it's the most wonderful time of the year.

It's the season for fresh from the farm produce, and it makes my heart oh so happy!  This year for the first time we joined a CSA.  I've wanted to ever since I saw how great they were in DC a couple of years ago.  If you don't know, CSA stands for Community Share Agriculture.  You buy a share of the farm and thus support a local farm.  You pay a fee for the whole season [ours is 25 weeks long!] and you get produce once a week from this farm.  It's really cool because you're forced to try some things that you normally wouldn't [bok choy and swiss chard anyone??], but you also get some delicious favorites like fresh-picked sweet-as-summer strawberries.  The idea is that the community shares in the bounty and struggles of that farm-- not to mention the farm-to-table benefits, the delicious food, and the connection of knowing the family who grew the food you feed your family.  That also makes my heart very happy.  As you know, I'm a huge farm-to-table fan!  I don't think a CSA is right for everybody, but for my produce-loving, fruit and vegetable consuming family-- it's a good fit. 
 
We found a great farm down here.  It's about an hour and a half away from where we live, but it's actually very close to Tommy's work.  We pick up on Thursdays just five minutes away from our house.  Thursday has come to be my favorite day of the week! I so look forward to what we're going to get each week, and it kind of feels a little bit like Christmas each week.  [I know I'm a huge nutrition nerd but I can't help it.]

 

 Week 1's bounty!  Oh I was so excited.  I have to confess, I wasted some of this by not using it.  It makes me very sad but I was not prepared to handle all of this produce.  We got broccoli, radishes, bok choy, garlic, red lettuce, swiss chard, and strawberries.  Can you see how red and beautiful those strawberries are??!  Be still my heart. 

I decided we had to use everything we got.  I'm done being wasteful.  [That was before I wasted half this week's produce].  So I googled swiss chard-- I learned about it and I found what looked to be a decent recipe.  It was actually really easy to make and the recipe included garlic, lemon, and top it with a little sea salt.  Sounds pretty good, right?  Honestly, it wasn't half bad, but I'm not a fan.  We tried it with the whole family.  Yes, I invite my who family to participate in my cooking adventures-- lucky them!  It got a surprisingly good response.  Tommy actually did like it; I would eat it if forced to.  But we're all glad we tried it.  

 This pork, however, is the greatest thing I've ever put in my mouth.  Ever.  And so super easy.  I should post that recipe sometime soon. 

I added some produce from the grocery store to my red leaf lettuce to make the most amazing salad ever created.  I had never had red leaf lettuce before and honestly, y'all, it tasted like it was coated in butter.  It was the sweetest, softest lettuce I've ever come in contact with. Bet you didn't think you would feel so uncomfortable  reading my blog, huh? 


We're in week 3 now, and you know I'll be blogging about this A LOT.  Happy FRIDAY everyone! 

breakfast of champions.

Continuing on in the spirit of healthy dieting/weight loss, let's talk about the importance of breakfast.  I already feel like I sound like a commercial.  Sorry for that.  Seriously breakfast is so important.  It kick starts our metabolism, it gets the body going, and keeps us from binging later on.  Having balanced meals and snacks is key to successful weight loss-- breakfast is a big part of that.

Jack and I wanted to demonstrate a healthy breakfast.  My new favorite thing for breakfast is plain yogurt, and I add in fresh fruit and a little honey to sweeten it.  I don't need a lot in the mornings/don't have time to sit and eat, so it's perfect for me.  Jack's still going with the old standby-- the classic oatmeal and milk.  He wanted me to mention he has fruit, too.

My point with all this is breakfast doesn't have to be a huge meal where you sit and eat for 30 minutes.  It can be quick, light if you wish, and healthy!  Some mornings I would just have toast.  [Would being the operative word here, since I can't use my toaster since it's full of mouse poop.  And still sitting on my counter.  What's wrong with me?? ]  Ok funny story here, Tommy still was having toast, until I informed him the other day that I thought I saw mouse droppings down in there.  His response "well, let me go throw up and then I'll throw the toaster out."  Bless him. 



*there's mouse poop in our toaster because we left most of our stuff in our house in Maryland when we moved to Tennessee.  we didn't clean out the cereal cabinet.  four months later, mice had done a lot of damage in our kitchen.  although i had an incredibly tough first round inspection on EVERY SINGLE ITEM that came from that mouse house, apparently the toaster slipped through the cracks.

think small.

In light of yesterday's post on how inappropriate the tube feeding diet is, I thought I would do some posts of appropriate ways to go about weight loss.  If you read yesterday, then you know tube feeding should not equal dieting.  A good way to go about weight loss is to think small and realistic.  These are some of the biggest things to successful weight loss, in my eyes.

I like to tell people to make small changes that are realistic.  For instance, if you drink soda all day- don't say you are never going to drink soda again.  That's just not going to happen.  But maybe you could cut down the number of sodas you drink each day.  We all like for change to happen big, especially when it comes to weight loss, but that's not how successful weight loss happens.  If you eat out for dinner and eating out is what you enjoy, don't give it up.  Yes, eating at home is typically healthier, but if you aren't going to do it then don't kid yourself.  But do make healthy choices while eating out [which is another post in and of itself].

