back in cinci

It was refreshing to sleep in until 10 AM this morning! Woah, baby. I couldn't believe I actually slept in. I woke up to this in the fridge...

heaven.

Breakfast = Chobani Pomegranate and homemade granola.

This was my first taste of Pomegranate. Excellent! I think it may be the best flavor so far.

I got my new drivers license (yes, I lost my wallet while in Chicago). Can someone please tell me why they must take that picture so close to your face? My old picture was pleasantly far away... this one is a bit too close for comfort.

My mom and I headed up to the outlet malls for awesome sales on work, interview, and "Chicago" clothes. (Chicago clothes are defined as anything that can be layered or worn in the frigid cold) It was a successful afternoon.

Alessi Dinner

roasted garlic and lemon chicken

steamed broccoli

roasted root vegetable medley

(carrots, parsnips, and onion)

parsnips - my mom introduced me to this white, root vegetable tonight. It is very similar to a carrot. We debated their nutritional value due to their lack of color. Being the nutrition nerd that I am, I did my research to find they are full of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. The main nutrient difference between carrots and parsnips is the lack of beta carotene in parsnips. (Beta carotene gives carrots their color). Roasted parsnips = 2 thumbs up.

HAPPY FRIDAY

We made it through the second week of food service! Only 3 more to go...

ALMOST MARCH!

Posters for National Nutrition Month are made, flyers complete, details ironed out, healthy menu items chosen, and stress level on the decline.

Interns are having lots of fun in the office...

Dana on her Macbaby.

j&j parted ways today to be with our families for the weekend. We agreed that a break was much needed.

I'm sure my weekend (Julie) will be full of lots of food. Nothing like coming home to an Italian family who shows their love through cooking. The first question ALWAYS asked when Tom or I come home - "Okay what do you want on the menu?"

And nothing says love like Jo's big Baptist family, celebrating Pastor Brandon's anniversary with the church. CONGRATS!!

Keep you posted with our weekend adventures

What's the Story Morning Glory

Without my car, I've been looking for ways to entertain myself at home. Unfortunately, my existing propensity for baking has brought me to the kitchen. Last night I walked into Julie's room and declared I was making muffins. Her response was a smirk and an, "Ohhhh boy, here we go."

Morning Glory muffins (adapted for my pantry)

1 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C white sugar
2 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
2 C shredded carrot (last night I vowed to keep big carrots on hand, lest I lose a finger!)
1 C crushed pineapple
1/2 C crushed unsweetened coconut
3 eggs
1/4 C canola oil
1 carton Yoplait apple pie light yogurt
2 t vanilla (or almond) extract
* I sprinkled muffins with oats and sunflower seed before baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grate Carrots and set aside. Mix dry Ingredients in medium mixing bowl and add carrot. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl. Stir wet mixture into dry JUST UNTIL MOISTENED. Scoop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake about 20 minutes.

Unconditional

Last weekend began a new chapter in humility for me. It was a beautiful day and I had not a care in the world as I drove to meet friends for 'Mardi Crawl' on Shem Creek. Although I was not on my phone, applying mascara, or fiddling with the radio, I WAS driving on auto-piolet. And so it happened, at a red light I rear-ended two brothers who I would later learn live on the floor above me. It was harder than anticipated to watch Ovlov, my trusty Volvo of 6 years towed away, bleeding radiator fluid and sputtering steam. Calling my dad was, perhaps even more difficult than expected. My confession of carlesness was met with consolation and concern for my saftey. The unconditional love of a parent is beyond me. I don't understand it, but hope one day I can love another person in such a way.

Now, I find myelf lacking in the transportation department. I have been forced to forgoe my spur of the moment trips to Publix, the bank, or the gym, and am relying completly on the generosity of my friends to cart be to and fro. Admittedly, after a mere 4 days I am going a bit stir crazy. But, it is probably good for me to learn a lesson in the frivolous way I guzzle gas as well as the way I take for granted the privlidges of life, like a car and independence. But as my dad said, "It's still no fun!"

exhaustion.

j&j continues on in food service. In order to become "acquainted" with kitchen procedures in the front of the house, the interns spent yesterday serving lunch to customers in our beautiful, brand new cafeteria. Lets just say I was not thrilled to be serving rather attractive doctors in my hairnet and scrubs.

But you should want a man who loves you just as much in a hairnet, right?!

The list of things to-do is never ending and I think I (Julie) am literally driving myself crazy trying to do it all. Considering I can count the hours of sleep I've received in the past few days on two hands, I decided to take it easy last night. My friend, Anna, and I layed on her couch, did light work on our computers, ordered in Mellow Mushroom, and watched LOST. Everything about the night was great - the company, my Brutus salad, and LOST.

Oh and Anna sent me home with peppermint stick bark....

guilty of too many pieces!

p.s - happy birthday miss erica j kaiser. wish i was in chicago celebrating with you. can't wait to see you next month!

National Banana Bread Day

Today is National Banana Bread Day. This is the perfect day to post Kate's Banana Bread recipe. Ever since we were freshman in college, Mrs. Clarisey (my best friend Lolly's mom), would send us loaves of banana bread. It was always a joy to open the fridge to find her delectable and healthy banana bread with package of cream cheese awaiting our hungry belly's.

Kate's Banana Bread with lime glaze

2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter (I use Smart Balance with great results)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 tsp vanilla
*Half cup fresh or frozen cranberries chopped (optional) Any nuts would be good also

Glaze
1/2 cup powered sugar
1 1/2 T fresh lime juice (or lemon)

Combine flour, baking soda, salt whisk in a separate bowl
Beat sugar and butter in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time beating well (Cream)

Add banana, vanilla, yogurt. Fold in flour mixture until just moist.

Add cranberries or blueberries. (antioxidants)

Pour into 9x5 loaf pan greased. Bake 350 degrees for about an hour.

Cool and remove from pan

Combine powdered sugar and citrus juice and drizzle.

Can be made in muffin tins - bake about 20 min.

bbq tuna-slaw

Tuna is not a staple item in the Alessi household. Growing up, I rarely remember ever seeing a tuna can. It is something I grew to enjoy as I learned about the nutrition it provides. I would like to attribute my love for a good Starkist can of tuna to the fact that it is cheap, easily combined with an array of vegetables, has a long expiration date, and is packed full of protein.

My latest tuna "recipe" has become a hit. Each time it is packed in my lunch, an intern peeks her head over and says... "oh wow that looks good"

Montgomery Inn Tuna-slaw

1 can chunk light in water tuna

2 T Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce (maybe sometimes a bit more...)

Broccoli Slaw

*Montgomery Inn is my favorite Cincinnati restaurant. My mom knows to ship me bottles of their sauce every few months. I marinate it on everything.

Mix together and portion into containers for lunch.

It's satisfying to pair vegetables with tuna (protein source). The broccoli slaw is low calorie and gives a great crunch.

This salad is also very economical.

3 can pack of tuna $2.99

+ broccoli slaw (on sale) $1.00

It makes 3 tuna slaw salads

a long monday

One week until National Nutrition Month

This was the flyer I designed for MUSC's website and to be displayed throughout the hospital.

I love creating these posters on my Mac...

maybe this is why it never leaves my lap.

Jo and I had a very long day of class. We started out this morning with an awesome lecture from a sports dietitian, Charlotte Kilburn. Then research lectures... meetings... gardening lectures... and projects all evening. Oh, it has been a long Monday.

It's time to talk about it.

Today starts the beginning of "National Eating Disorders" week. As soon-to-be dietitians, Jo and I spent a great deal of time learning about this disease and have seen it first hand in the hospital. A textbook can only teach so much. It is a complicated disease that manifests itself as a life threatening addiction.

Eating disorders are hard to diagnosis and even harder to understand. What may begin as a simple "diet" can escalade into years of sickness. This often hidden disease ruins the lives of millions of girls and takes an equal toll on their loved ones.

With the media's portrayal of the "ideal" rail thin body, it is easy to rationalize and deny there is a problem. There is not much you can do for someone suffering from an ED. Be there for them, support and love them, differentiate between who they are and the disease they are fighting, don't ignore the problem, and remember it's time to talk about it.

You may just save a life.

Life Updates

j&j survived our first week of our food service rotation. Each day we are assigned a detailed agenda of tasks, projects, and competencies. The days are extremely busy.

Over the next 5 weeks, our performance improvement (PI) project will be designing and implementing a plan to promote "Heart Healthy" items in our brand new cafeteria. We will be redesigning the MUSC nutrition website, advertising, strategizing ways to increase the sales of healthy items, and comparing sales at the end of the month. I am SO excited.

This PI project ties in nicely with NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH. This is my manager project. I am in charge of organizing the month's promotion and events. It is a rather large project and I am thankfully to have the three other food service interns for constant support to ease my stress... Because I think I almost had a mental breakdown at our first meeting on Tuesday morning. But after a week of planning, I am confident this month will be a success.

Friday was spent crafting posters and banners to promote the month's event. I was designated official banner writer. I would like to thank Ursuline Academy for my good handwriting... if it is one thing UA girls are known for - it's their handwriting and 50 pack of markers.

Creative Guacamole

Last night I went to my friend Lindsay's for wine and appetizers with some of her college roommates. Lindsay has been a best friend through grade school and high school. She went off to College of Charleston but we kept our friendship strong. It is a blessing to have Lindsay in Charleston, allowing me to meet tons of new people!

This is one of Lindsay's favorite dips.

All of us loved it... so it made its way to the blog.

Creative way to make guacamole...

Pear and Grape Guacamole

1 avocado

1/2 pear

small bunch of grapes (halfed)

sea salt

chopped onion

lime juice

jalepeno seeds (for spicyness)

pomegranate seeds

Combine to taste

Mash together

Dip with whole grain Tostito chips

Long Weekend

It has been far too long since my last post! This is due to my weekend of FUN in Chicago. I may live in cities like Cincinnati or Charleston but my heart resides in Chicago. I fell in love with the city a few years ago and it hasn't left my mind since. This weekend was spent with many old college friends and even some new. We went to great bars and restaurants, shopped on Michigan Avenue, cheered on the Blackhawks as they won their hockey game, and I pulled a win in wii bowling. The weekend was a success... minus I have no pictures to show for it. And minus the loss of a wallet, license, and credit card. Yes, I barely made my flight home.

Note to self: Travel with your hospital ID - when all else fails, it will get you on an airplane.

Surprising News...

Charleston got snow! This has not happened in years. I loved this action shot of Jo and could not resist.

j&j

5 weeks of food service rotation. This will surely be our busiest weeks of the internship. A lot of projects, teamwork, patience, and NO COMPLAINING (...) At least Jo and I will be together.

Red cabbage is like rabbits

So, as it turns out red cabbage is incredibly difficult to get rid off. I swear it is multiplying in my produce crisper! Note to self, red cabbage is a good way to stretch a dollar! Anyway, in an effort to cook all my cabbage before it goes bad I've had to get creative. Last night I incorporated it into shrimp and veggie curry. Julie, who is not so fond of curry, was in Chicago this weekend and was spared the smell which overtook our little apartment.





THE recipe:

1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
Red onion to taste, thinly sliced
A few cups of red cabbage, thinly sliced


Saute veggies in olive oil until tender. Add curry powder, minced garlic, salt, cayene pepper or red pepper flakes, and powdered ginger. Cook until fragrant. Add about 1/2 C light coconut milk. Simmer 5-10 minutes. I added boiled shirmp, but you could use chicken or tofu. Serve with rice, flat bread, or as a stand-alone dish.

Power of Food

Julie and I kept up our Sunday night roomie dinners fairly well....for a while! It seems life has a way of getting in the way of your plans. Maybe this is why they say nothing good ever comes easily? I've come to realize relationships, like good food, take time. Meals take planning, shopping, prep time, and cook time. Then you sit down and enjoy the product of your effort. But then you must eat again and the whole process resumes. Likewise, relationships require quality time. Neither just happen. They are intentional.

But, what better way to foster a relationship than over good food and time spent in the kitchen? I've been reminded of this several times lately, so I wanted to share some of the recipes that sparked conversation and invited friends to share life.

Fish Tacos-our most recent roomie dinner

Ingredients: 4 (8 oz) fillets white flaky fish (I used mahi mahi)

2 T canola oil
Salt and pepper
8 (6 in) flour tortillas

Directions: Preheat grill (I used my George Forman). Prepare red cabbage slaw, citrus vinaigrette, and pineapple salsa (recipes below). Brush fillets with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and drizzle with some of the citrus vinaigrette. Let rest 5 minutes, then flake with a fork. Fill each tortilla with some of the mahi, top with red cabbage slaw and pineapple slaw.

Red Cabbage Slaw: Combine all ingredients in bowl, season with salt and pepper.

1/4 C vinegar
1 T sugar
2 T canola oil
1/4 head red cabbage, finely shredded
1 large carrot, cut into fine julienne (this is a skill i do NOT possess)
1/4 C chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper

Citrus Vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend 1 minute.

3/4 C orange juice
1/4 C lime juice
1 C fresh basil leaves
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 T honey
1/2 C canola oil

Pineapple salsa: Preheat oil in skillet. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until onions and peppers are soft.

1 Can pineapple chunks
1/4 C red onion
2 T canola oil
2 Jalapenos, coarsely chopped
1 T honey
2 T vinegar
2 T lime juice
Salt and pepper

Salmon Dill Pesto Phyllo Burgers- By far the best experiment so far. Thanks Dana :)

Ingredients:
1/2 C lightly packed chopped fresh dill weed
1/3 C light olive oik
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1 clove garlic
1/4 C lemon juice
1 T Dijon mustard
2/3 C shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 lb fresh salmon
1 box phyllo dough

Directions:
Heat oven to 400. In food processor, blend dill, oil, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, cheese, salt, and pepper. Remove skin and bones from salmon; rinse fillet and pat dry. Marinate in pesto for several hours, setting aside a small amount for garnish.

Chop fish with knife and fork and then form into patty. Wrap patties in phyllo dough, sealing with a little olive oil. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Cranberry Pinwheels

This blog is compliments of Suzanne (my Mom). I've loved these pinwheeels ever since she made them for my girlfriends and I on my 21st birthday. She made them tonight for an event, so I asked her to take a picture and send the recipe. Try them out!

Cranberry Pinwheels

1 carton (8 ounces) whipped reduced fat cream cheese

1 cup (8 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onions

4 flour tortillas (10 inches)

*In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, feta cheese and onions. Stir in cranberries. Spread about 1/2 cup of mixture over each tortilla and roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Cut into roll ups about 1/2 inch thick.

Quick Updates

j&j - On Monday we had our 3rd week of horticulture education from a Master Gardener. Gardening is an art and we are lucky to learn the in's and out's of from a professional. My family and I dabbled in gardening vegetables this summer - growing zucchini, broccoli, herbs, tomatoes, squash, and red peppers. It was exciting to venture outside each day to see what grew.

jo - John Mayer Concert with some of the interns Tuesday.

julie - in my "senior living" rotation in various nursing homes around the Charleston area. Very sad.

jo - in her dialysis rotation with a dietitian who went through the MUSC internship a few years ago. Once again, very sick population

julie - obsessed with LOST.

jo - continues on with her 1/2 marathon training. go jo!

j&j - due to lack of funding and rationale - no cable for the rest of the year...

charleston - 65 degrees and sunny. who wants to come visit?!

Happy Birthday Tommy Boy

This is a special post dedicated to one of the most important people in my life, my little brother. Growing up, we weren't your typical brother and sister duo... we never fought. Well, except when I would egg him on to the point where he wanted to hit me but knew he couldn't so he would clench his fists so hard his face would turn red. (Hehe)

Until I left for college, the 4 of us shared dinner together at exactly 6 PM every evening as a family. Tom and I always sitting across from each other telling our stories from the day and sitting for at least an extra half an hour after we were finished eating. Now, those cherished dinners are far and few and I miss them everyday.

Although we no longer live a room apart, I feel we are closer than ever. A day is not complete without our numerous BBM's; giving each other pep talks when needed, discussing our stressful days, him commenting on the blog and how he should be referenced more often ... and yes, I now use him for boy advice. He listens and somehow always says what I need to hear. Talking to Tom is one of the best parts of my day.

Maybe I should thank our parents for raising us this way, or maybe I should just take it for what it is.

I am very lucky.

Happy 21st Birthday to my best friend and brother.

Love you.

Holy Guacamole

Only dietetic interns would have a 15 minute lunch conversation about avocados. Yes, it was a heated discussion that racked our very tired brains. What is a serving size? Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Does it have fiber? fat? carbs? WHAT IN THE WORLD IS IT?

This prompted a much needed avocado blog ...

An avocado is technically a fruit that grows from a tree. Although it tastes like a vegetable, the pit in the middle makes it a fruit. They contain

- Protein

- Healthy fats (monounsaturated)

- Essential amino acids

Nutritional Information

I made guacamole this morning, which is one of my favorite dips.

TIP: Make guac yourself! It is so easy...

1 avocado smashed

1 small roma tomato diced

smidge of garlic salt

splash of lime/lemon juice

onion

BREAKFAST - I made egg whites and used guac on the side

8 Super Foods

Every Thursday night, the interns participate in the Healthy Charleston Challenge. This is a 4 month, team weight loss program. Participants are given personal trainers and nutrition education. As dietetic interns, we provide nutritional advice to assigned teams as they adapt to a healthy lifestyle.

Judith, the HCC Registered Dietitian, provides a powerpoint and nutrition class every Thursday night. I LOVED this week's powerpoint so I thought I would share ...

8 SUPER FOODS to consume daily

Spinach -

Loaded with calcium, vitamin k, and iron.

If you are bored of spinach salads, try kale or collards

This lettuce contains more nutrition than other "lighter" colored types like iceberg lettuce.

The brighter the color, the better.

Yogurt -

Yogurt contains all the active cultures and probiotics we need.

CAUTION: This does not include the high calorie, sweet flavored Dannon/Yoplait yogurts. They are packed with added sugar.

BEST: Greek yogurt or kefir yogurt

*I love when my best friends sent me picture messages of their healthy meals. Thank you Embo! Greek Yogurt with berries and granola

Tomatoes -

An Alessi favorite! Tomatoes are packed with lycopene.

As in all fruits and vegetables, the more colorful, the better! Go for the bright cherry tomatoes. They are low in calorie and high in nutrition

Carrots -

Yes, carrots are a great snack.

Have you ever wondered how baby carrots are made? Personally, I never thought about it. I was educated last night... and plan to switch to buying full carrots.

Baby carrots are made from deformed regular carrots. Ever notice how they last forever? They are soaked in water and chlorine. This why baby carrots get white on the outside when they age... the chlorine is moving to the surface.

So buy your carrots whole, dice, and portion in baggies for snacking.

Blueberries -

Antioxidants!

The best sign of a nutritious fruit/vegetable is its color. These berries are packed with color. Raspberries and acai berries are also great alternatives.

Black beans -

High fiber foods which when combined with a heart healthy diet, helps lower cholesterol.

Provides antioxidants.

Jo loves beans! She throws them into stir frys, soups, and rice.

Walnuts

Provides omega 3 fatty acids, healthy fats shown to lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)

A lot of research is being conducted on the health effects of walnuts. A trial was conducted on men to see the effect of replacing calories from chips with calories from nuts. On average, their cholesterol dropped 30 points.

FUN FACT: Did you know HDL (the good cholesterol) cannot be increased from the diet, only increased from exercise....

Oats -

Oh oats, the holy food! I'm fairly certain all dietitians swear by oats. They are a soluble fiber which will help with lowering LDL.

Wonderful way to start your day.

eye on the prize.

As in every phase of life, there comes a breaking point. There must be an equation somewhere that states you can only do so much in a certain amount of time. I am struggling to beat this equation but unfortunately time is winning. My head runs through never ending to-do lists throughout the day. I guess that is the life of an intern. 3 months to go...

j&j updates

jo: in her management rotation. We both agree that management is a difficult rotation because often management is learned best when performed. So Jo is doing a lot of listening ...

julie: in my school food service rotation. Dana and I have been through numerous schools ranging from kindergarden to high school. It was nostalgic to be back in high school.... Being the Catholic, all girl high school, it is still weird for me to be in the halls with them. The boys were very vocal of how excited they were for us to be their new "pretty lunch ladies." Dana and i QUICKLY assured them this was a one time deal. I realized how passionate I am about changing school lunches for the better. Dietitians work through SC to design menus, strategize nutritional ideas, damage control kitchen

jo: enjoyed an evening at Krista's watching a movie after a long day at work. They fell asleep around 8 oclock, mid movie... please refer back to first paragraph of this post.

julie: dana and I attended the South Carolina Sysco food service convention. We entered an enormous assembly room of about 100 food sample stations advertising their products to food service companies. We walked around in awe... sampling, eating, chatting, eating, and more eating. Our amazement must have been apparent because vendors kept asking if we were newbies. It was truly amazing.

yes, good things...

but also hypercaloric intake

homemade pasta

dad, how can we make these shapes?!

classic julie crab picture.

crab FINGERS (not claws)

beautiful

NOT beautiful!

You ate what?!

After enduring 2 parties, a night of babysitting, and the baking of 6 dozen brownies, I toppled off the bandwagon. I ate sweets.

Today was the second intern bake sale. We peddled our "extra in your ordinary" baked goods for all we were worth and at the end of the day had quite a few left overs. It seems the general public is frightened at the prosepect of beets in their cupcakes and zuchini in their brownies. (Although, we did have a few converts!) And so, there I was staring at our leftover treats when I decided to pick up a carrot cake muffin with crumb topping. Delicious. I proceded to try one of each of our other products as well, but that's beside the point.

The point is, it was one day. One slip up. All is not lost. It's tempting in this battle for weight and health to engage in all our nothing thinking. "I already blew it, so I might as well just go all out and REALLY blow it." You know the thought? I'm convinced that mentality leads only to discouragment and a stomachache.

The new plan: Savor the treat, wipe clean the slate, and devise a strategy for future temptation. FYI, research says cravings only last 15 minutes. Ride it out with a book, a walk, or a call to a friend.