summer snapshots

This rainbow shot through a humid evening downtown recently...it was pretty amazing. The warm weather is officially here to stay. Fortunately, I now have window air conditioner after coming to the conclusion that 97 degrees + no sleep is pretty awful. How did people survive pre-air conditioning?

I haven't done any races since the frustratingly hot St. Louis Half, but two weekends ago I ran a breezy 15k along the lakeshore, and Dave completed his first triathlon. Races always seem to inspire my running a little. There's just something about running with a bunch of people who know what it's like to get up for a training run at 5:30 am or sweat through 88 degrees at the end of a stressful work day; it's like instant camaraderie. I don't know if you've ever watched a triathlon before, but holy craziness...these people are hard core.

Still on the no-cooking food rule (and therefore eating a lot of smoothies and salads). If you're looking for heat-free ideas check here. Or maybe you should just eat this. The Chocolate Moose in Bloomington, IN makes an amazing grasshopper ice cream that I will replicate before the summer is over. What kind of ice cream are you eating this summer?

Dave made this wheat berry salad, which was delicious. Wheat berries are the whole wheat kernel pre-processing, containing both bran and germ. They contain fiber, protein, iron, and B vitamins and have a slightly nutty taste and chewy texture.

And my next project involves these. Any guesses?

gluten freeeeeeee

Another weekend of brunch with my sister, who just got a job working at an ad agency. Fancy schmancy. So lucky to spend another weekend with her. Maybe she's not so lucky to spend another weekend chasing me around thrift stores, convincing her that everyone should own a terrarium, reaching new levels of hyper off too much coffee, and getting excited about giant bottles of sriracha at marie catrib's.

Which by the way was absolutely fantastic. This was (half?!) a portion of  local eggs in a tortilla with hand seasoned potatoes and homemade salsa. There's something kind of fantastic about brunching outside while watching everyone come back from the farmers' market carrying awkward plants and bags of produce. It's comforting, kind of like we're on the same wavelength despite being complete strangers. I like that.

So although May (and nat'l celiac awareness month) just passed us by, I decided that it's not too late to write about Celiac disease. I see a lot of patients with this disease at work, and it's always amazing to me how families adapt//don't adapt to a new eating lifestyle.

what is celiac disease (CD)? 

CD is a genetic autoimmune disorder which affects ~1% of the US population. When a person with Celiac disease consumes gluten, the protein in wheat, barley, and rye, their body's immune system attacks the cells of the small intestine, causing inflammation. The small intestine contains many small finger-like projections called villi, which serve as sites of nutrient absorption. In CD, the villi are often blunted or show signs of cell overgrowth, causing malnutrition. 

how is it diagnosed? 

Blood tests for antibodies (TTG and EMA) may indicate a negative response to gluten. A person then undergoes an endoscopy biopsy (scope), where samples of their intestinal tissue are harvested and examined for presence of CD. A positive response to a gluten-free diet confirms the diagnosis. 

how is it treated? 

Those with CD must follow a life-long gluten free diet. Even a small amount of gluten in the diet can be harmful; not everyone will continue to experience symptoms, but they will continue to damage their intestinal cells if they consume gluten-containing foods. 

what about the weird//questionable ingredients?

• Dextrin – May be derived from corn, waxy maize, waxy Milo, potato, arrowroot, wheat, rice, tapioca, or sago.  Avoid wheat sources.

• Caramel Color – Safe in the U.S.

• Modified Food Starch – if wheat is used, the ingredient list will state, “Contains wheat” or “Made on equipment that processes wheat”.  

• Starch – if wheat is used, the ingredient list will state, “Contains wheat” or “Made on equipment that processes wheat”.  

• Seasonings and spice blends or mixes (check labels, call companies

• Baking powder: may contain wheat starch; Rumford Baking Powder - Non-Aluminum and Clabber Girl Baking Powder are gluten-free according to website

Cross contamination is a huge issue when trying to discern safe foods. Even if a food does not contain gluten, there is a chance (especially for grains) that it has come into contact or been processed in a facility that process a gluten-containing grain. The best way to find out if a product is safe is to directly call the manufacturer.

references and resources 

celiac disease foundation

national foundation for celiac awareness

university of chicago 

And here's one gluten free recipe I've been experimenting with. Sort of like Larabars in a different form (based on this recipe)

gluten free granola bites

1/4 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup almonds 

1/2 cup raisins

1 teaspoon cinnamon

*make sure all ingredients are GF//not cross contaminated!

Blend in food processor until moderately smooth. Scoop into bite sizes portions. Pack as work//school//whenever snacks. 

Let me know if you have questions or good recipes (especially for gluten free breads) that you think others might love to try...

substitution

Umm, this is not a valentine’s day post. Sorry for the disappointment, but I feel like there’s enough schmooze going around the interwebs this time of year. Not that it’s a bad thing to celebrate love, but I think every day is a good day to love the people in your life…

So, let the swappage begin…

1} $9 wraps at the deli hurt the wallet and the soul

Good news; you can make your own. Roasted red pepper hummus + lettuce + grated and cooked sweet potato, onion, lentil, and egg mixture + feta cheese on a whole wheat wrap. And it doesn’t cost a kidney.

2} goodbye office supplies of boringness and monotony that make me want to poke out my eyes.

This is my work survival stash: crazy colored post-its and highlighters courtesy of my very thoughtful boyfriend, gum, chapstick, inkjoy pens, peppermint tea, and lots of lined legal pads.

3} bad restaurant food that makes your insides want to die.

I recently met a friend for dinner at the electric cheetah. Black rice with green beans, fresh mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and grilled tofu = extremely simple but delicious. One of those meals that I’d like to replicate at home.

 

4} work clothes of uncomfortableness and varying shades of taupe.

Who decided that tailored trousers and uncomfortable tops and blazers were considered more work appropriate than say…colored skinny jeans, Toms, and cardigans? 

And thus, I end my rant for the night. What sort of things are you swapping out these days?

a good start to 2012…

Are you used to writing that on everything yet? It takes me a while to correctly date everything. Lately, I’ve been getting the year right but the month wrong. Clearly, I want it to still be December.

The holidays flew by but were an enjoyable time of eating good food and spending time with family and friends, including my favorite twin sister.

And someone super awesome knows my organizational obsession pretty well and got me these fantastic highlighters and post-it notes to make work more fun. Best gift ever.

Our family makes Swedish cardamom bread every year, and it’s wonderful with my favorite coffee. Such a good Asian Swede.

NY Eve was spent waiting for the ball to drop and playing legos with some good friends. Love them. Photo courtesy of Misty’s iphone.

As a dietitian, I’m very aware that this time of year comes with resolutions to be healthier, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing…but the motivation often doesn’t last. Rather than go crazy, I believe in baby steps toward better health; start where you are and grow toward something more. If that means walking during your lunch break or eating vegetables 2x a week, that’s good. If it means making dinner from scratch one night a week and giving up diet pop and Splenda, that’s good, too. And if it means giving yourself a break to eat ice cream, that is also good. ;)

My favorite thing right now is roasting a ton of vegetables (sweet and red potatoes, brussels sprouts (?! i know, i know), onions, beets, squash, etc) with garlic and olive oil (and a ton of black pepper) and eating over lettuce with tahini or on top of quinoa. So good. It also is a quick meal to throw together at the end of the day when my energy level takes a dive.

We got our first snowstorm in Michigan last weekend, but the snow has melted, and it’s back to running in 40 degree temps. It’s been perfect running season for a while, and I hope it stays that way. Wishful thinking? Perhaps…

And…I don’t particularly like making NY resolutions, but I think it’s always good to keep moving in a forward direction, and if anything, I hope that this year I’ll keep growing and pursuing good things, being creative, and seeking adventure [while avoiding becoming a boring, working adult without any imagination].

What about you?? Pro NY resolutions or not??

october

So obviously I haven’t been any better about blogging lately. This has certainly been a year of transition, and I think I’m still trying to find consistency in the midst of everything. When you change cities, jobs, and apartments as much as I have recently, it’s difficult not to feel like you’re just on one long road trip.

Balance has always been really important to me, lest life become a spin cycle of workrunsleep[repeat]…and returning to some sense of this is something I’m working on, whether it is doing more of the things I love or escaping the science of the everyday with some creativity.
Or drinking lots of kale smoothies (frozen banana slices, kale, almond milk, Michigan apple!, touch of cinnamon) to taper the effect of eating ice cream for dinner.

And although it now seems we’re experiencing the remnants of a pretty awesome (read warm) summer, the previous week straight of rain induced a lot of soup making.
{the easiest vegetable soup ever}.
Step 1 : Make a simple roux: melt 1 T butter, sauté 1/4-1/2 cup of onions until translucent. Add 1 T flour.
Step 2: Add 1/2-1 cup of milk (almond milk for me) and 2 cups vegetable stock. Heat until boiling, stirring until slightly thickened. Add lots of vegetables, black pepper, and you’re done.
  
Step 3: Make homemade crackers (why are crackers so good in soup?!). I used whole wheat flour and almond milk instead of cream. But I’m sure they’re incredibly delicious without recipe alteration.

And speaking of balance…I laughed when I read this article in the NY Times. Super doses of vitamins apparently don’t prevent diseases. What.a.surprise. While I didn’t read the specifics of each study, I usually find that most vitamin superusers do so to compensate for other unhealthful habits, as in: hey, I’m going to down this bottle of vitamin C to counteract my daily McDonald’s habit. Bottom line: strive for health, not quick fixes.
Adios, friends. Time for another fun filled day of food allergies and the wonderful world of all things gastrointestinal.
  
btdubs: out of curiosity, do you take any vitamins/supplements? (i'm a vitamin c fan and i like amazing grass).

nutritional yeast and B12

Good thoughts on the USDA’s rollout of My Plate. Andrea made a really good point; the plate does NOT encourage non-processed food over processed food, but because the food industry is so huge, I have to say I’m not surprised.
I went to the Jolly Pumpkin, an Ann Arbor craft brewery with some friends this weekend. Definitely a fun place; they have a rooftop deck that is perfect for summer nights. And they use ingredients from sustainable farmers, organic growers and artisan producers, which is pretty fantastic.

[photo via b.rostad]
Sunday is always a big food prep day because I have pretty much zero energy to pack lunches or cook during the week. I experimented with this recipe for tahini curried carrot salad.

I’m not crazy about sweet vegetables, so I had to do a little improvising. I left out the raisins and added some spiralized cukes (this is the spiralizer I have). I think next time I’d leave out some of the maple syrup, too.

The recipe also calls for nutritional yeast, which is big in the vegan world because it contains vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12:

• required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis; plays a role in fat and protein metabolism
• bound to protein in animal products and is released by the activity of hydrochloric acid and gastric protease in the stomach; however synthetic vitamin B12 (aka that in nutritional yeast) is already in free form and doesn’t require separation
• the body needs very little B12 on a daily basis; B12 is stored in the liver, so unless you have been a vegan for a long time without supplementation or have digestive issues or kidney disease, you don’t likely have a deficiency.

.

• amounts listed on a nutrition label are based on 6 µg/day; the nutritional yeast I have contains 40% of the daily value for B12 or 2.4 µg per tablespoon.
• it is beneficial to get B12 from a variety of fortified sources because absorption can vary.

Do you eat animal products? If not, where do you get your B12?

salad season + goodbye food guide pyramid

Things are starting to heat up around here, meaning many of us say goodbye to hot soups and hello to salads. I’m more than slightly excited about the variety of vegetables and fruit coming into season pretty soon.

[ideas]:

spiralized salads: cukes, carrots, red onion, feta cheese + balsamic vinaigrette. you can get a spiralizer here.

waldorf salad: try the vegan-friendly homemade mayo.

classic potato salad: picnic staple…and not like the weird potato salad at the grocery store that looks unnaturally yellow. ugh.

black bean salad: tomatoes, corn, black beans, cucumbers, red onion, and cilantro + olive oil and red wine vinegar.

apple and cherry salad: this one is a hit at dinner parties; the dressing is pretty fantastic.

cherry tomato couscous salad: adding whole grains to vegetables is an easy way to make a side dish into a main course.

5 week fennel salad: this is called such because I made it 5 weeks in a row after discovering the recipe. It’s pretty addicting.

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And I’m sure that most of you have seen My Plate, which replaces the former (and incredibly confusing) My Pyramid.

While it’s not perfect, I think it’s a big improvement over My Pyramid. At least vegetables and fruit are given more of a presence. However, I like this model by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) even better.

Half of the plate is composed of vegetables, which I think would be very beneficial for most of the population. You’ll also notice that there is not a protein group, which is due to the group’s conclusion that animal products are not needed for a healthful diet, and observation that protein can be obtained from grains and vegetables. I agree with this; I don’t have a problem with including meat in moderation, but as factory farming makes ethical meat less available, alternative sources of protein are definitely more attractive and affordable (read my thoughts on protein here and here).

This report by the PCRM is pretty interesting. Although the government is encouraging us to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables, more than 60 percent of agricultural subsidies in recent history have directly and indirectly supported meat and dairy production. Less than 1 percent have gone to fruits and vegetables.

So in other words, eat more vegetables and fruit but don’t expect the government to make them more accessible or affordable. Go figure.

Thoughts on the new plate? And any good salad recipes? I’m always expanding my recipe file in the name of creative vegetable dishes…

Hope it is warm + sunny wherever you are…

[time]

Time is the biggest issue most people have when it comes to cooking and eating healthfully. It’s even hard for dietitians, who deal with early mornings and long days, to be excited about cooking a meal after work. I try to do most of my meal prep during the weekend, to save time (and energy) during the week.

Dave (who is now famous) is more of a kitchen adventurer than I am these days and recently recommended this lentil dish. I have to admit that my fave part was actually the lentils + cinnamon and cumin. And you probably shouldn’t make this unless you like onions…or have an intense fear of vampires (6, count ‘em, 6 cloves of garlic in this dish!).

   

Super easy to make, but you should plan to get at least 3 pans dirty, spill rice (or quinoa in my case) on the floor multiple times, and end up with tomato sauce in your hair. Or maybe I’m just talented like that…

Is it ironic that a plate of non vegan cookies (so, sometimes I bring cookies to work. newsflash: dietitians eat cookies) are sitting next to JSF’s Eating Animals? Still digesting bits and pieces of this gem…ethical eating for me is (and probably always will be) a process. I’ve had a lot of convos about this recently, and it’s always interesting to hear responses to questions like, “what are your thoughts on GMO crops?”

Mini SLU dietetic intern reunion slash wedding this past weekend (congrats R & J!). I honestly cannot believe it’s been almost a year since I finished my dietetic internship. Crazy. It so was good to catch up with these ladies, who are all now dietitians and colleagues.  I promise my hair looked halfway decent before all of the dancing started.

And…I just got back from a rain run. In St. Louis, it rained so often in the spring that I promised myself I’d never use rain as an excuse not to run. It’s funny, but I actually like running in the rain now…as much as I’m addicted to my ipod, sometimes it’s nice to take a break and run without.

Speaking of time…this is my last post as a 25 year old!