Blog – Page 24 of 65 – Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes

Food Gifts in 2020

December 11, 2020July 8, 2021 by Casey Collins

Our colleagues at the NC Safe Plates team have prepared a Food Gifts Fact Sheet with tips to gift food safely this holiday season!

Homemade food gifts are common around the holidays. Many options, such as homemade spice
mixes, baking mixes and breads have minimal food safety risks. Items such as home canned or
dried foods, infused items and some baked goods should be handled carefully to prevent illness.

Baked Goods

Many baked goods, like breads and cookies, can be stored at room temperature. Keep covered to prevent contamination.
Baked goods with cream, custard, cheese, meat and/or vegetable fillings and cream frostings should be refrigerated.

Home Preserved Foods

Follow tested recipes for canned, pickled and dehydrated products exactly.
Preserved items purchased from grocery stores, farmers’ markets, etc should not be repackaged.
Canned items should be refrigerated after opening. Consider attaching these instructions to gifts.

Infused Foods

Use glass jars or bottles with tightly sealing lids or corks. Wash in warm, soapy water and submerge in boiling water for 10 minutes to sanitize.
Select high quality fresh or dried herbs, fruits or vegetables and wash before use.
Oil: Homemade garlic and/or herb infusions should include pretreating the garlic or herbs with citric acid and then adding to heated oil. Follow tested recipes.
Honey: There are no tested recipes for infused honey. Follow the guidance for oils. Honey may crystallize under refrigeration but can be warmed before use.
Vinegar: Herbs and produce for infused vinegar should be properly washed and treated and then added to heated vinegar. Follow tested recipes.
Alcohol: Infused liquor recipes have not been tested for food safety. Adding produce may introduce bacteria that alcohol content may or may not kill.
To reduce the risk of illness, refrigerate or freeze all homemade infused foods.

For more information contact ncsafeplates@ncsu.edu

If you have concerns about preparing food gifts see this information from the CDC. Currently, there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food. In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging.

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Best Health Apps for Mindfulness

December 10, 2020July 8, 2021 by Molly Murphy

This is the last blog in our series reviewing health and wellness apps. Check out my previous blog on nutrition apps for more suggestions. This blog will focus on apps that will help you to live mindfully through meditation, good habits, and better sleep.

Headspace

Personally, I am a huge fan of the guided meditations on Headspace. The free version offers one set of basic meditations, plus sleep wind-down tracks, sleep sounds, and sleep podcasts. One set of meditations may not feel like a lot, but I have listened to them over and over without it feeling repetitive, and I have learned enough that I feel I could guide myself through meditation on my own now.

Happify

This meditation app not only provides guided meditations but also additional evidence-based activities and games to reinforce the skills you learn to improve happiness and decrease stress. The daily activities are quick and digestible, and there are 13 different tracks available in the free version.

SleepScore

The SleepScore app helps you to track habits that might be affecting the quality of your sleep. The app also provides you with tips to fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and have more energy during the day. There are sleep soundtracks to listen to while falling asleep, and you can set a reminder every night at a certain bedtime to keep you on schedule. This app is free with the option of premium content.

Streaks ($)

The Streaks app helps you form habits by encouraging you to build up streaks of good behaviors, in other words accomplishing a behavior for multiple days in a row. You can set up to 12 behaviors that you want to create streaks for, and if you log that behavior each time you say you will, you build up the days in your streak. It’s a simple strategy but really helps you to hold yourself accountable for those actions, and we all know that the more regularly you do something the more it becomes a habit. This app is $4.99 on the App Store or Google Play store and does not offer a free version.

Search your smartphone app store to download these apps. Do you use any exercise, nutrition, or mindfulness apps?

Share your thoughts below in the comments.

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Mindful Breathing for Stress Relief

December 9, 2020July 8, 2021 by Molly Murphy

Following a mindful breathing technique is one of the simplest ways to calm the mind and body and refocus in times of stress. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to focus on your breath by following these steps:

Become aware of your posture. Sit or stand up straight so you are alert, but not tense. You may wish to close your eyes.
Breathe in through your nose. Pay attention to where you feel your breath. Do you feel it in your nose? Your chest? Your abdomen?
Exhale out of your mouth, and imagine that you are exhaling out everything that is causing you stress.
As you continue to breathe, let your awareness remain on your breath. You do not need to try to control the depth or pace of your breath, just notice it.
Maintain this mindful breath for a few minutes, focusing on the in and out, and how it feels in your body. If your mind wanders, gently return your focus to your breath. You can set a timer, or simply enjoy doing this until you feel ready to return to your normal breathing.

Mindful breathing is as simple as this, and hopefully practicing this technique will provide you with a quick way to calm down and reset your mind when you are feeling stressed.

