A note about crusts: As a very busy mom to 3 boys, I don’t have time to make them!  Occasionally, I make a trip to Whole Foods and stock up on frozen whole wheat pie crusts. I love them! They are perfect for the recipes that follow. If you want to make your own, I am a pure butter believer. My grandmother used lard, my mom used Crisco till I banned it, and I use butter. With whole wheat pastry flour and sweet cream butter, you’re good to go. In honor of both my beautiful parents, who would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary last week, I made 2 Sue-Sue Baby (my dad’s name for me) pies for them:

Kentucky Girl Swiss Chard & Beet Quiche

5-6 cups fresh swiss chard (1 large bunch)
1-2 fresh beets with greens (1 large or 2 small)
1 clove garlic, peeled & finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled & finely chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3-4 eggs
1 cup 2% milk
salt & pepper, dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop greens off of beets and cut into smaller strips. Peel the beets and chop into small chunks. Cut stems off of swiss chard leaves.  Place all greens, stems and beet chunks in a large pot of water to cover. Bring to a simmer (low boil) and cook for about 5 minutes.  Place in strainer. Beat eggs and milk together. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Pour chard & beets into pre-made pie crust.  Sprinkle on chopped garlic and shallots and Parmesan cheese. Pour egg mixture over the filling.  Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg and grind a bit of black pepper on top.

Bake for 35 minutes or until firm and browned on top. Enjoy!

For the Love of Bart Best-Ever Blueberry Pie

5 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed & picked over
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tb. corn starch
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
zest of 1 lemon
2 pre-made whole wheat pie crusts

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and let stand for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour blueberry mixture into crust, then place second crust on top. Pinch around sides to seal. Make at least 4-6 small slits in top crust to vent. Rub cold water around edge of crust. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees. Place pie on a tray and bake another 35 minutes or until browned and bubbling over.

Let cool completely before serving with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!  They both would make my parents proud.

High-vitamin C foods: Berry time! Make some Blueberry Frozen Yogurt or whip up a smoothie with frozen strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Buy fresh berries and add them to your breakfast – or simply snack on them anytime.

More vitamins & minerals: Vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, potassium and magnesium all help to reduce stress. Grab a banana for a quick mood and energy-boosting snack. Go for leafy greens whenever possible; make salads of arugula, spinach, romaine and mixed greens a regular part of your life. Another way to add vitamin zest to your diet is by sautéing any variety of turnip, collard greens, kale, spinach, beet greens, swiss chard, or broccoli rabe. Be sure to mix them up with garlic and olive oil for even better health benefits.

Polyunsaturated fats: Go Nuts for stress reduction!  Most people have heard that omega-3 fatty acids may ward off depression but they’re proven to help fight inflammation. While eating fatty fish is a great way to fight off depression and diseases of inflammation, the other option is nuts. Sprinkle them on salads or sauteed greens for added anti-stress minerals.

Polyphenols: Why is chocolate so good for us? It is full of potent phytochemicals (plant compounds), which is nature’s way of giving us some “heavenly” antioxidant foods.  These protect our bodies from the harmful molecules we are exposed to every day of our lives. In particular, polyphenols are good for heart health. Consuming foods containing polyphenols can help keep you healthy, which makes you happy. So whip up some “Heavenly Chocolate Hazelnut Spread” and enjoy!

Heavenly Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

2 cups whole hazelnuts
3/4 cup powdered sugar
5 Tb. good-quality unsweetened dark cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 Tb. canola oil or more if necessary (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast until you can smell them, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a cotton towel. Scrub and roll them around in the towel to remove the skins. (Don’t be concerned if not all the skins are removed)

2. Place hazelnuts in a food processor or high-powered blender and process until makes a smooth paste, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and process until thoroughly mixed.  Add the salt, and if the mixture is dry, add the canola oil while the machine is running.

4. Let cool completely before transferring to a jar and sealing it. Keeps about 1 month in a cool, dark spot. ENJOY!  Makes about 2 cups.

–Recipe taken from Nuts In the Kitchen (p. 50) by Susan Herrmann Loomis.

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

1 cup organic probiotic vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen blueberries
cinnamon or some ground flax meal if desired

1. In a blender mix together blueberries and yogurt. Pour into individual bowls and serve immediately

Makes 1-2 servings.

Enjoy!  This “frozen yogurt” can be made with a variety of frozen fruits, so experiment with frozen bananas, mangoes, peaches, strawberries.

While nutrition experts tout the benefits of eating small meals and several snacks throughout the day, consumers seem to be overdoing it when it comes to putting that advice into practice.  Many people still skip breakfast, and many are self-professed “grazers” throughout the day.  Both of these habits contribute to consumption of more calories throughout the day.  The best advice may be what you’ve all heard for years — get your three square meals first.  If you need more food, add on from there by choosing healthy snacks such as fresh fruit and nuts.

Recipe by Susan Greeley, MS, RD

Going Green Rotini

¾  lb. rotini (or pasta of choice)

½ lb. Asparagus

½ cup sugar snap peas

2 cups broccoli florets

2 lemons

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic crushed

salt & pepper

Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta in large pot.
2. Cut tough ends off asparagus (about 1 inch at bottom) and cut spears into thirds.
3. After 5 minutes of cooking pasta, add asparagus, sugar snap peas & broccoli and cook about 3 more minutes, until pasta is soft and vegetables are tender but not overcooked.
4. Pour pasta/veggies into colander to drain, then transfer to serving bowl.
5. Squeeze lemons over a strainer (to catch seeds) into a small bowl. Add olive oil ,  crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Stir together and pour over pasta.
6. Add Parmesan cheese to taste. Toss, serve & savor!

High-Calorie, High-Fat Foods Can Be as Addictive as Cocaine

A new study published in Nature Neuroscience suggests that high-calorie, high-fat foods may be just as addictive as cocaine and heroin. “When rats consume these foods in great enough quantities, it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, the study found,” Health.com reported. The rats in the study that were fed these unhealthy foods developed a tolerance to the pleasure it gave them and had to consume more and more to experience the same level of satisfaction. “The fact that junk food could provoke this response isn’t entirely surprising, says Dr. Gene-Jack Wang, M.D., the chair of the medical department at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, New York,” Health.com reported. “‘We make our food very similar to cocaine now,’ he says.” Dr. Wang means that we purify our food in a way that our ancestors never could: Instead of eating corn, for example, we eat corn syrup. Just as cocaine has been purified over many years, so too has our food. “The ingredients in purified modern food cause people to ‘eat unconsciously and unnecessarily,’ and will also prompt an animal to ‘eat like a drug abuser [uses drugs],’ says Wang.”

You may not always watch your diet, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does, and that is a good thing.  By tracking food availability and consumption over the last 100 years, the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) food data have pinpointed several trends that originated out of health concerns but have developed into a case of substitution sabotage.

Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Anyone?

While this may sound strange to some, the reality is that added sweeteners –including corn syrups and other sugars– and cheese consumption have increased dramatically over the past 30-40 but years.  So while many Americans have cut down on red meat and switched to chicken, they just may be smothering that chicken Parmesan or burrito in cheese.  More and more Americans are also turning to vegetarian diets and often rely on more cheese for protein.  Unfortunately, this switch contributes quite a lot of saturated fat and calories that can lead to high cholesterol and overweight — both of which are major factors for heart disease, which remains the number one killer of American adults.

At the same time, milk drinkers definitely made a positive switch from whole to low-fat and skim varieties between 1960 and 1990.  However, since the mid-1990′s carbonated soft drink consumption has increased with a corresponding decrease in overall milk consumption.  It seems many apparently stopped “doing a body good”  and switched to sweetened carbonated beverages.  The unfortunate result has been a steady increase in the weight of American adults and children as well.

