Trying to Cut Back on Meat?

That’s great, but you may need more iron. Vegetarians need nearly twice the recommended daily allowance. Making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet can help cut saturated fat from your diet, but it may also reduce your iron intake. Vegetarian sources of iron (called nonheme iron) aren’t as easily absorbed by the body.Whereas omnivorous premenopausal women need 18 mg per day of iron, vegetarians require 33 mg per day.

Good vegetarian choices for iron include lentils, beans, oatmeal, spinach, tofu and small amounts of blackstrap molasses. You can increase the amount of iron that your body uses by including vitamin C-rich foods like citrus, tomatoes, broccoli and strawberries in your meal. Calcium, coffee and tea decrease iron absorption, so save your iron-rich dishes for after your morning brew or calcium supplement.

reference: Cleveland Mayo Clinic

Summer Squash

 

Summer squashes belong to the Cucurbitaceae family of plants and are relatives of winter squashes (including pumpkins), melons (including watermelon), and even cucumbers. But summer squashes are typically much more delicate than their fellow Cucurbitaceae, and are more often eaten fresh and shortly after harvest. In the United States, you'll generally find three types of summer squash: zucchini; crookneck and straightneck squashes; and scallop squashes, which are also called pattypan squashes.

What's New and Beneficial About Summer Squash

• Although summer squash has long been recognized as an important food source of carotenoids, only recently have research studies documented just how fantastic summer squash can be when it comes to these key antioxidants. For some groups of study participants, summer squash turns out to be the primary food source of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene in the entire diet! For lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin (three other health-supportive carotenoids) summer squash also comes out among the top three food sources in several studies.


• When we think about food and antioxidants, what first comes to mind might be fresh fruit and vitamin C, or bright orange carrots and beta-carotene. Yet several recent studies have underscored the unique contribution made by summer squash to our antioxidant requirements. While not as rich in some of the more widely-publicized antioxidants like beta-carotene, summer squash is a very strong source of other key antioxidant nutrients, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. Since the skin of this food is particularly antioxidant-rich, it's worth leaving the skin intact and purchasing organic summer squash to help avoid potential unwanted contaminants.


• If you usually microwave or boil your summer squash, you'll be interested to know this: steaming is much better than either of these two methods in terms of nutrient retention. New evidence shows that summer squash can retain a large amount of its antioxidant activity after steaming. Using zucchini as their summer squash, researchers found that steaming was a better way to preserve zucchini's antioxidant activity than boiling or microwaving. Interestingly, even previously frozen zucchini held on to its antioxidant activity fairly well after steaming. These findings are great news for anyone enjoys steamed vegetables and who sometimes needs to freeze surplus vegetables for later use.


• We tend to think about squashes - both summer and winter - as starchy vegetables. This thinking is correct, since about 85-90% of the total calories in squashes (as a group) come from carbohydrate, and about half of this carbohydrate is starch-like in composition and composed of polysaccharides. But we also tend to think about polysaccharides as stagnant storage forms for starch that cannot do much for us in terms of unique health benefits. Here our thinking is way off target! Recent research has shown that the polysaccharides in summer squash include an unusual amount of pectin - a specially structured polysaccharide that often include special chains of D-galacturonic acid called homogalacturonan. It's this unique polysaccharide composition in summer squash that is being linked in repeated animal studies to protection against diabetes and better regulation of insulin. We expect to see future studies on humans confirming these same types of benefits from consumption of summer squash.

From The Garden Meal Plan - June 25th

This week's From The Garden Menu was inspired by our trip to beautiful Austin, Texas.

• Gazpacho soup and the best Guacamole from Austin


• Middle Eastern Couscous, Minty Cucumbers salad & Watermelon slices


• End of Spring Vegetable Saute w/ Austin Pasta & Strawberries


• Tex Mac n' Cheese w/ Tomato & Onion Salad


• Texas Mexican Lasagna w/ Green Salad & Nutella Cookies.

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From The Farm Meal Plan - June 18

This week's From The Farm Meal Plan consists of:

• Hoisin Glazed Salmon w/ Baby Bok Choy & Shiitakes


• Father's Day Burgers & Grandpa's Potato Salad w/ Watermelon Slices


• Easy Cucumber Soup, Sonoma Chicken Salad and Strawberries


• Grilled Portobello Burgers w/ Grilled Corn, Poblano & Black Bean Salad


• Spring Vegetable Ribbons, Chard Salad w/ Seared Steak

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From The Garden June 18th Meal Plan

This week's From The Garden Menu consists of:

• Portobello Burgers w/ Lemon Broccoli & Avocado


• Baby Bok Choy & Shiitake Mushrooms with Chile Lime Glass Noodles


• Stuffed Baby Eggplant served with Melon Slices & Cottage Cheese


• Angel Hair Pasta w/ marinara and Green Salad


• Millet w/ Roasted Sunflower Seeds & Easy Cucumber Salad

 

 

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Austin Vegetarian Scramble

1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)

1 small carrot, diced (about ½ cup)

4 green onions, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. ground turmeric

1 14-oz. pkg. medium tofu, drained and crumbled

½ tsp. hot sauce

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

salsa, for garnish

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add bell pepper and carrot, and cook 7 minutes, or until just tender. Stir in green onions, garlic, cumin and turmeric, and cook 1 minute more. Add tofu and hot sauce, and cook 5 minutes, or until heated through and all liquid has cooked off. Stir in cilantro, and serve with salsa.

