We have some new readers to the blog, so I thought I'd reintroduce myself and tell you a little about how I became a dietitian. My name is Denon Stacy, MS, RD, CSP, LD. I am a Registered
Dietitian (RD) at a pediatric hospital. I’ve
enjoyed teaching children and their families about health and nutrition for 8
years. As a pediatric dietitian, my goal is to help children develop healthy eating habits and to fuel strong,
healthy kids.
Nutrition is important because it
fuels our body. I first learned about nutrition in 4th grade science
class. I had an excellent teacher (Hey Mrs. McLin!) who explained how healthy eating involves
eating a variety of foods and food groups. I learned the importance of
eating different colors. Eating foods with different colors helps us get the
vitamins and minerals our bodies need to growth tall, strong, and be healthy.
For example, the orange color in carrots is caused by beta-carotene, which is
also known as vitamin A. Vitamin A helps keep our eyes healthy. So, listen to
your parents when they say “eat your carrots; they’re good for your eyes.” It’s
true. That’s good nutrition!
Since I’m from a coastal state, I
had access to plenty of seafood. I developed a love of seafood. We had crawfish
boils in the Spring, which were always fun, family gatherings. Since crawfish
is not available year-round, the recipe I’m sharing is a take on a shrimp dish
that is commonly found in Louisiana. This recipe is a quick dinner. It’s a
fancier sandwich that is approachable for most children . . . even children who
may not love seafood.
Grilled Shrimp Po’boy
4 whole wheat
baguettes
1 pound large shrimp
(31-35 count per pound)
1 cup romaine lettuce,
shredded
1 tomato
½ cup cucumber,
thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon
lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
½ onion, sliced
into rings
Remoulade sauce
1 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tablespoon whole
grain or Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons
ketchup
1 clove garlic,
minced
½ teaspoon
pepper
½ teaspoon
paprika
1 teaspoon
onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
pepper
1 teaspoon hot
sauce
1 teaspoon
lemon zest
2 Tablespoon lemon
juice
1 Tablespoon
parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce
To make
remoulade sauce, combine mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, garlic, black pepper,
paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice,
parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. If you prefer spicy foods, you can adjust
the hot sauce and cayenne to taste. Refrigerate sauce until needed.
Peel and devein
shrimp. Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and ½ teaspoon garlic to marinate shrimp
in a large bowl.
Prepare
vegetables for sandwich assembly. Wash and dry all vegetables. Shred lettuce.
Slice cucumber, tomato, and onion. Now that you have your mis en place (French for put in place), it's time to cook!
Heat grill pan
over medium. Add shrimp and cook 4-5 minutes per side until opaque and internal
temperature reaches 145*F.
To build the po’boy
or sandwich, spread ~1-2 Tablespoons remoulade on bread. Add lettuce, tomato,
onion, and cucumber. Top with shrimp.
You can serve
this dish with a side salad, coleslaw, or raw vegetables. You can use extra
remoulade for dipping or as a salad dressing. Enjoy!
- Crawfish
are commonly used in Louisiana cuisine, but shrimp is a good substitute as it is
more readily available than crawfish.
- Increase
your fiber intake by switching grains. Choose whole grains like whole wheat
bread, brown rice, or whole grain tortillas. Look for > or = 3 grams of fiber per serving on the Nutrition Facts Label to ensure you're choosing a whole grain. You’ll get more fiber which
promotes satiety, the feeling of fullness. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol.
- Many
poboys feature fried meats. According to the American Heart Association, you
should limit fried foods to three servings per week. This is an easy switch.
Instead of frying meats, try grilling, baking, or roasting. This decreases the
fat added to foods from the cooking method.
My nutrition philosophy is everything in moderation. There are
no “bad foods.” I encourage age-appropriate amounts of fruits and vegetables
per day; I’ve never met anyone that eats too many fruits and vegetables.
I encourage nutrition plans that include a variety food groups. Don’t
be afraid to try new foods. Be brave! Have an adventurous palate! We need a
balance of all of the food groups to provide adequate nutrients to fuel our
bodies, maintain our health, and prevent diseases like diabetes, high
cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure. I also support the balance of eating
well and including physical activity into our everyday lifestyle. We need to
fuel our body in a healthy way and be physically activity to maintain good
health.
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting a peak into the life of a RD from Louisiana. Try the
recipe!
For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
If you liked this post, you might enjoy:
Shrimp Poboy Recipe from a Louisiana Registered Dietitian
RDtipoftheday Favorites: April Edition
