Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

I got this recipe from Jaime, and Chad and I love its flavor and simplicity. It's not advertised as "healthy" but it's actually quite healthful, especially if you use lean trimmed beef, and pasta made with whole grain or extra fiber. I used New York Strip Steaks, but you could use whatever cut of beef you have. It's especially good if you slice it ahead of time, and marinate it in soy sauce, a little oil, and a dash of onion and garlic powder for at least an hour.
Ingredients
8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil (I subbed vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces sirloin tips, cut crosswise into thin strips
6 tablespoons beef broth
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon oyster sauce (I didn't have this, and it still tasted good)
Instructions
1) Stir the spaghetti into a pot of lightly salted boiling water and cook it according to the package directions. Drain the noodles well, then return them to the pot and toss them with the sesame oil.
2) Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue stirring while the mixture cooks for another 30 seconds. Add the sirloin and cook it, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink.
3) In a small bowl, mix the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and oyster sauce. Add the soy sauce mixture and the pasta to the skillet and continue cooking, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes or until everything is heated through. Serve the lo mein hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Allergy season at my house

Well, this isn't a recipe, but is a topic important to health!

As a chronic allergy sufferer, I have tried my share of allergy remedies: decongestants, antihistamines, teas, cayenne pepper snuff, saline nose rinses, etc. Today I'm enjoying a stuffy nose and sore throat, compliments of the furniture-moving, cleaning, and flying dust that went on yesterday (bi-products of a fruitless attempt to find a lost library book). Anyway, obviously avoiding allergens is key to avoiding allergies. But when you're deathly allergic to dust, yet too lazy to routinely clean house, allergies happen. So here is some advice if you ever find yourself starting to get that "plugged up, post-nasal drip sore throat, on my way to a sinus infection" feeling:

*Drinking lots of fluid is key. If you let your body dry out, your mucus will gum up in your sinuses, and become lodged and prone to infection (so gross).

*If you've been taking antihistamines, stop! Doctors that I've talked to have told me that antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or loratadine (Claritin) will make it harder for your body to clear out the infected mucus (they cause the vessels to constrict, and dry out mucus, so again with the gummed-up effect).

*Take a plain decongestant, something with pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine. Many of these drugs are controlled now (darn meth-heads), so you have to buy them at the pharmacy counter, but it's well worth it.

*Also take an expectorant called guaifenesin (generically marketed at "mucus relief"). This will help thin the mucus and help you to cough it up (again, gross but effective). You might be able to find something that has both a decongestant and expectorant in it. Just make sure there's nothing else thrown in there (my personal favorites are the cough syrups that have both an expectorant AND cough suppressant...sooo, it's supposed to help you cough up the junk but suppress your cough at the same time...stay away from these, they're a waste of money).

*Try other things that will help clear out the sinuses, like hot/warm drinks or soup, spicy food, steam, and nasal flushes (like using a neti pot).

*Do the above, take it easy, obviously try to avoid the allergen, and wait it out. I know for me and many others, if you don't catch the symptoms early, full-blown sinus infections are frequent visitors. Good luck, and stay healthy!

5 Layer Dip Anyone?

So we had an Enrichment Night a few weeks ago and I decided to take some dip. Sometimes I make it for dinner and Adam and I eat about 1/2 of it one night, the other half the next. I also make the same amount, spread between a few smaller containers, and take it to school for lunch. It tastes good cold or hot. It's super easy and fairly healthy. A lot of the ingredients can be substituted for fresh or low/no fat ingredients. I also eliminated the guacamole (because I haven't been able to find any really good stuff) and because avacados are SUPER high in calories.

1 can refried beans (low/no fat available)
½ lb. browned hamburger (drained)
¾ cup water
¼ cup taco seasoning (or lightly cover surface of browned hamburger in skillet)
½ cup salsa (of your choice)
½ cup sour cream (low/nonfat available)
Shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato, chopped
¼ yellow onion, chopped (or about 3 tbsp.)
Tortilla chips

In a skillet, brown 1/2 lb. hamburger. Drain grease. When it is browned, add 3/4 cup water to skillet and ¼ cup taco seasoning. I just sprinkle it right on top of the beef to cover it. Cover with lid and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until water is absorbed. Stir occasionally.
In a 9.5" glass pie dish, spread one can refried beans. Place in microwave and heat for 2 minutes, or until warm. *(You can also add Olive Oil to the beans to make them thinner and more dip-able, and you get your required daily amount of olive oil.)
Spread seasoned hamburger over beans in pie dish.
Lightly cover hamburger with shredded cheese. Wait a few minutes until the cheese has melted a little bit. DO NOT heat the cheese to melt it! This will make it more difficult to spread the sour cream.
Cover cheese with ½ cup sour cream. *(This may get messy, but it all tastes the same. Just make sure the beef and cheese are completely covered.)
Spread ½ cup salsa over sour cream.
Sprinkle shredded or grated cheddar cheese over the top to cover.
Add chopped tomatoes and onions.

If you want to include more fresh ingredients, you can add olives, cilantro, guacamole, etc. to taste. To make it more filling, add 1 cup cooked rice on top of beans, before the hamburger.

Enjoy with tortilla chips! (Sounds silly, but choose strong tortilla chips that are made for scooping. Others break really easily.)

This may be a little less healthy than some other dishes on here, but it can be healthified! And it's yummy and quick. I don't know where to find calorie counters for food dishes since I'm pretty new at this. Any recommendations are welcome!

Green Smoothie

My new sister Heather sent me this recipe in an email:

"Our RS had a Health Nite Enrichment. The sister gave us a taste of her Green Smoothie (it's Spinach, which has tons of nutrients in it). In a blender, put...
1 banana (frozen really makes the texture creamier and stays thick longer)
1 Handful of Spinach (add more if you're feeling super healthy)
Fill blender 1/2 full of OJ (I use Tropicana No Pulp Calcium + Vit D.)Blend till smooth.
I add strawberries to it because Adam says he can taste the spinach otherwise. I have a small blender (enough for one serving), so this recipe is perfect for a breakfast smoothie and I just drink it on my way to class."

I have to try this. I had a wheat grass smoothie once at a food storage activity, but I don't think there was hardly any grass in there at all--there wasn't even a hint of green. Anyway, this is a great healthy recipe, with all the sweetener coming from fruit. I estimate it to come out to about 160-170 calories per serving, assuming you're using 1/2 cup OJ (if you're adding 2-3 strawberries, add about 25 more calories). Who needs a multivitamin when you're having this for breakfast?! Add a little protein powder, and you've got a complete meal! Thanks Heather! You'll have to join as a contributor, and post more in the future.

My Favorite Pregnancy Workout

So congratulations are in order! Since your preggers I thought I'd post my favorite workout. Lisa Hart's Fit Mama! I did this religiously when I was pregnant and I felt great. It's for when you get to the point where your normal workout is uncomfortable. She also has a section on kegels if you're into that. Anyways, I don't really have much advice on healthy stuff... but if I come across something interesting I'll be sure to share. My problem is I never eat a meal. I eat dinner while I'm making it and lunch is usually leftovers from whatever I've made for Johnny. So at the end of the day I don't feel like I've eaten anything when really I've been snacking all day long. But I did come across a bit of advice I've been trying lately. Don't eat anything unless it is on a plate or in a bowl. No eating out of the ice cream carton... ect. So we'll see how that goes.

Anyone?

Um, I know it's been over a month since I've posted. Mostly because I've been ashamed of my eating habits. I've been acting like I've been on vacation. But, hey, I'm not the only author of this blog! Feel free to chime in any time with a post of your own.

My favorite supplements

Growing up, my mom fed us kids vitamins every day, so the habit sort of stuck. Chad's not really into the whole supplement thing, but I'm working on him (he could seriously benefit from some joint pills). Women have special dietary needs that are usually not met by our crummy diets. And when you're pregnant, those needs are even more important. So, here's what I think is hot in the vitamin world right now (and consequently what's in my granny-worthy pill box):

Calcium Citrate: I use the Walmart equivalent of Citracal; this form is much less common on the shelves than its cheaper calcium carbonate cousin (what's in Tums and most bottles that just say "Calcium"). I recently made the switch after my doctor told me that calcium citrate is more easily absorbed by the body, and it doesn't cause constipation like calcium carbonate does (I'll admit, pregnancy bowel issues are not my friend). As always, make sure your calcium supplement also has vitamin D in it, which is essential for absorption.

Folic Acid: If you've ever been pregnant, you probably know that it's recommended you get at least 400mcg of folic acid per day, especially during your first month of pregnancy. Folic acid deficiency has been shown to cause neural tube defects in infants. So, if you think that maybe you might eventually perhaps start trying to get pregnant, start taking this supplement now, since the most crucial window has often passed before you even know you're pregnant.

Omega-3 Fish Oil: Getting your Omega-3's is all the rage lately, but not all fish oils are created equally. The most important elements you're looking for are DHA and EPA, which help with brain growth (this is what they're putting in baby formula to make kids smart). To be effective, you want a supplement where the DHA and EPA content add up to a total of 1000mg. The Nature Made fish oil I was taking said "1000mg" on the front, but the DHA and EPA content only totaled 300mg. Rip off. so, I've ordered a more pure version from Swanson Vitamins, which has good stuff for great prices.

Vitamin C: I don't know if there are benefits to different types of vitamin C. I've heard that you should get the kind with rose hips, but not when you're pregnant or nursing. There are tons of benefits for getting enough vitamin C. It's a no-brainer.

Iron: Getting enough iron is important for all women, and more so when you're pregnant. Apparently it's a key ingredient in making babies. I choose not to take a supplement (see above comment about bowel issues), so I really try to get enough through my diet: meat (liver is by far the most iron-rich meat, but come on; that's gross), enriched cereal, beans, and dark green leafy veggies. Women need 18mg per day (that's more than twice what men need), and pregnant women need 27mg per day. As far as I know, if your mini-wheats say they provide 100% of your daily iron, that should mean it contains 18mg. But, keep in mind that you're body will only absorb a small percentage of that iron (less than 20%), so you're not done with breakfast. Iron is best absorbed in meat form, and along with vitamin C, but absorption suffers when taken with calcium or whole grains (I'm having flash-backs to nursing clinicals and my instructor pointing to my patient's breakfast tray and asking, "Which of these things will interfere with that iron pill?")

Well, I hope I've enlightened you a little. If I've inspired you in any way to jump on the vitamin bandwagon, then I've succeeded. Come on. Everyone's doing it.