What do knife skills have to do with nutrition? More than you'd think! A new study has found that "Adults who don't flip on the TV during dinner and those who eat home-cooked meals are less likely to be obese." Why is cooking at home healthier? An article from HealthDay quoted, "Preparing your food at home gives you control over what goes on your plate." YOU are the one who decides what ingredients you use and how much!

Do you forgo cooking at home because it's too time consuming? Brushing up on your knife skills and practicing can make a world of difference! You'll be chopping onions, slicing peppers, and dicing tomatoes in no time. ​​

Check out this awesome knife skills packet from Utah State University Cooperative Extension for more detailed information on knives, knife care, storage, and using your knives. Additionally, this is an excellent resource from NY Times Cooking with video tutorials for different knife cuts. 

Practice Makes Perfect! 
During a recent Sound Dietitians Basic Knife Skills Class, we practiced our slicing, dicing, and chopping with two yummy salad recipes. Enjoy! 

~Leah, Dietetic Intern

Earthbound Farm Health Salad
​Makes 4 entrée servings or 8 side servings
Recipe from The Earthbound Cook

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped or torn romaine lettuce, or green of your choice, leaves rinsed and dried
• 1 small jicama, (8-10 ounces), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups) 
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained if canned
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into julienne (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
• 1 medium red tomato, cut into bite-size wedges
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup sunflower or other sprouts
• 1/4 cup raw or toasted sunflower seeds
• Tofu-Dill dressing (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Place lettuce in a large bowl or on a serving platter. Top with jicama, chickpeas, carrots, cucumber, tomato, radishes, and avocado. 
2. Sprinkle salad with sprouts and sunflower seeds. Serve with Tofu-Dill dressing or dressing of your choice.

Nutrition per Serving (entrée serving, no dressing): 186 Calories, 10g Fat, 6g Protein, 21g Carbohydrates, 11g Fiber, 81mg Sodium

Tofu-Dill Dressing
Makes 2 cups
Recipe from The Earthbound Cook

Ingredients:

• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh dill sprigs, thick stems removed
• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) silken or soft tofu, cut in pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions:

1. Blend garlic, dill, lemon juice, olive oil, and mustard in a blender until finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup water and tofu. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. 
2. Season with salt. Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Shake before using. 

Nutrition per Serving (2 Tablespoons): 14 Calories, 1g Fat, 1g Protein, 0g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 48mg Sodium

Pineapple and Jicama Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
Makes 6 servings
Recipe adapted from The Earthbound Cook

Ingredients:
Honey dressing-

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon hot water
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad-

• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 12 ounces jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves (optional)
• 2 ripe avocados, preferable Hass, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/3-inch cubes
• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted

Directions:

1. Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Shake until honey is dissolved.
2. Salad: Combine pineapple, jicama, and red onion in a medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup dressing and stir to coat. Refrigerate 1-4 hours, stirring several times. Add mint and stir to blend. Top with avocados and pecans. Drizzle with more dressing to taste. 

Nutrition per Serving: 330 Calories, 22g Fat, 3g Protein, 35g Carbohydrates, 8g Fiber, 395mg Sodium

Fruits and Vegetables
The general rule is that fruits and vegetables should make up half of your plate. You should also aim to get a variety of different fruits and vegetables to benefit from their anti-inflammatory effects. Anti-inflammatory substances in fruits and vegetables include vitamin C, beta-carotene, and phytonutrients. Foods that are high in these substances include:

• Berries (dried or fresh)
• Cherries
• Apples
• Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes,...)
• Leafy greens
• Sweet potatoes
• Peppers
• Eggplant
• Tomatoes

Healthy Fats
​Healthy fats have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Unsaturated fatty acids are a category of these healthy fats! Unsaturated fats include:

• Olive oil
• Avocados
• Chia seeds
• Nuts and seeds 

Fiber! 
Eating foods high in fiber means less blood sugar spikes. Less blood sugar spikes means less stress, which means less inflammation in the body! In fact, fiber is one of the most anti-inflammatory substances! What foods are high in fiber?

• Beans and peas (pulses)
• Whole grains
• Fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds 

Garlic, Herbs, and Spices
These ingredients each have unique anti-inflammatory properties. So again, variety is key! Instead of heading for the supplements aisle, incorporate these ingredients into your every day cooking to get the most benefit! Garlic, herbs, and spices, among all plant foods, contain phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are what produce anti-inflammatory effects. Specifically, these are found in:

• Garlic
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Peppercorn
• Cinnamon
• Basil
• Cumin
• Cloves
• Parsley

It doesn't matter if the herbs and spices are dry or fresh - both will contain the anti-inflammatory properties. 

Key Points

1. You will only benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of these foods if you incorporate them into an overall healthy diet. Focus on improving your overall diet over time and consume a variety of these anti-inflammatory foods to benefit from the effects and boost your immune system! 
2. Beware of any foods proclaiming to have miracle anti-inflammatory properties. Superfoods are a hot topic right now, which leaves more room for evidence-based information to get lost. Just remember - no one food is a "miracle food." 
3. Other lifestyle factors play a role in inflammation. Quality and duration of sleep, weight, and physical activity are all important in decreasing inflammation in the body. 

Want a visual? Check out this video summarizing the above points! 
​
Healthy wishes! 
~Leah, Dietetic Intern

Each bite counts! March is National Nutrition Month®, which is a great way to kick start the rest of the year. Every year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics picks a new theme for National Nutrition Month and, you guessed it, this year’s theme is “put your best fork forward.”  What does this mean? This is a reminder that by making small changes in our food choices, we can truly make a positive impact on our health! Taking small steps, or small bites, towards a healthier life will make a difference over time. 

What does “putting your best fork forward” mean to you? This could be anything from trying a new vegetable each week to preparing more meals at home or even adding a 20-minute walk to your day.

Adjust your take-out
​Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be picky when eating out or ordering in. Next time you order food or eat out:

• Request that your meal be cooked with less oil
• Ask for half the sauce or sauce on the side
• Choose steamed over fried
• Ask for double the veggies (lower in calories, higher in fiber and nutrients)

​Keep cut-up vegetables in the fridge
Many times the reason for choosing a less nutritious option is convenience. It’s pretty easy to grab a sugary snack bar and go! Pick a day of the week and plan on chopping up a large container or bag of vegetables to munch on during the week. You can even portion them out into servings for each day. Don't want to spend time chopping? Look for pre-chopped veggies and baby carrots! ​
​

​Enjoy your activity
Do you dread going to the gym? Picking a physical activity that you enjoy is so important! You are much more likely to get regular exercise and stick with it if it’s something you enjoy.
​ ​

Let's keep it going! Although March is nearing an end, let's celebrate year-round! Keep up the good work! 

​~Leah, Dietetic Intern

What is protein? Why do we need it?
Protein is a nutrient that is made of amino acids. Amino acids are what make muscle, bone, skin, and hair. Our bodies make some amino acids, but there are several amino acids that our bodies can’t make – these are called essential amino acids. We have to get these through our food! 

They're good for the environment, too! 
Studies have shown that eating more plant foods and less animal foods is better for the environment. As mentioned in Today’s Dietitian, “Diets high in meat increase greenhouse gas emissions from food production and global land clearing, as well as rate of species extinction.” 

Wallet friendly
You definitely get more bang for your buck with plant proteins. Not only are they packed with nutrients, but plant proteins are also very affordable. You can buy a lot more beans, peas, and lentils, for example, than meat when comparing grams of protein. 

Complete Protein
As mentioned before, there are certain amino acids that we need to get through food. Protein foods that contain all of these amino acids are called “complete proteins.” A few plant proteins that are complete proteins are quinoa and soy products. Many of the other plant proteins that you eat are not complete proteins. 

As long as you eat a variety of different plant proteins during the day, you will easily get all of the amino acids that you need. These foods do not need to be eaten at the same time or even at the same meal! 

Bottom line
You don't have to be a vegetarian or vegan to benefit from plant proteins. Test out the waters by going meatless once per week. Your body will thank you!

Below are a few recipes that we prepared at our recent Plant Proteins class at the Verdant Community Wellness Center. Enjoy! 

~Leah, Dietetic Intern

Black Bean Burgers
Makes 4 servings
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 (16-ounce) can black beans (low sodium), drained and rinsed
• ½ green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
• ½ onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• ½ cup bread crumbs 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Stir mixture into mashed beans.
4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, and cumin.
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together.
6. Divide mixture into four patties. Place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side. 

Nutrition per patty: 208 Calories, 3g Fat, 10.5g Protein, 35g Carbohydrates, 7.5g Fiber, 350mg Sodium

Tempeh is one of those foods that may not be on everyone's weekly grocery list. Often confused with tofu, tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and offers a whole host of health benefits. Let's see why you should incorporate more tempeh into your into your healthy diet. 

• Tempeh is a prebiotic: Tempeh feeds the good bacteria in your gut, so that you can continue to have better gut health. 
• Better bioavailability: The fermentation process that tempeh undergoes makes the soy proteins and calcium molecules easier for our bodies to digest and absorb. 
• High in protein: One 3 ounce serving of tempeh has 16 grams of protein! 
• Versatility: Tempeh can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be baked with a simple marinade, crumbled as a ground meat alternative, or cut into strips to be used in sandwiches. 

These tasty tacos are quick to prepare and will be sure to impress! The combination of spices and seasoning pack a punch of flavor that won't leave you missing the meat. You can use whole-wheat flour tortillas or pre-made tostadas in place of the corn tortillas. Enjoy! 

~ Lauren, Dietetic Intern