Important New Year Resolutions

 

Control of Energy Balance

Increase Physical Activity

 

Eat more Nutrient Dense foods*

Eat less high fat foods

 

Drink less soda

A quick look around is the evidence that the majority of Americans have lost control of their energy balance. Energy balance is the amount of caloric intake balanced with the amount of calories burned by the body’s metabolic demands and from exercise. Small changes in eating habits can result in gain or losses of body weight. For example, eating a mere 150 calories more a day than you burn off could result in gaining an extra 5 pounds in 6 months; a total gain of 10 pounds in just one year! And vice versa, eating just 150 fewer calories a day could help you lose 10lbs in just one year.

* What are Nutrient Dense foods? 

The 2010 DGAC Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans advocates the consumption of nutrient-dense foods by all Americans to provide the maximum nutrition intake within a person’s calorie needs.

Nutrient dense foods have high amounts of vitamins and minerals and are generally lower fat in comparison to high fat foods that offer little or no nutritional value. Garden fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts and seeds are considered nutrient dense foods. Other nutrient dense foods include: whole grains, fish, eggs, skim or low-fat milk, and lean meat and poultry prepared without added solid fats or sugars.

Thank you for visiting GardenCuizine.com

Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year!

Related Links:
Let's Move

CDC How Many Fruits and Veggies do you need?

My Pyramid Tracker

2010 DGAC Dietary Guidelines for Americans 
Blog Article and Photo: Copyright 2010 D.Wind. All rights reserved.

DRIs for Calcium and Vitamin D - Institute of Medicine

 

New 2010 Dietary Reference Intakes 

for Calcium and Vitamin D

Sunshine has been a controversial source for our bodies to get Vitamin D. Too much sun could lead to skin cancer, too little sun from sunscreens, clothing, or the time of year, may mean not getting enough Vitamin D. Supplemental forms of both Calcium and Vitamin D can be found in multivitamin and minerals, or as separate supplements. Calcium and Vitamin D have important functions in the human body. A primary function is to work together to benefit overall bone health. On the other hand, these necessary nutrients have also been shown to be harmful if too much is consumed. 

The public's burning question -- how much Calcium and Vitamin D is needed? -- was answered today by the Institute of Medicine. Click on this link for the new 2010 recommendations:  

DRIs for Calcium and Vitamin D - Institute of Medicine

Vitamin D Food Sources

And, if you are wondering about food sources of Vitamin D... there are not many. The best sources include: fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel; or beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Mushrooms provide smaller amounts. Milk is one of the better sources for both Calcium and Vitamin D. Almost all milk sold in the United States gets fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. Your healthiest choices are: fat-free skim, low-fat 1%, or reduced fat 2% (1 cup = 300 mg calcium). Vitamin D is also added to some breakfast cereals and some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy milks. Read the product labels to be sure.

Calcium-rich Foods Sources
Calcium fortified Orange Juice ~ 1 cup juice = 300 mg calcium

Yogurt ~ 1 cup = 300 mg calcium
Cheese ~ 1 ½ ounces natural cheese = 300 mg calcium
Collard and Turnip Greens ~ ½ cup cooked = 100 mg calcium
Almonds ~ ¼ cup = 100 mg calcium

Broccoli ~ ½ cup cooked = 50 mg calcium

 

Related Links: 

IOM Report Sets New Dietary Intake Levels for Calcium and Vitamin D To Maintain Health and Avoid Risks Associated With Excess 
Vitamin D Fact Sheet 
Is Calcium Citrate better than Calcium Carbonate?
Vitamin D (Calcitriol) Structure and Synthesis
The American Dietetic Association Supports New Institute of Medicine Recommendations on Calcium and Vitamin D Intake

Blog Article and Photo: Copyright 2010 D.Wind. All rights reserved.

Kids Eat Right @ADAFNCE launched

Kids Eat Right

This weekend, at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Boston, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the ADA Foundation are officially launching their first joint initiative campaign called, Kids Eat Right. The program is a member-driven campaign that is dedicated to supporting the efforts of First Lady, Michelle Obama who initiated the White House’s Let’s Move campaign (February 9, 2010) to raise a healthier generation of kids. 

