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Fresh Ideas for Using Pantry Items

5/29/2019

Ever find yourself saying, “I have nothing in my fridge!” Or maybe you just have a pantry full of items that you’ve never gotten around to eating? Sometimes it can be hard to think of pantry meals as opportunities to still get in a balanced meal but if you know us you know that we love them for multiple reasons!

Below are some items that can be helpful to have stocked in your pantry:

Canned Fruit: The obvious use may be just eating some out of a small bowl for a snack or dessert. When choosing canned fruit for your pantry, opt for those with 100% juice rather than syrups. Other ways to use canned fruits include adding some (drained) to plain yogurt to make a parfait, mixing into oatmeal, grilling pineapple slices to add to a burrito bowl, or adding a small splash of the juice to sparkling water and ice for a refreshing summertime drink.
Nut Butter: There are so many nut butters out there – almond, peanut, sunflower, cashew, you name it. Most probably use them for sandwiches, but you can also add some to oatmeal for a little extra protein and fat to keep you satiated. Add to whole wheat pasta or rice noodles with a little bit of low sodium soy sauce, and serve with sauteed frozen veggies (like this Japanese blend) for a Thai-style stir fry. You can even make a West African Peanut Soup by cooking vegetable broth, peanut butter, hot sauce, tomato paste, kale, garlic, ginger, and onion in a large pot, and serving with a little bit of brown rice.
Beans are also pretty versatile and diverse – from black to garbanzo, pinto to navy. Try switching out one type of bean for a different “typical” recipe for a new flavor. For instance, take a bean of your choice (rinse canned beans to lower sodium), and mash in a bowl with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and vinegar to make hummus.

Combine with low-sodium broth, seasoning, and veggies to make chili, minestrone, or another soup:

White chicken chili (LS chicken broth, chicken breast, chili powder, onions, corn, green chiles, garlic) – top with tortillas/chips
Regular chili (LS beef broth, chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, garlic, onion powder, peppers, other veggies like corn or zucchini optional) – add a few drops of vinegar
Minestrone (tomatoes, veggie broth, basil, oregano, thyme, garlic, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, celery, onions) – top with parmesan

Other ideas could include seasoning with peppers and serving with cornbread and sautéed greens (kale, collards, turnips, etc.), serving with homemade Spanish rice, peas, and carrots; making homemade veggie burgers; or making a bowl with mashed sweet potatoes, sautéed broccolini, and topped with an egg and Everything but the Bagel seasoning.

Oats: Whether you like them hot or cold as overnight oats, the possibilities beyond just a plain bowl of oatmeal are endless. Tip: If you have a practically-empty nut butter or fruit spread jar, skip that ingredient and add all the other ingredients to the jar to get the last little bit!
Hot or Cold Oatmeal Recipes:
- Pineapple Upside-Down Oats (canned pineapple in juice, oatmeal, 1 Tbsp sunflower butter, cherries, vanilla)
- PB&J Oats (1 Tbsp no-added-sugar jelly/fruit spread, 1 Tbsp almond/peanut butter, oatmeal)
- Coconut Cream Oats (oatmeal, coconut or vanilla yogurt, shredded coconut, optional toppings: nuts, pineapple)
- Chocolate Chip Oats (oatmeal, banana slices, sunflower butter, chocolate chips)
- Savory Breakfast Oats [probably best hot] (oatmeal, spinach, eggs, harissa)
Cookies (oatmeal raisin, chocolate peanut butter)
Granola (oats, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon/clove/spice, vanilla, oil of choice) – layer with plain/lightly sweetened yogurt & frozen berries
Pasta: Think beyond basic spaghetti or mac & cheese – pasta can be a great way to get whole grains, plus veggies, protein, and flavor. You can combine whole-grain ditalini or elbow macaroni with a light olive oil mayonnaise or vinaigrette with peas, carrots, tomatoes, and zucchini to make pasta salad. Toss whole wheat penne with light alfredo, sautéed spinach, tomatoes, and top with Parmesan, parsley, and a dash of harissa sauce. Use rice noodles in soups like pho, or as a stir fry with chili sauce and low-sodium soy sauce/tamari, garlic, frozen stir-fry veggies, and baked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces. Top with sesame seeds.
Quinoa exploded on the market a few years ago, and now we reap the benefits with so many unique recipes out there. Add a little Moroccan flair to your quinoa by tossing in low-sodium chicken broth, ginger, turmeric, onion, garlic, paprika, black pepper, a little olive oil, dried fruit (like cherries or dates), kale, and chickpeas (canned/drained). Cook together in a skillet and enjoy topped with cilantro and chopped nuts (like almonds).
Canned Veggies like beans, no-salt options are best. However, you can still use up regular versions, and either drain/rinse, or use that included salt in lieu of added salt for recipes. Use as a side with your meal, or for perhaps less-common choices, like canned beets, get creative. Add (drained) to a salad with spring greens, cucumbers, dried cranberries, nuts, and a light raspberry vinaigrette. Enjoy in a bowl with avocado, edamame, grated carrots, and a ginger-lemon vinaigrette. Try roasting with a little topping of low-fat cream/Neufchatel cheese, walnuts, and honey. Or, make a tossed salad with feta cheese, cucumber, and dill.
Rice is a great blank canvas for using up some pantry items. One option is in a cold poke bowl, with rice, salmon, avocado, cucumber or zucchini noodles, and spiralized carrots (top with sesame seeds). Make your own Spanish rice with a little bit of olive oil, garlic, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce (adding a spoonful at a time until reaches desired consistency). Serve with peas and carrots, green beans, and beans (like pintos). Another option is to make a “Hawaiian” bowl with rice, black beans, pineapple, 1 Tbsp of queso fresco and 1 Tbsp of BBQ sauce.

Amanda Cain, Medical University of South Carolina Dietetic Intern
[En Espanol]

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School's (Almost) Out For Summer!

5/23/2019

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Kids Choice Night: Hot Dogs + Pasta Salad + Apples + Tomatoes

We have just a few short weeks left before school is out for the summer. Whether the kids are going to be home or at camp all summer this likely means you’re going to have to start thinking about food a little more! Here are some tips to help keep everyone fueled up for summer fun:

Drink plenty of water! Here in Charleston, SC temperatures are already in the 80’s during the day and it’s only going to get hotter. Send the kids to camp with a refillable water bottle. Depending on the camp and the age of the kid they may be responsible for refilling their own bottle so make sure you talk to them about it! If they are at home all day make sure you periodically encourage them to drink up.
Plan meals to avoid running through the drive thru often. If your kids ate school lunches all year your grocery list and meal plan may start looking a little different as you now need to account for the additional food they will be eating. Have kids help you plan meals. We have a “Kids Choice Night” where each week one of the kids decides what we’re eating and helps to prepare it….be ready for some pretty creative ideas!
Create snack bins. You know what’s going to happen. You will feed them lunch and 3 minutes later you’re going to hear those words…”I”m hungry, can I have a snack?”. Set aside one drawer in the fridge(cut up veggies, fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, individual cups of hummus and guacamole) and one in the pantry (jerky, nuts, bars, crackers, olive pouches,popcorn) full of parent approved snacks that they can grab without asking you

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Define "Eating Healthy"

5/13/2019

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Are you using gentle nutrition to help you live your best life?

What makes a food “healthy?” Ever wondered what foods or styles of eating are “good” or “bad?” While there are some similarities in nutrition recommendations that are generally applicable to most people, like eating more fruits and vegetables, the reality is that the way each person “eats healthy” may be a little different from person to person.

For instance, while whole wheat toast is something that someone with celiac disease might avoid because of its gluten, for another, it’s a great way to get in whole grains, with its carbohydrates, fiber, and folic acid among other nutritional benefits. Likewise, while one person may find switching to black coffee is an easy way to limit added sugars, another may find that much less enjoyable, and might choose to limit his or her added sugars by just using less sweetener, or by decreasing sugar somewhere else during the day.

The point is – you have to find a way to use nutrition guidelines that works for you. Not only does healthy eating look different based on any medical conditions and your taste preferences, but also based on emotions, personality, and lifestyle.

Another example - one person may enjoy the challenge of following nutritional recommendations very closely, and thrive off having accountability to help reach his or her goals. This person may tell friends and family about new nutrition information, or certain “nutritional challenges” they are following. Doing so may motivate him or her to continue towards those goals in a healthy way. Meanwhile, for someone else struggling with disordered eating, hearing negative talk about certain foods in the workplace or with friends could discourage him or her from eating some of the nutritious foods that he or she is already struggling to feel “okay” about eating.

Lastly, remember that nutrition is just one part of health, and that it is not all-or-nothing (nutritional indifference vs nutritional perfection). It’s important to keep nutrition in mind, but for the sake of quality of life, learn how to strive for nutritional progress while making peace with nutritional imperfection.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine what “healthy eating” might look like for you:

1.      Do you have any medical conditions? What are your nutrition priorities?
If someone has a severe peanut allergy, the first thing they check on the nutrition label is probably not going to be the saturated fat content. It’s likely the ingredients – to make sure there are no peanuts. That’s not to say people can or should only consider one aspect of nutrition when looking at food, but some issues may be more important for you.
With all the nutrition “advice” out there, some of which may not always even be accurate, it can get overwhelming. If you followed ALL the nutrition “advice” out there, you couldn’t eat anything, which isn’t good either. Think of what nutrition priorities might be most important for you, and focus on those. If you’re not sure, seeing a registered dietitian nutritionist is a great start.

2.      What might some of my loved ones be struggling with regarding food?
I personally think there is something very special about sharing food and meals with the people you love – it’s like nourishing your body and your soul at the same time. Yet sometimes, eating with others can become a source of stress. Practice being present and mindful; slow down and enjoy not only the food, but the time with loved ones.
Especially in your immediate family, consider in what ways you’d like your diet to match and differ from other family members. Maybe you choose to go vegetarian alongside a spouse, or you try new foods together every night with a picky eater. On the other hand, maybe you need a different amount of food at each meal than another family member based on your age or activity level, etc.
Try also to be aware of how you talk about food with others. It can be a good thing to find a support system, but especially in larger groups of people, consider your audience. You may not know who is struggling with their own dietary restrictions, weight, disordered eating, etc.

3.      Just because this works for this person, will it work for me?
One person’s nutrition goals may look very different from another’s, and one person’s way of eating may not work for another. That’s okay – we’re all different. Sometimes we can draw inspiration from others – a new snack idea, a new recipe, etc.

And while how we eat may evolve with us throughout life, consider how your nutritional choices will make you feel physically, mentally, emotionally. And if you’re not sure whether it’s something that is good for your body, or that you could enjoy and be okay with, don’t stress – eating healthy has more than one look. Meeting with a dietitian can help you strategize what ideas might work best for you.

[Spanish version here]
Amanda Cain, Medical University of South Carolina Dietetic Intern

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Fresh Ideas for Using Pantry Items

School's (Almost) Out For Summer!

Define "Eating Healthy"

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