Little Ways to Eat Right, Every Day

 

There are little ways, subtle changes you can make to eat right - every day - your way!

Try working these tips into your eating routine:

 

- Have breakfast every day! And add a piece of fruit like an orange, apple or banana.

 

- Skip or skimp on the sugar in your coffee. Cutting out 2 packets of sugar per day (2 teaspoons worth) saves 32 calories per day and over the course of the year that would total 11,680 calories saved or about 3.3 pounds!

 

- Try new foods! Keep your taste buds interested by adding in new foods, try interesting fruit and veggies like permission, starfruit or parsnips.

 

- Fill half of your plate with fruit and/or veggies. A great way to have a full plate with fewer calories is to fill-up half of your plate with fruit and/or veggies! When you are out to eat ask for double veggies or add a side of fruit with your meal.  

 

- Go Meatless on Mondays - Make it a goal to have at least one meatless meal per week, try a veggie stir fry with quinoa, bean burritos, veggie burgers or eggplant Parmesan.

 

Happy National Nutrition Month®

Put These Products In Your Cart

Sometimes at the grocery store, you may see new products yet wonder, how do they taste and are they really healthy options? If you are like me and love to try new products, here is a product round up of some tasty (and nutritious) new products out that I discovered this past weekend at the annual Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conference.

happy family - happy creamies
I tried the Carrot, Mango & Orange flavor, they were so delicious! These snacks are made with 50% vegetables, coconut milk and have no added sugar! Quick tip: Mix these with whole grain cereal for a great on-the-go snack.

Another great product from this company is their happy squeeze line which includes varieties like: coco strawberry (made with coconut milk) and fruit & veggie twist (apple & purple carrot).

Quaker Oatmeal - Real Medleys
What is awesome about these little cups of oatmeal, all you have to do is add water and they have pieces of dried fruit and nuts in them! Plus they are made with whole rolled oats. The type pictured left includes cherries and pistachios. Each serving has 290 calories and 5 grams of fiber.

Other flavors in this line include: peach and almond, apple walnut and summer berry.



Odwalla Smoothies for Kids

These drink boxes are something even your children will be excited about! Each box has the equivalent to a 1/2 cup of fruit and no sugar added. They are available in Strawberry Banana Jungle, Mango Pineapple Island and Grape Berry Prairie flavors and they taste GREAT! They are available in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. When you send these for lunch they are recommended to no be left unrefrigerated for longer than 12 hours and try freezing them first for more of icy texture at lunch time! 

 

Please note: the above products were on display at the conference and I received samples of the products to try, although I do not receive endorsement from any of the above products or brands. 

More Veggies and Fruit

While most people would agree on the fact that fruit and vegetables are healthy, the amount that most people eat still falls short of the daily recommended goals. In fact most people consume less than half of the recommended 4 1/2 cups of fruits and/or veggies per day. Check out these ways to increase the fruit and vegetables in your eating routine:

- Start your day with a multi-grain pita, topped with hummus and cucumber slices (check out my recent Facebook post for a photo of this!)

- If you are on the go, look for fruit and vegetable snacking options like Starbucks Bistro Boxes that have goat cheese (pictured right) and garden vegetables or fruit and cheese.

- Add vegetables to scrambled tofu or eggs like zucchini, red bell peppers and onions! To scramble tofu: blend 1/4 cup tofu with 1 tablespoon of water, it cooks up and looks very similar to egg whites!

- Keep a bowl of sliced fruit or fruit salad at eye level in your refrigerator! Have this as a snack or as a side dish at meals. Pictured right is a blend of the fruit salad in our refrigerator at the moment.

- Be adventurous, try an new fruits or vegetables like: purple carrots, parsnips, beets, dragon fruit OR new ways to prepare vegetables them like: mashed cauliflower, roasted red peppers, or grilled peaches.

- For a snack have dried fruit and nuts! Just 1/4 cup of dried fruit is equal to a 1/2 cup of fresh fruit and is a great option for increasing fruit intake.

Click here to watch my recent segment on locally grown fruits and vegetables!

What to Choose at the Grocery Store?

Over the weekend I did a Facebook post that included a picture of items that I picked up at the grocery store. It was cool to see what my friends comments were! The posts inspired me to write these tips to help you with your next shopping trip... 1. Make a list! Without a list in the grocery store, it's nearly impossible to leave the store with everything you need. 2. Try something new! There are so many awesome food choices at the grocery store, there is no need to feel bored or tired of what you're eating. Every trip, seek out something new! A new product I tried this week is a spaghetti sauce called Dave's Gourmet! (I'll report back on how it tastes) 3. Fill up on nutrient rich foods! Start filling your basket with mostly nutrient rich foods like: fruits, vegetables, low fat milk & yogurt, lean meat/ poultry/ fish, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals. This will help you to leave the store with the base of a healthy eating plan. 4. Splurge! Pick one item as a "splurge" like cookies, chips, ice cream and have that on hand to satisfy your cravings throughout the week. Believe it or not, if you plan in a splurge most everyday you're more likely to keep your portions in check! Pick up a copy of my book, The Skinny Rules for more simple strategies for cooking, shopping, and fitness too!