A Summer Power Smoothie

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.  -William Shakespeare

A Summer Smoothie

Blended cucumbers thicken a lightly sweet smoothie for a low-cal breakfast or a refreshing afternoon snack.

2 large garden cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (2 cups) 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 cup frozen blueberries 1-2 Tbs. honey or agave nectar 1 Tbs. lemon juice. Place all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth.

BBQ Basics

CLFH  Barbecue Basics

The regional variations on barbecue that have grown up in different areas of the country were based on the meat and produce most commonly available during the early years of Q, and refined by the cultural influences of the region. The four best known styles areTexas,Carolina,MemphisandKansas City. Happily, you will find all of those and more as you follow your nose from one end of the state to the other.

And for the uninitiated, here's a simple glossary of common barbecue terms that might help you in your quest for your own favorite Q.

Baby back ribs: These are always pork; usually about 2 pounds per slab.

Barbecue (barbeque): Cooking it outdoors on a grill doesn't make it barbecue. True barbecue is meat cooked "low and slow," meaning cooked sloooowwwly over hardwood or charcoal at 200 to 375 degrees.

Bark: A crust that develops on the outside of the meat as a result of heat and seasoning.

Sauce: A spicy liquid, usually tomato-based, that is added to the meat toward the end of the cooking time. Sometimes served as a condiment rather than added to the meat.

Carolina BBQ: Traditional Carolina BBQ is pork, chopped or pulled. Western Carolina style has some tomato in the sauce, while the more common easternCarolina sauce is vinegar-based with proprietary blends of peppers, onion, garlic, brown sugar, whiskey and other spices. ASouth Carolina variation includes mustard in the sauce, the contribution of early German settlers.

Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue
Each year in October, teams arrive inLynchburg ready to smoke at "The Jack." Fifty American teams take on grand champions from around the world in eight categories. Music, distillery tours, crafts and games round out the fun.

Kansas City BBQ: Where south meets west, and pork meets beef, Kansas City style is a combination of generous seasoning with spices, rubs and sweet sauces and hours of careful cooking in a hickory pit.

Memphis BBQ: It's all about pork ribs inMemphis, usually marinated with a rub made of herbs and spices and basted during the cooking. Other pork cuts are cooked the same way. Rubs can be wet or dry, mild, spicy or sweet, with or without mopping sauces applied periodically.

Memphis' World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
The "Granddaddy of Grilling" is part of the spectacularMemphis in May celebration. Hundreds of teams, more than $90,000 in prize money, and contests for beef, pork, chicken, three kinds of sauces, side dishes and more. It's enough to make a Q addict weep for joy. And since it'sMemphis, you can count on great music and hilarious booth competitions.

Pit: True barbecue is cooked in a "pit," which can be any closed cooking unit, from a brick container to a hole in the ground.

Rub: Sometimes called dry marinade, a rub represents the chef's own special mix of spices and herbs. Sprinkled on or rubbed in, the rub helps form a crust during cooking and enhances the natural flavor of the meat.

Sauce, or basting sauce: Sauce adds flavor and keeps the outside of the meat tender and moist while the inside cooks slowly. The best sauces are blended with seasoning and flavors to suit the meat. Oils are often added to meat with little or no fat, while pork requires no oils. Some sauces are meant for basting, while others are served as a condiment.

Smoke ring: A thin ribbon of pink that runs along the edge of the meat (or throughout a thin piece such as pork ribs). A smoke ring is a happy sign of well-smoked meat.

Smoking: This is the true essence of Q, the time-consuming process of cooking the meat slowly with indirect heat, using wood smoke for flavor, not grilled in direct contact with the flame.

SunDrop Country BBQ Cookoff
A state championship event sanctioned by the state legislature and the Kansas City BBQ Society, the SunDrop, in Pulaski, "pits" both professional and amateur teams from several states. Bring on the barbecue, and help some local charities while you're at it.

Sweet tea: It's what you drink with Q.

Tennessee State BBQ Cookoff Championship
Come to Lawrenceburg in June for the AT&T state championship and get the best of chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, sauce and dessert. It's sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and sure to please even the pickiest palate.

Texas BBQ: Beef, beef brisket, beef ribs, cooked "naked" or with a tomato sauce thinned with Worcestershire or vinegar, the least sweet of the tomato-based sauces. Some rubs are just a blend of salt and pepper.

Wood, wood chips: Wood chips that have been soaked in water are used to add flavor to meat.Texas style beef BBQ is usually smoked in mesquite, hickory or post oak, while Carolina BBQ is usually smoked with hickory. Fruit woods are especially common with pork, adding a sweet flavor. Making sure the wood has dried reduces smoke and gives the pit master more control over the cooking process.

 

Thinking about becoming a vegetarian?

I have just made the lifestyle change of becoming a vegetarian. I have thought about it in the past and then I saw the movie..you know which one I am talking about and if you don't and you want to know email me and I will send it to you, but I do respect the fact that each one of us has a choice, so I am not here to promote vegetarianism, I am here to provide you and your family only the healthiest of foods that fit your beliefs and lifestyle.

Vegetarian cuisine refers to food that meets vegetarian standards by not including meat and animal tissue products. For lacto-ovo vegetarianism (the most common type of vegetarianism in the Western world), eggs and dairy products such as milk and cheese are permitted.  The strictest forms of vegetarianism are vegan-ism and fruitarianism, which exclude all animal products, including dairy products as well as honey, and even some refined sugars if filtered and whitened with bone char.

Vegetarian foods can be classified into several different types:

• Traditional foods that have always been vegetarian (cereals/grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.)


• Soy products including tofu and tempeh which are common protein sources


• Textured vegetable protein (TVP), made from defatted soy flour, often included in chili and burger recipes in place of ground meat


• Meat analogues, which mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of meat and are often used in recipes that traditionally contained meat.


• Vegans may also use analogues for eggs and dairy products

Making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet can help cut saturated fat from your diet, but it may also reduce your iron intake. Vegetarian sources of iron (called nonheme iron) aren't as easily absorbed by the body. Whereas omnivorous premenopausal women need 18 mg per day of iron, vegetarians require 33 mg per day. Good vegetarian choices for iron include lentils, beans, oatmeal, spinach, tofu and small amounts of black strap molasses. You can increase the amount of iron that your body uses by including vitamin C-rich foods like citrus, tomatoes, broccoli and strawberries in your meal. Calcium, coffee and tea decrease iron absorption, so save your iron-rich dishes for after your morning brew or calcium supplement.

June Power Foods: Strawberries

 

Researchers have recently ranked the 50 best antioxidant sources among commonly eaten foods and found strawberries to be quite exceptional. When total antioxidant capacity was measured against a uniform amount of food (100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces), strawberries ranked 27th best among U.S. foods. In addition, when only fruits were considered, strawberries came out 4th among all fruits (behind blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries). However, since many foods (for example, spices and seasonings) are seldom consumed in amounts as large as 3.5 ounces, researchers also looked at common serving sizes for all foods and their total antioxidant capacity. In this evaluation based on common serving sizes, strawberries came out 3rd among all U.S. foods including spices, seasonings, fruits, and vegetables! (In this analysis based on serving size, only blackberries and walnuts scored higher in total antioxidant capacity.)

 

Snacks for Toddlers

 

Ahh, the toddler phase, some kids at this age may seem too busy exploring the world to slow down and eat. Others may be fickle about food or refuse to eat what's served at mealtime, parents of toddlers often wonder if their kids are getting enough to eat. It's an understandable concern, and offering healthy snacks can help ensure that the answer is yes. Toddlers need about 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day, but often don't eat a lot at one sitting. That's where snacks come in. But think of snacks as an prelude to a meal. Please don't buy those prepackaged snacks! Offer a healthy snack is easier than you think. Most toddlers do well with three mini meals and two or three snacks a day.

Start Them On the Healthy Path of Eating

The influence you have on your child's eating patterns may never be stronger than it is right now. Toddlers can't run out to the store for candy and chips. They'll eat what's served to them and ask for what they know is in the cabinet. Take this opportunity to set the stage right.

Stock up on healthy treats, you boost the intake of nutrients your toddler needs to be healthy when you serve fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein, and calcium-rich foods. Choose fresh foods that are high in nutrients (vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber) and try to avoid prepackaged, processed ones, which tend to be high in sugar, salt, and fat. If your child goes to childcare, ask what kinds of snacks are served there. If you don't approve, consider suggesting a healthier snack menu. If your suggestion isn't welcomed, send in your own snacks for your child, even if it means a bit of extra planning the night before.

Think small portions, too. Adults tend to overestimate the amount of food kids need to eat, but the recommended serving size for a toddler's snack is actually quite small: ½ cup (118 ml) dry cereal and ½ cup (118 ml) milk (serve low-fat if your child is over 2 years old) make a fine mid-morning snack, just as a banana and ½ cup (118 ml) milk are great in the mid-afternoon.

Not only are small portions less overwhelming for a picky eater, but they also help prevent an avid eater from overdoing it at snack time.

Stick to a Snack Schedule

Kids do better with routine, so try to serve snacks and meals at approximately the same time every day. That way your child will always know what to expect.

Feeling the sensation of being full and then hungry again a few hours later teaches kids to respond to internal hunger cues — and knowing when to eat and, more important, when to stop is vital to maintaining a healthy weight. If allowed to graze all day without a schedule, kids may lose the ability to detect their own hunger and fullness, which can make them more likely to overeat.

Letting kids carry around a juice box all day can lead to diarrhea in some and contribute to weight gain in others. Juice — even 100% fruit juice — contains about the same amount of calories as soda. And juice drinks have excessive amounts of added sugar.

