The Skinny on Snacking

The healthiest eaters snack more, in fact, 36% more per a new report out by The NPD Group. As we all head into the holiday season which kicks off next week with Thanksgiving, try sticking with a snacking routine to help you through the holidays without packing on the pounds. Here are some suggestions of what to snack on:



photo from healthyappeture.com

- Trail mix popcorn: Pop a batch of air popped popcorn and then in a large bag or container, toss in a handful of dried cranberries and a handful of your favorite nuts! Then place 2 - 3 handfuls of the snack in a bowl for a sweet and salty treat.

- Salsa hummus with sliced veggies: Combine equal parts hummus and salsa for a delicious dip for cucumbers, red peppers or carrots. Tip: every few days slice a bunch of vegetables and keep them in a clear container at eye level in the refrigerator to visually remind you to snack on them!

- Peanuty pear slices: Slice a pear and then thinly spread crunch peanut or almond butter on each slice (about 1 tablespoon total) for a tasty twist to the traditional pear. 

- ALT skewers: On tooth picks or mini skewers add a cube of avocado, a few bite size pieces of lettuce and finish with a grape tomato. These are fun to serve to guests! Tip: Eat or serve these quickly because avocados brown quickly once they are sliced.

- Fruit and nut bars: Keeping a bar or two in your purse, work bag or car is a must! It will provide a single serving snack that will fuel you up and keep you going. Some of my favorite brands: KIND Snacks bar, Larabar or Clif Mojo Bar Peanut Butter Pretzel. When you are in a hurry this can even stand-in for lunch, pair it with a piece of fruit and a bottle of water!

Your Question... answered!

Q: I need breakfast ideas to lose 20-pounds!And I spin and do yoga four days per week.

A: First, eating breakfast is key! Simply eating breakfast may help you meet your weight loss goals because stats show people who eat breakfast weigh less. Plus, something to consider is new research from the British Journal of Nutrition (October 2012) found guys that exercise before breakfast burn 33-percent more fat compared to those who exercise after breakfast. Although, keep in mind, depending on the intensity and duration of your workout, breakfast maybe best to fuel your body before you workout.

What to eat? Combine whole grains, fruit/ vegetables and protein. The fiber from the grains and fruit/ vegetables will help to keep you full plus the protein will help with longer lasting energy to keep you going all morning long.

Here are some ideas to try:
- Oatmeal (prepared with low fat milk or almond milk) topped with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey.
- Whole grain cereal with sliced strawberries (tip: fill 1/2 of your bowl with strawberries!) and low fat milk or almond milk
- Breakfast scramble (a personal favorite) paired with a slice of whole wheat toast, click here for the recipe
- On the go: bring a bar like (KIND Snacks Bars*, Nuts.com Energy Squares* or Clif Bar Mojo Peanut Butter Pretzel) and
- Slice of whole wheat naan or pita bread topped with a thin layer of hummus, cucumber slices and a drizzle of honey mustard

Do you have a nutrition question you would like answered? Sumbit your question to me at my Web site: http://www.creativenutritionsolutions.com/contactus.aspx

*Disclosure: Molly does spokes person work for KIND Snacks and it's Nuts.com "health nut".

Benefits of Noni fruit to herbal traditional part2

Fruit of Morinda (Noni fruit)

- Vapors from Noni fruit to treat stye

- Raw fruit can be used treatment sore or scaly lesions around the mouth or inside the mouth.

- Ripe fruit used of eating or crushed is used to relieve sore throat or use of skin to kill germs. It can eat to kill the parasite in the body, wound healing, inflammation of the mouth and gums, dental pain, stimulate the appetite and used for animal feed.

- Used to make a poultice to cure the acne cure TB disease, joint pain, sprain, deep bruise. - Oil extracted from Noni fruit to treat abdominal pain - Extract from this fruit to treat high blood pressure

Trunks

- The shell can be used as an herb to cure jaundice.

Seeds

- The oil extracted from the seeds used to treat lice and insects.

All parts of Morinda citrifolia (the noni fruit)

- It can be used as a laxative

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!

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.

Back to the Schedule: Tips to Keep You Sane!

Are you ready to get back into the routine with early mornings and busy weeks? Ready or not, here it comes and check out these tips to keep you sane as you get back into the school year schedule:

1. Sneak it in: add in exercise where you can... yoga in the morning, 20 minute run in the evening, 10 minutes toning exercises before bed. If you need resources for at home workouts, check your local TV listings or check out: http://www.exercisetv.tv/ for a variety of DVD's and workouts, and pick-up magazines like: Shape, Fitness, or Women's Health!
   
