Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today

Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training

I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Tricks and Recipes for Make-Ahead Meals

Make-ahead meals let you serve home-cooked dishes even on the most hectic day.

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Feature

Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD

Action-packed weeknights, overscheduled weekends, days when you have too much to do before guests come over or before you go to someone else’s house with a dish in hand — there are plenty of times when “make-ahead” meals can come to the rescue.

Make-ahead meals put you in control of your schedule. You do the preparation when you have some extra time, then you’re rewarded with a quick, home-cooked meal when things get hectic later in the day, week, or month.

Since dinnertime is often a hectic time for families, Janice Bissex, RD, author of The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers, says it can really help for moms or dads to make all or part of the meal in advance.

“Prepping ingredients to toss together at the last minute or assembling the full meal for reheating can make the dinner hour more relaxed and manageable,” Bissex tells WebMD in an email interview.

There are several ways to make your meals ahead of time. You can assemble them early and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to pop them in the oven. Or you can completely cook your meal, freeze or refrigerate it, then just warm it up at mealtime. Some make-ahead meals don’t even require baking — like main-dish green salads or pasta salads.

Paulette Mitchell, author of 13 cookbooks including A Beautiful Bowl of Soup, says her favorite strategy for make-ahead meals is to plan a soup and salad menu.

“All soups often benefit from being made ahead because standing time allows the flavors to blend,” she says. Further, she says, most homemade salad dressings taste better when they are made a day in advance.

If you’ve got a slow cooker, you’ve got a leg up on make-ahead meals. Judith Finlayson, author of The Healthy Slow Cooker, calls the slow cooker the most effective time manager a cook can have.

“You can get all the ingredients prepped and even partially cooked, in most cases for up to two days ahead,” she says.

Many slow-cooker recipes are suited to being prepared ahead of time, she says. Slow-cooker dishes like stews and chili also lend themselves to being frozen or refrigerated and reheated.

“You can do “big batch” cooking and have dinner for a second night during the week,” she says. “Eat a portion on the day it is cooked, and freeze the rest for future meals.”

Make-Ahead Meals for Breakfast or Brunch

Here are four make-ahead breakfast or brunch options for the next time you have to feed a crowd fast first thing in the morning:

1. Crepes. Just cook the crepes the day before and keep them in a sealed bag — or wrapped well in foil — in the refrigerator. Fill them with a mixture of fruits or assorted jams the next morning. Or add a ham and cheese filling, then heat them up. You can have the filling ingredients chopped and shredded and ready to go the night before, too.

2. Strata. Strata is an overnight breakfast entree by design. You’re supposed to let it sit in the refrigerator, then bake in the morning. Thus it’s a perfect make-ahead option.

3. Quiche. Quiche can be served warm or cold. Just bake it the day before, and, if you want to serve it warm, heat it up in the microwave.

4. Breakfast Breads, Coffee Cakes, and Muffins. You can always make bakery items ahead and serve them cold or warmed up in the microwave. To round out the breakfast or brunch, have fresh fruit ready to serve with it. You might also want to cook up a plate of light breakfast sausage, grilled Canadian bacon, or lean ham — all of which can be warmed up in the microwave in two minutes.

Make-Ahead Meals for Dinner

Here are a few dinner dishes that are well suited to making ahead of time:

* Most casserole-type dishes lend themselves to being made ahead, like tuna noodle casserole, au gratin style potatoes, chicken enchiladas, or a creamy chicken and rice dish.
* Stew-type dishes, cooked and kept in the refrigerator, are ideal for warming up on demand — a serving or two (or more) at a time.
* If the ingredients are already cooked, cut, and ready, you can toss main-dish green salad together in less than 5 minutes.
* Chilled pasta and rice salads (and salads made with other whole grains) are perfect when you need a cool dish to serve with virtually no time to spare.
* Some mostly meat (or fish) dishes, like meatloaf, chicken Parmesan, and crab cakes, can also be made ahead and then cooked or reheated.

Recipes for Make-Ahead Meals

To get you thinking of all the dishes that you can make now and eat later, here are a few entree recipes to get you started!

Ragu Bolognese

This sauce tastes even better the day after you make it. Just keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator and warm it up to serve over hot noodles. You can even make the noodles ahead of time and warm both up together when the time is right.

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1/3 cup minced carrot
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
2 ounces pancetta bacon, finely chopped
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half or whole or low-fat milk
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (or bottled marinara sauce)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
5 cups cooked and drained whole-grain blend spaghetti noodles

* Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and saute until soft. Add beef and pancetta, stir, and cook the vegetable-meat mixture until meat is nicely brown (about 15 minutes). While it’s cooking, break the beef up into smaller pieces with spatula or spoon.
* Pour in the half-and-half or milk, and cook until most of the milk has evaporated (about 5 minutes).
* Add to slow cooker and stir in tomato sauce and beef broth. Cook on LOW for at least 3 hours (but will be fine for 8-10 hours). Or, stir the tomato sauce and broth into the large saucepan with the meat and vegetable mixture, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
* Meanwhile, start boiling water for the pasta. Add noodles and boil until al dente (just barely tender) and drain well. Serve meat sauce over cooked and drained noodles.

Yield: 5 servings
Per serving: 399 calories, 27 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 7 g fiber, 930 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 28%.

Chicken Florentine Pie

2 cups shredded, skinless roasted chicken breast (you can use a roasted chicken from the store)
2 cups cooked brown rice (you could also use 1 pouch of microwavable frozen brown rice, or instant brown rice)
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon parsley flakes or 2 teaspoons fresh, finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped sweet or white onion (or chopped green onion)
10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed in microwave and drained well
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons prepared pesto (i.e. from frozen section), OPTIONAL

* If baking right away, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with canola cooking spray.
* Add shredded chicken, brown rice, herbs, onion, spinach, ricotta cheese, pepper, and Parmesan to large mixing bowl and gently mix together well with spoon.
* Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Keep the covered dish in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
* When ready to bake, place covered dish in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil; spread pesto over the top of the dish, and bake about 10 minutes longer.

Yield: 6 servings
Per serving (without pesto): 260 calories, 26 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 7.8 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 61 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 175 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 27%. (With pesto): 299 calories, 27 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 227 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 34%.

Alfredo Potato Lasagna

If you want to make eight servings of this dish, double the ingredients and use a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. To make it ahead of time, just prepare the dish up to Step 5. I used Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo (in 16-ounce jar) for the recipe and it worked very well. If you don’t want to use tuna, you can substitute 1 1/2-cups of any shredded meat, such as roasted chicken or grilled salmon.

3/4 cup (6 ounces) bottled Alfredo sauce (choose a brand with no more than 6 grams fat per 1/4 cup serving)
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut widthwise into 1/8-inch thick slices
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more if you like)
12-ounce can albacore tuna (in water), drained
1 cup frozen peas or edamame, lightly thawed
1 cup shredded part-skim Jarlsberg or reduced-fat Swiss cheese (or use gruyere, smoked gouda, or white cheddar)

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees if you’re baking the dish right away. Coat a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
* Add Alfredo sauce and milk to a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Spread a heaping 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer one-third of the potatoes over the sauce and sprinkle with a dash or two of pepper.
* Add Parmesan cheese, tuna, peas or edamame, and shredded cheese to a large bowl and toss to mix well. Spread half the tuna mixture over the potatoes in the dish. Top with a heaping 1/4 cup of sauce, then half the remaining potato slices. Top with more black pepper and the remaining tuna mixture.
* Finish by spreading a heaping 1/4 cup of the sauce on top, then the remaining potato slices. Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top. If you aren’t baking right away, cover with foil and keep in refrigerator until ready to bake.
* When ready to bake, keep the dish covered with foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then uncover the dish, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake about 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings
Per serving (using Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo): 342 calories, 26 g protein, 36.5 g carbohydrate, 10.8 g fat, 4.8 g saturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 5.5 g fiber, 534 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 28%.

Published September 7, 2007.

SOURCES: Judith Finlayson, author, The Healthy Slow Cooker. Paulette Mitchell, author, A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. Janice Bissex, MS, RD, author, The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers.

Last Editorial Review: 9/7/2007

© 2009 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Vegetable of the Month: Edible Cactus!

Public Information from the CDC
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

Edible cactus is also known as nopales (no-PAHles), nopalitos or cactus pads. This vegetable is popular in Mexico and other Central American countries, parts of Europe, the Middle East, India, North Africa and Australia. Its popularity is increasing in the United States where it can be found at Mexican grocery stores, specialty produce markets and farmer’s markets.

Edible cactus is characterized by its fleshy oval leaves (typically called pads or paddles) of the nopal (prickly pear) cactus.

With a soft but crunchy texture that also becomes a bit sticky (not unlike okra) when cooked, edible cactus tastes similar to a slightly tart green bean, asparagus, or green pepper.

Cactus pads contain beta carotene, iron, some B vitamins, and are good sources of both vitamin C and calcium.
What is the difference between cactus leaves (edible cactus or nopales)and the prickly pear?

As part of the cactus plant, the prickly pear is a fruit that is 2 to 4 inches long and shaped like an avocado. Its skin is coarse and thick, not unlike an avocados and it ranges in color from yellow or orange to magenta or red. Tubercles with small prickly spines can be found on the prickly pear’s skin. This fruit’s flesh, which ranges in color also from yellow to dark red, is sweet and juicy with crunchy seeds throughout.

The prickly pear can be diced like pineapple and used as a topping on yogurt or cereal or blended into a smoothie.

Availability, Selection, and Storage

Edible cactus is available year-round with a peak in the mid-spring and the best season from early spring through late fall. When buying edible cactus, choose small, firm, pale green cacti with no wrinkling. Be sure to pick cacti that are not limp or dry. Very small paddles may require more cleaning because their larger proportion of prickers and eyes.

Edible cactus can be refrigerated for more than a week if wrapped tightly in plastic.
Edible cactus is also sold as:

* Canned - pickled or packed in water
* Acitrones - candied nopales, packed in sugar syrup and available in cans or jars.

Cactus (Serving Size: 86 g)
Amounts Per Serving
% Daily Value
Calories 15
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g
0%
Sodium 20mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate 3g
1%
Dietary Fiber —g
—%
Sugars —g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A
8%
Vitamin C
15%
Calcium
15%
Iron
2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Preparation

The edible cactus you buy should be de-spined though you will need to trim the “eyes,” to remove any remaining prickers, and outside edges of the pads with a vegetable peeler. Trim off any dry or fibrous areas and rinse thoroughly to remove any stray prickers and sticky fluid.

Edible cactus can be eaten raw or cooked. To cook, steam over boiling water for just a few minutes (if cooked too long they will lose their crunchy texture). Then slice and eat! Cactus can also be cut and sauteed in butter or oil for a few minutes.

Steamed cactus can be added to scrambled eggs and omelets, or diced fresh and added to tortillas. They can also be substituted for any cooked green in most dishes.

The pads can be served as a side dish or cooled and used in salads. They taste especially good with Mexican recipes that include tomatoes, hot peppers and fresh corn.
Make Edible Cactus Part of Your 5 A Day Plan

* Cut up and add to salads.
* Dice and add to your favorite salsa recipe or any store
* bought salsa.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

‘No-Fry’ Fried Foods

Deep-fried favorites get a nutritional makeover, and taste yummy!

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

Do you, like so many of us, often find yourself tempted by foods deep-fried in a vat of fat: potato chips, fried chicken, corn dogs, French fries? Well, I say: Why be tempted? Give your favorite fried foods a makeover, and you’ve got (with only a few exceptions) to-die-for-tasting, oven-fried foods that won’t make those jeans feel tight.

Take a look at the “before” and “after” nutritional profiles of a couple fried foods I’ve lightened up:

Fried Chicken
KFC Extra-Crispy chicken breast Elaine’s oven-fried chicken breast
Calories — 460 Calories — 261
Fat — 28 grams Fat — 8 grams
Saturated fat 8 grams Saturated fat 2 grams
Carbs 19 grams Carbs 13 grams
Protein 34 grams Protein 32 grams

SAVINGS: About 199 calories and 20 grams of fat per serving!

Garlic Fries
Ballpark garlic fries Elaine’s oven-fried garlic fries
Calories — 490 Calories — 256
Fat — 28 grams Fat 7.7 grams
Saturated fat 10 grams Saturated fat 3.3 grams
Carbs 56 grams Carbs 42.3 grams
Protein 4 grams Protein 5.9 grams

SAVINGS: About 230 calories and 20 grams of fat per serving!

Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Health Benefits

Obviously, oven-frying has countless health benefits for people with heart disease and for those carrying around a few extra pounds. Oven-frying is also less likely to cause discomfort in people who suffer from irritable bowel or acid reflux — or any other medical condition in which greasy, high-fat foods can cause big problems.

It’s All in the Crunch

What makes fried foods so irresistible? We all know why: It’s the CAAARUNCH! But after 15 years of lightening recipes, I’ve found that anything a deep-fat fryer can do, your oven can do just as well most of the time, and sometimes even better.

Whether it’s fried chicken, french fries, or beef flautas, you can get that crunch when you oven-fry. And you can achieve that mouth-watering “crispy on the outside, moist on the inside” eating experience.

It is a bit of a trade-off, though. What you lose in calories and fat grams, you gain in cooking time. If you’re willing to try these oven-frying techniques and add a few more minutes to your prep time, you can have your fried chicken and eat it, too.
“Anything a deep-fat fryer can do, your oven can do just as well?”

Flawless Faux-Frying Techniques

Almost anything that’s traditionally coated in crumbs — chicken nuggets, fish sticks, crab cakes — can be oven-fried, often with the same crumb mixture. I use these 6 techniques to create tasty, lower-fat, oven-fried foods:

* Use a small amount of oil to coat the surface of the food, then brown in the oven instead of deep frying.
* Add moisture to meat by marinating it in buttermilk, then oven-fry.
* Give fried yeast breads like donuts time to rise on their own. Coat the outside with canola cooking spray and brown in the oven.
* Batters offer a bit of a challenge, but you can do two things: First, sometimes you can thicken the batter with a starch ingredient so it stands up better to oven-frying — versus a thinner batter that is deep-fried in hot oil to cook quickly. Second, you can change from a wet batter to a drier crumb coating (crumb coatings generally oven-fry very well.)
* Make a crispy crust by adding crispy ingredients to the outside of the food, then oven-fry, instead of deep-frying in hot oil.
* Broil foods to quickly add color and a crispy texture.

Finger-Lickin’ Oven-Fried Chicken

Use techniques 1, 2, and 6 with this recipe. Marinate skinless chicken pieces in buttermilk and coat with a seasoned flour mixture, then spray with canola cooking spray, and bake in the oven, followed with a quick turn under the broiler. This chicken is great cold, too!

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (cayenne red pepper can be substituted — increase to 1 teaspoon if extra “heat” is desired)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Canola cooking spray

* Remove skin from chicken pieces and discard. Combine chicken pieces and buttermilk in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Refrigerate sealed bag in a medium-size bowl for several hours or overnight.
* Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add flour, chipotle pepper, cumin, salt, and white pepper to a new gallon-sized, zip-top bag or medium-size shallow bowl. Stir with fork to blend ingredients well.
* Remove a piece of chicken from buttermilk and gently shake off excess buttermilk. Immediately dip chicken into flour mixture; coat well. Holding chicken piece over a plate, spray top and bottom well with canola cooking spray. Dip chicken piece into flour mixture a second time and spray again with canola cooking spray. Place chicken bone-side down onto a cookie sheet.
* Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
* Bake until chicken is cooked throughout and coating is golden brown (about 25-30 minutes). Switch the oven to broil, and broil the chicken 6 inches from the heat for a minute or two (until outside of chicken is nicely browned), watching very carefully so as not to burn.

Makes 4 servings

PER SERVING: 261 calories, 32 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 3.2 g monounsaturated fat, 1.9 g polyunsaturated fat), 92 mg cholesterol, 0.5 g fiber, 365 mg sodium, 2 mg iron, 35 mg calcium. Calories from fat: 29%

Garlic Fries

Use cooking technique 2. Toss cut potatoes with a small amount of canola oil in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Lay the fries flat on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with seasonings. Garlic fries are popular at ballparks across the country. This is a lighter rendition using a lot less oil AND a lot less butter.

Canola cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (canola oil if possible)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
2 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic (or 4 garlic cloves, minced)
1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian or regular parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray.
* Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat.
* Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.
* Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet; cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Makes 3 servings

PER SERVING: 256 calories, 6 g protein, 42.3 g carbohydrate, 7.7 g fat (3.3 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g fiber, 243 mg sodium, 55 mg calcium. Calories from fat: 27%.

Originally published June 27, 2003
Medically updated Nov. 18, 2004.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Hibiscus Tea May Cut Blood Pressure

Study Shows Drinking 3 Cups a Day Can Lower Hypertension

By Charlene Laino
WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
Latest High Blood Pressure News

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* Want More News? Sign Up for MedicineNet Newsletters!

Nov. 10, 2008 (New Orleans) — If you’re worried about your blood pressure, you may want to follow the British custom of regularly “sipping a cuppa” — tea, that is.

In a new study, drinking three cups of herbal tea containing hibiscus each day lowered blood pressure.

“Most of the commercial herbal tea blends in the United States contain hibiscus,” says Diane L. McKay, PhD, of Tufts University in Boston. She tells WebMD that people with the highest blood pressure at the start of the six-week study benefited the most.

McKay presented the study of 65 healthy men and women with modestly elevated blood pressure at the American Heart Association (AHA) meeting here.

Overall, drinking hibiscus tea blends lowered systolic blood pressure — the top number in the blood pressure reading — by an average of 7 points. That was significantly more than the 1-point drop observed in people who were given a placebo in the form of hibiscus-flavored water, McKay says.

While a 7-point drop in blood pressure might not seem like much, she says studies have shown that “even small changes in blood pressure ... when maintained over time ... will reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.”

Past AHA president Robert H. Eckel, MD, says that more study is needed to determine whether herbal tea’s blood-pressure-lowering effect can actually be sustained over the long haul.

The degree of blood pressure lowering associated with tea drinking in the study was as much as would be expected with standard blood pressure drugs, he says.
Legumes Help Lower Cholesterol Levels

Other research presented at the meeting suggested that eating a diet rich in pinto beans, chickpeas, and other legumes may help to lower cholesterol levels.

“Based on our findings, [I’d suggest you] consume at least three cups of dry beans and peas, or legumes, a week,” says researcher Lydia A. Bazzano, MD, of Tulane University in New Orleans.

Past research has shown that eating soy-rich products may help to control cholesterol levels, but little was known about the non-soy legumes that are more popular in the U.S., she says.

To fill in the knowledge gap, Bazzano and colleagues pooled and analyzed results of 12 studies involving nearly 300 men and women.

Most of them had “undesirable cholesterol levels,” she says. Their average total cholesterol level was 250 points at the start of the study; their average LDL, or bad, cholesterol was 172 points.

Total cholesterol in those who ate a legume-rich diet for at least three weeks dropped by an average of 14 points compared to those on placebo. LDL cholesterol dropped by an average of 11 points more in the group eating lots of beans.
High-Fat Diets May Raise Heart Failure Risk

Other research showed that high-fat diets rich in processed meats and cheeses may affect measures of heart failure.

