I have found that even though many of my patients like fruits and vegetables, when I evaluate their current eating intake of fruits and vegetables the number of servings are severely lacking!  Personally, on most days I reach my fruit servings but some days I lack a bit on my vegetable intake.

How many servings of fruits and vegetables should you get each day? 

According to MyPyramid.gov, adults need 1.5-2 cups of fruit each day and 2.5-3 cups of vegetables each day depending on your age, gender, and level of physical activity.

What counts as 1 cup or a serving? 

1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the fruit group.

1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens (such as spinach) is considered 1 cup from the vegetable group.

Here are some tips to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet:

• Add bananas or blueberries to pancake, waffle, or muffin batter
• Mix raisins, dried apricots, or berries into oatmeal or cereal
• Add peppers, onions, or spinach to an omelet or scrambled eggs 
• Make a smoothie with fruit, fat free yogurt/milk, ice, and maybe even spinach if you want to try a Green Monster
• Top a pizza with mushrooms, peppers, spinach, zucchini, or pineapple
• Put a slice of avocado or spread some guacamole on a sandwich or in a wrap
• Add a few slices of tomato on a grilled cheese sandwich
• Bulk up regular canned soup by adding some extra mixed vegetables
• Add layers of frozen spinach or eggplant to lasagna
• Top a baked potato with salsa or steamed broccoli
• Mix fresh fruit and granola into yogurt
• Add broccoli or diced pepper to macaroni and cheese 

What are some ways you increase your fruit and/or vegetable intake? Are you consuming the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day?

Hope you are having a wonderful week!

Kasey

A huge thing that is helping me stay on the right track despite my growing and growing “to do” lists is prioritizing.  I number each task based on importance/urgency.  For example, here is Cory and I’s “Wedding To Do List”-

Another thing I have found that helps me be more efficient is to avoid multi-tasking!  Trying to do too many things at one time stresses me out and slows me down as I am constantly switching gears from one project to another.  I work best with minimal distractions.  For example, I always blog without the TV or other noisy distractions playing in the background. 

Despite my best efforts, I could certainly improve at time management. Cory thinks I need to work on delegating or outsourcing responsibilities to others.  It’s true, sometimes I have the mind set that “if you want something done right you should do it yourself”.  But it’s also important for me to realize that I’m not superwoman and others can be very helpful.  I’m working on this but it’s hard.  I’m not a procrastinator so when I delegate a responsibility to someone who waits till the last minute to do things , I become impatient!

 How are you at time management?  Do you make “to do” lists?

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Kasey

And of course there was vino!!!  We went through three cases of wine…

Plus, we had a ton of finger foods… 300 sandwiches, 2 veggie trays, 1 fruit tray, cheese & crackers, olives, dessert pastries, etc…

We set tea lights, roses, and pictures of the happy couple everywhere for ambiance…

Two days before the party, the cake baker called and said she was unable to make the cake due to a family emergency.  So we actually made the cake!  Rolling out fondant icing is extremely difficult!!!  Seriously, what an arm workout!  There were several other layers of cake that we sliced before the party to make it quick and easy to pass around. 

Keeping with the mafia/mobster theme, we set out casino cards,  poker chips, etc while Frank Sinatra on Pandora played in the background…

Here is a pic of the happy couple Chris and Claudia (in costume of course!)…

I also dressed up as a flapper while Cory dressed like a 1920’s mobster in a pin stripped suit.

After hours and hours days and days of party planning, manual labor, and cooking, the party turned out fabulous!  We received tons of compliments on the food and the decor.  My friends actually think I should consider changing my career to a party planner because I was so organized.  I had tons of “to do” list and I even had a time line the day of the party… for example, the second batch of marinara sauce began cooking at 3:30 pm!  My type A personality definitely kept things on track and within the party budget.  We stretched every last penny!    

As far as the food, we had something for everyone including vegetarians! 

When is the last time you hosted a party?  What type of food did you serve?

Have a wonderful day and thanks for reading

Kasey

Hello!  Thanks everyone for the sweet comments about my bridal shower   Can you believe it’s almost March?!  May 29th (our wedding day) will be here before we know it! 

Over the past few days, I have tried a handful of new food products that I wanted to share.  First up is Amy’s Light in Sodium, Low Fat Butternut Squash Soup.

This soup started off pretty promising with good nutritional stats- zero saturated fat, zero trans fats, and two grams fiber per serving!  This was lower in sodium than most canned soups with 290 mg of sodium per serving. 

The soup had a light, thin consistency.  It would be a great companion to a salad or sandwich.  My major complaint is the strong metallic taste.  Overall it was “good”, I give it a 7 out of 10 on the taste scale.  I do not plan on buying this again.

Next, I finally tried a Kind Bar- the Fruit & Nut Delight.

As many of you know, my heart belongs to Larabars in the world of snack bars but, this bar was really good and it was a nice change in bar consistency. Kind Bars are made of whole nuts and fruits bound together with honey while the Larabars have fruit and nuts that are grounded/pureed together to form a bar.  This Kind Bar had great stats with 170 calories, 11 grams fat (mostly unsaturated fats), 3 grams fiber, and 5 grams of protein.  Overall, I liked this new product “better” than the soup and give it a 8.5 out of 10 on the taste scale.

Last but not least, I tried another flavor of Food Should Taste Good chips after loving the Jalapeno flavor so much!

The Buffalo flavor was fabulous and pretty similar to the Jalapeno flavor but made with cayenne pepper instead of jalapenos. As for the nutritional info…

A little higher in sodium than the other flavor but still low in saturated fat and good source of fiber! Overall, these chips were the “best” new food product I tried and gave them a 9 out of ten on the taste scale!  I ended up dipping them in plain greek yogurt which was pretty tasty!

Have you tried any new food products?  Any fun plans for the weekend? 

I’m helping throw a HUGE party this weekend for my best friend’s wedding.  Tomorrow, I took off of work so I can run errands for the party, buy all the food, cook, etc.  Next post will likely feature some of the party foods we will serve.  Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Kasey

  A picture of me with my bridesmaids.

 A sign in table with pictures of Cory and I

My shower favors were mini wine bottles!!!  They were a great Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend!

My sister with the help of my bridesmaids made these beautiful center pieces.

I was literally showered with gifts and came home with many exciting household and kitchen gadgets.  We received really nice kitchen basics such as a bakeware set, stainless steel mixing bowls, a toaster, a hand mixer, knives, etc.  Some other funs things we received were…

- Cast Iron Dutch Oven- I have to be honest; I wasn’t quite sure what was so special about a dutch oven at first but I loved the red color of the one I received.  After talking to a few people and doing a little research, I discovered a dutch oven is pretty amazing.  Due to the thick cast metal, it absorbs and distributes heat slowly and evenly while cooking.  Dutch ovens are also very durable; the one we got came with a lifetime warranty.  I’m so excited to use my dutch oven and have been researching recipes.  Did you know there are websites devoted entirely to dutch oven recipes?  Apparently, I must season mine before I cook anything.

- Espresso Maker-  How cute is this espresso maker?  Cory actually picked this out for our registry.  He grew up drinking Cuban espresso at his grandparents house.  I actually prefer tea over coffee or espresso but I’m excited to give this espresso maker a try!

- Salad Bowl Set-   We actually did not register for these adorable salad bowls but I’m so excited we got them.  These cute bowls actually motivate me to make more salads at home. 

- Digital Food Scale-  This is another item we did not register for but I was super excited to get.  I have a feeling this tool will make measuring out ingredients for a recipe a breeze.  Not to mention, this a wonderful tool for monitoring and keeping food portion sizes in check.

- Roomba-  We LOVE our new roomba.  Cory and I are mesmerized with our little robot that cleans the floors.  We literally followed the roomba around and watched it do its magic for maybe a half hour!

- Breville Blender-  This blender is incredible.  Not only does it mix the standard stuff such as crush ice and blend smoothies, it is also capable of chopping nuts and pureeing food.  I can’t wait to make my first green monster in this baby!

- Crock Pot-  So excited about this multi-purpose appliance.  It came with a 68 page recipe booklet… a “Baked Eggplant” recipe caught my eye.  I plan on researching recipes and taking advantage of my new crock pot very soon!

What are some of your favorite kitchen gadgets?  What are your favorite things to cook with a dutch oven and/or crock pot?

Kasey

After washing and drying the okra, I lightly drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and chili powder.  Then I baked in the oven for about 12 minutes at 450 degrees (stirring once half way through).  Once finished, the okra will be browned on all sides.

Quick, easy, and no cutting involved.  The chili powder added a little kick.  They made the perfect side dish!  Plus, okra is low in calories, a good source of fiber, and chock-full of vitamins and minerals with 1 cup of raw okra providing 31 calories and 3.2 gm fiber.

Have you ever cook okra at home?  What is your favorite way to eat okra?

And here is a quick pic of our finished wedding invitations along with an information packet about the island for our wedding guests…

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week!

Kasey

The shrimp were very juicy and I LOVED the cucumber kimchi.  What exactly is kimchi?  I researched it and found that it is a a traditional Korean vegetable side dish made by fermenting seasoned cabbage and radishes. 

For our main entrees, we ordered from the “Unfried” section.  I had the ‘Chive & Panko-Crusted Texas Redfish’ served on the half shell with saffron rice, haricot verts (French green beans) and lemon.

The fish and green beans were pretty good.  The saffron rice was not good and very salty- I only ate a couple bites.  I also had an outstanding glass (or two) of ‘Casteggio Pinot Grigio’ that escaped the camera’s eye during dinner.  Cory ordered the ‘Baked Puppy Drum’ which was topped with crab lemon butter sauce and served with asparagus.  We both agreed his dish was superior!

Overall, I had a great Valentines dinner spent with my love

What is your favorite type of fish to order at a restaurant?

Everyone have a wonderful day and thanks for reading!

Kasey

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (no mushrooms in house)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour  (omitted)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup chicken broth  I was out of chicken broth, so I used 3/4 cup of water seasoned with Tony’s instead.
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon butter Smart Balance Light

Directions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).
2. Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter light margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

I served over whole wheat pasta with roasted asparagus…

The balsamic reductions was outstanding (even with me using seasoned water instead of chicken broth!).  Not to mention, this meal took less than 30 minutes to prepare.  This recipe is repeat worthy! 

 With all the Super Bowl excitement, Mardi Gras (also called Lombardi Gras this year by us locals) season, and wedding planning, I almost forgot about Valentines Day coming up this weekend.  Cory and I are planning to cook a quiet, romantic dinner at home

Are you celebrating Valentines Day?  Have you ever modified a recipe based on the ingredients you have at home?

Have a wonderful day and thanks for reading

Kasey

We headed to Bourbon Street before the game and saw several hardcore Saints fans of all ages!

A very serious Breesus Christ!

We decided to catch a taxi back to our condo to watch the game… the bars and restaurants were packed and we didn’t want to miss a second of the game!   Needless to say, everyone at my house had tears of joy after we won.  Cory bought a couple newspapers on his way to work and plans to frame one…

This Super Bowl win was the icing on the cake cupcakes for Cory’s birthday celebrations!  Speaking of his birthday, I baked his favorite- Funfetti cupcakes.

Then, we celebrated in true foodie style at Dante’s Kitchen, our favorite restaurant.  It has the best ambiance.  You feel like you are having a cozy dinner at a good eclectic friend’s house.  Plus, the food is outstanding and very fresh since they use as much local and organic foods as possible.

We started with a couple of celebratory drinks. I ordered the Peach Mojito and Cory ordered an Old Fashioned. Next, they brought out complimentary Molasses bread topped with honey butter… SO GOOD!

We started with a couple appetizers- 1) The Seared Jumbo Scallops cooked with walnut oil served over grapefruit with a red wine reduction and 2) Dante’s Pot Likker which was recommended by our waitress.  It was pork and beef served over toasted ciabatta bread.  We loved both!  I’m already craving the scallops as I’m typing this!

For the main dishes, I ordered the Pan Seared Red Fish served over a red wine reduction and root veggies- so delicious!  Cory ordered the Roasted Quail stuffed with boudin, fig and persimmons in a cabernet sauce.  He loved his dish; I was not a fan of the quail!

If you are ever in New Orleans, you should definitely check out this neighborhood gem!  While we did have somewhat of an indulgent meal, the portion sizes were moderate and we left feeling great and not uncomfortably stuffed!.

What’s your favorite “foodie” restaurant?  Did you do anything fun for the Super Bowl?

Kasey

For example, the other night I threw together an egg sandwich on a whole wheat english muffin spread with goat cheese and served with sautéed spinach.  Goat cheese pretty much goes with anything in my book! 

 I LOVE these whole wheat english muffins!  For some reason, I haven’t bought them in over a year?! 

Unsure if your bread product is a whole grain?  Trust me, food packaging will try to trick you!  Look for ‘100% Whole Wheat’ on the package.  Also, look for whole wheat flour as the first listed ingredient.

Have you made any “quick and easy” meals this week?

Cory’s birthday is tomorrow!  I can’t wait to give him his presents     The plan is to have a low-key night at home Friday with his favorite cake… Funfetti!  Then, we have dinner reservations at our favorite restaurant Saturday night!

Hope everyone has a great day.  Thanks for reading

Kasey