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Eggplant with Toasted Spices
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon light molasses
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
Directions
1. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler. Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.
2. Trim the eggplant and cut lengthwise into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the slices on the rack or broiler pan and grill or broil, turning once, until the eggplant is tender and browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm.
3. In a small bowl, combine the first 7 spices. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Quickly add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, molasses, garlic and vinegar. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the eggplant to a warmed serving dish or individual plates, pour the sauce over, and garnish with the cilantro.
Nutrition Information
per serving:
Calories 117, Sodium 163 mg, Total fat 4 g, Total carbohydrate 19 g, Saturated fat <1 g, Dietary fiber 6 g, Monounsaturated fat 3 g, Protein 3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
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Greetings!
 September is national yoga month. If you haven't tried yoga, or have been away for awhile, why not start up?
The Yoga Health Foundation website has a lot of great resources for finding yoga events near you and even free classes in your area!
See what all the fuss is about and get a good stretch on in September.
Have a healthy week!
-Debra
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| Fake Foods To Avoid |
 High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is found in many processed foods and not just dessert foods as you might expect. In fact, HFCS is found in foods from canned fruit to bread. In addition to HFCS, another class of sweeteners is also found in many processed foods: artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol. Manufacturers use these artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols because they have half or none of the calories of traditional sweeteners but are just as sweet. HFCA, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are all processed. These foods are foods that did not exist throughout the course of human evolution and researchers are interested in the effect these products may be having on our health.
New research from Switzerland is showing us that consuming the large quantities of HFCS, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols that many people do, may not only be affecting our weight, but may be affecting what's going on inside our bodies. Researchers report that eating high amounts of these compounds can cause our gut flora (the good bacteria living in our intestines) to change. As we feed these bacteria more HFCS and chemical sweeteners, they are adapting, and are creating byproducts that may interfere with satiety signals and metabolism.
The byproducts produced by gut flora being fed HFCS, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are short-chain fatty acids, which in moderation are healthful, but when the flora are given too much of these ingredients, they become "too good" at making short chain fatty acids, resulting in a case of "too much of a good thing." These high levels of short chain fatty acids can reduce satiety signals indicating that we're still hungry when we're really not. This means that we reach for more food when our bodies really do not need the calories, and we all know the consequences of taking in more calories than we burn: weight gain.
Bottom Line: HFCS, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are all factory-produced chemicals. Skip the processed foods and choose fruits, vegetables and whole, minimally processed grains, which are best for overall health.
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| Losing Weight Takes Diligence |
 We know that to lose weight we need to pay attention to what we're putting in our mouths. Now new research from the National Cancer Institute, the University of Washington and the University of Minnesota shows that women who want to lose weight should faithfully keep a food journal, avoid skipping meals and avoid eating in restaurants, especially at lunchtime.
The study was based on data from 123 overweight-to-obese, sedentary, Seattle-area women, ages 50 to 75, who were randomly assigned to two arms of a year-long dietary weight-loss intervention study. Participants were assigned to one of two groups, a diet only group and an exercise plus diet group. All of the women in this study were asked to answer a series of questions about their eating habits, including meal patterns, weight management strategies and what foods they ate throughout this year-long study.
At the end of the study, the women were weighed. On average, both groups (diet only and exercise plus diet) lost about 10 percent of their starting body weight. After the data from the questionnaires was analyzed, it was found that women who kept accurate food journals lost six more pounds, on average, than the women who did not keep a food journal; women who did not skip meals lost eight more pounds, on average, than the women who did skip meals, and women who did not dine out for lunch lost five more pounds, on average, than the women who ate lunch out one or more times per week.
Bottom Line: The results of this study do not really come as a surprise. The takeaway message is that weight loss takes planning and diligence. Avoid skipping meals, dine out with less frequency and, very importantly, keep a food journal if you are trying to lose weight. A food journal does not need to be complex, but it does need to be accurate. Recording on paper is as effective as it is simple, and for those who are a little more tech savvy, there are dozens of tracking apps for smart phones and tablets--try one!
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| About Sensible Nutrition |
How is YOUR metabolism?
Ever wonder if your metabolism is keeping you from reaching your weight goals? Let a Sensible Nutrition RD measure YOUR metabolism and tell you the truth! Call 781-741-5483 or send an email to nutritionist@sensiblenutrition.com to schedule your appointment. About Sensible Nutrition Sensible Nutrition is a consulting firm established in 1994 that provides nutrition and fitness services to individuals, universities, corporate wellness programs and nonprofit groups. SN's client list includes the United States Coast Guard, Blue Cross Blue Shield, EMC, Putnam Investments, Corcoran Jennison, Harvard Business School, the Boston Ballet and Children's Hospital. For more information about our corporate wellness services, please check us out at www.wellnessworkdays.com. SN services: One-to-one counseling, fitness counseling and training, group lectures, metabolism measures and more! Let the Sensible Nutrition staff develop a nutrition program to help you finally reach your health and weight goals! Gift certificates are available! Debra Wein, MS, RD, LDN, President and Co-Founder writes a regular nutrition column for the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Performance Training Journal, has been quoted in Family Circle, Muscle & Fitness, Shape, Self, Men's Health, Allure and Prevention and has appeared on Fox 25, Channel 56, Channel 5, New England Cable News and several radio stations. Contact us at www.sensiblenutrition.com or 781-741-5483. |
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