FitSugar

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

3 Cheap and Natural Meat Substitutes

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Whether you're trying to incorporate more vegetables in your diet or cut down your grocery bill, replacing meat a couple nights a week can help you accomplish both goals. Here are three inexpensive meat substitutes that don't include the often-polarizing tofu.

Eggplant: This purple veggie has a solid, meaty texture compared to other vegetables and is a tasty centerpiece for dishes like baked eggplant parmesan or a complement to stir-fry and pasta recipes. Eggplant is nutritious to boot, packing in fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, and potassium.

To see two more meat substitutes, read more.

Mushrooms: If it's cost you're focused on, opt for button mushrooms to get the most nutritional bang for your buck. Mushrooms are extremely versatile and can be ideal substitutes in burgers (make a portobello burger or veggie burgers with mushrooms as a base), enchiladas, casseroles, and more, as they tend to take on the flavors of whatever else is in the recipe.
Beans: Full of protein and fiber, beans are an extremely inexpensive meat substitute. Use them in chilis, salads, and soups to make any vegetarian meal a bit heartier.

Source

Button Mushrooms, Cheap and Nutritious

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:30:00 -0800

When it comes to mushrooms you can go fancy or you can go cheap. The problem with cheap is that it often seems to be less nutritious. Take for example the humble white mushroom (aka the button mushroom) whose reputation hardly shines for its nutritional value compared to its exotic cousins.

However according to recent research, the white button mushroom has antioxidant properties just like its expensive rivals. What's more? It was found that the antioxidants in the button mushroom are equal to, if not more, than the better-known mushrooms when they measured the respective mushrooms' free radical-destroying ability. The good thing is button mushrooms are available all year round and are cheap, so unless you despise the taste, there is no reason to not add a few to your salad or side of veggies.

Fit's Tip: Research found that the body of the mushroom had a higher concentration of antioxidants than the stalk, so gobble up those caps.

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Foods to Stop Avoiding: Mushrooms

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:30:00 -0800

Just like anything else foods can get a bad reputation. The thing about reputations is that they can be repaired and scientist are working round the clock to make sure we're not skipping out on foods just because we've heard it through the grapevine that they're bad. Mushrooms, avocados, peanuts, eggs, and coffee top the list of foods with the worst reputations to stop avoiding.

Here are highlights on why you should stop avoiding mushrooms:

Mushrooms
Misconception: Mushrooms are a low-calorie food with little nutritional benefit.
Why they're good for you: They may be 90 percent water and have only 18 calories per cup, but mushrooms are getting serious scientific attention. Laboratory reports and animal studies show that compounds in mushrooms may do everything from bolster immune function to suppress breast and prostate cancers and decrease tumor size. And now, Penn State researchers found that mushrooms, from the humble button to the giant portobello, harbor large amounts of an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. The scientific buzz is that fungi, for the moment, are the only foods that contain this compound.

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Misconceptions About Mushrooms

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0800

I know there are many people out there who go out of their way to avoid eating mushrooms. They feel they are not missing anything, nutritionally speaking, by picking out the edible fungus from their meals. Things couldn't be farther from the truth, so I thought I should clear up some misconceptions concerning mushrooms.

Not only are mushrooms a low calorie food, containing only 18 calories per cup, but they are also 90 percent water. Most importantly, all varieties of 'shrooms contain large amounts of an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine, which is only found in fungi. This is a powerful antioxidant that fortunately is not destroyed when mushrooms are cooked.

A variety of animal studies have also found that compounds found in mushrooms may bolster the immune system as well as work to prevent both breast and prostate cancers. Mushrooms are also high in the mineral potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. In fact, five white button mushrooms have as much potassium as an orange.

So where do you fall in the mushroom debate. Do you love them or hate them? Tell me how you feel about fungi in the comments section below.

Source

Medicinal Mushrooms

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 16:36:38 -0800

I must have passed by those wrinkly, dirty looking mushrooms a million times while perusing through the produce.

Don't let their funky appearance steer you away. Mushrooms such as shiitake, maitake, turkey tail, and reishi build your immunity. They also support cardiovascular health and show promise in lowering the risk of and possibly treating cancer.

But they're not a one shot miracle worker. In order to be most effective, you need to take them daily. You can find multiple-mushroom supplements at most health food stores.

You can also use shiitake and maitake mushrooms (fresh or dried) in soups and stir-fries for your healthy dose of immune-boost. Or grind it and steep it in tea.

Fit's Tips: Keep your medicinal mushrooms straight with this poster.

Learn to Love: Shiitake Mushrooms

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:15:00 -0700

Shiitake Mushrooms, aside from the phrase being my new favorite expletive substitute (it is up there with dang and crud), are fast becoming known as a new super food. Since they have been used medicinally in Asia for over 6,000 years, I'd really have to admit their status as a super food is "new" to me. And possibly you, too?

Did you know that they contain protein? I, for one had no idea that 8 ounces of shiitakes contain almost 5 grams of protein. Although mushrooms are often treated like veggies, they are a fungus and have no roots, leaves, flowers or seeds. Shiitakes contain lentinan and L-ergothioneine. If you have never heard of those substances before, neither had I, since they don't come up all that often in casual conversation. Lentinan helps bolster the immune system, strengthening its ability to fight infection and disease. That is why this compound is being researched for its ability to fight cancer and AIDS. Some researches think it might even help with allergies. L-ergothioneine is a powerful antioxidant, which fortunately is not destroyed when the mushrooms are cooked.

Shiitakes make a great addition to stir-fries. I enjoy them sautéed with asparagus and ginger. Or you might enjoy them, like YumSugar does, on a mushroom pizza. Since these mushrooms are becoming increasingly popular, they are easy to find in most grocery stores. If you can't find them there, you should try an Asian market.

Learn to love them - they are good for you and tasty!!!

Would You Like Mushrooms With that Morning Coffee?

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:15:00 -0700

If you're anything like me you love your morning cuppa' joe. Just one cup feels so good, but I can't help that little, health conscious voice inside of me telling me I should be drinking green tea instead. However now there is healthy coffee to consider...

Although skeptical about drinking mushrooms in my coffee, I've been hearing about this so-called healthy coffee so I went for it. Shockingly, the Gano Healthy Coffee actually tasted good. It's a low acid coffee with no hormones or chemicals and far less caffeine that most regular coffees. It is also easy to prepare too, as all the types I tried were instant, which is an added bonus. The Mocha and Shockolate were also very tasty, and more like your basic cup of hot cocoa, than a healthy mushroom drink.

This Brazilian gourmet coffee health claims are in part due to its active ingredient, Reishi. Reishi is actually an herbal mushroom known to have miraculous health benefits in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is suppose to help create normalizing results in the body because of the 150+ different antioxidants and 200 active elements, vitamins and minerals (including a high concentration of Alkaloids, which promote alkalinity in the body). Reishi, the real magic mushroom has also been regarded as a blood pressure stabilizer, antioxidant, analgesic, as well as a kidney and nerve tonic. Who knew? Keep in mind however, Reishi is not yet approved by the FDA.

Buy all the flavors directly from Healthy Coffee Break.

BJ's Recalls Mushrooms: More E. Coli?

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:00:00 -0800

Massachusetts-based BJ's Wholesale Club is recalling packages of fresh mushrooms after a routine inspection revealed the possible presence of the deadly bacteria E. coli.

Great. First spinach from California, then lettuce used at Taco Hell, and now mushrooms. What's the deal?

The products affected were Wellsley Farms brand fresh mushrooms purchased between February 11 and February 19, 2007. Although BJ's has not received any reports of illness, they are voluntarily recalling the product as a precaution.

If tests by BJ's confirm the presence of E. coli, that will be the third food outbreak of the bacteria in the U.S. over the past 7 months.

Fit's Tips: Customers who bought any of the mushrooms can return them to any BJs for a refund. If you have any questions or concerns contact BJ's toll free Member Care line at 1-800-BJS-CLUB.

Smarter Eats: Gwyneth Reminds Us to Get a Healthy Dose of D

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:31 -0800

Gwyneth Paltrow's dishing out some healthy advice on GOOP this week - get your daily dose of vitamin D. The super-fit star points to Dr. Frank Lipman's healthy tips for getting our fair share of the vital D, who reminds us that, especially this time of year -when we head into the colder season and see less sunlight - it's even more important to supplement our diets with the vitamin, and avoid a vitamin D deficiency.

If you're wondering why it's so important, just remember that vitamin D was first recognized for its importance in maintaining healthy calcium levels for our bones. According to Dr. Lipman, it's now becoming increasingly apparent that we've underestimated the value of the vitamin, and a lack of it has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and breast cancer - to name a few.

Since we rely on the sun to generate the most reliable way of getting vitamin D, it's a good idea to up your intake of foods that can naturally deliver the goods - try fortified milk in your cereal, dried shitake mushrooms with your stir fry or salad, and wild fatty fish, like salmon and halibut. Just be aware that only 10 percent of your vitamin D intake can come from food, so to really eat smarter and healthier, it might just be a good idea to supplement with the active form of the vitamin, D3. Be sure to read all of Dr. Lipman's great tips, and until we see some sunlight this Spring, make sure you're getting your daily dose with fortified foods.