"I Just Started This New Diet..."

These are words that anyone in the nutrition field is going to hear a lot throughout the years. Since I'm new to the profession it's still a somewhat novel experience for me. I'm also not well versed in the pros and cons of every new diet trend on the market (though I'm familiar with ones that were popular in book form during my years in the book industry). So this weekend when a family friend mentioned a new diet so was undertaking, I listened carefully as she explained the premise. It sounded similar to Atkins so I told her that cutting out carbs was not healthy and that if she was looking to reduce the amount of white flour in her diet she should try challenging herself to only whole grains and to pile on the veggies.

Then, I got a chance to look at the book that describes the diet, The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise. There were the standard high-protein, no flour, no sugar recipes. But in the back there was a list of acceptable and unacceptable ingredients to use and there, under the column GOOD FAT was (drum roll please): butter. I cringed. Don't get me wrong - I'll have butter on occasion, but if someone was skimming this book, as I was, they might have seen that and thought to themselves "Oh good! Butter is a good fat! I'll use it all the time now - and lose weight!" It seems likely that this type of misinformation is part of what's leading to so many people gaining weight and getting frustrated when they follow a "diet" or "cure" and don't see any improvement.

Luckily, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) has a link on their website with reviews of popular diet books to help consumers sift through the good, the bad, and the just plain wacky. The reviews are written by Registered Dieticians and tell readers what's good about certain diets and what to be wary of in others. Click here to find the reviews, listed alphabetically by book title.

To Go Vegan or Not to Go Vegan

Someone recently mentioned that they are thinking of going vegan and asked for my thoughts. As I came up with some questions to ask her to help consider the decision from a dietary prospective, I thought I'd post them here in case others are also thinking of going vegan in the new year, or just curious what changes they might need to make to their diet if they ever make the switch to a plant-based diet.

• Are you considering becoming vegan for purely ethical reasons, purely health reasons, or a combination of the two? 

This is important for several reasons; it tells me whether or not you'll be willing to make exceptions if need be. For example, if I'm doing a diet analysis with someone who has recently gone vegan purely for health reasons and realize that they have a soy allergy and hate all beans, I might see if they'd be willing to consider some alternative lean protein sources like yogurt or fish. It can also be more challenging to eat at restaurants or go to family or work functions if you're not willing to be flexible on occasion.

• What are the current sources of calcium, protein, and iron in your diet? Calcium sources include dairy products, fortified juices and soy milk, green leafy vegetables, and some nuts and beans. Protein sources include meat, poultry, fish, dairy, beans, nuts, soy, and tofu. Iron sources include beans, fortified cereals, whole grains, fish, meat, eggs, some nuts, and some green vegetables.

If a person currently gets the majority of their calcium, protein, and iron from animal-based sources I would suggest that they make a slower transition to veganism in order to make sure that they are willing to eat the right types of foods to get all of these important nutrients. For someone who already eats a lot of nuts, legumes, and veggies, it might not be as hard to make the full transition. Most people think that protein is the hardest nutrient to get enough of when becoming vegan, but as I mentioned last year in this post about vegetarian protein, there is protein in a lot of places that you might not expect it (like grains and vegetables). While protein is certainly a concern, I'd say it's probably more important to pay attention to calcium and iron since these can be easier to forget about.

• Are you willing to take supplements if your diet doesn't provide the necessary vitamins and minerals?

There is no arguing that when going vegan, at least at first, it can be a challenge to get the necessary vitamins and minerals. Technically B12 is the only nutrient that is not naturally available in non-animal foods. In order to get the recommended 2.4 mcg/day of B12, a vegan needs to either eat fortified foods or take a supplement (don't worry, the B12 found in these forms is not taken from animals, it is derived from bacteria). Foods fortified with B12 include soy milk and various cereals. It is important to check in either with a Registered Dietician or by doing an online food analysis to make sure that you're getting enough nutrients in your diet.

A vegan diet can be healthy and can prevent a host of diseases and health problems, but remember, there are plenty of the bad guys like sodium and fat in vegan foods as well. Just because that cupcake is vegan doesn't make it healthy! In fact, vegan products that are attempting to imitate meat have a lot of sodium in them in order to mimic the flavor. Some vegan baked goods make use of cashew butter and coconut oil - both things that are ok to consume in moderation, but aren't exactly what you'd call healthy either. As long as you learn to make smart choices and check often to make sure that you're getting all of the nutrients you need, going vegan can be fun - not to mention delicious!

If you have more questions about going vegan or advice (and recipes) for those looking to make the leap leave it in the comments section...

Healthy Cooking for Twelve

My family has a great tradition of getting together every year in North Carolina between Christmas and New Year’s. We catch up on the year’s activities, go for walks, read books that we were given for Christmas, and swim in my grandparents’ pool. But mostly, we eat.

We talk about what we’ll be eating next, we shop for the next meal, we plan for when the next meal will take place, we clean up from the last meal. In the past we would pile into cars and descend upon local restaurants but with mobility becoming more of an issue, these days we mostly take turns cooking. This is made especially challenging by a variety of food allergies, tastes, preferences, and dietary restrictions. There’s a shellfish allergy so severe that it rules out all seafood, several people who don’t eat beef, even more who don’t eat pork, a strong aversion to onions, a person with type 1 diabetes, a low-salt restriction, and a most-of-the-time vegan.

Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens

This year I decided to make an exclusively vegetarian meal and used my roommate’s inspiration to go all red and green for the holiday. I started out with this Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens recipe from Epicurious (kale! whole grains!), which I doubled, then served stuffed peppers with a side of whole-wheat bread. I love making these peppers because they’re easy to make for a crowd, they’re healthy, and they make a good presentation.

Red and Green Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Whole Grains

Serves 12

Ingredients:

1/2 package whole-wheat orzo (they sell this at Whole Foods but I haven’t seen it anywhere else)

6 large bell peppers, a variety of red and green

2 cucumbers, chopped into tiny cubes

2 containers of grape tomatoes sliced in half

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained

1 container feta cheese

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Salt and pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Boil water and cook the entire package of whole-wheat orzo according to package directions (you can use the rest for leftovers).

Cut peppers in half vertically and remove seeds and white parts. Fill a large dish with a thin layer of water and put peppers facedown in the water. Cover and microwave for 3-4 minutes. You may have to do this in batches depending on how big your microwave is. The peppers should still be firm but soft to the touch. Place steamed peppers face up in a large baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl combine 1/2 of the cooked orzo, all of the chopped tomatoes, the chopped cucumbers, garbanzo beans, and feta. Douse with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper (if your guests will tolerate it) and mix. Fill peppers with the stuffing mixture and bake for 15 minutes. There will be a bowl of the orzo mixture left; place either in the oven or microwave to heat, then place on table so that people can add more orzo mixture to their plate.

Red and Green Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Whole Grains

This recipe is easily customizable; you can add or remove vegetables depending on guests’ preferences, you can change the type of cheese or the grain. How about Southwestern Stuffed Peppers? Just replace the garbanzo beans with black beans, replace the orzo with brown rice, replace the feta with shredded cheddar, and mix some taco seasoning in with the stuffing. Or Greek Stuffed Peppers with feta, Kalamata olives, and couscous? The sky is the limit for this healthy main course.

Airport Eating: Just Plane Healthy

At this time of year I often find myself in airport after airport. I fly home for Thanksgiving (2 flights each way). I fly back home for Christmas (2 flights), then on to visit relatives (2 flights), then back to Boston (only 1 flight!). This year as an added bonus I'm taking a trip a few days after I get back. So as you can imagine that's a lot of mealtimes spent in airports. Sometimes even if you've planned ahead and packed healthy snacks, when you're in an airport you might need to buy a meal or two.

Often the thought of airport (or bus station, or train station) eating brings to mind fast food chains; there may be regional differences, but what it boils (or fries) down to is that it's not hard to get a burger and something fried. It doesn't help that traveling can be a stressful experience and airport providers know that people want comfort food when they're stressed out. Luckily, according to this article in USA Today, airports are slowly beginning to offer healthier choices. In fact, in the Detroit airport, they claim that every single one of their 58 restaurants has at least one low-fat vegetarian option. According to the article, a survey of 15 major U.S. airports found that 83% of restaurants have at least one vegetarian item on the menu — low in fat, high in fiber and good for your heart which is up from 57% a little more than a decade ago.

Last week I was lucky enough to find a low-fat vegetarian meal - with whole grains no less - in two different airports, Boston Logan and Chicago O'Hare. Of course just because airports are allegedly offering healthier options does not mean that they are advertising them out in the open. Sometimes it takes two important skills: sleuthing and imagination. In Boston I asked for a side of brown rice and a side of black beans - add some hot sauce and you're good to go! In Chicago I was delayed so had time to wander around until I found the Argo Tea Cafe which had not one but several whole grain bowls (I had the garden lentil salad with bulgur which was surprisingly filling).

Next time you're in an airport and grabbing food on the go, challenge yourself to see just how healthy you can make it. From Bistro Boxes at Starbucks to sushi or a burrito made with brown rice and vegetables, you might be surprised what you can find if you put your mind to it.

Healthy, Cheap, Easy Last-Minute Gift Idea!

Tis the season for finding last minute presents that are fast, cheap, and leave a lasting impression. I’m sure that the Internet is rife with homemade gift ideas, and here’s another one that fits the above criteria – plus it’s healthy! I got this idea after I made muffins for a brunch on Sunday that called for cornmeal. I got to thinking that I don’t have much use for cornmeal and worried that it might sit unused, like my large bag of white whole-wheat flour has been for a few months. Growing up, we used to sell cookie mixes in my parent’s gift shop that had all of the dry ingredients – just add a few specific things and voila! Cookies. They were sort of like cake mix in really nice packaging.

Homemade Muffin Mix

So this year I decided to make my own muffin mixes to give out as last-minute presents. At a locally-owned hardware store I bought a package of 12 wide-mouth quart-sized Ball canning jars for $9.99. I used the cornmeal and other dry goods I had on hand, and bought some extra cranberries at the grocery store. Here is what to do if you want to make your own:

Mix 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Mix well with a whisk. Pour into a clean quart-sized canning jar. Put 1 1/2 cups of cranberries into a zip-lock bag and place on top of flour mixture in the jar. Close the lid and decorate as desired! Make sure to attach this label so that the recipient knows what to do when they get the gift:

Cranberry Lemon Muffins

Adapted from a recipe from Eating Well.

Ingredients not provided are in bold.

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1/3 cup canola oil, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a medium bowl.

3. Add yogurt mixture to the provided dry ingredients and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in chopped up cranberries.

4. Divide the batter among 24 mini muffin cups. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins.

5. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Let cool then serve.

Per mini muffin: 93 calories, 3.5g fat, 2g protein, 1.5g fiber.

Healthy Holiday Habits

Now that you've gotten all of your holiday shopping taken care of, it's time to think about holiday parties. Is it possible to eat healthy at a holiday party? Opinions differ, but I've come up with a few tips that I personally plan to follow this holiday season. Have some of your own? Leave them in the comments section, I'd love to hear them!

A little disclaimer about these tips. A lot of them have to do with self-control and willingness on the part of the participant. The tips are for those that want a reminder that it is possible to survive the holidays in a healthy way. If you look forward to cookie and egg-nog fueled parties all year and don't make a habit of overindulging, then enjoy! Just realize that you'll feel better if you practice: (you guessed it!) moderation.

Eat a healthy dinner before you go. Just like with grocery shopping, arriving at a holiday party really hungry can make it difficult to exert self-control. This is one I struggle with personally because I really dislike being hungry - so if I arrive at an event hungry and there aren't healthy options, I'm likely to eat unhealthy food. Make sure your dinner has plenty of veggies to fill you up as well as some healthy fats to keep you full. Which leads me to my next tip...

Bring something healthy. You may remember over the summer when I suggested bringing gazpacho to a barbeque so that you'd have something besides charred meat to enjoy. The same goes for holiday parties. Veggies and hummus are a good option, or if it's more of a dessert and drinks event, try some seasonal fruit like baked apples or spiced pears.

Limit yourself. This is a big self-control tip. If you really want to try all of the delicious goodies, try picking a few that you think you'll enjoy the most and then eating only one of each. It can be helpful to visualize all of the cookies that you plan on eating (or have eaten) either on a plate. As you reach for that sixth cookie, think about whether on a normal day you would really sit down and eat six cookies. Is it worth it? The same goes for alcoholic drinks. Alcohol in it's pure form is 7 calories per gram. I'll let you look up the calories of your favorite beer or cocktail on your own, but it's safe to say that you could easily rack up over 500 calories just by having a couple of drinks (and those calories are not going to fill you up, are likely to become fat once in your body, and may cause you to make unhealthy eating choices later in the night).

These snowmen know how to keep active during the holidays!

Know when you're going to exercise. If you've already scheduled a run for the next morning or you put in an hour at the gym earlier that day, you're more likely to make healthy choices (in my opinion). It's not much fun running with a hangover or having sore abs plus a stomach ache from overeating. I realize it can be hard to carve out time when you're busy planning for parties, so try to challenge yourself. For example, see how many crunches you can do while the cranberry nut bread is baking in the oven. And chances are you'll want to shower before attending the party anyway, so why not get sweaty with a quick workout video before hoping in?

Eat, Drink, and be Active Gift Guide!

