Recipe of the Week: Fresh Basil Corn Salad

I bought this case of canned corn from Costco recently, so I've been kind of corn happy this week; trying to figure out different ways to make "salad" with it. I came up with something pretty tasty last night. I was a little lax in the measuring department but I will attempt to relay approximate amounts of each ingredient. Not sure what to call it so if you have a better idea I'm open to suggestion.

Fresh Basil Corn Salad
2 medium to large vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 large avocado, cubed
1 can corn, rinsed
1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. (or to taste) seasoned rice vinegar
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Mix it all together in a medium bowl and serve. How easy is that?

This salad is great because you are getting some whole grain (corn), some veggies (tomato) and some healthy monounsaturated fats (avocado).

Frozen corn works just as well as long as it's thawed before you serve it. You can use frozen corn too. Even better fresh raw corn cut right off of the cob is unbelievably delicious. I recommend that if you have the time and when corn is in season of course. (That's what so great about canned goods. They're always in season).

I have completely converted to vine ripened tomatoes. They are worth the extra cost, but often I find them on sale. Their taste is just so much better than hothouse tomatoes and some of the other cheaper varieties.

I'll probably have some more canned corn recipes for you in the near future seeing as I am inundated with it. If any of you have good corn recipes to suggest, please pass them along and I will post them for everyone to take enjoy.

Have a fruit and veggie filled day!

(photos courtesy of Plasticrevolver and dunham_1)

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Self-Talking the Dessert Splurge

Thank you to the individual who posted the anonymous comment on the 'dessert before seconds theory' which I wrote about on Day Two of the California Obesity Conference. This person had some really good insight on how to handle the 'dessert' fix.

Not only does s/he subscribe to it, but feels the secret is talking yourself through the dessert decision. In other words, self-talk; decide beforehand what you're going to have for dessert and how much. S/he's even confessed to having dessert for dinner from time to time, but makes sure s/he eats well balanced meals the rest of the day. Kinda like saving your calories for the treat later in the day. Seems quite reasonable. And the commenter says this technique indeed helps her/him to eat fewer calories overall.

I suppose we all do self-talk when it comes to food but often it happens afterwards when we're feeling bad about the binge or the junk we just ate. So maybe the trick is to do the self-talk before we eat; address those cravings consciously. It's so important to pay attention to what your brain is telling you it wants, and to deal with it up front. Be cognizant of that craving. Don't try to push it down, but talk yourself through it.

I don't know that there is any research to support the benefit of self-talk, and for some it may not work. I would be very interested in knowing if any of you try this self-talk and allow yourself to have the indulgences you crave. Does the self-talk help you stay in control and not go off the deep end on a binge? We can do our own mini-study.

Have a fruit filled dessert today perhaps :)

(Photo courtesy of wenDaLicious)

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"Where's the Fruit" - Day Three Childhood Obesity Conference

"Over half of the most aggressively advertised children’s foods that prominently feature fruit on their packaging contain no fruit at all", this according to Prevention Institute's The Strategic Alliance study "Where's the Fruit?" released Friday on Day 3 of the California Childhood Obesity Conference.

The authors looked at 37 of the most heavily advertised children’s foods that made references to fruit on their packaging; packaging that included either words and/or pictures of fruit. Here's what they found:

• 51 percent of the products contained no fruit
• 16 percent of the products contained minimal amounts of fruit in the form of 2-10 percent fruit juice
• 6 percent of the products contained 100 percent fruit juice (fruit juice does not contain the equivalent fiber, vitamins, and minerals of whole fruit)
• 27 percent of the products contained fruit or fruit from concentrate

You know what they're talking about, you see the labels and so do your kids. The Berry Berry Kix, Fruit Loops, Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries, Trix Strawberry Kiwi Yogurt, Dannon Danimals, Fruity Cheerios, Nestle Strawberry Nesquick, you get the picture. They're not full of fruit! They're full of sugar!

Most of the products reviewed contained at least two kinds of added sugars, primarily high fructose corn syrup and sugar itself. In an attempt to market these foods as "healthy", manufacturers load them up with vitamins and minerals giving parents a false sense of security. And that's what's so shameful about this kind of marketing, these are practically candy multivitamins. Parents struggle to choose healthy foods for their kids, and these kinds of products can totally mislead them, not too mention our kids who are much more vulnerable to advertising.

We already have an epidemic of childhood obesity and these products aren't helping. Dr. David Lustig, who also spoke on Day 3 of the conference, blames part of the epidemic on the excessive amounts of fructose we're consuming in products like these (not to mention all the sugary filled beverages we drink). According to Lustig, when fructose overwhelms our system, particularly the liver, it's converted to fat products in the body. Fructose from whole fruit is safe because it's not concentrated like it is in these foods we've been talking about. (Fruit juice however, is very concentrated and lacks fiber to help moderate all that fructose, keep it on the low side).

SO what do the authors suggest? They call on the food industry to stop using these deceitful marketing techniques. More specifically:

• Provide healthy food and drinks as the standard in all children’s meals and on children’s menus.
• Competitively price healthy foods so they are as affordable, if not more affordable, than less healthful options.
• Make healthy foods widely available in all children’s environments (preschool, schools and after school programs), workplaces, and all neighborhoods.
• Eliminate all marketing and advertising of unhealthy food and beverage products to children and youth.
• Support (and do not oppose) policies designed to bring healthier foods and beverages to schools, workplaces, healthcare settings, and neighborhoods.

And what can you do? Read those labels carefully! Check the ingredients list and the Nutrition Facts Label. The information is there if you look more closely.

To see the full report click here.

Have a whole fruit happy day!

(Photo courtesy of the Strategic Alliance)

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Day Two Childhood Obesity Conference

Not quite as exciting as yesterday but still some good workshops at the conference today. The one that particularly stuck out to me was a presentation by registered dietitian and doctor of nutrition, Marcia Herrin, who has kind of gone against the grain in her approach to weight loss.

To my delight she is a big supporter of having dessert. (I personally have a sweet tooth that won't quit). She instructs her weight loss clients to make dessert a part of their daily diet. Not at every meal but at lunch or dinner. (This isn't the only component of her prescribed eating plan but potentially a controversial one). I think that's good advice to combat feelings of deprivation and ergo circumvent bingeing later. But beyond the deprivation avoidance, Dr. Herrin claims eating dessert prevents one from overeating. Hmm... Her motto is "dessert before seconds". The theory is that if you have dessert instead of a second helping of the main meal your appetite for more diminishes and you eat less overall.

Dr. Herrin goes so far as to claim that dessert is a necessary part of losing weight. She related a story of a client who wasn't losing weight until she incorporated dessert into her eating plan. Outside of her own clients' successes, she didn't present any research to support her theory, but if you think about it it may make some sense. Do sweet foods inhibit your appetite for the main meal? Would you feel like eating more beef stew after you have a piece of apple pie?

However, if this theory does have teeth, it would really only work at home where you're in control of how much you serve yourself. At a restaurant you just get one big plate of food. They don't serve you a reasonable portion and then ask you if you want seconds.

So what if you eat dessert first when you go out to eat? Would you still want dinner? Maybe, but would you eat less of it and therefore fewer calories overall? I'd like to see some data on that! I do have to confess that from time to time I have ordered my dessert before my entree when I am feeling particularly decadent(hey, I'm human!). Maybe it did stop me from eating more. I don't usually finish my main meal anyway (or the dessert) and I really never binge eat. I'll have to perform my own self-experiment. Is this a new area of research that needs to be explored? (Hey maybe I'll go back to grad school again and make this my doctorate thesis....).

I like this theory but I fear it also. My fear is that if we tell people to start eating dessert they may exaggerate the message and overeat sweet foods. I still firmly believe in moderation and portion control. I have always preached "healthy pleasures" but within reason.

As usual I'd like to bounce this idea off of you. What are your personal experiences? Would you be able to keep dessert portion sizes under control? Or would this just give you a license to eat them at will?

Unfortunately Dr. Herrin doesn't have a website but if you're interested in learning more about her approach she has written a couple of books on eating disorders that touch on it; The Parents Guide to Eating Disorders and Nutrition Counseling in the Treatment of Eating Disorders.

More to report tomorrow.. stay tuned.

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Day One of Childhood Obesity Conference

Day One of the California Childhood Obesity Conference and we just broke for lunch. Already learning and hearing about programs, initiatives and research to combat this childhood obesity conundrum.

