Category: Healthy Eating is Tasty

Gone Bananas! Peeling the Love with Spirulina

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Spirulina Colada

I spent a good part of my childhood hating bananas simply because my brother loved them. Sibling rivalry at its strangest. In reality, I liked the taste, but the strings (technically called phloem, pronounced “FLOM”) scared me. All that chatter about peeling the banana upside down and not getting any strings is a bunch of banana bologna!

Fast-forward to today and I cheerlead for what bananas do for creamy smoothies, how they turn so nicely from frozen chunks into ice cream, and how important they are for banana bread. Ever made banana bread without bananas? It’s REALLY hard. Plus, who doesn’t love a fruit that has its own online museum?

So, when DOLE asked me to host a “Peel the Love” banana fest, I was psyched for an excuse to get a little bananas with bananas. They gave me banana recipes on a banana-shaped flash drive (dude!). But, the dietitian and direction diverter in me had to put a green spin on the yellow. Enter, the green Pina Colada….

Spirulina Colada
Makes 3

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
2 medium bananas
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (the kind in the fridge section of the grocery store)
2 teaspoons spirulina powder (I like this one, and I get it at Whole Foods Market)

Blend and drink. Freeze leftovers in popsicle molds.

Nutrition info per serving: 188 calories, 3 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 431 mg potassium, 33 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 6.5 g protein, 470% vitamin A, 300% vitamin B12, 85% vitamin C, 40% calcium, 87% iron

Why Spirulina? It takes any smoothie from zero to hero. Check out the nutrition info again! Look at all that iron! Sorry Colada, but that is from the Spirulina alone. Spirulina is a TASTELESS blue-green algae that does everything from cleaning your house (well, your body’s house), boosting your immune system, getting your sex hormone situation in order, to lowering high blood pressure. It even helps prevent cancer. Did I mention it’s tasteless? So you can add it to pretty much anything. Annnnd, it has *more* complete protein than meat! Spirulina is 65-71% protein. Red meat is 22%. Just 2 tablespoons of spirulina per meal gives you all the protein you need. I know, I know. Green powder on your dinner plate is even a little too extreme for a dietitian. But, throw it in a smoothie, stir it into a fresh juice, add it to pancakes on St. Patrick’s Day, or mix it into your brownie batter. You *could* take it in pill form, but where’s the fun in that? 🙂

Next up… Brownies made with bananas, pecans, and black beans. And you thought eating algae was weird! XOXO

WAFFLE HOUSE in the House

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First Belgian Waffle Experiment

First Belgian Waffle Experiment

I have fond and scary memories of that Belgian waffle maker in the Penn State dining hall… gooey batter dripping all over the floor, steamy eggness evaporating into the air, and then plates upon plates floating by with waffles buried beneath sugary frozen yogurt, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry (fruit! fiber! health?). I knew then that I picked the right major. At that rate, I’d never be out of a job as a dietitian.

So only just today, after a hand-me-down waffle maker arrived chez moi, did I fully embrace the beauty and wonder that is the fresh, steamy, Belgian waffle. Of course I took a basic waffle recipe and removed the eggs, added flaxseed meal, used unsweetened soymilk, and topped them with frozen organic strawberries heated into a hot syrup. I mean, I bought jam made out of tomatoes last week for crying out loud! BUT. They were still REALLLY good! And basically good for you. Next time I’ll add chia seeds and perhaps some shredded zucchini and goji berries. But until then….

Belgian Waffles Gone Good-for-You

Makes 7 waffles
Materials: A fantastic mother-in-law who is done with her waffle maker

Sift these together:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Stir these in a separate bowl, then add to sifted bowl:
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or any flavorless oil or melted margarine)
2 3/4 cup unsweetened soymilk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal (optional, but gives a fiber punch and a cholesterol-lowering boost!)
1 Tbsp vanilla (optional)

Heat waffle maker according to package instructions. On the Sunbeam, it’s about 5 minutes plugged in until the light goes off.

Spray top and bottom with cooking oil, or if you don’t have a sprayer, pour one teaspoon on the bottom and wipe a little oil on the top with a paper towel.

Pour 1/2 cup batter into waffle maker and close, lifting only after at least 3 minutes, or when the steam emersion stops. (You’ll know.)

Top with heated strawberries, maple syrup, powdered sugar, or eat plain.

Nutrition Info Per Waffle (all 4 sections): 260 calories, 11 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 366 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, <1 g sugar, 8 g protein, 4% vitamin A, 12% vitamin D, 13% calcium, 12% iron.

50 Sweet and Salty 100-Calorie Snacks

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100Need something but don’t want to totally blow it? Here are 50 sweet and salty snack ideas adapted from and added to a list on Greatist.com. These little minis just might take the edge off until the next meal.

SWEET ACTION

    1. Larabar or Pure Energy Organic bar of choice: Half the bar, or 1 Larabar mini-bar
    2. Grapes: 1 cup, fresh or frozen. Freezing makes you eat them more slowly
    3. Chocolate Banana: 1/2 frozen banana dipped in 1 square melted dark chocolate
    4. Latte Love: 8 ounces steamed vanilla almond milk with 1 shot espresso
    5. PB Apple: 1 small organic gala apple, sliced and dipped in 2 teaspoons peanut butter
    6. Shredded Frosted Mini Wheats: 20 of ’em
    7. Barbara’s Cinnamon Puffins cereal: 50 (a little less than 1 cup)
    8. Mini PB&F: One fig newton with 1 teaspoon peanut butter
    9. Spiced Orange: One orange— about the size of a tennis ball— sprinkled with cinnamon
    10. Grilled Pineapple: 2 ¼-inch thick pineapple rounds (about 1 cup), grilled (or sautéed) for two minutes or until golden
    11. Berries n’ Cream: 1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons non-dairy whipped topping
    12. Oats n’ Berries: ⅓ cup rolled oats (cooked with water), topped with cinnamon and ¼ cup fresh berries
    13. Dark Chocolate: One block, or three squares
    14. Chocolate Chia Pudding: 1/2 serving
    15. Nut-Stuffed Date: One Medjool Date filled with one teaspoon natural unsalted almond butter
    16. Cinnamon Applesauce: 1 cup unsweetened
    17. Grapefruit: 1 large, sprinkled with Truvia if needed
    18. Milk n’ Cookies: 6 animal crackers with ½ cup vanilla almond milk
    19. Shamrock Smoothie: 1 cup
    20. Jelly Beans: 25 of ‘em! Although reserved only for the worst sugar-craving moments
    21. Apple Chips: ¾ cup
    22. PB Graham: 1 large graham cracker smeared with 1 teaspoon peanut butter
    23. Just Mango: 1 oz dried mango snack bag from Just Tomatoes, etc!
    24. Clementines: THREE!
    25. Strawberries: 25 medium ones, sliced & sprinkled with Truvia for extra sweetness

SALTY DOG

  1. Trader Joe’s Mesquite Smoked Seasoned Almonds: 15
  2. Carrots n’ Hummus: About 10 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons hummus.
  3. Pistachios: A couple handfuls— about 25
  4. “Cheesy” Breaded Tomatoes: 3 roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
  5. Curried Sweet Potato: One medium sweet potato cooked for 6 minutes in the microwave, mashed with 1 teaspoon curry powder, & a sprinkle of salt and pepper
  6. “Cheesy” Popcorn: 2 cups air-popped popcorn with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast— tastes like real cheese!
  7. Soy Edamame: 1/2 cup boiled Edamame with 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  8. Dijon Pretzels: 2 ½ pretzel rods with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  9. Kale Chips: 1 cup raw kale— stems removed— baked with 1 teaspoon olive oil at 400° until crisp
  10. Sweet Potato Fries: 1 medium sweet potato sliced, sprinkled with 1 tsp olive oil, & baked at 400° for 10 minutes
  11. Cucumber Sandwich: ½ English muffin with 2 tablespoons olive hummus & three slices of cucumber
  12. Mixed Olives: About 8
  13. Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) & baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt
  14. Balsamic Veggies: 3 cups raw peppers (any color!) dipped in 2 tablespoons low-fat balsamic vinaigrette
  15. Cucumber Salad: One large cucumber (sliced) with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
  16. Crunchy Raw Kale Salad: 1 cup kale leaves chopped with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
  17. TJ’s Roasted Seaweed Snack: 1 1/2 packages!
  18. Chick Pea Salad: 1/3 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ¼ cup diced tomatoes
  19. Grilled Garlic Corn on the Cob: One small-sized ear brushed with 1 teaspoon sautéed minced garlic & 1 teaspoon olive oil, grilled until tender
  20. Chips n’ Salsa: 10 baked tortilla chips with ¼ cup salsa
  21. PB & Celery: 1 medium celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  22. Rice Cake & Almond Butter: 1 lightly salted rice cake with 2 teaspoons almond butter
  23. Old Bay Beans: 1/3 cup chick peas baked for 10 minutes at 350° with Old Bay Seasoning
  24. Goddess Veggies: Countless raw veggies dipped in 2 tablespoons Goddess Dressing
  25. Popchips: 1 snack-size bag of the plain potato variety

Cheers until the next feeding!

Superbowl Pant Survival

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Of course YOU will survive the Superbowl, but what about your pants? Will they have to take a temporary hiatus in the back of the closet after tonight? To the snackinizer! Here are consumptionaries that will keep your lower half in it’s post-holiday / pre-Superbowl position:

1. Polenta Stuffed Mini Peppers (gluten-free)

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2. Guacamame (gluten-free)

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3. Fiery Cashew Dip  (gluten-free)

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4. Veggie Pupusas (gluten-free)

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5. Any of these Meatless Meats, given high marks by meat lovers

6. No Fant Pants Nachos (gluten-free)

7. Hot Pants Cornbread

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8. Vegan Hot Wings

9. Quick & Easy Veggie Chili

10. Creamy Spinach Dip (video)

Happy chowing!

Accidental Lentil Stew

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Lentils in a flash!

Step aside, split peas! This experimental, transcontinental lentil stew is now on the go-to dinner list. It’s quick (2 main ingredients, no chopping needed), cheap ($2.50 for the whole pot), and such a totally delicious way to warm your heart and soul. And, it’ll please your bean-pushing, fiber-focused dietitian. With 9 grams of fiber and 17 grams of protein per serving, you won’t be hungry for days!

Accidental Lentil Stew
Makes 8 hearty servings (about 1 cup each)

4 cups filtered water
1 16-ounce (1 lb.) bag dried red split lentils
(newly available at Trader Joe’s for $1.69)
1/2 of a 16-oz bag organic frozen chopped spinach (or other dark leafy green)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used 2 Dorot frozen garlic cubes)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)

Place all ingredients in a medium-size soup pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with bread, multigrain crackers, or nothing at all.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: 222 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 17 g protein, 19% vitamin A, 3% calcium, 18% iron.

Top with hot sauce for a more fiery experience. Happy stew season!

Easy-as-Pie Low Sugar Monkey Cake

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Light, Fluffy, Rich, Lower Sugar!

Looking for a sweet dessert without the chemicals, weird artificial flavor taste, and without added sugar? Impossible! Forget it! Oh wait. Enter: Monkey Cake.

Sugar–with it’s highly inflammatory, blood sugar-spiking, acne-growing, and teeth-rotting attributes, combined with the fact that it doesn’t even do your laundry–has sent me on a dessert mission. A mission to create a lower sugar baked good that’s not only highly tolerable, but bordering on cravable. This one does it, especially if you’re part monkey. The sweetness comes from bananas and a touch of Truvia, a natural calorie-free sweetener from the stevia plant. The coconut oil–gaining new health praise–adds a subtle tropical kick. Give it a whirl–it’s easy as pie!

Money Cake (Low Sugar)
Makes 12 hunks
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup filtered water
3 Tablespoons Truvia Baking Blend (or other stevia leaf extract for baking)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted, or vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (like Bob’s), or 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour (like Bob’s)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mash banana, water, and stevia together, and stir in oil and vanilla until well-mixed.

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Combine flour mixture and cinnamon with wet mixture by stirring in gradually.

Pour mixture into a greased 9″ x 9″ square or 9″ round baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes, until top is golden brown. Let the cake cool before cutting.

Nutrition Info Per Hunk: 150 calories, 5 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 202 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 3 g protein, 7% Iron.

The trick with using stevia baking blend in recipes is to substitute it at a 1:2 ratio for sugar. The stevia is sweeter and has a nasty aftertaste if overdone. The original version of this recipe called for 1/2 cup sugar (8 Tablespoons), and 3 Tablespoons of stevia baking blend does the trick without any nasty.

