• 29Apr

    Breakfast: Great intentions, No time.

     Contributed by GMM Registered Dietitian, Rachel Stroud

     

    Let’s have a conversation about breakfast. This so-called “most important meal of the day”.

    I love it. On weekend mornings one of my favorite splurges is to keep the lights low, French press some coffee, light a candle, play soft music, and make something delicious.  This weekend it was zucchini bread pancakes so chock-full of zucchini you could have practically called the spiced cakes “veggies”.  Or so I told myself. Saturday morning breakfasts are my ultimate “me” time.

    But let’s face it, Saturday mornings are not real life.  I wish.  Most of the time, I don’t have time for breakfast.  *gasp!* What a horrible thing for a dietitian to admit, but it’s true.

    On weekday mornings I get stuck in major food ruts.  I’ll eat loads of different veggies, fruits, proteins, etc for all other meals, but breakfast is as routine as my shower regimen.  I will eat the exact same breakfast for months, easily, until I cannot bear to look at another piece of peanut butter toast.  I want to say that I prioritize a hearty breakfast and that I revel in its metabolic sacredness, but my last 3 months of daily lemon greek yogurt and stove top granola might tell otherwise.  Hey, at least I picked a healthy rut…this time.

    If there is one thing that can truly get me (almost) drooling, it’s the menu for GMM breakfasts. Their deliciousness is compounded by the fact that I don’t have to touch a single pot or kitchen utensil.  All I have to do is poke a few buttons on the microwave. Don’t judge: I’ve been known to eat them for lunch.  I’m sorry, but can you really blame me?  Take a look at this week’s Healthy Selection breakfast list:

    Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday
    Whole Wheat Banana Bread and Crustless Garden Quiche   served with Fresh Cantaloupe Tropical Muesli: a mixture of Cinnamon Oats, Banana, Mango and Toasted   Almonds served with Vanilla Greek Yogurt Build Your Own Breakfast Sandwich with an Egg Patty, Chicken Sausage and   Cheddar Cheese on a Honey Wheat English Muffin served with a side of Grits. Whole Grain Cherry Walnut Bread with Cottage Cheese Whole Wheat Waffle with Apple Cinnamon Compote, Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt and   Turkey Sausage Links Whole Wheat Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Scrambled Eggs and Egg Whites, Served   with Fruit Salad Mixture of Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Pineapple, Oranges and   Grapes Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Peach Sauce and Buttery Spread with a   side of Scrambled Eggs and Egg Whites

     

     

    Be honest.  You’d eat it for lunch, too.  So here’s the thing: if you’re like me and you love fancy, hearty breakfasts, but have no time to make it your reality (outside of Saturday mornings).

     

    Give in.  Just call.  Let us do the work for you.  There is one option where you don’t have to sacrifice time, or health, or enjoyment.  It’s Good Measure Meals.  There’s even a way you can still have your magical breakfast-filled Saturday mornings:  Grab a 5 day plan and enjoy your independent, French-pressed weekends, but embrace the fact that you can start your weekday mornings well, too.  You deserve it.

    Just add coffee.  (For me, anyway.)

     

     

     

     

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  • 20Nov

    Put your Thanksgiving Leftovers to Good Use!

    Thanksgiving leftovers. We all have them (if we’re lucky), but we don’t always want to eat the same meal ten times in succession.

    Leftovers at work! Leftovers at home! Leftovers coming out of our ears!

     

    Fortunately our resident chefs and dietitians have put together some winning recipes for how to retool your leftovers into completely different and altogether delicious dishes. Happy cooking and bon appetit!

     

    Turkey Omelet

    Organic canola oil

    ½ small onion, chopped

    ½ small red bell pepper, chopped

    ½ cup leftover cooked turkey breast, shredded

    ¼ cup shredded cheese

    2 eggs + 1 egg white, beaten

    2 Tbsp skim milk

    1/2 avocado, sliced

    Salt & pepper, to taste

    Saute onion and bell pepper in 1-2 tsp oil over medium heat until tender.  Add in leftover turkey until warm.  Remove vegetables and turkey from pan.  Beat eggs and milk together and season with salt and pepper.  Pour into pan and cook until no longer runny. Place turkey, vegetables and cheese on ½ of omelet.  Fold in half, top with avocado and serve.

    Sweet Potato Pancakes

    1 ¾ cup leftover mashed sweet potatoes

    ½ cup whole wheat flour (add more if needed until you reach desired thickness)

    1 egg or 2 egg whites, beaten

    Organic canola oil

    Mix all ingredients well.  Heat a small amount of oil over low-medium heat in a nonstick skillet.  Pour 1/3 cup batter into pan and spread slightly to make pancake. Cook until lightly brown on one side about 2-3 minutes, then flip and brown on other side.  Top with crushed pecans and a drizzle of 100% maple syrup. Makes 6 small pancakes.

     

    Turkey Salad

    2 cups cooked turkey breast, shredded

    ¼ cup dried cranberries

    ¼ cup pecans

    ¼ cup celery, diced

    ¼ cup plain 0% fat Greek yogurt

    2 Tbsp light mayo

    ½ Tbsp honey

    ¼ tsp salt

    1/8 tsp pepper

    ¾ tsp dried tarragon (or 1 ½ tsp fresh)

    Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Serve on a bed of lettuce with whole grain crackers and fruit.

     

    Turkey Brunswick Stew

    1-28oz can peeled stewed tomatoes

    1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

    1 cup frozen lima beans, thawed

    1 ½ cups leftover diced new potatoes

    1 ½ cups leftover shredded turkey breast

    ½ cup BBQ sauce

    1 cup water

    1 small onion, chopped

    ½ bell pepper, chopped

    Place tomatoes, corn, lima beans, turkey, potatoes, BBQ sauce and water in pot and heat over medium-low heat.  Saute bell pepper and onion in nonstick skillet.  Add pepper and onion to soup.  Simmer on low 30 minutes and serve.

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  • 08Nov

    Mindful Eating: Mantras

    A good mantra to pass along:

    “FOOD is neither my friend nor foe.

    FOOD provides the FUEL for the quality of life I WANT for myself and enables me to support my family.

    I must choose FOOD wisely to enable me to be my daily best.”

    - Coach Sule

    GMM Sales Rep, Sule Welch

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  • 05Apr

    Become Grocery Store Savvy

    If you are currently on a 5-day Good Measure meal plan, Dinner Only plan, transitioning off of Good Measure Meals or even if you’ve never tried the meals, you may find major benefits in learning how to select better products at the grocery store. I find that when I’m familiar with my grocery store and trust the products that I’m buying, I actually feel better about the foods that I’m eating and serving to my friends and family. I also feel good knowing that what I’m preparing is fresh and contains quality ingredients that will help keep us happy and healthy. This makes eating healthy an easier choice.

    If you’re interested in becoming a savvy grocery store shopper and would like to receive a personalized grocery shopping plan – I am available to help. Your appointment will include a live visit to the grocery store of your choice, led by myself or one of our other dietitians. The store visit will be personalized for you and your needs! We will cover a wide variety of topics including Food Label and Ingredient Analysis, Specific Food Selection Tips for Weight Loss, Planning Ahead, and Preparing a Productive Shopping List. You can contact me or our customer service department to schedule an appointment at (404)815-7695.

    Here are some tips to help get you started:

    1)      Make a strategy - It is important to stay focused and learn how to navigate the aisles with a strategy. I find that the best strategy starts at home. It should include three things: planning a menu, making a shopping list, and assessing the foods that you already have on hand that you would like to incorporate into your menu.

    2)      Plan ahead - Go to your grocery store at the least busy times. I’ve actually had stressful experiences shopping for food when the store was packed and the lines for checkout where long. If you have ever visited the Dekalb Farmers Market on a Saturday afternoon then you know exactly what I’m talking about! They actually had security guards directing cart traffic and I witnessed folks yelling at each other over a pineapple. Try to pick a time and day that will aid in your success and help you remain calm.

    3)      Don’t go hungry - Make sure that you aren’t hungry when you arrive. You’ll be less likely to let your stomach make impulse buys and more likely to stay tuned in to what you need.

    4)      Know the layout – Most stores are set up similarly – the packaged foods are in the middle aisle and produce, dairy, meat and fish along the perimeter. For the interior of the store focus on whole grain cereals, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown or wild rice, dried or canned beans and lentils, whole wheat crackers, air-popped popcorn, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. For the perimeter of the store focus on a variety of fresh and colorful fruit and vegetables, low fat diary, lean meats, and fish.

    What are your favorite smart shopping tips? Let us know!

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  • 31Jan

    Inspiration in a Bowl of Soup

    Need some inspiration for a warm healthy meal? A coworker of mine recently handed me a book called, “100 Best Fresh Soups”. This book is filled with simple and healthy recipes for all kinds of soups. It was all I needed to feel inspired to cook something new. Soups are a perfect way to incorporate a variety of seasonal vegetables, fiber friendly beans, whole grain pastas, lean meats and calcium rich dairy into your diet. The options are endless and substitutions are easy! You can use this book as a guide to find inspiration to create your own specialty version.

    Have a favorite soup? Tell us about it!

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  • 27Jan

    In the GMM Kitchen: Fruitwood Smoked Chicken Salad

    Lamar Palmer, GMM’s Executive Chef, is currently focusing his attention on developing recipes for the new Spring/Summer GMM menu. Check out this video for a behind the scenes look at one of his latest creations. He is calling it ‘Fruitwood Smoked Chicken Salad’ and it is packed with nutritious and tasty ingredients.

    Do you have ideas for new menu items? Let us know!

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  • 19Nov

    Power Up With Breakfast, Good Measure Style!

    Breakfast is an essential component of a balanced diet, and not only provides your body with the energy that you need to function throughout the morning, but also assists with weight management by jump starting your metabolism!  I will admit that I have always been a breakfast eater, but until I started on my Good Measure Meals™- I usually resorted to a grab and go item or a bowl of cereal if I had the time.  I knew that I should be eating a more nutrient dense morning meal, but who has the time to whip up and perfectly balance breakfast?

    I have GMM to thank for my new morning routine, that still manages to keep my mornings quick (I really do enjoy hitting the snooze button in the A.M.!) and provides me with the protein and energy to make it through the day!  In honor of breakfast, I wanted to write a quick blog post about one of my favorite breakfast entrees, the Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bar with Cranberries and Walnuts!  We all love the taste, but in GMM fashion, there is a lot of great nutrition that goes into the recipe, so I thought I would break down some of the ingredients for everyone, to show you why our culinary staff includes certain items in our menu!  Here it goes…

    Pumpkin: A naturally low fat and low calorie food, pumpkin is packed with disease fighting nutrients like alpha and beta-carotene, fiber, vitamins C & E, potassium and magnesium. The carotenes are converted into vitamin A once eaten and promote healthy vision immune response.  There is also evidence that pumpkin helps reverse skin damage caused by the sun and acts as an anti-inflammatory.  The Carotenoid properties of pumpkin also boost immunity and lessen the risk of heart disease!

    Oats: A great source of soluble fiber, oats have been proven to help lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL), boost “good” cholesterol(HDL), maintain a healthy circulatory system, and help prevent heart attacks!  Not only do they provide these heart healthy benefits, they are also jam packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamins B and E, magnesium, iron and calcium!  They are also low on the glycemic index, so for folks managing insulin resistance, oats are a great addition to the diet!

    Cranberries: They may be small, but this tiny fruit is a powerhouse for health!  Cranberries are high in soluble fiber and protect against heart disease.  Because of their quinic acid content, they are one of the best treatments for urinary tract infections and help prevent digestive disorders and stomach ulcers

    Walnuts: Nuts are notorious for their high fat content, but walnuts are much richer in polyunsaturated fats than monounsaturated fats, boasting an unusually high content of omega-3 fatty acid.  This makeup proves walnuts to be helpful in the prevention of heart disease, cancers, arthritis, skin problems and disorders of the nervous system.  There’s more too!  Walnuts have been should to lower “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure, while increasing the elasticity of the arteries!

    Cinnamon: Did you know that cinnamon has an anticoagulant compound (cinnamaldehyde) that can help protect against strokes?  It is also an anti-inflammatory, shown to relieve symptoms of arthritis and asthma…hard to believe, right?  The benefits don’t stop there though, cinnamon also functions as a digestive aid- relieving bloating and flatulence, and reducing heartburn… maybe that’s why it is so abundant in the holiday feasts!

    Now that you know some of the health benefits of this morning treat, get excited about Monday morning, because your GMM breakfast kicks off the week with our very own Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bar goodness!

    What’s your favorite Good Measure Meal™ Breakfast?

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  • 16Nov

    Fit for Fall!

    As the Georgia weather becomes more and more tolerable into the autumn days, I find myself wanting to spend every moment I can outdoors. As a wellness professional, I am constantly looking for ways to stay fit and have fun, utilizing the resources we have right here in our community. This last weekend, myself and GMM Culinary Dietitian Ashley Ritchie decided that we were in need of some physical activity and fresh air, so we decided to turn our fitness focus to Stone Mountain Park.

    There are so many ways to be active at the park, from hiking up the mountain(a 1.3 mile trek to the top!), completing the sky ropes course(for the adventurous visitor) to biking, running the 5 mile loop around the mountain, or going on a pedal boat ride through the lake. There are even 15 miles of hiking trails throughout the park! That being said, Ashley and I decided that we’d take a scenic trail to the base of the mountain and then make the hike straight up, which starts out at a pretty gradual slope and manages to become incredibly steep near the top! Check out the pics from the hike up!

    On the way back down, we were discussing how amazing it was to see so many active folks climbing up and running around the park. Being in the wellness industry, we were both impressed and excited to see all the activity around us and decided we should make a habit of hiking around the park with friends and family. No sooner than this fleeting thought left our conversation, did we stumble upon two of our favorite coworkers and their wives, making their trek up the massive hill! Great fun seeing friends out being active!

    Fitness fanatics from GMM and Open Hand!

    At the end of the hike we had taken over 9000 steps (thanks to the trusty pedometer I wore to track our trek!) and thoroughly enjoyed the great outdoors! We even stopped at the Farmer’s Market on the way home to scout out some ideas for the next GMM menu cycle! What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon embracing health and wellness!

    Almost a days worth!

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  • 02Nov

    What to do with those Pumpkin Seeds?

    Halloween is over and many of you are left with Jack-o-lanterns and a pile of dried pumpkin seeds that you were planning on doing something with, but just haven’t gotten around to yet… am I right?

     As my favorite seasonal food, pumpkin makes its way into many of my holiday recipes and while most people would probably guess that this means pumpkin breads, pies and cookies- there are also many healthy ways to use this amazing food. Today I want to focus on pumpkin seeds. Many of you might have noticed that new GMM menu found a use for pumpkin seeds in one of our new Dinner Selections: Northern Italian Raviolis of Sage Pasta stuffed with Butternut Squash topped with Genoa Style Tomato Sauce. Fresh Spinach Salad with Carrots, Pumpkin Seeds and Multigrain Croutons with Balsamic Vinaigrette. Sound delicious? It is and also a great way to incorporate the nutrient packed pumpkin seed into a balanced meal! Great work Ashley!

    Pumpkin seeds are not edible when raw, but with a little olive oil and 20 minutes in the oven on low heat, you have a tasty and oh so healthy snack. The seeds are extremely high in both zinc and iron, both minerals needed in our daily diets. Zinc is an antioxidant mineral, which not only boosts the immune system, but also protects against prostate enlargement and cancer in the male population. Iron improves energy levels and is vital for healthy blood cells. Foods that contain high amounts of these minerals are particularly important for vegetarians, but also very beneficial to meat eaters, as the seeds also contain sterols, which help remove “bad” cholesterol, lowering LDL. As if these benefits weren’t enough to entice you to add pumpkin seeds into your diet, they also contain some Omega-3 fats (the healthy fat!), vitamin E, folate, and magnesium that can maintain heart health!

     Tips for Using Pumpkin Seeds: Always chew the seeds well to ensure maximum absorption of nutrients and think about adding seeds to salads, yogurt, muesli or cereal. You can also consider grounding the seeds and adding it to veggie, nut or bean burgers to increase your iron!

    How do you use pumpkin seeds?

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  • 25Oct

    Know Your Numbers! Fat vs Fat Free Mass…

    When analyzing your body composition there are two numbers that we pay most attention to: Body Fat & and Fat Free Mass.  I figured that for you to gain a better understanding of why these numbers are so important, I should take a few moments to explain what each one is and how we can strive to improve them!

    Body Fat Percentage:

    This is the percentage of your body that is comprised of fat.  Because fat plays an important role in daily body functions, you need a certain amount of fat in order to live to your fullest.  Fat is responsible for cushioning joints, protecting organs, regulating body temperature and storing vitamins.  While you need a certain amount of fat, too much fat has adverse effects on the body and is associated with health risks such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, thyroid disorder, arthritis, sleep apnea, and many more.  A healthy/desirable Body Fat % range based on your particular age and gender is located on the scale below:

    Are you in the healthy range?

     

    Fat Free Mass:

    This is your fat free mass, which is basically everything that is not fat: muscle, water, bone, connective tissue, etc.  By increasing this mass you lower your body fat percentage, so look to improve this number by gaining muscle mass or improving bone strength(through impact exercises).

    Ultimately, our goal is to have the optimal amount of body fat for maximal efficiency.  We lower our health risks by staying in the healthy range, so eating healthy foods low in trans fats and saturated fats partnered with regular exercise are an essential part of your health plan.  You can also increase your Fat Free Mass by engaging your muscles in regular resistance training.  The more muscle your body has, the more efficiently it burns calories, so you lower body fat % from two angles!

     How are you working towards the healthy body fat range?  Please share some of the things you do to stay lean and healthy!

    Want to know your numbers?  Email me at jparsons@goodmeasuremeals.com to set up your Body Comp Analysis!

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