Nutrition Articles

Spotlight on: Salmon

• Besides being an excellent source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, salmon is also full of high-quality proteins and low in saturated fat.
• Salmon has nearly a third of the saturated fat of lean ground beef and 50 percent less saturated fat than chicken, making it one of the healthiest items that you could eat.
• Salmon is also low in calories. One serving contains approximately 183 calories, making it one of the lowest in calories among other fish.

Recipe: Smoked Salmon Dip

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 oz. smoked salmon, minced

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudités or crackers.

Recipe: Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

• 1 scallion, minced
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1-pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into four portions
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Holiday Stress 101: Stock Up on Superfoods

It's the holiday season and for many people that also means it's the stressful season.  Instead of sweating every little thing this year, try fighting off your holiday stress with these amazing, stress-fighting superfoods.

• Avocado : they give you a burst of vitamin B, which will help to keep you alert and awake, while reducing anxiety.
• Bananas : help to keep you energized and reduce your blood pressure.
• Brown rice : complex carbohydrates (like those in rice) help to raise your body's serotonin levels, without the carb crash that is typically associated with eating carbohydrates.
• Dark chocolate : also increases the levels of serotonin in the body, giving you those feelings of joy and happiness.
• Fish : the omega-3 fatty acids in fish help to lower adrenaline levels in the body, which can result in a calming effect in your mind and body.

Spotlight on: Turkey

• Turkey is very low in fat and high in protein.
• It is also a good source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins.
• The fat and calorie amounts vary although because white meat has fewer calories and less fat than dark meat and skin.

Recipe: Turkey Chili

2 cups chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 cup chopped green pepper

¼ cup olive oil

2 (35 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes, crushed

2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, drained

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¾ cup chicken or turkey stock

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon salt, plus more if desired to taste

½ teaspoon black pepper

3 to 4 cups shredded, cooked turkey meat

Sugar

In a large, 8-quart thick bottom pot, cook the onion and green pepper over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for a minute or two more.  Add a bit more olive oil if needed.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, beans, oregano, salt, pepper and cooked turkey meat.  Bring mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low.  Simmer, uncovered for an hour.Salt to taste.  Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes, if desired. Serve alone, over rice or with corn bread.

Recipe: Creamed Turkey

3 tablespoons butter

¾ cup sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup hot chicken broth

1 small jar diced pimento, drained

4 cups diced cooked turkey

Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter over medium-low heat. Sauté mushrooms until golden and tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Slowly pour on milk and broth, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add pimiento, turkey, salt and pepper. Cook until heated through, but do not boil. Serve with rice or toast.

Your Child's Lunch- To Pack or not to Pack

It's a well-known fact that school-aged children who do not eat a nutritious breakfast or refuel with nutritious lunch during the middle of their school day lack focus, can be disruptive in class, and can oftentimes be very distracting to their fellow classmates.

Because kids are growing daily, they need the appropriate calories and nutritious value in their meals, especially breakfast and lunch, so that they can meet the demands of their growing bodies. If you need some help in decided what you should be packing in your child's lunch and what you should be keeping at the grocery store here is some help,

Lunchables or other pre-packaged lunch kits : Nutritionists call this “double packing” in that manufacturers have already packed the lunch and then you repack it into their lunch.  Most of these pre-packaged lunches contain lots of sodium and fat, along with very few nutrients.  These packaged meals leave kids feeling unfulfilled and therefore not refueled when it comes to tackling the rest of their day.

White bread : While sandwiches are a good choice for your child's lunch, if you are using white bread to make your sandwiches, then you are missing out on some significant nutritional value. Instead try some whole grain bread, with at least 3 grams of fiber per slice, so that your child gets more out of their sandwich than usual.

Fruit snacks : Fruit snacks are so very deceiving, they say they are made with real fruit, but they are made with fruit juice which is just sugar.  Plus, fruit snacks get lodged into your kid's teeth very easily leading to decay.  Choose an apple, orange or another healthy fruit for your child's lunch instead of those deceptive fruit snacks.

Soda : sure it's a no-brainer that you shouldn't be packing soda into your child's lunch, but still kids drink soda.  Soda is high in sugar, high in calories, and high in caffeine and that's about it!  Nutritionists are also weary of sports drinks, like Gatorade, because they are primarily sugar with some added salt. Milk or water is always best.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Breakdown

One sure sign of fall isn't the changing and falling leaves or the drop in temperature, it's definitely the Pumpkin Spice Lattes EVERYWHERE!

While they taste delicious, they can be one of the unhealthiest things you can drink all year. Here are some of the most popular brands that unfortunately aren't good for your overall health.

• Au Bon Pain Pumpkin Pie Latte : this latte packs 290 calories, 7 grams fat, 115 mg sodium, 49 grams carb, and 47 grams sugar. That's 12 tablespoons of sugar!
• Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Spice Latte : this seasonal favorite contains 310 calories, 11 grams fat, 120 mg sodium, and 43 grams carbs.  The one saving grace of this drink is that these amounts are for the smaller size 12 oz cup.
• McDonald's McCafe Pumpkin Spice Latte : people are “lovin' it” but it's filled with 340 calories, 10 grams fat, 51 grams carbs, and 160 mg sodium.  With 160 mg of sodium, that's twice the amount of salt than a kid's size French fries.
• Einstein Brothers Pumpkin Latte : this latte contains 370 calories, 10 grams fat, 65 mg sodium, 59 grams carbs, and 54 grams sugar.  With 59 grams of carbs, that is twice the amount of a bagel, maybe it's time to rethink your beverage of choice!
• Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte : this is hands down the most popular fall drink of choice (come on, it had its own trending hash tag!) and it is filled with 440 calories, 8 grams fat, 280 mg sodium, and 63 grams carbs.  You would be better off eating a pumpkin cream cheese muffin : which actually contains fewer calories!
• Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Latte : this latte contains 470 calories, 13 grams fat, 250 mg sodium, and 71 grams sugar.  And just because they offer three different flavors of pumpkin latte that doesn't mean you are in the clear if you order one over another : they are all made up of the same nutritional content.  You would be better off eating three of their chocolate caramel donuts!