What’s the Thanksgiving food you look forward to the most?

I’m guessing that the Turkey takes the stage in most meals, the aroma drifting through the air as friends and family gather. I’m guessing that the Turkey takes the stage in most meals, the aroma drifting through the air as friends and family gather. I’d like to share a few food safety tips in choosing and preparing your turkey.


• For fresh or frozen turkeys, purchase about 1 pound per person. If purchasing a fresh turkey, purchase only 1-2 days before cooking.

• Thawing frozen turkey should be done one of three ways: in cold water, in the refrigerator or in the microwave with plans to immediately begin the cooking. Look for charts on time lines on the above mentioned fact sheet. Remember that thawing a large turkey can take 4-6 days, so remember to plan refrigerator space ahead.

• Roasting an unstuffed turkey is the safest method. Make sure you use a food thermometer to test the meat and it reaches 175 to 180 degrees for best results. If you choose to stuff your turkey, plan on doing it the morning of roasting and allow extra roasting time, but I’ve found doing the stuffing in an oven bag keeps it just as moist and safer than roasting in the turkey.

• Let roasted turkey sit for 15-20 minutes to let the juices set before carving and the juices should run clear. Remember to put the leftovers away quickly after the meal, no more than two hours to be safe.

• How long can you keep the leftovers? Turkey may be kept 3-4 days, but the stuffing and gravy only 1-2. Remember to put foods away quickly after the meal in small containers so that you can enjoy the leftovers safely. If there’s more than you want to eat right away, they may be frozen for 3-4 months (for best flavor.)

As your family is gathering with friends or extended family, think about the traditions or rituals you are celebrating. It's the things that "you always do", the things that the children look forward to and you have come to expect as part of your holidays. When we do these things, we are creating a strong family. Why is that?

Because Family Rituals help us to relate, communicate, show caring and problem solving. When we are together to catch up on things, we understand the challenges that other have had and how they worked through them.

Family Rituals help us as we go through stages in life....weddings, new babies, moving or job changes. Others can share how they have coped as many have gone through them before us.

Family Rituals help us to heal from loss or to forgive. When our loved ones can't be with us anymore, it's important for all of us to realize that life goes on and remember the good memories they left us.

These times together help us to think about what things are important to our family, our values, and our faith and life experiences. Use this time to tell and record stories. Talk about why family members are successful, what character traits are important and how they achieved the things they have.

Celebrate the holidays by sharing why you are proud to be a part of this family, share with young adults and new family members the joys of being together. Share with them who are the keeper of the family stories, who's the one to always be laughing or telling jokes, who's the one that knows the history?

And remember to share the stories of gratitude, why we are blessed and how we can share. From all of us at the Polk County Extension Service, Happy Thanksgiving!

Read more...

Give Your Little Boo a Little Boost

Whether hosting your own party or sending your ghosts to school with a bag full of treats, you can make a happy Halloween … healthy! Just substitute sugary treats that slow them down with fruits & veggies that pick them up!

Try this …

• Fun, not Food Avoid making refreshments the "main event"

• Dipping Bar Offer fruits/veggies & healthy dips.

• Chip Free! Pretzels, low-fat popcorn, graham crackers

• Fruit Art Cookie cutters, fruits & veggies, toothpicks … create

• Don’t forget dried fruits! Add to a cheese platter or mix with nuts for snacking. A dried fruit and nut combination makes a great gift too! Also try assorted dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, apricots, cherries, blueberries and apples with mixed nuts.

• Save your kids teeth with fun-themed vegetable appetizers! Cut whole carrots in to 1-inch thick chunks, top with a blob of low-fat cream cheese and one half of a pitted black olive to make an “edible eyeball.” Try this same concept with other similarly shaped fruits and vegetables! The more creative you are, the more likely your kids will be willing to try them

• Place 10 apples in a large stockpot and add enough water cover by at least 2 inches. Stir in 1 Tbsp of cinnamon and allspice. Bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 1 hour. Cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain apple mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard solids. Drain cider again though a cheesecloth-lined sieve. Refrigerate until cold and enjoy!

• Everyone loves trail mix because it’s full of vitamins and minerals plus … it’s delicious! Try mixing heart-healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans with dried fruit and dark chocolate.



Cinnamon Apple Chips
Makes about 40 chips.

o 2 cups unsweetened apple juice

o 1 cinnamon stick

o 2 Red Delicious Apples

Directions
Preheat oven to 250° F. In a large pot, combine apple juice and cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer while cutting the apples. Slice off ½ inch from the tops and bottom of the apples. Cut cross wise into 1/8-inch even slices—a mandolin slicer works best. (No need to peel or core the apples—the seeds will come off in the next step.) Drop slices into simmering juice and cook until slices are translucent and slightly golden. With a slotted spoon, remove apples and pat dry. Arrange slices on wire racks, making sure slices do not overlap. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until slightly browned and almost dry to touch. Let chips cool on racks completely. Store in an airtight container. For gifts, arrange slices in clear plastic bags and tie with ribbon.

Read more...

Super Salads for Summer

It’s summertime! It’s hot outside and inside! No one feels like cooking in a hot kitchen. Here are some delicious salad recipes you can make early in the day, serve for dinner, or take on picnics.

Salads taken to picnics should be kept cold in a cooler or refrigerator until ready to serve.
 
Pasta Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked pasta


1½ cups cooked, chopped chicken or other meat

½ cup chopped onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup frozen peas or fresh broccoli florets

¾ cup lowfat salad dressing

1. In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, meat and vegetables.

2. Add dressing and mix to coat all ingredients.

3. Chill before serving.

Note: Frozen peas will thaw while the salad is chilling.
Yield: 6 servings • Serving: 1 cup
 
Carrot-Raisin Salad


5-6 carrots, peeled and shredded

½ cup raisins

1 8-ounce carton low fat vanilla yogurt or ½ cup low fat mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Many fruits and vegetables are "in season" during the summer and are lower in cost.

Here are some fun and inexpensive ways to get your 5-A-Day.

 1. Each week choose a fruit or vegetable that is on sale for your family to try. Purchase one or two pieces of fruit or vegetables and have a tasting party. Try nectarines, peaches, plums, kohlrabi or cauliflower.


2. Shop at a farmers’ market. Choose fruits and vegetables your family enjoys. Try new ones in small quantities.

3. Visit a farm stand or local garden which sells produce. Sometimes you can pick your own strawberries, carrots, etc., for a lower price.

4. Whether at the store, farmers’ market, or farm stand let children help you choose fruits and vegetables. Let them pick, wash, peel and prepare the food.

Remember....Think Safety


1. Keep cold foods cold. Wash empty milk jugs, fill ¾ full of water and freeze. Use the ice to keep food cold in a cooler and when melted, the water can be used for drinking.

2. Keep hot foods hot. Serve hot foods right after cooking.

3. Keep it clean! Wash hands before working with food. Keep equipment clean.

4. Store food so animals cannot get into it.

5. Keep cooked meat, salads, and vegetables away from raw meat and raw meat juices.


 

Read more...

Summer Holidays & Food Safety

Summer holidays provide a break from school and work … but, we shouldn’t break from being smart about food safety. MORE care is needed since food borne illnesses increase during the summer!

Preparing Food Safely

• Wash hands before handling food. Hands should be washed for 15 seconds using warm, soapy water.

• Use clean utensils and containers. Dirty hands, utensils, containers and any work surfaces can contaminate food with harmful bacteria and viruses which can cause illness.

• Only prepare foods for the day of your picnic. Cooking foods in advance allows for more opportunities for bacteria to grow. Cooked foods need to be rapidly cooled in shallow pans. Spread the food out in as many pans as is needed so that food is no more than 2-3 inches deep. Frozen foods can be used if thawed in the refrigerator. Consider taking food prepared from a deli, such as pre-fried chicken or potato salad.

