Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Eat This Not That Book- My Take on it

The Author of Eat This Not David Zinczenko was on Oprah today a pictorial book giving folks suggestions for healthier food choices. One striking Revelation was that regular bacon is a better choice than turkey bacon as the latter has a bigger salt content. This appearance caused a big response in the Nutrition Entrepreneur Listserv with alot of Dietitians upset that he is not a Nutrition expert and its all just numbers and can get folks confused.

I remember one of my outpatients not long ago recommended this book to me in her case it helped her a lot. Overall it is just another tool to help people make more informed choices, there are many books out there I feel folks have to find the ones that work for them. Along with working with a trusted dietitian to fine turn the advice and weed out the untested stuff.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

TAX ON SODA !?

New York Governor David Patterson wants to add an 18% Tax on Soda to help combat the obesity epidemic, there's even a video on You Tube by Dr. Daines to promote this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARMgjdbY93o. But recent reporting suggests its a way to make money from taxes.

While soda consumption contributes to obesity its one issue of many, such as inactivity, emotional eating, overall diet and so on. It boils down to personal choice folks still choose to buy expensive cigarettes despite the health risks and will buy soda also. Why not make fruits and vegetables tax free ?

What do you think please post your comments to start a discussion !

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Spotlight on Lemongrass


Lemongrass is a key ingredient in Asian cooking such as Thai and Vietnamese It can be in a dry form or fresh. It has a wonderful citrus flavour and is often used in curries. It can be ground with garlic, shallots and chilli's to form a paste for Malaysian curry, the paste is then mixed with coconut milk.
It is also a key ingredient in Thai soups. It can be bought in certain grocery stores, I have found it in Fresh Market and Whole foods, or at your local Asian store.

Spicy Lemongrass Chicken Great recipe from Food and Wine, tried it yesterday lovely

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed, meat cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 plump stalks of lemongrass, tender white inner bulb only, minced
1 medium red onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine, sake or water
1/2 cup Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Asian chili paste
4 large scallions, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
5 small dried red chiles
1 large jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.
In a large skillet or a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until small puffs of smoke begin to appear. Add half of the chicken and stir-fry over high heat until browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Add the lemongrass, onion and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce, oyster sauce, chili paste, scallions, dried chiles and jalapeño; bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer until heated through, then serve.

SERVE WITH
Steamed jasmine rice.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Change is Here !

Wow I am so blessed to be living in America right now, in the year our precious daughter was born Barack Obama was elected to be the next President. I am a Brit living in America but once you hear your first speech from Obama you are hooked. His enthusiasm for America and re-capturing the American dream is infectious.

I even had the bumper sticker on my car and donated to the campaign.

The whole world is watching. This is the story of hope and determination that anything is possible. A young boy raised by a single mom, who later went to Harvard and then went on to be president of the United States.

So whatever your going through remember anything is possible, keep your head up and pressing forward.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Great Read from Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-presidents-inauguration-feasjan14,0,3523351.story

Great article on past menus and history of inaugurations, enjoy!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Happy Pongal




Today is Pongal the South Indian Harvest festival dating back over 1000 years! where either Venn (savoury) or Sweet pongal is made. Pongal means to spill over, in villages milk is boiled in a clay pot and allowed to spill over. This means prosperity for the family. In fact the Tamil Government actually clubbed Tamil new Year and Pongal together this year to mixed feelings.
So why not have some fun and celebrate pongal and try a new dish !

Savoury Pongal
Ingredients

1 cup: Raw rice
½ cup: Milk
1/3 cup: Green gram dal
11/2 tsp: Black pepper
1 tsp: Cumin seeds
1 tbs: Broken cashew nuts
1 tbs: Finely cut ginger (optional)
A few: Curry leaves
2 tbs: Ghee
5 cup: Water
Salt to taste

Method
Wash rice and dal and cook them together in five cups of water for 10 minutes.
Add salt, curry leaves and ginger with half a cup of milk. Simmer for a minute and remove from fire.
Fry cashew nuts, pepper and cumin seeds in ghee.
Pour this over the rice-dal mixture.
Mix well and serve steaming hot with ghee on top.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1
Amount per Serving
Calories 212 Calories from Fat 66
Total Fat 7.41g
Saturated Fat 1.56g
Trans Fat 0g
Sodium 823.29mg
Total Carbohydrate 29.28g
Dietary Fiber 7.41g 30%
Protein 6.96g

Pongal can be high in saturated fat if made with ghee, and of modest nutritional value, change to using canola oil, and a little more moong dal to rice ratio to increase protein and fiber content, and eat along with veggies.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Inspect your house !!

