Enjoy Fresh, Real Food at Home with this excellent cookbook and healthy eating guide…. 

Chef & fellow Registered Dietitian Maggie Green put her whole heart and soul in this cookbook. Her love for her home state of Kentucky as well as her love for cooking & sharing meals with her large family shines through in this book. Maggie stresses the importance of buying local and buying seasonal. The month-by-month format of delicious recipes allows you to plan your meals according to what is fresh and in season for that particular month. We really like the calendar of menus that she has organized according to the occasion (such as the “St. Patrick’s Day” menu and the “Kentucky Derby Bash”).

Although we reside in North Carolina, we will treasure this cookbook! We have really enjoyed using our home-grown parsley for the “Lentil Soup with Red Wine and Parsley” recipe. The kids enjoy it too!

Maggie says, “Never has there been a greater call to unleash the potential of our kitchens and make them places of action, places where families cook, eat and live together, one meal at a time”. We could not agree more. When meals are cooked at home and shared together, we eat healthier and we strengthen our family bonds. Preparing and eating more meals at home is part of the solution to our country’s growing obesity and diabetes epidemic.

For more information about the book or to order a copy, you can visit:  http://greenapron.com/book/.

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!!!

~ Angie & Johnикони

Sharing a quick and easy summer breakfast that I’ve been enjoying since the weather has warmed up…This recipe for Summer/Swiss Oatmeal was given to us by our good friend and colleague, Jennifer Spellman.  Jennifer is the Director of School Nutrition Services for Great Falls Public Schools in Great Falls, Montana.

This is the perfect combination of high quality complex carbohydrates and low saturated fat protein.  It is a quick, easy and filling breakfast.  The recipe for one serving is as follows:

Summer/Swiss Oatmeal

1/2 cup Quaker oats, Scottish oats, or steel-cut oats
4 oz skim milk (or soy milk)
cinnamon to taste
dash of salt
fruit of choice (blueberries, bananas, raisins or dates, etc.)
4 oz  of 2% or 0% plain Greek yogurt*                                                                                                                                                                                           2tsp. Flax Meal (optional)
1Tbsp Favorite chopped nuts (optional)

The night before, combine oats, milk, salt, and cinnamon. Stir and store in tight container overnight. The next morning, stir in the yogurt, flax meal, fruit, and nuts. This dish can be sweetened with 1 packet Splenda or 1 Tbsp maple syrup.  Enjoy!!!

I’ve been enjoying this using steel-cut oats, dates and macadamia nuts.  It makes for busy mornings make easier,   just remember to mix the oatmeal, cinnamon and milk before heading to bed the night before!

*I make my own Greek yogurt the night before:  take 3/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt and strain using either cheesecloth or a small strainer.  (This is a much more economical way to make Greek yogurt, or “labneh”).

Nutrition Facts, per serving:

• Calories:  420
• Fat:  13 gm
  • Saturated Fat:  2 gm
  • Trans Fat:  0 gm
• Sodium:  270 mg
• Carbohydrate:  66 gm
  • Fiber:  9 gm
• Protein:  19 gm

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!™

– Angie?????

I have just finished reading Dr. Janet Bond Brill’s (PhD, RD, LDN) newest book, “Prevent a Second Heart Attack”.   This book is packed full of useful information. Dr. Brill carefully explains the “How” and the “Why” the vessel damage occurs. More importantly, she thoroughly explains what you can do to prevent another cardiovascular episode. The book is full of tips for adopting a healthier diet. She includes a sample meal plan and over 50 delicious recipes to help you eat the Mediterranean way (“Dr. Janet’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus” is superb and a new family favorite of ours!). The Mediterranean-style eating plan that Dr. Brill describes is a delicious, easy and cost-effective way to improve your health and prevent a second heart attack.

