Springtime Sensations

Spring has sprung and so has the fresh produce.  Seasonal fruits and vegetables are popping up all over local grocery stores and Farmers’ Markets. 

Do you find yourself aching for asparagus?  Sweet on strawberries?  Gung-ho for greens?  

Then seize the moment and sample the freshest this season has to offer.

I like to switch out my tried-and-true favorites every year and try something different - on my list this year: dandelion greens, fava beans, turnips (they make a great mashed potato addition), beets and cherries.  And with much of our Spring produce grown right here in Texas, fresh items are pretty easy to find.

Here’s a guide to a few of my top choices along with some favorite recipes.  Let me know if you have a favorite one and recipe.

Greens, greens and more greens

I’m talking spinach, arugula, chard, mustard and salad greens - early spring is greens season and if you haven’t warmed up to them yet, now is the time.  Not only are they delicious, but they also provide ample amounts of vitamins A and C, iron, fiber and bone-building calcium (which is great if you don’t consume much milk or cheese).

I love arugula; it is my favorite green.  Check out easy Arugula, Grape and Sunflower Seed Salad; or if you’re into the more pungent greens, try Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans – an easy, one-dish pasta for busy nights.

Asparagus

Those long, skinny asparagus spears are chock-full of folate (essential for the baby’s growth and development throughout pregnancy); they're also high in vitamins A, E and C (helps protect against cancer and heart disease).  One of my favorite recipes is Asparagus Salad With Beans & Feta – no need to cook the asparagus if you use young, thin stalks.

Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe resembles little broccoli florets with big leaves.  But the flavor is sharper and more pronounced than broccoli.   It’s immensely popular in Italy and it is catching on here in America.  Rabe offers tons of nutrition – it’s high in vitamin K, which is essential for healthy bones, and is a good source of fiber and calcium.  Try out this trendy veggie in Broccoli Rabe and White Bean Soup (omit the cheese rind if you want; I usually do).

Sweet Peas

Taste freshly shelled peas, and you’ll never go back to frozen again.  This late-Spring veggie is truly delectable – sweet and crunchy, that literally bursts in your mouth.  And a healthy burst, at that: peas are an excellent source of fiber and folate.  They are easy to shell and, if they are very young, you can just zip open the pod and eat them out of hand – no cooking required.

 

Peas can be added to anything: pastas, salads, omelets, risottos, whatever.  I like this simple Spring Pea Salad.  Perfect for a weekend lunch.

Berries

Fresh, ripe berries – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries – seriously, can you get any better than that?  And nutritionally speaking, berries are standouts.  One cup of strawberries provides 100% vitamin C along with the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene.  Blue, black and raspberries are full of fiber and vitamin C and are some of the heart-healthiest fruits you can eat.

Try this Brunch Parfait recipe; it's divine.  I usually add blueberries or whatever I have on hand.  And the kids absolutely inhale it.

Mangoes

Texas mangoes typically come from Mexico this time of year.  Tropical, lush and fruity, eating a mango feels exotic and calls for a special recipe.  And the deep yellow color indicates a rich source of vitamin A (essential for healthy eyes and skin).  Mangoes are also high in fiber and heart-healthy potassium.

If you’ve been avoiding this yummy fruit because of its “difficult-to-cut” reputation, be afraid no longer - it’s actually quite easy.  Follow these steps, then check out this Grilled Shrimp and Mango Salad.  If you don’t want to grill outdoors, try an indoor stovetop grill.

Apricots

Apricots start to make an appearance in the late Spring, but their peak season is short and sweet so take full advantage while you can.  It’s a velvety tasting fruit, with a beautiful yellow-rose hue.  And like mangoes, apricots are an excellent source of vitamin A and are full of fiber.  I actually never have cooked these little jewels – my family and I love to eat them fresh, right out of hand.

Rhubarb

Is rhubarb a fruit or veggie?  The debate raged for years; even U.S. customs officials just guessed back in the 1940’s when they chose to classify it as a fruit.  After all, it was typically used that way – and still is today. Botanically speaking, however, rhubarb is really a vegetable.

Full of fiber, heart-healthy catechins and vitamin C, rhubarb is that long, red, stalky-looking thing you see in the produce section.  It looks kind of weird raw (and trust me, you do not want to attempt to eat that sour stalk), but when cooked, rhubarb turns out sweet, tender and flavorful – perfect in all sorts of pies, cobblers and sauces.  Check out cookinglight.com or eatingwell.com for easy, refreshing recipes.

Eat Your Rainbow

I spent the entire morning today teaching nutrition lessons at my son's preschool.  Which translates to four classes of four-year-olds in two hours.

The focus of my classes?  Eating a rainbow of fresh fruits and veggies every day.

We talked a bit about why we should eat fresh produce every day - what makes them so healthy for our bodies and how they are nature's perfect foods.  We also played a guessing game about the different colors of fruits and veggies - how all the colors are like a rainbow and how each provides a different benefit for our bodies.

But the most fun?  Each class taste-tested a sampling of fruits and veggies from every color of the rainbow:

Blue/purple: blackberries
Yellow: yellow bell pepper
Orange: orange tomatoes
Red: strawberries
White: cauliflower
Green: kiwi

Many kids had never tried a kiwi - and they loved it after tasting it.  Several had never tried bell peppers or cauliflower, either.  I loved watching them try new foods.  It was a hoot to see and hear responses.  Most of the kids did try everything; and naturally, not all of the choices were a hit.   But out of about 40 kids, at least 75% excitedly said they loved one of the foods that was new to them.

Success.

And the teachers provided lots of support by enforcing the "one-bite-rule" - try one bite and if you don't like it, politely spit it into your napkin.  And no "yucky" faces.

Ahhh, just like at my house.  What  a great joy to see teachers at my own son's preschool reinforcing my food values.

And even better?  Every class had one child who surprised the teacher by eating (and enjoying) every sample.  The teacher would whisper to me in awe, "She never brings anything like that for lunch.  I can't believe she ate all of those!"

My response?  Tell the parents all about it.  And hope that the next lunch will include a healthy, fresh fruit or vegetable that the child can really enjoy.

The morales of the day:  Keep exposing your kids to fresh fruits and veggies - and mix up the tried-and-true with some of the new every once in awhile.  Keep offering, at every meal.  You never know when the day might come when they pick it up, try it and actually like it.

Is Sea Salt Healthier?

Sea salt versus regular salt.  Which is healthier?


Sea salt is a hot topic right now.  People have inquired about it in my classes, it's all over my dietitian list serves, chefs are discussing it in interviews and food manufacturers are touting it.


But I always know when a topic has truly hit mainstream when my Mother calls me up and asks me about it.  Which she did last week.


Part of the reason for sea salt's surge in popularity is due to food manufacturers.  Many are replacing regular salt in their products with sea salt, then claiming the products are now healthier or more "natural".  


Get this: in 2010, over 1300 products were introduced (or revamped) to contain sea salt.  And you can guarantee that all of them are taking advantage of the "naturally-sourced" and "less sodium" claims.


Sea salt is the new sugar.


But the question remains: Is it healthier?  And, could the use of sea salt decrease our currently high intake of sodium/salt thereby reducing our risk of high blood pressure and stroke?


Here is what we know:
Both sea salt and regular table salt have basically the same mineral make-up (part sodium and part chloride).  Sea salt has a courser grind (small clumps or chunks) while table salt is much finer.


Sea salt is actually dehydrated from sea water - and depending on the sea, the salt might contain a bit more trace minerals, but nothing that would affect its nutritional value.  This minimal processing however, might-possibly-slightly affect sea salt's taste a tiny bit.  Some people (particularly chefs and food manufacturers) claim that sea salt tastes slightly saltier than regular, although I have not found any concrete evidence. Texture and color variations are definitely affected, as well.


By contrast, table salt is mined from underground salt mines and is more heavily processed.  Table salt is void of any additional trace minerals and an additive is included to keep it from clumping.  Some regular salt brands also include iodine - an essential mineral that was once deficient in American diets.


Nutritionally teaspoon-to-teaspoon, sea salt (due to its courser nature) could have just a bit less sodium than regular table salt - about 35% sodium content to 37% in regular table salt.   Again, it depends on the sea source.


My thoughts: 
* The sodium difference per teaspoon is too minimal to truly make a difference in reducing high blood pressure or stroke risk - we are still consuming too much sodium - be it sea, kosher or regular salt.  We have to cut down across the board to make any progress in reducing our disease risk.


* If you do find a variance in taste and prefer sea salt, by all means, use it when you cook at home - just use less.  If your recipe calls for 1/2 tsp of regular salt, use 1/4 or less of sea salt.


* Keep in mind that sea salt is more expensive than regular salt.


* Since 75% of our sodium intake comes from packaged, processed and restaurant food, we still need to read labels and choose products with 15% or less sodium per serving (10% is ideal).   And ask for your meals to be prepared without salt. 


* Don't be fooled by food manufacturers' or restaurants' claims of lower sodium.  


Unless the packaged products is labeled a "low-sodium" or "reduced sodium" food as qualified by the FDA (like Campbell's sea salt soups), chances are the sodium amounts are the same.  


Or even worse.  Wendy's has a new "sea salt" fry that actually has more sodium than the regular fry.  Choose a small sea salt version and you'll be getting 30% more sodium per order.


Seriously.....how is that helping anybody?


References: webmd.com, mortonsalt.com, wendys.com

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.