Author: Ashley Linkletter

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In the Kitchen Nosh

Eating Seasonally During The Winter (And How To Keep It Up Year Round)

As someone who lives in the Pacific Northwest in very close proximity to the Okanagan Valley (an area of British Columbia known for its seasonal produce), I feel spoiled by the array of fruits and vegetables available during the spring, summer, and fall.
When the rainy season begins and the dark months ahead seem endless, though, it can be easy to forget about the still-impressive variety of seasonal produce available during the winter. It only takes one trip to my local farmers market to jog my memory and suddenly I feel inspired again by what the season has to offer.

What are the main benefits of eating produce in season?

Freshness

When you buy locally grown, seasonal produce you skip the (many) middlemen involved with importing out-of-season produce. Seasonal produce is picked at peak ripeness, unlike out-of-season fruits and vegetables, which are picked well before they’ve ripened. This results in produce that is tastier and potentially more nutritious.

Cost-Effectiveness

Eating seasonal produce is advantageous for your wallet and your body. Because seasonal produce is grown locally, its cost doesn’t have to factor in transportation and long-term storage. To save even more money on fresh fruits and vegetables, inquire about farms that allow self-picking or a reduced price on produce that is still perfectly good but not the most aesthetically pleasing.

Supporting Your Local Economy

By purchasing fruits and vegetables grown nearby, you’re putting money directly into the local economy. Every time you make the choice to buy local and in season it helps to support local businesses, whether it’s the farmers, their employees, or the small businesses working hard to sell seasonal produce.

What’s in season during the winter?

Average temperatures across the United States vary wildly, especially in January and February. While some regions are experiencing subzero temperatures and snow, others are basking in the glow of the warm sun.
If you live in the northern part of the United States where temperatures frequently dip below freezing, you can expect to find hardier seasonal produce that is able to withstand hostile growing conditions. Think:

  • Brussels sprouts
  • Celeriac (aka celery root)
  • Horseradish
  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Mushrooms
  • Leeks
  • Turnips
  • Rutabaga
  • Pumpkin
  • Squash
  • Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes)
  • Swiss chard
  • Rapini (aka broccoli rabe)
  • Garlic
  • Shallots
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Salsify

If you live in the southern United States, seasonal produce will likely include a combination of winter produce, greens, and citrus fruit, such as:

  • Collard greens
  • Kale
  • Swiss chard
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Celery
  • Grapefruit
  • Lemons
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Kohlrabi
  • Melon
  • Mushrooms
  • Oranges
  • Pomelo
  • Spinach
  • Tangerines
  • Turnips
  • Sorrel

Where to Buy Seasonal Produce

Depending on where you live, seasonal produce can most often be found at local farmers markets or by subscribing to a community supported agriculture (CSA) share. Shopping at a farmers market gives you the ability to choose your produce and allows you to meet the farmers face to face. A CSA share is a great option if you don’t live near a farmers market or don’t have the time to visit one.
A CSA box is delivered to your home (or to a central pickup location) and includes a variety of produce that was recently harvested by local farmers. For example, a spring CSA box might include asparagus and radishes, a summer CSA box peaches and cucumber, and a fall CSA box apples and onions.
Eating with the seasons can be a fun challenge, especially if what’s growing in your area isn’t something you’re familiar already with. Try to learn a bit about the bounty near you and have a good time!

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

5 (Nearly) Sugar-Free Desserts That Will Delight Your Taste Buds

Although most of us intend to follow a healthy diet, sugary foods take up a large portion of what the average American eats and drinks. In 1970 Americans consumed 123 pounds of sugar per year, whereas current statistics show that the average American consumes 152 pounds of sugar per year (or nearly three pounds per week!)
As delicious as sugar is, its overwhelming presence in the average American diet has contributed to a startling rise in diabetes across the country. Fortunately, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the taste of sweet desserts without having to rely on sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other added sweeteners.
We’ve got plenty of sugar-free dessert options that don’t skimp on taste—and we also have tips for following a sugar-free or low-sugar diet.

How much sugar is too much sugar?

According to the American Heart Association, adult women should aim to consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day. Despite this recommendation, many average Americans consume at least 19.5 teaspoons a day, which is more than three times the recommended daily intake. Although this number may seem particularly high, consider the fact that the average 12 ounce can of soda contains over 10 teaspoons of sugar.

What counts as sugar?

It’s important to note that the term “sugar” doesn’t simply mean white granulated sugar. Jodi Robinson, a registered dietitian who specializes in low-sugar and diabetic-friendly diets, explains that: “‘Sugar’ is inclusive of white sugar, brown, cane, honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, etc. There are many forms of added sugars and many claims that some are better than others because they are ‘natural’ (the one I often hear the most is honey), and the truth is that they are all essentially the same to the body. So don’t be lured into believing otherwise!”
Unfortunately, although some sugars may seem better for you than others, sugar is sugar and your body has no real way of telling the difference.

Who benefits from a low-sugar or sugar-free diet?

Cutting your daily sugar intake is largely beneficial to anyone looking to improve their health in any capacity. Individuals who have diabetes (both types 1 and 2), who experience high blood sugar, or who take certain medications (such as antipsychotics) all may benefit from a low-sugar diet.
Robinson explains that a low-sugar diet doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of limitations and deprivation. In fact, it can encourage creativity within your existing diet: “Watching your sugar intake isn’t a life sentence of boring food. It’s an opportunity to explore and experiment with new and exciting healthy alternatives! Everyone, no matter their health status, is better off watching their intake of added sugars, so think of it as an opportunity to learn about new nutritious and delicious alternatives that will help your health and the health of your loved ones that you share meals with.”

How to Add Sweetness Without Adding Sugar

There are a multitude of ways in which you can create sweet desserts without heaping on the sugar. For example, registered dietitian Anjali Shah likes to make good use of ingredients that are naturally sweet without any added sugar.
She says: “I use a lot of dates, bananas, pears, and applesauce when I’m making no-sugar treats. Additionally, some nuts like cashews or hazelnuts are naturally sweet, and cocoa powder is a great way to make something taste chocolatey without adding sugar. All of these ingredients are really nutritious but are also very sweet!”
It’s easy to keep a supply of jarred applesauce, frozen bananas, and dried dates if you have an interest in desserts without added sweeteners.

A Quick Note About Artificial Sweeteners

There are many sugar-free dessert recipes that rely on the use of aspartame, Splenda, stevia, and alcohol-based sweeteners such as xylitol and maltitol. Although many people have no trouble digesting these chemicals, there are others who find that they can have unwanted effects. Some people find that aspartame can cause headaches, and others find that Splenda and stevia have an unpleasant aftertaste.
Alcohol-based sweeteners such as xylitol and maltitol can be disastrous to your digestive system, potentially causing diarrhea and uncomfortable gas. Although artificial sweeteners can improve the flavor of sugar-free desserts, it’s important to exercise caution when first using them as the main source of sweetness.

Sugar-Free Desserts for When You’re Craving Something Sweet

These desserts offer plenty of sweetness without any added sugar, and most of them can be brought to school or work for a healthy and satisfying snack between meals.

Sugar-Free Date Squares

The sweet butterscotch flavor of Medjool dates is a natural pick for this sugar-free dessert. A combination of orange and lemon juice boosts the natural sweetness of the dates. Serve these classic date squares as an accompaniment to coffee or tea.
Filling

  • 1 lb pitted Medjool dates
  • Juice of 1 large orange
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • Generous pinch of kosher or sea salt

Bottom and Topping

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • Generous pinch of kosher or sea salt
  • ¾ cups Splenda
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Special equipment: food processor, parchment paper, 9”x13” baking pan
Method

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  2. Blitz together the Medjool dates, citrus juice and zest, butter, vanilla, and baking soda in the food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula when necessary.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, salt, and Splenda. Using your hands, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles loose gravel.
  4. Using your fingertips, press half of the flour mixture into a parchment-lined 9”x13” baking pan. Carefully spread the Medjool date mixture on top of the crust. Sprinkle the last half of the flour mixture on top to cover.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping turns a light brown color.

Greek Frozen Yogurt

Although low-sugar frozen commercial frozen yogurt exists, it often contains alcohol-based sweeteners that may upset sensitive stomachs. This healthy option makes use of the natural sweetness of frozen bananas and the smooth texture of sugar-free vanilla Greek yogurt to produce delicious frozen yogurt that can be customized for every taste.

  • ½ cup sugar-free vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 2 frozen bananas, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1½ cups frozen fruit (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and mangos all work well)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Special equipment: food processor, lidded container
Method

  1. Add the vanilla Greek yogurt, sliced frozen bananas, frozen fruit, and vanilla to a food processor.
  2. Blend all of the ingredients for several minutes until completely smooth, scraping the sides with a spatula every 30 seconds. Depending on your food processor, this may take several minutes.
  3. Transfer the yogurt to a lidded container and freeze for at least two hours.
  4. Scrape the frozen yogurt back into the food processor and blend once more for two minutes.
  5. Transfer back to the lidded container and freeze for at least one more hour. Serve the frozen yogurt alone or with extra fruit.

Apple Crisp

Apple crisp is a great sugar-free dessert option because of the natural sweetness of the apples. Adding finely chopped Medjool dates to the topping gives this tasty dessert a hint of caramel flavor, and a small amount of stevia will go unnoticed in the topping. Serve this apple crisp warm with a dollop of sugar-free vanilla yogurt and a dash of cinnamon.

  • 6 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (a mix of Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and tart Granny Smith apples is an ideal combination)
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. dried nutmeg (or a generous grating of fresh nutmeg)
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp. dried ginger
  • Generous pinch kosher or sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp. powdered stevia
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed + 1 Tbsp. for greasing the baking dish

Special equipment: paring knife (for preparing the apples), 9”x13” baking dish
Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large bowl toss together the sliced apples, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the apples are evenly coated.
  3. In another bowl combine the all-purpose flour, oats, spices, salt, and stevia. Using your hands, rub the butter into pea-sized pieces in the flour and oat mixture.
  4. Grease a 9”x13” baking pan with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the apple mixture and spread the oat topping evenly across to cover the whole pan.
  5. Bake the apple crisp for 35 to 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the apples are fork tender.

Black Bean Brownies

No one will ever guess that these rich brownies contain black beans as a secret ingredient! Black beans add plenty of fiber and an authentic fudgey texture that will satisfy any chocolate cravings you might have.
Best of all? These can be made entirely in the food processor, which means less time washing dishes for you!

  • 1 15-oz can of black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 3 Tbsp. melted butter, unsalted
  • Pinch kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ cup Splenda
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • Toppings of your choice (shredded coconut, chopped nuts, seeds, or chopped dried fruit)

Special equipment: food processor, 8”x8” baking pan, parchment paper
Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  2. Add all of the ingredients except for the toppings to the food processor. Blitz until completely smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Note: It could take a couple of minutes for the mixture to completely emulsify.
  3. Line an 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper and pour in the black bean brownie mixture. Sprinkle with the toppings of your choice.
  4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, checking the brownies often toward the end to make sure that they aren’t browning too quickly. If they are, loosely tent a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan.
  5. The brownies are done when they begin to pull away from the sides. They will be quite moist when removed from the oven.
  6. Enjoy your brownies immediately or store in a lidded container or tin for several days at room temperature.

Coconut Banana Chia Pudding

This is a great recipe for using up super-ripe bananas that are completely brown on the outside or any frozen bananas you might have kicking around in your freezer. You can use regular dairy milk or unsweetened almond milk (or a combination) in place of the coconut milk.
Running the pudding through a food processor gives this sugar-free dessert an ultra-creamy texture.

  • ½ cup chia seeds
  • 2½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • Pinch kosher or sea salt
  • Toppings of your choice (shredded coconut, fresh fruit, or carob chips)

Special equipment: food processor or high-powered blender
Method

  1. Grind the chia seeds in a food processor or high-powered blender until they become a fine powder.
  2. With the motor still running, add the coconut milk, bananas, vanilla, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula occasionally.
  3. Transfer the chia pudding to a container and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the pudding set.
  4. Serve with the sugar-free toppings of your choice.

Low(er)-Sugar Granola Bars

Store-bought granola bars often contain ridiculously high amounts of sugar, making them off-limits for anyone looking to curb their sugar intake. Making your own lower-sugar granola bars is simple and gives you the opportunity to customize these favorite snack treats however you’d like. Looking to lower your sugar intake but wary of going totally sugar free? These low(er) sugar granola bars have you covered.
(Basic bar recipes based on Bless This Mess)

  • 2½ cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup nuts (or seeds), chopped
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ¼ cup melted butter or coconut oil
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Generous pinch kosher or sea salt
  • 1 cup of additional mix-ins (chopped dried fruit, shredded coconut, extra nuts, or seeds)

Special equipment: 9”x9” baking pan, baking sheet, small saucepan, parchment paper
Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Line a 9”x9” baking pan with parchment paper.
  3. Spread the oats and nuts evenly on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
  4. Stir together the honey, butter or coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the butter and honey mixture with the toasted nuts and oats. Stir in your choice of mix-ins.
  6. Press the mixture into a 9”x9” pan with your fingertips and chill for at least half an hour.
  7. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars onto a cutting board and cut into bar-sized pieces.
  8. Sliced granola bars can be stored in the fridge wrapped in parchment paper for several days or they can be wrapped up and stored in the freezer for several months.

Look for balance when making sugar-free desserts.

Instead of feeling limited by sugar-free desserts, think of including sugar-free or lower sugar desserts in your eating plan as an excuse to get creative in the kitchen. Shah encourages us to: “Take an ‘inventory’ of all the sugary things you might eat on a daily basis. And try to replace one of those things each week with something less sugary. For example—if you normally drink soda, try replacing your soda with sparkling water mixed with just a splash of fruit juice or lemon/lime. If you love chocolate, try switching to dark chocolate that has greater than 72 percent cocoa. Or if you snack on sugary things, try replacing those snacks with fresh fruit, which is naturally sweet and good for you! All of these changes are small but can make a big difference in your health and well-being!”
Small steps are crucial but will ultimately lead to a wealth of dessert options you previously hadn’t thought possible!

Categories
Food Philosophies Nosh

How To Keep Clean Eating Healthy (And Real Talk About The Dangers Of Dietary Obsession)

On the surface, the phrase “clean eating” evokes our thoughts and feelings about healthy dietary options that are unprocessed and highly beneficial to our overall well-being. An interest in clean eating is in many ways a positive shift in terms of our attitudes toward holistic nutritional health. In fact, recent statistics indicate a gradual movement toward healthier eating choices across the United States.
While eating a so-called clean diet can have many beneficial effects on our health, there is the potential for an interest in healthy eating to become an obsession. In particular, while today’s social media climate has the power to inspire us with imagery, recipes, and how-to’s, it can also showcase a carefully curated world of endless green smoothies, raw food diets, and toned bodies that may fuel obsessive behavior and result in unintended damage.

What is clean eating?

The term “clean eating” has become ubiquitous among health and fitness communities, and the specifics of its definition tend to be dependent on the context in which it’s used. Fundamentally, clean eating is about the inclusion of whole, unprocessed foods in your diet and the exclusion of over-processed, unhealthy foods. For some people, clean eating may simply mean that they attempt to eat whole foods whenever possible. For others, this could mean a paleo-inspired or vegan diet. Some people also opt to remove GMO foods from their diets completely.
In theory, following a clean eating–inspired diet is beneficial for your health, helps you maintain a healthy weight, and can sustain your energy needs—whatever they might be. Problems can arise, however, when clean eating ceases to be about health and begins to be about identifying different types of food as either “good” or “bad,” “pure” or “impure.” Dairy and gluten are two good examples of ingredients that are now on the outs for many people who follow clean eating plans, even if these individuals have no medical condition or ethical perspective that necessitates avoiding them. In these cases, clean eating can become potentially dangerous as it moves away from a healthy eating plan and into the territory of a newly emerging eating disorder called orthorexia.

Orthorexia Nervosa: What You Need to Know

Orthorexia nervosa is a term that was coined by Steven Bratman, MD, in 1996 to describe the health-obsessed behavior, or “fixation on righteous eating,” that he was noticing in some of his patients. Orthorexia nervosa manifests as a need for dietary control and a desire to only consume foods considered pure or good, unlike anorexia, which involves “an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat” and intentional restriction of caloric intake despite being underweight.
Because of the relatively new understanding of orthorexia nervosa, it isn’t included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition—the current go-to for psychiatric diagnoses in the U.S.—despite having a profound effect on those who suffer from it. The damaging effects of orthorexia arise when the pool of acceptable food choices becomes smaller and smaller, to the point where a sufferer may only find themselves able to eat one or two foods. Other symptoms of orthorexia nervosa include intense feelings of guilt if the sufferer doesn’t adhere to a clean-eating diet, isolating themselves from group meals and situations in which food has been prepared by others, depression, anxiety, and obsessive behavior.
Ali Eberhardt, a registered dietitian with a strong focus on eating disorders such as orthorexia, believes that while clean eating doesn’t always lead to orthorexia, it can often signal the beginnings of obsessive behavior. She says, “There are people who are able to eat clean without developing obsessive ideas about food. However, the more rules, rigidity about food in a person’s diet, or if there is any predisposition to develop disordered eating, the more potential for this diet to be a catalyst.”
Although orthorexia often begins with an interest in clean eating, clean eating in and of itself doesn’t indicate that someone will eventually struggle with orthorexia. Clean eating often begins with the elimination of processed foods from your diet, which makes it important to understand just what it is that makes a food processed (hint: it probably isn’t what you think!).

What does the term “processed” mean when referring to food?

The term “processed” brings to mind frozen TV dinners, sugary cereals, and mystery lunch meats—all foods without very much nutritional value that include a surplus of salt, fat, and sugar. In reality, processed foods are any foods that have been changed in some way during preparation. Although this definition absolutely includes the aforementioned unhealthy processed foods, it also includes store-bought and homemade methods of preparing food including canning, freezing, baking, and dehydrating. It isn’t the actual act of processing that diminishes a food’s nutritional benefits but the excess salt, fat, and sugar that are so often added to improve flavor in commercially prepared foods. In fact, there are certain foods that require processing to be edible at all.

Which processed foods fit into a healthy eating plan?

Unless you have unlimited time and financial resources, it is difficult to eat only homemade foods. Luckily, there are still minimally processed foods that have an important place in the average American diet. For example, frozen fruits and vegetables are actually preferable to fresh in many circumstances due to nutrient retention and convenience. Canned tomatoes are another example of a processed food that is preferable to fresh in many cases due to the short growing season many Americans experience in the northern hemisphere (when purchasing canned tomatoes, just be sure to check sodium levels). Canned fish, especially sardines and salmon, makes heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids easily accessible, especially compared to the time it would take to prepare fish from scratch.
Generally speaking, processed foods make the leap from healthy to unhealthy when they are ultraprocessed.

What makes a food ultraprocessed?

With few exceptions, frozen meals such as lasagna, pizza, waffles, chicken wings and nuggets, breakfast pastries, and TV dinners are jam-packed with all three processed-food offenders: salt, sugar, and fat. Deli meat, hot dogs, and pepperoni sticks commonly involve the use of sodium nitrite, which has been linked to health problems such as migraine headaches and digestive issues, as a preservative. Soda, juices, iced teas, energy drinks, and protein shakes can all be guilty of packing massive amounts of sugar into fairly small servings.
Everyone knows that candy and chips aren’t ideal foods to be snacking on every day, which is why marketers will describe chips as “whole grain” or candy as “organic” or “without added sugar.” The reality? These products are typically still unhealthy choices that aren’t fit for everyday consumption.

Do certain processed foods have benefits?

There are certain foods that are processed in a way that can actually boost their nutritional value. For example, in the U.S., milk and non-dairy milk products are often fortified with vitamin D during the processing stage, which is highly beneficial to people living in cooler climates with less daylight. Eggs, juice, margarine, milk, and yogurt are often fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that our bodies are unable to create themselves but are necessary for heart and brain health. Fiber is added to many breakfast cereals, crackers, and health shakes to improve digestive health and help prevent certain types of cancer. Regular canned salmon contains small fish bones that become softened and edible during the canning process, resulting in a much higher calcium content than regular salmon.
Of course, while each of these foods is nutritionally superior because of processing, it’s still important to read the labels and make sure they haven’t had an excess of salt, sugar, or fat added to make them tastier.

A Note About GMO Foods

GMO stands for genetically modified organisms, and when it comes to food, it indicates that an ingredient has been genetically modified. Although the term GMO is painted in a negative light by some authorities in the clean eating community, the truth is that there are very few studies on the long-term effects of genetically modified foods. Penn State University hosts a GMO literacy project that aims to shed light on some of the misconceptions surrounding the safety of genetically modified foods. The resource gives the question “Are GMOs safe to eat?” the following answer:

There is no solid answer to this question because no irrefutable evidence has been presented that proves GM food crops are any less safe to consume than non-GM foods. The fact is that GM crops have not been in commercial production for an extensive period of time, therefore the health benefits/risks have not been researched to a point where a conclusive decision on their safety can be determined.

It’s also a fair observation that the people most consumed with worry about the danger of GMO foods are financially privileged and living in wealthy, first world countries when, in fact, GMO foods may very well be the solution to feeding a growing worldwide population.

How to Eat Clean Without Exhausting Yourself

Clean eating doesn’t have to be a stressful endeavor full of deprivation and unhealthy cravings. In fact, clean eating can be a joyful way to nourish your body. Problems arise when the goal is perfection in terms of food, but it can be a rewarding experience to treat your body with kindness and respect by eating foods that are nutritionally robust. Focus on whole foods that you enjoy eating such as fresh produce, grains, legumes, nutritionally dense canned and frozen convenience items, lean dairy, and locally sourced meat and fish.
Also, make room in your diet for the occasional treat. Studies show that people who allow themselves the occasional less-than-healthy option are able to stick to their diets with greater ease than those who don’t.
Make it a habit to double recipes so that you have leftovers for lunch and dinner throughout the week. Grain and legume-based salads will keep in the fridge for several days and can be paired with simple proteins such as meat, fish, and tofu to create satisfying meals.

Shopping for Meat While Eating Clean

When sourcing ethical meat, it’s important to adopt the attitude that smaller amounts of high quality meat are much better than large amounts of low quality meat. Since ethically sourced meat is generally more expensive than supermarket meat, this is an especially important point to make note of. Whenever possible, buy your meat from a trusted butcher who won’t shy away from answering any questions you might have about where the meat comes from and how the animals are slaughtered.

Learning to Trust Your Body

Developing a healthy relationship with food is an important step when trying to eat in a way that is nourishing for your body and your mind. Eberhardt offers the following advice for individuals who may be questioning their relationship with clean eating:

I think if someone is wanting to eat well, the focus should be on eating a balanced diet and incorporating whole foods from a variety of sources without labeling it as good or bad. When we attach a label to food, whether it’s healthy or unhealthy, good or bad, we also attach emotion. If I eat ‘good’ I feel proud, like I have strong willpower, and am disciplined. But if I eat ‘bad’ I can feel shame, guilt, and a need to compensate. Learning to trust our bodies is a key element to developing a healthy relationship with food.

If for any reason you feel like you might be veering into obsessive behavior with food, make an appointment with a registered dietitian, family doctor, or mental health professional to talk about your feelings and concerns when it comes to your current diet.
If you’re looking to eat clean on the go, try the following recipe.

Curried Quinoa Pilaf Salad

This curried quinoa pilaf is simple to make and will leave you with leftovers for workday lunches and easy late-night dinners. Experiment by adding other vegetables and fruits you enjoy. Serve this salad warm or at room temperature with a side of chicken, fish, or tofu.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups of quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 1 cup of orange juice
  • 2 cups of vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • ¼ tsp. dried turmeric
  • 1 large sweet red pepper, finely diced
  • 1 small zucchini, finely diced
  • 2 oz fresh goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1 cup of finely minced flat-leaf parsley
  • ½ cup of pomegranate seeds
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Special Equipment:

  • Fine-mesh sieve
  • Medium-sized, lidded saucepan
  • Large salad bowl

Method:

  1. Rinse the uncooked quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for two minutes. This will help remove the thin layer of saponin coating the quinoa that can cause it to have a bitter or soapy taste.
  2. Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in the saucepan, adding the diced shallots and finely minced cloves of garlic once the oil’s hot. Stir until the shallots begin to soften and become translucent.
  3. Add the rinsed quinoa and stir until coated with the olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Stir in the curry powder and dried turmeric. Cook the pilaf for two minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Pour in the orange juice and vegetable stock and increase heat to medium-high. Once the liquid begins to boil, turn the heat down as low as possible, cover with a lid, and allow to steam for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the quinoa from the heat and let sit for another fifteen minutes before removing the lid and fluffing up with a fork. Set aside for an hour to let cool.
  6. In a large salad bowl, combine the sweet red pepper, zucchini, crumbled goat cheese or feta, orange zest, flat-leaf parsley, and pomegranate seeds. Fold the cooled quinoa into the mix and stir gently until combined. Sample and add salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
  7. Serve the salad warm or at room temperature as a leftover with fish, chicken, or baked tofu slices.
Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

Quick And Easy No-Bake Dessert Recipes For The Holiday Season

If you’ve ever planned a dinner party during the holiday season, you know how easy it is for the dessert course to fall by the wayside. Despite your best intentions, making a dessert that requires valuable oven space just isn’t practical sometimes, especially if you’re making multiple hot dishes for the main course.
But never fear! These no-bake dessert recipes are super simple to put together and—best of all—don’t require any valuable oven real estate. Surprise your guests with these delightfully festive no-bake desserts and they’ll never suspect you opted for an intentional shortcut…

Mixed Berry Eton Mess

A traditional English dessert, this recipe for Eton mess uses freshly whipped cream, pre-made meringues, and macerated berries to create an elegant dessert that comes together with ease.

Active Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and diced strawberries all work well)
  • 1 Tbsp. white sugar
  • 2 cups of whipping cream (keep chilled for best results)
  • 4 meringue nests

Special Equipment:

  • Medium-sized mixing bowl
  • Large glass bowl
  • Whisk OR hand mixer OR stand mixer
  • 4 small dessert bowls or glasses

Method:

  1. Tumble the mixed berries into a medium-sized bowl, stirring in the sugar until combined.
  2. Use the flat side of a fork to gently mash the berries until they are just beginning to break apart. Allow the berries to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  3. Pour the whipping cream into a large glass bowl and whip until soft peaks form using a whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer.
  4. Crumble the meringue nests into the whipping cream, taking care to leave generous chunks of meringue for texture.
  5. Gently fold all but a scant cup of the macerated mixed berries and their juices into the whipped cream and meringue mixture.
  6. Divide the Eton mess into the small bowls or glasses and top with the remaining mixed berry mixture. Serve immediately.

Gingersnap and Dark Chocolate Gelato Sandwiches

Store-bought cookies and gelato make this elevated ice cream sandwich recipe a snap—a gingersnap, that is! These frosty but decidedly sophisticated treats are a cinch to make and can be wrapped in parchment paper and tied with ribbon for a festive presentation.

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Special Equipment:

  • Spatula and large glass bowl OR stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • Ice cream scoop

Method:

  1. Remove the gelato from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 8 minutes.
  2. Transfer gelato into a large bowl or stand mixer. Working quickly, fold in 4 ounces of chopped candied ginger using a spatula OR stand mixer paddle attachment until evenly combined.
  3. Place gelato and candied ginger mixture back in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
  4. Take the gelato out of the freezer 5 minutes before you’ll begin assembling the gingersnap sandwiches.
  5. Combine the dark chocolate and remaining ounce of candied ginger on a plate or in a shallow bowl.
  6. Using an ice cream scoop, top 4 gingersnap cookies with the gelato and ginger mixture. Being careful not to break the gingersnaps, place the second gingersnap on top and press down until the gelato has reached the edge of both gingersnaps.
  7. Roll the gelato edge in the dark chocolate and candied ginger mixture until covered.
  8. Freeze the gingersnap and gelato sandwiches for at least 1 hour before serving. This will help the gingersnaps soften up so they don’t break the instant someone takes their first bite.
Categories
Nutrition x Advice

Beat The Winter Blues With This Vitamin D-Based Eating Plan

As someone who lives in the Pacific Northwest, I can attest to the challenge of living in a climate where it’s impossible to get enough vitamin D throughout the year. Nicknamed “the sunshine vitamin” because of our body’s ability to turn ultraviolet B (or UVB) energy from the sun into vitamin D, this essential vitamin plays a key role in our ability to absorb calcium. And new studies have shown that vitamin D is important for many reasons besides building and maintaining strong bones.

