Healthful Eating III - Guidelines & Snacks

Eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use the Environment Working Group’s Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. The Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated produce.   Download this pocket guide to keep with you when shopping www.ewg.org

2011’s Dirty Dozen:                                2011 Clean 15:

1.     Apple                                                  1. Onions

2.     Celery                                                 2. Sweet Corn

3.     Strawberries                                         3. Pineapples

4.     Peaches                                               4. Avocado

5.     Spinach                                                5. Asparagus

6.     Nectarines-imported                                        6. Sweet Peas 

7.     Grapes-imported                                             7. Mangoes

8.     Sweet bell peppers                                8. Eggplant

9.     Potatoes                                              9. Cantaloupe – domestic

10.  Blueberries -domestic                                    10. Kiwi

11.  Lettuce                                              11. Cabbage

12.  Kale/collards                                       12. Watermelon

                                                              13. Sweet Potatoes

                                                          14. Grapefruit

                                                          15. Mushrooms

Take action on the USDA Dietary Guidelines by making changes in these three areas: 

Balancing Calories

-       Enjoy your food, but eat less

-       Avoid oversized portions (deck of cards is a good size)

Foods to Increase

-       Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

-       Make at least half your grains whole grains

-       Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk

Foods to Reduce

-       Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals-and choose the foods with lower numbers

-       Drink water instead of sugary drinks

Nutritional Tips:  Link for more information www.choosemyplate.org

1. Choose MyPlate

2. Add more vegetables to your day

3. Focus on fruits

4.  Make half your grains whole

5. Got your dairy today?

6. With protein foods, variety is key

7. Build a healthy meal

8. Healthy eating for vegetarians

9. Smart shopping for veggies and fruits

10. Liven up your meal with vegetables and fruits

11. Kid-friendly veggies and fruits

12. Be a healthy role model for children

13. Cut back on your kid’s sweet treats

14. Salt and sodium

Healthy Snacks Ideas:

Here are some very simple, high flavor recipes for your “mini meals”.

With your Fingers:  

Hard-boiled EGG: Place eggs in a saucepan and cover by 1 inch of cold water.

Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and cover with a lid. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Pour off the hot water and run cold water over the eggs to cool. Peel the eggs and enjoy. Sprinkle with some salt and some paprika or fresh lemon zest and pepper, or some fresh chopped herbs to mix it up a bit.

CHEESE and crackers: Combine 1 ounce of cheddar with your favorite preserves, I like peach or fig, on a whole grain cracker. Or eat along with some dried fruits like apricots or cherries. Try cheese and pickles, sliced pear or apple.

NUTS & SEEDS: Mix together 3 cups of whole nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or cashews with a ¼ of each sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Whisk together 2 egg whites, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon each of cinnamon and cumin, and a small pinch of cayenne.  Add this to the nut and seed mix and toss to combine. Spread in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake in a 325°F oven for about 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before scraping from the pan.  Cool completely before storing.

On Bread: 

ALMOND: Spread 1 slice of whole grain bread with almond butter and top with thinly sliced apple or pear and pasteurized goat cheese.

CUCUMBER: Spread 1 slice of toasted whole grain bread with low-fat ricotta cheese. Sprinkle some fresh chopped herbs like dill or parsley, salt and pepper, and fresh squeeze lemon juice on the cheese. Top with thinly sliced cucumbers.

GREEK: Spread 1 slice of whole grain bread with Greek style yogurt. Drizzle with some honey, sprinkle with cinnamon and sliced almonds or pistachios.

With a Fork: 

CHICKEN: Serve 3 ounces of cooked chicken with some good grainy or Dijon mustard and sliced apples (gala, or granny smith).

TUNA: Serve 2 ounces chunk light tuna with ¼ cup cooked white beans drizzled with some olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and chopped parsley.

TOMATO: Chop or slice up about a cup of tomatoes and serve with 1 ounce of pasteurized low-fat feta or fresh mozzarella. Dress with some good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and chopped fresh parsley or basil.

SWEET POTATO:  Wash a sweet potato and pierce all over with a fork. Place in a covered microwave safe dish and add a little water. Microwave on high for about 6-8 minutes turning potato over half way through the cooking time. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, a squeeze of lime juice and some cumin or smoked paprika. You can also serve with a splash of soy sauce or just a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Dips: 

YOGURT: Combine ¼ cup Greek style yogurt with salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, and chopped fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, parsley, and basil or a good pinch of dried Italian herbs and some lemon zest. Serve with raw vegetables or whole grain crackers.

AVOCADO: Smash up 1 ripe avocado with some lime juice, and salt and pepper. Stir in some fresh chopped cilantro and finely diced red onion. Serve with fresh vegetables or baked tortilla chips.

CHICKPEA: 

Hummus with Harissa

Yield: Hummus: about 1 1/2 cups, Harissa: about 1/4 cup

Hummus:

1, 14 ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

Harissa:

11/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Pita points and olive oil for serving

For the hummus: In the bowl of a food processor combine garbanzo beans, lemon juice, tahini, garlic powder and salt.  Process until combined.  With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil.  If you prefer a thinner consistency add water until the desired consistency is achieved.

For the harissa: Combine the coriander, caraway and cumin seeds in a small skillet and toast over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until you begin to smell the seeds and they start to crackle. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder. Move to a blender and add the garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes and olive oil.  Blend until it becomes a smooth paste and salt to taste. Transfer to a glass jar and cover with a layer of olive oil. Store, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to a month.

For the pita: Cut pita into triangles and brush with olive oil. Toast in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes on a sheet pan with a rack.

To serve: Place hummus in a shallow bowl and drizzle with oil and small amount of harissa, serve remaining harissa on side.