Healthy Recipe: Crab and Quinoa Salad

Fun fact! Quinoa is actually a seed not a grain. It is considered a complete protein, this fresh and delicious salad is a great addition to your meal plan.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Quinoa, cooked

1 Lime

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Crab meat

1 Avocado, peeled and diced

1 Mango, peeled and diced

¼ cup Basil, fresh, chopped

½ cup Asparagus, chopped, blanched

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup Cherry tomatoes, halved

STEPS:

• Combine; salt, pepper flakes, lime juice, and garlic.


• In a separate bowl combine cooked quinoa, crab meat, avocado, mango, herbs, asparagus, and tomatoes.


• Pour dressing mixture into quinoa mixture and combine.

NUTRITION:

SERVINGS 8; SERVING SIZE ½ cup; CALORIES 100kcal; FAT 4.5gm; PROTEIN 8gm; CARBOHYDRATES 8gm; SODIUM 240mg; FIBER 3gm

Fitness Friday: Outdoor cardio/strength circuit

Spring is here, that mean we can take our workouts outside and enjoy the nice weather.  This outdoor circuit combines cardio and strength  all you need is a stop watch and a bench, you can use a local park, school or even your neighborhood. Have fun!!

Warm up : walk – 5 minutes

Cardio: Fast pace walk or jog: 1 minute Recovery pace walk : 1 minute Fast pace walk or jog: 1 minute Recovery pace Walk: 1minute Fast pace walk or jog : 1 minute Recovery pace Walk or jog : 1 minute

Strength:  20 push ups Cardio: Fast pace walk or jog: 1 minute Recovery pace walk : 1 minute Fast pace walk or jog: 1 minute Recovery pace Walk: 1minute Fast pace walk or jog : 1 minute Recovery pace Walk or jog : 1 minute

Strength:  20 squats Cardio: Fast pace walk or jog: 1 minute Recovery pace walk : 1 minute Fast pace walk or jog: 1 minute Recovery pace Walk: 1minute Fast pace walk or jog : 1 minute Recovery pace Walk or jog : 1 minute

Strength:  20 Dips Cool Down : walk – 5 minutes

Coaching Corner: Be realistic with meal planning

While meal planning is essential to weight loss or weight management, it can be challenging for many.  There is no single right way to meal plan and many factors affect how we do it and how consistent we are.  Our palettes change, life demands more time in other areas, travel, motivation, levels shift… whatever the reason, if we look at meal planning from an “all or nothing” approach, we will not find success.  Be realistic with your planning, even if that means starting with planning 2 meals for the week, because having success in that will only bolster your confidence to take on more the next week.

Lindsay, H3's Registered Dietitian, shares with us a few more pictures of her meal planning.   Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables with Rice Pilaf and Chicken is a combination of leftovers from different meals—using simply seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper make these different foods taste great together.

The peanut butter hummus is always a huge hit.  I had sliced apples and carrots to go with it—later on that week I sautéed the apples with seared pork tenderloin.

Anyone that knows me KNOWS that I love salmon.  I have finally mastered the “sear” and because it cooks up so quickly I spent more time on the quinoa pilaf and roasted broccoli—both home runs and easy to incorporate into other meals throughout the week.

Alzheimer's Disease, what women need to know

It wasn’t that long ago that heart disease was thought to be primarily a man’s disease, thanks to the American Heart Association and other organizations efforts, we now recognize it is a major health issue for woman as well. According to the 2014 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures published by the Alzheimer’s Association, there may be a similar misconception about Alzheimer’s disease. The report states that women are at the epicenter of the disease. Nearly two thirds of those with Alzheimer’s – 3.2 million - are women. In fact, women in their 60’s are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s during the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer. Women are also much more likely to carry the brunt of Alzheimer’s care as well. Unfortunately, the number of cases is on the rise. Over 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s today, which this number is projected to be 16 million by 2050.

Alzheimer’s is a complex disease with many contributing factors. According to Angela Geiger, chief strategy officer of the Alzheimer’s Association age is the greatest risk factor. Most people with Alzheimer’s are diagnosed at age 65 or older. Younger people than 65 can also develop the disease, although this is much rarer. While age is the most significant risk factor, Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging and advanced age alone is not enough to cause the disease. Other factors including family history can also increase the risk. But there are things that can be done to lower the risk. Growing evidence suggests that the health of the brain is closely linked to the health of the heart. Many factors that increase the risk of heart disease are also associated developing Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia, including smoking, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Managing those risk factors would help. In addition, those who exercise regularly, and eat a heart healthy diet not only lower their risk of heart disease but Alzheimer’s as well. Staying socially and cognitively active lowers the risk also.

For general information about Alzheimer’s disease check out this short video produced by the Alzheimer’s Association.



More specific information about Alzheimer’s disease and women can found in The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s at http://www.alz.org/shriverreport/index.html.

Healthy Recipe: Mussels and Clams in Garlic White Wine Sauce

This is a great simple yet crowd pleasing dish. Fresh and local seafood will make it even better!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp. Olive oil

½ lb. Mussels, cleaned and scrubbed

½ lb. Clams, cleaned and scrubbed

1 Onion, chopped fine about 1 cup

2 Garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes

2 Bay leaves

½ c. Dry white wine, chardonnay or Chablis

¼ c. Fresh parsley, chopped

STEPS:

• Prepare a hot pan that has a lid about medium size like a large sauté pan.


• Add olive oil, wait until hot, and then add onions, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaves.


• Cook until onions and garlic are soft.


• Turn heat to medium high, and add cleaned mussels, clams, and white wine.  Put a lid on it.


• Let mussels and clams steam for a few minutes but make sure to shake pan to move ingredients around in pan. This will take about 5 minutes.


• Turn heat to medium low and simmer for another 5 minutes or so.


• Remove lid and discard any unopened shells.


• At the very end stir through the parsley and garnish with lemon wheels.

NUTRITION:

SERVINGS 8; SERVING SIZE 2 mussels and 2 clams; CALORIES 70kcal;

PROTEIN 7gm CARBOHYDRATES 3gm; SODIUM 160mg;

Fitness Friday: Squat and Lunge Alternatives

If you have knee pain or knee issues, check out these squat and lunge alternatives. These exercises will help strengthen your hamstrings and quadriceps without putting pressure on your knees.

Coaching Corner: ICE THERAPY FOR AN INJURY

Spring is slowly arriving!  As we emerge from the dark, cold days of winter where we wanted to do little more than curl up in a ball under a pile of blankets, we now are beginning to feel a renewal of energy and enthusiasm to moving our bodies and getting active.  Exercise enthusiasts with the best intentions will often find themselves incurring a sprain, strain or injury at some point.  Most of the time these issues can be resolved rather easily with ice therapy.  Following, are guidelines for ice therapy.  For situations involving bleeding, major bruising, excessive pain or immobility, always consult a physician.

The benefit of ice:

Cold treatments can slow down the blood flow to an injury (slowing circulation), which will reduce pain and swelling, inflammation, muscle spasms and pain.

When to apply ice:

For the best results, ice the injury immediately!  This is when the results will be most significant.  After 48 hours the response to ice therapy is less effective.  Make sure to elevate the injured body part above heart level to minimize swelling.

How to apply ice:

You can apply ice in several ways.  You can prepare a sealed lunch bag with ice cubes, a freezable gel-pack found in any pharmacy, a bag of frozen peas (conforms well to the body), or a small block of ice (frozen paper cup of water).

How to protect the skin:

Do not place the ice directly against the skin.  Place a dishcloth, a washcloth or a dishtowel, for example, between the ice and the skin.  Try ‘massaging’ the affected area by moving the ice around the area regularly.

How long to ice:

For the best results, never ice longer than a period of 20 minutes.  Doing so can cause adverse affects such as amplifying swelling, tissue damage or frostbite. After 20 minutes remove the ice and allow the area to rest for 40-45 minutes before reapplying.  As a rule of thumb, think ‘20m minutes on, 40 minutes off’.


When NOT to apply ice:

Icing is especially bad for low back pain.  This type of pain is rarely caused by an injury, and inflammation is not typically involved.  Most often, it is the result of muscular trigger points (known as knots).  Trigger points can be aggravated by ice and will respond better to heat therapy.  There are, however, a couple of instances where ice may be useful for the back.  This would include muscular strains or sprains caused by heavy lifting (muscles may be damaged, traumatized or inflamed).  In these cases heat may exacerbate the inflammation and ice would reduce it.  Most neck pain also should NOT be iced.

In situations where you are unsure as to whether ice or heat therapy would be most beneficial, always consult a physician.

            .

8 Outdoor Activities that Double as Exercise

Regular exercise is part of being healthy. However, we are constantly making excuses about both exercising and making healthy food choices. We’ve all done it; “I want one more piece of chocolate, I’ll just workout more to burn it off” but then the time to work out comes along and suddenly you are too busy; have kids to feed, laundry to do, have a long commute home, or already have plans to hang out with friends. Trust me we all do it at some point regardless of our fitness level. What if I told you, you were actually giving your body a workout in activities you might do every day or every week? Well guess what, there are!

1. Riding your bike; maybe that means loading up the car and driving to a safe location, or heading down the road from your house, riding bikes is a great cardio activity for your body, it is easy on your knees if you have knee problems and there are a variety of different bikes for multiple terrains and skill levels. 


2. Taking a walk; could be after your lunch with coworkers. You could also walk around during your child or grandchild’s sport practice if you have to wait around for them; this is another opportunity to include other parents too. 


3. Basketball; make a family date night in the driveway, pick up a basketball and play couple rounds of horse, around the world or one-on-one. Trying to figure out how to continue having fun with your children or grandchildren, what better way than something they enjoy, everyone wins!


4. Golfing; this is another great recreation activity that can be quite active, especially if you walk the course instead of renting a golf cart. Not only are you walking but you are also carrying your golf clubs around too! 


5. Kayaking; it gets you out on the water where you can see all sorts of wildlife. It can be relaxing or if you hit the white water rivers, more challenging. 


6. Swimming; on a nice warm day getting in the water is refreshing. It is also a great place to work your entire body and in a low impact way.


7. Stand up Paddle Boarding; improve your balance and your core while you enjoy an afternoon on the water. You might even see some wildlife while you are out!


8. Hiking; it gets you outside and moving around, and gives you time to think about other things in life or if you are looking for some solitude this might be your favorite activity. Just take a look around you and enjoy the sights.

All-Natural? Cage Free? What Does It All Mean...

You walk into a healthy grocery store or the Healthy Living section of your grocery store and you can’t help but see multiple health claims and confusing terminology on packaging.  Here are some words or phrases you may see and what they ACTUALLY mean:

Free-range. This label indicates that the flock was provided shelter in a building, room, or area with unlimited access to food, fresh water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle. The outdoor area may or may not be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material. This label is regulated by the USDA.

Cage-free. This label indicates that the flock was able to freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.

Natural. As required by USDA, meat, poultry, and egg products labeled as “natural” must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients. However, the natural label does not include any standards regarding farm practices and only applies to processing of meat and egg products. There are no standards or regulations for the labeling of natural food products if they do not contain meat or eggs.

Organic.  Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers with synthetic ingredients, bioengineering or ionizing radiation.  For something to be labeled “organic”, 95% of the ingredients must be organic.

Grass-fed. Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life, while organic animals’ pasture diet may be supplemented with grain. Also USDA regulated, the grass-fed label does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides. Meat products may be labeled as grass-fed organic.

Pasture-raised. Due to the number of variables involved in pasture-raised agricultural systems, the USDA has not developed a federal definition for pasture-raised products.

Humane. Multiple labeling programs make claims that animals were treated humanely during the production cycle, but the verification of these claims varies widely. These labeling programs are not regulated under a single USDA definition.

No added hormones. A similar claim includes “Raised without Hormones.” Federal regulations have never permitted hormones or steroids in poultry, pork, or goat.

Healthy Recipe: NOPALES SALAD

What is nopal? Nopales are edible young cactus pads from the Opuntia species. They are mainly cultivated in the mountainous states that surround Mexico. Nopale is also known as prickly pear and it can be bought fresh or canned, there are many health benefits have been associated to this vegetable.

Ingredients

2 cups Cactus, cleaned, rinsed, and cut into ¼ inch pieces

¼ cup Onion, diced

3 each Garlic cloves

3 each Roma tomatoes, diced

¼ cup Red onion, diced

1 tablespoon Salt

1 each Jalapeno, minced

¼ cup Lime juice

1 tablespoon Cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoon Olive oil

Method

• In a large saucepot add oil, cactus, onion, and garlic cloves.


• Cover sauce pot with lid and maintain medium-low heat, allowing the cactus to steam, about 15 minutes.


• Remove sauce pot from heat. Discard onion and garlic cloves.


• In a large bowl combine tomatoes, red onion, salt, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, remainder of olive oil and steamed cactus.


• Mix well and enjoy.

Serves: 6

Serving Size: ½ cup

Calories: 45

Fat: 4

Chef’s Note: If fresh nopales are unavailable, substitute 1 jar (30 ounces) nopales, drained and rinsed. Add them after the garlic and onion has cooked for 5 minutes.

Fitness Friday: JUMP into SPRING!

Plyometric, or plyo for short, stands for “jump training.”  Plyometric exercises are characterized by an eccentric (shortening) movement followed immediately by a concentric (lengthening) movement.  A plyometric workout is a great way to increase your heart rate with a fast, high intensity full body workout.

Try out this plyometric workout of five exercises and jump into spring!



Complete 20 repetitions of each exercise with a 30 second rest period before moving onto the next exercise!

Repeat this circuit 2 times.

Squat jump

Plank Jack

Switch lunges

Burpee

Lateral hops

Coaching Corner: Dream Big Start Small

DREAM BIG.  START SMALL.   YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.  DIG DEEP—REACH INSIDE.  ENGAGE IN THE WORLD IN WHICH YOU LIVE.  NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME.  WAKE UP.  GET OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.   WHAT IS GOING TO KEEP YOU IN THE GAME? 

Wellness Wednesday: 3 Weight Loss Motivation Tips

Motivation can be very difficult to sustain yet it is the single most important factor determining our success, regardless of the goal. In fact, motivation trumps environment, support, and knowledge when it comes to variables that affect achievement. That means that motivation has to be your number one priority with any aspiration. The priority is not only determining ways to fuel motivation but also vigilantly eliminating barriers to motivation.

The goal of losing weight is often riddled with motivational black holes. Our focus seems to get sucked into the abyss. Thus, when losing weight it remains important to keep a tool box filled with motivational strategies. Ever eager to help you stock your tool box, I’ve put together three more tips to help inspire your weight loss efforts:

1.       What does 5 pounds of fat look like?



We get overly fixated on numbers when trying to lose weight. If it’s not the scale then it’s a size. Why not look at your achievement in a way that is more meaningful than a number? The next time you find yourself saying with exasperation, “I’ve ONLY lost five pounds” get an idea of what five pounds really looks like (hint: check out the photo above). Better yet, remind yourself of what it feels like. Grab a 5-pound weight and carry it in your purse or jacket pocket for a few hours.

2.       Look at How Far You’ve Come Instead of How Far You Have to Go.



When achieving your goal seems many miles and days ahead, motivation can stall. Break down the goal into smaller increments and then track those milestones in a way that lets you focus on how far you’ve come. One of my clients started using the chart above. She would track her weight-loss in 2-pound increments and mark them off on the bar. Doing so allowed her to see how close she was to her goal as well as what she had already achieved. Here’s a chart to get you started: 5 Pound Goal

3.       Build Your Success Playlist



For every pound you lose add a new song to your weight-loss play list. Build a playlist of motivational songs that represent your successes from week-to-week. Use Google to select songs that characterize the unique challenges and ultimate victories experienced during the process of your weight-loss journey. (Speaking of journey…start with the song “Don’t Stop Believin” by the band Journey)! Within months you will have created the ultimate playlist.