Why do we need vitamin D?

It turns out vitamin D has a larger effect on our bodies than we originally thought. In fact, current research shows that vitamin D can have an influence on our genetics. The true scope of vitamin D’s reach has been seen in studies on mood disorders, autoimmune diseases, cancer, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular health, and schizophrenia.
Why are these studies so important? Because most Americans aren’t getting nearly enough vitamin D. A recent article in Scientific American explains that three-quarters of American teenagers and adults aren’t getting enough vitamin D.

Help! I need more vitamin D!

Unfortunately, getting enough vitamin D from sunlight is almost impossible for many people living in the United States and Canada. In the winter, the sun isn’t at the right angle for UV light to reach the Earth, and during the summertime you need to be outside for at least 20 minutes in direct sunlight with large areas of your body exposed.
The suggested daily intake of vitamin D for women is 600 IU per day, with a recommended maximum of 4000 IUs. People who have low vitamin D levels or those who are higher risk (such as people with darker skin and older people) might look into supplements.
If you’re unsure about your vitamin D levels, your family physician can order blood work to determine whether supplementation should be considered. Otherwise, it’s possible to get your recommended vitamin D intake from dietary sources.

A Vitamin D Eating Plan

Getting all of your vitamin D from food-based sources would be difficult to achieve every single day, but it is possible if you approach it with a sense of creativity and a willingness to incorporate more fish and vitamin D–fortified dairy products into your diet (in general these are the most vitamin D-rich foods). If getting all of your vitamin D from food sources seems daunting but you’re up for a challenge, begin by aiming to incorporate one or two of these foods into your diet every day.

Breakfast

  • 1 cup vitamin D-fortified orange juice (100 IU)
  • 2 scrambled whole eggs (60 IU)
  • Toast with 2 tsp. margarine (60 IU)
  • 1 cup of mixed fruit

Lunch

  • ¾ cup vitamin D–fortified yogurt (70 IU)
  • Tuna sandwich made with 2 ½ oz canned tuna (100 IU)
  • Cut-up veggie sticks

Dinner

  • 2 ½ oz Atlantic salmon (200 IU)
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups steamed veggies
  • 1 cup vitamin D–fortified milk (100 IU)

Snack

Smoothie made with:

  • 1 oz vitamin D–fortified skim milk powder (100 IU)
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1 frozen banana
  • ½ cup coconut water

(All vitamin D amounts sourced from the Dieticians of Canada resource guide).

Categories
Nutrition x Advice

Favorite Nutritionist-Recommended Healthy Travel Snacks For When You’re On The Go

Love it or hate it, travel is an everyday necessity for many of us. Travel is such a part of our routines that many of us have resigned ourselves at one point or another to an unsatisfying and prohibitively expensive travel snack, but eating on the go doesn’t have to be terrible!
In fact, with a little planning, travel snacks can be delicious, filling, and even inexpensive. These nutritionist-recommended and -created recipes are simple to make, big in flavor, and beneficial to your overall health. Go ahead, make your next travel snack the best one yet!

Mexican Cornbread Muffins

Muffins are a classic travel snack; they’re portable, tasty, and don’t need to be refrigerated. If you’re not a fan of sweet muffins, these savory Mexican cornbread muffins from Cristel Moubarak, registered dietitian and owner of nutriFoodie, will quickly become your new favorite snack. The combination of cornmeal, fresh veggies, and cheese will keep you feeling full for hours whether you’re on a plane or taking the bus.

Truffle-Roasted Chickpeas

These luxe roasted chickpeas will make any mode of travel feel instantly fancier! Truffle-roasted chickpeas are Kara Lydon’s genius invention. A registered dietitian and foodie blogger, Lydon has come up with a recipe that is both simple and quick to make. Chickpeas are full of fiber and protein, which means these truffle-roasted versions will keep you satiated and energized over long trips.

Tahini Chocolate Protein Bites

Thanks to the tahini and lentils in this recipe, these chocolate energy balls have a nutty flavor without the added risk of setting off a nut allergy in an enclosed space (like on an airplane or train). Abby Langer, registered dietitian and owner of Abby Langer Nutrition, is the mastermind behind this easy recipe for five-ingredient tahini chocolate protein bites.
If the thought of putting lentils in your energy balls sounds strange, rest assured that the flavor is masked by the sweetness of the chocolate and Medjool dates. These energy balls live up to their name. They’re loaded with protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids—and they beat a gas station energy bar any day.

Green Smoothies

Although a green smoothie would never make it past a TSA agent, they do make a super-nutritious travel snack for other modes of transportation. If you’re new to the smoothie game or just looking for some inspiration, Dana McDonald, registered dietitian and owner of Rebel Dietitian, has published an impressive list of green smoothie recipes that will appeal to everyone. Invest in a thermos to keep your smoothies nice and cold if they’re a regular part of your commute.

If you’re going the store-bought route….

Keeping in mind that snack prices are always going to be much higher in airports, it’s helpful to keep a stash of healthy store-bought snacks so that you’ll always have one or two handy for travel emergencies.
Registered dietitian Jenna Gorham has your back in terms of store-bought healthy snacks. She gives examples of snacks that can be bought in bulk (and that are often found in airports) including Kind bars, dried fruit, popcorn, and roasted edamame.
Healthy travels are less stressful if you’re able to plan your snacks ahead of time. If you’re caught by surprise, remember that many coffee shops and cafes now sell fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, and veggies or pretzels and hummus to supplement any other snacks you might have. And if you do have to eat less than desirable snack food? Just remember, there’s always next time!

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

Crispy Potato Latkes (With A Side Of Hanukkah History)

The story of Hanukkah, also known as the festival of light, is one of miraculous perseverance and rich tradition. According to legend, Jewish rebels were able to recover their holy temple in Jerusalem after being forced to worship pagan deities for many years against their will.
When it came time to light the menorah they realized they only had enough oil to keep it burning for a single night. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days and the Jewish people were able to make more oil to keep the flame lit forever afterward.

The Importance of Oil in Traditional Hanukkah Foods

Many of the delicious foods which are traditionally served during Hanukkah are a directly inspired by the symbolism behind the miraculous oil that burned for eight days. Specifically, deep-fried doughnuts (called sufganiot) and fried potato pancakes (latkes) play a big part during Hanukkah celebrations.
Latkes are a tasty introduction to Jewish home cooking and can be made with just a few easy-to-find ingredients.

Get going in the kitchen with crispy potato latkes.

Latkes are super-crispy potato pancakes that are shallow-fried in oil, which is why they’re eaten so plentifully during Hanukkah. The trick to making these latkes is to remove as much moisture as possible from the grated potatoes before adding any binders. This will ensure a perfectly browned exterior and a creamy center.
Olive oil and schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) are used in traditional recipes but may not be practical for the average home cook due to their relatively low smoke points. Grapeseed, avocado, and peanut oil all work well, as does melted ghee (or a combination of these fats).

