Work-it-out-Wednesday: Eat a RAINBOW

June 6, 2012 by 8 Comments

Happy Work-it-out-Wednesday and EAT a RAINBOW day!

Two weeks ago, yours truly, Mo, the Morselist, was asked to teach

a nutrition workshop to a high school class. Enthusiastically, I accepted.

How could I teach a fun workshop to a cheetos-coca- cola-consuming class? I brought a colorful basket of produce with eating a rainbow as my theme.  The class LOVED it and immediately participated in the discussion. Though, I teased them that while orange was a color in the rainbow, orange cheetos did NOT count as a rainbow food. They tasted all the foods I brought after they identified what they were and where they came from, ie. a tree, a bush, a vine, the ground…some of them got competitive. I asked them to make a summer project out of eating a rainbow every day and to encourage their families to do it with them. One student said he would do it, but that he would STILL eat cheetos. I said, “O.K., but eat a carrot with it!”  It was MORSELICIOUSLY fun! Five days later, as serendipity came into play, I “met” Kia, the founder of an amazing organization in Canada, Today I ate a rainbow. I HAD to interview her for my blog and share ideas, stories, tips. She is an INSPIRATION!!!

Kia and her husband, Jamie created the Today I Ate A Rainbow chart as a way to keep track of the produce that their daughter , Hannah, was eating while at the same time encouraging her to take responsibility for her food choices. This chart was so effective that they decided to make it available to other parents! Their goal is to help parents create an environment where kids will reach for an apple instead of junk food! Despite the information that is available on the importance of kids eating a minimum of five servings a day, studies from around the world have shown that kids aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables.

We think it’s time that parents have tools to that turn knowledge into action! Parents play the most important role when it comes to raising healthy kids which is why the Today I Ate A Rainbow products encourage children and their parents to work together to set healthy eating habits! The Robertsons’ formed a company called Rainbow Innovations Group and are already working on their expanded product line to encourage healthy eating for the whole family!

Please visit www.TodayIAteaRainbow.com

and let me know if you’re interested in having Mo, the Morselist teach workshops in your organizations.

And, stay tuned for our upcoming GIVEAWAY recipe-challenges with some AWESOME nut-butter companies…

http://mo-themorselist.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/ 

Filed Under: Confessions of a Morselist, Healthy Living Tips, Interview Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fun & Flexible FRUITY Friday! Ask Nutri-Savvy (A.N.S.)

February 3, 2012 by 5 Comments

Happy Fun & Flexible FRUITY Friday!  It’s time for Ask Nutri-Savvy.

Please keep sending me your questions for our fabulous Registered Dietitian,

Lauren O’Connor.

And share your Valentine’s Day 15% off COUPON CODE
for your MORSELICIOUS LOVED ONES...

“xomo“

click here to SHOP:   http://shop.macnmos.com/main.sc

 

Q: I know I should be getting in a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. But don’t fruits contain a lot of sugar?

A: Sure fruits contain sugars and more so than most of your vegetables.

Although these are natural sugars packaged naturally with beneficial phytonutrients

(antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber…), it still is wise to be aware of your intake.

Hence just because apples contain phytonutrients that power immunity heart health

and cancer preventative qualities (and even anti-aging)

doesn’t mean you should be consuming 5 large apples a day.

You need a balance of nutrients and these include nutrients from a variety of sources

including whole-grains, lean proteins, leafy greens and even (healthy) fats.

As I’ve noted in my article: Sugar, A Weighty Issue, certain fruits

(and depending on size/amount) can contain a lot of natural sugars

(and even high amounts of fructosecan cause damage).

One large orange may contain as much as 17g of sugar.

Instead opt for one or two Clementines (tangerines) which are much smaller,

just as sweet (if not sweeter) and contain only 5-7g sugar per fruit.

The same goes for apples. One large apple contains as much as 22g of sugar.

If you opt for a mini apple, you may reduce your sugar intake by 2/3.

You can even add a loose handful of almonds (up to 10) a good source of Vitamin E,

magnesium and stress-reducing tryptophan, but also contains healthy fat that can help curb your hunger.

What about berries? Low in calories and a delight to the taste buds (the bead-sized morsels allow for better distribution of flavor across the tongue, thus less needed to satisfy), you can enjoy 3/4 of a cup of blueberries (approx. 60 calories) and still limit your sugar intake to 11g. Is 11g too much for one serving? Not really if you regulate your intake of other sugars throughout the day. And, remember, berries are nutrient “superstars” with excellent cancer-fighting potential.

Consider 1/2 cup blueberries (7g sugar) in your morning cereal and then 1 clementine for a snack, together just under 15g sugar. But even 2 TBS of blueberries can be just enough to provide added texture and sweetness. And if you limit your processed foods and enjoy whole grains (ie: 1/2 cup serving brown rice), try to add-in plenty of vegetables

(especially leafy greens) which add little to no sugars, lean meats and a little healthy fat, you’ll be just fine.

