Are Your Friends Thin or Round?

The company we keep, especially female company if we are females, may have a powerful impact on whether we are thin or round. A new study from the Dept. of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School suggests that when a person becomes obese, perhaps it makes it more socially acceptable for people close to him or her to also gain weight.

What I found most interesting in the study results was:

• Siblings and spouses had less influence than friends (aw darn! My husband is strong and trim!)


• Being friends had an effect on weight, even if the friends didn't live near each other.


• People of the same sex influenced each other the most.
  

The researchers think "emulation" is partly to blame. Well, after looking that word up (it means "trying to equal or surpass somebody or something") what does that say about us?...that we are perhaps more interested or inspired to emulate other female friends than we are our spouses or siblings?

I can honestly say, I have friends in all shapes and sizes (and probably the ladies with the healthiest lifestyles, aren't necessarily the thinnest ones) and I'm not emulating anyone at the moment. Even when people all around me were falling for the latest fad diet (I won't mention any names) I went about my usual business of focusing on health and happiness and not obsessing with weight or weight loss.

But this study certainly gives us something to think about. If your friends start looking at you a little funny, maybe just maybe, they read the study too!

The New England Journal of Medicine, July 26, 2007
Christakis N.A. et al., "The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years"

Related Topics:

• Foil Your Friendly Diet Foes
• Choosing a Weight Loss Buddy

Technorati Tags: diet, obesity, health and wellness

Taste Test Tuesday: Whole Foods Brown & Serve Sausage Links - Maple

One of my favorite breakfasts is the infamous "pigs in a blanket" with buttermilk pancakes wrapped around a sausage link, drizzled or dipped in some light pancake syrup.

I can make nicely light pancakes, but the sausage links...that's the tricky part. I'm always on the lookout for great tasting lighter sausage products (vegetarian or otherwise) because I know so many of our favorite dishes (pigs in a blanket not withstanding) call for sausage!

Well, although this box of sausage links from Whole Foods store brand doesn't say "reduced fat" or "light" it is!

Two links with a total of 56 grams (or 2 ounces) contains:

• 120 calories
• 7 grams of fat
• 2.5 grams saturated fat
• 0 g trans fat
• 35 mg cholesterol
• 9 grams protein
• 350 mg sodium

Compare this to what 2 ounces of regular pork sausage will approximately run you:

• 200 calories
• 17 grams fat
• 6 grams saturated fat
• 46 mg cholesterol
• 11 grams protein

Suddenly a couple of these links are looking pretty good! The entire ingredient list consists of: pork, maple syrup, water, salt, spices, and raw sugar. I guess they are using leaner parts of "pork" than the average pork sausage!

How did they taste?
Really good. My pancakes would be proud to wrap themselves around these links. The flavor was great but perhaps more importantly, the texture was very nice. Moist without being greasy and no UCP's (unidentified chewy particles)!

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: The Importance of a Healthy Breakfast
• Lose Weight: Eat Breakfast

Technorati Tags: Taste Test Tuesday, diet, healthy cooking, sausage

Iced Coffee At Home!

Have any of you developed the habit of enjoying an iced coffee each afternoon this summer? I wouldn't call my love for iced coffee a "habit" but I would go so far to say it's currently a fairly frequent indulgence. I read somewhere that making coffee with cold water helps eliminate some of the bitterness when making iced coffee. Well, that''s all the encouragement I needed! I did a series of experiments to develop what I think is a pretty fool proof iced coffee formula. DO try this at home!

Homemade Iced Coffee
You can enjoy the iced coffee without any milk or creamer if you want - this is just the way I like it!

Ingredients
1/3 cup of ground coffee (decaf or caffeinated as desired)
2 cups cold filtered water (or from tap)
2 tablespoons fat free or "light" flavored creamer (like vanilla) or 4 tablespoons low fat milk of fat free half and half

Preparation:

1. Add about 1/3 cup of ground coffee and 2 cups of cold water into the French press and let it sit overnight or all day.
2. Push the top down on the French press to separate the coffee from the grounds and pour 1 cup of the coffee into each tall glass.
3. Stir a tablespoon of a fat free flavored non-dairy creamer (like vanilla) or 2 tablespoons of low fat milk into each glass. Add a bunch of ice to each glass and enjoy!

