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September 2012                                Issue #15
 
In This Issue
Activity of the Month
Event of the Month
Sports Nutrition Gem
App of the Month
Featured Recipe
 

Activity of the Month: Raking Leaves  

 

Enjoy the fall sunshine with a leaf raking workout!

Raking leaves works your upper body and core muscles while beautifying your lawn. Plus, all you need is a rake and a pair of comfortable, sturdy shoes.

 

Here are a few tips before you get started.

 

#1 Warm up your muscles with a short brisk walk, a few lunges and upper body stretches.

 

#2 Focus on form---Don't reach too far forward to pull too far back. Instead keep upper arms fairly close to body

 

#3 Switch sides frequently to balance out the workout.

 

#4 Remember to bend with your knees not your back when collecting the leaves.

 

#5 Pace yourself. Rake for no more than 1-2 hours at a time.

 

#6 Keep a water bottle close to keep well hydrated.

 

Grab a rake, a couple of friends or family members and rake for the health of it.

 

Event of the Month:   Shell out for Hunger

Now Through October 5th

 

Ivars and NW Harvest are combining efforts to fight hunger and you can help. Now through October 5th, you can receive a free cup of clam chowder when you donate at least 5 nonperishable food products or make a monetary donation. This event is at all Western WA locations except stadiums.

 

Sports Nutrition Gem: 

When Selecting an Energy bar, Timing is Important   

 

Navigating through the energy bar aisle can pose quite a challenge for athletes with so many types, brands and flavors of bars for sale. While no research to date has shown that energy bars are essential for athletes,  they are a convenient & portable source of calories and nutrients.

If you are interested in selecting an energy bar, here are a few tips:

Before exercise, choose bars with a high carbohydrate content ( at least 25g of carbohydrates), little or no fiber and a protein content of less than 10g protein.

After exercise, choose high-carbohydrate bars with some protein. Bars with a 4-to-1 carbohydrates to protein ratio work well to efficiently restock depleted glycogen (storage form of carbohydrates) stores in muscle.

Energy bars have a low water content making them quite dense. To increase their palatability and make them easier to digest, drink plenty of water when consuming an energy bar.

Choose a practice day instead of a game day to try out a new energy bar.

Finally, energy  bars can be quite costly so use them in combination with other "energy" sources including bananas, apples, oranges, graham crackers, yogurt, Fig Newtons, and raisins.

Fuel well to play well! Energy bars may help.
 
App of the Month: Is My Food Safe?  Is My Food Safe App 
Free
Increase your food safety knowledge with the "Is My Food Safe App? This new app is divided into three main sections to address common food safety issues:
 
The "Is it Done Yet?" Tab contains the safe internal cooking temperatures for eggs, beef, chicken, seafood, and more.
  
The "Time to Toss?" Tab provides maximum recommended refrigerator and freezer storage times and handling recommendations for most foods and beverages.
 
The "Is My Kitchen Safe?" Tab consists of a nine question quiz to reinforce key food safety messages.
 
Celebrate Food Safety Month with this app. Reviewing cooking temperatures, food storage lengths, and other important food handling practices can help protect you and your family now and during the upcoming holiday season.
 
Available on iPhone and Android Devices
 
I hope you enjoy this month's Seattle FoodNut newsletter. If you have any questions or comments, please send me an email at amy@seattlefoodnut.com.

Sincerely,
 Amy
Amy Reuter MS, RD
President & Chief Nutrition Officer
Seattle FoodNut
Featured Recipe: Grilled Italian Style Portobello Mushrooms 
  
2 portobello mushrooms
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red pepper, finely diced
2 cups baby spinach & argula mix, stems removed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Prepare the grill. With a spoon, remove the stems and gills of the mushroom caps. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper and garlic and heat for 1 minute. Add the spinach /argula mix and continue sauteing until tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine 1 teaspoon olive oil and lemon juce in a small bowl. With a pastry  brush, brush the mixture on both sides of the mushroom caps. Then place mushrooms stem side down on grill and heat for 5 minutes, flip and heat 5 more minutes.
Spoon 1/2 of the pepper and green mixtures and 1/2 of the tomatoes into each mushroom cap. Sprinkle cheese on top and grill for an additional 3 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Remove from grill and serve.