weight-loss log: Back to the grind!

Houston was such a fun weekend away! We finished off the weekend with the AIDS 5k walk. Here’s some shots. There was such a great turn out for this event, I was really impressed!!

And as soon as I landed back in Tulsa, it was back to the grind. With just a brief evening before the start of the work week, I spent time preparing. I made Yogurt Carrot Muffins to take for breakfast this week and Mediterranean Barley Salad to take for lunches. I sampled both, and yummmm! Feeling ready for the week now! And trust me, grocery shopping and meal planning was the last thing I wanted to do after a weekend getaway, but success entails planning and if that’s what you gotta do…that’s what you gotta do! And come tomorrow morning, I’ll be really glad I did

Yogurt Carrot Muffins adapted from Cupcakes in Paris

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour + 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2/3 cup agave syrup

2 cups grated carrots

1/4 cup canola oil (was out of applesauce)

2 beaten eggs

½ cup plain Greek yogurt (non fat)

¾ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the agave syrup and carrots.

Beat in the oil, eggs and yogurt and stir in the walnuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the muffins in the pan for 15 minutes.

Yield: 12 large muffins

Nutrition Information (per muffin): 162 calories; 4.9 g. fat; 35.8 mg. cholesterol; 136 mg. sodium; 26.5 g. carbohydrate; 2.5 g. fiber; 3.6 g. protein

Mediterranean Barley Salad from Cooking Light

2 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

8 pitted kalamara olives, halved

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Bring water and barley to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and summer for 25 minutes of until tender and liquid is almost absorbed. Cool to room temperature.

Combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, and mustard in a bowl; stir well with a shisk. Add barley, fennel, and next 6 ingredients (through beans); toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Garnish with walnuts just before serving. Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition Information (per serving): 313 calories; 16.1 g. fat (1.9 g. saturated fat; 7.5 g. monounsaturated fat; 6.2 g. polyunsaturated fat); 6.6 g. protein; 38.9 g. carbohydrate; 8.2 g. fiber; 0 mg. cholesterol; 2.9 mg. iron; 643 mg. sodium; 79 mg. calcium

And all ready for lunches this week…

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Today’s NNM Topic: Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia

Ideally, we want to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, the 7th leading cause of death in the US.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are diagnosed based on groups of systems which show intellectual and social decline that interfere with their standard living, along with memory loss in most cases.

Risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s include many nutrition-related factors, including: alcohol intake, atherosclerosis (heart health), blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, homocysteine levels, and exercise.

Among individuals diagnosed with dementia, a balanced, healthy diet is important to maintain energy and proper nutrition. A high-fiber diet to prevent constipation is also recommended. During meal times, distractions should be eliminated so that the individual can stay focused on their eating. Eating should be at a slow pace with small pieces to chew and swallow for safety reasons.

In my experience, as dementia procresses individuals can disassociate food from eating — they no longer understand that food is to eat and many people need full feeding assistance. For some, swallowing ability declines and a modified texture is required — chopped, pureed, etc. This helps the individual safely swallow foods and prevent aspiration. Most individuals would not expect dementia patients to require extensive nutrition modifications, but it is not the case. Dietitians are in great demand in nursing homes and dementia units.

Looking forward to catching up on everyone’s blogs this week. Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA with my weekend travels!