 My last block was two months ago and my goal was to add more fiber to my diet. I planned to start by adding two bean dishes a week. What I found made sense to me was to add beans to dishes and salads I was already planning, while at the same time increasing my collection of bean dishes. We really liked the chicken chili pictured above, it's fairly easy and very tasty. I also worked at increasing more high fiber foods daily like avocados and whole grains. I didn't reach a consistent goal of about 20 grams of protein, but I'm closer. My next goal is write the next blog in a month, with another bean dish recipe and some examples of high fiber days.
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 What changes would be necessary for you to have a healthier diet? First you would need a clear idea of what a healthier diet would look like. For one person it may mean eliminating soda and for another it might mean becoming vegan. For many of us the idea of working on a healthier diet is overwhelming because we focus on too many changes. For most of us, it is best to work on one small, specific change at a time. I know that my diet, like the normal American diet, does not contain enough fiber, the goal for an older woman like me is at least 21 grams of fiber daily. Adding more fiber is a good idea, but it's too general for a goal. So I'm going to start by including at least two serving of beans or legumes into my diet three times a week, using recipes like the tasty chickpea, potato, and green bean dish shown above. Then I'll evaluate this goal. Did I do it? Did I enjoy this addition. Did my fiber intake increase to the recommended level? What's my next step? I'll answer these questions in my next blog. In the meantime, if you want to work toward a healthier diet, what change will you make. I'd love to know what you're working on and if you were able to make the change you wanted.
 Farro is a hearty grain with a wonderful nutty flavor. This salad is both great tasting and healthy. It can be served warm or at room temperature. This hearty salad is great for picnics and provides the fiber that is often lacking in the American Diet. Click on the picture for the recipe.
A study of fecal samples from over 10,000 people showed that people who ate 30 our more different plants per week, had the greatest microbiome diversity which has a strong correlation to a strong healthy life. In the middle of a very hectic week, I took the challenge. On 7/16, a day we went to the beach, I realized I had only eaten one new plant so I found a place where I could get a banana. It was an interesting challenge and it will help me focus on the need for variety. Let me recommend that you take this challenge and here's a site that can give you some guidance. M = Morning N = Noon E = Evening DT = Day Total 7/12 M = Blackberries, Peanuts, Coffee (.25)
N = Celery E = Carrots DT = 4.25 7/13 M= Avocado N = Pistachios, Apple E = Chickpeas, Romaine, Parsley( lots of fresh parsley) DT = 5.5 7/14 M = Walnuts, Chia Seeds, Blueberries N = Mixed Salad Greens E = Almonds, Orange DT = 6 7/15 M = Cantaloupe E = Arugula, Almonds DT = 3 7/16 M = Honeydew E = Banana DT = 2 7/17 M = Strawberries E = Tofu, Snow Peas DT = 3 7/18 M = Strawberries N = Peanuts, Tea, E = Spinach, cashews, beets, beans, apricots DT = 7.25 Grand total = 31 different plants. At the end of the 2019 Alzheimer's meetings researchers concluded lifestyle factors were the only bet for preventing dementia risk, since their drug studies had failed. Diet was one of the prominent lifestyle factors and the MIND DIET or dietary pattern was shown in a 936 person study to help prevent dementia risk.  Two exciting findings in the research of this diet was that (1) though total adherence to the pattern showed the best benefit, partial adherence showed partial benefit and (2) this pattern was particularly beneficial for those at genetic risk.
Subscribe to my newsletter on the Home Page for current nutritional information and great recipes. Parsnips are the neglected cousin of the carrot and with much more Vitamin C and they are in season now. Their gentle sweet flavor blends with lots of meat and vegetable dishes, but they are lovely by themselves. Below is a terrific parsnip soup with a little walnut parsley pesto to complement the sweetness. It's easy to make and a great soup to serve. Just click on the soup for the recipe.  What should you know about this amazing fruit? Here is a site about 10 varieties of pears grown in the USA.  This is a great time to become a connoisseur of the beautiful fruits of the season and find your favorite. Unfortunately, most of the pears are grown in Washington and Oregon and after the fires they've had this year, they may be harder to find. The three types in my picture above were available in my local supermarket. From left to right they are Bartlett, StarKrimson, and Bosc. Each has a unique taste and texture.
Usually when you buy pears from the grocery store they are not fully ripe and should not be refrigerated right away. Don't squeeze the body of fruit to check if it's ripe. Instead, gently press on its neck which should yield a little when it is ready to give you its best flavor. Pears are included on the site of the World's Healthiest Foods. Pears are a wonderful ingredient from meat dishes to salads or desserts. Here are some pear recipes on this website; Roasted Pear and Blue Cheese Salad, Pear Custard Dessert, and Carrot and Pear Soup. AND don't overlook that the pear, all by itself, is a wonderful snack. This fairly mild green plant has amazing versatility. Raw spinach is the basis of many wonderful cold salads. Spinach is also included in many cooked meals, from breakfast dishes with eggs to a variety of wonderful dinner recipes where it blends well with an array of flavors and foods. Fresh spinach, quickly sautéd with olive oil and garlic, is a classic Italian dish and is seen as an appetizer in some Italian restaurants. Spinach provides an astonishing amount of nutrients, including phytonutrients, water-soluble vitamins, and fat-soluble vitamins. Some of these nutrients are more available to us when eaten raw and some when eaten cooked. So should you eat it raw or cooked? Look at this great Vegetarian Times article, Nutrition Face-Off: Raw vs. Cooked Spinach. My husband and I like our spinach just sautéd lightly in olive oil and garlic. Watch here for a very impromptu spinach sauté. Click on the picture below for a great vegetable dish whether you sauté the vegetables or not.  I know it seems that that the nutrition community just can't get it right. One day the headlines say eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat and the next day the headlines claim that eating eggs will result in an early death. Actually, the headlines blow up a small piece of the puzzle and miss the big picture. There is no doubt that the egg is a marvelous nutrition package. It has 6 grams of protein with all essential amino acids in the perfect ratio for our body to use. It also has 13 essential vitamins and minerals. So why would this nutritious food be maligned? Well, the problem is the cholesterol. This is what keeps the headlines going back and forth. The Dietary Guidelines from the USDA and American Heart Association had previously recommended limits of 300 mg of cholesterol for the general population and 200 mg for people with heart disease. And one egg has almost 200 mg of cholesterol. Recently, these two organizations have eliminated the limits, saying that it was not important to worry about the exact cholesterol number. Hence, the "eat all the eggs" you want headlines. However, this elimination of cholesterol limits has a caveat which proves those headlines wrong. The caveat is that you don't have to worry about the cholesterol number in the context of a heart healthy diet like the Dash Diet. If you look at the daily menus for this diet, few of them even reach 200 mg of cholesterol and there is only an occasional egg. The bottom line: the general recommendation is that an occasional egg is a wonderful nutritional package to add to your diet. I've included the final part of the American Heart Association's recommendation below. "Healthy individuals can include up to a whole egg or equivalent daily." Remember, this is a general recommendation. If you have heart disease or other health issues or if your cholesterol is very high you need to eat less. Clearly, eggs do have a lot to offer and in moderation are a very delicious and nutritious addition to your diet. Click on the picture below for the recipe for an "improbable quiche" which allows for unlimited variations. This quiche can be part of your heart healthy diet!  |
Tricia Gregory, MA,RD/N A dietitian who is a foodie and loves a great dinner party with wonderful food and terrific friends. Archives
March 2025
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