Posted by Willow Jarosh on Tue, Jul 27, 2010
During a recent trip to New Mexico to visit my parents, I was excited to discover that their apricot trees were packed with fruit. (They only produce larger amounts of fruit every few years, because it uses up so much of their energy). I enjoy fresh apricots—they're absolutely delicious picked right off the tree—but it was my mom's apricot puree that I was really looking forward to. The ingredients in her puree, or apricot sauce as we call it, are simply fresh apricots and lemon juice (to help keep the fruit fresh and colorful). The simplicity of this apricot puree is its greatest asset; you get true, potent apricot flavor in each bite. That's probably why it has been showing up in almost every one of my meals and snacks for the past couple weeks. My mom also sent my friend/business partner a few jars and she has been eating it daily, too.
No apricot trees in your backyard? No worries! You can puree almost any fruit (whether you grow it yourself, get it at a farmers market or buy it at a grocery store). All you have to do is cook it with a bit of water and a squeeze of lemon juice and then run it through a food mill (a gadget sold at home stores that squeezes the fruit through a fine mesh) or toss it in the blender. Or, if you don't want to make your own, consider buying 100-percent-fruit baby food. It might sound odd, but if you choose a brand that uses only fruit in their product, then you're actually buying pureed fruit. In fact, some of the baby food brands that offer frozen pureed fruit are especially delicious because their flash freezing process helps retain the fruit's flavor!
It's this flavor that makes it such a healthy choice—because it offers a sweetness and powerful fruity flavor, you can use it in place of sugar in some of your favorite foods. Yes, fruit and fruit puree have sugar in it, but it's naturally occurring, and this sugar usually comes with other healthful nutrients and fiber that are found in the fruit. Not to mention, fruit puree packs in a lot of flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. All you usually need is a tablespoon or two, depending on what you're using it for. A single tablespoon of most fruit purees contains around 10 calories (this varies slightly depending on what fruit you're using).
Here are my favorite ways to use fruit puree:
1. Spread 1 tablespoon onto toast or a peanut butter sandwich instead of jam.
2. Stir 2 tablespoons into nonfat plain yogurt.
3. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a fruity summertime treat.
4. Mix with vinegar and olive oil to make a fruit-infused salad dressing.
5. Spoon on top of salmon or chicken, along with any herbs and spices you like, before baking.
6. Serve as a sauce with lean red meat.
7. Stir ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) into oatmeal.
8. Baked into certain goodies to replace some of the fat and sugar. You'll have to experiment to see which recipes you'll be able to make this substitution; I've found it works well in banana bread, muffins, and brownies. A good guideline to start with is to use 3/4 as much puree as oil (if a recipe calls for a cup of oil, use 3/4 cup fruit puree instead) or 1/2 as much butter (if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter, use 1/4 cup fruit puree). If the batter or dough looks dry, add a bit more puree.You can also cut the sugar by 1/4 (in some recipes, I've cut sugar by 1/2 with very good results).
Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Jun 24, 2010
Hometown: I can be found in all corners of the world.
Birthda
y: It's hard to determine my exact birthday because there are varieties of mint that are indigenous to the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. However, I've been around for thousands of years and am even mentioned in the Bible.
Family Members: There are nearly 500 varieties of mint, the most common of which are spearmint and peppermint.
Bio: Legend has it that there was a Greek water nymph named Minthe who was admired by Hades (god of the underworld). Hades' wife got jealous and she attacked Minthe, turning her into a mint plant.
Fans: People with tummy troubles, as it's widely believed that I have the power to soothe an irritated stomach and aid in digestion.
Favorite Activities: Being paired up with many warm-weather foods. For instance, I love to be made into a summer salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. Or, you can julienne me and add me to a whole-grain salad. My flavor enhances the taste of lamb and complements many varieties of seafood, including shrimp and cod, without adding any fat or calories.
Favorite Facts: Some people are fearful of planting me because I'm such a vigorous grower. In fact, a British gardener once said, "Plant a little mint, Madame, then step out of the way so you don't get hurt!" To all of these people, I say: Use lots of me and I'll stay under control.
Posted by Willow Jarosh on Tue, Jun 15, 2010
You probably already have this week's healthy must-have in your kitchen, and if you're like most people, you use the fat-free, low-calorie, sweet liquid, along with a little oil, as a salad dressing. But if that's the only way you make use of it, then you're really missing out. I use balsamic vinegar everyday, and for more than just dressing my greens. Ready to experiment? Try one of the tasty tips below, some of my personal favorites.
1. Create a macerated fruit topping. Toss a cup of sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries—or ¼ cup of each—in 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally to coat with vinegar; the berries will soften. Spoon berry mixture over reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, nonfat plain Greek style yogurt, or pancakes and waffles instead of syrup.
2. Whip up a flavorful tuna/salmon salad. Mayo is a classic "binder" for tuna or salmon salad, but try balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil instead for a more flavorful spin. I like to chop up grape tomatoes, black olives, chives, and celery and toss them together with canned salmon, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil. This combination gives my salmon salad wraps and sandwiches a fresh, Mediterranean feel.
3. Make a whole-grain pilaf. When I have leftover quinoa, wheat berries, brown rice, or any other whole grain, I like to toss it with balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, chopped-up veggies (any that you have leftover will do!), dried fruit, and nuts or seeds. This pilaf is a great way to use leftovers and the balsamic vinegar lends a unique flavor to it, so even if you ate all of the ingredients in the pilaf the night before, it won't taste the same!
4. Cook up a sauce. When you boil balsamic vinegar for an extended period of time, its water content is reduced, leaving a syrupy glaze-like sauce that is delicious over chicken, fish, tofu, and veggies. I heat a cup of balsamic vinegar over medium-high heat until it boils. Then, I reduce it to a simmer and stir it constantly until about 1/2 cup (or a little less) of thicker sauce remains in the pan. This usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Drizzle over veggies. A little balsamic vinegar on veggies like eggplant, onions, butternut squash, or Brussels sprouts can make even the most veggie-averse devour entire bowls of plant-matter. When roasting veggies, drizzle with balsamic vinegar in the last five minutes of baking and stir to prevent sticking.
6. Mix up a spritzer. A friend told me that she'd read you can put a tablespoon of fruit-flavored balsamic vinegar (most stores carry pear, raspberry, and even cherry balsamic vinegar) into seltzer water for a non-alcoholic beverage. I'm not a big cocktail drinker, so I had to try this—and I'm glad I did. It's refreshing and delicious. You can sip it at parties (it looks like an alcoholic beverage, so you won't feel left out if everyone else is drinking), or enjoy one on a hot summer day to relax and rehydrate. Opt for a fruit-flavored balsamic vinegar with no more than 20 calories per tablespoon (regular balsamic vinegar has five calories per tablespoon).
Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Apr 29, 2010
Basic Information
Birthday: According to estimates, around 4500 B.C.
Hometown: The olive tree is native of the Mediterranean region. I wasn't introduced to the United States until 1492 when I was brought here by Christopher Columbus.
Family Members: I come from the olive, a fruit that grows on the olive tree (which is actually considered an evergreen tree!).
Personal Information
Fans: I'm a favorite of chefs and nutritionists. Chefs prefer me over other oils because of my unique and delicious taste, which complements a wide variety of foods. And nutritionists sing my praises because I'm rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.
Favorite Activities: I love to be drizzled over poultry or fish for added flavor. I also like to dress vegetables or finish a whole-grain or bean salad. Another favorite seasonal activity: Being used to lightly cook some spring asparagus or to dress a delicious salad of spring greens (combine one to three teaspoons of high-quality extra virgin olive oil—depending on the calorie count of the rest of the meal—with a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.)
Favorite Fact: If you store me properly (in a cool, dark place) I can last for two years, though I'm most flavorful in the first two months. If you store me in the fridge, you'll have to let me come back to room temperature, so the crystals melt, before using.
About Me: I'm available in various forms, depending on how I'm processed. There's Extra Virgin, which comes from the first pressing of the olives. It has a very low rate of acidity, making it ideal for salads and other non-cooking uses. Virgin oil also comes from the first cold pressing, but it's higher in acidity. It has a slightly higher smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke) so it can be used both in cooked and uncooked dishes. Olive oil that's not marked Extra Virgin or Virgin are made from later pressings of the olives. They have higher smoke points, and are therefore better for cooking, but they lack the depth of flavor important for dressings.
Favorite Quotation: "Olive oil... asparagus...if your mother wasn't so fancy, we could shop at the gas station like normal people." —Homer Simpson of The Simpsons
Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Mar 25, 2010
The beef section of your grocery store can be a confusing and intimidating place. Between all the different cuts and types available, you may not be sure which to buy—and which to bypass—when you're trying to eat healthfully. Take this opportunity to brush up on your beef so you know which to toss into your cart the next time you're shopping.
BUY
| BYPASS |
| Cuts marked 'Extra Lean' or 'Lean' | Cuts from the underbelly, the
least muscular portion of the cow,
such as rib, rib eye, spare rib and brisket |
Cuts marked 'Select,' which will have the
least fat marbled throughout the beef | Cuts marked 'Prime' because
they generally have more fat
marbled throughout the beef |
Any cut with the word 'loin' or 'round'
in it, such as tenderloin, sirloin, top
loin, top round, bottom round, or eye
of round | Most hamburgers—the average
4-ounce burger has 24 grams
of fat, 9 of which are saturated |
| At least 90% lean ground beef | |
Grass-fed beef, if possible. It will cost
more—possibly as much as double—but
it usually has less fat overall, and a
healthier atty acid mix. For instance,
although grass-fed and conventional
beef have about the same amount of
saturated fat, grass-fed has a higher
percentage of stearic acid, a type of
saturated fat that does not raise blood
cholesterol, and lower levels of the more
artery-clogging types of saturated fat.
Grass-fed is also richer in omega-3
fatty acids, good for the heart and brain. |
|
More beef-buying and -cooking tips: Three to four ounces of beef per person is a healthy portion. When you get home, be sure to trim any visible fat before cooking. To tenderize (and add flavor to) lean meat, which is often tougher than fatty cuts, try braising or extended marinating.
Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Mar 04, 2010
Basic Information
Birthday: April 19, National Garlic Day, is the day to celebrate the veggie that's probably more than 5,000 years.
Current City: Garlic is grown throughout the world, but China produces the most.
Family Members: Relatives include onions, shallots, leeks and chives.
Personal Information Fans: Chefs love garlic, an essential cooking ingredient that's used in a variety of dishes, from tomato sauce to hummus to Asian-style stir fry. Nutritionists and those watching their weight are also fond of the veggie because it adds a lot of flavor to dishes without adding any fat. Even doctors like garlic because it contains organosulfur compounds, which, among other things, rev up the body's own antioxidant defense system, helping to fight off cancer and to thin the blood, reducing the risk for dangerous blood clots.
Favorite Activities: Besides warding off evil vampires (Edward Cullen and his "vegetarian" family excluded), garlic loves to be roasted. Roasting garlic results in a more mild taste than raw. To roast, try this technique:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Separate heads of garlic into individual cloves, leaving the papery skin in tact. Place garlic on a sheet pan and lightly coat with vegetable oil cooking spray. Cook until cloves are soft, about 20 minutes. Once garlic has cooled, remove the skin from the garlic. Cut the cloves in half lengthwise and remove the small sprout near the top of the clove using a knife. (The sprout can be difficult to digest and is sometimes bitter.) Use garlic immediately or store in a refrigerated air-tight container for up to a week.
Favorite quotation: "You can never have enough garlic. With enough garlic, you can eat
The New York Times." —Morley Safer
Posted by Willow Jarosh on Tue, Feb 16, 2010
I have to be honest, when it comes to certain kitchen tasks, I'm downright lazy. For instance, I never grind my own spices. It just seems to me like the effort, mess, and storage add up to too much work!
That's why I was so excited to discover McCormick's Cinnamon Grinders. The spice jar, which holds pieces of whole cinnamon sticks, has a built-in grinder. (They sell a variety of other spices in this grinder container, too, including black peppercorn and garlic pepper seasoning!) All you do is twist the lid for a nice dose of freshly ground cinnamon. What's the big deal, you might be asking. You get the ease of pre-ground cinnamon with the full flavor of freshly ground cinnamon. (Pre-ground spices usually don't live up their full flavor potential like freshly ground spices do.) I couldn't believe the difference in flavor and aroma the first time I used the McCormick Cinnamon Grinder–it was delicious!