Eat Right With Color

Happy National Nutrition Month! The theme of this month long event is "Eat Right With Color"... which I personally think is an awesome message. We know that people are not eating enough fruits and vegetables yet they provide important nutrients like: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber! Plus fruit and veggies are filling and have a relatively low calorie price tag (many are only 50 calories or less per serving). Check out these simple ways to add more color to your eating routine:

• Top blackened salmon with mango salsa.
  


• Add sliced avocado, tomatoes, onions, or dark leafy green lettuce to your sandwich.
  


• For snack: grab a small handful of walnuts and dried cranberries.
  


• Fill the bottom of your cereal bowl with sliced fruit like strawberries or bananas, this will help your bowl to seem full while keeping your portion of cereal in check.



• Instead of crackers, choose apple slices with low-fat cheese.
  


• Great side for lunch: red pepper slices with hummus (personal hummus favorite: roasted red pepper).
  


• Mix in fresh fruit to yogurt.



• Add a side of fruit at dinner like: applesauce, fresh berries, or sliced mango.
  


• Fill at least half of your plate at dinner with fruit and/or veggies!



• Add a handful of frozen veggies to prepared soups to up the veggie content!

What Organic Can Do For You

Organic Manifesto by: Maria Rodale, this is a book I need to pick up! Men's Health Magazine this month has a great article about What Organic Can Do For You, authored by Maria Rodale. The bottom line is that the higher price tag you pay at the cash register can get you a return on your investment by helping your health, including: higher phytochemical levels (E.g. antioxidants) in the fruits, vegetables, and juices that you buy, reduced. The article also talks about the potential connection to reduced risk of diabetes and building more muscle and buring more fat. Click here to read the full artcile.

As a mom, one of the most interesting benefits is that organic foods reduce pesticide exposure, which maybe detrimental to human health, especially to high risk groups like pregnant women and children.

This is a favorite resource of mine, the Environmental Work Group's Produce Buying guide! Click here to check it out. The top 12 fruits and veggies that you must by organic: peaches, apple, sweet bell pepper, celery, nectarine, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes (imported), carrots, and pears.

Let's Move and Fuel it!

Thank you to First Lady Michelle Obama for launching Let's Move. What is let's move? It's a program that will help parents make healthy choices for their families, increase opportunities for families and their children to be physically active, ensure our kids have access to healthy meals in our schools, and help increase access to affordable, quality, and nutricious foods.
For more on Let's Move: letsmove.gov

Now for a word on Fuel It! I stopped by WSKG's studios to talk with the cast of Move it on choosing healthier food options when you are out on the town. Quick tips include: skipping the soda and moving in nutrient rich low fat milk instead, for side dishes choose fruit or veggies like corn or fruit slices. Perhaps even more importantly when you're out on the town bring fruit, baggies of whole grain cereal, and a water bottle with you. To watch the segment, click here.

dinner recipe for tonight!

Looking for an idea of what to make for dinner tonight? Check out a delicious Baked Ham, Gorgonzola & Apple Sandwich! My husband is actually the one to credit for this yummy recipe.
You can watch me making it: http://www.olums.com/UserFiles/videos/hamsandwich.mov

For side dishes to go with the sandwich I would suggested baked sweet potato fries and a handful of fresh baby spinach drizzled lightly with balsamic vinegar & extra virgin olive oil.

Let me know if you try the recipe and like it, email me: molly.morgan@gmail.com

homemade applesauce

Fall is the perfect time of year (especially if you live in New York State) to make applesauce! Here is my super simple recipe. I just made my first batch today! Can't wait for dinner tonight... yum!

Super Simple Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients:
15 apples
1 cup of water

Directions:
1. Peel most (not all) of the skin from the apples and cube into large pieces.
2. Place the apples with about 1 cup of water in a large pot.
3. Bring the water to a boil and then cover and simmer until apples are tender (about 15 minutes) & until they easily mash just by stirring them.
Ready to enjoy!

NOTICE!! There isn't any need to add sugar. If you feel your sauce needs a flavor boost try a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Tip: If you have a little ones, like me, drop applesauce (once cooled) into ice cube trays. Freeze for a few hours and then break into a storage bag or container. Then in minutes you thaw a few cubes can have applesauce ready to go for a snack or to serve with a meal.