Happy National Oatmeal Month! With all the excitement around oatmeal, why not spread the love to other grains as well, specifically the whole ones! Why Whole Grain?? This is a one-worded answer, fiber! Increasing your daily intake of fiber from whole grains has numerous health benefits, including:
Now let’s talk about some specific whole grains! Farro What is it: Farro is an ancient wheat with a nutty flavor, known to have once fed Roman legends. This grain has been around the block once or twice. It is quickly gaining traction in the U.S. and is commonly used in Italian dishes. Be sure to buy the farro whole and soak/cook accordingly! Tastes great in: Salads & hearty soups Quinoa What is it: Though technically a seed, quinoa has similar properties as other grains and is known by the Inca as “the mother grain.” Quinoa has a nuttier flavor & more delicate texture than other grains and has quickly become one of the most popular grains on store shelves. Tastes great in: Hot or cold dishes! Pair with veggies of choice, legumes, and/or your favorite lean protein Barley What is it: A member of the grass family, barley is a nutrient-packed grain that is often overlooked. Remember to buy hulled over pearled barley as this will have the bran layer still intact, which contains the fiber! Tastes great in: Soups, stews & risotto Brown Rice What is it: Rice has become a staple in many households. Brown rice packs in more fiber and protein than white rice because it has not had the nutrient-dense bran and germ removed. Brown rice has a nutty aroma and taste. Note that other rice colors- black, red, and purple- can also be considered a whole grain. Tastes great in: Stir-fries, rice bowls with vegetables, or a rice pilaf Oats! What is it: Oats are a popular cereal grain sold in many forms, including oat groats (the whole oat), steel-cut oats, and rolled oats. Rich in soluble fiber, oats contain beta-glucan, which can help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol. Tastes great in: Overnight oats, muesli, and don’t forget the classic oatmeal! Since it is National Oatmeal Month, let’s spend a little extra time on this dish with seemingly endless topping opportunities: Sweeteners- brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, honey, melted chocolate Nut or seed butter- peanut butter, almond butter, pumpkin seed butter, sunflower butter Chopped nuts & seeds- cashews, pecans, walnuts, coconut flakes, chia seed, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed Fresh/frozen/cooked berries- blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries Additional fruits to try- kiwis, mango, peach, banana, cherries
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After a long day at work ends, it can often seem daunting to spend another hour or so preparing a wholesome dinner. After pondering the willpower needed to accomplish this feat, we find ourselves at the drive-thru of our favorite fast food chain or on our phone ordering delivery. Instead, we may want to consider utilizing a tried-and-true solution to this common dilemma: the slow cooker. Who doesn’t want to come home to a hearty meal, warm and ready to eat? However, we also don’t want to come home to a potentially unsafe meal that may have us wishing we remained in line at the drive-thru. It is critical we know how to utilize food safety when operating a slow cooker. Begin with a safe working area Start with a clean work area, clean slow cooker and clean utensils. Make sure you properly wash your hands during food prep. Prepare meat and produce separately Never cut vegetables on a cutting board previously used to cut meat. If you only have one cutting board, be strategic and chop your produce first and then the meat. Or, optimally, use separate boards designated for each food product. Keep perishable products in proper storage After you cut up your meat and vegetables, store them separately in the refrigerator until you are ready to start cooking. Defrost Make sure your meat or poultry is defrosted before placing it in the slow cooker to ensure the food cooks evenly and all the way through. Food should be defrosted in the refrigerator and not at room temperature. Slow cooker contents Make sure your slow cooker is not overly-full for proper, safe cooking. Contents should not exceed two-thirds capacity of the slow cooker. Pay mind to size Make sure you cut your meat into smaller pieces; larger pieces greatly increase cooking time. Cut meat pieces in similar size to the vegetables you include. Maintain safe cooking temperatures If possible, utilize the “high” setting on your slow cooker the first hour to reach a safe cooking temp (where any bacteria will be killed) and then lower it to the “low” setting to cook for the remainder of the cooking time. This will allow your food to avoid being in the “danger zone” (defined by temperatures between 40°F-140°F) for longer than necessary. Otherwise, utilize a food thermometer after cooking (see below). If you are leaving the slow cooker on while at work, using the “low” setting the entire time is acceptable as long as the slow-cooker is operating. Use a food thermometer to measure completion Each cut of meat or poultry requires a specific minimum internal temperature to ensure it is safe to eat. For example, beef and pork require a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (unless ground which should be 165°F) while poultry requires an internal temperature of 165°F. Invest in a food thermometer if you do not have one already to be certain your food is properly cooked and safe to eat. Power outages If there is a power outage while you are not home, the food must be discarded. If you notice the slow cooker power off while at home, you can salvage the ingredients by adding it to a pot on the stove. If the food was completely cooked (measured using a food thermometer) before the power went out, the food will remain safe for up to 2 hours after the power outage occurred. Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in shallow containers and refrigerated within 2 hours of completion. This helps greatly reduce the risk of food poisoning. When reheating leftovers, make sure they reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. -Magda Ogorek, SPU intern New Year’s Eve is a time notorious for setting resolutions. Often, your excitement turns into apprehension that later becomes inaction. Revising the strategy you use can alter the results you see. The common issues that arise when setting New Year’s resolutions are that your goals may be too vague, unrealistic or a plan to achieve that goal is not established. Utilizing SMART goals can help revamp the way we approach our New Year’s resolutions and improve outcomes. SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Specific- Start by creating a clear goal to keep in mind. It is often helpful to create a “mission statement.” Using the 5 “W” questions can help formulate your goal. ·Who will be involved in the goal? ·What do you want to accomplish? ·Where will this goal be accomplished? ·When will this goal be achieved? ·Why do you want to achieve this goal? With this in mind, you can change the goal, “I am going to exercise more” to “I hope to decrease my fasting blood sugar and A1C levels for my next doctor’s appointment by purchasing a gym membership at ___ and going 3 times a week for 40 minutes”. Measurable- Adding numbers to your goal allows you to form a quantitative measure of how successful you are being in pursuit of your end-goal. In our example above, adding that you are going to go to the gym 3 times a week for 40 minutes creates an objective measure of how frequent and how long you hope to go to the gym. The progress and success can now be easily measured. Achievable- Accomplishing goals can be very empowering. However, if you set lofty, unattainable goals and are unsuccessful, it can cause you to lose motivation to follow through with future goals. Making smaller, more achievable goals increases self-efficacy. Once the goal is achieved, we feel more confident and a new, more challenging goal can be set in place. Allowing for small wins creates gradual progress. This also creates habits which are pivotal for long-term success. Relevant- Creating a goal that resonates with your values makes it more likely that you will strive towards this goal. If the goal was set by someone else and doesn’t reflect your values, you will be less inclined to work towards the goal. This step addresses the “Why?” of what prompted you to pursue this goal. Once this is identified, it helps solidify the bigger picture in accomplishing the goal. Timely- Having a goal stretch into infinity is often a recipe for failure. You want to avoid having a vague, arbitrary goal. Including a deadline or time frame will help motivate you and expedite progress. Once you become familiar and comfortable with the SMART goals method, you can begin to apply this to many aspects and goals in our life. One common New Year’s resolution goal you may have is “I want to eat healthier”. Now that you are more familiar with the framework of SMART goals, you can revamp this common goal to create more success. The SMART version of this goal can be revised to, “This month I plan to prep meals including vegetables and fruit to take to work on Sundays and Wednesdays to reduce the calorically dense and high-sodium foods I would otherwise consume.” This goal is specific in that it translates “eating healthier” into incorporating more fruits and vegetables. It is measureable because it specifies the days of the week you are to do this meal prep. It is achievable because it only necessitates two days out of the week to prepare meals for the following days. It is relevant because it removes the unhealthy options for more nutritious ones. And lastly, this goal is timely because it includes when this goal is to be achieved: for the entire month. Tips for achieving some common goals Cooking balanced and nutritious meals at home ·Purchase produce on sale. This allows you to save money and eat a greater variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, produce on sale is also typically in season and often contain higher nutrient content due to shorter transportation times from farm to store. · Keep healthy foods readily available. Setting days where you prep veggies, fruits and protein sources to have on hand is a great start. After work, all you need to do is put the components on a pan or in the microwave and you have a meal ready in 5-10 minutes. This also allows for customizing meals the day of so you do not get bored of eating the same meals every day. ·Eat the rainbow. Including fruits and vegetables of different colors helps optimize your nutrient consumption as produce of the same color often contain similar nutrients, e.g green produce is high in vitamin K and folate and red/orange produce is high in beta-carotene and vitamin C. ·Plan the meals for the week ahead. This takes out guess work out of deciding on what’s for dinner each night. Indecision can lead you to resort to old habits such as ordering takeout instead. Remember, old habits take time to change! Incorporating more physical activity ·Take short breaks in between tasks for a brisk walk. This can help energize you and research shows that regular breaks raise workers’ level of engagement and productivity. ·Try to find an “active” hobby. Ideas to consider include bike riding, dancing, joining a local recreational sports league, creating and participating in a scavenger hunt or jumping rope. ·Bring a friend, colleague or family member along with you. This can help increase adherence and hold you accountable. It also allows time to socialize and makes the time go by faster. ·Multi-task. Go for a walk while making/returning phone calls. Or listen to your favorite playlist or podcast. This can be an easy way to accomplish tasks on your to-do list or do activities you would do otherwise while getting some movement. New Plan, New You! Once you get familiar with the concepts of the SMART goal framework and can apply it to your goals, change this New Year is imminent. Achieving goals builds self-efficacy and better habits. This can make creating and succeeding in future goals much easier. While you may not have experienced long-term success in your New Year’s resolutions in the past, this is a new year where you can reassess your plan to achieve more favorable outcomes. If you happen to fall short of a goal you put in place it may be in your best interests to reevaluate each category. Perhaps this goal was not yet achievable. Or maybe the time frame you issued yourself was too short or long. Modifying these simple factors can easily put you back on track and set you up for success this New Year! -Magda Ogorek, SPU intern
Slicing the LimeLime juice offers a tangy, yet sweet flavor that complements the ginger in this recipe well. The juice from a quarter of a lime is plenty to start with for one drink – it doesn’t look like much, but more juice will be released as the ingredients get muddled together. Don’t forget to slice a piece of lime for garnish! Preparing the Ginger
Cutting the Pomegranate
Recipe VariationsIf you want to skip the ginger muddling or grating, an easy alternative is to use diet ginger ale instead of plain seltzer. Add a squeeze of lime juice and your garnish. It won’t be pink, but this drink is still tasty and easy to prepare if every inch of your kitchen is being used to prepare your holiday dinner. This drink doesn’t have to be limited to the holidays – you can can swap out pomegranate for whichever fruit may be in season, such as blackberries or cherries in the summer. Recipe: Yule MuleIngredients:
Enjoy!
~ Jordan Griffin, Dietetic Intern Picture this: a plate of perfectly roasted turkey, savory stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, crisp green beans, all topped with delicious gravy...Yum! The holidays can be a delicious and sometimes challenging time of the year, as so many of our celebrations revolve around food. Many of the dishes served are special and only prepared once or twice a year – a treat we don’t want to miss out on! Try using the MyPlate method, to help fit in your favorites while still being mindful about your overall food selections. What is MyPlate? MyPlate was designed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Americans meet the dietary guidelines with enough nutrients in our overall intake to support health. We can use MyPlate to construct our meal in a way that is nutritionally balanced. MyPlate suggests the following basic principles:
So how do we put this into action? 1. Start off with vegetables and fruit
2. Add your grains/starches
3. Add your protein
4. Complete your meal with some dairyDairy is separate from the other food groups because of its calcium content. If you don’t have a cup of milk or fortified milk alternative with your meal, you can incorporate it into a dish already on your plate. These are foods that check off the dairy category:
Let’s take a look at this MyPlate example:
Tips There’s almost always leftovers for holiday dishes. Acknowledge that there will be leftovers prior to loading your plate and understand that you can eat them tomorrow. If you are worried that you might miss out on a favorite and can’t squeeze it on your plate, make a second plate, wrap it up, and put it in the refrigerator for later.
Holiday foods don’t have to be exclusive to just the holidays. If a dish runs out before you get a chance to have it, you can always make it for a fun dinner in the coming days or weeks. Sit down and enjoy the meal – one day, or meal, doesn't determine your overall nutrition or health! This year has been stressful and it is important to give yourself a break and enjoy comforting food without judgement. Have a safe, tasty, and Happy Holiday Season! ~ Jordan Griffin, Dietetic Intern The holidays are coming up and if you’ve ever hosted these annual gatherings I’m sure you can relate to the confusion surrounding, “what wine do I pair with dinner??” After just finishing up a harvest internship in Sonoma County, California, and learning ALL about winemaking from vineyard to bottle, I’m here with the answers for you! In case you weren’t aware, food that is consumed with wine has an effect on the way wine tastes, and wine can also have an effect on the way food tastes! The perfect pairing takes advantage of these effects and causes the wine and food to taste better together than the two would taste separate. I’m breaking down some of my knowledge on these interactions to help you enhance your pairing experience and avoid any negative or unpleasant taste combinations. *disclaimer- it’s important to remember that different people have different levels of sensitivity to certain flavors and aromas and a “perfect pairing” for one person may be unsuccessful for another. So it’s important to take into account these sensitivities along with the basic food and wine interactions before deciding on your pairing.* When you are eating, your tastebuds are perceiving different levels of sugar, salt, acid, umami (savory- think mushrooms or soy sauce), bitterness, and heat. This perception helps you to anticipate what the next bite will taste like. When the next bite doesn’t complement the current perception, it can be very unpleasant. An example of this would be brushing your teeth with sweet toothpaste and then taking a sip of acidic orange juice. (Yuck!) Sweetness in food:
Umami in food:
Acidity in food:
Salt in food:
Wines that work well with salty foods are acidic, fruity and crisp. Think oysters with sauvignon blanc or Thai food with gewurztraminer. Bitterness in food:
Chili heat in food:
There are many classic pairings that have been established by sommelier’s and chefs, but I encourage you to find what works best for you and your unique tastes. Now you know some of the basic food and wine interactions and you can be better prepared for entertaining this holiday season. Keep in mind that the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends alcohol to be consumed in moderation with up to one standardized drink per day for both men and women. Always eat when you are enjoying a glass of wine and make sure to stay hydrated with water throughout the evening as well.
