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NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH |
Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, LDN is an award-winning, registered dietitian. She’s a nationally recognized nutrition expert who’s written for and been quoted in hundreds of publications and media outlets.
Heidi began her love of food & cooking as a very young girl. Living with food allergies for many years gave her an understanding of how challenging eating can be for some. In deciding to become a registered dietitian, she combined these two very important parts of her life to help others eat healthfully, manage their personal eating issues, and most importantly enjoy food.
As a busy working mom with 2 young children, Heidi practices what she preaches every day—balancing work, family, and play while enjoying and nurturing healthy habits.
She’s the author of the Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Superfoods (Alpha, 2007) and co-author of the Complete Idiot’s guide to Superfoods Cookbook (Alpha, 2008) and the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Low Sodium Meals (Alpha, 2006).
She received her Bachelor of Science in dietetics from the University of Connecticut and her Masters of Science in nutrition communication at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. While completing her Masters degree, Heidi interned and worked at The Food Network’s New York studios.
Heidi served as a national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association providing sound nutrition advice for magazines, newspapers, radio, and television interviews. In 2001 she was named a Young Dietitian of the Year by the American Dietetic Association. She currently enjoys life with her husband and two children in the suburban-Boston area. She’s the author of the Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Superfoods (Alpha, 2007) and co-author of the Complete Idiot’s guide to Superfoods Cookbook (Alpha, 2008) and the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Low Sodium Meals (Alpha, 2006).
Memberships/Affiliations:
- American Dietetic Association
- Massachusetts Dietetic Association
- Dietitians in Business and Communications Dietetic Practice Group
- Food & Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group
- Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group
- International Association of Culinary Professionals
The theme for National Nutrition Month 2010 is "Nutrition from the ground up." To improve your family's eating habits, the American Dietetic Association recommends starting with these basics:
Focus on fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables are considered superfoods with properties that can help keep you healthy. These include berries and oranges, as well as spinach and peppers, to name a few.
Eat locally when you can. Foods that are straight from the farm are fresher. Foods that are not overly processed are healthier.
Make calories count. If you're going to consume 200 calories, make sure you're getting some vitamins and nutrients out of the deal.
Test your taste buds. Mix it up by adding new foods to your meals and snacks.
Treat yourself, healthfully. Eat when you're hungry. If you're craving something sweet, indulge; there are ways to do it without loading up on junk.
Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blends: The average American consumes nearly 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day, far more than the recommended daily intake of 2,300 milligrams (about one teaspoon). That’s an estimated 7.6 pounds of salt per year. Eating foods that are low in sodium doesn’t mean giving up taste. Mrs. Dash’s Seasoning Blends are salt-free, flavor-full and have no MSG, so they are the perfect solution to help create delicious low sodium meals for a nutritious lifestyle.
Recipe Name: Chicken with Mango Salsa
Chicken
- 4 Boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 tsp Mrs. Dash® Fiesta Lime Seasoning Blend
- Olive oil
Mango Salsa
- 1 large Tomato, diced
- 1 medium Mango, peeled, seeded, diced
- 1/2 small Red Onion, diced
- 2 tsp. Mrs. Dash® Fiesta Lime Seasoning
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush both sides of chicken breast with olive oil. Sprinkle Mrs. Dash® Fiesta Lime Seasoning on both sides.
- Bake chicken for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- While chicken is baking, dice the tomato, mango, and red onion. Combine with Mrs. Dash® Fiesta Lime and mix in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate.
- Arrange chicken on serving plates topped with mango salsa.
Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 Chicken Breast & ½ c. of Salsa
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 25 min
SRP: $3.09 per bottle
Available: Major retailers and many local grocery stores nationwide
Silk Light Soymilk: Silk Light Vanilla offers a great vanilla flavor and a delicious feeling of natural strength—all for just 80 awesome calories. It is packed with six grams of plant- based protein to help you feel satisfied. Plus, like all Silk products, Silk Light Vanilla comes with zero cholesterol, absolutely no lactose yet all the calcium of dairy milk. At just 80 calories per serving and made with whole soy beans, it can be an important part of a low calorie, low fat, balanced diet. In addition, Silk Light provides many of the same nutrients found in milk, including calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, since and vitamin B12. Silk Light comes in three flavors: original, vanilla and chocolate. You can also cook with it recipes can be found on the website.
www.silksoymilk.com/products/lights
Cost varies by product and retailer, check your local grocery or natural foods store for specific pricing.
Ian’s Wheat-Free/Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons: Ian’s offers a variety of convenient meal and snack options designed with special dietary needs in mind. Ian’s Wheat-Free/Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons are a crunchy and delicious snack, perfect for the lunchbox or after-school. Ian’s Wheat-Free/Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons are available both in boxes of single-serving pouches, and 7-oz. family bags.