Healthy Eating Trends in Restaurant Menus

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Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for CulinarySchools.org. She contacted me to write a guest post and I happily accepted. I asked Bridget to share about healthy eating trends in restaurants drawing from her culinary expertise. Thank you Bridget!!

Restaurant meals aren’t known for being health food. Most restaurant meals are two or three times the proper portion size and are loaded with extra fat, sugar, and salt to make the food taste good and stay fresh. However, with a growing focus on healthier eating, many restaurants have adapted to the demands of the marketplace and are starting to give their menus a healthy makeover.

Here are just a few of the healthy eating trends in restaurant menus you may have already begun to notice:

Lighter Fare Options

Many restaurants have begun to offer their health-conscious consumers more options for lighter fare. This can include smaller portions of popular dishes or lower-fat or lower-calorie versions of those dishes. For example, you might be able to order that pasta alfredo in a half-portion, or simply order a version that’s made with half the fat.

Look for these options under a special section for healthier fare in menus at the restaurants that offer them.

More Natural, Local Ingredients

The local food movement is growing, and the restaurant industry is responding. More and more restaurants are sourcing their ingredients from local farmers, and they are advertising the practice on their menus. There is also a greater focus on using organic ingredients and on eliminating additives and other artificial ingredients from recipes.

Recognition of Food Allergies

Gluten intolerance has gotten a lot of press in the last few years, and more and more restaurants are now either offering more dishes that are gluten-free or are making note of the dishes on the menu that are naturally gluten-free. Other common allergens are beginning to get similar treatment, including allergies or sensitivities to dairy, eggs, shellfish and peanuts.

More “Healthy” Indicators

As many television shows have pointed out again and again, a dish that seems healthy may actually be hiding a lot of calories and fat. There have been countless stories of a popular salad that has more fat and calories than the steak dinner. To help you quickly understand which options are the healthiest on the menu, many restaurants are now including small pictures indicators next to the items, such as a “GF” for gluten-free or a leaf for vegetarian. Other symbols may also denote heart-healthy or low-fat option.

More Nutritional Information

Some restaurants have gone so far as to list the nutritional content right on the menu, including counts for calories, carbohydrates, fat and more. Even fast-food restaurants are getting in on the practice. While it may discourage you from ordering that giant pasta dish or the heaping slice of cheesecake, it will help you to make healthier choices and to only splurge when you intend to (not because you didn’t realize what you were putting into your body).

The healthy trends in restaurant menus are a reflection of a move toward greater health across our society. As we become better informed about the food choices we make and how they affect us, we can start improving our health and the quality of our lives.

What other healthy trends would you like to see reflected on restaurant menus? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for Culinaryschools.org, where recently she’s been researching garde mangers. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Easy Roasted Acorn Squash

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Acorn squash is in season during the Fall and Winter. These babies are quite versatile, a few of my favorite ways to prepare them are to bake and fill them, bake then mash them, or straight up roasted. Okay, I confess, my favorite way to prepare and eat acorn squash is to roast and I even eat the skin because it becomes soft enough to do so and it’s just so good.

Start with one or even two whole acorn squash. Remove the sticker and wash the outside. Scrub with a veggie cleaning brush if you have one. Then break out a really sharp kitchen knife. I encourage you to sharpen your favorite kitchen knife before taking it to the squash, it’s got a tough exterior!

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Start by cutting a little off the bottom, then you have a flat end of the squash. Carefully, cut in half, you may need to rock the knife back and forth to get it into the squash and keep your hands and fingers out of the way. BE very careful! I cannot stress the enough! Once the squash is in half, scoop the seeds out. You can set aside for later and roast the seeds as well. About.com has a great recipe to try.

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Take each half and place cut side down. Use the ridges in the acorn squash as guidelines to cut into wedges like shown. Place on a backing sheet and brush with a high heat oil such as coconut oil or grapeseed oil. Season with your favorite spices, below I used Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, and dried basil. Roast for 35 minutes at 400 degrees or until soft.

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Arrange on a plate and serve!

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Roasted Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

1 or 2 whole acorn squash

1 T. coconut oil

1t. dried basil

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Remove sticker and wash acorn squash.

3. Break out your sharpest kitchen knife and even take a minute to sharpen it, this will make cutting the acorn squash much easier.

4. Carefully, cut the bottom stem off of the squash, this will give you a flat surface.

5. Sit the squash on the now flat bottom and carefully cut in half. Be careful to keep your fingers and hands out of the way.

6. Once the squash is cut in half, scoop the seeds out. You can set aside for later and roast the seeds as well.

7. Take each half and place cut side down. Use the ridges in the acorn squash as guidelines to cut into wedges.

8. Place on a backing sheet and brush with a high heat oil such as coconut oil or grapeseed oil. Season with your favorite spices, such as Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, and dried basil.

9. Roast for 35 minutes at 400 degrees or until soft.

10. Enjoy!

Review: Feel Beautiful With Products From Vitacost.com

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Vitacost.com sent me a few of their new products to review for you. I posted about Earnest Eats and now I’ve got some amazing body care products to share with you!

Healthy eating makes us beautiful on the inside and outside. Allergen friendly lotions and soaps make us feel pretty on the outside too! Winking smile

Disclosure of material connection: Vitacost provided me with free samples of these products to review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.

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Andalou Naturals Clementine Ginger Shower Gel is a glorious shower gel to add to your cleansing routine. It smells just like clementine with a hint of ginger and it lathers easily while rinsing off just as nicely without leaving a soapy film. This is an allergen friendly cleanser, a must for those with sensitive skin, like me. Many commercial cleaners are off limits for me, I typically use Kiss My Face Olive Oil bar soap because it’s ultra gentle and leaves my skin moisturized without irritating it. Andalou Naturals does the same, but it lathers up easier since it’s a gel and smells wonderful, fragranced by natural oils instead of chemicals. It’s also Gluten Free, Cruelty Free, non-GMO, Free of Parabens and Sulfates. It’s important to know that if you need to follow a gluten free diet, your self care products also need to be gluten free. I didn’t know until a few years ago that self care products could contain gluten. Check labels of all products to ensure they are safe for you to use.

As always, please read the ingredients list to ensure you are not allergic to the natural ingredients used to make this product.

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After a refreshing shower, a good lotion can help seal in the moisture – lotion up 2 minutes post bathing on slightly damp skin to lock in moisture. Many lotions on the market are full of chemicals and can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. BWC: Beauty Without Cruelty, is a line of products that is great for sensitive skin, it’s vegan as well as free of parabens and fragrance. It’s also not tested on animals, so it’s ethically produced – a product you can feel good about using!

BWC lotion blends into skin well and is not greasy. Your skin feels moisturized without that greasy, wait to get dressed feeling. I like to use it at night as well to lock in moisture and replenish my skin on especially dry days. On the bottle, there is a recommendation to add 12 drops of your favorite essential oil to 2 ounces of the lotion. I think this is a great idea if you have a favorite essential oil; suggested oils are lavender, sandalwood, rose, or geranium.

As always, please read the ingredients list to ensure you are not allergic to the natural ingredients used to make this product.

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Feeling beautiful on the outside sometimes means freshening up breath when it feels a little stale. If you’ve got fresh parsley or mint leaves to chew those are great options. They are both antibacterial and antimicrobial to freshen breath. I don’t often carry those herbs in my purse so Vitacare is the perfect option!

I stopped using gum regularly since most of them are made with artificial sweeteners and I’ve made a commitment to avoid those. Vitacare uses Xylitol, a more natural sugar alcohol, which has also been proven to prevent cavities. Too much xylitol can cause digestive upset, a few pieces of gum in moderation should not cause an upset. Vitacare gum also has the added benefit of a few vitamins per 2 piece serving: 20%DV of Vitamins A, C, D, E.

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What are your favorite natural products?

Thank you again Vitacost.com, I’m honored you selected me to sample and review these amazing products!

Stress Busting Tips For The Holidays!

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The holidays are a wonderful time of year filled with exciting events, holiday parties, gatherings, family, friends, food and fun! So much going on, it can be overwhelming as much as it is enjoyable. What if you could fully enjoy the holidays and stress less?

Here’s a few of my favorite tips to enjoy this time of the year to the fullest and ditch the stress:

The Freedom of No

As women we care for and nurture others around us. Saying Yes to all that is asked of us, can leave us feeling overloaded and stressed. Saying NO to others is a YES to yourself! Give yourself the time to nourish and care for yourself. In order to continue to enjoy life with those you love, you have to learn to make more careful choices to nourish and sustain yourself.

Nourishing Relationships

Everything we take in is food for our body, mind, and spirit – relationships can either feed us or deplete us. Finding the right balance for ourselves is the key to good health. Think about relationships that nurture you. Compare to the stress related to toxic relationships. Find ways to crowd out toxic relationships.

Have Fun Move More

Increasing daily movement increases serotonin and feel good endorphins. Taking regular walk breaks at work instead of coffee breaks. Add exercise routine to your week: M/W/F/S. Toning up boosts confidence and makes you feel good = lower stress.

  • Zoomba – go to a local class, check out YouTube videos or a DVD
  • Vinyasa Yoga – Breath, flow, and move stress out
  • Brisk Walking or Running
  • Strength Training
  • Exercise Ball or Bosu Ball routines
  • Exercise with a motivated buddy!

Importance of Hydration

About two-thirds of our body is water. Maintaining adequate levels is important for vital body functions, clear thinking, and energy. First signs of dehydration are lightheadedness, muscle cramping, dry mouth. Reach for filtered water instead of coffee, juices, and soda. Spike your filtered water with fresh squeezed lemon, lime, or cucumber slices or make beauty water….Smile

I love this website for it’s recipes: http://blenditandmendit.com/category/bimi-beauty-water/

Crowd Out Foods That Increase Stress

Processed foods, excess sugar, salt, and saturated fats deplete your body of nutrients because your body uses its nutrient stores to break them down. Aim for a ratio of 80/20 – with 80% nutrient dense foods and 20% other.

Limit intake of (crowd out):

  • Processed foods
  • Refined grains
  • Refined sugars
  • Sugar laden beverages: soda, juices, caffeinated beverages
  • Fried foods
  • Saturated fats

Eat More Foods That Decrease Stress

Whole foods: fruit, vegetables (esp. greens), nuts/seeds, lean proteins, healthy fats. Unprocessed in their most natural state, containing high quality nutrients, fiber, and water. Processed foods lack many beneficial elements. Superfoods have high levels of nutrients: leafy greens, kale, collards, swiss chard. Also sea plants and seaweeds: dulse, kelp, nori, kombu

Stress Less About Food

Clean Eating = Consume mostly whole, unprocessed foods, i.e., food in its most natural state. This includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, beans, some dairy, unsaturated vegetable oils. Drink plenty of water, this should be your primary beverage of choice. Eat meals at regular intervals – that means eating every 3-4hrs. Increase intake of fruits and veggies.

Less Stress = Less Inflammation!!

Snack on these Stress Busting Snacks

  1. ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
  2. ¼ or half small avocado with crunchy celery sticks
  3. 1 sliced cucumber with pinch of sea salt and dash of cayenne pepper
  4. Baby carrots with bell pepper strips dipped in ¼ cup hummus
  5. Apple with small handful almonds or walnuts
  6. 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) with 1 T. coconut oil
  7. Small salad drizzled with olive oil and raw apple cider vinegar
  8. Plain Greek yogurt mixed with salsa. Eat with baked tortilla chips or Triscuits
  9. Half whole wheat pita topped with peanut butter and sliced banana
  10. Green smoothie or juice made with leafy greens, fruit, fresh squeezed lemon

Happy Holidays!! Enjoy the season with wonderment and fill up your heart with good times and celebrate Smile

Earnest Eats From Vitacost.com

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Vitacost.com contacted me and asked if I would like to review a few products they recently added to their online catalog. I happily accepted and an honored to share with you my review of the products. I will write a few posts to share my reviews, first up – Earnest Eats!

Disclosure of material connection: Vitacost provided me with free samples of these products to review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.

I received the hot & fit cereal and baked whole food snack bar:

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Earnest Eats makes a variety of hot cereals, bars, and planks (crunchy bars). I’ve been eager to try this brand, it looks so wholesome, like something you would make at home. The Earnest Eats Hot Cereal is perfect for grabbing and taking to the office or even bringing to the airport. All you need to do is add hot water and you’ve got a hot, wholesome meal ready in a few minutes!

Earnest Eat hot & fit ready to eat! Yummy cranberries and pumpkin seeds jazz up standard oats plus added grains amaranth and quinoa thicken it up and boost the nutritional profile. I love my superfood grains amaranth & quinoa!!

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I decided to pump up the protein with my favorite pea protein: Plant Fusion. I had just worked out at the gym so I needed some extra protein for muscle recovery. This was a good grain based breakfast, I like the addition of some dried fruit and nuts to give it a pleasing change in consistency. All you do is add hot water to the cup, stir, and let it stand for a few minutes. You can eat it straight from the cup if you desire, so it’s perfect to grab and take to the office or for traveling.

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Earnest Eats snack bar, this one was dark chocolate espresso. All good things in my book! This bar was dense and moist with a rich chocolate flavor and hint of espresso. A great snack, not too light, it’s got some staying power to it. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend for consumption Smile.

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I hope you check out Earnest Eats for delicious whole food eats!

Thank you again Vitacost.com for the delicious Earnest Eats products to try.