Stepfanie Romine is a writer, recipe developer, published author and certified yoga teacher who has lived--and cooked--on three continents. She currently calls Asheville, North Carolina home. 
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'No-Calorie Noodles': Will You Try Them?
Have you heard about the new noodles that have no calories? It's true. These noodles have no calories, fat, gluten or carbs. Made from a soluble fiber derived from a Japanese yam, the noodles have been available in Japan for years.
Some health professionals and manufacturers say the lack of carbs and fiber make these a viable food source for those who have diabetes, celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Their texture is similar to shirataki noodles, which contain the same fiber (glucomannan). Shirataki noodles--named after the shirataki yam (konyaku)--have been popular for a few years, but they have about 20 calories a serving because of the tofu they also contain. (The yam is also known as konjak, konjaku, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam.)
However, not everyone is a fan of the noodles, and for reasons other than their slimy texture and fishy smell straight from the bag. (The smell goes away if you rinse them, and they morph from a squishy, squidlike texture to firm noodle texture as you heat them. I ate them while living and traveling in Asia.)
The research I did on the noodles didn't mention that this isn't the first time konjac has been popular--and that the fiber it contains has been banned in some forms and in some countries.
Posted 9/16/2010 5:00:00 AM By: : 187 comments 44,150 views
Light and Spicy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
As you already know, I usually cook large batches of food on Sunday nights. With my busy schedule, it's sometimes the only way I can ensure I will eat a healthy dinner each night of the week. (Chef Meg also recommends big batch cooking!)
A few weeks ago, I made my Quinoa-Black Bean Casserole and wanted to make a side dish to eat throughout the week. I wanted to use the rest of the sweet potatoes that I had purchased at the farmers' market. We also had several onions, and I already had the cumin on the counter. I started thinking about a twist on a regular potato dish. It had to be something that could go in the oven in just one dish.
Suddenly, inspiration struck: Light and Spicy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes! Instead of the traditional cream and white potatoes, I would use skim milk, along with lemony coriander and smoky cumin. Garlic and onion would lend flavor, and a bit of hot sauce would provide a warm note in the background and some saltiness.
My food processor was already out, so I attached the slicing blade and peeled the onion. Once the sweet potatoes were scrubbed and any bad spots removed, I halved both them and the onion so it would fit in the food processor. Less than 30 seconds later, all my vegetables were perfectly sliced.
Into a 9"x13" casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray went a third of the veggies and the garlic. A third of the spices were sprinkled on, then I repeated the steps twice. Milk--spiked with my beloved sriracha hot sauce--was poured on top, then came the cheese. On went the lid, and into the oven went the casserole dish. A half-hour later, I had a creamy dish that made me forget all about the French potato gratins I adored as a child that inspired the dish.
Posted 9/15/2010 1:13:21 PM By: : 24 comments 22,014 views
The Extreme 'Baby Carrots' Ads: Will They Work?
Last week, Coach Nicole sent me a link to this video. That morning, I had driven past a large orange billboard near our office. "So what if our name doesn't end in 'itos'?" it read. As I drove past, I also caught a glimpse of the words "baby carrots."
After a bit of research online, I learned that Bugs' favorite treat is getting an extreme makeover. "An alliance of 50 carrot farmers is investing an initial $25 million" to market the crunchy snacks. A big-name advertising company is creating splashy billboards, TV, social media/online ads, and new packaging that will make carrots look like junk food. Plus, they plan carrot vending machines in schools. The push to make carrots the No. 1 snack in America isn't only about our waistlines. It's also about the bottom line: The farmers hope to double the $1 billion carrot market in the next couple of years or so, according to the Associated Press.
The carrots have a Facebook account, Twitter feed and a homepage, upon which they say:
"A BUNCH OF CARROT FARMERS™ is made up of, well, a bunch of carrot farmers. Our mission: To get folks to eat more carrots. Then get their friends to eat more carrots. Then get their friends' friends to eat more carrots. And so on and so forth, until carrots are the official favorite food of everyone, everywhere.
"Powerfully crunchy. Subtly sweet. Gloriously versatile. Mischievously addictive. Perfectly orange. What more could you possibly want in a food? Nothing...the answer is nothing.
"If you fancy yourself a loud and proud Carrot Farmer — whether your harvest yields one pound or one million — join the crusade to make carrots the most demanded and universally loved food on earth."
That leads me to some questions…
Posted 9/14/2010 12:01:00 PM By: : 134 comments 27,138 views
Sports Dietitian Group Now among SparkAmerica's Partners
By now, you've probably heard about SparkAmerica, a national campaign and new website created by SparkPeople that's designed to help Americans get more exercise, eat healthier foods, and enjoy active, healthy lives. We've had an amazing number of partners come on board to support SparkAmerica, and now we have one more:
SparkPeople is pleased to announce that a new national sports dietitians association is among our partners for SparkAmerica. Dave Ellis, the group's president, is a leading sports nutrition expert and has shared guest blogs with the dailySpark. We're thrilled to have so many great partners who can help us continue to expand and share our passion for healthy living with the rest of the country.
The CPSDA is gearing up for some exciting expansion of its own. Learn about it--and spread the word to any dietitians and nutritionists you might know.
Posted 9/10/2010 5:08:08 AM By: : 0 comments 10,690 views
Stay Healthy at Labor Day Parties
Happy Labor Day! Today marks the unofficial end to summer and often the last chance to throw a barbecue or outdoor party in many parts of the country. The dailySpark's bloggers are enjoying a day with friends and family, but we wanted to leave you with a short post with some party survival tips! As you read this, I'm on a bike ride to celebrate one of my best friend's 30th birthday.
Slim Down Your Dips
11 Healthy Party Appetizers
Posted 9/6/2010 5:33:53 AM By: : 32 comments 18,253 views
What Comforts You?
Friday night I made a whole-grain blueberry crisp with soft-serve banana "ice cream." I experimented with a slow-cooker version of my favorite Turkish lentil soup. (Still tweaking that one.) Saturday I made homemade salsa with tomatoes and peppers from my garden. Sunday, I used that homemade salsa in a variation on my black-bean and sweet potato casserole. I subbed thawed and chopped frozen broccoli for the sweet potatoes and a lemon-coriander brown rice for the quinoa (it's a recipe from the upcoming cookbook, so I can't share it just yet), then paired it with spicy and smoky scalloped sweet potatoes.
This weekend's cooking marathon coincided with some bad news: My grandfather suffered a significant heart attack and will need open-heart surgery this week to clear some blocked arteries. Although he's in good spirits, and the doctors say his prognosis is good, it's still a scary thing to experience. To make matters even harder, my grandparents live in Wyoming, so I can't just rush right there to be with him.
I am staying optimistic, sending as many positive thoughts as I can in his direction. I've called, I've written him a letter, and I've sent photos of my new house and recent travels for him to look at while in the hospital. Tonight I'm going to make a batch of my famous granola for him and my gramma. Needless to say, my mind has been preoccupied at times.
When I'm sad, when I'm stressed, when I'm pondering major life changes, I head to the kitchen. Caramelizing onions, roasting tomatoes, chopping carrots, sifting flour all help to center and ground me. For me, cooking is a form of meditation. From a jumble of disparate ingredients springs forth a cohesive dish that, if all goes as planned, highlights its parts and unites to form an even greater whole.
For as long as I can remember, I've coped with sorrows and stress with food. The difference is that these days, instead of eating said food to numb myself or depriving myself of it as a way to control my life, I cook the food--and then usually eat reasonable portions of it--as a way to process my emotions. Like yoga or running, cooking soothes me. It provides me with a way to nourish the bodies and souls of others and lifts my spirits.
Posted 8/31/2010 12:01:54 PM By: : 86 comments 20,617 views
Separating Hype from Reality on Menus
When you're on the run or out with friends, it's not always possible to plan ahead and do your research before heading to a restaurant. (If you can plan ahead, Tanya's Food on the Run series is a fantastic resource.) Once there, your senses are often assaulted by glossy photos on menus and table tents, tantalizing smells, and fast-paced sales pitches from servers. Even your fellow diners get in on the act, urging you to try the newest, most popular menu item. "Crispy breaded macaroni and cheese bites wrapped in bacon and served with our five-queso, dragon fire dipping sauce." Sounds good when everyone else is ordering it, right?
While the trend at some hip restaurants is simplicity (Mac-n-cheese: penne + pancetta + artisan Gouda), most restaurants add long descriptions to entice diners. "Fluffy omelets," "real cheese," and "fresh lettuce" become selling points.
But think about it: Omelets are fluffy by nature. Shouldn't all cheese be real? And would someone really serve not-fresh lettuce? (Perhaps, but most customers would send it back.) If you're telling me about a specific type of food--Hass avocados, which have a richer flavor than other varieties; Vidalia onions, known for their sweetness; or Niman Ranch pork, a high quality brand--then please add the descriptors. But if restaurants are stating the obvious, overselling their dishes, or trying to gloss over unhealthy ingredients, we as consumers should be able to read beyond that and make educated decisions.
My number one piece of advice for translating menus: If you would never be willing to eat the opposite of a menu description (e.g. stale bread, soggy lettuce, tough chicken), then the modifier is just hype!
When you're learning to maneuver the thick menus of restaurants and seek out healthier items, it's not always easy. I've scoured menus for descriptions that are full of hollow marketing terms. Let's separate hype from reality. Below, I'll translate these menu descriptions. Do any of these adjectives and descriptions actually mean food is better for us? Or--health aspects aside--does it really make a difference in the final taste? Does it justify an added cost? No restaurants will be named in the list below.
Posted 8/25/2010 11:10:12 AM By: : 34 comments 22,677 views
One Healthy Decision Usually Begets Another
Confession: Last week, I was in a funk. I could blame the heat, some personal stress, a busy schedule, or a general sense of ennui, but truth be told, sometimes there is no concrete reason for a case of the blues or the mean reds.
Sometimes we just don't wanna eat our vegetables, put away the laundry, go for a run, eat a sensible dinner, mow the lawn, or roll out of bed on time. And then--boom--we suddenly do again.
When we're heading down a slippery slope, eating one too many macaroons after dinner, skipping a workout, or ordering a second glass of wine instead of the club soda you know you should, it doesn't take much to reverse your path.
I'm a Type A personality, a perfectionist, an overachiever. When I am less than my best, I tend to see that as failure, at least for a fleeting moment. I'm hard on myself.
This weekend was not the best for me. I spent most of Saturday on the couch after an allergic reaction to something containing cashews. (Actually, it was due to the Benedryl I took to combat the reaction that rendered me a dizzy, woozy, incomprehensible blob.) Sunday I felt hungover from the reaction, which left me feeling sort of blah.
Monday when I awoke, I decided I needed to make the most of my Monday to rebound and re-energize myself. And so, I made one healthy decision. Then I made another.
Posted 8/18/2010 5:07:07 PM By: : 104 comments 28,871 views
dailySpark Year Three: Putting 'Life' in Healthy Living
Happy Anniversary, dailySpark. You've come a long way, baby, since those early posts back in mid-August 2008. I was a newbie to SparkPeople back then, just getting to know the sites and the wonderful employees and members here.
Since then, we've all grown--and shrunk together. Without all of you, we never could have grown into the well-respected healthy living blog we are today.
We've interviewed everyone from top weight-loss expert Dr. Martin Binks (one of our most popular interviews!) to Olympic swimmer Dara Torres, Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien to fitness gurus Denise Austin and Leslie Sansone.
We started with just five bloggers, but we've more than doubled. We have shared guest blog posts from fitness experts Chalene Johnson, the Fit Bottomed Girls, and David Kirsch. Sports nutrition expert Dave Ellis is a huge fan and contributor, and we've welcomed top healthy living bloggers and inspirational members. Those guest bloggers are constantly surprised by the sheer number of comments we get on each blog post--and how positive they are. Thank you for helping to set the dailySpark apart from the rest.
While SparkPeople is home to the tracking tools, educational articles, exercise demos, and community that allow each of us to be successful along our healthy living journey, the dailySpark is an outlet that allows the SparkPeople experts to show the human side of weight loss. Each of us is here at SparkPeople not only as an employee but as a person who has struggled with weight, body image, and self-esteem. We've been where you are and where you've been, and some of us are right there alongside you now. Regardless of where we are in our own weight-loss and healthy living journeys, we're always standing on the sidelines cheering you on.
Recently, I had a heart-to-heart talk with Tanya, our healthy eating expert. She shared her passion for the underdogs. Like Bruce with his The Slowest Loser series, Tanya felt a kinship with those readers and members whose path from here to there took a slower, meandering one. Having learned to live with thyroid disease, she knows what it's like to do everything right and still not achieve the goals you set for yourself.
Instead of giving up, she set new goals, rewrote her rule book, and became an inspiration to countless SparkPeople members. She started a new series, called One Step Closer. Her cardinal rule: Healthy living isn't about being perfect; it's about consistently moving one step closer to your goal, whatever that might be.
Posted 8/16/2010 5:00:04 AM By: : 63 comments 19,763 views
Confession: I Gain a Few Pounds Every Summer
I lost 40 pounds five years ago, and I've kept it off since then. That doesn't mean it has always been easy. I put on seven pounds during the last six months at my old job due to stress and a hectic schedule. I lost it after coming to SparkPeople, but I will admit that my weight is more of a range (plus or minus three pounds) than a firm goal.
Recently, I noticed a trend: Every year, I usually start to reach the upper end of my weight range during the summertime and the lower end in wintertime. (I weigh myself a couple of times a month.) I'm not a beach-goer, and I don't wear shorts or skimpy clothes except to run, so I have never been one to worry about getting in shape for a bikini. Still, I do pride myself on eating right most of the time and sticking with a regular exercise routine.
At various times of the year, depending on my schedule, my mood, and other outside forces, "regular" exercise and eating "right" take on various meanings. Sometimes that means workouts almost every day, or it might mean working out just four days a week. It might mean home-cooked, from-scratch, veggie-heavy meals every night, or it might mean splurging on sweet potato fries at dinner, making do with a bag of carrot sticks and hummus on a road trip, or ordering a mushroom-and-peppers pizza because I am just too tired to cook.
Since I completed my first half-marathon late this spring, I haven't set another fitness goal. I've been running and practicing yoga, with some strength training and cross training, but I haven't been as focused on my fitness. I had spent 18 months working toward progressively larger fitness goals: yoga teacher certification, then my first 5K, 10K, and that half marathon. I don't cope with heat well, so I ultimately decided to take the summer off from training. My mind and body needed a rest.
As a result, I've put on a couple of pounds. My middle feels softer, even though I know the rest of me is stronger from all the yoga, dancing, and walking hills in Istanbul.
I'm OK with all of that. Want to know why?
Posted 8/11/2010 5:01:06 PM By: : 123 comments 45,924 views
My Worst Personal Training Experience Ever--and What You Can Learn from It
Last month, I joined a new gym. (So did my boyfriend, and we hope to work out together more often.) Each new member is offered one free session with a personal trainer.
The reason I wanted to join a gym is because although I exercise regularly--I run three times a week and practice yoga most days--I (gulp) skimp on strength training. Though I do build strength with yoga, I know I need to add some cross-training to my regimen. My excuse: I'm busy! But, by rejoining a gym, I have committed to strength training at least twice a week. So far, I've stuck with that goal.
I arrived at the gym, ready to work out. The trainer started with a fitness assessment. My body fat had dropped a half-percent since April (yay!), and my weight was about four pounds higher (I was wearing shoes, but I haven't been running as much in this heat). I felt pretty good about myself. And then we started talking…
The trainer asked me a little about my fitness background:
"Well, I haven't been to a gym since last fall…"
"Last fall?" he asked, his brow furrowing.
"Yes, but I'm a yoga instructor and I've been training for various races. Between running and yoga, I didn't need a gym. I work out at least five days a week."
Trainer wasn't pleased, but he moved on.
"Why aren’t you in the best shape of your life?" he asked.
I cleared my throat, contemplating my answer.