Failing to eat enough vegetables, soy, and fish can have the same effect, says Longjian Liu, MD, of Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia.

Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, was associated with improved blood vessel function, other research showed.

Eckel shares these tips for a heart-healthy diet:

* Eat fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables and fruits without high-calorie sauces and added salt and sugars.
* Increase fiber intake by eating beans, whole-grain products, fruits, and vegetables.
* Use liquid vegetable oils in place of solid fats.
* Limit beverages and foods high in added sugars. Common forms of added sugars are sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrups, concentrated fruit juice, and honey.
* Choose foods made with whole grains. Common forms of whole grains are whole wheat, oats/oatmeal, rye, barley, corn, popcorn, brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat, triticale, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa, and sorghum.
* Cut back on pastries and high-calorie bakery products such as muffins and doughnuts.
* Select milk and dairy products that are either fat free or low-fat.
* Incorporate vegetable-based meat substitutes into favorite recipes.
* Encourage the consumption of whole vegetables and fruits in place of juices.

SOURCES: American Heart Association Scientific Session 2008, New Orleans, Nov. 8-12, 2008. Diane L. McKay, PhD, Tufts University, Boston. Lydia A. Bazzano, MD, Tulane University, New Orleans. Longjian Liu, MD, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia. Robert H. Eckel, MD, former president, American Heart Association.

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Microwave Cooking: Tips & Recipes (cont.)

Plastic Wrap Concerns

What about cooking foods in or under plastic wrap - is it safe?

“There’s no question that chemicals in plastic can migrate from the wrap into the food it comes in contact with,” editors with the Environmental Nutrition newsletter wrote in a recent article. “More debatable is what effect these chemicals have on your health.”

It seems that one particular resin that helps make the wrap stretchy and clingy — polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — contains the plasticizers (DEHA diethylhexyladipate) that may be linked to hormonal abnormalities in animals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, maintains that the amount of plasticizer that may migrate into food is safe.

An article in the FDA Consumer magazine asserts that DEHA exposure may occur when eating certain foods that have been wrapped in plastics — especially fatty foods such as meat and cheese — but that the exposure levels are very low.

“The levels of the plasticizer that might be consumed as a result of plastic film use are well below the levels showing no toxic effect in animal studies,” the article says.

In its April 2004 issue, Environmental Nutrition named two wraps that do not contain the plasticizers: Glad Cling Wrap and Saran Cling Plus Clear.

But no matter what plastic wrap you buy, it makes sense to avoid using it in the microwave because other options are easily available. Cover your food with a sheet of wax paper or microwave-safe paper towels, or use a hard plastic cover made especially for the microwave (these sell for a few dollars at kitchen stores).

3 Microwave Recipes

Here’s a side dish perfect for summer, an easy vegetarian entree, and a dynamite dessert.

Summer Succotash

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic Members: Journal as 1/2 cup vegetables without added fat + 1/2 cup starchy foods and legumes without added fat.

2 cups corn (frozen or cut off the cob)
2 cups shelled edamame (green soybeans, available frozen)
1 large, ripe tomato, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon whipped butter or less-fat margarine (optional)

* Add corn and edamame to microwave-safe dish and toss to blend. Microwave on HIGH for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are nice and hot.
* Stir in the chopped tomato, salt and pepper, and whipped butter or margarine if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Per serving: 176 calories, 13 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, .8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.3 g fiber, 23 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 30%.

Barley Eggplant Bake

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic Members: Journal as 1 1/2 cups “hearty stew, chili, bean soup” OR 1 portion “light frozen pasta or rice dish with meat or fish or vegetarian with light sauce” + 1 ounce low-fat cheese.

The trick here is cooking the barley ahead of time so that all you have to do is assemble the dish and pop in the microwave.

3 cups cooked pearl barley (cook in chicken broth for color and flavor)
3/4 sweet or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (flavored olive oil works well)
1 1/2 teaspoon Garlic & Herb Mrs. Dash (salt-free herb seasoning blend)
Black pepper (to taste)
3 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup shredded or 4 thin slices)

* Spoon cooked barley evenly into the bottom of a microwave-safe, 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate (or similar casserole dish). Spread half of the onion slices evenly over the barley. Layer the eggplant slices to cover the barley completely.
* Drizzle eggplant and rice mixture with the olive oil, then sprinkle the Garlic & Herb blend over the top. Spread the remaining onion slices over the top of the eggplant. Cover with a microwave-safe cover and cook on HIGH about 12 minutes (the eggplant should be soft and cooked throughout).
* Layer the sliced or shredded cheese over the top and cook on HIGH, covered or uncovered, for exactly 1 minute longer (just until cheese is nicely melted).

Yield: 3 servings

Per serving: 341 calories, 13 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 3.8 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 10 g fiber, 157 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 26%.

Fruit and Cream Crisp

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic Members: Journal as 1 portion medium dessert + 1 portion fresh fruit.

2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 teaspoon sugar or Splenda
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup sliced or diced fresh fruit (like peaches, berries, or cherry halves)
A pinch or two of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup low-fat granola
1/8 cup light vanilla ice cream or nonfat frozen yogurt (optional)

* Add cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to a medium/large microwave-safe dessert cup (like a Pyrex custard cup) and stir with a fork to blend. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on bottom of the cup, then top with the fruit of choice.
* Sprinkle some cinnamon over the top of your fruit, then cover with granola. Cover with a microwave-safe cover and microwave on HIGH until fruit and cream cheese are lightly bubbling (1 1/2 to 2 minutes). Serve as is or slightly cooled, or top the warm dessert with a cookie scoop of light vanilla ice cream or nonfat frozen yogurt.

Yield: 1 serving

Per serving (with sugar): 290 calories, 7 g protein, 49 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 186 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 25 g.

Please see our entire collection of healthy recipes.

Published June 02, 2006.

SOURCES: The Food Lover’s Companion, 2nd edition, 1995, by Sharon Tyler Herbst. Environmental Nutrition, April 2004. FDA Consumer magazine, Nov-Dec 2002. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, November 2003: Volume 83, Issue 14, 1511-1516. Timothy H. Cole, executive vice president, Belvoir Media Group. Janet McDonald, public affairs specialist, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, San Francisco District Office.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Indoor Grilling: Tips and Recipes

With an indoor grill, you can whip up healthy grilled food no matter what the weather.

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

After a summer enjoying your favorite grilled foods, it’s hard to give them up, isn’t it? You can get a nice grilled flavor without the outdoors fuss with my favorite fall appliance — the indoor grill.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard of at least one particular brand of indoor grill — the George Foreman grills. These two-sided electric grills have detachable, nonstick plates (top and bottom) with raised edges that make the traditional grill marks. This type of grill has been around for about 10 years, each year bringing new models and new improvements.

If you’re looking to buy an indoor grill, there are basically two things you need to know: whether it makes a difference to you if the temperature is adjustable (some grills have only one heat setting), and how much grilling space you need. Some grills have enough space to cook for four, others with enough to prepare just two servings.

There are two styles of electric grills to choose from: The open grill, on which the food is cooked from the bottom and needs to be flipped, and the contact grill, where the lid cooks the topside of the food. Here are some details about both:

1. Open Grill Style. If you get this type of indoor grill, make sure you choose one that comes with a lid (most of them do). It gives you more grilling options and keeps the smoke and steam contained. Some examples of the open grill are the DeLonghi Alfredo Healthy Grill BG24 and the DeLonghi Perfecto Indoor Grill, the Sanyo Smokeless Indoor Grill, and the BonJour Power 1800 Reversible Grill and Griddle.

2. Contact Grill Style. Make sure the top and bottom grill pieces detach easily so you can easily wash them by hand or in the dishwasher. And here’s a bonus: a contact grill easily doubles as a panini sandwich maker. Some brands include Cuisinart Griddler GR-4, George Foreman, Hamilton Beach MealMaker Express Grill, and the Krups Universal Grill and Panini Maker.

The contact grill is particularly good at cooking:

* fish fillets
* steaks
* pork chops
* hamburgers
* vegetables

Is Indoor Grilling Safer?

You may have read that outdoor grills can produce chemicals (heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) that increase your risk of certain cancers. And the smoke from burning coals and dripping fat just add to the danger.

Think about it — using an indoor electric grill eliminates the burning coals, the smoke, and the dripping fat that cause those nasty flare-ups.

Is Indoor Grilling Healthier?

Most contact grills are designed with a slant so liquids drip from the food, off the grill, and into a tray. But I’ve found that it’s mostly watery juices from the meat or vegetables I’m grilling that end up dripping off. If you start with lean meat, there will be precious little fat collecting in the tray.

And I’ve got to say if you’re grilling meat with some visible fat in an outdoor grill, the same amount of “fat” is probably going to drip off there, too. There just isn’t a tray to show you how much liquid melted off.

Indoor Grilling Recipes

Here are a handful of recipes to help you think outside the indoor grilling box. There’s a rub for pork chops, an easy rendition of an old favorite (chicken Parmesan), and a new way to cook up portabella mushrooms.

Sweet & Spicy Pork Chops

You’ll have about 5 teaspoons of the rub left over for another time. If you don’t want to use Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, use 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar instead.

2 tablespoons Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless pork top loin center cut chops, extra-thin cut (1/3-inch thick)
Canola cooking spray

* Preheat indoor grill according to manufacturer’s instructions.
* Add the brown sugar blend, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt to a small cup and mix with small spoon to blend well.
* Coat both sides of 4 pork chops with canola cooking spray and lay them on the bottom plate of the grill. Spread a teaspoon of the rub over the top of each of the cutlets on the grill. Lower the top (if using a contact grill) and cook for 3 minutes (4 minutes if you like them well done).
* Repeat previous step with the remaining chops. Place leftover rub in a plastic bag or small covered container. Serve pork chops in sandwiches, as an entree, or in a main-dish salad.

Yield: 4 servings (two thin cutlets per serving)

Per serving: 180 calories, 24 g protein, 4.5 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 178 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 37%.

Garlic and Herb Portabella Mushrooms

4 portabella mushrooms, stems removed, rinsed and dried well
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons diced shallots (freeze-dried diced shallots can be used)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons finely diced fresh basil (freeze dried can be used)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely diced fresh chives (freeze dried can be used)
Salt and pepper as desired (optional)

* Preheat indoor grill according to manufacturer’s directions.
* Place the mushroom caps, round side down, on a plate. Add the olive oil, shallots, garlic, basil and chives to a custard cup and stir with a small spoon to blend well.
* Spread the olive oil herb mixture evenly over the tops (the flat side) of the mushrooms with the small spoon.
* Place mushrooms, flat side up, in grill and lower the top (if using a contact grill). Cook about 5 minutes. Serve as a side dish (sprinkle with grated cheese if desired) or as the filling in a sandwich.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 50 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 3.6 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 3 mg sodium (more if salt is added). Calories from fat: 60%.

Quick Fix Chicken Parmesan

2 large (or 4 small) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper as desired
1/3 to 1/2 cup bottled marinara sauce or pizza sauce
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 ounces thinly sliced or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

* Preheat indoor grill according to manufacturer’s directions.
* If using large chicken breasts, cut in half so they are half as thick, to make 4 thin breasts. Lightly coat both sides of each breast with olive oil. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper as desired (I used about 1/4 teaspoon).
* Add chicken breasts to the grill and lower lid if using a contact grill. Cook for about 6 minutes or until chicken is nicely brown on the outside — and moist and fully cooked on the inside.
* Place chicken breasts on a foil-lined toaster oven pan (if using toaster oven) or cookie sheet (if using the regular oven broiler). Top each breast with 1 1/2 tablespoons of marinara or pizza sauce, then 1/2 tablespoon of Parmesan and 1/2 ounce of thinly sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese (1/8 cup). Broil in toaster oven or regular oven until cheese is nicely melted (about 2 minutes).
* Serve as an entree or serve on a toasted whole-wheat bun as a sandwich.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 216 calories, 31 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 0.5 g fiber, 239 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 35%.

Amaretto & Spice Nectarines

2 nectarines
4 teaspoons amaretto liqueur
1 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/3 cup light vanilla ice cream (optional)

* Preheat indoor grill according to manufacturer’s directions.
* Cut nectarines in half and remove the pit. With a small serrated knife, cut into each half from the flesh side, going halfway to the skin, in a tic-tac-toe pattern.
* Drizzle a teaspoon of amaretto over each half. Lightly coat the top and bottom of nectarine halves with canola cooking spray and place skin side down on bottom plate of your indoor grill.
* Lower the top of the grill (if using a contact grill) and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove peach halves, placing two on each dessert plate. Sprinkle the top of each half with a fourth of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top each serving with a cookie scoop of light vanilla ice cream, if desired, or enjoy as is.

Yield: 2 servings

Per serving: 114 calories, 1 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 1 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 5%.

Published September 18, 2007.

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, is the “Recipe Doctor” for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic and the author of numerous books on nutrition and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Vegetable of the Month: Chili Peppers

WebMD Public Information from the CDC

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

Hot peppers (chilies) are often used to spice up dishes, and they are especially popular in ethnic cuisine including Mexican, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Arab and Spanish cooking. Chilies are an excellent source of vitamin C if you can withstand their powerful bite.

Chili Peppers
Serving Size: 46g
Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 10
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 50mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 4%
Vitamin C 60%
Calcium 2%
Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Contrary to popular belief, the hottest part of the chili pepper is not the seeds but where the seed attaches to the white membrane inside the pepper. This area has the highest concentration of capsaicinoids. Capsaicinoids are flavorless, odorless substances that act on pain receptors in the mouth and throat. Capsaicin is the primary capsaicinoid. Capsaicinoids can be found throughout the flesh of chili peppers though their concentration varies in different areas so that one part of a pepper may be hot and another part of the same pepper quite mild.

The seeds are often hot because they are in such close contact with the white membrane.

There are several varieties of chili peppers (see box below) and each differs in flavor and heat intensity. Even within each variety, there may differences in how “hot” each particular chili is. Typically, larger chilies are more mild because they contain less seeds and white membrane in proportion to their size. Most varieties can be found dried, canned, or fresh.

Anaheim Chili Anaheim (California Green Chile or Long Green Chile): One of the most commonly used varieties in the United States, especially in stuffed chiles. This chili is long, slender and lobed, green or red in color and mildly hot. They can be eaten when green or when they are their mature red color.

Ancho Chili Ancho: Dried or fresh poblano pepper. Dried anchos are flat, wrinkled, and heart shaped. They range in color from very dark red to almost black. Anchos are mild to moderately hot and often soaked and ground for use in sauces.

Cascabel Chili Cascabel: Green or red, small and round, moderately hot and typically available dried. When dried, their skin turns a translucent red-brown color and their seeds rattle inside.

Cayenne Chili Cayenne (Long Hots): Red when fully mature, long (6 to 10 inches), thin and straight or curled at the tips. Very hot. Cayenne can be found dried and ground into a powder that is seen as generic “red pepper” in the spice aisle.

Cherry Chili Cherry: Round and red like a cherry. Sold fresh or pickled in jars, these peppers range from mild to moderately hot.

Abanero Chili Habanero (Scotch Bonnet): Typically yellow-orange but they can be green, red, or orange. These peppers are lantern shaped and typically about 2 inches long. The hottest pepper grown commercially; intense fiery flavor; a unique floral flavor and an extremely intense heat that affects the nasal passages.

Hungarian Chili Hungarian: These peppers start out yellow and ripen to orange or red; they are moderately hot.
Jalapeno Chili Jalapeno: Most often green when mature but sometimes red, these peppers are about 2 inches in length with cracks around their stems. They are very hot, with an immediate bite. Jalape?os are sold canned, sliced, and pickled and are added to many products during processing including sausage, cheese, and jelly.

Poblano Chili Poblano: Ancho peppers that are green. Poblano peppers look like small bell peppers and are mild to hot in taste. They are often roasted and peeled prior to being used in soups, sauces, casseroles or even stuffed with meat and cheese for a dish called chilies rellenos.

Serrano Chili Serrano: Sold red or mature green and about 1 to 4 inches in length. Moderate to very hot with an intense bite. Serrano chilis are often used in Thai cooking and they are also quite popular in Mexico and the southwestern United States.

Availability, Selection, and Storage

Chili peppers are available year round and in the United States they are grown in California, New Mexico and Texas. When selecting chilies, look for firm, glossy chilies with taut, unwrinkled skin and fresh green stems. Dried hot peppers should be glossy yet unbroken.

Chilies should be stored unwashed and wrapped in paper towels in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Dried chilies should be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for a maximum of four months. To keep dried chilies for more than four months, store them in the refrigerator.

Preparation

It is very important not to touch your nose, eyes or mouth after handling or eating hot peppers. If you do, flush with water immediately. The capsaicin in the peppers can be extremely painful to your eyes and can even burn or irritate your skin (especially if you have cuts on your hands).

If possible, wear thin rubber gloves while preparing chili peppers. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water when done working with chilies. If the bite is too strong when you eat a chili, chew on bread or another starchy food; water only makes the bite worse as it spreads it. To decrease the heat intensity of chilies, wash them, cut them open and remove the seeds and veins. Also, soaking cut up chilies in salt water for at least an hour will help cool them off.

To add a mild pepper flavor to your dish, poke holes in the chili of your choice with a toothpick (or cut slits in it) and add it to a food that is already cooking. When cooking is complete, remove the chili from the dish.

Chilies can also be roasted whole over a gas stove, broiler, or on a grill. Use a cooking fork to hold each pepper over flame. Turn frequently until the chili’s skin is blackened. After cooking is complete, place chilies in a paper or plastic bag for 15 minutes. Scrape off skin, cut off stem and pull out core. Scrape any remaining seeds.

Preparing Dried Hot Peppers

Use a damp cloth to wipe peppers. Grind chilies in a food processor for use as chili powder. To soften their texture and make their flavor more mild, soak chili peppers in water prior to using.

Make Chili Peppers Part of Your 5 A Day Plan

* Cut up and add to pizza as a topping!
* Dice and add to your favorite salsa recipe or any store bought salsa.
* Chop finely and add to salads.
* Serve as a garnish next to a meal and eat the garnish!
* Add to stews and soups for a stronger flavor.
* Sprinkle chopped hot peppers into meat loaf, tomato sauce or macaroni and cheese.
* Cook in corn bread for a zesty jalape?o corn bread.

Chili Pepper Recipes

Roasted Pepper & Banana Relish

Each serving equals two 5 A Day servings
Source: Wegmans

1 medium (about 1/2 lb) green pepper
4 bananas, diced fine (about 2 cups)
1/2 Tbsp mint leaves, chopped fine
3 Tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, diced fine (wear gloves)
1 medium (about 1/2 lb) red sweet pepper, cored, seeded, diced fine

* Preheat grill on HIGH 10 for minutes.
* Clean grill with wire brush; using soft cloth, coat grill lightly with vegetable oil.
* Grill whole green pepper to char all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove from grill; place in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest 5 minutes. Remove from bowl; peel, core, seed, and dice.
* Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Relish can be served with hot dogs, grilled fish and meats and many other dishes!

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 116, Protein 2g, Fat 4g, Calories From Fat 30%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 21g, Fiber 2g, Sodium 10mg.

