Dates are a good source of fiber, potassium, iron, niacin and vitamin B6, and low in cholesterol and fat, with only 24 calories per date!  One serving of dates (5-6) provides 3 grams of dietary fiber, helping you satisfy your sweet cravings for under 150 calories!  Dates are also known for being a great natural source of potassium – three times that of bananas.   Potassium and sodium work together in the body to regulate water levels and heart function, so a good balance of these in your diet can help to keep your body systems in tip-top shape.  The sucrose, fructose and glucose in dates also help to contribute to its instant energy available from these tiny gems – perfect for workout fuel or just a filling snack!

Adding Dates to Your Diet:

• Select dates that are even in color and fleshy – avoid the dry, shriveled looking ones
• Did you know?  5-6 dates or a ¼ cup of chopped dates is one serving of fruit
• Grab a small handful of dates as some pre-workout fuel before heading to the gym, or dice some on top of your morning Greek yogurt
• Toss some chopped dates in your next baking adventure – add them to cookies, tarts, breads, or the classic date square!
• Try stuffing the dates (after removing the seed) with almonds or goat cheese for a new appetizer when entertaining

Mitzi’s Honey-Cherry Energy Bars

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup whole raw almonds

½ cup honey

½ cup dried cherries

3 tablespoons coconut

6 dates (pitted)

Directions:

In a high-powered blender, blend honey, cherries, coconut, almonds, and dates. Blend on high and stir as needed. Spray a 8 x 8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Put your mixture in the baking dish and flatten out bars with a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Have you tried dates?  What is your favorite way to enjoy them?

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

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One thing to keep in mind though is not to resort to using drastic measures like fad diets or taking pills for quick weight loss. Not only is this unhealthy, but it may also set a future of yo-yo dieting for you instead of bringing healthy lasting weight loss.

Tips:

1. Practice Portion Control: Portion control is not only eating a healthy balance of amounts of food, but also different kinds of nutritious foods. Remember that vegetables should fill half of our plate, carbohydrates should fill a quarter of the plate and meat should fill the remaining quarter of the plate. You can also eat 5 smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 big ones.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Vegetables can keep you from overeating by giving you a sense of fullness sooner. So have a big salad before lunch or dinner! Of course, the salads should consist of different types of veggies. Remember to eat different colors of fruits and vegetables.
3. Clean your pantry and fridge of junk food!: This will take away some of the temptations. Throw out anything that is unhealthy such as big bags of potato chips, candies, etc. As a substitute, fill up your fridge and pantry with healthier options – Greek yogurt, fruits (ex: berries), vegetables. In addition if we divide our snacks up into small individual baggies before eating them, we can minimize how much we snack – thus minimizing our caloric intake.
4. Drink water instead of sweetened beverages. Sweetened beverages contain added sugar and calories. Water doesn’t.
5. Make changes to your exercise plan: if you’ve been jogging at the same pace for the same amount of time every three days, your body is going to reach a plateau – that is, your body is going to get used to this and stop losing weight. So if you want to lose those last 5 to 10 pounds before your wedding, you can make small changes like

-Increasing the intensity (speed) of your exercise OR
-Exercise for a longer duration of time OR
-Exercise different groups of your muscles by doing different exercises like biking or swimming
-If all you’re doing now is decreasing your caloric intake without exercise added, then one way to lose those last 5 to 10 pounds is to EXERCISE

Congratulations!! Have a fabulous wedding!

Assistance provided by Rachel Yam

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Recipes:

Simply mix all ingredients in a bowl, let sit for a while (30 min to 1 hour) to let the flavors come together, and then serve!

Avocado-Mango    

• 1 ripe Haas avocado, diced
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ¼ red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• 1 tbsp jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Tip: This salsa pairs quite nicely with grilled chicken or pork!

Pineapple-Tomato

• 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup pineapple, diced
• 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Tip: Try serving this salsa with whole-grain crackers for a fun and fruity appetizer!

Watermelon-Mint  

• 2 cups watermelon, seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, diced (peel if desired)
• ¼ red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Tip: Add some diced feta cheese to this one for a different flavor, or swap out the watermelon for fresh cantaloupe!

Cucumber-Mango

• 1 ripe mango, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced (peel if desired)
• ½ jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Tip: These flavors work nicely with fish; try with grilled scallops, salmon or tilapia!

Corn-Tomato-Avocado  

• 5-6 roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 ripe Haas avocado, diced
• 1 cup of corn (fresh or canned & rinsed is fine)
• ½ red onion, diced
• ½ jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Tip: Make this salsa into a meal by adding black beans and serving over spinach salad or quinoa!

What’s your favorite dish to bring to summer get-togethers?  Let me know if you try any of the recipes above!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

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• Make the simple switches.  Traditional desserts have a lot of extra calories, fat and sugar added to them, but making a few simple substitutions can reduce these by quite a bit.   Try mashed bananas instead of oil, or whole-wheat flour instead of white flour.  Even Greek yogurt or canned pumpkin can be added to most dessert recipes!
• Find a way to include fruit.  Whether it’s apple slices baked with cinnamon atop frozen yogurt, roasted bananas with chopped nuts, or simply strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, fruit can always be part of a great dessert!  Make the focus on the fruit in the dessert, and you’ll end up eating less of the other high-calorie parts.

• Watch your portions. If you’re still stuck on your favorite desserts and refuse to give them up or make any recipe changes, you can still include them in your healthy diet.  The key is just to keep an eye on your portion sizes so that you don’t load up on too many calories at the end of your meal.  You can split restaurant desserts with family or friends, or even take half of it home to enjoy the next day!
• Swap milk chocolate for dark chocolate.  Let’s face it, we all love a nice chocolate dessert every now and again.  Why not make it the kind of chocolate known to have health benefits?  Dark chocolate is known to have antioxidant properties similar to that of red wine, while milk, white and other kinds of chocolate do not share this benefit.  As with all decadent treats, this doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want – try to keep it in moderation – but if you’re going to eat chocolate, make sure it’s the dark variety!

How do you include desserts as part of your healthy lifestyles?  I’d love to hear your tips – leave me a comment below and fill me in!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

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• Put spinach on your sandwich at lunch, you will get a satisfying crunch and it’s full of nutrients!
• I love dipping carrots in honey mustard… don’t say it sounds disgusting until you try it. Absolutely delicious!
• Celery with peanut butter (or any nut butter) is a great snack to silence the mid afternoon tummy rumbles.
• Instead of mashed potatoes, try creamed cauliflower. Same white color and similar texture, but the cauliflower is lower in calorie and higher in nutrients and fiber.
• Add shredded carrots to your tomato pasta sauce; carrots actually at a subtle sweetness to the sauce.
• Instead of beef fajitas, make them vegetarian (bell peppers, onions, etc). For protein, add some lentils.
• Swap the crunch of sour cream and onion potato chips with the crunch of sliced cucumber and hummus.

After some time, you will find yourself desiring vegetables because they make you feel so good! One extra piece of advice to remember: fruits and vegetables are important to the diet but so are the other food categories. Fat, carbohydrates, and protein are essential for body function. Be sure you are reaching your dietary requirements for each of the categories for optimal health, energy, and well being.

What are some ways you like to enjoy vegetables?

Research assistance by Kaylee O’Connell

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1. SWEET & SALTY SNACKS—POPCORN, CHIPS, AND ICE CREAM

They may be tasty, but you can be almost certain they are high in calories too! The problem with foods like these is that it’s far too easy to eat too much. When’s the last time you opened a bag of chips and only had a single handful? Chances are before you put them away you became a victim to a second or third helping. The best thing to do is stay away from these foods completely.

2. SODAS

Regular sodas are high in sugar, and that means they’re high in calories too. Most people tend to focus on the foods they are consuming when trying to lose weight and don’t even acknowledge the “liquid calories” that can contribute a significant amount of calories and slow down potential weight loss. For those who consume soda on a daily basis, sometimes cutting it out is all that is needed to achieve weight loss goals.

3. FRUIT JUICES

Fruit juices fall into the same category as sodas: high-sugar and high-calorie. I know what you’re thinking, “but fruit juice is a much healthier choice than soda” and while it may be a better choice it is still a high-calorie drink that many people don’t realize can contribute to a large increase in total calories. So if you can’t avoid it, think moderation. Only four ounces of fruit juice is considered a serving, so measure it out and try to stick to that amount. If possible, go for the real fruit instead of the fruit juice and you can enjoy other benefits like fiber that you would be missing out on with the juice alone.

4. ALCOHOL

Again, most people don’t realize that many times it’s the “liquid calories” that can really contribute to weight gain and alcohol is no different. If you’re like to have a drink or two after work go for a light beer instead or find an alternative that helps you relax after a hard day’s work—like a brisk walk or a good workout routine. This would not only allow you to get those same stress-relieving results but can also help you reach your weight loss goals quicker.

Research assistance provided by Robert Masterson.

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It’s All in the Preparation
First off, don’t go down the hall to the vending machine for lunch. These foods tend to be high in sugar, salt, or fat, if not all three. Instead, take the time to prepare your lunch for the coming day the night before. You’ll save yourself some money and be giving yourself the opportunity to make a healthier choice instead of falling victim to only what the vending machine has to offer. A win-win.

Take Your Time
Now that you have a lunch already prepared and ready to eat, take the full allotted time for your break to eat it. Don’t scarf it all down in 5 minutes. It typically takes about 20 minutes for your body to feel satiety, so if you eat faster than this it could lead to overeating and consumption of unneeded calories and ultimately, weight gain.

Eat Fresh
Great office foods should be portable and packed full of nutrition. Some foods that fit these categories include sandwiches, salads, yogurt, cheese, and fruits. Be sure to keep utensils in the office as well to make the office lunch experience hassle-free.

Are You an Office Eater?
Got any great office meals or recipes you’d like to share? Feel free to post them for others to enjoy. I’d love to hear them!

Research assistance provided by Rob Masterson.

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1. Choose your favorite herb seeds. It may be best to choose herbs from the same species because they have similar growing needs. For example, lavender, rosemary, dill, and oregano all need bright light, good drainage, and moderate temperatures. You can do some research on-line to find out which herbs are in the same species.
2. Choose a pot with good drainage and fill with regular potting soil.
3. Plant your herb seeds following the directions on package. Individual varieties of herbs may need more space or be planted deeper in the soil.
4. Place pot in an area that will receive at least 6 hours of sunlight daily (or according to the directions on the seed package)
5. Herbs need only light watering. Mist with a spray bottle every other day.

Need help choosing which herbs to plant? Here is a list of some popular herbs and uses.

• Basil: The sweetness with subtle spiciness is known best for playing a star role in many Mediterranean dishes. Its flavor is paired well with garlic and often used pesto.
• Chives: A relative of the onion, chives bring the same flavor without the harsh bit of the onion. Because the flavor is mostly lost in drying, fresh chives are ideal for raw consumption.
• Cilantro: This is very popular in Mexican cooking but is also part of some Asian dishes. Cilantro has a slightly peppery taste and is paired well with spicy peppers used in Mexican cooking.
• Dill Weed: The licorice flavor is typically used in pickling but is also popular for dips, soups, or over vegetables. Dried dill will keep for a few months if stored in a dry, dark place; the seeds will keep almost forever!
• Oregano: This spice is common in many types of cuisine: Mexican, Italian, Greek, and Spanish. Oregano is actually a member of the mint family and works well in soups, on vegetables, or to season meat.
• Parsley: As one of the most versatile herbs, parsley has a mild and un-dominating (but complementary) flavor. It combines well with almost any herb and is often added to plated dishes for ornamentation.

What are some of your favorite herbs? What herb combinations do you like to use in your summer cooking?

Research Assistance by Kaylee O’Connell

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Kohlrabi is low calorie (only 20 calories in ½ cup raw), and high in nutrients. A single ½ cup serving has potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. In the same serving, there is also 2.5 grams of fiber!

The name Kohlrabi is German in origin and means “ cabbage turnip”. The Roman Empire Charlemagne gave this name around the 9th century. Hindu cuisine came across the vegetable around 1600, where it became a staple in their cooking as well. Today, the kohlrabi is common in African, Chinese, and Israeli cooking.

Small kohlrabi, with a radius of 1.5-2 inches, is ideal. These will be the juiciest and do not require peeling. The larger varieties have a tough skin that should be removed for optimal taste. The greens should still be attached and have no yellowing (yellowing indicates lack of freshness). With the greens still attached, the vegetable can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Kohlrabi can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. They are great sliced up in salads, paired with a little vegetable dip or just plain. The stems and leaves are also edible; they can be incorporated into the salad. The leaves are a similar texture and appearance to spinach. Another way to enjoy kohlrabi is steamed or as a cooked vegetable in any soup.

Here’s an easy recipe for a roasted kohlrabi:

1 1/2 pounds fresh kohlrabi, ends trimmed, thick green skin sliced off with a knife, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic (garlic is optional, to my taste)
Salt
Good vinegar

Set oven to 450F. Toss the diced kohlrabi with olive oil, garlic and salt in a bowl. (The kohlrabi can be tossed with oil and seasonings right on the pan but uses more oil.) Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and put into oven (it needn’t be fully preheated) and roast for 30 – 35 minutes, stirring every five minutes after about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a good vinegar (probably at the table so the kohlrabi doesn’t get squishy).

In early summer, a great place to find kohlrabi is a local farmers market. I bought 3 beautiful kohlrabis this morning, and can’t wait to cook them up for dinner!

Research assistance by Kaylee O’Connell

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Strawberries contain many healthy components, including Vitamin C, anitoxidants, and phytonutrients. That means strawberries are filled with antioxidant abilities. In addition to its antioxidant abilities, strawberries also contain vitamin K (needed for blood coagulation and bone metabolism), manganese, folate (needed for protein synthesis and metabolism, red blood cells production, and DNA synthesis), potassium (maintains healthy blood pressure), pantothenic acid (needed for carbohydrate, protein and fatty acid metabolism), vitamin B6 (essential for healthy nervous system), omega-3 oils, magnesium (needed for energy production as well as proper functioning of muscles, arteries, and heart), and copper (required component of many redox enzymes). 1 cup of strawberries is only 55 calories. Also, 8 medium strawberries will provide 140% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids!

Picking Strawberries:
When you’re at the supermarket, pick strawberries that are firm and plump to the touch and mold-free (ick!). Strawberries are unlike other fruits – they don’t get riper after picking. The level of ripeness you get at the store is what you’ll be eating. Therefore, pick the strawberries that are already ripe!

Storing Strawberries:
Strawberries can be kept fresh in the fridge for several days. Just place them in a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. However, before you put them in the fridge, wash them one by one so you can remove any strawberries that may be showing evidence of being moldy. If you don’t, it might contaminate the rest of your healthy strawberries.

Some Fun Facts About Strawberries:

• The strawberry is the only fruit with seeds on the outside of the fruit

• Strawberries are a member of the rose family

• Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring

Enjoy strawberries for good taste and good health – put strawberries on your salad, in smoothies or just eat them fresh!

Assistance provided by Rachel Yam

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