Spring Clean Your Diet and Your Kitchen

Laura Hartung, MA, RD, LDN

www.laurahartungrd.com

Today's Guest Post is from Laura, a Boston-based Registered Dietitian and exercise enthusiast. Read Laura's bio here. As part of our blog series to spring clean your life, Laura's post below details how you can pack more veggies into your diet and go through your cabinets to clean out the junk!

 

Let’s face it, a healthy and happy home starts in the kitchen!  Do you know what’s in your cabinets and refrigerator? You know how great it feels to get the junk and garbage out of your closets, car and storage spaces, but now it’s time to spring clean your EATING!   

YOU CAN DO IT!!! 

First and foremost, you need to GET MORE VEGGIES, people!  Fresh, frozen and canned are ALL great choices!  How many of you are getting 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetable per day, as recommended by the American Cancer Society? Most people get enough fruit, but it’s the red, yellow, orange, purple and green veggies most people lack! 

HOW DO YOU GET Em’?

• Fresh: buy local veggies when you can, they are even better than going organic! Find your local farms and load up weekly on seasonal produce!  Spring brings in broccoli! 
• Canned: pumpkin and tomatoes canned are chocked full of vitamins and antioxidants that aren't as available when uncooked.  Add canned plain pumpkin (chocked full of vitamin A) and canned tomatoes (loads of lycopene) to your daily diet!
• Frozen: stock up on the plain frozen veggies that are on sale so you can make stir fry and veggies side dishes in minutes!  Get some green bean and veggie medleys.  Don’t forget about frozen blueberries!  They are cost effective and can be thrown into smoothies, salads, yogurt and your morning oatmeal!

Note:  Rinse canned vegetables to reduce sodium content by 40%.  Buy frozen veggies without added salt and frozen fruit without added sugar.  

Research show that people who eat more vegetables and fruit are have smaller waistlines. You also gain a plethora of plant chemicals and antioxidants, which help keeps inflammation and disease at bay.  Make sure your produce is in sight and not out of mind!  I call the refrigerator “crispers” the “rotters” because veggies usually go in there to perish!  Make sure you keep your greens and other vegetable in plain view so you can eat them while they are FRESH!!

 

A serving of veggies = 

• 3 cups green leafy veggies (kale, spinach, romaine)
• 1 cup chopped veggie (cabbage, carrots, tomatoes)
• ½ cup cooked vegetables (green beans, zucchini)
• ¼ cup canned plain pumpkin

CHECK OUT YOUR CABINETS!

Did you know that people who read the nutritional information on food labels are generally thinner than those who don’t read labels? April 11th was recently appointed National Read Your Nutrition Labels Day by the Citizens for Health advocacy group. Some things to look out for include:

