Sweet on Sweet Potatoes

I think my four-year-old son might love sweet potatoes more than me.


Oh, I know he does love me.  He gives me kisses and is happy to see me when he wakes every morning.  He wants to play with me all the time and holds my hand while we read books.


But dinner last night made me stop and think.   Possibly - just possibly - he might love those potatoes a bit more.


Maybe it was the way he whooped with delight and did a little jig in the kitchen when I informed him sweet potatoes were on the menu.  Perhaps it was the way he rhapsodized about the taste while eating them.  Or the way he absolutely, unequivocally was not willing to share with another human being.  But the clincher?  When he proceeded to inhale three (yes, count them, three) potatoes.  And asked for more.


I understand why the child loves them so.  I do make a mean mashed potato, I must say - bake them whole in the oven, mash up the flesh and add just a touch of skim milk and a bunch of really good cinnamon.  No sugar, no butter, no cream.  Just sweet, delicious, rich and creamy potatoes.  


And they are really good.


Not to mention they are one of the healthiest veggies you can eat - low in calories and dense with nutrients.  Eat just one and you'll get two times the vitamin A you need and more fiber than a bowl of oatmeal.  You'll also get a good dose of potassium, folic acid and vitamin C.  And that deep, rich orange color?  It tells you that sweet potatoes are chock-full of beta-carotene, an antioxidant essential for healthy eyes, skin and immunity.


So, it's OK if he loves them.  Even a tiny bit more than me.


I mean, it could be worse.  He could be having a love affair with Skittles, Doritos or soda.  Which really wouldn't fly too well at my house.

28 Ways to Love Your Heart

February is not only the month of love and valentines, but it's also Heart Healthy Month.  A time to remember your heart. 

Did you know your heart beats an average of 108,000 times per day.....and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood through your body?  It does all of this quietly, day in and day out, without fail.

It’s a loyal organ; one you literally can’t live without.  

It's time to show it some love.  And to celebrate, I've listed 28 simple ways you can give back to your heart - by making it stronger, healthier and happier.  

1. Laugh every day.  Studies show that people who laugh less and view life pessimistically tend to have a greater risk for heart disease. 

2. Take a brisk 30-minute walk.  Not only is it simple exercise, but it lowers blood pressure and diabetes and heart disease risks.

3. Make a home-cooked meal.  Eating at home puts you in control of what you eat, how much and the preparation – three keys to a healthy diet.

4. Order salad dressing on the side.  Dressings are high in fat, salt and sugar; just one tablespoon adds almost 100 calories and 7 grams of fat to your healthy salad.

5. If you smoke, make today the day you quit. 

6. Switch to skim milk.  It has the same nutrition but without the fat and calories.  Hard to switch?  Start by mixing your milk with skim, gradually adding more skim each day.

7. Reach for water instead of soda.  Americans drink more than 50 gallons of soda per year – something your body doesn’t need or want. 

8. Switch to olive or canola oil for cooking instead of butter, shortenings, lard or margarine.  This switch lowers “bad” cholesterol and raises the ‘good”, keeping arteries clear of cholesterol build-up.

9. Try roasted, unsalted nuts; eat a handful for a snack, or sprinkle them on yogurt, fruit or pancakes. You’ll reduce your risk for blood clots, and increase heart-healthy vitamin E and fiber.

10. Swap meat for fish.  Cold-water fish like salmon, tuna, herring and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids which lower “bad” fats in your blood.

11. Get your blood pressure checked regularly and keep track of it.  Women who decrease their blood pressure can reduce their heart disease risk by 40%.

12. Check your cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides yearly – all key markers for heart disease.

13. Use fresh herbs, salt-free spices and citrus zests instead of salt when cooking. Too much salt raises blood pressure which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke.

14. Check the nutrition facts labels on packaged foods; ditch any with a sodium Daily Value of 20% or more; look for brands with 15% or less per serving.

15. Switch to a whole grain bread (“whole” should be first on the ingredient list).  Whole grains are full of heart-healthy vitamins, minerals and fiber.

16. Dark chocolate.  A one-ounce piece of pure dark chocolate contains flavanols, which can reduce inflammation (a marker for heart disease). Look for cocoa content of 70% or higher.

