Super Summer Salad

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We are happy to publish this delish Caprese Salad recipe perfect for summertime! Thank you to Healthy Eating Healthy Heart for sharing this dish.

Caprese Salad

(Fresh Basil, Fresh Mozzarella, and Fresh Tomato)

With the summer season here, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil are available at all the local markets including your favorite farmer’s market. This Caprese Salad uses fresh ingredients, is easy to make, and can be served as an appetizer for several people, or as a main course with a hearty multi-grain bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 large ripe tomatoes with seed center taken out sliced 1/4’’ inch thick slices
  • 1 lb fresh mozzarella (low sodium) 2 large balls in water drained, rinsed, and sliced 1/8” to 1/4” thick
  • 15-20 fresh basil leaves washed and dried
  • 1 medium purple onion sliced very thin
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar (reduced) (see Food For Thought)
  • freshly ground pepper

Preparation

There is an old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words and we think this picture explains it best.

Start at one end of the plate with a slice of tomato and simply alternate the tomato slices with slices of mozzarella cheese. Then tuck in the basil and add the thinly sliced purple onion as a decorative and flavorful garnish.

The final touch is to drizzle on the extra virgin olive oil and the reduced balsamic vinegar over the tomato and cheese slices. The amount of oil and vinegar is strictly up to you and your taste buds!

We always have the pepper mill, a small dish of extra washed basil leaves, and extra sliced onion on the table in case anyone would like to add their own touches to the salad.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What is reduced balsamic vinegar?

Reducing is when you simmer or steep a liquid in a small open pan over medium heat and reduce the volume by half through slow evaporation of the liquid. Slow reducing of the vinegar is necessary because if the heat is too high and the reduction happens too quickly, the vinegar will have a bitter taste. So please be careful not to scorch or burn the vinegar.

It usually takes about 12-15 minutes for the liquid to reduce to the correct consistency. Just keep the liquid at a simmer and don’t let it boil. Stir occasionally with a metal spoon. The balsamic vinegar is reduced enough when the metal spoon becomes coated with the reduced vinegar as you gently stir. The consistency will be a little like maple syrup. Stop as soon as that happens.

If you go any further, the liquid will turn into a thick syrup and become like tar. Don’t worry – after a few times you’ll get the hang of it. And YES, I have not kept a watchful eye on this process more than once and have had to start over! :-)

Why reduce balsamic vinegar?

Three words – unbelievably rich flavor. Reduced balsamic vinegar takes on an entirely different flavor. It becomes sweeter and has a deeper, richer flavor with a slightly thicker consistency when compared to the regular balsamic vinegar right out of the bottle.
Idea to consider…

We usually have reduced balsamic in our refrigerator all the time. We store it in a small glass dish with a tight fitting cover. We use it in marinades, sauces, or simply add it to a refreshing summer salad of fresh pineapple and mandarin oranges on a bed of lettuce.

Remember the fun part of cooking is the experimenting, creating new recipes and waking up your taste buds.
Serving Information
Serving size: 8oz.
Makes: 2 servings (8 oz. each)
Prep: 15 to 20 minutes

Per 8 oz. serving: Calories 600, Fat 38g (sat 25g, mono .37g, poly .51g), Pro 45g, Carb 32g, Fiber 5g, Chol 121mg, Sugar 15g, Sodium 433mg

A serving option would be to place one slice of mozzarella and one tomato with a little basil, onion, and vinegar on a small plate and serve as a side salad. This would also be healthier since it would cut the nutrient counts by 75%.

Positive body image messaging for girls and women

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Angela Lemond, RD, CSP, LD

A week in January has been designated Healthy Weight Week, and Jan. 19th was the 19th annual Women’s Healthy Weight Day. No, it’s not a reminder to start that next diet! It’s designed to remind us to strive for a healthy weight for our specific bodies, and for the purpose of good health; NOT to endlessly long for an unrealistic body shape. I get too many mothers, often with young girls, coming into my office wanting to lose that unrealistic 10-15 pounds – when their bodies are already in the healthy range. They eat healthy and exercise regularly, all labs are normal – yet they are plagued by wanting to be just a bit thinner. What does that teach our girls? I found this video last week on Dietitians-Online and thought it was perfect to run on women’s healthy weight day.

