From time to time, I will mention convenience foods I use because of their nutritional value, cost and ease of use. I have two new products to recommend this week. I recently picked up two bags of Contessa Sesame Chicken at $8.59 each to try and was very pleased. Dinner was ready in about 15 minutes - great for those hurried nights and everyone agreed it was good. The meal is complete with rice and several vegetables in addition to the chicken. Best of all, there are 260 calories in a 1 1/2 cup serving, 4 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein. My only criticism is that is has almost 1/3 of your daily requirement of sodium but you could cut back on the sauce and reduce the sodium. One bag is enough for two. I thought the cost was comparable to taking the four of us to a fast food restaurant but a much more healthy choice.
My sister is lactose intolerant so when I read about an ice cream made with coconut milk, my ears pricked up. Turtle Mountain offers Purely Decadent, a non-dairy frozen dessert that is also soy free. It is made with coconut milk and while not fat free by any means, it does have 6 grams of fiber and 10% of your daily requirement of iron. Regular ice cream has neither fiber nor iron. I bought some to test and my family agreed it was very good. Similar to ice cream in consistency and taste, it does have a coconut aftertaste. Give it a try if you are lactose intolerant and missing your ice cream.
Yes, I did just recommend a fat filled treat. As long as we exercise and eat right most of the time, treats are fine.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Fast Dinners Good Dinners
The last hurrah of summer is over and the grind is on till Thanksgiving break. There will be many hurried meals as we rush to the next meeting, practice or rehearsal. Don't be tempted to go through the drive-thru on those nights, be prepared for them. Refer back to earlier posts on grocery shopping and restock your pantry now.
To give you some help, my next several posts will have some of my favorite fast dinner recipes that rank high in nutrition and are definite crowd pleasers. Keep frozen grilled chicken breast strips or pieces on hand. You can grill and freeze your own or purchase 20 oz. bags at the grocery. These are a great start for any fast dinner, including the following original recipe I created out of need.
Pantry Pasta
8 ounces of your favorite pasta shape
1 to 2 cups grilled chicken, no need to thaw if frozen
1 can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, or one large fresh tomato diced
1/2 medium onion sliced thin
1 can whole corn drained, or 1 cup frozen
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Boil pasta. While pasta cooks, saute onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil till lightly brown. Add chicken, beans, tomatoes and corn. Let heat through but do not boil while draining pasta. Add pasta to meat mixture. Season to taste with salt, pepper and chili powder, if desired. Sprinkle cheese on top and stir to mix well. Done!
This recipe is easily expanded for a larger crowd. It serves 4 as made above. Experiment with different seasonings. If you have a well stocked pantry and keep frozen grilled chicken on hand, this can be made at a moments notice. As usual, add a fruit or green salad and maybe some bread.
To give you some help, my next several posts will have some of my favorite fast dinner recipes that rank high in nutrition and are definite crowd pleasers. Keep frozen grilled chicken breast strips or pieces on hand. You can grill and freeze your own or purchase 20 oz. bags at the grocery. These are a great start for any fast dinner, including the following original recipe I created out of need.
Pantry Pasta
8 ounces of your favorite pasta shape
1 to 2 cups grilled chicken, no need to thaw if frozen
1 can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, or one large fresh tomato diced
1/2 medium onion sliced thin
1 can whole corn drained, or 1 cup frozen
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Boil pasta. While pasta cooks, saute onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil till lightly brown. Add chicken, beans, tomatoes and corn. Let heat through but do not boil while draining pasta. Add pasta to meat mixture. Season to taste with salt, pepper and chili powder, if desired. Sprinkle cheese on top and stir to mix well. Done!
This recipe is easily expanded for a larger crowd. It serves 4 as made above. Experiment with different seasonings. If you have a well stocked pantry and keep frozen grilled chicken on hand, this can be made at a moments notice. As usual, add a fruit or green salad and maybe some bread.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Labor Day
Labor Day weekend is here but that shouldn't mean laboring in the kitchen. It shouldn't mean eating hot dogs, chips and dip and cheap store bought cookies all weekend either.
