I love fresh food and decided last year to begin growing my own produce.  Now, I do not have a green thumb and am sorry to admit that I have contributed to the demise of many beautiful flowers and plants.  In trying to figure out why, I read that it might not be me at all, it may be that my soil is not nutrient rich.  So, for the past year, I have thrown all my produce scraps, lawn clippings and stinky organic fertilizer on my soil plot to get the soil rich with nutrients and ready to plant seeds this fall.  I know, It is a very lazy way to manage a compost heap, since all I do at the end of each day is toss my produce scraps over the fence, hoping it hits the soil.  I also occasionally spread some putrid smelling organic fertilizer and my husband dumps all the lawn scraps on my pile.  Well, I am surprised and overjoyed to report to you that about two weeks ago my mom discovered that my soil plot/compost heap was already growing tomatoes, cantaloupes and butternut squash.  We could not stop laughing as I have not planted anything yet.  They are growing from my table scraps.  So, if this is something you have dreamt about — maybe try it yourself.  I call this method, “gardening for dummies.”  As a result of the many tomatoes that I pick from my garden every other day, we eat tomato and fresh mozzarella salad every day – I want to share the recipe with you.  Let me know what you think.

Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Salad Recipe

1 cup organic cherry or plum tomatoes cut in half

2 oz fresh mozzarella cut into cubes

1 tbsp fresh basil leaves chopped

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp kosher salt

Tags: baby fat diet, compost, family health, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato salad, gardening, healthy eating, weight loss

Weight Watchers? Jenny Craig? Low fat? Low carb? Count calories? What’s the right approach for taking off the pregnancy pounds? The answer is: it depends. The method that will work for taking off the weight is the one that will fit into your life and with your personality. Perhaps you need structure with the food all preportioned so you don’t have to read labels or prepare meals. Or maybe you need the flexibility to eat out. Perhaps you’re not a planner or your day is very chaotic and it’s easier for you to take it one meal or one snack at a time.    

I have two friends that are working on taking off their pregnancy weight and both have 50-75 pounds to lose. One is counting points with Weight Watchers and the other is ordering food from Jenny Craig. Both are losing weight. Maintaining the weight loss is the challenge ahead.  

I am working with a client who finds counting calories to be most effective. She’s lost 17 pounds so far. She follows a schedule of breakfast (400 calories), snack (150 calories), lunch (400 calories), snack (150 calories), dinner (500 calories). The calories come from foods with a good balance of high fiber carbs, protein and unsaturated fat. She keeps a food journal to stay on course but is getting fatigued of it.  

All three approaches are fairly healthy but the key is that they need to be able to work it into their life so they can do it for the long term and maintain the weight loss. Studies support the idea that various diets can be effective for taking off the weight — whether it’s low carb, low fat, or counting calories, they may all work. To keep the weight off, the key is to eat in a way you can stick with for the rest of your life. That’s why keeping weight off is much harder than losing it. For tips to help you find that balance and keep the weight off - no matter which method or diet you choose - read The Baby Fat Diet.

Tags: counting calories, low carb, low fat, take off pregnancy pounds

A new study from Johns Hopkins University finds that eating a high fat diet when nursing may lead to an overweight baby and potential health problems, like diabetes, later on.  The research, done on rats, is preliminary, however, knowing that breastmilk composition varies based on the mom’s diet, it seems feasible that too much fat would impact baby’s weight. Interestingly, the researchers found that the diet during nursing made more of a difference on the baby’s weight than the diet during pregnancy. Bottomline: Eating a high fat diet isn’t good for you or your weight loss efforts anyway. So, if you’re nursing, stick to a healthy, well balanced diet, like the one we recommend in The Baby Fat Diet. You’ll get leaner and your baby will be healthier for it.

