Baked Chicken with Rice and Herbs

Serves: 4 (1/2 chicken breast per serving)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

You can save a few more minutes by purchasing boneless, skinless chicken breast halves and reducing cooking to 35-45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 whole medium chicken breasts, halved lengthwise (1 1/2 lbs. total), skinned, all visible fat removed
5 ounce package brown and wild rice or long-grain and wild rice
1 1/2 cups water
9 or 10 ounces package frozen no-salt-added-peas
1/4 cup dry white wine or water
3/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry and set aside. In a 2-quart glass baking dish or casserole, combine water and rice. Discard seasoning packet that came with rice. Stir in remaining ingredients and arrange chicken on top. Cover dish and bake about 1 hour or until chicken and rice are tender.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 292
Protein: 32 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Sodium: 115 mg
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg.179

Lemon Cake with Apricot Glaze

Serves: 16 (1 slice per serving)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 17 minutes

Lemon juice and zest give this cake a refreshing taste. The sweetness of the apricot preserves balances the tartness of the lemon.

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray
18.25 ounce package lemon-flavored cake mix
6 large egg whites, egg substitute equal to 3 eggs or 3 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (2 medium lemons)
3/4 cup all-fruit apricot preserves
1 cup frozen fat-free or light whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9x13x2 inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg whites, water, zest, and lemon juice. Mix using package directions. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center come out clean. Put on cooling rack. In a small saucepan, heat preserves over medium-high heat until melted, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Brush evenly over cake. Serve warm or at room temperature with 1 Tbsp. whipped topping on each piece.

Lemon Cake with Apricot Topping
Beat unheated preserves with a fork, if desired. Fold into 3 cups frozen fat-free or light whipped topping, thawed; spread over completely cooled cake. Refrigerate leftovers. (Calories: 191; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated fat: 3 g; Polyunsaturated: 0 g; Monounsaturated: 2 g; Fiber: 0 g; Sodium: 211 mg)

Lemon Cupcakes with Apricot Glaze
For cupcakes, pour batter into two 12-cup muffin pans. Follow baking times on package. Brush with glaze. Increase amount of whipped topping to 1 1/2 cups. (Calories: 122; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated: 1 g; Polyunsaturated: 0 g; Monounsaturated: 1 g; Fiber: 0 g; Sodium: 139 mg)

Cooks Tip on Citrus Zest
An implement called a zester make quick work of removing the peel, or zest, of citrus fruit. Use rather firm downward strokes, being careful not to get any of the pith, the bitter white layer just beneath the peel. Measuring and cleanup will be easy if you work over a sheet of wax paper.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 179
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sodium: 206 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 304

Walking...Marvelously Inexpensive

Walking is a wonderful thing!  It is free and can be done ultimately anywhere, not to mention it is for most people an easy form of physical activity.

Benefits

Benefits of walking could include but are not limited to:

• Help you feel rejuvinated and give yourself a boost of energy
• Reduce stress and help you relax
• Increase muscle tone
• Help your body burn more calories
• Strengthen your muscles and bones
• Increase your fitness level and endurance
• Give you a chance to spend time with friends and family. This is a great socializing time.
• Help maintain a healthy body weight.

Walking and moderate physical activity for 30 mins a day can help reduce your risk for multiple chronic conditions.

• Reduce Risk for Heart Disease
• Reduce Risk or Improve Type II Diabetes
• Lower blood sugar levels (glucose)
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower blood sugar
• Reduce risk of osteoporosis
• Reduce risk of breast and colon cancer

Location, Location, Location
The possibility of walking locations is endless and that is the beauty of walking.  It can be done almost anywhere.  Places you could take a walk could include:

• Neighborhoods
• Local Parks
• The High School Track
• Shopping Centers / Malls
• Recreation Centers
• The Jordan Parkway or Local Walking Trails

References:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/getting_started.html
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/walking.htm
http://startwalkingnow.org/whystart_benefits_walking.jsp

Yogurt Brulee with Blueberries

Serves: 

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time:

This breakfast treat looks so elegant, your family will think it took hours instead of minutes to prepare. You can also serve this dessert, but caution is advised: You may be tempted to eat dessert first!

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or 4 cups unsweetened frozen blueberries, thawed
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 (8 ounce) containers fat-free or low-fat vanilla yogurt (2 cups)
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Put four 1-cup custard cups or ramekins on a broilerproof baking sheet. In a medium bowl, stir together blueberries and lemon zest. To, assemble, spoon 1/2 cup blueberry mixture into each custard cup. Top each with about 1/2 cup yogurt and 2 tsp. brown sugar. Broil about 4 inches from heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until brown sugar is melted and bubbly. Watch carefully to keep sugar from burning.

Cook's Tip:
One way to thaw frozen blueberries is in the microwave. Measure them into a microwave safe container. Microwave on 50% power (medium) for 4 to 5 minutes (no stirring needed). This method preserves the juice which you can spoon in with the berries.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 143
Protein: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Cholesterol: 2 mg
Total Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 69 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 293

Healthy Weight Tips

Avoid emotional eating.

• Don’t let strong feelings turn into weight gain.
• Figure out what your eating triggers are.
• Pay attention to how much and what you are eating.

Don’t skip meals.

• Skipping meals does not help you lose weight!
• Your body needs a certain number of calories every day.
• If you skip a meal, you will probably snack or eat more later.
• Try to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

Get rid of guilt.

• Feeling guilty about eating a “bad” food or eating too much isn’t helpful.
• Guilt is a type of negative thinking, and you can overcome it!
• Instead, make a list of the foods that you feel most guilty about eating, and replace them with healthier foods or eat them less often and in smaller amounts.
• Stop buying the foods that make you feel guilty. You can’t eat them if you don’t have them in the house.

Eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you’re full.

• Sit at a table to eat.
• Slow down! Eating slowly lets you enjoy your food and gives your brain a chance to figure out when you’re full.
• Put your fork down between most bites to help you slow down.
• Pay attention to portion size.

Plan to have healthy snacks.

• Snacking is not always a bad thing. It just depends on what the snack is.
• Prepare healthy snacks ahead of time and keep them handy when you’re on the go.
• Healthy snacks include raw vegetables, fruit, a small handful of nuts, or unbuttered popcorn. Look at snacks as a way to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Understand recent weight gain.

• Sometimes people gain weight in a short period of time because they are going through hard times (death, divorce, or job changes). They don’t have the time or energy to watch what they eat or to get regular physical activity.
• Are you gaining weight because you are trying to quit smoking?

Understand how weight loss works.

• If you have tried losing weight but weren’t able to keep it off, don’t feel bad!
• Most diets lead to some weight loss, but keeping the weight off is much harder.
• Think about when you tried to lose weight: what worked and what didn’t work?

Be active while sitting.

• If you spend a lot of time sitting, either watching TV or working at a desk, get more active!
• Aim for 2½ hours of physical activity each week.
• Physical activity not only can help you lose weight or stay at a healthy weight, it can:
• Improve your blood pressure and cholesterol
• Lower your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
• Relieve stress

Garlic Baked Chicken Breasts

Serves: 4 (one-half breast per serving)
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 whole medium chicken breasts (1 1/2 lbs.) halved lengthwise and skinned, all visible fat removed.
2 tsp. bottled minced garlic

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Arrange on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking pan. Spread 1/2 tsp. garlic over each piece of chicken. Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 144
Protein: 26 g
Carbohydrates: 1 g
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Sodium: 61 mg
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 117

Know Your Fats...The Good the Bad and the Ugly!

e all know that we should limit the amount of fat in our diets but do we really understand the different types of fat. Are some fats worse than others?  Is there such a thing as "Good" fats?  The answers are YES!

Even though we should limit fat in our diet we should understand that some fat in our diet is essential.  But more importantly the types of fat we are eating can affect our health greatly.

Types of Fat

There are essentially 4 different types of fat.

• Trans Fats
• Saturated Fats
• Monounsaturated Fats
• Polyunsaturated Fats

The Good
Both Monosaturated and Polyunsaturated fats are what would be considered "Good Fats".  These types of fat are found mostly in fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated and trans fats. But a moderate intake of all types of fat is best.

Examples:

• Salmon
• Trout
• Herring
• Avocados
• Olives
• Walnuts
• Liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower.

The Bad
Saturated fat is considered to be a "Bad Fat".  A diet high in saturated fat is the main cause for high cholesterol.  You can find saturated fats in animal or diary products and occasionally in some plants. Saturated fat is not the WORST fat out there but should be limited.

Examples:

• Animal Products:
• Beef
• Beef Fat
• Veal
• Lamb
• Pork
• Lard
• Poultry fat
• Diary Products: 
• Butter
• Cream
• Milk (Mostly your higher percent milks like 2% and Whole)
• Cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk.
• Plants:
• Coconut
• Coconut oil
• Palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils)
• Cocoa butter.

The Ugly

Trans Fats are on "The Ugly" list in regards to fats.  They are classified by some doctors as the worst fat of them all. Trans Fats also known as Trans Fatty Acid should be either consumed very very little if at all. Essentially Trans fats should be less than 1% of your daily calories. Trans Fat used to be more common but are becoming less common due to the "bad rap" they receive.  The biggest concern with Trans Fats is that it raises your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your "good" (HDL) cholesterol.

Trans Fats are most commonly found in highly processed foods or commerically baked goods such as:

• Cookies
• Cakes
• Crackers
• Donuts
• French Fries
• Shortenings
• Some margarines

More commonly now you will find products that say "0 grams of Trans Fat" but you may need to take a closer look to get the full story. In the United States if a food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, the food label can read 0 grams trans fat. Though that's a small amount of trans fat, if you eat multiple servings of foods with less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, you could exceed recommended limits.

Beware
As I mentioned before a nutrition label may say "0 grams of Trans Fat" but that may not be the full story.  When looking at the ingredients you want to look for the words "partially hydrogenated" vegetable oil. That's another term for trans fat. The word "shortening" also is a clue: Shortening contains some trans fat.

However, if a food label says "fully" or "completely" hydrogenated oil is does NOT contain Trans Tat. Unlike partially hydrogenated oil, the process used to make fully or completely hydrogenated oil doesn't result in trans-fatty acids. However, if the label says just "hydrogenated" vegetable oil, it could mean the oil contains some trans fat.

The Scoop

• Limit total fat intake to less than 25–35 percent of your total calories each day;
• Limit saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total daily calories;
• Limit trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total daily calories;
• The remaining fat should come from sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, fish and vegetable oils; and

References:
American Heart Association
Mayo Clinic

Marinated Hosin Chicken

Serves: 4 (1 to 2 pieces chicken per serving)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 to 24 hours
Cooking Time: 45 to 55 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks) skinned, all visible fat removed
2 Tbsp. Hosin sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Directions:
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in plastic bag with a tight fitting seal. In a small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken in bag. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally to distribute marinade. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain chicken and discard marinade. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Bake, uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 141
Protein: 24 g
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg
Sodium: 61 mg
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 116

Fiber

Fiber is best known for helping to keep food moving efficiently through your body. This is only one of the many ways fiber contributes to good health. Fiber helps prevent:

• Heart disease: Fiber may aid in the prevention of heart disease by lowering your cholesterol.
• Diabetes: Fiber helps control blood sugar levels for people with diabetes.
• Digestive Problems: Adequate amounts of fiber from foods can help prevent constipation and hemorrhoids.
• Weight Gain: A high-fiber eating plan is lower in calories and tends to make you feel full faster.

Consuming enough fiber may be easier than you think. Fiber is found in whole grains, beans and fruits and vegetables. The recommended daily amount of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. After age 50, your daily fiber needs drops to 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men.

You can meet your daily fiber needs with 2 cups of fruits and 2 ½ cups of vegetables every day, along with whole grains and beans. Add vegetables to stews and casseroles and add oats to meat loaf, breads and cookies. Add fruit to cereal or eat it as a snack and in salads.

Source:
American Dietetic Association

Seven Spice Chicken

Serves: 4 (1/4 lb. chicken per serving)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hr. - 1 hr. 15 min.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 lb. whole chicken
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Remove giblets and neck and save for other use or discard. Twist wings under back. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Set aside. Using your fingers and beginning at the neck of the chicken, gently separate the skin from the body across the breast and down the legs. Do not separate the skin near the tail. Reach under the skin and rub the spice mixture over the flesh of the chicken. If  necessary, secure any loose skin to the chicken with toothpicks. Roast in oven 1 hr. to 1 hr. 15 min. or until chicken is tender and no longer pink and drumsticks move easily in their sockets. Before serving, remove skin from chicken, leaving the spice mixture on the meat.

Cooks tip: At the grocery store, pat attention to the date stamped on poultry products, dairy foods, meats, and some packaged products. These are "sell by" or "use by" dates that indicate that these products are fresh up to the date shown on the package.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 202
Protein: 32 g
Carbohydrates: 1 g
Cholesterol: 90 mg
Sodium: 219 mg
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 113

Heart Healthy Grocery List

The American Heart Association has a wonderful tool that can help you with your grocery shopping. All the products are certified as heart-healthy foods. Which means it meets the American Heart Association's criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol.

There are a lot of great features to create a shopping list, print it, email it or even add it to your phone.  You can also save your shopping list to use again in the future.  You can even search products by category of manufacturer.

Even if you don't create a grocery list using this unique tool.  Anytime you see this symbol you can be assured that the products are a good healthy choice.

Give it a try! Take one more step to being healthier by making heart healthy choices at the grocery store!

My Grocery List

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Serves: 4 (2 enchiladas per serving)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup no salt added tomato sauce
1/2 cup salsa
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 cup canned nonfat refried beans
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together tomato sauce and salsa. Using about half the tomato sauce mixture, brush both sides of each tortilla. Stack tortillas on a plate and set aside (This allows tortillas to soften). In a large skillet, cook beef over medium high heat until brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place in colander and rinse under hot water. Drain well. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Return beef to skillet. Stir in refried beans, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until heated through. Preheat broiler. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture in a line down the center of the tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place, seam side down, in a 10x6x2 inch or a 9x9x2 glass baking dish. Top with remaining tomato sauce mixture. Broil4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 324
Protein: 25 g
Carbohydrates: 41 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
Sodium: 643 mg
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg.154

Adding Physical Activity to a Busy Schedule

If you have a health condition, an old injury, or you have not been active in a while, talk with your doctor first about what level and kinds of activities are safe for you.

Work

When you work, find ways to keep active and put extra moves into your routine.

• If you sit a lot at work, try to get up and move every hour or two.
• Stretch at your desk or march in place.
• Walk up and down stairs, deliver a message, or pick up supplies.
• Use breaks or part of lunch to walk for 10 minutes.
• If you stand a lot at work, try walking in place or moving your arms.
• If you’re stressed, take 5-10 deep breaths and sit up as tall as you can.
• When you are doing seated activities, stretch your body while youstretch your mind.

Home

When you watch TV, some good ways to move are:

•  Use an exercise DVD or video for a few minutes before you watch any other TV
• Use commercials as an exercise break - during a 1-hour show you can get in 10 minutes of movement. Do chair exercises or a few quick stretches.
• Take exercise breaks while you use a computer, do hobbies, or play games.
• Walk around while you talk on the phone.
• Do leg and foot exercises while you’re reading.
• Take a quick walk after you finish a chapter.

Housework/Yardwork

When you do household chores, yard work, gardening, and home repair, think about ways to move and make your chores do double duty!

• Scrub a little harder and longer. 
• Put music on and turn cleaning into dance time!
• Make several trips up the stairs.
• Spend some extra time gardening.
•  Don’t use a sprinkler—walk around with the hose or watering can instead.

Errands

• Walk or bike to get to where you need to go more often, and walk or pedal briskly.
• Do errands or visit people on foot.
• If you drive, park in the farthest safe parking spot; if you take the bus, get off one stop early.

Steak with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves: 4 (1/4 lb. steak per serving)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12-14 minutes

Ingredients:
4 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 small carrot, shredded
1 green onion, sliced
2 tsp. chopped fresh basil or 1/2 dried basil, crushed
1 lb. lean boneless top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick, all visible fat removed
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic
Directions: Remove as much oil as possible from tomatoes by patting them with paper towels. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, carrot, green onion, and basil. Set aside. Cut the steak in half crosswise. Cut a large slit horizontally in each half to form a pocket. Spoon tomato mixture into the pocket. Secure opening with toothpicks. Preheat broiler. Lightly spread each side of steak with garlic. Place steaks on the unheated rake of a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 6 minutes. Turn and broil 6-8 minutes more or until steak reaches desired doneness. Remove toothpicks and cut each piece of steak in half.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 197
Protein: 23 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Cholesterol: 59 mg
Sodium: 97 mg
Total Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g
Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 149

Lemony Blueberry Coffeecake

Serves: 15 (2 1/2 x 3 inch slice per serving)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-38 minutes
Cooling Time: 10-20 minutes

Serve this delicated flavored moist cake warm from teh oven for brunch. If there is any left over, pack it in lunches or serve for dessert, drizzled with fat-free lemon yogurt.

Ingredients:
Vegetable spray

Topping
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (small wild blueberries preferred)
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt (8 ounces)
Egg substitute equivalent to 3 eggs, or 3 larges eggs
1/4 cup fat-free milk
3 Tbsp. acceptable vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Set oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray; set aside. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients. For cake, in a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, caradamom, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add flour mixture, stirring until flour is moistened. Pour batter into baking pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Raspberry Coffeecake
Substitute 1 cup raspberries for blueberries and 1/2 tsp. almond extract for lemon zest and vanilla extract. (Calories 188; 5 g; Carbohydrates 36 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Total Fat 3 g; Saturated 0 g; Polyunsaturated; Monunsaturated; Fiber 2 g; Sodium 93 mg).

Cooks Tip on Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Whole wheat pastry flour contains less gluten than regular whole wheat flour. Therefore, it is lighter and better in cakes and pastries. It is available in health food and gourmet markets and in some supermarkets.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 192
Protein: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 37 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat:
Monounsaturated Fat:
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 94 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 290

Tips for Eating Out

Food choices away from home are important to your health and weight because many of us are eating more meals away from home. Fortunately, making healthful and delicious choices in restaurants is also easier today. Restaurants of all types are responding to customers’ desires with more options in portion sizes, preparation methods and menu items:

• More appetizer-size portions of popular entrées
• More baked and broiled choices in meat, fish and poultry
• More fruit and vegetables side orders to substitute for fries.

Hit the Bricks
Make physical activity part of dining out. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes:

• Walk from Home or the Office. Pick a restaurant that’s a 10- or 15-minute walk away. You'll get your meal and 30 minutes of physical activity and avoid the parking hassles.
• Walk with Family or Friends. Get moving as a group before or after eating. A brisk walk before a meal gives you time to chat. A stroll afterward helps your digestion.
• Walk Up Instead of Driving Thru. Park your car in the lot and walk inside to get your fast food order. And make fast food an occasional treat rather than a daily habit.

Right-Size Your Serving Sizes
Becoming sensible about serving sizes is an important way to maintain a healthy weight and it’s good for your wallet too.

• Instead of a large entrée, order an appetizer and a leafy green salad or choose two appetizers for a meal.
• Start with a small serving like a cup of soup, a junior burger or a small order of fries. If you are still hungry, order something else.
• Indulge your inner child: Order a kid’s meal at a fast-food restaurant. Many now offer a choice of low-fat milk and fruits or vegetables instead of fries.
• Savor your steak twice as much. Eat half at the restaurant, then take the other half home to enjoy sliced onto a green salad or as a sandwich on whole-grain bread.
• Ask for a to-go box as soon as your meal is served. Put half your food into the container for a second meal. That’s two meals for the price of one.
• Share from start to finish. Order one appetizer for the whole table and then order one dessert with multiple forks. Sometimes, just a bite or two is perfect.
• Share an entrée. You can ask your server to split the meal in the kitchen or divide it up yourselves at the table.

Source:
American Dietetic Association

Sherbet Parfaits

Serves: 4 (6 ounce parfait per serving)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh raspberries or blueberries
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pint frozen rainbow sherbet or a flavor of your choice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine berries and sugar. Using a potato masher or fork, mash berries slightly. Layer the berries wth the sherbet in 4 (6 ounce) parfait or decorative glasses. Serve immediately or freeze until serving time. If frozen, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 187
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 43 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 44 mg
Total Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 256

Most Important Meal of the Day...Breakfast!

Importance of Breakfast

How many of us out there believe that skipping breakfast will help us lose weight? Do we think we are eating fewer calories because we are “skipping” a meal? Well think again. In reality, most of us probably know that breakfast has the reputation of being the most important meal of the day. But do we know why?

There is plenty of sound research available that supports the notion that eating breakfast not only helps to lose weight, but to also keep it off and maintain a healthy weight. Think about it, during the 8 (or so) hours we are sleeping we are generally not eating (if we are, we have other problems to address). Therefore, we are “fasting” sometimes 15-20 hours. When we eat breakfast it prevents us from being ravenous wolves when we FINALLY do eat. Plus, eating breakfast also helps start our metabolism for the day.

A large base of research shows that eating breakfast prevents overeating throughout the day. Eating breakfast helps us to naturally spread out what we eat throughout the day. This is better for our body because we are constantly fueled throughout the day and we also have the time needed to burn the fuel we consume.

Eating Smart for Breakfast

Now that we understand the importance of eating breakfast, what should we eat? Just like eating breakfast is important, it is also important that we make smart choices in what we eat for breakfast.

Fruits and whole grains are a great breakfast option because they have a lot of fiber and are low in fat. They are low in calories but also high in nutrition density. These items are what we could call energy dense. They are foods that we help you feel full and provide high energy without being high in calories. Overall, you get More for Less.

Some examples of great breakfast items could include:

• A bowl of oatmeal and fruit
• A bowl of whole grain cold cereal and fruit
• Multigrain waffles
• Low-fat yogurt and fruit
• Whole grain toast and fruit
• Fruit Smoothie
• Whole grain toast with peanut butter

Note: If you have not had a high fiber diet, introduce fiber gradually. Too much fiber at once if you are not used to it can cause constipation, diarrhea or an upset stomach.

Source:
Web MD

Additional Resources:
American Dietetic Association
American Dietetic Association
American Dietetic Association
More Matters
Mayo Clinic

Roast Turkey Breast with Cranberry-Jalapeno Sauce

An easy way to enjoy the flavor of fresh cranberry sauce without any effort is by using a container of cranberry-orange sauce. Look for it in your supermarket next to the canned fruits.

Serves: 8 (1/4 lb. turkey 2 Tbsp. sauce per serving)
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. turkey breast half with bone, skinned, all visible fat removed
12-ounce container cranberry-orange sauce
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. bottled minced jalapeno peppers

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Place turkey breast, bone side down on the rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Cover loosely with foil. Roast in oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Remove foil from turkey and baste with some of the cranberry mixture. Continue to cook turkey, basting frequently, for 30 minutes more or until the meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Serve turkey with remaining warm cranberry mixture.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 236
Protein: 30 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg
Sodium: 87 mg
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat:  1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 133