Safe Cooking 101

Healthy food isn't healthy unless it's cooked well. And properly cooked food starts with a clean kitchen and the right utensils. Since I am a self-proclaimed food safety nerd to the point that I am actually "certified" in the topic, I thought a post on the "how to" of safe cooking would be appropriate.

So why should you care about safe cooking? Well, improperly cooked food can lead to food poisoning. Have you ever had a slight (or very intense) stomach-ache after a meal? You could have experienced food poisoning. Symptoms vary based on the type and amount of bacteria, but let's just say they are all unpleasant. Another reason cooking food properly is important is that children, infants, sick individuals or older adults are at greater risk for getting food poisoning because their immune systems aren't as strong. So if you're cooking for these folks, be extra cautious.

Almost any food can become contaminated, but the biggest offenders are meats, poultry, fish, milk and dairy products, baked potatoes, tofu, melons, tomatoes (think: salsa!), cooked rice, sprouts and garlic-oil mixtures. I bet a few of those surprised you. Make sure you keep these foods cold in the refrigerator, discard by their expiration date or (for cooked food) about 3 days after they were prepared.

A look at some of the "big offenders"

Here are a few important tips for cooking food well and avoiding food poisoning at home:

1. Wash wash wash your hands. Every time you switch from handling different food products (especially the "big offender" foods listed above), wash your hands in very warm (as hot as you can stand) water for about 15 seconds.

2. Invest in a meat thermometer. They are super cheap and available in most stores that sell cooking supplies. Using a thermometer allows you to test cooked meats to make sure they have reached the right temperature. Be sure to insert the thermometer deep into the largest portion of meat to get an accurate reading. Cooking meats to the proper temperature also prevents overcooking, which makes the texture tough and rubbery. Yuck!

Meet my friend, the meat thermometer. This is getting weird.

3. Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. If food has been sitting out for more than 4 hours (allowing it to sit at a luke-warm temperature), throw it away.


This has been brought to you by Tiffany Schulte, Registered Dietitian and food safety nerd :)

Small steps to big change

Change can be hard. Really hard. People are creatures of habit and sometimes those bad ones are hard to break. I talk to so many people who want to eat healthier but quickly give up because they try to make too many changes too quickly. It's the "go big or go home" kind of mindset. The truth is that changing all your unhealthy eating habits all at once is never a good idea.....and rarely works! Rather, it's about taking small steps each day that result in big change over time.

Let's start with the basics. What should you be eating each day? According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, eat at least 6 oz of grains (at least half of them whole grain), about 7 oz of protein foods, 2 cups of fruit, 2 1/2 cups of vegetables, 3 cups of low fat diary and limit oils and fat to 7 tsp per day. This would roughly equal about 1,800-2,000 calories per day. If you're like most Americans, your diet may not include enough of these healthy foods. The best way to start eating more nutritiously is to set small, attainable goals each day. For example, if you notice you don't consume enough low-fat dairy, make it a goal to drink 1 cup of low-fat milk with each meal. Or if your vegetable intake falls flat, aim to add vegetables to your daily snacks.

Despite being a dietitian, my eating habits aren't always perfect. My current "small" daily goal is to eat at least 3 servings of low-fat diary each day. It's one of those things I never did as a child and carried over into adulthood. By keeping my daily goal attainable, I increase the chances i'll actually follow through and not end up discouraged.

What is a small daily goal YOU want to set?

Granola Love

So things have been a bit busy in the Schulte family lately. We moved about 500 miles away and started new jobs. Meanwhile, my son decided to enter a new "phase" which involves significantly less sleeping and significantly more crying. Super fun. All this to say I'M SORRY for not posting in a while. But now that I'm feeling back to normal again, I wanted to share some fun nutrition info. So, here we go...

Let's talk granola. I love granola with all my heart. It's so easy to make and so good for you. However, most store brand versions are loaded with sugar, which kind of defeats the whole idea of the health purchase. For this reason, I usually make my own.

I've gone through a lot of recipes, testing each one to see which are best and I think I've found it. The recipe is adapted from one I found in the "Flat Belly Diet Cookbook". If you're wondering about my take on the diet itself - in short, it works because it's a calorie restricted diet. Pretty simple. The diet emphasizes eating more "MUFA's" (i.e. monounsaturated fatty acids). Say that three times. These are healthy fats that can help keep our hearts healthy. Granola is a great opportunity to boost your MUFA intake because it usually has ingredients rich in these healthy fats like walnuts and almonds.

This is currently my favorite snack. Yes, I measure the granola. One serving = 1/2 cup.

This granola recipe is chock-full of healthy fats like MUFA's. It's also a great source of fiber and whole grains. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

3 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup bran
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup apple juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup dried fruit of choice (I like dried apples, chopped)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine first four ingredients.
2. Combine apple juice and maple syrup in a saucepan, heating until mixture simmers. Our over oats and stir to coat.
3. Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so to ensure even browning. After granola is done baking, add dried fruit and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Nutritional breakdown per serving: ~250 calories, 7 grams protein, 8 grams fiber

Nutrition For Your Face

A healthy diet helps your skin look and feel great. When I became interested in nutrition as a teenager, I remember making the conscious decision to start eating healthier. Specifically, I tried to eat more fruits and veggies, leaner cuts of meat and more whole grains. Like most teenagers, lets just say my skin wasn't perfect! VERY far from it. However, after I started eating healthier foods, I noticed a significant improvement in my skin, which of course motivated me to continue the habit.

While healthy foods are certainly good for your body on the inside, they're also good for the outside too! Recently, I've been testing some new face and body scrubs recipes and I thought it would be fun to share one. Homemade scrubs are so easy to make and the ingredients are probably already in your pantry. The best part is that it's totally affordable and made from natural ingredients. No bizzare chemicals, just healthy, good-for-you things! Here is a super easy recipe that you can totally make tonight...

Honey Face Scrub

Adapted from Facial Scrubs

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp baking soda

1 tsp olive oil

Optional: 1/2 tsp essential oil (I like lavender)

What To Eat When You Workout

This month has been a busy one. We're making plans to move, change jobs and accomplish all the business that goes along with that. Even though our schedule has been hectic, I try to make time to exercise at least 5 days each week because it helps clear my head. I also feel like it helps me deal with stress better, which is beneficial for me AND my family!

To workout well, it's important to eat well. I like to have a light snack before and after exercise to keep my energy levels up and help muscles recover. If you're the type of person who likes to workout early in the morning (and I am not), try to eat before exercising even though you may not feel like eating.
Since our body primarily uses carbohydrates to fuel exercise, aim to eat a snack that is high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat.

This month, I did a 10k with a few friends and - much to my surprise - ran my best time yet. I credit training and a good pre-run snack of 1 banana, 1 cup of low-fat milk (which came in my tall latte) and a little caffeine about an hour before the run. It was a healthy, high-carb snack that didn't fill me up too much but gave me enough energy to cross the finish line strong.......and manage to win a nice prize! In fact, all of us did. See our happy faces?

Here are a few of my favorite go-to snacks that are perfect before a work out: 

1. Banana and 1 cup of low-fat or fat-free milk
2. 1 cup of low-fat yogurt with 1/4 cup granola
3. 1 slice 100% whole wheat toast and 1 tsp peanut butter
4. 1 medium apple and 1 oz reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

After a workout - and especially after resistance training - it's helpful to include a bit more protein to help muscles recover. Here are some some examples:

1. 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup diced pineapple on top
2. 1 cup chocolate milk and a handful of pretzels
3. 1 hard boiled egg and a handful of crackers

For more information about what to eat to fuel exercise, click here.

Cupcake Bliss

Hello.

So, this weekend I had a birthday. To celebrate nearing the end of my twenties, I decided to go out with a bang. A cupcake bang.

 

 
These cupcakes were so absolutely delicious, I had to tell you about them. The bakery - Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar - is no ordinary one. They actually won an episode of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Translation: Amazing. Cupcakes. So off we went, my husband and I to find these delicious treats. As we enter the store, this is what we see:

Cupcake Land!

While cupcakes definitely fit into the "rarely" food category in my diet, I still include them because....well, they're delicious. Here were our selections:

If you're ever in Santa Rosa, CA, definitely stop by this place. The service was great, the cupcakes were amazing and it was an awesome way to end my birthday!

How To Choose The Best Breakfast Cereal

Hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend! We have been very busy lately and consequently, a quick breakfast has become the norm around our house. Enter cereal. I don't mind this one bit because I love cereal. Who doesn't, really? It's probably one of my favorite things to eat. 

Simple. Easy. Healthy.

Thankfully, a healthy cereal with low-fat milk and a small piece of fruit is one of the best and easiest breakfasts around. But cereal has become a bit complicated these days. In a typical grocery store, an ENTIRE aisles may be devoted to breakfast cereal. This is confusing and can make choosing a cereal difficult. As if this wasn't enough, so many cereals contain massive amounts of sugar and other strange ingredients. So here are some tips for selecting the healthiest cereals for your family:

Look for:

• 6 grams of sugar or less per serving
• At least 3 grams of fiber per serving
• Whole grain as the first ingredient

Avoid cereals with: 

• Partially hydrogenated oils
• High fructose corn syrup 
• Artificial colors

Sometimes the health messages on food products can be deceiving. For example, just because a cereal box says “less sugar” doesn’t mean it is low sugar. Make sure to read the nutrition label to check if the cereal truly is low in sugar. Also, serving sizes vary depending on the brand. This information also can be found on the nutrition label. 

Happy breakfast eating!