Sensationally Safe Snacking

Written by Erin Passaro
Part of National Nutrition Month 2014

You’re probably sitting at your computer, looking at the clock and debating if you should read this blog post.  However, despite how much time you have, in the hustle and bustle of this hectic American lifestyle, eating happens.  Judging from the 2/3 of Americans that are overweight, this eating is not usually healthful.  A lot of unhealthful eating is snacking which happens due to lack of time, resources, and/or ingredients.  Traditionally, we think of snacks as being highly-processed junk food items however if you’re in a pinch, vegetable- and fruit-based snacks are the way to go.  They are a delicious way to provide more nutrient-dense energy for your body, to get you through those long days while not making you feel bad about snacking.  Here is a quick and very simple recipe I threw together this past weekend:

Edamame, Cranberry, & Feta Salad      

1 12oz bag frozen, shelled edamame

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup low-fat crumbled feta cheese

Splash of olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil and add the edamame beans, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until tender.  Drain beans, toss with olive oil and add in remaining ingredients.  Divide into snack-sized portions.  

Image by Erin Passaro

Edamame is composed of soy, so it provides a lot of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals with low caloric and fat values.  Research shows that diets composed of vegetable proteins like soy are associated with lower cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.  Despite all the health benefits, this snack still packs a lot of flavor, with the cranberries and feta cheese creating a mouthwatering combination of sweet and salty.  The edamame, cranberry, and feta salad encompasses enjoyment of eating right, for the everyday, on-the-go American. 

What kind of nutritious snacks do you indulge in on those busy days?  Feel free to share your favorite snack recipes here for other readers!

References

Friedman, M., & Brandon, D. L. (2001). Nutritional and health benefits of soy proteins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 49(3), 1069-1086. doi:10.1021/jf0009246

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Your "Apple a Day" Made Fun

Written by Kelli George
Part of National Nutrition Month 2014

We have all heard that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, right?  But who really feels like eating a plain apple EVERY SINGLE DAY?  Apples are delicious, but I know that I am not the only one who gets tired of eating the same foods all the time.  I am always looking for new ways to switch up the way I fix my healthy fruits and vegetables to make them even more appealing.  

Image by Kelli George

One of my favorite healthy snacks is a play on the typical apple and peanut butter combination.  Instead of just an apple with peanut butter spread on it, you also top the apple slices with some granola and dark chocolate chips!  (Because who doesn’t love an excuse to eat more chocolate?)  Eating the whole apple with the peanut butter, granola, and chocolate chips provides nearly ½ of the recommended daily protein intake for most adults (0.8-1 gram per kilogram of body weight) (CDC, 2012).  That’s half of your protein needs in one snack!  I personally use dry oatmeal as my granola choice, but you can always have fun with it and add some flavored granola, mixed nuts, or any other topping that appeals to you.

Not only is this snack packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats, but as an added bonus it is so much more filling than simply eating a plain apple.  When it comes to eating fruits and vegetables, sometimes it can be easy to sacrifice taste for nutrition.  This snack is definitely an exception to that fact because it just tastes so good!

I think the most common theme here is finding snacks that are healthy yet tasty!  What are other ways that you like to make your fruits and vegetables fun and tasty?

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012). Protein. Retrieved from website:

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

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Fun & Fast Falafels

Written by Tessa Englund
Part of National Nutrition Month 2014

Maybe you’ve heard of falafels on TV, seen them on a menu, or have been lucky enough to try them! Falafels are traditionally made using chickpeas as a base. Similar to a spicier, Mediterranean version of hush puppies, they are usually also fried with a crispy outside and softer inside. There are countless ways to make falafels using a chickpea base; dried chickpeas, canned, chickpea flour, or even a falafel mix. Today I decided to use the rest of some leftover chickpea flour to make these versatile patties-which I also find easiest as a busy college student since I don’t always have the equipment or time to process whole beans. Chickpeas, in any form, are also a great source of protein, folate, and manganese according to the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, so no need to feel guilty about these delicious bites!

Image by Tessa Englund

Some yummy falafel patties I got at a local Mediterranean restaurant in Virginia. They’re the perfect finger food but also go great in sandwiches! 

Falafel Pattie Ingredients:

1 cup Chickpea Flour (aka Garbanzo Bean flour)

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1/3 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley

 1½ tsp. ground Cumin

¼ tsp. ground Coriander

1 ½ tsp. Garlic Powder

¼ tsp. Onion Powder

1 Tbsp. fresh Lemon Juice

½ cup Hot Water

2 Tbsp.  Oil (For Frying)

1.      Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and blend.

2.      Add the Lemon Juice and Hot water, stirring until distributed, let rest for 10 min

3.      Heat oil on medium-high heat in a frying pan

4.      When oil is hot, spoon batter by the tablespoon into the pan

5.      Flatten patties slightly and fry on both sides until golden brown

6.      Let cool and pat dry with a paper towel

Makes 12 patties

-Serve in a pita with tomato and tahini sauce or as a salad (arugula especially!) topper

- Make a great falafel burger by just increasing the portion size to a heaping 1/3 cup and flattening even more on the skillet before turning over

Total Time: 15-20 minutes

Lemon Tahini Dressing:

¼ cup Tahini

2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Garlic Cloves Finely Minced

Hot Water to thin to desired consistency (add in slowly) – start with 1/2 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Optional: Fresh Parsley, Basil, Cilantro and maybe even lime instead of lemon juice, finely minced red onion

1.Mix by hand in a bowl or use a blender to mix ingredients thoroughly and you’re done!

At the store I grabbed a couple of pitas and used the veggies I had on hand to make a healthy and filling sandwich.  Into the pita went a handful of spinach, Roma tomatoes, red onion, and my hot falafels, followed by a glaze of lemon tahini dressing with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. 

Image by Tessa Englund

Falafel patties are very a fast and healthy way to make a starter for any meal. Salads, pitas, dippers; the list is endless for these Mediterranean wonders. Please comment and let me know how you made your falafels into a meal. Falafels are popular in Greece, Israel, Egypt and many other countries- there are endless ways to spice up the recipe so please share your own versions!

Image by Tessa Englunad

References

USDA. "Chickpea flour." National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

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Exercising & Healthy Eating for the Casual Gym Goer

Written by Jonathan Neddo
Part of National Nutrition Month 2013






Today’s society has evolved rather dramatically over the past few decades regarding nutritional fallacies and dietary fads.  Some of which you have heard of or maybe even tried at one point.  These fad diets are often promoted via blogs and various other media outlets (books, news, etc), and are typically presented without scientific validation (such as the Paleolithic Diet).  One of these grossly overemphasized points is that there is an “anabolic window” of sorts after a casual gym goer’s lift, and that you need a protein shake with some carbohydrate cocktail to fully recover and maximize muscular growth.   This common occurrence, while not detrimental in its adherence, is not entirely necessary.

The primary focus should instead be the dietary intake throughout the entire day, outside of this “window” and whether it meets the needs for growing musculature.  While diets are very individualized based on varying degrees of activity and dependent upon goals, following MyPlate recommendations (illustrated by the image below) alongside a slightly improved protein intake (preferably from lean meat sources such as chicken, fish, or steak – totaling 0.55-0.73g of protein/lbs total bodyweight per day) will provide optimal nutrients for muscle growth.  So long as you eat a balanced meal within 4-5 hours either way of your lift, the amino acids (muscle’s building blocks) from this meal will still be circulating and thus able to rebuild your muscles from taxing them during a workout. 

Bodyweight	Daily Protein Intake
125 lbs	69 – 91g
150 lbs	83 – 110g
175 lbs	96 – 128g
200 lbs	110 – 146g
225 lbs	124 – 164g

The message is to eat as you feel necessary, whether that includes adding a post-workout shake in or instead waiting a few hours to prepare a balanced meal.  Both will notice the same muscle gain while the latter may even garner more micronutrients if the meal includes fruits and vegetables.  To assist meeting the daily intake, a quick rule of thumb is a deck of cards being equivalent to 3oz of meat and roughly 20g of protein.  

References

De Lira-Garcia, C., Bacardi-Gascon, M., & Jimenez-Cruz, A. (2012). Effectiveness of long-term consumption of nuts, seeds and seeds' oil on glucose and lipid levels; systematic review. Nutr Hosp, 27(4), 964-970. doi: 10.3305/nh.2012.27.4.5781

Erskine, R. M., Fletcher, G., Hanson, B., & Folland, J. P. (2012). Whey protein does not enhance the adaptations to elbow flexor resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 44(9), 1791-1800. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318256c48d

Meal [Photograph].  Retrieved March 21, 2013, from:  http://img2.timeinc.net/health/images/slides/lean-chicken-digestive-400x400.jpg

MyPlate [Digital image].  Retrieved February 21, 2013, from:  http://www.choosemyplate.gov/images/MyPlateImages/JPG/myplate_white.jpg

Weisgarber, K. D., Candow, D. G., & Vogt, E. S. (2012). Whey protein before and during resistance exercise has no effect on muscle mass and strength in untrained young adults. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 22(6), 463-469.

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