Delicious Cheesesteak Cups!

Pennsylvanians love their cheese steak! I've seen foot-long cheese steaks, cheese steak fries, cheese steak pizza, you name it! So when my boyfriend came to visit this past weekend and was craving a cheese steak, I found this awesome recipe on Facebook for Bell Pepper Cheese Steak Cups and knew we had to make it. They are a lower carbohydrate option for someone who doesn't want a very heavy meal, but still wants tons of flavor and protein. You'll be able to whip this up on a busy weeknight in no time. Best part, it hits all the food groups so you won't need to come up with any sides! 

Here's how to make them!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 bell peppers, halved
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 16 oz.  mushrooms
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 16 slices provolone

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325º. Place peppers in a large baking dish and bake until tender, 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add steak and cook about 1 minute per side. Set aside.
3. Add onions and mushrooms to skillet and season with salt and pepper. Return steak to skillet and stir to combine.
4. Add provolone to bottom of peppers and top with steak mixture. Top with another piece of provolone and broil, 3 minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Gut Health and Dairy!

Last week I attended a seminar put on by the American Dairy Association North East at my university. Every year they sponsor a speaker to come and talk about hot nutrition topics and how dairy is tied in with them as well. Topics in years past have been Sports Nutrition and Farming and Agriculture. This year's topic was Gut Health and Dairy. Before attending this seminar, I knew very little about the microbiome, probiotics and prebiotics; but after this session my knowledge and interest has grown exponentially. So, this week I decided that I wanted to share a little bit of this new knowledge with you!

Let's start with the Microbiome
- There are 10-100 trillion microbial cells in the skin, gut, mouth and feces. These cells have differ from person to person, and can vary depending on what environment we live in, as well as what type of environment the cells live in. Cells that live in the gut and are constantly exposed to gastric acids and juices are different from those that live on the skin or in the mouth. We actually get some of these  microbial cells from our mothers when we are born, and there are 3 points within our lives in which the microbiome changes. First, when we start being breast fed, second is when we first develop a sickness that requires an antibiotic, and lastly is when we begin to eat solid foods. Some other things that can effect the gut microbiome is diet, exercise, stress, where you live, gender, age, and whether or not if you have a pet.

Microbiome and Health
- Studies have been able to show a connection between obesity, cognitive function, immune health, autoimmune disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, and the microbiome. One study showed that those who are obese have a significantly smaller amount of microbiomes in the gut than those who are at a healthy weight. They put the overweight people on a diet high in fiber and probiotics and saw that they experienced a loss of weight, as well as a more diverse microbiome. Another point I found interesting was that a study was done with children who were genetically at risk for developing Type 1 Diabetes. The researcher followed these children for 3 years and tested their mircobiome weekly for changes. After 3 years, 4 of the 33 children followed developed Type 1 Diabetes. The researcher saw a trend in the children that developed diabetes, they saw that one year before the onset of diabetes, there was a significant change in the microbiome which could help them predict the development of diabetes.

What are Probiotics?
- Probiotics are live cultures intended to have health benefits. Probiotics are part of the microbiome which can help with digestion, inflammation and disease prevention, by eating foods with probiotics we can make our microbiome more diverse.

What are Prebiotics?
- Prebiotics feed probiotics. They have been shown to be able to reduce inflammation, reduce diarrhea associated with antibiotic use, and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Where can we get prebiotics and probiotics?
- Dairy is a great source of pre and probiotics, yogurt being one of the best of them. Kefir (shown above), which is a cultured milk product also is a great source of probiotics (shown to have 150-950 billion different probiotics) . It produced fewer symptoms of lactose intolerance than normal milk does, while containing the same amount of lactose. This is because Kefir contains cultures with the lactase enzyme in them. Some other sources of pre and probiotics are fermented foods, fruits and vegetables, kimchi, saurerkraut, miso, kombucha and tempeh


Next time you're at the grocery store in the dairy aisle, check the yogurt container and see if it says "Contains live cultures", if so, you're helping to increase and diversify your microbiome!

The Sunshine Vitamin

Whether you live in Alaska, Europe, or even the Northeastern part of the U.S., you most likely have a deficiency in one of the most vital vitamins. Yep I said it, you are deficient! In Vitamin D that is! We get a lot of our Vitamin D stores from the sun, but when it is cloudy and 20 degrees outside, it is hard to go outside for fresh air and some good sun exposure. Although it is quite common to be deficient in Vitamin D, there are some things you should be aware of.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin (just like Vitamins A, E, and K). It occurs naturally in some of the foods we eat, as well as from the sunshine hitting our skin. Vitamin D also promotes the absorption of calcium in the gut and helps to maintain the bloods calcium levels without leeching it from our bones.
Vitamin D is important in every stage of life. Children need it to help support bone growth, and strength and prevents rickets. Adults with a good intake of Vitamin D can stop Osteoporosis from breaking down bones. However, prevention of Osteoporosis can only occur between birth and about 25. Once you hit around the age of 25, your bones are about as strong as they will be for the rest of your life. So get lots of Vitamin D now, but keep it up as you age to aid in the prevention of Vitamin D.

Other than strengthening our bones, Vitamin D has also shown to aid in cell growth, Neuromuscular and immune function, and reduce inflammation.

So how much should you be getting a day?

 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Vitamin D [1]

Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
0–12 months*	400 IU (10 mcg)	400 IU (10 mcg)
1–13 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
14–18 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
19–50 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
51–70 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
>70 years	800 IU (20 mcg)	800 IU (20 mcg)

(Table taken from the National Institute of Health)

What are some good sources of Vitamin D?

- Milk and Yogurt are good sources of Vitamin D

- Cod, Swordfish, Salmon, and Tuna

- Orange Juice Fortified with Vitamin D

- Eggs

-Fortified Cereals

- Maitake Mushroom (I discovered that they are a good source of Vitamin D while doing a project for Life Cycle Nutrition!)

By adding foods like this to your every day diet, you're helping your body stay healthy and strong. Remember, too, to get outside when you can!

This was taken in Sedona, Arizona in November 2016. A lot more sunshine there all year round!

I Did It So You Can Try It Too!

My boyfriend and I decided that due to this semester being very busy for both of us, that we would try to meal prep lunch every Sunday. So, that is what we did last weekend! We complied a list of what we would both need for the recipe and made it together. It makes mornings so much easier when you don't have to open the fridge and try to decide what you're going to make for lunch; it's already there and ready! Meal prep helps you make nutritious and healthy decisions every day, without having to put much thought into it.

To start our semester meal prep, we decided to keep it easy. I found a video on facebook of a recipe that looked delicious and very nutritious, that was Pesto Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes. This recipe was super easy and a great starter for more meal prep. Both my boyfriend and I loved it, and my fellow interns and classmates thought it smelled great too!

The only thing I would change about this recipe is use fresh pesto (avaliable on the Wegman's Olive Bar) instead of the jarred pesto. The fresh would have covered the chicken and vegetables a lot better. I would also recommend bringing a starch to accompany your lunch. Perhaps an apple or pretzels! That way you hit all the food groups in one sitting!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 pound green beans
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup basil pesto

PREPARATION

1. In a large pan, heat olive oil and add chicken thighs. Season with salt and pepper. When the chicken is completely cooked through, remove from pan, slice into strips, and set aside.

2. Add green beans and cook until crisp tender. Return the chicken strips to the pan, then add tomatoes and pesto. Stir until fully incorporated.

3. Serve immediately or divide into 4 food storage containers and store in the refrigerator. Can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.

4. Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from BuzzFeed 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/robertbroadfoot/step-up-your-meal-prep-game

I used chicken tenders for this recipe instead of chicken thighs due to preference. We also doubled it in order for us to get 8 servings out of it too. 

Try it out and tell me what you think! 

