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February 28, 2011
Flank Steak with Herbed Salsa
1. 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2. 4 scallions, finely chopped
3. 1 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
4. 1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
5. 1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced
6. 1 garlic clove, minced
7. Juice of 1 lemon
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper
9. One 1-pound flank steak
10. 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes with the scallions, cilantro, mint, jalapeño, garlic and lemon juice. Season the salsa with salt and pepper.
2. Rub the steak with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until nicely charred outside and medium-rare, 3 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a carving board; let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain and serve with the salsa.
Posted by Lisa at 8:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 24, 2011
Super Snacks
What Makes a Good Snack
Think of snacks as mini meals, not meal wreckers.
That way, snacks serve as opportunities for good nutrition, and there's no need for concern when your child isn't as hungry for the next meal.
Most of the time, feed your child the same types of foods you would at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including low-fat dairy and other lean protein sources, eggs, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Winning snacks provide carbohydrate, protein, fiber, and some healthy fat. Generally speaking, foods rich in protein or fiber help kids stay fuller for longer, and they're packed with the nutrients kids need to thrive.
There's no consensus about how many calories a child's snack should provide, but it makes sense to aim for about 100 calories for smaller children to upwards of 300 calories for active teenagers. Let your child's hunger rule what he eats.
19 Simple, Do-It-Yourself Snacks
Making your own snacks to have at home or take with you is usually far more nutritious -- and economical -- than relying on packaged foods.
Here are some snack suggestions:
1. Guacamole (look for the 100-calorie packs in the refrigerator section) or small can of bean dip and baked snack chips or toasted whole wheat pita bread, broken into chips
2. Low-fat microwave popcorn tossed with Parmesan cheese
3. Trail mix ingredients: 1/4 cup each: whole-grain cereal, raisins or dried cranberries, and 2 tablespoons each: sunflower seeds or chopped nuts
4. Low-fat ice cream topped with fresh fruit
5. Snack size (8 ounce) box of low-fat plain or chocolate milk and whole wheat pretzels
6. Whole-grain crackers, string cheese, and mango slices
7. Cooked or raw vegetables with low-fat ranch dressing, and a hard-boiled egg
8. Instant oatmeal made with milk in the microwave with 1 teaspoon cocoa powder stirred in and topped with sliced raspberries or strawberries
9. Whole-wheat pretzels with peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter
10. Cherry chocolate smoothie: Combine 1 cup low-fat milk, 1/2 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen or fresh pitted cherries, and 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
11. Bowl of whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk
12. Edamame
13. Small container of Greek yogurt
14. Mini bagel spread with low-fat cream cheese and strawberry jam, and low-fat milk
15. Hummus and whole wheat pita chips
16. Half a sandwich and glass of orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D
17. Slice of pizza
18. Hard-boiled egg and whole-grain roll
19. Pistachios in the shell and glass of chocolate milk
Posted by Lisa at 7:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 22, 2011
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Feb 20 - 26
"It's Time To Talk About It"
The mission of NEDAwareness Week
Our aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses -- not choices -- and it's important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.
What is NEDAwareness Week?
NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of primarily volunteers, including eating disorder professionals, health care providers, students, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment.
For more information, visit the NEDA website.
Posted by Lisa at 6:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 18, 2011
Magic Pill
There is a "Magic Pill" you can take that is proven to do incredible things for your health. These benefits include reducing your risk of: dying prematurely, dying from heart disease, developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon cancer. It works to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
This "Magic Pill" helps build and maintain strong bones, muscles, and joints; helps to maintain a healthy weight; helps older adults to improve their strength and balance; and promotes psychological well-being.
The U.S. Surgeon General has stated that all of these effects are true.
Where do you get it? It is right at the end of your feet. The "Magic Pill" is a "dose" of thirty minutes of moderate physical activity-- all at once or broken up over the course of the day. Just take a walk!
Walking the dog, taking the stairs, biking, hiking, parking farther away from your destination and walking more, working out, gardening, vacuuming, swimming-- whatever appeals to you is the place to start.
It continues to amaze me how infomercials and glossy ads will convince folks to buy pricey but unproven supplements or exotic foods, but the well-proven ways to better health-whole simple foods and exercise- are brushed aside.
Research proves that exercise has a role in the treatment and prevention of more than forty chronic diseases. If you are not exercising almost every day, you are not helping yourself to the one of the best ways to prevent or manage diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure.
Daily exercise is a powerful 'medicine', as important as the foods you eat. And walking is one of the best exercises you can do to maintain good health and prevent disease.
The Exercise is Medicine website can help you to get started. The "My Exercise Plan" section has tools that will get you going safely.
It includes a Pre-Exercise Health Assessment to give you an idea of whether you should talk to your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program. The "Barriers to Exercise" section assesses seven different areas of potential barriers and provides you with solutions to overcoming your specific challenges. There is also an "Exercise Time Finder" to help you figure out where to fit in your daily activity. A Self-Assessment tool helps you to map out your goals, make a plan, and sign an agreement with yourself to begin or continue exercising.
There are tips for "Keeping it Simple"- such as picking the exercises are that are easiest and the most enjoyable for you. It also includes a Basic Bodyweight Strength Program and a Basic Stretching Program as well as online videos to try. It is a one-stop shop to help you to move towards better health.
If you are a dog owner, you already have one of your best exercise partners. Taking your dog for a walk is great for both of you. Humane groups recommend at least one, half-hour walk a day for dogs. The latest physical activity advice for humans recommends that adults accumulate 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking. Taking your pet for a 30 minute walk every day, or for two 15-minute walks, will move both of you towards greater fitness. Remember to start slowly. Make it pleasurable, not painful. Don't have a dog? Borrow a neighbor's pet, walk with a friend, or just view your fitness walk as "me" time for quiet thinking and relaxing.
The health benefits of exercise prove that our bodies are made for walking, hiking, biking, dancing, and moving, so start enjoying the benefits that regular activity brings- one walk at a time.
Posted by Lisa at 6:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 15, 2011
Crunchy Stir-Fry
1/2 cup vertically sliced onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots (2 medium)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp canola oil
1 cup fresh or frozen Chinese pea pods
1 Tbsp water
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and thinly sliced
Stir-fry onion, carrots and basil in oil in nonstick skillet until carrots are tender. Add pea pods and water; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apples, serve hot.
Serves 4
Per serving:
50 kcal
2 gm fat
0 gm sat fat
0 mg cholesterol
25 mg sodium
10 gm carbohydrate
2 gm fiber
Posted by Lisa at 6:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 10, 2011
Treat Yourself (or others) to Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a treat that will likely satisfy your sweetheart on Valentine's Day, but did you know it is also good for your heart? Chocolate in moderation can fit into a heart-healthy eating plan.
Dark chocolate is especially high in antioxidants. A small amount of premium chocolate at the end of a meal may help you control your appetite by making you feel full and satisfied on fewer calories from the chocolate.
Dark chocolate is not only good for your heart. It also tastes good and stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure. Dark chocolate contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant, and contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances that are stimulants.
A study by researchers at Cornell University found that a glass of cocoa contains more antioxidants per serving than red wine, green tea or black tea. Compared to plain milk, chocolate milk has only 60 calories more per serving. If you would like to keep calories at their lowest when making cocoa, use fat-free or 1-percent low-fat milk.
Keep portions in line
A common mistake people often make is eating large portions of foods that are perceived as healthful. It's important to include nutrient-rich foods in your diet, but also remember these foods have calories as well and should be eaten in moderation, which will allow you to include a small portion of dessert in your meal.
Chocolate is equally unhealthy and fattening when large amounts are consumed on a regular basis, but you can enjoy an occasional chocolate treat.
The good news is that premium dark chocolate contains only cocoa butter, a fat that naturally occurs in cocoa beans.
So be good to your heart, and your sweetheart this Valentine's Day, and enjoy good chocolate in moderation.
Posted by Lisa at 6:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 7, 2011
Smart Start to the Day
Breakfast, or any meal for that matter, doesn't need to be elaborate to be satisfying and nutritious. A bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk and topped with fruit is a fine choice.
If your child doesn't go for traditional breakfast foods, don't worry. No healthy food is off-limits for the morning meal.
Here are some suggestions for what you can reasonably prepare in a few minutes on busy mornings:
1. Frozen whole-grain waffle sandwich with sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, or almond butter, raisins, and low-fat yogurt
2. Hot cocoa (made with milk) or chocolate milk, slice of whole grain toast, fruit
3. Breakfast berry parfait: Layer low-fat cottage cheese with whole grain cereal and fresh or frozen berries
4. Hard-cooked egg (make 6 or so on the weekend), fruit, and ½ whole wheat English muffin with tub margarine
5. Banana smoothie: Blend 1 cup low-fat milk with a medium banana and teaspoon vanilla extract in blender or food processor. Serve with half a whole-wheat English muffin.
6. Slice of pizza, and orange juice with calcium and vitamin D
7. Turkey or roast beef roll-up with cheese on a whole-wheat wrap
8. Half of a sandwich, milk, and fruit
9. Sliced cheddar cheese melted on top of whole-wheat tortilla, and low-sodium vegetable juice
10. Trail mix: whole-grain cereal, shelled pistachios or sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and low-fat milk
11. Mini pizza: Layer a small whole-wheat pita round with marinara sauce and grated reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Toast or broil.
12. Whole-wheat bagel (mini for younger kids) spread with sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or peanut butter and drizzled with honey; orange juice with calcium and vitamin D
13. Microwave plain, 1-minute, or instant oatmeal with low-fat milk. Top with 1/4 cup dried fruit and 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
Posted by Lisa at 6:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 2, 2011
New Dietary Guidelines
So what should the new American diet look like? The new guidelines suggest:
* Eat more seafood -- at least 8 ounces a week
* Eat more fruits and vegetables
* Substitute healthy oils for solid fats (such as margarine)
* Lower your sodium intake
* Avoid fast foods
* Exercise more
* Read food labels
* Substitute whole grains for refined grains
* Eat more beans and peas
* Get plenty of fiber, potassium, and vitamin D
* Eat/drink more nonfat or low-fat dairy products
* Replace high-fat meats with lean meats
* For some Americans, drink less alcohol
* Get off your SoFAS (Solid fats and added sugars)
For more information click here.
Posted by Lisa at 8:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack