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10 Foods to Always Keep in Your Freezer

by Sydney Wills
woman looking in pantry

Being at home more in the last few months has changed many of the ways I have planned meals, cooked, and even grocery shopped. For instance, grocery shopping has become a once per week event instead of the usual three or four times per week. In order to cut back on these grocery trips, I have been intentionally stocking up on freezer foods that I can pull out when needed. To my surprise, my freezer has become so much more than a back-up for a quick meal. It’s been helpful in meal planning as well as reducing food waste. For these reasons, I think the freezer may be one of the most underrated tools to help make more meals at home. Similar to keeping staple pantry items on hand, my freezer has become a valuable tool that I use almost daily. These are the best foods I have found to always have on hand in order to make meals more quickly and less stressful.

crushed ginger

Ginger

This is something that I don’t use frequently enough to keep fresh on hand but makes such a difference in the right dish.  

rice bag

Brown Rice

This is a lifesaver when I don’t have 40 minutes to wait for rice to cook on the stovetop. This is a staple side dish in my house whether accompanied by salmon or used in a burrito bowl.

broccoli bag

Broccoli

I’m a big fan of roasted vegetables, and having frozen broccoli (or any other roast-able vegetable!) saves a step of having to prepare the broccoli before putting it on the pan. I can literally pull it out of the freezer, toss with a little oil and spices, and place on a sheet pan in under 5 minutes.

salmon packages

Salmon

I like to buy salmon in bulk, so storing extras in the freezer makes the most sense. I pull a couple of filets out the night before and it will be thawed in time for dinner.

chicken breasts

Chicken

Again, I like to buy chicken breasts in bulk to use throughout the month. If possible, I try to buy individually wrapped chicken so I can pull out a couple at a time when needed.

bag of blueberries

Blueberries

I use blueberries all the time, whether in oatmeal, yogurt, or in smoothies and I like to have these around especially when blueberries aren’t in season.

bag of mangos

Mango

It can be tricky to find perfectly ripe mangoes, so by keeping these on hand I can add mango to a dish anytime.

raw kale

Kale

I’m constantly trying to add in vegetables anywhere I can in my meals, but I never seem to be able to use up an entire bunch of fresh kale. For me, buying kale frozen reduces waste and allows me to use it when I need it.

fresh herbs

Herbs

If I have any leftover fresh herbs, I like to chop them, add a little bit of olive oil, and place in an ice cube tray. The next time I need an herb mixture for a stir fry, I pop one of the herb cubes out and it’s ready to use.

bags of break

Bread

My family usually doesn’t eat an entire loaf of bread within a week, so I have started saving half the loaf and freezing it. I can pull the bread out at a later time, toast a slice, and it’s ready to eat. Read more here about the One Trick to Freeze Sliced Bread.

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Perfect Black Lentils in the Instant Pot

by Casey Collins
cooked black lentils
Black lentils pictured here were cooked for 9 minutes in the Instant Pot

Beluga lentils commonly referred to as black lentils, hold their shape better and have a firmer texture than green or red lentils when cooked. For this reason, I like to meal prep a batch and use them throughout the week in various ways. They are good as a side dish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. They also make a great base for a grain bowl or nice protein addition to a salad. Black lentils are slightly more expensive than their green or red counterparts. I have found them in the bulk item sections of specialty grocery stores, like Whole Foods. I use a 2:1 ratio of water to lentils when cooking them in the Instant Pot.

instant pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup black lentils (rinsed)
  • 2 cups of water
  • dash of salt

Instructions

  • Add everything to the Instant Pot
  • Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes or 9 minutes.
  • Quick Release the steam.
  • Serve immediately or let cool and store in the fridge for later.

Nutrition Information:

Serving size: 1/4 cup

170 kcal; 0g fat; 30g carbs; 9g fiber; 13g protein; 480mg sodium

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Favorite Summertime Salad – Confetti Bean

by Kelly Nordby, RD, LDN

This has become a favorite cook-out side dish recipe and has a record of close to 10 consecutive appearances at summertime Nordby family cookouts.  I usually serve this with Tostitos Scoops chips but can also be a star solo act.  Double the recipe for lots of left-overs that go quickly in my house.

Ingredients

Bean Salad
  • 1 can (16-oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15-oz) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 package (10-oz) low-sodium canned corn
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 sweet red pepper (chopped)
  • 1 green pepper (chopped)
  • 1 orange pepper (chopped)
  • 2 fresh tomatoes on the vine (chopped)
  • 2 green onions (chopped)
  • 1 fresh avocado (chopped) – add close to the time of serving
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

  • Drain and rinse the beans.
  • In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, cilantro, peppers, tomatoes, green onion, and garlic.
  • In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking the vinegar, oil, garlic and chili powder.
  • Pour dressing over bean mixture; toss to coat.
  • Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Serve with a slotted spoon. 

Yield: 12 servings.

Slightly adapted from Taste of Home’s Confetti Bean Salad

Nutritional Facts (approximate)

Serving size – 2/3 cup: 200 calories, 9g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate, 7g fiber), 7g protein. 

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My Fitness Essential: Foam Roller

by Sarah Myer
Woman with foam rollers

I have a love/hate relationship with my foam roller but I consider it an essential fitness tool.

My husband often asks why I use my Foam Roller. “You purposefully roll it on the parts of your body that are tight. You look so unhappy when you do it. Our dog checks on you to make sure you are ok. This can’t be good for you.”

I laugh every time he says it. He is right. It is not comfortable to use and Sadie dog is often concerned about my wellbeing and stands near me to protect me from the foam roller. But it does help relax tight muscles and it seems to reduce the amount of muscle soreness after exercise.

I pull it out now after runs, yoga sessions or strength training workouts.

I take foam rolling breaks now to stretch muscles as I am sitting more while working form home than I did when I worked in the office. It has definitely relieved neck and shoulder tension.

There are still questions about the science behind how it works and the limited research available has been done with small groups of people. So even though it is really popular, we are still learning about how effective it is.

Recent literature on foam rolling is the following:

  • It is more helpful to use a foam roller after exercise, than as part of a warm-up/pre-stretching routine. One of the reasons is that foam rolling increases blood flow to the area and that often speeds up recovery and removes excess lactic acid build-up during a workout.
  • Use a softer foam roll to start. Don’t start with the bumpiest, hard foam roller. Your body will need some time to adjust to the pressure and tension created when you are foam rolling.
  • It should be uncomfortable but not painful. Newer research is coming out saying that foam rolling over trigger points and really painful spots/knots may slow down healing and recovery time. So don’t push extra hard on that knot or super-sensitive area. Gently roll over it and give it time to heal.
  • Use a lacrosse ball to roll your lower back muscles. It is not suggested to use a foam roller directly on your lower vertebrae.

Resources and videos to start foam rolling:

Data Behind How Foam Rollers Work:

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Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes featured on WSGE 91.7 Radio

by Casey Collins
screenshot of wsge radio
Listen to the interview here!

Our program coordinator, Kelly, talked with For Your Health and Well Being on WSGE 91.7 radio. We invite you to listen to the interview to learn more about prediabetes and how our program can help support you and your health goals!

Did you know that 1 in 3 US adults has prediabetes and most of them do not know it? Having prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) level is higher than normal, but no high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Without moderate weight loss or moderate physical activity, many people with prediabetes can develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years.

Our online diabetes prevention program is an excellent option right now for individuals in the prediabetes range to improve their health from the comfort of their homes. The lifestyle changes individuals make in the Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes program will help them prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

Are you curious about your risk of type 2 diabetes? Visit our What is Prediabetes page to take the Risk Test today.

To see our available class options visit our Enrollment page!

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“22 pounds is just over 10% of my body weight—I’m thrilled and feel accomplished!”

“Overall–I learned balance.”

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Tasty and Trendy Grain Bowl Recipe

by Jordan Harris
Grain Bowl

Has anyone else noticed all the tasty grain and vegetable bowl restaurants popping up everywhere? After stopping into two different shops I noticed they have a few things in common: tasty grain/vegetable bowls, and really high prices! The concept is very simple and easy to recreate at home for a much lower price.

Grain Bowl Blueprint:

  1. Add about 1/3 cup of whole grains to the bottom of your grain bowl. Try quinoa or brown rice, or skip the grains completely and add lettuce, spinach, or kale.
  2. Pile on your favorite veggies. Use vegetables that are in season.  

*Remember, part of the appeal of grain bowls are their colorful appearance, so don’t be afraid to pile on those vegetables!

  • Sprinkle in some protein. Try lentils or a lean meat like fish or chicken.
  • Top your grain bowl with a tasty sauce and enjoy!
jars of grains
Grain bowls are a great item to meal prep!

Try this recipe for a Spicy Sriracha Peanut sauce from thekitchn.com.

  • ½ cup of peanut butter (low sodium)
  • 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
  • ¼ cup of rice vinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha

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“22 pounds is just over 10% of my body weight—I’m thrilled and feel accomplished!”

by Casey Collins
success story - Elizabeth

Below is a testimonial from current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant, Elizabeth:

My Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes class ended in January. I only lost a pound or two during the program, but I always felt it was a success because I was eating better and exercising more.   

Imagine my surprise a few weeks into the pandemic when I saw that I had lost six pounds. The pandemic has led to increased stress but I also believe the weight loss was due to reduced access to replenishing my favorite treats and no dining out. That was in early April and now I have lost 16 more pounds, which totals a 22-pound weight loss. 

22 pounds is just over 10% of my body weight—I’m thrilled and feel accomplished! 

Due to the pandemic, I have had limited access to “treats,” and have been making almost everything from scratch. I am very conscious of not using up too much food before I can get another pick-up order of groceries. 

Moreover, now I’m seriously motivated to keep the weight off and lose more. I don’t want to lose ground, because it feels so great. I no longer have to walk around with those 22 pounds, which is the equivalent of carrying two cats with me or a backpack everywhere I go. I no longer have the joint pain, knee pain, or foot pain that kept me awake at night. I also have not been having heartburn. These are tremendous motivators!  

All the bags of dried beans, brown rice, lentils, oatmeal, buckwheat flour, etc. are really the staples of my diet now. I have even started a substantial vegetable garden to supplement my pantry items. Along with milk, eggs, and fish, it seems like a pretty decent way forward.

– Elizabeth, a current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant

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Shorten the Distance With a Virtual Cooking Party

by Jordan Harris
Kitchen counter with laptop

Social distancing doesn’t mean you have to disconnect from your social support systems. It has, however, challenged us to become more creative in our communications with friends and loved ones. Feeling the distance can be difficult at times, but there are plenty of ways to help the distance feel shorter, and social support systems feel stronger during times of social distancing.

Shorten the distance by hosting a virtual cooking party with friends/family. Scheduling a virtual meeting with friends/family is a great opportunity to connect, catch up, and enjoy a meal together!

Host a virtual cooking social with these 3 simple steps:

  1. Pick a healthy recipe that everyone will enjoy. A few tasty ideas are below!
  2. Share the recipe and ingredient list with meeting attendees.
  3. Gather ingredients and schedule a cooking date!

Not only will you be able to get some cooking done, but you will also able to enjoy the company of friends and family while doing it!

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Always Eating? Part 3: Coping With Emotions

by Carol Collins MS, RDN, LDN
Flowers on a board

This is the final blog in a three-part series. My last two blogs focused on nutrition and self-care, check them out if you’re interested.

“I can’t stop eating….I’m always eating.“

I am continuing to unpack the common situation of always eating. To do this, we have to look at the interplay between nutrition, self-care, and coping with emotions. Today I will look at my favorite topic which is coping with emotions without using food.

Eating has an emotional component. Much of the time food has emotional associations such as birthday cakes, wedding cakes, food offered as consolation for grieving families. There is nothing wrong with self-soothing with food at times, but other coping skills are needed as well.

The following is a list of emotions that may be heightened in this time of pandemic.

Self-Check: Do you use food to meet emotional needs?

  • Anxiety- Do you use food to calm yourself?
  • Excitement- Do you use food to create excitement and brighten your day?
  • Loneliness-Do you use food as a friend?
  • Frustration-Do you use food as a release?
  • Anger- Do you use food as a release?
  • Stress- Do you use food for relief?
  • Need for comfort- Do you use food to self-soothe?
Eggs with faces drawn on them

Think about it:

Evelyn Tribole MS, RDN (intuitive eating.org) introduces two essential questions to ask yourself when the urge to eat arises with no physical sensations of hunger. The genius is in their simplicity!

  • What are you feeling now?
  • What do you need now to deal with your feelings?

Try this:

  • If you need a distraction from your feelings, some ideas are watching a movie or reading a magazine.
  • If you need support, some ideas are calling or texting a friend, reaching out to a spiritual advisor such as a priest, rabbi, or minister. Talking to a therapist is another idea.
  • If you need self-care, some ideas are taking a nap, setting limits, unplugging technology.
  • You can also deal directly with the feeling by sitting with the feeling, examining the thought that leads to the feeling or talking to a therapist.

Here are some resources for dealings with feelings: self-compassion.org & headspace.com

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Always Eating? Part 2: Self-Care

by Carol Collins MS, RDN, LDN
Self Care sign

We are continuing to evaluate a common situation that individuals encounter. My last blog focused on nutrition, check it out if you’re interested.

“I can’t stop eating….I’m always eating.“

To really unpack this, we have to look at the interplay between nutrition, self-care and coping with emotions.

Today let’s do a self-care check-in. Self-care impacts your ability to read and respond to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. Nourishing your body is a form of self-care but other self-care behaviors are needed as well. This prevents an over-reliance on food.

Self-care Check-in:

When you go through the self-care check-in, think about how your self-care has been impacted by the pandemic.

  • How much sleep do you get on average?
  • How many hours per week do you work?
  • How often do you socialize with friends?
  • How much time do you spend outdoors?
  • How comfortable are you with saying no to the requests of others?
  • When you are busy, do you take breaks to eat?
  • What do you do to relax?
  • Do you have any spiritual practices?
  • How often do you exercise?
  • Do you feel guilty if you are not productive?
  • How would you rate your stress level on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest)

Many people have been sleeping more but waking up tired due to poor quality sleep. Socializing looks very different. Many parents who are working from home while home-schooling children report significant challenges. Health stress and financial stress may be increasing with a concomitant decrease in self-care. It’s no wonder food choices and eating habits are impacted.

Think about it:

  • What are your strengths in self-care behaviors?
  • What areas are you not currently addressing?
  • What are a few strategies you can use to improve your self-care?

Cliff-hanger, my next blog will focus on coping with emotions, without food.

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