Yield: Makes 2 servings

Our Advice: journal as 4 oz "coffee with light coffee cream" or as 4 oz "coffee with regular coffee cream"

Nutrition Information per serving (using low fat milk): 13 calories, 1 g protein, 1.5 g carbohydrate, .3 g fat, .2 g saturated fat, 1 mg cholesterol, .5 g fiber (possibly from the soluble fiber in coffee), 15 mg sodium. Calories fat: 23 percent.

~~Elaine

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: The Truth About Coffee
• Healthier Ways to Get Your Caffeine

Technorati Tags: coffee, healthy diet

Taste Test Tuesday: Dreyer's No Sugar Added Fruit Bars

When you first view the box of Dreyer's No Sugar Added Fruit Bars (flavors in my box: black cherry, strawberry-kiwi, mixed berry), a few things hit you straight away:

• sweetened with Splenda


• made with real fruit


• 30 calories per bar


• excellent source of vitamin C

These are great when you want something sweet and refreshing. I find myself having two though, so I'm now talking about 60 calories (which is still really low for a nice, satisfying treat). If you have diabetes and you are counting grams of carbohydrate, even if you had two bars, it would total 16 grams of carbohydrate (8 grams per bar).

Per bar there are also 2 grams of sugar (from the fruit) and I also noticed (much to my intestinal chagrin as I am "sensitive" to them) 2 grams of sugar alcohol. On the plus side there is 1 gram of fiber per bar and 20% Daily Value for vitamin C.

The first nine ingredients for my favorite flavor (strawberry kiwi) are:

Water
Sorbitol (there's the sugar alcohols)
Glycerin (it's safe and is familiar to the body—it's sometimes added as a solvent for flavorings that aren't very soluble in water)
Kiwi puree
Polydextrose (similar to cellulose, it adds bulk to foods without adding calories)
Grape juice from concentrate
Maltodextrin (a moderately sweet polysaccharide used as a food additive and produced from starch)
Strawberry puree
Strawberries

How do they taste?
These are definitely a nice refreshing treat with no detectable aftertaste - according to my palate and the rest of my family. If you are sensitive to the "effects" of sugar alcohol (that would be diarrhea and cramping with a capital "D" and "C"), you may want to stick with a serving of 1 bar at a time!

Related Topics:

• No Excuses: Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
• The Best of the New Frozen Desserts

Technorati Tags: frozen desserts, fruit bars, Dreyer's, diet

Call To American Families: FOCUS ON HEALTH!

There's been some talk about the importance of removing vending machines (with junk food) from schools, labeling fast food items with nutrition information, etc...all in an effort to make a dent in the child obesity epidemic taking place in the U.S.

But, let me tell you...it's going to take a lot more than making vending machines vanish to turn this fast moving train around.

It seems this younger generation is the "virtual" generation because instead of physically playing baseball, many are playing it on the computer or Gameboy. Instead of walking down the street to chat with their school friend, they are typing the words on their phone or computer.

According to Dr. Reginald Washington, a pediatrician on the American Academy of Pediatrics Childhood Obesity Committee, there are many different societal factors conspiring to make American kids fat...from more time sitting in front of computers and TV to larger portion sizes, abundant fast food restaurants, and vending machines in schools. Washington warns that unless we make changes in all of these areas, including children's homes, we probably won't see changes in child obesity rates.

Families can start by focusing on health. Think about how often your family sits down to a healthy home cooked meal? Are fruits and vegetables plentiful and enjoyed in your home? How often do you drive through fast food restaurants in a week? Is your family drinking beverages that contribute important nutrients or just calories? How many hours do the kids spend in front of the television or computer?

~~Elaine

Related Topics:

• Childhood Obesity: Not My Kid
• WebMD Video: Keeping Kids Active

Technorati Tags: child obesity, family health, health and wellness

Taste Test Tuesday: Snyder's (Flaxseed Gold) Multigrain Tortilla Strips

If you like to make bean topped nachos, tortilla soup or if you sometimes like to enjoy a handful of chips with your sandwich...you might be in the market for tortilla chips that have more fiber, less fat, and a more healthful choice of oil. Of course having great crunch and flavor is also preferred.

I have found a brand here or there that meet the tortilla chip requirements listed above, at stores like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, but now there is a brand that has hit the more typical supermarket - Snyder's!

Their Multigrain Flaxseed Gold Tortilla Chips have 25% less fat than flavored tortilla chips and canola oil is their oil of choice. The chips contain 11 ingredients - 6 of which count as whole grains or seeds - contributing to each 1-ounce serving having 2 grams of fiber. While I'm thrilled to see flaxseed in this multigrain snack, by the looks of it they use the whole flax seed. In order for your body to reap the full benefits of flax, it needs to be ground.

From first to last here are the ingredients: whole corn masa, corn masa, canola oil, rice flour, sesame seeds, cane sugar, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, whole quinoa, salt and oat fiber.
Each 1-ounce serving contains:

140 calories
6 grams fat
.5 grams saturated fat
0 gram trans
18 g carbohydrate
2 g fiber
230 mg sodium

Would I buy these chips again? Yes I would, but I'm hoping somehow the company gets the ground flaxseed memo and switches to using crushed or ground flaxseed instead. Then these chips should have a nice supply of plant omega-3s per serving (from the canola oil and the ground flaxseed).

Related Topics:

• The Recipe Doctor Takes on Tex-Mex Cuisine
• WebMD Video: Tips for Better Vision

Technorati Tags: tortilla strips, flaxseed, multigrain, diet, healthy cooking

Rosh Hashanah and Diabetes: A Lighter "Sweet New Year"

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is just a few days away and I received a request from a WebMD producer who has diabetes and wants to enjoy all things Rosh Hashanah this year.

The producer reminded me that for this Jewish holiday, they wish each other a "sweet New Year" and serve sweet things like apples and honey, honey cake, sweetened carrots, fruit compotes etc. For example, her holiday menu includes:

Apples and Honey
Apple Challah (made round to symbolize the circle of life and the crown of the New Year)
Gefilte Fish
Matzo Ball Soup
Carrot Tzimmes
Beef Brisket
Potato Kugel
Fruit Compote
Honey Cake

--------------------------------------

First Tip: Think Sampler Sizes

In order to taste everything at the Rosh Hashanah table, have a small amount of everything - like apples and honey and apple challah; have just one matzo ball in the soup; enjoy the brisket in moderation; and have the fruit compote instead of the honey cake.

Second Tip: Lighten up the dishes that are rich and at the same time particularly desirable and comforting (and easy to over eat).

For our producer it's the carrot tzimmes and potato kugel that are her biggest challenge. My big challenge as THE RECIPE DOCTOR is that I have to lighten these recipes without using dairy products since the producer is serving meat (Kosher law prohibits the use of dairy products when serving meat). Here's what I did...complete with the new nutritional analysis!

----------------------------------------

Carrot Tzimmes
(Carrots are sliced into coins and eaten as a symbol of prosperity and good luck in the New Year)

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup seedless golden raisins
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley

Mix everything except the parsley together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the carrots are crisp tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the cover from the pan, raise the heat and cook the carrots until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thickened, about five minutes. Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve.
Serves 6

New Analysis Per Serving: 125 calories, 2 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, .2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.3 g fiber, 42 mg sodium (not including salt). Percent calories from fat: 17%

Light Changes: (In order to bring down the calories and grams of sugar a bit). I took out a tablespoon of non-dairy margarine and upped the orange juice by a tablespoon. I also cut the honey and brown sugar in half (from 3 tablespoons to 1 1/2) and decreased the raisins from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.

****************************

Potato Kugel

1 large onion, grated
6 large potatoes, peeled and grated (about 1.75 pounds of potatoes before peeling)
2 eggs well beaten (higher omega-3 if available)
1/2 cup egg substitute (if you don't want to use egg substitute increase the higher omega-3 eggs from 2 to 4)
1/4 cup canola oil (in the old days this used to be schmaltz - rendered chicken fat!)
1/4 cup double strength or condensed chicken broth (low sodium chicken broth can be used)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grate the onion first. Grate the potatoes and add to the onion to stop the potatoes from turning brown. Further chop half of this mixture with the blade of the food processor. This makes the kugel less dense. Mix everything together. Pour into a 2-3 quart rectangular casserole dish that has been coated with canola cooking spray. Bake for about an hour or until very brown and crusty. Cut in to squares to serve.
Serves 8

New Analysis Per Serving: 187 calories, 5.5 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 8.3 g fat, .9 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 91 mg sodium (not including salt to taste). Calories from fat: 39%

Light Changes: I cut the oil in half (from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup) and specified canola oil which is higher in mono-unsaturated fats and plant omega-3s. I added some double strength chicken broth to compensate for the moisture loss and to add a nice chicken flavor. I also replaced half of the eggs called for with a nice egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) and suggested higher omega-3 eggs are used if available.

****************************

L'Shana Tova! Happy New Year!

~~Elaine

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Diabetic Snacking Tips
• Diabetes and Weight Loss: The Right Path

Technorati Tags: Rosh Hashanah recipes menu, diabetes, healthy cooking, carrot tzimmes, potato kugel

Yeast Can Be Touchy

Photo Credit: Matt Biddulph

Recently a friend asked me...what could have happened to my yeast? Just as the lemon cake recipe called for, she said she added her yeast to warm milk and then added it to the cake batter and the cake did not rise like it was supposed to.

Has this happened to you? Have you used yeast and then wondered why it didn't do its job and create the air bubbles for your bread, rolls, or other baked goods?

Photo Credit: advencap

Usually the recipe calls for adding yeast to a small amount of liquid and letting it "proof" for about 10 minutes. This is rather like activating your yeast. It should look puffy at the end of the 10 minutes. Ask yourself if the milk or water that you added the yeast to was so hot that it killed the yeast. It needs to be warm enough to activate the yeast, but if it's too hot it will kill the yeast. Between 105 and 115 degrees F is thought to be best.

Here's a list of things to ask yourself when your yeast doesn't perform for you:

• Did you give the yeast enough time to "proof" with the warm water or milk? The mixture should look puffy by the time you add it to your mixture. This seems to take around 10 minutes.


• Did you include some sugar in with the recipe? The yeast needs the sugar to feed on and this releases the carbon dioxide gas bubbles that help leaven your baked product. Often recipes call for adding a pinch of sugar to the water before the yeast is mixed in and left to "proof" for 10 minutes.


• Was your yeast too old? Sometimes if the date has expired on the package, the yeast is passed their prime. Some of us don't exactly use yeast too often so these packets are kept in our kitchen for many months, sometimes years without being used. Make sure to check the date on your yeast package to be sure it hasn't expired.


• Did you refrigerate or freeze your yeast and then not let it get to room temperature before using it in your recipe?
  

With all these things to think about, it's tempting to trade in our yeast packets for a can of baking powder isn't it? But some of my favorite bread recipes (including my cinnamon rolls) call for yeast - so it's definitely worth the extra trouble sometimes.

--Elaine

Related Topics:

• Cooking and Baking 101: Kitchen Basics
• 10 Ways to Cut Calories in Baking Recipes

Technorati Tags: baking, yeast, healthy recipes

Whole Wheat Crop Circle Grabs Attention!

This "human" crop circle* in Kansas was commissioned by Sara Lee to support it's new national campaign to encourage families to switch to whole grain bread when making sandwiches for school. [Soft & Smooth Switcheroo: Take Your Whole Grain Sandwich to School Day on Sept. 5.]

And apparently Kansas is getting behind the "whole wheat" wave hopefully sweeping the nation because Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius issued a proclamation that the state's unofficial nickname, "The Wheat State" will be changed to the "The Whole Wheat State"” just on September 5th.

Is Sara Lee's campaign working? According to the company, they have distributed 2.5 million loaves of their top-selling Soft & Smooth whole grain bread in the past 48 days, totaling more than 534 million grams of whole grain.

That certainly sounds like a great start!

*Crop artists put the finishing touches on a wheat field artwork outside Lawrence, Kansas, commissioned by Sara Lee Food & Beverage. The crop image is made of all natural materials, including 40 bales of wheat straw, 23 tons of crushed limestone and 50 bags of red mulch for the signature red Sara Lee logo.

Related Topics:

• Tips for Reaping the Benefits of Whole Grains
• Whole Grains vs. High Blood Pressure

Technorati Tags: whole grain, whole wheat, bread, healthy diet

Hot Flash News: Flaxseed Works!

I wrote a book all about ground flaxseed a few years back (THE FLAX COOKBOOK). It was the absolute first book on the market on flaxseed (not flax oil). Many thought it was too early, that more research needed to be done.

More research always needs to be done - I felt there was enough evidence and strong scientific suggestions that people really needed to hear about and I wasn't going to wait any longer. After researching the topic and writing the book I truly felt (and still do) that ground flaxseed is one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. Ground flax has several components it contributes and the components even seem to have some synergy (they work together for maximum health benefits) in our body.

Well...since I wrote the book, I've seen study after study come out adding more credibility to the suggestions and statements I made in the book. One preliminary study on menopausal women just came out reporting that 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed (twice each day) cut their hot flashes in half AND the intensity of the hot flashes dropped by 57% too. Any woman battling hot flashes will appreciate the intensity decreasing too, trust me!

And here's perhaps the most exciting part...the ladies noticed a difference after talking their daily flaxseed for a week. The maximum benefit was achieved within 2 weeks of taking the flaxseed.

Related Topics:

• Plant Estrogen May Cut Breast Cancer
• The PMS-Free Diet?

Technorati Tags: flaxseed, hot flashes, menopause, healthy nutrition

Taste Test Tuesday - Smart Ones Chicken Enchiladas Monterey Frozen Entree

I've told you before I'm not a frozen entree person but I try to sample various options occasionally so I have something to say when people ask me to recommend certain frozen entree brands. Hey, it happens!

This time I was drawn to try one of the Weight Watchers Smart Ones Bistro Selections. That whole "Bistro Selections" thing (written in black and gold on the package) gives you the impression that this isn't going to taste like frozen entrees usually taste - that it's a cut or two above. Couple that with the "Guess Who Tastes Better Than Ever?" written on the box and suffice it to say I was curious. Plus I liked that it had some vitamin A and C, calcium and 5 grams of fiber.

From the picture on the box, at first glance, it looks like two regular chicken enchiladas with a mound of Spanish rice. And you are thinking, "That's definitely a meal." At closer inspection, once you remove the tray from the box, you see it is two mini chicken enchiladas with a small scoop of rice.

This can still work as a meal; you just need to add some fruits and vegetables to it. Eat some sliced apples and maybe some baby carrots with the entree.

How did it taste?
It was better than I expected from a frozen entree but not as good as your favorite Mexican restaurant. All the textures were appetizing and it was spicy enough to get this taster's sinus's running.

What's the nutrition breakdown?
Each entree contains 310 calories, 12 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat (0 trans fat), 3 grams polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 grams monounsaturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 5 grams fiber, and 730 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 29 percent.

What about Vitamins and Minerals?
Each entree contributes 30% of the Daily Value for vitamin A, 25% for vitamin C, 15% for calcium and 8% for iron.

Related Topics:

• How to Make Your Own Frozen Entrees
• Making Dinner Easier

Technorati Tags: Weight Watchers, frozen entree, diet, nutrition, Taste Test Tuesday

Award-Winning Garlic Fries Recipe!

My Garlic Fries Recipe won an award!

Many years ago I wrote a couple of recipe features for Cooking Light magazine. Imagine my surprise to see one of my recipes voted BEST POTATO DISH in their 20th anniversary magazine issue!

It's the Garlic Fries recipe that ended up in one of my recent cookbooks, FRY LIGHT, FRY RIGHT!

Garlic Fries are the big attraction at my baseball ballpark so years ago I worked up a light version of this intoxicatingly aromatic dish! It's the kind of side dish or snack food that once you smell it, you just have to have it!

The recipe is featured on page 131 of their September 2007 issue. Under "BEST POTATO DISH - Garlic Fries" they wrote:

An enormously popular story with readers, "Out of the Frying Pan Into the Oven" (BTW, this article inspired my cookbook, FRY LIGHT, FRY RIGHT!) appeared in April 2002. In it we lightened many popular and traditionally fat-laden foods. These fries stand out!

Thank you Cooking Light for this wonderful surprise--It truly made my week!