meet the press

So, this happened:

I was recently featured in the Buffalo News! Being a ‘reporter’ myself, it’s so fun to be on the other side of the interview every once in awhile. I approached the BN Refresh (their Saturday Health and Wellness insert) editor, Scott Scanlon, awhile ago about contributing some guest blogs, and he offered to feature me in his ‘What Are You Eating?’ section. So far, I’ve contributed the National Nutrition Month blog and an ‘intro’ post on myself, which went live on the BN site yesterday. I’ve also written a post on our recent Paleo experience, which I’ll send to Scott soon. I’ll probably contribute a blog about once a month.

While I’m not getting paid for these pieces, I see this as a way to ‘break into’ the health/wellness/fitness/nutrition field. Writing for the Advertiser is great, but I need to start preparing for what I want to do long-term: freelance writing about food and nutrition. I’ve started researching writers’ guidelines for various publications and it’s overwhelming to say the least. My dear friend, Emily (who I’m visiting this weekend), advised me to slow down and try to actually enjoy the process of ‘building my business’ (whatever that may be), instead of focusing on where I want to be and the fastest way to get there. She’s a wise woman, that one. It’s such a relief to know it’s OK to take it one day at a time, one pitch letter at a time, one article at a time.

For now, I’m still just plugging along at the projects I have to do this rotation–most of which ACTUALLY pertain to my future as a writer/nutrition counselor–and counting the days until graduation…55.

National Nutrition Month

I realize I’m a little late in the game (like, 18 days late) for this, but it’s National Nutrition Month!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) celebrates NNM each March and uses it as a campaign to educate anyone who will listen about healthy eating. For those who don’t know, it is AND (through their accrediting arm) that ‘registers’ dietitians. I’m a member now as a student, and will be an RD in just a few short months!

I actually wrote a blog post for the Buffalo News Refresh section (spoiler alert–I was going to write a separate blog post about that–it will be forthcoming), which will go live tomorrow. Again, better late than never.

Below is what I wrote, but be sure to check out the Buffalo News Refresh blog (toward the bottom) to see my post. I’ll have more soon on my blogging opportunities as well.

Also, be sure to check out the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ first Public Service Announcement promoting Registered Dietitians here!

Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle

Every March since 1973, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has dedicated time to increase awareness about making healthy choices and increasing physical activity. It began as a week-long campaign and lengthened to a month in 1980. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day, also in March, recognizes RDNs as nutrition experts who are uniquely qualified to provide nutrition services to the public.

This year, National Nutrition Month’s theme is ‘Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle,’ which encourages everyone to adopt eating and physical activity plans that are focused on consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices and getting daily exercise in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote overall health.’ Read on for easy, simple ways to incorporate healthier choices into your lifestyle!

Consume Fewer Calories

Weight gain, while influenced by multiple factors, does come down to simple math: if you take in more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. Prevent that by finding ways to decrease your calorie intake.

-Consider counting your calories. If you don’t know how much you’re eating, it’s easy to go overboard. Click here to access MyPlate’s Super Tracker.

-Decrease your portion sizes.

-Drink a glass of water before meals and snacks. Often, we think we’re hungry when we’re simply thirsty.

-Start meals with broth-based soups, salads or veggies so you’ll have less room for the higher-calorie options.

-Eat fruit for dessert and keep cut-up veggies in the fridge for snacking.

-Don’t drink your calories. Switch from whole to 1% or skim milk, cut out sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages. Opt for fruit instead of juice when possible.

Make Informed Food Choices

Knowledge is power. Take charge of your health by being proactive about what you eat.

-Read food labels. Note serving size, calories and fat in each, and limit yourself to that serving size.

-Go the extra mile and learn what carbohydrates, fats and proteins are. Go to ChooseMyPlate for more information about each nutrient and the amounts recommended for you.

-Prepare your meals and snacks in advance so that you’re never caught without a healthy option on-hand to grab when you’re in a rush.

-Look at online menus before going out to eat to find healthier options at your favorite restaurants.

Get Daily Exercise

It’s recommended that adults get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, and 60-90 minutes to prevent weight gain.

-Get a pedometer to track your steps; aim for 10,000 each day. For fun, team up with friends and compete to get the most steps.

-Have a dog? Get out and walk. Other good excuses to get outside include yard work and playing with your kids.

-Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

-Park your car at the far end of the parking lot to increase your steps each day.

-Find an activity you enjoy and do it. Not everyone enjoys running; your strength may be a Zumba class or spinning.

-Meet friends for a walk instead of coffee.

-Winter isn’t an excuse to stay inside—find an activity you enjoy. Snow shoeing, skiing, ice skating and even sledding burn calories, increase your heart rate and are fun ways to take advantage of the season.

For more information about National Nutrition Month, click here. Interactive quizzes and games are available online here.

kale-quinoa cakes

First of all, excuse the terrible photo. I hadn’t intended to blog about these babies, so I didn’t take any photos of the process (I also made them on a Sunday afternoon I was also making a gazillion other things and it was a bit hectic in the kitchen) nor did I photo when they were finished. It wasn’t until days later when I actually TRIED them for the first time, that I realized how good they were and that a blog post was in order.

I found the recipe for Kale & Quinoa Cakes in a recent issue of the Wegmans Menu Magazine. I love kale and quinoa and they just looked so darn great in the picture. Mine, unfortunately, did not come out as pretty, but whatever. It’s one of those ‘I love to cook’ recipes, designated as such because it involved multiple steps. Before school, I didn’t bat an eye at page-long ingredient lists or elaborate recipes, but I tell you what–since I’ve been in school, any dish that takes more 30 minutes start to finish just makes me want to cry. I can’t wait to have my life back. Seriously. (Sixty-four days until graduation. But I’m not counting or anything.)

But, I liked these so much I decided to take time during one of my Sunday afternoon prep sessions to whip them up. The recipe isn’t complicated at all; it’s just one of those where you’re grabbing for bowls and spoons and the food processor and more bowls and once you’re finished you wonder, ‘Was that even worth it?’

I’ll be honest, I don’t know if it WAS worth it. Don’t get me wrong, the flavor was great. I’m thrilled that I have a whole bag of them in the freezer to have for months to come without any more work. However, I could easily serve kale and quinoa at dinner and accomplish the dish in a similar fashion. But, I’ll stop being a humbug and give some praise to the recipe. It had great flavor and texture and it really wasn’t that hard. I served the cakes with fish, but they would go equally well with salmon or pork or even eggs for breakfast. Definitely don’t ignore the tip to serve with Roasted Red Pepper sauce–so good!

Recipe below and linked above.

2 cups Wegmans Organic Vegetable Broth
1 cup (6.5 oz) Wegmans Organic White Quinoa (Bulk Foods)
1 bag (16 oz) Food You Feel Good About Cleaned & Cut Kale Greens
1 container (7 oz) Food You Feel Good About Diced Mirepoix
1 medium (about 9 oz) baking potato, peeled, chopped
6 Food You Feel Good About Large Eggs
2 Tbsp Wegmans Basting Oil
1/2 Tbsp Wegmans Sea Salt Fine Crystals
2 tsp Food You Feel Good About Tuscan Seasoning Shak’r
Wegmans Nonstick Cooking Spray

You’ll Need: Food processor, muffin pans

Directions:

Bring vegetable broth and quinoa to boil in pan on MED; stir. Reduce heat to LOW; cover with lid. Simmer 15 min.
Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 10 min to absorb liquid. Spread quinoa on large sheet pan to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blanch kale in large pot of boiling, salted water, 3-4 min. Transfer to bowl of ice water. Drain; squeeze dry.
Pulse kale, mirepoix, and potato in batches in food processor until finely chopped. Whisk eggs, basting oil, salt, and seasoning together. Add kale-potato mixture and quinoa to eggs; mix until combined.
Coat muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup mixture in each section of muffin pans. Bake 35-40 min, until egg sets and tops are lightly browned. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool 10 min before removing cakes.

Chef Tip(s):
Try these cakes paired with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

Nutrition Info: Each serving (1 cake) contains 110 calories, 13 g carbohydrate, (2 g fiber), 5 g protein, 4 g fat, (1 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, and 300 mg sodium.

Calories: 110