Blog – Page 4 – Liz Bissell Wellness

Posted on August 19, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — 3 Comments

Peach, Blueberry, & Lavender Crumble

Summer in Michigan is the best time of the year for fresh produce. The fresh blueberries, raspberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, and herbs! Oh the bountiful herbs! My garden is booming and so are the farmer’s markets. I’m a happy camper. Nothing…I mean NOTHING beats Michigan blueberries in the summer. The flavor is so sweet and tart that I find myself eating them by the handful. The flavor is a world different than blueberries from the grocery store in the winter. So I have been trying to use them as much as possible in my cooking.

Now I’m not a baker. Let me repeat myself. I loathe baking. You end up with a shit ton of dishes, the precision of measuring makes me crazy, it generally seems to take a lot of time. To all those who love and are good at baking, I applaud you. Truly, I WISH I enjoyed baking. Sometimes if I’m really wanting to impress my husband, I’ll bake a cookie skillet or pumpkin muffins in the fall. But considering we’ve been together for over four years now, these moments are less frequent (sorry honey!).

When I do make an attempt at baking, it’s usually a pretty easy recipe or some type of a deconstructed baking process that’s less difficult. Which leads me to this berry, peach, lavender crumble. It’s a baking recipe I created for all those in favor of making baking as easy as possible, in addition to anyone who’s as in love with local, fresh produce as I am. I’m always inclined in the summer to step out of my comfort zone with new herbs or flavors that inspire me. I’ve had wild lavender growing in the field of my backyard for quite some time now. I’ve awed at it for years from my back patio and that’s where its ended. I never really knew just what to do with it.

This year I’ve committed myself to harvesting it and using it in my cooking. Since I’ve begun this quest, I’ve found that if used in the right amount, lavender can add a wonderfully subtle floral hint to a recipe, whether that be sweet or savory and trust me, it can definitely be used in both types of flavor profiles.

Now let’s make one thing clear here before moving on. The lavender I have growing is wild lavender, therefore not treated with pesticides. If you want to use lavender in your cooking, you’ll need to grow it wild, find a local lavender farm, or order culinary lavender online. With that being said, this recipe is still delicious if you decide to omit the lavender.

Some of the ingredients in this recipe can easily be substituted for other items that you may have in your pantry instead (i.e. regular sugar instead of coconut palm sugar or regular all-purpose flour instead of gluten-free all-purpose baking flour). I try to keep my ingredients as plant-based as possible, which is why I sometimes explore other types of sweeteners or flours. In addition, my husband is quite allergy-prone so I have to be careful with my ingredients. However, this is not to say that using regular all-purpose flour or sugar are any more/less healthy than the ingredients I use (that’s a conversation for another day ;).

Here is what I do know about this recipe, it’s very doable for beginners in the kitchen (or fellow non-bakers like myself). Plus, it provides some serious health benefits. The blueberries and peaches pack an antioxidant-punch like no other and provide a great source of potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber. Not to mention, they’re in-season and just plain delicious.

I used a 9-inch cast iron skillet, but you could also use individual muffin tins or soufflé ramekins. The sweetness of this dessert will remind you of why you love everything Michigan summer but the spice blend will leave you craving fall. It’s a perfect end of August, almost September recipe.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (I used So Delicious coconut milk vanilla bean) and extra lavender for garnish. This crumble also reheats nicely for a mid-afternoon snack 😉

Peach, Blueberry & Lavender Crumble

Course Dessert

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Author NoshinDietitian

Ingredients

Peach-Berry Mixture

3 peaches, cubed
2 cups blueberries
1 tbsp fresh lavender
1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free baking powder
2 tbsp organic coconut palm sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp cardamom
1 tbsp organic agave nectar

Crumble

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp all-purpose gluten-free baking powder
1 1/2 tsp organic agave nectar
1 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the cast iron with cooking spray. Cube the peaches and set aside.
Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom to a medium mixing bowl and stir to evenly combine. Add the blueberries, peaches, and agave nectar to the bowl. Stir until all the fruit is coated. Spread the fruit mixture evenly across the bottom of the cast iron.
In a separate smaller bowl, combine the oats, pecans, salt, flour, agave nectar, and coconut oil. Spread the crumble over top of the fruit mixture.
Bake for 55 minutes to an hour until the crumble is golden brown. Serve with ice cream.

Recipe Notes

For the coconut palm sugar, I used Wholesome organic palm sugar.
For the flour, I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour.

Enjoy!

-EAB

Posted on August 17, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — Leave a comment

3 ways to reduce post-vacation anxiety

It’s a Sunday night, you’re sun-kissed from vacation, and have just landed at Gerald R. Ford Grand Rapids airport. You’re waiting at baggage claim and as you wait for the carousel to beep and start circling, a creeping anxiety starts to build in your mind then your thoughts start to overwhelm. “What kind of food do I have in the fridge at home? What am I going to eat this week for lunch? Oh no, the gym. Are my pants feeling a little tight? Why didn’t I workout more while I was on vacation? I shouldn’t have drank all those piña coladas!”

We all know the feeling. The post-vacation, Sunday scaries. They often seem unavoidable, especially after a long, gluttonous vacation. I recently came back from a nice trip to Florida and these exact thoughts started swarming my mind. Before allowing my heart to start racing with anxiety, I took a deep breath and remembered why I went on this vacation in the first place…reset my mindset. Although these negative thoughts started rushing in, I was able to cut the thoughts at their roots before they had a chance to start growing into an actual thought process that wouldn’t lead to anything productive.

