The holiday season is in full swing, which means tables are full of everything from mashed potatoes and turkey to ham and sweet cranberry sauce. With the amount of food consumed from Halloween to New Year’s, it’s no wonder this time of year has such a bad reputation. Eating healthy, flavorful meals and snacks isn’t as hard as it seems though. In fact, it can actually be pretty fun.
Christmas is my favorite holiday. My family gets together for a very festive time. Being Korean, not only do we have the traditional turkey and gravy, but also Korean barbeque and grilled fish. With all the leftover food, every day could be Thanksgiving. Recently I came up with some healthy alternatives to my favorite dishes by decreasing the saturated fat, sugar and calories, and using spices and substitutions to maintain flavor.
Armed with a fairly decent knowledge of spices and herbs, I created some healthy dishes with my mother. For the turkey, we always used butter to give the skin a crisp flavor. This year, we used extra virgin olive oil, pepper, and some lemon juice. It was delicious!
Another substitution I made was in the cranberry sauce. I don’t know how many people out there love cranberry sauce, but my family sure does. We never buy ready-made cranberry sauce. We use frozen cranberries, honey, fresh orange juice and a bit of brown sugar. It’s the best tasting cranberry sauce ever, and all I did was play around with the ingredients I found lying around the house.
The great thing about eating healthy is that you don’t have to be a chef– you just need to enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. My kitchen is mainly filled with Asian spices and sauces, but I know what I like and I know what’s healthy!
My favorite recipe using leftover turkey and cranberry sauce is a good, old sandwich. This sandwich has a totally new taste, is healthy, hearty and a good source of protein, whole grains, and fiber.
Recipe:
• 2 slices of rye bread (1 serving= 55 calories, 2.1g protein, 11.5 carbohydrates, 0.4g fat, and 1.1g fiber)
• 1 slice provolone cheese (1 serving= 98 calories, 7g fat, 7g protein, and 1g carbohydrates)
• Turkey, shredded (1 serving= about 75 calories)
• Romaine lettuce (1 cup or 1.7 oz= about 8 calories)
• Olive oil (1 tsp= 40 calories and 4.5g fat)
• Cranberry sauce (1/4 cup= 70 calories)
Total: 401 calories
Cat Park is a dietetics student at Cal Poly Pomona.

The US Department of Agriculture’s new MyPlate suggestion focuses on making half of one’s meal fruit and vegetables.

Carol Berg Sloan, RD
Nutritionist

Unless you are a registered dietitian, or just into food and nutrition news, you may not be aware of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate that were recently launched by the US Department of Agriculture. These recommendations come out every five years, and finally the government has made a concept and graphic simple enough that perhaps consumers will sit up (and do sit-ups) and pay attention.
The focus this time is on balancing calories with physical activity to achieve a healthy weight. Some of the simple takeaway messages are:
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (one-percent) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
When speaking with clients, I focus on the MyPlate icon and the tip “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.” It is easy to grasp, looks attractive on a meal plate and tastes good.
One small tip at a time can make a difference to the millions of overweight families who need to make changes now to prevent chronic illness down the road.
Here’s how to add more veggies and fruits to your plate:
• If eating out, ask for extra lettuce and tomato for your sandwich and save one half for when you are really hungry.
• Change it up and ask for coleslaw or fresh fruit instead of fries. By the way, sweet-potato fries aren’t much better than regular fries, for they soak up just as much oil!
• Summer is here, and so is fresh fruit. Large wedges of watermelon or a bunch of dark-red cherries are filling and delicious
• Dips such as hummus or salsa that need a scooper taste just as good with a celery stick, cucumber slice or pita triangle. Skip the chips!
• Leafy greens are available in every shape, size and price range. Have a BIG salad for dinner with your favorite extras such as beets, jicama, red onion, olives and summer squash. Use walnuts instead of croutons.
My mom is smart; she plants cherry tomatoes and basil in the spring and now has an abundance of both. Here’s how she’s using them up!

Garden Salad
20 cherry tomatoes
4 ounces of mozzarella cut into 20 bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
A bunch of fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly mixed.

What are the dietary guidelines?
Have you ever wondered where school districts get their menu plans, where the Women Infant and Children (WIC) programs receive nutrition guidance, or where the meal plans at long-term healthcare facilities come from? They’re all from the United States Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines.
Generally speaking, the dietary guidelines provide nutrition advice for Americans two years and older to help prevent chronic disease and promote good health. They are the basis of federal nutrition policy, education, outreach and food assistance programs. The guidelines were established in 1980 and are updated every five years. As a registered dietitian, I follow the guidelines closely, but sadly a recent survey showed that only 4% of the public is even aware of the recommendations.
What do they tell us about balancing calories in 2010?
The obesity epidemic continues on an upward trajectory, and while the current dietary guidelines cover numerous topics, I’m going to focus on one of the most critical aspects– balancing calories.
I believe that most of us have no clue how many calories we eat or what an adequate portion size should be. When counseling patients, the first thing I ask for before the session is a detailed three-day food recall and an estimate of how much they exercise daily. This allows me to see how many calories they are consuming and how many calories they are burning each day.
From there we can talk about food and beverage choices. Do I tell them “Well, you start your diet today…no more soda, cakes, chips, candy, alcohol…?” Of course not! We all know from personal experience and documented research that no one will stay on this type of restrictive regimen nor will it change any behaviors toward a long-term healthy lifestyle. Knowing that it’s not about eliminating, but rather modifying, can make a difference in how weight is managed. Other successful tips I’ve used to manage weight for my clients include:
Mindless munching: Monitor what, when and where you eat. Many eat mindlessly- in front of the computer, while driving, or just out of habit (the daily stop at Starbucks before work). Research proves accountability equals success. Keeping a small notebook in your desk or purse, or downloading a free smart phone calorie-counting app, will help you keep track of what you eat so that you don’t forget.
Quality vs. Quantity: When eating out, choose wisely. For instance, have a quality bread roll and ask for olive oil and balsamic instead of butter or choose seasonal fresh vegetable dishes. Both taste better and are better for you.
Kick-start the Day: Eat a breakfast that includes fruits or vegetables, whole grains and protein. My favorite is whole-grain bread with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella; put it in the toaster oven for one minute and enjoy!
Today’s Portions vs. Yesterday’s: Realize that today’s portions are bigger than what is recommended, needed or established as a serving size decades ago. In fact, today’s teenager thinks a 5-ounce muffin or 2-ounce bag of chips is the norm. I give clients common, visual examples of what portion sizes equal, such as 1 ounce of cheese is the size of a domino, or a serving of cooked pasta is equivalent of the size of half a baseball.
Balancing Act: Focus on balancing your calories in with calories out. Many people don’t know that consuming 3,500 extra calories beyond what you burn off will be stored as a pound of fat. Do the math, and you’ll discover that eating 500 additional calories daily leads to a pound a week over the long term, and it’s important to remember that 500 calories, whether from a candy bar, a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread, or a yogurt parfait, will all have that effect. I recommend that my clients get a pedometer and shoot for 10,000 steps a day, which is about five miles. This could burn up to 500 calories a day.
Remember, there’s no need to eliminate the foods or beverages you love. Soda, cookies, chips, and candy can all be enjoyed in moderation, and many of our favorite snacks and beverages now come in smaller, manageable single servings. For example, you can find 100-calorie packs of your favorite cookies or crackers or 7.5-ounce mini cans from Coca-Cola.
The 2010 dietary guidelines once again provide basic tips based on science, which can lead you down a healthier path. Being cognizant of how many calories you eat, while balancing with calories burned, can help you achieve weight loss or maintain your healthy weight. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how in control you will feel.

The Sixth Annual Kids in the Kitchen Fair, a signature event of The Junior League of Long Beach (JLLB), will take place Sunday, March 13, from 10am to 2pm at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, 1950 Lemon Ave. This free “healthy eating and exercise” fair will help educate youth and families about making the right food choices through entertaining lessons and demonstrations, including kid-friendly snack-making stations, fitness challenges, veggie bowling, cereal limbo, a bicycle rodeo, games, music and raffle prizes.
In the past four decades, obesity rates have soared among children of all age groups, and today, nearly 25 million children are overweight or obese. The goal of the Junior League’s Kids in the Kitchen initiative, which is supported by The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. and its member Leagues, is to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues.
This year’s Kids in the Kitchen event will include major event sponsor Healthy Active Long Beach (a division of the Long Beach Health Department), providing education and fun activities that teach families how to get more fruits and vegetables into their diets.

