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June 29, 2011
Better Picks at the Ball Park
Although American's favorite summer pastime is a ball game, we often treat it like a fried-food festival with stadium seating. Add one of these better stadium snacks to your lineup to avoid an eating upset.
Sunflower Seeds
Like peanuts, sunflower seeds are packed with heart healthy fat, but shelling a quarter-cup serving of these tiny seeds will get you through more innings than the peanuts, and for fewer calories and grams of fat. Just one ounce of sunflower seeds contains 76 percent of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin E.
Snow Cone
This mound of colorful ice is surprisingly low-cal with only 30 calories and 5 g of sugar. You still get to have a sweet snack, but it's mostly ice and actually provides a little extra hydration.
Hot Dog with Mustard
This ballpark staple is a lightweight when it comes calories-only 214 calories for an all-beef dog in a bun. Top it off with a few squirts of mustard. One teaspoon contains only 3 calories and nearly no fat. If that dog sounds too boring for your taste buds, add 2 teaspoons of sauerkraut for only 5 to 10 more calories.
Cracker Jacks
As long as you don't eat the entire box, Cracker Jacks is a ballpark classic worth enjoying, says White. Half the box of this caramel and peanut-coated popcorn treat has 210 calories and only 3.5 g of fat. Plus the crunchy snack offers a little bit of protein and fiber to help fill you up-a claim its airy, melts-to-nothing rival can't make. Those kernels in Cracker Jacks are coated with more than 6 teaspoons of sugar, but they're still a vast improvement over the cotton candy, which is not much more than pure spun sugar.
Posted by Lisa at 6:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 27, 2011
Stuffed Zucchini with Cheesy Breadcrumbs
3 (1.3-ounce) slices day-old whole-wheat bread
3 medium zucchini
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons dry white wine
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place bread in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Set aside.
3. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Chop pulp. Place zucchini halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
4. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini pulp and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, artichoke hearts, thyme, and garlic; cook 45 seconds. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until most of liquid evaporates. Combine breadcrumbs and onion mixture in a large bowl; stir in cheese and remaining ingredients. Spoon 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture into each zucchini shell. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until just tender.
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 177
Fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 2.8g
Monounsaturated fat: 5g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.3g
Protein: 6.9g
Carbohydrate: 13.6g
Fiber: 3.8g
Cholesterol: 9mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 343mg
Calcium: 107mg
Cooking Light
Posted by Lisa at 6:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 23, 2011
Eating More....Fruits and Veggies
Start early
To get in the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, start eating them early, with your morning meal. This could mean adding bananas to your cereal, berries to your yogurt or vegetables to your omelet.
Don't hide the fruit
Make fruits and vegetables visible to encourage everyone in your family, including yourself, to eat them. Set out a fruit bowl in the kitchen or have carrot sticks available for snacking. Take some time to prepare the fruits or vegetables, if needed, so they are ready to eat.
Frozen is good
Frozen vegetables are a great way to make sure you always have vegetables in the house. They are easy to prepare and keep for a long time. Try steaming them and adding them to casserole dishes. And frozen vegetables are usually just as nutritious as fresh ones.
At mealtime, think of the veggies first, not the protein
The new guidelines recommend half of your plate be filled with fruits and vegetables. Try to approach your meals by basing them on what vegetables you'll have, and then think of the grains and protein to go with it.
Have fruit with your sweets
Fruits are nature's natural candy! Try pureeing berries and adding them as a sauce to desserts such as low fat ice cream. While the ice cream is not good for you, a fruit sauce without added sugar is better than something else you might add to your sundae, such as chocolate sauce. Portion control is key with desserts. Desserts are OK now and then if you're meeting your nutritional needs from other foods and exercising to make sure your calories in equal your calories out.
Posted by Lisa at 8:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 20, 2011
Greek Yogurt with Warm Black and Blueberry Sauce
Substitute fresh berries for frozen when making this year-round treat in the summer. This sauce is also a great stand-in for syrup on pancakes.
* 2/3 cup frozen blueberries
* 2/3 cup frozen blackberries
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 cups plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently boil 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in butter.
2. Spoon 1/2 cup yogurt into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with about 1/4 cup sauce. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
* Amount per serving
* Calories: 192
* Fat: 5.8g
* Saturated fat: 3.8g
* Monounsaturated fat: 0.8g
* Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g
* Protein: 11.8g
* Carbohydrate: 25.7g
* Fiber: 2g
* Cholesterol: 14mg
* Iron: 0.3mg
* Sodium: 64mg
* Calcium: 131mg
Cooking Light
Posted by Lisa at 6:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 16, 2011
Most Recent Research on Pesticides and Produce
Apples are at the top of the list of produce most contaminated with pesticides in a report published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public health advocacy group.
Its seventh annual report analyzed government data on 53 fruits and vegetables, identifying which have the most and least pesticides after washing and peeling.
The Dirty Dozen
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens
The Clean 15
1. Onions
2. Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms
Posted by Lisa at 6:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 13, 2011
Helping Parents to Fit in a Healthy Lifestyle
After spending so much time and energy on their kids, many parents feel there is little time leftover to take care of themselves.
1. Go for a power walk. Grab the stroller and take a walk around the neighborhood or nearby park. If the weather is unpleasant, go to the mall and walk with the stroller indoors.
2. Preparing healthy meals is difficult without children. When you add kids in to the mix, getting dinner on the table is even more challenging. Make family meals a priority. If you know your time will be stretched at the end of the day, plan to cook more on the weekends, days you have more time, or after the kids go to bed, so that you will have leftovers available on your busier days.
3. Use your child's playtime for your exercise time. Instead of sitting on the bench watching your child play at the park, get up and get moving. Running around with your child can help you fit in some extra activity into your day.
4. Create a home gym. Invest in some dumbbells and exercise DVDs. Get in a workout when your child is taking a nap or playing at home. Remember, if you can't devote a full 30 minutes to exercise then break up your activity into 10 minute increments throughout the day.
5. Find other parents to exercise with. Sometimes we need that extra motivation to get us going. If you stay at home with your child, most likely there are other stay-at-home parents who are looking to exercise as well.
6. If you fail to plan, plan to fail. Create a weekly dinner meal plan, including entrées and sides to balance your meals. Create a grocery list, consisting of ingredients needed for dinners, and standard items needed for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Aim to base meals and snacks around whole food choices; ones that can be easily categorized as a member of one of the food groups (grains, fruit, vegetables, milk, meat/beans). If you're unsure if a food fits into a food group, it likely doesn't. When planning meals, aim for at least three foods groups to be represented.
7. Keep "sometimes foods" to a minimum in your household. These include foods that don't easily fall in to a food group. Examples are snack crackers, cookies, desserts, chips, pop, Pop Tarts, and sugary cereals. Stock your cupboards and fridge with healthful foods including fruit, vegetables, low-fat milk and yogurt, whole grains, lean meats and beans. When you're hungry, you can't help but eat something healthful - and that will help you keep pace with your kids.
Posted by Lisa at 1:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 9, 2011
Spanish Rice Salad
* Dressing:
* 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
* 1 small garlic clove, minced
* Salad:
* 1/2 cup uncooked medium-grain rice
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 2 large globe artichokes
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
* 3/4 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
* 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
* 1/4 cup diced piquillo peppers or roasted red bell peppers
* 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside.
2. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
3. Fill a medium bowl with cold water; stir in 1 tablespoon juice. Work with one artichoke at a time; cut off stem to within 1 inch of base. Peel stem. Remove bottom leaves and tough outer leaves, leaving tender heart and bottom. Cut artichoke in half lengthwise. Remove fuzzy thistle with a spoon. Slice artichoke heart into eighths; place in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichoke. Drain.
4. Place artichokes in a saucepan; add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
5. Transfer rice to a large bowl; stir in salt and black pepper. Add dressing, artichokes, chickpeas, and remaining ingredients to rice mixture; stir well. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 8 servings. (serving size: 1/2 cup)
Kcal: 117
Fat 2.9g
Pro: 3.4g
Carb: 20.1g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sodium: 266mg
Source: Cooking Light
Posted by Lisa at 6:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 6, 2011
My Plate
The government is dishing up healthy eating advice, not with a new food pyramid, but instead with an image of a plate.
The icon (www.choosemyplate.gov), called My Plate, is divided into four sections -- fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. It replaces the familiar pyramid image, which was first introduced in 1992 and revised in 2005.
The symbol conveys the seven key messages from the Dietary Guidelines: Enjoy food but eat less; avoid oversized portions; make half your plate fruits and vegetables; drink water instead of sugary drinks; switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk; compare sodium in foods; and make at least half your grains whole grains.
From a practical point of view, the plate image will help people make better food choices.
Posted by Lisa at 6:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 2, 2011
Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup quinoa, (see Note)
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* Pinch of cayenne pepper
* 1 small mango, diced (see Tip)
* 1 small red bell pepper, diced
* 1 cup canned black beans, (see Tips for Two), rinsed
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation
1. Toast quinoa in a small dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly. Return the quinoa to the pot and add water. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk orange juice, cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, bell pepper, beans and scallions; toss to coat.
3. When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine.
Serving Size: 2 cups Yield 2 servings
Nutrition
Per serving : 422 Calories; 9 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 74 g Carbohydrates; 15 g Protein; 19 g Fiber; 258 mg Sodium; 642 mg Potassium
Source: Eating Well
Posted by Lisa at 7:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack