Taste Test Tuesday: Crisco Canola Oil with Omega-3 DHA

Canola oil is already rich in plant omega-3s, compared with most vegetable oils, but it doesn't contain the omega-3s that we normally get from fish...until now. Crisco appears to have supplemented their canola oil with one of the fish omega-3s, DHA. They did this by adding some DHA Algal oil (DHA derived from algae) to canola oil. You'll also notice if you read the nutrition facts label that some vitamin E (tocopherols) have been added as well for their antioxidant abilities. Each tablespoon of the oil contributes 20% of the Daily Value for vitamin E.

If you smell the oil, there does seem to be a different subtle odor about it. But I've used the oil in all sorts of ways over the past couple of weeks and the flavor in the cooked food seems to similar to regular canola oil.

I was a bit disappointed with the amount of DHA omega-3s per tablespoon though - 32 milligrams per tablespoon (.032 gram). That's 20% of the 160 mg of the Daily Value for DHA, according to their label. Compare this to the amount of total fish omega-3s (EPA and DHA) in 3-ounces of steamed salmon (1.3 grams) or 1/2 can albacore tuna (.8 gram).

If you are interested in trying this oil out, you might want to find it on sale because it's a bit pricey for the petite 16-ounce bottle.


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• Canola Oil May Affect Breast Cancer Risk
• Rating the Cooking Fats

A Favorite Appetizer Turns Into a Light Dinner

One of my family's favorite appetizers is the 7-Layer Mexican Dip. You know the one - seasoned refried beans topped with guacamole, then sour cream, and then shredded cheese, green onions and chopped tomatoes (sliced olives if desired).

Well, this "appetizer" has fast become a favorite light dinner at the Magee headquarters. I just assemble the dip sometime during the day (it takes about 10 minutes) and then when the troops are ready, you just take it out of the refrigerator, open a bag of multi-grain tortilla chips (or homemade oven baked crispy tortilla wedges) and dinner is served! I usually serve some fresh fruit with it too.

Think about it, it has the makings of a light & healthy dinner entrée - protein and fiber from the bean base, some smart fats from the avocado, some protein and calcium coming from the reduced fat shredded cheese, and some phytochemicals and antioxidants courtesy of chopped tomato and green onions.

Here is the recipe for light 7-layer dip. Pair it with my recipe for Light Baked Tortilla Triangles. They go great together!

Light 7-Layer Dip

Everyone loves this fun party dip, even kids! Keep it light by serving it with multigrain tortilla chips (homemade or store-bought) Include 1/2 cup store-bought guacamole or make homemade by blending the following together in a small food processor:

Ingredients:

Guacamole:

1 avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
2 teaspoons lime juice, fresh or bottled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons salsa
Garlic powder or garlic
Salt to taste (optional)
black pepper to taste

Dip:

8 ounces fat-free sour cream
1-ounce packet taco seasoning mix
15-ounce can fat-free or vegetarian refried beans
1 cup diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese blend (i.e. Jack and cheddar)
2 1/4-ounce can sliced black olives (optional)

Preparation:

1. Make guacamole if you haven't already and set aside.


2. In small bowl, blend sour cream with taco seasoning.


3. Spread the refried beans in the bottom of a deep-dish pie plate (you can warm the beans up in the microwave briefly to make them more spreadable.)


4. Top the beans with the sour cream mixture, then top that with the guacamole.


5. Spread the tomatoes on top, then sprinkle the green onions over the top, followed by the shredded cheese and black olives if desired.


6. Serve with reduced-fat and/or multigrain tortilla chips.

Yield: 6 dinner servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (dip only): 226 calories, 14 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 11.5 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 688 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 46%.

Related Topics:

• Oven Baked Tortilla Triangles
• Mexican Diet May Cut Breast Cancer Risk

Taste Test Tuesday: Smart Ones Morning Express Breakfast Quesadilla

What to do when you only have a couple of minutes to prepare breakfast but you don't feel like the typical bowl of cereal but a more substantial egg-type entrèe? Weight Watchers is hoping you'll reach into the freezer for their new Morning Express line of Breakfast entrèes. I'm not a fan of frozen entrèes in general, but I realize many people rely on them, particularly people who live alone. So, I try to taste the new entrèes that come along that I think some of you out there will be curious about.

This morning I followed the directions on the box and popped a Breakfast Quesadilla into the microwave for 2 minutes. There are two things I look for in a breakfast and this product had both - at least 5 grams of fiber and at least 5 grams of protein. I look for this because it helps make the breakfast more satisfying physically through the morning. The Breakfast Quesadilla contains 13 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. The protein is mainly coming from egg whites; the quesadilla also contains cheese, turkey bacon and vegetables.

It totals 220 calories with 6 grams of fat (25% calories from fat) and 3 grams of saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, and 710 mg sodium. The sodium seems rather high for a food with only 220 calories, but that's one of the reasons I'm not crazy about frozen entrèes. It was nice to see the 2 grams of monounsaturated fat though.

How did it taste?
Actually, it tasted pretty good. There wasn't anything unappetizing about the texture, like you might anticipate in a frozen item with eggs, and it seemed like a good amount of food for me (my stomach isn't ready for anything substantial until at least 10 am.)

Related Topics:

• WebMD Slideshow: The Best and Worsdt of Fast Food Breakfasts
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Oven Baked Tortilla Triangles

Have you ever wanted to make your own tortilla chips? There are benefits to doing this...

1. You get to choose the type of oil that is used like canola oil, which is higher in plant omega-3s and monounsaturated fat than most other vegetable oils.


2. You get to reduce the amount of oil used (by baking instead of deep frying) so that your chips are still crisp and tasty but lower in calories and fat grams compared to chips at the supermarket.


3. You get to enjoy FRESHLY made tortilla chips instead of chips that have been sitting in a bag for weeks and maybe months.

Oven Baked Tortilla Triangles

Ingredients:

3 corn tortillas
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
Canola cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning (sold in packets)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
2. Stack corn tortillas on top of each other and cut the stack into 8 wedges (so you will have 24 triangles altogether). Coat a nonstick cookie sheet with canola oil (you can use a silicon brush or spatula to spread it out). Lay the tortilla triangles on the cookie sheet firmly so that they are coated lightly with the oil.
3. Spray the tops of the triangles with canola cooking spray and with your fingers, sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top.
4. Bake for about 8 minutes, watching carefully because they burn easily, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with bean dip or salsa or use them as garnish for soups, chili, taco salads, or other Mexican entrees.

Yield: Makes 2 servings

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members Journal as 1/2 cup starchy foods without added fat, OR 1 slice whole grain bread + 1 teaspoon margarine light

Nutrition Information per serving: 118 calories, 2 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 4.2 g fat, .4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.5 g fiber, 75 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 32 percent.

Related Topics:

• Award-Winning Garlic Fries Recipe!
• Hot Tamales

Fall Favorites: Ginger Pumpkin Bread

Week #4: GINGER PUMPKIN BREAD

Photo Credit: Elaine Magee

What's November without some pumpkin bread? This is a moist and mildly flavored pumpkin bread recipe that you can embellish with any other favorite fall ingredients like pecans or walnuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit of any kind.

The original recipe called for a stick of melted butter; I've trimmed this down to 3 tablespoons and used canola oil instead. Some lowfat buttermilk was added in place of the lost butter. Mostly whole-wheat flour was used instead of 100% white flour and the sugar was decreased by 25% and the 2 eggs were replaced by a higher omega-3 egg and an egg white.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 large egg, omega-3 if available
1 large egg white
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Coat the inside of a loaf pan (8 1/2" x 4 1/2") with canola cooking spray or light margarine and dust lightly with some white flour; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl on low speed, combine canola oil, buttermilk, sugars, pumpkin, egg and egg white and beat until completely blended, scraping bowl after about 20 seconds. In medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, ginger and salt.
3. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating on low speed only until just combined, scraping bowl toward the end.
4. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 50 minutes). Let it cook for 10 minutes then invert pan and transfer the pumpkin bread to a wire rack to cool completely, if desired. Serve warm or cold.

Yield: Makes 10 slices

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members journal as: 1 small muffin OR 2 slices whole grain bread

Nutrition Information per slice: 169 calories, 3.5 g protein, 29 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 178 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 26%

Week #1: Topless Chicken Pot Pie
Week #2: Super Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Week #3: Spiced Apple Cake
Week #4: Ginger Pumpkin Bread

Related Topics:

• Winter Squash: Recipes and Tips
• Pumpkin Recipes Packed with Nutrition