We all try to eat healthy and finding great recipes that are healthy can be a challenge. As we age we tend to focus on keeping our bones strong, something our parents probably instilled in us at a young age, but keeping a balanced diet isn’t always easy. The change of seasons, available good produce, our own personal preferences and specific needs can make it a challenge. We say keep it simple. Here’s a simple, yet delicious salad recipe we found at Eatingwell.com that you can edit to your tastes and even makes a great pack ahead lunch for work.Read More >
Recipe
Recipe: Baked French Toast
French Toast is a staple breakfast option in most homes, so dressing it up with a new recipe could be a lot fun. Mother’s Day is almost here and it doesn’t matter whether your Mom is still young, a grandma, or a great-grandma she could certainly enjoy a special breakfast made for her. But this doesn’t have to be “just” for mother’s day. You and the kids can make this great recipe for you all together anytime for any occasion and it doesn’t have to be only for Mom. French Toast is good for breakfast, for a special dinner, and for everyone! We found this recipe at The Pioneer Woman and not only is it delicious, but it’s easy! Make a quick trip to the store and grab the ingredients for a personal present for those you love.
Recipe: Cucumber, Mint, and Feta Salad
Cucumber, Mint, and Feta. All of the ingredients sound light and fresh, perfect for summer or spring. Perfect for shaking things up during an oppressive winter full of heavy comfort foods. There are a variety of ways to freshen up your salads and bring spring to your table, why not a cucumber salad? Fruit and vegetables are one of my favorite things to add to my salads this time of year. Also, adding mint shouldn’t be limited to drinks this time of year, add it to your salads too! Below is a bright and refreshing salad recipe to igniting your spring.Read More >
Recipe: Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It’s time to cook, plan, and prepare your Thanksgiving dinner and not long after will be Christmas. We know searching for delicious seasonal recipes can be daunting so as you plan and prepare your meal for this wonderful holiday, we suggest you add this delicious Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe to your menu. It’s quick, easy, and delicious! Because the holiday’s are almost officially here!Read More >
Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Just when you thought the heat would never end, fall is here, bringing a cool crispness to days and evenings. School is back in full gear, and with it an endless schedule of after school activities, meetings and get togethers. Busy times are a true fall indication, and with no time to spare, feed and please your family with this tried and true Louisiana traditional recipe. It is quick and easy to prepare and even easier to eat! Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya is a favorite in any Southern household and this easy one-dish crock pot dinner satisfies hearty appetites and appeals to all ages. Use low-sodium chicken broth to make this a diabetic-friendly recipe and look for a healthier version of turkey or Andouille sausage.
Eating healthy can help prevent many different potential life ailments. Try this fun fall Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. It’s packed with healthy ingredients like bell peppers, which contain Vitamin C. Vitamin C keeps our free radicals in check and helps strengthen our overall immune system, reducing the risk of ear infections. We are always looking out for your overall health! Stay healthy!Read More >
Vitamin D, Calcium and Kids: Are They Building Strong bones?
Vitamin D, Calcium and Kids: Are They Building Strong bones? According to an article by Patti Neighmond (“Recipe For Strong Teen Bones: Exercise, Calcium And Vitamin D”), there’s a relatively small window of time during which our bones do most of their growing. In fact, she claims that between the ages of 9 – 15, 90% of our bone mass develops. And yet, she points out, only 15% of teenagers drink milk, with girls accounting for only 9%. The reasons for this lack of milk drinking seem to be simply that drinking milk is not considered ‘cool’ and the fear of weight gain. The ‘uncool’ness of drinking milk has been addressed by the “Got Milk?” ads for many years.Read More >
Heart Healthy Recipe: Lemon Angel Hair Pasta With Pine Nuts
Every year, about 715,000 Americans have a heart attack. About 600,000 people die from heart disease in the United States each year—that’s 1 out of every 4 deaths. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. February is American Heart month, and the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has some great advice for anyone looking to help his/her heart get or stay healthy. You can start at home with what you’re eating!Read More >
Eat to Lower Inflammation with Vitamin C – Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
Several nutrients may be specifically important in helping to reduce inflammation, especially Vitamin C. Playing an important role in tissue repair, Vitamin C also helps keep bone, cartilage and connective tissue strong – aiding in relief for arthritic inflammation and pain. The USDA recommends 75 milligrams per day of Vitamin C for women and 90 milligrams for men. Foods high in Vitamin C include bell peppers, kale, spinach, and berries such as strawberries.
I love this time of year because that means local produce is bountiful – especially the strawberries! Produce stands are bursting with local seasonal selections. As delicious as they are picture-perfect, these Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits are the perfect way to enjoy a creamy, berrilicious Vitamin C-rich treat – no cooking required! Any time a recipe calls for yogurt or Greek yogurt, either is fine. I like Greek yogurt as it is a richer, creamier and thicker yogurt, especially in this dessert, but make sure to get vanilla flavor. Best of all, strawberries are one of the top ranking antioxidant-containing foods and research shows they may also help improve and stabilize blood sugar.
Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC KITCHEN 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence cookbook is a fabulous no-cook dessert! This berry and cheesecake combination creates an explosion of flavor for cheesecake fans.
Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
Makes 8 parfaits
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound strawberries, stemmed and sliced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup plain or vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups frozen nonfat whipped topping, thawed, divided
- 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
- Mint, garnish, optional
DIRECTIONS
- In bowl, sprinkle strawberries with sugar, toss and set aside.
- In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, yogurt, confectioners sugar and almond extract until smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup whipped topping.
- To assemble parfaits, in small dish or glass, layer graham cracker crumbs, cream cheese filling, and strawberries. Repeat layers if small enough dish and end with dollop of whipped topping. Garnish with mint, if desired.
Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories 188 Calories from Fat 34% Fat 7g Saturated Fat 4g Cholesterol 20mg Sodium 170mg Carbohydrates 25g Dietary Fiber 1g Total Sugars 17g Protein 6g, Dietary Exchanges: 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 lean meat, 1 fat
Terrific Tip: Any berries or a combination may be used.
Written by: Holly Clegg, Culinary Expert
###
About the Author
With over 1 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegg, known as the “Queen of Quick” has become a healthy culinary expert on practical easy, healthy recipes through her best-selling trim&TERRIFIC® cookbook series, including the more health focused cookbooks, Diabetic Cooking with the ADA, Eating Well Through Cancer and Eating Well to Fight Arthritis. Clegg has appeared on Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, The 700 Club, QVC, USA Today, Web MD, and The Huffington Post. She has partnered with Wal-Mart and is currently working with Albertsons, Inc., Baylor Hospital in Dallas and has a partnership with Our Lady of Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. Her phone app, Mobile Rush Hour Recipes has over 50,000 subscribers. Visit www.hollyclegg.com or http://thehealthycookingblog.com
Help Fight Inflammation That Leads to Arthritis Pain With Food
The most basic definition of arthritis is inflammation in the joints. Inflammation is the body’s immune response to protect and heal us from infection and foreign substances, including bacteria and viruses. Chronic, or prolonged inflammation, results in long-term tissue destruction and may be the underlying basis to hosts of chronic diseases such as arthritis.
Research shows that there are certain foods you can eat to lower inflammation. Epidemiology studies show that populations such as the Greeks with a Mediterranean diet high in fruits and vegetables, nuts, healthy oils and fatty fish have less chronic disease including arthritis. Several nutrients may be specifically important in helping to reduce inflammation. The antioxidant, Vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in growth and tissue repair. Essential for collagen formation, Vitamin C plays a role in helping to keep bone, cartilage and connective tissue strong, helping to relieve arthritis inflammation and pain.
The USDA recommends 75 milligrams per day of Vitamin C for women and 90 milligrams for men. Foods rich in Vitamin C include bell peppers, oranges, kale, strawberries, spinach, pineapple, and fortified cereal.
Strawberry and Kiwi Mixed Green Salad
From Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Eating Well to Fight Arthritis cookbook, this stylish salad, light and refreshing, tossed with the sensational Poppy-Sesame Dressing, makes quite a statement.
Makes 6 – 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 8 cups mixed greens (Bibb, red leaf, spinach)
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced
- 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1/3 cup cane or raspberry vinegar
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS
- In large bowl, mix together greens, strawberries and kiwi.
- In small bowl, combine sugar, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion, cane vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- When ready to toss salad, gradually add dressing, and serve immediately.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 121, Calories from Fat 34%, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 17mg, Carbohydrate 19g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugar 15g, Protein 2g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 fat
Nutritional Nugget: Strawberries are one of the top ranking antioxidant-containing foods and research shows they may also help improve and stabilize blood sugar.
Written by: Holly Clegg, Culinary Expert
###
About the Author
With over 1 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegg has become a culinary expert on easy, healthy and practical recipes through her best-selling trim&TERRIFIC® cookbook series, including the more targeted health focused cookbooks, Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association, Eating Well Through Cancer and Eating Well to Fight Arthritis. Clegg has appeared on Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, QVC, The 700 Club, USA Today, Web MD and The Huffington Post. She also has a phone application, Mobile Rush-Hour Recipes. For more information, visit www.hollyclegg.com or http://thehealthycookingblog.com for more recipes and tips.
Bone Strengthening Recipe
Turkey & Balsamic Onion Quesadillas
Keeping you bones healthy and strong requires calcium. We found this bone healthy recipe on www.eatingwell.com filled with loads of calcium. Not your traditional quesadilla, these feature deli turkey and Cheddar cheese, along with onions quickly marinated in balsamic vinegar. Serve with sauteed vegetables or a tossed salad for a quick meal.
INGREDIENTS
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
8 slices deli turkey, preferably smoked (8 ounces)
PREPARATION
Combine onion and vinegar in a bowl; let marinate for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the vinegar for another use, such as salad dressing.
Warm 2 tortillas in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 45 seconds, then flip. Pull the tortillas up on the edges of the pan so they are no longer overlapping. Working on one half of each tortilla, sprinkle one-fourth of the cheese, cover with 2 slices of turkey and top with one-fourth of the onion. Fold the tortillas in half, flatten gently with a spatula and cook until the cheese starts to melt, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Make 2 more quesadillas with the remaining ingredients.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 328 calories; 12 g fat ( 6 g sat , 0 g mono ); 56 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 2 g fiber; 871 mg sodium; 33 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Calcium (30% daily value).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2
Photo credit: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/turkey_balsamic_onion_quesadillas.html