Keep cut fruit cold. Many people do not know that tomatoes and melons, such as watermelon and cantaloupe, can cause food borne illness. Salmonella and Shigella (common causes of food borne illness) are often present on the rind or peel. Wash melons or tomatoes thoroughly before cutting. Refrigerate cut pieces immediately. Melons and tomatoes are not high in acid and can support the growth of harmful bacteria. People have become sick from melons and tomatoes that have not been kept cold.

Keep cold foods cold. Keep cold food at 40:F or colder to prevent bacteria from growing. Pack cold foods in a sturdy, insulated cooler with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs. Freeze your own blocks of ice in clean milk cartons or plastic containers for use in the cooler. Put food in water-proof containers or wrap food in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep foods from getting soggy. Surround food with ice inside the cooler. If using frozen gel packs or containers of homemade ice, place them between packages of food. Never set containers of food on top of ice. The trunk of your car can reach temperatures of 150⁰F. Transport coolers in the passenger area of your car. When you arrive at the picnic site, put a blanket over the cooler and place it in the shade to keep the food cold. Keep the cooler closed until you are ready to eat.

Keep hot foods hot.

Keep hot foods at 140:F or higher to prevent harmful bacteria from growing. Take-out food or food cooked just before going to the picnic can be carried hot. Wrap hot foods in towels or newspaper, and place inside a box or heavy paper bag. Keep these foods warm on a grill or use within 1 hour. If you cannot keep cold food cold and hot food hot, take foods that do not need refrigeration:

•Chips or crackers

•Peanut butter

•Unopened cans of food: meat, fish, fruit, and salsa

•Peanut butter and/or jelly sandwiches

•Dried fruit, nuts, unpeeled fresh fruit (apples, oranges, bananas, etc.)

• Low-Fat Cookies and cakes

• Bring soap if water is available. Pack moist towelette and hand sanitizer if your picnic site does not have hand washing facilities available.

• Pack plenty of utensils and dishware. Bring serving utensils for each dish to prevent contamination. Consider using disposable plates and plastic ware.

Wash hands before handling food and use clean utensils and containers. Never use utensils that have touched raw meats on any other food item.

Thoroughly cook food at one time. Partially cooked food causes bacteria to grow without being killed by enough heat.

• Remember your food thermometer! The color of the meat or its juice is not a reliable indicator to doneness. Always use a clean food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your food.

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold! Do not let foods sit for more than 1 hour. Plan preparation so food is eaten shortly after it is cooked. Any leftovers should be put back in the cooler right after they are served. The longer food is held at unsafe temperatures the more likely that bacterium can grow and cause food borne illness.

If picnic leftovers have been sitting out for more than 1 hour, throw them out! The more time that food has been sitting at unsafe temperature, the more likely harmful bacteria has grown.

• Cold foods kept in a cooler that still has ice are safe. If the ice has melted, throw out any food that should be kept cold.

Read more...

Goodbye Food Pyramid, Hello Dinner Plate

The Obama administration is about to ditch the food pyramid, that symbol of healthy eating for the last two decades. In its place officials are dishing up a simple, plate-shaped symbol, sliced into wedges for the basic food groups and half-filled with fruits and vegetables.


The circular plate, which will be unveiled Thursday (Today), is meant to give consumers a fast, easily grasped reminder of the basics of a healthy diet. It consists of four colored sections, for fruits, vegetables, grains and protein, according to several people who have been briefed on the change. Beside the plate is a smaller circle for dairy, suggesting a glass of low-fat milk or perhaps a yogurt cup.

