Acorn Stuffed Squash with Black Rice, Cranberries & Gardein

To me, fall is about enjoying pumpkins, all kinds of squash, hot tea and various other warm comfort foods throughout the season. In the grocery store each year around this time, you start to see abundant amounts of squash appear- butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash- the list goes on! These are all very fun to cook with, which is why I decided to try out a new recipe.

On a recent trip to Costco in Tallahassee, we sampled some black rice & loved it so much we bought a large bag of it. That is the main ingredient you "stuff" the acorn squash with in this recipe.

I had also recently purchased a bag of dried cranberries, because at work this month, we are promoting Cranberries in our cafe as the "Superfood of the Month"- Cranberries are a great addition to several different fall recipes, and are very healthy, too- they contain the flavonoid proanthocyanidin (PAC) and other polyphenols that have potential health benefits. It has been found that the unique polyphenols found in cranberries make it difficult for bacteria to "stick", helping to prevent some illnesses.

One cup of fresh, chopped cranberries has 5.1 grams of fiber, 94 mg of potassium and over 20% of the daily value for vitamin C.

I also felt that I needed some extra protein in this dish, so I incorporated some gardein, which is a veggie protein (meat analogue).

Here's my recipe:


Acorn Stuffed Squash w/ Black Rice, Cranberries & Gardein

Serves 2
 
Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash
• 1/2 cup black rice
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 3 Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders
• Herbs/spices of choice

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F
• Cook 1/2 cup black rice, following package directions
• Cut acorn squash in half, and place face down on pan (I recommend spraying the pan first with cooking spray, and maybe adding a little water)
• Bake acorn squash for 45 minutes
• Prepare Gardein per directions- I baked mine in a toaster oven at 360 degrees F for 15 minutes
• Once acorn squash is cooked, spoon out the seeds and some of the squash inside to make a nice bowl shape
• Mix black rice, cranberries, gardein and spices together, and spoon into each squash half
  
  

 





Nutrition Information for 1 serving:

 

Calories: 226

Fat: 5 g

Carbohydrate: 39g

Fiber: 4 g

Protein: 11 g

Whole grain Zucchini Bread

Let's be real- most of us love dessert type treats- even us dietitians; and I like to stick to my motto- everything in moderation. But many times I will try to make recipes healthier for my own benefit, and to share with others. This recipe has two awesome components:

Whole Grains & Vegetables!

Here's the recipe, for one loaf of zucchini bread: 

Ingredients:

¼ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup egg beaters (egg whites)

¼ cup oil- canola or olive

¼ cup applesauce

1 ½ cups grated zucchini

1 ½ cups wheat flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix

Directions: 

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and  mix well.
• Sift last 5 ingredients together and add to the zucchini mixture. Blend well.

Bake in a lightly greased baking pan at 350 for 1 hour or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack and then remove the loaf

While this bread does have quite a bit of sugar as part of the ingredients, this is what makes it more dessert like- so I think of this as a healthier dessert- it's got fiber from the whole grains, and veggies! It's not overly sweet, either, which is nice.

Curious about the nutrition information? Here it is:

If 1 loaf of zucchini bread is divided into 8 slices, 1 slice will provide: 

234 calories

40 grams of carbohydrates
7 grams of fat
4.5 grams of protein
20 mg of sodium
17 grams of sugar 
3.5 grams of fiber  

Coconut Oil- Part of a Healthy Diet?

Coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut water are now easy to find at grocery stores and have become very popular. Everyone has their own opinion on this source of saturated fat- let's dig a little deeper.

As a dietitian, I have always learned, and it is widely known, that foods high in saturated fat increase your cholesterol levels, particularly your "bad" LDL cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease.
First, take a look at the composition of coconut oil:

Per tablespoon:

Total fat: 12.8g
Saturated fat: 11.8 g
Medium chain triglycerides: 8 g
Monounsaturated fat: 0.8g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.25 g

(Mono and poly unsaturated fat are known to increase "good" HDL cholesterol levels).


So why is it that some researchers have supported coconut oil as part of a healthy diet?

• Some say this fat is more easily absorbed by the liver, since it contains a high amount of medium chain triglycerides, and may be helpful with weight loss
• Some researchers state that coconut oil as anti-inflammatory effects

When all is said and done, this is still a saturated fat. Several studies have shown consumption of coconut oil on a regular basis can lead to increased overall total cholesterol. More research needs to be done on coconut oil, and I expect that it will, as this oil continues to gain popularity.

With that said, I still follow my motto: everything in moderation. Occasionally cooking with this oil is fine, and I think that this oil is a good replacement for other types of saturated fat, like butter or meat.

What about coconut water? It does have a good amount of some electrolytes and potassium, but it still has quite a few calories. I love coconut water, but I mainly stick to water and only on occasion, maybe after a work out, will I drink about 1/2 a cup of coconut water.

Truvia: A natural alternative + recipes

I bought a box of Truvia the other day, because lots of my dietitian friends have been telling me how it's delicious and natural; probably one of the best calorie free sweeteners for several different reasons. I've been using it here and there in my coffee or tea, and it's really delicious.

I decided to do some research to look into why Truvia is natural & calorie free, and here's what I found:

Truvia contains Stevia + erythritol + natural flavors.

Stevia is a leaf that was originally grown in Paraguay & used for hundreds of years as a sweetener, and now is grown all over Asia & South America. The leaf is harvested & dried at a certain time of the year, and then the leaves are steeped into water (similar to making tea)

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol which occurs naturally in some fruits, and is considered a "food additive" in the US. If you look at the Truvia nutrition label, you'll see it provides 3 g of carbs per packet, so if the carbs were from regular sugar, each packet would contain 12 calories. But since erythritol crystals are not digested/metabolized in the body, they provide 0 calories.

Natural Flavors, I'm not sure what kind.

Well, it bothers me that they don't list the natural flavors, but I still feel better about this sweetener than several others on the market.

Also, here's some recipes:


Very Berry Oatmeal Bars

Yield: 24 servings (1 bar per serving)


Ingredients:

Topping
-2 cups oats
-2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
-1 tsp cinnamon
-3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling
-4 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen) OR, mix it up and try strawberries or blackberries instead
-1/3 cup Truvia baking blend
-1/3 cup Truvia (Baking Blend)
-2 tsp. lemon juice
-1/3 cup corn starch

Directions:
1. Assemble all ingredients & preheat oven to 325 F
2. Place oats, flour, cinnamon, butter, salt, vanilla and Truvia Baking Blend in mixing bowl; mix on medium speed for 2 minutes
3. Scrape sides of bowl; mix on medium speed for 2 minutes
4.Portion 2/3 of oat mix into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan; set aside remaining 1/3 of mixture for topping.
5. Press oat mixture into bottom of pan to form crust.
6. For filling: blend raspberries (or other berries) Truvia, lemon juice & corn starch. Spread over pressed oat mixture.
7.For topping: add remaining oatmeal mixture
8. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 150
Fat: 6 g
Sat. Fat: 3.5 g
Total Carbohydrate: 22 g (1.5 CHO servings for diabetic exchange list)
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g

Perfect for Summer: Strawberry Freezer Jam

Yield: 38 servings (1 Tbs. per serving)

Ingredients:
-2 cups crushed strawberries, or try raspberries
-2/3  cup Truvia (spoonable or 36 packets)
-1/2 packet (25g) pectin for no-sugar-needed recipes
-1/2 cup water

Directions:
1. Wash & rinse plastic containers with tight-fitting lids
2. Wash and hull strawberries. Crush 1 cup of berries at a time, leaving some bits of fruit (which is why you don't to puree it)
3. Measure 2 cups of crushed fruit & place in a large bowl
4. Blend Truvia and pectin in a large saucepan
5. Stir in water and bring Truvia, pectin and water mixture to a boil on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Boil & stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat
6. Add fruit into hot pectin mixture and stir for 1 minute until thoroughly mixed
7. Pour jam into prepared containers, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top (to allow for expansion during freezing) & cover
8. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours until set
9. Store jam in freezer for up to a year, Thaw each jar in the refrigerator before using (you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks)


Nutrition Info:

Calories: 5
Fat: 0 g
Sat. Fat: 0 g
Total Carbohydrate: 3 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 0 g

Cheap breakfast "combo": oatmeal + chia + pecans

So I am on a major budget at present, & therefore I have been eating out less and eating at home more, which is so much cheaper. I go through different breakfast moods... I'll eat oatmeal for a while & then move on to naan bread and fruit, and then maybe whole grain cereal from time to time. This week my breakfast go-to is so simple & filling (and cheap!)

I bought a HUGE container of oatmeal last time I was at Publix for a couple of reasons. One, it doesn't have all the added sugar of the flavored oatmeal packs that I just don't need, and overall it's much cheaper to buy in bulk. 

Also it's fun to make your own oatmeal combinations. I just happened to have black and white chia seeds in my cabinet (click here for more information on what chia seeds are), & I also had a bag of pecans in my freezer, straight from my grandparent's old yard in Georgia. 

I pack a 1/2 cup of the oats, a tablespoon of chia and 8 to 10 pecans together in a bag and take it to work to eat as I prepare for my day. Also, when I was at Disney World last month, I bought a huge container of tea (Alice and Wonderland tea party themed) that had 18 different flavors of tea- including black, green and herbal tea blends. Yum! So this morning I had the "Mad Tea Party" blend. 

Luckily this oatmeal blend filled me up and kept me going until lunch at 11:30. The combo of fiber from the whole grain oats, heart healthy fat from the pecans & chia (which are full of omega-3's) did the trick, and I really think that since this oatmeal blend did not have that extra added sugar, that helped with not getting hungry as quickly. 

Calorie Information

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal: 150 calories, 3 g fat, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein

1 tablespoon chia: 65 calories, 5 g fat, 2 g fiber, 2.5 g protein

8 pecans: 78 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

Total: 293 calories, 16 g fat, 7 g fiber, 8.5 g protein

After analyzing the calorie/ nutrient info, I must say that I was actually surprised by the fat content. Take note though that this oatmeal blend is very low in saturated fat- less than 3 grams (Aim for 10 g saturated fat a day or less) Also remember that this combination of healthy fat, good source of fiber and the 8.5 grams of protein is what is helping keep you full throughout the morning. 

Almond Milk vs. Soy Milk: The Difference

I love both almond and soy milk, because they are plant based and delicious! I've never been a regular milk drinker (cow's milk kind of grosses me out for some reason), and so now I stick with soy milk and occasionally I'll buy almond milk. There are so many reasons you should choose soy and/or almond milk over cow's milk. Everyone should watch the documentary "Forks Over Knives" and you'll understand why. The basic message: choose plant foods more often, and animal foods less often to help prevent heart disease and cancer.
Both soy & almond milk are becoming increasingly popular. More people are becoming interested in almond milk lately, because it's relatively new on the market. A lot of people ask me: "Which is better for you?" or, "Is there much of a difference?"

The answer is yes to the second question, there's quite a bit of a difference. 

Both contain unsaturated fats. Foods that are plant based will be the ones that contain the healthy unsaturated fats, while foods from animal sources, like dairy and meats, contain saturated fats that are not so heart healthy. Therefore, both are better to drink than whole-fat milk. 

Next time you're at the grocery store, take a look at soy milk vs. almond milk nutrition labels.

As you'll see, soy milk really contains much more protein than the almond milk, and that is a big deal. It's not that one is better for you than the other, but soy milk will keep you feeling full longer, and will be more satisfying. On the other hand, there have been various shake mixes on the market lately, which may contain lots of protein. So if you are planning to make a shake with a mix that has a lot of extra protein, I would go with the almond milk in that case. 

Basically, it just depends on the situation. As for me, I like the taste of soy milk much better and really like that it has more protein, so that would be my choice most of the time. Sometimes though it's nice to mix it up!

Another interesting fact- both soy and almond milk are a good source of calcium, similarly to cows milk. So, don't feel like you have to drink cow's milk to get enough calcium- you can get it from several different plant sources too- soy and almond milk are examples!

Get Spicy: Chipotle Organic Beef Tacos

I love to cook and eat at home for a couple of reasons- it's fun for me, and it's also so much cheaper than eating out. Despite what some people may say, it actually can be pretty cheap to eat healthy if you are willing to do some research about what fruits and vegetables are in season, and eat at home more often than going to restaurants.
I love making Mexican food because it's spicy and delicious. For my taco night, I got creative and changed up some things/ made part of the meal healthier than usual.

I used La Tortilla Factory's Three Seed mini soft wraps for the soft taco shells. What I like about these wraps: 1 wrap has only 50 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of whole grain!

For the meat, I bought 1 lb of organic 92% lean ground beef. I always prefer to buy organic meat due to the fact that organic meat does not contain hormones/antibiotics that are given to animals so often now. To spice things up, I added 1 tablespoon of ground chipotle to the mix.

The Extras

-Black beans
-Fiesta rice (Knorr brand)
-Reduced fat Italian Blend cheese
- Fresh jalepenos, sliced
-Organic sweet mini peppers, sliced
-Salsa
-Freshly squeezed lime, with my lime press



It's such a simple and tasty dish, another reason I love it! Sure, you can go to a Mexican restaurant and order something similar, but it will be way higher in fat and calories. When you eat at home, you can be aware of what goes into the recipe and how many calories you are getting.


Calorie Information

2 tacos (containing 4 oz meat, 1/4 cup cheese, 2 oz salsa, 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 cup peppers and 1 tablespoon salsa divided between the 2)
-435 kcals
-10 g fat
-39 g protein
-14 g fiber

1/4 cup fiest rice
-140 kcals
-1 g fat
- 1 g fiber
-3.5 g protein

Total: 575 kcals, 11 g fat, 42.5 g protein, 15 g fiber

This is a very filling meal that is low in fat and a good source of fiber!