Make the most of your fruit that is too ripe to eat by trying some of these tips:
Bananas are one of my favorite fruits, but one thing I don't like about them is how quickly they get freckly. Freckles are cute on faces, but don't make for a good banana in my opinion. Instead of throwing out overripe bananas, slice them and freeze them. They quickly become a great ingredient for a smoothie. Other fruits and vegetables can be frozen as well, including berries, peaches, apples, and tomatoes. The freezing process does change the texture a bit, which is why it is probably best to use the frozen versions in recipes as opposed to eating them plain. Since the weather is turning a bit chilliy, maybe smoothies aren't your thing. Use the frozen fruits and veggies to make bread, pie filling, soups and stews, or chili. In addition to freezing your fruits and veggies, try "wearing" them. Use them on your face (and body) for at home spa treatments! For oily skin: Cut the top off a strawberry and rub the berry on your face. Let the juices sit for about 10 minutes and rinse. The acid in the strawberry acts as a mild exfoliant. Puree 2-3 couple strawberries and mix with a couple tablespoons of yogurt and a tablespoon of honey for an acne fighting, yet moisturizing skin treatment. Apply to the face and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Strawberries tone, tighten, and exfoliate. The lactic acid in the yogurt also exfoliates. The honey balances the mask by promoting moisture retention. For dry skin: Mash half a banana (use the other half in your smoothie!) and mix with 1 tablespoon of honey. Spread on the face and leave for 15-20 minutes. Honey acts as a humectant, meaning it will draw moisture from the atmosphere to hydrate your skin. The banana acts as a soothing agent and fights irritation. So there you have it. Try these money-saving and skin-saving tips and see what you think!
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To celebrate the coming of fall, I am beginning a series featuring food items that are "in season" and providing some recipes incorporating these ingredients. For more information on eating seasonally, check out my blog post by clicking here. First feature will be... SWEET POTATOES! I feel about sweet potatoes the way Bubba felt about shrimp in Forrest Gump: you can bake them, saute them, boil them, broil them, throw them in baked goods, and what have you and they're ALL good! The sweet potato is a super food and is packed with nutrients that do the body good. This starchy vegetable is full of vitamin A, which is important for vision (deficiency can lead to night blindness), healthy, clear skin, and optimal immune function. Sweet potatoes also contain manganese, a trace element that can help in the management of diabetes, PMS, and arthritis. Sweet potatoes are a great alternative to white potatoes, as they contain a bit more fiber. One medium (about 5 inch) sweet potato provides about 4 grams of fiber. They are also low on the glycemic index, meaning they do not cause spikes in the blood sugar, which is particularly important for those with diabetes. These qualities also make them quite filling. The first sweet potato recipe I will share is for sweet potato fries. Almost everyone enjoys fries, but we also know that all that grease is not the best if we are trying to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Rather than frying the potatoes, I bake them with a light coating of olive oil. You will need: 2 large sweet potatoes 1 tsp olive oil cinnamon 1/4 tsp kosher flake salt (optional) garlic powder (optional) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and slice the potatoes into wedges, chips, or whatever shape you desire. Place the cut potatoes onto a cookie sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and use your hands to coat the potatoes with the oil. Sprinkle cinnamon and/or seasonings of choice onto the potatoes and place in the oven. Bake for about 22-25 minutes, checking the potatoes after about 10 minutes to flip or stir them around. Thinner fries will cook faster, thicker will take longer. Remove from oven and serve. Serves 2-3. I don't always add garlic and salt. Sometimes I do dip them in a bit of ketchup. The potatoes are really perfect without any seasoning. This recipe is a great way to incorporate veggies into a picky eater's diet. Nutrition info for 3 servings (per serving): Calories: 120 Fat: 1.5 g Sodium: 135 mg Carbohydrates: 24 g Fiber: 4 g Protein: 2 g So after yesteday's post, I feel compelled to share a recipe that showcases one of the featured oils. I typically have stir-fry once a week because it's so yummy to me and you can change up the ingredients to keep it interesting and new. It is also an easy way to load up on your veggies (this particular recipe features 8 different kinds!). You can easily get in two servings of vegetables in this one meal.
You will need: 2 bell peppers 2-3 cloves of garlic 10-12 baby bella mushrooms 4-6 green onions 1 small white onion 1 large carrot 1.5 cups broccoli 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 cup rice (dry, uncooked measurement) 1 pound chicken tenders (or protein of your choice) 1 tbsp canola oil 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp powdered ginger 1/2 tsp kosher flake salt black and red pepper 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 1-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (Balsamic is great too) 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth Cook your rice. While rice is cooking, slice or dice vegetables and season chicken. Heat up a large pan to medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp canola oil and add chicken to the pan. Once chicken is cooked thoroughly, you may chop it up with the spatula, remove it from the pan and set it aside. Return pan to heat and add remaining canola oil. Add vegetables (adding the garlic during the last minute or so), stirring, and allowing them to cook for about 5 minutes. At this point, add the powdered ginger, red pepper, vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Return chicken to the pan. Allow the chicken and vegetables to come to a boil with the sauce. Add chicken broth if additional liquid is needed. Turn off stove eye. You could add the cooked rice and allow it to soak up some of the flavor at this point or ladle the mixture over the rice on individual plates. Divide the food amongst four plates and eat! Other variations on this recipe include the addition of edamame, spinach, or corn. You can also buy frozen mixed vegetables that have the baby corn, water chestnuts, and other traditional stir-fry ingredients. This is a great time to clear your freezer of forgotten half-bags of frozen vegetables or get rid of the sad, shriveling mushrooms in your fridge. Nutrition Info (per serving): Calories: 405 Fat: 8 g Sodium: 525 mg Carbohydrates: 45 g Fiber: 5 g Protein: 25 g Oils are an essential part of any diet. While we want to stay away from hydrogenated oils, there are plenty of healthier oils on the market that can be used for cooking. More commonly known oils are olive and canola, which are great sources of unsaturated, heart healthy fat. However, if you like to try new things, you might want to pick up a bottle of rice bran oil or sesame oil on your next trip to the grocery store. These two oils were highlighted in the news recently for their ability to lower blood pressure and LDL (the "bad" cholesterol, when used in combination. This combo of oils has been found to decrease blood pressure almost as well as some medication. This doesn't surprise me. I am always a fan of using natural remedies over medication to treat health conditions. Apparently, the "oil blend" used in this study isn't available commercially yet, but I'm sure you could make the mixture yourself and it would be cheaper than any premixed version that would be sold.
Even used alone, these oils have quite a bit to offer, including their individual abilities to lower blood pressure. I am not sure why the study focused on the benefits obtained from the combination of the oils. Perhaps, together, the effects are even more dramatic. Rice Bran Oil: The smoke point of rice bran oil is high, meaning that it is great for high temperature cooking methods, such as sauteeing and stir-frying. The flavor is said to be mild so it will not interfere with other flavors and ingredients in whatever dish you are making. I have not tried this oil, but I may have to once my stash of cooking oils gets low. In addition to its positive impact on the cardiovascular system, I have read that it can ease hot flashes and other symptoms associated with menopause. Sesame Oil: This oil has a moderately high smoke point, but not to the same degree as rice bran. I have tried this oil and keep a bottle handy. It has a great, strong smell and a distinct flavor that pairs well with stir fry dishes, fried rice, and other Asian-inspired cuisine. I use it to cook with and also will add a couple of drops at the end of cooking as a flavor enhancer. The health benefits of sesame oil include blood pressure and cholesterol lowering effects. The oil is also full of vitamin E, calcium, iron, and a host of other minerals that our bodies need. A word of caution: There is a such thing as too much of a good thing. Oil, although healthy, still has to be used in moderation. It contains a lot of calories per gram so as with anything, over consumption will lead to weight gain. Measuring spoons are your friend! This is a quick meal idea that is great when you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen. The recipe features red bell peppers and red onion, which are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, protect our skin from the harsh environmental elements. Black beans are tasty, economical, and contain fiber and protein to help keep you full. Beans are also full of iron, which is important for those who are anemic or iron deficient. Okay, nutrition lesson over, let's get to the recipe! For the recipe you will need: 1 can black beans 1 small red onion 1 bell pepper 3 scallions 1/2 cup frozen corn 1/3 cup rice (measurement is for uncooked) 1 tsp canola oil 2 tbsp salsa sharp cheese (I didn't have shredded on hand, so I used 3/4 slice 2% sharp cheese) 1/2 tsp kosher flake salt 3/4 tsp cumin 3/4 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp arizona dreaming (Penzey's Spices; won't make or break the recipe if you don't have this) couple dashes of cayenne pepper black pepper cilantro Cook rice (1 part rice to 2 parts water). Chop your peppers and onions, reserving some of the green part of the scallions for garnish. Heat up a medium-sized pot to medium-hot and add the tsp of oil. Add chopped veggies and corn and let cook for about 5 minutes. Add beans and stir. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add cooked rice and stir. Add all seasonings, salsa, and cheese. Allow cheese to melt into the mixture. Top with reserved green onion, guacamole, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cilantro. Lime juice would be great to squeeze over the dish if you have it! Serves 3 Nutrition Information (per serving): Calories: 297 Fat: 3 g Sodium: 435 mg Carbohydrates: 50 g Fiber: 7 g Protein: 12 g 2 tbsp of guacamole add an additional 50 calories, 4.5 g of fat, 50 mg sodium, 2 g carbs, 2g fiber per serving. I did use white jasmine rice (omgosh, what?!) in this recipe, but if you use brown rice, this adds more fiber and whole grains to the recipe. Additionally, I used the liquid from the canned beans, which I usually drain. However, this particular brand of beans was so low in sodium (125 mg/serving) that I decided not to drain and rinse the beans. If you are using canned beans and the sodium is under 200 mg per serving, you could use the liquid. If you prefer to drain and rinse the beans, you may need to adjust the amount of salt that you add to the recipe. ¡Buen Provecho! (Enjoy your meal) |
AuthorHello there, my name is Alena and I am a Registered Dietitian! This blog is a platform through which I can share my knowledge and perspectives on a variety of nutrition-related topics. Feel free to contribute by commenting. Archives
November 2021
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