Cook’s Corner: Buffalo-Style stuffed celery for Sunday’s game!

 

 

   

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup low fat cream cheese, softened

2 Tbs. blue cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. salt

5 servings celery, five large rigs cut into 4 pieces each

2 1/2  tsp. hot pepper sauce to taste

1 Tbsp. chives, fresh, chopped

 

Preparation:

• In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, blue cheese, garlic and salt until smooth; spoon about 1/2 Tbsp. cheese mixture into each piece of celery.
• To serve, arrange stuffed celery on a plate, drizzle each with about 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce (or serve pepper sauce on the side) .  Sprinkle with chives if desired.  Yield:  2 pieces stuffed celery per serving.  Points Plus Value:  1; Servings: 10

Source:  Weight Watchers

Follower Sunday: Thank You Readership! Weight Management Expert and Dietitian helps others Wait no-longer; Healthy Recipe given from heart for Cerebral Palsy

By Anthony Sepe

Each Sunday, I thank my readership for their loyalty and dedication to my blog, by providing a healthy recipe.  For those that know, this is a healthy repeat, but for those that are unaware and are new to the blog, this is my way of “giving back.”  It is also a way to “Pay it Forward.”  Each Sunday, not only will you have a healthy recipe, but you will have an expert in the field of dietetics, food and nutrition, provide the healthy recipe to you.  It is my pleasure to introduce to you this week, my colleague, Shauna Del Prete, RD, CDN and her recipe:  “Turkey Chili.”

Shauna Del Prete, RD, CDN

Shauna Del Prete is a registered dietitian and certified dietitian-nutritionist in the state of New York. She received an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Miami and went on to receive a B.S. in Nutrition at C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. After completing her dietetic internship at C.W. Post in 2009, Shauna began working with individuals preparing for weight loss surgery at NY Weight Management Programs where she is currently employed.

Shauna believes that every person can live and eat healthy. Her passion is coaching individuals to make small changes to achieve their health goals. Her mission is to provide realistic nutrition advice to people of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to providing traditional weight loss counseling for clients, Shauna provides counseling on disease management, sports nutrition, general wellness, and a variety of other topics.

 

Recipe developed and reprinted with permission of Shauna Del Prete, RD, CDN.

 

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1. 3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2. 1-1 ½ lbs. 93% lean ground turkey
3. 1 Tbsp. each dried: coriander, cumin, oregano, chili pepper flakes, chili powder, and ground pepper
4. 3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
5. 1 small chopped jalapeño pepper or 1-7 oz. can of chopped green chili pepper
6. 1 medium chopped onion
7. 1 green bell pepper chopped
8. 1 red bell pepper chopped
9. 4 garlic cloves
10. 2 cans kidney beans (rinsed and drained two times)
11. ¾ c low sodium turkey stock
12. 35 oz. canned stewed crushed tomatoes

Garnish:

• Low fat sour cream or 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1 small red onion chopped
• Shredded Mexican cheese mix
• Chopped scallion

Directions:

1. Pour 1 ½ tbsp. EVOO in large stock pot over medium heat.
2. Add turkey, tomato paste, and all dried spices.
3. Cook until browned. In the meantime, heat remaining oil in pan and cook onions, pepper and garlic on medium until onions translucent.
4. Add cooked vegetables to stock pot and combine remaining ingredients. Let simmer for 1 hour uncovered.
5. Garnish with sour cream (I use 0% plain Greek yogurt but it may curdle in hot chili), chopped scallion, cheese, and chopped onions.

 

Try Shauna’s Chili and let us know how you liked it, by posting your comment back here on this post.

Thank you for reading and visiting today,

Anthony

Chewy Raisin Granola Snacks: On-the go!

Kids and grown-ups alike will love-- and crave--these chewy raisin granola snacks.  They’re so easy to make, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy some form of exercise, too.

Raisin Energy Bars

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1/4 cup of sugar

4 teaspoons of vegetable oil

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1-2/3 cups lain “no added fat” or low fat granola

1 cup of sun-maid raisins

3 TBSP of toasted wheat-germ

3 TBSP raw sunflower seeds

4 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 cup walnuts

Directions:

1.  Beat egg whites and sugar in large bowl with whish until smooth.

2. Beat in oil, cinnamon and vanilla extract.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients.

4. Blend well.

5. Coat generously a 13x9” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

6. Turn raisin mixture into pan.

7. Pat to even layer.

8. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes in pan. Loosen edges with spatula and invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

9. Cut into 4 dozen bite-sized pieces. 

10.  Store in an airtight container or pack in small plastic bags for on-the-go snacking.  Makes 48 pieces.

• NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS:

Calories: 40; Protein 1g; Fat 1g (Sat Fat 0g); Carbohydrate 7g;                            Dietary Fiber <1g;Cholesterol 0mg;Sodium 15mg

Weight Watcher Points: 1

Source:  Recipe adapted from Recipes for Healthier Eating

President Obama accepts Nobel Challenge—and so can you!

The Nobel Committee members made no bones about it:  Helping President Obama achieve ambitious peacemaking goals was their goal in awarding the prize Friday.  Now let’s take a look at our challenge:

Consuming fewer calories than we burn, will result in weight loss, but better yet—cutting back on calories and exercising more, would be awesome for us.

• One pound of body fat= 3500 calories

Remember though, the causes of obesity are more complex than just energy imbalance.  Our families have lots to do with this; undoubtedly, genetics plays a role in this too.  Our surroundings play a part, as well, but one-step-at a-time will meet our challenges for healthy weight loss. 

Resources for Success:

• To keep track of your success, you might want to read about the National Weight Loss Registry  and visit Registered Dietitians, as Nutrition Experts.
• NewU - “Your Weight, Your Health, Your Choice," which is an online weight loss support group where members join to receive support, expert feedback from Lisa and Ursula, both registered dietitians, and have the opportunity to share their struggles and successes.  NewU encourages lifestyle change and health living through realistic weight loss strategies without dieting.

Here is a healthy recipe to help with the challenges of weight loss:

Lemon Caper Chicken with Sweet Potato Puree

Chicken Ingredients:

1. 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2. Juice of 1 lemon
3. 1 T olive oil
4. 2 shallots, minced
5. 1 T capers, drained
6. 1 t Dijon mustard

Sweet Potato Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, microwave or baked

2 T orange juice

14 cup golden raisins

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper(optional)

Method:

To make the chicken preheat broiler. Place chicken in a shallow roasting pan.  Combine remaining chicken ingredients and pour over chicken.  Broil 6 inches from heat source 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  To prepare the potatoes, scoop hot sweet potato pulp into bow.  Add remaining sweet potato ingredients except salt and pepper/ mix well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper , if desired. Serve with chicken.

Recipe Source: Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen. You: on a diet.

Labor Day: 7-Layer Dip

This is a low-fat alternative to the usual chips and dip, but this healthy recipe is a healthy delicious dip, that I believe you will enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1-16 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• Several drops of hot red pepper sauce, or to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup nonfat sour cream
• 3/4 cup shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 10 pitted small black olives, sliced

 

Method:

1. In a blender or food processor, puree the beans, pepper sauce and 2 Tablespoons of water.  Transfer to a 12” serving platter; spread in a thin layer on  the platter.
2. Leaving a 1’ border, top the bean mixture evenly with the tomato, bell pepper and salsa. Leaving a 1” border, top the tomato layer evenly with the sour cream and cheese.  Sprinkle with the scallions and olives.

Nutrition information:  Calories 89; Total fat 1g; Saturated fat 0g; Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 365mg;Total Carbohydrate 12g;Dietary Fiber 2g;Protein 8g; Calcium 150mg

Source: Weight Watchers

Follower Sunday: “Thank You Readership!” Guest-Chef Amy Campbell of Joslin, Delivers Goodies

By Anthony J Sepe

http://www.medicalnutritiontherapyservices.com

http://www.fromadietitiansperspective.blogspot.com

 

As one of the 2009 Egg Ambassadors, Amy was invited to share a recipe from the American Egg Board.  She has grown-up making these meringue cookies.  They’re light an airy, and not high in fat.

These are called:  the Forgotten Cookies (or Meringue Kisses.)

These delicate clouds of meringue are drop cookies, the easiest type of cookie you can make. Once you’ve beaten egg whites with sugar and folded in ground nuts, simply drop the batter from a spoon or push it through a pastry bag or a food-storage bag onto cookie sheets. Then, bake the Meringue Kisses in a very low oven, turn off the heat and “forget” the cookies while they finish drying in the cooling oven. If possible, make Forgotten Cookies on a dry day so they don’t absorb moisture from the air, flatten out and lose their crispness. For this versatile cookie, you can use any ground nut you like, from pistachio to macadamia, or no nuts at all, as in some of the variations.

©  Forgotten Cookies (or Meringue Kisses)

Recipe reprinted with permission by Amy P. Campbell

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar OR 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups (8 oz.) ground almonds

Preparation

In large mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. (If using granulated sugar, rub just a bit of meringue between thumb and forefinger to feel if sugar has dissolved.) Gently fold in almonds.

Drop by tablespoonfuls' or pipe through pastry tube or food-storage bag onto lightly greased or lined (foil or waxed, brown or parchment paper) baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 225° F oven until firm, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let stand in oven with door closed until cool, dry and crisp, at least 1 additional hour.

Store in tightly sealed container with waxed paper between layers. (If stored cookies lose crispness, bake in preheated 200° F oven about 15 to 20 minutes.)

Variations:

Use amounts listed for 1 batch of cookies. To make 2 variations at a time, divide meringue mixture equally between 2 bowls. Beat or fold 1/2 the ingredient amounts listed for each variation into 1 of the bowls. For all variations, omit ground almonds.

Brandy Alexander – Beat in 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon brandy extract.

Cherry/Almond – Fold in 1 cup chopped, drained maraschino cherries and 1 cup chopped almonds.

Chocolate – Beat in 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Citrus – Beat in 2 tablespoons grated orange peel, 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract and a few drops yellow food coloring.

Mint/Chocolate Chip – Beat in 1/2 teaspoon mint extract and a few drops green food coloring. Fold in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels.

Rocky Road – Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Fold in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Thank you,

Amy Campbell

Amy P. Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CDE

Manager, Clinical Education Programs

Healthcare Services

Joslin Diabetes Center

One Joslin Place

Boston, MA 02215

Phone: 617-226-5824

Fax: 617-226-5805

Dads with challenges, and, a Health-e Recipe

by Anthony J Sepe

Dads facing new challenges

 

This post is in memory of my dad.  There is work; there is family; there is demand, which must be balanced.  The third Sunday in June offers a predictable tradition: Dad’s favorite meal and maybe a necktie, aftershave and a card.

The challenges of fatherhood on the other hand, are changing at wrap seed.  Parents’ roles overlap or flip-flop entirely.  The marriage demands attention—and all that is going on in the anxiety-laden context of rising taxes, high fuel prices, and constant belt-tightening, and raising children.

