How I Survived Oral Surgery...Without Popsicles

Hey guys!

Wow! It's been a while since I've blogged, so I guess I need to update everyone on what's been going on.

I've been doing a lot of traveling back and forth visiting my parents and doing some networking trips for my upcoming dietetic internship/graduate school application process (YIKES!). I got back from a whirlwind DC/NYC/NJ weekend trip, where I spent far too much time on public transit for one weekend, and the day after I got home I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out at once. Yes, I'm probably too old to just NOW be getting these things out, but I guess my wisdom came in a little slower than most.

This brings me to my topic: surviving oral surgery without popsicles. I didn't want to be a bump on the log for a week eating nothing but pudding and jello, so I made some good plans PRE surgery with my lovely caretakers (thanks Mom and Dad) so that we would have plenty of nutritious options ready to go.

Basics:

Pudding and jello: Hey, I said I didn't want to eat only pudding and jello. These things are easy to eat on the first day and the chilled feeling is really nice on those sore teeth.

Sherbet: I wanted a fruit-based dessert instead of ice cream. You could make this yourself if you plan ahead and have an ice cream maker!

Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce chilled in the fridge is ideal for this sort of procedure. You can add a little cinnamon if that suits you.

Baby food: Yep, I ate baby food. Steamed and pureed vegetables is always a sub for this, but for convenience sake I went with the packaged baby foods. Sitting around for a week without any vegetables in my diet just wasn't going to happen and this was the best way to get them in from day 1.

Meals:

Scrambled eggs: Great for breakfast because you can gum them down pretty easily

Smoothies: It's important that you don't include any berries with seeds because they could get stuck in your wounds, but smoothies with bananas and some whey protein have been really great for keeping me full. My favorite one was a vanilla pumpkin pudding smoothie that I made for lunch (recipe below). You could do a greens smoothie for some extra veggies, but make sure to puree to a super smooth texture before drinking it. Remember, NO STRAWS!

Soups: My mom was kind enough to run to Trader Joe's and pick up some healthy pre-made soups without any extra herbs that could cause issues with my teeth. She also made me a red potato soup/puree that tasted like heaven after a day of jello. The name of the game is staying full so we kept the skin on (yay fiber!) and put the boiled potatoes in the blender with milk and a little bit of butter. 

Fish: My first real food after surgery was fish because it has a soft, flaky texture that is easy to swallow. Make sure you don't add too many seasonings and depending on the type of fish you have, check for bones!

Pasta/Noodles: Once you can stand to chew a little bit, pasta is a great dish to have that will keep you more satisfied than veggie purees. I would recommend cooking it a little more than you may be used to because the longer you cook it, the softer it gets. My Italian grandmother is rolling over in her grave, but I'm sure she would understand that it's for the best this time.

So that's how I've been making it through my oral surgery! It just takes a little bit of planning and you can get through something like this without completely compromising a healthy diet. Give yourself a little leeway to eat the pudding and the jello without feeling guilty about it, but make sure you try to include veggies, protein, and whatever grains you can at your stage of recovery.

The better nutrients you take in, the better you will feel!

Vanilla Pumpkin Smoothie:

1 frozen banana
1 individual vanilla pudding cup
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (from a can)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup milk or milk alternative
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Blend until very smooth and drink up!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day celebrating and eating some delicious, yet healthy treats!

I just made a great summer lunch and had to share the results. It was my typical meal: simple, fresh, and fun!

Here is my blackberry, spinach, turkey and brie open faced sandwich pre toasting.

And here it is after!

Don't forget a little parfait with some red, white, and blue spirit! I used granola, blueberry Greek yogurt, and chopped strawberries assembled in a champagne flute...couldn't find the parfait glasses but it still looked fancy!

For dinner I'll be making burgers (veggie for me) with corn on the cob, salad, and red, white, and blue cheesecake for dessert! Pictures to come!

Have a great holiday guys and enjoy all this amazing summer food!

Semi-homemade Blueberry Greek Yogurt Muffins

Happy Monday everyone!

Usually I bake something wonderful on the weekends to satisfy my sweet tooth through the week (if it lasts that long!), but I took it easy this past weekend and left the baking as a Monday activity. I was looking in the cabinets and wondering what I could make with what was left, since it's my most creative culinary day: the day before grocery shopping. I had a container of plain Greek yogurt that I wanted to use up, so I thought maybe a healthed up blueberry and sour cream muffin, using the yogurt in place of the sour cream would work. I then went to the cabinet and before I could grab the flour, I saw a box of multigrain pancake mix from Trader Joe's. Often, baking mixes for pancakes can also be used for making biscuits and muffins and I decided to try and make these semi-homemade. The batter looked very thick going into the muffin pan, but trust me, it comes out moist and delicious.

Here is the recipe:
2 cups TJ's multigrain baking mix or any baking mix you have on hand
1/2 cup sugar
1 container (6oz) Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1 cup frozen blueberries (fresh would work here too!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, add the yogurt/egg mixture to the dry and mix until just combined and DO NOT overmix. Fold in the blueberries gently and spoon about 1/4 cup into each cup of a lined muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and let cool before serving! Makes 12 muffins.

Beautiful, blueberry muffin! I like my muffins plain but you could top these with a little bit of butter, a little bit of cream cheese, or even some coconut oil if you prefer it that way.

Jacksonville is not fortunate enough to have a Trader Joe's, but Sarasota is and since that is where my parents live, you can bet I stock up on goodies to bring back with me! If you don't have a TJ's near you, just find the best baking mix you can for these. Don't be afraid of making some healthy substitutions in your baking if you've never tried it before! I like this guide to substitutions, but I would suggest only trying one per recipe at first.

Happy baking!

NEVER say Never!

Hey guys,

Today I was browsing through the Fitness Magazine's online site and saw an article titled "10 Foods to Never Eat", which I absolutely HAD to read through. I'll just start off by saying that I am a proponent of a healthy diet with everything in moderation and I strongly believe that excluding foods or even entire macronutrients (Carbs anyone?) is a path towards disordered eating. So in an effort to bring you a Real Life, Real Health take on these 10 taboo foods, I have broken down the article for you.

Original article

1. Frosting: Fitness Mag says to nix all store bought frosting because many of them still contain trans fats. I agree that limiting or avoiding trans fats is the way to go because they are chemically produced, have shown to be just as harmful if not more harmful than saturated fat, and are often found in foods that are in a box with an unnaturally long shelf life. That being said, please don't turn down a cupcake at a birthday party just because it has store bought frosting. Celebrate the occasion! When I have the option, I like to make my own frosting and I find that it turns out so much more fluffy and delicious than the store bought anyway!

2. Bagels: Fitness claims that because bagels have such a high glycemic index that you should avoid them altogether or run the risk of having skin breakouts. Let's be honest here, there is something so nice about a bagel with cream cheese every once in a while but I have to agree that this should not be an everyday food. Standard sized bagels are equivalent to 4 servings of grains and unless you add a protein to the meal, you might find yourself starving again in an hour because there isn't enough staying power in that hole-y wonder. Try only having half or finding a thin, whole wheat option that can both satisfy your craving and your body for longer than an hour.

3. Processed Baked Goods: Fitness recommends eliminating all processed cookies, cakes, doughnuts, etc... from your diet because they are high in sugar and hard to digest. The high sugar and slow digestion part is true, but that doesn't mean that one glazed doughnut is going to send you straight to pre-diabetes! I live near a krispy kreme store and will occasionally get myself ONE glazed doughnut to satisfy my sweet tooth. By occasionally, I'm talking once a month or so. Buying them in the grocery isn't the same and getting any other treat pre-made isn't worth it to me because I love to bake. One of the best parts about baking your own treats is that you know what's in them and there are so many great modifications to health up your recipes without losing the sweet goodness.

4. Soda: Yep, I'm all on board with cutting soda out of your diet entirely. It's nothing but empty calories and does much more harm than good to our bodies. Please, please, please, if you have children do not give them soda. Their beautiful teeth will thank you!

5. Sugary Cereal: Fitness claims that the high sugar and gluten in some cereals will cause skin problems so the food should be avoided. My problem with their claim is that they don't explain what counts as a sugary cereal. Yes, too much sugar is a problem and shouldn't your food do more for you than just spike your insulin? Here is my rule of thumb, at least 5g of fiber and 5g or less of sugar. It can be hard to find and doesn't taste nearly as good as Captain Crunch, but having high fiber foods in the morning can help you stay full. Add a little fruit for a more natural sweetness and that's what I call your food working for you!

6. Stick Margarine: Trans fat strikes again! I agree that avoiding trans fat containing margarine is a good idea. Use real butter or look for margarine made from trans fat free vegetable oils that are heart healthy. If used in moderation and not like pre-diabetic Paula Deen, then you can feel good about a little butter on your bread.

7. Jarred Tomato Sauce: Fitness says avoid jarred tomato sauce and make your own to save yourself the sugar rush. Now, I'm Italian and I do like to make my own red sauce, but sometimes you just don't have the time! This is where label reading really comes in handy. Look at the ingredients list to make sure there isn't any added sugar; tomatoes are sweet enough! Add some veggies to boost the nutritional value of the sauce while you're at it and don't stress over your meal not coming straight from "The Old Country".

8. Bacon: Oh, bacon. You must always be at the center of every controversy! Fitness says no to the egg's BFF because of the high saturated fat content, sodium, and nitrites/nitrates for preservation. Bottom line is that bacon and any other processed meat should be limited in the diet because there has been a correlation between high intake of these foods and colon cancer. There are now many options for nitrite/nitrate free bacon, turkey bacon, and even veggie bacon that can be a better option for those who crave those crispy strips, but they are all processed meat/meat substitutes so less is more!

9. Maraschino Cherries: I personally cannot stand these and don't understand why anyone would want to eat them in the first place, but they are popular with many people! Fitness says no-go due to the artificial dyes and high sugar content in these Sundae toppers. From a nutritional standpoint, unless you're eating the whole jar of these things, the one on top of your milkshake isn't going to cause as much of a problem as drinking that whole milkshake might. Fresh fruit is always your best bet, but let's not sweat the small stuff!

10. Soy Sauce: Fitness says soy sauce is far too high in sodium to be included in the diet and I tend to agree there. The low-sodium options are everywhere and if you really want to nix the Na, check out liquid aminos by Bragg. It's a soy sauce substitute made from liquid amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and produces the same savory flavor we all know and love.

There you have it! My take on the foods you should "never" eat. I think we need to stop thinking about what we can't eat and start thinking about what is going to best nourish our bodies. Whole, fresh, unprocessed foods should be the basis of your healthy diet, but sometimes you just have to live a little and enjoy the food you love!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Salmon Burger Lunch

Happy Thursday everyone!

Today I made a yummy salmon burger and I thought I would share my recipe with you all. Last night I made a fillet of salmon, but it was too much for one portion so this is how I'm using my leftovers. I have used packaged pink salmon for this recipe before and that works well too!

So I had my leftover piece of salmon that I simply baked in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes with only salt, pepper, and olive oil added.

To make the burger, I shredded the salmon and added 1 small minced shallot, 1 minced clove of garlic, a handful of breadcrumbs or cooked quinoa( good for leftovers!), one egg (can use liquid egg whites in place of whole egg), a splash of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Form your patty and cook in a pan on medium-high heat with 1tsp olive oil until lightly browned, a few minutes on each side.

I topped mine with  a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of paprika, but you could dress it up however you choose. My favorite renditions are topped with sliced ripe avocado or served over a bed of fresh greens. That's it! It's pretty easy and definitely makes for a perfect summertime lunch dish, especially along side some sweet potato chips.

Have a great day and enjoy your lunch!

Active Afternoon with Mom

Happy Saturday!

Right now I am on a mini vacation in Sarasota, FL to celebrate Memorial Day and my parents' 27th wedding anniversary! While I've been in town, I've been finding all sorts of fun outdoor activities to do around town and so far, today's adventure was my favorite. My mom and I went out to this cool new man made hill to walk to trails before stopping by the farm store and then we headed home to make some amazing pesto and avocado grilled cheese with veggie chips. On top of all of that, I spent the morning relaxing out on the beach with friends. It's been a very active vacation.

Fresh from the farm store: pesto, avocado, spinach, and mozzarella grilled cheese with dehydrated veggie chips

The other day I posed the question on the Real Health Facebook and Twitter about whether vacations are a time to fit in exercise, or if it's more of a free pass. I definitely think that it's fun to find activities to do wherever you are, even if its more leisurely than your normal exercise routine. Here are some of my favorite places in Sarasota to enjoy the city while also getting a workout:

Siesta Key Beach: If you haven't been, go now. Seriously, book your trip. The sand is pure white and soft, perfect for walking or jogging.

The Ringling Bridge: This is the infamous bridge where I hurt my hip, but it is still one of my favorite spots in the city because the views of the bay can't be beat.

The Celery Fields: This is the place we went today and it was so much fun. There are trails leading up and down the hill and paths around the ponds. It is also a mecca for bird watching. Very cool site and offers a great uphill workout! 

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend :)

The Break Up

It's been a while since I've even thought about doing a new blog post because some other things have taken priority lately. Recently, my boyfriend and I called it quits. If I said it was a complete shock then it wouldn't quite be the truth, but I certainly wasn't prepared for the when, why, and how. So now here I am in a scenario I didn't think would happen, especially with someone I lived with and shared a life with. Bottom line: our life goals didn't line up anymore and things that are very important to me are no longer important to him. This stuff happens and it's sad, but every day life moves on and so in the spirit of moving on I have decided to share a little bit about what has happened to my food habits as a result of this mini-crisis.

Break-ups are a fact of life and they definitely impact how we go about our everyday activities, or don't as was the case for me. Priorities disappear and for me that meant that I no longer had the desire to cook. It didn't make any sense to go to the store with a full list in hand and get excited about planning all my meals for the week because I was going to eat them alone. This is the real problem. This is what sucks about break ups. For a period of time, you lose the motivation to do the things you love to do or even need to do, like eat real food. I ordered pizza and ate off of it for about 3 days...not exactly something I would do under normal circumstance, but these weren't normal circumstances now were they? Fortunately, my good pals Ben and Jerry knew just what I needed: Cannoli ice cream. WARNING: That stuff is so good you might finish the pint before you realize it. It's probably a good thing that it's a limited production item. 

Ok so obviously I had to do something to break out of this rut. I was still exercising as much as I could considering that I hadn't been eating very well or very much, but we all know the post break-up body is the best motivation to get back out there and live life.  I planned out my meals for the week and went to the store to stock up on healthy foods I could eat without much preparation ie. fruits and veggies and healthy packaged snacks. Despite my efforts, I still didn't want to sit down and eat dinner alone so I am now trying a completely new tactic. I'm redecorating my dining room to make it feel more cheery, brighter, and somewhere that I feel comfortable sitting and eating every night, with or without company. The old dining room decor was all about him. We framed all of the posters from shows he directed and hung them up in the dining room. That was not what I needed to move on with my life or my cooking so I took them all off the walls and did something dramatic. It's not quite finished yet, but so far I'm loving it!

Before: White walls really made for a boring room and it washed out the beauty of the dining table my father so lovingly finished for me

After: BRIGHT! Definitely a change from the dull white and you can see that I did some stenciling in a copper patina glaze to make it look a little glamorous! It's the perfect room to enjoy a healthy homemade meal

So far, it's worked. I love my dining room and I'm excited to eat my meals in there every night. It was worth all the work to make sure that I can still enjoy cooking and eating healthy meals. My focus now is on how accomplished I feel for doing something all by myself and all for me, instead of dwelling on what is now my past.

Now everyone go cook yourselves a fabulous and healthy meal tonight despite who may or may not be joining you!

At Home Workout

It's been a rainy afternoon here in Jax today and I've been stuck inside while my car is having maintenance done which means I've been BORED. I cleaned the house yesterday and we all know you can't clean the house one day and fold laundry the next...that's just too productive! Thanks to the rain I wasn't able to go for a walk but I wanted to get a workout in despite the weather.

I wanted something total body and something that wouldn't take too long because I might have to go get my car soon so I broke out a few at home exercise staples and made this routine for myself:

1 minute jump rope for warm up
30 squat press with 8lb dumbbells
30 second jump rope
30 lunges (15 each side) with 8lb dumbbells
30 second jump rope
15 pushups (girly style of course)
30 second mountain climbers
30 second plank (high or low, but I prefer high)
30 second mountain climbers
30 second side plank (each side)
3 minute stretch (I focus on hip openers and hamstring stretches, being a hip patient and all!)

Phew. I am beat after just typing that again! It doesn't seem like much and it didn't take much of my time, but it kept my heart rate up the whole time and I was ready for a nap afterwords. Getting back in tip-top shape is no picnic, but I feel accomplished and proud that I didn't let the rain get in the way of my daily exercise.

Are there any home work outs you go to on a rainy day or days where you don't feel like going to the gym? Share them here or on the Real Life, Real Health facebook page and twitter!

Almond Butter Breakfast

Happy Saturday!

This morning I'm going to share with you my almond butter recipe. If you've tried almond butter before then you know how expensive it can be, but it's not if you make it! If you're a peanut butter lover but haven't tried almond butter, then give this a try.

You need a food processor (mine is the mini version from Cuisinart and it works jut fine) to make the butter and a bag of dry roasted almonds- feel free to roast them yourself if that suits you!

Now my secret ingredient is something I mentioned yesterday: coconut oil. Not everyone has this at home and it is a little pricey if you buy it at health food stores, but Publix had a big tub of it for $5.99 so I would try there first. The reason I love coconut oil in this is because it has a very mild flavor but also because its not quite solid or liquid at room temperature, which means less separation of the oil from the butter later on. Seriously, I hate stirring nut butters back together every time I want to use them.

Here we go:

1/2 cup almonds, skins on or off
1/ tbsp coconut oil
Pinch of salt

That's it! I like to start the almonds in the processor first and then add the oil at the crumbly stage. You could add a little honey or agave to sweeten it up, but I like it plain on toast. I ate it this way this morning in fact!

Have a great weekend and get a little nutty!

Break Over!

Hey guys,

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted something. I've been so busy with finishing up school and because life is never easy, some wrenches have been thrown in the way including emergency vet visits! All is well now and classes have come to an end until late August so it's time to get back to the business of blogging!

I've been working on some new recipes to share with everyone soon, but today I'm just going to focus on some of my food favorites for Spring and Summer.

1. Avocado: These little green grenades have been on my plate multiple times a week and I can't get enough! There's just something about that creamy texture that makes avocado's irresistible to me and their versatility is great. I've been making avocado spreads for toast and bagels, making Pinterest inspired avocado and pesto grilled cheese, topping my salads, and of course using them for taco nights!

2. Coconut: Growing up near the beach lends itself to loving coconut flavored anything, especially a good summer drink! I've been making coconut crusted tilapia and working on coconut power bites (like granola bars but better!) so I can get my fix! I've also recently started using coconut oil and I'm really starting to appreciate what the hype is all about. It's a good substitute for butter and really does double as a beauty product. Moderation is key here of course, both in your food and your hair!

3. Fruit salads: I'm not talking about melon balls in a bowl here, but fruit ON your greens. It's not rocket science and a lot of places offer great salads featuring fruit in the spring and summer, but I'm all about it. Lunch is usually when I try to get both fruit and veggies in my meal so a good fruit salad is definitely a go-to.

Look for some recipes related to my food faves coming up soon! While you're here, leave a comment letting me know what your favorite Spring/Summer foods are and how you like to used them!

Have a great day!

Beating the Bad Weather Breakfast

Well this week was my spring break from school, but the weather here in Jax hasn't really put much of a spring in my step. The overcast, cold, and rain have put a wrench in my beach plans, but I wasn't going to let it ruin my breakfast today!

This morning I was solo for breakfast since SF had to get ready for a show opening and I decided to make myself a sunny meal to beat the bad weather.  I went to the Starbucks around the corner and picked up one of the new hazelnut macchiatos as a Saturday treat (sooo good by the way) and got to work on a simple egg, avocado, and tomato sandwich. It was super easy, but was just what I needed to get the spring back in my spring break.

I took half of a small avocado and sliced it onto a piece of whole wheat toast, took a thick slice of a fresh Florida tomato and put that on top, then added my fried egg (fried with cooking spray of course) and topped it off with a little mozzarella cheese and cracked black pepper. A couple of strawberries on the side and my breakfast was complete!

Simple, pretty, and definitely more sunny than this weather! With the heart healthy avocado, the nutty whole wheat toast, the delicious fried egg, and the nice dose of vitamin C from the tomato and strawberries, I think my day got off to a pretty good start! What do you like to make when the weather gets bad?

Stay dry everyone!

Modified Sweet Potato Casserole

Hey everyone! I hope everyone's weekend has been relaxing and maybe even productive. We did an overhaul on our backyard and planted some lettuce and kale in our small raised bed so needless to say, we have had a hard working and dirt filled weekend.

To say our farewell to the weekend and most likely to the cooler weather here in Jax, we decided to have sweet potato casserole for dinner tonight. Sweet potato casserole is one of my favorite sides for Thanksgiving dinner, but it's usually super sweet and has lots of butter in it (not that I complain once a year) so I wanted to revamp it slightly to fit it into my healthier Sunday meal. Here is my recipe:

3-5 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups marshmallows

Put the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover
Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes
Drain the potatoes and add the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices
Mash or use an electric mixer until the mixture is combined but still slightly lumpy
Spoon mixture into a casserole dish and top with marshmallows (you could add pecans or cashews here if you like)
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until marshmallows are just golden brown.

Fresh out of the oven

I cut the sugar by 1/2 cup while keeping the flavor by adding vanilla extract and nutmeg. I also reduced the amount of butter by half as the recipe I normally use calls for 1/2 cup. The marshmallows aren't going anywhere though, they are the best part!

I served this decadently delish casserole with some rotisserie chicken and some steamed green beans for a healthy Southern, Sunday meal! By cutting some of the sugar and the fat I let the goodness of the sweet potatoes shine through and I don't feel bad about making this casserole for a regular dinner.  This casserole is so good you won't even need dessert, heck it could be dessert on its own...and lunch tomorrow!

Rotisserie chicken, steamed green beans, and sweet potato casserole.

As SF was eating his dinner he said, "It's like Christmas in July, and by that I mean Thanksgiving in March." That means he likes it!

Enjoy and have a great week!

Getting Involved

Happy Friday! Today I attended a meeting for the Duval County Child Obesity Prevention Coalition and I wanted to share a little bit about my experience.

Jacksonville has a big problem with poverty, poor nutrition, obesity, and infant mortality in the urban core area (Downtown, Springfield, etc..) and there are many groups trying to get together to help solve the problem. The children of our city are highly impacted by these issues as well as a lack of availability of fresh produce and safe places to play. All of this leads to poor health and obese children, which in the long run will result in higher health care costs due to higher rates of chronic disease and the possibility that this generation will be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Concerned yet? I certainly am!

Something I had to wrap my mind around was how bad this problem truly is and how it is knocking on our doors. I am from a smaller city in Southwest Florida that is by many measures a well-to-do city with lower instances of these types of problems. Add that to the fact that I had been sheltered from issues such as food insecurity or child obesity due to my upbringing and you have one shocked, sheltered, suburban girl. Luckily for me, I now know the problem exists and I have a vested interest in doing something about it. We all do. One of my professors once said that obesity is not an "Us and Them" problem, it's OUR problem. It's not just Jacksonville either, its everywhere.

So what are the contributing factors? Well for starters, we have people living in urban areas that are miles away from a grocery store or mega-mart and without transportation to get to a store that sells fresh produce. Corner stores are much more prevalent in these areas and if you've ever tried to find a healthy option at a corner store then you know where the problem lies. It's a lack of accessibility and availability. Another problem is a lack of education about healthy food. Many schools don't have the funding for nutrition educators to come in and teach kids how to make healthy snack choices or what it means to have a healthy meal. Not only do kids not have the education about healthy choices, but they don't even have physical education anymore! More and more schools have taken recess and physical activity out of the curriculum to be replaced by more classroom time. Kids need exercise and if they don't have a safe neighborhood to play in, they need to be able to play at school! All of these are BIG problems in our communities that are leading to BIG and unhealthy kids!

What can I do? That was the question I asked myself after leaving the coalition meeting this morning. What can I do, what can WE do? We can start by learning about the problem and understanding the need. We can visit our local farmer's markets that reach out to our struggling communities and help by funding their efforts. We can have a conversation with the farmers and ask them about their community programs, if they donate extra food, etc... Hey, you get some great produce in the process! We can donate money, time, or food to our local food pantries and find out more about the communities they serve. If your child has a school garden, volunteer some time to help maintain it and take that opportunity to teach your child about where healthy food comes from. You don't have to be a policy maker to change the community. You just have to do a little something!

I base my healthy lifestyle on realistic goals and my busy schedule, which means sometimes I won't be able to do as much hands-on as I would like, but the key to making a difference is finding even a small way that you can help. Always start small and you will be amazed how big your impact can be!

If you are interested in getting involved with the efforts here in Duval county here are some great resources and information articles! If you don't live in Duval, reach out to your health department and see what information is available.

Second Harvest North Florida
Jax 2025
Florida Farm to School
Health Zone One Residents Urged to Get Moving and Eat Healthy

Note: If you're really looking to make change on the policy level, write your representatives about childhood nutrition and obesity in your area. For my fellow Florida residents: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/

The Basics of Food Labels

One of the most daunting things about being health conscious with your food choices is reading all of those nutrition labels. What does it all mean anyway? What should you be looking at most carefully? Everyone has a different opinion on what nutrient to be concerned with and it can really be hard to figure out which product is the best.

My philosophy goes a little like this (I've bolded ingredients of particular concern):
If it's in a box and/or bag, read the ingredients carefully! Processed and packaged foods can contain so much extra sodium, fat, and preservatives, but not every brand is the same. Take your time reading these labels most carefully and put down anything that reads partially hydrogenated oil or has trans fats listed on the label.

Bread products can be very deceptive so make sure your wheat bread is actually 100% whole wheat by looking for whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. If you see enriched wheat flour anywhere on the label, it's not whole wheat!

If it's a dairy product, choose low-fat and always check your yogurt ingredients for artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. Greek yogurt is a great low sugar/non-fat option if you can handle the tart flavor but remember that it is lower in calcium than regular yogurt. Compare your milk alternatives too. Almond milk and flavored soymilk can have a lot of added sugar that you don't really need.

If it's meat or a meat stock, check for extra sodium content. Sometimes they add salt water to meat products like chicken breast to help plump up the product and add flavor. Always opt for the reduced sodium or no salt added stocks! Bottom line: you can add your own salt when you're cooking, but you need to be in control.

If it's produce then grab one of everything. No labeling is required for produce because what you see is what you get! If you choose whole foods in their natural form, you have to worry so much less about what else is in your food.

Here is an article on food label reading that I'm sure you will find helpful http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Personalities/Article/An-Easy-Approach-to-Food-Labels.aspx

Once you learn your way around that nutrition facts label, you will be able to navigate the grocery store like a pro! 

Apple Pie Smoothie

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I last posted, but life has been busy! We were very fortunate to have been invited to a huge 200+ acre property in Georgia with some great friends for Valentine's weekend so we were enjoying our time unplugged and away from work, school, stress in general!

Now it's back to the same old grind and today I needed a sweet afternoon treat that wouldn't break my calorie bank. I'm on a smoothie kick these days since the weather has been getting a little warmer and I made up a delightful sweet smoothie concoction that I'm sure you will love!

Add one frozen banana (in pieces) to your blender or a fresh banana with a couple ice cubes
Add 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt, Greek or regular is fine
Add 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Optional: Add 2 Tablespoons of ground flax seed, this really makes it taste like it has the crust!
Add 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or to taste

Blend away until its smooth and creamy then sit down and enjoy your healthy, sweet treat. I'm telling you, it's apple pie in a glass! 

Overcoming Setbacks

While I was on my walk today I started to come to terms with a few health-related issues I've been struggling with lately and I thought about all the other people who may be in the same boat, or at least paddling along next to me. As I have already mentioned, I lost a significant amount of weight a few years ago and have made health an important part of my life. I was in a tough spot about a year ago when I was diagnosed with a hip labrum tear which is a tear in the cartilage of the hip joint. It was really painful and after trying to get through it and failing, I went through with the surgery. Afterwords, not being able to be active at all was really hard on me. I had spent so much time working on my health and pushing my fitness limits that to now have to sit on the couch all day watching daytime TV during my summer break...well that was about as close to cruel and unusual as I can imagine. I went through the physical therapy and started to get back to normal day-to-day activities but here we are, 9 months post repair and I'm still not where I thought I would be.

My new years resolution was to start running again and compete in some small races, 5Ks and such. I started slow by jogging a mile a couple times a week and walking the other days just to get myself ready to work on distance. After a couple days of running, I was really hurting and not just take-some-advil-and-rest pain, but couldn't-walk-right pain. It devastated me that I could go from running 3-4 miles every day and running bridges to being 10lbs heavier and not even able to run 1 mile comfortably. I took a few days off and tried to jog again but the pain came back even worse. Could it be that I'm just not meant to run? The last thing I want to do is push myself into another injury that would set me back another year.

This brings me to my realization today: I need to find what really works for my body. It's not ok to just work out to burn calories or improve endurance if it's causing pain. I love to walk and I always have, it's what helped me lose all that weight to begin with and scientifically speaking, it actually burns more fat due to its moderate intensity. Why can't I just be happy walking a few miles everyday? I should be and I have re-resolved to do just that. We shouldn't be exercising the way someone tells us to, but instead we should be making a lifelong hobby out of a healthy activity that we enjoy. With my joint injuries, walking and biking work better for me than running does. I really enjoy lifting weights too which is a great complement to my more moderate activities. I know plenty of people who prefer to run and do yoga or even people who push their human limits with crossfit. They found what works for them and we all need to find what works for us. I would like to lose the extra weight I've gained and I do want to feel like I'm in great shape again, but instead of focusing on the weight I really just want to enjoy my activities again.

Meet my inspiration: my youngest dog Portia

Portia loves going on long walks with me and she benefits from it just as much as I do. At just under a year old, she has more energy than any of us know what to do with so the walks are a great outlet for her.

There's my girl right by my side. She makes me remember how good for you going for a walk really is. She doesn't try to run and drag me along because she's content just going for a good brisk walk, which is something I need to be content with too...at least for now. And if I really want to get my heart rate up, I'll just take her 85lb squirrel-chasing big brother for a walk!

If you are struggling with a health setback, don't let it get to you and don't think that there isn't a solution. Try new things and find what works best for you and makes you feel good. Good health is a life-long thing so it's important to find activities you can enjoy throughout your life.

Leftover round up!

Tonight is the dreaded night before the grocery store trip. You all know the night I'm talking about. The one where you look in the fridge aimlessly and yell across the house "Should we just order a pizza?" because you can't fathom making any sort of meal from what's left in the fridge. Somehow you pull it together and make a decent meal all while doing a happy dance inside your head knowing that tomorrow you get to be a pretend gourmet chef once again!

If you're like me, this night is also the night you look through your fridge and see if anything needs to be taken out to make room for all the delicious, mostly healthy food you plan on stocking up on tomorrow. Well, tonight I found myself staring at the last 4 carrots sitting in my crisper wondering what the heck I was going to do with them other than chop them up for snacks. I had already gotten creative and started experimenting with beans in desserts...yes, you read that right (stay tuned for that new original recipe once I perfect it) so my culinary wheels were turning. I decided to grab the mandolin and make some veggie chips!

We buy dehydrated vegetable chips from Publix frequently and I love the variety of veggies in their blend so I don't often find myself wanting to buy 6 types of vegetables, slice them up, and bake them for 4 hours. Who has the time for that?! But tonight, with only one veggie in the mix, it was a breeze. It seems like a no brainer to bake your veggies if you aren't going to use them in time, but even the smartest of us can find ourselves with a sub-prime vegetable wishing we had done something before it was too late. Well, go ahead. Take a look in your fridge and save that vegetable tonight. You can use carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, parsnips, any variety of squash really. And if you don't have a mandolin, just slice very thinly so they don't take too long to bake.

Here are my carrots:

Wash and peel the carrots

Cut the ends off

Use your mandolin on the thin setting or thinly slice. Note: If using another vegetable or even thicker carrots than the ones I used, I would recommend cutting the veggies diagonally. It makes larger chips and looks pretty. My carrots were just too thin for that :(

Here is my pile of soon to be chips...minus one or two that I ate

Behold the misto! I love that I can use whatever oil I like and I don't have to worry about any propellants in my spray because it's pump action! This one has olive oil in it.

Spray the pan and then lay your veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray again with your oil or drizzle and toss to evenly coat. It should be a very light coating of oil!

Sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like. I went with a simple salt and pepper and baked them at 375 for about 20 minutes. Give them a shake about halfway through just to prevent any burning.

The finished product! The carrots are quite small but they would be great as a salad topping to add some veggie crunch. I ate them like chips regardless and they were great!

These store really well in a bag or a container in the pantry and I'd be willing to bet you are more likely to eat these colorful and flavorful veggie chips than you are if they are sitting at the bottom of your crisper!

Happy eating! 

Super Bowl Weekend!

Hey everyone, I hope your football weekend was a blast! We had a great weekend getting ready for the big game and now that the festivites are over, I thought I would share a little bit about our healthy football food.

Super Bowl parties mean delicious game day treats, right? I will admit that salty snack foods are a favorite of mine and I'm the first one to dive into some chips and dip, but this year I wanted to health up our spread. I didn't break the calorie bank but I didn't sacrifice taste either!

Chili is a traditional game day food in my family and this year we decided to make our own version sans meat. Don't get me wrong, meat chili is delish but we just weren't feeling it. We made a 3 bean chili from scratch with some amazing dehydrated and ground up chili peppers. The peppers were grown lovingly by a friend of ours in his garden. Hooray for backyard gardens! It turned out great and I credit most of its success to the haphazard way I tend to cook (what are measuring cups again?) and letting it sit overnight then simmer low and slow for several hours.

On the snack side, we had pita chips and hummus, sweet potato chips, and steamed edamame in the pods. All of these things are super healthy, easy to make on your own if you so choose, and are able to be shoved into your mouth between drives. That's what football food is all about right?

One of our other friends brought us some fried chicken from her family's fried chicken restaurant and it was sooo good. Come on, you didn't think we would leave out the chicken did you? Moderation is key so having a mostly healthy spread of food allows you to splurge on the greasy stuff!

So that was our spread for the big game and I have to say, the chili was the real winner! Now begins the countdown until next season!

Note: If you live in or near Jacksonville and haven't been to Beach Road Chicken Dinner, make sure you try it! And because I am looking out for everyone's health as well as their taste buds, they have grilled chicken too!

Apple Oatmeal Crisp Dessert

In the spirit of staying naturally sweet, I decided to try a fruit dessert recipe I found on Healthy Aperture tonight. It was awesome and very easy to make (like guy-proof easy, maybe even dorm room easy if you have a toaster oven) so I'm going to show you how I did it.

This recipe from a blog titled "Two Saucy Sisters" (cute name!) was the one I followed. Only 7 ingredients are required (including water), 6 of which I had on hand and 1 I didn't want anyway. I'm just not a raisin fan.

Here goes...

Core and cut one apple into cubes and toss in a microwave AND oven safe bowl/ramekin with 1tsp cinnamon, 1/2tsp nutmeg.
*Add your raisins or dried fruit if you so choose

Add 1tsp of water and microwave for 1 minute. While the apples steam, combine 1/3cup oats and 2Tbsp maple syrup in another bowl and mix until combined.












 

Once the apples are done, top with the oatmeal mixture and microwave for another 2.5-3 minutes.



Pop this into the oven under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until the oats turn golden brown. Be very careful not to burn it!
*Original recipe suggested chopped walnuts before going under the broiler, I didn't have any so I made do!

  

Split the apple crisp into two bowls (portions people!). Top with some ice cream or lowfat frozen yogurt like I did and enjoy a wonderful, fast, and healthy dessert!









As I was eating this I was even thinking that this would be a great breakfast with a little more  oatmeal and some milk poured over the top...ideas, ideas!

Enjoy!

As sweet as sugar....600 times over!

Nothing tastes better to me than my morning coffee with a little bit of milk and my favorite sweetener: Splenda. Yes I know, as a nutrition geek you would think I wouldn't go near the stuff but I won't lie to you, I love it. I started using it years ago in my coffee and even as new sweeteners have appeared claiming to be more "natural" and better for you, I still clung to my little yellow packets of gold.

Recently, I started using two packets in my coffee because one just wasn't enough anymore. I needed more sweetness. Things started to get a little out of hand when I started having INTENSE sweet cravings that no reasonable sweet treat could live up to. These cravings were so bad that they would often result in me baking a whole batch of cookies just to satisfy this manic craving. Something was up and I was tired of losing my evenings to the inevitable hunt for sickly sweet foods. There could only be one culprit: Splenda.

Some little known things about alternative sweeteners: some are lower or even no calorie, but they all lead to the perception that you are eating sugar or something sweet. That's the whole idea right? Well that's great for your waistline and blood sugar, but not so great on your brain. You perceive taste with your brain so every time you add a packet of Splenda to your coffee, you're sending sweet signals to your brain that are 600 times sweeter than regular sugar. 600 TIMES!

No wonder I was having sweet cravings that couldn't be touched! My brain was telling me that I needed something 600 times sweeter than my sweet treat for the night. It was time to cut back and ween myself off of the little yellow packet. I started cutting down to one packet in my morning coffee and avoiding foods that read "sucralose" on the ingredients label to prevent accidentally ruining my plan. I'll tell you, I feel a lot better and I'm starting to respond better to naturally sweet foods like fruit again. I tried stevia as another step-down process to help my poor addicted brain, but both SF and I made faces at the aftertaste (which I had never noticed before in my 2 Splenda packet taste coma).

So I guess the only thing to do is to ween myself off of the Splenda little by little until it's all gone. As much as I love being able to have my super sweet coffee and not have any caloric impact from sugar, it's just not natural and it was driving me to actually eat MORE sugar through my cravings. I'd rather get used to the taste of unsweetened coffee and be able to control what kind of sweet foods I eat instead of feeling powerless to my cravings.

Take a second to think about your sweetener usage. Is it possible to cut back a little? If it is, give it a try and see how much more in control you can be of your food choices. In the mean time, check out some info from Mayo Clinic about sweeteners so you can better decide what works for you!
Artificial Sweeteners and Other Sugar Substitutes

Easy, fast, meatless meal!

Tonight, dinner was a success. This is not always the case due to the small amount of time I have to make dinner between class and SF going to work, but tonight I made it work. Here's how:

I decided to make an all vegetable version of the classic spaghetti and meatballs using spaghetti squash, some marinara I had in the fridge, mushrooms, and some frozen veggie meatballs. Thinking back now, I wish I had taken pictures of the process as I went along, but I only had about 30 minutes to make dinner and get it on the table so I'm lucky I got a picture of the final product.

Spaghetti Squash and Meat(less)balls with Mushroom Marinara:

 Makes 2 servings:
Large spaghetti squash
Cooking spray
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Frozen veggie meatballs
1 clove garlic, minced
4 or 5 medium/large baby bella mushrooms, sliced
About 1/2 cup of marinara or whatever red sauce you have on hand
Parmesan cheese
Herbs for garnish (I didn't have any but it would have looked nice!)

1. Cut a large spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Drizzle the squash halves with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place halves FACE DOWN on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until inside flesh is tender.
3. Cook frozen meat(less)balls according to directions on package. Mine suggested using the oven so I just adjusted the oven temp when it was time to cook the meat(less)balls and timed accordingly with the squash.
4. While squash and meat(less)balls are cooking, heat a small pan with a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat and sautee the mushrooms and garlic until golden brown and soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add marinara to the same pan with the mushrooms and turn on low to let the sauce warm up and pick up the mushroom flavor.
6. Once squash and meat(less)balls are done, turn squash halves over and scrape out inner flesh with a fork. It will come out looking like spaghetti noodles (hence the name!). Scoop the "noodles" into a bowl and top with the mushroom marinara mixture. Add desired number of meat(less)balls and top with Parmesan cheese.
7. Add fresh herbs for garnish if you have them or if you are really trying to impress!

My food photography skills need some work, but don't let the picture deceive you, this meal was delish! I felt so satisfied and even forgot that I was eating a "fake" version of spaghetti and meatballs! This would make a great "meatless Monday" meal or any night when you need a veggie boost.

Happy cooking!

Weekends are for the dogs!

This weekend has been a little crazy between work and schoolwork, but my favorite thing about the weekends is finding fun ways to be active despite the chores and such. The weather has been amazing and we recently joined a HUGE 42 acre dog park (more like camp ground), so my new favorite exercise involves nothing but PLAY. A lot of people just walk their dogs around the neighborhood and that is a great way to exercise the whole family, but I think the dog park is more fun. Dogwood Park here in Jax is really a gem and caters to puppy parents just as much as the dogs themselves. We run around in the fields, throw the ball by the lake, and go hiking in the enclosed wooded area...all with our beautiful dogs in tow! You forget you're getting such a work out until the next day when your legs are killing you from jumping around. For all those dog lovers out there, think about taking your furry friend to a nearby park one of these weekends and get your workout by playing!


Here are our pups chasing by the lake at our home away from home:

And here is SF running with them in the field:

The Lunchtime Dilemma

So it's day 2 of my blog and I'm still trying to figure out some of the basic functions, but I know I'll get there soon. Until I get the aesthetic down a little more I'm just going to focus on some of the food related issues I seem to run into most frequently and how I am sometimes able to solve them.

Today my issue is lunch. I always dream about being that person who easily whips up the most delish vegetable panini or a salad worthy of a picture, but of course that rarely happens. Lunchtime is the hardest meal for me to actually take time and make. I just can't get excited about lunch.

How can we make lunch at home or on the go more exciting AND keep it healthy? Lunch out is never a drag, especially if you don't pay attention to how much money you spend on lunches out every week! And for those snackers out there (guilty!), how do we put together an appetizing meal that will actually power us through the afternoon and not just until the next snack break? Let's save ourselves from the cost, extra calories, and boredom that the mid-day meal brings and add some pizazz. Take another look at the pantry and see all the healthy additions you already have. Dried fruit doesn't have to go on a cold salad, throw it in some rice or quinoa (hot or cold) with some chopped nuts. Try some hummus or pesto on your sandwich instead of mayo. There are so many possibilities if you get creative. Whatever you can add to health up your lunch and get you excited about it again is worth the effort.

What are some ways you make your lunch exciting?

My Introduction to the Blogging World

I recently read a quote that said "If you don't exist in the media, for all practical purposes you don't exist". Pretty harsh right? I mean, how many of us really have our names out there in the media? Well, the more I learn about being a professional or even just getting out there and making a difference the more I have realized how true that statement is.  So here I am, inspired to take the plunge into the world of blogging and maybe, just maybe, make a difference.

So here is my story, may it lead to my eventual "existence":

I have always had a hard time with my health. Migraines, acid reflux, joint injuries, vision issues, allergic reactions, fainting spells...and that's just the beginning. I like to say that I have everything that won't kill you. With all those conditions comes a lot of doctors and a lot of medications with a lot of side effects. Anyone who has had a chronic condition knows what I mean. One of the more joyful side effects that I experienced was weight gain. My senior year of high school I gained about 20lbs which I thought was the worst thing that could ever happen to me and at 17, it probably was. Then I went to college and gained some more weight, hated the school I went to, didn't enjoy my major, gained some more weight, and eventually ended up in a state of what I know now to be depression.

After a few too many days in bed watching tv (Kardashians of course) and ignoring my friends phone calls, I decided to get out of bed and do something with my day. I went to the park down the road and decided to go for a walk. That was it, just a walk and then back to my bed to watch more Kardashians. Then the next day, I went for a walk again. Blame it on the beautiful fall weather in Florida, maybe I just needed some vitamin D...who knows but I started to pull myself out of my rut. Every day I would walk a little more until I was walking about 5 miles a day, then jogging some of the way, then eventually I started running for the first time in my life. I started eating better out of necessity as I was finding that I couldn't sustain any activity if I wasn't eating at least somewhat balanced meals. Through the process, I found that I really liked cooking healthy food and if I did it right it actually tasted great!

Nothing drastic, nothing dangerous, no quick fixes. I just started to eat better food and exercise more and I lost more than 30lbs in 5 months. The best part about it was that I had found a new passion in life at a time when I needed it most. I transferred to the University of North Florida to study nutrition and dietetics and haven't looked back since.

So why am I here? I'm just interested in sharing my health tips and nutrition knowledge in the hopes that maybe I can pull someone out of their rut before they watch all 7 seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. It's not about weight loss, it's not even about weight. It's about being a real person with a real schedule who can be really healthy too. Real Life Real Health.

-Victoria