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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nutso-Sweet Friday- Earth Day & Reducing sodium

April 20, 2012 by 4 Comments
Happy NUTSO-SWEET Friday!
Any fun and flexible Friday or weekend plans?
How are you celebrating EARTH DAY?
Although, we celebrate Earth every day, don’t we?  :)
FACT:  An acre of trees absorbs enough carbon dioxide per year to match the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a car driven 26.000 miles. (National Tree Trust)
So many fun things to enjoy this weekend. If you live near Ventura, CA,
please stop by Lassen’s Natural Foods and say “HI.” Mac-n-Mo’s will be
passing out morsel samples..
and in that FUN vein, here’s a guest post I wrote that FOODUCIARY published today:
Please share  how you celebrate and honor EARTH!
And, how are your DEFEAT DIABETES ideas coming along?
Keep sending to me for our contest. 1 week left!
Thanks to all of you for your NUTSO-SWEET questions and of course, to
Nutri-Savvy’s Lauren O’Connor, my amazing R.D. partner!
—-
Q: How concerned should I be about the sodium in my diet? I’m in my 30′s and in general good health.
—
A: High sodium intake can increase the risk for high blood pressure (HBP) in all individuals, especially as we age. Did you know 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure. Although risks may be increased due to ethnicity and age factors, it is never too early to start working on prevention. (Black Americans are at increased risk as are middle aged individuals.) The condition on its own has no symptoms, however, abnormal high blood pressure through the arteries can be taxing on the blood vessels, heart and kidneys. This leads to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and other co-morbidities. It’s a good thing HBP can be controlled with diet and lowering sodium intake (along with a healthful diet) can help decrease risk.
Early prevention includes finding ways to cut the sodium and implementing a healthy lifestyle eating plan to include plenty of whole foods: fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains and lean proteins. And favoring whole foods over highly processed, which often contain more sodium than one is aware. That is because sodium is used to preserve, add in flavor and portion sizes may be deceiving. So always read the labels – one portion can be smaller than you think.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests a daily sodium range between 1500 and 2300, the lower limits depending on age, disease status (diabetes, obesity), and other risk factors.  Studies do show that a diet closer to 1500 may actually be more preventative against stroke and heart disease.
Sadly, it is far to easy to exceed 2300mg / day (fast foods, oversize restaurant portions of highly salted foods). And Americans in general do tend to overdue portion sizes which will increase your daily sodium totals.
So whatever your age, ethnicity, health status, it is never too early to be conscious of your sodium intake. Besides habits are easier to build upon than to break.
Here are some tips for de-salting your diet:
  • Read your labels, but don’t go nuts: Instead opt for more natural foods (think anything that grows from the ground and served in its most natural form) since they contain less sodium, but still pack in flavor. Brown rice can have a nice, nutty flavor. Oats add in a slight sweetness. Once you become more sensitive to plant foods, you’ll realize how much flavor a fresh, quality (unadulterated) fruit, vegetable, nut or legume can actually have on its own.
  • Wean off highly processed foods, these can likely add more sodium to your diet; low sodium is best, but you are better off discovering the flavors and textures of natural foods (without worrying about all those additives). And besides it may be hard to stick to one small portion.
  • Banish the salt shaker: You can add flavor with the juice of lemon and a combination of natural herbs/spices
  • http://mo-themorselist.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/
Filed Under: Healthy Living Tips, NutsoSweet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MORSELICIOUS Meatless Monday! (eggplant recipe & defeat diabetes)

April 2, 2012 by 16 Comments

Happy April!
Did anyone play April Fool’s?
Please share your FUNNIEST April Fool’s joke with us!

I studied for my BIG Nutrition exam  (please, wish me luck) and took an AMAZING hike with my dear friend

and her dog and it was a GLORIOUS day in L.A. (yes, that rhymes)
Look at our sky…

Did you know that April is DEFEAT DIABETES Month?
How can we defeat diabetes?
Best tip wins a bag of MORSELICIOUS MIX & my e-coookbook,

12 days of MORSELICIOUSNESS.
We have 30 days to decide the BEST tip! Let’s go!

I will post your ideas weekly and then by the end of the month, we will ALL choose the BEST tip!

Sound good? Please share this with your friends and let’s start a MOVEMENT!

Share on Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, Google +. Pinterest, whatever social media floats your morsels.

Happy MORSELICIOUS MEATLESS MONDAY…

have I got a tasty-fitting recipe for you! It can be eaten as a dip, spread,

with a spoon (if no one’s looking, or heck, even if they are..just DON’T  double dip!)

Eggplants are an excellent source of potassium & folic acid and helps block free radicals and they are so versatile and tasty!  MORSELICIOUSNESS at its best!

Mo’s eggplant spreadilicious dip: 

Morselicious Eggplant Dip/Spread

8 Servings

Ingredients:
1 eggplant (1 1/2-pounds)

4 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons capers

juice of 1 lemon (make sure to catch those seeds)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon tahini

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, diced (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Set the eggplant on a baking pan or dish and pierce it a few times with a fork or knife. Bake it until it becomes soft, about 30 minutes; it should pierce easily with a fork. Remove it from the oven and let cool.

(make sure you’re wearing your oven mitts) J

3. When completely cooled, cut up into chunks and into a blender or food processor. Add the onions, capers, and lemon juice. Turn on the machine, then gradually add the olive oil and parsley. Continue to blend until the eggplant is smooth and creamy.

4. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the pepper and vinegar.

5. Garnish with parsley and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Serve with colorful raw veggies or spread on a sandwich or top your salad!

 And for your Easter or Passover MORSELS, please use 

COUPON CODE “tenmo” for a 10% discount

http://shop.macnmos.com/main.sc

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

Filed Under: Call to Action, Morselicious Recipe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nutso-Sweet Plant Sterols & Cholesterol, Just Label it-GMO’s

March 23, 2012 by 4 Comments

Happy Fun & Flexible Friday! Any fun plans for the weekend?
Time for our NUTSO-SWEET  post answering YOUR MORSELICIOUS questions!

Thanks for continuing to send and share! Keep ‘em coming…

Also, if there are ANY topics you’d like me to write/post, please send.

Q:

If you eat a primarily plant based whole food diet, should one

be concerned with cholesterol and getting plant sterols?
 
A: 
A largely plant-based diet would be beneficial in keeping cholesterol levels in check. That is because, while the body produces some of its own cholesterol, plant-based foods won’t add to it. So most likely, the concern over getting enough plant sterols to control cholesterol is not an issue if you eat a highly plant-based diet (without much red meat or dairy).
In fact, altering the diet to include more plant whole foods and decrease red meat (and dairy consumption) is beneficial for lowering cholesterol levels.  However, because a large majority of Americans are carnivores, expecting a change over to mostly plant foods is not likely so relying on sources of plant sterols and stanols in cholesterol lowering products - including certain yogurts spreads – may be of help. In addition, those needing to reduce their cholesterol would benefit from including more whole food nutrition in the form of vegetables and fruits, and whole grains such as oatmeal. So while re-training the taste-buds and working toward a more healthful diet, seeking out concentrated sources of plant sterols may be beneficial in the interim.
Concerned about GMO’s hidden in cholesterol-lowering spreads?
The key here is the weigh the benefits over the risks. Everyone is different and while I don’t recommend GMO products, if you do your best to avoid them and a few sneak in, you will benefit over the long run if you concentrate on eating healthier, rather than obsess over everything that can possibly contaminate. Though I highly recommend some more natural ways to help lower cholesterol.
Again, the key is to work toward a more plant-based diet, but we’ve all got our learning curves and it may take some longer than others. Research has shown promising benefit for lowering cholesterol over the long-term with spreads like Promise, Smart Balance and Benecol, despite that fact they may contain GMO’s. But probably best to go natural and not rely so much on more highly processed-foods.
Please join us in the call for Labeling GMOs! and share your ideas of how to make food labeling better serve farmers, eaters and the environment.

We need your voice today. Please spread the word.

Filed Under: NutsoSweet 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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