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May 31, 2011
Visual Guides for Portion Size
In an effort to help people realize how much is too much when it comes to food portions, here are some updated visuals for portion equivalents.
FIRST, THE CONVENTIONAL EQUIVALENTS
Deck of cards: 3-ounce portion of meat or poultry
Checkbook: 3-ounce portion of fish
Cassette tape: 1 slice of bread
Baseball: 1 cup salad greens
4 stacked dice: 1 ounce of cheese
Hockey puck or tuna can: 1 bagel
NEXT-GENERATION EQUIVALENTS
Smartphone: 3 ounces of chicken, meat or fish
CD: 1 slice of bread
iPod nano: 1 ounce of chocolate
Pedometer: 1/4 cup of raisins or dried fruit
First-generation iPod shuffle: 1 ounce of cheese
Small thumb drive: 1 tablespoon of salad dressing, sour cream, mayo
AC power adapter: 1/2 cup ice cream or frozen yogurt
Computer mouse: 1 baked potato
Posted by Lisa at 1:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 26, 2011
Roasted Chile-Garlic Broccoli
* 6 cups broccoli florets
* 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
* 2 teaspoons sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
* 3/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon sugar
* 6 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Preparation
1. Place a small roasting pan in oven. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Place broccoli in a large bowl; drizzle with oil. Toss to coat. Add sambal, salt, and sugar to broccoli mixture; toss. Add broccoli mixture to hot roasting pan; toss. Bake at 450° for 5 minutes; remove from oven. Add garlic to pan; stir. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until broccoli is lightly browned. Yield: 4 servings. (serving size: 1 1/4 cup)
Kcal: 99
Fat: 7.2g
Pro: 3.5g
Carb: 7.7g
Fiber: 3.2g
Sodium: 325mg
Source: Cooking Light
Posted by Lisa at 6:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 23, 2011
Afternoon Snacks for Kids
When kids come home from school hungry, they reach for the quickest fix possible -- often a box of cookies or a bag of chips. Healthy? Hardly.
The healthiest carbs come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and small amounts of dark chocolate, while the best protein sources are dairy, nuts and beans. Here are 10 smart snack ideas that give kids a healthy combination of essential nutrients:
1. Graham crackers with Nutella spread
2. Sliced banana with peanut butter
3. Low-fat yogurt with semisweet chocolate chips
4. Bowl of cereal with dried blueberries and chopped pecans
5. Mini breakfast burrito with one scrambled egg and shredded cheese
6. Turkey and cheese on whole-grain crackers
7. Pita chips with hummus
8. Whole-grain or blue corn tortilla chips with black bean salsa
9. Cheese quesadillas
10. Waffles or French toast with peanut butter and jam
There is one catch: Most older kids won't take the time to prepare healthy after-school food for themselves, and younger ones won't be able to. To ensure that your kids get the power snack they need, assemble it ahead of time so it's ready as soon as they walk in the door.
Posted by Lisa at 9:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 19, 2011
The Other Whole Grains
Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet, but it seems like lately there are a lot of unusual grains on the market. Don't be afraid of them, though. These grains pack a lot of healthy benefits.
Amaranth: These tiny kernels, usually pale yellow, are porridge-like when simmered, making amaranth useful as a food thickener. You can bake or steam amaranth as well, and it is available as cereal and flour. Many people add a strongly flavored liquid to this grain when cooking it -- broth and tomato juice are good choices. It is good when mixed with other grains and when mixed with vegetables as a stir-fry. You also can use it as a breading.
Barley: Most of the barley in the United States is used in beer production. Barley is chewier than rice, and the flakes are served as a hot cereal. It generally is simmered or used as an ingredient in casseroles or soups. Barley and fruit make a pleasing breakfast dish. Substitute barley for rice or pasta in almost any dish.
Buckwheat: Buckwheat is used as an alternative to rice as a side dish or ingredient. It pairs well with beef, root vegetables, cabbage, winter squash, and eggplant. Buckwheat grits are finely ground groats, served as a hot cereal. Buckwheat flour is available in most markets and is commonly used in pancake preparation.
Bulgur: Steamed, dried, and cracked-wheat berries, bulgur cooks like brown rice. Substitute it for rice in all dishes. Use the finely ground variety to prepare a hot breakfast cereal.
Quinoa: Quinoa grains are flat, pointed ovals. Quinoa comes in a variety of colors, including pale yellow, red, and black. When cooked, the external germ spirals out, creating a "tail." Rinse prior to cooking. Brown in a skillet for for minutes prior to simmering or baking. It is good when served as a pilaf, in a baked casserole, in vegetable soup, or as a cold salad, and is especially good when combined with buckwheat. dd quinoa to puddings.
Rye: Rye is a bluish-gray grain, similar in appearance to wheat, except for the color. Rye flakes are similar to rolled oats. Whole rye berries, groats, and kernels resemble wheat berries. Cracked rye is the quickest-cooking variety. Simmer rye berries with milder-tasting grains, such as brown rice or wheat berries. Combine cracked rye with cracked wheat. Combine rye flakes with oatmeal. Rye berries are good when cooked in broth with chopped nuts and raisins.
