Balance Magazine January Highlights: Part One

Another issue of Hy-Vee Balance magazine came out the beginning of January and will be available at your West Lakes Hy-Vee for a couple more weeks. We have the highlights for you right here, but consider picking up a free copy next time you are out and about shopping for groceries. This month features a woman known as “America’s toughest personal trainer” — businesswoman, author and television professional from The Biggest Loser — Jillian Michaels. Besides detailing Jillian’s active lifestyle, this article in Balance highlights Jillian’s motivational guidance as a personal trainer, her goals in life and, of course, a few workout examples that you can try yourself. Although Jillian is a great highlight of the magazine, there are various articles on health and wellness, nutrition, working out, recipes, healthy mindsets and much more! Because there is so much great content in this month’s edition, we have split the highlights for the blog in two: This is Part 1 and next week we are releasing Part 2 on the blog. Continue reading below for more highlights in Part 1!

Importance of Nutrition

Part 1 is going to focus primarily on the importance of nutrition. There are various articles on the internet these days that highlight diets such as the Paleo diet, ketogenic diet, Mediterranean and many others that promise fast weight loss. Before attempting certain diets, you should always check with a primary health care provider or registered dietitian because some of those popular diets can affect the body in a negative way, such as the case with “fad diets.”  “Fad diets” are considered short-term, quick fixes that are typically restrictive and not supported by scientific evidence. Rather than focusing on these diets that can be considered a “fad,” focus on feeding your body with healthy nutrients instead. Nutrients such as vegetables, fruits, proteins, whole grains and healthy fats will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Taking in healthy nutrients will overall make your diet more well-rounded, help you eat to fuel your body and become healthier in response — rather than dropping fat instantly due to a restrictive fad diet that can negatively affect your health. Overall, a healthy diet should correlate into a healthy lifestyle.

As Jillian Michaels says in Balance magazine, “A healthy lifestyle is about having more happy days than sad days. It’s about being more fulfilled than being stressed. It’s about having meaning in the things you do” (P. 30).

Energy Boost Nutrition Tips

Energy Alternatives to Coffee (P. 11)

Want to find healthier alternatives to coffee that will keep you energized and feeling good? This article features 5 different products that will give you energy.

1. Water- plays a major role in your energy, since dehydration can lead to fatigue.

2. Almonds- contain protein and magnesium, so a handful of this healthy fat for a snack will keep you going during the afternoon.

3. Chia seeds- these small seeds contain B vitamins, fiber and protein, all of which help your body maintain energy. Add these seeds to yogurt, a salad, smoothie, oatmeal and much more to boost your meal/snack with more nutrients and energy!

4. Dairy milk- contains vitamin D, which affects energy and muscles. You often lack this vitamin in the winter when you’re less likely to be outdoors, so dairy milk is a good energy source.

5. Fish- has omega-3 fatty acids which can provide your body with a boost in energy and help you focus.

In addition to these 5 items, Hy-Vee has energy bites, which are snack bites (containing chia seeds) that provide energy and are great paired with a fruit. Look for a variety of flavors at your West Lakes Hy-Vee in the HealthMarket, at the front of the store, by the dietitian’s office, and at other locations in the store!

Healthy and Happy Life

Happiness: Control the Clock (P. 49)

A healthy diet is not the only factor you need for a healthy lifestyle. Balancing your mental health, personal time, productivity and more will contribute to your overall health also. This article contains tips to balance work and personal time to help you live a healthier life, plus it includes 5 healthy resolutions, such as quitting smoking and sleeping more to increase productivity.

Begin Program at Hy-Vee (P. 107)

Another tool to help you live a healthier lifestyle besides working on balance and productivity can be Hy-Vee’s Begin healthy lifestyle and weight management program. This can be either a group class or one-on-one class with a registered dietitian who will help you navigate making smart everyday health decisions. This program lasts 10 weeks; you start with an hour-long session to measure your weight, blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol and glucose levels, and to discuss your goals. Then you will have shorter classes or sessions that cover portion control, exercise and smart food shopping.

For more information on this program, see your West-Lakes dietitians Amanda or Melissa today!

