Find Your Couples Cooking Style

Cooking for two has been something I have been helping clients with since I started my career. A lot of recipes are written for 4 servings, and cooking a big meal for two people is not always what you want to be doing.

Whether you are newly married or empty nesters, my tips for finding your couples cooking style below can help!

Healthy Tips When Cooking for Two
Plan your plate. Focus on making 50 percent of your plate vegetables, 25 percent lean meat and 25 percent whole grains. This can look like a plate with some roasted chicken, brown rice and green beans or combining a dish into a stir fry with shrimp over whole wheat linguini.

Make a plan. Avoid trigger foods and situations by making a meal plan for both of you for the week! Go through recipes and cookbooks together, compare calendars and assign cooking duties for the week. What day will you choose to meal plan together?

Choose recipes for 2 servings or choose 4 servings with leftovers. There are a lot of healthy cookbooks featuring recipes for two, and several websites now are interactive with a feature to change the servings.

Look for one-dish meals. This will make it easier to prepare and clean up. Who wants to be doing dishes all night?! Some great options are sheet pan dishes, skillets and one pot dinners — one of my favorites is chicken parm with Italian veggies!

Cook once, use twice. Plan meals so that you can use the extra food in new dishes (or lunches). Cook brown rice, quinoa or whole grain pasta for one meal and use the remainder in a dish on another day. Same goes for meats — try baking all of the chicken for a meal and use the leftovers in sandwiches, salads and soups.

Decide who’s chef. Take this time to catch up and build upon your relationship. Instead of having one person cook while the other one watches TV or does work, designate the “chef” and the “sous chef” of the meal. Same goes for dishes — one washes and one dries!

Curate your dinner playlist. Make dinner and cooking fun by creating a playlist of songs you love to listen to while cooking and eating dinner. This keeps meal time more mindful by keeping the TV off, and it also helps build your relationship.

How Hurricane Maria Helped Me Use Devastation as Motivation

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, just two short weeks after Hurricane Irma impacted the island. The amount of devastation I saw the morning after affected me emotionally, spiritually and physically. As a student, I found myself at a crossroad: I was in my last year of college, which had come to an indefinite halt, and I was left at home with no communication, no water and no electricity. FNCE was just one month away. I had no way of communicating with my advisor about the final payment of the trip and all flights were canceled at the airport.

About two weeks after the hurricane, I was able to go to Puerto Rico’s capitol, San Juan, where I finally got cell reception, paid my FNCE registration and confirmed that our flight to Chicago was possible. It was a breath of fresh air. The day we left, I was sad knowing I was leaving my family behind on a completely devastated island, but I was comforted by the fact that I was one step closer to reaching a dream: attend FNCE and network with future professionals.

FNCE was a dream come true and the recognition that we got by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics was pure and greatly appreciated. The students who represented the University of Puerto Rico received an acknowledgment by the president of the Academy, Donna S. Martin. I met a lot of nutrition and dietetics professionals who encouraged me to keep going, expressed their sympathy regarding my island’s trouble, and motivated me to keep applying to internships and master’s programs.

There have been a lot of natural disasters this past year all over the continental U.S., as well as in the Caribbean. It is a time when we feel lost and confused. But the Hurricane Maria experience was the impulse I needed to keep going and to fight even harder for my dream of becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist.  Times get hard and it may seem like there’s no end to this agony, but there is. When we find ourselves in these difficult moments, we are not alone, and that is exactly how the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic board members made us feel last October. And for that, we express our most sincere gratitude.

Easy Baked Shakshuka with Fennel and Goat Cheese

If the really cool name does not draw you already, the taste definitely will! Shakshuka, also seen spelled as shakshouka or chakchouka, many say originated in North Africa, however you will see it in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine as well. The name simply means “all mixed up.” The recipe is so versatile, which makes a great dish for using leftover vegetables and spices.  I decided to add fennel for the winter season and yes, because I had some leftover in my refrigerator!

Low in Iron?
Eggs may not contain the highest amount of iron, but in two servings of large eggs providing 2mg, it does add up throughout the day. What makes this dish an excellent iron absorber is the high amounts of vitamin C in the tomatoes. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron, especially nonheme iron — a form not as easily absorbed and mainly found in plant-based and egg products. Heme iron sources on the other hand are more easily absorbed and can be found in animal products, such as meat, fish, and poultry.

What also makes eggs so egg-cellent? They are an excellent source of choline! An important nutrient our body needs for brain development (yes I am talking to you pregnant ladies!) and muscle activity. Two large eggs provide 294mg alone; it is recommended that we aim for 425 to 550mg per day for males and females (even more for pregnant mamas!).

In this Easy Baked Shakshuka Recipe …
This recipe makes a balanced meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner; just try adding your favorite whole grain (gluten-free or gluten-containing such as a baguette). Not a bread fan? Try creamy polenta, corn tortillas or quinoa (all are gluten-free!). If you prefer more vegetables, add some fresh spinach or arugula! Want more protein? Sneak in some chickpeas before placing in the oven. However you choose to create this versatile dish, I hope it is enjoyed with good company!

Easy Baked Shakshuka with Fennel and Goat Cheese
Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ medium onion diced
1 bulb fennel chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika ground
1 ½ teaspoons cumin ground
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes no salt added preferred
6 large eggs
2 ounces goat cheese crumbled or sliced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a 10″ (or larger) cast iron skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Saute the onions and and fennel cook until softening, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in garlic and spices and cook for an additional minute to make aromatic.
Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid thickens, up to 10 minutes. Crack the eggs over the pan and distribute evenly over the pan (can do 5 eggs around the edge and 1 egg in the middle).
Sprinkle the goat cheese and rosemary on top. Slowly transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for up to 10 minutes or until the middle of the eggs are set. *Check at the 5 minute mark if you prefer runny eggs. For harder, cooked eggs cook a little longer than 10 minutes.
Top with additional fresh rosemary or other herbs.

Edamame: A Baby Bean Comes Out of its Shell

Our snack-friendly culture has embraced edamame, a Japanese bean often eaten like unshelled Southern boiled peanuts. A type of shell bean, edamame contains immature soy beans within each pod that can be served whole and squeezed from one end to release slippery, crisp beans.

Product labels typically designate both whole and shelled forms as edamame, although “eda” means branch and “mame” means the whole pod.

In the Kitchen

Inside furry pods, lime-green edamame beans offer fresh pea and subtle sweet-nutty flavors. Early harvesting, at about 80 percent maturity, results in beans with lower levels of gas-producing oligosaccharides and a sweeter taste.

Most legumes have a chalky, grainy or creamy texture, but edamame beans have a lower starch content and al dente texture, making them less appropriate for some bean recipes. For example, they are not malleable, absorbent or creamy enough for bean dips, purees or as soup thickeners. However, the springy, supple texture of edamame beans invite many culinary options.

Cooked and shelled edamame can be pickled, added to bean, grain or noodle salads, or incorporated into classic dishes such as vichyssoise or guacamole. Warm edamame dishes include appetizers of roasted beans, fritters, dumplings and meals or sides such as pasta primavera, succotash and rice pilaf. Substitute edamame in recipes calling for snap peas, fresh shelled peas or baby lima beans.

To serve whole pods as a snack or appetizer, briefly steam, boil or warm them in a microwave, then season with salt and splashes of tamari or rice vinegar.

Edamame also can be used in recipes, including Sweet Curried Edamame Crunchers and Spicy Edamame Slaw with Orange Dressing.

In the Clinic

Edamame is an excellent source of fiber, magnesium, folate and protein, and a good source of potassium. What sets edamame apart from other legumes are its nine essential amino acids, present in quantities that make it a high-quality protein source. Edamame also is high in lutein and zeaxathin, important nutrients for slowing the progression of macular degeneration.

Because soy is one of the top eight food allergens in the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 requires that packaged foods containing soy that are sold in the U.S. must clearly state the presence of soy in the product.

In 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an authorized health claim for soy, allowing product labels to state that diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams or more per day of soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease.

This protein quantity equates to about 1½ cups of shelled edamame, making the fiber content (about 12 grams per cup) an easier selling point for heart-related benefits. In October 2017, the FDA released a statement explaining a proposal to revoke the authorized heart disease health claim due to inconsistent evidence. The health claim may be demoted from authorized to qualified, which requires a lower standard of evidence and will allow manufacturers to continue using the claim with a qualifier explaining the limited evidence.

In Quantity

In the U.S., edamame is primarily available in frozen whole or shelled options; in Japan, it’s seasonally available in more than 200 fresh varieties.

Frozen beans are available in bulk quantities for foodservice institutions to store for several months before simmering in salted water, cooling in ice and refrigerating until ready to use. Some U.S. farmers, particularly in Arkansas, are responding to demand by growing soybean plants specifically to sell as edamame, which could increase options for fresh edamame in the future.

Micronutrients: Choline

Often described as “vitamin-like” for its water soluble vitamin properties, choline is a unique micronutrient that is crucial for many biological functions.

Despite its importance, choline is seriously overlooked. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey suggest only 8 percent of American adults meet the adequate intake for choline; in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it was identified as a shortfall nutrient; and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimate most Americans consume less than the adequate intake level.

Roles in Health

Choline is essential throughout the life cycle and is critical for brain and spinal cord development. Beginning in utero and continuing throughout childhood, choline is crucial for brain development and cognitive learning. Some research shows choline can improve memory by slowing cognitive decline in older adults.

Beyond the brain, choline is part of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important in muscle control, memory, mood and nervous system functions. Choline also plays a role in the stabilization of DNA, transportation of fats and (with folate) possibly the prevention of neural tube defects.

Choline’s role as a neurotransmitter signaling muscle cell activity may enhance athletic performance, according to preliminary research.

Some research shows choline may be cardioprotective, yet other studies have found conflicting results. Further research is needed to investigate the link between choline and cardiovascular disease risk.

Current Recommendations

In 1998, the Food and Nutrition Board established adequate and tolerable upper intake levels for choline. Requirements begin at 125 milligrams per day in the first six months of life and advance to 550 milligrams per day for males 14 and older and 425 milligrams per day for females 19 and older. Pregnant and lactating women require 450 milligrams per day and 550 milligrams per day, respectively.

Food Sources

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently set the daily value for choline at 550 milligrams per day for adults and children 4 and older based on the updated Reference Daily Intake values. Foods containing 55 to 104.5 milligrams (10 to 19 percent of the DV) of choline per serving can be declared a good source and foods containing 110 milligrams or more of choline per serving (20 percent or more of the DV) are an excellent source.

Supplements are usually necessary for pregnant and lactating women. Choline supplements are available as a single nutrient, with B vitamins and in some multivitamin mineral products in amounts ranging from 10 to 250 milligrams.

Signs of Deficiency

While most Americans fall short of meeting choline requirements, deficiency is rare in healthy, non-pregnant people. A choline deficiency can cause muscle damage and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from abnormal deposits of fat in the liver.

Toxicity

Exceeding the tolerable upper intake level of 3,500 milligrams per day of choline for adults has been associated with vomiting, increased sweating, low blood pressure and fishy body odor. Further, the FNB warns that individuals with liver or kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression or inherited trimethylaminuria may be at increased risk for severe side effects when exceeding the tolerable upper intake level.

Populations at Risk

Choline’s role in brain and spinal cord development makes its consumption vital for pregnant and lactating women. However, many prenatal supplements contain little choline. In June 2017, the American Medical Association recommended that prenatal vitamins increase the amount of choline from 0 to 55 milligrams to the adequate intake of 450 milligrams daily.

Individuals with genetic alterations also may be at higher risk of deficiency.

Bottom Line

The mounting evidence of choline’s importance makes it essential that registered dietitian nutritionists remain up to date on this critical nutrient. Throughout the life cycle, RDNs can help clients meet choline requirements for good health. Food manufacturers also may take note and start fortifying choline in foods to help consumers meet requirements more easily.