Jerry the Blogger

Mission: Nutrition

Follow Jerry as he starts making healthier nutrition choices using the Balanced Life™ Plan.

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November 02, 2009

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Step Away from the Candy

posted by: Jerry

Halloween has come and gone ... so why is there still a giant bowl of candy left to tempt us?

I don't know what your neighborhood is like, but around here, we just don't get that many trick-or-treaters. Still, every year we buy way more candy than we'll need "just in case." What if there's a giant rush of kids coming to our door and we have nothing to give them? Of course, the rush never comes, and this year was no different. We got maybe 25 trick-or-treaters total, leaving us with a dangerous overflow of goodies.

Also, our 3-year-old was quite charming in her giraffe costume this year, so many of our neighbors heaped extra handfuls of candy into her pumpkin basket. Thanks, guys! She doesn't need 10 lbs. of candy any more than we do. Yet here we are, the proud owners of countless chocolate bars, gummies and other assorted sweets.

I'm taking a hard line this year: Get rid of the candy. Our daughter can have some of what she collected (I'm not that mean of dad!) but the rest must all go somewhere else. I'll take the bulk of it to the office, but if it doesn't disappear fast enough, I may have to take even more drastic measures.

Yes, that's right. I will throw it in the garbage.

Much as it pains my sweet tooth, tossing the excess candy will also be a blessing to my waistline. With the winter holidays coming up (and all the goodies that come with them), I need to start being more conscious of what I munch on. Otherwise, it'll be sweatpants for me all season long.

And that's not very festive, is it?

Topic: Seasonal Advice

October 26, 2009

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Pleasing Pumpkin Treats for Halloween

posted by: Jerry

I'm proud to say we purchased our Halloween candy ahead of time this year (as opposed to five minutes before trick-or-treaters start knocking on doors in our neighborhood, which we usually end up doing). And so far, fingers crossed, we haven't opened the bags yet!

This doesn't mean I haven't snuck a "fun-size" candy bar or two in the past few weeks. They're hard to miss and pass up. However, I don't think eating healthy means you have to completely avoid all sweets during this treat-filled season. An occasional piece of candy is fine. Better yet, I like to look for ways to enjoy the tastes of the season without sacrificing nutrition.

Pumpkins are actually a fantastic food to incorporate into your diet. They're loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Pumpkins also are a good source of fiber and are relatively low in calories. Plus, they taste delicious.

So if you have a few extra cans of pumpkin around or want to use fresh pumpkin from the farm, take a look at some of these sweet treats from the Start Making Choices recipe database.

Frozen Pumpkin Dessert: A creamy light alternative to traditional pumpkin pie prepared with low fat vanilla ice cream.

Iced Pumpkin Spice Cake: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice combined with pumpkin and raisins make this a real fall treat.

Pumpkin Biscuits: Flaky pumpkin biscuits subtly enhanced with a touch of brandy extract.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding: Bread pudding made with cinnamon raisin bread and pumpkin.

Pumpkin Cake: A quick-and-easy cake using cake mix and canned pumpkin.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Topic: Seasonal Advice

August 31, 2009

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Fit Foods for Fall

posted by: Jerry

Could it be that fall is already here? In my neck of the woods, autumn is definitely in the air: chilly, crisp and breezy.

When a new season arrives, I start thinking about how I can make the most of seasonal foods. (If the first thing that comes to mind for you right now is Halloween candy, think again!) As I head through my grocery store, I start with the produce section, finding fruits and vegetables that are freshest -- and sometimes even local -- this time of year.

Here are some fall fruits and veggies I enjoy:

Apples (not just dipped in caramel, either)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cranberries
Kiwi
Leeks
Pears
Pomegranates
Pumpkin
Squash
Sweet Potatoes

Need a little inspiration to get cooking with some of my fall favorites? Check out these delicious, healthy recipes from Start Making Choices. You'll be whipping up a fall feast in no time!

Apple-Sweet Potato Bake: Layers of apples, sweet potatoes and raisins are baked in a sweet lemon-cinnamon syrup.

Garlic-Ginger Stir-Fry Vegetables: A colorful and quick veggie stir-fry, big on flavor but easy on prep time.

Apricot Cranberry Chutney: An easy fruit chutney with a tangy sweet-tart taste perfect with poultry and pork.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding: Bread pudding made with cinnamon raisin bread and pumpkin.

Potato-Leek Soup: This warm creamy based soup blends in leeks, carrots, potatoes, and garlic.

Topic: Seasonal Advice

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Jerry
My name is Jerry, and I'm a father, editor, and photographer. I've gained too much weight recently, and in 2006, my wonderful daughter was born... Read More