Top 5 Nutrition Noshes and Weekly Wisdom

Nutrition Nosh One. Wisdom.

I appreciate my Mom so very much. I appreciate all Moms very much. I cannot imagine how hard it is to be a Mom. Just think of the journey. No journey is the same and no journey is easy. No child is easy. In my eyes, it is the most difficult and challenging job on the market. I know my Mom has had her struggles and I also know she has had many joys. I know I might have been one of her biggest struggles and I hope one of her biggest joys. There is nothing I can do to repay my Mom for all she has done. She has comforted my tears and fears, kept me safe and alive, kept me fed with good nutrition and food, and hugged me when I wasn't so huggable. I know I was (and maybe still am on occasion) a pain in the ass sometimes, but I also know I am loved so very unconditionally. That is the beauty of our relationship. One we only share. I am so glad she chose me to be her daughter and I am so glad she was chosen to be my Mom. 

Nutrition Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

My conversation today is with my beautiful Mom, Ruth.  

I was excited to sit down today with my Mom on Mother’s Day, which is a very special day. I always go back and see her every year and just celebrate her being my Mom. In a conversation a couple of months ago, my mom made the sweet comment that she was the “original dietitian.” That is when the light bulb went off and I thought it would be a great idea to do a special Mother’s Day podcast with my Mom (and hopefully more). My Mom is great and I love her with all my heart. She really is the inspiration of me becoming a dietitian and I am very thankful.

Please click here to enjoy my very special conversation with my Mom this past Mother’s Day

Nutrition Nosh Three. Week in Review. 

May is the start of warmer weather here in Iowa. We start to shed some layers of clothing, but sometimes a little too soon. I was fortunate to attend an event put on by the Iowa Food and Family Project with these lovely ladies, Paige and Anne. We started the day bright and early at 4:30 am without realizing how cold it was outside. While we shared information about local food products, we snuggled and drank a lot of coffee. The event's focus was centered around the local farms and food the great state of Iowa has.  We even had the privilege to meet the new Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Purduehttps://www.usda.gov/. To make the day even more fun, we partnered with the guys behind Tres Mentes Salsa, a delicious and local salsa made right here in Des Moines. If you haven't tried their salsa, you are missing out!  I always have a container of their medium salsa in my fridge for to use as salad dressing, tacos and a great topper for baked proteins. 

An exciting year of FNCE is approaching in October and I am still trying to figure out if I am going to attend this year. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is celebrating 100 years in their hometown, Chicago. It is very close to me this year, so I will be considering it pretty hard. I know it will be the most exciting one yet to see where our profession is headed in the next 100 years. 

I enjoyed a lovely breakfast at my favorite local spot, Cozy Cafe. I can walk to it from my house, so it balances out my latte and enormously delicious portion of hash browns. The food here is homemade, fresh and yummy. You should see their selection of homemade pies and muffins. I am pretty confident a plateful of hash browns and a latte are the way to go for breakfast. Top that off with great company and conversation and I am in weekend heaven. 

On Mother's Day, I jotted home to spend the day with my special lady. We really didn't have anything planned so that lead to opening up a bag of Cheetos (which is one of my Mom's and I favorite crunchy snacks). If I haven't shared this before, I like to eat Cheetos with a fork. It prevents the orange, cheesy finger madness and I also can't overdue it on those crunchy suckers. They best part about my weird fork-eating Cheetos habit, is my friends know me so well, they send me pictures of others doing the same thing!  My friends Carlena and Jenny both send me pictures of their littles munching down our favorite snack with a fork. If anyone else shares in this ritual, send me pictures please. I would love to see them!

We did eat something else besides Cheetos. I was trying to think of something easy and fun for a sweet treat for Mom and Gramma on Mother's Day. A yogurt parfait kept coming to mind, but I wanted to mix it up. As I was contemplating a change of dessert and wandering through the ice-cream aisle, I spotted the waffle cones and bowls. What a perfect vessel for a yogurt parfait!  It was fancy, fun, easy and delicious. 

Mother's Day Parfait

Serves 4

4 - 5.3 ounce containers of Dannon Vanilla Light and Fit Greek Yogurt

2 large prepared blueberry muffins, cut into cubes and divided

1 cup of granola, divided

2 cups of fresh fruit, diced and divided

4 waffle bowls

1. Place divided blueberry muffin in each bowl. 

2. Top with container of yogurt.

3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of granola on top of yogurt.

4. Top with 1/2 cup of your favorite fresh fruit. 

Nutrition Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week. 

Of course it is Mom inspired!  Dance party in the living room anyone? 

Click here for some fun songs you probably haven't heard but I know you will like!

Nutrition Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now.

Well hello there. 

If you have ever had a morning flight on United Airlines and are in need of much needed travel nutrition, you may have encountered one of these tasty treats. Insert Stroopwafels. Until recently, I have only had them when I was traveling. After posting a picture of a recent Stroopwafel flight on my Instagram, I received confirmation of Stroopwafel retail spottings across Des Moines.  One of those locations was less than 1/2 mile from my house. Since they appear to be infiltrating Walgreens, if you haven't had one of these Dutch delicacies, you must give them a try. (Are you picking up on the waffle obsession this week?). There are many different brands out there, so I cannot speak to any other brand or flavor but the original from Daelamans. My favorite way to enjoy is to place one of the toasted waffles filled with caramel, cinnamon and real bourbon vanilla on top of a piping hot cup of coffee. The waffle and caramel inside starts to soften and the sweetness pairs perfectly with the bitterness of the coffee. I obviously stocked up on a few that day of discovery. Then I went online and realized there is chocolate ones, bags of mini ones and I can even get them by the case. I might be in a little trouble!

~AE

Wisdom Wednesday

One of my worst defense mechanisms is getting a bit scary when I am scared. Actually, I get really scary. My fears get manifested into everything but what they actually are. I take out my fears on those I care about by lashing out, not making sense with my words and actions and just being off my rocker. The key to being scared is just admitting it. Those who know you and care about you will understand and do everything they can to ease your fears. What they do not need or deserve is to deal with your scary, scared self. You need to deal with it and let them help you along the way. 

Week in Review

This past weekend I took a little trip with my friends to New Orleans for the first time. I had no expectations and was excited to experience the city, try some new food and experience the culture. The area we stayed in was busy and bustling with tons of people, music, cocktails and entertainment. We ventured around French Quarter and wandered through the streets and shops. The architecture is beautiful and there is so much history around every corner. 

I experienced my first and beignets. Holy deliciousness!  I had them 2 different ways in 2 different places. The first was beignet fries with a caramel bourbon sauce and sliced bananas, similar to a version of Bananas Foster at Pere Antonine Restaurant. I got these first before my breakfast sandwich and I am glad I did because they were a lot tastier than my sandwich and paired perfectly with my coffee. 

The day I left, I got my steps in by wandering to the infamous Cafe Du Monde. I saved the best for last, hands down. 3 lovely fluffy fried rectangles of dough and sprinkled powdered sugar, perfectly paired with a Cafe Au Lait = Priceless. I am glad I had to walk a bit to get there so I could take the long way back to my hotel to burn off some of those calories. I would be in trouble if I lived there. The Cafe Au Lait would be just as troublesome. 

The other food I had to experience when I was in NOLA was a good shrimp poboy and my friend Kevin took us to Killer Poboys. A little bit different from a traditional poboy, but really good. They have a collection of different menu options like smoked salmon, sweet potato and pork belly poboys. The shrimp was amazing, along with the tangy smothered greens. I also indulged in their aged cheddar grilled cheese on crunchy, whole grain bread with a 7th Street Wheat Lemon Basil Beer from NOLA Brewing Company. 

Workout Playlist of the Week
Here are the tunes I jammed out to while doing a couple workouts in NOLA and much needed workouts when I got back.

Listen to Workout Playlist of the Week by Anne Elizabeth on Apple Music.

What I Love Right Now

When it comes to snacks, I always strive to make sure I am balancing my protein and carbohydrates each time. When I am busy working or traveling, I have been taking apples with me and pouches of nut butter. My favorite is still peanut based butters. 

