Author: Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Gluten-free pumpkin pie recipe

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Gluten Free_Pumpkin-PieChances are good that someone at your Thanksgiving table this year will be avoiding gluten.  Here’s a fantastic no-bake option from Chef Jusin Swain of  REX 1516  in Philadelphia.

Pie Crust

2 1/4 cup ground raw hazelnuts
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut oil
9 dates, stoned

  1. Place hazelnuts and cocoa powder in a large bowl and mix well, breaking up any lumps.
  2. Add coconut oil to powder mixture and mix well.
  3. Place dates in a small bowl and mash with a fork.
  4. Add dates to dough-like mixture and combine well with hands.
  5. Place crust into 9-inch round pie pan.
  6. Place crust in refrigerator while making filling.

Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
2 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until smooth and creamy.  Both fats should be well softened to ensure the filling is lump free.
  2. Add the powdered sugar to the mixture and beat until smooth and fluffy.
  3. Add the vanilla extract, molasses, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree and beat until thoroughly combined.  If you find that your filling is lumpy, pass it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
  4. Spoon the filling into the pie shell.  Let pie chill in the fridge overnight.  (very important that it chills overnight or it won’t set up.

Molasses and maple syrup: more nutritious sweeteners?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Q. I have read that all concentrated sweeteners are devoid of nutrients and count as “empty calories,” but Racing Car in Motionsome less refined sweeteners, such as maple syrup and molasses, are high in many minerals. Considering that Americans eat almost a 1/2 cup of sweetener a day (mostly as refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup), wouldn’t we better off nutritionally if we assuaged our sweet tooth with half a cup of maple syrup or molasses instead?

A. If you insist on driving 200 miles per hour, you’d make yourself a little safer by wearing your seat belt. But if you really want to improve your chances of surviving, you’d be better off slowing down–AND wearing your seat belt!

By the same token, replacing white sugar with maple or molasses might offer a slight nutritional upgrade. But if you’re looking to improve your health, I think you’d accomplish more by  cutting back on sugar–as well as, perhaps, using less refined sources.

See also: Why is sugar bad?

How Nutritious Are Natural Sweeteners?

Let’s take a closer look at the nutrients in molasses.

One-half cup of molasses supplies:

  • 35% of DV for calcium
  • 44% of DV for iron
  • 56% of DV for vitamin B6
  • 70% of DV for potassium
  • 100% of DV for magnesium
  • 129% of DV for manganese

Not so shabby!  On the other hand, , a half cup of molasses also contains 93 grams of sugar, about four times the amount suggested in the latest recommendations from the AHA and 489 calories (about 25% of the average daily calorie needs). Obviously, you can get those nutrients with a lot less calories and sugar from other foods.

Now, let’s say you cut your consumption of added sugar to something closer to the level recommended by the AHA. Two tablespoons of molasses would only provide:

  • 9% of DV for calcium
  • 11% of DV for iron
  • 14% of DV for vitamin B6
  • 18% of DV for potassium
  • 25% of DV for magnesium
  • 32% of DV for manganese

Not quite as impressive. But, sure, why not choose the sweetener with the added nutrients over nutritionally devoid white table sugar? Just don’t let it seduce you into thinking that more is better!

Maple syrup, by the way, is not quite as nutritious as molasses. Two tablespoons supplies:

  • 2% of DV for magnesium
  • 2% of DV for potassium
  • 3% of DV for calcium and iron
  • 11% of DV for zinc
  • 66% of DV for manganese

See also: How to Cut Your Added Sugar Intake

Something new for your pantry: Tea seed oil

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Tea seed oilNot to be confused with tea tree oil, tea seed oil is an edible oil pressed from the seeds of Camellia oleifera, a small shrub related to Camellia sinensis, or tea plant.  I recently received some samples from Arette, a company that distributes organic tea seed oil.  As this product may be unfamiliar to many of you, I thought I’d post a quick review/introduction.

Culinary Features

Tea seed oil has a thin, light texture, similar to almond or grapeseed oil–much less viscous and “oily” than, say, olive oil.  The flavor is also very light and clean.  There are times, of course, when you’d want a more robust oil–but for times when you’re looking for a light touch, tea seed oil fits the bill.

Tea seed oil makes a light, delicate vinaigrette, perfect for delicate greens that might be weighed down or overwhelmed by the flavor of a heavier or heartier oil.  Vegetables sauteed in tea seed oil remain almost dry to the touch, without the oily sheen you’d get from a heavier oil.

Nutritional Properties

Tea seed oil also has some unique nutritional properties. Although the texture reminds me of grapeseed oil, tea seed oil has a very different fatty acid profile. Continue reading “Something new for your pantry: Tea seed oil” >

Product Review: My KIND of snack bar

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

NS-FlavorsMy primary complaint with most granola and snack bars is that they’re all so high in sugar (or, in the case of the low carb bars, high in fake sugar). It’s not merely a nutritional objection; I find most of them unpleasantly sweet. So I was intrigued to learn about a new line of bars and granola from KIND, each with 5 grams of sugar or less–no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols.

In a perfect world, of course, we’d all make all of our food from scratch–even our granola and energy bars!  [<== my recipe] 

But, there’s no denying the convenience of ready-made meals and snacks, especially when schedules are tight. In my last book (Secrets for a Healthy Diet), I devoted an entire chapter to how to select the best packaged food options–and leave the rest on the shelves. If these KIND Nuts & Spices bars had been around then,  I would have singled them out as an great example–because they meet all of my criteria.

1.  The ingredient list reads like a recipe, not a chemistry experiment.

2.  They pack a decent amount of protein.

3.  They’re low in sodium, high in potassium.

3.  They’ve even got as many grams of fiber as sugar.  (That one rule of thumb knocks virtually every other bar out of the running.)

Despite–or maybe because of!–all that, they taste really good. Like nuts and spices and grains. (Thanks to KIND for sending some samples my way).

Folks, you won’t find many product reviews on this site because I don’t like most of the products I’m asked to review. But I found these little bars to be pretty impressive–and worth passing along. If you’re looking for a ready-made granola or energy bar, these come pretty darn close to the stuff you’d probably make if you had the time.  (Actually, in terms of sugar, they’ve got my homemade snack bars beat by a mile.)  Just be sure you look for the ones marked “only 5 g sugar” on the front. The product line also includes some bars that are quite a bit sweeter and stickier.

This week: cricket tacos, manuka honey, unusual veggie recipes, garcinia cambogia, and more

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

cricket tacosMy column in this Style Magazine has tips for stashing vegetables in places neither your kids (nor your dinner guests) will ever suspect. All’s fair in love and vegetables, I like to say.

If, however, you decide to jump on the bandwagon and feature “micro-livestock” at your next dinner party, I advise against secrecy. Your friends may be able to forgive undisclosed cauliflower but might not feel the same about insects. I discussed the nutritional, ecological, and culinary arguments for eating bugs with (a rather squeamish) Tom Hall of WYPR as well as in this article for Food and Nutrition Magazine.

Mealworms on the menu too gross for you? My extended conversation with Jonathan Bailor of the Smarter Science of Slim focused on more conventional crops (!) and the role of urban gardens, the farm bill, and schoolyard vegetable patches in bringing communities closer and obesity rates down.

One thing that probably won’t be all that much help in the fight against obesity is garcinia cambogia. Despite its popularity, a review of the science suggests that any advantage might be more mental than anything else. I’m afraid the news on manuka honey wasn’t much better.

For those who enjoy cooking, here are two somewhat unconventional ways to cook two very conventional items that are in abundance at the the farmer’s market right now.   And, while I hate to take sides in a mother/daughter nutrition spat, I’m afraid I had to side with Mom on this one.

Keep those questions coming! (What would I write about otherwise??)

This week: garcinia, red wine, juicing, chlorophyll, insect protein, and more!

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Does Red Wine Block Cholesterol?Nutrition myths were crumbling left and right this week. In this podcast, I look at the research on garcinia cambogia for weight loss. (Short answer: Save your Money)  In another show, I looked into rumors that drinking red wine blocks cholesterol in red meat. As it turns out, no red meat was involved in this research!

While I was at it, I tackled the urban legend that chlorophyll strengthens your blood. And speaking of blood, this episode discusses whether juicing is a healthy habit or a blood sugar bomb.

It wasn’t all myth-busting though. It’s a fact that certain nutrients can help protect your eyes as you age. Here are the best food picks for  healthy eyes.  And for those who are easily distracted in the kitchen, here’s reassuring news about the effect of overcooking on protein. (No promises on taste or texture, though.)

Finally, here’s one of the most, ah, interesting stories I’ve reported on this year:  a movement to shift the world toward insects as a safe and sustainable source of protein. No crickets were harmed in the writing of this story. At least, not by me.

 

This week: Electrolytes, iodine, ORAC values, and more

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

ElectrolytesAs the dog days of summer stretch on, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at electrolytes and how to be sure you’re getting enough. Part of the answer depends on how much you sweat (or, if you’re a lady, how much you perspire)! Here’s a quick tip on how to calculate your sweat rate.

While we’re (sort of) on the topic of salt, here’s what you need to know about  iodine deficiency and how to avoid it. And from the “one more thing to worry about?” category, this week’s podcast explains what ORAC values mean for your health.

Plus, answers to m0re of your nutrition questions and dilemmas

What’s a complete protein? 

Tips for controling overeating

Delicious ways to use oat bran, flax, and chia