I tried a new recipe last weekend that gets high ratings in simplicity, speed of preparation and taste. Even my children gave it a 6 to 8 out of 10. Did I mention healthy? The leftovers were also good for lunch the next day. Give this a try this weekend.
Tuna and White Bean Salad
2 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped orange or yellow sweet pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 TBSP. white wine vinegar
2 TBSP. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 6 ounce fresh or frozen tuna steak
salad greens, your favorite
Combine beans, tomatoes, onion, sweet pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a screw top jar. Shake well. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Thaw frozen tuna. Rinse and pat tuna dry. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes, turning once. Do not over cook. Tuna tastes best when still pink in the middle. Break into pieces and add to bean mixture. Toss gently to combine. Serve over salad greens. Add some hearty bread and your meal is complete.
My family is hiking this weekend. A little time spent outdoors in the fresh air will revive everyone. Have a great weekend.
I tried a new recipe last weekend that gets high ratings in simplicity, speed of preparation and taste. Even my children gave it a 6 to 8 out of 10. Did I mention healthy? The leftovers were also good for lunch the next day. Give this a try this weekend.
Tuna and White Bean Salad
2 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped orange or yellow sweet pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 TBSP. white wine vinegar
2 TBSP. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 6 ounce fresh or frozen tuna steak
salad greens, your favorite
Combine beans, tomatoes, onion, sweet pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a screw top jar. Shake well. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Thaw frozen tuna. Rinse and pat tuna dry. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes, turning once. Do not over cook. Tuna tastes best when still pink in the middle. Break into pieces and add to bean mixture. Toss gently to combine. Serve over salad greens. Add some hearty bread and your meal is complete.
My family is hiking this weekend. A little time spent outdoors in the fresh air will revive everyone. Have a great weekend.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Alarming Trends
When my husband first started practicing cardiology here in Jonesboro 17 years ago, his patients were mostly in their 60's, 70's and 80's. Exactly the patient population cardiologists expected to see. But over those 17 years two alarming trends have occurred, one I know you read about (or maybe ignore?) and see on TV.
First, the age of his patients has gone steadily down. It has not been unusual lately for him to treat patients with their first heart attacks who are younger than he is - in their 40's, 30's and even 20's! No, these patients don't have some unusual problem. They smoke, don't exercise and are over weight. It's sad to think that middle age for a growing segment of America's population could mean 14 or 20. Think about it - if you have your first heart attack at 28, your life will be cut severely short unless you take steps to correct the problems.
Another alarming trend is that weight gain has gone steadily up. Make no mistake, these trends are closely related. Weight gain, especially around the waist, leads to heart disease as well as other diseases like diabetes. My husband sees patients every day who are overweight by 50 to 100 pounds or more.
We can talk about health care reform all we want but your good health is largely in your own hands. Please take your health and that of your children seriously. Don't wait until you have serious health problems. Start eating better today and get off the couch and get moving! Ditch the cigarettes and do something else with that money. You'll be glad you did.
First, the age of his patients has gone steadily down. It has not been unusual lately for him to treat patients with their first heart attacks who are younger than he is - in their 40's, 30's and even 20's! No, these patients don't have some unusual problem. They smoke, don't exercise and are over weight. It's sad to think that middle age for a growing segment of America's population could mean 14 or 20. Think about it - if you have your first heart attack at 28, your life will be cut severely short unless you take steps to correct the problems.
Another alarming trend is that weight gain has gone steadily up. Make no mistake, these trends are closely related. Weight gain, especially around the waist, leads to heart disease as well as other diseases like diabetes. My husband sees patients every day who are overweight by 50 to 100 pounds or more.
We can talk about health care reform all we want but your good health is largely in your own hands. Please take your health and that of your children seriously. Don't wait until you have serious health problems. Start eating better today and get off the couch and get moving! Ditch the cigarettes and do something else with that money. You'll be glad you did.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I'm Back!
After the summer break, I'm finally back to writing. I didn't intend to stop but I was swamped with my children's summer sports schedule. While I stopped writing, I didn't give up on healthy eating or exercising and I hope you didn't either. I swam, lifted light weights, walked or did dance aerobics at least five days a week. We ate fresh vegetables and lighter meals.
