Veggie Paella

Paella in the making!

Quick, easy and delicious! Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form on the east coast of Spain.
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces seitan strips (vegetarian "white meat")*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups butternut squash cubes (frozen)
1 cup yellow squash (1 medium)
1 cup zucchini (1 medium)
1 cup carrots, chopped (2-3 carrots)
1 cup asparagus, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 can diced tomatoes (14-ounce)
2 cups green beans (frozen)
1/8 teaspoon all-spice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

*Or substitute 8-ounces of chicken sausage!

Directions:
1. In a large pot or skillet heat oil and add seitan, garlic and garlic powder.
2. Add butternut squash, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, peas, tomatoes, all-spice and paprika. Simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add rice and vegetable broth and cook for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
4. Season to taste and serve!

Slowcooker Veggie Chili

Gotta love beans!

If your are short on time this holiday season, try this recipe! It's really quick to put together and full of flavor.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups sweet onion, chopped (1 medium onion)
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped (1 medium pepper)
2 cans (14.5 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 cups corn (frozen)
1 cup mild salsa
2 cups vegetable broth
sea salt and chili powder, to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. Season with chili powder and salt to taste.

Additional toppings: sour cream, plain yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese.

Back to School Lunch Solutions

This week I visited the 10! Show in Philadelphia and Bridge Street in Central New York to share some tips to make back to school lunches a little more exciting (and healthy too) plus ways to make whole grains part of your day.

Here are some more details and tips to get you ready for back to school.

Make Fruit and Veggies Easier: At the start of the week, fill a bin in your refrigerator with single serving bags or containers of sliced and prepared fruit and veggies! Then each day when filling lunch boxes aim to have half of the contents be fruit and/or vegetables.

Be creative! Use sandwich cutters like those from The Lunch Punch (http://www.thelunchpunch.com/lp) to create fun shapes. Or switch up sandwiches with a sandwich on a stick: use cubes of meat, cheese, bread and veggies!

Think Outside the Sandwich: Try kid 'sushi'! Mix together chopped veggies (like broccoli and carrots) with light cream cheese or tofutti (cream cheese substitute), spread the mixture evenly over a multi-grain flat bread or tortilla. Then roll up the flat bread and cut into slices. This lunch idea was inspired from some of my aunts on family vacation.

Work in Whole Grains: Whole grains are nutritional powerhouses, some examples include: whole wheat bread, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, oats and quinoa. They get all of their nutrients because the whole grain is intact and provides fiber, vitamins and minerals. Make it a goal to have whole grains at all meals and snacks like: KIND Healthy Grains granola with fruit for breakfast, whole wheat bread or wraps for lunch and mini funny face pizza on whole grain flat breads for snack.

For more ideas on back to school, head to my Website to watch the video segments from this week!

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!

Antioxidant Monsters

Today I celebrated National Nutrition Month with 4-year olds, making antioxidant rich monsters: cookie monster, elmo, and oscar! The photos were made by little hands. Below are the instructions so you can make your own fun monsters out of fruit and vegetables!

While they were making the snacks, we talking about the health benefits from colorful fruits and vegetables:

Red: lycopene, helps the heart!

Orange/ Yellow: beta-carotene, help the eyes!

Green: colored by chlorphyll, broccoli has indoles which prevent certain types of cancer!

Blue/Purple: Anthocyanins, help promote memory!


Cookie Monster
For the face: Blueberries
For the mouth: Blackberries
For the eyes: Two small cups with vanilla yogurt and a blueberry for the center

Elmo
For the face: Watermelon
For the nose: Cantaloupe
For the mouth: Blackberries
For the eyes: Two small cups with vanilla yogurt and a blueberry for the center


Oscar the Grouch
For the face: Broccoli
For the mouth: Sliced black olives (pits removed)
For the eyebrows: Yellow and red pepper strips
For the eyes: Two small cups with ranch dressing and an olive for the center


Then after the snacks were made all of the little ones snacked! YUM!

Some is good, more is not better

Supplement: A substance taken to remedy the deficiencies in a person's diet. When it comes to considering a supplement, think: food first, supplements second. Just as the definition states, a supplement is to make up the difference of what is missing in the from your eating routine. If you're an overall healthy person and eat a variety of foods, you may not need to take a supplement every day.

Before you go to the supplement aisle and get overwhelemed by the claims touted on the bottles and all of the varities, talk with your health care provider and a registered dietitian to understand what is right for YOU. If you are currently taking supplements, take them with you to your appointment for an expert to review them.

When it comes to most things in life, and this holds true for supplements... if some is good, MORE IS NOT BETTER! This goes for vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements.

Let's take selenium for example, it is a trace mineral that is essential for health that can prevent damage to cells and plays a role in the immune system. Deficiency of selenium is RARE in the U.S. What foods provide selenium? Food sources include: Brazil nuts (1 ounce = 544 mcg), Tuna (3 ounces = 68 mcg), Turkey (3 ounces = 27 mcg), Sunflower seeds (1 ounce = 23 mg).

Again, selenium deficiency is RARE. If you are going to take a supplement, ensure doses that do not exceed the tolerable upper level of 400 mcg per day. Click here for more details on what amount is right for you, as with most vitamins and minerals, recommended amounts vary by age (e.g. 9-13 year olds, 280 mcg of selenium is the tolerable upper level).

Why worry? Vitamins and minerals can negatively impact health when taken in excess. With selenium for example: toxicity can develop with symptoms including: vomiting, fatigue, and weight loss and there are reported accidental deaths due to selenium toxicity related to cariac failure. It can also interact with some medications, including Coumadin (Warafin) by increasing its activity and prolonging bleeding time.

Keeping all of this in mind....Before you select a supplement, talk to your health care provider and a registered dietitian to determine what you really need to be supplementing your diet with!


 

Sources:

1. National Institutes of Health, Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium

2. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Data Base. Copyright 1995-2012.

My Favorite Fruit: Mango

If I had to choose a favorite fruit, it would be mango! It is absolutely declicious and full of flavor.

Mango selection tips: If the mango feels a little bit soft to the touch, it's just right! If it the mango feels firm, then you will have to wait a few days for it to ripen.

How to prepare a mango: First wash the mango. Then carefully slice the two 'cheeks' off from the fruit (pictured to the right). Next slice the fruit into strips, with the peel. Then take a teaspoon and slip the peel away from the fruit and serve in long strips or cube into bitesize pieces.

For a time saving tip: Look for bags of frozen mango, which are perfect to adding to smoothies, salsas, or yogurt.

Click here to try my yummy mango smoothie recipe! A perfect start to the day.

What are Carbohydrates?

Visualization is courtesy of TheVisualMD.com

Think Outside of the Sandwich

Are you tired of packing the same old lunch? Add the ingredients to your next grocery shopping list for these simple and delicious lunch ideas.

Parfait in a Bag: Pack a single serve cup of Chobani Greek Yogurt, 1/4 cup whole grain cereal (like low fat granola or Cherrios), and 1/2 cup fresh sliced fruit (like berries). Pack a bowl or cup and then at lunch combine the three containers for a delicious on the go parfait. Add in a piece of fruit (like a pear or apple) and 1 ounce of almonds to snack on later in the day. To drink: bring along a water bottle with unsweetened Passion Tea!

Mediterranean Platter: Pack a container with 1/2 cup of roasted red pepper hummus, a container with assorted chopped vegetables (red peppers, green beans, broccoli, carrots), 1/2 piece of whole wheat flat bread, and a baggie with one-ounce of Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese diced into cubes. At lunch dip the veggies & flat bread into the hummus and grab a serving of dairy and extra protein with the cheese. To drink: bring along a water bottle with unsweetened Zen Green Tea.

Spinach Salad Bowl: In a bowl combine 1 cup of baby spinach, 1/2 cup chopped veggies, and then pack a bag with one-ounce (small handful) of walnuts and 1/4 cup dried cranberries. At lunch add the walnuts and cranberries to the salad. Try topping your salad with 1/4 cup of cottage cheese in place of salad dressing (this may sound crazy but is totally delicious), it will add 7 grams of protein plus a creamy flavor to the salad. To drink: bring along a water bottle filled with ice cold water and cucumber slices.

Snack Attack: Packing a bunch of little things can fuel you up at lunch time! Fill your lunch container with the following five items: a pack of Justin's Almond Butter, a bag of whole wheat crackers (5 or so), a bag of frozen grapes (will still be nice and chilled at lunch), a bag of sliced red peppers, and a container of Chobani Greek Yogurt. Eat these items all at lunch time or spread throughout the day as you are hungry! To drink: bring along a water bottle filled with ice cold water and lemon slices.

Disclosure: The products mentioned in this email are products that Molly Morgan suggests based on taste and nutrition profile and Creative Nutrition Solutions did not recieve funding from the mentioned products for placement in this blog post!

NEW TODAY! 2010 Dietary Guidelines!

The long awaited 2010 Dietary Guidelines were released today! Here is a re-cap of the key messages:
1. Balancing Calories:
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Avoid oversized portions.

2. Foods to Increase:
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

3. Foods to Reduce:
- Compare sodium in foods like soup, breads, and frozen meals - and choose the foods with lower numbers.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Take a look at the above list and figure out what areas you need to focus on! While these steps sounds very simple, they are totally effective ways to boost your health. Interesting that the key changes didn't include exercise... don't forget to keep (or get) moving too!!

What is in a dietitian's refrigerator?

Blueberries, peaches, asparagus, onions, avocado, yogurt, fat free milk, whole milk, 100 percent OJ, whole wheat bread, yogurt squeeze tubes, coconut water, minced garlic, peanut butter, almond butter, left over tuna, salsa... those are a few of the items in my refrigerator. So many times people wonder what foods I keep in the refrigerator so I thought I would share a sampling. Lucky for me I have husband and two little guys who enjoy eating healthy too! If you are trying to improve your health, take a good luck at what foods you keep on hand and try every shopping trip to 'health it up'. What do I mean by that? Swap out a less healthful item for a better choice. Every little change helps!

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.

64 Ways to Eat Food

Mr. Michael Pollan just came out with a new book: Food Rules and Eater's Manuel. I can't wait to read it! The book includes 64 rules that are loaded with simple and practical advice. The three major sections of the book include: Eat Food, Mostly Plants, and Not too Much. I'll blog more once I get my hands on a copy and find some 'free' time to read. Click here to read more on this new book!