Wilmington's Nutrition Expert | Diane Boyd, RD LDN, Sports Nutritionist – Page 8 – Diane Boyd, M.B.A., R.D., L.D.N. Wilmington, NC nutrition counselor specializing in sports nutrition, weight management, and wellness; dianeboydrd@gmail.com, (910) 508-5037, 6019 Oleander Dr., Wilmington, NC

Tumeric Popcorn

February 28, 2018 By Diane Boyd

Popcorn made in a brown bag and seasoned with turmeric makes a low calorie, heart healthy snack that’s also is a serving of whole grains.

Popcorn gets a bad rap. I guess it’s because we associate it with movie theater popcorn that’s loaded with butter and salt. But by itself, popcorn is a heart hero! It’s naturally very low in saturated fat and sodium and high in fiber. One serving is a generous three cups and only 90 calories. Talk about a good snack for weight control, popcorn helps to curb your hunger by filling you up. Here’s another plus, according to a study from Scranton Pennsylvannia , popcorn is packed with antioxidants. Who knew?

Perhaps your thinking, ‘yeah healthy without butter, but how can it be any good’? I hear you! This is where creativity, experimentation and some fun kicks in! Got a favorite flavor or go to spice… pop up some popcorn and add it in. Start by spritzing brown bag popcorn (recipe below) with a cooking spray, lightly salting and seasoning it to suit your taste buds. Inspired by many of your comments in my recent post Tumeric Milk Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries, I used turmeric. I was blown away with not only the taste, but the golden color tumeric gives this snack.

Put popcorn back in your life and enjoy the benefits of a delicious tasting whole grain. Tumeric Air Popped Popcorn

Tumeric Brown Bag Popcorn

Heart healthy Tumeric Brown Bag Popcorn has only 90 calories in a 3 cup serving!

Author: Diane Boyd
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Yield: 1 1x
Category: Snack
Method: Microwave

Ingredients

Scale

1/4 cup popcorn kernels
3 second spray of cooking spray
1/16 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

Place popcorn kernels in a glass baking dish and spray with cooking spray. Pour contents of dish into a brown paper lunch bag and fold the top over twice. Place into microwave oven and use popcorn setting . Should take about 5 mintutes to pop. Pour into serving dish, spray with cooking spray and lightly season with salt and ground tumeric. Toss to coat.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3 cups
Calories: 90
Sugar: 0
Sodium: 130 mg
Fat: 1 gram
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Trans Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 19 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Protein: 3 grams

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Heart Healthy Banana Bread

February 21, 2018 By Diane Boyd

This heart healthy banana bread is not only delicious, it has the benefits of plant stanols, the natural way to reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Bake some bread. It’s February’s Recipe Redux theme! In keeping with my commitment to heart month, I’m baking banana bread with benefits for your ticker. It’s low in saturated fat and sodium, rich in nutrients like potassium and a source of fiber and plant stanols.

For those of you who aren’t yet familiar with plant stanols, let me briefly explain. Plant stanol esters work by reducing the absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract. They are naturally found in many fruits, vegetables and grains, but because these foods have only trace amounts, you would have to consume ridiculous quantities everyday, to see a signficant effect on blood cholesterol (i.e. 12 pounds of broccoli, 29 pounds of carrots and 60 pounds of tomatoes). This challenge has been overcome by fortifying foods with stanols and sterols. New food products, with the added benefit of sterol/stanol esters, may provide a more healthful alternative to high-saturated fat, high-cholesterol products such as butter.

This banana bread was made using one of these relatively new food products with the added benefit of plant stanols (Benecol®) . It’s simple to use because it is a direct substitute for butter or oil in recipes. Enjoying your favorite foods can be good for your heart if you make the proper substitutions.

Heart Healthy Banana Bread

Author: Diane Boyd
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 10 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1/3 cup Benecol
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons skim milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 .5 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons crushed pistachios

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a piece of waxed paper, spread a light layer of Benecol inside a 8″ baking loaf. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Benecol, sugar, eggs, milk and lemon juice.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flours, baking powder,baking soda and spices.
Gently fold in the dry ingredients to the Benecol mixture and add mashed bananas.
Pour batter into prepped baking loaf and sprinkle top with chopped pistachios.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal
Sugar: 17g
Sodium: 117mg
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 37mg

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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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Tumeric Brown Bag Popcorn

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

Heart Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Tumeric Baked Oatmeal with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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