12 minute read
CONSCIOUS EATING | 34 FIT BODY
Merry Brunching
PUT A HEALTHIER TWIST ON FAVORITE RECIPES
Advertisement
by Sheila Julson
When hosting a holiday brunch, it may be tempting to serve breakfast and lunch classics like quiche, eggs Benedict and huevos rancheros, but many of these dishes can be full of hidden calories, unhealthy fats and too much sodium. With a few easy modifications, healthier versions are possible. According to Jessica Levinson, a New York registered dietitian and author of 52Week Meal Planner, it’s important to read nutrition labels, remove empty calories and introduce nutritious alternatives. As an example, yogurt and granola parfaits may seem innocent, but are often loaded with added sugar. “A serving size of most granolas is only one-quarter of a cup, which isn’t much, so use granola sparingly,” she says, adding that parfaits made with lowfat Greek yogurt and fresh fruit instead of jam are healthier choices. Traditional quiches are usually made with heavy cream and a buttery pie crust. Levinson recommends a crustless vegetable frittata instead, as it is naturally gluten-free. “If you don’t want to skip the crust altogether, look for a pre-made, whole wheat crust or make your own,” she says. To eliminate dairy, consider using non-dairy milk and omitting cheese in the recipe. For eggs Benedict, Levinson suggests skipping the hollandaise sauce, topping the poached eggs with mashed avocado and using a whole grain bread or English muffin for the base. “Instead of ham, try smoked salmon, which has beneficial omega-3 fatty acids,” she says. Whole grain oats are a heart-healthy option, but oatmeal served brûlée-style is topped with additional sugar, notes Frances Largeman-Roth, a New York registered
dietitian and author of Smoothies & Juices. “It’s better to opt for oatmeal and fruit, with a drizzle of real maple syrup,” she says. Largeman-Roth likes mixing savory and sweet, to add variety and protein to the brunch plate. “Instead of just having a stack of pancakes, split it with your friends or family, and then have a small, veggie-filled omelet. You’ll feel much more satisfied.”
PLANNING THE HOLIDAY BRUNCH SPREAD
When putting together a menu, Levinson advocates incorporating all of the components of a balanced meal: lean protein, carbohydrates from whole grains, fruit and veggies, and low-fat dairy or plant-based substitutes. She says, “If you’re making pancakes or waffles, use whole grain flour when possible, and serve with a side of yogurt, fresh fruit and real maple syrup.” According to Largeman-Roth, egg lovers will enjoy a veggie-packed omelet or frittata with either potatoes or bread on the side, but not both. Watch out for fried foods and use sauces and cream sparingly or find substitutes. If the family is dining out, she cautions that brunch dishes are often served with extra sauces and syrups, adding sodium and sugar. “Try to ask for them on the side,” she advises. “It’s not about completely avoiding them, but it’s nice to be able to control the amount that you’re adding to your pancakes or waffles.”
Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings. Cranberries put a holiday twist on a classic mimosa. Drier champagnes or sparkling wines are lower in sugar. Making cranberry juice from scratch with sweeteners like maple syrup or honey is a natural alternative to commercial cranberry juice. Prepare the cranberry juice the night before serving.
YIELD: 4 TO 8 SERVINGS
4 cups homemade (recipe below) or store-bought cranberry juice 1 cup orange juice 1 bottle drier champagne, such as Ultra Brut Rosemary sprigs for garnish Fill four champagne flutes or glassware of choice approximately halfway with cranberry juice. Add 2 Tbsp orange juice to each glass. Top each glass with champagne. Garnish with sprig of rosemary. Refill as desired.
Recipe courtesy of Sheila Julson.
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY JUICE
3 cups fresh cranberries 3 cups water ½ cup pure maple syrup or honey
Put fresh cranberries and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the berries soften and pop. Using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the berries and return the juice to the pan. (Use leftover cranberries in smoothies, yogurt or relish.) Gradually add maple syrup or honey until desired sweetness is achieved. Heat on low until sweetener dissolves.
Pour juice into an airtight bottle and refrigerate.
Recipe courtesy of Sheila Julson.
Doing all the “right” things and still not feeling well?
Do you suffer from digestive problems, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, insomnia? Do you have children with eczema, allergies, autism, ADHD, constipation?
Charlotte Nussbaum, MD, a triple board-certified pediatrician and internist can work with you to reclaim your and your family’s health. Addressing the root cause Holistic care for people of all ages Personalized, collaborative treatment Functional and evolutionary medicine Safe and natural treatments
Medford Functional Medicine
medfordfunctionalmedicine.com 609-969-4844
This healthy dish is a crowd-pleaser any time of year. It’s also gluten-free and can be modified based on whatever veggies are on hand. Omit the feta cheese for a diary-free option.
YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
2 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup diced yellow onion 1 Serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper 1 cup diced green zucchini 1 cup diced yellow summer squash 2 large garlic cloves, minced (1 heaping Tbsp) 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp sweet paprika 26-28 oz diced tomatoes 2 Tbsp tomato paste 2 tsp honey 1 tsp cider vinegar 1 cup corn, frozen, fresh or canned ½ tsp kosher salt Freshly ground pepper ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese 4 large eggs Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional) Za’atar, for garnish (optional)
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (straight-sided skillet is preferable). Add onions; sauté 2 minutes. Add Serrano pepper and bell peppers; sauté 4 minutes. Add zucchini and summer squash; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric and paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, cider vinegar and corn; stir in salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced.
Turn off the heat and press the crumbled feta into the tomato sauce. With the back of a spoon, make 4 indentations in the sauce. Crack eggs one at a time into a small bowl and pour into each of the 4 indentations. Carefully drag a spatula gently through the egg whites, being sure not to disturb the yolks. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, gently stirring the sauce and basting the eggs with the sauce. Cover and cook another 3 to 5 minutes for runny eggs. Cook longer for well-done eggs. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley and za’atar, if desired.
SHEET PAN PROTEIN PANCAKES WITH BERRY SWIRL
Cooked on a sheet pan, these pancakes make cleanup a breeze and can be prepared the night before. Buttermilk and protein powder add satisfying nutrients.
YIELD: 12 SERVINGS
Cooking spray 2 cups buttermilk 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 4 Tbsp melted ghee or unsalted butter ⅓ cup maple syrup 1¼ cups whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup vanilla protein powder 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp sea salt
FOR THE SWIRL: ½ cup strawberries ½ cup blueberries ½ cup raspberries 1 tsp brown sugar Powdered sugar, for topping
Preheat oven to 425° F. Line an 11-by-17-inch, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray parchment and sides of pan with cooking spray. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, ghee and maple syrup together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients—whole wheat flour and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry in three additions until just mixed. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Blend the berry swirl ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon of water if mixture is too stiff. Add small dollops of the berry mixture to the top of the pancake batter. Drag a wooden toothpick or skewer through the berry mixture to create a swirled pattern. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 11 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into 12 squares with a knife. Enjoy warm with maple syrup. Can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.
PICKLEBALL IS BOOMING
GET INTO A PICKLE FOR HOLIDAY FITNESS
by Jyl Steinback
Forget the gherkins and dills this holiday season; there’s another pickle in town. This one offers a great way to get in shape, increase happiness and bond with family and friends. It’s pickleball: a simple-to-learn sport that requires less running than tennis and can be played both indoors and outdoors. Players use oversized ping pong-style paddles to hit a wiffle ball over a low net on a badminton-sized court.
The Economist, and other media, say pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport. While seniors are particularly drawn to it, it is also catching on with all ages. “The fastpaced games make it easier for kids to stay engaged, as well as socialize with their peers,” says Sarah Ansboury, director of pickleball at Palmetto Dunes, in South Carolina. “Many families do pickleball events for holidays and reunions. Pickleball enables people of all ages to participate.” According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), there are 4.8 million pickleball players in America, with 51 percent between 6 and 34 years of age. At the end of 2021, there were 9,524 pickleball courts across the U.S. In 2020, Mecklenburg County, in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, opened the eight-court John Stevens Pickleball Center, the eighth facility in the county where citizens can play the game. Since 2014, the number of public and private courts in the same region has soared from two to more than 100. The SFIA says growth is happening across the country, with participation spiking 40 percent during the pandemic. In Florida, St. Lucie County unveiled four new courts at its Lakewood Regional Park in September. Even bars are getting into the act, such as Dale Z’s, in Milwaukee, which christened its pickleball court in the same month. Being a super athlete is not a prerequisite for playing the game, according to Mac McCullough, a pickleballer in Scottsdale, Arizona. “I used to play other sports, but running and tennis got harder on my knees,” he says. “Pickleball has a lower net and a smaller court, so you aren’t running as much. Still, it gives you a good workout and it’s easier on your joints.” A 2016 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise confirms that pickleball provides a good workout. According to the researchers, average heart rate and peak heart rate were higher during pickleball than when walking. Participants burned 40 percent more calories in 30 minutes of the sport than in 30 minutes of walking. Additionally, the study concludes, “Pickleball is more enjoyable than walking at a self-selected speed.” Dr. Dennis Pena, a podiatrist from Phoenix, says the game has improved his hand-eye coordination. “The more I play pickleball, the better my balance, coordination and movement get,” he says. “It’s a good cardio workout, and I just feel better overall when I play regularly.” A study from Western State Colorado University indicates that pickleball fosters many health benefits over a wide range of ages. The study followed 15 people between 40 to 85 that played for an hour three times per week. All participants showed improvement in cardio fitness, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Research has confirmed that exercise boosts endorphins, which reduces stress and improves overall sense of well-being. A 2018 study from a group of researchers in the U.S. and South Korea showed that pickleball can help stave off depression, too. It reported that although depression rates are increasing in the U.S., people involved in “serious leisure” such as pickleball are less prone to depression. It’s not just older people that can benefit from the recreational activity. Teen obesity rates have skyrocketed nationwide, much of it due to a lack of exercise. Pickleball could help combat this. It is fun, easy to learn, boosts cardio fitness and can be played just about anywhere. Some colleges are now even offering pickleball scholarships. Holly Fitzgerald, a physical therapist from Woburn, Massachusetts, gives this advice on how to get ready to play the game: Squats with body mass can help develop and stretch quadriceps and hamstrings, enabling the ability to compress leg muscles swiftly and consistently. This will help reduce gravitational pull to address the pickleball as it comes at us. Large arm circles will stretch muscles and prepare them for the considerable movements that occur when striking a ball. Exercises that develop the core, such as core twisting, are also beneficial.
Places2Play.org provides a search engine to help find a court anywhere in America. Pickleball is a great way to get family and friends together over the holidays and beyond. It is fun, helps nurture relationships and it is a lot healthier than grazing on holiday leftovers while scanning social media.
Jyl Steinback is the executive director of Shape Up US, creator of the Hip Hope Healthy Heart Program for Children, an author and a recipient of a Community Leadership Award from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Reach her at Jyl@ShapeUpUS.org.
align balance educate restore
Fully educated and trained insturctors.
Over 25 years of experience in holistic, pilates, dance, Reiki, Massage and Gyrotonic fi elds. Offering Private, Duet and Small Group classes in a fully-equipped studio.
Monokian Professional Center 151 Greentree Road West, Marlton, NJ 856-304-5556 PilatesPlusRestoration.com
CUSTOM BLEND VITAMIN BOOSTER SHOT MENU
n The Natural Flu Shot n Liquid Zen Shot n Hello Gorgeous Shot n Crush Your Cravings Shot n Hollywood’s Best Kept Secret n Ripped Fitness Shot n Jacked Fitness Shot n Vitamin B12 n MIC Lipotropic n Vitamin C n Glutathione n L-Arginine n L-Carnitine n L-Lysine n Taurine
