Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 06:50 AM
Welcome to Trade-Up Tuesday! It’s my weekly feature where I share a Trade-Up I’ve made since learning about NuVal. I mean “share” in the literal sense, because one lucky commenter will receive a Giveaway.
The forecast here in New England is for single digit temperatures by the end of the week. That means it is officially Oatmeal Season! So, today I share with you my Oatmeal Story.
Back in the day BC (Before Children), I was an instant oatmeal girl. My mom was (and still is) a nurse. That meant that when I was growing up, she had to go to work at the crack of dawn. We went to our neighbor’s house early with our little packets of instant oatmeal in hand and our fabulous neighbor made us our breakfast and got us off to school. As an adult, when I traveled for Big Consulting company, instant oatmeal was one strategy I had for keeping on track. When you’re at a conference and you’re faced with a hotel breakfast buffet filled with ginorous bagels and danish, you can always make your oatmeal in a mug with the hot water intended for tea. Instant Oatmeal, however, while handy at times, pales in comparison nutritionally to cooked varieties. Quaker Instant Oatmeal with Maple & Brown Sugar scores a 25 and the High Fiber version only brings the score up to a 27.
Fast forward to my life as a Mom and you find me making Quaker Old Fashioned Oats. They cook in 5 minutes and I’m lucky that my schedule allows me to do this for my daughter. They score a 57 on the NuVal scale. Sometimes I make a big batch ahead and reheat during the week.
Quaker’s Steel Cut Oats score even higher. They get a 60. They do take quite a long time to cook – 30 minutes. Alas, my daughter does not like them. Not even the purple container could win her over. These oats are for Mommy only. And Daddy too.
Today’s GiveAway
Leave me a comment telling me about a Trade Up you’ve made since learning about NuVal. If you haven’t made one yet, check out the NuVal site at www.nuval.com and you will find a trade-up you’d like to make. I’ll choose one commenter at random to win 1 box of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats and 1 box of Quaker Steel Cut Oats. The contest ends at 11:59 EST tonight. Good luck!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Quaker Oats, steel cut oats
Tags: Breakfast, Oatmeal
Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 08:20 PM
As I learn more about NuVal scores, I am rethinking what I put in my mouth. When I walk in the door some nights with 2 kids, lunchboxes to unpack, dinner to make and everyone starving, I’ve stopped reaching for a handful of Cheez-its or pita chips. With their low scores, they’re just not worth it. As I approach my one year anniversary of working for NuVal (which I love!), I realize that I have a new Top Ten Favorite Food List that is different than what it was one year ago. Here it is:
1. Chobani Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt: Score of 94
I love this plain, thicker-than-regular yogurt so much. I mix in some fresh nectarine and blueberries. I also put it on baked potatoes. And when my neighbor called looking to borrow sour cream for a recipe she was making (none in my fridge), I gave her the yogurt instead and she said it turned out great. This yogurt is filling and substantial. It’s my quick fix on Monday afternoons when I need an energy boost before teaching my 6:30 pm Pilates class.
2. Almonds: Score of 81
My boss and friend got me hooked on these. I opt for the roasted, unsalted brand and my husband loves them too. Since I work out early (5:30 am), I often need a post-breakfast, mid-morning snack. These do the trick.
3. Frozen Grapes: Score of 91
Someone brought frozen grapes this year to the 4th of July cookout. And boy did it bring back memories. I ate a lot of frozen grapes back in my obsessive Weight Watcher days (circa 1996) because they kept me from eating ice cream. My husband affectionately called them frozen eyeballs. So I resurrected them this summer. They are so easy – just rinse and throw them in a ziploc bag in the freezer. They still look like frozen eyeballs, but they are so tasty and the kids love them too. But this post is about MY top ten. The kids’ will be next week. Moving on…
4. Special K with Protein: Score 0f 60
As I mentioned in my Adult Rated Cereal post, I don’t have time for a lot of munching in the morning. So bye-bye to some of my more laborious cereals and hello Special K with Protein. But it MUST say Protein on the box. My DH has mistakenly bought the regular one (which scores only a 23) and we had to return it. It is a little sweet, very filling, and it lasts me until Almond Time.
5. Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Pita Bread: Score of 65
These very flat pitas are so satisfying. We go through at least two packages of these a week because everyone in our house seems to like them. And the score is much better than most other breads or pita products.
6. Skim Milk: Score of 91
This is just one of those perfect foods. You get some protein, your Vitamin D and your Calcium. I’ll admit, I probably was not getting the recommended number of dairy servings per day until we switched to milk delivery in glass bottles. I was even able to get the kids to switch to skim. There I go talking about them again. This post is about MY favorites.
7. Tropicana 50 Pulp-Free with Calcium Orange Juice: Score of 81
This is a recent find from when I blogged about juice. We were drinking Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D with a score of 51. Now we’re drinking 30 points higher because the Trop 50 has less sugar. I really think they should change the name though. It makes me think that it is juice for people over age 50. And I’ve got 11 years before I get there. Note: Make sure you buy the one that says “with Calcium and Vitamin D”. The other Trop 50 right next to it scores much, much lower.
8. Quaker Steel Cut Oats: Score of 60
They take a long time to cook, so I often make a big batch and reheat them on busy weekday mornings. These oats are for Mommy only. My daughter loves oatmeal, but not this kind. Even the purple container could not win her over. But I love their sticking power. It’s all about getting me to Almond Time.
9. Chick Peas: Scores vary
And this is why I need NuVal in my grocery store. Because while I do have access to the scores because I work there, I can’t remember them when I am trying to pick out the chick peas that have the best score. Progresso chick peas get a 58, but the Food Club organic brand that I can buy at my local Roche Brothers store, get an 82. Yes, I’ve had a long-time love affair with chick peas. A friend and colleage of mine dubbed me the Queen of Leafy Greens and Chick Peas back in the ’90s. They are just the protein you need on salad.
10: Vegetables: Scores vary, but they are really high
Yes, I am a veggie lover and I have been one since early childhood. I used to ask my mom, “Can I have lettuce for my treat tonight?” and she’d say, “Well, OK. Only if you’re good.” When I get back from traveling or a vacation where veggies were scarce, I feel the difference. And it makes me crabby. My favorites are asparagus (100), arugula (100), broccoli rabe (100) and brussels sprouts (94). My husband knows to just let me order that $6 plate of one of these when we go out to dinner. The good news is that frozen vegetables without additives score really well too. I always have a bag of frozen brussels sprouts in my freezer in case we run out of fresh veggies before that weekly shopping trip.
So that is what is on my shopping list each week. Next week, I’ll post on my kids’ Top Ten list. What’s on your Top Ten List? I’d love to hear about it.
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Chobani, Greek yogurt, Special K, Top Ten (Mommy), Trop 50, almonds, chick peas, flax pita, frozen grapes, skim milk, steel cut oats