We have recently bought a new house and have been through a home inspection, checking the electrical system, the plumbing and the cosmetic aspects of the home. It got me thinking our souls house is our body. When did we last inspect it !

Not just the cosmetics like our clothing, weight and appearance but the inside. Namely the wiring - nervous system, plumbing - cardiovascular system, Furnace- Metabolism and so on.

So how well is your heart pumping?,are there any blockages ?, how are you stucturally namely your bones, how is your metabolism?
Take a look at your lipid results to avoid plumbing blockages, get your calium and vitamin D, weight bearing exercise to ensure good structure and look at physical activity and regular meals to fire up metabolism.

Schedule a check up with your MD and have a head to toe exam, then if any areas need attention start an action plan. Consider the services of a local dietitian and personal trainer.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Squirrel the new Gourmet food?

I was reading the New York times today there was a fascinating article about how squirrel is becoming a popular dish in the top restaurants in the UK, such as St. Johns restaurant in london in the spring, and the Famous Wild Boar in the lake district. Folks around us in North Carolina eat squirrel maybe they should consider selling it on line to the rich and famous!,
Nutritional value of squirrel !!, its apparently high in iron, phosphorus, selenium, B6 and B12 but high in cholesterol
Amount Per Serving
Calories 541Calories from Fat 132
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14.7g23%
Saturated Fat 2.7g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.6g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.2g
Cholesterol 379mg126%
Sodium 372mg16%
Total Carbohydrates 0.0g0%
Protein 96.3g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1% • Iron 118%
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet
so nutritonally its not bad, but its not for me they are cute and its like eating a tree rat!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Bravo Oprah

Oprahs show was good today I admire her guts to be frank about her weight gain and falling of the wagon and a desire to get healthier, she relates stress and a lack of balance made her turn to food.

Take homes, 1. prioritize you, make time to do a meal plan, and excercise, 2. what are you really hungry for? check out oprah.com.
She has a shot of her full body on the cover of the next O magazine, its good to face up to your body how it really is and not hide from it. I must confess even myself, I am carrying a little extra weight 4 lb after Jasmine. Its very tempting to wear lose fitting clothes, but if you wear your normal clothes it motivates you to do something about it.

Make time for you, a little hard with bambino, but I try and do stationary bike while she naps, or walk with her in baby carrier, I also do excercises with her and when she's older will dance together !

Put yourself on the top of your to do list !,

feel free to message me for support, Rebecca

Great review of diets from ABC

The Truth About 10 Trendy New Year's Diets
(Joanne Ikeda, RD; Dr. David Katz, ADA member and Keith-Thomas Ayoob, RD all quoted)
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=6567335&page=1
Heres a link to a great review of popular diets written by a dietitian

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Easy Bok Choy


heres a quick and easy way to cook Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage)
- add olive oil to pan with drop of sesame oil, little salt and little sugar, ginger/garlic paste and soy sauce
- then add chopped bok choy saute then cover and steam for 5- 10 min and its cooked.
Quick and easy and good source of vitamin C, Beta Carotene, folate, calium and B6 and Iron. yummy

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Resolve to be....

Resolution the state of being resolute, firm and determined, a resolution is a state of mind, and as Winston Churchhill put it
"A Pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity and an optimist see's the opportunity in every difficulty".

As you make those resolutions, make only one to never give up and even when old habits sneak up on you, keep trying. Resolve to be kind to yourself Rome wasn't built in a day.

Happy New Year.

Rebecca

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