Taking on the world of Dietetics and Nutrition can be exciting in a day when nutrition is being valued and encouraged more than ever before!  Equally important is making sure that one is qualified and certified when passing on healthcare advice. For those entering into the world of studying state exams, consider a necessary tool for your education box.

   Visual Veggies is a program that is designed to promote nutrition knowledge and build on dietetic information. It provides insight taking one through HUNDREDS of questions and answers that are related to: Monitoring, Nutrition Care, Sanitation, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Marketing, Management, Tube Feedings and more.

The tutorial assists Dietary / Sports Nutrition students and young professionals to better understand their job allowing for an opportunity to freshen up on  clinical knowledge and their policies and procedures.

My personal experience with Visual Veggies is that it helps me better understand the biochemistry of our bodies. I liked the overall  math preparation from the management section and how to apply calorie information for  for tube feedings. Visual Veggies will be utilized in my presentations and dietary consultations.

If you or a friend will soon be studying for a DTR or RD exam, INCLUDE Visual Veggies into your study routine so that you can be  prepared to test and follow your dreams in nutrition.

Ordering is easy and practice is the optimal path to preparation and opportunity. Click to order Visual Veggis Practice Tests and Quizzes. I am proof that the program works and that the Visual Veggies CD was an asset in passing the CDR DTR Exam!

Bracciole Pugliese

Stuffed Steak! Delicious and Southern Italian. Filled with pancetta, garlic, parsley and parmesan. Soaked in tomato sauce and served as a side dish or with pasta. Buon Appetito!

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cook time: For the softer meat the sauce can simmer for 90 minutes -2 hours. If you prefer a firmer tasting meat cook 30-60 minutes.

Ingredients

3-4 Flank Steaks
1 tsp Pancetta or ham
small cube of parmesan cheese
a sliver of garlic
2 leaves of parsley
tooth picks or cooking twine
1 onion
1/3 cup olive oil
28 oz of Puree Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
salt to taste
Basil 6 fresh leaves cut or 1/2 tsp dried

Flank steak is easy to prepare and allows for perfect flavorings.

Extend flank steak on a clean flat surface. In the center place pancetta/ham, parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley. Fold in all four sides of the meat to cover the stuffing and seal with a tooth pick or wrap twine around “package” and knot it to secure contents of meat. Continue the same process for the other meat slices.

Place into a large pan with olive oil and onion over low heat. Cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, milk , water and salt. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes add in basil if desired.

Serve as a side dish or over favorite pasta topped off with parmesan cheese.

Played just like “Hangman”, nutrition based clues to “brain train” those in the nutrition field preparing for the RD or DTR Exams.

Visual Veggies Hanging with Nutrition is a smart method to build on nutrition, management, biochemical and dietetic knowledge.  Students enrolled in the Dietetic’s or Sports Nutrition Academics will find learning through a “hangman” style game, as a friendly way to enhance their understanding of the nutrition material as they prepare for the RD or DTR Exams.

Advantages of  brain training through “Hanging with Nutrition” are many! The game is set up with clues that are given to the anticipated answer and upon completion of each answer (right or wrong), a full explanation of the intended clue is revealed at the bottom of the page.  “Note Taking” is also provided on every game page, as is the opportunity to block or highlight a question. A less obvious feature is the desire to return to the game and improve upon performance. The structure of the game streamlines future study time, placing focus only on the areas of personal improvement designed by the individual.

Visual Veggies Hanging with Nutrition has additional quizzing in: Management, Marketing, NCP, Sanitation and Safety.  Students in the nutrition and dietetic’s fields will benefit from the daily discipline of Visual Veggies and receive positive reinforcement that encourages long term learning.

Making Welsh Cakes in the honor of St. David of Wales. A recipe with tradition! Given to me by my friend Sarah, this recipe has made it’s rounds and enjoyed by many both who are and are not Welsh!

A bit of previously documented history on St. David:   “The first day of March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 589. The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century.

Saint David (Dewi Sant’s) was born towards the end of the 5th century. He was of the royal house of Ceredigion, and founded a Celtic monastic community at Glyn Rhosyn (The Vale of Roses) on the western headland of Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro), at the spot where St David’s Cathedral stands today. David’s fame as a teacher and ascetic spread throughout the Celtic world. His foundation at Glyn Rhosin became an important Christian and the most important centre in Wales. The date of Dewi Sant’s death is recorded as 1 March, but the year is uncertain – possibly 588. As his tearful monks prepared for his death Saint David uttered these words: ‘Brothers be ye constant. The yoke which with single mind ye have taken, bear ye to the end; and whatsoever ye have seen with me and heard, keep and fulfil’.

For centuries, 1 March has been a national festival!  Saint David was recognised as a national patron saint at the height of Welsh resistance to the Normans. Saint David’s Day was celebrated by Welsh  from the late Middle Ages and by the 18th century the custom had arisen to the making of confectioners producing ‘Taffies’ – gingerbread figures baked in the shape of a Welshman riding a goat – on Saint David’s Day.

Saint David’s Day is not a national holiday in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  It is strictly celebrated by Welsh societies, with traditional celebrations that they carry with them no matter where they are in the world with dinners, parties,  (recitals and concerts).”

Sprinkle with sugar and enjoy!

Small, flat and round sweet cakes traditionally from South Wales, UK.  These delicious
cakes are still very popular in Wales and with great pride is handed down through the generations.

INGREDIENTS
•1 pound all purpose self rising flour
•4 ounces granulated white sugar
•6 ounces of cold unsalted butter and 2 ounces of margarine
•4 ounces raisins or sultans
•2 lightly beaten large egg

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING WELSH CAKES

Warm griddle on low heat while ingredients are assembled.

Begin by placing a designated welsh cake griddle (cast iron) on the smallest burner on the stove. Heat must be on lowest flame or heat.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cut the butter into small pieces add to the mix and blend together with two knives (or mix by rubbing with your fingers) now the mixture should look like large crumbs.

Step by step.

Add the raisins or sultans and stir into the mix. Then add the beaten egg to make a light dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured flat surface, gently kneed the dough until it is flat and about ¼ inch (0.75 cm) thick then with a round pastry cutter or a glass will do, cut into 2.1/2 inch circles.

Lightly butter a bake stone (griddle) and test one cookie cut out by placing the mixture on the griddle and bake on each side for about five minutes until golden brown in colour; they should still be soft on the inside.  Once test cookie comes out evenly beige in color, add 4 cookie cut outs at a time and repeat procedure.

Once baked sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Welsh cakes are cooked on a flat heavy iron griddle (with no ridges) on a low constant heat. The griddle would only be used for welsh cakes. The best griddles are past through the generations, although they can be bought in Wales.

References on Story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_David’s_Day