By Julie Dolce, Dietetic Technician Student, Suffolk County Community College

You may already have the generalization that eating out at restaurants can be unhealthy and high in calories, but just how bad is it for us?  In my recent restaurant study I’ve come to learn the importance of becoming aware of the foods we are consuming at restaurants.  All three restaurant meals studied contained the amount of calories that should be consumed in one days worth of food!  An excess intake of calories leads to fat storage in our tissues, weight gain, and many health risks such as hypertension and diabetes.  Avoiding these health complications and weight gain can be controlled by educating yourself on smarter choices on the menu.  Do your homework, research the menu online before you go and put together a healthier meal option than you would normally select to order. Thinking ahead will help save you calories as you see below that restaurant meals can be excessively high in nutrients!

The first menu in a series of three is a typical hero very popular on Long Island. The names have been changes to protect the “Innocent”. Buyer Beware!

“Seaside Deli”: Chicken Cutlet with Bacon, Melted Cheddar topped with Potato Salad and Russian Dressing on a Toasted Garlic Hero

Calories: 1,608 cal

Total Fat: 94 g

Saturated Fat: 33 g

Carbohydrate: 114 g

Protein: 71 g

Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Sodium: 4,343 g

*Providing DOUBLE the amount of Fat & Sodium allotted for one day of eating – and just think, this is only one meal! 

 Our Version:

“Lettuce wrap you”

Grilled chicken, swiss cheese, turkey bacon, tomato, & light honey mustard dressing wrapped together in a crisp lettuce cup

*Saving you 1,296 calories, 78 grams of fat, and 3,843 grams of sodium!

*Excellent source of VITAMIN A (3,175 IU) and CALCIUM (317 mg) which aids in vision and bone health! 

Calories: 312 cal

Total Fat: 15 g

Saturated Fat: 6 g

Carbohydrate: 13 g

Protein: 29 g

Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Sodium: 500 mg

Recipe

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

2 oz skinless grilled chicken breast

1 oz swiss cheese

1 slice turkey bacon

2 tablespoons light honey mustard dressing

2 slices red tomato

1 oz romaine lettuce leaf

 Directions:

1) Lay out lettuce leaf, remove stem if stiff

2) Layer ingredients, topping with the honey mustard dressing

3) Roll as a burrito and enjoy!

Consumers can help by seeking our food produced sustainably. Look for locally grown, organic produce whenever possible- make it a priority. Locally grown produce is fresher and uses much less of our natural resources in the transport of them. Buy meats and poultry from family-owned farms who protect our land and animals, fish harvested sustainably from fish markets. These foods are usually devoid of pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics- none of which help us or the environment. They are stewards of the land and we can help by supporting them.

Here on the North Fork of Long Island, we have an wonderful opportunity to not only support local farming, but help ourselves as well – giving our bodies the freshest, nutrient dense foods. One of my favorite farms is the Golden Earthworm Farm in Jamesport. Not only do they have beautiful produce, but you can get without traveling by joining their CSA program. Celebrate earth day by learning where to get sustainably produced food. Ask your grocer where the produce comes from. Avoid packaged, processed foods and cook more whole foods at home. Another way to help is by celebrating Food Day – a nationwide celebration and movement toward healthy, affordable and sustainable food created by CSPI. Put it on your calendar- it’s Oct 24th.

For the first part of the nutrition challenge we will focus on a Whole Foods Approach, meaning completely avoiding any processed foods. You know the ones- they come in nice, shiny packages, promising good health or great taste and have lots of ingredients that look like they belong at a nuclear waste site. Refined and processed foods are stripped of nutritional value. Foods like white flour, refined grains, sugary foods and foods high in saturated and hydrogenated fats – these are the foods to avoid. Although they may initially taste good, they are unsatisfying and cause you to crave more and more of them. Not exactly helpful for your weight loss goals.

Think of it as a Whole Foods Challenge – the missing component to your weight loss efforts and one of the secrets to your ultimate success. A Whole Foods approach to health is more of a way of life strategy rather than a specific weight loss strategy – that will lead to weight loss if you focus on nutrient dense foods. What are nutrient dense foods? Foods that give you bang for your buck – lots of nutrients packed in not alot of calories. The opposite of calorie dense foods – most often synonymous with processed and refined foods- they stuff we are avoiding!

Whole fruits and vegetables- found in the produce section, not packaged. Whole grains like brown and wild rice (unrefined and containing the “whole” grain), quinoa, unhulled barley, wheat berries, bulgar – you get the point. Lean meats, fish and poultry products that you actually have to cook. Free range, sustainable and organic is best (more on this in another blog). Feel free to fill up on these foods while moderating your intake of starchy grains and vegetables, and high fat foods such as nuts and oils. This will help reduce your appetite while revving up your metabolism.

So, use this as your first nutrition challenge- stick with Whole Foods- food that comes directly from the ground, farmstand or produce isle. Read labels- there should be few ingredients. As Michael Pollan says “Look for ingredients you grandmother would know”. This may require cooking at home and a little more time in the kitchen. A bit of a commitment, but well worth it!

Stay tuned for more nutrition info to help you along with the Challenge…

Don’t post anything personal on this page, if you have questions please email me.

So, why not for breakfast? Don’t relegate this textural and visual beauty to the side of your dinner plate. The chewy, crunchy toothyness goes perfectly with poached eggs, creating a breakfast star.

Here’s a recipe to get your day started right.

Breakfast Kale and Eggs

In the 1970′s bagels looked like this:

And a restaurant portions haven’t fared much better…

So, who’s responsibility is it to fix this ubiquitous problem in our food supply? According to a survey of chefs from Clemson University, 76% of chefs thought they served “regular” sized portions, when they were in actuality 2-4 times larger than serving sizes recommended by the US government. The chefs’ believed that the amount of food they served influenced how much the patrons consume and that large portions are a problem for weight control. However, they were mixed on whether or not it is the customers’ responsibility to eat an appropriate size.

In an article in Men’s Health Magazine, restaurants serve large portions to sell us more food at higher prices. However, some restaurants are starting to get it, like TGIF’s “Right Portion, Right Price” menu and California Pizza Kitchen’s “Small Cravings” program. Even in college universities, the offerings are getting smaller. Lackmann’s “Under 3″ program offered at campuses who use their food service, students can get meals, snacks and desserts under 300 calories for $3.

SO, who’s job is it to watch our portion sizes? Everyone’s. Executive chefs from large chain restaurants to smaller, local joints need to help change the landscape of our plates. Consumers need to know what proper portion sizes should look like, and start demanding it.

Here’s a great visual from fitbie to get you started on taking back your plates.

American Heart Month: Love Your Health, Love Your Food from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics..

Oh slow cooker

How I love Thee

A few ingredients, push a button,

Voila! Dinner for the Fami-lee…

Ok- so I’m not much of a poet, but my heart is in the right place. Every winter, i fall in love just a little    more with my crockpot. On a day when I’m not home, or even if I’ve got too many projects going, I   can count on something delicious and balanced for dinner. Traditionally, slow cooking has been around for a long long time. Think of a kettle over a fire in historical kitchens, simmering stew or soup and you get the idea. Braising is a technique used to slowly breakdown proteins in food, in liquid over a long time using low temperatures. The slow cooker evolved into the ubiquitous Crock Pot in the 1970′s when almost every household had one. Today, slow cooking is making a comeback as a great alternative to takeout on a busy weekday night after school and work. A much healthier alternative and less expensive too. The crock pot lets you turn cheaper cuts of meat into mouthwatering savory dishes. Although with any exposure to heat, especially with lengthy time, nutrients will be lost. On the flip side, with the lid continually on, nutrients released will be contained in the cooking liquid. A wash, perhaps?

One tip for cooking with beans – either soak overnight or use quick-soak method to release toxins and avoid potential harmful gastrointestinal effects. Never put raw dried beans in your crockpot. You can also add cooked canned beans toward the end of cook time.

Top 5 reasons to dust off your slow cooker:

Tonights super easy slow cooked meal:  Honey-Soy Chicken with a side of red quinoa

I love spending time tin the kitchen creating a wonderful and sometimes complicated recipe to share with my family and friends. Cooking means love to me- developing a recipe,  sharing, and providing nourishment to people I care about. But, I also love easy, throwing just a few ingredients together and coming up with a family favorite, especially on a day when everyone is running around and there’s no time for kitchen fun.

2 # chicken thighs, 3 carrots cut in 1-2 inch chunks, 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed, 1 inch fresh ginger, 1/2 c low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1/4 c cider vinegar, 1/4 c pineapple or apple juice, 1/2 cup honey

Throw it all in the crockpot and cook for 8 hours on low setting. That’s it!

Your family will thank you – your pizza place will not.

Vegan Hoppin’ John

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

1/2 red pepper chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

4 sliced tempeh bacon, chopped

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp smoked paprika

fresh ground pepper

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans organic black eyed peas, rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup rice

3 cups chopped kale

Saute onion, celery and pepper in oil in large heavy sauté pan until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and tempeh bacon and stir for 1 minute. Add spices and stir another minute. De-glase with juice from tomatoes, then add tomatoes and peas. Add vegetable broth, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and stir. Cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Add kale and cook another 5 minutes or so, until rice is done. Serve with pickled jalapeno.