Wendy

When Anti-Diet Dietitians Become Problematic w/ Mikey Mercedes

October 7, 2020 by Wendy 3 Comments

A few weeks ago an article came out that stirred up a lot of conversation within dietitian circles titled “The Unbearable Whiteness and Fatphobia of Anti-Diet Dietitians” Written by Marquisele Mercedes, this article touched on the history of the body positive movement, how it’s been appropriated by thin, white dietitians, the racist roots of fatphobia, and a lot more. It’s one of the best articles we’ve read on body positivity, and today we’re having a conversation with the author.

Marquisele Mercedes (she/her) is a doctoral student and writer from the Bronx, New York who is currently based in Providence, Rhode Island. As a Presidential Fellow at the Brown University School of Public Health, her doctoral training and interests are at the intersection of fat studies and scholarship on race/ism. She is broadly interested in how racism, anti-Blackness, and fatphobia shape health care, research, and public health work and training. Marquisele is part of the Future of NAAFA Committee for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and writes about fat politics and the health industrial complex on Medium in her spare time. A humanist at heart with a degree in English, Marquisele is finding her way as a fat liberationist in the making one word at a time. You can keep up with Mikey on Twitter.

In This Episode We’ll Cover:

Why Marquisele decided to write the article
The history of the body positive movement and its social justice roots
Ways in which the anti-diet movement has become exclusionary & problematic
The problematic ways the academy of nutrition promotes elitist, fatphobic, and culturally insensitive nutrition recommendations
Beauty standards within POC communities and the role privilege plays in all of this
How to center the voices of people in larger bodies + MORE!

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Roasted Tomato & Butternut Squash Salad

October 6, 2020 by Wendy Leave a Comment

In the winter months, we often opt for cozier foods like soups and casseroles for that extra comfort. We whipped up this Roasted Tomato & Butternut Squash to warm you up. Butternut squash can be found almost anywhere in the fall and winter. It’s a tasty root vegetable that is loaded with vitamin A and vitamin C.

DIY salad dressings are everything. This dressing has a white bean base that adds creaminess and punch of protein for satisfaction. Adding in cilantro (or whatever herbs you love) helps to bring out the flavors of your favorite veggies.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Add the squash, tomatoes, and garlic to a parchment paper-lined baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, and maple syrup and drizzle over the squash, tomatoes, and garlic. Pop into the oven for 50 minutes. Once the roasting is done, allow ingredients to cool, remove the garlic cloves from the skins and throw into the food processor with all of the ingredients for the dressing. Pulse until a creamy consistency is reached. Set aside. In a large bowl, add your greens, the roasted tomatoes + squash, and top with the roasted garlic dressing. Enjoy with burrata, black pepper, and/or red pepper flakes!

**If you’re just making salad for 1 or 2 people, store the roasted veggies, white bean dressing, and greens separately. Assemble together when you’re ready to enjoy! You can also enjoy the roasted vegetables with pasta, on pizza, or in sautés and stews!

Do you like to make your own salad dressings? What do you think of our white bean dressing for this Roasted Tomato & Squash Salad? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Roasted Tomato & Butternut Squash Salad

Servings: 4

Ingredients

3 cups butternut squash, peeled & chopped
1 pound of tomatoes, either cherry or medium tomatoes chopped
1 head of garlic, slice 1/4" from the head to expose the cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
4 cups mixed greens
Optional: burrata, black pepper, red pepper flakes, for topping

For the dressing

1/2 cup cilantro or parsley
1 cup cooked white beans
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450F
Add the squash, tomatoes, and garlic to a parchment paper-lined baking dish
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt, and drizzle over the squash, tomatoes, and garlic.
Pop into the oven for 50 minutes
Once the roasting is done, allow ingredients to cool, remove the garlic cloves from the skins and throw into the food processor with all of the ingredients for the dressing. Pulse until a creamy consistency is reached. Set aside
In a large bowl, add your greens, the roasted tomatoes + squash, and top with the roasted garlic dressing. Enjoy with burrata, black pepper, and/or red pepper flakes!
**If you're just making salad for 1 or 2 people, store the roasted veggies, white bean dressing, and greens separately. Assemble together when you're ready to enjoy! You can also enjoy the roasted vegetables with pasta, on pizza, or in sautés and stews!

