Health and Fitness

I’m linking you to a story about Hot Dogs, also known as the food I’ll never look at the same again!  The gist of the story is about a television commercial that has children saying that they have cancer.  The story implies that their cancer is from eating hot dogs.

Thing is - the kids, thanks be to God, don’t have cancer.   Furthermore, experts tell us that eating processed meats, such as hot dogs, only slightly elevates our risk for certain cancers.  Some would argue that even the slightest risk AT ALL would warrant finding something else to put between your slices of bread.

I don’t go to the extreme in either direction.  I know you can’t protect yourself from every single threat out there, but I also would walk through fire to keep my family as safe as possible.

It isn’t so much the health issue that has made me turn my back on hot dogs.  It’s the list of nastiness that “the government allows them to contain.”  These unappetizing allowances are (and I wish I were kidding):  pig snouts and stomachs, cow lips and livers, goat gullets and lamb spleens.

To coin a phrase made popular by one Bill the Cat:  ACK!

Some would argue that the countless hot dogs I’ve eaten to date haven’t (apparently?) done me any harm - and I agree with their thinking.  But that was before I knew what could potentially be going into my mouth!!! Now that I know… no thanks.

Click HERE to read the interesting AOL’s Health News article.

Morning Star Farms Products are making it SO easy for me to feed my family healthier meals. I, er, love them for that.

I’ve been buying their products for years (as long as I can remember) for my daughter Brittany, who is a strict vegetarian. I’ve often grilled or baked their burger patties for the rest of us - but, quite frankly I once had to really get creative with the seasonings - garlic, pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, etc. There’s absolutely no need to get jiggy with their products anymore. They’ve gotten jiggy with themselves like nothing I’ve ever seen!

As I’ve posted again and again, we’re really serious about eating healthier. I’ve even set aside three days of the week that are “Health Nut Days” - as the name implies, these days find our meals about as perfectly healthy as you can get. I can’t even tell you how Morning Star is helping me on these days. They’re causing them to be some of the most delicious meals of the week!

One of my favorite products is their Veggie Cakes: Southwestern Style. They taste incredible - no, beyond incredible. They’re in a zone of goodness where adjectives don’t even exist. These patties are made with black beans, roasted corn (!!!), Real Cheddar Cheese, Peppers, Rice, and Southwestern Spices.

I spray my nonstick skillet with a cooking spray, then I allow it to heat for a full two minutes. Making sure that the skillet is extremely hot makes the patties nice and crisp on the outsides. I always make sure to heat the skillet for 2 minutes before making any of the protein patties or vegetable cakes.

The patties only take about 6 minutes per side to prepare. They absolutely, positively don’t need any seasoning whatsoever. I prefer mine without bread because all I want to taste are the amazing flavors going on, so I just serve mine with a killer salad.

They’re also great on toasted buns, though. I would imagine they’d be pretty special on toasted English muffins as well. But, like I said, I want mine all by itself.

There’s also a Ginger Teriyaki flavor that I keep meaning to try - but each time I’m standing in the frozen food aisle staring at them, I always find my hand going for my beloved. Next time you go to the store, head on over to the frozen food aisle. Locate the great Morning Star Farms products and grab a few varieties to try.

You WILL NOT go wrong with any of the ones below:
Mushroom Lover’s Burgers
Tomato & Basil Pizza Lovers Burgers
Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Thai Burgers
Zesty Tomato Basil Burgers made with Organic Soy
Veggie Cakes: Southwestern Style

I’m on the cusp of launching out into their world of breakfast products and “Chick’n” and “hot dogs” - I’ll let you know how that goes. For now, trust me, get the Southwestern Style Veggie Cakes. I’ve, honestly, only served them at lunch time, but I think they’d be amazing served with vegetables and bread or soup for supper.

That does it, I have to get to the store. We finished our last box off yesterday and here I sit, craving one intensely!

***To learn more about Morning Star Farm’s products and to find amazing recipes, visit their website, See Veggies Differently.com (How’s that for a great name?!)

Peach Art Print
Brooks, Andrea

Buy at AllPosters.com

I bought some amazingly delicious peaches at a local stand here in Owensboro, Kentucky last week. They were juicy and just freaking perfect.

I went old school with most of them, cutting them up (leaving the skin on) and tossing them on a plate with Cottage Cheese. Yum. Even my daughters eat fruit like this. But late one night, while watching the Olympics, I cut one up, put it into a bowl and poured heavy whipping cream on top. Then I sprinkled a little granola on top with a couple of shakes of cinnamon.
Michael Phelps and I both came away with Gold.

I also love peaches cut up in great vanilla ice cream (Bryer’s or Blue Bunny) served with a slice of pound cake. With or without a little Cool Whip, it makes for an amazing dessert.

Grab some peaches the next time you see them staring at you in the produce aisle or from a roadside stand. Never pass up a chance to take a big bite out of summer!

One day last week, I was feeling particularly health-conscious PLUS after reading a great book written by the founder/president of PETA, I wasn’t overly hungry for meat.  So I went to the freezer aisle to see what new flavors Boca had come up with.  I LOVE their original burgers, but my heart skips two beats when they really get their strut on.

Fortunately, they’d done just that.  While I actually noticed several new flavors and varieties, once my eyes landed on the Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patties, that was it. I’ll go back and check on the other varieties next time. I grabbed some great wheat buns (some people don’t want to believe me, but I SWEAR, they’re softer than the white ones), a ball of Mozarella cheesse, Roma tomatoes, a sweet onion, and leafy green lettuce.

I cooked the Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patties in a little bit of olive oil - I only put a little salt and pepper on them, because I wanted to see how they “stood up” without extra garlic, onion powder, etc.

I built our burgers on the super soft wheat buns with the patties, lettuce, and slices of cheese, onion and tomatoes. When I told my daughters what was for lunch, only the vegetarian of the group got excited. But after each took a bite, there were 4 happy eaters around the table!

My youngest, who’d scoffed at the wheat buns, even admitted that she liked them better than the white. Her sisters agreed that they were “softer.” Yes! Converts!

These patties need absolutely no mayo, mustard, garlic salt, or even my beloved onion powder. I’m not convinced they even needed the salt and pepper… but I had to feel like I was contributing something!

I’ve been on a huge quest in our household to get my family to eat healthier and to actually love doing it. Boca makes it SO much easier. The Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patty has jusg 70 calories and 0g trans fat per serving. Of course, if it wasn’t show stoppingly delicious, none of that would mean a thing.

Visit Boca Burger.com to read more about their deliciously healthy products. Their crumbles are so versatile, you’ll love them. I throw them in chili, spaghetti sauce, homemade vegetable soup, and stew. They take on the flavor of whatever they’re seasoned with, so a combination of garlic powder and onion powder set the stage for a delicious meal.

Boca products would make great alternatives when tailgating, too. No need to worry about meat “going bad” when there’s no meat to go bad! I’m not saying to give meat up completely (I don’t think I could give up catfish if you paid me to), but substituting whenever you can is something worth considering.

Eat smart. Live better.

Sometimes we’re more like children than we are adults, aren’t we?  We know, full well, what foods we should be eating more of and what ones we should be eating less of - yet, off we go on our merry way to the nearest hamburger in a hurry joint.  What’s worse, when we get there we almost always make our sinister selection as large as possilbe and, yes, of course, we would very much like fries with that.

Maybe, just maybe, if we were to concentrate more on the Positive Foods and less on the Negative Foods - we’d fill up so much on the good stuff that we wouldn’t even want the bad.  Worth a try?  Worth a try.

The following are a few ideas for sneaking more of the highly recommended foods into your day.  If we fill up on what we SHOULD, it’ll leave very little room for what we SHOULDN’T.  Well, that’s the plan anyway.

Garlic
Garlic is known to be one of our heart’s favorite foods. Fortunately, it’s very simple to up our garlic intake. Garlic goes beautifully with just about every meat and bread you can think of. To get the most from garlic, we should eat several cloves a day, so we need to work it into our meals as often as possible.

In addition to serving garlic with meat dishes, minced garlic is heavenly when served over steamed green beans. If, like me, you’re trying to wean yourself off of bacon fat for seasoning (Yum….sorry, but yum), garlic makes a great substitution. I’ve also used slivered almonds (more on them later) on my green beans.

Crushed Garlic can be added to Salad Dressing or Mayo to create a Kicked Up Sandwich spread.

If you don’t get too crazy, garlic can also be addded favorably to Ranch Dressings for salads. It’s especially good if you add a little finely chopped basil with it.

Olive Oil
Since our heart also loves Olive Oil, it would be a great idea to keep a bottle or two on hand at all times. Even though you may think it sounds excessive, keeping regular olive oil AND Extra-virgin olive oil each in your pantry is a good idea. Why? Extra-virgin olive oil packs extra polyphenols (compounds that keep LDL cholesterol from sticking to artery walls) than the other varieties. But, since it costs several dollars more, I’m not that keen on cooking with it. I like to save it for drizzling over salads, pasta, breads, and steamed vegetables.

Almonds
Almonds are proven to lower LDL levels - they’re brillaint at it, actually. While all nuts are healthy and should be included in our daily diets, almonds have a bit of a heart-healthy edge - they have vitamin e and are also a good source of calcium. If you toast them in the oven, you’ll bring out more of their flavor, without lessening their nutritional benefits.

Carrots
A Harvard University study found that a half cup of dark yellow vegetables, like carrots, eaten daily cuts the risk of diabetes in women by 27 percent. They’re one of those foods that seemingly increase their nutritional value daily, so it would be ridiculous NOT to use them in our meals more. As an added bonus, they’re not nearly as costly as other vegetables. (I made a huge salad last night with a Ravioli meal that nearly required a small loan. Cauliflower and Broccoli should be ashamed of themselves.

Personally, I love carrots (and celery, for that matter) enough to eat them in the raw - them, not me. But, if you require a little more flavor, a buttermilk ranch dressing is always a delicious way to go. You can work a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil into your portions and get a one-two punch by drizzling it over steamed carrots. Finish it off by snipping a little thyme on top. Fresh herbs are also healthy - and add an aggreable flavor to everything. Rosemary and Thyme are perfect with everything known to man or woman.

Salmon
Salmon is one of the biggest of shots when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids. I can’t understand anyone NOT love, love, loving salmon - but if it’s not your favorite thing, experiment with different flavors. Add a little dill and lemon, and never forget the pepper.

In a Saving the Best for Last type of thang - see the following post on Self Help Daily. Of course, if (nudge, nudge) you’re really just not that into chocolate, don’t bother.

Granted, grilling is one of the healthiest cooking techniques around, but the process can quickly turn into a dietary disaster if you make your burgers with fatty cuts of beef and serve them alongside a plateful of fattenting fries, potato salad, or potato chips. But there is a better way, fellow burger lovers!  Creativity in the kitchen will pay off in both the health and taste departments.

The following delicious-sounding AND healthy Burger recipes appear in the August issue of Shape Magazine (a personal favorite).  They’re presented to you, here, courtesy of the magazine.  Cool?  Way cool!

You aren’t going to believe how amazing these recipes sound!

BLACK BEAN TOSTADA BURGERS!

(You can substitute a store-bought chunky salsa for the pico de gallo.)

Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 32 minutes

For the pico de gallo

1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped (about 3⁄4
cup)
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped (about 1⁄4 cup)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the burgers

1 15.5-ounce can low-sodium black beans
Cooking spray
1⁄3 cup finely chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs), preferably whole-wheat
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 small (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 large California avocado, peeled and sliced

To make the pico de gallo, combine tomato, onion, jalapeños, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir, cover, and set aside at room temperature for up to 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 3 hours to allow flavors to blend.

To make the burgers, rinse black beans in a colander and set aside. Meanwhile, coat a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-low. Add red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes more. In a large bowl, combine black beans, onion mixture, panko, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mash,allowing
some chunks to remain. Form bean mixture into four patties about 3 inches wide and half an inch thick. Divide tortillas into two stacks of four and wrap each stack loosely with foil. Place burgers and tortilla packets on a lightly oiled grill and cook for 4 minutes. Flip burgers and packets and cook for 3 minutes more, or until burgers are lightly browned. To serve, arrange two tortillas on
each of four plates. Top with a burger, salsa, and avocado slices and serve.

Nutrition score per serving
(1 burger, 2 tortillas, 1⁄4 cup salsa, 1⁄4 avocado): 348 calories, 10 g fat (25%
of calories), 1 g saturated fat, 56 g carbs, 11 g protein, 13 g fiber, 77 mg
calcium, 3 mg iron, 317 mg sodium

CONFETTI BURGERS WITH CILANTRO SAUCE!

Lean ground beef gets a flavor kick from chopped veggies and lime-spiked cilantro sauce (!!!) made with creamy Greek yogurt.

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

For the cilantro sauce

1⁄2 cup packed cilantro leaves
3⁄4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the burgers

1 pound lean ground beef
1⁄4 cup sliced scallions
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1⁄4 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
Sliced tomato and romaine lettuce

To make the cilantro sauce, place cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender and pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until cilantro is finely chopped and ingredients are combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill.

When you’re ready to grill, combine beef, scallions, bell pepper, corn, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well, using your hands or a large spoon. Form into four patties about 3 1⁄2 inches wide and half an inch thick.