• SUGAR FREE – More and more consumers are looking for products that are low in sugar; however, beware of sugar-free claims as these foods typically use artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols which often cause digestive issues.
• Label Lesson: Be on the lookout for ingredient lists that include artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and erythritol.
•  LIGHT – A product claiming to be light must have one-third fewer calories, fat or sodium than the regular version of that same product. Be on the lookout, though, as a light ice cream, for example, may have less fat but around the same calories.
• Label Lesson: Before piling up on what you believe is a ‘light’ snack, be sure to read the label to see which category the food has less of and more importantly, stick to the serving size! 
• NO TRANS FAT – Any products with less than 0.5 grams of trans fat – an artificial ingredient that leads to increases in artery-clogging bad cholesterol (LDL) – can be legally claimed as having zero trans fats. If you happen to eat several servings or a few different ‘trans fat-free’ foods a day, you can wind up consuming a measurable amount. 
• Label Lesson: Avoid products with partially hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fats, listed as an ingredient. 
• MULTIGRAIN– Many of us confuse the ‘multigrain’ claim on our bread, pretzels and even chips to be the same as “whole grain” or “whole wheat” – both of which are associated with reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. Don’t be fooled – multigrain means the product is made from several types of grains which can include refined and less nutritionally-positive varieties.
• Label Lesson: To make sure the product is made primarily with whole grains, check the first ingredient listed on the label – it should have the word “whole” in it.
• SUGAR –  Americans are averaging 88 grams of added sugar per day or 22 teaspoons!!!!  Health experts cap added sugar intake to no more than 40 grams (some say even lower @ 36g  for men, 20g for women and even less for kids) or 10 teaspoons,  per day. Although the food industry is going for 50 grams.   Too much sugar can crowd out more nutritionally dense foods and cause inflammation in the body, which is the root all disease.
• Label Lesson: Check grams of added sugar to see how your favorite sweet can fit healthfully (or not) into your daily eating plan!
• SALT –  Let’s decipher- salt is comprised of about 40% of sodium. The risks to your health: Too much SODIUM can cause high blood pressure- a known contributor to CVD and stroke. Nearly all of our sodium intake is from salt added to food. The vast majority is already in processed and restaurant foods. A small amount of sodium in food occurs naturally (e.g., fruits, vegetables, and whole grains). More than 75% of the sodium we eat comes from restaurant, prepackaged, and processed foods. Only 5% of dietary sodium is added during cooking, and only 6% is added at the table. The remaining 12% occurs naturally in foods. So: THE SALT SHAKER IS NOT TO BLAME!
• Label Lesson: If you must buy a processed food, check to see if it is 250-300 mg of sodium per serving.

So, get out there and take control over your diet!

Taste of Spring: Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas & Spring Herbs Recipe

Stacy Schwartz, Health Coach

At Ultimate Bootcamp, we love cooking up recipes using seasonal ingredients and spring is the perfect time to do just that! To help keep you on your nutritional track this spring, Stacy Schwartz, a nutritional health coach in Boston has shared a quick and easy healthy spring recipe to add into your repertoire. You can read Stacy's bio here.

Quick-cooking chicken cutlets are paired with an elegant but easy light sauce of sugar snap peas and artichoke hearts. This dish can be made without the sprouted beans, but is especially delicious with them – if you have extras, try them on a salad.

Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas & Spring Herbs 

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
• 1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas, cut in half (2 cups)
• 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed
• 1/4 cup sprouted beans, optional
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon or dill
• 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar, or white-wine vinegar

Preparation

1. Whisk broth, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm. 
3. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan along with snap peas, artichoke hearts and sprouted beans (if using). Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender-crisp, 3-5 minutes. 
4. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables, and simmer until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and vinegar.

Enjoy!

Healthy Holiday Recipe: Honey Macadamia Halibut and Holiday Eggnog Protein Shake

Stacy Schwartz, Health Coach

With two weeks until Christmas, we're right in the midst of the holiday season and at Ultimate Bootcamp, we know it can be tough to keep your healthy eating habits on track. That's why we've enlisted the help of Stacy Schwartz, a nutritional health coach in Boston, to give us a few of her favorite healthy recipes for the season! Read Stacy's bio here. Enjoy!


Family and friends come together for the Holidays, and a house full of hungry guests can make it hard to please everyone. From a halibut entrée to a holiday ‘nog with a twist, check out these two delicious healthy holiday recipes.

Honey Macadamia Halibut

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
• 4-ounce halibut fillets (1-inch thick)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 tablespoons coconut oil

• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

• Chop nuts, spread on a cookie sheet, and toast in the oven or in a toaster on 350 degrees until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Check every minute or two and stir or spin tray around to toast evenly.
• Rinse fish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a skillet.
• Cook one side of fillet over medium heat for 4 minutes.
• Flip each fillet and cook for 3 minutes on the other side.
• While fish is in the pan, spread a layer of honey on each fillet and add a layer of nuts on top.
• Flip over and cook for 2 minutes and add honey and nuts to the top side.
• Flip again and cook 2 minutes.
• Halibut is cooked when the meat is no longer translucent.
• Remove from heat and serve.
• (This dish goes great with steamed string beans).

