Vacation 101: How Not to Undue All Your Hard Work

Vacation 101:  How Not to Undue All Your Hard Work

This is it, the end of the summer.  It’s been a great summer for me and I hope you too.  For me this is also the last “Hoorah!” before the kids go back to school and I go back to work (Yes, technically I’m off for 2 weeks!!!)  The kids had a great time at their camps. I loved the sun, the runs outdoors (yes I’m still looking for more people to join me for the 10K on September 23 for Run 10, Feed 10), frequenting the green markets, and learning to make beets.  As I head into the next part of my vacation I’d like to share some tips, and wish you a great end of summer.  In the fall I will be offering a weight loss class in NYC.  Please let me know if you are interested, as space is limited.

1. Resist the Urge to Splurge

While on vacation, you know that by being away from your home, you are technically eating “out” at every meal for as many days as your vacation is long.   Don’t think that you can splurge on every meal, and still maintain your weight loss.  Eating “out” in most cases provides more calories, grams of fat, and sodium, and less fruits and vegetables than you may have had if you had prepared your own meals.  So choose lower fat, higher fiber foods, consider splitting an entree with your partner, or order 2 appetizers instead of an appetizer and a main course.

2. Ask for Your Food Your Way

Ask how foods are prepared.  Questions like “Is it fried?”  or “Can I get that broiled with no sauce/ or sauce on the side?”  will help identify ingredients and calories.  “Can I have a salad or steamed vegetables instead of the potatoes?”  “Do you have brown rice, whole wheat pasta?”  You get the idea.  If you don’t ask, you won’t know.  Restaurants are more interested in pleasing the customers now and understand the healthy requests.  Often items are even listed that highlight lower calorie, lower fat, “heart healthy” options.

3. Enjoy the Scenery/ Enjoy the People you are with/ and Enjoy the Food

Remember the reason why you are on vacation.  Is it to enjoy the beautiful beach, the city, the country, the mountains, to spend time with your family, or is it to eat?  Most often it’s some combination.  Sure you want to have enjoyable meals in new places with whoever you are on vacation with, but you did not go on vacation just to eat (unless of course you are in Italy, and your favorite thing ever is a good bowl of pasta).  Have small portions of your favorite food, practice moderation.  Skip the bread basket if you are having dessert, or skip dessert if you have a piece of bread.

4. Walking and other Physical Activity

I love a good walk, as I’m sure you do too.  If you are on a beach vacation, go for a walk on the beach, listening to waves crashing as you feel the water on your feet.  While on vacation recently in Paris, my husband and I walked several miles each day.  I brought a few pairs of sneakers and comfortable shoes and changed off as needed.  If you are somewhere that you can go for a bikeride, play a game of tennis, go for a swim (laps/ not drinking cocktails at the pool bar), then do so.  It will be fun and help offset all the extra foods and drinks you are likely to consume.

5. Choose Your Extra’s Carefully

Realistically, can you have that one extra treat a day?  Maybe you can sacrifice the french fries for the ice cream cone (single scoop), or maybe you can safely add a croissant with eggs and cheddar cheese for breakfast but then have a salad for lunch.  Limit your “extra” to one a day and you won’t feel deprived, you will feel like you made a wise choice.

6. Water 

While at home we know to drink 8 glasses of water a day, so why change this when we are away.  Too often we are surrounded by sodas, ice teas, lemonades, coffee, and alcoholic drinks, and then we forget to drink out water.  Bring a water bottle with you and keep filling it up when you can.  It will keep you hydrated, less hungry, and less likely to fill up on high calorie drinks.  Order seltzer instead of a drink or water with lemon or lime.  If you do drink alcohol, remember the limit of 1 drink for woman and 2 for men - tops.

7. Fill up with Fruits and Vegetables First

Make an effort to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, just like when you are home. It will make meals seem more filling and satisfying. It will provide enough fiber in your diet to help keep your intestines regular. And it will keep your levels of antioxidants and important vitamins high so you are less likely to get sick.  If you are having trouble finding fruits and vegetables on menus, stop by a local fruit stand or grocery store, and grab a few apples, peaches, cherries, berries, or string beans.  

8. Eat When You're Hungry and Don’t Overdue it

When you are on vacation the meal times may be more (or less) structured and you may have to be flexible to other’s schedules.  Try and listen to your stomach.  If you are at dinner but aren’t really hungry, then order light.  If you are starving for breakfast and everyone is still sleeping, see if you can find some fruit to munch on till everyone wakes up and is ready to eat.  And when you are full, then stop eating.  It doesn’t matter that there is still half a portion of your meal left if you are full.  It’s better to leave it on the plate than for it to sit in your stomach and then travel to your fat storage cells, your thighs, your butt, etc.

Have a great week, and let me know how vacation goes with comments on this blog!

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN  917-882-5033 carena@carenalowenthal.com

www.carenalowenthal.com

Call today for a free consultation and to set up your first appointment.

Weight loss, Diabetes Medical Management, Heart Health, 

Allergies/ Intolerances, Adults and Children.

Fall Weight Loss Class Registration - Call or email, information above.


beet carpaccio

Candy Cane, golden, red and/or white beets 8 mixed,  in any combination
extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp
fresh goat cheese 5 oz, crumbled (optional)
vinaigrette 1/2 cup (optional) your own or try this recipe (1 minced shallot, 1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 c Champagne or Prosecco, 1/4 c Champagne vinegar, sea salt and ground pepper, makes about 1 cup)
sea salt and ground pepper
fresh mint 1 Tbsp julienned
fresh tarragon 2 tsp coarsely chopped
fresh chervil 2 tsp leaves
serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 400 F.  
Trim off beet greens if still attached, leaving 1/2 inch of stems intact.  Place beets on top of a large piece of foil.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Gather up the edges of the foil and seal tightly closed.  Place foil packet on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, 30-45 minutes.  Remove from oven and unwrap beets.
When cool enough to handle, rub beets between paper towels to remove skin.  Cut and plate the beets, always cutting darker beets last to avoid staining lighter ones.  Once beets are cut and arranged, add goat cheese (if using).  Add vinaigrette (if using) and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with mint, tarragon, and chervil and serve at once.
Vary the Presentation
Stacks for individual servings: Slice beets 1/4 inch thick.  Stack 8 or 9 beet slices on each plate, and add cheese, vinaigrette, and garnishes.
Wedges for a party: Keeping stem intact, cut each beet into 6-8 wedges.  Arrange on a platter and drizzle with olive oil.  Serve with cocktail picks and salt.
Family- style platter: Slice beets 1/8 inch thick.  Arrange slices in an overlapping pattern on a platter.  Add vinaigrette and garnishes.
Cubes for starter salad: Cut beets into 1/2 inch dice and transfer to a bowl.  Add cheese, vinaigrette, and salt and pepper, and toss to combine.  Divide among plates or bowls and add garnishes.

(From Williams-Sonoma cooking for friends cookbook.)

Motivation

Motivation:

Weight loss is not easy.  (period)...  If it was easy then Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig would be out of business, Oprah would be a size 2, and obesity and diabetes would not be growing at alarming rates.  If we can acknowledge that it wont be easy then we can move into learning how to make it realistic and attainable.  There are more diets, meal plans, exercise clubs, books and resources than I would be able to review.  The bottom line is people need to take in less calories and use up more calories.  And stay motivated - but how?

1. Think of your end goal.  Is it fit into a beautiful dress or a tuxedo for an upcoming wedding or big birthday?  Is it to prevent your pre- diabetes from turing into full blown diabetes?  Is it to keep up with your kids and to serve as a good role model for them?  Is it to lose your pregnancy weight?  Will it help your confidence level and possibly help you find your true love, find a job, find happiness within yourself?  Write down your goal.
2. Think of what has worked for you in the past.  Was it a Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers program?  Was it an exercise class, a running group, tennis lessons, or a team you were on?  What did you do that made the difference - be specific and write this down.
3. What are the obstacles you now face that make it difficult to lose weight?  No time, can’t afford a gym membership or to work out with a trainer, no motivation?  List your obstacles.
4. Brainstorm on ways to overcome the obstacles.  For example - if you can’t afford a gym membership right now, you can start walking outside 3 times a week and watch an exercise video (free on TV or from the library) 2 times a week.
5. What will help motivate you?  Can you make a “biggest loser” contest at work, or with your neighbors and see who can lose the most percentage weight in 8 weeks?  How about making a walking plan with your best friend 3 times a week, before you go to work or at lunch time.  Reward yourself for your workouts but not with food, make it something fabulous.  Get your nails done each week after 3 days of running/ walking 3 miles.  Treat yourself to new music on your I pod, or better yet, try this app called Pandora to download all favorite types of songs and get pumped (for free).  Write down what you will use to help motivate you and check it off each week as the week goes on to make sure you are on track.
6. Monitor your foods with an on line application like My Fitness Pal or Go Meals.  It will calculate your foods so by the end of the day you know how many calories you have left to play with and stay within your calorie budget.
7. Speak to a professional - like me.  I love to help motivate people and teach them how to eat healthy, wholesome, feel good foods.  I can help make over your pantry, go grocery and green market shopping, share good recipes and cookbooks, and even cook together.  What would you want to ask a Registered Dietitian, mother of 2 kids, baker and sometimes chef.  It can be specific - like what do I eat to help my blood pressure, or how can I help my father with his diabetes.
8. Physical Activity.  I’m not an expert here but I know that aerobic activity where you get your heart rate up is good, and building muscle/ preventing muscle wasting is good for your heart, bones, and to aid in weight loss.
9. Stay motivated.  Take before and after pictures of yourself each month and see how your body is changing.  If you can measure your body fat %, do so.  See how your clothes fit and feel.  Are you able to fit into those jeans from 10 years ago (before kids), great!  And get rid of the old clothes that you no longer wish to wear or see again.  
10. Last step for motivation is to stay motivated.  This is when you take inventory of what you’ve done, how you did it, how you feel now vs. how you felt when you started, and are you still working toward a goal or is the goal now to maintain where you are.  It will take as much work to maintain the weight loss but will be just too easy to gain it.  Don’t fall into the trap of reaching goal and then slacking off.  

And as always, make it fun.  Life is a journey, not an endpoint.   “At least I’m enjoying the ride”.  Have a great week.

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN  917-882-5033 carena@carenalowenthal.com

www.carenalowenthal.com

Call today for a free consultation and to set up your first appointment.

Weight loss, Diabetes Medical Management, Heart Health, 

Allergies/ Intolerances, Adults and Children

10 Tips to Lose 10 Pounds

10 Tips to Lose 10 Pounds:

Did you know that if you can cut out just 100 calories a day from your usual diet, you can lose 10 pounds in one year!  Then the reverse of this is true too, if you increase your intake by 100 calories a day, in a year you will gain 10 pounds.  When you break it down this way, it doesn’t seem so hard to lose 10 pounds right?  Well let’s take a look at some quick and easy ways to cut out those 100 calories/ day.

1. Limit the fat you use when cooking.  Opt for canola, olive or grapeseed oil instead of butter, but try using a spray bottle instead of pouring it on.  Saute vegetables in water or low sodium broth, or steam them with no added fats.  Use less oil than called for in a recipe, and if it’s a sweet recipe, like cake, bread or muffins, substitute unsweetened applesauce in it’s place (or at least for half of the amount).
2. Don’t drink all you calories in one place.  If you like ice tea, choose unsweetened ice tea.  If you like frapachino’s, choose ice coffee instead and add a non calorie sweetener.  Choose a diet soda or seltzer instead or regular soda or juice.  And have a light beer (12 oz) instead of a regular beer (16 oz).
3. Watch out for “Portion Distortion”.  Have you noticed that the size of almost everything has increased over the years.  From the sodas sold in fast food restaurants and convenience stores, to the size of a bagel or muffin, to a slice a pizza or a serving of pasta, it’s all bigger.  And what happens when you have more, you tend to eat more.  So split an entree with your friend and have a salad as an appetizer first.  Or take home half or your entree and save for the next day.  If you can have a bowl of cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, or an egg white omelet, you will avoid the trap of grabbing an oversized bagel, muffin or pastry.  In a pinch, grab a high protein bar or fruit/nut bar.
4. Get it “on the side”.  Whether it’s salad dressing, whip cream (no just skip this all together), cream cheese, or sauce, if you add it yourself you can be sure not to overdo it.  I remember getting salads drowning in salad dressing.  Now I always order it on the side and use sparingly.  I rarely use cream cheese anymore but I also remember ordering a bagel with cream cheese, and I know they put on enough cream cheese for 4 bagels, or for 4 people really.  If it’s a heavy sauce, ask for the food plain or steamed and a small amount of sauce or a lemon wedge on the side.
5. Brown Bag It - When you bring your own lunch, you can control the calories, fat and fiber in your meal.  It may also help with tight schedules so you can use your lunch break to go for a walk or take a yoga class, not spend an hour walking to a place, ordering and waiting to eat.  You may also save money this way.
6. Just say “NO”.  Don’t get pressured by your spouse, your mother in law, your grandkids to have the “half of what you are sharing”, “another small serving of pasta”, or the “rest of their ice cream cone”.  Be your own person, decide what you want to eat or not eat.
7. Fill up on veggies and fruits.  They are low calorie, high fiber nutrition powerhouses.   Instead of a bag of chips have a cup of steamed broccoli or carrot and celery sticks.  Instead of the chocolate cake, have a bowl of berries.  
8. Ask yourself if you are really hungry or are you just bored, tired, sad, happy?  Go for a walk while thinking about it, drink a tall glass of water,  and call a friend instead of eating.
9. Use lower fat/ or lower calorie substitutions when possible.  If you switch from 2% milk to non fat milk, regular yogurt to non fat yogurt, fried chicken to baked chicken, you will cut down significantly on calories over the course of the day.
10. Last of all - to save 100 calories or more a day, get active.  Physical Activity is one of the biggest predictors of weight loss and maintenance of weight loss.  Make it part of your every day and make it fun.

