What this Dietitian Learned on a Cannery Tour

What this Dietitian Learned on a Cannery Tour

by | Sep 4, 2019 | Food and Nutrition

What this Dietitian Learned on a Cannery Tour

By Leslie Schilling, RD 

No foods were quite so delicious to me as a tomato sandwich on the beach with my family in the summertime, or my mom’s baked spaghetti loaded with tomato sauce and canned diced tomatoes. In full disclosure, I’ve always been a tomato lover. So, naturally, I was honored to be invited on a tour visiting family farms that produce around 95% of all the canned tomatoes in the United States. We also visited peach and pear farms and learned how many of these beautiful fruits are picked, transported, and canned, in a matter of hours. Let me tell you what I learned about cans, and about myself.

I had canned food amnesia (and I bet I’m not alone).

To be honest, I’d forgotten about canned produce. Between my formal education as a dietitian and a person who has the privilege to buy fresh produce, canned produce had all but disappeared from my grocery list and kitchen. Seeing the process of produce being picked fresh from the field, carefully prepared, and canned, reminded me that I’ve been missing out on the nutrition that canned foods can provide (and sadly, so were my clients). As a dietitian, my clients deserve recommendations that are both nutrient-rich and cost-effective. This tour helped me remember that cans can deliver quality nutrition and reduce the prep time needed to get busy families around a table together. Regardless of your household food budget, canned produce can play a role in every kitchen. 

Steel cans are recyclable – 100% recyclable. 

My mind was blown on this one. Did you know that a magnet can retrieve steel cans from a kitchen trash bag that ended up in a landfill? That can you never recycled? I didn’t either. Steel cans are retrieved from either landfills or recycling plants and remade into new cans. This makes steel cans a smart choice for families looking to add nutrition and care for the environment we live in. 

Nutrition sealed in time.

The canning process is one that has been around for more than a hundred years. While the technology involved in monitoring a cannery may look like a spaceship control center, the process remains simple, clean, and effective. As I watched tomatoes being placed into a rolling water bath, flash-steamed, and promptly sealed, it reminded of why my grandmother canned tomatoes right out of the garden. She’d say they’re fresh now, and they’ll be just as fresh when we open them in the winter. 

Not only is the freshness sealed in, the carotenoids that make tomatoes a nutritional powerhouse are amplified. Canned tomatoes are known for their cancer-fighting compound lycopene, which becomes 2.5 times more bioavailable after the canning process. The canning “process” (which is really just steaming or cooking), also brings out valuable nutrients in peaches. Canned peaches have higher levels of vitamin C and folate compared to the fresh fruit. 

Using canned foods can help reduce food waste. 

These days, commercially canned produce must include a best by date,  which is generally 36 months from the date of being sealed. When these canned foods are prepped, ready to open and add to a meal, we can also reduce food waste. Sadly, I’ve thrown away far too many fresh fruits and vegetables that I’ve forgotten or didn’t have time to prepare. Keeping canned produce in mind in our homes may help us add nutritional value and reduce food waste at the same time.

If you forget about the goodness of cans like I did, try to remember the acronym I created to prevent myself from ever experiencing canned food amnesia again. 

S – Sealed at the peak of freshness.

T – Takes less time and money.

I  – Can improve overall nutrition quality.

R – Can reduce food waste in fully recyclable packaging. 

Let’s help families STIR in cost-effective nutrition that’s as fresh as fresh can be. 

Big thanks to Pacific Coast Producers for hosting this amazing opportunity to see the harvest and canning process.

Leslie Schilling

Leslie Schilling

Nutrition Counseling for Families

Leslie Schilling owns a Las Vegas-based coaching practice, specializing in nutrition counseling for families, those of all ages with disordered eating concerns, and professional athletes and performers. In addition to running her practice, Leslie serves as a performance nutrition consultant for Cirque du Soleil® and an eating disorder specialist and supervisory consultant for eating disorder treatment centers in Nevada. With her warm, compassionate, and entertaining personality, Leslie been featured in media outlets like Women’s Health, Self, Pregnancy Magazine, The Yoga Journal, Bicycling, BuzzFeed, the Huffington Post, US News & World Report, and on HGTV. You may know her best as the creator of the Born To Eat® approach and co-author of the award-winning book, Born To Eat.


