Cranberry Power

Top Reasons why cranberries should be a part of your Healthy Diet:

Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs) and other polyphenols that help to prevent free radical damage.

Several studies show that the total antioxidant capacity of the cranberry consistently ranks higher than most other berries.

Cranberries can help ward off urinary tract infections by preventing E. coli from adhering to the walls of the bladder.

Cranberries may have a potential role in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease by delaying the suppressing LDL oxidation.

Naturally fat-free and with very little sodium, cranberries easily fit within the dietary guidelines.

One cup of cranberries has 4 grams of fiber, 65mg of potassium and 20% of the daily value for vitamin C.

Available year round, cranberries are easy to incorporate into daily living....dried, fresh, sauce or in a fruit juice cocktail!

Visit the Cranberry Institute for more information!

Monday Message - Cooked Cereal

Oatmeal for breakfast....again?!  Yum!  In my opinion, Oatmeal is like a breakfast treat.....almost as good as a fresh baked fruit cobbler with an oatmeal crumb topping!  Of course if you load on the butter and sugar you might get the "dessert" satisfaction, but by keeping it simple you can still enjoy a warm sweet treat for breakfast on a regular basis.

Oatmeal, Grits, Quinoa, Steel Cut Oats, Cream of Wheat and Brown Rice are all favorites of mine and I had most of them quite regularly for breakfast while growing up.  See below for my favorite ways to get in a hot cereal breakfast and check out this link from Kids Eat Right for even more ideas on jazzing up your cooked cereal.

Can you guess what type of Grain this is?



• Instant Oatmeal: Cook an Apple and Cinnamon flavored packet (lowest in sugar!) with one small apple, diced into tiny pieces in milk or water according to oatmeal directions.
• Old Fashioned Oats: Cook on the stove with 1% milk plus a couple of drops of vanilla extract and then topped with blueberries....fresh or frozen.
• Steel Cut Oats:  Cook them for a while......add a little sweetened soy milk and fresh fruit on top.
• Cream of Wheat:  Made with milk and served with a honey swirl on top.
• Quinoa:  Cook in hot water or milk with dried cranberries and cinnamon.
• Brown Rice:  Mix with hot milk and a little brown sugar.

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Danish Meatballs

 

Recipe By: Martha Marino, MA, RD, CD

 

Both the Swedes and the Danes in my family have their own traditional versions of meatballs. Here in my Seattle home, I adapted my Grandmother Jorgensen's Danish recipe by substituting lean ground pork for pork sausage, substituting nonfat milk for whole milk, and using the leanest ground beef available. The mix is flavorful with traditional spices: nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

 

Ingredients

1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup nonfat (skim) milk
2 eggs
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup white flour
1½ pounds extra-lean ground beef
½ pound lean ground pork
1 tablespoon butter

 

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the bread crumbs and milk. Let this mixture stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, salt, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and flour. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the beef and pork; beat on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
3. Shape the meat mixture into meatballs about 2 inches in diameter, using about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture for each meatball. (A small ice-cream scoop may be used for consistent portions.)
4. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place the meatballs in the skillet and flatten slightly (frikadeller aren't perfect orbs). Cook 8 to 10 minutes until the meatballs are browned on both sides and are no longer pink in the middle. Depending on the size of the skillet, the meatballs likely will need to be prepared in batches. Place the cooked meatballs on a platter and keep them warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Check out the Recipe Link for Nutrition Facts


CookingTip

Leftover frikadeller can be placed in a zip-top food storage bag and frozen for a future meal.


Serving Suggestion

We serve frikadeller with red cabbage, boiled new potatoes or mashed potatoes, and lingonberries. Although we generally don't use gravy with our meatballs, packaged beef gravy could be served on the side.

Recipe of the Week - Roasted Spring Asparagus

Roasted Spring Asparagus

 

Recipe By:  Frances Largeman, RD

 

Although you can grill, steam, or broil asparagus, I especially love it roasted. This tasty and simple dish goes well with chicken, lamb, or fish. Scroll down for Food Trivia, Shopping & Cooking Tips!

 

Ingredients

1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons truffle oil, optional

 

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Clean and trim the asparagus. Peel the ends if the spears are thick.
3. Drizzle a roasting pan with the olive oil and lay the asparagus evenly in the pan. Turn to coat with the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast the asparagus for approximately 20 minutes, or until the stalks are tender yet crisp. Remove from the pan and transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with the truffle oil, if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make 8 Servings

Check out the Recipe Link for the Nutrition Facts

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Shopping Tip: Whether you bring home stalks from the farmers market or from your local grocery, make sure the spears are firm and fresh looking and the tips are tightly closed. Asparagus should be eaten within a few days for the best flavor. The best way to store asparagus in the refrigerator is to cut off an inch from the stalk and stand the spears upright in an inch or two of water, covered with a plastic bag.


Food Trivia: Asparagus is a member of the lily family. In addition to the common green color, asparagus also comes in purple and white varieties. The purple asparagus turns green when cooked. The prized white variety is cultivated by covering the stalks with mounds of earth to prevent the development of chlorophyll, which creates the green hue.


Nutrition Nugget: Asparagus is a great source of folate, iron, and potassium. This vegetable is also high in vitamins A and C.


Cook's Tip: Truffle oil is olive oil that has been infused with the flavor of black truffles; it imparts a rich, earthy flavor to cooked foods.

Monday Message - Snacking Tip

What we see we often are tempted to eat!  How many times have you munched on snacks at a party simply because they were there?  We tend to eat more at buffets because we can see the abundant supply of choices.  Temptations also come in the form of of family style dining when second helpings are so close to our forks.

Whether during snack time or meal times we see what we eat because we like what we see!  Keeping smaller plates on hand will help portions stay smaller and reaching for healthier foods like fresh fruits and veggies will help control calorie intake, but here are a few tips for Keeping Snacks Out of Sight from Kids Eat Right.  Check them out!

Watch out for the See-Through Cookie Jars!

Recipe of the Week - Liz's Lemon Bowl

Grilled Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

This Week's Recipe is from Liz's Lemon Bowl a fabulous cooking blog with many innovative recipe ideas that will pack your plates full of color and nutrients!

Are you wondering how to Grill your Greens?  Learn from the best!  Recipe Link

Monday Message - Preteen/Teen Weight and Body Image

Are your Children entering puberty?  Are you concerned with Preteen weight gain?   Do you wonder what do feed your Teenagers to keep them growing healthy?

Check out the latest articles from the Kids Eat Right website:  These two articles will provide information on Pre Teen Weight  and nutrients for your Growing Teen.

Need Walking Gear?

Gazelle Sports is a premiere shoe and activewear store with three locations in West Michigan.  By shopping at Gazelle, you will be personally fitted for shoes based on your foot, your activities and your lifestyle!  The knowledgeable staff will make you feel comfortable in an atmosphere of safety for injury prevention. 

Gazelle Sports comes highly recommended from this Recreational Runner and Group Exercise Enthusiast!  Beginning April 19th, Gazelle will be celebrating their newly remodeled store in Grand Rapids, MI with a Local Events and a Customer Appreciation Week!  Check out the promotions and event calendar for this event:  Grand Rapids Gazelle Sports Store

Here's a Sneak Peak of the Deals during Customer Appreciation Week - May 5 thru 8!

Gazelle Sports & Brooks Customer Appreciation Week

Take 15% OFF all Brooks Product (excludes sale items)

May 5 6:30 -8:30 Race Day 101 Clinic
Gazelle Sports Grand Rapids
First 100 participants will receive a gift from Brooks

May 5
5:30 pm - Brooks “Run Happy” Happy Hour Run
Gazelle Sports Grand Rapids

Join us for a FREE 4 mile fun run. Participants will be eligible to win one of hundreds of prizes from Brooks and Gazelle Sports!

May 7
8 am - Brooks Countdown to the Fifth Third River Bank Training Run Run
David D Hunting YMCA, 475 Lake Michigan Dr

Stick around after the run for gait analysis, food, hydration and a drawing for Gazelle Sports gift cards!
BONUS! Spend $120 on Brooks gear and receive a Special Edition Brooks Podium Shirt emblazoned with the Gazelle Sports logo. Wear your shirt to the Fifth Third River Bank Run and be our guest at Gazelle Sports VIP room!

National Start Walking Day!

April 6, 2011 is National Start Walking Day!  If you have not gone for a "walk" in longer than you can remember...today is the day to get started.

Unfortunately, we are part of a "convenience" society where we rarely have to walk if we really do not want to because we have Vehicles, Drive-Thrus, Moving Walkways, Golf Carts, Email/Texting and Rolling Chairs.  If we are not using our legs then we are not moving in the way our bodies were intended to.....ever heard of the phrase "use it or lose it?"  We need to use those legs by walking regularly.  If walking is not part of your regular routine, let's get started now! 

Check out this website:  Start Walking Now  by the American Heart Association for more information about National Start! Walking Day.  You will even find a toolkit for your place of work or group/organization so you can help support each other.


Need a goal? 

April 27, 2011 is National Walk @ Lunch Day!  Clear your calendar of any lunch meetings or appointments that day and schedule a 60 minute walk instead.  If you start walking today, make it a goal to work up to 60 minutes by April 27th. 

Find a cause to support by walking!  5K Walks are popular as well as Marathon Walking Relay Teams.  Check your local events calendar for ideas.

Start small by walking to your mailbox, then to the neighbor's driveway, then to the end of the street, then around the block....before you know it you will have established a regular walking routine and you will have more energy and a stronger heart!

Scout out a trail and make a plan to work up to walking the entire length of the trail.

Let's Go!  Today's the day to grab your tennis shoes and get up from your desk or your couch and get moving!

Monday Message - The Incredible Edible Egg

Eggs have been in the media for many years as "good" then "bad" and then "good" again.  As a Registered Dietitian, I routinely receive questions about eggs and how many people should have in a day or week.  For most healthy people, eggs are a great source of protein and an important part of a balanced diet.  Individuals may require different amounts of eggs based on their family history of heart disease and current cholesterol level or how many milligrams of cholesterol they eat throughout the day.  There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation so it I would suggest talking with a Dietitian. However, this eggs-cellent link from the Kids Eat Right Campaign will provide you with the nutrition information in an egg as well as the latest research on cholesterol consumption for healthy people.

The key to keeping eggs healthy is to avoid the heavy additives such as butter/margarine when cooking eggs for breakfast or mayonnaise when making eggsalad or deviled eggs.  Another quick tip:  Consume more egg whites than egg yolks!

How do you like your eggs?  I like mine basted!

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Rainbow Swirly Smoothie

Recipe By:  Stacey Antine, MS, RD

The HealthBarn USA Rainbow Swirley Smoothie was created for kids by kids! It's so easy, refreshing and vitamin-packed — even parents like it. Blend this yummy smoothie up for breakfast or share it with friends for a high-energy after-school snack. It's loaded with antioxidants that keep our bodies running strong, calcium for strong bones and teeth, and omega-3 fatty acids to make us super smart!

 

Ingredients

6 ice cubes
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
½ cup 100% pure orange juice
1½ cups fresh strawberries (can substitute blueberries, raspberries or frozen berries)
1 banana
2 tablespoons flaxseeds, ground
1 tablespoon honey

 

Directions

1. Place ice cubes into blender and crush ice (looks like snow!)
2. Place remaining ingredients into blender.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour into cups.
5. Enjoy!

 Recipe Link:  Nutrition Facts

Monday Message - Family Play Time

I recently saw this billboard along the highway and thought that it would fit in well this this week's Monday Message.  Bringing FUN to Physical Activity and Healthy Eating is a key ingredient to a healthy family.  Valuable lessons can be learned when using meal times and family activities as teachable moments for a healthy lifestyle. Family Play Time can help with that.  This week's article from Kids Eat Right discusses the importance of including the whole family in physical activities.  Family Play Time


Need some Family Fitness Ideas?

• Bring your family to MVP Sportsclubs!  Attending the gym as a family, even if you all plan to do different activities, sets a great example for your kids and other families!  If you are looking for programs for kids while you work out check out MVPSportsplex Classes and Programs Kids Link. 
• Explore a new area on foot.  Most state parks have hiking trails for all skill levels and ages.
• Play sports together.
• Go miniature golfing or create a course in your own yard.
• Spend the afternoon on a local playground.
• Go for a family Bike Ride.
• Make a "friendly" competition out of jumping jacks, running fights of stairs or other fitness activities that your family can track all week.
• You can even do "less fun" activities such as family chores...wash the car together, mow the law, prep for a garden or shovel the snow.