Nutrition Nosh One. Wisdom.
As we near the end of National Dairy Month, I had to share one last thought provoking nutrition-ish dairy delicious wisdom that came to me when I was making my morning smoothie. My morning smoothie/milkshake (because yeah that happens sometimes) makes me happy. It is the perfect blend of all the things I love for breakfast and I truly look forward to it. As the day progresses and my interactions with humans start, my positive vibes can tend to dwindle. I let negative talk take over my brain. What if I always chose to look for the things I liked about a situation or a person? It could be anything or anyone I encounter at any particular moment. What if I focused on seeing only the good things, instead of the things I like?
If we chose to always find the positives in people and situations, the world would be full of strawberry milkshakes.
If you start the day by looking into the mirror at yourself...the gorgeous and brilliant human being you see staring back at you...and looking at all the things you like about yourself, is exactly where to start. It is then, you can continue the momentum to do the same with everyone else who graces your day. Positive thoughts undeniably equal positive vibes others can sense and feel. Kind of like the feeling you get when you drink a delicious milkshake.
My conversation today is with Registered Dietitian Amanda Kruse.
While I was continuing my adventure in Indianapolis, then president-elect of the Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Amanda Kruse just got done putting the final touches on their annual meeting. It was about 9:30 pm and I knew upon first meeting her, passion is everything to Amanda. Amanda learned a lot about being a collegiate athlete, but also being a college student and how important food is where the student is dining. She started her career being a resource for college students in dining services and quickly advanced her career in management in K-12 for the Indianapolis Public Schools. She values conversations like I do and finds her best ones come when talking with students about food. She not only works a full time job, but volunteers for her state affiliate, the Academy and loves being a preceptor.
Connect with Amanda: kruseama@gmail.com
Nutrition Nosh Three. Week in Review.
This summer has been a little different and I think a little delayed. I have had baby birds all over my backyard this year and Lil g has been in heaven! The best part is, she loves to look outside but not so excited about actually going outside. This week, we had a baby robin working really hard on his flying skills but just quite couldn't get off the ground. He spent about 24 hours sitting on the patio trying hard to get going. Lil g spent all 24 hours monitoring the situation. She seriously did not leave the back door all day or night. Finally, he found his wings!
I had Friday off this past week and my friend Jason and I had a local day of adventure by doing a little shopping, getting mani's and pedi's and attending happy hour at a new local brewery. When I went to the Barn Town Brewery website, I was hooked with the opening line of their "About" section.
"Barn Town was built on one word - Passion."
The atmosphere of Barn Town Brewing is very much Iowa. It has a cozy barn feeling and is bright and airy. The back wall has a mural made of beer cans into the shape of the State of Iowa with the infamous Des Moines area code "515" in the middle. I can't believe I forgot to get a photo! Next time. Barn Town Brewing provides homemade, full -flavored, artisanal ales and chef-inspired elevated America style pub fare. They try to locally source ingredients from Iowa farms and pride themselves in the freshness, quality and origin of their food and drink. My kind of place! It was Des Moines Beer Week, so even more reason to jump into a flight of beer. There is an extensive menu of their own beers, with clever names, so it was very difficult to choose! My favorite was The Real Slim Shandy and the Iowa Gold. But with names like Millennial Disco Party and Wagon Wheel Wit, I will be making another trip.
Since we were there during happy hour (3-5 pm Monday-Friday), we took advantage of $6 appetizers. In honor of National Dairy Month, Cheese Curds and Bavarian Pretzels with Iowa Gold Cheddar Sauce were chosen. Both were very delicious and a perfect compliment to my beer selection. There are also items such as Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Craft Mac & Cheese, a variety of salads and sandwiches, including burgers. I am excited to have a new watering hole in my neighborhood!
I ended my weekend with a quick trip to Omaha for some Frista time with Carlena. It has been too long in between our visits so I needed my fix and a bonus was getting to have her hubby Doug come with us! When you are busy parents of 2 boys, it is hard for both of them to get away, so it was an even more special night out on the town!
Nutrition Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week.
Sharing with you my "Undeniably Dairy" Playlist to get your fitness on this week. I even discovered a song I had never heard by Elvis.
Nutrition Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now.
A few weeks ago, I got a wonderful package from Land O' Lakes filled with their new Less Sodium Butter and I am a fan! It is great to use with almost everything I do and is easily spreadable after leaving it out for a few minutes on the counter-top. The other day, I had a craving for Alfredo pasta and I wasn't sure what I had for ingredients and I also really did not want to head out to the grocery store. Luckily, I was able to put together this recipe with what I had and it simple and fast.
Undeniably Simple Alfredo Sauce
Serves 2
2 tablespoons Land O' Lakes Less Sodium Butter
1 cup fat-free half and half
3 ounces of whipped cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 clove of minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1/2 pound of your favorite pasta, prepared per directions on package
1. Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat adding butter, half and half and cream cheese. Stir or whisk continuously until melted.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk for another 2-3 minutes to blend and thicken.
3. Add in your prepared pasta and blend with the sauce.
4. Serve and eat immediately.
I topped my pasta with fresh chives from my herb pot in the back yard for some pretty green color and an additional layer of flavor.
~AE
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