teaspoon.of.delight

Shaking the Salt Habit: Let us Focus on More Spices

2018-02-24T11:36:00.002-08:00

A Possible Piece to the Diabetes Puzzle

2018-02-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

The origination of Insulin Resistance Syndrome has increased at a rapid rate over the course of the 21st century. By definition according to the research article by Petersen and Frøyland, “it’s a central dysfunction of the insulin resistance syndrome characterized by abdominal obesity and defects in both lipid and glucose homeostasis, increasing the risk for developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian disease and certain types of cancer.” Shockingly, there has been an association of POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) and insulin resistance. In vivo, chronic exposure to low doses of POPs commonly found in many of our foods today, had an impairment of whole body insulin action and contributed to the development of abdominal obesity which can lead to metabolic syndrome. POPs have been found to accumulate themselves in farmed salmon and consumption leads to human exposure.1 This particular study fed rats a high fat (HF) diet using crude or refined fish oil from farmed Atlantic Salmon and investigated its metabolic impact for 28 days. Rats being fed high fat crude oil, [not refined] found a significant impact on alterations in lipid and insulin metabolism causing abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and hepatoststosis.1 This study was used to explain a potential reason for increased insulin resistance as a result of the POPs ability to down-regulate insulin-induced gene 1(Insig-1), which is activated by insulin to control cholesterol synthesis.1 To see the results go to this site .

For individuals who already have IRS, they can manage their condition with lifestyle modifications. Probiotics have been shown to help improve carbohydrate metabolism, fasting blood glucose levels, insulin sensitivity and metabolic stress.2 Many of the carbohydrate containing food items that have live active cultures include fermented milk and vegetables. When supplementation of symbiotics is included in the diet it showed a significant reduction in abdominal adiposity, improved serum lipid levels and reduced metabolic stress.2 Omega-3 which is found in most of these fatty fish aid in the overall inflammatory response in the body and when consumed with a variety of foods can help with insulin spikes in the blood.2

Overall, this research is an interesting find and although the outcome discussed altered lipid and glucose metabolism, salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3 which is an anti-inflammatory to help with systemic stress. According to the current guidelines it's recommended to consume fish twice a week. For more information on what kind of healthy fats to choose please visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Website for more information!

References:

1. Ruzzin J, Petersen R, Frøyland L, et al. Persistent Organic Pollutant Exposure Leads to Insulin Resistance Syndrome. Environmental Health Perspectives. April 2010;118(4):465-471.

2. Sáez-Lara MJ, Robles-Sanchez C, Ruiz-Ojeda FJ, Plaza-Diaz J, Gil A. Effects of Probiotics and Synbiotics on Obesity, Insulin Resistance Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Review of Human Clinical Trials. Cifuentes A, ed. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2016;17(6):928. doi:10.3390/ijms17060928.

Nutrition and Public Policy

2014-04-15T17:25:00.001-07:00

Policy. Bipartisan. Congressional Budget Office. Treat Reduce Obesity Act. Bills. Legislators.

To be quite honest these were terms that had been quite mysterious and perplexing to me until the Public Policy Workshop. This workshop wasn't like any workshop I've ever been to. Other Dietitians from all around the US were there committed to training young leaders like me on how to effectively advocate for the profession. Everyone was grouped according to their state and lead into discussions on the Academy's big three priority areas: Older Americans Act, Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and Preventive Health Savings Act.

Each lecture was designed to give us the tools to communicate with our state legislators. Joy Bauer from the 'Today Show,' kicked off the Sunday conference with points of effectively communicating to your audience. It was emphasized during one lecture using a 6 C's alliteration that you are to express yourself: clearly, concisely, compassionately, conversationally, correctly and candidly. These tips paved the way to set our action plan for meetings on "The Hill."

This training brought us to our final day meeting with our State Senators and Representatives. At the beginning, the thought was quite daunting. Being a first timer I envisioned a panel of black tie and suits sitting on one side of the table; emotionless and serious. However, on out first visit Cody Magulek started talking to his representatives' staffer about the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act and everyone started to jump in expressing their own angle on the bill. Everyone was simply conversing with one another and I found myself relating my experiences to the need for this reauthorization and how it benefits many elders. Wow. Who knew talking to them would be this much fun and easy!

