You know it's the holiday season...when the cartons of clementines arrive!

Yum! My favorite time of the year for citrus fruit...those delicious, juicy and easy to peel clementines are here!

Not only are these little delicious oranges easy to eat...they are easy to pack for lunches, grab on the run...or in other words...are an EASY way to increase your fruit/vegetable intake. Most of adults should be getting upwards of 8-10 fruit/vegetable servings daily. Unfortunately, most Canadians are lucky if they get in 2-3.

Why are they so important? Fruit & Vegetables are jam-packed with nutrition--high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre! Just to mention a few! Not only are they nutritious, but they are also lower calorie options than many other food items! Which means we can eat more of them, without the same calorie damage. (This does exclude deep fried vegetables and cheese sauce over the broccoli...haha).

Sooo, chances are you need to work on the fruit/vegetable intake....grab a few clemetines and you are well on your way! Not to mention a great source of Vitamin C which always helps in this immunity-based craze we are all experiencing now with H1N1!

Snow...yes I said Snow.

Well, it's officially winter season. We had our first snow fall today...not a lot...but enough to make drivers panic and the ground white!

Nothing like a mug of hot chocolate on a cool, chilly day! If you have ever looked at any of the pre-packaged hot chocolate mixes, there are more ingredients that I can't pronounce, than ones I can!

My new favorite winter chocolate fix: Dark Hot Chocolate mix by Just Us! All organic ingredients and no crazy chemicals.

Time for a mug of hot chocolate! Cheers!

Ffffrosty....

Today I woke up and the ground was white...not yet snow...but frosty...frosty enough that I am loving our new pellet stove.

To me...frosty mornings mean warm breakfasts, so I dug out the container of oatmeal and settled in with a mug of coffee. From a nutrition perspective, oatmeal is great...high fibre, a wholegrain...where people go wrong with oatmeal is the "instant" packaged stuff. Some of those packaged pouches (i.e. maple brown sugar) have MORE sugar than a bowl of Fruit Loops!

I'm not disputing the fact that plain old oatmeal requires a little something; however, some packaged oatmeals have the equivalent of 4-5tsp of sugar per POUCH! Most grown adults would have 2 pouches--that is like starting your day with a can of pop (10-12tsp of sugar per can)! Not to mention the sodium that is packed into the instant packaged variety.

Nutrition Diva Recommendation of the day:

Make your own oatmeal...from normal quick cooking oats...all the bags have microwave directions..so it is just as EASY! Save yourself the extra empty calories and sodium found in the packaged stuff. If you're really stuck up for the convenience of it being in a package..check out Blue Menu instant oatmeal...at least it is lower in sodium with no added sugar.

My first recommendation: The Compassionate Carnivore

This is a fantastic book. Don't get me wrong...I eat meat and I enjoy it. From a nutrition point of view, I also believe meat is good for you...in the correct portions. (No more 16oz steaks boys and girls..)

It's an easy read...realistic in its approach to implementing changes within your food choices...and it makes you want to eat "happy meat."

Or at least...it did to me. Interesting enough, it wasn't even hard to start sourcing out local, happy meat. Prices can vary; however, if you're willing to put in a little extra effort on your end (i.e. taking the skin off the chicken breast vs. buying boneless skinless) the price point is no different than what I had been buying at big chain grocery stores.

If you're in NS..this is a great site to help you find places near you:
http://www.selectnovascotia.ca/

...And We're Off

OK...here I go. This blog thing is new to me; however, with much "brotherly encouragement" I have entered the e-media world. Bare with me as I figure these things out...and stick with me as the Nutrition Diva grows!

A little about me...

• I am a Dietitian (and no..that doesn't mean I will only tell you what not to eat) who loves food. I firmly believe in the importance of health and you can't talk about being healthy without talking about what you use as your fuel.
• I am recently an entrepreneur...and have started my own private contract nutrition consulting business.
• I am a new wife (sounds weird)..and a new "mother" to an adorable golden retriever puppy--Stella!

A little about this blog...

• I want this blog to provide things to think about--and I want your feedback...discussions are how changes are made
• I want to share my favorite products and tips...please feel free to link to yours!
• I want to share my passion for health & wellness through this blog

So...here we go!