You leave work, famished, wondering what you will eat for dinner.  You could make a meal, but you are so hungry you just want to eat NOW!  You end up going to a fast food restaurant and choosing meal deals for you and your family, but afterward you feel disgusting from all that grease and a little guilty.

Well, consider the “Quick and Healthy Recipes and Ideas” cookbook from Brenda Ponichtera, registered dietitian. This book gives healthy, quick recipes to make, and also lists meals you can put together, even with just one or two ingredients.

This book is divided into sections: the first section discusses healthy eating, and gives you a list of staples for your kitchen. It then goes through 20 weeks (about 5 months) of menus AND grocery lists! Two weeks of these menus are “summer menus” that require no cooking.

The recipes are then divided into sections (beverages, desserts, etc.) and there are many different types of recipes (from Thai chicken soup to Greek salad to spaghetti and meatballs to fruit pizzas) for many different palates. The recipes are interesting and my family enjoyed the sweet and sour chicken recipe. The book itself is spiral bound, so it’s easy to lay down on the counter while cooking. I would have liked to see easy tabs for each section, but otherwise, the format of the book is easy to use. You can make the tabs yourself using sticky notes.

This cookbook is a must-have for those who want healthy meals quickly. It’s great for the working individual or for the busy mom who wants to cook healthy meals for her family. It would also be a great gift for the new graduate. Near the front of the book is a list of all of the recipes contained in the book, serving sizes, and nutritional values per recipe for those who are on diet restrictions (e.g. diabetes, heart disease).

Oh, and I just saw also available is “Quick & Healthy Volume II: More Help for People Who Say They Don’t Have Time to Cook Healthy Meals“. If you get past the first 5 months of meal plans, then check out Volume II for even more!

So, being that I am trying to cook more at home, I have been trying to make several of the Ethiopian lentil recipes. For a few weeks, I tried the red lentil recipe (called Masir Wat, although I have seen many different spellings for that!). I even bought spices at Penzey’s Spices because I thought they would be better (they were!), but that did not help the bad recipes I tried. However, I do not give up when the going gets tough.

Instead, I tried a different Ethiopian recipe: Kik Alicha (yellow split peas). And guess what? It turned out great!! Score one for the registered dietitian who typically is not a good cook (though I’m quite good at desserts!).

Here’s my recipe for Kik Alicha

You can increase the volume of spices as you like; this recipe is not very spicy:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 2-3 Tbsp chopped onion (this amount varies depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

1. Cook water and split peas together for about 30 minutes in a pot. While you are cooking the water/split peas, cut up the onions and garlic.
2. Heat up oil in a small skillet, and add onions, garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Brown these ingredients.
3. Once you’ve cooked the split peas for about 30 minutes, the split peas should have soaked up most or all of the water. Add the oil/spice mixture to the pot and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring often. I had to add a bit more water to this mixture, but that depends on how hot you cook the mixture. The mixture will be a lumpy consistency (like lumpy mashed potatoes or mushy baked beans).
4. Serve with rice, with injera (Ethiopian “bread”), or eat it plain

Makes 2-4 servings

Nutritional Value of This Recipe

Thanks to my handy-dandy (expensive) recipe program, I was able to print out the following nutrition label for this exact meal:

What is great about this recipe is that, not only is it flavorful, but because it has some fiber and protein, when eaten as part of a balanced meal, it will help keep you full from one meal to the next! Happy Ethnic Eating!

By Mike

Just like 90% of all college students (and even pre-college), I thrived on ramen noodles (aka “oodles of noodles”) due to their cheap price (5-10 cents per pack) and tummy-filling goodness. These aren’t those high quality bowls of ramen that you’d find in a Japanese restaurant. No, these are sodium- and MSG-packed bricks of dehydrated noodles that spring to life with a bit of boiling water and a pack of pure, flavored salt.

While my wife is a dietitian, she also recognizes that many Americans don’t eat healthfully, nor will they ever give up their favorite snacks, just like I still enjoy a couple packs of Ramen noodles here and there. So in that vein, I’ve concocted my own ways to reduce your sodium (salt) intake when dining on that juicy brick of joy:

Fixing a “Healthy” Bowl from Ramen Packs

First, I’ll talk about those plastic-sheathed packs of Ramen that you generally make in a pot of boiling water at home. These aren’t the portable “Cup-O-Noodles”, which I’ll talk about next.

First, what is the nutritional value of a brick of Ramen? For the beef flavor (all flavors differ), a serving size is “half a block”. Well, I’m surprised as I usually eat two blocks in a sitting! Oops!

Moving on, assuming you’re eating a full block, or two servings, you’re taking in about 380 calories, 14 grams of fat (7g of saturated fat), and 10g of protein. But the worst thing about these noodles is the salt content: You’re taking in about 1600mg of sodium, or 66% of the daily value! I can only assume that this counts the seasoning pack that comes with every block of Ramen.

And that’s what I’m here to talk about: reducing the salt in your Ramen.

I’ve found it is easier to keep the sodium down in the blocks of Ramen than the cups, simply because you can control how much salt you add with the seasoning pack. But I don’t stop with the salt pack:

1. Boil a pot of water. Add the Ramen block. Let the noodles get almost done (still slightly firm).
2. Drain all of the water out of the pot and add in the appropriate amount of fresh water for which you normally eat your Ramen. Personally, I just like the noodles, so I drain out all the water. But if you like it as soup instead, add in more water. The reason I drain is to remove the sodium and other additives that have leaked out during boiling. Plus, the noodles get a fresher flavoring.
3. Reheat the noodles, but you probably don’t need to bring them back to the boiling point as they were almost done. Be careful not to overcook the noodles or they’ll be mushy (unless you like mushy noodles).
4. Add less than the full pack of seasoning. For me, since I don’t have much broth, I use half a pack of seasoning. Since there is so little water to dissipate the taste, I don’t need the full brunt of the beef flavoring. I could put in even less than a full pack, and I do sometimes, but half is a good starting point.
5. Enjoy

Honestly, comparing when I was a fatty in high school eating 3 packs of ramen at a time, with all 3 flavor packs added, I can’t tell the difference with my new method of preparation.

Fixing a “Healthy” Cup of Noodles

First, I need to say that a serving of a half block of Ramen is 42 grams, while a serving of the Cup of Noodles is 64 grams, so I can’t quite do an exact comparison of servings.

I will say, though, that the Cup of Noodles is less healthy than the block of noodles, based on the product label. The numbers in the previous section were based on 2 servings, or a whole block, of ramen, which is 84 grams. While that block has 14 grams of fat, a lesser amount (64g) of the cup also has 14g of fat. While the cup has about 90 fewer calories than the full block of ramen, it has over 1,400mg of sodium, or just shy of the block’s 1,600mg.

So, those 99 cent cups that you probably eat during your lunch hour at work are horrible for your figure. Utterly horrible. And how many of you just eat the cup for lunch? Do you also tack on a sandwich? A bag of chips? Shame, shame

So here are my tips for reducing the salt content in Cup of Noodles. As a note, the package says to heat water separately, then add to the container. My steps are just heating the water directly with the noodles. Both methods are bad for you since you get all the unsavory chemicals leeching out of the styrofoam from the hot water. You should probably just heat it in a microwave-safe ceramic bowl:

1. Open the paper lid halfway. Dump out the junk on top. While this means you’re probably tossing out what little vegetables and minuscule bits of meat came with the cup, you’re also tossing out the top coating of salt. But don’t stop there…
2. Fill the cup with water and dump it out a few times. Once the water become pretty clear, then fill the water up to the inside line (the “fill line”) and heat the noodles until almost done.
3. Dump out the water again (be careful not to lose the noodles!) and fill it up one more time. I fill mine up only halfway as I don’t like the broth (or I know it’s where most of the salt is).
4. Heat a little longer to get it up to your preferred temp.
5. Enjoy!

While I don’t know the new nutritional value after these two methods, I’m positive I’ve reduced the sodium content by half or lower. By using less of the “flavor pack” and dumping the scummy water and rinsing the noodles, you’ll have a healthier, and still cheap, meal. Granted, the Ramen still isn’t very healthy compared to freshly-made dishes with real veggies, etc., but if you’re on the run, or on a very, very tight budget, I guess Ramen is OK once in a while

I came across this Turbochef 30 inch Doublewall Speedcook oven in a magazine recently and was interested enough to write a post about it: it’s a two-part oven:

• The top part of the oven is what cooks the food “fast”. It can cook food 15 times faster than “normal cooking”. You can even air crisp and dehydrate foods in this part of the oven! There is a control button in which you tell it what the item is you’re cooking (for example, cookie dough that has been frozen), and it will tell you how long to cook it for.
• The bottom part is your conventional convection oven and is even Kosher approved for Sabbath (when you are not allowed to cook anything). You can also purchase a “single wall” option that does not have the bottom, convection oven.

One of the benefits of the Speedcook oven (besides the time saver!) is that it tells you when a product is 80% done so that you can make adjustments to the cooking time. However, it does not turn off after the product is done.

So how fast CAN you cook food in this speedcook oven?

You can cook a 12 pound turkey in the top part in 42 minutes and an apple pie in 16 minutes (info from the website) while cooking your stuffing in the bottom part. Imagine how easy Thanksgiving meals would be to cook!!!

How much does it cost?

Although you cannot get information on the website as to where to buy this oven or how much it costs, I did find info online that this oven can cost from $6000 to $8000! Too expensive for my kitchen, but it may be perfect for yours! If you’re a multi-millionaire.

When cooking, how often do you substitute an ingredient because you realize that you don’t have it? I typically make sure I have all of the ingredients before I cook a meal or bake a dessert, and if I don’t have an ingredient, I don’t make the item!

Let’s take an example: Jane is making a low-fat cheesecake recipe that she found. However, she realizes that she picked up regular cream cheese instead of low-fat, so she uses that instead. She also decides to use regular sour cream instead of low-fat. Before you know it, Jane substitutes regular fat products instead of low-fat–and her recipe is no longer low in fat. Although this might sound silly–and you may think “I’d never do that!”, be cautious when you are cooking and try not to substitute high fat for those low-fat items.

_{Comic by Nick}

Published by the American Diabetes Association, this book is meant for those of us who have diabetes and anyone who is looking to eat healthfully by watching sodium and fat content!

What I Liked About the Cookbook:

• Easy ingredients!! I didn’t have to go far to make a recipe–most of the ingredients were in my home or easy to find at the grocery store
• Simple recipes–the recipes were easy to follow and gave concise directions
• Variety of recipes–There are a variety of recipes (Asian, Mexican, Italian, “American”, “Soul Food”) to choose from. Examples include: Asian Beef Kabobs, Beef Taco Supreme, Bruschetta, Oven-Fried Chicken, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Baked Tilapia, Italian Wedding Soup, Blueberry Muffins….
• Cooking and Nutrition Tips–each recipe had either a cooking tip or a nutrition tip that tells you foods/ingredients that can be substituted and nutrition tidbits on ingredients (for example, the benefits of fish). These tips came in handy when I was using the cookbook.
• A Nutrition Label–every recipe had a nutrition label (which looked exactly like the ones you see on your food).

What I Thought They Could Do Better:

• The Nutrition Label–it was a great addition to the cookbook but did not give an explanation of the label in the front of the book. The cookbook assumed that you already have knowledge of how to read a nutrition label.
• The Diabetes Section–The cookbook also assumed that you already are knowledgeable about diabetes–if you are just diagnosed with diabetes and don’t exactly know what you should be eating, you would need to pair this cookbook with a general book on diabetes and nutrition.
• Photos–There are no color photos (and minimal photos if that). I assume this is to keep the cost of the book to a minimum, but this would help to see if the recipe looks appetizing or if what I made looks like it is “supposed to!”
• Format–Put it in a format that would be easy to lay down on a countertop while cooking. Again, they probably didn’t do this in order to keep the cost down.
• Desserts–The dessert section was “skimpy”, but then again, I guess that’s what the “Big Book of Holiday Desserts” cookbook is for!

Taste Test:

I tried the French Toast muffins, which were made with fat-free half-and-half, wheat bread, and egg substitute (besides a few other ingredients). Although my husband did not like them (but he doesn’t like wheat bread and french toast in general so he was not a good judge!), I thought it was a great morning meal, full of protein and whole grains (depending on the bread you used). It reheated well and filled me up for several hours afterwards.

Overall, I think it’s a good cookbook for those of you who like to cook simple, healthy meals! I am already planning my list of foods to cook this week based on this cookbook! Enjoy!

Recently, my friend Joe emailed me with this question:

“When I was growing up, we used to have eggs all of the time for breakfast. When I got older, I stopped eating eggs because I didn’t think they were healthy; I heard that eggs had cholesterol, which is bad for me! Can I enjoy eggs if I am at risk for high cholesterol?”

Well, this is the age old debate about whether eggs are healthy or not and whether they can be consumed on a heart healthy diet.