Chances are if you’re reading this blog that you know someone besides yourself who likes to eat, drink, and be active. And since the holiday season is upon us, there’s also a chance that you’re in the market for a gift for said person (or persons). Well you’re in luck! Just in time for holiday shopping, it’s the Eat, Drink, and be Active Gift Guide!

Because I was raised within the culture of my parent’s gift shop I’ve been at this for a long time (and loved every second of it, as you can see in this photo).

Please try to buy local for these products if you can, but I've included Amazon links if you're having a hard time finding them.

EAT

This time of year you can barely walk into a national chain or open a catalog without seeing at least one “kitchen” item. You know the ones I mean: the electric donut maker, the magic spaghetti cooker, the hot dog toaster… These gadgets don’t exactly encourage healthy eating (or show class on the part of the gift giver). Here are a few gift ideas for that person on your list who is making an effort to eat healthier this year.

Veggie Steamer – The old metal veggie steamer inserts wouldn't have made much of an inpired-looking gift. But with silicone technology, now the gift of a veggie steamer is a fun, colorful option. Pair it with a few colored silicon spatulas and a complimentary-colored kitchen towel and you’ve got a great gift set. On Amazon: Chef'n SleekStor Veggie Steamer

Knives – It can be hard to want to cook at home more if you’re cooking with dull or old knives. Even the person who has “everything” can benefit from a few new good, quality knives. A good knife makes chopping veggies a breeze. On Amazon: OXO Good Grips Professional Santoku Knife

Lunch Tote – I remember the days when lunch totes came in only less than appealing designs. But these days it can be hard to tell a lunch tote from a designer handbag! That may be a stretch, but bringing your lunch to work is more fun when you have a cute bag and this will prevent you from grabbing fast food or getting your sustenance from the vending machine. On Amazon: Built Neoprene Lunch Totes

DRINK

With new studies coming out every week on the benefits of coffee drinking and red wine consumption (hello phytochemicals!) giving the gift of drinking accoutrements is never a bad idea. Here are some ideas for the wine snob or coffee addict in your life.

French Press Travel Mug – I use my French press every morning and often enjoy the luxury of having 5 minutes to sit down to drink it. However, there are those mornings when I’m running out the door and don’t have the time and what happens then? I spend money on subpar coffee somewhere else. If this sounds like a problem you or someone you know also faces, consider this snazzy French press travel mug. On Amazon: Bodum Travel Coffee Press

Wine Aerator – When I came home a few years ago and my dad was serving wine through this interesting looking contraption I was a bit puzzled. I’d heard of decanters, but this was completely different. It’s much easier to use and faster than decanting wine and you can impress your friends by extolling the benefits of air bubbles in your vino. Pair the aerator with a bottle of red and you’ve got a gift just about anyone would love. On Amazon: Rabbit Wine Aerating Pourer

Electric Water Kettle – The other kitchen appliance that I use the most is my electric water kettle. A staple in most European households, it’s great for making tea or cocoa or even heating up water to cook with. On Amazon: Bodum Electric Water Kettle

BE ACTIVE

I recently went to a Black Friday sale at a locally-owned triathlon store where we got 40% off the entire store for a few hours. It was all I could do not to buy everything in site, just in case I happened to need those $125 compression tights someday. While being active is not something that you necessarily need a lot of gear to do, there is a lot of gear out there. Here are a few of my favorites (without getting too sport or activity specific).

Clif Bars – Full disclosure, I do work for Clif Bar. However, it doesn’t take working for them to know that they’re delicious and in my opinion they make great stocking stuffers.  And, as if they weren’t good enough stocking stuffers on their own, they come in fun seasonal flavors like Iced Gingerbread and Spiced Pumpkin Pie. On Amazon: Clif Bars

The Stick – Anyone who is active probably at some point has sore muscles. While massage gift certificates are one-time use, the Stick is forever. It comes in several sizes and colors and works wonders. Visit their site for retail outlets and ordering information.

Road ID – If you know someone who is active, they should have a Road ID. You customize them to have emergency contact info for those times that you are being active without bringing identification with you. These come in a couple of different colors and styles; I have the one that velcros onto my shoe so I don’t even notice that it’s there (but  always take comfort in the fact that it is). Visit their site for ordering information.

Still stumped? How about creating your own gift certificate for a local CSA share or offering to pay the registration fee for the season’s first race. Or, you could make a donation in someone’s name to a foundation that does good through food or sports like Girls on the Run, Back on My Feet, or a local food bank or pantry. Did you think of something I missed that is a must-have for active people this holiday season? Leave it in the comments section!