Easy Solutions:

If you want to follow a healthy eating plan from around the world, a smart choice is Mediterranean style. Flavors are fresh, fruits and vegetables are plentiful and the net result is very healthy ‘fuel’ for your body. Click here to read Cindy’s blog about shopping for Mediterranean foods.

May is Mediterranean Foods Month!

It’s Mediterranean Foods Month which is a time to adopt the super nutritious foods that originate in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. This includes 21 countries in Europe, Asia and North Africa, such as Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, and others. What’s so special about Mediterranean foods? The staples of this tasty cuisine include garlic, fresh herbs, olives, olive oil, seafood, fruits, vegetables, yogurt, whole grains, beans and more. In recent history, research confirms that people who eat Mediterranean foods every day suffer less heart disease than those who do not. Some research shows that Mediterranean foods promote healthy body weight, too. Do remember that the Mediterranean lifestyle is an active one as well as one that encourages less stress and more time to relax with friends and family. All combined, this lifestyle is worth serious consideration as a healthier and most delicious option.

Easy Recipe For Everyone!

Do It Yourself Mediterranean Style Pizza

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Pizza crust, thin*

1-2 tablespoons Olive oil

2-3 Roma tomatoes, sliced

12 Olives, pits removed

10-12 Fresh basil leaves, torn in half

1 cup Part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

To Prepare

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Lightly brush crust or drizzle with olive oil.
3. Top crust with tomatoes, olives, basil leaves and cheese.
4. Lower oven temperature to 425 degrees.
5. Place pizza in oven on a flat baking pan or cookie sheet.
6. Cook for 8-10 minutes depending on how crisp you like it.

*I recommend Mama Mary’s Thin & Crispy Pizza Crust, available in the grocery store

Balsamic Strawberries with Mint

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 sprigs Fresh mint

3 tablespoons White sugar

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar, good quality

2 pounds Strawberries, hulled, quartered

To Prepare

1. Wash and remove stems/leaves from strawberries. Cut them into quarters.
2. Cut about 12 large mint leaves into long, thin strips, julienne style.
3. Stir the julienne-cut mint into a mixture of the white sugar and vinegar. Stir to dissolve sugar then add strawberries.
4. Toss everything gently, then set aside for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
5. Divide the strawberries among 4 plates. Spoon extra juice/marinade over berries.
6. To make an attractive dessert plate, dust with 10X confectioners’ sugar and garnish with whole mint leaves.

Nutrition Inspiration!

Where do you get inspiration to eat nutritiously? Outdoor farmer’s markets may be found all over the world and their colors and freshness are a feast for your eyes and your meal plate. This market is in a Turkish neighborhood of Vienna, Austria. Even though Austria is not on the Mediterranean Sea, the eggplant, leeks and colorful sweet peppers support a Mediterranean lifestyle. Does this give you any new ideas for making a tasty and nutritious family meal? I hope so!

Take Action Now!

Jump on board with a healthier lifestyle for you and your family! Please LIKE my facebook page and read my weekly blog for everyday solutions to a healthier meal plan, grocery list and home kitchen. And, be sure to bookmark my website as a trusted destination for tasty and sensible nutrition and wellness information.

Please note that I am an in-network provider of nutritional counseling for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina*. I am accepting new clients and will be delighted to help you achieve your health and nutrition goals. Contact Cindy to find out more or to set up your first appointment!

*Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Wishing you a Happy Mediterranean Foods Month!

Cindy

Cindy Silver, MS, RD, LDN

Registered Dietitian

Winston-Salem, NC

Eggs are nutritious, versatile and budget-friendly as a ‘go to’ meal starter!

What’s a ‘Go To’ Meal?

I am a firm believer in keeping it simple in the kitchen. A piece of fruit, slice of bread with peanut or almond butter, a cup of yogurt, a can of tuna, a bag of frozen veggies. ‘Go To’ meals are born from simple choices that support great flavors and great nutrition. They are the meals you can always remember, always enjoy and always find ingredients in your kitchen to make them – quickly.

3 Reasons to Embrace ‘Go To’ Meals!

There are many more than 3 reasons to use ‘Go To’ meals. Here are a few of my top choices: eat healthfully; eat with less stress; eat within your budget. Just because they are simple, though, don’t think of ‘Go To’ meals as boring. Switching the kind of fruit or vegetable, for example, is easy to do and it will keep your meals fun.

3 ‘Go To’ Meals to Try!

1. Breakfast ‘Go To’ Meal: Strawberries + Whole wheat toast + Boiled egg + 1% Milk or yogurt + coffee/tea

2. Lunch ‘Go To’ Meal: Cheese/Tomato/Cucumber Wrap on Whole grain tortilla + Baby carrots + Apple + Water

3. Dinner ‘Go To’ Meal: Whole grain spaghetti with Marinara Sauce + Turkey sausage + Green salad with avocado and light vinaigrette + 1% Milk or Water

What’s your favorite ‘Go To’ meal?

A salad made from broccoli, apples, raisins, sunflower seeds, sweet red pepper, radishes, avocado & dressed with olive oil, turmeric, garlic, lemon juice features tasty Mediterranean flavors!

It’s Mediterranean Month!

If you want to follow a healthy eating plan from around the world, a smart choice is Mediterranean style. Flavors are fresh, fruits and vegetables are plentiful and the net result is very healthy ‘fuel’ for your body. When I lived in Italy 7 years ago from September – December, I was really excited about what I could buy at the grocery store and open-air markets. Boy, was it fun cooking there!

Grocery Shopping for Mediterranean Foods in the USA!

It’s all good news if you want to find Mediterranean foods in American grocery stores these days. Look around for simple foods that fall into basic categories such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, seafood, yogurt. Then, don’t leave out 3 other characteristic choices: garlic, olive oil and red wine.

Planning A Mediterranean Meal & Shopping List!

1. Think of a Mediterranean style meal:  Broiled fish with White bean or Chickpea Salad, Steamed Asparagus, Crusty bread, Figs.

2. Check your pantry: If you have a can of beans or chickpeas, use them. If you have dried figs, use them. If you keep olive oil and dried herbs as staples, use them. There’s no need to purchase what you already have on hand.

3. Write your list: Fish recipe – fresh or fresh-frozen fish of choice; fresh lemon; fresh parsley; Bean or chickpea salad recipe – fresh garlic, celery or fennel, parsley; Fresh asparagus recipe – fresh asparagus; Crusty bread – buy the day you eat it; Figs for dessert – pouch of dried figs.

A Healthier Grocery Trip!

Healthier groceries are the starting point for healthier meals and snacks. To feel better, improve your health and do so deliciously, a firm stand at the grocery store makes sense. Make the switch now by using this Mediterranean shopping list, and as always, keep it simple at mealtime! Please join me on Facebook for daily tips and shopping inspiration of the good-for-you variety!

What’s a  Mediterranean food you’ll add to your grocery cart this month?

My delicious lunch plate at a local, sustainable farm was home-grown arugula salad, egg, potatoes, chicken.

April is Here – Get Ready for Locally Grown Food!

It’s a big month. April is Garden Month and right around the corner, on April 22, is Earth Day. Though I didn’t grow up on a  farm, as a kid I would dream about how wonderful that could be – the animals, the fields, the ‘homemade’ food.  As an adult, I am a huge fan of local farmers who work very, very hard so that I can eat the best vegetables, fruits, eggs, honey, meat, chicken and more.

Local Food Has a Field-Full of Advantages!

What’s so great about local food?

Its awesome flavors. If you’ve never tested that, I recommend you visit a local farm or farmer’s market and buy some Spring leafy greens such as spinach, kale or chard, grown in or near your county. Then, buy the same thing at your local grocery store, grown hundreds of miles away. Finally, cook the greens in 2 separate pans by lightly sauteing with a touch of garlic, olive oil and the tiniest pinch of salt. Taste and judge.

Its ongoing support of community. Farmers are an important group in the community. The same way you like to buy hardware supplies from the local business or eat at a hometown restaurant, you can support local agriculture. Also, the farmers typically purchase seeds and supplies, and hire local employees which helps your community.

Its respect for the Earth.  Many local farms use sustainable systems to grow food and/or raise livestock and they sell locally. When this happens, the Earth benefits by fewer man-made chemicals entering the air, soil and water. Earth-friendly composting, crop selections and rotations put less stress on the environment, too. And, a smaller carbon footprint results when the farm harvest is distributed near by.

Get On-Board with Local Food!

There are simple ways to enjoy the flavors and support the cause. Get out to your local farmer’s market, buy a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership or plant a garden in your yard. Then, savor your harvest. Email me if you need help figuring out how to prepare locally grown vegetables and herbs or need advice on a CSA or farmer’s market choice. I’ll be happy to help!

Which farm or farmer’s market will you try this week?

• Simple, healthy, and fun blog posts.
• Tips about meals, snacks, and grocery shopping.
• Quick and healthy recipes
• Others like yourself!

Fruit & Nut Pancakes

1 cup Heart-Smart pancake mix (by Bisquick)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/4 cups nonfat (skim) milk

1 egg

1-1/2 cups nonfat or 1% cottage cheese

1 cup diced apple, skin on

1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Spray a flat skillet or large frying pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine baking mix and whole wheat flour in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large, mixing bowl, stir together the milk, egg, and cottage cheese.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl and stir into a batter.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to mix it into the batter.
6. Turn on the stove burner to medium and when it is heated, begin cooking pancakes.
7. Using a soup ladle, dip out batter for 2, 3 or 4 pancakes on the skillet/pan.  One medium pancake is about 3 inches across.
8. When little bubbles form on the surface of each pancake after 4-5 minutes, flip them over with a flat spatula and cook for 4-5 minutes longer.

Enjoy with a light drizzle of maple syrup or honey! Or, top with cut up fruit!

Take Action Now!

Jump on board with a healthier lifestyle for you and your family! Please LIKE my facebook page and read my weekly blog for everyday solutions to a healthier meal plan, grocery list and home kitchen. And, be sure to bookmark my website as a trusted destination for tasty and sensible nutrition and wellness information.

Please note that I am an in-network provider of nutritional counseling for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.* I am accepting new clients now and will be delighted to help you achieve your health and nutrition goals. Contact Cindy to find out more or to set up your first appointment!

Cindy

This yogurt-green apple-blueberry parfait is a tasty dessert!

Yogurt & Fruit Go Together – Deliciously!

There are some tasty foods that seem to pair together perfectly. I put yogurt and fruit in that category because it seems like no matter which flavor yogurt you choose, or which fruit, the combination is hard to beat. Flavors sing and the nutrition punch is a knock-out! Here’s a favorite recipe of mine to try as part of any meal, snack or dessert. Kids absolutely love it, too!

Make-Your-Own Yogurt & Fruit Parfait

Kids can help by measuring the ingredients and making their own creative parfait, with supervision. Use any fruits you like.

Makes 4 servings

1 large                   Banana, sliced

1 cup                     Pineapple tidbits from a can, drained

1 cup                     Berries such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries, washed

1 1/2 cups            Vanilla low fat yogurt

1/2 cup                 Graham cracker crumbs

1. Get out clear parfait glasses or every day cups, one per person.
2. Place all fruit on a large plate or bowls with a spoon(s).
3. Place yogurt in a bowl with a small ladle or spoon.
4. Place graham cracker crumbs in a bowl with a spoon.
5. Take turns, passing the fruit, yogurt and graham crackers around the table and let everyone make a colorful parfait in layers.
6. Have a family contest for creativity and award everyone a prize!

Nutrition per serving: 190 calories; 2.5 gm fat; 1 gm saturated fat; 0 trans fat; <5 mg cholesterol; 125 mg sodium; 39 gm carbohydrates; 3 gm fiber; 6 gm protein; 2% DV vitamin A; 50% DV vitamin C; 20% DV calcium; 4% DV iron

Easy Family Recipes Make Healthy Cooking at Home a Big Success! It’s time to re-vamp your kitchen routine to include simple, scratch recipes and more meals cooked at home. Changes such as these lead to success for families who want to feel great and stay healthy. Consider these meal planning and recipe e-books as an affordable and sensible place to start.

Where will yogurt and fruit fit into your meal planning this week?

Squash from the fall/winter season is still available as a healthy choice!

Seasonal Produce is Changeable!

I really hate to say ‘goodbye’ to fall/winter squash and my beloved citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges but the reality is that seasons are changing and so are what we see in the Produce Department.

Tip: Get an acorn or spaghetti squash (shown at left) while you can because their season is fast going away.

Moving On to Poultry!

One of the most popular ‘dinner-starters’ in every grocery store is the rotisserie chicken. It makes a super easy meal at home, along with a steamed vegetable and a baked sweet potato.

Tip: Pick up a fresh, whole chicken in the Meat/Poultry Department and roast it yourself for a preservative-free option. It’s simple: For a 2-3 pound chicken, remove wrapper, sprinkle with any herbs you like, and bake uncovered for about 1-1/2 hours at 350 degrees. Check doneness with an instant-read meat thermometer that indicates fully cooked when 165 degrees in the breast, away from bones.

