By: Janyce Gately MS, RD, LDN, CHC

Did you grow up hearing your mom tell you to eat your fruits and vegetables for good health?  Turns out that advice was right for more than just a healthy heart.  Recent research shows that a lack of fruits and vegetables plays a role in anxiety. 

The results of this study revealed that adults who had a low intake of fruits and vegetables were 24% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders than those whose diet was rich in fruits and vegetables.   A deficient diet was considered to be less than 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  In addition, this study also revealed that adults whose body fat was greater than 36% were 70% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders.  

Fruits and vegetables are low calorie and loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help prevent disease.  Now we can add anxiety fighter to their list of accomplishments.  But just how much should we be getting?  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends getting 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables or 5-9 servings respectively every day.  So, what counts as a serving?  

 

Fruits 4 servings per day	Vegetables 5 servings per day
Medium fruit: size of fist or a baseball	Leafy greens:  1 cup
Fresh, frozen or canned: ½ cup	Fresh, frozen or canned: ½ cup
Dried fruit: ¼ cup or golf ball	Vegetable juice: ½ cup

 

Trying to hit the daily recommendations can seem overwhelming at first, but there are some simple ways to begin hitting the mark.  Here are some suggestions to get started:

Breakfast

• Add spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers to your eggs
• Make a smoothie with frozen berries, banana and milk or milk substitute
• Add chopped fruit like apples or plums to your oatmeal
• Top whole grain waffles with berries

Lunch

• Add leafy greens like spinach and arugula to your sandwich, and add sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumbers for some extra crunch
• Have crunchy veggies with dip instead of chips. Try carrots, celery or pepper strips with hummus
• Add additional cooked frozen veggies to a soup
• Have a colorful salad with a variety of leafy greens, red and yellow bell peppers, and carrots. Add some blueberries, strawberries or raspberries for surprising sweetness

Dinner

• Add veggies as pizza topping, think broccoli, peppers, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms
• Use fresh or frozen vegetables for a quick stir fry
• Add chopped or grated veggies to pasta sauce, lasagna, meatloaf or rice dishes
• Slice avocado and tomato and drizzle with balsamic vinegar for a quick side dish

Snack

• Keep cut veggies on hand for snacking
• Make vegetable kabobs of grape tomatoes, a few slices of fresh mozzarella and basil leaves drizzled with balsamic vinegar
• Make fruit kabobs with chunks of cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew melon
• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter or table

For more help creating a healthy diet contact the dietitians at [email protected]

 

 

 

 

By: Janyce Gately MS, RD, LDN, CHC

Strawberries are available year round, but the month of June is when they’re at their best; bright red, full of flavor and sweetness.  Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, folate and potassium and contain disease fighting antioxidants.  This red berry shows up in jams, jellies as well as the perennially favorite, shortcake.  You may be used to eating them with your cereal or yogurt, but how about using them for something different: making your own fruit leather.  It’s easier to make than you might think and much healthier than the processed stuff marketed toward kids in the grocery store.  The cooking process does involves a commitment of time, because it’s baked at a very low temperature, so plan on making this when you know you’ll be around for a while. 

Strawberry Fruit Leather

• 2 quarts of strawberries, washed, hulled, and cut in half
• ¼ cup of honey (optional)

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F.  

Puree berries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Place puree in a large pot over medium heat and add honey, if using, stirring to combine.  Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes.

Place a silicone baking mat on a large 12” x 17” rimmed sheet pan.  Pour strawberry mixture onto the middle of mat and spread the puree evenly, ensuring the same thin consistency throughout. 

Place sheet pan in the center rack of the oven and bake for approximately 5 hours until fruit leather has darkened to a deep red and is dry to the touch.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Place a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the fruit leather and invert the baking sheet onto the parchment. Slowly remove the silicone mat.  Roll the leather with the parchment underneath, from the short side and cut into desired widths.  Store fruit leather in an air tight container. 

Email [email protected] to get in touch with our talented staff of Registered Dietitians!!!

By: Jessica Roy MS, RD, LDN

Spring and summer bring a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables to area farmers markets. Why shop for local produce, you ask? Here are a few of the many reasons:

1. You’re supporting the local economy
2. Local produce requires less transit time and less packaging, which is better for the environment
3. The produce is fresher and tastes better! (Bite into a local heirloom tomato in the middle of August and you’ll see what I mean)
4. Eating more fruits and vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your health (hello, fiber, vitamins, and minerals!)

 

When are farmer’s markets open?

There are both winter and summer markets available in our area!

 

Where is the closest summer market? 

The best nearby summer market is the Belmont Farmer’s Market.

Location: The municipal parking lot in Belmont Center, at the intersection of Cross St. & Channing Rd., behind the stores on Leonard St.

Dates: Thursdays, June 4 through October

Hours: Hours change after Labor Day because the sun sets earlier:

• 2:00 to 6:30 PM from June to Labor Day
• 2:00 to 6:00 PM after Labor Day to October

 

Weather: Open rain or shine (but not in violent storms). Look online if you’re unsure about the weather. Events and Storytime may be canceled even if the Market is open.

 

Get inspired with this spring recipe that will certainly use that fresh produce available at farmers markets.

Farro arugula salad (6 servings)                                

Ingredients

• 2 C farro
• 1 pound radishes, tops removed
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 C arugula
• 4 oz feta cheese
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions

1. Rinse farro. Add to 6 C boiling water with pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Quarter radishes and sautee in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper until just begins to brown, 4-5 minutes.
3. Remove radishes from heat, add in mustard and balsamic vinegar. Combine with cooked farro.
4. Add arugula to farro/radish mixture
5. Let sit 10 minutes to cool and mingle flavors, then add in feta. Enjoy!

Nutritionals

398 calories, 12 g protein, 30 g carb, 8 g fiber, 10 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat

 

 

 

By: Janyce Gately MS, RD, LDN, CHC

Memorial Day is thought of as the unofficial start of summer and that means more food cooked on the grill.  After a year of social distancing, most of us can’t wait to get together with our friends and families to share a meal over this long holiday weekend. Here are some tips to keep in mind before you spark up that grill along with some sweet recipes to take your grill game next level.

 

 

 

1. Start with a clean grill. This sounds like a no brainer, but if there is any residue or charred build up on the grill this can stick to your food and cause the food to taste burnt. Before turning on the grill, use a brush with wire bristles to clean the grates and then wipe them down with a clean cloth.  This will help your food taste better and help avoid flare ups when grilling.
2. Allow your grill to heat up before cooking by preheating it for 15 minutes. This will help you achieve a quick sear on the outside of your protein and keep it juicy on the inside.  For temperature reference:

• High 400-450 F
• Medium, high: 350- 400 F
• Medium: 300-350 F
• Low: 250 -300 F

3. Use safe food handling practice. Keep raw meat, protein and fish separate from vegetables and other food.  Wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.  Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of animal protein.  Proper temperature for safe food according to the Massachusetts Department of Health is as follows:

• Ground meat 160 F
• Steak, Veal, Lamb or Pork: Minimum temp 145 F, Medium 160 F, Well done 170 F
• Chicken 165 F
• Fish or Shellfish 145 F

4. Build a better burger. Choose quality grass fed beef for making hamburgers.  Grass fed meat is high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and a good source of omega 3 fatty acids; two fats that are important for brain health and heart health. 
5. Place cooked foods on clean plates after cooking. Do not reuse the same plates the raw meat was sitting on prior to cooking.
6. After cooking meat, resist the temptation to cut into it, allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Tent the meat loosely with foil while you wait.  Cutting into meat too early will cause the juices to run out causing the meat to be dry. 
7. Think outside the box for side dishes, grill some vegetables. Grilling brings out the natural sweetness of vegetables and it’s a great way to get your family to eat more of them. Even better, they’re easy to make and delicious too.  Thread kabobs with sliced zucchini, summer squash, carrots, eggplant, and colorful bell peppers brush with olive oil (or you can marinate them in your favorite dressing in advance) then grill over medium high heat until tender and light golden brown.  Corn on the cob and portabella mushroom caps are two other grill favorites!
8. Serve grilled fruit for dessert. Grilling caramelizes the natural sugar in fruit, making it tender and sweet.  Sliced pineapple, peaches, nectarines, melons, strawberries, pears and bananas lend themselves perfectly to the grill.  Experiment with your favorite fruit.  Here are three easy and delicious recipes to get you started:

Grilled Bananas

• 4 bananas (use firm, slightly ripe bananas. Banana will be grilled in the peel).
• Canola oil                         
• Optional toppings: melted dark chocolate, melted peanut butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, chopped nuts, whipped cream, yogurt, pure maple syrup

With peel on, slice banana length-wise, leaving two long pieces for each banana.  Keep peel on and brush banana with neutral flavored oil such as canola, or grapeseed oil. 

Place banana on grill, cut side down and cook over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip banana over to the peel side and grill for one minute more. Banana will be done when the flesh pulls away slightly from the peel. 

Place grilled bananas on a plate, remove from peel and serve sprinkled with cinnamon, brown sugar and/or nutmeg.  Other great toppings include chopped nuts or melted dark chocolate drizzled over each banana slice, or try drizzling each banana with melted peanut butter, whipped cream, yogurt, or pure maple syrup 

Grilled Fruit Kabobs

• Pineapple
• Cantaloupe
• Banana
• Watermelon
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Canola oil
• Pure maple syrup, optional
• Vanilla or plain yogurt

Cut fruit into 2 inch pieces, place fruit chunks onto skewers brush with neutral flavored oil, such as canola oil. Grill over medium high heat approximately 3-4 minutes until grill marks form.  Remove from grill and drizzle with maple syrup if desired and serve with yogurt for dipping

Grilled Peaches with Yogurt

• 4 ripe peaches
• Canola oil
• Cinnamon, optional

Halve peaches, slicing around the fruit like an avocado and remove pit.  Brush cut side lightly with oil and sprinkle with cinnamon, if using.  Grill peach face down over medium high heat for 5 minutes, turn peach over and grill other side for another 5 minutes until peach starts to wrinkle slightly.  Remove from grill and top with vanilla yogurt in the center of peach.

 

For more celebration and food ideas, email [email protected] to make an appointment with one of our skilled dietitians!