Makes 4 Servings

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

3 tablespoons hot water

3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 red or white onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 hot chili pepper, de-seeded and minced

1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced

2 medium ears of corn, kernels removed

1 cup brown rice (not instant)

2.5 cups vegetable broth or water

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/4 teaspoon each: sea salt and ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

250 g (about 2 cups) fresh green beans

Put the saffron and water in a bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add the garlic and hot chili pepper and cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.  Add the bell pepper and corn kernels, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated in oil and vegetables, about 1 minute.  Stir in the stock, tomatoes, saffron with water, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, shaking the skillet frequently and stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Stir in green beans.  Continue to shake the skillet frequently and stir occasionally for an additional 25-30 minutes, until rice is fluffy and green beans are cooked.

Nutrition facts per serving: 348 calories, 12 g total fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 135 mg sodium, 55 g total carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein

BALANCE IT OUT: Paella is a one-pot meal that stands pretty well balanced on its own.  However, I prefer mine with a side salad for a touch of more green.

There is no denying that overeating is more than just a matter of willpower.  “We overeat because there are signals and cues around us that tell us to eat,” says Brian Wansink, Ph.D. author of Mindless Eating, who has devoted his life to figuring out why people eat the way they do.

Luckily, if you know what to look for, you can overcome the top food persuaders in your life and gladly stop before you have overindulged.  Here are some of the top tricks to stop overeating:

Trick #1: Downsize Your Dishware

The bigger the dishes the more you will eat and the bigger you become.  Fortunately this also plays true the other way around – the smaller the dishes the less you will eat and the smaller you become. Most of us have learned to eat until the plate is clean, no matter what size.  Wansink states that people tend to underestimate the amount of calories on larger plates and by switching to smaller plates, bowls, glasses, and silverware you will eat 20 to 30 percent fewer calories without feeling deprived.

Trick #2: Pre-plate All Your Food

My good friend Dawn Jackson Blatner calls this the table, chair, and plate rule – only eat at a table, sitting down, with food on your plate.  This means no eating standing over your counter mindlessly grabbing out of the bottomless bag of chips.  Why? Because you eat more this way and the majority of the time you don’t even remember the food.  So do yourself a favor and pre-plate all your food all the time, no exceptions.  You deserve to eat from actual dishes and will eat less and be leaner in the process.

Trick #3: Turn off the Tube

Watching TV and eating seem to go hand and hand.  The more time people spend in front of the tube the more weight they pack on.  Not only because this time could be used to do something a little more valuable, like exercising, but because we tend to mindlessly munch while watching TV.  Wasnick found that as long as the TV is on people will eat, hungry or not.  TV isn’t your best friend when it comes to losing weight but if you insist on tuning into your favorite show then follow trick #2 and pre-plate before you sit down.  Or better yet make your life a little easier and keep your minimal TV viewing and eating separate.

The more we can understand the triggers that cause overeating, the easier they are to overcome.  I highly recommend checking out Brian Wasnick’s book for more tips and tricks to eat more mindfully.

Love,

Renee

According to a recent survey done by the International Food Information Council only 12% of Americans can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day.  So I decided to write this to make sure that you are in the know with how many calories you should consume daily.

What is a Calorie?

A calorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a liter of water one degree.  But honestly that doesn’t even pertain to the average person.  To put is more simply – a calorie is just energy.  Our bodies take energy to operate and use up energy even when we aren’t doing anything.  Basically, the calories in food give us the energy to function.

Relationship Between Calories and Weight

If the body takes in (or eats) more calories then needed (or used) the extra calories will be stored as fat and the body will gain weight.

If the body takes in (or eats) fewer calories than needed (or used) the body will break down stored up energy (or fat) to operate and the body will get smaller.

If the body takes in the same amount of calories as needed to function then the body will maintain its current size.

How Many Calories Should You Eat?

Luckily there are many online calculators to help you estimate how many calories you should be eating.  Here are a couple of my favorite:

My Pyramid Plan

Mayo Clinic Calorie Counter

Note that most calculators will give you the amount of calories needed to maintain your current weight.  To lose weight you will need to take in less calories than you need so your body will use up the extra stored energy resulting in a slimmer body.  Either type in your goal weight for the calorie calculators or subtract 500 calories per day for a total weight loss of 1 pound per week.

I do not think it is practical for everyone to count their calories daily but having a general idea of how many calories you should consume is extremely useful for making sense of nutritional information and labels.  Knowing your overall caloric need for the day will allow you to know how many calories you should consume at each meal and help you chose products and meals that fit within those numbers.

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions.

Love,

Renee

Buying organic is a smart choice to reduce your exposure to harmful pesticides but spending the extra money on organic food is not always reasonable.

Fortunately the Environmental Working Group (EWG) gives us guidance.  Using data from the USDA and FDA, EWG ranked the most popular produce based on pesticide levels (even after produce was rinsed, washed, or peeled) which makes it easier to pick which organic foods to buy.

According to the EWG “people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 80% by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead.”  I don’t think anyone should avoid eating fruits and vegetables so a better option would be to focus on buying organic for the worst pesticide offenders then save your money and buy conventional for the least harmful.

Dirty Dozen – Buy Organic

Worth the Splurge

Ranked in order from greatest to least pesticide loads, these are the top 12 fruit and vegetables that are most important to buy organic.

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale/Collard Greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes

Clean 15 – Don’t Need to Buy Organic

Save Away

Ranked in order from least to greatest pesticide loads, these are the top 15 cleanest fruits and vegetables that are safe to save your money and buy conventional.

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn – Frozen
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas – Frozen
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi Fruit
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Honeydew Melon

Organic or not, eating fruits and vegetables is the best thing you can do for your body.  So before you get too caught up on the organic debate make sure you are getting the recommended three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits each day.

Love,

Renee

1.  LARABARS

I love these bars because they are made with 100% whole food.  Just look at the ingredient list and you will find ingredients that you actually recognize and few of them!  They have no added sweeteners and come in 19 different flavors including key lime pie, chocolate coconut, and my all time favorite cherry pie.

Recommended Serving Size: 1 bar

Calories: most bars around 200 Calories

2.  Nut Butter Packets (with Fruit)

Justin’s carries a fabulous line of individual peanut and almond butter packets.  This makes eating nut butter on the run easy and mess free.  Spread one packet of nut butter on a piece of fruit or celery sticks for a nutritious snack.

Recommended Serving Size: 1 nut butter packet + 1 piece of fruit

Calories: around 250 calories

3.  Home-Made Trail Mix

Throw some nuts, dried fruit, and whole grain cereal in tupperware or a zip lock bag for the perfect on the go snack.  Making your own trail mix is often healthier and almost always cheaper than buying a pre-made trail mix in the store.  My favorite combination is 3 tablespoons mixed nuts + 3 tablespoons dried mango.

Suggested Serving Size: 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup trail mix

Calories: around 200 Calories

4.  Peanut Butter Tortilla

I took this idea from my sister who started eating these years ago and has since been a favorite snack of my family.   Spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter) on 1 whole grain tortilla, fold or wrap, and pack to go.  My sister heats her peanut butter tortilla up before eating but of course this is not possible on the go.  This also makes a quick and super simple dessert.

Suggested Serving Size: 1 tablespoon nut butter + 1 whole grain tortilla

Calories: around 160 Calories

5.  Fruit

Being a dietitian I just couldn’t make a convenient snack food list without putting fresh fruit on it.  Obviously we all know fruit is healthy but it also very travel friendly since most fruits are already individually packed and ready to go – like pears, apples, peaches, and bananas.

Suggested Serving Size: 1 large piece of fruit

Calories: Around 100 Calories

6.  Popcorn

This crunchy snack is high in fiber (since it is a whole-grain) and low in calories.  Air-popped popcorn stored in mini bags or containers make a crunchy and convenient snack.  Eat plain or flavor with Parmesan cheese, spices, or nuts.  If using microwave popcorn then make sure there is not hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list.  Nature’s Promise Organics Plain Popcorn or Newman’s Own Organics Microwave Popcorn are good choices.

Suggested Serving Size: 4 cups air-popped popcorn

Calories: 120 Calories

There are plenty of other healthy snacks out there but these are just some of my favorites.  Just make sure whatever snack you keep on hand has an ingredients list that is short and simple.

Love,

Renee

Grocery shopping is no simple task and grocery shopping for healthy foods can seem nearly impossible at times.  Working with clients I see that most of the confusion lies in navigating through the grocery store and picking out the healthiest options.