Salsa Fresca

Each serving equals one 5 A Day servings
Source: Wegmans

2 lbs extra lean ground beef
1 lb hot lean Italian sausage
11/2 cups onion (diced large)
11/2 cups green pepper (diced large)
1 cup celery (diced large)
1 Tbsp jalapeno pepper (minced)
2 Tbsp garlic (minced)
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
6 ozs low sodium tomato paste
4 cups salt-free beef stock
3 cups fresh tomatoes (diced large)
15 ozs low sodium tomato sauce
2 cups zucchini (diced large)
2 cups yellow squash (diced large)
1 1/2 cups low sodium dark red kidney beans (canned)
1 1/2 cups low sodium black beans (canned)
salt and black pepper to taste

* This meal can be cooked in a crock pot (add all ingredients and cook for on low for 1 hour or longer).
* Brown ground beef and sausage in a large pot, remove grease and add onions, peppers, celery, jalapeno, and garlic. Saute over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add dry spices and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes.
* Add tomato paste, beef stock, tomato sauce, and fresh tomatoes and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
* Add beans, zucchini and squash and cook for 20 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 396, Protein 43g, Fat 12g, Calories From Fat 27%, Cholesterol 94mg, Carbohydrates 34g, Fiber 10g, Sodium 400mg.

Matbucha (Cooked Red Pepper and Tomato Salad)

Each serving equals two 5 A Day servings
Source: foodreference.org

2 red peppers
2 soft cooking tomatoes
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
3 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 tsp salt
3 small dried chili peppers
1 cup cooked white rice

* Place peppers on an open flame. Turn the peppers until they become blackened and are burned on all sides. Place peppers in a plastic bag and let cool.
* Place tomatoes in a deep bowl and pour boiling water over them. After a few minutes remove tomatoes from water and peel them. Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze out the juice (which you can save for pasta sauce or discard). Chop the tomatoes into large pieces. Place oil and chopped tomatoes in a large pot.
* Place blackened peppers under running water and peel them. Cut the peppers into thin strips. Add peppers to the pot with the tomatoes. Add the spices and chopped garlic. Cook on high heat until the mixture begins to stick to the pot. Reduce the heat and cook for about half an hour until hardly any liquid is left in the pot. Serve over rice.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 248, Protein 6g, Fat 9g, Calories From Fat 29%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 41g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 307mg.

Cherry Pepper Salad

Each serving equals three 5 A Day servings
Source: foodreference.org

1 1/4 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 cup each thinly sliced sweet yellow and green peppers
1/4 cup thinly sliced mild chili pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp pickled ginger strips, optional
4 cups mixed greens

* Toss together all ingredients except greens; refrigerate 1 hour or longer. Serve on mixed greens.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 80, Protein 2g, Fat 2g, Calories From Fat 23%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 15g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 100mg.

Sources: Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. CDC: 5 A Day: Vegetable of the Month: Chili Peppers.”

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Discover Vietnamese Cuisine

Southeast Asian cuisine is fresh, flavorful, and healthy.

By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Feature

Reviewed by Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD

Nestled in steamy Southeast Asia, the tiny country of Vietnam — 1,000 miles long but just 35 miles wide — is steeped in a culinary tradition all its own. And Vietnamese food is fast becoming one of the hottest ways to jazz up America’s calorie-conscious dinner table.

“It is a naturally healthful cuisine, but also one where each dish is an explosion of flavors — so you come away feeling as if you have eaten something truly spectacular, but you haven’t consumed a lot of calories,” says Mai Pham, chef and owner of Lemongrass Restaurant in Sacramento, Calif., and author of The Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table.

Vietnam is bordered by China on the north, and Laos and Cambodia on the west. Its southernmost tip dips into the Gulf of Thailand, while its eastern shores border the South China Sea. As a result, the country has become a kind of catchall for the best of various types of Southeast Asian cooking. The end result is a style that is unique.

“Vietnam food borrows a little from each culture, but puts it together in a way that is uniquely its own,” says Nancie McDermott, author of Quick and Easy Vietnamese. “It’s a very individualized kind of cuisine where a lot of the dishes are blended at the table, so the exact combination of what is eaten is often left to the individual diner.”

Bigger Flavors

While Asian cooking generally uses lots of flavorful herbs and spices, in Vietnam there are fewer choices, but bigger flavors. The reason? Herbs are not just used to enhance the foods; they are part of the meal itself.

“The traditional Vietnam dinner table always contains a salad bowl into which we place several very flavorful herbs such as mint, Vietnam coriander (rau rum), red perilla, and green perilla [like lemon balm],” says Tham.

And that doesn’t mean just a dash of this and a sprinkle of that. The typical Vietnamese meal is brimming with chunks of fresh herbs that are cut (not chopped) into every individual serving bowl.

“We cut a whole leaf in two so there are large chunks,” says Tham. “When you bite into it, you get a real burst of flavor.”

The herb/lettuce/vegetable combo is most often then covered with round rice noodles, known as banh pho.

“Like other Asian cultures, rice is a mainstay in Vietnamese cooking,” says McDermott. “It gives a nice balance to the flavorful herbs and, in fact, the traditional ‘noodle’ bowl is present on almost every dinner table.”

Indeed, Vietnam’s national dish is the flavorful pho, a broth made with rice noodles and brimming with savory greens, including basil and bean sprouts. Pho bo is made with beef broth, while Pho ga is made with chicken broth.

But it’s not just flavor that you’ll find on a Vietnamese table. According to executive Chef Quoc Luong of Chicago’s La Colonial restaurant, you’ll also find foods chosen for their health-giving properties.

Healthful Cuisine

“Cilantro is in virtually all Vietnamese dishes, and it contains antibacterial compounds, as well as having cholesterol- lowering properties and dietary fiber and magnesium,” says Luong.

Another healthful and popular herb, he says, is red chili, which in Vietnamese tradition is considered good for the blood and the cardiovascular system.

Further, says Luong, “many Vietnamese dishes are very low-calorie and high in lots of healthful nutrients.”

Vietnamese cuisine is also distinguished by the generous use of dipping sauces, which help to give the food its distinctive flavor.

A typical sauce recipe combines garlic, chilies, lime juice or vinegar, sugar, and the hallmark ingredient, fish sauce. Known in Vietnam as nuoc mam, fish sauce is made from salt-cured anchovies that are placed in the barrel raw and left to marinate over time.

“Fish sauce is the quintessential Vietnamese ingredient, and you find it not only in the dipping sauces but in almost every dish except sweets,” says McDermott.

Pham says each chef adds his or her own ingredients to their sauces to give them distinctive flavor.

“You can vary the type of fish sauce and how you prepare the other ingredients,” says Pham. “I like to pound chilies and garlic and use freshly squeezed lime juice instead of vinegar, and then thicken it with lime pulp — it is like a very tasty salad dressing without the oil.”

Meat Is Not the Main Attraction

Another reason Vietnamese foods tends to be lower in fat and calories: In Vietnamese cooking, meat is used more like a condiment than a main course.

“In Vietnamese restaurants here in America, we serve about 3 ounces of protein for each serving, but in Vietnam it is usually 2 ounces and no more than 2.5 ounces per serving,” says Pham. “Protein is not a big part of our meal.”

The preparation is also simple, she says. Meats are most often cut into thin strips or slices, soaked in a simple marinade that might contain shallots, lemongrass and some fish sauce, then grilled quickly and brought to the table in warm clay pots.

“The idea then is to pick up a piece of meat, put it in the dipping sauce, pick up some herbs and rice and put the complete bite into your mouth,” says Pham. The flavors blend together and explode in your mouth, she says.

Chicken and pork are frequently bathed in a caramel sauce, while salmon can be treated to either caramel or a chili-lime sauce.

Another traditionally Vietnamese way of serving all these ingredients is to wrap them in rice paper. You end up with a dish that’s similar to an egg roll, but without the frying - sort of a healthful “sandwich to go.”

“The rice paper is so thin you can literally see inside, and one look will tell you that everything in there is healthy and good for you,” says Pham.

One thing you generally won’t find much of in Vietnamese food is fat, Pham says.

“We use lots of little pots and when we fry, we use a small wok with very little oil, as compared to Chinese cooking which requires a huge fiery hot wok filled with lots of oil,” says Pham.

McDermott says Vietnamese cuisine is great for dieters because so many of the dishes are served separately, allowing you to blend the foods and dip into the sauces as much or as little as you like.

“You can really customize your meal and create it to your specific taste,” says McDermott.

If you’re thinking these meals don’t sound very filling, McDermott and Pham say that’s not the case. They say you come away from a Vietnamese meal feeling extremely satisfied - something they credit to the palate-pleasing blend of ingredients and tastes.

“Nowhere is there such comparable devotion to flavor and aroma, so that there is literally pleasure in every bite,” McDermott says.

Cooking Vietnamese

If you’re intrigued by this enticing cuisine, and want to give it a try, Vietnamese restaurants are springing up around the country.

Or you can try making it yourself. Because Vietnamese food doesn’t use a lot of exotic ingredients and the cooking techniques are easy to master, it’s a great addition to your menu, McDermott says.

Moreover, Pham adds that most of the dishes are served room temperature, which makes it easy to cook ahead of time and serve up when you’re hungry.

To help you launch a Vietnamese taste experience in your house, Pham and McDermott offer these easy-to-make and easy-to-eat dishes.

Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Fresh Mint

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as “entree salad with meat, poultry or seafood.”

The Vietnamese herb called rau ram is a perfect complement for the chicken and other seasonings in this dish, but fresh mint is lovely if you don’t have rau ram. In Vietnam this salad, goi ga, is traditionally served with mien ga, a nourishing chicken dish made with the broth created by poaching chicken for this salad.

1 pound boneless chicken breast, or 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar, cider vinegar, or freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup very thinly sliced onion
2 cups finely shredded green, savoy, or napa cabbage
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, cilantro, or basil leaves
1/2 cup rau ram leaves (available at Asian markets; optional)
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted and salted peanuts (optional)

* Put chicken in a medium saucepan and add 2 to 3 cups water, enough to cover chicken by about 1/2 inch. Bring to rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook until done, 10 to 15 minutes.
* Meanwhile, combine lime juice, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and mix everything well. Add sliced onion and toss to coat. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, until you are ready to complete the dish.
* Transfer the meat to a plate to cool, reserving the broth for another use, such as making soup or cooking rice. When the chicken is cool, tear it into long, thin shreds. Coarsely chop the mint and/or herbs. Add the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrots, mint, and herbs to the bowl of onions and seasonings, and toss to coat everything well. Mound the salad on a serving plate, and top with chopped peanuts, if using. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 206 calories, 29 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 760 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 15%.

Recipe from Vietnamese Cooking Made Easy by Nancie McDermott (Chronicle Books; 2005). Reprinted with permission.

Everyday Dipping Sauce

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal 1 tablespoon as “1 teaspoon sugar or honey.”

This sauce appears on the table at most Vietnamese meals. A little bit sweet, a tad salty, pleasantly tangy, and gently spicy, it makes a pleasing refrain to the music that is Vietnamese food. Add a small handful of shredded carrots and you have a vegetable relish as well as a dipping sauce.

1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce or finely chopped fresh hot red chilies; or 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

* Combine the garlic; sugar; and chili-garlic sauce, chilies, or flakes, in the bowl of a mortar and mash to a paste. (Or combine them on your cutting board and mash to a coarse paste using a fork and the back of a spoon.)
* Scrape the paste into a small bowl and stir in the fish sauce, water, and lime juice. Stir well to dissolve sugar.
* Transfer to small serving bowls for dipping. Or transfer to a jar, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Yield: About 1/2 cup (8 1-tablespoon servings)

Per tablespoon: 20 calories, 1.4 g protein, 3.5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 510 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 4%.

Recipe from Vietnamese Cooking Made Easy by Nancie McDermott (Chronicle Books; 2005). Reprinted with permission.

Rice Paper-Wrapped Salad Rolls

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal one roll as “side salad mixed” + “one slice of bread.”

Similar to a salad that has been rolled up, this dish is usually eaten as a snack, although it also makes a lovely lunch. The key is to make the rolls tight, and that requires practice. You can substitute chicken, beef, or tofu and mushrooms for the filling. Grilled fish such as salmon also works well. You can serve whole or cut into smaller pieces to make them easier to serve and share. The recipe calls for untrimmed pork because the dish benefits from a little fat.

1/3 pound pork shoulder, untrimmed, cut into two pieces
12 medium-size raw shrimp, unpeeled
8 (12-inch) round rice papers (plus some extras)
1 small head red leaf lettuce, leaves separated and washed
4 ounces rice vermicelli or rice sticks, boiled 5 minutes, rinsed, and drained (find these in the Asian section of your supermarket)
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup Vietnamese Bean Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

* Cook the pork in boiling salted water until done but still firm enough for slicing, about 30 minutes.
* Meanwhile, bring another small pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Rinse under running water and set aside to drain. When they’re cool enough to handle, shell, de-vein, and cut in half lengthwise. Refresh in cold water and set aside.
* Remove pork from heat and drain. When cool enough to handle, slice into thin slices, about 1 by 2 1/2 inches. Place on a small plate and set aside.
* Set up a salad roll “station”: Line a cutting board with a damp kitchen towel. Fill a large mixing bowl with hot water and place nearby. (Keep some boiling water handy to add to the bowl.) Arrange the ingredients in the order they will be used: pork, shrimp, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, mint and lettuce.
* Working with 2 rice paper sheets at a time, dip 1 sheet, edge first, in the hot water and turn to wet completely, about 10 seconds. Lay it on the towel. Repeat with the second sheet and place it alongside the first. This allows you to work with one while the second is setting.
* Line the bottom third of the rice sheet with 3 shrimp halves, cut side up, then top with two slices of pork. Add 1 tablespoon rice vermicelli, 1 tablespoon bean sprouts, and 4 to 5 mint leaves. (Arrange the ingredients so the rolls end up being about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide.) Halve a lettuce leaf lengthwise along its center rib. Roll up in one piece and place on the filling. (Trim if too long.) While pressing down on the ingredients, fold over the filling, then fold in the two sides and roll into a cylinder. If paper feels thick, stop at three-quarters of the way and trim the end piece. (Too much rice paper can make the rolls chewy.) Repeat with the remaining rice papers and filling.
* To serve, cut rolls into 2 or 4 pieces and place them upright on a plate. Serve sauce on the side.

Yield: 6 appetizer servings

Per serving (not including rice paper):188 calories, 12 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 8.2 g fat, 2.4 g saturated fat, 44 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 319 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39%.

Recipe from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham (2001; Harper Collins). Reprinted with permission.

Vietnamese Bean Dipping Sauce
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal 2 tablespoons as “1 teaspoon mayonnaise.”

This recipe is very simple and quite delicious, especially if you can find whole fermented soybeans. You can also embellish it with garlic, chilies, and ginger and serve it on grilled fish, chicken and beef. If you can’t find soybeans, substitute 1/3 cup of hoisin sauce and omit the sugar.

1/4 cup whole fermented soybeans (look for these at an Asian market)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup coconut milk (you may find this in cans in the Asian or cocktail mixer section of your supermarket)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons sugar

Garnishes
1 tablespoon ground chili paste (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts

* Place the soybeans (or hoisin sauce), water, coconut milk, vinegar, onions, and sugar in a blender or food processor. Process just until the mixture is smooth.
* Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. (If you don’t have a food processor or blender, cook the soybean mixture first, then beat with a whisk.) Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Add a little water if it’s too thick. Set aside to cool.
* To serve, transfer to individual sauce bowls and garnish with chili paste and chopped peanuts. Sauce will keep up to two weeks if refrigerated.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Per 2-tablespoon serving: 38 calories, 1.5 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 2.2 g fat, 1.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, .2 g fiber, 1 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 49%.

Recipe from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham (Harper Collins; 2001). Reprinted with permission

Published Aug. 18, 2006

SOURCES: Mai Pham, owner/executive chef, Lemongrass Restaurant, Sacramento, Calif.; instructor, Culinary Institute of America; author, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table. Nancie McDermott, author, Quick and Easy Vietnamese. Quoc Luong, executive chef, La Colonial, Chicago.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Potluck Makeovers

Try these lighter versions of your favorite portable dishes

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD

If I had a dollar for every time someone said, “Just bring a side dish,” I would be able to get that adorable pink iPod mini.

And for good reason: Whether it’s a church social, a family cookout, or a neighborhood get-together, the menu always seems to work out well when guests are asked to contribute a side dish.

One thing I’ve learned is that if you ask people to sign up to bring either a side dish or a dessert, the dessert column always fills up first. I haven’t quite figured out why that is.

At your typical potluck, you might see pasta salad, fruit salad, potato salad, green salad, coleslaw, some garlic bread, and the obligatory crock pot filled with baked beans. The dessert table might include cobbler, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, a couple of sheet cakes, and some Rice Krispies treats. Sound familiar?

Today, we’re going to give a few of these favorite potluck dishes a Weight Loss Clinic Makeover. We’ll start with some general tips for healthier potluck cooking, then move on to a few recipes.

Side dish/main dish makeover tips:

* Add light mayonnaise instead of regular.
* Dress your green salad or pasta salad with a reduced-fat dressing (with 6 grams of fat or less per 2-tablespoon serving).
* Use extra-lean meats, skinless poultry, less-fat bacon bits, etc., instead of higher-fat versions when possible.
* Use reduced-fat cheese and other dairy products (like fat-free sour cream).
* Choose whole-grain products when possible (multigrain pasta, brown rice, etc.).
* Go heavy on the vegetables in your dish (add extra broccoli, carrots, or tomato, for example).
* Use reduced-fat, condensed creamy soups for your recipes instead of the full-fat versions.
* In many side dish/main dish recipes, you can substitute a nonfat, lower-calorie ingredient (like chicken broth, white wine, fat-free half-and-half) for some or all of the fat.

Dessert makeover tips:

* Use light Cool Whip instead of regular.
* Use less-fat margarine or whipped butter (with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon) instead of the full-fat types.
* Add unsweetened fresh or frozen fruit every chance you get, to boost the fiber and nutrition.
* With bakery items, depending on the recipe, you may be able to substitute a lower-calorie ingredient (fat-free sour cream, orange juice, low-fat yogurt, etc.) for half the fat called for.
* You can usually get away with half the amount of frosting called for.
* You can make a great frosting using a less-fat or diet margarine (with 8 grams or less of fat per tablespoon) instead of regular margarine or butter.
* Use light ice cream or low-fat frozen yogurt when making ice-cream pies, sandwiches, or sundaes.
* Depending on the recipe, you can substitute Splenda for half the sugar called for. Or try cutting the sugar by 1/4 or 1/3 to bring down the calories per serving.

To get you started on the road to light potlucking, here are a handful of recipes (a bread, a couple of salads, and a dessert) just perfect for your next get-together!

Garlic Cheese Bread

1/3 cup less-fat margarine (with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon)
2 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
1-pound loaf French or sourdough bread, cut in half lengthwise
2 cups shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 green onions (the white and part of the green) chopped

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
* Add margarine, ricotta cheese, garlic, and parsley to a small food processor (a hand mixer can also be used) and mix until blended.
* Place bread halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet or jellyroll pan. Spread half of the mixture on one half of the loaf and repeat with the remaining margarine mixture on the second half.
* Bake in hot oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. While it’s baking, toss the mozzarella cheese with the green onions. Remove bread from the oven and sprinkle the top with the mozzarella mixture. Return to oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 12 servings

Per serving: 182 calories, 9 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 2.8 g saturated fat, 11 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 355 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 35%.

7-Layer Salad

This is a very popular potluck recipe in some areas of the United States. Now you have a lighter version to bring, and no one will be the wiser.

Layer #1: 8 cups of shredded Romaine or green leaf lettuce
Layer #2: 1 green pepper, chopped
Layer #3: 2 cups sliced mushrooms or carrots
Layer #4: 1 1/2 cups canned kidney or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
Layer #5: 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (run cold water over them in a strainer to partially thaw)

Layer #6 (dressing):
6 tablespoons light Miracle Whip (or other light mayo)
6 tablespoons light or nonfat sour cream
6 tablespoons low-fat milk or fat-free half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon crumbled oregano leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Layer #7:
1 cup, packed, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup less-fat bacon bits (optional)

* Assemble the first five layers in a 9x13-inch glass dish.
* In a separate bowl, beat dressing ingredients together with wire whisk. Spread over the top layer in the glass dish with a spatula.
* Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits (if desired) evenly over the top of salad. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 12 servings

Per serving: 115 calories, 7 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fat, 1.6 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 247 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 35%.

Creamy Peanut Coleslaw

The peanuts add crunch and complement the coleslaw flavor.

9 cups shredded cabbage (you can buy this in bags in the produce section)
3 medium carrots, grated (or use 12 cups of prepared coleslaw mixture in bags, if you buy the kind with grated carrots mixed in)
4 green onions (the white and part of the green), chopped
6 tablespoons light mayonnaise
6 tablespoons light or nonfat sour cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or use 1 1/2 tablespoons each of sugar and Splenda)
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons apple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, unsalted or lightly salted

* In large serving bowl, mix cabbage with carrot and green onions.
* To make dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, vinegar, apple juice, and celery seed in a small bowl. Pour over cabbage mixture.
* Sprinkle peanuts over the top and serve. Or cover and keep chilled in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 12 servings

Per serving: 105 calories, 3 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.5 g fiber, 94 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 46%.

Easy Cherry-Berry Cheesecake Cobbler

16 ounces light or fat-free cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1 can (20 ounces) Comstock light or regular cherry pie filling
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 package yellow cake mix (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup low-fat lemon or vanilla yogurt

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
* Mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar in mixer bowl on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg and egg whites (or egg substitute) and blend well. Pour into prepared baking dish.
* In an 8 cup measure or similar, gently stir the blueberries into the cherry pie filling. Spread the fruit topping evenly over the cream cheese mixture in baking dish.
* In same 8 cup measure, blend cake mix and yogurt with a fork (mixture will be crumbly). Spread over the fruit and cream cheese and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 18 servings

Per serving: 260 calories, 5 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g fat, 3.3 g saturated fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 328 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 26%.

Medically updated June 7, 2006.
Originally published June 30, 2005.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Beyond Oatmeal: Oat Recipes and Tips

10 ways to harness the health power of oats.

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

Ask almost anyone to name one of the healthiest breakfasts you can have, and many will say, “oatmeal.” Ask why it’s so healthy, and they would probably answer, “fiber.” While getting more fiber is a good reason to reach for that packet of oats in the morning, there’s a lot more to oats, nutritionally speaking.

Half a cup of oats will give your body a nutritional boost beyond the 4.1 grams (g) of fiber. You get some plant protein along with some smart fats (from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat), vitamins and minerals, and countless phytochemicals, too!

Let’s do the numbers:

Rolled Oats, 1/2 cup serving (approximate values)
Calories: 156
Protein: 6.5 g
Carbohydrate: 27 g
Fat: 2.6 g
Saturated fat: 0.4 g
Monounsaturated fat: 0.8 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g
Fiber: 4.1 g
Sodium: 2 mg
Thiamin: 26% Daily Value
Folacin (folic acid): 7% Daily Value
Vitamin E: 6% Daily Value
Iron: 11% Daily Value
Magnesium: 21% Daily Value
Selenium: 25% Daily Value
Zinc: 10% Daily Value

The health benefits of oats are thought to include limiting oxidation of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol, decreasing total and LDL cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure — all of which help lower your risk of heart disease. The fiber in oats is also thought to help you feel full longer, and reduce the amount of insulin released after meals.

10 Ways to Harness the Power of Oats

There are all sorts of way to eat oats. There’s the predictable hot oatmeal breakfast (which can also be a quick snack at work if the lunchroom has a microwave). Then there are oat recipes for baked goods, like muffins, breads, and certain desserts. Crisps, for example, traditionally call for oats. Granola is a type of cold breakfast cereal that usually includes plenty of oats, too.

One of the easiest ways to enjoy oats is as instant oatmeal. Usually, instant oatmeal is quite high in sugar. But there are now some choices in the supermarket that keep the convenience but lose some of the sugar.

Here are 10 ways to eat more oats:

1. Opt for Healthier Instant Oatmeal

Most people prefer some sweetness in their oatmeal. But there’s more sugar than we need in all those fun, flavored oatmeal packets, that’s for sure. How do I know? I’ve tasted the new less-sugar types, and they taste great!

There are Apples & Cinnamon and Maple & Brown Sugar varieties, and my personal favorite, Take Heart Blueberry. A packet (34 grams) of Quaker’s 50% Less Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar flavor has 4 grams of sugar (13% calories from sugar), along with 3 grams of fiber (1 gram of which is superhealthy soluble fiber). The Take Heart Blueberry variety (a larger, 45-gram packet), with added oat bran and flaxseed, has 6 grams of fiber (4 grams of which is soluble), and 9 grams of sugar (22.5% calories from sugar), plus 130 milligrams of plant omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Make Some Muffins With Oats

Look for muffin recipes that call for both oats and whole-wheat flour. This will give you a nice balance of soluble fiber (from oats) and insoluble fiber (from the whole wheat).

Oats add texture and a mild nutty taste to muffins. Use either Quick or Old Fashioned Oats, though. Instant oats (in the packets) usually add some sugar and other ingredients along with the oats. (See the Strawberry Oat Muffin recipe below.)

3. Substitute Oats for Other Fillers

Instead of adding bread or cracker crumbs to your meatloaf, meatballs, or stuffed mushrooms, add oats instead. Rolled or quick oats cook up fast and hold onto moisture well.

4. Add Toasted Oats to Other Dishes

You can add toasted oats to trail mix, or sprinkle it on top of yogurt, frozen yogurt, or fresh fruit. Or, try adding it to cookie dough in place of some of the nuts the recipe calls for. (Check out the recipe below for Cinnamon Vanilla Toasted Oats.)

5. Thicken Soups and Stews with Oats

The heartier steel-cut oats can add thickness and texture to soups and stews. Steel-cut oats are cut into bits with steel blades instead of rolled. (Rolled oats have a flakier texture and take a shorter time to cook.)

Gravitate toward broth or tomato-based soups and stews. These are typically the lowest in fat and calories.

6. Cook up a Crisp

One of the healthiest ways to enjoy a fruit dessert is as a lower-fat crisp or crumble. A crisp — basically a slightly sweetened fruit mixture with a crumb topping — is a perfect opportunity to use oats.

Most crisp recipes call for about 1/2 cup of oats and 1 cup of flour for a recipe serving 6-8. But you can flip those and use 1 cup of oats and 1/2 cup of flour. You can use a lot less fat in the oat topping than the recipe calls for, too. (See the Rhubarb Crisp recipe below.)

7. Replace Some of the Flour With Oats

Usually, up to one-third of the flour in breads, cakes, pancakes, or muffin recipes can be replaced with oats or oat flour. Oat flour is basically ground oats. You can make it at home by pulsing rolled oats in your food processor or in small amounts in your spice grinder.

8. Move Over, Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the most popular cookies in the United States uses oats — oatmeal raisin cookies. I probably don’t need to remind you of this, do I?

What you might not realize is that you can make a higher fiber, lower-fat oatmeal raisin cookie. First, use whole-wheat flour for half the white flour the recipe calls for. Then, cut the fat (like butter) in half, and instead use a margarine with added plant sterols and fewer (and healthier) fats. Replace the missing butter with lite pancake syrup, fat-free half-and-half, fat-free sour cream, or even applesauce.

9. ‘Oatify’ Your Homemade Bread

Look for bread recipes that call for some oats. You can usually add around 1 cup of oats to 2 1/2 cups of flour (part of which is whole-wheat flour), as in the Honey and Oats Bread recipe below.

10. Try Oatmeal ‘Unplugged’

Uncooked oatmeal can be added to yogurt, salads, sandwiches, soups, cold cereal, and trail mix. Each 1/8 cup of oats you stir in adds a gram of fiber.

Oat Recipes

Here are some recipes for a bread, crisp and muffins containing oats, as well as one for versatile toasted oats.

Cinnamon Vanilla Toasted Oats

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as 1/2 cup hot cereal, unsweetened, OR 1 slice whole-grain bread

Add these toasted oats to yogurt, cottage cheese, hot or cold cereals, frozen yogurt, or fresh fruit. Toasted oats can take the place of nuts or chocolate chips in some recipes.

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon water
1/2 rolled or old-fashioned oats
Canola cooking spray

* Add cinnamon to a very small cup. Stir in vanilla extract and then water; set aside.
* Add about 1/2 cup of quick or old-fashioned oats to a nonstick frying pan (over medium-high heat) that has been coated lightly with canola cooking spray. Spray the top of the oats lightly with canola cooking spray, if desired. Let the oats toast for about a minute.
* Drizzle the vanilla mixture over the top and stir. Keep stirring the oats gently as they lightly brown, about 2 minutes more.
* Keep toasted oats in a covered container or sealable plastic bag until ready to use.

