FitSugar

Get Hot: Spicy Salmon Rub

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I am all about multi-tasking these days. So why should I expect less from my food? Here's a spicy rub to use on salmon steaks to reap the benefits from both the hot spices and the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon. Now that is multi-tasking food! Plus, this makes a tasty main dish and is a nice break from the standard lemon dill routine most often used for salmon.

To see the recipe, just read more

Spicy Paprika Rub
from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart

What you need:
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

What you do:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Rub the rub on both sides of salmon steak.
Lightly oil grill or grill pan, and cook until salmon flakes with a form. About 4 minutes per side.

This rub works well with other meats, but use fattier cuts since paprika has a strong taste. Try it on skirt steak, pork loin, salmon fillets, or whole chickens for roasting.

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Tomato Paprika Salad Dressing

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Occasionally, I am prone to salad dressing ennui. I just can't take another balsamic vinaigrette. However, I recently found this antioxidant rich, tasty new tomato dressing that certainly cures my boredom.

It reminds me a bit of gazpacho, one of my favorite summer treats. I would use the dressing with a mild green, like butter lettuce, and it works well with avocado and goat cheese too. You can also use this dressing for dipping bread, but it is too thin for veggies.

So don't succumb to the salad dressing doldrums! To see the recipe, just read more

Tomato Paprika Salad Dressing
adapted from Body + Soul

Tomato-Paprika Salad Dressing

What You Need

¾ pound plum or heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 small garlic clove – pressed
½ teaspoon mild or smoked paprika
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

What You Do

Press garlic and set it aside to allow the healthy enzymes release.
Peel, core and seed tomatoes. If peeling tomatoes are new to you read Yum’s helpful tips on this culinary task.
Place tomatoes in blender along with vinegars, sugar, garlic and paprika. Puree until smooth.
Remove center cap of the blender lid and add oil in a steady stream, blending thoroughly.
Salt and pepper to taste.

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Food Review: South of the Border Pistachios

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:13:18 -0700

We all crave junk food every once in a while, but there are healthy substitutions out there. If you crave Spicy Nacho Doritios you should give the South of the Border Pistachios by Everybody's Nuts a try.

The flavor of these pistachios is as satisfying as the Doritos, but the nuts are so much healthier than corn chips, and nuts don't leave a neon coating on your fingers either. Speaking of hands, here is another reason to choose the nuts over chips: it takes two hands to eat pistachios, and only one hand to reach into a Doritos bag. This means you will eat the nuts more slowly, and not while driving, a bad snacking habit many of us are guilty of.

To see how these two nacho-flavored treats compare, read more.

	South of the Border pistachios 1/2 cup (no shells)	Nacho Cheese Doritios 1 ounce
Calories	170	140
Total Fat (g)	13	7
Saturated Fat (g)	1.5	1
Carbs (g)	9	18
Fiber (g)	3	under 1
Protein (g)	6	2
Iron	8 percent	2 percent
Vitamin B6	20 percent	4 percent

Yes, pistachios are higher in calories and fat, but the health benefits of the this nut are substantial. They help lower cholesterol as well as protect against breast and prostate cancers. Plus, they are high in protein, which means you will stay fuller longer.

The list of ingredients for the pistachios is considerably shorter than the list on the Doritos bag, but I thought you might be interested.

Ingredients: Dry roasted pistachios, salt, corn syrup solids, spice (includes chili paper), maltodextrin, citric acid, lime juice solids, garlic powder, dextrose, natural flavor, paprika extract.

You can find Everybody's Nuts at Costco, Kroger, Wegmans, and Kmart. Or you can buy them buy the case at the Everybody's Nuts website.

Food Review: Popchips

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:10:00 -0700

If potato chips are your weakness, indulging in grease, salt, and high amounts of fat might make you feel a little guilty, not to mention sick to your stomach. I just came upon an alternative marketed as a healthier chip, Popchips. They are never baked or fried. Popchips are made by applying heat and pressure (and according to their website "a little snack magic") to corn and potatoes, and presto chango a new kind of chip is formed.

As you can see they come in a wide variety of flavors, but how do they stack up against other potato chips? To find out, read more.

Here's the nutritional info for one ounce of chips (about 19 chips).

Serving Size
Calories	100	150	150
Total Fat	4 g	10 g	9 g
Saturated Fat	0g	1g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	0mg
Sodium	250mg	200mg	170mg
Carbs	20g	15g	15g
Fiber	1g	1g	2g
Sugar	2g	2g	1g
Protein	1g	2g	2g
Ingredients	Natural potato ingredients (potato flour, potato starch), Safflower Oil and/or Sunflower Oil, Barbecue Seasoning (Sugar, Whey, Onion and Garlic Powders, Salt, Torula Yeast, Brown Sugar, Tomato Powder, Yeast Extract, Spices, Natural Flavors, Natural Smoke Flavor, Citric Acid, Paprika Extract, Paprika, Rice Flour, Salt, Soy Lecithin.	Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Barbecue Seasoning (Sugar, less than (2%) of the Following: Dextrose, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor, Molasses, Onion Powder, Monosodium Glutamate, Autolyzed Yeast [Torula], Salt, Spices, Paprika and Extractives of Paprika, Garlic Powder, Tomato Powder, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Canola Oil, Yeast, Citric Acid, and Mesquite Smoke Flavor), and Salt.	Select Potatoes, Safflower and/or Sunflower oil, Honey Powder (Cane Syrup, Honey), Salt, Rice Flour, Onion Powder, Tomato Powder, Paprika, Torula Yeast, Yeast Extract, Garlic Powder, Chili Pepper, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor, Citric Acid, Paprika Extract, and Cayenne Pepper.

These chips have a wonderful light and crispy texture, and I loved that they weren't greasy like regular potato chips usually are. They sort of melt in your mouth after you crunch on them, and were surprisingly satisfying, even though they're full of air. The barbecue flavor was a little weird, almost a little too strong or burnt tasting.

As for nutrition, yes these chips have less calories, total fat, and saturated fat as compared to the Lay's and Kettle chips, but they also have more carbs and sodium and less protein. Comparing ingredients just makes me cringe. These chips aren't even made with real potatoes - no, "potato ingredients" doesn't count. If I had a hankering for BBQ chips again, I'd go for the Kettle chips. They're made with actual potatoes, have a lot less sodium than the Popchips, less sugar, and more fiber and protein. So what if they have more calories and fat? I'm not eating BBQ potato chips for health reasons here. They're a splurge, so they should taste like it.

Snack Attack: Not So Devilish Eggs

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:00:00 -0800

Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs
1 16 oz. container of Hummus (you can go with any variety you want)
A few pinches of Paprika
A handful of slivered almonds

*Hard boil the eggs. Cut the eggs in halves (length-wise) and remove the yolk. Fill the hole where the yolk was in each half with a scoop of hummus. Top with a few raw, slivered almonds and a pinch of paprika. Do this for each egg half.

Why we like it: Deviled eggs are a typical and easy snack but hardly a healthy one due to the yolk and mayonnaise concoction that makes the deviled egg so devilish.
Hummus (rather than a yolk-mayo mixture) cuts the fat and adds iron.
Paprika adds a bit of Lycopene.
Almonds provide some good fats (yup, such a thing exists) that help lower cholesterol.
Egg whites are always a great source of protein.

*How to hard boil an egg: Put all the eggs in a pot and cover fully with cold water. Cook until water boils. Then boil the eggs for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse under cold water.

Talk about a healthy snack.

Carbohydrates

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:57:00 -0700

Illustrations

Complex carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates

Starchy foods

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Carbohydrates are one of the main dietary components. This category of foods includes sugars, starches, and fiber.

Alternative Names

Starches; Simple sugars; Sugars; Complex carbohydrates; Diet - carbohydrates; Simple carbohydrates

Function

The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and the nervous system. Your liver breaks down carbohydrates into glucose (blood sugar), which is used for energy by the body.

Food Sources

Carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex. The classification depends on the chemical structure of the particular food source and reflects how quickly the sugar is digested and absorbed. Simple carbohydrates have one (single) or two (double) sugars while complex carbohydrates have three or more.

Examples of single sugars from foods include fructose (found in fruits) and galactose (found in milk products). Double sugars include lactose (found in dairy), maltose (found in certain vegetables and in beer), and sucrose (table sugar). Honey is also a double sugar, but unlike table sugar, contains a small amount of vitamins and minerals. (NOTE: Honey should not be given to children younger than 1 year old.)

Complex carbohydrates, often referred to as "starchy" foods, include:

Whole grain breads and cereals
Starchy vegetables
Legumes

Simple carbohydrates that contain vitamins and minerals occur naturally in:

Fruits
Milk and milk products
Vegetables

Simple carbohydrates are also found in processed and refined sugars such as:

Candy
Table sugar
Syrups (not including natural syrups such as maple)
Regular (non-diet) carbonated beverages, such as soda

Refined sugars provide calories, but lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Such simple sugars are often called "empty calories" and can lead to weight gain. Also, many refined foods, such as white flour, sugar, and polished rice, lack B vitamins and other important nutrients unless they are marked "enriched." It is healthiest to obtain carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutrients in as natural a form as possible -- for example, from fruit instead of table sugar.

Side Effects

Excessive carbohydrates can cause an increase in the total caloric intake, causing obesity.
Deficient carbohydrates can cause a lack of calories (malnutrition), or excessive intake of fats to make up the calories.

Recommendations

For most people, between 40% and 60% of total calories should come from carbohydrates, preferably from complex carbohydrates (starches) and naturally occurring sugars. Complex carbohydrates provide calories, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Foods that are high in processed, refined simple sugars provide calories, but they have few nutritional benefits. It is wise to limit such sugars.

To increase complex carbohydrates and healthy nutrients:

Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Eat more whole grains, rice, breads, and cereals.
Eat more legumes (beans, lentils, and dried peas).

Here are recommended serving sizes for foods high in carbohydrates:

Vegetables: 1 cup of raw vegetables, or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, or 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
Fruits: 1 medium size fruit (such as 1 medium apple or 1 medium orange), 1/2 cup of a canned or chopped fruit, or 3/4 cup of fruit juice
Breads and cereals: 1 slice of bread; 1 ounce or 2/3 cup of ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, lentils, or dried peas
Dairy: 1 cup of skim or lowfat milk

For information about how many servings are recommended see the food guide pyramid.

Here is a sample 2,000 Calorie menu of which 50-60% of the total calories are from carbohydrates.

Breakfast
- 1 cup of raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened cereal, with 1/2 sliced banana
- 1 cup of skim milk
- 1 slice of whole wheat toast
- 1 teaspoon of margarine
- 1 teaspoon of jelly
- coffee or tea
Lunch
- turkey pita pocket sandwich (2 slices of whole wheat pita bread, 3 ounces of lean turkey breast )
- 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce
- 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of green peppers
- 1 tablespoon of salad dressing
- 1 cup of skim milk
- 2 fresh, medium-sized peaches
Dinner
- 4 ounces of broiled salmon with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, sprinkled with paprika
- 1 cup of pasta
- 1 dinner roll
- 6 steamed broccoli stalks with black pepper
- salad:
  - 1 cup lettuce
  - 1/4 cup of sliced mushrooms
  - 1/2 cup of sliced tomatoes
  - 1/2 cup of sliced carrots
  - 1 tablespoon of salad dressing
- 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries, sweetened with 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1-inch slice of angel food cake
- 1 cup of skim milk

Review Date: 8/15/2006

Reviewed By: Caroline M. Apovian, M.D., FACN, Associate Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Director, Nutrition & Weight Management Center, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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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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