at the grocery store 2) We can get super creative and use up lots of fresh veggies on hand and 3) it can be quick and easy as far as making dinner goes and allows us to get our vegetable (sometimes fruit), whole grain and protein all in one dish. Plus, our little guy will always eat pizza, even with veggie toppings. 

Here are some of our recent pizza creations to help inspire you. Just add toppings and bake!

1) Mediterranean Pizza: Olive or garlic flavored hummus spread thinly on top of the pizza crust. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumber, chopped olives, chopped cooked falafel and sprinkle with feta or goat cheese. Trader Joes has fully cooked frozen falafel patties. 

2) Chickpea Avocado Pizza:  Spread avocado, garlic or roasted red pepper flavored hummus thinly on top of the pizza crust (I think we had a garlic hummus for this pizza). Add tiny, chopped broccoli florets, thinly sliced avocado, chickpeas (we roasted ours in the oven first with olive oil, garlic and turmeric--this step takes a bit more time), thinly sliced red onion and thinly sliced red, yellow or orange bell pepper. Top with mozzarella cheese. This pizza is pictured below!

3) Black Bean Mango Pizza: Spread black bean dip or refried black beans mixed with a little bit of salsa on top of the pizza crust. Sprinkle pizza with pieces of corn (we used frozen and thawed), diced mango and black beans. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced green bell pepper and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle lightly with cheddar cheese. 

4) Coconut Currry Pizza: Spread a curry inspired hummus on top of your pizza crust (we used locally made ROOTS Thai Coconut Curry hummus). Top with thinly sliced red onions, thinly sliced red bell pepper, chopped cauliflower florets and protein of your choice (a curry flavored tofu would be delicious too) such as diced grilled chicken or shrimp. Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut flakes. 

5) Butternut Squash and Greens Pizza: Top pizza crust with butternut squash or pumpkin inspired pizza sauce (I use Dave's Gourmet sauce...it can be pricey but I always snag it at Whole Foods or TJ Maxx for almost half the usual grocery store cost). Top with baby spinach or torn kale leaves (stems removed) and protein of your choice. For this one, half of the pizza had garbanzo beans (for me) and the other half had sausage (for my hubby). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

6) Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza: Spread  pre-prepared pesto and goat cheese over the pizza crust. Top with whatever vegetables and protein options you have on hand! Pine nuts or walnuts sprinkled over the pizza during the last minute or two of baking add a nice healthy crunch!

Anyone else want to share their ideas? Could use a few new ones!

Why Can't We all Just be Dietitians?

Plain and simple, we all have to eat. That must make everyone a nutrition expert right? 

Many people like to dish out nutrition advice, although not everyone is qualified to. This advice is given out daily, and all over the world by personal trainers, doctors, nutritionists, health coaches, neighbors, friends, relatives, grocery store cashiers, health enthusiasts and my least favorite Dr.Oz. I enjoy hearing the stories that my patients share with me about the nutrition advice they have received. The number one suggestion given by some of their providers is "do not eat anything white." Sigh. Guess who is not having cauliflower for dinner? Seriously though, inaccurate information gets confusing and people don't know who to listen to. 

So you might be wondering, what is the real harm here, if at all? And what makes a dietitian my "go to" for food and nutrition information? 

Anyone can become an expert on any subject they choose. In fact, many non-RD folks out there probably know more about antioxidants and the healing properties of food than me. What I believe Registered Dietitians have that others don't is...well....the bigger picture. We are realistic. We work with you individually. We asses your health literacy before we educate you. We use motivational interviewing to help you set goals and achieve them. We are practical. We understand all of your health conditions and work with those and we are the only ones who can provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (for example, if  you have end stage renal disease, we are not going to push potassium-rich fruits and vegetables without looking at your labs first! This can be harmful!). 

Let me explain further. In the county that I currently live in we are experiencing significant food hardship. In fact, we are ranked #1 right now in the United States. Many of our community members make decisions daily about purchasing medications, their rent or food. Can you imagine the look on my patient's face if I walked into their home, scolded them on the sugary soft drink in their hand, and told them the following?:  You must only eat fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Avoid all GMOs. Nope, you can't use that microwave to cook your food, it is going to give you cancer. Baby carrots you say? Never, do you know they have chlorine on them? You have to buy this supplement I have over here, never mind the expense........it is the only thing that will help you lose weight....it's a miracle! 

The bottom line is that we all have issues, many of them related to food. What works for one person is not going to work for another. Nutrition is not one size fits all. If the only way my patient is going to eat a vegetable is cooked in the microwave then heck yeah! This is so much better than the harmful health effects of not eating vegetables at all. There is so much inequality in how individuals can afford to eat healthfully that it is not realistic to ask folks to eat all organic food or all fresh foods. I dream of a world where everyone can eat and have access to healthy, fresh food on a daily basis. Sadly, this is not the reality we live in. In addition, all of the mixed nutrition messages out there are confusing and leave people perplexed and unsure what to do.

I read an article a few months ago that mentioned dietitians just aren't sexy. And it's true. I don't have a panacea that will cure all of your problems and help you drop that last 10 pounds. What I can do is listen. Work with you and create a plan that is achievable and promotes your overall  health. I have often daydreamed of chopping up a head of broccoli into teeny tiny pieces, putting them them in a pill bottle and then promoting it as the next food miracle for weight loss. Sometimes I think people might believe that more than the plain and simple advice that fruits and veggies really are some of the best food choices to make. It is frustrating. But I am not giving up.

There is not one miracle food out there. It is all about balance. I hope I do not sound bitter, and I am sure there are plenty of non-RD persons in the community who have this big picture and a great message as well. Overall, nutrition is confusing and it is a rapidly changing field. Just today I got an email about some pretty big changes for how we recommend cholesterol, sodium and saturated fat in one's diet (stay tuned!). So, (and yeah I know I am tooting the RD horn here!) before you jump on the latest diet band wagon or shell out some big bucks for a protein powder, maybe, just maybe, consider chatting with a big picture RD! 

This photo was taken during my trip to Zambia. We visited a hospital there but their nutritionist was not working that day. Would have been great to chat with her and get perspective on life as a dietitian across the world! 

Walk the Earth

There is something to be said about stepping down on Mother Earth with your bare feet. You become aware of every blade of grass, sharp pebble or warm grain of sand. Your feet have no choice but to be present to their surroundings. To me , wandering sans shoes, signals relaxation especially after a rough day. My feet are begging to feel the Earth and it is quite freeing. For those that know my husband they are aware that he is a barefoot runner and hiker because this is more comfortable to him than heavy sneakers (I agree!) and he has had less injury to his feet (we always get stopped on trails by folks who are mesmerized by this). With my own little guy I have decided to let him wear soft, flexible shoes that keep him closer to the Earth, like moccasins or our new favorite, Soft Stars.

This desire to pretty much go shoeless may just be the tip of something more meaningful. Read on.

Earthing, or grounding/ connecting, to our Mother Earth with bare feet (or by using a special device for the purpose) is something that I have heard some buzz about lately and am by no means at all an expert in. The rationale is, that by making this intentional connection with the ground, we absorb electrons from the earth that get to work squashing harmful free radicals in our body thus reducing disease causing inflammation and stress (just like antioxidants in our fruits and veggies!). I have read the best conductors are the grass and sea water, both of which are yummy to walk around on to me! I have also read that all of this is basically a bunch of bologna too based on a little something called chemistry.

I am not sure how rigorous research studies have been in the earthing concept to date, but I am intrigued reading about claims that grounding is associated with healing injury and anti-aging benefits.

Overall, I think we can all learn something from earthing. We often associate being barefoot with carefree moments or vacation, both of which are fantastic for your emotional well being. A friend's mother taught her that you should step barefoot on the Earth at least once per day. I have also heard advice that earthing in your garden can create fruits and veggies with a nutritional composition specifically for you. True? Maybe , maybe not,  but I like the idea!

So, similar to my thoughts toward the good ol' adage that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, why not kick off your heels AND eat an apple outside every once in a while? It's almost free and can't hurt (unless you step on glass I suppose...)!

Have experience or insight on earthing? Please share!

Kicked off my shoes this morning to "earth" a bit in the dewy grass and play with my little one. He preferred to stay in his Softstars!

Tips for Feeding Your Toddler (AKA your Picky Eater)

Toddlers don’t often eat well. And when they do, they make a huge mess.  I have learned this first hand with my son, from my teeny patients and from other mamas I have spoken with. It is unrealistic to expect your little adventurer to sit down, properly pick up their fork and spoon, and then clean their plate three times per day. With my own little guy I have seen his once voracious appetite calm down quite a bit as he now prefers to run, jump, play,” paint” with his food and try out different ways to style his hair (with tomato sauce, with applesauce, with milk……….). At first I was frustrated, but now I realize I am just going to have to count the number of good meals he eats per week (not per day) and try to make sure his nutritional gaps are filled in. The term I learned in school for this is "food jags" and they are totally normal and often result from a period of slowed growth around two-years old or so. During this time toddlers can refuse once favorite foods and may want their new favorite foods over and over. They also may have a preference for soft foods at times due to teething. 

 I have taken note of some things that have worked and others that have not in hopes that I may be able to provide guidance for other parents out there! Here we go, and in no particular order:

•  Go With the Flow: If set mealtimes and scheduled snacks do not work out for your toddler, consider offering little nutritious mini meals all throughout the day. I have to do this with my little guy. He eats small portions at a time and is more likely to nibble on something while he is on the go verses sitting in his high chair. With that said, still include your toddler at the table for mealtime when you can. It is good for him to see other folks eating and to be exposed to a variety of foods.
•   Don’t force it! So she won’t eat her carrots? Stay calm, don’t overreact. If you force the food you are more likely to end up with a frustrated toddler who won’t ever want to eat it. Try again later. It can take a child 10-15 times of being exposed to a new food before they even taste it.
• Encourage exploration. Offer your toddler a variety of foods and let them have at it! If making a mess stresses you out, invest in a full protective long sleeve bib (we found one at IKEA that we termed his little “hazmat” suit) and put down a sheet or towel under the high chair. I have found that when my son plays with his food he is more likely to take a taste. This is especially true with dipping. He loves to dip carrots into hummus and eat the humus off.....it makes a huge mess but I am so happy that he sometimes takes a few bites of the carrot too!
• Get in the garden. My son does not always eat his broccoli at the dinner table but will never pass on it right out of the garden. He also liked to grab asparagus out of the ground and chomp away. 
• Be a Role Model: Eat your veggies. Eat your fruit. After all, your little one often wants whatever you have right? 
• Nix the Not So Good Stuff: Avoid filling up your toddler with juice and non nutritious foods so they are actually hungry for the good stuff. Some toddler friendly snackable options include freeze dried or fresh fruit, whole grain English muffins spread with nut butter, whole grain cereal, small pieces of cheese, unsweetened yogurt mixed with applesauce etc.
• Offer a Choice: Your little one is asserting his or her independence so why not offer a situation in which you both win? Encourage decision making by asking "would you like kiwi or grapes?" "Green beans or cauliflower?"
• Don't give up: Keep offering healthy foods so they become familiar. Try new recipes and serving foods in a variety of ways. If you are worried about wasting food, you can offer some of your serving to your child and then eat what they don't later on. 
• Fill in the Nutritional Gaps: If you are concerned your little one might be missing out on some key nutrients talk to your pediatrician (if nutrition savvy!) or a dietitian. Your child's iron level should be checked regularly as milk anemia can be common among toddlers drinking too much milk. Chances are they are getting just what they need as long as you offer a variety of colorful foods and iron-rich foods (fortified cereal, most meat, dark green leafy veggies). My go to lately has been offering my son small portions of smoothies or popsicles made with nut butter, kale, strawberries, banana, carrots and flaxseed. And, remember, the correct portion size for the wee ones is only a tablespoon for their age. For example, if your daughter is three- years old, one serving from each food group is only three tablespoons.

What I Ate Wednesday......and a Few Things about Salads!

This morning I woke up and thought to myself……..what a great day for “What I Ate Wednesday!” 

·         Breakfast:  Trader Joe’s Bran Flakes combined with Nature’s Path Blueberry Cinnamon cereal, topped with raspberries and milled flaxseed. Served with unsweetened soy milk. Medium Soy Au Lait (half-steamed soy milk and half cup coffee) from Spring Garden Café and Bakery once I got to the office.

·         Morning Snack: Peanut butter/ Dark Chocolate KIND bar. I immediately realized that this was an indulgent snack but it was what I packed along to my morning full of meetings. Perhaps you have heard a thing or two about KIND bars in the news lately. They recently got a hand slap from the FDA for labeling several of their granola bars as “healthy.” The bars in question contain too much saturated fat according to FDA guidelines and made a few other claims that did not sit well with them. My stance and suggestion: Ignore food marketing. I disregard claims such as “natural” and “healthy” and assess the product myself by taking a quick peak at the nutrient facts label and the ingredient list. I am fine with the fat content of the KIND bar because most of it comes from nuts and because of this, they actually fill me up between meals (most others do not). However, a KIND bar is not the most nutritious snack choice out there of course, especially the variety I had today. After all, a lot of added sugar was in my snack as out of the first five ingredients, three of them were sugar (dark chocolate coating, glucose syrup and honey)—yikes!

