Thanks for your support in Feeding America.
Don’t forget to donate that small bag of non-perishable items to your mail carrier TODAY! 
Have a great Saturday.
STAMP OUT HUNGER 2013!
Walk for Hunger 2013
On May 5th 2013 last Sunday, the Bean Town Walkers participated in the annual Walk for Hunger 20 mile walk around Boston.
We had a rocking time considering the recent events in Boston. A big part of the walk was absolutely a tribute to the city of Boston and the community. I want to thank all of the sponsors for donating, our team raised aver $700.00 dollars!!! Another year as a HEART & SOLE Team leader! A BIG thank you to Mom, Johnny, Samantha, and Courtney for walking. We couldn’t have done it with each others support and motivation! Mom walked 12 miles this year after breaking her leg last October 2011, God Bless you mom for being such a strong woman. Congratulations to Courtney for finishing her first walk! We even ran the last 3 miles together!
Look forward to walking with you all again next year. Until then stay healthy and happy.
Walk for Hunger! Spring into training ~ Eat Fresh, Take a Step!
SAVE THE DATE WALK FOR HUNGER SUNDAY MAY 5TH 2013 MY WALK CENTER – PLEASE CHECK IT OUT
It is that time of year again~ I have registered and created the team Bean Town Walkers. Spring training in process! Please check out my page and join our team. Look forward to walking with you all! xo
On Sunday, May 5th, I will be participating in Project Bread’s 2013 Walk for Hunger. I hope that you will support me in my efforts to raise money to help end hunger in Massachusetts!
Why am I walking? I’m walking because many Massachusetts families are seeing their monthly income stretched beyond capacity. They are forced to go without food in order to pay their rent, utility, and medical bills. The demand for emergency food has never been greater with pantries and meal programs supported by Project Bread serving 57.3 million meals last year alone. Hunger is not just an urban problem– it exists in nearly every community throughout the state.
The money that I raise by walking as much as I can of the 20-mile route will directly help hungry people. Funds raised through the Walk support more than 400 emergency food programs in 135 communities statewide.
I am proud to have donated $90 to my walk team and $10 to the Walk for Hunger donation fund to help make the walk a fun, safe and eventful!!!! Remember, anything helps even if it is only $1 it all adds up! Thanks everyone for checking this out!
- Try running with additional weight to burn more calories and target other muscles that may not be used regularly! Warning soreness will occur but will be worth it!
MY WALK CENTER – PLEASE CHECK IT OUT
Also email me for my Nutrition & Health Spring specials!
National Nutrition Month® – March 2013
It’s March already! Happy New Year.
National Nutrition Month® is here! This month especially dedicated to nutrition. A great opportunity for dietitians to educate their co-workers, friends/family and the public with current nutrition topics. This year’s the theme is: Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day
Build a Personalized Eating Plan!
The idea is reflective to the “Choose my Plate®” theme. It is a easy concept and great way to incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle with minimal changes. I encourage you to check it out!
Build a Personalized Eating Plan!
We all have unique lifestyles, traditions and health concerns. Not to mention tastes! So if you’re ready to eat right, don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all fad diet.
March is National Nutrition Month®, and this year’s “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” theme highlights that building a personalized eating plan is key to improved health. Set yourself up for success by working with a registered dietitian to build an eating plan tailored just for you.
Here is a quick guide to eating right from the food and nutrition experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
- Personalize your eating style: The easiest way to get the nutrients your body needs is to eat healthy foods you enjoy. Finding good-for-you foods that please your palette makes eating healthfully special and exciting.
- Eat for your lifestyle: Athletic, vegetarian/vegan, corporate and family lifestyles all have special nutritional needs, but eating right can be easy and tasty if you pay attention to those foods that best help get you through the day.
- Incorporate cultural and ethnic traditions: Foods from around the globe often incorporate an abundance of unique, flavorful and nourishing ingredients. Keep traditions alive and bring the world to your family’s table.
- Keep health concerns in mind: A healthful eating plan can help prevent and treat a variety of health concerns. With modification and moderation, you can enjoy your favorite foods while meeting your nutritional needs and health goals.
- Make MyPlate your plate: Fill half of your plate with your favorite fruits and vegetables; keep protein portions lean and about three ounces; make at least half of your grain choices whole grains; and be sure to include low-fat or fat-free dairy products like milk and yogurt.
Visit www.EatRight.org/NNM for a variety of helpful tips, games and education resources, all designed to spread the message of good nutrition.
During January I taught the “Choose My Plate®” method to the Cardiac Rehab outpatient group. It was definitely a great fun-filled topic and event. Contact me if you would like details regarding how to use “Choose My Plate®”.
In 2012 I completed the ‘Menu Planning’ continuing education certification program through the ADA to enhance menu planning skills. I encourage you to ask any questions regarding menu planning! Don’t forget to check our my WIX site for additional services that I provide!
Thanks for reading!
Exploring Aromatics – The Foundation of Flavor
Quoted from the EatRight.Org topic! Taste, smell, mouth-feel and how a food looks all play a part in a exciting meal! Check out Exploring Aromatics!
Exploring Aromatics
The Foundation of Flavor
Download this poster!
Available in three standard sizes. Download below.
(Files are in PDF format)From mirepoix in France to refogado in Brazil, foundational trinities of aromatic vegetables bring flavor to soups, stews, sauces and other dishes worldwide. Aromatics are vegetables that deliver deep, rounded flavor and aroma when heated or crushed. From garlic and onions to chilies and ginger, each vegetable boasts different health benefits and cooking qualities that make it unique.
To create delicious meals by adding flavor instead of fat, sugar or salt, here are some tips for using aromatics.
- For the best flavor and texture, use fresh aromatics. Frozen ones may be too watery.
- Chop and store aromatics in advance to make meal prep quick and easy during the week.
- Chop veggies for even cooking. Hearty vegetables like carrots may require a smaller chop to soften at the same rate as onions, but larger cubes may be appropriate for a soup or stew that will cook longer.
- Handle hot peppers and onions carefully. The oils from these aromatics can irritate your eyes and nose. Wash your hands before touching your face.
- Don’t weigh down your dish with fats and oils. Sauté or sweat vegetables in small amounts of oil, juice, broth or water. To sweat vegetables, cook them in a tightly covered pot. Vegetables will soften without browning.
Carrots
Native to Asia and the Middle East, carrots are tops for beta carotene, which helps regulate the immune system and may reduce risk for certain diseases of aging. Carrots are a good source of fiber, vitamins C and B6 and potassium. Cooking carrots unleashes beta carotene for better absorption.
Celery
Often dismissed as the “negative-calorie vegetable,” celery has 15 calories per cup and is a source of vitamins A, C and K and potassium. Celery also provides quercetin, a flavanoid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and heart-protecting properties. Cook celery to release its deep, savory flavor or enjoy it raw as a crunchy snack.
Chili Peppers
Native to Central and South America, chili peppers range from mild to fiery hot. Heat intensity is courtesy of the chemical compound capsaicin, which may improve digestion. Smaller peppers are generally hotter. Add peppers to salsas, sauces and entrees for a spicy kick and boost of vitamins A and C.
Garlic
The most pungent of the alliums, enjoy garlic raw or cooked in salads, stir-fries, sauces and stews. Eating garlic regularly may reduce atherosclerosis and the risk of stomach, colorectal and prostate cancers. Garlic’s rich phytochemical content delivers its cholesterol-lowering and cancer-fighting characteristics.
Ginger
In its native Southeast Asia and India, fresh ginger completes, with garlic and chili peppers, what’s sometimes referred to in culinary circles as a holy trinity of flavor. With a signature spicy fragrance, ginger shines in sweet and savory dishes. It’s rich in antioxidants such as 6-gingerol, believed to be responsible for reducing nausea and symptoms of vertigo. Ginger provides vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.
Leeks
With a mild onion flavor, leeks are best cooked. Enjoy leeks grilled, in pasta dishes or as the key ingredient in vichyssoise — a French-style potato soup. Leeks are a natural source of inulin, which supports good gut bacteria. Leeks provide vitamins A and C, folate and manganese.
Onions
A staple in the U.S., onions are an aromatics superstar. High concentrations of allyl sulfides in onions do double duty fighting heart disease and cancer. Onions are a good source of inulin (for a healthy gut), vitamin C, fiber, folate and manganese. Enjoy sweet onions raw in salads and the pungent ones in stews, sauces or roasted.
Parsnips
Traditionally used in Europe to sweeten desserts before sugar became widely available, parsnips are available year-round but are sweetest after a frost. Roast and caramelize parsnips to bring out their natural sweetness. Smaller roots are most flavorful and tender. Good source of vitamin C, folate and fiber.
Peppers
Native to Central and South America, bell peppers come in a range of colors. Green peppers ripen to red and become sweeter. At 30 calories, one red pepper delivers a day’s worth of vitamins A and C — a great choice for healthy skin and immune function. Roast, stir-fry or enjoy peppers raw.
Shallots
Traditionally used to flavor French sauces, shallots flaunt a flavor that’s between onion and garlic. Shallots may be cooked whole, oven roasted or finely chopped to season salad dressings. Good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese.
Scallions
Also called spring or green onions, these alliums have a sweet, delicate onion flavor. Enjoy thin scallions raw in grain or potato salads and salsas. Use thicker, more pungent scallions in pasta dishes, omelets and stir-fries. Low-calorie scallions provide fiber, potassium and vitamin A.
Holiday Season! – Pies
It’s been a while since my last notation. Internet has been lacking in my life these days!
Thanksgiving with family! What a lovely time filled with good food, company and of course cooking. The project was to conquer making my Nana’s pies! There isn’t much to do differently in order to make them lower in carbohydrates or lower in fat. We could alter the recipe to make them gluten free, but didn’t try that this year. Health wise; these pies aren’t “bad”. I think the problem is portion distortion! I definitely over ate…
I couldn’t change the pie crust, we used Crisco. I was trying to teach my Nana about food labels and trans-fats. She even tried making it with butter one year, margarine another, even canola oil. The oil works well but takes a bit more work to get it together… It just wasn’t the same without the Crisco. During the conversation my Nana asks “well we could use lard like the traditional way?”…. “Nina looks at camera, as if there was one and we were on a TV show…, my reply: it’s ok Nana we can stick to the Crisco for now”. Me and lard just don’t mix. I avoid it at all costs, even in corn bread and biscuits I just… can’t. Trans-fats vs. Saturated fats, just can’t win.
We started with making the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie or RUBAB as we say here in bean town. Very simple, I didn’t realize how simple…. Will I share the exact recipe with you? Unfortunately I cannot. Out of simple pleasures, it is one of those old traditional secrets, held close to my heart. Never said I couldn’t make it for you one day though.
Next we made the apple pie. That was pretty easy and not really a secret. The only fat added to this pie is in the crust. There was very little additional sugar to it. The apples break down to make it sweet. It is pretty much apples and cinnamon for the filling. No syrup or additives and it can still come out THAT good.
Last we finished with my Nana’s “Pumpkin Pie” we don’t follow the traditional recipe. I will share that my grandmother uses fat free evaporated milk instead of condensed milk. This cuts the carbohydrate content of the pie significantly. If your recipe was to call for condensed milk, you could try replacing it.
Need help with pie recipes or alteration contact me for details! Also I would love to hear some of your family traditions! Thanks for reading.
Use Grill Seasonings!
Nutrition Tip of today: Cooked an amazing chicken breast using Weber grill seasoning: roasted garlic and herb spice (from Sam’s club for 3 bucks) + fresh basil. No fat or preservatives made my chicken breast so moist! Steam/bake/broil/grill your chicken breast with a touch of sodium/fat free chicken broth & spices!!! Food = Love. 
