Category: Cooking

Some people cannot wait until the calendar turns from August to September, just so they can enjoy a variety of seasonal pumpkin food and drink offerings for the rest of the year!  Some folks don’t enjoy pumpkin-spice everything, but I, for one, am totally team pumpkin. I love the nostalgia related to the taste and smell of pumpkin. Even though the season is winding down, I still try to use pumpkin year round. Pumpkin is low in calories, but rich in fiber, vitamin A and other essential vitamins – making it a great addition to a healthy diet.

While the opportunity to try new pumpkin recipes is abundant this time of year, the down side is that many of these foods can be high in sugar, calories, and fat. But fear not pumpkin lovers – we can still evolve our recipes to enjoy healthier versions of the season’s favorites (And really, any time of year is the right time to take control of your diet and adapt recipes).

To celebrate the closing of pumpkin season, I have taken a popular pumpkin recipe to showcase how you can adapt recipes to fit into your healthy diet.

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

I love fruit and vegetable breads. They can be versatile as a dessert or as a quick breakfast – and they are easy to alter into healthier versions.  I decided to modify a recipe for pumpkin zucchini bread, which allows for bonus vegetables! The adapted recipe comes from Taste of Home’s Pumpkin Zucchini Bread.

My Adaptions to the Recipe:

• I decided to add whole wheat flour to the recipe to add in more fiber and grains to the bread. I used 1.5 cups all-purpose flour and then 1.5 cups of whole white wheat flour.  (Note: You can completely substitute out the all-purpose flour for the wheat flour for a heartier, denser, and higher fiber bread.)
• I also substituted ½ cup canola oil (with added omega-3) and ½ cup unsweetened applesauce for the 1 cup of butter. I love using unsweetened applesauce in breads as a partial fat substitute because not only does it cut fat and calories, but it adds in moisture for good texture.
• The change that had the biggest impact was replacing the 1 cup of white sugar and  1 cup of brown sugar with 1 cup of stevia for baking.  Stevia for baking is not a zero calorie replacement, but a reduced calorie blend of cane sugar and stevia. This product facilitates the browning, taste, and texture which come from sugar in baking while significantly reducing the calories.

The Final Product

The final product was delicious! My adaptions resulted in a tasty, moist bread that I ate for breakfast the whole week. Nutritionally, the changes I made reduced the calories from 176 per slice down to 123 calories per slice, cut fat from 9g to 6.7g, and reduced sugar from 13g down to 3.9g per slice. That is a 9g reduction in sugar in just one slice!

This is just one example of how simple changes can be made to turn a typically high-calorie, high-fat and high-sugar food into something more nutritious. What is one of your favorite recipe adaptations?

 

Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian and a paid contributor to SteviaBenefits.org. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.

 

 

One of my favorite things about being a registered dietitian nutritionist is learning about and celebrating food. And there are so many opportunities to do just that with national food days and months popping up all the time!

There is no shortage of food celebrations in May – it’s the month for celebrating asparagus, salsa, salad, and strawberries. Needless to say, this is a dietitian’s dream to celebrate all these nutrient-rich foods. But in addition to all the fruits and vegetables we consume, we need to make room for some special treats in our diet too. After all, moderation is the key and what’s life without the sweet stuff?!

That’s why I’m glad that May is also National Chocolate Custard Month! I’ll take any opportunity to celebrate chocolate, but I was curious to learn the differences between custard, pudding, and mousse – three desserts that bring up visions of creamy, chilled deliciousness. If you have ever wondered what makes these desserts different, I have the answer for you, plus some delicious recipes to try.

All three of these desserts start with a base of milk and sugar. What’s added in is what accounts for the different consistency and textures of the final products.

Pudding is made by cooking the milk and sugar base and adding cornstarch to thicken the mixture. This leads to a semisolid consistency and creamy texture. It is usually served chilled, but it can be served warm or at room temperature.

Mousse is made by folding beaten egg whites or whipped cream into a cold milk and sugar base. Unlike pudding, mousse is not cooked and the addition of air to the mixture leads to a fluffier consistency and lighter texture. Mousse is typically served chilled or frozen.

Custard is made by cooking the milk and sugar base and adding whole eggs to thicken the mixture. When cooled, the mixture solidifies, leaving you with the jiggly consistency and silky texture.

 

Now that you know the basic difference between these delicious desserts, how about making some on your own? Enjoy these versions lightened up with Stevia.

 

Baked Custard with Stevia

Dark Chocolate Pudding

Vegan Dark Night Chocolate Mousse

 

Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist and culinary nutrition expert. She has extensive experience as a recipe developer, writer, editor, and speaker. She is the co-author of We Can Cook: Introduce Your Child to the Joy of Cooking with 75 Simple Recipes and Activities (Barron’s, 2011), past columnist for the Culinary Corner column in Today’s Dietitian Magazine, and maintains a popular blog at JessicaLevinson.com. Jessica is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and various Dietetic Practice Groups of the AND, including Nutrition Entrepreneurs, Food and Culinary Professionals, and Dietitians in Business and Communications. Follow her out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Big Game Sunday is for many the first test in your resolution for a healthier year. It’s day spent not only cheering for your favorite team, but indulging in a buffet of high-calorie snack foods and alcohol. Your average American will take in more than a day’s worth of calories just during the game. One trick of creating a healthier lifestyle is to find the middle ground between going overboard and feeling deprived. So, don’t get sidelined from your goals, you can enjoy a day of football, fun, and delicious foods and without ditching your healthy resolutions.

Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip

Dips are a staple of any Super Bowl part but tend to be laden with high-fat ingredients. The delightful dip uses Greek yogurt and reduced fat cream cheese to cut calories without sacrificing taste.

Teriyaki Chicken Wings with Hot Mango Dipping Sauce

What game day party would be complete without wings?! Ditch the fryer and swap out the sugar for stevia for tasty guilt-free wings.

Chili

Chili is a quick and easy option to warm up your guests and it is simple to make it healthy.

Chocolate Chip Brownies

Got a sweet tooth? You don’t have to skip the dessert table with these lightened up brownies.

Veggie and Fruit Trays

Fruit and veggies make healthy and easy dippers that pair well with any dip. You can get creative and craft your own or save time and pick up pre-made trays at your local grocery store.

Pico De Gallo

This recipe is super low calorie! A refreshing mix of tomatoes, onion, cilantro and lime with a bit of jalapeno for bite that no one will be able to resist.

Pizza Nuts

Mixed nuts can be a great healthy snack, but it can be easy to go overboard if you are standing next to the snack table. Try these chick pea pizza nuts as a lower fat/lower calorie option to your usual bowl of nuts.

See! It is easy to have delicious spread that will not spread your waistline. Go Team!

 

Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. Carolyn is a paid editorial contributor for the Calorie Control Council. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.

I love to cook…or to be more truthful, I love home cooked meals. As a dietitian, I feel that preparing a majority of my meals at home is a top “must do” to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, between the dog days of summer and my impeccable knack of picking out living establishments in which the kitchen seems to absorb heat, home cooked meals can become a daunting task.

So over the years I have experimented with different tricks of the trade to allow for my home “cooked” meals without sweating it out in the kitchen during the hotter months. Here are some fun tips to keep healthy this summer while staying cool.

Put It on a Grill

Ok, you’re still probably sweating outside, but you get to enjoy nature and avoid heating up the house with your oven. If you’re not a grillmaster, don’t let that stop you. Try this recipe for Spicy Grilled Peach and Chicken Kabobs.

Fill Up on Appetizers

This may sound strange at first because nutritionist usually say to avoid apps. But, I have on numerous occasions picked up a veggie tray, added some diced fruit, cubed cheese, and pecans or almonds and called it dinner. You can also experiment with some lighter dips like bean dip, hummus, or Baba Ganoush for a little pizzazz. I enjoy dinners like this because it’s easy to prepare and something out of the ordinary, but still provides a great amount of nutrition and variety.

Sass-up the Sammy

Sandwiches make a great no-cook dinner and with some creativity you don’t have to have the same-old boring lunch sandwich. Like this recipe for Asparagus Salmon Spring Rolls.

Dress Up Your Salad

Salads are fantastically refreshing and light on those hot summer nights. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Some of my favorites salads do not even include the traditional lettuce, like this  Chickpea, Cucumber, Tomato, and Feta Salad. I add red onions to mine and have a whole-wheat pita on the side. Or you can try this Arugula, Italian Tuna, and White Bean Salad for something even heartier.

Make Your Side Dish the Star

You can make some delicious no cook sides instead of a time-intensive main course. This Strawberry, Cucumber, Basil Salad would pair perfectly with a a rotisserie chicken from the grocery (let them heat up the ovens while you stay cool at home). I replace the sugar with Stevia to reduce calories and I just like the taste.

Eat Out…At the Grocery Store!

Grocery stores have expanded their deli sections to provide more and more healthy, ready-to-eat options that you can take home on those hot or busy nights instead of fast food or restaurant foods.

Look for foods that are grilled, broiled or baked to keep calories in check and pair with an assortment of veggies. Don’t forget dessert- no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream and fruit is always a sweet surprise.

Choose Soup

Yep, I said soup. But I’m thinking chilled soups for summer. I used to turned my nose up at cold soup until I tried a cold peach soup and I was hooked. There are so many delicious options and combinations: Gazpacho, avocado and cucumber; it is endless. Instead of sugar, try a dash of Stevia in this delicious Watermelon Soup for a fresh summer meal without the extra calories.

Bonus recipe: Iced Sun Tea

Sun Tea was a staple in my childhood home and nothing is more thirst quenching on hot summer days than iced sun tea. I sweeten mine with a touch of Stevia to keep it calorie free and natural.

 

 

Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.