Have a great week!

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN  

917-882-5033 

carena@carenalowenthal.com

www.carenalowenthal.com

Call today for a free consultation and to set up your first appointment.

Weight loss, Diabetes Medical Management, Heart Health, 

Allergies/ Intolerances, Adults and Children

Hidden Carbs

Hidden Carbs:  If you are trying to lose weight, or just trying to consume a balanced diet, most likely you have tried to monitor your carbohydrate intake.  We have all heard about and many of us have tried to eat a low carb, high protein diet.  We know people that have lost lots of weight doing this, but also know that it can be a short term solution to the weight loss process since it can be difficult to maintain long term.  So what is the optimal amount of carbs suggested?  The American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association both recommend between 45-65 % of your calories from carbs.  This may seem like a lot to you, but for someone taking in 1500 calories a day, this comes out to about 170- 245 grams/ day.  So let’s take a quick look at some foods and see what’s in them, and if you are surprised by any of them.

The 2 numbers in bold are for calories and grams of carbohydrates.

1 teaspoon sugar - 15 calories, 4 grams of carbohydrates- using this as a reference so you can see how much sugar is in these following foods and drinks

Jamba Juice (Mega Mango, 22 oz) - 320, 80

Jamba Juice (Light, Berry Fulfilling, 16 oz) - 140, 29

SoBe Energize, Citrus Energy (20 oz) - 270, 67

Mott’s Apple Juice (8oz) -         120, 29

Minute Maid Orange Juice (8 oz) -         110, 27 

(15.2 oz bottle)                 210, 51

Nantucket Nectars Carrot Orange Mango (17.5 oz bottle) - 260, 60

Yogurt (Kirkland, lowfat 6 oz blueberry, peach, strawberry) - 180, 36

Frozen Yogurt (soft, non fat, 1/2 cup) - 100, 30

Ben and Jerry’s (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough 1/2 cup) - 270, 33

White or Whole Wheat Bread (1 oz slice) -   70, 14

Bread Crumbs (1 oz plain or seasoned) -  110, 20

Large Cinnamon Roll -          660, 102

Large Cupcake -                  520, 67

Dunkin’ Donut (Chocolate Glazed Cake) - 280, 33

Jelly Beans (jelly belly, 35 beans) - 140, 37

Special K Cereal Bar -           90, 18

Nutri Grain Bars -         130, 24

Chocolate Chip Clif Bar -         240, 44

Coffee Shop Apple Danish -         450, 67

BBQ sauce (average 2 T./ 1 oz) - 40, 10

Ketchup (1 T.) -                  15, 4

1 c. cubed watermelon -          45, 11

1 c. cubed grapes -        105, 28

1 small banana -                  90, 23

1 medium apple-                  70, 17

Marinara Sauce (average 1/2 cup) -  90, 14

Talk about hidden carbs!  So what can you do to help optimize your carbohydrate intake as well as your calorie intake.

1. Make every calorie count.  Try not to drink your calories as they won’t fill you up this way.  Drink lots of water, unsweetened ice tea, club soda, or other no calorie drinks (try to limit the sugar substitute (diet) drinks as they can make you more thirsty and crave sweets even more).
2. Increase the density of your foods without the added sweets - fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans are high in fiber and nutrients your body needs.  Fill up on these wholesome foods and you won’t be so hungry for sugary sweets.
3. Eat lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs or egg whites, and low fat or non fat dairy like cottage cheese and yogurt to balance out your carbs.  Try some of the veggie substitutes for a quick and easy part of your meal, like veggie burgers, meatless meatballs or chicken nuggets, or a bean soup or veggie chili.  Try to include a small amount of protein with every meal.  If you use fats, try to use the healthier ones like olive, canola, flax, or grapeseed oil, and use a spray bottle to use less.  Enjoy avocado and mustard instead of mayo on sandwiches and raw nuts instead or dry roasted and salted nuts for snacks.  Stay away from butter, mayo, creamy sauces and salad dressings, fried foods, and fatty cuts of meat.
4. Keep moving.  As I’ve mentioned before, it’s calories in vs. calories out.  If you get moving you will burn more calories and increase your metabolism.  Have fun doing it.

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN

917-882-5033

carena@carenalowenthal.com

www.carenalowenthal.com

Call today for a free consultation and to set up your first appointment.

Weight Loss, Diabetes Management, Heart Health, 

Allergies/ Intolerances, Adults and Children

Nutrition 365 Includes Summer

Nutrition 365 includes Summer

To many people the summer reminds them of BBQ’s, burgers, beers and the beach.  While these are wonderful memories for some, and weekly/ or daily occurrences for others, it is important to mention how there is a tendency to gain weight over the summer (contrary to what would seem to make sense).  You may be thinking of all the bike rides, hikes and tennis games that you plan to do, but then find you didn’t get around to it.  Before you know it, it’s August and you are getting ready for school to start.

So what can you do to be healthier this summer? How can you eat healthy nourishing foods, exercise most days of the week, limit empty calorie drinks and feel great about yourself and your summer?  I have a few ideas so check them out and see how many you can try this summer.

Eat Healthy Nourishing Food:

·         For the BBQ, skip the burgers and hot dogs and take same size pieces of zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, onions and mushrooms and put them on skewers.  Lightly coat with olive oil and grill.

·         Grill slices of eggplant coated lightly in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and make into sandwiches on toasted ciabatta bread spread lightly with goat cheese.

·         Make a black bean and corn salad with fresh corn (which you can grill- soak first in water, then grill with husks on).  Add some olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and you have a nice side dish.

·         Make veggie burgers on the grill- either homemade or frozen.  Top with slices of fresh tomato, pickles and red onion and use a whole grain bun.

·         Make fish tacos.  Take your favorite fish; marinate it with olive oil, lime juice, lemon zest and some chili powder.  Cook on the grill (may need a grill basket), then add to soft tortillas with cilantro dressing, guacamole, tomatoes, and lettuce.

·         Skip the high fat mayonnaise side dishes and opt for lower fat versions.  Instead of potato salad with mayo- roast cubed potatoes and halved brussel sprouts together with olive oil, salt and pepper.  When done and cooled, add vinaigrette and enjoy.

·         Make a salad with all your favorite greens, and add grilled peach slices and vinaigrette for a sweet and tangy flavor.

·         Fruits and vegetables are in season so try to have as many varieties and colors as possible- time to look at your local farmer’s markets if you haven’t been lately.  I have seen amazing berries, tomatoes, lettuces, carrots, zucchini, string beans, corn, broccoli, yellow squash and so much more at the Union Square Market last week.  Buy local, support your local farmer’s and our environment.

·         Make a nice cold soup like gazpacho or a chilled cucumber salad.  Use your imagination; add pitted olives, peaches, soy beans, strawberries as a start.

·         Serve watermelon for dessert; for a twist squeeze lime wedges or sprinkle with chili pepper or sea salt.

Make Exercising a Priority:  

·         Enlist a friend or neighbor, or your long lost friend you’ve been meaning to make plans with to do an activity together.  Set up an adult play date.  Go for a walk, a hike, a bike ride, or play tennis.

·         Get your kids or grandkids (or both) to be active with you.  Take a sunset walk after dinner, look for seashells all along the beach, go to the park and play a game of Frisbee.

·         Pick something indoors to get out of the heat – this may be the time to finally try yoga, zumba, or belly dancing, or how about karate.

·         Do your exercise early in the morning, that way its cooler, you are done early and can go about your day, and you have the option to exercise again later in the day if the time and feelings are present.  You will also have more energy for the day and feel better about what you have accomplished.  And you won’t get sidetracked before you have a chance to exercise.

·         Exercise can help you lose weight, but you can eat yourself out of any amount of exercise, so don’t use exercise as an excuse to eat more, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

Drink low calorie/no calorie drinks:

·         Water, water, water:  anyway you like it.  Flavored with cucumbers, lemons or strawberries, this is what your body needs the most of these hot summer days.

·         Ice tea, or ice coffee- great but skip the cream and sugar.  Use low fat or non- fat milk and a calorie free sweetener.  Skip the frozen iced drinks, whether from a coffee place or a bar – these can wreck havoc on your weight loss and healthy living attempts.

·         Diet soda vs. Regular soda:  there is a lot in the news about both.  Opt for Club Soda, or any bubbly water and add your own flavor if you like, lemon or orange slices, a raspberry or two.

·         You may have a taste for milkshakes, but trade traditional version for a smoothie with fresh fruit, ice, nonfat milk or non dairy alternative (like almond or soy milk), and a teaspoon of agave.  Satisfies the urge without the bulge.

·         If you are going to have alcohol, limit it to 1 drink for a woman and 2 for a man.  Drink light beer or a wine spritzer.  Stay clear of pina coladas, margaritas and daiquiris.  Always follow a drink with water as it can be dehydrating.

All around good tips:

·         Take inventory of where you are in your life and what would best meet your needs for the summer.  If you have been busy, busy, busy and you need a break; think of summer break from school and give yourself a break.  You will go back in the fall, or whenever you are ready.  If you have been taking it too easy all year, then get moving.  Exercise, eat right, watch what you drink, and do what you need to do.

·         Catch up on a good summer read or another hobby.  This will be good for your mind and keep you from the kitchen.  Have you wanted to watch a movie but haven’t had the time?  Rent from the library or borrow from a friend.

·         Clean out the clutter.  This is the time to clean out your closets, your kids rooms, the basement, and have a garage sale or donate the items to charity.  I’m sure you have heard this before, but if you haven’t worn it in a year, in 3 years, in 5 years, in 20 years, you probably wont ever wear it again.  Get rid of it.

·         Help someone out.  Do you have an out of work friend?  Offer to take this friend for coffee, help them with a resume, practice interviewing questions, whatever they need.  Do you have grandkids?  Offer to babysit them (yes, I know my parents will love this one).  Foster or adopt a pet. There are countless organizations that list dogs daily that were rescued and need homes.  Fostering is a nice way to see if it’s something for you and help save a dog’s life.

·         Clean up after yourself, and others.  Try to use recycled materials and recycle what you do use. Use less paper products and take a cup or water bottle with you each day.  Bring a bagged lunch to work, it will save you money, be healthier, and save waste from being generated. 

·         Relax – stress can be just as bad for you as not including physical activity or eating unhealthily.  Try meditation, yoga, acupuncture, massage.  Whatever works for you will be great for you and those around you.

Enjoy and Have a great 4^th of July!  See Recipes Below!

Carena Lowenthal Nutrition 365 LLC

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN

917-882-5033

carena@carenalowenthal.com

www.carenalowenthal.com

Weight loss, Diabetes Medical Nutrition Therapy, Heart Health, Allergies/ Intolerances, Adults and Kids.

Contact today for your free consultation and to set up your first appointment.

Spinach, Avocado, and Mango Salad Recipe

Ingredients

·          1/4 cup orange juice

·          2 tablespoon vinegar, red wine

·          1 tablespoon oil, hazelnut, or almond oil, or canola oil

·          1 teaspoon mustard, Dijon

·          1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

·          Pepper to taste

·          10 cups baby spinach (about 8 ounces)

·          1 1/2 cups lettuce, radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces

·          10 small radishes (1 bunch), sliced

·          1 small mango, ripe, sliced

·          1 medium avocado, sliced

Preparation

1. To prepare dressing: Whisk juice, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. To prepare salad: Just before serving, combine spinach, radicchio, radishes and mango in a large bowl.

3. Add the dressing; toss to coat. Garnish each serving with avocado slices.

Grilled Lemon-Herb Halibut Recipe (adapted from Healthy Living)

Ingredients

·          12 ounce(s) fish, halibut steaks, 2 steaks

·          2 tablespoon lemon juice

·          1 tablespoon oregano, fresh, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

·          2 teaspoon oil, olive

·          2 clove(s) garlic, minced

·          1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

·          oregano, fresh

·          lemon, wedges

Recipe Tip:

Marinate 30 to 90 minutes.

Preparation

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. For marinade, in a shallow dish, combine lemon juice, snipped or crushed oregano or thyme, oil, garlic, and lemon-pepper seasoning. Add fish; turn to coat with marinade. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours, turning fish steaks occasionally.

2. Drain fish, reserving marinade. Place fish on the grill until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning once and brushing once with reserved marinade halfway through grilling. Discard any remaining marinade. If desired, garnish with fresh oregano or thyme leaves. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

My Veggiecation Experience

My Veggiecation Experience

Try to get kids to try new vegetables?  Like most people, my first reaction would normally have been “no way”, “difficult”, and “yeah, good luck!”  So when I first heard nutritionist, Lisa Suriano speak about her program called Veggiecation, I was blown away.  In this program kids are introduced to vegetables in their classrooms and school events, and other outreach places including local YMCAs and Wholefoods.  The program teaches kids about new and different vegetables that they may not have seen or tasted before.  The education program incorporates hands- on experiences and fun- filled activities to explore new vegetables through learning, tasting, and discovering their truly delicious nature.  It has Classroom Companion Books, Seasonal Vegetable Lunchtime Lesson Plans, Veggie of the Month Informational Posters, A Theme Song and Official Dance (perfect for Phys. Ed. Class), Take Home Recipe Books for Students and Their Families and stickers. Getting kids to eat healthy and be active is such an important part of the picture for kid’s health these days as junk food, fast food, sweets and lack of activity are turning the nation’s kids into overweight and obese children at risk for diabetes, heart disease and other ailments.   Statistics say that 1/3 of the nation’s children are overweight or obese.

I was so excited to plan my first Veggiecation event at my daughter’s school during their annual Health Fair.  I set up a table with fresh Asparagus, Parsley, Cucumbers and Spinach.  I made this wonderful Parsley Lemon Pesto (recipe below).  And the kids came.  The posters are so bright and fun, the stickers are great incentives to try a new vegetable, and just having the veggies out in front of kids, cut in bite size pieces, was enough to get them, tasting, commenting and seeing that eating green foods can be fun.  They each received a sticker after trying a new vegetable saying “I tried: __________”.  Lisa also gave me recipes and sheets for the kids to color of their favorite vegetables.  Overall it was a great experience.  The kids loved it (especially my kids), it was fun, and I really felt like I was making a small difference in the lives of children.

See below regarding the Program and see if you can get your local schools involved.  The program is now in 30 states and growing….
“The Veggiecation© Program is a nutrition education program that introduces young children to the wonderfully delicious and nutritious world of vegetables. This is done by incorporating unique and kid-friendly vegetable preparations into fun activities and exciting experiences. By replacing food fears and resistance with ownership and positive peer pressure, your children are empowered to expand their horizons while simultaneously improving their nutritional status and knowledge.”

Parsley Lemon Pesto

TOOLS and EQUIPMENT:

Cutting Board

Knife

Measuring Cup

Food Processor

YIELD: 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups packed Parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Carena's note - I think this can be made with 1/2 c. of EVOO and add more if needed).

1 small clove Garlic, chopped

¼ cup Fresh Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place the parsley, oil, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor, Pulse until

smooth.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TIP: Great with pasta, salads, beans or whole grain crostini

For more recipes visit us at: www.veggiecation.com

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/veggiecation

Follow us at http://twitter.com/Veggiecation

© Copyright 2006-2010 Veggiecation. All World Wide Rights Reserved.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE WARNING: The entire contents, as well as all individual parts, of this program are copyrighted

by its creator and author, Lisa Suriano (the “Author”), and are protected under the laws of the United States of America

and member treaty nations

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDE

carena@carenalowenthal.com

917-882-5033

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