Rita Smith, Registered Dietitian

12/12/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Dietary Fiber

ROASTED CARROTS AND FARRO SALAD
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup plus 2 T. olive oil, divided
1½ tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt, divided (optional)
¾ tsp. pepper, divided
1 cup uncooked farro
½ cup reduced-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1½ tsp. grated lemon rind
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups fresh mixed greens (baby spinach, Romaine lettuce, arugula)
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F..
2. Combine carrots, 2 T. olive oil, cumin, ¾ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss to coat. Spread carrots in a single layer.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender, stirring after 10 minutes.
4. Cook farro according to package directions.
5. Dressing: Whisk together yogurt, remaining ¼ cup olive oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, garlic and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
6. Combine farro, carrots and greens in a large bowl. Toss with the yogurt dressing to combine. Sprinkle with walnuts before serving.

Notes:
* A wide variety of roasted vegetables will be tasty in the recipe to replace the carrots: cauliflower, broccoli, diced Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, bell peppers.
* Cooking the vegetables does NOT remove the fiber.
* Walnuts can be replaced by pecans, almonds or pine nuts. They all are a good source of fiber.

Source:

Dietary needs change during each stage of life. A nutritious, balanced eating plan can help ensure you're getting enough essential nutrients to maintain optimal health or manage health conditions. Plus, learn about the latest nutrition trends and how mental health is connected to physical health.

12/11/2025

12/11/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Dietary Fiber

The Nutrition Facts label on food packaging will list the dietary fiber content per serving, so you can compare products easily when grocery shopping. You can decide on Rice Krispies at 0 g fiber, Cheerios at 3 g fiber, oatmeal at 4 g fiber, bran flakes at 6 g fiber or All-Bran at 12 g fiber. Grain choices will vary in fiber content: 1 cup cooked white rice at 0 g fiber, brown rice at 3 g fiber, quinoa at 5 g fiber and barley at 6 g fiber. Will you choose a medium banana at 3 g fiber or 1 cup raspberries at 8 g fiber?

As you plan your fiber-forward menus, strive to include at least 2 plant foods at each meal. For ex: whole-grain bran flakes with berries, tuna salad on whole-grain bread + veggie soup; veggie stir fry over brown rice.

12/10/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Dietary Fiber

How much dietary fiber do we need? The average American takes in far less than what is recommended, averaging 15 grams daily. This is a reflection of our preference for many foods that are processed, thus removing the fiber. For example, choosing refined cereals vs bran flakes or oatmeal; apple juice vs a fresh apple, or white bread vs a multigrain bread.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories eaten. That works out to be about 25 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams of fiber for men each day or 10-15 grams of fiber per meal. The good news is that if we build our menus around fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, as is recommended, we will be A-okay on fiber.

12/09/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber has several benefits to the body and may protect us from cardiovascular disease, certain cancers such as colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes, and help with weight management.

Dietary Fiber will:

* Slow down the digestion process in the stomach because it is difficult to digest. This causes a slower release of glucose into the bloodstream with a gradual rise in blood sugar vs a spike.

* Bind up fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, bringing them into the colon for elimination from the body. This can help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

* Provide food to the healthy bacteria in the colon, increasing their population and reducing the harmful bacteria and viruses.

A study analyzing the gut microbiome of 12,000 people from 5 countries (ref: Journal of Nature Microbiology) reported a higher level of beneficial bacteria in those people who ate a diet rich in fiber, as well as fewer harmful bacteria such as E.coli. Good news!

12/08/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Dietary Fiber

Last week we discussed the HOT topic of protein - it seems everyone wants to eat more protein, and the food industry wants to add more protein to everything! I would say the next HOT topic in nutrition is fiber-maxxing. People are going to the extreme to hike up their fiber intake, and the only way to reach the really high levels of fiber are with fiber-fortified foods and/or fiber supplements or powders. Let’s have a reasonable chat about dietary fiber this week.

Dietary fiber is an important part of our diet. Although fiber from food is indigestible and passes along to the colon, it is vital for our good health. Now remember, fiber is from edible parts of plants: peelings, leaves, pulp, seeds, pods, roots, and stems of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.

12/05/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Boosting Protein

Winter is the perfect time of year for soups. This recipe includes lentils, which are a wonderful source of plant protein.

BARLEY-LENTIL SOUP
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup sliced onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and mashed (adding a protein boost)
2 cups frozen, thawed vegetables (diced or bite-size)
1 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
3 cups no-salt vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 cup dry lentils
⅔ cup pearled barley
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Cook onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in mashed beans.

2. Add frozen vegetables, tomatoes, broth, water, lentils, barley, thyme, bay leaf and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer.

3. Cook soup, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes or until barley and lentils are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Note: 1 cup cooked lentils = 18 g protein!

12/04/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Boosting Protein

If you do decide that more protein will benefit your health, there are easy ways to get a protein boost without having to eat a really large serving of meat.

Add a handful of chopped nuts to cold and hot cereals, grain side dishes, and salads.
Make more chowders and soups with milk vs water or broth.
Put quinoa in the rotation for a grain side dish. It contains 8 grams of protein per 1 cup cooked.
Stir cottage cheese into pancake and waffle batters and creamy casseroles.
Add any type of cheese to salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

12/03/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Boosting Protein

Protein intake does add up quickly. Any food that you purchase will contain the Nutrition Facts label, and you can check for the protein content per serving. For example:

1 slice or 1 ounce cheese = 7 g protein
1 cup milk = 8 g protein
1 cup Kefir = 10 g protein
1 cup Greek yogurt = 15-18 g protein (some are even higher)
½ cup cottage cheese = 14 g protein

Soy products such as soy milk, edamame, and tempeh will contain protein. So too will pasta made from different legumes. For example, 1 cup cooked chickpea pasta = 15 g protein. And of course, different animal proteins such as beef, pork, poultry and fish all contain about 7 g protein per 1 ounce. Even your oatmeal will have 5 grams of protein, but you can more than double that by making it with 1 cup milk vs making it with water.

12/02/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Boosting Protein

There are times in life when more dietary protein is needed: pre-and post-surgery, during pregnancy and lactation, when pursuing weight loss or taking GLP-1 drugs, when receiving chemotherapy for cancer, during physical activity and high intensity training, and to maintain muscle strength with aging, especially after age 50.

A general rule of thumb for a higher protein intake is to strive for 20-30 grams protein per meal, with some snacks including protein also. To make this easy just think about how you fill up your plate: ¼ of the plate filled with protein from vegetable and animal sources, ¼ of the plate filled with starchy grains and vegetables, and ½ of the plate filled with non-starchy vegetables and/or fruits.

12/01/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat Well and Be Well: Boosting Protein

As we wrap up another year very soon, I want to briefly address the HOT topic of the past few months: protein. There is a big push in health articles for eating more protein. In a recent survey, 61% of adults want to increase the protein in their diet. When you stroll down the grocery aisles, you will see that the food industry has again risen to the occasion and is promoting the protein content of their products, whether it is peanut butter or crackers. And many products that do not naturally contain protein now have protein added.

Protein IS an essential macronutrient. We DO need protein every single day, and it is used well by the body when it is spread throughout the day. We want protein food sources to build and maintain our muscle mass, to enhance our immune system by building antibodies, and to be a part of the production of enzymes and hormones. There is a Recommended Daily Allowance for protein that will meet our basic protein needs at different ages in the lifecycle.

11/28/2025

Nutrition Notes to Eat well and Be Well: GERD Awareness Week

Eating dinner at least 4-5 hours from bedtime will provide plenty of time for the foods to digest and exit from the stomach, avoiding any reflux when you sleep. Having lighter, low fat meals with healthful foods will also help manage GERD symptoms.

CAULIFLOWER STUFFING
Makes 4 servings

This can be served as a side dish or as a replacement for bread stuffing.

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
1 head fresh cauliflower, cut into small chunks
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
½ medium onion, chopped
½ cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. dried sage
½ tsp. dried rosemary
1 cup no-salt vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, carrots, celery, and onions. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
3. Add sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in vegetable stock. Cover the pan with lid and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer gently until all liquid has evaporated.
5. Place in baking dish coated with vegetable oil spray, and broil for 2 minutes to crisp the top. Serve hot.