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4 people (2 latkes each)

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb baking potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled
  • 1 medium-sized onion (white or yellow)
  • ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. sifted white flour OR matzo meal OR fine bread crumbs
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten together
  • 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup of grapeseed OR avocado OR peanut oil OR ghee
  • Sour cream or room-temperature applesauce (for topping)

Special Equipment:

  • Box grater OR food processor with shredder attachment
  • Large bowl
  • Colander or fine mesh sieve
  • Cheesecloth or clean tea towel
  • Large skillet (cast iron works best)
  • Baking sheet
  • Cooking thermometer

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Using either a box grater or a food processor with a shredder attachment, grate the potatoes and onion into a large bowl.
  3. Transfer the grated potatoes and onion to a colander or fine mesh sieve and press down with your hands or a sturdy wooden spoon. Drain for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the potatoes and onion from the colander and place in the middle of a square of cheesecloth or a clean tea towel. Bring the fabric together and squeeze any excess moisture out, applying as much pressure as possible.
  5. Return the potato and onion mixture to the bowl and gently stir in the flour (or substitute), eggs, kosher salt, and pepper. Be careful not to overmix.
  6. Place a baking sheet in the preheated oven.
  7. Heat the oil to 360°F in a large skillet over medium-high heat using a cooking thermometer to check for readiness.
  8. Working in batches, fry the latkes in ¼ cup amounts until browned and crispy on both sides. This should take about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven as they finish.
  9. Top latkes with sour cream or room-temperature applesauce before eating.
Categories
Nutrition x Advice

5 Plant-Based Proteins And How To Include Them In Your Diet

“But how do you get your protein?”
If you’re eating or considering eating a plant-based diet, that question will sound all too familiar. Fortunately for you, plant-based protein is readily available from a long list of diverse vegan ingredients and the concept of an incomplete protein is a complete myth.
Both vegan and vegetarian diets offer an abundance of options when it comes to plant-based protein, many of which are readily available and can be easily incorporated into your daily eating plan.
With the vegan diet on the rise in the United States, many people are looking beyond “traditional” sources of protein, eschewing meat and dairy-based proteins in favor of leafy greens, grains and grasses, and soy-based foods. People’s protein needs vary according to activity level, gender, and age, but the go-to formula for making sure you’re eating enough protein is to multiply your body weight in pounds by 0.36, which will churn out your body’s daily protein requirement in grams.
Unlike fats or carbohydrates, our bodies don’t store protein very efficiently, which is why it’s important we make sure at least some plant-based protein is found in our food sources.
Here are five plant-based proteins that will keep you feeling full and energized from meal to meal:

1. Quinoa

A single one-cup serving of cooked quinoa contains an impressive 8 grams of plant-based protein. Quinoa is actually a flowering plant in the same family as Swiss chard and spinach, which means it’s not a grain. Quinoa is a rare plant-based protein in that it contains all nine essential amino acids—a trait usually exclusive to meat, poultry, and fish, as most plant-based sources of protein are missing essential amino acids.
These missing amino acids can be easily be incorporated into your meals by including foods like quinoa, which is a versatile ingredient that can be used in porridge and hearty salads, or as a stand-in for rice (especially in quinoa risotto). Make a large batch of quinoa and freeze it for later use. When you’re ready to use the frozen quinoa, simply defrost it at room temperature before adding it to your recipe.

2. Lentils

There’s a good reason lentils are praised for their nutritional benefits. One cup of cooked lentils contains nearly 18 grams of protein (and a whopping 15 grams of fiber!) which will keep you feeling full hours after you’ve eaten. There are several varieties of lentils available and their flavor and cooking methods differ slightly from one to the next.
Red lentils are best for Indian-style dahl, green and brown lentils work well in soups, and Puy lentils are sturdy enough to hold their shape in a salad. Use canned lentils or dried, and consider freezing extra lentils for future use.

3. Firm Tofu

Firm tofu isn’t just a bland accompaniment for brown rice. A half a cup of this protein superstar contains almost 20 grams of protein, 86 percent of your calcium requirements, and 74 percent of your recommended daily intake of manganese. Tofu is made of pressed bean curd and has a very mild flavor, making it a great chameleon in terms of potential preparations and the flavors it can take on.
Firm tofu can serve as the base for a curry, be stir-fried, be baked in a marinade, or be breaded and pan-fried. Basically, the sky’s the limit with tofu and it has many uses depending on the recipes you prefer.

4. Dried Beans

Dried beans are a useful ingredient to have in your pantry. Depending on the type, a one-cup serving can offer anywhere from 15 to 17 grams of protein. Soak dried beans overnight in cold water to shorten the cooking time and make up a big batch in the slowcooker.
Extra beans can be frozen in resealable bags and thawed in the fridge or at room temperature. Bean salads are a tasty option that will last for up to a week in the fridge.

5. Tempeh

Tempeh is made of soy beans that have been pressed into cakes and fermented. Tempeh is a more flavorsome cousin of tofu that has wide-ranging nutritional benefits including an incredible 31 grams of protein per half-cup serving. Tempeh has a pronounced nutty taste which makes it a good candidate for recipes with big flavor. It will soak up any sauce or marinade like a sponge, so add tempeh to grain bowls, make a savory kebab, or tuck it into a tempeh and tomato sandwich.
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Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

5 Tea Recipes That Are Perfect For Those Cold Winter Months

Coffee is amazing, we all know this. But sometimes—whether it’s way too late in the day for coffee or you want to stay away from lingering coffee breath—tea is a better option. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, it’s easy to buy exotic loose teas, herbs, and spices to make your own teas at home.
These five easy tea recipes are a great place to start and can be made as single servings or in large batches. Who knows? You just might make the jump from coffee to tea on a regular basis.

Moroccan Tea

What is it?

Moroccan tea (also known as Maghrebi tea) is a traditional mint and green tea hot beverage that is lightly sweetened with sugar.

Yield

This recipe serves 4.

Special Ingredients and Equipment

Loose gunpowder green tea (or other strong green tea), 1 quart teapot (or larger), medium-sized saucepan

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp. loose gunpowder green tea
  • Large handful of fresh spearmint leaves, washed and dried
  • 3–4 Tbsp. of white sugar (use more or less depending on how sweet you like your tea)

Method

Add 5 cups of boiling water to a teapot containing the loose green tea. Allow the tea to steep for 15 minutes, then strain through a sieve into a saucepan. Over medium heat dissolve the sugar in the hot green tea.
Place the spearmint leaves in the bottom of the teapot and pour the sweetened green tea over the leaves. Enjoy while hot with extra spearmint leaves added to each tea cup.

Lemon Ginger Tea

What is it?

A warming and energizing tea that offers plenty of oomph without the addition of caffeine.

Yield

This recipe makes enough for 8 to 12 servings of tea, depending on how much concentrate you add to the boiling water.