If there was one thing I learned and developed it was my confidence. We are the nutrition professionals. We have to advocate not only for ourselves but for the future individuals entering the field of Dietetics. As the overarching theme of this conference states, "If Dietetics is your profession then policy should be your passion!"

New Jersey Public Policy Team with Senator Cory Booker

Your Snack Attack for Superbowl XLVIII

2014-01-22T18:05:00.002-08:00

Christa's Holiday Series: Roasted Chicken stuffed with Prosciutto & Roasted Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes

2013-11-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
6 Thin Slice Chicken Breast (about 4oz each)
8oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
6 pieces Prosciutto, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Spicy Mustard
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
6oz cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/4C Bread Crumbs
1/2 Lemon
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Dried Parsley

Procedure:
Pre-heat oven to 400'F on 'Convection Roast' option
Allow cooking time for 22-25 minutes or until chicken is opaque all the way through
Calories per 5oz chicken piece: 300-350kcal

1) In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and add mushrooms, garlic and spicy mustard until cooked all the way through.
2) In a separate baking dish, lay chicken pieces out, sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder.
3) Take mushroom mixture and wrap it in Prosciutto slice.
4) Take the Proscuitto with stuffed mushrooms and roll it into the chicken, placing the open side of the chicken down on the baking dish. Continue same procedure for each chicken breast.
5) Gather the cherry tomatoes and toss with balsamic vinegar and lay them on the side of each chicken piece.
6) Squeeze lemon juice on top of chicken breasts and sprinkle bread crumbs on each one being sure to pat down the bread crumbs.
7) Garnish with pepper and dried parsley.
8) Place in oven at 400'F for 22-25 minutes or until chicken is opaque all the way through.
9) ENJOY :)

Crock-Pot Season is Here

2013-11-04T15:33:00.003-08:00

Christa's Crock-Pot Chicken Soup

32 oz of Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
12 oz thin slices of chicken breast
1/2 C Tomato Sauce
2 Celery, sliced 1/4" thick
2 Carrots, sliced 1/4" thick
1 Onion, sliced 1/4" thick
2 Bay Leaves
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1tsp French Style Bouquet Garni
(*includes: dill weed, green onion, basil, chives, tarragon, chervil, parsley, white pepper*)
1 C already cooked Whole Wheat Pasta Elbows

Cooking Directions:

1) Place chicken broth, tomato sauce, celery, carrots and all seasonings in crock pot under low heat
2) Pre-cook the chicken breast slices sprinkling the pepper and garlic powder on both sides. Cook until opaque or about 10 minutes
3) Cut up the chicken to where it's thinly sliced and almost "stringy-like."
4) Cook on Low Heat 4-6 hours or until carrots and celery are no longer hard.
5) 20 minutes before serving add Whole Wheat Pasta Elbows
6) Manga, manga!

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It was 48'F outside and nothing better hit the spot then homemade chicken noodle soup accompanied by a grilled cheese & tomato sandwich! From the "future Dietitians" standpoint I consumed my serving of vegetables (1C), protein (3oz) and 3 servings of whole grains lending itself to be about a 500kcal meal. I would estimate a 6oz bowl of this soup to be 150kcal-200kcal. And I want to highlight the benefits of.............

carrots from the carotenoid family! Beta carotene appears to neutralize free radicals that may damage cells and can be made into vitamin A within the body.

As I always like to say, everything in moderation :)

source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide 4th edition by: Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS

Cranking up the Spice: Shrimp Skewers

2013-07-09T08:56:00.003-07:00

This past week I just came back from Family Camp & what a wonderful time I had! The Lord taught me many valuable lessons in patience that by His grace, has helped mold me into a better believer. To Him be ALL honor and glory. Another awesome thing was the FOOD and one of the sisters working in the kitchen made Jamaican cuisine which inspired me to come home and make some reeeeeal spicy food so here it is shrimp on skewers with peppers & onions marinading in a Mojo Sauce (provided by Wegmans) sprinkled with spicy red-pepper flakes accompanied by an Orange Marmalade dipping sauce. OH the combination of sweet- spicy-salty. (AH! I feel like the mouse on Ratatouille & his fireworks of flavor going off in his head). Below is the recipe:

