Healthy and Effortless Pack Ups

By Carlo Pandian, Guest Blogger

I’m not sure how Japanese mothers find time to create the mini-masterpieces for their children called Bento. To us that means packed lunch – but the Japanese take the cultural tradition of ‘presentation’ to the extreme with these works of art. Shaped to resemble teddy bears, pandas or cartoon characters kid’s packed lunches in Japan not only manage to look incredible but they’re even full of all kinds of foods to fuel healthy, energetic kids. I could probably knock together a Telly-Tubby mashed potato sculpture if I was pressed, but this level of dedication is beyond me, especially at half six in the morning! In my case, I’m afraid that quality, not presentation, is difficult enough to achieve on a daily basis. For those of you who sympathize, here are three packed lunch ideas to turn the kids away from crisps and chocolate. These are focused on three essential ingredients for mums; cost, effort and vegetarian/healthy options.

Vegetarian, Low Cost and Low Effort Ingredients

A vegetarian packed lunch is a good idea to include in your weekly pack-ups even if you and the kids are not full-time vegetarians. With health warnings about the risks of too much red meat in our diets ringing in our already overloaded brains, it makes sense to include a vegetarian choice now and then. It also adds variety to the menu – which is half the battle.

• Hummus is great source of protein and energy and can be added to wholesome pita bread with green salads. Tasty and slightly messy this should appeal. Add chunks of cucumber for additional sources of five a day. A fruit Fromage Frais can be included for dessert along with grapes and a milk.
Cost is on everybody’s mind at the moment and pack ups are the original money saving lunch idea, which have been common for centuries. Low cost doesn’t mean unhealthy. The following are useful ideas:

• Toasted sandwiches fall into the low cost options. Tuna with canola oil mayo or low fat cheeses are excellent fillings. The toasted effect keeps the bread from getting too mushy for our picky kids. Whole grain pasta is another great, low cost buy to keep handy. Beans or vegetables can be added to make a tempting pasta salad and this can be prepared and packed in advance.

As mentioned, half six in the morning is not a good time to design and implement a food sculpture. Half six in the morning is the time for battling with the cat over the familiar issue of her food and your coffee. For those with several kids to coax downstairs as well, effortless pack ups are a godsend.

• Pita breads are an excellent pocket lunch and unlike bread they don’t need cutting! I use them a lot. Fillings can include bean salads, or egg salads and green salads. Teach your kids to love dried fruit like apricots, at an early age and brook no resistance; they’re healthy and preparation is limited to taking them out of the packet. String cheeses are just as easy and a great source of protein and calcium.

These of course are just a few ideas, but some of the ingredients, particularly pita bread and pasta are fantastic basics for a range of easy lunches. Your imagination is the only limit. Keeping packed lunches varied can be a chore of a task, but using staples as mentioned above and varying the ingredients daily can help to break away from the boredom of meat based sandwiches! Keeping kids interested is, as we all know, more than half the battle.

Author

Carlo is a freelance writer and blogs about food, culture and technology covering everything from grocery shopping to contemporary art. He loves gardening and can’t stay a week without his fruit boxes and Italian wine. Carlo loves to eat with his niece, Clotide.

Tube Feeding Diet

Searching for the perfect wedding dress can be stressful but in that one moment when all eyes are looking at you, the pressure  to  look beautiful and feel beautiful can escalate. Now more and more often, bride-to-be’s  are looking for quick and simple weight loss solutions. One diet that has recently grabed a lot of attention from the media is the Ketogenic Enteral Nutrition Diet—also known as the Feeding Tube Diet. Utilized by people who are looking for rapid weight loss, this procedure involves a constant flow of liquid nourishment that runs from the nose, through the esophagus and into the stomach. While people can lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time, there are many important factors to consider.

Misuse of Medicine: Tube Feeding is approved for gaining weight and providing nutrition. Tube Feeding is warranted in a state of malnutrition not to cause malnutrition One can still eat with NG tubes, so why not just eat less food? There are medical risks to tube feeding.

Eating Disorders: Tube feedings are used to in extreme cases to refeed people suffering from an eating disorder. Encouraging a tube feeding diet may trigger an eating disorder.

Temporary Weight Loss Extreme dieting is neither healthy nor permanent. Weight is quickly regained as fat after extreme diets.