Lets use peanut butter for an example.  A single item such as peanut butter comes in an array of different brands, types, and varieties.  No wonder we are confused about nutrition and most of us dread making a weekly trip to the grocery store.

Hopefully I can help clear up some of the confusion.  Lets start today by talking about nut butters:

WHICH TYPE OF NUT BUTTER IS THE HEALTHIEST?

There is not one type of nut butter that is healthiest.  Each type provides nutrients and there are slight differences in nutritional composition between each type but in the whole scheme of things this is pretty irrelevant.  We need to get away from thinking that one type or one food is superior to another.  They are just different – different taste, texture, and nutritional composition.  Remember Mother Nature doesn’t pick favorites and I don’t think we would be given so many different nuts on this planet if we were only meant to consume one particular type to be healthy.

It is more important that you know how to pick healthy nut butter than actually what type of nut butter you chose to eat.  So pick one that you like that is in your budget (some can get really pricey) and don’t listen to what anyone says about one type of nut butter being superior to another.

HOW TO PICK THE HEALTHIEST NUT BUTTER

The healthiest nut butter is minimally processed and closest to its natural state.  Simply follow these two steps:

Step One: Completely Ignore the Front of the Jar

I know this sounds crazy but trust me.  The marketing on the front of the jar is there to sell the product and that’s all.  It has absolutely no relevance in the healthfulness of the product.

Step Two: Read the Ingredients

Read the ingredient list on the back of the jar and look for a product that contains less than three ingredients and no hydrogenated oils, added sugars, or salts.  A nut butter is no more than ground nuts and you should look for a product that has just that.  I prefer to buy nut butters that have only one ingredient (peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc).  The fewer ingredients on the label means the closer the product is to its natural state and the healthier it is for you.

If you follow the first two steps you really don’t need to worry about anything else.  Products with the fewest ingredients will naturally be the healthiest for you.  However I have found that sodium content can vary between brands of similar nut butters.  Just make sure to compare labels and opt for the brands with the lowest amount of sodium.

Some of my favorites..

Here are some of my favorite nut butters (which are also some of the healthiest).  Keep an eye out though because these are definitely not the only healthy nut butters around.

Almond Butter:

Trader Joe’s Raw Unsalted Almond Butter

190 calories, 17 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg sodium, 6 g total carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 8 g protein

Ingredients: Raw Almonds

Once Again Almond Nut Butter

180 calories, 16 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg sodium, 7 g total carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 5 g protein

Ingredients: Dry Roasted Unblanched Almonds

Peanut Butter:

Smucker’s Peanut Butter Creamy Natural

210 calories, 16 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 120 mg sodium, 6 g total carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 8 g protein

Ingredients: Peanuts, Salt

Nature’s Promise Organic Peanut Butter

180 calories, 15 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 40 mg sodium, 6 g total carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 7 g protein

Ingredients: Organic Dry Roasted Unblanched Peanuts, Salt

Sunflower Seed Butter:

Sun Butter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread

200 calories, 16 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 120 mg sodium, 7 g total carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 7 g protein

Ingredients: Sunflower Seed, Dehydrated Cane Juice, Salt and Natural Mixed Tocopherols to Preserve Freshness

Cashew Butter:

365 Everyday Value Smooth Cashew Butter

190 calories, 15 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 5 mg sodium, 11 g total carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 5 g protein

Ingredients: Dry Roasted Cashews, Safflower Oil

I hope this clears up some of the confusion over choosing healthy nut butters.  Please let me know if I didn’t answer all your questions on this topic or if there is another food you have a hard time picking at the grocery store.

Love,

Renee

I love coconut water!  My favorite way to drink it is straight out of a young coconut but now days you can find coconut water almost anywhere.  Touting to be nature’s sports drink and the celeb drink of the summer this electrolyte-laden beverage is popping up everywhere.

But what is coconut water?

Coconut water is the clear liquid found in the cavity of a young green coconut.  Different from coconut milk which is the creamy liquid derived by squeezing the fatty white meat of a mature coconut.  Coconut water is anything but new and has long been a popular drink in the tropics where you can find people commonly drinking coconut water straight from the coconut.

Hype or Healthy?

