Monthly Archives: May 2012

Beans For Diet Myth: The Only Protein You Need

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The combination of increasing health concerns over saturated fat in meat and increased interest in vegetarian cooking has more people than ever experimenting with vegetarian and vegan sources of protein.

Beans are considered star choices when it comes to vegetarian foods for protein. In addition to their high protein count, they are rich in antioxidants, iron, folic acid, zinc, potassium, and fiber. Plus, they are low in fat. But the Huffington Post reports that although beans are a good source of vegetarian protein, they are an incomplete protein. Proteins are made from nine essential amino acids. A complete protein, like meat, eggs, and poultry, contains all nine of these amino acids. Most proteins that come from plants, on the other hand, are incomplete. This means that in order to prepare a meal that is “complete”, you must combine different sources of vegetarian proteins.

Complete Vegetarian Proteins

It is relatively simple to create delicious vegetarian complete protein combinations for your meals. A good rule of thumb is to serve beans and grains together. For example, if you choose lentils as your vegetarian protein, you can make it complete by serving it with bulgur.  Other grain and bean combo are pasta and peas, hummus and pita bread, and tortillas with refried beans. Also, you can always opt for quinoa or soy, two vegetarian complete proteins.

Beans for Diet Meal Ideas

  • Fiesta Bean Dip – This can be served as a dip or a side. All you need is nonfat refried beans, pinto beans, salsa, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and sliced scallions. Heat the beans with half the cheese over the stove until hot, then scoop into a pan and top with the remaining cheese and scallions. Broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. Serve with whole grain tortilla chips.
  • Beans and Rice – This classic staple is a protein boost and will fill you up fast! Fry one chopped onion with vegetable oil for five minutes, then add a clove of minced garlic and fry for another five minutes. Stir in 2 cups of cooked beans until heated through, then season with salt and peper. Serve with cooked brown rice.

There are plenty of reasons to incorporate beans into your daily diet. Besides being great for your body, they are easy to prepare, versatile, and delicious!

Source:

  • “Get your body full of beans”, BBC
  • “How Many Beans Equal The Protein of Chicken”, Huffington Post

Better meals begin with better planning. We can help. 

Grow Bones By Eating the Right Foods

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According to Scientific American, around 20 to 40 percent of a person’s height as an adult is dependent on the foods he or she ate as a child. Although hereditary factors do play a larger role in how tall someone ends up being, proper nutrition helps kids reach their full potential in terms of development and bone growth. Kids’ bones grow the most from the time they’re around 8 to the time they’re around 17 or 18. This 9 to 10 year window of growth is the time when it’s most important for kids to eat the right foods to help promote the growth of their bones and their bodies as a whole.

Healthy Food for Growing Bones

You’ve probably heard that kids should drink a glass of milk every day. Kids’ bodies use the calcium they get from milk to build bone. Calcium-rich foods and drinks should be an essential part of your child’s diet. If he or she doesn’t like milk, green leafy vegetables, cheese, and yogurt are all good sources of calcium.

In addition to calcium, both phosphorous and vitamin D promote proper bone growth. Kids can get enough phosphorous in their diets by regularly eating meat, dairy products, and fish. Vitamin D can be found in certain products that are enriched or fortified in the vitamin. The best source of vitamin D is the sun. So, let your kids soak up some rays every one in a while, but avoid letting them stay out in the sun for too long without sunscreen.

Bones grow to their full potential with the help of proper nutrition. So, make sure your kids get plenty of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, and remember that good eating habits should start early!

Sources:

  • “How much of human height is genetic and how much is due to nutrition?” Scientific American
  • “Nutrition for Kids,” Mayo Clinic

Food On The Table can make dinner easier. Learn how here.

Health Bar Dilemma: Nutritious Food, or Dressed Up Candy?

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KidsHealth recommends thinking twice before feeding your family a prepackaged snack bar. It’s important to carefully read the nutrition data on these bars. According to the KidsHealth study, there are a few things you should watch out for when trying to decide what type of health bar to pick up for your family. Here are a few tips:

  • Forego the fudge. This first tip should be pretty obvious. If a health bar is dipped in fudge or is full of chocolate chips, pass on it. Granola bars in particular seem to fall prey to the fudge-dipping and sugar-loading practice. While granola itself – rolled oats, honey, raisins and nuts – is pretty healthy, anything that looks like it’s spent some time swimming in a chocolate fountain should probably be a no-go. If you and your kids love granola, stick to the healthy granola bars or make some at home using the easy recipe below.
  • Read the label carefully. While a bar might make a lot of boasts on it the side of the wrapper that faces out into the grocery aisle, you don’t really know what’s going on inside that bar until you flip it around get a look at the nutritional facts. Avoid bars that are high in sugar and fat. Many protein bars are marketed to athletes as ways to repair and recharge muscles after intensive workouts, but if your young athlete is in need of protein, they’ll best be served by lean meats, cheese, eggs and nuts. If a protein bar is free from excessive amounts of sugar and fat, feel free to pick up a few for when your child is on the go, but remember that the aforementioned foods will offer the best protein sources.

If you’re wondering how to make health bars, the following recipe is for you. It gives you complete control over what gets put in (and more importantly, what gets left out). Try this easy and delicious granola bar recipe:

You’ll need:

8 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, approximately 2 cups
1 1/2 ounces raw sunflower seeds, approximately 1/2 cup
3 ounces sliced almonds, approximately 1 cup
1 1/2 ounces wheat germ, approximately 1/2 cup
6 ounces honey, approximately 1/2 cup
1 3/4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed
1-ounce unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 1/2 ounces chopped dried fruit, any combination of apricots, cherries or blueberries

Butter a 9×9 inch glass baking dish and preheat the oven to 350F.

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and wheat germ onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to burn the mixture.

While these are toasting, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and put in on medium heat. Keep cooking until the brown sugar has dissolved.

Once the mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300F. Add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture and put in the fruit. Stir these together until well mixed. Turn the mixture out into the butter baking dish and make sure everything is evenly distributed. Bake in the oven 25 minutes. Place on a heating rack to cool for an hour. This recipe will yield about 16 servings.

Sometimes the best granola bars are the ones you make at home with the mouths that will be eating them. This delicious and nutritious recipe shouldn’t take more than an hour but the food can be enjoyed for up to a week after  being prepared.

Source:

  • “Kids and On-the-Go Nutrition”, KidsHealth.org

Better meals begin with better planning. We can help. 

Healthy Foods and Unhealthy Habits? Why Lifestyle is Important

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Even if you’ve made the commitment to healthy eating habits, there is still more work to be done. Experts at WebMD say that diet alone is often not enough to produce a significant calorie deficit. Your lifestyle habits, including how much you exercise and even how much you sleep, affect how much weight you gain and lose. When you decide to embark on the journey of healthier living and weight loss, you have to change your lifestyle. You have to figure out what food is bad for you and stop eating it. Additionally, you have to start eating healthier foods, start exercising, and figure out which habits you need to change to be healthier in general. Healthy foods and unhealthy habits simply don’t mix.

How Incorporating Exercise Into Your Lifestyle Helps

The CDC recommends that you exercise at a moderate pace for at least 150 minutes a week to prevent heart disease and avoid weight gain. If you want to lose weight, the CDC suggests that you stop eating unhealthy food and that you exercise enough to burn more calories each day than you consume. Donald Hensrud, M.D. from the Mayo Clinic asserts that you can lose weight through diet alone, but lifestyle changes like exercise in addition to making healthy eating choices will help you keep the weight off. If you believe the experts, then it’s clear that exercise should take a central role in your efforts to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

  • Cook at Home More Often – It’s easier to control what goes into your food and to avoid eating foods that are not good for you at home.
  • Drink More Water – Water helps curb your appetite and keep your body hydrated and healthy.
  • Carve Out Time For Exercise – Set aside 30 minutes or so each day for exercise. After a month or two, exercise will become a habit like brushing your teeth or doing your laundry.
  • Studies show that both a lack of sleep and too much sleep can cause weight gain and other mental and physical issues. So, try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.

Transitioning to a healthier lifestyle takes work, but the work you put into it will most definitely pay off!

Sources

  • “Exercise and Weight Loss,” WebMD
  • “The Benefits of Physical Activity,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • “Which is better for weight loss — cutting calories or increasing exercise?” Donald Hensrud, M.D., Mayo Clinic

Ready to start smarter meal planning with Food On The Table? Start here.

Video Review: Pea and Mint Risotto

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“If you’re looking to do a really great summertime dish with lots of fresh flavors, then I really recommend this pea and goat cheese risotto.”

This pea risotto recipe from Patrick Drake of Dinner With Drake takes only a handful of ingredients and some kitchen TLC to prepare. The peas add a lovely green color, making it a perfect dish to display on a bright summertime table.

THE RECIPE:

1 cup uncooked risotto rice
1 finely chopped onion
Half glass good white wine
2 Cloves of garlic
Oil
Butter
Vegetable Stock
Frozen Peas
2 tablespoons crumbled goat’s cheese
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Mint

Heat olive olive and butter in a pan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add risotto rice, onion, and garlic, stirring to coat in the oil and butter mixture to soften the garlic and onion and toast the rice.

Cook until the rice is slightly translucent, then add white wine and allow the alcohol to bubble off, which should take about 15 seconds. Add vegetable stock slowly, two ladles at a time. Stir gently for about fifteen minutes. Risotto is cooked when it has reached al dente, or is soft on the outside and a little crunchy on the inside.

Add a few whole frozen peas to the risotto. Blend the rest of the peas with vegetable stock in a blender. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the pea mixture slowly.

Stir in a bit more butter and crumbled up goat’s cheese until blended, then remove from heat. Garnish with finely chopped fresh mint.

PROS:

The video is peppered with cheeky humor and is fun to watch.

CONS:

Patrick doesn’t give a lot of exact measurements for the ingredients, which may frustrate some less experienced cooks or other viewers who like to closely follow a recipe.

THE TAKEAWAY:

Fun, casual cooking and a richly decadent easy risotto.

Get more tools for planning healthy meals here.

Tree Nuts And Their Role in Heart Health

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According to the Huffington Post, researchers at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center found that when tree nuts, including almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, and pistachios, are consumed on a regular basis, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome is decreased by 5% and the risk of developing heart disease is decreased significantly. Additionally, the Mayo Clinic reports that when eaten along with other heart-healthy foods, nuts can reduce the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attack. If you’re at risk for cardiovascular disease or have cardiovascular disease, tree nuts should most definitely be a part of your heart healthy diet.

Tree Nut Facts

Tree nuts and most types of nuts, including ground nuts, contain unsaturated fats, which are considered “good” fats. The unsaturated fats in nuts lower your LDL cholesterol levels. High LDL cholesterol levels are one of the primary causes of cardiovascular disease. One type of healthy fat that most nuts contain is omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids work as a blood thinner, and they help regulate your heartbeat. So, these healthy fats help prevent dangerous blood clots and threatening heart rhythm disruptions.

In addition to the unsaturated, healthy fat that nuts offer, they are also high in fiber. Fiber lowers LDL cholesterol levels and even helps prevent diabetes. To top it all off, most kinds of tree nuts are rich in Vitamin E, which has been shown to halt the development of plaque in heart arteries.

Keep in mind that you’ll get the most nutritional benefit from raw, unsalted nuts. Heavily salted nuts aren’t the best option if you’re concerned about your blood pressure. The best thing about nuts is that they don’t require any preparation to eat. If you’re craving a snack, you can just open up a bag of almonds or walnuts and enjoy the delicious flavor and heart healthy benefits!

Sources:

  • “Tree Nuts Stave Off Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Obesity, Claims Study,” Krysty Hazell, Huffington Post UK
  • “Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for your heart health,” Mayo Clinic

Get more tools for planning healthy meals here. 

