April 12, 2013 - Southbridge Evening News
April 12, 2013 - Southbridge Evening News
April 12, 2013 - Southbridge Evening News
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Friday, <strong>April</strong> <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2013</strong> • THE EXPRESS • 3<br />
FOOD<br />
Program Promotes Heart-Healthy Home Cooking<br />
(NAPS)<br />
Cooking at home can be simple, affordable<br />
and heart-healthy. The bad news is that it’s<br />
becoming increasingly rare.<br />
That’s the word from experts who say takeaway-from-home<br />
meals account for at least<br />
half of all U.S. food expenditures. These meals<br />
typically contain more saturated fat, trans fat,<br />
cholesterol, sodium, added sugars and calories<br />
and fewer fruits, vegetables and whole<br />
grains than home-cooked meals.<br />
The American Heart Association is serving<br />
up help for families who are looking for<br />
healthy, affordable solutions thanks to its<br />
Simple Cooking with Heart program. The popular<br />
website has added 30 recipes, a good mix<br />
of popular dishes from around the world, to<br />
help teach people that cooking at home can be<br />
simple, affordable and heart-healthy.<br />
The program, funded by a $1 million grant<br />
from the Walmart Foundation for the second<br />
year, features several recipes that can feed<br />
four people for under $15.<br />
In addition, there are live cooking demonstrations,<br />
online how-to videos, tips and free<br />
downloadable host kits that encourage people<br />
to host cooking demonstrations or parties<br />
with family, friends and neighbors.<br />
A Nutritional Impact<br />
“With busy, on-the-go life?styles, many<br />
Americans have lost touch with their kitchens<br />
and thrown in the towel on eating healthy,<br />
which is key to prevention of heart disease<br />
and stroke,” said Rachel Johnson, Ph.D., R.D.,<br />
an American Heart Association spokesperson.<br />
“The program and its recipes make it<br />
easy to bring nutrition back in the home, and<br />
it’s easy on the pocketbook, too.”<br />
“We believe in supporting initiatives that<br />
help people improve their nutritional knowledge<br />
and skills, so they are able to identify,<br />
shop for and prepare healthy, home-cooked<br />
meals,” said Karrie Denniston, director of<br />
hunger relief and nutrition at the Walmart<br />
Foundation.<br />
Spanish-language materials that include<br />
recipes and instructional videos can be<br />
accessed at www.heart.org/cocinasimple. To<br />
download the Simple Cooking with Heart<br />
orga–nization or host kits, find a live cooking<br />
demonstration in your area or for more information<br />
on the Simple Cooking with Heart program,<br />
visit www.heart.org/simplecooking.<br />
SPICY ASIAN<br />
SALAD CUPS<br />
ABOUT $1.50<br />
PER SERVING<br />
1⁄2 cup light mayonnaise<br />
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Dijon mustard<br />
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce<br />
2 (<strong>12</strong>.5-oz) cans salt-free white meat chicken<br />
packed in water, drained<br />
1 (8-oz) can water chestnuts, drained and<br />
chopped<br />
4 green onions, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted chopped nuts<br />
(cashews, almonds or walnuts)<br />
1/4 teaspoon black pepper<br />
Juice of 1 lime or 2 teaspoons from jar<br />
<strong>12</strong> lettuce leaves (iceberg, green leaf, bib,<br />
etc.)<br />
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise,<br />
mustard and chili sauce.<br />
2. Stir in chicken, chestnuts, onions, nuts,<br />
pepper and lime juice.<br />
3. Spoon equally into lettuce leaves (“cups”)<br />
and serve.<br />
Per serving: Calories 215, Total Fat 8.0 g,<br />
Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g,<br />
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.5 g, Monounsaturated<br />
Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 59 mg, Sodium 297 mg,<br />
Carbohydrates 8 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 0 g,<br />
Protein 26 g, Potassium 301 mg, Calcium 8 mg.<br />
Green Beans Among<br />
World’s Healthiest Foods<br />
Baked “fries” make it even more appealing to eat<br />
nutrient-rich green beans.<br />
(NAPS)<br />
Scientists studying vegetables are finding<br />
out more about the long popular green bean.<br />
Not only do the pods contain fiber and vitamins<br />
C, K, A and B, but the latest research<br />
shows they have more antioxidants than other<br />
foods in the pea and bean families.<br />
Registered Dietitian Tammi Hancock recommends<br />
eating fresh or frozen green beans<br />
to maximize nutritional value. “At 31 calories<br />
and plenty of nutrients per cup, they’re a<br />
great choice,” Hancock says.<br />
For a tasty and nutrient-rich side dish, prepare<br />
green beans using Smart Balance®<br />
Butter Flavor Non-Stick Cooking Spray, a<br />
heart-healthier alternative to butter.<br />
BAKED GREEN BEAN FRIES WITH<br />
CHIPOTLE DIPPING SAUCE<br />
Baked Fries:<br />
Smart Balance® Butter Flavor Non-Stick<br />
Cooking Spray<br />
8 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed<br />
1⁄4 cup flour<br />
1 egg<br />
1⁄4 cup Smart Balance® Fat Free Milk and<br />
Omega-3s<br />
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1⁄2 teaspoon salt<br />
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper<br />
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
1 1⁄2 cups panko breadcrumbs<br />
Chipotle Dipping Sauce:<br />
1⁄4 cup Smart Balance® Omega Light<br />
Mayonnaise Dressing<br />
2 T minced seeded chipotle peppers with<br />
adobo sauce<br />
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 baking<br />
sheets with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.<br />
Blanch green beans in boiling water for 2<br />
minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into<br />
an ice water bath. Drain when completely<br />
cooled and dry using paper towels.<br />
Pour flour into a large plastic bag. In a shallow<br />
dish, beat egg with milk. Mix in garlic<br />
powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.<br />
Place panko breadcrumbs in a separate shallow<br />
dish.<br />
Drop beans in bag of flour and shake to coat.<br />
Remove beans and shake off excess flour; set<br />
aside. Pour flour remaining in bag into egg<br />
mixture and whisk until smooth. Working<br />
with about 5 beans at a time, dip beans in egg<br />
mixture, turning to coat. Remove from mixture<br />
and place onto panko crumbs, gently coating.<br />
Transfer coated beans to prepared baking<br />
sheets, arranging beans about an inch apart.<br />
Spray top of beans lightly with cooking<br />
spray, holding can an arm’s length away from<br />
the beans.<br />
Bake in center of oven for 8–<strong>12</strong> minutes or<br />
until panko crumbs are golden brown. Serve<br />
with Chipotle Dipping Sauce, prepared by<br />
combining mayonnaise and chipotle peppers<br />
with adobo sauce.<br />
Yield: 6 servings; about 7 beans and 1 T<br />
Chipotle Dipping Sauce per serving.<br />
Per serving: 100 calories, 3g protein, 14g carbohydrate,<br />
4g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat,<br />
19mg cholesterol, 275mg sodium, 1g fiber, 2g<br />
sugar.<br />
The Thrill Of The Grill<br />
BY DAVID VENABLE<br />
(NAPS)<br />
Here are four tips every<br />
grill owner should follow:<br />
1. Never flatten your burgers;<br />
you’ll lose the juices that<br />
keep them flavorful.<br />
2. Grilled red meats need to<br />
rest for at least five minutes<br />
after cooking. Food covers<br />
will protect the meat—as well<br />
as your entire barbecue—<br />
from bugs, pets and other<br />
uninvited guests.<br />
3. Never use a fork to flip<br />
your food. You want to preserve<br />
those juices and a fork<br />
pierces the outside. I recommend<br />
tongs for your everyday<br />
fare but for ribs, porterhouses,<br />
pizzas and big cuts of<br />
meat, try Mr. Bar-B-Q<br />
Stainless Steel Oversized<br />
Spatula from QVC. There’ll be<br />
practically nothing you can’t<br />
move.<br />
4. While you can cook<br />
your entire meal on your<br />
grill—everything from steak<br />
and mushrooms to broccoli<br />
and fries—smaller foods tend<br />
to disappear down the grates<br />
unless you have skewers or,<br />
better yet, a grill basket. I like<br />
the Technique Stainless Steel<br />
BBQ Chef ’s Pan with Grill<br />
Basket Lid that’s made of<br />
tightly woven mesh, so you<br />
can roast seeds or even pop<br />
popcorn.<br />
• QVC Program Host David<br />
Venable is the author of the<br />
cookbook “In the Kitchen<br />
with David: Comfort Foods<br />
That Take You Home.” He<br />
gives 3.5 million weekly viewers<br />
an inside look at his<br />
“kitchen” as the host of<br />
QVC’s most popular cooking<br />
show, “In the Kitchen with<br />
David.”<br />
Accessorize Your Dinner Table With A Heart-Healthy Label<br />
(NAPS)<br />
Whether you eat most of your<br />
meals at home or tend to grab<br />
something on the go, eating<br />
healthy doesn’t have to be difficult.<br />
A good place to start is looking<br />
at the nutrition information<br />
located on the food package or<br />
provided by the restaurant, especially<br />
when you look for the<br />
American Heart Association’s<br />
Heart-Check mark.<br />
You can find the Heart-Check<br />
mark on heart-healthy foods in<br />
the grocery store or in select<br />
restaurants offering certified<br />
heart-healthy meals. In addition<br />
to looking for the Heart-Check<br />
mark when you grocery shop or<br />
go out to eat, here are some other<br />
ways you can make healthy<br />
choices.<br />
HINTS TO HELP YOU<br />
GROCERY SHOP<br />
• Limit your total fat to no more than 56 to 78<br />
grams a day, including no more than 16 grams<br />
of saturated fat, less than two grams of trans<br />
fat and less than 200 mg of cholesterol in a<br />
2,000-calorie diet.<br />
