5 Reasons to Eat Seasonally As We Come Into Spring

1.  Seasonal foods can be fresher and travel less distance to get to you which helps with eating locally as well.

If you eat with the seasons of your geographical area, then conceivably the food is traveling less distance with less impact on the environment (carbon footprint) and supporting a more local economy.  Eating seasonally often means eating locally. There is a nice seasonal map on Epicurious.  

2.   Eating seasonally can be more affordable.

When food is in season, there is more of it and it probably has less far to travel to get to you and so the prices will likely be lower.   Eating seasonally can save you money as well. 

3.   Eating with the seasons gives you appreciation for savoring the foods you love.
 
If you eagerly await asparagus season, go crazy on the vegetable when spring comes, experiment with new recipes and feel some regret to see it go, then you are eating with the seasons.   With appreciation, we create a deeper respect for food, the way it is produced, and the way it tastes.  
  
4.   Eating seasonally can promote food safety.

Of course food can come into contact with contaminants at any point, but if you buy with the seasons from a more local source, it cuts down on the contact the food has with other locations,  travel, storage conditions, hands and germs.  
 

5.   Seasonal foods foster a sense of community. 

The more we learn about the foods that grow seasonally in our geographical location, the greater connection we have with farming and food practices in our area.  If you take the time to visit farmers markets in your area, you can get to know the people who grow your food which fosters a sense of community. 

National Nutrition Month

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month?  This year's theme was "Get Your Plate In Shape" which features a giant red heart-shaped plate lifting a barbell while displaying an example of healthy food compartments on its belly.  The month is now coming to a close, but I was fortunate to be included in several NNM projects during my internship rotations.  In fact, I wrote some tips for my last rotation to include in their newsletter.  Strangely, it is more focused on fitness (being more active at work), but physical activity is another topic I am passionate about as well as a huge contributor to living a healthy life. Below is my fitness advice for National Nutrition Month:

Many people are challenged trying to fit physical activity into their day, but studies have shown that time spent sitting during the work day is associated with a greater proportion of overweight or obese workers. 

Current recommendations suggest a goal of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day.   Here are some tips to get you on your feet when you are working.  Remember, even a combination of three 10-minute sessions can meet your daily goal!

•  Spend 10 or 15 minutes of your lunch break walking.  Inviting a co-worker for support can keep you both motivated.
• Use a restroom or water-fountain on a different floor and use the stairs to get there.
•  Set an alarm each hour of the work day as a reminder to stand up, stretch, and give your eyes a break.  Swinging your arms, flexing your legs, and stretching your neck can help you feel more alert.
• Keep a small set of hand-weights or stretch bands under your desk.  On a short break, do some bicep curls and triceps extensions.  Start with 5 of each per side and work up to 20.
•  Stand straight and raise both heels off the ground so you are standing on the balls of your feet.  Start with 10 and work up to 30. 
• Watch the clock to time 1 minute of jumping jacks in your office.  
•  If you have a stable chair, do some dips off the front of it:  extend your legs, balance on your heels, slip your body off the front of the chair and lower yourself gently towards the floor 10 times with elbows pointing straight back.
•  Do walking lunges across the room. 
• Sit up straight in your chair and extend 1 leg straight in front of you, hold for 10 seconds then switch legs.  Start with 3 sets and work up to 10.
•  Be sure to stretch out your chest and wrists several times throughout the day, especially if you use a computer. 

Any increase in movement during the day can increase your weekly activity level. 

Small changes can really add up when it comes to improving your health! 

*Ginger Hultin, Hines Dietetic Intern

Back to Basics - Cooking Chicken 101

I have had the privilege this week of working at clinics around Chicago that assist HIV positive patients in obtaining food, nutrition counseling, and shelter assistance.  Being a part of the compassionate and dedicated staff as well as working with many committed volunteers from around the city, country and world has been incredibly inspirational to me.  I have been a hunger-advocate for years, both participating in hunger action legislation as well as volunteering regularly at local food assistance programs, but I have never been able to counsel patients one-on-one before like I have during this rotation.  The challenges of living with chronic disease are especially frustrating when transportation, family support, medical support, and finances are limited or non-existent.

On my first day at a clinic, I encountered a really great question from a young client:  how do you prepare chicken?  He reported he had been boiling it in a pot, but wasn’t sure how to know when it was done or how to make it taste good.  Without having access to cook-books, supported by family, friends, or schooling that teaches cooking skills, or having the resources to purchase spices and ingredients, how could a person obtain basic cooking skill support?

Because of this great client, I created a hand-out on the very basic principles of cooking chicken (a commodity that is provided at many facilities) in a simple way for those who may have never attempted it before.  I also adapted two recipes involving items commonly acquired at a local pantry, or easily attainable and affordable at a grocery store.  Instead of a traditional recipe format, I chose a more simple lay-out with step-by-step instructions.  Do you think it works?  Check it out below! 

 

   Preparing Chicken

Baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Pour a very light layer of vegetable oil in the dish and on the meat.

Place pieces of chicken in a baking dish.

Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.

Cook in oven for 25-30 minutes (until white in the middle and juices run clear).

Poaching (Boiling)

Place chicken in a single layer in a pot.

Cover chicken with broth or water.

Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low so that the water is at a low simmer (not very bubbly).

Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Turn off heat completely and allow chicken to stay in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

Sautee
Cut raw chicken into bite-sized pieces or thin strips (don’t let raw meat touch other foods).

Place small amount of cooking oil in a non-stick skillet or pan over medium-heat.

Add meat and cook on medium for 3 to 5 minutes or until browned. 

*Raw chicken can make you very sick!  If you have a meat thermometer, chicken should reach 165 degrees inside to be safe.  Always be sure that the chicken is cooked until it is white and no longer red or pink inside.  If you pierce the meat with a fork, the juice will runs clear (not pink) if it is done.  Cut open the meat to be sure it’s cooked through before you serve it.   Raw chicken carries bacteria:  be sure not to let it touch other foods and to wash your board, knife, and hands carefully after handling the meat.  

 

Recipes

Orange Chicken Drumsticks

1.      Coat 8 chicken drumsticks (skin removed) in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.

2.      Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium-high, coat pan lightly with cooking spray and add chicken.  Cook for about 6 minutes or until meat is brown on all sides.

3.      Add 1 can of mandarin oranges with its juice, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to pan and meat, cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes. 

4.      Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate. Bring sauce in pan to a boil over high heat.  Cook sauce for about 5 minutes, return chicken to pan, and stir to cover meat in sauce.

5.      Enjoy with rice and vegetables for a complete meal.

Stuffed Chicken Breast

1.      Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2.      Flatten chicken breast with a meat tenderizer or the heel of your hand to make it thin.

3.      Put a small amount of lunch meat, ham, cheese, sauce, herbs, or greens on the breast.  You can choose the ingredients; use whatever you think sounds good!

4.      Roll the ingredients inside the meat and hold the rolled-up chicken with toothpicks so it doesn't come undone while it's baking. 

5.      Rub the chicken meat lightly with vegetable oil and place in a baking dish. 

6.      Cook in the oven for 40-45 minutes.  Check that chicken is completely done by checking the temperature (at least 165 degrees) or cutting it to be sure there is no pink color left.

7.      Enjoy with rice, potato, noodles or bread and vegetables for a complete meal.

*Created by Ginger Hultin, Dietetic Intern

5 tips that motivate dinner at home every night of the week

         With just a little planning up front, you can remove hours of stress from your week as well as gain control over what you will eat.  Believe me, it took a long time for me to get to this point; I used to marvel at people who planned ahead and cooked dinner at home every night instead of grabbing food on the go or just giving up and going out most nights of the week.   By getting in the habit of planning ahead, it has actually saved us time and hassle after work in the evenings.  

1. On Sunday, brainstorm about what you will make each night of the week.  If you get a brain-block, grab a cook-book and pick out some recipes that sound good.
2. Make a list that includes all ingredients you will need to prepare dinner each night.  I suggest planning on making extra servings each dinner that you can pack for lunch the next day.
3. Grocery shop with your list to make sure you have everything you need for the week.
4. Do any necessary prep (chop veggies, cook grains) that evening if you have time to help speed dinners later in the week.
5. Store all your ingredients properly and base your menu on what needs to be used first (i.e. the avocado is very ripe, so let’s make tacos tomorrow but the eggplant will hold until Thursday). 

We tried a new recipe tonight; it was incredibly easy, especially since we had gone shopping the night before and had everything on hand.  It took me about 20 minutes to chop veggies and 20 minutes to bake them in the oven while the quinoa was cooking on the stove. 

Garlic Quinoa with Roasted Veggies

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise, then sliced
• 1 eggplant, peeled, cut lengthwise, then cubed
• 1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
• 1 onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 bell pepper (of your favorite color), sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea-salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon parsley
• 2 cups veggie or chicken broth (plain water is ok, too in a pinch)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F; spread chopped veggies on a foil-lined sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and mix to coat evenly.  Bake ~30 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
2.  When the veggies go in the oven, heat olive oil and garlic in a sauce-pan for 2-3 minutes.  Add quinoa, spices and broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for ~20 minutes (until water is absorbed).  Check quinoa often and stir.
3. Combine quinoa and veggies in a large bowl.  Enjoy! 

*Adapted from “Favorite Brand Name, Vegetarian 3 Books in 1”

The Real Nutrition Experts

Dietetic Interns celebrated "Registered Dietitian" day today at the hospital.  By individual writing thank-you notes and treating the dietitians to snacks during their weekly meeting, we wanted to acknowledge the work they do all year.  In honor of this special day, the hospital sent an email to all employees.  Here it is to share with you:

Today, March 14, 2012 is RD Day – the day we recognize Registered Dietitians as the food and nutrition experts. 

Everyone knows to call a plumber to fix a leaky faucet, yet people take advice from anonymous strangers on the internet on how to lose weight or manage a chronic disease. Registered Dietitians have the education, training, experience, and passion to turn nutrition research and knowledge into practical information to help people heal, promote health, and prevent disease. 

At Hines, you’ll find dietitians helping our Veteran patients everywhere – in the ICUs, the Community Based Outpatient Clinics, the Community Living Center, in food service management, the MOVE! program and other outpatient clinics, on inpatient medical and surgical wards, and in home-based primary care. Their expertise and dedication make a real difference in the lives of our patients. 

I am happy to help celebrate the people who dedicate their lives to helping others through nutrition and am very proud that I'll be celebrating this special day as an "RD" myself next year.....

 

Herbed Lentil Soup

 I didn’t feel like making soup tonight; it seemed like too much work when I got home from a long day at the hospital.  However, I started chopping vegetables and it turned into a lovely and tasty experience.  We had a ½ bag left over of dried Goya lentils so I just followed the instructions on the back of the bag, plus (you know me by now!) I added a bunch of spices and extra veggies.  Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

• ½ lb. dry lentils
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ large onion chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• Chicken bouillon (I used Trader Joes “singles”, but you could use chicken or veggie broth, too)
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 4 ½ cups water
• Sprinkle bay leaves
• Sprinkle Parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse and drain lentils
2. Heat oil in a pot; add onion, garlic, and celery.  Cook until tender.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer (~45 minutes) until lentils and veggies are tender.

Lentils are very good for you!  They are beans and are extremely high in fiber.  They are also a good source of iron and protein.   Lentil soup is filling, flavorful, low in calories and full of veggies if you make it right!  Enjoy…..