A Vegetarian Meal: Zucchini PIe

I've been super busy and I don't think things will let up until the end of the month!  So I want to apologize in advance for not posting recipes and pictures, but in the meantime Karen Moreno, Feed Your Sister's nutritionist has been sharing with us many of her great healthy recipes and good tips for living and eating while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle!  I hope you've enjoyed them thus far, today she shares with us a vegetarian meal that's easy to put together with minimal ingredients!  I hope you enjoy!!

Here's Karen's Recipe for today...

Sometimes I’m not always in the mood to have a heavy dinner that consists of chicken or fish. I actually just came back from Israel and over there they eat very differently than from us in the United States, maybe its something we should learn from. They have a big lunch and a light dinner, which could be an omelet or even some yogurt, or a light cheese sandwich. This way you go to sleep without that full feeling or being stuffed. Try to aim to have one day a week where you become a vegetarian and don’t eat meat. This can help lower your cholesterol, and maybe even your weight. This recipe is super easy and quick to make. Serve along with a colorful green salad and you’ve got dinner ready  to put in the oven in less than 20 minutes.

Zucchini Pie

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Cook Time: 1 hour

Nonstick cooking spray

4 tsp breadcrumbs

5-6 zucchinis, peeled, and cubed small

½ cup 0% cottage cheese

½ cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp reduced fat feta cheese

2 eggs

1 egg white

¼ tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x11 inch Pyrex with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 2 tsp bread crumbs on the bottom of the Pyrex.  In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cubed zucchinis, cottage cheese, ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, eggs, egg whites, and spices. Mix all together. Pour into the Pyrex. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese and feta cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until the top browns and bubbles.

NOTE: This recipe calls for breadcrumbs but it can easily be omitted for those following a Gluten Free diet

This can also be served with a Tzatziki sauce:

2 cucumbers, diced

2 tbsp dried mint leaves

8 oz 0% Greek Yogurt

Salt, to taste (and garlic powder—optional)

Mix all ingredients into a bowl and serve.

Nutrition Content (per serving: 4x2½ inch piece of zucchini pie with 2 tbsp tzatziki):

126 Calories, 4.45g Fa,t 2.5g Sat Fat, 8.3g Carbs, 1.5g Fiber, 12.4g Protein, 122mg Sodium, 361mg Calcium, 375.7 mg Potassium.

-Karen Moreno, RD, CDN

Trim Down Tuesdays: Run for Israel Q+A

Even though it's going to probably rain all week, the weekend is supposed to be nice and sunny.  May is coming to an end in about two weeks and hopefully that will mean the end of this gross weather we've been having.  Nice weather means more people are out and about in NYC. Whether it's people watching, brunching, walking around, or working out outdoors, there's always something going on on a nice warm sunny day here!  

On Sunday June 5^th there will be the 1^st Annual RUN for Israel in Central Park. The 4 mile race begins at 8am-11am followed by the 63^rd Israeli Day Parade. It will be a day of fun and what's better than starting the day by running for a great cause? This week Karen Moreno, Feed Your Sister's in-house nutritionist answers some questions that many people always ask when signing up for a race, a marathon, or just a run. Read on to hear what Karen has to say…

What are the best foods to eat before and after a workout or a run? When starting an exercise regimen, it is important to understand how to fuel up before and after your workouts. You don’t want to eat too much food before exercising, because that may cause you to become nauseous or crampy.  You want your snack to digest quickly and you want it to supply a sufficient amount of energy — and that is exactly what complex carbohydrates do.  If you are working out early morning, try having a small snack an hour or two before your workout.  If you are working out after lunch, make sure to wait 3-4 hours after eating a solid meal. 

Some tasty and healthy snack ideas include:

·      half a high-fiber English muffin with a tbsp of peanut butter (my new favorite is Smuckers all natural peanut butter)

·      ½ a whole wheat turkey sandwich

·      1 oz. pistachios and a pear

·      Gnu flavor and fiber bar

·      an apple or banana

·      1 cup non-fat yogurt with ½ cup high-fiber cereal

If you are not careful after your workout, you could end up eating more than you burned at the gym — so why bother working out in the first place? After a workout, and before grabbing something to eat, try drinking some water. The symptoms of dehydration are similar to hunger: feeling tired, weak and shaky.

Another benefit of drinking after a workout is that you replenish fluids that were lost through sweating. When it comes to a post-workout snack, aim for a combination of protein and complex carbohydrates.  Protein is essential for repairing and building muscle, and the complex carbs will help replenish your energy stores. 

Great choices would be:

·      apple with string cheese

·       slice of whole wheat toast with peanut butter

·       ½ cup cottage cheese with 1 cup berries

·      1 cup baby carrots with ¼ cup hummus

·      Starkist Lunch To-Go tuna kits (omit the crackers) and 4 whole grain high-fiber crackers

All of which contain less than 200 calories.

I hope this helps and please email or comment below if you have any other nutrition related questions or questions on how to prepare for the race…See you all in the Park!


-Karen Moreno, RD, CDN

Asian Coleslaw Chicken Salad

Here’s Karen’s recipe that  I promised I’d post…enjoy this fiber filled recipe!!

This is a great quick lunch or dinner recipe that is healthy and tasty. You can serve it with grilled chicken on top or turn it into a vegetarian salad. I love to make this in the summer and if you don’t put the dressing on, it can last in the fridge all week without going bad. In case you weren’t aware, cabbage is high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and iron. It’s also low in calories so it’s ideal for anyone looking to lose weight. Fill up on cabbage this summer—you can even make it with a honey mustard, balsamic, or lemon dressing. Let us know what your favorite way to eat cabbage is!

Asian Coleslaw Chicken Salad

(serves 5)

1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced

2.5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage

1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

1 cup shredded napa cabbage

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 carrot, julienned

3 green onions, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the dressing:

3 tbsp rice vinegar

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger root

½ tbsp minced garlic

Spray a pan with nonstick cooking spray. Grill the chicken 6-8 minutes on each side, remove from heat and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together all the salad dressing ingredients. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together all the salad ingredients.  Add in the chicken. Toss with the peanut butter dressing just before serving.

Nutrition Content:  322 Calories  15g Fat 2.1g Sat Fat 17.74g Carbohydrates 3.44g Fiber  39.8g Protein  623mg Potassium  322mg Sodium

-Karen Moreno, RD,CDN