Honeymoon Weight gain Brides are likely to puff up with swelling once they resume drinking fluids and eating on their honeymoon. At the end of a two week honeymoon, a woman is likely to have gained the weight back and not fit into the honeymoon clothes. What will happen then?

As a RD, CDE I am appalled by this diet and find it disturbing that women feel the need to go to such extremes for one day in their life. What are your thoughts? Would you do this?

A: The non diet approach is a philosophy and lifestyle for feeding and eating based on making food choices using a hunger fullness scale rather than a restricted calorie and or portioned diet plan. It is appropriate for children and adults.  In theory, this is the way we eat as infants, using hunger and fullness when breast feeding or bottle-feeding.

Q: What is a hunger fullness scale?

A: This is a scale from zero to ten that helps someone rate their individual feelings according to the descriptions. Zero is starving, Five is neutral and ten is thanksgiving full. For instance, a number seven is equal to full. One would stop here when they have had enough food to keep them satiated for the next three to four hours.

Q: Are all people able to identify when they are hungry and or full? It seems that Americans have trouble stopping when full.

A: We are learning that some people may have hormone issues that prevent them from feeling full. But there are tools to help someone who is having difficulty identifying feeling full. I recommend the person stop before feeling stuffed and even before they think they are full. It is also helpful to get up half way through a meal and walk around. Checking in with belly fullness is easier when you get up from the table.

Q: Can people lose weight using the non-diet approach?

A: Yes, you can lose weight especially if you are a late night eater or someone who eats for emotional comfort. Many people change their relationship with food and feel freed from yo yo dieting.

Q: Are there any good resources to help them people learn more about this approach?

A: Two of my favorite authors are Geneen Roth and Ellyn Satter. My favorite book is titled Intuitive Eating By Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. I am currently working on a book on how to raise your children using this philosophy. Listeners can become educated on my blogs www.eatingandlivingmoderaterly.com and momdishesitout.com

Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE

Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition Services, NYC

Almond, Cashew, Cow, Goat, Hemp, Oat, Rice…

Almond Milk

Gone are the days of whole, low fat, no fat milk. Now one can choose milk from other animals such as a goat or from other plants like hemp! Whether you have food allergies or practice a vegan lifestyle, milk options are as plentiful nowadays as fast-food. But which option is best suited for you? Moms, these milks are not equivalent to breast milk and or formula and should therefore never be substituted for a child less than one year old.

Milk’s Muscle: Most Important To Consider -  First and foremost consider the percent of calcium, Vit D, and Vit. B12; next consider how many grams of protein, calories, and for some people even the level of carbohydrate.

For Vegan or Even Vegetarian Diets: Almond, Cashew, Oat, Hemp or Rice – look for a milk high in calcium with at least 30-50% calcium. The milk should have B12 since B12 is otherwise deficient in a vegan diet.

For Food Allergies (spec. food allergies like dairy and soy): the right choice is rice milk but make sure it is enriched in calcium, and Vit D. Be sure to get protein through food, since rice milk is not a significant source of protein.

For Food Intolerances: If you have lactose intolerance you may want to try soy, oat or cashew milk. Goats’ milk does have lactose however each individual must experiment with each type of milk to see what is most easily digested.

For Diabetes: Consider unsweetened soy milk for only 4 grams of carb/serving (Silk Brand specifically).  Be wary of flavored milks and milks lower in protein (< 6-8 grams pro/serving).

For One Stop Shopping: Consider skim milk or 1% for great taste, a good source of  calcium, Vit. D and protein. It is equal to one carbohydrate exchange being that one serving of milk equals 12 grams of carbohydrate.

For Children ages 1-2: Whole milk is recommended between ages 1 and 2 unless a child has a food allergy or has been advised otherwise by their medical doctor.

• The 5 E’s Of Easy Eating Healthy on PageDaily
  
• Top Five Servingware Products for a HealthyKid-Friendly Kitchen on MomsTown
  
• Laura Dishes on Kiss Feeding with HLN:
• Meat Your Match: Does Beef Really Kill? on Zeel
• 9 Ways to Sneak Nutrient-Dense Foods Into Your Diet on Zeel
• Laura shares her expertise with May 2012 Cosmopolitan readers on page 236

Two points I found interesting include:

Remission in diabetes may be a result of the hormonal changes in the intestines after bariatric surgery.

“Observational studies have suggested that weight loss surgery can rapidly improve glycemic control and even produce remission of diabetes in severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes. This improvement and/or remission of diabetes is noted before meaningful weight loss occurs, and is thought to be due to a weight-loss independent change in the incretin hormone milieu as a result of the alteration in intestinal anatomy.  Complete remission is defined as a fasting glucose level below 101 mg per deciliter and a glycated hemoglobin level of less than 6.0% for at least 1 year without active pharmacologic therapy. Until now, however, there has been a paucity of randomized controlled trials showing greater efficacy for surgical versus medical therapy, and for the variety of weight loss procedures available.”

Bariatric surgery should involve decision making regarding the ability to make long term lifestyle changes and be supported by a multidisciplinary team.

“The Endocrine Society recommends that practitioners consider several factors in recommending surgery for their obese patients with type 2 diabetes. These include the patient’s BMI and age, the number of years of diabetes, and an assessment of the ability to comply with the long-term lifestyle changes that are required to maximize success of surgery and minimize complications. Importantly, shared decision-making is critical in making a decision about bariatric surgery. The success of weight loss surgery in patients with obesity and diabetes ultimately depends on the partnership of patient, endocrinologist, surgeon, and a support team in the continuum of the long-term care of the patient.”

Read the article at http://www.endo-society.org/advocacy/policy/upload/Bariatric-Surgery-and-Diabetes.pdf.

So Delicious Dairy Free Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt

So Delicious Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt is one of the many yogurt options for people with lactose intolerance or an allergy to dairy. I love yogurt! Yogurt, especially greek yogurt and soy yogurt are two of my favorite foods to eat as part of my breakfast, lunch or snack. When choosing an alternative to dairy yogurt, you may find a long list of ingredients. Below find a breakdown of the coconut milk yogurt ingredients and what each means for your health.

Ingredients: ORGANIC COCONUT MILK (ORGANIC COCONUT CREAM, WATER, GUAR GUM, XANTHAN GUM), ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, PECTIN, CHICORY ROOT EXTRACT (INULIN), TAPIOCA DEXTROSE, ALGIN (KELP EXTRACT), MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, ORGANIC RICE STARCH, LOCUST BEAN GUM, LIVE CULTURES, CARRAGEENAN, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, VITAMIN B12.

• ORGANIC COCONUT CREAM: A product very similar to coconut milk but contains less water. It is a smooth, thick liquid made from fresh coconuts. It is thick and very sweet and has a paste-like consistency.
• WATER: H2O
• GUAR GUM: A gum found in the endosperm of the guar plant. It is used in desserts, baked products, ice cream and other products due to its ability to stabilize and gel.
• XANTHAN GUM: A microbial exudates gum produced by Xanthomonas campestris. It is used as a thickening and stabilizing agent.
• ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE: Like regular sugar, it is a sweetener made from sugar cane,  but the juice does not undergo the same degree of processing that refined sugar does. Therefore, unlike refined sugar, it retains more of the nutrients found in sugar cane.
• PECTIN: It is produced commercially as a white to light brown powder, mainly extracted from citrus fruits, and is used in food as a gelling agent particularly in jams and jellies. It is also used in fillings, medicines, sweets, as a stabilizer in fruit juices and milk drinks, and as a source of dietary fiber.
• CHICORY ROOT EXTRACT (INULIN): A complex carbohydrate that is a polymer of fructose. It is not digested so it contributes fiber and can be combined with carrageenan to create a creamy texture.
• TAPIOCA DEXTROSE: A simple sugar derived from the tapioca plant.
• ALGIN (KELP EXTRACT): A product used to form gels and films. It is a gum with mannose and guluronic acid as its principal components and with numerous salts resulting from the presence of sodium, potassium, and ammonium ions.
• MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE: A food additive that provides a source of magnesium.
• TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE: A food additive that provides a source of calcium.
• ORGANIC RICE STARCH: A commercially refined starch derived from rice. It is used as a thickener and stabilizer.
• LOCUST BEAN GUM: From the seed of evergreen trees, it gels with xanthan gum  and helps stabilize products such as ice cream, bologna, and sauces. It can replace up to half the starched used for thickening. It also enhances fiber content.
• LIVE CULTURES: Living organisms, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which convert pasteurized milk to yogurt during fermentation. These may act as probiotics and help improve gastrointestinal health.
• CARRAGEENAN: A seaweed extract that has the ability to interact with protein to aid in the stabilization of products. It is easily cross-linked with other gums.
• DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE: A food additive used for protein stabilization.
• VITAMIN B12: Added vitamin.