Posted 8/9/2010 10:09:09 AM By: : 229 comments 100,787 views
'Did You Get What You Wanted from This Life?'
Last Thursday, I was in a car accident with a close friend. We survived unharmed. Her car was totaled.
It had been raining that night, and we were running late to meet some other friends for a dinner party. As she approached the on-ramp, we hit a pothole. She swerved several times, trying to regain control of the car. We skidded to the left, struck a cement retaining wall, then did a 180-degree turn across three lanes of traffic and hit a second cement wall. Smoke poured from the engine, and gas leaked from below. We looked at each other. We were fine. We were calm. We were thankful.
In the split second before hitting the first wall, I grabbed Jennie's hand, we looked into each other's eyes and braced. "Are you OK?" I asked. "Yes," she replied, "but we're still crashing."
During the entire crash, we didn't see another car and were never in any danger of hitting anything but the cement walls. Immediately after, as we scrambled from the car to safety along the underpass, we noticed how heavy the traffic was--and how fast the cars were traveling. We were going at least 45 mph; within speed limits and slow enough that we would have been OK traveling that road under other circumstances. She and I have each taken that road countless times before.
Truth be told, although we continued on to our dinner party (which had a decidedly different tone), we were quite shaken up, and I still am not fully back to "normal." My body, though uninjured, was stiff and sore. I awoke several times those first nights with a start, having relived the accident in my dreams. As I tried to nap the day after the crash, my body felt like it was swerving.
I've cried, I've panicked, I've pondered the "what-ifs." It replays in my mind, in slow motion. And I continue to ask myself: "And did you get what you wanted from this life?" It comes from an epitaph my friend--the same one I visited in Turkey, the same one who was in the accident--recited as we shared a bottle of wine with friends just a couple of nights before the crash.
Posted 7/28/2010 10:23:28 AM By: : 163 comments 26,560 views
Is 'Stealth Fiber' Lurking in Your Foods?
About three years ago, a friend and I were at a natural foods store in the vitamins aisle. I needed more calcium and magnesium, which I take upon my doctor's recommendation to alleviate premenstrual mood swings. While my friend perused the multivitamins, I strolled up and down the aisle, reading labels. Then I spotted inulin, which I'd read was a great source of prebiotics. As a then-frequent sufferer of stress-related GI distress (this was during my "old life"), I was (and still am) a regular consumer of probiotics, those microorganisms found in your gut and in fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi, which can benefit your immune and digestive systems. In short, prebiotics are what feed probiotics. Anything that helps the good bacteria in your gut thrive and flourish sounded like a great product to me. Besides, I had just read that probiotics were the next big thing in nutrition.
I grabbed a jar, shelled out $8.99, and, upon returning home, stirred two tablespoons into water, just as the jar suggested. It tasted mildly sweet but not too bad. Within an hour, I learned the importance of doing your research before buying any supplement! (Who impulse shops at a health food store, I ask?)
My stomach was visibly distended, hard to the touch, and gurgling loudly. I felt as though I had just gorged on Thanksgiving dinner--I was full and bloated. Later on, I had horrible stomach pains that left me doubled over. Forced to cancel my Saturday night plans, I headed to the Internet and read up on inulin, then chucked my jar in the garbage.
A few months ago, I ate a piece of high-fiber flatbread--something I do not eat--for an afternoon snack and ended up with the same symptoms, primarily stomach pains that kept me from a training run! I read the label after the fact, and a type of added fiber was the culprit. Since then, I avoided these ingredients in all quantities. As I recently read, I'm not the only one who has trouble digesting these added fibers.
You might not have heard of inulin, but if you've eaten high-fiber foods--granola and snack bars, breads, crackers, cereals, and even yogurt--that have popped up on the market in the last few years, you've probably eaten a form of it. Inulins, which are a type of carbohydrate considered to be soluble fiber, are increasingly being added to processed foods as "stealth fibers." What's a "stealth fiber"? Any fiber that is added to a food that wouldn't naturally have it. In addition to inulin, products also use polydextrose and maltodextrin, among others.
