FitSugar

Learn to Love: Artichokes

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700

If you're looking for something new to add to your dinners, I know they may look weird, but you've got to give artichokes a try.
They're in season until May, so you should have no problems finding them at the grocery store. They're low in calories (only 60 in an entire medium-sized artichoke), but they've got a pretty decent amount of fiber - 6.5 grams! Artichokes are also a great source of folate, as well as potassium and calcium. I was surprised to find that one artichoke also will give you 4.2 grams of protein. Many studies have also shown that artichokes can help keep your liver healthy. I had no idea such a weird veggie could be so chock full of goodness.

You've probably eaten artichoke hearts before (you know, the ones that come in a little jar or on your pizza), but the leaves of this veggie can also be eaten and they're just as delicious. So are you ready to give them a try? They're really easy to cook. To find out how read more.

When shopping for the amazing artichoke, look for one that has tight leaves, and is dark green or purplish in color. Give it a gentle squeeze. It should feel firm, not limp, and when you hold it, it should feel heavy in your hand (showing that it's full of moisture).

When cooking an artichoke, I prefer to steam rather than boil to retain more of the vitamins. Here's how:

Fill a pot with a little water, place a steamer inside, and put the lid on. Put the covered pot on the stove on medium.
Wash the artichoke thoroughly and then remove any wilted leaves.
Take a sharp knife and cut off the top quarter (the pointy part). Then cut off the stem so it's flush with the bottom of the artichoke.
Put the artichoke stem-end up in the center of the steamer.
Keep the pot covered and steam the artichoke for about 30 to 40 minutes. Add water if you need to. You'll know it's ready when the outer leaves can easily pull off and you're able to poke a knife into the base easily.
Eat it immediately, so it's nice and warm. All you do is peel off one of the leaves, dip the end that was attached into some melted butter or lemon juice, and then scrape the soft flesh off with your teeth (the bottom third of each leaf).
Keep going until you get to the artichoke heart. If you find some fuzzy hairlike strands, scoop those out (don't eat them), and you'll find the tender, edible heart underneath.

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Artichokes: Artfully Yours and In Season Now

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I must ask the question - what is not to love about artichokes? They look totally prehistoric. When left alone they bloom into a beautiful pale purple thistle. Their hearts are truly divine. Ahhh....but there are even more reasons to love this veggie and these I will share too.

The timeliest reason is artichoke season is peaking - right NOW!!! Although they are available throughout the year, March though May is when they are at their best. Artichokes are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. One globe artichoke provides not only 6.5 grams of fiber (that's 26% of your daily recommended intake - DRI), but it also supplies 61 mcg of folate (about 15% of your DRI). It also contains 4 grams of protein that seems like a lot for a little plant trying to disguise itself as an armadillo. Artichokes also promote liver health, which is important since the liver helps to detoxify your blood supply.

At the grocery store look for ones that are dark green with tight leaves. If you are looking for a recipe with artichokes, Yum posted a tasty pizza with artichoke hearts just the other day. Or you could just boil or steam one and dress it with a little olive and lemon juice. If you have never cooked one before check out Gourmet Sleuth.

Eat up and enjoy.

Healthy Recipe: I Heart Artichokes Salad With Tuna

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0700

March means it's time to start mixing Spring salads, and since artichokes are one of my must haves this month, allow me to tempt you with this big green bowl of Mediterranean flavors. This salad uses canned artichoke hearts, so you can make it even when the veggie isn't in season. The hearts still offer health benefits, including lots of fiber and B vitamins.

Toss half a bag of baby spinach (or a spinach/baby lettuce blend) with some antioxidant-laden mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and carrots, then add some water-packed tuna for protein. If you don't eat fish, the salad is still delicious without it. Spice it all up with a vinaigrette that uses fresh thyme and a tiny bit of hot sauce. The result is a salad that tastes decadent but delivers a diversely nutritious punch. To get the recipe, read more.

Artichoke, Tuna, and Mushroom Salad With Thyme Vinaigrette
Original Recipe

Ingredients

For dressing
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 clove of roasted garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 dashes hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 pinch sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

For salad
3 ounces baby spinach or baby spinach/lettuce mix
7 ounces artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
3 ounces brown or white mushrooms, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
5 medium sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil and cut into strips
3 ounces chunk white or albacore tuna in water, drained
1/2 cup nicoise olives
1/2 carrot

Directions
Makes 2 entree-size salads.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine first 8 ingredients and mix well with a whisk. Gradually add olive oil, whisking until emulsified.
In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, mushroom slices, sun-dried tomatoes, tuna, and olives. Using a cheese grater, shred the carrot on top.
Add dressing and toss to combine.

Print recipe with images | without images

Lean Pocket Recall

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I am not really a big fan of processed food, but I have been known to experiment with Whole Grain Lean Pockets. So the news that something went awry in the Lean Pockets processing plant and some pockets ended up with plastic bits in them, interested me. I like to keep track of these things.

After receiving two complaints from the USDA, Nestle has begun recalling nearly 200,000 pounds of frozen stuffed chicken sandwiches from stores nationwide. Only Spinach Artichoke Chicken Lean Pockets, sold with two sandwiches per box, are being recalled. Look for the "Best Before" date of "Nov 2009" followed by a package code beginning "8144 544616." Also printed on the side of the package is the establishment number "P7721A."

These Lean Pockets hit stores around May 23, so check your freezer too.

Love Your Liver

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 10:45:00 -0800

There must be 50 ways to love your liver, but to truly love something you have to know what it is all about. Right?

Well, what impresses me most about the liver is not that it is the largest internal organ of the body, but that it performs over 5,000 functions. A small list includes balancing your cholesterol, storing vitamins, activating hormones, and metabolizing fat into glucose to give your body energy. It also acts as a filter to remove toxins (harmful substances) and waste products from the blood. Check this out - a healthy liver filters blood at a rate of about 1.5 quarts per minute. That's 540 gallons of blood a day and more than 13 million gallons over a lifetime! Wow.

The liver continues to function even with considerable damage, but that doesn't mean it is doing all of its jobs well. Signs of poor function include: tiredness, dark circles under the eyes, poor digestion and dull skin.

If your holiday season started out with a partying bang and lots of alcohol and fatty foods, you might want to do something nice for your largest organ. Want to know what foods help your liver out, then read more

Bitter food like broccoli, dandelion greens, cabbage and brussels sprouts have a cleansing effect on the liver.
In multiple studies, artichokes have been proven to promote liver health.
The spices turmeric, cinnamon and licorice are beneficial to the liver.

Of course it helps to avoid: saturated fats, refined sugar and alcohol (limit yourself to two drinks a day). Drinking plenty of water is always a good idea.

Super Bowl Snack Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:30:00 -0800

Many people will be hitting their couches to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday, and who can watch the game without some serious snacks? It seems the Super Bowl is synonymous with chili, hot wings, popcorn, and beer. To ensure that you enjoy the game without popping a button on your jeans, here's a nutritional breakdown of some popular Super Bowl eats.

To see the rest of the snack breakdown, read more.

Food Review: The Works! Tortilla Chips

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:00:05 -0700

When I go with the fam to get fresh-baked bagels, I usually choose an everything bagel because I love the savory taste and interesting texture of the poppy and sesame seeds, and the onion and garlic. The company FoodShouldTasteGood has a new tortilla chip called The Works! Topped with poppy and caraway seeds, minced garlic, and onion, I knew this was something I needed to try.

To find out how these puppies taste and see how many calories are in one serving, keep reading

Banish Belly Bloat

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

We all know that the best way to a flat belly is by burning calories and fat through cardio. Bloating, on the other hand, is its own beast, and nothing kills a day at the beach than feeling super bloated.

Luckily there are easy ways to reduce bloating so that you can show off that tummy you've been working so hard to get. Check out these easy ways reduce bloating for bikini season:

Stay away from salt. Too much sodium is not only bad for your heart but will cause you to retain water and feel bloated.
Drink water. Being dehydrated is a sure way to cause you to retain water, so be sure you drink enough water to keep your body hydrated.
Limit gassy foods. Some foods (such as lentils, artichokes, wheat bran, carbonated drinks, and more) create more gases in your body than others, so you may want to limit them if you're about to suit up.

There are two more so read more.

Eat fiber. Fiber helps everything move through the intestines more quickly, which prevents constipation and bloating. If you're not accustomed to eating enough fiber, then slowly add more and more fiber to your diet; go too fast, and you'll feel even more bloated than before. Also make sure to drink plenty of water with all the fiber.
Eat more slowly. One small cause of bloating could be that you're swallowing too much air when you're scarfing down your meals; this is why some of us get the hiccups when eating too quickly. So slow down when you eat and remember what mom said: close your mouth when you chew.

Do you have any sure ways to prevent bloating? I'd love to hear your tips so share them below.

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Learn to Love: Fiddleheads

FitSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:00:00 -0700

It's that time of year for fiddleheads, the veggie that's named because they resemble the coiled head of a violin. They're actually the tops of baby ostrich ferns, and many people go foraging for them in the woods during this time of year. Since there are many types of toxic ferns, you want to be sure you're only choosing ostrich ferns. If you don't go picking for yourself, fresh fiddleheads can be found at farmers markets and grocery stores. Just to warn you, this pricey produce can run you $12 to $20 a pound or more.

Fiddleheads must be cooked well since they contain natural substances that can cause gastric distress if eaten raw or not cooked properly. Once prepared, this green veggie tastes like Spring to me. They have a unique earthy, woodsy flavor that's a cross between asparagus, artichoke, mushroom, cooked broccoli, and cooked spinach. Look for bright green fiddleheads with tightly coiled tops. You want only one to two inches of stem attached to the coil. Anything longer should be cut off.

If you're wondering how nutritious these circular plants are and how to prepare them then read more.

Fiddleheads must be cleaned before you eat them. Use your fingers to remove any of the brownish fuzzy or papery covering that may be remaining. Then rinse them in several changes of cold water to clean off any dirt or grit. Use them as soon as possible after harvest or purchase to ensure the best taste and texture.

When you're ready to cook them, place the fiddleheads in a pot of water and boil for about 10 minutes. Drain the water. Then transfer the fiddleheads to a pan and sauté in olive oil and freshly chopped garlic for another five minutes, or until the fiddleheads are soft. Don't overcook them, as they'll get mushy. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. You may also add fresh lemon juice or vinegar. Enjoy them on their own or add them to stir-fries, pasta, or other dishes. As you can see form the chart, they're low in calories, but a great source of potassium and vitamins A and C.

Healthy Eating Tip: Try a New Type of Vegetable Each Week

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Spending more time in your kitchen is good for your waistline and your wallet, and the abundance of delicious Spring vegetables gives us another reason to choose eating at home. Challenge your inner chef and get excited about eating healthy by experimenting with something new from the produce aisle each week.

Take advantage of in-season bounty by creating a watercress salad, steaming artichokes for snacking, roasting asparagus for a side dish, adding fennel to pasta, or swapping your romaine for mustard greens. Don't be intimidated by any unfamiliar offerings you may come across; there are plenty of resources online for learning how to cook every vegetable under the sun. Following through with this little challenge will help you eat more vegetables, and you may find yourself wanting to continue the weekly routine when next season rolls around.

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