Pumpkin Bread….with dark chocolate, YUM!!

Posted on November 19, 2012 | Leave a comment

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My favorite flavor in the fall for baking is PUMPKIN!  Anything from Pumpkin bread, bars, and cookies to smoothies.

Pumpkin Bread (with dark chocolate chips) :-)
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs PLUS 2 whites
2 cups packed brown sugar
3 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree (29 oz. can)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 bag to a whole bag (11.5oz) Ghirardelli 60% cocoa dark chocolate chips (depending on how chocolatey or caloric you want your bread!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, brown sugar, pumpkin and oil. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips and mix in.
Turn the batter into TWO lightly oiled 9×5 inch loaf pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean from the center. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans on a rack. Turn loaves out and cool completely on the rack.
Makes 2 loaves!

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Sugar, by any other name is still as sweet…..or is it?

Posted on July 8, 2012 | 3 Comments

The simple message is yes….and no!  Nutritive sweeteners do provide calories with their sweet taste while Non-Nutritive sweeteners provide few or zero calories with their extra sweet tastes.  Depending on your calorie needs and desire for sweet tasting beverages and foods, you need to decide which sweetener is right for you.  Over consumption of added sugars in the American diet has been blamed for many preventable diseases, including diabetes and obesity.  Try using nutrient dense-naturally sweet fruits, vegetables and dairy foods as often as possible to satisfy your need for sweet instead of calorie dense baked goods, candy, sweetened beverages and added sugars/sweeteners.

Read below for a summary of the most commonly used sweeteners and follow the links for for in-depth data on each.

http://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8363&terms=nutritive

Sugars commonly found in foods include:
• Glucose A monosaccharide and the primary source of energy for body cells.
• Fructose A monosaccharide found in fruit, honey, and some vegetables. In nature, it is linked with glucose as the disaccharide sucrose. Fructose may be used as a nutritive sweetener.
• Galactose A monosaccharide that occurs in dairy products and some plants.
• Sucrose A disaccharide that occurs naturally in fruit and vegetables.  It is composed of approximately equal parts glucose and fructose and is used as a nutritive sweetener and for its other functional properties.
• Maltose A disaccharide composed of two glucose units; it is found in molasses and is used for fermentation.
• Corn-based sweetener Refers to many products made from corn.  They may be composed primarily of glucose, fructose, or any combination of the two. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a mixture of glucose and fructose and is only available to food manufacturers.
• Agave nectar A nutritive sweetener that contains fructans, oligosaccharides of fructose and glucose, and monosaccharides of fructose and glucose.
Sugar often refers to sucrose, which is derived from sugar cane or sugar beets.  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses added sugars to refer to sugars and syrups added to foods during processing, preparation or before consumption. In addition to imparting a sweet taste, sugars have the following functions that are important to safety
and quality in foods:
• Inhibit microbial growth by binding water in jams and jellies.
• Add texture, flavor, and color to baked goods.
• Support the growth of yeast for leavening or fermentation.
• Contribute volume in ice cream, baked goods, and jams.
• Enhance the creamy consistency of frozen desserts.
• Enhance the crystallization of confectionary products.
• Balance acidity in salad dressings, sauces, and condiments.
Help to maintain the natural color, texture, and shape of preserved fruits.

Nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) offer little to no energy when ingested. They are referred to as high-intensity sweeteners because, as sweetening ingredients, they are many times sweeter than sucrose. NNS can replace the sweetness of sugar or energy-containing sweeteners. However, they do not have the same functional properties such as browning, crystallization, or microbial inhibition.

Nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners enhance the flavor and/or texture of food. Nutritive sweeteners provide the body with calories, while nonnutritive sweeteners are very low in calories or contain no calories at all. They can both be added to food and beverages.

Want more information on different types of sweeteners:  follow these links for General Resources from http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/food-composition/nutritive-and-nonnutritive-sweetener-resources
The following resources below provide general information about both types of sweeteners.
Sweeteners from MedlinePlus.
Sweeteners systematic reviews: from USDA Nutrition Evidence Library.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners
Sugar and Sweet from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-Ed Hot Topic: Sugars provides resources on sweeteners, including statistics, reports, and online carbohydrate calculators.
Food Ingredients and Colors provides information on food additives, including sweeteners from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Nutritive Sweeteners
Nutritive sweeteners, also known as caloric sweeteners or sugars, provide energy in the form of carbohydrates.
Some sugars are found naturally in foods. For example, fructose is found in fresh fruits. By eating the whole fruit, you not only consume fructose, but you feed your body fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that you do not get from sugar alone.
Many of the sugars in our diet come from “added sugars” – sugars added to food prior to consumption or during preparation or processing. Added sugars are used to enhance the flavor and texture of foods and to increase shelf-life. Examples of added sugars include sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Learn more about sugar and other common nutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Content of Selected Foods: Individual and Total Sugars (PDF | 3.5 MB) from USDA.
Background on Carbohydrates & Sugars from the International Food Information Council (IFIC).
Questions and Answers About Sugars from IFIC.
Sugars 101 provides information on how to identify added sugars and tips to lower the amount in your diet from AHA.
Agave
The Truth About Agave from WebMD.
Fructose
Questions and Answers About Fructose from the International Food Information Council (IFIC).
Dietary Fructose Intolerance from University of Iowa Healthcare.
Fructose Intolerance: Which foods should I avoid? from the MayoClinic.
High-fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
High-fructose corn syrup: What are the concerns? from the MayoClinic.
Questions and Answers About Fructose from IFIC.
Honey
Honey: A Reference Guide to Nature’s Sweetener (PDF | 820 KB) from National
National Honey Board
To learn how added sugars can fit into your diet, see Healthy Eating Plate.

Nonnutritive Sweeteners
Nonnutritive sweeteners are zero- or low-calorie alternatives to nutritive sweeteners, such as table sugar. These sweeteners can be added to both hot and cold beverages and some can be used for baking. Nonnutritive sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar so only small amounts are needed. They provide fewer calories per gram than sugar because they are not completely absorbed by your digestive system. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of the following nonnutritive sweeteners: acesulfame-K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose and stevia.
Facts About Low-Calorie Sweeteners (PDF | 1.3 MB) from IFIC
Sugar Substitutes from Calorie Control Council.
Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer from National Cancer Institute.
Artificial Sweeteners: A safe alternative to sugar? from the MayoClinic.
Aspartame
Everything You Need to Know About Aspartame from IFIC.
Aspartame Information Center from Calorie Control Council. Provides facts, benefits, and myths about aspartame use as well as information about products that contain this ingredient.
Stevia
Stevia Sweeteners: Another Low-Calorie Option (PDF | 1.9 MB) from IFIC.
Sucralose
Everything You Need to Know About Sucralose (PDF | 1.7 MB) from IFIC.

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Food Art…beyond sandwich cookie cutouts

Posted on June 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

I love good food and I love art, so what better than to share some of my favorite images of food AS art!

this post is brought to you by the letter “O” for organic

The folks who originated these ideas must have never been told to “stop playing with your food” at their dinner table.  Thanks to the creative geniuses and Google images for storing all these great images for me to share with you.  Please feel free to share your ideas of making food fun.

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Portion Distortion

Posted on May 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

Do you know what a normal serving size is?  Controlling portions is the quickest way to lose extra pounds.  You don’t have to completely give up the foods you love, just make smarter choices most of the time and enjoy smaller portions.  It’s okay to say “No, thanks” or “Can I have a half portion please?”

The New (Ab)Normal

 

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Guest Post: What’s up with the KE diet?

Posted on May 10, 2012 | 1 Comment

What’s up with the KE diet?
If you’re not familiar with the KE diet, allow me to fill you in on the details. It falls in line with the wildly popular crash diets that most people try out when they want to lose weight quickly, though it has quite an extreme take on crash dieting. Indeed, the KE diet makes the infamous cayenne pepper diet seem like a cakewalk.
The KE (KE stands for ketogenic enteral nutrition) diet is one that involves certain medical equipment, by which I mean a feeding tube and a special liquid formula of nutrients. Specifically, it involves being fed nutrients through a small tube that goes in your nose, through your esophagus and stomach directly to your intestines. The tube deposits a steady stream of proteins, fats, and other nutrients mixed with water into a person’s digestive system, relieving them of the stress of selecting healthy foods. This diet gives you the bare minimum of your daily protein and fat intake, but sidesteps almost all other nutrients. Accordingly, this diet gives you almost zero nourishment compared to a balanced diet of proteins, complex carbs, fruits, vegetables, and so on. As you might expect, this diet is touted to help patients lose weight fast. And you thought fasting was bad!
How the KE diet became a trend
I first heard about the KE diet from a story on ABC’s Good Morning America about a bride-to-be who wanted to lose weight quickly so she could fit into her wedding dress. Instead of exercising and dieting well ahead of the occasion, she opted for the KE procedure in order to lose at least 10 pounds in a few days. The extreme weight loss measure was overseen by a Florida doctor, who approved it and carried it out the procedure. The bride to be did meet her target goal, but some question if it’s worth the risks.
The KE diet’s original design
As Dr. David Katz explains in a recent article in The Huffington Post, the KE diet is not typically used as a dietary procedure. It’s a method of feeding for hospital patients who are either too sick or too weak to eat on their own, a way to fill people with enough calories so they can remain in a stable condition. For those of you not in med school, ketogenesis refers to the body produceing ketone bodies (molecular units of energy for the brain and heart) as a result of breaking down fats. The KE diet is designed to force bodies to burn more fats than carbohydrates, because there are virtually no carbs in the liquid mixture pumped through the feeding tube. Given that context, it’s strange to think that such a procedure would be seen as legitimate for people hoping to lose weight, much less doctors who allow their patients to have it.
The main draw of the KE diet is that you don’t have to do anything at all in order for it to work; the feeding tube does everything for you. All you have to do is tolerate a tube in your nose and you’ll get around 800 calories a day without any of those pesky carbs or saturated fats, just the bare nutritional necessities. Of course you might have to explain WHY you have a tube in your nose to all your family and friends, but that problem doesn’t seem to affect those desperate to lose weight in a pinch.
What’s your take on the KE diet?
Extreme dieting is nothing new, but there’s something particularly creepy about the KE diet. Maybe it’s the overt medical nature of the diet, the fact that you need a doctor’s approval to go through a procedure typically reserved for people in a coma. But it seems like the KE diet might just be too extreme of a measure for something that you can earn through smart dieting and exercise. What do you think about it? Let me know!
Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at online college about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.

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“Pink Slime”-the other half of the story.

Posted on April 12, 2012 | Leave a comment
Lean, Finely Textured Beef is Beef: Safe, Economical, Nutritious

 

Lean, finely textured beef has been in the spotlight a lot recently. Learn how this process was developed to separate out lean meat that was lost when steaks and roasts were cut. Mixing this beef with ground beef provides an economical source of lean meat that is both safe and nutritious.  http://food.unl.edu/web/food/home

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Funny foods for April Fool’s Day

Posted on March 26, 2012 | 1 Comment

March is almost over, I can’t believe how fast this month has flown by.  We are having gorgeous Spring weather and my garden is blooming.  Can’t wait to pick the first ripe tomatoes!

April 1st is a Sunday this year, so I hope you can find some time to play with food and make a fun surprise for your family or friends.  If you need inspiration, look here at Family Fun for ideas and recipes; or browse around Food Network for fun ideas; or use mine from last year- Cupcakes for Dinner.

I think I might try sushi this year!

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Give up (and get off) the SoFAS!

Posted on March 22, 2012 | 1 Comment

 




One of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans is “reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars” (otherwise known as SoFAS). An estimated 35% of our daily calories currently comes from SoFAS; items such as cookies, cakes, pastries, candies, ice cream and sweetened beverages.

Solid fats are any fat that is solid at room temperature; think of butter, stick margarine, poultry skin, the layer of fat on the outside of a pork chop or steak, shortening and lard.

Added sugars are all sugars that don’t occur naturally in foods in their whole state, but instead are added during processing; think honey, agave nectar, molasses, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar and other syrups.
The suggested intake on an average 2000 calorie diet is less than 250 calories from SoFAS; that equals roughly a 2 ounce candy bar or one glazed donut per day. Where does your intake fall? You can use the ChooseMyPlate website to adjust your calorie needs based on your age, gender and weight.

Now, of course, SoFAS has another meaning too, and also ties in to the Dietary Guidelines. Get OFF the sofa and get moving! If you are sedentary, try adding a 10-20 minute walk to your daily routine to begin moving, and increase your distance and pace as your health allows. If you are currently getting a daily dose of aerobic activity, then try adding some strength training to your “sofa time”. Get up and do some push ups, sit ups and bicep/triceps curls while watching your evening program.
Small changes done every day can add up to big results!

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St. Patrick’s Day recipes

Posted on March 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

What do you like to cook for St. Patrick’s day?  Do you favor beef stews or Shepard’s pie?  Do you bake homemade bread?

Here’s where I got my inspiration for last year’s recipes and I think I’ll make them again this year!

Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Stout  although after browning the meat on the stove top I toss it all in the crock pot and let it cook on low for 6 hours, and I add potatoes!

 

 

 

 

had to borrow this photos of bread since I haven’t made it yet this year!

Brown Irish Soda Bread:

3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp quick cooking or regular oats (not instant)
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Sift flours, salt and baking soda together into a large bowl.  Stir in the oats.  Make a well in the middle, pour in the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture just comes together in a soft, moist dough.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a large rounded disk about 8 inches diameter.  With a sharp knife, cut a deep cross through the center of the dough disk, almost into quarters.  On a buttered baking sheet bake bread on the middle rack of oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until bread is crusty and richly browned.

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Happy Registered Dietitian Day!

Posted on March 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

www.eatright.org/nnm

MAR 14

HAPPY REGISTERED DIETITIAN DAY!
3/14/2012 8:33:40 AM by Erin Sund

Today marks the 5th annual Registered Dietitian Day—a day to recognize RDs as nutrition advocates and dedicated health professionals. RDs are the food and nutrition experts who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. RDs work in diverse locations like schools, hospitals, corporations and restaurants (to name just a few). Here are several ways RDs help improve our health:

RDs work with public health, government, schools and local leaders to create wellness programs that promote healthful eating and physical activity.
RDs help support patients battling diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders and other challenging health problems.
RDs support breastfeeding moms by making sure they and their infants get enough critical nutrients.
An RD can help you learn how to prepare healthy family meals on a limited budget.
An RD can help you improve your performance in sports and set goals to achieve results.
An RD can create a personalized weight loss plan that fits your needs and lifestyle.
Want to learn more about how RDs improve the health of Americans? Looking for ways to celebrate RDs today? Check out this list of resources and go to the NNM catalogue for some RD gifts to celebrate the day!

 

and a little fun about what we do as registered dietitians from fellow RD blogger Amber Pankonin at http://beginningwell.com

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