Shocking, right?! My little Hannah loves all things girly, and it’s fun to be that with her. So, I don’t think that we need to avoid all things feminine. And we cannot shelter our children from all of the media expsoure that is found in magazines at the grocery store checkout or television commercials or endless weight loss commercials. However, we can limit the amount that they are exposed to, and we can balance any negative influences with positive messaging. It is so important that we work hard to build healthy self-esteem in our young girls.

In addition to the advertisements, children are influenced by:

  • Having mothers concerned about their own weight
  • Having mothers who are overly concerned about their daughters’ weight and looks
  • Natural weight gain and other body changes during puberty
  • Peer pressure to look a certain way
  • Struggles with self-esteem

Now the good news is that there are so many things that we can do to build a healthy self-esteem. One big way is to have a healthy self-esteem as their mothers. Let’s start with ourselves! Other ways we can offset negative influences are:

  • Make sure your child understands that weight gain is a normal part of development, especially during puberty.
  • Avoid negative statements about food, weight, and body size and shape.
  • Teach your children about a balanced approach to eating which excludes calling foods “good” or “bad” but instead seeing them more as “sometimes” and “always” foods.
  • Allow your child to make decisions about food, while making sure that plenty of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks are available.
  • Compliment your child on her or his efforts, talents, accomplishments and personal values.
  • Restrict television viewing, and watch television with your child and discuss the media images you see.
  • Encourage your school to enact policies against size and sexual discrimination, harassment, teasing, and name-calling; support the elimination of public weigh-ins and fat measurements.
  • Keep the communication lines with your child open.

For more information on healping to build self-esteems within yourself and your daughters, visit womenshealth.gov and girlshealth.gov. Kudos to organizations such as Fed Up, Inc. for putting such powerful videos together to get all of us to stop, think and then act.

Happy Women’s Healthy Weight Day and Week! (until next year!)

Angela Lemond, RD, CSP, LD
Angela is a mother of two precious children. She also is a devoted wife, entrepreneur and a woman striving to live the healthy life. As a Registered and Licensed Dietitian that is Board Certified as a Specialist in Pediatrics, she knows that knowledge is one thing….living it out is another! Follow her as she shares her tips for mothers and families as she learns the tricks of the trade combining knowledge with living it out. http://www.mommydietitian.com/

Healthier turkey chili recipe! Check out these creative options!

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As much as I love chili, it does feel like a challenge to make it so that it is not filled with sodium and saturated fats. This very creative interpretation of turkey chili is inspired by the wide variety of produce you can find around La Jolla, California.

Be creative, be healthy with turkey chili!

Thanks go to Jamie L., who knows her way around the chili pepper pods!

First off, with a recipe this vast, you’ll need a large 6.5-quart pot (Jamie loves her red Kirkland enameled cast iron pot!), filled  to about 80% of its capacity using ingredients listed here (keep scrolling!):

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 lb of Jennie-O lean ground turkey
  • 1.25 lb of Jennie-O lean Italian seasoned ground turkey
  • 7 strips of center-cut bacon
  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 2 large yellow bell peppers
  • 2 pasilla chiles
  • 2 poblano chiles
  • 2 Anaheim chiles
  • 5 jalapenos
  • 2 habaneros
  • 1 can of chipotle chili in adobo sauce (a small can)
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 3 heads of garlic
  • 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed
  • 1 can of San Marzano tomato, crushed
  • ½ cup of tomato paste
  • ½ bottle of lager beer (I used Shock Top wheat lager)
  • 2 cups of chicken stock
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 can of cannellini white beans
  • Chili powder, Pimenton de la Vera, cumin, coriander and cayenne
  • Pollen Ranch “Big Devil” seasoning mix (this thing rocks)
  • 2 ears of sweet corn
  • 1 shallot
  • 5 radishes
  • 2 limes
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 bunch of chives
  • Lite sour cream for garnish
  • Good quality med-sharp cheddar cheese, use as topping sparingly
  • 1 loaf of artisan bread w/ hard crust

Directions

Cook chili…

Cut stems off of all peppers (except habaneros), halve and remove seeds and ribs.