First thing this morning a big wig from Sesame Workshop, VP Jeanette Betancourt, gave us the rundown on new Sesame Street programming called "Healthy Habits for Life". It does seem like a no-brainer that Sesame Street would get in on the healthy bandwagon but according to Betancourt, they really had to examine what they were doing that actually promoted unhealthy practices. Yes the muppets were on Pez dispensers and the like. But now they're on Del Monte fruit and vegetable canned goods. So progress is being made and their preschool kid programming features healthy characters and messages like "Furry Fit and Fun", "Eat Your Colors Every Day", "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food".

I don't watch Sesame Street myself, and when I went on the website I didn't find this new programming; so I am wondering if any of you have seen the "Healthy Habits for Life" programming on the show. If so what have you seen and what do you think of it? Good messages that kids respond to? Responsible? I'd like to hear your feedback (guess I'll have to TiVO it one of these days to see for myself).

Straight from kid TV we heard about kid food marketing (mostly junk food) that our children on getting bombarded with every day via TV, DVDs, online, billboards, packaging, advergames, cell phone and IM contests (text messaging), product placement, sponsorships (think the Pepsi marquee at you child's school) and so on and so on. Did you know our kids spend 44.5 hours a week in front of a screen, or radio, or magazines that's not related to school activities? That's more than a full time job! And they see 40,000 TV commercials a year, 83% of which are for the least healthy food choices (I'm trying to be diplomatic but we're talkin' junk food and beverages, fast food mainly. Not a lot of ads for broccoli).

The group that put on this particular workshop is called Common Sense Media and they advocate that we teach our kids to be media savvy. I.e. Ask them to critically evaluate what they see, hear and read. Guide them to ask key media literacy questions such as:
"Who created this message? To whom are they sending it? Why? Why am I paying attention to this message? What techniques are they using to get my attention? and many more.

I encourage you to visit their website www.commonsensemedia.org to learn more about how you and your children can get more "Media Savvy". Click on Tips where you will find resources to help you have a healthy media diet.

And that's about all I can take after lunch. I'm off to learn about obesity drugs and bariatric surgery for adolescents.

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California Childhood Obesity Conference

This week I will be attending the California Childhood Obesity Conference starting Wednesday. I plan to post a round up of the workshops I attend each day. So I won't post a "recipe of the week" this week (unless I learn one in one of the workshops), but will resume next.

I am pretty excited about this conference. They only hold it every other year and it brings together professionals from every aspect of child health dedicated to the fight against childhood obesity. Just to mention a few the conference attracts physicians, registered dietitians, physical activity specialists, nurses, health educators, psychologists, counselors, healthcare policy makers, researchers, media, business and civic leaders, parks and recreation personnel and so on. It's a great place to network and really learn more about what's being done to combat this epidemic. There are always good lectures that focus on the "how did we get here?" aspect of obesity, really delving into our physiology.

I hope to bring you back some good information and news you can use. Click on the link in the first paragraph to read more about the conference. If you see a session or workshop that you think is particularly interesting, let me know and I'll try to attend it.

Have a fruit and veggie filled week. Get back to you in a couple.

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Nutrition News Roundup

Lots going on in the news this week. I was thinking of doing a roundup at the end of the week if there's enough newsy stuff to talk about. This week there are a few interesting items. I'll try to touch on a couple and we'll see how this goes.

Fat Free - Have you heard about the school district in Pittsburgh that is using a pretty effective fat substitute in school meals called Z-trim? They're using it in the ranch salad dressing and the kids are loving it. Z-trim is plant based and unlike some other fat substitutes it has no ghastly gastrointestinal side effects (according to the company anyway). So is this a good thing? Yes and no. Great that they're consuming fewer calories and fat. But perhaps we want to get kids accustomed to the taste of foods with less fat? Will they mistake full fat dressings for the healthier version? Yes, it's another one of those two-sided issue things. What are your thoughts? (Click here to go to the USDA website to find out more about Z-Trim)

