Changing Recipes to be Healthier

Home-cooking can be good for you or it can be fattening and unhealthy. Quickly browse through your favorite recipe books and in some cases you’ll soon see how the calories and fat can mount up.

That is not to mention all the salt (sodium chloride) in some recipes, although it has a role to play, too much can be harmful.

But don’t despair, there are simple changes you can make to recipes that can help you reduce bad fats, calories and the salt. This will help you stay fit, trim and healthy. Here are a few ideas to start you off.

Apple sauce instead vegetable oil: If you are baking bread, cakes, muffins or quick bread, try swapping oil with applesauce, like for like on quantity. You can often do the same thing with butter. If you still like the taste and texture that the vegetable oil adds, you can substitute half of the applesauce for the oil. This simple change reduces bad fats and calories. Alternatively, try using olive oil instead of vegetable oil.

Egg substitutes: There are several brands of egg substitutes that you can use in place of eggs in many recipes. Some can even be scrambled – check the instructions. Egg substitute should be lower in fat and calories. If you are intolerant of eggs, check the label carefully for “allergy information”. However, do remember that eggs in moderation are good for you, being a complete protein.

Broth for flavor and moisture: Instead of adding oil to your vegetables or rice, use broth. Chicken, beef and vegetable broth will all add a great flavor to your dishes without adding calories. If you are using bouillon cubes, try adding two to the cooking water. If you are worried about your sodium intake, be sure to buy low-sodium broth and bouillon cubes instead.

Reduce the amount of salt you add to food, or “low-sodium” salt which is based on potassium instead of sodium. While many people enjoy the extra taste from added salt (sodium chloride), in excess it can raise your blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. The Blood Pressure Association, a UK based blood pressure charity, believes that reducing salt intake to 3g a day could prevent around 20,000 stroke and heart attack deaths in the UK each year. Low sodium salts can reduce sodium intake by about 60% yet maintain all the flavour. Potassium is also essential for good fluid balance and muscle function.

Use lean ground turkey instead of ground beef: Lean minced turkey is tasty and cooks just like minced beef. Depending on the quality (some are better, and some are really bad) minced beef has a lot of fat. Although you can drain off the fat, it’s never completely removed. Minced turkey instead is leaner and has few calories and fat grams than minced or ground  beef.

Low fat cheese and dairy: A very easy switch you can make is to use low fat cheese and dairy products in your cooking such as low or no fat sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt and ricotta cheese. In recipes, you will hardly notice the different. Remember that some low fat or fat free cheese does not melt in the same way as ordinary cheese, but you can use it if you are just using a little in tacos or other recipes.

Use natural yoghurt instead of cream – reduces calories and is better for you because it helps provide healthy gut bacteria. Natural yogurt is something of an acquired taste, but if you do it gradually you’ll soon get to the stage where you don’t notice it. Honestly!

Making the switch to low fat, low calories and low sodium does not have to be hard. You can use these tips to make your recipes better for you.

Please add a comment to share your own favorite tip for changing recipes to be more healthy.

Check out these straightforward nutrition guidelines in the Iowa Newton Daily News.

It really stands alone as an interesting article, but noteworthy because it packs so much common-sense into such a few words. Healthy eating needn’t be complicated or expensive when you stick with the basic principles of this article.

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As I’ve been running a series of articles on vegetarianism I have had one or two people asking if there are any disadvantages to the vegetarian diet. A “bad” vegetarian diet is no more healthy than a complete junk food diet. Chips and cakes 24/7 could technically be called “vegetarian”, but no-one in their right mind would call it “healthy”. Even ignoring such extremes, there are a few risks in switching to a vegetarian diet.

Although meat can contain unhealthy saturated fats, it is such an ideal source of protein that eliminating it is not without problems. If you eliminate meat, you must replace it with protein from another source otherwise you may become malnourished.

For example, meat is a good source of vitamin B12, which is essential for a healthy nervous system, forming red blood cells, reproductive functions and protein formation.

If you’re a vegetarian looking for a non-meat source of B12, click to read this answer on Yahoo. Topping up your B12 supplies by supplementation is sensible, but unless you’re acting under your doctor’s advice, it’s best not to supplement a single B vitamin (e.g. don’t take just B12) but rather to take a B-complex formula  containing B12.

Another danger of not replacing meat with a good protein source is that you may feel hungry more often and end up snacking frequently on foods that fill you with empty calories just because they are more readily available – for instance in the office vending machine.

If you have recently started on a vegetarian diet and find yourself still hungry and topping up with empty calories, reevaluate your protein choices carefully. Look for ways of adding protein to your diet instead of high fat and high sugar snacks. A good protein drink with added fresh fruit can be a healthy start to your day.

Good alternative protein rich foods include beans, nuts, cheese and eggs. Combine your proteins with whole grains to form complete proteins (those containing all the essential amino acids). Egg is also a complete protein.

None of the above is meant to deter you from following a healthy vegetarian diet

Decreasing meat can improve the health of your heart, plant foods aid in digestion and fiber promotes timely elimination of bodily waste; so a well-planned vegetarian diet can significantly improve your health.

Carrots in your winter skin-care routine!

During the winter months our skin is faced with the damaging and drying effects of cold, windy weather and the low humidity of indoor heating. But there’s no point in spending a fortune on lotions and potions without making sure you are eating the right food as well. The old saying “beauty comes from within” really does hold true and following a healthy diet filled with anti-oxidant rich foods is the best medicine for getting your skin in tip top condition and preventing premature aging.

Top of your skincare food list should be the humble carrot. This delicious root vegetable is packed with a powerful antioxidant beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. In fact, of all fruit and vegetables, carrots are actually the best source of beta-carotene – an 80g serving contains more than twice the recommended daily amount (RDA) needed by adults. The antioxidant action of beta-carotene helps to act against age-accelerating free radicals, so that our skin remains healthy and elastic.

In addition to its skincare benefits, the Vitamin A in carrots is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. This nutrient keeps the skin and cells that line the airways, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy, so they act as barriers and form the body’s first line of defense against infection.

And don’t worry if you’re not a fan of raw carrots, eating cooked carrots is actually a nutritional bonus. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that more beta-carotene was absorbed from cooked, puréed carrots than from raw ones*.

So make sure you pick up a bunch of carrots and get crunching. They’re great as a healthy snack with low-fat dips, and are endlessly versatile in a range of delicious dishes. Try out the winter warming recipes below or visit www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more recipe inspiration.

Some other top tips for looking after your skin in the winter include:

• Drink lots of water – when the days start getting colder it’s easy to forget to keep drinking your 6-8 glasses of water a day.
• Dress in layers – if you’re too hot, you will sweat, and that sweat will end up trapped close to your skin, making you itchy and red.
• Stick to a shorter, warm-water bathing routine – excessive hot water will dry out your skin.
  Continue to wear a moisturizer with SPF – just because it’s cold doesn’t mean the sun can’t still do some serious damage to your skin.
• It’s also a good idea to buy a lip balm with SPF to soothe chapped lips.
• Moisturize – it’s best to moisturize after your bath, applying body lotion all over while you’re still a bit damp.

And to help you boost your carrot intake, here’s a healthy recipe using carrots.

HONEY AND THYME ROASTED CARROTS

When you’ve got the oven on for a roast, why not pop the carrots in to? Roasted they have a wonderfully sweet, dense flavour and smooth velvety texture. Kids will particularly love ‘em!

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4
Per serving: 76 calories, 3.1g fat, 0.4 saturates, 11.3g sugars, 0.07g salt
Price per portion: 16p

Ingredients

450g/1lb carrots, washed and trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the carrots into thick batons – try and make them similar sizes and then they will cook evenly. Place in a roasting tin, add the oil, honey and lemon juice and seasoning and toss well to mix.

2. Roast the carrots for 20-25mins, stirring halfway through this time, until the carrots are golden and tender. Scatter over the herbs and serve warm.

One more broccoli recipe, still quick to prepare, and with great nutritional value.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g bellaverde® broccoli
• 45ml/3tbsp olive oil
  1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 medium aubergine, cut into small cubes (about 1cm)
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 (400g) can chopped tomatoes
• 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 50g/2oz pitted Kalamata olives
• 4 medium eggs
• 25g/1oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in a 25cm diameter frying pan, add the onion,
aubergines and pepper and sauté for 6-8 mins until soft and browned, stirring
occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, wash the bellaverde® and prepare by trimming the base
of the spear and chopping the remaining into 3cm pieces.

3. Pour the tomatoes in the frying pan with the bellaverde®,
basil and olives. Cover the pan with a baking tray or lid and cook, over a
medium heat for 4-5 mins or until all the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile,preheat the grill.

4. Use a spoon to make four hollows in the tomato mixture and very gently break one egg into each. Recover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins. Remove the lid, sprinkle over the Parmesan and cook under the grill for 2-3 mins or until the eggs are cooked as you like them. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread.

 Mail this post]]> http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/recipe-for-flamenco-eggs-with-broccoli/feed 0 http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/carrots_for_winter_meals http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/carrots_for_winter_meals#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:52:31 +0000 admin http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/?p=497 As the days get shorter and we all start planning some warming comfort food, make sure carrots are on the menu. They’re a classic ingredient in stews, pies and casseroles and are also packed full of vitamins to help ward of colds and keep you ship shape during the winter months.

Carrots are the most prolific vegetable source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system and keeps the skin and cells that line the airways, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy.

Carrots are actually one of those vegetables that are better for you cooked than raw. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that more beta-carotene was absorbed from cooked, pureed carrots than from raw ones1. Carrots are also naturally low in calories, fat, salt and saturates and high in fibre. An 80g serving of carrots, or about half a medium sized carrot, counts as one of your 5-A-DAY.

Try mashing carrots with potato, grating into pasta sauces and curries, or whizzing into soups. If you’re serving them on the side, why not ring the changes with our delicious suggestions below:

• Caraway seeds: After cooking, toss carrots in a frying pan with butter and a sprinkle of caraway seeds for around 3mins.
• Citrus: Citrus really brings out the sweet flavour of carrots. Simmer carrots until tender then drain and toss in a pan with some butter, sugar to taste and lemon or orange juice for delicious citrus glazed carrots.
• Honey: Try tossing carrots in honey and oil before cooking for a delicious and healthy glaze.
• Maple syrup: Stir 1tbsp of maple syrup and 1tbsp of wholegrain mustard into melted butter and pour over cooked carrots.
• Sesame seeds: Their nutty flavour complements the sweetness of carrots. Toss cooked carrots into a frying pan with sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds for 4mins before serving.

Here is the first of some delicious carrot recipes I will post over the next few weeks or log onto www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more ideas.

Honey and Thyme Roasted Carrots

When you’ve got the oven on for a roast, why not pop the carrots in too? Roasted they have a wonderfully sweet, dense flavour and smooth velvety texture. Kids will particularly love ‘em!
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4
Per serving: 76 calories, 3.1g fat, 0.4 saturates, 11.3g sugars, 0.07g salt
Price per portion: 16p

Ingredients
450g/1lb carrots, washed and trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried

Method
1.    Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the carrots into thick batons – try and make them similar sizes and then they will cook evenly. Place in a roasting tin, add the oil, honey and lemon juice and seasoning and toss well to mix.
2.    Roast the carrots for 20-25mins, stirring halfway through this time, until the carrots are golden and tender. Scatter over the herbs and serve warm.

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As I write this in the south of the UK, we are enjoying lovely summer weather, and thoughts turn to barbecues, and what is a barbecue without a burger?

But just because you are a vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a great burger – or even a hearty cheeseburger!

Here’s a great veggie-burger recipe from the vegetarian meal planners I told you about recently.

Try it out and let me know what you think:

Portobello Mushroom Burger – 365 Calories

Ingredients:

1 Portobello mushroom cap
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
dash teaspoon dried basil
dash teaspoon dried oregano
dash tablespoon minced garlic
1 oz (2 tbsp) sharp cheese or vegan cheese
1 tablespoons bottled teriyaki sauce
1 slices of Ezekiel bread
1 cup of tomato (slices)
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a
small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic,
salt, and pepper.

2. Pour over the mushrooms.

3. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.

4. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Brush grate with oil. Place
mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting.

5. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush
with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes
of grilling.

Delicious!

Please post a comment to let me know what you think, or – even better – contribute your own summer vegetarian recipes.

Remember, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to go completely vegetarian, but when we hear so much about “agri-business”, “factory farming”, “E.coli outbreaks”, and “industrial agriculture pollution”, there’s a lot to be said in favor of reducing the meat content of our diet.

More summer vegetarian recipes here!

Bellaverde (R) broccoli

1.    Balsamic and pine nut bellaverde® broccoli – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® spears, then boil or steam for 3 mins.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add 3 tbsp pine nuts and stir until golden.  Set aside.  Add 90ml/6 tbsp balsamic vinegar and simmer to reduce by half.  Drain the bellaverde®, then add to the frying pan, add the pint nuts and toss until coated.  Delicious served with grilled chicken or fish.

2.    Pesto Spaghetti with bellaverde® – Cook 350g spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water for 7 mins. Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli and cut the spears in half. Add to the spaghetti pan and cook for a further 3 mins. Drain the spaghetti and bellaverde and return to the pan. Add 6 tbsp pesto sauce and toss well. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

3.    Bellaverde® Gratin – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli then boil or steam for 3 mins. Place in a gratin dish. Heat a (300g) tub ready made cheese sauce according to pack instructions, then pour over the bellaverde®. Crumble over 25g grated Cheddar cheese. Pop under a hot grill until the cheese melts and serve immediately as a vegetable accompaniment.

4.    Bellaverde® Broccoli with Warm Seed Dressing – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli then boil or steam for 3 mins. Whilst this cooks, in a small pan, toast 2 tbsp each sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds in 2tbsp sesame oil until the seeds are golden. Drain the bellaverde®, return to the pan, then pour over the seeds, the juice of half a lemon and seasoning. Delicious served hot or cold with a wedge of crusty bread.

5.    Bellaverde® Broccoli with Soft Boiled Eggs – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli then boil or steam for 3 mins. Place 2 eggs per person in a medium pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 3½ mins, then lift the eggs from the water and place in egg cups. Stand the cups on plates then surround with the bellaverde® spears. Cut the tops off the eggs and dip the bellaverde® into the egg yolks – a delicious and nutritious brunch recipe.

6.    Barbecued Bellaverde® Broccoli – Bellaverde® broccoli makes a healthy colourful addition to summer barbecues. Take a (200g) pack bellaverde® broccoli, wash and lightly trim the end of each spear. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp water, 2 tbsp olive oil and a little salt and ground black pepper. Add the bellaverde® and toss until broccoli florets are coated. Cook over hot barbecue coals for 6-8mins, turning once or twice until the stems are just tender and lightly charred.

For more recipe ideas and information visit www.bellaverde.co.uk (launching soon).

Bellaverde(R) Broccoli

Broccoli is said to be one of nature’s superfoods, and this week I want to focus firstly on the health benefits of eating it and secondly on the launch of a new variety of broccoli that has all the health benefits of traditional broccoli while being more palatable to those who don’t number it among their favourite foods.

Why is broccoli good for you?

Broccoli contains the antioxidant beta-carotene and is also an excellent source of vitamin C. For every ounce, broccoli provides more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than a glass of milk, and three-times the amount of fiber in a slice of wheat bran bread. It also provides calcium, potassium, folate and phytonutrients, which are plant compounds that may help prevent diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

Broccoli is necessary for maintenance of skin, the mucous membranes, bones, teeth, and hair; for good vision; and for reproduction.

Studies show that broccoli sprouts reduce infection from the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. H.pylori is linked to peptic ulcers, stomach cancers and gastric lymphoma.

There is research suggesting that a mechanism involving antioxidants found in the Brassicaceae family of vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts cabbage and cauliflower) can prevent the build-up of free radicals. Excessive free radical production can damage cells and may even trigger cancers

But despite all these undisputed virtues, many people shun eating broccoli. So I was pleased to receive information on:

Bellaverde® – the Belle of the Brassicas

Fresh from the fields of Lincolnshire, bellaverde® is a new sweet tasting long stemmed broccoli, very similar in appearance to the traditional wild broccoli Cime di Rapa, eaten by our forbears. The young shoots are hand picked after just 10 days of growth and have a delicate, clean, fresh sweet taste, quite unlike any other broccoli.

Over the years farmers and breeders have invested time, effort and money on research programmes to develop a less bitter, sweeter tasting broccoli, and in the end nature came up with its own solution with bellaverde®.

Phillip Effingham, Director of Farming and Agronomic Development with leading brassica producer Marshalls*, based in Lincolnshire, explains: “We had been trialling a new variety of broccoli and I was walking across the field inspecting the crop after the main head had been harvested when I saw these fresh young shoots growing from lower down the plant. I bent down to taste one and it was a real eureka moment. It was what we had been working towards all these years.”

Because of its vibrant colour, farmers have christened the crop bellaverde®, which is Italian for “beautiful green.”  Broccoli originates from Italy where the name means ‘little shoots’. Bellaverde® is a true pure broccoli, rather than a cross with another vegetable, and therefore has all the health boosting superfood qualities of a traditional broccoli. It is high in Vitamin C, fibre and the B vitamin folate as well as being a source of potassium.

Bellaverde® will be launching in the supermarkets across the country from early July with the UK season lasting right up until the end of November when production switches to Spain to ensure a year round supply.

Phillip added: “Bellaverde® has a very long UK season compared to other long stemmed broccoli varieties which need to be flown in from warmer climates, and so we believe it will be very popular with customers who are actively looking for home grown produce. It will be grown on just one farm in Lincolnshire and one farm in Spain to ensure quality and consistency.”

To celebrate the launch, Italian celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo has devised some delicious family recipes using broccoli, which are available on www.bellaverde.co.uk. (launching soon) along with a host of other recipes and cooking tips. I shall bring you some delicious broccoli recipes over the next week or so.

“I love broccoli,” says Gino, “but it was not always the case. As a young boy I did find the bitter taste quite off-putting and so I think bellaverde® could be the answer to many parents’ dreams. My two young sons certainly like it.”

Gino added: “But what’s great for me as a chef is its versatility. You can throw it into stir fries, toss it in pasta, serve it on the side with meat or fish, enjoy in a warm salad or just eat raw as a crudité with dips. The florets and stems cook to perfection to give a crisp ‘al dente’ bite and nothing gets wasted.”

People who dislike broccoli aren’t just being fussy eaters. Twenty-five per cent of the population have more taste receptors on their tongues than the rest of us and are known as ‘super tasters’. They are genetically pre-disposed to pick up on the bitter taste of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables and to dislike them. They usually dislike the bitter taste of coffee and grapefruit juice too. The most famous broccoli hater was George Bush Senior who banned it from the White House.

With the launch of bellaverde®, British farmers are hoping everyone will now be able to benefit from the many nutritional benefits of broccoli.

It takes just three minutes to cook, with nothing being wasted as it can all go into the pan. An 80z serving counts as one of your 5-a-day and contains just 26 calories (kcals).

* Marshalls is a division of Produce World, also based in Lincolnshire, which will be packing, distributing and marketing bellaverde®

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If you tell many people that you’re thinking about taking up a vegetarian diet, they’ll look at you as if you’re crazy.  However, there are a lot of good reasons to go vegetarian, from your health, to that of the world around you.

A vegetarian diet will often

• cost less than a meat based one,
• help you feel a lot healthier,
• reduce your ecological footprint,
• help you avoid cruel factory farming practices,
• help you lose weight.

You just have to make sure you’re doing it correctly – a diet based mostly on spaghetti and powdered Parmesan cheese is technically vegetarian, but it’s not particularly good for you.

In fact a bad vegetarian diet is probably more harmful that a good meat-containing diet – especially if it’s just chips, chips and more chips!

However, eating a widely varied vegetarian diet consisting of lots of different types of fruits and vegetables (with or without the addition of dairy products and eggs) can help you have more energy, eat fewer calories, and get a better nutritional balance than the usual American diet.

It doesn’t have to be boring, either.  If you and your family are envisioning lots of heavy, dull meals packed with unseasoned boiled veggies and indistinguishable casseroles, or you think all you can eat on a vegetarian meal plan is salad, think again.  There are lots of vegetarian diet options out there to suit anyone.

Going without meat can be hard if you’re used to thinking of a meal as a central portion of protein with a few side dishes.  You’ll need to rethink the way you plan meals.  However, there are cuisines all over the world producing fantastic vegetarian food that tastes great while being nutritionally excellent.

You just need to learn how to go about it.  Try some Indian, Chinese, Japanese, or vegetarian Mexican meals.  Investigate the farmer’s market to find vegetables and fruits you’ve never tried before, and above all, be willing to be adventurous.

To help your family adjust to your vegetarian diet, the first thing to do is not to push it.  Even if you’re enthusiastic about the possibility of improved health, a greener life, and not paying for animal cruelty, they might not be convinced.  Evangelism isn’t the answer!  Don’t force anyone else to follow your lead, and don’t spend all your time talking about how great a vegetarian diet is.  Instead, learn to make meals that your family will love, and don’t focus on the fact that they’re vegetarian.  Once they realize that vegetarian food can be great, they’ll be a lot less resistant.

There are all kinds of reasons to choose a vegetarian diet, from a tightening budget to tightening your waistline.  Diet books mostly focus on chicken and fish, and don’t offer a wide variety of meat free options.  However, there are more ways to lose weight and save money than choosing factory farmed meat.

Try a vegetarian diet and see what you think, but make sure you’re using a great cookbook.  Making meals you enjoy is the first priority, even if you’d like to go meat free.  A vegetarian diet has a lot to offer, and you owe it to yourself to find out more today.

Click here for a free vegetarian meal planner.