By Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian As a dietitian, I learned which foods rated highest in folate or vitamin C, and what made beans, peas and lentils the protein, iron, and B vitamin superstars they are. Earlier, my mother had enjoyed sharing time in the kitchen and food preparation skills. My birthdays featured participatory cookie-making […]
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01/11/2018 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis Few foods are at once maligned and acclaimed as much as coconut oil. Some see it as a notorious health villain, with an even greater concentration of saturated fat than butter or lard. It tops the list of foods to avoid in many heart-health programs. At the other
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10/11/2017 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Do you ever eat mindlessly? It would be very surprising if even one reader replied, “No, never.” So if we are occasionally going to eat mindlessly, we may as well eat food that offers a big boost to our health. Chopping veggies on a regular basis, storing them in ziplock
01/02/2016 FacebookTwitterGoogle+Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina MS, RD • Can snacking be a key ingredient in a healthy lifestyle? If your first response was “No!” here’s a chance to update your perceptions. Some of us were raised with the advice to “never eat between meals,” which makes sense in protecting our teeth from sweets. Yet there can be
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Nutrispeak Avoid Your Enemies, Know Your Allies By Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, Registered Dietitians In the quest for blooming health and vitality, we have enemies and allies in the realm of food. Our enemies lurk on every street corner and entice us. It takes a little planning to surround ourselves with allies that
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Recipe: Spicy Mexican Salad Summary: Makes 8 cups salad Ingredients 3 tomatoes, chopped 2 ripe avocados, finely diced 2 cups fresh or prev. frozen corn kernels 2 ribs celery, diced 1 large orange, red or yellow sweet pepper, sliced into matchsticks 1 cup sprouted lentils or cooked black beans 1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
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Recipe: Kale Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing Summary: Makes 4-6 servings Ingredients Dressing: 1 cup orange juice 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger 2 tsp sesame oil (optional) 2 Tbsp sesame tahini 2 Tbsp miso 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 2 Tbsp Bragg’s or tamari 4 dates, pitted, soaked cayenne or black pepper, to taste Salad: 1
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Recipe: Zucchini Hummus Summary: Makes 1-2/3 cups (5 servings) Ingredients 1 small zucchini, peeled and chopped (1 cup/250 mL, firmly packed) 3 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 Tbsp. flaxseed oil or olive oil 1-4 cloves garlic 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground cumin (optional) 1/8 tsp. cayenne 1/2 cup sesame tahini 1/3
Recipe: Berry Delicious Ice Dream Summary: Makes 3 cups Ingredients 3 frozen bananas 1 c (250 mL) fresh or frozen berries (such as raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries,) 1 c (250 mL) fortified soymilk or soy yogurt 2 tbsp (30 ml) frozen juice concentrate (orange, citrus blend, peach or mango) Instructions Place frozen bananas, berries and
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Recipe: Garden Blend Soup Summary: Makes 2 1/2 cups Ingredients 3/4 cup hot water 1/4 cup orange juice, or 1/2 orange, peeled 3 to 4 cups kale, stem removed, chopped 1/2 apple, cored or 1/2 small cucumber, peeled 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, basil leaves or dill weed 1 1/2 tbsp. light miso 1/2 tbsp. lemon
