by kelsey | Apr 22, 2015 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management
Our friends at County Fair Foods help make our STRIVE 2 Survive lectures extra great with their healthy and tasty treats. Last night’s treats were once again delish!! These are must try recipes! The Angel Lush is a great sweet treat without all of the extra calories and the Eggplant Parmesan was excellent! Eggplant is not a common vegetable we eat in our area, but this recipe is wonderful so I really encourage you to give it a try!
Angel Lush (pictured above)
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice
1 pkg (1 oz) vanilla fat free, sugar free, instant pudding
1 cup thawed lite cool whip
1 round angel food cake cut into 3 layers
10 small strawberries
Directions:
Mix pineapple and dry pudding together. Stack cake layers on a plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers on top of cake. Refridgerate for one hour. Top with berries and enjoy!
Healthy Eggplant Parmesan
1 egg
3 egg whites
1 Tbsp water
3 eggplants thinly sliced
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
6 cups spaghetti sauce (divided)
3/4 lb part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (divided)
1/2 tsp dried basil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together egg, egg whites, and water in a shallow bowl. Peel and slice eggplant. Dip eggplant slices into the egg then bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until fork tender about 7-10 minutes on each side. Spread spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan. Place a layer of eggplant in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese on top. Sprinkle with basil. Bake in oven for 35 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 16, 2015 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
With the weather finally getting nicer, grilling season is officially here! Grilling is a great way to change up cooking techniques and try new flavors after a cold winter season. Spice up any cookout by adding fruits and vegetables to the menu. Beyond the benefits of adding color, variety and flavor, fruits and vegetables can also add a variety of vitamins and nutrients. Keep in mind the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal.
Kabobs are a great item to include marinated vegetables like red or yellow peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, cheery tomatoes, and onions. Simply brush your favorite vegetables with olive or canola oil and your favorite spices and grill over medium heat, turning until marked and tender.
When grilling meat, choose healthier options like lean cuts of beef, pork, chicken, or fish. Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and their juices separate from ready-to-eat foods avoiding cross contamination. This can be done by using separate plates, cooking utensils, and cutting boards. Frozen foods should be thawed in a refrigerator or the microwave, not on the countertop or by the grill. Also remember to use a food thermometer when cooking meat, poultry, or fish to ensure it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature, this is key to reducing risk of food poisoning. Steak should reach 145°F, hamburgers 160°F, and chicken and pork 165°F.
Vegetarian or an avid mat lover, a grilled marinated Portobello burger can be a tasty alternative. Marinate and grill mushrooms, gill sides up, over medium-low heat with the grill covered until they are marked and softened (about 15 minutes). Flip and grill until cooked through.
Not forgetting dessert, try fruit kabobs with pineapple slices, watermelon, or peach halves. Grilling on low heat until the fruit is hot and slightly golden. Serve them on top of low-fat frozen yogurt or angel food cake.
Most of all enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 8, 2015 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food
Last night’s treats at STRIVE 2 Survive were once again delicious!! …Not to mention healthy! The Easy Berry Cobbler is a great way to get your sweet tooth fix and the Healthy Banana Cookies are great for breakfast or a snack. Be sure to give these recipes a try!
Easy Berry Cobbler (pictured above)
1 (12 oz) can diet lemon lime soda
1 box white cake mix
2 (16 oz) bags frozen berries
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place both bags of frozen fruit into a 9×13 baking dish (do not thaw). Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the topof the frozen fruit. Pour entire can of diet soda over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes. Let cool and serve.
Healthy Banana Cookies
3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dates, pitted, and chopped
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dates, oil, and vanilla. Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown.
*Could also add ground flax seed and/or protein powder to this recipe.
Enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 2, 2015 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
I often get asked about meal replacements such as Boost, Atkins, Slim Fast, Ideal Protein, etc. Are they good? Should I use them? What kind? etc… Our friends at County Fair Foods have a new supply of meal replacement and supplement products so we thought it was fitting to discuss this hot topic with everyone!
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics does approve the use of meal replacements for weight loss efforts: “Several studies comparing isocaloric diets have shown an equivalent or greater weight loss efficacy with structured meal replacement plans, compared to reduced calorie diet treatments. One or two daily vitamin- and mineral-fortified meal replacements, supplemented with self-selected meals and snacks, may be a successful weight loss and weight maintenance strategy for overweight and obese adults who have difficulty with self-selection of food and portion control.” (http://www.andeal.org/topic.cfm?cat=2886&conclusion_statement_id=250237&highlight=meal%20replacements&home=1).
The key words are one or two replacements/day, not your whole day and paired up with a well-balanced, calorie reduced diet. I typically recommend the use of these for the meal when the individual is on the run the most. Sometimes you are rushed in the morning to get to work or school and don’t have time for breakfast, in this case, a meal replacement may be a good idea…or maybe it’s lunch as you only get a short break and a meal replacement might fit in well here. The biggest thing to remember is you are drinking your meal, not eating it. Some people are truly satisfied this way and others are not. Personally, I do not use meal replacements because I know I need to “eat” my food to be satisfied rather than “drink” them…when I drink something, I feel like I still need to eat thus a meal replacement would only add more calories! Another reason why I don’t do meal replacements is I prefer real food. I would rather eat whole food than drink a supplement….but that’s just me.One more thing to consider is they are typically around 150-200 calories. This may not be enough for a meal, so you may consider adding a piece of fruit, salad, or yogurt to it to give you a little more substance.
Meal replacements do have a place in our society for helping people manage their weight, but there are many kinds so it’s important to check out the ingredients, nutrients, and prices. If you notice a really long ingredient list, there is more “stuff” added to the product and then you need to consider if you really need all of that extra “stuff.” Some ingredients can affect your body in certain ways, so you may need to check with your physician, pharmacist, or dietitian to ensure it is safe to consume. Costs also makes a difference. You have to remember that these companies are trying to make money off of you, so consider cost and value when you make your selection. In addition, it’s important to consider that a well balanced, portion controlled, healthy meal of real food can be cheaper than some supplement drinks!
You can choose an already made drink like the ones pictured above from Aisle 5 in County Fair Foods or you can make your own using protein powder, which they also carry. You can mix the protein powder with milk and drink or you can make a smoothie with it as well. Smoothies are a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into your daily intake along with the protein!
Below is a chart Alex Loes, SDSU Dietetic Student made for me to compare the various choices. I hope this helps you, but if you have any specific questions regarding choices, selections, or even disease states and the use of these, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m here to help you as your credible and reliable nutrition information source!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
| Brand (oz/serving) |
Price/oz |
Calories |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fiber (g) |
| Boost Calorie Smart (8) |
0.20 |
190 |
16 |
16 |
4 |
| SlimFast (10) |
0.11 |
190 |
10 |
29 |
5 |
| Shakeology (12) |
0.36 |
160 |
17 |
17 |
6 |
| Atkins (11) |
0.17 |
160 |
15 |
5 |
3 |
| Special K (10) |
0.14 |
190 |
10 |
29 |
5 |
| Ideal Protein (10) |
0.40 |
210 |
26 |
14 |
5 |
| Advocare (9) |
0.36 |
220 |
24 |
24 |
5 |
| Sanford Profile (9-12) |
0.25 |
100 |
15 |
7 |
0 |
by kelsey | Mar 24, 2015 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
I couldn’t let the month of March slip away before celebrating one of the best parts of it: it’s National Nutrition Month! National Nutrition month is an annual event that reinforces the importance of developing healthy and balanced eating and activity habits. This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month is “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle” which encourages all to develop habits of healthy eating and physical activity plans focused on eating less calories by making wise food choices and getting daily activity to help achieve a healthy weight and overall health, while reducing risk for disease. Fruits and vegetables are a great way to promote health and wellness while preventing disease. You all know this, but the doing it part, ie-eating 5 servings/day is typically missed and the majority are falling short in this area. To celebrate national nutrition month, I have included 20 ways to add fruits and veggies to your diet. This is something we all have to work at, including myself, so pick a few of these suggestions and give them a try! Strive to get 5/day along with a balanced intake of lean meats, whole grains, low fat dairy, and healthy fats. Balance, portion control, and moderation are keys to a healthy and successful diet!
1. Variety abounds when using vegetables as pizza topping. Try broccoli, spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini.
2. Mix up a breakfast smoothie made with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana.
3. Make a veggie wrap with roasted vegetables and low-fat cheese rolled in a whole-wheat tortilla.
4. Try crunchy vegetables instead of chips with your favorite low-fat salad dressing for dipping.
5. Grill colorful vegetable kabobs packed with tomatoes, green and red peppers, mushrooms and onions.
6. Add color to salads with baby carrots, grape tomatoes, spinach leaves or mandarin oranges.*
7. Keep cut vegetables handy for mid-afternoon snacks, side dishes, lunch box additions or a quick nibble while waiting for dinner. Ready-to-eat favorites: red, green or yellow peppers, broccoli or cauliflower florets, carrots, celery sticks, cucumbers, snap peas or whole radishes.
8. Place colorful fruit where everyone can easily grab something for a snack-on-the-run. Keep a bowl of fresh, just ripe whole fruit in the center of your kitchen or dining table.
9. Get saucy with fruit. Puree apples, berries, peaches or pears in a blender for a thick, sweet sauce on grilled or broiled seafood or poultry, or on pancakes, French toast or waffles.
10. Stuff an omelet with vegetables. Turn any omelet into a hearty meal with broccoli, squash, carrots, peppers, tomatoes or onions with low-fat sharp cheddar cheese.
11. “Sandwich” in fruits and vegetables. Add pizzazz to sandwiches with sliced pineapple, apple, peppers, cucumber and tomato as fillings.
12. Wake up to fruit. Make a habit of adding fruit to your morning oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereal, yogurt or toaster waffle.
13. Top a baked potato with beans and salsa or broccoli and low-fat cheese.
14. Microwave a cup of vegetable soup as a snack or with a sandwich for lunch.
15. Add grated, shredded or chopped vegetables such as zucchini, spinach and carrots to lasagna, meat loaf, mashed potatoes, pasta sauce and rice dishes.
16. Make fruit your dessert: Slice a banana lengthwise and top with a scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of chopped nuts.
17. Stock your freezer with frozen vegetables to steam or stir-fry for a quick side dish.
18. Make your main dish a salad of dark, leafy greens and other colorful vegetables. Add chickpeas or edamame (fresh soybeans). Top with low-fat dressing.*
19. Fruit on the grill: Make kabobs with pineapple, peaches and banana. Grill on low heat until fruit is hot and slightly golden.
20. Dip: Whole wheat pita wedges in hummus, baked tortilla chips in salsa, strawberries or apple slices in low-fat yogurt, or graham crackers in applesauce.
http://www.eatright.org/nnm/handoutsandtipsheets/#.UyHnjs47Bw0
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by kelsey | Dec 10, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
I apologize for the duplicate posting, but I wanted to remind you all that I will be speaking at the Diabetes Support group TOMORROW (Thursday, December 11th). The information below was posted last week and includes all of the details. I hope to see you there!
“Beth Ries, RN with Prairie Lakes Hospital started a diabetes support group last month. This group is much needed and I am so glad she is heading it up! December’s meeting will be Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 6:00 – 7:30 at Prairie Lakes Hospital’s West Conference Room and I will be the speaker focusing on holiday eating! We will discuss holiday snacks and holiday tips and tricks. We will also be making some healthy, low carb, yummy treats. Please register online at www.prairielakes.com so Beth can have an accurate head count to make sure there is enough yummy goodness to go around! Anyone who is affected by diabetes whether it is yourself, a friend, or family member is invited to attend. Please join us, invite a friend or 2…or bring the whole family for an evening of fun and learning! Looking forward to seeing you on December 11th!
For any questions, feel free to email me at kelsey.raml@brownclinic.org.”
-Kelsey