My favorite apple this fall is Jonagold. This beauty is from Michigan and has a delicious crisp sweet and sour taste. This is the perfect time of year to experience a vast variety of apples and they will keep in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The Jonagold travels nicely and holds up to a few bumps along the way.

To pair with my Jonagold, I am really liking Buddy's Small Batch Nut Butter portable peanut butter packages, especially the Cinnamon Raisin flavor. These packets are perfect to have with you at all times when you may need some healthy protein and fats. Sometimes, I might even eat it alone!  Very satisfying and healthy.  These will be an addition to my carry on while packing for my next trip to FNCE, my National Registered Dietitian Convention in Boston this weekend. 

~AE

Wisdom Wednesday

Everyday I battle with my alarm clock and waking up to work on my fitness in the morning. It is the one thing I need to do everyday, for myself, to place myself in the right state of mind to conquer the day. It is also the most important appointment I set during my day. Bosses do not cancel important appointments. Remember to make yourself a priority, no matter what!

Week in Review

This week was a little different but entirely fun because I had the opportunity to make new connection with people I meet along my journeys as a registered dietitian. I was asked to be a part of a panel discussion for musicians to answer questions about healthier eating while on the road for the Des Moines Music Coalition Music University. It was a pleasure meeting and conversing with Jessinda with Bankers Trust and David with Green Room Music Source. 

I ended the week going to visit my momma and family back in Panama. We ended up having so much fun, we forgot about making the planed roast, carrots and potato dinner. Oooppsss!  So I ended up whipping up grilled cheese on my momma's legendary homemade bread and pairing it with veggies and ketchup! Yum!

Workout Playlist of the Week

Here is what I am listening to this week to keep me motivated. Click here to get my playlist!

What I Love Right Now

With the start of fall, I am all about warm and cozy. Since tea is my all-time favorite beverage, and Oprah Chai has always been one of my go-to's, I was excited to find the Oprah Cinnamon Chai flavor. It is a must try if you enjoy chai flavor. Funny thing is, I was sprinkling cinnamon in the plain chai!  I also am giving my almonds a sabbatical and replacing them with hazelnuts (no not Nutella, real deal hazelnuts).  A serving size is actually about the same as almonds and sport about the same amount of fiber. I am also excited about the magnesium content, to help my calmness continue throughout the day. 

The recipe I am crushing on right now is courtesy of Chef Stacey. Freekah is such a delicious whole grain and is very versatile. This is a must make for fall breakfasts. Freekah has a light smoky flavor and a nice chewy texture that compliments berries and yogurt. The Cinnamon Chai and these berry parfaits are a very satisfying warm and cozy breakfast. Click here for the full instructions and more mouth-watering pictures. 

~AE

My Friday Favorite: Add a Little "Pop" to Your Summertime Party

Summertime is the most adventurous season of the year. We pack our evenings and weekends with as many activities as possible to take advantage of the longer days and beautiful weather. In the midst of all the madness, our friends and family schedule events and gatherings to reconnect and spend quality time together. What will be the common denominator at all these exciting functions?  Food, of course!  Burgers, brats, hot dogs, potato chips, crackers, dips, pasta salads, brownies, cookies, cupcakes and countless other tempting, delicious and calorically dense eats. 

It the midst of all of ours summertime favorites, we forget about one of the most healthy and versatile snacks in the grocery store, popcorn. I have rediscovered my love for popcorn and have decided to make this my go-to summer snack for get togethers at my home and 

away from home. Almost everyone I know really loves popcorn too and I have come up with a few fun ways for you to add a little "pop" to your next party. 

This adventure all started with a little trip to my kitchen and I was only going to make my popping good creations from what I already had in my house. This is the best thing about popcorn, you can make creations of any combination your taste buds love:  from sweet to spicy, savory to sour. Popcorn compliments a wide variety of flavors and can be a lot of fun to eat. 

I always have microwave popcorn in my pantry and one of my favorites is Iowa-grown Jolly Time Pop Corn. Jolly Time has a registered dietitian approved line of healthy options:  Healthy Pop Butter and Kettle Corn, in large bags and mini bags, Healthy Pop Low Sodium, Crispy White and Caramel Apple.  All of these tasty flavors are only 20 calories per cup popped and are a good source of energy boosting whole grains and fiber. Since they are so low in calories, it leaves a little wiggle room to add a few indulgent ingredients of your own. Shall we start with one of my favorite creations out of my kitchen?

I am a HUGE fan of chocolate and I pretty much always have dark chocolate chips on hand to curb my "occasional" sweet cravings. I knew this would pair perfectly with the sweet and rich flavor of coconut. 

I like the pairing of dark chocolate with toasted coconut. So I measured out 1/2 cup of coconut and placed it in a pain heated to medium. Watch the coconut closely while constantly stirring to prevent it from burning. Once it is lightly brown, remove from heat. 

I recommend dividing your freshly popped popcorn into 4 bowls and equally divide the toasted coconut flakes, sprinkling on top. Divide 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips between the 4 bowls. Melt 1/4 cup of the dark chocolate chips, melt and drizzle the chocolate over the 4 bowls. 

Yummmmmm!

The next surprise from the kitchen is a simple one, but involves my most favorite dried fruit:  golden raisins. All you need is 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped and 1/4 cup of golden raisins. Divide your freshly popped corn into 4 bowls and equally distribute the pistachios and golden raisins. Enjoy!

Drum roll please.........For the grand finally of my pantry popcorn party, this is hands down my favorite. Summer would not be summer without basil and tomatoes in mouth-watering caprese fashion.

Popcorn does not need to be limited to shelf stable add-ins, fresh and full of flavor toppings can really compliment the crunch of popcorn. All you need is 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan, 1/2 cup of ribboned fresh basil leaves, 1/3 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. 

For this creation, I like to place the 1/2 the freshly popped popcorn on a large plate for sharing. The first layer I top with half of all the toppings. Then I top that with the rest of the popcorn and repeat. I recommend making sure the popcorn is nice and warm so the cheese melts, and the heat warms the basil and tomatoes to intensify the flavor. 

Your welcome!

At your next get-together, consider forgoing the potato chips, brownies and cupcakes.  Take a "shopping" trip around your kitchen and see what flavorful, healthy, satisfying and 

posh treats you can create for your guests with my longtime favorite summertime snack:  popcorn. 

AE

Derby Day, Mother's Day, School Days, TV Day = Joyful Days

I have been slacking on my weeks in review, so I wanted to make sure I shared with you all the fabulous joys in my life the past few week with some pretty kick ass people. 

May not only brings warmer weather but gets me extremely excited for the earth to transition completely out of the dismal "brown town" into lusciously green. Weeee! It also started out with our 4th Annual Derby Party!  

It is so fun to get dressed up and hang out with some of my favorite people. This year I guess black and polka dots were what the ladies fashioned (with absolutely no planning whatsoever). 

And the boys donning some interesting attire, especially Justin who went all out!  We couldn't find him a piano to play though. 

Love our guys in seersucker and bow ties  (and polka dots, they secretly got the memo too!)

A little Prosecco, a few mint juleps, a lot of laughs and another fantastic party in the books. We are planning an actual Derby trip, so hopefully our 5th annual is in Kentucky! 

Quite quickly after our Derby fun was Mother's Day fun. My presence was graced with 3 beautiful ladies: my Mom, Gramma and cousin Christine. 

   

When I moved to Waukee, my parents gave me my Grandma Jose's china and I thought it was nice to include her in our day, along with the soft powdery smells of pale pink roses. 

A pretty tablescape on top of a lacey tablecloth my parents got for their wedding. Classic pieces full of love, sweet components of the sweet little lunch we had that ended in banana cream pie. Unfortunately, not even close to Grandma Jose homemade banana cream, but still a fitting ending to our meal.

The middle of my week brought a few great endings to a couple of schools I work with. Wayne Community Schools in Corydon, Iowa were presented with being a Healthy US School by the Iowa Department of Education and the USDA. Kelley Lavely and her Food Service staff have such an inspirational passion for keeping kids healthy and providing them amazing school breakfast and lunches. Congratulations to them and I feel lucky to have been a part of it! 

It was also the last week of Pick A Better Snack for Wright Elementary in Des Moines, Iowa for this school year. There are many days I wonder if my work as a dietitian is making and impact and then I get these. Handwritten thank yous from the kiddos with many confirmations of things they learned with me over the past year (insert nerdy but excited dietitian dance). 

To top off my joys, I ended the week with Sunday Funday a little TV segment on KCCI discussing the worlds most favorite fruit and our Dietitian Pick of the Month: Mangos. It sure is an early Sunday, but I enjoy each segment to share delicious food with those on set and those watching. 

My jar of joy is filling up quickly...

AE

Malignant Melanoma: A Dietitian Fighting Skin Cancer with Food

I wanted to share this blog post from the archives of 2015 for a friendly remind to take care of your skin!  Today is #MelanomaMonday and if I could tell you all one important thing is to stay away from tanning beds and please use sunscreen!  It has been a little over a year since I was diagnosed and I am looking forward to a healthy check-up in a couple weeks! Your skin is your largest organ and deserves a little love. AE

May is National Melanoma and Skin Cancer awareness month, with May 4 being Melanoma Monday. Right now, that might not mean anything to you. Up until 4 months ago, it did not mean anything to me either. Last December, I noticed a very dark mole, about the size of a sesame seed on my right thigh.

It was not bleeding, it was not an odd shape, it was just really dark. I decided to see my favorite dermatologist (Thank you Dr. Papenfuss and http://www.midwestderm.com/) and had it removed. About 3 weeks later, I received a call from my doctor's office. That small mole, that itty bitty mole, was malignant melanoma. Never in my wildest dreams did I think skin cancer, let along malignant melanoma, would happen to me. This is just not any kind of skin cancer; malignant melanoma is the type of skin cancer that can travel to many other parts of your body and cause other types of cancer. I also was completely shocked how a mole the size of a sesame seed turned into this much skin being removed.  

According to the National Skin Cancer Foundation http://www.skincancer.org/, Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. It occurs when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells (most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds) triggers mutations, or genetic defects, that lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors.”

Did you know skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States with more two million people are diagnosed annually? That translates to 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their life. Each year, there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. Malignant Melanoma is one of the most aggressive and deadliest forms of skin cancer, resulting in over 75% of all skin cancer deaths.

 

During the summer, you probably stock up on sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and cover-ups to protect your skin from the sun. But did you know another way to battle the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays can be found right in the produce aisle of your supermarket?

As it turns out, watermelon as well as ruby red grapefruit and cooked tomatoes are all rich in lycopene. This powerful antioxidant found in reddish-colored fruits tends to act as a natural sunscreen of an SPF of 3 or 4 from the inside-out. It actually protects skin cells from the sun’s burning rays which can lead to premature aging and even skin cancer, and lycopene replenishes skin cells as well. In addition, lycopene helps your skin act as a natural filter, allowing enough sunlight through for your body to produce vitamin D.

Besides helping to prevent sunburns, lycopene can also help prevent wrinkles, by strengthening the elasticity of skin tissues while keeping them from losing their tension.

To increase lycopene absorption from food, I always recommend serving it with a bit of oil such as salad dressing or olive oil. My other favorite picks for lycopene include cooked tomato products, such as tomato soup, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce and canned tomato sauce. With any canned or jarred product, aim for 5% of the daily value (DV) or less for sodium content per serving or choose a no-sodium-added option.

As for me, I luckily found my malignant melanoma early enough to be treated with surgery. This last picture is what my excision looks like now, 3 months after my surgery. Along with skin checks every six months, I have promised myself to take better care of my skin by wearing at least 30 SPF sunscreen at all times (I am always open for sunscreen suggestions because I will be using a lot of it!), staying out of the tanning bed and increasing my consumption of lycopene-rich foods to help keep my skin cells plump and happy. I hope you do too.