What's Really in That Bottle? - Your multi may not contain the amount of vitamins and minerals that it claims to on the label. And there may be lead in it! Consumerlab.com (a private consumer watchdog group) released results today of lab tests done on 21 brands of multis. Over half of them did not contain the levels of nutrients listed on the nutrition facts label. And one, The Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Women, was contaminated with lead, a toxic mineral. Careful ladies. One children's multi, Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears, contained more than double the amount of Vitamin A! Yes we need vitamin A but too much can weaken bones and harm the liver. Several of those that didn't pass muster contained less of the vitamin or mineral claimed, and/or didn't break down in the body, essentially passing through us unabsorbed. The good news is almost half of the brands did contain what they were supposed to contain. So what to do? If you are consuming a balanced diet you shouldn't have to worry about taking a multi, but if you're not go with a brand that's well known and has a good track record. This is definitely a toughie. If you want to find out which multis passed and which didn't go to their website at www.consumerlab.com.
I am very curious to know your thoughts on this topic and how you feel about taking a multi in general.

Nuts for Walnuts - (I couldn't think of anything more clever) - Walnuts, high in omega 3 fatty acids, may be good for bones. In a small study out of Penn State University, diets high in omega 3 fats from walnuts and flax seed seemed to have a protective effect on the bones of the subjects who ate these diets. This could be significant given the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Keep in mind though, that walnuts are high calorie and a little goes a long way. Sprinkle them on top of your salad or have a handful as a snack. Avoid eating them one after the other out of that big econo bag from Smart and Final. If you want to read more on this study click here to check out the abstract.

Three's a charm?

Have a fantastic weekend that is fruit and veggie filled with walnuts sprinkled on top with some lowfat salad dressing.

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Recipe of the Week: Gnocchi alla Butternut Squash

This recipe is so easy I almost feel guilty posting it, as it took little imagination for me to come up with it. In fact the name sounds more complicated than the actual dish! But it's so yummy and we have it a lot on cold winter nights. It's nice and hearty but still healthy; and a great way to get more orange colored vegetables in! It's another one of those recipes that should be called "Assembly of the Week". So here's how to 'assemble' it:


Gnocchi alla Butternut Squash
Ingredients (or Products is really more accurate)
1 - 32 fl. oz. box OR 2 - 14 oz cans butternut squash soup
1 - 17-18 oz. package or 3 cups of potato gnocchi
(seriously, just TWO ingredients)

Instructions:
1. In a large sauce pan bring soup to a simmer.
2. Add gnocchi and bring soup back to a simmer. (You can put the top on lightly if you want to cut down on splatter, but be sure steam can get out)
3. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until gnocchi are floating. If you want a fluffier gnocchi cook a minute or two longer.
4. Make sure to stir occasionally as the soup tends to thicken and stick to the sides of the pan.
5. Scoop onto bowls with a ladle and serve.
6. Yum!

I use the Trader Joe's butternut squash soup in a box (shelf safe) but Amy's brand has a nice one too in a can, and it's organic. I'm sure your grocery has other options too.

The gnocchi I use is Racconto (which I also get at TJ's) and they now have a whole wheat variety that is quite good (it's got 8 grams of fiber for a 1 cup serving!!!). Any kind of gnocchi will work. I like the vacuumed packed because it's fresher.

FYI-(For Your Italian)
The 'g' and 'h' in gnocchi are silent. It's pronounced "nyo-kee". I know that looks weird but think of the word 'lasagna'. It's the same sound with the 'gna' but it's at the beginning of the word in this case for 'gnocchi'. Does that make sense?
When you pronounce it correctly it's really much more fun to say.

Enjoy and have a fruit and veggie filled day!

(photo courtesy of avlyyz)

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Eating Disorders: Who to Turn to

I recently spoke at a national conference for youth leaders in Los Angeles where I was asked to address eating disorders in adolescents. Eating disorders at one time was my area of interest in the field of nutrition and dietetics. In fact, the reason why I migrated towards a career in nutrition. But as I became more involved with the childhood obesity issue I became less involved with eating disorders.

This conference gave me an opportunity to renew my interest in this issue, and the opportunity to tackle the topic with two psychologists who were also guest speakers. The fact that these psychologists joined me at this conference is key, because it is important to understand that treatment for eating disorders is primarily focused on mental health; diet and nutrition is secondary. In fact, often the eating disorder patient knows just as much about the calories and fat grams in food as the dietitian does.

This certainly does not mean that the dietitian's role is not important, it is indeed. But the psychological factors that often contribute to the development of an eating disorder must be addressed. Feelings of low self-esteem, inadequacy, lack of control in life, depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness are common in these individuals. This came up over and over again in the discussion at the conference, reinforcing the need to seek mental health treatment.

I wanted to share this with you because I know I speak of childhood obesity quite a bit. But this is another serious dilemma our youth may face. If you or your child is struggling with an eating disorder there are health professionals in your area you can turn to. To find someone in your location go to the National Eating Disorders Association's website at http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org and click on 'Treatment Referrals'. You can input your information and they will give you a list of professionals near you.

To your health..

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Recipe of the Week: Carrot Apple Salad

I'm a big fan of mixing fruits and vegetables together in salads and other dishes. It helps make the veggies a little more exciting and yummy. Plus you get servings from both when you prepare them together. Since apples and carrots are pretty much standard in the grocery store during the winter, here's a recipe to brighten them up a bit and help break the monotony.

Carrot Apple Salad
Ingredients:
· 1 cup shredded carrots
· 3 Empire or Macintosh apples (medium), cored and chopped
· 1 Tbs lemon juice
· 1/2 cup raisins
· 1/3 cup cholesterol free, reduced calorie mayonnaise or nonfat yogurt (optional)
· Salad greens

Preparation:
1. Combine all ingredients except salad greens.
2. Chill thoroughly.
3. Serve on salad greens if desired or as a side dish.

Thanx to the California Nutrition Network Orange County Coalition for this fun recipe. Enjoy!

(photos courtesy of iLoveButter and bee-side(s))

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Is Your Child's Diet Making You Fat?

As adults it is our responsibility to shape our kids eating habits and encourage them to choose healthy foods over the less healthy ones, right. We focus on being good models of behavior. And certainly there's plenty of research out there linking kids eating habits to what they see adults eating. But what about the other way around?

Turns out they might be the ones influencing us! And the result isn't pretty. According to a study in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, adults who live with kids eat far more fatty foods than adults who don't have kids in the house. Yikes! Researchers found that these adults were eating pizza, cheese, salty sacks, ice cream, cakes, cookies, bacon, sausage, processed meats and beef more often. And as a result, these adults consumed almost 5 more grams of fat and almost 2 more grams of saturated fat a day than childless folks. That's one additional pepperoni pizza a week! That can really add up over time.

Bottomline, if it's in the house or around us, we eat it! Healthy or not. Another reason not to keep the pantry stocked with the less healthy items. It's too tempting for us to resist. And all the more reason to educate our kids about healthy eating so they can help us stay healthy.

(Hey, here's a thought: Food industry stop marketing these foods to our kids! That would certainly help. It's tough to resist our kids' pleas for those treats they see on TV and the internet.)

Question- How many of you can relate to this study? Have you noticed you eat more fast foods and fattier fare now that you have kids? How have you dealt with this in your own home? What kinds of solutions have you come up with? Send me some feedback with your tips and barriers.

To check out the study click here.

Have a fruit and veggie filled with your kids!

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Grand Rounds: Diet and Food

Many thanx to Dr. LaPuma at DrJohnLapuma.com for hosting this week's Grand Rounds: Diet and Food. As a registered dietitian I am especially appreciative that he sees food as medicine and highlights the role food plays in keeping us optimally healthy. If you are any kind of a foodie like I am, click on the Grand Rounds link above and take a gander.

And and second thank you to Dr. LaPuma for including my submission Girls Need Magesium Now!.

An apple a day.....

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When Potassium Needs Are Low

Usually I am pushing people to try to get more potassium into their diets because of the numerous health benefits it confers, such as keeping blood pressure in check and helping to maintain strong bones.

But we've received a request from a reader who has asked for some guidance on a low potassium diet, and we do strive to meet our readers' needs. Again, I'm usually a big fan of potassium, but for folks with kidney disease, high levels of this mineral in the blood can be dangerous. They are, therefore, instructed to avoid foods high in potassium to keep their levels under control.

In general processed foods are low in potassium, while fresh fruits and veggies are high. But we don't want to eliminate fruits and veggies completely on a low potassium diet. Luckily, there are lots of fruits and vegetables that can be eaten by those with kidney disease that are lower in this mineral.

Here are lists of F&Vs that are considered low potassium and medium potassium. Unless otherwise noted, servings should be 1/2 cup. (I wish I could put these lists in a table so they're nice and neat, but blogger.com doesn't have that feature. So please bear with me and scroll scroll scroll.)

If you've been prescribed a low potassium diet, limit low potassium F&Vs to 2-3 servings a day and medium potassium F&Vs to 1-2 servings a day.

Fruits Low in Potassium:
Apple juice
Apple sauce
Apricots, canned
Berries: blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries
Cranberry juice and sauce
Figs, canned
Fruit cocktail
Grapes, canned, raw, or juice
Lemon
Lime
Nectars: peach, pear, papaya, apricot
Mandarin oranges
Peaches, canned
Pears, canned
Pineapple, raw or canned
Plums, canned
Tangerine

Fruits Medium in Potassium:
Apple, raw, 1 large
Apricots, raw, 2 medium
Cherries, raw (15) or canned
Figs, raw, 2 medium
Grapefruit, ½ medium
Grapefruit juice
Peach, raw, 1 medium
Pear, raw, 1 medium
Pineapple juice
Plums, raw, 2 medium

Vegetables Low in Potassium:
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Beans, green or wax
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Hominy
Leek
Lettuce: romaine, iceberg, leaf, endive, watercress
Mushrooms
Onions
Peppers, sweet or hot
Radishes
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Rhubarb

Vegetables Medium in Potassium:
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Corn, canned or 1 small ear
Greens: collard, mustard, kale, dandelion, beet, turnip
Mixed vegetables
Okra
Peas, green
Rubabaga
Summer squash: yellow crookneck, white scallop, zucchini

Have a fruit and veggie filled day, low potassium or not!

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Girls Need Magnesium Now!

It's official. Our girls need more than just calcium and vitamin D to build healthy bones; they need plenty of magnesium too. This may seem obvious since we've known for some time this mineral is important to adult bone health. But until now there has been little data demonstrating magnesium's critical bone building role in adolescent girls. Of course this is important because girls will be 4 times as likely as boys to develop osteoporosis when they reach adulthood.

New research out of the Yale University School of Medicine reports clear evidence that adequate magnesium is imperative during this time of growth. Study investigators followed adolescent girls who were not meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for this mineral, for one year. Half of them took magnesium pill supplements while the other half did not. Guess what? The girls getting the supplementation ended up with more bone mass than the girls who didn't.

Turns out most of our adolescent girls aren't much different from the girls in this study. They're not getting enough dietary magnesium either!

So what to do? They can start taking magnesium pills too (the girls in this study were given 300 mg a day), but they could also do a pretty good job of getting enough from their diets with a little planning. It's cheaper and tastes better.

As a general rule processed foods are low in magnesium (one more reason to minimize these foods). Luckily, unprocessed, fresh, whole foods have got what we need (another reason to eat these foods!). You know the drill: whole grains, legumes, vegetables - no surprise here. Nuts happen to be excellent sources. Here's a short list of some great foods that will get your daughters started on their road to better bones:

-Spinach and other leafy greens
-Peanut butter
-Black eyed peas
-Low fat milk
-Soy milk
-Nuts (Almonds, Brazil Nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts)
-Whole grains (whole wheat, oats, buckwheat, millet, wild rice)
-Breakfast cereal
-Lentils
-Orange juice
-shrimp
-Tofu
-Edamame (soy beans)

If you want to find out more about this particular study click here to read the abstract. (It was published in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism).

I feel really good about the almonds I had on top of my spinach salad today! I think I'll go snack on some edamame now.

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Recipe of the Week: Easy Pasta Dinner

I should really call this "Assembly of the Week" as this dish is all about putting a few shortcut products together to make a meal. That's kind of my m.o., taking convenience or shortcut foods and turning them into a healthier dish or meal.

Now that it is officially winter, a hot pasta dinner always goes over well. Personally, I've been making this, and variations of it, about once a week. Here it is.

Easy Pasta Dinner
Ingredients (or should I say products)
* 3 cups dry (8 oz) penne pasta (or whatever pasta shape you like best)
---mix half and half whole wheat pasta with regular pasta. (Chances are your family won’t even notice a difference)
* 1-2 lb microwaveable bag of broccoli florets (or broccoli and cauliflower florets mix)
* 1 - 26 oz bottle of marinara sauce
* 1 - 1 lb bag frozen meatless meatballs (I use Trader Joe's which are really yummy)

Puttin' It Together:
1. Add pasta to 3 quarts of boiling water in a large pot.
2. Boil, uncovered for 10-12 minutes (or until pasta is at your desired tenderness. After 10 minutes fish out a piece with a slotted spoon and taste test it). Stir occasionally.
3. While waiting for water to boil, bring marinara sauce and frozen meatballs to a light boil in a large saucepan with the top on. Reduce heat to very low and allow to simmer. Sitr occasionally. (Leaving the top on helps to eliminate sauce splatter, making clean up much easier!)
4. Microwave broccoli in bag for 3-5 minutes (microwave times vary so you may need a little more time or a little less depending on the power of your microwave).
5. Drain pasta and put it immediately back in the pot.
6. Immediately add steamed broccoli and marinara sauce with meatballs to pasta.
7. Stir until sauce lightly coats the veggies and pasta.
8. Plate & Enjoy!

Now you've got an easy dinner you can feel good about serving to your family. It's got your veggies, whole grains and heart healthy plant protein.

You can of course make this with real meat meatballs, but keep in mind that will increase the saturated fat and cholesterol and you'll miss out on some fiber.

Use any veggies you like, I'm just a broccoli fanatic myself.

Have a fruit and veggie filled day!

(photos courtesy of evilhayama, Prince Roy, and sfllaw.)

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More TV and Fewer Family Meals Linked to Childhood Weight Gain

Here's more evidence linking TV viewing and family meals to childhood overweight.

In the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association researchers surveyed a national sample of 8000 kids from kindergarten through third grade to determine how total television viewing time and number of family meals per week effects future weight gain.

What they found is not at all surprising; the more TV kids watched and the fewer family meals they had together, the more likely they were to be overweight by the time they reached the 3rd grade.

This isn't really a novel thought, but does drive home the point that we need to cut down on our kids screen time and try as much as we can to eat together as a family. Other studies have shown that the more family meals kids have, the better their diets are overall.

And this doesn't necessarily mean dinner. That family meal could also happen at the breakfast table or at lunch on weekends. It is tough when our kids have all these activities after school and weekend games, but it is something to strive for. If you don't eat any meals together as a family try for a goal of 2-3 a week. If you're doing about 2-3 a week try for 4-5 a week. Then try for at least one meal together every day. Build gradually but keep long range goals in mind.

The TV thing is a little easier. Limit TV and video game playing to 2 hours a day. Have your kids pick out the programs they want to watch each night and be done with it. If they play video games standing up then you can cut them some slack and allow them some more time. The point is we want to get our kids moving and not sitting.

To see the abstract of this study click here.

Have a fruit and veggie filled day!

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More Kid and Teen Healthy Resolutions

Happy 2007 everyone! Here are more New Year's Resolutions your kids may be interested in trying, from the American Academy of Pediatrics and a little from me.

Preschoolers
* I will brush my teeth twice a day.
* I will wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.
* I will clean up my messes right away.

Kids 5-12 years old
* I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week!
* I will always wear a helmet when bicycling.
* I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car; I'll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.
* I'll be nice to other kids. It's easier and more fun than being mean, and I'll feel better about myself.
* Also, I'll be friendly to kids who need friends - like someone who is shy, or is new to my school.

Teenagers
* I will take care of my body through physical activity and nutrition.
* I will refrain from making comments about other people's body - you never know how that might effect them even if you think you're giving them a compliment (i.e. "wow you really lost weight" or "you're too skinny" or "hey, fatso")
* I will choose non-violent television shows and video games.
* Also, I will spend only one to two hours each day - at the most - on these activities.
* I will help out in my community - through volunteering, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.
* When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find constructive ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or discussing my problem with a parent or friend.
* When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk with an adult about my choices.
* I will be careful about whom I choose to date, and always treat the other person with respect.
* I will resist peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol.

Here's to a healthful and happy new year!

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