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Matcha Green Tea Energy Balls

Matcha green tea powder is quite popular for its antioxidant powder that is potentially greater than regular bagged green tea.

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Why you might ask?

Matcha green tea is slightly different from traditional green tea in a few ways.

Consumption:

Matcha green tea is the whole tea leaf ground into a powder. This powder is then mixed in with hot water for a frothy tea beverage, ultimately allowing you to consume whole tea leaves. On the other hand, general consumption of regular green tea is the infused water from the leaves instead of whole tea leaf consumption.

Growth:

About six weeks prior to harvest time, matcha green tea leaves are shaded to help reduce sunlight and photosynthesis. As a result, the chlorophyll and amino acid content is intensified, which helps contribute to its umami flavor profile and wonderful antioxidant power. High quality matcha is grown in near darkness prior to harvest.

Health Benefits:

Matcha green tea also contains l-theanine and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which have antioxidant properties, help fight inflammation in the body, and may improve alertness. Due to lack of scientific evidence specific to matcha green tea, there is no clear indication to drink matcha green tea over regular green tea. However, due to the fact that really good quality matcha creates an amazingly frothy, creamy latte AND has potential to repair the damage I do to my body on the weekends, I’m sold. Try using in lattes, smoothies, and sweet or savory sauces. It is not recommended to drink more than 2 cups of matcha green tea daily due to its nutrient concentration.

Now let’s get to the recipe!

These matcha green tea balls are a great snack to hold you over between meals, give you a boost before or after a workout, or as a healthy dessert after dinner. I made these babies for my coworkers as a holiday gift because I’ve got “matcha” love for my team 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

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Matcha Green Tea Energy Balls

Course Dessert, Snack
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 48 balls
Author Elizabeth Weber

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup matcha green tea powder

Instructions

  1. Pit and chop the dates. Place matcha powder in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.

  2. Combine the almonds, oats, and cocoa powder in a food processor and pulse until evenly distributed.

  3. Add the dates, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and 1/8 cup of the soy milk. Pulse until the mixture is formed. After adding the first 1/8 cup of soy milk, add 1 tsp of soy milk at a time until the mixture is moist enough to roll, but not too wet where it is constantly sticking to your hands.

  4. Roll the dough into ~1 inch size balls and place in the mixing bowl with the matcha green tea powder.

  5. Shake the bowl to coat the balls with the powder. Serve immediately or refrigerate/freeze for later use.

 

-EAW

 

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The Ketogenic Diet and Cancer

The ketogenic diet has been all the rage in the media lately as a potential weight loss diet or as a strategy to reduce cancer cell growth, but is it really safe or evidence-based? I’m about to nerd out with you, buckle up.

Follow my audio guide on WZZM here.

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrate diet. Americans generally consume a diet high in carbohydrates (50-75%). The KD diet requires careful calculation to ensure the ratio of fat to protein/carbohydrates is 4:1. When this ratio is achieved, metabolic pathways shift the bodies’ use of glucose as its primary source of energy to fat or ketones (metabolites of fatty acid breakdown). During this process called ketosis, the body starts to metabolize ketones to provide fuel for bodily functions. Examples of high carbohydrate foods that are limited on this diet include sweets, bread, pasta, juice, fruit, and starchy vegetables. Examples of high fat foods that would be included in this diet may be avocado, olive oil, nuts, nut butters, heavy cream, and butter.

This diet has classically been used to treat epilepsy in children and most recently in adults. In regards to cancer, the ketogenic diet has been of particular interest in the treatment of brain tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, there has also been interest in its overall treatment of any cancer. Because the brain and cancer cell’s preferred fuel source is glucose, the theory is the KD may alter the metabolism and reduce growth of brain tumor cells and possibly make it more sensitive to treatment (chemotherapy and radiation).

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What we currently know–

  • The use of the KD diet is safe and feasible as an adjuvant therapy, but requires frequent lab testing and supervision by a dietitian and physician.
  • The KD diet should be administered over at least 3-4 weeks to see any potential benefit or improvement.
  • Quality of life and current tolerance to cancer treatment should be taken into consideration before starting this diet. If a patient is already having difficulty maintaining their weight or sustaining nutritionally, the ketogenic diet may only exacerbate cancer cachexia and an individuals ability to tolerate treatment. A patient’s safety should always be priority numero uno.
  • Animal-based studies and some human studies have shown promising, yet inconsistent results in reduction of tumor growth with the ketogenic diet, especially with brain cancers.

Questions that still need answering-

  • Does every type and subtype of cancer respond the same way to the KD diet? It’s important to remember that not all cells in the body respond the same way and same goes for cancer cells.
  • What’s the exact dosage or ketogenic diet regimen that is most effective? For example, what exact ratio of fat to carbohydrate will be most successful in reducing tumor growth?
  • What are the specific markers or signals that indicate the ketogenic diet is working as it pertains to cancer? In the case of epilepsy, effectiveness can be seen by a patient not having seizures as a result of successful ketosis, however this would be more difficult in cancer. It may require more frequent CT scans and imaging to check on the growth or lack thereof of tumors as a response to the ketogenic diet. With insurance companies already getting a little iffy with providing coverage for reimaging, this may be a challenge.

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Other things to consider-

  • Side effects: constipation, fogginess, lightheadedness, and fatigue
  • Better research is needed:
    • Gold standard: Double-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trials
    • Studies specific to cancer type and subtype
  • Good news! Currently, there are several clinical trials and studies ongoing to help address the questions requiring answers.

Takeaway: As an oncology dietitian, I am very excited about the potential of the ketogenic diet being used as a measurable medical nutrition therapy in cancer treatment. But just like any prescription drug or chemo treatment, this needs to have substantial supporting evidence and testing to ensure the treatment is safe and effective. More to come on this topic. Stay tuned…

-EAW

 

 

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Beginner’s Guide to a Plant-Based Diet

No better time than the new year to improve your health and diet. There are plenty of fad diets out there, but when you realize you’re tired of limiting one food or another and want to try a less restrictive and more sustainable long-term diet…a plant-based diet may be the one for you. An extra bonus: a plant-based diet can help reduce your risk of developing chronic disease, such as heart disease and diabetes, and decrease your cancer risk. Let’s get started! Check out my audio guide and WZZM segment here.

What is a plant-based diet?

A plant-based diet puts a large emphasis on incorporating plant-based protein and/ or lean meats, ample amounts of fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy. The beauty of this diet is it is all-inclusive. It does’t limit any food groups and allows room for flexibility to make it work for you. Most Americans consume diets high in red meat and refined grains, which may make getting starting a little more challenging than expected, especially if you have any picky eaters in your household. Relax. I’ve got some easy guidelines to help you get started 🙂

The Basics:

Protein:

  • Limit red or processed meat intake to < 18 ounces per week. This includes lunch meat, bacon, sausage, and other cured meats. A deck of cards is about 3 ounces FYI.
  • Instead, choose fish, poultry (chicken or turkey), or other plant-based proteins, such as beans, tofu, or lentils.

Fruits and Vegetables:

  • Aim for at least 2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables daily.
  • Eat a variety and start by incorporating a fruit or vegetable at each meal or snack.
  • Not sure how to do the variety thing? Pick up a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried before (or haven’t had in a while) at least once a month. Yes, that may mean that weird prickly fruit you’ve been eyeing with bewilderment for years at the grocery store. Sticking to fruits or veggies in season can also help keep things economical.

Grains:

  • Always aim for using whole grains over refined grains for higher fiber intake and less added sugar.
  • Refined grains include white bread, white rice, pastries, candy, and other high-sugar foods.
  • Complex carbohydrates include whole grain breads and pasta, oats, barley, quinoa, and farro to just name a few.
  • But don’t misunderstand. Just because I call them complex, doesn’t mean they are any more complex to cook than those refined grains listed above. When all else fails, READ THE BACK OF THE BAG. Generally, they have basic instructions and even a little recipe to get you started.

Fats:

  • Opt for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.
  • Mono- and poly-unsaturated fats include avocado, olive oil, walnuts, nuts, seeds, soybeans, etc.
  • Start by ditching the weird margarines and butter (unless you’ve got that portion control and serving size shit down pat).

Dairy:

  • Choose low-fat dairy instead of full-fat to avoid excess calories from fat that can lead to an unhealthy weight.
  • Again, there is a place for that creamy full-fat yogurt in a healthy diet if you have a good handle on serving sizes, but considering 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, I think we could all probably use to cut back on calories from excess fat wherever possible.