The ADA’s Kids Eat Right initiative is designed to continue efforts in fighting back and reversing the alarming high rates of childhood obesity. In a recent television interview on CNN, Judith C. Rodriguez, president of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) said a goal for Registered Dietitians is to help families concerned with childhood obesity by encouraging three simple steps, “Shopping, Cooking, and Eating.” According to Ms. Rodriguez, the Kids Eat Right initiative is trying to keep the goals within reach of everyone. “We all know that childhood obesity is a critical problem facing our society today.”    

Shopping  

The Kids Eat Right initiative is based on scientific evidence. Research shows that when children help parents shop, it helps them learn about making food choices. Ms. Rodriguez suggested when food shopping to select colorful fruits and vegetables; for example, bright oranges (oranges, sweet potatoes, and carrots) and bright greens (like broccoli, lettuce, asparagus). The ADA president also mentioned the importance of reading food labels, and to try and avoid buying products that are high in sugar.

Cooking  
Let your children get involved in helping to prepare the foods. Kids are more likely to eat foods that they help to prepare.
 
Eating  
According to Ms. Rodriguez, “Data is really strong that when families eat together, they (the kids) tend to have a healthier outlook on food.” 

Local food banks, such as the Food Bank of South Jersey, offer a program called Cooking Matters (formerly known as Operation Frontline), which is another great program that helps kids to eat right. America's children enjoy and need these types of programs; their families can benefit too from the nutrition education that they provide. 

The photographs shown are from a class I taught as a volunteer chef/nutritionist last summer.

Related Links: Kids Eat Right campaign
Action for Healthy Kids
Let's Move.gov
Cooking Matters (formerly Operation Frontline)
CDC: 1 in 5 teens has cholesterol problems. Now what? by Sarah Klein, Health.com

Photographs and Blog article Copyright © 2010 Wind, All rights reserved.

Guide to Food Groups on your Plate Video

Food Group Recommendations 

for a Healthy Meal

Don't wait until you're stricken with Obesity or Diabetes to learn about how much and what foods you should be eating. Prevention is the key; start now with something as simple as - how much food to serve yourself from the various food groups? Your food choices can really make a big difference to you and your family's health - both today and in the future.

This video by the American Diabetes Association explains what your food plate should look like, even if you don't have diabetes. Registered Dietitians recommend this too. Food groups include: Grains, Vegetables (non-starchy and starchy), Fruits, Fat, Milk, and Meat and Beans. For the most part fats should be eaten sparingly, and dairy products and fruits should be part of your daily diet too. You won't find calcium in a glass of soda. This leaves your main plate selections to include: 

Vegetables, Grains, and Protein

Vegetables - Simply imagine your plate as divided in half. Make half of your plate one or more (or a combination of) non-starchy vegetables, such as a stir-fry, salad, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, spinach, or any other veggie. The point is to fill half your plate with vegetables! Even in my family this concept has been unpopular. Just keep in mind that science-based facts support this. And studies show that diets balanced with a large amount of vegetables result in better health with less disease. 

For the other half of your plate:

Imagine the other half is divided in half again, making two, 1/4-sized spots for two more food groups: Grains and Protein. 

• Grains - The grains could include brown rice, barley, quinoa, cous cous or pasta. Starchy vegetables could be substituted such as: potato, winter squash, lima beans, or peas. 
• Protein - Make your protein choice about the size of your fist. Proteins include: fish, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb, seafood, eggs, or a vegetarian entree made with soybeans. The video will help you to better envision what a balanced, nutritious meal should look like.

Related Links
Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables are from additive and synergistic combinations of Phytochemicals, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003
http://www.mypyramid.gov
Fruits and Veggies More Matters
Create Your Plate The American Diabetes Association

Fruits and Veggies More Matters logo Copyright © Produce for Better Health Foundation. All rights reserved. 
MyPyramid.gov logo Copyright © United States Department of Agriculture. All rights reserved.
Blog Article Copyright © 2010 Wind. All rights reserved. 

Grilled Clams and Oysters

New England-style
Grilled Clams and Oysters
Low Sodium, Low Fat

Is there anything more ideal than grilling by the garden the day after a romantic and picturesque Cape Cod summer wedding? My Aunt and Uncle's New England summer BBQ featured locally grown corn-on-the-cob, tomato-basil salad, steamed lobster, and Cape Cod's local clams and oysters cooked right on the grill. 

The weather couldn't have been more beautiful, with low humidity and a caressing, bug-less, summer breeze that kept us cool and refreshed. While the jubilant bride and groom were long on their way across the sea to honeymoon in Italy, family and friends gathered around tranquil flower and vegetable gardens, complete with garden statuarys, frog pond, and garden arbor. A wide, yellow umbrella shaded us from the bright, late day sun.

A mouthwatering array of locally grown vegetables enticed our palates. Fresh garden tomato-basil salad, made with tomatoes and basil picked fresh from my relatives' home garden. Sliced tomatoes and hand-torn basil leaves tossed with soft balls of creamy mozzarella were drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The delectable seafood Cape Cod is known for was a real treat. Have you ever tried to cook clams or oysters on the grill? This was our first time; it was easy and delicious. Here are the recipes:

Grilled Clams
Simply place rinsed clams over a hot grill and cook until they open; that's all there is to grilling clams. They steam in their natural juices and open when cooked. Remove the clams from the grill (we used tongs) as soon as they open. Try not to spill out the flavorful clam nectar. Pile the cooked clams in a serving bowl garnished with sliced lemon and fresh parsley. Serve with homemade cocktail sauce. 

Clam Nutrition

Clams are very low in sodium and saturated fat, and high in protein and vital nutrients. A small serving is an excellent source of Vitamin B12, Iron, Manganese and Selenium. Clams are also a good source of Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Phosphorus and Copper. Shellfish contain cholesterol, yet can be part of a healthy diet if eaten in moderation. 

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: Calculated from USDA Nutrient values
Excellent source: Vitamin B12, Iron, Manganese, Selenium
Good source: Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Phosphorus, Copper
Serving size: 5 small clams (48g), Calories: 70; Protein: 12g (24%DV), Carbohydrates: 2; dietary Fiber 0 (0%DV); total Fat: 0 (0%DV); Omega-3: 188mg; Vitamin C: 11mg (18%DV), Riboflavin: .2mg (11%DV), Vitamin B12: 47mcg  (78%DV), Iron: 13mg (74%DV), Phosphorus: 161mg (16%DV), Sodium: 53mg (2%DV), Copper: .325mg (16%DV), Manganese: .5mg (24%DV), Selenium: 31mcg (44%DV), Cholesterol: 32mg (11%DV)

Harry's Grilled Oysters

My husband Harry was eager to recreate his version of the fantastic chargrilled oysters he had at Drago's Seafood Restaurant while in New Orleans... but first, he had to learn how to shuck an oyster. My cousin Richard, an expert oyster shucker - who grew up on Cape Cod - quickly showed him how. "It gets easier, the more you open," Rich told us.

Once shucked, and the top shells removed (garden note: oyster shells make lovely borders in the garden), it was time to whip up a butter sauce. 

Garlic butter sauce

As you know, butter adds fat. To add flavor with less saturated fat, melt the butter using 1/3 butter blended with 2/3 oil. Harry added garlic too, with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (one of Drago's secret ingredients). Next time, we'll add a squeeze of lemon, a splash of hot sauce and a pinch of fresh herbs to make the butter sauce even more amazing. 

• Drizzle garlic butter over the oysters on the half shell, place on a hot grill
• Grill just long enough to heat through
• Serve immediately

Oyster Nutrition   
According to The National Institutes of Health, oysters have more zinc per serving than any other food. Six medium oysters have a whopping 77mg of zinc, 7 times the RDA! The RDA of zinc for men (age 19+) is 11 mg. The RDA of zinc for women (age 19+) is 8 mg (pregnancy, slightly higher: 11 mg). 

In addition to zinc, oysters (mollusks) are an excellent source of Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron, Copper and Selenium. Oysters are also a good source of Protein, Magnesium and Manganese. As previously mentioned, shellfish can be high in cholesterol if you over indulge - enjoy in moderation.

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: Calculated from USDA Nutrient values
Excellent source: Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Selenium
Good source: Protein, Magnesium, Manganese
Serving size: 6 medium (84g) wild eastern mollusks, Calories: 57, Total Fat: 2.1g, Protein: 5.9g (12%DV), Vitamin D: 269IU (67%DV), Vitamin B12: 16.3mcg (275%DV WOW!), Iron: 5.6mg (31%DV), Magnesium: 39.5mg (10%DV), Phosphorus: 113mg (11%DV), Sodium: 177mg (7%DV), Zinc: 76.3mg (509%DV Incredible!), Copper: 3.7mg (187%DV), Manganese: 0.3mg (15%DV), Selenium: 53.5mcg (76%DV), Cholesterol: 44.5mg (15%DV)

Percent Daily Values (%DV) are reference values for adults and children age 4 or older, and are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your personal daily values may be higher or lower based on your individual needs.   

Buon Appetito! 

Congratulations Kristine and Matt! 

Thank you Aunt Jo, Uncle Richard, Richard, Brenna, and Philip

Related Links 
Grilled Oysters by Jaden, Steamy Kitchen 
AboutSeafood.com
Are Shrimp and Shellfish still considered bad if you have high Cholesterol?
Photos and blog article Copyright 2011 Wind. All rights reserved.  rev 11/18/11

Donut Peaches - Prunus persica ‘Saturn’ #GardenCuizine

Donut Peaches  

A real good-for-you Donut!

Yesterday an unusual peach variety caught my attention while visiting South Jersey Healthcare's  Jersey Fresh farmer's market located on the hospital grounds in Vineland, NJ. A.T. Buzby's Farm in Woodstown, NJ provided their weekly selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, which included the rare, strangely shaped, peach - Prunus persica 'Saturn'.  Strange indeed, the fruits were not round like regular shaped peaches, instead they were flatter. And with some imagination, these unusual peaches resemble the ring around Saturn, or a donut without the hole - hence their name, Saturn or Donut Peach. 

I don't seem to recall ever seeing them before, but according to Wikipedia, Donut peaches have been around for awhile. They were first introduced to the U.S. from China in 1869, and gained popularity in the 1990's. They seem to be making a comeback now; my family recently spotted them in our neighborhood grocery stores produce aisle too.

Grow your own

Peach trees are easy to grow in USDA zones 5-9. The large, showy double pink blooms are self-fertile (meaning they self-pollinate), with flowers that have both a stamen (the male part with anthers that carry the pollen) and a carpel (the female part that receives the pollen). Deciduous Saturn peach trees grow 10-15 feet tall and prefer full sun.

Health Benefits

Did you know there is no food on this planet besides whole fruit that contains as much as 80% water? Eating whole fruits each day provides your body with water in addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals. Eating a Saturn peach is a fun and delicious way to get more fruit in your diet, especially during the summertime.

Peaches are an excellent source of Vitamin C, and a good source of dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, and Potassium.  

GardenCuizine Donut Peach Nutrition Analysis: one large peach (175g): dietary Fiber: 2.6g (10%DV), Potassium: 332mg (10% DV), Vitamin C: 11.6mg (19% DV), Vitamin A: 570IU (11%DV)

Related Links
Top 10 Reasons to Try a Donut Peach Mother Earth News 

Country Peach Tart Recipe Stark Bro's
Local produce at RMC's doorstep By Kristi Funderburk - The Daily Journal.com     
South Jersey Healthcare's Farmers Market Vineland, NJ: NJ Secretary of Agriculture - Douglass Fisher; Steve Moré -manager of food and nutrition SJ Hospital-Elmer; Carolyn Heckman - Executive Director of the SJH Foundation; me (Diana Wind, dietetic intern); and employees of South Jersey Healthcare    
Photo and blog post Copyright © 2010 Wind. All rights reserved. 

Passion for Pickles Video

Passion for Pickles 

If you think pickles are just cucumbers or beets soaked in vinegar, water and salt... think again. Alex Hozven opens our eyes to the wide world of pickling using alternative methods for food preservation. She has built a business using traditional Asian pickling techniques, which use sea salt and natural brine (drawn by salt) from fresh garden vegetables, versus pickling using a wet acid (vinegar) solution.

According to the Obsessive Video documentary caption, posted on CHOW, Alex craved pickles when she was pregnant with her first son. Her passion for pickles led her to opening a family pickling business called The Cultured Pickle, located in Berkeley, CA.

The Cultured Pickle shop makes everything you can imagine in pickles, ranging from a Vintage Sauerkraut with green cabbage, caraway seed, juniper berries, green apples and sea salt, to seasonal specialties, such as summer Armenian cucumbers with fresh turmeric. The Cultured Pickle produces a range of pickled products, including 'Super Sauerkraut Salad' made from green cabbage, beets, carrots, ginger and sea salt, and a house Kim Chee made with pickled green cabbage daikon, carrots, ginger, cayenne pepper and sea salt.

Alex takes pride using Japanese techniques to make her company's fermented vegetable creations. According to her website, she purchases their veggies from an impressive range of locally grown, organic produce suppliers. Green thumbs up from GardenCuizine!

Note: Pickled products are very high in sodium, enjoy their intense flavors in moderation along with daily exercise and home cooked meals. Cooking at home helps to control your daily sodium intake.
 
Related Links  
Pickles: Helping Preserve Memories of Home by Lucy Morris, author of Pickled
Sodium in the Diet

Special thanks to Jill Nussinow, MS, RD for posting about The Cultured Pickle Shop on Facebook. Jill is known as ‘The Veggie Queen’ -- Growing Vegetable Enthusiasm - Vegetable, vegetarian, vegan and pressure cooking expert and Food and Nutrition Strategist

Copyright © 2010 Wind. All rights reserved.

Operation Frontline Chef

Operation Frontline® Chef

Cooper’s Poynt, Camden NJ

I'm not fond of public speaking, but I went ahead and made the commitment to participate as a Chef - Nutritionist for Operation Frontline ® at our local food bank, The Food Bank of South Jersey.  The program is founded by Share Our Strength ®, a national organization that wants no kid in America to grow up hungry. The program involves Chefs, Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians and stresses that when children and families learn how to shop for and prepare healthy, low cost meals; they can avoid the undesirable health and economic effects from hunger and poor dietary nutrition.   

Operation Frontline (now known as Cooking Matters) currently operates in 17 states and the District of Columbia. The curriculum is fun and is designed to teach children ages 8-12 about nutrition, foods, cooking and food safety. Operation Frontline workers volunteer to share their knowledge. The Nutritionists teach why it is important to make eating well part of a healthy lifestyle. The Chefs teach how to easily prepare and cook healthy, affordable meals. This exciting new program made its debut in January 2010.

Operation Frontline involves several of my favorite interests, including: cooking, nutrition, food safety and depending on the class, planting seeds and vegetables. I wanted to blog about this to help spread the word about this beneficial program, especially since they depend on volunteers like you and me. Operation Frontline needs your help to bring this program to as many at-risk children and families as possible. They could also use financial support from corporate and culinary school sponsorships. Check out their website for details and to see how you can help (link posted below). 

 

My first class experience was to watch an Operation Frontline team in action. I went to the last day of the program at Cooper’s Poynt Professional Development School,  a pre K – 8 family school in North Camden, New Jersey. And it was serious business! The children (ages 8-12) were doing their grand finale ‘Iron Chef’ cook-off. The frenzy of excitement filled the former Home Economics room, as the children concentrated on what they needed to do to create a meal, without a recipe, using their knowledge and skills learned from the previous classes.

