Loud-Mouthed and Hungry: Chronicles and Adventures of a Food-Loving Girl

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New Adventure, New Blog

Hey All! It's been a while...I have been in the midst of graduating and moving on to a new adventure, culinary school in the Big Apple. What does this mean? New adventure, new blog! Look out for the new link, it should appear soon :) 

Cheers!

Cauliflower Prevents Cancer

As we grow older, it is important to make sure we are all getting the important nutrients we need to stay healthy. Cancer is a topic we don't like to talk about too frequently, but it is important to learn which foods can help prevent cancer. Cauliflower is a great example, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli, that contain cancer-preventing phytochemicals. 

Cancer occurs when cells have DNA mutations that cause the cells to replicate uncontrollably resulting in the formation of a tumor. The tumor can either be malignant (cancerous) or benign. Cancer is also able to metastasize and spread throughout the body via the blood. 

Foods that have cancer-prohibiting properties are called anticarcinogens, and contain certain antioxidants and phytochemicals. Important vitamins and minerals include vitamin C, vitamin D, carotenoids, calcium, and selenium. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is important in obtaining all of these nutrients. 

Try this cauliflower dish and do your part in eating healthily to prevent cancer. 

Three-Cheese Balsamic Roasted Cauliflower 
Recipe by: The Cheerful Cook
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
kosher salt 
pepper
1/2 cup freshly shredded three-cheese 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced 

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and grease baking sheet. 
2. Cut cauliflower into similar size pieces. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on baking sheet. 
3. Roast cauliflower for 10-15 minutes or until slightly brown. 
4. Add cheese, vinegar, and garlic and roast another 5-10 minutes. 
5. Top with a little extra cheese, if desired. 

*Source: Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach by Wardlaw, Collene and Smith.

Protein and Fluids for Athletes

This week in nutrition, the focus has been on nutrition as it relates to fitness and sports. Many of us are active on a daily basis, but do we all know which foods and nutrients are essential to maintaining good health? 

A common topic for sports nutrition is protein and fluid intake. Protein sources for an athlete need to be varied. What many athletes don't know, is that most of the daily recommended amount of protein they need is consumed in foods they eat on a daily basis; therefore, protein supplements and powers are usually unnecessary. The RDA of protein for an athlete is usually up to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight; this is more than twice the RDA of protein for regular individuals. Athlete's need to be careful about consuming too much protein. Too much protein in one's diet could lead to kidney stones, calcium loss in urine, and fatigue from not consuming enough carbohydrates. 

Fluid intake is also essential when exercising, and is used to minimize body weight loss. Athletes should aim to replace weight lost in sweat during exercise with fluids after completing a work out. Beverages should be consumed 24 hours before a major event, and throughout an event that lasts more than 30 minutes to prevent dehydration. Fluids should also be consumed within 4-6 hours after exercise: 2 to 3 cups of fluid should be consumed for every pound lost. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, can help with rehydration in exercise. The primary component lost in sweat is water, rather than sugar and carbohydrates. If exercise is more than 60 minutes, sports drinks can have a positive effect on hydration. The carbs in sports drinks provide immediate glucose to muscles that have been depleted of glycogen. The carbs also add a flavor to the beverage, which causes the athlete to drink more to aid in rehydrating. The electrolytes found in sports drinks also help with maintaining blood volume, triggering thirst, and improving the absorption of water and carbs from the intestine. 

These products below are examples of protein supplements and sports drink supplements: 

It is recommended that products such as these be experimented by the athlete before being used in a major athletic event.

*Source: Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach by Wardlaw, Smith and Collene.

Turkey Chili

It's the perfect time of year to snuggle up with a warm bowl of chili. Not only will it be delicious, but you will also be obtaining a significant portion of your iron intake for the day. Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency worldwide, and therefore, it is important to monitor your daily intake of iron to prevent problems such as anemia. 

There are two types of iron: heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron is found in animal tissues in the form of hemoglobin and myoglobin, and can be readily absorbed by the body. Nonheme iron is found in plants, supplements, and non hemoglobin and myoglobin forms in animal tissues. Nonheme iron is not readily absorbed by the body, and as a result, the absorption of nonheme iron is based on the body's needs. 