Yields: ~ 10 Skewers

1 lb Shrimp
1C Mojo Marinade (Wegmans)
1 Red Pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 Green Pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 Orange Pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 Large Onion, cut into 1" squares
Red-pepper flakes (optional to your level of spicy intensity)
1 C Orange Marmalade

1. Let shrimp, peppers & onions marinade in mojo sauce after they all have been prepped (~2 hours)
2. Skew on your shrimp, peppers & onions to desired amounts being sure to leave a reasonable distance between each pieces to allow consistent cooking
3. Sprinkle red-pepper flakes to desired level of spice
4. Place skewers on the grill on lowest setting ~10 minutes or until shrimp are visibly pink
5. In the meantime, heat up orange marmalade
6. EAT :)

Children Gettin' Their Move On

2013-06-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Children as I'm sure you know, have A LOT of energy! I've discovered in the past few years between being a swim instructor, a camp counselor and helping out at a children's youth group, children love spending time with adults & love moving. To help the parents out there with a few idea's to getting your children & the family involved in "fun-moving-activities"here are some starters:

1. Encourage kids to jump rope. If they're are older, go "double-dutch" with two ropes or have a Hula Hoop Contest!

2. Take the dog for a brisk walk or play fetch. No dog? Have kids take their teddy bears for a walk instead. Walking as a family is a good talking time!

3. Give kids colored chalk & create a sidewalk mural. Draw a hopscotch game-to play alone or together. When I was younger I created a road, with driveway intersections, stop signs and rode my tricycle as if I was driving on the road, it occupied me for hours. I also had a little horn & was beeping at all the "traffic" (boy, I sure wish the traffic in my tricycle years were the same as in my car years!)

4. Don't let rainy days put a damper on your fun! Plug in a favorite station on Pandora & dance-dance-dance! And if you want to do some cleaning, dance with a vacuum & use the dust pan broom as a microphone...it's what I do, of course all the blinds are pulled as to not scare the neighbors.

5. Start a "hundred" walking club. Who's first in your family to walk a hundred times up and down the sidewalk or stairs in your house?

6. Play tag ot kickball in the playground, park or backyard.

7. If there's snow, make a snowman, go sledding. Or take the family skating at the ice rink. My family use to do this at least twice a month & the fun memories of wiping out on the ice...ah good memories :)

8. On warm days, go in-line skating, roller skating or ride bikes, or run through the sprinkler "rain." Want a little challenge? Have a family water balloon fight girls vs. boys or every-man for himself.

9. Hike together in a nearby park. Have kids find ten points of natural interest to enjoy as you hike.

10. Host a neighborhood bicycle or scooter wash outside-or a dog wash instead.

Spend time as a family & enjoy the moments you have with one another :)

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Sources:
American Dietetic Association Complete Food & Nutrition Guide 4th Edition
By: Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS
Copyright: 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

More Brain Power!!

2013-05-03T07:31:00.002-07:00

Remember back in grade school discussing the different parts of the brain? Chuckling at the possible fact that boys used the left side of their brain and girls used the right side of their brain. The brain is the "commanding officer" making sure his privates (the bodies processes) are adequately doing their job. To get us reacquainted again with these functions, let's take a quick look at the five areas:

1. The Cerebrum consisting of two lobes controls your thinking and voluntary muscles
2. The Cerebellum controls your coordination including balancing and movement
3. The Brain Stem is the main channel for sending messages all throughout your body. It regulates all involuntary muscle movements in your heart beat, breathing and circulation
4. The pituitary gland controls hormonal growth and the hormones responsible for metabolism
5. Last but not least the Hypothalamus which regulates body temperature

The Nervous System is so complex with millions of neurons connecting to other neurons and as you grow the brain creates more connections between these neurons essentially making it easier to perform more functions efficiently. So, when you were presented with those brain-teasers, you were making more neuron connections in your brain! See, technically your brain is getting bigger.

Well, just like those brain teasers, regular exercise has been shown to substantially improve memory highlighting that certain types of exercise improve different cognitive functions.