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Thin Crust Spinach Pizza (Ready in under 30 minutes)

Thin Crust Spinach Pizza (Ready in under 30 minutes)

by | Aug 2, 2019 | Recipes

Yes, pizza CAN be a health food! This recipe for Thin Crust Spinach Pizza is ready in under 30 minutes and is filled with nutritious ingredients, vitamins, and minerals!

Spinach is awesome! And as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I want to celebrate everyday like it’s national spinach day. And spinach, tomato sauce and cheese? One of the best combos. I’ve cooked up a super quick and easy dinner recipe for spinach pizza that I’d love to share with you. I’m a fan of healthy convenience – that means cooking from scratch when you can, shopping for healthy packaged foods, and using time-savers to get dinner on the table pretty darn fast. My shortcuts here? Frozen chopped spinach, jarred pizza or marinara sauce, pre-crumbled feta, and whole-wheat flatbread. No need to rinse, sauté, boil, mince, crumble, mess up six pots and pans, or roll out dough that clearly has no interest in flattening out. If you’d like to sub the shortcuts for homemade dough or fresh spinach or some other ingredients, I know it’s going to taste awesome, I have no doubts. But these shortcuts are great for busy nights and dishwashing-haters like me.

Indulge me for a second while I opine about spinach. I load this pizza up with the stuff. Why? Well, 2 cups is 89% water, which means it’s naturally low-calorie and filling. For just 129 calories, you get 15 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber, which helps you feel satisfied, and supports muscle growth and development and bowel regularity. To get the same amount of protein, you’d need to eat 6 slices of turkey and you wouldn’t get any fiber. Plus, those 2 cups of spinach are high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin E, and a good source of zinc and vitamin C. And bonus – the vitamin C in the pizza sauce will enhance iron absorption!

So here’s the recipe. Perfect for a busy night. Fun to make with kids. Great for singles. Or couples. Or parties.

Thin Crust Spinach Pizza (Ready in under 30 minutes)

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Yes, pizza CAN be a health food! This recipe for Thin Crust Spinach Pizza is ready in under 30 minutes and is filled with nutritious ingredients, vitamins, and minerals!

Ingredients

  • 1 whole wheat flatbread or lavash (I used Trader Joe’s whole wheat lavash bread)
  • 1/4 cup good pizza sauce or marinara sauce
  • 2 cups frozen, chopped spinach, cooked. Squeeze out excess water.
  • 3 artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh buffalo mozzarella
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees FahrenheitLine a baking sheet with tinfoil.
  2. Pre-crisp the flatbread by baking it for 2 minutes on each side (4 minutes total).
  3. Spread the marinara on the toasted flatbread, leaving a 1-inch border of crust.
  4. Cover evenly with chopped spinach.
  5. Arrange the artichokes on the spinach.
  6. Add chopped mozzarella.
  7. Sprinkle feta cheese on top.
  8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the goat cheese is slightly brown and the mozzarella has melted.
© Tomato Wellness

Caroline Kaufman MS, RDN is a Los Angeles-based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, freelance writer, blogger and media spokesperson. Her advice has been featured in Health, EatingWell, Real Simple, Fox News, PBS Parents, upwave, and Food and Nutrition Magazine. Caroline loves to help busy people achieve their nutrition goals without adding stress; if you like the sound of that, check out her blog and follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Enchiladas

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Enchiladas

by | Jul 26, 2019 | Recipes

Dinner is served thanks to this amazing recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Enchiladas. Be sure to make extras because they will be gone in a heartbeat!

It’s always a good time for enchiladas.  Is it weird to wrap up enchiladas with little, baby cabbages inside?  I say no.  This is mainly because lately I’ve been living in a Brussels sprouts obsessed phase.  And also because it’s always a good time for enchiladas, whether they’re filled with little green Brussels sprouts or not.  No judgment here.  I accept all the enchiladas.

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There’s this thing about crispy oven-roasted Brussels sprouts that just does it for me. Actually oven-roasted veggies in general just do it for me. Oven-roasted carrots with a pinch of sea salt + honey. Oven-roasted tomatoes topped with Parmesan + basil. Umm yeah.

Tomatoes just have this magical way of getting all caramelized and sweet when roasted. A can of roasted tomatoes can do wonders to a plain ol’ pizza crust. Really, tomato anything can do wonders for a dish. Not to mention the powerhouse nutrient lycopene, which tomatoes are bursting with.

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I buy a lot of tomato paste.  It’s one of those pantry staples just necessary for life.  So many recipes call for a delicious addition of tomato-y goodness.  Enchilada sauce, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, stews…they all NEED it.  This article on how to save leftover tomato paste has spared quite a few half empty cans of the stuff.

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So for this recipe I filled enchiladas with mashed acorn squash, which makes them oh-so-creamy without being super heavy and cheesy.  A little of extra sharp cheddar on top adds plenty of cheesy goodness.  Pair that with the sweet enchiladas sauce and you’ve got yourself a perfect dinner.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Enchiladas

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Ingredients

Enchilada Filling

  • 2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
  • 1 small acorn squash, sliced in half and seeds scooped out
  • 2 cups fresh Brussels sprouts (~18 balls), quartered
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 12-14 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • ½ cup extra sharp white cheddar, grated

Enchilada Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place acorn squash cut side down. Bake for 40 minutes, or until soft.
  3. While baking, toss the quartered Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a separate baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring twice throughout cooking.
  4. While baking, make your enchilada sauce. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in garlic and stir until garlic turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Add in chili powder and stir for 1 minute. Add in chicken broth, tomato paste and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover.
  5. Scoop flesh out of the acorn squash into a large bowl. Add in shredded chicken, roasted Brussels sprouts, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
  6. Now assemble your enchiladas. Wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave to make them pliable. Scoop ¼ cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish (I had to use 2 baking dishes).
  7. Lightly coat a tortilla with enchilada sauce, add some filling and roll up the enchilada. Repeat until tortillas and filling are all rolled up. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese.
  8. Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes. Just before serving, place under the oven broiler for 30 seconds to get the cheese all crispy.
© Tomato Wellness

Kylie is a food blogger and dietetic intern living in Houston, TX.  Her recipes try to make healthy eating something to look forward to.  While healthy eating is important, Kylie is a huge fan of everything in moderation…including moderation.  You can connect with Kylie on instagram, twitter, facebook, bloglovin or pinterest.

 

Tomato Paste, a Mediterranean Staple and Why You Should Use It

Tomato Paste, a Mediterranean Staple and Why You Should Use It

by | Jul 24, 2019 | Food and Nutrition

Tomato Paste, a Mediterranean Staple and Why You Should Use It

Tomato paste is a a Mediterranean staple! Learn more about why you should use it in the kitchen with this information blog from dietitian Elena Paravantes.

by Elena Paravantes, RD

In my mother’s descriptions of my grandmother’s cooking and her own, one ingredient would come up that seemed odd to me: tomato paste. I would wonder: why would you use all these fresh ingredients and then add a canned tomato product?

Well, in the olden days it served a purpose: it was used as a substitute for tomatoes, when fresh ones were not available. Tomato paste was made at home as a way to preserve tomatoes to use during the winter. I read somewhere that tomato paste originated in Italy and and then its use spread across other areas of the Mediterranean, which makes perfect sense considering how important tomato is in the Mediterranean cuisine.

My mother remembers as a little girl in the 50’s, going to the local deli (in Greece) and getting 1-2 tablespoons of the stuff on a piece of wax paper so her mother could use it for cooking. What did they do with it? Well they made the known kokkinista, which translates as the “red ones”. These are dishes either made with tomatoes or tomato paste, hence the name referring to the redness.The tomato paste along with olive oil is warmed up (or almost sautéed) in a pot or pan, and the vegetables or meat are added and cooked. Of course it is also used in pasta and sauces and basically when you want to give a little color or added flavor.

Nowadays you can get tomatoes year round (not great tasting ones though) or use canned tomatoes, so why not use that instead? My mom noted that using the paste really gives a different, unique flavor that you just can’t get with fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes. And why not? Nutritionally, you will get plenty of benefits with tomato paste.

Tomato paste basically consists of cooked tomatoes that are strained. Studies have shown that processed tomato products such as tomato paste have higher levels of lycopene, an antioxidant known for its protective effect against some forms of cancer and also promoting skin health. But tomato paste is not what I would consider a processed product (in the bad sense), it is just heated and strained, containing only tomatoes and sometimes salt (no preservatives or sugar). In addition, when adding olive oil, as is common in Greek cooking, not only do you get the good monounsaturated fats and olive oil antioxidants, but the presence of fat increase the absorption of the antioxidants in the tomato. And if you are cooking with tomato paste you get an additional benefit: heating tomato paste with olive oil increases antioxidant activity.

A Quick Snack
My mother recalls the “poor” children getting a large slice of bread with tomato paste, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with oregano – a wonderful snack full of antioxidants from the tomato paste, olive oil and oregano plus good fats. The rich kids would get a slice of bread too, but with butter, sprinkled with sugar as those ingredients were more expensive and only people who had money could get them. How ironic, considering that the poor kid’s snack was so much healthier than the rich kid’s snack. Poor or not, I love that snack and my mom would give it to us slightly altering it and calling it “pizza”: bread brushed with olive oil and tomato paste, sprinkled with oregano and some shredded cheese, baked in the oven for 5 minutes.

Elena Paravantes

Elena Paravantes

Registered Dietitian

Award winning Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Writer specializing in the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active in the field of food and nutrition for over 15 years as a clinical dietitian, food and nutrition consultant, writer, teacher and lecturer, both in the U.S. and in Greece. Elena firmly believes in the wide-ranging health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and is committed to educating the public about the wholesome food plan she grew up with through her writing, teaching and lecturing.

To learn more, check out Elena’s website: OliveTomato


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A Red, White, & Blue 4th of July

A Red, White, & Blue 4th of July

by | Jul 3, 2019 | Food and Nutrition

A Red, White, & Blue 4th of July

Go red this 4th of July with canned tomatoes! Invite over some friends and celebrate good health with a simple, nutritious red, white, and blue appetizer from dietitian Sharon Palmer.

By Sharon Palmer, RD, author of Plant-Powered for Life

This 4th of July, let’s remember where our food roots come from. Most traditional, cultural diets—whether from Peru or Asia—are based on plants. Even in our own country, our diet once gravitated more towards plants. My mother, who grew up in Arkansas, enjoyed a wholesome plant-based diet; a typical meal was black-eyed peas, foraged greens, roasted tomatoes, and cornbread. It’s amazing to think about how far we’ve strayed away from a plant-centric diet in the United States in recent years.

Now when we think about most foods in the “Western diet,” we tend to think of foods characterized by large amounts of animal products, and few whole plant foods. It’s no surprise that this eating style has been linked with our current epidemic of chronic disease and obesity.

But there’s good news.

Many of America’s favorite foods can be made by better-tasting and better-for-you by piling on America’s favorite condiments – tomato products, including salsa, ketchup, and tomato sauce.

So healthy are tomato products that high intakes have been associated with important health benefits, including reduced risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease and some forms of cancer, according to a 2012 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. And the best part is that there’s no need to break the bank to redeem the health benefits associated with tomato products. According to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, tomato juices and tomato soups, carrots, and broccoli all scored the highest Nutrient Rich Foods (NRF) index per dollar. NRF is based on nine nutrients to encourage: protein; fiber; vitamins A, C, and E; calcium; iron; magnesium; and potassium; and on three nutrients to limit: saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium.

So, this 4th of July, invite over some friends and celebrate good health with this simple, nutritious red, white, and blue appetizer, made better by tomato products!

Red, White & Blue Salsa Cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-ounce can of salsa
  • 16 ounces of non-fat plain Greek yogurt (2, 8-ounce containers)or vegan sour cream (recipe here)
  • 1 package of blue corn tortilla chips
  • 16 plastic cups

Instructions:

  1. In each plastic cup, layer ~ ¼ cup of non-fat Greek yogurt, followed by 2 tablespoons salsa.
  2. Garnish with two tortilla chips.
  3. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips.

Makes around 6-8 individual dips.

 

Sharon Palmer

Sharon Palmer

Writer and Author of The Plant-Powered Diet

Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Dietitian™ is a writer and author of The Plant-Powered Diet. Over 850 of her articles have been published in national publications, including Prevention, Better Homes and Gardens and Today’s Dietitian. She is also the editor of the award-winning publication Environmental Nutrition and writes for her blog, The Plant-Powered Blog. Her specific expertise is in plant-based nutrition, including Mediterranean, vegetarian and vegan diets.Her second book, Plant-Powered For Life: Eat Your Way to Lasting Health with 52 Simple Steps and 125 Delicious Recipesis available for purchase now.


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