We have a donut problem.

I'll admit to a guilty pleasure: donuts. Though, donuts are [typically] an indulgence on a very rare occassion. ....Until about 3 weeks ago.

Three weeks ago, husband came home from Saturday morning errands with about 3 donuts. Between the 2 of us, they were consumed as breakfast. Eaten, enjoyed, and done with. Until the following Saturday when he did the same thing! We stopped for gas and as I was pumping gas, he went in to the gas station and emerged laden with 4 donuts. Ugh. Those lasted Saturday AND Sunday morning. TWO days of poor breakfast choices! Two WEEKENDS of poor breakfast choices. Shame!

Then today I was out running morning errands and I went into the gas station as my gas was pumping and bought 3 donuts. I walk in the door and husband had stopped by the donut shop and picked up 5 donuts, one of which he'd already consumed. And in the midst of blogging, another one hits the dust (him, not me). I'm yet to indulge and I'm thinking I'll hold off in hopes that husband goes to town on the darn things! (Husband is one of those people who can eat what they want, all that they want, and as often as they want without any adverse effects such as.......WEIGHT GAIN. Terd.).

Bad, bad, BAD!!!!!

Husband and I just pow-wowed and decided this habit has GOT to go. While donuts are not the worst of all evils they are a COMPLETE waste of calories and fat...and contain NO nutritional value whatsoever. At all! They fall far into the "20%" of my 80-20 guidelines! I vow to you, blog world, to cut the donut habit we have formed. Back to the good'ole days of the very occasional guilty pleasure.

ANYWAYS... ::eye roll at self::

A patient brought me some fresh home-grown turnips yesterday and I haven't a CLUE what to do with them. For the record, I am not a fan of anything "pickled" (okra, beets, etc.).

Any ideas on how to deliciously indulge in my new vegetable?

I tried Kay's Naturals gluten-free Apple Cinnamon cereal this morning and it was very good! It held it's crunch really well in milk, to my pleasant surprise. However, I was hungry 2 hours after I had breakfast. I was surprised at this because of the high protein content. I'll give it another shot for breakfast and see it it wasn't a fluke. Hopefully, because it was really good!!!

And on a completely unrelated topic...a debate, if you will.
Question: If someone is a "vegetarian" and they consume meat occasionally, are they still a vegetarian or are they a Flexitarian?

I guess I don't "get" labels. I think that there's a lot of benefits of both meat-containing and meat-free diets. Personally, I aim to consume at least 1 if not 2 meat-free meals a day. I eat red meat on a very rare occasion, not only because I don't prefer it, but also because of the high saturated fat content and the assocation between red meat intake and cancer, such as colon and breast cancers. Seafood, however, I could never give up.

I also do think it's somewhat hypocritical to be a vegetarian for reasons such as animal rights and then to consume eggs and milk that are not organic or from free-range animals. It's very true that conditions for chickens, hens, and cows are cruel and inhumane.

Thoughts on this?
I ask because of this post.

AWESOME, AWESOME Giveaways!!!

Michelle of Lucky Taste Buds is giving away a Soda Stream Machine!! She's also giving away 2 jars of Krema peanut butter!

Live, Love, Eat, and Play is giving away Zevia!

Heather of Health, Happiness, and Hope is giving away POM, coupons, and Odwalla bars!

And just for fun...Lily in a tutu

Here she is a few months ago...she's grown so much!!!
She only snores more and eats more now!

We're off to the dog park...have a wonderful Saturday!

Lazy potatoes, delicious soup, and a diabetes update

I've been in the kitchen ALL day. We had a holiday party for our patients (party one of two...next one Friday), and I was responsible for making chicken skewers and turkey meat balls -- both of which were delicious! I'll post the recipes with pictures on Friday. After my extensive morning meatball and skewer prep, I refused to dirty another pot and my stand mixer in order to make mashed potatoes! Heretofore, I made them in the microwave. Yep, that's right, microwave mashed potatoes. I realize this makes me lazy lazy lazy, HOWEVER...they were good! Secret ingredient: 1% buttermilk! After cooking my new potatoes (skins on!) in the microwave, I mixed them (with a hand mixer...whisks easily go into the dishwasher!) with Smart Balance Light, 1% buttermilk, an abundance of crushed garlic, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mmmm!

Dinner was salmon with lemon pepper and fresh lemon juice and mashed potatoes (that portion looks HUGE...but it's about 1 cup!)

