It’s been awhile since the last RD Q&A, but this series is designed for readers to ask a question they’d love to have answered! Enjoy!

Andrea: Which is healthier, almond butter or peanut butter?

Prevention RD: Hey girl! That’s like asking a mother to choose her favorite child! ;) The good news is that both are healthy (note: buy natural nut butters to avoid trans fats, or double check the ingredient list for “hydrogenated” oils and avoid those products). Comparing the two, however, I’d choose almond butter. There is 1.5 grams of saturated fat as compared to the 2.5 grams per serving in peanut butter, and an additional 3 grams of monounsaturated fat. Almond butter is twice as high in fiber, too. Hope that helps…great question!

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Chuy Norma: Is VUR a leading cause of kidney damage among kids? My daughter is going through 3rd stage chronic kidney disease and both kidneys got damaged.

Prevention RD: Hi Chuy! I am so sorry to hear about your daughter – that breaks my heart. Even having worked with end-stage renal disease patients for several years, I am not familiar with VUR. A quick search and a look at this trusted source would indicate, however, that VUR affects up to 30% of children. That’s staggering. It looks as though nutrition does not play a role until the kidney damage has caused reason for nutritional concern. Typically, protein, hydration, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus levels can be of concern in kidney patients. My advice is to have each of these labs performed regularly, as well as blood pressure and vitamin D checks. The kidneys are incredibly complex organs that perform so many vital functions. Close monitoring is integral to good health. With stage 3 kidney failure, hydration (water) is probably the biggest concern, but individual lab work would help determine any other necessary diet changes. I hope this helps…hugs.

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Suzanne: I would like to know what the story is on alcohol. First it was only red wine and one glass, now they are saying any alcoholic beverage had health benefits? Seems too good to be true….

Prevention RD: I think alcohol is like eggs – it probably depends who you ask. My opinion? Alcohol in moderation (up to 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men) is good – for mood, stress, enjoyment, health…all of it! As someone who does enjoy partaking in alcohol on a regular and very moderate basis, calories are of most concern. Those who choose to drink alcohol should be sure it fits into their daily caloric intake. As for the proposed health benefits, alcohol has been touted to help increase healthy HDL levels and provide antioxidants (amounts varying based on the type of alcohol). While alcohol may slightly reduce risk of heart disease, there is a lot more evidence in support of a calorie-controlled, active lifestyle to help keep the heart healthy. For those who choose to drink (me!), I recommend choosing calorie-controlled alcoholic beverages and drinking  in moderation. Alcohol does not have near the impact of other healthy habits such as not smoking, exercise, fiber intake, etc. Great question!

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Robyn: What is your thought on grains? So many people are saying to avoid wheat products due to undiagnosed allergy and GMO issues. Its so hard to know who is right. I am an RN and have read many books that make sense to avoid them. But there is just as much literature and research to include them. What are your thoughts?

Prevention RD: Hi Robyn! I totally agree with you. Some of the facts out there on GMO’s and what’s in our food supply are, frankly, very scary. Is omitting grains for those without diagnosed allergies recommended? Not by me. I think you’re on to something when you said, “it’s so hard to know who is right.” The answer is that there probably isn’t one right answer…it’s finding what’s right for you. If GMO’s are concerning, organics are an option. I don’t know that in today’s world, eliminating GMO’s in the diet is actually feasible for most of the population. The important thing is getting in the nutrients that are supplied by grains – fiber, B vitamins, etc. if grains are removed from the diet. Those nutrients are plentiful in the food supply and there is any number of ways to compile a diet that is adequate in all of the macro and micronutrients. What I will say for grains, is that generally speaking, people eat too much of them. Similar to protein, grains displace fruits and vegetables in the diet. Consuming appropriate portions of grains as a part of a healthy diet is a good first step, much less extreme, and more maintainable. For most people, omitting grains is neither a short-term, nor long-term solution to better health or weight loss unless there is an underlying reason for the omission.

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Robyn: I am also working to eliminate processed foods from our lives. Any tips for a busy mom of 2 boys?

Prevention RD: This is a tough one, no doubt. Convenience foods…processed foods are tasty, cost-effective, and loved by children. Herein lies the problem. I would start building a repertoire of super quick, home-cooked and crock pot meals. I think it’s also crucial to involve kids in the meal-making process whenever possible. It’s amazing how much buy-in you can receive when kids get involved in the kitchen. I’ve seen this first-hand and it’s truly amazing. Keep fruits, vegetables, nuts and other whole, unprocessed foods around for snacks. Involve the boys in grocery shopping, too. Can they try a new fruit or vegetable every week for a month? Two months? A year? Can they choose ONE item that comes from a box (cereal, granola bars, cookies, etc.) each grocery trip? I strongly suggest meal planning and making (and stick to) a grocery list, prepping ahead on the weekends, freezer meals, and so on. It can be done!

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Liz: I recently had a little boy and was wondering about foods & supplements that are said to increase / support milk supply. Oats, brewer’s yeast, fenugreek, and coconut supposed to help with milk supply. I’ve also heard that lecithin can help prevent plugged ducts. Are these supported in the literature? Are there any hidden dangers?

Prevention RD: Liz, CONGRATS!! I wish I could help more but I will defer on this one. I don’t know much about breastfeeding and nutrition. I do recommend, however, being very, very cautious with any supplements with breastfeeding. Supplements are not FDA regulated. I have heard that oats are helpful for lactation! I’m sorry I’m not of more help! Can anyone else weigh in?

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Melinda: My neighbor’s eight year old son was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in September. We play together a lot and over the summer we have them over to swim a lot. I have shied away from providing snacks because I have no idea what to make. They’ll be coming over more soon during meal time and for longer periods so I’ll need something. What are some kid friendly, diabetic friendly things I can make?

Prevention RD: So tough, so tough. The general “rule” is that snacks with less than 120 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrate do not need to be covered with insulin. I would aim to have snacks that meet this criteria. As for meals, consult with the child’s mother on the amount of carbohydrate that should be provided. Does the child give their own insulin injections? Wear a pump? It’s important that for extended periods of time, the child is not missing doses of insulin. Taking insulin with others knowing can be a source of embarrassment for children, so be sure to make the child feel comfortable and “normal”. Type 1′s generally eat a very “typical” diet, but simply need to match their insulin dose with their meals. In young children, the insulin is often given after the meal because of the unpredictability of how much the child will actually eat. Try and plan balanced meals with plenty of fiber.

Have a question you’d love answered? Send it on over. Nicole at preventionrd dot com.

Thanks for reading!

Be well,

The writing of cookbook #2 is well underway. Well, not so much the writing, per se, but the recipe development.

As someone who is fortunate enough to not have to follow a gluten-free diet, I do not eat a strict gluten-free diet. It just so happens that many recipes I make are naturally gluten-free or can be made gluten-free. However, as a dietitian, I should know more about gluten-free cooking and baking. Taking on this gluten-free/almond flour cookbook was a huge step outside my comfort zone. Huge. But I am always…always up for a good challenge.

My pantry is now full of everything from almond flour to tapioca starch to brown rice flour…and everything in between.

Other than 1 or 2 epic failures, the process of developing gluten-free recipes has gone…way, WAY better than expected. Way better. To say I’ve been thrilled with the results would be an understatement.

Outside of actually learning about gluten-free cooking and baking, I’ve also been enjoying the new tastes, textures, and flavors of gluten-free flours, such as almond flour. Unlike other flours, nut flours are incredibly rich and surprisingly versatile. Also, they’re packed with nutrition by way of heart healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

This breakfast crumble has been on my must-make list for ages. Apples, nor pomegranates, are in season, but I was still drawn to making this recipe for breakfast over the weekend. I love the tart crunch both fruits have to offer which are sweetened up with the honey, and made rich with the flavors of coconut oil and almond flour. The tapioca starch helps absorb excess moisture given off from the fruit.

A cup of coffee and a heaping scoop of breakfast crumble makes for another gluten-free recipe success and another weekend made a little sweeter with a delicious, nutritious breakfast…and leftovers for the week ahead

Hi ho, hi ho…off to work I go.

Be well,

Michigan had a frost last week. The owners of my Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) were concerned that the unusually cold May temperatures would ruin what had been planted. After last year’s fruit crop being completely trashed by the weather, I was concerned, too. But it sounds like everything survived. Phew.

Hopefully, just hopefully, we can start putting spring behind us (and certainly winter), and begin to move into summer temperatures.

Lord knows the mosquitoes were out in full force last night. #notcool

While my CSA deliveries are still a few weeks out, signs of fresh, local produce are here. Other than the fresh picked, local asparagus we’ve been enjoying, the grocery stores are starting to fill up with other local produce. Rhubarb, anyone?

Even produce that is not yet in season…is beginning to taste a whole lot better. A tomato almost tastes like an actual tomato. I can’t wait to have too many of them luring fruit flies into my home. That’s one problem I don’t mind having. …especially after I learned that a little dish of water, apple cider vinegar, and dish soap do the trick as far as catching the little buggers.

I digress.

Fruits and vegetables are coming into their prime season and salads have been a welcome addition to dinners as of late. When salads are full of this much flavor, this much color, this much texture, this much nutrition, this much fiber…and protein, with fat and sodium levels in check…it is seriously note-worthy. It’s a meal you won’t hear complaints over. Only raves and requests for more.

Yep, it’s one of those.

Weekly Menu: May 19th – May 23rd

• Sunday: Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
• Monday: cookbook recipe
• Tuesday: Cajun Halibut and Grilled Asparagus
• Wednesday: Honey Chicken Skewers With Grilled-Corn Salad
• Thursday: Crab-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Cookbooking today!

Be well,

I tempted fate…

The week got worse. Hard to imagine, but it did.

I was chasing down a referral for diabetic education yesterday, literally. From registration to the doctor’s office and back again. Who said EMR would eliminate all the struggles with modern-day health care? Notsomuch.

I was returning to the kitchen, 10 minutes into lunch service, when someone screamed, “THERE IS WATER POURING FROM THE CEILING IN THE CAFETERIA!!! PAGE MAINTENANCE…STAT!!!!!!”

I glanced quickly into the cafeteria and sure enough, that yell was, if anything, an understatement. It was RAIN FOREST CAFE. Literally. My staff reacted as quickly and effectively as possible and I had maintenance paged…STAT.

Water was pouring from air vents, ceiling tiles, you name it. We had pots, pans, Igloo coolers, trash cans, and everything else strewn across the floor…trying to catch the water…but not doing very well at all. We had to discard all of the cold prepared salads, the soup, all of the salad bar…it was a disaster. There were people everywhere with mops…and people still trying to get in for lunch.

About 30 minutes later, the pouring had been reduced to a dripping. Most of the water was off the floor, and lunch service continued. Chaos continued, I should say.

When the lunchtime had passed, we finally had a chance to sit down and breathe. Debbie looked at me, totally exhausted, and we just laughed. If it wasn’t hectic enough to feed the entire hospital a free lunch yesterday for Hospital Week, it had to RAIN during lunch today. I mean, what gives?

She was finishing up next week’s cafeteria menu and as usual, joked about my love of Mexican food. If you throw something in a tortilla, chances are I’ll love it. I saw this recipe pop into my inbox and was drawn to the tomatillos. At $1.99/pound, tomatillos are such a fun food to experiment with. I was surprised at how substantial the beans, bell pepper, and onion could be…and how over-the-top a bit of avocado and queso fresco could make these tacos.

Yes, I could eat Mexican food any day in any way, but these…really are worthy of repeating!

 TGIF!!! I think furniture shopping must happen this weekend…

Be well,

Yesterday, Debbie came into work with the best gift a boss could ask for — a HUGE bag full of fresh, hand-picked Michigan asparagus. I was beyond excited (I LOVE asparagus) and it’s the first time I’ve ever had truly fresh asparagus…much less local.

I ate it raw for breakfast that morning. Yes, it was that good. Coffee and raw asparagus – not too shabby.

The day continued with some other firsts.

I had my first ever CMS mock audit at the hospital. My audit wasn’t scheduled until today, but up he popped yesterday. To say the man was detail-oriented would be quite the understatement. I’m not sure if he was being insanely picky, or if he was just grasping at straws to find something wrong with my kitchen…given that’s his job and all. I’d like to think the latter.

I had a follow-up discussion with our Risk Management Officer that had all positive feedback…but my goodness, audits are incredibly nerve-racking. It was all a good learning experience and I took a lot away from the hour-long walk through.

I left work at a very reasonable hour with my mind set on an outdoor run in the sunny, 75 degree May weather. It was heavenly. Absolutely heavenly. As I cooled off, I threw together another salad for dinner – not too much different than this one. I’m all about salad lately and for me, that’s unusual.

The night I made this, Mr. Prevention was thrilled to see vegetables on his plate after a week in India where he could consume only cooked foods. Some textured veggies are just what he wanted. As for me, I appreciate that I can fire up the grill, toss some ingredients together, and voila…have a filling, healthy, and balanced meal on the table in less than 20 minutes.

And over 16 grams of fiber per serving…impressive, huh?

 Hospital Week continues with free lunch for all employees. Eeep!

Be well,

I was talking to Mr. Prevention on my way home from Chicago yesterday. I was reciting my to-do list as he was recapping the fact that I currently have a lot of balls in the air with freelance writing, cookbook #2, a very demanding job, and of course, continuing to cook, photograph, and blog. I also must make time to continue ice hockey and running regularly, and the juggling act can be tiresome at times. It takes planning and organization – two things I do not naturally excel at.

Weekends away, as much as I enjoy them, don’t leave me with the time to recharge, re-energize, and prepare fully for the week ahead. My weekend with my mom and my family, it was the best, however.

I pulled into the garage, threw in a load of laundry, and realized I was starving. I opened the fridge to find these Healthy Cocoa-Date Truffles that I has whipped together last week…and had not yet photographed. I snacked on a few of them while taking the photos and then made out my grocery list for the week…after struggling over what to make. I never even got the chance to look through the latest Cooking Light for ideas.

I decided on my Weekly Menu, adding a few veggie dishes that will be in my cookbook for dinner last night.

I grocery shopped in record time and for at least the 10th time in the past year, had a discussion with my checker about cilantro being an ingredient you either love or hate. Obviously, I love it…but I find the repetitiveness of this same conversation with various employees every time I buy cilantro to be truly perplexing. Anyways.

I came home to finish up laundry, make dinner, and hear Mr. Prevention complain about how these truffles contained coconut while I shuffled around the kitchen in my usual haste of not-so-organized chaos. I tried deterring him with, “But they’re made of dates…you don’t like dates.” But he seemed to think he was missing out.

Which he was. But I won’t tell him that.

More for me!

 Busy day, busy week…here we go!

Be well,

Back in August, my family and I drove an hour south of Chicago to Joliet, Illinois. My mom had purchased a “NASCAR Racing Experience” for my dad, a lover of all things cars. Unfortunately, on that day back in August, we were rained out and received a rain check for his “experience”.

Fast forward to yesterday, and we were there for his rain check race “experience”. The date has been on my calendar for months. Having grown up at race tracks on account of my dad’s hobby of racing vintage stock cars, race tracks tend to feel like home.

While this particular race track excelled in sanitary restrooms, they offered no food for sale. Whaaa?

We waited. And waited for his turn to race.

We went to the driver’s safely meeting. Listened to the man repeat himself at least three times. No burnouts, got it. Check your 2-way radios, got it. Don’t release your 5-point safety harness, got it. It started to rain for a moment and I got nervous. Rain check #2? Please NO.

We returned to the track only to sit around and wait, and wait some more. Finally, my brother and I went to a nearby, extremely sketchy gas station to get something to eat and drink. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Wouldn’t you know my dad was the LAST person to race for the day? His scheduled race time was 10am. He got into the car at 1:28pm. Yes, I looked at my watch phone. He raced the track 5 times, topped out at 132 miles per hour, and we walked back to the car with him saying, “I’m hooked.” Oh fabulous.

In the nearly 5 hours we were at the track, we had a lot of FAMILY BONDING time. We talked about everything from school to jobs to vacations, and everything and anything in between. We even talked about avocado tuna salad because my mom has been on the prowl for a light mayo or mayo-free tuna salad to help use up the “15 cans” (this number is still to be confirmed – a hot topic in my parents’ home) of tuna my dad has been stock piling in the basement ever since the Y2K scare well over a decade ago.

I proudly informed her that I found a winning recipe for her — this one. She reported to me she had found one, too, but was yet to try it. And then, she threw me a print out of a recipe. This recipe…and I laughed. Other than few small modifications, this recipe was worthy of 2 thumbs up in my book. Loved it and its simplicity.

Weekly Menu: May 12th – May 16th

• Sunday: Roasted Tomatillo and Black Bean Tacos
• Monday: work late…leftovers
• Tuesday: Tofu in Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Wednesday: Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad
• Thursday: I can’t decide…but something with pasta, I believe

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms…especially mine!

Making brunch and heading home…a busy week — Hospital Week — is upon me!

Be well,

This week has been absolutely, positively no good at work. The amount of stress I’ve been feeling has me feeling physical effects – my shoulders ache, my chest gets tight, and my appetite is in the tank (that’s when I know things are really bad! ). Driving change in a department can be difficult and as HR reminded me, “No one ever said leadership was easy, Nicole.”

At that point, I could’ve cried. Screamed. Thrown something.

Repeat, Nicole…You love your job…this will pass. You love your job…this will pass. You love your job…this will pass.

I’ve been coming home, to an empty house, staring at a wired bulldog. Wednesday night, she was literally bouncing off the walls as she scampered after her toys, chasing them around the hardwood floors.

I looked at her, she stared back. “You want to go to the beach, Lil?” I asked.

I think the dog JUMPED (bucked?) she was so excited.

I grabbed a ball and we headed that way, and she jumped up every 3 steps to try and release the ball from my grip. We got to the beach and I was trying to send a text in the bright sun. Of course, I couldn’t see the screen well and continued trying to create some shade to see the screen. Before long, all I heard was panting and I realized that Lily was 20 feet out in Lake Michigan…without her life jacket, chasing a volleyball through the water.

As it would end up, the dog can swim…rather well, in fact.

I wore her out and headed home to give her a shower with her pina colada scented dog shampoo and make dinner. And by make dinner, I really mean retrieve my sweet potato from the oven, defrost some of this Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork and toss it with my favorite BBQ sauce before stuffing it in my sweet potato and collapsing onto the couch to catch up with American Idol and Cops.

Up side to this week? Definitely these stuffed potatoes. Definitely.

 TGIF!!!!!!!!!! Mother’s Day Weekend!

Be well,

I have been spoiled as of late.

Runs on the beach….dog walks on the beach. Ice cream treats. Open windows – car and home. Sunglasses. Flip flops, Capris.

Late spring…it’s the best. When it’s not raining, of course…

Mr. Prevention being in India for work has not completely deterred me from cooking at night, even though cooking for 1 is not my most favorite thing to do. It just seems like a lot of work and a lot of dishes to simply fill your fridge with leftovers you may not want to eat for 4 days straight. Quick meals for 1 are a must. Heck, quick meals for 2 are a must. Controlled volumes are helpful, too.

When the weather is nice out…I don’t want to be stuck in a kitchen. Even if were to have great natural light and a good cross breeze…which mine has neither.

This marinade is full of bold flavors that if you’re anything like me, you likely stock in your pantry and fridge. The recipe called for chicken, but I think beef or shrimp would be great in this marinade, too, and then grilled just the same. There was enough marinade for about 1 1/2 pounds of meat, so you could increase the meat…or add veggies, as well.

Through Skype, I was able to make Mr. Prevention jealous of these skewers. Maybe he misses home-cooked meals and his wife after all?   I won’t hold my breath, will anxiously await his arrival…and perhaps consider making these again for him to enjoy.

Half way through the week! First up today…diabetes cooking class! We’re making Giant Whole Wheat Apple-Oat Breakfast Cookies and Black Bean Breakfast Burritos!

Be well,

When I was in Minneapolis a few weeks ago, the van that drove was a solid few hours behind those of us who flew. Unfortunately, the traveler who had booked our hotel rooms was in the van and we were stuck in the hotel lobby for several hours…just hanging out. We’re talking Holiday Inn Express, no where with a bar or an actual place to sit and wait.

We sprawled out on the few pieces of furniture they did have while watching the Boston Bomber coverage on CNN. To break up the sadness of watching, I vividly recall our random conversation on fruit flavored candy.

We compared which gummy bear flavor we enjoyed best (red!), then Starbursts (pink!), then Skittles (depended on whether it was Tropical or original…), and then Jolly Ranchers (watermelon…I love watermelon everything!). It’s funny how everyone has different preferences and as it ends up, no 2 of us liked the same flavors best of the various candies. I guess we should buy a variety and divvy them up accordingly!

When the cupcake theme was decided for my dear friend Krystal’s baby shower, I was so excited! Not only because their name for the baby while he was “baking” was “cupcake” (too cute!), but also because baked goods, especially those with what is supposed to be beautiful decoration, are outside my scope. I love a great reason for sweets! Despite the less-than-impressive frosting job, they tasted faaabulous!

Krystal (who blogs over at Mrs. Regueiro’s Plate) and her husband, Eric, are welcoming a baby boy into the world any day now. Their beautiful daughter just turned 1 and my gosh, she may just be the happiest baby on earth judging by Facebook updates you can’t help but smile at. Their family is contagious with their smiles! I wish them all the best and many blessings as they bring their second bundle of joy into this world!

For an amazing mom, friend, and foodie…Krystal, these are for you!

 Be sure to check out the FULL cupcake line-up (bring your insulin!) over at Eva Bakes! Congrats, Krystal – love you!

Be well,