Valuing family over career reflects a vital shift in attitude, but it appears that so much of men’s identification is packaged in being  good providers for their families.  Dad is more than an ATM.  Dad is more than running to

him when mom says ‘no.’  Dad is more than his laughter or joke or two, or three.  Dad is special because he, too, brought life into this world.  Lest we not forget:  everyone of us face challenges, too.  We face challenges about whether or not to make to proper choices to eat healthy, daily.  Ask yourself: do I want this,which is healthy for me or do I want that, which is not so healthy for me.  Only you know.  Therefore, most of you know that Weight Watcher’s is very near and dear to my heart because I used  to teach the program classes, and here is a Health-e recipe to help you on your way:

Baked Red Snapper

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

4 (8 oz) red snapper fillets

1 medium onion, thinly sliced into rings

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brush x9 baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the oil.  Arrange the fish fillets in dish;brush with remaining 2 teaspoons oil.  Arrange onion over fish; top with tomatoes and bell pepper.
2. Cover dish with foil;bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information

280 calories, 6.4g fat,1.4g fiber

Makes 4 Servings; 6 Points per serving

Source: Weight Watcher’s

Enjoy!

Did you know? A Serving Shocker

Even when we are trying to be careful, there are things waiting to sabotage our best efforts.  Without  steely resolve, supportive friend power and sometimes a handy calculator, every dining choice is loaded with treachery. Yikes!

Let’s say we want to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.  That means we need to reduce the amount of food  we eat each day by 500 to 1,000 calories.  (500 calories less x7 days = 3500 calories less to have lost 1 pound.)  Or, let’s say we’re happy at the current weight and of medium build, eating about 1600 calories a day, is approximate.  Either plan is do-able, provided we keep a close watch on portion sizes, nutrition labels and calories.  Otherwise, the number of servings we’re getting in, even seemingly healthy food like grilled chicken and orange juice, might shock us. 

PASTA: 

• What we get

Order a bowl of spaghetti at a restaurant and you’ll likely get 4 cups of noodles, which exceeds the entire day’s recommended amount of grains by 2 servings.

• What we Lose

We have already consumed half of the 1600 calorie diet for the day. Ease-up on grain until the next day.

Bagel:  

• What we get

There are 4 servings of grains in the average 4-ounce store-bought or bakery bagel.  One serving of pasta fits in the palm of your hand.

• What we Lose

Polishing off 1 full bagel practically maxes us out for the 5 ounces of grains a day the USDA recommends.  Half a mini bagel is a true single serving.  Nutrition Fact:  Nutritional information found on  food labels is based upon a diet of 2,000 calories a day.

Steak:  

• What we get

Plenty; actual more than enough.  A 5-ounce steak might be the smallest we find at the grocery store.  That will give you 250 calories and 8 grams of fat.

• What we Lose

The USDA recommends 3-4 ounces of lean meat each day.  An egg at breakfast and a sandwich for lunch leaves about an ounce of meat for dinner, or about 1 bite.  A typical restaurant steak is 10 servings of meat.

Chicken Breast 

• What we get

Chicken breast at the grocery store weight about 7 ounces, and contain 22 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.

• What we Lose

If we enjoy chicken plumped with water and salt, we’ll be on the fast track to exceeding the daily 2400 milligrams of sodium(about a teaspoon) the USDA recommends.  A raw chicken breast can contain 1,000 mg of sodium.

 

Orange Juice  

• What we get

A delicious drink with zero fat, but 100 calories for every 8 ounce cup.

• What we Lose

The USDA says on service of fruit juice is a 1/2 cup. Most of us pour one or two cups into a glass, giving us 2 to 4 serving of fruit, according to Melinda Johnson, MS, RD a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association(ADA).  There are 4 serving of fruit in the USDA’s 1600 calorie diet.  A glass of orange juice can contain 40 g of sugar.

Source: Your Health

Heart Healthy Wildly Nutritious—Fruit Snacks

By Anthony J Sepe

http://fromadietitiansperspective.blogspot.com

(*This post is dedicated to the person that asked me the question and to my friend Kim)

 

I was asked recently about fruit, and how I am able to meet my fruit requirements.  Fruit happens to be somewhat easier than other things, but not that the other things such as grains, vegetables, cheese etc are not important.  Let’s see.

 

Next time your sweet tooth acts up and you are craving a real sweet snack, reach for a nutritious and health fruit snack.  Fruits are bursting with flavor and loaded with lots of nutrients like Vitamin A, or Vitamin C or both—along with potassium and fiber.

• Freeze your favorite juice.  Take and ice cube tray and fill with your favorite 100% juice. 
• Cut up mango, papaya, apricots and freeze them, too.
• Freeze some grapes

 

Here are 3 of my very favorite ways to snack on fruit:

1.  Take a banana—peel it; slice it; sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. Place on a cookie sheet and cover with waxed paper. Freeze.  Now you have slice banana swirls!

2.  Take a banana—peel it; place a stick in it.  Dip in fat-free yogurt and dip in caramel sauce and roll in crushed nuts.  Freeze.

3.  I absolutely love, and I mean, love—Dole Wildly Nutritious Signature Blends Mixed Fruit.  It also comes Frozen and is Sliced strawberries, pineapple peaches and mango.  These happy chunks of fruit are all natural fruit; all rich in vitamin C; help maintain a healthy heart and just as nutrition as Fresh Fruit, as it states on its label.  It’s great for smoothies and for snacking.  80% Vitamin C in just 3/4 cup fresh frozen cut-up fruit !!! Can’t beat it and, it comes in a 6 lb. bag too.  For $8 and change at your local Sam’s Club, BJ’s, Wegman’s or others,  it’s worth it with to package into smaller bags for handy-dandy snacks!!!  So, this is how I manage to get in some of my fruit requirements.

Have fun too! *

~Anthony

A slice of heaven, is a piece of cake!

by Anthony J Sepe

http://fromadietitiansperspective.blogspot.com

 

I was asked to make a cake to bring to a gathering, but “please make it healthy,” was echoed.  So, here’s what I made:  “ A Slice of Heaven.”

 

     

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1- box of angel food cake (any brand: Pillsbury, Betty Crocker)

2. 1 -can of crushed pineapple

3. 1- container of fat-free cool whip

4. fresh or frozen strawberries and blueberries

 

PREPARATION:

1. Pour box of  angel food cake mix in bowl.

2. Add, can of crushed pineapple

3. Mix and pour into cake pan. (DO NOT ADD ANYTHING ELSE! )

4. Bake per box directions; usually 350 degrees ~ 25 30 min until golden and knife clean.

5. Cut; add a dollop of fat-free-cool whip; top with fresh strawberries / blueberries .

Original Recipe Source:  Weight Watcher’s; Each piece: 2-points

Your Weight Statement--make it stick!

By Anthony J Sepe http://fromadietitiansperspective.blogspot.com Your Weight Statement-- let's make it stick! Sometimes you may need to maintain, gain, or lose weight, but truly, make sure it's for your own health, not your appearance that's motivating you, for your weight to be maintained or to be controlled. When you reach this goal, your healthy weight, try really hard to make it long-lasting, in other words, permanent. The reason to make it permanent is because this can reduce the risk for weight cycling or yo-yo dieting, which means, weight loss and weight gain over and over again, Typically, there will be more weight gained than lost, and it becomes harder and harder to lose each time. The right keys to manage weight throughout your life cycle include, a positive attitude and positive motivation. Let's take a closer look. Perhaps, you are an over-achieving female and you would like to fit into a new dress that has the tags on, which you have never yet, been worn. Perhaps you are a male with more of a mid-section than you would like to have, particularly, since you've had some breathing difficulties lately and unable to shoot those hoops like you once did, as a jock in high school or college sports. Perhaps, you simpy want to use the new belt that you were given for your last years birthday gift, that is still in the box. Whatever your reason, most likely, your enthusiasm will diminish at some point, because you are human. Increasing your success, really depends on things such as your own health, what you believe in-- for yourself, your self-esteem, feeling good about yourself, these are the things that most likely increase your chances for life-long success and keeping that weight off, but more importantly, maintaining your health throughout your life, which is what you can then call, "your success" because you did it for yourself, and, your health. Good luck with your weight and, because it's Friday the 13th, for those that may need it. ~Anthony