Food and Nutrition

Add Some Veggies and Protein to Your Child's Plate

Posted Wed, 05/05/2010 - 12:31 by Staff

I had an opportunity to try the Veggie Patch Veggie Bites this past week. My family tried the Brocolli Bites, Spinach Bites, Sweet Corn Bites, and Portabella Bites. I was interested in trying the Veggie Patch bites because they are vegetarian, do not contact Trans Fats or MSG.

I first warmed up the Broccoli Bites and Sweet Corn Bites. The outsides were crispy and golden and the inside was moist and tasty. The veggie bites have vegetable and cheese on the inside. I enjoy both of them but the corn won for me based on the extra sweetness. My kids tried them and they liked the Corn Bites. The Broccoli Bites were not as big of a hit but I think if they tried them several times they would have enjoyed them more.

Get Dinner on the Table in Thirty Minutes or Less with the Six o'Clock Scramble Cookbook

Posted Fri, 04/23/2010 - 08:40 by Staff

I dread dinner time. Mostly because I'm never prepared. Dinner time sneaks up on me and I'm left with hungry, cranky children and a blank mind as to what to fix for dinner. Avivia Goldfarb's Six O'clock Scramble to the rescue!

Vitamin D Deficiency and Your Child

Posted Mon, 04/05/2010 - 14:05 by Staff

We were starting to think that Vitamin D deficiency was a thing of the past. I mean, when was the last time you met someone with rickets? But a recent study in Pediatrics showed that over six million children in the United States do not get enough Vitamin D. That is one out of every five kids! It seems that Vitamin D deficiency is more common than we thought.

Vitamin D is an important vitamin! New studies are proving that vitamin D can help prevent many diseases such as cancer, depression, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disease. Other research has linked low Vitamin D levels to obesity; studies show that overweight individuals are much more likely to be Vitamin D deficient. It is not clear, however, whether increased body fat leads to Vitamin D deficiency or if low Vitamin D levels cause a person to gain weight. Is one responsible for the other? More research is needed in this area.

The Quest For A Thin Baby: How Far Some Parents Will Go

Posted Mon, 02/15/2010 - 16:24 by Staff

First there was the airbrushing of babies in magazines and now parents are starving newborns so they don’t become “fat babies”. What is this country coming to?

We all know that being overweight is unhealthy and can put a person at risk for medical illness. Being too thin, however, is also not healthy and often not attainable. Most of us were not meant to be a size zero. And those who do manage to starve themselves to this size, wind up regaining the weight. Yes, there are some people who are naturally skinny and they can be healthy. But most people really have to work to get (and stay) at that size, often using unhealthy methods. Society’s obsession with emaciation is leading to many adverse side effects.

Garlicky Shrimp Scampi from William Sonoma

Posted Thu, 02/04/2010 - 16:47 by kristin


In Italy, scampi are shrimplike crustaceans known elsewhere as Dublin Bay prawns or langoustines. American cooks use the same term to describe sautéed jumbo shrimp in a buttery, white wine sauce. This version is more garlicky and saucy than most, and is delicious served over pasta, rice, or even grits.

Jumbo or extra-large shrimp, 11⁄2 pounds
All-purpose flour, 1⁄2 cup
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil, 2 tablespoons, plus more as needed
Unsalted butter, 12 tablespoons
Garlic, 3 cloves, minced
Dry white wine, 1⁄4 cup
Finely grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon
Fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons finely chopped
Lemon wedges for serving
Makes 4 servings

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail segment intact. In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.

Technology for Weight Loss

Posted Fri, 01/22/2010 - 12:08 by Staff

Remember when weight loss was simply about eating less and exercising more? These days, dieting is getting high tech. Every day, studies are released about the benefits of new electronic weight loss gadgets. But are they really necessary and will they actually help with weight loss?

A recent study from the British Medical Journal promotes the use of a small computer-linked food scale (called a Mandometer) to help with weight loss. The Mandometer was developed by researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute. Dieters put their plates on this scale which weighs the remaining food as the meal is eaten. There is also a small screen which shows dieters the rate at which they are eating their food and the ideal rate at which they should be eating their food. When food is eaten too quickly, the computer tells the dieter to slow down.

10 Foods That Help Keep Arteries Clean

Posted Sun, 01/17/2010 - 08:55 by Staff

Arteries are blood vessels that transport oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the entire length of your body. For this process to occur, however, your arteries need to be flexible, strong, elastic and clear of any deposits.

But arteries have to be kept in good shape because deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, calcium and other substances can build up in your arteries. These are called plaques and they can severely restrict blood flow and, more seriously, they can cause your arteries to rupture, leading to blood clots. Blood clots can block your blood flow entirely, leading to heart attack and stroke.

Build-up of plaques in your arteries is known as atherosclerosis and it is the main underlying cause of heart disease. So what should we do? Exercising is an excellent way to keep your arteries healthy, but your diet plays a major role. Here are 10 foods that are helpful in keeping your arteries clean.

1. Grapefruit
2. Green Tea
3. Apples

Yummy Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe

Posted Sat, 01/02/2010 - 11:09 by Staff

If you are looking to make a really yummy and healthy soup, try this easy recipe for Carrot Ginger soup.

Ingredients:

* 6 organic carrots
* 1 medium organic onion
* 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 6 inch piece fresh ginger Parsley to garnish

Directions:

-Wash, peel, and cut carrots and onion into chunks.

-Saute vegetables in a skillet with olive oil.

-Place vegetables and salt in a pot.

-Add 4 cups water.

-Bring to a boil.

-Cover with a lid.

-Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes.

-Transfer soup into blender, adding water to achieve desired consistency.

-When blending is done, squeeze juice from grated ginger and add to soup.

By Mela Stevens from Boomer-Living.com - active solutions for Baby Boomers

8 Tips to Healthier Holiday Drinks + Recipes

Posted Wed, 12/16/2009 - 13:13 by Staff

Spending time with friends and family is a great way to spend the holidays, and for many of you that means getting together and sharing a few cocktails. Holiday drinking can be fun and enjoyable but for those of us who are trying to watch our waistlines this holiday season, even having a few drinks can set us back a few notches. It’s important to remember that all alcoholic drinks contain calories and these can add up very quickly! But don’t fret, there is still a way to enjoy a few holiday drinks without overdoing it!

Tips to follow when choosing drinks:

1. Try to keep your limit to no more than 1-2 drinks for women or 2-3 drinks for men, any more and the benefits of moderate drinking is thrown out the window

2. Avoid making drinks with heavily sweetened mixers which contain a significant amount of calories from simple carbohydrates

3. If drinking beer, choose a light beer

4. Drink out of smaller glasses or tall, skinny glasses

When Turkey is Not Invited to Thanksgiving Dinner

Posted Fri, 11/20/2009 - 09:43 by Staff

When Turkey is Not Invited to Thanksgiving Dinner

As more people choose to go vegetarian or simply reduce the meat in their diets for health and ethical reasons, the question of what to serve at Thanksgiving dinner becomes bigger than ever before. Instead of simply debating between Mom’s recipe versus Aunt Ruth’s for the turkey, the entire staple entrée is tossed aside. If you have vegetarians coming to dinner or just want to take the non-traditional route, here are some must haves for your Thanksgiving table:

* Vegan Pot Pie: Served steaming hot with tons of veggies, a flaky crust, and chewy tempeh or seitan. Mealsmatter.org
* Butternut Squash and Apple Soup: the rich sweetness of butternut squash plus the natural tartness of apples, pureed with cinnamon and nutmeg. Simplyrecipes.com

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