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These are just two very brief examples of small, realistic changes.  To some people they may seem to small, but they do add up when they are followed.  Once you get the hang of your first small change, you can take the next step to a bigger change and implement that in your life.  It's exciting to conquer small changes!  They provide motivation on the long journey that is weight loss.

what kind of diet is this?

I watch the Today show almost every day; it's part of how we start our day around here.  It's on in the background while we change diapers and pj's, eat breakfast, and pick up Cheerios from all over the room.  Yesterday I was shocked when I heard a story come on while I was unloading the dishwasher.  I quickly came into the living room because I didn't want to miss any of the story.  It is crazy.  Period.  

A new diet that is rising in popularity with oddly enough, brides-to-be, is a tube feeding diet.  These women have a nasogastric tube [meaning it goes in through the nose, down the throat and into the stomach] inserted and are given a formula through the tube for 10 days.  The formula is made up of protein and fat mixed with water and contains no carbohydrates.  The women get 800 calories a day from the formula and carry around the tube feeding pump all the time for the 10 days.  This costs $1500 for the ten day diet, and the average weight loss is 20 pounds.  After the diet is over it is up to the women to keep the weight off. 


You see, I've worked in hospitals as a Clinical Dietitian.  I was a Dietetic Intern in four different hospitals, so I've seen plenty of patients on tube feeds.  It's generally not an elected thing.  No one, I can guarantee you, no one who has a tube feed has ever said, "yeah, I walked into the hospital hoping they'd stick a tube down my throat and pump a gross combination of liquid into my stomach.  I really didn't want to eat so that worked out perfectly."  No.  In fact, I have had patients pull their NG tubes out right in front of me.  I have had elderly patients tell me they would rather die eating than be stuck with a tube feed.  Seriously.  Tube feeds should be reserved for very sick patients.  For patients who for whatever reason, whether it be a complication from cancer, an intestinal disorder, or an intensive care patient, cannot eat food by mouth.  It is ridiculous that people are seeking out feeding tubes as a method of weight loss.  This is an inappropriate use of nutrition resources and very poor medical practice.  Tube feeding falls in the category of nutrition support, and weight loss is not under the nutrition support umbrella.

I know this is a wordy post, and I know most people probably aren't giving this a second thought.  As a Registered Dietitian I am passionately against this diet.  Thank you for giving me a place where I could share my thoughts and concerns.



*Information for this diet was found here and here.

step one.

While I'm not boycotting sweets and treats yet-- it isn't even Christmas yet, I'm not the Grinch, I am getting pretty tired of eating so poorly.  I know it would be unrealistic for me to say No More Sweets right now, so my step one is to add fiber.

Every good diet needs fiber.  One of my college professors loved to say, "fiber is your best friend".  Fiber does a lot of good for a lot of body systems.  Fiber even helps fight against diabetes.  Pretty great if you ask me.  I am going to increase my fiber intake to start getting on track with a healthier diet.   Lasting changes don't happen over night, and I know that.  So I will start with fiber.  I know by having a goal of getting more fiber I will automatically increase my intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  I never recommend for anyone to jump-kick their fiber intake overnight-- that'd be rough!  Also, I am a huge fan of getting fiber from foods rather than fiber supplements.  Fiber from supplements does not have all the same benefits as fiber from food.

That's my step one. Sorry my post is so full of words and no pictures. 

those Christmas sweets.

I'm getting a little nutrition motivation back-- thank goodness!  My mind needs it but more importantly my body needs it!  I usually tend to avoid the holiday season weight gain and excess sweet consumption problem because of my food allergies.  At parties and dinners and get-togethers I avoid desserts because of my no-eating-dessert-out-because-it's-too-risky policy.  I am still doing that; however, there has been a lot of baking going on here at mom's house.  She is giving such a sweet gift to her employees of homemade goodies, and I have been munching on every thing she has made!  Cookies, cookie dough, peppermint bark...

Chocolate chip cookies 

Peppermint bark 

My body is starting to revolt...  need. healthy. food.  Still struggling with finding good foods and a good schedule for eating with sweet baby around.  Not wanting to gain back all that weight I just lost.  I will be working on getting a good basic meal plan together with lots of healthy options, and I will be back to share them!

taco soup.

My mother-in-law gave me a great taco soup recipe, and I gave it a try for dinner the other night.  It was so easy to make and very filling!

I love how healthy it is, too.  Lots of veggies and beans.  Low-sodium taco seasoning for less salt.  Low-fat cheese and sour cream.

Please excuse my horrible picture but I took this of my half eaten bowl. 

food and friends.

I fail at nutrition.  I fail at being a leader in nutrition, I fail at liking nutrition right now, and I fail at caring about nutrition in my life.  It's weird, but it's like I've lost my passion for nutrition.  I started this blog to talk about nutrition, and if you've read my blog for any amount of time then you know I don't do that.  Somewhere along the way I realized I was missing the passion I once had for nutrition.  Not sure if this is a temporary set back or if it's a bigger thing.  I think I will still like nutrition.  I liked my job before we left DC -- nutrition with the elderly.  I definitely like nutrition in terms of disseminating nutrition information to people who need it.  And I most definitely like nutrition in the community - helping those who need food, helping those who don't have access to fresh foods be healthier.  That was easy to find in the DC area... need to find that here.

But for my friends in the DC area please take the time to check out and help out, if you can, this amazing organization!  I had the privilege of working at Food and Friends during my Dietetic Internship, and it was an experience I will not forget.  To me, this is the dream as a community dietitian.  The people working here are amazing and they do so much good in the entire DC-metro area.  So while I may fail at living out nutrition, these people provide it-- every day, every week, and this Thursday they will make sure that all of their clients have a delicious Thanksgiving meal to enjoy.

found here 

[By the way, I have no affiliation with Food & Friends and have not received anything from them for this post.  I am just a really huge fan!]

fall food.

First real fall food of the season made it's appearance in this house last night.

Acorn Squash!  And it was delicious.  Love the rich vegetables and fruits that are plentiful in fall.  Love fall!

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This recipe is a great one, too.  Simple, sweet and delicious.  This is a really fun food for kids to help prepare and eat if you're looking for something healthy and delicious for the crew. 

confessions of a dietitian.

This morning I ran out the door and was running behind.  Besides the fact that it was after 830 and I had been up since 4 something, I still didn't have anything together.  Typical for me.  I used to be really organized and then it slipped, but it's going to have to make a come back if I'm ever going to get anywhere on time with a baby.  Anyway...  on my way to work I drove through McDonald's to get some coffee.  I drink decaf coffee these days because Jack is really sensitive to caffeine-- like he twitches if I even drink a Coke.  But my brain is so hooked on coffee that if I drink decaf it still does it for me.  I feel more awake just drinking coffee, plus it feeds my coffee habit that started in college.  So I had my McDonald's cup of coffee-- oh and while I'm confessing I should also mention that I got breakfast there, too.  Here's where the confession comes in-- I had a coffee mug in my car and came up with a plan to pour the coffee in there so no one in my morning meeting would notice that I went to McDonald's.  There are several things wrong with this.
1.  Apparently I think people are really interested in me.  Truth is I highly doubt they are and likely wouldn't have noticed.  
2.  I am a dietitian and don't want to sit through the morning managers meeting appearing like I condone McDonald's and eat there myself.  This was my logic, but the problem is that I clearly did eat there and I was so focused on hiding it I was going to put up a front.  
3.  Dietitians by no means have perfect diets, but of all of them, I am probably the worst.

I'm really tired so I apologize for this post as it probably doesn't make sense. 

my very first csa.

If I had to describe it in one word, it would be AWESOME {any How I Met Your Mother fans?}. Serious awesomeness. The people there were so nice! They walked us through and explained what we could get and encouraged me to taste the tomatoes. Little did they know, that was like a dream come true for me. Yes, I am a big dork. I wish I had pictures of us there-- me, Tommy, and Jack in tow, but I'm kind of glad I don't because who knows how weird I would have looked with my goofy I'm-at-a-csa-and-I-love-it grin. Here are some pictures {although bad and don't do the produce justice} of the goods.

Tomato and cucumber went in the wrap below.- so good!


Best corn I've ever had in my life! Until I had this amazingly sweet yellow corn, I thought the best corn was white corn. My world has been rocked.


And without a doubt my favorite take-home of the day. I was popping these things like candy on the way home. Tommy didn't get any, but I so loved the yellow, orange, and red!


We also made it home with a good handful of donut peaches {my first time trying these bad boys}, an onion, some red potatoes. 2 zucchini, and a picklin' cuc as my Mamaw would have said. The plums in the pic were too ripe, which was disappointing. Everything else has been awesome.



I know what we're signing up for in the fall. We missed the late summer share sign up by 2 days. Ahhhh!!!

diet... again.

I'm putting my nutrition knowledge into play in my own life again. Apparently my child is very sensitive to my diet, so I'm eliminating down to a bland diet. It's making me think about my diet a lot more than I want to right now. Oh well, we'll get it figured out, and it's just another way that I can relate to my patients.

This guy looks pretty happy if you ask me. He's so much fun!

chicken ceasar salad.

Do you ever have those meals that you could eat over and over again? This is one of mine! I made this the other day and it was so good! It just hit the spot and was so quick and easy to make! While the dressing is certainly not healthy the rest of the salad was full of good stuff, so we count this as a good meal.

Steps for chicken ceasar salad:
- Wash and tear lettuce then rinse and use the salad spinner
- Wash grape tomatoes
- Ask wonderful hubby to put chicken on the grill
{I got these thinned chicken breast strips. They were perfect for the salad and cooked in
less than 5 minutes on the grill}
- Combine lettuce, tomatoes, dressing, and parmesan cheese and toss until everything is covered with dressing
- Slice chicken strips & top salad with them


Enjoy!