As Registered Dietitians and Certified Diabetes Educators working in the areas of public health, cardiac rehab, dialysis and long-term care, John & I routinely see the detrimental effects of poor dietary habits. This book will not only be useful to those who have had a heart attack, but to anyone who wants to adopt a healthier way of eating. It will be especially useful for anyone with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes. Research has shown that people with Diabetes, even Pre-Diabetes, are much more likely to have a cardiac episode. In fact, the risk for having a second heart attack is twice as likely in someone who has diabetes. I am highly recommending this book to my clients, especially those who are living with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes

This is not a “diet” plan. It is a delicious lifestyle that can easily be adopted and followed for life!

You can visit Dr. Janet Bond Brill’s book website at: http://preventasecondheartattack.com/

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ Angie

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It’s Monday!  Are you going Meatless today?  Going meatless at least one day a week is an increasingly popular trend. And why not go meatless, even if it is only for one day a week???  You will save money, reduce your saturated fat intake and help the environment.

For those of you who recognize practice fasting and abstinence from meat on the Fridays during Lent, it sometimes gets difficult to find meal ideas.  I wanted to share a healthy, easy, delicious, low cost recipe that John and I made up and our children love.  In fact, they ask for it at least once a week!  Enjoy!

Spinach and Tomato Pierogies

Ingredients:

– One Vidalia/sweet onion, chopped

– 1 clove garlic, minced

– 2 T Extra Virgin olive oil

– 1 16 oz. bag frozen, chopped spinach (we use Pictsweet)

– 2 – 14.5 oz. cans No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes (we use generic)

– 16 frozen pierogies (we use Mrs. T’s Potato & Cheddar Pierogies)

Directions:

Sauté onion, garlic and olive oil in a large skillet until onions are transparent.  Add 2 cans of no-salt added tomatoes (undrained) and 1 (about 20 oz) bag of frozen spinach. Let these simmer in a saucepan on low with the top on. Place 16 frozen pierogies in a bowl with hot water.  Allow to sit about 5 minutes.  Drain the water and add hot water again (to warm them up). When they no longer feel frozen inside, pour off the water and add to your tomato/spinach saucepan mixture. Allow to simmer covered on a low temp for 5-10 minutes and then serve topped with parmesan cheese. This will make 4 adult-size servings (4 pierogies each). 

Nutrition Facts, per serving:

• Calories:  356
• Fat:  10 gm
  • Saturated Fat:  2 gm
  • Trans Fat:  0 gm
  • Monounsaturated Fat:  5gm 
• Sodium:  780 mg
• Carbohydrate:  57 gm
  • Fiber:  5.5 gm
• Protein:  9.5 gm

————————————————————————————-

For recipes & more information about Meatless Monday, visit:  www.meatlessmondays.com

For more meatless Mrs. T’s Pierogie recipes,  visit: http://www.pierogies.com/

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!™

~ Angie

John and I presented “Eat Right with Color” on Saturday March 12^th to a group of 17 children at Port Discover in Elizabeth City.

The somewhat reluctant children took part in our Fruit and Vegetable-inspired Fear Factor.  They sampled 9 different fruits and vegetables: carrot chips, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, kiwi, blood oranges, raspberries, avocado, beets and dates. Before we served each item, we discussed its history, nickname and particular health benefits. For example, the avocado is called the “Alligator Pear” and it is high in healthy monounsaturated fat. Some of the fruits and vegetables were familiar to the children, but many were new to them. We noticed that the children seemed to be less “fearful” when a child sitting at table with them did not show fear and was quick to pop the sample in their mouth. A perfect example of healthy peer pressure! After tasting, we had them rate each item them with a thumbs up or thumbs down. We kept a running tally on the board (see photo below). We then had them share what they liked or did not like about the item. 

The Top Five Favorite Fruits & Vegetables were:

1^st place: Kiwi

2^nd place: Blood oranges

3^rd place: Carrot chips

4^th place: Red peppers

5^th place: Dates

Many of the children discovered new fruits and vegetables that they liked and took home their tally sheets to share with their parents.  Our own children were even surprised. Our son found that he likes blood oranges and our daughter found that she absolutely loves beets. They went home and added these to the week’s grocery list!

We also did a Funky Fruit and Vegetable Art activity using dyes from blueberries, beets, onions and spinach to paint pictures. The kids loved this and also enjoyed the aromas that came from their paint colors! (See photo below)

The messages that we want the children to take home from the “Eat Right with Color” presentation are:

Fruits and vegetables are vital to our good health

Eating “From the Rainbow” – choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables tastes great

Fruits and vegetables can come in many different forms-fresh, canned, dried or frozen

Phytochemicals (plant chemicals) are what give fruits and vegetables their color and are also what will fight to keep us healthy

The health benefits of phytochemicals cannot be put into a pill, so eat and enjoy your fruits and vegetables!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~ Angie

In recognition of Registered Dietitian Day today, Nutrition Pair, LLC would like to share their Top 10. Registered Dietitians (RD’s) are the nation’s food and nutrition experts and are committed to improving the health of their clients and the community. Below are the Top 10 reasons to seek the advice of a Registered Dietitian (RD):

1. You want factual, evidence-based nutrition information
2. To get support, encouragement and coaching to help meet your health goals
3. You want to gain or lose weight
4. You want to improve your performance in sports, in school or on the job
5. To obtain food-based solutions instead of fad diets or supplements
6. RD’s can help you meet your food and nutrition goals while keeping within your budget
7. They are able to translate scientific research in an easy to understand manner
8. Some RD’s are specially trained to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy to treat diabetes, cardiovascular disease and/or kidney disease
9. They can be an integral part of your health-care team and are the only professionals licensed to provide individualized dietary prescriptions

10. They are THE food and nutrition experts!

Angie & John Lamberson are Registered Dietitians, Certified Diabetes Educators and owners of Nutrition Pair, LLC. They provide individual nutrition counseling/coaching, group presentations and nutrition consulting services for health care facilities and organizations. Contact them at www.nutritionpair.com or 252-335-WELL.

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ Angie

The weather is changing, the wind is blowing and some of our trees are staring to bloom.  This is the time to break away from the winter blahs and start looking towards the Spring and a “rebirth” of life! March is celebrated as National Nutrition Month.  This years theme is, “Eat Right with Color”.  Increasing the number of colorful foods to your plates by adding more fruits and vegetables will help you to add more vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and phyto-chemicals to your diet.  Research continues to show the benfits of eating more fruits and vegetables.  From weight loss to better blood pressure control, to improved blood sugar levels, you can’t go wrong with fruits and vegetables!  We encourage our clients to get at least 2-3 pieces of fresh fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables everyday for better health.  If that seems like more than you usually eat, start small and work your way up.  Fresh or frozen, cooked or raw, frtuis and vegetables will provide you with more flavors, more nutrients and more protection!  Eat from the natural rainbow of colors!  Visit the American Dietetics Association site for more great tips on adding more colors to your plate!

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~John

One of my favorite segments on ESPN is the "C’Mon Man" spot.  In this part of the Monday Night Football Pregame show, they review happenings from the weekend games of the weird, unexplainable, laughable and plays or actions that make no sense. While reading the paper on Sunday, I had my own Nutrition "C’Mon Man!" experience.  The Parade Magazine for January 9th was headlining a question: "What is Your Health I.Q.?".  With an apple on the front cover, I thought there may be some helpful health news on the inside.  While the article did address some common health myths/questions such as does milk cause an increase in mucus production (No) or can honey help a burn heal (Yes) and where is the most dangerous place to gain weight (Belly), that was not the issue.  The problem I have with the publication are some of the other articles included.  In this "health" issue, the recipe spotlight, Chicken Fried Steak! Providing you with close to 700 calories, 47 g of fat and 1,100 mg of sodium, this recipe plays into our nations health problems.  C’MON Man!  You’re going to tell me that after putting health information together you want to spotlight a high calorie, high fat, high sodium dish!  At the same time, you’re also making it sound like eating an apple is not a smart way to go by stating “An apple a day is so yesterday”!  Poor editing!  You lose my respect!

Here’s my second nomination for the Nutrition C’MON Man!:  I received an email urging my support for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund.  How can you support this cause?  You can buy a booklet of coupons valued at $15 for just a small donation of  $5.  Sounds like a bargain, right?  But  wait, the coupons are redeemable at Bojangles.  Yep, that Bojangles where a PLAIN  biscuit will give you 240 calories, 12 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat and 663 mg of sodium!  So who is promoting this deal?  A hospital pediatrics unit!  They’re excited too.  They are offering a special deal: Buy their coupon book and you get to  replace the free tea when you buy a salad with a buy one sweet potato pie get one free bargain! C’MON MAN!! Your actions must support your cause!  While I support the cause, I will not support this program!

These types of programs and promotions are part of the reason why so many people are confused when it comes to health choices. We continue to support the actions that are part of the cause for poor health. I refuse to give donations for "Relay for Life"  teams selling barbeque plates and hot dog dinners.  I will not support youth sports programs by selling doughnuts.  We are not thinking outside the box.  I know times are tight and all noble causes need funding to survive and promote their programs but at what cost do we do this?  We are trying to take the easy way.  How can we on one hand talk about the poor health of our nation yet on the other encourage the visitation of a fast food restaurant?  There is a disconnect here that needs attention. 

My final nomination for Nutrition C’MON MAN!: While visiting a hospital recently, I noticed a sign in the cafeteria stating: "New Year’s Resolution: Indulge!"  Beneath the sign was a dessert and coffee table loaded with high calorie junk food.  What kind of message is this sending?  This promotion is occurring at the same time that the hospital is trying to encourage its teammates to sign a healthy living pledge to help reduce health care costs. C’MON MAN!!   Does it make sense to promote indulgence in junk food while raising insurance deductibles?  We must do better!  It is unacceptable for a hospital to send this message.

Once again, I encourage you to take your health into your own hands!  Exercise more, eat more meals at home, increase your intake of fruits and vegetables and don’t look for the easy button to better health.  Make the commitment to yourself. To healthcare workers, I say, it is your responsibility to make sure your actions support your cause. Be the change you want to see in your clients.  Make it happen!

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make that Change!

~John

Подаръци

Happy 2011! The Holidays are now behind us and it’s time to get back to business. 2011 is going to be a great year. The economy has shown signs of improvement and more importantly, there is an increased awareness of personal health and wellness. Here is a lot of what is looking to be important in the world of food and nutrition for this year.

Childhood Obesity and Child Nutrition: This is one trend whose time has certainly come. We definitely have a problem here as one in three children born today will develop diabetes at some time in their life. Some researchers have even predicted a decline in life expectancy simply due to rising childhood obesity. The public is starting to realize that a consistent diet of hot dogs, nuggets and fries with soda or other sweetened drinks combined with lack of activity is creating problems with our children.

Locally Grown Food: This boosts the local economy and keeps the farmers in business. Additionally, local or home-grown fruits and vegetables are usually highest in nutrition.  They are freshly picked and have not been traveling long distance on a truck or sitting in a warehouse.  They do not have to travel far to their destination—your table!

Home canning: Get out the Mason jars! I have fond memories of helping my grandparents on canning day. This is a great way to extend those fresh fruits and vegetables well into the winter. This must be approached with utmost safety, however, to reduce the incidence of food borne illness. Here is a great resource from the NC Cooperative Extension program: www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/Preservation/index.html

Men cooking: Love this idea–put on the apron’s, guys! Don’t fear the kitchen. As Julia Child once said, “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.”  Make it work for you.

Simple foods/Back to Basics: The less processing that has been done to our food, the better it typically is for us. Food that is home-cooked from scratch tends to be much lower in saturated fat and sodium and much higher in nutrients.

Social media/food apps: Consumers are downloading food apps on their smart phones to find everything from grocery store coupons to seats at nearby restaurants. Restaurants are utilizing social media to connect with their customers. Plus, it looks like Facebook will have some competition this year. New social networks are in the works to be released early this year, including Google Me and Diaspora.

Meatless Meals: Great trend. John and I often try to get our clients to go meatless at least once a week to save on both money and saturated fat.

