|
Healthy Living
|
Healthy Living
Quick and Easy Ways to Improve Your Plate
MyPlate replaced the Food Guide Pyramid and MyPyramid with very little public fanfare. Here are some of the highlights gleaned:
- Add more vegetables --- aim for 2 or more cups of veggies daily FYI a "cup" refers to a measuring cup of veggies. You can still eat them on a plate or in a bowl. (Some people are clueless.)
- Keep portions small (except veggies!)
- Bake foods rather than fry them.
- Limit processed grains. FYI "wheat " is not the same as "whole wheat."
- Consume fat-free or low fat dairy products. FYI 2% milk is not low fat. Try
- soymilk or 1% or fat-free milk.
- Choose low sodium versions of breads, frozen foods canned foods and soups.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Most people feel these are logical recommendations, but how do they compare with
what we eat at a meal, especially when we eat out? Let's get the basics!
Lemony Greek Salad
Serves 4
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
6 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
1 big tomato cut in cubes
½ cucumber, cut in big chunk
¼ cup red onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. black or kalamata olives
2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. olive oil
Toss vegetables in large bowl and place on plate; top with olives and feta cheese.
Combine vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle on salad.
Each serving is 1 cup and provides 66 Calories; 4 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 3 grams protein, 4 mg cholesterol, and 99 mg sodium.
To make it a meal --- serve with grilled chicken or fish; OR hummus and warmed whole grain pita bread.
SOURCE: Salad Secrets by Judy Doherty
Rate the Plate
Nutritionists get more excited about these things than the general public, but did anyone even notice? There is no more Food Pyramid. The latest icon for food guidelines is now MyPlate. The graphic is a plate divided into 4 colored sections (labeled: protein, grains, vegetables, and fruits) and a cup of milk or yogurt next to it (labeled: dairy). Some people feel it is too simplistic and does not even picture any foods. Others feel it makes nutrition more user-friendly especially in regards to proportions of foods in a healthy diet.
Additional guidelines not pictured encourage us to:
Balance Calories: enjoy foods, but eat less; avoid oversized portions
Foods to Increase: make half your plate fruits and veggies ( bigger servings of veggies than fruits are shown in the graphic); make at least half your grain choices whole grains; switch to fat-free or 1% milk.
Foods to Reduce: avoid solid fats (fatty meats, butter, shortening, stick margarine, tropical oils), added sugars and salt -- sometimes you see the acronym SoFAS for these.
See the website ChooseMyPlate.gov for more details.
Artichoke Sauté
4 servings
9 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 oz. shitake mushrooms, caps sliced, stems discarded
1 15oz. Can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 scallions, sliced
6 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, more to taste
½ tsp. kosher salt
In a large non-stick skillet, sauté the artichokes in 1 Tbs. oil until browned.
Remove from the pan.
Sauté the mushrooms in 1Tbs. oil until browned. Remove from the pan.
Sauté the chickpeas in 1 Tbs. oil until lightly browned.
Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, stir in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
Return the artichokes and mushrooms to the pan and heat through.
Add the parsley and scallions.
Season with lemon juice and up to ½ tsp. salt
One cup serving provides: 290 Calories; 6 grams fat; 9 grams protein; 30 grams carbs; 310 mg sodium; 10 grams fiber
SOURCE: NUTRITION ACTION HEALTH LETTER
More Nutrition Resolutions
On one list of 100 nutrition tips by registered dietitians, #1 was to eat more vegetables. Of all the food groups, vegetables have the least amount of calories but still include vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals). It seems so positive to encourage people to eat MORE of something yet most Americans (and even some vegetarians) do not consume the recommended 5 servings a day of vegetables. A common recommendation for a healthy plate at lunch or dinner is to make half of your plate be vegetables, ¼ of the plate would be starch, and ¼ of the plate would be protein. To supplement the healthy plate, there would also be a serving of fruit and milk/soy milk or yogurt. By the way, if you don't have fresh vegetables, you still get lots of nutrients from frozen or canned ones.
I also like to suggest that people notice the vegetables served at nice restaurants. Good chefs can really season vegetables to bring out some delicious flavors. Chefs don't
just boil an old vegetable and serve it up plain, yet many people do and complain that
the family won't eat vegetables. Try some herbs and spices. Look for some recipes. Go
to the farmers market to sample different veggies and get ones that are in season. Enjoy.
Here are more suggestions, many from the American Dietetic Association on including more veggies:
- Use vegetables as pizza topping
- Make vegetable soup or add more vegetables to other soups or stews
- Add to casseroles for topping or grate them into a meatloaf
- Mix into rice or pasta dishes
- Top a baked potato with veggies and low-fat cheese
- Make a veggie wrap with roasted vegetables and low-fat cheese rolled in whole wheat tortilla
- Substitute crunchy vegetables instead of chips with your favorite dip or low-fat salad dressing
- Make a dip of vegetables (such as spinach, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots)
- Use veggies as a base for sauces
- Grill colorful vegetable kabobs
- Add more colorful raw or cooked veggies to salads
- Stuff an omelet with vegetables
- Include raw or cooked vegetables in a whole grain pita or sandwich
- Fill the refrigerator with ready-to-eat veggies for snacks
BROCCOLI PEANUT STIR-FRY
4 servings
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup frozen thawed spinach
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tsp corn starch
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 4 Tbsp light soy sauce
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté the garlic and mushrooms until golden, about 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the carrots and spinach and cook for 3 minutes.