The new symbol was designed to underscore a central mantra of the federal government’s healthy eating push: make half your plate fruits and vegetables. And it is expected to be a crucial element of the administration’s crusade against obesity, which is being led by the first lady, Michelle Obama. Some who have seen the logo compared it with a pie chart, though dessert is hardly the association that the administration would like to conjure up. Others likened it to a pizza cut into slices (equally unpalatable for officials). One person said it called to mind a painting by the artist Mark Rothko, who was known for canvases with blocks of color. Those who had seen it would speak only on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by the administration to discuss it.


The plate symbol is meant to help educate consumers about the government’s latest dietary guidelines, which were released in January. The U.S.D.A. has spent about $2 million to develop and promote the logo, including conducting research and focus groups and creating a Web site. Some of that money will also be used for the first year of a campaign to publicize the image. The agency will use the plate to get across several basic nutritional messages, including urging consumers to eat smaller portions, switch to low-fat or fat-free milk and drink water instead of sugary drinks. Whatever the symbol looks like, lets hope it will encourage all americans to eat healthier for better health.

Read more...

April is Florida Tomato Month!

Here are some interesting Florida Tomato facts and figures:


• Approximately 31,500 acres were under cultivation for the fresh tomato market in 2007-08.

• Florida ships more than 1.1 billion pounds of fresh tomatoes to the US, Canada and abroad.

• About 33,000 workers are needed to hand pick the fruit.

• Total crop value at the farm level exceeds $619 million.

• The cost of producing and harvesting tomatoes averages nearly $12,000 per acre.

• Tomatoes comprise nearly one-third the total value of all fresh vegetables produced in Florida each year Did you know color makes no difference in the flavor or nutritional goodness of tomatoes? You may say your tastebuds tell a different story! In fact, researchers have shown that the mind or psychology play a major role in taste and selection of tomato varieties among home gardeners. Researchers also found the primary differences in taste of tomatoes has to do with the meatiness of a tomato, the concentration of seeds and gel or juiciness of a tomato. Sweetness and acidity is also in part a result of whether a tomato variety is meaty or juicy, as well as being influenced by the number of days to maturity. The longer a tomato has to mature on the vine, the higher the sugar content can be.

Tomatoes are already known to contain many compounds beneficial to health. In this study the team analyzed 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid, to test its potential anti-dyslipidemia properties. The compound was found to enhance fatty acid oxidation and contributed to the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid has anti-dyslipidemia affects and can therefore help prevent vascular diseases. It means that the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their daily diet. Enjoy this wonderful Vegetable/fruit in your diet!

Read more...

Three Steps for Healthy Changes for Nutrition Month and Beyond

As we near the end of National Nutrition Month, we are going to talk about making just three simple changes in our lives to improve our health.


3 Changes for Nutrition Month and all Year!

1 Making Mealtime Family Time

2. Portion Control

3. Being Active

 
 
We are going to address the issue of “Portion Control” for now;




Portion Control Tips

Helping kids learn proper serving amounts is a key component to healthy eating. One of our biggest challenges as Americans is that we like big portions. But one of the nice benefits of eating at home is you can always have seconds if you are still hungry. And that is what we want to teach kids, to start with smaller servings.



How can you teach your child what a healthy portion is without the added fuss of measuring?



Here are some simple tricks you can use to help the whole family control their portions:



✰ Use a salad plate for dinner. It is easier to control the amounts with a smaller plate.

✰ Use small serving spoons or tablespoons to serve dishes

✰ Let kids serve their own scoop. It gives them a little independence and helps them begin to realize serving sizes.

✰ Include water as part of a healthy meal, it’s great for the digestion

✰ Encourage your child to take one scoop from each of the food groups.

✰ Kids like to dip. You can have some vegetables cut up and a low fat dressing.

✰ Encourage kids to have fun coloring their plate with foods that have color. You'll see that colorful foods tend to be the healthier foods.



Subscribe to my blog for future tips. 

Read more...

Get Heart Smart about Sodium

Having too much sodium in your diet may increase your blood pressure and raise your risk for not only heart disease, but also stroke and kidney disease.

