Autumn Zeals

Please do not glimmer your eyes like that. We are not talking about the diamond store®. However! Let us look at what will be coming soon as Summer waves goodbye and allows us to welcome Autumn and her lot of seasonal prize. Below you will find a precious fruit and a sweet vegetable that will surely bring a marvelous delight to your taste buds and to your health.

Share the Pears

The Greek poet Homer described pears in his epic, “The Odyssey”, as a gift of the gods. And what a gift you’ll find the moment you bite into their yielding yet minor coarse texture and take in the distinct sweetness that only pears offer. Produced for the entire world mostly in Washington and Oregon, the season for pears runs from August through October although there are over 3000 varieties of pears that make them available year round.

Pears provide 6g of dietary fiber which equates to 24% of the recommended daily intake which plays a crucial role to protect you from chronic diseases along with aiding glucose metabolism and managing diabetes. They are a good source of vitamin C and copper which are antioxidants necessary to slow or prevent oxidative damage to the cells that over time may lead to onset of chronic diseases; antioxidants may also improve immune function and lower your risk for infection and cancer. Consumption of each pear will net you 100 calories, an easy and attractive number which may aid those striving for weight loss and weight management.

You Say Potato, I Say Sweet Potato

Only decades ago were orange-fleshed sweet potatoes introduced in the southern United States—now mostly all of the sweet potatoes and yams found in the US are really all sweet potatoes; they are in season in November and December.

A medium size sweet potato provides twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene (Necessary for strong immune functions, healthy eyes/skin, strong bones/teeth, and helps prevent cancer through its antioxidant effects) more than a third of the requirements for vitamin C. With skin, the dietary fiber count is 4 g (almost a fifth of the recommended daily intake). The sweet potato also provides vital vitamins and minerals needed to ensure proper bodily functions (% daily value): vitamin B6 (12.5%), folate (5%), calcium (3%), manganese (26%), copper (13%), potassium (10%), and even iron (8%). As you can see, it is clear that a sweet potato is a nutrient-jamboree that can find its place easily in a healthy diet. Sweet potatoes can be used in almost all recipes that call for regular potatoes. What’s more is that one medium sweet potato only contains 100-150 calories. Please, no need for applause.

For more nutritional information:

http://www.eatright.org/public/

http://whfoods.org/foodstoc.php

UB Healthy~

Ton, Nutrition Intern

Healthy Summer Grilling Tips

Nothing says summer like backyard grilling. Grilling can be a simple way to add bold flavor without the extra fat and calories. Grilling lean meats and veggies is not only healthy, it’s also delicious! 

Here are some healthful tips for your summer grilling:

1.      Marinate leaner cuts of meat

o   Forget the traditional grilling items like hamburgers and hot dogs and choose affordable, leaner cuts of meat. Using marinades or rubs will add flavor and reduce the need for high-fat condiments.

o   Not only do marinades prevent the meat from drying out, they also protect the meat from carcinogens created by smoke and high heat cooking.

o   Cuts that are leaner than 95% ground beef include:

o   Eye of round roast, top round steak, bottom round roast, top sirloin steak, round tip roast

o   Skinless chicken breast and turkey breast are also good options

2.     Build a better burger

o   When using 95% lean meat (beef or turkey) try adding a variety of different ingredients to add more flavor and moisture, and to “stretch” the meat.

o   Some ideas include:

o   Ground up cherries or prunes, tomato products, mashed avocado, egg whites with some bread crumbs, and grated or chopped veggies (bell peppers, chiles, garlic, mushrooms, or onions)

o   You can add almost any spice like pepper or rosemary.

o   Meat alternatives

o   Try a portobello mushroom burger or a veggie burger.

o   Choose whole wheat or whole grain buns and rolls.

3.     Healthier burger toppings

o   Fresh vegetables

o   Tomatoes, lettuce, red onion

o   Add some spice

o   Mustard, jalapenos, salsa

o   Avocado slices add some healthy fat and a creamy consistency similar to cheese or mayo.

o   Skip the bacon or replace it with Canadian style bacon to save on calories and fat.

4.      Grill baskets

o   These are great for foods that can easily fall through grill racks like shrimp, fish, tofu and veggies.

o   Don’t have a grill basket? Wrap it up in tin foil!

5.     Go for grilled fish

o   You can cook heartier fish steaks, like salmon and tuna, directly on the grill

o   More tender fish, such as catfish, perch, snapper, sole, and tilapia, can be cooked with a rub or with lots of herbs and lemon in an aluminum foil packet or in a grill basket.

6.      Don’t forget the veggies!

o   Some great vegetables to cook on the grill include asparagus spears, broccoli, corn on the cob, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sliced sweet potatoes, squash, or zucchini.

o   Brush your veggies with a light coat of olive oil (to add flavor and prevent them from sticking to the metal) and sprinkle them with minced garlic, rosemary, or salt and pepper.

           

7.      Kabobs

o   Load up skewers with your choice of meat, pineapple, onions, mushrooms, peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, or yellow squash.

o   Cut all the kabob fixings to equal-sized pieces. Assemble the kabobs and spray or brush with olive oil.

Check out this website for some healthy grilling recipes!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/grilling 

Keep It Balanced with the Half-Plate Healthy!

Here’s a quick method of controlling your portion sizes that doesn’t require counting calories or measuring foods – the Half-Plate Healthy.  We are adapting this easy visual promoted by Wegmans as part of their Eat Well Live Well™ campaign. Our residence dining halls and on-campus dining shops offer a wide variety of foods, and it may get overwhelming with so many choices!  So be sure to use this simple tool as a way to monitor your food intake without any hassle. It’s easy: fill half your plate with plenty of colorful fruits and veggies and the other half with whatever else you like! Try it out the next time you’re at the dining halls. To keep from over-stuffing yourself at one meal or feeling tempted for seconds, we recommend eating two or three small snacks a day, and as always, drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay well-hydrated and energized! 

Visit: http://www.wegmans.com/pdf/DailyMealTemplate.pdf to keep track of your daily meal template. Or visit www.wegmans.com for more information on the Half-Plate Healthy principle.

Images from GoogleImages