       
Holiday Eggnog Protein Shake

•  ½ cup coconut milk
•  ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 tray ice
• 1 tbsp. raw coconut oil
•  2 packets stevia
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
•  ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder

Blend this all up! Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of nutmeg! (serves 2)

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Guest Post: Healthified Stuffing Recipe

Elina, Satisfied Cravings

Hello bootcamp lovers! My name is Elina; I’m the founder and coach behind Satisfied Cravings, offering private custom cooking lessons and hosting custom cooking parties right here in Boston. I’m a big fan of bootcamp as well – I call it sweat therapy and I definitely feel off balance when I skip a few days of workouts. Those exercise endorphins are a real thing and I’m a real addict!

So we sweat hard and we don’t want to undo all this hard work with sneaky calories and unworthy indulgences, right? With the holidays coming up, I know this task becomes a little trickier so I’m already starting to plan ahead to make sure that every workout and every meal counts.

After the big candy rush of Halloween, the next big challenge is Thanksgiving. So today I come to you with a super yummy healthified recipe for stuffing. My husband looooooooooves stuffing – it’s the highlight of Thanksgiving dinner for him. So I wanted to create something that’s a bit lighter and a whole lot tastier. And of course I had to add a twist to it with the addition of fall favorites – roasted sweet potatoes, cranberries, pecans… and bacon (because it makes everything better!). Feel free to make it your own and use whatever leftover veggies or mix-ins you have.. or none at all - it will make the process even faster (just use the same egg/broth/bread/herb proportions). I hope you love it as much as we did! :)

Healthified stuffing with roasted potatoes, cranberries, pecans and bacon (serves 8)
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs hearty sourdough bread
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs, s.a. sage, thyme and rosemary (I often find “poultry herbs” packages in super markets which are perfect for this)
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 20 oz beef broth, room temp

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425*F. Cut sweet potatoes (no need to peel them, the peel has lots of fiber!) into 3/4” pieces, transfer to 2 baking sheets (single layer), drizzle with a bit of olive oil (1-2 tablespoons, depending on how large they are), season with salt and pepper, and bake for approximately 20 minutes until tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Reduce heat to 400*F. Slice bread into 1/2-3/4” slices, remove crusts, then cube into 1/2-3/4” pieces. Transfer to 2 baking sheets (single layer) and toast for approximately 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
• Reduce heat to 350*F. Place pecans on baking sheet and toast for approximately 10 minutes, until fragrant and toasted. Set aside.
• In the meantime, crisp up bacon in a a large skillet. Blot bacon slices on paper towels to remove excess grease. Do not dump the bacon fat out of the skillet.
• We’re almost ready to assemble! Halve the cranberries, roughly chop the toasted pecans and bacon slices, finely mince fresh herbs and whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Ok we’re ready to go now!
• To the bowl with bread cubes, add minced herbs, whisked eggs, beef broth, 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat (or olive oil), a pinch of salt and pepper and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes – turning on occasion to make sure all of the bread cubes are well coated.
• Add roasted potatoes, cranberry halves, pecan and bacon pieces. Toss to combine again and transfer the mixture to a 9x13” baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes. Enjoy with gravy and your favorite Thanksgiving fare!

Make this soon and let me know how it went over on my Satisfied Cravings facebook page or shoot an email to elina at satisfiedcravings dot com. Hope to hear some success stories soon! For more info on me and my biz, check out the Satisfied Cravings website.

Healthy Recipe: Kale Chips

It can be difficult to eat "clean" - aka real food that is not processed - when you are a salty, crunchy snack-fiend.  Instead of reaching for the potato chips, try a delicious, healthy alternative: baked kale chips.   Kale chips are so yummy, you might not even care that this seasonal fall vegetable is packed with fiber, antioxidents and iron.  This crowd-pleasing snack recipe will be a real winner at your next football game watching party.

Baked Kale Chip Recipe

1 bunch of kale
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover baking pan with parchment paper.
2.  Remove the leaves from the stem and tear into bite-size pieces. Wash and dry pieces thoroughly, then place on parchment paper.
3. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
4. Cook 10-12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.