What are the recommendations? Check out the information on sodium according to the newly released (as of January 31, 2011) 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
Adequate Intake (AI) levels
o 1 to 3 years: 1,000 mg/day
o 4 to 8 years: 1,200 mg/day
o 9 to 50 years: 1,500 mg/day
o 51 to 70 years: 1,300 mg/ day
o 71 years and older: 1,200 mg/day
General Recommendations:
o Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg/ day (about 1 teaspoon of salt).

Bottom Line: By weight, they both have about the same amount of sodium chloride. In other words, sea salt is still salt. No matter which one you prefer because of taste, texture, or processing, you should still reduce your intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg of sodium a day if you're a healthy adult. Keep such tips in mind as High Blood Pressure is on the rise in this country.

Read more...

FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH:

FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF LOVE. SWEET TREATS, OFTEN IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART, ARE AVAILABLE IN ABUNDANCE IN HONOR OF ST. VALENTINE’S DAY. BEFORE YOU OVERINDULGE, OR TEMPT YOUR SWEETHEART WITH SUGARY TREATS, CONSIDER THIS: MORE THAN ONE IN THREE AMERICAN ADULTS HAVE ONE OR MORE TYPES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, INCLUDING A DIET RICH IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO REDUCING YOUR RISK FOR HEART DISEASE. WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY CONSUMPTION OF LESS THAN TWO SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND ONE TO TWO SERVINGS OF VEGETABLES, THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. THIS YEAR, SHOW YOUR LOVED ONES HOW MUCH YOU CARE – SKIP THE CANDY HEARTS IN FAVOR OF A HEALTHIER OPTION. FRUIT PAIRED WITH HEALTHIER DARK CHOCOLATE IS ONE ALTERNATIVE TO LESS HEALTHY MILK CHOCOLATE AND OTHER CANDIES.


EATING FOR HEART HEALTH:

REDUCING FATS, CHOLESTEROL AND CALORIES ARE IMPORTANT TO IMPROVING HEART HEALTH. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO DO THIS: AVOID HIGH FAT FOODS, CONSUME A SMALLER PORTION SIZE OR MODIFY RECIPES. WHILE THE FIRST TWO APPROACHES ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD, MODIFYING RECIPES REQUIRES FURTHER INSIGHT. FIRST, YOU CAN ASSESS THE PURPOSE OF THE INGREDIENT. IS IT A TOPPING THAT CAN BE LEFT OFF? NEXT, YOU MIGHT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CERTAIN INGREDIENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, USE SIX TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER INSTEAD OF EIGHT TABLESPOONS. FINALLY, LOOK FOR LOW-FAT OR NO-FAT SUBSTITUTIONS (SKIM MILK INSTEAD OF WHOLE MILK). KEEP YOUR CHOLESTEROL IN CHECK BY INCREASING THE FIBER IN YOUR DIET. FIBER, WHICH HELPS MOVE CHOLESTEROL OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM, IS FOUND ONLY IN PLANT FOODS – FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND WHOLE GRAINS.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A RISK FACTOR FOR HEART DISEASE AND STROKE. IN SOME CASES, LIMITING SODIUM, OR SALT, CAN REDUCE AN ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE. FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES HAVE VERY LITTLE SODIUM, SO PLAN YOUR MEALS AROUND FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES, WHOLE GRAIN PRODUCTS, MILK AND UNPROCESSED MEATS.

DON’T SACRIFICE FLAVOR! WHEN YOU DECREASE THE SALT AND FAT IN RECIPES, YOU WILL FIND THAT ADDING HERBS AND SPICES WILL HELP ENHANCE THE FLAVORS OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS AND ADD VARIATION TO DISHES. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS YOUR CULINARY CREATIVITY. HOWEVER, WHEN TRYING A NEW HERB OR HERB COMBINATION, START WITH NO MORE THAN ONE-FOURTH TO ONE-HALF TEASPOON TO A PINT OF SAUCE, SOUP, STEW, VEGETABLE OR POUND OF MEAT. MAKE SMALL CHANGES..IT'S GOOD FOR THE HEART! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

Read more...