So consider going small. Enjoy mini apples, Clementines and look for mini pears

or cut your larger fruits in half (ie: half a banana, half a large apple),

but be sure to store properly to reduce oxidation and keep it fresh and appealing for later consumption.

Lauren O’Connor, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian
Nutri-Savvy

Filed Under: Healthy cookbook, Healthy Living Tips, Lauren O'Connor-NutriSavvy, NutsoSweet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Thankful Thursday!!

November 10, 2011 by 8 Comments

Happy Thankful Thursday!
What are you thankful for today?

I am very thankful that my Dad, Mac, is safely home from

the hospital.

He had another scare shortly after our wonderful visit and

as always, it’s never easy having a loved one

in the hospital.

I am thankful for my family, friends, health and desire

to create-share and inspire fun & healthy tips-recipes

and  to learn from all of you!!

It’s Diabetes Awareness Month and the month of THANKSGIVING!

Here’s a MORSELICIOUS recipe I created a few nights ago

and to follow the Morselist’s Mission, I’ve named my new dish:

Mo’s Smashed Sweeters

2 pounds sweet potatoes

3 tablespoons hemp oil OR coconut oil

2 tablespoon rosemary

Black and red pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Bake sweet potatoes in foil or parchment paper until tender (about 20-25 minutes) 350.

Let cool for a few minutes then mash, leaving skins on.

Add oil, rosemary, pepper and lemon juice.

Spoon into bite sized “blossoms”

Onto lightly oiled baking sheet.

Add more rosemary & pepper, if needed.

Smash them with a fork.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes for desired crispiness.

 
GO GREEN AMERICA TV wrote a wonderful article
about my new cookbook: Please read & share!
Mo’s HOLIDAY SPECIAL:
Spend $48.99 in Mac-n-Mo’s store and get the 
GIFT of 12 days of MORSELICIOUSNESS e-cookbook!
click here to place your order:
Please share the love…
and I’d love to reach 1000 fans on Facebook:
Please “LIKE”
Filed Under: Call to Action, Morselicious Recipe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy FFF & ANS

September 16, 2011 by 3 Comments
Happy Fun-Flexible Friday and Yea for
our ANS Column with R.D., Lauren O’Connor!
Please keep sending your FANTASTIC questions!
I’m learning sooo much from ALL of you!
And THANK YOU to those who send wonderful emails
to me from yesterday’s blog and to those who posted
comments!  YOU ROCK!!!
Coming very soon:  The MORSEL”grocery shopping” LIST!!!
Many of you have asked me to create a “SHOPPING GUIDE” of my
favorite staples.  I’m busy creating & organizing by Department.
—
Q:   I’d like to know if the dietician feels a food’s glycemic index
is more important than its caloric value in losing/maintaining weight loss.-Karen

A:   That’s a great question, Karen! It’s important to keep an eye on both.
As you probably know, you need a caloric deficit to lose weight:
Cutting 500 calories from your daily energy requirement is safe and effective for weight loss
(about 1 pound/wk). Sounds simple enough.
But what you eat DOES matter because if you don’t balance
your intake, high glycemic foods can affect your ability way
to lose weight and make it difficult to maintain your weight.
If you can’t control your appetite,
you won’t be able to limit your intake so easily.
Foods high on the glycemic index are digested more rapidly
and tend to spike your blood sugars.
They may not only trigger hunger more often,
but the subsequent surge of insulin that lowers your blood sugars,
can leave you with the inevitable “crash and burn.”
–
Why?
Because in a healthy person, insulin is quite effective at doing its job
and the drop from high to low blood sugar can be dramatic.
When feeling low on energy, we tend to reach for more food.
Furthermore, high-glycemic foods offer another downfall:
With an abundance of glucose (sugar) to transport from the bloodstream
to your tissues, insulin signals the body that there is plenty of energy available
- so rather than burning energy for fuel, your body tends to store it (as fat).
for more tips about the Glycemix Index (GI).
The Skinny Chef explains that while watermelon is high on the glycemic index,
it is very low in calories and high in water content.
Thus making it an acceptable choice.
–
What to do if you enjoy some of those tempting high-glycemic foods?
I wouldn’t ask you to go cold turkey, but try to cut down.
Pair them with lean proteins and foods lower on the glycemic index,
including a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates
that will keep you more satiated (and your blood sugars more level). 
Train yourself to enjoy lower GI index carbs, experiment with new snack ideas/recipes —
there are plenty of foods low – medium on the GI index for you to choose from and enjoy!
And remember fruits and vegetables (which are generally low to medium on the GI index)
are typically lower in calories – yet more nutrient-dense -
than highly processed (high GI) foods -
a great benefit for weight loss/maintenance and your health!
—
Lauren O’Connor, MS, RD is a registered dietitian
and owner/nutritional consultant for Nutri-Savvy.
Her approach and motto: “Savor, Taste and Enjoy…Nutrition”.
She focuses on building healthy values and choosing a wide variety of foods,
allowing for all foods – even sweets, in moderation.
O’Connor is a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
As a nutritional expert, she’s contributed to various online media including
abcnews, everydayhealth, iVillage, Shine by yahoo,
Shape, LivingInThin, FitSugar and Multiples&More.
For more info. about Lauren O’Connor and her Services,
Filed Under: ADA Column, Call to Action Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy FFF Fun & Flexible Friday & ANS!!

September 9, 2011 by 10 Comments

Happy FFF!! Flexible Fun Friday!

How do you take care of your body?
Having fun and being flexible not only

helps you physically, but mentally.

What do you do for FUN?
How do you define FLEXIBLE?

PLEASE visit us in Pasadena tonight at The Food Fair

and check out this fantastic new interview they posted on YOU TUBE yesterday:

Mac-n-Mo\’s Chef\’s Center You Tube

Talk about FUN/FLEXIBLE/ FOODIE FRIDAY!

Before I sign off, have  a MORSELICIOUS Weekend!!!

NOW…drum roll, please….

I’d like to welcome back Registered Dietitian, Lauren O’Connor

for our Friday ANS Column:

Lauren has agreed to answer your questions

EVERY Friday! So, please keep you questions coming!

Q: How much protein does an adult female need? Male?  I exercise 20 minutes a day.
A: An average adult’s protein requirements are about 0.36g protein per pound of body weight.
For a 110 lb female that would be roughly 40g/day (0.36 x 110).
Athletes and those with more physically demanding lifestyles may require more.
According to an ADA journal peer-reviewed article
the Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada,
and the American College of Sports Medicine, states
“Protein recommendations for endurance and strength-trained athletes
range from 1.2 to 1.7 g/kg (0.5 to 0.8 g/lb) body weight per day” –
with no differences for men and women. 
Because protein needs change with age,
WebMD provides the following approximations:
  • Infants require about 10 grams a day.
  • Teenage boys need up to 52 grams a day.
  • Teenage girls need 46 grams a day.
  • Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
  • Adult women need about 46 grams a day.

References:

Rodriguez NR, DiMarco NM, Langley S. Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine:
Nutrition and athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:509-27.

 

Q: Why is protein important?

Do you have any specific recommendations as to what (and how much)
I should be including in my daily or weekly diet?

A: Meeting your protein needs are important for growth & repair, maintaining muscle mass

(lean muscle supports your metabolism), and supporting your organs’ function.

Additionally proteins can help one become more satiated and thus aid in weight management/portion control.

If you aren’t vegetarian, there usually isnt’ a problem getting enough protein

(there are a wide variety of sources, from cereals to meats/fish/poultry and even plant-based foods/combos).

It is ensuring we are getting it from a variety of sources and not just relying on red meat and/or chicken.

Here are some tips for planning your weekly protein intake:

1. Limit your red meat consumption to one time/week. Choose lean cuts, trim off the fat.

2. Strive to consume fish, such as salmon, 3x per week to get the benefit of healthy omega 3′s

3. Include poultry 2x per week. Opt for skinless.

Though flavorful, generally rotisserie chicken contains a lot of fat and sodium in their skin.

4. Supplement the rest of your diet with plant-based sources; including beans and brown rice, nuts,

seeds, tofu, soy beans.

Check out this article for tips on adding in protein through vegetable/plant sources.

These are quite useful even if you aren’t vegetarian.

If you have a carb-heavy diet and feel you aren’t meeting your protein needs –

perhaps your hair is getting brittle, your nails are weak, you are feeling tired/sluggish –

feeling low on oxygen  (possibly anemic - iron sources include protein-rich foods),

consulting a dietitian is recommended to advise you on some lifestyle changes

you can make to improve your intake without overdoing it.

Too much protein can add to serious consequences, such as kidney and / or liver distress,

especially if your diet is deficient in other nutrients.

USDA’s MyPlate stresses that your diet should be richer in fruits & vegetables

and adequate whole grains, but to limit your PROTEIN to only 1/4 of your plate.

That doesn’t mean you won’t get some protein from your whole grains and

plant sources or your protein-rich diary source (milk, soy milk),

it just means your “complete protein” source shouldn’t take precedence over your nutrient-dense plant foods.
Lauren O’Connor, MS, RD is a registered dietitian
and owner/nutritional consultant for Nutri-Savvy.
Her approach and motto: “Savor, Taste and Enjoy…Nutrition”.
She focuses on building healthy values and choosing a wide variety of foods,
allowing for all foods – even sweets, in moderation.
O’Connor is a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
As a nutritional expert, she’s contributed to various online media including
abcnews, everydayhealth, iVillage, Shine by yahoo,
Shape, LivingInThin, FitSugar and Multiples&More.
For more info. about Lauren O’Connor and her Services,
Filed Under: ADA Column, News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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