CalCPA ProtectPlus

This delicious recipe is from Cooking Light.com and it is perfect for the holidays! Enjoy!

This pie’s strength lies in the amalgamation of many different textures and flavors. Crisp pear and tart cranberries are held in an ooey-gooey brown-sugar filling, topped with a crunchy, nutty streusel. Using a premade crust means there’s almost no work involved. Assembly takes maybe five minutes―throw it in the oven, and you’re done.

If you can’t find fresh cranberries, use thawed frozen ones. A prepared pie shell yields a stellar dessert with little effort. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

YIELD: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

COURSE: Desserts, Pies/Pastries

Ingredients

Streusel:

• 3/4 cup regular oats
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of salt
• 2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• Filling:
• 3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled Anjou pear (2 large)
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Remaining ingredient:
• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pastry shell

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare streusel, combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

To prepare filling, combine pear, cranberries, 2/3 cup brown sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl; toss well to combine. Spoon pear mixture into pastry shell; sprinkle streusel over pear mixture. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly and streusel is browned. Cool at least 1 hour on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 240
• Calories from fat: 31%
• Fat: 8.2g
• Saturated fat: 2.4g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.1g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8g
• Protein: 1.6g
• Carbohydrate: 41.5g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Cholesterol: 5mg
• Iron: 0.8mg
• Sodium: 118mg
• Calcium: 27mg

Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Living

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The following recipe is from Eatingwell.com and is perfect for those of us who don’t have a lot of spare time to cook meals!

From EatingWell:  February/March 2005, The Eating Well Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006), The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook (2005) 

These burritos are something of a Tex-Mex wonder: tangy barbecue sauce, some roast chicken (or rotisserie chicken) and vegetables, all wrapped up in tortillas. For the best taste, look for a fiery barbecue sauce without added corn syrup.

4 servings, 1 wrap each

1. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, barbecue sauce, beans, corn and sour cream; stir to combine. Cook until hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Assemble the wraps by placing a lettuce leaf in the center of each tortilla and topping with one-fourth of the chicken mixture; roll as you would a burrito. Slice in half diagonally and serve warm, with lime wedges.

Nutrition

Per serving: 404 calories; 8 g fat ( 2 g sat , 1 g mono ); 80 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 32 g protein; 6 g fiber; 600 mg sodium; 531 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (24% daily value), Iron (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 very lean meat
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The following information is by The Editors of Prevention and gives us all some great information on what foods we should and should not consume as they could be aging us!

What if the fountain of youth were in your own kitchen? While we’ve come to expect certain physical and mental changes as an inevitable part of getting older, the fact is that the foods we eat—or don’t—may speed those processes along, aging us before our time. The reason is simple: “We eat too many processed foods,” says David Katz, MD, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “They’re often high in calories and low in nutrients such as vitamin B12 and omega-3s, so we end up with islands of deficiencies in a sea of excess.” These inadequacies can result in symptoms we tend to assume are due to aging, such as the four below. Work with your doctor to determine whether adjusting your diet or adding a supplement can help you look—and feel—younger.

Mistake #1: You avoid all animal protein.
Why it’s aging you: You may lack of vitamin B12. which is essential for energy.

Found only in foods that are derived from animals, this nutrient helps regulate your metabolism and energy production and is key to maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. “Fatigue is a classic sign of B12 deficiency, which usually occurs in people who don’t eat very much animal protein,” says Danine Fruge, MD, associate medical director of the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Miami. Chewing a lot of antacids to relieve heartburn can also lead to B12 deficiency because antacids interfere with B12 absorption.

Food Fix: Have two servings of nonfat dairy foods, such as fat-free milk or nonfat yogurt, and 3 to 4 ounces of lean protein daily. Good sources of B12 include seafood such as fish, clams, oysters, and mussels, as well as lean beef and pork, chicken, and fortified cereal.

Supplement Solution
Take 500 to 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 in tablet form every day to raise and maintain your B12 levels.

Mistake #2: You avoid supplements.
Why it’s aging you: You miss manganese and copper, which help prevent joint pain.

Because manganese and copper are both essential for maintaining joint cartilage and flexibility, “in most cases, supplementing these nutrients reverses the joint deterioration and eliminates the pain,” says Dale Peterson, MD, director of the Comprehensive Wellness Center in Sapulpa, OK. “The body can actually repair a significant amount of damage if it’s given the proper support.”

Food Fix: Nuts, beef, and spinach are good sources of these nutrients, but you won’t be able to eat enough to get all your copper and manganese, so opt for a supplement, Dr. Peterson advises. Take 2 mg of copper and 5 mg of manganese each day. Within 2 to 3 months, your joints should feel less painful. (continue reading…)

Pork Fajitas with Mango

If you are planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo next week, here is a delicious healthy recipe from Cooking Light. Enjoy!

By: Marge Perry, Cooking Light, January 2007

Adding just a tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce to the pork at the end of cooking gives the dish just enough of that salty, savory “umami” flavor to balance the sweet mango. Enjoy these fajitas with lime wedges and Mexican beer.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups pork mixture, 6 tablespoons mango, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and 2 tortillas) COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups julienne-cut red bell pepper, (about 1 medium)                                                                           
• 2 cups julienne-cut green bell pepper, (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 (8-inch) low-fat flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups diced mango (about 1)
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation

Combine juice, cumin, and pork in a medium bowl, tossing well to coat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan.

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add peppers and onion; cook 6 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and pork; cook for 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and sugar; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Warm the tortillas according to package instructions. Serve pork mixture with tortillas, mango, and sour cream.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories:  410
• Calories from fat:  20%
• Fat:  9.1g
• Saturated fat:  2.4g
• Monounsaturated fat:  3.8g
• Polyunsaturated fat:  3.8g
• Protein: 30g
• Carbohydrate:  51.6g
• Fiber:  4.1g
• Cholesterol:  76mg
• Iron:  3.8mg
• Sodium:  579mg
• Calcium:  147mg

[Information Souce, Image Source - Photo: Randy Mayor]

The following wellness tip is from eatright.org – the American Dietetic Association.

Food is more than just fuel. Your diet can help fight disease and keep you looking and acting younger. How a man eats throughout his life can help predict how well (or not) he ages.

Eating Right

A healthy diet for men includes: 

• At least 2 cups of fruits and 2 ½ cups of vegetables each day. At least once a week, eat tomatoes or something made from tomatoes like pasta sauce. The antioxidant lycopene found in tomato products is good for prostate health.
• At least five 1-ounce servings of whole grains each day. Replace refined grains with whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, brown rice or oats
• At least two to three servings of fish per week
• At least 38 grams of fiber a day for younger men; 30 grams of fiber a day for men older than 50
• Unsaturated fats like oils, nuts and salad dressings in place of saturated fats like full-fat dairy foods, butter and high-fat sweets
• 4,700 milligrams a day of potassium from fruits, vegetables, fish and milk.

To read more information on healthy eating tips for men, visit The American Dietetic Association.

Since summer is just around the corner, the following information is perfect so we can learn what foods can help our body defend itself against harmful UV rays and help to lower our risk of skin cancer.

Self Magazine
By Maridel Reyes, contributor

Research suggests that some foods can intensify your body’s sun defenses. This meal plan, created by Alyse Levine, R.D., of Los Angeles, may help ward off UV damage and help lower your risk for skin cancer. (But, yes, you’ll still need sunscreen.)

Breakfast
Recipes that save your skin
Garden Veggie Omelet: 1 whole egg and 1 egg white with 1/2 cup mix of tomatoes, green bell peppers, onions and mushrooms; 1 slice lowfat cheese; 1/4 cup salsa
Yogurt: Parfait 1 cup fruit salad (sliced guava, watermelon and apricots), 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 2 tbsp lowfat granola
Smoothie: 1 cup each watermelon, nonfat plain yogurt and strawberries; 1/2 banana; 1 tbsp honey; 1/2 cup crushed ice

Why they may protect
The antioxidant lycopene, the red pigment found in some fruit and veggies, does more than add pizzazz to your plate. Research from Newcastle University in England shows that people who ate about 1/4 cup of tomato paste every day suffered from fewer sunburns and increased their skin’s natural sun protection by one third. Why? Lycopene soaks up free radicals and helps prevent DNA damage.

