Weekly Wellness
Issue 433
Featured Article
REMOVED
Fitness Tip
Bust a Rut
Go on "maintainence" for a week to avoid diet fatigue. We're not saying to completely abandon your healthy eating and exercise habits, but let go of the pressure to be perfect for a set period - say a week or so. Sometimes just the very act of freeing yourself from an all-or-nothing mind-set is the thing that will get your out of a dieting rut.
Nutrition Tip
Oils (Fats)
Unsaturated oils are necessary for good health in
small amounts. Oils and solid fats both contain
about 120 calories per tablespoon so the amount of
oil you use needs to be limited to balance your
total calorie intake. It's especially important to
limit saturated fat, which is found in whole dairy
foods, many meats, butter, and lard, and raises
blood cholesterol levels and thus the risk for heart disease. Most of your fat should be from fish, nuts,
and vegetable oils. Work to limit solid fats like butter, stick
margarine, shortening, and lard.
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quote
"Speak kind words, and you will hear kind echoes." (Unknown)
Quick Recipe
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
3 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup original barbecue sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 slices center cut bacon, chopped
Place all ingredients in slow cooker; mix well. Cover with lid. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours (or on high for 3 hours). Makes 10 servings of 1/2 cup each. Note: Can also use a flavored barbecue sauce if preferred.
Tidbit(s)
Those Green Spots on Potatoes
If you come across a potato with green spots, you should cut the green out. That indicates the prsence of natural toxic compounds (glycoalkaloids - GA), which are a plant's built-in protection against insects and disease. GA are always present in potatoes, triggering toxic effects in humans only if consumed in large amounts. You can't destroy GA by cooking, but since they lie just below the skin, cutting away any green is enough to make potatoes safe to eat. Chips and fries, which are typically peeled before cooking, are usually low in GA. However, fried potato skins in restaurants can contain large amounts - up to seven times the safe limit - according to one report.
Food Fixes
Make sauces anytime -- always keep evaporated milk on hand, and you can make sauces at any time without having to worry about keeping perishable half-and-half around.
The belief that bread is fattening is a myth. A single slice of bread contains about 1g of fat and 80 calories, most of which come from complex carbohydrates, the body’s preferred source of fuel.
Tasty Tidbit...
Bring the sweetness of the Mediterranean into your home. Mix prepared couscous (naturally low in fat, it takes as little as five minutes to make) with milk and raisins. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve warm. Great for breakfast or dessert.
More Cooking Tips and Quick Cooking Tips on the Web site!