- Black pepper – it works well on scrambled eggs and pasta.
- Ripe tomatoes – to flavor sauces, add garlic and fresh herbs for extra taste.
- Citrus fruit juices such as lemon and limes – add a great zesty flavor to fish, chicken and pork (use the grated rind for even more flavor and texture)
- Oregano: pizza, tomato sauces, Greek salads, fish or lamb dishes, omelets and vegetables
- Sage: pork, game or tomato sauces
- Thyme: fish and chicken
- Basil: tomatoes or tomato sauces and pasta dishes
- Bay Leaves: casseroles, soups and pates
Tammy and Lyssie Lakatos, a.k.a. The Nutrition Twins®, are twin sisters, registered dietitians and personal trainers with over a decade of experience helping thousands of clients get healthier, happier and in tip-top shape.
They have been featured as experts on hundreds of TV shows, appearing regularly on shows from Good Morning America Health to The Discovery Channel to Fox News, as well as in countless magazine articles and websites.
Tammy and Lyssie have authored two books: Fire Up Your Metabolism (Simon and Schuster) and The Secret To Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat (HCI Books). They have developed nutrition and wellness products that they have featured on QVC. The twins live in New York City where they are avid exercisers who believe that everyone should be properly fueled at all times so they can feel their best doing the things that they love.
For Tammy and Lyssie, this means running and biking, keeping fit and chasing after Tammy’s twin daughters.
Here’s a CRUNCHY Snack Recipe they shared:
Chickpeas are guaranteed to keep you full- fiber and nutrient-packed beans-and there is evidence that a diet supplemented with chickpeas leads to less overall food consumption.
1/2 C. serving of chickpeas has about 140 calories & tons of filling protein and fiber!
Drain a can of chickpeas and rinse well with water and lay them out on a paper towel.
Pat them down with another towel to dry.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a baking sheet, drizzle chickpeas with a tablespoon olive oil.
Roast for 30-40 minutes until they are a deep golden brown.
Remove from the oven and season with your favorite spices.
Experiment with different tastes.
We’ve been making spicy chickpeas with cayenne pepper, (YOU know this MORSELIST LOOVES Cayenne- I also tried with ROSEMARY…YUMM) but they’re delicious with anything!
YUMMM…Thanks, Lee, Lauren, Nutrition Twins, Karen…everyone for this
fantastic conversation! I’m impressed and LOVE that we are getting
more involved in the blog conversation!
…and while you’re on the subject of chickpeas:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-susan-albers/a-snack-to-help-reduce-co_b_933700.html
Ooh those roasted chickpeas DO sounds tasty!
They are and I even use LOW Sodium White Kidney Beans.
The possibilities are endless…
I would think much of the problem with salt and sodium is with processed foods, fast food and restaurant meals.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284
Foods to Avoid:http://longevity.about.com/od/abouthighbloodpressure/p/sodium.htm
Salt can hide in many processed foods. Try to eat mostly produce, fruits and fresh meat. Avoid condiments, pickles, ham, bacon, salsa, cheese, cold cuts, olives, broths, anything canned, and anything processed. The list can go on and on. You need to check the sodium content on food labels and think twice about anything with over 100 mg per serving. A few of these items are okay everyday, but not too many.
Other than in relation to hypertension and perhaps diabetes, I would also think an approach to salt should be moderation, not elimination; but I guess we get salt in our food and drink whether we want it or not.
Also, perhaps you can clarify for us less-aware types some info about the newer, trendier salts (kosher salt, sea salt, popcorn salt, etc.) that have become marketing buzz words.
Great points, Lee!
Thank you so much for posting.
Hi Lee! Great points! And great questions! Yes, for most of us, the real sodium issues come from processed foods and packaged foods. However, the truth is that’s it’s really hard to meet the recommendations for sodium–most people get way too much, so cutting back where you can is helpful and learning to flavor foods without it, is very helpful.
While we were doing research for our book The Secret To Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat, we realized even more how damaging salt is for us, even if you don’t get high blood pressure. It ages you, makes you hungrier, thirstier and makes your arteries stiffer, just to name a few.
As for the trendier salts, they are still high in sodium in each teaspoon and the salt is just as bad for you when you get too much. However, the plus side is they tend to be tastier so you need less and the crystals are bigger so you can pinch a little bit and use less because the bigger crystals mean a little more space between the grains of salt in each teaspoon.
Moderation is the key and having amazing people like Mo, who flavor foods with other seasoning is the best! This way we all learn how to make food taste fabulous without relying on dangerous salt!
EXCELLENT points! Thank you, twins, for taking more time
to educate us!
Roasting chickpeas? Something I would never have thought of . . . but something I am going to have to try!
I think you’ll LOVE, Reece!
A “pairing” for your Tasty Tuesday. Tammy and Lyssie are just wonderful and have so much to offer and share. I always look forward to their ideas/posts/TV segments… So glad you are connected!!! : )
Me, too, Lauren!
Thanks!
Thank you Lauren and Maura! Lauren, you are FABULOUS and we love everything you offer and share! And we the same way about Maura and she has the best recipes too!
Thank you…means so much coming from you two!!
Yes, I’m repeating Maura, but It truly does mean a lot coming from you two!! Hope to see you two at FNCE (I’ll be there on the Sunday.)