Eat, Drink, Live Longer

On today's show, I'm taking you behind the scenes to one of my hands-on cooking classes. I realize that most of you don't live in my home state of Massachusetts, so this is going to be a virtual cooking class. Sound fun?

I've been on Nantucket this summer, and over at the Nantucket Culinary Center, I've been giving cooking classes throughout the summer to locals and island visitors. These classes are always an adventure, and of course, everyone who joins one of my classes gets to cook up all sorts of nourishing foods. I thought it would be cool to take you along to one of my classes--not in person, but through this podcast episode.

Show Highlights:

• Deviled Eggs:
• • Ingredients include hard-boiled eggs, mayo, diced orange bell pepper, dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper, and paprika
  • Cook's tips: steam the eggs; use a sandwich bag as a piping bag
• Salmon Cakes:
• • Ingredients include grilled, diced salmon, whole-wheat panko bread crumbs, shredded cheddar cheese, corn kernels, mayo, dijon mustard, egg, fresh dill, and lemon zest. Avocado sauce ingredients include ripe avocado, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, fresh tarragon, dill, or parsley, honey, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.
  • Cook's tips: substitute canned salmon if grilled isn't available
• Wild Rice and Kale Salad:
• • Ingredients include cooked brown or wild rice, kale, diced orange bell pepper, green onions, fresh parsley, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, diced celery. Dressing ingredients include olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, honey, and salt and pepper.
  • Cook's tips: Add crumbled feta cheese, if desired. This recipe is a great lunchbox option, topped with grilled chicken. For shortcuts, use pre-washed baby kale, boil-in-bag rice, and other dried fruits.
• Peach Apple Berry Crisp:
• • Ingredients include diced ripe peaches, diced pink lady apples, strawberries, blueberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, corn starch, quick-cooking oats, chopped pecans, salt, and oil.
  • Cook's tips: Use frozen peaches if fresh aren't available, and feel free to substitute other seasonal fruits.
• Find a way to celebrate summer; have a cooking class with your friends or your kids
• A tip for stabilizing your cutting board: place a wet paper towel under the cutting board to create a non-slip surface

Resources:

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

On this week's Liz's Healthy Table podcast, I'm celebrating the best and brightest that summer produce has to offer, and I hope you'll join me by tuning in and sharing your summer produce stories in the comments section at the end of this post. I want to know what's growing in your garden, what's for sale at your local farmers' market, and which summer fruit or vegetable you can't stop eating. For me ... it's cabbage! I've been grilling it all summer and my family has happily joined the obsession.

Today's guest is Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, a mother of three and President and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). PBH is dedicated to helping consumers live healthier, happier lives by eating more fruits and vegetables. While today's show highlights fresh summer produce, I want to remind you that frozen, canned, dried, and even 100% fruit juice all count toward your daily fruit and vegetable consumption. Eating your greens (and yellows, and reds, and oranges ...) may sound easy, but about 90% of U.S. consumers still struggle to get enough fruits and vegetables into their diets. That's why I wanted to devote an episode to the importance of fruits and vegetables.

On the show, Wendy and I discuss PBH's new campaign, Have A Plant, aimed and encouraging all of us to eat and enjoy more produce. And we share snack and meal ideas to keep you busy cooking up fresh produce for the rest of the summer.

Show Highlights:

