FitSugar

Thanksgiving Side Dish: Apple Squash

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:47:08 -0800

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because I love all the warm, savory dishes. This one has been in my family for years and it's sweet, creamy, and has a crunchy topping that reminds me of homemade mac and cheese. It's easy to prepare ahead of time, and is a great alternative to mashed potatoes or stuffing.

To see the recipe and find out how many calories are in one serving read more.

Recipe for Apple Squash
a family recipe

Ingredients

Bottom layer:
4 Cortland apples, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons Smart Balance margarine

Middle layer:
8 cups butternut squash (about two whole), peeled, de-seeded, and diced
2 tablespoons Smart Balance margarine
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Top layer:
2 cups fruit juice sweetened corn flakes, crushed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Smart Balance margarine, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Heat two tablespoons of Smart Balance in a skillet and add the sliced apples. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Spread in bottom of a casserole dish.
Boil the butternut squash for 15 minutes.
Mash the squash with two tablespoons Smart Balance, two teaspoons brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Spread it on top of the apples.
Mix the two tablespoons of melted Smart Balance with the crushed corn flakes, two teaspoons brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Sprinkle on top of the squash.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy.

Makes 10 servings.

Print recipe with images | without images

Here's the nutritional info for this Thanksgiving apple squash.

Serving Size	1/10 of the dish
Calories	159.6
Total Fat	5.9 g
Saturated Fat	.6 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	182.1 mg
Carbs	28.2 g
Fiber	3.9 g
Sugars	10.7 g
Protein	2.2 g

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Snack Attack: Apple, Peanut Butter, and Pumpkin Seed Stacks

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:15 -0700

Take advantage of Fall's harvest and pick up some fresh apples for this healthy and delicious snack. The apples will not only satisfy your sweet tooth and your need to crunch, but they're also a great source of fiber. I used Pink Lady apples for this recipe, but you can use any variety you like. Munch on these stackers for breakfast or a light lunch, or cut the recipe in half if you just want to make a little snack.

To learn how to whip up this quick treat and see the nutritional info for it keep on reading

5 Things: Apples

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:50:00 -0700

The old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" seems to be true. This common fruit is a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. Here are five facts to ensure this fruit becomes the apple of your eye.

Apples are in season now and they are a relatively inexpensive fruit. Plus they don't lose much of the nutritional punch if they are stored for long periods of time, making them a perfect autumnal fruit. They travel well, too - throw one into your bag in the morning for a snack later in the day.
A medium apple contains three grams of fiber, which is 10 percent of your daily recommended intake. Eating 30 grams of fiber per day has been shown to decrease your risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. This means they'll help decrease your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) as well as help keep you regular.

For two more things about this Fall fruit and a couple of tasty recipes featuring apples, keep on reading.

Healthy Recipe: Waldorf Salad

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:47:41 -0700

Early Fall is a wonderful and tasty time. Summer produce is still abundant and Fall's early harvest is available too. One of my favorite veggies, celery spans the two seasons beautifully. Last night for dinner I made a simple Waldorf salad that pairs crisp celery with crisp apples, merging Fall and Summer into one healthy, refreshing salad.

I replaced the traditional mayonnaise with nonfat yogurt, making the dish even healthier. It was a hit with the entire family - even my young daughters liked it. To see the recipe, keep on reading.

Healthy Eating Tip: Have an Apple After Your Evening Workout

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:00:02 -0700

You may have heard that eating apples can help you cut back on calories. According to one study, participants who chomped on this crispy fruit 15 minutes before a meal consumed almost 200 fewer calories than those who didn't.

Since I often go straight home for dinner after my post-work gym session, I've started eating an apple as my post-workout snack. It's a healthy food - one medium apple delivers 10 percent of your daily fiber intake - that satisfies my immediate after-exercise craving and ensures I'm not starving by the time I sit down for supper. Just be sure to keep the skin on for even more nutrients. What's your post-workout, pre-dinner snack?

An Apple a Day?

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0700

We practically cut our milk teeth on the old adage, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." But have you ever wondered if there is any validity to it? Well no fruit can cure all your ills, but the apple seems to be a great piece of produce for preventive medicine.

Apples are a great source of fiber. A medium apple contains 3 grams of fiber, which is 10 percent of your daily recommended intake. Since apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, this fruit will help decrease your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), as well as help keep you regular. Remember, that eating 30 grams of fiber can help prevent breast and ovarian cancer. The pectin found in apples also helps remove toxins, like the heavy metals lead and mercury, from your body.

