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March 9, 2021 / Healthy Eating Tips

Food Storage Tips to Make your Groceries Last Longer

Food waste is a huge problem in the United States. Not to mention, with the cost of groceries skyrocketing it’s so frustrating to have food go bad and wind up in the trash. We’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help your groceries last longer.

Store dairy products in the back of the fridge. Although the door is convenient and a seemingly perfect spot for the milk, it’s also the place that gets the warmest when the door is opened and could be making it spoil faster. Instead, store milk and yogurt towards the back where it is less likely to reach sub par temperatures.
Store these fruits and veggies at room temperature. Not all fruits and veggies need to be stored in the fridge. Bananas, kiwis, mangos, plums, pineapples, peaches, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, citrus, and avocados can all be stored safely at room temperature or in a cool pantry. The foods in this group are prone to “chill injury” and do best at room temperature.
Avoid storing onions and potatoes together. The ethylene gas produced by the onions can cause the potatoes to spoil faster. It will be ok to store your garlic and onions together though!
Store meat on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. This is also a food safety recommendation – always keep uncooked meat below anything that is ready to eat, including fresh produce. No one wants to eat strawberries covered in leaked chicken juice.
Wash produce as you go. Instead of washing produce (especially berries) as soon as you return from the grocery store, wait until right before consumption or chopping. This way there is a smaller chance of mold growing on the damp produce.
Use plastic wrap on bananas. Bananas can ripen quickly. Consider wrapping the crown of a bunch in plastic wrap. This slows the release of ethylene gas and prevents them from ripening them too quickly.
Wrap your greens in paper towels. Have you ever seen the slimy residue that forms on lettuce leaves and leafy greens? Not exactly appealing for your lunch. When you purchase greens or lettuce store with a few squares of paper towel to help absorb excess moisture and replace as needed.
“Front” your food. Food service facilities save money by “fronting” their stock and moving soon to expire ingredients back into plain sight. Similar to the first in first out rule, move the products that have been in the fridge or pantry the longest to the front. Newer product should be stored towards the back.
Treat your herbs like flowers. Fresh parsley, asparagus and green onions all do better when they are stored in a glass of water in the refrigerator. Basil can be stored at room temperature with stems in the water also. You can loosely wrap other herbs in a damp paper towel.
Use foil to store celery. Wrap your celery bunches in foil to help it stay fresh and crunchy. It will prevent ethylene gas from entering while keeping the perfect amount of moisture in.

February 18, 2021 / Healthy Eating Tips

Make Meal Planning Flexible!

Have you given up on meal planning because it’s just too difficult or doesn’t fit into your schedule? Meal planning can be very overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! One big suggestion we can make is to keep it flexible. Everyone’s schedules change week-to-week, which can make a once perfectly thought out meal plan seem like chaos.

Instead of this: Meal Plan

Monday: Balsamic grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, air fryer Brussels sprouts

Tuesday: Mediterranean grain bowls with sautéed shrimp

Wednesday: Spaghetti squash with meatballs and sauce, green beans

Thursday: Pork tenderloin, mashed cauliflower, asparagus, homemade applesauce

Friday: Grilled steak kebabs – onion, peppers, mushrooms. Wild rice

Saturday: Take out

Sunday: Salmon, brown rice, garden salad

Try this: Meal Plan

Balsamic grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, air fryer Brussels sprouts

Mediterranean grain bowls with sautéed shrimp

Spaghetti squash with meatballs and sauce, green beans

Pork tenderloin, mashed cauliflower, asparagus, homemade applesauce

Grilled steak kebabs – onion, peppers, mushrooms. Wild rice

Take out

Salmon, brown rice, garden salad

Having 6-7 days worth of meals outlined instead of scheduled can help with unexpected changes to your schedule:

Car accident on the way home from work – adding 60 minutes on to your already long commute? – plan for an easy to execute meal.

Home from work early? – might be a better day for a more hands-on meal.

Terrible day at work and don’t feel like cooking? – takeout or clean out the fridge night!

There’s no right or wrong way to meal prep. Find a method that works for you and your family!

January 29, 2021 / Healthy Eating Tips, Snacks

Super Bowl Snacking

January is almost over and the Super Bowl is right around the corner… can you believe it?!

This post was inspired by a recent poll conducted by Frito Lay. Based on a poll of 2000+ adults who typically watch or plan to watch the Super Bowl, there is estimated to be a 21% increase in snacking compared to last years game! Super Bowl Sunday is always a large snacking day but the pandemic has definitely contributed to a large uptick in the last year.

Can you guess what one of the most popular snacks for Super Bowl is? Salsa! Over 68% of posers agree that chips and dip are a football must-have.

Although Super Bowl is only ONE night and we encourage you to enjoy the time with your family – we put together a few tips and tricks to make the game-time snacks a little more nutritious.

Plan Ahead –
Sunday morning should be business as usual with a filling breakfast and lunch that incorporates plenty of protein and fiber rich vegetables. Staying satisfied during the day will help prevent you from overeating the snacks and treats during the game.

Incorporate more color –
One thing football snacks have in common is their bland color scheme – lots of fried foods, chips and refined grains with the same beige/brown color. Lets add some more rainbow colors in there!

Instead of mozzarella sticks try Jalapeño poppers with a low-fat cream cheese.
Include a veggie platter with your snack line up. Make it COVID friendly by creating individual plates of veggies for people to munch on.

Make vegetables the star of the show –
Not only are veggies full of plenty of color, they are also filled with water and fiber. Both of these things combined make for a very low-calorie and filling snack. Their water content can also help balance out the dehydrating effects of alcohol and salt laden snacks.

If it’s already in your kitchen, skip it –
Chips and dip or cheese and crackers are probably a pretty common sight at gatherings. Instead of mindlessly munching on every day snacks. Make the game time snacking for foods you rarely have or usually save for Super Bowl Sunday.

Drink lots of water –
Hydrate during the day with plenty of water. Alternate alcoholic beverages with water to make for an easier Monday morning. Better yet, stick to club soda and lime to give you a zero calorie option.

We wish the Patriots were in it this year but we’ll support Tom Brady any day! 🙂

October 16, 2020 / Uncategorized

Is Laughter Really the Best Medicine?

Humans are unique from much of the animal kingdom because we can control our speech. We have virtually countless ways to contort our mouths and tongues which is why our language is so much further evolved than any other animal. What’s interesting about laughs though is that none of this matters. When we laugh, our mouth basically just opens, air is squeezed through our voice box and the sound erupts from our mouth. It sometimes occurs against our will. You’ve likely experienced this if you’ve ever tried not to laugh at something you found utterly hilarious. It’s quite a challenge not to laugh, like holding in a sneeze. Laughs are spontaneous and often out of our control. I like how in the photo on the below, you can tell these ladies are genuinely laughing by they way they’re collapsing on each other.

It’s interesting that when we laugh, like really laugh, our bodies are rendered almost useless. We can’t talk or even breath: a pretty weird evolutionary adaptation right? Why would we have adapted to be so vulnerable in an instance?

There are different types of laughter. Some laughter overwhelms our motor system, while some seems a bit more “fake”. The word fake has a negative connotation, but it isn’t a bad thing at all. Laughter is a way to make and maintain social bonds. We use it to smooth over social interactions and make awkward situations or any situation a little more comfortable. This ”fake” type of laughter is more a part of our speech which is why we add so many “lol’s” and “hahaha’s” to our texts or maybe emails.

Laughter is different depending on the person you’re laughing (or not laughing with). We’re 30x more likely to laugh with people than alone. We’re also more likely to spontaneously laugh with people we like. You might even decide you like someone BECAUSE they make you laugh. Conversely, if you think someone laughs inappropriately, or has an irritating laugh, you may find that even though other people laugh with them, you don’t, and this might actually mean you don’t like them and that’s why you don’t laugh with them. That spontaneous laughter that occurs in some people, doesn’t happen for you with this person.

