Super Simple Salad Selecting

my salad from Plaza Cafe's salad bar

One of the greatest things about dining at UC San Diego restaurants is that there is a salad bar available all day long with fresh produce, about half of which is organic and/or local.  I love salad so it never feels like a sacrifice to make it "a meal" - although these days I'm so hungry that I usually eat a salad and some protein and maybe even dessert...whoops, maybe I shouldn't disclose my sweet tooth!

Anyway, there are all sorts of ways to make a healthy salad. The picture above is my current favorite super simple salad selection - spinach, chickpeas, baby carrots, sunflower seeds and ranch dressing. Ok, so you might say, "why is the dietitian eating ranch?" I'M HUMAN, PEOPLE. Ranch is d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s and when eaten in moderation, all foods can fit into a healthy, active lifestyle. I try to alternate salad dressings to allow a little "room for ranch." What I mean by that is that I might have oil and vinegar on my salad on Monday, an undressed salad on Wednesday (yes it can be done - my strategy is to include one marinated veggie like artichoke hearts or something like cottage cheese), and ranch on my Friday salad.  Generally the oil-based salad dressings are healthier than the cream-based dressings so choose more oil & vinegar, Italian dressings and vinaigrettes while making ranch, bleu cheese, and caesar dressings more of a treat.

What are some healthy strategies for your Super Simple Salad Selections?

• fill your salad bowl with many different colors of veggies - the colors often correspond to different nutrient contents in the veggies
• get your dressing on the side and dip your fork into the dressing prior to each bite versus slathering on a bunch of dressing that you might not want
• eat your salad slowly - savor the different textures and flavors of the veggies
• use a salad bar to try new items - you can select just one beet, for example, to see if you like it (ok, so no one likes beets...that's why they're not on our salad bar...but I thought it was a good example for life)
• mix fruit with your veggies - my fave fruits to add to green salads are mandarin orange slices, dried cranberries and and strawberries.

Under the Weather but I Gotta Eat

Like many others on campus, I've got some sort of nasty cold. I was fighting it over the weekend and had a rough night of little sleep last night.  Combine that with having a 4-month-old baby and, well, don't judge me on my haggard appearance today...I'll try to brush my hair before I see any of you!

Anyway, when I'm under the weather, I pretty much just want to eat soup and Plaza Cafe on Revelle College did not disappoint. For lunch Plaza has 2 of my favorite soups - Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle and the Albondigas. I opted for the Chicken Noodle and paired it with a salad. Because of congestion, I can't taste that well today but the crunch of the veggies and the smoothness of the ranch (yes, I love ranch, even if it's not the healthiest of dressings - I use it sparingly and it's simply not one of the things on my list to make "healthier") paired very well with the piping hot soup.  For a drink I had soda water - I got this from the fountain by clicking on the "soda" tab (same kind of tab that you can press to get just plain water at the fountain.)  Soda/seltzer water is my new drink obsession. I love the fizz of soda but do NOT want all the sugar rotting my teeth and giving me non-nutrient-associated calories. So, for me, soda water is a great option. I get the fizzy pop feeling but without sugar or calories.

Salad and Soup from Plaza Cafe (Revelle)

Here's hoping you don't have a cold this season. Stay healthy as you gear up for your final exams. Get plenty of rest and wash, wash, wash those hands!

Hummus Plate at Plaza Cafe Today

Yum, hummus. Check out the hummus plate available at Plaza Cafe today - it's a quick, light, vegetarian solution for lunch.

This kind of meal is an easy way to get some of your vegetables - this plate comes with cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. It also has pita bread to mix with the hummus. It's fresh, light and perfect for a lunch before class or studying for finals.

Hot Trend: Greek Yogurt

It's nearly impossible to watch a half-hour of television without seeing a commercial for some kind of Greek yogurt. What's all the fuss about this kind of yogurt? It's hard to say for sure why Greek yogurt is such a hot trend but it has been around for centuries and is traditionally made using a straining process that removes the whey from the yogurt. Traditional Greek yogurt is higher in fat than most other yogurts and can therefore have a smoother, creamier mouthfeel. There are MANY different varieties of yogurts labeled as Greek yogurt on shelves in the U.S., though - so check the nutrition facts labels for what you want to know.

In general, yogurt remains a hot trend in food because it contains live, active bacteria cultures and the concepts of probiotics and even prebiotics are subjects of much research. It'll be interesting to learn what these healthy little critters might be able to do for human health in the future. In addition, yogurt is another way to get calcium and a little protein.

In the meantime, if you're into yogurt or Greek yogurt (pictured above: Greek God brand Greek yogurt in Roger's Place on Revelle College), you will find plenty of options in Dining Services restaurants and Places & Markets. In the restaurants, you will find yogurt on the Fruit and Yogurt bars everyday. In the Places & Markets, you will find a variety of yogurts in individual servings.

Real Deal on Nutrition Today in Plaza Cafe

Come by Plaza Cafe for lunch today where I'll be serving up the LiveWell meal and answering your questions about nutrition.

Today's LiveWell meal at Plaza: Lemongrass Chicken.

The Lemongrass Chicken contains approximately 230 calories, 6.5g fat, and 36g protein.

Kosher for Passover

Pictured above are the Kosher for Passover options at Plaza Cafe, including Kosher juices, matzo, eggs, and gefilte fish.

There are also Kosher for Passover options available at the Places & Markets. Items include matzo crackers, matzo meal, juices, potato pancake mix, macaroons, and matzo ball soup mix.

Thursday's Featured Organic Meal at Plaza Cafe

Today's featured organic meal in honor of Earth Week is at Plaza Cafe:

• Organic Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan


• Free Range Chicken Parmesan


• Organic Whole Wheat Pasta with Marinara Sauce


• Steamed Organic Vegetables

Respect the Potato Day

Today is Respect the Potato Day in Dining Services.

Potato, you say? Let me guess, you have heard that potatoes are too high in carbs, starch, sugar, glycemic index?

Well, here is the good news: potatoes definitely fit into a healthy lifestyle. They are high in potassium and vitamin B6 and even contain phytochemicals. They have soluble and insoluble fiber. They are inexpensive and nutrient dense. They are naturally low in fat. And they are delicious!

If you're craving a potato, stop by Plaza Cafe's baked potato bar today. You can choose from an array of fun toppings - broccoli, 3-bean chili, cheese, bacon, green onions, black olives, salsa and sour cream. If you're trying to keep it healthy, try the baked potato topped with broccoli, salsa, onions, olives and a light sprinkle of cheese - yum!

And today is the last day of National Nutrition Month. I hope that you worked on establishing healthy habits during March that will carry into April and beyond.

Fresh Herb and Veggie Garden

Dining Services' Executive Chef Vaughn Vargus along with Krista Mays, HDH's Sustainability Manager, have planted a garden on Revelle College to grow herbs and vegetables.

Dining will use the fresh herbs and produce in the restaurants on campus.

This garden is another effort by HDH to be sustainable and provide students with fresh, healthy, environmentally responsible options.

Yum!

Eat Right With Color, It's National Nutrition Month!

March is National Nutrition Month and this year's theme is Eat Right With Color.

Eating Right With Color can be accomplished by eating soup!

The picture to the right is of my vegan vegetable soup from Plaza Cafe. This soup contains several types of colors and veggies: green peas, white potatoes, orange carrots, yellow corn, green beans.

Soup is also soothing, particularly on a chilly day, and its volume tends to fill you up on fewer calories, which can be good if you're trying to lose weight.

You can find soup at every Dining Services' location. The healthier choices are broth-based (not cream-based) and contain a bunch of vegetables. Each restaurant serves at least one vegetarian soup daily.

If you have a favorite soup recipe, please send it to me! It will be considered for rotation into Dining's menu.

Featured LiveWell Dish: Gnocchi

Here is a picture of the LiveWell Gnocchi that I had for lunch last week at Plaza Cafe.

LiveWell Gnocchi:

• vegetarian
• made from potatoes, which are a great source of potassium
• 1 serving contains 350 calories, 17g fat, 4.5g fiber, 10g protein
• costs $5.95 with one side. I chose steamed vegetables (broccoli, zucchini, and carrots) with my meal, which is pictured to the right.

When can you get this Gnocchi dish next?

• This Monday, Feb 21st at Cafe Ventanas

Black History Month Luncheon today at Plaza Cafe

Visit Plaza Cafe today during lunchtime (11a-2p) for the 14th Annual Black History Luncheon. The theme of the celebration today is "I Am Diversity."

There will be entertainment, performances and fantastic food! Check out the menu here: http://hdh.ucsd.edu/bhm/

Real Deal on Nutrition TODAY in Plaza Cafe

Come see me today during lunch at Plaza Cafe dishing out the Real Deal on Nutrition and serving the LiveWell meal.

Today's LiveWell meal at Plaza is: Salmon with Tomato and Fennel Confit, which has 300 calories, 19g fat, 0.5g fiber and 29g protein. Salmon has omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart but often lacking in most Americans' diets.

Have nutrition questions? Like healthy food options? Have ideas or healthy recipes that you'd like to share with me?

Come by Plaza Cafe today to say hello and have a great lunch!

LiveWell today in Dining Services

LiveWell meals are healthy, RD-approved meals.

Check out the choices that you have for LiveWell meals TODAY, Feb 7th, 2011:

Tuscan Chicken at Plaza Cafe (Revelle) & Canyon Vista (Warren)

Potato Gnocchi at Pines (Muir)

Salmon w/Indian rub at OVT (Marshall)

Chicken Bruschetta at Cafe V (ERC)

LiveWell Lunch today at Plaza Cafe

Today's LiveWell option at Plaza Cafe is the Curried Chicken with Indian Dahl. The picture here is of my lunch today. I had rice and steamed veggies on the side with my chicken and dahl (lentils). This dish is high in fiber and protein...and it's tasty!

If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can choose just the Dahl (which we make separately from the chicken).

Nutrition Facts for the Curried Chicken with Indian Dahl:

440 calories

11g fat

11g fiber

49g protein

It's Pho Friday at Plaza Cafe!

Plaza Cafe features fresh, hot Pho every Friday. Here is a picture of my Pho lunch today.

I chose tofu for my protein so this meal is vegetarian. You could also choose shrimp, beef or chicken.

Although soups/broths tend to be fairly salty, these foods can be part of a healthy diet. Drink plenty of water and include plenty of potassium to offset your sodium intake.

Come see me at Plaza Cafe today!

I will be serving the LiveWell meal at Plaza Cafe today during lunch.

Come by to say hello & talk nutrition with me or to simply get a healthy meal!

Today's LiveWell meal at Plaza Cafe is:

Lemongrass Chicken (4 oz):
229 calories
6.6 grams total fat
0 grams trans fat
3 grams carbohydrates
36 grams protein

Keen on Quinoa?

Dining Services' Places & Markets have a variety of options and we try hard to carry what students want. I have received some student requests for quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah"). The tan package in the picture is the Bolivian pearl quinoa that you can purchase at Roger's Place & Market on Revelle College.

Check out these Top 20 Quinoa Recipes from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Healthy-Cooking/Super-Foods/Whole-Grains/Quinoa/Top.aspx

The purple package is another healthy grain, Thai purple jasmine rice.

Tasty and Fair Trade, too!

Come see me dishing out the Real Deal on Nutrition at Plaza Cafe TODAY!

I will be serving the LiveWell meal TODAY at Plaza Cafe! Come by to pick up a healthy meal and be sure to say hi to me. I am happy to answer your nutrition questions as well.

What the Pho every Friday at Plaza Cafe!

Plaza Cafe on Revelle College features Pho every Friday at lunch. My favorite way to eat Pho is with the bean sprouts, basil, tofu and all kinds of sauce. The picture to the right is my Friday lunch. Yum!

You can also choose chicken or beef.

Soups, including pho, have a lot of volume, which can fill you up on fewer calories. Soup is also very soothing during the fall and winter months.