Let’s start at the beginning: What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fat-like waxy substance found in our blood and cells. It helps produce some hormones (like sex hormones and vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption) and it makes up cell membranes. Not only do we find cholesterol in foods we eat (all foods from animal sources, like beef, poultry, and dairy products—and foods made with dairy products) but our bodies also produce some cholesterol. Serum or blood cholesterol (what we hear about when people say “my cholesterol levels are high”) is cholesterol that is circulating through our bloodstream. If we have high levels in our blood, there is a greater risk that we will develop heart disease or have a stroke.

What are the cholesterol guidelines?

The American Heart Association and the MyPyramid Plan suggest limiting cholesterol from food sources to less than 300 mg of cholesterol a day. As one whole egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, that doesn’t leave much room for other cholesterol-containing foods. For example, one 3-ounce, 95% lean hamburger contains 65 mg of cholesterol; skim milk contains 5 mg; whole-fat dairy products and high fat meats will contain more than this).

So where does the confusion lie?

Well, some scientists state that even if you eat high amounts of cholesterol in food, it does not affect your blood levels of cholesterol. Other scientists state that it DOES matter how much cholesterol you eat and whether your blood cholesterol levels will go up (if you eat too much cholesterol-containing foods) or go down (if you decrease your consumption).

From what I understand, scientists are beginning to think that every person is different, and that genetics (family history) accounts for some of your cholesterol levels. So, in some people, if your family has a history of high cholesterol and heart disease, there is a greater chance that your blood cholesterol levels will be high even if you eat a low-cholesterol diet. Make sense?

And this is where the debate continues. Some resources tell you to not believe the hype that eating lots of eggs will lead to high cholesterol, and some (like the American Heart Association, the Dietary Guidelines, and the MyPyramid Plan) will tell you that it does.  I believe that these sources must tell you so because they need to make recommendations for the person at risk of heart disease (in the case of the American Heart Association), and for the general population. These guidelines suggest limiting whole egg consumption to 3 whole eggs (or 3 egg yolks) per week. Egg whites, because they do not contain any cholesterol, can be consumed in relatively unlimited quantities.

If you want more specific guidelines as to how much cholesterol you can eat, I would talk with your doctor and registered dietitian. Your doctor will be able to prescribe blood work to test your cholesterol levels, and then, working in conjunction with your dietitian, will be able to see if genetics and your diet play a role in your cholesterol levels. If you are like my husband, his cholesterol levels are great even though he does eat a higher cholesterol diet than I do. If you are like me, genetics plays a big role in my cholesterol levels, and it is essential for me to watch my cholesterol intake.

My suggestions:

1. When cooking, use egg whites when possible instead of whole eggs: 2 egg whites are equal to 1 whole egg.
2. If you have high cholesterol or have a strong family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, limit your whole egg consumption to 3 per week. However, if you do not usually consume high cholesterol foods, then you may be able to eat an egg per day within a low-cholesterol diet.
3. If you do not have high cholesterol and do not have a family history of high cholesterol/heart disease, it may be ok to eat an egg every day. Talk with your doctor and registered dietitian for more specific guidelines for your body, though.

_{Photo by Clairity}

Not all fats are created equal. Some fats can help lower our cholesterol levels and help reduce our risk of heart disease and stroke. Other fats can actually do the opposite, if consumed in large amounts, and raise our risk of heart disease. The healthier fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower total cholesterol levels.  The unhealthier fats, saturated fat and trans fat, raise cholesterol levels. But in terms of calories, all fats  have the same amount of calories per gram weight. So, if you are looking for weight loss only, then it doesn’t matter what type of fat you eat–any fat (whether the healthier or unhealthier kind), if consumed in excess–will lead to more fat on your body.

The Healthier Fats

Foods high in monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are usually liquid at room temperature.  Good sources of monounsaturated fat include olive oil, peanuts (and peanut products), and canola oil. Most types of nuts are usually good sources of monounsaturated fat.

There are several types of polyunsaturated fat, one of which, the omega-3 fatty acids, has gotten a lot of press lately. These fatty acids (the omega-3′s) are found in “fatty” fish, like salmon, herring, and mackerel, walnuts, and flax seeds and oils. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats include soy oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and nuts.

The Unhealthier Fats

Foods high in saturated fat are usually solid at room temperature. Examples are butter, shortening, fatty cuts of meat (think of the white part of the meat), coconut and palm oils, and most animal products (whole fat dairy for example). 

Trans fat is actually unsaturated fat that is hydrogenated (hydrogen is added to the unsaturated fat) to make the product more shelf-stable. However, when it gets into your body, it acts more like a saturated fat and can raise your cholesterol levels. Foods that may be high in trans fat are chips, crackers, cookies, and many desserts found on the shelf of the grocery store.  However, many food companies are now trying to make your favorite foods with little (or no) trans fat.  Fried foods also tend to be high in trans fat, so eat these in moderation.

A great site to check out to get an in-depth look at the different types of fats is the American Heart Association.

In summary, choose foods high in the unsaturated fats more often, and those high in saturated fats and trans fats less often.  But remember, when it comes to weight and calories, fat contain more calories per gram of weight than both protein and carbohydrates, so choose your healthy fats in moderation.

What is it about chocolate?

Cocoa and cocoa products contain flavanols, which are a group of polyphenols, or nutrients, that are found in foods that you can’t find in a supplement. Foods containing these nutrients can act as antioxidants (like some vitamins) in our bodies and protect us from heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. Some studies even link flavanol consumption and brain health! Interestingly, the bitterness of cocoa (along with wine and tea) is from the flavanols. So even though that dark chocolate may taste bitter, it’s a reminder that the item has some good nutrients in it!

Which kind of chocolate is better for you?

Dark chocolate! Although dark chocolate, per ounce, has more total fat and saturated fat than milk chocolate and white chocolate, it has more cocoa, which means more flavanols. Unfortunately, white chocolate does not contain polyphenols, so there really aren’t many health benefits to eating white chocolate.

Hot Chocolate Recipe

One recipe that I’d like to share with you is my “Hot Cocoa Concoction”, which is high in calcium, flavanols, and low in fat and sugar: (about 100 calories, 10 grams of protein, 1 gram of total fat, 2 grams of fiber)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup skim milk
• 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup water (how much depends on whether you like your hot cocoa rich or not)
• 1-2 packets of noncalorie sweetener (I use Sweet-n-low)

Directions:

1. Boil water or heat milk in the microwave for a minute.
2. Mix together the cocoa, milk, and non-calorie sweetener.
3. Add in the water when it’s done boiling.
4. Enjoy!

So this week, take some time (if you like chocolate) to enjoy a piece of dark chocolate!

One such product is “lunch meat”, or “deli meat”. Whatever the term, it is often seen as a nutritious item that can help people lose weight. However, you rarely hear people talk about how lunch meat is high in sodium. And remember that sodium is a component of salt.

How much sodium do we need in a day? Guidelines recommend that we have less than 2400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day, which equals 1 TEASPOON of table salt a day. Yep, you read correctly, 1 teaspoon. How much do you put on your food?

What are the side effects of eating too much salt, you may ask? High blood pressure (hypertension), kidney problems, and heart problems for those already at risk to name a few.

Subway, the leader of the low fat sandwich, unfortunately does not have low sodium subs. The Veggie Delite sandwich only has 500 mg of sodium (1/4 of your needs for the day), but combine that with soup and you’re almost done with your sodium limit for the day (each bowl of soup has over 1000 mg of sodium! Wow!). And you think that you’re eating healthy by getting that wrap? Well, a ham wrap has 1500 mg of sodium, and you’re only eating that in one meal!

Let’s pretend you’re trying to follow a healthy meal plan. (Forgive the brand names, I’m not picking on one brand over another). Here’s your meal plan for the day:

Breakfast
1 cup cheerios–200 mg
1 cup skim milk–145 mg
1 banana–n/a

Lunch
1 6″ turkey sandwich with cheese from subway–1000 mg
1 bag baked lays–150 mg
1 can diet soda–20 mg

Snack
handful of peanuts–(let’s assume they’re salted, in a single serve bag)–115 mg

Dinner
1 lean cuisine spa classics (chicken in peanut sauce)–560 mg
1 apple– n/a
1.5 cups salad with 2 tbsp fat free italian dressing–300 mg (400 mg if it’s low fat)
1 cup light ice cream (chocolate)–100 mg

Total sodium content: 2590 mg sodium

And you thought all those food items were healthy because the advertisers said so. When you’re shopping for a food, just think about the “whole package” rather than if it’s just low fat, low sodium, trans-fat free, etc. And also remember that only YOU can control the amount of salt you take in per day. That’s a public service announcement from Salty the Bear!