I Love You Sardine

As I was eating my salad this afternoon of greens, beets, cucumbers, avocado, black beans, sardines and balsamic vinaigrette, I got to thinking about how underrated sardines are.  No one shows any love to the sardine and yet it is so darn good for you.  It can be a little … smelly … I will admit (I don’t really smell it, but my husband would beg to differ).  Toothbrush and mints are required.  But it really is a lovely little fish, low in mercury and chocked full of healthy fats and minerals.  It’s also hefty in the protein department.  My little box here of Wild Planet Sardines in spring water says it contains about 30g of protein for only 170 calories and 5g of fat.  Not bad for anyone needing to boost their meals with a little more protein and a little less carb and definitely great for all of us needing an Omega 3 boost.  Did you also know sardines are high in calcium and a concentrated source of Vitamin D?  It’s basically a great source of all the nutrients that are so popular right now, but in FOOD instead of a supplement.

**To my pregnant & breastfeeding friends, a special summary:  Super low in mercury and high in protein, calcium, Vitamin D, Omega 3’s, B12 = perfect prenatal and breastfeeding food.

You may be curious to know how to include these fishy little treats into your diet (my husband is shaking his head no, but I am sure you are saying yes).  I am pretty simple about it to be honest.  I usually put them in salads to give a kick of protein, especially when I am lacking other protein sources that I often turn to such as beans, eggs, nuts, seeds or cheese.   I have also eaten them with grains or other leftover vegetables when I need a simple yet quick protein addition to my meal.  I mean, what could be less hassle and prep than a tin of sardines?  I am also thinking of using them instead of tuna for a tuna fish (or I suppose sardine fish in this case) sandwich being that the mercury content of tuna is becoming so worrisome these days.  

So, there is my quick little spiel on sardines, the wonderfood of the marine world.  I am curious to know if there are any sardine lovers out there?  Anyone?   

Spice it up!

As a rule, American food tends to be rather bland.  We don’t utilize a lot of spices in our cooking and hence lack a lot of the richness and aromas that many ethnic foods contain.  Have you ever encountered a person that smells like the food they just cooked?  I have.  I think it’s wonderful.  It takes a lot of cooking and a lot of spices (probably in a rather confined space) to permeate one’s pores to the point they exude a delicious aroma in public, but it shows their love of and dedication to using a plethora of spices in their cooking.  I suppose you might be thinking, ‘wait, if you are trying to convince me to cook with more spices only to end up walking around smelling like an ethnic food market, no thanks.’  No, no no.  You needn’t worry.  That is unlikely to happen unless you are quite intentional about it.  But what may happen is you will enjoy a greater variety of lovely and intense flavors in your meals while benefiting from a host of healthful properties inherent in many spices.  You have probably heard that spices can be medicinal.  Indeed it is true.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Ginger:  Many of us know ginger can help feelings of nausea and motion sickness.  But did you also know that it is a power antioxidant with properties believed to help fight cancer?  It also may improve digestion, help relax blood vessels and improve blood flow. 

Cinnamon:  What would life be without cinnamon?  Not only is it extremely tasty in sweet and savory dishes but it has many anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties, making it useful in disease prevention and fighting bacteria, fungi and yeast.  It is known to help reduce blood clotting, act as a natural preservative in foods, and support blood-glucose regulation.  A study in the December 2003 issue of Diabetes Care Also showed cinnamon effective at reducing blood sugar levels in people with Type II Diabetes.

Turmeric:  Curcumin is the active ingredient in this brownish/yellow spice.   A staple of many curries and a crucial component of your every-day mustard, this antioxidant-rich substance is believed to help aid in digestion and decrease inflammation.  In numerous studies it’s potent anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be as effective as hydrocortisone and anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin without the potentially toxic side effects of common drugs.  Also it may be helpful in fighting inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis, and also is showing promise in protection against many types of cancer.  Studies show it may support cholesterol reduction by improving the liver’s ability to clear LDL cholesterol .

Oregano:  Commonly used in many Mediterranean dishes, this little spice has numerous phytonutrients that give it powerful antioxidant capabilities, and, surprisingly, is one of the very few herbs that provides a good source of iron, calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and even Omega 3 fatty acids.  Also oregano oil is known to be a great anti-bacterial agent.

Amazing, isn’t it.  And these are just a few examples.  Think of the hundreds of other herbs and spices out there, each able to add immeasurable health benefits to each and every meal you consume.

One common complaint about using herbs and spices is the cost.  Well I have got some tips for that.  For spices, try to find stores that sell in bulk.  The cost difference is astounding.   A little bag of cumin out of the bulk section will run you literally about 50 cents, whereas a jar in the spice aisle typically costs anywhere from $3-$6.  For ethnic spices, especially Indian and Middle Eastern, find an ethnic store that sells them (NOT Safeway or the like).  Not only will you pay far less, but the quality is far above the … ummm … crap … they sell in the supermarket.  Seriously, I had no idea curry could be so wonderfully aromatic and flavorful until I bought the powder in an Indian market on the East Side.  Worth the trip.  For herbs, farmers markets can be a good place to find them cheaper.  Another idea is to grow them yourself.  Thyme and rosemary are quite hardy and easily grow in most backyards.  Even if you just grow one or two, that is still saving you a considerable amount.  I myself only grow thyme and rosemary (believe me I’ve tried others, but my thumb must be black instead of green) but I still save money every time I make a dish with those herbs and simply snip them out of my yard.

Another barrier I’ve found is many people’s general lack of knowledge as to where to use herbs and spices in their cooking.  Well to help with that, I’ve got a recipe for you.  Everyone should have a curry dish in their repertoire, so I say.  If you don’t, now you do.  A trip to the East Side might be in order.  =) Hope you enjoy!  

*I do realize this recipe is quite spice intensive.  If you don’t have some of these, or any of these, spices in your cabinet, well you should!  Money well spent.  You will be very happy the next time you make a spice-alicious dish to be already so well stocked.  Plus you can impress your friends.

**I also realize this dish is quite time intensive.   You will likely have a ton of leftovers for meals to come, so should end up saving some time.  Plus you can always make a double batch and freeze.

***If you aren’t sure where to find an ingredient listed, just ask!

Coconut Lamb Curry

Ingredients:

·         2 tablespoon ghee or butter

·         1.5 lb diced lamb shoulder

·         1 onion, thinly sliced

·         1 tablespoon grated ginger

·         1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

·         1 tsp ground turmeric

·         10 fresh curry leaves (you can find these at Uwajimaya)

·         400g can chopped tomatoes

·         2 cups beef stock

·         ½ cup coconut cream (not coconut milk)

·         2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

·         Steamed rice, to serve

Homemade Curry Powder (You could probably buy a good quality curry powder at an ethnic market if you do not have the time or inclination to make your own, but it may not be quite the same curry as this recipe intends.  But give it a try!)

·         ¼ cup coriander seeds

·         1 tablespoon each cumin seed, fenugreek seed,  mustard seed, and cardamom seed

·         8 cloves

·         5cm piece of cinnamon quill (cinnamon stick)

·         2 small dried red chillis or 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

·         ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

·         1 tablespoon ground turmeric

Method:

1.       To make your own curry powder, put the coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon in a non-stick frying pan over low heat.  Heat the spices for one minutes, shaking the pan or stirring them to keep from burning.  Remove the pan from the heat, the pour the spices into a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder along with the chili, nutmeg, and turmeric.  Grind to a powder, then set aside.

2.       Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter or ghee in a large pot over medium heat.  Brown the diced lamb in batches for 3-4 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

3.       Add remaining ghee to the pan and turn heat to medium.  Add onion, stirring for 2-3 minutes until softened.  Add garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric and curry leaves and cook for one minute until fragrant.  Add 4 tablespoons of your curry powder, stir well to combine, then add the lamb back to the pan and stir to coat.  Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour 30 minutes or until lamb is tender.

4.      Stir in the coconut cream and chopped coriander, then cook another 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.  Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with rice.

German Christmas Stollen

Most of us have Christmas traditions that we look forward to every year.  Generally these involve decorating the house, trimming the tree, and of course, baking.  What would a holiday be without good food to share with family and friends?  Many people love to bake Christmas cookies (and I like to eat them) but baking cookies has never been a favorite past time of mine.  Not sure what is was….maybe the desire for something more exotic and “European,” but Stollen making has become a new tradition for me, three years and counting.  And no, I’m not German, but I do have aspirations of going to Germany some year to partake of their rich Stollen tradition (I hear it varies from town to town, with each town taking great pride in their recipe and method of preparation).  Being that I only get to practice once a year, my skills are still needing refinement, but I will say each year it gets better and better.  Many people asked for my recipe last year and despite my good intentions, I never quite found the time to sit down and write down the recipe I was using.  Finally…….I am doing so.  Thanks to all who were so patient with me.  Last year about this time my son had only just started sleeping through the night and was taking only 2- 1 hour naps a day (he now takes one 3-4 hour nap) so needless to say,  I am now less sleep deprived and have more time. =) 

I do intend to play around with new recipes someday, but for now I have stayed with recipes adapted from a local German cook/baker because I’ve met her and I know she is German.  I’m a little wary of random recipes on the internet when it comes to something this labor-intensive.  It had better be the real deal.  These are from Erika Cenci's cookbook, A Touch of Europe.  I highly recommend her book for wonderful European baking recipes and a great selection of hearty, German meals.  She also runs a Bed and Breakfast in Yakima called, not surprisingly, A Touch of Europe.  It's lovely.

One interesting side note is that the shape of Stollen was originally meant to depict a swaddled baby Jesus.  You can think of that as you are molding your sweet little bread in the final stages.

Dresdner-Style Stollen

(makes 1 large stolen)

·         1 package of active dry yeast

·         1 tsp sugar

·         ¼ cup warm water (110 F)

·         ¾ cup warm whole milk (110 F)

·         ½ pound unsalted butter, melted

·         ¼ cup sugar

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

·         ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ground

·         ¼ teaspoon nutmet

·         3 – 3 ½ cups of white bread flour, plus extra

·         ½ cup dark raisins

·         ½ cup golden raisins

·         ½ cup dried currants

·         ¼ cup candied citron, chopped

·         ¼ cup candied orange peel, chopped

·         ½ cup of hot rum or water

·         ½ cup blanched almonds, coarsely ground

·         ½ cup almonds, coarsely ground

·         ¼ cup of unsalted butter, melted

·         2 tablespoons of sugar

·         ½ cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, combine yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar, stir in water, and let stand until foamy, 5-10 minutes.  Stir in warm milk, butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, cardamom, and nutmeg along with 2 cups of flour.  Beat until well blended, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Place raisins, currants, citron, and orange peel in a medium bowl, pour rum or water over mixture, let stand 10 minutes, drain and pat try.

In a medium bowl, combine drained fruit and nuts, add 1 cup of the remaining flour, and toss until fruit and nuts are well coated.  Add coated fruit and nuts to the dough, and work fingers until fruit and nuts are distributed in the dough.

Knead on a lightly floured board until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.  If too sticky, work in a little more flour.  Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn out on board and roll the dough into an oblong shape, ½ inch thick, and then brush melted butter over the top.  Fold in half, lengthwise, in pocket book shape so that the upper half does not quite cover the lower edge.

Form into crescent, place on greased baking sheet, brush top with melted butter, and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until Stollen is golden and firm.  Remove Stollen from the oven, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar, and dust with powdered sugar.  Remove Stollen from baking sheet, wrap tightly in parchment paper and wrap again with foil or towel, and let it rest for about 4 weeks.

**Ideally you make Stollen in early November to be consumed at the beginning of the Christmas season.  I have never had my act together that early for that to happen so it usually ends up being New Year’s Stollen.  Actually this year, since I was late in making it once again, we just decided to forgo storing it and starting eating it right away.  I think there is a taste improvement if you can wait at least a few weeks.

**Another note: I never get this Stollen to rise very well for me.  It always looks a lot thinner than the pictures I see on the internet.  If you have better results or suggestions for improvement, I’m all ears.

Here is another Stollen recipes that I love.  It’s a lot less labor-intensive because it is not yeast-based.  It’s also a lot sweeter and more like sweet pastry instead of fruit cake.

Sweet Marzipan Stollen

Dough:

·         ½ pound cream cheese, softened

·         ½ pound unsalted butter, softened

·         ¼ cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

·         3 eggs

·         1 tablespoon lemon peel, finely grated

·         3 ½ cups unbleached white flour

·         3 teaspoons baking powder

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs, lemon peel, and gradually sift-in both flour and baking powder.  Shape dough into a ball.

Marzipan Filling:

·         ½ pound marzipan

·         2 egg whites

·         2 teaspoons of rum

In a small mixing bowl, beat together marzipan, egg whites and rum until light and fluffy.  Set aside.

Nut-Raisin Filling

·         ½ cup almonds, finely ground

·         ½ cup pecans, finely ground

·         1 ½ cups golden raisins

·         2 tablespoons rum

·         2 tablespoons butter, melted

·         2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine nuts, raisins and rum.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to roughly a 15 x 12’’ oval, ½ inch thick.  Spread marzipan filling over dough, spread nut-raisin filling over marzipan filling, fold oval lengthwise, almost in half, leaving about 1 ½ inches of bottom of dough extended.  Gently press top edge to bottom edge to seal.  Place on baking sheet, bake 30-40 minutes or until browed.  Brush with butter, dust with powdered sugar.  Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

Being that this is a non-yeasted and much more sweet Stollen, this one doesn’t need to sit for weeks.  Enjoy as soon as cooled!

Parents' Influence On Children’s Eating Habits is Limited

I stand corrected. Parents may not be the most important factor in developing their child's eating habits in the long run:

Parents' Influence On Children’s Eating Habits is Limited

Getting Your Kids to Eat What YOU Want Them to Eat

Nutrition for children is one of my passions.  It helps that I am a mom so I have a vested interest in the subject, however I have also worked with the WIC program for a couple of years now and have enjoyed helping families prepare healthier meals and snacks.  I also get questions from many of my fellow mommy friends who just want more ideas or tips on how to get their family eating better.  For this reason I thought I would do a blog post on the subject and share some of my favorite tips, suggestions, recipes, and resources.  As I always say however, EVERY child is different and so some ideas just do not work for some kids, but it is always worth a try (believe me, if I knew a way to get my son to eat broccoli, I would tell you, but I haven’t figured that out yet).  Persistence is key, but sometimes you just have to move on and try something new.