Cheers! -Gillian Schultz, MHSc, RDN, CD Winter squashes, such as acorn, butternut, delicata and spaghetti squash, are in-season right now in the PNW. Winter squashes are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Beta carotene helps to promote healthy skin, eyes, and a healthy immune system. Winter squashes also provide wholesome, complex carbohydrates which provide lasting energy. It is important to have proper technique when cutting winter squashes to ensure that you stay safe. This webpage contains a quick video that demonstrates how to safely cut a butternut squash, as well as other helpful tips and tricks for preparing winter squashes. See below for a delicious butternut squash recipe that you can make for friends and family this holiday season. The warm, golden, roasted butternut squash in this “stuffing” recipe is sure to satisfy. Butternut Squash and Wild Rice “Stuffing” Makes about 6-12 servings Ingredients (For Rice and Toppings):
For the Butternut Squash:
For the Ginger Dressing:
Whisk ingredients together until well combined and set aside. Directions:
Nutrition per Serving (Divided into 12 servings): 273 calories; 12.3 g total fat (2.9 g sat); 4.4 mg cholesterol; 296.5 mg sodium; 35.7 g carbohydrates; 4.8 g fiber; 9 g protein Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate
Power bowls are customizable bowls that use four main building blocks to create a beautiful, nutritious meal. To build a power bowl, you’ll need the following four building blocks: 1. Complex Carbohydrates 2. Vegetables 3. Protein 4. Heart Healthy Fats You may be wondering, where do I find these building blocks? Great question! Complex CarbohydratesComplex carbohydrates are found in minimally processed grains and starchy vegetables. These foods are high in fiber, so they are more filling than foods that are more processed. They also take longer for our bodies to digest, which can help to keep blood sugars stable. Foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates serve as a great base for a power bowl because they are hearty and filling. Try the following foods as the base of your power bowl:
Suggested Flavor CombosThe beautiful thing about power bowls, is that they are customizable to fit your taste preferences and they can often be assembled with simple ingredients that you may already have on hand. Here are some flavor combinations that you may enjoy:
Here are some photos of power bowls we have made at home. On the left is a bowl with bulgar wheat, roasted veggies, a veggie sausage patty, and avocado. On the right is a bowl with bulgur wheat, roasted veggies, hummus and sunflower seeds. Additional Links & Resources
You can still enjoy Halloween!Having diabetes doesn't disqualify you from enjoying Halloween with family and friends. By making mindful choices, you can still participate in Halloween festivities while also keeping your blood sugars in range. Happy Halloween! Jill, Dietetic Intern Other Resources & Links:
How many carbs are in common Halloween treats Carb Counts for Halloween Diabetes Friendly Dessert Recipes Soup Season is upon us. The crisp Autumn days are perfect for a warm and comforting meal. I love soups from a nutritional stance, as they tend to be high in nutrient density (ie nutrients compared to energy) and are also hydrating. The colder weather can sometime signal a decrease in fluid intake, so soups help to fill-in the hydration gaps during these months. The following recipe is an elevated tomato soup with lots of veggies and complete plant proteins. The spice blend is what makes it extra special and a go-to Autumn favorite. Enjoy! ~Megan Follow along with this start-to-finish cooking demo preparing the soup below: Algerian Soup Demo in Megan's Kitchen Algerian Tomato SoupThis aromatic dish is infused with a Northern African spice blend. The spices and fresh ingredients make a tasty soup that can be served immediately or prepared beforehand. The quinoa and edamame add a source of complete protein (ie all the essential amino acids) to this vegetarian meal. This recipe has been adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook.
Makes 8.5 cups
Serve with a salad and some crusty bread for a satisfying meal. Nutrition per 1 Cup Serving: Calories 120; Fat 5g; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 17g; Fiber 5g; Sodium 290mg |
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