Good fats for better fertility

Once upon a time, and not that long ago, fat was a four-letter word. Diet and nutrition gurus told us (and some still tell us) to cut back on fat whenever and wherever possible. Millions of Americans have dutifully followed that advice. Guided by the low-fat mantra, we tossed out salad dressings and mayonnaise made with olive oil or canola oil in favor of fat-free versions made with extra sugar. We replaced other fats in the diet with carbohydrates, usually the rapidly digested ones in white flour, potatoes, white rice, and sugar. This purge didn’t make us any healthier. It had no effect on heart disease, its intended target. And it may have contributed to the epidemic of obesity sweeping the country.

The big problem with the low-fat approach is that not all fats are bad. Let me say that again, because it runs against what we’ve been hearing for years: Not. All. Fats. Are. Bad. In fact, some fats are downright good for you. This good fat–bad fat dichotomy applies to fertility, too. Some types of fat can help you get pregnant, others get in the way:

• Artery-clogging trans fats contribute to infertility.
• Saturated fat has little effect on fertility, but isn’t so hot for your heart.
• Unsaturated fats are good for fertility, and they’re important for pregnancy, a baby’s healthy development, and long-term heart health.

Out with the bad

Trans fat, the “stealth” fat found in many foods, harms the body in a variety of ways. It boosts the amount of artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol) in circulation, depresses the amount of protective high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or good cholesterol), promotes low-grade inflammation, and increases the tendency of blood to form clots inside blood vessels. Trans fats are so bad for the heart that eliminating them from the food supply could prevent tens of thousands� of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events each year in the United States alone. Trans fats are just as harmful to reproduction. In the Nurses’ Health Study, the participants who ate the most trans fats were the most likely to have developed ovulatory infertility. An effect was seen at the fairly low level of about four grams a day, an amount you can easily exceed with a small order of fast-food fries.

The Institute of Medicine says there’s no safe level of trans fats, and recommends getting less than two grams a day. Foods that contain trans fats include solid margarines, vegetable shortening, some commercial baked goods, and some fast foods. Until 2006, it was tough to tell if a food contained trans fat because it wasn’t listed on food labels along with saturated fat and cholesterol. Today, food labels must carry information about trans fats (see figure). This change has food makers scrambling to find trans-free fats for their products.

A loophole in the law lets food companies say “no trans fat” on the package and list zero trans fat on the label as long as the food contains less than 0.5 grams of per serving. So if you’re serious about clearing trans fats from your diet, you need to squint at food labels’ fine print, where the ingredients are listed. If “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “vegetable shortening” appears in the list, the food contains some trans fat.

Detecting trans fats in a restaurants isn’t as easy, since they don’t have to provide nutrition information about the food they serve. You’re in luck if you live in New York City or Boston, which have banned restaurants from using oils containing trans fats. California is set to phase out trans fats by 2011. Other cities and states are certain to follow suit. One good strategy is avoiding deep-fried foods when eating out, since many restaurants still use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in their fryers. A KFC Chicken Pot Pie, for example, has 14 grams of trans fat. A Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit with a large order of hash browns at Burger King gives you 18 grams, nearly 10 times the daily healthy limit. Other examples are here.

Moderation in the middle

Saturated fats aren’t across-the-board bad for you like trans fats are. A healthy diet can include some saturated fat. Just don’t overdo it.

In the Nurses’ Health Study, women whose diets included a lot of saturated fat were no more likely to have had ovulatory infertility as women whose diets were low in saturated fat. That isn’t a green light to chow down on foods rich in saturated fat. It strongly influences cholesterol levels, and thus heart health. To stay strong for the baby you hope to be carrying—and the grandchildren you may someday have—go easy on saturated fats. For someone who takes in 2,000 calories a day, that means keeping saturated fat intake under 17 grams. That’s the amount in a fast-food cheeseburger, a three-ounce sirloin steak, or a half slice of a Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Mousse cheesecake.

In with the good

Two fat families—the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—are essential for good health. They’re to be embraced, not avoided. That’s doubly true for the group of unsaturated fats known as omega-3 fats. They are especially important for fertility, pregnancy, a baby’s healthy development, and long-term heart health.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats benefit the body in many ways. They lower levels of harmful LDL and increase protective HDL. Monounsaturated fats improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin and ease inflammation. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are an important part of cell membranes, and so help regulate what goes in and out of cells. They provide the body with the raw material for hormones that regulate blood clotting, the contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. Babies need omega-3 fats to make connections between nerves, both in the womb and after birth. Later in life, omega-3 fats help the heart beat steadily and not lapse into erratic and potentially deadly rhythms.

Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts such as cashews and almonds, and seeds such as sesame and pumpkin seeds. Good sources of polyunsaturated fats include vegetable oils, especially corn, soybean, and safflower oils; soybeans and other beans; and walnuts. Make it a point to get some omega-3 fats every day. Good sources of these include fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, herring, and anchovies. (In a separate column I’ll try to clear up the confusion about eating fish.) Plants that are good sources of omega-3s include chia seeds (sold as Salvia), flax seeds and flaxseed oil, walnuts and walnut oil.

More detailed information on the health effects of fats in food are available from the Harvard School of Public Health’s NutritionSource.

Next up: Slow carbs for fertility, not no carbs�

Fun foods are everywhere. Most of us live in a culture where processed, white flour, high sugar and/or deep fried foods are commonly eaten and easily purchased. The availability of these foods combined with food advertisements on all types of media are over whelming. These types of foods are so common that avoiding them becomes a challenge.

I encourage you to focus your efforts on providing whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible. This includes:

• All fresh fruits and vegetables
• Low fat meats
• Nuts, seeds,
• Beans and tofu
• Eggs

Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and whole grain breads and bread products.
Low fat dairy products such as mozzarella cheese, low fat cottage cheese and 2% milk can be added without over doing it.

If you can offer these foods to your child more than half of the time, nutrition will happen even when fun foods are part of your child’s regular diet. We are all born with an innate drive for survival. This survival instinct will attract us to the right nutrients for our bodies if we know how to follow these instincts.

In studies, children were offered a variety of healthy and fun foods for a week. They were allowed to choose what they wanted to eat and eat as much as they wanted. The study found that these children consumed the correct amount of calories and the right balance of nutrients. Yes, there were times when they chose fun food exclusively, but over time their bodies directed them to the foods that their bodies needed.

So we need to help children maintain an intact instinct to survive. It sounds harder than it is. Here are 5 tips to let nutrition happen.

• Offer a variety of healthy foods
• Children’s eating like, dislikes, and amount consumed are erratic. If they don’t eat much on one day or one meal they will make up for it later.
• Help children focus on how their body feels during a meal by not distracting the eating process with television, reading or intrusive music or radio programs.
• Always offer a healthy food with a fun food (that is served in a limited portion) so a child can eat until they decide they are full.
• Respect a child’s decision to eat or not.

Parents today recognize the importance of feeding their children healthy nutritious foods. The problem is that the cafeteria has become just another franchise; foods aren’t healthy and well-balanced. Vending machines offer chips, cookies, sodas and a myriad of other junk foods that children shouldn’t be eating. This creates a challenge to parents that many have decided to ignore.

Assuming that it’s a lost cause, some parents have rationalized that the rest of their meals are healthy and nutritious so why worry about what their children are eating for lunch. This is a dangerous misconception considering what is being served in the majority of school cafeterias.

What’s being served?
Although programs have begun to appear over the past few years addressing the problem, the fact is that not much has changed. The majority of entrees served on school campuses include pizza, Sloppy Joes, cheeseburgers, spaghetti, hot dogs and corn dogs.

It’s rare that you will see anything made with fish and chicken; unless it’s fish sticks and chicken nuggets, which contain processed meat that is breaded and deep fried. This is not nutritious.

The Traditional Sandwich
Commonly found in the packed lunch is a sandwich; the problem is that bad choices can be made here as well. White bread bought at the store contains bleached flour. And don’t be fooled by the word “enriched”, as adding back a portion of the vitamins removed during the bleaching process doesn’t undo the damage.

Additional poor sandwich choices include peanut butter which has hydrogenated oil; and as much as parents want to believe differently, jelly is not a source of fruit but is high in processed sugar. Pre-packaged, processed meats and cheeses should also be avoided as they are high in chemicals and salt.

Better sandwich choices include whole wheat bread with a lot of grains, and almond butter instead of peanut butter. Also, be creative. Try to put vegetables into a sandwich as much as possible.

Another great sandwich option is a healthy wrap. This can be done by purchasing whole grain tortillas and wrapping up healthier protein and vegetable sources.

For instance, baked turkey or chicken with lettuce, cucumbers, sprouts, red peppers – maybe even some beans sprinkled inside make a tasty protein.

Perfect Packing
Part of putting together a healthy packed lunch is having the right storage containers. Be sure to use an insulated lunch box that will hold up to four small food containers and a thermos.

When purchasing the containers you should buy at least two sets; this will help you to avoid having to wash them each night. As for the thermos, be sure that it is the wide mouth variety; this will be necessary if you wish to use it for beans or soup.

The Beverage
When it comes to healthy lunches, milk, juice and soda should be avoided at all cost. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that juice consumption is contributing to cavities and gastrointestinal issues for children.

The best choice is a small bottle of water: open the bottle, remove an extra tablespoon or two of the water to avoid expansion problems when freezing, then put it in the freezer with the lid off. In the morning replace the lid then put it in the lunchbox. This will not only be a healthy beverage at lunch, but will succeed in keeping the other items in the lunch box nice and cold.

The Entrée
Great sources of protein that can be put in a small lunch container are cubes of baked chicken, turkey or ham. This does not include processed meat that you buy at your grocery store; but should be prepared at home and cut into bite sized pieces. Remember that you can freeze these in small portions and use them randomly over several weeks.

A hard boiled egg is also a great source of protein. And don’t forget that wide mouthed thermos you purchased; beans are an excellent source of protein and can be served in a thermos with organic tortilla chips for dipping. You may also consider providing your child with some of last night’s stew heated up.

The Side Dishes
Most children don’t consider a meal as lunch unless there are chips and cookies though these must be avoided at all cost. The side dishes for your children should be tasty green vegetables; remember that greener is better.

Fruit is also a great side dish, but while it is healthy, it is also a source of sugar and not as rich in vitamins and minerals as vegetables. Serve fruit just once for every five servings of vegetables. Remember that it should be fresh, organically grown fruit; fruit roll-ups are not fruit.

Also consider inviting your child to help you prepare vegetable soup or vegetarian chili. These can be put in a thermos and taken to school over the span of a week.

Consider putting together a grain salad. This can include couscous or steamed long grain brown rice with chopped cucumbers, red peppers, baby carrots, or any other similar vegetable. You may also choose to marinate the chopped vegetables in a salad dressing for a few days prior to preparing the salad. Drain the vegetables and then mix them in. This will add moisture to the salad without having to add excess dressing.

Going Organic
Organically grown foods are slightly more expensive but worth it. The price of providing foods that are free of pesticides, growth hormones, hydrogenated oils and artificial additives and preservatives is high.

It’s important to note that organic foods are also more filling. By providing your child with smaller portions of healthier foods you’ll be spending the same amount of money without providing them with the cheaper foods. These cheaper foods are not just less expensive, but they lack nutrition. You’re paying less but you’re getting less in return.

Create a Menu
No one knows better than your own child what they’re going to eat, so let them help you prepare their lunches. Remember that if they like what their eating they will bring home an empty lunchbox.

The best way to accomplish this is to insure that their options are only healthy choices but with variety. This can be made easy by creating a mix-and-match menu. Using a white board, poster board or similar display, draw out five columns and label them for each day of the week.

Then using color-coded post-it notes, index cards or by printing on colored paper, create a square for each lunch option. For example, their protein options would be on blue, vegetables would be on green and fruits would be on yellow.

Every Sunday, let your child help you prepare their menu by picking the appropriate cards and placing them in the column for each day. You and your child can then begin prepackaging those options that can be frozen or stored for a few days.

In Summary
It’s important that your children like their lunches but it’s more important that their bodies get the vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need to develop and grow properly.

Here are some great recipes that offer a new twist to your child’s vegetarian diet!

White Bean Burritos
White beans have a great mild flavor that most children find appealing.

Ingredients for each burrito:

4 Tablespoons canned, white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons cheddar or jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon mashed avocado
1 small flour tortilla

Directions:
Place beans and lemon juice in a bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in cheese and cilantro. Heat the mixture in microwave for 30 seconds, until cheese is melted. Spoon the bean mixture and mashed avocado on the flour tortilla crosswise, fold the tortilla in on 2 opposite sides, and roll it up lengthwise. Let it cool before serving.

Tip: If the flour tortilla seems a bit stiff, you can soften the tortilla by placing it between 2 damp paper towels and microwave 20 seconds.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Simply steamed, it is a perfect finger food. While broccoli is terrific in it’s native “tree” form, it is also yummy chopped, julienned and pureed. Our broccoli and rice casserole is an example of what can be done with pureed broccoli. If you don’t feel like making the rice called for in the recipe, stop by a Chinese restaurant and buy a quart to go (by the way, brown rice is better for you than white rice).

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped broccoli
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cups of cooked brown or white rice
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:
Pre heat oven to 350 F. Steam broccoli until tender (about 3-4 minutes in microwave/stovetop). Place broccoli, soup stock, oil and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and process to a smooth puree. Place rice and cheese in an ovenproof dish. Pour broccoli mixture over the rice and cheese. Toss mixture gently to blend ingredients. Place in oven for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. (Instead of using the oven, you can heat this dish in the microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and cook 3 more minutes)

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3-5 days, or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Creamy Cukes for Kids

Our Grandmother made this delicious creamy cucumber salad, and it was a staple on her dinner table all summer long. This salad is a great childhood memory of times spent with grandma, and we are delighted to share it with you. We hope your children love it.

Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Cut cucumbers in half longwise. With a small spoon, scrape out seeds and slice cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick slices. In medium size bowl, add sour cream, vinegar, sugar and fresh dill and mix together with a spoon until smooth. Add the cucumbers and toss gently to coat the cucumbers with dressing. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes 4-5 servings.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup of mango, watermelon or cantaloupe chunks to this recipe.

Pineapple Kabobs
Ingredients:
Makes 4 mini-kabobs
• 4 Fresh Pineapple Chunks (1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 ounces Colby Jack Marble cheese cubes (½ inch pieces)
• 2 ounces teriyaki-flavored baked tofu (1/4 inch slice, cut into 1-inch squares
• Toothpicks
Directions:
Using toothpicks, assemble the mini-kabobs on a toothpick in the following manner: 1 ham square, 1 pineapple chunk, 1 ham square, and a cheese cube.

Kiwi Wraps or rolls
These wraps can be served as a traditional wrap sandwich or slice it into pieces (like a sushi roll) for bite-sized treats.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut butter or sunflower butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1/2 kiwi
Tortilla — whole wheat or plain (squared)

Instructions:
Remove the skin from the kiwi and slice it into thin rounds. Spread peanut butter over half the wrap and cream cheese on the other half of the wrap. Arrange the kiwi slices evenly over the cream cheese. Beginning on the cream cheese end, gently roll up the tortilla forming a log shape. The peanut butter will act as the glue to keep it together. Serve.

Frosted Zucchini

The fun name of this recipe may be just enough to get your kids to try this delicious veggie dish. This is also a great recipe to get the kids involved in preparing. Older children can frost the zucchini and younger ones can dip them into the bread crumbs.

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini (about 8-9 inches long)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
Cut zucchini into 3/4-inch rounds. Steam in microwave until barely tender, about 2-4 minutes (test with fork). Drain and let cool. Mix together remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs. Frost one side of the zucchini slice with the mayonnaise mixture. Dip the frosted side of the zucchini in bread crumbs and place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Broil them in the oven until lightly browned. (4- 6 servings).

Fruity Smooth and Creamy Popsicles

These simple popsicles are the perfect refreshing solution! For variety, change the flavor of the pops by adding different fruits. You can purchase a Popsicle mold at a grocery store or online. If you don’t want to invest in a Popsicle mold, small plastic or paper cups or empty yogurt containers work wonderfully for making popsicles. Add a wooden craft stick for the Popsicle stick.

Ingredients:

1 10.5-ounce package silken tofu
1 medium banana
2 cups unsweetened orange-pineapple or apple juice
1 cup of diced fruit: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi, watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, pears, plums, mango or papaya

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a Popsicle mold and freeze. Makes about 12 Popsicles.

TIP: If you find the mixture to be a tad on the tart side, don’t reach for the sugar, add a little sweetness with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup, honey or fruit spreads.

Fiber is very healthy and went somewhat missing in the modern first world diet with the onset of mass food production, processing and the fast food rage.

Food companies and the media have since picked up on a large body of scientific research indicating fiber protects us against chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, certain cancers and gastrointestinal disorders.

So what do you need to know about fiber to raise a healthy family? Here’s the Fiber 411.

Natural sources of fiber are the BEST! These are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals. Fiber is not in meat, even though it may be stringy, is not in dairy, and there is very little in juice, although food companies are now adding isolated fibers to juice and dairy products.

Most natural sources of fiber contain both digestible (soluble) and indigestible (insoluble) fibers. Both types are very important to human health. The digestible kind helps to lower cholesterol, feeds our friendly gut bacteria, and may help to alleviate diarrhea. The indigestible kind helps to lower risk of constipation and diverticular disease.

Both types of fiber help even out blood sugar levels, lower risk for obesity, and some research shows may help prevent certain cancers. Keep in mind ice cream bars, cookies, and crackers with commercially added fiber are unproven and not likely to offer the same benefits!

The American Academy or Pediatrics suggests adding five to your toddler’s age for daily grams of fiber guideline. If you have a two year old, you should aim for about seven grams a day. Because fiber is filling and low in energy, too much may prevent your toddler from getting enough protein and calories. Vegan diets tend to be high in fiber and low in calories, so if you are raising a vegan toddler, offer nutrient dense snacks such as cheese and yogurt alternatives, dried fruits, or crackers to bump up his energy intake.

Overall, there is no need to worry about getting enough fiber into your toddler’s diet. One banana, a half cup of oatmeal or split pea soup and a piece of whole wheat toast will provide enough daily fiber for a two or three year old. Pick foods that are natural sources of fiber over the food brands that have added it to ice creams, juices, etc. Natural sources are nutritional powerhouses packed with not only fiber but vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

More than four million acres of American farmland have already been dedicated to organic farming, helping our health and our future. That’s four million acres farmed without the use of toxic pesticides or other toxic chemicals; four million acres nurtured with both ancient and modern techniques that are in balance with nature, helping to reduce the production of greenhouse gasses and reduce the threat of global warming.

Growing our foods organically has proven to be one of the hottest, fastest-growing movements of the twenty-first century. When Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990, there were fewer than one million acres of organic farmland. In just twelve years, by 2002, that figure had doubled. Then the pace of progress picked up. Within just three more years, the amount of organic farmland doubled again. In 2005, we saw, for the first time, certified organic farmland in all fifty states. There has been exceptional progress, but we need to do more.

If organic cropland continues to double—and it can!—we can expect to see a revitalization and renewal of our streams and our soil as we build a smart, sustainable future. I can remember drinking stream water in our national parks when I was a child. I can remember catching and eating fish from our local streams. Today, all of the streams surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey and more than 90 percent of fish tested in farming regions are polluted with pesticides.

By eating strategically we can reclaim our streams, our food, and our future. Here’s my take on the top five organic food choices a pregnant woman can make for the sake of her baby and the health of the planet:

Beef. If you eat beef during pregnancy, I strongly suggest choosing organic beef. The meat from grass-fed, organically raised cattle tends to be leaner overall and has about five times the omega-3s of its conventional counterpart. In contrast, a 2007 study published in the Oxford journal Human Reproduction linked mothers who ate beef from conventionally raised cattle during pregnancy with lower sperm counts years later in their adult sons. The men in the study whose mothers ate conventional beef most frequently had sperm counts that averaged 24 percent lower than their counterparts, and they were three times more likely to be infertile. The authors of the study believe the added hormones were the culprit.

Milk. If you drink milk, opt for organic. Milk from organic, pasturefed cows is produced without antibiotics, artificial hormones, and pesticides, and can also provide extra omega-3s and beta-carotene. I find that when women start making organic choices for themselves and for their families, they often intuitively start at the top of the food chain with organic milk. They understand that the foods they eat and the medicines they take will often get into their breast milk, so they easily make the connection that the medicines and foods given to dairy cows may affect their family’s health. They prefer avoiding the routine use of antibiotics, artificial hormones, pesticides, and genetically modified feed. And I agree. Recent USDA monitoring data found that 27 percent of the conventional milk samples contained synthetic pyrethroid pesticides. By contrast, lower levels of the pesticide showed up in just 5 percent of the organic samples.

Potatoes. When making the switch to organic vegetables, be sure to put potatoes on your shopping list. As the number one consumed vegetable in the United States, conventionally farmed white potatoes also have one of the highest levels of pesticide contamination. So by switching to organic, you can make a big difference in two important ways: by lowering your own exposure to chemical pesticides and by using your consumer clout to create a bigger market for the organic version of this popular veggie. And be sure to eat the peels! That way you will get all the available nutrients, including high levels of potassium and Vitamin C.

Apples. Among fruits, I would start with apples. Based on head-to-head, controlled studies, organic apples tend to have higher nutrient levels and taste better than the conventional variety. And sadly, conventionally grown apples are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits tested by the USDA. They are a major source of exposure to organophosphate pesticide, a chemical linked to decreased intelligence and increased attention problems in kids and hormone problems in adults.

Soy. Products made from organic whole soy beans can be a wonderfully nutritious food. Unfortunately only a tiny fraction of the nation’s soy crop is currently organic. And to make matters worse, 87 percent of the conventionally grown soy I the United States is genetically modified-and most of the domestic crop. What’s more, in recent years, soy has been the domestic crop most contaminated with organophosphate pesticides. Yes it’s hard to avoid soy- it’s found in virtually any processed food you eat these days, from soup to nuts. The only way out of this situation is to make sure that the processed foods you purchase are organic. That way you’ll know that any soy you’re eating wasn’t genetically altered, and wasn’t grown with pesticides. So be sure to check the label before you buy.

This week I’m bringing you three mom-inspired ways to feed your kids better and faster. Summer can be an especially trying time for parents. There is always a meal or snack to prepare. It doesn’t matter how newly remodeled your kitchen is, it’s no place to spend June through August.

We all know the Internet is packed full of more information than most people have time to wade through. That’s why I scoured the momosphere to find easy ways to feed your den. Mom entrepreneurs helping moms…I love it.

Making Summer Taste Better: Three Simple Ways
1. Weelicious. Model-turned-chef-turned-mom Catherine McCord blogs the most unique and simple recipes for babies through toddlers. If you have wee ones circling your feet, try some of her baby-tested concoctions. What makes this food blog different is that her recipes are actually fun to make! Common ingredients, little prep time…Catherine knows how to please the part-time cook. Try her natural rendition of fish sticks. No microwave needed!

Blue Corn Chip Crusted Fish Sticks Try it

You’ll also love watching her Food Network quality Weelicous productions. Double props for the fact that she cooks with her son Kenya right there next to her in true mom fashion.� Warning: do not visit the website while hungry.
www.weelicious.com

2. Tastybaby. It seems as if a frozen baby food company puts out a shingle every other week. What makes this mom-owned company different is 1) they’re certified organic, 2) their website hosts a network of blogs and articles by parents and bloggers, and 3) it’s not just for babies.

With flavors like Bangoes™ (banana mango) and Corn in the USA, it’s hard not to be curious.� With an entire recipes section of the website where the pureed fruit and veggies can be used to make everything from scrumptious corn muffins to Life’s A Peach Bellini’s� (peach puree and champagne),� it’s impossible not to fall in love. There isn’t a parent out there who isn’t actively trying to increase the fiber and nutrient count in their child’s daily goldfish cracker routine. Tastybaby makes it easy.

Corn in the USA Muffins� More Recipes

Tastybaby is also on Amazon with free shipping included.

www.tastybaby.com�

3. OnTrack Fruit Energy Bars. I recently blogged on One Crazy Mother about a trip I took with my husband and two year-old to Canada. Kids have been making the news lately by being bumped off of planes for so-called “unruly” behavior. During the weeks leading up to the trip I found myself getting more and more nervous about how I’d keep my toddler entertained. It was her 4th or 5th plane trip but she’s a definitely wild card. Would the sticker book work? I had no idea.

In a moment of weakness I grabbed some Fruit-Roll-Up snacks and ended up giving one to her during the five hour ordeal. The only thing worse than the burst of high-fructose fueled energy that followed was the length of time it took me to scrub the sticky goo off of her molars. The new alternative to sugary fruit snacks? OnTrack Fruit Energy Bars by Bouquet of Fruits. They’re not in Targets (don’t faint), but they’re worth visiting the website and buying online for. Why? Because when the kids need a snack and they’ve had enough crackers to crash 500 Atkins diets, the fruit and nut combo will save your sanity. I loved having them as a pre-dinner 4pm alternative to a spoonful of frosting or other diet disaster. They’re natural, delicious and priced well below trendy sports bars.

Contest Alert! If you’d like to receive the OnTrack Prize Pack that I was given with all of the flavors, send an email to me at bunmizalob@gmail.com with your name, phone number and why you need a little more energy. More details here

www.ontracksnacks.com

Happy Eating and Stay Cool!

Introducing your baby to real food takes time. Fortunately, there is no need to rush, In fact, going slowly gives your baby a chance to develop a taste for different types of food, and in the long run enables her to make healthier food choices.

There is an enormous selection of fresh, natural food that your little one can eat, but there are also several foods that are not good for babies. Here is a list of many of the foods that you should avoid:

Foods with sugar, salt and caffeine as a main ingredient – Avoid introduction as long as possible: As a general rule, foods containing high amount of these ingredients, usually do not contain much nutritional value and are not very healthy.

High nitrate foods – Introduce over 8 months: Vegetables: beets, carrots, green beans, spinach, and collard greens, Meats: hot dogs, cured ham, bologna, sausages, salami, and many other deli meats. Foods containing high levels of nitrates can deplete iron stores and can cause anemia.

Honey – Introduce over 12 months. Honey contains bacteria that can cause botulism.

Un-pasteurized, juices, food items, and raw fish – Introduce over 12 months. Juices, such as apple cider, other food items such as raw goat’s milk, blue cheese, brie cheese, and raw fish, such as sushi can contain disease causing bacteria.

High allergens – Introduce at least over 12 months, possibly later: Food that most often cause allergic reactions include berries, chocolate, citrus fruits, cow’s milk, egg whites, fish and shellfish, nuts, peanuts, and tomatoes. Processed foods containing food additives, coloring agents and preservatives are also known to cause food allergies in your children. If you have a family history of any food allergies, discuss them specifically with your baby’s healthcare provider and seek their advice on food introductions.

Choking hazards– Introduce over 2-3 years old: Nuts (other than finely ground), peanut butter, caramel, candy, gum, whole grapes, raw hard fruits and veggies, chunks of meat, pieces of bacon, hot dogs, sunflower seeds, popcorn, raisins, potato chips and hard candy. As a precaution, learn the American Red Cross choking for infants emergency procedures.

Hot foods – Introduce over 3-4 years old: Baby and toddler foods should be served cold, at room temperature or slightly warm. If you use the microwave to warm your baby’s foods, make the sure the food has been thoroughly stirred (if possible) or allowed to stand and cool down to remove any hot spots. Always check the temperature of food and drinks before serving them.

If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint making organic baby food is a great way to go. Consider the green facts:

Organic- Organic fruits and vegetables are the best choice for making baby food. They are the most natural ingredients and organic foods drastically reduce harm to the environment.

Less waste – When you make your own baby food, there are no jars, labels or metal lids to dispose or to recycle.

No factory required – Just a little energy to steam foods and run a blender is all you need to make your baby’s meals! Did someone say near “zero” greenhouse gases?

Local – Your baby’s food does not need to trucked to you from a factory thousands of miles away. Instead you can simply buy organic produce from your local farm market and get started.

Healthy – Homemade baby food is safe and nutritious. Baby food jars are often lined with bisphenol-A, a controversial hormone disruptor that should be avoided. In addition, homemade baby food has no preservatives, additives or chemicals – it is pure and natural goodness.

Homemade baby food and healthy meals in less than 30 minutes per week:

To prepare: Wash, peel and cut fresh fruits or vegetables, then stove-top steam or microwave in less than 10 minutes. Create a very smooth texture with a blender of food processor. Add a little water if needed to reach pudding-like texture. Pour into baby food storage trays, cover and freeze overnight. Pop cubes out and store in freezer in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Frozen baby food cubes last up to 2 months.

To serve: Select frozen baby food cubes from the freezer place in a dish and thaw or warm. Stir food before serving and check the temperature. If you want to thicken something, use baby cereal, yogurt or mashed banana. For thinning, use breast milk/formula, 100% juice or low-sodium soup stock.

Making healthy Meals: You can mix different baby food cubes together to create tasty, healthy meals. You can also add yogurt, melted cheese, ground nuts, mashed pasta/rice to introduce new flavors and textures. Here are a few ideas:
• Green peas and sweet potatoes
• Butternut squash and mashed banana
• Broccoli, cauliflower and melted cheese
• Peaches, pears and oatmeal baby cereal
• Black beans, corn and rice
• Strawberries, apples, yogurt and ground pecans

The bottom line: Making baby food is a great gift to give the environment and your baby. Plus homemade baby food tastes great. Who knows? Your baby may even grow up to like the taste of Brussels sprouts and mangoes!

Apple Puree

6 medium golden delicious apples

Step 1: Prep – Wash, peel, core and cut apples into one-inch (3 cm) slices.

Step 2: Cook – Place apples in a microwave safe dish. Cover. Cook 5 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Cook an additional 5 minutes. The apples are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.

Step 3: Puree – Place apples and cooking juices into a blender or a food processor. Puree to a smooth texture.

Step 4: Freeze – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer eight to 10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.

Makes 24 1-ounce servings. Stays fresh for two months in the freezer.

To serve, select frozen apple cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

Age to introduce: About 6 months.

Many believe that the gemstone garnet got its name from the pomegranate. The tiny arils of this fruit resemble the garnet’s deep-red color and shape. This recipe mixes the deep-red arils into cottage cheese creating the look of garnets buried in a blanket of snow. Try this simple dish for breakfast. The jewel and snow filling can also be spread onto graham crackers or celery sticks for a crunchy after school snack or meal time side dish.

Ingredients:

½ cup small curd cottage cheese
2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp pomegranate arils
2 tsp ground pecans (optional)
2 slices whole grain toast

Directions: Combine the cottage cheese, honey and pomegranate arils in a small bowl. Spread the mixture over the toast. Slice the toast into 4 triangles and sprinkle with ground pecans. Serve with apple or peach slices.

Note: Pomegranate arils are a choking hazard for children under 3 years old, so this recipe is best suited to children over this age.

Makes 2 servings.

Since 1998, the USDA has mandated enriched grain products be fortified with 140ug of folic acid/100g of the food. Why? Because FOLATE or FOLIC ACID is involved in cell division, DNA (genetic expression) and amino acid synthesis. Available folate is critical in the first trimester and even prior to conception to prevent neural tube defects which are birth defects where the brain, spinal cord and their protective membranes do not develop properly, resulting in disability or even death. Folate also supports a healthy placental lining and helps to lower risk for preeclampsia and high blood pressure.

Women who could become pregnant need 400ug/day. The recommended amount for pregnant women is 600ug/day and for breastfeeding women, 500ug/day. Toddlers need 150ug/day. Your prenatal supplement and children’s multivitamins contain folic acid. Dietary sources of folate are dark green leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, asparagus), fruits like pineapple and banana, fortified breads and cereals, beans and lentils, avocado, nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds).

The importance of folate to prevent neural tube defects in newborns is not in question. Folate also lowers homocysteine, an amino acid that damages blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Scientists are alarmed, however, by research that shows high levels of folic acid increase the risk for cardiac events and certain cancers such as breast and colon. Folic acid may actually increase rates of precancerous and cancerous cell division.

Other folate research into cognitive health indicated that folic acid without adequate vitamin B12 did not slow cognitive decline, but actually increased it. High folate masks B12 deficiency symptoms. A maternal nutrition study in India showed pregant women with a diet low in B12 but high in folate had children who at 6yrs old had increased body fat and insulin resistance.

So should you or your children stop taking folic acid? No, but don’t go overboard on supplements and foods fortified with 100% of the daily value. Do not choose a prenatal with more than 400-600ug/serving of folic acid or a children’s multivitamin with more than 150ug. Make sure it also contains vitamin B12 (especially if you are vegetarian).

People absorb more folic acid from supplements and fortified foods than folate from natural food sources. If you take supplement with 400ug and eat a bowl of fortified cereal, you are easily attaining your recommended daily intake levels. Eat plenty of high folate foods. They contain a plethora of healthy vitamins and minerals, and fiber and do not pose a risk to you or your family’s health.

Question: I love soup on a chilly day, but I’d like to try something new that I can make for myself that’s also impressive enough to prepare for guests. Any ideas?

Answer: Soup is indeed a supreme comfort food and is a very versatile food. It can be served as a first course or entrée. Following is a soup recipe that should please your palate and those of your friends.

Gazpacho is a traditional chilled Spanish soup but can be heated in the winter and served chilled during warmer weather. In addition to tasting delicious, it’s a good way to hydrate the body with fluid and nutrients. Using beautiful ripe tomatoes (organically-grown are the best) will give your soup luscious color and flavor.

The cilantro in this recipe is also called Chinese parsley and coriander. It has an aroma that gives away its relation to fennel and anise. It’s a good source of vitamin A, with more than 270 IUs per quarter cup. It also offers fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, zinc, and vitamins C, E, K, and B. This herb is used as a digestive aid, especially for gas and colic, and it has strong antioxidant power. Chew on some to remove “garlic breath.”

Gracie’s Gazpacho

8 Roma tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 green pepper
4 stalks of celery, with leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients except salt and pepper into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm or chilled with a little cilantro garnish. This soup is great the next day too…if you have any leftovers, that is! Makes about 5 cups.

I know.

Feel free to roll your eyes.

You never need to like what I say—-you just have to try it.

at least once.

Here’s a recipe for faux-cakes that MizFit eats everysingleday.

Not always for breakfast (MizFit is all about any meal working at *any time* of the day) but always daily.

In summation: I love em.

Sure they’re good for you.

SURE they’re a fantiztastic way to start/middle/end your day.

But despite all that they really are good.

MizFit’s Mishmashed Almost ‘Cakes

1 cup egg substitute.

1/4 cup cottage cheese

1/4 Fiber One (original)

1/4 cup dry oatmeal

1/3 cup protein powder. ANY BRAND. Read the label. You can use FLAVORED but just remember we want LOW SUGAR.

1/4 cup Sugar free syrup

Blend the above Chickenbus in a blender and VOILA.

Now, if youre me, you shall find that each time you make these the batter turns out a different consistency (what’s THAT about?).

Sometimes it’s a bit too thin and Ill add flax seeds to thicken (flax? an upcoming entry in & of itself) or too thick and I’ll dump in more egg substitute (pure protein, People!) or syrup (pure heaven, People!).

Play around with it.

You might prefer to add some honey or frozen/fresh fruit to sweeten and you COULD lessen the fiber & use 1/2 cup dry oats and skip the Fiber One.

After the concoction is complete you simply make pancakes as you would with any other (odd high protein) batter.

Me? I like to use a waffle iron every now & again for some texturizing variety.

Go forth and find your blenders—–I’ll wait.

Give em a try and let me know how they turn out.

This month we’re still working on last month’s question about how to help children who are picky eaters.

For picky eaters, food ignites strong feelings.

When you have a picky eater, the problem isn’t so much with food, it’s with your child’s feelings about food. Children whose palate is broad generally have the feeling that food is interesting. They experience enjoyment and ease when they eat. At one year old, one of my grandsons would toddle downstairs to breakfast saying “Mmmmmmm!” as he thought about breakfast. Anything would do—avocados, fruit, eggs, spaghetti from the night before would be just fine with him.

A picky eater doesn’t have that ease. When a food tastes creamy, when two foods touch each other on his plate, or when he sees the color green at mealtime, his feelings flare. And there’s often a matching set of strong feelings, feelings of comfort, attached to the select foods he can tolerate. In other words, rather than being an interesting everyday experience, food is emotionally charged, with positive and negative poles that are set off by colors, textures, smells, and how it sits on the plate.

Conventional parent tactics don’t ease the child’s feelings about food.

Parents try insisting that certain foods are eaten, and they try slipping healthy foods unnoticed into the child’s meal. Some parents hide peas inside individual macaroni noodles, trying to make a nutritious meal! They try pestering, and they try waiting until a child is busy, hoping the child won’t notice what is being slipped into his mouth. All these tactics may bring short-term successes, but none of them ease a child’s attitude about food. And over time, they perpetuate tension both for the child and for the parent. It is important for parents to pay attention to nutrition, so some of the above strategies may be necessary at times. But helping the child relax his vigilance around food gets to the emotional center of the matter.

I want to introduce a strategy that is respectful of a child’s emotional experience, and that helps build a stronger parent-child bond in the process. To take this tack, parents need to think about their child’s experience as a whole, and look for the possible roots to the feelings he has pinned so strongly onto food.

Feelings about food may have very early roots.

When a child has strong negative feelings about an everyday occurrence like eating, it can be that those feelings spring from an early, highly charged experience that he hasn’t yet recovered from. For instance, I have found that babies who scream in full protest when a shirt is pulled over their heads are often babies whose births were long and difficult. Children who spent time in intensive care may, after a few months of getting used to life at home, launch screaming protests when they are laid on their backs for a diaper change. These simple everyday occurrences carry a faint similarity to some part of the child’s frightening early experience, and he has a wildly emotional response. His feelings don’t match the innocuous nature of getting dressed or having a diaper change. They are, however, entirely appropriate for the earlier time and situation that’s been triggered in the child’s emotional memory.

Help your child release his stored upsets by listening.

So when a parent works hard to shush the nighttime crying of a baby, or offers a pacifier for a baby who begins a hearty cry every afternoon at five, the parent may be making life more peaceful that day. But the child’s feelings don’t go away when the crying is stopped. (See our Crying booklet for more details.) The sadness, fear or frustration stays parked inside the child. Feelings build. And the child’s emotional system includes delicate triggers that tip those feelings into awareness again. The feelings embedded in a child’s early experience can and do migrate from his baby efforts to cry. When he reaches his toddler stage, he doesn’t just open up and cry, he finds things he is fussy about. He hates shoes, or he needs a blankie, or his fussiness attaches to food! He needs to cry about his earliest frightening experiences, but was trained not to. So now, little things set him on edge. Peas. Carrots. Anything crunchy. Anything with vitamins in it.

Food isn’t usually the only trigger for a picky eater. Very often, children who reject many foods, or reject sitting at the table for more than two minutes are children who have easily triggered feelings about lots of other things too. They don’t like to get dressed, or hate to have their hair washed, or can’t sleep unless they are held, or they wake five times every night. Perhaps they don’t like the unexpected movement of physical play, or, on the other side of the spectrum, they play hard, don’t want to be cuddled much, and hate to slow down.

Any trigger will do to help heal the early hurts that make food difficult.

These kinds of triggers offer opportunities for a parent to initiate a child’s emotional healing from an early, bothersome set of feelings. Listening and allowing a child to have a full and passionate cry in your lap will help your child relax over time. There are particular ways of interacting with children or setting limits that will allow you to help your child with feelings. Say, for instance, that you decide to help him with his feelings about hating to get dressed. All the child needs is someone to tell him, “I know you don’t want to put on your shirt. But it’s time. Here it is. I’ll be with you until you can put it on.” Listen with care—his upset is from another time and place, but he needs you to fully understand how hard that time was for him. He needs your steady gaze. He needs you to remind him that the shirt won’t harm him, and that you’re keeping him safe. He’ll cry and fight and he may sweat as well, as he offloads his fears. When his emotional system has released enough pent-up emotion, he’ll relax in your arms, be glad you are there, and will put on his shirt, which he now can tell poses no threat to him.

The overall emotional charge from his early struggle will lessen, cry by hearty cry. Your child will gradually become better at sitting at the table, better at sampling foods, even though what he’s doing his crying about is his aversion to getting dressed. Any upset he cries about will tap into the same reservoir of hurt if you listen warmly, and allow him time.

We call this process Staylistening, and you can learn more about it through our Listening to Children series. In very simple terms, the parent provides the safety and the caring. The child expels old feelings that keep him on guard against certain reasonable activities.

As he relaxes on the inside and recovers from whatever overwhelmed him, his overall behavior will brighten. Most likely, food won’t elicit such strong responses. And you won’t have to focus on food to make progress—you can relax about food, focus on his feelings about getting dressed or sitting in the car seat or leaving his blankie behind in the morning. Tension between him and you won’t increase meal by meal.

The road to recovery from picky eating can be a long one, because the hurts that underlie children’s strong reactions to food often go deep. But this path is one that’s respectful and healthy. As you help your child recover from a hard time, he feels your support, and the warmth between you grows. Last month’s article talks about the playful ways you can help a picky eater. Our Playlistening and Staylistening tools will help you help your child gently, over time, without fighting over food. You may occasionally sneak peas into his macaroni in the meantime, but things will improve. Unless, of course, he decides he loves peas inside macaroni!

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After baby cereal, bananas are often the first solid food given to infants. They are easily digested, very nutritious, and taste great. Dubbed “Nature’s Wonder Fruit”, bananas are the only fruit to contain all the major vitamins: A, B1, B2, B6 and C. Bananas are also high in fiber, potassium and magnesium.

Sometimes referred to as the anti-stress, good mood vitamin, B6 is involved in the transmission of impulses in nerves and muscles and is important in making red blood cells.

Potassium is essential to mental function, brain power and nerve impulses. In fact, according to certain biochemists, new brain cells cannot be made without potassium. Bananas, one of nature’s richest sources of potassium, are also one of the easiest ways to give your body this important mineral that powers your brain and your muscles.

Age to introduce: about 6 months (pureed or mashed).

At the market: There is more to bananas than the standard yellow variety that your Mom used to buy. Most stores offer several different varieties Here is a description of some common ones:

Red bananas have a green/red peel and pink fruit flesh. They taste the same like yellow bananas. The redder a fruit, the more carotene it contains, so maybe they are healthier than their yellow colleagues.
Fruit-bananas are the normal, yellow bananas, 6-12 inches.

Apple-bananas are smaller, 3-4 inches, and ripen faster. They are also yellow. Baby-bananas are yellow as well and measure 1-3 inches. It is the sweetest of the banana family.

Baking bananas are 12-15 inches long and are green, yellow or red-like. They cannot be eaten raw. They fulfill the role of the potato in the tropical countries.

Storage and ripening: Countertop. To speed up ripening, place them in the sun. Bananas will turn black if placed in the refrigerator.

Here are a few easy ideas to add banana in your meals:

Add ripe, mashed bananas to pancake and muffin recipes.

Sliced bananas are great breakfast fruit, add them to cereal or oatmeal.

For an ultra smooth, smoothie, toss a banana in your blender with milk,
yogurt, juice and other fruit.

Add bananas to a tossed salad and try this salad dressing: Whisk together
1 finely diced jalapeño pepper, 1 teaspoon grated ginger,
1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice,
1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 cup coconut milk.

Add sliced banana circles to the middle of a layer cake. Frost and top
with strawberries.

For a quick dessert, layer sliced bananas, vanilla pudding and peaches
in a bowl, add whipped cream and a cherry on top!

Toddler Treat: Frozen Banana Pops

These frozen banana pops – with or without the chocolate – are a simple summer treat.

Ingredients:
Bananas
Popsicle sticks
Chocolate (1 ounce per banana) (optional)

Directions:
One banana makes 2 pops. Peel bananas and slice in half crosswise. Insert a Popsicle stick in the end of each piece. Place in freezer for 2 hours. They are ready to eat (unless you want to dip them in chocolate).

To dip in chocolate: Melt chocolate according the package directions. You may need to add a bit of cooking oil (1 tsp – 1 Tablespoon, depending on the amount and type of chocolate) to the chocolate to develop a good “dipping” consistency. You can also purchase chocolate that is specially designed for melting and dipping. It is often located in the baking or produce sections of a grocery store. Once the chocolate is ready, remove the frozen bananas from the freezer and dip or spoon chocolate over them. Put them back in the freezer to set. They’ll be ready in minutes.

Storage: Wrap individually in plastic. Freeze for up to 2 months.

KIDS RECIPE: Make this easy, cheesy cauliflower pasta – a new family favorite.

To-Tasty-to-be-Good-for-You Cauliflower Mac ‘n’ Cheese
4 Servings

Ingredients:
Salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded shard cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pepper

1) Ask a GH (Grown-Up Helper) to bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Ask your GH to transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente then drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower.

2) While the pasta is working, ask your GH to melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Have you GH help you whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

For more recipes visit www.rachaelraymag.com.

Healthy weight is just one part of an overall healthy lifestyle. The conclusion of all the research conducted by so many respected organizations is that people are overweight because not only do they intake more calories than they burn, but overweight people also tend to eat too many rich foods high in fat and sugar and devoid of nutritional value. I’ll bet this sounds familiar. The most surefire way to lose weight is the one that people in our immediate-gratification society hate most to hear: eat less and exercise more.

Eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? We won’t discuss an exercise routine here, but please remember to discuss plans with a doctor before undertaking any exercise program. What we should know, however, is that the dictate to “eat less” doesn’t have to be synonymous with “starve” or “feel deprived.”

The dieter’s rule of “eat less” should really be rephrased to “eat more fruits and vegetables!” Mostly composed of fiber and water, fruits and vegetables help us feel full while keeping our digestive system flowing smoothly and working efficiently. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, fruits and vegetables give you a nutritional bang in each bite. And according to the Mayo Clinic, dieters can eat virtually unlimited amounts fruits and vegetables and still achieve their weight-loss and maintenance goals.

Healthy bodies need protein to build muscles, carbohydrates for energy, and vitamins, minerals and nutrients for good health. Beware of radical diet programs offering weight loss through elimination of one of these fundamental food groups.

Some low-carb diets are often high in artery-clogging saturated fat, and since some of them advocate reducing your fruit and vegetable intake, you lose many nutrients essential to health. Robbing your body of its fuel source of carbohydrates forces it to mine other body tissues for energy. While this may result in a temporary weight loss, the pounds often return upon reverting to normal eating habits.

However, you should choose carbohydrate sources carefully. Packaged rice and noodle mixes not only cost more than the ingredients themselves, but also include more sodium, artificial preservatives, and saturated fat than we might want. That slice of white bread won’t provide half of the nutrition we receive from a slice of whole grain bread. Whole grain breads and cereals include both the fibrous outer bran layer and the nutrient-rich inner core containing vitamins E and B6 and folate. Whole grains also offer soluble fiber that remove bile acids from your intestines.

In a similar vein, a no-fat diet cripples the body in its attempts to cushion joints, insulate nerves, and pad organs. A government review of diet research released in 2001 found that moderate-fat programs are the healthiest for dieters and a proven way to keep pounds off. Of course, not all fats are the same and healthy eaters try to eliminate saturated fats like those found in many commercially-prepared foods. Good sources of fat include avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds and their oils, and fish. Red meat should be well-trimmed to reduce the fat concentration, and leaner meats such as poultry or fish should be substituted more often.

Adherents of food combining believe that the complete digestion experienced by eating proteins and carbohydrates separately encourages clean and efficient excretion of excess calories. According to the theory, allowing the body’s natural enzymes to function properly breaks down the acids and bases of foods more completely, allowing fuller assimilation of nutrients as the food travels through the intestines. Not only is this believed to be healthier, but it also enables the intestines to separate out excess matter more easily and move it on through, as they say. Since excess matter is stored as fat, dieters hoping for weight loss may see a benefit by practicing food combining at times. Even eating only one meal a week of either starch and vegetables or protein and vegetables may make a difference in how you look and feel.

Since a healthy body seeks its own equilibrium of weight, the most beneficial diet you can feed your body is the one that supplies all of the elements essential for cellular functions. These elements are easy to find in whole, unprocessed foods: grains, produce, nuts and seeds, and lean meats. Stick to whole foods and balanced meals, try to get some exercise, and your weight will fall into place the way you really want it to: slowly, gradually, safely, and permanently.

Here’s a great, balanced meal of whole foods in an easy to prepare one-pot meal.

Divinely Rosemary Chicken with Quinoa

Serves 2

Ingredients
3/4 cup quinoa
1 cup water or broth
1/4 onion, 1″ slices, separated
2 pieces chicken, boned or de-boned, fresh or frozen solid
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced
1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
3-4 mushrooms, sliced thickly
2 sprigs rosemary

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of 2-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with olive or canola oil.

Rinse quinoa in a strainer and place in pot with water. Smooth out the layer and add onion strips.

Rinse the chicken and place the pieces in the pot. Salt and pepper to taste. Create a layer of squash, lightly season with salt and pepper, and drop broccoli in on top. Arrange mushroom slices and tuck rosemary sprigs into crevices between the foods. Sprinkle lightly with the final salt and pepper.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Do not lift the lid before you smell the aroma of a fully-cooked meal escape the oven, and then wait three more minutes before opening the Dutch oven.

Tips
Don’t forget to remove the rosemary sprigs before eating!

This recipe will work in both an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven and one of raw, uncoated cast iron.

Be sure your conventional oven is correctly adjusted and is fully pre-heated to 450 degrees F before putting the meal inside.

Pronounced “keen-wa”, quinoa is one of the only grains that is a complete protein. The staple grain of the Incans, it has a unique, appealing texture. Find it near the rice in your grocery store.

Taking your family down the organic highway can be time consuming – and expensive. Wouldn’t it be nice to apply the 80/20 rule here? It turns out you can. If you buy organic options of just the five items below, you will have gotten the most benefit with the least effort.

1. Milk
2. Potatoes
3. Peanut butter
4. Ketchup
5. Apples

Why? These are the most common kid foods in which the organic version is significantly less toxic than the non-organic option. Many foods, including broccoli, onions, and foods with peels like avocados, bananas and oranges, come to market with much less pesticide residue even when they are not grown organically.

The Blue Lake take on it:
We love this type of thinking. You don’t have time to keep up on every bulletin or develop a 10-page plan for strategic grocery shopping. Thank you, Dr. Alan Greene, the author of Raising Baby Green, for this simple guideline. If you want to read more on this topic, and see some interesting parent responses, visit Tara Parker-Pope’s blog in the New York Times Health section.

Dear Kymythy,
I’ve heard that spinach is good for me, but I don’t like the taste. Do you have a good recipe?

You’re correct about spinach being good for you – Popeye was right! This “superfood” is loaded with good nutrients including protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, enzymes and fiber. It has a great calcium to phosphorus ratio and is a good source of vitamins A, C, E, K and B. Spinach also contains a large amount of the carotenoid lutein, which protects cells from free-radical damage and must be obtained from food because it’s not made within the body.

People who consume a lot of leafy green veggies like spinach are 43 percent less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than people who don’t eat many greens. Keep in mind that lutein is oil-soluble and you’ll absorb more if you put a little oil or fat on the spinach.

Unlike Popeye, forego the canned variety and purchase fresh spinach from the market. Choose crisp, dark green leaves, avoiding those that are limp or yellow. Wash well just before using, as spinach is sometimes quite sandy. Store in the refrigerator.

Here’s a recipe so tasty that you won’t even notice the spinach or the fact that all the ingredients are good for you:

Spinach-Avocado Dip

• 1 pound spinach
• 1 avocado
• 1 tomato
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon each thyme and garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Peel avocado; chop spinach, avocado, and tomato. Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Makes about 2 cups. Enjoy!

Since its conception 9000 years ago, cow milk production has drastically changed. In the early 1900’s, scientists began experimenting with ways in increase milk supply without having to increase numbers of dairy cows. They began artificially selecting to breed cows that provided more milk, feeding them grain diets, exposing them to light longer, giving them oral or subcutaneous injections of anabolic hormones, and increasing use of antibiotics. Though natural growth hormones are present in all cows, in 1993, the FDA approved rBST or rBGH. rBST is a synthetic bovine growth hormone given to dairy cattle to increase their milk supply. Currently, the U.S. is producing over 18,000 lbs of milk/year compared to the 1950’s when U.S. dairy farms produced 5300 lbs of milk/year.

In the excitement to produce and sell more milk, we may have overlooked some unforeseen consequences to health of both humans and cattle. A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined 50, 117 Danish mothers and infant pairs to evaluate whether the mothers’ cow milk drinking had an effect on their infants’ birth weight. The study concluded that mothers who drank 2-3 glasses of milk/day were more likely to have infants with higher birth weight for gestational age or infants large for gestational age (LGA), and less likely to have infants small for gestational age (SGA). Why the positive association between birth weight and cow milk?

Modern milk contains sex steroids such as estrogen, a hormone that has been shown to stimulate fetal growth. Several studies have also shown cow milk drinking increases levels of the protein hormone, IGF-I (insulin-like growth factor) in adults and children. IGF-I is a major factor in childhood growth. IGF-I levels appear to rise in cows treated with rBST. In the Danish study, the researchers analyzed the fat soluble and water soluble ingredients in milk and whether they related to higher birth weight. They were able to rule out fat soluble nutrients such as sex hormones and vitamin D as a factor. Water soluble substances in milk did appear to increase fetal growth. These substances include natural milk protein and IGF-I. Yes, it is good that milk drinking appears to lessen the risk for SGA infants. However, it also increased risk for LGA infants which may be a factor in obesity onset, breast cancer, and shortened life span.

The health of the contemporary dairy cow is an issue as well. Cows treated with rBST are more likely to contract mastitis, a mammary gland infection that requires further antibiotic treatment in addition to normal doses. These cows also are more likely to be lame, possibly because their increased milk production depletes their bodies of essential nutrients. How do you digest the news on milk?

Milk still does a body good, but if you are pregnant, nursing or serving cow milk to growing children, try to choose certified organic brands. First, the U.S. has a surplus of milk. Second, the rise in antibiotic use results in antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains. Finally, many of our dairy cattle are unhealthy, and their milk may be negatively affecting the health of future generations. Organic milk is on the rise, due to increased consumer demand. Great job with your healthy choices!

Halloween Pumpkin Pancakes

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup peeled, chopped or shredded apples or chopped raisins

Sift dry ingredients except sugar. Mix in rest of ingredients. Pour in 2-3 TBS servings on hot, oiled griddle and cook through on both sides. Serve with a little maple syrup, fruit preserves or yogurt.

Try designing a Jack O Lantern face or spiders by arranging apple triangles and raisins on pancakes while they cook for toddler fun!