An apple a day, also seems to keep the pounds at bay, at least if you eat one before lunch. A recent study found that folks who ate an apple 15 minutes prior to their midday generally ate, on average, 187 less calories less at lunch than study participants who did not eat an apple. Think of an apple as a healthful appetizer. Apples also give your teeth and gums a healthy workout; sometimes I like to enjoy one after lunch to cleanse my palate.

Apples are in season now and they are a relatively inexpensive fruit. Plus they don't lose much of the nutritional punch if they are stored for long periods of time, making them a perfect Winter fruit.

Have you eaten your apple today?

Source

Apple and Grape Juice Prevents Clogged Arteries

FitSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

In general, I say it is better to eat fruit than to drink juice. Recent research, though, has found that some juices are better than actual fruit for preventing clogged arteries, which lead to heart disease. Well, at least this is true for hamsters.

Eating and drinking the juice of both grapes and apples can help prevent arteries from clogging. A team from The University of Montpellier tested these fruits and juices on hamsters while feeding them a high fat diet. They discovered that compared to those only given water, the hamsters that consumed fruit or fruit juice had lower levels of cholesterol and less fat accumulating in their arteries. To see which juice was most beneficial and in what quantity read more.

Purple grape juice was the most beneficial (it contains the highest amount of phenols, an antioxidant), followed by purple grapes, apple juice, and then apples. The only bad news is you'd have to eat three apples, three bunches of grapes, or four glasses of fruit juice a day to reap the benefits. Also, there was no info about whether or not these fruits and juices had any effect on existing clogged arteries.

Source

You Asked: Apples Make Me Hungry

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800

You're asking and I'm answering
Hey Fit,
I like apples as much as the next person, but every time I eat one I get really, really hungry. I know they are good for me and that "an apple a day will keep the doctor away." But why, oh why, do they make me so hungry.
– Eve

Great question. I too love apples, and I too find myself hungry after eating one. The reason apples don't keep you full, and sometimes make you hungrier, is that they are 95 percent carbohydrates and carbs do not keep you full. Do not give up on apples as a snack though. Just pair the apple with a piece of cheese or slice the apple and spread some peanut butter on the pieces. Cheese and peanut butter add protein and fat to the apple making it a well-balanced snack that should keep you full, because it is protein that keeps you full.

I am curious if this happens to you? Tell me in the comments section below.

Source

5 Things: Go Organic With These Foods

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

With so much talk about organic foods, we all know that they are healthier for us and better for the planet, but our budget doesn't always agree. Organic foods can be absurdly expensive, so which foods are most important to get organic?

Pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, whose new book Raising Baby Green, discusses ways to raise children in an environmentally-friendly way. Here are the five foods he recommends that can have the biggest impact on your diet:

Milk: Conventional milk usually comes from cows that are treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics. They are most likely fed grain that includes pesticides, and all that goes into the milk you drink. Choosing organic milk decreases the amount of chemicals you consume.
Potatoes: This popular staple in our diet accounts for 30% of overall vegetable consumption. Commercially grown taters are some of the most pesticide-contaminated veggies. A 2006 USDA test found that 81% of potatoes still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled. Yuck.

Want to see the rest? Then read more

Peanut butter: According to the USDA, more than 99% of peanut farms use conventional farming practices, which includes using fungicides to prevent mold growth. Do you want that on your next PB and J?
Ketchup: Recent research found that organic ketchup has double the antioxidants of conventional ketchup. Plus I think it tastes fresher too.
Apples: This fruit, eaten raw and made into juice, is so popular, but it's also one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits. Look for organic apples (especially during this time of year).

Obviously, this list isn't meant to be the Bible of organic foods, but it's a good approach. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by having to buy everything organic, try to make it about incorporating some organic foods into your diet. Begin with the foods you eat most, but don't break the bank buying organic.

Source

5 Things: Apples

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:30:00 -0700

The old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" seems to be true. This common fruit is a power house when it comes to nutrition. Here are five facts to ensure this fruit becomes the apple of your eye.

Recent research suggests that apples and their juice my help protect children from asthma.
A medium apple contains 3 grams of fiber, that is 10% of your daily recommended intake.
Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. This means apples will help decrease your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), as well as help keep you regular.
The pectin found in apples helps to remove toxins like lead and mercury from your body.
Apple skins have a high flavanoid content which provide not only antioxidant protection (they help remove cancer causing oxygen free radicals), but help prevent heart disease as well. Remember to drink cloudy apple juice if you are sipping for antioxidants.

Bonus: Apples are in season now and they are a relatively inexpensive fruit. Plus they don't lose much of the nutritional punch if they are stored for long periods of time, making them a perfect winter fruit.

I prefer Granny Smiths and Pink Ladies, how about you? Let me know your favorite variety of apple in the comments section below.

Source