Keep It Balanced with the Half-Plate Healthy!

Here’s a quick method of controlling your portion sizes that doesn’t require counting calories or measuring foods – the Half-Plate Healthy.  We are adapting this easy visual promoted by Wegmans as part of their Eat Well Live Well™ campaign. Our residence dining halls and on-campus dining shops offer a wide variety of foods, and it may get overwhelming with so many choices!  So be sure to use this simple tool as a way to monitor your food intake without any hassle. It’s easy: fill half your plate with plenty of colorful fruits and veggies and the other half with whatever else you like! Try it out the next time you’re at the dining halls. To keep from over-stuffing yourself at one meal or feeling tempted for seconds, we recommend eating two or three small snacks a day, and as always, drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay well-hydrated and energized! 

Visit: http://www.wegmans.com/pdf/DailyMealTemplate.pdf to keep track of your daily meal template. Or visit www.wegmans.com for more information on the Half-Plate Healthy principle.

Images from GoogleImages

UB Sensible: Join the 500 kcal Club!

UB Wellness Education Services and Campus Dining & Shops is coming together to provide students with an easy way to choose sensible meals that are all around 500 calories or less.  Welcome to the 500 kcal club!  We have compiled three “combo meals” that will meet the 500 kcal limit, based on our most popular food items.  Each combo is representative of a balanced meal, including your choice of a fruit, milk, and salad. 

            We understand the difficulties students face in making food choices, especially under multiple time and budget constraints.  Demanding schedules often make it even harder to eat healthier.  Skipping meals or constantly eating on-the-go can lead to choosing meals that are less nutritious but high in calories.  The 500 kcal club helps you keep these combo meals in mind, in addition to showing you simple food swaps that can make a difference – both nutritionally and in calorie content.  Feel free to check out the nutrition information of all the foods we serve on http://www.myubcard.com/dining/nutrition and see what other foods can make it into the club!

Click here to check out our 500 kcal Combo Meals! 

Rediscovering Quinoa: A Super Food You Should Try!

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is an ancient seed originally harvested by the Incan Natives of South America.  Today it is widely consumed as a “grain” and has been gaining much popularity as the only plant source of a complete protein.  This means it has all 9 essential amino acids and the same protein content as meat, without the cholesterol and saturated fat!  In addition, quinoa is gluten-free and high in fiber and nutrients such as magnesium, riboflavin, and iron.  This versatile whole “grain” can be found in the whole-foods section of your grocery store and can be included in salad, soup, and baking recipes.  Similar in texture to couscous, quinoa has a nutty flavor but be sure to rinse these seeds before cooking to get rid of the saponins that can cause a bitter taste.  Cooking quinoa is very similar to rice (1 part grain to 2 parts water).  Here are the nutrition facts for 1 cup of cooked quinoa: 155 calories, 30 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber, and 5.5 g protein.  Try this simple recipe and enjoy the numerous health benefits that come with this single powerhouse food!

Quinoa with Spinach & Feta

½ cup quinoa, uncooked, washed

1 cup water

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups spinach, washed and chopped

2 tablespoons light feta cheese

1 teaspoon olive oil

Put the quinoa and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the water is absorbed. Heat olive oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic.  Add the spinach to wilt. Add the cooked quinoa to the pan. Roughly crumble the feta and add to the pan. Gently mix together and serve as a healthy side dish or entrée!