[foodtweeks]

Tweeking your Thanksgiving Feast Favorites

By Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD

Thanksgiving - a day to give thanks for family and friends and to be together with our loved ones. And, of course, a day to cook and enjoy a wonderful feast together. It’s my favorite holiday, because you can spend hours with your family around the dinner table, just enjoying each other’s company. There are no presents, no drama (most of the time!) and the most wonderful memories are made.

Whether you’re cooking or contributing, we all our have our family Thanksgiving traditions that we look forward to each year. While Thanksgiving is not a time to be thinking about saving calories, there are small tweeks that you can make (if you’re cooking) to keep or boost the flavor, while lightening them up ever so slightly. These tweeks you won’t even notice and they’re easy to make a habit of – whether on Thanksgiving – or anytime during the year. Of course, some time-tested family favorites are to be savored and better left alone … like my mom’s mushroom stuffing and apple crisp, and family friend Helen’s green bean casserole. For the others, here are a few simple tweeks on some of your favorite side dishes and desserts (I left the turkey & stuffing alone!) that will lighten up the day without anyone knowing you tweeked a thing.

Skip the Apps:

You want to enjoy every bite of your Thanksgiving dinner, so why fill up on anything less than the main course

If you must have an appetizer, offer a veggie platter with hummus

Mashed Potatoes:

Use reduced-sodium chicken broth to add flavor so you can use less butter

Use half the butter

Skip the cream and use milk instead

Add garlic and fresh parsley for great flavor

Green Bean Casserole:

Use reduced-fat and reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup 

Top your casserole with flavorful caramelized onions instead of the crispy fried onion rings

Sweet Potatoes:

Sweeten with cinnamon and a bit of applesauce or apple cider instead of marshmallows and brown sugar

Cranberry Sauce:

Instead of canned cranberry sauce, make your own cranberry relish with 1 bag of fresh cranberries, one 15oz can of mandarin oranges in juice, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a ¼ cup apple cider

Beverages:

Offer cranberry spritzers as a festive and low-calorie beverage – combine 4 oz lime flavored sparkling water and 2 oz cranberry juice. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a slice of lime

Dessert:

Make a crustless pumpkin pie or individual pumpkin trifles, laying vanilla Greek yogurt and pumpkin puree and topping with a graham cracker crumble

Make an apple crumble or single crust apple pie instead of a double crust apple pie

Also, sign up for a local turkey trot! In our family, each year we run or walk a 6 mile Turkey Trot in our local area, wherever we celebrate Thanksgiving. Participating in a walk or a run as a family on Thanksgiving morning, whether an official “trot” or not, is great family bonding time and will start your engine off ready to burn off those extra Thanksgiving feast calories!

Lastly and importantly, Thanksgiving is also a time to remember those that are less fortunate than ourselves and help those in need. Check out your local food bank to see how you can help hungry families in your community! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving – from our home to yours!

[foodtweeks]

Halloween Tips & Treats

By Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD

With Halloween just around the corner, we’re all gearing up for some spooky tricks and treats … and a holiday full of over-indulgence in sugary and calorie-laden treats. But by planning ahead, you can make a few healthful tweeks in your family’s routine and still fully enjoy this sweet holiday.

Halloween Eve:

• Zzzs: Make sure the whole family (kids and adults included) get theirs zzzs. When everyone is well rested, it’s easier to make balanced choices. • Eat Well: Enjoy a healthful dinner together as a family. Skip the dessert, as there will be plenty tomorrow, on Halloween night!

Halloween Day:

• Day of Eats: make sure the whole family eats healthfully for breakfast and lunch. And don’t skip dinner. Enjoy a hearty, veggie and protein-packed meal before heading out trick-or-treating. Going out on a candy hunt on an empty stomach will no doubt result in candy overload and a sugar headache. Make something ahead of time that can easily be heated up that evening - like chili, a hearty soup or pulled BBQ chicken made in the slow cooker. •Stay Hydrated: drink plenty of water during the day and bring a water bottle(s) for yourself and the kids to sip along the route. This will ensure everyone stays well hydrated and may just result in fewer candy calories eaten. Skip the sugary, calorie-full drinks.

Trick-or-treating:

• Step-it-Up: the great thing about Halloween, is that for kids and adults alike, it’s easy to get in physical activity. Have your kids wear a pedometer (or other step tracking device) and track their steps on Halloween night with the goal of getting 5,000 steps on the trick-or-treating route (about 2.5 miles). • Downsize: get the kids a smaller candy collecting container. The larger the container, likely the more candy collected and, in turn, eaten.

Post Trick-or-Treating: 

• This for That: once back at home, after checking the candy for safety, have the kids choose a few favorites to eat that evening. Then, if possible, stash the rest for them to enjoy piece-by-piece over the next week as a treat in their lunch. Or bargain with them and offer a non-candy reward (money, a toy, a sleepover) if they agree to donate, giveaway or trash their candy stash. • Back on Track: even if the kids (and you!) overindulged on Halloween night, get right back on track the next morning with a healthful breakfast (think oatmeal + banana + walnuts, a pumpkin smoothie, whole-wheat toast + almond butter + jam, etc.)

Remember: Halloween arrives just once a year, so enjoy it. Don’t worry (too much!) about calorie and sugar overload. It’s ok to indulge in the treats of the day.  Just get yourself and the family back on track the next morning!

Let us know how you plan to tweek your Halloween (or the day before and after) to save calories and to help hungry families in your community!

[foodtweeks]

September is National Breakfast Month!

By: Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD

Breakfast. You know it’s the most important meal of the day – for your mind and body. Breakfast kick starts the day on the right foot and provides your brain and body with the fuel it needs to be active, engaged and ready to take on the day. Skip breakfast and you’ll find yourself sluggish, distracted and irritable. But many of us skip breakfast due to lack of time in the morning.

Are you eating breakfast every day?

September is National Breakfast Month, so it’s the perfect time to stock your fridge and pantry with healthful breakfast choices for yourself and your family so you can be armed with a multitude of quick breakfast choices. The best energizing breakfasts are calorie-balanced and combine protein and fiber (for satisfying hunger and keeping you full until lunch time). Protein is found in eggs, nuts, seeds, nut butters, dairy, lean meats and fish. Fiber can be found in whole grains, including whole grain cereal, whole wheat and whole grain bread, oatmeal, and in fruit and vegetables. In addition to these fiber and protein rich foods, if you can get a fruit or vegetable into the mix, all the better, to add additional fiber, vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants with few calories.  Take a look at your current breakfast and see how you can tweek it to work harder for you by making sure it contains protein, fiber and a fruit or vegetable.

If you don’t have time to sit down for breakfast, eat it on the run. Here are some on-the-run breakfast ideas that combine protein + fiber + fruit that can travel easily in travel mugs, containers or baggies. Some can even be prepared the night before:

Blueberry Smoothie: Greek yogurt + frozen blueberries + milk + oats (can be made the night before and stored in single-serve cups)

Fig & Walnut Bowl: Cottage cheese + chopped figs + walnuts + crushed whole grain cereal + drizzle of honey

Overnight Raspberry Oats: Oats + soy milk + frozen raspberries + slivered almonds (combine ingredients the night before you want to enjoy for breakfast)

Strawberry Parfait: Greek yogurt + whole grain cereal + sliced strawberries

Powered by Eggs: Hard-boiled egg + whole grain crackers + handful of berries

PB Banana Toast: Peanut butter + sliced banana + whole grain toast

Trail Mix: Nuts + dried fruit + whole grain cereal (prepare weekly  in baggies for a quick grab in the morning)

Let us know how you tweek your breakfast to save calories, but up the protein, fiber and nutrition and to help hungry families in your community!

[foodtweeks]

National Banana Lovers Day

By Nikki Kaufmann

National Banana Lovers Day on August 27th gives us a lot of inspiration for healthy treats that trim calories, but will satisfy you even more than the original!

Start the day off simple with banana pancakes from Buzzfeed! They’re made with eggs, mashed up bananas, and a dash of cinnamon, and will save you hundreds of calories. Be sure to log this tasty tweek into your foodtweeks™ account as you chow down! 

As the day moves on, sustain your energy with Bionic Bites’ banana oatmeal cookies. They’re loaded with walnuts, raisins, bananas and oatmeal, which will fill your stomach with a guilt-free conscience. 

These cookies are gluten-free and packed with protein and potassium, which will give you long-lasting energy to make this chocolate-banana peanut butter pudding for a snack before dinner!

 Ditch the high-calorie, high-fat version typically made with egg yolks and heavy cream, and replace it with Texan Erin’s delectable pudding made with Greek yogurt, bananas, and cocoa powder! 

Top off your day with Ellie Krieger’s easy-to-make carnival-inspired banana on a stick! Cut peeled bananas in half and insert a Popsicle stick into each half, then freeze. After a few hours, drizzle a little dark chocolate and sprinkle on a few nuts for this frozen dessert that you can feel great about eating! 

 When you’re done enjoying all of these recipes, be sure you log your tweeks to do good with the food you feel good eating!

Don’t have foodtweeks™ yet? Download it for free on Android and iOS!

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It’s National Sandwich Month

By: Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD

No matter which way you prep ‘em, top ‘em or slice ‘em, sandwiches are beach-side, back-to-school and really everyday staples. Of course, sandwiches can span the spectrum from truly indulgent (think meatball subs, Italian grinders) to uber healthful (raw sliced veggies piled high on 100% whole wheat bread spread with sliced avocado) and everywhere in between.

Since August is National Sandwich Month, it’s only fitting to talk “tweeks” to remember when building or buying your favorite sandwich to make it a bit better for you. Some tips save calories, others add nutrients and antioxidants, but all add to (or keep) the sandwich’s flavor.

Below are a few key tips for building (or ordering) a better sandwich:

Beyond the Bread – 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread are always great options. But sometimes, good old fashioned bread can get boring. Switch up your bread with a wrap, pita pocket or sandwich thin (look for the many varieties that have 150 calories or less and at least 4 grams of fiber – and look for lower sodium versions). Or, lighten things up by using collard greens or lettuce (Bibb and romaine work well) as bread substitutes. Just add your traditional sandwich filling, wrap and crunch. These “salad” wraps add crispness, nutrition and very few calories. Plus they’re fun to eat. Need some inspiration? Try these Asian Tuna Lettuce Wraps for a light lunch.

Protein Powered – protein helps satisfy hunger, keeps you full and provides the building blocks for muscle growth and recovery. Grilled chicken breast, sliced nitrate-free turkey, lean beef, canned tuna or salmon and eggs are all great protein sources for sandwiches. Or opt for vegetarian options including hummus, bean spreads, tofu slices, cheese or nut butters.

Volume up on Veggies – veggies, including lettuce and other greens, tomato, cucumbers, carrots add few calories, but amp up the volume, fiber and nutrition of sandwiches.  Pile your sandwiches high with veggies and go easy on the meat and cheese.

Here are a few simple foodtweeks to try at your local sandwich shop:

Request half the cheese or meat.

Add veggies – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc.

Skip the sides (chips and fries).

Split that sandwich with a friend and share a leafy green salad on the side.

Let us know how you tweek your favorite sandwiches to save calories, and to help hungry families in your community!

[foodtweeks]

I Scream, You Scream…

By: Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream! July is National Ice Cream Month…the month we’ve all been waiting for. The kids are out of school, the pools are open, the beaches are brimming with swimmers and the temps are toasty. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy the best, cool, creamy treat that summer has to offer: ice cream!

Now it’s no surprise that our favorite summer treat isn’t exactly “light” on the waistline. Regular ice cream does pack quite a calorie, saturated fat and sugar punch.

Here are a few easy ways we can tweek that ice cream so that we can still enjoy the indulgence, while fitting (nicely) into our swim suits:

From your local grocery store or scoop shop:

Choose light and preferably no-sugar-added options. Often times light versions of ice cream have a higher sugar content than the regular versions to improve taste to make up for the missing fat, so opt for no-sugar-added varieties.

Opt for frozen Greek yogurt, which tends to be lower in saturated fat and calories than ice cream. Even better, frozen Greek yogurt often is higher in hunger satisfying protein than traditional ice creams. Look for lower sugar varieties here as well. Additionally, check out frozen Greek yogurt bars in your grocer’s freezer for perfectly portioned options.

Enjoy one scoop of the real thing. Sometimes, if you’re in the mood for real ice cream, only ice cream will do. So, savor every bite of the real thing in a small serving bowl with a small spoon (that small spoon will slow you down!). At your favorite ice cream shop, order a kid sized cup or cone or a single scoop.

Enjoy that ice cream sans toppings or accompaniments. Sometimes the toppings (think whipped cream, hot fudge, caramel sauce, candied nuts) or waffle cones can add more calories than the ice cream itself. Spoon into that ice cream free of “accessories” and really enjoy the real thing.

DIY:

Make your own Greek yogurt pops and control exactly what goes in them. Combine fresh or frozen fiber-rich fruit, plain protein-packed Greek yogurt and a bit of low-fat/soy/almond milk and pour into popsicle molds. Freeze until solid then enjoy.

Dust off that ice cream maker! Make your own protein and fiber-rich frozen Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and milk. Love Peaches & Cream? Make this easy recipe for Peaches & Cream Frozen Yogurt.

Make your own frozen sorbet by combining frozen fruit and 100% fruit juice (or save calories by using sparkling water) in the blender for a sweet treat. Try this simple 2 ingredient recipe for Strawberry Grape Sorbet.

No matter which frozen treats you opt for this July, small tweeks will go a long way! Enjoy!

[foodtweeks]

Are you going out to dinner this weekend?

If you are, be sure to check out The HealthyDiningFinder’s 20 Easy Little Ways to Cut Calories from Restaurant Meals.

Also, remember to submit your tweeks to the foodtweeks™ app! That way, your calories will be donated to your local food bank to help provide a hungry family with nutritious meals!

Download foodtweeks™ for free on Android or iOS

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If you’re prepping a holiday feast this weekend, get inspired with these menu ideas from Cooking Light magazine. 

Remember to use foodtweeks™ to trim calories from your dishes, while ensuring a hungry family in your community has a nutritious meal to enjoy as well!

[foodtweeks]

Our Registered Dietitian’s favorite frozen foods to keep stocked in her freezer

A few weeks ago, we asked you which frozen vegetables you keep stocked in your freezer. Here, are a few frozen items that our guest blogger and Registered Dietitian, Jenny Shea Rawn, always has on hand:

Vegetables:

• Artichokes: I love these sautéed up with shaved parmesan cheese or tossed with whole grain pasta • Spinach: Great for omelets, lasagna or to throw in smoothies • Corn: Add to chili and soups in the winter or toss with garden tomatoes and basil in the summer. Check out this white chili which incorporates frozen corn • Green beans: Perfect for sautéing with water chestnuts, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil • Chopped onions: I use fresh onions all the time. But, there’s always a night when I run out of onions, so chopped frozen onions are perfect when you’re in a pinch

Fruit:

• Blueberries: Perfect for smoothies, to add in oatmeal, for blueberry crumbles • Raspberries: Add a taste of summer to muffins, breads, smoothies. Try this Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake with Raspberry Sauce  • Mangos: Add brightness and sweetness to smoothies, oatmeal and as a sauce over top white fish

Whole grains:

• Brown rice: Perfect as a dinner side dish to any vegetable and protein • Quinoa: Try tossed with scallions, tomatoes and feta cheese for a light grain salad • Farro: Toss with sautéed mushrooms, onions and garlic for a memorable side dish

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What’s your favorite tweek? Share it with us on Twitter or Facebook and we’ll triple a donation to your local food bank for National Nutrition Month! 

[foodtweeks]

Celebrating Green Foods This St. Patrick’s Day

Hi all, Jenny Shea Rawn, Registered Dietitian, nutrition communications consultant and healthy food blogger at My Cape Cod Kitchen, here again as a guest blogger.

St. Patrick’s Day is almost upon us! While corned beef and cabbage, Irish Soda Bread and green beer will surely be on your menu to celebrate this festive day, here at foodtweeks™ we are also celebrating with some of our favorite lighter calorie green-colored foods to enjoy before and after our Irish feast.

• Avocados – This green fruit is rich in monounsaturated (heart-smart) fats, provide 2 grams of hunger-satisfying fiber and contributes more than 20 vitamins and minerals per serving. With their rich and creamy texture, avocados are versatile and provide a satisfaction factor to any meal or snack. We love avocados any which way, but especially:

• sliced and spread onto toast with a sprinkle of sea salt, squeeze of lime and pinch of cilantro • cubed and tossed in salads • sliced atop chili • halved and topped with chopped red onion, goat cheese and salted pistachios. 

• Baby Kale – Toss Vitamin K rich baby kale with sweet snap peas, thick cucumber slices, cubes of avocado, sliced scallions and pistachios. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, lime juice and salt and pepper for a light yet satisfying salad.  Vitamin K helps support bone health. 

• Asparagus – For an elegant spring side dish, toss roasted asparagus with crumbled reduced-fat blue-cheese and crushed walnuts. Asparagus is a nutrition powerhouse. One 5-ounce serving contains only 20 calories, but provides an excellent source of vitamin A, important for eye, skin and immune health and Vitamin K.

• Green Apples, Grapes and Kiwi – Branch out from the traditional fruit bowl and combine these green sweet and sour fruits together. This vibrant fruit bowl packs a filling fiber-rich punch plus antioxidants for a beautiful green presentation on a celebratory green day!

• Limes – Add thin slices of immune-supporting Vitamin C rich lime to sparkling water or light beer to add a citrusy summer flair to your beverages with minimal calories or sugar. And, if you’re a key lime lover, head on over to my blog for a lightened up version of the classic Key Lime Pie.

What’s your favorite green food? And what’s on your menu for your St. Patrick’s Day?

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Jazzing up Frozen Food

Hi all! 

My name is Jenny Shea Rawn and I am a Registered Dietitian, nutrition communications consultant and healthy food blogger at My Cape Cod Kitchen. I’ll be guest blogging over here at foodtweeks™ and look forward to being part of the community!

March is Frozen Food Month. As a Registered Dietitian, I am a huge supporter and frequent (usually daily) user of frozen foods, whatever the season. Especially because frozen foods cut down on prep work and make creating a healthy meal a cinch. 

With the winter that we’ve had on the East Coast, I’ve been relying on those freezer staples (mainly fruits, veggies and brown rice) when getting to the grocery store was difficult. A well-stocked freezer is your secret weapon in making sure you’re always prepared to make a healthful and flavorful meal. 

Now frozen produce is packed at the peak of ripeness to lock-in flavor and nutrition. But the texture of frozen produce (vegetables especially) often times is less than optimal and many times they are thought of as the boring cousin to fresh veggies. 

Below are some simple and flavorful tricks you can use to jazz up those nutrient-packed veggies. 

Season:

• Add fresh herbs and spices for bursts of flavor with few calories •Toss with your favorite vinaigrette, flavored vinegar or a splash of citrus

Enhance:

• Toss with nuts or seeds – cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds to add crunch • Complement frozen veggies with fresh – sauté frozen broccoli with fresh mushrooms, combine fresh tomatoes and basil with frozen sweet corn

Use as an ingredient versus stand alone

• Add to soups and chili (try this white chili which incorporates frozen corn) • Sauté with chicken, tofu or serve as a bed for fish • Add to smoothies with frozen fruit, yogurt and a splash of 100% juice to add nutrition but few calories • Toss with pasta to add bulk and flavor to the dish with few additional calories

What frozen vegetable do you keep your freezer stocked with?  

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Celebrate National Pound Cake Day with foodtweeks™!

Have you ever wondered how Pound Cake got it’s name? Traditionally, a pound cake is a cake that is made with a pound of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. That certainly makes for a dense cake!

Since it’s creation, many variations of pound cake recipes have been created, and our research shows that any kind of cake made with a 1:1:1:1 ratio of those four ingredients is a pound cake.

If you’re making cake tonight, in celebration of the Pound Cake, be sure to check out foodtweeks™ for some easy ways to trim calories from your cake. 

Luckily, foodtweeks™ can show you tricks to trim calories, while staying true to the traditional Pound Cake recipes. For instance, if your recipe calls for frosting on top you can trim calories simply by skipping the frosting. If the frosting is your favorite part, try eating a smaller piece than you normally would. If you’re still hungry afterwards, take another smaller piece.

foodtweeks™ wants you to have your cake and eat it too!

If you’re looking for recipes to try, check out these delicious Martha Stewart Pound Cake Recipes we found!

Happy National Pound Cake Day!

[foodtweeks]

Have you taken this quiz from Business Insider yet? It has some amazing and surprising facts about the calories in some of our favorite foods! 

Take the quiz here!

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National Cherry Pie Day

Today is National Cherry Pie Day, and here at foodtweeks™ we want you to indulge and feel good about it! 

Use the free foodtweeks™ app to find easy ways to trim calories from your Cherry Pie! For those of you who like your desserts to be a little more tart, than sweet, try only using half the sugar called for in your recipe. This easy tweek removes calories and treats your taste buds! Or if you're going out to eat, share your dessert with a friend! 

Not only can you feel great about trimming calories, but also because all of your unwanted calories are going to food banks, who in return are helping hungry families in your community have access to nutritious and healthy foods and snacks!

Happy National Cherry Pie Day!

[foodtweeks]

It's Fat Tuesday!

On a day made for indulging, be sure to use foodtweeks™ to trim unwanted calories from your indulgences today!

Don't have the foodtweeks™ app yet? Download it for free on Android or Apple.

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With foodtweeks™ helping others is easy! Discover easy ways to trim calories from your food, and have an equal number of nutritious calories donated to hungry families in your community. Learn more about the free foodtweeks™ app at www.foodtweeks.com.