Place patties on a lightly oiled grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a burger reaches 160°F. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Split the buns and lightly toast on the grill. Place a burger, tomato slice, lettuce, and cilantro sauce between each bun to serve.

Nutrition score per serving
(1 burger, 1 bun, 3 tablespoons sauce): 477 calories, 19 g fat (39% of
calories), 7 g saturated fat, 35 g carbs, 33 g protein, 4 g fiber, 125 mg
calcium, 4 mg iron, 524 mg sodium

SOUTHERN “FRIED” CHICKEN BURGERS!

Buttermilk and seasonings give this juicy burger the flavor of spicy fried chicken. (Buttermilk…burger..fried chicken? Are you serious? All three expressed in one thought - I’m dying a little bit, here…YUM!)

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 34 minutes

For the coleslaw

2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups loosely packed pre-shredded coleslaw mix
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the burgers

5 whole-wheat English muffins
1⁄4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound lean ground chicken
6 teaspoons honey mustard

To make the coleslaw, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and celery seed in a medium bowl. Add the coleslaw mix and stir well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. To make the burgers, tear one English muffin into chunks and add to the bowl of a food processor. Process for about 10 seconds to make medium bread crumbs. In a large bowl, stir together crumbs, buttermilk, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add ground chicken and mix
well, using your hands or a large spoon. Form into four patties about 3 1⁄2 inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick. Place on a lightly oiled grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip burgers and cook 5 to 6 minutes more, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a burger reaches 165°F.

Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Split the remaining English muffins and lightly toast on the grill. To serve, spread one side of each muffin with 1 1⁄2 teaspoons honey mustard. Top each with a burger, one-third cup coleslaw, and the other half of the muffin.

Nutrition score per serving
(1 burger, 1 English muffin, 1⁄3 cup coleslaw): 442 calories, 18 g fat (37% of
calories), 0 g saturated fat, 43 g carbs, 29 g protein, 6 g fiber, 283 mg
calcium, 4 mg iron, 591 mg sodium

Thanks for the great recipes, Shape Magazine!

For great information on what we SHOULD be ordering when we eat out, check out Shape’s Grab and Go. They’ve provided healthier options for all of our favorite fast food restaurants and most of their selections are less than 400 Calories!

Not long ago, my doctor told me that my blood pressure was a little higher than normal.  The result, I’m certain, of tons of allergy pills necessitated by May and June.  She said it wasn’t any cause for alarm (after all, mine is normally low, so “normal” would be high for me).  She did say, however, that I’d be wise to cut back on salt.

My inner coffee addict raised her mug and yelled, “Yeah, baby! She didn’t even mention caffeine!“  But just behind her, my chip fanatic cluched her Frito’s behind her back as a tear trinkled down her little cheek.

Bitterly, I stopped buying as many Frito’s, Ruffles, Dorito’s and Cheese Puffs (Chester Cheetah called to see if I was still alive.) -  I still bought them, of course, but I did try to cut back.

Recently, however, the inner chip fanatic had cause to wipe away the tears and smile again!  Frito Lay has come out with a line of “Pinch of Salt” chips.  They’ve cut waaaaay back on the sodium, ditched the cholesterol altogether, and have even used an All Natural Oil for these snacks. 

I first tried the Ruffles Pinch of Salt chips.  I have to admit, I opened the bag half-expecting to laugh the chips to scorn, but instead of laughing, I just reached for more.  These chips are absolutely delicious!  I honestly like them better than the regular chips - you taste the wonderful potato chip and realize they are made out of potatoes, after all!  I promise you, these are incredibly good.

After discovering that Frito Lay was onto something, I tried the Fritos Pinch of Salt Corn Chips.  Even better!  I’ve been a fanatical Fritos eater since I carried lunch boxes (The Hair Bear Bunch…remember them?) - my mommy put Fritos in there along with my Peanut Butter and jelly sandwiches, Dr. Pepper, and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.  Awwww.

I was even more skeptical of the Corn Chips weathering the salt reduction but, yet again, it actually improved the chip.  Just like the Ruffles Pinch of Salt Chips allow you to focus more on the potato flavor, the Fritos Pinch of Salt Corn Chips, allow you to totally enjoy the delicious corn-ocity.  Yes, I made that particular word up for the occasion. 

To learn more about the Nutrition Facts, you’ll want to pay a  visit to  http://www.fritolay.com/.  This website is absolutely gorgeous.  You feel as though you’re looking out a farmhouse window.  There’s a tractor going about its chores, birds flying by, a flag waving in the breeze…  Cool stuff.  There’s also a section on Being Green - My inner Environmentalist chick loves them for that.  She frees one arm from the tree she’s hugging to give them a thumb’s up.

You HAVE to try both of these chips!

I’m hooked on the Lean Cuisine microwavable meals.  My daughters are at the age where they’re running in and out just about all day long, so I like to keep things on hand for them to grab a meal whenever they need it.  (Okay, I’ll be honest, I actually heat the meals up for them - my girls are nothing if not spoiled.) 

I also keep them on hand for myself.  I work from home, so I have the luxury of taking my lunch break whenever I want to (generally, whenever I Love Lucy comes on TV Land).  One of my favorites, in fact the one I enjoyed today, is the Santa Fe-Style Rice & Beans. I like to eat it with either a heated soft tortilla or some tortilla chips on the side.  My middle daughter, Brittany, who happens to be a vegetarian, loves this one too.  My youngest daughter, Stephany’s favorite is the Spaghetti & Meatball’s meal and my oldest, Emily, is just like her mom… we love them all so much, it’s just too close to call.

Emily, Stephany, and I love seafood as much as we love any food, so we’re TOTALLY excited about the new Lean Cuisine line of Seafood Delights.  Each has 350 or less calories and will be available in July.

The newbies are: Parmesan Crusted Fish, Shrimp Alfredo, Tortilla Crusted Fish and Szechuan Style Stir Fry with Shrimp. 

Shrimp?  Sign me all kinds of up!

The Lean Cuisine meals are perfectly healthy alternatives to fast food lunches.  They’re surprisingly filling, too.  While we only eat them for lunch, they could just as easily be used at supper.  Served with a little bread and a bowl of salad or cole slaw, they’d be delicous and satisfying.  And best of all, they’re healthy!

The tomato scare is certainly getting a lot of attention, isn’t it?  I don’t remember the FDA being quite this cautious with foods in the past.  Tomatoes are being pulled from restaurant menus as well as grocery shelves.  This particular, and unusual, type of salmonella is called salmonella saintpaul.

Monday morning, the FDA reported there have been 145 reported cases of salmonella saintpaul since mid-April. It’s been identified in Washington, Oregon and 15 other states. Twenty-three people have been hospitalized. 

By day’s end, though, the number shot up to 166.

Federal officials have said that cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes are likely not the source of the outbreak.  It seems to me that most people are avoiding ALL tomatoes, just to be safe.

I really, really, really  feel badly for farmers.  The economy’s bad enough without them having this hit them.  What a terrible waste.  It makes me want to go to the Farmer’s Markets and buy even more of everything else.  Oh, yeah, I see me spending a lot of time at roadside stands - even more than usual.

Health.com recently sought out nutritional information from restaurants across the country.  A lot of them cooperated and ten restaurants made the top ten list of Healthiest Casual Dining Spots.

I was honestly surprised to not find Applebee’s on the list.  I’d love to know what kept them off, because they have some pretty amazing food that seems as healthy as it is delicious.

Below are the top ten:

1. Uno Chicago Grill
2. Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes
3. Mimi’s Cafe
4. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
5. Bob Evans Restaurants
6. Ruby Tuesday
7. Romano’s Macaroni Grill
8. Chevy’s Fresh Mex
9. Olive Garden
10. Denny’s

Denny’s?  Bob Evan’s?  Wow, I’m impressed - I thought those guys were all about the calories and beefy goodness.  Appaently there’s more to them than meets the eye….or should I say less than meets the eye? 

Health.com has also compiled a list of the restaurants that aren’t lightening up.  You can find these tasty, but not trim restaurants Here. 

I guess a lot of it has to do with what you order at a restaurant.  It’s good to know which restaurants have the healthiest cooking practices, though.

While we’re on the subject of healthy eating, I have a few more links I want you to check out:

Build a Better Salad

All Star Foods that Fight for Health

Everything we put into our mouths either makes us more healthy, less healthy, or keeps us where we’re at.  If we’re smart (and I believe we are!), we’ll start doing our homework and start loading up on the foods and drinks that’ll give us better health.  At the same time, we’ll start cutting out those that harm us in any way.

As for those foods and drinks that are sort of in a fog - you know, the ones we KNOW aren’t necessarily healthy but we don’t know if they’re exactly harmful - if any studies have even suggested that they’re unhealthy, we should “Throw the bum out!“ Then, we can replace it with something from our “healthy” list.