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Plant-Based Monday: Broccoli

December 4, 2017 by Wendy Leave a Comment

Plant-based Monday is here and we’re talking about a classic fan favorite: broccoli. Broccoli tastes delicious, can be cooked in many different recipes, and is super nutritious. It’s great raw, steamed, roasted, in pasta, rice, or even standing on its own. We love it for its unmistakable flavor that it brings to any dish!

Broccoli actually originated in the Mediterranean and its name is derived from the Latin word brachium, which means branch or arm, just like its tree-like shape that features a compact head of florets attached by small stems to a larger stalk. Raise your hand if your parents called them “little trees” growing up too! Broccoli tends to last quite a while in terms of produce years. When properly stored, it can last up to ten days in the refrigerator. Do not wash prior to storage and place it in a plastic bag, removing as much of the air from the bag as possible. Don’t forget to keep those broccoli greens to use in salads, smoothies, and soups!

Nutritionally, broccoli is a total winner. It is a powerhouse when it comes to vitamin C and K, with just one cup containing over 100% of the daily value for each of these nutrients. Broccoli also contains folate, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. The broccoli leaves are also a great source of vitamins A and C, so make sure you don’t toss those out!

Here are some of our favorite broccoli recipes:

How do you prep broccoli? What are your favorite broccoli recipes? Drop us a comment below & Happy Monday!

Dietitian Spotlight: Nita Sharda

December 1, 2017 by Wendy Leave a Comment

1. Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a Registered Dietitian, wife, new mama and owner of Carrots and Cake Balanced Nutrition Consulting. My interest in food was sparked when I was a little girl. I would often spend time in the kitchen admiring my mother’s touch with Indian cuisine but it was the time I spent working at my family’s convenience store that eventually lead me to pursuing a career in Dietetics. In 2013 I decided I really wanted to work one on one with clients to offer nutrition counseling. Some days this is exhausting, but I’ve never looked back!

In our home we eat everything: I’m not a vegan, a lacto-ovo vegetarian, not a raw foodist nor do I follow a particular “diet”. In our home, we enjoy eating meat and we do our best to eat locally. Even still, we chose not to eat meat a few times during our week to encourage a higher intake of legumes, lentils, and plants. In the summer time you’ll catch us nibbling on fish here and there. And eggs – eggs are a staple in our home (and yeah, I eat the yolk too).You’ll find very few packaged and processed foods tucked away in my pantry. I do my best to prepare fresh meals but when time is my worst enemy we don’t mind a bowl of Kraft Dinner with a fizzy Coca Cola.

2. What’s your favorite part about being a dietitian? I think my favorite part about being a Registered Dietitian is also what happens to be the most frustrating: nutrition research is always changing and evolving. While it can be challenging to stay on top of current trends and recommendations I also find this aspect of my career fuels me in some way. It keeps me hungry. I’m constantly learning new information on a daily basis–talk about professional growth!

3. Describe what your typical week looks like? A typical week for me often starts with a Sunday meal-prep session. While many of my clients and peers find this part of their week the most frustrating, I crave this time. It’s me, my slows jams and trust me, I get all the feels when I’m in my kitchen. I’m a huge believer of strategic design. When we moved into our home I did my best to create a kitchen that was going to be a reflection of me; a place that I could enjoy my time. This way, food preparation doesn’t feel like a task, it’s something I want to do.

Right now, the rest of my week is spent seeing a few clients through my private practice and also part time work at a long term care facility where I specialize as a Clinical Dietitian in geriatric care. If you asked me 10 years ago, I never imagined myself working in geriatric care but I absolutely love it. I love the challenge of working with seniors that are nearing end of life care. It’s humbling and keeps me compassionate. While work has been a priority for years, I have taken a step back to enjoy motherhood. My little babe is 9 months old and currently the centre of my attention these days. Hello play dates and tummy time!

One more important fact: I go to the grocery store way more often in one week than I should. I just can’t resist.

4. How do you find balance between work & personal? Truthfully, I’m still figuring this one out. Having my son, Jaidev was a huge game changer (in the good kinda way). And here’s what I’ve learned: balance isn’t a constant. Some days the pendulum swings more towards one direction than it does the following day and you just gotta roll with it. Every day is so uniquely different; having said that, there are a few things that do help me stay centered and focused:

Keeping an agenda
Learning it’s okay to say “no” to people/events that don’t fulfill me
And lastly, recognizing that regardless of how I evolve as a Dietitian (professional life) I’m still fundamentally “me”, Nita and I need to honor that. So I make sure to do things in a week that I love like listening to my favorite music, going on dates with girlfriends and enjoying regular physical activity.

5. What are 3 foods you can’t live without? Stuffed roti (cmonnnnn, obviously). Dark chocolate (on. the. daily.) A warm cup of turmeric milk.

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Nita, thank you so much for sharing a little bit if yourself with the Food Heaven community! You can check out Nida’s website here, and follow her on Instagram here. xo

Rosemary Cornbread Muffins

November 30, 2017 by Wendy 6 Comments

What’s a warm winter chili recipe without a side of cornbread? Spruce it up a bit with our Rosemary Cornbread Muffins! They have the classic taste and texture of your favorite cornbread recipe, but with a twist of added flavor from the rosemary.

Rosemary is one of our favorite herbs with its distinct taste and savory aroma. It is in the same family as mint. This herb has been researched to have many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We used the rosemary to accent the cornmeal, oats, eggs, and other yummy ingredients used in this recipe. That’s right, folks- this cornbread recipe has a few added twists! Traditional cornbread is usually made with (lots of) buttermilk, sugar, and butter. With some (okay, lots of) experimentation, we replaced those ingredients for healthier counterparts, and totally nailed it!

Let’s get to baking by preheating the oven to 400F. In a bowl, combine the oat flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt, & rosemary. To make oat flour, blend rolled oats until flour-like consistency is reached. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, maple syrup, nut milk, and coconut oil until uniform. Add the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk together lightly until the batter is consistent. Pour until almost full into an oiled muffin pan. The batter should be enough for 8-9 muffins. Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

These Rosemary Cornbread Muffins can be refrigerated in air-tight container for up to a week, or frozen, left at room temp, and reheated in the oven, which makes them perfect for making ahead of time so that they’re ready throughout the week. Enjoy with eggs for breakfast, as a side to your main course, or even as a mid-day snack! They taste best when reheated in the oven. Do you have any fun cornbread recipes that take a spin off of a classic recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

5 from 1 vote

Rosemary Cornbread Muffins

Servings: 9

Ingredients

1 cup oat flour*
1 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup milk (vegan ok)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (vegetable oil ok)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F
In a bowl, combine the oat flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt, & rosemary
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, maple syrup, nut milk, and coconut oil until uniform
Add the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk together lightly until the batter is consistent
Pour until almost full into an oiled muffin pan. The batter should be enough for 8-9 muffins
Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*Blend rolled oats until flour-like consistency is reached
Muffins can be refrigerated in air-tight container for up to a week, or frozen, left at room temp, and reheated in the oven
They taste best when reheated in the oven

Gestational Diabetes w/ Lily Nichols

November 29, 2017 by Wendy Leave a Comment

November is National Diabetes Awareness month, and we thought it would be a great idea to end the month featuring dietitian superstar Lily Nichols on our podcast. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, speaker, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise.

Her book and online course, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb diet for GD. Her unique approach has helped thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes – and most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication. Lily is also creator of the popular blog, Pilates Nutritionist, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, digestive health, and pregnancy nutrition.

I remember reading her book on gestational diabetes when it came out, and I was so excited to see a dietitian offering a different perspective and approach to treatment, and I’ve used this book as a guide with my GDM patients.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What GDM is, what the risk factors are
How women with GDM are typically diagnosed
Best, most accurate ways to diagnose GDM
Treatment options for GDM, including nutrition, lifestyle, and medication
& more!

Links from the Episode:

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 other 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: Delicata Squash

November 27, 2017 by Wendy 2 Comments

Hands up if you’ve ever used delicata squash before? This Plant-Based Monday we’re talking delicata squash because it seems to be the forgotten child of the winter squash family.

Delicata squash is a round, cylinder shaped gourd that is yellow or cream colored with long, green stripes. The inside looks similar to other winter squashes with soft guts and seeds that can be removed. (Remember to keep those seeds for roasting to top on salads and other dishes!) The delicata squash is also known as the sweet potato squash, peanut squash, or Bohemian squash. It is a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C and also a good source of potassium, manganese, and fiber.

Fun fact: Delicata squash is native to the Americas and was truly a hit around the 1920’s. You may not be familiar to it due to it’s disappearance from the limelight because of it’s disease susceptibility and shorter shelf life. These things make it difficult to transport the squash throughout the country.

Delicata squash is sweeter in taste, similar to sweet potato or corn. It has a soft, creamy texture and a sweet smell as well. It is the perfect addition to many recipes and also stands well on its own. Try it out in recipes like these:

We love this veg as a side or in salads, bowls, and soups! Do you have any go-to delicata squash recipes? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Dietitian Spotlight: Ellen Albertson

November 24, 2017 by Wendy Leave a Comment

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your practice?

Hi, everyone from Burlington, Vermont, the home of Ben and Jerry’s, Burton Snowboards and Bernie Sanders. I’m Dr. Ellen, the Grow and Glow Coach. I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for almost 25 years, and I’m also a PhD Psychologist, Certified Professional Health and Wellness Coach and Reiki Master. I currently have an international coaching practice where I empower women at midlife to live vibrant, meaningful, balanced lives. I also run a private nutrition practice in Vermont focusing on helping my clients make peace with their bodies and food and reach the highest level of wellbeing possible. In addition, I’m the Chair of the Nutrition Entrepreneurs, Coaches Specialty Group where I mentor and coach other dietitians.

As a nutrition expert and educator, I’ve appeared on Extra, the Food Network and NBC World News and been quoted in Psychology Today, Eating Well and USA Today. I’ve written for SELF, Better Homes & Gardens and Good Housekeeping. The author of four books and the former online Nutrition Expert for Women’s Health, Men’s Health and The Abs Diet, I’ve helped thousands of women overcome negative body image, emotional eating and change of life challenges.

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

I love food — cooking it, playing with it, eating it and enjoying the amazing things it does for your body — and helping people. It’s so rewarding to see people transform their bodies and live healthier lives. Plus, the science of nutrition is fascinating and there are an infinite number of career paths and opportunities to learn and grow.

3. Describe what your typical week looks like?

The majority of my time during the week is spent coaching and counseling clients and patients. I have over 65K followers, so posting on social media, writing articles and blog posts, speaking at webinars and summits and connecting with and inspiring people is a huge part of what I do.

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

I practice what I preach, so self-care never takes a back seat to work. When you put yourself first and take care of your body, mind, heart, spirit and relationships, you are much happier and more productive at work. Life’s too short not to enjoy yourself. I schedule time to meditate, relax and have fun with friends and family. Plus, I looooove to exercise, and Vermont provides tons of opportunities to hike, bike, ski and get outside and enjoy nature.

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

Chocolate, almonds and sweet potatoes

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Thank you so much Ellen! Check out Ellen’s website, and make sure to follow her on Twitter for nutritious living inspiration!