Weighing in on New Year's Resolutions

Did you make a New Year's resolution to lose weight and get more exercise? If so, you are not alone.... It's probably no surprise that this is among the top New Year's resolutions that Americans make every year. And no wonder. In the past 20 years, there's been a significant shift in portion size of the foods that we eat. Many people seem to believe the adage that "If a little is good for us, then a lot must be better." Don't fool yourself. The foods we eat contain calories, and when we eat more calories than our body needs, we gain weight. 

A healthy weight is a balancing act between the amount of food we consume and the physical activity we get every day. Just eating 100 extra calories a day for a year can result in a weight gain of 10 pounds! That may not sound like much, but if you put on 10 pounds a year for five years, by the year 2016, you will have gained 50 pounds.

How can we curb this steady weight gain??

We know that eating healthy and being physically active is good for our health. However, as determined as we are to stick to our resolutions to eat better, lose weight, and exercise more, these good intentions often fall by the wayside because we over commit, have unrealistic goals, or are too vague and non-specific about what we hope to achieve. The basic premise for maintaining weight is to balance the calories you take in with the calories you expend through exercise and physical activity. It is simple to make small lifestyle changes that have big benefits on overall health. All it takes is walking an extra 2,000 steps and eating smarter by consuming 100 fewer calories each day.

If you want an idea of how many calories you need each day, visit the United States Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid web site at http://www.mypyramid.gov/ and click on "Get a personalized plan" in the top right-hand corner of the page. You will need to answer three questions about gender, age, and level of physical activity. Once you plug in your responses and submit them to the web site, you will receive a MyPyramid plan tailored to your individual calorie needs.

Some ways you can cut 100 calories Include:

Drink nonfat or skim milk instead of whole milk.
--Substitute diet soda for regular soda. Or drink water.
--Leave three to four bites on your plate.
--Snack on fresh vegetables or fruits instead of chips, crackers, or cookies.
--When eating out, choose a side salad rather than chips, fries, or bread.

Remember, your gender, age, and physical activity level determine your calorie needs and the amount of food you should eat. One key to making wise food choices is to know how much you currently are eating, as well as how much you should be eating. This is especially important if you are trying to lose weight or maintain your weight.
One important factor related to weight gain is portion size. Many people feel that the bigger the portion, the better. But is this really true? Not if you are trying to manage your weight. To get or keep your weight within a healthy range, eat sensible portions.
That's easy to say, but not always so easy to do. Words like "serving" and "portion" often are used to describe what we eat.

A "portion" is the amount of food you choose to eat. There is no single right or wrong portion size. A "serving" is a standard amount used to identify how many calories and nutrients are in a food and helps provide a guideline as to acceptable portion size.

Some tips on choosing sensible portion sizes include:

Watch your portion size. Opt for the small size rather than large or jumbo sizes.
Remember that water is always a good option for quenching your thirst and is always a good alternative to high-calorie beverages. If main dish portions are larger than you want, order an appetizer or side dish instead or share a main dish with a friend.
Resign from the "clean your plate club." When you've eaten enough, leave the rest. If you can chill the extra food right away, take it home in a "doggie bag."
Ask for salad dressing to be served "on the side," so you can add only as much as you want. Order an item from the menu instead of the "all-you-can-eat" buffet.

Measure your food occasionally using measuring cups or a small scale. This will help you better guesstimate portion size next time you prepare these foods.
Be especially careful to limit portions of foods high in calories, such as cookies, cakes, and other sweets, as well as fats, oils, and spreads.
Use a smaller plate for your meal.
Put sensible portions on your plate at the beginning of the meal, and don't take seconds.
Eat slowly to savor every bite.
Move more and eat smarter for a healthier you in 2011

Read more...