Snack
Recipes that save your skin
Tea and crackers: 2 high-fiber crackers topped with a smear of almond butter; 8 oz green, white or black tea
Nonfat latte: 1 oz of espresso with steamed skim milk, sprinkled with cinnamon and 2 shakes of cocoa
Trail mix medley: 1/2 ounce dark-chocolate chips, 2 tbsp mixed nuts

Why they may protect
These treats have flavonols, antioxidants with anti-cancer perks. Research suggests that downing a cup or more of tea a day may lower risk for squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, by 30 percent; drinking 2 to 5 cups of coffee a day may lower risk for nonmelanomas by up to 17 percent. And cocoa can make skin up to 25 percent less sun-sensitive. (continue reading…)

Below you will find a very valuable tool provided by WebMd.com, that will help you to learn proper food portion sizes. Many of us may find ourselves going out to dinner and having a large plate full of food placed in front of us. Unfortunately, many of us eat the entire serving all in one sitting which makes it hard for our bodies to digest properly. If our portion sizes are too large on a regular basis, we are putting ourselves at risk of having health and weight issues. WebMD has provided printable portion size guidelines for us to have for our wallets when we are away from home and for our refrigerator. These guidelines will help us avoid the common portion-size pitfalls. Knowing our portion sizes will help us to control our weight loss and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Click here for your wallet-sized portion control and size guide. Click here for your fridge-sized portion control and size guide.

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1  10-ounce (300 g) thin crust pizza shell 
1/2  cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil 
1  teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil 
1/2  cup (114 g) low-fat ricotta cheese 
1/2  cup (75 g) grated part-skim mozzarella cheese 
2  tablespoons (10 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2  pound (240 g) cherry tomatoes, halved  
olive oil cooking spray  
freshly ground pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the pizza crust on a pizza stone or baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the basil and olive oil. Spread over the crust. In another bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Crumble over the basil.

Place the tomato halves on top. Spray with cooking spray and grate on fresh pepper to taste.

Bake for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked but still keep their shape.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve warm or chilled.

Per slice:  143 calories (34% calories from fat), 4 g protein, 5 g total fat (1.7 g saturated fat), 18 g carbohydrate , 2 g dietary fiber, 7 mg cholesterol, 133 mg sodium 

Diabetic exchanges:  1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch), 1 fat

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From EatingWell:  August/September 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)

Instead of batter-dipped, deep-fried nuggets, coat the chicken tenders in a seasoned almond and whole-wheat flour crust and then oven-fry them to perfection. With half the fat of standard breaded chicken tenders, you can enjoy to your (healthy) heart’s content.

Makes 4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Profile
Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low carbohydrate | Low saturated fat | Low sodium | Heart healthy | Healthy weight |

Ingredients
Canola oil cooking spray
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large egg whites
1 pound chicken tenders, (see Ingredient Note)

Preparation
1.  Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.

2.  Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3.  Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Place the tenders on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side.

4.  Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

Tips & Notes
Ingredient note: Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”

Nutrition
Per serving: 174 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 254 mg sodium; 76 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (31% daily value).

Exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 1/2 fat

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A few cooking tips from the American Heart Association to help you lower your cholesterol.

Cook fresh vegetables the low-fat, low-salt way
Try cooking vegetables in a tiny bit of vegetable oil, adding a little water during cooking if needed, or use a vegetable oil spray. Just 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil is enough for a package of frozen vegetables that serves four. Place in a skillet with tight cover, season, and cook over a very low heat until vegetables are done.

Add herbs and spices to make vegetables even tastier. For example, these combinations add new and subtle flavors:

• Rosemary with peas, cauliflower and squash
• Oregano with zucchini
• Dill with green beans
• Marjoram with Brussels sprouts, carrots and spinach
• Basil with tomatoes

Start with a small quantity (1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon to a package of frozen vegetables), then let your own and your family’s taste be your guide. Chopped parsley and chives, sprinkled on just before serving, also enhance the flavor of many vegetables.

Use liquid vegetable oils in place of solid fats
Liquid vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and olive can often be used instead of solid fats such as butter, lard or shortening. If you must use margarine, try the soft kind. Use a little liquid oil to:

• Pan-fry fish and poultry.
• Saute vegetables.
• Make cream sauces and soups using low-fat or fat-free milk.
• Add to whipped or scalloped potatoes using low-fat or fat-free milk.
• Brown rice for Spanish, curried or stir-fried rice.
• Cook dehydrated potatoes and other prepared foods that call for fat to be added.
• Make pancakes or waffles. (continue reading…)

