Stocking a Healthy Pantry

If you are just starting out a new healthy eating plan, a lot of times you can get overwhelmed with where to start.  I suggest as a first step to clean out your pantry and fridge and remove all of the foods that don't fit into your new plan.  Setting up your environment for success includes having healthy food options ready to go, as well as removing unhealthy options that may end up calling your name at 9pm on a Thursday night when you are bored and tired and just feel like snacking.  
Once you have cleaned up your pantry, now it is time to add healthy food options. Here is a basic list to get started.  I will be posting recipes over the next few weeks utilizing these healthy pantry items.  Tomorrow I will share healthy items for  well stocked refrigerator and freezer.  

Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

• Extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and salad dressings
• Flavorful nut and seed oils for salad dressings and stir-fry seasonings: toasted sesame oil, walnut oil
• Butter, preferably unsalted. Store in the freezer if you use infrequently.
• Reduced-fat mayonnaise - I like grapeseed Veganaise or make your own - recipe to come.
• Vinegars: balsamic, red-wine, white-wine, rice (or rice-wine), apple cider
• Asian condiments and flavorings: reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari if you are wheat sensitive or going gluten free, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, chile-garlic sauce, curry paste
• Kalamata olives, green olives
• Dijon mustard
• Capers
• Ketchup - Be sure to get one without high fructose corn syrup
• Barbecue sauce - again watch the ingredients - the fewer the better.
• Worcestershire sauce

Flavorings

• Kosher salt, coarse sea salt, fine salt
• Black peppercorns
• Onions
• Fresh garlic
• Fresh ginger
• Anchovies or anchovy paste for flavoring pasta sauces and salad dressings
• Dried herbs: bay leaves, dill, crumbled dried sage, dried thyme leaves, oregano, tarragon, Italian seasoning blend.  A great all purpose seasoning is Spice Hunter Chef Shake.

Spices

• Allspice (whole berries or ground), caraway seeds, chili powder, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon,coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric

• Lemons, limes, oranges. The zest is as valuable as the juice. Organic fruit is recommended when you use a lot of zest.

• Granulated sugar or xylitol for baking.  You can use stevia to add sweetness to dishes when not baking.
• Honey
• Pure maple syrup
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, natural and/or Dutch-processed
• Bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips

Canned Goods & Bottled Items

• Canned tomatoes, tomato paste
• Reduced-sodium chicken broth, beef broth and/or vegetable broth
• Clam juice
• "Lite" coconut milk for Asian curries and soups
• Canned beans: cannellini beans, great northern beans, chickpeas, black beans, red kidney beans- be sure to get low sodium or no salt added
• Canned lentils
• Chunk light tuna and salmon in water

Grains & Legumes

• Assorted whole-wheat pastas
• Brown rice
• Pearl barley, quick-cooking barley
• Rolled oats
• Whole-wheat couscous
• Bulgur
• Dried lentils
• Yellow cornmeal

Nuts, Seeds & Fruits

• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Pine nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Natural nut butter - almond is great, or sunbutter if you are allergic to nuts
• Tahini
• Assorted dried fruits, such as apricots, prunes, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, raisins (Store opened packages of nuts and seeds in the refrigerator or freezer.)

Be Sure to Get Your ZZZZ's - the importance of sleep for weight loss.

When working on losing weight often times we just focus on eating smart and moving more.  However, research is showing compelling evidence that sleep is just as important as food and exercise in a healthy weight loss plan.  

A recent commentary in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows this importance.  Researchers compared data across multiple studies and found a consistent connection between sleep and weight loss.  The more sleep the study participants got, the more effective their weight loss efforts were.  Some potential reasons for this is that sleep deprivation,which is less than 7 hours per night, can stimulate processes in the brain that regulate appetite and weight gain.  

