Do you have a favorite breakfast? Maybe it’s something you like to make for or with your kids. Maybe it’s something you enjoyed as a kid. Whatever it is, I’d like to hear all about it–especially if it packs in key food groups to keep you healthy.
One lucky winner who posts a comment below before 5 pm on Sunday June 24th, 2012 will be chosen to win a Pass the Puffins Prize Pack. This prize, donated by Barbara’s Bakery, includes three boxes of Puffins cereal, a canvas tote bag, and a cute Puffin plushy. How cute (and delicious) is that?
What’s your favorite breakfast and why?
Disclaimer: I accepted no compensation for this giveaway from Barbara’s Bakery or anyone else. I simply enjoy the cereal myself and was happy to share an adorable tasty prize with you, my readers!
Doesn’t this salad spell S-U-M-M-E-R?
This recipe from the timely new book, The Plant-Powered Diet, can help you not only meet your daily fruit, vegetable, and lean protein quota, but do it in a fresh way because of the addition of mache lettuce (also known as corn salad, or lamb’s lettuce). Here’s what author Sharon Palmer, RD, has to say about it.
“Tender mache lettuce is the backdrop for this fruity salad that offers yet another way to highlight luscious strawberries—rich in sweet flavor and antioxidants—during their spring through summer harvest. This colorful salad is pretty enough for a buffet or holiday meal, yet it can also grace your lunch box or dinner table just as easily.”
Makes 4 servings (about 1 ½ cups each)
Ingredients:
4 cups packed mache greens
1 ½ cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 ½ tablespoons orange juice
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped Brazil nuts
Instructions:
- In a large salad bowl, combine mache, fresh strawberries, red onion, and fresh basil.
- In a small dish, whisk together blueberry juice, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper.
- Toss the salad with the dressing. Garnish the salad with Brazil nuts and serve it immediately.
Note: Mache, also called lamb’s lettuce, is grown in California and may be available at many supermarkets. If you can’t find it in your supermarket, substitute any other tender lettuce green, such as butter lettuce or mesclun mixed greens.
Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 87
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 4 mg
Carbohydrate: 7 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g
Source: The Plant-Powered Diet (The Experiment, 2012) by Sharon Palmer, RD.
These delicious avocado recipes come courtesy of Aviva Goldfarb, creator of The Six O’Clock Scramble.
Avocados Stuffed with Tuna Salad
This is my take on a popular Chilean dish, Palta Reina, suggested by our friend, Pamela Navarro-Watson. The avocados make a beautiful presentation for a hot summer night, and the best part is that no cooking is required! The avocados can also be stuffed with chicken, shrimp or crab salad instead of the tuna. Serve them with a sliced tomato salad and a baguette.
Prep and cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients for main dish
- 12 oz. chunk light tuna in water, drained
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 red bell pepper, finely diced (about 1/4 cup) (or substitute celery)
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1/2 lemon, juice only, about 2 Tbsp.
- 1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
Ingredients for side dish – SLICED TOMATO SALAD
- 2-3 tomatoes, sliced (s)
- 1/8- 1/4 yellow onion, minced (s)
- 1-2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese (s)
- 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (optional) (s)
- 1-3 tsp. vinaigrette dressing (s)
Ingredients for side dish – BAGUETTE
- 1-2 baguettes
(Start the tomato salad first, if you are making it.) In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, mayonnaise and bell pepper (or celery).
Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pits, and sprinkle them with lemon juice and salt. Fill the avocados with the tuna salad, mounding the tuna. You can eat the salad and avocado flesh right out of the avocado skin bowl.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add the zest of 1 lemon to the tuna or sprinkle them with lemon pepper seasoning.
Tip: Chunk light tuna is much lower in mercury than albacore tuna. It’s also high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
SERVE WITH SLICED TOMATO SALAD & BAGUETTE
To make a sliced tomato salad, lay 2-3 sliced tomatoes on a serving plate, and top them with 1/8 – 1/4 of a yellow onion, minced (1/4 – 1/2 cup), 1 – 2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese and drizzle everything with 1-3 tsp. vinaigrette salad dressing, or to taste. Add 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil to the salad, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and warm the baguette(s) for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, brush thin slices of the baguette with olive oil and toast or broil them for a few minutes until they are lightly browned and crispy.
Nutritional Information per serving
Calories: 248; Total Fat: 18g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 29mg; Sodium: 325mg; Total Carbohydrate: 9g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 17g
Nutritional Information per serving with side dish (1/2 tomato, 1 tsp. onion, 1 tsp. feta cheese, 1/2 tsp. dressing & 1/4 of baguette):
Calories: 463; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 38mg; Sodium: 778mg; Total Carbohydrate: 50g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 26g
Southwestern Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing
This is a versatile and tangy meal. If your kids don’t eat salad, make a separate platter for them with all the healthy and delicious ingredients, such as the corn, beans, chicken, hard-boiled eggs (make a few extra), and cheese. To make this salad even easier, you can use store-bought ranch or vinaigrette dressing (or a combination). Serve it with warm tortillas. (My husband, Andrew, likes his salad wrapped in a tortilla with a little extra dressing drizzled on it.)
Prep + Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 · serving size: about 2 1/4 cups
Ingredients for main dish
- 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped (6 cups total)
- 1-2 cups canned black beans
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, or black beans
- 1/4 red onion or red bell pepper, finely diced (1/2 cup)
- 1 1/2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned
- 1/2 cup diced or shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
- 1 egg, hard-boiled, sliced
- 3 Tbsp. nonfat or low fat sour cream
- 1-2 limes, juice only, 1/4 cup
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco, to taste (optional)
Ingredients for side dish – TORTILLAS
- 4-8 whole wheat, flour or corn tortillas
Hard boil the egg, if necessary, cool and slice it. Put the lettuce in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Top it with the remaining salad ingredients (thaw the frozen corn, if you are using it), using only one avocado.
In a medium bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the sour cream, 1/2 avocado, the lime juice, salt, honey, olive oil, and hot pepper sauce (optional).
Just before you are ready to serve it, toss the salad with about 1/2 the dressing, then add more to taste.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use the red onion in the salad and the hot sauce in the dressing.
Tip: If your avocado needs some quick ripening, here’s a great trick. Put the avocado in a brown lunch-type bag and stick it in the oven with the heat off. Turn on your oven light and let the bag sit in the oven for an hour. (Set the timer so you don’t forget about it!) The heat generated by the oven light as well as the darkness of the brown bag will help speed up the ripening process.
SERVE WITH TORTILLAS
Serve it with warm wheat, flour or corn tortillas. I usually cover the tortillas with a damp paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how many I am heating.
Nutritional Information per serving
Calories: 380; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 95mg; Sodium: 290mg; Total Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary Fiber: 11g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 24g
Nutritional Information per serving with side dish (1 whole wheat tortilla)
Calories: 520; Total Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 95mg; Sodium: 670mg; Total Carbohydrate: 59g; Dietary Fiber: 13g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 28g
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 pinches salt, divided
2 pinches pepper, divided
1 pinch garlic powder
½ teaspoon plus 1 pinch chili powder, divided
4 teaspoons canola oil
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
Directions:
- Season chicken with 1 pinch each salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder.
- Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F, turning halfway. Remove from heat and set aside.
- While chicken is cooking whisk together lime juice, honey, cilantro and remaining canola oil, salt, pepper and chili powder.
- Toss romaine, cucumber and radishes in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with half of dressing and toss well.
- Divide salad between 2 plates. Top each with 1 piece of chicken and drizzle with remaining dressing.
Nutrition stats: 292 cals, 32g pro, 11g carbs, 3g fiber, 13g fat (2g sat)
Source: The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life by Melina B. Jampolis, MD and Karen Ansel, MS, RD (with Ami Jampolis)
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 6-ounce tuna filets
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon honey
4 cups baby spinach
Directions:
- Season tuna with salt and pepper.