Also for dinner, I made a new recipe -- Spicy Senegalese Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup. I got this recipe from the National Peanut Board, which called for peanut oil and peanut flour. And being the lucky girl that I am, the National Peanut Board had mailed me these ingredients to try and recommend to patients.

 Thank you, National Peanut Board!! <3

 fresh ginger = a favorite!

 IF YOU WEAR CONTACTS...WEAR GLOVES WHEN CUTTING JALAPENOS!!!!!

Call me slow, but I learned the hard way...owwwwwwww!! And the hotness stays on your hands for DAYS!

Anyone else find this out the hard way? :-/

  

I have to say...

peanut oil + onion + garlic + ginger + jalapeno = Uhhhhhhhmazing scent! 

My house still smells so good!

+ sweet potatoes = SUPER Uhhhmazing!!!

 

Mmmmm!!

Oh, and the soup..the soup was delicious as well! Husband agreed that it was completely unique and had a very "gourmet" in flavor.

Spicy Senegalese Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup

1 Tbsp peanut oil

2 cups onions, peeled, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp ginger, chopped (I doubled this!)

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled, diced

1/2 cup peanut flour

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock (low-sodium if you prefer!)

1 Tbsp brown sugar (I used the Splenda brown sugar mix)

1 Tbsp peanuts, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno, saute 2 minutes until transleucent. Add the sweet potato and cook for 15 minutes. Add peanut flout, stir to coat.

2. Add the chicken stock and bring to a summer. Simmer 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and brown sugar.

4. Serve sprinkled with chopped peanuts.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 198 calories, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 4 grams MUFA, 1.5 grams PUFA), 8 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber

 And in the news...

The World Health Organization (WHO) declares diabetes is reaching epidemic proportion worldwide.

Illinois has launched an online survey entitled, "Speak Out About Diabetes" which includes questions such as, "Have you ever seen a dietitian about how to manage your diabetes?"

Hallelujah!!! Yet again, I am feeling empowered and blessed to be working in diabetes and working towards my CDE.

Question: What ONE area of nutrition interests YOU the most? Either as a nutrition provider, patient, or nutrition advocate.

Weight loss/weight management? Diabetes? Renal? Pediatrics? Nutrition support? Geriatrics? Bariatric? All-natural/organic? Sports nutrition?

P.S. I know I went a bit carb-crazy with my mashed potatoes AND sweet potato soup for supper. Ohhhh well : )

Fiesta con NUTRITION!

Wow! I was expecting a good turn-out for the giveaway...but the response has far exceeded my expectations! Thank you to my new followers...I look forward to hearing from you and reading your work, as well!

If you look to the right there you'll see my newest poll is asking about your preferred housing for your taco stuffing! This past week I made tacos and came across several options on hand in our house. While I typically go for a corn tortilla, I hate how small they are and how easily they rip. So, I opted for some hard shells you'll see below. I then, of course, got to comparing the nutrition on these taco shells and may have had a change of heart...

I just may be a hard shell chick.

So, let's compare...

1st choice: Mission Life Balance Plus Tortillas

 

Serving size is 1 tortilla.

130 calories, 3 grams of fat (1.5 saturated), 3 grams of fiber, 290 mg sodium

First word on the list of ingredients: "enriched" -- BLASPHEMY!!! And looking at that list, there's TONS of 8-syllable words on there (that's my way of saying "there's way too many preservatives")

 

Choice 2: Old El Paso hard taco shells

My Pick of the week!

 

A MUCH abbreviated list of ingredients and a single preservative 

(can't escape them all, but glad to see it's limited....)

 

First note: the serving size is THREE shells.
150 calories, 7 grams of fat (3 g saturated -- 3 grams MUFA!), 135 mg sodium, 1 gram of fiber.

I love the healthy fat (despite the higher saturated fat), and I love that the sodium is low!!'

Choice 3: Mission Yellow Corn tortillas

 

Serving size is 2 tortillas
110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat (no saturated fat), 10 mg sodium, 3 grams of fiber

So, which taco shell would you choose at my house?

I think the corn tortillas are the most wholesome. I love the fact that they are SOOOO low in sodium, a good source of fiber, and contain NO saturated fat! However, they're too flimsy for me! The ones at restaurants are always better than those in the stores...

C'est la vie that the healthiest option is not my favorite...but I DO think that the Old El Paso hard shells are a GREAT option for tacos shells. I love that the shells are low in sodium and have more than half the fat coming from MUFA's and PUFA's. For a 3-shell serving, they're also the lowest in carbohydrates (important for diabetics!).

