FitSugar

Salmonella Update: Not Just the Tomatoes Anymore!

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you've been avoiding tomatoes for fear of getting a salmonella infection then you're going to have to add serrano and jalapeno peppers, as well as cilantro to your "do not eat" list.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Food and Drug Administration has begun looking at serrano and jalapeno peppers and cilantro - basically the ingredients used to make salsa - as possible causes of the outbreak. Tomatoes continue to be investigated as well. With over a thousand folks infected at this point, some officials are calling this the worst foodborne illness outbreak in the US in a decade - yikes!

Me, I've starting eating tomatoes again, but I'm going to try to steer clear of the spicy peppers in question as well as the tasty herb. Most of you said you weren't avoiding tomatoes, so will you be avoiding the peppers and cilantro (perhaps even salsa) until this all is cleared up?

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Herbs in a Tube - Don't Even Bother

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Let me give you some friendly advice. When you're cooking with a recipe that calls for fresh oregano and you go to the store and all they have is oregano in a tube, just forget it. Skip the oregano.

I was at the store looking for the fresh herb for my grandma's famous lasagna and I found Gourmet Garden's tubes next to the space my oregano should have been. They were all out of the fresh stuff, so I thought I'd give the tube a try, thinking it must be better than using the dried herbs. I was sorely mistaken.

I should have known the moment I squeezed it out - yup SQUEEZED. There's something seriously wrong with that statement - nothing fresh about it. Yeah, maybe it tasted the same, but the texture was pretty much disgusting, and not at all like the real deal.

The ingredients listed on the back of the tube make me think that this is a product better suited for long sea voyages rather than my gram's famous lasagna.

See for yourself though. Look for these tubes in the produce section. They have 10 herbs and spices including Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Garlic, Lemon Grass, Ginger, and Parsley.

Cilantro Kills Bacteria So You Don't Have To

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:00:00 -0800

Popular in Mexican and Thai food, the herb cilantro (also called Chinese parsley) contains a chemical known as dodecenal, which has been found to kill the Salmonella bacteria that causes food borne illness.

Dodecenal is present not only in the leaves of cilantro, but also in its seeds, which are more commonly known as coriander.

This info could lead to expanded use of dodecenal as a tasteless food additive to prevent food borne illness - perhaps as a protective coating for meats in processing plants, or even as a disinfectant to be used in cleaning and hand washing.

But don't rely on cilantro alone to safeguard your food: There's only a small amount of the potent antibacterial in a typical serving.

So while it's nice to know that this herb is doing its best to keep us healthy, it won't necessarily save your life. But it can save your salsa, because I tell you, nothing beats the flavor of fresh cilantro.

Biggest Headline of 2008: The Salmonella Scare

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Feasting on tomatoes this Summer seemed a bit like playing Russian Roulette. In early June reports of tomatoes contaminated with salmonella made headlines. The contamination grew like a virus in an incubator. First we learned that the tainted tomatoes were in 16 states, but the number rapidly increased to include 30 states.

As the FDA investigated the salmonella outbreak, serrano and jalapeno peppers as well as cilantro were added to the list of suspicious foods. Suddenly salsa just seemed off-limits, and around 1,500 cases of salmonella were reported overall. Tracking down the source of the infection proved difficult. International borders were involved, and tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro are often sold without tags. Plus, by the time a person becomes symptomatic, the tainted produce is no longer around to test. Ultimately, a possible source was found on a couple farms in Mexico when irrigation water and serrano peppers tested positive for the strain of salmonella. Mexico strongly disagreed with the FDA's findings and the case is not completely closed, but food safety continues to concern many Americans.

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Food Review: Amy's Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

In a pinch, I'm a big fan of frozen meals from Amy's Kitchen, and I particularly like the "bowls." I always keep a few in my freezer just in case I don't have time to make lunch. While the Country Cheddar Bowl is my favorite, I also like the Stuffed Pasta Shells. While perusing the frozen aisle at the grocery store, I noticed a new bowl and had to give it a try.

To find out what I thought of this Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl then read more.

I'm quite a fan of this new bowl. Even though it doesn't look very appetizing, it tasted delicious - herby and savory, like it was homemade. It had lots of veggies, mostly mushrooms and they had great consistency; not mushy at all. The black-eyed peas and brown rice made this bowl hearty and filling for only having 290 calories. The sauce was smooth and flavorful with a hint of ginger and cilantro. The wheat-free tamari gave it a delicious salty flavor, with only 580 mg per serving. This meal is also dairy and gluten free, so if you have food sensitivities, this is a tasty option. If you're a fan of bean and veggie dishes, I'd give this a try.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	290
Total Fat	11 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	580 mg
Carbs	38 g
Fiber	8 g
Sugar	5 g
Protein	11 g

Food Review: Blue Horizon Organic Spring Rolls

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of spring rolls and I always order them when eating Thai. They're a guilty pleasure since the fried, crispy wrapper makes them full of calories and fat. I was psyched when I saw frozen Organic Spring Rolls ($4) by Blue Horizon. Since you can bake them in the oven, you decrease the amount of oil you're consuming.

To find out how many calories are in one of these little rolls read more.

When I saw the picture on the box, my first question was, "Do they taste as good as they look?" But when I cut one roll open, I thought, "Hmm, why don't they look anything like the ones on the box?" And by that, I mean they look completely different and very unappealing. But they smelled good, so I took a bite and all I really tasted was lemongrass. The texture was perfect - the crunchy wrapper and the soft filling was just like the ones I order out, but they tasted a little plain. I also wish there was a greater variety of veggies inside. These spring rolls are not too unhealthy for you since they're made with all-natural, organic ingredients, but for 110 calories a serving (36.7 calories a roll), I'd rather enjoy the real ones.

Serving Size	3 rolls
Calories	110
Total Fat	4g
Saturated Fat	1.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	210mg
Carbs	16g
Fiber	1g
Sugar	1g
Protein	3g

In case you were wondering, here's the list of ingredients: Organic Green Beans, Organic Cabbage, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Cilantro, Organic Soy Sauce (organic soybeans, organic wheat, salt, water), Organic Cayenne, Salt. Wrapper: Organic Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, Soy Lecithin. Allergens: Wheat, Soy.

Great Fruit: Grapefruit

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:15:17 -0800

Grapefruit is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, lycopene, vitamin C and fiber. In fact, half a grapefruit provides 110% of the recommended value for vitamin C and contains more than 60 phytonutrients, which health experts believe help your body battle heart disease, cancer and other maladies -- a high level of pectin found in the fruit may also help you maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.

With health in mind, the Florida Grapefruit for Your Best Life Chef Recipe Contest was born! The contest was hosted by The Florida Department of Citrus and Bob Greene (Oprah's personal trainer) -- Together, they sought out recipes that bring flavor and good health together using grapefruit and fit the health criteria of The Best Life Diet (Bob's book).

And the winning recipe is...
Florida Grapefruit and Jerk-Grilled Chicken with Arugula Salad by Chef Matthew Laman (pictured)

To read the recipe, read more

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 Servings

Chicken:
4 (6oz.) boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon jerk marinade

Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Non-stick cooking spray
2 cups no-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 2 Florida grapefruits (about 16 oz. of juice)
1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped

Salad:
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Florida grapefruit (peeled, segmented and coarsely chopped)
2 papaya (peeled, seeded and diced)
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
16 grape tomatoes sliced in half (lengthwise)
4 fresh ¼ inch pineapple rings

Place chicken breasts and jerk marinade in large zip-top bag, seal and refrigerate for one hour. Remove chicken from zip-top bag and place on hot grill. Grill chicken breast until thoroughly cooked, about 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic with non-stick cooking spray, then add chicken stock and grapefruit juice. Bring to a boil, lower temperature to medium low and reduce to syrup. Add cilantro. Stir well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine arugula, olive oil, chopped grapefruit and pepper together. Toss the ingredients to coat arugula. Add tomatoes and papaya.

Place one pineapple ring on the center of 4 dinner size plates. Top each ring with one grilled chicken breast. Divide salad into 4 equal parts and place on the grilled chicken breast. Drizzle plates with sauce.

