Dietitian's Dish
 

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Dietitians Dish – January 27, 2020

Keep working on making habits effortless!

Habit #1 – Start your meals with fruits or vegetables.

Are you planning to watch the Big Game?
Tailgate foods tend to be high in fat and calories, with less nutritional value. Whether you’re viewing from home or at a party, keep working on the habit of including more vegetables. If you’re a guest at someone’s party, don’t arrive empty-handed. Bring a veggie tray or some type of side dish or finger food that contains a fruit or vegetable. That way, you’ll know there is something on the menu to help you maintain your new habit.

Meatballs are convenient to serve at a party or for dinner.

Their versatility makes it easy to add atop pasta, assemble into a sandwich or slider, or serve as an appetizer. Plus, the flavor options are endless: traditional Italian, Teriyaki, Hoisin, Sriracha, Mexican and BBQ are just a few that come to mind!

Blending chopped mushrooms with ground meat is an easy way to add a vegetable. They increase the flavor and variety of nutrients, while reducing the fat and calories. Adding mushrooms also helps stretch your food budget and is gentler on the planet (requiring less space, electricity, and water to grow than raising animals).

Blended Meatballs

Blended Meatballs

Recipe and image are courtesy of the Mushroom Council and Blenditarian.com.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup whole grain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking tray with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  • Place the mushrooms in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped.
  • In a skillet over medium heat cook chopped mushrooms until brown and most moisture has been released, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to let cool.
  • In a large bowl combine cooled mushrooms, beef, seasoning, onion, garlic breadcrumbs and egg; mix all ingredients until incorporated. Shape mixture into 1-1/2 inch meatballs. Place 1 inch apart on pan.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes or until meatballs reach 160°F, are cooked through and center is no longer pink.

 

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Dietitians Dish – January 20, 2020

Keep working on making habits effortless!

Habit #1 – Start your meals with fruits or vegetables.

January is Slow Cooker Month,
and what better way to include more vegetables at the start of your lunch or dinner meal than with a warm, comforting soup. Creating a delicious soup from scratch is an adventure of the palate when you use leftovers, some canned goods, and frozen ingredients. It’s a great way to reduce food waste at home. Soup or stew can also take the leading role in your meal by adding some whole grain bread and a salad. Waste less food and money by planning for extra servings or leftovers.

If you grab a beef roast and all the fixins’ for a slow-cooked pot roast, it’s likely you’ll have some extra potatoes, carrots, and onions. Plan to use them in a vegetable-based soup or stew.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Chowder

Slow Cooker Vegetable Chowder

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups chopped potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 can creamed corn
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 cup reduced fat milk
  • 2 Tbsps. cornstarch

Directions:

  • Place the onion, potatoes, carrots, pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, celery, creamed corn, broth, parsley, basil, and oregano in the base of a crockpot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until potatoes are tender and cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper; depending on the saltiness of your broth you may or may not need salt.
  • Whisk together the milk and cornstarch until dissolved. Slowly add the milk mixture to the chowder and cook on high another 30 minutes until thickened.

 

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Dietitians Dish – Janurary 13, 2020

Keep working on making habits effortless!

Habit #1 – Start your meals with fruits or vegetables.

Start your day focused on reinforcing your first new habit of 2020. Wake up a little earlier in the morning or prep for breakfast before you go to bed. Carving out those few extra minutes will help to ensure you don’t skip this opportunity to rev your body and mind back up.

Even with limited time, make a smoothie to-go. It’s a great way to include a fruit (and even a vegetable) serving for breakfast!

Blueberry Oat Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 1 container (5.3 ounces) non-fat blueberry Greek yogurt
  • 1 banana, frozen in slices
  • 1/2 cup dairy or plant-based milk
  • 2 Tbsps. honey
Blueberry Oat Smoothie

Directions:

  • In blender, process oats for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and purée until blended.
  • Divide smoothie between 2 glasses to serve.

Berry Pomegranate Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 2 Tbsps. chia seeds
Berry Pomegranate Smoothie

Directions:

  • In blender, purée all items together until smooth.
  • Divide smoothie between 2 glasses to serve.

 

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Dietitians Dish – January 06, 2020

Resolve to Create New Habits in 2020

By January 1st, people either state their goals for the year ahead
or completely avoid it so they don’t set themselves up to fail.
Each new year offers a chance to refocus on our well-being
(be it physical, emotional, financial, or other types).
But too often, our resolutions are overly ambitious.
While the intention is good, they are sometimes too specific or too numerous to succeed. Then, frustration leads to failure and we give up.
In 2020, let’s try a different approach.
Instead of specific and measurable goals, write down a list of habits you want to achieve. Focus on one at a time, until it becomes effortless. Habits are all about HOW you complete the action.

Habit #1 – Start your meals with fruits or vegetables.

  1. Pick a simple behavior
  2. Pick a time and place for it to occur
  3. Repeat the behavior in that time and place as often as possible
  4. Enjoy some type of reward as reinforcement

Serve a cup of this vegetable soup first at lunch or dinner.

Vegetable Bounty Soup

Vegetable Bounty Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 leeks (green portion only)
  • 1 small green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 medium turnip, peeled & diced (1/2-inch)
  • 1 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup orzo pasta
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 2 Tbsps. dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

  • Thinly slice the green portion of leeks. Use the rest in another recipe.
  • In a saucepot, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper and leeks; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; cook 8 minutes or until leeks begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Add turnip, squash, soy sauce and vegetable broth; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes.
  • Add orzo; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes, corn, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Cook 8 to 10 minutes longer or until orzo is just tender.

 

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Dietitians Dish – December 30, 2019

Wellness Tips for 2020 – BEWARE OF SKIPPING!

There are times when skipping is GOOD.

checkbox Skip to exercise – channel your inner child

checkbox Skip the second helping at meals

checkbox Skip the fried foods

checkbox Skip sweets or beverages with lots of added sugar

Other times, skipping is BAD for wellness.

checkbox Skip meals entirely – especially breakfast

checkbox Skip out on moving your body more

checkbox Skip getting enough sleep at night

Breakfast most basically means “breaking the fast” since you last ate. During periods of fasting, everything slows down so the body can protect itself. Fueling after waking up is essential for body systems to rev back up – especially metabolism. These easy recipes make a great breakfast on-the-go (or a snack/lunch option). Top your toast or stuff a pita with this superfood spin on hummus!

Guacamole Hummus

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained & rinsed
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 cup cilantro, loosely packed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsps. lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped sweet onions
  • 2 Tbsps. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
Vegetable Bounty Soup

Directions:

  • Add chickpeas, avocado, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, onion, oil, salt and pepper to food processor and blend until smooth.
  • Top with chopped tomatoes and serve with toasted pita chips or veggies for dipping.
  • Breakfast option: Spread on whole grain toast with assorted toppings or inside a pita pocket.

Fruit and Cereal Parfaits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit
  • 6 oz. any flavor Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup dry cereal or granola
Vegetable Bounty Soup

Directions:

  • Layer half of the fruit, yogurt and cereal into each cup.
  • Repeat thin layers or single thicker layers. Serve immediately.