Black Bean and Corn Salad
As the weather is warming up, I LOVE making quick, easy, and healthy salads. And not just lettuce-based salads.
When I lived in France, I saw there were so many types of salads out there that the word “salad” took on a completely different meaning. There were fruit salads, vegetable salads, tabouli, bean salads….the list goes on and on.
And food took on a whole new meaning too. Especially during the Summertime when it was too hot to cook (AND there was no air-conditoning!) I saw the abundance of foods available — whole foods.
My favorite pastime (besides eating and drinking some wine) was going to the outdoor markets. Walking around, the air was filled with so many amazing smells: I’d catch a whiff of the ripeness of a tomato, the sweetness of a freshly cut melon, the aroma of a strawberry picked just hours before, an organic chicken roasting at a nearby stall. And the cheeses — ah, the cheeses! Now that was quite an aroma…and I loved it. Then I’d walk past rows of olives (I never knew there were so many types!) and I swear I could taste them with my eyes.
And the herbs….the fresh herbs filled the air.
(Okay, my taste buds are watering….now what was I talking about? Oh, salads….)
So I’d go to the farmer’s market and take a look (and some tastes!) of the foods that were in season. And I’d go home an try to create a salad. And sometimes just taking what was already in my pantry, and adding some of those fresh herbs, or a fresh vegetable or two, made all the difference.
So here’s a salad recipe I came up with made with canned black beans. No, it’s not a French recipe. But as in the summertime I didn’t want to cook too much, I was always looking for new ways to make salads. So I’d often use some of the items I’d get at the markets, and then add some of my pantry items to mix it up a bit.
Besides, beans are a great source of protein so they fill you up, have cholesterol-lowering fiber, and are loaded with antioxidants. Plus they’re low in calories (and that’s always a bonus).
So this recipe is super easy, quick, and even a non-cook can easily make it. Because that’s what I’m all about. Making food and cooking easy for anyone to do.
Because you don’t have to be a French-chef to prepare good and healthy foods.
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients:
2 (15 ounce) can of black beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can of corn, rinsed and drained
1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut each in half (or 3-4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped)
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped green onions or shallots
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp of lime juice (about the amount of juice from two limes)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onions, jalapeño and cilantro. Add the lime juice, olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and chill before serving.
Serves 6-8
So this holiday weekend when you’re firing up the grill, and tired of a boring lettuce salad and want to add to the mix something healthy, satisfying and easy — try it out.
What are some of your favorite salads?
© Dinneen Diette
Do You Know When to Stop Eating?
by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Emotional Eating
Here’s a question for you. When you eat – whether it be a meal or a snack – when do you stop? Is it:
1) When you’ve finished everything on your plate?
2) When the box or bag is empty?
3) When the TV show is over?
4) When you feel full?
If you answered #4 – good for you! You probably have a healthy weight and are maintaining it.
However, if you answered any of the first three, you may need to take a look at your eating style, or more precisely, your fullness factor.
A key element in keeping your weight down is whether you use internal or external cues to signal that it’s time to put down your fork and step away from the table.
Last year researchers at Cornell University studied people in the U.S. and France to better understand how they decide they’ve had enough to eat. The researchers found that the more people relied on external cues, the heavier they were. External cues are just what the terms says, outside signals – like an empty plate or the end of a TV show – that tell people when to stop eating.
Those who used internal cues – like feeling full – were more likely to be of normal weight.
Not surprisingly, it was the French who most often used internal cues. This is a key reason why they stay slim while still eating high-fat foods such as pastry and cheese.
These findings were touted as “news” but I can tell you, for me this was something I witnessed first-hand when I worked for a French travel company and also when I lived in France.
In general, the French eat until they’re full and then stop. With they key word here being “stop.” When they’ve had enough they don’t take seconds and just walk away (or stay seated at the table but don’t eat anymore).
The French attitude towards food emphasizes internal cues related to the pleasure of eating and minimizes opportunities from external cues.
The Japanese have similar attitudes. They have a saying that recommends “Hara hachi bunme”, which means “Eat until you are 80 percent full.” Like the French, the Japanese eat slowly, enjoy the food for it’s flavor, and eat much smaller portions than Americans.
So now you’re thinking, “But how do I know when I’m full (never mind 80% full!) and when to stop?”
How to Know When You’re Full
If you don’t know when you’re full, you need to train yourself to pay attention to internal cues and diminish the influences of external cues.
But first, be aware that it takes about 15 minutes for your stomach to send a message to your brain that you’re full. This may be why the Japanese say to stop eating at 80% full (but I don’t know for sure – I’d love to get some insights from anyone Japanese!).
When you find yourself finishing off your plate and reaching for seconds, take a moment to stop and relax. Talk to others you’re eating with, or if dining alone you can take the break to write in a food journal.
You just may be surprised that after even 5 minutes, you may not want that second helping after all.
Interview: What France Taught Me About Food & Weight Loss
by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Europe, Weight Loss
Dinneen interview on Enlighten Me Show
Want to learn more how I balance work & eating well, and how living in France for 5 years completely changed my views on losing weight and eating healthy – and how it can help you too?
Listen in to my interview on the “Enlighten Me” show by Joe Pena of Pena Productions.
On the show you’ll hear about my own struggles with food & weight and how living in France gave me the tools to finally stop dieting, come to peace with food, and lose weight – and how you can do the same!
Listen in and be inspired, motivated, and have a few laughs along the way (Joe and I had a LOT of fun on the show – I love to laugh & feel it’s important on any journey in life).
Enjoy! Just click on the link below to listen in:
Dinneen Diette interview on Enlighten Me show
-Dinneen
The Inside Scoop on Losing Weight
by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Weight Loss
Women (and some men) all over the world have been talking about Oprah these past few weeks, and her constant battle of the bulge and war on losing weight and KEEPING it off.
Many of us can relate.
I even wrote about Oprah’s weight gain last month in my blog. Many people in the spotlight, like Oprah (and winners of the reality show The Biggest Loser) can’t seem to keep the weight off. They lose, then gain, lose, and then gain again. And it’s the same for many of us!
What the heck is going on?
For one thing, we keep looking to external factors to determine what and how much to eat. We’ve spent years listening to others to tell us what to eat, so we’ve been disconnected from our bodies.
If we listen to our bodies correctly, it tells us what to eat. The problem is, we’ve been listening to the “diet gurus” and other people for so long that we no longer know what to eat or even trust ourselves around food.
When I first lived in France, I was amazed how people just “knew” what to eat. There wasn’t this constant talk about calories, portion size or fat grams. They just knew.
But how did they know?
Well, for one thing, they listen to their INTERNAL cues. They listen to their bodies and trust their bodies to tell them what to do. They listen to their hunger and fullness cues, and to what their body is craving.
So how to listen to our own internal cues?
Be Mindful When Eating
In order to get back in touch with our internal hunger and fullness cues, it is important to be mindful when eating. Using our senses when eating is a great way to get back in touch with our bodies. With today’s hectic lifestyles, we’re too busy rushing around and eating food on the run. So slow down a bit and start to become more mindful when eating.
Don’t Restrict Foods
When people go on diets, they start eliminating certain foods or a food group — like carbs, for example. Once you go off the diet it’s normal to over-indulge in foods high in carbs. This is because the body has been missing the nutrients and craves them intensely. It’s the same for any foods. The more and longer a food is restricted, the more intense the craving.
At first, one might feel out of control and that they cant be trusted around the food. But over time the craving will subside and return to normal.
So stop looking for the magic answer to your weight loss. The answer is actually inside you — you just need to look inward and bring it out.
Want to understand your own cravings and learn how to listen inside and to YOUR body so you eat only when hungry, and stop when you’re full? I can provide you with clear strategies to help you think about food only when you’re hungry, stop overeating, deal with cravings & comfort eating, and lose weight & KEEP it off. Just contact me to see how I can help you in your journey to get healthy, lose weight, and feel wonderful in your body.
