After a freezing cold walk around Stonehenge, Mike and I headed to the twee town of Salisbury to have a pub lunch and check out an old cathedral.  While waiting for our grub to arrive, I picked up a copy of The Sun, an average newspaper, and landed on an article listing the amount of time the average Brit spends on various activities such as sleeping (25-27 years), waiting in lines (2 years), and laughing (3 months).   The average British woman apparently spends 7 years of her life dieting, nearly the same amount of time she spends at work (9 years).   That’s the equivalent of a whole career spent dieting.  It’s 2,555 days of her LIFE.  I’m aware that the quest for weight loss is a billion dollar industry, but when you put it into days and minutes of a single life, I was shocked.   What a waste.

If people would just realize that “diets” will never work, that lifestyle changes, such as sensible eating and exercise, are the only ways to achieve their goals, they could spend less time dieting and more time, say, laughing or reading my blog.

Check the list out for yourself at http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article2073360.ece

Christmas is two days away and, so far, I’ve managed to avoid the feeding frenzy of the high street shops and crowded department stores where shoppers, hungry for a bargain, haphazardly bump into each other in distracted anticipation of their next purchase. A perk of living several thousand miles from my family is that any gift purchasing for them can be done on the internet from the comfort of my living room or office chair.

This year I have it easy, but today, I must brave the supermarket, another hive of holiday purchasing. My husband and I have been invited to our friends’ house for dinner, and all we have to bring is a salad and a bottle of wine. Eureka! Whipping up a creative salad is the forte of a great nutritionist. But Christmas dinner is tricky. There will be so many delicious, buttery, enticing dishes that my salad may be left soaking in its lonely vinaigrette all night.

I’m thinking something simple and colorful, light and refreshing. I’m thinking sliced fennel and oranges on top a bed of either watercress or lambs lettuce, maybe arugula, whichever is available at the grocery store today . I’ve done a quick internet search and decided upon a recipe from either Veg Box or my local grocer Waitrose (see above image). Fennel, oranges, olive oil, some sort of green to brighten things up, maybe some toasted pine nuts and a few cilantro leaves to garnish. And voilà. I’ll let you know if it is a hit or a miss, if I survive the supermarket that is.

Breakfast is an important meal and one of the easiest to do right. I eat oatmeal at least 5 mornings a week. It’s my breakfast of champions, and it’s gets my day off to a healthy start in less than five minutes. What’s more virtuous than that?

Add the following ingredients to a cereal bowl, cover with 1/3 cup skim milk or water, microwave for 3 minutes, and voila. A fast, healthy breakfast packed with a good mix of protein, complex carbs, healthy fats, filling fiber, and great taste. Top with fresh fruit such as banana slices and a drizzle of honey for added sweetness if you desire.

1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 oz  nuts (5 walnut halves for example)
1/2 apple, chopped
1 T dried fruit, such as raisins or cranberries
shake of cinnamon or nutmeg

To avoid boredom, be creative and try different combinations of nuts, fruit, and spices. Try dried cranberries and cashews; fresh pineapple, a sprinkle of dried ginger or shredded coconut, and hazelnuts; dried cherries and pecans.

The options are endless.

1. Hummus

I would literally be lost without hummus. I put this tasty chickpea puree on salads, sandwiches, and inside wraps. I dip raw veggies and whole wheat pita into it for a healthy snack. Plain hummus is a blend of chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), sesame seed paste (or tahini), lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Any number of spices, veggies, and nuts can be added to change up its flavor. Beans, like chickpeas, are an awesome source of fiber, healthy fats, and a great source of protein for vegetarians. I try to eat beans most days and hummus makes it easy.

2. Veri Veri Teriyaki

My husband’s aunt turned us onto this flavorful teriyaki sauce a few years ago and there’s been no going back. Stir fry up some chicken and broccoli, add some Veri Teri, and you have a super fast, nutritious dinner that beats take out any night. Alternatively, you could add a tablespoon to steamed spinach or cooked butternut squash and you have a yummy side dish. I was fearful I wouldn’t be able to find Veri Teri in the UK, but it is available at WholeFood!

3. Apples

I love fruit in general, but apples get top rank because I can take them anywhere. Car trips, flights, train rides, wherever I go, I have an apple or two in my bag. I also slice them up and microwave them in my morning oatmeal or spread with peanut butter as a snack. They make a great accompaniment to a cheese plate as well.

4. Avocado

To reduce chances of developing heart disease and high cholesterol, the buzz is to cut back on saturated fats found in animal products and replace with plant fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts and seeds. A great source of monounsaturated fat, potassium, and vitamin C, avocado slices make a healthy substitute for cheese (which is mostly saturated fat) on sandwiches and salads. Try a tomato, avocado side salad with a pour of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Add chicken and cannellini beans and you have a meal.

5. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter should be made from peanuts. Sugar, salt, emulsifiers, added oils, and preservatives are unnecessary additions. I made the switch from the standard peanut butter I grew up on (think Jiff or Skippy) to the all natural variety about 7 years ago. It took awhile to get used to the no salt, no sugar added version, but now I could never go back. If I have the other it tastes like candy, completely fake. Peanuts are another great source of unsaturated fat, protein, and a variety of vitamins/minerals, and peanut butter sandwiches make quick, portable lunches and snacks. Use whole grain bread and add banana or apple slices to get added health boosts.

What are some of the foods you can’t live without?

The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends.  Parties, cocktails, impromptu dinners are loads of fun, but you often end up making poor food choices or eating too much. Why not invite the party to your house where you can be festive and eat healthfully?

Just this week my friend Yael and I were making dinner plans.  Little did she know I had been out to eat Saturday and Sunday and really wanted a home cooked meal rather than a restaurant entree.  So, I invited her over to my house and put together a quick, nutritious dinner, a warm chicken and bean salad with lemon and balsamic dressing and a cheese and fruit plate with whole grain bread.  The food was yummy and we chatted for hours at my kitchen table undisturbed by restaurant waitstaff.

The beans and chicken breast are lean sources of protein, not to mention beans are an excellent source of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and folic acid.  The spinach, onions, and tomatoes provide great flavor in addition to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Plus it was super easy.  It only took 10 minutes to prepare and then we chatted while it baked for 30 minutes.  You can’t go wrong with a dinner like this!

Hello, I’m registered dietitian and nutrition enthusiast Caroline Mayes.  Welcome to my blog!  My goal is help you Eat Smarter.  I plan to deliver nutrition and fitness information, advice, and news that will put you on your way to eating healthfully and deliciously.  I also hope for feedback, topic suggestions, and ideas from my readers.

Stay tuned.