Planning and Dining Out

http://www.healthination.com/kitchen-tips/
cooking-tips/cooking-beans-tip/

I often hear from patients planning, shopping and cooking is too time consuming. I also get the excuse that eating healthy is too expensive. Instead, many choose to go out, grab food and bring it home, or purchase already processed unhealthy frozen meals from the grocery store. 

Plan
As you'd expect from a dietitian, I truly believe eating healthy can actually save both time and money. Its all in the planning. By taking an hour or so to plan a weeks worth of meals, you'll save several hours of shopping and prep. I begin by looking through recipes I've saved online and through some of my favorite cookbooks. You can search specifically for recipes that have 5 ingredients or less, or that only take 30 minutes to prepare. By searching for specific qualities in a recipe, you can cut cost and time. A quick Google search for “5 ingredient recipes” came back with thousands of hits. The first two websites in the list turned out to be ones I frequent, allrecipes.com and cookinglight.com. A Google search for "30 minute meals" came back with recipes from Rachel Ray. In fact, she had an entire TV show on 30 minute meals. 

http://thecouponproject.com

Searching for ingredient-specific meals can also help save money and food waste. Check sales at the store or better yet, fresh markets. Fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season tend to be cheaper. But, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables on sale are also healthy options.

When planning meals I keep two lists. One for the grocery store with all ingredients needed and the second is a list of the meal I'm preparing on a particular day and where the recipe is located (ex: website or cookbook page). 

I like to search for recipes that will use similar ingredients. If I only need 2 cups of chicken stock for one dish, and 2 cups of vegetable broth for another, I just buy a quart of one broth, and use the whole container that week. If I need 1/2 cup of onion for a recipe, which ends up being about 1/2 an onion, I will pick another recipe that also calls for 1/2 cup of onion to use the whole onion that week. 

http://www.whatlisacooks.com/

Another tip is to check how many people a recipe feeds. Sometimes I double a recipe in order to have leftovers for lunch. Or, if it serves 6-8 people, then I know I have to cut it in half, or I will be eating the same lunch for a week! For weight loss surgery patients, you can expect one serving to serve you two to three times. It is good to keep this in mind and adjust accordingly when choosing a recipe that serves a lot of people. 

To get a variety in my diet, I try to include at least one vegetarian dish, one chicken, one fish, and one pork dish a week. I also look at my weekly schedule and take into consideration the days I work late. Often on those days, I'll make something using a slow cooker so my meal is ready to eat when I get home.  

Prepare

After you've planned the meals, and made your grocery list, the next step is to head the grocery store. Make sure you've eaten something before going into the store. Shopping on an empty stomach isn't good as impulse buys tend to be unhealthy, and jack up the cost.  

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Once at home, take your time saving game plan to the next level. If many of your meals contain vegetables needing to be chopped, it's a good practice to chop all of the vegetables for the week. This way, they are ready to pull out of the refrigerator when it is time to cook. This will reduce the amount of dishwashing during the week. You can also pre-cook or marinate meats such as chicken or pork. When it is meal time, simply pull them out, re-heat, and enjoy. 

It's all in the planning. By thinking ahead, you are ready for the week. No more standing in front of the refrigerator thinking about what to cook. Check your meal plan list, pull out the appropriate pre-chopped veggies along with the other ingredients, start cooking, and enjoy your evening. 

Dining Out

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chubbys-mexican-restaurant-menu/

Just because I'm a dietitian doesn't mean I'm not realistic. I understand everyone goes out to eat. But, going out to eat doesn’t mean we have to make unhealthy choices. There are many tricks to picking healthy foods on the menu.

Once you've decided where you are going, I recommend you take a look at the menu before arriving. Many popular chain restaurant provide their menu’s nutrition information online. Things to look for are sodium, saturated fat, protein, and sugar. Keep your sugar intake as low as possible, less than 10 grams per serving, and try for 20-30 grams of protein at each meal. 

www.verywell.com/what-is-
low-in-saturated-fat-697746

Fat from saturated fat should generally be avoided. High saturated fat intake has been associated with less blood sugar control and higher cholesterol levels. But, if there is a small amount of fat, it may be an okay choice.  Foods that provide healthy fats are avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, and vegetables oils.

The Calorie King app can be very helpful, allowing you to search tons of restaurants and food items right on your phone. The app lets you compare choices side by side. The safest plan is to decide on your order before arriving at the restaurant. If you walk in prepared, you won't have to open the menu, which is exactly what they want you to do. Many of us are enticed by the yummy pictures in menus, or tempted by what others around us have ordered. When we go in with a plan, we are better at sticking to it. 

download Calorie King

If you do not have access to nutrition information before going into the restaurant, there are still smart choices that can be made. Try ordering salads with a light dressing such as a vinaigrette. Ask for it on the side, and dip your salad rather that having it smothered. This will keep the lettuce from wilting so you can to take it home. You can also request the extras on the salad, such as cheese and croutons, to be left off. Watch sauces added to meats, they can have a ton of sugar (Honey BBQ sauce) or fat (Buffalo Sauce) in them, and should be asked for on the side or to be eliminated altogether. Also, see if there is an option for healthy substitutions. At Red Robin restaurants, fries can be substituted for unlimited broccoli! Try to replace any french fries, potatoes, or corn with less starchy options such as vegetables or a side salad. Finally, think about how the food was cooked. Some cooking methods add less fat than others. Choose foods that have been steamed, broiled, baked or grilled rather than fried, sautéed, described as “crispy” or “rich.”

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Portion sizes at restaurants tend to be much too large for weight loss surgery patients. Ask for a to-go box once the food has arrived. Measure out only what you can eat in one sitting (4-8 oz) and put the rest away. Cut all foods into small bites, and set your fork down in between each bite. This will help you slow down in order for you to feel when your stomach is satisfied rather than overly full. By following these steps, you can enjoy the company and conversation of friends and family without having to worry about over-eating. 

Sticking to a healthy diet long term can be difficult. With the right amount of time set aside for planning and preparation, we can save time, money, and our waistlines. 

Recipe Corner

Orange Pork Chops

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

3 navel oranges

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 boneless top loin pork chops, fat trimmed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water

chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Cut and peel oranges. Hold oranges over bowl to catch any juice, cut between membranes to remove sections. 

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over each side of pork loin. Brown pork well, about 4 minutes per side. Top with oranges sections and any juices from bowl. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. 

3. While pork cooks, whisk orange juice, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Remove pork and oranges from heat, transfer to a plate and cover with foil to let them rest and keep warm. 

4. Add orange juice mixture to liquid in pan and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened, a minute or so. Pour over pork or use as a dipping sauce. 

Calories: 359 Fat: 9 g Carbs: 41 g Protein: 41 g

I love this recipe. It's quick, easy, and only uses one pan. The orange slices are a great side dish to the pork. Oranges are super cheap when in season or grow right in your back yard here in southern California. 

http://www.familycircle.com/recipe/pork/orange-pork-chops/

Tarragon Chicken

Serves: 4

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup nonfat unflavored Greek Yogurt

2 tablespoons honey mustard (sub 1.5 teaspoons dijon mustard and .5 teaspoon honey)

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Directions:

1. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, heat skillet over medium high heat. 

2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side, or until done. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to let it rest and keep warm. 

3. Stir yogurt, mustard, and tarragon into the pan over medium heat until warmed through. 

4. Spoon over chicken and enjoy. 

Calories: 170, Fat 3.1g, Carbs: 4.2 g, Protein: 28 g

This is a simple recipe that doesn't require much skill or many ingredients. Make enough to take to lunch the next day. Serve with a side of microwavable steamed broccoli or a fresh side salad. 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tarragon-chicken

Shrimp with Artichokes

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound large peeled, deveined shrimp (save money, buy frozen)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon paprika

1 (13.75 oz) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered

4 plum tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent, about 3 minutes. 

2. Stir in the paprika and cook for a minute. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and parsley. Cook until the vegetables are hot, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt to taste. 

3. Spoon shrimp over cauliflower rice and enjoy. 

Artichokes are in season during the summer. If you are up to it, buy them fresh instead of canned. Other summer produce include tomatoes, greens, berries, apricots, nectarines, and corn. 

http://recipes.latimes.com/recipe-shrimp-with-artichokes/