FINAL BLOG Dec 5th

GREETINGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! I hope you’re all keeping warm! I have an AWESOME recipe for ya’ll today! So clear up that schedule because if you don’t make this, you’ll be sorry!

THEME: TIS THE SEASON

Last week I cuddled up with my favorite cozy foods: muffins and apple cider! Unlike the muffins found at the grocery store, these muffins are full of a variety of ingredients from almost EVERY food group! Which explains why they’re BURSTING with flavor. Your mouth might even explode :o It tastes just like Christmas!

WHAT? Food variety means eating a wide variety of foods (a balanced diet) from within and across each of the five food groups, in the amounts recommended. Eating many different foods helps maintain a healthy, well-balanced and interesting diet that provides adequate nutrition. Eating a variety of foods can help prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

WHY?  Eating many different foods helps maintain a healthy and interesting diet that provides adequate nutrition. Eating a variety of foods can help prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Defining the Five major food groups

 Each of the five food groups contains at least one nutrient (called the ‘characterizing’ nutrient) for which it makes a particularly rich contribution to the total diet. For example, the milk group is known as a rich source of protein, calcium and riboflavin.

In each food group, different foods provide more of some nutrients than others. If you eat a variety of foods from each group, you will probably get all the nutrients provided by the foods in that group. For example, some vegetables contain vitamin C (capsicums), while others (asparagus and spinach) are high in folate. Most of the variety in your foods should come from plant foods (fruits, vegetables and grains).

Choose a variety of foods

Choosing a variety of foods within each group will also help to make your meals interesting, so you don’t get bored with your diet. The major food groups are:

• Fruit
• Vegetables, legumes
• Lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes
• Bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles
• Milk, yogurt

Ways to include the five food groups in your diet

It’s not hard to include foods from the major food groups into snacks and meals. Here are some suggestions:

Fruit – this is easy to carry as a snack or it can be included as a part of most meals. For example, try a banana with your breakfast cereal, an apple for morning tea and an orange for an afternoon snack. Fresh whole fruit is recommended over fruit juices and drinks because fruit juices and drinks generally contain less fiber and are more concentrated sources of sugar and energy.

Vegetables and legumes – raw or cooked vegetables can be used as a snack food or as a part of lunch and dinner. Salad vegetables can be used as a sandwich filling. Vegetable soup can make a healthy lunch. Stir-fries, vegetable patties and vegetable curries make nutritious evening meals. Try raw vegetables like carrot and celery sticks for a snack ‘on the run’.

Lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes and tofu – these can all provide protein. It’s easy to include a mixture of protein into snacks and meals.

Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles – grains and cereals come from a wide variety of sources including breakfast cereals (oats, muesli and wholegrain flakes), whole wheat breads and biscuits, rice, barley, corn and varieties of pasta.

Milk, yogurt and cheese – eat a diverse range of dairy foods including milk, cottage cheese, yogurt and other types of cheese (1).

RECIPE: Healthy Morning Muffins (0:35 minutes)

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup raisins OR craisins

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large egg

1/3 cup skim milk

4medium carrots, shredded

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1/8 cup almond slices (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots, and banana and stir until blended.

2. Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter the sprinkle almond slices on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature (2).

Make a whole bunch because TRUST ME, with a nutrient packed deal like this, you’ll want to eat them all at once!

STAY HEALTHY!

The Food Enthusiast,

Aly

Sources Cited:

1. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.aubhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_variety-and-a-healthy-diet

2. www.marthastewart.com/339779/healthy-morning-muffins