17. Get your gums and teeth examined.  Gum disease doubles your risk of heart disease.

18.  Eat dessert – sometimes.  If you eat healthy most of the time, then allow yourself special treats now and again.  With no guilt.

19.  Rinse canned beans before eating.  Canned beans are full of fiber and protein, but contain too much salt.  By rinsing and draining, 50% of the sodium goes down the drain.

20. Select a new fruit or veggie to try every week to expand your taste buds.

21. Try the plate method.  Fill the top half of your plate with sauce-free veggies, and the bottom half with a protein on one side, a grain on the other.  You’ll automatically eat less and feel fuller.

22.  Survey your pantry – trash packaged foods with “partially hydrogenated oils” in the ingredient list.  These contain trans fats and spell trouble for your heart.

23. Eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal.  Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, papaya, cantaloupe, berries…the list is endless.  And all are disease-fighting allies.

24.  If you’re overweight, losing just 10% of your weight can lower blood pressure, reduce your risk for diabetes and lower cholesterol levels.

25.  Take control of your diabetes.  Uncontrolled diabetes greatly increases your risk for all kinds of diseases.

26.  Sprinkle ground flaxseed on cereals, yogurt and salads – it helps keep blood cells from clumping to form clots.  Buy pre-ground seeds or grind whole ones yourself with a coffee grinder.

27.  Sleep well. Studies show getting 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep can reduce your risk of stroke, irregular heartbeats and heart attacks.

28.  Call up a friend or family member.  A strong network of friends and family can help you live a longer, healthier, happier life.

Think Outside the Pizza Box

Today is the Super Bowl.  The day I like to call the "all-day, all-out eat-fest”.   

And I do mean all day.  Starting with pre-game festivities and ending with post-game analyses, a typical Super Bowl party can turn into a seven-hour fiesta.   Did you know it's the second-biggest eating day of the year?  And we love it, scarfing down 33 million pounds of food in one day.

If you're hosting a party this year, do yourself (and your guests) a favor by thinking outside of the pizza box.  You can throw a Super Bowl party that is not only festive, but healthy and tasty, too.

Timing is Everything

Serve main-meal foods first.  Having more substantial options available early will keep your guests from constantly snacking throughout the evening.  For the second half (and those diehards who stay post-game), offer a variety of light snacks.

Make it a Meal

Try one of these main-meal ideas for a healthier twist on your party:

* Whip up a big pot of chili with homemade cornbread.  Use lean ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, or go vegetarian with just beans.  Either way, you’ll save 200 calories per serving and get an added bonus of heart-healthy fiber.  Serve fresh toppings like low-fat cheese, onions, tomatoes and sliced avocados to amp up the taste.

* Build-your-own subs and hoagies – no fuss, no muss (and kid-friendly, too).  Offer various breads, rolls, crackers, gourmet cheeses and meats, plus fancy add-ons like grilled onions, olives and roasted peppers. Ditch the mayo for special mustards and olive oil/vinegar.  Don’t want to make all that effort?  Order a giant sub from Subway to share.

* The Super Bowl is the biggest pizza day of the year.  So if you gotta have your pie, try ordering thin-crust veggie or plain cheese instead of the meat special.  You’ll cut calories and fat in half, and get a decent dose of vitamins.

* Chicken wings: the unofficial Super Bowl party food.  These babies are small but carry a deep-fried wallop: eat a dozen with bleu cheese and say hello to 1,100 calories and 75 grams of fat.  And you aren’t even full yet.

If your party isn’t a party without wings, order just a dozen and limit yourself to three.  Better yet, oven-bake your own boneless wings and BBQ sauce (eatingwell.com has a good recipe).  With 50% less calories and 95% less fat, feel free to eat more than three and still feel good about yourself.

Super Snacks

Tired of greasy potato chips and French onion dip?  Easy and nutritious snack alternatives abound:

* Divide air-popped popcorn into several bowls; spray with canola oil then sprinkle with spices for different taste sensations: cayenne (spicy), cinnamon sugar (sweet) Italian (savory), etc.

* Packaged cereal snack mixes are high in sodium, fat and calories.  Make your own instead: combine peanuts, Chex cereals, dried fruit and a little olive oil; spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes; sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper.  Or, simply combine popcorn, raisins, nuts and M&Ms; spray with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut.

