Small doses of some pesticides can cause lasting damage to your nervous system, reproductive organs, hormone systems and more. This damage may be amplified during fetal development and young childhood.
If you do any grocery shopping you’ve probably noticed that buying organic produce can cost 10-100% more than conventional produce. This can be overwhelming. Buy that produce which would normally be high in pesticides in the organic section and don’t worry about buying the rest non-organic to save money. According to the Environmental Working Group you can reduce your pesticide intake by up to 80 percent by avoiding what they call the “Dirty Dozen”, the most contaminated produce.
When possible, buy locally. Go to the farmer’s market and ask about how their food is grown. I’ve found that many farms are not certified organic (due to expenses of becoming certified) but they use organic methods. Buy what’s in season and it’ll taste better and cost less. Besides using less pesticides, buying locally can help the environment by not having your food trucked around the world. It also helps your neighbors/local economy.
Fruits and Veggies you should buy organic (contains highest amounts of pesticides)
Peach
Apple
Sweet Bell Pepper
Celery
Nectarine
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes – Imported
Carrot
Pear
Produce with the lowest pesticide Load
Onion
Avocado
Sweet Corn – Frozen
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas – Frozen
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato
For the full list see http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Superbowl Snacks
Superbowl parties are notorious for high calorie and high fat snacks. Lighten up this year; try a lighter snack such as shrimp and cocktail sauce, hummus or white bean spread with whole wheat crackers and raw veggies, or air popped popcorn. Have more substantial options to keep you away from the chips. Try lean chili, chicken skewers, veggie pizza on whole wheat crust, or the featured recipe...
Buffalo Chicken Drummies
Servings: 12
3 pounds chicken drumstick, no skin, or drummettes
3/4 cup hot sauce (Franks Red Hot)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1. Grill or broil drumsticks until cooked through, approximately 20 minutes (shorter cooking time for drummettes).
2. Combine chicken broth, cornstarch, and hot sauce. Simmer 5 minutes until slightly thicker. Add butter.
3. Add drumsticks and coat with sauce.
4. Serve with light blue cheese or ranch dressing and carrot and celery sticks if desired.
Notes:
For a less spicy drummy, replace some of the hot sauce with more chicken broth. Try this recipe with chicken breasts for dinner.
Per Serving : 61 Calories; 3g; 8g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 457mg Sodium.
Buffalo Chicken Drummies
Servings: 12
3 pounds chicken drumstick, no skin, or drummettes
3/4 cup hot sauce (Franks Red Hot)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1. Grill or broil drumsticks until cooked through, approximately 20 minutes (shorter cooking time for drummettes).
2. Combine chicken broth, cornstarch, and hot sauce. Simmer 5 minutes until slightly thicker. Add butter.
3. Add drumsticks and coat with sauce.
4. Serve with light blue cheese or ranch dressing and carrot and celery sticks if desired.
Notes:
For a less spicy drummy, replace some of the hot sauce with more chicken broth. Try this recipe with chicken breasts for dinner.
Per Serving : 61 Calories; 3g; 8g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 457mg Sodium.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Raisin Scones
As requested here's a recipe for a healthier scone. Feel free to change the raisins out for another dried fruit or fresh blueberries. Or add some cinnamon or another spice.
I used this recipe in a tea party cooking class for 6-7 year olds. It's a fun weekend project with your kids.
Scones can be reheated if not eaten promptly by wrapping in aluminum foil and heating in oven until heated through or split in half and toasted.
Raisin Scones
Serving : 12
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
oil or cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread a thin layer of oil or cooking spray on a baking sheet.
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until it is in pea sized lumps. Stir in the raisins.
Mix together milk and yogurt in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. Do not over stir!
With floured hands, pat scone dough into 12 balls Place onto a baking sheet, and flatten lightly. Let the scones barely touch each other.
Sprinkle top of scones with a little sugar if you like.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown.
Per Serving: 150 Calories; 5g Fat; 3g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 15mg Cholesterol; 195mg Sodium.
I used this recipe in a tea party cooking class for 6-7 year olds. It's a fun weekend project with your kids.
Scones can be reheated if not eaten promptly by wrapping in aluminum foil and heating in oven until heated through or split in half and toasted.
Raisin Scones
Serving : 12
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
oil or cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread a thin layer of oil or cooking spray on a baking sheet.
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until it is in pea sized lumps. Stir in the raisins.
Mix together milk and yogurt in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. Do not over stir!
With floured hands, pat scone dough into 12 balls Place onto a baking sheet, and flatten lightly. Let the scones barely touch each other.
Sprinkle top of scones with a little sugar if you like.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown.
Per Serving: 150 Calories; 5g Fat; 3g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 15mg Cholesterol; 195mg Sodium.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Easy Phyllo Tartlets with Cilantro Shrimp Appetizer
The following recipe is simple, easy, light, and impressive. Everyone keeps requesting the recipe so here it is...
For the best flavor, saute raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until opaque. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or it will be rubbery.(yuk!) If you are too busy for this step pick up some already cooked shrimp.
I prefer this dish cool or at room temp but if you're looking for a warm dish, pop it in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Taking this to a party? bring the filling in a small container and fill the tartlets when you arrive.
Phyllo Tartlets with Cilantro Shrimp
1/3 pound shrimp -- cooked and chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (such as Heinz Chili Sauce)
1 package phyllo tartlets (15)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat until golden brown.
Combine shrimp, cilantro, and chili sauce. Spoon mixture into tartlets.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
For the best flavor, saute raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until opaque. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or it will be rubbery.(yuk!) If you are too busy for this step pick up some already cooked shrimp.
I prefer this dish cool or at room temp but if you're looking for a warm dish, pop it in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Taking this to a party? bring the filling in a small container and fill the tartlets when you arrive.
Phyllo Tartlets with Cilantro Shrimp
1/3 pound shrimp -- cooked and chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (such as Heinz Chili Sauce)
1 package phyllo tartlets (15)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat until golden brown.
Combine shrimp, cilantro, and chili sauce. Spoon mixture into tartlets.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Save time in the kitchen by making friends with your freezer
Its dinner time and you’re standing there staring aimlessly into the fridge again. But tonight you’re not scrambling to feed your busy family. There it is, your home cooked meal ready to be heated just sitting there staring back.
Some truly organized women plan their meals for the month and cook them in a weekend. Does this seem a little too ambitious for you? Try preparing twice as much for dinner and freezing half for those busy days. Even preparing partial meals for the freezer can help free up more time to spend with your family.
What freezes well? I was surprised to find most things freeze well. Even seafood if it is done carefully. Deep fried food however is not recommended. Sauces such as alfredo or hollandaise are likely to break but others like marinara fare well in cold temperatures and can even help protect the rest of your meal. Raw vegetables do not come out of the freezer looking well. Blanching vegetables by briefly boiling and then shocking in ice water creates crisp vegetables you’ll enjoy seeing come out of the ice box.
Everything you freeze for a later meal will be re-cooked even if only in the microwave for a few minutes. Therefore leaving items slightly less done than you would prefer will result in the perfect meal. Topped your casserole with cheese? Save time and leave the browning to be done when you heat it again.
Keep your future dinners safe from oxygen when storing so they will last longer as well as to avoid freezer burn. I prefer Pyrex glass dishes with plastic lids for meals which are completely assembled. They give me an option of heating in the oven with out having to dirty more dishes. If the container isn’t full, putting plastic wrap directly on the food will help keep air from destroying the food. Freeze things in serving sizes that make sense. Why spend 2 days defrosting a 9 by 13 inch pan if you are only going to need 2 servings.
What you do with Dinner after it comes out of the freezer is as important as before it goes in. Defrost your frozen entrees overnight in your refrigerator. A good way to do this is to take the next night’s dinner out of the freezer while the current night’s dinner is heating. Leaving food out on the counter at room temperature to defrost is dangerous and can lead to food borne illness.
Anything you’d like to be crisp or to have a brown top you’ll find responds better to being heated in the oven. Anything you wish to be steamed such as vegetables will be fine in the microwave. If you are unsure how long it will take to heat, start with a short amount of time and keep checking to avoid overcooking.
What’s the best way to determine if something will freeze with good results, Try it! Freezing a small portion is a good way to find out. Unhappy with your results? Food undergoes change when frozen; some items will become dry, while another will appear to have more liquid. Rice may appear dry when defrosted, just add a little water, partially cover, and steam in the microwave. Whisk a sauce to bring it back together after separation. Add more water to your soup; the potatoes caused it to thicken. Sound tricky? Start off with tried and true recipes which have been frozen before.
Free up time in your kitchen by freezing up dinner to be ready in a snap. Start small, Plan for extras one day a week and enjoy extra time the next week.
Some truly organized women plan their meals for the month and cook them in a weekend. Does this seem a little too ambitious for you? Try preparing twice as much for dinner and freezing half for those busy days. Even preparing partial meals for the freezer can help free up more time to spend with your family.
What freezes well? I was surprised to find most things freeze well. Even seafood if it is done carefully. Deep fried food however is not recommended. Sauces such as alfredo or hollandaise are likely to break but others like marinara fare well in cold temperatures and can even help protect the rest of your meal. Raw vegetables do not come out of the freezer looking well. Blanching vegetables by briefly boiling and then shocking in ice water creates crisp vegetables you’ll enjoy seeing come out of the ice box.
Everything you freeze for a later meal will be re-cooked even if only in the microwave for a few minutes. Therefore leaving items slightly less done than you would prefer will result in the perfect meal. Topped your casserole with cheese? Save time and leave the browning to be done when you heat it again.
Keep your future dinners safe from oxygen when storing so they will last longer as well as to avoid freezer burn. I prefer Pyrex glass dishes with plastic lids for meals which are completely assembled. They give me an option of heating in the oven with out having to dirty more dishes. If the container isn’t full, putting plastic wrap directly on the food will help keep air from destroying the food. Freeze things in serving sizes that make sense. Why spend 2 days defrosting a 9 by 13 inch pan if you are only going to need 2 servings.
What you do with Dinner after it comes out of the freezer is as important as before it goes in. Defrost your frozen entrees overnight in your refrigerator. A good way to do this is to take the next night’s dinner out of the freezer while the current night’s dinner is heating. Leaving food out on the counter at room temperature to defrost is dangerous and can lead to food borne illness.
Anything you’d like to be crisp or to have a brown top you’ll find responds better to being heated in the oven. Anything you wish to be steamed such as vegetables will be fine in the microwave. If you are unsure how long it will take to heat, start with a short amount of time and keep checking to avoid overcooking.
What’s the best way to determine if something will freeze with good results, Try it! Freezing a small portion is a good way to find out. Unhappy with your results? Food undergoes change when frozen; some items will become dry, while another will appear to have more liquid. Rice may appear dry when defrosted, just add a little water, partially cover, and steam in the microwave. Whisk a sauce to bring it back together after separation. Add more water to your soup; the potatoes caused it to thicken. Sound tricky? Start off with tried and true recipes which have been frozen before.
Free up time in your kitchen by freezing up dinner to be ready in a snap. Start small, Plan for extras one day a week and enjoy extra time the next week.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Fiber
Fiber is found in plants such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Dietary fiber is usually classified as soluble or insoluble in water. Most sources will include both types in varying amounts.
Dietary fiber helps control blood sugar levels and slows your digestion of food, so you feel full longer. It can reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 Diabetes.
Americans eat about half as much dietary fiber as they should. Recommendations for daily intake vary according to the source but 25-35 grams would be a good goal for adults. Although dietary fiber can help with constipation, eat too much (more than 50 grams) and you may find you’ve actually promoted constipation or diarrhea. Slowly increase your fiber intake and make sure you’re drinking plenty of water to avoid some of the effects of lots of fiber. Take a fiber supplement if you must but you’ll be missing out on nutrients found in your high fiber foods.
If you’re not eating much fiber, now is a great time to start:
Eat whole grains (and products made from them). Switch your bread, pasta, cereal, and rice to better alternatives (whole wheat, barley, oats).
Eat your fruits (especially berries, apples, citrus and avocados) and veggies (broccoli, sweet potato, and beans (legumes). Skip the juice; it loses most of the fiber.
Dietary fiber helps control blood sugar levels and slows your digestion of food, so you feel full longer. It can reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 Diabetes.
Americans eat about half as much dietary fiber as they should. Recommendations for daily intake vary according to the source but 25-35 grams would be a good goal for adults. Although dietary fiber can help with constipation, eat too much (more than 50 grams) and you may find you’ve actually promoted constipation or diarrhea. Slowly increase your fiber intake and make sure you’re drinking plenty of water to avoid some of the effects of lots of fiber. Take a fiber supplement if you must but you’ll be missing out on nutrients found in your high fiber foods.
If you’re not eating much fiber, now is a great time to start:
Eat whole grains (and products made from them). Switch your bread, pasta, cereal, and rice to better alternatives (whole wheat, barley, oats).
Eat your fruits (especially berries, apples, citrus and avocados) and veggies (broccoli, sweet potato, and beans (legumes). Skip the juice; it loses most of the fiber.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tomatoes
A cup of fresh tomato provides you with more than half the vitamin C needed daily. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, and vitamin K. A medium tomato has as much dietary fiber as a slice of whole wheat bread but only 35 calories. Tomatoes are also a very good source of molybdenum, potassium, manganese, chromium, and vitamin B1.
Adding more tomatoes to your diet may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and degenerative eye disease. It can improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, prevent premature aging and help older people stay active longer, as well as improve skin texture and color and may build up a protective effect against sun exposure.
Tomatoes contain Lycopene, an antioxidant thought to be 10 times more efficient at eradicating free radicals than Vitamin E. Cooking tomatoes increases the availability of lycopene to your body and adding a healthy fat, such as olive oil, allows your body to absorb it better.
Choose the most brilliantly colored tomatoes which have the highest amounts of betacarotene and lycopene. Pass up ones with bruises, blemished, and shriveled skin. Store tomatoes with the stem side down in a cool dark place but not in the refrigerator as it decreases flavor and changes the texture of the tomato.
Rinse, dry, and then freeze tomatoes in zip top bags with as little air as possible. Once defrosted, they’ll be great for cooked dishes and the skin will easily peel off making preparation easier.
Because cooking improves the nutrition of tomatoes feel free to use low sodium canned tomatoes especially if all you have available are pale grocery store tomatoes.
When cooking with tomatoes, be aware that they have a high acid content and may slow the cooking process for some foods such as beans or grains so you may need to cook longer or add the tomatoes a little later in the process.
Adding more tomatoes to your diet may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and degenerative eye disease. It can improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, prevent premature aging and help older people stay active longer, as well as improve skin texture and color and may build up a protective effect against sun exposure.
Tomatoes contain Lycopene, an antioxidant thought to be 10 times more efficient at eradicating free radicals than Vitamin E. Cooking tomatoes increases the availability of lycopene to your body and adding a healthy fat, such as olive oil, allows your body to absorb it better.
Choose the most brilliantly colored tomatoes which have the highest amounts of betacarotene and lycopene. Pass up ones with bruises, blemished, and shriveled skin. Store tomatoes with the stem side down in a cool dark place but not in the refrigerator as it decreases flavor and changes the texture of the tomato.
Rinse, dry, and then freeze tomatoes in zip top bags with as little air as possible. Once defrosted, they’ll be great for cooked dishes and the skin will easily peel off making preparation easier.
Because cooking improves the nutrition of tomatoes feel free to use low sodium canned tomatoes especially if all you have available are pale grocery store tomatoes.
When cooking with tomatoes, be aware that they have a high acid content and may slow the cooking process for some foods such as beans or grains so you may need to cook longer or add the tomatoes a little later in the process.
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