Q's Day: Summer Drinks

I had a few new items in my sugar display at the SK Marathon Expo over the weekend.  I find that people are often surprised when they learn how much sugar is lurking in their favourite drinks! 

As we head into summer people turn to cold beverages as a way to cool off and rehydrate.  While that is a great idea (because so many people are living life dehydrated!), you still want to choose wisely.  Watch out for excess sugar and fat that may be hiding in there. 

Most companies have their nutrition information available in store or on-line (or both), so you can always check it out and see if there is a 'better' option for your next visit.  Remember that size matters too, so practice portion control and enjoy some refreshing water or even home brewed iced tea (water and tea bag/leaves).  If you're not a coffee or tea drinker, be careful with the slushes or slurpees!

My Q's Day question today is:

What is your favourite summer drink?

For educational purposes, I have included a few Starbucks and Tim Horton's beverages in today's post:

Starbucks

Shaken Iced Tea (with Classic Syrup)

Venti: 120 Calories, 31g sugar (~8 tsp), caffeine varies

Grande: 80 Calories, 21g sugar (~5 tsp), caffeine varies

Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade (with Classic Syrup)

            Venti: 190 Calories, 49g sugar (~12 tsp), caffeine varies

            Grande: 130 Calories, 33g sugar (~8 tsp), caffeine varies

Mocha or Caramel Frappuccino (no whipped cream)

            Venti: 350 Calories, 76g sugar (19 tsp), 140mg caffeine

Grande: 260 Calories, 58g sugar (~14 tsp), 110mg caffeine

Light Mocha or Caramel Frappuccino (no whipped cream)

            Venti: 210 Calories, 42g sugar (~10 tsp), 120mg caffeine

Grande: 150 Calories, 30g sugar (~7 tsp), 90mg caffeine

Vanilla Bean Frappuccino (no whipped cream)

            Venti: 330 Calories, 71g sugar (~ 18 tsp), 0 caffeine

Grande: 250 Calories, 55g sugar(~ 14 tsp), 0 caffeine

Cappuccino

            Venti: 120 Calories, 14g sugar (~4 tsp), 150mg caffeine

            Grande: 100 Calories, 10g sugar (~3 tsp), 150mg caffeine

Caramel Macchiato

Venti: 250 Calories, 40g sugar (10 tsp), 150mg caffeine

            Grande: 200 Calories, 32g sugar (8 tsp), 150mg caffeine

Flavoured Latte:

Venti: 300 Calories, 44g sugar (11 tsp), 150mg caffeine

            Grande: 220 Calories, 35g sugar (~9 tsp), 150mg caffeine

Brewed Coffee

            Venti: 410 mg caffeine

            Grande: 330mg caffeine

 

Tim Horton’s

Strawberry Banana Fruit Smoothie (with yogurt)

            Large: 290 Calories, 60g sugar (15 tsp)

Mixed Berry Smoothie (without yogurt)

            Large: 240 Calories, 56g sugar (14 tsp)

Mocha Iced Coffee (milk)

            Large: 240 Calories, 31g sugar (~8 tsp)  

Iced Coffee (milk and beverage base)

            Large: 170 Calories, 20g sugar (5 tsp)

Flavoured Iced Latte Supreme

            Large: 250 Calories, 30g sugar (~8 tsp)

            Medium: 210 Calories, 25g sugar (~6 tsp)

Latte

            Medium: 110 Calories, 16g sugar (4 tsp)

Cappucino

            Medium: 100 Calories, 15g sugar (~4 tsp)

Mocha Latte

            Medium: 230 Calories, 30g sugar (~8 tsp)

Iced Cappuccino

            Medium: Milk: 220 Calories, 40g sugar (10 tsp)

            Medium: Chocolate Milk: 230 Calories, 52g sugar (13 tsp)

            Medium: Cream: 360 Calories, 47g sugar (~12 tsp)

Iced Cappuccino Supreme

            Small: Hazelnut (milk): 240 Calories, 39g sugar (~10 tsp)

            Small: Butter Caramel (milk): 230 Calories, 39g sugar (~10 tsp)

            Small: Chocolate Mint (milk): 220 Calories, 39g sugar (~10 tsp)

Happy hydrating!

Steph Langdon (Wheler), RD

something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com

Come Say Hi and Win Prizes!

