Karen’s Class Schedule

Healthy Desserts, Oct. 3^rd, 6:30-8:30PM, Kirkland Community Senior Center.

Is there such a thing? You’ll find out in this class where you’ll learn how to substitute natural, healthier alternatives to refined sugar and flour in cooking and baking. Your family will love the recipes Karen demonstrates such as Almond Flan with Maple Vanilla Sauce, Chewy Cocoa Oatmeal Crispies, Pumpkin Raisin Quinoa Pudding and Chocolate Silk Mousse.

Registration: 425-587-3336 or www.kirklandparks.net

Lunchbox Makeovers, Oct. 8^th, 2-4PM, Arlington Boys and Girls Club.

Research has shown that good nutrition supports kids behavior, intelligence, and attention span. Packing a kid's lunchbox with nutritious, appealing foods they will actually eat is not easy. If you’re strapped for time but want to give your kids the best and healthiest nutrition you can, this class will provide you with creative ideas on stocking your child’s lunchbox. We will also discuss breakfast ideas and smart snacks for after school.

Registration: Registration: 360-403-3448

Conquering Cravings, Oct. 20th, 6:30-8:30PM, Everett Senior Center, Pacific and Lombard.

Do you find yourself struggling to stay awake at 3pm everyday? Are you constantly craving carbohydrates or sweets and want to understand why? Discover easy ways to find energy and balance through your food choices. Learn how certain foods and eating styles contribute to cravings, and how to select foods that will balance and sustain your energy level. You will sample several recipes and leave the class with practical ideas for improving your energy and health.

Registration: 425-257-8300 or www.everettwa.org/parks

Fast, Fabulous, and Family-Friendly, Thur Oct. 27th, 7-9Pm, Spartan Gym Kitchen, Shoreline.

You’ve just come home from work, the kids have soccer practice, and you have no idea what to make for dinner. Sound familiar? Instead of resorting to frozen dinners or fast food, learn how to make healthy, delicious meals in less than 20 minutes that the whole family will enjoy. In addition to sampling the recipes, the instructor will share timesaving cooking and shopping tips.

Registration: 206-418-3383 or www.cityofshoreline.com/parks/index.cfm

Healthy Eating-On the Run, Oct 29^th, Noon-2PM, UW Campus

Too busy to cook, but want to enjoy healthy meals that don’t come from a fast food restaurant or out of a box? Learn how to prepare a healthy gourmet meal in under 20 minutes! In addition to tasting what a great meal really tastes like, you will learn how to make healthy eating convenient, how to stock your pantry, and timesaving cooking and shopping tips.

Registration: 206-68-LEARN or www.http://depts.washington.edu/asuwxpcl/

Eating Out? Small Is In and Big Is Out

When it comes to eating out at many restaurants in the US, supersizing and big portions are out, and small is in—smaller appetizers, smaller portions, and smaller plates.

While this trend may be new to the United States, it has been the norm in Spain in the form of tapas, and in the Mediterranean as mezza, for some time. Tapas restaurants, which seem to be popping up everywhere, offer "an exuberant assortment of appetizer foods, which can be as simple as a plate of olives, as complex as saffron-scented rabbit stew, as exotic as octopus with a paprika dressing, or as ordinary as almonds," says Janet Mendel, author of My Kitchen in Spain.

Virtually any food can become a tapa by serving it in bite-size portions, says Mendel, and a selection of several tapas can add up to a whole meal. The sunny ingredients in tapas show off Spain's healthy Mediterranean diet—fish and shellfish, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, and complex carbohydrates.

Eating small, so to speak, does not necessarily mean just cutting back on portion size and starving yourself—it can also mean eating less food more often. Losing weight requires expending more calories than you consume by exercising more and eating less; many studies say one way to accomplish this goal effectively is by eating smaller portions more frequently.

Note: My husband and I enjoy the creative and delicious small plates offered at Olive’s Café and Wine Bar in downtown Edmonds. On Thursdays they offer $5.00 small plates and complimentary wine tasting. Check out their website at http//www.olivesgourmet.com.

Study Examines Role of Protein in Weight Loss

A small study may help explain the role of protein in weight loss. Researchers tested the following hypothesis: “that increasing the protein content while maintaining the carbohydrate content of the diet lowers body weight by decreasing appetite and spontaneous caloric intake,” according to an abstract of the research in the latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In the study, 19 participants followed three different diets. For the first two weeks, the participants followed a weight-maintenance program where they consumed 15 percent of their calories from protein, 35 percent of their calories from fat, and 50 percent of their calories from carbohydrates.

For the second two weeks, they followed an isocaloric (same calories) diet with 30 percent of calories from protein, 20 percent from fat, and 50 percent from carbohydrates. For the third portion of the study they had no calorie restrictions, but ate the following portions: 30 percent from protein, 20 percent from fat, and 50 percent from carbohydrates.

The study revealed that satiety was markedly increased with the isocaloric high-protein diet. Researchers concluded that increasing the amount of protein in the diet from 15 to 30 percent can result in weight loss.

Full results of the study appear in the July 1, 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

What’s in Season

You’ll find pumpkins everywhere this month. In addition to buying the jack-o-lantern for Halloween carving, pick up some small sugar pie pumpkins to use in soups or in the following recipe.

Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A (as carotene), providing over 300 percent of the RDA. Canned pumpkin appears to have much more vitamin A than fresh-cooked pumpkin. This may be due to the fact that canned pumpkin has more water cooked out of it than boiled pumpkin, and the varieties used for canning have intense orange color, a sure sign of carotene. Pumpkin is a good source of fiber and adds a little iron and folate to the diet as well.

Recipe of the Month

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

These are great to include in your child’s (or mom/dad’s) lunchbox, or try as a nutritious after school snack or dessert. Make extra and freeze them.

Makes 12 small or 6 large muffins

1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup oat bran
3 egg whites
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (can substitute nonfat plain yogurt or non-dairy alternative)
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup sucanat or brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin pureé, oat bran, egg whites, buttermilk or yogurt, molasses, sugar and orange rind. Whisk together.

3. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.

4. Stir wet ingredients into dry, mixing well. Add cranberries to mixture and stir.

5. Fill cups of a nonstick muffin pan a half-inch from top. Bake about 30 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.