• Grilled cabbage: try my easy foil packet method to caramelize and sweeten this perfect veggie side dish in less than 30 minutes on the grill
• Why Americans are not eating the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables
• Why most of us need to double our consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Current family favorites: for Wendy, watermelon, and for Liz, roasted radishes
• Why "5 A Day" fruits and vegetables is a baseline, but more is better
• The new recommendation that ½ your plate should be fruits and vegetables
• The Have A Plant campaign, rooted in behavioral science and extensive consumer research
• How PBH is changing people's relationship with fruits and vegetables with a new approach
• The research from Australia and New Zealand showing that frequent fruit and vegetable consumers report much greater overall satisfaction and happiness with life
• The emotional AND health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables
• The importance of exposure to new fruits and vegetables, especially for moms so their kids can cultivate an enjoyment
• How social media affects food trends with fruits and vegetables
• Ideas for using summer produce:
• • Whole carrots: roasted, glazed, or shaved in curlicues on salads
  • Watermelon: carved into shapes, grilled, or blended into drinks and smoothies
  • Zucchini: grilled, fried, or spiralized into noodles or on salads
  • Jackfruit: can be used in vegan meals as meat substitutes
• Tips for using more summer fruits and vegetables:
• • Farmers' Market scavenger hunt for kids
  • Grill fruits and vegetables
  • Try specialty produce items
  • Use frozen smoothie kits or try a smoothie bar at home
  • Use canned fruit cups for road trips
  • Add dried fruit in trail mix
• What's hot in produce for 2020? Wendy says, "The next big thing will be specialty produce items, specialty packaging, and powerful produce pairings."

Resources:

For the research and science behind Have a Plant, tune in to the Sound Bites podcast with Melissa Joy Dobbins: https://www.soundbitesrd.com/podcast-episode-123-have-a-plant-the-roots-of-healthy-eating-wendy-reinhardt-kapsak/

Produce for Better Health

- Website: https://fruitsandveggies.org/

- Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/FruitsandVeggies/

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FruitsandVeggies/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fruitsandveggies/

- Have a Plant: https://fruitsandveggies.org/join-the-movement/

- Jackfruit: https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/insiders-viewpoint-try-meat-alternative-national-nutrition-month-jackfruit/

- Wiki page on Jackfruit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

Grains have gotten a bad rap in light of recent low carb and keto diets, but what's the real deal? Are grains to be avoided completely, or is there a place for them in a balanced diet? Today's show will clear up the confusion about grains and set the record straight. My guest is Christine Cochran, Executive Director of the Grain Foods Foundation. I met Christine at a conference back in January, and I'm thrilled to get to the bottom of the grain dilemma with her in today's show. Christine lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, three kids, and a new puppy.

Show Highlights:

• Christine's background in agricultural economics, traveling and working on farms in Costa Rica and the Czech Republic, and her work at the US Embassy in Nigeria
• The Grain Foods Foundation, established in 2004; their mission is to provide science-based messaging on the nutritional benefits of grains
• Grain foods include corn rice, oats, faro, and quinoa--not just wheat
• How grains are the main source of protein in other countries, but only about 16% of the American diet
• A gluten-free diet can still include grains like rice, corn, amaranth, buckwheat, tamarind, millet, quinoa, sorghum, wild rice, teff, and oats (although you have to be careful about the processing of oat products)
• Why wheat is NOT a GMO product
• Why carbs are getting a bad rap in today's nutrition circles
• Why diets of moderation should include grains because they provide fiber, B vitamins, and minerals
• The forms of wheat as it comes to the food supply: whole milling, flour milling, and cracked milling
• How a whole grain is made up of the germ, bran, and endosperm
• The difference in whole wheat flour and refined flour
• Why "enriched" and "fortified" are important distinctions in flour
• Why the USDA recommends making ½ your grains whole grains and the other ½ enriched
• The difference in staple grains and indulgent grains
• The versatility of grains, like my oven-dried tomatoes to add to pasta with pesto
• Christine's favorite go-to pasta with seafood and asparagus
• How to read bread labels to find 100% whole grain
• Christine's favorite grain additions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Lightning Round:
• • How Christine uses couscous: mix with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic to make a soup with ginger and spices
  • How Christine uses basmati rice: make fried rice with carrots, peas, onion, soy sauce, garlic, and cilantro
• My recent minestrone soup with leftover tidbits from my fridge and pasta
• Why grains are good, nutritional, versatile, and social

Resources:

Grain Foods Foundation: https://grainfoodsfoundation.org/

Find the Grain Foods Foundation on social media:

https://twitter.com/grainfoods

https://www.facebook.com/GrainFoods

https://www.instagram.com/grainfoodsfoundation/

Link to Melissa Joy Dobbins' podcast, Sound Bites and her interview with Glenn Gaesser on refined grains: https://www.soundbitesrd.com/podcast-episode-120-refined-grains-diabetes-guilt-by-association-dr-glenn-gaesser/

Dr. Julia Nordgren is a pediatrician who is also a trained professional chef. With her stethoscope and whisk, she's on a mission to teach her patients (and now you) about eating a healthy and delicious diet. Julia is the author of The New Family Table, a cookbook filled with no-fuss, no-muss recipes that make healthy eating flavorful, affordable, and accessible to everyone.

Show Highlights:

• Julia's unique roles as a pediatrician and chef, because she wanted to acquire cooking skills to help solve problems for her and her patients
• How the issues of childhood obesity and poor nutrition prompted her to want to offer solutions
• A story of a patient who saw significant results by incorporating more home-cooked meals in place of takeout dinners
• How to plan ahead and prepare healthy meals
• Julia's new cookbook, which helps readers prepare more meals at home with simple ingredients and lots of flavors
• Julia's recipe for Braised Carrots, made with butter, brown sugar, ginger, salt, and fresh thyme
• Why you should get your kids used to eating food with herbs
• Secrets to veggie prep to save time and get kids involved
• Julia's kids' favorites from the book: fajitas and Brazilian Chicken and Rice Soup
• For a kid who doesn't like veggies, use a "gateway" flavor, like teriyaki or taco seasoning
• Julia's philosophy on meat: lean, healthy proteins fit nicely into healthy and balanced diets, but most kids don't eat enough fruits and vegetables
• Why Julia believes we need to eat as many plant-based foods as possible
• Tofu Lettuce Wraps, with Boston Bibb lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, hoisin sauce, tofu, and lime juice (ground pork or turkey can be substituted for tofu)
• How the cookbook is divided into sections covering breakfast, snacks, dinners with more vegetables, and desserts that capitalize on fruit
• Julia's favorite snacks: minestrone soup and homemade trail mix (move away from packaged foods)
• How to use citrus zest or juice to freshen, liven, and balance flavors
• Kid-Friendly Kale Salad, with couscous, grated carrot, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and a dressing of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt and pepper
• How the salad balances flavors and offers a contrast in textures
• Julia's "Aha" moment when she looked at the mess in her pantry
• How she learned to make Vietnamese Pho
• Tips for family dinner:
• • Make dinner a priority
  • Have rules about devices
  • Create a welcoming table, even after your kids leave the house
• Julia's favorite go-to family dinner: steamed carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower, canned beans, quinoa or couscous, and fresh herbs
• What's next for Julia? Travel, a food blogger conference in Alaska, and her next cookbook about feeding teenagers

Resources:

Giveaway: We're giving away a copy of The New Family Table: Cooking More, Eating Together & Staying (Relatively) Sane by chef Dr. Julia Nordgren, MD. (U.S. only, please.) To enter, leave a comment in the comments section at the bottom of this post and tell me about YOUR favorite family dinner recipe. Giveaway ends June 26th.

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

www.drjuliacooks.com

Find Julia on Instagram: @drjuliacooks

Today's show is all about eating a vegan diet, and my guest is cookbook author, blogger, and dietitian-to-be, Gena Hamshaw.

Gena is a vegan lifestyle guru. She's the voice behind The Full Helping and the author of several cookbooks including, Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals. She joins me with tips for getting started on eating a vegan diet, important rules of the road when it comes to getting the right balance of nutrients on a vegan diet, the scoop on all those plant-based milk alternatives popping up in supermarkets, answers to questions from the Podcast Posse, and lots of vegan recipe inspiration for you and your family. The featured recipes we discuss on the show include Gena's Spring Panzanella Salad with Artichokes, Asparagus, Peas and Lemon Dill Vinaigrette and her Cauliflower Scramble, a tasty substitute for scrambled eggs.

