Baked Artichoke Chicken

 

I experimented on my family this weekend with this new recipe and they loved it.  I had anticipated crinkled noses and lots of yucks, however what I got was "wow, this is really good and the chicken is so yummy".  From my perspective, this was also really, really easy and I served it with steamed broccoli and some spagetti squash.  The picture shows chicken with the skin on, however I omitted the skin for a healthier version.  Enjoy!!

 

Baked Artichoke Chicken: (adapted from ABC The Chew)

2 lbs. chicken cut into large pieces (I used 1 lb skinless thighs and 1lb skinless breasts)
1 cup artichoke hearts, halved (canned is fine)
1 medium onion, cut into pieces same size as the artichokes
1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)
2 tablespoons brown mustard
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
kosher salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 370F

Place artichokes, onions and mushrooms on the bottom of a big pan.
Place chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
Mix the mustard with the rest of the ingredients and pour over chicken.
Season w/ kosher salt & pepper.

Bake about 1 hour, basting the pieces once or twice.

Rethinking Your Snack Bars

Do you really want to eat these ingredients?

Most of us have very busy lives between work, school, family and fun.  It is challenging to make the time to prepare balanced healthy foods and we tend to buy granola bars, protein bars or snack food items at Costco or the grocery store.  While this seems like a great idea to get a good snack with protein and good taste (and it certainly is a better choice than not eating), if you really look at the ingredients list, these bars are definitely not close to a whole foods product.  Here is just a sample of the ingredients from one commonly eaten bar:

Roasted Peanuts, Soy Protein Isolate, Chicory Root Extract, Sugar, Vegetable Oils (Palm, Kernel, Palm, Canola, Peanut), Whey Protein Concentrate, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Cocoa, Fructose, Peanut Butter (Peanuts, Salt), Vegetable Glycerin, Rice Starch, Honey, Rice Maltodextrin, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor. Contains Peanut, Soy And Milk Ingredients.

The ingredients list above is very far from whole foods, has highly processed fats, corn syrup and artificial fructose - Yuck!

I challenge you this week to try out one of these healthy, well balanced snack bar recipes!  Each of these is portable, tastes great and is free from bad fats, fake sugars and processed fillers from corn and soy.  

Emily Granola Bars This is a great granola bar that my daughter loves – hence the name.  These are crunchy bars and would need to be paired with a good protein for a wholesome, balance snack.

2 tbsp - ALMONDS, RAW ( I used sliced raw almonds because it’s easier on my food processor) 0.25 tsp - BAKING SODA 1 tsp - CINNAMON, GROUND 3 tbsp - HONEY 0.08 CUP - MAPLE SYRUP 1.5 cup - OATS, ROLLED, DRY, BOBS REDMILL 3 tbsp - OIL, GRAPESEED (or you can use the vegetable oil of your choice) 2 tbsp - SUGARS,GRANULATED Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  In  a food processor, using the metal blade, process almonds until in small bits and pieces.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oats, sugar, cinnamon and baking soda.  In food processor combine the oil, honey and maple syrup.  Process until well blended, about 30 seconds.  Add the dry ingredients in 2 batches to the food processor, processing each time you add, until well combined.  Transfer mixture to bowl – now you can add any extras – mini chocolate chips, dried fruit etc.  Use a large spoon to spoon 12 cookie size servings onto the cookie sheet.  Bake on middle rack of oven for 25-30 minutes.  When done, remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes to cool – this way they set and don’t fall apart.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Number of Servings: 12; Calories Per Serving: 121 Protein Per Serving: 2g; Carbohydrates Per Serving: 17g Fat Per Serving: 5g; Sugar Per Serving: 9g Sodium Per Serving: 26mg; Fiber Per Serving: 2g

Chocolate Yam Protein Bars This is a good combo of protein/carbs/fats, and can be a 'meal in a bar' in a pinch. Feel free to sub out spices, flours, and sweeteners to suit your individual circumstances. Using 2 tsp baking soda per the recipe creates a more cakelike texture, while reducing to 1 - 1.5 tsp creates a denser, more brownie like texture that holds up better for travel.

1/2 cup - ALMOND FLOUR 1.5 CUP – UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE 2 tsp - BAKING SODA 1/4 cup - CAROB POWDER 1 tbsp - CINNAMON 1/4 cup - COCONUT FLOUR 1 whole EGG 6 scoop – CHOCOLATE PROTEIN POWDER* (can substitute plain or vanilla as well) ½ cup - HONEY 1 tbsp - VANILLA EXTRACT 1.3 pound – YAMS, BAKED IN SKIN AND PEELED

Bake, peel, and mash yams. Add remaining ingredients to mashed yams and mix well. Add mixture to a lightly greased 9x11 baking pan, and bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Number of Servings: 12; Calories Per Serving: 244 Protein Per Serving: 17g; Carbohydrates Per Serving: 35g; Fat Per Serving: 4g Sugar Per Serving: 17g; Sodium Per Serving: 244mg; Fiber Per Serving: 6g

Oatmeal Protein Bars Home-made protein bars - really great for travel or an alternative breakfast! One bar is huge satisfying. Even your kids will love them. You can add anything to them; dried fruit, cinnamon, nuts or seeds... Any type of milk will work. Could also substitute the applesauce with really ripe bananas(super mushy ripe).

3/4 cup - ALMOND BUTTER 1 cup – UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 1 cup - APPLESAUCE UNSWEETENED 2 – LARGE EGG WHITES 4.5 – PROTEIN POWDER* – FLAVOR IS YOUR CHOICE 3 cup – ROLLED OATS 2.5 tsp - BAKING POWDER

Combine all ingredients; pour into 9X11 or two 9x9 (8x8) pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. Really watch the time and don't over-bake as they will get dry. If doing in two smaller pans they only need about 25 minutes in the oven. Once cool, cut, wrap place in fridge.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Number of Servings: 8; Calories Per Serving: 342 Protein Per Serving: 25g; Carbohydrates Per Serving: 29g Fat Per Serving: 14g; Sugar Per Serving: 6g Sodium Per Serving: 224mg; Fiber Per Serving: 7g *When choosing a protein powder, the same principle applies.  The fewer the ingredients the better.  Our new Summit at Home Proshop and Cafe now sells Hammer Protein, which is a very clean protein powder.  They have a whey protein powder (from dairy), or a vegan option (from vegetable protein sources).  Members also receive a discount!

Choosing the right Chocolate for Valentine's Day

Giving and receiving chocolate is a Valentine’s tradition that everyone enjoys. Choosing the right chocolate will not only give pleasure but benefit your loved one’s heart and stress levels and your own as well.

Antioxidants in Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Protect the Heart. 

Pure chocolate, made from cocoa beans, is rich in flavanol, an antioxidant that may help protect arteries from damage, maintain healthy blood flow and fend off heart disease.

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain the highest levels of flavanol. A Swedish study published in 2009 showed that people who ate chocolate regularly over the 12 months before their first heart attack, recovered better than patients who never or seldom ate chocolate.

 “Chocolate consumption was associated with lower cardiac mortality in a dose dependent manner in patients free of diabetes surviving their first AMI (heart attack),” the researchers from the Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, reported.

While the chocolate eaters enjoyed better cardiac health, participants in the study who didn’t eat chocolate but ate other kinds of confectionery, gained no benefit.

The benefits of eating chocolate lasted up to eight years, the researchers noted, and this could be due to the fact that that eating dark chocolate hs been shown to lower blood pressure.

Dark Chocolate is the Key

All the studies looking at the beneficial effects of chocolate have been based on dark chocolate. Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain the highest levels of flavanol and other antioxidants, apparently responsible for the heart protective and stress-busting effects.

But these health benefits are reduced considerably when pure chocolate is processed and ingredients such as sugar, milk and butter are added, as is the case in most candies and candy bars.

Not only that, but the extra fat and sugar levels can contribute to unwanted weight gain.

However, there are good brands of organic, fair trade dark chocolate available, including ones containing up to 80% cocoa. Consuming these would not only improve the health of those who receive such gifts, but assist the economic health of the growers and producers of organic dark chocolate and cocoa.  You can find good chocolate at a local health food store or Super 1 Foods.  Good brands to try are Endangered Species, Theo or Dagoba. The larger chocolate manufacturers like Hersheys or Nestles tends to add emulsifiers, soy lecithin, milk fat and artificial flavors to their chocolate, which causes them to do more harm than good. 

Cocoa itself is full of antioxidants, and while it might be rather dull just to drink hot cocoa on Valentine’s Day, hot chocolate made with real dark chocolate is a dreamy, melt-in the mouth sensation that could enhance your healthy Valentine’s celebration.

Have Fun!

Emotional Eating - Part 2

by Karen Dion, One2One Wellness Coach

In our first segment on Emotional Eating, I introduced the topic and described the differences between eating for emotions or eating for hunger.  Part 2 gives you a tool to determine if you are an emotional eater and to what extent.  Fill out this quiz and stay tuned to Part 3 for more information:

For each item, record the scale number that best reflects your current lifestyle.

0 = Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, 4 = Almost Always

1. I feel out of control of my eating.

2. My hunger tends to come on very suddenly.

3. I find myself craving certain types of foods.

4.  I often stand in front of an open fridge, wondering what to eat.

5. I feel like snacking when I get stressed or am upset about something.

6. Food gives me a lift when I’m feeling down.

7. Food helps calm me when I’m feeling tense or wound up.

8. Outside mealtimes, I feel the urge to eat at certain times of the day.

9. Even when I am full, I often do not feel satisfied.

10. Unpleasant feelings like sadness, anger, and frustration are reduced while I am eating.

11. I feel guilty and/or ashamed about what I have just eaten.

12. I often describe food and eating using emotionally charged words.

13. It feels like I seek solace in food.

14. I often eat to the point of physical discomfort.

15. I use food as a source of pleasure or a reward.

16. I eat when I am not physically hungry.

17. I often overeat after denying myself certain foods.

18. I feel ashamed of my eating and myself.

19. I find myself snacking when I am happy.

20. I am preoccupied by thoughts of food.

21. Eating reduces a feeling of emptiness I have inside of me.

22. I am often surprised at how much I have eaten.

23. I try, but fail to lose weight and keep it off.

24. Once I start eating certain foods, I find it difficult to stop.

25. My behavior with respect to food and eating causes me significant distress.

SCORE:______________

 Interpretation:

·        0-25  No or little emotional eating: Your weight management efforts should be relatively uncomplicated by emotional issues.

·        26-50  Mild emotional eating: You may experience difficulty achieving weight management goals due to emotional obstacles.

·        51-75  Moderate emotional eating: You will probably encounter emotional obstacles to healthy weight management and should consider being coached.

·        76-100  Severe emotional eating: Significant obstacles exist to healthy weight management, and coaching is strongly recommended.

Emotional Eating - Part 1

By Karen Dion, One2One Wellness Coach

Many of us who struggle with our weight have had the unpleasant realization that we had eaten a half bag of chips or container of ice cream after a hard day at the office or a difficult conversation with a loved one.   We may have been eating a healthy diet for the past week and are suddenly derailed, or this might be a regular pattern of eating for us.  Either way, we certainly didn’t plan to eat a day’s worth of calories in one mindless sitting~ so what happened?

This is an example of what is called emotional eating. Emotional eating is when we eat not for physiological hunger, but as a way to soothe or suppress negative emotions such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness, or loneliness. Both major life events and the hassles of daily life can trigger negative emotions that lead to emotional eating.  Sometimes your emotions may be so tied to your eating habits that you automatically reach for your favorite comfort foods whenever you’re angry or stressed without even realizing it. 

Whatever emotions drive you to mindlessly overeat, the end result is often the same.  The emotions are still there, but now you have the additional guilt associated with overeating, which can lead to an unhealthy cycle~ your emotions trigger you to overeat, you beat yourself up for it, you feel even worse, and overeat again. 

So, how can you tell if you are eating because you are hungry or for emotional reasons?  Below are some of the differences between physical and emotional hunger:

 1. Emotional hunger comes on suddenly while physical hunger develops slowly. Physical hunger begins with a tummy rumble, then it becomes a stronger grumble, and finally it evolves into hunger pangs, but it’s a slow process, very different from emotional hunger, which has a sudden, dramatic onset.

2. Unlike physical hunger, emotional hunger demands food immediately, and it wants immediate satisfaction. Physical hunger, on the other hand, will wait for food.

3. A difference between physical and emotional hunger involves mindfulness. To satisfy physical hunger, you normally make a deliberate choice about what you consume, and you maintain awareness of what you eat. You notice how much you put in your mouth so that you can stop when you’re full. In contrast, emotional hunger rarely notices what’s being eaten. If you have emotional hunger, you’ll want more food even after you’re stuffed.

4. Emotional hunger often demands particular foods in order to be fulfilled. If you’re physically hungry, even carrots will look delicious. If you’re emotionally hungry, however, only cake or ice cream or your particular preferred indulgence will seem appealing.

5. Emotional hunger often results in guilt or promises to do better next time. Physical hunger has no guilt attached to it because you know you ate in order to maintain health and energy.

6. Emotional hunger results from some emotional trigger. Physical hunger results from a physiological need.

In part 2 of this series, I will offer you some questions that will help you determine to what extent emotional eating is a problem for you, and in part 3 I will offer some ways in which you can overcome emotional eating.

 

Enchilada Chicken Stew

I made this recipe last Sunday in my crock pot.  It was so yummy and I ate it all week.  My family even enjoyed it for dinner on Sunday - which is quite the feat to get my husband and 2 teenage daughters to all like a meal that I have made.  This is easy and fills your home with good smells.  Serve over brown rice, cauliflower rice or romaine lettuce.

2 lbs chicken breasts (I used 1/2 breasts 1/2 thighs to add a little more flavor)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 oz canned jalapenos
4 oz can of diced green chiles
1 Tbl olive oil
14 oz can diced tomato, low sodium
7 oz can of tomato sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbl chili powder, sodium free
2 tsp dried oregano
bundle of cilantro, to garnich
avocado, to garnish

Pull out your handy dandy crock pot and add chicken, then remaining
ingredients on top, in any order.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8 hours.  When done cooking use 2 forks to shred the chicken.  Serve topped with cilantro and avocado.

How Sweet It Is!

By Pat Dickey, KRH and One2One Registered Dietitian

When you read labels, you will notice that there is a listing for “total carbohydrate” and a secondary listing below that for “sugar.”  If you read the label on milk or if a piece of fresh fruit were labeled, you would see “sugar” on the label.  Does this mean they have sugar added to them?  No, what it means is that they have naturally occurring sugars (lactose in milk and fructose in fruit) as part of their make up.  These foods not only contain natural sugar, but also provide a considerable number of other important nutrients that contribute to good health.  “Added Sugars” on the other hand, are sugars and syrups that are put into the food when they are processed or prepared.  Foods with added sugars contribute few nutrients while increasing calorie intakes which can lead to weight gain and obesity.
 
The major sources of added sugars are regular soft drinks, sugars, candy, cakes, cookies, pies and fruit drinks (fruitades and fruit punch).  Dairy desserts such as ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened condensed milk along with sweetened cereals also contribute a fair amount of added sugar and therefore, extra calories to the diet. Many of us consume more sugar than we realize so it is important to be aware of how much added sugar we take in.  To see if a processed food has added sugars, you will need to look at the ingredient list.  Ingredients are listed by weight so items near the top of the list are going to be in the largest amount in the product.  Be watchful for words ending in “ose” which signify the presence of sugar (sucrose, maltose, etc.) and also for other sugar “aliases” such as maltodextrin, syrup, honey, molasses, corn sweetener, raw sugar, sorghum, or dehydrated cane juice.

How much is just right?  It is recommended that women limit their intake of added sugars to 100 calories or less per day which translates into about 6 teaspoons of sugar.  For men, it’s about 150 calories per day or the equivalent of  about 9 teaspoons of sugar.  This may sound like a lot of added sugar but keep in mind, one 12-ounce regular soft drink contains the equivalent of eight to ten teaspoons of added sugar with zero nutrition except calories. And, if you sweeten your beverages such as coffee or tea with sugar, the teaspoons can add up fast!  Being “added sugar” aware can certainly pay off in reducing calorie intakes and improving the quality of your diet.   

The Vitamin You Need to Watch This Winter

By: Melinda Hershey from Spark People : 1/12/2013

Winter is in full force, and you might be experiencing a lot of overcast days in your part of the world—which could be having an effect on your body's supply of vitamin D. Often called ''the sunshine vitamin,'' vitamin D can be synthesized by the body when we get enough exposure to sunlight. However, in the colder months when sun isn't as readily available, we sometimes have to rely a little more on nutrition to meet our daily vitamin D quotas.

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for bone health, as it promotes the absorption of calcium, and some studies even show that it could help prevent cancer. Obviously, vitamin-D milk is a good source of vitamin D, but salmon has also been said to have a hefty amount of the important nutrient. Which do you think contains more of the ''sunshine vitamin'': A 3-ounce portion of cooked sockeye salmon, or 1 cup of nonfat, vitamin-D fortified milk?

The Winner: Salmon!

Just 3 ounces of cooked salmon contains 112% of your daily quota for vitamin D! One cup of milk only has 29-31% of your daily value. For more great sources of vitamin D, check out the information below from the National Institutes of Health.

Food	Percent Daily Value of Vitamin D
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon	340
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces	142
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces	112
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces	39
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup	34
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup	29-31
Soy milk, enriched, 1 cup	25
Rice milk, enriched, 1 cup	25
Almond milk, 1 cup	25
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces	20
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon	15
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines	12
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces	11
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk)	10
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup	10

12 Unexpected Reasons to Drink More Water

With the holidays finally behind us and healthy habits on our minds, many are trading pitchers of beer for glasses of water. Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution to drink more H2O or you’re still fending off that January 1st hangover, we’ve uncovered some convincing reasons to knock back more water in the New Year.

Water It Down — The Need-to-Know

Water is the second most popular beverage in the U.S. after soft drinks. This is a scary stat, since sugary soda is a huge health hazard, upping the risk of obesity, stroke, and other heart problems. However, these dangers can be avoided if people choose to drink water, which doesn’t have negative side effects. So help put the sugary stuff to the side and it make water the number one drink of choice. Plus, the benefits really are endless. (Just take a look!)

Fluid balance. Roughly 60 percent of the body is made of water. Drinking enough H2O maintains the body’s fluid balance, which helps transport nutrients in the body, regulate body temperature, digest food, and more.

Calorie control. Forget other diet tricks — drinking water could also help with weight loss. Numerous studies have found a connection between water consumption and losing a few pounds.  The secret reason? Water simply helps people feel full, and as a result consume fewer calories.

Muscle fuel. Sweating at the gym causes muscles to lose water. And when the muscles don’t have enough water, they get tired. So for extra energy, try drinking water to push through that final set of squats.

Clearer skin. Certain toxins in the body can cause the skin to inf lame, which results in clogged pores and acne. While science saying water makes the skin wrinkle free is contradictory, water does flush out these toxins and can reduce the risk of pimples.

Kidney function. Our kidneys process 200 quarts of blood daily, sifting out waste and transporting urine to the bladder. Yet, kidneys need enough fluids to clear away what we don’t need in the body.  Let’s drink to that!

Productivity boost. In order to really focus, a glass of water could help people concentrate and stay refreshed and alert.

Fatigue buster. Move over coffee — water can help fight those tired eyes too. One of the most common symptoms of dehydration is tiredness. Just another reason to go for the big gulp! (Not the 7-11 kind.)

Hangover help. If booze has got the best of you, help a hangover with a glass of water to hydrate the body and stop that pounding headache.

Pain prevention. A little water can really go a long way. Aching joints and muscle cramps and strains can all occur if the body is dehydrated.

Keep things flowing. Nobody wants to deal with digestion issues. Luckily, drinking enough water adds fluids to the colon which helps make things, ahem, move smoothly.

Sickness fighter. Water may help with decongestion and dehydration, helping the body bounce back when feeling under the weather. Just beware — drinking fluids hasn’t been scientifically proven to beat colds in one swoop, so don’t swap this f or a trip to the doctor or other cold remedies.

Brain boost. A study in London found a link between students bringing water into an exam room and better grades, suggesting H2O promotes clearer thinking. While it’s unclear if drinking the water had anything to do with a better score, it doesn’t hurt to try it out!

Bottoms Up — Your Action Plan

The amount of water people need per day is up for debate, but studies suggest adults need nine to 16 cups of H2O. However, this number varies depending on activity level, age, and how much water people are consuming in coffee, tea, or water-rich veggies and fruit. Here’s how to keep yourself hydrated: Begin by drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up, and 30 minutes bef ore eating any big meal. (This will help control appetite, too.) Get in the habit of keeping a water bottle on hand at all times. And if the taste beings to bore, spice up the taste buds with a squeeze of citrus to the glass! Before you know it, all the benefits of water will be right at your fingertips…. and in your body.

From greatist.com