Most of the buzz over coconut water is due to its electrolyte content, particularly potassium.  Electrolytes are minerals that help keep the body’s fluid levels in balance so that the body is hydrated.  Proper hydration is essential for everything in the body to run smoothly since the majority of the body is water.  Hence why it is so important to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

When water is lost from the body, electrolytes are too and both need to be replenished to prevent dehydration.  Most people don’t lose enough water or electrolytes that they really need to worry about specifically replacing them if they are drinking plenty of water throughout the day.  But for people who sweat heavily during activity and especially during these hot and humid months, coconut water may be a beneficial beverage to help replace the lost fluid and electrolytes.

So coconut water is healthy.  Of coarse it is – I think any food that comes naturally from the Earth tends to be healthy.  After all Mother Nature is a nurturer.  But use it wisely and when it makes sense – like during long hard workouts or in hot humid weather when you are prone to get dehydrated.

An 11 oz serving of 100% pure coconut water contains about 60 calories, which is fairly low compared to other beverages but will still add up if mindlessly consumed daily.  Also stick with plain coconut water, which has less calories, sodium, and sugar compared to flavored versions.

Lastly I just want to add that coconut water is a nourishing beverage but just like anything else it is not the magic bullet to optimal health.  Drink it if you like it to stay hydrated but don’t be mislead into thinking it will speed up your metabolism, give you younger skin, or detox your body.

Bottom Line:

Coconut water is healthy (I’m a fan).  Remember to:

Stick with the 100% pure coconut water or better yet drink it straight out of a young coconut.

Drink it when you need it to rehydrate not just to casually throughout the day. Remember it still contains calories.

Have a wonderful day!

Love,

Renee

Makes 3 medium-sized patties

• 1/4 cup dry rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1.5 cups)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons diced white onion
• Dash of hot sauce (optional)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a food processor, pulse raw oats and almonds until finely chopped.  In a medium sized bowl, mash the black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.  Stir in oat and almond mixture, grated carrots, jalapeño, onion, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.  Form into 3 patties.  Place patties on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once.

Recipe Note: To grill: simply cut the baking time in half and grill for 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition facts per serving (1 patty): 246 calories, 9 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 69 mg sodium, 32 g total carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 11 g protein

Sweet and juicy watermelons are one of my favorite things about summer.  These tasty summertime treats are packed with nutrients and low in calories (an added bonus during swimsuit season).  Watermelon provides vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and is one of the best sources of lycopene, a powerful health-supporting antioxidant.  Lycopene has been linked to reducing risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and shown to protect our skin from damaging UV radiation.  The best thing about watermelon is one cup contains only 45 calories.

While we are right in the mist of summer, when watermelon is at its best, it is essential to know how to choose the perfect one.  There is nothing more disappointing than lugging a watermelon home and cutting it open only to find an inedible mushy mess or unripe center so here is the low down on how to pick the perfect watermelon every time.

Watermelons don’t ripen once picked-so it is important to pick a ripe watermelon right off the bat.  This can easily be done if you know what to look for – pick a melon with these 4 characteristics:

1.  Symmetrical

Regardless if the watermelon is oval, round, large, or small it is important that the melon is symmetrical in shape.

2.  Creamy Yellow “Ground Spot”

Turn the watermelon upside down where you should find a discolored spot on the belly.  This “ground spot” is where the melon was in contact with the ground while growing and should be a creamy yellowish color.  If it is light green then the watermelon was harvested too soon.  However some seedless watermelons don’t have any spots, which is the one exception to this rule.

3.  Heavy

Watermelons are primarily water – so a ripe melon will be heavy for its size.  Pick up a few different watermelons of similar size to determine which watermelons are heavy for their size.

4.  Firm

Make sure your melon is firm all over with no soft spots, bruises or cuts.

Once your perfect watermelon is home it is best to store at room temperature and should keep for up to 7-10 days.  Always wash the melon completely before cutting open and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Make sure to try out my watermelon salad with creamy mint dressing!

Have a great week.

Love,

Renee

I quickly threw together this creamy dip for a dinner party the other night.  This fail proof recipe is super simple and sure to please.  Serve as a dip with fresh veggies and whole grain pita chips or upgrade your next sandwich with this guilt-free spread.

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon each: sea salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Blend all ingredients (except parsley) until pureed.  Top with parsley and serve.

Nutrition facts per serving: 84 calories, 3 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 110 mg sodium, 10 g total carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein