Reimagining a Comfort Meal

 Written by: Courtney Day; SLU Dietetic Intern

        Almost everyone has a comfort food, a meal that makes you feel better on a bad day and brings back happy memories. Whether it’s something nostalgic from childhood or a more recent memory, that emotional connection combined with what is usually an indulgent (and maybe a little less healthy) meal brings a happy, cozy feeling with every mouthful. My perfect comfort food is my mom’s chicken fettuccine alfredo. I’ve asked for it for my birthday every year for the last 15 years. Comfort foods like alfredo are often categorized as unhealthy, and being a dietetics intern this year I’ve been on a mission to find recipes and simple ways to revamp my favorite comfort foods and pack a few more nutrients in. With the seasons finally changing to my all time favorite, autumn, those delicious autumn flavors have definitely been on my mind. What can I say? I’ve always been a pumpkin spice girl. To say I was THRILLED to find a similar recipe for my favorite comfort meal with a fun, healthy, fall twist is an understatement!

        Shout out to damndelicious.com - this recipe for Butternut Squash Alfredo is a delicious cozy comfort meal with a boost of nutritional value from the original that I added. The butternut squash brings in some extra fiber, vitamin A, and antioxidants as an added bonus. With just the simple addition of a vegetable, we can make a delicious, satiating meal while keeping the comfort and indulgence. Other simple adjustments can make this recipe even more nutritious without sacrificing one ounce of comfort: trading some of the whole milk for chicken or bone broth to lower the fat and add protein, switching from regular to turkey bacon to lower the fat, or mixing in a handful of spinach for some iron and B vitamins. Whether you let your inner chef shine with some of your own changes or follow the recipe as is, this dish is a great version of alfredo with a rich fall flavor and makes me wonder: what other comfort meals could use a fun, fresh, seasonal update?

Credit Recipe with additions/modifications from me - https://damndelicious.net/2017/10/13/butternut-squash-alfredo-pasta/

Credit Graphic - My creations and templates found on Canva

Dietetic Students Hit the Trails!

 Written by: Hannah Collin; SLU Dietetic Intern

This weekend, I had the privilege of participating in Ride the River Bike trail health fair. What started as a very early morning (5:30am to be exact), turned out to be a beautiful day. I had never seen or been a part of such a large bike ride before, but these bikers were riding a 100-mile ride today. This ride was organized by Trailnet which is an organization that’s mission is to promote healthy living by building a community that centers around exercise like biking and walking. All the bikers that were participating in this event were doing it for the love of the ride and enjoying their Saturday by being outside and exercising. With talking with the dietitian on staff named Cindy who works on the management team, she told us about her love for this organization. On a grander scale, her love for public policy and being a part of change being made in the community.

Keli, Emily, and I got to the first rest stop in Grafton, Illinois to begin setting up the station for the bike riders to come and get fuel. There were snacks ready in coolers that we needed to prepare and assemble. All the snacks were great fuel sources to help energize the bikers as they embarked on their journey. Some of these snacks included PB + J sandwiches, bananas, energy chews, pickle juice, and electrolyte tabs in throw in their drinks. The snacks were primarily carbohydrate sources to give quick energy, but as the rest stops went on, the snacks differed to give the riders more options for fuel later in the day.

The bikers came from across the river by ferry and then they continued their race. There were about five legs of bikers coming off the ferry. In total, we fueled around 250 bikers as they went on their ride. Everyone was in great spirits and incredibly thankful to us for providing fuel for them.

From the video I shared, us interns all had an amazing time at the Ride the River health fair. This ride inspired me to look within myself and think about changes I can make to my daily life to engage in more physical activity in my free time. Now during this internship, my free time is slim. All of us interns on our lunch breaks still try to make an effort go on walks and spend the little time we have outside. While I listen to Rabia’s lecture, I try to do it while I walk on a trail to get some time outside in nature. I think we can all reflect on our life and consider integrating physical activity in small ways. Whether our schedule allows us 60 minutes or even just 10 minutes. Any movement is better than none. Between us interns, this experience made us all consider possibly doing this bike ride next year.

MAJO'S OG CHOCOLATE OATMEAL RECIPE

 Written By: Maria Jose Cardenal; SLU Dietetic Intern

Is there something that you could eat everyday and never get bored off? For me, that’s oatmeal. When I was in my undergraduate, I had trouble with breakfast -not because I used to prefer sleep over food, or because I wasn’t a morning person, or because I didn’t have an appetite, but because I was living in a dorm with only a microwave and a mini fridge (I’m guessing quit some can relate). Yes, during those years the dining hall existed, and so did Cheerios and Rice Chex, but the problem was that I am allergic to gluten and dairy, and the cereals were the only option they had for me to eat and they didn’t provide me with the energy I needed. Therefore, as a desperate student, I decided to buy myself eggs and cook them in the microwave-which only lasted a day because the egg exploded. 

Clearly, since eggs weren’t going to work out and I needed a simple allergy friendly option, I remembered about - a less dramatic breakfast - oats. Throughout my four undergrad years, I never stopped eating them. Every morning no matter what, I would wake up and prepare my own chocolate oatmeal from scratch in my dorm microwave. As time passed and I started taking my nutrition and dietetic classes, I came to understand why oatmeal had become my daily habit – it offered lasting energy and satiety, helping me stay focused through those 8am and 11 am lectures. 

Now, as I am in this new chapter of life—completing both my Master’s and Dietetic Internship—my oatmeal has had to adapt. The hot oatmeal I used to make in the mornings no longer fits into my routine, since I start rotations so early. Instead, I now prepare overnight oats, which still give me that comforting breakfast and provide all the energy I need to stay full until lunch. 

This change may seem insignificant, but it reflects a lesson I’ve learned: life moves quickly, and being flexible and open to change can lead to better outcomes. By allowing myself to adjust my oatmeal recipe, I discovered a way to stay nourished and energized that actually works even better for my busy schedule, but most importantly it's a reminder that sometimes letting go of old habit or expectation or allowing change can open the door to growth, new opportunities and improvement we might never have imagined.

The Role of an RD: The OBYGN

 Written By: Hannah Bast; SLU Dietetic Intern

A Registered Dietitian.

Isn't that someone who just tells you what to eat? 

That's the most common belief that I hear, and that's if they even know what a dietitian is in the first place. 

Many people have no clue what dietitians can do, where they can work, or the various responsibilities that they can perform. Many people believe dietitians only work in hospitals, or just provide counseling to help people lose weight or eat healthier. Dietitians actually can work in a variety of places, such as schools, outpatient centers, legislation, education, etc. 

As a dietetic intern, I was very fortunate to be placed at an OBGYN for one of my rotations for two weeks, and I discovered the various roles that can be performed by a dietitian there. Normally, an OBGYN seems like an odd location for a dietitian to be. But there is more responsibilities than at first glance that were displayed to me during my rotation.

My preceptor at the OBGYN was not only a dietitian, but also a Certified Diabetes Educator. This is a great opportunity for dietitians to narrow their practice by specializing in a particular disease state. My preceptor's responsibilities encompassed a variety of tasks. The majority of her job is spent studying blood glucose logs and food logs of patients with Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, or Gestational Diabetes, with the majority of her patients being pregnant women. In pregnancy, it is essential to maintain a tight blood glucose control to avoid harmful side effects for the woman and her baby. The dietitian at the OBGYN collaborates with other professionals to study patterns within each individual client's blood glucose logs and adjust their insulin-to-carb ratio and insulin doses. The dietitian uses her knowledge to counsel patients on beneficial foods to aid in their diabetes management, pregnancy, and lifestyles in general. Some patients may need to become aware of a Consistent Carbohydrate Diet, so the dietitian will counsel on how maintain that diet and provide tools for ease of understanding. There are patients needing guidelines for nutrition during pregnancy, so the dietitian counsels and provides tools. 

Along with studying blood sugar logs, the dietitian performed other tasks. Some patients would come in and need support for weight management. Their weight would be taken, diet recalls would be discussed, and existing or new plans would be talked about so that each patient's care is individualized. Other patients were women who desired to become pregnant, and needed nutrition counseling for how to best prepare their bodies to carry a child. Nutrition and lifestyle choices play a huge role in preparation for pregnancy, so it is amazing that women are consulting dietitians to help. Dietitians can help provide some medical nutrition therapy for underlying conditions that may be treated at the OBGYN, such as PCOS or endometriosis. Dietitians can also help develop menus for patients so that their needs are met and for them to have inspiration for what to prepare in their everyday schedules to increase variety and nutrients. 

Overall, those are just some of the roles that dietitians fit into at the OBGYN. Again, an unexpected place for that profession to be working, but many opportunities present itself to be helped. Hopefully, more education of the various roles of the RD can become public knowledge so that everyone may receive nutritional help they need. 

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Preparing and Presenting at a Health Fair as a Dietetic Intern

Written By: Addie O'Neill; SLU Dietetic Intern

During my community health promotion rotation, I had the unique opportunity to design a handout and create a recipe for a diabetes health fair. My preceptor, Rosemary Catanzaro, RD, CDES, at SLUCare Maternal and Fetal Health, informed me that we would be hosting a table at the fair. This was an exciting chance to connect directly with the diabetes community while combining creativity with evidence-based education to address real-life needs.

While working with Rosemary, I learned that most of her patients either had diabetes and
needed preconception counseling or had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM). I shadowed her as she educated patients, from those newly diagnosed to those preparing to give birth and discussing postpartum plans. Witnessing how integral Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) was to their care inspired me to learn more about GDM and focus my educational materials on this condition. My goal was to create a resource that was clear, practical, and empowering tools that women could trust to navigate the challenges of GDM.  

Creating Educational Materials 

For women newly diagnosed with GDM, the experience can feel overwhelming. They often face a flood of new information, lifestyle adjustments, and concerns about their health and their baby’s well-being. Many are taught a new way of eating and may be prescribed medications that they have to learn how to administer. I had the opportunity to watch Rosemary demonstrate injection techniques to patients and then gave them the change to try by practicing on a pillow. This hands-on approach helped alleviate fears and improve the moms’ confidence in managing their condition for their health and for the health of their baby. While I knew couldn’t provide this level of reassurance to every attendee at the health fair, I aimed to create a handout that delivered not just knowledge but also practical tools and encouragement. 

When designing the materials for the health fair, I set a few goals for myself. First, I wanted the content to be clear, concise, and easy to read. I aimed for it to be something moms could quickly understand as they were walking through the health fair or reading it over after leaving a doctors appointment. I also needed it to be rooted in evidence-based research to ensure accuracy and gain their trust. I also wanted to make sure that I aligned my call to action with SLUCare’s mission, ensuring the handout served as a welcoming entry point for moms reading about GDM for the first time. Lastly, I focused on making the handout visually appealing and approachable, aiming to provide comfort during a potentially stressful time. 

Starting with the Basics 

GDM can feel complex and overwhelming for new moms, but understanding the basics helps make it more manageable so this is where I wanted to begin my handout. I started by explaining what diabetes is and why it happens during pregnancy. GDM occurs when a woman experiences high blood sugar for the first-time during pregnancy due to hormonal changes from the placenta. These hormones increase insulin resistance, requiring the body to produce two to three times the normal amount of insulin to maintain stable blood sugar levels. For most women, this adjustment is sufficient. However, for 5%–10% of pregnant women, the body cannot produce enough insulin, leading to GDM, typically between the 20th and 24th weeks of pregnancy. I wanted to reassure women that GDM is not their fault, rather it’s due to these hormonal changes. However, with proper nutrition and medical strategies, blood sugar can be managed effectively, promoting healthy outcomes for both mom and baby.

Highlighting Risks and Solutions 

While I didn’t want to overwhelm expectant moms, I included information about potential risks if GDM is not managed. For example, babies may grow larger than normal (macrosomia), increasing the risk of injury during vaginal delivery or necessitating a cesarean section. Other risks include neonatal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) after birth because they are used to the surgery environment of the womb and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). By pairing this information with actionable solutions, I aimed to empower moms to take proactive steps. The handout outlined clear, evidence-based strategies for managing GDM, demonstrating how working with your team of health care providers and following their medical advice can lead to healthier outcomes. 

The Role of Medical Nutrition Therapy 

One of my biggest takeaways from my internship with SLUCare was the critical role Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) plays in managing gestational diabetes (GDM). Watching Rosemary, the Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Educator, work with patients was easily my favorite part of the experience. Her role on the healthcare team is essential and seeing her in action inspired me to make MNT a major focus of my handout and talking points at the health fair. 

When GDM patients visit SLUCare, they meet with Rosemary to discuss their current diet, dietary recommendations, portion sizes, and target blood sugar levels. She emphasizes the importance of a consistent carbohydrate diet, answers their questions, and works through their food diaries to suggest small, practical changes that can help lower blood sugar. After reviewing their progress, she collaborates with the doctors to tailor their medication regimen and ensures patients know how to properly administer their medications. 

For many newly diagnosed pregnant women, this process can feel overwhelming. Figuring out what to eat and how to manage their new daily routine with medications and blood sugar checks often feels like a daunting task. I wanted my handout to address this apprehension directly. That’s why I included information about MNT and a sample daily menu to demonstrate how a consistent carbohydrate diet can fit into their lives. My goal was to show that managing GDM doesn’t mean sacrificing all of your favorite meals. But that that changes can make a big difference in managing this condition.  

One of the most common questions moms ask is, “What should I eat?” With busy schedules and the added stress of GDM, many are looking for healthy, convenient options. To meet this need, I included a recipe for egg bites, what I thought would be a simple, budget-friendly choice that can be prepped ahead of time and tailored to different tastes and dietary restrictions. Moms can mix and match toppings to suit the preferences or their individual family’s needs, making the recipe both practical and versatile. To ensure the recipe worked well, I tested two versions and brought them to the office for feedback. I even created a vegan version with red peppers, onions, and vegan cheddar cheese to accommodate any moms with dietary restrictions. Both versions received positive feedback from the office team! Knowing the recipe resonated with others reassured me that it would be a helpful resource for moms managing GDM and I should include it on the handout. When I was at the health fair many people that stopped by were intrigued and thankful to have resources about GDM and have a sample menu and recipes to try!

A Valuable Experience 

Creating a handout and working at the health fair was an invaluable experience. It enhanced my skills in designing educational materials and communicating with patients. Special thanks to Rosemary Catanzaro, RD, CDES, for teaching me about gestational diabetes, the importance of MNT, and how to connect with patients as a diabetes educator. This project was a hands-on example of how impactful evidence-based education can be, and I’m excited to carry these lessons into my future work in dietetics. 

Immunity During the Holidays

 Written By: Chloe Raben; SLU Dietetic Intern

        Have you ever gotten sick during the holiday season because of changing weather or being around others who are unwell?

        Almost all nutrients in the diet play a crucial role in maintaining an "optimal" immune response, and both insufficient and excessive intakes can have negative consequences on the immune status. Ferencik’s article summarizes the importance of two micronutrients, selenium, and zinc, and describes the mechanisms through which they affect the immune status and other physiological functions (Ferencik et al., 2003). This article claims that selenium is needed for the proper functioning of neutrophils, macrophages, NK cells, T lymphocytes and some other immune mechanisms.

        A 2024 study demonstrated that zinc cannot be stored in significant amounts, so regular dietary intake is essential (Stiles et al., 2024). Adequate nutrition is crucial during the holiday season due to the season often bringing colder temperatures and increased indoor activity, both of which can raise the risk of illnesses like colds and flu. Strengthening the immune system through proper nutrition is vital during this time. Several key nutrients support immune health, including beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics. Beta-carotene, an antioxidant found in foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, and spinach, supports skin health and mucous membranes. Vitamin C, abundant in citrus fruits and bell peppers, helps maintain immune function, while vitamin D, from sources like fortified milk and fatty fish, plays a critical role in immune regulation.

        Zinc is essential for the proper function of white blood cells, can be found in beef, nuts, and beans, and probiotics in yogurt and fermented foods support gut health, a cornerstone of immunity. Zinc is indispensable for the proper functioning of all immune cells. It helps mount a balanced immune response to bacteria, viruses, and parasites, as noted in a 2021 study by Wessels et al. Meanwhile, selenium and beta-carotene supplementation can increase total T cells, which play a critical role in fighting infection, as detailed in the Integrative Medicine book by Wood et al. T cells work by destroying infected cells and signaling other immune cells to join the fight. It stated the selenium and beta-carotene supplementation caused an increase in total T cells by 27% and 31%. T cells are a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes. They help your immune system fight germs and protect you from disease. The T cells do this by destroying infected cells and send signals that direct other immune cells to fight infection. This demonstrates the importance of having adequate nutrition during these holiday times to strengthen our immune system. Foods that are high in selenium include, Brazil nuts, fish, poultry, eggs, etc. Foods high in beta-carotene are yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, and winter squash. Luckily these foods are seasonal in the winter months as well.

Immune-Boosting Foods to Add to Your Holiday Meals

        The good news? Many foods rich in these immune-supporting nutrients are also delicious and perfect for the winter season! Here are some highlights:

- Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, fish, poultry, and eggs.

- Beta-Carotene: Abundant in yellow, orange, and green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and winter squash.

- Zinc: Found in beef, nuts, beans, and seeds.

- Vitamin C: Found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

- Vitamin D: Found in fortified milk, fatty fish, and egg yolks.

- Probiotics: Found in yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods like sauerkraut.

        Incorporating colorful and nutrient-dense foods into holiday meals is an excellent strategy to support health. Eating a variety of colors—such as red tomatoes, orange carrots, green kale, and purple cabbage—ensures a broad intake of vitamins and antioxidants. For example, a rainbow-inspired salad can include spinach, red cabbage, orange slices, and nuts. Additionally, making thoughtful substitutions can reduce sugar and sodium while boosting nutrient content. For example, replace marshmallows on sweet potatoes with apples and walnuts, or use fresh green beans sautéed with mushrooms and garlic instead of traditional creamy casseroles. These swaps not only enhance flavor but also provide critical nutrients like zinc and vitamin C.

Flavorful and Healthy Substitutions

        Flavoring meals with herbs and spices rather than salt is another way to prioritize health without sacrificing taste. Spices like garlic powder, sage, and bay leaves not only reduce sodium intake but also offer additional antioxidants. Homemade dishes, such as roasted vegetable stuffing, can replace processed options to limit additives and maximize nutrient density. By making these adjustments, holiday meals can be both delicious and immune boosting, ensuring a season of joy and wellness.

Green Bean Casserole → Holiday Green Beans

    Holiday Green Beans Ingredients:

· 1 tbsp olive oil

· 2 bulbs finely chopped shallots

· 4 cloves minced garlic.

· 1 lb. fresh green beans, blanched in water for 2 minutes.

· salt and pepper

· 1 can Anchovy oil

· 2-3 chopped anchovy fillets.

    Holiday Green Beans Instructions:

· Blanch green beans for 2 minutes in boiling water.

· Add garlic, shallots, anchovy oil and chopped fillets to a skillet over medium high heat.

· Add green beans to the skillet and cook for 30-40 minutes.

· Serve and enjoy!