Quick and Easy Delicious Kale Recipe

Laura Hartung MA, RD, LDN

www.laurahartungrd.com

Today's Guest Post is from Laura, a Boston-based Registered Dietitian and exercise enthusiast. Read Laura's bio here. All of our bootcampers want to get the most out of their workout, taking nutrition into account. But sometimes it's tough to make the time to eat healthy or understand how to prepare foods! Check out Laura's post below detailing a quick, easy and nutritious recipe with one of the freshest ingredients in season right now - Kale!

I don’t know about you, but growing up in the 80’s, I never knew what that course green plate garnish was!  I did know we used lots of it to decorate the salad bar at the restaurant I worked at, but no one actually ate the curly greens.  Today, I know how delicious and nutritious KALE is, and include it several times per week in my quest to eat 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day! 

Often, people don’t know how to cook kale and its bitter tastes keeps people from eating it raw.  I do love to chop it up and saute it with extra virgin olive oil and garlic, but my new favorite way is in a chopped cold salad. This traditional Tuscan salad is made with strips of Italian black kale, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, grated pecorino Tuscano cheese and bread crumbs. These bright, refreshing flavors combine to bring the sunny taste of Italy to your table.

Seriously, this is one of the MOST delicious salads I have ever tasted!  Remember, recipes are just a guide; you can tweak ingredients to your liking!  I have made this for hundreds of people and the outcome is always the same: PEOPLE LOVE IT!  For extra flavor and color, I add chopped grape tomatoes.  Some people add chicken or other protein to make this salad a main course.  I know others that put this concoction on their sandwiches.  Any way your serve it, this salad is a great way to get a mouthful of deliciousness and NUTRIENTS!!!  

ABOUT KALE: THE SUPER FOOD 

Kale has everything you want in a super food!  It contains heart-healthy antioxidants, Omega 3 fats, fiber, folate, potassium and vitamin E!  Potassium rich foods not only help keep blood pressure low, but it helps to prevent muscle breakdown as we age!   EAT MORE POTASSIUM PEOPLE!!!!  In the form of your fruits and veggies, of course.  

Kale is among the most nutrient-dense commonly eaten vegetables. One cup provides 1,327 % of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, 192 % of DV for vitamin A, and 88% for vitamin C. Eating kale also helps prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)!  Its rich lutein content protects against early heart disease.  It also contains glucoraphanin, a plant chemical that activates a special protective protein that creates a Teflon coating in your arteries to keep plaque from adhering!  Bet you didn’t know THAT!!! 

TUSCAN KALE RECIPE 

Ingredients

• 4-6 cups kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black kale, midribs removed
•  (if you can’t find the Italian black kale, use what ever variety is available, but the darker kale is less bitter)  
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• salt & pepper, to taste (salt is optional)
• hot red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese (Rosselino variety if you can find it) or other flavorful grating cheese such as Asiago or Parmesan
• 1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread ( or you can use Trader Joe’s whole wheat bread crumbs)
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes

Instructions

1. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes.
2. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well.
3. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again.
4. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add breadcrumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

Be prepared to here oohs and ahhs on how delicious this salad is!!

Happy and healthy eating and exercising always!

Laura

Healthy Zucchini Bread Recipe

I have a problem. A zucchini problem.  I love having a garden, but with all the summer fun activities, sometimes I forget about it.  Then, things arise out of the garden that shouldn't really be...like this giant, mutant zucchini.  Note the ratio of zucchini to my black lab Ella.

And there isn't just one of these mutant zucchinis, there are many. So, after throwing zuchinni into every entree I could imagine...zucchini salads, zucchini pasta, zucchini omelets...I came across a recipe for zucchini bread. The recipe was dairy free, but packed with sugar, refined flour and oil.  I made a few tweaks and voila!  A healthy, whole wheat bread recipe that makes a perfect breakfast or slightly sweet dessert.

 

Zucchini Bread Recipe

Prep: 20 min Bake: 1 hour 15 minutes Cool: 2 hours

16 slices, about 130 calories per slice

Zucchini Bread Ingredients  

• 3 cups zucchini, finely chopped (2-3 medium zucchinis or 1 giant zucchini)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs + 3 egg whites

• 3 cups flour (I use 100% Whole Wheat, but you can substitute regular whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Zucchini Bread Directions

1. Heat oven 350F degrees. Rub a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan with 1 tsp vegetable oil.
2. In an extra large bowl, mix zucchini, sugar, apple sauce, oil and eggs.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients except walnuts.
4. Fold in walnuts (optional)
5. Spread batter into loaf pan. There may be a little extra batter.
6. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes.
8. Gently remove bread from pan and place on wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.

Healthy Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This week, one of my clients surprised me with a pile of freshly picked vegetables from her very own garden. Yum! It's easy and quick to make a healthy meal by dicing raw vegetables and tossing in a simple dressing with herbs.

Healthy Cucumber and Tomato Salad
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cucumber, sliced
8 basil leaves, finely chopped (or dill)

Dressing:
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp plant based Omega 3-6-9 Oil
(Udo's Oil is a common brand name. It has a rich, nutty flavor and can only be used with unheated foods. If you find your diet does not get enough Omega Fatty Acids from fish and other sources, this oil is a great way to balance your diet)
Salt and Pepper to taste


This healthy recipe creates a solid salad foundation for other nutritious additions depending on your health goals and your taste buds. So get creative and try adding these other ingredients:

• chicken, tuna or other low-fat protein
• substitute basil for cilantro...add red onions, black beans, corn, avocado and a squeeze of lime for a latin flavor

Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Tuna

Post Workout Meal: Baked Eggs over Spinach

What is the perfect post workout meal?  One that you'll actually eat!

Many early morning bootcampers are crunched for time between their workouts and work.  Finding a breakfast that is easy, quick and helps in muscle recovery (aka lean protein) might be daunting.  But Ultimate Bootcamp Trainer Ashley Maheris has an incredible egg recipe that packs a powerful punch and bakes while your household gets ready to brave the day.

Baked Eggs Over Spinach

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tomato, chopped

16 oz. spinach

8 eggs

4 oz. coconut cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a medium skillet over medium high heat add garlic and cook for 1 minute
3. Add tomato, salt and petter to taste, let simmer about 3 minutes
4. Add spinach and cook until it begins to wilt. Transfer mixture to a 2 quart baking dish
5. Separate eggs from yolks, keeping yolks as intact as possible. Beat egg whites until fluffy and pour over spinach and tomato mixture.
6. Place whole yolks over the top and add coconut cream. If you're watching your cholesterol, reduce the number of yolks.
7. Bake for 20 minutes

Enjoy!

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Personal Trainer Ashley Maheris enjoys practicing and promoting fitness, nutritional well being and athleticism. Her enthusiasm for running, weight training and playing soccer is what led her towards seeking her ACSM personal training certification. Read more about Ashley...

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

Servings: 6  |  Prep: 15 min  |  Cook: 30 min

I LOVE quick and easy recipes. In fact, I live on them. If a recipe takes more than 30 minutes of prep time, I don't even bother. So if you're like me, you'll LOVE this sweet potato and butternut squash soup. It's so rich and hearty, you'll find it hard to believe it is low fat and packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and beta-carotene. All in less than 15 minutes of prep time.

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ingredients

TIMESAVER: Purchase butternut squash pre-cut and peeled.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 medium butternut squash, cubed
2 cans (14 oz) low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
fat-free sour cream
pepper
kosher or sea salt
nutmeg. tarragon or other spices to taste

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instructions

1. In large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onions and celery. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients, including the broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until sweet potato is soft.
3. Pour broth and half of the vegetables into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then slowly add remaining vegetables.
4. Serve with 1 tablespoon of fat-free sour cream and season with pepper, salt and spices to taste.