Fast Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas via survivalcommonsense.com

Fast Fajitas
1 tbspn canola oil
3 scallions sliced along their width
2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
3/4 lb. thawed thin cut chicken breasts – sliced
1 cup frozen unsalted corn
1 bag frozen mixed peppers
6 whole grain tortillas (~ weight ~59 grams/wrap, 30 grams carb and 4 grams/fiber)
½ cup sour cream (dairy or non dairy)
1 cup salsa (bean salsa or a tomato salsa)
Makes 6 fajitas – 2 adults and 2 kids

1. Heat 1 tbspn canola oil over low heat. Add scallions. When scallions are tender can add the chicken slices. When the chicken is slightly pink in the center, add the frozen corn, peppers and garlic. Sauté until the veggies are cooked and warm.
2. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds or over the sauté pan.
3. Spread 1 tbspn sour cream down the center of each tortilla. Then spread 1 -2 tbspn of salsa over the sour cream. Then spoon the chicken pepper combo down the center of the tortilla. Roll and serve while hot.

Laura’s Favorite Tools: Williams Sonoma All Clad 12-18” sauté pan and Pampered Chef Garlic press

What’s in season for Spring in New York?

Early Spring Fennel, Garden Peas, Parsnips, Snow Peas,Turnips

Mid Spring Asparagus, Lettuce, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach

Late Spring Apricots, Broccoli, Cabbage, Strawberries, Summer Squash

Here’s a nutritious kid-friendly recipe using one of my favorite Spring fruits: Whole Wheat Strawberry Pancakes

Strawberry Whole Wheat Pancakes via TasteSpotting/Adventures in Cooking

Pizza is a favorite meal of many children (and many parents, too!), but due to its often high saturated fat content and refined carbohydrates, it tends to be less than a wholesome meal. You can make some simple changes to your pizza to make it a more nutrient dense choice.

• Switch to a whole-wheat crust. This will provide more nutrients and fiber than the traditional white crust and leave you and your kids fuller and more satisfied. Many pizzerias are now offering the whole-wheat option so be sure to ask when ordering. If whole-wheat is not available, flatbread crusts are also a good option. At home, you can make pizza dough by subbing whole-wheat flour for white. For a frozen pizza, Amy’s, DiGiorno, and other lines are beginning to carry whole-wheat pizzas. Another fun option is using whole wheat English muffins (I love Thomas’ 100% Whole Wheat)—that way everyone can have their own mini personal pizza!
• Make your sauce smart. Tomato sauce is an integral part of any good pizza and it provides many vitamins and minerals as well the phytochemical lycopene which promotes heart health. However, many sauces are high in sodium. When making pizza at home, select a sauce with no salt added. When ordering out, try a Pizza Margherita to limit the sodium.
• Pack on the veggie toppings. Spinach, broccoli, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms—the options are endless. These veggies turn your simple slice of pizza into a delicious nutritional powerhouse. This is also a good opportunity to introduce a new vegetable to your family. By serving it with a familiar food such as pizza, kids will be more open-minded to trying the new food.
• Pick a protein. While the pizza’s cheese proves as a source of protein in the dish, pizza becomes a more balanced meal when one additional ounce of protein is added to it. This protein will help keep your family fuller longer. Select a lean protein such as grilled chicken, low-sodium ham, or grilled tofu. Limit the pepperoni and sausage slices. These meats are high in sodium and saturated fats.
• Serve a side salad. It is easy to consume too many slices of pizza. To help you get in better touch with your hunger signals, pair your slice with a side salad, a handful of raw carrots, or a fruit salad.
• Enjoy it with family and friends. Pizza is a food that is often served in celebration. It is a common choice at birthday parties, soccer championships, and family get-togethers. Make these events about enjoying the company of those around you rather than solely focusing on the food.