- Spray a non-stick grill pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add tuna and cook 4 minutes for rare or 6 minutes for medium, turning halfway. Remove from heat.
- While tuna is cooking, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, canola oil, sesame oil, ginger and honey.
- Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons soy vinaigrette. Divide spinach between 2 plates. Top each with 1 tuna fillet and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
Nutrition stats: 348 cals, 42g pro, 9g carbs, 2g fiber, 16g fat (3g sat)
Source: The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life by Melina B. Jampolis, MD and Karen Ansel, MS, RD (with Ami Jampolis)
When they’re born, you hold them so tight
When anything’s wrong, you make everything right
They can make no mistakes, they’re just learning their way
And you hold their hands and guide their day
As they learn to do more things on their own,
They trip, they fall, and you throw them a bone.
They push and pull but at the end of the day
They just want you close to them as they lay
They go off to school and camp on their own
And there’s more and more proof, over time, how they’ve grown
They speak of their challenges, their highs and their lows
And how they thrived despite some blows
Your pride overwhelms you,
You know you played a part
In showing them the way
To live with heart
To be kind and polite and have respect for others
To work hard and play hard and treat friends like brothers
They may hate you or love you intensely at times
Roll their eyes at you sometimes but always end with a smile
Your journey is long but you know it’s just a phase
For soon they’ll be gone and you’ll all part ways
They’ll start their own lives and have families of their own
But you know that’s what must be done when they’re truly grown
You’ll laugh and you’ll cry and think back to the days
When all they did was love you with their innocent gaze
You know you’ll survive and accept what will be
Because you too have done to your mom what you will soon have to see
So enjoy the moments, they go much too fast
And savor each day as if it’s your last
Being a mother is the greatest gift ever
And their love is yours for now and forever
Try this delicious recipe, excerpted from Today Show nutritionist Joy Bauer’s new book, The Joy Fit Club: Cookbook, Diet Plan and Inspiration (Wiley, 2012).
MAKES 4 servings
Serving Size: about 1 cup wilted spinach mixture with 3 scallops and 1/4 of the avocado
Prep Time (start to finish): 25 minutes
1 lime
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 fresh or frozen sea scallops, thawed if frozen (about 11/4 pounds total)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Oil spray
1 tablespoon honey
8 cups fresh baby spinach (about 8 ounces)
1 medium avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and thinly sliced
1. Finely shred enough of the lime peel to make 2 teaspoons zest. Cut the lime in half and juice enough to make 2 tablespoons. Set juice and zest aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet cook the shallots in the olive oil over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until shallots are just tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, rinse the scallops with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the scallops evenly with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Lightly coat scallops on both sides with oil spray. Coat an indoor grill pan or another large nonstick skillet with oil spray. Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add scallops to grill pan or skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until scallops are opaque and cooked through, turning once halfway through cook time.
4. Add the lime juice, honey, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to the shallots in the skillet. Just before serving, add the spinach in two batches to the shallot mixture. Cook, tossing gently with tongs, for 30 to 60 seconds or until spinach is just wilted. Immediately divide spinach mixture among four serving plates. Top each serving with 3 of the scallops. Top each serving with one-fourth of the avocado slices and sprinkle with reserved lime zest.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories: 262, Protein: 28 g, Total Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 49 mg, Sodium: 536 mg, Carbohydrate: 17 g, Fiber: 4 g
This combination of flavors and textures is delectable, and it’s power food for your brain, according to neurosurgeon Larry McCleary, M.D., from whose new book, Feed Your Brain, Lose Your Belly, I adapted the recipe. Serve it with a whole grain baguette.
Servings & Prep Time:
30 minutes Prep + Cook Time
Servings: 4 · serving size: about 1 1/2 cups each
Ingredients for main dish:
• 1-1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 nectarines, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only (1/4 cup)
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 lime, juice only, about 1 Tbsp.
