Breakfast

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Breakfast is a great way to start your day. You will be more likely to consistently continue to fuel throughout the day when you eat something at the beginning of the day. If you skip breakfast to save up for other meals you may want to rethink this thought as skipping breakfast often results in feeling cranky, not being able to concentrate and not to mention that your body wants you to make up for the missed meal at lunch or another time during the day. If you are not hungry right when you wake up, pack up some granola bars, fruit… to go! Or make a quick breakfast in a mug.
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𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕠𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕞𝕦𝕘
𝘐𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴
2 slices of bread (your favorite! - white, wheat, cinnamon) cubed
3 TBSP milk
1 egg
Pinch of cinnamon
𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴
1) Be sure to melt butter, use oil or spray the inside of the mug
2) Put the cubed bread in a mug
3) Mix the milk, egg, and cinnamon together in a small bowl and then poor over the bread and coat all pieces.
4) Microwave for 1 minutes and 30 seconds (could be more or less time depending on your microwave)
5) Add powdered sugar, syrup and some sliced fruit (or whatever toppings you like) and enjoy!

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Convenience Foods

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Convenience foods can be really helpful because they make cooking a little easier and it cuts down on prep time. Some examples of convenience foods would be salad in a bag, shredded carrots, rotisserie chicken, frozen fruits, and lots of other options that can make things just a little easier in the kitchen!

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Myth of eating after 7pm

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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If you ever wondered if you are supposed to or not supposed to eat after 7 PM, the short answer is yes! You can, and should, eat after 7 PM. Something to consider about this “rule” is that your stomach does not shut off after a certain time of day and the clock does not know whether you are hungry or not.

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Importance of hydration

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Staying hydrated is important all year long. If you can keep a refillable water bottle with you throughout the day that can help stay hydrated. The amount of water you need will vary a little depending on amount of exercise, body size, and temperature. The Institute of medicine does recommends about 9 cups of water/day for women and about 13 cups/day for men. Fruits and vegetables will contribute water as well as coffee, tea and other beverages that you consume during the day.

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Family food traditions

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Holidays are a time to enjoy time with friends and/or family along with food traditions and honoring your food cravings. Many people will feel that they need to save up the meals for the day leading up to holiday dinners. Please consider that if you eat throughout the day (as you do on any other day), you will be able to enjoy your day and holiday dinner.

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Veganism

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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I want to remind you of ways to meet your protein needs from plant protein sources- lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, nut butters, grains (quinoa, amaranth, cereals, pasta, rice) and to meet calcium and vitamin D needs with non-dairy milk substitutes. Check out nudining.com for vegan options available in the dining halls on-campus

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UNDER THE SEA: VEGETABLE SUSHI

Sea vegetables, commonly called edible seaweed, are a class of marine algae packed with healthful nutritional value. Used for centuries around the world with documented use in Asian and Aztec civilizations, edible seaweed was one of the hottest food trends in 2015 as it gained popularity in American cuisine.

Today we will be working with green seaweed. Green seaweeds get their pigment from chlorophyll. They can absorb the largest amount of light energy and found in coastal waters. Edible forms of green seaweed are sometimes referred to as sea lettuce. (Today’s Dietitian)

Seaweed is rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, including sulfated polysaccharides known to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral and cardiovascular benefits. Seaweed can be included in soups, salads, and other dishes beyond sushi.

Food’s carbon footprint: Eating a plant-based diet can reduce your footprint by cutting down on red meats such as beef and lamb. What’s your diet’s carbon footprint?

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Vegetable Sushi

Recipe is for 1 roll (8 slices). Calories 90, Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Carbohydrate 15g, Protein 1.5g, Fiber 1.5g, Sodium 4mg

INGREDIENTS

Step 1

• ½ each Dried Nori Seaweed Sheet
• 3 oz Sushi Rice-white short grain (cooked)
• *Pro Tip: wash rice before cooking, rinse until
• water is clear. This will get remove some of the
• starches. Fluff rice after cooked.
• 1 oz Cucumber, peeled, Julienne-Slice
• 1 oz Bell pepper Julienne-Slice
• 1 oz Avocado Julienne-Slice
• 1 oz Shredded carrot
• 2 tbsp Rice wine vinegar

Step 3

• 1¼ cup Rice, white short grain
• 1½ cup Water, cold
• 1½ oz Rice Wine Vinegar
• ¼ oz Sugar, granulated

DIRECTIONS: RICE

Prep + cook time: 55 minutes

1. Wash and rinse rice with fresh water three for four times then drain water. Add place rice in rice cooker.
2. Add cold water to the rice cooker and gently mix the rice and water. Switch on the rice cooker and let it set for 50 minutes (30 min. for Cook, 20 min. for Steam). Rice needs to be cooked to 150 F.
3. Empty hot cooked rice (150 F) into shallow container. Fold rice with rubber spatula and fan to release steam from cooked rice as much as possible for approximately 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle rice wine vinegar and Awasezu (8oz. Rice Wine Vinegar and 2oz. Sugar) over the rice and incorporate using spatula in cutting motion (Should be done in about two minutes.)
5. Cool the sushi rice in a refrigerator until temperature reaches 41F or lower.

DIRECTIONS

Prep time: 10 minutes

• Lay ½ the Nori sheet on the rolling mat with the rough side facing up.

1. Place cooked rice (41 degrees or lower) onto Nori sheet and spread equally over the sheet leaving the upper margin uncovered. (Roughly ¼ inch thick)
2. Place strips of cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, and carrot, on the uncovered edge of the Nori
3. Using the closer edge of the rolling mat, close on the filling with the Nori making a rectangular shaped hill and tighten it from above. Move forward and continue rolling, keeping it tight with every move until you reach the end of the Nori . Put pressure on the roll form all three side at all times, especially on stops to allow it to roll tightly.
4. Store in cooler at 41 F or lower until ready to slice and serve.

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Staying active with movement you enjoy

 #WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Moving your body and exercising is beneficial for lots of reasons. It can be a form of stress relief, a break from school or work, fresh air, improve mood, and improve endurance and build muscle. That all being said please do not pick an activity you do not like. Choose something you like and that makes you feel good!

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ROOTED NACHOS (VEGAN)

Research shows that vegetarian and vegan diet patterns are linked with lower incidences of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Studies show that plant-based diets tend to be rich in a number of important nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data show that vegetarian diets are higher in vitamins A, C, and E; and thiamine, riboflavin, folate, calcium, and magnesium than non-vegetarian diets.

Plant-based eating style is also a great sustainable by making a lighter impact on the planet. Vegetarian eating patterns produce a lower carbon footprint.

While vegetarian and vegan bring several health benefits it's important to meet nutrient needs, especially for protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, iron, zinc, and iodine, therefore inclusion of animal-based foods can provide nutrition and health benefits. Dietitians can work with vegetarian and vegan clients to ensure they receive adequate intake of these nutrients, particular to their life cycle stage. (Todays Dietitian)

Whether vegetarian/vegan or not, “Bite by Bite” work to develop sound eating habits. Starting by bringing plants to the center of the plate.

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Rooted Nachos (Vegan)

Recipe by the Humane Society Recipe is for one 6 oz serving. Students and instructor will prep one serving each Calories 280, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Carbohydrate 30g, Protein 7.5g, Fiber 3.5g, and Sodium 560 mg

INGREDIENTS

Step 1

• 1 oz Wonton wrapper
• ⅛ tsp Salt

Step 2

• ¼ oz Buttery Spread, Earth Balance
• 2 Tbsp Onions, Fresh, Fine Chopped
• ⅛ tsp Garlic Cloves, Minced
• ¼ oz All Purpose Flour
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• ⅛ tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp Soy Milk, Plain
• 1½ tsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Tbsp Water

Step 3

• 1 Tbsp Olives, Black, Pitted, and Sliced
• 3 Tbsp Tomatoes, Cubed
• 3 Tbsp Green Onions, Sliced
• 1 Tbsp Pepperoncini
• 1 Tbsp Jalapeno Peppers, Fresh, Sliced

DIRECTIONS

Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 5 minutes

1. Cut wonton wrappers into triangles (similar to a tortilla chip shape). Fry wonton triangles for 2-3 minutes, drain, and place into a full size pan and lightly salt.
2. Cheese-less Alfredo Sauce Melt Earth Balance in a saucepan. Add onions and garlic and sweat for 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and stir until mixture has a nutty fragrance. Add soy milk and water, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Stir in nutritional yeast.
3. Plating Portion wonton chips into individual platters and drizzle cheese-less Alfredo sauce on top. Top with olives, tomatoes, green onions, pepperoncini and jalapenos. Each Platter: 2 oz. chips, 2 oz. cheese-less Alfredo sauce, ½ oz. olives, ½ oz. tomatoes, ½ oz. green onions, ¼ oz. pepperoncini, and ¼ oz. jalapenos.

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Breakfast, why it is an important way to start your day

 #WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Breakfast is a great way to start your day because it provides you energy to stay focused and avoid feeling sluggish as you work through the morning and keep up with your school work. It does not need to be a large meal and something to eat is better than having nothing to eat to start off your day!

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Plant Based Eating: Wellness Tips

Plant based recipes can be delicious and because they are made from vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts and lentils:

• they provide plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals
• they are great for your health and the environment

Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or just incorporate plant based meals sometimes -it is beneficial for your health and the environment to eat more plants.

There is no shortage of flavor in plant based foods and plant based diets often provide high quality foods with more vitamins and minerals while minimizing animal products and processed items

Adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet is not only healthy, but can also lower your risk for chronic diseases

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What healthy eating means and what it doesn’t

 #WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Healthy eating can be different depending on how you grew up, food preferences and food choices that work for you. It’s about creating a balance with a variety of foods from all the different food groups (grains, proteins, fruits, veggies, dairy or non-dairy substitutes as well as desserts- yes they can also be included in the balance). Healthy eating also means choosing foods that you like and enjoy!

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Paying attention to hunger and fullness cues

 #WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Hunger and fullness is a great way to be in tune with what your body needs. However, sometimes you get busy and ignore these hunger signals and/or we get distracted scrolling on our phone and not pay attention to when we are comfortably full. Think about being in tune with these signals, honoring fullness and decreasing distractions to be more in tune with fullness.

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Mental Health and Nutrition

 #WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)

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Nutrition can play a role when it comes to mental health. The way that nutrition plays a role is when you skip meals – because you are busy, stressed, or have a decreased appetite – most often you feel hungry and this can impact your mood, increase irritability, decrease concentration and focus. By fueling your body throughout the day with meals and snacks, it can help mood, decrease irritability, maintain concentration and focus. If you take medication for your mental health and the medication decreases your appetite, consider eating a meal before you take your medicine and setting reminders to continue to eat throughout the day.

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Eating consistently during the day

#WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)
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Eating consistently during the day is important to help to maintain your energy level and to help you stay focused throughout the day. Consider keeping snacks (granola bars, piece of fruit, pretzels, dry cereal etc.) handy when you know you are busy and may have a long period of time between meals. Paying attention to hunger signals during the day, this is your built in reminder that you need to eat!

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Mindful Eating vs. Distracted Eating

 #WellnessWednesday with Registered Dietitian Christine (MS, RDN, CSSD)
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Consider practicing mindful eating versus distracted eating by putting away your devices during a meal. You may find that you enjoy the meal more because you are paying attention to the smell, taste and texture as well as being in tune with your feelings of fullness!

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National Seafood Month

It’s National Seafood Month! October is all about sustainable seafood around here. Everyone knows that seafood is an excellent component of a healthy diet, but overfishing, bycatch, and seafood fraud can make it challenging to decide which fish to eat. We asked our partners over at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program to share some advice for buying seafood that has been fished or farmed responsibly. Your seafood choices are critical to a healthy ocean, so grab a Seafood Watch guide or the app, and let’s go shopping!

CHECK OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

To find the right seafood recommendation, you’ll need to know three things: the species (what kind of fish is it), where the seafood is from and how it was caught or farmed. For example, if salmon is on the menu, find out if it's Atlantic, Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, or Sockeye salmon. Next, ask where it’s from and how it was caught or farmed. Sometimes it can be hard to find out how seafood is caught or farmed. Often just knowing the country of origin will tell you whether to buy a product. Also, check to see if we have recommended an eco-certified option. If in doubt, choose a different Best Choice seafood.

CHOOSE A BUSINESS (OR FISHERMEN) YOU TRUST

Many businesses have already made commitments to sustainable seafood. Shopping at a restaurant or grocery store with commitment means that you can do your research before visiting and be confident that what is offered meets your sustainability expectations. If you have access to a local fisherman, that’s another great way to learn more about the seafood you’re buying and the people that harvested it.

ASK QUESTIONS

The easiest thing you can do is ask the question: "Do you sell sustainable seafood?" By doing so, you help drive change in the marketplace. The more businesses hear support for sustainable seafood, the more interest they have in providing it as an option. We encourage you to thank the businesses that sell sustainable seafood and ask those that don’t to visit SeafoodWatch.org.

CONSIDER BUYING WHOLE FISH

Whole fish may seem outside the comfort zone of home chefs, but it is more affordable, versatile, and is less likely to have fraudulent labeling. If you have our Seafood Watch recommendations handy, whole fish can be a great way to guarantee you’re getting the sustainable product you paid for. Finally, if whole fish is available, ask the store to clean, gut, and portion it for you.

BE ADVENTUROUS

In North America we mainly eat five seafood products: canned tuna, shrimp, tilapia, salmon and pollock. Considering Seafood Watch has recommendations for over 300 species, that is a very limited menu! Next time you buy seafood consider trying something new: from arctic char to clams to seaweed, there are hundreds of Best Choices for you to explore!

 Reference:

1. Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Program. https://www.seafoodwatch.org/.

Written by Julia Jordan

OCTOBER 2020

weeatlivedowell.com

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FOOD AND MOOD

We have all probably experienced a time when our mood influenced our food choices. Whether you crave comfort foods when sad, or lose your appetite when stressed, we know mood can influence how we eat. But what if what we eat can also influence our mood? Research suggests that this might be the case.

WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?
What we eat can impact many of the systems in our bodies that influence mood, depression, anxiety and other aspects of our mental health. These connections are still being investigated, but according to a recent research review, three areas seem likely to play a role. Eating patterns that lead to frequent changes in blood sugar trigger hormone responses that may alter mood. Brain health has been tied to inflammation and certain foods have been associated with either increased or decreased inflammation. And finally, our gut health, which is closely tied to the way we eat may also influence our mental health.

WHICH FOODS ARE INVOLVED?
Rapid and frequent changes in blood sugar are usually connected with refined carbohydrates often found in sweet snacks, sugary drinks and grains that are not whole . Limiting high sugar, low fiber foods or pairing them with other nutrient rich foods can help avoid spikes in blood sugar. Foods that provide omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, nuts and seeds are thought to help reduce inflammation. For gut health, probiotics (yogurt with active cultures, fermented foods) and prebiotics (high fiber foods like oats, asparagus, apples) can help support.

BOTTOM LINE
Our mental and physical health are complex and can be influenced by many factors. Even if one food is found to show benefits, our overall diet as well as physical activity, sleep and stress levels will also play a role. The good news is that healthy eating has almost no side effects and many potential benefits. Healthy eating patterns, like the Mediterranean Diet, promote physical health and may also help to support our mental health.

Reference: Firth Joseph, GangwischJames E, BorisiniAlessandra, Wootton Robyn E, Mayer EmeranA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ 2020; 369 :m2382

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RDN
AUGUST 2020
weeatlivedowell.com

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PICNIC SAFELY

Getting outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather is one of the perks of this time of year. If picnics are part of your plans, you might be wondering what extra steps you need to take to do so safely in this era of COVID-19. Here are some tips:

SPREAD OUT
If your typical picnic set up includes one big table for all of the food, consider breaking it up. You can put sides on one table, desserts on another and so on. Spacing out the food will help to naturally space out your guests too.

REDUCE HIGH TOUCH AREAS
While the risk of spreading COVID-19 through surfaces is thought to be low, it is one that is relatively easy to address. Instead of putting a serving spoon in each dish, encourage people to serve themselves with their own, clean, disposable utensil. Use toothpicks for smaller items. Focus on individual items instead of bulk dishes like casseroles. Many popular casseroles can be made single serve by preparing them in muffin tins. Pre-plating items can also help reduce the frequency of everyone touching the same surface. Make utensil roll-ups for each person with fork, knife and spoon wrapped in a napkin.

FOLLOW YOUR LOCAL RULES
Each area of the country is at a different point with the spread of COVID-19 and local rules around staying at home or social gatherings generally reflect this.

IF YOU ARE SICK, STAY HOME
No one wants to miss out on fun activities but if you are sick you really need to sit this one out and encourage your guests to do the same.

BEYOND COVID-19
While our current focus is on preventing COVID-19, foodborne illness at picnics is still a very real risk. To make sure that illness doesn’t spoil your outdoor eating, make sure to wash your hands often, maintain food temperatures and handle leftovers carefully. More food safety tips can be found at
homefoodsafety.org.

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RDN
JULY 2020
weeatlivedowell.com

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TIGHTENING YOUR FOOD BUDGET

If you find that your income has been reduced by the current COVID-19 pandemic, or simply
want to lower your food budget to free up money to be more charitable or support local
businesses, we have put together some tips to help.

PLAN AHEAD & BE FLEXIBLE
This may sound like conflicting advice, but both can be helpful strategies. Plan ahead by listing out
the meals and snacks you and your family will have. Start with doing inventory of what you have
on hand. Plan to use ingredients before they go bad by building them into your meals and snacks.
Group common ingredients so that you can plan for leftovers. If you are going to roast a chicken
for dinner one night, consider having chicken tacos a day or two later so that you can utilize the
leftover chicken. Within your overall plan, allow for some flexibility. You may find that some items
are sold out or that others are on sale. Look for swaps that keep your overall plan in mind but let
you take advantage of items that are on sale or seasonal.

STOP FOOD WASTE
Nothing can derail your food budget like throwing away food. Keep your refrigerator organized. It
can be easy to forget that you have strawberries waiting to be eaten if you can’t see them behind
the milk. If possible, store leftovers in clear containers so they are easily visible. Date your food so
you don’t have to rely on your memory of when something was opened or prepared. Use your
freezer! If you have fresh items or leftovers that you won’t use before they go bad, freeze them.
Make clean-out-the-fridge recipes. Soups, stir-fry meals, frittatas and smoothies are perfect for
using up a variety of ingredients before they go bad.

CONSIDER COST VS CONVENIENCE
Individual packs of snacks and drinks can be handy if you are packing lunches, but that
convenience comes at a cost. Bulk items are usually less expensive. To make them more packable
and control portion size, use reusable containers to repack them yourself. This will cut costs and
send less packaging to landfills.

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RDN
JUNE 2020
weeatlivedowell.com

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