Current Information

Healthy Holiday Foods of the Season

2010-12-21T07:31:00.000-08:00

As seen on Channel 7 KMGH
Recipes posted under "Recipes" section
December 21, 2010

Introduction
Be nice instead of naughty and concentrate on the healthful foods of this holiday season. Naughtiness doesn’t always have to doom you to those extra pounds. But unabashedly indulging in the seasonal treats from now until those resolutions kick in may mean facing an exclusively elastic-waistband wardrobe in the New Year.

How much weight does the average person gain each holiday season?
• The good news is that it is an urban myth that we gain a traditional 5-7 pounds every holiday season. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) it is actually closer to only one or two pounds.
• The bad news - we seldom ever lose those pounds, adding to the weight season after season.
• And for people already overweight, the gain is an average 5 or more pounds each holiday.

So should we stay away from all those tempting holiday foods?
• Absolutely not. An outright ban of a favorite holiday food simply intensifies craving for it.
• Try eating a very small amount of the item, be it Christmas cookies or candy, and then get it out of the house. Take it to work for your co-workers to share and enjoy.
• I’m here to talk about what to add to your diet rather than what to take away. There are plenty of good-for-you foods lurking in between the calorie bombs.
• Portion control the high calories foods and find ways to enjoy the healthier foods of the season.

Examples of holiday foods that will add both enjoyment and good nutrition.
• Pomegranates are at their peak during the holidays. Their rich red color and tart flavor can add a lot to hot soups, cold salads and beverages.
• They are high in vitamin C, fiber and potassium
• You can sprinkle on a salad or use to make a granite as a nice counterpoint to the heavier dishes on you menu.

Can chocolate actually be a part of healthy holiday food?
• Yes, this sweet treat in moderation is connected with many health benefits.
• Clinical studies show that eating small amounts of chocolate each day- about 30 calories' worth-helps lower blood pressure that in turn may reduce your risk of stroke or coronary heart disease.
• Several long-term studies have found the benefits in dark chocolate may contain at least 70 percent cocoa solids, which contain higher levels of the antioxidant flavonoids responsible for its heath benefits.
• Caution: Chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense foods, such as snacks, in order to keep body weight stable.

Of course cranberries are popular during Thanksgiving. Ideas for its appearance on the Christmas table as well. Why are they good for you, and are canned cranberries as healthy as the raw?
• Cranberries are low in calories and rich in fiber, and potassium, which makes them a perfect part of a healthy diet. These holiday colored berries contain unique compounds with antibacterial properties that may help prevent urinary tract infections.
• Cranberries are among the berries that are the richest in antioxidants, believed to fight the free radicals which damage cell structures, help the immune system and possibly ward off potential cancer cells from forming.
• Fresh cranberries the highest levels of beneficial nutrients, but most people will not eat because of the sourness. Dried cranberries and cranberry sauce are the next highest source of nutrients.

Cocktails, mixed drinks, eggnog and other holiday drinks can quickly add up in calories. Suggestions to celebrate with holiday spirits that are better for you.
• Good alternatives for celebrations can include sparkling or hot apple cider, light eggnog or seltzer mixed with fruit juices.
• If you’re going to drink, wine is the most calorie-friendly selection with approximately 20 calories per ounce.
• Of the wines, studies have shown that that certain components in red wine, resveratrol and polyphenols, might play an important role in preventing damage to blood vessels, reducing bad cholesterol, preventing blood clots, improving blood flow, and inhibiting the development of certain cancers.
• Add a cinnamon stick to stir hot mulled wine. Cinnamon has the highest antioxidant capacity of any spice. Sprinkle extra cinnamon on those holiday dishes and cocktails this year.

These foods are at their peak popularity from October through December, just in time to add to the festivities of the season, and flavor and numerous health protective effects to your holiday meals.

Really Simple Really Bold Ways to Boost Flavor

2010-07-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

Myths about Flavor
• Old school thought was that we needed fat or salt to give flavor to foods.
• While these do add some taste notes, too much can be unhealthy in terms of extra calories, saturated fat, trans fats.
• Too much sodium is linked with hypertension or high blood pressure

In a recent survey, when people were asked what are the major factors they consider when choosing food: Taste reigned supreme at number one.
• Not surprising in these cost conscious times, price ranked second.
• Then health of the food and convenience rounded out the top four factors

What is Taste vs. Flavor?
• Traditionally we identify four tastes = sweet, sour, salty, bitter
• And now taste scientists and chefs recognize a fifth taste called umami. In English, it is sometimes described as "meaty" or "savory". In the Japanese, the term umami is used for this taste sensation, whose characters literally mean "delicious flavor."
• Umami doesn't have a pleasant taste alone, but makes the taste of foods more pleasant. High levels of free glutamate are found in dried seaweed, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, anchovies, fish sauce and mushrooms, as well as in meats.

Flavor is the works
• Taste + aroma + texture + mouthfeel + color all together equal flavor

So how can we achieve great flavor without adding unhealthy amounts of fat and salt?
There are five really simple, really bold ways to boost flavor
1. Layering umami
2. Adding aromatics
3. Using rubs
4. Drying it
5. Adding sauces
I have brought three mouthwatering dishes that illustrate these ways to add flavor without compromising your health.

Peppery Dijon Parsley Rub on Beef Filet
From Chef Dave Zino, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
1. Umami. Beef and other meat contain an umami providing protein. Free glutamate, which results when glutamate is released during the breakdown of a protein molecule, occurs naturally in many foods.
2. Rub. Rubs boost flavor without adding fat. Apply 2 hours before grilling or up to two hours in advance.
3. Aromatics. Add aromatic vegetables and herbs which give off deep, well-rounded flavors and pleasing aromas when cooked such as onions, celery, carrots, garlic and parsley. This rub is made with two large cloves of garlic in addition to flavorful Dijon mustard, parsley
Grilled Tuna with California Golden Raisin Chutney
From californiaraisins.org
4. Drying it. Drying food boosts and concentrates flavors. Example of California raisins which are dried grapes.
a. California raisins are a fruit. And just ¼ cup counts as a fruit serving and is a tasty way to help meet recommended daily fruit servings.
b. Raisins are fat- and cholesterol- free, naturally low in sodium, and deliver dietary fiber and anti-oxidants.
c. It’s a 2 for 1 benefit- great flavor and good nutrition at the same time.
5. Add salsa, chutneys and sauces. Turn simple grilled meat or fish or any basic dish into an impressive restaurant-style meal. Elegant touch, and this chutney contains California golden raisins as well as flavorful spices such as red pepper, and ginger to boost flavor.

Tomato Soup with Arugula Pesto
From epicurious.com
Tomatoes contain high levels of the umami provider glutamic acid, and as the fruit ripens these levels of glutamic acid increase.
The fresh ripe tomatoes are also dried in the oven to concentrate their umami flavor.

Keep your pantry stocked with
Umami such as tomatoes and parmesan cheese
Dried mushrooms, dried tomatoes and raisins
Aromatics like onions and garlic
Combinations of these used to make rubs, salsas and sauces

Dazzle your family with color! Put a rainbow of colors on your plate

2010-06-29T07:36:00.001-07:00

As seen on Channel 7 June 29, 2010

What is an easy and simple way to ensure our families get the variety of fruits and vegetables they need in order to eat healthy?
• Eating fruits and veggies in a variety of colors — red, dark green, yellow, blue, purple, white and orange — not only provides eye candy but mixing things up also provides a broad range of nutrients.
• Think variety and think color by creating a rainbow on your plates.

What is so important about eating a wide variety of colors?
• According to a recent analysis of U.S. food intake data, 80 % of Americans aren't getting enough variety in the colors of fruits and vegetable they eat to provide adequate anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that provide a broad range of health benefits for our bodies.
• Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of these valuable nutrients.
• The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits

Show us the colors!
• The color of each food represents a beneficial nutritional value needed to keep a well-rounded diet.
• Red-colored foods contain high amounts of lycopene, which has been thought to help prevent some cancers and heart disease. They also contain anthocyanins which are antioxidants that can protect us from cell damage.
o Blood oranges, cherries, red grapes, pomegranates, beets, watermelon, radishes, tomatoes, red beans and rhubarb
• Orange-colored foods have carotenoids and high amounts of beta-carotene in particular. Carotenoids help repair DNA, prevent cancers and heart disease. They also help keep our skin and eyes healthy and protect us from infections by boosting our immune system.
o Cantaloupe, mangos, peaches, carrots
o Pumpkins and gourds can be more than just fall decorations!
• Yellow foods - high doses of antioxidants and vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to keep our dental health good as well as helping us heal cuts, improves circulation, prevents inflammation and prevents heart disease.
o Pineapples, lemons, rutabagas, and corn
• Green foods: the darker the color the better they are for you.
o Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems.
o Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
• Blue and purple foods have a pigment called anthocyanins which is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage; reduce risk of cancers, stroke and heart disease. Also remember that dark blue and purple foods are thought to help with the signs of aging by improving memory function, skin health, and reducing damage caused by free radicals in the body.
o Blueberries, blackberries, concord grapes, plums, eggplant
• White-colored/Brown/Tan foods, such as onions, garlic and potatoes are rich in potassium which proves healthy for your heart.
o Cauliflower, jicama, potatoes, ginger

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the bounties of the garden. Where should we shop to get the best fruits and vegetables?
• In the summer, it is always fun to shop at our local famer’s market. You can purchase fresh foods, and it’s great to come out and be part of the community, see and talk to people, spend some time outdoors, as well as support local farmers.
• Supermarkets are meeting produce demands and providing a wealth of tropical fruits and vegetables that are not grown in our climate.
• And while fresh is good, it is not always better. Contrary to popular opinion, fruits and vegetables that are canned, frozen or dried are as nourishing and nutrient-rich as fresh-sometimes even more so.
• The important point is to color-coordinate your plate and make it fun to eat both tastefully and visually.

Get recipes and ideas to get more of these into meals in easy, creative and tasty ways. Go to www.denverchannel.com and click on “Links mentioned on 7 News.”
• Make a tropical rainbow fruit salad with fruits of each color: oranges, pink grapefruit, mango, papaya, kiwifruit, bananas, and purple grapes.
• Make fruit-sicles: Puree your favorite fruit such as melon, peaches, banana, and/or berries with 100% fruit juice. Freeze in ice cube trays or paper cups or popsicle molds for a refreshing treat. Use fresh, frozen or canned.
• Sauté your own medley of mixed vegetables using each color: red onions, carrots, corn, jicama, broccoli and black beans.
• Try a spinach salad with dried cranberries, canned mandarin oranges and red onion with your favorite vinaigrette.
• Make fruit-sicles: Puree your favorite fruit such as melon, peaches, banana, and/or berries with 100% fruit juice. Freeze in ice cube trays or paper cups or popsicle molds for a refreshing treat. Use fresh, frozen or canned.
• Make a refreshing summer beverage using 100% juice and iced tea.
• Roast a whole head of garlic to make a delicious spread for an appetizer or on sandwiches.
• Steam edamame for a fun snack. Kids love it!
• Make a Greek-inspired salad: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, chick peas, black olives and artichoke hearts.
• Make confetti coleslaw: shredded green and red cabbage, grated carrots, julienned kohlrabi and finely chopped red and yellow peppers.
• Make a Mexican pizza with tortillas, refried beans, salsa and grated low fat jalapeno cheese. Bake.
• On a busy night, check out the unique combinations of veggies in the frozen section to build a meal – a quick stir-fry, vegetable soup or stew, or a frittata.
• Make a dried fruit and nut mix for snacks. They make great gifts too. Include dried apples, apricots, cranberries, peaches, pears, cherries and mixed nuts.
• Try some different veggie toppings on your pizza:
o eggplant and black olive
o pineapple and onion
o red and green peppers and mushrooms
o fresh tomato and spinach
o broccoli and green olives
o or get the whole shebang

Fresh Tomato Sauce
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, about 3 large tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound spaghetti
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Preparation:
If desired, peel tomatoes; remove seeds, straining juice into a bowl. Save the juice and discard seeds. In a food processor, combine garlic, tomatoes with juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and basil. Pulse quickly to chop roughly. Pulse more for a smoother sauce, if desired. Transfer to a bowl, add salt and pepper and let stand to marinate for about 20 minutes.
Cook pasta until just tender, drain and toss hot with the marinated tomato sauce. If hotter spaghetti is desired, heat the sauce just until hot on stovetop or in microwave. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4 to 6.

Red, white and blue for July 4th holiday

2010-06-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

As seen on Channel 4 KCNC

From backyard barbeques to front porch fireworks, the 4th of July is a cherished acknowledgement of American independence. With celebrations in full swing, the family will be ready for festive dishes to mark the holiday.

Local dietitian Mary Lee Chin has brought a number of red, white and blue food recipes to sample. And being a dietitian, she will also highlight the health benefits of these celebratory dishes.

Focus on nutrient-rich foods which can help children and adults get the vitamins and minerals they need.
• Low-fat or fat-free dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are encouraged for a wholesome diet and are sources of those specific nutrients of which many Americans are not getting enough of.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans identified “nutrients of concern” in the diets of American adults and children – nutrients that adults and children need to eat more of.
• Five nutrients were identified in children’s diets as nutrients of concern, and they include calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium and vitamin E.
• Seven nutrients were identified as “lacking” in the diets of American adults. These include calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and E.

Begin the theme by setting out red, white and blue parfaits at breakfast.
• Dairy foods such as yogurt supply three of the five nutrients of concern for which children have low intakes: calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Salads are an excellent way to deliciously get the recommended daily 4 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables.
• The darker the leaf, the higher the concentration of the anti-oxidant, beta carotene. So spinach, with its deep green leaf is an excellent salad green.
• Pair with strawberries and blueberries for these berries anti-oxidant power –and to provide the red and blue color.
• White jicama adds crunch and fiber
• The California raisins in the salad dressing are fat and cholesterol free and deliver potassium and anti-oxidants.

For an easy and cool appetizer, try red pepper hummus, and serve with blue corn chips and white strips of cucumber.
• Hummus is not only delicious to eat, but also contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids.
• And offer a variety of vegetables and whole grain crackers as dippers.

Pizza may come from Italy, but it is an all-American favorite. Here is Raisin, Ham, Goat Cheese and Pecan Pizza.
• OK—may have stretched the blue color a bit by the rehydrated raisins.
• Nuts like pecans contain healthy monounsaturated fats, protein, fiber and a host of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, selenium and magnesium.

Cannot forget dessert. A fruit based dessert such as All-American Apple Raisin Tartlets can help you reach the recommended two cups of fruit a day.
• Adding raisins to recipes will help you achieve the fruit recommendations. Just ¼ cup of California raisins counts as a fruit serving.
• And this fun recipe may not be red, white and blue, but I included it as the shape reminds me of fireworks.

According to a recent analysis of U.S. food intake data, 80 % of Americans aren't getting enough variety in their diet to provide adequate anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that offer a broad range of health benefits for our bodies.
• So when you think of holiday foods, go a bit lighter, choose a variety of colors which provides a variety of nutrients-and for the upcoming Fourth of July, think of red, white and blue.
• Recipes will be on www.maryleechin.com

Recipes

Berry parfaits – Yogurt, strawberries, blueberries

Spinach, strawberry, Blueberries and Jicama salad with Raisin Citrus dressing
1 (6 oz. package baby spinach
8 oz. (1 ½ cups) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
½ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup jicama sticks

Raisin Salad dressing
¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¼ cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
Grated peel of 1 medium orange
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup raisins

Combine sour cream, milk, honey, lime juice, orange juice concentrate, orange peel and salt in small bowl. Blend well, add raisins.

Red pepper hummus with blue chips, cucumber strips

Raisin, Ham, Goat Cheese and Pecan Pizza
1-11 oz. canned thin pizza crust
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2/3 cup raisins soaked in 2/3 cup hot water for 15 minutes
3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup cubed, cooked ham
2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary or 2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 1/2 Tbs. honey

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and unroll the canned pizza crust on it. Bake the crust for 5 minutes at 400°. Remove crust from oven and brush with vegetable oil. Top with drained raisins, cheese, pecans, ham and rosemary. Drizzle with honey. Bake another 5 – 6 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cut into 18 pieces.

ALL-AMERICAN RAISIN APPLE TARTLETS
2 tablespoons heart-healthy buttery spread
4 medium green apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup California raisins
18 sheets phyllo dough
Butter flavor cooking spray
9 tablespoons shredded low-fat sharp Cheddar

Preheat oven to 375°F and spray 12 cupcake tins with nonstick cooking spray. Melt buttery spread in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in apples and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for a minute more; add raisins and set aside. Meanwhile, lay 1 sheet of phyllo on a cutting board; keep remaining covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Spray sheet with cooking spray. Repeat with 5 more sheets, sprinkling 3 tablespoons cheese in under the last layer; press firmly to keep cheese in dough. Repeat twice more to make 3 rectangles. Cut each in half crosswise, then cut each piece into 6 strips. Press 3 strips into each tin letting the dough fold over the top by about 1/2-inch. Fill with equal amounts of fruit. Bake for 10 minutes; tent loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes more.

Makes 12 small desserts

Asian American Pacific Heritage Month 2010

2010-05-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH - TV 7
May 11, 2010

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Channel 7 May 11, 2010

1. What is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month?
The month recognizes focuses national attention on the concerns, contributions and history of Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. Chance to showcase a vibrant and very diverse culture.

2. Why was May chosen?
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks in the west, including my great-grandfather, were Chinese immigrants.

3. When you say Asian-Pacific American, what groups does that term encompass? A rather broad term, Asian-Pacific includes people from the entire Asian continent and the many Pacific islands of Melanesia including Fiji, and the Solomon Islands, Micronesia and Polynesia.

3. How did start?
Like most commemorative months, Asian-Pacific Heritage Month originated in a congressional bill. In 1977, a resolution was introduced to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a resolution designating the annual celebration. Twelve years later, President George H.W. Bush signed an extension making the week-long celebration into a month-long celebration.

