“Those who take medicine and neglect their diet waste the skill of the physician.” –Chinese Proverb
Nicole Geurin, MPH, RD
RSS Feed
5-Minute Meals E-Book
Become a Fan on Facebook
Nutrition Blog Network
Author Archives: Nicole Geurin, MPH, RD
Food for Thought
Posted in Nutrition Info
Tagged chinese proverb on diet, food for thought, nutrition quote
4 Tips to Avoid the Afternoon Slump
A lawyer-to-be friend of mine who is studying for the bar asked me today for tips to help her avoid the afternoon slump. I thought this was an excellent question, so I decided to blog about it. Here are 4 foolproof tricks to help you avoid the afternoon slump:
- Eat a light lunch: When you eat a meal, blood is directed to your stomach to help it digest the food. The more calories in the meal, the more blood that will be sent to your stomach. The more blood sent to your stomach, the less leftover for your brain. So, by keeping your lunch light, you will help save some blood to keep your brain neurons firing. Some excellent light lunches include:
- A large salad with the dressing on the side (see my article on Salad Makeovers for more salad tips.)
- One of my Grilled Vegetable Mini Pizzas
- A small turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with lots of veggies + veggie sticks + a piece of fruit
- A large bowl of minestrone soup + a piece of fruit
- Leftovers from your healthy dinner last night
- Any of these 25 Healthy Meals in 20 Minutes or Less
- Eat 1-2 healthy snacks: If you’re going to eat a light lunch, you will still need some energy to help fuel your brain throughout the day. So, pre-plan 1-2 healthy “power” snacks. A power snack is about 200 calories and combines fiber and protein. Some ideas include:
- An apple + 1 ounce walnuts
- Baby carrots, celery sticks + 1 Tablespoon lowfat ranch dip
- 6 whole-grain crackers + 2 Tablespoons hummus
- 1 orange + 1 cup lowfat yogurt
- Take a physical activity break: This may just be the most important tip to keep that afternoon slump at bay. When you feel your eyes glazing over and a yawn coming on, its time to take a physical activity break. 10 minutes is all you need to get the blood pumping and send it back to your brain. Great physical activity breaks include:
- Going for a walk outside
- Arm circles, marching in place and jumping jacks
- Light stretching or yoga
- Get enough sleep at night: None of these tips will keep you from dozing off if you’re sleep deprived. Aim for 8 hours of restful sleep each night. The good news is that eating healthfully and taking physical activity breaks will actually help you to sleep better.
With these 4 tips combined, you will be sure to be Zzzz-Free in the afternoon!
Grilled Vegetable Mini Pizzas
I invented a new, delicious, quick-and-easy, healthy recipe tonight: Grilled Vegetable Mini Pizzas!
Ingredients:
- Whole wheat tortilla
- Tomato sauce
- Cheese (I used an Italian blend and crumbled goat cheese)
- Veggies of your choice (I used spinach, eggplant and tomato)
- Balsamic vinegar
- Italian seasoning
Directions:
- Place tortilla on a piece of aluminum foil. Spread on tomato sauce and sprinkle on cheese. Toast in a toaster oven for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the edges of the tortilla are crisp.
- Cook a handful of spinach in the microwave until wilted, about 30 seconds.
- Finely slice your other veggies (like eggplant and tomato). Season them with a dash of balsamic vinegar and Italian seasoning. Grill on a George Foreman grill for about 2 minutes or until cooked through.
- When everything is done cooking, top the pizza with the vegetables and eat! If it’s too messy, you can fold it in half to make a calzone!
- Enjoy!
25 Healthy Meals in 20 Minutes or Less
A fellow RD blogger asked around the dietitian and food blogger communities and compiled this list of quick, healthy “Go-To Recipes.” I contributed my recipe for a Ridiculously Healthy Meal in 2 Minutes. Other recipes include pizza wraps, chicken fried rice, hummus quesadilla, Have-It-Your-Way Tacos, and more: all for under 20 minutes! Check it out here: 25 Healthy Meals in 20 Minutes or Less. With these recipes in your arsenal, you’ll be able to whip up a healthy meal in no time!
Posted in Healthy Recipes
Tagged 20 minute recipes, healthy meals, Healthy Recipes, recipes by dietitians
Healthy Recipe: Beef and Edamame Stir Fry
Today, I made a slight variation of a recipe I found at EatingWell.com. It was delicious—I highly recommend it! Here is my slightly modified recipe:
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce (see Tip)
- 1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce (see Tip)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 8 ounces round steak, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 handful of baby carrots, chopped
- 1 10-ounce package frozen shelled edamame (about 2 cups), thawed
- 3 cups of fresh spinach
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Preparation:
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions
- Mix lime juice, hoisin sauce and chile-garlic sauce in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and stir fry until cooked through. Remove steak, but leave juices in the skillet. Add vegetables to the skillet, cook for 4 minutes. Add ginger, sauce and steak and cook for another minute. Toss with the noodles and serve.
Nutrition Info (per serving): Calories: 427, Fat: 9 g, Saturated fat: 2 g, Carbohydrates: 60 g, Protein: 29 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sodium: 757 mg
Tips: Hoisin sauce and chile-garlic sauce can be found in the Asian section of most large supermarkets or Asian markets. Both will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.
Check out more of my healthy recipes here!
Guest Post: Sicilian Swordfish Recipe
Today, we have a special guest post from Felicia McClinton, author of mediterraneanrecipes.org! She has been gracious enough to share with us a healthy Mediterranean recipe from her kitchen. Enjoy!
.
Ingredients :
- 600 grams (1.3 pounds) of Swordfish
- 200 grams (7 ounces) of tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 50 grams (1.7 ounces) of black olives
- 1 clove garlic
This recipe can make 4 servings and you can prepare it in 25 minutes. Swordfish Sicilian is a typical dish in the southern Italian region. This recipe creates a low fat and low calorie meal.
Preparation:
To clean and peel the tomatoes, briefly place them in boiling water. Chop the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan then add the chopped onion and garlic until golden brown. Place the sliced Swordfish in the frying pan and cover it. Put the peeled tomatoes in after a few minutes. Cook for at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle chopped parsley and black olives on top before removing the Swordfish from the pan. Serve while still hot.
Nutritional Value (per serving)
Calories: 230, Fat: 8 grams, Carbohydrates: 6 grams, Protein: 32 grams, Fiber: 1 gram
About the Chef: Felicia R. McClinton writes for the blog mediterraneanrecipes.org. Her mission is to teach others how to prepare Mediterranean dishes, so that they may live healthy, disease-free lives.
Posted in Healthy Recipes
Tagged Mediterranean diet, Mediterranean recipes, swordfish recipe
12 Year Old Kicks Off A Fast Food Free Pledge for Earth Day
This 12-year-old, Koa Halpern, is on a mission to change the world. His goal: to encourage others to go without fast food for 2 weeks in honor of Earth Day. According to Koa, if just one person stopped eating fast food for just 2 weeks he or she would:
- Save 3,222 gallons of water that would be used for livestock
- Save 9.4 pounds of grain used for livestock feed
- Protect 285.4 square feet of rain forest from being cut down to graze cattle
- Prevent 15.4pounds of manure from being created (source www.wannaveg.com)
Koa’s website, http://fastfoodfree.org, provides ideas for alternatives to fast food, information about the detriments of processed food, and the opportunity to sign his pledge to go Fast Food Free for 2 weeks. If a 12-year-old can do it… so can we!
Posted in Family and Child Nutrition, Nutrition Info
Tagged earth day, Fast food, fast food free pledge, koa halpern
It’s Strawberry Season!
Strawberries are coming into season right now! Did you know that 1 serving of strawberries has even more vitamin C than an orange? It’s true! Strawberries pack a powerful nutrition punch… and for only 43 calories per serving. I love adding strawberries to my morning oatmeal, yogurt snack, or just eating them plain. Here are some fun pictures to get you thinking about strawberries!
Healthiest Nation in One Generation
On behalf of National Public Health Week, I wanted to share the below video. Enjoy!
5 Healthy Meals in 5 Minutes or Less
Yesterday I gave a cooking demonstration to a group of seniors in Sacramento called Heart Healthy Cooking for One. The recipes were so popular, easy to make, and delicious, that I thought I would share them on my blog! Each recipe takes 5 minutes or less to prepare, so it’s perfect for when you want to whip up a quick and healthy breakfast or lunch for yourself. There is also a convenient vegetable cooking chart for the microwave at the end. Check them out, in easy printable format: 5 Meals in 5 Minutes or Less.
These recipes are all easily prepared using a George Foreman grill and a microwave. If you don’t have a George Foreman grill, you can use a skillet on the stove. But, I highly recommend a George Foreman grill because they are so easy to use! I just use a small one that costs less than $20 at Walmart or Target.
All of these recipes are very heart healthy. The characteristics of a heart healthy meal are:
- Low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat)
- Low in sodium
- High in fiber
Heart disease is currently the #1 killer in America. But, 80% of heart disease is preventable through healthy lifestyle choices! So, I hope you enjoy these delicious heart healthy recipes!
Like this post? You may also enjoy:
Nicole Geurin, MPH, RD 