Sip and Snack Swaps

With holiday season soon upon us, the time for hot beverages, sweet/salty/crunchy snacks and cuddling up with a warm blanket in front of the TV has begun. The cold weather brings holiday drinks such as eggnog, hot chocolate, lattes and mochas and the parties bring sweet, salty and crunchy treats. It is important to be aware of these treats and drinks as they can pack a bunch of calories into a day. Many people are not aware of the amount of liquid calories consumed at the holiday time, but when a 16 oz. eggnog latte from Starbucks has 470 calories, it is something we need to start paying attention to. There is a place for beverages such as these in your diet. However, they should be consumed in smaller serving sizes and only occasionally. As well some of the traditional treats can be consumed but there are great alternatives out there to subdue the cravings for these snacks.

Try some of these alternative drinks this season when planning a party.

1. Fruity tea soda instead of a soft drink or flavored soda 

• To make this steep two tea bags of your favourite herbal tea in 3 cups of boiling water (we used Tetley's Mint Mojito - pictured above). Chill. Add 1 cup sparkling mineral or soda water. You will have an instant fizzy drink with close to no sugar

2. Citrus water instead of fruit juice 

• Mix a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice with 8 oz. of water to have a refreshing drink without the sugar and calories from fruit juice. Try using a water bowl instead of a punch bowl at the next party you host. 

3. Herbal tea instead of eggnog, hot chocolate, lattes and mochas.

• Consider picking up the holiday flavors of teas to have instead of having the sugar sweetened, high fat beverages. If you do go for the other beverages try a skinny version or get the drink with half the sweetness.

...more examples

Try some of these healthy snacks to curb the salty, crunchy or sweet cravings that come along with the holiday season:

• Cheesy Kale Chips - Tear kale leaves into large pieces and arrange on a baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil and bake in a 350°F oven until crisp. While still warm, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese (check out our past post and Today I Ate a Rainbow's video).
  
• Five-spice pumpkin seeds - Toss salted pumpkin seeds with sesame oil and Chinese five-spice powder; bake at 350°F until crisp.
  
• Buffalo popcorn - Toss air-popped popcorn with olive oil, chili powder, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (how to make your own microwave popcorn)
  
• Chickpea poppers - Drain and rinse canned chickpeas, then dry them with a paper towel. Spritz with extra-virgin olive oil, season with dried oregano and garlic powder, and roast at 400°F until crisp (read more).
  
• Banana cream pie - Spread graham crackers with vanilla fat-free Greek yogurt, then top with a handful of banana slices and a sprinkle of ground flaxseed. (Read the label to make sure you stick to one serving of graham crackers.)
  
• Grapefruit Brule - Transform a simple grapefruit into something decadent: Halve it; drizzle each half with a little dark honey (use concentrated sweets sparingly), and broil until bubbly.

...more examples of sweet, salty, crunchy treats

 

Remember, there will be temptations at every holiday party you go to. If you focus on good choices most of the year, treats at the holiday season can fit in to a balanced diet. Just spend more time choosing the better option and don’t over indulge when you do have some treats. Enjoy the holiday season and stay warm this winter!

Kaitlyn Kwasney, Dietetic Intern

for Stephanie Langdon, RD

something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com

3 Things to Consider for a Healthier Long Weekend

It's a sunny day in Saskatoon and I feel like everyone is ready to evacuate the city.  With images of lakes and Canada Day celebrations, I know many people will be enjoying food and perhaps alcohol over the next few days.  For those that know me, you can already guess that I'm thinking of red and white flavour combinations - I know a recent favourite has been bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, and basil.  Although a change to red and white on a stick can be watermelon, feta, and mint.  I brought that as part of my appetizer dish to my foodie group this week.  Drizzled with a dash of red wine vinegar and a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper, it makes a nice refreshing (and colourful) treat, plus watermelon is so delicious right now!  I posted something similar as a salad previously.

If you plan to enjoy a few happy hours over the weekend (or summer), make educated choices when it comes to your beverages and snacks.

1. Mix it up
The proof of your alcohol, mix you choose to use, and size of your cocktail can all add up on you.  Liquid calories are harder to keep track of, but you don't have to throw your diet (or healthy eating goals) out the window.  Avoid the extra sugars of pop, juice, and syrup, and opt for a light beer, small glass of wine, or hard liquor with water or soda water.  Take your time sipping an infused vodka on the rocks to avoid the mix altogether.  Keep hydrated when it's hot out by consuming water between cocktails, this will help slow you down too.  See webMD for more tips to keep your alcohol calories in check and find out how many calories are in popular cocktails

2. Veg out
Go in any grocery store right now and you're likely to stumble upon a potato chip display.  They're convenient, you know they taste good, but now that you're eating for health, you need an alternative!  Change it up and see which vegetables you enjoy either raw or baked into 'chips'.  The food choices people tend to make when under the influence of alcohol aren't usually healthy choices, so make sure you have a healthy variety available when hunger strikes.  I quite enjoy kale chips but you can get creative with many other options such as zucchini, squash, beets, and sweet potato.  The Huffington Post has ideas and recipes for 12 different vegetable chips.

3.  Move away from the food
Enjoy the sunshine, or even a walk in the rain (if it happens!), don't just plant yourself in the kitchen, around the fire, or on the beach with various bottles and bags.  Move your body, I know we've been pulling out the bikes, golf clubs, discs, frisbee, etc. to enjoy the sunshine and sneak in some activity.

Enjoy the mental break from work and chores, and enjoy some great food, friends, and fitness.  Just remember what your health goals are and choose those 'treats' carefully (and mindfully).

Happy Canada Day!
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Treating Yourself to the Movies

We went out to a show last night, and no matter how often I go, I am always surprised that almost everyone has popcorn, and/or a drink, and/or other candy. I know we see it as a treat, so again as I always say: MODERATION, VARIETY, and BALANCE. If this is an occasional thing for you it can likely fit into your eating pattern. The thing that concerns me is that people may be choosing the popcorn as a 'healthy' option.

I love popcorn, but the way I love it is at home from my airpopper with a little dash (like 1 tsp) of melted margarine. In this situation, it can be considered a healthy snack - Canada's Food Guide counts 2 cups of plain popcorn as a whole grain choice! It's when we go out and have it covered in fat and salt that the nutritional value goes way down.

I found a great video from ctv from Feb. 2011 with some research results on 3 different theartre's popcorn. They show the calories, fat, and sodium for a size large with and without topping. In comparison, that 2 cups of airpopped popcorn at home has about 62 Calories, 0.7g of fat, and 1mg sodium (caloriecount.about.com). Again, I'm not saying you can never have it, but not too often, or get the small, or share with your partner. When we sit in front of the big screen our attention is on the movie, not how much we're eating, so help yourself out with portion control by getting a smaller size!

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

Not Perfect!

As I dietitian I feel that some people are overly conscious about what they eat around me, or they pay close attention to what I'm eating around them. I am by no means perfect - I enjoy the occasional treat! The idea is to make it occasional and choose to eat healthfully (not perfectly). I also choose to be active daily so that I can fit those treats in. Food tastes good and is a big part of our society. I really enjoy going out with friends or hosting a dinner party. These are things that can fit in your life. The great thing about working with a dietitian is that we set you up for success. We help you make changes that fit into your life and allow you to eat the foods you enjoy (perhaps less frequently or in smaller portions). A friend recently commented that she was surprised that I didn't judge her lunch choice - why would I? That is only one meal in her whole pattern of eating. If she asked for help we would likely discuss it, but I wouldn't judge, I would just help her figure out ways to make healthy choices possible in her life.

As another dietitian said regarding working with a weight loss client:
"I expressed that healthful eating is not perfect eating. I encouraged her to permanently tweak her eating habits to reach and maintain a healthier weight. Granted, some people have more tweaking to do than others, but this approach is clearly different from the painfully typical restrictive eating plans followed by a return of fat-harboring old habits.
We brainstormed ways to fit in treats and still feel in control. First, recognize that food doesn’t drop off the face of the Earth. If you smell a donut, you don’t have to grab it now because it will be there another day. I promise. And if you decide that you really do want it now, enjoy it. Stop at one because donuts aren’t near extinction." - Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. (My Family Doctor Magazine)
Interested in making some changes (permanent tweaks)? Contact your Saskatoon dietitian Steph Wheler today!
Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com