Show Highlights:

• How and why Gena started her blog, The Full Helping, in 2009
• The juggling act between blogging, writing cookbooks and being a dietetic intern
• Gena's new cookbook, Power Plates, and how she guides people to healthy and balanced vegan meals
• Gena's ideal vegan meal: "A grain, a green, a bean, and a sauce"
• Other ideas for go-to vegan dinners
• How to use tempeh, which is a soy product and a cousin of tofu; one of Gena's favorite recipes is Polenta with Balsamic Braised Tempeh and Vegetables
• Why vegan eating is not difficult, but it takes practice with "a whole new cast of characters"
• A plant-based diet vs. a vegan diet. What's the difference?
• The nutrients that are of concern for vegans and the tricks for getting them: vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, zinc, calcium, and iron
• A good starting point for vegan meals for kids: (some of Gena's favorite recipes)
  • Creamy Brown Rice with Shiitakes and Peas
  • Pasta with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
  • Soups
  • Spiced Lentil Tamale Pie
  • Baked Potatoes with Broccolini and White Beans
  • Enchiladas
• Breakfast ideas for vegans include Tofu Scramble and Cauliflower Scramble, instead of eggs
• How to bake without eggs: Gena uses a "flax egg," which is ground flax seeds with water; another idea is the liquid left from a can of chickpeas (aquafaba), which can be used in various ways.
• Gena's advice for swapping cow's milk with non-dairy alternatives:
  • Soy milk is the most comparable to dairy
  • Use soy, cashew, or coconut milk in soups
  • Use almond or cashew milk in smoothies
  • Use oat milk for coffee beverages
  • Look for fortification and watch out for added sugar. Read the label!
• Favorite ways to use beans and lentils: salads, bowls, grain pilaf, pasta dishes, soups, and sauces
• Gena's advice about pre-soaking nuts and seeds
• Gena's Spring Panzanella Salad, with asparagus, frozen peas, greens, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and croutons
• Tofu and Greens: a hearty meal to feed a crowd
• Gena's connection to Food52
• Gena's #1 favorite vegan dessert: chocolate cake
• What's next for Gena

Giveaway:

Who wants to win a copy of Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals? In the comments section at the end of this post, tell me about your favorite vegan recipe (something that's always a "win" with your family) and/or why you'd love to win the book. I'll pick one U.S. winner at random on June 12th.

Links:

The Full Helping (Gena's blog): https://www.thefullhelping.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFullHelping/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefullhelping Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefullhelping/

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

What if I told you there was a cookbook out there guaranteed to solve your biggest dinnertime dilemmas: lack of time, finicky eaters, and the lure of heavily-processed convenience foods. Would you jump for joy? I bet you would, which is why I invited chef and registered dietitian, Michelle Dudash, RDN, onto the show this week.

Michelle joins me this week to dish about her new book, Clean Eating for Busy Families: Simple and Satisfying Real-Food Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love. Michelle takes us into her clean eating pantry for recipes like Four Seasons Fruit Pizza (her daughters' favorite), Turkey, Vegetable, and Oat Mini-Meatloaves with Marinara Sauce, and Hoisin Beef and Edamame Lettuce Wraps in a Hurry.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Michelle's background as a dietitian and a chef, and her life in Carmel, Indiana with her husband and two daughters, ages 5 and 9
• A crazy chef story about how Michelle once served Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and how he taught her how to brew a proper pot of tea
• Why Michelle wrote a book about clean eating
• "Clean eating" and how Michelle defines it as whole foods in their least processed state, which means they have more nutrients, no added sugar, more fiber, and no trans fats
• How some processed foods, like canned beans, are actually a good nutritional choice
• Michelle's extensive recipe testing process when she writes a cookbook
• Michelle's daughters' favorites: Four Seasons Fruit Pizza and "Meatball Cupcakes"
• How to get kids to try new foods:
  • Keep it low pressure
  • Help them to learn to enjoy food
  • Focus on the healthy things they WILL eat, and keep those on hand
• Michelle's recipe for Turkey, Vegetable, and Oat Mini-Meatloaves with Marinara Sauce: finely chopped mushrooms, onion, garlic, dry rolled oats, and lean ground turkey
• Why dry rolled oats are a wholesome recipe swap for bread crumbs
• Hoisin Beef and Edamame Lettuce Wraps: use Boston Bibb lettuce as a "cup," and a sauce made with soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, and Chinese mustard. Sear the ground beef with onion, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, frozen edamame, and canned water chestnuts. Stir in the sauce and serve in lettuce cups.
• How to get Michelle's Clean Eating Grocery List as a free download
• Michelle's favorite go-to weeknight dinners:
• Whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce, sautéed spinach, ground beef or chicken, veggies, seasoning, and olive oil
• Stir-fry with leftover veggies, onion, garlic, tamari sauce or reduced-sodium soy sauce, and dark sesame oil (Michelle's secret ingredient for Asian dishes)
• Marinated Chicken Thighs with apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, seasoning, and oil (great for grilling or baking)
• Tips for healthy snacking for kids and adults: whole fruit, cheese sticks, hummus with seeded crackers, hard-boiled eggs, natural microwave popcorn, raisins, and nuts
• Date Night recipes from Michelle's book:
  • Chicken Piccata: chicken breast pounded thin and lightly sautéed in olive oil with a silky lemon and butter sauce
  • Halibut in a parchment paper pouch
• A wholesome sweet treat: Peanut Butter Brittle Bars with Dark Chocolate Drizzle, made with graham crackers, honey, butter, and dry roasted peanuts

Resources:

Michelle's website: https://www.michelledudash.com/

Find Michelle's book: https://www.michelledudash.com/clean-eating-for-busy-families/

Find Michelle on social media: https://www.instagram.com/michelledudash/

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDudashRD/

https://twitter.com/michelledudash

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

Cookbook Giveaway: Enter for a chance to win Clean Eating for Busy Families: Simple and Satisfying Real-Food Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love. This giveaway is for Canada, the US, and Europe. To enter, post a comment in the comments section at the end of this post and tell me about your favorite wholesome, easy family dinner recipe (your go-to when you want a quick win!), or tell me why you want to win the book. Giveaway ends on May 22, 2019.

Today's show features a new cookbook designed to empower teens, college students, and young adults how to cook. It's written by one of my favorite dietitian cookbook authors, Katie Morford, MS, RDN. Katie's new book is called, PREP: The Essential College Cookbook, and the tips, recipes, and kitchen wisdom in the book provide the foundation for a lifetime of kitchen confidence.

I hope you're hungry because Katie joins me to answer your questions and to talk about some of my favorite recipes from the book including Butter Lettuce with Green Goodness Dressing, Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan, and Golden Banana Bread. We dish about how to teach kids knife skills (yup, it can be intimidating), the importance of empowering kids of all ages with the skills they need to work their way around the kitchen, lots of kitchen wisdom, the benefits of knowing how to cook when you're a young adult.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• All the juicy details of Katie's life and work as a registered dietitian, writer, cookbook author, and busy mom of three daughters
• Katie's go-to supper meal: roasted veggies tossed with cooked grains ora dded to tacos or eggs
• Katie's new book, a "starter" cookbook for people of any age
• How the cookbook idea came about as Katie's oldest daughter prepared to go to college
• The double meaning of the title, PREP
• Benefits of learning to cook from scratch (and not relying on take-out!)
• How to teach your kids knife skills
• How to encourage a college kid to eat healthier and learn to prepare simple meals
• Katie's basic tips for cooking rookies, which you'll learn about in the book:
  • Taste as you go
  • Realize that everyone makes mistakes
  • Double check your recipe
  • Know terms like chop, dice, whisk, beat, etc.
• Kitchen equipment essentials that Katie recommends
• How Katie wrote the directions for the recipes in PREP
• How anyone can pick up this book and have success, even if they've never cooked before
• Family favorites for Katie: Applesauce Cake, Banana Bread, and salads
• Katie's Butter Lettuce with Green Goodness Dressing, which is made with avocado, green onion, fresh basil, lemon juice, olive oil, sour cream, and mayo
• Katie's hacks for using a blender for the dressing and for cleaning the blender
• Katie's Lighter Green Goodness Dressing from Mom's Kitchen Handbook
• Tips for quick and easy meals after a long day at school (or work):
  • Plan ahead on the weekend
  • Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker for versatile meals
  • Liz's Pulled Pork slow cooker recipe
• Katie's Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan (this technique can be used with cauliflower, sweet potatoes, fennel, and turnips)
• The importance of knowing how to prep vegetables
• Katie's personal favorites from the chapter called, "How to Feed Your Friends:" Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup and "Mix-in-the-pan" Applesauce Cake
• Why the book doesn't include nutrition information
• Which, if any, of Katie's daughters is destined to become a Michelin Star Chef
• What's next for Katie

Resources:

www.momskitchenhandbook.com

Rise and Shine: Better Breakfasts for Busy Mornings by Katie Morford

PREP: The Essential College Cookbook by Katie Morford

Best Lunch Box Ever: Ideas and Recipes for School Lunches Kids Will Love by Katie Morford

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Katie's new book!

Katie and I are giving away a copy of PREP: The Essential College Cookbook to one lucky winner (U.S. only, please). To enter for a chance to win, tell me why you'd like to win the book and/or tell me about your first kitchen cooking experience. What was the first recipe you ever made or the first recipe you made with your teen? Winner selected at random on May 8th.

Do you ever walk through the grocery store scratching your head and wondering what to put in your shopping cart? Do you pass by foods like coconut oil, soy, dark chocolate, coffee and other caffeinated beverages, and kombucha … and just keep walking?

Are foods like coconut oil, soy, and coffee good for you and your family or bad? Or could they be both? Do these foods confuse you? To set the record straight on foods that confuse is Mary Purdy, MS, RDN, an Integrative Registered Dietitian with Arivale.

{The information presented on today's show is that of Mary Purdy and may not necessarily reflect the beliefs and policies of Arivale.}

Mary is a health coach who provides nutrition and lifestyle counseling to clients using personalized genetic data, functional labs, and a food-as-medicine approach. She's also the co-host of the informative and hilarious podcast, Mary's Nutrition Show, and author of Serving the Broccoli Gods.

Show Highlights:

• Mary's background as an NYC theater actress who moved to Seattle to become a dietitian
• Why Mary now focuses on coaching and clinical education to promote health and wellness
• Mary's book, Serving the Broccoli Gods, which allowed her to be vulnerable in celebrating flaws and sharing stories
• Mary's podcast (with her husband) allows her to dive deep into a variety of topics that people have questions about–with humor, fun, and engagement
• Why people are so confused about nutrition
• Foods that are confusing and controversial
• Coconut oil: It's health impact depends on the individual, the amount, and the type of coconut oil. It's high in saturated fat and in excessive amounts, it may increase levels of cholesterol, inflammation, and weight gain. It's delicious, so use it in small amounts. Go for the less refined varieties, like virgin coconut oil. Use it when roasting things like sweet potatoes. A little bit can go a long way.
• Why you don't need to buy low-fat canned coconut milk. Just add water.
• Soy: Is it friend or foe? There are protective properties in soy like isoflavones. It also provides healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Tofu, edamame, tempeh, and soy milk are whole soy products, but beware of extra added ingredients like sugar.
• Caffeine: Know how it affects YOU. For some people, it can increase blood pressure, insomnia, and anxiety, but for others, it decreases headaches and boosts athletic performance, mood, and outlook. Don't depend on caffeine to survive the day
• Kids are nervous enough already and many are sleep deprived, so be on the lookout for kids who consume caffeine. Mary recommends against it.
• Chocolate: It has beneficial compounds like flavanols, minerals, and even fiber! Go for the least processed forms and the highest percentage of cacao. Experiment with different flavor combos.
• Kombucha: This is a fermented tea beverage with a very small amount of sugar, bacteria, and yeast. It's beneficial because of the good bacteria, but it can be expensive. Check out Mary's homemade "Fauxbucha."
• Visit Mary's website for her free: Mary's Quick Start Nutrition Guide
• Mary's favorite quick family dinner: quick and flavorful soft tacos with refried beans, salsa, avocado, and shredded cabbage

Resources:

Book Giveaway:

We're giving away a copy of Mary's personal memoir, Serving the Broccoli Gods: True Tales and Tips from a Nutritionist on a Quest. Get ready to laugh along with Mary as you read, Serving the Broccoli Gods. This book is packed with nutritional tips wrapped around the lighthearted and humorous tale of Purdy's journey of transitioning from a gritty New York City actor to a registered dietitian. It takes the dull edge off of nutritional education in favor of a creative and uproarious perspective that will have readers laughing and learning simultaneously.

Mary's website: http://marypurdy.co/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryPurdyRD

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryPurdyHere

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/marypurdy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marypurdyRD/

Get Mary's Quick Start Nutrition Guide. Click here!

Recipes discussed on the show:

Link to Ellie Krieger's dark chocolate tofu mousse:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/dark-chocolate-mousse-recipe-1945893

Link to Liz's Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies:

https://www.lizshealthytable.com/2011/05/23/chocolate-pumpkin-whoopie-pies/

Mary's Fauxbucha recipe (Mary's alternative to kombucha):

http://marypurdy.co/fauxbucha-marys-alternative-to-kombucha-quick-cheap-healthy-recipe/

Back in February, I sent a survey out to the LHT community. Over 200 of you responded, and wow! Did you have questions! You wanted to know about the best ways to plan healthy meals and tips for getting your kids, even your independent teens, to eat more fruits and veggies. You wanted dinner ideas that could do double duty, pleasing the vegetarians and meat eaters at your table, and a lot of you were eager for advice on cutting sugar from your family's diet. You asked ... and I've got the answers.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Dan's background in nutrition and his work as my intern
• The easiest things to do to have a healthy diet:
• • Use the USDA's "Choose My Plate," and fill ½ with fruits/veg, ¼ with protein, ¼ with grains, and don't forget to hydrate!
• Quick and healthy dinner meals:
• • Use "Build your own" nights, for tacos, Buddha bowls, or pizza
  • Use versatile, healthy foods like eggs and rotisserie chicken
• Tips about meal planning and prep
• • Check out my 30 meal-planning tips
  • Have a plan and use it for shopping
• Making vegetables more appealing to teenagers:
• • Use veggies with dips, roast veggies to bring out the sweetness, and make quesadillas with veggies
• How to wean kids off too many carbs:
• • Know the difference between whole grains and refined grains, which have added nutrients
  • Use carbs as part of the meal and not the whole meal
• How to deal with kids and their endless snacks:
• • Think of snacks as mini-meals to fill in the nutrient gaps
• Low-sugar options for desserts:
• • Limit soft drinks and sugary "fake" juice drinks
  • Cut back on sugar in most recipes
• How to get healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart, brain, and eyes:
• • Get these healthy fats in seafood, walnuts, flaxseed, edamame, and soy
• How to make healthy substitutes for chicken fingers:
• • Try fish fingers or "no fry" chicken fingers
  • Read labels on frozen chicken fingers to find the most protein and the least amount of sodium
• Adding more fermented foods to your diet:
• • Add kefir to fruit smoothies and sauerkraut to sandwiches
• Getting enough calcium when dairy is a problem:
• • Look for calcium-fortified foods, broccoli, kale, almonds, and salmon and sardines with bones
• Cooking with more spices and less salt:
• • Make your own seasonings, like taco seasoning
  • Use fresh herbs, lime and lemon juice, zest, and use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
• How to please both meat-eaters and vegetarians:
• • Make a veggie lasagna and put meat in half of it
  • Use "build your own " nights for pizza, tacos, and Buddha bowls
  • Grill portobello mushrooms and serve as burgers
• Incorporating more inexpensive whole grains:
• • Try Trader Joe's 10-minute grains that cook quickly
  • Don't be afraid to try tabouli and couscous
• Tips for feeding an athlete:
• • Try Chicken of the Sea Infusions, which are ready-to-eat seasoned tuna snacks
  • Other ideas include Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, hummus with carrot sticks and crackers, Bush's bean dips, peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat, ready-made smoothies, and milk

Resources:

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com

USDA's Choose MyPlate

Eggs for Dinner recipes from the LHT blog

30 Meal Planning Tips from Registered Dietitians

Jessica Levinson's podcast interview on Dinner Dilemma Solved

You can find my FREE 7-Day Meal Planner and aisle-by-aisle Supermarket Shopping List printables over on the Freebies section of my website.

To find out how many vegetables your kids need each day, visit Choose MyPlate. The amount may surprise you.

12 Tips for Getting Teens to Eat Vegetables Happily

Whole Grains versus Enriched Grains. Slice for slice, enriched white bread, as well as other enriched grain products, are a good source of iron and four B vitamins; thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folic acid, as well as complex carbohydrates.

Pumpkin Maple Pancakes recipe

Tips for reducing added sugar from your kid's diets. Listen to my podcast with Laura Hoover, MPH, RDN.

My recipe for Mango Soft Serve.

The scoop on omega-3 fats. They're good for your heart, eyes, and brain ... but how much should you get each day? Visit Always Omega-3s for the answers.

Lentil Alphabet Soup recipe.

Products Mentioned:

Bush's Beans seasoned savory canned beans and Bush's Best Bean Dips

Chicken of the Sea Infusions

Trader Joe's 10-minute grains

Buddha bowl meal ideas:

Asian Beef Bowl

Tuscan Tuna Bowls

Jessica Levinson's build-your-own buddha bowl

Today's show is the second in a two-part series on probiotic supplements. Last week in Probiotic Supplements (Part 1), we explored probiotics: What are they? How do you choose the strain that's right for you? And how do you know if you're really getting what you paid for? Read on for what you'll learn in Part 2 of this series!

In Part 2 of our Probiotic Supplements series, Anthony Thomas, PhD, from Jarrow Formulas, is back to answer YOUR questions, including: How do I store my probiotic supplement? How do I pick and choose a probiotic for my kids? Do different probiotic strains do different things? What are the best probiotics for IBS? Are there any long-term studies to back up the validity of probiotics? How do I take a probiotic supplement when I'm on antibiotics? And more.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why most probiotics will be more beneficial if stored in the refrigerator
• Why the most efficient doses of probiotics contain billions of CFU's (colony-forming units)
• Why probiotics won't "go bad," but the potency can't be guaranteed beyond the expiration date
• How some probiotics can positively influence IBS symptoms
• A link to an NCBI study on Lactobacillus plantarum 299v and how it improves symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Listen to episode #32 on the Low FODMAP diet for IBS with Kate Scarlata, RDN to learn more about IBS
• How probiotics might interfere with medications (or vice versa)
• How to take probiotics and antibiotics together
• Why a type of yeast called Saccharomyces Boulardii (S. Boulardii) may be beneficial when you're taking antibiotics
• Why probiotics can be harmful for those who are immunocompromised
• Tips for knowing when you're getting a specific strain instead of random bacteria
• Why long-term studies are difficult to do
• Using specific strains for various ailments, like anxiety and constipation
• The new research on probiotic use in treating mental health conditions
• Tips for choosing probiotics for adults and kids: look at the relevant research
• Why consumers need to look for the accurate strain ID numbers on the label and even request evidence from the manufacturer
• Liz's upcoming article in Today's Dietitian on probiotics for vaginal health

Resources:

www.usprobioticguide.com

www.jarrowprobiotics.com

www.superhealthykids.com

www.parentsondemand.com