·         Lunch: A HUGE salad at the office with lots of yummy ingredients including broccoli, edamame, carrots, garbonzo beans, cucumbers, walnuts, green peppers, mandarin oranges……..and so on--see photo!). Topped with a bit of Annie’s Woodstock dressing and served alongside a homemade muffin (whole wheat blueberry turmeric, for more details see my turmeric post a few months back). Apparently it is National Salad Month in May and to celebrate our morale team hosted a salad bar potluck event. Water to drink and a yummy s' more courtesy of a coworker for dessert.

** Some comments on salads……..I cannot tell you the number of times that my patients tell me “I don't know why I am not losing weight, all I eat is salads!” I gotta say, just eating salads does not impress me. In fact, upon further exploration, many of the “salads” eaten are really lots of cheese, a lake of salad dressing, and salty meat sprinkled with lettuce. I usually ask, can you still see all the ingredients in your salad after you add the cheese and salad dressing? A salad is a super healthy choice when planned wisely. Here are some of my tips for creating a nutritious and filling salad:

* For salad dressings,  I usually recommend choosing the real deal and being mindful about how much is used. Try the fork dipping method to get some dressing in every bite (dip each bite lighly in a side of dressing). Avoid fat free dressings as they don't offer fat needed for nutrient absorption and they may have extra salt or sugar in them to boost the taste. Best bet: Extra virgin olive oil and some vinegar.

* For toppings load on the colorful non-starchy vegetables and be sure to include some protein and healthy fat to keep you satisfied longer. No point in eating a wimpy salad at lunch leaving you hungry and more likely to overindulgence later. Some of my favorites: roasted beets, fresh berries,  sungold cherry tomatoes,  nuts, pumpkin seeds, lentils,  hardboiled egg, goat cheese, salmon, and spicy radishes. 

* Go easy on the cheese and avoid lots of fatty, sugary and salty toppings like bacon bits, deli or breaded meats, glazed nuts and croutons.

·         Afternoon Snack: Banana

·         Dinner: Lentils cooked with ginger, curry powder and cinnamon; falafel;  baby spinach drizzled with olive oil and balsamic; a few pieces of raw cauliflower.  Served with water.

  

Feeding Baby Series: Time for Food!

Congratulations mamas and papas! Your baby is ready for the joys of table food! Or are they? There is a lot of misinformation out there (much of it generated by the baby food industry) about when to start baby food and what the best first foods are. This post features my advice for the when, why, what and where of offering your little one their first solids.  

When: The recommendation that I follow for starting table foods is 6 months. I started my little guy on solids the week before his 6 month "birthday." The baby food industry would love you start on food sooner of course (more money in their pocket), but in most cases it really is not necessary. Your little one's nutritional needs are met with formula and/or breast milk (if your babe is just drinking breast milk Vitamin D supplementation is recommended however).

Some key things to look for to help you assess if your baby is ready to start eating are:

• they can sit up unsupported and are able to hold their head steady
• they seem interested in food and open their mouth or lean in when food is offered via spoon; furthermore, they are able to close their lips over the spoon and keep teeny portions of food in the mouth rather than than back out on the chin.

Why: Waiting for the six-month mark to start your little one on table food is beneficial for several reasons. 1) If you are breastfeeding, it can help you keep your milk supply up longer 2) Your babies’ tiny gut will be more mature which could result in less gas and tummy trouble 3) You will be letting your babies’ healthy gut flora do its job without introducing in new bacteria that alters the GI environment. With all of the buzz lately on gut flora and your health (which I plan to investigate further), I think there might be something to this! With all of this said, about six-months old is when an infant is about to deplete their iron stores so getting in a good food source of iron is recommended. 

What: Jasper's first food was very, very thinned out (with milk) roasted and mashed sweet potatoes. This was followed by Earth's Best Organic Oatmeal (thinned out with milk) and mashed banana (again thinned out with milk!). We added in several of the foods listed below over the next few weeks and gradually stepped up the texture of the food. I truly did not suspect any food allergies with him (however you never know), but the best guidance is to introduce one new food at a time by offering it over a period of 3-4 days before adding in any new foods. During the 3-4 day window, be on the lookout for any signs of a possible food allergy (rashes or lots of tummy troubles including diarrhea or excessive gas). 

Best First Foods for Baby--low allergen risk (ideally organic to reduce pesticide and antibiotic resistant bacteria exposure)

·         Oatmeal/ Multigrain cereal (I'm not sure where I stand on rice cereal, the guidance per the American Academy of Pediatrics is to vary the type of cereal given due to reports of arsenic-derived rice..this is something you may choose to read about further!)

·         Banana

·         Sweet Potatoes

·         Avocado

·         Papaya

·         Applesauce (unsweetened)

·         Peas

·         Butternut Squash

·         Green Beans

·         Pears

·         Plums 

Remember that your little one's gut is still immature....wait a few months before offering lots of super high fiber foods (beans, broccoli etc.) or highly acidic foods (citrus, tomatoes). I will write soon on introducing more adventurous foods later! I have heard some RDS recommend meat as a good first food because the iron is absorbed well. This is an option but a more difficult one, as its not as convenient as iron-fortified cereal or as easy to get in a thin enough form for new eaters.  *Also, offer the foods above in their pure form. No salt needed--in fact early exposures to salt are linked to a preference for it later in life.

Where: Make sure baby is sitting upright to eat (in a highchair or booster) and is offered foods by spoon (helps with hunger/ fullness cues, for this reason putting infant food in a bottle is NOT recommended). Try to include baby at the table for your mealtimes and make the environment as pleasant and non-distracting as possible. Do not make a big deal when your baby does not want the food offered (and honestly, he won't always, especially at first). Just simply stop offering the food and try again later, sometimes 10-15 exposures to a new food are needed. Don’t forget to offer the food from a dish rather than an infant food jar. Your little one is not likely to finish all of the food offered and once you dip the used spoon back in, it should be tossed out after the meal rather than popped back in the refrigerator. Safety first! 

** A word on beverages. Please wait on the cow’s milk until your infant is older than one year of age. In addition, my preference is to wait on offering juice until about that time as well. Juice is not essential for meeting nutrient needs and teaching the healthy habit of drinking water is a wonderful gift for your little one.  Jasper started taking small sips of water by spoon about the same time we started him on solids. If you do choose to offer juice, choose 100% juice (no juice like drinks!), dilute it well with water or offer 4 ounces or less per day.

 

 

Eating Mindfully

Working as a dietitian is challenging.  Not only am I competing with food fads and crazy diets (including myriad recommendations from Dr. Oz), but I am competing with my patient’s emotional struggle with food. Some of these struggles are from their past (“my mother FORCED me to eat oatmeal—I will never touch it again”) and some are from their present and often linked to the state of their mental well-being (“I overeat when I am feeling sad.”).  These relationships often need to be addressed before the real education on making healthy food choices begins. One of the ways that I choose to address these emotional barriers is with the practice of mindfulness and intuitive eating. And to make sure we are all on the same page, here is mindfulness defined”: “intentionally paying attention, moment to moment, without judging what is happening internally in the body, mind, and heart and externally in the environment (Mindfulness and Diabetes: Working in Tandem, 2015).

How many of you ate a meal while watching television or sitting at your computer today? Guilty as charged. Do you feel like you were truly present to your dining experience? Do you remember the aroma? The taste of each bite of food? Perhaps you scarfed down your sandwich so quickly you don’t remember eating it at all. This is the issue for many of us and it can be harmful to our waistline and overall health.

When working with my patients on eating mindfully, I help them slow down and savor the foods that they are eating. This can be done with a variety of methods. Using the hunger scale (a way to rate your level of hunger before and after eating), putting down one’s eating utensil between bites of food and/or journaling to reflect on foods eaten and the eating experience overall. This is no easy task and one must be extremely motivated and honest with themselves to work on this.

A 2013 study published in Diabetes Spectrum  found that participants who completed a Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training Program , which included meditation, were able to cut back on the amount of calories they were eating daily and experienced improved blood sugar control and a reduction in blood pressure. This is hopeful news and only strengthens my belief that an overall lifestyle focusing on the present moment and mindfulness is essential for  both physical and mental health.

I have a challenge for you. The next time you sit down (or stand, which is less ideal but often the reality) to eat a sweet treat, I encourage you to try this. Start out by taking a bite of your treat and eating it as usual. Do you want another bite? Most likely. For your next bite, let the morsel linger in your mouth for one minute. Think about the taste that you are experiencing. Try to describe it to yourself. After you finish, tap into what you notice about how much you want another bite. Most likely you are more satisfied than when you took your first bite more hastily. Even if this exercise did not work for you this time, I encourage you to try again later.  The more difficult this is for you, the more often you will need to practice.

 
Mindful eating is important to teach our children too so they develop healthy relationships with food. You can practice mindful eating with the little ones by sharing in a snack experience. Before eating, describe how the food looks. Guide the kiddos through eating the snack slowly and chat about the taste and texture, as well as how their hunger level changed after eating.

And that my friends, is my food AND flow wisdom for the day!

 

“The more you eat, the less flavor, the less you eat, the more flavor” ~Chinese Proverb