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Celebrate Memorial Day the Med Way

by Megan Haubenreiser

Whether you are throwing a backyard cookout or preparing a dish to pass, consider placing a healthy twist on traditional Memorial Day favorites. Holidays have quite the knack for throwing us off track from making healthy eating decisions. After all, nothing quite beats a burger with a little char and a cold glass of lemonade on a warm day. By flipping this meal the Med way, you can have the best of both worlds; a juicy burger and fruit drink, but without the guilt.

The Mediterranean eating pattern emphasizes the importance of including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and beans into your diet. A traditional ground-beef burger can be made the Med way by substituting the ground beef with a different source of protein, such as beans. Or, replace a portion of the ground beef with vegetables, such as these Mushroom Beef Burgers. See the recipe below for Med-style burgers you are sure to love. For more Mediterranean recipes, visit MedInsteadofMeds.com.

healthy memorial day recipe

Quinoa Pinto Bean Burger

Serves: 8-10 people

Serving size: 1 patty

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cool Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 carrot, peeled and grated
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt (use a little less if using Homemade Taco Seasoning)
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
  • ½ cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked (you can use any type of quinoa)
  • 2-3 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Drain and rinse the canned beans.
  2. Cook the canned beans in water over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Drain well.
  3. Place ½ of the beans in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
  4. Add the spices and pulse again to combine.
  5. Add the carrot, onion, and egg and process until mixed, the mixture will not be smooth.
  6. Place the bean mixture in a large bowl and add salt, pepper, flour, bread crumbs, quinoa, and remaining beans. Combine.
  7. Form into patties (form 8-10 depending on how large you want the burgers).
  8. Refrigerate the burgers for at least an hour. Can be overnight.
  9. Cook the burgers in a large skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high heat, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.

Nutrition Information per Serving:

Serving Size: 1 patty; Vegetables: ¼ cup; Fruits: 0 cups; Calories: 141 calories; Carbohydrates: 19 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Fat: 5 grams; Sodium: 382 mg

 

Fruity drinks, such as lemonade, are delicious; but they contain loads of added sugar.  Mixing a smaller portion of fruit juice with club soda enables you to still enjoy this sweet treat, but with half the calories.

 healthy memorial day

Cranberry Lime Soda

Serves: 1

Serving Size: 1 cup (8 ounces)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup cranberry juice
  • 2/3 cup club soda
  • 1 lime juice

Directions

  1. Combine cranberry juice and club soda. Splash with lime.

Nutrition Information per serving:

Serving Size: 1 cup; Vegetables: 0 cups; Fruits: 1/3 cup; Calories: 31 calories; Carbohydrates: 9 grams; Fiber: 0 grams; Protein: 0 grams; Fat: 0 grams; Sodium: 39 mg

5 Ways to Help Your Employees Stay Active at the Office

by Madi Johnson

This May, we are celebrating #MedMonth by providing resources and tips on the Mediterranean Diet. Although most of the resources involve healthy eating, a big part of the Mediterranean lifestyle is physical activity. It is recommended to be moderately active (e.g. brisk walking) at least 150 minutes per week, which breaks down to 30 minutes per day. Since employees spend a majority of their day at the office, and most of the time at the office involves sitting, it is important to encourage them to move more throughout their day and provide opportunities for physical activity.employee wellness

Providing physical activity opportunities can be done by encouraging employees to adopt periodic stretching breaks, desk exercises, to take the stairs instead of the elevator, and to walk to a colleague instead of sending an email. The best way to do this on a regular basis is to set a timer or calendar reminders to stand up and stretch or move once an hour. This has been proven to be effective through the Pomodoro Effect, which has demonstrated that taking short breaks can improve employee performance.

Although very effective, it takes an employee’s individual motivation and discipline to incorporate these frequent movements. So in addition to these daily movements, how do we reach employees on a broader scale to encourage physical activity? Consider physical activity opportunities that involve all staff members and employees. Below are 5 ways to do just that.

  1. Create a walking challenge. Walking challenges create a little competition between employees while allowing them to work together to reach similar goals. Walking challenges also encourage team building and social connections between employees, especially team walking challenges.
  2. Encourage physical activity breaks during meetings. Keep employees engaged during long meetings by offing a five-minute physical activity break. This could be a simple stand-up and stretch break, a lap around the office break, or a YouTube-led break. Get your employees involved by assigning a designated activity break leader for each meeting.
  3. Coordinate a weekly walking routine. Create a weekly walk to be held at the same time and the same place each week. For example, a “Tuesday Trek at 10am”. Each Tuesday, employees know they can meet at 10am at the designated location for the 15 minute walk. Send reminder emails and calendar invites to keep employees motivated and appoint coordinators to lead the weekly walks.
  4. Offer on-site exercise classes such as Zumba or Yoga. Coordinate on-site physical activity classes all employees can enjoy, whether it’s once-a-month yoga or weekly Zumba classes. Determine a common place and time for employees (lunch time or after work hours), and consider holding the class outside if the weather is nice.
  5. Provide alternative desks. Offer alternative desk or chair options for employees to stay active throughout their day. For example, standing desks or treadmill desks are a great way to keep employees from sitting for too long. Even just offering one treadmill desk for the office for employees to use when needed will help encourage them to move more. Another alternative desk idea is to provide exercise balls for employees to use as chairs. These can be used for the whole day or for a few hours each day to help strengthen their core. Consider a “check-out” station for employees to grab one as needed.

Of course, every group of employees is different and every office campus is different. Tailor the above suggestions to fit your particular group, adapting and adding new ideas as they pop up. Listen to your employees and consider sending out a survey to gauge their interest in wellness activities. What type of exercise classes would they be interested in? What time of day works best? You can then form your plan based on their feedback.

 

What is the Mediterranean Diet

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

Eating like those who live in the Mediterranean region has been shown to promote health and decrease risk of many chronic diseases. The Mediterranean-style eating pattern incorporates the basics of healthy eating that are traditionally practiced in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. Eating the Mediterranean way is not only healthy, it is delicious and satisfying. Foods that you once thought of as too high in fat or unhealthy, including nuts, olive oil, olives, and whole grains, become an everyday part of your diet. The Mediterranean way of life includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, olive oil and only small amounts of red meat. It does not include highly processed foods, fast foods, and greatly limits sugar and red meat. To make it even easier, we have broken down the Mediterranean-style of eating into 7 simple steps: 7 Steps to Eating the Med Way.

Mediterranean-Style of Eating Includes: 

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Fish
  • Nuts
  • Olive oil

The Mediterranean-Style of Eating Limits: 

  • Sugar
  • Red Meat

The Mediterranean-Style of Eating Excludes: 

  • Highly processed foods
  • Fast foods

Eating a traditional Mediterranean diet has been shown to decrease some forms of cancer, protect against cognitive decline, improve eye health, decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, help manage blood pressure, reduce cardiovascular disease, and is more effective than a low-fat diet for weight loss. If that is not enough, it is simple, satisfying, and delicious. Learn more at medinsteadofmeds.com.

benefits of Mediterranean diet

Celebrate #MedMonth with Roasted Vegetables

by Kelly Nordby, RD, LDN

To start, I will answer the question that you all are thinking, Yes, I do feel fancy using a hashtag in the subject line of my blog.  ?

In honor of May and #MedMonth, I wanted to a share a new staple in our house inspired by the Mediterranean Diet …ROASTED VEGETABLES!  They are perfect as a side dish or a snack!  I always make enough for leftovers, as they are delicious cold, reheated, or at room temperature.  Cruciferous vegetables are our favorite including, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, repeat; however, nearly all vegetables are delicious when roasted – Recipes for oven roasted vegetables.

Roasted Vegetable Reciperoast vegetables

Vegetables (Choose one or mix and match.  Yields ~6-8 one-cup servings):

  • 5 large broccoli crowns – washed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 bags Brussels sprouts – washed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4 –inch thick slices
  • 3 heads cauliflower – washed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 large bunches asparagus – washed and woody ends snapped off

Topping:

  • 10-12 tablespoons olive oil (or enough to drizzle over both pans of vegetables)
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

Directions:

Separate and single-layer the washed vegetables into two 9 x 13 rectangular baking pans.

Drizzle with ~5 tablespoons of olive oil over each pan of vegetables.

Sprinkle ~¼ cup grated parmesan cheese and 1/8 teaspoon salt over each pan of vegetables.

Toss to coat.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes until slightly charred on top.

Each recipe makes ~6-8 one-cup servings.

How to Make Your Own Kale Chips

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

You can buy kale chips already made in some specialty shops. They come in small bags with a big price tag. You can make a large pile of these delicious healthy chips at home. I have experimented with multiple ways of making these. This technique is super easy and nets a great bowl of chips.

Homemade Kale Chipskale chips

Serves 4

Serving Size: about 1 cup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Kale
  • 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Wash and dry kale.
  3. Remove thick stems.
  4. Tear into “chip” size pieces.
  5. Place torn kale in a large bowl and add olive oil.
  6. Using well-washed hands, massage the oil into the kale. You want to get a thin coating of oil on each surface of the kale. You will see it change colors slightly, this is ok. Keep working it until the oil is well distributed.
  7. Place kale chips in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  8. Sprinkle with salt.
  9. Bake until completely toasted. You want all the moisture removed.

Note: If you are not eating immediately, store open on the counter. You can re-crisp if needed in a warm oven.

Nutrition

Serving size –  ¼ recipe or about 1 cup of chips

Vegetable –  ½ cup

Fruit –  0

Calories –  93

Carbohydrates –   6 grams

Fiber –   grams

Protein –   3 grams

Fat –   7 grams

Sodium –   304  mg

 

7 Simple Steps to Follow the Mediterranean Diet

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

Eating like those who live in the Mediterranean region has been shown to promote health and decrease risk of many chronic diseases. Following a traditional Mediterranean style eating pattern has been shown to decrease some forms of cancer, protect against cognitive decline, improve eye health, decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, help manage blood pressure, reduce cardiovascular disease, and is more effective than a low-fat diet for weight loss. Eating the Mediterranean way is not only healthy, it is delicious and satisfying. Foods that you once thought of as too high in fat or unhealthy, including nuts, olive oil, olives, and whole grains, become an everyday part of your diet. The following simple steps will help you eat the Med Way every day.

7 Simple Steps to Eating the Med Way

Mediterranean diet

1. Change Your Protein

Replace some of the meat in your dish with plant proteins such as beans, nuts, and seeds often.

Eat fish and seafood at least two to three times per week. Include fatty fish, such as mackerel or salmon at least once a week. Eat fried fish only occasionally.

Choose white-meat poultry such as turkey or chicken breast.

Limit red meat and/or choose lean red meat.

Greatly limit or eliminate processed meats.

2. Swap Your Fats

Choose olive oil.

Replace solid fats such as butter and margarine with olive oil or canola oil.

Use olive oil for cooking, in dressings, and marinades.

Aim to consume at least four tablespoons of olive oil a day, while keeping within your calorie budget.

3. Eat More Vegetables

Get at least three servings (three cups) of vegetables per day.

Choose a variety of colors.

Eat more dark green leafy vegetables such as collards, kale, spinach, chard, and turnip greens.

4. Eat More Fruit

Get at least two servings (two cups) of fruits per day.

Choose a variety of colors.

Include berries often.

5. Snack on Nuts and Seeds

Choose at least three ounces (three small handfuls) of nuts and seeds per week, while keeping within your calorie budget.

Avoid candied, honey-roasted, and heavily salted nuts and seeds.

6. Make Your Grains Whole

Eat grains as grains

Choose whole grains such as oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, and popcorn.

Look for “whole” in the first ingredient on the ingredient list (e.g., “whole wheat”) when choosing bread, pasta, and other grain-based foods.

7. Rethink Your Sweets

Limit your sugar intake

Choose no more than three servings per week of high-sugar foods and drinks such as sugar-sweetened snacks, candies, desserts, or beverages.

For more information about eating the Med Way, visit MedInsteadofMeds.com and follow us on social media using #MedMonth.

Cooking with Olive Oil – Safe or Dangerous?

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN

I have gotten a lot of questions recently about cooking with olive oil. olive oil safeSeems there are some claims out there on the web indicating cooking with olive oil is dangerous. The thought is that at high temperatures, olive oil oxidizes. Let’s take a closer look.

Every oil has a smoking point. This is the point at which the oil begins to burn, smoke, and change chemical makeup and flavor. The smoke point for olive oil is anywhere from 370-390 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the source. This is a high temperature. If you are sautéing, you would more than likely have no issues unless you left your pan of olive oil to heat for too long. What about roasting, we recommend roasting at 375 degrees so you would be ok there as well.

If that is not enough evidence for you, how about this. Eric Decker, an oil expert and chair of the Department of Food Science at the University of Amherst says “for the amount of time you’re going to cook, and the temperatures you’re going to get to, your oil is not going to undergo oxidation, what’s more, olive oil naturally contains vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. Extra virgin olive oil has another plus, it isn’t refined, so it has naturally occurring antioxidants.”

So, those that say use other oils for cooking such as coconut – think again. For heart health, choose olive oil for salads and cooking.

Try these recipes that feature olive oil: Olive Oil Toast and Cucumber Olive Oil and Sea Salt Yogurt.

 

Quick Chickpea Curry

by Surabhi Aggarwal, RD, LDN

This May, we are celebrating #MedMonth by eating the Mediterranean way and sharing our favorite recipes. One easy way to start eating the Med way is to swap your meat for plant-based proteins. Beans such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas, red kidney beans, and black beans are not only a great source of plant-based proteins but also rich in fiber and other key nutrients. One cup of cooked chickpeas has 15 grams of protein. In addition to being nutritious, they are also delicious and can be cooked fairly easily depending on whether you use canned or dry beans.

Below is an easy recipe to make chickpea curry – it calls for some spices to add flavor but any of these can be omitted or adjusted in quantity to suit your individual taste.

Quick Chickpea Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans chickpeas (approx. 15.5 oz. each), drained and washed
  • ½ cup crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper or red chili powder (optional)
  • ½ tsp garam masala (optional)
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Chopped cilantro to garnish (optional)
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, lower the flame and add bay leaf, cumin seeds, turmeric, curry powder, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Sauté for 20 seconds.
  2. Add crushed tomatoes and ginger. Sauté for 2-3 minutes with occasional stirring.
  3. Add chickpeas, salt, and enough water to cover the chickpeas. The quantity of water can be adjusted based upon desired thickness of the dish.
  4. Cover the skillet and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Remove bay leaf, add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.
  6. Serve hot. It goes well with whole-wheat pita, brown rice, or as a soup if made into a thinner consistency. Using vegetable stock instead of water will add more flavor if making this dish as a soup.

Note:

The recipe above uses canned chickpeas but the same recipe can be made with dry chickpeas that have been soaked overnight (about 1:2 ratio for chickpea : water for soaking) and washed well before cooking. If using dry beans, cook them in a traditional pressure cooker or an Instant Pot to ensure that the beans get soft enough. In an Instant Pot, use the sauté mode for steps 1 – 3. Put the lid on and cook on bean/chili mode for 20 minutes for step 4.

Nutrition Information per Serving:

  • Calories – 245
  • Fat – 10 grams
  • Protein – 11 grams
  • Fiber – 13 grams

Top 10 Vegetarian Sources of Protein

by Surabhi Aggarwal, RD, LDN

Is it possible to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet? I get this question quite often from friends and family. Being a vegetarian myself, I am always thinking about ways to add healthy sources of protein in my daily diet. Yes, you can get enough protein on a vegetarian diet. Even if you are not a vegetarian, changing your protein to primarily plant-based sources is one of the main components of the Mediterranean-style eating pattern. Eating the Mediterranean way has been shown to have many health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

In general, healthy adults need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weight (or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight). Listed below are 10 ideas you can use to ensure you get enough protein on a vegetarian diet or replace some meat-based sources of protein in a non-vegetarian diet:

vegetarian proteinBeans

Black beans, chickpeas, red kidney beans or any other beans of your choice are a great addition to salads. It will not only add protein but a good amount of fiber to your meal. For a spicy, flavorful dish sauté chickpeas or black-eyed peas with chopped tomatoes and spices like cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt.

One cup of cooked chickpeas = 15 grams of protein.

Greek yogurt

Find a Greek yogurt with none or a small amount of added sugar – plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruits is a great choice for snack or dessert. There are many brands of Greek yogurts available in single serve containers – make sure you read the label for the amount of sugar if you are buying anything other than plain yogurt.

One single-serve container (5.3 oz) of plain Chobani Greek yogurt = 15 grams of protein.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is available in various types based upon the curd size and milkfat. It is a great source of protein and pairs well with a whole-wheat toast for breakfast or lunch, such as this tomato and avocado toast, or with fresh fruit for a snack.

Half a cup of cottage cheese = 14 grams of protein.

Hemp seeds

Hemp seeds are not as popular but can be a great addition to salads and/or fruit smoothies. They have a mild, nutty flavor and also provide healthy fats in addition to a high amount of protein.

One serving (3 tablespoons) = 10 grams of protein.

Lentils

Lentils, also referred to as pulses, are a type of legumes that come in a variety of colors – yellow, green, brown, black and can be whole or split. Apart from protein, lentils also provide plenty of fiber and can be cooked easily into soups. Try cooking lentils in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot for an easy weeknight dinner. Add ginger, garlic and spices to make them more flavorful.

Half a cup of boiled lentils = 9 grams of protein

Tofu, tempeh, and edamame

Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are made from soybeans which provide complete protein. Tofu or tempeh cubes can be sautéed and added to salads, brown rice or other vegetable dishes. Another option is to crumble into small pieces and add to soups. Edamame is young, immature, green soybeans and can be eaten as a snack or added to soups and stir-fry dishes. It is also rich in fiber, iron and other key nutrients.

One serving (3 ounces) of extra-firm tofu = 9 grams of protein.

One serving (3 ounces) of tempeh = 16 grams of protein.

Half a cup of prepared, frozen edamame = 9 grams of protein.

Green peas

Green peas are readily available in the frozen vegetable section and require no prep before cooking. They are an easy addition to dishes to enhance the protein content. Sauté green peas and chopped cauliflower with ginger, garlic, and spices to make a delicious side dish. Dried, split green peas can be made into a warm, hearty soup.

One cup of green peas = 8 grams of protein.

Peanut butter

Eating a fruit such as a banana or apple slices with peanut butter makes a great snack before or after a workout or for an afternoon energy lift. While choosing your nut butter, make sure to read the label and pick a brand without any added sugar or other unnecessary ingredients. You can also replace syrup with a nut butter of your choice with your whole-grain pancake or waffle for a healthier breakfast.

One serving of peanut butter (2 tablespoons) = 8 grams of protein.

Quinoa

Is quinoa already on your favorites list? If not, you need to try this super grain, which provides a complete protein, is very easy and quick to cook, and delicious in taste.

One cup of cooked quinoa = 8 grams of protein.

Nuts

Snacking on nuts such as almonds is a great way to add protein and good fat to your diet. Morning cereal and a bowl of oatmeal can be made to last longer by adding a serving of chopped nuts like walnuts.

One serving of almonds (about 25 nuts) = 6 grams of protein.

A quarter cup of chopped walnuts = 5 grams of protein.

For more information on protein and the Mediterranean-style eating pattern, check out this free webinar presented by Dr. Carolyn Dunn of NC State University: Steps to Eating the Med Way: Change Your Protein. And follow us as we celebrate #MedMonth this May.

It’s 4 O’Clock and I am Starving: Healthy Snack Ideas for the Office

by Cathy Thomas

Your stomach is rumbling and you eye the clock wondering if you can make it to dinner? The Ziploc snack bag you keep filled with healthy emergency snacks in your desk drawer is empty and you wish you had remembered to fill it.healthy snack for office

You know you will not have a good workout after work if you don’t get a snack. Your options include the office kitchen or the vending machine. Choose wisely, what you have access to in the office kitchen or vending machine may be high in sugar and will not only send your blood sugar high but then drop you back to the hungry place.

First, find a snack for today – look for plain nuts in the vending machine. If they are a large serving, which usually they are, split it in half for two days.

Prepare for the days to come by refilling you desk drawer snack bag. Get a large freezer size Ziploc bag and consider adding the following:

  • 1 ounce portion of nuts – these single serve packets do the trick
  • Cereal bars with less than 5 grams of sugar and whole grains
  • Single serve no sugar added applesauce
  • Small servings of dried fruit

Consider starting a healthy snack station in your office. Keep a basket full of healthy snacks in a central location for employees to purchase as needed. Keep prices similar to the vending machine options (around $0.50 – $0.75) and place a piggy bank next to the basket to collect the coins. The snack basket can include items such as single serve air-popped popcorn such as Boom Chicka Pop or SkinnyPop, single-serve applesauce, nut packs, low-sugar cereal bars, and more. Below is an example of our snack station:

healthy snacks

 

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