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Mediterranean Tuna Salad

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN
Picture from medinsteadofmeds.com

This is an excellent recipe for those hot summer days when you want a nutritious meal or snack but cannot even think about turning on the oven or stove. This recipe amps up the traditional tuna salad recipe you may be used to by adding vegetables and flavor.

Enjoy it as a sandwich, on top of greens, or alongside our Super Tomato Soup and Olive Oil Toast. If serving as a sandwich, use your favorite whole-grain bread and try topping it with a couple of kale leaves and a few tomato slices. Fun tip: Substitute the vegetables suggested in this recipe with your favorites to find your perfect flavor combination.

Serves 4
Serving Size: 1 cup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 (5-ounce) cans of tuna packed in water or olive oil, drained and flaked
  • ½ cup minced carrots (approximately 2 carrots)
  • ½ cup minced celery (approximately 2 celery sticks)
  • ½ cup minced yellow bell pepper (approximately 1 small bell pepper – substitute with orange, red or green bell pepper if preferred)
  • ¼ cup minced red onion (substitute with yellow or green onion if preferred)
  • ¼ cup minced olives (substitute with pickles if preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Salt to taste (optional)

Directions

  1. In a medium size bowl combine the carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion, olives, tuna, and olive oil.
  2. Season with black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix well.
  3. Serve as a sandwich on whole-grain bread, on top of salad greens, or alongside our Olive Oil Toast. This recipe also goes great with our Super Tomato Soup.

Nutrition Information per Serving

(Based on tuna packed in water, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt)

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Vegetables: ¾ cup
  • Fruits: 0 cups
  • Calories: 124 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 6 grams
  • Fiber: 2 grams
  • Protein: 15 grams
  • Fat: 5 grams
  • Sodium: 559 mg

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Cucumber Kim Chi

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

Kim Chi is a staple in the Korean diet. It is usually made with Napa Cabbage and is fermented. It takes several days to make. This recipe is not fermented so it is technically not Kim Chi. It is, however, delicious and is a great side dish with salmon or other fish. It is also good on a sandwich to add some crunch and a bit of heat thanks to the Korean chili powder. Korean chili powder or gochugara can be found in Asian markets or online. If you want more tang or acid in this dish, you can add a bit of rice vinegar or any white vinegar. This dish is designed to be served the same day as the cucumbers will lose their crunch.

Serves: 4 servings
Serving size: ¼ of the recipe, 78 grams
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Korean chili powder (Gochugara)
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
  2. Slice the cucumber into thin slices and place it in a colander in the sink or over a bowl.
  3. Toss the cucumber with the salt and set aside to drain for 2 hours.
  4. Place the cucumbers in a bowl and combine them with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Refrigerate until chilled.

Nutrition Information per Serving

  • Serving Size: ¼ of the recipe, 78 grams
  • Calories: 21 calories per serving
  • Carbohydrates: 1 gram
  • Fiber: 1 gram
  • Protein: 1 gram
  • Fat: 1 gram
  • Sodium: 299 mg

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Leftover Salmon & Quinoa Salad

by Casey Collins

Batch cooking is an excellent way to have “plannedovers”–planned leftovers–that can be adapted to different dishes throughout the week. I specifically like to batch cook grains, legumes, and animal proteins. My family regularly eats salmon. To save money I will buy a bag of frozen fillets especially when they go on sale. One of my favorite things to do is to oven roast a few extra salmon fillets that can be used for another meal during the week when I’m running short on time.

This is a non-recipe recipe that I discovered one week when I had leftover quinoa, salmon, fresh vegetables, and Sesame Soy Vinaigrette already in my refrigerator. I reheated the salmon and quinoa in the microwave so that it wasn’t straight from the refrigerator cold but not piping hot either. To brighten up the dish, I added chopped vegetables, shredded cilantro, crushed peanuts, and vinaigrette. I typically don’t buy pre-processed produce but recently I have been buying shredded carrots because it saves time and allows me to quickly add more vegetables to meals. 

Serves: 1

Serving Size: 1

Total Time: 10 minutes if ingredients are on hand

Ingredients

  • 4 oz portion of cooked salmon
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa 
  • Vegetable slaw (red pepper, carrots, and radicchio)
  • Approximately 2 Tablespoons Sesame Soy Vinaigrette
  • Handful of crushed peanuts and shredded cilantro 

Nutrition Information per Serving

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 653
  • Carbohydrates: 50 grams
    • Dietary Fiber:  9 grams
    • Sugars: 6 grams
  • Protein: 42 grams
  • Fat: 32 grams
  • Sodium: 271 milligrams

*We have run a nutritional analysis for this dish to give you an idea of what the calories for a dish similar to this would look like but the actual amount will vary depending on the ingredients and the portion sizes.

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How to Revive Wilted Produce Greens

by Jerrel Bushel

Preserving and reviving greens are two of the most essential kitchen hacks that I have learned as an aspiring professional home cook. Something that I often experience with greens and herbs is using only a small fraction of what I buy and forgetting the rest as it sits in the fridge for days on end. I have a simple trick to revive some of my fresh produce instead of trashing it.

My absolute favorite way to revive my greens and herbs is with a quick cold water bath for about 30 minutes and pat dry with a towel. This not only brings them back to life but also helps to remove any extra dirt or sand that has been hanging around. I recommend giving this a try next time you are questioning the quality of your greens and I promise you will be amazed!

With that being said, storage/preservation is an important tool to learn in order to best prevent your produce from going bad quickly. Most vegetables such as lettuce, cilantro and parsley, peppers, and broccoli do best in their own produce bags in the refrigerator. However, some others, such as basil, do much better in a pool of water at room temperature. Most importantly, you want to get an idea of how and when you will be using your greens, and make a plan to store anything you will not use. For more ways to preserve your vegetables, you should check out the 3 Tenets of Successful Farm Sharing post, which includes pickling and freezing your vegetables—a great way to make sauces! 

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5 Healthy and Delicious Side Dishes for the 4th of July

by Kelly Nordby, RD, LDN

It is that time of year for backyard barbeques as we celebrate summer and the 4th of July!  Whether you are hosting or bringing a dish to a party, consider bringing healthy, but most importantly delicious side dishes to share with everyone.  Here are five of my favorites:

  1. Confetti Bean Salad – Enjoy this fresh and delicious salad that can be served with tortilla chips or as a solo act.
  2. Quinoa Strawberry Salad – Relish this sweet and savory salad that is refreshing on a hot summer day.
  3. Kale Chips – Swap out those potato chips for some crunchy, delicious kale chips (shhh….you don’t even have to tell anyone that it is kale).
  4. White Bean Hummus – Pair with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sugar snap peas, peppers, cucumbers, or grape tomatoes.  Use your imagination, as almost anything will go well dipped in this tasty hummus.
  5. Banana Granita with Blueberries – Sweeten your celebration in patriotic colors (add strawberries for the red) with this creamy and delightful frozen dessert.

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How to Make a Smoothie Bowl

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6 Steps to Changing your Exercise Routine

by Sarah Myer

Change is hard. Changing exercise routines can be difficult and often people stop exercising when their schedules or life circumstances change. Here are some steps that helped me transition from after-work runs to early morning workouts this summer.

Have a reason to change your routine

If you don’t have a reason, changing your routine is so much harder and it is less likely to work. Do you want to try something new? Did your schedule change? Did your life routine change and did you have to adjust your exercise routine? If the change is a forced change don’t dwell on the negative. Focus on what you can do so that you can keep exercise in your routine.

Build on Past Successes

Make a list of everything that helped you start your current routine. Make sure you are doing those things when you switch your routines. The things that made you successful with your current routine will help you successfully change to your new routine.

Set out your workout clothes and gear ahead of time

It both sets the intention for exercise as well as removes an excuse not to exercise.

Hydrate and Fuel throughout the Day

Your hydration levels and your nutrition for the day before you exercise can really help as you change your routines. You may find yourself getting hungrier at different times of the day or need more water or electrolytes than usual as you change your routine. Pay attention to your body and make sure you are hydrating and fueling well.

Try it Once

My first early run I treated as a test run. Just getting out the door at 5:15 am was a success. I didn’t care how far or fast I ran. I didn’t put pressure on myself to be perfect, to feel great about this, or to commit to doing this forever. I complained to myself most of that run. I finished my run. I took what I learned from that run and made changes so that the next run would be easier. I’m 5 weeks into this routine and I still give myself an out. Let’s just see how the next run goes. We don’t have to do this forever. We just need to do this one more time.

Find a Buddy

This can be someone you exercise with or someone you connect with later who keeps you accountable. Let someone know what you are doing and check in with them to know how it went. There are some amazing communities online for a lot of different types of exercise. I’d be happy to share what I know if you are looking for inspiration.

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Cool Off With A Smoothie Party!

by Casey Collins

Today is National Smoothie Day! Smoothies may not immediately come to mind when you think of summer drinks, but they are cool and refreshing as well as being a great way to squeeze in extra servings of fruit and vegetables. Fruit contains vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes that will help refresh and energize you. Next time you are hosting a summer gathering–especially if it will be outdoors–try having a smoothie bar.

Prep Your Ingredients

If you are using fresh produce it is best to select in-season produce and use frozen fruit for out-of-season produce. For the fresh produce, make sure to give them a good wash under running water then cut into pieces. If you buy fruit or vegetables that are labeled as “ready-to-eat” or “washed” there is no need to rewash. 

Select fruit and vegetables that pair nicely together–think bananas, strawberries, and spinach or peaches, mangos, and carrots. Placing the chopped fruit and vegetables in a muffin tin can be an easy way to display the various ingredients. Just be sure to refrigerate all cut, peeled, and/or cooked fruits and vegetables within 2 hours. 

Get Blending

Add your preferred ingredients to the blender, then add your liquid of choice, and ice. If you are using some already frozen ingredients then ice is not necessary. For the liquid of choice, it is best to use water, low-fat milk, a small amount of 100% fruit juice, or even coconut water. If you want to make the smoothies more filling you can add protein. Good protein options for smoothies include dairy, nuts, and seeds. Greek yogurt is a good way to add protein and thickness to a smoothie. You can also add peanut butter or peanut butter powder. 

It can be fun to let your guest create their own smoothies. Another idea is to whip up pre-made smoothie flavors so that people can mix and match. A fun idea for kids–or adults–would be to put a couple of scoops of each flavor in a glass to make a layered smoothie. 

Serve & Enjoy

Relax, hang out with friends and family, and enjoy your refreshing summer drink! Check out these smoothie recipes for inspiration:

Strawberry and Tahini Smoothie
Skip the Afternoon Caffeine—Make this Chocolate Banana Oat Smoothie!
My Favorite Green Smoothie Recipe

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Make Your Own Granola

by Casey Collins

Overnight oats have gotten a lot of hype in recent years and there is no denying their meal prep-ability. Personally, I prefer granola and fruit with Greek yogurt. Though I find store-bought granola to be rather expensive per serving and it can be nutritionally similar to a candy bar. Homemade granola is tastier, healthier, and cheaper than the store-bought version. Plus, it makes your house smell wonderful as it is baking! 

Making your own granola allows you to control the ingredients based on the dietary or allergy needs of your household. It is best to buy the ingredients in bulk but this can be costly upfront due to the nuts, seeds, and oils involved. Even though initially it may seem higher cost than store-bought granola, it is cheaper per serving. Many of these ingredients can also be used for other recipes like the delicious Med Meringues or Rosemary Chili Almonds.

Below is a granola combination that my family loves but feel free to find a combination that works best for your personal tastes, household dietary needs, and budget.

Serves 30

Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats old fashioned
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup pecans
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (this is what I like but ½ Tablespoon would also work)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a full-size baking sheet with parchment paper (the granola doesn’t stick on the parchment but may on aluminum foil). 
  2. Combine the maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla extract and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
  3. Combine the oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the maple syrup mixture and stir gently until combined.
  4. Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Pat it down gently with a spoon or spatula. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour or until medium golden brown. Watch it for the last 15 minutes, so it doesn’t get too brown. If it’s not nice and golden give it another 10 minutes. 
  5. Let the mixture cool completely. Transfer to airtight storage containers at room temperature. 

*This recipe makes a large batch so I like to keep roughly a week’s worth in an airtight container in the pantry. Any leftovers can be stored in the freezer and thawed as needed. 

Nutrition Information per Serving

  • Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
  • Calories: 135
  • Carbohydrates: 10 grams
    • Dietary Fiber:  2 grams
    • Sugars: 2 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams
  • Fat: 10 grams
  • Sodium: 60 milligrams

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How and Why to Begin Exercising

by Meg Sargent

Our bodies are built to move and that goes for every body. So, treat your mind and body to some physical activity! Not sure where to start, don’t worry. We are taking it back to basics to help kickstart your physical activity journey.

WHY we need to be physically active:

  • Improves our mood
  • Boost our energy and promotes better sleep
  • Sharpens our focus
  • Is good for our bones and our muscles
  • Reduces risk of chronic disease and obesity

Who to be active with:

Whomever you want! Exercising can be a great social experience. Take family or friends with you on a stroll around the block, get together with some friends for a dance party, or find some new friends at a local fitness class. 

What to do/How to be active:

  • Be active any way you want! Doing what you enjoy is the most important part. You can dance, take a walk at a local park or around your neighborhood, play a recreational sport, go to the gym, take a fitness class, schedule a walking meeting with your coworkers, bike to destinations, or just around the block for fun, play frisbee, rollerblade, workout with a friend or family member. The options are endless and we encourage you to get creative!
  • Make sure that you are getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity 
  • Try to add some muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days per week. For this you can use your body weight, items found at home or hit the gym. Check out this blog for strength training workouts.

When to be active:

Anytime! Anytime that works for you. Some people are morning folks and that works great for them. Other people, like myself, prefer afternoon and evening workouts.

Even if you can’t find a huge chunk of time to dedicate to the activity, remember that you can always break your activity up into increments throughout the day. You can do five 5-minute bouts of exercise throughout the day to equal 25 minutes a day. Do what you can when you can!

Where to be active:

Anywhere!! But pick a space that is conducive and supportive of your preferred activity.  Find new parks and trails to work or bike in. Pick a gym that’s right for you. Invest in a resistance band or jump rope that you carry around to exercise anywhere whenever you have time. Know that you can work out from home and invite all of your friends over for fitness time followed by a healthy meal. Find locations that work for you!

Consistency is key! Set yourself up for success by finding physical activities that you enjoy. If you enjoy the activity, it is much more likely that you will continue and make a habit out of this new hobby.

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Book Review – The Whole Body Reset

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN
Image shows the cover of the Whole Body Reset book

I have been in nutrition for over 35 years and have read literally hundreds of popular books to help others navigate the plethora of diet books. The Whole Body Reset by Stephen Perrine caught my eye as it was specifically for those in mid-life and beyond. Most nutrition and diet books don’t really discern between a 25-year-old and a 60-year-old which makes their recommendations less than appropriate for older adults. Further, most diet and nutrition books offer little except hype and the next fad diet. Not so with The Whole Body Reset. The book offers the latest research in the area of timing protein consumption. It examines how the older person metabolizes and utilizes protein in a much different way than younger adults. This makes it important (imperative) to consume adequate protein and fiber at each meal. The book offers a simple guide to eating this way including many recipes. This way of eating is not contrary to what we know is paramount to healthy eating or eating the traditional Mediterranean diet but a way to time our protein to preserve muscle, build muscle and achieve and maintain a healthy weight. I encourage you to give this book a read. If you want a quick summary – I offer you this. Eating 25-30 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber at each meal stimulates protein syntheses and helps us build and maintain muscle. See this blog for more details about why this is so important.

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