Meat Section Musings: What I Learned from Standing in the Meat Section for Four Hours
By Jessica Baker

A few weeks ago, I volunteered with Operation Food Search at a Shop n’ Save in Edwardsville, Illinois. Along with three other dietetic interns, I helped give tours of the grocery store to any customers who were interested. In return for their time, customers were given a ten-dollar gift card to use at the store.

Each intern was assigned a different section in the grocery store. As they shopped, customers stopped at each section to learn a little bit about the healthy items available there and be given some ways to save money on them. Each station also provided a recipe to try at home. The four stations were fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein. As the protein lady or “meat lady,” as I was referred to on more than one occasion, my goal was to provide information about choosing the leanest cuts of meat and getting more bang for your buck by incorporating non-meat protein items into meals.

Although the tours were targeted at teaching patrons at the grocery store, I learned much more from the experience than I expected. Standing in the meat section, it turns out, provided me with insight not only into nutrition, but also into people in general. Here are the six biggest lessons I learned:

1. This is definitely something I should have known before, but the meat section is cold!!! I was extremely grateful to have brought a sweater. If you ever find yourself in the meat section for an extended period of time, I would recommend wearing shoes with socks to avoid frozen toes.

2. Grocery store employees work incredibly hard. The only interaction I’ve ever really had with the behind-the-scenes employees at a supermarket is when I’m picking out a gallon of milk and see a mysterious hand on the other side of the wall replenishing products. However, when there was down time between tour groups, I began to notice a constant stream of employees maintaining the section where I was standing. Over the course of four hours, they moved products, posted new signs about items on sale, and constantly straightened things up. To be honest, I usually get a bit annoyed when I’m shopping and there are employees restocking an area that I’m trying to access. But without them, there wouldn’t be anything for me to access in the first place! We often run through the grocery store, rapidly checking items off of our lists so quickly that we forget to think about what an amazing engineering feat a grocery store is. I can buy a guava from a different country and then get a chicken breast from a farm nearby. It’s rather miraculous, and I’m grateful to have access to it. It’s important to remember, however, that many people don’t. But that’s a post for another day.

3. Food is inherently social. I know this is true, but I’ve always thought about it in terms of communal eating – sitting down and sharing a meal with others. However, many of the individuals who visited me at the protein station were eager to share their favorite healthy recipes and ask about mine. I also observed many families, friends, and couples shopping together. Every step of meal preparation, whether it’s planning, shopping, or preparing, can, and often does, involve a group effort. And why shouldn’t it? If we need to eat to live, we might as well do it together.

4. Everyone is his or her own food expert. That’s not to say that everyone is a nutrition expert, but for the most part, everyone decides what he or she eats. For example, I recommended the ground turkey taco recipe I was handing out to a college student and her mother, and while the mother was enthusiastic and suggested that her daughter make it in her on-campus apartment, the daughter stated decisively that she did not care for any sort of ground turkey. Sorry, Mom. Similarly, after discussing healthy protein choices with one woman and asking if she had any questions, she responded with, “Nope, I’m going to go buy what I want now; I’m old, I can eat what I please!” The thing is, she was right! I can preach all day about healthy fats and heart health and antioxidants and a myriad of other nutrition topics, but it often takes a lot more than just information to really help someone make a healthy lifestyle change. That’s the challenge of the dietitian: to assess why a person eats how they eat and why they may or may not want to change. It’s definitely not as simple as just handing out turkey taco recipes.
   

5. That being said, education is a great way to get people thinking about changing their eating habits. Or at least thinking about thinking about changing. I saw this after talking about choosing lean ground meat. There was a refrigerator of lean ground chicken conveniently located right across from my station, so it was easy to recommend. After the tour, I saw many people putting the ground chicken into their carts. I also noticed some people looking closely at the labels before making a selection. This could be due to factors other than my brief five-minute spiel – perhaps they favored a particular brand or were comparing prices. But if I influenced even one person to make a healthier choice that day, those four hours were well worth it. Small changes can lead to big ones, and one healthy choice often leads to another.

6. Volunteering can help you review and learn a lot about meat and protein! Here’s what I learned and shared with the shoppers:

• Skinless chicken breasts are healthiest, but you can cut the skin off of thighs and drumsticks before you cook them to reduce the fat content.
• When cooking with ground meat like turkey or beef, aim for 10% fat or less, since (1) it contains less saturated fat and (2) because it contains less fat, more meat remains after cooking. In other words, there’s less fat that drains off, leaving you with more actual food.
• When shopping for whole cuts of beef or pork, look for the word “loin” or “round.” Those cuts tend to be the leanest.
• To bulk up the meat that you buy, add some veggies or beans! Black beans are great in chili or taco meat, and you can add vegetables like carrots and onions to either of those as well. When making meatloaf, adding vegetables and oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs is a great way to incorporate some fiber.
• Manager’s specials can be a good way to save some money on groceries, but use them the day you buy them or freeze them, since they tend to be nearing their “best by” date.
• Protein is not all about meat! Eggs, beans, nuts and nut butters, seeds, dairy, and some grains like quinoa are also great sources.

Volunteering with Operation Food Search was a fantastic way to spend my Saturday morning – I learned lots and hopefully passed along some knowledge as well. I look forward to giving tours of the meat section again; only this time I’ll bring some socks!

To learn more or to volunteer with Operation Food Search, please visit http://www.operationfoodsearch.org/

The Epic SLU Food Fight

By Britney Fiandra

Billiken Background

On the chilly night of Friday, November 18^th tucked away in the hilly, woody terrain of Wildwood, Missouri there was a cooking competition worthy of Food Network fame occurring among 13 inventive Saint Louis University students. The 13 students are members of The Billiken Teacher Corps, whom are individuals completing graduate coursework while simultaneously working as volunteer teachers in Catholic schools around the St. Louis metro area. As part of an organized weekend retreat, Friday was designated as a food-focused day. 

Culinary Battle Begins

The morning began with the group splitting up into teams of four to participate in a food scavenger hunt at Soulard Market. Teams were presented with the task to retrieve the list of produce and pantry staples to be used for the cooking competition. As darkness fell, a Chef host arrived to the Wildwood retreat location to begin the culinary fun. With the four groups gathered around the main kitchen table, the Chef announced the competition would be to create an innovative, tasty pasta entrée. The rules were to utilize at least two vegetables and one fresh herb. A series of games were set up in order to disperse ingredients in an organized fashion. To begin with, the groups were faced with the challenge of identifying herbs and spices using their sense of touch, taste, and smell. Equipped with paper and pens, the groups recorded their best guesses for the five herbs and spices including basil, oregano, parsley, dill, and cayenne. The winner of the first round had priority selection on pasta shape and a selection of meat. Next, the groups were faced with a blind taste test with the challenge listing five ingredients in a spinach-kale dip. Winners of this competition had priority in selecting which cheese to use with options ranging from smoked gouda, ricotta, parmesan, and brie. Finally, small trivia questions were asked to determine group order for produce selection. Armed with an arsenal of pasta, cheese, meat, and fresh produce, the student teachers began flexing their competitive chef muscles, eager to create culinary masterpieces. 

  

The Heat Rises

With the ring of the bell, the groups sprinted around the kitchen to gather cooking equipment and tools. Sights around the culinary arena included whisks whipping, wooden spoons twirling, and chef knifes rocking along wooden cutting boards. Sounds included sauté pans sizzling, sheet pans clanging, and pasta water splashing. Aromas included smells of garlic roasting, onions caramelizing, beef sautéing, and herbaceous sauces reducing. After 90 minutes of the heated pasta battle, all cook soldiers made it out of the battlefield injury free, minus one reported trivial burn incident. 

Delicious Demise

By the end of the showdown, all groups presented with pasta entrees certain to be Gordan Ramsey approved. Provided with such noteworthy culinary creations from each group, selecting a winning team was a challenging task. Overall, one team shined brighter than the rest with their tenderly cooked penne pasta, dowsed in a succulent brie sauce, sprinkled with a colorful medley of bell peppers, tomatoes, and spinach, scented with flavorful notes of fresh basil and sautéed garlic. This team, with the title “The Last Souper”, earned the first place bragging rights accompanied with a satisfying bottle of red wine as a prize. 

Carbohydrate Loaded Conclusions

By the end of the competition, the group of confident teachers had their own dose of reality of feeling what it’s like to be an apprehensive student with a blank slate. Thrown out of their comfort zone based on a traditional classroom environment and into the fire filled kitchen, the group demonstrated superior team work through collaboration and execution of the final entrees. All in all, this culinary adventure acted as a bridge to help all of The Billiken Teacher Corps members bond and develop professionally in the most delicious manner. 

Wheat Winners of Wine

Falling into Foodservice 
By Isabella Cova

Going into the internship, I had a pretty good feeling that Foodservice was not for me, but then… I ended up at Parkway! As a 2012 Parkway North Alum, returning to the Parkway School District for a five-week rotation, sounded absolutely thrilling! Now having been there for three of those five weeks, I have realized that there was a LOT about the place that I called home for four years that I did not know about.

The First Day 

On my first day at Parkway, I visited 28 schools in the North and South region of the school district. That made for an impressive first day, not only because I had never been to 28 schools in a single day, but because each school was so different. I was blown away by the nurse at Oak Brook Elementary School, who was growing column gardens of lettuce in the school cafeteria. Each day she would talk to the children about the lettuce and harvest it in front of them. Upon harvesting, she would add the lettuce to the school salad bar and the outcome was incredible! Elementary school students were going up to the salad bar three times in a single lunch period to fill their plates with more salad. So, to all the doubters out there who believe that getting a child to eat something green is impossible...look no further than Parkway. As a Nutrition and Dietetics Intern and Graduate School Student, I have heard time and time again about the importance of Nutrition Education, but seeing the impacts first-hand inspired me to new limits. The same nurse at this Parkway Elementary School who had become a hero for the salad bar at her school, also became the champion of breakfast sales. After working on a grant to receive equipment and supplies to make smoothies for breakfast, this nurse increased her breakfast sales threefold. Anyone who works in Foodservice in a school district knows that increasing breakfast sales is extremely difficult because as data from surveys show, getting breakfast into children can be a struggle. However, students at Oak Brook were coming in every morning for their smoothies and they were loving them! To me, this was evidence that serving students healthy food does work and when done correctly, the students and school district both win.

Learning the Ropes in Production 

 Apart from visiting the elementary and middle schools, I have spent the majority of my time rotating between Parkway’s four high schools: North, South, Central and West. The high schools are unique in that they serve as the production centers for the entire district. Parkway’s Foodservice operates off of a satellite school system. As a Nutrition and Dietetics Major, I have learned about the four types of foodservice production systems (commissary, conventional, cook-chill and assembly serve), but now I got to see the commissary production style in action. This means, that not only do the high schools prepare food for all of their students, they also prepare lunch and breakfast for the schools in their region. The high schools are responsible for serving anywhere from ten to four satellite schools. This type of production system leads to busy mornings and busy afternoons. From a high school student’s perspective all looks calm, cool and collected from the front of the kitchen. However, behind the scenes, inside the kitchen, food is being rushed to the carriers for the middle and elementary schools, lists are being checked item by item, staff members are running around getting last minute items and the cardio workout for the morning has begun. In the afternoon, after all the schools have finished their lunch, the remaining food and all the dirty pans and utensils get delivered back to the high school and clean up begins.

Time for a Parkway Surprise 

Not only is it amazing to think about how many students the Parkway District feeds each day, but with such a large foodservice production also comes an incredible amount of food waste. Parkway repurposes their food waste by composting. Composting is an environmental friendly and sustainable way of recycling food back into nutrients that can fertilize the soil to grow new crops and plant life. After lunch, food that cannot be reused from the elementary and middle schools gets returned to the high school and all the food waste gets dumped into the yellow composting bins that gets taken to Blue Sky’s Recycling where the food waste is used within the community to grow new foods. Forecasting each days’ needs becomes essential in trying to minimize food waste and food cost. In attempts to control food waste, before composting is considered, the production manager assesses the returned food to evaluate whether or not the food can be repurposed into another meal. If the quality of the food would be compromised or the food does not meet: appearance, taste or temperature standards, food is then recycled into compost. Besides food waste, Parkway has moved to using compostable trays rather than the traditional Styrofoam ones. Signage all throughout the cafeterias at the schools aims to educate the students about which bin their trash can be thrown into to help Parkway in its sustainability efforts. The schools offer landfill options along with recycling and composting options.

Eye Opener…Foodservice is More Than Numbers

For anyone exploring a passion in Dietetics, let me tell you, Foodservice is more than numbers and foodservice math. When I was applying for internships, I was open minded, but pretty sure foodservice was not for me. I enjoyed wearing my white lab coat and being perceived by the general public as a physician. I loved talking to patients and feeling important with all the medical terminology. I thought working in foodservice would be a bunch of number crunching to calculate edible portions, cost per serving, figuring budgets and percent variance, but it was NOT. Foodservice is a lot of marketing and advertising to get students excited about the food being served. It is a lot of meetings with vendors, bidders, production staff, foodservice directors from other school districts, parents and students. It is a lot of communicating through meetings, emails, handouts, phone calls and interactions with students and administration. It is a lot of planning ahead to make sure menus make sense both logically and nutritionally and that floor plans for new kitchen areas and serving spaces flow properly. It is a lot of papers from inventory sheets, to production sheets to budget reports and financial reports from each facility. It is a LOT of work, but it is also a lot of FUN, especially, if you are someone who has a passion for education, people, the future, nutrition and food.

Last Thoughts 

I could go on and on about my experience at Parkway. I could brag about all the wonderful people I have met or all that I have learned about managing and working in the Food and Nutrition Services Department. This opportunity to work in the district that helped me to be where I am today, was humbling and nothing short of a sweet blessing. During my time here at Parkway, I have learned that Foodservice in schools is where preventative medicine occurs. Health is fostered by the school environment through teachers, nurses, foodservice staff, parents, administration, students, local organizations offering grants, local sustainability companies and ultimately everyone who recognizes the importance and power of food and nutrition. The cafeteria is the heart of the school because it brings students together, it nurtures students in more ways than one. Food is more than the nutrients it provides. As a girl with an endless passion for Education and Nutrition, I have learned that this is where it all begins and to a certain extent, this is where it all began for me five years ago.

Winner, Winter Squash for Dinner

Holly Faivre

Winter squash – those goofy shaped vegetables that may be confused for an autumn decoration. Although they do act as a fun, rustic centerpiece, winter squash are a tremendously versatile, healthy, easy to prepare, and economical vegetable that every home cook should use in their fall and winter dishes!

The beauty of squash, other than its brilliant orange and yellow hues, is that it knows no bounds – the culinary possibilities are endless! There are many different types of winter squash – acorn, butternut, spaghetti, delicata – and there are even more subtypes among these general categories. Squash is incredibly versatile because its mild sweetness allows it to pair well with most flavors. Squash can be added into sauces and soups as a puree to thicken and add flavor, or the squash can be the star of the dish. Squash can also be a component and/or a fat substitute in baked goods such as breads, muffins, and biscuits. Squash also makes a delicious ravioli and lasagna filling for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. The flesh of a spaghetti squash is different from other squash – it peels away in long thin spaghetti-like strands.

Regardless of the type of winter squash, two things hold true - it will be delicious and nutritious because they are packed full of Vitamin A and fiber. Vitamin A supports the immune system which is especially important in these chilly fall and winter months as cold and flu season are upon us. Vitamin A also plays a crucial role in the health of eyes! The fiber in winter squash plays a role in heart health and intestinal health. In fact, just one cup of cubed butternut squash provides 7 grams of fiber - that's 25% of the daily value!

A delicious and wholesome vegetable is no good to the home cook if he or she is not familiar with preparation methods. Fortunately, winter squash are fast and easy to prepare. This is a vegetable that can be put in the oven and practically forgotten about until the timer buzzes.

1. Cut the squash into equal halves so that the middle cavity is being split in half. This means the cut will start at the top by the stem.
2. Scoop out the seeds and “guts”
3. Add oil and spices to flesh - cinnamon, curry, chili, garlic, and allspice go great with squash but roasting it with salt and pepper is just as good!
4. Place the squash halves cavity-side-up on a baking sheet and roast at 400F until thesquash is fork tender (30-60 minutes, depending on the size of the squash). Depending on how firm or soft you want your end product to be, adjust the cooking time up or down.
5. Let the squash cool slightly so they you can peel off the skin
6. Use the squash as needed - mash, puree, slice, cube, etc.

Before preparing the squash, take this into consideration: winter squash are hard and dense (imagine pumpkin carving..) and they have rounded edges. To avoid injury, it is essential to use a sharp knife and prevent the squash from rolling around the cutting board. Helpful tip: roll up a kitchen towel and form it into a circle so that the squash is resting in a nest; this prevents the squash from rolling around.

In addition to their versatility and easy preparation, winter squash are also very affordable. They are an excellent addition to the grocery list when one is on a budget because they are inexpensive and have a long shelf life. The average price of a winter squash is $0.90 per pound. A winter squash will generally weigh between 1 and 3 pounds so the price will fall between $1 and $3 for a squash. Once the squash has been prepared, it will yield four one-half cup servings per pound of squash! One small squash could easily provide as the vegetable component of a meal  for a family of four.  Another economical aspect of winter squash is that they can be stored whole in a cool dark place for up to 3 months. Stocking up on winter squash is a practical idea because they can be enjoyed in the spring when squash is no longer in season.

Tis the season of squash eating – don't be afraid to tackle this peculiar, somewhat intimidating, vegetable. Winter squash are an easy to prepare vegetable that offer endless opportunities for creativity in the kitchen. This weekend, head to a favorite farmer's market or grocery store to pick up a few varieties and embrace the taste of fall and winter.

GMOs: What We Know Today

By Ignacio Chavez     

GMO's are said to cause cancer, autism, allergies and even obesity. Although biotechnology companies and scientists have refuted many of these claims, public fear and ignorance continues to take the spotlight.

What are GMO foods?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. This includes genetic modification that occurs through breeding and domestication of plants and animals. What the public has grown to fear today is the use of Genetically Engineered Organisms involving the insertion of genes from other species into our crops (Transgenesis).                                                                                       

http://cdn.foodbeast.com.s3.amazonaws.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/V8XnPeQ.jpg

The image on the left demonstrates how we have genetically modified the wild mustard plant (Brassica Oleracea) into the many vegetables that we love today. Of course this process of genetic modification did not involve genetic engineering or transgenesis, but nonetheless demonstrates that the modification of organisms for desirable traits is nothing new.

To this day there is no significant evidence that demonstrates that GMOs are harmful to human health. In fact, a metastudy that examined over 1700 peer reviewed studies indicates there is no harmful effect of GMOs on human health. A review of 29 years of livestock health and productivity statistics also indicate that GMO feed is just as safe and nutritious as its non GMO counterpart. However, just because GMO consumption has not proven to be harmful to our health, it does not mean that the production of GMOs goes without consequence.

The Big Problem With GMO Crops

One of the main arguments for GMO crops is that herbicide resistant crops help reduce the amount of pesticides used. According to a study from the Environmental Sciences Europe Journal, pesticide use in the United States has increased by 404 million pounds of pesticide from 1996-2011. This number was obtained from the USDA database after taking the reduction of insecticide use (127 million pounds) into account. This increased use of herbicide has created new herbicide resistant pests (glyphosate resistant weeds) that have resulted from the use of Roundup. As a result, farmers must now use additional and different types of pesticide to protect their crops. This increase in pesticide use can have a detrimental effect on the environment and just like other non-organic foods, pesticide contamination is expected.

What does this mean for us as Consumers?                                                

https://gmoawareness.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/usda-organic-non-gmo-project.jpg

The majority of GMO crops are commodity crops and are therefore usually limited to being present in processed foods and animal products. There are very few whole foods you can purchase that are GMOs, these include corn, beets, summer squash, zucchini and papaya.

Now I want you to stop and think for a second. Since processed foods contain GMO products in the forms of oils, high fructose corn syrup and other food additives, could it be that the negative health associations with GMOs may actually be due to the consumption of processed foods?

Some of you may still be wondering, "What about food related allergies that can be attributed to the new proteins found in GMO foods"? In 2014 during a webinar, Gregory Jaffe, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interests Biotechnology Project explained that only oil and sugars are extracted from the GMOs and therefore there is no presence of GMO protein in the foods.

If you wish to avoid GMO foods look for the USDA Organic or NON GMO Project Verified labels. It is important to know that by definition organic foods are also GMO free. However, if a food is non GMO it does not mean that it is organic. You will also want to avoid processed foods and focus on eating more whole foods except for the few listed above.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately it is up to you to decide whether or not you wish to consume GMO foods. GMO foods have shown to be safe for human consumption but there are consequences that go beyond human health that need to be addressed. 

GMOs have a great potential to do a lot of good in this world. The best example is golden rice. Golden rice is a genetically engineered version of rice that is high in Vitamin A and has the potential to prevent blindness in individuals suffering from Vitamin A deficiency around the world. Unfortunately, revolutionary projects such as golden rice have yet to be successful. 

Perhaps if GMOs had been better explained in the past or if biotechnology companies focused less on making a profit with genetically modified commodity crops, then we would see a lot more good being done in this area and less people would be as afraid of GMOs as they are today.

Picky Eating: A Success Story

Picky Eating: A Success Story

By: Samantha Gilbreth

“I always thought before I had kids that when I did they would be perfect eaters because– hello! –I was a dietitian! Then I had a child and reality hit.” – Brittany Poulson, MDA, RDN, CD, CDE

I do not have a picky eater for a child, but I do have a husband. Before my husband and I were married, I was aware of his lack of exposure to many foods that I had previously considered to be extremely normal. Growing up, his family was limited in exposure to a variety of foods from a dad that was a “meat and potatoes” kind of man and a family history of severe food allergies. This shaped him into someone who was a little cautious of trying new foods. It was on our one year anniversary that I recognized the true extent of his lack of exposure when he tried his first strawberry (and loved it). Since then, I have heard multiple lectures on the topic of “picky eaters” and how to lead them toward trying new foods while studying to become a Registered Dietitian. Although these lectures were all focused on children, I have found that some techniques can also be very effective with adults as well.

My favorite technique to put into practice is involvement in food preparation, which encompasses everything from making the grocery list to deciding which plates to use. When writing our grocery list, I always have categories first, such as “fruit”, “vegetable”, “meat”, etc. Then, I ask him to list a few under each category that he would like and ask him if I could put in a few suggestions (since he almost never includes items like carrots or tomatoes on his list). Then, when I am at the grocery store, I pick up what is on the approved list, and oftentimes I also pick up a surprise ingredient that fits into our categories to encourage variety.  When it comes to dinner time, I always give him menu options so that he feels more invested in the meal. He usually steps in to help with cooking, but I especially encourage it when we try new foods so that he can better understand how it is prepared and feel further invested in the food item. I have also found that when he is involved in preparing the food, he feels like he has more control and can make the food more to his liking. For example, he will not eat bell peppers unless they are cut to a certain size, so when he is in charge of cutting up the vegetables, I can rest assured that he will be eating all of his vegetables that day. This technique has worked wonders on widening the variety of foods that my husband will eat, especially when it comes to vegetables.

Another technique that works well is exposing him to new foods when he is hungry. Recently, we were trying to wait for dinner because we had late dinner plans already scheduled, but we could not hold off anymore. Since I was craving guacamole and had avocados already, I decided that it was a good idea to go ahead and snack. The only problem was that so far in his life, my husband had always been a little wary of avocados. I mean, they are mushy and green, after all. But, what he does like is lime, so when I squeezed fresh lime into the soon-to-be guacamole, he decided that giving it a try would not be the worst thing that he could do. Now, I eat avocados at least three times a week, per his request.

When I was little, my grandmother’s favorite line to say was “You don’t know that you don’t like it until you’ve tried it ten times.” Little did I know that she was right. Of course, there are some foods that you know you do not like the first time you try them. For example, I know that I do not like rutabagas and Cool Ranch Doritos. For my husband, the most recent discoveries are related to scallops and brussel sprouts. Over the past few years, he has tried scallops at least four times, always asking me if he likes them before taking a bite. Well, he finally decided one month ago, that scallops are definitely for him. However, brussel sprouts have not been so lucky. After trying them at least five times with different preparation methods, last week he decided that brussel sprouts could no longer be tolerated. That was a sad day for me, especially since I love brussel sprouts more than I sometimes care to admit.

When I told my husband that I was going to write about him, of course he became very curious, so I let him in on the project by asking him to list some foods that he loves now that he did not when we started dating. He then eagerly began listing foods, making sure that I was writing them down, and he also started talking about how his cooking skills have improved as well. On that note, he recently decided that he needed something more challenging than risotto to make for me, so he took on the scary but delightful task of conquering the chocolate soufflé. And he did.

Though sometimes it feels like there is no hope when it comes to getting people to try new, exciting, or maybe even “scary” foods, it is important to recognize that he or she has valid opinions and preferences and that using them as the driving force behind trying new foods will help with your success. My husband would not be where he is today in regards to the foods that he will and will not eat without constantly reminding myself that he is his own person that is capable of making his own decisions. My job is simply to help him find new opportunities. 

My Husband’s “Victories”
Strawberries            Kiwi            Avocado            Cauliflower            Red wine           Tomatoes            Mushrooms           Bell peppers            Broccoli	·         Lentils ·         Cherries ·         Sushi ·         Whole wheat bread ·         Raisins ·         Cranberries ·         Wild rice ·         Brown rice ·         Asparagus ·         Scallops ·        Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

*For more information about intervening for picky eaters, visit: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/10-tips-helping-kids-try-new-foods

* “Even Dietitians Have Trouble Feeding Their Kids”: http://jillcastle.com/childhood-nutrition/dietitians-trouble-feeding-kids/

*Photo credit: http://blog.bestbullysticks.com/dog-care-101-tip-175-veggies-to-share-with-your-dog/

Perfect Pairing

Combine the Perfect Pairing to Get this Salad Pizza

By Mary Curnette

Pizza and salad – the finest combination. Make them one with this perfect pairing. Pizza is my favorite food and no willpower will change that.  Make it with a delicious wheat crust and some veggies and it’s still a well-rounded meal. Health versus taste should never define your meals. Rather, they should always work together.

For many people, food can be a source of guilt or punishment. It is a battle between “I should have this” and “I want this”, but it is not meant to be a negative part of our lives. Food is always good. Yes, food nourishes our body, but it is also important to allow it to nourish our spirit.

So take this food, pizza, that many associate with “bad”, and change it into this positive experience. Make this, eat it, and love every bite. (And if you’re craving a not-so-healthy version, that’s okay, have it.) On most days, you can have a salad-like pizza instead.

Servings: 2 12” pizzas

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Crust:

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon active yeast

1 ½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

Handful of cornmeal

Pizza toppings:

1 cup ricotta cheese

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup sliced mozzarella cheese

6 cups mixed greens

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.      Combine the sugar, yeast, and warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and dissolved. This is known as “proofing” the yeast. If this does not occur, the yeast is dead and you should start again with active yeast.

2.      Whisk in the olive oil, honey, and salt.

3.      Add 3 cups of whole wheat flour and mix with a large rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together.

4.      Once the dough holds together, knead by hand for 5 minutes. Add flour as needed if the dough is too wet. Your dough is done when it is smooth and will slowly bounce back when poked.

5.      Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with olive oil. Cover and allow to rise (in a warm environment if possible).

6.      The dough will have doubled in size in about 1-2 hours. When this occurs, punch the dough down to release the air, then cut into two. These are your two crusts. Roll them each into a ball. If you want to save a crust for future use, wrap this one now and put it in the freezer. It will stay good for a couple months.

7.      Preheat oven to 475F degrees. Oil your baking sheets and dust with cornmeal.

8.      Roll out the dough and place on baking sheet.

9.      Mix together ricotta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

10.  Spread ricotta mixture on to pizza and top with mozzarella slices.

11.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

12.  In the meantime, make a salad by chopping mixed greens and sundried tomatoes, placing them in a bowl, and dressing with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

13.  When the crust with cheese has been baked, top with the “salad”. Cut and serve.

Nutrition:

For 1/3 of 1 pizza: 348 calories, 17 g fat (0 g trans fat, 7 g saturated fat, 8 grams monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat), 36 g carbohydrates (6 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 14 g protein