We can actually tell the difference between laughter among friends vs. laughter among colleagues or acquaintances in a second. Cognitive scientist Greg Bryant at UCLA recorded laughter between friends and laughter between strangers and cut those clips down to 6 one-second clips.

They looked at participants’ brain waves when listening to clips like these. The brain scan showed that with a genuine belly laugh, the participant focused on the sound of the laughter (parietal lobe), but with polite chuckles, the brain lit up more in the frontal lobe which meant the person was trying to figure out why they would be laughing – as more of a language/critical type of thinking. This is likely an evolutionary adaptation to differentiate the sounds someone would make if they’re in danger which can sometimes sound like laughter. You know how sometimes hysterical crying can sound like hysterical laughter but you can usually pick up on the difference relatively quickly if you try. On the other hand if someone politely chuckles in a conversation, it’s likely more part of their speech. It’s intentional. It’s setting the tone or the feel of the conversation.

Now that we’ve talked about the basics… here’s now laughter can actually be medicine. Just a reminder: When we talk about the health benefits of laughter, we’re talking about the spontaneous genuine sort of belly laugh. The type that sort of paralyzes your motor skills.

This type of laughing releases endorphins via opioid receptors. The more receptors, the more powerful the effect of the laughter is – it’s addictive and can produce euphoria like a narcotic. It’s contagious, but not like a yawn. It’s contagious because we like to be included in the “joke” or whatever was funny – that feeling of inclusion can actually make you live longer.

It can also relsease serotonin – our happiness hormone. Serotonin is often what is low in people with depression. Antidepressant medications affect the receptors of serotonin, so by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain by laughing, you’re basically working to prevent depression – sort of.

Laughter suppresses inflammation, likely by releasing stress. This anti-inflammatory affect protects blood vessels and heart muscles from cardiovascular disease – again, we’re talking about that good quality, “hearty laughter”. Acts of laughter can lead to immediate increases in heart rate, respiratory rate, respiratory depth, and oxygen consumption (basically running but a lot more fun). These increases are then followed by a period of muscle relaxation, with a corresponding decrease in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure.

Laughing can improve Natural Killer (NK) cell activity. NK cells are responsible for killing pathogens in the body and play a significant role in cancer, so there is actually a surprising amount of research with laughter and cancer patients. Nothing is conclusive and certainly laughter won’t cure cancer but many people believe it can help (presumably in a number of ways).
One study showed that women laughed about 126 percent more than their male counterparts, while men seem to instigate laughter more often. Women rank a sense of humor as a top 3 trait for their counterpart. Men rank women who laugh a lot as a good trait. Obviously laughing together = higher quality relationship.There is actually something called laughter yoga and I wouldn’t believe it either, but I worked at Concord Hospital’s Center for Health Promotion and they had Luaghter yoga everyday at 5:00. I always knew what time it was because the laughter would echo throughout the whole facility. It was honestly funny and always made me smile and I wasn’t even in the room!

How you can apply this to your life:

Weed out the people in your life who do not offer value whether it’s laughter or otherwise
Spend actual time with people. As we learned, laughter is very rare when someone is alone and isolation kills. We’re social beings
Seek out opportunities where laughter is inevitable – social settings, funny podcasts, TV shows, comedies. Live comedies are always much funnier than recorded ones

Part fo the reason this virtual life we’re living is so hard. We’re left without side conversations, and quick silly chats in hallways, or waiting in line at the grocery store. We need those little spurts of laughter. As a clinician most of the people I talk to each day are my clients so at the end of the day I always ask my fiancé if anything funny happened. Or sometimes if I hear him laughing and I’m not with a client, I pop down to his office to hear what was funny. We all need joy in life, but just make sure it isn’t at someone else’s expense because that can be a lot more impactful in their life than yours.

