Week in Review: Blogging with Coffee, Cream and Midwest Dairy

I had an great experience last weekend representing Midwest Dairy at a conference called Go Blog Social (http://goblogsocial.com) in Kansas City. The conference brought together bloggers from all different walks of life and from many places across the United States. 

Midwest Dairy is an organization near and dear to my heart because of my love for dairy foods and because they are about education and communication of accurate nutrition messages. I was fortunate to help serve our delicious coffee bar and hang out with two link-minded ladies, Sami and Jen. 

We had great conversations about dairy health and interacting with bloggers about truth and myths of milk. 

Midwest Dairy offers individuals to go visit a dairy farm and learn the ins and outs of this locally produced food. Did you know it takes less than 48 hours from when the cows are milked to when it hits your grocery store shelves? That's because milk is locally produced by more than 8000 family farms in the Midwest. You probably have a local dairy less than 30 miles from where you live. Jen is one of those local farmers. She is great and I learn so much from her and life as a real dairy farmer with her husband. (Did I mention she is also a structural engineer?) You need to follow her informative blog HeimDairy https://heimdairy.wordpress.com and her beautiful photos about life on the farm on Instagram @jmheim33. 

 

Skim milk continues to be my all time favorite beverage. And if you know me, I only drink 4 things:  water, tea, skim milk and an occasional coffee. Skim milk provides 9 essential nutrients (meaning we have to get it from the food we eat) and my favorites are protein, calcium and Vitamin D. So much bag for your buck at $0.25 per 8-ounce serving! And it's real!  No crazy ingredient list, which this dietitian is so happy about! 

Cream was the big hit at the conference!

And we shocked many individuals that lactose-free milk existed. 

If you love to blog and love to talk food like I do, take advantage of the resources Midwest Dairy has to offer to expand your blogosphere. 

June is Dairy Month and a great opportunity to whip up some of the delicious recipes they have. Visit http://www.midwestdairy.com for recipes and all the dairy information you need. You can also contact them to set up a dairy farm tour of your own. This is a priceless experience!  Trust me!  

In June, I am going to do a weekly recipe courtesy of Midwest Dairy and share with you the many reasons I love dairy foods. 

 

It was great to meet everyone, share ideas, learn about being a successful blogger, talking about diary and sipping on coffee.

Couldn't have asked for a better weekend!

 

Week in Review: The Dish on Dairy

This week was rejuvenating and full of so much priceless information, my brain is still processing all of it. I was invited back to the Dairy Ambassador Conference as one of their nutrition communicators. Last year was invigorating and this year proved to be the same. All I wanted to do is sit back throughout the workshop and just gain knowledge of the amazing people who also were a part of this life-changing experience.

Being a dietitian can sometimes be one sided and this conference has opened me up to really wanting more knowledge about the food I consume and recommend to my customers. It is so important to "tell the story." We all have our own wellness journey and so does our food. I truly believe dairy foods are the most wholesome and well-balanced foods on the market. These foods are not only cost-effective, but give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to nutritive value. Who can beat a glass of milk for $0.25 that is full of 9 essential nutrients?  A glass of soda or juice does not even compare in cost or nutrition. Low-fat and fat-free milk should be a go-to grab in our homes and on the go. 

I had the privilege to be amongst other dietitians but also dairy farmers and moms. I learned so much about the sacrifice these individuals make each day to provide healthy dairy products to their customers. Dairy farming does not stop or have vacation time. These girls need attention all day long and need to be tended to all day to keep producing fresh and nutritive products. Milk is one of the freshest products in the grocery store; farm to shelves in around 2 days. I also learned a ton about the different types of farms, milking times, feeding times and new technology some farmers are using. So amazing!  

My team created Cinnie, our dairy goddess. Without these pretty amazing women, I would still be in the dark of what care they put into their livelihood and the product I consume from the shelf. Knowing where my food comes empowers me as a dietitian and knowing it comes from the hands of these beautiful and inspiring women, bestows the joy to help tell their story. Thank you team Cinnie: Becky, Janet, Brenda and Cindy for making this week "dairy" good! 

Bode Dairy and Feedlot Company http://50.63.181.239/~bodedair/

Cindy Brison

http://www.nutritionknowhow.org/blog/team-view/cindy/

Bremer Farms

http://mybarnyardview.blogspot.com/?m=1

Week in Review

The week before the holidays was a busy one!  I am sure you felt the same way. I got all my shopping done on a Tuesday morning and it was dreamy. Not busy at all and relaxing to purchase gifts.  I was so relaxed by the end of the day...nothing beats sitting in front of the fireplace. 

I was super excited to host my holiday party this year. We decided to go with a "Prom and Pizza" theme. It was fun to get dressed up in prom gear. I was able to sport my 1993 throwback dress (shocked it still fit). We are all still laughing about the night by reminiscing over photos and videos of the night. 

The week ended with a little snowstorm. I  went to sleep with nothing on the ground and woke up to about 6 inches of white fluff. My trusty snowblower worked like a champ and quickly got my driveway cleared. It was a cold day though!  I had to bundle up to get the job done. 

Since I worked so hard, I treated myself to a little hot chocolate after my cold adventure. I just have to share my recipe with you!  Hot chocolate is one of my favorite drinks and there is nothing like making it with dreamy whole milk. I never feel one bit guilty about a wholesome beverage made with milk because I know I am getting protein, calcium and Vitamin D, complemented by real chocolate that is made with milk too!  Now doesn't that beat a soda or energy drink? I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 

Dreamy Hot Chocolate: Serves 4

All You Need

4 cups of whole milk

1-10 ounce bag Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% cacao)

2 vanilla beans, split and insides removed

1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Whipped cream (optional)

All You Do

1. Mix salt and cocoa together in a small bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla bean paste until lightly steaming over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add in bag of chocolate chips until completely melted. 

4. Pour into cups and lightly sprinkle  cocoa and salt mixture on the top evenly between 4 servings. Add a teaspoon of whipped cream if desired.