Diets in Review Blog » summer

Quick and Healthy Dinners Perfect for Summertime

Rebecca — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:02:34 +0000

Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen all summer? I don’t. I’d rather be outside enjoying the sunset or taking a walk. Instead of sweating it out over a stove every night of the week, take an hour or two over the weekend and prep a few make-ahead meals or get some help from the grocery store and whip up a healthy dinner without even doing so much as pre-heating the oven.

Check out these ideas for quick and healthy dinners:

Pick up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, bagged salad greens, and a loaf of rustic bread from the bakery. Serve up a 3-4 ounce piece of chicken, 2 cups of greens, and a chunk of bread. Dinner is done!
Go cold. Why not serve up a little buffet of cold, tasty delights? How about jumbo shrimp cocktail with a cold pasta salad dressed lightly with lemon zest and olive oil? Then top it off with some cold, juicy watermelon? While it’s true the only thing these foods have in common is their temperature, you’ll appreciate it on a hot summer night.
Prep a couple make-ahead meals over the weekend. Think about a summer soup like this Peter’s Grill Vegetable Soup stocked full of fresh vegetables and dried herbs. Or try this vegetarian Sloppy Joe recipe below. Both of these make-ahead meals allow you to “heat and eat” for dinner in 15 minutes or less.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes (serves 10)
2-1/2 cups beef flavored TVP crumbles (frozen)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-1/2 cup ketchup
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
5 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
5 tsp. mustard
1-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/4 tsp. onion powder
10 hamburger buns

Recipe Credit: Christine Watson, RD, LDN

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Quick and Healthy Dinners Perfect for Summertime

Does a Healthy Hot Dog Exist?

Carmen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:45:11 +0000

I’ve got kids. We spend lots of time at the pool, which means that we spend lots of time eating at summer time barbecues. For most of my kids, just like many children in America, this means one thing – hot dogs! There’s nothing more social than a cookout, and nothing more ubiquitous than hot dogs on the grill. Yummy, easy to cook, classic, and convenient to eat. But we all know (or should know!) that they aren’t the best choice for out daily intake. So I ask, is there a way to keep them in your diet and reduce the harm? Let’s take a look.

There are more than a few reasons hot dogs aren’t good for you – they are high in fat and calories, the meat content is sometimes questionable, and the inclusion of nitrates (a known carcinogen) added to keep the hot dog pink and free from botulism. But they taste so good, and the reality is that summer time equals hot dogs. How can we make this not so good choice better?

There are some delicious alternatives to the standard hot dog available.

What about low-fat chicken or turkey dogs? Healthy Choice and Ball Park make low-fat choices that rate high on the taste scale.
Applegate Farms sells an organic beef hot dog that contains no nitrates and is lower in fat.
Trader Joe’s sells a store brand that is yummy.
Vegan or soy dogs can be a good alternative.

Choose a whole wheat bun, ketchup and mustard free of high fructose corn syrup, and you have a lunch that is healthy and delicious!

Now, if only there was a way to make all the side dishes low in calories and fat free, I think I’d enjoy barbecues even more!

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Does a Healthy Hot Dog Exist?

Summertime Nutrition Tips

Kinsey — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:15:34 +0000

Summer is here which means there will be plenty of long days spent outside by the beach, lake, or poolside. It’s very important to apply and re-apply plenty of sunblock, but the sun can effect other parts of your body, not just your skin. Below is a list found on WebMD of sun problems and associated foods that can help your body bounce back from the sun’s powerful rays.

Dry or Damaged Skin

Caused by: sweating more in summertime causing your skin to be less supple; chlorine in pool water and saltwater can also dry out your skin; finally the very common sunburn really can dry out your skin.

Try eating: antioxidant rich foods like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Drinking plenty of water is also key to keeping your skin looking good and preventing dehydration. It’s recommended to consume 8-10 cups a day.

Parched, Dry Hair

Caused by: overexposure to sun, saltwater, and chlorine.

Try eating: some fresh meats straight from the grill (burgers, chicken, etc.) or some non-meat protein-rich food sources like beans. Hair consists of protein fibers called keratin and protein-rich food sources help replenish this protein in your hair. Specifically, eating foods rich in vitamin B-5 (in yogurt and avocadoes), vitamin B-8 (in liver and cooked eggs), folic acid (in fortified cereals and beans), calcium (in milk and yogurt), and zinc (in meat and fish) can reduce hair loss and replace dull hair with shiny hair.

Muscle Cramps

Caused by: overexertion and dehydration. When you don’t have enough fluid in your system, it leads to an electrolyte imbalance that causes your muscles to cramp.

Try eating: potassium-rich foods like bananas, raisins, and spinach. Also, mixing in a few sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade) in place of water can give you the electrolytes your body needs.

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Summertime Nutrition Tips