Alcohol:

  • If you don’t drink, don’t start. Period.
  • Don’t get me wrong. I love my chardy parties, but I try to keep that for the weekend so it feels like a treat.
  • Men: limit intake to 2 drinks per day
  • Women: limit intake to 1 drink per day
  • 1 serving: 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ½ ounces of hard liquor

Takeaway:

  1. Start planning. Meatless Mondays or Salad Sundays. Make a realistic routine out of incorporating these plant-based meals. If you want to start by just doing a meatless meal once a week, then using those catchy phrases is a great reminder to do so.
  2. Keep to the basics. Don’t feel the need to recreate the wheel with new or complex recipes. Use your family favorites and find ways to adjust it to make it more plant-based. Pinterest is a god send so don’t even try to tell me you can’t find ideas.
  3. Make it work for you. Avoid getting overwhelmed and feeling the need to change every part of your diet by focusing on 2 aspects on the diet at a time.

Good luck! And don’t hesitate to email me with questions 🙂

-EAW

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Wise Apple Meals: The Review

I was pleased to try Wise Apple home-delivered meals recently. This Midwestern-based company delivers customized and ready-prepared meals right to your door. These lunches are geared towards children, but can also be consumed by adults. The meals can be ordered the week before and are delivered in a refrigerated container that are easily stackable in the refrigerator.

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Nutrition Breakdown (ranking by nutrient)

  • Fat: moderate
  • Protein: moderate to high
  • Carbohydrates: moderate to high
  • Sugar: high
  • Sodium: moderate to high
  • Fiber: moderate to high
  • Overall calories: generally range between ~350-550. I would keep the lower-calorie meal options to the younger ages of children and vice versa with the higher-calorie meals for children aged closer to 8.

From my standpoint, some of the meals with more processed food items, such as lunch meat or cheese exceeded what I would consider a healthy amount of sodium in one meal with some ranging up to 1000mg of sodium. Similarly, the sugar content being excessive at times at upwards to 30g of sugar in one meal. I would like to add however that the meals can be customized. So if you’re worried about a meal providing too much fat, sodium, or sugar, you can provide more vegetables/fruit or alter the meal to provide more protein for example.

The Pros

Although I am only a fur baby momma, I would happily purchase these home-delivered lunches for my children in the future. The meals can be customized based on food preferences or based on age but they can also be selected at random making this appealing to children that want to design their own lunch. To ensure satiety for a quicker growing child, a meal can be modified to include higher protein, which I found to be a great feature. The convenience of the delivered meals saves the working mom the extra time to either spend with her children or even read a book for leisure on a Sunday instead of meal-prepping all day (hey, mental health is important too!). These meals are also relatively affordable depending on how many meals you prefer, starting at $35 for 5 meals/week.

Some extra bonuses of these meals:

  • Completely nut-free, making them school and allergy-friendly
  • GMO-free
  • Partners with other healthy food companies, such as Banza and supports local farms in the Midwest region
  • Dietitian-approved meals (aka a nutrition expert is keeping a close eye on the health of the meals)
  • Gluten and soy-free food options available
  • No need for reheating-can be eaten cold or at room temperature
  • Packaging is fully recyclable and environmental friendly
  • TASTY! I tried them so I can definitely vouch for the flavor on these babies…YUM.

The Cons

Despite using fresh and wholesome ingredients as much as possible, the ingredient list for some of the main entree food options can be quite lengthy. This leads me to believe that some ingredients may not be as wholesome as I would like and contain quite a bit of preservatives. In addition, the lack of being able to warm up the food in the container was a bummer for some of the food options, such as spaghetti and meatballs or green bean casserole. It would be nice to have the flexibility to reheat for some of the foods that are standardly consumed warm. Although there are some fruits and/or veggies hidden in the desserts (which is genius!), the dessert portion sizes are a little large for what I would consider a healthy plate for children ages 4-8. Please also see my nutrition breakdown above for any cons regarding the healthiness of the food provided.

My Takeaway

I would absolutely order these meals for my children especially if I knew I had certain busy days, weeks, or even a month ahead. Heck, I enjoyed eating them as an adult for lunch. The selling points for me includes the ability to customize the meals based on your child’s food preferences or dietary needs. As a fellow dietitian, I am also at ease knowing that these meals are designed by a chef and dietitian keeping my child’s health a priority. The pricing is variable enough, which suits a range of budgets. So wise-up and consider trying Wise Apple 🙂

-EAW

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Top 5 Time-Saving Kitchen Hacks

With Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner, we know there tends to be that one ingredient that you always forget or you don’t have enough time to run to the store to get a last minute recipe item. These easy hacks will help save you time and make cooking or baking a lot less stressful over the next week during the holidays.