Buying the farmer's weekly fresh produce was an adventure because I never knew exactly what I'd be getting. It forced me to try some things I might not have and to be creative with the things I received an excess of, like watermelon and peaches.
I'm including two recipes my family has particularly enjoyed and believe me, the watermelon salad is wonderful despite how odd it sounds.
Banana Peach Buttermilk Smoothie
2 large ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
2 cups frozen sliced peaches
1 cup fat free buttermilk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 TBsp. honey
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes about 4 cups.
Cultured dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt help maintain a healthy digestive system. We often eat this as a dessert.
Tomato and Watermelon Salad
5 cups seeded watermelon cubes
1 1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cubed
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Pepper to taste
Put watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt, tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir in onion, vinegar, and oil. Cover and chill 2 or more hours. Sprinkle with pepper before serving.
Trust me, this is good and I have never served it to anyone who didn't love it. The key is good watermelon and tomatoes.
Buying the farmer's weekly fresh produce was an adventure because I never knew exactly what I'd be getting. It forced me to try some things I might not have and to be creative with the things I received an excess of, like watermelon and peaches.
I'm including two recipes my family has particularly enjoyed and believe me, the watermelon salad is wonderful despite how odd it sounds.
Banana Peach Buttermilk Smoothie
2 large ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
2 cups frozen sliced peaches
1 cup fat free buttermilk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 TBsp. honey
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes about 4 cups.
Cultured dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt help maintain a healthy digestive system. We often eat this as a dessert.
Tomato and Watermelon Salad
5 cups seeded watermelon cubes
1 1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cubed
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Pepper to taste
Put watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt, tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir in onion, vinegar, and oil. Cover and chill 2 or more hours. Sprinkle with pepper before serving.
Trust me, this is good and I have never served it to anyone who didn't love it. The key is good watermelon and tomatoes.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
On the Run? Swim!
The last couple of weeks have been hectic around here. The end of school always is for those of us with school age children. I haven't had time to write and (here's a confession) not much time to exercise. For the most part I have eaten well balanced meals and not totally fallen off the wagon of good health. Though I know people think my husband and I always eat healthy and exercise consistently, it's just not possible to be that perfect. Your good health should be at the top of your priorities but don't give up and allow yourself to fail because a week went by without going to the gym or you pigged out at the Memorial Day barbeque.
What are the Tedders looking forward to next month? Swimming! Summer is almost here and pools are opening up. Swimming is possibly the best exercise there is. My husband's 82 year old mother still swims 5 days a week in the summer. It has kept her fit and contributed to her good health and energy. My husband loves to swim and my daughter is on the local swim team. I plan to swim laps this summer to battle the winter holiday bulge. Why should kids have all the fun? Jump in and join the fun.
Here's a new recipe for after that swim that goes together in no time. My whole family loved it.
Chicken with Lemony Egg Noodles and Peas
8 oz. egg noodles
4 oz. sugar snap peas
1 c. frozen green peas
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream (I used 2% milk)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
salt & pepper to taste
2 c. leftover chicken (I keep Tyson's frozen roasted chicken chunks on hand)
Cook noodles as usual but add sugar snap peas the noodles for last minute of cooking. Place carrots and frozen peas in a colander in sink. Drain noodles and sugar snap peas over carrots and peas.
While noodles are draining, heat broth, cream, lemon peel in same sauce pan to boiling. Add chicken and noodle mixture into sauce. Heat through, stirring constantly.
Add a fruit salad or some bread & you are done.
What are the Tedders looking forward to next month? Swimming! Summer is almost here and pools are opening up. Swimming is possibly the best exercise there is. My husband's 82 year old mother still swims 5 days a week in the summer. It has kept her fit and contributed to her good health and energy. My husband loves to swim and my daughter is on the local swim team. I plan to swim laps this summer to battle the winter holiday bulge. Why should kids have all the fun? Jump in and join the fun.
Here's a new recipe for after that swim that goes together in no time. My whole family loved it.
