Lunch Date Newsletter #27

Hi friends! It’s Wednesday again, which means it’s lunch date time! A day set aside for a catch-up of last week’s health news & recipes, plus a little bit about me.

In this post, you’ll learn…

• Reasons not to hate processed food
• What kids really mean when they say, “I don’t like it”
• A recipe for cupcakes for two – perfect for a portion-controlled Valentine’s Day dessert

And more!

But First…What I’ve Been Up To:

Two different meals, one recipe. Leftovers are a huge time and money saver, plus you’re more likely to eat healthier because you’re definitely not going to get hungry and frantic and eat a box of mac and cheese because it’s all you have on hand (not that I’ve ever done that…).

I roasted parsnips and cubed butternut squash (pre-cut from Trader Joe’s) with a little oil, and sautéed kale in chicken broth on the stove. While the vegetables roasted, I cooked 10-minute quick barley. For my first meal, I combined everything with shredded Parmesan cheese. The next day, I had the same veggies and barley for lunch, but I dressed it with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Yum!

I’m traveling on the snowy East Coast right now, and the night before I left, I threw together some of my favorite travel snacks: Maple Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bites, clementines and a peanut butter sandwich for the flight.

Scenes from blizzard-y Boston: On the left, a view of Boston Harbor from my hotel. On the top right, an extravagant brunch thrown together by my Uncle John. Scrambled eggs with chopped turkey, peppers and onions, bagels and cream cheese, smoked salmon and coffee. Mike’s Pastry is an iconic bakery in Boston’s North End that always has a huge winding line stretching from the inside of the shop down the block. But, apparently when you walk there in a snow storm that shut down the public transportation system, you can get in with no line. I honestly never knew it was that big inside. I even took time to browse. Unheard of. Left with some cookies (including a particularly awesome florentine).

What I’m Reading:

Food, Nutrition & Health:

• How Probiotics and Prebiotics Team Up in Your Gut – Ellie Krieger for The Washington Post
• The Edible Rx: Don’t Demonize Processed Food – MedPage Today (something I’ve been saying for a while now. Processing isn’t always bad – think about rolled oats, maple syrup and frozen vegetables for example. New Headline Idea: Over-Simplification More Harmful Than Processing)
• National Sleep Foundation Changes Recommended Snooze Time – USA Today
• 5 Healthy Heart Foods – To Live & Diet in L.A.
• American Heart Month 2015: Avoid Silent Heart Attacks by Practicing Prevention Now, While You’re Still Young – Medical Daily
• U.S. Advisers Rethink Cholesterol Risk From Foods: Report: Trans fats are a bigger threat to heart health, doctors and dietitians say – Health Day
• News guide: Dietary guidelines may contain some new advice, but key recommendations stay same – LA Times
• Low Vitamin D in Childhood Linked to Later Heart Risks – The New York Times
• 7 R.D. Approved Ways to Reduce Sugar Intake – The Lean Green Bean for Run to the Finish

Exercise & Movement:

• Weight Loss or Not, Exercise Yields Benefits – The Wall Street Journal
• Why Movement Matters as You Age – Food & Nutrition

Parenting:

• What Kids Really Mean When They Say “I Don’t Like It” – Raise Healthy Eaters

Valentine’s Day:

• Valentine’s Day: Healthy Ideas to Get You Started – Monica Lebre, MS, RDN

Mindfulness:

• 5 Minutes Every Day to Inspire Healthy, Purposeful, and Productive Living – Caitlin W Howe

• IOM Gives Chronic Fatigue Syndrome a New Name and Definition – Medscape

Blogging:

• SEO Basics: What is a Title Tag + How to Write One – Danielle Zeigler Coaching

What I’m Salivating Over: 

Breads & Muffins:

• Healthy Maple Oatmeal Muffins – Well Plated by Erin
• Yogurt Bran Muffins – The Fountain Avenue Kitchen

Snacks:

• 25 Quick and Easy After-Work Snacks – The Lean Green Bean

Main Courses:

• Chicken Hoisin Rice Bowl Recipe with Mushrooms & Zucchini – Cookin’ Canuck
• Mark Bittman’s Slow Cooker Cassoulet – The New York Times
• Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup – Cooking Classy

 Valentine’s Day Sweets:

• Easy Peanut Butter Chocolates (Sweetened with Honey!) – Gimme Some Oven
• Fruity Valentine’s Day Treats – CA Grown
• Molten Chocolate Truffle Cakes – What’s Gaby Cooking
• Chocolate Brownie Pudding – What’s Gaby Cooking
• Chocolate Cupcakes for Two – Sprinkled with Jules

Dessert:

• S’more Pudding Cake – What’s Gaby Cooking
• Chocolate Chip S’mookies – What’s Gaby Cooking

See you for another Wednesday lunch date next week!

I’d love to hear from YOU! What was one thing that made you happy last week?