Summer is here along with the bounty of foods that are in season.  What better way to enjoy these foods than to cook them outside while enjoying the wonderful weather.

Grilling can be a wonderful way to increase flavor in food and develop subtle tastes without added seasonings or extra fats.  In fact, grilling most often will aid with decreasing the fat content of most meats cooked on an open grill as the fat drips off as it cooks. 

Some tips to keep your summer grilling safe and healthy:

Earlier this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced revised 2010 Dietary Guidelines.  The biggest change was the daily sodium intake recommentation.  In the past, the recommendation was for adults to consume 2,300 mg of sodium daily.  However, the current recommendation is now 1,500 mg for adults with hypertension, diabetes, or anyone over the age of 50.  My assumption is that if you are reading this, you meet at least one of these criteria, so please read the following very carefully!

Most women know that omega-3’s are crucial to a healthy diet. However, the wide variety of benefits may not be known. A diet rich in omega-3’s can play a huge health role in the diets of women, especially women with diabetes. It helps with pain and inflammation, can help brain function, improve memory, and increase focus, can help alleviate depression and improve mood, can work wonders on your heart and help lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides while increasing good (HDL) cholesterol. It can also help lower blood pressure, protect against heart attack and stroke, and lastly, can reduce your risk of certain cancers.

Omega’s-3’s can be found in flaxseeds, walnuts, eggs, and tofu but the best source is found in fatty fish. So why are most women still not getting the recommended two servings per week? It’s probably because they either do not know how to cook fish or are concerned with mercury levels and pollutants as well as the environmental concerns of overfishing.

While packed with health benefits fish is also low in calories and can be a cheap and easy meal if you know what kind to buy and easy and tasty ways to prepare it. Below are good options that are environmentally sustainable, have low levels of pollutants, and are packed with comega-3’s as well as other vital nutrients. Try incorporating them in to your meals 2-3x per week.

Arctic Char: Good source of DHA and EPA (the type of omega-3’s that protect your heart)

Maple-Glazed Arctic Char: Combine 2 tbs maple syrup and 1 tbs each balsamic vinegar and orange zest. Brush mixture on four char filets and cook at 450 degrees for 12 minutes. Brush with glaze again halfway through cooking.

Per 3.5oz: 137kcal

Omega-3’s: 1.41g

Barramundi: If you enjoy cod or sea bass you will also like this white fish.

Barramundi in Saffron Broth: Cook four filets in a pan with 1 tbs oil over medium heat, 2 minutes per side. Remove fish. Add 1-½ cups chicken broth and ½ tsp saffron to pan. Simmer, add fish, and cook 2 minutes, Top with dill (serves 4).

Per 3.5oz: 147 kcal

Mega-3’s: 833mg

Canned Sardines: Contain 8 times more omega-3’s than canned tuna as well as more vitamin D and calcium than a glass of milk (if you don’t throw away the bones, these are edible and barely noticeable)

Paste De Sardine: Cook 8oz dry fettuccine according to package directions. Heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 medium chopped onion and 3 cloves chopped garlic to pan and cook a few minutes, until soft. Add 1 (3.75oz) can sardines in tomato sauce and cook until heated through. Lower heat and simmer, about 5 minutes. When pasta is almost done, drain and add to sardine sauce. Stir, cover, and turn off heat. Let stand for a few minutes to absorb sauce. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon over sauce and serve with red pepper fakes and Parmesan.

Per 3.5oz: 170 kcal

Omega 3’s: 1.4g

How many things do we have to do on a daily basis?  If you are like me at this time of the year you have New Year’s resolutions on your mind, weight management, diabetes management, job duties, shoveling (if you live in the snow prone areas of the US!), picking kids up from school, trying to get to the gym…the list goes on and on. I have found that having some quick meals set to go, or that are easy to prepare in a pinch are really helpful in keeping my blood glucose controlled as well as providing overall good nutrition instead of relying on those carry out places.

Stock your pantry with the following items:

Dry or canned beans (black, garbanzo, kidney) (high protein and fiber)

Wild or black rice  (High fiber carbohydrate source)

Barley or other hearty grain (High fiber carbohydrate source)

Lentils (High fiber carbohydrate source and protein)

Sweet potatoes or butternut squash (you can even buy these in the frozen or refrigerated section already cut up and skinned making preparation even faster) (Carbohydrate and fiber)

Frozen bags of veggies (easy to steam in the microwave or to add to soups – these are already cut up and cleaned decreasing the time needed to prepare and increasing the nutritional value of your meal)  (Fiber and low Carbohydrate)

Carrots (the big ones are less expensive)

Canned diced or stewed tomatoes (you can even buy these with herbs and seasonings in to make it easier to use in recipes)

Pre-portioned pre-cooked frozen chicken breasts (or vegetarian chicken strips) (Low fat protein)

Canned tuna and/or salmon (low fat protein)

Dried onion flakes

Pre-minced garlic

Dried herbs, spices

Each of these items provides good nutritional balance when combined at a mealtime. If you rely on your slow cooker, or crock-pot you can set the ingredients in the pot in the morning and when you get you home you have a meal all set to put on the table!

Try the following crock-pot meal and package up the remains for leftovers.  Most of these types of meals can also be packaged and frozen for use much later.

Multi-bean soup with tomatoes:  (makes 8 servings)

5-quart slow cooker

2 ½ cups mixed dry beans (many can be purchased in a bag mixed at your grocery store)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 medium chopped onion

3 stalks celery

2 large carrots

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp Italian seasoning

32 oz. vegetable broth or 3 vegetable bouillon cubes dissolved in 32 oz. warm water

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

Add water and bouillon cubes (or vegetable broth) to slow cooker.  Mix in rinsed dry beans and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and set slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Serving size:

1-½ cups

40 grams Carb.

10 grams fiber

12 grams protein