* Instead of the same old seven-layer dip, offer different salsas, jarred black bean dips (chipotle is great) and fresh guacamole.  For tortilla chips, try Xochitl, a Dallas-based company.  Their chips are a tasty, healthy option.

* Boiled (shelled) shrimp with plain cocktail sauce is a super-easy, special snack; plus, it’s full of protein, iron and minerals, to boot.

* Try a “mustard bar” with plain pretzels for dipping; it’s fun, different and tasty.  And the varieties of mustards available are endless.

* A Mediterranean platter heaped with olives, pita, hummus and tabouleh is always a hit (and a heart-healthy snack).

* Mix this calcium-rich dip for fresh fruit: combine plain, low-fat yogurt with honey, lime zest and slivered almonds (or try low-fat flavored yogurts, like lemon).

Don’t Forget the Spirits

Beer isn’t the only option for the Super Bowl.  If you’re looking for something lighter, try these refreshing options:

* Sparkling water with fresh lemon or lime, or a splash of fruit juice

* Plain water infused with fresh cucumbers, strawberries or cherries

* Brewed ice tea with mint and orange slices; or mix equally with lemonade for an Arnold Palmer

* Homemade wine spritzers (Pinot Grigio mixed with club soda, crushed ice and pomegranate juice is a good one)

* Homemade sangria

Step Away from the Salt

Today, I write to you from Coppell.....land of frigid temps; rolling blackouts; home-bound, stir-crazy kids; and rapidly dwindling groceries (at least in my house).

But amidst this chaos, I soldier on.  After all, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were just released this week by the USDA.

You may be thinking, "Huh?  Dietary what? Do I care about this?"

First, a primer: the Dietary Guidelines (DGAs) are released every five years with scientifically-based recommendations for healthy eating.  For the American consumer, they are like a blueprint on how to use food to improve your health - something for you to follow regarding what to eat, how much to eat and how often to eat it.  The DGAs also are used when planning federal nutrition programs like the School Lunch Program, and are a major influence on how foods are made - affecting what you'll see on  grocery store shelves of the future.

And in a country where 68% of the population is overweight or obese, I'd say we definitely need help - any help - to get healthier. 

At first glance, the 2010 DGAs are really not much different than the 2005 version: increase fruit and vegetable intake, include whole grains, decrease "bad" fats and replace them with the "good" and limit desserts.

But there is one big change this year.  Sodium.  Also known as salt.  It's become an ingredient in everything from breads to drinks to condiments to fast food.  And we are eating way too much - with deadly consequences in the forms of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. 

The DGAs recommend cutting way back on our salt intake - to the tune of 1 tsp (2300mg) daily for healthy Americans and only about 2/3 tsp (1500mg) daily for Americans who fit into one of these categories: 51 or older, African American, and those with already diagnosed hypertension, diabetes or kidney problems.

It's a rather drastic statement.  After all, Americans currently eat around 3,400mg per day - double the amount the DGAs recommend.  But, it's doable.

The key to cutting back for all of us?  Reducing the amount of packaged, processed and prepared foods we eat every day - about 75% of the salt we eat comes from these sources.

A good rule of thumb: Check the nutrition facts label of your packaged and prepared foods (which includes everything from frozen dinners to condiments to spaghetti sauce to crackers) - if the DV% for sodium is more than 20%, ditch it and choose something else (preferably with 15% or less DV per serving). 

Other tips:

* When you eat out, ask for items to be prepared without salt (and don't use the table salt)
* Check out your favorite restaurant's nutrition menu online prior to going out so you can choose the lowest salt options
* If you cook at home, use salt-free seasonings, fresh herbs, and citrus zests instead of salt
* When purchasing fresh or frozen chicken, make sure it isn't "enhanced" with salt (one 4-ounce chicken breast should have around 45mg of natural sodium; "enhanced" can have up to 440mg; check the label)
* Rinse canned beans and other veggies when possible to drain off excess salt
* If you love nuts and seeds, choose roasted but unsalted versions

A side benefit to cutting salt by making better packaged (and non-packaged) food choices?  You'll end up eating less calories, fat and sugar, as well, since these all tend to lurk together in unhealthy foods.