Often in the past I’d go into the work week working out harder and longer to try and make up for the lack of time I had spent in the gym on my vacation, cut back on my portion sizes, or eat a ton of salads for lunch and/or dinner to try and bounce back. Although my heart was in the right place, this type of behavior did not lead to anything healthy, whether that be mental health, physical fitness, or weight goals.

It generally led to obsessive thoughts about food and my body, overeating due to restraining myself, and overall exhaustion from not meeting my “goals” for the week. Over the last few years, I’ve finally been able to ease back into my normal, healthy lifestyle by doing just three simple things.

Ease yourself back into your routine organically. Do what feels right. For example, skipping the gym a few more days than normal or going on a walk instead of a run to allow your body to adapt to being back on a structured routine (both work and fitness-wise) is A-OK. Going out to eat or happy hour even though you know you don’t need those extra calories post-vacation. Skipping the salad at lunch and eating a sandwich instead because you’re feeling really hungry. These are just some of the many examples.
Follow a few shortcuts when it comes to getting back to eating healthy. No time? No problem. Sometimes the whole planning all your meals for the week, grocery shopping for all the food items, and THEN having to meal prep it all can be a little daunting, especially when you also have a large stack of laundry to do. When you’re short on time, it’s best to get by with a little help from our friends. You know what I’m saying? Here are some examples.
1. Use pre-baked rotisserie chicken to shred and apply to salads, sandwiches, or use with dinners throughout the week instead of having to make your own.
2. Utilize pre-cut fruit and vegetables from the grocery store. They may be a little more expensive, but for the week you’re trying to ease yourself back into a schedule, this will save you a ton of time and headache.
3. Lean on healthy, pre-packaged meals to limp you along 😉 Examples include Nourish bowls, Daily Harvest smoothies, salad kits, salmon or tuna salad pouches, Greek yogurt kits, Blue Apron meals, etc.
Listen to and trust your body. Avoid being too hard on yourself. Allow yourself some grace when it comes to getting back on a schedule after being on a vacation. It’s easy to let those anxious thoughts to invade your mind, but it’s not always easy to stop and remind yourself that a little relaxation was what your body and mind needed. Remember health is not just physical, but also mental. The beauty of following a healthy lifestyle is there will be times, days, or weeks where you get off track but ebbs and flows are what make it a lifestyle, not a diet. Therefore, you shouldn’t ever feel down on yourself for eating the pizza or taking the vacation.

I hope you find this helpful! Feel free to comment with strategies that have worked well for you when transitioning from vacation mode back into everyday life.

-EAB

Posted on August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — Leave a comment

Mini Tour Guide-Key West

Key West…what a fun city! It definitely has a distinct, almost-Bohemian feel to it. The little sister to New Orleans comes to mind when I try and best describe it. Chickens and roosters roam the streets and restaurants as if they own the town. Fishermen clean mahi mahi next to their boats in the Galleon marina just five feet from restaurants blackening these same mahi mahi on the grill. Tourist cruises and motoring tiki bar boats fly in and out of the marina what feels like every hour. Scooters and bike riders dominate the streets while the main artery of the city, Duval street, booms with vendors and walking tourists. The locals alone are one of the coolest aspects of this city. They are to-the-point, rough around edges, serve it to you with a smile and backhand-type of crowd. Their dry sarcasm was right up my alley.

I boated to Key West with my husband and in-laws from Marco Island, Florida. We docked in Tavernier, Florida for a few days then were ready to explore what seems to be the heart of the Florida Keys, Key West. En route to Key West, my husband and I scoured the internet for some of the best places to eat and things to do while in Key West. As we wrote down a few key restaurants we thought sounded good, we quickly realized that most restaurants had great reviews and it was hard to come by a menu that didn’t sound delicious. We said “screw it”, let’s just explore and see what happens.

We docked in the Galleon marina and set off on our adventure. Not before our usual ranking of all the boats around us in the marina of course. Here are some of the best food and tour recommendations I can give from our short time here in Key West. We just skimmed the surface of Key West so keep in mind this is a small piece of the (Key Lime) pie (sorry couldn’t resist) when it comes to things to eat/do/see. I can’t wait to go back and do a deeper dive but for now, here’s a small taste of the great things we experienced in Key West.

Best Food:

Breakfast:
- Blue Heaven. This restaurant by-far had the most interesting history. Restaurant tables are nooked back in a little courtyard under a huge almond tree that spans the blue sky as far as your sight can take you. The property where the tables sit was once home to long nights of gambling, cock fights, and boxing matches refereed by no other than Ernest Hemingway himself. The rich history is visceral in the outdoor seating section. Food recommendations: Veggie Benedict, Ham Benedict. Also, you won’t want to miss the incredible Key Lime Pie here. The meringue towers about six inches above the pie itself. If any of you have ever tried to make a meringue in your free time understand what a true artform that is.
Casual Lunch/Dinner:
- Schooner Wharf Bar. Our first stop of the trip. This bar had all the feels of Key West and from what we heard from the locals, it truly DOES fit one of the best descriptions of old Key West. Complete outdoor restaurant and bar with so many umbrellas and canopies you feel a slight relief from the stifling August heat. Gravel floors, chickens and roosters roaming and eating food scraps wherever they can find them, live music, and really great food. I mean really good. Our food favorites: Snapper/Mahi-Mahi Sandwich Melt, Mayan quesadilla with shrimp, and the fish taco wrap. This food paired with the Lizarita margarita started our trip off perfectly, but I may be bias.
- Conch Republic Seafood Company. This place took me by surprise. Nothing special about it when you look at it. Typical Key West outdoor bar and restaurant with live music looking over the marina. But it really snuck up on us. Went in with little expectations and left wanting more. And don’t worry, we got more 😉 To top it off, the service here was always on point. Whether you sit at the bar or in the restaurant, staff was very attentive and rather fast for always being packed. Enjoying the live music with a Corona in hand and a misting fan to keep me cool, what’s not to love? Did I mention it sits next to the marina? The fishing boats dock about five feet from the restaurant and filet the fish you’re about to eat right on the dock. Our food favorites: oysters on the half, conch chowder, island salad with seared rare tuna, local fresh catch of the day sandwich, blackened jumbo scallops, stuffed shrimp, island salad with seared tuna.
Surf & Turf:
- A & B Lobster House. If you’ve had your fair share of seafood and craving a nice, juicy steak, this place is for you. It’s just an extra bonus that they also have great seafood. The environment is a little fancier than the other restaurants on the historic boardwalk, but you’ll see every walk of life here so don’t worry too much. But do everyone a favor, take a shower, and put on your nicest Key West attire for this white tablecloth, candle-lit dinner. Can’t go wrong here, especially if you fancy yourself a night cap. The old cigar lounge and bar adjacent to the dining room makes a mean martini and will give you all the historic feels. Food recommendations: New England clam chowder, butter-poached Florida lobster tail, 2lb main lobster bake, filet mignon, and ribeye.
Cocktail by the water:
- Sunset Tiki Bar by the Galleon Resort. Off the beaten path of the main boardwalk. A great spot to feel the salty breeze in your hair while overlooking boats come and go. The mango daiquiri and piña coladas here come with a kick-in-the-pants topper that will really get your day going 😉

Places/things to see:

By foot:
- Duval street: The hustle and bustle of Duval street is reminiscent of Bourbon street in New Orleans, but less sloppy (unless of course, you are stumbling out of Sloppy Joe’s bar). This historic street is the main artery of the city with plenty of great restaurants, bars, shopping, and art galleries to be seen here. You can easily spend a full day wandering up and down this street while munching on macarons and slurping a Corona Light…well at least that’s what I did. To each their own.
- Historic Harbor Walk: If you’re sober enough to wander beyond Duval street, this is where you’ll want to go. This historic boardwalk lines multiple marinas and some of the best seafood and live music in the city (some of the places are mentioned above-A&B Lobster House, Conch Republic, Sunset Tiki Bar, Schooner Wharf Bar, etc.). From here, you can also take several different tours (sunset cruises, snorkeling adventures, fishing charters, Dry Tortugas day tours, etc.). Wandering along this harbor walk, you’re also likely to see fisherman fileting their fresh catch of the day, massive tarpon circling in the water for their 4pm tourist feeding, and if you’re lucky like I am, a shark 😉
By scooter or bike:
- Ernest Hemingway House and Museam: This historic landmark was home to the famous author and manwhore (if I do say so myself; no insults, just factual), Ernest Hemingway. This beautiful home hosts several daily tours and private events, while also housing more than 40 cats with six toes. These cats are protected, treated like royalty and roam the grounds as such. I would too…this house is stunning and jam-packed with interesting history that speaks volumes of Ernest Hemingway and Key West as a whole.
  Polydactyl cat (six toes)
- Key West Lighthouse Museum: You might want to make sure you hold off on the drinking before going here. The 1000+ winding steps (just kidding, it was only 88 steps but my god, it felt like a 1000) to get to the top of the lighthouse might make you feel a little woozy, but it’s definitely worth the view. From the top, the lighthouse points out historic landmarks so you know what you’re looking at. Another really great thing for those who haven’t done their research (cough, cough: me). Bonus: the keeper’s quarters offers a great air-conditioned reprieve from the scorching August heat. Oh yes! Back to the history. In all seriousness, the actual historical lights that were once used in the lighthouses, in addition to the countless other nautical artifacts make this spot worth the trip.
- Key West Garden Club: Need a serene getaway from those that you’re traveling with? I’ve got your back. This old army fort is chalk full of beautiful blossoming flowers, trees, butterflies, and shrubs. This tranquil spot has some of the best views in Key West. It yields that looking-out-of-a-treehouse-onto-the-ocean-type-feel, similar to how I think I would have felt if I lived with the Swiss Family Robinsons. In different corners of this vegetated respite are great lookouts onto Higgs Beach (and pier) and Edward B. Knight Pier. Bonus: this is a free tourist location (however donations are welcome).
- Southernmost point: This popular tourist attraction is exactly what it sounds like. It is quite literally the most southern point of the continental U.S. A large buoy now anchored to the ground stands at its point and is home to many tourist pictures. Many people stand in a long line to get a picture while touching the buoy. That wasn’t really our kind of thing so we opted for a bike ride drive-by.
- The outskirts of the island: One of my favorite things we did was rent a scooter and drive around the outskirts of town. Here you get a real lay of the land and in my case, a true understanding of which way is Cuba and which way is mainland Florida. It’s difficult for some of us. A little wind in the air on a hot day doesn’t feel half bad either, but be careful not to leave a black-seated scooter parked out in the sun for too long. I learned the hard way and burned my ass.
  Just kidding. Ours looked like the red one 😉
- Key West cemetery: Everyone loves an above-ground cemetery. You don’t get to see these just anywhere, at least not in Michigan. It’s an easy scooter drive-by or feel free to take your time and explore. Just don’t stay after nightfall.
By boat: On our last day in Key West, we took a tender boat ride around the majority of the island. This is one of the best ways to explore the waters around the island.
- Naval Air Station, U.S. Army grounds, Coast Guard boats: If you spend more than 10 minutes in Key West, you quickly realize the heavy U.S. Army and Navy presence here. Helicopters and jets fly over frequently. But there’s a different feel to this when you’re on a boat vs. land…peering above into the blue sky to try and catch these little jets all in formation. Truly American comes to mind.
- Liveaboards and derelict boats: This doesn’t too terribly interesting but imagine the shows tiny houses and hoarders combining…that’s how interesting some liveaboard boats can be. You can spend all day circling these boats trying to figure out how the hell they fit that much stuff onto a boat or what went wrong, in the case of derelict boats left halfway in a tree or half sunk. So many secrets kept by the sea.
- The wildlife! Sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish, dolphins, pelicans, herons…best seen on a boat. Trust me!

That’s all I have for now! If you’ve traveled to Key West, be sure to comment below with your favorite tourist and foodie spots…I would love to hear them!

-EAB

Posted on August 11, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — Leave a comment

Homemade Dill Pickles

Who doesn’t love a crisp, vinegar-infused pickle that’s been marinating in the fridge for a few weeks? In the summer months especially, I find myself craving pickles between meals or as a late-night snack. Not to mention, they make the best side to homemade burgers or additions to cold sandwiches. And believe me when I say, they are so easy to make at home! I’ve been away on vacation for the past couple weeks and there’s nothing better than coming home to a few jars of pickles that have been soaking up all that dill and vinegar for the last few weeks.

I started making these pickles a couple years ago and since then, it’s been hard to go back to store-bought pickles. But naturally there are times when our lives get too busy and we just don’t have the time. The beauty of investing in some of the supplies early-on is most of the equipment lasts for quite a while (i.e. mason jars, fine sea salt, etc.). And depending on how much of the produce you have growing in a garden vs. buy from the store will make a (small) monetary difference. If you’re an online shopper, I linked as much as possible in my list below to make your first pickling process smoother.

Supplies needed:

Cutting board
Chef’s knife
4-16 oz mason jars
Metal whisk
Medium sauce pan
Optional: Metal funnel

Food needed:

Dill seed
Fresh dill (I used from my garden, but is generally $2-3 at the store)
Heirloom pickle cucumbers/Kirby or salad cucumbers work well too (again here, I used cucumbers from my garden, but I have also used store-bought cucumbers and they work great as well; about $0.50 per cucumber)
100% fine sea salt
White vinegar
Garlic cloves (Depending on your local grocery store, about $0.69 each)
Red pepper flakes (optional)

I anticipate many of you have a saucepan, metal whisk, cutting board, knife, and might be able to rig up a few old pickle jars to cut down on initial cost. The nice thing is the majority of the supplies will be used several times over so you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

I started off by cleaning the mason jars. If you’re short on time like I was last time, I just stuck those babies in the dishwasher on quick cycle. Otherwise, washing the mason jars on hot, soapy water will do the trick. Now is when you’ll also want to wash your fresh dill and cucumbers.

Once the cucumbers are dry, slice off the ends and cut into wedges. You can also do pickle coins or halved-lengthwise…your choice!

Next, add your fresh dill, dill seed, garlic, and red pepper flakes (optional). You’ll want to use at least one sprig of fresh dill in each mason jar. I love fresh dill so for me, the more the merrier. But if you want to play it safe, stick with 1-2 sprigs of fresh dill per mason jar.

Now that the mason jars are prepped and ready to go, start adding your wedged cucumbers into each mason jar until full. Depending on how many cucumbers you have, you can really pack them in or just fill the mason jars evenly.

Once your done filling the jars with the cucumbers, it’s time to boil the water, vinegar, and salt in the saucepan. Once the salt is dissolved (about 4-5 minutes), set aside and let cool for about 15 minutes. Using the funnel, pour the vinegar-water mixture into each mason jar evenly leaving about an inch from the top. Tighten the top on each of the jars and place in the refrigerator for about 1 week before consuming. They should last about 2 months in the refrigerator. Keep in mind, these are not canned pickles so they should not be stored at room temperature for any extended period of time.

The beauty of learning this quick pickling method is you can apply it to most other fresh vegetables that you would like pickle. For example, radishes, carrots, green beans, and asparagus also pickle nicely. You can also try different spices, herbs, or vinegars with any of these vegetables.

Enjoy!

Dill Pickles

Prep Time 1 hour

Servings 4 mason jars

Ingredients

6-7 salad or kirby cucumbers
6-8 sprigs fresh dill
2 tbsp dill seed
2 tbsp 100% fine sea salt
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
4 garlic cloves
red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Wash mason jars with hot soapy water, dry, and set aside (you can also boil the jars in hot water for 10 minutes as well). If you’re short on time, I just ran mine through the dishwasher on quick wash.
Wash the cucumbers and fresh dill and pat dry.
Once dry, cut off the ends of each cucumber and cut into wedges.
Add one peeled garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon of dill weed, 1-3 dill sprigs, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) to each mason jar.
Fill each mason jar with the cucumber wedges.
Combine salt, vinegar, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until salt dissolves (~4-5 minutes).
Once the salt has dissolved into the vinegar and water, remove the saucepan from the heat, and pour the vinegar mixture equally into each mason jar, leaving 1/2-1 inch from the top of the jar. Let it sit and cool for at least 10-15 minutes.
Seal each jar with the lid and lightly tap on the top of the lid to help remove bubbles.
Refrigerate and allow at least 1 week for pickling before trying (longer if desired flavor-wise).

Posted on July 21, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — Leave a comment

Shakshuka Egg Skillet

One of the things I love about Shakshuka is the ability to transform it the flavors or ingredients you have available in the house. A traditional Shakshuka is a Mediterannean dish generally comprised of eggs poached in a tomato sauce consisting of tomatoes, garlic, cumin, paprika, garlic, and peppers. It is often served with a side of warm bread or pita to mop up all the leftover sauce and fixings.

Over the years I have made several variations of Shakshuka, but today ended up being a cross between Shakshuka and a vegetable egg skillet. Either way, it ended up delicious. The best part about this recipe is I used ingredients that I think are pretty readily available in everyone’s refrigerator or pantry:

Yellow Yukon potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Yellow onion
small can of green chilies
Eggs
Parsley

Again, these ingredients can be modified to fit ingredients you have available at home. You can also add more ingredients depending on how much you want to jazz up the dish. Some suggestions: feta or goat cheese, bell pepper, garlic, canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce, warm bread or naan on the side…your options are really endless.

Another bonus of this dish is you can jam pack as many vegetables as you fancy, making this a great, healthy breakfast. The fiber from the vegetables, in combination with the protein from the eggs will keep you satiated for several hours after. Lastly, this is a one-dish wonder! Meaning you should only have one dish to clean once you’re done, which is always a plus in my eyes 🙂 Enjoy!

Shakshuka Egg Skillet

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
8-10 yellow Yukon potatoes, quartered
Handful fresh parsley
1 4.5 oz can diced green chilies I used mild, but medium or hot would work
5 pasture-raised Vital Farm eggs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop all the vegetables and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in the cast iron skillet on medium-high heat then add the potatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.
Add in the onions and saute for about 3-5 minutes. Add in the tomatoes.
Once the tomatoes' skin start to soften (about 2-3 minutes), add in the canned chilies. Stir to evenly combine for about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to medium-low.
Create little pockets by moving the vegetables to the side (about 5 pockets). Crack each egg individually into the pockets. Once the bottom of the egg is no longer translucent, move the cast iron dish into the oven for about 3-5 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to avoid overcooking the eggs. Once the whites are fully cooked, pull the dish out of the oven.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.

Posted on April 23, 2019April 23, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — Leave a comment

8-Ingredient Chocolate Nice Cream Bars

The first (almost) 80 degree day has finally hit west Michigan (79 degrees…close enough) and I couldn’t be happier! I always go through this really funny stage between winter and summer where I stare at my closet and have no idea what to wear. It’s like my brain has been trained for so long to wear warm, heavy clothes and it’s not quite sure what to do. As northerners, I think we hit a point in the spring where we still don’t trust mother nature when it comes to dressing ourselves. I stare at my short sleeve shirts or dresses in my closet and think “what if it starts snowing or a gusty downpour hits?! Sweater it is”. It takes a few days of breaking into a full sweat at work before I finally start to trust that Michigan spring is here.

Now that I have dusted off my shorts and started soaking up some rays, I’m already thinking about cold desserts. I have been dabbling with the idea of trying to make some “nice” cream or “healthier” ice cream. Now let’s not jump the gun here, I still love me the good ol’ regular ice cream, but you know warmer weather is here, which means bathing suit weather y’all…hint, hint it’s time to lose what I call my winter coat.

My winter coat is those extra 2-5 lbs that help keep my organs warm in the winter LOL. Anyone from the northern Midwest should be able to relate to this. I find it to be evolutionary. It’s seems only normal to gain a few pounds in the winter considering I move less outside and enjoy more comfort-based dishes to keep me warm in the winter.

But I’m a firm believer that all foods fit so that doesn’t mean it’s time to cut every food I enjoy out of my diet just to lose this winter coat. However, there are ways to cut calories while still enjoying the beautiful warm weather. These nice creams are a great way to do so! As much as the flavors of Halo top ice cream and other low-fat ice creams are delicious, the artificial sweeteners kill my stomach.

These nice cream bars have whole food ingredients and can be tailored to your specific dietary needs. If you’re dairy-free, sub the chocolate chips for Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips. If you’re gluten-free, sub the whole wheat flour with almond or another gluten-free flour.

And you know what the really NICE thing is about these bars? They take so little time to make and only require 8 ingredients. As far as prep time goes, you can’t really beat about 15 minutes. I always have frozen bananas on hand for smoothies, oatmeal, and now nice cream bars 🙂

Start by making your crust. You want to combine the flour, agave nectar, and coconut oil until they are barely combined. Basically, they need to be able to stick together if you clench your fist and push down into the flour mixture.

Next, take a loaf tin, one rectangular pan, or individual muffin tins would work well too. Pour the crust evenly into the loaf tin and push down until both of the bottom of the tin is crusted. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes.

While the crust is chilling, blend your bananas in a food processor until nice and creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Then add your go-to flavors! I’m a chocolate-lover so that’s where I geared towards, but you can mix and match whatever flavors sound good to you. Once you’ve got your ingredients lightly pulsed until evenly combined, fold in the chopped chocolate chips (save some for topping). Pour the chocolate mixture into your tin and evenly spread with a spatula. Top with the chopped chocolate chips and freeze for about 2 hours.

