moved....

New blog site :)
http://nutshellnutrition.wordpress.com/

Workout of the Week

So I can't guarantee a new workout every single week, but I'm sure many of you have made recent goals to get to the gym more! And one of the most common excuses I've heard for not getting to the gym is "I don't have time." Well, here is a workout that will get your heart rate up (aka burn a ton of calories!) and you can squeeze a great cardio and strength training session into 30 minutes (or longer if you feel like it).



Supersets are my go-to workout - I always want to get the best workout possible in the shortest amount of time. A superset is simply combining two exercises back to back with little rest in between. You can combine any two exercises you want, it depends on how you plan your workouts. For example, I do legs all in one day so one of my supersets is:

Reverse lunge with lift (step back into a lunge, push back up to standing but before putting your back leg down, perform a glute lift with a straight leg behind you; repeat).This exercise works all the major muscles in your lower body.

Single leg touchdown (Weights are optional for this one. I also keep my base leg straight and keep my bent leg foot closer to my foot on the floor.) Works the hamstrings and calves.

Other supersets ::
Bicep curls & tricep extension (working antagonistic muscles)
Chest flyes & push ups (double whammy for the chest muscles!)
Alternating lunges & lat pull down (called peripheral heart action when shunting blood from one end of the body to the other)

Get the idea? By not resting in between every single set ( like you see many folks at the gym doing), you save a TON of time and burn a ton more calories! Supersets are like a cardiovascular workout and strength training in one.

A dietitian's breakfast

For some of you, your New Year's Resolution may have been to eat breakfast every day. Why do dietitians encourage eating breakfast? Numerous studies of folks who have lost weight and KEPT IT OFF reported that these people always ate breakfast. It literally "breaks the fast" that our body is in overnight and wakes up the metabolism to get it pumping. (Another key to success for weight maintenance from these studies was to keep a food journal - see previous post). Don't have time breakfast? Yes you do. Wake up 5-10 minutes earlier or get all the ingredients ready the night before (as I do). So here is a super easy recipe for one of my favorite breakfast meals. I'm one of those people that never gets full, but this recipe will actually keep me full for three hours until it's time for my snack. If it's a bit too heavy for you, decrease to 1/3 cup oats and 2 egg whites.

Oatmeal Almond Butter Pancakes

Ingredients::

1/2 cup dry old fashioned rolled oats

1T almond butter

1T milled flaxseed (good source of fiber, ALA omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants)

1t cinnamon

3 egg whites

1/2 banana

1t honey

Directions::  

Mix first five ingredients in a small bowel. Pour all ingredients into a small skillet, cook a few minutes on each side until browned.   Top with half a banana sliced and a small drizzle of honey.

The facts // 375 calories, 13gm total fat, 1gm saturated fat, 4gm polyunsaturated fat, 7gm monounsaturated fat, 198mg sodium, 384mg potassium, 46gm carbs, 10gm fiber, 14gm sugar, 22gm protein, 22% DV of iron 

[have a small glass of OJ with this meal improve the absorption of iron - vitamin C]

Goals for January...aka New Years Resolutions

While I don't necessarily believe in 'New Year's Resolutions'.... I know for a fact that in order to make lifestyle changes you need to set goals - both short term and long term - and make a plan to achieve them. You can write down goals all day long but if you don't come up with a realistic way to get there... well, you'll probably never get there. I set goals a few times per year, but the beginning of a new year is always a good reminder to focus on how you plan to improve your life! So, my goals for January 2011:

     one.  Set boundaries -- aka I need to learn to say no. I love to help others and try to please everyone, but the stress levels are just becoming too much - and stress is just as bad for you, if not worse, than eating poorly and not exercising. So I will make sure to get two days off from work-related projects EVERY week. My trusty old day planner will be my key to success here!

     two.  Exercise at least three times per week -- Yes, it's even hard for a dietitian to get to the gym! When I was personal training during college, my clients used to tell me they were too tired after work to workout and I would give them a hard time... well I believe them now! It takes A LOT of dedication to hit the weights when you're exhausted, but setting a goal that directly motivates you to do always helps (see goal #3). My plan for this one will be to re-attempt the 5am workouts. My problem is I already wake up at 5:30 everyday so I can get to work early, leave early. So I'm going to have to reorganize my schedule and get home a little later in the evening.

     three.  Get printed -- Well, at least take the step I need to do so; and for this one, let's just say I'm not talking about for my writing (although that wouldn't be a bad thing at all!). For this one, goal number two will be key. I also need to keep a food diary (which is a HUGE component of weight loss and maintenance) at least two days per week. Food diaries help keep me accountable for what is actually going into my mouth! 

And here's a few long term goals:

• Be more positive
• Make a budget and stick to it
• Pick a wedding venue!!!! (okay, definitely a short term goal... but it's coming along slowly)
• Clean out my closet and de-clutter the entire apartment
• Find a new workout that I truly enjoy. I used to run, but I'm feeling the need to mix things up. Boxing anyone??
•  Do yoga once a week - I must work on my stress levels!

Keep a journal with your goals in it, read it regularly and re-evaluate and add new goals occasionally.

Trying a New Veggie - Collard Greens

So one of my New Year's Resolutions is to try a new vegetable at least every month. Tonight, soup is on the menu so I have a great soup recipe from the Clean Eating Cookbook that calls for collard greens. As a dietitian, I hate to admit that I couldn't even find this leafy green in the grocery store - I had to ask! To save you the effort, I'll include a picture to help with identification. Not only is this recipe healthy and delicious, it's easy and budget-friendly! This recipe also happens to provide 30% of your daily fiber intake, is a good source of iron and can easily be gluten-free.

Nutrition Breakdown // Collard greens :: This leafy green veggie is a great source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, folate, calcium, and fiber. Collard greens contain many other vitamins and minerals and also alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

Servings: 4 // Time: 35 minutes

 

Ingredients:

4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth (gluten-free if need be)

8oz collard greens, chopped (about 8 cups)

1 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 cups red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 (15.5oz) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (to wash off the salt - or buy frozen like I did)

Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring broth and water to a boil in a large saucepan over high-heat. Add collard greens, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes and potatoes and return to a simmer. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes. Stir in peas and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 180 calories, 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 37g carbohydrates; 8g fiber, 5g sugar, 10g protein, 150mg sodium**, 0mg cholesterol

**This was the sodium content with the particular ingredients that I used. The nutrition information provided with the actual recipe had a higher amount of sodium actually - just shows you can always modify any recipe to be healthier!

Heart Healthy Antioxidants

Every month I do a quick and easy cooking demo for my Cardiac Rehab patients. Last time I made hummus (I was trying to expand their horizons!) and was since lovingly dubbed 'the hummus lady'. My homemade red pepper hummus didn't exactly win over the entire crowd - although I'm proud to say I've converted a few non-believers! 

This month I focused on heart healthy antioxidants. Antioxidant-rich desserts that is! Needless to say, dessert went over much better with my patients. 

Antioxidants are natural substances that exist in foods. They are believed to help prevent disease by fighting off free radicals, which are produced when you’re exposed to pollution, cigarette smoke, and also daily bodily processes like metabolizing food and exercise. The body can make antioxidants and they can also be obtained through food. Without adequate antioxidants in the diet, free radicals cause cellular damage, possibly playing a role in heart disease.

To name a few (definitely not all!) antioxidants: carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and flavonols.  Some of the foods that are great sources of antioxidants are colorful fruits and vegetables, dark chocolate, tea, coffee, nuts, red wine, fish, and cinnamon.


Important to note: There is limited research to support the use of antioxidant supplements to prevent disease. However, observational studies have shown that a higher intake of antioxidant rich fruits & vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. Studies have also shown potential for harm with certain antioxidant supplements.


Bottom line: a balanced diet of the above foods will provide you with antioxidant power as well as other a combination of other healthy vitamins, minerals and fiber (yet another reason to choose foods over pills)! An easy way to get a variety of antioxidants... make your plate more colorful! Or try one of these antioxidant packed desserts!

Dark Chocolate Dipped Apples

recipe from my.hearthealthyliving.com

Makes 6 servings

Prep: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6 medium apples

1/3 cup sliced almonds, chopped pistachios and/or chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup snipped dried cranberries
4 ounces bittersweet/dark chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon  cinnamon


Directions:
Wash and dry apples. Remove stems. Insert one wooden stick into the stem end of each apple. Set aside. Place nuts and cranberries in a deep bowl; set aside.


In a heavy small saucepan, melt bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and cinnamon over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.


Dip the bottom half of each apple into the chocolate, using a spoon to spread the mixture evenly over the apple, if necessary. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Immediately dip apples into almonds and dried cranberries. Place apples, nut side down, on waxed paper for 30 minutes or until set.

Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 239; Total Fat (g)11; Saturated Fat (g)5; Monounsaturated Fat (g)4; Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1; Sodium (mg)3; Carbohydrate (g)40; Total Sugar (g)30; Fiber (g)6; Protein (g)3; Vitamin C (DV%)11; Calcium (DV%)3; Iron (DV%)9

Microwave Baked Apples with Blueberries

Ingredients:
1 medium apple

1 tablespoon frozen unsweetened blueberries (not thawed)

½ tablespoon chopped walnuts

1/16 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons agave nectar (or honey)

Directions:

Wash an apple and remove most of the core, leaving about ¼-inch at the bottom. Remove a thin strip of peel from around the core. Place the apple into a deep microwave-safe baking dish or bowl. Sprinkle the inside with a little cinnamon, walnuts and fill with frozen blueberries. Drizzle the agave nectar/honey over the filling and top of the apple. 

Cover the dish with lid or plastic wrap. Microwave until apple is tender, 3-5 minutes, testing with a fork after 3 minutes. Allow to cool and then enjoy!

Nutrition (1 apple): 135 calories, 2.5g total fat, 0.25g saturated fat, 0.5g monounsaturated fat, 1.8gm polyunsaturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 2.7mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 30g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 23g sugar,  2g protein.

All time holiday favorite... homemade (gluten free) pumpkin loaf!

First of all, I could not be more excited to have the next four days off of work - so much to do! Wedding planning has unfortunately taken the back burner and last-minute holiday preparations are keeping me busy! I love starting the day with a workout, then it doesn't get pushed aside for everything else on the never ending to-do list. Next up.... pumpkin bread! This year I had a curve ball thrown at me as I've been experimenting with a gluten-free diet to relieve my fatigue and stomach upset. While I haven't gone 100% yet, I can definitely notice a difference in GI symptoms when I avoid gluten. 

On a side note about gluten-free (GF) diets... It is NOT a weight-loss or fad diet. A GF diet is the only way to treat a condition called celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which gluten damages the lining of the small intestine. There are others who are gluten intolerant, those who have difficulty or cannot digest gluten. A GF diet can actually lead to weight gain and vitamin deficiencies. While many natural foods are gluten-free, the market for processed, high calorie snacks has grown wildly over the last few years. To make a long story short, GF does not equal healthy. Anyone would gain weight eating processed cookies, cakes and pies... GF or not! And as far as vitamin deficiencies, most whole-wheat products are good sources of B vitamins and iron. So wrapping up my rant, there is no need to follow a GF diet unless it is a medical necessity and it requires a balanced diet to ensure adequate intakes of vitamins and minerals.

Anyway... the pumpkin loaf! Here is a GF recipe I found and modified it to make it healthier (my absolute favorite thing to do!)

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Serves about 16 (Makes two 9-by-5-inch loaves)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 4 large omega-3 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened, strained applesauce**
• 1/2 cup orange juice (I even found OJ fortified with omega-3s!)
• 2 1/2  cups granulated sugar // 2 1/2 cups Splenda
• 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• Gluten-free non-stick cooking spray

 *Don't have any pumpkin pie spice at home? Make your own! You'll need to multiply this recipe by 4 to get the 5 teaspoons you need for the pumpkin bread. Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

**Use a flour sifter to strain the liquid from the applesauce - if you don't, your bread will just be very moist and may take a little longer to cook. Applesauce is a wonderful substitute for oil or butter in a baking recipe; it yields a moist product and you can cut down on the sugar since it does add sweetness! 

Directions:

1.      Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2.      In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. In separate bowl, mix together eggs, applesauce and orange juice. Add sugar and pumpkin. Blend until thoroughly combined.

3.      Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients. Mix until ingredients are thoroughly combined and a smooth batter forms (mixing by hand will also give you a good upper body workout!). Fold in chocolate chips.

4.      Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

5.      Remove pans from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove bread from pans and place directly on wire rack. Allow bread to cool before slicing. Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

  

Nutritional Information (1/16th of recipe): 180 calories, 4.5gm fat, 2gm saturated fat, 53mg cholesterol, 395mg sodium, 40gm carbohydrate, 4gm fiber, 14gm sugar, 4.5gm protein.       **Pumpkin is also a great source of vitamin A!

Also, here is the recipe I used before I went gluten-free:

Healthy Pumpkin Loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour all purpose, sifted
• 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1 1/2 cups Splenda
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 4 omega-3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin canned
• 1 cup unsweetened, strained applesauce
• 2/3 cup water

Directions:

Sift dry ingredients into large mixer bowl. Quickly add remaining liquid ingredients. Mix on medium speed only until dry ingredients are moistened. Bake in two greased 9x5x3 pans in preheated 350 oven for one hour. Let cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite edible gifts for Christmas, or a great snack when you're on the go...enjoy!