How to Navigate People Who Constantly Use Triggering Diet Talk

September 30, 2020 by Wendy Leave a Comment

Are you sick of hearing your friends and family offer unsolicited opinions about dieting or weight loss? So are we. Today we’re talking about how to navigate diet talk with loved ones, from the subtle comments they make about your body to the comments they make about the foods they’re eating to stay “in shape”

In This Episode We’ll Cover:

What diet talk is and the ways it can be harmful
Examples of how diet talk has manifested in our personal lives
Concrete tools listeners can use the next time this happens
The importance of compassion when communicating + MORE!

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Our podcast is released every Wednesday and each week we take a deep dive into topics like health at every size, food & culture, intuitive eating, mental health, and body acceptance. If you’re looking for a sustainable and inclusive path to wellness, come hang out with us to learn how to take care of yourself from the inside out.

Quick and Easy Spicy Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)

September 27, 2020 by Wendy Leave a Comment

Grabbed some corn cobs at the farmers market before temperatures drop and all that’s left is apples and carrots ???? Here are some quick and easy spicy elotes (Mexican street corn) I took a bunch of shortcuts in the interest of time. If you don’t have a grill like me, just pop the corn directly onto the fire of a gas stove until nicely charred. If you only have an electric stove, you can roast.

Quick and Easy Spicy Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)

Ingredients

3-4 corn cobs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese
Lime juice, spices, and freshly chopped cilantro for topping

Instructions

Remove the husks from the corn, wash the corn under hot water, and grill until nicely charred. If you don’t have a grill, add the corn directly onto the fire of a gas stove for a few minutes and rotate until all sides are nicely charred. If you only have an electric stove, you can roast. Set aside.
Add the spices and salt to the mayo and mix together well.
Brush the spicy mayo onto the cobs, and top with cheese, lime juice, more spices if you like heat, and cilantro. Enjoy!

How to Actually Embrace Aging w/ Christina Peoples

September 23, 2020 by Wendy 2 Comments

There’s a lot of fear and stigma around getting old, even though it’s something most of us will experience. From the endless anti-wrinkle products to the fear of dementia, aging is usually not embraced in our society. Today we’ll be talking with gerontologist Christina Peoples, who holds a master’s degree in gerontology. She has an online platform dedicated to providing education on aging, called Gero What.

In This Episode We’ll Cover:

What the study of gerontology is and how it’s useful in everyday life
Ageism, age denial, and why these things can be problematic
Common myths and stereotypes about aging
Practical ways to prepare for aging + MORE!

Resources:

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My 3 Favorite Ways to Use a Food Chopper/Processor

September 22, 2020 by Wendy Leave a Comment

Today we’re teaming up with KitchenAid to feature one of my FAVORITE kitchen tools! Their new Cordless 5 Cup Food Chopper, which is part of the new Cordless Collection, is so versatile and really helps to cut down on cooking and prep time. Plus, without the hassle of cords, I can cook anywhere in my kitchen and keep my countertops clear so I can focus on the cooking process.

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A post shared by Wendy & Jess, RDs, CDEs (@foodheaven) on Sep 22, 2020 at 9:27am PDT

I don’t know about you guys, but I hate chopping onions. That’s probably what I use the food chopper for most often, but with the two-speed settings, you can also mix and puree to get the exact results you want.

Here are the 3 ways I use the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper the most:

To make pesto! I had some leftover scallions from the market, and so I decided to make pesto with that + basil, almonds, parm, olive oil, and salt. I store in small containers, and freeze whatever I won’t be using for the week.
To prep the base of all my cooking: I add onions, garlic, and sometimes celery to the chopper and use that throughout the week for soups, stews, and sautés
To chop fresh herbs: I hate when any food goes to waste. Usually the bunches of herbs at the market are huge, so when I get them, I immediately throw into the chopper, pulse, and add as a topping to dishes. Leftovers get frozen in individual portions or in an ice cube tray with olive oil!

This food chopper is part of the new KitchenAid Cordless Collection, which also includes a hand blender and 7-speed hand mixer. These tools are so convenient because you can use them anywhere in the home, regardless of where that power outlet is. Check out the latest video I did here featuring the top 3 ways I use the food chopper.

What’s one kitchen tool you can’t do without?