Once fully frozen, cut into 8-10 pieces and enjoy immediately…preferably on a sunny day on a beach somewhere in northern Michigan 🙂

-EAB

8-ingredient Chocolate Nice Cream Bars

Course Dessert

Ingredients

The Crust

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp agave nectar (can sub with honey)
3 Tbsp refined coconut oil, melted

The Filling

2 bananas, frozen
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2-1 tsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut milk, unsweetened
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, chopped

Instructions

Start by preparing the crust. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, agave nectar, and coconut oil using a plastic spatula. The flour mixture should be slightly crumbly, but stick together if you push your knuckles down into the mixture.
Using a loaf tin, spread the crust evenly along the bottom of the tin and press the crust firmly down so there are no holes between your crust. Place in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
While the crust is chilling, prepare the filling using a food processor or blender. Start by blending the bananas until they are nice and creamy, about 1-2 minutes depending on the strength of your food processor.
Once the bananas are creamy and well-blended, add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and coconut milk. Pulse until just combined. Fold in about half of the chopped dark chocolate chips.
Pour the filling over the crust and spread evenly. Top with the rest of the chopped dark chocolate chips.
Freeze for about 2 hours, cut into squares, and enjoy immediately. Store in the freezer.

Posted on April 7, 2019April 7, 2019 by NoshinDietitian — 4 Comments

Eggs: Good or Bad?

Ahhhh yes, I love a good debate. And thank goodness because being in the field of nutrition is not for the faint of heart when it comes to making sense of nutrition research and diet myths. It’s not always easy for me, a registered dietitian, to weed through the meaningful nutrition news vs. just another social media influencer making an unsupported nutrition claim.

The latest article from the Journal of the Medical Association (JAMA) involving eggs and cardiovascular risk shook the nutrition world leaving many of us wondering whether we should eliminate eggs from our diets. Short answer? No.

Here’s my long answer. First and foremost, I don’t believe in completely eliminating anything from diet unless you have medical reasons to do so (i.e. allergies, intolerances, condition-specific reasons, etc.). Although this study definitely showed some concerning data in regards to egg and cholesterol intake and cardiovascular risk, we also have to remember there are always two sides to every story. Cholesterol is something our bodies need to build cells in the body, but too much of it can cause stress on the liver and higher circulating blood levels of cholesterol. Cholesterol can be affected by many things…genetics, dietary composition, exercise, etc. When it comes to understanding cholesterol, I think a good starting point is just knowing your numbers. If you don’t know your cholesterol levels, it may not be a bad idea to get those levels checked next time you see the doctor. This helps you understand where you are at in terms of cholesterol.

This study does not tell us how these eggs were prepared (i.e. poached, scrambled, fried in butter, etc.). I.E. how much fat was used in preparation? This study also depends on a human memory for a diet recall, which can sometimes not be the most reliable. We also don’t know if an individual changed their diet at any point in the study, which would impact their results. So keep in mind there are limitations to this study.

The bottom line. I already knew eggs have a good amount of cholesterol in them (1 egg=185 milligrams cholesterol). I also know that eggs have so many nutritional benefits. Eggs have the highest quality protein content compared to other protein foods. They are jam-packed with nutrients, such as vitamin A, phosphorus, vitamin D, choline, selenium, vitamin B12, and folate. Did I mention they are also economically friendly? So where does this leave us? You’ve heard me say this before and you’ll hear me say it again.

All in moderation.

Yeah I know what you’re thinking…”boring answer”, “thanks for the insight!” LOL but seriously guys. They are lots of foods in our diet that eaten in moderation, have tremendous health benefits! Que the red meat for iron, salmon for omega 3 fatty acids, almonds for magnesium, dark chocolate for antioxidants, and the list goes on.

I will continue eating my eggs in moderation (2-3x/week) and I think you should too. But hey, you do you. Meanwhile, I’m going to celebrate by making a frittata. 🙂

Frittatas have been my go-to on Sunday mornings lately. It’s a great way to use up a large amount of eggs, leftover veggies, and whatever you feel like throwing in there! The wonderful thing about frittatas is they are also delicious any time of the day…breakfast, snack, lunch, or dinner. I made a full cast-iron which will provide my husband and I with a few breakfast and/or lunch options for the week.

My brother and sister-in-law hooked us up with about 2 dozen of these awesome local cage-free eggs. Start off by whisking your eggs with the cream and salt.

Next, chop your veggies and meat of choice. I had some onion, garlic, red skin potatoes, and roasted bell peppers sitting around, but really anything would work here. The bacon here is totally optional, but I needed to use mine up 🙂

I sauteed the bacon first, removed from the cast iron, then sauteed the veggies. I separated the veggies out a little bit with my cooking time but truthfully, you can adjust the timing as you see fit while making your own wild frittata concoction. Once the veggies are cooked, spread the cheese evenly over the veggies, and pour the egg mixture to cover. Let that baby get golden brown in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Feel free to run it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the end to get the top of your frittata nice and golden brown. I hope you guys enjoy! -EAB

Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach, Feta Frittata

Keyword Breakfast, Dinner, Frittata

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 12-oz jar roasted red bell peppers in olive oil and garlic, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cubed
10 eggs I used cage-free courtesy of my in-laws chickens
1/3 cup heavy cream or 1/3 cup 2% milk mixed with 1 Tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup feta, crumbled
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning ok to sub for 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 small red skin potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the 1/4 tsp salt (save the other 1/4 tsp for later), eggs, and cream in a small bowl. Set aside.
Once all your veggies and bacon are cubed/chopped, saute the bacon in a medium-sized cast iron skillet for about 6-8 minutes until slightly browned. Remove the bacon from the skillet onto a paper-towel covered plate to rest.
Add the potatoes to the skillet and saute on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the onions and cook for another 5 minutes.
Next, add the bell peppers and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, Italian seasoning, rest of the salt, and black pepper. Turn the heat down to medium-low and saute for 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and garlic is fragrant.
Spread the cheese evenly over the top of the veggies and melt for 2 minutes. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies evenly. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes.
Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Add additional time in 1-2 minute time increments until the top of the frittata is a light golden brown. My total time was about 15 minutes cooking time.
Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Posted on March 24, 2019February 20, 2020 by NoshinDietitian — 1 Comment