Iron is an important component in the hemoglobin of red blood cells and the myoglobin in muscle cells. The hemoglobin is important because it transfers oxygen from the lungs to the cells of the body, and carbon dioxide from the cells back to the lungs to be removed. Iron is needed for brain function, immune system functions, liver detoxification, bone collagen synthesis, enzymes, and proteins. The recommended daily amount (RDA) of iron for men is 8 milligrams, while the RDA for women is higher, 18 milligrams. 

Kidney beans and turkey (dark meat) provide sources of iron. Just a cup of kidney beans provides 66% of the iron RDA for men, and 29% of the iron RDA for women. 

Use this turkey chili recipe to help meet all your daily iron needs!

Turkey Chili 

Recipe by: The Cheerful Cook  

Total time: 15 minutes cooking, 2 hours total 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 large green pepper, seeded and diced

1/8 cup chili powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt, divided 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground turkey 

2 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can tomato puree

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes 

Directions 

1. Heat oil in skillet. Add onions and peppers and cook until softened. 

2. Add chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook through using a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes. 

3. Using a medium pot, add turkey mixture, kidney beans, tomato puree, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a light boil on medium-high, and then lower heat to simmer for 45 minutes with lid on. 

4. After 45 minutes, remove lid and simmer for an additional 45 minutes. 

Sources: Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach by Wardlaw, Smith and Collene. 

Orange & Chocolate Parfait

I am a huge fan of greek yogurt for breakfast, especially in the form of a parfait by pairing the yogurt with a favorite cereal and fruit. Now that winter is approaching, and the fresh fruit of summer is gone, you may think that there is no good fruit to pair with your yogurt. But wait!, try the winter flavors of dark chocolate and orange with your greek yogurt (this is so versatile it could be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dessert!).

Not only is greek yogurt low in fat and high in protein, it also is a good source of calcium. Calcium is needed for bone growth and development, and assists with blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Calcium is also used in regulating cellular metabolism, enzymes, hormones, blood pressure, and glucose concentration. In order for calcium to be absorbed well in the body, it is important to also consume vitamin D and lactose.

So for strong bones, continue to eat yogurt and other dairy products! 

Orange & Chocolate Parfait 

Recipe by: The Cheerful Cook

Total time: 10 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients 

1 cup fat-free greek yogurt, plain 

1/2 cup cereal (I used Kashi Go Lean Crunch)

1/2 orange

1/4 cup dark chocolate chip shavings or chips 

Directions 

1. Peel and slice orange into wedges. 

2. Begin layering the parfait with orange slices, yogurt, chocolate, and cereal. Repeat twice. 

*Source: Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach by Wardlaw, Smith and Collene. 

Healthy and Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Having gone to college in the South, I have had my fair share of sweet potato french fries. The idea is genius, a little bit salty and a little bit sweet. But, as we all know, they are still deep fried and full of fat and calories (darn!). I decided to create a recipe for baked sweet potato fries that are also spicy and salty, the triple threat of french fries: spicy, sweet, and salty! 

An added bonus is that sweet potatoes are full of important nutrients such as vitamin A. Half a cup of sweet potato has 106% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A for males and 137% of the RDA for women, wow! Vitamin A is essential in our daily nutrient intake for many body functions. Vitamin A assists in enhancing night blindness, improves our immune system, could prevent cancer, and prevents acne. Vitamin A is also essential in the growth and development of many proteins by binding to DNA receptors to increase protein synthesis. Further, vitamin A helps with the formation of bones and improves the health of the epithelial cells which line many internal and external surfaces of the body, such as the lungs. 

So the next time you are craving fries, skip the fast food restaurant and make these delicious baked fries. You will be cutting out fat and calories, as well as consuming your daily allowance of vitamin A! 

*Sources: Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach by Wardlaw, Smith and Collene. 

Triple Threat Sweet Potato Fries 
Recipe by: The Cheerful Cook 
Total time: 45 minutes 
Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients 
3 medium sweet potatoes, rinsed and cut into wedges
2 tablespoon olive oil 
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder 
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/8 cayenne pepper
kosher salt
pepper 

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly wash potatoes and cut into steak fry wedges. 
2. Mix brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, tumeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and set aside. 
3. Lay potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and half of the brown sugar mixture. Make sure potatoes are coated on both sides. 
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes total, making sure to turn fries over halfway through the cooking process.
5. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture after baking.