Fiber Sans Veggies

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Is it possible? The following combo comes up all too often: The desire to get healthy challenged by an extreme dislike for veggies. It’s possible that the right veggie experience just hasn’t happened yet. But until then–and also handy to know when your favorite veggies are out of season–here are a handful of ways to get closer to your 40-gram daily fiber goal without veggies in the picture:

Breaking Down the 40-Gram Goal:
10 grams of fiber per meal (3 of those) + 5 grams of fiber per snack (2 of those)

  • 1 slice high-fiber bread: 6 grams fiber
    So? A whole PB sandwich meets your meal-time fiber goal
  • ½ cup cooked beans or lentils (legumes): 7 grams fiber
    How to Eat? Add to pasta sauce, soups, and stir-fries, and blend into dips
  • ½ cup bran cereal such as All-Bran: 10 grams fiber
    How to Eat? Add to non-dairy yogurt & trail mix
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal (like Bob’s): 4 grams fiber
    How to Eat? Add to anything, such as soy yogurt, fruit salad, dips, cereal, smoothies…
  • high-fiber snack bars: 9-12 grams fiber each; Gnu Foods are the best and have 12 grams fiber each
  • 1 cup berries: 8 grams fiber (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
  • ½ cup oat bran (similar to Cream of Wheat, my fave TJ’s seen here): 7 grams fiber
    How to eat? Microwave it with cinnamon, Truvia, dried fruit, nuts, and a dash of unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • And if you can resort to veggies (encouraged), try the highest fiber ones such as sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, broccoli, eggplant, and parsnips which have 7-8 grams fiber per serving

Happy fibering!

Happy Nacho Day!

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Football fans and health heroes! Here’s a last-minute recycled video on preparing my famous No Fat Pants Nachos for today’s big game.

Plus, be sure to check out Forks Over Knives Superbowl Recipes for Hearty Nachos, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Tapenade, BBQ Tofu “Wings,” Lentil Chili, and Whole Grain Corn Muffins. Not to mention the Lunchbox Bunch’s Avocado Quesadillas and Meatless Buffalo Bites–perfect for the eat-fest that is the Superbowl.

Happy cheering and chowing!

Detox Day 6: Time to Start Thinking About Day 8

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Mmm! A half-plate of veggies

Happy Day 6! What’s the latest? Still feeling good? Sleeping well and feeling energized? Now is a perfect time to start thinking about what happens the day after tomorrow. Will you go back to your pre-Detox eating? A modified version? Take today and tomorrow and make a plan for what you’d like to do long-term. Here are some popular, healthy, and realistic post-Detox modifications to consider:

1. Go back to drinking the morning cup of coffee you missed, but with vanilla almond milk instead of cream and sugar. Try this creamy, dairy-free concoction. Or, enjoy green, white, or black tea as your morning caffeinated beverage.

2. Continue eating the level of fruits and veggies with a giant heaping of cooked veggies at either lunch or dinner, and a giant serving of raw veggies at the other meal. Shoot for HALF your plate being veggies (either raw or cooked) at mealtime.

3. Continue with shakes or smoothies in the morning, but add a protein powder such as this hemp seed one from Trader Joe’s. High in protein, fiber, and essential amino acids, and makes your morning drink more filling.

4. Add a more substantial morning meal such as gluten-free oatmeal (Trader Joe’s has amazing gluten-free oats that seem exactly like traditional rolled oats) with a handful of dried cranberries for sweetness, raw cashews, cinnamon, and cooled down with a dash of unsweetened non-dairy milk. Or heat up a cup of cooked quinoa from the previous night’s dinner with dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and non-dairy milk.

5. Enjoy a raw food bar in the afternoon to satisfy your sweet tooth–they’re easy to keep on hand, easily survive life in the bottom of bags, and can be stepped on without changing shape. Examples: Larabar, Pure Energy, and KIND. These can all be found in any old grocery store, TJ’s, or Whole Foods.

6. Continue with the Detox as your constant (developing your own menus using the guidelines), and veer from the Detox for special weekend days, when you go out to eat (trying your best to keep with the guidelines, but allowing yourself those treats you may have been missing), have potlucks, or attend parties.

7. Do the Detox 1-2 days per week or 7 days a month, and a modified version on the other days.

What else will you do to carry on the healthy changes you made once the Detox is done? Hopefully you’ll all continue drinking all those energizing fluids!

Enjoy this day and the new, healthy you! XOXO

7-Day Detox Complete Shopping List & Days 1-4 Menus Posted

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Photo by: Christaface

Monday is right around the corner! Check out all the Detox info here, along with the full shopping list here. And check out menus for Days 1-4 in the menu bar above.

Is your tea kettle dusted off and has your blender been cleaned? Did you find all the parts to your juicer (if using)?

Are you phasing out coffee, bread, meat, and dairy?

You’re ready! The remaining menus for Days 5-7 (which also appear in SKINNY DISH!), will be posted on Sunday, and each day during the Detox I’ll be posting videos and fun detox info.

Enjoy your last day of prep! Questions or comments welcome now and anytime during the detox. Let’s get our veggie on!