Sweet Potato, Chickpea, Cauliflower Coconut Curry

And I’m back in the game! It’s been a while since I’ve said hello on here. I’m not going to lie, life caught up to me. New job, a wedding, holidays, winter blues (yes, a real thing here in Michigan), and now spring! But truthfully, all excuses aside, writing doesn’t come easily to me. With the whirlwind of the last year, I needed to take some time to decide if writing on my blog really made me happy vs. feeling obligated to do it for some type of side hustle. Call me crazy, but I think taking a timeout for a while to figure out what makes you happy is A-O-K. And the wonderful thing is, I found myself running into individuals asking where I (my blog posts/recipes) have been. Some were people I knew, some were random people I didn’t even realize I was making an impact on. So I took it as a sign from the universe and here I am 🙂 Plus, spring time always brings an extra jolt of energy with the sun shining well into the evenings again.

I’m starting y’all off with a recipe I tried on a Saturday afternoon. My husband and I have gotten into a bad routine of eating out on the weekends and we finally decided enough was enough. We got an Instant Pot for one of our wedding gifts and I have only dabbled with it once so I decided to give it another go.

This recipe is fairly easy. I would say about 4-5 level of difficulty. In other words, everyone can make this…no excuses! I am an avid user of a combination of fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables (I don’t discriminate!). Plus, this always makes cooking more convenient and economical.

I started off by slicing the chicken breasts into 1-inch bite sizes. Then chop your vegetables on a different cutting board. Once all your veggies are chopped, set your Instant Pot to the saute setting. Add the chicken, garlic, onion, cumin, curry powder, and red curry paste. Saute for about 3-5 minutes until the onions are barely translucent and the chicken is lightly browned on the outside. Then turn your Instant Pot setting to Slow Cook. Now the timing on this depends on what you have going on that day. I slow cooked it for about 4 hours. To really finish it off, I turned it back on the saute setting for about 5-10 minutes to help it reduce a little. However, if you plan on slow cooking for 6-8 hours, you should be good as is.

Once you’ve turned it to Slow Cook, add the diced tomato, sweet potato, coconut milk, and cauliflower. Stir and then put the lid back on. Slow cook for at least 4 hours.

Again, I decided to saute after slow cooking for 4 hours for about 5-10 minutes while I cooked the rice to pair with it. Before sauteing, I added the chickpeas, 3 sugar cubes (or about 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar), and salt/pepper to taste. Top with a little extra coconut milk and/or fresh cilantro for garnish. I served over a bed of white rice, but it would pair nicely with quinoa or brown rice too.

My husband and I enjoyed this bowl of yummy, comfort food while snuggling in for a night of March Madness basketball. Go Green! The nice thing about this dish is it really only leaves you with minimal clean up due to pouring all your ingredients in one pot. Can’t beat that on a Saturday night. If you want to keep it vegetarian, feel free to leave out the chicken. I’ve done it both ways and my vegetables can stand on their own two feet 🙂 I hope you enjoy!

-EAB

Sweet Potato, Cauliflower Coconut Curry

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Curry

Author NoshinDietitian

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can coconut milk, unsweetened
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, low sodium (if possible)
2 sweet potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red curry paste
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
2 tsp tsp curry powder
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
3 cubes sugar or 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
Chop the sweet potato, onion, cauliflower, and garlic on a separate cutting board.
Set the Instant Pot to saute setting. Saute the chicken, onion, and garlic in the olive oil for about 3-5 minutes until the onions are barely translucent. While sauteing, add in the cumin, red curry paste, and curry powder.
Change the setting to slow cook. Add the sweet potato, cauliflower, diced tomatoes, and coconut milk. Slow cook for at least 4 hours.
Once it has slow cooked for 4 hours, change back to saute setting. Add in the sugar, garbanzo beans, and salt/pepper to taste. Saute for about 5-10 minutes while cooking the rice.
Serve over a bed of white rice and garnish with coconut milk and/or fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Posted on May 27, 2018 by NoshinDietitian — Leave a comment

Best questions to ask at the farmer’s market

Who doesn’t love going to a farmer’s market on a Saturday morning and coming home with a plethora of beautiful local fruits and vegetables? But are you sure they are local? Are you sure you got the best bang for your buck as far as cost and what produce will taste the best? I know I’ve gone to the farmers market countless times only to come back spending more money than I wanted to and finding out little about the actual food.

There is no better way to find out everything you need to know about the produce (or meat) you are buying at the farmer’s market than from the mouth of the farmer. Don’t be shy! Ask the farmer or vendor at the farmer’s market some of these helpful questions to guide you to the best purchases of fruits and vegetables. By asking these questions, you enrich your own farmer’s market experience by learning more about your food and the farming involved with producing it.

What is selling for the best price?

I think it’s fair to say, we have all come home from a farmer’s market with far too much produce and spent more money than we intended too. But the produce is all so beautiful, right? Right. If you are working on a budget, ask the vendor which produce is selling for the best price. They are running a business too so they should give a you straight shot answer.

When was the fruit or vegetable picked?
No one wants to go home with fruits or vegetables that start rotting the next day. We want the freshest of the fresh depending on how we plan to consume the produce. If it was harvested over >48 hours ago, you may want to shop around and ask other farmers if they have harvested within the last 24 hours.