Limit your toddler's juice intake to no more than 4 oz. (120 ml) a day. When your child is thirsty, water and milk are the best choices. If your child is a juice fanatic, offer fruit rather than juice, because whole fruits contain important vitamins and fiber.

Though it may be tempting, resist the urge to feed only foods that your child likes. (This is especially hard for parents of picky eaters who just want their kids to eat something!) Perhaps pair something your child likes with a new food at snack time. Even if the new foods are rejected, continue offering them. Remember that it may take several tries before a child is receptive to eating something new.

Don't make a big deal of an uncleaned plate, even if means your child skips a snack or meal. But also don't allow kids to pick alternate foods or decide when meals and snacks should be served. You want them to learn that meals and snacks are available only at certain times and that they may choose from among the foods you present.

Things to Avoid

Most parents have bribed their child by promising some tasty treat, but this isn't a good strategy. Using sweets as a bribe creates the impression that they're more valuable or better than other, more healthy foods — plus kids quickly learn to use them as a bargaining chip.

As for sweets, there's really no reason, nutritionally, for young kids to have them. You don't have to deprive your child of birthday cake, though, or other occasional treats. But don't let these empty-calorie items become part of the regular snack menu.

Make sweets the exception rather than the rule and your child won't feel entitled to them or too surprised when you say no. If you keep less-nutritious snacks at home, keep them out of view. If they're out of sight — and reach — your toddler will be less likely to beg you for them.Never give young toddlers hard fruit or veggies such as apples or carrots. Pieces can break off and create a choking hazard. Grate or cook (to soften) the fruit or vegetable as an alternative.

Here are some healthy choices for snacks.

Fruit. Think presentation like a fruit kebob or slice of strawberries with a yogurt dip.

Peanut Butter with celery and raisins on top.

Homemade baked muffins and cookies. Look in our recipe files for heathier versions.

Whole grain cereals.

Hummus and pita bread toss in some grated carrots and cucumbers. Check out our video on homemade hummus, it only takes 10 minutes to make.

Trail Mix: Think dried fruit, nuts, cereals, popcorn, chocolate chips. Be creative, allow your toddler help you mix items together.

Whole grain waffles with peanut better,or nutella, or jelly.

The key to healthy snacking is being prepared. Create your own list of healthy snack items, be sure to include any ingredients you may need on your shopping list for the week. Write donw on a dry erase board what the snack de jour is for today!

reference: Health magazine. 2012

parenting magazine 2012

 

 

About Kimberly

Kimberly Wechsler, founder of Replay 4 Kids earned a Bachelor of Science from Texas Christian University.

After having two sons, I changed my career from a corporate trainer to a trainer in the Health and Fitness Industry.

Since then I have furthered my involvement with fitness by adding numerous certifications.

In the past 17 years I have been a dance instructor, fitness instructor, personal trainer, a physical education teacher, a published author of 5 books by 2012, (one of my books is translated in Spanish), a health coach, master aquatics trainer, muscle conditioning and flexibility coach, Pilates instructor, student of Integrative Nutrition, I have taught cooking classes, hosted a television show, national presenter at health and fitness conferences, opened up five fitness camps for kids, volunteered as a coach for The Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

I have been on the Governor’s Council and Presidents’ Council of Youth Fitness. I volunteer my services in school systems across the United States, received a Leadership Award from Cambridge Who’s Who.

I am CEO of Fitness Productions LLC, a company that designs and searches for quality products that will guide and support families to a healthier, more balanced life in natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth and creative expression.

We create innovative products that redefine how people integrate fitness into everyday life and hope to inspire you to live fit. I founded  Replay 4 Kids because every child should have the opportunity to have fun with fitness.

From The Farm Meal Plans - June 12th

This weeks menu consists of meals like:

• Grilled Shrimp. Kale and Cherries. Black Bean and Corn Salad.


• BBQ Pork Sliders. Collard Greens with Raisin. Ruby Beet Slaw.


• Spinach Salad. Chicken and Mangoes. Brown and Blue Rice.

From The Garden - Week of June 12th

Special Notes and Preparation for Week of June 11

This week’s From the Garden Menu includes meals like:
1. Watermelon & Cucumber Soup. Ciabatta Grilled Veggie Sandwich. Vegan Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.

2.  Tennessee Crab cakes.  Elvis’ Chopped Salad. Southern Grits. Sliced Fresh Peaches.

3. Stuffed Whole Grain Peppers. Kale and Cherry Salad.

And so much more! Enjoy!

-Kimberly

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Fish is Good for Your Heart

 

Omega-3 fats are good for your heart—and according to some research, omega-3 fats may help boost your mood too. These fatty acids—specifically EPA and DHA—are found in fish oil, which you can get by taking fish oil supplements…or, even yummier, by eating fish! These 5 fish are top sources of omega-3 fats ( containing 630 mg or more per 3-ounces). Do your body good with these delicious fish that are high in omega-3 fats.

1. Sardines

Sardines have 1,950 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving.

2. Salmon (wild)

Wild salmon has 1,060 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving.

3. Tuna, Albacore* (canned)

Canned albacore tuna has 900 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving.

4. Mussels

Mussels have 700 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving.

5. Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout has 630 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving.

The Best and Worst Seafood Choices

A number of environmental organizations have created lists that help identify fish that are sustainable and those that are not. Seafood Watch, the program run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, has combined data from leading health organizations and environmental groups to come up with their list “Super Green: Best of the Best” of seafood that’s good for you and good for the environment.

To make the list, last updated in January 2010, fish must: a) have low levels of contaminants—below 216 parts per billion [ppb] mercury and 11 ppb PCBs; b) be high in health-promoting omega-3 fats; and c) come from a sustainable fishery.

Many other options are on the program’s list of “Best Choices” (seafoodwatch.org). The Blue Ocean Institute (blueocean.org) also has sustainability ratings and detailed information.

Here are 6 fish—that are healthy for you and the planet—that Seafood Watch says you should be eating.

1. Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from theU.S.orBritish Columbia)

Many tuna are high in mercury but albacore tuna—the kind of white tuna that’s commonly canned—gets a Super Green rating as long as (and this is the clincher) it is “troll- or pole-caught” in the U.S. or British Columbia. The reason: smaller (usually less than 20 pounds), younger fish are typically caught this way (as opposed to the larger fish caught on longlines). These fish have much lower mercury and contaminant ratings and those caught in colder northern waters often have higher omega-3 counts. The challenge: you need to do your homework to know how your fish was caught or look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue eco label.

2. Salmon (wild-caught,Alaska)

To give you an idea of how well managed Alaska’s salmon fishery is, consider this: biologists are posted at river mouths to count how many wild fish return to spawn. If the numbers begin to dwindle, the fishery is closed before it reaches its limits, as was done recently with some Chinook fisheries. This close monitoring, along with strict quotas and careful management of water quality, means Alaska’s wild-caught salmon are both healthier (they pack 1,210 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving and carry few contaminants) and more sustainable than just about any other salmon fishery.

3. Oysters (farmed)

Farmed oysters are good for you (a 3-ounce serving contains over 300 mg of omega-3s and about a third of the recommended daily values of iron). Better yet, they are actually good for the environment. Oysters feed off the natural nutrients and algae in the water, which improves water quality. They can also act as natural reefs, attracting and providing food for other fish. One health caveat: Raw shellfish, especially those from warm waters, may contain bacteria that can cause illnesses.

4. Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught)

The tiny, inexpensive sardine is making it onto many lists of superfoods and for good reason. It packs more omega-3s (1,950 mg!) per 3-ounce serving than salmon, tuna or just about any other food; it’s also one of the very, very few foods that’s naturally high in vitamin D. Many fish in the herring family are commonly called sardines. Quick to reproduce, Pacific sardines have rebounded from both overfishing and a natural collapse in the 1940s.

5. Rainbow Trout (farmed)

Though lake trout are high in contaminants, nearly all the trout you will find in the market is farmed rainbow trout. In the U.S., rainbow trout are farmed primarily in freshwater ponds and “raceways” where they are more protected from contaminants and fed a fishmeal diet that has been fine-tuned to conserve resources.

6. Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from theU.S.)

Freshwater coho salmon is the first—and only—farmed salmon to get a Super Green rating. All other farmed salmon still falls on Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch “avoid” list for a few reasons. Many farms use crowded pens where salmon are easily infected with parasites, may be treated with antibiotics and can spread disease to wild fish (one reason Alaska has banned salmon farms). Also, it can take as much as three pounds of wild fish to raise one pound of salmon. Coho, however, are raised in closed freshwater pens and require less feed, so the environmental impacts are reduced. They’re also a healthy source of omega-3s—one 3-ounce serving delivers 1,025 milligrams.

6 Fish to Avoid

A number of environmental organizations have also advocated taking many fish off the menu. The large fish listed here are just six examples EatingWellem> chose to highlight: popular fish that are both depleted and, in many cases, carry higher levels of mercury and PCBs. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has also posted health advisories on some of these fish at edf.org.

1. Bluefin Tuna
In December 2009 the World Wildlife Fund put the bluefin tuna on its “10 for 2010” list of threatened species, alongside the giant panda, tigers and leatherback turtles. Though environmental groups are advocating for protected status, the bluefin continues to command as much as $177,000 a fish. Bluefin have high levels of mercury and their PCBs are so high that EDF recommends not eating this fish at all.

2. Chilean Sea Bass (aka Patagonian Toothfish)
Slow-growing and prized for its buttery meat, Chilean sea bass has been fished to near depletion in its native cold Antarctic waters. The methods used to catch them—trawlers and longlines—have also damaged the ocean floor and hooked albatross and other seabirds. At present, there is one well-managed fishery that is MSC-certified. EDF has issued a consumption advisory for Chilean sea bass due to high mercury levels: adults should eat no more than two meals per month and children aged 12 and younger should eat it no more than once a month.

3. Grouper
High mercury levels in these giant fish have caused EDF to issue a consumption advisory. Groupers can live to be 40 but only reproduce over a short amount of time, making them vulnerable to overfishing.

4. Monkfish
This strange fish resembles a catfish in that it has whiskers and is a bottom dweller, but its light, fresh taste made it a staple for gourmets. The fish is recovering some after being depleted, but the trawlers that drag for it also threaten the habitat where it lives.

5. Orange Roughy
Like grouper, this fish lives a long life but is slow to reproduce, making it vulnerable to overfishing. As Seafood Watch puts it: “Orange roughy lives 100 years or more—so the fillet in your freezer might be from a fish older than your grandmother!” This also means it has high levels of mercury, causing EDF to issue a health advisory.

6. Salmon (farmed)
Most farmed salmon (and all salmon labeled “Atlantic salmon” is farmed) are raised in tightly packed, open-net pens often rife with parasites and diseases that threaten the wild salmon trying to swim by to their ancestral spawning waters. Farmed salmon are fed fishmeal, given antibiotics to combat diseases and have levels of PCBs high enough to rate a health advisory from EDF. Recently, however, freshwater-farmed Coho salmon have earned a Best Choice status from Seafood Watch. There is hope consumer pressure will encourage more farms to adopt better practices.

 

Tilapia with Cucumber Relish

Tilapia is one of the mildest tasting fish, therefore it is easier to get kids to eat this fish than salmon. Tilapia can be  prepared in so many ways, earlier I gave you my fish taco recipe with tilapia and today I want to share with you Tilapia with Cucumber Relish. Its quick and easy to make and I saw tilapia on sale at the market for $5.99 a pound. Usually it runs around  $7.99-8.99.  You can buy several pieces and freeze the fish for later use. Or buy tilapia from the frozen food section. Remember if you freeze fish, and you let it thaw, it will have a slight fishy smell to it, but if you let it soak in milk or squeeze lemon over the fillet it will reduce the smell of fish.

Lesson from Home: Checking to see if the fish has been cooked enough.

Typically a good guideline is 8 minutes per inch of fish. But tilapia is less than one inch so you have to check by using a knife. Using the tip of   a knife, poke at the thickest part of the fish, you want to look at the interior part of the fish. Raw fish has a translucent appearance, (think of the color of sushi)  that turns opaque during the cooking process. You should see that it is slightly firm and opaque throughout. Remember fish like other meats will continue to cook 1-2 minutes after you take them from the heat.

I decided on sharing this recipe with you because I saw on the Dr. Oz show, he was talking about the benefits of cucumbers and vinegar and it reminded me of this recipe.

Ingredients

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained and coarsely chopped

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 green onion, minced

1 Tablespoon minced fresh dill

1 1/4 pound tilapia

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Cover relish, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Place fish on a lightly greased rack; place rack in broiler pan. Brush 1 Tablespoon liquid from relish over fish. Broil 3 minutes from heat 3.5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Transfer fish to plates and spoon relish over fish. This makes about 4 servings.

p.s. This relish is good on chicken too!

Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is great for lunch or dinner. Serve this with a green salad and fresh fruit slices.

1 Roasted Chicken (buy from the market or roast a chicken)

Reduced fat mayonnaise

3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

small onion, finely chopped, (optional)

any chopped vegetable (peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots...)

dill weed

pinch of sea salt and pepper

Remove all the meat from the chicken, yes this is a messy job but in the end it is worth it. Add only enough mayo until the chicken holds together. Start with a little bit, you can always add more. Add the chopped  celery and onion, a few shakes of dill, salt and pepper. That's it! This is such a wonderful dish because it makes a lot too and you can have it for lunch the next day. You can add cooked pasta to this dish, hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, you can serve it by itself or add a slice of multi-grain bread, tortilla, english muffin, bagel, crackers...the possibilities are endless.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

 

My mindset about breakfast changed  when my husband, Jonathan and I visited Italy last year. They serve tomatoes at breakfast! Tomatoes were served freshly sliced, or oven roasted. You can add them to a breakfast sandwich or eat them on their own.  As I thought about this, it makes sense to eat tomatoes for breakfast, while its botanically a fruit, for culinary purposes we think of a tomato as a vegetable. Either way they are delicious. Tomatoes contain lycopene which is thought to have beneficial health effects. There are so many varieties of tomatoes but today I am going to tell you about Italian plum tomatoes. When you purchase tomatoes, think first about when you plan on having them in a meal, this will depend on how ripe you should buy your tomatoes. Tomatoes should be allowed to ripen on the kitchen counter, not in a refrigerator. When you put a tomato in a refrigerator, it changes the texture and the flavor of the fruit.  The shelf life of a tomato is 3-4 days, so be sure to use it within this time frame.

Slow roasting is one of the best uses for winter tomatoes because it intensifies their sweetness.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Just a sprinkle of sugar

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Tiny pinch of  basil

Tiny pinch of dried oregano

Freshly ground pepper

Plum Tomatoes: Buy 12, so you can use these tomatoes in a sauce or for breakfast or in a panini. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise.

Cooking Spray

Preheat your oven to 200*. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Roast at 200* for 5 hours.

You can use these tomatoes on a English Muffin for breakfast maybe add a little of your favorite cheese. You can now put these extra tomatoes in your refrigerator up to 4 days. Be sure to wrap them well.

Enjoy a healthy breakfast,

Beef Gets a Grade

 

 

I have received a lot of good feedback from my grass-fed beef so I would like to continue teaching you about beef.  I will tell you about pork and  poultry at a later date.  When you go to the meat department in your grocery store, read the labels. You will find that the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service operates a voluntary beef grading service to give  beef a grade. It is a pretty good system to use when selecting a type of beef.  Just like when you were in school, there are standards for grading. This grading system depends on the maturity of the beef, firmness, texture, color of lean, amount of marbling. Marbling is the intramuscular fat that you will find in beef. Beef can be from cows, bulls, heifers or steers, not horse. In very simple terms there are basically two types of meat, tough and tender. Both are good and have their purpose but it all depends on what part of the animal that particular cut came from.  The tough meats contains more muscle, you must braise or cook it for a longer period of time. The more tender cuts of meat have marbling and are for quick cooking. When you go to your grocery store, you may find three to five grades of meat, Prime, Choice and Select are the most desirable. There are other grades but they are  used for commercial purposes, believe me we wouldn't want to eat these meats, they are for processors and canners.

US Prime: Is typically sold in butcher shops or sold to restaurants and hotels. You typically won't find this in your grocery store. It is your more expensive meat, it is juicy and tender. This type of meat will be used for dry heat cooking, like grilling, oven or quick cook method on the stove top. When using this grade of beef all you need to do is to rub it with olive oil, salt and pepper.

US Choice: Less expensive than Prime and is quality cut of meat. You will find this grade of meat in the grocery store or at your butcher. It is juicy and tender and may be cooked with dry heat or by adding just a little liquid. The difference between US Choice and US Prime is the amount of marbling.

US Select: Is the most popular grade of meat, sold in grocery stores. It is economical. It is still juicy and lean. This type of meat needs marinating or cooking, like in your slow cooker for a longer period of time.

US Standard: You may find this grade of meat in the grocery store. It may be sold under the store brands name. It has very little marbling, it lacks juiciness and flavor. So this grade of meat needs marinating and cooked for a longer period of time to become tender.

You may see packaging in the meat department that will tell you what type of cattle the beef came from, like Black Angus, which is known for its flavor and tenderness.

Tip for the day:

When you buy US Select, take it out of the packaging place the meat in a zip lock baggie and pour your favorite marinade like a terriyaki, ginger and garlic sauce into the bag. Now you can freeze this meat up to one month or save it in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you ready to prepare, just remove meat from marinade and grill or pan fry.   The marinade will have made the meat more tender and flavorful. I use this recipe when I buy London Broil. After I grill the London Broil, I slice the meat cross grain into thin strips this will make it more tender. Serve with some roasted vegetables and a salad and you"re in for a healthy and tasty meal. Good for leftovers too, try using the extra beef in a Panini sandwich.

Shrimp Creole

 

This dinner happens to be one of my sons favorite dishes, Shrimp Creole.I like to serve this dish with a green salad, a french baguette and Corona with lime.   This recipe never fails me. I have made it for family dinners and when friends come over. Not only does it taste fantastic,  it is so easy.  So pull out your slow cookers and go away for a few hours. (note to tennis friends, this is a good one to make while we are on the courts, our husbands will think we have been cooking for hours. Shhhh, its our secret.)

Shrimp Creole

• tablespoons olive oil


• 1/2 cup diced green bell peppers


• 1/2 cup diced onions


• 1/2 cup diced celery


• 1 teaspoon chili powder


• 1 (14-ounces) can tomatoes


• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce


• 1 tablespoon Tobasco sauce


• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce


• 1 teaspoon white sugar


• Salt and pepper


• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp; buy frozen shrimp. Or you can add any white fish too.


• Green onions, for garnish

Directions

Preheat crock pot on high.

In fry pan, heat olive oil. Add peppers, onions and celery. Cook until softened. Add chili powder and sauté until caramelized. Remove from heat and pour into crock pot. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, a shot of Tobasco sauce, Worcestershire, white sugar, salt and pepper.

Cook for 3 hours. Add shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes. Serve over brown rice. Top with chopped green onions. Add a couple  shakes of Tobasco sauce too, if you dare.

 

Are You Nuts?

 

Once a week I focus on  power foods and share some recipes and tips that will help you incorporate these nutrient dense foods into your weekly menu planning. Power foods are the foods that have a proven track record of fighting diseases, and promoting good health, this weeks power foods, ...nuts.

Did you know nuts are sodium free? If your nuts have salt, it wasn't mother nature who added that bit of sodium, it was some guy at the plant. So if you are on a sodium free diet, just read the labels carefully. Okay, lets talk nuts. These are some of the best nuts for your health are, almonds, hazelnuts,  brazil nuts,peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio's and walnuts. Yes, I know you are thinking, but nuts are high in fat, well yes but its the good fat that lowers the bad cholesterol in our bodies. Now I am not saying to eat tons of nuts, just a handful daily that's all. By eating a handful of nuts daily it has been reported that you can reduce blood pressure, help keep bad cholesterol down, reduce chances of Alzheimer's, help in weight control, and help reduce your chances of diabetes 2..  Almonds contain vitamin E, peanuts  contain folate, vitamin B and niacin, walnuts omega fatty acids. The fat, protein and fiber in nuts make you feel full so it is a good snack to  munch on between meals.  I think the best way to eat nuts is raw. By roasting nuts you lose some of the nuts natural oils and I do not add any salt either.  The best way to start to add nuts to your diet is to add them in your yogurt, salad, cereal. You can chop the nuts and add them to pasta's or on top of vegetables. I keep small containers of nuts on my desk and in the pantry. So add nuts to this weeks grocery list. I prefer to buy the nuts in the bins in the organic section of the market. If you buy them in a sealed bag, check for the expiry date, nuts can go bad. The best way to store nuts at home is once you open the bag, place the unused portion in a tightly sealed plastic container.

Clean out Your Refrigerator

 

This weeks lesson from home is, Cleaning Out Your Refrigerator. My mom always taught me to clean out the refrigerator weekly before you buy this weeks groceries. But first, I want you to do a once a month thorough cleaning, this entails; 1. Take everything out of the refrigerator. 2. Throw away any food that looks moldy, smells funny or is expired. Open up salsa jars too and smell them, especially if some of your friends dip a chip right into the jar, (I have seen this happen.) 3. Take all removable parts of the inside of the refrigerator out and clean them well. 4. Fill your sink with warm, sudsy dishwashing soap. 5. Clean all parts of the refrigerator including the wire shelves, vegetable drawers and glass shelving. 6. Rinse with warm water. 7. Dry with a paper towel, sometimes cloth towels will leave lint behind. 8. Clean the inside of the refrigerator, look in the corners and down at the bottom of your fridge. If it is a tough spill, take your washcloth or sponge and scrub hard. Don't use a brillo pad or any rough side to a sponge, this may permanently scratch the refrigerator.9.  Using paper towels, wipe dry the inside of the refrigerator. 10. Before replacing the jars into the refrigerator, be sure to wipe off any jar that may be sticky.

Weekly Cleaning: Now after you have done your thorough cleaning, all you have to do now is weekly cleaning, just wipe down each shelf before you go to the market to buy this weeks groceries. This will allow you to see the items you already have in your fridge. When you buy any meats wrap them in a plastic bag before putting in your refrigerator just in case some of the juices run out of the packaging. Now not only will your refrigerator look cleaner, it will smell clean too.

How long can food stay in the refrigerator?

Eggs: 3-5 weeks, check the "best before" date

Egg Substitute: opened package 3 days only; unopened package 10 days , don't freeze this product.

Hot Dogs: if you open the package its only good for 1 week. You can freeze hot dogs up to 2 months in the freezer.

Lunch meat: if opened, 3-5 days, be sure to smell the lunch meat if you"re not sure, if it has a smell, don't eat it. You can freeze lunch meat up to 2 months.

Chicken: Uncooked it can remain in the refrigerator 2-3 days. Uncooked in the freezer will last 3 months. If you cook chicken, it can stay in your refrigerator up to 3 days or you can freeze it and it will be fine up to 3-4 months.

Meats: Uncooked it can remain in the refrigerator, 3-5 days. Uncooked meat can be frozen up to 6 months in the freezer. If you cook meat, you can refrigerate up to 4 days and in the freezer up to 6 months.

Milk: Only good for one week, store on top shelf.

Cheese: Always keep wrapped. Cheese can be frozen up to 1 month. Store in the deli/cheese drawer of your refrigerator if you have one, otherwise store in a plastic container on the top shelf.

Leftover pizza: I know you like it for breakfast, but its only good for 1-2 days, don't put it back in the box, wrap it or put it in a zip-lock baggie.

I always prefer to buy seafood fresh, I don't care what anyone says about freezing fish, once it thaws it always smells stinky.

Always put food into the fridge within 2 hours of eating, this includes your take-out food too.

If you freeze any thing, allow one to two days in the refrigerator to de thaw. Never let meat sit on the counter to thaw.   !

Your refrigerator temperature should always be set between 32-40* F. check your control knob just to be sure the temperature is correct. At this temperature, the growth of bacteria in food will slow down and shouldn't allow ice crystals from forming on your food.    When you store food in the refrigerator or freezer always cover the food, food smell will spread and dry out if it is not covered properly. Don't squish all of your groceries together, allow space so cold air will circulate the food. Your top shelf will be the coldest temperature and the food on the door will be the least cool. Be sure to put vegetables, especially lettuce in the crisper drawer. Most ketchup does not have to be refrigerated, read you label on your ketchup bottle just to be sure.Potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes and banana's do not need to be refrigerated. Bread, and other pastries can be refrigerated, just remove from fridge 30 minutes before eating. Butter must be refrigerated unless you have that butter dish from France in which the butter stays immersed in clean water for up to a week. Don't wash your fruit and then place in the refrigerator this will cause the fruit to go soft too quickly. Wash all fruit, right before you eat it.

The best rule of thumb when you are not sure if a food is safe or not to eat... When in doubt throw it out!