Grilled Zucchini with Mint and Feta (Simple Side Dish for Summer Grilling)

I used to complain because there were (and are) so many things I can't eat on the low FODMAPs diet I've been on now for over five years. But lately I've realized that while there are many things I can't eat, there are many more great things that I can eat.

Thankfully, zucchini and mint are two foods that my body seems to handle quite well.  How could I ever live without zucchini??  Not to mention mint, feta, and lemon, which seem to make a brilliant combination in this recipe that is so simple, yet so tasty, you might just freak!

Grilled Zucchini with Mint and Feta

Serves 4

Slightly modified from a recipe in Today's Dietitian Magazine

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini, each sliced lengthwise and into 3 planks

1.5 T olive oil

1/4th tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 ounces reduced fat crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced thin

Lemon wedges for garnish and a dash of juice

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high. Toss zucchini with 1 T oil, salt, and pepper.  Grill zucchini until well browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Transfer zucchini to platter, and top with cheese and mint. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of oil, and serve with a squirt of lemon, and lemon on the side

Estimated Nutrition Facts for One-Serving
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Only 100 calories, good source of fiber, protein, and vitamin A, excellent source of vitamin C.




Ask me what I served this with and I'll tell you...nothing.  This recipe was meant to be a side dish, but I made this in the afternoon and used it as my lunch.  It really hit the spot.  I think it would be delicious with some grilled fish or chicken.  You could also serve this over a nice hearty grain.  Or heck, have two servings and call it dinner!  I think I can safely say zucchini is part of my list of top 5 favorite vegetables.  Maybe even top four. What about you? Do you like zucchini (or summer squash)??  I hope you do because I'll tell you right now I've got some great zucchini recipes lined up for this blog this season.  Get excited.

Did everyone have a nice weekend? We actually grilled out last night, but not zucchini (I want to wait until we have our own zucchini before I show off this amazing recipe to friends and family!).  We grilled some meals in foil packets, which I'll be posting soon (they were from the last issue of Clean Eating Magazine).  They turned out so good, even my dad was raving about them.  I hope everyone enjoy's their Monday.  Remember to smile, only 5 more days until the weekend :)

Thanks for reading.

The Candid Rd

FAQ Friday: Gina, What's Your ONE Best Tip For Weight Loss and Maintenance?

I know most of you enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving meal yesterday, complete with one, two, or maybe even three (????) desserts.  I'll be honest, I was one of the many Americans who devoured a couple pieces of pie yesterday (and topped them both with homemade whipped cream).  But yesterday was one of the exceptions to the "rules".  The key to staying slim and healthy around the holidays (and really throughout your life) is to not make the entire three months a "holiday" but instead to splurge on the actual holiday; Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years (or whichever holiday you celebrate).  Same with your birthday.  Many people turn their birthdays into a week long splurge day. That's a problem.  Splurge on your birthday, sure, but when you splurge all week (or for some people it's all month) it's a problem.  I think that's where a lot of us get in trouble.  We turn a holiday or a special day into a 2-3 week or month holiday, when it should just be 1 day. Right?!

That leads me to today's post....

According to the federal Department of Agriculture, the average American eats over 152 pounds of (added)  sugar (from all sources) per year. This breaks down to an average of 32 teaspoons of added sugar per person per day. Most of it is hidden in prepackaged, frozen, canned, boxed, bottled, jarred and other store-bought items.   (Source: "Keeping Your Sugar In Check" )


Do you have any idea how much added sugar the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends?  It's about 6 tsp. for women, and 9 tsp. for men (which equates to 24 grams and 36 grams, respectively).  And that doesn't mean the AHA suggests you aim for that much, it's actually a suggested limit.   And now that we know the average American gets 32 tsp. added sugar per day, is it any wonder why we have a population that is so overweight?

Source: iStockPhoto
Some people start off with a day's worth of added sugar, right when they wake up.

Here is a little review of carbohydrates and "Added Sugar"........

When you look at a food label, this is what you see:

The cereal above has 24 total grams of carbohydrate.  Of those 24 grams, 2 grams are from dietary fiber (less than 1 gram is from soluble fiber, and 1 gram is from insoluble fiber), and 10 grams are from sugar.  The rest?  Those are from "other carbohydrates".


Carbohydrates (Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen bound together) come in two forms (or three, if you consider fiber):

• Simple mono- or disaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, and lactose)
• Complex polysaccharides (starches such as legumes, corn, potatoes, bread, and cereals)

• Fiber Fiber is also considered a carbohydrate because it is a type of polysaccharide, which plays a structural role in plants. Fiber is unique because humans cannot digest it.

