FitSugar

Is a Tomato a Fruit or a Vegetable?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I write about food all the time, about how important it is to eat your fruits and veggies. Recently I got into a culinary conundrum about what it takes to be a fruit. Is a tomato a fruit? Well, here goes a short explanation: true fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant (though cultivated forms may be seedless). Fruits can be fleshy such as blueberries, bananas, and oranges. They can also be dry like whole almonds and walnuts (in their shell).

Scientifically speaking then, anything containing seeds, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, and bean pods are all considered fruits.

The reason there is so much confusion about whether or not a food is a fruit or a vegetable has to do with the way it's prepared. Vegetables tend to be used in savory dishes, while fruits tend to be used for the sweeter ones.

Vegetables tend to be root crops (potatoes, carrots, beets, and turnips), bulbs (onions and garlic), stems (asparagus), leaves (lettuce and spinach), flowers (broccoli and cabbage).

So to sum it up, there are two different meanings of the word "fruit." A botanist would call a tomato a fruit, but a chef would call it a vegetable.

Source

Delicious Delicata Squash

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 08:45:00 -0800

If a zucchini and a zebra had a baby, you might get something that looks like a delicata squash, also called Bohemian, Peanut, or Sweet Potato Squash. It's slender in shape, about 5-10 inches long, is smooth, and has yellow or cream colored skin with green stripes.

There is nothing like eating squash in the winter time. It's warm and soft and very comforting on a cold day. The thing that sets delicata squash apart from its sister squashes is its surprisingly sweet and tender yellow flesh, similar to sweet potato. Plus it's smaller, so it cooks faster.

It's so creamy and yummy, and the best part? You can even eat the skin because it's so thin. It's a great source of potassium, iron, and vitamins A and C.

Here's a simple way to enjoy some delicata.

Wash the entire squash and then cut in in half.
Scoop out the seeds and place it in an 8-inch square pan that's greased with some olive oil. Some people like to bake it with a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of brown sugar on each half, but I think it's sweet enough.
Bake it for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fit's Tips: Uncooked Delicata squash can be stored up to 3 weeks at room temperature, so you can buy a few to have on hand when you need them.

Annatto: It's in My Food, But What is it?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:13:00 -0800

Since I am a major health nut, I always read labels before I buy food. I often see the ingredient Annatto listed on packages, so what is it?

It's a natural food coloring made from the ground up seed pods of - surprise, surprise - the annatto tree, which grows in Central and South America. It is also called the Achiote tree. After this tree flowers, it produces hairy pods that turn blackish-brown when ripe.

Annatto adds color to cheese, butter, margarine, rice, smoked fish, and microwave popcorn. It is often used as a substitute for the expensive herb saffron.

It also has antioxidants. I guess that doesn't really matter since you only ingest a small amount, but hey, it's better than nothing.

Well now I feel much better knowing Annatto really is an all natural food coloring. Much better than Red 40.

Whole Foods Companion

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:35:00 -0800

If you or someone you know is a health nut, you've got to check out Whole Foods Companion, by Dianne Onstad. It's the ultimate resource guide for everything you eat.

You can look up any fruit, vegetable, legume, grain, seed, nut, herb, spice or oil and find out tons of information.

Each ingredient is listed, including nutritional value (like on the labels you see on all foods), general information, buying tips, culinary uses, and health benefits. You can also find out the history of each ingredient, where they came from, how they were named, and the traditions they are associated with.

When I looked up almonds, I found out that they are actually a fruit. You can soak, crush and strain almonds to make almond milk. This book is full of interesting tidbits like this.

It's a perfect companion to cookbooks and is a detailed and valuable guide to natural foods. You'll learn so much about foods you've been eating your whole life. Plus, you'll discover new foods you've never even heard of.

Fit's Tips: Here's a great gift idea - Give a copy of Whole Foods Companion and your favorite cookbook to the chef in your life.

Save the Guts: Roast Your Pumpkin Seeds

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Before you throw out the guts of that jack-o'-lantern you've carved, try this basic, healthy recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with nutrients. They're high in both plant sterols, which may help lower cholesterol, and phytochemicals, which promote prostate health. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Try them alone, toss over a salad, or get creative.

To see the recipe and get ideas on how to spice 'em up, read more.

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Have a recipe to share? Join my Healthy Recipe group. And if you're more of a snacker, then join my Snack Attack group.

