Former National USA Swimmer and local nutrition specialist, Stella Metsovas, visited CdM Aquatics athletes to share her knowledge on the effects of healthy (and unhealthy) diet on athletic and academic performance.
A few of her invaluable recommendations and recipes are found here.
Nutritional therapy can help you achieve optimum health, because food is the basis and fuel
of all chemical processes that take place in the body. The key
principle behind W8Less Nutrition is to correct any digestive problems
and master your metabolism via absorption of key vitamins and minerals
found in living food. W8less Nutrition uses a sophisticated-integrated
system, which relies on your unique biochemistry, lifestyle, and
physiological components of your health. Diagnostic tests—like advanced stool and blood testing—are used to ensure you’re receiving the ultimate in personalized dietary prescription.
For those of you looking to add a new dimension to your nutrition,
root vegetables should not be overlooked. They are a great alternative
for those avoiding bread, rice, and other empty carbs. Including them in
your diet can definitely help to break the monotony as well as bring a
tasty, nutritious, and inexpensive item to the dinner table. They can
also be stored for relatively long periods of time. Root vegetables such
as carrots, parsnips, turnips, radishes, beets, sweet potatoes, and
onions can provide nutrients such as beta carotene, B vitamins, vitamin
C, complex carbs, minerals, and dietary fiber. And as an added benefit,
they do not contain the so-called “cereal grasses” such as wheat, corn,
and rice, so they are low-allergenic. Roasting root vegetables is a
great way to cook them since it brings out much flavor while minimizing
nutrient loss.
List of root vegetables
Here is a list of some of the more popular root vegetables that can be found at local grocery markets:
-beets
-rutabaga
-turnips
-carrots
-daikons
-yams
-radishes
-ginger
-turmeric
-potatoes
-sweet potatoes
-taro
-ginseng
-garlic, onion, shallot, etc
Simple Root vegetables recipe: : Roasted Beets and Parsnips with Herbs de Provence
How do you bake sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are one of the more popular root vegetables. Recipes
for sweet potato fries can be found all over the web, but here’s a
simple recipe that will provide a quick and healthy alternative to
ordinary French fries or baked potatoes:
ingredients
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 medium sweet potato
directions
1. Remove skin from the sweet potatoes and cut into medium-sized wedges (like the size of steak fries) and place in a bowl.
2. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt
3. Toss the fries to coat evenly.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
5. Spread fries out over a baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes until tender and brown.
Yours in Health,
Stella Metsovas B.S., CCN
Staff Writer: Clement Tran
W8less Nutrition
Orange County / Los Angeles
Recipe: Stella’s Purple Tacos!
Summary: Super healthy tacos
with purple pigments, aka, anthocyanins. One of the most powerful
antioxidants to consume! To find out more information about anthocyanins, click here.
Stella's Purple Tacos!
Ingredients
6 Pieces Purple Corn Tortilla
2 Cups Purple Cabbage, Chopped Thin
1 Small Onion, Chopped Thin
8 Ounces Chicken Breast Tenders, Boiled and Shredded
Fresh Salsa (my favorite is Trader Joe’s)
Instructions
Boil chicken breast until done, approximately 10 minutes and shred
when cooled. Chop cabbage and onion. Warm tortillas over stove top.
Assemble tacos, adding chicken first. Top with salsa! You can also add
avocado & cilantro.
Variations
You can use any type of protein you’d like. Vegetarians can add beans.
Cooking time (duration): 15
Diet (other): Low calorie, Reduced fat, High protein
1 small bunch fresh mint, stems removed, torn into small pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces Feta cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Heat the oil in
a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the leek and sauté
until soft, then add the swiss chard and peas and cook for 2 to 3
minutes more.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water.
Add the eggs and half the mint to the pan,
season with the salt and pepper, and cook, lifting the edges with a
spatula to allow the uncooked eggs to flow to the bottom. When the
frittata is partly cooked (7 to 10 minutes), sprinkle on the ricotta and
transfer the pan to the oven.
Bake until puffed, golden, and set, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
Garnish with the remaining mint to taste and serve.
Stella’s Tip: A frittata is one of the most versatile dishes you can make. Experiment with all vegetables!
Cooking time (duration): 12
Diet (other): Reduced carbohydrate, High protein, Gluten free
On January 22, 2011, In Recipes, by Stella Metsovas
Summary: Bananas are perfect
source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium and Fiber. All of these
nutrients play major roles in cardiovascular disease prevention (like
atherosclerosis), help to alleviate constipation, improving eyesight and
building stronger bones.
Ingredients
1 Small Banana
1 1/2 Tablespoon Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1 Tablespoon Shredded Coconut
Instructions
Peel bananas. Melt the chocolate over medium low heat. Turn heat
off and cover each banana with melted chocolate and sprinkle with
coconut. Place the bananas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze
for at least 2 hours.
