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Food Heaven Made Easy

Black Registered Dietitian Nutritionists | Intuitive Eating Dietitians

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    Plant-Based Monday: Garlic

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    For this week’s Plant-Based Monday, we’re featuring a kitchen necessity: Garlic. Our kitchens are never without it, so we had to dedicate a plant-based Monday to one of our favorites.

    Garlic is unique in that it is actually considered both an herb and a vegetable. It belongs to the Allium plant family, which also contains plants like onions, shallots, leeks, and chives. If you’ve had most of these plants, you know that they all have quite a bit in common when it comes to flavor. Garlic is best known for its pungent and spicy flavor when raw. Once it’s heated and cooked down a bit, garlic brings a delicious sweet and savory flavor. 

    Since garlic is typically consumed in such small amounts, it does not typically serve as a major source of essential nutrients. However, the Allium family has been used in traditional medicine practices for thousands of years. Garlic is actually one of the earliest documented plants used by humans for the treatment of diseases. It was found to be recorded in ancient medical texts from Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India. Garlic has been linked with properties that may help lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, and improve digestive health. 

    Anyone ever been intimidated by garlic? Do you peel first? Do you need a garlic press? Should you microwave it? There are many, many different techniques to preparing garlic. We typically take the old fashioned route by peeling out one clove (or whatever amount of garlic needed), lay it flat on a cutting board, turn our knife flat, and smash the clove with the side of the knife. When you pick up the clove, the shell should be just a quick peel off from there. When choosing garlic at the store or farmer’s market, aim to choose firm, tight, heavy and dry bulbs.

    Even better: a whole bulb of garlic can last up to six months. But once you peel those cloves, you only have about 7 days in the refrigerator. 

    We love adding garlic to many recipes or even just roasting up a whole head garlic. Wrap it up in some foil, pop it in the oven at 400F for about 30-40 minutes, and viola! Use this as you would butter and spread on breads or top on potatoes. Our other best garlic recipes are as follows:

    Now that we’ve got you salivating, let us know what your favorite garlic uses are! What are some of your favorite recipes to throw garlic into? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

    Dietitian Spotlight: Sham & Kam

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    1. Tell us about yourself

    Hi There… It’s Kam & Sham, co-founders of Full On Faith Nutrition! We call ourselves the “dynamic dietitian duo,” but really we are just two women who got tired of seeing our people struggle with preventable chronic diseases. We watched members in both of our families fight with illnesses like diabetes and subconsciously accepted that as a natural part of aging. But who has time?! Together we’ve decided to fight back and change that narrative by claiming the abundant life we’ve been promised!

    2. What’s your favorite part about being a dietitian?

    Faith without work is dead, right? So, we love being ‘bout that action! Many of us pray for health and healing, but flop on the action steps. We know all the things that can get in the way (lack of time-money-motivation-etc.) and our favorite thing to do is break down those barriers. Our faith-based approach to wellness links food and faith because we believe that is the most impactful way to make a lasting change.

    3. Describe what your typical week looks like?

    Hmmm… well this is a tricky question because no week is ever the same (which we appreciate). We both have full-time positions, but the real work begins after 5pm. We are passionate about providing delicious and easy ways to add more nutritious foods to your routine – especially the foods you wouldn’t normally try. Whether it’s writing nutrition articles, testing recipes, and/or preparing for speaking engagements, we are always on the grind. Nothing beats talking with someone about how they don’t like <insert vegetable> and changing their mind within the first bite!

    P.S. We’ve had quite a few cauliflower converts with this recipe 

    4. How do you find the balance between work & personal?

    There are so many ways to find balance, but here are a few strategies that work for us…

    Set The Tone – Start each morning with quiet time –prayer, meditation or other– to find inner peace and direction. Instead of waiting to see what the day brings, try telling each day what you need.

    Walk It Out – Walking for at least 15min. each day is a great way to clear the mind when stress starts to build. A quick break in the middle of the day can help you stay more focused and get work done sooner – allowing more time to enjoy family and friends.

    Remind These Fools – Take a moment to focus on affirmations and positive self-talk during the day. It is easy to get caught up on the things you haven’t done/accomplished yet, but remember to stop and remind these fools (but mostly yourself).

    • You DO have time to make it happen.
    • You CAN accomplish the goals you’ve set.
    • You ARE deserving of your wildest dreams.

    If any of these ideas sound helpful, please try ‘em and share your thoughts!

    5. What are 3 foods you can’t live without?

    • Baked, grilled, roasted, or pie’d, we never say no to sweet potatoes!
    • Mac n cheese… as long as it’s baked in the oven we are down for the cause – even those of us who are lactose intolerant *cough* Kam *cough*.
    • Brussel sprouts because. Just because.

    ~~~

    Ladies, thank you so much for contributing to our spotlight! You are both a source of inspiration for dietitians and dietitians-to-be. To learn more about Sham and Kam, be sure to visit their website, and follow them on the gram @Kamaria_RDN & @Shamera_RDN! 

    To Detox or Not To Detox?

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    Should you do that detox? We have been asked this question time and time again. What do you think about juice cleanses? The 48-hour cleanse? Tea-tox? The Master Cleanse? Charcoal cleanse? You name it…we’ve probably been asked about it.

    Cleanses and detoxes seem to be the hottest thing in the weight loss industry today. But the fact of the matter is: There is no real evidence that detoxes live up to the claims, and when all is said and done, they can be a big hit to your bank account. Today we get into what detoxing is, does it work, and we share our top tips for enhancing your natural body detox systems! 

    In this episode, we will cover: 

    • What detoxing is, do they actually work?
    • The natural mechanisms our body has in place to detox
    • Our top tips for enhancing the body’s natural detox systems
    • & MORE! 

    Useful Resources:

    How to submit a question:

    It’s easy! Simply record your question on the voice memo of your phone and email it to us at in**@****************sy.com. We’ll try our best to answer your question on an upcoming episode (and we’ll be sure to email you when we feature your question).

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    Our podcast is released every week. In each episode, we cover tips and tricks for making lifelong sustainable healthy living changes to upgrade your diet and health. We also interview leading experts in the field of health and nutrition. We hope you enjoyed this episode, and we’ll catch you next time! 

    Plant-Based Monday: Butternut Squash

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    We’re presenting the beloved butternut squash this week for plant-based Monday! Hands up if this is one of your favorite winter squashes? It’s so versatile, simple to make, and not to mention, totally delicious.

    Butternut squash is full of important phytonutrients that fall within the carotenoid family. Carotenoids are red/orange fruits and veggies (think carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, oranges, etc.) that are a fantastic source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and other antioxidants to keep you healthy throughout that flu season. Carotenoids have anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions. Butternut squash is also a good source of nutrients like potassium, magnesium, manganese.

    Butternut squash belongs to the winter squash family. Winter squash is a group of hearty vegetables that keep well through the cold months. They include pumpkins, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, kabocha squash, and many other varieties. Butternut squash is usually a beige colored gourd with a similar taste to sweet potato or pumpkin. It brings a natural sweetness to dishes without added sugars or sweeteners. It has a unique bell-shape, making it easily identifiable. 

    When shopping for this colorful gourd, find one without cuts or bruises to the skin. Whole butternut squash can be kept for weeks or even months if stored in a cool, dry place. To prep these guys, cut off the ends and separate into chunks to make it easier to handle. Once cut, remove the guts with a spoon, but make sure to keep those seeds to roast up and toss into oatmeals and salads! 

    Way back in the 17th century, Traditional Chinese Medicine used butternut squash and other winter squash for medicinal purposes. It was thought to be a warming agent that aided digestion, improved energy in the pancreas, and alleviated pain. Today, butternut squash can support our health in combination with a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, and proteins.We love cooking butternut squash, storing in the fridge, and using for smoothies throughout the week! 

    Our fave butternut squash recipes are:

    We want to know your favorite uses for butternut squash! What creative recipes do you have? Let us know below!

    Dietitian Spotlight: Ximena Jimenez

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    1. Tell us a bit about yourself? I was born in the beautiful country of Colombia, and was raised in a small family who appreciated food and cooked daily. I started helping in the kitchen when I was 8 or 9 years old. Chopping onions, tomatoes and garlic was a regular task because we used them in virtually every meal. We regularly visited farmer’s markets to buy lots of fruits and vegetables for the week. That probably explains my existing obsession with farmer’s markets. Thanks to my family and good fortune, choosing nutrition as a career came natural to me.
     

    2. What’s your favorite part about being a dietitian? I love and feel so lucky that I am doing exactly what I was supposed to do in this life, empowering people to make wise food choices and caring for their bodies. Nutrition, working with the media, and counseling are my passions. I also love the creative aspect of my job, whether it’s preparing for a presentation, for a media segment or creating a recipe.
     
