Trail Mix (and Match!)

At work, I don't exactly have drawers to store food (or a desk for that matter), so I keep my lab coat pockets stuffed with my healthy snacks.  One of my favorites, especially on days when I have a run or workout on the schedule, is trail mix.  I mean, who doesn't love trail mix? What I don't love is paying a hefty price for a bag of trail mix, only to find myself wishing there were more dried cranberries, less chunks of overly-sweet pineapple and of course, more chocolate! :)  So I make my own!  

Making your own trail/snack mix is not only cost-effective, but it's healthier because you are able to control the ingredients, and therefore the nutrition content.  My chosen ingredients this week: dried unsweetened cranberries, roasted almonds, banana chips, sunflower seeds and semi-sweet chocolate chips!

I set up a mini assembly line for myself with my chosen ingredients, measuring spoons and snack-size ziplock baggies and got to work!  

Ingredients:

Approximately 20-25 almonds

1 Tbsp dried cranberries

1/4 cup banana chips

1 Tbsp sunflower seeds

1 tsp mini chocolate chips

The end result?  Healthy and satisfying snacks, ready to grab-and-go!  I love being able to make more than 2 weeks worth of snacks in less than 5 minutes, using only the ingredients I wanted...in the ratios I wanted them in!  And this particular mix cost only about $1.22 per bag! Actually less, as there are still leftover sunflower seeds and cranberries for my next creation!

This mix comes in at about 250-300 calories per bag but has plenty of heart healthy fats with those almonds and sunflower seeds.  Remember to always be mindful of portion sizes when creating your mixes, but don't be afraid to get creative! The possibilities are endless!  Add wasabi peas and cashews for an Asian-style mix or coconut flakes and dried pineapple for island-inspired flavor!

Tell me...Are you a trail-mixer?  Do you make your own or buy pre-packaged just to end up tossing out your least favorite bits?  :)

EAS Lean 15 Protein Powder Review

Protein is such a hot topic these days!  Are you getting enough?  Do you need a supplement?  What are the best sources of protein?  The average American needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight.  So for a 150lb person, that's about 55 grams of protein.  This is easily met (and often exceeded) on a day-to-day basis by our intake of meats, poultry, eggs, dairy and more.  So the short answer is yes, you're probably getting enough.  And no, you likely don't NEED a protein supplement.  Yet it seems like everywhere you look (especially in the world of facebook, twitter and instagram), people are blending up protein shakes and "green drinks" as meal replacements or to fuel and re-fuel from their workouts.

 Working as a dietitian in a long-term care setting, I understand that the day may come when my meals will have to be blenderized or pureed and I'll need to get some of my nutrition from supplements.  But for now, I'm a big proponent of eating real, whole foods to get my nutrition.  Call me crazy, but I like eating my food as opposed to sipping it through a straw. 

Now don't get me wrong-I'm a sucker for the amazing 4H milkshakes at our county fair each year.  And from time to time I enjoy a smoothie for recovery after a long-run.  So I was happy to oblige when the folks at EAS (Abbott Nutrition) asked to send me samples of following products to try out and review: Lean 15 Protein Powder, Recovery Protein Powder, and Lean 15 Nutrition Bars. 

My nutrition philosophy centers around incorporating whole fresh foods into our diets rather than specific supplements or weight management products. However, I also understand the food/nutrition industry and the huge demand for these products.  It's definitely beneficial for me to sample products that clients may be currently using or are interested in using, so that I can give my professional opinion on them.  So let's do just that!

Lean 15 Nutrition Bar

Nutrition facts: 200 calories, 15 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 16 grams sugar

I tried the chocolate peanut butter flavor and to be honest I am not a big fan.  It had that "protein-y" (very scientific, I know) taste and wasn't that satisfying for 200 calories, which can mean trouble if it is meant to be a weight managment product.  This bar also has a TON of ingredients, many of which are preservatives or other chemicals.  I tend to recommend products with fewer ingredients and that have names that are easily recognizable.  For the same flavor and more satisfaction, I'd probably go for a KIND Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein.  Or better yet? I recommend making your own protein bars or trail mix for a snack between meals!

Recovery Protein Powder

Nutrition facts: 270 calories, 20 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 17 grams sugar

I tried this one after a spin class and I just mixed the chocolate flavored recovery protein powder with cold water in a Blender Bottle.  The taste wasn't bad but I was expecting a stronger chocolate flavor.  The protein mouthfeel was noticeable, but didn't leave an aftertaste.  I think it might taste better if combined with milk, however that would alter the nutritional value.  One of the benefits of this product in terms of post-workout recovery would be the inclusion of branch-chain amino acids.  Research has shown BCAAs benefit both muscle recovery and immune health, which are so important to athletes.  The Recovery Powder does contain artificial sweeteners, which I typically avoid so I wouldn't be likely to use it again. 

Lean 15 Protein Powder

Nutrition facts (2 scoops): 100 calories, 15 grams protein, 1.5 grams fat, 2 grams sugar

When I'm looking for super quick breakfast or want that post-run smoothie, I usually use EAS brand Soy Protein Powder (vanilla).  So to review the last product, I just substituted the Lean 15 powder in my typical smoothie (pictured above, recipe below).  Similar to the Recovery Protein, this product contains both sucralose (Splenda) and acesulfame potassium (Sweet One or Sunett).  I have to say the flavor was excellent and I didn't feel it was overly sweet.  I would be hesitant to recommend it for athletes (especially pre-workout), because a common side effect of Splenda is gastrointestinal upset.  In addition, although artificial sweeteners help to keep the calorie and sugar count down,  research does not support their use in effective long-term weight loss.  However, if you already are accustomed to using artificial sweeteners, this might be a great product for you.  I'm going to stick to my EAS Soy Protein Powder for now!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

8oz Skim milk

Ice cubes

1 Banana

2 Tbsp Peanut Butter

2 scoops Lean 15 Vanilla Cream

1 Tbsp ground flax seed

Big thanks to EAS for providing me these samples to review.  If you're interested in trying EAS Lean 15 productsfor yourself, click this link for $3 off!

Before using these or any nutrition supplements, I highly recommend visiting a Registered Dietitian to determine your individual nutrient needs and to develop a personalized meal plan.

*Disclaimer- EAS provided me samples to review, however I was not compensated for this post and the opinions expressed are solely mine.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

If you're a regular PB&P reader, you know how much I love pumpkin flavored things!  I especially love using pumpkin when baking because A. I'm obsessed with pumpkin and B. it's a low fat, low calorie, low salt and high fiber food.  It can be used to replace eggs and/or oil in many recipes and creates a really moist product.  So by popular request, I'm sharing my recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, a tasty seasonal treat for only about 110 calories each!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 cups flour (I use half whole-wheat flour)

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix pumpkin, sugar, oil & egg together in one bowl.  

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and milk.  

4. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and combine well.  Add vanilla and chocolate chips.

5. Spoon dough onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake about 10 minutes.

Makes about 2 1/2 doz cookies.  The final product is a little fluffier than a typical cookie, but I promise they're delicious and always a big hit! 

Happy (& healthy) Eating! :)

Super Simple Apple Crisp

One of my very favorite things to bake (especially in the fall) is apple crisp.  I have lots of childhood memories of my mom and I going apple picking and then heading home to make homemade applesauce and apple crisp.  Typically I tweak my recipes to make them healthier, but I'm not messing with this family recipe!  Be sure to enjoy this sweet fall treat, but remember--everything in moderation! :)

Apple Crisp

-Apples (We love & use Macs but you can use Cortland, Fuji or Jonamacs too!)

-Butter (about 4 Tbsp)

-2 eggs

-1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat to add a healthy boost)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Cinnamon to taste

1. Cover a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

2. Cut apples (I keep the skin on for added fiber!) and fill pan 3/4 full.

3. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and ~1 Tbsp sugar.

4.  Slice butter into small pads and spread over top of apples.

5. Prepare the crumble: Mix sugar into 2 eggs (beaten).  Add flour, baking powder and salt.

6.  Get your hands dirty and crumble dough evenly over apples.  

7.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

8.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

9. Enjoy!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fact: I love to bake.  Since I've been getting hyped about fall and all things pumpkin, I was planning on making pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip muffins (my fave!).  Then my cousin came back from upstate with all this deliciousness from my uncle's garden:

Photo credit to Steph :)

See that big ole zucchini right there?  I snatched that up and decided to switch to Zucchini bread.  Or muffins rather, to make them easier to share!

The end result:

So stinkin good, if I do say so myself.  Of course, to make it a tad bit healthier I tweaked a basic zucchini bread recipe, incorporating whole wheat flour and swapping whole eggs for whites.

You should definitely make these babies yourself and here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 egg whites

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup zucchini (shredded)

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a bowl.

3.  In a separate bowl, mix egg whites, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.

4.  Add wet ingredients to dry until combined.  (Don't worry-the mix will look a little too dry to be bread/muffin mix at this point)

 5.  Add shredded zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

And last but not least...

ENJOY! :)

Lentil Loaf Recipe

Yesterday, after my 10 mile run to Manhattan and back, I got cookin! I made the lentil loaf I've been meaning to make for some time now.  What's a lentil loaf, you ask? Well, it's just a Meatloaf made with lentils instead of beef.  ;)

As I usually do, I searched around the internet for recipe ideas and then made up my own. It's delicious, super healthy, SO easy to make and inexpensive! What's not to love? 


So here's my recipe (makes 2 loaves):


Ingredients:
2 cups cooked lentils
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 gloves garlic, chopped
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables 
1 can peas, rinsed
1 sleeve whole wheat saltine crackers
2-3 Tablespoons Applesauce
1/2 cup ketchup
Salt & pepper to taste


1. Combine cooked lentils, onion, garlic, vegetables, and peas in a large bowl.  Mix (mash) together until well combined.
2. Stir in crackers and applesauce.
3. Season with salt & pepper.
4. Pack into loaf pan, top with ketchup as desired.
5. Bake in oven at 350F for approx. 45 minutes.  


That's it! So easy and yummy-enjoy!

I Ran to Manhattan

After a beautiful 9 hours of sleep last night, I was ready for the 10 miles on my training schedule today.  My half-marathon is 2 weeks away and I can't wait! So after a big breakfast of yogurt, blackberries & granola, I got set for my "long" run.  It's a little windy and chilly out, so I layered up with an Under Armour turtleneck, light zip up jacket, running tights and an earwarmer.  And let's not forget proper hydration:

Rocky kindly loaded up my fuel belt with one bottle grape of Gatorade, one water bottle and one Vanilla Bean Gu.  And since I can't fathom running 10 miles in Astoria, I planned to run over in Manhattan.  At first, I thought I'd run the mile to the subway and take it over to Central Park for a few loops.  But then my pretty cousin friend suggested I run the Queensboro Bridge into the city.  Great idea, Cuz! 

As those who have run the ING NYC Marathon are well aware, the QB bridge is a pretty steady uphill climb to the middle and then back down to 59th Street/2nd Ave.  I ran the 3.5 miles down to Queensboro Plaza and got started...

Starting out at QB Plaza

It was pretty windy up there, with some scary views down (I'm terrified of heights), but it was also beautiful.  It's an awesome feeling to run from one borough to another!

the lovely East River

I covered just over 10 miles running down to QB Plaza, across the bridge, almost to Central Park and back.  Below is a screenshot of my route.  I have no idea what the GPS was doing over in Manhattan, because it definitely looks like I was drunk.  (Promise, I wasn't. Remember, I haven't had a drink since January 1st!)

My legs felt pretty strong throughout the run, and I tried to go slow (I ended up averaging a 10:13 pace).  I took the Gu around mile 6 coming back over the bridge, which was a perfect timing, because it really helped me through the last few miles.   

When I got back home, I enjoyed a delicious post-run chocolate milk for recovery. A nice little reward for my efforts!

Yum! If only it was a Smuttynose instead ;)

Now I'm off to stretch and make a Lentil Loaf [recipe and post to follow soon! :)] 

Happy weekend everyone! 

NYC Vegetarian Food Festival 2012

On Saturday, I went to the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival.  I had heard last year was very popular, so I purchased a Living Social deal for VIP guaranteed entry.  As it turns out, this really means a guaranteed 45 minute wait in line in the pouring rain. 

This was the VIP line.  There was a separate super-long line for general admission.  I feel bad for anyone on that line...I doubt they even got in at all!

Of course, just as the rain started clearing up, I made it inside! There were a ton of vendors...lots of well-known vegetarian and vegan brands and some newer up-and-coming products! I sample almost everything, just to share with you all! I'm tellin ya, it was tough work! 

First, I started with a sandwich made with "deli meats" from Yves Veggie Cuisine.  I believe it had "salami", "ham" and "turkey".  It tasted pretty good, but I personally am not into the fake meat products and don't plan on buying them anytime soon.

Of course there were a lot of animal rights groups and animal sanctuary tables throughout the venue.  I do have opinions on animal rights (especially in the U.S. food industry) and it is a big part of why I am a vegetarian, but for the purposes of this blog I won't go into that. 

Let's just focus on food!  Next, I came across the Cedar's display.  I love all things hummus, so of course I grabbed samples of their hummus dip and hummus chips.  Yum.

Next I stopped at "The Regal Vegan" to try their Faux Gras, a toasted walnut lentil pate.  Let me tell you, it was delicious.  As far as nutrition, it is only 50 calories per serving with lots of protein, fiber and healthy fats.   It's a little bit pricey at $7.99 for the 8oz. tub, but I'd argue it's worth it.

And for dessert, Sweet & Sara Vegan Marshmallows! And by marshmallows, I mean Rocky Road brownies, Smores, Peanut Butter Smores and Rice Krispie treats! Dangerously delicious.

yum.

Since I was already starting to fill up on vegetarian and vegan snacks, I was excited to come across Wired Up Creations. A friend of mine had been given one of these bracelets made of beets, and I have been longing for one ever since.  My pictures definitely don't do them justice, but the jewelry is so cool and completely vegan.  

The bracelets are a little too pricey for my dietetic intern budget, so I just bought a ring! It's made from dragon fruit and it super colorful and fun!

As if I wasn't already enjoying myself, I came to the Peanut Butter & Co. table next.  As you know, I love peanut butter.  It's my Achilles Heel.  Peanut Butter & Co. has a huge variety of flavors, including Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon Raisin and Honey.  They recently put out a new flavor called "The Heat is On", which contains chili powder, cayenne peppers and paprika.  I had to try this! I was pleasantly surprised.  This would be really good with veggies, pretzels or crackers as a snack.  I definitely recommend at least trying it!

Thanks for the PB samples, monkey man!

Oh and I picked up this little treasure.  It's like it was made for me!

I also sampled and really enjoyed the products from the Saratoga Peanut Butter Company.  I particularly liked "The Trifecta" which was a chocolate almond butter with dried cherries.  Yum!

A few other things I really liked:

Simply7 Lentil and Hummus Chips:

TheSimplyBar, which I don't have pictures of.  They're made with 9 or less ingredients and offer 16g of protein and <3g of fat per bar.  I tried the Peanut Butter Chocolate (duh!) and it was a little dry but tasted good.

Honest Tea.  These guys are pretty well known, and have a really great line of products if you're looking for something tasty and a little bit sweet.  I usually stick to water, but I really enjoyed the new Pomegranate Blue Honest Ade. 

Let me finish with the one thing I really disliked.  Tumeric drinks from Tumeric-The Elixir of Life.  Tumeric is a spice commonly used in Indian foods.  It's also what gives our mustard that bright yellow color.  There is a lot of research has focused on curcumin, the active ingredient in tumeric and its anti-inflammatory properties. 

Ick.

I don't discredit the idea that tumeric (and many other herbs and spices) may have health benefits. But this particular drink was disgusting and I would not pay $5 per 12-oz bottle. Why not just eat a well balanced diet including herbs and spices to taste!

No, thank you.

I also sat in on a few of the speakers, including Brendan Brazier, a vegan triathlete and author of Thrive. 

He was a good speaker, but I have to be honest...I get very frustrated listening to people speak about nutrition if they are not a Registered Dietitian or have some credential/degree in a nutrition-related field.  He can absolutely share his extensive experience in fueling and eating as a vegan triathlete, and I'm sure he has gained plenty of insight over the years.  However, I don't feel it is appropriate for him to be giving advice or recommendations, especially if it is not evidence-based information.  For anyone reading out there,  I encourage you to always take nutritional advice with a grain of salt [ ;)] and to look for the source of the information.  Remember, Registered Dietitians are the experts.

Enough about the speakers. This post is getting ridiculously long! 

All in all, I had a great day and tried out a lot of new vegetarian/vegan food products! Do you have any favorite products you swear by?

Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Banana Muffins

This week I gave a presentation on omega-3 fatty acids for my dietetic internship.  Research has shown omega-3 fatty acids promote heart health by lowering blood pressure, decreasing triglycerides and slowing the buildup of plaque in the arteries.  Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which improve symptoms of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.  My presentation focused on the role omega-3 fatty acids play in treating and preventing psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.  

Interesting stuff, right?  Maybe just for us nutrition people.  So to make the presentation more interesting and add my special touch, I obviously decided to make baked goods! I whipped up a batch of healthy banana muffins to share with my audience!  They contain heart-healthy omega-3s in the form of flax seed and with my healthy modifications add up to only about 150 calories each!  

Flax Seed Banana Muffins

Ingredients

1 ½ cups mashed ripe banana

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt

5 Tbsp Smart Balance, melted

2 large eggs

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour 

¼ cup ground flaxseed

¾ tsp baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Combine banana, yogurt, butter and eggs in a large bowl.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed.
3. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat until well combined.
4. Combine flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a separate bowl.
5. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and beat until blended.
6. Pour batter into muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Bake at  350 °F for 55 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
8. Enjoy!

Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Cake!

This may come as a surprise, but I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day this year.  However, I am always a fan of both baking and Pinterest...so I decided to use this "holiday" to combine those loves and try out my version of the Pinterest sensation Red Velvet cake balls.  

the final product. delish.

These certainly aren't the healthiest dessert I've made, but I still snuck in some healthy tweaks to the recipes I found.  I up-ed the egg white to egg ratio and decreased the amount of vegetable oil when making the cake mix.  If for no other reason than taste, I will definitely make my own red velvet cake batter next time.  Those box mixes just don't match up to the "real deal".  And if you decide to try these yourself, be prepared to get a little messy.  You really have to get your hands in the cake batter, which was kind of fun! 

cake crumbs

ready for the chocolate hot tub...

done and delicious.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

1 box Red Velvet Cake Mix (prepared using 1 egg, 3 egg whites, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/4 cup water)

3/4 container of cream cheese frosting

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted)

1. Combine cake mix, egg/egg whites, vegetable oil and water.  

2.  Bake according to box instructions.

3.  Once cooled, crumble finished cake into a bowl. 

4.  Stir in frosting until a smooth consistency is reached.  [This gets a little messy...but is easiest using your hands! :) ]

5.  Roll "dough" into 1" balls and keep on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

6. Melt chocolate chips on VERY low heat.  Using two forks, roll each cake ball in chocolate to coat.  Cool on parchment paper and enjoy! 

Enjoy these with your valentine (or by yourself)...but remember, everything in moderation! :)

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip "Mookies"

It's no secret that I like to bake.  Most of the time I'm modifying regular recipes so they're more nutritious, but still delicious.  So when I noticed we had some overripe bananas, I knew it was time to get my bake on! I always make banana bread (which is delicious) but I wanted to switch it up! After a quick search on Allrecipes.com, I came across a few recipes for banana oatmeal cookies.  However, so many of them included things I didn't have on-hand and don't normally bake with...like buttermilk or shortening (gross).  

So I decided to wing it. 

This resulted in some absolutely delicious (and somewhat healthy) "mookies" (muffin-cookies).  They're shaped like cookies, and look like cookies, but have more of a muffin texture.  Whatever you want to call them, they're yummy.  

Mookie.

Here's my recipe:


1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, ground cloves, cinnamon and oats.
3. In a separate bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and mashed banana.
4.  Add banana mixture to flour and oat combination.  Mix well.
5. Stir in chocolate chips (if desired).
6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Quinoa: The Great "Grain"

Quinoa: an ancient "grain" that is actually a seed.  Not only is it high in protein, but it is a complete protein, which means it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids.  This is not common in plant-based foods, so quinoa is a great option for vegans or vegetarians concerned about their protein intake! (One cup of quinoa contains 8g of protein)

I personally LOVE quinoa and use it often.  I describe it as a small, fluffy grain that is also crunchy and nutty in flavor.  It's super easy to cook with, preparing 1 part quinoa with 2 parts liquid and boiling for about 15 minutes.

I usually buy Ancient Harvest Quinoa (picture above...usually about $4.99 a box, 8 servings).  I recently came across these packets of Roland Quinoa in the store (below...2 for $5, 3 servings per bag).  They come in different flavored mixes, including Roasted Garlic, Garden Vegetable, Black Bean, Toasted Sesame Ginger, and Mediterranean.  I figured I'd try them out, and bought Black Bean and Mediterranean.  

I cooked the Mediterranean packet, and added a bunch of sauteed spinach and a little feta cheese to complete my meal.  

It was super easy to cook and I'd recommend these flavor packets to others, but I probably won't use them again.  For me, the added seasonings and flavor was too salty.  One serving contains 270mg of sodium, which isn't SO bad, but I prefer to make plain quinoa and add my own seasonings.  I don't cook with salt or use table salt on my food, so my palate is very sensitive to it.  

Either way, quinoa is delicious and definitely packs a big nutritional punch! It can be cooked as an alternative to couscous or rice, prepared as a breakfast dish or even ground down to flour for use in baking.