Gretchen Scalpi, RDN

If you are thinking of cutting back on calories to lose a little weight or to get in fighting shape for your next 5K run then we have some simple tips for you. It doesn’t take much effort to eat healthier if you make some gradual and simple changes like these.

Start by using smaller plates and bowls. You can purchase some inexpensive dinnerware at your local department store.

Don’t skip meals. Study after study has shown that skipping meals drives people to overeat later. Aim to eat three meals a day plus two healthy snacks.

Stop cooking with oil or butter. Use cooking spray instead. For some meals you can use low salt chicken or beef broth to replace oil or butter.

Cut back on sodas, sports drinks, juice and sweetened tea. Switch to unsweetened tea and water with a slice of lemon or lime.

When you eat out have the waiter bring containers so you can cut your portion in half before eating and take the rest home for another meal.

Skip the French fries that normally come with your cheeseburger and opt for the carrots or apple slices that are normally served with a children’s meal.

Turn down creamy soups and opt for soup made with broth like vegetable, wonton, egg drop and minestrone soup.

Start every meal with a salad but go easy on the dressing or use vinegar and oil. Skip the croutons and cheese and add some protein like chopped hard boiled eggs or baked or broiled chicken.

Cut back on alcohol. Yes, some studies suggest that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol a few times a week leads to better health but when you’re trying to cut calories less is more.

Increase the amount of vegetables and fruit you eat. If you can’t get fresh go for frozen so long as no sauces or sugar have been added.

Cutting calories can be easier than you think. Combine these tips along with sensible exercise and a good night’s sleep and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier and happier life!

Tags: calories, cut calories, lose weight, weight loss

When you think of making a smoothie with protein you’ll most likely reach for whey, soy or egg protein powder first. That would be a mistake if you have allergies, if you are on a gluten-free diet or if you lead a vegan lifestyle.

Rice protein is created from brown rice that is ground into a flour and added to water. To break down and remove carbohydrates natural enzymes are introduced. In order to prevent the denaturing of amino acids the temperature during the process is kept low. At the end of the process you have a hypoallergenic and easily digested protein.

Rice protein is:

• Very low calorie and low fat.
• Utilized more easily than soy by the body.
• Available unflavored or in a vanilla or chocolate flavor.
• Filled with fiber and B vitamins.
• An excellent choice for baking or making smoothies or protein shakes.
• Easy to add to recipes to increase the amount of protein.
• Filled with the necessary amino acids to help with muscle repair and growth.

If you are looking for an alternative to whey, soy or egg protein powder then rice protein might be a good choice for you.

Tags: rice protein, whey protein

Eating the right food is key to a healthy lifestyle but even more important is handling food the right way before you start to cook. Nearly 48 million people a year get sick from food contamination according to federal health officials. While most people know how to handle meat they might not know how to prepare fruits and vegetables properly. Following are some essential tips to keep healthy while eating your fruits and veggies!

• Wash your utensils, counters and dishes that you will use to prepare food.
• Wash your hands with soap before and after handling any food.
• Don’t use soap on your fruits and vegetables.
• Cut away any damaged areas on your fruit or vegetables.
• Wash and gently scrub your produce under running water before peeling.
• Leafy vegetables can be pulled apart with outer leaves discarded and soaked in water for a few minutes before being gently dried.
• If food is labeled as “washed” when you buy it you don’t need to rewash it before eating.
• If you don’t intend to cook your produce right away keep it in the refrigerator.

The benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables is widely known. Now you know how to handle and prepare produce you’ll have no excuse for not adding more of them to your daily diet.

Tags: cut calories, rice protein, whey protein

It’s hot, hot, hot outside and nobody feels like turning on their oven or cooking over a hot stove for hours everyday. The best way to cook healthy meals while keeping the kitchen cool is by using your slow cooker (crockpot). I’ve already said I love my slow cooker and these recipes from around the web make me love it even more!

Crock Pot 3 Bean Turkey Chili
Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
Weight Watchers Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes recipe
Cheeseburger Mac Attack
Slow-Cooker Stout and Chicken Stew
Slow-Cooked Brisket in Onion Gravy

Tags: crockpot recipes, healthy recipes, slow cooker recipes

Fruit salad is a favorite at summertime barbecues or picnics and we can never get enough.  You may think that cleaning, dicing and throwing a bunch of fruit into a bowl qualifies as fruit salad and it does but you can get much more fancy than that.

Listed below are some fantastic recipes that help you create a stand-out fruit salad for your next meal or event!

Fresh Fruit and Mint Salad

Pretty, Yummy Fruit Salad

Secret Fruit Salad

Mojito Fruit Salad (Non-Alcoholic)

Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad

Tags: barbeques, fruit salad, fruit salad recipes, parties, picnics

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) needs input from those living with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (‘gluten sensitivity’)!  Please fill out this survey to tell us about your experience with attending catered events.  We’ll be using your responses in a presentation at an upcoming conference focused on educating those in the catering industry on the importance of safe gluten-free food preparation for our community.

If you would like to take the survey click here!

Tags: catered events, celiac disease, gluten free

After going through what I thought was a most brutal winter here in the northeast, I am so ready for the start of summer!  Longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures are just the beginning.  The beautiful variety of colorful fruits and vegetables are what I most look forward to.

