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.

Beetles for Breakfast?

When I was in college I travelled to South Korea to stay with a good friend and her family who lived in Seoul.  During my visit they introduced me to many of the local traditions, including many cuisine and food-related customs. Imagine my never-been-out-of-the-U.S.-before surprise when one of their favorite delicacies was silk worms! What!? I marveled at the women cooking these worms in pots on fire pits outside at a traditional Korean festival.

Although exotic to me, many cultures regularly consume "insects" as protein sources.  An estimated 2.5 billion people regularly consume insects. The United Kingdom is considering adding insect protein to its food supply. The basic reason to include insects in the diet is to provide a non-animal protein source. Read more about it in Insect and food pyramids could help reduce meat consumption , which sourced info from a new article in the journal Appetite called, "Can we cut out the meat of the dish? Constructing consumer-oriented pathways towards meat substitution."

Are you trying to reduce your meat consumption? If so, here are ways that Dining can help you with that goal:

• try Meatless Monday dishes at the grill every Monday at all 5 residential restaurants
• visit Roots, the all-vegan restaurant on Muir College
• choose the vegetarian or vegan options available daily; check Dining's site for the green VT label (vegetarian) or blue VG label (vegan)
• utilize the salad bar
• order a vegetarian sandwich at the deli
• who says you have to have an entree? try a meal of 3 vegetarian "sides" such as the vegetarian soup, a spinach leaf salad with garbanzo beans and tomatoes, and a yogurt
• choose veggie options at a Place & Market
• no, Dining is NOT serving bugs!

Happy Meatless Monday!

El Capitan at Roots

My lunch - El Capitan from Roots

I LOVE Roots, the all-vegan restaurant on Muir College and I have a new favorite menu item since my old favorite, the Grant Grove, was not popular among students last quarter and has been switched out for some new ones.  My new favorite, El Capitan, is a sun-dried tomato Italian Tofurky sausage with sauteed peppers and onions and vegan "mozzarella."  I love the flavor of the tofurky combined with the peppers and onions.

You definitely don't have to be vegan to enjoy the deliciousness that is Roots.  It's also a really nice, serene, and extremely close-by alternative to the nearly always busy Pines restaurant. Check it out and try a vegan meal. Here is Roots menu. 

Are you looking for some vegan/vegetarian info?
Then check out this cool Vegan MyPlate from the Vegetarian Resource Group, which is a vegetarian advocacy group that hails from one of the most awesome places ever: Baltimore. (GO RAVENS!)

Earth Week Specials This Week

In honor of Earth Week, Dining Services is featuring special organic and earth-friendly lunches this week. 

Monday, April 16th

Pines - Organic Eggplant Parmesan, Free Range ¼ Chicken Chipotle, Whole Wheat pasta with marinara sauce. Pizza made with organic marinara.

Tuesday, April 17th

Canyon Vista /FoodWorx– Free Range Chicken Florentine, Oven Roasted Acorn Squash filled with sweet and spicy organic lentil stew. Organic Twice Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes, Pizza made with organic marinara.

Wednesday, April 18th:

Café Ventanas – Organic Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan, Whole Wheat pasta with organic marinara sauce, seasoned organic vegetables. Pizza made with organic marinara.

Thursday, April 19th

Plaza Cafe – Free Range Chicken Rotisserie, whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce, steamed organic vegetables. Pizza made with organic marinara.

Friday, April 20th:

OVT - Organic Roasted Red Potato Pizza , Fresh Mozzarella, Organic Baby Spinach and Shredded Parmesan Cheese. Baked Organic Butternut Squash Topped with Organic Quinoa pilaf garnished with a Parmesan Crusted Organic Tomato

What are you doing for Mother Earth? This week I've begun a concerted effort to save water.  I'm trying to save water by reducing my shower time (haha, I know there is a joke there but I promise I'll be nice & clean, just spending less time just standing there letting the hot water hit my face & trying to wake up), turning off the faucet while I'm brushing my teeth and only doing full loads of laundry (not a problem with a baby in the house!)

Happy Earth Week!

Are You Keen on Quinoa?

I've heard the word quinoa pronounced many different ways but here's the deal, it's KEEN-wah.  I like it when people say kwah-NO-ah, though; that's just fun.

Anyway, quinoa is healthy and really getting popular in the U.S. these days, which is neat because it's been used in South America for thousands of years.  Dining's executive chef Vaughn Vargus likes quinoa so much that he even included it in a culinary competition he was in last year. Here's Chef Vaughn providing a cooking demo at the Zone.

UC San Diego Dining's executive chef Vaughn Vargus, CEC, CCA

Why eat quinoa?

• it's yummy
• it's higher in protein than most grains**
• it can be eaten all sorts of ways
• it's vegan
• it's gluten-free for those who need gluten-free options
• it's filling

**Technically quinoa is not actually a grain. The Whole Grains Council says that, "Botanically, quinoa is related to beets, chard and spinach, and in fact the leaves can be eaten as well as the grains." Read more about it here.

Where can you get some quinoa on campus right now? At Roots! Check out the Half Dome, a
multi grain burger made of red quinoa, barley & cornmeal on a vegan roll.

Passover Style Meals Available All Week

Dining Services has the following options available for students celebrating Passover this week.

In our Places & Markets:

• sparking juices
• macaroons
• matzah
• matzo ball soup
• regularly stocked plethora of Kosher items

In our Residential Dining Restaurants:

• A Passover-style station each day
• Today's Passover-style meals are Rosemary Chicken for lunch and Herb Crusted Tilapia for dinner
• matzah
• matzo ball soup

New Vegan Items at Roots

The all-vegan Roots restaurant on Muir College has new menu items this quarter.  Come by to check out these new tasty delights:

• Hetch Hetchy - Potato gnocchi, fresh edamame and sauteed spinach with a drizzle of balsamic glaze
• Wawona - thinly sliced and rolled eggplant filled with soy ricotta, and housemade tomato sauce
• El Capitan - sun-dried tomato Italian tofurkey sausage with sauteed pepper and onions, vegan mozzarella (this dietitian's current favorite!)
• Half Dome - multigrain burger made of red quinoa, barley and cornmeal on a vegan roll
• 3 All New Smoothies

Or try one of your favorites from winter quarter like the Root (pictured below)

The Root, vegan "berger" and portobello mushrooms





Finals are Here - Dining Restaurants Open Earlier

During Finals Week, Dining restaurants are open earlier for those of you getting up early to study or take an exam.  All restaurants are open at 7am this week.  The Places & Markets are also open as usual.

Make sure to eat to fuel your study sessions and test-taking.  Your brain needs food to perform best.

What are some healthy pre-exam breakfasts available in Dining restaurants?

• yogurt with chopped fruit and a cereal mixed in
• hot slow-cooked oatmeal with raisins
• scrambled eggs with salsa on top, toasted whole wheat bread and an orange

Short on time and running in-and-out of Place & Market on your way to your exam? Try:

• Amy's oatmeal bowl or breakfast burrito
• Kashi bar or Lara bar
• Hospitality Express fruit and cheese box (in the refrigerated cases)
• yogurt cup (my current faves are the Greek-style yogurts)

Best of luck on your exams!

Pre-exams/De-Stress Sunday Brunch TOMORROW

Allow Dining Services restaurants to help you fuel your study sessions on Sunday, 3/18, from 10am-2pm with a Pre-exams/De-Stress Sunday Brunch

• Creatively displayed Chocolate Fountain with assorted dipping items (strawberries, large marshmallows, pound cake, banana chunks, pineapple)…FREE!
• Carving station to include baked Pit Ham and Roast Beef with accompaniments (creamy horseradish, mustard and pineapple chutney)…$6.95
• Traditional Eggs Benedict…$2.95 each
• Steel Cut Oatmeal Breakfast Bar (assorted berries, raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, honey, etc.)…$1.75
• Bagels Built to Order…$5.95
• Omelet /Crepe station made to order with choice of accompaniments …$4.95
• Texas Style French Toast Entrée…$3.75

Oh, and Happy St Patty's Day!

Think Before You Drink

my decaf vanilla latte from Roger's Place & Market

Well, it's St. Patty's Eve so the phrase, "Think Before You Drink," might have led you to believe that I was posting about a different topic.  My focus is actually on coffee beverages and the calories in your favorite mocha-cappucino-hold-the-whip-half-caff-with-a-shot-of-hazelnut.

Ordinarily I am a devoted 1-2 cups of caffeinated coffee cups per day kind of gal.  At this time in my life, I am sticking with decaffeinated because I'm nursing my little 4-month old who has plenty of energy without a shot of espresso in her mid-morning meal! My drink of choice at this time is the decaf vanilla latte, which I usually pick up at Roger's since it's near my office on campus.  Which Place & Market is your favorite to make a coffee stop?

Dining Services brews Starbucks coffee and follows the Starbucks recipes so the entirety of the Starbucks coffee nutritionals is available to you here. My favorite drink, the grande decaf vanilla latte, has 250 calories, 6g fat, 37g carbs and 12g protein.  That's a pretty significant contribution to my nutritional intake and most people don't realize that flavored coffee beverages carry quite a few calories, fat, and carbohydrates.  I could save 60 calories and about half the carbohydrates if I didn't get the shot of vanilla but I love the drink that way I order it and I have the room for the calories and fat at this time.

So the moral of the story is Think Before You Drink.  On this St Patty's Eve, I hope you'll also consider that phrase in its traditional meaning as you head out to celebrate the raucous holiday. Have fun and be safe!

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!

Chocolate Milk: Slick Marketing or Good Post-Workout Snack?

Chocolate milk is getting a lot of press lately for being a good post-workout recovery drink.  The Milk Processor Education Program, the group responsible for the Got Milk? campaign, has a new campaign to promote chocolate milk to adults. You can see the ad on the USAToday news article about this topic here.

College students often ask me whether chocolate milk is "good" for them. The answer is not a clear-cut yes or no.  If you dislike plain, fat-free or lowfat milk and would never drink it and are of normal weight, then I'd recommend chocolate milk to you in order to get some great nutrition (vitamin D, calcium, protein.)  However, I would not recommend chocolate milk as a regular drink to everyone because it is a sugar-sweetened beverage with more calories than most people need to consume from a beverage.  I tend to agree with most of what Marion Nestle says about nutrition topics and I agree with her on the chocolate-milk-as-an-exercise-recovery-meal debate. Instead of drinking your calories, eat something! 

College-friendly After Exercise Meals:

• bowl of healthy cereal with milk (there! I used milk, not chocolate milk, in this example!)
• fruit smoothie (example: yogurt, berries, orange juice)
• sandwich (example: whole grain bread, turkey, lettuce, tomato)
• pasta with marinara or meat sauce
• burrito or burrito bowl with rice (like at Goody's)
• pizza bagel (easy-to-make even in your campus apartment)
• peanut butter and jelly sandwich with....MILK!

Have a great weekend! Exercise today - it's gorgeous outside!

Real Deal Today in Roots

Come by Roots restaurant on Muir College (lower level of Stewart Commons below Pines restaurant).  Roots is UC San Diego's first ever vegan restaurant and it's REALLY GOOD!  Come by to say hello to me, ask nutrition questions and have a tasty, vegan meal.  If you think you wouldn't like vegan food, come try it out - you'll be delighted. This food is good, people, whether you're an omnivore or strict vegan.

See you at Roots for lunch!

Get Your Plate In Shape

March is National Nutrition Month.  This year's theme is, "Get Your Plate In Shape."  The newly named Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) chooses and promotes the National Nutrition Month theme each year.

The key messages of this year's Get Your Plate In Shape platform are:

• make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• make at least half your grains whole
• switch to fat-free or low-fat milk
• vary your protein sources
• cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars
• enjoy your food but eat less
• be physically active your way

I like these messages, especially the last two, "enjoy your food but eat less" and "be physically active your way." The key pieces of these two adages are ENJOY and YOUR WAY.  It is healthier to focus on enjoying our meals, with less obsessing over control, restriction, or calorie counting.  And with exercise, the key will always be finding out what works for you.  I'm a big fan of the elliptical trainer whereas my sister finds that to be a modern day torture device - she likes group exercise classes like spin or cardio-kickboxing.

Which of the main messages from National Nutrition Month listed above mean something to you?
For more on National Nutrition Month, click here. 

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday today, Dining is offering special Seuss-themed treats:

• Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes for $2.25




Thing 1 & Thing 2 cupcakes - red velvet cake and blue icing


• Cat in the Hat cookies for $1.35

Why are cookies and cupcakes on a healthy eating blog?  There is a reason - all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle.  If you try to completely avoid ALL sugary dessert-type foods, you'll be a real drag at parties. (Ok, that's not my real take on this situation.) Seriously, being overly rigid or restrictive in your eating habits is an unhealthy approach to nutrition and can lead to over-indulging when you "give in" or "give up" on your strict dietary rules.  It's better to have a cookie or cupcake when the mood strikes.  If you include these items here and there in your intake, your desire for these types of treats is less likely to build up and overwhelm you later.

So if you're into red velvet cupcakes and cookies shaped like a beloved Seuss character, today is your day to have a little something fun!

In honor of the wonderfully creative Theodor Seuss Geisel, I plan to read Green Eggs and Ham to my baby tonight.  What is your favorite Dr. Seuss story?

Produce a-plenty

Produce Patch at the Village Market

Students often ask me, "where is the healthy food on campus?"  There are many spots to get healthy foods, including every Place & Market:

• Roger's (Revelle College)
• John's (Muir College)
• Goody's (Marshall College)
• the Village (ERC/Village Community)
• Earl's (Warren College)
• 6th (Sixth College)

Pictured at right is the Produce Patch at the Village Place & Market, which is full of healthy veggies and fruits. There are many local and organic choices in the produce selections at the markets.  Portions (or "pack sizes") are also usually on the smaller side since most of you are cooking for between 1-4 people and we want you to have the freshest stuff possible. 

When trying to make a healthy meal, a good rule of thumb is to fill up at least half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Ever heard of the Plate Method? (Oh yeah, that's me trying to stay focused on the Plate Method while fighter jets fly overhead...has that ever happened to you when taking a midterm? Those jets fly over campus all the time!)

Ok, back on track... Most of us need more fruits and veggies everyday than we actually consume. There is a huge variety of fruits and veggies out there - try them all and you will never get bored! Have you ever tried star fruit before? I LOVE the way it looks and it's great for those Oscar-themed parties (ok, so I'm a few days late on that suggestion...remember it for next year?) Check out star fruit here. 

My current veggie obsessions are spinach and artichokes.  What are your favorite vegetables or fruits? 

Potatoes, Po-tot-toes?

Many people mistakenly believe that potatoes are not good for you.  Potatoes got of plenty negative press in the low-carb diet craze and some of that bad press has stuck around. It's true that potatoes are rich in carbohydrates and can have a high glycemic index. However, most of us need plenty of healthy carbohydrates and the glycemic index of potatoes can be muted by eating the fibrous skin and eating other foods along with the potatoes, which most of us would do anyway...not sure I'd ever eat a meal of just potatoes. I never say never...and I do love me some french fries, but now I'm off on a tangent.

Potatoes also contain vitamin C and potassium.  The potatoes pictured above are in the Village Place & Market in the Village community on north campus.  Check out this easy and delicious recipe for Crispy Potatoes with Spicy Tomato Sauce - you could whip that up in your apartment or shared kitchen on campus. 

Potatoes are a regular feature in the residential restaurants in Dining Services as well. You'll find roasted potatoes as sides, potatoes in soups and of course there is the Russet Path at Roots. The Russet Path is a baked potato with vegan "cheese" sauce, topped with raw vegetables and faux "parmesan."

You say potatoes, I say po-tot-toes, and I eat them too!

Real Deal Dates in March

I'm bringing back my program, "the Real Deal on Nutrition" to Dining Services' locations in March.  Come by these locations during lunchtime to ask me nutrition questions, taste the LiveWell meal and to just say hello!

I'll be serving up the LiveWell selection at:

• Roots on 3/7/12 
• Plaza Cafe on 3/14/12  
• Pines on 3/21/12

You don't have to wait until then to ask me nutrition questions, though. Feel free to email me at rmcdivitt@ucsd.edu and I'll be happy to help you out or schedule an appointment with you to meet in my office.

Have a great weekend!

Roots Restaurant on Muir - Vegan Deliciousness

I had lunch at Roots Restaurant on Muir College - the picture above is my lunch, the Grant Grove, a mixed legume salad with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, carrots, bermuda onions and tofu "feta" on a bed of organic spinach. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

Roots is an all-vegan restaurant that Dining opened this quarter - the vision is to provide tasty, healthy, vegan dishes to all who are interested.  You certainly don't have to be vegan to eat a vegan meal...and the Grant Grove satisfied my large appetite for lunch!

My colleague had the butternut squash soup - I tasted this soup as well. If you're a fan of butternut squash like I am, you'll love it.  I like having scallions added onto soups and chilis as well but those are optional if they're not your preference.

Check out Roots restaurant.  It's my new favorite spot to eat on campus. 

Chocolate Changes for Responsible Snacking

Mars, the company that sells Snickers, Twix, M&Ms among other major brands, announced that it will limit candy bars to 250 calories each.  It plans top hase out king-sized candy bars by 2014.

Mars also announced these health-related changes:

• 25% reduction of sodium in their products
• a cease in buying advertising time/space when/where >25% of the audience is 12 years or younger

You might say, "so what?"  Well, to me, this type of change is a good faith effort to help improve our American food culture.  We seem to all understand that our current culture makes it hard to maintain a healthy weight - but we don't all agree on or know of ways to help improve that culture. I think this major food manufacturer is taking some good steps. Really, people, no one should eat a 540-calorie king-sized Snickers bar...and pretty soon, no one will.

Here is the brief article where I learned about Mars' planned changes.

Here are even more quick, healthy, "responsible snacks":

• fresh fruit
• handful of nuts
• handful of trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit)
• baby carrots
• a yogurt
• slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter or other nut butter
• a glass of milk
• a cheese stick
• ants on a log (celery sticks with either peanut butter or cream cheese on them, with raisins squooshed in). It might sound funky but it's good! And it was the first snack that I ever made for myself - probably around age 4. (I've always been an eater!)

Happy snacking!

Nutrition Counseling Available for All Residential Students

I like cartoon pictures of me - they hide the bags under my eyes!
Photo Courtesy of HDH Graphics Guru Dave DeCaro

Are you a UC San Diego resident with nutrition questions?  If so, you have a registered dietitian on campus to help you find the answers.  ------------------------------>

Students often seek my guidance for the following:

• food allergies and intolerances
• weight reduction
• vegetarianism/veganism
• healthy eating on campus
• wellness/fitness

Call or email me and I'd be happy to answer your nutrition questions.  Or, if you see me on campus, feel free to ask me your question on the spot!

Valentine's Day - How Sweet It Is

Ok, Valentine's day gives me mixed emotions. On one hand, I think it's a nifty marketing ploy to get us all to buy a bunch of stuff that's useless/tacky/overpriced. On the other hand, I think it's nice to be reminded to cherish your partner and shower him/her with affection and gifts...and I loooooove chocolate.

Chocolate can fit into a healthy lifestyle, especially dark chocolate, in small amounts: Maybe it can even lower blood pressure.

Look for some dark chocolate (and milk chocolate) treats in Dining Services today. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tofu Enchiladas at Plaza Cafe

I've returned to UC San Diego from maternity leave and have jumped right back into eating in the various Dining Services outlets. 

On Friday I had lunch at Plaza Cafe on Revelle College - my lunch is pictured above.  The enchiladas were made with tofu. Both the enchiladas and black beans had a nice kick to them from jalapenos.  This meal was vegetarian. I went back to get some salsa verde (not pictured) to add a little more color to my meal. Usually I'd eat a nice green vegetable or salad with this meal but I was really pressed for time.

My favorite thing about this meal: There was a nice balance of protein (mainly from the tofu, beans and cheese), fat (mainly from the cheese), fiber (mainly from the beans) and carbohydrates (mainly from the tortillas and beans.)

Delicious, hearty, and high fiber.

Sodium Shakedown: The Next Major Nutrition Public Health Push

hi all, I'm back from maternity leave now and planning to blog more frequently. So let's get this started! SODIUM SHAKEDOWN It seems that the next major nutrition-focused public health push is going to be dietary sodium intake reduction. Major food manufacturers and even restaurants are beginning to reformulate foods and recipes in order to bring down those sodium milligrams. That's a good thing. Generally, Americans eat FAR more milligrams of sodium than recommended. The CDC reports that 10 foods are responsible for nearly half of the sodium that Americans consume. These foods are: Breads and rolls, Luncheon meats such as deli ham and turkey, Pizza, Poultry, Soups, Cheeseburgers and other sandwiches, Cheese, Pasta dishes, Meat dishes, Snack foods including chips, pretzels, and popcorn. For more on this topic, check out WebMD's summary article at: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20120207/bread-and-other-common-foods-top-list-sodium-culprits I always like to focus on what you SHOULD be eating instead of what you shouldn't be eating. So, with that focus in mind, make sure to choose plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and un-processed foods. How can you do that? Eat at home more frequently, make more "from scratch," read labels for sodium to help you make choices at the grocery store. Why should you care about your sodium intake? It's primarly about your ticker and your noggin, people. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and too much blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. Be well. Skip the drive-through and spend that extra time to make a meal tonight.

15th Annual Black History Month Luncheon

The 15th Annual Black History Month Luncheon is being held tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb 8th, 2012, at Plaza Cafe on Revelle College. The featured lunch is served from 11am-2pm and the special Program is from 12pm-1:30pm. UC San Diego students, staff, faculty and the public are invited to enjoy a taste of African-American culture through home-cooked soul food, inspiring entertainment, and so much more! Mistress of Ceremonies: Dr. Renee Barnett Terry Featured Performers: Gary Bias - Grammy Award-Winning Saxophonist with Earth, Wind & Fire Matt Falker - Jazz Pianist & Vocalist Higher Authority - Female Gospel Group Tam Tam Mandingue USA - African Drum& Dance Troupe SD School of Creative & Performing Arts - Dance Theotis Duncan - Singing The Black National Anthem Visit http://hdh.ucsd.edu/bhm/ for more information or contact Davell Jackson-Brown at dajacksonbrown@ucsd.edu or 858-534-0236.

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

Thank you for your patience with less-frequent posts during the past 3 months while I've been on maternity leave. Starting in February, you will be seeing more regular blog posts from the Real Deal. If you have nutrition questions or suggestions for topics that you'd like to see covered in upcoming blog posts, please email me at rmcdivitt@ucsd.edu . I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and re-joining the healthy-eating community at UC San Diego! Becky

All-Vegan Roots Restaurant NOW Open!

Have you heard the buzz about Roots restaurant on Muir College? It's an entirely vegan restaurant located below Pines in Stewart Commons. Roots is now open and ready to serve you some awesome vegan fare. You're not vegan? Not vegetarian? Who cares! The food at Roots is delicious and can be enjoyed by omnivores as well. Come by Mon-Thu 11a-8p or Fri from 11a-4p. http://hds.ucsd.edu/DiningHours/#roots

Favorite Health Blogs of 2011

Happy 2012! Before setting my sights to the new year, I'd like to take a quick look back at my favorite blogs of 2011. The blogosphere is a crowded place and it is necessary to exercise caution when taking advice from health-related blogs. Here are some blogs that rose above the rest in my opinion (and in no particular order): 1. Mayo Clinic's "Nutrition-wise Blog" I mean, the Mayo Clinic rocks. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/MY00431/TAB=expertblog 2. Nutrition Blog Network This blog intends to help consumers mine through the vast numbers of nutrition blogs out there by picking out some of the most interesting posts - it's maintained by registered dietitians. 3. Fit to Eat This blog is by Christine Rosenbloom, a professor emerita of nutrition at Georgia State. She didn't post as frequently as I'd like in the latter part of 2012 but everything she posts is of high quality. Here's hoping she posts more in 2012! 4. Stuft Mama Family Fitness Blog Disclaimer: I am friends with this blogger, Kristin Stehly, who is the owner of Stuft Fitness and an all-around amazing athlete. She has run marathons while pushing her twins in a double stroller, people! Her blog has great info about her own food favorites, workout tips and heart-warming personal experience anecdotes. http://stuftmama.com/ Happy New Year, everyone! Here is to a fantastic 2012 full of food, family, friends, fitness and fun.