No Sugar-coated News

Sugar and the reasons for reducing intakes were recently highlighted in a statement by the American Heart Association (AHA).  Why pick on something “natural”?  The answer is as simple as the sugars that need to be limited.  High intakes of sugar can lead to elevated triglycerides, blood sugar, weight gain and obesity, as well as inflammation, high blood pressure and reduced vitamin and mineral intakes.  So America’s sweet tooth is putting a nation at higher risk of heart disease.
You can read the entire AHA statement at: http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=976.

Combine just these two trends — consuming more sugary beverages and cheese– with the national lifestyle of eating more and more meals away from home, and it’s no wonder the health of the nation is seriously in need of some intervention.

Lose Weight and Prevent Heart Disease: What works?

Get good fats! To quote a friend, “fat is love” when it comes to food.   Of course small amounts go a long way.  Be sure to include “good” mono- and poly-unsaturated fats such as those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil and fish.  Snack on fresh fruit, lowfat yogurt and nuts.
Reduce simple sugars.  Sweet treats should remain “treats” and are not meant to be consumed daily or multiple times per day.  But added sugars aren’t always as obvious as a cupcake. They are often hidden in foods, so read ingredients lists to identify them since many food labels can be confusing and deceiving. Drink more water, skim milk or unsweetened soy milk and unsweetened teas instead of sodas, and make sure the same goes for the kids.
Focus on fiber: The more whole grains and other unaltered plant foods you eat, the more fiber you get. Make fruits a snack twice a day and vegetables a part of lunch and dinner.  These are the “good carbs” that can actually help reduce abdominal fat.
Portion control. America has been suffering from a severe case of “portion distortion” over the past 40 years. As restaurants have offered increasing portions at reduced prices, so too has the American population become oversized.  If you’re not able to eyeball a “normal” serving, take out measuring cups and scales to truly understand amounts. Refer to www.mypyramid.gov for specific portion recommendations.
Move more! Spring is finally around the corner, so get outside to walk, bike, jog … or skip! Just move more.

For the complete ERS report, visit: www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/

Further AHA statements and heart health information can be found at www.americanheart.org.

By Susan Greeley, MS, RD
www.susangreeley.com

If you are of normal weight, but have a higher than normal percent body fat, diet and exercise will help. Start by decreasing sedentary hours in a day and adding a little workload. Optimal health is much more likely to result from moving more (using your muscles) in combination with a healthy diet. Be sure to include at least 25 grams a day of fiber from whole grains, fruits and vegetables as well as an adequate amount of omega-3 fats. While there might be no “quick fix” to unhealthy weight, a few small, permanent changes in your daily routine can have a profound effect on your weight – and provide added insurance for good long-term health.

Scientists have known for many years that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial in treating patients with coronary heart disease by helping prevent heart attacks and sudden cardiac death due to arrhythmias. They are also essential for brain development in infants and children and help with proper immune system function. Now, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that increasing consumption of dietary omega-3 fatty acids may help slow biological aging (JAMA. 2010;303(3):250-257).

The study looked at the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on telomere shrinkage over five years. Considered to be a biological marker of age, telomeres are structures at the end of chromosomes that become shorter the more times a cell divides – and the slower this process of shortening, the slower the process of aging.  In this study, the more omega-3′s patients consumed, the slower their telomeres shrank.

The conclusion? These powerful polyunsaturates can help you stay healthier longer and decrease the rate of cellular aging.  So include fatty fish, such as wild-caught salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and albacore tuna in your weekly diet. Good substitutes include taking a daily fish oil supplement for DHA omega-3.  If you turn to plant sources, other omega-3 fats are found in nuts, seeds, seaweed and oils (flax and canola).  By making sure these polyunsaturates are a key part of your diet, you can reap the benefits of the fabled fountain of youth: prolonged good health.