Soda Nutrition Myth: Diet is Okay

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There is nothing quite like enjoying an ice cold cola. The fizz tickles your nose, the sugary caramel flavor satisfies the sweet tooth, and the jolt of caffeine can be just the thing for an afternoon pick-me-up. Unfortunately, these delicious benefits come at a steep price. Soda is laden with sugar and chemicals. In fact, many nutritionists believe that our country’s collective addiction to soda is largely responsible for the current obesity crisis. But diet soda, made with artificial sweeteners for a calorie count of zero, is okay. Right?

Wrong. The sad fact about soda nutrition is that no matter how many calories a soft drink does or doesn’t have, soda is bad for health. Along with other recent alarming studies, MSNBC reports that one new study suggests that daily diet soda drinkers are 61% more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Researchers have yet to explore if other lifestyle choices are coming in to play in this study, but people with a predisposition to vascular disease might be wise to lay off the artificial sweet stuff until the health effects of diet soda are more fully understood.

Diet Soda Nutrition and Health Risks

As mentioned above, the full effects of diet soda consumption are sometimes difficult to measure because of other common habits of diet soda drinkers. But many studies do continue to find links between diet soda and health risks. The New York Times reports that  not only has a 10-year study found a link between drinking diet soda and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, but diet soda consumption has been linked to Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and abdominal obesity.

The bottom line is that though the health risks of diet soda are still being studied, all kinds of sodas fail the healthy living test. These beverages have no redeeming nutritional qualities. Try to indulge in moderation, or find a healthy alternative to this fizzy favorite, like fruit juice seltzer, green tea, or water with fruit.

Sources:

  • “Risks: Diet Soft Drinks Linked to Heart Disease”, New York Times
  • “Daily diet soda tied to higher risk for stroke, heart attack”, MSNBC

Ready to start smarter meal planning with Food On The Table? Start here.

Video Review: Chicken Stir Fry

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“Stir-fries are a quick and healthy way to make a weeknight dinner.”

In this video, Lisa Lavery of CHOW explains that even the best chicken stir fry recipes can be ruined by mushy vegetables doused in sauce. She says the secret to preventing sogginess in your homemade stir fry is to completely dry veggies before cooking, and to add and remove ingredients to the pan at strategic times.

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mixture of both, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 medium red bell pepper
8 ounces snow peas
2 medium garlic cloves
2 medium scallions
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Steamed white rice, for serving

Combine cornstarch, sherry, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk until there are no lumps of cornstarch.

Next cut chicken into bite size pieces. Lisa suggests using dark meat because it is juicier and more flavorful. Next add the chicken to the marinade and stir to coat evenly.

Wash the snow peas and bell pepper and then pat completely dry with paper towels. Deseed and thinly slice the pepper, chop scallions into quarter inch sections, and thoroughly chop the garlic.

Heat a big frying pan or flat-bottomed wok on the stove until it begins to smoke (just a few wisps) then drizzle with oil, taking care to coat the entire surface.

Add peppers, cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove. Re-coat pan with oil. Add snow peas for 1-2 minutes then remove. Again re-coat pan with oil. Add all the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes or until it is browned and cooked all the way through. Add scallions, garlic, peppers, and snow peas and cook until the sauce is thickened and glossy.

Serve over steamed rice.

THE PROS:

The recipe is thoroughly explained, especially the cooking techniques. This gives viewers a great idea of how to successfully recreate the recipe.

THE CONS:

Stir-fry purists may take offense to Lisa’s suggestion of cooking in a frying pan and not a wok.

THE TAKEAWAY:

A well-explained recipe for an easy-to-make favorite.

Ready to start smarter meal planning with Food On The Table? Start here.

The Whole Food Diet Do’s and Don’ts

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There are many reasons to learn more about the whole food diet. Whole foods are generally considered foods that are natural, unprocessed, and free from genetically-enhanced ingredients. Whole foods have been feeding humans naturally for thousands and thousands of years. Its no surprise that interest in eating this way is booming; America’s common diet is full of additives, chemicals, and unnaturally processed ingredients. And this way of eating is making people sick.

Proponents of the whole food diet believe that eating whole foods is healthier and can be a  great way to feel better and lose weight. Further WebMD says that switching to a more whole way of eating is a great way to boost phytochemicals, fiber, and good fats in your diet. Here are some simple guidelines to get you started on your path towards whole foods:

DO:

  • Drink plenty of water. Avoiding processed foods means cutting out soft drinks and artificial juices, too. Water will keep you hydrated and feeling good.
  • Make the switch from refined grain to whole grain. White bread may seem like a wholesome choice, but the grain in refined flour is very far from its natural state. Look for the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat” on the package.
  • Find appealing alternatives to your favorite processed foods. Finding comparable substitutes can make the switch to cooking with whole foods a lot easier. WebMD suggests swapping preservative-laden chicken nuggets for organic skinless chicken, or choosing a baked potato with light sour cream over a bag of potato chips.

DON’T:

  • Focus on the calories. The point of undertaking the whole foods diet is to make a commitment back to more natural, healthful food. If the choice is between a delicious organic in-season avocado and skipping a meal to reduce your overall calories, choose the avocado. The last thing you need to stress your body by depriving it of what it needs.
  • Load up on carbohydrates. Part of eating whole foods includes eating whole grain, but try to focus on fruits, veggies, and lean proteins instead.
Whether you are trying out the whole foods diet as a way to lose weight or you simply want to get back in touch with a more natural way of life, incorporating this eating philosophy into your life has virtually no downside. Whole foods are better for the planet, and better for our bodies.

Sources:

  • “The Whole Foods Diet”, WebMD
  • “The Whole Foods Diet”, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

Ready to start smarter meal planning with Food On The Table? Start here.

Kitchen Techniques That Save You Time and Money

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The benefits of learning to cook are endless. Cooking at home is often healthier than eating out at a restaurant, and you can tweak recipes and add or subtract ingredients to your liking. Plus it can be very satisfying to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal for yourself and your family. But even with all these benefits, some of the most common complaints about cooking at home is that it takes too long and it costs too much money.

This doesn’t have to be the case. With a few cooking tips and tricks, you can actually save yourself time, money, and additional hassle. All you need to know are a few culinary basics and kitchen techniques to get started in the kitchen.

Kitchen Techniques That Save You Time

  • The Learning Channel says that the first step to becoming efficient in the kitchen is to get organized. If you know where everything is, cooking becomes not only more efficient, but more enjoyable! Begin by grouping similar things together and putting away gadgets or utensils that aren’t often used, including items like toasters or blenders that can be kept off the counter.
  • Invest in good tools. While you may be tempted to scrimp on your kitchen tools, you may regret it in the long run. Inexpensive tools are harder to clean, don’t work as well, and aren’t as durable. Who has the time to keep running out to replace the hand-mixer?
  • Stock up on the essentials. Staples like oil, salt, sugar, and spices have a place in almost every kitchen, but learn to anticipate your own habits. Love cottage fries? Keep a steady supply of potatoes on hand.

Kitchen Techniques That Save You Money

  • Opt for less expensive cuts of meat. Eating Well Magazine suggests buying cheaper, tougher cuts of meat and cooking them for longer on lower heat. Soften up these tough cuts of meat with slower methods of cooking food like in a pressure cooker or crock pot. You can save a lot of money by simply thinking ahead.
  • Stock up on an inexpensive grains like quinoa, pasta, or rice. You can use these foods as a base for anything from leftover meat to scrambled eggs to a few sauteed peppers for a filling, cheap meal.
  • Cook extra and freeze. Especially if you’re only cooking for yourself, it can be wasteful and inconvenient to only use ingredients for one serving size. Plus having delicious frozen meals ready in the drop of a hat can save you time, too.

In this food economy, it is great to get ahead in the kitchen however you can. Anyone can learn to cook inexpensively and efficiently. Just remember these easy kitchen and cooking hints and you’ll be cooking in no time!

Sources:

  • “10 Time-saving Tips in the Kitchen”, TLC
  • “13 Cooking Tips to Save You Money”, Eating Well Magazine

Better meals begin with better planning. We can help.