NOVEMBER 2019

Holidays can be a time of

indulgent foods and sweet

treats. While enjoying these

foods is part of a balanced,

healthy diet, keep health on

track this season with these tips

from our Registered Dietitians!

Optimal You

DIETITIANS

BRINGING

STRAIGHT

TO YOU

November 2019

ave you heard the following

statements when gathered

around food; “I know I’ll gain five

pounds this holiday season.” “I

can’t have starches”. “A moment

on the lips, a lifetime on the hips”.

“Avoid that dish, it’s all carbs”. “I’d

have to run 5 miles to work off this

piece of pie”. The holiday season is

upon us, a time to spend with

family, friends, and often, obsess

over food.

Decadent sweet treats, fatty meats

and rich cream sauces may be

present at gatherings, but healthy

eating isn’t about avoidance.

Deprivation and guilt should not be

part of your eating experience.

Unpack the baggage of negative

thoughts we often associate with

celebrations around food, and

instead, focus on adding new

flavors to your favorite dishes.

While avoiding the turkey skin and

limiting your portion of gravy is

advised for heart health, don’t deny

yourself the rich flavors present at

holiday feasts. Focus on having

more this season by increasing the

nutrient density in dishes. Enjoy

decadent mashed potatoes, vibrant

green beans, and rich sweet potato

bakes. The key to healthy eating is

the quest for nutrient quality.

Prepare your mashed potatoes with

Greek yogurt instead of sour cream

then add chives and crushed

rosemary. Try a new cooking

technique with green bean

casserole; blanch fresh green

beans, create a homemade roux

sauce, and top with a mixture of

baked almonds and pan seared

onions. Replace the marshmallow

covered sweet potatoes with

canned pumpkin pureed with

honey and cinnamon. Create a fruit

compote or chutney to upgrade a

sugary cranberry sauce.

To quote Thomas Keller, “A recipe

has no soul, you as the cook must

bring soul to the recipe”. You can

honor your grandmother’s recipes

while adding elements to nurture

a n d c o m p l i m e n t h e a l t h .

Experiment with spices, herbs,

healthy fats, nuts and seeds, and

new vegetables. Make nutrition

quality the heart and soul of your

meals.

Quick Holiday Cooking Tips

• Try cooking pears or apple, then

adding a splash of nutmeg or

balsamic vinegar.

• Add a crust of nuts, herbs,

garlic or lemon to your favorite

lean protein. Seer all sides be-

fore baking in the oven for a

nice outer crust.

• Ramp up your vegetables with

toppings like pomegranate

seeds, spiced walnuts or a

mustard maple vinaigrette.

H

“ COOKING IS LIKE LOVE. IT SHOULD BE ENTERED

INTO WITH ABANDON OR NOT AT ALL. - HARRIET VAN HORNE

”

Diabetes Diets Debunked

November 12th

11:30am—12:30pm

CR 14-1

Registration with Wendy

Brookhouse appreciated,

but not required.

Upcoming!

Get Passionate about Quality Cooking

KABOCHA Also called: Japanese Pumpkin, Kent Pumpkin

Nutty, earthy flavor, with a bit of sweetness and a velvety texture. Closer in flavor

to a sweet potato than pumpkin. Great for roasting, stuffing, and pureeing, or try

simmering in a broth. To cook, cut in half then slice into wedges, removing skin

if desired.

BUTTERNUT With its seeds in the base, butternut is solid squash on the top and is usually

peeled before use. It’s sweet and only slightly nutty, and is perfect for soups,

purees, pie, and roasted to toss in salads or enjoy as a side dish. Try sweet

additions like cinnamon and maple, or savory flavors like chili powder.

CARNIVAL Carnival squash is a hybrid of acorn and sweet dumpling squash. The flesh is

mellow, and sweeter than it’s acorn parent. Substitute wherever a recipe calls

for acorn or butternut squash, trying it in purees, soups, roasted or broiled.

SPAGHETTI One of the larger squashes, it’s pale interior is stringy, almost resembling

spaghetti noodles. They have a mild flavor, and take on the profile of what it’s

cooked with. Try strong flavors like pesto, or tomato sauce with onion, mush-

room and balsamic vinegar.

ACORN Acorn squash is mild and very versatile . The rind is not edible, but helps it keep

its shape when roasting rings for a pleasant aesthetic. The seeds roast well (as

they do with many squash!); save the seeds, wash and toast in the oven for a

healthy snack. Acorn squash is best for baking, stuffing and mashing.

DELICATA This squash is light yellow with green stripes and a thin, edible skin. It doesn’t

store as long as other varieties, but brings a rich, buttery, sweet flavor. It’s quick

cooking, and perfect for roasting in rings, or halves. Try broiling it with olive oil

and pepper until caramelized for a deeper flavor.

GRAIN BOWL FORMULA Grain bowls are an easy way to plan a complete, high fiber meal,

prepare multiple meals at once and experiment with new flavors.

1—1 1/2c

Grains

1—2 c

Vegetables

3—4 oz

Protein

1—3 T

Healthy Fat + + +

Cuisine Grain Vegetable Protein Fat Spices

Mexican Quinoa &

Black Beans

Sautéed

Peppers

& Onions

Blackened

Chicken Avocado

Cumin, Chili

Powder, Garlic,

Lime, Cilantro

Thai Brown Rice Carrots, Snow

Peas, Broccoli,

Shrimp, Eggs, and

or Edamame Peanut Sauce

Ginger, Garlic,

Peanut Butter

Buffalo Brown Rice

Celery, Tomato,

Cauliflower,

Shredded lettuce

Shredded

Chicken

Avocado

Yogurt “Ranch” Buffalo Sauce

Greek Farro &

Garbanzo Beans

Peppers, Tomato,

Cucumber Salmon Pine Nuts

Dill, Lemon,

Garlic, Capers

GRAINS—Quinoa, long grain rice, farro, and bulgur are all great fits for grain bowls. Prepare

whole grains plain and add spices and herbs after cooking to fit your cuisine of choice.

VEGETABLES—Get creative with your vegetables. Try them roasted, pickled, shredded, or stir

fried. Take advantage of frozen options to ease weeknight meal prep.

PROTEIN—Chicken, salmon, egg, edamame, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds are all great pro-

tein choices for grain bowls.

HEALTHY FAT—Unsaturated fats are crucial for health, and flavorful! Ramp up your grain bowl

with vinaigrettes made from olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado.

Make your bowls even more impressive with these tips.

Mexican—Combine 2 cups cooked quinoa with 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed. Add 2 tsp

cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika (smoked paprika for even more flavor) and a scoop or two

of your favorite salsa.

Thai—Make a Peanut Sauce to tap your bowl. Blend 1/2 c creamy peanut butter, 2 T low sodium

soy sauce or coconut aminos, 1 T real maple syrup, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 T lime juice, 1/4

c water. Add more water if needed to thin to desired consistency.

Buffalo—Make buffalo cauliflower for your bowl. Roast cauliflower florets with a bit of olive oil at

400 F for 15 minutes. Stir 2 T melted butter with 2/3c buffalo sauce. Toss with cauliflower and

roast 20—30 more minutes, tossing every ten minutes until crispy.

Greek—Add a Lemon Dill Vinaigrette: 1/2 c olive oil, 3 tsp dried dill, 3 T lemon juice,

BE YOUR OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE.

KNOW YOUR DIABETES RISK.

ssess your diabetes risk with this risk factor quiz

from the American Diabetes Association.

How old are you? _____

< 40 years (0 points)

40—49 years (1 point)

50—59 years (2 points)

> 60 years (3 points)

Are you male or female? _____

Male (1 point)

Female (0 points)

If female, did you have gestational diabetes? _____

Yes (1 point) No (0 points)

Do you have a mother, father, sister

or brother with diabetes? _____

Yes (1 point) No (0 points)

Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure? _____

Yes (1 point) No (0 points)

Are you physically active? _____

Yes (0 points) No (1 point)

What is your weight status? _____

*Calculate your BMI online! Search: “CDC BMI Calculator”

BMI <25 (0 points)

BMI 25— 29.9 (1 point)

BMI 30—40 (2 points)

BMI >40 (3 points)

TOTAL _____

If you scored 5 or higher, you are at increased risk for

diabetes. Changing daily habits for a healthier life now can

delay or prevent the onset of Type II Diabetes.

Schedule your FREE nutrition consult with an Optimal You

Registered Dietitian to discuss your risk factors.

A

AT RISK? JOIN US!

Second Tuesday Nutrition Talk

Diabetes Diets: Debunked

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

11:30 am—12:30 pm

CR 14-1 (near fitness facility)

Dietary advice to manage

blood sugar can be

overwhelming and often

inaccurate. Get the facts on

how, what, why and when

eating can influence diabetes

risk.

Registration appreciated but not required.

Email Wendy.Brookhouse@Amway.com

UPCOMING NUTRITION EVENTS

Second Tuesday Nutrition Talks

Diabetes Diets Debunked

November 12th, 11:30 AM—12:30 PM, CR 14-1

Moving Past “I Should”

December 10th, 11:30 AM—12:30 PM, CR 14-1

NOW IS THE TIME

DID YOU KNOW? All Amway employees, spouses and dependents receive FREE Nutrition Consultations?

WENDY BROOKHOUSE, RDN

Wendy.Brookhouse@Amway.com

SARAH VAN EERDEN, RDN

Sarah.VanEerden@Amway.com

EMAIL THE

OPTIMAL YOU

REGISTERED

DIETITIANS FOR

AN APPOINTMENT

TODAY!