Healthy Potato Salad Recipe

Are you planning a Memorial Day celebration with friends or family?  You can keep the meal healthy with lower fat and lower calorie versions of a few summer favorites.  This healthy potato salad is a perfect example.  Developed by exercise physiologist and nutritionist Franci Cohen, the tasty recipe is easy to fix and better for your body than its traditional counterpart.   Give it a try, then chime in on Facebook and let me know how you like it.

Healthy Mediterranean Potato Salad

• 2 dozen small red potatoes (approx. 1 1/2 pounds)
• 4 T finely chopped dill
• 1 bunch finely chopped scallions
•  1 red onion, diced small
• 2-3 tsp cumin
• juice & zest of 4-6 large fresh lemons (approx. 1/3 cup juice)
• 3 T kosher salt
•  2-3 T extra virgin olive oil

1. Boil potatoes in covered saucepan filled with water and 1 T kosher salt, and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender but not too soft (about 10 minutes)
3. Remove potatoes from saucepan and put into a bowl of ice water, to shock potatoes and stop the cooking process.
4. Remove potatoes from ice water bath, and chop into big 2″ cubes.
5. Place cubed potatoes into large bowl.
6. To create the dressing, mix remaining ingredients together and whisk to incorporate all.
7. Pour dressing over potatoes
8. Mix well and serve

Looking for more recipes?  Check back on Thursday for more.  You can also visit North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss to get tips about how to stick to your diet at parties and events.

How to Shop Smarter at the Farmers Market

One of the best ways to incorporate more healthy food in your diet is to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, breads and meat from the farmers market.  Heading to the local market is also a fun family activity and a great way to get your kids more involved in healthy meal planning.

How to Find Local Twin Cities Markets

In Minneapolis, the North Lyndale Farmers Market is open every day from 6am- 1pm.  You’ll also find vendors on Nicollet Mall Thursdays from 6am to 6pm.  The downtown St. Paul Farmers Market is open on Saturday from 6am-1pm and on Sunday from 8am-1pm.  Find other local markets throughout the state by visiting the website of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

What’s in Season?

You’ll make the most of your money if you buy fruits and veggies that are in season.  Download this chart to get an idea of what you can buy throughout the year. Right now is a good time to look for asparagus (a food that is high in calcium and fiber)  rhubarb and strawberries.  In the coming weeks, you’ll also see fresh spinach, zucchini, and a variety of fresh lettuces.  Talk to the farmers about new ways to prepare the vegetables.  If a veggie looks unfamiliar, don’t be afraid to ask what it is.  Get the kids involved and make it a healthy learning experience for the whole family.

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21-Day Diet Fix

Look and feel better in 21 days

If a group of health experts told you that you could look and feel better in 21 days by changing just one thing about your diet, would you do it?   What if that single change could make your clothes fit better and give you a more slender appearance?  And what if it had the potential to improve your overall health?   All of these things are possible if you reduce your sodium intake for just three weeks.

The Effect of Salt on Your Body

According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, despite the fact that the organization recommends a total intake of only 1,500 milligrams for most adults.   So what does all that sodium do to your body?  In the short term, it makes your face puffy and your clothes fit tighter. But over the long term it may increase your risk of heart failure and stroke.

How to Reduce Your Sodium Intake

In January 2013, the AHA launched a campaign to help Americans reduce their salt intake. They named specific foods to reduce each week in order to lower your total sodium intake.   Use their plan to look and feel better in 21 days.

• Week 1 – Start by tackling your consumption of breads and rolls as well as cold cuts and cured meats.  For example, one piece of bread can have as much as 230 milligrams of sodium while a serving of turkey cold cuts could contain as much as 1,050 milligrams of sodium.  When your recommended daily intake is kept to 1,500 milligrams or less, it’s amazing how fast it all adds up.  Check your labels on these items, look for lower sodium items and track your sodium consumption each day and log how much you’ve shaved out of your diet. Portion control does make a difference.  Foods eaten several times a day add up to a lot of sodium, even though each serving is not high.
• Week 2 – Keep that momentum going!  This week’s foods include pizza and poultry.  If you’re going to eat pizza, try to aim for one with less cheese and meats or lower sodium versions of these items or try something different and add veggies instead.  When cooking for your family this week use fresh, skinless poultry that is not enhanced with sodium solution rather than fried or process
• Week 3 – As you round out your challenge and embark on the last week of your challenge, your focus includes soups and sandwiches.  The two together typically make a tasty lunch or dinner duo, but one cup of chicken noodle or tomato soup may have up to 940 milligrams – it varies by brand –and, after you add all of your meats, cheeses and condiments to your sandwich, you can easily surpass 1,500 milligrams in one day.  This week, when choosing a soup, check the label and try lower sodium varieties of your favorites and make your sandwiches with lower sodium meats and cheeses and try to eliminate piling on your condiments.  Be sure to track your sodium and try to keep your daily consumption to less than 1,500 milligrams.

Of course, after the three week period is over, the goal is to maintain a reduced sodium intake.  But at that point you’ve retrained your taste buds to need less salt. Give it a try and let me know how it goes by posting your comments on the North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss Facebook page.

 

 

Choose a Healthy Restaurant on Mother’s Day

Help mom reach her goals

Many families will be dining out on Sunday to celebrate the mothers in their lives.  Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days in many restaurants.  If you’re the one making the reservation, you may need to take mom’s healthy eating goals into consideration.  If the lady in your life is trying to lose weight or improve her diet, use these tips to choose a healthy restaurant.