5. How will it be recognized in Denver?
There are many events, some of which are open and free to the public, as well as ticketed performances. One free event to note is: Asian Roundtable's Asian Pacific Heritage Month Community Celebration. Saturday, May 15, Noon to 3 p.m, Wells Fargo Hershner Room, 1700 Lincoln St., Denver. Includes food and performances.
The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Project kicks off its inaugural tour to educate students across five local elementary schools about AAPI history on May 10. Cultural performances from various countries will take place, Le said, including taiko drumming from local group Mirai Daiko. There will be presentations and teachers will be given weeklong lesson plans focusing on AAPI history. In addition, organizers will hang posters that will stay in the schools throughout May.

For a listing of more events go to the Channel 7 website. (These can be listed on website. List is below.)

6. And like in all cultures, food is always an important part of any celebration.
Today I have brought samples of dishes from an appropriately named cookbook, The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook. The author gathered treasured family recipes from Asian grandmothers of all Asian ethnicities from all over the United States, including two recipes from my 94 year old mom.
Beef, Tomato and Pepper Stir-fry (mom’s)
Steamed Beef Meatballs with Tangerine Peel (mom’s)
Chinese Broccoli in Oyester Sauce
Rice Cooker Casserole (demonstrate)

Cultural Events in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian Roundtable's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Community Celebration
Date: Saturday, May 15
Time: Noon to 3 p.m.
Place: Wells Fargo Hershner Room, 1700 Lincoln St., Denver
Price: Free and open to the public
For more information, call Peggy Yujiri at 303-931-2034 or Lily Shen at 720-256-8888.
11th annual Indian Dance Festival
Date: Saturday, May 15
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Place: Abraham Lincoln High School, 2285 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, 80219
Cost: $15/preferred seating; $8/general seating; $5/students (with valid ID), children under 10 and senior citizens
Organized by the Kerala Association of Colorado. For more information, go to www.colorkerala.org.
Pan-Asian Events
Asian Student Alliance presents eXpressions
Date: Wednesday, May 12
Time: 6 p.m.
Place: Davis Auditorium in Sturm Hall on the DU campus
Cost: Free and open to the public
2010 Asian-American Heroes of Colorado ceremony and brunch
Date: Saturday, May 15
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: Saigon Landing, 6585 Greenwood Village Blvd., Greenwood Village, 80111
Cost: $20
2010 Miss Colorado Asian Pacific American Pageant
Date: Saturday, May 15
Time: 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Place: Lakewood Culture Center, 470 South Allison Parkway, Lakewood, 80226
Price: $20/seniors and students; $25/silver; $50/gold; $100/VIP
For more information, go to www.cocnews.com/misscoloradoasian.
12th annual Asian Model Mother's awards ceremony
Date: Sunday, May 16
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Empress Seafood Restaurant, 2825 W. Alameda Ave., Denver, 80219
Cost: $25/adult; $20/senior
The Denver Chinese Culture Center and CACEN (Colorado Asian Culture & Education Network) will host the 12th Annual Asian Model Mother's Awards Ceremony. Please make reservations with Nai-Li Yee at 303-368-7866.

Licking the Salt Habit

2010-03-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

Before surging obesity rates made villains of trans fats and sugars, salt was the big nutritional bad guy in the American diet, linked to hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
• Then waistlines expanded, and the focus shifted to fats and sugars.
• Aware that Americans' salt consumption has risen by 50 % over the past 40 years largely because of an increased reliance on a diet of processed and restaurant foods, public health experts and politicians are attempting to put the spotlight back on salt and its harmful health effects.
• The latest big bad wolf in the American diet – SALT – current hot nutrition topic

Recent research shows that overall health in the United States could be significantly improved with only a modest reduction in the annual consumption of salt.
• A recent study published in January this year in the New England Journal of Medicine - calculated the benefits of a decrease.
• If everyone consumed half a teaspoon less salt per day, there would be between 54,000 and 99,000 fewer heart attacks each year and between 44,000 and 92,000 fewer deaths
• High levels of sodium are linked to hypertension, which leads to heart disease.

The definitions
• The terms salt and sodium are related but not interchangeable.
• Sodium refers to the chemical element, with 2,300 milligrams as the recommended daily allowance.
• Salt, refers specifically to sodium chloride -- 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

How much are we eating?
• Most Americans consume estimated average intake of 3,436 mg per day.
• 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 2 out of 3 adults are in population groups that should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams .
• These include people with high blood pressure, the elderly and African-Americans according to government recommendations.
• 1500 mg is also the amount the American Heart Association recommends.
• Everyone else should set a limit of 2,300 mg per day-equivalent of 1 teaspoon of table salt.
• Sodium equivalents in salt. <¾ teaspoon salt (AHA value); 1 1/2/ teaspoon salt (actual aver. Intake); <1 cup salt (aver. monthly intake)

Some controversy
• Not every expert in the field of salt science is persuaded that sodium reduction is necessary.
• Sodium is essential in regulating water balance, pH (acid balance), normal pressure in the fluids surrounding cells and in nerve transition.
• Health change, smoking would be No. 1 and salt intake would be somewhere well below it.
• Yet already the mayors of New York City and San Francisco are asking that restaurants in their cities voluntarily lower sodium content of the meals served.
• Theory that small changes in salt, such as lowering content in tomato sauce or breads and cereals by a small amount, would achieve small changes in blood pressure that would have a measurable effect across the whole population.
• Given the upside, which would translate into lower health-care costs, what are people waiting for? The challenge comes in the sacrifice.

What can you do?
• Obvious thing to do, but avoiding the saltshaker at home barely makes a dent in sodium intake.
• Seventy-five percent of the salt consumed by Americans is derived from processed foods and from foods served at restaurants - -not the salt shaker.

Avoiding processed foods is a good first step toward eating a more healthful diet
• Sodium has several functions in the processed food supply. Various forms of sodium, including salt are used as preservatives against food borne pathogens, to modify flavor, binds ingredients, enhances color, and serves as a stabilizer.
• Sodium is an essential nutrient, but very little is needed in the diet.
• Limit processed foods as they contain approximately 3/4 of the sodium we consume.

Begin with the basics
• Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Choose from the large variety of low-sodium processed food products.
• Decrease taste for salt gradually.
• Learn to use spices and herbs to enhance the taste of your food. Most spices naturally contain very small amounts of sodium.
• Add fresh lemon juice instead of salt to your dishes.
• Don’t use the salt shaker. Use the pepper shaker or mill.

Pay close attention to labels
• Shy away from foods that have greater than 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance for sodium.
• The most important thing to know is just because food doesn't taste salty doesn't mean it's not high in sodium, so always check the nutrition panel.
• It is important to look at the label to check the amount of sodium in one serving and to determine the number of servings you normally consume.

The bottom line
• This spring, Institutes of Medicine to release report - Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake.
• While there is a push on by federal agencies and municipalities to decrease sodium in the American diet, you don’t need to depend upon them to make changes.
• Although it can be tough to keep track of sodium intake, online food diaries, such as www.mycalorie counter and www.calorieking, can help.
• Go to www.maryleechin.com to get more information on salt and lowering your sodium intake.

Label language
Food labels give shoppers a clue as to how much, if any, sodium is contained in the product:
>> Sodium-free: less than 5 milligrams per serving
>> Very low sodium: 35 mg or less
>> Low sodium: 140 mg or less
>> Reduced sodium: reduced by at least 25 percent but still might not meet low-sodium guidelines
>> Unsalted or no salt added: made without salt but still contains any naturally occurring salt

Chinese New Year Lion Dance Calendar 2010/ Dim Sum Restaurants

2010-02-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

Far East Center-Denver
Corner of Federal and Alameda

SCHEDULE OF LION DANCES by GROUP

Sunday, February 14th
12:00 noon Shaolin Hung Mei
1:30 Wah Lum
3:00 Dong Tay Hoa
4:30 Wu Shu Martial Arts

Saturday, February 20
12:00 noon Chua Nhu Lai
2:00 Tai Kung Ha

DIM SUM RESTAURANTS

Palace Chinese
6265 E Evans Ave
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 782-0300

Empress Seafood Restaurant
2825 W Alameda Ave
Denver, CO 80219
(303) 922-2822
www.empressseafoodrestaurant.com

King's Land Chinese Seafood
2200 W Alameda Ave
Denver, CO 80223
(303) 975-2399
Palace Chinese

Star Kitchen
2917 W Mississippi Ave #5
Denver, CO 80219
(303) 936-0089

Chinese New Year Traditions for Tiger Year

2010-02-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

Bringing In the New Year and expelling the old
• Everything you do on this day sets precedent for the rest of the year
• While many Chinese people today may not believe in these do's and don'ts, these traditions and customs are still practiced.
• Kept because these very traditions, whether believed or not, that provide cultural continuity and link with the past.
• Courting happiness, togetherness and abundance for your family always good

Predictions of what to expect for Tiger Years
• The Tiger is rich in Chinese history and tradition and a symbol of power and authority
• The year of the Tiger is traditionally associated with massive changes and social upheaval.
• 2010 is very likely to be a volatile one both on the world scene, as well as on a personal level
• The Tiger's influence will offer us courage, while inviting bold actions and risk taking.
• Tigers will provide steely resolve, fortitude and determination to accomplish goals.
• Given that, practice traditions that will court good luck and good fortune

Traditions and rituals
• Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year.
• All debts had to paid by this time. Nothing should be lent on this day, as anyone who does so will be lending all the year.
• If you cry on New Year's Day, you will cry all through the year. Therefore, children are tolerated and are not spanked, even though they are mischievous.
• All cleaning should be done before New Years. Don’t use brooms on New Years Day as you do not want to “sweep away” good fortune.
• Fish also play a large role in festive celebrations. The word for fish, "Yu," sounds like the words both for wish and abundance. Fish. As a result, on New Year's Eve it is customary to serve a fish at the end of the evening meal, symbolizing a wish for abundance in the coming year. For added symbolism, the fish is served whole, with head and tail attached, symbolizing a good beginning and ending for the coming year.

Courting good fortune and prosperity
• Encouraging everyone to hedge their bets this economic year with symbols of health, happiness, wealth and abundance
• Lai See: red envelopes called "lai see" to give to young, unmarried children for good luck.
• Use a lot of the color red, which is the color of rejoicing and happiness
• Serve golden food to represent wealth: Golden oranges and egg rolls (golden ingots)

Invitation to celebrate with the Asian community for Chinese New Year
• The Lion Dance Tradition and Symbolism: The lion dance has been part of the Chinese culture for thousands of years.
• The lion, a symbol of power, wisdom, and good fortune, chases away evil spirits and brings happiness, longevity, and good luck.
• The lion dance is also performed at many business locations during the Chinese New Year's Celebration for the lion brings prosperity and good luck to the business for the upcoming year.

Chinese New Year: The box of "health and harmony"

2010-02-06T21:48:00.001-08:00

The Chinese New Year of the Tiger begins on February 14, 2010 and is celebrated for the next 15 days. More food is prepared and consumed during this holiday than any other time of the year, and much of the food has symbolic connotations.

The Box of Harmony
The box of candies traditionally offered at New Years is round or octagonal, the form resembling togetherness, and contains dazzling rows of fruit and candies to begin the New Year sweetly.
• Each candied fruit is symbolic—though highly sugared, so eat in moderation!
• Symbolisms of and prosperity – a good thing as we deal with current economic realities!
o Kumquat - gold, hence fortune, wealth
o Mango-Golden color symbolizes wealth
o Lotus seeds, crystallized - a full wallet, many (male) offspring
o Candied melon symbolizing good health and growth., having a large number of children
o Coconut: promoting togetherness and friendship
o Water chestnut – unity

The Box of Health and Harmony: A registered dietitian and making healthy recommendations.
• Modernized and updated fruit offerings to also reflect healthy choices.
• These are representative of a food group to encourage: Fruit food group
• Nutrient-rich. That is, they provide much more nutritional value in terms of vitamins, minerals and other healthful components, for the low amount of calories they contain.
o Tangerines are very popular as, among other things, they symbolize abundant happiness.
• Excellent source of fiber and vitamin C
o Walnuts- happiness of the entire family
• Source of omega-3-fatty acid for heart health
o Raisins - wealth, abundance, fertility, many descendants, family harmony
• Only ¼ cup of dried fruit like California raisins counts as one fruit serving and helps meet your recommended 4 servings of fruit/day.
• And try golden raisins-another symbol of gold and prosperity
o Walnuts- happiness of entire family + omega-3 for heart health
o Apricot, dried - gold, wealth
• With anti-oxidants beta-carotene and lycopene
o Apple - wisdom, peace
• Excellent source of soluble fiber and a kid favorite
o Banana - wish for education, brilliance at work/ school
• Potassium to help bone health

Chinese New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving.
• Events that take place during this time set the tone for the rest of the year.
• Take this opportunity to celebrate health, and happiness with your family, and focus on getting your four servings of fruit/day—even in the winter

Dim Sum means "touch the heart": Celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day

2010-02-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

Celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day with Treats that “touch the heart”
Dim Sum means "the heart's delight" or "touch the heart."

Chinese New year, can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February, due to cyclical lunar dating.
• On the Chinese calendar, 2010 is Lunar Year 4708.
• On the Western calendar, the start of the New Year falls on Sunday, February 14, 2010 — The Year of the Tiger.
• This year, the date has special significance since it also happens to fall on Valentine's Day making it a doubly auspicious day to celebrate in the West.

To celebrate both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day this year, indulge in a variety of dumplings called dim sum.
• In Cantonese, dim sum means "the heart's delight" or "touch the heart."

These delicious little treats come mainly in the form of steamed and fried dumplings containing a wide array of fillings.
• They are usually served in tiers of bamboo steamers or small to medium-sized plates (so that many different varieties can be sampled)
• Or they are served like "dessert carts" that is a cart filled with several different types for people to pick and choose from.

You can make your own—or even better go to one of the many Chinese restaurants that have opened in the metropolitan area.
• It is a fun experience as little carts are wheeled around the restaurant.
• Even if you don’t know what these are, it is easy to out which ones you want from the cart to the server.
• And a picture menu is usually provided to remove some of the mystery.

One of the best known desserts is eight precious rice pudding. A steamed dish decorated with honeyed or candied fruit that is served with a sweet syrup.
• Usually it contains eight kinds of dried candied fruits, and popular at New Year’s as eight is considered an auspicious number.
• The word eight sounds similar to words that mean “prosper” or “wealth.”
• Only ¼ cup of dried fruit like California raisins counts as one fruit serving and helps meet your recommended 4 servings of fruit/day.
• Sometimes a coin will be inserted into the pudding. The person who finds the lucky coin will have the most fortune for the rest of the year

Tiger characteristics and predictions
• Tiger years are explosive. They usually begin with a bang.
• The Tiger's essence is that of nobility.
• In life and in love, the tiger personifies grandness.
• Tigers are loyal, humanitarian and fiercely protect those entrusted to their care
• Tigers will rule the jungle this year!

Easy Thanksgiving recipes starting with convenience products

2009-11-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be the kickoff to a month of holiday overeating, ending with a regretful New Year’s resolution and a January diet.

What is the ingredient that makes your Thanksgiving meal most enjoyable? The answer is easy: Less stress. Simplify your entertaining and enjoy the day more. You need the right blend of great food with family & friends, and above all - relaxed hosts.

I will demonstrate a number of recipes that uses convenience foods wisely to free up time, and allow you to be a relaxed host—not a frazzled cook.

While there are treasured, made from scratch favorites that are crucial to each family’s tradition, not everything has to be time-consuming, homemade and high caloric.

And by the way, the term “turkey stuffing” does not mean that you are supposed to stuff yourself until you are comatose.

The examples:
• Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce & Cream Cheese Appetizer
• Curried Mango Chutney Dip
• Stuffing with apple juice and raisins
• Rice Pilaf with raisins and cashews
• Rustic Apple Tart
• Canned cranberry sauce: For many families, it’s not Thanksgiving unless you have cranberry sauce with the can striations showing!

A little bit of savvy planning can make your Thanksgiving meal easy. These are simple recipes to knockout your guests with your hospitality, not your anxiety.

And here are tips to ensure you enjoy the closeness of family and having everyone together for a day of sharing.
Stress-free strategies
• Plan your menu, make a list and shop. No last minute dashes out to the store for high calorie expensive last minute items.
• Clean out your fridge to make room for all those prepared foods and make-ahead dishes. Set and dress your table before your guests arrive- like the day before.
• Pick up the living room, dining room and bathrooms. Plan to keep guests out of the rest of the house.
• Empty your dishwasher.
• Start cooking one or two days ahead.
• Stock up on disposable containers and food wrap so you can immediately put away leftovers, or send them home with your guests. You’ve taken care of food safety, and decrease your temptation to nibbling.
• For nutrient-rich and tasty recipes that already provide calorie and nutrient analysis information, go to www.loveyourraisins.com

The Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce & Cream Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients Recipe by Fischer & Wieser

1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese* 1/3 cup Fischer & Wieser The Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Fresh raspberries and mint for garnish, if desired *For an 8-oz. package of cream cheese, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sauce.

Place cream cheese on serving dish and pour Raspberry Chipotle Sauce over top, allowing it to drizzle down sides of cream cheese. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint. Serve with gingersnap cookies or assorted crackers.

Curried Mango Chutney Dip
Stir curry powder to taste into low-fat sour cream. Swirl in bottled spicy chutney sauce and handful of golden raisins. Serve with fresh snow or sugar snap peas. Sweet, spicy, crunchy and full of healthy nutrients, all in one dish.

Golden State Stuffing
Recipe from loveyourraisins.com

1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1-1/2 cups California raisins
1-1/2 cups chopped fresh apple
1 package (7 ounces) herb seasoned crouton stuffing
1-1/2 cups chicken stock

Sauté celery and onion in butter until tender. Combine in large bowl with raisins, apple and stuffing. Add chicken stock, a little at a time to moisten as desired. Makes 10 cups.

Rice Pilaf with Raisins and cashews
Recipe from Real Simple

1 6- to 8-ounce box rice pilaf
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped roasted cashews
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Cook the rice pilaf according to package directions.
Stir in the raisins, cashews, and cumin before serving.
4 servings

Rustic Apple Tart
Recipe from Real Simple

1/2 15-ounce package refrigerated piecrust (1 crust, not the pie-plate version)
2 10-ounce packages frozen cinnamon apples, partially thawed
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sugar

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray.
Unfold the piecrust and place on sheet. Place the cinnamon apples in the center of the crust and mix in the lemon peel. Fold the edges over the filling, making pleats as you go.
Brush the edges with the egg; sprinkle with the sugar.
Bake 20 minutes or until the crust is golden. With a spatula, transfer from baking sheet to a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
6 servings

For more nutrient-rich holiday recipes go to www.loveyourraisins.com

Bean Cuisine as seen on KMGH-TV 7

2009-04-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

BEAN CUISINE
Bean Economics
Have been talking about ways to decrease the food budget, while still eating healthy and delicious food.
• Dry beans and other legumes are some of the most widely available, inexpensive and nutritionally complete staple foods.
• Cost- minimal compared to the cost of protein from animal meats.
• One drawback however, is the time, and lack of knowledge to cook dried beans from scratch.

Soaking: Cover the beans with room temperature water. Soak covered, overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. Rinse and add fresh water.
• Hot/Quick Soak: Bring beans to a boil and boil for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for 1 - 4 hours, covered. Rinse and add fresh water.

Cooking:
• Stove top: Cover with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of soaked beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons oil. Boil gently with lid tilted until tender when taste tasted, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep beans just covered with liquid.
• Slow-cooker or crockpot: Cover soaked beans with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Bring to a boil on high. Then, cook 8-10 hours on low.
• Freeze: Will keep up to 6 months in freezer once cooked.

Bean Nutrition
• As both a vegetable and a non-meat protein source, beans contain nutrients found in both food groups.
• They are also a nutrient-rich source of complex carbohydrates and contain dietary fiber, proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers and to aid in weight maintenance.
• In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, recommend that adults consume three cups of beans per week to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Most Americans don't even eat one (1) cup in a week.

Beans in polite company
• If high-fiber foods such as dry beans are not a regular part of your diet, the natural complex carbs in beans may cause temporary digestive discomfort.
• Research shows that adding beans to your diet on a regular basis -- at least once or twice a week -- reduces flatulence.
• The best way to reduce beans' naturally occurring carbs is to use the quick hot-soak method to soften dry beans, then drain the soaking water and start with fresh water for cooking.

Beans for Energy and Vitality
• A nutrient-rich food, beans contain protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, and important vitamins and minerals, such as folate, manganese, potassium, iron, phosphorous, copper and magnesium.
• The lean protein in beans helps maintain and promote muscle while beans’ complex carbohydrates provide a sustained energy source.
• Breakfast: Berry Bean Blast and Blueberry Bean Muffins

Beans for Blood Sugar Management
Beans boast a low glycemic index and contain complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly.
These facts make beans a good choice for people needing to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.
Shrimp & Red Beans Creole

Beans for a Healthy Heart
• Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat, are free of saturated fat and trans-fat, and are a cholesterol-free source of protein.
• Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Spicy Bean Cake

http://www.usdrybeans.com/recipes/

Berry Bean Blast

Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained, or 1 3/4 cups cooked dry-packaged navy beans or Great Northern beans
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 cups quartered strawberries
1 to 3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 to 8 ice cubes
Preparation
In a blender or food processor process all ingredients, except ice cubes. Add ice cubes and blend until smooth. Serve in glasses.

Note: May be made 1 to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. The drink will thicken in the refrigerator. Stir in orange juice or cold water for desired consistency. If frozen strawberries are used, omit the ice cubes.

Blueberry Bean Muffins
Serve these antioxidant rich muffins hot from the oven. Any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be substituted for kidney beans.
Makes 18 muffins
Ingredients
2 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked dry-packaged red kidney beans
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a blender or food processor process beans and milk until smooth.
Ina large bowl mix sugar and butter; beat in eggs and vanilla. Add bean mixture, mixing until well blended.
Mix in combined flours, baking soda, salt and spices. Gently mix in blueberries.
Spoon mixture into 12 greased or paper
lined muffin cups; sprinkle with pecans.
Bake muffins for about 20
25 minutes until toothpicks inserted in centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool.

Shrimp & Red Beans Creole
This classic dish is a staple in New Orleans homes and restaurant kitchens. Serve over rice, with a salad, for a complete meal. Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients
2 large onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup green pepper, cut into thin strips
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or canola oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf, broken
Hot pepper sauce
1 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained, or 1 3/4 cups cooked dry-packaged kidney beans
1 pound cooked shrimp, deveined
6-8 cups cooked rice

Preparation
Heat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, green pepper, garlic until soft, for about 5 minutes.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and paprika, sprinkle over vegetables. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf and season with hot pepper sauce to taste. Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, stir often and simmer for 20
30 minutes until thickened. Add water if the sauce is too thick.
About 20 minutes before serving, drain and rinse beans. Add beans, peeled shrimp to sauce. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Idaho’s Spicy Bean Cake
This low-fat spice cake is sure to be a family favorite. Frost with a maple or cream cheese frosting. Add 4 tablespoons of cocoa if chocolate cake is desired. Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups cooked, pureed pinto beans
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cups diced apples
1/2 cup nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup raisins
Preparation
Preheat oven at 375 degrees.

In a blender cream butter or margarine and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Blend in pureed beans.
Sift together dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture, blending well. Fold in apples, raisins, nuts & vanilla. Pour into buttered 9x13 inch pan.
Bake in oven, 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tests done. Frost as desired

Bean Cuisine

2009-04-26T10:56:00.001-07:00

As seen on KMGH-TV 7

BEAN CUISINE

Bean Economics
Have been talking about ways to decrease the food budget, while still eating healthy and delicious food.
• Dry beans and other legumes are some of the most widely available, inexpensive and nutritionally complete staple foods.
• Cost- minimal compared to the cost of protein from animal meats.
• One drawback however, is the time, and lack of knowledge to cook dried beans from scratch.

Soaking: Cover the beans with room temperature water. Soak covered, overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. Rinse and add fresh water.
• Hot/Quick Soak: Bring beans to a boil and boil for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for 1 - 4 hours, covered. Rinse and add fresh water.

Cooking:
• Stove top: Cover with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of soaked beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons oil. Boil gently with lid tilted until tender when taste tasted, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep beans just covered with liquid.
• Slow-cooker or crockpot: Cover soaked beans with 6 cups fresh water for each pound (2 cups) of beans, or to about one inch above the beans. Bring to a boil on high. Then, cook 8-10 hours on low.
• Freeze: Will keep up to 6 months in freezer once cooked.

Bean Nutrition
• As both a vegetable and a non-meat protein source, beans contain nutrients found in both food groups.
• They are also a nutrient-rich source of complex carbohydrates and contain dietary fiber, proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers and to aid in weight maintenance.
• In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, recommend that adults consume three cups of beans per week to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Most Americans don't even eat one (1) cup in a week.

Beans in polite company
• If high-fiber foods such as dry beans are not a regular part of your diet, the natural complex carbs in beans may cause temporary digestive discomfort.
• Research shows that adding beans to your diet on a regular basis -- at least once or twice a week -- reduces flatulence.
• The best way to reduce beans' naturally occurring carbs is to use the quick hot-soak method to soften dry beans, then drain the soaking water and start with fresh water for cooking.

Beans for Energy and Vitality
• A nutrient-rich food, beans contain protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, and important vitamins and minerals, such as folate, manganese, potassium, iron, phosphorous, copper and magnesium.
• The lean protein in beans helps maintain and promote muscle while beans’ complex carbohydrates provide a sustained energy source.
• Breakfast: Berry Bean Blast and Blueberry Bean Muffins

Beans for Blood Sugar Management
Beans boast a low glycemic index and contain complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly.
These facts make beans a good choice for people needing to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.
Shrimp & Red Beans Creole

Beans for a Healthy Heart
• Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat, are free of saturated fat and trans-fat, and are a cholesterol-free source of protein.
• Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Spicy Bean Cake

http://www.usdrybeans.com/recipes/

Berry Bean Blast

Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained, or 1 3/4 cups cooked dry-packaged navy beans or Great Northern beans
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 cups quartered strawberries
1 to 3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 to 8 ice cubes
Preparation
In a blender or food processor process all ingredients, except ice cubes. Add ice cubes and blend until smooth. Serve in glasses.

Note: May be made 1 to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. The drink will thicken in the refrigerator. Stir in orange juice or cold water for desired consistency. If frozen strawberries are used, omit the ice cubes.

Blueberry Bean Muffins
Serve these antioxidant rich muffins hot from the oven. Any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be substituted for kidney beans.
Makes 18 muffins
Ingredients
2 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked dry-packaged red kidney beans
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a blender or food processor process beans and milk until smooth.
Ina large bowl mix sugar and butter; beat in eggs and vanilla. Add bean mixture, mixing until well blended.
Mix in combined flours, baking soda, salt and spices. Gently mix in blueberries.
Spoon mixture into 12 greased or paper
lined muffin cups; sprinkle with pecans.
Bake muffins for about 20
25 minutes until toothpicks inserted in centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool.

Shrimp & Red Beans Creole
This classic dish is a staple in New Orleans homes and restaurant kitchens. Serve over rice, with a salad, for a complete meal. Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients
2 large onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup green pepper, cut into thin strips
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or canola oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf, broken
Hot pepper sauce
1 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained, or 1 3/4 cups cooked dry-packaged kidney beans
1 pound cooked shrimp, deveined
6-8 cups cooked rice

Preparation
Heat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, green pepper, garlic until soft, for about 5 minutes.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and paprika, sprinkle over vegetables. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf and season with hot pepper sauce to taste. Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, stir often and simmer for 20
30 minutes until thickened. Add water if the sauce is too thick.
About 20 minutes before serving, drain and rinse beans. Add beans, peeled shrimp to sauce. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Idaho’s Spicy Bean Cake
This low-fat spice cake is sure to be a family favorite. Frost with a maple or cream cheese frosting. Add 4 tablespoons of cocoa if chocolate cake is desired. Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups cooked, pureed pinto beans
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cups diced apples
1/2 cup nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup raisins
Preparation
Preheat oven at 375 degrees.

In a blender cream butter or margarine and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Blend in pureed beans.
Sift together dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture, blending well. Fold in apples, raisins, nuts & vanilla. Pour into buttered 9x13 inch pan.
Bake in oven, 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tests done. Frost as desired

What to do with all those leftover Easter eggs……..

2009-04-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH- TV 7

Egg Salad Week-What to do with all those leftover Easter eggs……..

It seems that the week or so after Easter, we're always overrun with boiled eggs so it makes sense that Egg Salad Week is the full week right after Easter Sunday every year. But really, how many egg salad sandwiches can your family eat? And in these harder economic times, we want to make the most of all the nutritious food in our refrigerator. So Mary Lee is here today to show how we can take advantage of the nutrition from those beautifully colored Easter Eggs.

Also provide tips to how to hard cook your eggs instead of hard boiling them. Cooking eggs for too long or at too high a temperature can make them tough and rubbery, with an unattractive green ring around the yolks.

Step by step to hard cooked eggs:
 Put the eggs in one layer on the bottom of the pan. Put the pan in the sink. Run water into the pan until the water is 1 inch over the eggs. Put the pan on a burner. Turn it to medium-high heat.
 Let the water come to a boil. Put the lid on the pan when the water is boiling. Move the pan onto a cold burner. Set the timer for 15 minutes for Large-sized eggs (or for 12 minutes for Medium-sized eggs or for 18 minutes for Extra Large-sized eggs).
 Put the pan in the sink when the time is over. Run cold water into the pan until the eggs are cool. Put the eggs into the refrigerator if you're going to use them later or peel them if you're going to use them right away. Be sure to use all the cooked eggs up before a week is over.
 If your eggs get mixed in with the fresh eggs, spin eggs on a flat surface. The solid cooked eggs will spin easily; while raw eggs (with liquid inside) will wobble.

Safety first!
 Decorated eggs are safe to eat as long as they’re not cracked. Check that all decorating materials are food safe.
 Make sure eggs do not sit out for more than two hours, or 30 minutes if it is hotter than 85 degrees.
 And do not hide Easter eggs where they can come into contact with pets, birds, dirt, lawn chemicals or pests.
 Hard cooked eggs in the shell can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Nutrition: Take advantage of nutrients in your leftover eggs and serve them in meals the following week.
 Nutrient Density: Eggs are all natural and have 13 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, healthy unsaturated fats and antioxidants, for only 70 calories each.
 Healthy Pregnancy: Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects.
 Eye Health: Lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in egg yolks, help prevent macular degeneration, a leading cause of age-related blindness.

Breakfast:
 Jumpstart your day with a hearty and nutritious breakfast
 Brain Function: Choline helps maintain the structure of brain cell membranes and is a key component of the neurotransmitter that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles.
 Hindoo eggs: The eggs are served in a curried white sauce and served over hot rice or toast points. May be eaten for breakfast or as an entree.

Lunch
 All Day Energy: Studies show that eggs provide energy without causing a spike in blood glucose or insulin levels, thereby helping people feel full longer and more energized.
 Pan Bagnat, a pressed baguette sandwich made with tuna, sliced hard-boiled eggs and potatoes that actually gets better the longer it sits. The sandwich is a specialty of the region of Nice, France.

Dinner
 Eggs play a role in weight management, muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more. It’s considered a nutrient–rich food. That is, for the amount of calories it contains, it delivers a lot of nutrients. So get cracking!
 Try chopped hard boiled eggs on your spring asparagus, or use four hard cooked eggs in luscious lemon cookies.

RECIPES

Hindoo eggs
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm chicken broth
1 cup warm milk
6 hard-boiled eggs
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Whole-wheat toast

Melt butter in a medium nonreactive skillet; add the onion and sauté over low heat until the onion is clear. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Off the heat, gradually stir in the broth and milk, stirring until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. The sauce should be slightly thickened and smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Cut the hard-boiled eggs into quarters and add to the sauce. Cook just until the eggs are hot, but do not boil. Just before serving stir in a drop or two of fresh lemon juice. Serve over hot toast points.
Yield: 4 servings

Pan Bagnat (Alton Brown recipe)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 baguette, approximately 16 to 18 inches long
12 ounces canned tuna packed in oil or water, drained and crumbled
1 small green pepper, sliced into rings
1 small red onion, sliced into rings
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 tomato, thinly sliced

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. While continuing to whisk, gradually add the olive oil. Whisk until an emulsion forms. Set aside.

Slice the baguette horizontally into 2 pieces. Tear out some of the soft bread in the center of each side, making a slight well in the bread. Place the tuna, green pepper, red onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tomato on the bottom side of the bread in that order.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, top with the second piece of bread, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
Cut into 4 sandwiches and serve.

Asparagus Mimosa
3 pounds asparagus trimmed and stem ends peeled

Mimosa:
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
6 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Dressing:
1-1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoon wine vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
Place asparagus in flat pan, covering with boiling water. Simmer until tender-crisp. Refresh with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well, then refrigerate.

Make the Mimosa by mixing hard-boiled eggs, parsley, and chives. Set aside.

Make dressing by mixing the mustard and wine vinegar in a bowl, beating with wire whip until smooth. Add olive oil while beating constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Coat asparagus lightly with dressing. Sprinkle Mimosa over the asparagus tips. Pass any remaining dressing.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Hard Cooked Egg Cookies
Zest of 1 lemon + 1/2 tsp lemon extract
10 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
4 hard cooked/boiled eggs, peeled
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream together lemon zest, lemon extract, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor.

Add in hard boiled eggs and process until fully incorporated. Mix in egg. Add flour and pulse until dough just comes together.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick and cut into rounds with a 2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter. Dip the cut cookies into the egg white then dredge in the sugar. Arrange on baking sheet - cookies will not spread - and bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.

Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 4 dozen.

Pleasing Picky Eaters

2009-04-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

As seen on PBS' Creative Living

Pleasing Picky Eaters
Get your kids to actually eat their food. Sure, you can prepare the best healthiest meal, but what are the tips to ensure that your child actually eats it? It’s all about finding the balance between preparing healthy, quality meals and ensuring your child will eat it.
The best way to get your kids to eat healthier is to make healthy eating fun and get them involved with all aspects of meal planning: from menu planning, to in the grocery store and into the kitchen.
Have a frank talk. Find out their true likes and dislikes.
Talk about it first before springing a “surprise” in the lunch box. Sure, tabbouli sounds good to you… but to your child?

Pleasing Picky Eaters
Every child needs to be well-nourished to achieve optimum growth and health. Research studies and anecdotal evidence provide compelling reasons for children to eat nutritiously consistently, every day.
• Numerous studies confirm that children in better nutrition status have better grades, better scores on achievement tests and better classroom behavior in school.
• Good food choices provide the essential nutrients kids need to stay healthy and grow.
• Each meal can make a difference to the daily and weekly totals for calories, fat, saturated fat, fiber, sugar, and sodium, and setting good health patterns for their whole life.

Tips to get your kids to actually eat the food. But as every parent knows—preparing and presenting the food is one task, the challenge too often, is to get them to actually eat it Sure, you can provide the best, most nutrient-rich foods, but what are the tips to ensure that your child actually eats it?
• The best way to get your kids to eat healthier is to make healthy eating fun and get them involved with all aspects of meal and food planning: from menu planning, to in the grocery store, and into the kitchen.
• Planning; Have a frank talk.
o Find out their likes and dislikes. Just as adults have food preferences, likes and dislikes, it’s OK for your kids to have some as well.
o Talk about it first before springing a “surprise” in the lunch box or meal. Sure, tabbouli sounds good to you…but to your child?
o And be sensitive to your child’s peer group pressure. Carefully balance your health goals with your child’s comfort level in being making creative lunches. A cookie cutter sandwich shaped like a bunny rabbit may not appeal to all age groups.
o Keep up to date, and plan periodic assessments. Tastes and interest change. If you have served a “like” for 3 weeks in a row, and it starts getting rejected, it’s time to have another planning session.
• Menu and meal planning
o Involve the kids in simple cooking tasks, or setting the table
o As the child gets older, help them to pick out and plan a meal once a week
• Grocery shopping
o Allow each family member to put a favorite (healthy) food on the grocery list
o Even very young children can help shop: pick out one apple or two oranges at the grocery store.
o Tip to keep your sanity—don’t take the kids shopping if they are tired, hungry and cranky!
• And most important—be a good role model.

