On the twelfth day - Merry Christmas!

We finally made it! Twelve delicious days of fruits and vegetables!

Yes, this year I am going to be that guy (or, well, girl). You know, the one that brings the healthy stuff to the party? Tonight among all the honey baked ham, turkey, cookies, chocolate, cakes, and comfort food, I'm bringing the vegetables. I told my cousins I'd be bringing the vegetables and the reply I got was "It better be deep fried or coated in cheese"! Hee hee, I love my family.

So tonight, I'm going to make easy broccoli and easy asparagus. I love asparagus. It's another vegetable I feel can stand on its own without too much added flavoring. Lucky for me, my best friend Heather gave me an easy recipe so that I could have asparagus anytime!

Asparagus, a member of the lily family, contains vitamin C and A, folate, tryptohphan, thiamin, riboflavin, manganese, pyridoxine, copper, niacin, phosphorus, protein, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium selenium and calcium. Wow! That's a lot of nutrients. Asparagus is an excellent source of Vitamin K, with one serving containing almost 115% of your daily value.

Vitamin K plays a part in bone formation and repair, as well as serves in converting glucose to glycogen. Vitamin K's most vital role, however, is synthesizing a protein in the liver known as prothrombin. Prothrombin is needed for blood clotting. Without Vitamin K or prothrombin, a deficiency can cause nose bleeding or internal hemorrhaging. However, if you are taking a blood thinner, such as Coumadin or Warfarin, you want to discuss with your doctor or dietitian Vitamin K's effects on the medication and your health.

Asparagus is also a natural diuretic. The alkalinity of the vegetable may help prevent or dissolve kidney stones. The diuretic effect may also relieve premenstrual swelling and bloating.

By the end of Christmas eve dinner, all my asparagus was consumed! No frying or cheese needed!


From my heart to all of yours, have a very joyful and merry, merry Christmas.

On the eleventh day

I'm so excited! Tonight I'm headed home to have dinner with the family. So, we're going to make this post short and sweet again so I can get to packing.

Today, I'm going to take breakfast on the run. Yogurt, granola, and grapes! Here's a little trick: try freezing your grapes. When you eat them, they taste like sherbet bon bons. So good!

Image taken from Eat Outside the Box

There are thousands of varieties of grapes cultivated as both table grapes and wine grapes. Did you know balsamic vinegar was made out of wine grapes? In that small little round purple fruit, grapes contain fiber, proteins, vitamins A, C, B6, folate, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, iron, and magnesium.

The best known ingredient in grapes is Resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes. Resveratrol was found to have anti-cancer activity by blocking agents that initiate cancer. Resveratrol may also reduce the risks of developing Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Resveratrol was also found to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and protect arterial walls. Resveratrol is attributed to the "French Paradox", the lower rates of heart disease and cancer found in such nations as France, Italy, and Spain.

Wow! I think I'm going to eat my grape "sherbet bon bons" on the long drive home if they stay frozen!

Everyone, please have safe and happy travels!

On the tenth day

So glad we're getting closer to the goal line! Things are getting busy-busy! I took a much needed time-out after work and went surfing. My last wave in was that perfect moment of relief I had mentioned all of you try to find in during this hectic time. What did all of you find was your moment of relief?

Today for our tenth day we're going to cover cantaloupes! There was always a serving of sliced cantaloupes in my refrigerator growing up. They're refreshing and not too strong in flavor. However, that cooling taste was perfect after a hot day in Florida.

Image taken from www.faqs.org

As a cantaloupe ripens, its antioxidant activity actually increases. Cantaloupes contain Vitamin A, thiamine,  riboflavin, vitamin C, niacin, calcium, iron, folate, phosphorus, and potassium. Cantaloupes are a great source of Vitamin A, containing 103% of the daily value. Besides promoting good eye sight, Vitamin A has been shown to improve health in our skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissues. For smokers, smoking is also known to deplete the body of Vitamin A, so fruits and vegetables high in this vitamin, such as cantaloupes are beneficial in the diet.

Sorry to keep it short today! We're almost to the finish line!

On the ninth day

Growing up, I knew my mom's favorite cartoon was Popeye the Sailor Man.

I think you all know where I'm going with this: "I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eat my spinach"!

What was it about spinach that gave Popeye that boost of strength? Well, spinach is an incredible superfood whose benefits list includes:

• It is a calcium source. As we learned before, calcium helps strengthen our bones and teeth. Calcium also helps in the protection of our heart and even against colon cancer.
• Spinach is high in protein, which is the building material for muscle.
• Spinach contains a high level of Vitamin A, which has been shown to prevent viral and respiratory infections.
• Spinach is also a great source of folate, Vitamin K, magnesium, iron, potassium, Vitamin C and manganese
• It's been shown to protect against heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and cholesterol buildup. It's also related to improving eye and skin health.

... And the list goes on and on! Spinach is definitely a vegetable we'll have to revisit when it's not such a crazy season. Just this short list proves why Popeye was ahead of his game when eating spinach for that added boost.

I use spinach in a lot of recipes and meals. Today, however, I'm just going to cover a very easy recipe my mom had me make for Thanksgiving. I made it again for our work's Holiday party and I'm sure it'll make a repeat appearance for Christmas dinner:

Spinach-Onion Bread Dip

• 1 enevelope of dried onion soup mix
• 16 oz of Sour Cream
• 1 package (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 4oz can chopped water chestnuts
• 1 Pumpernickel bread bowl

1. Mix all the ingredients together, except the bread bowl, and chill.

2. Cut a hole through the bread to make a bowl to place the dip.

3. Put dip in bowl and serve.

Voila! Easy and delicious! Obviously, there are other ways to eat spinach and I promise we'll see spinach again on this blog!

On the eighth day

How's everyone holding up? I hope no one is stressing too much for the holidays. I know I'm running around like crazy, both at work and out of work. However, there's a guaranteed thirty seconds of relaxation when I come home and open my front door to get a whiff of that amazing douglas fir. I hope all of you get, at least, that moment of pure relief and joy in your busy holiday schedule.

Now for our eighth day. Obviously here in Florida oranges, tangerines, and all their cousins are always in abundance. So, I had a little trouble deciding which of the species of genus Citrus I was going to choose. The winner tonight was Citrus tangerina, or tangerines!

The most well known vitamin of the genus Citrus is its high levels of Vitamin C. Vitamin C, sometimes referred to as ascorbic acid, was used in the first nutrition experiment on human beings in the year 1747. Before this, when a man decided to join the crew of a ship, he knew he only had a 50% chance of returning alive. Not because of pirates, storms, or one of Poseidon's many sea monsters, but because of a disease known as scurvy. In 1747, an English physician by the name of James Lind conducted an experiment on the British navy and discovered those sailors receiving citrus fruits quickly recovered from scurvy. Well, well, well, another fruit that can prevent death!

Besides preventing scurvy, Vitamin C is an incredibly essential part of your diet. It is required for the growth and repair of tissue in all parts of your body. Vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant, supporting the body's immune system in the prevention of colds, cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and the improvement of eye and skin health. 

Vitamin C even plays a role in stress! During stress, our adrenal glands, which contain more Vitamin C than any other organ in the body, releases the vitamin along with hormones into the blood. Therefore, stress can cause a depletion in Vitamin C, raising our Vitamin C needs. So, I better see all of you drinking a glass of orange juice or eating a tangerine while doing your last minute holiday shopping!

Homework today for the eighth day of Fruits and Vegetables: Have a delicious citrus fruit, like tangerines, oranges, or clementines, and find at least a moment of pure relief and bliss.

On the seventh day

I got my Christmas presents wrapped and ready to go! I'm excited for the gifts I have for my aunts and uncles (and Lola!). I hope they like it!

Anyways, I was finally able to relax and enjoy the weekend! After a day of running through rain on Saturday trying to finish the last little bits of Christmas shopping, I planned for a picnic today. At first, the wind was so chilly, but then it died down, the sun came out, and I enjoyed some wonderful 70 degree weather. Ahhh... December is Florida! Anyways, I enjoyed a nice active game of disc golf. We started playing it just to be goofy, but we ended up getting hooked! It's super fun and it does get your heart rate going if you run after the frisbees enough. Can't wait for another game! Experiment with your physical activity! Some activities are so fun you don't even realize you've been running around.

Now onto our seventh day of fruits and vegetable items: beets! I don't know of too many people who are a fan of beets or who have even tried a beet, but trust me, they're good! They're so versatile and can be prepared in so many ways.

Tonight, I made a beet salad I learned from one of my dearest friends and coworkers.

There's so many types of beet salad recipes if you google it, using everything from mint leaves to basil leaves, peaches to fennel, goat cheese to feta. I just used what I had in my fridge: basil leaves, grated Pecorino Romano, balsamic glaze, and of course beets!

Beets are another "multivitamin with minerals" vegetable, jam packed with Vitamin A and C, fiber, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and folate. Beets contain a nutrient called betaine, which is a natural liver detoxifier. A pigment found in beets called betacyanin was found to be a powerful cancer-fighting agent in colon cancer. And my dear friend Hippocrates (the author of our column's quote and the father of medicine) used beet leaves as binding for wounds because they are good for curing wounds! Incredible! Medicine really isn't just found in a pill bottle or a first aid box!


Anyways, t-minus-6 days! I wish I could find a video of the Home Alone scene to this song!

On the sixth day

So, as I was walking the grocery store, trying to get ingredients together for more holiday treats, I came upon a fruit I heard about at some point. Can't remember when. Since they were fairly cheap, I decided to bag them and see what they were about.

Today, our sixth day of fruits and vegetables, I'm going to try myself a Persimmon! I didn't want to get too complicated with them for two reasons. 1) This is my first time trying them, and 2) I'm on a time crunch with Christmas fast approaching.

Before, I bit into it, I made sure to google "How to eat a Persimmon". I picked up the Hachiya variety, which is supposedly tart until it is VERY ripe and soft. I also found a quote that said persimmons taste similar to mangoes. If you know me, you know my favorite fruit is a mango! So I was excited to have a go at the persimmons!

I guess you can never really replace a favorite. For me, the mango still wins. Persimmons do have a very similar texture to mangoes, although they're a lot less flavorful (and less messy). Maybe next time I'll try the fuyu persimmon which is said to be sweeter. Also, I'll try the idea of making a sherbet out of it by freezing it and scooping the meat out. Sounds delish!

Persimmons originated from China and were brought to Japan. Apparently the Japanese loved persimmons so much that its highly regarded as their national fruit. I bet persimmons taste incredible over there. Persimmons are a good source of fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. One of the first trainings I had as a new dietitian by my old boss was "Vitamin A. It's good for the eyes." And it is! Persimmons also contain anti-cancer compounds known as shibuol and betulinic acid.

Have you guys ever just picked up a fruit or vegetable you've never tried just to taste it? How did it go? Can you recommend any uncommon fruits and vegetables? I'm always looking to try new things!

Finally, check out this really great website I tripped upon: best fruit now. It recommends fruits that are in season, as well as tells you which fruits to avoid that are out of season and costly! So neat!

On the fifth day

Woohoo! I finally finished all of my Christmas shopping. Now time to relax and really enjoy the holidays.

I've been wrapping presents, baking and cooking, and running around all over the place trying to get everything together for Christmas. So, today, I made sure our fifth fruit/vegetable was an easy one. For the fifth day of Fruits and Vegetables, we have broccoli!

I never understood why every cartoon character growing up would say "Broccoli... blech!" I always loved the taste of broccoli. Even more fun, they looked like trees! (My old coworker Mortimer once gave a floret of broccoli as a flower bouquet to our dietitian boss on her birthday!) To me, broccoli taste great by itself, steamed with a little salt, pepper, and garlic. However, I also love it in broccoli cheddar soup, beef and broccoli, and broccoli and cheese. Tonight, though, I wanted to whip up something fast and easy, so I just did my regular steamed broccoli. Sorry guys, no exciting recipe tonight, but in place of it, I made this diorama with my broccoli before cooking it! Who says you can't play with your food?

Those tiny little green trees pack an incredible amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, including Vitamin C, folic acid, dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, B vitamins, and Vitamin A. Broccoli has been shown to boost your immune system, prevent cataracts and promote healthy eyes, ease and/or prevent symptoms of the common cold, and strengthen bones. They pack high amounts of antioxidants, specifically, indole-3-carbinol, which has been shown to have an affect on hormone-related cancers, such as breast and prostate, by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Not to mention they're so easy to fix up! It's like a delicious multivitamin in the shape of a tree. I just have to add colorful sprinkles on them and make a "lighted Christmas tree/broccoli"!

Well, I guess I'll leave you with my favorite Christmas song of all time. I remember my cousin almost killed me when I played it over and over again during our drive from Florida all the way up to New York when we were little. I don't think I could listen to this for 20 hours anymore.

On the fourth day

For our fourth day of fruits and vegetables I decided to do an in-season fruit that always seems to make an appearance during the holidays: Cranberries!

When I first started trying to increase my fruit and veggie intake, I went to the green market and laid claim to any fruit and vegetable I've never tried to see how I could diversify my meals. One of those was a bag of fresh cranberries. Well, I don't know about you, but my previous experience with cranberries has been good - dried cranberries in my salad, cranberry juice, cranberry sauce on my turkey. So, I thought, well if cranberries are so good in those forms, then surely I can eat them straight! You should have seen the look on my friends face when I took a handful of cranberries and stuffed them right into my mouth! They are so tart!

Still, cranberries are another excellent fruit in the fight for your health. Cranberries, along with many other berries, are highest on the list of fruits/vegetables rich in antioxidants.Cranberries also help create a hostile environment for certain bad bacteria. Cranberries are used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) because they contain proanthocyanidins, which inhibit bacteria, such as E. coli from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. They were also found to inhibit oral bacteria related to dental plaque and dental cavities. The bacteria H. pylori is often the cause of peptic ulcers. Cranberries may play a role in the prevention of peptic ulcers by blocking this bacteria from our intestinal walls. Check out more at The Cranberry Institute.

Boiling Cranberries

Tonight, I decided to make Cranberry Pear Bars via Better Homes rather than try to eat them straight again! It made a delicious dessert but definitely not something I'd eat everyday. I need to figure out how to use the rest of my cranberries without adding tons of sugar or fat to them so I can get the best health benefits.

I can't wait for Christmas dinner to see all the ways cranberries will be used this year. But while I wait for the 25th, I decided to add a little more Christmas cheer to the home. It's getting colder and colder down here in South Florida, so what better way to warm up then to cuddle up to a few good Christmas movies? On my list so far is Serendipity, The Nightmare Before Christmas, A Christmas Story, The Grinch, Muppet Christmas Carol, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Home Alone, Bad Santa, Die Hard, and maybe I'll Be Home for Christmas for a little Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Do you have any Christmas movies you think I should add to my list?

On the third day

'Tis the Season!

The hustle and bustle is in full swing now that we're down to less than 2 weeks before Christmas. Christmas parties abound. The malls are full of last minute shoppers. I even got to go on a movie date under the moonlight to see Elf! Oh! And on Sunday I saw Santa on a motorcycle leading a motorcade; then I saw him today at work, hopping into a full elevator! He's everywhere! I need to make sure I catch him so I can give him my Christmas wish list.

Christmas Cookie Party!

Elves at the mall

Even the flowers are getting into the Spirit!

Tonight though, another cold front is moving through, so no movies under the moonlight for me! Instead, I'm warming up to our Third day of Fruit and Veggie treat: sauteed bok choy! There's this delicious sushi restaurant very close to my place that makes a mean bok choy. The winds are wailing right outside my windows, so there's no way I'm stepping foot outside. Rather, I just followed this easy video from Food Network to whip up my own helping of the Chinese cabbage! So easy!

There's a lot of things bok choy contains. It's a good source of Vitamin A, C, and K, as well as potassium. What I really like about bok choy, is that it's a good source of BOTH calcium and Vitamin D.

We all know that calcium helps the body grow strong teeth and bones, as well as slow bone loss as we grow older. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is why many milk products are enriched with Vitamin D. However, what many of us don't know is that there are many other sources of calcium besides milk products, including bok choy! Many green leafy vegetables, such as collards, spinach, and even bok choy are a good source of calcium, without the high amounts of saturated fats. To go beyond what the vegetables don't have, take a look at what they do have! Not only will you get your calcium, but you'll get Vitamin D (naturally) and a whole host of other vitamins and minerals. Compared to a glass of milk, calcium vegetable sources not only carry a lot more in terms of nutrients, but they're also low-fat, low-calorie, and low-carbohydrate.

So, look outside of what you know in terms of foods an nutrients. There's so many delicious fruits and vegetables waiting to be discovered!

Oooh, after tonight, I'm adding the following to my grown-up Christmas list: wok!

On the second day

Ooo! It is chilly in South Florida! For those of you who don't live in Florida, I know I can't complain, but a cold front has come in and it's starting to feel like winter (granted, "winter" is relative). I managed to get coaxed into surfing yesterday in the 50 degree weather. Brrrr. After only an hour, I couldn't feel my face!

The cold weather though is completing the feel of the season. My home smells like douglas fir, ribbons and lights are strung in every store, Christmas music is playing on the radio, and I enjoyed a Peppermint White Chocolate soy latte with my friend Gretchen this weekend. I hope you all are feeling the holiday spirit as well!

Today, I opted out of another cold surf session and decided to celebrate our second day of fruits and vegetables. Although, I cheated today and chose a fungus often considered a vegetable: mushrooms! Mushrooms are available all season because they don't depend on the sun for growth, but they're at their peak during fall and winter.

A cup of portobello mushrooms contain only around 40 calories, 6g of carbohydrates, and 5g of protein. They are a great source of potassium, with a portobello containing more potassium than orange juice! Mushrooms also contain niacin and riboflavin, B vitamins not found in many vegetables. Everyone who knows me well, knows I love B vitamins! B vitamins have a huge effect on mood because they support the nervous system, as well as many other metabolic processes of the body. Niacin (B3) may slow the development of atherosclerosis (fatty material, such as cholesterol, build-up in your arteries) and increase you HDL (good cholesterol)! Studies have shown Riboflavin (B2) may prevent the incidence of age-related cataracts. Both are antioxidants, preventing free-radicals from damaging our cells. Mushrooms also contain a powerful antioxidant called L-ergothioneine, currently only known to be found in fungi!

Stuffed Mushrooms!

Tonight, I made a recipe my friend forwarded to me after I tried her version: Giada's Stuffed Mushrooms. I did use portobello mushrooms instead of white mushrooms in my recipe. I pretty much ate that for my whole dinner; they're so good!

Then, I finished the night off curling up on the couch in my snuggie, put on  the very Christmas-themed movie Love, Actually (my favorite story is Jamie and Aurelia), and stirred up my favorite hot chocolate: Ghirardelli's peppermint hot chocolate. I used the mix because there's no store near me, but if ever you get the chance, try the real deal. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

From "chilly" South Florida, stay warm everyone!

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On the first day...

Just in case, for those of you that missed my addendum in the last post, I fixed the comment section so you don't have to create a profile. Just choose "Name/URL" in the drop box and type in your name! Hope this helps!

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The Christmas season officially kicked off for me this past Friday when I attended a Christmas cookie decorating party. Someone brought up the estimated cost of the 12 days of Christmas: $98,824! Wow.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a partridge. Admittedly, I didn't really want to. However, if you're interested, via livestrong, here is the nutritional value:

One serving, 92g
Calories, 123
Total Fat, 0g
Total Protein, 20g

Hee hee! Ok, now that we got that out of the way, let's move onto the better part of what my true love gave to me on the first day of Christmas - pears!

4 kinds of pears

Pears are in the same family as the apple. Did you know, like the apple, there's several types of pears out there? I was able to locate 4 different types at my grocer's store: red bartlett, bartlett, bosc, and D'anjou. And December is National Pear Month.

Pears have so many health benefits, but I'll just list a few below. You can find more about pears at USA Pears.

• Pears are a great source of fiber, which of course promotes digestion and colon health.
• They contain a good amount of Vitamin C and copper which both work as antioxidants. You can also find hydroxycinnamic acid in pears, which has been found to help prevent stomach cancer.
• The flavnoids found in pears may help to protect the lungs against Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD).
• Pears are a hypoallergenic fruit, therefore many people with several food sensitivities can enjoy this delicious treat!

This time, I was able to create a couple of things with my pears because I bought so many.

First, I made a topping for ice cream! Yum!

A few weekends ago, I returned to the green market to purchase a 12 year aged balsamic vinegar. It's so delicious! The vendor/chef knew who I was the moment I walked up and gave me a cool recipe that tastes incredible!

First, slice or dice up fruits that are currently in season. He said he usually likes strawberries and blueberries, but advised me to use apples and pears for the fall. Marinate them in balsamic vinegar for 15 to 20 minutes. Then use the marinated fruits as a topping for vanilla ice cream!

Balsamic vinegar soaked pears a'la mode

Second, I found a recipe via allrecipes to make Pear Honey. Oh my gosh! I cut the sugar needed in the recipe by half. It took a couple of hours to get the mixture's consistency similar to honey, but it was well worth it!

Pear Honey!

Finally, I created my own version of partridge in a pear tree with partridge with pear honey. Much cheaper than $162 for a real partridge and a pear tree!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season so far!

Happy December!

Hi guys! I'm so sorry I've been MIA as of late. I've had quite a bit on my plate between the start of the holidays and the new job. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I did. I was able to spend it with my family and got to see many faces I haven't seen in months. Not to mention the food was wonderful!

Tita's Honey Baked Ham creation

I tried to plan for a healthy Thanksgiving this year by packing on the vegetables, followed by a reminiscing walk around the neighborhood with my cousin. I've also set a goal for myself. Since beginning my research into oncological nutrition, I stumbled on a book written by a dietitian who is also a 3-time cancer survivor. The book is called A Dietitian's Cancer Story by Diana Dyer, MS, RD. After her third diagnosis, she decided she needed to change her diet and lifestyle to reduce her odds of being diagnosed a fourth time. One of the things she encourages is eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables have incredible cancer-fighting chemicals. Therefore, I've been trying to slowly increase my fruit/veggie intake to 9 servings daily.

Here's a confession: Prior to the book, I wasn't even eating 5 servings a day. It's now fun finding ways to add that extra serving into my day. Anyways, to help me get up to 9 servings daily, and because we're getting into the Holidays, I'm going to do a 12 days of Fruits and Vegetables!

So next post, we'll start with (a partridge in a) PEAR (tree)!


                                                                                                       
Hey guys! Just a quick update. I realized that a lot of people were having a hard time commenting. I've enabled the comments so you don't have to create a profile. Just select the "Name/URL" option and type your name. So sorry about that!