Tag Archives: Supermarket RD’s Pick

Supermarket RD’s Pick: Siggi’s

Grocery Store Finds

January 9, 2015 by Chef Julie RD

Siggi’s yogurt makes the list of this week’s Supermarket RD’s Pick. See why Siggi’s is RD approved!

Have you ever tried Siggi’s yogurt before? It brings Greek yogurt to a whole new level. Siggi’s is an Icelandic style cream-skyr. True to Icelandic tradition, Siggi’s products do not contain any artificial preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, flavors or colors, and are made with milk from family farms who do not use growth hormones such as rBGH. Siggi’s dairy is fully committed to making rather delicious yogurt products with simple ingredients and not a lot of sugar, always. (source)

There are always questions about what rGBH is. rBGH, or recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone is a synthetic form of growth hormone injected into cows to increase growth rates and milk production. When used in lactating cows, rBGH can increase the milk production by 10-15%, by limiting mammary cell death. The increased milk production in cows can lead to mastitis, an infection that is treated by antibiotics. The increased milk production is very taxing on a cow and can often lead to shortened lifespan. Siggi’s does NOT use milk from cows injected with rBGH.

Siggi’s is very thick and creamy compared to other Greek yogurts. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey is strained to make a thicker, creamier, and more concentrated yogurt. This results in a higher protein content than most yogurts.
What really makes this RD approved is that there is always more protein than sugar in their products and no additives or preservatives are added either! Real food ingredients for the win!

I haven’t tried a flavor I didn’t like, but my favorite flavor is the pumpkin & spice, with coconut being the runner up.
Disclosure: Siggi’s did not sponsor this post. All opinions are my own.

It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey, the water naturally found in milk, is then strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier, concentrated yogurt. So to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt. – See more at: http://siggisdairy.com/products/detail/skyr/pumpkin-and-spice/9821/#sthash.cs3rmndi.dpuf

Skyr, pronounced “skeer,” is the traditional yogurt of Iceland. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey, the water naturally found in milk, is then strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier, concentrated yogurt. So to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.

Since skyr is fat-free it has been an age old practice to throw a bit of cream back into it for a tad richer touch: generally called rjóma-skyr; or skyr with cream. Delicious!

– See more at: http://siggisdairy.com/products/detail/skyr/pumpkin-and-spice/9821/#sthash.cs3rmndi.dpufWhat really makes this RD approved is that there is more protein than sugar I like all the flavors, but my two favorite are pumpkin & spice and the coconut flavors!

Supermarket RD’s Pick: Boom Chicka Pop

Grocery Store Finds

December 18, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

3 Comments

Boom Chicka Pop – Popcorn is a whole grain and is perfect for snacking. See how this brand gives their popcorn a pop of flavor and why it makes the list of a Supermarket RD Pick.

#SupermarketRD Pick: Boom Chicka Pop – See why Julie chose this as a healthy pick this week! @Boomchickapop

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First off, let’s just talk about the name. When I first saw this on the shelves, it immediately caught my eye.

Boom Chicka Pop is a great snack for munching that you can feel good about eating.

Not only is Boom Chicka Pop made with all natural ingredients, but there are less calories, sodium, carbs, and fat in one 3 cup serving of Boom Chicka Pop (sea salt flavor) than in one 1 cup serving of some other packaged popcorn brands.

Each bag has symbols that indicate each products characteristics.

As the Boom Chicka Pop line has expanded, they now have many new flavors! Their website gives this great chart of how the products stack up to each other nutritionally. I had a little trouble putting the white cheddar flavor down. It’s so delicious.

They also have seasonal flavors, like there iced gingerbread kettle corn, that you can check out here.

What I also really like about it, is that is already popped. I really like to pack popcorn as a snack, but it’s not very feasible to pop up some popcorn when you are on the go. I’ve noticed in other (already popped) popcorn that it has this weird almost stale taste, and Boom Chicka Pop does not!

Snack Happy with Boom Chicka Pop!

Disclosure: Boom Chicka Pop did not sponsor this post. Images are from the Boom Chicka Pop website. All opinions are my own.

Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Mix

Nutrition

October 31, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

8 Comments

Happy Halloween! In case you missed it, here are a few tips and tricks to stay healthy this Halloween.
What is a better time to feature pumpkin puree as my Supermarket RD’s Pick than on Halloween.

Pumpkin is a good source of vitamins A, C, E and the B vitamins and dietary fiber with minerals rich with potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, sodium and zinc.
Now this key is, if you are getting pumpkin puree from a can, make sure it is 100% PURE pumpkin, meaning it is simply one ingredient, pumpkin.
It’s a little tricky when this can is sitting right next to the 100% pure pumpkin on the shelf in the grocery store.

Both looking very similar on the front, don’t be fooled by this pumpkin pie MIX. The mix is a short cut to making pumpkin pie and has all this sugar and flavorings added. Stick to the 100% pure pumpkin for a healthy choice.
Pumpkin puree can be used so many ways and even used to cut back on fats in baking recipes. Below are a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes, that I think you may enjoy as well!

Pumpkin Pie Chia Mousse

Pumpkin Blender Waffles with Pumpkin Cream

Pumpkin Chocolate-Cranberry Biscotti

Supermarket RD's Pick: Good Food Made Simple – Egg Patties

Uncategorized

October 18, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

Many times when I am asking my clients of what a typical day of eating is like for them, breakfast is often skipped. Main reason most people give me – No time.
When I suggest eggs in the morning for a great source of protein, most laugh with a statement like, “If I don’t even have time to pour a bowl of cereal in the morning, how am I going to have enough time to make eggs?”
Enter this week’s Supermarket RD’s Pick: Good Food Made Simple egg white patties.

These egg white patties can be found in your frozen department and easily warmed up in the microwave for a quick and easy protein packed part of breakfast.
I like the perfect circle shape for it to be easily fit on a whole wheat English muffin. Then, grab a piece of fruit. Bam – you just made a healthy breakfast in a few minutes.

Take it one step further. I made a bunch of egg sandwiches and wrapped each of them in tin foil and popped them back in my freezer. In the morning when you wake up, pop one in a toaster oven or regular oven to warm up as you are getting ready. Easy eating on the go.

A much healthier choice than a Egg McMuffin sandwich from McDonalds.

Disclaimer: Good Food Made Simple did not sponsor this post. All opinions are my own.

What’s the Difference Between Flaxseed, Flaxseed Meal, and Flaxseed Oil?

Nutrition

September 19, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

3 Comments

A little sprinkle here and a little sprinkle there. Incorporating ground flaxseed into your daily diet has a ton of health benefits. There is flaxseed, ground flaxseed, and flaxseed oil – which one should you choose?

First, let’s get the facts on flax. Why should you be incorporating flax into your diet? Why is flax healthy for you?

F is for Fiber. It’s amazing how much fiber a little flaxseed contains. Just two tablespoons of flaxseed meal delivers 4 grams of fiber, as much fiber as 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal! Studies suggest that when flaxseed meal is added to the diet, harmful LDL cholesterol drops, while the good HDL cholesterol stays put. Regularity improves, also.
L is for Lignans. Here’s where the flaxseed story gets major points. Flaxseed contains high levels of natural antioxidants called lignans. Many plant foods have some lignans, but flaxseed has at least 7 times more than any other. To get the lignans that are in just two tablespoons of flaxseed meal, you’d need to eat about 30 cups of fresh broccoli.
A is for Alpha-linolenic Acid. Modern siets—even healthy ones—are routinely deficient in omega-3s. Flaxseed is a mega-source for the plant version of omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid. The oil in the flaxseed is about 50% alpha-linolenic acid. Canola and walnut oils, the next highest sources, have about 10%. But most foods have far less. One serving of flaxseed meal contains 1800 milligrams of omega-3.
X is for eXcellent choice. Should you consider adding flaxseed meal to your diet? Absolutely!!
(source: Bob’s Red Mill)

(Fruit Pizza with Oatmeal Flax Crust via the Lean Green Bean)

The first face-off: Whole Flaxseed vs. Ground Flaxseed
It’s recommended to use ground flaxseed because the whole flaxseed will just pass right through the body undigested skimping you of all the nutritional benefits of the flaxseed. Consuming ground flaxseed digests in the body and absorbs the omega-3s as well as lignans (explained above).

If you already have whole flaxseeds, simply grind them up in a coffee grinder or a strong food processor to make ground flaxseed. You can also garnish baked goods with the whole flaxseeds.

Sprinkle ground flaxseed on cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, and even salads. It has a slight nutty flavor. You can even use it as part of a breadcrumb for chicken, fish, etc.

(Oatmeal Flax Blueberry Muffins via Pinch of Yum)

The second face-off: Flaxseed vs. Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is a concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids (specifically alpha-linolenic acid – ALA), which makes it true that flaxseed oil contains more ALA than flaxseeds, due to it being in a concentrated form.
Flaxseeds are in its natural form and contain a plethora of other nutrients that flaxseed oil miss out on due to the fact that flaxseed oil is just the oil extracted from the seeds.
The flaxseed is rich in dietary fiber; minerals such as manganese, copper, and magnesium; and vitamins such as folate, and vitamin B6.

Dietitian Tip: Do not replace one for the other. Incorporate both into your healthy diet.

In good health,

Supermarket RD’s Pick: Wholly Guacamole minis

Grocery Store Finds

August 15, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

I’ve recently been on a total avocado kick – Smash it on toast, throw it in a salad, in my sushi roll, in a smoothie, etc. Only problem is, sometimes I am the only one eating the avocados. When I buy a few of unripe avocados, this happens.

A little humor, but in all seriousness, sometimes my avocados got to waste because I can’t eat them fast enough. I found myself a “mini” solution – Wholly Guacamole minis. They are the perfect little portioned controlled packs of guac. I love that they are perfectly portioned at 100 calories per mini since it is super easy to overdo it with guac because it so delicious.

4 minis come in one package. I’ve been throwing these in my lunch bag for a perfect little snack. If you follow my instagram, you saw that I couldn’t even wait to take a picture before I dove into one of these!

If you look at the nutrition facts you can see that these wholly guacamole minis are an excellent source of healthy fats and fiber! Thumbs up!

Plus, they have a short ingredient list with words/foods you actually know!

Other ways to enjoy Wholly Guacamole minis:
– Slice of whole wheat toast topped with a slice of tomato
– Use it to dip veggies or whole grain pretzels
– Swap out mayo for a smear of guac on a sandwich
– Top eggs with guac
– Ditch the salad dressing and add a dollop of guac on top
How do you like to add guacamole to your healthy eating lifestyle?

Disclaimer: Wholly Guacamole did not sponsor this post. All opinions are my own.

In Good Health,

Supermarket RD’s Pick: The Good Bean – Roasted Chickpea Snacks

Grocery Store Finds

August 2, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

2 Comments

Some people hate the task of going grocery shopping. Even before I became a Supermarket Registered Dietitian, I loved it! I would always be ready to go with my shopping list, but every single time a few new items would sneak into my cart. Whenever I would see a new item, I was intrigued and needed to try it! Yes, maybe 90% the little extras that snuck into my cart were health/nutrition conscious choices. That other 10% we will talk about another time (cue the Trader Joes cookie and cocoa swirl spread or a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie!).
What is the Supermarket RD’s pick this week? – The Good Bean Roasted Chickpea Snacks!!

Our chickpeas are so darn crispy, crunchy and flavor packed that you might think they’re junk food. Not to worry, one serving has as much protein as almonds, as much fiber as two cups of broccoli and as much folate as three cups of spinach!
(source)

Currently, at my store we carry sea salt, cracked black pepper, smoky chili & lime, and sweet cinnamon flavors.

I just found out they have 3 new flavors (thai coconut lemon grass, chocolate, and mesquite BBQ) that I cannot wait to try and hopefully they can get on the shelves soon too!

With the good bean roasted chickpea snack, you can eat them as is or incorporate them into snack and other recipes. I recently just made a Kale Caesar Salad and topped it with the sea salt roasted chickpeas in place of croutons for a healthier crunch. You can incorporate them in a trail mix, mixed in with yogurt, on top of salads, in a wrap, the possibilities are endless!
What I really like is that they are gluten-free, nut-free, cholesterol-free, low fat, low in carbohydrates, nothing over-engineered, nothing artificial. Plus, the nutrition facts on these make a dietitian happy!

Have you ever tried these before? What is your favorite flavor?
Next time you are going grocery shopping maybe add these on your list!

* Disclaimer: The Good Bean did not sponsor this post. All opinions are my own.

In good health,

Supermarket RD's Pick: Quinoa Flour

Uncategorized

July 18, 2014 by Chef Julie RD

Quinoa flour is simply made from ground quinoa seeds and is naturally gluten free. The flour itself is cream-colored and the coarseness of the granules can vary from brand to brand, but you will find that flour made from quinoa is coarser than ordinary wheat flour.
The flavor itself is quite strong compared to other flours and it gives recipes a slight nutty flavor. It is suitable for use in sweet and savory recipes, and often used for gluten free baking. I personally LOVE Bob’s Red Mill Products and my supermarket has a wide variety of different flours and meals.

What I really like about quinoa flour since it is made from quinoa grains (seeds), it contains more protein than any other flour. It also contains zinc, iron, calcium, vitamin B, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and manganese. Also, it has a little bit less carbohydrates to other flours.

So, what should you make with quinoa flour? I found some mouth watering recipes using quinoa flour that I cannot wait to try!