Start with the nutrition basics: To best meet children’s nutritional needs, look at the Food Guide Pyramid and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Make smart choices from every food group: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk & Dairy, and Meat & Beans.
• Many Americans, including our children, consume more calories than they need without meeting recommended intakes for a number of nutrients.
• As a result, many children are becoming overweight but undernourished, and their diets are lacking in calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E.
• Emphasize nutrient-dense foods – foods with higher levels of beneficial nutrients in relation to total calories, and especially those nutrients that children are lacking, to get the most nutrition out of our calories.
• Following mom’s admonition to eat your fruits and may be some of the best health advice around. Evidence continues to accumulate on the many ways that vegetables and fruits promote good health, reducing risk of major chronic disorders such as heart disease and cancer.
o Just 1/4 cup of dried fruit, such as California Raisins, counts as a fruit serving. It's easy to reach the daily goal of 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables when you focus on including a variety of them in every meal and snack.
• Include low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains that help kids get more of the nutrients they need.
• Choose foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and salt.

Meal by Meal

Eye-Opening Breakfast Ideas:
• When making pancakes, waffles and muffins, sneak in some whole grains by replacing half of the white flour with whole wheat flour.
Fluffy Polka Dot Pancakes
• For a breakfast style burrito – and a protein and fiber boost – fold eggs, beans, shredded low fat cheese, lean ground beef and vegetables into a whole wheat tortilla.
• For a veggie breakfast hash, sauté shredded carrots, zucchini, peppers, onions and uncooked hash browns in canola oil until tender. Mix in one egg and cook until egg is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Top with cheese for an extra calcium boost.
Power up on the go. Toast a 4-inch whole grain toaster waffle and top with 1 cup low fat or fat-free yogurt and ½ cup mixed berries and ¼ cup California raisins.

Dismiss the Bread Blahs Lunch: After you find something your child actually likes, don’t serve it over and over and over every day. dreaded bread boredom sets—not another sandwich?!
• Think variety when “sandwiching” your lunches.
o Try whole grain raisin bread, pita bread, whole wheat tortillas to make “wraps,” whole grain rolls, mini-bagels or flavored bagels.
To jazz up a lunchtime favorite, spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter inside a 4-inch whole wheat pita pocket and stuff with ½ cup sliced strawberries, and a tablespoon of raisins.
Mayan Soft tacos
• Introduce foods in fun ways
o Hummus, with pretzels or celery sticks to dip
o Think beyond peanut butter. New butters on the shelves include sunflower seed, cashew and almond. Sprinkle on raisins, and/or send with a whole banana to slice on top.
o Leftover cold meat, sliced into strips and sent with salsa, ketchup or barbeque sauce dip.
o Roll-ups of tortillas filled with cheese and/or lunch meat around a pickle
• Up the taste of the filling
o Stir chopped celery, cashews, raisins or water chestnuts into tuna or chicken salad
o Add shredded carrots or raisins to any nut butter
o Explore new fruits and veggies from the produce aisle: kiwi, red jumbo raisins, jicama, donut peaches, mango
o Fruit Salsa Salad with a snap and a kick that older kids will love

Dinner Delights:
• Go stir crazy – savor a stir-fry made with lean beef or pork strips, shredded cabbage and crunchy water chestnuts. Serve over enriched white rice (or brown rice for added fiber)
• Not your Mama’s Mac ‘n Cheese – try whole wheat noodles when preparing macaroni & cheese or spaghetti. Include chopped broccoli or other vegetable for a nutrient-rich punch!
• Add chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumber, raisins, or eggplant to soup, chili, pasta sauce, lasagna, meatloaf, casseroles, quick breaks and muffins to add nutrients and fiber.
South of the Border Bowl
California Raisin Wheaten Walnut Bread

Sweet Endings
• Provide a sweet dessert with some nutritious bits!
California Gold Bars
Baked Peaches with Golden Raisins
• Don’t get into the “good food” vs. “bad food” trap.
o Forbidden foods become all the more appealing. You can add mini-chocolate chips to a granola mix, or provide a min-chocolate bar without compromising nutrition. Just watch amount and frequency.

Conclusion: It’s all about planning healthy, quality meals and

Healthy Snacking for All Ages

2009-04-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

AS seen on PBS' Creative Living

Healthy Snacking for All Ages
- Drop the potato chips! Mary Lee will share some healthy snack ideas that kids will love, and parents can feel good about serving – and enjoying themselves.
- From snacks to send to school or snacks to serve when all the neighborhood kids are at your house, Mary Lee will provide some quick, easy and delicious snack ideas (that are also good-for-you, too!).
- Parents often find themselves tempted to gnash on their kids’ snacks – and who can blame them? Convenience is always a factor. When you prepare healthy snacks for your kids, you will find that you, in turn, are snacking healthier.

Healthy Snacking for All Ages

Whether you are a mom, dad, nanny, grandparent, teacher, or other caregiver, you know that nurturing and nourishing children is one of the most important - and challenging! - roles you will ever experience.

Most kids are starving after a long day at school, so make sure you have something fast and easy for them to eat when they get home.
• Lunch was hours ago, and kids need to eat every few hours for best nutrition. And you can even sneak more vitamins into a delicious snack with easy recipes.
• Providing snacks for after school programs is a great opportunity to help kids practice healthy eating.
• Including a healthy snack between meals is a healthy way to keep hunger in check and stay energized throughout the day.

Did you know that most children, especially the younger children and active teens, need to eat every three to four hours to replenish energy stores and recharge their bodies?
• A between meal snack is often a necessary component of a school-age child's overall nutrition intake.
• Research shows that many kids are eating too many calorie-, sugar- and fat-rich snacks that provide little in the way of nutrients they need for health and growth.

An easy way to provide nutrient-rich snacks is to choose them from the food groups that provide the essential nutrients that are currently limited in most kids diets- CA, K, Mg, Vitamin E and fiber.
• Selecting snacks from the Fruit, Dairy and Whole Grain food groups will provide an abundance of healthy—and good tasting snacks to fuel your child’s growth.
• Today, I have sample snacks made from these food groups that not only taste good, but are simple to make and will sure to be a hit with your kids-and you.

And a word to adults about snacking
• To many of us, snacking seems like a questionable extra, rather than part of healthful eating. Good nutrition sense however, challenges the popular myth that people should not snack.
• In fact, it’s important to include those treats because research shows when people restrict or deprive themselves of foods they love they are more likely to over-indulge later on.
• Snacking may have weight control advantages
o Eaten between mealtimes, snacks help take the edge of hunger, avoiding overeating at meals.
o Smart snackers choose food and portions carefully to match their calorie target without going over. Treats can fit in if you keep sight of your overall diet.

Nutritious Snack Guidelines
Instead of reaching for food that is high in calories, primarily from sugar or fat, such as cookies, candies and sweet snacks use the Food Guide Pyramid to plan snacks, just as you do for meals.

• Choose whole-grain foods such as bagels, tortillas, English muffins, breads and cereals to provide energy, fiber and a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals.
Breakfast Raisin-Banana Tortilla Roll-up (though I must confess the whole peanut butter issue is putting a serious crimp on kids’ snacking)
Bumps on a Bagel

• Include fruits and vegetables for color, variety, crunch, taste and nutrition.
Variety of fresh fruit and variety of raisins

• Include foods with protein, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, peanut butter, tuna, poultry and meat products; they are necessary for growing children.
Cheddar Crunch: Mix ½ cup of Cheddar cheese shreds with popcorn and pretzels.
Milk and cookies: Our Growers Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• Limit added fat and sugars as much as possible. Your after school snack doesn't have to be sweet, but if it is, you can still make it nutritious.
Caramel Apple Sundae

Three commandments of snacking for kids
1. Snacks should not take longer to make than to eat.
Salsa Roll-up: Roll Monterey Jack cheese in a whole wheat tortilla and dip in salsa.

2. Invention makes everything taste better. Even those dreaded good-for-you foods are a hit when cleverly disguised. It's one of life's snack mysteries: Putting food on a stick improves the flavor. Calling it a pizza anything is a sale.
Raisin Apple Mini-pizzas
Fresh Fruit Kabobs on straws

3. Never eat snacks with forks and knives. It's a proven fact that anything eaten with fingers tastes better.
Beyond Good Old Raisins and Peanuts

Start a new family tradition
The first day of school can mean a new outfit, fresh pencils and clean notebooks. And to mark the start of a new and special year of school beginning, celebrate with an after school treat or end of meal with a special, delicious dessert.
Applesauce Bread Pudding

Conclusion: Snacking has become a way of life for children. Nearly all children eat at least one snack per day, with many children eating two or three. After-school snacks high in sugar, fat and calories can contribute to dental cavities, obesity and spoil the child’s appetite for dinner.
• Include a wide variety of foods from the Fruit, Vegetable, Dairy and Grain Food Groups in your and your child’s snacks. Use delicious and nutritious snacks to build better nutrition and better bodies to contribute to overall nutrition well-being.

I love you ... Let's clean out the fridge!

2009-04-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

By Kristen Browning-Blas
The Denver Post

(Photo by Getty Images, Illustration by Maureen Scance, The Denver Post)
Related
What better way to show your loved ones you care, than to make sure your fridge is clean, cold and well- organized?
You might blame the restaurant where you had dinner the night before, but most food-poisoning cases start at home.
In fact, food-borne illnesses are three times more likely to occur in private homes than in commercial kitchens, says Denver dietitian Mary Lee Chin. Many cases are due to improper storage, unsafe food handling, lack of cleanliness and poor refrigerator maintenance.
Even the most orderly looking fridge can harbor foods that can make you sick.
After Chin e-mailed us confessing her own food-storage sins — she was shocked to learn that the refrigerator door is too warm for storing eggs; "Isn't that why they have those little egg holes?" — we wondered what icebox infractions ordinary people are committing.
We tagged along as Chin inspected the kitchen of Carmen Mix, who volunteered to be our guinea pig. The mother of two small children worries about limp celery and moldy cheese and hopes to persuade her mother not to keep leftovers so long.
First, Chin checks the seal on Mix's 3-year-old GE model.
"There should be a slight tug when it opens," says Chin. That tells you the seal is working properly, one of the first things to check on an older model. A cracked seal allows air in and can cause the temperature to rise. "That creates a perfect environment for bacteria to grow."
Plus, she says, the seals have ridges that collect moisture and dirt, so clean them once in a while.
"What do you do with your settings?" the inspector asks. "Have you checked them?"
"I ... no," says Mix, with a nervous laugh. "It's probably set to what it came at."
She's lucky, because her fridge has a thermometer and it reads a perfect 40 degrees. If you don't have a built-in thermometer, buy one and make sure your fridge is set to 40 or below, says Chin.
Americans throw away, on average, more than a quarter of the

Dietitian Mary Lee Chin, right, tells Carmen Mix that she doesn't have to keep soy sauce in the fridge. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)
food we buy, especially produce. "Many of us wait till it turns to lettuce soup, then we don't feel guilty about throwing it away," says Chin.
"I'd love to have our celery last longer," says Mix.
"When celery goes limp, it's because it's lost moisture," Chin says. "It's still OK to eat, but who wants to eat mushy celery?"
Keep produce in plastic bags and tightly cover cut fruit and veggies to maintain quality. Produce becomes wrinkled or mushy because the plant cells have begun to collapse, allowing the loss of nutrients and increasing bacterial growth in the compromised cells, says Chin, ticking off a list of dos and don'ts:
• Don't purchase produce with mold, bruises or cuts. Bacteria can thrive in those blemishes, and vegetable bins are the most likely place to be contaminated. Produce used for salads — lettuce and spinach, for example — grows low to the ground, where the leaves are likely to come in contact with fertilizers.
• Do buy only the amount of produce that you will use within a week.
• Do place washed produce into clean storage containers, not back into the original ones.
• Do refrigerate fresh produce within two hours of peeling or cutting.
"What about mold on cheese?" Mix asks as her daughter Whitney, 2, pokes her head into the chilled interior.
"If it's hard cheese, cut off a good portion because it does have legs, so to speak," says Chin. "On bread, if it's

Mix's son, Mason, plays with cans of pop, a better choice than milk for storing in the door. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)
white, green, brown or real fuzzy-looking, don't mess with it, throw it out."
Although Mix doesn't keep her eggs in the door, she does put them in the container that came with the fridge. Chin tells her to keep the eggs in the original dated carton so that they last longer, and she'll know how old they are. You can tell if an egg is fresh by cracking it open onto a plate. If it's old, the white will spread out. A fresh egg white will stand up firmly.
While Mix holds her year-old son, Mason, just up from a nap, Chin reaches into the fridge for a jar of baby food.
"Don't feed him out of the jar and put it back in," she says. Bacteria transfers from the baby's mouth to spoon to jar, so it's best to spoon out a serving from the jar, and refrigerate the rest for another meal.
"What about leftovers? Do you label them?" Chin asks, suggesting Mix keep some masking tape and a marker handy to date her leftovers.
"We do have a lot of leftovers, with the little ones," says Mix, shifting Mason on her hip.
"Just wait til he's an adolescent," laughs Chin, who raised two sons and knows a thing or two about growing appetites.
Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com
________________________________________
Kitchen myths
"The milk belongs in the refrigerator door, because it's easier to get to."
Easy access, yes, but doors consistently are warmer than the rest of the refrigerator. Rather than milk, yogurt or cold cuts — foods that spoil quickly — use the door to store condiments, bottled sauces, soft drinks and juice, which keep longer because of high sugar and/ or salt content.
"It's already cooked, so it's safe."
Just because a food has been cooked doesn't mean it will stay safe. Leftovers still need to be refrigerated within two hours.
"I don't need to wash my hands when I'm eating at home, my house is clean."
Eeeuw! Think about it. "The first mistake in any kitchen is people don't wash their hands enough," says John Woolley of Johnson & Wales University. "They think if they're not outside working on the car then it's OK." Not OK. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently when working in the kitchen.
"I don't need to wash this melon — I'm not going to eat the peel."
Wash anything you're going to cut into. Whatever's on the outside will transfer to the inside when you cut into it. "People think, 'I'm just gonna put this melon on this cutting board,'" says Woolley. "You take that bacteria and put it on your cutting board and there's a little moisture or protein on there and the bacteria starts to grow."
________________________________________
Keep hot food hot, cold food cold
IN THE FRIDGE:
Between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature danger zone, where bacteria is more likely to grow at a fast rate. Your refrigerator should be set to 40 degrees or colder.
Get a thermometer if your fridge doesn't have one, to make sure it's cold enough. They are sold at grocery stores, specialty shops and restaurant suppliers.
Store seafood as close to 32 degrees as possible — toward the back of the fridge, where it's colder.
OUT OF THE FRIDGE:
Cook ground beef to 155 degrees. "Ground beef takes the outside and puts it on the inside, because you grind it all up. Anything, bacteria, that was on the outside is now on the inside," says John Woolley of Johnson & Wales University.
Cook chicken to 165 degrees; this goes for anything mixed with chicken as well. "The top end is 165 for killing bacteria on chicken," says Woolley.
Cool down soups and stews by transferring them to shallow pans so the heat dissipates quickly. It's OK to put hot food into the fridge, especially if you transfer it to smaller containers, says Sharon Franke of Good Housekeeping.
________________________________________
Storage containers
The Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested 31 containers, lids, bags, wraps and liners, and recommends these five products for keeping food fresh:
Rubbermaid Premier. Whether you're driving your special dish to a potluck or carrying lunch to work, a no-leak container is key. Here's one that will protect your car from salad dressing: Rubbermaid's Premier set ($2.50 to $9; 866-271-9249; rubbermaidpremier.com).
Nalgene. Ceramic canisters are cute but not airtight. Give flour, sugar, rice and other dried foods a longer shelf life by stashing them in Nalgene jars ($3.33 to $8.23; 800-625-4327; nalgene-outdoor.com).
Tupperware Ice Prisms. Filled with fruit or salad, Tupperware's Ice Prisms are nice enough for your buffet table — and their lids snap on tightly to keep food fresh. One downside: The containers need to be washed by hand ($17.50 to $29; 888-887-9273; tupperware.com).
Bormioli Rocco Frigoverre Plus. The Bormioli Rocco Frigoverre containers had the tightest seal in our tests. And if you're nervous about microwaving in plastic, these glassware pieces will put your mind at ease ($30 for a set of three, amazon.com).
QuickSeals. Forget scrunching, tying or clipping. Instead, close packaged goods with QuickSeals, which fit over a bag's opening to create a secure zippered seal ($1.29 for six; quickseals.com). Goodhousekeeping .com
________________________________________
Keep it clean
More than three out of five Americans say they wait for food to taste bad, look bad or smell bad instead of checking the expiration date, says dietitian Mary Lee Chin. The expiration or "use by" date is the date by which food should be used or frozen to ensure quality and consistency — and it should be followed, she says.
Take inventory of the contents of your refrigerator once a week or immediately before going grocery shopping.
Remove outdated foods promptly.
While cleaning, remove all food and store in a cooler.
Wipe up spills as they happen to keep your refrigerator clean, and help it to be odor-free. And if you wipe up juices from raw meat, throw out the sponge or paper towel — don't keep using it, says Good Housekeeping's Sharon Franke.
If they're removable, take the parts out and wash them in hot soapy water, says Franke.
Inside the fridge, use baking soda, a cleaner such as Fantastik or a very diluted bleach solution, says Franke. "You don't want to spray a cleaner into fridge," she says, but it is safe to use. Spray onto a sponge, then rinse off with water.
Replace filters on icemakers and water dispensers every six months or as recommended by the owner's manual.
To rid fridge of offensive odors, add a cup of baking soda to a bowl or plate and place inside refrigerator for 24 hours. A box of baking soda in the back of your fridge can help eliminate odor contamination.