When you look at a label for milk or plain yogurt, you may see this:



You may not think milk or plain yogurt would have any sugar, but lactose (a type of simple sugar) is found in all dairy products, so that is the "9 g sugar" in this product. On the food label it is considered a carbohydrate, and is under the sub-category "sugar". In my opinion, there should be an alternative sub-category called "Added Sugar". Would you know that the plain yogurt above has zero added sugar? Many of you may have known that, but some may have not. The typical amount of natural lactose (sugar) found in dairy products is about 9-12 grams per serving.  When you get a yogurt with more sugar than this, you can often deduce that the rest is from added sugars.

How do you know if there is added sugar?  You look at the ingredient list.  In the yogurt above, there is only milk and cultures on the ingredient list, no added sugar.  Yeah!  But does that mean the lactose sugar wouldn't cause weight gain (and possibly other health issues) if you consumed too much? Absolutely not. Sugar is sugar, and no matter the source, it will cause problems if consumed in excess.


What about this dried fruit bar?  Check out the ingredients: Pear Puree, Pear Concentrate, Cranberry Concentrate.

According to the nutrition facts, this one bar has 35 grams of carbohydrate, 6 grams of which are from fiber (nice!), and 23 grams of which are from sugar. In this case all of the sugar is from naturally occurring fruit (fructose).  However, cranberry concentrate and pear concentrate are considered added sugars.  Why?  They are basically fruits that have been cooked down and made into sugar.  There is really no fiber in fruit concentrates, or any other nutrients, other than empty calories from the fruit's sugar.  The fiber from this dried fruit bar is from the pear puree.  So how much of the 23 grams of sugar are added?  You'll never really know, you have to guess.  My guess is about 10 grams.  But, do you want to know the real reason I wouldn't eat this bar? It has very little to do with added sugars.  The reason I don't eat bars like this is because I could eat a more filling and satisfying piece of fresh fruit (ie: an apple or a pear) for about 10 grams less total sugar (and more nutrients!).  Yes please.



Always remember that all sugars (even "natural sources" like fruits and dairy) need to be limited in order to maintain a healthy weight, and healthy body.  I generally suggest sticking to a diet of no more than 3 cups of dairy (dairy has sugar, and too much dairy means too much sugar, who cares if it's natural!?) 1.5-2 cups fruit (yes, you can get too much fruit, because once again, natural sugars add up to weight gain too!) and ~150-200 calories of "extras" (beer, wine, ice cream, butter, added sugars, whatever!) per day.

Source: Diabetic Living Magazine.  Notice the meal on the right has only 7 grams of added sugar, and the meal on the left has 50 grams (double a day's worth).

Ok, so how the heck do you really know how much added sugar you are getting? You don't, you have to guess/estimate. But don't worry, one of these days companies will be required to list added sugars!  Meanwhile, here are some tips.

Reduce your added sugar by doing the following:

1)  Choose plain yogurt instead of flavored
2)  Choose plain oatmeal instead of flavored oatmeal
3)  Add flavor to your oats and/or yogurt by adding things like non-caloric sweeteners, unsweetened cocoa powder, or fresh fruits/berries
4)  Don't make sweetened beverages a staple in your diet
5)  Look for reduced-sugar versions of your favorite foods (Such as jellies and jams)
6)  Choose cereals and snack bars with 10 grams of sugar, or less (especially if there is zero fruit in the bars or cereal)
7)  Learn the different terms used on labels, which mean "added sugar".  Here is a great list.

QUESTION:  What are your tips for reducing your added sugar intake?

Want to read more about added sugars, and health? Check out this recent article from Today's Dietitian Magazine.  It's worth reading if you have the time.  This article was also interesting, because it hinted at new higher prices for sugary foods.  Wouldn't that be nice?!  Changing our environment, one step at a time.

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

NOTE: I love comments!  But, be sure to come back to read any replies to questions or comments, as they do not go directly to your e-mail.

Moist and Delicious Avocanana Bread (Gluten Free)

One day, not too long ago (in a beautiful kitchen far, far away. haha), I opened the fridge and realized that in our bottom drawer there were two bananas that were brown, but not rotten. I grabbed the bananas and threw them in the freezer, assuming I'd eventually turn them into banana bread. Three days later, no joke, I found the following great recipe in Today's Dietitian Magazine.

Avocanana Bread
(Modified version of a recipe from Today's Dietitian)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Makes 1 loaf
Serves 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup brown rice flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 ripe, fresh avocado, seeded
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 T lemon juice

Instructions

1. Line a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with nonstick foil and lightly grease the bottom only.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Combine dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Scoop the avocado into a large bowl and mash lightly.
5. Add oil and brown sugar to the avocado. Cream together using an electric mixer, until light and creamy.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Stir in bananas, then almonds and dry ingredients.
8. Stir in almond milk and lemon juice, beat just until the milk and juice are incorporated.
9. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

This bread is very, very moist, and almost tastes like it's not quite done when you take it out, but once it passes the "knife-test" (as in, you insert a knife and it comes out clean) it should be ready!

This is what it looked like prior to baking.....nice and green.


Thankfully it looked normal once it was cooked (although still slightly green inside).

Estimated Nutrition Facts

Serving Size (1/8th loaf)

Look at all the fiber! Even the protein content is pretty decent, for a slice of quick-bread. Also, bear in mind a lot of that sugar is from banana and avocado, so it's not considered "added sugar" (although most of it is from brown sugar....I won't lie).

I can't even explain the taste to you, other than it was moist, sweet, and delicious. I actually ate this with a bit of real butter (yes, I said it, real butter!! Yum.). I will definitely make this again. I might even try it with higher-fiber oat bran flour next time.

QUESTION: What's your favorite fruit or vegetable to add to quick breads? I love pumpkin breads myself.

You're Probably Eating a Genetically Modified Organism....

Good morning! I'm glad everyone enjoyed my video blog post yesterday. I will try to do more video posts in the future, as I will have less time to type and videos are much faster to create! I also plan to make my posts a lot shorter in the future, but still very informative.


The topic of today's post is GMO's, and much of the information is from my favorite magazine; Today's Dietitian Magazine.

What are GMOs?

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms, which have had their genetic material modified in some way. Most often the modification is done by a technique known as recombinant DNA (rDNA). With this technique two unrelated pieces of DNA (certain segments of DNA, called genes, are what carry genetic information) are spliced, or combined to create another DNA (DNA has two strands, so once the two unrelated strands are combined, that creates a new DNA). This process allows specific desirable traits to be transferred from one organism to another, which includes traits from unrelated species. The transferred gene is then able to carry instructions for making a protein, which then controls the rest of the GMOs biological processes and determines each of its characteristics.

Chances are this tomato was genetically modified!

Foods such as soy, corn, rice, canola, potatoes, and tomatoes have been genetically engineered since 1996, most often with herbicide-tolerant traits. It's estimated that 60% to 70% of the food products in your local grocery store have at least one genetically modified ingredient. Here is what the proponents and opponents are saying about GMO's:

Proponents say

- This procedure can reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, because specific genes can be created, making the crop resistant to specific insects and weeds.

Opponents say

- Crops modified to produce their own pesticides and herbicides will promote resistance among the pests, which will eventually lead to the use of even more synthetic chemicals.

Proponents say

- GMOs may provide more nutritional value, specifically by allowing the creation of special genes that produce more important nutrients, such as vitamin A (many children and adults are deficient in vitamin A in third world countries, which causes death and disease), iron (similar to vitamin A, many people in third world countries eat mainly rice, which is low in iron, therefore many individuals are extremely iron deficient). Scientists have already created rice with added iron and vitamin A, which have saved the lives of thousands of people.

Opponents say

- There are several health concerns. First, there is a potential for allergenicity due to the introduction of novel proteins. Second, there is a potential for antibiotic resistant genes, which are used as selective markers in the rDNA process. These could be transferred to gut bacteria and thus alter the guts response to anti-microbial therapies.

Proponents say

- The antibiotic-resistance genes that are feared by opponents would likely be degraded by stomach acid, thus not cause any harm.

My Opinion

In my opinion, genetically modified crops are a fantastic way to increase the nutritional quality of foods in third world countries, but I really don't think we need to increase the nutritional value of the foods here in America. We aren't an unhealthy society due to not having enough food, such as those in third world countries. We in fact have the opposite problem, where we have too much food and we are consuming too much of all the wrong kinds. Adding vitamins, minerals, and/or Omega-3 to crops is similar to pumping vitamins and minerals into a water bottle or soda pop. It just masks the problem and gives people more excuse to eat less veggies and fruits because they will have more nutrients in just one or two servings.

My problem is that while there may not be much evidence of any concerns now, who knows what the future will hold? I'd like to think that since this has been happening for over 16 years now these foods must be safe, but I'm no idiot. I know that our government tries their best to make sure all that we eat is safe, but that's clearly not always the case. Another issue I have is that we never know if we are consuming something that is genetically modified. The only way to know if something isn't a GMO is if it is organic, so if you want to stay away from GMOs you'll have to buy all organic foods, which is close to impossible during this time of economic hardship. I think we as Americans have a right to know what we put in our mouths, whether it's good or bad. Will I freak out if I consume a GMO? Not at all, as it turns out I've been consuming them for years, but do I want to have the ability to say "no" if I want? Of course. We all do.

More Information

- If you want to make sure your food is not genetically modified, you'll have to purchase all organic, as the organic seal can only be used if a food is not genetically modified.

- Want to learn more? Visit this site to learn more pros and cons, and make your own decision about GMOs.

Question: What are your thoughts on GMO's? Are you for them, against them, or in the middle like me?

Coming Up

Nick and I are throwing our "big" house warming party on Saturday, then cleaning up and recovering (hehe) on the fourth. I plan on posting an update to my "About Me" page on Saturday, which is just something I feel I should do since it's been about a year since my last update!

What's everyone doing for the fourth??

Don't forget about my giveaway! I'll announce the winner on Monday. Have a great day everyone.