Dairy Inspired Vacation Getaway

Summer is all about vacations and making lasting memories. June has been a whirlwind of crazy cool travels and some amazing friends and food.

 

One of my favorite people and my best friend, Carlena and I had the joy of a girls trip to Florida. You might be asking why in the world would we travel to Florida during the hot summer month of June? Because we love the beach and we love the sun! 

 

While in Florida, we soaked up the rays at New Smyrna Beach and the Siesta Keys. We went on a nighttime bioluminescent kayaking tour and saw the life under the water glow in the dark and made friends with a few Dolphins. One of my "must- dos" in Florida was dine on key lime pie. Key lime pie is one of my top 3 favorite desserts and there was no way I was passing it up on my trip. 

 

Upon my return, I wanted to take my inspiration of the warm and sunny citrus flavors of the key lime and recreate a healthier version of my favorite sweet treat. I was inspired by celebrating my trip and the memories I made with one of my favorite months being June: National Dairy Month. 

Key lime pie is traditionally a lot of sugar, so I wanted to health it up a bit. With the flavor of the fresh key lime juice and the protein packed creaminess of Greek yogurt, I created a key lime pie dip that I can eat when not on vacation. 

 

 

It is refreshing and so easy to do!  All you do is combine the key lime juice, yogurt, marshmallow fluff and fat-free condensed milk and stir. But it must be fresh squeezed key lime juice to get the true flavors you would on vacation. By combining the juice with yogurt, you also get protein and calcium for a healthier and more satisfying treat. Using nutrient-dense dairy foods in recipes boost the nutrition in anything that you make and while I am eating my delicious sweet treat, I want to share with you my "Top-10" Reasons that I love dairy:

 

1.  Dairy foods are full of 9 essential nutrients that I need to get from the food I eat, in a pinch, I always can find milk in any situation, especially at convenience stores.

2.  Yogurt saves me from the hungries as my afternoon snack. The protein keeps me full and focused during a busy day. 

3.  Fat-free milk is my go-to to make my oatmeal creamy and delicious in the morning. 

4.  Cottage cheese mixed with salsa and served with homemade tortilla chips, is the appetizer I take to many events for a healthy and tasty alternative to nacho cheese dip. 

5.  Fat-free chocolate milk is a great way to curb a sweet craving (and trust me, I have them often!)

6. The more cheese the merrier!  I keep a variety of 2% milk cheese sticks in my refrigerator for a perfect portion size of cheese for snacks and for various recipes I make.

7. Yogurt is packed with probiotics that help keep our tummies happy and our immune systems strong. It is one of few foods that has this incredible benefit.

8. I have a secret obsession with marscapone cheese. I use this creamy cheese on fruit and whole grain bread and then sprinkle cinnamon all over this twist on cream cheese.

9. Mozzarella is the cheese I recommend to most of my clients as the healthiest choice of cheese because it is made with part-skim milk and melts amazingly in a variety of recipes.

10.  After I have a morning workout, I start out each day with a protein-packed drink of fat-free milk, spinach, frozen blueberries and whey protein powder. I love it for breakfast!

For other ideas and suggestions for dairy foods, check out some of my fellow dietitians and my favorite dairy farmers share their own ideas for the versatility of dairy:  Dairy Makes Sense Blog. This recipe also shows how versatile dairy foods are. I like to serve the dip with graham crackers (Star Wars character grahams were a must for this dish) or it is also delicious with apple slices. It makes a generous amount so it would be a great dish to take to a weekend barbecue or picnic with family and friends.

 

All You Need:

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (this is around 10-12 key limes)

 

All You Do: 

1. Mix all ingredients together with a whisk and until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Serve with fresh fruit and graham crackers.

 

Cheers to summer; vacations; friends, the deliciousness of dairy, lasting memories and the food that reminds us of it all! 

~Crazy

 

Party it Up with Pork!

                                      

October is National Pork Month and a great time to power up your plate with pork. (I know, there is no pork in this picture, but it is how I start my day. It reminds me to "be inspired"). The high quality of protein in pork may help you feel fuller longer, provide you with an excellent source of many B vitamins for energy and may even help you lose weight.

For a healthy and balanced diet, choose lean cuts of pork. To identify lean cuts of pork at the grocery store, look for the word “loin” on the label, such as pork tenderloin or loin chop. Pork tenderloin is just as lean as a skinless chicken breast. An analysis by the U.S.Department of Agriculture found there are six cuts of pork that are considered either extra lean or lean by labeling standards (less than 10g of fat, 4.5g saturated fat, and 95 mg of cholesterol per serving). These include pork tenderloin, pork boneless top loin chop, pork top loin roast, pork center loin chop, pork sirloin roast and pork rib chop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that the safe end-point for cooking pork is now 145oF(lowered from 160oF). At 145oF, the pork will be a little pink in color, but is safe to eat. Since today’s pork is leaner than ever, the lower cooking temperature results in a juicier, more flavorful meat. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking temperature.

Check out this informative video about pork farmers and the care the put into raising this delicious and healthy protein (oh and it's features your favorite crazy dietitian):

                                 http://youtu.be/8bN1Ta4Nn5M

Pork is a versatile product that can easily be incorporated into all your meals. Try these simple ideas and remember to choose lean cuts of protein:

At breakfast: 

- Make your own healthy breakfast sandwich at home. Start with a light whole wheat English muffin and top with an egg, Canadian bacon (more lean than regular bacon) and low-fat cheese.

- Scramble together eggs, Canadian bacon and veggies and place on a whole wheat tortilla. Serve with your favorite salsa.

- Try Stick-With-You Sunrise Muffins (recipe below).

At lunch:

- Substitute pork for chicken in your favorite homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, or substitute pork for beef in your traditional chilirecipe

- Top romaine lettuce, spinach or kale with thinly sliced pork tenderloin, black beans, pineapple and one of your favorite citrus fruits.

- Fill a whole wheat wrap with lean pork, avocado, red onion and diced green chiles.

At dinner:

- Stir-fry cubed pork loin with your favorite vegetables and serve with quinoa.

- Consider lean pork as a pizza topping; use a whole wheat pizza crust and top with lots of vegetables and 2% shredded cheese.

- Make stuffed peppers using 96%-lean ground pork.

                              

Today I started off with great workout in this snazzy t-shirt and a powerful punch of protein from pork with these simple and delicious muffins:

Stick-With-You Sunrise Muffins

All you need:

•​Hy-Vee olive oil spray

•​6 tablespoons minced green onion

•​9 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper

•​Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

•​12 ounces baby spinach leaves

•​8 large eggs and 4 large egg whites

•​3/4 cup skim milk

•​24 slices Amana Canadian bacon

•​4 ounces grated reduced–fat crumbled feta cheese

All You Do: 

1.​Heat oven to 350 degrees F and arrange rack in middle. Spray muffin pan with olive oil spray.

2.​Spray olive oil in a large frying pan and heat to medium. Add onion and bell pepper; season well with freshly ground black pepper and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until spinach is well wilted, about 2 minutes

3.​In a bowl, scramble eggs and egg whites and mix with skim milk. 

4.​Place 2 Canadian bacon slices in the bottom of each muffin cup to line it and top with vegetable mixture

5.​Divide eggs into muffin cups and divide feta cheese evenly among the cups.

6.​Put muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes.

Easy Tip:  Prepare multiple muffins and keep frozen. Muffins can be easily microwaved for 1-2 minutes to re-heat for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.

Serving size:  2 muffins

Serves:  6

Adapted from the National Pork Board

~Crazy