Quinoa & Black Beans Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
PREPARATION:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and sauté until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.
Yield: 10 servings
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 152 calories; 1.7 g fat ; 0 mg cholesterol; 27.6 g carbohydrate; 7.7 g protein; 7.7 g fiber; 513 mg sodium

Recipe | Pomegranate Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
6 Tbsp pomegranate juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Combine all in a bowl and whisk. Will make enough for 2 salads.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per 2-tablespoon serving: 40 calories; 2.5 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 40 mg sodium; 21 mg potassium

Pomegranate’s Perfection

Pomegranates have been a well known superfood due to the high amount of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. The juice of the pomegranate is a concentrated source of three different polyphenols which are rich sources of antioxidants. Pomegranate juice is a rich source of tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid, which make it a unique fruit due the particularly high amounts of these three powerful antioxidants. These attributes are linked to the prevention of cancer and heart disease. So whether you eat the seeds or enjoy the juice realize that you are doing your body a favor by consuming a nutritional powerhouse…the pomegranate!

Three easy steps to removing the seeds of a pomegranate

Step 1: Cut off the crown and then cut the pomegranate into sections
Step 2: Place the sections into a bowl of water and remove the juice sacks with your fingers into the water and discard everything else
Step 3: Strain out the water and enjoy the nutritional benefits of this wonderful fruit!

Nutrition Label Guidelines

The number one rule when grocery shopping is to never buy a product based on what is says on the front of the box. “Healthy” choice, “Nutra” grain, “Smart” ones, then are all just marketing tools to make you believe that the product is healthy….in some cases they are, but most fall short of healthy guidelines. The very first thing you should do when deciding on placing the product in your cart is to review the Nutrition Label Guidelines on the side of the box. Below are the guidelines that I recommend using when reviewing the label. It may not meet all of the guidelines, but try to come as close as you can. Just this little tip can make a huge impact on your diet and health. The few extra minutes it takes you to review the label will add years to your life!

Per Serving:
200 Calories and ↓
5 g Fat and ↓
300 mg Sodium and ↓
8 g Sugar and ↓
3 g Fiber and ↑

Q & A: Ask the Dietitian…

Question: What is the most common fad diet that you get asked about and is there one that you would recommend?

Betsy’s Answer:
There are a lot of fad diets still circulating and people who believe that these quick fixes will produce long term results. Unfortunately most of these diets are just that, fads, which leave the individual with further weight gain and lost hopes. I would say the two most popular fad diets that I get asked about would be the Adkins and South Beach diet. Both diets put an emphasis on higher protein and low carb. There is still the belief out there that carbohydrates are what will lead to weight gain and everyone is scared to eat carbs like pasta, bananas, and potatoes. As a dietitian I work hard to bust that myth. It is not exactly the carb that causes the weight gain, but carbs consumed in excess along with lack of exercise and activity will cause an individual to gain weight. The downside to these two diets is that they can often be very restrictive and lead to people getting bored from the limited food choices. Diets "do" work, but often only temporarily because they are too hard to maintain for life. It is better to find changes in the diet that can be made over a lifetime to produce more long term results.

It is true that there are bits and pieces from each fad diet that will work for individuals. For example the Zone diet emphasized balance from each food group, the S. Beach diet emphasized whole grains and nuts, and the Glycemic index diet emphasizes foods that have a lower glycemic index to better balance blood sugars. There will always be fad diets out there alluring people to believe they are the key to weight loss. The most important thing to remember is that if you cannot maintain that particular diet for life then you should expect the weight to return. Instead I recommend individuals pick a diet that offers enough balance so that they will not get easily bored and provide enough nutrition for them to lose weight safely. Individuals should expect 1-2 lb weight loss a week and diets that promise more than that per week should be looked at cautiously.

Nutrition IQ: Test your nutrition knowledge

You know that flax is healthy and you can read the nutrition labels with ease, but how much do you really understand about nutrition? Take this short quiz and see how many answers you get correct!

1. A Twix candy bar has the saturated fat equal to how many strips of bacon?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 11
D. 15

2. Organic vs. Non Organic: In regards to pesticide levels, which 2 fruits listed below are best to be purchased as organic?
A. Apple
B. Grapes
C. Strawberries
D. Kiwi

3. What has more sodium per serving?
A. Popcorn
B. Cup O’Noodles
C. Lean Cuisine
D. Slice of pizza

4. One Snapple Lemon Iced Tea has the sugar equivalent of how many fudgesicles?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8

5. A study from the University of North Carolina founds that kids consume daily on average 450 calories from beverages (soda, juice, energy drinks, etc). For a kid who leads a sedentary (couch potato) lifestyle, how many pounds can they gain in a year from these beverages?
A. 6
B. 11
C. 18
D. 23

6. What is the better snack combo?
A. apple slices with peanut butter
B. 100 calorie snack pack
C. Nutra-grain granola bar
D. raisins

7. What condiment is the most widely used in the U.S.?
A. Ketchup
B. Salsa
C. Mayonnaise
D. Mustard


ANSWERS:
1. C. 11 strips – this one candy bar contains more than half the USDA’s daily consumption recommendation for this dangerous fat.

2. A & C. Strawberries and Apples – the same goes for peaches. Buy organic whenever possible for these fruits. No need to buy organic bananas or pineapple.

3. B. A serving of cup o’ noodles – this has 1,110 mg of sodium per serving; approximately 85% of the daily recommended allowance. This is one of the cheapest sources of empty calories in the grocery store.

4. C. 6 fudgesicles = 58 grams of sugar & 250 calories. You would need to pull weeds in the garden for 55 minutes to work that off.

5. D. 23 lbs

6. A. Apple slices with peanut butter. It is better to combine a protein with a carbohydrate for a more long lasting energy source. Also the apple provides more fiber then the other choices which will keep you fuller longer.

7. B. Salsa. Not only is it low in calories but it is packed with vitamins, minerals and lycopene!

Recipe | Easy Garden Salsa

INGREDIENTS:
5 medium Tomatoes, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
½ cup White Onion, diced
¼ cup fresh Lime Juice
2 roasted Jalapenos seeded and minced
¼ cup chopped fresh Cilantro
¼ tsp. Salt

PREPARATION:
Combine all ingredients in bowl and stir to mix. Lightly mash with a fork and stir again. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.