My absolute favorite was the “Spiked avocado”.  First Lloyd cut an avocado into wedges and handed us each one.  Next he cut a lime and squeezed liberal amounts of lime juice on our avocado slice.  Last he topped each slice with a generous sprinkle of, Spike an herb, spice and vegetable seasoning.  We ate this concoction right out of the peel, no utensils needed, and added more lime juice and Spike as we went along.  Can’t wait to make this one for Super Bowl Sunday!

As we biked through the back streets of Old Town and headed toward the beach area, Lloyd made stops to let us sample various lesser known tropical fruits right from the plants! We tried the Barbados cherry, also known as acerola cherry, which is one of the most concentrated sources of Vitamin C.  We sampled the juice of the Carissa plum, which was delightful.  This fruit is best used for jelly or sauce.  Lloyd surreptitiously swiped a  little pomegranate from a tree in someone’s yard.  This pomegranate was smaller than the ones we usually see in the stores and the arils (kernels) had a bigger pit.  It boasted the same wonderful flavor however, and after a few tries I ate the kernels pit and all.  Pomegranates are loaded with anti-oxidants and are a great snack.

The dramatic highlight of the trip, however, was watching Lloyd prepare a coconut for us to share.  First he used his machete to whack off the green outer husk.  Then he created an opening into the coconut itself.  Into this he squeezed the juice from a sour orange.  We took turns drinking this wonderful concoction right from the coconut!  You can watch Lloyd “put the lime in the coconut” in a video on his website.  After we finished drinking the coconut water, Lloyd opened the coconut all the way and we ate chunks of the fresh coconut meat.  Delicious!! (and high fiber too!)

According to his website, one of Lloyd’s favorite tropical fruits is the mango.  Unfortunately, we were not visiting in the right season for mangoes from the tree.  But mangoes are heavily featured in Key West cuisine, and I especially enjoyed a salad of grilled chicken with thin slices of mango, pineapple, apple, orange, and strawberries at Willie T’s. At Blue Heaven there was a great mango salsa with the grilled mahi-mahi I had for lunch…I wanted a bigger portion though!  Another tropical treat was Croissants de France’s banana toffee pancakes…no syrup needed for these fabulous cakes!  Of course, Key West’s most famous tropical treat is their renowned key lime pie, the official pie of the state of Florida.  This pie is made with the juice of key limes, a small, tart variety of  lime.

So if you are suffering from winter blues and cabin fever and having trouble keeping half your plate fruits and vegetables, take a stroll through the produce department.  Fresh citrus is in season now, and yesterday our market had avocados, mangoes, pineapples, and of course bananas.  Perk up your menu while you feast on abundant Vitamin C and anti-oxidants!

© 2011 Kathleen Searles

Overall, folks seemed to be choosing some healthy foods. In my group we were enjoying some beautiful, juicy Temple oranges from Florida. I saw a lot of nice whole grain breads being used in sandwiches. Some people had hummus and raw veggies or crackers.  RJ’s family says this is one of their favorites.  They also like to make their own trail mix.

For your family’s outing think about planning a lunch with some carbohydrates for energy. This could be whole grain breads for sandwiches, crackers, fruits (such as grapes, oranges, or apples which travel pretty well) , or raw veggies. Then add some protein (lean deli meats, hard cooked eggs, or peanut butter for example). You can keep it simple with sandwiches or get creative. With a thermos like RJ’s you could bring soup, stew, or a pasta dish. If a sandwich doesn’t interest you bake up some chicken and bring cold chicken and potato salad. (Use freezer gels to keep potentially hazardous foods cold.)

Don’t forget something to drink!  When you are out in the cold you don’t feel hot and sweaty, but the combination of physical activity and cold air means that you need to replace fluids to stay hydrated.

Most importantly, enjoy fueling up at lunch so you’ll have a great day on the slopes!

If you are planning a day outdoors, be sure to start with a good breakfast. Exercising in cold weather increases your calorie needs, and the snow sports are strenuous to begin with. You want to be well fueled so you can concentrate on having fun! Here are some of my favorite winter breakfasts:

• Oatmeal w/skim milk, maple sugar, and chopped walnuts; whole wheat toast w/peanut butter
• Whole grain waffles with fruit and a little maple syrup; milk
• Yogurt with sliced bananas and toasted sunflower seeds

When we exercise in cold weather we sometimes don’t realize that we are sweating. It is important to be sure to have some fluids periodically during the day. This helps you stay alert and feeling well so that you are having fun! Hot beverages like cocoa and tea are great for hydrating AND warming up!

If you plan to be out all day, be sure to take a lunch break. You want to stay well fueled throughout the day so that you are alert and able to focus. A lot of ski injuries happen late in the day when skiers are getting tired and hungry. Lunch can be as simple as a peanut butter sandwich or as fancy as a bowl of beef stew and some hearty whole grain bread.

So fuel up and have fun outside this winter. Remember, you are never too old to play in the snow!

1. Make a plan for your meals when you will be spending the day at the mall or going from store to store.
2. Consider packing a healthy lunch. For a light, easy to carry lunch that requires no refrigeration consider a peanut butter sandwich or some cheese and crackers with a piece of fruit.
3. If you will eat lunch at a mall food court, look for outlets that have more fresh foods such as Au Bon Pain or Panera Bread.
4. If you are eating at a fast food restaurant look for smaller sized sandwiches and salads with low calorie dressings. Avoid fried foods. At Wendy’s you can choose a baked potato or chili for a healthy lunch. (If you choose the baked potato use less cheese, sour cream, or butter and more broccoli for toppings.)
5. If you are a non-stop shopper take along a meal replacement bar. Eating something during the day provides fuel for your body and keeps your blood sugar stable.
6. Stay hydrated! The stores are sometimes hot and usually dry. Carry along a water bottle or plan a break for coffee, tea, or a cold drink.
7. At parties, focus on meeting and talking with people rather than food. Stand or sit away from the food dishes so that they are not distracting to you.
8. At social gatherings check out all the food options and only choose the ones that look the most delicious. Take small portions, eat slowly, and enjoy the holiday flavors!
9. Be aware that the calories in alcoholic beverages can add up quickly! For example, an apple martini can pack 150-200 calories! Try water, coffee, tea, or seltzer/club soda with lime.
10. Remember that food traditions are an important part of holiday celebrations! Eat lots of healthy fruits and vegetables and you will have calories to spare to enjoy those special once a year treats!

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Kathleen Searles, MS, RD, LDN Nutrition Consultant 978-697-2834 www.lunchbox-nutritionist.com

Three years ago, just before Thanksgiving, we were having dinner with friends and the hostess asked me to bring a pie.  She said there would be 10 people, so I baked two pies.  Understand, please, that I grew up thinking that a pie served 6!  We all had a fine evening, enjoyed our pie, and as we were leaving the hostess handed me the second pie, untouched, to take back home with me.  Astonished, I realized that this slim woman had cut a pie into 10 pieces!

This was food for thought indeed…a small portion of a delicious dessert could be satifying and enough. So, I decided to experiment on my family.  We usually have about 35 people for Thanksgiving, and the “feast” goes on for several days.  That year, I volunteered to cut all the desserts.  I cut the pies into 10 pieces and the cakes into 2″ squares.  (The cookies were on their own!)  No one seemed to notice.  We had some leftover desserts at the end and people took them home with them.

This went on for several years.  Finally last year someone said, “What’s going on with the desserts?   We never used to have any leftovers and now there’s always some to take home!” So I confessed to my experiment with cutting smaller pieces.  It seems that everyone has been eating the same number of pieces of dessert regardless of the size.  What a simple way to enjoy the holidays without over-eating!

So, if you are bold enough to follow in my footsteps, practice some “stealth health” with your family this Thanksgiving.  Cut the desserts into smaller pieces, put a little less butter in the baked yams, serve the tastiest vegetables you can find.  Have fun, and give thanks for all the wonderful foods you’ve tried this year!

Yesterday I transformed 25 pounds of tomatoes from Meadowstone Farminto a cupboard full of pint jars of cut up tomatoes. These will make their tasty way into our winter pasta sauces, chilis, and other casseroles.

Canning tomaotes is an end of summer ritual that I love, but it has to be done with care to ensure a safe product. Agriculture has given us lower acid tomatoes, so today’s tomatoes need to be processed in a pressure canner or with added acid. (I use lemon juice.) My guidebook for home canning has always been Putting Food By by Janet Greene. You can also check with your local county extension service for up to date advice on home canning. (To find your local office search “county extension office” along with your state’s name.)

Cooked tomatoes can also be frozen, and the acidity level is not important for freezing. I like to cook the tomatoes, cool them, and then pack them into quart or 1/2 gallon freezer bags. (Label the bags before filling.) You can lay these flat in the freezer and just pop them out to use as needed during the winter. I sometimes make some nice sauce while the fresh tomatoes, onions, and basil are in season and freeze for later use. The best sauce I ever made happened by accident! Our indoor cat, Callie, escaped outside while I was cooking down some sauce. While we were looking for her the sauce scorched  on the bottom of the pan. I stirred it all together, scorched bits and all, and that winter we all agreed that “Callie’s Smoky Tomato Sauce” made the best pasta dishes ever!

Hope you enjoy “putting food by” this summer and fall, and enjoy savoring your work during winter’s cold months.

I picked up my newest lunch bag on a trip to NYC this spring.  My “Shopping Tote 30 – Best of  the Blues” has a bold and trendy blue/brown polka dot design and, because it is a shopping tote, holds lunch, snacks, water bottles, and freezer gel with room to spare. Check it out at Igloo.

If you want to pack a trash free lunch, be sure to visit Reuseit.com. They have food containers, reusable sandwich bags, cloth napkins, reusable utensils, and a bunch of really great lunch bags. Check out the “Mimi the Sardine Organic Cotton Cloth Lunch Bag” in the ladybug print. Irresistable!

Thermos is another well-known brand that has a great variety of supplies for packed lunches. They feature the FUNtainer food jars and bottles with kid-friendly and designer themes. I love the Raya line of bags for a contemporary look, but my favorite “workhorse” lunchbox is the roomy Geotrek 12 can cooler.

If you are looking for something different for your packed lunches and picnics, be sure to check out the beautiful items at Picnic at Ascot. They carry a full range of products for elegant dining away from home.

With all these great totes and accessories your peanut butter sandwich never looked so good! Have fun packing healthy and money saving lunches for yourself and you family this fall!

If you want to build muscle…

• Eat plenty of calories. (This is usually about 400-500 extra calories/day.)
• Start a planned program of resistance exercise/weights.
• Eat a balanced diet of carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits and vegetables), lean proteins, and healthy fats.
• Realize that genetics and physical maturity level play an important role in your body composition.
• It is not necessary to eat a lot of extra protein. You can get all the protein that you need from chicken, fish, meats, and low fat dairy products. Protein supplements and shakes are not usually necessary.

If you want to lose body fat…

• Be sure to eat the right amount of calories. This usually means a decrease of 300 to 500 calories each day.
• Eat a balanced diet of  carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits and vegetables), lean proteins, and healthy fats.
• Add some additional activity each day.

If you want to build muscle AND lose fat…

• Eat the right amount of calories. This is typically about 300 extra calories over the amount you usually eat.
• Eat a balanced diet of carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits and vegetables), lean proteins, and healthy fats as noted above.
• Start a program of resistance training.

Staying hydrated is the other key factor to a successful pre-season.  This can be a big challenge during the hot and humid summer weather. Here are some tips for good hydration to avoid heat related illness:

• Drink something each day when you first get up.
• Drink 8 ounces of fluid 1-2 hours before your practice or game.
• Drink 6 ounces of fluid 15 minutes before your practice or game.
• Drink 8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes during your practice or game.
• Include fluids with your regular meals and snacks.
• A simple way to check your hydration is to be sure that your urine has a pale yellow color like lemonade.

For a personalized nutrition plan, find a sports dietitan near your home by checking http://www.scandpg.org/    You can also check out the book The Athlete’s Guide to Making Weight, by Michele A. Macedonio MS, RD (sports dietitian for the Cincinnati Bengals) and Marie Dunford, PhD, RD. This book is available from Human Kinetics www.humankinetics.com

1. Increase amount and variety of anti-oxidants. Eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, spices, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and tea.
2. Assure adequate B vitamins. B-vitamins are found in whole and enriched grains as well as a wide variety of foods. Vitamin B12 is found in animal based foods like meats and poultry.
3. Increase Omega 3′s.These healthy fats are found in fish and seafood, seaweed, flax seeds and oil, canola oil, walnuts, and pecans.
4. Reduce inflammation. Eat more Omega 3 fats, spices and herbs, berries, purple grapes and juice, green vegetables, and green tea. Use smaller amounts of foods high in Omega 6 fats, such as red meats and dairy. Grass fed and finished beef is lower in Omega 6 fats.
5. Reduce insulin resistance. Lose weight if you are overweight. Minimize added sugars and sweeteners, especially those in sweetened beverages. Focus on whole grains and avoid cereals with a lot of added sugar. Include green tea. Use cinnamon – it makes foods taste sweeter and may help improve glucose tolerance.
6. Reduce saturated fats and LDL cholesterol levels. Eat LDL cholesterol-reducing foods like nuts, oatmeal, purple grapes and juice, high fiber foods, and fish/seafood. Grapefruit is also on this list, but  check with your pharmacist first if you take any medications (especially statins) because grapefruit can change the effectiveness of many drugs. Avoid trans fats.

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