spontaneity & sandwiches

Sometimes you just want to make peanut butter cookies at 11:30 pm after an exciting episode of hgtv design star {anyone else hooked?!}…even though you are a dietitian. Hey, I used whole wheat and spelt flour…that counts for something, right?!

    

I’ve always promoted moderation, and I think that an almost-midnight batch of cookies is worth it.

I think the same rule of spontaneity applies when you return to a mysterious bag of basil on your front porch. I guess it’s pesto night.

Did you know you can also make pesto from fresh asparagus?

I went running in the humid 80 degree weather and almost died. Everyone I ran by was biking, which was probably a much smarter idea. I’m so jealous of those people who actually run better in the heat and humidity. Maybe I should take up bikram yoga?

:: building a better sandwich ::

To everyone who claims that a sandwich just doesn’t do the job at lunch…maybe you need to reassess your building skills? A few tips to help your sandwich tide you through more than a couple hours:

Make sure to include a protein source. Protein takes longer to digest and will provide longer lasting energy. This sandwich is protein packed with tofu and eggs + cukes and pickles. Try hummus or beans for other vegetarian source of protein.

Use whole wheat bread or wraps. Extra fiber = more complete satiation. Try this combo: hummus, sprouts, lettuce, cukes, and tomato.

   

Add veggies for crunch and fiber. Eating more slowly leads to better digestion [check out Kim Snyder’s post on digestion here]. Try starchy vegetables like sweet potato or some of my faves: cukes, zukes, and sprouts.

What are your winning sandwich combos? I find that eating fresh vegetables at lunch translates into feeling better and more energized throughout the rest of the day.

Job interviewing in Kath’s neighborhood this week!

berry heaven

My mom and I picked a mountain of blueberries this week…so far, we’ve frozen 7 pints! We’re lucky to have some friends who have more blueberries than they can pick and do not sell their produce; this means free blueberries for us.

  

nutritional benefits of blueberries

• contain anthocynanins [colored pigment], which serve as antioxidants; may assist in brain health
• contain ellagic acid, which is cancer preventative
• contain pectin, a form of soluble fiber
• contain tannins, which may reduce inflammation
• 1 cup contains about 81 calories and is considered a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber and a good source of vitamin E

We bought these blackberries at the farmers’ market, but they were really sour. Once rinsed, they tasted a little bit better but still not fantastic.

Naturally, the only thing to do was to make blackberry sauce. Just add a little water and sweetener of your choice and cook down [you can even do this in the microwave].

Blackberry sauce tastes pretty great on top of oatmeal waffles. I like to use whole wheat flour and brush coconut oil on my waffle iron before cooking each waffle. I actually made 2 separate batches today, one for my parents and me and one for my brother, who stopped home from camp {he’s working as a counselor this summer} this afternoon.

I’ve noticed quite a few berry recipes popping up in the blog world lately. Check these out for more ideas [photos courtesy of the blogs below]:

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• blueberry crumb bars {The Sweets Life}
• berry apple grunt {Dreena Burton}
• 2 minute microwave crisp {Live, Laugh, Eat}
• mixed berry compote {Hungry Like the Wolf}

Any other berry fanatics out there?