Nutrients per serving: 414 calories , 39 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 10 g total fat, 142 mg sodium, Vitamin A 70% DV, Vitamin C 339% DV, Calcium 12% DV, Iron 14% DV.

To get the other two winning recipes, check out the Florida Grapefruit For Your Best Life Contest site.

Food Review: Sunshine Burger

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 09:00:00 -0700

I'm so psyched for BBQs now that the weather is so warm. I always like to keep a box of veggie burgers in the freezer just in case I don't feel like a regular burger, or if we have vegetarian guests over. Now that meat alternatives are so popular, there are so many different kinds to try out, like this Organic Sunshine Burger. Not only are they vegetarian, but they're also vegan, soy free, and gluten free.

Want to see what these burgers really look like and find out how they taste? Then read more.

When I read the ingredients, I was surprised to see that these burgers are mostly made from ground up raw sunflower seeds and rice, which gives them a soft, slightly squishy texture. The mild flavor came from the black beans, peppers, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño peppers, cumin, and onion. It was slightly spicy, but I was expecting more of a kick. It did grill well and didn't stick to the grate like some meat alternatives, like tofu pups, can. Since these burgers are pre-cooked, they only need a few minutes on the grill to heat through. Overall, I found these Sunshine Burgers to be just OK. They were a little too dry for my tastes and honestly, I wanted more flavor.

Serving Size	1 patty
Calories	240
Total Fat	12g
Saturated Fat	1.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	240mg
Carbs	26g
Fiber	9g
Sugar	2g
Protein	6g

Make Your Salad Dressing Sing!

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:15:00 -0700

The same old oil and vinegar dressing can become rather dull and uninspiring. If the salad dressing blahs are keeping you from eating your greens, it is time to experiment and try some new things. I have a few suggestions for you to try. Here they are:

Creamy: For a creamy texture add some nonfat plain yogurt. Thin it with a little water first (especially if you are using thick Greek-style yogurt. Another option for creamy texture is a little smashed avocado, and once again I thin it with a bit of water.
Tangy: For a little tang try lemon juice. It mixes well with olive oil, or can be great on its own. Cranberry juice concentrate is another way to add a new tangy flavor to your dressing and complements toasted pecans quite nicely.
Citrus: I have also taken to just squeezing a half an orange over butter lettuce. The fresh squeezed juice is so sweet and perfect for the delicate greens. I also enjoy the peppery taste of fresh squeezed pink grapefruit on the spicy green arugula.

I have some more suggestions, so read more.

Get seedy: Grinding up seeds, like pumpkin or sunflower adds a nice texture and flavor to dressing. Sesame seeds and poppy seeds aren't just for bagels! They also make nice additions to dressings.
Fresh Herbs: Don't forget the power of fresh herbs. Going Italian? Toss some Italian parsley into the mix. Going Asian? Try a little cilantro. Going Greek? Add some finely chopped fresh mint to your greens. Fresh thyme and tarragon work well when you are adding roasted chicken to your greens.
Go Tomatoes: Here's a recipe for tomato-paprika salad dressing that is unique and great not only on salad greens, but drizzled over lightly steamed veggies.

So try some new dressing and make your salad sing!

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Healthy Eating Tip: Use These Instead of Salt

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:30:00 -0800

Are you one of those people who has to add a dash of salt to all your food? Since many of the foods we eat are loaded with sodium, especially premade ones, adding more salt to your meals can cause you to surpass the daily recommended amount in a flash. I'm a huge salt fan myself, so I understand your love affair with this tasty, white stuff, but why not add flavor to your foods instead? Try these instead of salt:

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (I always keep lemons in the fridge)
Chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, cilantro, oregano, and basil
Fresh ground pepper or red pepper flakes
Finely chopped onion
Finely chopped fresh ginger
Minced or powdered garlic (not garlic salt)
Balsamic or apple cider vinegar
Salt substitutes

At first it's tough not to reach for a pinch of salt when you eat, and it's a hard habit to break, but your taste buds will soon get used to the delicious new flavors in your food. Less salt means lower blood pressure and less bloating, so the rest of your body will be psyched, too.

What is your favorite salt substitute? Share it with us in the comment section below.

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