In a study conducted at the University of British Colombia, they recruited dozens of women between the ages of 70-80 with mild cognitive impairments & randomly assigning them to six-months of supervised exercise in three different categories: lifting weight, brisk walking and stretch/toning groups.

After six-months, the toning group scored worse on the memory and the women who walked or weight trained performed greater on any cognitive test with a variation that the women who walked showed greater signs in verbal memory then those who lifted weights.

This suggested that different type of exercise improve different types of cognitive function. "Teresa Liu-Ambrose, an associate professor in the Brain Research Center at the University of British Colombia who oversaw the experiments with older women, is that for the most robust brain health, it's probably advisable to incorporate both aerobic and resistance training. It seems that each type of exercise "selectively targets different aspects of cognition," she says, probably by sparking the release of different proteins in the body and brain. (NY Times)

For the full article:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/how-exercise-may-boost-the-brain

Sources:
kidshealth.org
well.blogs.nytimes.com

Everything In Moderation

2013-03-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, you crave that dark chocolate bar, perhaps a small french fry from McDonald's or even that slice of pizza from your favorite brick oven restaurant! And they just hit the spot especially when you don't eat them on a regular basis, it's a nice treat to have that little taste leaving you satisfied for a while. Just recently the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics came out with a new position to a 'Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating.'

The paper emphasizes that an overall total diet should be emphasized over the idea of just focusing on one nutrient or one particular food.

Too much of anything can be potentially bad for you. Buying a medium french fry 5 days out of the week can be too much but having it once a month and balancing it out with eating a diet that includes all the food groups isn't "bad" for you. We have this tendency to label foods as "bad" or "good" which can contribute to unhealthy eating behaviors.

The main point of this article is moderation, portion control and exercise as the key points to staying within ones energy needs.

To give you a little insight of what I consider "moderation" and "balanced" lifestyle, let me give you a little insight into the life of Christa :)

7am: Good morning everyone! Drink 2, 8 oz glasses of cool water, read my bible and gradually wake up

7:45: Prepping breakfast

8:15: Breakfast menu:

-2 slices of fresh whole grain bread, toasted with 1/2 Tbsp Nutella and 1/2 Tbsp of Strawberry Jam

-Vegetable Omelet cooked in 1/2 tsp of Smart Balance, 1/2C peppers/onions, 1 egg and 2 egg

white, 1/2 slice low-fat Cheese

- 3 Strawberries, Slice

- 1 C coffee with 3 Tbsp of Almond Milk

9am: Time to study (or if it's summer time, doing some house work outside enjoying the sun :)

11am: Break time, taking my doggie Samson for a walk

12pm: Lunch menu:

1 apple

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain thin bread and 2 bite size Dove Dark Chocolates

1pm: Household chores & prepping the meal for dinner

2pm: Work-out time either cardio/strength training/running

See, I enjoy chocolate & even Nutella but this maybe once or twice out of the week that I do this and I make sure that I'm reaching all the food groups and balancing what I need to meet my total daily calorie needs as well as leaving time for exercise :)

For more information on the Academy's position on a "Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating," below is the link:

http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=6442474717#.UUxVpBfsXQS

Let's "Whey'' The Protein Benefits

2013-03-06T06:37:00.001-08:00

Have you ever thought to use a Whey Protein Supplement to increase muscle mass or enhance performance?

On the SCAN DPG blog view the article that I wrote using journal articles and educational textbooks to better understand the role of Whey Protein Supplements.

Click Below for the link to the article:

Let's "Whey" The Protein Benefits Link

Spice Up Your Life!

2013-02-25T19:24:00.001-08:00

Salt & Pepper, Salt & Pepper... tired of the same old seasonings? Why not try some Chili for pan-searing a fish or Ground Cumin and Curry to season a bean soup. There are so many spices out there that are calorie free, tasty and have tremendous health benefits! Don't believe me? Here is a handy dandy spice fact sheet that I created for an educational cooking class that I had a little while ago, referencing some research articles showing possible health benefits in relation to consumption of spices & prevention of certain diseases. To get you to jump start your spice rack here is a recipe: "Roasted Sweet Salmon" to combine these well-liked spices together.

For side dishes: have grilled asparagus and baked red potato, quartered with a pinch of garlic salt, fresh rosemary and olive oil. If you prefer a glass of wine with your meal have a light Pinot Grigio with soft notes of pear. Mmmm-mmm yummy in my tummy!

Enjoy! :)

REFERENCES:

(1) Blending the Benefits of Flavor and Health through Herbs and Spices. (2007). Nutrition Health Review: The Consumer's Medical Journal, (99), 3.

(2) Reinagel., M. (2012). Today’s contemporary spice cabinet. Food & Nutrition journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, (1), 1.

Sweetened Beverages Taking Over Your Liquid Consumption?

2013-02-19T05:32:00.002-08:00

7-UP, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, sports drinks, chocolate milk, vitamin water...in all sweetened beverages. The consumption of sweetened beverages has increased to a daily value from 4.8% in the 70's to 10.3% of a total calorie intake today.

??Water or Sweetened Beverage??

A recent research article from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics decided to do a cross-sectional analysis of 4,880 children between the ages of 3 to 11 evaluating the relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and cardiometabolic markers in young children.

Cardiometabolic markers that were included: blood total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglyceride, C-Reative Protein concentrations (which is a marker indicating any inflammation within the blood), waist circumference and BMI (height to weight ratio).

Children consume a total of 175kcal/day from just sweetened beverages.

The conclusions led to believe that the consumption of sweetened beverages was positively associated with decreased HDL cholesterol, increased C-Reative Protein concentrations and increased waist circumference in children ages 3 to 11.

This is not only prevalent in just children but on all age groups.

It's not horrible to have a soda here and there but if it's your only source for replenishing your body with fluids try to ween yourself off the soda & replace it with an 8oz (2 cups) glass of water. Your body is approximately 50-70% of your total body weight and the most abundant molecule within the body. You need water not only to quench your thirst but also it is the "key" to start the many chemical reactions in your body. To name one: is in metabolism where water is used to break down food to eventually produce energy. So grab a bottle and I dare you to try and fill your water bottle 3x's a day with some of that H20 :)

______________________________

"The Relationships between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake and Cardiometabolic Markers in Young Children"
Source: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. February 2013

Ethan C. Kosova, MD, MPH; Peggy Auinger, MS; Andrew A.Bremer, MD, PhD

It's Getting Chili in Here!

2013-02-13T11:56:00.002-08:00

This past weekend was a chili kind of day. We got about 10 inches of snow which meant staying home and having some time to relax in my PJ's, catch up on some homework and cook some real good food.

After shoveling the snow and playing outside with my dog, Samson, to warm up my insides for the evening, I decided to make some Chili for my family & I for dinner!

I even had some left over for dinner on Monday and packed it for school since I discovered a microwave in my evening class :)

The many times I've made Chili I've discovered a few tips to make it delicious:

-When using a Chili spice the longer it simmers the more flavorful the dish will become (this happens with most spices, the longer they simmer the more the flavors will blend together)

-When simmering Chili's (or meat in general) be sure that the temperature is low so as to not over cook the meat as it tends to become rubbery tasting

-Cinnamon and honey is such a wonderful combination hitting the sweet taste buds

Homemade Chili

1 1/2 pounds, Ground Turkey

1 can of black beans

1 can of kidney beans

4 Tbsp, olive oil

2 onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Green pepper, diced

1 8oz can of diced tomato's

1 8oz can of tomato sauce

1/4C Honey

4 Tbsp of Chili

1 Tbsp Paprika

1tsp Garlic Salt

1 tsp of Cinnamon

1/4C Red Wine (optional) recommend a medium-full bodied Merlot

1 tsp Cayenne (optional, if you want spicy)

Directions:

1. In a large saute pan, saute the onions, green pepper and garlic until they are translucent

2. Add ground turkey and cook all the way through

3. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chili, cumin, cinnamon, garlic salt, honey and stir well
4. Let it simmer for 10 minutes

5. In a large pot combine all ingredients

*If you want to add red wine add it here

6. Cook under a low heat for 3 hours in a large pot half covered

It turned out delicious! The meat wasn't overcooked, the beans held their shape and tender. The combination of sweet, salty and spicy all I could say was "mmmm-mmmm." It hit all the right taste buds! I will post a nutrient analysis soon to see what your getting nutritionally in 1 6oz portion!

Below is a picture of this tasty meal for your enjoyment :)

Third Time is a Charm!

2013-02-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Oh, finally! About 5 loaves and 15 bananas later... I had an edible banana nut bread altering the recipe with applesauce and flax seed (in place of olive oil). I had it for breakfast on my early morning class days & it gave me the energy I needed! To make it a more complete meal I boiled an egg the night before and got a coffee with skim milk at the school cafeteria.

So that you don't have to make a banana nut bread 3 times like me, the recipe is right below for your delightful convenience :)

Enjoy!

2 tablespoons Smart Balance, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 medium mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp Flax Seed, lightly soaked in some water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans
About 2 Tbsp of honey to drizzle on top

Directions:

1. Take the 3 Tbsp of flax seed & run 2 Tbsp of water until it is moist & gel like. Then lightly dry pat it to get excess moisture

2. In a large bowl beat all wet ingredients

3. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients

4. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients

5. Pour into a 9in x 5in loaf pan that has been coated with cooking spray and drizzle the honey on top.

6. Bake for about 60-minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean

Dense Dough

2013-01-24T07:00:00.001-08:00

If your looking for a dense piece of banana nut bread, look no further because I achieved just that in my recent recipe...

I decided to experiment with applesauce along with flax seed and made the discovery that you must use egg in any baked bread dish. I thought that baking powder would have been enough but it wasn't.

I want to encourage all of you that it's ok to experiment and make mistakes because how else are we suppose to learn. The piece of advice that I can give you is to not give up. Keep on trying to make that perfect masterpiece whether it's substituting for a healthier choice (ie. skim milk vs. half & half) or trying a new idea to give a more desired consistency (ie. applesauce vs. olive oil). Even if it isn't edible, just take from the experience of what you thought could be improved upon in the recipe.

To wrap this into an even more beneficial disaster, you can make more trips to the grocery store getting exercise parking far from the front door and carrying a 10+ pound basket with your new ingredients and presto, you just burned more calories! See, it'll all work out in the end :)

For your laughing enjoyment look at my dense bread!

Well, I will try again when my banana's become ripe. Ready for baking round #3?!

Daily Devotional

While reflecting on my bread and how not perfect it turned out made me impatient and frustrated, I drew my attention to the verses in James 5:7 & 8 on being patient:

" 7Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand"

Although this is just bread, I related myself to being the bread: dense and imperfect. The Lord is working in me to become increasingly patient whether it's just baking or learning to patiently abide in His will, it's the culmination of these "minor" tasks that He is molding me. He truly is patient with me and abounding in mercy & grace, more then I deserve!

Flax-Seed Fixation

2013-01-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

Anything you can do to get more fiber in your diet! It's like sprinkles on ice cream :) only flax seed in your oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, farina and Banana Nut Bread! I had this delicious banana nut bread at my friend Caitlin's house in which she said her mom substituted Flax Seed for half of the olive oil needed in the mix so I decided to go on a Banana Nut Bread baking spree to see if this really worked.

I have a feeling there will be more then one trial and figured I'd bring you all along with me.

The ingredients I used were:
- 1 1/2 C AP flour
-1/2 C Wheat Flour
- 1/4 C Olive Oil
- 1/4 C Flax Seed
- 2 Eggs
- 3/4 C Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 3 Medium Banana's
- 1/2 C chopped pecans

As I was baking, I completely forgot that flax seed in order for it to develop that gel-like consistency you must boil a little water. You'll notice that it will have an oily-gel-feel (which is due to the Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Flax Seed since they are a polyunsaturated fat, like olive oil, this is why it feels slippery), every flax seed is different but I use Spectrum Essentials Ground Organic Flax-seed.

[Now, I know this because I decided one day that rather then put flax-seed in my oatmeal I tried to drink it...GROSS. This is what you get for being curious.]

So here is the final picture of the Banana Nut Bread with Flaxseed (but NO water was added). It overall, was semi-moist & will try soaking flax-seed first, texture was a good crunchy and could use more banana as well. Therefore, trial # 2 will include a half more banana and flax seed that was boiled in water then I will let you know how it goes :)

Happy baking,

Love your experimental baker,

Christa

Want to know more about fiber and the many health benefits for your colon go under my up'n coming research section with a summary article from the "Food & Nutrition Magazine" by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Merry Christmas!

