Friday, April 8, 2011

Healthy Eating : Banana and Kiwi Salad



Put away any preconceived notions of Grandma's fruit salad. This unusual combination of tropical fruit in a savory shallot vinaigrette will have you dreaming of the tropics

Ingredients
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 firm ripe bananas, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped cashews, toasted (see Tip)



Preparation

1.Whisk lime juice, oil, shallot, vinegar, honey, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add kiwis, bananas, bell pepper and mint; toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with cashews.
Tips & Notes
Tip: To toast nuts & seeds on the stovetop: Toast in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
NutritionPer serving: 170 calories; 6 g fat ( 1 g sat , 3 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 151 mg sodium; 544 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (190% daily value), Fiber (20% dv), Potassium & Vitamin A (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 2 fruit, 1 fat

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Making Easy Cold Pumpkin Soup


pics courtesy frm google



If cold pumpkin soup sounds a little strange to you, you are not alone. Lots of people in other part of the country have never encountered this cool, smooth treat, but they are missing out. If you have only every had pumpkin soup at Thanksgiving, you have never really experienced it. There are all kinds of soups from all over the world that you need to try.

Pumpkin soup is a real taste treat, even if the idea of an orange soup seems a little strange. Many people have never even tried the more common hot pumpkin bisque that is often made for Thanksgiving. However, if you have not had sweet, delicious cold pumpkin soup yet, you are missing out on a really delicious experience.

Serve up your favorite pumpkin soup in bowls or mugs, cook it right in the pumpkin, or hollow out a pumpkin to serve as centerpiece and serving dish, too. Garnish with green onion, chopped parsley, or sweet spices like cloves and cinnamon. While your family might start out skeptical, they will end up loving this unique dish.

Pumpkin is not only delicious and creamy, but also packed with nutrients. Full of fiber, vitamin A, iron, and vitamin C, it is a wonderful way to get your nutrients without having to feel like you are eating your vegetables. Even kids will love this soup, once they give it a try. Getting them to enjoy eating healthily has never been easier.

Try a southeast Asian (recipe is given below)inspired pumpkin soup recipe easy and quick. With a little carrot and coconut, you have a spicy, exotic treat that is great served during those last hot late summer days, when pumpkins first appear at roadside stands. Of course, to try this soup when pumpkins are not in season, just used frozen or canned products.

The best kind of pumpkin to use for these soups is a small type, usually referred to as a pie pumpkin. Do not use a jack-o-lantern pumpkin! They are harder, woodier, and less flavorful than their smaller, sweeter, more tender cousins are. Pumpkins can be easily prepared for cooking by slicing them in half, cleaning out the seeds, and cutting them into smaller pieces.

Next, peel your pumpkin and cook the flesh until it is soft, or boil or bake it, then scoop the meat out of the skin once the pieces have cooled off. Either way, compost the parings or use them to make stock, then mash the pulp or put it in the blender.

Savory ingredients like garlic and onion go very well in pumpkin soups. Make them creamy and rich with cream or dairy milk, or soy or coconut milk. Vegetable or chicken broth can be used instead of water in these soups. They add more flavor. Blend the soup partially or completely, depending on the texture you prefer, then chill your soup and serve.

Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Garlic and Chili

Ingredients -

1 big pumpkin, de-seeded and chopped
1 can coconut milk
1 red chili, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Handful cilantro leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 roast pumpkin seeds for garnish

Preparation:

Boil the pumpkin chunks until soft.

Puree the garlic, all but a few slices of chili, salt, pepper, and half the cilantro in a blender until well mixed.

Drain the cooking water from the pumpkin and keep it.

Blend the pumpkin with the chili mixture in the blender, and then put it back in the pan with the coconut milk. If the soup is too thick, add some of the cooking water to thin it.

Serve in soup bowls, with some chili slices and pumpkin seeds on top and the rest of the cilantro leaves.

(Serves 4)

Sorce of articles : Populararticles.com

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Berry Frozen Yogurt



INGREDIENTS
3 cups fresh or frozen and partially thawed blackberries, or raspberries or a mixture of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries (see Tip)
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

PREPARATION
Combine berries, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor; process until smooth. Add yogurt and pulse until mixed in. If using fresh berries, transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
Transfer the berry mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. (Alternatively, freeze the mixture in a shallow metal pan until solid, about 6 hours. Break into chunks and process in a food processor until smooth and creamy.) Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and let harden in the freezer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve in chilled dishes.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week. Let soften in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour before serving. | Equipment: Ice cream maker or food processor
Tip: To freeze fresh berries: Wash berries and pat dry. Spread in a single layer on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid. Pack frozen fruit into ziplock bags, taking care to remove air from the bags. Freeze for up to 1 year.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 106 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 2 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 4 g fiber; 22 mg sodium; 192 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (28% daily value), Fiber (16% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 fruit

Source of recipes : http://www.eatingwell.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Recipe For High Blood Pressure : Tomato-&-Olive-Stuffed Portobello Caps



INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/8 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 portobello mushroom caps, 5 inches wide
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

PREPARATION
Combine tomatoes, cheese, olives, garlic, 1 teaspoon oil, rosemary and pepper in a small bowl.
Preheat grill to medium.
Discard mushroom stems. Remove brown gills from the undersides of the caps using a spoon; discard gills. Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, lemon juice and soy sauce in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over both sides of the caps.
Oil a grill rack (see Tip). Place the caps on the rack, stem sides down, cover and grill until soft, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and fill with the tomato mixture. Return to the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes more.

TIPS & NOTES
To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 122 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 7 g protein; 2 g fiber; 338 mg sodium; 431 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (25% daily value), Potassium (17% dv), Calcium (15% dv).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Source From : Eating Well

Monday, January 3, 2011

Diebetic Recipe : Chicken Dijon


Ingredients

8 oz (1/2) of carton plain yogurt-unsweetened low-fat
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
8 Chicken breast halves; -(3 oz) skinned
1/2 cup Soft breadcrumbs
Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation Method
Combine yogurt and mustard, stirring until well
blended. Brush breast halves evenly with yogurt
mixture, and dredge breadcrumbs.
Arrange chicken in a 12 x 8 x 2 baking dish coated
with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 400 degrees of
30 minutes.

Increase Temperature to 450 degrees. Bake, uncovered,
for 15 minutes or until chicken is done and coating is
browned.



Food Exchange

Exchanges: 2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable