Z is for Zucchini

Whether you call it zucchini or summer squash...if you have a garden or have stopped at the farmer's market lately, you know that it is in season!  Your neighbor might even bring you a big bag full because they don't know what to do with it. Take it!  It's high in antixodiants...carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, especially if you leave the skin on.  Early research shows it is promising in protecting you from diabetes and assisting in insulin regulation. There are more health benefits that are being examined but with those alone and the fact that zucchini has relatively low calories (unless you batter it and deep fry it), it's worth including in your diet.  But what do you do with all of those zucchini without getting bored.  I started a list of ways I like to eat it but I'd love to hear your ideas too.

1) Sauteed in olive oil and garlic with fresh garden tomatoes
2) Roasted in the oven and drizzled with balsamic vinegar
3) Raw in a salad
4) In Vegetable Lasagna
5) Cut in strips and used as the "noodles" in lasagna
6) Marinated in a lemon marinade, and grilled with red bell pepper, red onion and other veggies for a summer grilled veggie sandwhich.
7) Take that same mixture of grilled veggies and put them on a grilled pizza
8) My mom makes a great zucchini and tomato strata (that would be made with eggs & parmesan cheese)
9) Breaded with whole grain crumbs and baked to make a zucchini parmesan
9) Make zucchini "crab cakes' substituting shredded zucchini for the crab meat in your favorite recipe
10) Add it to soups, stir fries, gumbos, paellas, and risotto.

Of course you can add it to baked goods as well like breads, cakes, brownies, and cookies. I try to convince myself that at least I am adding a little extra nutrition to these tempting treats by adding the veggies. 

If you have any other ideas, send me a quick message or leave a comment.  Enjoy your zucchini!

An App for Ohiopyle and Other State Parks Too

I love visiting our local State Parks in Pennsylvania, especially Ohiopyle. After taking a few of the guided hikes with park naturalists, I like to take trails off the beaten path. Everyone hikes along ferncliff and near cucumber falls but there are trails all throughout the park. I always get a park map and the kids end up stealing it. 

Maybe I need to just use my phone. The PA DCNR just released a new app that helps you to navigate through the state parks.  There are two versions one free and one paid. They both have trail maps, the abililty to make reservations at the campgrounds, event schedules, etc.  Of course you could look those things up before you go, but if you are anything like me at all, you don't think about looking at if there are any events until you get there. 

If you upgrade to the paid feature you get to use the GPS mapping features,  there are GIS points of interest and I think my favorite is the friend finder feature that allows you to keep track of other people that you are hiking or biking with.  I think these features would be really cool especially if you explore one of the state forests instead of the busy state parks.  They would also be great if you have people hitting different trails due to "level of difficutly" or if some people head out on mountain bikes and others on foot.

If  you do download the paid app, the proceeds go to the PA Parks and Forest Foundation to support the state facilities.  I feel so fortunate to have these great places just a stones throw away from my backyard and this is a pretty easy way to support them!

Twinkie Dogs!

I was just looking at the nutritional value of foods you commonly eat at a fair or carnival. Of course I started with the usual  Funnel Cake, Deep Fried Oreos, Deep Fried Twinkies, Deep Fried Snickers, Gyros,  Hot Sausage Sandwiches, French Fries.  I had planned on sharing all of that info but I stumbled across a new fair favorite that has left me speechless.  The Twinkie Dog! Yes, you read that correctly. I thought it would be some clever desert with twinkie bun and banana as a hot dog similar to the banana dogs that they make on the Disney Channel but I was ever so wrong.

This Fair Favorite is actually exactly as its name states a hot dog that uses a twinkie as a bun.  Then it is deep fried. As I continued to research, I learned that often the hot dog is wrapped in Bacon, sometimes cheese whiz is added, or sometimes it is rolled in onions and peppers and then deep fried a second time.  For those a little more interested in health, there is also a version that uses a “veggie dog”. I’m just not quite sure I see a point in trying to offer a “healthier” option.


I didn’t calculate the calories and fat due to the many variations of this “food”. I did exam the ingredient list and found that this combination will definitely exceed your daily limit for chemicals and preservatives in less than 1 bite.

I am not sure if they will be offering this food at the fair in my hometown.  I’m guessing if they do, it will be a hit. I for one will not be eating one and I would recommend you make another choice or make sure you consult your doctor to have your blood pressure and cholesterol medication adjusted.

If you do try a Twinkie Dog or have tried one...Please let me know!

It houses circus freaks, temptation and the Fayette County Fair

Tonight marks the start of the Fayette County Fair. Of course, I always end up singing the Clarks and I can't get the lyrics from Cigarette out of my head. (The song is on itunes and amazon if you need a reminder)  While totally not the intention of the song, just the proximity of temptation and Fayette County Fair made me  think about all of the food temptations and what I could write about when I remembered a fun article that I wrote for the Herald Standard newspaper a few years ago.  I decided to post it. I'll share more thoughts on eating at the fair throughout the week.

It’s time for funnel cakes, fried dough, fried vegetables, candied apples, huge lemonades hot sausages, and everything on a stick! The Fayette County Fair offers many tempting treats for fairgoers.  These tempting treats, however, can quickly sabotage anyone’s efforts to eat healthy or keep off extra pounds. If you are at the fair, it is okay to indulge on one of these treats or maybe even two. Just don’t overdo it.  Believe it or not, there are ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle and still enjoy what the fair has to offer.

While many foods at the fair are high in fat and calories, the good news is that you can burn off the calories by walking through the fairgrounds.  Even a slow stroll through the exhibits for an hour can burn around 260 calories or enough to burn off a candied apple.  For those of you that are ambitious, walk through the fair grounds for 3 hours without stopping. You will burn off the calories in the irresistible funnel cake. Remember, those three hours will only burn off the calories from the funnel cake, not the drinks and other foods too. Another way to burn off some of the calories you consume at the fair is attending one of the shows in the indoor area or fiddler’s building. Don’t sit in your seat. Instead, dance for an hour to burn another 300 calories or more.

Another option might be to share your favorite treats with a friends and family. Sharing is a great way to limit portion sizes and help cut back on fat, calories and added sugars. If you want to try to find a healthy option at the fair, it is possible. Be sure to visit the churches and services clubs when making your food choices. Some of these popular fair vendors offer fruit cups, vegetables, and even sugar free desserts. Be on the look out for added fats, however. While some vegetables may be healthy, when they are fried, they are also high in fat an calories. Also be sure to drink water. It can be hot at the fair and the sodas and lemonades can add sugar and calories quickly.

If you forgo eating healthy or trying to burn calories at the fair, there are other ways to learn about living a healthy lifestyle throughout the fairgrounds. Look for exhibits on diabetes.  Have your blood pressure checked. There are even healthy cooking demonstrations almost everyday at the fair in the 4-H youth building that include family and kid friendly recipes. Other features in the youth building include health demonstrations that range from ethnic dances to ATV safety.  You can even learn gardening tips for growing fresh vegetables and bring the fair’s agricultural message to your own backyard. While you may not be healthy at the fair, you can learn tips that you can use to keep you healthy until next year.

Back from the Beach

I just returned from a wonderful family vacation in Duck, NC. This year, my goal was to not overeat and stay active while I was at the beach.  We all talk a good game, but actually following through with a healthier vacation is easier said than done.

Despite the heat, I can say that I kept my pledge to stay active this year on vacation.  My secret was to try new things.  It is always easy to forget about your old routine.  But, trying new things on vacation keeps you feeling like you are on vacation.  We arrived on Sunday and by Monday night I was trying something new.  We kayaked through the maritime forests of the Outerbanks and learned a little something new.As the week went on, I went from kayaking in smooth waters off of the Currituck Sound to kayaking on the ocean.  I was lucky enough to see a Dolphin up close as it swam right underneath our kayak.  For me the kayaking was a huge triump. It was something new but I also something I never thought I would be able to do (I had shoulder surgery that I thought would limit my activities forever).

But that wasn't quite enough activity for a week.  I did the usual walk on the beach and we were in a great location where we could bike anywhere we needed to go.  We also jumped waves on Jet Skis and while I didn't think that would really be exercise, I was quite surprised.

I met my goals for the week. I did not gain a pound.  The lesson I learned -that most of you can use as well- is to make activity on your vacation fun.  If I would have stopped to go to the gym, I would have felt like I was missing something. I would not have enjoyed it-- but, I made that physical activity part of my vacation not something that took away from my vacation.

If you haven't taken your vacation yet this summer, try to plan at least one activity that will keep you moving. You may find that next time you will want to plan more!

Get Fit on Vacation? Or Stay Home?

Every year people look for a perfect vacation spot. I have a long list of the places I want to visit. I usually think about relaxation and laying on the beach.  This year, my goal isn't to put on anyway and to try something new as far as physical activity is concerned. I decided on a Kayak tour. I had been wanting to try it for quite a while and I figure this year is the perfect opportunity.

So as I make plans to travel to the beaches the Outer Banks in North Carolina and kayak the sound, I am reminded that it doesn't really take a vacation for me to try something new and get fit.  Philadelphia Magazine's Be Well Philly blog highlighted five great fitness based vacations.  One of them is right in my back yard.   Their recommendation: Learn to Kayak the Youghiogheny at Ohiopyle State Park with Wilderness Voyageurs.

Vacations are a great time to try something new. But don't make the mistake that I did.  Don't forget about the great resources that are in your community. Take advantage of new ways to get fit that will keep you interested and motivated.

Pick Your Poison at the Street Fair

Last night, I had the pleasure of providing information on Diabetes to people at the St. Rita's Street Fair in Connellsville, PA.  I  sat at a table that was next to the ice cream, 15 feet from the fried dough, and directly around the corner from the funnel cakes and cheese fries.  I was working so  my brain was tuned into food and what the people around me were eating.

I arrived at 5:00 and my eyes zeroed in on a woman that was probably in her 30's.  I overheard her talking about her latest diet.  I noticed that she was eating cheese fries. I really didn't think twice, you are going to eat something that is less than perfect at a street fair.  A few minutes later, I noticed she was eating pierogies. After talking to a few people, she stood across from me eating manicotti. By 6:00 she had another bowl of pasta with a meatball. At 6:30 the same woman was eating fried dough. By 7:00 a slice of pizza and when I left at 8:00 she was standing in line for a hot sausage sandwhich.

I just cringed the entire night. Not because she made those choices but because of her tale about her latest diet.  It is easy to make choices that are less than nutritionally superior in settings like a street fair. We all make choices that might not be the healthiest.  I myself made a choice to eat 3 of the homemade pierogies. They were awesome!  It is ok to choose a "treat" food when you attend events like these but I would like to make a few suggestions.

1) While everything looks wonderful, first make a loop and see what all of your options are.  It may even take a few loops (plus the walking is an added benefit). 

2) Pick your poison.  While everything looks great, everyone has their one weakness. The one food that they really want to try. The food that if you don't get, you will be craving for weeks. Make that choice instead of trying to eat everything.

3) If you can't choose just one item, try to share with two or three people so that you can have a taste but are not overindulging.

4) If you do choose too many, don't let that sabotage you for the rest of your week.  The next morning go straight back to your routine of eating healthfully.

5) If you make an effort to narrow your choices and eat responsibly, you can eliminate the guilt that a lot of people, especially dieters, feel the next day.

I hope you enjoy you next trip to a street fair.  I also hope you enjoy whichever treat you choose. But most of all I hope you  pick your poison and enjoy just one!