Halloween

Halloween is almost here and it’s hard to avoid the endless amounts of candy. Here are some tricks I use to enjoy Halloween treats without feeling guilty.

TRICKS:

1. If you are passing out candy, ONLY buy candy that you do not like (as much). I love chocolate so I always buy gummy bears, Twizzlers or Skittles so I am not as tempted.

2. Make sure you enjoy some of your favorite candy because if we tell ourselves we can’t eat any, it’s the ONLY thing we crave!

3. Choose the mini size candy. It’s hard to eat only half of a fun size candy. It’s the taste we want and by choosing 2 mini candy bars instead of 1 fun size, we can indulge twice as much!

4. Try to stick to less than 100 calories of candy per day and try to get in a little extra cardio or cut back on another food item to avoid weight gain.

TREATS:

Here is a list of portion sizes with less than 100 calories of your favorite candy:

Mini sizes

• 2 of any of the following: Snickers, Reese’s, Twix, Milky Way
• 4 Three Musketeers

Fun sizes

• 1 .5 bags of skittles
• 1 snickers, almond joy or Reese’s cups

Other

• 1 Tootsie pop or caramel apple pops
• 1 Junior Mint box
• 1 package of gummy bears
• 2 boxes of Milk Duds
• 3 small tubes of Whoppers
• 4 Tootsie Rolls

Remember to enjoy Halloween!

Fun Food T-shirts

Clever and fun food T-shirts call my name and the food nerd in me can't resist them. I thought I'd post a few that I have from a store called threadless.com. My current favorite is the "Food Pyramid".

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Apple Sauce Recipe

One of my favorite Fall activities as a child was to go apple picking with my family. There aren’t many orchards where I live now but I still love finding a cider mill to indulge in cider and donuts (yes, dietitians eat donuts too!). I also love making homemade applesauce because it is incredibly easy, tastes delicious, and also makes your home smell wonderful!

Here is a quick and easy applesauce recipe:

• 4 apples peeled (if desired), cored and chopped
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook on high until water boils. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Stir occasionally and mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for smoother applesauce.

Use a soft apple such as McIntosh and you can leave some of the apple skins on for extra fiber, vitamins and minerals. Just make sure to wash the skins well and buy organic if possible.

Enjoy!

I'm back!

It's been 4 months since my last post and I apologize for all of those who have been following the blog! It's been a fun and busy summer and am excited about the future blogs I have planned. People have asked specific nutrition questions and I will try to answer as many as I can.

Feel free to send suggestions to liz@nutritionlizard.com.

Thanks for following!

Shop Your Local Farmers Markets

It's summer and time for farmers markets. Most markets offer a variety of items including produce, meats, cheese, flowers and some even have entertainment. It is very important to support local farms and it is a wonderful summer activity!!

Why should I shop at Farmers Markets?

1. Food tastes better and is better for you!

a. Food at farmers markets is picked when ripe (instead of about a week before it's ripe when at the grocery stores) which increases flavor and nutrients.

b. Most small farmers use less pesticides, do not use genetically modified organism seeds and many farm organically.

2. Reduces energy and supplies used to transport crops

a. Crops travel many miles to the supermarkets which uses valuable energy and packaging materials

3. Healthier for environment

a. Local farmers produce a variety of crops which provides the rotation needed to benefit the soil and plants

4. Supports local farms

a. When you purchase food at the supermarket, the farmers only see about 20%. Supporting local farmers keeps the money within the community and not with shareholders of large supermarket chains.

If you live in the Chicagoland area, check out this website for a list of local farmers markets in your area!

Tips for Dining Out!

For those of you who love eating out, here are a few tips to help enjoy it without gaining the pounds!

1. Plan ahead what you will order at the restaurant. Most places now have “healthier” choices section.

2. Read the menu carefully for clue words

a. Terms that can mean more fat and calories: batter-fried, pan-fried, buttered, creamed, crispy, breaded

b. Terms that mean less fat and calories: baked, braised, boiled, grilled, poached, roasted, steamed

3. Watch portion size – try to order regular, smaller size portions or order an appetizer instead. If you know the portion sizes are large, ask the waitress to put half in a take-out box before it is served to you. Or share an entrée with a friend.

4. Limit calorie beverages including juices, soda and alcohol.

5. Ask for substitutions! Most places can offer baked potato, fresh fruit or vegetables in place of fries

6. Sauce on the side – ask for dressing and other sauces on the side (including butter). You will then have control of how much you use.

a. Tip: For salads, dip your fork into dressing and then take a bite of salad. You will get the taste of the dressing but will use significantly less!

7. Dessert – if you must have a dessert, order only one for the table and enough forks so everyone can have a bite! Or order sorbet, Italian ice or fresh fruit.

8. Avoid buffets - we typically overeat and feel we want to get our money’s worth for the meal

9. Salad Bars - watch out for high calorie toppings including nuts, dried fruit, bacon, cheese, and dressing

Tasty, Healthy and Easy Recipe - White Chicken Chili

Tasty, healthy and easy recipes are what everyone asks me for. White chicken chili is one of my favorite recipes and it fits the bill! It’s easy to make, high in fiber and protein and low in fat. Best of all you have leftovers!

White Chicken Chili
Servings: 5 bowls
Per serving: 267 calories, 23 g protein, 13 g fiber, 3 g fat and 37 g carbohydrates.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 cans Great Northern beans, soaked and rinsed
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 1 14.5oz can low sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 jars of Frontera Grill salsa (Sold at Whole Foods or online, this salsa makes this dish amazing)
• 1/4 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in a soup pot on medium/high heat. Add onion, green pepper and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add cumin, beans, chicken and chicken broth. Stir well while pressing beans with spoon to break them apart. Add salsa and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of 2% shredded cheddar cheese.

Add a salad with fresh vegetables and a low fat dressing or balsamic vinegar for a well rounded meal.

TIP: Soaking and rinsing beans not only reduces sodium but also helps to remove the indigestible complex sugars (oligosaccharides) from the outer coating of the beans. Indigestible sugars = gas so soaking, rinsing and repeating is a great way to reduce this! Your family will be thankful too!