“At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou

— Courtney Eaton, RDN, LDN

September 11, 2020 / Healthy Eating Tips

Beat those cravings and lose that weight for good

“Why am I always craving sugar?”, “Why am I always hungry?”, ”What happens at 4pm to make me raid the cabinets?”

These are all common questions we receive when counseling clients on weight loss. They’re understandable too. Let’s think about your last diet..

When you started your diet, did you feel deprived or were you significantly restricting your calories?

Our first thought when dieting is to significantly restrict calories in order to lose weight faster. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like this, at least in the long term. Cutting calories too much or restricting calories in addition to working out can lead to feelings of deprivation. Your body also fights back, and the scale will stop moving in the direction you want it to. Instead, start finding things that you can make small changes to. Instead of two glasses of wine at night what about switching to one glass, or even saving the glass for the weekend? Instead of your daily pumpkin spiced latte what about brewing your own coffee at home and adding 1 tbsp of pumpkin coffee creamer. Making small changes like this can help you naturally cut back on calories.

When you started your diet, were you eating balanced meals and snacks consistently throughout the day?

We hear a lot from clients that they have a protein shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and maybe an apple during the day but something happens around 4pm when they walk in the door from work. It’s like someone takes over their body and brings them right to the cabinet. Sound familiar? Instead of eating like a bird during the day, only to be starving come nightfall, stick to balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. Each meal and snack should have a substantial amount of protein and fiber to help keep you full.

When you started your diet, did you cut out all of your favorite foods at once?

Everyone has a favorite food, whether it be homemade cookies, pasta, bread or even soda. Thinking of your brain as a 2-year-old child. What happens when you say, “No don’t touch that?”, the urge for that 2-year-old to touch it just went up significantly. The same goes for your brain. As soon as you say “No I can’t have that” you end up wanting it more. Instead of eliminating all of it at once, make a plan. Having two sodas during the day? What about cutting back to one and having a sparkling water in place of the second one? Nightly sleeve of cookies? What about having one right after dinner and saying, “I can have another tomorrow”.

When you started your diet, did you adapt the all or nothing approach?

If you hit the trifecta with all of these common diet mistakes, you’re not alone. The all or nothing approach to weight loss doesn’t work. We need to show our bodies grace. Focus on one or two small measurable goals each week for you to conquer. Once those goals are met, set one or two more. Setting realistic goals will not only help you establish healthy eating habits, but it will also help you from getting the hungry horrors.

All of these diet mentalities can lead to an initial weight loss, but ultimately because you’re feeling so deprived your body fights back. It triggers your cravings and feelings of deprivation which ultimately leads to binge tendencies and “failure”. The “failure” can lead to frustration and more binge tendencies. This happens right before you attempt to “get back on track”. It’s understandable that your diet isn’t working. So, when are you going to give our dietitians a chance? 😃

June 30, 2020 / Healthy Eating Tips

Ready for a change?

One question we almost always ask our clients is whether or not their spouses/roommates/children/etc. are supportive of the changes they hope to make regarding their health-related habits. We are thrilled when they have a solid support system because the research shows that when you surround yourself with individuals with unhealthy habits, you are twice as likely to join in those unhealthy habits.

It is an unfortunate reality that many people do not have a supportive environment at home, which can really hinder their progress. For this reason, we are creating that support system with our new online program, Imperfectly Healthy.

Health, put simply, is not striving for perfection; in fact, it’s the opposite! Health is finding a balance and hopefully an overlap between the foods and activities that give you joy and the ones you know don’t serve you well anymore. We aim to meet people where they are in their life and help them to slowly adjust these habits in a way that feels mostly comfortable with some achievable challenges. The biggest compliment we receive is when clients tell us that they have made huge changes to their life but it didn’t feel drastic. Look, reaching milestones is empowering no matter who you are, so let’s set some realistic goals here! Realistic goals look different for everyone, however we have found that when these goals are spoken aloud to a group of people with similar challenges, everyone is more successful. Accountability is imperative, and that’s why we’ve created Imperfectly Healthy.