What is the Deal With: Hemp Seeds

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I write almost weekly about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Well, after a bit more research I found another non-fish source for my beloved healthy fat: hemp seeds.

I have been seeing hemp products around for the last decade and thought they were simply part of the "legalize marijuana campaign," but I was mistaken. Hemp, used for the manufacturing of rope in Elizabethan England, is part of the cannibas family of plants, but contains only a trace amount of the THC (the "active ingredient" if you will of "pot" that makes you high). So while it is related to "pot" it has a different make up and is considered by some to be a super food.

What hemp does contain is a balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are both important for healthy circulation, cell growth and the immune system. While western diets are generally high in omega-6s they lack sources of omega-3s, so hemp seeds provide another source of this essential fatty acid. Hemp seeds also contain small amounts of magnesium and zinc that can boost energy levels and regulate hormone balance. Hemp seeds also have a high protein content.

You can eat just the seeds - it is said that you can snack on toasted hemp seeds at the cinema in China. However, it is most commonly found as oil that has a sweet taste reminiscent of pine nuts. Folks generally use it as they would flax seed oil - spread on toast, in salad dressing, or added to smoothies. People who eat hemp oil regularly claim it has an amazing impact on their skin by making it feel naturally moisturized from the inside out.

Hemp seed oil has really taken off in the UK, and I suspect it will become easier to find state side soon since even our most reputable alternative therapies doctor, Andrew Weil, is a fan of the oil.

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

The Skinny On: Chia Seeds

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:26:07 -0700

If the word "chia" creates mental image of a clay creature sprouting hair, you are not mistaken. I am talking about the same kinds of seeds, because aside from making the fuzz on countless Chia Pets, these seeds are also an excellent source of omega-3s! Who knew?

For women, the RDI of omega-3s is 1.1 grams (1,100 mg) a day, so if you're looking for a new source that's vegan, gluten free, and easy to consume, you'll want to pick up some chia seeds. To find out how many omega-3s are found in chia seeds then click here

Healthy Recipe: Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds

FitSugar — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:47:00 -0700

It's a tradition in my house to carve pumpkins and roast pumpkin seeds the night before Halloween. Between my entire family though, we have too many seeds to bake. So I save them in a container in the fridge to roast later that week. These make a great snack because they're sweet and salty, and 1/4 cup of seeds contains 18 grams of protein and 457 milligrams of potassium.

There's a special ingredient in my roasted pumpkins seeds. To find out what it is read more.

Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds
An old family favorite

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin seeds, remove pulp
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, toss the seeds with the oil, honey, cinnamon, cumin, and salt.
Spread the seeds evenly in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring the seeds every few minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely. Taste the seeds and re-season if desired.

Serves 10

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Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n It Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

If You Love Sesame Seeds, You'll Love BumbleBars

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:00:00 -0700

When it comes to food, I definitely judge a snack bar by its package. The bright golden colored wrapper on the BumbleBar is what attracted me to it (I also like cute names). Many energy bars can include lots of crappy ingredients, but when I flipped this bar over and read the nutritional info, I was pleasantly surprised.

After I checked out the website, I discovered that BumbleBars were designed by a woman (wahoo!) named Liz Ward. She lived in the woods and hiked 8 miles every day. She thought it was a crazy oxymoron that hikers were outside in this beautiful environment, but they were eating foods that harmed the planet (she's against non-organic and dairy based foods). So she developed organic, vegan and gluten-free Bumblebars.

I tried the Original flavor. If you want to take a peek at the picture and the nutritional info, and hear what I thought then read more

Serving Size	1 bar
Calories	230
Total Fat	16g
Saturated Fat	2g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	75mg
Carbs	17g
Fiber	5g
Sugar	9g
Protein	6g
Ingredients	Organic sesame seeds, Organic brown rice syrup, organic flaxseed, organic evaporated cane juice, organic peanuts, organic vanilla, organic cinnamon, sea salt, natural vitamin E for freshness.

This bar is all about sesame seeds and flaxseeds. Initially, when you take a bite, it has a delightful vanilla and cinnamon flavor, but that soon wears away and you're left with the earthy flavor of those two seeds. Sesame seeds are not my favorite so I wasn't a huge fan of the seedy aftertaste, but I do like the fact that this bar is made with all organic ingredients. What's more? One bar has tons of protein and fiber. I'm telling you, if you LOVE sesame seeds, this is the bar for you.