The Mission Life Balance are a good source of fiber but higher in calories. They're also packed with preservatives and the main ingredient is enriched bleached wheat flour (noooo!).

In short: soft shell corn, hard shell corn, and last...flour.

 

Have a wonderful Thursday and check back for the winner of the giveaway tomorrow!!

Guinness, squash, and peanut butter

Gina, thanks for bringing the carb content of Guinness to my attention. Live and learn! Funny thing is, I can't even remember the last time I ordered anything other than a light, domestic beer. Oops!

After thorough research, both Guinness and cider beers are 10 grams of carbohydrate per 12 ounces. So, my two 12 ounce Black Velvets run me 1 1/2 carb choices (20 grams of carbohydrate). While this doesn't SEEM like a lot, it kinda is. Bud Light and other light domestic beers run between 3.2 and 6.5 grams of carbohydrate per 12 ounce serving.

Look at this beautiful fall produce I picked up today -- Granny Smith apples, pomegranate, acorn squash, butternut squash, and red pears (which are SUPER high in fiber!). Thanks for the squash recipes, I am DEFINITELY planning to make at least one of them this week!

I also saw a new product while waiting in line at Walgreens...so, I had to try it. These bars are called "Full Bar" and come in a peanut butter and cocoa flavor. In my opinion, they're not worth the cost ($1.50) or calories (170 calories)...plus, they simply tasted like lightly chocolate-coated Smacks cereal -- nothing special. But, here's what they look like:

Other than Guinness carbohydrates being unbeknown to be, so was hydrogenated oil in peanut butter!! While I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I didn't know that, I'm not a peanut butter guru and consume it on a rare occasion. Now that I have to have protein-containing evening snacks, however, I purchased the raved about Smart Balance peanut butter. Check out the label, particularly the part that says, "No Hydrogenated Oil".

 

 

Half time is over, back to rooting on my Illini! Thanks for keeping me in check and providing me with yummy recipes, readers! I much appreciate it!

A little of this, and a little of that...

I'm excited about a lot today! I'm going to try several new recipes this week including: Orange Hoisin Chicken, Chicken Cordon Bleu, and Baked Ziti Casserole. I'll post the recipes as I try them this week...and hopefully remember to take pictures before its demolished!

The weather in Tulsa is absolutely stunning! Lily and I went to the dog park and played HARD. She then requested a bath when we got home, and she is now napping/sunbathing in the yard, drying off. Rough life, eh? Unfortunately, I passed on a run this morning with husband because I have a late night hockey game. Just figures the weather is gorgeous and I exercise on a sheet of ice in 15 lbs of padding! 

Anywho, thank you to those who voted in the most recent poll asking what you enjoy reading most about on my blog. Research came out on top with recipes and my life's trials and tribulations surrounding nutrition and food coming in close second. I agree with you guys, the latest and greatest research is important, interesting, and nothing less than fascinating. I'll continue putting out a variety of topics so that everyone stays reading, happy, and most importantly, learning more about nutrition!

I tried a new Southaven Farms recipe this weekend -- Cherry Pie Muffins. These were BY FAR the best recipe I've made from Southaven Farms to date. They are delicccccious! My in-laws loved them!! Especially after 18 seconds in the microwave, says my father-in-law! They couldn't be any easier to make, too! I used the multigrain mix and the entire can of no sugar added cherry pie filling. The recipe made 18 really nice-sized muffins for approximately 95 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 3 grams of fiber. And did I mention they are DELICIOUS!? I'm certainly looking forward to breakfast this week!

 

 Pre-baked

 

 All done! See the yummy, plump, sweet cherries inside!?

Also this weekend, I got to talking with my neighbor who is a drug rep for Lilly. We were chatting away, and it comes out that he sells diabetes meds -- specifically Byetta and insulin (Humulin, Humolog)! We got to talking about me being a dietitian working with diabetics, and he gave me oodles of  "Nutrition in the Fast Lane" pamphlets put out by Lilly in his stocked-full garage. The pamphlet includes nutrition information for common fast food joints...lots of them! How cool! He stocked up the back of my car with the pamphlets. My patients are in for a treat in learning the truth about all the fast food out there! Thank you, neighbor!

Also, I have to give myself a little recognition for completing 10% (100 hours) of one-on-one diabetes education required to sit for the CDE exam as of Friday. That doesn't seem like a lot, but it took me 2 1/2 months to get those hours and I'm proud of each and every one of them! I hope to have 50% of the hours completed by July 1, 2010.