Love Food, Hate Waste

2009-04-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Love Food Hate Waste
• Name of a government sponsored awareness program in the United Kingdom to reduce food waste

Americans waste an astounding amount of food
• Much of the waste is preharvest, or during processing and handling, and from restaurant and cafeteria waste. However a large of amount of food is wasted in our own home kitchens.
• According to a government study, it is estimated 27 % of the food available for consumption is wasted, working out to about a pound of food every day for every American
• This is like bringing home 4 shopping bags of food and throwing away one of the bags immediately.

During these tough economic times, when the food budget is biting us back, decreasing household food wastage is one strategy to make your food dollar stretch farther.
• Food losses happen because of over-preparation, plate discard, cooking losses, and spoilage from foods forgotten in the refrigerator.
• These may sound familiar: Examples are entire heads of lettuce that have gone bad, half-eaten boxes of crackers and sprouted potatoes and onions and end up in the landfill
• Happily here are some easy and practical ways to save money by wasting less food and help the environment as well

Portioning: By planning ahead, you can avoid cooking too much and having a lot of leftovers.
• Too often we have good intentions but usually leftovers end up being thrown out
• Use handy measuring equipment to accurately make the amount of food you need.
• For example, ¼ cup of raw rice makes one adult serving
• Use a Spaghetti Measurer to determine how much pasta to cook. Large amounts of noodles end up in the trash

Planning: Reserve some time to plan meals.
• Many people buy a stock items of groceries, with no thought of what dishes will be made that week. Too often ingredients are not used, and go to waste. Plan 1-2 weeks of menus.
• Shop your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer first before going to the store. Avoids purchasing foods you already have, but forgotten. And those jars of gift jelly, boxes of gourmet wild rice and cans of vegetables used to can be turned into tasty meals.
• Make a list and shop your list. Impulse buying can add a lot to the grocery bill.
.

Leftovers are actually makeovers.
• If you are not going to eat leftovers within 2-3 days, seal in freezer wrap, date and freeze at 0 degrees. Will make a great for a meal for one.
• Periodically hunt through the fridge and pull out all those scraps of leftover cheese, vegetables and meat. Turn into quiche, quesadillas or omelets
• Check your produce compartments and don’t forget about fresh fruits and vegetable, but use up.
o Any spare fresh tomatoes could be added to some canned ones to make a great topping for pizza.
o Rice would turn leftover chicken and wrinkly peppers into a delicious salad
o Bits and dabs of leftover vegetables, added to canned soup with milk produces a nourishing, quick and nutrient-rich soup. Benefit of dish provides a lot of nutrients for a small amount of calories, and the calcium and other nutrients in milk.
o For a free lunch, take leftover salad, meat and cheese and make a wrap.

Take time to look at use by and expiration dates
• Buy dates with longest shelf life. Then if changing mind about using it, there is still time to eat it before it goes bad.
• Periodically check the use by and expiration dates of the food in your refrigerator. If you know you are not going to use it by the date, then freeze it, using appropriate airtight containers and bags and mark with masking tape/pen. Use within 2 months.
• Buying in bulk saves money on a per item basis, but not if you don’t use it up before it spoils.

A shocking amount of food we buy in the US ends up being thrown away.
• It’s not just banana skins and tea bags.
• Most of that food could be eaten.
• Spend a little time planning ahead, and save money and calories, plus get a healthier diet.

Resources

http://www.3aday.org

http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Nutrient Rich on a Budget

2009-04-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH-TV 7

Food Group by Group: Nutrient Rich on a budget

With money tight, finding the best deals on groceries may become more important to people than buying the groceries they like best, so they may start buying cheap foods they wouldn't otherwise buy.
• Healthier foods may be more expensive, but remember that anything high in fat and low in nutrients isn't cheap either…and you may pay for it in long term health problems
• It is still possible to eat healthy rich on a limited budget.
• Provide tips today, food group by food group to get a nutrient-rich diet.
• Nutrient-rich definition: Foods that deliver a significant amount of nutrients such as vitamins. Minerals and anti-oxidants, for the amount of calories it contains.

Produce section: more nutrients per bite.
• Colorful, delicious
Recommendations
• Use frozen, canned and dried produce
• Think the three “c’s” carrots, collards and cabbage for crunch, color and cost
• Shop at ethnic food markets
• Buy in season-famer’s markets open soon
Visual: Cabbage Salad with California Raisins, frozen broccoli, canned corn, bag raisins, green onions, carrots, cabbage, collards
The cabbage salad takes advantage of a cheap winter vegetable. Apples and raisins add fiber and anti-oxidants that can help decrease risk of certain chronic diseases.

Protein foods
• Foods that deliver nutrition-rich for the calories and the cost
• Inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes
• High-quality proteins, containing all the essential amino acids in the amounts needed by the body, are generally found in animal sources within the diet.
• Try using a smaller, thinner portions of meat, fish, or poultry and extending the dish with whole grains, beans, eggs, and/or vegetables
Recommendations
• Beans, either dry or canned. Beans are full of nutritional benefits, such as fiber and protein, and they're inexpensive.
• Eggs: Traditional for breakfast, can be eaten B-L-D. A new research review, published in the January/February, 2009 issue of Nutrition Today , (1) concludes that the high-quality protein in eggs makes valuable contributions to overall health by promoting muscle strength and by providing a source of sustained energy.
• Confirmed meat eater: Ground beef consumption is up because more people are eating at home and those prices haven't dropped.
• Because of the downturn in business travel and business eating out, steak prices have dropped dramatically. And If you watch the mark down rack in the meat department on Tuesday's, that is typically the best day to find steaks marked down because the meat managers heavy up for the weekend. What doesn't get sold is sold on sale on Tuesday.
Visual: Grilled Vietnamese Beef Salad with California Golden Raisin Relish

Grains
• The word "fiber" can often sound less than appetizing, lending itself to images of tree bark
• Adult women should aim to eat more than 20 grams of fiber a day and that men should strive for more than 30 grams per day. Yet, most Americans consume about half the amount of fiber
• Recommendations:
• The first meal of the day is the most important, not only because it gives you energy to start the day, but also because it is one of the best opportunities to load up on fiber. There are a host of high-fiber cereals from which to choose—then add a banana or another favorite fruit to the bowl along with some fat-free milk for a quick and easy fiber fix.
Recommendations
• Look for cereals that say “whole grain.” Up the fiber content by adding California raisins, sliced bananas and chopped walnuts. Only ¼ cup of raisins count as a fruit serving, contributing to your recommended four servings of fruit per day.
Visual: Bowl of oatmeal with bananas, raisins and walnuts

Dairy
• The dairy group is one that we need to be careful not to shortchange, especially for our children who need at least 3 servings a day
• Milk provides 3 of the 5 nutrients that the Dietary Guidelines say are lacking in most children’s diets-calcium, magnesium and potassium
• Use powdered milk: $2.00 a gal so less than half the price of fresh.
Recommendations:
• Purchase milk in bulk gallon containers
• Look at the use by date to get the freshest milk and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator
• You won’t fool anyone that reconstituted powdered milk is the same as fresh as a beverage, but there are some tricks.
o To get good tasting powdered milk make sure you start with fresh dry milk.
o Mix it ½ & ½ with fresh milk for body and flavor, chill at least 4 hours or overnight
o Serve with homemade cookies.
Visual: Box of powdered milk, glass of milk, Raisin, Bran and Oatmeal Cookies

It takes an investment of your time and planning, however in these tough economic times, you can still feed your family with nutrient–rich foods while on a budget.

Resources:
http://www.nutrientrichfoods.org
http://www.loveyourraisins.com/raisins

Cabbage Salad with California Raisins
A creamy coleslaw with apples and raisins.
INGREDIENTS
Dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Salad
1 package (16 ounces) prepared coleslaw mix
1/2 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup California raisins
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
PROCEDURE
In a salad bowl, stir together the cream, vinegar, sugar, salt and white pepper. Add coleslaw mix, apple and raisins; mix together. Sprinkle with cumin seeds. Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Grilled Vietnamese Beef Salad with California Golden Raisin Relish
Golden raisins, peanuts, sesame and cilantro for an unforgettable relish to serve with grilled beef and rice noodles.

Marinade
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped gingerroot
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 beef shoulder tenders (about 5 ounces each)
California Golden Raisin Relish
6 tablespoons unsalted peanuts
6 tablespoons California golden raisins
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

Vinaigrette
2 cups reserved marinade
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon sriacha hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Salad
6 quarts water
12 ounces rice noodles
6 cups (12 ounces) mesclun
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1 cup carrots, cut into matchstick-size pieces (julienne)
1-1/2 cups diced cucumber

PROCEDURE
Marinade
Combine ingredients in large mixing bowl; mix well. Reserve 2 cups for vinaigrette. Stir beef into remainder and divide into 2 large resealable plastic bags. Allow to stand in refrigerator overnight.
Relish
Combine ingredients in bowl and stir well. Set aside.

Vinaigrette
Strain 2 cups reserved marinade into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat; reduce to 1 1/2 cups. Cool. Combine hoisin, mustard, hot pepper sauce and rice vinegar in blender. With blender running on high, add reduced marinade in a slow steady stream until emulsified. Set aside.

Salad
Bring salted water to rapid boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse in cold water; drain well. Set aside. Toss mesclun, cabbage, carrots and cucumber together in a large bowl; chill.

To Serve
Grill beef on very hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side until completely marked and done (145°F for medium rare). Let rest for 5 minutes. Slice very thin and set aside.
Divide noodles and mound in centers of 6 individual plates. Top each with a portion of greens and arrange sliced beef along side. Add 2 tablespoons relish and drizzle all with vinaigrette.

Note: Sriacha pepper sauce can be found in most Asian markets.

Raisin, Bran and Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1-1/4 cups California raisins
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon butter flavor (optional)
1/2 cup nonfat milk
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla

PROCEDURE
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover baking sheet with parchment, waxed paper or aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, combine oat bran, flours, allspice, cinnamon, soda, sugar and salt. Stir in oats and raisins. In another bowl, combine oil, yogurt, butter flavor, milk, egg whites and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry, and stir until well combined. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.
48 cookies

Food Budgeting Tips

2009-04-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH-TV 7

Nutrition recession: too many calories, too few nutrients
• Prices are way down on the stock market and way up at the grocery store.
• Just thinking about it could make you lose your appetite

Imagine high food prices could put the nation on a diet as people, strapped for cash, tighten their belts and eat less.
• Soaring food prices will have the opposite effect -- fatten up the nation.
• As price of one food goes up, people buy less of it, but buy other, cheaper food in its place, and cheaper foods tend to have more calories than those with a higher price tag
• Price of oranges goes up, don't buy as many oranges but may decide to buy cookies
• With money tight, finding the best deals on groceries may become more important to people than buying the groceries they like best, so they may start buying cheap foods they wouldn't otherwise buy.

It's no accident that high-calorie foods (chips, dips, cookies, candy) are generally cheaper than low-calorie foods (broccoli, asparagus, peaches, blueberries).
• Processed foods are cheaper to produce, ship and store
• Low-calorie foods are fresh -- fruits and vegetables, meat and fish -- that come pretty much as is from the orchard, farm, ranch or ocean. And they stay fresh for only a very short time
• Easily bruised and susceptible to rotting
• Quite simply fats and sweets cost less, whereas healthier diets cost more

Tips that won’t break the bank
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store: outer aisles
• Balance nutrition budgets
• Americans generate roughly 30 million tons of food waste, about a quarter of the food we consume and prepare gets tossed into the garbage
• Supermarkets, restaurants and convenience stores alone throw out 27 million tons between them every year (representing $30 billion of wasted food).
• If 5% was recovered, it could provide the equivalent of a day's food for four million hungry people;

Produce-nutrient rich: way to give you more nutrients per bite
• Colorful, delicious
• Buy in season
• Use frozen, canned and dried produce
• Think the three “c’s” carrots, collards and cabbage
• Crunch, color and cost

Save on protein foods
• Fish and poultry are often flash-frozen to minimize freezer damage and retain freshness. With frozen foods, you can use only the amount you need, reseal the package, and return it to the freezer. If it's properly stored, there's no waste
• When you do buy meat, choose smaller portions of lean cuts.
• Inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes
• Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive source of protein that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• You could also try using a smaller portion of meat, fish, or poultry and extending the dish with whole grains, beans, eggs, and/or vegetables

Beverages
• Shocking statistic, 84% of teens spend money and drink on a daily basis, sports drinks
• Milk with nine essential nutrients, is the best bargain at $0.25 per glass

Overwhelmed, overweight and undernourished

Nutrition Recession-Food on a Budget

2009-04-26T10:34:00.001-07:00

As seen on KUSA-TV 9

Nutrition recession: what to do with the food budget as the economy flags, sags and drags.
• Prices are way down on the stock market and way up at the grocery store.
• Just thinking about it could make you lose your appetite
• Provide tips that won’t break the bank and will balance your nutrition budget

Imagine high food prices could put the nation on a diet as people, strapped for cash, tighten their belts and eat and weigh less.
• Soaring food prices have the opposite effect -- fatten up the nation.
• As price of one food goes up, people buy less of it, but buy other, cheaper food in its place, and cheaper foods tend to have more calories than those with a higher price tag
• Finding the best deals on groceries may become more important than buying the groceries they like best, so they may start buying cheap foods they wouldn't otherwise buy.
• Quite simply fats and sweets cost less, whereas healthier diets cost more

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for the bulk of your groceries
• This is where most of the basic, fresh and less processed foods are.
• Most produce, dairy products, meats, and grain products are usually located on these outer aisles. Often these foods are the most nutrient-rich-that is, they provide a substantial amount of nutrients for their calories.
• Then after you shop the outer aisles, dip into the inner aisles for staples that you know you need.

Produce: Nutrient rich and economical ways to give you more nutrients per bite
• To save money buy colorful, delicious fresh produce in season
o In the winter, think the three “c’s” carrots, collards and cabbage which provide you crunch, color and cost savings
• Use dried fruit like raisins
o A full fruit serving is only ¼ a cup, and provides plenty of fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants for your health
o At 25 to 30 cents per serving, you economically meet one of your recommended fruit servings, compared to 75 cents to a dollar a serving for fresh fruit in the winter.
• Frozen and canned fruit and vegetables are also a nutrient-rich option.
o Processed just after they are harvested, they maintain nutrient content
o You only take out what you need, storing the rest and decreasing expensive food wastage.

Beverages
• Shocking statistic, 84% of teens spend money and drink on a daily basis, sports drinks
• Milk with nine essential nutrients, is the best bargain at $0.25 per glass
• Compare with sport and energy drinks at one to two dollars per bottle-and usually the bottle is two servings, butt realistically the kids drink it in one sitting

Save on protein foods
• With flash frozen foods such as fish and meat, use only the amount you need, reseal the package, and return it to the freezer. Properly stored, there's no waste
• When you do buy meat, choose smaller portions of lean cuts.
• Use more inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and legumes
o Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive source of protein that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
o You could also try using a smaller portion of meat, fish, or poultry and extending the dish with whole grains, beans, eggs, and/or vegetables.
o Purchase in the bulk bins

In this economic recession we also face a nutrition recession: People are overwhelmed, overweight and undernourished
• We too often buy high-calorie foods (chips, dips, cookies, candy) which are generally cheaper than low-calorie foods as processed foods are cheaper to produce, ship and store
• Follow some basic general principles such as: shopping the perimeter of the store, incorporating dried, frozen and canned produce, choosing more nutrient –rich beverages like milk, and less pop and energy drinks, and looking at alternative protein.
• It takes an investment of your time and planning, however in these tough economic times, you can still feed your family with nutrient –rich foods while on a budget

Chinese New Year 2009

2009-04-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH-TV 7

Year of the Ox: Lunar Year 4707

Chinese New Year Offers Symbols of Health, Wealth and Wisdom for 2009

The Chinese New Year of the Ox begins on January 26, 2009 and is celebrated for the next 15 days. More food is prepared and consumed during this holiday than any other time of the year, and much of the food has symbolic connotations.

Mary Lee Chin, a registered dietitian and first generation Chinese-American is encouraging everyone to hedge their bets this Chinese New Year and indulge in the foods that symbolize health, wealth and wisdom.

Mary Lee brings you New Years greeting from the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. In our ninth year, it will be held at Sloan’s Lake Park this year on July 25 and 26

• Boat team registration for both adult and youth teams are now open.
• The diverse cultures of Hawaii will be featured at this year's 2009 festival to commemorate the 50th year of its statehood with special activities including a Hawaiian Lei Ceremony, Polynesian dancing, luau ceremonies and much more!
• The CDBF will also be featuring the second annual commemorative poster design contest with cash awards for the top three finalists.
• For more festival information and New Year recipes, go to www.cdbf.org

FOOD and Health & Wealth: Foods have special significance and it is advised to eat dishes with auspicious sounding names in Chinese.

The Box of Harmony
The box of candies traditionally offered at New Years is round or octagonal, the form resembling togetherness, and contains dazzling rows of fruit and candies to begin the New Year sweetly.
• Candies are given to friends and relatives during their visits.
• Each candied fruit is symbolic—though highly sugared, so eat in moderation!
• Let’s go over some of the symbolism: I have selected fruits that symbolize wealth and prosperity
o Pineapple of wealth
o Kumquat - gold, hence fortune, wealth
o Lotus seeds, crystallized - a full wallet, many (male) offspring
o Candied melon symbolizing good health and growth., having a large number of children
o Coconut: promoting togetherness and friendship
o Water chestnut) - unity

The Box of Health and Harmony: Can’t get away from being a registered dietitian and making healthy recommendations.
• Modernized and updated fruit offerings to also reflect healthy choices.
• These are representative of a food group to encourage: Fruit Food group
• Nutrient-rich. That is, they provide much more nutritional value in terms of vitamins, minerals and other healthful components, for the low amount of calories they contain.

o Tangerines are very popular as, among other things, they symbolize abundant happiness.
• Excellent source of fiber and vitamin C
o Walnuts- happiness of the entire family
• Source of omega-3-fatty acid for heart health
o Grapes and raisins - wealth, abundance, fertility, many descendants, family harmony
• Use dried fruit in winter at 25-30 cents per serving to help meet your recommended 4 servings of fruit/day economically
o Golden raisins
• With anti-oxidants beta-carotene and lycopene
o Mangos
• Golden- wealth
o Apple - wisdom, peace
• Excellent source of soluble fiber and a kid favorite
o Peach, pair of - wealth, abundance, long healthy life, great fortune for many generations
• Research on phytochemicals to reduce risk of cancer

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving.
• Events that take place during this time sets the tone for the rest of the year.
• Take this opportunity to celebrate health, and happiness with your family, and focus on getting your four servings of fruit/day—even in the winter
• For more information, go to www.cdfb.org

Facts & Fallacies-Foods you have scolded for eating

2009-04-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

As seen on WB 2

Foods that you have been scolded for eating- the reality

As a registered dietitian I am continually challenged to help people separate common myths about common foods.
 Food myths are created from outdated science, old wives' tales, and misconceptions that have been around long enough that they take on the aura of truth.
 They stick around because they are so familiar. But every now and then, you need to take another look at information you believe is true and change with the times.

You know it's easier to feel good about eating "good-for-you food" when you consume Brussels spouts or made-from-scratch whole wheat bread.
 But have you ever been scolded for consuming foods that are more convenient, can help you watch your weight or provide a guilty pleasure?
 Many of these foods deserve a second chance. And new research shows added value and additional health benefits of the foods.

So let's take a look and separate fact from myth.

Milk: We are at a nutrition crossroads here, where we need to take a look at what foods have, rather than what they do not have.
 All milk, whether it is conventional or organic is the same. And both are the same in that neither contains hormones or antibiotics.
 And milk is so much more than an excellent source of calcium. Its nutrient-rich foods, containing nine essential nutrients needed for health and growth, and providing a wealth of nutrients for the calories.
 Research shows that milk consumption can help you feel more satisfied, help achieve positive weight control, and control high blood pressure.

Dried fruit: We have been told to avoid raisins, because they are so sticky, can cause cavities
 New research reveals raisins may benefit oral health because the fruit possesses several antimicrobial phytochemicals that suppress growth of some oral bacteria associated with dental cavities and gum disease.
 Oleanolic acid was one such compound showing positive response to reducing pathogenic activity. Prior, non-related studies reveal oleanolic acid also has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties
 In addition, just 1/4 cup of California raisins count as a fruit serving, helping you meet the recommended 4 servings of fruit per day.

Eggs: Recommendations have changed. The American Heart Association allows up to seven eggs a week, one for each day.
 There is 30 years of evidence which shows that eating eggs daily does not have a significant impact on blood cholesterol of healthy adults.
 New research shows that eating foods rich in choline (koh-leen) and betaine (bee-tuh-een) such as eggs may help reduce the risk of inflammation associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, bone loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
 Eggs are a nutrient dense food. They are an inexpensive source of complete protein and contain a variety of nutrients including healthy doses of vitamins A, B12, D, K, and riboflavin.

Sugar substitutes: With overweight and obesity now considered a national “epidemic” many people are working to reduce their calories.
 Sugar substitutes are a great tool to get the sweetness we all love, without the additional calories.
 All the sweeteners on the market, like aspartame, have been carefully tested for decades, and all are safe.
 Especially as we head into the calorie-heavy holiday season, the sugar substitutes can help you watch your weight, while enjoying your food.

Processed foods such as spaghetti sauce: Have you been told that it is better to raw than processed foods? In actuality, many processed foods are higher in nutrient content.
 Processing tomatoes makes the vitamin A content more absorbable.
 And for men, it increases the amount of the anti-oxidant, lycopene which research has shown to decrease risk of prostate cancer.
 Just 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce counts as one vegetable serving, helping you meet the recommended five servings of veggies per day.

Water: Think green here as well as safety. (If enough time)
 For a long time we have been using bottled water, and contributing to the mountain of waste.
 Tap water is perfectly safe.
 In addition the water in our area has fluorine, and essential nutrition to help keep our kids teeth formation healthy.

Advice is easy to come by these days, especially when it comes to nutrition, but don't fall for “old wives tales.” Take the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of these foods.

From Ballot Box to Recipe Box

2009-04-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

AS seen on KUSA-TV 9

I did a little research and discovered some favorite recipes of the presidential and Vice-presidential candidates.
 A New Hampshire newspaper did a series of articles in late 2007 to find out where candidates stood on the issues, and also in the kitchen.
 They printed recipes such as Tancredo’s spaghetti sauce and Clinton’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Now if you are Obama supporters here is Obama's Family Recipe Chili
 Obama has been using this chili recipe since college and says he would bring it to any potluck party. He says he "can't reveal all the secrets, but if you make it right, it's just got the right amount of bite, the right amount of oomph in it, and it will clear your sinuses." The chili powder provides the “oomph”
 All hot chilies contain phytochemicals known collectively as capsaicinoids.
 They are being studied to alleviate chronic pain, and interestingly enough, there is research to show hot chilies may have an anti-ulcer protective effect on the stomach.

For the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, one of his favorite dishes is Joe Biden's Pot Pie,
 He notes that it is a tradition in his family that on your birthday, you could pick whatever you want to have for dinner. Pot pie is the hottest item.
 Jill Biden usually personalizes the pie crust with a name or "Happy Birthday."

As for McCain supporters: He says he is a grill-master with McCain's Baby Back Ribs
 McCain says barbecuing for guests is one of the few ways he relaxes, especially during the grueling campaign.
 His carefully honed recipe on the gas grill: baby back ribs, using a dry rub that's a third garlic powder, a third salt and a third pepper.
 The trick to not letting the ribs dry out? Keep putting lemon juice on them.

For Sarah Palin fans it has been more of a challenge to find moose for her often cited favorite dish of Moose Stew.
 I had to search through many online and journal publications to find a Moose Stew recipe.
 I'm finding it hard to buy moose-illegal to sell in U. S. So if you want authentic moose stew you will have to find a wild game hunter who is willing to share.
 You can also use elk which is legal to buy, and which I have been told tastes like moose.
 The easiest thing to do is to use beef, which I have done in this recipe.
 And like Biden’s recipe, both contain lots of vegetables like carrots, celery, onion and green beans. As a registered dietitian have to vote for that.

Lastly, I would serve my red, white and blue jello salad to round out the menu.
 For recipes go to 9news.com for links for the recipes featured.

For the Pulled Pork with Raisin Cornbread, link to www.loveyourraisins.com
For the four presidential and vice-presidential candidate recipes link to www.maryleechin.com

Pulled Pork with Raisin Corn Bread
INGREDIENTS
Pulled Pork
• 1 boneless Boston butt or shoulder blade roast, about 4 pounds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• 3 cups California raisins
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 cups red wine
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 white onions, cut in matchstick-size pieces (julienne)
Raisin Corn Bread
• 1-1/4 cups stone ground cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup California raisins
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons warm, melted butter
PROCEDURE
Pulled Pork
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub pork with spices, pepper and salt. In a roasting pan, brown meat on all sides over high heat.
Put raisins, vinegar, wine and brown sugar in a blender and blend until smooth. Use this mixture to deglaze pan used for browning meat. Add onions; cover and place in oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours or until meat can be broken or shredded with a fork.
Moose Stew 2
- 2 1/2 lb moose meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tb shortening
- 1/4 ts cracked black pepper
- 1/2 ts Paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ts salt
- 2 cn condensed beef broth (10-1/2 ounces each)
- 1 c dry red wine
- 1 lg onion; diced
- 3 carrots; sliced
- 6 whole white onions
- 12 sm new potatoes; peeled
- 2 tb butter
- 2 tb flour
Saute meat cubes in shortening until brown on all sides. Add pepper, paprika, bay leaf, salt, beef broth, red wine, onion, and carrots. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Add whole onions and potatoes; cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are barely tender. Mix butter and flour into a paste. Drop into simmering stew. Cook, stirring, until stew bubbles and thickens. Serve with rice or polenta

Obama Family Chili Recipe
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans
Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add ground meat and brown.
Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat.
Add red wine vinegar.
Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.
Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.
Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.
McCain's Ribs
Dry Rub:
1/3 part Garlic Powder
1/3 part Salt
1/3 part Pepper
3 lemons
Turn the grill down to low temperature.
Mix together garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then cover both sides of the ribs with that.
Grill ribs, bone side down, for 90 percent of the time. It will take about an hour to an hour and a half. Squeeze the lemon on it frequently, because that makes it taste a lot better.
Senator Biden's Favorite Homemade Pot Pie

Pie crust (Jill Biden prefers to make the Betty Crocker homemade recipe)
Whole chicken
Celery, chopped
Onion, chopped
Poultry spices
Salt
Pepper
Potatoes, peeled and chopped
Carrots
Green beans
Flour
Cornstarch
Bake homemade crust.
Boil chicken with celery, onion, poultry spices, salt and pepper. Then add potatoes, carrots and green beans, and let cook thoroughly.
After crust is done, take everything out of water and use water to make gravy. Thicken it with flour and cornstarch.
Pick chicken from bones, and put chicken, green beans, celery, onion and potatoes into the pie shell, add gravy, put the top crust on, crimp crust and bake pie shell at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

NOTE: Jill Biden usually personalizes the pie crust with a name or "Happy Birthday."

Fall "Phyto" Foods

2008-11-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

Fall "Phyto" Foods

As seen on Chgannel 7 11:00 AM News

This Thanksgiving doesn't have to be a food fiasco, filled with heavy or fat-filled options. Feature fall foods for your Thanksgiving meal that really pack a nutritional punch.

Phyto-Friendly Foods and Tips:

 Fall is a great time to enjoy traditional foods that are so associated with colder weather, warmth and comfort and the upcoming holidays.
 Luckily many of these foods are also nutrition powerhouses, packed with nutrients to keep you healthy and strengthen you immune system
 Choose foods that are phyto-friendly. These are foods that contain important phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fiber, plus many other nutrients.
These same foods are budget-friendly, too. Each is in-season and can be easily obtained.
 Pumpkins - contain phytochemicals, carotenoids, such as beta-carotene; excellent source of Vitamin A, good source of Vitamin C
 Walnuts -Omega 3s (a beneficial fat), phytochemicals and Vitamin E
 Apples - contain phytochemicals, including flavonols, excellent source of fiber
 California Raisins - contain phytochemicals, potassium and antioxidants, along with fiber and inulin, which promote a healthy heart and digestive system
 Cranberries - contain many phytochemicals and antioxidants that may help to prevent diseases including cancer and heart disease, along with slowing the aging process. Harvard study shows can help prevent urinary tract infections
 Brussels sprouts - a cruciferous vegetable, along with broccoli and mustard greens that contains Sulphoraphane. Stimulates the body to produce its own protective enzymes, and neutralizes free radicals.

Take these phyto-friendly foods and create something unique and delicious this Thanksgiving by trying these recipes:

 Pumpkin Tamales filled with shredded beef and raisins (pumpkin, raisins): Substitute shredded turkey for shredded beef, which gives you a delicious way to use your leftover turkey!
http://www.calraisins.org/recipes/recipe.cfm?id=755

 California Waldorf Salad (apples, raisins, walnuts): plus low in calories and high in fiber
http://www.loveyourraisins.com/recipes/recipe.cfm?id=346

 Cranberry Orange Sauce (Cranberries, oranges plus skin)

 Golden Crusted Brussels sprouts (Brussels sprouts, olive oil)

 Raisin Pumpkin Cake (raisins, walnuts, pumpkin): This is so easy because you start with a yellow cake mix; add raisins, nuts and spices. Get non-guilty pleasure from a delicious dessert.

http://www.calraisins.org/recipes/recipe.cfm?id=114

Recipes for the Pumpkin Tamales, California Waldorf Salad and Raisin Pumpkin Cake can be found on www.loveyourraisins.com

For Cranberry orange sauce and Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts, click on "Recipes" at www.maryleechin.com

On The Write Path as seen in the Denver Post October 20, 2008

2008-10-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

On the Write Path
By Greg Henry
Special to The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/18/2008 04:28:16 PM MDT

Dear Diary: Today I ran 20 miles but scarfed a bag of M&MsThe best way to lose weight might be to put down your fork and pick up a pen and a piece of paper.

A person who keeps a daily food journal can double his or her weight loss, according to a study by Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories," said Jack Hollis, lead author and a researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore.

Food diaries, from simple to complex, are available at bookstores, on the Internet or through your doctor or local nutrition experts to suit your individual needs.

Getting started

Mary Lee Chin, a registered dietitian and media consultant on food issues, says to decide what your objectives are first and then figure out how much time you have to keep a diary. "Think it through first," Chin says. "Find a program — (either) a notebook or a simple to complex program online. Lastly, don't expect miracles without effort on your part."

A diary can be as simple as including what, when and the amount you eat or as complex as logs that track your mood, nutritional information, exercise data and more. The important factor is being honest, sometimes brutally truthful.

"I know sometimes when we keep a food journal, we have a tendency to just want to record the days that we perceived as really good, the sort of 'perfect days,' " says Suzanne Farrell, registered dietitian and owner of Cherry Creek Nutrition. "You don't want to go beyond that and get those days when you're off your ideal way of eating."

The simple fact of seeing your daily food intake on paper or a computer screen is critical.

"It's the ultimate wake-up call," Farrell says. "Especially like when you use one for calories. Once you track that and pay attention and learn some of the calories in certain items, like a tuna salad sandwich. You may not realize that can be a high-calorie meal."

Customize your approach

Figure out what kind of food journaling fits your lifestyle.

"For a person who's on the go all the day and is moving around and isn't in front of a computer all the time, perhaps a small notebook in your pocket or pocketbook would be the way to go," Chin says. Office workers who spend all day at their desks might want to use an online program. Many programs calculate how many calories you're eating and give a quick nutritional analysis of the foods, as well.

Also important, Farrell notes, are the times you eat.

"In terms of assessing how you're eating, recording the time that you eat is an important factor because you can start to identify your meal patterns," she says. "For instance, if you have breakfast at 8 and then you're not eating again until 3. That's a very large gap. . . . So that could be contributing to why you overconsume when you get home at night."

More than weight loss

Experts claim a food dairy can be useful for anyone wishing to improve his or her health. Whether you're pre- diabetic, have high blood pressure or have high cholesterol, a food journal can help you track what you eat and help change your eating habits.

"It could help people who must go on clinically oriented diets, such as people with diabetes or heart disease," Chin says. "It can help us identify foods that we may be eating too much of, such as high-saturated-fat foods or high-sodium foods."

A food journal also can reveal the foods and nutrients missing from your diet.

"It's not so much what people are consuming always, but what is being left out of the diet," Farrell says. "You notice trends of very low fruit and vegetable intake or low fiber. So you pick that up from food journals. I want people to focus on what's missing from this diet."

Kids in the Kitchen

2008-04-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

As seen on WB-2
Recipes at the end of the backgrounder below
"10 Simple Strategies: Shopping with Kids" by Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, posted after the recipes
http://www.elizabethwardrd.com/
For more information go to: www.maryleechin.com

Kids in the Kitchen: Make Healthy Eating Fun

The best way to get your kids to eat healthier is to make healthy eating fun and get them involved with all aspects of food: planning, in the grocery store, and in the kitchen.
Ø Important as kids need to achieve eating the recommended 2 cups of fruit/day plus 2 1/2 cups of vegetables. It is a very difficult recommendation for people to reach, especially kids.
Ø Just 1/4 cup of dried fruit, such as California Raisins, counts as a fruit serving. It's easy to reach the daily goal of 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables when you focus on including a variety of them in every meal and snack.
Ø Here are some tips and recipes from registered dietitian Mary Lee Chin, for getting your kids to eat healthier—and they won’t even know it!

Does grocery shopping with young kids test the limits of your patience and sanity? Do rambunctious little ones and temper tantrums make shopping more drama than it's worth?
Ø Fear not. Given the right conditions, taking toddlers and preschoolers to the supermarket can be productive, educational, and dare we say it -- fun.
Ø You're serving as a role model when you grocery shop with kids, especially when you stop to chat with them about healthy foods.

OK, you're sold on the idea of grocery shopping with your young children. Here are 10 tips to make it easier. Go to www.maryleechin.com to get the ten tips, and here are a few to get you started. More at the end of the recipes below.
Ø Let your child help you make a grocery list
Ø Take your child shopping and let her pick out one new fruit or vegetable to try.
Ø Ask your child to choose four apples, or four green apples, or four round fruit.

At home, involve your child in the kitchen-let them help you cook.
Ø Keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand such as Snack-sized California Raisins
Ø Provide fun, colorful ingredients for your child to sprinkle on their foods-such as cherry tomatoes or raisins, or diced red or green peppers. Bumps on a Bagel recipe below.
Ø A simple game for kids to encourage trying a new fruit/veggie is to place food in a brown paper lunch bag. Kids put hand in the bag and try to guess what it is. Cook with the child using the new item at the next meal to introduce new food. Fruit Salsa Salad recipe below.

And here are some kid favorite recipe tips
Ø Add nutritious ingredients to foods you know they already love to eat. Freckled Salad recipe below.
Ø Find simple recipes that even 2 or 3 year old kids can help cook. Toasted Apple Raisin Munchables recipe below.

And finally-provide a sweet dessert with some nutritious bits!
Ø Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe below.

For more information and recipes go to http://www.calraisins.org/raisins_home/

RECIPES

Bumps-on-A-Bagel
4 servings

2 bagels, split
2 small ripe bananas
Cinnamon
1/2 cup California raisins

PROCEDURE
Toast bagels. In medium bowl, coarsely mash bananas. Spoon onto bagel halves; sprinkle with cinnamon. Top each with 2 tablespoons raisins; press gently.
Notes: Substitute 1 teaspoon grated orange peel for cinnamon; stir into mashed bananas.Substitute chocolate syrup for cinnamon; drizzle onto mashed bananas.

Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 210 (4% from fat); Total Fat 1g (sat <1g,> Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 5g; Carbohydrates 46g; Fiber 3g; Iron 2mg; Sodium 190mg; Calcium 36mg

Fruit Salsa Salad
Makes 4 cups

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, cut up
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large orange, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup California raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey, if desired

PROCEDURE
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until chilled. Serve the same day for best flavor with broiled or grilled chicken or pork.

Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 190 (3% from fat); Total Fat 1g (sat 0g, mono <1g,> Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 2g; Carbohydrates 47g; Fiber 5g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 5mg; Calcium 46mg

Toasted Apple Munchables
Serves 8

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium apple, cored and diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup California raisins
8 very fresh, whole-wheat bread slices

PROCEDURE
In a small bowl, stir sugar and cinnamon together. Add dried apple and raisins; stir together. Cover with wax paper and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes more or until the apples are soft. Meanwhile, trim crusts from bread slices and discard them. Flatten the slices to 1/8-inch thick with a rolling pin. Spoon about 2 tablespoons raisin mixture on one corner of each bread slice and spread slightly. Fold bread over filling to make a triangle. Seal edges by pressing with fork tines. Toast in toaster oven or under broiler until lightly brown on one side; turn and brown other side.

Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 100 (9% from fat); Total Fat 1g (sat 0g, mono <1g,> Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 3g; Carbohydrates 22g; Fiber 2g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 120mg; Calcium 25mg

Freckled Salad
Serves 4

1 package (3 ounces) lemon flavor gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
Ice cubes
1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup California raisins

PROCEDURE
Spray 4 tea or coffee cups lightly with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine gelatin and boiling water; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add ice cubes to cold water to equal 1 1/4 cups. Stir until gelatin is thick; remove remaining ice.
Add pineapple and raisins to gelatin; refrigerate 15 minutes or until starting to thicken. Stir to distribute fruit evenly. Carefully spoon into tea or coffee cups. Refrigerate 2 hours or until completely set. Run knife around edge of each salad; unmold onto individual serving plates.
Note: An easy recipe for kids. Parents may want to handle the boiling water.

Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 190 (1% from fat); Total Fat <1g> Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 3g; Carbohydrates 47g; Fiber 2g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 80mg; Calcium 17mg

Our Growers Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 36

The perfect oatmeal-raisin cookie from California raisin growers.
2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
2 cups California raisins
2 cups pecan halves

PROCEDURE
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars and vanilla together until light and fluffy and sugar is completely dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and cinnamon; mix well and gradually stir into creamed mixture. Fold in rolled oats, raisins and pecans. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in preheated oven at 350°F. Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 290 (46% from fat)total Fat 15g (sat 7g, mono 6g, poly 2g);Cholesterol 40mg; Protein 3g; Carbohydrates 37g; Fiber 2g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 180mg; Calcium 17mg;

10 Simple Strategies: Grocery Shopping With Kids
From: By www.ElizabethWardRD.com
WebMD Feature April 1, 2008

1. Consider Timing. There may be no perfect time to shop with a rambunctious 3-year-old or a toddler who is teething, but some times are better than others. When possible, go grocery shopping with a well-rested child.

2. Allow Plenty of Time. Grocery shopping with small children is typically not a quick affair. Give yourself plenty of leeway to get the job done.

3. Focus on the Familiar. Grocery stores are noisy, bustling places that may overwhelm a young child. Bring along a favorite toy, blanket, or book from home to make them feel more secure.

4. Have Realistic Expectations. Small children tire easily. An hour-long foray into the grocery store may be enough. Don't push it by trying to do all of your errands at once.

5. Set Limits. Begging for treats at the store can really get on your nerves. Make it clear when grocery shopping with your kids what will happen once you're in the store. No matter what, stick to your guns to minimize whining next time.

6. Involve Your Kids. Kids love to feel a part of whatever is happening. The more you give kids to do and think about, the easier and more fun grocery shopping is for everyone.

7. Try Not to Think Too Much. Figure out what you need to purchase at home, then make a list. Your powers of concentration may be limited by your child's needs once you're grocery shopping.

8. Reward Good Behavior. You expect your toddler or preschooler to behave in public, but doing so in a grocery store may prove particularly taxing because it's such a stimulating environment. Let kids know how good they were in the store by taking them to the park later, or reading them a story when you get home.

9. Be Prepared to Leave. Young children are fickle. You may be gung-ho to get two weeks worth of grocery shopping done, but 10 minutes into the trip, it's clear your little one wants out.

10. Stay Safe. An American Academy of Pediatrics study revealed that more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 were treated in emergency rooms in 2005 for injuries related to shopping carts. Falls from carts topped the list of trauma. Cart tip-overs, becoming trapped by a cart, and being run over by a cart were injurious to young kids, too. Never let kids stand up in the cart and don't let them ride on the front, back, or side. Children should not push carts by themselves. When seated, use a seat strap to keep kids secure. Little ones who are on foot should hang on gently to the cart while you slowly push it.

The first time or two you go grocery shopping with your kids you may leave frazzled, with fewer groceries than you went in for. Yet remember, this is a skill you're both developing. Like teaching your tot to get back on his or her bike, don't be afraid to try, try again!

Beef, Tomato, Green Pepper Stir-fry

2008-03-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

Learn more at: www.maryleechin.com

Looking for a great Chinese dish for dinner? Try this acclaimed recipe from my mother.
http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/page/2/
(It's at the end of the cited blog)

Family Mealtimes - Slow Down Childhood Obesity?

2008-03-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH-TV 7

Learn more at: www.maryleechin.com

Parents are concerned about all aspects of a child’s development-physical, mental, behavioral, social and educational.
Ø Multitudes of studies show that regular family mealtimes influence children more than time spent at school, studying, church, playing sports or in art activities
Ø Mealtimes at home are the single largest predictor of achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems for children.

Fifteen percent of children and adolescents are too heavy, with teenage obesity rates more than tripling in the past 20 years.
Ø The rise in obesity in the nation's young people may be partly due to fewer home-cooked meals, more calorie-dense foods, and more takeout and prepackaged dinners.
Ø Alarmingly some health care professionals suggest that the 25 million American kids, who are obese, may be the first generation to live sicker and die younger than their parents.
Ø Surge in children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Less than 4 percent of childhood diabetes cases in 1990 were type 2, that number has risen to approximately 20 percent, varying from 8 percent to 45 percent, depending on the age of the group.
Ø Of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 85 percent are obese.

That is why I am here today promoting family mealtimes. Studies have shown that intervention programs at school can help children make better food selections, and decrease risk of overweight and obesity. You can download a free kit to help your family have great mealtimes: www.beefnutrition.com/matedownloadsforpatientsandclients.aspx

Ø Studies provided education and intervention with parents as an important component of those programs.
Ø Kit-lots of resources that families can download to produce quality mealtimes
Ø Fun tips for cooking with kids
Ø Making mealtimes enjoyable
Ø Kid-tested, quick and easy family recipes

Children who have regular dinners with family also have better nutrition intake, consuming more fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals, and less saturated fat and trans fat.
Ø Recipe-heavy on veggies-Cool Veggie Pizza (below)

Making it fun:
Ø Conversation – Share funny stories and Conversation Starter Cards
o What made you laugh today?
o What is the nicest thing you did for someone today?
o Name the 2-3 of the most important people alive today
Ø Participation
o Recipe – fruit salad –What is the fruit? Take turns picking fruit and everyone eats at the same time. (below)
o Recipe – Beef Pitas (below)

Introduce new foods and traditions
Ø http://www.earthcalendar.net/index.php - daybook of celebrations around the world
Ø http://www.mydailyplan-it.com/
Ø http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html
o National Nutrition month
o National Noodle Month
o Go Nuts over Texas Peanuts Week
o National Chocolate Week
Ø My mother’s recipe for Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Summary
Compared to children in the control group, those in the intervention program ate less junk food, more fruits and vegetables, and drank less juice and more 1 percent milk. When they compared the children in the study group to those in the control group, the researchers concluded that the program is an effective obesity prevention strategy.

Resources
Ø http://www.school-wellness.org/
Ø http://www.beefitswhatfordinner.com/
Ø http://www.yum-o.org/
Ø http://www.mealsmatter.org/
Ø http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org/
Ø http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

RECIPES

Cool Veggie Pizza

Crust1 pound frozen whole wheat bread doughAll purpose flour1/4 teaspoon cornmealPreheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 12-inch pizza pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray or coat pan lightly with oil. Sprinkle pan with cornmeal, shaking to coat bottom. Thaw bread dough according to package directions. On a lightly floured board with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 14-15 inch circle. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Filling
8 oz. low-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon dill
1 package ranch dressing mix
Mix filling ingredients until thoroughly blended. Spread on cooled baked bread dough crust.

Top with a combination of raw veggies: grated zucchini, grated carrots, chopped tomatoes and green peeper, broccoli, cauliflower, and scallions. Use your imagination to add what you have on hand.

Star Fruit SaladMakes 4 servings - Each serving equals 1 cup of fruit or vegetables From Produce for Better Health

2 star fruit 2 kiwis 2 bananas 1 cup mango fruit nectar 1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
Peel kiwi and banana, cut into medium size pieces. Slice star fruit into ¼-inch thickness. Combine all fruits in bowl. Add nectar over mixture. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Top with vanilla yogurt.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 201, Protein 5g, Fat 2g, Calories From Fat 7%, Cholesterol 3mg, Carbohydrates 46g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 46mg.

Stir-Fried Beef Gyros in Pita Pockets Makes 4 servings.
From www.beefitswhatfordinner.com

1 pound beef round tip steaks, cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, halved, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 pita breads, cut in half
2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
½ cup prepared cucumber ranch dressing

Stack beef steaks; cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1-inch wide strips. Toss with garlic and oregano.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes. Remove.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1/2 of beef; stir-fry 1 minute or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. (Do not overcook.) Remove.

Repeat with remaining beef. Return beef and onion to skillet; heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in pita pockets with tomatoes and dressing.

Nutrition information per serving: 503 calories; 24 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat); 75 mg cholesterol; 721 mg sodium; 40 g carbohydrate; 2.2 g fiber; 29 g protein; 7.2 mg niacin; 0.4 mg vitamin B6; 1.3 mcg vitamin B12; 3.9 mg iron; 43.2 mcg selenium; 4.6 mg zinc.

Chinese Noodles with Peanut Sauce
(Mary Lee’s mother’s recipe)

12 oz. noodles

Peanut Butter and Pepper Sauce
2 Tablespoons peanut butter diluted with 3 Tablespoons warm water
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tablespoons finely chopped scallion

Mix all ingredients except garlic and scallion into a very smooth sauce. Add garlic and scallion before serving.

Selection of Garnishes:
Chopped scallions
Chopped cilantro
Fresh Chinese bean sprouts
Fresh raw snow peas
Sliced cucumber
Fresh spinach
Shredded cooked chicken

Cook the noodles "al-dente," drain, and allow to cool.
Pour sauce over the noodles and toss to coat. Each person males a selection of garnishes and serve.
________________________________________________

Which water to drink?

2008-03-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Which water to drink?
By Suzanne S. BrownThe Denver Post
As published in the Denver Post 03/09/2008
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_8494963

Learn more at: www.maryleechin.com

We know we're supposed to drink water to stay healthy. But increasingly the message is that it's not enough to drink tap water when a bottle can give you an alphabet's worth of vitamins, berry extracts, herbal stimulants and sweeteners to boost flavor and health benefits.

These so-called "enhanced" waters can be fine for you, but read labels and don't be misled by language crafted to sell the beverages, says Mary Lee Chin, a registered dietitian. "Words like 'enlighten' and 'challenge' aren't health claims," she says. "You need to separate the marketing phrases from the nutrient content."

In 2006 alone, 140 new products were added to the $10.8 billion wholesale bottled-water market. The category continues to show double-digit growth, says Gary Hemphill, managing director of the Beverage Marketing Corp., a New York research and consulting company.

"Companies are using water as a platform for innovation, adding flavors, sweeteners and nutrients, minerals and vitamins," he says.

While beverage makers are promoting their waters as being superior to what flows from the tap, do these liquids do any more for workout buffs and office workers than drain their wallets and contribute to the mountains of plastic in landfills?

Adding a splash of flavor is good if it gets people to drink more water, says Jacqueline R. Berning, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and consultant for the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Indians. The athletes she works with — and Americans in general — don't drink enough water, but she says enhanced waters can be trouble, too.
"First they added a splash of flavor. Then they added a splash of vitamins. The problem became the typical American thing: If a little is good, more is better. What you don't want is to get 100 percent of your (recommended daily allowance) of a vitamin and then be drinking three bottles (of enhanced water) in a day," Berning says.

"I tell my high school athletes they should be drinking water from the fountain every time they walk by it and to use these other beverages to top off the tank to provide fuel and electrolytes when they need them during practice or games."

Find your flavor
For the rest of us, dietitians say flavored water is OK for those who don't like it plain, but they also caution consumers to read labels to avoid getting too much sugar, too many calories and unhealthy quantities of vitamins or other additives.

Chin, the registered dietitian, says she has three simple tests for each glass of water she drinks: Does she like the taste, is it safe and is it cheap?

All three factors are met by the water that comes out the faucets in her Denver home, but like Berning, she acknowledges people are bored with plain water. And if people don't like the taste of their water, they can filter it or add their own flavoring, she says.

The nutrition part is where Cynthia Sass sees some potential problems. "I don't like people to look at water as a source of energy boost or amino acids," says Sass, a registered dietitian and nutrition director at Prevention magazine who writes about enhanced waters in the April issue.
Sass prefers that people meet their nutrition needs from food or multivitamins. "People who tend to gravitate to these things are already taking a vitamin. And drinking too many stimulants, whether it's ginseng or green tea, can cause a spike in blood pressure."

She also says that drinks can be fairly empty calories. Eating an orange, apple or banana will give you more nutritional value.

Sass recommends saving money and controlling the content and flavor of your water by amending it yourself. That's what she does because she's among the many who don't love the taste of tap water.

"I'll just add a squeeze of lemon or lime, pure fruit juice or fruit-infused green tea," says Sass. Vary the flavors, alternating blueberry, cherry and other types of juice, she suggests. "It's a great opportunity to take in a wider spectrum of antioxidants. I think of them as little bodyguards, protecting us from the effects of aging and disease," she says, adding that a study of women who ate a variety of produce found that they had significantly greater levels of antioxidants in their blood than women who ate the same thing every day.

For Sass, the choice of water comes down to two things: flavor and temperature.
"I tend to like water at more of a room temperature, but some people want it really cold," she says.

"Whatever it takes to keep you drinking it through the day is what you should do." How much do you need?

There's been plenty of debate about how much water to drink, and not everyone believes in the old eight-glasses-a-day recommendation.

Let your thirst, activity level and diet guide you in how much to drink, says Chin. The dietitian cites a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Physiology that found healthy adults living in temperate climates and not engaged in rigorous activities didn't need large amounts of water.
Researcher Heinz Valtin recommended simply drinking when thirsty, and he wrote that caffeinated drinks can count toward satisfying fluid requirements. In February 2004, the Institute of Medicine issued new recommendations agreeing with Valtin.

The new guidelines remove the eight- glasses-a-day recommendation and suggest healthy adults allow thirst to determine their fluid needs.

But Chin says to be mindful of physical activity, heat and humidity, which boost a body's need to rehydrate. And those who are going to be physically active for long periods should consider sports drinks that hydrate and provide easily usable sugar and electrolytes.

Illnesses accompanied by increased body temperature, excessive perspiration, vomiting, frequent urination or diarrhea can also increase hydration needs.

While water is an important ingredient for staying healthy, people should never look at it as a substitute for a well-balanced diet, Chin says. "Don't fool yourself into thinking that if you didn't have five servings of vegetables today you can make up for it with water."

Food Facts and Fallacies-Answers to Quiz

2008-03-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

As seen on KMGH-TV7

Learn more at: http://www.maryleechin.com/

Thanks to all who took the quiz to learn more about the facts behind the food myths, and earn a chance to win a copy of “The American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food & Nutrition Guide.” Below are the correct answers to the quiz.

TRUE or FALSE?

1. FALSE. If you feel tired and run down, you probably should take more vitamins and minerals, especially those labeled “natural.” There is no substitution for healthy eating by popping a pill. Scientists believe that it is the combination of nutrients, the vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and phytonutrients that work more effectively when obtained from their basic source of food. Supplements can be used to top up your nutrient intake if, occasionally, you feel your diet has been less than adequate, but they shouldn’t be relied upon on a long-term basis.

2. FALSE. Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil is better for you than other oils because it contains less fat. "Cold-pressed" actually refers to a production method of olive oil, which involves minimal processing at low temperatures. All oils and fats supply the same amount of fat calories, 9 per gram and should be consumed in moderation.

3. TRUE. Honey, brown and raw sugar is nutritionally the same as white sugar. The brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. Brown sugar contains minute amounts of minerals, but unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely insignificant.

4. FALSE. Sugar causes diabetes. Diabetes is caused by a lack of insulin, not an excess of sugar in the diet. However, once someone has diabetes it is critical to watch the frequency, amount, and types of carbohydrate consumed, including sugar, to maintain good blood sugar control.

5. FALSE. You should limit your starches when trying to lose weight. Starches are an important source of energy for your body. They become high in calories when you fry them, make them with rich sauces or top with high-caloried fats like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise, or eat too much of them. Choose starchy foods that are high in fiber, like whole grains, beans, and peas. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 6 to 11 servings a day from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. An example of a serving size is 1/2 cup of pasta, rice, or cooked cereal or a single slice of bread.

6. FALSE. Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain. It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. Too many calories at any time of the day will cause your body to store extra calories as fat. However many people will overeat in the evening, seeking to relieve the stress of the workday, or may consume excess calories unconsciously while watching TV.

7. FALSE. Eating red meat is bad for your health and will make it harder to lose weight. Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish all contain some saturated fat and cholesterol. They also have nutrients that are important for good health, like protein, iron, and zinc. Eating lean meat (meat without a lot of visible fat) in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. When choosing cuts of meat, look for the term “loin” which provides a lower fat content.

8. FALSE. New research confirms “eating for two” is necessary during pregnancy. Energy requirements vary among individuals. Unfortunately, the idea that pregnancy is an ice cream free-for-all is a nutrition myth. It is generally recommended that pregnant women increase their daily intake by 100 kcal in the first trimester and 300 kcal in the second and third trimesters. An extra snack before bedtime consisting of a fruit, a serving of milk or yogurt, and a few biscuits is often enough.

9. FALSE. For high school athletes, consuming extra protein is necessary to build muscle mass during their adolescent period of high growth and activity. Contrary to claims of body building magazines and protein supplement companies, extra protein does nothing to bulk up muscle unless you are also doing significant weight training at the same time. Even then the increased requirement can easily come from food. A potential problem with supplements is the body has to work overtime to get rid of excess protein, and kidneys can become distressed as a result.

10. TRUE. Drinking chocolate milk immediately after a workout will improve muscle recovery. This popular drink refuels tired muscles and repairs minor tissue damage. Researchers at Indiana University recently found that athletes can consider refueling with chocolate milk, which can refresh exhausted muscles after exercise. The study found when athletes drank lowfat chocolate milk after an intense bout of exercise they were able to work out longer during a second round of exercise compared to when they drank a carbohydrate replacement beverage.

Food Facts and Fallacies: What’s the truth for a healthier diet?

Sure, your friends and family mean well - but how accurate is that advice they've been giving you all of these years?
Ø Many myths and misperceptions exist within the field of food & nutrition.

So why do so many of us fall for these?
Ø As a country we're prone to fads.
Ø We absorb "guidance" from our families, many which are “old wives tales” that nutrition science has shown not to hold up as a truth.
Ø We want instantaneous gratification: fad-diet books are so popular.
Ø We have that beacon of frequently off-the-wall information, the Internet.

As part of March National Nutrition Month, we are going to find out the truth behind some common food facts and fallacies.
Ø Many are common beliefs that we have had so long, that seem to make sense, that they were accepted as truth.
Ø Recommend American Dietetic Association (ADA) and registered dietitians as a resource.

Today we are setting the record straight, looking at five food beliefs you might have heard --but maybe should or shouldn't believe.

Fresh is always best and contains more nutrients than frozen or canned food. false
Ø Frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh.
Ø Frozen or canned produce is often packaged right after it has been picked, which helps keep most of its nutrients.
Ø Processes help to extend shelf life, make food safer and in some cases can actually improve its nutritional quality.
Ø Beta-carotene in canned carrots is more available to the body than that fresh ones. Fresh peas, which have been harvested and frozen immediately, have more vitamin C than peas that have been stored at room temperature for a few days before consumption.
Ø Fresh produce can lose nutrients after being exposed to light or air, subjected to too long transport, or improper handling.

Everyone should drink at least eight glasses of water a day. false
Ø Everyone has heard the age-old advice to drink eight to ten glasses of water a day.
Ø A 2002 study published in the American Journal of Physiology evaluated the old advice of 8 ounces of water, 8 times a day. After a thorough review, researcher concluded there was inadequate evidence that healthy adults -- living in temperate climates and not engaged in rigorous activities -- need large amounts of water.
Ø In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued new guidelines that remove the eight-glasses-a-day recommendation for normal, healthy adults and said that healthy adults may use thirst to determine their fluid needs.
Ø Water is a terrific thirst quencher (and the price is right), but milk and juice -- even coffee, tea and soft drinks, and food -- contribute to your water requirements.

Eating an egg or two every day is safe for most people. true
Ø Current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines suggest most people can enjoy an egg a day as long as they watch their overall cholesterol intake. They recommend people limit their daily cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams or less. Egg yolks contain 214 to 220 milligrams of cholesterol.

Ø Eggs are a nutrient dense food. They are an inexpensive source of complete protein and contain a variety of nutrients including healthy doses of vitamins A, B12, D, K, and riboflavin.
Ø This myth began because egg yolks have a concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, it’s the dietary saturated fat in a food that causes blood cholesterol to rise, not the cholesterol, if consumed in moderation.

Avoid processed foods. false
Ø Some processed foods, such as breads and breakfast cereals, have vitamins and minerals added for extra nutrition.
Ø The growing interest in health and nutrition has spurred the production of a whole new range of foods with added health and nutritional benefits (called "functional foods") such as fat spreads with added fiber to lower cholesterol.
Ø Processing can also make some nutrients more available. For example, removing phytic acid from grain foods by removing the bran helps to improve the absorption of iron from a food.
Ø Processing tomatoes into a tomato paste or sauce increases the amount of lycopene (an antioxidant) that is available to the body.

Healthy food always costs more. well-maybe: choosing carefully is important
Ø This is a difficult one to deal with. It does seem that a bag of chips costs less than a dozen apples. But if you look closely, and shop wisely, you'll see that some of the healthiest foods don't cost much.
Ø In general, the less packaging, the less you'll pay. Look for bulk cereals from bins, not only in health food stores, but the local supermarket.
Ø In the produce aisle, keep in mind that eating seasonally and locally can help your bottom line; midwinter blueberries can cost up to $4.99 a pint, but local summer berries are about half that price.
Ø When the weather warms up, in Colorado we have access to many farmer’s markets. Less packaging, no middleman, and decreased costs of transport.
Ø Finally, healthier food choices can lower your risk for chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, lowering the cost of your health care in the long term.

For more information go to: http://www.eatright.org/

Fruits & Veggie-More Matters!

2008-03-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

Next Generation of 5 A Day!
Fruits & Veggies-More Matters

As seen on KMGH-TV7

Learn more at: http://www.maryleechin.com/

Do you remember the Five a Day Program? The recommendation was for Americans to consume 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Now, new research shows that eating more of the plant stuff confers even better health benefits.

To more effectively meet your needs, there is a new health initiative that takes the 5 A Day Program a step further. This program builds on the momentum that 5 A Day created, taking it to the next level by encouraging you to eat more fruits and veggies at every eating occasion.

Fruits and Veggies: MORE matters
Ø The new recommendations call for none servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Ø This translates into 2 cups of fruit/day plus 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day.
Ø About 90 % of Americans don't eat the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a registered dietitian I know people are convinced they need to eat more fruits and vegetables, but they find the task daunting-so are skipping it.
Ø That's alarming, considering how important vegetables are to maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle — but not surprising, given that many people would love to have barbecue sauce, French fries and ketchup classified as vegetable servings and be done with the whole affair.
Ø Eating produce help lower cholesterol, prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease, aid in digestion and help maintain satiety, so you feel full for a longer amount of time.

For March National Nutrition Month, I come armed with a sample day’s menu to illustrate how to fit in the recommended 4 ½ cups.
Ø People aren’t opposed, they just need more tasteful ideas.
Ø And today, I decided to go a bit more gourmet. I know everyone is busy, time-challenged to shop, and cook. But there is keen interest in fine dining and gourmet cooking.
Ø I have brought elegant food dishes that look complicated, but in actuality are simple to make.

Let’s start with breakfast: Fiesta Brunch Strata
Ø Filled with raisins, and spiced with pimentos, green chilies and salsa. Serve with red potatoes, and a beautiful assortment of fresh fruit, and tomato juice with celery.
Ø Already you have 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables
Ø Raisins are an easy way to slip in extra nutrition. Low-fat, and filled with fiber, anti-oxidants, potassium and flavor, just ¼ cup equates to a fruit serving. The vitamin C content of the tomato juice helps absorption of the iron content of the eggs and raisins.

Lunch: Caramelized Onion Soup with Golden Raisin Pesto
Ø The savory soup is filled with onions and tomatoes. An elegant pesto of cilantro, pine nuts and golden raisins tops the soup.
Ø Serve with a sandwich of thinly sliced turkey. Use olive or raisin bread to add to the veggie count. And don’t wimp out with a limp piece of lettuce. Stuff your sandwich with crunchy cucumber slices, and sprouts to up the veggie count.

Snack: Try zucchini bread or carrot-raisin bran muffins. That way, it doesn't seem like you're being forced to eat a side fruit or plate of veggies.

Family social hour: Pour everybody a glass of his or her favorite juice over ice. Add some straws, cocktail umbrellas and sit together to talk about how everybody’s day went.
Ø We want the kids in on the elegance too!

Dinner: Maple-Pesto Salmon Salad with California Golden Raisins and Toasted Pine Nuts
Ø An easy way to fit more veggies in is to serve main dish salads. These can be cold, or try this hot dish made with salmon.
Ø Pile asparagus spears, hearts of palm and California raisins to towering heights and top with grilled salmon.
Ø Congratulations: you have just finished your veggies servings.

For those who just can't — or won't — make vegetables a part of their daily diet, there are always supplements that can be taken.
Be warned that many vitamin supplements are not well absorbed by the body, nor do they take the place of real food.
Trying to take separate nutrients in pill form can never compare to eating real, whole foods.
Scientific evidence shows that the protective nutrients found in vegetables work in harmony to improve health, rather than alone, as in supplements.

Recipes

Fiesta Brunch Strata
Make it; keep it in the refrigerator overnight; bake it and serve a hearty brunch entrée.

INGREDIENTS
12 slices bread, lightly buttered and cubed
3 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups California raisins
2-1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
8 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1 jar (2.5 ounces) diced pimiento, drained

PROCEDURE
Arrange half the bread cubes in bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Spread chicken and raisins over bread. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes. In large bowl, combine eggs, milk, green chilies and pimiento; mix well. Pour over bread cubes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover tightly. Refrigerate overnight.
Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover strata. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with salsa, if desired.

Serves 12: Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 320 (23% from fat); Total Fat 8g (sat 2.5g, mono 3g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 165mg; Protein 27g; Carbohydrates 34g; Fiber 3g; Iron 3mg; Sodium 540mg; Calcium 330mg;

Caramelized Onion Soup with Golden Raisin Pesto

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil, as needed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced
4 large ripe tomatoes; cored, peeled and diced*
1 quart chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
Golden Raisin Pesto
1/2 bunch cilantro
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Olive oil, as needed
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup California golden raisins
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro leaves; for garnish
Whole California golden raisins; for garnish

PROCEDURE
In sauté pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil until almost smoking. Add onions and cook until caramelized, stirring constantly. Stir in garlic and tomatoes, stirring all the while; cook about 5 minutes. Then add broth; bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes more. Salt and pepper to taste.
Golden Raisin Pesto
In blender or food processor, combine cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil as needed, pine nuts and raisins. Pulse until well blended and smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, adjust seasonings in soup; divide and ladle into bowls. Garnish with dollop of pesto, fresh cilantro leaves and whole raisins.

*One can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes may be substituted

Serves 8: Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 130 (22% from fat); Total Fat 3.5g (sat 1g, mono 1g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 4g; Carbohydrates 23g; Fiber 3g; Iron 2mg; Sodium 70mg; Calcium 28mg

Maple-Pesto Salmon Salad with California Golden Raisins and Toasted Pine Nuts

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon good-quality maple syrup
2 teaspoons prepared basil pesto
12 to 15 thin asparagus spears, blanched or lightly steamed
1 cup California golden raisins
1 can (7.75-ounce) hearts of palm, drained and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 pound salmon steak, divided into 4 pieces
4 large red lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (pignoli), coarsely chopped

PROCEDURE
Whisk vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup and pesto together in bottom of a large mixing bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons. Cut asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces and add to bowl with raisins, hearts of palm and basil. Toss to coat and combine. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

To serve, brush salmon with reserved dressing and let stand about 30 minutes. Place one red lettuce leaf on each of 4 individual salad plates. Divide chilled salad and spoon on top. Quickly grill or broil salmon and arrange on top of salads. Sprinkle with pine nuts.
Note: Even better with additional vinaigrette on the side.

4 Servings: Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 410 (26% from fat); Total Fat 13g (sat 2g, mono 0g, poly 0g); Cholesterol 75mg; Protein 35g; Carbohydrates 44g; Fiber 5g; Sodium 360mg; Daily Values: Vitamin A 15%, Vitamin C 25%, Calcium 10%, Iron 25%.

Hot and Sweet Watermelon

This sweet and spicy dessert is refreshing and very healthy.

INGREDIENTS
¾ tsp. whole peppercorns or coarsely ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp. very finely chopped mint leaves
6 cups ¾-inch seedless red watermelon cubes
Fresh mint leaves

PROCEDURE
Place peppercorns on chopping block. Using the bottom of a heavy saucepan, press firmly, into a heavy downward motion and crush peppercorns into a semi-coarse texture. Combine ground peppercorns with finely chopped mint. In a large bowl, toss spice mixture gently but thoroughly with watermelon cubes. Spoon into 4 individual serving glasses or bowls. Serve chilled, garnished with a fresh mint leaf.

4 Servings: Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories: 71; Total Fat: 0.4g; Saturated Fat: 0g; % of Calories from Fat: 5%; Protein: 1g; Carbohydrates: 18g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sodium: 2mg

For more information and recipes
www.calraisins.org
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

Resistant starch: The new power nutrient

2008-02-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

As seen on KMGH-TV7

Learn more at: www.maryleechin.com

March National Nutrition Month 2008 It’s always been fascinating to work in the field of nutrition. New and interesting nutrition science research findings constantly emerge. The challenge is to tease out the relevant and truly useful information, from the promises of quick fixes. For 2008 March National Nutrition Month, I am going to explore something new and a bit different. While this may be the first time you have heard of it, it’s actually been a part of your diet most of your life. Research, well-documented and replicated, points to the health benefits of a component in starchy food called resistant starch, a type of dietary fiber.

Those on low-carb diets may have been avoiding starchy foods such as potatoes, grains, beans, corn, rice, bread, pasta and cornflakes, billed as causing blood sugars to rise, and packing on unneeded calories. But all these foods contain resistant starch, formed particularly when cooked starchy foods are cooled.

Keep it cool Cooking causes starch to absorb water and swell. As it slowly cools, portions of the starch crystallize into a form that resists digestion. Cooling either at room temperature or preferably in the refrigerator will raise resistant starch levels. Don’t reheat. That breaks up the crystals, causing resistant starch levels to plummet.

It gets its name because it “resists” digestion in the body, and though this is true of many types of fiber, what makes resistant starch so special is the impact it has on weight loss and health overall.

Health benefits More than 160 studies have examined this little-known nutrient’s health and weight-loss benefits. A WHO Expert Consultation on Human Nutrition statement, "One of the major developments in our understanding of the importance of carbohydrates for health in the past twenty years has been the discovery of resistant starch.”

Weight Resistant starch has shown that can it increase your body’s ability to burn fat. Escaping digestion in the small intestine, it passes to the large bowel for fermentation, and creates a beneficial short-chain fatty acid called butyrate. Butyrate may block the body’s ability to burn carbohydrates. Instead the body burns both stored fat and recently consumed fat for energy---preventing it from ending up on your thighs.

It shuts down hunger hormones. Animal studies have found that resistant starch prompts the body to stimulate production of a satiety-inducing hormone, a peptide (PYY), which increases feelings of fullness. You eat less.

Cancer Research shows that the butyrate created by resistant starch is protective of colon cells, making it less vulnerable to the DNA damage which can lead to cancer. It can also create a pH drop inside the colon, which boosts the absorption of calcium and blocks the absorption of cancer-causing substances.

Diabetes Like other fibers, resistant starch helps control blood sugar levels. Because it skips routine digestion, researchers see lower blood sugar and insulin levels following a resistant starch-rich meal. Another exciting area of research is looking at its ability to improve insulin sensitivity.

How to eat enough Right now, there is no recommendation from USDA for resistant starch intake. Preliminary data shows the average American woman consumes about 4 grams of resistant starch each day. Nutrition experts believe the research is strong enough to advocate doubling that to 8 grams per day. Simply adding ½ to 1 cup of cooled resistant starch-rich food per day can help you get to that level.

Tips for adding resistant starch to your diet

Beans 8 grams per ½ cup
Ø Dust off your recipe for a traditional Three-bean Salad
Ø Snack on hummus or bean dip with whole grain crackers or crisp carrot sticks
Ø Savor Spicy Black, Pinto Bean and Corn Salsa (recipe below)

Bananas (slightly green) 6 grams per small piece of fruit
Ø Slice and mix with yogurt and granola
Ø Top a favorite curry with banana chunks
Ø Think kid…peanut butter and raisins on banana for classic “Ants on a Log”

Potatoes and yams 4 grams per ½ cup
Ø Serve cold potato salad
Ø Toss chilled, chunked red potatoes into a green salad
Ø Go elegant and serve Vichyssoise--cold potato soup

Barley 3 grams per ½ cup
Ø Create a cold barley salad of cooked cooled barley, red peppers, peas and Italian dressing
Ø Sprinkle onto leafy green garden salads
Ø Mix with chopped fresh basil, olives and olive oil and stuff into hollowed tomatoes

Corn 2 grams per half cup
Ø Combine cooked cooled corn with tomatoes, cucumbers and green onions
Ø Sprinkle on top of your green salads
Ø Wrap it up in your taco

Spicy Black, Pinto Bean and Corn Salsa

2 - 14 ounce cans black beans, drained
1 - 14 ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 - 14 ounce can corn, drained
3 large tomatoes, chopped
½ medium red onion, chopped, or I bunch scallions, chopped
1 bottle hot sauce (I used ½ bottle of Cholula’s)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
½ bunch cilantro, chopped

Combine all. Good served immediately but even better if it can sit in refrigerator for an hour for flavors to blend. Serve with whole grain corn chips as a dip, or over chopped green lettuce for a main meal salad.

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