Getting Ready For The Holidays

I will be hosting the first night of Hanukkah cocktails and a few of my favorites:
Kind Healthy Grains Oats and Honey Clusters with Cheese and Goji berries
Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs with my Non Fat Tzatziki
Smoked Salmon on Endive Leaves
Mocked Chopped Liver on Le Pain Quotidien Raisin Bread
Gluten Free Black Bean Cakes
Roasted Vegetable Soup in Shot Glasses
Sweet Potato and Regular Gluten Free Latkes with Homemade Applesauce
most of these recipes will be in my January 2012 newsletter go to my website to sign up!

Staying Healthy at Holiday Parties

Here are some last minute tips as we are in holiday week...from Sarah Kalamch

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It never hurts to be reminded about these simple tips for avoiding the dreaded holiday weight gain when heading out to holiday parties.

·       Never show up hungry! Eat a snack with lean protein and fiber before heading to a party to avoid overeating heavy appetizers.

·       Start with crudités (avoid the creamy dips) and fill up on fresh vegetables before moving on to the rest of the party food.

·       Alternate cocktails with a glass of water (or seltzer with lime) to stay hydrated and cut down on empty calories.

·       Keep track of how many appetizers you are having over the course of the evening – it is easy to graze all night long, especially with passed hors d’oeuvres and not realize the amount of food you have eaten. Be aware of how much you are eating and stop once you feel full.

·       Allow yourself one indulgence – save up and really savor that one special food you are looking forward to and make it count. You will feel better and enjoy it more rather than going overboard with all of the heavy party food.

·       Bring your own food! Be a great guest and offer to bring a dish to the party -that way you know there will be at least one healthy option for you to snack on.

·       Socialize! Remember that the purpose of the party is to connect with friends - focus on the company and not the food.

Veggie Till Dawn

 Yesterday I took a redeye home from my annual family turkey week in Puerto Rico. It is amazing how a week of relaxing quickly vanishes as we play catch-up on the week. When away, I only ate 1 meal with an animal protein and felt great. I avoided dairy and just had lean fish, chicken, and meat with dinner. It was a nice change. I am thinking of trying this for the next month and see how my energy is along with strength when working out. Here is a sample of my first day back:
Breakfast: almond milk with a banana
Snack: green juice: spinach, kale, cucumber, lemon
Lunch: Veggie Patch meatless burger wrapped in romain lettuce (I cut the burger in half and make two wraps) with avocado, tomato and cucumber slices
Snack: comice pear and some roasted carrots (I know random!)
Dinner: egg white omlette, sauteed onions, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach salad with toasted almonds and roasted tomatoes
Dessert: granny smith apple
It was a light eating day but very satisfying. Let's see if this continues as the holiday parties are approaching.

Meatless Monday can be any day!

Yesterday I did a cooking demo at Williams Sonoma Columbus Circle. As the weather gets cooler we look for comfort foods. I thought I would share a new food that I tried recently, meatless meatball from Veggie Patch. For the demo I displayed several uses for the meatless meatballs:
-meatball hero in a whole grain bun
-meatballs and whole grain pasta with broccoli
-pizza whole grain english muffin with meatball topping
and I made a Tzatziki dip to sample the meatballs
Everyone was so amazed how delicious they tasted and they were healthy!
Here is a link to their website so you can find a store near you to purchase http://www.veggiepatch.com

For the Tzatziki recipe:

12 oz Non Fat Greek Yogurt

1 English cucumber

¼ cup Lite sour cream

2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced dill

2 tsp sea salt

½ tsp black pepper

1. Finely grate cucumber. Lightly pat with paper-towel removing most moisture.
2. In a bowl, mix cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, lemon, vinegar, dill, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Stir well.

Servings: 4

Calories 70

Fat 1g

Carbohydrates: 5g

Sugar 4g

Protein 8.5g

Food For Your Brain

Certain foods that have been proven to keep you alert and improve overall brain function. Eating a diet rich in essential amino acids, omega oils, vitamins and minerals can protect and keep your brain healthy over time.

·       Fish:

o   Salmon, sardines – these fish are high in omega 3 fatty acids, which have been linked to improved cognition, alertness and enhanced mood.

o   Oysters – high in selenium, magnesium, zinc and iron, which have been shown to help with memory and information recall.

·       Nuts and Seeds:

o   Flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds- not only are these seeds high in omega 3’s but they also provide fiber and other nutrients.

o   Almonds, walnuts, cashews– offer a great combination of essential fatty acids, fiber and protein.  They also contain vitamin E, folate, and vitamin B6. Brazil Nuts are a good source of selenium.

·       Cocoa – in its pure form contains antioxidants (flavanols) and some caffeine -which can help keep you alert.

·       Fruits:

o   Avocados – great source of healthy fats, fiber and vitamin E – all essential to cognitive function. They contain the amino acids necessary for memory and brain function.

o   Acai berries and blueberries – both are very high in antioxidants, which protect against free radical damage, combat inflammation and are linked to lower risk in Alzheimer’s.

·       Vegetables:

o   Leafy greens- such as spinach, kale, swiss chard are all good sources of iron, antioxidants and essential nutrients.

o   Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts provide choline, which is important for cognition and memory.

·       Eggs- the yolks provide choline, a building block of brain cells, which helps with cognition and memory, protein and fat for energy - organic eggs are a good source of the antioxidant selenium.

·       Whole grains – glucose is the brain’s main source of energy so carbohydrates with low GI help provide energy for the brain as well as folate and b vitamins.

·       Green tea – good source of antioxidants and polyphenols to prevent aging of the brain. Also contains a minimal amount of caffeine to fight mental fatigue.

Ever Wonder About the Sugar In Wine?

Sugar is necessary for winemaking. During the process of fermentation, the sugar molecules in grapes are converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide by yeast.

The primary sugars in grapes are glucose and fructose. There are other sugars present, but are in lesser quantities.  In some cases sugar is added to the grapes, known as chaptalization, to increase the alcohol content.

Grape maturity at harvest is critical for fermentation and perceptible sweetness. The Brix scale was developed to monitor sugar development and concentration. Brix readings give objective numbers that are used to determine the appropriate time for harvest.

Currently, there are no regulations in the United States regarding labeling the sugar content of wines, so for exact information about the nutritional content of your wine, you should check with the winery.

In general, most red wines have little sugar; most sweet wines are white. Key terms on the wine label can help you determine how sweet a wine will be. The term "dry" indicates a wine with less sugar.  The small amount of residual sugar plays a role in balance and mouth-feel of wine.

Balance in wine is determined by the interplay of sugar, alcohol and fruit (the sweet components) with the acid and tannin (the tart components). Most red wines are balanced by the fruit and alcohol component versus the tannin and acid. White wine contains little tannin so are typically more acidic than reds. White wine generally has less alcohol than red so sugar commonly plays a balancing role to the acid.

Jicama

JICAMA

What is Jicama?

Jicama is a sweet, flavorful root vegetable that has a light, crunchy texture. It is as sweet as a fruit and can be used in many different types of dishes. Jicama is equally flavorful, raw or cooked. You can find in the produce section of most supermarkets. It closely resembles the look of the potato, tastes similar to an apple and has a texture like a radish. It may also be called a yam been root or Mexican potato, but it is technically classified as a legume.

What do you look for in Jicama?

            When picking out jicama, you want to choose roots that are smooth skinned, firm and dry. Do not choose the largest ones, because they may have a more woody flavor and not be as sweet. Although jicama can be planted and grown year round, it peaks during the winter season. Store it in a cool dry place to prevent mold.

How do you prepare Jicama?

Jicama can be eaten raw or cooked. Wash and trim it, and then peel off the outer brown skin. To cook jicama, you can boil it in a small amount of water for about 5 minutes, until crisp tender. You can also deep fry it and serve as a substitute for potato french fries. It is also extremely popular to eat jicama raw. You can simply cut it into strips and add to it to a vegetable platter. Jicama is a tasty addition to any fruit or vegetable salad. It is also delicious sprinkled with a little lime juice and chili powder.

What are the health benefits of Jicama?

Jicama health benefits are numerous because it is low in calories and an excellent source of fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamins C and E. In fact, 1 cup of jicama contains nearly 6 grams of fiber. Jicama helps keep your cholesterol levels under control and may help protect against heart disease. Eating jicama also helps boost your immune system, promotes healthy bones, and protects against colds and flu.