Mix the orange juice with the cornstarch, ginger, and sesame oil; Add
this mixture, with the broccoli, to the skillet.
Cook and stir until the broccoli is tender, about 3 minutes.
Add the peanuts.
Serve hot over brown rice
Each serving is 1 cup and provides
327 Calories
13 grams Protein
7 grams fat
54 grams carbohydrate
376 mg sodium
SOURCE: Food and Health Communications
Mindful Eating Tips for the Holidays
Certainly, food is a big part of the holiday season. Kathy Nichols is a Registered
Dietitian and has a wonderful website: healthyhabitscoach.com She reminds us that there are non-food elements that we can also enjoy during the holidays such as family, friends, and appreciation of all that is good in our lives.
We can nourish our relationships and pause to savor our lives. Kathy encourages
us to approach food and eating in a mindful way. For these occasions where food is most bountiful, we could choose foods that are most important to us and take the amounts that will be nourishing and enjoyable without making us feel stuffed. We can eat slowly and pause mid-meal to check in with our hunger level. She suggests we fill up with the good feelings of being with our companions too. She gives us food for thought and for the soul. Happy Holidays!
If you are interested in individual nutrition counseling, please pick up a NUTRITION PROFILE SHEET at the front desk or from a trainer. These appointments are complimentary for Cross Court members. They are scheduled after the forms are
returned to the front desk.
SOURCE: The Veggie Queen
Allium Broth
Makes 7- 8 cups
The basis for Harvest Vegetable Soup (below) is Allium Broth, which works well in many other soups too.
Vegetable oil spray
2 tablespoons minced garlic (1 large or 2 small heads)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, cleaned well and sliced
8 cups water
1 sprig fresh sage or ½ teaspoon dried sage
3 sprigs Italian parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Spray a pot with oil. Add the onion, garlic and leek and cook until the onion is transparent. Add the water and herbs and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer covered for 15 to 30 minutes.
Strain. Season with salt and pepper.
This will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week and it freezes well.
Harvest Vegetable Soup
Serves 6-8
Use whatever vegetables are harvest fresh for this soup. If you have corn or green beans, add them when you add the tomato.
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium leeks, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups peeled, cubed winter squash like Delicata, Sweet Dumpling or Butternut
3 cups sliced potatoes, like Yukon Gold
½ cup diced carrot
6 cups Allium Broth
1 sweet red pepper, diced
2 large tomatoes (heirloom if possible), peeled, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped basil plus basil for garnish
Add the canola oil to a soup pot. Add the leeks and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 5 more minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the squash, potatoes, carrot and the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash and potatoes are soft. Puree the squash-potato mixture with a hand blender, or in the blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to the soup pot, if using blender or processor. Return to a simmer and add the chopped red pepper, tomato and basil. Simmer until tomatoes are broken down and pepper is softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with basil.
National Nutrition Month: NUTRITION FROM THE GROUND UP
March is National Nutrition Month for the American Dietetics Association. This year's focus is on back- to- basics nutrition with more family meals and home food preparation. In honor of the occasion I will present a nutrition program free to Cross Court members:
Healthy Shopping on a Budget
Friday, March 12 at 10:15 AM - 11AM
It will be held in the Kids Klub but the presentation will be for adults!
If you are interested, please sign up at the front desk so I will have enough handouts available and can contact you in case there are changes in the class. I hope to see you there.
Back to top
Nutrition
If you are interested in individual nutrition counseling, ask your trainer or the front desk for a Nutrition Profile Sheet, or download and print one here: Nutrition Profile Sheet (PDF file). Laurie Kamigawachi, MS, RD will contact you for an appointment after the form is completed and returned to the front desk.
Back to top
Healthy Recipes: March 2010
Nutty Cabbage Slaw
From Communicating Food for Health and California Walnut Commission
Serves 4
1/3 cup nonfat yogurt (or Greek yogurt or soy yogurt)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons of sugar (or Splenda)
3 cups of cabbage, shredded
½ cup red peppers, chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup green onions, chopped
Whisk together yogurt, oil, vinegar, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use, up to 12 hours.
1 cup serving provides
131 calories
2 grams protein
7.5 grams fat
15 grams carbs
23 mg sodium
If you have any questions about the above recipe
please see Laurie Kamigawachi, MS, RD
Nutritional Analysis
2 cup serving provides: 122 calories, 7 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, 500 mg sodium
SOURCE: Communication Food for Health
Back to top
Success Stories
If you know of a member that has lost weight (the healthy way), stopped smoking, lowered their cholesterol or anything you think is a “success” in this persons life, please let the front desk know. We want to give them a chance to tell all of us how they did it.
Success Story
No story this month, check back!
Back to top
Personal Training
Whether you are beginning a healthier lifestyle, continuing a regimented program or just want a higher level of fitness, one of our personal trainers will motivate, educate and empower you to achieve your fitness goals.
Our personal trainers will work with you to develop a customized program that will not only get you to your fitness goals, but will also teach you how to improve your lifestyle. It is our commitment to help you to live a healthy, happy and fit lifestyle.
If you have questions, please see the Front Desk Staff or talk with one of our trainers personally.
Set up your free appointment today!
Group Personal Training
Interested in group training? Cross Court now offers a Group Training Program. This is a cost effective program for 3 to 5 members/friends/family. If you are interested in this program, please contact Lori Eden at 666-1319.
Back to top
|
