milk

Tumeric Milk Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries

February 9, 2018 By Diane Boyd

Tumeric Milk Baked Oatmeal is not only heart healthy, it’s a great tasting way to start the day!
Disclosure: By posting this recipe I am entering a contest sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios and am eligle to win prizes. I was not compensated for my time.

It’s no secret, I love pistachios. In recogition of heart month, I’d like to share how I easily consume a daily 1.5 ounce portion of this nut, aka the Fit NutTM, as part of my heart-healthy lifestyle.

First of all, I snack on them by the handful. I highly recommend you do the same; pistachios are one of the lowest calorie and lowest fat snack nuts, earning them the name Skinny Nut TM! In-Shell Pistachios, aka the Mindful NutTM, are my number one choice for snacking. Cracking each shell slows me down and helps me to eat mindfully. One preliminary behavioral study found that participants who consumed in-shell pistachios ate 41 percent fewer calories compared to those who consumed pistachios without the shell. This suggests what’s referred to as the Pistachio Principal: the empty shells may provide a visual cue for portions. BTW, my clients smile when I include them in their meal plans. It’s not surprising pistachios are also the Happy NutTM.

Secondly, I like to use ’em in granola and as toppings on yogurt and breads to add texture, crunch, and a pop of color. Did you know they are aka the colorful NutTM? Pistachios’ green, red-purple hues come from antioxidants. Take note: it’s healthy to add color to your plate, all colors!

Finally, I find great satisfaction by combining them with other good for you foods! Their notes of butter and nuts and rich texture complement a broad range of foods. One of my all time favorite pistachio flavor combos is:

pistachios + oatmeal + tumeric + cranberries

and it just so happens to be the inspiration for this Tumeric Milk Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries.

Tumeric Milk Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries Similar to a bread pudding (total comfort food) this baked oatmeal has a cake like texture. (If you don’t like runny oatmeal, this is your oatmeal opportunity.) At first bite, you’re going to think dessert. That’s ok, but you should know that it’s so nutrient rich, I approve of it as a stand alone breakfast entree. It’s low in fat, low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and a source of whole grains. I served it with tumeric milk to get close to my breakfast protein goal of 20 grams (which also boosted the DV for calcium to 45% based on a 2000 calorie diet).

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the potential health benefits of turmeric. Extensive clinical trials are ongoing examining the efficacy of curcumin (the major component of turmeric) against many human diseases including (but not limited to): diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases, cancer, lupus, and IBD. Poor bioavailability and limited adverse effects are reported as major limitations to the therapeutic usefulness of curcumin. Perhaps one day we will have a deeper understanding of this nutraceutical against human pro-inflammatory diseases. Until then, let’s continue to enjoy its common use as a spice and food coloring agent!

If you’re looking for an energizing breakfast to keep you active throughout the day, this my friends, is your ticket.

Tumeric Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries

Author: Diane Boyd
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 ounces no shell Wonderful roasted and salted pistachios (may substitute no salt)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric + 3/4 teaspoon for tumeric milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 3/4 teaspoon for turmeric milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
4 cups skim milk, divided
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

Preheat overn to 375 degrees F.
Spray a 5 x 7 baking dish with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine dried cranberries, pistachios, oats, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon gound tumeric, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. Spread evenly into baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Mix in one cup milk, honey , vanilla extract, and oil.
Slowly drizzle liquid over the oat mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until oatmeal is firm.
Make turmeric milk by pouring 3 cups skim milk into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon of turmeric and 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Continue to heat and stir for about 3 minutes or until flavors blend.
Serve baked oatmeal in a bowl or mug with warm turmeric milk on top.

Notes

Can be enjoyed both warm and cold. This dish can be made ahead of time and reheated in a warm oven (no higher than 350 degree sF) for about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 427 grams
Calories: 490
Sugar: 48 grams
Sodium: 550 mg
Fat: 14 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 73 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Protein: 19 grams
Cholesterol: 55 grams

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Three Fruit Smoothie

February 12, 2016 By Diane Boyd

One minute is all it takes to make this Three Fruit Smoothie with CocoaVia® Cran-Raspberry supplement packs for your daily dose of cocoa flavanols.

Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the CocoaVia® #HeartMonth campaign as a member of Healthy Aperture Blogger Network. I received samples of CocoaVia® product mentioned in this post and I was compensated for my time.

Call me a preservationist. Call me high maintenance. The upkeep of my body is a priority, but I DON’T mean in a primping kinda way. (I’m the gal who six out of seven days, opts for a ponytail over a self imposed blow-out.) While waxing, polishing and shellacking would probably help make me look more like I have it together, I tend to work things from the inside out. So I invest my time in eating right and exercising daily.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I love muscles. In my post on 10 Reasons Why You Should Care About Muscle Maintenance, I explain it’s not just about being bigger and stronger. More than any other single factor, muscle loss is responsible for the frailty and diminished vitality we associate with old age. But did you know your heart is also a muscle? Yep, and I ‘m just as passionate about preserving my ticker, as I am in preserving my biceps! February is the perfect month to talk about matters of the heart, so today I want to encourage you to give yours little extra TLC everyday with CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement.

It ‘s well documented in the scientific literature that the benefits of chocolate come from the cocoa flavanols. The published research shows that beginning about 200 mg, cocoa flavanols can begin to have a positive effects on the vasculuar system. Here’s what you need to know: CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement delivers the highest concentration of cocoa flavanols (375 mg of cocoa flavanols per serving of CocoaVia® supplement) which are scientifically proven to promote a healthy heart by supporting healthy blood flow.†

The cocoa flavanols in CocoaVia® are backed by two decades of scientific research that suggests these powerful plant-derived nutrients from cocoa beans may play a valuable role in cardiovascular health.

If you’re asking, ‘Why not just eat chocolate?’, you’re asking a good question! Chocolate is a fabulous treat, but it’s not a reliable way to get sufficient quantities of cocoa flavanols. Traditional cocoa processing, which includes drying, fermenting and roasting of beans, destroys many of the flavanols naturally present in the cocoa bean. CocoaVia® supplement isolates the “good stuff” in chocolate in a convenient, versatile form, without all the calories and fat.

It’s a cinch to integrate CocoaVia® products into your healthy lifestyle. Packaged as convenient powdered ‘stick’ packs makes it simple to add one to your favorite beverages or foods everyday. They come in three delicious flavors: Unsweetened Dark Chocolate, Sweetened Dark Chocolate, and Cran-Raspberry. I’m crazy about the dark chocolate flavors mixed with milk or smoothies (like my Banana Cream Pie Smoothie). They’re also good with hot or chilled coffee, oatmeal, and yogurt. Cran-Raspberry mixes well with water, smoothies, yogurt, and iced tea. After my run today, I made this crisp refreshing recovery drink by mixing the Cran- Raspberry CocoaVia® with skim milk and orange juice and serving over ice… It provides fluid, electrolytes, carbohydrates for glycogen replacement, protein for muscle building and repair, and of course, cocoa flavanols to support healthy blood flow.†

Evidence strongly suggests, your health (and ability reduce age related decline) depends on the combination of your genes and your lifestyle. Join me in adding CocoaVia® to your daily routine! To learn more, be sure to check out the website www.cocoavia.com<rel=”nofollow”/a> and find more delicious recipes using CocoaVia® Brand here .

† This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This produce is not intended to diagnose, treat , cure or prevent any disease.

Three Fruit Smoothie

One minute is all it takes to make this Three Fruit Smoothie with CocoaVia® Cran-Raspberry supplement packs for your daily dose of cocoa flavanols.

Author: Diane Boyd
Yield: 1 serving 1x

Ingredients

Scale

ice cubes
1 packet of CocoaVia® Cran-Raspberry supplement
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup orange juice

Instructions

1. Fill a drinking glass with ice. Set aside.

2. In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, combine milk, orange juice and CocoaVia® supplement packet. Stir the drink to blend. Pour over ice and drink immediately.

Farm to Table : The Hatcher Family Dairy Farm + Berry Delicious Smoothie

May 30, 2014 By Diane Boyd

Disclosure: My trip to Tennessee and attendance at a media workshop was fully paid by SUDIA (Southeastern United Dairy Industry Association). I was not expected to write this post. Opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid for writing this post.

Do you support a positive relationship with food? If so, you understand the importance of knowing:

• where food comes from

• what it tastes like

• how it gets from farm to table

• how to enjoy it after you purchase it and how to serve it in healthy and delicious ways to your family and friends

Believe it or not, less than 2% of the U.S. population is involved in farming today and we are 3 to 4 generations removed from the farm. The result is a BIG information gap about modern farming practices.

Last week I had the unique opportunity to visit a family dairy farm in College Grove, Tennessee. So today, I am happy to write about my up close and personal visit to the Hatcher Dairy Farm and provide some insight into how milk gets from the farm to your table plus a recipe for a nutrient rich smoothie made with the goodness of farm fresh milk. I’d like to share this information with you in the context of 3 things about dairy farming that you probably don’t know, but should consider.

1. Dairy farmers are committed to their animals. The seventy cows on the Hatcher dairy farm are family, not inventory. Cows are named, like Tulip (the cutest calf on Earth). Cow comfort is a priority and the Hatcher family provides this by ensuring their animals have a nutritious diet, good veterinary care (2 of the 5 Hatcher dairy farmers are also veterinarians) and healthy and clean living conditions. Note: healthy, happy cows produce more milk; 6 to 8 gallons of milk per day or up to 125 glasses of milk!

2. Dairy farmers are commtted to the land. The Hatchers not only work on their land, they live there too. Responsiblity for the land, air and water makes them good neighbors and pillars of the local community.

3. Dairy farmers are commited to their product. Strict quality controls ensure freshness, purity and great taste. Milk is one of the most regulated beverage in America. The Hatcher Dairy farm has fought hard to remain in existence for 5 generations. One huge step this dairy farm took in 2007 was pasteurizing their own milk. Milk never touches human hands and it takes 2 days or less for the milk to travel from farm to local grocers such as the Whole Foods chain.

Milk is a smart choice for packing more nutrition into every meal and/or snack because it is a nutrient rich food providing 9 essential nutrients: Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin D , Vitamin B12, Riboflavin, Niacin. As a registered dietitian and fitness enthusiast I recommend milk for recovery and I especially like that milk is a delicious and inexpensive way to meet daily protein needs necessary for maintaining or increasing skeletal muscle mass, and improving body composition (increasing skeletal muscle and decreasing body fat). So pour a glass of ice cold milk or enjoy it with fruit as a smoothie in the recipe below .

Farm to Table : The Hatcher Family Dairy Farm + Berry Delicious Smoothie

A delicious smoothie made with berries, banana, yogurt and milk.

Author: Diane Boyd
Yield: 2 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

3 ice cubes
1/2 cup frozen banana slices
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup vanilla low fat yogurt
1 Tablespoon orange juice concentrate
3/4 cup fresh strawberries (or a combination of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
honey to taste (Optional)

Instructions

1.Place ice cubes and frozen banana in blender process to crush ice and break up banana.

2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

3. Pour into cups and enjoy!

Tumeric Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Three Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients

Instructions

Farm to Table : The Hatcher Family Dairy Farm + Berry Delicious Smoothie

Ingredients

Instructions

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