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Fruits & Veggies More Matters : Top 10 Healthy Ways to Cook Fruits & Vegetables : Health Benefits of Fruits & Vegetables

 

From: www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org



                                        Top 10 Healthy Ways to Cook Fruits & Vegetables



Cook It Up the Healthy Way

Bake …

1. Sweet potato fries by cutting up into slices and seasoning with olive oil, cayenne pepper and a dash of salt.
2. Peaches for a sweet snack. Slice in half, drizzle on some honey and sprinkle with ginger and pecans.
3. Winter squash. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. A potato for lunch. Top with broccoli and a sprinkle of cheese.
5. An apple for dessert. Fill the core with dried fruit and nuts.

Boil …

1. Diced or crushed tomatoes in a vegetable or chicken broth for the base of a homemade tomato soup! Add fresh herbs and spices to make your own unique recipe.
2. Apples with lemon juice and cinnamon. Mash up and serve warm or chilled.
3. Turnips and potatoes. Mash them together and season with salt and pepper.
4. Kale, and add a handful of chopped currants, salt and pepper.
5. Butternut squash and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Steam …

1. Artichokes for a long time (about an hour) to get flavorful leaves perfect for dipping! Try them with a tasty almond pate.
2. Any of your favorite vegetables with citrus juice and zest added to the water to create bold, new flavors. Try lemon juice with spinach, orange with broccoli or grapefruit with carrots!
3. A medley of vegetables and season with some herbs. Serve over couscous.
4. Cabbage, and season with caraway seed, salt and pepper.
5. Green beans with chopped onion. Add a clove of garlic to cooking water.

Stir-Fry …

1. Pineapple and mango in a honey ginger sauce for a perfect topping to low- or fat-free ice cream.
2. Zucchini, yellow squash, diced tomatoes and mushrooms with olive oil and herbs. Add some diced jalapeno for an extra kick and serve over brown rice.
3. Broccoli in olive oil and chopped garlic. Add some capers for extra zip.
4. Frozen mixed veggies. Add a dash of low sodium soy sauce, or flavor with herbs.
5. Onions, peppers, zucchini, corn and jicama. Throw in some red or black beans. Season with your favorite salsa to give it a Southwestern flair. Serve over rice.

Sauté …

1. Pear and apple slices (peeled) in a skillet with a little butter until tender. Add marmalade and orange slices, remove from heat and serve for a fruity dessert.
2. Cauliflower with nutmeg and oil after pre-steaming for a tasty twist on an old veggie.
3. Spinach with garlic and olive oil.
4. Green and yellow summer squash with onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. For a different twist, add chopped tomato and basil.
5. A variety of different colored peppers with onion. Serve as a side dish.

Roast …

1. Red peppers in the oven at 450°, turning every 15 minutes until done (blackened skins). Peel off the skin and slice them, then drizzle in oil and garlic and refrigerate. A Perfect addition to any salad, sandwich or antipasto dish!
2. Whole red potatoes in the oven after tossing them in a mixture of olive oil, garlic and rosemary until tender for a mouth-watering side to any meal!
3. Some winter vegetables cut in large pieces – parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, beets, sweet potato are some good choices. Coat lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite herbs, and roast at 425° for 30-40 minutes until tender and browned.
4. Brussels sprouts drizzled lightly with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt. Magnifique!
5. Thin slices of sweet potato to make chips.

Grill …

1. Mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and tenderloin for the perfect summer kabobs.
2. Corn on the cob. Peel and coat in a mix of seasonings such as oregano, pepper, onion and chili powders and salt with a touch of butter to help it stick. Wrap in aluminum foil and grill until tender.
3. Pineapple, peaches or mango. Top with a dollop of low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt or sherbet.
4. Asparagus and add to a salad of mixed greens, roasted peppers and toasted nuts.
5. Some eggplant, zucchini and portabella mushrooms to use in a wrap.

Stew …

1. Pears. Peel and core and stew gently in cinnamon, sugar and water until tender. Perfect for an after-dinner treat!
2. Cabbage with tomatoes and garlic to serve over rice for a unique side dish to any meal!
3. Classic stew vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, green beans, celery, onions in canned tomato sauce. Substitute canned beans like kidney beans or black beans for meat.
4. Frozen corn, onions, peppers, celery, and salsa. Serve over rice. Add some red or black beans and call it a meal!
5. Canned tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and chickpeas. Add oregano and top with sliced olives.

Blanch …

1. Almonds in water for 15 seconds and peel for a new twist on a healthy snack.
2. Basil and parsley leaves. Blend together with olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and a little lemon juice for a great pesto!
3. Broccoli and cauliflower to use on a vegetable platter for snacks and appetizers.
4. Broccoli rabe in salted water to reduce bitterness. Then cook like broccoli.
5. Carrots, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus and broccoli. Marinate in your favorite low-fat vinaigrette and serve cold. If desired, add other veggies like onions, mushrooms and peppers.