I was also contacted this week by a NuVal representative, after writing about NuVal back in June. I am in communication with Melissa, the NuVal representative, about gathering information to blog on specific NuVal ratings. If you were thinking Kashi was the epitome of healthy cereals, check out Melissa's post here on adult rated breakfast cereals. But first check out my June blog post on the NuVal system if you're unfamiliar with the rating system!

After many recommendations from friends, we finally tried KEO this weekend. It. was. amazing! I got the red curry and I should've taken a picture! It came with an option of white or brown rice (I got brown) and chose tofu as my meat. It was just incredible - the taste, the presentation, the reasonable portion size! I just can't rave enough about that dish and our experience at KEO. There are KEO locations also on the east coast for any readers out that way -- it's definitely worth taking a trip too! Sorry, no pictures...regretfully!

Last, I'm strongly throwing around the idea of going "diabetic" for 30 days -- the month of October. The 31st is Halloween so technically my 30 days would be over for trick or treating, right? Kidding, kidding. I just figure, if I'm talking the talk...maybe I could stand to walk the walk. I talk diabetic diets all day, maybe I should give it a go. More than eating a diabetic diet, it will take some adjusting to counting carbohydrates on a diabetic diet. Any reader thoughts or feedback on this idea?  

Also, does anyone else thing our Lily would make the cutest bumble bee for Halloween? Our neighborhood is packed with kids, many of whom know and love Lily. I think it's only appropriate our puppy participates!

Off to grocery shop...enjoy the reminder of the weekend, all!

Hold the acrylamide, pease!

Here's just one more reason America's vegetable of choice (in the form of chips or fries) needs a closer look.

In addition to the excessive fat and sodium content of potato chips and french fries, a chemical called arcylamide is also found -- a possible cancer-causing agent. Because acrylamide is found in carbohydrate foods which are cooked at high temperatures, acrylamide is also found in foods such as cereals, baby foods, breads, and crackers [1].

In lab animals, acrylamide is shown to cause tumors and neurological problems. Consumer's in the US are not seemingly phased by the recent discovery of the possible carcinogenic effects of acrylamide. Many

American's are yet to hear about acrylamide despite its presence in nearly 40% of foods. Federal governing bodies in the US, Canada, and Europe are stepping up efforts to reduce the levels of acrylamide in foods [1].

Acrylamide forms when sugars and asparagine (an amino acid) are heated together at temperatures more than 248 degrees Fahrenheit. This effect, which is partly a "Maillard reaction," enhances a food's color, texture, aroma, and flavor [1].

What to do about it? Continue eating a healthy, balanced diet that is low in fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugar and rich in high-fiber grains, fruits, and vegetables, says the Food and Drug Administration. Joe Schwarcz points out that there is acrylamide in certain foods just like there are aflatoxins in peanuts, ethanol in wine, urethane in sherry, styrene in cinnamon, and hetreocyclic aromatic amines in beef bouillon [1].

It's also important to know that acrylamide levels vary greatly between identical products such as Krispy Kreme donuts and McDonald's french fries.

Just like anything and everything else, watch it. No food should be over-consumed in the diet -- balance is always the goal.

[1]. Deardorff, Julie. Acrylamide: Why french fries shouldn't be overheated. Chicago Tribune. September 18, 2009.

Aloe Vera and Yukon Golds

I’ve heard two diabetes-related “rumors” recently, so I had to research into their origins and truthfulness. 

The first rumor: a hypoglycemic effect of aloe vera in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. 

An October 1999 study performed by the British Journal of General Practice disputed the use of aloe vera in the hyperglycemic. Four independent literature searches were conducted and controlled clinical trials in various languages were included. The results showed that “oral administration of aloe vera might be a useful adjunct for lowering blood glucose in diabetic patients as well as for reducing blood lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidemia.” While these results are intriguing the conclusions of the study stated that while the results yielded promising results, the clinical effectiveness of oral aloe vera is not sufficiently defined.

The National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) recognizes the side effects and cautions of using aloe vera stating, “People with diabetes who use glucose-lowering medication should be cautious if also taking aloe by mouth because preliminary studies suggest aloe may lower blood glucose levels.” The NCCAM explains that the science of aloe does not support aloe vera for uses beyond laxative and burn and abrasion healing at this time [2].

Bottom line: False. While there is some science in support of the use of aloe vera in lowering blood glucose, it is not a recognized use at this time.

The second rumor: Yukon gold potatoes have less carbohydrate than other potatoes.

An average-sized potato is approximately 5.3 ounces (148 grams). A 5.3 ounce Russet potato is 25-26 grams of carbohydrate. A 5.3 ounce Yukon Gold potato has the same 25-26 grams of carbohydrate.

Bottom line: False. Yukon Gold potatoes are NOT lower in total carbohydrate.

[1]. Vogler, B. K., Ernst, E. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness. British Journal of General Practice. October 1999.

[2]. National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Aloe Vera. Updated April 2008.

Simple Sugars and More Crock Pot Love...

Blog topic request: simple sugars.

My friend -- we'll call her Jenny -- is pregnant! Jenny went for her oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in her second trimester, per protocol, to check for gestational diabetes (GDM). Gestational diabetes shows up in approximately 4-5% of pregnancies and is marked by elevated blood glucose due to elevated hormone levels, affecting insulin secretion. Insulin is the hormone responsible for decreasing blood glucose (sugar) in the blood. Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when the body cannot make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels within safe ranges for both mother and baby.

While Jenny was not diagnosed with GDM, she was told to stay away from "simple sugars" after a slightly elevated 2-hour blood glucose reading during her OGTT. So, she wants to know what carbs to include and which to exclude.

As far as "simple carbohydrates" things that come to mind include: soda, juice, sugar, syrup, candy, honey, chocolate, desserts, white flour, etc.

"Complex carbohydrate" are the "good carbs," meaning they do not as readily (and quickly) increase blood glucose in the body. When fiber is included in a food we can consider it more complex as fiber causes a "slow release" of sugar. Often, fiber-containing carbohydrates are given a "net carb" count, meaning the grams of fiber are subtracted from the total grams of carbohydrates giving the "net carbs," and thus "lowering" the actual effect of carbohydrate on blood glucose.

So, complex carbohydrates would include: whole grain cereal, pasta, and rice, oats, beans, legumes, and fruits and vegetables. So basically, anything that's not a sugar or refined : )

Because I'm a huge supporter of a diabetic meal patterns (consistent carbohydrates), I recommend to insulin resistant individuals a slightly modified diabetic meal pattern of approximately 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal with a night time snack consisting of both carbohydrates and protein (approx. 15-30 grams of carbohydrates). Adding in morning and afternoon snacks containing approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates is optimal, as well.

For our purposes, forget about "net carbs" and focus on labels and "total carbohydrates" -- grams. By controlling the amount of glucose we're putting into our bodies, we can control (the best and only way that we can) the amount of sugar going into our blood. Hence, any individual with insulin resistance, I recommend following this regimen (or a modification of this regimen).

Carbohydrates are essential and thus, the backbone of any diet. Even a diabetic diet contains mostly carbohydrates. And really, a diabetic meal pattern is simply another means of explaining a HEALTHY, BALANCED DIET! Ideally, all of our meals are comprised of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. In the case of carbohydrate control, the aim is to meet, but not exceed, the recommended carbohydrate intake and use protein and fat accordingly.

What might 60 grams of carbohydrates LOOK like? Good question!

Breakfast:
2 slices of whole wheat toast
with Smart Balance or peanut butter
1 small banana
1 egg or Egg Beaters
coffee with creamer

AM snack:
apple and 1 oz. low-fat cheese

Lunch:
2 oz. turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat
1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
1 serving of baked chips
1 oz. of almonds
string cheese

PM snack:
low-fat yogurt with 1/4 c. granola

Dinner:
1 c. whole wheat pasta
1/2 c. marinara
3-4 1 ounce meatballs
salad with light dressing

Snack:
6-8 crackers with cheese or peanut butter

"Jenny" -- I hope this helps! I'm here to help...just ask : )

And in my crock pot last night was a winner, and rich in complex carbohydrates! Can't-Hardly-Cook Chicken Parmesan! Before work, I threw in 5 chicken breasts which I had rolled in Egg Beaters and then in a mix of bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (lightly brush with olive oil the bottom of your crock pot first). I then layered 2-3 slices of light mozzarella over the top, and dumped on 2 jars of Classico marinara. Cooked on low all day and added it atop a portion of whole wheat linguine. It was divine! The chicken fell apart it was so moist...delicious!

I've got tonight's dinner cookin' up now -- chicken tortilla soup! Yum! Recipe review (and pictures) later!