written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
For some people, harvest time means the end of summer’s bounty of fresh, sweet fruits and berries. But fall has its own crop of delightful options. Apples, pumpkins and grapes, three fruity favorites that thrive this time of year, can be just as delicious and nutritious as their summer competitors.
Apples: With more than 7,500 different types of apples, this power-fruit can work wonders for your health. With very few calories, no fat and only a trace of sodium, one medium apple counts for about 
20% of the USDA’s daily recommendation of fiber. It’s also a great source of vitamin C.
Pumpkin: The bright orange fruit isn’t just good for pie; it’s full of potassium, B-vitamins and beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. A diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease, according to SIU dietitian Sara Lopinski. Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state, so have a pie and support the local economy.
Grapes: Also low in calories and fat-free, these bite-sized babies are a wonderful source of vitamins C, A and K, carotenes and B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamin. Grapes are rich in a compound known as resveratrol, an anti-oxidant found to help fight cancer, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are a few recipes to try with these fall favorites:
Easy baked apples with walnuts and raisins (optional) Adapted from a recipe from The American Institute for Cancer Research
makes 6 servings
Per serving: 151 calories, 3.5 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 5 mg sodium.
Canola oil cooking spray
3 large Granny Smith apples or any variety baking apple
3 Tbsp. whole-wheat flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4-1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup apple cider
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray glass pie dish with non-stick spray.
2. Cut apples in half from top to bottom, core and peel. Lay halves flat and cut into medium slices. Place apple slices in large bowl.
3. In medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture on apples and gently stir until apples are evenly coated with spices. Gently fold in walnuts and raisins.
4. Spoon apple mixture into prepared pie dish. Drizzle cider evenly over top.
5. Bake 50-55 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Using spatula, carefully turn over apple mixture to get caramelized sauce from bottom of dish. Serve hot or let cool to room temperature, refrigerate and serve cold later.
Pumpkin pie protein smoothie
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup (120g) vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup (120ml) skim milk
2 Tbsp. (30ml) pure maple syrup
2/3 cup (150g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1 cup ice
Add all of the ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Blend on high for at least 3 minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Add more milk to thin out if it is too thick. Add a couple more ice cubes for a thicker texture, if desired. Add more spices to taste, if desired.
Grabba grape
Grapes are a great addition to any fruit salad, but for a fun, frozen snack, try freezing a small bowl of grapes. Now that’s an easy recipe!
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
Tag Archives: Sara Lopinski
5 Tips for Healthier School Lunches
5 tips to a healthier lunch box
As the kids return to the classroom this fall, some parents face the challenge of packing lunches are easy to prepare, healthy and won’t get traded in the school cafeteria.
SIU registered dietitian Sara Lopinski recommends these five tips for a healthier lunch in a box:
1.Stay away from the pre-packaged processed foods that are high in trans fat. Trans fats are typically found in larger amounts in cookies, snack crackers and cheese puffs, and they have been linked to heart disease and diabetes.
2. Pack reduced fat or baked crackers or chips, mini muffins or homemade trail mix.
3. Pack fruit in every lunch. Pineapple chunks, apples and grapes can easily be packed into small zip baggies or containers ahead of time for quick packing. Try mixing fruits together, like apple slices and cherries. 100% fruit leather is one alternative to fresh fruit.
4. Choose other nutritious foods that are easy to pack:
- frozen yogurt tubes
- cheese
- raisins
- slices of grilled chicken
- baby carrots
- nuts
5. Remember safe storage. The Centers for Disease Control reports that about 76 million Americans suffer food borne illness every year, and young children especially are at high-risk. Pack lunches so meat and milk foods stay cold until lunchtime: Use insulated lunch bags with freezer packs or pack a frozen water bottle next to foods that must be kept cold.
Lunch in a box can be healthy too!
What’s your favorite food to put in your student’s lunch?
-sl
Fair eating
Thursday’s parade to kick-off to the Illinois State Fair is likely to instigate ten days of unhealthy eating habits for thousands of fairgoers. According to SIU registered dietitian Sara Lopinski, the food offerings at these events can pose a challenge to the health conscious food consumer. 
Consider several typical fair foods and their calorie content:
• jumbo corn dog = 375 calories
• funnel cakes with cinnamon and sugar topping = 790 calories
• cheesecake on a stick = 655 calories
• chocolate malt = 690 calories
Lopinski suggests several strategies to survive the fair-going experience without causing bodily harm. First, think about the purpose of your visit to the fair. If it is just for the food, then you will probably overeat. If you decide to combine “sight-seeing” with some exercise and food, then you will do better. An additional suggestion is to get some exercise while checking out the food offerings at the fair, so you can plan your selections first instead of sampling at each vendor. Limit yourself to one higher calorie food and balance it with the choice of one healthier food.
An additional helpful strategy is to eat a healthy, high fiber snack before attending the festival to take the edge off your appetite. Lopinski says that you may eat less when feeling full versus hungry. Another method to manage the “jungle’” of high fat and high calorie food choices is to share a portion of one of these foods with your fellow fairgoers. Often a small portion of one of these foods can be quite satisfying with a reduced number of calories and fat.
-rb, sl