Nibbles

Roasted Cauliflower

June 6, 2015 marygrooverLeave a comment

I can’t believe my husband said that this recipe is his favorite vegetable recipe that I make! This is a huge success as he is not a fan of many vegetables and would not even touch cauliflower a couple of years ago. And since cauliflower is available all year round and is packed full of nutrients, I am happy to make this whenever he wants! Plus, it is ridiculously easy.

Here are a few nutritional tidbits on cauliflower:

There is research that links cauliflower to cancer prevention
Cauliflower contains phytochemicals called glucosinolates that help the body detox
Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C (meaning it contains 20% or more of the Daily Value of vitamin C per serving)
Cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and is a good source of vitamin K (meaning it contains 10-19% of the Daily Value of vitamin K per serving)
Cauliflower is high in fiber!

Recipe makes 8 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower

1 tsp olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp black pepper

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450F
Trim cauliflower into florets and pieces
Place cauliflower in baking dish
Mist cauliflower with olive oil (I use a Misto sprayer)
Drizzle lemon juice and black pepper on top
Roast cauliflower to desired tenderness (I like a little char on top). I usually leave it in the oven for about 25 minutes and toss it around halfway through.
Take out of oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!

Nibbles

Scientists Confirm Institute of Medicine Recommendation for Vitamin D Intake Was Miscalculated and Is Far Too Low

March 22, 2015 marygrooverLeave a comment

Scientists Confirm Institute of Medicine Recommendation for Vitamin D Intake Was Miscalculated and Is Far Too Low. The current Vitamin D recommendations are 600 IU for adults and 800 IU for seniors according to the Institute of Medicine’s Food & Nutrition Board. However, the Vitamin D Council recommends a daily intake of 5000 IU, which may be more in line with what we should be getting…

vitamin-D-sources What is Vitamin D?

A fat-soluble vitamin that helps to build healthy bones. Fat-soluble means that vitamin D is absorbed with the presence of fat and is stored in your fat cells. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and regulates phosphorus levels, which in turn helps to keep our bones healthy. Vitamin D also plays a role in keeping our immune systems healthy, reducing inflammation, cell growth and gene expression. There are several forms of vitamin D and the most important to remember are vitamin D2 and D3. Vitamin D2 is the plant form and D3 is the sunlight form. People who are mainly at risk for deficiency are older adults, obese adults, people who do not have any sun exposure, and certain illnesses. Children who have a deficiency get rickets (classic sign is bowed legs) and older adults who have a deficiency can develop osteomalacia, or softening of the bones.

How Can You Get Vitamin D?

Food, sunshine and/or supplements. Good food sources of vitamin D include fortified orange juice & dairy products, fatty fish and eggs. Also, the only vegetable source of vitamin D is mushrooms! Below are good sources of vitamin D:

photo-vitamin-d-sources1

Vitamin D is unique in that your body can convert a form of vitamin D in your body with exposure to sunlight. Depending on where you live, the color of your skin and the length of exposure will determine how much sunlight you need. Typically, getting about 20 minutes of daily sunlight without covering up and no sunscreen on will give you enough. However, our ability to convert vitamin D decreases as we age. Sometimes sunlight alone is not enough and making sure we are eating foods high in vitamin D becomes essential.

The Upper Limit Intake or the maximum amount you should take before the possibility of having harmful effects is 10,000 IU.

The Vitamin D Council has some great information and of course let me know if you have any questions. It will be interesting to see how this new research plays out.

Nibbles

Peachtree Road Race Lottery Is Now Open!!

March 15, 2015 marygrooverLeave a comment

Got plans for 4th of July? The Peachtree Road Race lottery is now open! I just signed up for my 6th year of running! Here is the link if you need it:
2015 AJC Peachtree Road Race Lottery
This race is so much fun! What’s better than running 6.2 miles with 60,000 of your closest buddies while celebrating the 4th of July?? There are awesome costumes, great music at every mile marker, sprinklers to cool you off throughout and, of course, the famous t-shirts at the end!! You don’t even feel like you have ran 6.2 miles because of all of the entertainment. Here is my friend, Megan, and I at last years’ Peachtree all decked out! The lottery is open until March 22, 2015, so you have one week!

<img src="https://anibbleofnutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img_3120.gif"

Nibbles

Happy Registered Dietitian’s Day!

March 11, 2015 marygrooverLeave a comment

Happy RD Day to my fellow RD’s!

Nibbles

Happy National Nutrition Month!

March 1, 2015March 1, 2015 marygrooverLeave a comment

The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month every March. It is a nutrition education campaign that emphasizes the importance of eating healthy, making healthy choices and adopting healthier eating and physical activity habits. This year, the Academy has chosen the theme, “Bite Into a Healthy Lifestyle”! The main focus of this year’s National Nutrition Month is to consume fewer calories (if needed), making healthy and informed food choices and to get daily exercise because we all know that exercise helps to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, reduces the risk for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, and it promotes overall health!

What changes are you going to make to adopt a healthier lifestyle this month? One of my goals is to make sure that I am getting 10,000 steps per day! My office started this challenge for March, which is right in line with National Nutrition Month’s goals. I have noticed that I have been sitting more than I should, so this challenge will help me to stay accountable!

Here is some more information from the Academy’s website:

A healthful lifestyle, with regular physical activity and an eating pattern chosen to meet individual nutrient needs within calorie limits, is vital to maintaining good health and quality of life.

A healthy eating plan emphasizes nutrient-rich foods and beverages, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, and nuts and seeds and limits foods with added fats, sugars, and salt.

Nutrient needs should be met primarily through consuming foods. Foods provide an array of nutrients and other components that are thought to have beneficial effects on health.

An eating pattern based on the Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate recommendations can accommodate the food preferences, cultural traditions and customs of many diverse groups.

MyPlate can help you use the Dietary Guidelines to:

Find your balance between food and physical activity to manage your weight;
Reduce food and food components linked to increased health risks;
Increase food and nutrients that promote health while staying within your calorie needs;
Build a healthful eating pattern

A registered dietitian nutritionist can provide sound, easy-to-follow personalized nutrition advice to meet your lifestyle, preferences, and health-related needs. If you haven’t done so already, please check out my new website, www.GrooverNutrition.com.

For more information on National Nutrition Month, ideas on how to celebrate and more information on nutrition, check out the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics website!

Happy National Nutrition Month!!