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4- 1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped (optional)
Ingredients for side dish: Whole grain baguette
• 1 whole grain baguette(s)*
Directions:
1. Cut each chicken breast crosswise into thin strips. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and when the oil is hot, sauté the chicken, turning occasionally, until it is browned and cooked through, 5 – 7 minutes. (Set some cooked chicken, sliced nectarines and cucumber aside for non-salad eaters, if necessary.)
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the chicken, nectarines, cucumbers, almonds and scallions.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. oil, the vinegar, lime juice, honey, curry powder, ginger and salt. (Alternatively, you can shake them all up in a jar to emulsify them.) Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Gently toss in the mint (optional).
4. Refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days. (Meanwhile, warm the baguette, if you are serving it.) Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste at the table.
Do Ahead or Delegate: Slice, cook, (and refrigerate) the chicken, pit and slice the nectarines, peel, seed and slice the cucumber, slice the scallions, prepare the salad dressing.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add a little lime zest to the dressing and/or use the optional mint.
Tip: If you’re looking to speed up the ripening process for your nectarines, place them in a brown bag and fold the top of the bag over. Let them sit on your kitchen counter and check them daily. You’ll know when they’re ripe as they will “give” slightly when pressed with a finger and they will smell sweet and delicious!
*Serve this dish with a warm whole grain baguette, sliced. Alternatively, brush thin slices of the baguette with olive oil and toast or broil them for a few minutes until they are lightly browned and crispy.
Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories: 392; Total Fat: 21g,; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Sodium: 77mg; Total Carbohydrate: 23g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 15g; Protein: 32g
Nutritional Information per serving with 1/4 of baguette:
Calories: 532; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Sodium: 387mg; Total Carbohydrate: 52g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 17g; Protein: 38g
Reprinted with permission from The Six O’Clock Scramble, by Aviva Goldfarb
Photo courtesy of prozac1/freedigitalphotos.net.
Recently, I wrote a brief article for Today Health about how Miley Cyrus took to Twitter to credit a gluten-free diet for her recent weight loss. Because gluten-free diets have become ridiculously popular in recent years, are very challenging to follow, and aren’t always warranted, I turned to one of my colleagues, noted gluten expert Shelley Case, B. Sc., RD, author of Gluten Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide, to share what you need to know about gluten (and celiac disease). Here’s Case’s top 10 list:
1. Celiac disease is serious: Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder that affects 1:100 people yet only about 5-10% with the disease are diagnosed. Symptoms of CD are variable, may occur at any age (including the elderly) and involve not only the gastrointestinal system but many other organ systems. Infants and young children can present with bloating, gas, diarrhea, weight loss, poor growth, irritability, dental enamel defects and/or anemia. In older children and adults, symptoms can be mild to severe. Some may present with only a few symptoms while others can have many different symptoms. These include:
- Anemia
- Nausea
- Reflux
- Bloating
- Gas
- Diarrhea or constipation (or both)
- Lactose intolerance
- Weight loss (CD can also occur in obese individuals)
- Mouth ulcers
- Extreme fatigue
- Irritability
- Bone and joint pain
- Easy bruising of the skin
- Menstrual irregularities
- Miscarriage
- Infertility (in both women and men)
- Migraines
- Depression
- Ataxia
- Seizures
- Neuropathy
- Elevated liver enzymes
2. Test first, diet later. It is critical you get tested for celiac disease BEFORE going on a gluten-free diet because once on the diet it is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. The blood and small intestinal biopsy tests requires that you be on a gluten-containing diet for at least 6-8 weeks. In some cases you may need to be on it for months for the tests to be positive.
3. Get screened. If you feel better on a gluten-free diet, it’s possible you may actually have undiagnosed celiac disease. Without a confirmed diagnosis, you may not be motivated to follow the lifelong strict gluten-free diet to prevent complications of celiac disease such as anemia, osteoporosis, development of other autoimmune disease and cancer. Also, celiac disease affects between 5-15 percent of first degree relatives, so it’s important for family members be screened. This may not occur to you if you don’t have an official diagnosis.
4. See if you’re sensitive. If the tests come back negative for celiac disease it is possible you may have non celiac gluten sensitivity (GS). New research from the Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore indicates up to 6 percent of the population may have non celiac gluten sensitivity. Symptoms of GS are often similar to those of celiac disease. Currently, the only way to diagnose GS is to rule out celiac disease. For more information about GS, see: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-10-13.pdf
5. Gluten-free after diagnosis. The only treatment for celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet for life. It is thought that those with GS also need to follow a gluten-free diet, but it is not known whether the diet needs to be followed as strictly or for life. More research about GS is needed.
6. Eat with caution. A gluten-free diet requires that all forms of wheat, rye and barley, including spelt, kamut, einkorn, emmer, faro, durum, couscous, semolina, bulgur and triticale, as well as barley malt extract/flavoring, malt vinegar and brewer’s yeast must be avoided. The diet is very challenging to follow because gluten is found in such a wide variety of foods such as breads and other baked products, cereals, pastas, soups, sauces such as soy sauce (which is often made from wheat and soy), seasonings, salad dressings, snack foods, prepared meats (e.g., deli meats, hot dogs, hamburger patties, imitation seafood), beer, flavored coffees and teas, some candies (e.g., licorice) and chocolate bars, as well as some nutrition supplements and medications. Because of the complexity of the diet, it is essential you consult with a registered dietitian for a nutritional assessment, education about the diet and to ensure your diet is healthy.
7. Focus on naturally gluten-free foods: A wide variety of foods that are naturally gluten-free include plain meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses (legumes), nuts, seeds, milk, yogurt, cheese, fruits, vegetables, as well as many gluten-free flours, cereals and starches* that can be substituted for wheat, rye and barley. Distilled alcoholic beverages and wines are also allowed, however beer derived from barley must be avoided. There are a variety of gluten-free beers made from sorghum, buckwheat, rice and other grains. All vinegars are gluten-free except for malt vinegar (made from barley and is not distilled).
*Gluten-Free Flours, Cereals and Starches
· Amaranth
· Arrowroot
· Buckwheat
· Corn
· Flax
· Pulse flours (bean, chickpea/garbanzo, lentil, pea)
· Mesquite flour
· Millet
· Nut flours (almond, hazelnut, pecan)
· Potato Flour
· Potato Starch
· Quinoa
· Rice Bran
· Rice Polish
· Sago
· Sorghum
· Soy
· Sweet Potato Flour
8. Don’t be fooled. A gluten-free diet is not always synonymous with a nutritious diet. Many gluten-free products are higher in fat, sugar and calories; lower in fiber, iron and B vitamins because they are often made with refined flours and starches (e.g., white rice flour, potato, corn and tapioca starch); and not enriched with vitamins and minerals as their gluten-containing counterparts.
9. Go for gluten-free grains. Incorporate more gluten-free whole grains in your diet. For tips and recipes see http://www.glutenfreediet.ca/img/WholeGrains2.pdf
10. Stay in the know. For more information about celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and the gluten-free diet see www.glutenfreediet.ca
If you want a non-alcoholic beverage that still satisfies, try this festive mocktail–a mock-up of a traditional bubblini–from The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods. It hydrates you and even helps you work towards your daily fruit quota. It’s perfect for someone who wants to bypass alcohol, but still enjoy their bubby!
Yield: 2 drinks
Serving size: 1 8-ounce glass
Each serving has:
65 calories
0 g total fat
0 g saturated fat
0 g trans fat
0 mg cholesterol
3 mg sodium
17 g carbohydrates
0 g fiber
17 g sugars
1 g protein
2 percent iron
Ingredients:
2 cups sparkling or mineral water
1/4 cup 100 percent cranberry juice
1/4 cup 100 percent apple juice
Zest of small orange
Directions:
Pour the sparkling water into fluted champagne glasses or any other glass, add the cranberry juice, and zest a bit of orange into each glass; top with a twist of orange rind. Sip and celebrate the day.
Source: Posted with permission from The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods (Alpha Books/Penguin, July 2011) by Victoria Shanta Reteiny, RD, LDN.
Full disclosure: The author sent me a free copy of her book.
