Fall is in the air and that means apple season is on the way! This fiber packed fruit is rich in heart healthy antioxidants (quercetin in particular) and certainly a fall favorite. Crunchy, sweet and convenient, apples make the perfect snack. To change it up, try slicing and roasting with cinnamon sugar for a light and seasonal treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. And the best part? Approx. 150 calories per serving!

Servings: 2

2 apples (mcintosh or granny smith or combo)

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup of kozy shack rice pudding or 0% vanilla Greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop the apples into bite sized cubes or wedges. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Toss together the apples and cinnamon/sugar mixture in a small cake pan or oven proof dish. Roast in the oven for 15-25 mins or until the apples are cooked through and the juices start to bubble. Granny smith apples will take slightly longer. Remove from the oven. Serve in a bowl with 1/2 cup of plain rice pudding or vanilla Greek yogurt.

In 2012 as part of the healthcare reform legislation, restaurant labeling laws will go nationwide, requiring any food business with 20 or more locations to reveal the calorie content of their items on menus and menu boards.  Here in NYC, we are no strangers to restaurant menu labeling practices. Since 2008, chains throughout the city have been required to list calorie information on their menus in an effort to encourage New Yorkers to make healthier and more informed choices.  Frequent your neighborhood Starbucks in the mornings? Calorie postings may reveal that switching from your grande latte with whole milk to a grande latte with skim milk saves you 90 calories!  This is the hope. The good news is that studies have shown that our behavior is changing.  Those of us who paid attention to the calorie postings (about 1 in 6) ordered items with approximately 100 fewer calories than those who didn’t.  On top of this progress and in an effort to reduce the “sticker shock” aftermath of this new regulation, restaurant chains in New York and California (where the legislation was also passed) began introducing healthier options and decreasing calorie content in their menu items. 

Eating out shouldn’t have to equal over-indulging!  We hope these steps in the right direction will spread throughout the country and empower Americans to make better choices when dining out.

When eaten fresh with the pod, English peas are a crunchy, sweet and healthy snack all by themselves.  If you’re lucky and have access to a garden, snap them straight from the vine for the freshest and tastiest.  This spring and summertime veggie also makes a great side dish when paired with carrots (try roasting them instead of boiling) or summer corn (see below).  Fresh peas are ideal but if you have trouble finding them, frozen are a convenient and healthy option as well.

What is it?

Also known as the common garden pea, English peas peak in the late spring and late summer. They are available fresh, frozen or canned but the canned varieties risk being high in sodium. Choose the more nutritious fresh or frozen when possible.

What’s it good for?

Fiber, Protein, Vitamins A and C.

Sauteed English Peas and Fresh Corn:

-Fresh kernels cut from 2 ears of corn
-1-2 cups of fresh English peas
-1 tbsp olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste

Steam the fresh English peas for a few minutes or until just softened. Remove from the steamer basket and set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium sized sautee pan over med-high heat. Add the corn and toss/stir for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the peas and toss together, coating lightly in the olive oil from the pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper for a summery side dish.

• Food journal. It forces you to stay in the moment and pay attention to what you’re eating.
• Eat slowly. Put your fork down, engage in conversation, or have a sip of water after every few bites. It takes at least 15 minutes from your first forkful to your last for your brain to register fullness.
• Remove all judgments of yourself or the food you eat.  You, nor your food, is never all “good” or “bad.”
• Avoid late night eating when your body is least likely to be hungry and you are most likely to mindlessly eat.
• Differentiate physical cues of hunger – they start in your stomach or head – from external factors influencing you to eat.
• Recognize what it feels like to be satisfied, not stuffed.
• Pay attention to the flavors, textures, aromas in your food. Notice when foods are too salty or too sweet.
• Ask yourself how food affects your emotional state.
• Explore other ways of handling uncomfortable emotions for you (stress, sadness, loneliness, anger, frustration, etc) rather than eating. Paint your nails, go on a walk, call a girlfriend on the phone, etc.
• Turn off the TV while you eat.

Lastly, imagine what it would be like to regain control, eating when hungry and stopping when satisfied. Mindful eating is a practice, so give it the time and patience any new activity takes to learn!

Ariele

The Mangosteen is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia.  It is touted for its high concentration of antioxidants. It is also being researched for it use in the treatment of certain cancers and its beneficial effects on weight loss.  It is generally consumed in its natural state or as a juice. Pick on up today!

Most of us have felt the effects of a night lacking good sleep. Fatigue, sluggishness and crankiness are common and no fun. Even so, some of us claim we don’t need the 7-8 hours and others (an estimated 50-70 million Americans) suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders.

But did you know that a lack of sleep may be associated with weight gain as well?

According to this Reuters Health article, evidence suggests that a correlation between sleep deprivation and weight gain exists and a recent study adds support to the theory.  Compared to the day after a good night’s sleep, researches found that participants in a sleep study consumed an extra 300 calories on average when sleep deprived.

Although it’s unclear exactly why, researches have several potential explanations for the link.

One possibility:  How much sleep we get may play an important role in our hormone regulation. When we don’t get enough, the hormones that help control our hunger may be thrown off balance.

Another possibility: Sleep deprivation affects our decision making. The more tired we are, the more trouble we have resisting temptation.

So don’t take a good night’s sleep for granted – it may help you keep your healthy eating habits on track!

1 16oz can of chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbls lemon juice (adjust to taste)
1 1/2 Tbls tahini
1/2-1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
2 Tbls olive oil
optional-add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a spicy version

Drain chickpeas.
In a food processor add garlic and beans pulse until chopped.
Add remaining ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth. If necessary add water or vegetable stock to thin the hummus.
Add salt and/or optional ingredients to taste.

Use as a spread on sandwiches or place in a bowl and add serve with vegetables or warm whole wheat pita bread.

Enjoy!!!

Elizabeth Goldstein MS, RD, CDN

At the beginning of this month, the US Department of Agriculture unveiled a brand new replacement icon for food pyramid, which has been around since many of us can remember.  “My Pyramid” is now “My Plate”,  a simple picture depicting the major food groups and how they should appear at your average place setting.  Fruits and vegetables are emphasized, taking up ½ of the plate, with protein and grains occupying the other half and a portion of dairy set to the side in a blue circle.  The emphasis here is on simplicity.  This new image was designed to be more approachable and user friendly to the majority of Americans, many of whom found the pyramid to be confusing, and let’s be honest, just plain useless.  The idea is to communicate quickly and legibly the components of a balanced and nutritious meal and to provide a template for modeling after.  Critics of My Plate point out that because plate sizes vary, the problem of inflated portion sizes is neglected. Also, fats are left unaddressed and excluded entirely.  However, in combination with the new dietary guidelines, the hope is to communicate the importance of eating healthy, balanced meals made up mostly of whole foods, fruits and vegetables.  And we are certainly on board with that!

Also called Chinese cabbage, this cruciferous veggie is easy to prepare, mild in flavor and just plain adorable. As its name implies, baby bok choy is the immature plant to its bok choy parent.  This younger version is not only cuter, but also more tender and delicate in texture. Plus, its petite size makes it the perfect veggie side for individual plates.

What is it?

A member of the cabbage family and native of China.

What’s it good for?

Folate, Vitamin A, C & K plus calcium.

Preparing Baby Bok Choy:

This part is easy.  Baby bok choy is mild in flavor and tender in texture so the goal is not to overcook and not to overwhelm. And that means quick and easy! Toss into a raw salad or try out one of these simple cooking techniques:

            Lightly Stir-Fried:  Coarsely chop heads of baby bok choy (discarding the ends) and stir fry with garlic and sesame seeds over high heat in a bit of oil for a few minutes or until just wilted.  If combining with other veggies that need more cooking time (think broccoli), wait to toss the bok choy in at the last minute.

            Grilled:  Slice heads of bok choy in half lengthwise (to keep in tact), brush lightly with oil and grill for a few minutes or until softened. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and a little sea salt before serving.

            Roasted:  Toss baby bok choy with a little olive oil, garlic and salt and roast in the oven on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees until just wilted. Crank up the heat to 450 for added crispness. But don’t cook too long! 5-10 minutes should do the trick.

Those of us unfamiliar with the tomatillo may wonder what in the world this odd looking piece of produce actually is. And although it’s our veggie pick, technically speaking the tomatillo is actually a fruit. The papery husk that covers the fruit is likely what causes confusion and gives the tomatillo its somewhat exotic appearance.  It’s flavor is acidic and herbal, making it particularly popular chopped up and blended into salsas. But it can also add great flavor and texture to guacamole, gazpacho, salads, dressings and more.

Looking for an alternative to fat-based sauces?  Drizzle grilled or sautéed white fish with this healthy and flavor-packed tomatillo salsa from Gourmet for a fresh and healthy entrée!

What is it?

This staple of Mexican cuisine resembles a small tomato but is a closer relative to the cape gooseberry. Tomatillos are typically green in color and are covered with a papery husk that is removed before preparing.

What’s it good for?

Vitamin A & C, Fiber and Iron.

Choosing the best Tomatillos:

Rely on the husk to help you pick the freshest tomatillos. If it’s green, strong and healthy looking, you should be good to go. The tomatillo itself should be firm and bright green in color.