What produce are you spraying with pesticides or chemicals? Is it organic?
If pesticides and/or chemicals are a big concern for you, don’t be afraid to ask the vendor or farmer which produce do they spray or are they certified organic? This may help guide which produce you purchase. For example, you may gear more towards fruits or vegetables that don’t have edible skin if standard pesticides are used (i.e. bananas or oranges).

How can I cook this?
Variety in consumption of fruits and vegetables is key to great health. But often we are too scared to try something new or have no idea how to cook or prepare it. If you’re looking to try a new fruit or vegetable from the farmer’s market, the farmer is likely the best person to ask what it’s best served with or how to prepare it. Ask if you can try a sample!

Where is your farm located or are you a wholesale market?
Many of us shop at farmer’s markets because we love the idea of supporting local farmers and businesses. However, just because someone is standing behind a table selling produce, doesn’t always mean they are a local farmer. Vendors can be just as knowledgeable, but some travel for larger wholesale companies selling other people’s produce, which does not equate to supporting local business.

Do you need an extra hand?
If you are really eager to find out more about farming or how their farming is done, ask them if they need a free hand sometime. This may be an invaluable experience for truly understanding farm-to-table in West Michigan.

-EAW

Posted on April 30, 2018June 11, 2018 by NoshinDietitian — 4 Comments

Blogging: Easier or more challenging than a healthy lifestyle?

For some, blogging and writing comes easy to them. For others (i.e. me), writing can be quite challenging. In particular, I find it difficult to get my personality to translate into writing. The more I have been writing, the easier it has gotten however.

The saying “write drunk, edit sober” could not be more true. Some of the best writing I have done was after a couple glasses of wine 😉 Seriously though. Writing off the cuff without allowing your brain to wander and think about how people might construe what you say in a million different ways leaving you dazed and confused. Meanwhile, my computer screen is now on my screen saver because I’ve been daydreaming too long. This can be my biggest pitfall when trying to write for my blog. I’d like to think I’m a fairly confident person but my writing is something I am not overly confident about (at least not yet).

Other barriers that often impede my blog writing:

It takes too long to write a blog post
I think a blog post has to be “x” words or paragraphs long to be considered a “successful” post
I forgot to take enough “quality” pictures for the post
I don’t have time to edit my photos today
And so on and so forth

See how this can easily spiral out of control and ultimately leading to no writing at all? The mind can truly f*** you some times.

As I was discussing this issue with my cousin over the phone, she bluntly pointed out, “this must be what your clients feel when it comes to eating better or participating in physical activity”. She hit the nail on the head. As an athlete growing up and having a mother who showed us the importance of cooking from scratch (most of the time), eating healthy and staying active has come relatively natural to me. Don’t get me wrong, as I age, it’s not always as easy, but nonetheless I have never really felt like exercise or eating fruits and vegetables was some unfathomable feat. I have always been that person who really can’t go more than 2-3 days without exercise mainly for my mental health.

However, my cousin is right. I often find that my clients and patients are so overwhelmed by all the nutrition and exercise information in the media and not quite sure how or where to start, let alone stay consistent with it. My cousin worked me through my struggle with blogging how I often work my patients through improving their diet or lifestyle. She asked me relatively simple questions to reflect on…

What are your goals for blogging?
Are your goals/expectations reasonable and attainable?
What do you think is feasible to do on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis to get closer to your goals?
What are some strategies to keep yourself accountable?
How do you get back on track if you’ve fallen off the bandwagon?

After asking myself these questions and answering them truthfully, I was able to set more reasonable goals for myself. All these questions above apply to cultivating a healthy lifestyle as well, whether your focus is on diet or exercise. Although writing and blogging continues to be a work in progress for me, starting by setting SMART goals and remembering why I started blogging in the first place made all the difference. And at the end of the day, it’s truly about the content and making sure all of you get evidence-based nutrition information. Now let’s really quickly review what those SMART goals are. You have heard me talk about these types of goals before and trust me, you’ll hear it again! 😉

S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Attainable
R: Reasonable
T: Timely

In other words, start by figuring out what your goals are for improving your healthy lifestyle, whether that be diet or exercise-focused. Be reasonable about how you can achieve or get closer to attaining those goals on a day-to-day, weekly, or hell even a monthly basis. We all have different starting and end points so stop comparing yourself to others and JUST GET STARTED.

I often find we are our own personal mind blocks. Many of my patients don’t participate in regular physical activity because they can’t afford gym memberships or they don’t have 60 minutes of time to dedicate (who are we kidding, even 30 minutes!). I try to remind clients that different strokes for different folks, meaning find what’s going to work for you. Even finding time for 2-3 ten-minute time periods to do exercise throughout the day 2-3x/week is better than doing anything at all. The same goes for cooking healthy meals…start by focusing on 1, 2, or even 3 nights a week, build your confidence, and adjust from there. I personally find that healthy meal planning for 3 nights a week works well for my life right now…one day of leftovers, weekend night of eating out, variable eating schedule on the weekend, you get the picture.

It’s easy to constantly get down on yourself when you see fit individuals appearing to eat these beautiful, amazing meals EVERY meal. But keep in mind, things aren’t always what they seem on social media and people have different levels of what they are willing to sacrifice or change for their desired quality of life. Therefore, any small step towards a healthy lifestyle is an important and good accomplishment that should celebrated, especially if you find it’s something that you know will be sustainable for YOUR life. So do you!

XO,

-EAW