Cooking and consuming better nutrition starts with a home kitchen full of great ingredients, Mediterranean style. The easiest way to shift to high quality, Mediterranean nutrition is to transition your home kitchen's ingredients. This begins with a focused effort to replenish your dry pantry, fridge, and freezer. A Dry Pantry with Better Nutrition The dry foods in your kitchen are important to every meal. To improve their quality, Mediterranean style, try a few changes at a time. Here are 3 steps to take: Add more canned or dried beans, lentils, and nuts Expand your … [Read more...] about Cooking at Home with Mediterranean Ingredients
Colorful Nutrition is Normal in Spain and It Inspires All of Us
In December, I needed to stock up on fruits and vegetables and was totally surprised at how much I got for less than 15 Euros (about $16!) In Salamanca, Spain, where I've been living for a few months, it's really fun to shop for fruits and vegetables because they are affordable, plentiful, and everyone - vendors and customers - puts an emphasis on fresh. I can shop at a very small street market, a regular grocery store, or the large Central Market, over 100 years old, which is adjacent to beautiful Plaza Major. Whatever is in season like tomatoes, sweet red peppers, and melon in the summer, … [Read more...] about Colorful Nutrition is Normal in Spain and It Inspires All of Us
Cinnamon Mandarinas with Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a Recipe from Spain
Here's a dessert recipe that will tickle your taste buds as it protects your body and brain from oxidative stress, inflammation, and aging. These sound like impossible claims, right? In fact, by combining the nutrition of a sweet, juicy, high fiber tangerine-mandarina (or orange) with the nutrition of delicious extra virgin olive oil, the health benefits are amazing. Vitamin C in the citrus fruit is a powerful antioxidant that can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation throughout the body. High quality, fresh extra virgin olive oil is a superhero of the Mediterranean-DASH Diet meal pattern … [Read more...] about Cinnamon Mandarinas with Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a Recipe from Spain
Seafood Cooks Quickly and Tastes Great
As a nutrition professional, I've encouraged a lot of people to eat fish and shellfish and I hope that I've succeeded. Seafood is a top choice for a burst of delicious protein at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Here is a list of how some fish compare to other high protein foods like meat, poultry, dairy foods, and beans/legumes. Think about dinner with seafood, for example, and brainstorm all your options. Chances are that you'll discover it's easier and quicker to cook seafood than chicken, beef, pork, or a bowl of spaghetti. Wouldn't that be great? How to Cook Fresh Fish and … [Read more...] about Seafood Cooks Quickly and Tastes Great
Spanish Tortilla is a Potato-Onion Omelet
If you think an omelet is only for breakfast, then think again. This one works as a meal or a healthy snack. In Spain, the traditional Tortilla is well known as comfort food. It's a popular meal starter at home and it's easy to find as a snack or tapas around town, too. One thing I especially like about the Spanish Tortilla - a simple egg & onion & potato omelet - is that the whole thing is flavored with delicious extra virgin olive oil. Another thing I like is that it costs very little to make and most family members will like it. Finally, I like it because it reheats so well … [Read more...] about Spanish Tortilla is a Potato-Onion Omelet
Balancing Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Butter
As a dietitian, I get a lot of questions about fat and I appreciate every question. Fat seems to be one of the most misunderstood nutrients there is. So, this blog reviews facts about olive oil and butter to give you information and confidence that you are 'in balance.' Quick Olive Oil Facts: A fat that comes from grinding and pressing whole olives A pure 100% fat with no protein or carbohydrates, and about 100 calories per tablespoon A 'liquid fat' with about 3/4 monounsaturated fat A delicious flavor enhancer with a baked potato, scrambled egg, or slice of bread A fat that … [Read more...] about Balancing Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Butter