Toss with olive oil, Kosher salt and pepper.

Lay them out on a large baking sheet w/ skin side up (flat side down).

Halve 2 heads of garlic horizontally, put them in aluminum foil, cover with olive oil and fold the foil into a pouch.

Roast peppers and garlic in the oven (400 degrees) until skins on peppers are charred.

Garlic can sit in the oven a bit longer until done (you can usually smell them when well-roasted).

Throw peppers in a big bowl, cover w/ towel and let sit for 15-20 minutes.

Be sure to scrape off the drippings and burnt pieces from the baking sheet and add to the bowl.

Once cooled, remove the skins (I put the peppers on the cutting board, skin side down, and gently scrape off the flesh).

Chop peppers into small pieces.

Remove roasted garlic flesh from skin (either squeeze them out or scoop out using a small spoon).

Add roasted garlic to chopped peppers and combine well (garlic should not be in chunks).

Cut bacon strips into small pieces.

Chop habanero peppers (remove ribs and seeds), onion and remaining 1 head of garlic into small pieces.

Cook bacon until very crisp.

Remove bacon pieces from pot and drain on paper towel.

Cook onion in bacon fat until caramelized.

Add garlic and cook until golden brown.

Add ground turkey and season with salt, pepper and Big Devil (use judiciously to watch sodium).

Break turkey meat into chunks (not too small) and cook until browned.

Add bacon, habanero peppers, roasted peppers and roasted garlic and combine well w/ cooked meat.

Add 1-1.5 tsp of chili powder, Pimenton de la Vera, cumin, coriander and cayenne and thoroughly incorporate w/ rest of the ingredients.

Add chipotle in adobo, canned tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until everything is well combined.

Stir in beer and chicken stock.

Add beans (Drain off the liquid or rinse to reduce sodium) and combine.

Lower heat and bring to rolling boil.

Transfer to oven, cook in 225 degree for 2 hours.

Adjust seasoning as desired. Just beware of too much added sodium…you won’t miss it!

 

While the chili is being cooked…

Char ears of corn by rolling around in very hot cast iron skillet with a bit of butter.

Remove kernels from corn and put into a large bowl.

Chop shallot into small pieces and add to the bowl.

Chop radishes into small pieces and add to the bowl.

Add chopped chives.

Season with salt, pepper and a little bit of Big Devil, add olive oil, squeeze in lime juice and combine well and let sit.

Chop cilantro and grate small amount of cheese.

Slice bread, rub with a cut garlic clove, brush on olive oil and grill (be sure to make the cool-looking grilled hash mark!).

Serve and eat!

Add serving of chili to an earthen bowl (I have Japanese earthen bowls which hold heat well and keep food warm). Add a dollop of lite sour cream, cilantro and cheese. Grind a little pepper and sprinkle a tiny amount of Big Devil seasoning, if desired.

Serve corn & radish salsa and grilled bread on the side. Jamie says that she adds the salsa to top of the chili and scoops up everything with the bread!

Good luck with your next chili-making adventure!

Weather turns chilly, we think chile! (and that other kind of chili)

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The moment we started to pull out the Halloween decorations, is the moment that I can taste my mom’s chili in the back of my mind. Now even though we are closing in on Thanksgiving, which brings with it a host of other mom-inspired food traditions, we wanted to take a moment to share some ideas on the making of chili, starting with the chiles! A foodie friend has been raving about how simple it is to take recipes to the next level, purely by making your own chile powder. Or is it chili powder?! Either way, it starts with somewhat dried chile peppers, starting with the venerable ancho pepper.

Ancho chiles are very popular so you should have no trouble finding them at the grocery store. Ask the produce manager if you end up at a Whole Foods or equivalent, as they may have such a wide selection, you may need a hand in identifying all of the many pepper varieties. Select dried ancho chiles that are not too dry, as you going to be toasting them in the oven briefly. Somewhat moist and pliant, similar to dried fruits.

