Nutrition – Page 7

March 26, 2014

Portobello Pizzas

Who doesn’t love pizza? Unfortunately, pizza isn’t the best food to eat all the time if you are striving for optimal health. Cue the portobello mushroom! Mushrooms are full of B vitamins and can be a great substitute for meat since they are so hearty ( think mushroom burger). They are also a perfect replacement for pizza crust! Of course, they are also gluten free and low in calories, unlike traditional pizza crust.

Portobello pizzas are easy to make and allow you to get your pizza fix for less calories than your standard slice. Plus they are fun to eat because they are like little mini personal pizzas. You can put whatever toppings you like on the pizzas, just as though you were making a normal pizza. Get creative! Below is my standard Margherita pizza recipe as a guide. Let me know what topping combinations you come up with.

can you tell I like basil?

serves 2 as a snack, or one as a meal

Ingredients:

2 portobello mushroom caps, washed

mozzarella cheese ( I used Daiya dairy free, vegan cheese)

6-8 tablespoons pizza sauce (make your own, or use store bought)

several basil leaves

balsamic vinegar (optional)

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. flip your mushrooms so the under side is facing up and spread about 3-4 tablespoons of pizza sauce on each one.

3. sprinkle cheese over the pizza sauce. The amount is up to you, depending on how much you like cheese!

4. place in oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly

5. top pizzas with fresh basil, and if you want to kick the flavor up a notch, top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Bon Appetite! XO Alexandra

February 26, 2014

Salmon Love

I’m not going to beat around the bush with this one: I love salmon, and you should, too. Salmon is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. In addition, salmon is a great source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin B-12, iron, and selenium. B-12 is an essential player in metabolism in the body, iron is a key component of blood, and selenium acts as an antioxidant. Simply put, salmon is a foodie powerhouse!

Salmon Nicoise salad at the Biltmore, Santa Barbara

To reap the benefits, it is best to get salmon twice a week. And of course, always try to purchase or select wild salmon when possible. Salmon is extremely versatile- some of my favorite ways to prepare salmon are:

1. Miso glazed salmon with bok choy and coconut forbidden black rice

2. salmon burgers with arugula and a greek yogurt based mustard aioli

So tell me, how do you like your salmon? Would you like me to do a recipe post for the salmon ideas above? I hope you get your salmon fix this week!

salmon on a bed of zucchini noodles at Pierre LaFond in Santa Barbara.

XO, Alexandra

January 24, 2014

Sushi=Life

My absolute favorite food of all time, that I never get tired of eating is sushi. I have an addiction. I wish I could eat it for every meal. (well, maybe not breakfast). However, in the world of sushi, there is a very distinct line between the healthy sushi, and the less than favorable sushi. So here is a list of my sushi “do’s” and “don’ts”. As a side note, it is perfectly ok to indulge with an over-the-top roll from time to time, but if you eat sushi as often as I like to, there are some simple tips that help you get the most nutritious meal as possible.

Do: opt for sashimi. Sashimi is simply thin slices of just the fish. No rice. This is a great way to get protein, some Omega-3’s, and keep your meal low carb and low glycemic index, which is especially important if you have diabetes or struggle with blood sugar problems.

Do: Get brown rice on your rolls instead of white rice, if possible. The caloric difference isn’t major, but by getting brown rice, you get more fiber and other nutrients naturally present in rice that processing for white rice removes.

Do: get rolls wrapped in/ filled with veggies. The more veggies, the better. Vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals and fiber, so they fill you up. In addition, they are a low calorie filling for any sushi roll. Some rolls come wrapped in cucumber or filled with mushrooms and asparagus.

Don’t: get tempura appetizers or rolls. Anything deep fried is high in calories and fat, which can be damaging to your waist line and your heart health. These are the french fries of the sushi world, which means moderation is key. A treat, yes. All the time, no.

Don’t: order the rolls smothered in mayo or cream cheese. Again, these creamy fillings and sauces are high in calories and fat, and they don’t provide any much health benefit. If it’s that fatty, smooth texture you are after, get a roll with avocado instead, which is full of good-for-you fats.

Don’t: overdo the soy sauce. Beware of drenching and dipping all of your sushi in loads of soy sauce, simply because it is very high in sodium. The best option is to ask for the low-sodium soy sauce, or have your sushi without the soy sauce at all, which is how I prefer it. The sushi is full of flavor as it is!

I hope that next time you go enjoy some sushi, you think about some of my tips. And remember, sushi is totally part of a healthy diet, if you make some wise (and tasty) selections at the local sushi restaurant. XO, Alexandra

All photos were taken at Arigato in Santa Barbara, CA

January 8, 2014

Eat with your Eyes

With the new year in full force, and everyone *trying* to stick to their resolutions, I thought it would be a perfect time to do a post on a goal that I think is great to incorporate into your life, new year, or not. There is a trick that I love to use, called “eat with your eyes first”. What this means is that I take time to make meals that are as visually appealing as they are to eat. When I put together a beautiful dish to eat, it makes me more excited to dig in. When your food looks good, you feel more satisfied while enjoying it, and you pay more attention to what you eat. By eating food that looks good, you are less likely to overeat, and are more likely to feel full sooner. Since your eyes are alert and they like what they see, you are better able visualize what you have eaten, and how much you enjoyed it. Think about it, restaurants serve food that has great presentation for a reason- it pleases the eyes and the stomach. It is much more satisfying to eat a colorful fruit salad or a beautiful pasta dish garnished with fresh basil than shoveling handfuls of chips into your mouth.

I encourage you to pretend that you are making food for someone special (which you are: you!), and put some thought into presentation. I promise it makes snacks and meals much more satisfying and exciting. I was so impressed when I ordered some fruit at a restaurant, and it came out looking stunning! It was so exciting to eat the fruit above, compared to eating it if it were just haphazardly thrown onto a plate.

It only take a few seconds to elevate something “blah” into something “wow”. Add fresh herbs, cut fruit and veggies on the bias, or use a mandolin slicer to shave them very thin. And always go for color. Colorful meals look better than all brown ones.

I didn’t really make any resolutions this year, but I am going to try to make my meals look better, so that I visually trick myself into thinking they taste better. Tell me what your resolutions are this year! I want to know!

And remember, eat with your eyes first!

November 19, 2013

Food Babies and Turkey Comas

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that means spending time with loved ones, sharing all of the reasons you are thankful, and of course, eating until you want to burst. Now, I’m all for indulging and celebrating on Turkey Day, but I also have some tips for celebrating smart so that you don’t wake up the next morning with a massive stomachache, searching for your stretchy pants. So take note, and aim to follow at least one of these holiday eating rules… you will be glad you did!

1. This first one has nothing to do with eating, but I think that it is extremely helpful, even essential: Do something active either before or after the big meal (or both). Get the family to go on a hike in the morning or play a game of football in the backyard after the mashed potatoes and gravy have been scarfed down. Any activity is going to burn calories (we all know that thanksgiving is a high-calorie bomb), and if you go for a walk after all that turkey and pie, you help keep yourself out of the dreaded turkey coma where you just plop down on the couch and unbutton your pants. So make sure you move!

The leaves are changing! Love this about Autumn

2. Aim for color! Don’t get stuck with a plate that is only tan- think turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy. Always try to “eat the rainbow”, whether it is some sweet potato casserole, some green beans, or collard greens, and some cranberry sauce, those colorful foods offer lots of important vitamins and nutrients. Even when you are indulging, you can always make sure there are some colorful (and vitamin-filled) foods on the plate.

3 Lastly, try to stop eating before you are in pain. Seems logical, but we tend to overeat at Thanksgiving, regardless of the pain. In most cases, there will be leftovers, and the food will still be there tomorrow. There is no need to feel obligated to eat everything all gone! Take your time, enjoy the conversation, eat what you want, and stop before you need to sit down and take a deep breath. I promise, you will feel much better than if you had stuffed your face to the point of pain (been there, done that)

Ok, so there you have it! Nothing complicated, no sacrifices, just small changes that add up to make a big difference! Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and tell me, what dish(es) are you most looking forward to?( I’m a stuffing girl.) XO, Alexandra

homemade pumpkin macarons

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