Tag Archives: healthy weight

Edamame

By: Jillian Ouhrabka MS, RD, LDN,CHC

Recently I have had clients asking me about edamame and the nutritional value of it. Many of us enjoy edamame steamed but how to incorporate it into recipes? I have a great Edamame and Sweet Potato recipe for you to try!

What is Edamame?

Edamame is considered a legume and is really just boiled green soybeans.

What nutritional value does Edamame have?

In a 1/2 cup serving of shelled edamame you will find:

Calories: 120
Fiber: 9 grams
Fat: 2.5 grams
Protein: 11 grams
Carbohydrates: 13 grams
Sodium: 15 grams
10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
10% Daily Value for iron
8% Daily Value for vitamin A
4% Daily Value for calcium

Edamame and Sweet Potato Salad

Servings: 6 Time to prep: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Large Sweet potatoes
5 Tbsp. olive oil
½ red onion (sliced thinly)
½ edamame, shelled
1 cup thinly sliced celery
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh chives minced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper and salt (optional)
- (Add your favorite spices to make it unique! Try red pepper or cumin)

Directions:

Using a vegetable brush, scrub sweet potatoes under running water. Cut each potato into 1-inch cubes

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to large skillet on medium-high heat. Add half the potatoes to the skillet in a single layer, reduce heat to medium and cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes (stir after 2 minutes)
Once potatoes are tender, transfer to a bowl or plate, and repeat process with the other ½ of potatoes

Next, mix onion, edamame, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and set bowl aside
In small bowl whisk lemon juice, mustard, and remaining olive oil together. Pour over sweet potatoes and gently toss until potatoes are evenly coated.
- At this point you can add a dash of salt (optional) and pepper to taste (give it a twist by adding red pepper or cumin)
You can serve this dish immediately or cover and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Go Green with Pesto!

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By: Jillian Ouhrabka MS, RD, LDN, CHC

What is Pesto?

We all love it but what is Pesto exactly? Pesto is easily made in a food processor and while there are variations, it is typically composed of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese.

Get Creative!

Spice up your Pesto with a little orange rind or add home grown veggies! If your garden has cilantro, thyme, chives, mint, or parsley (or any other green) add it for a twisted Pesto or try a new Pesto Recipe:

Kale Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
4 cups of firmly packed kale
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 salt (optional)

Directions:

In food processor finely chop garlic
Add nuts and pulse
Add Kale and pulse
With food processor running, add olive oil, and water until you have created a paste
Using a spoon, mix in the cheese and salt (optional)
Add to your favorite dish!

Suggested Use:

You can add Pesto to most any dish for a great burst of flavor! Try adding it to:

Pizza or Pasta Sauce
Chili
Beans and Rice
Lettuce, turkey, and hummus wrap
Quinoa
Salad

Spinach, Peppers, and Poached Eggs!

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Takes about 20 minutes to prepare and cook

Ingredients

4 cups fresh spinach
1 sweet onion
1 red pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper
4 large eggs
2 tbsp low fat cheese (grated)
2 tbsp. vinegar
Directions
Thinly slice the onion and pepper.
Using a little olive oil, sauté onion and pepper in pan over medium heat.
Cook onions and pepper until soft
In separate pot add 3 to 4 inches of water, boil water and add 2 tbsp vinegar
When water starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer
Now it is time to add the spinach to the onions and pepper. Saute the spinach briefly (about 1 minute) until it is wilted.
To poach the eggs: Crack in a small bowl one at a time and then drop into the simmering water one at a time.
Allow eggs to cook for about 3 minutes (longer it cooks, the more firm it will be)
Once eggs are cooked to desire firmness, place the spinach, peppers and onion on two plates. Place eggs on top of veggies, add a little bit of low fat cheese, pepper and enjoy!
*Make your eggs and veggies to go by adding them to Whole Wheat Toast or English muffin.

Your weight does NOT define you!

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By: Jill Ouhrabka MS, RD, LDN, CHC

Working with clients, particularly those who are struggle to lose weight there is a common theme…they all are focused on the number on the scale! Once they let go of weighing themselves they stop focusing on calories and food and end up loosing weight!

Why is this?

When you weigh yourself, you feel good if your weight is where you want it and badly if it is not where you want it. This reaction to the number on the scale can fuel your mood for the day causing negative (or positive) thoughts and emotions particularly related to body image and food choices. You may find yourself restricting calories or food to try to lose weight or making poor food choices because your weight is where you want it. Why does your weight make it okay or not okay to eat certain foods?

By focusing on your weight, you are so focused on changing the number on the scale that you are not actually listening to what your body needs and this can cause many weight issues. You are also not taking into account that your weight can fluctuate a great deal during the day and depending on what is going on with your body.

What is the answer?

If you have to weigh yourself, do it once a week as an objective measure. Don’t let the number define you. Remember that the number you see on the scale says nothing about your body composition including body fat versus lean muscle. It does not account for height or body frame.

Focus on how you feel in your body. When you are eating well, exercising in moderation, and your clothes fit well, you are going to feel good about your body! When you stop focusing on the number, you can focus on how you feel and what your body needs (as far as food, sleep, nutrition, exercise, meditation, etc).

How can you get to a healthy weight?

Focus on balance. Eating foods that are healthy most of the time, and those less healthy foods in moderation- don’t deny yourself, eat less.

Diet: Focus on eating breakfast everyday and then eating every 3 hours.

Exercise: Aim to exercise most days of the week for 30 to 45 minutes/day.

Sleep: Get enough sleep! If you are tired, your body will think it needs energy and you will end up eating more!

Stress: Manage stress with exercise, meditation, and yoga. Stress can cause weight gain so managing it daily is essential.

Vegetarian and Delicious Peanut Butter Stir Fry Recipe!

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By:Jill Ouhrabka

My favorite healthy meal is a Peanut Butter Stir Fry-first introduced by my boyfriend’s sister. It is a very healthy, quick meal that is full of nutrients and tastes like a treat!

Servings: 2 (if main dish) 4 (if side dish)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup minced garlic

1 cup diced carrots

2 cups chopped broccoli

1 medium onion chopped or diced

4 cups whole pea pods

4 oz water chestnuts sliced

onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder (optional)

1 package Lomein Noodles

1 cup peanut butter

Soy Sauce

Directions:

Boil a little water in bottom of fry pan, add minced garlic

Add carrots, broccoli and onion to frying pan

Then add a little bit of water (1/4 cup), onion powder, pepper and garlic powder

As the vegetables cook, alternate adding water with rice vinegar

Next, add whole pea pods and sliced water chestnuts

Let cook for about 5 minutes

Then add 1/2 cup peanut butter, three tablespoons soy sauce. Let the sauce mix with the water/rice vinegar to coat the veggies, add some crushed cashews and serve over a bed of rice noodles or brown rice.

Enjoy!

Light Pumpkin Bread with Olive Oil

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Restorative Nutrition is happy to promote Catherine Amoriggi and her creative recipes. Catherine has a deep love of cooking and passion for creating new recipes. We will be featuring some of her recipes and you can get more ideas at her blog: http://www.cookingwithcath.com/

Light Pumpkin Bread with Olive Oil

By: Catherine Amoriggi

This is not the most traditional pumpkin bread recipe that I make; however, it is special. The olive oil adds a nice citrusy note and the whipped egg whites make it super light and airy. It is a nice change of pace from the typical pumpkin bread.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup+ 1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1/3 cup chocolate chips
5 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup milk

Tip: To make this recipe even healthier, substitute egg beaters for the egg yolk, and use low fat or skim milk in place of regular milk.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease two 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pans with olive oil.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and cinnamon; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar and olive oil until well combined. Next beat in 2 eggs (one at a time). Incorporate the pumpkin, vanilla extract and milk into this mixture.
Next add the flour mixture and chocolate chips into the pumpkin mixture. Make sure everything is well combined; set aside.
Separate your remaining 3 eggs into whites and yolks. Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat until you get soft peaks, about 3-5 minutes.
In batches, gently fold your whipped egg whites into the batter mixture. Once incorporated, place an even amount of batter into each loaf pan. Immediatley, place them into the oven and cook for about 30-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove from the pan and let it cool on a wired rack for about 30-40 minutes.

Tonic Waters, Soda Water, Sparkling Waters,and Flavored Water

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By:Jill Ouhrabka MS, RD, LDN, CHC

I have had several clients ask about alternative drinks to water. The best way to hydrate is water but if you want something else to drink, opt for water or sparkling water with some fruit slices, or lemon juice added for flavoring.

Q: “What is your opinion on Tonic Waters, Soda Water, Sparkling Waters, and Flavored Water?” -T.N.

A: “Great question! Essentially tonic water has added calories, sodium, and lots of sugar so not a good option. Soda water has no sugar or calories but does has added sodium, flavored water such as crystal light may have added calories and sodium. If you are watching your sodium intake for blood pressure, you will want to watch how many tonic waters, soda water, and flavored waters you have in a day. Flavored waters (especially those with sugar alcohols) can cause intestinal issues such a gas, bloating, and diarrhea if consumed too frequently. I would suggest drinking sparkling water and adding your own cucumber, orange, or lemon slices to it for flavor. Remember that any type of flavored water you buy will likely have preservatives/chemicals added for flavoring making less ideal than water/sparkling water Does this make sense? I have provided a breakdown for you below:

Tonic water: 124 calories per 12 oz, 32 g sugar, 44mg sodium
Soda water: 0 calories per 12 oz, 0g sugar, 75 mg sodium
Flavored water/crystal light: 10 calories per packet, 0g sugar, 35 mg sodium
Sparkling water: 0 calories, 0 g sugar, 0mg sodium (good for hydrating)

Remember, to tell if you are hydrated look at your urine, clear urine = hydrated, yellow = drink more water!

Why I love Bananas

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Composed of about 93% carbohydrate and about 100 calories, a medium size banana is a versatile, nutrient dense, delicious snack at any time!

A banana will provide you with essential nutrition including:

Carbohydrates for energy
Vitamin A, and C, a whole bunch of B vitamins
2 to 3 grams protein
Prebiotics: Prebiotics are needed to help probiotics (the good kind of bacteria) grow and promote a healthy digestive system
Potassium to help protect against high blood pressure
Tryptophan, serotonin, norepinephrine each of which cab help prevent and improve depression
Bananas can also help alleviate heart burn by suppressing acid in digestion

How can you add more banana into your day?

Add a banana to:
- A fruit smoothie
- Pancakes
- Salad
- Peanut butter sandwich
- Bowl of cereal or Greek Yogurt
Add a little peanut butter to a banana to give you essential protein and energy prior to your workout
- This is an easily digestible snack
- With less fiber than other fruits, bananas will not cause you intestinal distress during your workout

Do you have a creative way to incorporate more fruit into your diet? Let us know at info@restorativenutritionri.com .

To help you get the most out of your calories and food try these foods!

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I struggle to feel full during the day. To help curb my appetite I always make sure to have some carbs and protein. This combination helps slow down the absorption of food so I feel fuller longer and am less likely to snack between meals.

My “go-to” food is Greek yogurt or 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (both packed with protein) with 1/2 cup high fiber cereal mixed in. It is very satisfying! Try these other foods to help fill you up for less calories:

Eggs (about 70 calories each) : Eggs are packed with high quality protein and healthy fat to help you feel full so you eat less
- Greek Yogurt (about 100- 140calories each): Greek yogurt is high in protein, low in fat and added sugar and is a great mid-morning snack ii. To make it healthier get 0% fat plain Greek yogurt and add your own fruit
- Go for Dark Chocolate (about 160 calories per 1 ounce):We all need something sweet now and again. Dark chocolate helps slow digestion to help you feel fuller longer and generally 1 piece (about 1 ounce) is satisfying so you won’t overdo on calories
- Cottage cheese (about 80 calories per serving). Opt for low fat and fat free to help you feel full and get some additional protein and calcium
- Skim Milk (about 80 calories per 8oz serving) i. Skim milk will help you meet your calcium and protein needs without the fat and calories of whole milk
- Fruits and Veggies: Choose fruits and veggies that have the peel/skin intact. This is where the fiber is, you need the fiber to help you feel full (and fiber helps you manage a healthy weight). Fruits and veggies are also a lower calorie food so you can enjoy it without feeling any guilt!

Remember to eat every 3 hours to curb sugar cravings!

Jeff’s Healthy Philly Cheesesteak Sub

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by: Jill Ouhrabka MS,RD, LDN, CHC

You can still eat the foods you love, just make a few changes and enjoy a healthier option!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

4, 8” Whole Wheat Sub Rolls (1 sub per person)
8 slices of 2% American Cheese slices (2 slices per person)
16 oz deli sliced Lean Roast Beef (Tip: opt for low sodium to decrease sodium content) (4 oz. per person)
Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder
Optional : 1 cup each of Onion, Pepper and Mushrooms

Directions:

Sauté the onion, pepper, and mushroom into a pan (use non-stick vegetable oil and/or a little oil in the pan)
Add the roast beef and spices
Toast the sub roll
Add the slices of cheese to the sub roll and allow to slightly melt (note: you can also cheese to the stir fry pan if you prefer
Place stir fried meat and veggies on cheese on sub roll
Enjoy!

How does this recipe compare to traditional recipes?

Jeff’s Homemade Philly Cheesesteak Sub vs. Traditional Philly Cheesesteak Sub:

The winner is…Homemade!!!

	Traditional Philly Cheesesteak	Homemade Philly Cheesesteak	The Difference	The Healthier Option is:
Total Calories	710 Calories	420 Calories	290 Calories	Homemade
Total Calories from Fat	214 Calories	90 Calories	24 Calories	Homemade
Total Fat	24 grams	10 grams	24 grams	Homemade
Total Cholesterol	113 mg	100 mg	13 mg	Homemade
Total Sodium	1743 mg	1410 mg	333 mg	Homemade
Total Carbohydrates	72 grams	42 grams	30 grams	Homemade
Total Protein	49 grams	41 grams	8 grams	Traditional
Total Sugar	6 grams	3 grams	3 grams	Homemade
Total Fiber	6 grams	9 grams	3 grams	Homemade

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What is Edamame?

What nutritional value does Edamame have?

Edamame and Sweet Potato Salad

What is Pesto?

Get Creative!

Kale Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions:

Suggested Use:

You can add Pesto to most any dish for a great burst of flavor! Try adding it to:

Composed of about 93% carbohydrate and about 100 calories, a medium size banana is a versatile, nutrient dense, delicious snack at any time!

A banana will provide you with essential nutrition including:

Add a little peanut butter to a banana to give you essential protein and energy prior to your workout

by: Jill Ouhrabka MS,RD, LDN, CHC