Here are some tips from The Sleep Center at Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung:

• Avoid napping during the day; it can disturb the normal pattern of sleep and wakefulness.
• Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol too close to bedtime.  While alcohol is well known to speed the onset of sleep, it disrupts sleep in the second half as the body begins to metabolize the alcohol, causing arousal.
• Exercise can promote good sleep.  Vigorous exercise should be taken int he morning or late afternoon. A relaxing exercise, like yoga, can be done before bed to help initiate a restful night's sleep.
• Food can be disruptive right before sleep; stay away from large meals close to bedtime.  Also dietary changes can cause sleep problems. If someone is struggling with a sleep problem, it's not a good time to start experimenting with spicy dishes.  And, remember, chocolate has caffeine.
• Ensure adequate exposure to natural light.  This is particularly important for older people who may not venture outside as frequently as children and adults.  Light exposure helps maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
• Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine.  Try to avoid emotionally upsetting conversations and activities before trying to go to sleep.  Don't dwell on, or bring your problems to bed.
• Associate your bed with sleep.  It's not a good idea to use your bed to watch TV, listen to the radio or read.
• Make sure that the sleep environment is pleasant and relaxing.  The bed should be comfortable, the room should not be too hot or cold, or too bright.

A Starting Point for Healthy Weight Loss

I saw this video yesterday and liked it's simplistic approach.  If you are just getting started on your weight loss journey and want to know where to start, this video is for you. It is simple and basic, however it does offer some scientifically proven strategies for healthy weight loss.  Enjoy!

Dinner Tonight - Chicken Cacciatore

I love this recipe and have been making it for years.  It is so simple and has great flavor.  In the past because my kids aren't great with chunks of mushrooms and green pepper, I have also plated my husband's and my dinner, then put the remaining sauce into the blender and poured it over some brown rice pasta for my kids.  They love it and they don't even know they are eating lots of good veggies :)

CHICKEN CACCIATORE - adapted from Cooking Free
Serves 6

4 Chicken breast halves or mixture of breasts and thighs
1 Tbl olive oil
3 C. fresh mushrooms, halved
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 C. dry red wine
1 can (20 oz) tomatoes, diced
2 Tbl tomato paste
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbl water (if needed)

1. In large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, brown chicken on all sides in olive oil.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
2. Add mushrooms, green bell pepper, onion, and garlic to skillet.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Add wine, bring to boiling, and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is nearly evaporated.  Add undrained canned tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice, basil, sugar, thyme, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
3. Return chicken to skillet and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes - either on the stove top of in 350 degree oven.  Add water as needed if sauce is thick.  

Serve with whole wheat or brown rice pasta or brown rice.  

Calories 150 * Fat 4g * Protein 12g * Carbohydrates (w/o pasta or rice) 15g * 

An Interview with Dr. Melissa Hulvat

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Melissa Hulvat, Kalispell Regional Health Care's Breast Surgical Oncologist and One2One Medical Advisor.  I was interested to know more about Dr. Hulvat's mission to educate and inspire her patients and how her own personal journey has impacted this mission. Here is what I found out.

1)     What is research showing right now about the association between being overweight and breast cancer?  Research shows a compelling link between being overweight and getting many common kinds of cancer.  Also, weight strongly influences the risk of the cancer coming back in breast cancer survivors. Women who increased their Body Mass Index (BMI) by .5 to 2 units were found to have a 40% greater chance of recurrence.  Those that gained more than 2 BMI units had a 53% greater chance of recurrence. 

2)     How important is a healthy weight to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer?  It is extremely important and after initial cancer treatment, physical activity and a healthy weight is as effective as many of the regularly prescribed medications.  Healthy lifestyle combined with the best medical therapy gives the best chance of a cancer free future.

3)     How has your role in medicine influenced your personal decision to lose weight and be healthy?  Would you speak about your own personal weight loss journey?  As a breast surgical oncologist, my patients look to me for the best available advice and medical treatment.  I realized that my being overweight was a barrier for me to talk openly and honestly with my patients about the benefits of being physically active, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight.  It was suggested to me by my primary care physician to lose weight in order to alleviate some knee pain I was feeling.  I grumbled a little, but then realized that my extra weight was starting to keep me from doing the activities that I have come to enjoy.  I started with small steps and through changing my diet I lost 10 pounds.  I started to feel better and decided I could then increase my physical activity - and enjoy it.  Now, 60 pounds lighter, I have a whole new appreciation of my body and my life.  If I can use my journey to help my patients, the reward is even sweeter.

4)     What is the most important message you would share with people about healthy weight and choosing a healthy lifestyle?  When you have cancer, everything happens to you and you feel everything is out of your control.  Fight back and regain control by changing your body the way you want.  By eating healthy and being physical activity, you can have control and stop the feeling of being a victim of circumstances

5)     What are the biggest barriers you see in your patients with regards to their ability to reach a healthy weight?  I see motivation as the biggest barrier and I think you have to harness your motivation in order to take the next step.  Many cancer survivors feel that they have received a second chance at life when they beat cancer.  Use that motivation to propel you forward!

6)     What are some other preventative methods that people can do to reduce their risk?  There is nothing that can reduce the risk of a cancer recurrence to zero.  However, everyone can do something to lower the risk.  In addition to maintaining a healthy weight; I suggest:
-  being physically active 5 days per week for 30 minutes per day,
   not smoking
-  enjoying alcoholic drinks moderately – 4 drinks a week is probably okay, 2
   drinks per day is probably not
-  getting enough sleep to feel rested, which decreases inflammation and cancer
   risk
-  increased omega 3 fats consumption
-  normal levels of vitamin D

7)     What role does exercise play in reducing the risk of breast cancer?  Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, independent of a person’s weight.  A June 2012 study in Cancer showed that at least 10 hours of physical activity per week (this is exercise & daily activities like walking, housecleaning, gardening) during the reproductive and postmenopausal years resulted in a 30% reduced risk of developing breast cancer. 

The benefits of eating dark leafy greens are numerous, however many of us don't know what to do with these bushy, wet vegetables.  Here are two of my favorite recipes that incorporate a mix of these greens.  They are great as a side dish with any type of meat or scrambled eggs.  They can also be enjoyed as the main dish with some Quinoa or brown rice.  These recipes are from elanaspantry.com.

Simple Braised Greens

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces mixed greens (kale, collard, mustard, or greens of your choice) about 3-4 cups chopped and well packed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ⅛ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
2. Add greens stirring to coat with oil
3. Stir until greens are barely wilted
4. Add garlic, salt and pepper flakes
5. Continue stirring until greens are tender
6. Serve

Serves 1

Kale with Cranberries

• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Steam the kale until it is bright green
2. Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet, toast the pine nuts
3. Allow kale and pine nuts five minutes to cool, then toss together in a large bowl
4. Add dried cranberries and olive oil
5. Toss and serve

Serves 8

  

Simple changes in behavior can make a big difference to your weight.  This is the latest news from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.  Keeping a food journal, not skipping meals and eating out less often, particularly for lunch, helps keep those extra pounds away.  Another interesting piece of information that came from the study was that exercise alone does not cause much weight loss.  Diet and exercise is essential for getting the weight off.  However, exercise does help keep weight off long term and it helps prevent the loss of muscle, in conjunction with all the cardiovascular and emotional benefits. 

Welcome to the One2One program.  This new and unique program is being offered by Kalispell Regional Healthcenter and The Summit Medical Fitness Center. Centered around the philosophy of eating real food, exercising for fat loss and choosing healthy living behaviors, One2One is designed to fit busy lives and inspire life long change.  Unlike traditional one-size fits all programs, One2One's personalized approach is best for establishing and sustaining healthy habits, while meeting each person's individualized needs.  One2One weight loss is passionately led by a team of wellness coaches, personal trainers and Registered Dietitians. 

Are you tired of yo-yo dieting, feeling tired and having clothes not fit like they used to?  Do you want more energy and vitality, a lighter and fitter you and to make healthy living a habit?  One2One helps you achieve your vision of your best self.  Click here to see how wellness coaching supports your motivation to make changes.