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Healthy Recipe: Indian-Spiced Chard

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:00:35 -0700

As the weather turns cooler, I like adding spice to my meals. Nothing warms me up like a little curry. Last night I cooked up some red Swiss chard with some garam masala and tofu. Chard is one of my favorite leafy greens, which is why it's one of my must haves for October.

This Indian-spiced chard makes a great main dish, or leave out the tofu for a side dish. I served it with toasted whole wheat pita - my easy replacement for naan - or you could serve it over rice and cauliflower with turmeric as a side. It's a tasty meal and even better as leftovers.

Check out the recipe.

Swiss Chard Fills the Holes in Your Diet

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 03:00:00 -0700

I crave greens, no matter the season. When it is cold outside, I often choose a cooked green over salads. I just want to eat warm food. One of my favorites greens to cook is swiss chard, and it comes in colors too. The leaves are green, but the stems and veins can be white, yellow or red. The red is my favorite since the color combination is quite dramatic.

Not only is it tasty, and similar to spinach and beet greens, but chard is also loaded with nutrients. It is a great source of vitamin K and vitamin A. One cup of cooked chard contains half of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C and 3.5 grams of fiber. It also provides 30 percent of your RDI for magnesium and 25 percent of the valuable mineral potassium.

Are you convinced yet? This is a super food. Don't know what to do to the chard? Just rip the leaves from the stems. Chop up the stems and sauté the leaves and stems with olive oil and garlic. Or you could try out this recipe: Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken, Chard and Peppers. It is delish!

Are you a fan of Swiss chard? Tell me your favorite way to prepare it in the comments section below.

Learn to Love: Beets

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I have heard so many bad things about beets that I feel I must defend one of my favorite veggies. This root is sweet in taste despite its tough looking skin.

The guys over at Men's Health say we should think of beets as red spinach since they are loaded with nutrition. They are high in folate an important nutrient for expectant mothers, even before they conceive! It is also high in betaine, which works with folate to help reduce inflammatory compounds that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the pigment that gives beets their crimson color has been identified as a potent cancer fighter in laboratory mice.

Beets are tasty roasted and make a great topping for a salad. You can also peel them and grate them for a salad topping. Plus the leaves can be used just like you would chard!

So how do you feel about this controversial veggie? Do you love it or hate it - tell me in the comment section below.

Source

Whole Wheat Penne With Chicken, Chard, and Peppers

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

I love chard! It is leafy and green - what's not to love? During the Summer months, I like to avoid turning on my stove, so I found this oven-less recipe for a main dish featuring red swiss chard; it's lowfat, so I thought I should share it.

Using whole wheat penne really increases the amount of fiber and nutrition in any pasta dish. Plus, this dish is colorful, featuring green, red, and orange, so you know you are getting a variety of nutrients and antioxidants (pigment in produce is generally created by antioxidants). If you happen to not be a fan of chard (which I honestly cannot imagine), you can make this dish with spinach too.

To see this tasty recipe, just read more.

Whole Wheat Penne with Chicken, Chard and Pepper
adapted from Culinary.net

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch swiss chard (leaves and stems separated - chop stems)*
1 cup chicken broth
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

Directions

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken then add onion, pepper, chopped chard stems and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes.
Fill large pot with lightly salted water and bring to boil.
Add chard to skillet, sautée until thoroughly until wilted.
Add chicken broth and remaining salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
While broth is heating, cook penne. Drain and return to pot.
Add chicken mixture to hot penne and toss. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cheese and chopped parsley.

*Chard tip: The easiest way to prepare chard is to simply rip the leaves from the stems. Then you can chop the stems and the leaves separately.

Serves 4-6

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What's the Deal With: Magnesium

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:59:16 -0700

I keep reading about foods that are high in magnesium, and I nod my head and I think "Great." Today, when nodding my head I finally asked myself if I knew why this mineral is important to health and I realized I was clueless. So, I did a little research and here's what I found.

Magnesium is in our bones!!!! Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bones. The rest is found in cells of body tissue and organs.

Our bodies cannot produce magnesium so it is important to eat a diet rich in the mineral. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of magnesium is 300 to 320 milligrams for pre-menopausal adult women. If you are under 18 years the RDI is higher - 360 milligrams. Chard and spinach are both excellent sources of magnesium. A cup of each has a little over 35% of your RDI. Tofu is a great source as well - containing 130 milligams per 120 grams.
Magesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system.
This mineral helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.
There is a complex and not completely understood relationship between the mineral calcium and magnesium. So it is important to eat a diet rich in both.
It is believed that magnesium plays a role in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Dietary magnesium is absorbed in the small intestines.

If you are experiencing muscles cramps, you could make sure you are getting enough magnesium since a deficiency in the mineral can lead to cramping. In fact magnesium is required for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. I'd say that is why it is considered an essential mineral.

Healthy Recipe: Couscous With Chard and Roasted Chickpeas

FitSugar — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 05:28:27 -0700

Lately, I have been in love with chickpeas. Then I tried them roasted, and my relationship with the garbanzo bean blossomed even further. I wanted to make a Mediterranean-style dish with Swiss chard and whole wheat couscous. Then I thought adding roasted chickpeas to the dish would be delish.

I think I was right. This dish offers veggies, fruit, whole wheat carbs, and protein; it is perfect for a light lunch, especially when you have an afternoon workout planned. It is easy to make and works as either a main dish or a side dish.

To see the recipe, just read more.

