Happy New Year! Resolution Ideas from The Honest Dietitian

2017 has arrived. I am sure many of you have been bombarded by ads and commercials from companies hoping to monetize on the "New Year, New You" hope and drive that comes with the annual dropping of the ball. I know there are also many people out there who will tell you that making resolutions is useless and will just set you up for failure. I am not one of those people.

I think making an effort to make any positive changes in your life is absolutely fantastic. I think it is wonderful no matter what time of the year you do it! New Year's is just that time of year when people take a minute to think about themselves and what they would like to accomplish for the upcoming 365 days and believe me...I am a firm believer that people (including myself) do not take enough time to really sit and ponder what we can do to make ourselves better. We often put to much pressure on ourselves trying to do things to make things better for other people, but can forget that we need goals, hope, and certainly attention and love for ourselves from ourselves.

10 Surprising Foods with Health Benefits

If you are anything like me, you are alway on the lookout for foods which are going to pack a punch. The fact is, it can be all too easy to get into the old routines of eating. Part of the problem for many people is that they have forgotten how to branch out. This might sometimes be because they don’t think that those other foods can really bring any benefit. Often, however, it is the case that foods provide you with many benefits which you don’t necessarily consider. Often, common everyday foods which we overlook are actually packed full of goodness. At other times, they simply provide a little boost which you might not have been aware of. In this article, we are going to take a look at some surprising health benefits of various foods. Hopefully, this will encourage you to bring in a little more variety into your diet. Let’s take a look.

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Chocolate

We all know that chocolate is delicious, but those who are nutritionally minded will usually shun it from their everyday diet. It’s true that you don’t want to include too much chocolate in your diet, of course. However, that doesn’t mean that it is all bad news. In fact, chocolate does have a couple of positive points which are worth considering. Dark chocolate in particular has the advantage of being full of antioxidants, while this is less true of milk or white chocolate. It is also good for your circulation, so long as you keep the amount down to a minimum. And if that wasn’t enough, it has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. What’s more, taken in the right quantities, it can actually reduce your cholesterol as well. It’s starting to look like chocolate just might be your best friend!

Popcorn

This one might seem a little shocking, but bear in mind that we are talking here about popcorn without the added salt and sugar. Cinema popcorn is unlikely to be any good for you at all. But take away the toppings and you are left with a surprisingly healthy snack. Plain popcorn includes whole grain, fiber and antioxidants, and as such is likely to work wonders on your system. Next time you are looking for a snack, popcorn is likely to be a much more healthy alternative to crisps, for example. What’s more, it also happens to be cheap when bought in bulk wholesale. This is a whole new side to popcorn which we just haven’t seen before. Of course, as with anything, there is such a thing as overdoing it. But for the occasional snack, you could do much worse than grabbing some plain popcorn.

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Nutrition tips to keep your immune system tough through the flu & winter season

While we all have a good idea that what we eat affects how we feel. It can be easy to forget that before the pharmaceutical industry, our medicines came from natural sources.

At the time a lot of these things were consumed as food or drink, and we can still receive the benefits of imbibing them now. Read on to find out what they are.

Vitamin C

There are plenty of things that contain a good dose of Vitamins C like carrots and bell peppers. But did you know that Brussel Sprouts also have lots too?

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Well, if you are a sprout fan, then you should definitely start eating them on more than just your Christmas dinner. This is because getting enough Vitamin C can help boost your immunity to disease. It acts as a natural antibiotic killing off harmful bacteria in your system. I love grilling Brussel sprouts but in the winter, I often steam them.

Antioxidants

We hear a lot about antioxidant and free radicals these days but does anyone known what they actually are? Well, free radicals are the nasty things that our cells produce when they take in and use oxygen.

These can be harmful your systems so we don't want too many of them hanging around in our body. That is where antioxidants come in.

As we don't want too many oxidants or free radicals in our system eating foods like sweet potatoes and oysters are a good idea. They release molecules that attached to the free radicals making sure that they don't get reabsorbed by the body and cause harm. Oysters are also high in magnesium & zinc, which help boost immunity.

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So You're More Active...What's Next?

Most of us have had some fitness aims or goals over the years. And most of us know how hard it can be to achieve them. Some people find it easier to scale things back a bit and concentrate on one thing at a time. You might try increasing the number of steps you walk or try being a little more active at lunch time. Increasing your activity is certainly one of the best ways to improve your fitness and tone up a little. But what comes next?

Health and fitness go hand in hand. It’s worth considering how you can also improve your health now you’ve made those big steps toward fitness. Walking is one of those activities that can help you become more active and make you healthier. It’s not just your physical health you need to consider. Your mental and emotional health are just as important. Walking can help calm your mind, and you’ll feel emotionally well by taking in the fresh air and beautiful surroundings.

This picture is from Flickr.com

The Honest Dietitian's 2016 Favorites: Japanese Giant Red Mustard Greens

Chop up these Japanese Giant Red Mustard Greens to sauté as a side dish.

Not all greens are created equal. Growing up in Michigan, I did not have a lot of exposure to cooking greens as much as I have now that I live in the south.  I have always been a huge fan of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, especially their seed collections which helped me a lot when I moved south because the growing season is so different & wonderful. This year I planted Japanese Giant Red Mustard Greens and they easily became my favorite greens ever. The description on the seed package said "Strong Almost Garlic Like Mustard Flavor". The seeds grew strong and beautiful plants and at first bite, they had me hooked. To me, the flavor of the greens hinted more towards horseradish. We have used the greens in so many ways:

2014 Favorites Part Two

Best Cookbook- Eat Vegan on $4 a Day by Ellen Jaffe Jones.  I am not a vegan, however the recipes in this book are outstanding.  I was attracted originally to the budget-friendly approach to eating healthy, and although it can be quite an investment for ingredients up front, the book does a great job breaking down the general cost per serving for the recipes.  The recipes are fantastic.  My favorites are the recipes for tabouli, tempeh-broccoli sauté, hummus, potato pancakes, and my absolute favorite---Coconut "Ice Cream" made with frozen bananas.  Here's a link to more info about this book which would make a great gift for those people you know who love food:  Eat Vegan on $4 a Day

Homemade Oven Sweet Potato Fries

I have been looking at 3 sweet potatoes in my kitchen for a few days.  Originally, I had planned to bake them whole, but then was inspired to try out some homemade sweet potato fries!  It was super easy to do and the entire family loved them.  Sweet Potatoes are high in Beta-Carotene, which can be converted to Vitamin A in your body & has shown to be protective against cancers, along with reducing the rate of heart disease.  Here is what I did:

• I took my 3 sweet potatoes and cut them into strips.  I found that the more traditional "french fry" shape baked the best in the oven.  The thicker cut strips were borderline soggy.
• I brushed the sweet potatoes with about 3 TBSP of an olive oil/canola oil blend.
• I then added 1 TBSP of garlic salt, 2 TBSP of oregano, & shook it all up in this container:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place your sweet potato fries evenly on a non-stick pan.
• Cook for 15 minutes and flip them over.  Then, cook for 15 more minutes.
• Take them out of the oven and enjoy them!  My 3 medium sweet potatoes could feed 4-6 people with no problem.  YUM!!!!

Minestrone de la HonestRD

This is a delicious, low-calorie soup to make in your Crock Pot!  It makes 8-10 servings and is super tasty with a little garnish of shredded Romano cheese!  One cup of Minestrone de la HonestRD (without cheese) is 118 calories, 5.5 grams of protein, 18 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of fat.  The perfect side dish to warm you up and accompany a nice salad or sandwich!

• 1 cup of diced red potatoes
• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• 32 ounces of beef broth
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained (14 1/2 ounces each)
• 1 cup of chopped cabbage
• 1 cup of sliced zucchini
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 3/4 cup of fresh green beans
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup of chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed & drained (15 ounces)

1.  Combine all of the ingredients, except for the cannellini beans, in the Crock Pot & mix well.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.
2.  Add the cannellini beans.  Cover & cook on LOW for 1 additional hour.
3.  Remove and discard the Bay Leaf.  Serve the soup with the shredded Romano cheese, if desired.

Peter Rabbit Organics Review by Actual Children & Giveaway!

Working in a childhood & adolescent weight management center, I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks to recommend to families that actually taste good.  AND being someone who fancies a Starbucks every once in a while, I was curious about the Peter Rabbit Organic Products that I would see whenever I would go inside the coffee shop.  I was hesitant about trying these because after working as a clinical dietitian for so long, I was worried that anything "blended" would be...well...icky.  So, I decided the best way to test these treats was to give them to actual children.  I tested them on kids ages 4, 6, 6, and 10.  They tried the following flavors:

• Strawberry and Banana
• Apple and Grape
• Mango, Banana and Orange
• Sweet Potato, Corn and Apple
• Carrot, Squash and Apple
• Pea, Spinach and Apple

It turns out that all four kids thought that the flavors were awesome!  Except for one flavor (the sweet potato, corn, and apple):

The most raved about flavor was the Pea, Spinach, and Apple!  I was told to go and buy more of those pronto!  There are so many benefits to these snacks besides their kid-approved taste:

• These products are ORGANIC
• They are BPA-free & easy to transport, use, and cap for later use!  These snacks are a perfect addition to a day out, a long car ride, or school & sports team snacks.
• There are 100% fruit and vegetable, with no added sugar or preservatives
• They are high in Vitamin C, between 70-85 calories each (a perfect snack), 0 grams of fat, and between 1.5-2 grams of fiber!
• You can find them all over the place:  Starbucks, Whole Foods, www.amazon.com...Just to name a few!!

And thanks so much to Peter Rabbit Organics, YOU have a chance to try them too by entering the giveaway! The grand prize winner will receive a 12-pack of these Peter Rabbit Organic treats in the six flavors mentioned above.  GOOD LUCK!



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