Decoding the box....

Happy Thursday to all! Well today actually is my Friday. I am taking tomorrow off to go check out restaurants to have my sisters baby shower at. Yes we are welcoming our first grandchild to the family and it is soo exciting. It is a girl but my sister and her husband wont spill the beans on the name yet. oh well. Something I guess needs to be a surprise.
Yesterday I posted some information about food packaging and decoding what is on the labels.
Today a reputable website came out with and article that supports just what I was talking about. It isn't too long and I think it is a great read.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Market/Cereal-giants-are-duping-shoppers-with-all-natural-claims-says-lobby-group/?c=nq5Y1O13j8XQ67thS9vkqeSBbd86J6IK&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily

If you have time check it out!
Off of the regulatory soap box, I wanted to share a "recipe" I came up with to satisfy a snack craving
I took:
1 whole banana
about 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter
about 1/2 a tsp of chocolate chips

In a bowl I cut the banana up in to pieces added the peanut butter and chocolate chips. I microwaved for about 30-45 seconds. Mixed/Mashed a little bit and poof. I had a rich, tasty snack/dessert that was full of healthy potassium, good fats and antioxidants. The warm banana was really comforting too!

Have a great day!!

What are some of your favorite snacks?

The Weather Outside is....

Is it really only Wednesday! I tell ya these dark cold and wet days are really stretching out the week. It is that time of year where motivation to exercise sinks and cravings for comfort good increase. When my alarm goes off in the morning I can't believe it is so dark out. I have also decided the day I retire I am smashing every alarm clock around me.
In all honesty fall is my favorite season. The crisp breeze, strong sun (at times) and beautiful colors.
Not to mentioned apple cider, chilli and a plethera of other tasty warm goodies. Another little friend that comes around during these cooler days is the common cold. Don't know how I have missed this guy the past few months but he came to visit a couple weeks ago and of course it was perfect timing.
I was about to head to visit my newly pregnant sister. Somehow doctors don't recommend a sick person to be around a pregnant lady yet i figured she works in a hospital so she is used to it. :)
In my quest to heal up as quick as possible i purchased a tablet that you put in the shower and it creates a vapor from the water. Not only did it not really work but when reading the packaging that in bold letters had a disclaimer stating "Not for comsumption, do not eat" I noticed something very familiar. INGEDIENTS. Ingredients such as silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide and others that I see in ingredient statements every day in snack foods, confectionary and others. I couldn't believe it.  Five out of the Eight ingredients in the vapor tablet were in foods that some Americans eat on a daily basis. So what is one to do? Only buy natural and organic foods? If this is what yo udecide to do great, but first I should share something with you (from my cheap side).
1. "Natural" is not a FDA regulated term. For example cheetos and 7up tag themselves as natural. They can do this because the term "Natural" is not defined yet so no one can say they are wrong.
2. Read labels. I don't just mean the nutrition facts panel. Many companies will put statements and claims on their label that are marketing ploys and charge you more. It may say "Made with Olive Oil" and charge you more for it. Look at ingredient statements and base your purchases on that.
3. Buy things whole. Buy bricks of cheese or Oats for example and shred it at home or make your own oat meal.
This will provide you with savings because you are doing the labor not paying for it and YOU will be in charge of the ingredients. This way you ensure that you are eating FOOD, not something that has stablizers and preservatives that have been decided can't harm you in large amounts in food items that can get lost in your cabinets and found months later still looking pretty good.

Frugal Feasting!

I am still here.

Hello folks. Sorry for the big time lapse between posts. It is incredible how much time a full time job takes up. ha. Not to mention an over active pup. I have tried to post pictures of her but for some reason it wont work. I will get some up soon I promise. Also because lets be honest, compared to other Dietitians blogs this one is lacking, ha. I have to be honest because my new job has me sitting down at a desk for 9 hours a day I have been focusing on exercise almost more than nutrition. I have signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15K in November as well as started a little challange with a few girl friends to keep each other motivated.

The best thing hands down about summer is fresh fruits and vegetables available from your home garden. If you don't have one I strongly suggest giving it a go. Even if you have an apartment in the city. A friend of mine does and has a box on her balcony that she grows broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes and herbs on. AWESOME! I have no balcony or anywhere to put such a garden box but I do have a mother with a yard . There we planted different kinds of tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, and enough herbs to start our own spice store. They are doing great too!

It is an amazing feeling to walk out in your yard and make an organic, basically free lunch! Litterally getting back to our roots here!

If your harvest proves to be too bountiful for you to consume try making soups, sauces, blanching and freezing what you can or these fruits and vegetables make excellent gifts for any reason!

Seeds cost mere cents and plants can be rather cheap at your local grocery, hardware store or farmers market! Everyone is always looking for a deal, I can't think of a better one!

Hot in here

It has been soo hot recently but refreshing. I will take this right now over rain and 50 degrees. However this may change by mid-July. I have only turned  my AC on once after a run outside. I haven't turned it on for a few reasons, 1. I breath in recycled air conditioned air all day it is nice to have some fresh air, 2. My apt actually stays reasonably cool,3. The heat whipes my dog out. I would rather sweat a bit if it means she will sleep, ha. However it doesn't really make me wanna turn a hot oven on to cook. I have been eating a lot of salads and other cool items. Which is kind of a bummer cause the company I work for is having a HUGE tent sale. At said sale I bought basically a whole new kichen. We produce a lot of items for the "Food  Network " and other cooking/baking lines. I got a silicon oven mit, sauce brush, ice cream scoop, baking sheets, 9x 13 pan, 9x9 pan, pasta spoon, two spatulas, rubber scrapers, a can opener, large serving spoons, cooling racks and more for only about $70. LOVE SALES.
Before the heat came in I made these great " cookies" I say cookies because if you are a dessert purist you may not classigy these as cookies but I swear that is what the recipe called them. I eat them for breakfast, he.
Recipe:
3 bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped dates

Smash the bananas until they are a smooth consistency (easier if you use slightly browned bananas). Mix in oats, vegetable oil and dates. let stand for 15 min. This helps the oats soften. Plop down on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.
I substituted peanut butter for vegetable oil. They are a bit softer and get added protein.  They resemble more of a baked oatmeal rather than a cookie. I also at times will add some chopped nuts and chocolate chips (dark chocolate of course).  Give them a try.

Food Pride

Memorial day weekend proved to be one of extremes. The weather was nuts! Sunday was rain and cold while Monday brought 90 degrees and sun. Food was no exception. I spent a lot of time this weekend with family and friends as I am sure many of you did. Aaand where there is a gathering there is food! I am not even going to pretend it was a healthy weekend, except a lot of outdoor activities. However, this is more than acceptable everyonce in a while, yes even for Dietitians!On Saturday I got my hair cut and of course the topic of food came up. My hair dresser told me a story about how she went to dinner with a friend that was so strict on what she ate it took the fun out of the meal. She then said something that struck me. "I was never raised to be ashamed of what I ate". Whoa! Now she is not a heavy girl mind you, but does not deny that she enjoys food. I mean lets be real, who doesn't. This comment has stayed with me. On sunday I had two bbq's to attend. One was at my uncles pretty typical. The second was at one of my life long friends who's husband is in culinary school. The burgers were the size of my head, sausages as long as my arm and dessert enough to feed three people with one serving. Now I am not denying that it was deliscious but health conscious, NO. Monday I met my mom, aunt and uncle with their two daugheters at my grandpas house. My grandpa is in his late 80's and at that point in life I believe you should eat whatever you want. He wanted a whopper, wish granted!
As my two little cousins (10yrs and 8yrs) read off the nutritional content of different fast food items form their Subway cup my hair dressers comment ran through my head again. At 10yrs should you be counting calories? I am not saying the kids should be running around with pixie sticks for breakfast but the previous night i was around near glutony and now I hav ea 10 year old reciting sugar and fat content. is this teaching good eating habits or the basis for eating and image issues down the road?  You all know I am about healthy eating but I do believe there is a balance. I agree with my hair dresser "shame" should not accompany any meal, maybe just a longer walk :)

Taking the lead

I know I know. Where have I been? It has been a crazy time recently. The new job is amazing but taking up all my time. Along with my 99% sweet, 1% cujo pup, I do not know where the time goes. Yet here I am ready to share. I am not sure if I have explained properly what my new job is. I am the new Food and Product Regulatory Specialist for a food company. My job is to create those helpful little nutritional labels and ingredient statements you see on food items. Also I evaluate and assess packaging to assure the correct and necessary information is on there. You have no idea how much these things are regulated. I have learned soo much about food, ingredients, regulations, ect. It is amazing really what goes into out mouths when we eat. I have read statements before on how food is not formulated in a lab not grown on a farm. I had no idea  how true it was until I developed an ingredient statement that looked more like my chemistry homework from high school. Or I assisted with a customer question about a vegan item. We had to tell her that it was not vegan because one of the preseravtives was a derivative from an insect material. Crazy! Granted our products are not meant to be consumed in large quantitites however, when you think that you are eating beetle shell even in a tiny bit, it makes you think twice. It has always been said ignorance is bliss.
I had thought that this position would drive me back into mainstream food culture. That maybe the whole sustainable organic avenue wasn't all it was cracked up to be. WRONG. It has made me more and more aware of what is in my food and how in the long run it can effect my environment and health.
I went out with some culinary students the other night and one asked me " Has being a Dietitian ruined your eating?' I resonded " No, but yes, it has effected it." I am not sure why choosing not eat bacon ladened mac-n-cheese is considered "ruined eating". Which brings me to my recipe!
I cooked and I mean really cooked for  the first time in a long time the other night. Made myself some deliscious eggplant parmesean. Now this can often be a rather unhealthy dish. Eggplant is like a little sponge, soaks up everything. This is what I did.
1 egg plant sliced into about 8 slices
2 eggs
about 1 1/2 cup of italian bread crumbs
Jar of marinara sauce (your favorite)
Shredded cheese (mozzerella works best of course)
heat the oven to 450
Dip the slices of eggplant in the egg and then in the bread crumbs and place on a cookie sheet. You may need to grease up the sheet a bit so they don't stick.
Put the slices of eggplant in the oven for 10min, flipping half way through.
After they come out put in a casserole type dish, pour over sauce and top with cheese. Cook until heated and cheese melted about 15-20min. A serving is about 2.5 slices and around 400 calories. Other nutrients depend on the sauce and cheese you use. Try it out!!!!

I'm back!!!!

So it has been a while since I have been here and A LOT  has changed.
I went to India/Malaysia=AMAZING and started a new job. I am not longer in the health care field but now food regulation. My new position is very detail oriented which I have learned that I am not so much. Also should note the word food is subjective. If you come from an organic and sustainable point of  view it may be difficult to consider a product that most of the ingredients are preservatives, stablizers and a mish mash of letters (FD&C  #40) instead of wheat, carrots, juice, ect.  food. However if you look strictly on edibility, then yep, its food. I am learning a ton about the food regulation industry, ingredients and labeling procedures. Very interesting. However due to these new changes and events in my life I have had little time to cook at home and explore my mission of affordable local and organic living.I will share with you somethign that I have discovered despite what you are eating.
As Dietitians we always talk to people about healthy preparation, drinking lots of water, making sure to buy pure and whole ingredients. But we never tell people physically how to eat.
Sounds strange, right? You have been eating your whole life! How many times has your family (Mom specific) told you to slow down, chew your food. I myself will admitt at times when I am in a rush I take a few big bites just to get something down. I have learned recently that this is the down fall. Shoveling in food that is half chewed is causing you to eat more than you probably would have with smaller bites. If you cut a strawberry in to quarters it looks like a lot less than if you cut it in to multiple small pieces. These are not ideas to make it seem you are eating more than you really are but giving you an opportunity to enjoy and taste what you are eating. It is strangely more satiable than heaving it down your throat.
At your next meal take a minute and enjoy the flavors you have created!