my first papaya

I've had papaya before, but I've never purchased a papaya before. They were on sale for $0.94/lb and I just couldn't resist!

My 3.21-lb papaya 
(I couldn't get the picture to rotate for the life of me...sorry)

 

I peeled off the skin and cut it length-wise into 2. How pretty inside!

 

Scooped out the seeds and cut into slices. It was perfectly ripe! Almost looks like salmon here, doesn't it?

 

7 cups of fresh papaya for just over $3.00! Yumm!

Papaya Facts:

- 55 calories per CUP!

- naturally fat-free

- contains 3 grams of fiber per cup

- one cup contains 144% DV of Vitamin C

- named the "fruit of the angels" by Christopher Columbus

- contains papain -- an enzyme used in digesting proteins

Question: What's the last NEW fruit or vegetable you tried at home? 

Are there any you're interested in trying but hesitant to spend the money on without knowing when it's ripe, how it tastes, or how you can cook with it?

 I received several emails asking what my time was for the 4-mile Guinness Challenge. The results are up and my chip time was 45:53...just under 11:30 min/mi splits. Considering the Guinness-drinking and hills...I'm happy with that!

Off to play my 2 hockey games in a bit...hope you're all enjoying your weekend and having better weather than Tulsa!

Thirty-ONE Days of Diabetes

I decided not to be a cop-out and to complete the full month of diabetic meal pattern eating -- thirty-ONE days versus my proposed thirty days. So, my last day, Halloween...wasn't a complete bust for being what it was: Halloween. I ended the day with something like this...

Breakfast:

1/4 cup steel cut oats, uncooked (2 carbs)

1 Tbsp brown sugar Splenda (1 carb)

coffee with 2 Tbsp sugar-free International Delight (0 carbs)

1 kiwi (1 carb)

     Total: 4 carbs

Lunch:

1 servings of Terra Chips (1 1/2 carbs)

2 Nutridel cookies (1 1/2 carbs)

1 mini Butterfinger (1 carb)

     Total: 4 carbs

Evening (between 6 and 11pm):

fajitas - chicken and shrimp and all the veggies (0 carbs) - I didn't eat any tortillas!

1/2 cup beans (1 carb)

1/2 cup rice (1 carb)

1 cup salad and salsa (0 carbs)

handful of tortilla chips with salsa and a bit of queso (1 carb)

2 beers (1 1/2 carbs)

3 fun-size Kit Kats (2 carbs)

     Total: 6 1/2 carbs

TOO MUCH! AHHH! Darn candy! So my last day and meal was my worst day and meal of all 31 days. If it is any consolation for my actions, my stomach punished me for my sugary gluttony!!!

All-in-all, diabetic dieting was not difficult...it simply required some planning and self-control at times (which I often times lacked). As a dietitian, those managing their diabetes through oral medications such Metformin, Glipizide, Actos, and Glyburide are at high risk for elevated blood sugars. While many patients want to avoid insulin at all costs, insulin therapy actually creates a greater degree of control for the patient. A sliding-scale insulin regimen allows for fluctuating carbohydrate intake (and quite a bit of it, at that!), while the oral meds are not so forgiving. This was a very rewarding experience, and also very humbling. I do feel like I have a better understanding of the difficulties of diabetic meal patterning and the effort it takes to balance meals and control portion sizes. Any clinician working with a diabetic population should consider putting themselves up to this challenge in order to better relate to their patients and provide them with the insight, empathy, and care that diabetes self-management requires.

It's been a few days since I graced the blog world with some research and I booked marked this interesting study earlier in the week. And all too appropriately, it's related to diabetes. A meta-analysis showed that meat intake is linked to diabetes. Specifically, high intake of processed meat may increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by get this...40%! This study was conducted in the US and Norway and included 12 cohort studies [1].

In addition to processed meats, red meat was linked to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes. And along the same lines, high intake of both processed and red meats increases one's risk of colorectal cancer up to 20% [1]. 

Since the outpouring of research against the safety of processed meats, we have drastically reduced and nearly eliminated our intake. While luncheon meat is inexpensive (relatively) and handy, the health risks is poses are not worth the convenience to me. Opt for all-natural peanut butter or almond butter sandwiches, tuna, chicken, or egg salad. Light on the mayonnaise, always! 

 

And...my team finally did it. GO ILLINI!!!!!!!!!!!!! While the season is obviously a wash, watching my team whomp yesterday gave me goosebumps of excitement! SO happy for them!


This morning in our living was a picture epitomizing fall (at least to me)....

Puppy laying on a warm bed in front of the fire...chewing on an old-fashioned oats container!

I used the last of the old-fashioned oats in making my new FAVORITE breakfast (ever?)...

YUMMMM!!!

Happy November 1st! Enjoy a beautiful Sunday. Lily and I are off to go crazy at the dog park! Ciao!

[1]. Daniells, Stephen. Meat Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk: Meta-Analysis. Food Navigator. October 28, 2009.

Happy Halloween!

I wish you all a Happy (and safe!) Halloween! Yesterday at work, a few of us dressed up and snapped a shot. I, am the banana. Not the most flattering of looks on me, but all too appropriate seeing as I'm a dietitian :)

Before I settled in for college football and trick-or-treaters, I got in a good run and dashed out to do my errands. And of course, that included not only a trip to the grocery store...but also to the health foods store! Needless to say, I got lots of goodies. With husband gone most of the week, I wanted some easy meals for one and enough balanced "snack foods" that I could just snack for dinner since I'm flying solo. Check it out!

 Here we see: USDA organic Acai juice (can't wait to try it!), all-natural Pineapple Coconut juice (it's low in calories, surprisingly and I also cannot wait to try it!), Apricot Pumpkin Butter (my new favorite food -- AWESOME in oatmeal!), fat-free cottage cheese (I was CRAVING cottage cheese and pineapple!), 100% resveratol juice (only 130 calories for 10 ounces!), POM (per the recommendation of Candid RD!!), and skim milk way back there (next to the beer, haha!)

Moving over a bit in the fridge you can see...

USDA organic Oregon Chai (yummmm! I haven't spoiled myself with any in QUITE some time!), fresh salsa, and my favorite hummus: Sabra Classic Hummus (I'm making falafel at some point this week!)

I also got: low-calorie/high-fiber noodles, Terra chips (YUMMMMMMM!), USDA organic wheat pizza crust, organic old-fashioned oats, lots of ZEVIA!, a HUGE mango, kiwi, pears, bananas, limes, salmon, pumpkin puree, and HALLOWEEN CANDY!!!!!

My (cheap) husband bought Nerds, Bubba gum, Smarties, Jaw Breakers, and Lemonheads. I was afraid our HOUSE would get EGGED if we didn't include any CHOCOLATE!!!!! So, he left town and I bought chocolate : )

Anyways...Lily and I are ready for trick-or-treaters, as you can see!

And my fruit basket is looking ready for the week, as well...

And just as I was getting ready to press "Publish Post"....my doorbell rang. Package for Nicole. It was my Nutridel cookies! After reading about Nutridel cookies on Jenny's blog, I just had to try them. 

And they are DELICIOUS! I ordered the assorted pack of 28 packages (2 cookies per package). The flavors are: pecan, flaxseed, almond, and oatmeal. I tried the flaxseed and it was SOOOO good!! 57 calories a cookie! They are all-natural, cholesterol free, contain no trans fat, are dairy-free, and contain no refined sugar. The cookies are high in fiber (3 grams!) and contain antioxidants and omega-3's. And, they are GOOD!

Welp, it's time to commit my full attention to football. Yesterday's diet was about the same as the day before, so I will spare you! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Reader Question: Peanut Butter

I received an EXCELLENT question this morning from a reader. She asked:

Q: I am trying to vary my snack routine, and I keep hearing that peanut butter is a great snack to enjoy on an apple or whole wheat toast. I have avoided peanut butter in the past because it has a lot of fat and calories, but I wanted to get a dietitian's point of view. I would love to see a blog post about the health pros and cons of peanut butter and recommend certain things to look for when buying PB to keep it on the healthy side. Thanks!