Iron chef is a Food network television show, which was a spin off from the Japanese series that ran in Japan from 1993 – 2002. Iron Chef America entered the scene in 2004. Iron chefs quickly prepare their culinary creations using given ingredients, while feverishly working against the clock.

The children 'Iron chefs' were quite impressive as they showed off their newly learned skills. Eager student leaders from each group presented and explained to the head chef what they had made, how they had made it and what food groups it contained. It was exciting to see such bright and talented children enthusiastically preparing healthy, low-cost, and tasty meals in the Operation Frontline program. The program's hands-on cooking and nutrition education activities really energized the kids participating in the program.

Names of the participants withheld to protect their identities and privacy. 
Cooking Matters ® is nationally sponsored by ConAgra Foods Foundation and Walmart.

Related Links:
Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters, (formerly Operation Frontline)
Let’s Move
Hunger in America 2010

GardenCuizine Recipe: Antioxidant-rich Blueberry Cobbler

All American Blueberry Cobbler

• Antioxidant-rich
• Berry Delicious
• Kids love it!

Berry Nutritious

A 1 cup serving of fresh blueberries is an excellent source of Manganese, vitamin C, vitamin K and a good source of dietary fiber.

Ingredients

Batter
1 cup (125g) unbleached all purpose white flour
1 teaspoon (tsp) (4.6g) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1.5g) salt
zest of 1/2 lemon

2 eggs (100g)
1/4 cup (50g) plus 2 T (25g) granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons (T) (28g) unsalted butter (or soy margarine), melted
2 T (30ml) reduced fat milk (or soymilk)

Fruit filling
6 1/2 cups (962g) blueberries
1/3 cup (73g) brown sugar, packed
1-2 Tablespoons (T) (12.5-25g) granulated sugar (optional)*
1 T (15ml) lemon juice
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup (79ml) orange juice
1/2 tsp (1.3g) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5ml) vanilla extract

Decoration
American Flag toothpick

Putting it all together 
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C) 

Prepare a 7x11 (2L) baking dish with a light non-stick spray or thin coating of butter, set aside.

• Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside  

• Rinse the fruit, drain in colander and pick off any stems
• In a large bowl toss fruit with the brown sugar (reserve the 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar), juice, zest, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. While the fruit is cooking, make the cobbler batter.

• In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar, add the butter and milk - mix well to combine; then add the flour mixture, mixing just to combine.

* After taking the baking dish with blueberries out of the oven and before topping it with the cobbler batter, I like to sprinkle an additional Tablespoon or two of granulated sugar over the berries and gently stir it in

• Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, place scoops of batter over the hot fruit leaving spaces for some fruit to show  
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Cool on a cake rack
• Add a flag to decorate for Memorial Day or Fourth of July  
• Delicious served with a scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt or low-fat ice cream

Eat a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables every day!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: Calculated from USDA Nutrient values
1 cup raw blueberries: Total Fat: 0.49g (0.7%DV), Sodium 1mg (0%DV), total dietary Fiber: 4g (14%DV), total Sugars 15g, Vitamin C: 14mg (24%DV), Vitamin K: 29mcg (36%DV), Manganese 0.50mg (25%DV)
Percent Daily Value (%DV) is based on a 2000 calorie diet
Related Links: 
Fruits and Veggies, More Matters
History of Memorial Day
Jersey Blues by Diana Wind
Copyright © 2010 Wind. All rights reserved. 

Let’s Move to fight Childhood Obesity

First Lady’s Fancy Footwork 

Mrs. Obama's contagious enthusiasm inspires Americans of all ages to get up and move. In fact, while you view the video, why not stand up and move around?   

The First Lady kicked off the White House South Lawn Series on May 25, 2010, attracting nearly 100 local children and coaches to have fun and participate in sports and activities. Obama's clear message in the first of this series, was for children to get at least 60 minutes of activity a day and to spread the word to their families and friends to do the same.  

I’ve never seen an American First Lady wearing sneakers and running and exercising. Her fancy footwork reminded me of PE class moves I did in grade-school, back in the days when there was always time made for kids' gym and fitness classes. 

Exercise and Eating Right

Last year the White House debuted the WH Kitchen Garden, bringing national attention to local fresh fruits, vegetables and gardening, and as Michelle Obama said, "...It helped us start a conversation about eating right..."  

Eating right is one of the many things Registered Dietitians are able to help you do. The American Dietetic Association, with over 70,000 members, stands strongly behind First Lady Michelle Obama’s nationwide Let’s Move campaign to fight the childhood obesity epidemic.

Related Links:
Find a Registered Dietitian
ADA Supports Michelle Obama's Childhood Obesity Initiative
Let’s Move
Let's Move Blog  Mrs. Obama Kicks Off the South Lawn Series by Melissa Blaustein 
White House Garden 2009 Video

Copyright © 2010 Wind. All rights reserved.

GardenCuizine Recipe: Mother's Day Mango Mama

Mother's Day

 Agave Sweetened

Champagne "Mango Mama"
~ Low Fat, Low Sodium ~

God bless our Mama, who is now in her late 70's. She worked all day today in our backyard garden. Back when Dad was alive, they both shared a memorable vacation in the Bahamas. To this day, Mom still remembers a drink they shared, called a Bahama Mama. 

Since it is time for Mother's Day and Mom needed more energy to garden, and I was in need of revitalization from recently completing my Nutrition finals at Rutgers University, we concocted this special beverage that your Mom may enjoy too. This special nutritious, fresh fruit smoothie tastes:

• Delicious
• and is Energizing!

Enjoy this quick and easy Mother's Day "Mango Mama" recipe. Actually, you don't even need to follow a recipe, since you can't go wrong in making fresh fruit smoothies. Simply blend together fresh fruit with some yogurt and enjoy!   

We used Organic Valley brand pourable yogurt with live probiotics, inulin and agave nectar. If you can't find that brand, use your favorite vanilla yogurt (dairy or non-dairy). Also, if you can't find Champagne Mangos, you can use any variety of Mango.

Putting it all together

Serves: 4
Yields: ~ 5 cups (1,037g)

Ingredients

2 Champagne (Ataulfo) Mangos (or one regular Mango, 207g)
1 small (101g) banana
~25 ounces (720mL) low-fat, pourable Organic Valley vanilla yogurt 
1 Tablespoon (9g) brown sugar 

• Peel and slice the mango and discard the pit. Peel one banana. Add the fresh fruit and the rest of the ingredients into to a blender and mix until smooth and creamy. Serve in your favorite fancy glasses (special for Mom) with sprigs of garden-fresh mint.

Happy Mother's Day!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: Calculated from USDA Nutrient values
Excellent source: Vitamin C, Calcium and Riboflavin  
Good source: Dietary Fiber, Protein, Potassium, Vitamins A, B6, and B12  

Serving size 1/4 recipe (259g), Calories 185 (9%DV), Dietary Fiber 3.1g (12%DV), total Fat 2.1g ( 3%DV), total Omega-3 fatty acids ~ 26 mg, Protein 5.8g (12%DV), Vitamin A 712 IU (14%DV), Vitamin C 16.5 mg (28%DV), Vitamin D ~12 IU (~3%DV), Riboflavin .4mg (22%DV), Vitamin B6 .2mg (11%DV), Vitamin B12 .7mcg (11%DV), Calcium 233mg (23%DV), Potassium 463mg (13%DV), Sodium 66mg (3%DV)

Percent Daily Values (%DV) are reference values for adults and children age 4 or older, and are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your personal daily values may be higher or lower based on your individual needs.  

Related Links:  ADA Mango Nutrition Fact Sheet

Photos and Blog post Copyright © 2010 Wind. All rights reserved.
Nutritional data image courtesy of www.NutritionData.com.