Special Ingredients and Equipment

Fresh ginger root, medium-sized saucepan, fine sieve

Ingredients

  • 4 inches of fresh ginger root, unpeeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 lemon, rinsed under hot water to remove any waxy residue and thinly sliced

Method

Add the thinly sliced ginger root to a saucepan filled with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then immediately turn the heat down to medium-low and gently simmer uncovered until the liquid has been reduced by half.
Stir in the honey to dissolve and remove from the heat. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ginger concentrate to a mug full of hot water and lemon slices and enjoy. Leftover ginger concentrate can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Hot Toddy

What is it?

Suffering from a bad cold and finding very little relief from your symptoms? A hot toddy may be just what the doctor ordered! Made of your favorite tea that’s been spiked with a shot of bourbon, this cold remedy has actually been proven to help with decongestion, thanks to the combined effects of alcohol and hot water.

Yield

1 serving

Special Ingredient

Bourbon

Ingredients

  • 1 bag herbal tea (chamomile and peppermint are particularly delicious)
  • 1 oz bourbon
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 slice of lemon

Method

Brew a mug of your favorite herbal tea. Add the bourbon, honey, and lemon slice. Stir well to combine and enjoy while piping hot.

Masala Chai

What is it?

The chai that we recognize in the West—made of black tea, hot milk, and a fragrant bouquet of spices—originally came from India. Chai can be made using any milk you like, including both dairy and non-dairy varieties.

Yield

This makes enough for 4 to 6 servings.

Special Ingredients and Equipment

Darjeeling tea, cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger root, whole cloves, whole green cardamom pods, black peppercorns, honey, mortar and pestle or spice grinder, saucepan, fine sieve

Ingredients

  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1½ inches fresh ginger root, unpeeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. whole cloves
  • 1 Tbsp. whole green cardamom pods
  • 2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
  • 4 heaping tsp. loose Darjeeling tea
  • 4 cups whole milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
  • ¼ cup honey

Method

Coarsely grind the whole cloves, cardamom, and black peppercorns using either a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Add the spices to a saucepan and stir in the ground spices, cinnamon sticks, and loose Darjeeling tea. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Strain the spiced tea through a fine sieve and return to the saucepan. Whisk in the milk and honey over low heat. The chai is ready when it’s thoroughly warmed and just beginning to bubble around the edges.

Turmeric Tea

What is it?

Turmeric tea, which is also called golden milk, is known for its bright golden color and anti-inflammatory properties.

Yield

This makes enough for 2 to 4 servings.

Special Ingredients and Equipment

Turmeric, black peppercorns, fresh ginger root, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, coconut oil, honey, saucepan, fine sieve

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 inch of ginger root, unpeeled and thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp. dried nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. black peppercorns
  • 2 cups of whole milk (or the non-dairy milk of your choice)
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Method

Simmer 2 cups of water and all of the spices in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Strain and return to the saucepan. Whisk in the milk, honey, and coconut oil and warm over medium-low heat. For a super smooth tea, blend with a hand blender until emulsified.

Categories
Nutrition x Advice

What Are Macros? Everything You Need To Know About Counting Them And More

Eating for health and weight loss can be a frustrating experience. You diligently count calories and aim to get enough iron, calcium, and vitamins in your diet. Despite all of this, you’re feeling totally depleted of energy, you aren’t losing weight, and your workouts are suffering. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to find out what a macronutrient is so you can decide if a macronutrient-based diet might be right for you.
Depending on your goals, there’s a macro-based diet for almost everyone—regardless of your fitness level or [linkbuilder id=”2537″ text=”favorite foods”]. Macro diets don’t necessarily restrict intake of meat, dairy, or other food groups, but they can accommodate vegetarianism and veganism, meaning the basic principles and defining ratios of macro diets are applicable to anyone looking to eat healthfully and reap the benefits of doing so.

Why Macros Really are a Big Deal

Whether you decide to go macro or not, understanding the role of macronutrients will help you better understand your body and whether the foods you choose are helping or hindering when it comes to your health and fitness goals. While many of us are interested in [linkbuilder id=”5671″ text=”clean eating”] and fitness, the facts about how food impacts or performance, weight, and disease risk really do exist at the macronutrient level, which makes educating ourselves in this area super important.
A solid understanding of the major components that make up everything we eat is powerful knowledge. In fact, a thesis completed at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in 2012 reports a positive relationship between nutritional knowledge, proper eating habits, and decreased incidence of obesity. With estimates that 72 percent of American women will be overweight or obese in 2020 and the fact that even trained athletes who get plenty of protein may not spread protein intake throughout their day to their best advantage, it’s clear that understanding macros can benefit you now and well into the future, whether you’re training, looking for an energy boost, or gearing up to lose weight.

Ideas to Invest in Before You Begin a Macro-Based Diet

Like many trending approaches to eating, a macronutrient-driven diet should include plenty of whole foods so that you can keep up with your body’s micronutrient needs. If possible, it’s definitely worth sitting down with a registered dietician or similarly trained wellness professional to discuss a macronutrient ratio that will work best for you and your current activity level.
Macronutrient calculators can also be helpful when determining the correct macro ratio for your lifestyle. These calculators will use information about your weight, gender, activity level, and goals to suggest a macro ratio (more on that to come!) that you should aim to consume. The ratios can be tweaked based on your body’s responses to the changes in your diet.
Most importantly, obsessing over your diet for any reason can be stressful. Make sure to give yourself room for mistakes, an occasional treat, and plenty of kindness as you embark on this new eating adventure!

So, what are macros?

Macros, or macronutrients, are the three basic building blocks of our diets that we need to consume in large quantities: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Macronutrients can be eaten in different ratios depending on the particular wellness goals you’re trying to achieve. But first, it’s important to understand the role each of the three macronutrients serves when it comes to fueling your body and keeping it running smoothly.

The Power of Protein

Protein is a macronutrient frequently praised for its ability to help the body build and maintain muscle tissue. In fact, protein is a building block for many of your body’s most basic structures and functions. Protein is used all over the body. It helps keep bones strong, forms the keratin that makes up your skin and hair, and makes up part of your DNA. Protein is more difficult for your body to digest than carbohydrates, which means your body burns more calories when digesting protein.
As a macronutrient, protein is recognized for its ability to stave off hunger and keep you feeling more satiated for longer periods of time, which is why it’s often associated with its ability to help with weight loss and weight maintenance. A single gram of protein contains four calories. Ultimately, the proteins in food are made up of very small amino acids, which are utilized by the body to put together new proteins.

All About Amino Acids

The protein in our own bodies is made up of 20 amino acids, nine of which we’re unable to create for ourselves and must get from our diets. On a molecular level, protein is made up of strings of amino acids which break down into single amino acids or small strings of them (which are called peptides) in our digestive systems.
These individual amino acids form new protein bonds that are unique to their specific functions in the body. Protein that comes from meat is similar to our own and contains all nine essential amino acids whereas most plant-based sources contain only a few amino acids.
It used to be thought that vegetarians and vegans needed to combine protein sources at every meal to satisfy their macronutrient needs, however current research shows that as long as you’re eating a varied plant-based diet, your essential amino acid needs will be met, which is reason for flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans to rejoice!

A Frank Look at Fat

Fat has long been the most vilified of the three macronutrients our bodies need to run smoothly. But, while it can feel counterintuitive to reach for the full-fat option of your favorite snack, it might actually be healthier than opting for a fat-free alternative.
Fat is in almost all foods, from meat and dairy to plant-based cuisine because fat is used by many living things (including human beings) as an efficient means of storing energy. Fat is the main carrier of flavor, which is why low-fat and fat-free products often have copious amount of sugar and salt added to them for flavor.
Fat is a crucial part of our diets because it gives us energy, keeps us warm, cushions our organs from harm, keeps our skin and hair looking healthy, contributes to normal brain function, and is a source of fatty acids that our bodies can’t make on their own.
So why, when fat is clearly so important, has it historically had such a bad reputation in the Western mindset? At 9 calories per gram, fat is the most calorie-dense of all the macronutrients. Fat is often seen as a culprit that instigates heart disease, obesity, and high cholesterol, but these claims are now being debunked by new research.

Here a Fat, There a Fat—Thinking About All the Kinds of Fat

Triglycerides make up the vast majority of the fat that is in our bodies and that we consume through our diets. A triglyceride is one glycerol molecule that has three fatty acids attached to it. These fatty acids can be either saturated or unsaturated, which leads us to the following…

Saturated Fat

Saturated fats are typically found in meat and dairy products and are usually solid when stored at room temperature. You might think of saturated fat as the “bad” fat, but recent studies have disproven much of the negative stigma surrounding this particular macronutrient. In fact, saturated fat, which has long been linked to raising “bad” low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol is now thought to have little if any effect on increasing LDL cholesterol.
The recommended daily intake of saturated fat is between 5 and 6 percent of a 2000 calorie-a-day diet according to current information from the American Heart Association, making it an important component of a macro-based diet. Common sources of saturated fat include red meat, dairy, poultry, and cheese.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are typically found in oils which are liquid at room temperature and are often described as “heart-healthy” fats because they are effective at lowering LDL cholesterol levels when eaten in moderation. Polyunsaturated fats are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that plays a key role in supporting your body’s immune system and keeping your skin and eyes healthy.
It’s recommended that the majority of your daily fat intake should consist of polyunsaturated fats, meaning olive oil, sesame oil, avocado, and seeds have their place in macro-conscious cuisine.

Where do the omegas fit in?

A great example of healthy fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are found in polyunsaturated fats and are especially important to include in our diets because our bodies can’t make these fats on their own. Good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids include fish and shellfish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, kale, and cod liver oil.

Consider your carbohydrates.

Carbs have been given an undue bad rap since the Atkin’s diet was reintroduced as a popular weight loss method in the ‘90s. When it comes to carbs, the important thing to consider is the type of carbohydrate you’re eating because not all carbs are created equal.
Many potential health benefits of carbohydrates depend on whether your carb of choice is simple or complex. But first, what is a carb and what does it do?
Technically, carbohydrates are a source of glucose (aka blood sugar), which your body turns into energy so that you can remain active and your bodily functions can continue running smoothly. There are three carbohydrates that our bodies use for fuel: starch, fiber, and sugar.
Fiber is the only carbohydrate we don’t digest, although it still needs to be a regular part of your diet as it reduces the risk of several cancers, is great for gut health, and plays a role in preventing certain types of heart disease.
Complex carbohydrates are made of long sugar-molecule chains and take longer for your body to digest, which means they serve as a time-released source of energy for your body. Good sources of complex carbohydrates include whole grains, legumes, some fruits, and vegetables, which will definitely be a part of your macro diet given the importance of incorporating fresh eats.
Simple carbohydrates, which should be eaten in small quantities regardless of your diet, are made up of one or two sugar molecules which are quickly digested and only usable as energy for a short amount of time. Unfortunately for us, many tasty treats are technically simple carbohydrates. Sugary fruits, white rice, white bread, desserts, candy, and white pasta are all on the simple carbohydrate list. They can be part of a macro diet, but need to be consumed in thoughtful moderation.

Types of Macronutrient Diets

Diets that focus on macronutrients place a strong emphasis on what your body actually needs by counting macronutrients by the gram either alongside or in place of [linkbuilder id=”2538″ text=”counting calories”].
However, a diet based on tallying up your daily macros isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be eating healthier. Karina Inkster is a certified personal training specialist and certified online trainer who specializes in teaching her clients about a plant-based nutrition and physical activity.
She cautions against blindly following a macronutrient diet, saying, “Macros are just one aspect of nutrition. They’re an important piece of the puzzle, but they’re not the be-all, end-all measurement in nutrition. Remember that you could theoretically have a ‘macro balanced’ diet eating processed junk foods.”
With that advice in mind, let’s explore some of the more popular macronutrient-based diets you might decide to follow.

High Carb

40 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent protein, 15 to 25 percent fat

Good for: bodybuilders, endurance athletes, long-distance runners

This diet is focused on high carbohydrate intake, which is great for people who expend a lot of energy. Inkster specializes in weight lifting and follows a vegan form of this diet, albeit with a slightly higher fat percentage and lower protein percentage.
“I aim for 50 percent carbs, 30 percent fats, and 20 percent protein. This is the macro ratio I suggest for my vegan strength-training clients as well. For endurance athletes, ratios will differ slightly, favoring higher carbs,” she says.
Her favorite vegan meals that fit into the high carb ratio include pan-fried tempeh with a veggie stir fry, tofu scramble with veggies, and Thai coconut curry with tofu.
Note that a high carbohydrate diet should include plenty of whole grains, vegetables, leafy greens, fruit, and cereals.

Low Carb

10 to 30 percent carbohydrates, 40 to 50 percent protein, 30 to 40 percent fat

Good for: weight loss, prevention of heart disease

Low carb diets can be an effective way to kick off weight loss, although a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that at the one-year mark this diet didn’t boast any benefits when compared to diets with a more balanced ratio of macronutrients.
When following a low carb diet, it’s important to include plenty of lower fat and plant-based sources of protein in your diet, of which there are plenty! It’s important to make sure you’re still eating carbohydrates, specifically complex carbs that will give you long-lasting energy throughout your day. Steamed, grilled, or roasted veggies are great choices when paired with a protein source such as meat, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes, and tempeh.

The Maintenance Diet

30 to 50 percent carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent protein, 25 to 35 percent fat

Good for: weight maintenance, overall wellness

This ratio of macronutrients is a good place to start if your goals have more to do with maintaining your weight and eating a straightforward, healthy diet. Like high and low carb diets, the focus should be on the quality of the foods you’re eating, not just meeting macro requirements. Choose from a wide array of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, pulses and legumes, organic dairy (whenever possible), lean meats and fish, and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocados.

To macro diet or not to macro diet?

If macronutrient ratios are a helpful reminder to include certain foods in your diet, then by all means use them as a way to track your goals and achieve an overall sense of wellbeing.
If you find yourself obsessing over this diet, or any other one for that matter, then it may be helpful to speak with a registered dietitian, a clinical therapist, or your family doctor about how you can eat for overall health and wellness, not just your waistline or gym agenda. Eating should be a pleasurable activity, and it’s difficult to enjoy your meals if you’re constantly worrying about having the right macronutrient ratio on your plate.
And remember, there’s always room for the occasional dessert when eating for health and happiness!