Also included: Primal Alchemy’s Chef Paul will conduct a healthy food demonstration and tasting; the community Peace Garden will offer tours and teach seed planting; Long Beach Junior Runners (a program of Long Beach Parks and Recreation) will discuss their fitness and nutrition program and lead group exercises; Bike Long Beach will conduct the “Safe Routes to School” bicycle rodeo, teaching children how to bike safely on the street; and Miller Children’s Hospital Childhood Safety Coalition will provide free bike helmets and teach bike-safety techniques.
Additional activities and services will be provided by Prep Kitchen Essentials, Dole, Seafood for the Future, CSULB Dietetic Interns, Mobile Kids Smile and Big Smile dental screenings, Belmont Athletic Club, Long Beach Tennis, Long Beach Fire Safety House, Long Beach School of Music, A Bridge Club, and CalFresh: Food Stamp Enrollment Unit.

More Information
jllb.org

I know that when companies lower the fat content, up go the sodium levels. I opted for the Tostitos Baked Scoops and tried one before I filled my zip-lock baggie for the road. Straight up, it was like eating corn mush, and I suppose if you filled it with a spicy salsa, the scoop would be a good vehicle. But alone it was very unsatisfying. I veered over to the deli counter and found pretzel thins (or crisps) and pita chips, but they also turned out to be extremely high in sodium.
When I left early in the morning, I ended up grabbing a Planters peanut one-ounce bag and a bag of apple slices. And although peanuts are high in fat, at least it is the good monounsaturated fat, and they are quite satisfying.
I recommend that, when choosing chips (or crackers for that matter), read the labels. The terms “multigrain,” “baked,” “whole grain,” “low sodium,” “gluten free” or “low cholesterol” can be misleading. Taste varies by personal preference, so try items before serving for a party or having on hand for snacks.
It was a good trip, if only I hadn’t run into that recent rainstorm…..oh, well. At least I had provisions on board!

Trying to cut back on your saturated fat intake? Want to eat more vegetables and whole grains? You are the perfect candidate for the new imitative “Meatless Mondays.”
According to the website meatlessmonday.com, in 2003 Meatless Monday was recreated as a public health awareness program in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for a Livable Future. The campaign was endorsed by over 20 schools of public health. Its goal was to help Americans reduce their risk of preventable disease by cutting back saturated fat.
I like the idea, and it’s easy to implement, but many make the mistake of serving up extra-cheesy mac and cheese, pizza, or tempura vegetables with fried rice. Cutting back on saturated fat, which comes from animal products such as beef, pork, veal, and dairy products, is a wise decision, but substituting other high-fat products, such as cheese and vegetable oils, defeats the purpose. You need to continue to watch portion sizes and limit all fats.
Here’s a typical menu for Monday followed by a Meatless Monday version. Try it next week!

Breakfast
Egg and cheese sandwich on a croissant
Milk
Lunch
Dollar-value hamburger and fries
Coke
Snack
Corn Dog
Dinner
Pork Chops with Gravy
Baked potato
Corn
Ice cream 
 
“Meatless” Day
Breakfast
Oatmeal with walnuts and raisins with skim milk
Lunch
Chopped Salad with:
Mixed Greens
Garbanzo beans
Sliced black olives
Sliced beets
Oil and vinegar dressing
AkMok crackers
Snack
Cheese crackers with peanut butter
Dinner
Spinach lasagna with tofu and marinara sauce
Whole-wheat sourdough bread (Trader Joe’s) with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Green salad with Paul Newman dressing
Frozen yogurt
   
The website meatlessmonday.com is full of recipes, but here’s a delicious “Italian night dinner” from mealmakeovermoms.com for
 
Tortellini with Broccoli “Pesto”
 
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
• One 12-ounce bag frozen cheese tortellini
• One 16-ounce bag frozen broccoli florets or 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (5 to 6 cups)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped or 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Cook the tortellini in a large saucepan according to package directions. Two to 4 minutes before they are done, add the broccoli. Bring back to a boil and cook until the broccoli and tortellini are tender. Drain and return to the pan.
Add the walnuts, Parmesan cheese, oil, salt, and garlic powder and stir well to combine.