   



2. Hydrate: keep your energy levels up througout the day by brining a water bottle with you everytime you leave the door! Sip on water throughout the day!





3. Stock up: create a basket or container of grab n' go snacks in your cupboard and include items like: applesauce cups, Peter Rabbit Organics - Fruit & Veggie Snacks, KIND Healthy Snack bars, mini packs of nuts, single serving peanut butter packs and 100% fruit flats. Then when you're flying out the door you can throw a few items in your bag to have on hand for yourself or the kids.
   
   



4. Meal map: minimize your time in the kitchen by creating a weekly 'map' for your meals and snacks to streamline your food preparation efforts. Think of which nights you'll be home, running late, etc... and strategize what foods to make. A favorite tip of mine is make a double batch of a recipe and freeze half for a meal later in the week!

Refreshing Summer Drinks

On average Americans swallow down over a 5-pound bag worth of sugar per month! That breaks down to about 23 teaspoons of sugar per day. A majority of sugar intake comes from what we drink. Here is a watch out: a 16-ounce sweetened iced tea has about 16 teaspoons of sugar!

Shake up what you're sipping on this summer with these refreshing options:

1. Unsweetened Tea: Sip on green tea, passion tea, or ginger peach tea instead of sugar heavy weights. When grocery shopping look for unsweetened bottled teas and for at home made a pitcher of your favorite type to keep on hand.


2. Mineral Water: A personal favorite type of mineral water is Gerolsteiner. Look for mineral water varieties that have fresh flavors added like lemon, lime, or other citrus fruits. Mineral water offers light carbonation without any added calories. Look for these on restaurant menus and in the grocery store too!

3. Add Fresh Flavor: What do cucumber, lemon, lime, raspberries, and strawberries have in common? They all can add refreshing fresh flavors to a glass of water without adding virtually any calories. Keep an assortment on hand and it is a perfect solution for effortless entertaining.

4. 120 or less: Help your waist line with light drink options like: red wine, white wine, champagne, light beer, or vodka & club soda... all weighing in at 120 calories or less.




Check out a segment that I did this week on the 10! Show in Philadelphia:

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/?__source=embedCode.

Simple Toddler Snacks

Planning balanced snacks is a key strategy to your toddlers taste development! After age one your toddler can eat most foods as long as they are not allergic to them and that their chewing and swallowing are well developed. Here are some toddler approved snack ideas that are a little out of the ordinary, which are toddler approved by our little guys.

• PB Sliders: 1/4 slice whole wheat bread with light spread of peanut butter, topped with slice of banana
  


• Mediterranean Platter: 3 - 4 cucumber slices with a tablespoon of hummus for dipping



• Toddler Trail Mix: 1/4 cup of whole grain cereal (like Cheerios), raisins, and craisins
  


• Fruit Slices: 1/2 of a pear sliced (or other fruit, the favorite in our house: mango)
  


• Yogurt Cup: 1/4 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup berries
  


• Nutty Snack: 1/4 cup pistachios (mom or dad remove the shells)

Reminder: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, portion sizes for toddlers should be 1/4 that of an adults so be careful not to over do it with portions at snack otherwise it could interfere with food intake at meals.

The Scoop: Coconut Water

What is coconut water? It is the water that pools in whole green coconuts. In general plain coconut water is not very sweet (even though it has sugar) and naturally has sodium and potassium, which are electrolytes which help maintain fluid balance.

The type that I prefer to drink occasionally is Peach Mango Coconut Water which is flavored with fruit puree (check the photo in my recent Facebook post). It has 60 calories, 30 mg sodium, 500 mg potassium, and 15 grams of sugar in 8.5 ounces. What I like about fruit puree flavored coconut water is: it is flavored with fruit puree and it is nutrient rich!

Coconut water can be a stand-in for a sports drink but keep in mind a sports drink is only needed when a work out is going to be one hour of continuous (and vigorous) activity or longer. For light workouts or short workouts a sports drink is not needed and plain water will do.

The bottom line: coconut water is a great alternative to higher calorie beverages and look for vartities that are sweetened with fruit puree and do not have added sugar. But as with anything, some is good, more is not better!

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.

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.

cool new product

I just heard about a cool new line of products coming out in 2010 from Del Monte! It's fresh fruit and veggie vending. The release notes that all the items will be under 120 calories, this kind-of caught me by surprise, but from a quick glance, I think the calorie count jumps up because of the dip? Yet, I think even with the dip, this product line looks great because it offers at least an alternative when you're out an about instead of just chips, pretzels, or other 'traditional' snack foods. We'll have to wait and see! If you want to read more about it and see pictures, here is a link to check out: http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=51151