Know What You're Getting in Your Supplements

With the current craze of supplement use the toughest part is knowing if you're actually receiving what the package claims you're getting. For example, are you getting 500mcg of B12 per pill (as stated) or is it actually 432mcg per pill (or is it 568mcg per pill? Is it even B12?) One way to figure that out is to look for the USP seal of approval! This is a voluntary program that verifies the quality, purity, and potency of supplements. When you see this stamp on a bottle of supplements you can be reassured of the following:

-the ingredients listed on the label are actually in the product (in potency and amounts listed.)
-there are not harmful levels of contaminants in the product (i.e. lead, mercury, bacteria, toxins, etc.)
-the ingredients will break down in the body within a certain time frame that will allow for absorption of those ingredients (versus not being absorbed only to have the final destination be your urine!)
-the product has been made under sanitary conditions.


Below are USP verified dietary supplements! Visit the website for more information!

Berkley & Jensen		Equaline
Kirkland Signature		Nature Made
Nutri Plus		Q-Gel®
Safeway		Sunmark
Tru Nature		Your Life

Coffee within Reason

Coffee within reason? Huh? Well, let me explain!

It's getting to be that season- Autumn. Oh how I love Autumn (for so many, many reasons)!!!!!! As the air becomes crisp and cool, there is nothing better than a warm drink. But (BUT) who wants all those extra calories?! For example, a 10 oz Dunkaccino from Dunkin Donuts is 230 calories and 11 grams of fat, not including the whipped cream. Assuming that you drank just three of these a week (or any other calorically similar beverage) for 7 months (September through March), you would gain a extra 5.5 pounds!!! So what can be done? Save your money and make it at home. 10 oz of your favorite brewed coffee has 0 calories. 1 tbsp (organic) cocoa powder has 10 calories. Mix in 2 tsp of sugar for 32 calories and 2 tsp 1% milk for 14 calories. Homemade yummy-ness for a grand total OF 56 calories!! Same size, similar taste, 174 fewer calories. Your waist thanks you! Enjoy!

Fitting Tasty Treats into a Healthy Diet!

You wake up in the morning and turn on the news. The commercial break is advertising a cinnamon bun for breakfast. There's temptation number one. You walk out of your front door and past the bakery. There's temptation number two. You turn on your computer at work, open the browser and almost immediately a donut ad pops up. Temptation number three. Your co-worker brings in her grandma's famous coffee cake. There's temptation number four. You head out to lunch and the dessert menu is the first thing you see. Temptation number five. You run to the grocery store for a few items and there on the end of the aisle are all the ingredients you need to bake cookies, cupcakes, brownies and more. Temptation number six (out of the umpteenth more to come!)

How does one handle all of these temptations?! Is there an easy answer? Yes. Moderation and portion control. If you don't deprive yourself of your cravings, you are less likely to over eat. Remember all foods can be fit into a healthy diet. There is no such thing as a 'bad' food. Foods are not bad; however, foods can be unhealthy. So when you're having a craving, I say, go ahead give in, but do it with eyes wide open! Find that one sweet temptation you don't like to resist and indulge (note I didn't write overindulge!)

A box of brownie mix=220 calories
1/4 cup water= 0 calories
1/2 cup vegetable oil= 960 calories
1/2 cup walnuts= 400 calories
2 eggs= 140 calories
Total= 1720 calories

Bake following instructions on the box. Use a 13x9 pan. Cut into 28 brownies. Each brownie is 62 calories!

It's all about moderation and portion control! Know when to start. Know when to stop! Enjoy!

Less Than 500 Calories in Less Than 5 Minutes

I often hear how healthy, quick meals don't exist. So many people seem to think quick meals only come from one of today's many fast food chain restaurants (or sodium and saturated fat laced frozen entrees) and therefore healthy meals are not an option unless they slave over a hot stove for hours a day just like their mother and grandmother did before them. WRONG! I say! There are options out there! Sometimes we just have to be a little creative and step outside the box. One of my favorite quick dishes is rice and beans. Add a little avocado for a twist and a little salsa for a kick! In 5 minutes you can exuberantly say 'hello quick, easy, healthy 5 minute meal!'

Rice and Beans with Avocado and Salsa
1 cup cooked brown rice = 200 calories, 5 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 4 grams fiber
1/2 cup black beans= 130 calories, 10 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 5 grams fiber
1/2 avocado= 150 calories, 2 grams protein, 15 grams fat, 7 grams fiber
2 tbsp salsa= 10 calories, 0 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 0 grams fiber

Total meal= 490 calories, 17 grams of protein, 15 grams of fat, 16 grams of fiber

I often buy my rice from Trader Joe's that either comes frozen or prepackaged on the shelf. There are no added preservatives. (If you don't have this option, Uncle Ben's has a 5 minute brown rice. With this you'll have to extend your meal preparation time to say....8 minutes?! I still think it's doable, right?) Put rice in the microwave for 3 minutes or until hot. By no means would I suggest against using dry beans (quite the contrary as I prefer them,) but I know that sometimes the extra time just isn't there. Go right ahead and use canned beans. To get rid of the extra sodium, drain, rinse, and redrain the beans. (They get a little foamy at first, but keep rinsing and the foam dissipates.) Put beans in the microwave for a minute or until hot. In the mean time, peel the avocado and dice it up. Yes, yes, yes, avocado is high in fat; I know! BUT, it is high in healthy monounsaturated fat! Tell your doctor you used avocado instead of butter and he/she'll be very pleased! (You can tell your dietitian too! He/she'll also be pleased!) Last but not least, if you like spice in your life, add salsa. Salsa is very low calorie. It's a great addition to almost any meal and there are multiple varieties out there. Put all ingredients in a bowl, mix and voila! You now have a healthy <500 calorie meal in <5 minutes! Try it and enjoy!

The Dangers of Plastics!

For anyone who has turned on the news recently, opened a magazine, or purused various newspaper articles online, you have indubitably heard something about BPA (bisphenol-A.)

BPA is a synthetic estrogen that is used to harden plastics. New research suggests that it is detrimental to our health. BPA breaks down easily; you might have heard to avoid drinking out of a plastic water bottle that has been sitting in your car during a hot summer day. BPA is leeched from the plastic into your water due to the high temperature. There has been a lot of discussion in the news regarding this- particularly focusing on baby bottles. Lab tests suggest that BPA can impair brain function, cause cancer, cause cardiovascular damage and so much more. Be reassured that some organizations are fighting hard for the ban of BPA. One of them is The Environmental Working Group (one of my favorite organizations.) Check them out here! Also, read more about BPA!

I think it is unrealistic to recommend that the public avoid plasticware completely, but there are a couple of things you can do to minimize your risk. For starters, you can avoid buying bottled water (and that's a whole other topic for another day!) and buy reuseable plastic water bottles BPA free from Camelbak or Nalgene, for example!

In addition, you can educate yourself on the coding on the bottom of a plastic item.
-Avoid containers markeed #3 or "PVC ."
-Avoid containers marked with a #7 or "PC"
*Choose containers marked with a #1, 2, 4, and 5 as they DO NOT contain BPA!

Read more advice and tips on the use of plastic items from EWG!

PLU Codes: Identify Organic and Non-organic Produce!

PLU stands for price look-up. It is a numbering scheme that has been used in US grocery stores since the 1990s. It is used as a way to make check-out and inventory control quicker, easier, and more accurate! This idea was first used in North America, but has spread to Europe and other countries.

The PLU code applies to loose produce, which includes fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, herbs and flavorings, and nuts. Produce that is contained in a package (of various sorts) does not fall under the guidelines of the PLU code. An exception would be grapes (as they are often pre-packaged in a plastic bag.) Processed produce is also excluded. Examples include stuffed vegetables, purees, juices, etc.

The IFPS (International Federation for Produce Standards) is responsible for deciding the assignment and definition of prefix digits for international recognition. So far, only three have been identified!

0 applies to all non-qualified produce and the 0 is often not shown. (Meaning you will have a four digit code instead of five!)
8 means the product is genetically modified. (Please see a previous post I wrote on GM foods!)
9 means the product is organic.

So for example, a conventionally grown banana would have a PLU sticker 4011. If it was genetically modified,the sticker would read 84011. And if it was organically grown, it would read 94011.

You can read much more in the Produce PLU User's Guide 2006 by IFPS!

And thanks to Meghan for the heads up on this! Now only if I still had the sticker from my peaches!!

Non-traditional Cupcakes

(I was never a traditionalist! ;) )

Cupcakes. Cupcakes. Cupcakes. Who doesn't love cupcakes!?!

The problem with cupcakes today is that most people buy them on-the-go. I don't think I need to go into a detailed explanation about the perils of fast food and prepackaged, ready-made food. What I don't like is the ginormous size, extravagant caloric content and heart attack promoting fat content!

For example...

1 Starbucks' Triple Chocolate Cupcake is 360 calories and 20 grams of total fat (7 of that comes from saturated fat!)

1 Hostess Chocolate Cupcake is 170 calories and 6 grams of total of fat (3 of that comes from saturated fat!) And who eats just ONE of those?! I don't know of anybody.

1 Cold Stone Creamery's Sweet Cream Cupcake is 390 calories and 21 grams of total fat (15!! of that comes from saturated fat!)

(Thank you Calorie King for your assistance in providing the nutritional information!)

SO I decided to (bake and) taste test a non-buckle snapping, non-button popping, non-artery clogging cupcake!

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes (courtesy of Vegetarian Times)
Makes 12 Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 avocado
1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup plain soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze
1/4 block soft silken tofu (from 14 oz container), drained and patted dry
3 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
4 oz. semisweet vegan chocolate, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Add maple syrup, soy milk, oil, and vanilla. Blend until creamy. Puree avocado in a food processor until smooth. Whisk avocado mixture into flour mixture. Spoon batter into cupcake cups. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with crumbs attached. Cool.

To make the glaze, blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Dip tops of cupcakes into glaze.

Nutritional Information
287 calories, 12.5 grams of total fat (3 of that comes from saturated fat!)

Comments
I think this is a very tasty vegan cupcake. The cupcake itself is very airy, light, and fluffy. It has the texture and mouth feel of a non-vegan, traditional cake (which can often times be hard to accomplish without eggs!) With following this recipe, the cupcake was not very sweet, which actually has its pros as well as its cons. I don't like super sweet desserts, so I liked that aspect; however, I think the cupcake could benefit from a little additional sweetness. (Of note, however, I used unsweetened plain soy milk instead of sweetened plain soy milk. That very well could have been the issue.) Either way, I figure a main reason for the glaze is to add additional flavor- and in this case that would be the addition of sweetness. With that said, when eating the glazed cupcake there is no issue of too sweet versus not sweet enough. But, being the critic that I am, that doesn't suffice. I think next time I will try one of two options. I will use sweetened plain soy milk or perhaps try chocolate soy milk. I could also maybe increase the amount of maple syrup. (I used Log Cabin lite, by the way. I couldn't convince myself to buy a $7 or more bottle of pure maple syrup (despite knowing it is 1000 times better tasting than Log Cabin lite) since I already had a generic version in my cupboard.)

Also, to aid in the ease of spreading of the glaze, refrigerate it and let it harden. (I thought it was too soupy immediately after making it.) Mix and use the back-end of a spoon to spread on a cooled cupcake. It works much butter! The one caveat- the glaze has a finished look if you don't let it harden before spreading. It's very edgy looking after it hardens.

Also, I was all excited to try these cupcakes and settled for using a non-completely ripe avocado. I don't think it mattered except for maybe the ability to blend smoothly; that didn't happen. I think it made the cupcake more textured, which I personally prefer.

I also used firm tofu, not soft, and I used vegetable oil, not canola oil. The differences result in a less smooth, more textured glaze and a slight taste difference from the use of vegetable oil. As always, I used less salt than what the recipe called for.

A hindsight note- don't stir melting chocolate with a plastic scraper. It melts! (Duh! I know....) I hate to think what kind of chemicals are now floating around inside my cupcakes. Ah well. Next time I'll do better!

Lastly, with my slight variations I can also say that the caloric content per cupcake is lower than what the Vegetarian Times estimated for their cupcakes. Log Cabin Lite is lower in calorie per serving than regular maple syrup. (The caloric and total fat content for canola oil versus vegetable oil is minimal and non-significant!) Also I made 18 cupcakes, not 12 as the recipe stated. If I followed the instructions as is, each one of my cupcakes (18 of them) would have been 215 calories. Since I used lower calorie syrup, my cupcakes are less than 200 calories each. Also, each one is just over 9 grams of total fat (and just over 2 of that comes from saturated fat!) I love the use of the avocado to increase my healthy fat intake and divert away from traditional use of saturated fat (although this is common with vegan substitutions!) One last bonus point- you can eat all of the batter you desire without worrying about if you'll get sick as this is an egg-less recipe! (So, this is a great recipe to make with kids as well!!)

All-in-all, I would consider this a success! It is a tasty vegan dessert! Enjoy!