Toasting the chile pods – preheat oven to 350 deg, then “toast” the dried chili pods on a cookie sheet for about 6 minutes. They should puff up a little and become more fragrant. After they cool, remove the stems and seeds, ending up with strips or halves of the pod.

Making the chile powder – grind the chili pieces into a powdery consistency in a mini-chopper or blender/grinder. 30 to 45 seconds of grinding should do it. You can also consider using the blender or food processor to make more of a chili pepper puree, adding some water and some dark beer to create a paste that is similar in consistency to a fresh pesto, but with the peppers a little more ground up.

A note about chili meat selection – here’s where you can take a healthy step and make some substitutions. Steer clear of ground beef and try a leaner chuck roast with the meat cut into cubes. That way you can keep better track of your protein portions. Or consider using ground turkey as a substitute as it is much lower in saturated fat. The extra 10 minutes you spend on toasting your own chiles will take your chili creation over the top with creativity, so no one will miss the “tradition” of fattier meats. Good luck with your next pot of chili, and make sure you have fresh veggies and fruits by the side (reducing temptation to have another bowl!)

Post a reply or comment if you have any ideas or recipes swaps for a healthier bowl of chili!

DR. OZ SHOW! We have 3 gadgets to help you drop a jean size!

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Hello from Healthy Steps!  Yesterday’s episode of the Dr. Oz Show featured the Healthy Steps line of portion control kitchen tools.  Dr. Oz himself went over several tools that can help improve your eating habits right away.  The key to Healthy Steps has always been practicality….no extra spoons or cups to wash and no expensive food scale to consult.  You should try an actual 56 gram serving of pasta and be satisfied in a different way.  You should make it a habit to not go over a 1 ounce serving of cheese…even that seems like a lot if you really look at it.  And we have put an end to the “free pour” of salad dressing.  Try a consistent 2 tbsp serving size of salad dressing and put an end to empty calories and extra saturated fat and sodium.  But wait…..why are you still reading this when you could be watching Dr. Oz….go on now….click the banner!

(oh, and under the video on the Dr. Oz site are links to buy the products if you’d like!)

Healthy Steps in the Big Apple, Featured on Dr. Oz!

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Okay, we can’t even describe how excited we are about what is going to happen this coming Tuesday, October 25.  We made the cut!  We are going to have 3 portion control kitchen tools featured on a segment of the Dr. Oz Show.  Dr. Oz himself is involved in the piece, which will feature tools and ideas which can help you eat healthier at home and live a healthier lifestyle! Check back with the Healthy Steps blog often, as we will be providing updates right up until the big moment. This same banner is on myhealthysteps.com and when you click it, you’ll get a search tool to find the Dr. Oz Show in your area.  This Tuesday, the practical portion control benefits of Healthy Steps hit the big time in the Big Apple (love it, just like our logo).  Set your DVR’s, gather around the TV in your breakroom – this installment of Oz is going to be awesome!

Cheap and Healthy on a Budget: Recipes plus Tips!

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Here’s a collection of recipes and tips made to fit a busy family on a budget.  Special thanks to our good friend Angela Lemond, RD, CSP, LD for allowing us to repost this great collection of meal ideas!

“With the state of the economy right now, times are financially tough for many families.  Healthy, quick and family meals can continue inexpensively with some creative planning.  I like to call that “Budgeating.”  I sent a request out for cheap, healthy and quick recipes and I appreciate those who sent them in!  Here are a few feature recipes that you might want to try.  All of them are under $10 and serve four people.  Be sure to check out my cheap food tips at the end of this post.”

Chicken Tacos with Salsamole
Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD
Boston, MA

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of each: fresh ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, onion powder
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
“Salsamole” (1 cup salsa + 1 cup guacamole)

Directions
Heat the grill, or coat a 12-inch skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, combine the salt with the pepper, red pepper, thyme, rosemary, and onion powder. Rub the chicken with the salt mixture. Grill or bake the chicken for 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from the heat and let rest. Cut into thin slices and keep warm.  To make tacos, spread salsamole on each tortilla, top with sliced chicken and roll up or fold into quarters to eat.  Liz recommends pairing with a nice fruit salad.  I decided to pair it with fresh corn on the cob (cheap if you remove the husks) and some sliced banana and peanut butter to stay under my tight budget.

