09/19/2011
09/09/2011
Low-Fat Clam Chowder Recipe
Photo: Low-Fat Clam Chowder Recipe- Total Time:
- 1 hr 45 min
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 0 min
- Yield:
- 4 servings
- Level:
- Easy
Ingredients
- 4 pounds cherrystone clams, scrubbed
- 2 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 slice lean center-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Directions
Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the clams open, 5 to 10 minutes (discard any that do not open); transfer the clams to a bowl. Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup. (You should have 3 cups liquid; add water if needed.) Wipe out the pot.
Pour the liquid back into the pot through a paper towel-lined sieve. Add the potatoes, cover and simmeruntil tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of the potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, about 10 more minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Add the bacon mixture and reserved potatoes to the soup. Cover and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Stir the clam meat and half-and-half into the soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
Discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper and reheat. Serve topped with a slice of butter, parsley, chives and paprika.
Per serving: Calories 353; Fat 9 g (Saturated 4 g); Cholesterol 76 mg; Sodium 251 mg; Carbohydrate 36 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 29 g
Photograph by Andrew Mccaul
Asian Turkey Burger Recipe
Photo: Asian Turkey Burgers Recipe- Total Time:
- 1 hr 33 min
- Prep
- 25 min
- Inactive
- 1 hr 0 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Yield:
- 6 servings
- Level:
- Easy
Notes
We lightened these burgers by cutting back on the meat and adding some texture with bulgur. Great Asian flavors in the burger, a quick picking of cucumbers and onions and a spicy yogurt sauce tie everything together.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup bulgur wheat
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 seedless cucumber, sliced 1/8-inch thick, 1 cup
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 12 ounces lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus 1/4 cup whole leaves
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 4 whole wheat hamburger rolls
Put the bulgur in a medium bowl and add the boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until the bulgur is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the vinegar and sugar with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper until dissolved. Add the cucumber and onion, toss well and set aside to marinate for about 30 minutes.
In a separate small bowl combine the yogurt and chili garlic sauce. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Drain the bulgur and put into a large bowl. Add the turkey, hoisin, scallions, ginger, garlic and chopped cilantro and mix until just combined. Form into 4 equal sized patties.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until very hot. Lightly brush both sides of each patty with oil and place in the skillet. Cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Drain the pickled vegetables and toss with the whole cilantro. Spread some spicy yogurt sauce on the top and bottom of each bun and top with a burger patty and some pickles.
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Nutritional analysis per serving
Calories 186; Total Fat 4 g (Sat Fat 0.4g, Mono Fat 0.7g, Poly Fat 1.5g) ; Protein 18g; Carb 23g; Fiber 3g; Cholesterol 23mg; Sodium 421mg
Greek Chicken Wrap with Tzatziki Herb Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 2 cups fat-free plain yogurt
- 1 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
For the wrap:
- 1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon light Italian dressing
- 4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
- 4 kalamata or black olives, pitted and sliced
For the sauce:
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until blended. Sauce may be made up to 2 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
For the wrap:
Place chicken breast in a plastic bag and add Italian dressing. Let the chicken marinate for 15 minutes; pound (using a meat pounder or mallet or the bottom of a skillet) and flatten to about 1/2-inch thickness; and remove chicken.
In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken breast about 5 minutes per side or until nicely browned and cooked through. Place chicken on a cutting board and slice thinly against the grain; set aside.
Warm pitas in microwave oven 30 seconds. Place one pita on a plate and spread 1/2 cup of the lettuce and 1/4 of the chicken slices on top. Sprinkle 1/4 each of the tomato, onion, Feta cheese and olives. Spoon some of the tzatziki sauce over top and fold in edges of pita. Wrap sandwich in parchment or waxed paper for plating and serving. Repeat with remaining pitas. Serve immediately with additional sauce on the side.
Recipe created by 3-Every-Day™ of Dairy
Nutritional Facts
Calories: 350
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
Sodium: 670 mg
Calcium: 25% Daily Value
Protein: 24 g
Carbohydrates: 51 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
Sodium: 670 mg
Calcium: 25% Daily Value
Protein: 24 g
Carbohydrates: 51 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Butternut Squash Curry Soup
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 15 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 0 min
- Yield:
- 4 to 6 servings
- Level:
- Easy
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
- 2 yellow onions
- 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
Condiments for serving:
- Scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally
- Flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted
- Roasted salted cashews, toasted and chopped
- Diced banana
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through afood mill fitted with the medium blade. (Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree.) When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.
09/08/2011
SNI Interviews The Nutrition Twins
SNI: Do you two ever disagree on dietary/fitness/supplement advice? And if so, what topic(s) have you disagreed on?
Nutrition Twins: Do we disagree? All the time! (We both are cracking up that someone would actually wonder!). Although admittedly, usually we argue when it comes to who we think does more “dirty” work (paying the bills, etc.) for our business. But when it comes to dietary/ fitness and supplement advice, we do agree most of the time, except when it comes to protein and weight loss habits of the weekend warrior. Tammy tends to think that athletes can get by with slightly less carbohydrates than Lyssie does and slightly more protein. Also, when it comes to our clients who are weight loss clients who are weekend warriors, Lyssie believes that the best way to weight loss success is eating a healthy diet every day and allowing a small daily indulgence. While Tammy believes this too, she also has seen success in her clients who are extremely disciplined with their eating on the weekdays and don’t watch it as carefully on the weekend. Lyssie believes that these are clients who are super active in general in addition to their exercise and who burn off those extra indulgences. Tammy believes that she puts them on the perfect plan for them on the weekdays so that on weekends they can splurge more. Lyssie is right. No Tammy is right. No, No. Well as long as the client wins we agree that we can both be right, or at least that’s our story here and we’re sticking to it. ï
SNI: What piece of advice would you give to a client who wants to ‘increase their metabolism’ or ‘burn fat off?’
Nutrition Twins: Strength train! No doubt about it, it’s the number one thing you can do to even burn more calories while you sleep. And the best part about it is that even if you’re 80 years old, it’s never too late to speed up your metabolism by strength training. We’ve had clients in their 60’s who have transformed their bodies making them better than they were in their 20’s and 30’s. Oh, and one other important part when it comes to metabolism—spend less time sitting!
SNI: What is typical day of eating for you two? Describe a typical meal/foods.
Lyssie:
Morning: egg whites and fruit
Lunch: Typically quinoa with tuna, an orange or grapefruit and a red bell pepper
Snack: Nonfat plain yogurt and Gnu bar/ KIND bar
Dinner: Some kind of stirfy with LOTS of veggies (the more, the merrier and ALL kinds of veggies), a protein ranging from low-fat cheese to tofu to chicken
After dinner: Usually a frozen banana AND something sweet–always go for some kind of fudgisicle or small piece of chocolate or low fat ice cream, like Skinny Cow
Tammy:
Morning: Apple and string cheese
Snack: Fruit or low-fat/ non-fat yogurt
Lunch: Salad of greens and veggies with tuna or turkey or eggs and a piece of fruit (typically a pear, strawberries, an orange or blueberries)
Snack: Bell peppers and hummus (sometimes a handful of chocolate Teddy Grahams, (yes, I’m one of those adults who sometimes goes for my kids treats, these are delish!)
Dinner: A large veggie stirfry with a mix of many vegetables and a source of protein like low-fat cheese melted on top or
Shrimp, calamari, broccoli and mushrooms in a tomato saffron sauce.
After dinner: Always an indulgence! Could be frozen yogurt, chocolate popsicle or a low-fat ice cream sandwich
SNI: What dietary supplements do you two take and for what reason?
Nutrition Twins: Vitamin D (we live in NYC and most of the year don’t get enough from the sun). Omega 3 fish oil—mainly for the anti-inflammatory benefits, a probiotic (for digestive health and immune boosting)) and a Prenatal vitamin for, well just in case…
SNI: What is the most common dietary blunder/mistake folks make?
Nutrition Twins: Many people have the mentality that eating a healthy diet is all or nothing. If they don’t eat what they perceive to be “perfect,” they throw in the towel, thinking they blew it. So they end up bingeing or going completely off the healthy wagon and eating a lot of less-than-nutritious foods. We always try to coach our clients that healthy eating is a lifelong process and no one is flawless–there is no such thing as a “perfect” diet so they can’t expect themselves to be. If you have a slipup or wander off track, acknowledge it and wander right back on the nutritious eating path. It’s this all or nothing thinking that really gets people into trouble because when they fall so far off the healthy eating track, they have a hard time getting back on.
Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT (a.k.a. The Nutrition Twins®) are registered dietitians and certified personal trainers. They share a nutrition consulting practice and are co-authors of The Secret To Skinnyand Fire Up Your Metabolism. The Twins are regularly featured as nutrition experts on Good Morning America Health, the Discovery Health Channel and the Fox News Channel as well as in print and online publications and they have been heard internationally throughout various radio outlets. They are avid exercisers who believe they must be properly fueled at all times! www.NutritionTwins.com
09/07/2011
Effects of Weight Training and NO-Shotgun
To see the full article click here
By: Dr. Darryn Willoughby
Date Published: Summer 2009
Adaptations to resistance training that cause muscle growth (hypertrophy) occurring at the cellular level are most likely the result of cumulative effects of transient changes in the activity of specific genes in muscle after each acute bout of exercise. In response to resistance training, muscle hypertrophy occurs through increases in protein synthesis, along with the activation of satellite cells (myogenesis) (1). Satellite cells are immature muscle cells that have yet to fully develop, and can be activated by hormones (such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and growth hormone) and myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), which are increased in response to resistance exercise (2,3). The MRFs (Myo-D, myogenin, MRF-4, myf5) are a family of proteins that play a vital role of activating various genes in muscle (4). Furthermore, the MRFs appear to play a role in myogenesis by activating satellite cells (5). MyoD and Myf5 are believed to be involved in satellite proliferation (conversion of satellite cells to preliminary muscle cells), and myogenin and MRF-4 are involved in satellite cell differentiation (conversion of preliminary muscle cells to mature muscle cells) (6). Resistance exercise has been shown to activate the MRF genes in muscle (7), which can invariably induce muscle protein synthesis and result in hypertrophy.
Single bouts of resistance exercise are capable of activating the MRFs. Myo-D and myogenin have been shown to be significantly elevated six hours after a heavy resistance exercise (35). In addition, Myo-D, myogenin, and MRF-4 mRNA have been shown to be significantly elevated 24 hours following a heavy resistance exercise, whereas increases in Myo-D, myogenin, and MRF-4 have been shown to occur between two to 12 hours after resistance exercise (8) suggesting that MRF genes are responsive to resistance exercise and may be involved in regulating hypertrophy and/or myogenesis.
Studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of longer-term resistance training programs on MRF activity. As such, a 16-week study of resistance training resulted in an increase in the activity of the MyoD, myogenin, MRF-4, and myf5 genes, along with an increased muscle fiber size (9). In addition to resistance training, research indicates that the MRFs are also sensitive to nutritional status. A study examined 10 weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation and heavy resistance training on the gene activity and protein content of Myo-D, myogenin, MFR-4, and Myf5. After training, myogenin and MRF-4 gene activity and protein content were found to be significantly greater in the creatine group compared to a carbohydrate placebo. When combined with heavy resistance training, creatine supplementation increases the expression of myogenin and MRF-4 (10). More recently, 28 days of heavy resistance training combined with a nutritional supplement (NO-Shotgun) containing creatine monohydrate, arginine, glutamine, beta-alanine, ketoisocaproate, and BCAAs or a carbohydrate placebo resulted in increases in the protein content of Myo-D, myogenic, MRF-4, and myf5; however, the NO-Shotgun group was shown to be significantly greater than placebo for Myo-D and MRF-4. Therefore, when combined with heavy resistance training for 28 days, NO-Shotgun effectively induces myogenesis by stimulating increases in satellite cell activation and proliferation (11).
In summary, resistance exercise is effective at modulating the activity of the MRF genes and proteins involved in hypertrophy and myogenesis in skeletal muscle. Collectively, the research supports the notion that individual sessions of resistance exercise can induce activations of the MRFs. These increases in the MRFs are involved with the adaptations in skeletal muscle in response to longer-term resistance training programs, which are highly important in inducing muscle hypertrophy by way of protein synthesis and myogenesis through increases in satellite cell activation.
References
- Harridge S. Plasticity of human skeletal muscle: gene expression to in vivo function. Exp Physiol. 92:783-97, 2007.
- Hawke T, Garry D. Myogenic satellite cells: physiology to molecular biology. J Appl Physiol. 91:534-51, 2001.
- Kim J, Cross J, Bamman M. Impact of resistance loading on myostatin expression and cell cycle regulation in young and older men and women. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 288:E1110-19, 2005.
- Bergstrom D, Penn B, Strand A, Perry R, Rudnicki M, Tapscott S. Promoter-specific regulation of MyoD binding and signal transduction cooperate to pattern gene expression. Mol Cell. 9:587-600, 2002.
- McCroskery S, Thomas M, Maxwell L, Sharma M, Kambadur R. Myostatin negatively regulates satellite cell activation and self-renewal. J Cell Biol. 2003; 162: 1135-47, 2003.
- Dedieu S, Mazeres G, Cottin P, Brustis J. Involvement of myogenic regulator factors during fusion in the cell line C2C12. Int J Dev Biol. 46:235-41, 2002.
- Willoughby D, Nelson M. Myosin heavy-chain mRNA expression after a single session of heavy-resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 34:1262-69, 2002.
- Mozdziak P, Greaser M, Schultz E. Myogenin, MyoD, and myosin expression after pharmacologically and surgically induced hypertrophy. J Appl Physiol. 84:1359-64, 1998.
- Kosek D, Kim J, Petrella J, Cross J, Bamman M. Efficacy of 3 days/wk resistance training on myofiber hypertrophy and myogenic mechanism in young vs older adults. J Appl Phsyiol. 101:531-44, 2006.
- Willoughby D, Rosene J. Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on myogenic regulatory factor expression. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 35:923-29, 2003.
- Shelmadine B, Buford T, Hudson G, Cooke M, Willoughby D. Effects of 28 days of NO-Shotgun supplementation on body composition, muscle strength and mass, markers of satellite cell activation, and clinical safety markers in males. J Int Soc Sport Nutr. In Review.
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Squares
Ingredients
- 1 cup crunchy wheat and barley cereal
- 3 cups fat-free strawberry yogurt
- 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen unsweetened strawberries (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup light or fat-free whipped topping (optional)
Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil. Sprinkle cereal evenly on the bottom of the pan; set aside.
Place yogurt, strawberries and condensed milk in a blender; cover and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over top of cereal, gently smoothing yogurt mixture to edges of pan. Cover with foil (or plastic wrap) and freeze for 8 hours or until firm. Use edges of foil to loosen and remove from pan; let recipe thaw for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into squares, top with whipped topping, if desired, and serve.
Storage tip: Squares may be individually wrapped and frozen for single servings.
Note: Create your own variations by using other flavor combinations of yogurt and fruit.
Recipe created by 3-Every-Day™ of Dairy
Nutritional Facts
Calories: 200
Total Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Calcium: 20% Daily Value
Protein: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Total Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Calcium: 20% Daily Value
Protein: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