Healthy Recipes

Caramelized Grapefruit Parfaits (P. 22)

Total Time: 25 minutes | Serves 4

All you need:

1/3 cup Hy-Vee sweetened coconut flakes

2 large grapefruits, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-in.-thick slices

½ cup packaged Hy-Vee dark brown sugar, divided

2 cups Hy-Vee Greek plain strained nonfat yogurt

2 Tbsp. Hy-Vee HealthMarket chia seeds

1 Tbsp. Hy-Vee honey plus additional for drizzling, if desired

1 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Spread coconut flakes on a rimmed baking pan. Bake 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring once.

2. Place half of the grapefruit slices in a large skillet. Sprinkle with ¼ cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until browned, turning once. Remove grapefruit from skillet and cool. Repeat with remaining grapefruit slices.

3. Combine yogurt, chia seeds and honey in a small bowl. Place some of the grapefruit slices in the bottoms of four 8-oz. glasses. Top each with ¼ cup yogurt mixture. Repeat with remaining grapefruit and yogurt mixture. Serve with toasted coconut and, if desired, ginger. Drizzle with additional honey, if desired.

Totally Takeout (P. 15)

Total Time: 25 minutes plus marinating time | Serves 4

All you need:

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak

2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce

1 Tbsp. Hy-Vee light soy sauce

1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic

1½ tsp. grated fresh ginger

1½ tsp. packaged Hy-Vee dark brown sugar

Hy-Vee nonstick cooking spray

3 green onions, trimmed

½ to ¾ cup Hy-Vee reduced-sodium beef broth

1½ tsp. Hy-Vee cornstarch

1 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 cups Hy-Vee instant brown rice, optional

Roasted white sesame seeds for garnish

All you do:

1. Trim fat from steak. Thinly slice steak across the grain into bite-size strips. Whisk together chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add streak strips; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add green onions and cook 1 minute or until tops begin to wilt. Remove to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-in. pieces; set aside.

3. Drain steak strips; reserve marinade. Cook half of the steak strips in the grill pan over medium-high heat 1 minute per side or until grill marks form. Remove steak strips from pan and repeat with remaining strips. Set steak strips aside and keep warm.

4. Place reserved marinade and enough beef broth to make 1 cup in saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to 2/3 cup. Combine cornstarch and water; stir into reduced mixture until thickened and bubbly. Stir in sesame oil.

5. Serve steak strips and green onions with sauce over rice, if desired. Garnish with sesame seeds. 

Stay tuned for part 2 highlights next week!

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitian Team

New Year, New You, New Behaviors

Hi, friends! Dietitian Melissa here. At the start of each new year, many of us set out with good intentions to improve ourselves. And what is at the top of the list almost every year? WEIGHT LOSS. How many times has it been at the top of your list? We have this goal that we want to achieve, and for a while work really hard at it. But after a few days, weeks, or maybe even a few good months, it falls to the wayside, and we’re left wondering: What went wrong?

I know we’ve heard time and time again: Start small, make SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals, it just takes willpower, etc. But why don’t these logical tips help us stay on the path? I can’t speak about all goals, but as far as weight loss goals go, I am a bit of an expert (see the RD, LD after my name J). As a registered dietitian, I have heard all of these tips and tricks and then some, as well as advised others on them. Over time, however, I’ve noticed a constant: We, as humans, lose weight, and we’re happy; we don’t lose weight, or possibly even gain weight, and we feel like we failed and, consequently, give up.

What if I told you it doesn’t have to be like that? You don’t have to feel like you failed because you haven’t lost weight. You don’t have to feel like you’re doing something wrong if the scale doesn’t say what you want it to. In fact, it actually would be good for our health, physically and mentally, if we stopped letting something so small dictate how we feel about ourselves. I know this may go against most things you may have heard before, but you actually don’t need to focus on your weight. I have something better.

This year, instead of focusing on the scale, a more beneficial use of your time would be to focus on healthful BEHAVIORS. When we focus on the scale, we end up feeling either good or bad about ourselves, and then let that feeling make or break our entire day/week/year. However, when we focus on behaviors, we can learn from things other than the scale, including how we feel, how much energy we have, how clearly we are able to think and focus, how happy we are and how well we are sleeping.

Here are my Top 5 Healthful Behaviors to focus on in 2018:

1. Stop weighing yourself first thing in the morning (or any time). Your day does not need to revolve around what a tiny plastic/metal/glass square tells you. You are worth so much more than that.

2. Enjoy wholesome foods that YOU ACTUALLY LIKE. Eat a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, beans/legumes, etc. This will ensure you are getting the nutrients your body needs, and eating healthfully won’t feel like a chore because you won’t be forcing yourself to eat things you don’t truly enjoy. You can even dress up your vegetables and put olive oil, butter, spices or cheese on them if that allows your taste buds to enjoy them. J

3.  Let go of guilt surrounding foods that aren’t so “wholesome.” All foods really are allowed. If you love ice cream and can’t live without it, why restrict it? It’s OK to enjoy it. Food does not have moral value. It is not “good” or “bad.” Just be mindful of your choices, and work on nourishing your body (and mind).

4. Get in touch with your body - specifically, its hunger and fullness signals. If you’ve never heard of intuitive eating, I encourage you to look it up on the Google (or your search engine of choice). In a nutshell, intuitive eating is eating in a way in which you respect your body by listening to it and eating the foods it is craving. Our bodies were born with the wisdom to know what we need to eat to survive and thrive. We just stopped listening to it along the way. There’s even a whole book about it called “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch that is a great read.

5. Finally, move your body in ways you enjoy and that feel good to you. Physical activity is so important to our health and well-being, both physically and mentally. It doesn’t have to be “exercise,” and I don’t want it to feel like a chore that you despise but feel you “should” do. Anything from walking to yoga to spin class (the list is infinite) can be a great healthful behavior to adopt this year. I challenge you to find some form of movement - joyful movement - that you enjoy so much you actually look forward to doing it!

Give these 5 behaviors a try, and let me know what you think, and how you feel! I wish you all the happiness and health in the world in 2018. J

-Dietitian Melissa

All About Eggs!

Are you looking to get healthier this New Year? Well, look no further than the humble egg. The gold standard of protein, loaded with healthy fats and also containing essential micronutrients, the egg is hard to beat in nutritional value. Cost-effective and versatile, the unique nutritional composition of eggs can help meet a variety of nutrient needs of children through older adults. Plus, eggs can play a role in weight management, muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more.  

Did you know that Iowa is the #1 egg-producing state in the United States? There are many reasons to love being in the state that produces the most eggs. Eggs are full of nutrients, are easy to make for meals and can be prepared in dishes for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Eggs are a great source of protein, vitamins and healthy fats that make a great breakfast or snack to help you maintain your goal of eating healthy this year. Continue reading to learn what nutritional value eggs bring to the table.

Health Benefits of Eggs

1. High source of protein (6 grams)

2. Variety of nutrients that are essential for your health: Choline, vitamin A, folate, vitamin B5, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, phosphorus

3. Eggs are one of the few foods that contain a naturally good source of vitamin D, with one egg providing 10% of the DV.

4. Good source of healthy fat (5 grams)

High in Cholesterol?

Eggs are high in cholesterol, but the effect of egg cholesterol on blood cholesterol is minimal when compared to the effect of trans fats and saturated fats. According to a cholesterol article on healthline.com, the liver produces large amounts of cholesterol every day and when we intake more dietary cholesterol, the liver just produces less cholesterol instead. Eggs do contain cholesterol, but eating eggs does not have adverse effects on cholesterol in the blood for the majority of people.

If you have diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease, you may want to use an egg white substitute which contains zero cholesterol. Consult with your doctor for more individualized guidance.

Egg Recipes

Ham, Egg and Cheese Muffins (from The Lemon Bowl)

These muffins can be made ahead of time and reheated on busy mornings for a good protein breakfast; add in tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and other veggies for extra nutrition and flavor.

All you need:

1 dozen large eggs

1/2 cup of whole milk

6 slices of Canadian bacon, diced

1/4 cup minced scallions

4 ounces of shredded sharp low-fat cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk until light and fluffy. Stir in the Canadian bacon, scallions and salt/pepper. Divide egg mixture into each tin evenly and sprinkle the tops with cheese.

3. Bake until eggs are set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Healthy Eggnog (From SparkRecipes)

For 100 calories and 9 grams of protein in each serving, this healthy eggnog is a delicious addition to the season.

All you need:

3 tbsp of egg substitute

1/2 cup of non-fat or skim vanilla soymilk

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

2 tbsp of sugar substitute 

1 tbsp of fat-free vanilla creamer

All you do:

Pour all ingredients together into a container, mixing until thickened. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Proper Hard-Boiled Eggs

Have you ever boiled eggs and the result was a yolk with a “green” colored ring around the yolk? Well, that is due to the sulfur in the white part of the eggs moving to the yolk and forming ferrous sulfide under high heat when you “boil” them (boiling water and then placing eggs in to boil for 15 minutes or so). The color is harmless, but the hard-boiled eggs just don’t look as appealing with a greenish ring. To avoid an unpleasing coloring, the correct way to cook eggs is to “hard-cook” them.

All you do:

1. Arrange a single layer of eggs in the bottom of a sauce pan and cover with 1 to 2 inches of cold water.

2. Bring the water to a boil on high heat.

3. Turn off the heat and cover the pan when it reaches a full rolling boil.

4. Let the eggs sit in the covered saucepan for 12 minutes, drain the water, and run the eggs under cold water. 

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitian Team

Making and Accomplishing Your Health & Fitness Goals

With a new year right around the corner, it is about that time where most people start setting goals for the following year to be a better and healthier one than previous. If you have tried to set New Year’s resolutions in the past and haven’t succeeded in reaching your goals, you’re not alone! According to Business Insider, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February and only about 8% actually finish their goals for the end of the year. We want to help you stay motivated and excited about succeeding with your resolutions, so we came up with tips on how to set goals and accomplish them for a better year!

How to Set Goals the Right Way

1. Make a few small goals rather than one large resolution.

You are more likely to attain your ultimate goal if you break it down into smaller, mini-goals. A bonus to this tip, is that once you finish one of your “mini-goals”, you will feel happy and motivated to continue with your other goals, rather than feeling defeated.

2. Make the goals you set, realistic, specific and measurable.

It is easier to accomplish your goals if you start with a realistic goal for yourself and then work your way up to larger goals. It is also important to set specific and measurable goals, so you can track progress. For an example, if you have a goal to lose weight, track your weight loss and plan your goals according to weight loss. If your goal is to work out more or become stronger, plan your goals according to the amount of days you want to make it to the gym in a week or the amount of reps you want to set for a weight for your goal.

3. Set a timeline for yourself.

Figure out when you would like to be at certain progresses of your goal and try to attain them by a specific date.

How to Accomplish and Stay with Your Goals

1. Be accountable; make goals with a friend.

The more people you tell about your goals, the better! Share with your friends, family and coworkers what your goals are and how you plan to accomplish them because studies have shown having this support from people around you will help you hold yourself more accountable. Setting a goal with a friend and sharing in the journey is another way to hold yourself accountable as well as holding someone else accountable to accomplish the goals you set.

2. Have a positive mindset.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have a setback or aren’t progressing as quickly as you think you should with your goal. Try to stay as positive and excited throughout your journey as you did when you first planned your goal. The first few months of trying to accomplish your new goals takes adjustment in your lifestyle, so try not to lose positivity if things are difficult in the beginning.

3. Find resources to help you achieve your goals.

What resources are going to set you on the right path and help you succeed? Food/water intake logs, nutrition education, fitness logs, workout apps and a personal trainer are some resources to help you with your health and fitness goals.

4.  Monitor your progress and celebrate progress.

Keep a log or book to reflect on your goal and your progress. Any progress is good progress. Even if you aren’t progressing as quickly as you’d like, celebrate the little progress as you go. It will help you stay positive and motivated to continue striving for your goal!

5. Lastly, have fun!

Try to have fun with your goals and accomplish them doing fun activities. Enjoy the journey you are on!

For more help reaching your 2018 goals, be sure to reach out to your West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians!

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitian Team 

Healthy and Happy Holidays

As the holidays approach, staying active and eating healthy can be a challenge. Follow these ideas and tips from your West Lakes Dietitians to enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season!

Healthy Holiday Party Tips
Plan ahead. Maintaining a regular eating schedule and not skipping meals will prevent overeating during the holiday season. If you are planning to attend a holiday gathering, try eating a healthy snack before to avoid overeating! Here are some of our favorite high-protein snacks to keep you full: 

For other snack ideas check out our blog on Smart Snacking.

Practice portion control. Most people tend to eat bigger portions when it comes to their favorite holiday meals. The easiest way to practice portion control is to use a smaller plate (8-10 inches) so it looks full and you won’t feel like you are depriving yourself. A healthy plate has food from all of the different food groups. Here is what a dietitian-approved plate looks like!

Slow down. Before going for seconds, take the time to sit and savor your holiday meal. It takes about 20 minutes after food enters our mouths before the brain starts to perceive we’ve eaten and are getting full. Listen to your body and stop eating when you’re full!

Make smart dessert decisions. The best way to save calories this holiday season is by controlling dessert intake. Skipping dessert would save you the most calories but that’s not really realistic. Let’s face it, there is more than likely going to be more than one dessert option available at your holiday gatherings, possibly four or more. If you would choose to have one of each, you’re probably looking at a minimum of 1,000 extra calories to your holiday meal; minimum! Take a look at the dessert table and identify which dessert you just can’t life without; pick one! If you can’t just pick one, try a half of serving of two of them. You can also try these dietitian-approved desserts that are lower in calories and fat than your traditional holiday desserts. 

Stay active. The holiday season can be stressful for some. Instead of relieving stress by indulging in holiday treats, try being more physically active! Physical activity helps boost energy levels so you can be more productive during the holidays. It also helps the body relax, releases emotional tension, promotes better sleep and creates feelings of psychological well-being. Here are some great gift ideas to promote being active this holiday season!

Healthy(er) Baking

Holiday baking is a must this time of year, however, many of those holiday favorites are full of added sugars and trans fats, so they should be consumed in moderation. Luckily, there are many substitutions that can be made in baked goods to cut down on the calorie, sugar and fat content while still tasting delicious. Here is a healthy substitution chart to use for this year’s holiday baking!

Instead of this…	Use this!
Butter, margarine, shortening	Unsweetened apple sauce or prune puree
Cream	Fat-free half and half or evaporated skim milk
Full fat cream cheese	Fat-free cream cheese, low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth or Greek yogurt
Eggs	Two egg whites or ¼ c. egg substitute per 1 whole egg
All-purpose flour	Whole-wheat flour for half of called for flour
Evaporated milk	Evaporated skim milk
Whole milk	Reduced-fat or fat-free milk
Sugar	Use half the sugar called for and add vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon to add sweetness; use an artificial, no or low calorie sweetener; or mashed ripened banana
Syrup	Pureed fruit such as applesauce or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup
Sour cream	Low-fat Greek yogurt
Baking chocolate (1 oz.)	3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 T. polyunsaturated oil

Pumpkin Bread

All you need:

2 mashed ripe bananas

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

¼ c. coconut (melt) or vegetable oil

1 egg + 2 egg whites

½ c. whole wheat flour

½ c. all-purpose flour

1 c. oat flour or 1 c. old fashioned oats, blended

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional

¼ c. chocolate chips

¼ c. walnuts or pecans

Can substitute ½ cup protein powder for ½ a cup of the oat flour

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all wet ingredients together (mashed banana, pumpkin, oil, eggs and egg whites, and vanilla extract) in a large bowl.

3. Mix all dry ingredients together (all flours, baking powder, cinnamon) in a separate bowl.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients together into the wet ingredients, stirring thoroughly.

5. Spray bread loaf pan with non-stick spray.

6. Pour batter into loaf pan.

7. Bake about 45 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Quick Baked Pears (serves 4) 

All you need:

2 large Bosc pears

2 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup low-fat granola

¼ cup apple juice

½ cup vanilla halo top

All you do:

1. Peal pears, cut in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller to remove core and seeds, creating a hollow.

2. Place pear halves, with cut sides up, in a glass pie plate, Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over pears.

3. Combine cranberries and granola; mound into hollows of the pear halves. Pour the apple juice in and around pear halves. Cover dish loosely with wax paper.

4. Cook in microwave on HIGH 6-8 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand in the dish 5 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears to serving plates.

5. Drizzle juices from pie plate over pears and serve with halo top ice cream.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies (makes 16 blondies) 

All you need:

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ cup all natural almond butter or peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

2 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup + 2 T dark chocolate chips

1 egg

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 8x8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a food processor, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and process until batter is smooth.

3. Fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips.

4. Spread batter evenly in pan then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top.

5. Bake for 20-25 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

Happy Holidays from your West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians!

The Season of Giving…Food!

The Holidays are in full swing which means shopping for gifts, preparing for guests and time spent with family and friends. In this blog, we want to make gift giving a little easier for you and help give you ideas for a healthy holiday for you and those around you. In addition, since it is the “season of giving”, we included a piece about choosing foods that food shelters are looking for if you are wanting to donate this season.  Read below for more information!

Make Food Gifts for Family and Friends

If you’re looking for a healthy, easy or homemade gift, we have you covered with ideas! Grab a gift basket or jar, tissue paper and holiday ribbon and you can put together a festive, homemade gift to give to your friends and family this season.

Healthy Holiday Gift Baskets

• Fruit and vegetables basket
• Healthy "movie night" basket
• Protein/granola bars, Boom Chicka Pop popcorn, Dove dark chocolate
• No-Salt seasonings basket
• Lawry's Salt Free 17 seasoning, Mrs. Dash (all different flavors and all salt-free), Chef Paul no sodium seasonings
• Baking basket
• Sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, lavender), cookie cutters, sugar free cookie mix
• Cookbook or subscription to a healthy cooking magazine
• Examples of healthy cooking magazines: Eating Well, Cooking Light
• Examples of healthy cookbooks: Clean Eating Made Simple, The Everything Healthy Meals In Minutes Cookbook, The Healthy Mind Cookbook
• Workout videos or DVDs
• Beachbody: The Master's Hammer and Chisel, Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout, Best Barre Workout, yoga DVDs, etc.

Food/Drink Mixes in a Jar

Gather dry ingredients and layer in a jar and wrap with ribbon. Click on the link for recipes.

• Painted Desert Chili Mix in a Jar: https://www.recipegoldmine.com/foodgiftsoup/painted-desert-chili-mix.html
• Chewy Brownie Mix in a Jar: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32265/chewy-brownie-mix-in-a-jar/
• Oatmeal Cookie Mix in a Jar: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32262/oatmeal-chip-cookie-mix-in-a-jar/
• Granola Mix in a Jar:  https://keeperofthehome.org/healthy-homemade-granola-gifts-in-a-jar/
• Peppermint Hot Cocoa: http://happyhourprojects.com/peppermint-cocoa/

Donate Food

Non-perishable items are always a good thing to donate to your local food shelter or church if they do a food collection, as they have a long shelf-life and can be cheaper and available in mass quantity. Check with your local food pantry to see what they are most in need of or consider the ideas below! 

• Canned/Jarred Foot
• Tuna
• Vegetables
• Fresh and dried fruit
• Spaghetti sauces
• Peanut butter
• Individual Servings
• Apple sauce
• Fruit cups
• Pudding cups
• Cereal boxes
• Food bars
• Granola bars
• Protein/Power bars
• Cereal bars
• Pastas
• Noodle boxes
• Mac and cheese
• Crackers
• Cheese or peanut butter sandwich crackers
• Saltines
• Goldfish

*Adapted from www.livestrong.com.

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians Team

December Dietitian Pick of the Month: Pears

Apples have been the craze for the past few months in apple picking, apple pies and apple cider, but now is a good time to turn our attention to another fruit that is packed with flavor and health benefits. The December Dietitian Pick of the Month is pears, a delicious, juicy and nutritious fruit full of fiber and flavonoids. Similarly to apples, there are a variety of pears and, while they are all nutritious, they each have a little variation in nutrients and flavor. For an example, red pears contain an additional compound called anthocyanin, which promotes heart health and anti-aging. In addition, you can use a pear just like you would an apple: bake into desserts, make a sauce, roast them, and use them to top toast, oatmeal or yogurt. They are also particularly good with strong cheeses and drizzled with honey. For more information on the health benefits of pears and a recipe, take a look below.

5 Reasons to Try Pears

1. Pair pears with blue cheese, parmesan or aged white cheddar for a quick snack.

2. Pears are a good source of dietary fiber with 5.5g and only 100 calories for a medium-sized pair.

3. Overripe pears are best used in cooked recipes such as poached pears or grilled pears over pork chops.

4. Pears are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C that can be beneficial for the immune system.

5. Pears are a wonderful source of potassium, which means that they can have a significant impact on heart health.

Holiday Pear Salad with Glazed Pecans

Serves 6

All you need:

1 egg white, beaten

2 tbsp Hy-Vee select maple syrup

2 tsp dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 ½ cups organic pecan halves

2 small ripe pears, sliced

6 cups mixed baby greens

1/2 to 2/3 cup light raspberry vinaigrette or red wine vinaigrette dressing

Fresh raspberries, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. For glazed pecans, combine egg white, maple syrup, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir in pecans, tossing to coat. Spread pecans on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned, stirring once. Remove from oven. Stir pecans to release from foil; set aside.

2. In large salad bowl toss sliced pears and greens together. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with glazed pecans. Top with fresh raspberries, if desired.

Nutrition per Serving: 280 calories, 21g fat, 290mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 4g protein

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians Team