Recipe Notes: This original recipe is actually Steak Tacos with Salsamole out of Liz’s new book, MyPlate For Moms: How To Feed Yourself and Your Family Better.  But when I went to make the recipe, I could not find sirloin on sale.  So, I prepared it with chicken.  Consider modifying your old recipes or the recipes of others to make stretch your dollar.

Whole Chicken Crock Pot
Amanda Wendt
Trumbull, CT

Ingredients
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken (with pop-up timer if possible)
1 cup onion, chopped (optional)

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the spices.  Remove any giblets from chicken, remove skin and clean chicken.  Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.  When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot.  Add chicken. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make its own juices.  Cook on low 4-8 hours.  Serve with your favorite beans or rice.  Add a side salad to complete the meal.

Amanda’s Notes: I highly recommend a pop-up timer in the chicken because some crock pots cook faster/slower than others (my crock pot cooks this recipe in 4-5 hours).  And I typically serve this with brown rice or a baked sweet potato and a veggie…broccoli or zucchini are my kids’ favorites.  Or a salad.  

Scrambled Egg Pizza
Neva Cochran, MS, RD, LD
Dallas, TX

Ingredients
8 whole eggs
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup canned diced Italian tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup canned mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
non-stick cooking spray
2 tsp. canola oil

Directions
Heat a medium saucepan coated with non-stick spray and oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until just soft. Add tomatoes and mushrooms, turn heat to low and simmer. Beat eggs in a mixing bowl with milk. Scramble in pre-heated skillet coated with non-stick spray until thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Transfer cooked eggs to a serving bowl or platter and top with tomato mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese. I served it with whole wheat tortillas a bit extra cheese per person, and apple slices for dessert.

Recipe Notes: My friend, Neva, sent me this super cheap recipe (I priced it at $5.21 with the apple slices!) and it’s so easy for moms to whip up.  The original recipe called for whole wheat rolls, but I decided to save money since I was already buying the whole wheat tortillas for Liz’s recipe.  I also went ahead and used red onions and green bell peppers with this recipe since I was about to make the red beans and rice (see below).  When possible, take your whole week’s worth of dinner meals and modify the same why I did to save some cash!

Easy Red Beans and Rice
(this one is mine… Angela Lemond, RD, CSP, LD)

Ingredients

1 pound pre-cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 2 (15 ounce) cans red beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 (10 ounce) cans rotel tomatoes with green chiles
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cups cooked brown or wild rice

Directions
Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 1/2 to 6 hours.  Serve over hot, cooked rice.  Serve with some steamed broccoli sprinkled with lemon juice and a dash of pepper.  Serve with light yogurt topped with fruit.

Cheap By Food Group

Fruits and Vegetables.  My local grocery store often sells  10 bags of frozen vegetables  for $10.  The other day, they had a sale on canned foods where you only pay 26 cents for 20 cans!  You have to watch the sales and then buy in bulk when able.  But remember, frozen is about equal to fresh (sometimes fresher) on nutrient quality and low sodium canned vegetables and canned fruit in their own juices are just a close second.  You can often buy bags of beans for less than $1.  Consider searching out a produce co-op in your local area or visiting your local farmer’s market.  Locally grown produce usually contains superior nutrient quality since it’s farm to plate distance is shortened, and you get to support your local farmer.  If your funds are really tight, government coupons or WIC cards encourage for the purchase of produce items.

Grains.  Make your own breads!  Make your own pancakes by adding half whole wheat flour.  Start your day off with a big batch of steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot.  Purchase things such as wild rice, whole wheat couscous, brown rice and barley in bulk or in the bags versus the boxed varieties.  Cook them in large quantities and eat them throughout the week.  Add these grains with beans, top with a low-fat cheese – serve with a side salad or frozen veggies for a super easy and nutrient-rich meal!

