December 8, National Brownie Day Comparing the Brands

The chocolate brownie is either fudge or cake-like, depending on its density. They may include nuts, frosting, whipped cream, chocolate chips, fruits, or other ingredients. 

Comparing the Brands

Recipe Resources

Fitsugar, Healthy Brownie Recipes That Make a Diet Seem Decadent

   

December 7, National Cotton Candy Day - The Secrets of Sugar

Cotton candy (also known as candy floss) is spun sugar. A typical serving on a stick is approximately 1 ounce/30 grams. Cotton candy contains sugar and often food coloring. This type of food is known as concentrated sweet or empty calories. One serving is equivalent to about 13 sugar cubes.

Nutrition Information

An educated consumer has the ability to make
wise food choices.

                 The Secrets of Sugar

December 1, National Eat a Red Apple Day

Health Benefits
Apple is a fruit rich in antioxidants and a good source of fiber. Quercetin is an antioxidant found in apples and may inhibit lung cancer. Pectin found in apples help treat diarrhea and constipation by adding bulk to the stool. Other benefits being studied include treatments for diabetes, heart disease, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood levels of LDL, reducing risks of Alzheimer’s, and decreasing bone fractures.

Apple seeds should never be eaten. They contain the poison cyanide.

Let’s not forget the peel. The apple peel contains ursolic acid, a chemical that may prevent muscle wasting.

There may be some truth to “An Apple a Day, Keeps the Doctor Away”.

Recipe

Baked Stuffed Apple

Yield 2 servings

Ingredients 
2 medium apples 
1/2 cup bran flakes 
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1 Tbsp raisins 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground 
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions 
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Core and slightly hollow out the apples with a spoon, leaving the bottom of the apples intact to create a well for the filling. Place the apples in a pan.
3. In a bowl, combine the bran flakes, applesauce, raisins, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Fill and top each apple with the cereal mixture.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the sides of the apples are soft and easily pierced with a knife.

Nutrition Information

U.S. Apple Association Members

NY Apples Are a Smart Choice for Healthy Eating
Kelly Springer, RDN

References and Resources
1. U.S. Apple Association
2. Apple Recipes, Washington Apple Commission

 

Nutritional Analysis Services
Ensure accurate and cost-effective nutritional analysis and food nutrition facts labels for your recipes and menus utilizing an extensive research database. A great service for the Media, Cookbook Publishers, Writers, Chefs, Recipe Websites, and Blogs. Your readers will enjoy and benefit from the Nutrition information.

For more information, visit Dietitians-Online Nutritional Analysis Services

contact:
Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, FAND
recipenews@gmail.com
954-294-6300

World Prematurity Awareness Day - Nutritional Challenges and Resources

Premature birth is the leading cause of death in children under the age of five worldwide. 
#WorldPrematurityAwarenessDay
#MarchofDimes

Premature Infant - Getting to Know the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
#WorldPrematurityAwarenessDay
 http://wb.md/2zSKnCh  #MarchofDimes #WebMD

Feeding your baby in the NICU
#WorldPrematurityAwarenessDay 
http://bit.ly/2A9VcT6  #MarchofDimes

How can a premature baby
affect a family emotionally?
#WorldPrematurityAwarenessDay
http://bit.ly/2AP6R6p #MarchofDimes 

Nutrition and the Premature Infant -
The First Weeks at Home
#WorldPrematurityAwarenessDay 
http://wb.md/2hHutWD #MarchofDimes

In honor of babies born too soon and little ones we've lost,
please support the March of Dimes’ work to prevent and
reduce premature birth.
#WorldPrematurityAwarenessDay 
Donate 

World Diabetes Day: Education To Protect Tomorrow

World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007. The campaign draws attention to the issues of importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes in the public spotlight. 

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14th. The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its association members. It joins millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness.

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23 is Access to Diabetes Care. The emphasis for 2022 is “Education to Protect Tomorrow.”

This World Diabetes Day, IDF calls on policymakers to increase access to diabetes education to help improve the lives of the more than half a billion people living with diabetes worldwide. 

Millions of people with diabetes worldwide do not have access to diabetes care.

People with diabetes require ongoing care and support to manage their condition and avoid complications. 

Medicine, technologies, support, and care are to be made available to all people with diabetes that require them.

Governments to increase investment in diabetes care and prevention.

The centenary of the discovery of insulin presents a unique opportunity to bring about meaningful change for the more than 530 million people living with diabetes and the millions more at risk.

 

EDUCATION TO PROTECT TOMORROW

What can we do to control diabetes? 

Halting the rise in diabetes is possible and goes hand in hand with implementing strategies such as:

Prevention of diabetes and its risk factors, especially overweight/obesity and insufficient physical activity.

Screening for diabetes in the general population and closely monitoring the population at risk.

Improving the diagnostic capacity of health services for diabetes.

Continuous monitoring of people living with diabetes.

The capacity for referral and care at the secondary health care level.

Access to quality diabetes education guarantees adequate training for the healthcare team, people living with diabetes, their immediate environment, their caregivers, and society in general.

Access to essential diabetes medicines and technologies, including insulin.

Information systems for data collection for monitoring and surveillance of diabetes.

The change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic makes it essential to integrate evidence-based digital solutions, such as telemedicine and educational and monitoring applications in diabetes health care.

Diabetes care should be part of preparedness and response to health emergencies. People living with diabetes must be guaranteed the uninterrupted availability of their medicines in situations of this type.

Diabetes currently affects one in ten people worldwide. Understanding the condition is the first step towards managing and preventing it. In conjunction with the World Diabetes Day 2022 focus on access to diabetes education, the IDF School of Diabetes has developed a new online education platform to help people with diabetes and those who care for them to make informed decisions about their condition.

For Nutrition Education and Counseling

Contact Family Nutrition Center to schedule an appointment with our Registered Dietitians. Let us help you meet your health and nutrition goals.

October 23, National Boston Cream Pie Day and Alternatives

Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week

Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week™. 

This week is set aside annually to honor healthcare food and nutrition professionals. 

Take this opportunity to thank those dedicated individuals who provide food and nutrition services in your facilities.

What happens to the people effected by Hurricane Ian

Our hearts, strength, and prayers go out to those affected by Hurricane Ian. Hold on to your loved ones and pray. The next year, if not longer, will be different and sometimes really difficult. The hardest part is finding temporary housing and then the essentials.

Hopefully, you will never have to suffer a natural disaster, but many have. All of us experience natural tragedy differently.

How do I know?

On September 24, 2021, my home in South Florida was hit by lightning and caught fire during a strong thunderstorm, nothing like Ian. My son used siri to call 911, I was sleeping. He saved my life. We lost one of our pets, Snoopy, from smoke inhalation. The house was not liveable for over 10 months.

Bless the Red Cross for finding us a place for the first few days. After that, we became dependent on the Florida insurance industry. It has been over a year, and the house is still not done.

Searching for a place was difficult. I have a son who is quadriplegia. They were going to separate us. Finally, I found a bottom-floor apartment, I knew it was not accessible, but I felt we had no choice. We lived there for 10 months. They prepared the house so my son could move back in, except for the backyard. His ramp disappeared.

The fire was in the back of the house where I was. They are still not done and I haven't slept in a bed in over a year. They say be grateful you are alive, but as the blank walls go up nothing is familiar, I find myself crying.

40 years of my career lost with the backups. 70 years of family films gone. I lost all my clothes, shoes, books, photos, lesson plans, etc. I know I didn't lose my life, but in some way, I really did. I feel lost without a purpose. 

Jake made quite a few holes in walls and doors. The people and the area were nice, but it wasn't home.

Prior to the fire, I had a thriving practice providing nutrition information for recipes and menus in books, newspapers, and magazines. I still have a semi-active Social Media presence called @DieietitianOnline (on Twitter & Facebook). I provide basic nutrition education to the consumer and educator. I love teaching farm-to-table. I do social media as a volunteer.

The construction company has made some progress, but this should have been done 6 months ago. I only ordered items in stock.

This is my house 1 year later. The project manager forgot to order a bathroom, closets, and a ramp for Jake to get out in the backyard.

Sadly, at my age, we pee a lot, and I can't make it to the other side of the house in time, so I go outside with the dogs. Maybe Lola will learn to potty train from me.
.

I've brought you up to date. I wish I could say I am doing well.  Lately, I've lost my purpose, and I pray I get it back. I love to laugh and smile and miss it.


Maybe with the New Year, we will be filled with happiness and joy.  "Shanah Tovah" “May you have a good and sweet new year.”

Thank you all for your love and support.

Sandra

September 15, National Linguine Day - Nutrition and Recipes

Linguine is a form of pasta – like fettuccine and trenette, but elliptical in section rather than flat. It is wider than spaghetti, about 4 mm, but not as wide as fettuccine. Linguine is also called trenette or bavette.

Linguine originated in Genoa and the Liguria region of Italy. Linguine are often served with seafood or pesto. Linguine is typically available in both white flour and whole-wheat versions.

Recipe
Lemony Linguine with Spring Vegetables

by Carolyn Malcoun, EatingWell

Resources

Wikipedia, Linguine

Banana Lovers Day: Our Banana Plant . What do you do with over 100 Bananas Check out the Banana Muffins

This is one of our Banana Plants. It is ready to be harvested. How do we know it is ready - check the bananas and see if any have turned yellow. If so, it is ready. 

Cutting the Banana Bunch
Be careful. The Bunch is Heavy.

John has taken on the challenge to

bring the bananas to the kitchen.

Once we placed the bananas on the table, we weighed them. To our surprise they weighed 72.8 pounds, and there were over 100 bananas. I stopped counting.

What do I do with over 100 bananas?

First, we divided the bunch into 4 sections. One for my family, two for my extended family, and one for a church.

I decided to make banana muffins
 (some with chocolate chips)

Banana Muffins

Ingredients
Makes 12 muffins.
4 bananas, about 1 ⅓ cups, mashed
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Grease a muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add egg, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir.
4. Stir in melted butter.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans and bake for about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information
1 Muffin

126 Calories (kcal)
3 Protein (g)
26 Carbohydrates (g)  
3 Total Dietary Fiber (g)
10 Total Sugars (g) 
5 Added Sugar (g)
2 Fat (g) 
1 Saturated Fat (g)
18 Cholesterol (mg)
208 Sodium (mg) 

Notes

• For variety, add chocolate chips, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Use your imagination.
• To freeze: Allow muffins to cool completely. Store them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or air-tight container

August 31, National Trail Mix Day The Food Label Detective: Emerald Trail Mix

*FDA 21 CFR 101.9 Nutrition labeling of food. FDA regulation allows manufacturers to round a number of servings to the nearest 0.5 serving, as long as they use the term “about”. Serving size is based on RACC = Reference Amount Customarily Consumed per Eating Occasion.

One Serving Size: 1oz (28g)

130 calories per Serving

Package Size: Net Wt. 2.25 oz (63.8g)

About 2 Servings per package

Findings
Actual Serving per Package = 2.3
299 Calories per Package

Read the Label; an Educated Consumer has the knowledge
to make the Best Choices.

August 19 - World Humanitarian Day - Inspire Humanitarian Work Around the World

This year’s focus salutes the efforts of women humanitarian workers across the world who rally to people in need and are often the first to respond and the last to leave.

“From supporting civilians caught up in crisis to addressing disease outbreaks, women humanitarians are on the front lines”, said Secretary-General António Guterres.

These unsung heroes have long been working in their own communities in some of the most difficult terrains – from the war-wounded in Afghanistan to the food insecure in the Sahel, to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in places such as Central African Republic, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

“Their presence makes aid operations more effective by increasing their reach”, said the UN chief. “It also improves the humanitarian response to gender-based violence, which increases during emergencies”.

Across the globe, 250,000 aid workers are women – a figure that amounts to more than 40 percent of the humanitarian workforce. But aid work is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Since August 2003, more than 4,500 aid workers of all genders have been killed, injured, detained, assaulted or kidnapped while carrying out their work. That averages out to five attacks per week.

Moreover, women humanitarians are at particularly high risk of robbery, sexual assault, and other violence.

World Humanitarian Day is a time to recognize those who face danger and adversity in order to help others. The day was designated by the General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 UN staff. 

Natural disasters, conflicts, and other emergencies threaten the lives and health of millions of people every year. In the middle of such crises, thousands of dedicated humanitarian workers strive to care for those who have been affected and support local authorities to deliver assistance. On World Humanitarian Day, WHO and other international bodies are highlighting the roles performed by humanitarian workers and remembering aid workers who have been killed or injured while performing their vital roles. 

World Humanitarian Day offers the chance:

· for the public to learn more about the humanitarian community, what aid workers do and the challenges they face;

· for nongovernmental and international bodies and UN agencies, to demonstrate their humanitarian activities;

· to pay respect to those who have died or been injured in the course of their humanitarian work.

To show your support for World Humanitarian Day visit  http://worldhumanitarianday.org/

July 27, The Discovery of Insulin

1923 Nobel Prize: Banting's Discovery of Insulin

Diabetes Resources and Cookbooks

Diabetes For Dummies Paperback

Mango: From Our Mango Tree to the Table

Nutrition Profile

Recipes
 Mango, Tomato, and Green Onion Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup Mango

1/2 cup Tomato, diced

2 Tbsp Green Onions

Nutrition Information

National Mango Month - From Our Mango Tree to the Table

Nutrition Profile

Recipes
 Mango, Tomato, and Green Onion Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup Mango

1/2 cup Tomato, diced

2 Tbsp Green Onions

Nutrition Information

July 11, National Blueberry Muffin Day The Food Label Detective: Otis Spunkmeyer Wild Blueberry Muffin

Can You Eat Just Half a Muffin?

*FDA 21 CFR 101.9 Nutrition labeling of food. (http://bit.ly/29vdc90). FDA regulation allows manufacturers to round number of servings to the nearest 0.5 serving, as long as they use the term “about”. Serving size is based on RACC = Reference Amount Customarily Consumed per Eating Occasion.

 Most people assume one muffin is one serving.

As packaged foods get larger, so does the number of servings.

Read the label - Don't overeat.

The label can be misleading, but it is within the FDA Guidelines.* 

One Serving Size: 1/2 Muffin (57g/2 oz)

200 calories per Servings

Package Size: Net Wt. 12 oz (340g)

6 Servings per Container

One Muffin = 2 Servings (400 Calories per muffin)