First I will say, family meal times are important.  If you aren’t regularly sitting down together for meals, at least dinner, then start there.  Kids and the whole family will eat better and healthier if they are together enjoying their meal.  Countless studies back this up.  No TV, no computers, no toys, no games.  Just you, the food, and each other’s company.  The more meals you can enjoy together the better.  We are pretty good at doing breakfast and dinner most days.  Lunch is more chaotic, but we try.  I know for a fact that my son eats better when I am there eating with him and he is likely to remain at the table longer because he wants to be with me.  Not to mention he also wants to swipe food from my plate, but I’m cool with that.  Manners will come later.  =)

Secondly, you need to plan ahead.  Healthy meals don’t just appear. And they generally don’t come out of boxes or bags.  One of my goals (which I don’t always achieve) is to meal plan each week so that I have a selection of recipes and ingredients on hand.  Now I only have one child (and many of you have two or more I’m sure) but it gets a bit crazy around dinnertime if I don’t have something planned.  That is when the frozen burrito or other convenience item might appear at our table, but I try to avoid it if at all possible.  Don’t get me wrong.  Those things are fine once in awhile.  The goal is just not to make it a habit. 

In order to meal plan you need access to some resources, aka, healthy recipes and cookbooks.  If you are one of those rare few I envy that can whip up a new meal sans recipe, well good for you.  Carry on.  But for the rest of us, a little help is necessary.  I am a big internet junky, so some of my favorite resources I have found there.  I also have a found a few good books that I frequently recommend.  I’ll list a few.  Feel free to suggest more.  I always love to know about new ideas.  **Not all of these are recipes, but some are more about general healthy meal principles or feeding suggestions.

Websites:

Wholesome Baby Food -- www.wholesomebabyfood.com

Cookus Interruptus --  www.cookusinterruptus.com (also great for some brief entertainment!)

World's Healthiest Foods -- www.whfoods.com

Super Kids Nutrition -- www.superkidsnutrition.com 

Nourished Kitchen -- www.nourishedkitchen.com
Ellyn Satter -- www.ellynsatter.com
Dr. Sears -- askdrsears.com

Books:

Feeding the Whole Family --  by Cynthia Lair
The Splendid Grain -- by Rebecca Wood
The Family Nutrition Book -- by William Sears
Child of Mind:  Feeding with Love and Good Sense -- by Ellyn Satter

Lastly, once you have your plan in hand, stick to it.  The kids don’t want veggie lasagna?  Tough.  Well, ok, I get a little lenient when it comes to young kids, like under the age of 3.  I think it is fair to have one “safe” food on the table, something you know they enjoy and will eat.  For instance, my son LOVES whole grain crackers.  Sometimes I wonder how many times in one day he can ask for a cracker.  He doesn’t even always eat it.  He just likes the comfort of having it there.  So I let him have a few crackers at the dinner table.  You know what?  He eats better when he has his “safe” food there with him.  It must, in some way, assure him that he won’t starve and gives him the courage the try the other things on his plate. Just an idea.  Like I said before, may not work for everyone.  Some kids with more of a will may need a tougher approach.  Let me just assure you though.  Your kids will not starve.  In fact, if you implement family meals, cook healthy (and tasty) recipes, and model eating these foods yourself, the likelihood of them accepting new foods goes up dramatically.  Worth a try I say.

Some other random tips/suggestions:  Keep snacking between meals to a minimum.  I am not good at this myself, but it is something I aspire to.  My son tends to be more of a grazer, which is not bad in and of itself, but it makes it more difficult for him to eat the foods I want him to at mealtimes.  Therefore, try your best to limit the snacks between meals and allow them to get hungry before meal time.  Feeling hunger is actually a good thing and will allow them to know the difference between full and hungry.  There are many adults, in fact, that do not have this skill because they are constantly snacking.  Not a good habit to get into.  A good rule of thumb is 3 meals plus 2-3 snacks per day, but naturally this varies between children. 

Another tip I just learned yesterday from one of the fabulous WIC moms, and wish I had implemented a long time ago: include a “green” food or other vegetable on your child’s place daily.  I have definitely included a lot of vegetables since my son started solids, but they haven’t always been very prominent -- burried in a burrito or cooked into a quiche, for example.  I should have made more of a concerted effort to put both raw and cooked vegetables, in their whole and unadulterated states, on his plate every day just for the sake of familiarity.   This mom reports her daughter accepts most types of vegetables without question because of this.  In fact, broccoli is the first thing she eats off her place.  Amazing.  I only wish.   I guess it is never too late to start.