Dairy.  Generic brands of milk are often cheaper.  Look for dairy items that are on sale. Blocked cheese is usually cheaper than the pre-shredded.  Purchase yogurts in the larger size containers.

Protein foods including meat, chicken, fish, soy, nuts, seeds and beans.  Bulk, bulk, bulk.  Remember that 3-4 ounces is a portion – decreasing portion sizes for each family member is a huge cash saving!  For seafood, shop ethnic grocers such as Asian stores, as they have a tendency to have cheaper prices.  Look for frozen bags and canned seafood on sale.

General Cheap Tips

Be Flexible. Maybe your favorite food items are out of your budget.  Remain patient and there will come a sale.  Explore other foods.  You might find something you like better!  And the more variety we have, they better nourished we are.

Plan Ahead. Shop for your groceries one full week in advance in order to avoid the eating out trap. Eating out excessively leads to both budget and belt busting every time!

Bulk and freeze. This will not only save you money, but will also save you time – two precious commodities these days. Free resources for doing this can be found at http://www.menus4moms.com/bulk/index.php and http://bulkcooking.com/. Be sure to choose the healthy recipes!

Grow your own garden. Again, eating on a budget demands that flexibility! What a fun thing to do with your children. Don’t have enough room outdoors? No problem. Many people are growing all kinds of produce indoors. Check out an interesting article found on Bella Online – The Voice of Women: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art15693.asp.

Brown bagged your lunches. Many of these components not only save you money, but they also help you stay on track with your healthy lifestyles. You can bag healthy food items that go on sale or even eat leftovers from last night’s dinner.

Be on the lookout for sales and good coupons. Grocery stores have weekly specials that can be found in a saver book located at the front of the store. You can also shop for coupons online at websites such as  http://www.coupons.com/,  http://www.couponsurfer.com/ and http://www.smartsource.com/. Consider taking a look at the coupons to help plan your weekly menu. You can search for recipes by ingredient at websites such as http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.gov// (under Recipes) and http://allrecipes.com/search/ingredients.aspx.

Posted by: Healthy Steps, repost of Angela Lemond

After-school snacking? Just say “yes!”

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Did you know that September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month?  In raising awareness, we thought we’d follow up our back-to-school lunches blog from last week with some talk about what happens after school.  After-school snacking can be a real danger zone for children and teens as they are developing life-long eating habits.

If your kids are like mine, the first thing that happens when they get off the bus and walk through the door is they head straight to the fridge or the pantry.  No “hellos” or “I’m home!”  Nope.  Common courtesy and I are the last things on their tween minds.  What is on their minds is their stomachs.

I totally understand this – it’s been hours since their lunch period, which in schools these days is more like 30 minutes.  And, hopefully, they’ve been burning brain calories ever since lunch.  When they get home, they’re HUNGRY.

It’s my job to make sure they have some healthy choices for after-school snack options that balance good nutrition and good taste and give them the boost they need to tackle the inevitable homework.

We found this terrific article from our friends at Hy-Vee called “After-School Snacking 101.”  In the article, their dieticians offer a lot of great ideas for healthy snacks and how to help kids develop good habits when it comes to after-school snacking:

“Snacking after school is a big part of a kid’s diet. Kids have smaller stomachs, making snacking essential when getting in a day’s worth of nutrients. Snacks should be tasty yet nutritious for kids, and simple for parents…”  Read the full story.

Hope you like the article and the expert advice from Hy-Vee dietitians!  And, if you happen to be near a Hy-Vee, stop by and check out our Healthy Steps kitchen tools.  There are a few that are perfect for delivering proper portions of your kid’s favorite snacks.  Do you have any great ideas about healthy after-school snacking? Comment here or on Facebook and let us know!

What should I pack in my child’s lunchbox?

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Once the Labor Day holiday is passed, then it really seems like it is “back to school”….time to buckle down on the household schedule, the homework rituals, family mealtimes and getting ready for each new school day without going crazy.