Get Some Sleep- New Years Resolution Series

When doing a nutrition assessment, one question a dietitian will ask is "How many hours of sleep do you get each night?. We aren't just asking this to see if you go to bed at a decent hour! We are asking this to make sure you are getting enough rest to help your body recover from today to prepare for tomorrow. While you're asleep, your brain cleans house; it gets rid of toxic byproducts and helps file away new memories into your brain. Your brain is repairing, helping your body grow, and release hormones. Without adequate sleep, your body can't try to keep you healthy and ready for the next day! Everyone shoudl strive for 7-9 hours of sleep a night, and this definitely should be a part of your health and wellness resolution.

Tips to sleep better-

1. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time everyday
2. Get as much natural sunlight as possible
3. Move vigorously during the day—don't sit for more than an hour
4. Limit caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and big meals at night
5. Take time for relaxing activities before sleep
6. Create a calm and restful sleep environment

Follow these steps and you'll be sleeping like a baby! 

Drink More Water- New Years Resolution Series

Through my Community Nutrition internship this past fall semester, I have seen a variety of nutrition presentations directed towards adults and the aging. I gave a presentation on high blood pressure, talked about food safety, worked a health fair table about MyPlate, taught proper portion sizes, and choosing better beverages. The presentation I enjoyed the most and thought the audience got the most out of was, Water-The Better Beverage Choice. After reflecting on my semester and presentations I have given, I thought that this was one of the most important topics I talked about.

Soda and sweetened drinks are everywhere. They are in the check-out line at Wegmans, sitting in the aisle at Home Depot, and at children's eye level in gas stations and rest stops. They are sweet, fruity, fizzy, and oh so addicting. BUT, soda and sweetened beverages are the common downfall of people's diets and healthy habits. I'm not saying that you need to cut out soda and sweetened beverages from your diet completely. I am asking that, maybe, you switch a few of your sodas or sweet teas to water. Better yet, let's make it fruit infused water.

It is proven that the human body cannot go more than 3 days without water, and it is true that we do get some of our water from foods we eat, as well as other beverages like milk, tea and coffee. But that doesn't mean that we are getting enough of it! The human body needs about 30mL/kg of body weight daily. Here's how to figure out how much you need-

Take your weight and divide it by 2.2 to find out your weight in kilograms
135/2.2=61.36 kg

Take your weight in kilograms and multiply it by 30 to get the ammount of mililiters you need
61.36 x 30= 1840 mL

Then divide that number by 240 (which the is amount of mL in a cup)
1840/240=7.67c

So, if you weigh 135 pounds, you need 7  2/3 cups of water each day to ensure that you are hydrated!

If you want to drink something more flavorful without sacraficing up tons of empty calories, cut up some of your favorite fruits and put them into your water! There are water bottles at stores like Target and Walmart that have special compartments in them to diffuse the fruit flavor into your water. The best part about this is, is that your getting all the antioxidants and vitamins from the fruit!

Here are some of my favorite infused water mix-ins
-cucumber and mint
-watermelon and basil
-strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
-orange, lemon and lime
-cherry and lime

You can use frozen fruit instead of fresh to cut cost, and keep your water cold
Get creative as you like! I've even seen someone out jalapenos and pineapple in their water! This will cut sugar and calories off your diet, and help keep you healthy!

Waist Circumference and Your Health

Some people are very fixated on what the scale says. They believe that if they are a certain weight, that they are unhealthy and that they are worthless and need a change. A scale is just a machine. It measures the force of gravity you exert on the earth. A number does not define you. Yes, I believe that everyone should live healthy and active lifestyles, but you don't need to tie a number to your health. I already know that when I am a practicing dietitian, I will not be weighing my patients unless it is absolutely necessary. People fear going to the doctor because they do not want to know what they weigh or what a doctor will say about their weight. We can make changes without tying a number to ourselves. By simply focusing on our eating and health habits, we can achieve goals. I personally do not step on the scale unless I absolutely need to. A better way to gauge health is to do waist circumference. Women should strive to have a waist circumference of 35 inches at most and men should have a waist circumference of 40 inches at most. Waist circumference can be a good predictor for being overweight and obese, and can help dietitians predict if you more likely to develop a disease. There are two main types of adiposity, Central adiposity and Gynoid adipostiy. Central adipostity is excessive amounts of fat around the abdominal area. When there is a significant amount of fat in the abdominal region, there is a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Less harmful but still bad is Gynoid adipostiy. This is where fat deposits around the hips and glutes; less harmful but still an issue. These two types help dietitians and physicians to describe where fat is gathering and storing on the body. Gauging waist circumference and adipostiy type can help you and a dietitian figure out an action plan to achieve your goals and become healthier.  

         
Want to figure out how healthy you are without stepping on the scale? Try measuring your waist circumference and figure out where you stand! Need help reaching your goals and making a change? Message me and we can get you on the right track!

A Workout For You!

As promised in my last post, today I am sharing my personal workout routine. For a while, I would find workout routines that would look interesting on Pinterest and from Women's Health Magazine, but I realized that they weren't working the best for me nor they weren't targeting what I wanted to work on. We have been learning in my weight lifting class about program design and how to make an effective program for a variety of clients. My own personal goals are to Increase Strength and Tone a bit. If you have the same or similar goals as I do, I highly recommend giving this workout a try. I've been doing it for the past two weeks and I feel great and am starting to see some great results! Cardio is to be done 4 days of the week for only 30 minutes each day. I recommend doing 15 minutes of moderate cardio before starting the exercises and then doing the last 15 minutes of cardio after the exercises are complete. The cardio in the beginning helps to warm up the body and muscle to perform the exercises, and the 15 minutes of cardio at the end helps to decrease the likelihood of soreness the next day. The cardio can be walking, jogging, biking, the elliptical, the stepper machine or anything else that will boost your heart rate. Mixing cardio and weight training exercises helps to tone the body and burn fat, while promoting muscle growth and strength. Be sure to refuel after your workout with a good dose of carbohydrates and proteins to replenish your energy stores and support muscle growth and repair. My go-to post workout snack is always a big glass of skim milk and a piece of toast with peanut butter! If you're interested in getting a workout customized to your goals, message me with your goals! Happy Sweating!

DAY 1
Back and Biceps	SETS	REPS
Bicep DB Curl	4	12
DB Hammer Curl	4	12
Cable Curls	3	10
Incline Bench Curls	4	10
Bicep 21s	3	7
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns	4	12
Narrow Grip Lat Pulldowns	4	12
Bent Over Barbell Row	4	12
Seated Row	4	12
Supermans	3	12
30 Minutes of Moderate Cardio

DAY 2
Legs	Sets	Reps
Smith Machine Squats	4	10
Smith Machine Hack Squats	4	10
Leg Press	4	10
DB Side Lunges	3	12
Russian Split Squats	3	12
Goblet Squats	4	12
Seated leg Curl	4	10
Leg Extensions	4	10
Hip Abductor	3	15
Hip Adductor	3	15
Seated Calf Raises	3	15
Stiff Leg Deadlifts	3	15
Standing Calf Raises	3	15

DAY 3
Chest and Triceps	Sets	Reps
DB Chest Press	4	10
DB Flies	4	12
Incline DB Chest Press	4	10
Incline DB Flies	4	10
Decline DB Chest Press	4	10
Overhead Tricep Extensions	3	15
Skullcrushers	3	12
Rope Tricep Pulldowns	4	10
Tricep Kick Backs	4	10
Bench Dips	3	15
30 Minutes of Moderate Cardio

DAY 4

OFF

DAY 5
Shoulders and Abs	Sets	Reps
Military Overhead Press	4	10
Lateral DB Raises	4	10
Arnold Press	4	12
Upright Rows	4	10
Farmers Carrys	4	20 sec
Bent Over Rear Delt Reverse Fly	3	12
Russian Twists	3	40
Leg Raises	3	15
Weighted Decline Sit Ups	3	20
Reverse Cruch	3	15
Oblique Crunches	3	20  Each Side
30 Minutes of Moderate Cardio

DAY 6
Total Body	Sets	Reps
Jumping Jacks	4	20
Burpees	4	10
Kettle Bell Swings	3	15
Single Leg Dead Lift	3	12
Squat with Upright Row	4	12
Box Jumps	3	15
45 Minutes of Moderate Exercise DAY 7 Off Try this program and tell me what you think!

Motivation Monday

No one said reaching your goals, whether fitness and health or not, was going to be easy. There will be times where you feel like giving up and that you have to go back to your old ways but you can push through and achieve your goals. Everyone is looking for the quick fix to weight loss or the quick fix to eating healthier or working out more. There are thousands of posts on Pinterest that  say that they can help you lose 10 pounds in a week. As previously talked about in another post (http://theroadtobeinganrd.blogspot.com/2015/12/pinterest-diets-and-detoxes.html) , these diets and tricks really only have you lose water weight which is easily gained back. They don't teach you healthy habits or help you make lifestyle changes. Making small changes to your daily routine can help you change your life! You don't have to completely cut out your favorite food from your diet or change the way you eat all together. You have the power and the means to control what you eat and how healthy you are, you can take this information and apply it to yourself or you can just keep it in the back of your mind. Once you start contemplating making a change, you're already on your way to make that change and better yourself. Getting discouraged at some points is only part of the process. Believing in yourself and having a solid support team behind you; friends, family, significant other, coworkers, medical teams, can make you successful and stay on track with your goals. Surrounding yourself with positivity and support can only add fuel to your desire. So whenever you're down on yourself and feeling like that you're having trouble reaching your goals, look within and find that fire you had when you decided to start the journey and the process. You've got this!

Next post will feature a workout program and workout help!

Restaurant Menu Navigation Tips and Tricks

I've heard many people say that because they are watching what they eat, they cannot treat themselves to a nice dinner out. One dinner out is not going to kill your diet, nor do you have to have high caloric meals when you do eat out. I'm here to help you make some good eating decisions when you aren't in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Eating out can be little intimidating for anyone wanting to eat more nutritious foods and trying to steer clear of the more calorie and fat laden foods. But it doesn't have to be! There are a lot of resources out there that can help you make better decisions when out to eat. Many restaurants have a low calorie menu, or offer their nutrition facts on their website. There is even a series of books that tells you what to eat and what not to eat at many popular fast food chains (I own one of them and like to look through it before eating out, but a lot of the time their suggestions are not offered anymore or they are not what I would eat). But there are ways to tell if an entree or dish is high in calorie and fat without doing research ahead of time! There are sneaky words that restaurants put into descriptions of their foods which can be direct giveaways that the food may be more energy dense rather than nutrient dense.
 Look out for works like-
Au Gratin, Basted, Battered, Hollandaise, Bottomless, Breaded, Buttery, Casserole, Cheesy, Country-Style, Covered, Creamed, Creamy, Crispy, Escalloped, Fried, Giant, Loaded, Platter, Smothered, Stewed, Stuffed, Volcano, White Sauce
Most likely if the menu item has any of these words in it, its going to be a bone-sticking meal.

However, if you really want to have one of the higher calorie entrees, ask for a box once your entree is delivered. Cut the portion in half and put it in the box to take it home for another meal. What they give you at a restaurant is normally about 2-3 times more than what you really should be eating or would eat at home, so by cutting it in half and putting it aside, you're really saving yourself from feeling over full and eating too much. Also, if they offer a lunch portion or even a half portion, order the smaller portion to ensure that you won't over stuff yourself or eat too much.


Here are some lighter choices at different types of restaurants:
Mexican Restaurants- Chicken Enchilada or Beef Tacos
Seafood Restaurants-Blackened of Grilled Fish
Pizza Joints- Thin Crust Pizza or Mixed Vegetable Pizza
Thai Restaurants- Cashew Chicken
BBQ Restaurants- Pulled Pork Sandwich
Italian Restaurants- Penne Puttanesca or Linguine with Garlic and Olive Oil
Diners- BLT or Grilled Cheese
Steakhouses- Filet Mignon or Grilled Tuna Steak

Here are some words that can signal potentially healthier options-
Baked, Broiled, Boiled, Broiled, Fat Free, Fresh, Grilled, High Fiber, Light, Marinated, Poached, Red Sauce, Reduced, Roasted, Seasoned, Steamed, Stir-Fried, Vegetarian, Vinaigrette, Whole Wheat

All nutrition majors do is cook and count calories, right?

Some people might be wondering, especially those who aren't nutrition majors, what exactly I do during the week as a nutrition major. A lot of people have the common misconception that all we do is take cooking classes and learn how to count calories. That could not be any more false. Nutrition majors actually have a pretty busy schedule, and it only gets busier if you're in a coordinated program. For those who don't know, a coordinated program allows the student to do their supervised practice hours, which are required for the certification exam, while working on their bachelor's degree in nutrition. I am one of the few people in my class crazy enough to want to fit 1400 supervised practice hours into a full course load. Coordinated Programs usually start the junior of college and will continue through the summer between junior and senior year, and end at graduation. I am currently doing some of my supervised practice hours twice a week, Tuesday's and Thursday's, at two different facilities off of school property. Tuesdays I am doing a Food Service Management rotation at a local hospital, and Thursday's I have my Community Nutrition rotation at an insurance office doing corporate wellness. Both facilities have certain goals and objectives I need to meet in order for me to get credit for these hours. Besides being off campus for two days a week, I also am taking 16 credits worth of classes. Mondays are packed solid for me with classes like, Management-to learn how to be an effective manager and leader in all areas of the profession, Sports Nutrition- my favorite and focuses on fueling and refueling athletes for performance, as well as learning about different aids that may be used by athletes, Community Nutrition- learning how to develop strategies for health improvement and disease prevention for all people of an area, and Music and Theater- "to make me a more well rounded professional" at least that is what the university says it'll do. Wednesdays include all of these classes, except Music and Theater, and with the addition of Weight Lifting, as part of the requirement for my minor in exercise science. On top of having an 8 hour rotation on Thursdays, I also have my Food Service Management and Production class at night. The best part of my week is that I have no class on Fridays! But this time is always used to work on some of the many projects I have this semester, as well as work on events for a committee I am on at school.

This week I have been working on my goals and objectives for my community rotation, as well as designing an infographic to accompany a brief educational presentation on handwashing for my Food Service Management rotation. So, to the question that was posed in the title of this post, no, we do so much more than cook and count calories. If that's all we did every day, then anyone could be a dietitian! There's so much this profession and major has to offer, that we learn something new every day and the scope of nutrition expands daily worldwide.

Feeding the sick and working the tray line- life of an RDN intern.

Meal Prep for Busy Days

I started my junior year of college this past Wednesday and it's shaping up to be a pretty busy semester. Between clinical rotations twice a week, a full course load of 16 credits, tutoring, and working in the students activities office at my school, I am not going to have much time to prepare nice, nutritious dinners for myself all the time. I am not a morning person, so waking up early before class to prep things isn't going to happen much, but I do go to bed a little bit later at night. Instead of watching an extra episode of house hunters most nights, I have decided to dedicate that half a hour to preparing my dinner for the next day. I gave it a try Tuesday night before I had a full class schedule the next day.

I am trying to keep my food costs low, so I found a pin on Pinterest that provided 5 recipes that would only cost $25 total to make. The first recipe was for black bean burgers and homemade fries. I am a pretty adventurous eater, so I thought I'd give the black bean burgers a shot, and it turned out that they were very easy to make and really good! Black beans are full of protein, so even though I wasn't using ground beef or poultry for the patty, they still had a substantial amount of protein in them. The fries turned out great too, really crispy and a lot less calories than frozen fries. The burgers took me about 15 minutes to prep Tuesday night, then I  took the mixture and made it into two patties. One went into the fridge and the other went into the fridge for the next day. I recommend not cutting up the potatoes ahead of time though. If done, the potatoes will turn a purple/brown and won't taste as good. While the oven was preheating, I cut up the potatoes into sticks and also prepared a side salad to go along with my dinner. If you're looking for something different, but still tasty, I really suggest trying these!

Black Bean Burger and Fries

Ingredients

• 1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 can corn, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 loaf focaccia
• 1 Russet potato
• 1/2 Roma tomato, sliced
•  Salad mix
•  Burger condiments
•  Salt
•  Pepper

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 2

• STEP 1

  Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 450ºF.

  STEP 2

  In a blender or food processor, blend black beans, corn, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, salt and pepper until just combined.

• STEP 3

  Form two burger patties. Set aside.

• STEP 4

  Rinse potato and chop into thin fries.

• STEP 5

  Toss fries with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on baking sheet.

• STEP 6

  Bake fries for 30 minutes, shaking the pan half way through.

• STEP 7

  While fries are baking, grill the burger patties. Heat oil over medium heat, and grill burgers for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you don’t have a stovetop, you can bake the burgers at 350ºF for 20 minutes.

• STEP 8

  Remove fries from the oven, assemble burger and enjoy.
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How Not to Over Indulge at Weekend Gatherings

The summer is a time of many family gatherings and cook-outs with friends; at least it is if you have a big family like mine. At such gatherings, there is normally a vast variety of appetizers, potato and pasta salads, and loads and loads of desserts. My family loves to cook, and of course, we love to eat! I love and hate going to the parties sometimes because I know I will have a lot of fun seeing my family and hanging out, but most of the time I over indulge. However, I have gotten better at choosing the most nutritious foods to eat there, without feeling like crap after! And that is what I want to help you with now.

First, lets start with the appetizer table

I love appetizers, however, they can be meal spoilers. When you eat too much of the snacky foods, you won't have enough room for the main course or dessert, but will still over-stuff yourself. When conquering the appetizer table I recommend staying away from eating too much of the baked, decadent dips with chips and greasy snacks that will leave feeling sticky and too full, and try to munch on mixed nuts, vegetable and hummus tray, fresh salsa and fruit. All of these snacks, and ones like them. will provide protein. This will satisfy some of your hunger, but leave room for the main dishes while providing vitamins and minerals which our body needs for growth and repair, and heart-healthy fats that can protect against heart disease and other issues. Stick with the colorful appetizers and your body will thank you!

The main dishes

This is where it can get tricky sometimes, but it doesn't have to be! When selecting which meat you're going to enjoy, go for what's grilled and have the sauces on the side. When the sauce is on the side, you can control how much you're having, rather than having so much sauce so that it ends up on your face! Grilling the meat helps to drain the fat off of it so you're cutting the calorie and fat content without sacrificing flavor. Pasta salad and potato salad can either be really nutritious, or packed with fat. Go for the salads that have an oil based dressing, rather than mayo or cream based. The oil in the dressing gives us healthy fats, and allows for more flavor of the ingredients to shine through. Lastly, green salads. Choose a salad that is made with dark leafy greens, not iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value, whereas dark leafy greens are full of vitamins and mineral like iron and B vitamins. Pick the dressings that are oil based to ensure you're having healthy fats and not saturated fat, and put the dressing on yourself! Not everyone likes salads drenched in ranch, put a little on yourself and if you need more than add accordingly.

Lastly, dessert time!

Just when you're getting too full to eat, the dessert table is brought out and suddenly, everyone's got a little extra room for something sweet. Try to choose something that has a variety of natural color (I'm not talking about a 3 layer cake with rainbow frosting!!). Make your own little parfait with fresh fruit, if available, and yogurt or pudding. Protein and antioxidant packed! Or, go for sorbet if offered. Its mostly water, fruit juice, sugar and maybe fruit chunks. Its a great way to cool off on a hot afternoon, without feeling too full afterwards.

You don't have to leave the party feeling guilty, too full, or with a food baby. Remember to treat yourself and have fun, but be conscious of what you're having!

-Emily