Kamie's Tip of the Week:

My mom said something interesting the other day that I thought I would share with you.  We were talking about oatmeal. I told her that, though oatmeal is very healthy for you, once you add all the brown sugar to make it taste good, it's just as sugary as those high sugar cereals you're trying to avoid. She told me that I had a problem: I was looking at food as something to enjoy, rather than as something to fuel my body.

There is wisdom in this. Food actually IS something to fuel your body. That's why we have to eat, to give our body the energy and nutrients it needs to run properly. But food is SO YUMMY! Right? Most of us can afford to add a little sugar to our oatmeal to make it a bit more tasty. But for those of you who have health problems because of your weight/diet, or are in serious danger if they don't change something, or are just getting a bit up there in age, this is a tip for you: FUEL YOUR BODY! Feed it what it needs, NOT what you most enjoy. Trust me, there's a lot more to enjoy in life than food, and living longer is always worth a little discomfort in your diet.

-Kamie

How Can I Resist the Temptation to Eat too Many Goodies This Season?

From October 31 to January 1 is the season of yummy treats and goodies! It is also the season of losing complete control over your diet. But don't lose hope, you can stay healthy even in the time of the year. Here are a couple of tips:

1. Practice Your Self-Control: Let yourself have a little bit everyday (within the means of your discretionary calories). You will drive yourself crazy if your try to avoid eating any sweets, especially since they are likely to be all around you. Instead, tell yourself how much you can eat without overdoing it, and don't allow yourself to deviate from that amount.
2. Enjoy Each Bite: If there are a bunch of yummy treats in front of you and you want to try them all, don't have a serving of each. Instead, savor a bite or two of each, all while staying within your discretionary calorie limit (about 200 calories for most people).
3. Spread it Out: Have a bite in the morning, a bite in the afternoon, and a bite at night. This will keep you satisfied all day without eating too much.
4. Try Some Healthy Treats: Pumpkin Bread, Berry Cobblers, Fruit Cakes, etc. all have nutritional value in addition to their great taste. These are the goodies you can be proud of yourself for preferring.

Here's a recipe for a deliciously healthy treat that is perfect in the Fall!!!

Peach Cobbler:

Filling: 5 cups Fresh or Canned Sliced Peaches (save about half of the juice if canned)
          1/2 cup peach juice or water
          1/3 - 2/3 cup sugar
          1 Tbsp (add more if necessary) cornstarch
Topping: 1/4 cup butter melted
               2 cups granola (or oats)
               4 Tbsp flour

Directions: Heat filling on the stove until thickened and bubbly. Pour into cake pan. Mix topping ingredients and crumble on top of the filling. Bake 10-15 min at 375. Delish!!!!!

             -Kamie

Is Sodium Really the Bad Guy?

I know you are all wondering why everyone keeps telling you that sodium is bad for you. How can something so savory be the root of all evil? And if it is really bad, then why is it found in almost anything you buy from the store? Let me explain :)

Sodium is a mineral and a nutrient that we actually NEED in our bodies. Therefore, it is not correct to say that sodium is bad for you. It actually plays in essential role in preventing your cells from exploding or shriveling up and dying. Now that I've got your attention, the correct way to view sodium is as an electrolyte that helps to keep your body fluids inside your cells, tissues, and blood vessels in balance. It would be really bad if all of the water in your body randomly decided to flow into your blood vessels, because your blood vessels would likely burst and you would die. Now can you see how essential sodium is in our bodies?

With that said, it is important for us to understand that we can get all the sodium we need in a day from only 1/4 teaspoon of salt!!!!!! Most Americans dump at least that much on top of each meal. So, lets look at what happens when we have TOO MUCH sodium in our bodies.

The American Heart Association has stated that one major negative side effect of excess sodium in the diet is an increase in blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Sodium is also connected with cardiovascular (heart) disease in general (http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/35/4/858.full). Wow!!!! So, if I stop pouring salt over everything I eat, I can reduce my risk for heart disease? The answer to that is yes! But is it really that easy????? For most of us, no, its a lot more complicated. 

Now, I know we all love the taste of salt. It's in every processed food that we eat (because it is a natural preservative), seasons all of our home cooking, and is found naturally in many of the fresh foods that we eat. How can we sufficiently cut back on sodium in our diets when it is everywhere??? Here are a few tips:

• Cut out the processed foods in your diet as much as possible. That means anything canned, boxed, or frozen. Okay, not everything, but you get the idea. The less of these you eat, the better. 
• Eat more whole foods. Whole fruit, veggies, grains, rice, etc. are better options. Mix them together and make a delicious meal low in sodium.
• Instead of adding salt to your home cooking for flavor, add herbs and spices. You can get a lot of flavor from other sources without adding salt. 
• Cut down on sauces. I know this one is hard, but have you ever looked at the nutrition label for BBQ sauce? There is a lot of sodium in the condiments Americans love that could easily be eliminated from our diets.

Try out these tips and see if you can feel your heart getting healthier!

-Kamie

How Sweet it is to Work in the Food Industry :)

I work for BYU Catering, and have had the opportunity to taste many delicious foods.  The great thing about managing your own diet is being able to cheat once in awhile (which I justify by being REALLY good for a few days at least).  I mean, one of the greatest blessings we have is being able to taste and enjoy foods, so let's enjoy!  Check out this site: http://dining.byu.edu/mix/ for lots of delicious recipes and fun things to try on your cheat days :)

*Remember, you don't have to torture yourself in order to live a healthy lifestyle. You need variety, moderation, and of course, discipline :)

Kamie's Tip of the Week:

Can I really have a healthy lunch with my busy schedule? And what about eating something that I don't get sick of eating (I mean we all get tired of PB&Js after awhile)? The answer is yes, you can have a healthy lunch that you enjoy, even if you're pressed for time. I know the temptation to eat that processed, frozen meal that takes 3 minutes to microwave is strong, but I promise you can overcome that temptation. Especially when you think about all the sodium and fat in processed food that you can easily cut out of your diet. The key is to make a batch of something yummy the night before, something that you can throw in some tupperware and savor at lunch time. Here's the recipe I've been enjoying this week: Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 2 large lean chicken breasts
• 1 and 1/2 cup sliced red grapes
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 2 Tbsp light ranch dressing
• 2/3 cup light mayo or miracle whip
• Whole grain bread

Directions:

1. Boil chicken until fully cooked: Drain
2. Shred chicken into small strips
3. Add grapes, celery, and green onion and mix
4. Add mayo and dressing (you may prefer more or less than I suggest in this recipe) and stir
5. Add about 2/3 cup of the chicken salad to the whole grain bread to make a sandwich

Makes about 20 sandwiches.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can't even tell that you've used light dressing! It is low in fat and sodium, and high in protein (meaning you will stay fuller longer). It tastes so good that you won't get sick of it! And it is really easy to make :)

If you make a couple of different recipes each week and alternate what you eat every day, you can have much healthier lunches that you actually ENJOY, don't get sick of, AND can stop eating all of that processed junk. It's working great for me so far. I hope it works for you too :)

-Kamie

Kamie's Tip of the Week:

If you're like me, then you love the simple things in life. One of those simply delicious things to me is a grilled cheese sandwich. Yum! But not just ANY grilled cheese sandwich, I'm talking about a sandwich that makes your mouth water and makes your body smile :) Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of whole grain bread
• 1/8 cup shredded cheese (whichever flavor you like best)
• A few slices of onions
• 1Tbsp vegetable oil
• Note: You'll need a toaster oven

You'll notice I didn't include butter. Why? Because you don't need it if you follow these instructions: 

1. Cover the toaster oven tray with tin foil (if you don't have a toaster oven, this may work in a conventional oven, but I've never tried it).
2. Place the bread on the tray (with the slices side by side). Sprinkle an even amount of the cheese on each slice of bread.
3. Toast the bread until it is as toasty as you like (may take longer to toast because of the moisture in the cheese).
4. While the bread is toasting, saute the onions in oil in a small frying pan. 
5. Add the onions on top of one slice of toasted bread, then place the other slice on top. 

And there you have it! A deliciously nutritious grilled cheese sandwich, or should I say toasted cheese sandwich? It's best if you cook up some tomato soup and dip away!

So why is this healthier for you? 1) We changed the type of fat from saturated fat (in the butter) to unsaturated fat (in the oil). Unsaturated fat is much better for your heart and arteries (meaning it is less likely to cause heart disease). 2) We added onion, which has Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. 3) The whole grain bread is also a source of fiber and is enriched with several of the B Vitamins.4) If you also eat the tomato soup, you can get even more Vitamin C and some Vitamin A and Iron!

Enjoy!

-Kamie

How Can I Turn a Meal from a Box Into Something Healthy?

Let's be realistic, making healthy meals takes time, and we don't all have that kind of time everyday. So, when you're running late for work, a date, school, getting kids to soccer practice, or whatever the circumstance may be in your life, and you've only got a few minutes to eat, you mostly likely turn to either fast food or easy-to-make meals in a box (i.e. Mac N' Cheese, Pasta Roni, etc.). Well, I have a couple suggestions that might help ease your conscience about the latter. Here are a few simple tips that can turn your favorite meal in a box into a healthy treat!


1) Add a Vegetable: My favorite veggie to add to boxed meals is peas, but there are lots of delicious choices. Corn, green beans, spinach, mixed veggies, and the list goes on and on. Which one works best will depend on the meal. This simple step can add vitamins and minerals to your meal that you otherwise would be lacking! Isn't that great!

2) Use Lean Meat: If you add meat to your meal in a box, use one that has less fat. For example, you can buy lean ground beef. Tuna is a great one to add because it's lean and has lots of nutrients that your body needs. Poultry is generally already lean, but any excess fat can be cut off. This will save you calories and guilt :)

3) Cut the Butter: Do you really need a half a stick of butter in Mac N' Cheese? No way! If you eat the whole box by yourself that is 400 calories just from the butter!!!! Gross! Sure it tastes good, but you can safely half the amount of butter that is recommended and still have a tasty meal. If you are like me and like to avoid fat like the plague, then a spoonful of butter is all you need.

4) Use Less Seasoning: Often times the seasoning for boxed meals is high in sodium, a nutrient that you want to be careful not to get too much of. When you add other ingredients to the meal, it adds flavor, therefore you probably don't need quite as much of the seasoning.

Okay, those tips should be sufficiently helpful. I'm sure there are lots of other creative ways to make healthier meals that you may have come across. If you know some, go ahead and share.

Here is my favorite poor college student meal turned healthy:

Ingredients:
1 package Ramen Noodles
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup cut broccoli
1 can light tuna
1/2 package of the Ramen seasoning

1. Steam the carrots and broccoli in a small pan with water (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan) on medium heat.
2. Boil the Ramen noodles in a pot until soft. Drain most of the water.
3. Add the steamed veggies, tuna, and seasoning to the noodles, and cook on medium heat until warm all the way through.

And there you have it! A five minute meal that is relatively healthy for you. Enjoy! :)

-Kamie