Tags: baby fat diet, baby's weight, breastfeeding, diet, high fat diet, Johns Hopkins University, nursing

If you’re in a food rut, where you eat the same few things week after week, a great way to break free is to go to a farmer’s market. Explore the beautiful and often different (from the grocery store) produce then take something new home and look up a recipe online. I found some absolutely amazing looking Rainbow Chard at the farmer’s market and found a simple recipe online that even my kids would try. I chopped the chard and sauteed it in a little olive oil with minced ginger until the chard wilted down and then drizzled on a touch of real maple syrup. Another new veggie we tried was kohl rabi, which looks like a giant radish on the outside but is white fleshed and crisp on the inside. Peel, chop and toss on your salad. It reminded me a little of fennel or celery root, but I liked the flavor better. And by having the kids come to the farmer’s market with me, they were anxous and willing to try all our new pickins. Talk about breaking free of a mac & cheese food rut and exploring new, healthy foods. 

I still have a bunch of kale we bought and plan to bake it into “kale chips.” Really it’s spraying the kale with olive oil, sprinkling with a pinch of salt and baking in a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until crispy. My kids can’t wait to try kale chips! Ahh, the power of marketing.

Tags: farmer's market, food rut, kale, khol rabi, rainbow chard

I am in love with my new lunch recipe and wanted to share it with you.  It’s rich in protein and healthy fats.

1 pouch or can of tuna or salmon

1 tbsp low fat mayo

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

13 whole wheat baked pita chips

Mix first 3 ingredients and eat with pita chips — it’s that easy!!!!! (it’s also good with chopped red onion)

Tags: baby fat diet, healthy eating, healthy fats, healthy recipe, protein, recipe, salmon, sunflower seeds, tuna, weight loss

I had the opportunity to visit a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm yesterday very close to my house because I’ll be teaching some nutrition classes to kids at a camp they are holding at the farm. In the midst of my tour of the site, the people of the community were coming in to pick up their produce as part of the CSA. In case you’re not familiar (and I wasn’t that familiar with how it all worked either) of how a CSA works, families purchase a share in the farm and the food. They pay a fee (somewhere around $35-50 per week for the growing season) and from May to November the families get fresh produce grown on the farm. The members get everything from spinach to radishes to blueberries and more exotic pickins like bok choy, kohl rabi and garlic scapes.  It’s a lot of produce – plenty, plenty for a family. In fact, families can split a share meaning they split the cost and the food that they get each week. The most memorable part was the UNBELIEVABLE smell that eminated from the barn where all the food waited to be picked up by the members. Fresh produce smells incredible, so fragrant and delicious. I can only imagine how it tastes and in a couple of weeks I’ll get to experience it when I come to do the nutrition class. I’ll let you know about my experience, I can’t wait! Bonus: Just imagine how chock full of nutrients this produce is since it was picked moments before being taken home and eaten.  For more info on CSAs www.localharvest.org/csa.

Tags: Community Supported Agriculture, CSAs, nutrients, organic farming

We know that what we eat during pregnancy matters. Making sure we get enough of the nutrients we need like calcium, vitamin D and healthy fats, and less of those we don’t like saturated and trans fat and sodium, ups your odds of having a healthier baby. It turns out that what you eat not only impacts your baby’s health but long into childhood and potentially even adulthood. A recent study found that what you eat during pregnancy influences the diet choices of your child at the age of ten. And interestingly, your prenatal diet has more of an influence on what your child eats than your diet in the years after you have the baby or the father’s diet. It suggests that your prenatal diet almost programs the baby’s appetite in utero. Bottomline: if you want your baby, toddler, adolescent and beyond to be a healthy eater, make sure your diet during pregnancy is as healthy as can be. It’s not the time to frequent the drive-thru or make donuts a regular habit. Bonus, eating well during pregnancy will keep your weight in check and make it easier to take off the pounds post-pregnancy.

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Between soccer practice, baseball, dance and gymnastics, seems we’re always running our kids around to classes that keep them active.  But what about us? Finding time to stay fit can be tough.  I just discovered a way to sneak in exercise and it may work for you too.  During my son’s soccer practice yesterday - and at his baseball practice on Monday also - I wore my running shoes and got in a good 40 minute walk/jog around the fields.  On the days when I need to bring my other two as well, I plan to throw the double jogging stroller in the trunk that I just got for Mother’s Day.  I’m going to commit to it at every practice – it’s a definite way to fit in my much need activity as well. Let me know if you’ve found other good ways to sneak in exercise — I’d love to hear em!

Tags: exercise, jogging, kids, moms, physical activity, soccer practice, walking

Grilling is great, don’t you think? No clean up cooking. And just in case you think grilling is exclusively for men, think again.  They just love it b/c it’s super easy cooking, usually involves meat, no mess and oh yeah, there’s fire involved. We women can love it, too, and I for one do.  Here are some healthy, super easy grill recipes, oh and no meat involved. You can serve with veggie burgers or if you must have meat, grilled chicken sausage. I tried these out with my kids’ cooking class and they loved em.

Veggie Kabobs (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 8 (8-inch) wooden skewers
• 4 medium orange, red, and/or yellow peppers
• 2 medium sweet onions
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
• Soak wooden skewers in hot water at least 30 minutes. Prepare outdoor grill for covered, direct grilling on medium.

Directions:

1.       Cut peppers into 1-inch pieces. Cut zucchini into ½ inch rounds. Cut onions into bite size pieces.

2.       Alternately thread peppers, zucchini and onions onto skewers.

3.       Brush vegetables with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on hot grill grate.

4.       Cover grill and cook vegetables 8 to 9 minutes or until vegetables are lightly charred and tender, turning occasionally.

Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 ears corn, husked
• 4 teaspoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.       Preheat grill to medium-high.

2.       Combine mayonnaise, yogurt and chili powder in a small bowl.

3.       Grill corn, turning occasionally, until marked and tender, 8 to 12 minutes total. Spread each ear with 1 tablespoon of the sauce and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Parmesan.

Grilled Pineapple (serves 4)

Ingredients:

·         1 lime

·         1 teaspoon olive oil

·         1 medium (3 1/2 pounds) pineapple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

·         1 pint nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt or sorbet

Directions:

1.       From 1 lime, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice.

2.       In small bowl, combine oil, lime peel, and juice. Lightly brush pineapple on both sides with lime mixture.

3.       Place pineapple slices on hot grill rack and cook 10 minutes or until browned on both sides, turning over once.

4.       Serve with small scoop of frozen yogurt or sorbet, if desired.

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I always try to get my family and clients to eat more sweet potatoes - they are easy and nutritious (and very versatile).  You can eat a very filling, medium-sized sweet potato and only eat 100 calories.  And these calories are not empty -for those 100 calories, you get no fat, almost 4 g fiber, and satisfy 38% of your daily needs for vitamin C, 730% for vitamin A (yes, that is supposed to say 730%), and a lot of beta carotene ( there is no set recommended daily intake for this provitamin A carotenoid).  So, eat your sweet potatoes!  Other than just heating and eating - you can get fancy and try other ways of preparing.  We like to make a sauce (some might consider this a soup) to add to our chicken or pasta (we like it with whole wheat orzo).  Try this and get creative –

Saucy Sweet Potatoes serves 4

Ingredients

3-4 medium sweet potatoes

3-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1minced garlic clove

onion powder to taste

(kosher salt if you need it)

Directions

heat 3-4 sweet potatoes in microwave until soft and remove skins

Place in sauce pan and add stock

blend using hand held blender (or put in counter top blender before sauce pan if you do not have one) — if you do not have one, you should get one - they are great

bring to simmer and add garlic and onion powder

cook for about 3 minutes and add to chicken, pasta, etc. (use your imagination)

Let us know what you think!

Tags: baby fat diet, healthy eating, healthy recipes, recipes, sweet potatoes, weight loss