Whats on my Plate?

Ever wonder what a nutrition major eats? Wonder if its healthy or if I practice what I preach? Well the answer is, I do eat nutritious foods most of the time but, I have no problem with treating myself. One thing nutrition majors hate to hear when they sit down for a meal is; "Why are you eating that? Aren't you supposed to be eating only nutritious and healthy foods and staying away from the bad things?". My response is always, "I consciously made the decision to put this food on my plate and if I want to treat myself every once in a while, then why not!"  Just because you are watching what you are eating, doesn't mean you can't treat yourself or make it so you can't have anything that tastes good.

This is what I ate for the day and the justification in the choices I made:

Breakfast (9 am)
For breakfast I had an 8 oz glass of chocolate milk, an apple and whole wheat toast with peanut butter. I chose the toast because it is whole grain and it is very important to fuel your body with carbs and protein at the beginning of the day. Whole grains contain some protein which can help you feel fuller longer and provide energy for the body to get going in the morning. The peanut butter contains protein as well, but also has healthy fats. These fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These types of fat can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. I had an apple in order to get some vitamins and minerals that may be lacking from just having toast for breakfast. Apples are also high in fiber which can aid in digestion. The chocolate milk was chosen to provide 9 essential vitamins and minerals that the body cannot make and have to get from food sources, and to provide more protein in my breakfast.

Lunch (12:30 pm)
For lunch, I had the leftovers of a sandwich that I got a few days ago. However, this is an easy sandwich anyone can make and it is full of protein and nutrients. It was a hard roll with presto, which is full of healthy fats due to the olive oil and pine nuts in it, lettuce, tomato and mozzarella. The mozzarella is a great source of protein and is lower in fat than other types of cheeses. I knew I would need more than just a half a sandwich, so I paired it with carrots and honey mustard. Carrots are high in Vitamin A, K, dietary fiber, and biotin, and I added the honey mustard just to spice up my carrots a little. I had a glass of green tea with it, which has been shown to provide antioxidants to prevent illness and help boost metabolism!

Snack (2:30 pm)
 I had class all afternoon and knew that I would need something to hold me over until dinner time, so I grabbed the single serving pack of dry roasted almonds on my way out of the door. I love the way they taste and they are full of heart healthy fats and protein to keep me feeling full until dinner time.


Dinner (5:30 pm)
I was in a time crunch to get something to eat before class and going to the gym later so I decided to throw some chicken on the George Foreman Grill we have at my apartment, steamed up some broccoli, and made couscous. After the chicken was grilled and the broccoli was steamed, I threw them into a frying pan with olive oil, garlic and cheese and made a simple skillet meal with couscous as a side. Couscous is one of the 7 Mother Grains and a whole grain which are needed in a daily diet. The broccoli is full of antioxidants and vitamins, and the cheese gave me another serving of dairy and protein on my plate. Chicken is one of my favorite meats just because it is so versatile and easy to prepare. Its a really good source of protein, and a very lean meat. Milk again accompanied this meal.
 

Post Workout Snack (10:30 pm)
After a tough workout, I was feeling a little hungry and needed a pick me up to replenish carbohydrates burned during cardio and take in protein to help me build more muscle after a weight lifting circuit. My snack included a piece of bread and a tall glass of milk. The key to post workout snacks is to have it be a 2:1 Carb to Protein ratio. Your body really needs to replenish the carbohydrate stores after burning many of them off during exercise.






This is basically what the jist of my diet is daily. It is really important to make sure that meals are balanced between carbs, protein and fat, and that you are getting vegetables and fruits in your diet to get all the vitamins and minerals needed to function in our daily lives.

Nutritious Eating Tip and a Recipe Too!

My days have gotten to be really busy, especially with classes, tutoring, and clinical hours. But just because my days are busy, does not mean that I can skimp on making nutritious and delicious dinners for myself. There are tons of recipes out there for all different types of eating, especially those high calorie, high fat ones that may taste great and are easy, but really hurt the waistline. To combat this, I like to do a little substitution of the high fat and calorie ingredients for ones that are nutrient dense. I recently did that with a recipe I found on Pinterest that I was going to share with my  nutritious and filling meal for all.

If you're trying to lose weight, or watch what you eat, I highly recommend you try to substitute the energy dense foods, for the nutrient dense options. For example, instead of using sour cream in a recipe, try Greek Yogurt, instead of whole milk - try low fat or fat free milk, make all your grains whole grains, choose leaner cuts of meats instead of high fat ones, bake your foods instead of frying them, and choose fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables instead of frozen, canned or out of season vegetables! These simple changes can help you to eat cleaner and eat more nutritious foods, without sacrificing flavors.
Below is the recipe from the dinner I made last week and the substitutions I made. I also roasted Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts with Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, and Parmesan at 400 degree for 45 minutes.

Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

Ingredients1 package of smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
1 large onion, peeled and chopped5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes
olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
sweet paprika
dried thyme
a handful of greated strong cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400*F. Line a large baking tray (with sides) with several sheets of foil, and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. Put the sausage rounds, onions, and potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with a couple TBS of olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and dried thyme. Toss together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Pour this out onto the baking tray, and spread it out as much as you can. Place into the heated oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender. Turn off the oven. Scatter the cheese over top of the cooked meat and potatoes, Pop back into the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese
SUBSTITUTIONS I MADE- I used smoked lite turkey kielbasa with low sodium instead of regular kielbasa to cut fat and sodium down which can cause bloating and is good for those who have hypertension.  I also substituted Parmesan cheese instead of cheddar cheese to cut down on fat.

  

Protein Power

Protein is one of the 4 macronutrients, along with carbohydrates, fat and water, that are very vital to life and our ability to move and function. However, it is a problem for many people to get enough protein in their diets daily. The protein that we take in in our diet is important for  muscle development, building up bones and strength, producing antibodies to prevent illness and disease, and to promote growth of strong hair and nails. The average adult consuming 2000 calories a day, should be getting 10-25% of the daily calorie goal from protein. That translates to 200-500 calories, or 50g-124g of protein daily. 124 grams is a lot of protein. A smaller and more personalized protein goal can be found using a simple math equation. For example, lets use a 130lb individual. First, you must divide your weight by 2.2 to find out how many kilograms you are. So, for the example that would be 59kg. Then you will multiply 59kg x .8g/kg of protein, which equals 47 grams of  protein a day. Then, multiply 59kg x 1.1g/kg, which equals 65 grams of protein a day. 47-65grams of protein is a much smaller, and more personalized assessment of someone's protein needs.

Now that you have calculated what your proteins needs are, its time to decide what are the best food choices are to fulfill these needs! Here are a few ideas of protein rich snacks to incorporate into your day to make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet.

- One 8 oz glass of chocolate milk provides about 150 calories and 8 grams of protein per cup

- 1/4 cup of raw almonds providing about 150 calories, healthy fats and 5.4 grams of protein

- 6 oz of greek yogurt providing 130 calories and 16 grams of protein

- Two hard boiled eggs providing about 160 calories and 12 grams of protein (eggs are the most purest form of protein with the least amount of calories!)

- Two slices of roasted turkey deli meat providing 44 calories and 7.2 grams  of protein rolled with one slice of provolone  which is about 98 calories and  7.2 grams of protein equaling 142 calories, 14.4 grams protein total!

- 3/4 cup of cooked edamame providing 150 calories and 12 grams of protein!

- One Luna granola bar has about 180 calories and about 8-9 grams of protein

- 3 oz of tuna on whole grain crackers provides 165 calories and 16 grams of protein

Choose your snacks wisely and go for a high protein option keeping you fuller longer!

What's for dinner?

I decided to mix it up for this post and talk about and share a recipe I made for my boyfriend and I the other week. I love to cook, and that is very important when you're in school for nutrition. Especially when you have to take 3 cooking classes and labs in order to graduate! However, I discovered my love for cooking and baking long before college started. I regularly help my parents with dinner prep at home, and at least cook dinner once a week while at school for my boyfriend and I. Dining hall food gets pretty old pretty fast. When boyfriend suggested the other week that we should make dinner at his apartment before I went home for the weekend, I immediately when on Pinterest to see what tasty, easy and nutritious meal ideas I could find. He suggested something with chicken and rice because he had been making a lot of pasta lately, and had a lot of chicken in the freezer his mom bought his before he came back for the second semester. I found many, many recipes that sounded really appealing, but most looked like they would take over an hour to make. I was losing hope of finding a chicken and rice dish until I found One-pot Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice. It sounded easy and really tasty, especially with the broccoli and cheese in the recipe. We both agreed on it and headed to the store after we were both done with class. This recipe was really easy, super quick, cheesy, and we both loved it! Lots of leftovers, and it has something from every food group!

Easy One-Pot Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice

Ingredients           

• 1 lb Chicken breasts, boneless skinless                                                           
• 2 1/2 cups Broccoli florets                                                    
• 2 cloves Garlic                                                    
• 1/2 Yellow onion, medium                                                       
• 2 1/2 cups Chicken broth, low-sodium                                      
• 1 cup White rice, long grain                                 
• 1 tsp Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper                                                  
• 3 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin                                                    
• 2 cups Reduced-Fat Shredded Cheddar cheese, sharp

Instructions

1. In a large skillet or pan, sauté onions in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Once onions soften, increase the heat to medium high and add chicken to the pan.
3. Brown the chicken pieces and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 more minute.
4. Push chicken to one side of the pan and add additional tablespoon of olive oil to other side.
5. Add the uncooked rice in the olive oil and saute it for a couple of minutes.
6. Add the chicken broth to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid.
7. Cook chicken and rice mixture covered for about 12 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the broccoli evenly over the chicken and rice mixture and stir to combine.
9. Continue to cook covered another 8 minutes on low, or until broccoli and rice are both tender.
10. Remove from heat and stir in half a cup of cheese.
11. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover with a lid, letting it sit for 1-2 minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve.