Sassy Salad Creations

Well, summer is just around the corner, and spring is already here (on the calendar, that is).  And this time of year is the best time to make a clean, refreshing salad on those hot, humid days.  But let's face it, who wants the boring old iceberg lettuce with matchstick carrots and croutons every night?  And don't even get me started on those store-bought dressings!  Why can't you make a fun, exciting salad every night of the week that incorporates all kinds of great nutrients, hits all the major food groups, and is tasty and fun at the same time?  I know what your thinking: I work all day, how am I supposed to come up with this all on my own??  That's why you have me here!  Making satisfying, sassy salads is an easy 4-step process.  Let me break it down!

Step 1: Build The Base

The base of your salad should be just like the base of your house, really sturdy.  When I say sturdy, I don't mean something structurally strong, but nutritionally strong.  Most salads use a base of iceberg lettuce, which is fine.  But lets face it, iceberg lettuce is a little boring and not as nutrient-dense as some other greens that could be used.  The darker the green, the more sturdy your base is going to be.  Instead of that iceberg lettuce, why not try romaine?  Even better than romaine, what about that beautiful dark green spinach?  Or, if you want to jazz it up even more, try a more flavorful green such as arugula, watercress, or escarole.  Whatever green you choose, make sure it is sturdy!

Step 2: Pick Your Protein
Every salad you make should include a protein.  A protein will help keep you fuller longer, otherwise you may find yourself hungry again after a couple of hours.  But don't choose a sliced baked chicken breast every time!  Your protein should be unique and different for all your salads.  Why not cut up the left over steak from last night's dinner?  Maybe your in the mood to open a can of black beans and sprinkle some edamame on as well.  Don't forget your cheese contains quite a bit of protein, maybe an array of different cheeses will be your protein.  How about fish?  A little salmon, cod, or tilapia fillet could be a perfect protein pick.  Finally, some slivered almonds or chopped walnuts could add a bit of protein along with a satisfying crunch.  There are so many great choices!

Step 3: Jazz It Up!

This is the most fun part of making your salad: putting on all of the fixings!  You can make it as fun and unique as you want.  Add anything you have in your refrigerator such as: chopped tomato, onion, cucumber, zucchini, pepper, olive, carrot, avocado, or kohlrabi.  You can even put a few fresh sweet corn kernels on the top.  Don't forget your herbs!  Chop up some of your favorite herbs to add flavor and leaving out the calories.  When you think you are finished jazzing up your salad, check it out.  Does it have a lot of color?  Does it look pretty and appealing?  The more color you add and the more visually appealing your salad is, the more satisfaction you will get out of eating it.  Take the time to make it look amazing, even if its just for you.  You taste your food first with your eyes, so generate a salad you can't take your eyes off of!

Step 4: Drizzle With Dressing
Now that you have made a beautiful, sassy salad, don't douse it in all that store-bought dressing!  Why not make your own tangy vinaigrette?  Making your own salad dressing is simple and fun and you only need a few ingredients.  Start with an olive oil or canola oil.  Then, your going to add an acid to that oil in a ratio of one to one.  Now, I know what your saying: what the heck is an example of an "acid" and what do you mean by a ratio of one to one?  An acid could be any type of vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, white wine, or red wine), lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice.  Notice all these liquids are acidic.  A ratio of one to one just indicates that if you are putting in 1/2 cup of oil, you will also need a 1/2 cup of acid.  Or if your putting in 1 cup of oil, you will need 1 cup of acid.  The amounts should be equal.  Then, add some fun twists!  What about some sweetness?  Add some brown sugar, granulated sugar, or honey!  What about some heat?  Add hot sauce or chili garlic paste!  In the mood for a little salt?  Add soy sauce or worcestershire sauce!  Lastly, add some orange, lemon, or lime zest to freshen it up and don't forget to add salt and pepper to taste, or any other spices you think would make it great.

Here are some of my most favorite sassy salads and dressings that I enjoy all summer long!

Crisp Citrus Salad

2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

2 cups spinach

1 cup arugula
2 tbsp dried blueberries
2 tbsp dried cherries
2 tbsp dried yellow raisins
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped
1 oz crumbled chevre
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste

1.  Layer salad in the following order: Mix of greens, blueberries, cherries, raisins, walnuts, and chevre.
2.  Whisk the remaining ingredients and drizzle on salad.  Season with pepper and enjoy cold.

Tangy Thai Beef Salad

5 cups spinach
1/2 red pepper, sliced thin

10 slices red onion

4 oz lean steak, sliced thin
2 fresh basil leaves. sliced thin
fresh cilantro, sprinkled on top
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp diced garlic
1 tbsp chili garlic paste

1.) Layer the salad in the following order: spinach, beef, red pepper, onion, basil, and cilantro.
2.) Whisk the remaining ingredients and drizzle over salad.  Enjoy cold.

Classic Cobb Salad

3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups spinach
4 oz baked chicken breast, sliced thin
5 tomato slices
1 hard boiled egg, quartered
1/4 of an avocado, diced
2 tbsp blue cheese crumbles
2 tbsp diced ham
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp worcestershire
3 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

1.) Lay the romaine and spinach on the plate.  Put the following ingredients in rows, beginning from the left: chicken, tomato, egg, avocado, blue cheese, and ham.
2.)  Whisk the remaining ingredients and drizzle over salad.  Enjoy cold.

Good luck and have fun creating and making your own sassy salads!!

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Imagine...

You come home from work after a long, stressful day at the office.  You have been basically starving yourself all day with this latest fad diet.  You know, the cranberry juice cleanse.  It's supposed to make you lose 10 pounds in 10 days...and you really want to put on that cute bathing suit for spring break.  When you open the fridge, all sorts of emotions run through your brain, but the only thing you can think about is the growling of your stomach.  You have a big glass of the gross sugary cranberry juice that you have been chugging for the past 3 days and look longingly at the chocolate cake waiting to be eaten.  So you eat a bite.  Then another.  Then another.  Pretty soon, you are eating everything you see, and can't stop.  It feels as if you lost control over what you put into your mouth and what you are eating.  As you realize what is happening waves of guilt wash over you and you wish you could have a re-do.  Can't we start this day over again?

Does this sound familiar?  Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.  But if it does sound familiar, you're not alone.  This probably happens to more people than you think. 
 
So lets talk about this.  What I was describing above is binging.  Binging is different from overeating.  Many of us overeat on occasion, for instance when we go out to a restarant with huge portions, or when we are going to a party with so many tantalizing treats.  Binging is when you eat more calories in one sitting than one person should be eating in one day, or in some cases more calories than one person should eat in two or three days.  It is when you completely lose control and feel like you need to eat everything in sight.  All those foods that you have deemed "off limits" are right there staring you in the face and you deprived yourself of them for so long that you eat much more than you ever normally would in one sitting. 

Binging can be caused by a number of different things.  But if you break it down to the core, most likely the cause is somehow emotional.  A loss of control, a need to feel in control, the list can go on and on.  It makes sense if you think about this logically.  Most likely the start of a binge is a result from denying yourself certain foods, or food altogether for an amount of time.  Being deprived of certain nutrients can change and alter your brain chemistry making you not think as clearly as you would otherwise.  Then seeing the delicious-looking food you have been telling yourself not to eat can cause your emotions to go haywire.  The result?  A binge.

Binging is very difficult on your body.  The huge amount of calories being ingested during a binge is especially hard on your digestive system.  Somehow, your small intestines have to break down this enormous amount of food and send it to your cells or get rid of it, all in a very short amount of time.  And don't kid yourself, there is no way your body can utilize all of that energy.  Most of it will probably end up as storage - fat cells.

So, understanding this is an emotional problem, what can we do to help prevent binging?  A role model in my life has a very good saying that I think applies perfectly to this situation: "Check yourself before you wreck yourself". 

A great way to think about this is just to be more mindful. Do you feel out of control right before the binge?  Have you been feeling out of control all day?  Have you been depriving yourself of a certain food?  Have you been depriving yourself of all food?  Do you find comfort in certain foods?  Do you find comfort in eating food in general?  It is perfectly alright if you answered yes to any one of these questions, or all of them for that matter.  I believe it is human nature to have some sort of emotional connection to food.  However, I also believe this emotional connection should not be harmful or hinder you in any way.  Once the emotional attachment becomes detrimental, the behavior needs to change.  A person should never binge.  If you are a person who binges, that behavior needs to change.

Stop depriving yourself of great food that you love to eat just because it isn't the "healthiest" food you could be eating!  Eat a few bites of that chocolate cake, but know that after those first few bites, you have probably crushed the biological craving and you are entering emotional eating territory.  Stop after a bit or two and think about how you feel.  Take a deep breath and have a few sips of water and wait.  The craving will most likely have passed and you were able to have your chocolate cake without binging and eating the whole thing.

Just keep remembering to check yourself before a potential binge could happen.  You don't need to feel as if eating can take away all your negative feelings.  Food can't hug you goodnight, food can't comfort you when your sad, food can't wipe away your tears.  Its just food.  You are a mature adult, take responsibility.  No one should be blaming the food for being put in front of you as your eating it.  You are the one putting it in your mouth.

On the other hand, don't beat yourself up if you do binge.  True, binging is very difficult on your body, but we all make mistakes.  Pick yourself up and move on.  Take the opportunity to learn from the situation.  What were you feeling, what foods did you feel out of control with?  These can be valuable the next time you find yourself in a similar situation and could potentially prevent another binge from happening.

Some foods naturally flush water out of your system when you feel bloated from overeating or binging.  Cucumbers are a natural diuretic, and this fresh cold salad is perfect for hot, humid days when you feel not only bloated but sweaty and uncomfortable

Cool Cucumber Salad

1 medium cucumber
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and thinly slice the cucumber.  Put slices in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, dill, honey, and lemon juice.  Pour over the cucumbers and toss to coat.  Season with a little salt and pepper.
3. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill and incorporate the flavors.  Enjoy this salad cold.

Serving Size = 1 Salad
Total Kilocalories: 100
Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 1g
Fat: <1g

Is Childhood Obesity Considered Child Abuse?

One third of American children are either overweight or obese.  That is a very scary statistic.  Most of us think of childhood as a time of being carefree and having fun.  Although this still might be the case, 33% of children are sick.  Not acutely sick, but chronically sick.  A sickness that will unfortunately stay with most of them forever.  As Americans, we want to blame SOMEONE for making our youth sick, but who is really the culprit?

Childhood obesity is characterized as a BMI (body mass index) of greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for a child's age and height.  In other words, a child who is considered obese would have a higher weight when compared to 95 out of 100 children with the same height and age as the obese child.

Obesity during childhood has been associated with numerous adverse effects including a variety of health complications such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  This is particularly troubling because these extra pounds often start children down a path to health problems that were once confined to adults.  Additionally, psychological effects result from childhood obesity such as stigmatization, discrimination, depression and emotional trauma. Obesity in childhood also substantially increases the risk of being an obese adult.

Also, adults who were obese during childhood have higher risk of developing hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease than those who were not obese during childhood.

So why are more and more children becoming obese?  There seem to be a number of reasons.  The amount of physical activity children get during the day is diminishing.  Many schools do not even have mandatory PE classes for children anymore.  The number of hours children spend watching TV and playing video games has increased exponentially.  What happened to the days where parents pushed their kids outside for the entire day and told them not to come home until dinner-time? 

Also, the amount of meals that are eaten at restaurants have increased.  Going out to restaurants should be considered a treat, not the norm.  Going out to eat should have the same boundaries as eating at home: kids should have one or two options to choose from, not an entire menu.  Why can't parents tell their kids they can choose from two options at a restaurant, and make those options well-balanced?  Children shouldn't be able to choose from 25 options of fried, fried, and more fried food.  This is setting them up for an unhealthy diet their entire lives.

But is childhood obesity considered child abuse?  Harvard University's child obesity expert Dr. David Ludwig says yes.  Ludwig, an obesity expert at Children's Hospital Boston and associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, shared his divisive idea in an opinion piece that ran in the Journal of the American Medical Association: that state intervention can serve in the best interest of extremely obese children, of which there are about 2 million across the United States.

"In severe instances of childhood obesity, removal from the home may be justifiable, from a legal standpoint, because of imminent health risks and the parents' chronic failure to address medical problems," Ludwig co-wrote with Lindsey Murtagh, a lawyer and researcher at Harvard's School of Public Health.

Taking a child out of his or her home may be a bit extreme, but lets think about this.  Who knows that the Super Size Quarter Pounder with cheese and a large chocolate shake isn't the best lunch for a twelve-year-old?  The parents.  Who understands that exercise is healthy for their children?  The parents.  Who should be running the house?  The parents.  Allowing your children to live a sedentary lifestyle and pumping them full of refined, processed foods is ultimately killing them.  What are my thoughts on this matter?  Americans need to appreciate the scary truth: we are making our youth chronically sick, and parents need to pick up some of that blame.  Turn this around, start your kids on a healthier lifestyle.  Because who knows, one day your child could be taken from you.

The Omega 3's vs The Omega 6's

Omega 3, Omega 6...these sound like Greek chants to me!  All the health gurus out there are really telling people is to "eat the right fats!"  But what are the right fats?  We know that Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids are "essential fatty acids", but what does that mean for you?

Let's start at the beginning.  Fats and oils are made up of various types of triglycerides, which consist of three fatty acids (tri-) attached to glycerol (-glyceride).  Fats and oils are a concentrated source of energy, providing 9 calories per gram.  Fats perform a number of important functions in the body, including: precursors for cholesterol and sex-hormones, vehicles for carrying certain vitamins that are soluble in fats only, and suppliers of the essential fatty acids required for growth and health. 

There are those words again: essential fatty acids!  But what does that mean?  These fatty acids MUST BE SUPPLIED IN THE DIET.  There are two essential fatty acids: the Omega 3 fatty acids and the Omega 6 fatty acids, also known as the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA's).  Let's break it down even more:

Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development.  Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega 3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega 3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega 3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

In order for the body to utilize the omega 3 fatty acids you are consuming, it must metabolize it into a derivative (basically, a broken-down version of the parent--the omega 3 fatty acid).  These derivatives are called EPA and DHA.  Relatively little EPA and DHA are produced in the body because the conversion process is so slow.  This is why consuming enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet is so important.

Fish, plant, and nut oils are the primary dietary source of omega 3 fatty acids.  EPA and DHA (already metabolized into a form the body can utilize) are found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, tuna, and herring.  Omega 3's are also found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, purslane, perilla seed oil, walnuts, and walnut oil.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids
Along with omega 3 fatty acids, omega 6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development. They help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.  As stated above, omega 3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega 6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation.  The typical American diet tends to contain 14 - 25 times more omega 6 fatty acids than omega 3 fatty acids.

There had been some controversy regarding omega 6 fatty acids. Some researchers had believed that omega 6 fatty acids metabolize in your body to become a type of fatty acid that can cause the lining of your arteries to become inflamed and damaged. That damage causes narrowing in your arteries, which can lead to heart disease.  However, the American Heart Association (AHA) has said that this view is incorrect. The AHA recommends that people eat between 5 and 10 percent of their daily calories from omega 6 fatty acids, and most people already eat this amount of omega 6 fatty acids.

Good dietary sources of omega-6 fatty acids include avocado, nuts, cereals, eggs, poultry, most vegetable oils, whole-grain breads, baked goods, and margarine.

So What Is The Bottom Line?
Interestingly, nutritionists and dietitians are now finding that omega 6s and omega 3s will only maintain their status as "good" fats when you get relatively balanced amounts of both. Unfortunately, most Western diets today are heavy on omega 6's, often at the expense of omega 3s.  The ratio should be in the range of 2:1 - 4:1, omega 6 to omega 3 -- and some health educators advocate even lower ratios.  So, be mindful of what kinds of fats your eating and keep those essential fatty acids in balance!