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Best Health Apps for Nutrition Tracking

December 8, 2020July 8, 2021 by Molly Murphy

We are highlighting some of the best smartphone apps for health and wellness. Below are top nutrition apps to help you keep track and make good food choices.

Shopwell: Better Food Choices

Shopwell is a food label reading guide that you can carry right in your pocket. The app asks you what your diet and health concerns are, what ingredients you may want to avoid in your food, and any dietary elements that you are hoping to get more of (for me: avoiding lactose, getting more fiber). You can then scan any barcode, and Shopwell links you to a full nutrition profile of the product, including the ingredients list with any of your unwanted ingredients highlighted. This app is completely free and super easy to use if you’re looking for some extra guidance while grocery shopping.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is one of the oldest fitness tracking apps there is, and in 2020 it is still ranked as one of the best. With the app, you can track weight, water, steps, workouts, and food. The MyFitnessPal blog and community forums are available to all users and provide recipes and fitness content right on the homepage of the app.

Fooducate

Fooducate is a food tracker app that combines individual tracking with the support of a community forum. In addition to tracking your own food, exercise, water, mood, and hunger, you can also view content that other users of fooducate have posted, including recipes, discussion questions, and challenges. Most of the features of this app are free, and it allows you to keep yourself on track while also being part of a health-conscious community.

Waterlogged

If you are anything like me and drinking enough water during the day is a challenge, Waterlogged makes it so easy to track your water intake and make personalized water goals. It even lets you choose what type and size bottle or glass you usually drink out of, so you can log your favorite reusable bottle or tumbler full of water in one click. The app is completely free and will even send you reminders to keep up with your water intake throughout the day.

Search your smartphone app store to download these apps. In my next blog, I will wrap up our series on Health and Wellness Apps by highlighting some of the best mindfulness apps.

Share your thoughts below in the comments.

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Join Chef Cheetie Kumar on Webinar

December 2, 2020July 8, 2021 by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

The Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences is pleased to present our 2020 Eloise S. Cofer Lecture. This year we are fortunate to have Chef Cheetie Kumar. Chef Kumar is a James Beard Best Chef Southeast Finalist and owner of Garland restaurant in Raleigh. She will share with us two dishes that showcase southern ingredients with bold Asian flavors. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from Cheetie new techniques to introduce new flavors into your healthy diet. I hope you will be our guest for this special event.

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Pumpkin Mousse

November 24, 2020July 12, 2021 by Kelly Nordby, RD, LDN

This is a quick, easy, healthy, and delicious pumpkin dessert that can be eaten as a snack or dessert around the holidays or really anytime you are craving the flavor of pumpkin. If you need the crunch of the crust, feel free to layer the bottom of your bowl or sprinkle the top with graham cracker crumbs. The recipe makes 5 ½-cup servings.

Ingredients

1 cup canned pumpkin (about ½ 15.oz can)
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup Truwhip (can also use with cool whip)
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients with an electric mixer.
Mix until creamy and fully blended.
Divide out the mixture into 5 small bowls. Optional: layer bottom of each bowl with graham cracker crumbs or as a topping.
Top with a dollop of Truwhip, cool whip, or whipped cream.
Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Nutrition Information per Serving

Serving Size: 4 ounces
Calories: 120 calories
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Fat: 2.5 grams
Sugar: 16g (Includes 7g Added Sugars)
Sodium: 150 mg

Sweet Potato and Banana Casserole

November 23, 2020July 12, 2021 by Catherine Hill, RD, LDN

This year I decided to experiment with a healthy remix to a holiday classic. I landed on two takes of Sweet Potato Casserole – one that is velvety in texture and reminds me most of the traditional version and the one below that has more of a firm texture with a yummy banana flavor.

If you are looking for a way to change up your standard Sweet Potato Casserole – add banana! Banana’s act as a natural sweetener in this dish, allowing you to skip the sugar and added calories. This firm casserole can be cut into squares.

Serves: 9
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)*
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 egg whites

Topping

½ cup quick oats
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoon canola oil

Directions

Pierce clean sweet potatoes with a fork and place in a microwave-safe dish.
Microwave on high for 15-18 minutes, or until tender. Flip sweet potatoes halfway through.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove sweet potatoes from microwave and carefully cut lengthwise; this will help to cool them faster.
Once the sweet potatoes are able to be held, hold each half and scoop the insides into a mixing bowl, discarding the skins.
Use a potato masher, hand beaters, or a food processor to further mash sweet potatoes. Add 1 ripe banana and mash again to combine.
To the sweet potatoes and banana, add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Be sure the mixture is not hot and then add egg whites. Stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix together quick oats, pecans (optional), brown sugar, cinnamon, and canola oil.
Sprinkle oat mixture evenly on top of the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 9 pieces.

*Notes: Canned sweet potatoes: Rinse and drain a 40-oz can of cut sweet potatoes (about 1 pound of sweet potatoes will remain after discarding the liquid.)

Nutrition Information per Serving

Serving Size: 1/9 of pan
Calories: 160
Carbohydrates: 21 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Sodium: 35 mg

A Healthy Holiday Classic – Sweet Potato Casserole

November 23, 2020July 12, 2021 by Catherine Hill, RD, LDN

With the holidays just around the corner, many of us are dusting off recipes that we use only a few times a year. If your family is like mine, Sweet Potato Casserole is always on the menu at the holidays. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins, minerals, and a great source of fiber, but with all of the added sugar, traditional Sweet Potato Casserole is more like a dessert than a side dish. This year I decided to experiment with a healthy remix to a holiday classic. I landed on two takes of Sweet Potato Casserole – one that is velvety in texture and reminds me most of the traditional version and one that has more of a firm texture with a yummy banana flavor.

Fresh sweet potatoes are best for both of these recipes. They cook quickly in the microwave making both of these side dishes easy to prepare. For canned, try to find sweet potatoes canned in water or light syrup and always drain and rinse before using.

Happy Holidays!

Sweet Potato Casserole

This take on a traditional Sweet Potato Casserole offers a healthy way to enjoy this holiday classic any time of the year! Using fresh sweet potatoes is best, but draining and rinsing canned sweet potatoes would also work. Recipe provided by Med Instead of Meds.

Serves: 9
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)*
½ cup (or 4oz) unsweetened apple sauce
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Topping

½ cup quick oats
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoon canola oil

Directions

Pierce clean sweet potatoes with a fork and place in a microwave-safe dish.
Microwave on high for 15-18 minutes, or until tender. Flip sweet potatoes halfway through.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove sweet potatoes from microwave and carefully cut lengthwise; this will help to cool them faster.
Once the sweet potatoes are able to be held, hold each half and scoop the insides into a mixing bowl, discarding the skins.
Use a potato masher, hand beaters, or a food processor to further mash sweet potatoes.
To the sweet potatoes, add apple sauce, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix together quick oats, pecans (optional), brown sugar, cinnamon, and canola oil.
Sprinkle oat mixture evenly on top of the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 9 pieces.

*Notes: Canned sweet potatoes: Rinse and drain a 40-oz can of cut sweet potatoes (about 1 pound of sweet potatoes will remain after discarding the liquid.)

Nutrition Information per Serving

Serving Size: 1/9 of pan
Calories: 150
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Sodium: 25 mg

Baking Food Safety

November 22, 2020July 12, 2021 by Casey Collins

Our colleagues at the NC Safe Plates team have prepared a Baking Food Safety Fact Sheet with tips to bake safely this holiday season!

Baked goods should be prepared, baked and stored properly to prevent foodborne illness. Avoid eating foods containing raw flour or eggs, including pre-packaged items.

Keeping Clean

Wash hands after handling raw flour and unbaked batters and doughs.
Clean countertops and utensils with warm water and soap after working with doughs and batters.

Decorating

Use pasteurized egg whites for frostings and icings to decrease risk of illness.
Wash hands frequently and avoid licking fingers when handling and decorating baked goods. Bacteria from hands have been linked to outbreaks with baked goods.

Storing Baked Goods

Many baked goods can be stored at room temperature. Keep covered to prevent contamination.
Refrigerate baked goods with cream, custard, cheese, meat or vegetable fillings or cream frostings, as well as those that are egg based, like bread pudding.

Raw Flour

Eggs are not the only ingredient in baked goods that can cause illness. Flour is a raw product and not treated to destroy bacteria. Outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli have been traced to consuming products containing uncooked flour. Handle flour in the same way as raw meat.

For more information contact ncsafeplates@ncsu.edu

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Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish

November 21, 2020July 12, 2021 by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

Cranberries are super healthy with lots of antioxidants. Thanksgiving, however, does not bring out the best in this super fruit as they are usually accompanied by lots of sugar. This recipe is what I would call healthy-ish as it does have some sugar but lots of fruit that adds most of the sweetness. It also keeps for a week (or more) in the refrigerator to spice up all the leftovers after the big day. Another positive for this recipe is that you can make it days in advance. You do need a food processor; a blender will not work for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 navel orange, scrubbed and quartered (any seeds removed)
1 apple, washed, quartered, and core removed
1 12-ounce bag cranberries
1/3 cup sugar

*Note, peels do not need to be removed. Wash well before cutting. Remove seeds before putting in the food processor.

Directions

Using the metal blade in your food processor, process the orange pulsing until finely chopped.
Remove the orange to a large bowl and repeat the process with the apple, then the cranberries.
Add the sugar to the mixture and stir well.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours prior to serving.

Nutrition Information per Serving

Serving Size: 6 ounces
Calories: 140 calories
Fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 36 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Sugars: 27 grams (Includes 17g Added Sugars)
Protein: 1 gram