Nutso-sweet Friday recipe challenge!

July 20, 2012 by 4 Comments
Hello NUTSO-SWEET Morselites! We have a new activity we think you’ll enjoy!
Introducing “MORESLIZE your recipes!”
Submit your recipe and we will substitute some of the ingredients to make it NUTSO-SWEET & mo’ MORSELICIOUS! The recipe should be something you enjoy, but is a little heavy on the sugars, salts and/or fats. Take for instance a Patty Melt – this greasy gut-bomb is loaded with calories, fat and cholesterol. We’d do a healthier take on this ‘grilled cheese meets greasy burger’ and give you something healthier, and still tasty & satisfying. Don’t eat meat? Choose your own favorite comfort food and we’ll slim it down.

Comment here and submit your recipes directly to Mo Mo@macnmos.com or Lauren at nutrisavvy@att.net Please type in the subject line “NUTSO-SWEET MORSELIZE.” Once we have enough in our cue, we’ll get started and incorporate it into our NUTSO-SWEET schedule. 
We’re  excited to MORSELIZE your recipes!

Note: Keep your questions coming, we’ll continue to include our Q&A’s.

xo,

Mo and Lauren : ) 
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Nutso-sweet Friday-what the heck is the PALEO diet?

July 13, 2012 by 3 Comments
Happy NUTSO-SWEET FRIDAY!
Are you having a MORSELICIOUS week?
What are your weekend plans?
Thank you for your NUTSO-SWEET questions.
Please keep ‘em coming!
Q.  What is the Paleo diet? Do you recommend it?
A.  

The Paleo diet focuses on the type of diet our ancestors may have consumed and is based on lean meats, seafood and unlimited fruits and vegetables. It takes a step back in time when their were no convenience foods – and thus no prevalence of trans fats, high glycemic carbs, overly-salted, processed foods. And we know high consumption of these foods to be cause of weight gain, cardiovascular disease and various other health problems. Replacing dairy and grain products with fruits and vegetables make this a clean, lean diet rich in beneficial phytonutrients.
Check out this link to see which foods are avoided on the Paleo diet.
It suggest that certain foods need to be cooked for edibility and thus wouldn’t have been avail to the hunter/gatherer. But since you can soak and sprout chickpeas and oat groats (a whole grain) and enjoy them raw, I don’t see these foods as a problem (I enjoy them raw or cooked. Though RAW foodists suggest the nutritional value is greater when eaten sprouted / uncooked). Understandably, the hunter/gatherer likely didn’t have the time to stay and soak these foods. But just because of the limitations of their time, doesn’t mean these foods won’t have value to us. Whole grains and legumes provide heart-healthy B-vitamins, protein and dietary fiber – and add healthy variety to our diets.
In line with Paleo, I am certainly a fan of including rich in vegetables and fruits that also includes lean meats and seafood. And I agree that it is important to wean off of highly processed foods. But I like to include whole grains and legumes, too. So I’d take this diet and run with it, but add in some heart-healthy whole grains, like my fav’s quinoa and oats, and a variety of legumes (lentils, edamame, chickpeas to name a few).
BTW: I recently discovered the power of raw and made a delicious raw hummus salad – including chickpeas, arugula, cilantro, lemon and parsley – so this does include a lot of veggies/herbs and no highly processed items (all natural and no preservatives).
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Nutso-Sweet Friday – Glycemic Index vs. Load

March 30, 2012 by 1 Comment
Happy NUTSO-SWEET Friday! a.k.a. FUN & FLEXIBLE FRIDAY! :)
Q: What about 
the difference & importance of 
Glycemic load vs. glycemic index?
A: A glycemic index is used to determine to what extent each food can raise blood sugars. Foods higher on the index, raise blood sugars more quickly. Inversely, those lower on the index have less impact on blood glucose. Obviously you want to concentrate on foods lower on the glycemic index (click on link for chart).
But because the amount of carbohydrate also affects blood sugar levels (and thus insulin response), it is also important to understand glycemic load. Glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index of a food by the amount of carbohydrates per serving in grams (you’d have to read the label or obtain carbohydrate in grams from food analysis data) and dividing the total by 100.
In terms of controlling your glycemic load:
  • Opt for foods with a glycemic load of 10 or less. These are your best bets.
  • Foods with a glycemic load of 10-20 should be your second choice, because they moderately raise blood sugars.
  • Try to minimize blood sugar-spiking / insulin-spiking foods – ie: those with glycemic load of 20+
For a chart of glycemic index and load of common carbohydrate foods, visit:http://www.alsearsmd.com/pdf/Glycemic_Index.pdf
Attached is a portion of a chart with glycemic index, carbohydrate in grams and glycemic load (obtained from Linus Pauling Inst. website) so you can see how glycemic load calculated:
Cornflakes:
glycemic index = 81
grams of carb. per serving = 26
81 x 26g carb. per 1 cup serving = 2106 
2106 / 100 = glycemic load 21*

*Perhaps you should limit to 1/2 cup or choose a different carbohydrate.
The Morselist would like to add in layman terms:
Glycemic index is how much a food will raise your blood sugar.
Glycemic load is how quickly its absorbed.
For example, carrots have a high glycemic index but a low glycemic load because
although the carbs are absorbed quickly, there are not many carbs.
Great book & site  Dr. Dean Ornish’s THE SPECTRUM
p.s. If you’re wondering what the picture of the frog has to do with 
Glycemic index/load…it doesn’t..I just LIKE it! :)
Here’s a GIVEAWAY from Lauren, our NUTRI-SAVVY R.D.
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Happy FFF/ GF & ANS

September 30, 2011 by 9 Comments

Happy FFF Fun & Flexible Friday and A.N.S.

Thank you, Lauren, for being so AWESOME!!

And THANK YOU ALL for your fantastic questions!

Please keep them coming.

 

And Please save the date, October 29th,

Mo the Morselist (aka, Maura) will be doing a Healthy Baking Demo

at the GREEN FESTIVAL in Los ANGELES! I’m SOOO excited &

would LOVE to see you there!  I’ll be using Mac-n-Mo’s MORSELICIOUS MIX! 

http://www.greenfestivals.org/speakers/los-angeles-2011/Page-5

—

Q: I’ve been trying a Veganish Diet but have severe sensitivities to  beans and wheat. 
Do you have Protein Suggestions for these limitations? 

A: You may want to consider a low Fodmap diet: It is basically limiting the type of carbohydrates
that may cause bloating, gas, pain in IBS sufferers.
So carbohydrates including beans and brussel sprouts, broccoli and other produce from the cabbage family
(gas causing, as many of you may know) are suggested to be avoided/limited.
And, instead, the FODMAP diet concentrates on consumption of fruits/vegetables/whole grains that are lower in the Fodmap values - 
But be sure not to eat too much of anything at a time,
as even moderate items can add up in Fodmap value and subsequently cause distress. 
However, as  you mentioned, you do need to be sure you are getting enough protein,
and truly, beans are a great source for vegetarians/vegans.

If you must limit your bean intake, some alternative protein sources include
whole grains such as quinoa, amaranth,buckwheat and hempseed. 
You can also try including soybeans (edamame, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soynuts and even miso), 
and spirulina (works great in smoothies) into your diet. 
Theses are all complete protein sources, which means each of these options contain all 9 essential amino acids. 
In most cases it is important to include legumes and whole grains to ensure a “complete protein”.
With the exception of those noted above, whole grains are generally deficient in the amino acid Lysine,
while legumes are deficient in the amino acids Methionine and Tryptophan. So they complement each other to form a “complete protein”.  

Here are some good nut/seed choices:
  • Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons – 8 grams protein
  • Almonds, ¼ cup – 8 grams protein
  • Peanuts, ¼ cup – 9 grams protein
  • Cashews, ¼ cup – 5 grams protein
  • Pecans, ¼ cup – 2.5 grams protein
  • Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup – 6 grams protein
  • Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup – 8 grams protein
  • Flax seeds – ¼ cup – 8 grams protein

But don’t give up on beans just yet. There is hope. Beans are a very nutrient-dense natural food.
They providing a rich amount of protein, iron, Folate B vitamin and soluble fiber
which is helpful in reducing cholesterol levels….and yet they have been known to cause trouble with gas. 
Here’s why; Gas is likely because of the high amounts of raffinose (1) sugars they contain,
their higher phytate content and the soluble fibers in which our bodies don’t have the ability to break down
sufficiently before reaching the large intestine where the trouble begins.
Soluble fibers and raffinose are subsequently left intact in the large intestine
causing intestinal discomfort because they produce Carbon Dioxide as fermentation occurs.

Try this first: To reduce phytate content, help break down soluble fibers and reduce effects of raffinose,
it has been suggested to soak beans in salt water (2) for at least 4 hours, rinse thoroughly,
heat in non-salted water, rinse again until clear, discard water, and, finally boil in fresh water.
This may help prevent or lessen intestinal gasses by reducing raffinose oligosaccharides (sugars)
and activating phytase enzymes (3) present in the beans to transform phytic acid (phytates)
and reduce binding which prevents certain mineral absorption and causes gas discomfort.
Some methods include adding baking soda to the soak, however other sources deny this will help.
One source suggested adding acid (2) after the beans are tender. 

Consider starting with small amounts, after “soaking” accordingly, and boiling in fresh water.  
(4) Eaten with grains will not only make it easy to eat in smaller amounts, but benefti by make a complete protein.
Additionally, because whole grains contain smaller amounts of raffinose,
combining helps you eat less beans at a time and consume less raffinose than you would
if you ate the same amount – all beans.
Finally, a study on humans showed the improved protein digestibility
when legumes were combined with maize vs beans eaten alone. (5)

If these methods still don’t work, consider getting your proteins from the alternative sources listed above,
and enjoy a diet rich in dark leafy greens which provide an array of vitamins & minerals and antioxidant benefits. 
And, as mentioned, there is the FODMAP diet, which allows for quinoa and buckwheat, both complete protein whole grains.

References:


3. Reducing Raffinose and Phytates
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