GRAINularity: Passover style…
Passover certainly can be a shock to your digestive system. Matzo starts to take a toll on you after a while…if you know what I mean. Finding fiber can be difficult especially if you are used to eating whole grains. Did you know that there actually is a grain you can eat on Passover? It’s called quinoa and it’s delicious!
Quinoa is a protein-rich, vitamin/mineral and fiber filled grain, well technically a seed, which is why it is kosher for Passover. With 5 g of fiber per ½ cup, quinoa is sure to help you out this week… Quinoa is also a great source of magnesium, which has been shown to protect against heart disease and reduce frequency of migraine headaches as it helps relax blood vessels. Quinoa contains iron, which is important for development of healthy red blood cells. Quinoa pureed is great for infants past the age of 6 months as this is when iron stores from pregnancy are depleted. Quinoa also has a healthy dose of manganese and copper, both antioxidants that prevent against oxidative damage. Quinoa also has phosphorus, which is important for bone health. Best of all, quinoa is a complete protein because it contains all the essential amino acids needed for the human body, making quinoa great for vegans and vegetarians. This grain is also naturally gluten-free making quinoa a nice addition for celiac patients and those who are gluten intolerant.
Where can you find quinoa?
Quinoa is now sold in most major grocery stores, possibly in the natural or organic food section. It comes in a variety of colors including white, red, purple, or green. You can also find quinoa flours, quinoa based pastas and cereals!
Let's Get Together...
As you walk down the produce isle at the market, you may pass by broccoli, thinking you’re not in the mood for green. And then you may breeze by cauliflower, considering the white veggie a little dull. But then, you see something yellowish-green, that looks like the love-child of those 2 vegetables you just passed. And guess what…it IS, enter Broccoflower!
Why Have You Done a Good Thing?
Ever year around this time, before the spring/summer vegetables are in full swing, I start getting bored with the same old squash and broccoli. Hence, my appreciation for this unique hybrid vegetable. Not only is it interesting looking and tasting; it is good for you, too! Broccoflower is filled with folate, vitamin C, and some fabulous fiber! Folate is essential during pregnancy, and antioxidant benefits are numerous! Fiber will help you stay full while on a calorie-controlled diet, charging you only minimal calories and no fat, making this a great bang for your bite! Plus, being a mild green veggie, it just may go down smoothly with the little ones.
What to do with it?
- Eat it raw or blanched as a snack and as part of a crudité, with some low-fat dip. Hint- you can mix in ranch seasoning to fat-free Greek yogurt for a great and healthy dip. (Just go easy on it since it using too much can overload you with unneeded sodium.)
- Steam it and eat it with a salad, protein, and some whole grains for a complete meal and a quick weeknight dinner.
- Toss it with a little EVOO, salt, and pepper and roast in the oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes.
- Make it into a soup
- Sautee it with garlic and EVOO or include it as part of a stir-fry meal.
–Samantha Jacobs, RD CDN
It’s Time for a Round-Up: What’s going on in that freezer?
As dietitians we always push the freshest of ingredients and unprocessed whole foods. However, time gets in the way. Sometimes turning to a frozen meal is the most convenient of choices.
Rules of Thumb:
1) Pay attention to how many servings you are eating. Not all frozen meals are created equal. Some have more than one serving per container. Figure out how many servings you are eating and multiply the nutrition facts accordingly. Example: If a serving is 450 calories, but there are 2 servings per box and you eat the whole thing, you are really eating 900 calories, not 450.
2) Choose meals that are 500 calories or less per serving
3) Choose meals that are less than 20% calories in Daily Value (DV) column
4) Choose meals that are less than 600 mg of sodium per serving, ideally less than 500 mg per serving.
5) Choose meals with greater than 3g of fiber per serving and that has vegetables!
6) Choose meals with ingredients that you understand what they are.
Here is a Round-Up of the healthiest frozen dinner choices out there. These brands offer organic frozen foods that are lower in sodium, lower in calories, and are 20% or less calories from fat. Although the sodium still does run high (usually in 500-600 mg range), there is usually also a lot of fiber due to using whole wheat flours and vegetables. Good choices include:
Best Frozen Entrees:
-Amy’s Brand: No, I’m not just saying this because this brand is my name-sake…Great choices and lots of ethnic dishes to choose from.
Black Bean Burrito (280 calories, 12% DV fat, 4 g fiber, 580 mg sodium, 9 g protein)
Bowl of Black Peas and Brown Rice (290 calories, 17% DV fat, 580 mg sodium, 8 g fiber, 11 g protein)
Light and Lean Spinach Lasagna (250 calories, 9% DV fat, 540 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 11 g protein)
-Kashi Brand: By far the easiest to find with great variety.
Kashi Black Bean and Mango with Whole Grain Pilaf (340 calories, 12% DV fat, 380 mg sodium, 7g fiber, 8 g protein)
Kashi Chicken Florentine (290 calories, 14% DV fat, 550 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 22g protein)
Kashi Chicken Pasta Pomodoro (280 calories, 9% DV fat, 470 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 19 g protein)
Kashi Sweet and Sour Chicken (320 calories, 5% DV fat, 380 mg sodium, 6g fiber, 18 g protein)
-Organic Bistro Brand: Harder to find but definitely the comparatively lowest in sodium and least amount of unidentifiable ingredients that I’ve seen
Wild Alaskan Salmon (380 calories, 20% DV fat, 240 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 20 g protein)
Moroccan Chicken (290 calories, 14% DV fat, 390 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 19 g protein)
Best Frozen Pizza:
Amy’s Light in Sodium Single Serve Spinach Pizza (440 calories, 20% DV fat, 390 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 19 g protein)
Best Frozen Breakfast:
Van’s Lite Whole Grain Waffles: Dip in Greek yogurt, delicious! (2 waffles: 140 calories, 2% DV fat, 320 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein)
Vitamuffins: Great as breakfast or dessert. (Varies with flavor: 100 calories, 0% DV fat, 140 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 4 g protein)
Amy’s Steel Cut Oatmeal Bowls (220 calories, 5% DV fat, 190 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 6g protein)
Really the best frozen dinners are ones you make yourself. They are lower in calories, sodium, and processed ingredients as well as being much better tasting and more economical. Try out these ideas to make on the weekend ahead of time and freeze in individual servings:
Make a whole lasagna using veggies and low-fat cheese, cut it up into 8 piecesFreeze up soups and stews of all varieties.
Use seasonal veggies to be able to eat the freshest veggies all year longBake your own mini muffins with applesauce and yogurt instead of butter
Make your own pasta sauce using canned crushed tomatoes, fresh herbs, lots of veggies and ground turkey or chicken and serve up over whole wheat pasta or store-bought ravioli
Make your own veggies or turkey burgers and serve on a salad or on a whole wheat bun
Freeze up some Mexican style rice and beans. Have in a bowl on its own or mix into tacos or burritos
Make a big pot of turkey meatballs and freeze in 2-3 ball servings. Make meatball sandwiches during the week!
Freeze quiches for breakfast, lunch or dinner meals
–Amy Santo, MS RD CDN
The Darker the Orange?... the Sweeter the Juice
Outside the gates of Pompeii, Italy, I had the sweetest orange I have ever tasted. Blood oranges, arguably the most succulent of all the citrus fruits, won my heart that day as my orange of choice. I found out later that there is something even more special about these oranges in addition to their juicy taste…
Native to Italy, this tart-yet-sweet almost raspberry tasting orange is quite unique with its deep red grapefruit-like flesh. Blood oranges are loaded with vitamin C that is important for wound healing and boosting your immune system. Blood oranges have an extra special dose of antioxidants due the presence of anthocyanins (also found in berries), which give them their deep red color. Anthocyanins are thought be protective against inflammatory damage, particularly to connective tissue in blood vessels helping to prevent heart disease, nervous system damage, eye diseases, and even reducing allergic reactions. Blood oranges are also a wonderful source of folate, which is particularly important for pregnant women for healthy fetal development and for everyone for protection against cardiovascular disease. Best of all, one of these tasty delights packs only 70 calories but 3g of fiber, making it a great snack!
How will I recognize them?
You will spot them by their red-blemished skin and small manageable size. After purchasing, store in the refrigerator as they last best at cold temperatures.
Cooking Ideas:
-Peel them up and eat as a snack
-Use blood orange juice in your next vinaigrette
-Mix into a green salad or fruit salad
-Make a salsa with fresh blood orange slices and top on grilled fish
–Amy Santo, MS RD CDN