2012-12-24T09:23:00.001-08:00

To my dearest family & friends:

I pray a wonderful New Year for you and your families. Enjoy spending time with the one's you love and count the many blessings that you had this previous year, for they are many! As for myself, I am thankful for my family who have been supporting of my many decisions, guiding me in the ways of the Lord this past year with their (and the Lords) guidance.

Merry Christmas to you all and in lieu of this wonderful season...I'm off to Grammy's and Grandpa's for FOOD :)

Love always,

Christa

Mini Cupcakes with M&M ornaments, almonds for the tree trunk, light white icing with green food dye
and basic yellow cake mix.
ENJOY!

There's fresh & then there is 'just caught' fresh

2012-09-27T06:41:00.002-07:00

On my excursion to go Salt Water Stripe Bass fishing with my dad & a few friends on the charter 'The Hyper Striper' we all caught our limits (2 max/person). This fish is between 20-25 lbs and 36" and boy was it a fight trying to wheel it in! My pole was dipping down, to the point that I thought it was about to break. As I had the rod tucked under my arm, my hand struggling to wheel her in and my body wedged in the corner of the boat, this fish was going to be mine! Low-and-behold, with the mate guiding me and my unveiling determination to get this fish on the boat...guess what we had for dinner for 1 1/2 weeks straight! For your pleasure I provided a picture with me holding the fish (yes, they were heavy and not the most desirable place to be holding it) with a smile...CHEESE, I caught fresh fish & consider myself the fisherwoman :)

Left-to-Right: Cousin Freddy, Rick, Me, Mr. Weise, Mr. Tom, Jonathan

And here's a recipe I made to go with it (click under Entree's for further details):

Trying to get your toddler to eat more veggies?

2012-06-27T17:49:00.002-07:00

If you look under my up'n coming research section, you'll find a summary of an article from the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics on how adding a dip to toddlers vegetables can increase their consumption of these nutritious foods.

Welcome !

2012-06-22T07:34:00.003-07:00

Hello to you all,

I'm so excited to finally introduce to you 'teaspoon of delight,' a blog in which I hope provides useful information related to health & wellness to the public & above all, to my family & friends. I would like to give a brief description of each page to help guide you into understanding what to expect from each section.

Morning risers: is where I will provide breakfast recipes that I created or have tweaked from other sources that include great tasting recipes and overall balanced nutrition. Again, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! (& it's my FAVORITE meal :)
Entrees: is the section in which I will provide more dinner-like dishes that I have tested to give great flavor & are very nutritious for you as well.
Mid-day snacks: each snack on this section is just under or is 200kcal providing just enough to get you to the next meal. A reminder that these snacks are not full meals, just something to take the hunger edge away.
1-2-3-a-b-c nutrition: this section provides some of the basics for the consumer in reference to label reading, portion sizes and exercises to help the reader better understand what to look for when grocery shopping.
Fact sheets: the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics provide some fact sheets that I think are really helpful & provide tips that cater to our busy lifestyles (i.e. healthy eating tips when on the run).
up'n coming research: every month I get a journal from the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics all with the most recent research & studies in which I will find articles that are the most interesting & relevant for the public as I will give the "readers digest" version in a brief summary.
1500kcal Daily Diets: this is where I will have sample meal plans with a primary goal of portion controls. We live in a society where everything is bigger and what may actually be 3 oz is considered 1 oz to us. This is just to raise an awareness for how much we are actually eating & to challenge you to be aware of your portion sizes.
Questions/Discussions: have a question, comment, a topic you want to discuss? post it on this page. I will certainly respond & answer your question to the best of my knowledge. If it's a scientific question in need of some research, I will research it & provide an answer based on peer-reviewed journals.

Everything will be updated weekly & postings will occur every 2-3 days. I will invent more recipes & I hope you enjoy this information. Don't forget to Subscribe to "teaspoon.of.delight" & I hope you all enjoy your day!

Sincerely,
Christa :)

Psalm 16:11a--"You will show me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy..."