Meat-Free Fridays

Whether you regularly follow a vegetarian diet or you have vowed to avoid meat on Fridays during the Lenten season, or you just want a tasty dinner idea, try this Polenta and Vegetable Casserole! I borrowed the recipe right from our website and had a complete meal in less than 30 minutes. The polenta is creamy and satisfying and the variety of textures is pleasing to the palate. Try a variety of different beans to add a little variety - I used garbanzo and black beans and really enjoyed the bite the garbanzos offered. Also try topping the casserole off with a few slices of avocado in place of some of the cheese - this reduces the saturated fat content and boosts the creaminess factor.

As with any meal, vegetarian or not, it is important to focus around lean, high quality protein. The beans in this dish add a ton of B vitamins and fiber as well as some protein. By combining beans and polenta (a corn product) in this recipe, we include all the essential amino acids. Certain amino acids are termed essential because the body cannot make them, so we must consume them from food. Beans lack Methionine and corn lacks Lysine - in combination we have a complete protein. The whole grain quinoa is another great source of vegetarian protein and actually contains all the essential amino acids. Look for great side dishes made with quinoa on our website as well.

Having a hard time finding balanced vegetarian meal options? Do you find yourself eating the same 5 to 10 foods each day? You need the EB Dietitians as your menu planning resource!

Recipeasy

GRILLED PEACHES WITH BALSAMIC AND GRANOLA
Easy, impressive, addictive. Make this with any stone fruit, or even with firm pears. Serves 6.

From Perfect Pantry

"1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup light agave nectar
6 peaches, halved, pits removed
1 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1/2 cup granola (homemade or store bought)

In a small, deep saucepan, heat the vinegar and agave nectar over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Continue heating, watching carefully, for 10 minutes or until reduced by 3/4 to a thick (but still pourable) syrup.

Meanwhile, scoop out a bit of the insides of the peach to remove any bits of the pit.

Heat a stove-top grill pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, brush the cut side of each peach half with olive oil, and place cut side down on the grill pan. Do not move the peaches! Cook for 2 minutes or until nice grill marks appear. Remove peaches from the pan and place cut side up on individual serving plates.

When the syrup is reduced to desired consistency, drizzle it over the peaches. Top with a bit of granola, and serve immediately."

*My recommendation is to decrease the granola and serve with a little plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt has very little sugar, tons of creamy taste, and lots of protein. The peaches and yogurt can make a great snack or a healthier dessert.

Coconut Oil

Are the winter blues really getting to you? Zap the blah with a tropical flavor - one that's packed with health benefits. Coconut has been given a bad rap, but in reality, it has many medicinal qualities.

1. Coconut is a saturated fat making it very solid at room temperature, this property actually makes it a very stable fat. When coconut is heated to very high temperatures, the chemical bonds stay intact, unlike oils with more double bonds, like olive oil. So you can safely cook with coconut oil, add some island flavor, and avoid the oxidized free radicals.

2. The lauric acid in coconut oil is the same component found in breast milk that helps protect the immune system. Lauric acid also helps improve the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk for heart disease.

3. The fats in coconut oil are readily absorbed, promoting metabolic efficiency. The fatty acids in the oil, called medium chain triacylglycerols or MCTs, are shorter and more water soluble than other fats like canola or olive oil. The fats are absorbed right away, processed by the liver, and burned as fuel quickly. Therefore, the MCTs are not stored as fat in the body.

4. Coconut has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, helping protect the layers of the gut. The digestive tract is closely related to the immune system, so this is especially helpful during the germy winter months.

Get out of your normal winter routine- add some light coconut milk to a smoothie or to your oatmeal, or some coconut oil to your shrimp or spread on a whole grain cracker. Bon appetite!

Party Proof Your Diet

by Melissa Bosslet, RD, LN

MSNBC offers advise on which foods to pick at the holiday dinner table. For example, they suggest opting for the mashed potatoes over the stuffing and picking ham over a turkey drumstick. The article is very helpful if these specific foods are at your holiday party, but if they aren't, how do we keep on track with our nutrition plan?

Refer to our December newsletter for more details, but these 3 tips are the essential to stay at the top of your game.

1. Get plenty of sleep- The number 1 problem we see when clients are not losing weight is lack of sleep. The body responds to inadequate sleep by producing cortisol, a stress hormone that leads to weight gain around the middle region.

2. Avoid backloading- Eat a consistent amount of calories throughout the day. If you wait until dinner and especially holiday meals to fill up, energy levels will suffer throughout the day. Your metabolism responds better to small meals spread out throughout the day. Keep healthy snacks convenient so while you are out and about, your blood sugars remain stable. Also, do not go to the party starving. It is more difficult to control choices when your body is deprived.

3. Get moving!- At EB, we say that, "Eating right is just the beginning." Part of what we mean by that is you can only stay so healthy by picking the right foods. You need to stay active during the holidays to burn calories, keep your metabolism functioning, keep muscle tone, and to stay energized. Next time you are feeling sluggish, head to the gym. I guarantee you will feel more energized afterwards.

Keep in mind that these concepts work all year round - not just with the holidays. Enjoy the holidays, but also keep in mind they do come once a year. You probably will survive without having two helpings of your Grandma's famous pie!

Here is a good recipe to bring to a party. Pile your plate with veggies, take about 2 tablespoons of dip, and step away from the appetizer table!


Sesame, Spinach, & Artichoke Dip
Makes 1 3/4 cups

1 bunch of fresh spinach
1 14.75-oz. (396 g) jar or can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained
2 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only
1/4 C. (60 ml) tahini, (sesame seed paste)
Juice of 1/2 lime 1/2 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. salt
1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
1 t. toasted sesame seeds
Dash or two of paprika

1. Remove stems from spinach, wash thoroughly, and spin dry in a salad spinner. Put spinach leaves into the food processor with the steel blade, and pulse chop until finely chopped.
2. Add artichoke hearts, mint leaves, tahini, lime juice, cumin, salt, and nutritional yeast, and process to an almost smooth puree.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and a dash of paprika.
   

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Reader Recipe of the Month- Oxygen Magazine

This recipe will help you enjoy the flavor of pumpkin without having to eat it in pie form!

1 cup water
½ cup canned pure pumpkin- Good source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and powerful antioxidants. Pumpkin also has anti-inflammatory properties.
½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal- A heart healthy, high fiber grain. Note: Gluten free varieties are available!
1 tbsp cinnamon- Great for blood sugar control!
1 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning- Adds lots of flavor with no sugar or calories.
2 tbsp Stevia, an herbal sweetener that will not raise your blood sugars. It actually can help control them!

1. In a small pot, bring water to boil.
2. Stir in pumpkin and remove from heat; turn to low.
3. Stir in oats and put pot back on burner, gradually increasing heat to medium low – reduce heat if it begins to bubble or splatter.
4. Cook for 7 minutes until oats are cooked and fluffy.
5. Stir in cinnamon, pumpkin pie seasoning and Stevia.

If you are in a hurry, you can also microwave the oats for 90 seconds – 2 minutes.

For more great recipes, check out Oxygen Magazine's website at http://www.oxygenmag.com/main.php?page=7&id=658.