Moving Into the Grain Aisle!

It makes all kinds of good nutrition sense to eat whole grains, based on their higher fiber, vitamin and mineral content. Not only that – they taste great, too!

Tip: Put a whole grain into your grocery basket once a week. This could be wild or brown rice or whole grain spaghetti. Follow the cooking instructions on the package since they may be slightly different from the ‘plainer’ grain.

Make Your Grocery Basket a Healthy Inspiration!

It’s time to make your personal nutrition statement with a healthier grocery basket. Be a role model as you push your cart through the store for others to see it brimming with colorful fruits, vegetables, unprocessed whole grains and poultry. When you get home, let your family members help unpack and put away what you bought so they will be inspired, too. For tips, ideas and a place to learn about making healthy choices, join me on Facebook!

What whole grain will you try?

Fresh produce isn’t the only place to find fresh and healthy choices!

Fresh Produce is a Good Starting Point!

Just about every grocery store that I know puts the fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables in view where customers enter the store. It makes sense to get us starting our grocery basket with seasonal choices as well as nutritious ones.

Tip: Pick up 1-2 fruits and 1-2 vegetables here, as a rule.

Fresh Bakery Comes Next!

The smell of yeast bread towers over the fresh bakery and everywhere close to it. Did you know there are fans that blow the bread-baking odors all around to entice customers to buy more?

Tip: Pick up a bread with ‘whole wheat’ or other whole grain as the #1 ingredient. Then, ask the bakery clerk to slice it – unless it’s already in nice, neat slices.

Moving On to Seafood!

Fish and shellfish are smart choices if you are looking for extra lean protein. Try something different like scallops or mahi mahi instead of your usual purchase. If you’re buying fresh seafood, ask to smell it first to check the freshness. It should smell mild and fresh like the ocean.

Tip: Put a package of fresh frozen seafood in your grocery basket, for later. You can store it in your freezer for a few days, a few weeks or a few months.

A Good Nutrition Grocery Basket!

Remember to think about variety when you write your shopping list. It takes a little of everything — protein, fruits, veggies, whole grains, and dairy — every day for balanced and satisfying meals. The US government makes quite a few easy-to-understand resources available for good nutrition. So, click here to check them out. If you need help putting together tasty menus then click here.

What new food will you try in this week’s grocery basket?

It’s super smart to store tomatoes, avocado and garlic at room temp!

Why it Matters

Food is most flavorful and nutrient-rich when eaten at its peak quality. That’s why most of us spend time sorting through lemons, turning over broccoli florets and sifting through fresh loaves of bread before putting them in our grocery cart. Fresh is something everyone wants!

What to Store at Room Temp

Tomatoes, avocados, garlic, potatoes, onions, bananas, and unripe melons will be fresher if stored at room temperature. Once cut, wrap them up and place in the fridge. Then, eat  in a day or two.

How You Can Save

By storing food in its ‘sweet spot’ for light, temperature and moisture, you will be rewarded with fresh ! Not only that – you will have less food rot and, by throwing away less, you will save money. Smart food storage combined with smart meal planning is a super smart goal for everyone!

What food will you store differently for freshness?

Homemade pizza has personality, bursts with flavor and rocks with good nutrition!

Pizza Ingredients to Love!

What goes on top of your pizza crust? On mine, at the left, are these:

Layer 1: homemade basil pesto, spread on thinly

Layer 2: canned tuna, flaked apart with a fork

Layer 3: canned, quartered artichoke hearts, drained of water

Layer 4: fresh tomato wedges

Layer 5: Parmesan cheese, roughly grated, sprinkled on thinly

Pizza Meal-Makers to Add!

While you could rightly argue that all the nutritious food groups are sitting on this pizza, I still feel better and fill up better with a couple of side items at my homemade pizza meal. Normally, I go with a green veggie like steamed broccoli or sugar snap peas plus a green salad of some sort. The pizza is the center of my meal, though, and worthy. You will be amazed at the flavors of this simple recipe so please try it!

Families Love Pizza so Plan to Make One Soon!

Many families with kids and singles are pizza lovers. Instead of pizzeria pizza, which can easily go overboard on calories, saturated fat and salt, plan to make a homemade pizza with smart ingredients as a nutritious lunch or dinner. Next grocery shopping trip, put healthy homemade pizza ingredients on your list and then in your cart. Once home, you’ll have the fun of creating a meal the entire family will adore.

What will go on the top of your pizza crust?