Tune in to the audio guide from WZZM here.

  1. Making your own stock but running short on time? Place stock ingredients in a slow cooker on LOW overnight. In the morning, skim the fat, strain, bring to room temperature, and refrigerate.
  2. Measure sticky ingredients without the mess. The struggle is real when going from measuring a tablespoon of honey to a tablespoon of brown sugar. Avoid all the stickiness by spraying the measuring utensil with cooking oil or spray. The ingredients will glide right off the measuring spoon without you having the wash and clean it between ingredients.
  3. Avoid long baking times when it comes to breakfast. Instead of baking an entire quiche for 60 minutes, pour the egg mixture into greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes to save time.
  4. Cooking grains without chicken broth. Are you a fellow ancient grain lover (quinoa, farro, bulgar, etc.), but forgot the chicken broth for cooking? Try using interesting flavored teas, such chai or smoky black tea, that you may have on hand to flavor the water while simmering. Remove the tea backs when the grains are done cooking.
  5. Avoid browning with your guacamole. To keep guacamole fresh and that beautiful green color, place in a container or jar and add water on top. Place in the refrigerator. When ready to use, drain the water and serve.

References:

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/food-hacks#cook-up-tastier-grains

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Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

Tis’ the season for gift giving and receiving. I struggle with this season because I’m going to be honest, I often get wrapped up in the gift giving both literally and figuratively. I am a terrible gift wrapper. These skills do not seem to improve with 28 years of life. Lol.

I have plenty of friends and family that have shared their desire to be healthier this holiday season or start 2018 on a better foot health-wise. This healthy holiday gift guide will give you great ideas to suit anyone this season so you can get back to the most important part of this season: spending time with friends and family or finding ways to give back in your community.

This guide is separated into fitness, food, beauty, and stocking stuffers. Some ideas are for my locals in the Grand Rapids area and some are more generalized to please the masses. Either way, I can bet you will find something that will make someone very happy this Christmas.

FITNESS:

  • Monthly subscription to a local gym or yoga studio. Jump start the new year with more physical activity by taking advantage of holiday gym enrollment discounts in your local community.
    • YMCA of Grand Rapids. Waiving the new membership fee starting December 15th. Adult monthly rate $70
    • Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse. 2-week trial $25
    • MVP Sportsplex. No enrollment fee and January month free for new members.
  • Wireless Headphones $130. This is a perfect gift for a new or avid runner planning to participate in 2018 races.
  • Resistance Bands $5-10. This could easily be a stocking stuffer as well. It’s a great addition to a home gym collection.

FOOD:

  • Healthy cookbooks (cost varies). Who doesn’t love a new cookbook with pages and pages of beautiful food and new recipes to sink your teeth in? These are a couple great ones to start with, but truly your options are endless.
  • NutriBullet $60.  Pack in the antioxidants this coming year by blending your favorite fruits and vegetables to make some delicious smoothie concoctions. Be sure to try my turmeric, banana, and ginger smoothie recipe in your new blender 🙂
  • Downtown Market gift card for a cooking class $70-100. This is an awesome present for someone that loves to go out on the town, but needs a little help in the cooking department.
  • Blue Apron or Doorganics gift card $60-240. Another great gift for the amateur cooks that are just getting started on their culinary journey or just want to cook a great meal for their significant other.
  • Vegetable spiralizer $20-30. Spiralized vegetables (zucchini, sweet potato, squash, etc.) as a low carbohydrate substitute for standard spaghetti is all the rage right now and for good reason. Let the experimenting begin!

BEAUTY:

  • LUSH gift boxes. Made from fresh organic fruits and vegetables, essential oils, and safe synthetics. Not tested on animals. Handmade using little or no preservative or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients. $40
  • Serenity Heatable/Chillable Spa Mask $20. Take a moment to relax your eyes with this cold or warm mask.
  • Petal multi-use vitamin E oil $30. Say hello to 2018 with glowing, soft, and rose petal-scented skin 🙂

STOCKING STUFFERS:

  • Hip circle exercise resistance bands $5-10. Get that booty lookin’ tight and fit for spring break 2018 using these resistance bands while weight lifting or even on their own. 
  • Mortar and pestle $10-40. Know someone who is eager to make their own chimichurri or salsa verde? I’ve got just the thing.
  • Vegetable steamer basket $10-15. Avoid mushy, overcooked steamed vegetables with this handy tool.
  • Avocado slicer $10. Honestly, who doesn’t know someone who loves avocado?! This slicer makes cutting an avocado simple and easy.

Happy Holidays friends!

-EAW

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My Top 10 Fridge Staples

Between family get-togethers, company parties, and holiday shopping, this season is always busy. It’s easy to get thrown off your normal routine of cooking and eating healthy with all these events. During this time, I heavily depend on these healthy fridge staples to get me through. Gotta have all hands on deck health and energy-wise during this season, therefore it’s essential for me to have these food items available to me. Here are my 10 refrigerator must-haves always and especially during the holiday season.

  1. Spinach or dark leafy greens
    1. Whether adding to my eggs in the morning, soups in the evening, or just making a simple salad, these are a must-have for me. They are a great source of vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, iron, calcium, and vitamin C.
  2. Unsweetened soy milk
    1. Soy intake in moderate amounts may have a protective effect against cancer risk. Moderate amounts includes about 2-3 servings of whole soy foods daily (i.e. soy milk, edamame, tofu, etc.). Because I don’t consume tofu and edamame on a regular basis, I try to consume at least 1/2-1 cup of unsweetened soy milk daily. It’s a great source of soy-based protein (as compared to many other non-dairy based milks), potassium, vitamin B12, folate, calcium, and vitamin D.
  3. Plain Greek yogurt
    1. My go-to uses of plain Greek yogurt is rarely for eating just plain yogurt. It’s one of my favorite healthy swaps in dips, sauces, and spreads. I find myself continually subbing it for sour cream in dips and Mexican cuisine. It’s low in added sugar, high in protein, and a great source of calcium. Try spreading on toast with sliced apples topped with a honey, nut butter, and coconut milk drizzle for a delicious mid-afternoon snack.
  4. Ground flaxseed
    1. Some people may not store in the refrigerator but I often do just to keep it as fresh as possible. Ground flaxseed meal is a great source of fiber, protein, and iron. With 2 tablespoons providing 2430 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids, it’s also packed full of all those heart healthy fats. It adds a lovely nutty flavor to your favorite cookies, energy bites, fruit smoothies, or my favorite…old-fashioned oatmeal.
  5. Avocado
    1. Oh the holy grail! We all know avocado is all the rage right now, but honestly how can you resist. It spreads beautifully on toast and blends easily in your favorite smoothie or savory sauce. It’s jam-packed with the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and provides at least 20 vitamins and minerals in one-third a medium avocado (one serving). Enough said.
  6. Kombucha
    1. My booch 😉 This fermented tea beverage is a probiotic that can help maintain gut microbiota. I try to drink at least one Kombucha a week to maintain my gut health. Taking care of your gut health is essential to support regular bowel and immune function. Plus, there are ample flavors to choose from…don’t tell me you can’t find one you like.
  7. Cage-free eggs
    1. Once while traveling the country, I drove past a large semi truck carrying caged chickens that were literally packed in tighter than sardines. My face while driving past the truck turned to the driver in pure horror. I never looked back. Cage-free eggs fa’ life. Plus they’re delicious and the yolk is always plump and never saggy (ew saggy!). Eggs are good any time of the day for me…breakfast, snack, lunch, brinner, you name it. Eggs provide high quality protein and are bursting at the seams with great nutrients, such as B-vitamins, choline, iron, vitamin D, lutein and zeaxanthin.
  8. String cheese
    1. I must admit I never string the cheese. I eat it by the whole bite-size. To those who have the patience to pull apart the strings of cheese and eat them slowly, I applaud you. I don’t have that patience. This snack helps hold me over between meals due to 6-7 grams of protein. It provides a good source of calcium and limited fat (if you are purchasing the light version!) for all my low fat friends.
  9. Hummus
    1. The phrase “hummus is yummus” holds true in my mind. I often make my own (see here for a chipotle pumpkin version), but in the case I don’t, I almost always have a store-bought container on hand. Hummus is a great plant-based snack, blending cooked chickpeas and tahini sauce as the classic foundation. Spread on toast and/or pita bread or enjoy with your favorite crackers and fresh vegetables.
  10. Baby carrots
    1. Well what on earth are you going to eat with the hummus?! Dem baby carrots. Baby carrots are a great go-to snack. Ready-to-eat, low in calories and can be paired with hummus of course, your favorite nut butter, grapes, veggie dip, or just eaten by themselves. Carrots offer excellent sources of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.

What are some your favorite refrigerator staples? Comment below 🙂

 

-EAW

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Guide to a Healthy Holiday Mindset

We have all heard the statistics about unwanted weight gain during the holiday season and how we often struggle to lose this weight over the course of the rest of the year. Luckily, there are many easy, healthy swaps to help reduce excess calories and fat in holiday cooking. In addition, we also know that stress plays a role in unwanted weight gain. According to a study conducted by the CDC, higher perceived stress was associated with lower levels of physical activity, less mindful eating behaviors, and more energy-dense food choices. Therefore, even if you are using healthier techniques in your holiday baking this year, your weight may still continue to climb if you are bombarded with stress.

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, it’s important to start preparing your mindset in order to promote good health before, during, and after the holidays. Follow this guide to help formulate a strong and healthy holiday mindset.

  1. Identify what part of the holidays makes you happy. Is it catching up with friends or family, giving back to the community, making food for family, or even eating all the yummy traditional holiday foods? Make these things a priority. Even if enjoying all the yummy food is something you really look forward too, then do so without feeling guilty. But be sure to remember moderation and portion sizes. After all, it is not the select couple holidays that will cause significant weight gain. It is the lack of a consistent healthy lifestyle before, during, and after the holidays that makes the biggest impact long-term.
  2. Identify areas of your diet or fitness that need improving NOW. Not the day after Thanksgiving when the guilt sets in or January 1st when you decide to start a crash diet. Focus on 2 SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals for your fitness level and diet now. Make these goals as realistic as possible so that it will be feasible to maintain throughout and after the holiday season.
  3. De-glorify certain “off-limit” foods. When we put pumpkin pie in a category of “should never eat” and salad in a category of “eat often”, which one do we tend to want more? That slice of pumpkin pie. When we stop hyper-focusing on foods that we can’t eat and focus on all foods in moderation, you start to form a positive relationship to food and your body.
  4. Find your zen time. Whether that’s taking more time for yourself or just feeling ok with saying “no” to parties or extra tasks. Allowing your mind to decompress will help facilitate a healthier mindset during the holidays. Try some of these relaxation tips:
    1. Read a book for 15 minutes every day.
    2. Meditate or yoga for 15-20 minutes daily.
    3. Journal in the morning or evenings before bed to remind yourself things you are grateful for.
    4. Go tech-free for an hour or two during the day. Don’t be afraid to unplug from the electronics for a while.

By following some of these easy tips to decompress your mind, you may find you will enjoy your holidays even more than previous years. The mind plays a large part in your health and it’s important to treat it as an equal to diet and exercise in your healthy lifestyle. Happy Holidays!

 

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2012/12_0001.htm

-EAW

 

 

 

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Easy Horseradish Sauce

As the weather is starting to get colder and drearier here in West Michigan, I find myself wanting to make more and more warm, comfort foods. My fiancé also recently purchased a smoker and has been making some really delicious smoked meat; it sure is yummy and incredibly low maintenance. He makes the proteins and I make the sides. It’s a nice little duo we have going on over here 🙂

My fiancé recently bought a ginormous piece of beef loin from Costco and it has been taking up the majority of our freezer space for a couple weeks. We decided this week was the week to smoke this baby, mainly so we can regain some of our freezer space back. And when I say this thing was ginormous, I am not kidding. Let me give you a visual…

With it only being the two of us (and our zoo including a great dane, border collie pitbull mix, and dumpster kitty), we were both aware we were not going to be able to finish this alone. Therefore, we invited a couple friends over to help make a dent in this meat. Side note, the meat turned out amazing! Check out those smoke rings!

Despite having friends help us consume this, we still had quite a bit of meat leftover. Meaning, I had to start getting creative to discover new ways to use up the rest of this meat. Lucky enough, trying to use up leftovers without wasting food is probably one of my favorite pastimes.