    3. Describe what your typical week looks like? I own a nutrition consulting company. My expertise is weight management, mindful eating, diabetes, and digestive disorders. Two to three days a week, I see my patients for nutrition consultation. The other days, I develop and monitor the provision of special diets for children with food allergies or special nutritional needs. In the last few years, I have been developing food recipes, and I enjoy experimenting with food ingredients and my camera.
     
    In between all that, I also write a blog for my website and for a yoga website. I am also a food industry consultant and I am frequently sought by national and local media. I usually start my day by putting some nutrition wisdom in the world via twitter!
     

    4. How do you find balance between work & personal? Working out gives me those magical endorphins and serotonin that my body craves for wellbeing and relaxation.  But for inner peace and balance, I meditate 5 to 7 days a week and recently started practicing Reiki. I am mindful that my body allows me to do so much throughout the day and it is my responsibility to provide it with the best fuel and care.
     
    5. What are 3 foods you can’t live without? Nooooo, that is one difficult task to decide on only 3 foods. But if I must choose, I love garbanzos, beans and lentils; they are so versatile and nutrient packed and growing up I had two or three of those every week. But I must disclose that I think all fruits and vegetables are sexy, delicious and nutritious!
     
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    Ximena, thank you so much for sharing yourself with the Food Heaven community! To learn more about what Ximena is up to, check out her website and follow her on twitter!  

    Hasselback Garlic Sweet Potatoes

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    Impress your dinner guests with these exquisite Hasselback Garlic Sweet Potatoes! They’re a fancy spin on a classic comfort food. Not to mention, hasselback potatoes are super simple to whip up and complete any meal.

    Sweet potatoes are one of our favorite starchy vegetables. You can find the best sweet potatoes during the fall and winter. They are jam packed with vitamin A and vitamin C and they also contain plenty of fiber as well to keep your system running smoothly. Sweet potatoes digest in the body more like a carbohydrate compared to other vegetables. So they’re a great way to meet that grain or starch component of a balanced meal. 

    Why hasselback? Because they’re the BOMB. They get perfectly crisp on the outside from the thin slits in the potato, but they also keep a delectably smooth and creamy mashed potato texture in the center. A while back, we whipped up these Rosemary Cheddar Hasselback Potatoes, in case you want to try these with regular potatoes. The key to making the perfect hasselback is to cut super thin slices and making sure not to cut all the way through the potato, but stopping right before you hit the bottom.

    Get these beauts started by preheating the oven to 450F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the sweet potatoes. Boil for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove from the water, and allow to cool. Create thin 1/8″ slices through each potato, making sure not to cut completely through the potato. Stop right before you hit the bottom. Add the sweet potatoes to an aluminum foil-lined baking dish. In a blender/food processor, add the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, & soy/tamari and blend until consistent and most of the garlic is chopped. Rub the blend into the slices and the top surface of the sweet potatoes, until all the sweet potatoes are coated. Wrap the potatoes within the foil (you may need to use another top sheet) and pop into the oven for 40 minutes. Open the oven, uncover the potatoes, so that they’re exposed to the heat, and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until desired crispness is reached. Top with cracked pepper and fresh basil. Enjoy!

    The combo of basil, garlic, soy sauce will bring the potatoes to life. Wow your friends and family by making these Hasselback Garlic Sweet Potatoes at your next gathering. Have you ever made hasselback potatoes? What are your thoughts? Let us know below!

    Print
    Hasselback Garlic Sweet Potatoes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients
    • 4 medium sweet potatoes
    • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • 2 tablespoons white rice vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy/tamari sauce
    • Optional: Top with cracked black pepper chopped fresh basil
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 450F
    2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the sweet potatoes. Boil for 10 minutes with the lid on
    3. Remove from the water, and allow to cool.
    4. Create thin 1/8″ slices through each potato, making sure not to cut completely through the potato. Stop right before you hit the bottom.
    5. Add the sweet potatoes to an aluminum foil-lined baking dish
    6. In a blender/food processor, add the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, & soy/tamari and blend until consistent and most of the garlic is chopped
    7. Rub the blend into the slices and the top surface of the sweet potatoes, until all the sweet potatoes are coated
    8. Wrap the potatoes within the foil (you may need to use another top sheet) and pop into the oven for 40 minutes. Open the oven, uncover the potatoes, so that they're exposed to the heat, and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until desired crispness is reached
    9. Top with cracked pepper and fresh basil. Enjoy!
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