Chicken with Lemony Egg Noodles and Peas
8 oz. egg noodles
4 oz. sugar snap peas
1 c. frozen green peas
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream (I used 2% milk)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
salt & pepper to taste
2 c. leftover chicken (I keep Tyson's frozen roasted chicken chunks on hand)
Cook noodles as usual but add sugar snap peas the noodles for last minute of cooking. Place carrots and frozen peas in a colander in sink. Drain noodles and sugar snap peas over carrots and peas.
While noodles are draining, heat broth, cream, lemon peel in same sauce pan to boiling. Add chicken and noodle mixture into sauce. Heat through, stirring constantly.
Add a fruit salad or some bread & you are done.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Salad Days
We use the fun expression "salad days" as a reference to our better days when we were younger, slimmer, at the top of our game. Through healthy living, I intend to keep my salad days around for awhile. That's why I exercise and try to eat right. I don't intend to sit around and let the younger folks have all the fun and look good doing it.
Speaking of salads, they are such an easy way to eat better but beware, they can be loaded with fat, calories and sugar. So don't be too quick to pat yourself on the back because you had only the salad bar for lunch. Did you eat pasta, chicken or tuna salad? They are usually loaded with fats. Did you eat a fruit salad filled with marshmallows and a sweet dressing? More fat and sugar. Load up on crackers or rolls? Didn't do yourself any favors there.
I often add salads as a quick and easy side dish for meals or eat a large salad for lunch. Here are some tips for keeping the lid on the calories and getting the good stuff.
For a simple fruit salad, just cut up any combination of fresh fruit and you are done, no dressing needed. If you use canned fruit, make sure you get fruit in it's own juice or at least light syrup. Drain well. Young children will prefer fruit without dressing. Try strawberries, bananas, oranges and blueberries. This combination is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium and fiber. The following recipe is one of my favorite green salads. I eat it for lunch and dinner.
Salad Greens with Avocado and Pears
Your favorite salad greens mix
1 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
1 pear, sliced thin (use canned if fresh not available)
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup blue cheese or feta cheese crumbles
Combine all ingredients and drizzle with your favorite dressing. Brianna's Blush Wine dressing is particularly good with this salad. Serves six.
Tip: Adding the salad dressing is the crucial part. Two Tbsp. of Brianna's contains 120 calories with half being fat calories. There are about 4 tbsp. in 1/4 cup so the calories add up in a hurry. Measure the dressing and add it to the salad before serving so no one is tempted to drown their salad in calories. The dressing should enhance your salad, not be the main flavor.
This salad would be nice for Mother's Day dinner.
Speaking of salads, they are such an easy way to eat better but beware, they can be loaded with fat, calories and sugar. So don't be too quick to pat yourself on the back because you had only the salad bar for lunch. Did you eat pasta, chicken or tuna salad? They are usually loaded with fats. Did you eat a fruit salad filled with marshmallows and a sweet dressing? More fat and sugar. Load up on crackers or rolls? Didn't do yourself any favors there.
I often add salads as a quick and easy side dish for meals or eat a large salad for lunch. Here are some tips for keeping the lid on the calories and getting the good stuff.
For a simple fruit salad, just cut up any combination of fresh fruit and you are done, no dressing needed. If you use canned fruit, make sure you get fruit in it's own juice or at least light syrup. Drain well. Young children will prefer fruit without dressing. Try strawberries, bananas, oranges and blueberries. This combination is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium and fiber. The following recipe is one of my favorite green salads. I eat it for lunch and dinner.
Salad Greens with Avocado and Pears
Your favorite salad greens mix
1 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
1 pear, sliced thin (use canned if fresh not available)
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup blue cheese or feta cheese crumbles
Combine all ingredients and drizzle with your favorite dressing. Brianna's Blush Wine dressing is particularly good with this salad. Serves six.
Tip: Adding the salad dressing is the crucial part. Two Tbsp. of Brianna's contains 120 calories with half being fat calories. There are about 4 tbsp. in 1/4 cup so the calories add up in a hurry. Measure the dressing and add it to the salad before serving so no one is tempted to drown their salad in calories. The dressing should enhance your salad, not be the main flavor.
This salad would be nice for Mother's Day dinner.
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