Microwave …

1. Any of your favorite chopped veggies in a bowl with an egg or two for a quick, nutritious breakfast.
2. Cranberries and orange zest with a little sugar and water to make a sweet cranberry relish.
3. Frozen or canned vegetables on those busy nights.
4. Spaghetti squash by cutting in half lengthwise and putting face down in a dish with water. Scoop out squash and serve like spaghetti with tomato sauce and/or Parmesan cheese.
5. A potato for lunch and top with low-fat cottage cheese and chives.
   

Healthy Smile - Healthy Eating! Great Fall Recipe - Enjoy!!

Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries & Apples

Dietitian's tip: Not a true rice at all, wild rice is the unpolished kernels of a wild grass native to the Great Lakes area. Wild rice is cooked differently from true rices — it requires boiling in a larger quantity of water.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Serves 8

Ingredients

1/4 cup slivered almonds
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups wild rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Spread the almonds on the baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool.
In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice. Reduce heat and cover. Keep adding water as necessary to prevent the rice from drying out. Simmer until the rice is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Pour through a fine-meshed strainer to drain. Return the rice to the saucepan and stir in the dried cranberries. Cover and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar.
In a large bowl, combine the rice and diced apples. Add the oil mixture and toss to coat evenly. Serve warm or cold on individual plates. Top with toasted almonds.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calories	193	Sodium	5 mg
Total fat	5 g	Total carbohydrate	32 g
Saturated fat	1 g	Dietary fiber	4 g
Monounsaturated fat	4 g	Protein	5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg

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"Tis the season for Farmers Markets .. enjoy!

 From: Judith Mabel, RD, PhD  NutritionBoston.com

Farmer's Markets

Farmer's markets will be opening soon. These markets will have on display beautiful arrays of fresh produce and also carry other items such as baked goods, fish, meats, and eggs that are locally made or produced.                                                                                                        Some of the produce will say "organic", "natural", or "integrated pest management (IPM)". What do these terms mean? Organic means that the food has been grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. These foods tend to contain the least amount of toxic metals and unwanted chemicals. Because the yield is a bit smaller and the labor hours are larger, organic foods tend to be more expensive. However, the more we can support organic farmers, the less this price gap will become. There is one other item that increases the cost of organic food and that is that the organic farmers have to pay for their own testing to prove that they have followed the proper protocols. Some local farmers choose not to do that so instead they label their crops IPM. Other farmers find that doing one chemical spraying is necessary to secure the crop. This is also labeled as IPM. These foods have less chemicals than produce that is conventionally grown. Ask and they will tell you. Conventionally grown food found in farmer's markers are usually fresher than the food grown in the supermarket. They will have varying degrees of chemical or fertilizer exposure.  Find your nearest farmer's market ....     http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/FMFM_Main.aspx No matter what you buy, you know your food dollars are going to support local small farmers and other local food producers!

Tips for traveling On The Road

Sharing some tips for On The Road summer travel ... from NutritionBoston.com

On the Road

Tips for Traveling: Well it certainly is that time of year again to travel. Whether you are going on a car trip, flying to see family, or staying in hotels, there will be many impediments to eating in your established healthy way. Here are some tips to help you on your way: Use restaurants you have had success with at home. So if Subway or Au Bon Pain are familiar to you, then you will have an easy time with the menu. Of course the point of being away is to experience new things, but if you find yourself getting poor food choices, go back to what you know. Drink plenty of fluids. It is easy to get dehydrated, and water is the best choice for fluids. Avoid excess alcohol. Keep healthy snacks at hand, such as nuts, fruit, granola bars with 10 gm or less sugar in them (mostly balance or high protein bars). The best snacks for kids are fruit bars without added sugar, fruit, popcorn, veggie or sweet potato sticks, and individual ice cream treats on an occasional basis. Use the small individual bags of chips for portion control on the chips. Remember to eat breakfast. Breakfast primes the system and prepares you for a full day of sight-seeing or meetings. Make sure the meal is balanced in carbs, fats and proteins - so not a bagel or Danish and jam. This is good advice anywhere or anytime, but especially while you are on the road. Use the hotel's concierge service to show you sample menus or recommend restaurants that meet your dining needs, so that you can make good choices even before heading out. Ask your server about healthy options on the menu before ordering. Often these items are specially marked on the menu. Get salad dressings on the side, or order oil and vinegar. Stay away from the creamy dressings because they are high in calories, and can spoil easily in the heat. Choose the lunch portion if possible, or put half of the food in a bag to go for the next meal. If you are in a mini-mart or gas station, your healthy options could be nuts, fruit, sparkling water or your ice cream treat for the day. Forget the chocolates; they usually aren't dark enough (66% or more). Read the labels on "waters" - some are heavy in sugars or artificial sweeteners. Above all, have a great time, and come back and tell me all about it!! Judith Mabel, PhD, RD at NutritionBoston.com

How To Floss Properly: Video - Flossing Teeth - Oral Health Basics | Colgate

Really quick video from Colgate .. check this out ..

How To Floss Properly: Video - Flossing Teeth - Oral Health Basics | Colgate