Need ideas for getting a particular food OUT of his/her diet?  At the risk of oversimplifying -- keep it out of the house!  Yes you may need to put up with a few days of whining as they go through withdrawal, but if it's not in the house, it's not an option.  Your child will soon learn to make do with other foods.  Now,what if this desired food happens to be one of your favorites but one which you don't want them having (say chocolate, or jube-jubes, for example).  I guess you need to hide them better.  I think it's fine for parents to have their indulgences, but if it causes problems for the kids, keep that food well hidden during the day and never consume it in their presence.  Might sound hypocritical, but if a parent can't give up a certain food and it starts to become a regular feature in their child's diet (I see frequently at WIC), then I think it's best they just be better at hiding it more selective as to when they consume it.

Also, most of you probably already know this, but never force feed!  You are more likely to set yourself up for food wars and control issues around food.  I try to be as nonchalant about it as possible.  “You don’t want to eat that?  That’s ok, we’ll try next time.”  And there will be a next time.  And a next time.  Offer repeatedly, but don’t force.  Research suggests it can take up to 20 tries to get a child to try or accept a new food.  Your job is decide what is on your child's plate.  It's their job to decide how much of it to eat. 

Another thing I heard from a client and have heard expressed from friends as well is that it is hard to cook with little ones running around.  “How am I supposed to cook anything with toddlers clinging to my legs and pining for attention?”  A client admitted rather shamefully to me today that she lets her daughters watch TV Sesame Street while she cooks because she otherwise wouldn’t get anything done (most don’t find that shameful, but she apparently did).  I hear you.  I am in that same boat many days myself.  I don’t have an answer, but I won’t judge you if you have the TV on for an hour or two each day so you can cook food for your family.  Besides, as they get older I am sure there are other activities you can use to occupy your children’s time (coloring, drawing, reading, etc).  For young kiddos, it’s just tough.  Do what you can.  Let’s just say there is a lot of choo-choo viewing that occurs in my house, because if my son isn’t asking for a cracker, he is begging for the choo-choo.  Sigh.  But no choo-choo AND eating.  I’m determined that those two things will not go together.  

So there is my long-winded and not entirely organized spiel (and I admit this is not comprehensive, so if you are running into a problem not covered here, please ask).  Hope you found at least one thing that might help in your quest for healthier meal times.  It’s a struggle for all of us, but it is also doable with a few resources and, hopefully, help from your spouse or partner.  Which reminds me of one more tip:  Be on the same page with your partner.  If you are both enforcing the same messages and same eating patterns, the greater the chance your child will turn out the same.

Now it’s your turn fellow mommies.  Share your tried and true tips for mealtime success!

Coming soon I will post part 2: Important nutrients for infants and kids.

And of course, a post about kids and meals wouldn't be complete without a recipe.  This one is a favorite of ours ever since our son got hooked on quiche from the local bakery.  Being that this habit was getting a bit expensive, I found this veggielicious quiche recipe that won instant approval.  It also keeps great in the freezer and I can pull it out in a pinch.

Cheesy Vegetable Quiche
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1/2 cup of diced onion
1 tsp olive oil
1 generous cup of broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, or a mixture of the two

½ cup shredded carrots
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 frozen, 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, preferably whole wheat and without trans fats (or make your own crust)

Method

1. Pull the pie crust out of the freezer to let it thaw and preheat your oven to 400˚F.

2. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan and sautée onions gently until starting to brown, about 8 minutes.

3. Pick over the broccoli/cauliflower florets and trim to them to ensure that they are small enough and of uniform size. Bring a small amount of water to boil in a small saucepan and add the broccoli florets. Boil/steam for 2 minutes tops. Remove from heat, drain water and set aside.

4. Beat together the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Leave on counter during the rest of the preparation to allow it to come to room temperature.

5. Prick the bottom of the pie crust to prevent air bubbles from forming. Bake crust for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

6. Change oven temperature to 375˚F. Spread cheese evenly along the bottom of the pie crust. Distribute broccoli florets and cooked onions evenly over the cheese. Pour milk and egg mixture on top. Season with a bit more salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Allow to cool a bit before serving. I actually turned off my oven a few minutes early and allowed the quiche to sit in the cooling oven for awhile, which kept it warm and cooking without overdoing it.

Is the Vitamin D Debate Settled Once and For All?

As I mentioned the other day, the new Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium just came out.  I’ve been waiting all month for this.  Apparently none of you were counting down the days until the 30^th like I was.  I mean, this could be huge.  This could confirm if it is true what we have been thinking for quite some time now – that the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for Vitamin D is woefully inadequate.  Currently many practitioners, myself included, have been recommending much higher doses of Vitamin D based on research and blood tests showing many people in the Northwest are deficient.  Do you take a supplement?  I myself take between 1,000-2,500 IU/day and know of others who take upwards of 5,000 IU/day.  The research seemed pretty consistent that we weren’t getting enough.  So what did the Institute of Medicine conclude?

After what I can only assume has been many months discussion and debate  (they reviewed over 1,000 research papers apparently), the panel concluded that indeed the RDA should be raised, however the raise was modest.  Now instead of 400 IU/day, most of us should be getting around 600 IU/day.  Hmmm.

Many MD’s and other practitioners commented in related articles that they were disappointed with the new recommendations, stating that the IOM was being overly cautious. I tend to agree, however I also agree with those who support the IOM’s position and think a little caution is prudent.  Not too long ago we thought high doses of Vitamin A might be the next cure-all … until it was found to be harmful and immediately stopped.  There just are not enough quality, long-term studies to definitively tell us what the best and safest levels are.  Unfortunately we do the general public a disservice if we recommend to little, and yet we can potentially cause more harm than good if we suggest too much. 

I think my take-away from this is to continue suggesting Vitamin D testing and evaluating  dietary Vitamin D intake before considering a supplementation regimen.  Any supplement use should be discussed thoroughly with one’s MD (as I always recommend), and dosages above the new RDA should probably be discontinued once adequate blood levels have been achieved.  I think there will be ongoing controversy over this topic, but hopefully that will prompt the research to continue.

So in the meantime, get your blood levels checked.  Many MD’s are including this with routine lab work nowadays, but just ask.  Check your diet for Vitamin D sources.  What are good food sources?  There actually aren’t many.  A few good sources include salmon, shrimp, sardines and certain mushrooms.  Eggs also have a little. And many products are fortified (milk, cheese, cereals).  Some sunlight might be your best bet, but the American Cancer Society might disagree (I’m just saying).  Then decide if supplementation is right for you.  I am going to keep taking mine, in case you were wondering.

Since salmon is one of the best Vitamin D sources, I thought I would conclude with a recipe that features this Vitamin-D powerhouse.  We are at least lucky here in the Northwest that while we don’t have much sunlight, we do have an abundance of fresh salmon. =)

Teriyaki Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup tamari
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake or shaoshing (Chinese rice wine)
• 4 skinless salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp black or white sesame seeds (optional)

To Prepare:

1. Combine tamari, sugar, mirin and sake in small bowl.  Stir to dissolve the sugar.  
2. Place fish in a shallow dish.  Pour tamari mixutre over the fish and place in fridge for 20-30 minutes to marinate.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Place fish on tray and pour over the marinade.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until just cooked.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
5. Serve with rice and vegetables.
6. Bon Apetit! 

Hot Off the Press! New Guidelines for Vit D and Calcium Intake

Report Brief - Institute of Medicine

I'll post my comments soon, but in the meantime, what do you think?

It's almost Turkey Day.....let's get cookin'!

Thanksgiving is almost here, and no, there is no “tofurkey” here at the VenHuizen house.  Nor will there ever be.  We eat REAL food, and processed alternative products are generally frowned upon.  This also means we do a lot of cooking.  Thank goodness we love to cook.   It’s a lot of work to be sure, but one that we place value on.   I just get this innate sense of satisfaction when a warm, hearty meal comes together, especially when the ingredients were gathered at the local farmers' market, or better yet, were gifts from our neighbors’ gardens.   And I’m lucky.  My hubby loves to cook, probably more than me.  He has a good sense for throwing things together, even without a recipe.  I tend to be one of those Type A’s that needs to follow the recipe word for word (nothing wrong with that) but I always wish I was more creative and spontaneous in the kitchen.  All that to say cooking is a valuable skill when it comes to eating healthy.  I’m not saying you have to love it, but realizing its value and making more time for meal preparation is something we could all be more mindful of.

So how would one, now interested in furthering their cooking abilities, go about such an endeavor?  Read, read, read!  Reading is always a great way to learn new recipes and techniques.  Start with simple recipes out of cooking magazines or basic cookbooks.  Look up anything you aren’t sure of on the internet.  Never de-boned a chicken?  I bet you could get a rudimentary idea within a few minutes searching on the web.  Another way to learn is to take a cooking class.  There are always classes at community colleges or through local culinary groups.  A quick read through the newspaper or a basic online search will probably produce some ideas.  Even some organic grocers such as PCC, Whole Foods and Marlene’s have a regular schedule of classes for a wide variety of palates.  Yet another (albeit more expensive) route is to hire a personal chef or nutrition professional who will come into your home and teach you the basics.  Many local Dietitians, myself included, offer in-home cooking lessons and pantry clean-outs sessions.

But the best and potentially the easiest way to increase our collective cooking knowledge is to teach your children!  Get your youngins measuring out the spices for curry, chopping vegetables for stew, and stirring the home-made pasta sauce.  Teach them where their food comes from, how it’s typically prepared, and why.   Help them pick out ingredients at the grocery store and ask questions of the farmers at the market.  They don’t teach this stuff in school anymore, folks, so it’s up to you.  If you show them the ropes now, they won’t need to learn the hard way as adults.

So with that, I will share our Thanksgiving menu which I put together yesterday rather hastily from a hodge podge of cookbooks we have hanging around (mainly Nigella’s Feast and Whole Grain Baking by Diana Greene).

-Fennel Potato soup

-Organic Turkey from PCC (based w/ white wine butter sauce)

-Sweet Potato Mash

-Parsnips w/ maple syrup

-Brussel sprouts /w chestnuts and pancetta

-Cranberry sauce

-Herbed whole grain rolls

-Pumpkin pie

All of this will be fresh and homemade from raw ingredients, however I will admit that I’m seriously considering running down to the Swinery as they just posted that they have fresh lard pie crusts……and pie crusts are my least favorite thing to do. =) 

So now I’d love to know…..what’s your menu?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Healthy Fats?

I've been asked to share a little more about healthy fats.  So I shall.  Fats are wonderful things.  They are critical for brain development, hormone production, nerve impulse transmission, memory storage, and are a key in the structure of our cell membranes.  They are also handy for energy storage (which is a feature some of us wish our bodies didn't have) and keeping us warm.  And best of all?  They make food taste GOOD.  We need fats.  It is a real shame the whole low-fat diet craze did such a disservice by scaring the general public away from healthy fats and into the arms of artificial sugars, low-fat processed foods, and George Foreman grills.  Bleh.  I will say though, I was a low-fat diet guru in my earlier years.  I could tell you how many calories was in a serving of Snackwells, where to buy the best veggie burgers, and extol the virtues of fat-free cereal as the perfect snack.  Looking back, this was terribly unhealthy.  The only reason I didn't feel like utter crap was because I was young.  You can get away with a lot when you are young and naive.  I remember once in college I subsisted for an entire day on nothing but jube-jubes (those wonderful jelly candies you can only get in Canada.  They make nothing quite as delectable here.).  Seriously, I did.  I'm almost ashamed to admit it.  But no fat, right?  But no nutrients either!!  How did I survive?  Apparently my high school education failed in instilling some basic knowledge of macro and micro nutrients.

So that was me 10+ years ago.  I have wised up since then.  I make sure to have generous amounts of healthy fats in my diet daily.  I suppose the real problem is that so many fats have been villified that one is no longer sure what constitutes a healthy fat and what does not.  Here is where I can help break it down for you: everything in moderation.  The only caveat to this is trans-fats, which you should never eat. NEVER.*  So yes, everything in moderation.  Even saturated fats you say?  Yes, even saturated fats. I'm not convinced saturated fats coming from natural, non-processed sources are really as bad as they are made out to be.  Many of our ancestors lived on large amounts of saturated fats from meat and dairy yet did not have the rampant heart disease we have now.  What's different?  I think the answer is SAD - the Standard American Diet.  High-fat, high-processed food diets, low intake of plant matter + low physical activity = poor health.  I think it's that simple.  Or not simple I suppose.  Our society is not set up to make eating well easy.  How did a jube jube end up in a poor, naive college girl's dorm room in the first place?  Why didn't someone intervene?  Because they didn't know any better either!  So our friends can't help us, the stores, filled with misleading claims and false advertising, certainly won't help us, and our government which makes food rules for us not based on science but on how much money the lobbies are willing to give them unfortunately provides little help as well.  This all sounds so hopeless, doesn't it?

This is why I am so passionate about what I do.  There is hope.  And as most of you already know, things are getting better.  People are becoming more aware.  Our government is paying more attention now that heart disease and gastric-bypass surgeries are continually on the rise.  And more and more health professionals are promoting normal, plain, regular FOOD instead of things out of boxes, bags and cartons.

But enough ranting about SAD.  Back to healthy fats.  So some saturated fat is ok, but do keep portions small and get it from natural sources like organic meats, dairy and coconut milk.  Don't get it from baked goods or processed foods.  Most of us do need to decrease our saturated fats though for sure, and so when you do, replace them with healthy fats and not carbs.  As I touched on last week, your risk for heart disease does not decrease if you replace fat with carbohydrates.  In fact, I literally just read an abstract in The Journal of Nutrition online stating that the LDL/HDL ratio (aka bad/good cholesterol) improves when replacing saturated fats with healthy fats. Replacing them with carbs produced no change in this particular study.

So I guess here is the most interesting part of my long-winded post.  What fats should we replace them with then?  Why, mono and poly-unsaturated of course!  I think I/we forget that most people have no idea what these words mean, and yet they are supposed to go find these fats and eat them.  Right.  Clearly it's not happening. And when it is, people are not giving these delicate and somewhat unstable fats the love and care they deserve.  Did you know these fats are highly prone to rancidity and can do more damage than good when stored and prepared improperly? Especially oils.  You must be extremely careful with oils.  Because they are not fully saturated, they are less stable and more prone to rancidity and oxidation.  In fact, I would recommend one avoid cooking with polyunsaturated oils because the heat can break them down, which frankly makes them angry.  You don't want angry unsaturated fats in your bloodstream, do you?  So here is a few lists of examples of some "healthy" fat foods:

Avocado, olives, nuts/seeds, flaxseed, soybeans, nut butters, sardines, herring, mackerel, salmon, tuna, olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, canola oil.....

This list is not exhaustive but covers a wide range of foods.  Also note that I lumped them all together because most of these fats are a combination of mono- and polyunsaturated, so it is sometimes hard to classify them as one or the other.  So that's that.  I think I am done now.  Questions?   A lightly salted avocado is sounding mighty good right now.

*Except for those naturally occurring in meat and dairy.  I'm just talking about the crap in processed foods.

Amusing

I do cook at home and quite enjoy it, however I'll admit sometimes I feel like this:  http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cook_home
(Pardon the small bit that contains foul language)

What Does a Dietitian Eat for Breakfast?

I often get asked what I eat, so as I sat eating breakfast with my son this morning I thought I'd give some insight into my breakfast habits.  Now I'll be honest.....I don't always eat perfectly.  In fact, I think most of my meals are imperfect.  I could always use a little more of this or a little more of that, but I think in the end it all works out.  And being that one of my goals in this blog is to be honest and practical, I'm going to divulge my imperfections.  We all "know" what we are supposed to do and don't always do it, and I am no exception.  I could sit here and pretend that I spend my afternoons soaking beans and grains, kneading whole wheat flour into bread, or roasting root vegetables for a mid-day snack, but I don't.  I do these things, yes, but not consistently.  I could be doing one of those things now while Soren naps, but instead I am here blogging.

But I digress.  Back to breakfast.  Here is this morning's menu: two pieces of cinnamon toast from Great Harvest with butter, 2 eggs scrambled, and a cup of coffee.  "Holy cholesterol," you might say.  Yes, it's a little heavy on the cholesterol. I'm really not too concerned about that.  What I should be concerned about is what is missing.  Can you guess?  Clearly I am missing a good source of antioxidants. Ok, yes, coffee is rich in antioxidants, but some colorful plant matter would do me good. I should have added an orange or bowl of blueberries, for instance, or scrambled my eggs with some spinach and tomatoes.  It's the little things that make a big difference.

The reason antioxidants are on my mind brings me back to one particular session at the FNCE conference.  A couple of PhD nutrition researchers gave a very interesting presentation on recent data surrounding fats and heart disease. What research has found, they explained, was that it is true that saturated fats increase the overall risk for heart disease by increasing LDL, aka "bad," cholesterol. This LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized, gets deposited in our arteries, and cardiovascular disease begins. That is information most of us already know. What they also found was that by decreasing saturated fats and replacing those calories with carbohydrates, our risk for heart disease stays the same. That doesn't sound good considering our love of low-fat diets and refined carbohydrates in this country.  Also, they reported that even with meals high in saturated fats, blood levels of oxidized LDL actually do not increase significantly if that meal is consumed with antioxidants.  A study on the effects of red wine was one used, which made me happy.  Anyways, all that to say....antioxidants are important, so eat your blueberries.  And instead of replacing saturated fat with carbs, include more healthy fats instead.  The whole low-fat diet idea really needs to just go away.  So thinking back to my breakfast, I think this would be a better scenario:  1 piece of toast with butter, 2 eggs scrambled with spinach & tomatoes, 1 orange, and my beloved cup of coffee. What do you think?

Here we go....

So here it is. I’m finally starting a blog. I’ve thought about this for a long time but there has always been a reason why I didn’t have the time or didn’t have anything to write about. I heard the founder of Monster.com speak the other day and it was just the kick I needed to get me started. His advice was just to do it and stop overanalyzing it. So that is what I am going to do. I’m just going to write what comes to mind, what interests me, what I am thinking today, etc, and try my best not to over-think it. Sometimes too much thinking results in great thoughts but no action (ie polititians). We do that with our diets too, but more on that another day.

As I write this I am in Boston and on way home from FNCE (Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo). It’s the annual conference for the American Dietetic Association. This is my second time attending and it was fascinating once again. I learned a lot and came away with some great messages and ideas that I am excited to share with my clients. A few highlights come to mind: great research on the truth behind fats and heart disease (you’d be surprised!), new insights into gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, and a riveting presentation by the legendary Anthony Bourdain to wrap up the conference.

Well my flight is about to board so I had better sign off. I’m excited to share more about what I learned and other nutrition tidbits as they come to mind. Stay tuned!