Several years back I discovered the simplicity of putting together fruits and vegetables in a way that gave them a character all their own…namely a fruit salsa.  These combinations not only make a great accompaniment to a meal (as in a meat served with salsa), I think they are excellent enough to stand on their own and eat as a “salad.”

A salsa is defined as “A spicy sauce of chopped, uncooked vegetables or fruit.”  To make a fruit salsa really stand out, you need a combination of colorful fruits, a complimentary vegetable, and a bit of spice to add interest and a touch of hotness.  I also like to add beans for added nutrition, and what could be more appropriate than incorporating black beans? My recipe for Caribbean Kiwi Salsa has all of these qualities and if you decide to try it, I think you will agree that this is a perfect way to get in those fruits and vegetables!

Caribbean Kiwi Salsa – Serve 4-6       

1 cup kiwi peeled and chopped

1 cup pineapple, chopped

½ cup peach or mango, chopped

½ cup cucumber, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup black beans, cooked (or canned, drained & rinsed)

3 Tb. fresh cilantro, chopped

2 Tb. lime juice

½ tsp. chili powder

Dash cayenne pepper

Enjoy!

Tags: fresh salsa, fruit, healthy foods, herbs, recipe, vegetables

Every year we collect all of our cleaning supplies and set aside time to clean our home from top to bottom.  One place we frequently forget to clean is our kitchen pantry.  This year we decided to make our pantry healthier during spring cleaning.  Here are the top ten items we recommend you get rid of during your annual spring cleaning extravaganza.

1. Get rid of bottled salad dressing and make your own with oil, vinegar and spices.
2. Ditch the sugary cereals and replace with healthier high fiber versions.
3. Replace the mayonnaise in your fridge with Greek yogurt.
4. Ditch the prepared meals in boxes like Hamburger Helper and start using your slow cooker to make healthier versions.
5. Don’t drink those sugary sodas.  Throw them out or give them away and replace with a pitcher of filtered water with lime, orange or lemon slices.
6. Replace traditional pasta with whole grain versions that are healthier and even taste better!
7. Throw away candy and pastries and replace with fresh fruit.
8. Love those potato chips?  You’ll love baked vegetable chips and whole grain crackers much more!
9. Get rid of regular chicken broth and replace it with the low-sodium version.
10. Give away the packages of microwave popcorn you’ve been hoarding and replace with 100 calorie per pack versions.

Don’t forget to check the expiration date of the items you do keep in your pantry and fridge.  Throw out anything that has expired and replace with fresh versions.  If you have products that are fresh that you no longer want to eat consider donating them to the local food bank rather than throwing them out.

Tags: fresh salsa, fruit, healthy eating, recipe

In my article “Greek Yogurt:  Worth The Price?” I discussed the differences between Greek Yogurt and regular yogurt.  In just about every comparison Greek yogurt wins although it is more expensive and generally has less calcium.  The many positive qualities of Greek yogurt has made it even more popular than ever.

Greek yogurt is incredibly versatile and given the health benefits it can be used in a variety of ways.  Listed below are our twelve  ways to use Greek yogurt.  

1. Use it in place of 1/3 or 1/2 of the butter in recipes for baked items to cut down on calories without sacrificing moistness.

2. Replace milk in smoothies with Greek yogurt to increase protein and thickness.

3. Strain Greek yogurt and use it to replace the butter in frosting.

4. Make your own sour cream by adding a bit of salt to Greek yogurt.

5. Ramp up the protein in tuna and egg salad by including Greek yogurt instead of mayo.

6. Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo in your deviled eggs.

7. Make your own salad dressing by using Greek yogurt instead of mayo and sour cream.

8. Top creamy soups with Green Yogurt instead of sour cream.

9. Use instead of sour cream when topping tacos.

10. Use seasoning with Greek yogurt as a marinade for meat and seafood.

11. Make Tzatziki with Greek yogurt, sea salt, chopped cucumbers and dill.

12. Make a low calorie cheese sauce by mixing Greek yogurt with shredded cheese.

Greek yogurt is incredibly versatile and there are lots of ways to use it.

Tags: greek yogurt, greek yogurt recipes, healthy eating

Despite what your mother told you snacking between meals is a good thing if your snacks are healthy.  Adding a couple of healthy snacks, preferably high in protein, can increase the likelihood that you will stick with your healthy diet.  The problem with snacking is that finding healthy, affordable and portable snacks is difficult.

Oscar Mayer has stepped in to fill the gap with their new Portable Protein Packs.  There are four versions:

• The applewood smoked turkey breast version comes with reduced fat marbled Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses and dry roasted almonds.

• The applewood smoked ham comes with reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese and dry roasted almonds.

• The rotisserie seasoned chicken breast comes with reduced fat Cheddar cheese and dry roasted peanuts.

• The slow roasted turkey breast comes with reduced fat Cheddar cheese and dry roasted peanuts.

Each pack has thirteen grams of protein.  The most important word in “healthy snacks” is healthy but these packs have loads of ingredients that may not be good for you.  For example some packs included cultured dextrose, modified cornstarch, caramelized sugars and carrageenan.  The also may not fit into your budget.

Although these packs are very convenient you can spend a little more time creating your own healthy inexpensive snacks.  To get some ideas read my post “Do-It-Yourself Snack Options“.

Tags: healthy eating, Lunchables, snacks