Here’s the breakdown:
- 12 weeks
- Daily accountability in the form of Facebook group check-ins with other participants as well as with the dietitians
- Weekly webinars
- Meal and snack suggestions
- $700 when paid in full, or $250/month for 3 months.
Sign up by July 13! Spots are limited to make sure we can give everyone the attention they deserve to be successful.

May 18, 2020 / Healthy Eating Tips, Meals, Recipes

Our 10 Favorite Sheet Pan Dinners

Eating healthy is a lot of work! There’s planning, finding recipes, shopping (which is an all day event right now) and prepping involved. One thing we can’t stand is all the pots and pans that you have to scrub, soak, and wash after you’re done cooking your healthy meal. Eating healthy can be hard enough, and the last thing you want to do after is clean up.

That’s where sheet pan recipes come in handy. These recipes are great for a weeknight meal or meal prepping. Either way, they leave you with minimal dishes!

We’ve decided to save you a couple of steps in the process and share with you some of our favorite sheet pan dinners.

Jamaican Chicken Sheet Pan – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken & Potatoes – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
One Pan Chicken with Carrots – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Roasted Squash and Chicken Sausage One Pan – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
One Pan Balsamic Pork and Veggies – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon and Veggies – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe
Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies – Jump to Recipe – Print Recipe

Sheet Pan Jamaican Chicken

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Jamaican Rub

1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
1 tbsp ground allspice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Sheet Pan

2 ea large chicken breasts
4 cups baby potatoes, chopped into 4-6 pieces
2 ea bell peppers, cut into chunks
1 ea. red onion, cut into chunks
1 ea. zucchini, cut into small pieces

To Serve

2 ea. mangoes cut into cubes

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside
Mix together all rub inredients.
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1.5 tbsp of the rub until evenly coated. Place on one of the baking sheets.
In a separate medium bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of rub. Arrange on baking sheet around the chicken.
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Toss the peppers, onions and zucchini in 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of the rub. Arrange on the second sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes.
While sheet pans are cooking, prepare the mango. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from : Sweet Peas and Saffron

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken & Veggies

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil divided
4 tbsp premade pesto
2 ea garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 ea chicken breasts, diced
1 cup mushrooms, halved
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 ea broccoli, cut into florets
1 ea zucchini, small, cut into thick chunks

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Add chicken and mushrooms to large sheet pan and toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of pesto
Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove excess liquid.
Add remaining vegetables and the rest of the pesto. Toss to combine, then bake another 10 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from: The Girl on Bloor

Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken and Potatoes

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 ea. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
16 oz baby red potatoes, halved
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 ea garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/3 cup freshley grated Parmesan
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 4 slices

For the Brushetta

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 ea garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup basil leaves, chiffonade
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with non-stick spray.
To make the bruschetta, combine tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and basil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken in a single layer onto one side of the prepared baking sheet.
Place potatoes on the opposite side of the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Add olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, basil and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Place into oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Top chicken with moxxarella during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
Top with bruschetta and serve

Recipe Notes

Adapted from: Damn Delicious

One Pan Roasted Chicken with Carrots

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 ea. chicken thighs
1 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and trimmed
1 ea. large onion, peeled and cut into eighths
3 ea. garlic cloves
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit
Arrange carrots, garlic and onions in a single layer on a greased baking sheet.
Drizzle 2 tbsp. of olive oil over the vegetables. Season with rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.
Roast in the oven until the chicken skin is golden and the carrots are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Roasted Squash, Sausage and Apple One Pan Dinner

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 ea butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 ea apples, diced
4 ea Al Fresco chicken sausage
3 cups Brussels sprouds, halved

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Shake vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard in a small jar
Toss squash, oil, smoked paprika, salt, nutmeg, and pepper in a large bowl to coat. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
Add apples, sausage and Brussels sprouts to the bowl and toss to coat. Add to the baking sheet with the squash and roast for 18 to 22 minutes.
Remove from the oven and drizzle the vinegar mixture over the roasted mixture. Toss to coat and serve immediately

Recipe Notes

Adapted from: Healthy Seasonal Recipes

One Pan Balsamic Pork Tenderloin with Veggies

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Ingredients

1 ea pork tenderloin
1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed and halved
1/2 ea butternut squash, seeded and diced
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Balsamic Rosemary Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 ea garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 ea bullion cube, crumbled optional
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper
In a food processor, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, rosemary leaves, Italian seasoning, honey, hot sauce, boullion, and pepper. Pulse until the marinade is mixed thoroughly.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the pork tenderloin and cook, turning frequently, until brown on all sides, about 10-12 minutes.
In the meantime, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the halved Brussels sprouts and diced butternut squash. Season with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Push veggies to the side to make room for pork.
Once browned, transfer the pork tenderloin onto the sheet pan. Baste with half of the balsamic sauce and lightly drizzle onto Brussels sprouts.
Roast in the oven for 12=15 minutes or until pork is done and Brussels sprouts are nicely browned.
Cut the tenderloin into 1/2 inch thick slices nad serve with the other half of balsamic sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from: Eat Well 101

Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas

Prep Time

13 mins

Total Time

33 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Seasonings

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

For the Fajitas

12 ounces flank steak, sliced into 1/4 inch strips slice accross the grain
3 tbsp olive oil divided
1 1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro
juice from 2 limes
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 ea medium bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 ea red onion, thinly sliced

For serving

chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges
sliced avocado
tortillas of your choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degress Farenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the ingredients for the seasonings in a small bowl and mix.
In a large zip-top bag add the steak and drizzle with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, juice from one lime, Worcestershire sauce and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the fajita seasonings. Toss well to coat.
Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the sheet pan. Drizzle with remaining 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and seson with remaining 1/3 of the seasonings. Toss to coat well.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
Remove sheet pan from oven, flip and push the vegetables to the sides ot he pan. Add the steak strips in a single layer to the center of the pan. Broil on high for 3 minutes or until desired doneness.
Serve on your favorite tortillas and top with desired toppings

Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

12-16 ounces chicken sausage * We like Al Fresco brand
2 cups sweet potato diced into 1/2" cubes
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup bell pepper chopped
2 ea garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
Add the sausage, veggies and minced garlic to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the Italian Spices. Add salt and pepper. Toss veggies with your hands until they are fully combined and coated with olive oil and spices
Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from: Gimme Delicious

Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon and Veggies

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups sweet potatoes cubed
2 tbsp extra virgin oilve oil divided
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4-6 ounce salmon fillets
2 cups broccoli florets
2 ea shallots sliced

Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 ea garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar packed
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Combine diced sweet potatoes and 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a medium bowl and toss to coat
Transfer sweet potatoes to a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the teriyaki sauce by combining the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
Whisk together the cornstarch and water. Bring the sauce to a boil, then add cornstarch mixture. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the sesame seeds and set aside to cool
When the potatoes are done roasting, remove the sheet pan from the oven and push the potatoes out to the edges of the pan .
Place the salmon fillets in the center and brush with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Combine the broccoli, shallots, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the medium bowl used for the sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then toss well to combine. Spread the broccoli mixture around the salmon.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce, then drizzle the remaining sauce over the salmon and vegetables. Place the sheet pan back in the oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes, or until the salmon is slightly translucent, flakes easily with a fork, and the vegetables are fork-tender.
Serve right from the sheet pan with an extra drizzle of the sauce or alongside rice or noodles.

Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ea head of broccoli, chopped
2 ea medium red bell peppers cut into chunks
1 cup snap peas
salt and pepper to taste

For the Sauce

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 ea cloves garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger

Optional toppings

sesame seeds
green onion

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
To make the sauce: In a small saucepan, heat soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, garlic and ginger on medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and allow sauce to simmer, whisking occasionally until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.
Spread chicken and chopped veggies on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle half of the sauce over the chicken and veggies and toss to combine.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, and continue cooking until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.
Drizzle remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from: Eat Yourself Skinny

March 31, 2020 / Healthy Eating Tips

Surviving the grocery store during a quarantine

Quarantining during the COVID-19 outbreak has its fair share of downsides. Among them, one of the things we dread has been food shopping. We are always telling our clients that the secret to success is PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. But what happens if the grocery store shelves have something else in mind? We put together a few tips and tricks to help you survive the grocery store trips and continue on your path to success (and get you as excited to shop as Courtney is in this picture).…

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November 29, 2019 / Dietitian Picks

Trader Joes Finds our Dietitians Swear By

Trader Joes has become a favorite shopping spot of mine. Mainly because of the great deals and the amazingly pleasant employees. But seriously..even with lines and lines of customers a week before Christmas, they were still [appeared] happy as can be. I have also found a few nutritious staples I like to keep on hand.

1. Frozen Riced Cauliflower: Who has time to rice cauliflower? I like to buy a couple bags of this at a time. Usually I serve it to replace rice in a stir fry. You could also mix it into rice or mashed potatoes to add even more veggies to the meal! This takes only seconds to cook through which makes it a great addition to a weeknight meal.

2. Frozen Carrot Spirals: In my experience of trying the pre-spiralized veggies in the produce section – they always have a weird taste to them. Maybe it’s just me! These don’t have that same taste! They’re frozen and just get added to a skillet to thaw. I pair mine with pasta sauce, chicken sausage and a side of broccoli!

3. Steamed Lentils: If you’re catching on you’ve realized I love my convenience items. These little guys are on that list. They’re pre-cooked and are great for salads, grain bowls, veggie burgers, or soups. They’re a great source of plant based protein, fiber and iron!

4. Crushed Garlic: These are in the freezer section with the vegetables. Each portion contains one clove of crushed garlic that is easily popped out and added to a pan. They also make a ginger
version which is great to add to smoothies.

5. Everything but the Bagel & 21 Seasoning Salute: These are the coolest seasoning combinations!

Everything but the Bagel is literally the topping of an everything bagel! It’s delicious on top of avocado toast. I love to toast a slice of Dave’s Killer Bread, top with 1/2 of a mashed avocado, a hard boiled egg and sprinkle with the seasoning. The 21 Seasoning Salute is a mixture of every seasoning I could ever want. Amazingly it tastes great! I like sprinkling it on top of roasted vegetables. It also adds great flavor to scrambled eggs!

6. Green Goddess Dressing: This dressing is a whole foods alternative to the typical
salad dressings you find in the grocery store. The only ingredients are avocado, green onion, lemon juice, garlic, chives, and basil. The shelf life isn’t fantastic but it lasts a couple of weeks in the fridge.

7. Turkey Burgers: Quick and easy staple for the freezer! Each package contains 4 turkey burger patties. They come raw so they’ll taste nice and fresh when cooked. Even-though they’re frozen, they have a fairly reasonable amount of sodium. You can serve these traditionally on a whole wheat bun, open faced on a slice of bread, or added to a salad!

8. A Handful of Olives: Ok how cute are these?? A serving of olives perfectly
contained in their own package. Perfect for lunch boxes or quick, on the go snacks. Olives aren’t a typical snack for many people but with the ease of these who can say no? They’re are a great source of unsaturated fats!

9. Freeze-Dried Blueberries: I wish I could include the entire “nuts” section of Trader Joes but these guys will have to do. Every few weeks I stock up on raw nuts – they’re so reasonably priced here compared to a lot of other stores! I like to make my own trail mix and add these freeze-dried blueberries as a hint of sweetness!

10. Gone Berry Crazy: Last but not least are these yummy chocolate covered FROZEN strawberries! I occasionally like to have a couple after dinner for a yummy and refreshing sweet treat. They also make a banana slice version!

April 18, 2019 / Healthy Eating Tips

Fueling for my First Half Marathon

Part 1

As I’m sure many of you have seen from my numerous social media posts (sorry not sorry) – I ran my first half marathon last weekend!!

I will be honest by telling you that I haven’t always been a “runner” or even enjoyed running. I was envious of people who fell into those categories. At just over 5 feet tall I felt like I wasn’t built to run effortlessly or even at a pace over eleven minute miles. Running always felt like a chore and the fastest way to get a workout in. It certainly wasn’t enjoyable.

Enter graduate school, a dietetic internship, a NICU dietitian position, starting a business, and moving out of my parent’s house. Add an introverted personality into the mix and I was an emotional mess. My chore of running started to turn into an escape. It was thirty to forty five minutes of being alone and collecting my thoughts. It no longer mattered how fast I went or how many miles I logged. With that judgment removed I actually started to enjoy it.

One year later, I was getting in 3 miles consistently with an occasional 5 miler squeezed in if I was feeling really great. I still wouldn’t call myself a runner but the thought of running didn’t trigger thoughts of disdain. Running a half-marathon was a very intimidating idea but seemed like it would be a good goal to work towards. (certainly not in the near future)

I somehow managed to get my boyfriend’s sister to get on board with the idea that eventually running a half might be fun. Six months later we were signed up to run a half marathon in Newport.

A dietitian’s dilemma:
I knew I was going to have to get serious about eating before and after my runs. What better excuse for a dietitian to think about food, right? I am by no means a sports dietitian or an elite athlete but I was able to use my nutrition skills to guide me through the process of fueling for the event. I knew carbs and protein with minimal fat and not a lot of fiber was the way to go before runs. Toast with a little peanut butter, oatmeal with banana, yogurt and blueberries … all of these ideas popped up as food to eat an hour before my runs. I started trying different combinations before my short runs.

Like clockwork, around the 1 mile mark of each run the cramping would start. By 1-¼ miles, I was stooped over with incredible abdominal pain. This was pain that I had never felt before. It took every ounce of me to maintain my composure so that fellow trail runners or passers-by wouldn’t think I was a lunatic. I was sometimes able to recover and finish my run after an agonizing ½ mile walk but by that time I was ready to go home.

Google search after Google search brought up the same three diagnoses. I was either pregnant (as only any medical Google search can determine), dehydrated or I had exercised too soon after eating something too rich. I decided to focus on the latter two of the three. Dehydration was a distinct possibility – I was always horrible at drinking water. I decided to pay closer attention to my water intake and keep the fueling the same. That didn’t work.

Was it really a possibility that I, a dietitian, didn’t know what to eat before a run?? I decided to keep a food and symptom journal to try and find some connection between the cramping and food.

After what seemed like ages playing with the timing and types of food as well as my hydration, I was eventually able to find what worked for me. Carbs and carbs only was what worked best for me and my clearly sensitive tummy. Runs less than 6 miles were fueled with the traditional banana at least 1 hour before running. Weekend long runs were fueled with a plain bagel with blueberry jam at least 2 hours before the run. Like magic I never felt those cramps again.

Given this issue and the horror stories I had heard about gus and chews, I was very hesitant to start fueling during my runs. Luckily, I was easily able to find products that worked for fueling during my run with no problem. Gatorade Chews and mini Starbursts were my go to for runs over 6 miles. A near miss taught me that, despite recommendations, Swedish Fish and running is a choking hazard.

Moral of that story? Sports nutrition is a very individualized approach. Just because something works for one athlete doesn’t mean it will work for you. It’s a trial and error experience.