One of our friends recommended an open-faced sandwich that sounded amazing…sourdough bread, dijon mustard, pickles, swiss cheese, leftover smoked beef loin topped with a horseradish sauce. SOLD. A couple days later, I took a stab at it, but not without my own personal twist (I can’t resist). I love when I rhyme unintentionally. Here is a look at how the sandwich turned out.

This sauce though. On point. It really took the sandwich to the next level flavor-wise. I highly recommend trying it. It is super easy and can be served with just the meat alone if you prefer. The non-fat Greek yogurt substitute for sour cream quickly eliminates extra calories from fat that truly, between the meat and the swiss cheese, the sandwich just did not need in my opinion. But if you do find yourself needing a little more fat for flavor or thickness, feel free to add a dollop of low-fat sour cream. Enjoy!

Easy Horseradish Sauce

Total prep time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6 (1 Tbsp)

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. Rice wine vinegar
  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 Horseradish, prepared white
  • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Directions:

  1. Stir together the mustard, vinegar, yogurt, horseradish, salt, pepper, worcestershire, and tabasco sauce together in a medium bowl until evenly dispersed.
  2. Transfer to an air-tight container and I recommend refrigerating for at least 3 hours or overnight if possible.

Recipe adapted from The Washington Post.

-EAW

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Everything Pumpkin: The Healthy Way

Fall is upon us and with that comes all the pumpkin cookies, cakes, pie, and cheesecake. But not all pumpkin recipes have to debunk your diet from excess calories. Pumpkin can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Some people may be wondering if pumpkin is even healthy at all?

Pumpkin has many health benefits to be happy about this fall. It’s packed with antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as beta-carotene, vitamin A, dietary fiber, and potassium. For 1 cup of 100% pure pumpkin, there is only ~80 calories, 7 grams of fiber, <1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of protein. These different nutrients help support the immune system, maintain clear eyesight, and help maintain a healthy weight. And don’t forget about the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are a great source healthy fats, protein, fiber, zinc, and magnesium. Here are some great healthy recipes using pumpkin for you to try this fall or any time of the year.

Check out the audio guide from my news segment on WZZM here.

Pumpkin Ricotta Mousse

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 ¼ cup 100% pure pumpkin, pureed
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup light or fat-free whipped topping

Directions:

  1. Combine first 5 ingredients using a mixer or blender until smooth.
  2. Fold in the cool whip with a spatula until even consistency.
  3. Using small bowls or mason jars, spoon ¼ cup mousse into each and top with pecans, dark chocolate nibs, or pumpkin seeds for garnish.

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Whole Wheat and Oat Pumpkin Pancakes

Prep time: 5 mins, Total time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, buttermilk and pumpkin together until smooth. Add in vanilla, baking powder, salt, pumpkin spice, rolled oats and flour and whisk well.
  2. Pour about half a ladle onto a medium hot griddle and cook for 3 minutes, until the edges start to firm up. Flip the pancakes and finish cooking for 1-2 minutes on the other side.
  3. Serve hot with maple syrup, plain yogurt, or pecans.

Source: https://www.jocooks.com/healthy-eating/healthy-whole-wheat-oats-pumpkin-pancakes/

Smoky Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more, to top
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, plus adobo sauce, to taste
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more to top
  • Roasted, salted pumpkin seeds, to top

Directions:

  1. Pulse the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and salt together in a food processor or blender until it forms a paste. Add in the chickpeas, olive oil, and chipotle chiles and pulse until smooth. Add in the pumpkin puree, cumin, and smoked paprika and pulse until well combined.
  2. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and swirl the top using the back of the spoon. Drizzle over a little additional olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and top with roasted pumpkin seeds. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: http://hostthetoast.com/smoky-chipotle-pumpkin-hummus/

Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, about 32 ounces
  • 2 15 ounce cans pumpkin puree
  • 1¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk, or a 13.5 ounce can, reserving 1 tablespoon
  • 1 large red chili pepper, sliced
  • Cilantro for garnish if desired

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the curry paste for about one minute or until paste becomes fragrant. Add the broth and the pumpkin and stir.
  2. Cook for about 3 minutes or until soup starts to bubble. Add the coconut milk and cook until hot, about 3 minutes.
  3. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of the reserved coconut milk and sliced red chilis. Garnish with cilantro leaves if desired.

Source: https://www.foodiecrush.com/5-ingredient-thai-pumpkin-soup/

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Enjoy!

-EAW