Recipe from Diabetic Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 boneless beef bottom round rump roast or beef bottom round (3 to 3-1/4 pounds)
• 2 packages (24 ounces each) fresh pot roast vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots, celery)
• 2 packages (.75 to .88 ounces each) mushroom or brown gravy mix
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup beer
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare pot roast vegetables: cut potatoes in half (or into quarters if large), onions into 1/2-inch wedges, and carrots and celery into 2-inch pieces; set aside.
2. Combine gravy mixes, flour, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add vegetables to bowl; toss to coat well. Remove vegetables from flour mixture and place in 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Add beef roast to bowl, turning to coat evenly with flour mixture. Remove roast and place in slow cooker in center of vegetables.
3. Whisk beer into remaining flour mixture until smooth; add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 10 to 11 hours, or on HIGH 6 to 7 hours, or until beef and vegetables are fork-tender. (No stirring is necessary during cooking.)
4. Remove roast and vegetables. Skim fat from gravy. Carve roast into thin slices. Serve with vegetables and gravy. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

Calories: 318

Protein: 39 g

Sodium: 516 mg

Cholesterol: 112 mg

Fat: 9 g

Saturated Fat: 3 g

Dietary Fiber: 3 g

Carbohydrates: 17 g

 [Information Source] [Image Source]

From EatingWell:  April/May 2005, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

10 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes appropriate – Low calorie – Low cholesterol – Healthy weight – High calcium – High fiber – High potassium

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
1 pound lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (*see Vegetarian Variation)
4 cups sliced mushrooms, (10 ounces)
1/4 cup water
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese, (2 cups)
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided (continue reading…)

The Super Bowl is the second biggest day for food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving! Super Bowl menus are full of salt, sugar, fat and all the other bad things you can think of. But oh…they are so good right? “It’s only one day”, you may say. But you can actually put  on five pounds in one day of eating fattening foods…the types of foods that may be at that Super Bowl party you are going to this Sunday.

I heard this following information on the radio the other day looked it up on Dietdetective.com. It really put things into perspective and may make you think twice before taking that next bite!

• 1/2 A DIGIORNO PIZZA CHEESE STUFFED CRUST LIMITED EDITION BACON/SAUSAGE/PEPPERONI = 299 TOUCHDOWN DANCES IN THE END ZONE

That’s 975 calories per half.  Each dance should last for 15 to 20 seconds.

Fit Tip: There are frozen and delivery pizza choices with a lot fewer calories. If you choose thin crust and avoid meats and extra cheese you can drop the calories down to about 720 for half a 12-inch pizza.

• SIX T.G.I. FRIDAY’S LOADED POTATO SKINS = DOING “THE WAVE” 6,389 TIMES

Each potato skin (half a potato) is 218 calories. That’s a lot when you consider that an entire potato is 160 calories. But these potato skins are deep fried and topped with cheese, bacon and even sour cream.

Fit Tip: These are so easy to make yourself. Microwave the potato, then cut it in half and put it in the toaster oven with some cooking spray.

• LARGE MEATBALL SUB FROM QUIZNOS = CLIMBING THE STADIUM STAIRS FOR 109 MINUTES

It has meatballs, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce on a hero roll, adding up to 1,020 calories.

Fit Tip: How about turkey meatballs (made with breast meat), low-fat mozzarella and a whole-grain hero.

• 6 KFC HONEY BARBECUE WINGS WITH DIPPING SAUCE = PLAYING PRO FOOTBALL FOR 59 MINUTES

Keep in mind, this is 59 minutes of actual playing time — standing on the sidelines or in the huddle doesn’t count. Each wing has 90 calories, and the dipping sauce is about 50 calories per container.

Fit Tip: You can certainly make your own chicken wings. Go skinless and bake instead of deep frying them.

• ONE PINT OF BEN & JERRY’S CHUBBY HUBBY ICE CREAM = CLEANING THE STADIUM AFTER THE GAME FOR 322 MINUTES

That’s almost 5 1/2 hours of cleaning — no breaks. And yes, that pint has 1,320 calories.

Fit Tip: There are so many very tasty low-calorie ice creams. For instance, Breyers All-Natural Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry is 110 calories per 1/2 cup or 440 calories for a pint, so you save nearly 900 calories. (continue reading…)

Found this great little video on “how-to” eat healthy and prevent

Recipe from Self Magazine Recipe of the Week!

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 cup lowfat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/3 cup chopped dried cherries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped shallots
4 lettuce leaves
8 slices toasted whole-grain bread

Preparation
Combine mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon juice and pepper in a bowl. Toss chicken, celery, cherries, walnuts and shallots in another bowl. Stir in mayonnaise dressing. Place 1 lettuce leaf each on 4 slices of bread. Divide chicken salad among sandwiches; top with remaining bread. (continue reading…)