Yummy Lentil Stew

I just made a really good recipe...a lentil stew! I started off making one recipe, found another, and then improvised with what I had (as I usually do). In fact, the recipes never turn out the same as the original!! Lentils are great sources of protein, fiber and other nutrients. I also added a ton of veggies, as you will see in the recipe below.

1 onion, diced
3 cups broth (any kind: chicken, beef, or veggie)
1 cup lentils (any kind, rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup bulgur
1 can tomatoes, diced
6 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 whole carrot, grated
3 T. brown sugar
4 oz red wine

In a 3 Qt pan, saute the onion until cooked and slightly browned. Remove, and set aside. Pour in broth, add lentils and bulgur, cook until tender (not too mushy). Add cooked onion and remaining ingredients to pan, and cook until thoroughly heated. Enjoy!

Giant Birthday Cupcake!!

Well, my birthday is next week, and my mom surprised me (in advance) with a HUGE (and I mean GIANT!!) cupcake mold!! One half is the bottom, and other half is the top of the cupcake. And then you can frost the top!! I think I will make a chocolate cake...though we could technically do vanilla for the other half...but my fave is chocolate. After the frosting is added, I will probably add some sprinkles because those are my husband's favorite part.

Now, I bet you are all asking...why is the dietitian making a humongous chocolate cupcake for her birthday...can she do that?? Of course...as I tell my patients...you can eat whatever you want on your birthday...but if your birthday happens 5x/week, well, that is when it becomes a problem.

Answers to Questions

1.) Great question, Livi!! Fruits and vegetables are chock-full of various vitamins and minerals. They are also good sources of fiber, which does help keep you full. If you are still struggling with keeping full, try adding protein with your meals and snacks. You could choose one or two tablespoons of peanut butter, a 2% cheese stick, a hard boiled egg, or even lean lunchmeat. Another option would be to add a small amount of lower fat dip, like a light Ranch dip. If you are including fruits and veggies as a part of your meal, make sure you also have a good source of whole grains (whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, etc). Hope this helps, and keep me posted on your progress!!

2.) Yes, Pat, you can certainly take pictures of food for my blog!! That would be awesome!! But, I may need some help putting them up! :-)

A little about me...

I have been a Registered Dietitian (RD) for about 3 years. I work as a clinical RD at a hospital in Normal, IL. I love visiting with patients and teaching them key nutrition principles that can change their lives. I also see patients in the outpatient setting. There, I discuss important topics like diabetes, diseases of the heart, weight management, food allergies and intolerances, etc. I love meeting a variety of people from all walks of life!

Welcome to my blog!!

So this is a little nerve-racking for me...not really sure what to write... :-) Basically, I love talking about nutrition and healthy eating, so thought it would be fun to see where this goes... Feel free to leave a comment or ask me a question!!