Posted by Lisa at 12:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 16, 2011
Strawberry Avocado Salsa
* 2 teaspoons canola oil
* 6 (6-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled ripe avocado (about 2)
* 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
* 1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
* 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
* 3/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare chips, brush oil evenly over one side of each tortilla. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over oil-coated sides of tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 12 wedges; arrange wedges in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until crisp.
3. Combine avocado and remaining ingredients; stir gently to combine. Serve with chips. Yield: 12 servings. Serving size: 6 chips with 3 Tbsp salsa
Kcal: 138
Fat: 6.7g
Pro: 2.8g
Carb: 37.5g
Fiber: 2.2g
Sodium: 585mg
Source: Cooking Light
Posted by Lisa at 6:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 11, 2011
Granola Bar or Candy Bar?
Granola bars got their healthy reputation as the mountain hiker's snack of choice. Some bars are full of nuts, seeds, whole oats and other nutritious foods. Other granola bars are covered in chocolate or loaded with chocolate chips and artificial ingredients, but aren't much better than eating a candy bar. The best granola bars contain the following:
* 4 grams or more fiber
* 6 grams or less sugar
* 5 grams or less total fat with unsaturated poly- and mono-fat the preferred source
* 6 grams protein or more
You don't have to go to a health food store to find a healthy version. One example available at the grocery store is the Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bar Dark Mocha Almond; it meets these recommendations and tastes great, too!
Posted by Lisa at 8:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 9, 2011
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols, sometimes called phytosterols, are naturally found in some vegetable oils, nuts, grain products, fruits and vegetables. Natural plant sterols occur in many foods, but at such low levels it would be very challenging to get enough plant sterols for effective cholesterol reduction through whole foods alone. It would take about 100 pounds of fruits, vegetables or nuts to get 2 grams of natural plant sterols. Because of this, plant sterols have been added to common foods like vegetable oil spreads (margarine), mayonnaise, orange juice and snack bars.
Foods containing at least 0.4 grams per serving of plant sterols eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
How do plant sterols work?
Plant sterols help actively remove cholesterol from the body by helping to block cholesterol absorption from the intestine (digestive tract). Cholesterol enters the intestine from two sources: from the diet and cholesterol from the body storage pool. In the intestine, cholesterol is taken up via the cells lining the intestine and transported to the body storage pool in the liver.
Plant sterols are physically similar to cholesterol so they can compete with cholesterol to be taken up from the intestine. However, once taken up the body does not require plant sterols so they are returned to the intestine. The net result is that less cholesterol is absorbed. With regular use, plant sterols can result in a removal of cholesterol from the body and, throughout time, a reduction in blood cholesterol levels. Adding plant sterols to your diet may result in as much as 10 percent to 20 percent decrease in total blood cholesterol and LDL levels.
Key points about plant sterols
Natural plant sterols are one of the proven methods of dietary cholesterol reduction that are accepted by national experts and organizations such as the National Cholesterol Education Program and the American Dietetic Association.
More than 140 published clinical studies have proven plant sterols lower LDL cholesterol.
Foods containing plant sterols should be eaten twice a day with meals.
Sources of plant sterols
* Promise Activ Buttery Spread or Smart Balance Plus margarine: 1 Tbsp has 1 gram plant sterols
* Minute Maid Orange Juice with plant sterols: 1 cup has 1 gram plant sterols
* CholestOff caplets: 2 contain 900 mg of plant sterols
* Benecol Smart Chews: 2 contain 1.7 grams plant sterols
Posted by Lisa at 8:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 4, 2011
Veggie Rut? Try Roasting
Roasting fresh vegetables brings out some delicious flavors and takes minimal preparation. Follow these simple cooking instructions: Turn oven temperature to 350 degrees, slice vegetables and put in a large bowl. Add a pinch of pepper, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a dash of dried or fresh spices like dill, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, etc.
Use tongs or a large spoon to coat all the veggies with oil and spices. Pour the veggies on a baking pan and put in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Roasted vegetables make a delicious and flavorful complement to grilled chicken or fish. It's recommended to buy fresh vegetables when they are in season, as they tend to taste best and cost less.
Posted by Lisa at 7:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 2, 2011
Peanut Butter Power Cookies
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1/4 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1¼ cups granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
* 2 large eggs
* 1/4 cup 1% milk
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil or coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, chocolate chips, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the sugar, peanut butter, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. At low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
4. Scoop the dough by slightly rounded tablespoons into 1¾-inch "blobs," and place on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake, one sheet at a time, about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown (when done, the cookies will be about 2½ inches in diameter). Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cookie): 120 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated, 3g monounsaturated, 0.3g omega-3), 90mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 3g protein
www.mealmakeovermoms.com
Posted by Lisa at 6:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack