Year of the Dragon

 

Chinese New Year is this Monday, January 23rd.  Although the latest passing food and health fads don’t hold my interest all that much,  traditional cultures that have been around for thousands of years fascinate me.  To better understand the symbolism behind Chinese New Year and this year’s animal, the dragon, I turned to my cousin, Marie Amato, a board certified (and very gifted) acupuncturist and student of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Sounds like it’s going to be a very interesting year!  In my next post, I’ll share one of my family’s favorite Chinese dishes that you can make at home — Stir-fried (Grass-fed) Beef with Broccoli.  Gong Hay Fat Choy!

Marie:

New Year’s resolution didn’t stick?  Oh, your resolution starts on the Chinese New Year?  Mine too.  It’s actually a great year in which to make some lasting changes in life. This year the Chinese New Year falls on January 23, ushering in the powerful year of the Dragon.

You may be wondering what exactly this means and how should we celebrate the arrival of a Dragon year?  Well, Chinese astrology is a complex system based on ancient Chinese cosmology and the Five Elements theory.  It truly is a science in itself, but let’s talk about what the Dragon year means so you have a little something to chat about at your Chinese New Year cocktail party…. or at the playground, whatever the more likely scenario.

The Dragon is the 5th animal of 12 in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese animal symbols are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. This animal sequence recurs faithfully every 12 years.  Why 12 you ask?  Chinese shamanistic tradition uses an ancient concept of 12 energetic patterns of all natural cycles.  In ancient times, people lived closer to the cycles of nature (sunrise, go to work; sunset, time to rest) and through their observation of nature, the ancient Chinese understood that each natural cycle has 12 different stages with varying energies.  The animals chosen to represent each annual cycle illustrate the balance of yin and yang energy of that year.

This concept of “living closer to nature” is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  Emphasis is placed on living in harmony with the season, eating dishes appropriate to the climate (no, no ice cream in the cold winter months) working and resting in accordance with the season and dressing appropriately to be protected from the weather.  As a TCM practitioner, I teach my patients how internal disharmonies can arise from failure to conform to the season.  Sure, eating salad is healthy but it’s so much more appropriate to eat soup in the winter time when our bodies have less of that warm, activating, yang qi to digest a cold, raw meal.  Many find that energy levels dip after eating foods that simply cannot be digested as easily in the winter as in the hot summer months.  These minor changes in diet and lifestyle can make a big difference in overall wellbeing.

In accordance to living closer to nature, it’s important to be mindful of not just the season but we must also pay attention to the energy of the year.  The year of the Dragon is a bombastic and festive year.  The dragon is the only mystical and legendary animal of the Chinese zodiac.  It is the ultimate symbol of success and happiness.  The Dragon stands for transformation, connection, communication, and freedom.  In fact, it symbolizes a year of transformation.  This transformation is very representative of yang qi, or life energy, growing stronger than the previous year.  It is a time and place of power and great strength.

When powerful qi, or energy, is circulating in the body, it is possible to feel a great transformation happening within.  Energetically, this is the time to change! It is a good time to cultivate your inner qi by doing exercises like qi gong, tai chi, or meditation.  At this time, you should give yourself nourishment to get ready for the next stage in life.  Nourishment certainly in the form of eating healthy, non-processed, seasonal food but nourishment also in the form of managing stress and resolving personal conflict.  The energetic situation of this year is at your advantage to alter old patterns, so get serious about eating well, getting regular exercise, proper rest and taking better care of yourself.

It is truly a great time to take control of your health.  See your acupuncturist for a treatment to help restore any imbalances or address nagging health problems.  Transform!  I want to encourage you to live closer to nature and utilize the energy of this powerful Dragon year to take charge of your wellbeing and have a healthy and happy New Year!

Marie Amato is a licensed acupuncturist and National Board Certified Chinese herbalist.  She is the founder of Westchester Acupuncture in New York with office locations in Hartsdale and Manhattan.  Marie is a general practitioner with special focus on women’s health, fertility, pregnancy and pediatrics.

Building a better breakfast

You probably know that people who eat breakfast generally weigh less and have a lower Body Mass Index than people who don’t eat breakfast.  Maybe you’ve learned from personal experience that when you skip breakfast, you have low blood sugar later in the morning and can be more easily tempted by junk food.  Or that you are ravenous by lunchtime and tend to overeat.  And it likely makes sense to you that children who skip breakfast more often have behavioral and learning problems at school.  There are even more reasons I can offer to reinforce the importance of eating breakfast, but I would probably be preaching to the choir.  So instead, let’s focus on how to build a better breakfast.

Personally, I get excited to wake up in the morning and eat something delicious.  But not only should my breakfast taste good, I want it to help me focus and feel energized until lunchtime. Ideally, my breakfast won’t trigger sugar cravings and more importantly it will keep my blood sugar stable throughout the morning.  This is even more important when I consider what to put in my kids’ breakfasts.  Here’s how:

  • Protein — everyone needs a certain amount of protein over the course of a day, but it’s essential that breakfast (as well as lunch) contains some form of protein.  Protein stimulates the brain to help us feel alert.  It is also takes a long time to digest, makes us feel full, and helps keep blood sugar levels stable, which is especially key for kids in school.  Protein does not just come in the form of animal protein.  Other high quality sources are organic, free-range eggs, nuts ( we love almonds, walnuts and pecans), seeds (e.g. hemp, sunflower, pumpkin), dairy (if you can tolerate it ; try sheep and goat yogurts or raw unpasteurized cow dairy), legumes and quinoa.
  • Complex (High Fiber) Carbohydrates — Not all carbs are created equal.  Complex carbs partnered with fiber and/or protein release energy into the bloodstream at a slow, steady rate and make us feel more satisfied throughout the morning.  Look for WHOLE grains such as steel cut oats, millet, quinoa, brown rice, farro and barley.  I am not a big fan of processed grains, such as cold, boxed breakfast cereals, instant oats or foods made with refined flours which your body turns into sugar really fast.
  • High Quality Fats — the brain is 60% fat and needs high quality fats to perform better.  Fats also help you feeling satisfied and full for longer.  Avocado, nuts and seeds, organic butter from grass-fed cows, whole eggs and whole dairy are all good sources.
  • Savory vs. Sweet — if you suffer from sugar cravings, starting your day with a savory meal can really help stave off the desire for sweets.  I find that if I start the day with pancakes and syrup or a fruit smoothie, I keep looking for sweet foods all day long.  The opposite is true when I start the day with something savory like eggs or soup.

I definitely think outside the box when it comes to breakfast.  We’re so accustomed to thinking we can only eat “breakfast” foods in the morning, but who says you can’t give your child a turkey sandwich on wheat or a chicken leg from last night’s dinner?  They sure beat sugared breakfast cereals!  The key here is balance and listening to your body’s cues to what feels right for you.  I love starting the day with a cup of warm water with a squeeze of lemon juice.  Some people find their digestion is better off eating fruit on an empty stomach and then waiting an hour to eat something more substantial.  I prefer to have some fruit in the late afternoon, but my kids eat fresh fruit at the same time as their breakfast.  Here are a few of our favorite breakfasts:

Eggs — scrambled, hard-boiled, frittatas with leftover vegetables, Joe’s special (eggs scrambled with grass-fed ground beef, spinach and onions)  with or without a side of whole grain toast.

Yogurt Parfait — whole yogurt layered with granola and fruit or a mix of nuts, fruit and coconut

Whole Grain Pancakes served with or without a side of nitrate-free turkey bacon or chopped nuts

Quinoa Porridge — made with raw milk or almond milk, fresh fruit

Steel Cut Oatmeal — check back on Friday for a recipe for overnight oatmeal and a few of our favorite topping ideas; finished with raw milk, almond milk or hemp milk

Whole Grain French Toast made with eggs

Bircher Muesli

Yogurt or Kefir Smoothies

Whole Grain or Sprouted Toast with Almond Butter and Sliced Bananas

Soup (my favorite breakfast) — provided there is some protein, such as beans or lentils

Roasted Sweet Potato with Whole Yogurt

Toasted Millet Bread with Sliced Smoked Wild Salmon and Avocado

Leftovers from Dinner –  also a favorite — anything from fried rice to risotto to tacos

Do you have trouble getting the kids to eat breakfast in the morning?  What are some of your favorite breakfast foods??

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 1 Week and Counting

Wow, the last three weeks have gone by so quickly!  Not only am I very excited to celebrate Thanksgiving — we have a super fun crew joining us this year — but I am looking forward to some one-on-one time with the kids.  They are all going to help me this year.  They just don’t know it yet.  I used to get all of them in the kitchen Thanksgiving morning to help me with pies or trimming green beans or whatnot, but two of my beauties have taken to sleeping until noon on days off.  However I had a stroke of genius, which is to tack my Thanksgiving to-do list on the refrigerator and have everyone sign up for three tasks.  I’m asking my husband to help too, to set a good example, of course.

I have a crazy work schedule until Sunday, so I’ll start getting busy then.  Here’s what my schedule will look like from Sunday until we eat on Thursday at 4:00 pm (-ish):

Sunday

Go grocery shopping for most perishable items, bread for stuffing and food for remaining dinners this week.

Make cranberry sauce (I used to make applesauce on Sunday, too, but my friend Caitlin is bringing it this year.)

Arrange tables and chairs

Write out placecards for table (a good job for one of the kids)

Dinner:  orange and rosemary-glazed chicken, brown rice and broccoli

Monday

Make salad vinaigrette

Pick up turkeys and dry brine

Make bread cubes for stuffing

Make ice cream

Dinner:  tacos, black beans and salad

Tuesday

Shop for last perishable items from farmer’s market

Buy flowers and put together table arrangements

Set table (I’ll set one place setting and have one of the kids do the rest.)

Wash and dry greens (salad)

Chop walnuts (salad)

Seed pomegranates (salad)

Shred gruyere (tart)

Defrost chicken/turkey stocks

Dinner:  Spice-rubbed salmon, sauteed spinach, sweet potato fries

Wednesday

Chop onions for soup, stuffing and roasted vegetables

Prep beets (salad)

Blanche green beans (salad)

Slice zucchini (tart)

Make soup

Steam, bread cauliflower

Blind bake crust (tart)

Herb oil (tart)

Make stuffing

Prep vegetables for Maple-Mustard Roasted Veggies

Trim and halve Brussels sprouts

Make sweet potato gratin

Set up for coffee and tea service

Check powder room

Dinner:  pantry pasta with chickpeas

Before bed:  make sure garage refrigerator door is closed!

Thursday

6:00 am wake and shower

Make cornbread (small oven)

Make pumpkin pies (large oven)

Bake coffee cake (small oven)

Make gingerbread (large oven)

9:15 Take turkeys out of refrigerator

All desserts must be out of large oven by 10:30 am

Make apple pie (small oven)

10:45 turkeys go in large oven breast side down at 425 degrees

11:25 turn oven down to 325 degrees and flip turkey breast side up

12:00 reheat soup and serve with cornbread

tidy up kitchen

get dressed and dry hair (a girl’s gotta look good!)

Put mixing bowl and beaters in freezer for whipped cream

Chop fennel (salad)

1:30 Peel potatoes and make mashed potatoes; keep in bowl, covered, over pot of simmering water

2:15 zucchini tart in small oven

2:30 fry cauliflower and heat tomato sauce; serve hot

3:00 serve hors d’oeuvres; start testing turkey temperature

3:00 – 3:30 take turkey out of oven

Put vegetables in large oven at 400 degrees

Make gravy

Reheat stuffing in small oven

Bake sweet potatoes in large oven

Make Brussels sprouts with turkey bacon and dates

Chop apples for salad, dress salad

Light candles, pour water in glasses

3:50-4:00 Carve turkeys

4:00 Dinner is served

After dinner:  whip cream (do not overbeat!), coffee and tea, sparkling water

Make notes on what to remember for next year.  Next year??!!

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 2 Weeks and Counting

Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away!  Is the exclamation point there to emphasize panic or joy?  I’m excited!  I’ve been teaching quite a few Thanksgiving-themed classes as of late and I’m feeling spirited.  One of my students said to me today that my Thanksgiving planning blogs are stressing her out.  Yikes!  Of course that was not my intention.  The whole point is to show you what you can do in advance, not what you must do in advance.  All these tips and strategies are most relevant to the hosts and hostesses who are preparing most or all of the meal themselves and who have a busy schedule leading up to the holiday.  If I didn’t get a lot of these tasks completed early, I don’t see how I could pull off this meal without tons of stress.

Here’s what you can get done this week:

  • Get your knives sharpened Especially your carving knife.  A razor-sharp knife is the most important tool in your kitchen.  In my area, you can get your knives sharpened at Sur La Table, the farmer’s market and at the local cutlery store at the mall.  I think Sur La Table charges $1/inch.
  • Make your grocery lists  I make three lists:
  1. Non-perishables (e.g., flour, spices, wine, nuts, dried fruit)  I buy these now.
  2. Perishables to buy one-week ahead (e.g., winter squashes, butter, hard cheeses, potatoes)
  3. Perishables to buy two days before (e.g., turkey, dairy, bread for stuffing, all other fruits and vegetables)
  • Buy to-go containers  I always make too much food and I like sending care packages home with my guests to enjoy the day after, especially our single friends.  This year I am definitely packing up all the extra desserts so that they aren’t tempting me the next afternoon when I’m shopping for holiday gifts online.  I love the idea of having people bring their own reusable containers, but for me it’s easier to get these disposables from my local Smart & Final.

  • Clean out the refrigerator  I’ll get to this over the weekend.  Now is a great time to get rid of food past its prime or to get creative with the last spoonful of nut butter or those four olives just to make more space in the fridge.  I have a second, inexpensive refrigerator in the garage which really comes in handy for big dinners.  If you don’t have the extra space, see if one of your neighbors is going away for the holiday and can store your chutney and jam collections for a few days.

  • Check your instant read thermometer   This tool the only way you’ll be able to tell if your turkey is cooked properly, so it’s important that it’s accurate.  If you’re unsure, stick the tip of the thermometer into boiling water.  If the temperature reads 212 degrees Farenheit, you’re good to go.

 

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 3 Weeks and Counting

If you followed the advice in my post last Thursday, by now you probably have a general idea of how many guests you will be hosting on Thanksgiving.  If not, it’s time to get on the phone and do some inviting!  Do you have a good balanced menu and have you taken guests up on their offers to bring something?   This week we have a few more tasks that we can check off the list.

3 weeks before thanksgiving

  • Order the Turkey  If you eat turkey on Thanksgiving, it’s a good idea to order it now.  I have always ordered a fresh, free-range, organic turkey, because in my opinion they have a tasty turkey flavor and are better for you than most other alternatives.  The only thing that may be better is a heritage turkey, which has a much stronger turkey flavor and supposed to be more moist.  It will have less breast meat though and will be more expensive.  Avoid “self-basting” turkeys which are injected with anything from chicken fat to salt to chemicals.  True, they are easier to cook, but I think they taste more like salt than turkey and they are just full of stuff you don’t want to feed your family.

Here are some questions that will help you decide size:

How many ovens do you have?  If you have one large oven that can accommodate two turkeys side by side and an extra oven to spare (you’re so lucky!), then you have the option of cooking two smaller birds versus one large one.  But with two small ovens, you may not want them both being monopolized by turkeys.

Are your guests dark meat-eaters or white meat-eaters?  You will get more white meat by weight from one large bird than from two smaller.  Likewise, you will get more dark meat from two smaller birds than from one large one.

How big a turkey should you buy?  The rule of thumb is one pound of turkey per person.  So if you are expecting 16 guests, you should order a 16 pound turkey.  That doesn’t mean that you will have 1 pound of meat per person, though.  This is a good rule if you don’t want leftovers or if your guests are not big eaters.   So last year I cooked 2 17-pound turkeys for 20 adults and 5 kids and I had just enough leftovers for the five of us for dinner the next day.

Do you have a bad back?  What does this have to do with anything?  A very large turkey is mighty challenging to keep pulling out of the oven to baste.  I find two smaller turkeys much more manageable, if you have the oven space.

  • Planning Your Table Decor  I don’t do anything fancy for my table decorations, but it’s nice to make the table look special.  Now’s the time to check your linens for stains and make sure you have enough napkins, plates and glassware.  I generally like to do something simple with fresh flowers in autumnal colors and add in a few of the kids’ Thanksgiving art projects from years past.   I just adore Jenni Kayne’s table setting at the top of the post.  Check out all her lovely holiday photos and ideas on her ripplustan.com blog — beautiful!  But you can put out bowls of apples and pears or gourds and nuts, add in a few votive candles and it will look beautiful.  This year I’m doing something craftsy with help of my kids and my friend Marcie, who started a very cool line of paper table decor called Mixt Studio.  I’m not sure if her stuff will be ready for Thanksgiving, but if it isn’t, I’m going to copy this cute paper flower and use it as a place card attached with an inspiring quote.  Love that idea!  I have another talented friend, Lee who owns a local flower shop called Growing Wild along with her equally talented (they’re twins!) sister Lisa.  I couldn’t help but admire their lovely arrangements, one of which I pictured below to give you some inspiration.  If tablescape isn’t your thing, you can always order from your local florist or full service market.  Just get on it this week.

  • Make your pie crusts and freeze them  You can freeze them in disc form or roll them out, fit them into pie plates and freeze them, well wrapped.
  • Make your homemade stock and freeze it  I use over a gallon of chicken stock on Thanksgiving for soup, stuffing and gravy.

  • Make your dry mixes for pie fillings, cornbread and other baked goods.  Not only are there never enough ovens on Thanksgiving day, but there are never enough measuring cups and spoons either.  I measure out the dry ingredients, store them in a glass jar and label each jar, e.g. “Dry Mix for 2 Pumpkin Pies.”  I didn’t label them the first year I did this and let me tell you — pumpkin pie spices smell A LOT like apple pie spices.
  • Check your inventory of helpful tools and appliances  Here’s my list of Thanksgiving essentials:
  1. Instant-read thermometer— the only way to know if your turkey is ready.
  2. Roasting pan(s) and racks(s)
  3. Fat separator
  4. Twine for trussing
  5. Baster
  6. Potato ricer— for making the best mashed potatoes
More recipes to come, but these would be perfect for Thanksgiving:
Muhammara (roasted red pepper dip)
Butternut Squash, Beet and Apple Skewers (if you only have to make one thing or if the kids can skewer for you)
Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup (it doesn’t taste like coconut!)

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 4 Weeks and Counting

I adore Thanksgiving.  I love the traditions, the food, the Macy’s parade on television while I am making my pies, the football games.   I love moving the family room furniture after the last football game is over to extend the dining room table.   I love hearing everyone share why they’re grateful.  I have cooked every Thanksgiving for the last 16 years, as well as dozens of Thanksgiving-themed cooking classes.   I have made lots of mistakes and in the process learned a thing or two about how to execute and enjoy  a very happy Thanksgiving.  Every Thursday from today until the big day, I will share my best tips, strategies and a few good recipes to set you up for a successful holiday.  Let’s get started!

4 Weeks Before Thanksgiving

  • Guest list  Now is a good time to invite family and friends for the holiday, even if they are regulars.  I send an email out to all our guests with the schedule for the day, especially when we will sit down for dinner.  We live on the West Coast, which means the last football game is over at 4:00.  Anyone that wants to come for the earlier game is welcome to do so.  There’s coffeecake, fruit and coffee in the morning.  A mugful of soup and cornbread around noon; hors d’oeuvres at 3:00 pm and dinner is at 4:00 or whenever the game is over.  You know that I pray for no overtime!
  • Plan your menu Planning the Thanksgiving menu requires a bit of strategy and balance.   Make sure you have a balance of cooked and raw food (One thing I have learned is no matter how big your kitchen or how many ovens you have, it’s never enough on Thanksgiving!); protein, starches and vegetables (I find most Thanksgiving menus to be too starchy;) and ingredients (make sure not every recipe has dried fruit and nuts in it.)  Know what dishes need an oven and when because if you’re making turkey and you have one oven, you won’t be baking too much in the hours before dinner.
Also, know your audience.  I love trying new recipes, but my family looks forward to the same traditional standbys every year.  There was almost a revolution when I took Breaded Cauliflower off the menu in 2007 ( I now serve it as an hors d’oeuvre.)  So I compromise by making the classics (traditional roast turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie), but I also try out a new salad or vegetable side dish every year.
But just because you’re cooking overtime for Thanksgiving dinner, doesn’t mean your household won’t be needing dinner the night before and breakfast the morning of.  Instead of ordering takeout pizza on Wednesday night, make and freeze a casserole in the weeks ahead or plan for your easiest 20-minute meal.  The same goes for Thanksgiving day, especially if you have young children in the house.  You can save your appetite and get by on a piece of fruit for the day, but your four-year-old cannot.  I always make a pot of butternut squash soup the day before and a pan of cornbread to be served around noon to tide anyone over until the big meal.
  • Outsource    Do as I say here.  Don’t do as I do.  You don’t have to make everything yourself.  In fact, most people would be delighted to contribute something to the holiday which will alleviate the pressure on you.  But you must be specific otherwise you’ll end up with 4 pumpkin pies and no green vegetables and we all know what I think about that.  “Thank you, Caitlin for your offer to bring something.  I think I’ll take you up on it.  We have neither stuffing nor apple pie yet.  Would you like to tackle one of those?”
  • Write out a schedule Take the time to plan everything that you need to do over the next four weeks and put it on the computer so you have it for future holidays.  By taking a little time now, you will save yourself stress, anxiety and HOURS later.  Trust me on this.  You can see my detailed schedule as an example.
  • Photocopy your recipes from books and magazines I remember my first Thanksgiving with a stack of cookbooks and magazines taking up valuable counter space and my wasting so much time looking up each recipe multiple times.  Ugh!  Put your photocopied recipes in sheet protectors and create a dedicated Thanksgiving or holiday three ring binder organized by category.  This just might be the most useful tip I give you.
Here’s what I am probably making this year:
Breakfast:
Coffeecake, fruit, coffee and tea
Lunch:
Butternut Squash or Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup and Cornbread
Hors D’oeuvres:
Breaded Cauliflower with Tomato Dipping Sauce
Dinner:
Applesauce
Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes
Maple-Rum Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Whole Grain Stuffing with Mushrooms, Leeks and Herbs
Roasted Green Beans with Lemon, Shallots and Thyme
Individual Harvest Chopped Salads or Butternut Squash Salad
Dessert:
Apple and Tart Cherry Pie
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Freshly Whipped Cream
Fresh Seasonal Fruit

It’s a date!

Most of us have a taste for sweet things, some of us more than others.  But it’s how we give in to that desire that can lead us to trouble.  I have studied nutrition both formally and on my own and one important thing that I have learned is that the body prefers whole, unprocessed food over refined and processed.  Period.  Unprocessed food is generally more alkalizing/less acid-forming to our cells and less disruptive to our natural processes.  This is also true in the sweetener department.  Even though more “natural” substitutes for sugar still probably fuel your taste for (and possibly addiction to) sweets, I still think there are much better and more healthful alternatives to processed and refined sugars, which are worse than just being “empty calories.”

Can we chat about dried dates for a minute?  Love them!  I am positively obsessed with dates and they’re back in season right now.  So excited!  I have been buying a container each week at the farmer’s market from Bautista Family Dates.  Although in California you can find fresh dates right now, I love the sticky caramel sweetness of a dried date.  They are a whole, unprocessed food and quite rich in dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble.  Dates are also very high in potassium (important for helping to control heart rate and blood pressure) and iron (part of the blood and helps deliver oxygen to the body.)  To tell you the truth, dates a have a lot going for them, including antioxidants, phytonutrients and minerals.  Yes, they are also very high in fructose which means you need to control yourself and only eat a few in one sitting and not a hundred.  Deal?

Here’s how I use them:

  • in smoothies, blended drinks and acai bowls instead of adding sugar or liquid sweeteners.  Try this faux iced blended mocha.
  • have you tried making homemade almond milk yet?  incredibly easy!  sweeten with dates;
  • to satisfy an intense sugar craving — remove the pit and stick chopped pecans or almonds in the date.  I do this all the time and it’s crazy delicious.
  • made into a paste with warm water, it adds moistness and richness to muffins and quick breads.  You can cut back on both fat and sugar in the recipe.  See this trick in this banana bread recipe, but also use it in pumpkin muffins.
  • chopped up and added to salads and or grain-based side dishes (the same way you would use raisins); quick tip — dates are sticky so they’re easier to slice when they’re cold.
  • pureed into a soup;
  • chopped up and sprinkled on top of oatmeal or porridge.

If you’ve got a favorite way to eat dates, I need to know about it!  Please share.

Snack on this

Snacks can definitely be a part of a good diet and can even help you lose weight, but only if you snack on healthful food.  A snack is really just a mini-meal, something to stave off hunger until your next meal.  Very often I notice that people think of snack time as dessert time, or a junk food break.  It’s no wonder if you have seen what is labeled “snack food” these days:  fruit roll-ups, popsicles, cookies, chips, candy power bars.  Please!  Have you noticed that kids who eat these foods keeping saying “I’m still hungry.” Most “snack foods” tend to be processed, packaged, refined and devoid of any nutritional value.   It’s not real food.  I say we can do better.

Whether you’re at work and trying to make it to lunchtime without feeling weak, or you’re feeding your kids something after school because they’re “starving,” here are a few tips on how to come up with a high-quality snack:

  • Include Protein:  foods rich in protein (this doesn’t only mean animal protein) stabilize blood sugar and trigger satiety better than any other kind of food.  Protein can mean meat or fish, whole dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes and beans.
  • Never Eat Simple Carb Snack:  Carbs that aren’t paired with fiber or protein are digested too quickly and lead to spikes in blood sugar levels.  When blood sugar drops, you’re looking for quick energy to help bring it back up again.  It’s a vicious cycle.  Look for complex carbs containing protein, fiber and even high-quality fat.
  • Add Some Fiber:  Fiber is usually found in whole foods and will fill you up without being fattening.
  • Keep Sugar Low:  This is true of all meals, but particularly true for snacks since there’s nothing else to buffer the sugar from rushing through the bloodstream.
Think outside the box when coming up with snacks for yourself or the kids.  There’s no reason a small portion of last night’s dinner can’t be a good snack.  The other day I took a leftover chicken and vegetable kabob, chopped it up and turned it into a quesadilla for a quick after-school snack.  One of my favorite mini-meals is a cup of soup or stew from the night before.  Here are some other ideas that I rely on regularly, many of which can be taken “to go”:
  • unsweetened whole yogurt and granola
  • unsweetened whole yogurt and “faux granola” — top yogurt with unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped nuts, dried or fresh fruit and raw cacao nibs (my favorite)
  • veggies or whole grain pita bread and hummus or other bean dip
  • edamame
  • fruit and yogurt smoothie
  • apples or bananas and nut butter; sometimes I add a spoonful of granola for crunch.
  • whole grain muffins (see recipes for date-sweetened banana, zucchini-blueberry, pumpkin)
  • whole grain pancakes with fruit
  • whole grain toast with almond butter and honey
  • whole grain toast with avocado and sliced tomatoes or smoked salmon
  • homemade granola bars
  • stovetop popcorn
  • half of a sandwich
  • quesadilla (try a “pizza quesadilla” with tomato sauce and mozzarella between two whole grain tortillas, add leftover veggies if you have them)
  • sushi handroll — take a sheet of toasted nori, add cooked rice, avocado, cucumber, leftover fish or chicken from dinner, sprinkle with a few drops of rice vinegar and roll up
  • guacamole and baked tortilla chips
  • homemade nachos — take baked tortilla chips and layer with diced tomato, canned black beans or refried beans, grated cheese and broil until melted.  Dollop with guacamole.
  • do-it-yourself trail mix — my kids make their own with pecans or almonds, dried fruit and dark chocolate chips
  • whole roasted sweet potato or yam with a dollop of unsweetened yogurt (don’t knock it ’til you try it)
  • smaller portions of breakfast, lunch or leftover dinner!