Nutrition Information per serving: 470 calories, 23g fat (5g saturated, 1.6g omega-3), 420mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 19g protein, 60% vitamin A, 190% vitamin C, 30% calcium, 20% iron

Try this simple fall recipe as a fun snack or after-dinner treat for the whole family.
Pumpkin Smash
Makes 8 servings
½ cup pumpkin mixture and four graham crackers per serving

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
2 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin pie mix
1 (6 ounce) container of low-fat vanilla yogurt
32 graham crackers
Preparation
1. Combine the pumpkin pie mix and yogurt in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture on each cracker.
3. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 193, Carbohydrate 42 g, Dietary Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 3 g, Total Fat 2 g, Saturated Fat <1 g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 315 mg

This recipe is from the Harvest of the Month recipe book, published by Network for a Healthy California.  

David Sloan, who teaches English in Jinan, China, dines on soup and salad at the Hilton Beijing.

My husband and I recently went to Beijing to visit our son, who is teaching English in Jinan, a city a couple hundred miles from Beijing. David has lost probably 15 pounds in the past six months. He certainly did not need to lose the weight, but he is fit and looks fabulous. After a week there, I know how he did it. Here’s what I observed:

1. Walk
I walked more in the five days we were in Beijing than I do in a month here in Long Beach and that includes my three days a week at LA Fitness on the treadmill. We walked everywhere…..down long blocks, up and down stairs and then back again. This walking burned off the calories, made us want to drink more water and guess what…we ate less and slept better. We don’t walk in the US, much less in LA. I remember a few years ago I decided to walk over to the Bixby Knolls Post Office to mail an important letter instead of jumping in the car. I wasn’t three blocks from the house when a friend drove by and asked me if I was having car trouble and needed a ride. Granted, walking is more time consuming, but, in the long run, perhaps worth it.

2. Drink water
As mentioned above, we drank lots of water and, while you must drink bottled water in Beijing, I enjoyed the fact that in many places that was the only choice. There were fewer juice-based drinks, electrolyte-enhanced beverages, diet or regular soda in huge bottles lined up as there are here. I usually go through a fast-food drive-through three to four times a week here in Long Beach while working to get a large diet Coke or Pepsi to get me through the hot afternoon. I broke that habit while on vacation and still have not reverted. Tap water is my beverage of choice during the day. And while I certainly don’t think beverages specifically are a cause for any of the chronic illnesses, including obesity, that are rampant in the US, water is thirst quenching and great for hydration.

3. Eat smaller portions
I will admit that we went to a McDonalds while visiting the Summer Palace. It was packed. Although it was disturbing to see the “Westernization” of Beijing before my very eyes, when the guys got their food, the servings of fries and chicken sandwiches were smaller. At other restaurants, it was the same– smaller plates and smaller amounts of noodles, breads, potatoes and desserts. Fresh fruit was left in our room each day along with one small truffle. This was enough. We didn’t waste any food and were satisfied.

4. Eat less meat
I know 10 years ago my husband would have asked “Where’s the beef?” but, as we have cut down on red meat for a variety of nutrition and health reasons, all cuts of meat in China were small, three-to four ounces. Soups were mostly vegetables and noodles, seasoned with meat. That was enough.

5. Enjoy soup
Research from Penn State University has shown that broth-based soups provide a feeling of fullness. It worked for me. We enjoyed the soups offered that were broth based and included noodles, vegetables and minimal meat.

Once back in the States, it was appalling to see the sizes of portions and the population. Our first meal back home (because we got in late, at 2am) was a quesadilla we shared at The Big Kahuna in Honolulu. The circumference was 24 inches, and it was stuffed with cheese and all the trimmings. We shared and ate only half. Two weeks ago, I would have finished it, but after our trip to China, we both ate until satisfied and walked back to the hotel.

Well, the summer has flown by, but end-of-season produce is still available. So run, don‘t walk (for exercise purposes) to the produce section or local farmers market to grab a bagful of corn, tomatoes, peaches and green beans.
Corn provides complex carbohydrates and is delicious and satisfying. A serving is 1/2 cup or small ear of corn, which has about 90 calories and provides folate and thiamin. Fresh ears of corn can be boiled or thrown on the grill in the husk.
One tomato (about the size of a tennis ball) only has 35 calories and is full of vitamin C, vitaimin A and lycopene, which is a very powerful antioxidant that can decrease the risk of certain cancers. Canned tomato products such as sauce, diced tomatoes and juice contain more lycopene due to greater concentration. Pick up deep-red (not pink) tomatoes, slice, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic and basil for an appetizer or small salad.
Peaches contain 60 calories each and can satisfy a sweet tooth quickly. They are full of vitamins such as E, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin and minerals like potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. I always choose fragrant, firm peaches.
Surprisingly, California is the second largest producer of green beans, and they are one of my favorite summer vegetables. When I was growing up, my mom always bought, and in fact still buys, only fresh green beans and carefully cuts off each end, then cuts them into exact 2-inch pieces. I am lazy, so while I cut off the ends, I skip the extra cutting and blanch whole beans and serve after dressing in olive oil and garlic, hot or cold. At only 35 calories per cup and high in fiber, they are a healthy side dish or novel salad.
If you can’t go camping before summer ends, enjoy the S’more Trifle. If you eat all your fruits and vegetables, you can afford the few extra calories. It’s delicious!

“S’more, Please” Trifle
(from tasteofhome.com)
Ingredients
• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix
• 1 can (12 ounces) diet lemon-lime soda
• 2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons fat-free milk, divided
• 2 packages (1.4 ounces each) sugar-free instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 10 whole reduced-fat graham crackers, divided
• 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme or 20 large marshmallows
• Grated chocolate, optional
Directions
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and soda. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk 2-1/2 cups milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping; set aside. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and remaining milk; stir until smooth. Coarsely crush five crackers; set aside. Cut cake into 1-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or glass bowl, layer half of the cake cubes, pudding, crushed crackers, chocolate mixture and marshmallow creme.

Jennifer Sloan and Zach Leuchars at Patsy’s Pizzeria in New York City.

Just returned from a trip to New York and, believe it or not, it was the first time I actually had New York-style pizza!
I received several recommendations and ended up at Patsy’s Pizzeria on 23rd in Chelsea. I had no expectations, but was surprised when the pizza arrived with a very thin crust, a minimum of tasty sauce, fresh mozzarella and a generous amounts of fresh basil leaves.
Pizza can be a vehicle for lots of calories and fat, but this New York-style with the thin crust and minimal mozzarella cheese was definitely lighter fare.
I finally found a pizza dough recipe I like, but the crust was not the same until I baked it on the pizza stone. Delicious.
Toppings can vary, but I used fresh mozzarella sliced thinly over my sister-in-law’s tomato sauce recipe (sorry, it’s a secret) and lots of fresh basil.
In calculating the calories, I figure the whole pizza to be around 1600 calories, which is less that the thin-crust cheese pizzas at two major chains:
• Pizza Hut Hand Tossed Thin Crust offers 320 calories and 12 grams of fat per slice
• Dominos Thin Crust Cheese provides 230 calories and 11 grams of fat per slice
So, don’t shy away from pizza. Make your own and serve it with a large salad. It can be a mighty fine meal, packed with nutrition too!

No-Knead Pizza Dough
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Co.
Makes four 12-inch pizza crusts

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1⁄4 teaspoon instant yeast
11⁄2 teaspoons salt
11⁄2 cups water
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot, about 70°.
2. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough balls with it. Let the dough rise for 2 hours.
4. Stretch or toss the dough into the desired shape, cover with toppings and bake on top of a very hot pizza stone.