Nutrition: Label Makeover

The bad news for me is that I am going to have to revise my portion control class; the good news for you is that the food labels are going to become less confusing.  One of the topics that I usually spend at least a few minutes on during the portion control class is the importance of checking out the serving size, and the portions per container on food labels.  As we have discussed in the class the serving size listed on the label is often much smaller than the amount that people actually consume, even for products that appear to be a single serve size. For example, a typical convenience store muffin might have a seemingly reasonable 200 calories per serving, but a close inspection with a magnifying glass would reveal that the muffin has 3 servings, 600 calories not the assumed 200 calories. And how many of you actually get 4 servings out of a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, as the label suggests you should.  According to the FDA, the proposed changes to the serving size requirements will go into effect in about 2 years (the FDA moves slow, but at least I have plenty of time to work on my presentation)   The changes reflect how people eat and drink today  rather than how much the FDA thinks you “should” eat. That 20 ounce vending machine soft drink will be labeled as 1 serving not the 2 and ½ that it currently lists. The muffin discussed earlier would be labeled as 600 calories.

In addition to adjusting serving sizes they will be making a few other changes as well.  The revised labels will specifically list “added” sugars, making it easier to know if you exceeding the American Heart Association’s recommendation to limit added sugars to 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men. In addition, for the first time potassium and vitamin d will be listed, two nutrients that Americans tend to be deficient in.

Since the labels were last revised 20 years ago, these changes should make it easier to make informed choices when checking out food labels.

Below is a video explaining the new label.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2014/02/27/fda-nutritional-label-changes.cnn.html

Healthy Recipe: White Pita Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

1 can Cooking spray

1 ounce H3 Alfredo sauce

1 Whole wheat pita loaf

3 Tablespoons Button mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup Onions, diced, and caramelized

2 Tablespoons Pineapple (fresh, diced, or canned in its own juices)

½ cup Spinach, lightly sautéed or raw

¼ cup Bell pepper, diced (green, red, orange, yellow or all)

3 Tablespoons Part skim mozzarella

2 Tablespoons Feta cheese, reduced fat

1 teaspoon Turkey bacon, bits

Fitness Friday: March Madness

I love basketball season so for this fitness Friday I have a workout with 4 exercises that you can do anywhere and all you need is a basketball. *For an extra challenge use a weighted medicine ball.

Perform each exercises for 1 minute.  Repeat the routine 5 times.

Have fun!!

Squat Jump: holding a basketball - Squat down until your tights are parallel to the floor.  Keep your hips back, back straight and your head facing forward.  Immediately jump upwards lifting the ball overhead.



Front Lunge Pass Under

Hold the ball and your chest and stand with your feet together. Take a wide step forward with your left foot and lower into a lunge. As you lower, pass the ball from your right hand to your left under your left thigh. Press through your heel to quickly return to standing, grabbing the ball with both hands.



Pushups

Place one hand on the ball, and one on the floor, arms wide.



Balance and press:

Sitting on the floor with your back straight and chest up. Hold your legs up with the ball close to your chest.  Press the ball straight up and bring it back to chest level.

Coaching Corner: Fitness Excuses and How to Rise Above and Beat them!

1.      I don’t have time

This is by far the most common excuse. Don’t get me wrong, schedules do get busy and life gets in the way sometimes, but if something is important and a priority you will make time for it. I don’t have time is the grown-up version of the dog ate my homework. Try making it an appointment in your planner the same way you make meetings or other commitments. There are 1440 minutes in a day, use 30-60 for exercise (2-4% of day). Still no time?  How much television do you watch? During your shows, use resistance bands, hand weights, or body weight for strength training, or for cardio do jacks, jog, or high knees in place. Recording your shows and watching them later while skipping the ads will also make time to exercise. If you don't have a long stretch of time, you could break up your workout into shorter sessions. Some activity is better than none!!

2.      I’m too tired

This is also a very popular excuse. But can you believe that working out actually gives you more energy!! Sitting for hours on end without moving around isn’t good for you, regardless of your size. Your body during exercise makes feel-good hormones called endorphins, and gets circulation going. Circulation moves blood therefore oxygen throughout our body. Oxygen brings life therefore exercising provides energy to our bodies. It may help to work out in the morning before your day gets away from you or if you’re not a morning person, find out when you feel best (middle or at the end of the day) and get energized!

3.      Exercise is Boring

The best way to avoid boredom when it comes to exercise is find an activity you love. Try inline skating, dancing, gardening, or join a sports league. It doesn't have to be tedious or unpleasant; there is an exercise for everyone!  Every once in a while, try something totally new. Cross training helps to keep variety in your exercise by combining different types of activities. Cross training for instance taking a cardio-boxing class, doing hills/sprints on a treadmill, swimming, biking, or taking Zumba provides a variety of activities rather than doing the same exercises all the time which makes exercise very boring. Varying your exercise routines engages different muscle groups and constantly challenges your muscles in a variety of ways, creating a balanced fitness program.

4.      I’ve tried before

Start gradually, going from not working out to working the recommended 5+ days a week can be very overwhelming. Start implementing a workout program gradually. Do one day at a time and when your first day has become a habit (takes 21 days to make a habit) then add another day.  Set goals that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely). Make smalls goals with short time frames (1 month, 3 months) which lead to larger goals. These are pit stops where you catch your breath, make new/modify goals, and get back to your path.

Another thing that helps is keeping a log and also posting it somewhere. Maybe that’s at home for your spouse, children, friends to see, maybe it’s on Facebook. Create a "wall of encouragement" for yourself where friends and family can see what you’re doing, ask how it’s going, and support and encourage you along the way. This helps out tremendously when you begin to fall off track by having others who are aware of your progress and goals there to assist you back on track.

Maybe try to get some friends to go with you, or join a group fitness class at the gym. You are 50% more likely to adhere to an exercise program is you have someone doing it with you! You may be more likely to show up for your workout if you know someone is expecting you to be there.

5.      I don’t like to move/hurt

First, figure out why.

Is it that you don't like getting sweaty? There are lots of other options: work out indoors where it's air conditioned, swim so you won't notice any perspiration, try a low-sweat activity, like gentle yoga. Remember though sweating is healthy. Sweating is cleansing for the body. When you sweat, you breathe faster, your heart works more, your circulation improves and your metabolism accelerates, all in an effort to resume your normal body temperature. Because your circulation is increased during sweating, many of the toxins and impurities are able to exit your body by way of your open skin pores.

Is it hard on your joints? Head for the pool, exercising in water is easier on your joints. The stronger your muscles get, the more they can support your joints and the less pain you will feel. In fact, strengthening, stretching, and aerobic exercises can build up muscles and remove strain from the joints. Exercise also helps keep off the excess weight that can exacerbate painful symptoms. Every pound you take off takes 4-6 lbs off your joints. For example, regular physical activity is an essential way to treat and prevent common lower back pain. By moving often, our joints and discs for instance in our spine stay lubricated with the oxygen rich blood being brought to them through movement.

If you’re self-conscious about your weight, you could start by walking with friends, working out in the privacy of your home, exercising with a trainer, or taking a yoga/spin class which works out in a dim lit environment. So you don’t look like a supermodel working out? Guess what….. most people don’t! Remember those working out are there for a similar purpose. Wear something your feel comfortable in and consider yourself part of the community working together for a healthier lifestyle.

Wellness Wednesday: The H3 Plate

In 1992 the Food Guide Pyramid was released with much fanfare. It was supposed give people a simple picture of what a healthy diet should be.  Consumers found it anything but simple, and in fact it created more confusion than guidance. So in 2011 the USDA’s food pyramid was replaced by a plate.  The change made sense, as Marion Nestle, Ph.D. professor of nutrition at New York University put it, “we are people, we don’t eat pyramids, and we eat off of plates.”  Most found the new MyPlate a vast improvement over the pyramid. H3 agrees.  MyPlate is much easier follow, and clearly communicates the message we should be consuming a plant based diet with an abundance of vegetable and fruits, moderate amounts of grains and protein sources.

While the MyPlate was big step in the right direction, H3 felt there was more room for improvement. So we are happy to announce the release of the new H3 Plate, a visual guide to healthy eating. The H3 Plate provides a more complete picture and is more specific in its recommendations for attaining a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few key points that distinguish the H3 Plate from the USDA’s MyPlate.

The MyPlate is divided into four categories, Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, and Protein; H3’s also has four categories but emphasize Non Starchy Vegetable, Whole Grains, Healthy Proteins along with fruits.

Like the MyPlate, the H3 Plate recommends that vegetables and fruits make up half of the total plate.  We make the important distinction between non starchy vegetables and starchy ones; the USDA version groups them together.  H3 specifically recommend the consumption of at least 3 servings of non starchy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, green beans, summer squash, carrots etc.) a day. There is no limit, the more non starchy veggies the better. Starchy vegetables (potato, sweet potato, beets, winter squash) are encouraged in moderate consumption and are included as part of the whole grain group.

Both versions of the plate recommend the daily consumption of fruit. The USDA version allows fruit juice to count as a part of the fruit group. While small amounts of fruit juice is acceptable, the H3 Plate recommends the consumption of while fruit to meet the recommended intake. Whole fruits provide more fiber, are more filling and satisfying than juice.

MyPlate  recommends at least 50% of the grains you consume be whole grains. 50% is better than none but that still allows for a significant intake of refined grains within the guidelines. H3 encourages the consumption of grains as well but encourage they all be whole grains. Whole grains provide fiber and important nutrients lost in the refining process. We have also included other healthy sources of carbohydrates including legumes, and starchy vegetables in this category.

Rather than having its own group, as it does on MyPlate, H3 included dairy as a component of two groups.  Beverages and Healthy Protein, we recommend 2 servings per day.  Because of their versatility legumes are also listed in two groups, Whole Grains and Healthy Proteins.

The H3 Plate has a sidebar that complements the main message of the H3 Plate.  Acknowledging the importance of healthy fats and oils, beverages, and flavor enhancers such as herbs, spices, vinegars and salsas to add boldness with less sodium.

Finally the H3 plate recommends a 10” plate. Plate size does matter, the larger the plate we use, the more we serve ourselves. Research suggests that a 10” plate, as compared to the standard 11 – 11 ½”,   is the optimal size.  Using a smaller plate is a simple subconscious way to curtail overeating.

H3 Plate

Healthy Recipes: Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

INGREDIENTS: 

½ cup Old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup Water

2 Tablespoons Light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Canola oil

½ cup Whole wheat flour

½ cup All-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder

¼ teaspoon Baking soda

¼ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon    

½ cup Skim milk

¼ cup Non-fat plain yogurt

1 each Mashed banana

1 each Egg

PREPARATION:

• In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine the oats and water.


• Microwave on high until the oats are creamy and tender; about three minutes.


• Stir in brown sugar and canola oil; set aside to cool slightly.


• In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon; whisk to blend.


• Add the milk, yogurt and mashed banana to the oats and stir until well blended; beat in the egg.


• Add the flour mixture to the oat mixture and stir until just moistened.


• Place a nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat; once hot, spoon ¼ cup pancake batter into the pan.


• Cook until the top surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles and the edges are lightly browned; about two minutes.


• Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes.


• Repeat with remaining pancake batter.


• Serve with sugar free maple syrup or even bananas foster.

Chef’s Note:  If cooking for one person, make recipe as normal. Let leftover pancakes cool, bag them and then freeze for a later day. Top your pancakes with fresh fruit and berries to add even more flavor! 

Serving Size: 1 pancake     

Calories: 80                             

 Carbohydrates: 11 grams

Sodium: 95 milligrams

Fiber: 1 gram

 Protein: 2 grams

Healthy Recipe: Whole Grain Dijon and Parmesan Crusted Salmon

This recipe is a simple and flavorful way to include this nutrient-packed fish in your meal planning.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Salmon fillets - 4 oz. fillets

2 T. Whole grain Dijon mustard

2 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

2 T. Panko

Salt Pinch

Ground Black Pepper Pinch

Cooking spray

STEPS:

• Preheat oven to 375˚F.


• Coat each fillet with a tablespoon each of mustard, panko and parmesan cheese


• Then season each fillet with salt and ground black pepper.


• Get a small baking pan.


• Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray.


• Lay both fillets in pan.


• Then place the pan in the oven.


• Bake for about 15 minutes.


• Serve with your favorite sauce.

NUTRITION:

SERVINGS 2; SERVING SIZE 1 – 4 oz. fillet.; CALORIES 190 kcal; FAT 7gm