Here is some terrific advice from our trusted advisor on all things nutrition and healthy eating related – Roberta Anding, The Director of Sports Nutrition from Texas Children’s Hospital. Professor Anding has a rich background both as a clinical dietitian and a diabetes educator, so you can certainly rest assured that she has seen it all when it comes to young people and their eating behaviors.  Check out all of her thoughts that cover this back to school time of year.  But we’re going to start with what in the world can you put in your students’ lunch boxes and still feel good about it!

Many thanks to Roberta Anding and the Texas Children’s Hospital blog site for allowing us to share such wonderful words of wisdom for parents everywhere.

About Roberta Anding, Director of Sports Nutrition

I’m a clinical dietitian, diabetes educator, and the Director of Sports Nutrition at Texas Children’s Hospital. I am also the sports dietitian for the Houston Texans NFL franchise.

I was honored by the Texas Dietetic Association as the Distinguished Dietitian in 2008 and the TDA media award in 2006. I have developed a video series entitled “Nutrition Made Clear” for The Teaching Company.

I’m also a registered dietitian and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Posted by: Robert Anding

Take Healthy Steps with our Pedometer Reviews!

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We have all heard the advice on taking a proper amount of healthy steps every day, so we wanted to help your decision making with tips and pedometer reviews! The number that comes up time and again is 10,000 steps. Some days, you probably feel like you have taken 10,000 or more steps. But how do you really know for sure? Take along one of these ingenious pieces of technology and you’ll know what you accomplish in a typical day, plus you may find yourself setting some higher step goals in the days and weeks to come.

Getting into a little competition with yourself is a good thing!
Healthy Steps recently offered an online giveaway for an Omron HJ-112 Pocket Pedometer. In our research, Omron pedometers come up quite a lot, particularly in online reviews posted by those who have “field tested” quite a few pedometers with mixed results.

Healthy Steps selected the Omron HJ-112 based on a lot of consumer feedback and these unique features:

• Unique sensor technology allows the pedometer to be oriented horizontally or vertically
• Measures steps, aerobic steps, time, distance traveled, and calculates calorie consumption
• Attach at the hip, put in a pocket, or clip to a bag
• Easy-to-read LCD display and seven-day memory
• Comes with a detachable belt holder and security strap

We also asked our friend Angela Lemond, a registered and licensed dietitian in Plano, TX, to “weigh in” on the subject. Obviously, she has a lot of experience with pedometers as do her clients. This is a nice list of tips and other pedometers you should consider…to count all of your Healthy Steps!

Pick a decent model. Accuracy can vary widely, as can price. In a test of 13 pedometer models published by the University of Tennessee, researchers found that the Kenz Lifecorder, Yamax Digi-Walkers SW-200 and SW-701, New Lifestyles NL-2000 and Sportline 330 performed most accurately.

Wear it correctly. Holding the pedometer in your hand won’t do. Ideal placement is at the waist, just above one hip. Some models perform perfectly well in your pocket. What if your waistband is too thick for the pedometer? Wear it on your underwear. Just make sure the pedometer is secure. If the waistband is loose, steps are likely to be underestimated.

Below is a list of pedometers we recommend:

New Lifestyles NL-2000 $74.95

The NL-2000 uses a piezoelectric strain gauge and a research validated algorithm to not only accurately count steps—but to also detect the intensity of each step in order to determine the appropriate amount of caloric expenditure. The NL-2000 also computes your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

Yamax Digi-Walker SW-701 $27.95

While not as accurate as the NL-2000 accelerometer in determining the calories you burn each day, the SW-701 provides a good approximation of how your activity level translates into calories burned.

Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200 $19.95

Basic steps are counted accurately.

Kenz Lifecorder e-Step $69

In addition to the pedometer/step feature, Kenz Lifecorder e-Step measures the Intensity of physical activity and accurately records how much time is spent at moderate or greater intensity level activities. Thanks for the details here, Angela! 

The “Pedometers With Attitude” website has some pretty good deals on Yamax pedometers as well, so do some price double-checking. We checked prices on Amazon.com and ended up buying the Omron HJ-112 from there. Find all the Healthy Steps by Jokari portion control kitchen tools there as well, but remember to search “Jokari” in the home and kitchen section!