Food for Real

On Valentine’s Day, I decided to whip up a heart healthy meal (get it?) with nothing short of some of my favorite ingredients: salmon, whole wheat orzo, kale, and bell peppers. Studies show that eating omega-3 fatty acid rich fish at least 2 times per week has heart health benefits. Some of my favorite include salmon, cod, Chilean sea bass, and halibut.  The whole wheat orzo is a wonderful way to switch up your whole grains and the veggies are colorful, antioxidant-rich, delicious additions to any meal. Here’s the quick, easy and healthy recipe! Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Orzo

Ingredients:

• Wild Alaskan Salmon
• Greek salt-free seasoning (Julie brought this home, so I’m not quite sure where to get it, but there are tons of salt-free seasonings out there that you could use like herbs & spices or Mrs. Dash.)
• Olive Oil
• 1 lemon
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• Whole Wheat Orzo
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/4 yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 orange bell pepper
• garlic
• A sprinkle of feta cheese (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Spray pan with nonstick spray
3. Put salmon in pan and cover w/a teaspoon of olive oil and the seasoning and some fresh lemon juice
4. Put salmon in oven for about 15 minutes or until the sides turn up slightly
5. Boil water and cook orzo according to directions
6. Brown some garlic in olive oil in a pan, add bell peppers and cook on low.
7. Once orzo is cooked (should take 5 -10 minutes) add it to the peppers and garlic and stir
8. Salmon should be done by now! Pull it out of the oven and top each piece with one thin slice of lemon (garnish)
9. Enjoy!

Fast foods are a fact of life. They are there, and you are busy. But if it comes down to it, you don’t have to sabotage your diet. Choosing healthy options at a fast food joint is now easier than ever with nutrition info online. This week, I had to come up with some ideas for Lowell General where I am completing my Dietetic Internship. The featured fast food restaurant for Community Day on Saturday at LGH this year is McDonald’s. Check out what I found!

FEATURED FAST FOOD: MCDONALD’S

Meal #1

Meal #2

Choose Meal #2: You Save 545 calories, 36g fat, 480mg sodium!

Tips for Eating in the Fast Lane:

• Don’t drink your calories: Go for diet soda and save up to 570 calories!
• Be good to your heart: Skip the cheese and opt for low fat or nonfat milk.
• Pick your Portions: The difference between a 10 piece chicken nuggets and a 4 piece is 270 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 600 mg sodium!
• Keep in mind: Most people only need about 2,000 daily calories.

The best things in life come in threes and they all start with the letter “F”….

Friends, Family, and Food

The past two weekends, I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend time with my closest loved ones. My quasi-cuzzo Raptor Boy Danny flew across the country to spend time with his East Coast family before heading off on a great adventure to South America. With his visit, came wonderful surprises: Wine filled Thursday night with my besties Katy, Donna, Julie, Richie, and the guest of honor: Dano. Followed by a Friday night dinner and drinks with my lively friends at Orinoco and Matt Murphy’s followed by dinner at my parents with lifelong old friends Melissa Desrochers, Mike Rigazio, and Donna Greenblatt as well as new friends (who I feel I’ve known forever!) like Elizabeth Jarrard and Eileen Harrington. And last but certainly not least, I couldn’t say more about how amazing it is to spend time with my life long love Richie. And all this right at my parent’s dining room table!

The weekend before, I took a road trip to New York where I got together with one of my oldest friends Narjara Bueno – my childhood best friend who moved to Brazil when I was 13. After going 14 years without seeing her, our bond is still as strong as ever and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her twice in one month! Mike, Sara, Brian, Sam, and Meg (my NYC posse) could not have showed us a better time. Truly, I am blessed with amazing friends and I have unfathomable love for all of them. These are the souls I have traveled with throughout this life, and my appreciation for them will never tire. Did I mention how incredibly thankful I am to have such wonderful people to build memories with – past, present, and future? So thanks, guys This post is for you.

Camp Cod Reunion!

Danny & Melis - True Camp Codders! We're missing the Pure Bread Camp Codder Natalie!

Narjara and Mike

Mike & Rich - 16 years of friendship with these two!

Camp Cod Camp Leader - Dad!

My Niece Jackie's 12th Bday!

LPCS Reunited

This blog is about nutrition and food…but mainly, I think the whole picture is about overall Wellness. The purpose of this post is to remind everyone, including myself, that wellness also includes love and happiness. So reach out to that friend who you haven’t talked to in a while! Catch up with them and learn about their lives…have fun and make an effort to stay in touch. Good nutrition and fitness will surely keep you well, but there is no remedy as strong as happiness.

Stay tuned for Thursday! We’ll move on to the next “F”: FOOD! Thursday’s Recipe: Chilean Sea Bass w/Quinoa and Mango Relish.

Be Well, and Enjoy the day!