This Saturday, May 26, I will be at the Saskatchewan Marathon Race Expo.  I'm joining Craven Sport Services at their booth and I have been told that we'll have Genki Bar samples too.  The 2012 Sask Marathon Race Expo will be held at TCU Place (35 22nd Street East) from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Race Expo is open to anyone with an interest in walking or running, whether you’re taking part in the 2012 Sask Marathon or not. Come and check it out to see new and interesting displays, speak with fitness experts, and meet other running and walking enthusiasts! There is no charge to attend the Race Expo and no registration is required.

Our booth will have segments all day:

11:00 foam rollers, sticks and mobility

12:00 running form and technique ("The How Should I Run")

1:00 Psychology of Running (featuring Selina Zaluski)

2:00 What to do after the race?

- rest/recovery/when to start running again

- featuring Stephanie Langdon, RD (me!), from somethingnutrishus on recovery nutrition

 

If you're taking part in the 10km, half-marathon, or full marathon on Sunday then I will likely see you when you pick up your race package.  But, if you're not participating, you can still come and take in the action.  I'll be there to chat with you, provide nutrition handouts, and of course provide you with a chance to win great prizes.  The main prizes this year are provided by Saskatoon Lululemon Athletica - 2 Run From Work Backpacks! 

I hope to see you Saturday and good luck to all those participating in the event on Sunday!

Steph Langdon, RD

something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com

Q's Day: Summer Salads

I find that come Spring/Summer more people eat raw veggies and salads.  Salads seem to be one of those side dishes or meals that we stick with our tried and true recipes; some people even admit to being in a salad rut.  However, they are so versatile and you can create numerous different dishes by switching a few ingredients or using a different sauce/dressing. 

Recently when I was looking for a bright and colourful salad I came across tabbouleh/tabouli.  I also had some bulgur n the cupboard that I was anxious to use.

It was a relatively simple salad with only a few ingredients, but the result was delicious.  It was light and very flavourful.  I based my on this recipe from Simply Recipes:

Ingredients

• 2 cups vegetable stock (for vegetarian option), chicken stock or water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bulgur wheat
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Zest and juice from 2 lemons
• 5-6 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped, including the greens
• 2-3 cups parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Method

1 Place the bulgur in a medium sized bowl. Bring the stock or water and the teaspoon of salt to a boil, pour it over the bulgur. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
2 In a large bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, bulgur and mix well. Add in all the other ingredients and mix to combine.
3 Taste the tabbouleh, and add more salt, olive oil or more lemon juice to taste. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Will keep chilled for several days.
Yield: Serves 6-8.

Depending on your tastes, you can use more or less parsley, mint, tomatoes, lemon, etc.

Since it's Q's Day, today I'm asking:

What is your favourite salad?

Happy eating,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com
 

Broccoli Cake?

If you read my Q's Day post about whether or not you try to be 'sneaky' in the kitchen, you may have noticed that I mentioned recently making a loaf with broccoli and carrot puree.  I used the recipe from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook which I only recently purchased based on requests for how to sneak in more vegetables and fruit.  You can often just modify what you're making by adding in more vegetables and fruit to smoothies, pasta sauces, soups, casseroles, muffins, etc.  I did however want to try a few of the recipes in the book just to see how they taste.  I could pick up on the broccoli taste or smell, but I also made it and knew it was in there.  The loaf was definitely moist, but I would likely increase a few spices next time.

In case you're curious, here is the recipe:

Gingerbread Spice Cake

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 60 minutes
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup broccoli puree
1/2 cup carrot puree
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
dusting of icing sugar (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Coat 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray
2. In a bowl or zip-lock bag, mix the flours with the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and egg until smooth.  Beat in vegetable purees, yogurt, molasses. vanilla, and orange zest.  Add the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake (45-50 minutes).  Cool 5 minutes in the pan before turning the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.  Dust lightly with icing sugar to finish (optional).

Have you ever made something similar?  Feel free to share your recipes, successes, failures, etc.

Happy Cooking,
Steph Langdon (Wheler), RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Q's Day: Are You Sneaky in the Kitchen?

I often modify recipes to bump up the nutritional value, but I have no problem sharing what I changed or added.  It seems that at some point or another, most people have been 'deceptive' or 'sneaky' and have added vegetables, fruit, ground flax, etc. when they're cooking or baking.  Sometimes it's a way to help make sure your picky eater is getting more vegetables and fruit, at other times it may be based on the ingredients you have available. 

I don't like the idea of trickery, because I would love to live in a world where people enjoy healthy eating and they know that 'healthy' foods taste great.  I don't think that world exists, and I know that we all have different taste preferences.  Depending on how long your food dislikes list is, it may be hard for you to meet all your nutrient requirements at times, and you also miss out on variety. 

Based on some client requests, I've been looking at recipes that sneak in extra vegetables and fruit, but there are many ways that you can alter your recipes.  If you saw the post yesterday on Lentil Granola Bars, you may have noticed the lentil puree - a great way to increase consumption of meat alternatives. I also have a recipe that I will post soon for a loaf that I recently tried with broccoli and carrot puree.

Since it's Q's Day, I want to know:

Have you ever been sneaky and added vegetables & fruit to your recipes?

Feel free to share whether it turned out, was a flop, had anyone suspecting you were up to something, or any recipes, comments, questions, or answers.

Steph Langdon (Wheler), RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Glo's Lentil Granola Bar

A fellow RD recommended the Lentil Granola Bars on lentils.ca so I just had to try them!  Using lentil puree makes it so you don't even notice the lentils (in case you were worried).  I think I made mine too thin though and will use a smaller pan next time.  They were nice and sweet and a good recipe to add to my collection.

May is Love Your Lentils month in Canada, so be brave and start (or continue) to cook with this great pulse!  Plus don't forget to "Love" a dish daily  on loveyourlentils.ca for your chance to win a trip to beautiful Prince Edward Island to meet with celebrity Chef Michael Smith during Food Day Canada!  

Lentil Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 mL) quick-cooking rolled oats
• ⅔ cup (150 mL) shredded coconut
• 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar, lightly packed
• ⅓ cup (75 mL) All-Bran cereal
• ½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
• ¾ cup (175 mL) lentil purée
• ½ cup (125 mL) canola oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (50 mL) semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions

• 1) Preheat oven to 350°F (180˚C). Make sure rack is in centre of oven.
• 2) In medium bowl, mix coconut, oats, brown sugar, cereal and cinnamon.
• 3) Add lentil purée, oil, egg, and vanilla. Mix until dry ingredients are just moistened.
• 4) Spread over a 10 ½ x 16 (25 x 40 cm) nonstick cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. While bars are still warm, drizzle chocolate over top and cut into 35 bars.

Thanks Gloria Tsang
Enjoy,

Steph Langdon (Wheler), RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Celebrating Moms!

3 Generations!

With Mother's Day on my mind I thought it would be fun to share a few family recipes with you.  Many of us can think back to a childhood memory and a favourite dish that grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, an aunt, or an uncle made that was unforgettable.  Some family favourites haven't made an appearance in years, some only come out for special occasions, but I'm sure you can think of a great recipe that exists in your family (or maybe is even unique to your family).

I'm being more of a foodie today, because the first two recipes I thought of are sweets or desserts.  I of course believe in moderation and do enjoy a great dessert every once in awhile.


Grasshopper Pie

6 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup creme de menthe
2 Tbsp creme de cacao
2 cups whipping cream


chocolate wafer crust, chilled (see directions below)

In a saucepan combine marshmallows and milk.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until marshmallows melt.  Cool stirring every 5 minutes.  Combine liqueurs, stir into marshmallow mix.  Whip cream until soft peaks form.  Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream; turn into chilled chocolate crust.  Freeze several hours until firm.  If desired garnish pie with chocolate curls.

Chocolate Wafer Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafers (25 wafers)
6 Tbsp margarine/butter, melted

Combine and turn into 9" plate.  Press into bottom and sides and chill 1 hour or until firm.

My Aunt suggests making 1 1/2 times the recipe and filling 2 pies.


Chocolate Balls

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup cherries (finely cut)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
Unsweetened coconut

In a 3 quart saucepan, melt first four ingredients over very low heat.  Remove from heat, add cherries and walnuts.  Cool completely.  With teaspoon, drop batter into small bowl filled half way with coconut.  Shape into ball with fingers.  Put on plate and refrigerate.  Keep cool.

How will you celebrate Mother's Day?
Do you have a favourite family recipe?

Happy eating,

Steph Langdon (Wheler), RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Where to Boogie?

 What distance will you walk, run, or boogie in Saskatoon on June 10?

Happy training (and that includes your nutrition too!)

Steph Langdon (Wheler), RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Q's Day: Plan a Picnic

We can have fun eating in different locations once the snow has gone and the grass is green.  It finally feels like Spring is here and that gets me excited about picnics and BBQs.  We had planned to have a Sunday picnic with friends this past weekend, but the rain put a damper on that!

Please remember to keep food at appropriate temperatures when you're bringing it outdoors with you.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has some food safety tips to avoid food poisoning:

• If you plan on grilling, make sure you know what temperature some of your favorites like hamburgers (160°F; 71°C) and chicken (165°F; 74°C) should be cooked to for safe eating. If you are unsure, take a look at our safe minimum internal temperature chart. Always bring a food thermometer to check if food is done.
• Make sure to keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate in your picnic basket. Consider packing beverages in one cooler and perishable food in another.
• If you are transporting perishable foods, pack an icepack to keep foods at their appropriate temperature of 40°F (4°C).
• Remember food is no longer good if it's been sitting out for more than two hours, or one hour in weather above 90°F (32°C).

Then you have to plan the menu - I of course will encourage you to pack vegetables and fruit!  However, since it's Q's Day, I'm asking:

What is your favourite picnic food?

I don't know if I have just one, but today I would say a few slices of juicy watermelon!  Feel free to comment, question, share, and help others with their picnics.

Happy picnic planning,

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Are You Cooking With Lentils?

This May across Canada we're celebrating lentils.  They have been around in many different cultures and are a staple in many diets, yet they're still quite new to Canadians.  According to Food Day Canada, Canada produces 67% of the world's lentils and is the world's leading exporter of lentils.  You may or may not know that lentils are grown right here in Saskatchewan!  In the 70s, Dr. Al Slinkard developed the Laird lentil at our very own University of Saskatchewan.  

Lentils come in a variety of sizes and shapes.  The most common are the large green lentil and split red lentil.  I have included the nutrition facts for 100g of each from lentils.ca 

Lentils are a budget friendly source of fibre, protein, potassium, folate, iron, and manganese.  They are low in fat and have a low glycemic index which can help you stabilize your blood sugars (a reason many endurance athletes fuel up with lentils - long lasting energy as carbohydrate and protein).  A serving from Canada's Food Guide is 3/4 cup which provides about 13 g of protein.  They are also a great crop because they help return nitrogen to the soil.

If you're new to cooking with dried beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils - lentils are a great place to start because you just rinse, boil, and use in a variety of recipes (no need to soak them!).  Whole lentils work great in salads and split lentils are good for pureeing (plus they cook even faster).  Since Canadians are celebrating lentils (#lovelentils) you can visit www.loveyourlentils.ca for great recipes and also enter their contest: "love" a dish daily for a chance to win a trip to PEI to meet with Chef Michael Smith.

Today I want to share a great recipe for Spicy Lentil Soup.  I originally received this recipe from Tourism Yorkton with a bag of lentils (great gift!).  This recipe makes 8 servings and if you like things hot, you can add more cayenne pepper!


Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
7 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups dry red lentils, rinsed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can (385 ml) fat free evaporated milk
pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook onions and garlic about 2 minutes or until softened.  Stir in cumin and cayenne; cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Stir in flour until combined.  Stir in broth, lentils, and tomato paste.  Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat; simmer 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Gradually stir in evaporated milk, salt, and pepper.  Gently reheat over medium-low until heated through, taking care not to boil.  Garnish with cilantro, if desired. 

Let me know how you Love Your Lentils,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Q's Day: Fun Activities

With the temperatures rising and the leaves turning green I always start to see more people enjoying the great outdoors.  I spend time outside all year round to walk our dog or roam around downtown.  When I was younger I enjoyed cross country skiing (something I hope to pick up again soon!).  I just feel that most people find it easier to increase their activity when they can get outdoors. I know I revert to yoga classes, the treadmill, and the weight room when snow is on the ground.


Yesterday when Albert and I were out for a walk, I started thinking about fun childhood activities.  I don't know if children still play the same games, but I enjoyed skipping, hop scotch, red rover, etc.  As we get older I think we forget that activities (and healthy eating!) can be fun.  I recently joined a running club because I'm still trying to love to run - and so far it's working for me this year.  I'm also hoping to try a few new activities this summer including paddle boarding and frisbee/disc golf.  The competitive athlete in me has a hard time learning new activities because I want/expect myself to be great right away.  So to keep myself balanced I'll continue to enjoy riding my cruiser bike (which I purchased to be my 'fun bike' and an attempt at non-competitive activity!).

So, today for Q's Day, I would like to know:

What activity are you looking forward to trying this Spring/Summer?

It might be something you've heard of, but don't even know what it involves, or something that you've heavily researched.  Or maybe it's something your friends or family have invited you to do.  Active, healthy living can be fun!

Share your comments, ideas, concerns, questions, etc.

Happy May 1!

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com