Are Half of Your Grains Whole?

March not only is the month where spring begins but also can be a beginning to eat healthier and feel better! One of the focuses was on making half of your grains whole. Are half of your grains whole? Boosting your whole grain intake can help to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Here is an easy recipe in which you can incorporate half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. What a great way to start making half your grains whole!

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

3/4 cup Splenda
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
5 ripe bananas, mashed - brings out more flavor
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream (or try plain Greek yogurt, low-fat)
2 tsp. egg whites
2 cupss whole wheat flour or do 1 cup whole wheat/1 cup all-purpose
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the Splenda, flax meal, bananas, milk, sour cream and egg whites until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the banana mixture until moistened. Spoon into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean.

I just made this recipe last night and it goes really well with a regular or natural peanut butter.

A quick tip on peanut butter is to choose the RIGHT peanut butter! Regular is healthier than reduced-fat peanut butter as there is less sodium, less sugar and more fiber. Eat those healthy fats with regular peanut butter!

Pizza for Breakfast

Some of the fun nights with family are having breakfast for dinner - blueberry pancakes with scrambled eggs and a couple strips of bacon - how fun is that. Well, how about pizza for breakfast? A lot of us enjoy pizza with a variety of toppings. Making your own pizza at home with fresh ingredients and using a whole grain choice result in a delicious, healthy pizza that will leave you feeling satisfied and in control.

Here is an easy way to healthy up your breakfast pizza.

Breakfast Mini Pizzas
Serves 1.

Active Time: 10 minutes Total: 10 minutes

All you need
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp. marinara sauce
1 Hy-Vee whole-wheat English muffin, split and toasted
2 tbsp. Hy-Vee shredded Italian cheese blend
2 slices pepperoni, optional

All you do
1. Preheat oven or toaster oven broiler.

2. Coat a small nonstick skillet with spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add egg and cook, stirring often, until set into soft curds, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread marinara sauce on English muffin halves.
Top with scrambled egg, cheese and pepperoni (if using). Broil unil the cheese is melted, 1 to 3 minutes.

Source adapted from EatingWell.

Try this recipe out over the weekend!!

In Health,

Katie Jackson

What a perfect time of the year to enjoy some chocolate- well...preferably, dark chocolate.... it is delicious in many recipes or simply on its own. Let me tell you a little bit about dark chocolate and then at the end, you will find a delicious and simple recipe that will turn into one of the most festive and popular holiday treats!! Just you wait :-)

Dark chocolate is a treat that will satisfy your sweet tooth during the holidays, but of course in moderation. It is good for your heart and can fit into your healthy eating plan quite easily.

Dark chocolate is highly abundant in antioxidants. A small amount of high quality dark chocolate after a meal at nighttime may help control your appetite by making you feel full and satisifed. All you need is a couple bites and you are on the road to long-term success with portion control!

In addition to being a heart-friendly food, dark chocolate stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure. Dark chocolate contains serotonin, which helps you feel a sense of happiness.

Just remember to keep portions in line. It's important to eat nutrient-rich foods but sometimes overeating on these healthy foods can be more damaging. For example, too much fruit may lead to excessive carbohydrate intake thus added weight gain.

Here is a holiday recipe that will give you just a little bit of that delicious chocolate goodness!

Raspberry-Dark Chocolate Delights
Serves 15 (1 tart each)

All you need
1/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips
1 (1.90 ounce) package Athens pre-baked mini fillo shells
1 carton Chobani non-fat raspberry Greek yogurt
15 fresh raspberries

All you do
1. Melt chocolate chips on HIGH in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted. Spoon approximately 1/2 tsp chocolate in bottom of each fillo shell, spreading up onto sides of shell. Chill in freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Spoon raspberry Greek yogurt into fillo shells. Top each shell with a raspberry.
3. Drizzle melted chocolate onto top of raspberry yogurt mixture for garnish.

Nutrition facts per serving: 50 calories, 2.5 g fat, 115 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein.
Source: Hy-Vee Dietitians

This dessert recipe uses strawberry Greek yogurt (NuVal 64) in place of strawberry cream cheese (NuVal 16), for a surprisingly healthy, indulgent treat.

NuVal is a nutritional scoring system at Hy-Vee. Items are scored 1-100 and the higher the score, the better the nutrition! You will find NuVal scores to the left of the price tag.

Happy Holidays!!

Olive Foodie

Good evening! Tonight at work, I made a very simple salsa recipe and promoted olives. Olives are a very nutritious food and did you know olives are a fruit? Want to learn more about olives and why they are healthy....or how to use them in your recipes? Read below!!

December Dietitian Pick of the Month: Olive

Did you know olives are a healthy treat that can complement holiday appetizers and meals?

Olives

Are a fruit with healthy monounsaturated fats that can promote belly fat loss, improve cardiovascular health and possibly protection from breast cancer.

Have less sodium per serving than a slice of bread

Have fewerthan 100 calories (20 medium olives)

Easy to use:

In place of mayonnaise, chop black olives, mix with fresh lemon juice and olive oil and use a spread on a sandwich

On toothpicks, skewer different olive varieties with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes for a healthy holiday appetizer

Roast chopped black and green olives with a little olive oil in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour, and serve with different varieties of crackers, cheese and breads.

Eat and be merry! Don't forget the red wine :-)

Pinnaclife Complete Health Solution

Pinnaclife is the Expert Supplement Brand

I was excited to spend time with one of the Pinnaclife experts today that visited two Hy-Vee stores to talk with customers about the powerful and complete health solution supplement brand, Pinnaclife.

It is a top Hy-Vee Dietitian pick for a supplement line and helps fill in the missing pieces with essential micronutrients needed to support a healthy life. Not everyone's diet is going to be perfect....that is why Pinnaclife is a perfect way to set a strong foundation for proper nourishment.

Here is some information about Pinnaclife from their team of experts...

The Complete System

The Pinnaclife products provide a synergistic approach to health care. There is compatibility of ingredients designed into the products. Working together, the products offer a true system of care; each product building upon the foundation set by the proceeding product. The products work together to offer the best opportunity for cell recovery.

miracle Olivamine10 Essential
Olivamine is found in every product as it is the "powerhouse" nutrient that has been proven in research to deliver optimum health results.

Olivamine10 is the most scientifically sound wellness and longevity ingredient complex ever created. Simply put, Olivamine10 allows sleeping cells to rest and revitalize instead of fatigue and die. Olivamine10's hydroxytyrosol has six times more antioxidant power than the widely touted Resveratrol. Olivamine10 was proven incredibly effective in human cells and the results are a miracle.


http://www.pinnaclife.com/expert-supplement-brand.html

Be sure to stop at your local Hy-Vee today and learn more about Pinnaclife supplements from your Hy-Vee Dietitians or go to the website listed above.

Pinnaclife supplements in addition to consistent healthy eating behaviors and an active lifestyle provide a synergistic approach to a high quality of life!!

Pumpkin-Banana Smoothie!

Are you looking for a healthy and delicious Halloween-themed recipe?!
I made the October 2011 Dietitian Pick of the Month recipe at one of my Hy-Vee stores a few days ago, and it was a hit! Many customers really enjoyed the pumpkin and banana flavors combined in addition to a hint of cinnamon! The chef at the store added in fresh nutmeg which smelled and tasted delicious!

Here is the recipe. This smoothie is perfect at breakfast or a mid-morning snack. Plus, kids will love it. What an easy way to add in fruits to their diet.

Banana-Pumpkin Smoothie
All you need:
• 1 or more bananas, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1/2 cup 100%-pure pumpkin puree
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 ice cubes
All you do:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender and
purée until smooth and frothy.

Need a Boost of Energy?

After a fun get-a-way weekend with my husband and another couple, I am in need for an energy boost!! I am sure there are days when we need a power nap or an ice cold shower to get our day going.... with it being Monday and overcast/rainy, I wanted to share some energy-boosting tips that can help you get back on the right track when you are feeling tired and sluggish after a fun weekend!

Think about whole foods rather than processed foods... By eating more variety of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you can provide your body with natural foods our body craves which can be utilized as fuel for the body and mind. Make sure to focus on these foods the majority of the time.

A great way to feel back to your "normal self" :-) after your busy weekend is making time for a brisk walk, which can improve your mood and energy quickly. Your heart, lungs, muscles and brain all need oxygen to survive and thus, provide quality energy. Simple 10 minute bursts, 2-3 times per day, can also re-energize your body.

Decrease your intake of sugars and processed foods.. sometimes these foods can creep in during social outings. Eating too much sugar or processed foods can lead to low energy levels. These foods usually do not contain vitamins, minerals and proteins needed to maintain good health.. they may give you an initial burst of energy but they often lead to an energy slump later... So to avoid this and instead, provide your body with long-term energy, make sure to pack healthy snack items such as trail mix, dried fruit, bran muffins (add natural peanut butter on top) or whole grain crackers. I made oatmeal, chocolate chip-peanut butter cookies for our trip to South Bend, and they were a great road trip treat! I used Stevia instead of sugar, dark chocolate chips, natural peanut butter and substituted over-ripe bananas and unsweetened applesauce for the butter. They were delicious and moist!

Have a great week and make sure to fuel up the right way! :-)