Find Healthier Restaurant Food Choices

The best way to find a healthy restaurant is to research the menu online before you make a reservation.  Scan the menu for foods that are broiled, grilled or poached.  Entrees that are loaded with veggies and fruit based desserts are also a good sign.  But if the menu at mom’s favorite restaurant doesn’t provide those options, you might still be able to dine there.  In many cases, you can talk to your waiter to modify selections according to specific dietary needs.  Call in advance to get more information about the kitchen’s flexibility.

You’ll also find smartphone apps and other online resources that will help you find healthy restaurants and to find healthy menu items once you’re there.  Check out these links to get more information.

• Get Heart Healthy Meals in Restaurants
• Best Smartphone Apps to Help You Lose Weight
• Menu App Helps Diners Find Healthier Food
• How to Eat Better When Dining Out
• Tips for Staying Social While on a Diet

And while you’re online, don’t forget to find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Celebrate Mom With a Healthy Gift

(source: cohdra/morguefile)

Make this Mother’s Day special with a healthy gift for the lady in your life.  Of course, you can give mom candy or take her out for an indulgent brunch, but if she is trying to lose weight or maintain her goal weight, your good intentions may cause more harm than good.  Try one of these healthy Mother’s Day gift ideas instead.

Healthy Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

These products and activities will help Mom feel good about herself without adding fat and calories to her daily intake.

• Spa Day.  A special treat from the spa is sure to put a smile on mom’s face.  She’ll enjoy a massage, a facial, a manicure or pedicure at the local spa.  If there is no spa in your area or if those services are outside of your budget, create a spa day at home. Wrap up a bottle of fragrant bubble bath or body lotion from the local drugstore.  Add fingernail polish in Mom’s favorite color.  On Mother’s Day, take care of her household activities so she has the day off enjoy her gifts.
• Fitness Accessories.  If mom is trying to get healthy with exercise, give her some new duds to make her workouts more comfortable and stylish.  Stores like Marathon Sports in Minneapolis have walking and running accessories.  Budget-minded shoppers will also find colorful exercise apparel at stores like Target and Walmart.
• Exercise Buddy.  Support mom’s healthy habit by attending an exercise class with her. Try out a yoga class, Zumba or another workout that she chooses.  If she prefers to attend on her own, give her coupons to handle her daily chores so that getting to class is less hectic.
• Hair Style/Updo. It can be difficult to feel good about yourself when you are trying to lose weight. If the mom in your life is in the process of slimming down, set up an appointment for her to get her hair styled.  She may not want her hair cut, but during a session with a stylist she can learn new ways to wear her hair to compliment her changing look.

Looking for more ideas?  Check out these healthy Mother’s Day gift ideas from last year and this Mother’s Day brunch recipe to make mom’s morning special.   And don’t forget to check out the Healthy Weight Loss website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.

 

 

Best Smartphone Apps to Help You Lose Weight

(source: Mutlu Kurtbas/ iStockphoto)

The best advice you’ll get about losing weight will come from a registered dietitian.  But you can’t carry your nutritional professional around in your handbag.  The next best thing is to use a smartphone app.

There are countless iPhone and Android apps on the market.  Tuesday, I wrote about Everyone Eats, an app that helps dieters with chronic medical conditions like hypertension or diabetes find the best restaurant foods.  But if you aren’t managing a medical condition there are a wide range of other tools that will help you count calories, find cool workouts and manage your energy balance.

Best Smartphone Apps for Dieters

North Memorial Diabetes and Nutrition Educator Karen Palmer, RDN, LD, CDE, compiled a list of great tools for her clients.   The list includes online sites that will help you find walking routes, evaluate your physical activity, and tally your food intake.  You’ll also find apps that you can download to your smartphone so that you have healthy tools on the go.

Download the List Now

Stay Connected to Your Nutrition Professional

Smartphone apps are great tools for making the best on-the-go decisions, but they are not a replacement for the personalized care offered by your registered dietitian.  Use the online tools while still meeting with your nutrition professional.  Then you can work together you can make the best food choices to lose weight and keep it off.

Get more tips and advice about diet, exercise and motivation at North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss or by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Menu App Helps Diners Find Healthier Food

Download the app on your smartphone.

There are plenty of smartphone apps that help dieters count calories and monitor food activity.  But a relatively new app called Everyone Eat helps diners with chronic conditions find restaurant food that fits within their specific health guidelines.

How to Download and Use Everyone Eat

The handy tool is available for both Android smartphones and iPhones.  After downloading the app, follow a few online steps to set up the system.  You’ll enter basic information (age, gender, height, weight, activity level), and chronic health conditions or dietary restrictions. The data is then used to calculate a dietary profile that fits within the guidelines of  health associations including, the American Diabetes Association, the National Kidney Foundation, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, and many others.

After set-up, you can use the app to find a restaurant, a specific type of cuisine or to evaluate specific menu items at your favorite spot.  For example, if you listed hypertension as one of your conditions and mexican food as your desired cuisine, the app will locate restaurants in your area and suggest menu items that fit the recommended guidelines for people with high blood pressure. The app will also offer alerts if certain foods fall outside of the recommended guidelines for your condition.

Stay Connected to Your Registered Dietitian

Everyone Eat is a convenient tool, but it is not a replacement for the personalized care offered by your registered dietitian.  You can, however, use the app to connect with your RD. Follow prompts on the app to set up the connection between you and your nutritional professional.  Then you can work together you can make the best food choices to improve your health.

Looking for more handy smartphone apps?  Check back on Thursday for a list of favorite tools.