Posted 7/27/2010 2:00:00 PM By: : 242 comments 139,893 views
6 Tips to Ward Off the Post-Vacation Blues
One of the running jokes on my recent trip to Turkey with two friends was "first-world problems." You know, problems that really aren't problems at all in the grand scheme of life, that have little consequence on your life, that you sometimes feel embarrassed to vocalize. Our problems were of the first-world variety: during a trip to the Aegean Sea, it cost $150 to fill up the tank of our rented Volkswagen Golf; after sitting on the veranda late into the night chatting with my girlfriends, I was covered in two dozen very swollen mosquito bites; we didn't have time to go to the gym and make it to a friend's house on the Asian side of town for cooking class in the same day. Each time we "complained" about one of the aforementioned "problems," one of us would exclaim, "First-world problems!" and we would all laugh and remember we were on vacation. The joy of being on vacation is that you can live in the moment without worrying about anything else back home.
While in real life we're all globally-conscious, career-minded women who juggle stressful and busy (but happy and fulfilling) personal and professional lives, for those weeks we spent together in Istanbul and on the Aegean coast, we could forget it all.
One friend went home after one week and soon posted on Facebook that the post-vacation blues were descending upon her. An engineer who's training for her fourth marathon and preparing to demolish and renovate her kitchen, she quickly felt the peaceful ocean breezes and laid-back mindset evanesce.
For me, I must admit that as much as I love my life, those first few days after a vacation can be rough for me--and I'm sure I'm not alone. As fantastic as your vacation might have been and as much as you enjoy your life back home, the actual and proverbial distance between the two can be rough on the psyche, especially if you face a long journey home. To ease the transition into real life (and by now I think you've caught on that I know I am fortunate to have a pretty wonderful life whether I'm at home or away and that this too might seem like a first-world problem), I have a few tips:
Posted 7/12/2010 3:54:44 PM By: : 57 comments 55,607 views
An Obesity Expert Tells Us What Really Works with Weight Loss
One of the perks of writing for a living is being able to sit down with various experts on behalf of our readers. Recently, I chatted with Dr. Martin Binks, a clinical psychologist, obesity expert, and Clinical Director & CEO of Binks Behavioral Health, and Assistant Consulting Professor at Duke University Medical Center.
Sometimes it's difficult for non-scientists to sift through the abundant research on obesity, health, and wellness. It's equally difficult for some researchers to try to distill these complex studies and findings into a format that will both inform and educate the general public. I was excited to have a chance to talk about weight loss with Dr. Binks in a straightforward way--no dry data or journal articles, just a conversation. Here are some of the highlights:
Should we use special occasions as motivators?
"There's a good reason why people use special events, such as a family reunion or wedding as motivators," he said, they work in the short-term but too often people do unhealthy things, such as crash dieting, pills, or detoxes to achieve their goal which can be dangerous. In addition, "once the event is over, they often go right back to overeating and other unhealthy habits" and regain the weight.
"It's about a lifestyle change," he says of using milestones as motivators. "Use those things in a way that's sensible and well thought-out using good nutrition, healthy physical activity and most of all make sure you have a plan for your health the day after the event."
"It's hard to motivate yourself," he says. "For many people, the best way to stay on track is to have an event to aim toward." He likened it to how an athlete spends months or even years training. This usually involves a series of athletic events with ‘off-season’ training in between competitions. "Why shouldn't the average person use periodic events to boost their motivation as part of an ongoing healthy lifestyle plan in the same way athletes do?"
Is it better to set one large goal or smaller ones along the way?
"You don't get there if you just set the target as the final long-term goal," he said. "It's important to set daily, weekly and monthly goals as part of a complete plan, with one goal building on the next to achieve the larger, long-term goal."
Years ago, during one of his earliest year-long obesity studies, participants were given walking goals: "We started with walking a certain distance in 30 minutes. Initially each week they would walk the same distance, but with a goal that was 15 seconds faster. Once they got comfortable with that, we added more distance."
"We would encourage people each week to improve either the intensity or alternate that with walking a bit farther," he said. "We kept pushing people week by week to achieve those immediate goals that eventually led to their longer-term target."
And it worked.
Posted 7/5/2010 6:16:38 AM By: : 273 comments 190,295 views
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