Yield: 2 servings

Per serving: 77 calories, 3 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 1.3 g fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0.4 g monounsaturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.1 g fiber, 1 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 15%.

Strawberry Oat Muffins

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as 1 piece small muffin

Use whatever flavor of jam or preserves you wish to flavor these muffins.

1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup less-fat margarine with plant sterols added (like Take Control)
1/4 cup lite pancake syrup
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs (use a brand higher in omega-3s, if available)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 slightly heaping teaspoons less-sugar strawberry jam

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners; set aside. Add oats, white flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a medium bowl and whisk to blend; set aside.
* Place margarine, pancake syrup, fat-free sour cream, and sugar in mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until blended and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
* Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing only until just combined. Drop about 1/4 cup of the muffin batter into each muffin cup. Make an indentation in the center of each muffin with a small spoon or finger, and fill it with a slightly heaping teaspoon of strawberry preserves.
* Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the top of the muffin is lightly brown. Enjoy warm or cool.

Yield: 12 muffins

Per serving: 182 calories, 5 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 1.2 g monounsaturated fat, 1.2 g polyunsaturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 2.5 g fiber, 204 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 17%.

Rhubarb Oat Crisp

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal as 1 portion medium dessert + (1/2 cup unsweetened canned fruit in juice OR 1 portion fresh fruit)
OR
1/2 cup cold cereal, sweetened, or hot cereal, sweetened + (1/2 cup canned fruit in heavy syrup or frozen sweetened OR 1 cup unsweetened canned fruit in juice)

You could also use 1 pound of rhubarb and about 3 cups of sliced strawberries to make a rhubarb-strawberry crisp.

Topping:
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup less-fat margarine (8 grams fat per tablespoon) with plant sterols added (like Take Control)
1 tablespoon fat-free half-and-half

Filling:
2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6-7 cups)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat six 8-ounce ramekins (or an 8 x 8-inch square baking dish) with canola cooking spray and set aside.
* Make crumb mixture by adding oats, flours, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to medium bowl and whisking together until well blended. Add chilled margarine (in small pieces) and fat-free half-and-half to the bowl with the oat mixture and use a fork to form a moist crumb mixture; set aside.
* In a large bowl, add rhubarb, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract and gently mix together with spoon. Combine the 1/3 cup sugar and the 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small cup, then sprinkle over the top of the rhubarb mixture and stir. Distribute the fruit mixture evenly between the ramekins (or pour into prepared square baking dish). Top the fruit mixture evenly with the crumb mixture.
* Bake until the rhubarb is tender (about 30 minutes for the individual dishes or 40 minutes for the 8 x 8-inch dish). Let cool slightly and serve warm.

Yield: 6 servings

Per serving: 240 calories, 5 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 1.5 g monounsaturated fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 184 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 19%.

Honey & Oat Bread (for bread machine)

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members: Journal each bread machine slice as 2 slices “bread, toast, whole-grain bread”

This is great bread for making toast or sandwiches.

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg (use a higher omega-3 type if available), beaten
2 tablespoons HOT tap water
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

* Add oats to food processor and pulse to create a flour-like mixture.
* Add buttermilk, beaten egg, hot water, honey, canola oil, flours, salt, and yeast to the bread machine pan, in this order or the order suggested by the manufacturer.
* Set the bread machine on the Light Crust or Whole Wheat setting and press START. The bread will be ready in about 4 hours.

Yield: 12 bread machine slices

Per serving: 168 calories, 6 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 3.8 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 1.8 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 2.1 g fiber, 319 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 20%.

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, is the “Recipe Doctor” for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic and the author of numerous books on nutrition and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

Published March 2, 2007.

SOURCES: E. Saltzman et al, Journal of Nutrition, 2001; vol 131: pp 1465-1470. CY Chen et al, Journal of Nutrition, June 2004; vol 134: pp 1459-66. ESHA Research Food Processor II.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

5 Super-Healthy Native American Foods

Some traditional Native American foods are rich in nutrition as well as heritage.

By Wendy C. Fries
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Thanksgiving may be the only time many of us are aware of the influence of Native American foods on what we eat. Yet, if some dietitians and devoted cooks had a say, that would change.

That’s because traditional American fare — from North, Central, or South America — contains a rich and colorful palate of heart-healthy foods, such as beta-carotene-packed pumpkin, fiber-loaded beans, and antioxidant-rich berries.

“Traditional Native American food [is] as varied as the Americas from which it originated,” Harold H. Baxter, DDS, author of the pending book Dining at Noah’s Table, tells WebMD.

Yet it’s all too easy to overlook Native American fruits and vegetables in our modern diets, experts say.

“We just don’t eat enough of most of these [traditional] foods any more,” says David Grotto, RD, author of an upcoming book on eating traditionally called 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life.

“Our cupboard used to be our medicine cabinet. A solution to a lot of what ails us may be getting back to these traditional foods.”

Here are five familiar Native American foods that would make healthy additions to any diet:

1. Corn

Traced back to Central and South America, corn has served Native Americans as both drink and diet staple; its husks as dolls, masks, even fuel. Along with squash and beans, corn makes up the revered trinity many Native Americans call “The Three Sisters,” vegetables frequently sown together.

“The corn provided a stalk for the bean vines to climb around, and the beans returned the favor by replacing the nitrogen in the soil,” Chief Roy Crazy Horse writes in an article on the Powhatan Renape Nation’s web site. “The squash spread out its broad shady leaves to keep other plants from crowding out the corn.”

Corn is also nutritious, containing vitamins C and K, phytochemicals, B vitamins, and fiber. Another bonus: Corn just may help to prevent cancer.

“One of corn’s phytochemicals, cryptoxanthin, was shown in one study to offer a 27% reduction in lung cancer risk,” says Grotto, who is also a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association.

Indigenous recipes for this ubiquitous food include sweet corn soup and chowder, cornbread, and popcorn. Enjoy ears fresh or roasted, and cut corn into salads or wraps. And try different colored corn when it’s available — those colors represent different body-boosting phytochemicals, says Grotto.

2. Berries

Growing wild across many parts of America, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries played a part in many native diets, including those of the Natchez and Muskogean.

Serving up healthy portions of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, berries have been shown by some research to help protect against stroke and heart disease. While blackberries and raspberries have nearly double the fiber of strawberries and blueberries, a cup of strawberries contains more vitamin C than you’ll need in a day.

“Blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries also contain several types of bioflavonoid phytochemicals,” says Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, the “Recipe Doctor” for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic and the author of Comfort Food Makeovers.

“Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries contain some phenolic acid phytochemicals,” too, Magee adds. “These phytochemical families (bioflavonoids and phenolic acids) have powerful antioxidant duties in the body and may help protect us against cancer.”

Berries appear in Ojibwe and Sioux recipes for teas, puddings, and berry soup. You can also try mixing them into your own signature berry jam, as Magee does, or in pies, cakes, and muffins, and over hot or cold cereal.

3. Pumpkin

“I think pumpkin should be a core food in our culture,” Grotto says. “There’s so much goodness in it.”

Case in point: Just one cup of pumpkin is packed with potassium and fiber, and has more than 300% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin A. It’s also rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which may help slow aging and reduce problems related to type 2 diabetes, according to the American Dietetic Association.

Oneida recipes for pumpkin and squash include cranberry pumpkin cake and silky winter squash soup. You might also include pumpkin in stews, or try a Grotto trick for this bright treat: Carve mini pumpkins, stuff with red potatoes, then roast them. “Kids love them that way,” he says.

4. Mushrooms

Mushrooms aren’t usually thought of as especially nutritious. And while it’s true they’re not very nutrient-dense, that shouldn’t be the only way we look at a food’s value, says Grotto.

“If you look at the antioxidants in mushrooms, they’re just wonderful,” he says.

By helping to war off damaging free radicals — molecules that may play a role in the development of heart disease and cancer — antioxidants are what make mushrooms shine.

Even the lowly white button mushroom brings a lot of antioxidant pop to the table, as well as glucans, which may help lower cholesterol, Grotto adds.

While picking wild mushrooms is a hobby only for the well-informed, you can enjoy traditional foods with mushrooms found at the supermarket.

“Try a grilled Portobello and teriyaki sandwich instead of meat,” suggests Grotto. Mushrooms can also take center stage in sauces, stir-frys, soups, pates, and spreads. Or savor them over acorn squash with sage and onion — a perfect fall treat.

5. Beans

Completing the three sisters trinity, beans were a staple of the Navajo, Creek, Iroquois, and others.

Tiny nutrient powerhouses, beans like black, red, and pinto pack a healthy punch. Along with being fiber-rich, they’re good sources of cardiovascular-boosting potassium, B vitamins, and folic acid. An excellent low-fat source of protein, they’re cholesterol-free, too.

Reporting on a study that rated 100 foods for their disease-fighting antioxidant capacity, Grotto tells WebMD that small red beans topped the list, with red kidney beans and pinto beans following in third and fourth place. Black beans showed up in the top 20.

Traditional ways to enjoy them include succotash and bean salad. Beans of every stripe can also find their way into chili, soups, burritos, and tacos.

Published October 6, 2006.

SOURCES: Powhaten.org web site. National Endowment for the Humanities web site. American Dietetic Association web site. Harold H. Baxter, DDS, recipe developer, author, Dining at Noah’s Table. David Grotto, RD, LD, national media spokesman, American Dietetic Association, author, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, consultant, WebMD; author, Comfort Food Makeovers.

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