special when my husband, my son and
I hunker down together in front of the
fire to play games by candlelight.
I hope you’ll join us in this fun,
no-tech, Earth-friendly tradition that’s
catching on around the world on
Saturday, March 28 from 8:30 p.m.
to 9:30 p.m. (Or even try it once a
month
—
I’m going to.) You could whip
up a goat cheese log or a batch of
nut-butter cups to make your hour
both savory and sweet.Cheese, please!
Perfect for
entertaining. p. 94NXM^Photo^
(S
assos);MikeGar
ten^ (2 )
.Dynamo
Dietitian
WHAT I DO AT GH
I oversee all nutrition-related
content for Good Housekeeping,
reporting on trending health and
nutrition topics. I also rigorously
evaluate food products aiming to
earn the GH Nutritionist Approved
Emblem, a coveted symbol that
indicates to consumers that an item
is a nutritious food with simple
ingredients and transparent claims.
IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME
Both my parents are 100% Greek
(as is my husband). My two sisters
and I grew up eating a Mediterra-
nean diet, and I really attribute my
interest in nutrition, which started
in high school, to my parents.
I LOST 3 0 lbs!
And I have maintained it for five
years! It took a lot of hard work and
was an emotional process. I made
small changes and lost the weight
gradually. I mindfully and sensibly
indulge, and I try not
to restrict excessively
because I’ve seen that
backfire. My weight-
loss journey was a gift,
because it has helped
me more effectively
counsel clients. I truly
get the struggle and
know what it takes
to stay motivated.
Confession: I have
a picture of myself
at my heaviest in
my closet. I look at it
every day to keep
me on track!Little
Bites
Peanut
allergy?
Use
almond
butter
instead.
p. 96MEET OUR EXPERTAs the new head of the
GH Nutrition Lab, Stefani
Sassos, M.S., R.D., will help
you eat well and live even
better with simple(!) food
and nutrition wisdom
THE CANCER ANSWER
Nearly 50% of the most common cancers
can be prevented with diet, exercise and
lifestyle choices. I’m one of only a few
board-certified specialists in oncology
nutrition, and my past work with cancer
patients really affected me. I saw first-
hand the power of food as medicine, and
I became so close with my patients that
some even came to my wedding last year.
TRAVEL BUG
My husband and I love to travel!
We’ve been to Morocco, Poland, Bali,
Greece and Italy, and I drag him to
a cooking class wherever we go.
FITNESS IS IN THE FAMILY
Watching my mom and dad’s healthy
habits inspired me to develop my own.
My father is an NCAA soccer referee.
No wonder I became a Spin instruc-
tor and a personal trainer! I’m also a
CrossFitter, which is crazy considering
that I told my husband when I met him
that I’d never do CrossFit. I love my
Peloton too, and I will always try a new
workout class.
Eat like an R.D.
Always in my kitchen:
kefir, dark chocolate,
Trader Joe’s cranberry
and lime seltzer water,
Cosmic Crisp apples,
nut butter and Ezekiel
bread. Guilty pleasure:
my grandmother’s spana-
kopita (spinach pie). She
makes everything from
scratch, even filo dough!
It is incredible and
melts in your mouth.
—
Interview by Zee KrsticVITAL STATS
Lab Cred: Master of
Clinical Nutrition, New
York University; B.S. in
Nutritional Sciences,
The Pennsylvania
State University
Most Recent gig:
Senior Clinical
Oncology Dietitian at
the Cancer Institute
at St. Francis Hospital
Hometown:
Manhasset, NY
Follow Stefani
@stefanisassos14 GH APRIL 2020