Not only do I love the flavor of cinnamon, but I also like the fact that it's diet-friendly: Cinnamon brings out the natural sweetness in foods without the need for added sweetener (or as much added sweetener), and it adds flavor to savory dishes so I can skip the salt shaker! Actually, this goes for most spices—they're a great way to add flavor without adding calories, sugar or sodium. Since I bought the grinder, I've been using freshly ground cinnamon to spice up my meals and snacks. For instance, I've:
• Stirred it into nonfat plain yogurt and used that as a fruit dip
• Added it to three-bean chili to deepen the flavor
• Sprinkled it onto cereal instead of using sugar or a sweetener
• Mixed it with curry powder and rubbed the spice mix onto salmon before baking
• Sprinkled it on top of low-fat cottage cheese mixed with bananas and walnuts
• Mixed it into warm fat-free milk with a teaspoon of honey for a nice, creamy treat
Do you enjoy cinnamon? If so, let me know how you use freshly ground cinnamon in your cooking.
Posted by Sidra Forman on Wed, Dec 16, 2009
In the summer, I rely heavily on my herb garden to flavor my foods; I use a lot of fresh basil, chives, thyme, tarragon and mint. (My style of cooking favors healthful, cleaner, intense tastes as opposed to richer tastes, such as butter and cream.)
But as the weather gets cooler, I obviously have less of a choice. In fact, when I went to pick some herbs last night from my garden, the pickings were slim. I was able to get a little rosemary and sage (they've stopped growing now, but they can be picked throughout most of the winter), but the majority of the other herbs are gone until the spring.
I came in from my herb garden and had to rethink the menu a bit: The mashed potatoes that I'd planned to make with basil, I flavored with saffron instead. I had planned to season a carrot soup (a simple puree of cooked carrots and onions) with fresh thyme, but because there was none, I added a bit of turmeric, cinnamon and cumin, and the result was delicious. I roasted the fresh rosemary I was able to pick with a piece of just-caught wild rockfish. For dinner, I had made apple sauce with apples that had delicious flavor but were a bit soft, and added a pinch of ginger powder and ground cinnamon. Although I was initially disappointed with the lack of herbs I had to choose from, the addition of the spices made the meal delicious. It was a reminder that experimenting with spices, which are easy to use and stay fresh for at least several months, can turn an ordinary meal into something memorable.
For more healthy cooking advice, check out TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Willow Jarosh on Mon, Sep 21, 2009
Not too keen on the steamed veggies staring back at you from your plate? Wish your bowl of reduced-sodium tomato soup had just a little more personality? Love balsamic vinegar but feel like your salad greens are screaming for something extra? Look no further than Parmesan cheese!
Parmesan is a great item to keep in your kitchen because it helps make good meals great. It also makes it easier and tastier to create healthy meals that are full of flavor without being loaded with sodium. Here are my top five reasons to use (and love!) Parmesan cheese:
1. It enhances flavor without adding loads of sodium to dishes. A tablespoon of Parmesan contains 76 mg of sodium (just 1/2 teaspoon of salt contains over 1100 mg sodium).
2. It helps build bones. Can you say calci-yum? What other condiment delivers nearly six percent of your Daily Value of calcium with each tablespoon? No, you can't depend on Parmesan cheese to supply you with all of your calcium needs, but every little bit helps!
3. It's great for adding a crispy crust to foods. Like the texture of fried foods, but hate the calories and fat that usually tag along? Try sprinkling chicken, fish and veggies, with a bit of Parmesan and whole-wheat bread crumbs before baking—it imparts a golden, crispy crust onto food.
4. It adds pizazz to salad. If you're looking for a way to add a little more flavor to your salad, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of Parmesan over the top. The flavor of the cheese pairs really well with balsamic vinegar as well as dried and fresh fruit, nuts, beans, and anything else you may add to your greens.
5. It provides the perfect finishing touch. When your dish needs a little kick of flavor, or you want a meal to look extra pretty, a sprinkle of Parmesan will often do the trick. For instance, Parmesan cheese glistening over the top of steamed veggies makes them look and taste special. Or a dash of Parmesan on a reduced-sodium soup will give it a hint of saltiness and a pretty presentation.
For more healthy-eating ideas, join TheBestLife.com.