A: Firstly, I completely understand the confusion surrounding peanut butter and healthfulness. Peanut butter does have a LOT of calories and fat! However, peanut butter is actually a very balanced food item when used in moderation (i.e. 2 tablespoons). While a serving of peanut butter will run you 190-200 calories, you're getting a lot for the "cost" including plentiful amounts of monounsaturated fats (those are the REALLY good fats), polyunsaturated fats (good fats!), 8 grams of protein, approximately 4 grams of fiber, and a mere 1 gram of sugar. Natural peanut butter is cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Here's a nifty chart from the USDA on peanuts and peanut butter...

 There are a few things to be aware of when purchasing and using peanut butter, however....

- Buy natural peanut butter. Peanut butter containing "hydrogenated oil" or "partially hydrogenated oil" contains trans fat (that's the REALLY BAD kind). Buying a natural form of peanut butter insures that it is trans fat-free. Check your labels and ingredient lists to be sure!

- Measure your portions! Two tablespoons is a generous portion, but peanut butter is easily a food that can get a bit plentiful in portion sizing over time.

- When adding peanut butter to a snack, pair it with a low-calorie food item as to have a healthy snack that's relatively low in calories. Examples: celery, pretzels, crackers, fruit, etc.

- Every thing in moderation. No single food should comprise the bulk of your diet or nutrient intake.

Verdict: Thumbs up! Shop smart and watch portions as always! Personally, I opt for All-Natural Jiff.

As for the diabetic diet, I'm pluggin' along. Yesterday ended up like this:

Breakfast:

1 egg, cooked in Pam (0 carbs)

1 Arnold's bread thin (1 1/2 carbs)

2 Morning Star Vegetarian sausage patties (1 carb)

6 ounces low-sugar toffee cappuccino (1 carb)

     Total: 3 1/2 carbs

Lunch:

1 serving chili (1 carb)

1 banana (2 carbs)

baby carrots (0 carbs)

1 Vita Top Muffin (1 carb)

     Total: 4 carbs

Dinner:

2 cups chicken noodle soup (1 carb)

1/2 acorn squash (2 carbs)

2 tsp Splenda brown sugar (1 carb)

2 Tbsp Smart Balance Light (0 carbs)

     Total: 4 carbs

Snack:

6 wheat tortilla chips (1 carb)

1/3 avocado (0 carbs)

3 more days of diabetic dieting! Have a great night, thanks for reading!

P.S. Meredith: I am not a CDE...yet! I am working on racking up the hours to sit for the CDE exam and I work with a population where I see a LOT of diabetics. I hope to get become a CDE within the next 2 years and I am SO excited about it! As passionate as I am about weight loss, I LOVE working with diabetics. It is fascinating!

Giveaway Winner!

Meredith of Pursing Balance drew my name as her giveaway winner. Thank you, Meredith! In addition to great giveaways, she also writes one great blog! Check it out!

Here's what I won! 

Picture taken from Meredith of Pursuing Balance

My winnings:

• Whey Krisp Bar (with organic whey, peanut butter, and chia seeds)
• Yogurt-coated Wild Berry Burst Energy Bar (with organic dates, sunflowerseed butter, soy protein, and honey)
• Orange Greensicle stick pack (150% vitamin C, 100% calcium & Vitamin D)
• Original Superfood stick pack (packed with 29 superfoods)
• Wild Berry Burst stick pack (high in antioxidants)
• Chia + Omega3 stick pack (high in fiber and omega 3)

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!

College Football Snackies

Question to bloggers: how can I get my text box where my posts go to be wider? There's so much wasted margin room...I hate that! Also, I've had some requests to not use white font so people can read blog posts on their Google Reader. Is there a way to change the font color of ALL my previous posts to make that transition easier? Thank you!

My poor Illini got pummeled by the Buckeyes yesterday...*tear*. I figured we were in for a tough game, but not even a field goal? Ouch! Yet, we were still able to enjoy ourselves with good drinks, good friends, and of course, good food!

Our weekend beer of choice as of lately has been Michelob Ultra -- lower in carbohydrate than nearly all other light beers. I'm gearing up for my 30 days as a diabetic, I guess!

And as for our snackies: Buffalo Chicken dip - yum! While it's certainly not THE healthiest thing in the world, it's a nice treat...especially if you enjoy it on celery stalks like myself! Also, in adopting this recipe into my arsenol, I did some research on "wing sauce". Ends up, there's more to wing sauce than mild, medium, and hot! Hooters wing sauce, for example, has 80 calories and 9 grams of fat (5 grams of saturated fat!!!) in just 2 tablespoons! Moore's Buffalo Wing Sauce contains 15 calories and 1 gram of fat per tablespoon. Both are packed with sodium, though...beware! Anyways, the Buffalo Chicken Dip is a fun crowd-pleaser, and a lighter version of many football weekend snackies!

Buffalo chicken dip

1 package (8 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby Jack cheese blend or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped green onions (2 medium)
Whole grain crackers or celery sticks, if desired 

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in dressing, buffalo wing sauce and water until blended. Stir in chicken and cheese. Spread in ungreased 1-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate; cover with foil. 

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Stir and top with onions. Serve hot with crackers or celery sticks.

Our OSU friends brought over chili...and if anyone knows how to make chili, it's them! It ALMOST makes up for the fact that they're OSU fans. And here they are in their OSU jerseys and their poisonous nut necklaces (*eye roll*)!

Josh and Tiffany

 Josh and Tiffany being silly...and our ugly red couch

And here's our happy family...even Pinky (our snake) came out to join the party yesterday (he's crawling on Mark's arm)! Not a great picture of anyone, especially of me...trying to hold up our 35+ pound bundle of joy!

Lily caught a nap at half time...

Enjoying a relaxing Sunday with plenty of sleep and the usual fresh fruit smoothie beefed up with flaxseed oil and protein powder - yum! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, thanks for reading!

Granola 'n Margaritas

"I got my toes in the water, a$$ in the sand

Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand

Life is good today. Life is good today."

~Toes, Zac Brown Band

Random, yes. Great song, heck yes! While I frequently enjoy an evening brew, I have to tell readers about Baja Bobs. While I am not likely to change my opinions of margaritas

(hello, sugar!), Baja Bob's offers consumers a much more health-conscious margarita option, using Splenda. While I've only tried the Original Margarita mix thus far, I also ordered the daquiri and pina colada mixes. I'll have to share my thoughts on those once I try them...but the margarita mix gets a HUGE thumbs up! The calorie-free mix offers a low-calorie drink option with your calories coming from tequila mixed in only. Go light on the pour, and us ladies can shamelessly enjoy 2 a day!  

And one more food find: Bear Naked All Natural Granola. I found this product at Wal Mart (ugh, I know), but I'm sure it's available many places if it's here in Oklahoma. Unlike most granola, this particular granola is lower in calories -- 140 calories for 1/4 cup. The ingredients (listed in order as they appear on the label): whole grain oats, honey, canola oil, almonds, raisins, coconut, sweetened dried cranberries, pecans, walnuts, maple syrup, oat bran, ground flax seeds, and toasted sesame seeds. How cool! And, it is delicious! My morning snack today was 4 ounces of non-fat yogurt with 1/4 cup granola -- simple, sweet, and completely satisfying!

And just like "Toes" says -- life is good today! I found out at work today I have the go ahead to wear scrubs to work. I always said my dream job would be working in a comprehensive care team completing one-on-one nutrition consult with diabetics and weight loss patients...while wearing scrubs. What can I say? Life is good today : )

"Got my PJs on, tush on the couch

Not a worry in the world, sugar-free margarita served up

Life is good today. Life is good today."

~Happy RD

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Keeping with my endeavors to try more new recipes, I made Chicken Cordon Bleu last night...and it

was delicious! My husband doesn't care for ham, so next time I may make his portion with turkey pepperoni. I made rosemary potatoes as the side and we had a fresh garden salad with Kraft Light Asian Sesame Ginger dressing.

Yum! I forgot to take pictures last night, but here's my leftovers for lunch today, sans the salad...those never travel well for me.

For a snack, however, I will be spreading leftover Laughing Cow onto a ripe, delicious Gala apple (my favorite variety!).

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Taken from Weight Watchers, Inc.

4 - 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 wedges Laughing Cow Light (I used original)

4 servings extra lean ham (I used Deli Select)

1/2 package Shake 'n Bake (I used less -- looked like too much!)
crushed garlic

Directions

Pound each to about 1/4 inch thickness. Spread one wedge of cheese and garlic on top of each breast. Put 2 to 3 slices ham over the cheese and garlic. Roll up the chicken and secure with toothpicks. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle with Shake N Bake.

Bake at 400 for about 35 to 40 minutes.

I have a blog topic request I'll post on tonight if the day isn't too hectic. If not, catch ya tomorrow! Have a great day!

Protein Power

After a week of training for work that left me without a refridgerator, freezer, and microwave for a week...I was ready for some new, healthy items to take with me to work next week. As much as I adore Fiber One bars, I'm getting sick of them...and as much as I love string cheese, I'm also getting sick of it. On our Sam's Club run today, I got a little protein crazy: unsalted almonds and EAS Whey Protein Powder. I came home and put into baggies individual portions of each.

Compose

Why these foods? They're healthy, of course. Protein tends to be much more filling than carbohydrates alone, which many snack foods are.

Almonds are high in fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and several other phytochemicals. Almonds are also heart-healthy and contain high levels of antioxidants. Nutrition nerds, you may want to go here and read about Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) -- it's interesting stuff! There's new research showing prebiotic effects of almonds, aiding in immunity and proper gut function. They are, however, high in calories (160 calories an ounce), as they contain 13 grams of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids (the good stuff!). A recommended serving of almonds is 3 tablespoons, one ounce, or 23 almonds to be exact! Above all tree nuts, almonds are highest in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin.

And what's the deal with this EAS Whey protein powder? Well, firstly, it's made by Abbott Nutrition. This tells me that 1) it's quality-controlled, and 2) it's the real deal. You can find prepared and individually packaged EAS protein drinks for around $2 each. ::jaw hits the floor:: (I know). The 76-serving package from Sam's Club, however, was $29.95 -- $0.34 a serving. Talk about savings...props, self. So you just add the protein powder to cold water, and for a mere 130 calories, you're consuming 23 grams of high-quality protein. The biological value of the EAS whey is 104 (egg protein being 100, the gold standard of BV). The protein digestability (PD) score of the EAS is 100 -- the same as casein and milk proteins with the net protein utilization* (NPU) coming in at 92 -- higher than both casein (76) and milk protein (45-86). It'll be a great thing to have at work for after my lunch break workouts and to stave off hunger during the afternoon hours.

*NPU = BV x PD

A is for Avocado!

Americans consume, on average, 3 1/2 pounds of avocados each year -- more than double what it was 10 years ago. Hass avocados, the small, bell-shaped, basic avocado are mostly produced in California (80% of those in the US are Hass avocados from California) [1]. And they are a fruit as they contain a seed/pit.

I am obsessed with avocados, yep. I am. And I make some MEAN guacamole -- my friends all LOVE my guacamole. Yep, brag, brag, brag. It's wonderful.

Fortunately and unfortunately, avocados average 47 calories and 4 grams of fat per OUNCE, or about 1/5th of a medium-sized Hass avocado. If you polish off the whole fruit, you're looking at roughly 250 calories and 20 grams of fat -- 72% fat, to be specific...coming from the good fats, however, the mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA's and PUFA's). Avocados are also a great source of vitamin C, folate, fiber, iron, potassium, and beta-carotene [1].

Have a avocado that's not quite ripe and you're anxious from some guacamole? Throw it in a paper bag and add a banana to the bag if you have one to spare. The fruits produce a gas called ethylene which causes them to ripen quicker than in an average climate [1]. It works like a charm, promise (I have a minor in chemistry, I can't help my nerdiness at times...)!

Now...for the good stuff. I used to have guacamole "cook-off" competitions with my roommates back in college. I take guac-making VERY, VERY seriously. Try out my recipe and let me know what you think!

Nicole's Guacamole
1 Hass avocado
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp low-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp salsa
1/4 lime, juiced

Mash together and savor on a whole wheat tortilla chip. Yummmmmmmmmmm!

[1]. Kayal, Michele. Avocados Are High in Fat, but High In Nutrients, Too. Freep. August 98, 2009.