Energy Foods: Personally, I would be glad to see this trend quickly fade. These products are marketed as energy for those with hangovers, soccer mom’s, busy executives, college students, etc. Children are especially drawn to them (what child doesn’t want to be a Rockstar?). The problem is that they contain large amounts of both sugar and caffeine. They can increase heart rates and are especially risky for anyone with heart disease or hypertension. We prefer the natural route to increasing energy—exercising, getting adequate sleep and drinking plenty of water!

Things are looking good for Food and Nutrition in 2011. There appears to be an increased focus on fruits and vegetables, home cooking and the health of our children.

What are your personal health goals for this year? I plan to continue to train for and participate in my first triathlon. Please share your personal health goals and comments—we would love to hear them!

Here’s to a Healthy and Happy New Year!

It’s Your Life. It’s Your Health. Make That Change!

~ Angie

For more information on projected trends for 2011, check out these sites:

www.restaurant.org/pdfs/research/whats_hot_2011.pdf

www.foodchannel.com/articles/article/food-channel-predicts-top-ten-food-trends-2011/

www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2010/12/food-trend-predictions-for-2011.html

www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/acsms-top-fitness-trends-for-2011/corporate-fitness/

www.marketingtrenches.com/marketing-strategy/crystal-ball-2011-predictions-from-our-friends-and-colleagues/

икони

Seeing pink?  I’m sure you’ve noticed that pink is everywhere this month– the potato chips bags, Facebook profile pictures and even on the football fields. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Companies and charities are donning pink ribbons to increase awareness of this deadly health threat. While I support the cause of awareness, I could rant all day about the idiocy of the placement of a pink ribbon on a fried chicken bucket.  Instead, I want to focus on what we women can do to protect ourselves against this serious disease. Below are 10 steps women can take to lower our risk of breast cancer.

1.  Eat less saturated & trans fats and replace with monounsaturated fats. Saturated and trans fats can increase cancer risk while monounsaturated fats may lower the risk.

• Saturated fats: Eat less whole milk, fatty cuts of meat, butter, lard, fried foods and fast food.
• Trans fats: Eat less stick margarine, chips, snack crackers, fried foods and fast food.
• Monounsaturated fats:  Eat more olive oil, canola oil and nuts. Make olive or canola oils your choice for cooking and use them to make your own salad dressings. Eat a handful of any unsalted or lightly salted nuts each day.

2.  Limit your intake of processed foods. The less that has been done to your food, the better. Choose your lean meat and protein foods from the dairy or butcher area instead of the packaged meat or deli area. Foods high in nitrates (hot dogs, bacon, sausage, deli meat) may increase cancer risk.

3.  Aim for 2 to 3 cups of vegetables & 3 pieces of fresh fruit every day. Anti-cancer nutrients are abundant in fruits and vegetables. Eating these antioxidants and phytochemicals can provide your body with all kinds of protective benefits.  You cannot get the same benefit from a pill or supplement, no matter what the salesperson tells you!

4.  Choose whole grains. A high fiber intake may reduce breast cancer by reducing estrogen levels. Choose brown rice and whole wheat breads, cereals, tortillas and pasta. Limit biscuits, white bread products and packaged rice/pasta mixtures.

5.  Eat fatty fish at least twice a week. Salmon is one of the highest sources of omega-3 fatty acids (canned salmon works well too!).  Bake, broil, pan fry in olive oil or grill it. 

6.  Limit alcoholic drinks to no more than 1 a day. Alcohol is the one of the largest dietary risk factors because it increases estrogen levels. If you do choose to have a drink, red wine or dark beer are better choices due to their phytochemical content.  One drink serving is:

Beer – 12 oz (one bottle)
Wine – 5 oz (a very small glass)
Liquor – 1oz (one shot glass)

7.  Keep a healthy weight. Studies show that mid-life weight gain contributes significantly to the risk of breast cancer.

8.  Exercise! Aim for at least 45 minutes of activity at least 4 days a week. Schedule it and make it part of your weekly routine.

9.  Don’t smoke: If you are a smoker, quit.

10. Breast feed your babies: It reduces your risk of ever getting breast cancer and reduces your babies’ risk of ever developing obesity, diabetes or cancer. 

It’s Your Life. It’s Your Health. Make That Change!

~ Angie