• Fuel up on fruits and vegetables. Your body<br />
needs vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.<br />
Give your body what it needs—4? cups every<br />
day—to make sure your body isn’t running on<br />
empty. Try one cup of fruits and vegetables at<br />
every meal and two snacks with one cup each<br />
and you’ll be on your way.<br />
• Check total calories per serving. Generally,<br />
for a 2,000-calorie diet, 40 calories per serving<br />
is considered low; 100 calories per serving is<br />
considered moderate; and 400 calories or more<br />
per serving is considered high.<br />
• Look at the serving size and avoid consuming<br />
more than one.<br />
DINING OUT<br />
• Avoid such extras as cocktails, bread and<br />
Take-away-from-home meals typically contain more saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, added sugars<br />
and calories than home-cooked meals.<br />
butter, or chips and salsa.<br />
• Ask for butter, cream<br />
cheese, salad dressing,<br />
sauce, gravy and other<br />
condiments on the side, so<br />
you can control the quantity<br />
you consume.<br />
• Instead of fried foods,<br />
go for baked, boiled or<br />
grilled.<br />
• Steer clear of highsodium<br />
foods such as<br />
those served pickled, in<br />
cocktail sauce, smoked, in<br />
broth or au jus, or in soy<br />
or teriyaki sauces.<br />
• Be selective at salad<br />
bars. Choose fresh greens,<br />
plain vegetables without<br />
added sauces, fresh fruits<br />
and beans; steer away<br />
from cream-based or<br />
cheese dressings; and opt<br />
for healthy vegetable oilbased<br />
dressing, such as vinegar and olive oil.<br />
Limit cheeses, marinated salads, pasta salads<br />
and fruit salads with whipped cream.<br />
• As a special treat, choose desserts and<br />
make smart choices. Fresh fruit, fruit ice,<br />
sherbet, gelatin and angel food cake are better<br />
choices.<br />
• Instead of cream, ask for fat-free or 1 percent<br />
milk for coffee or fat-free half-and-half.<br />
Low-fat soy or almond milks may also be good<br />
choices.<br />
• Ask your server how particular foods are<br />
prepared and what ingredients they contain.<br />
• Ask if smaller or lunch portions are available<br />
or whether you can share entrées with a<br />
companion. If smaller portions aren’t available,<br />
ask for a to-go box when you order and<br />
place half the entrée in the box to eat later.<br />
The Heart-Check mark is a symbol<br />
you can trust when seeking hearthealthy<br />
foods in restaurants and grocery<br />
stores.<br />
• Ask if substitutions are possible. For<br />
example, if a dish comes with French fries or<br />
onion rings, ask whether you can get a salad<br />
with vegetables with the dressing on the side.<br />
Instead of mayonnaise-laden coleslaw, ask if<br />
you can get fruit or vegetables instead.<br />
Cookbook author David Venable says be sure to have the right tools for<br />
the job when you grill.<br />
Watch Out For The Salty Six<br />
Sodium overload is a major health problem<br />
in the United States. The average American<br />
consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a<br />
day, more than twice the level needed for a<br />
healthy heart.<br />
Sodium affects not just your heart health<br />
but your appearance as well. It can make your<br />
face feel puffy, give you bags under your eyes,<br />
increase swelling in your fingers, and make<br />
your clothes look and feel tighter.<br />
Many people may be surprised at these six<br />
popular foods that can add high amounts of<br />
sodium to your diet. Looking for the Heart-<br />
Check mark on the Salty Six is an important<br />
way to find better options in these food categories.<br />
1. Breads and Rolls. Some foods that you eat<br />
several times a day, such as bread, add up to a<br />
lot of sodium even though each serving may<br />
not seem high.<br />
2. Cold Cuts and Cured Meats. One 2-oz.<br />
serving—six thin slices—of deli meat can contain<br />
as much as half your daily so–dium limit.<br />
Look for lower-so–dium varieties.<br />
3. Pizza. A slice of pizza with several toppings<br />
may contain more than half of the sodium<br />
you need daily for good health. Limit the<br />
cheese and add more veggies to your next<br />
slice.<br />
4. Poultry. Sodium levels in poultry can vary<br />
greatly depending on the processing—sometimes,<br />
sodium is added to poultry during processing.<br />
Adding more salt during cooking can<br />
increase the already high levels in your bird.<br />
5. Soup. The sodium in one cup of canned<br />
soup can be more than half the recommended<br />
intake for the whole day.<br />
6. Sandwiches. A sandwich can contain<br />
more than 100 percent of the daily recommendations.<br />
Try half a sandwich with a side salad<br />
instead.<br />
LEARN MORE<br />
Find out how foods qualify for the Heart-<br />
Check mark and see a list of certified products<br />
at www.heartcheckmark.org.