Couscous With Chard and Roasted Chickpeas
Original recipe

This is just something I dreamed up after looking at too many recipes.

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas, well rinsed
2 tablespoons currants
5 dried apricots, chopped
1 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat couscous
2 large shallots, chopped
1 bunch red Swiss chard, stems chopped and leaves ripped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup shredded Parmesean cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons juiced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss well-rinsed chickpeas in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and roast for about 20 minutes, until browned.
Soak dried fruit in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While fruit soaks, cook whole wheat couscous according to directions on box.
Over medium heat, sauté chopped shallots with chopped chard stems in a tablespoon of olive oil for 5 minutes. Add all the chard and cook until chard shrinks, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining olive oil with lemon juice and cinnamon. Add couscous, dried fruit, and roasted chickpeas to sautéing chard and mix to combine. Pour dressing over the mixture and remove from heat.
Add parmesean cheese and pine nuts. Stir gently.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Plate and garnish with shredded cheese, toasted pine nuts, and a slice of lemon.

Serves four as a main dish and six as a side dish.

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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.

Cooked Leafy Green Breakdown

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:31 -0700

In the Summer months, I crave cool, crispy raw salad greens, but when cooler temps roll in, I'm all about cooked greens. I often sauté them in a little olive oil with garlic, and they're flavorful, low in calories, and full of vitamins and nutrients. If you've ever wondered just how nutritious they are, I made a little chart so you can find out.

To see the breakdown, read more.

1 cup cooked	Calories	Fiber (g)	Vitamin A (IU)	Iron (mg)	Potassium (mg)	Folate (mcg)
Your RDI (just to compare)	around 2,000	25-30	2,333	18	4,200	400
Spinach	41	4	18,867	6.4	839	263
Mustard spinach	29	4	14,761	1.4	513	131
Kale	36	3	17,709	1.2	296	16.9
Swiss chard	35	4	10,717	4	961	15.7
Broccoli raab (1 bunch cooked)	144	12	19,812	5.5	1,499	310
Escarole	95	5.8	1,843	1.4	530	172
Mustard greens	22.4	3	2,100	1.08	301	108
Turnip greens	33	5.7	4,199	1.3	333	196
Watercress	15	2	2,823	.36	449	8

Not sure how to use cooked greens? Try indian spiced chard or simple sautéed escarole, and this is how I like to prepare kale. If you have a tasty way to cook greens, please share it in the Healthy Recipe group.

Source: Flickr User PetroleumJelliffe

Healthy Eating Tip: Don't Toss Those Beet Greens

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:13:49 -0700

If you've already learned to love beets, then I've got a new assignment for you. Try eating the beet greens on top that you might otherwise cut off and discard.

These hearty leaves look very much like Swiss chard, and not surprisingly, they cook and taste like chard too. Better yet, they're incredibly nutritious. One cup of beet greens has just 39 calories and no fat but contains 220 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin A and 60 percent of your RDI of vitamin C.

Plus, if you're preparing a dish with beets, cooking the greens gives you an instant side dish! Try blanching them in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain the greens before sautéing with a little olive oil, salt, and garlic.

You Asked: Muscle Twitch in My Back?

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:00:01 -0700

Dear Fit,
I went to a four-day cleansing yoga intensive over the weekend. It was great. I felt so relaxed by the end of the retreat. Come Monday, though, back at my desk, a muscle in my back started twitching, just below my rib cage. I will admit it was a rough adjustment after four days on a yoga mat. The muscle kept twitching off and on all day; there was no pain but it was really annoying. What would cause this to happen? Did I stretch it too hard at my retreat?
- All Twitched Out

The yoga retreat sounds lovely, but I feel you on the back twitch. To see what I think, just read more.

Muscle twitches like yours are small muscle contractions in a specific area, or they can be an uncontrollable twitching of a group of muscles served by a single nerve fiber. There are a few factors that might have contributed to your back twitching: stress, caffeine, and diet. Twitches can be brought on by stress or anxiety; while this more commonly happens around the eye, it can happen to muscles in other areas too. Coming back to work can be stressful, especially after taking time off since work can pile up. If you have dealt with the shock of being desk-bound by drinking an extra cup of joe, the additional caffeine could lead to muscle twitches as well. A twitching muscle is also a symptom of a diet low in magnesium. If you were doing lots of athletic yoga in a hot environment, excessive sweating could lead to loss of magnesium. Consider adding chard and spinach to your diet, since both are high in the mineral. Or, try sipping a sports drink that contains magnesium. My favorite is Nuun - you drop a tablet into your water bottle.

Lastly, muscle twitching can occur post-workout, generally after strenuous weight training or cardio sessions. If you were doing rigorous yoga and lots of it, this might explain the twitch.

Healthy Eating Tip: Bed of Greens Instead of Carbs

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Going out for a nice dinner doesn't mean you can't have a healthy meal. Many restaurants are amenable to diners' needs, and you can make sure your plate is full of foods you want and need to eat.

Fish, chicken or meat dishes are usually served on an enormous portion or rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. To avoid a starchy, buttery side dish, simply ask that your protein be placed on a bed of greens instead. Think steamed kale, chard, spinach, or a raw bed of spinach or salad greens. I'm not saying I avoid those carbs altogether, but eating large portions of them makes me feel grossly full. Not only are the greens less filling, but they offer fiber and so many vitamins and minerals. Plus they add and interesting texture and fresh flavor to the main dish. So the next time you're at a restaurant, as for greens instead of carbs. At the end of the meal, your stomach and waistline will be happy that you did.

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