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Three Healthy Grains to Add to Your Diet

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0700

We hear the claims that whole grains are good for our hearts all the time. But are all grains created equal? According to RealAge, there are three grains that are especially good a lowering blood pressure: whole wheat, barley, and brown rice. So while it's good to incorporate all types of whole grains into your diet, look for these on labels and in grocery stores to reap the heart healthy benefits.

Have any recipes featuring those grains that you would like to share? Add them to the Lite'n It Up - Healthy Recipe Group.

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Monday's Leftovers: Miso Chicken With Brown Rice

partysugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:45:16 -0700

I was browsing MyRecipes.com trying to figure out what to do with leftover Asian style grilled chicken, when I found this tasty looking recipe. Chicken is coated with a fragrant miso, ginger, and garlic sauce before being tossed with brown rice and fresh vegetables. This recipe is incredibly adaptable so alter it to suit your liking. Green beans, bell peppers, and bean sprouts would be wonderful additions to this delicious rice dish. To look at the recipe, read more.

Miso Chicken With Brown Rice
From Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 tablespoons miso (soybean paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
5 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup diced shiitake mushroom caps (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach

Get more recipes at MyRecipes.com

Directions

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub miso mixture over both sides of chicken breast halves.
Wrap each breast half securely in plastic wrap. Arrange the packets in steamer rack; place rack in a Dutch oven.
Steam packets, covered, 20 minutes or until done. Remove packets from steamer; let stand 5 minutes. Remove chicken from packets, reserving liquid from packets. Dice chicken; set aside. Discard water in pan; wipe pan dry with a paper towel.
Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add egg whites, and cook 2 minutes or until done. Remove egg whites from skillet; coarsely chop.
Add reserved cooking liquid, chicken, onion, carrot, and fish sauce to Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add rice, mushrooms, parsley, green onions, and soy sauce; cook 3 minutes. Stir in egg whites and spinach.

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups).

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 344(9% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 36.9g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 83mg; SODIUM 998mg; FIBER 5.6g; IRON 3.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.5g

Like the recipe above? Try out some of these other ones:

- 10 Chicken Dinners for the Busy Cook
- Dinner Tonight Recipes in 45-Minutes or Less
- Eat Smart at CookingLight.com
- Get More Chinese Recipes

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Brown Rice vs. Whole Wheat Linguine

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:30:00 -0800

I was in a nutritional and culinary quandary the other night and couldn't decide if I should serve the main dish of my dinner over rice or pasta.

I had made a tasty Asian style skirt steak with green beans. The sauce was spicy and I wanted to serve the dish with some kind of carb to catch every drop. Instead of making my usual long grain brown rice, I made some whole wheat linguine by De Cecco. I was hoping the pasta would work similarly to buckwheat soba noodles. The pasta was great and the dish was a success, but the ordeal led me to wonder, what is the nutritional difference between these two foods?

To see what I discovered, read more

Serving size	Calories	Fat Calories	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
2 ounces (uncooked) Whole Wheat Linguine	180	15	35	7	8
4 ounces cooked long grain rice	170	4	38	3	3

Although they are quite similar in terms of calories, the traditional serving size for pasta is smaller than rice. However, the pasta has double the fiber and protein when compared to brown rice. Plus the pasta doesn't take nearly as long to cook. I am not saying you should replace rice completely, but consider trying some whole wheat noodles next time you are looking for a starch to go with your saucy meal.

Fiber Quiz: Grains

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:00:00 -0700

We all know that fiber is so good for us, right? You want to make sure that you're getting at least 25-30 grams a day since this might help reduce the risk of breast cancer, so it's good to know just how much fiber is in the foods we eat. Do you know...

Get the Bod: Vanessa Minnillo

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Vanessa Minnillo has not only been known for being Nick Lachey's girl, she's also known for having a hot bod...

Lucky for us, Vanessa recently told InTouch some of her own tricks she uses to keep her eating habits under control:

Slim down your Starbucks. She replaced her fave fattening coffee drink with a Mocha Frappuccino Light. "It's low-fat and has half the sugar," she explains.

Make smart carb choices. Vanessa orders her sushi and burritos with brown rice, which is healthier than white, because it has more nutrients and three times the fiber.

Look at your portion sizes. Change the way you eat, advises the TRL host, who eats four smaller meals a day.

Find a low-cal treat to satisfy sweet cravings. Vanessa loves to snack on sweet Teddy Grahams (15 crackers have just 82 calories).

Pay attention to when you feel full and stop eating. "You don't have to finish the whole buffet or everything on your plate," she says.

[Source: InTouch Weekly, April 23, 3007 issue]

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Food Review: Amy's Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

In a pinch, I'm a big fan of frozen meals from Amy's Kitchen, and I particularly like the "bowls." I always keep a few in my freezer just in case I don't have time to make lunch. While the Country Cheddar Bowl is my favorite, I also like the Stuffed Pasta Shells. While perusing the frozen aisle at the grocery store, I noticed a new bowl and had to give it a try.

To find out what I thought of this Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl then read more.

I'm quite a fan of this new bowl. Even though it doesn't look very appetizing, it tasted delicious - herby and savory, like it was homemade. It had lots of veggies, mostly mushrooms and they had great consistency; not mushy at all. The black-eyed peas and brown rice made this bowl hearty and filling for only having 290 calories. The sauce was smooth and flavorful with a hint of ginger and cilantro. The wheat-free tamari gave it a delicious salty flavor, with only 580 mg per serving. This meal is also dairy and gluten free, so if you have food sensitivities, this is a tasty option. If you're a fan of bean and veggie dishes, I'd give this a try.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	290
Total Fat	11 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	580 mg
Carbs	38 g
Fiber	8 g
Sugar	5 g
Protein	11 g

Wild Rice Dressing Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:50:27 -0800

Regardless of whether or not you stuff your turkey, it simply wouldn't be Thanksgiving without stuffing - er, I mean, dressing. Change things up and take a tip from denizens of the Deep South and Carolina low country: make rice the star of the dish. Not only is whole-grain rice healthier and gluten-free, but cooking up a pot of rice is less work than cubing pieces of day-old bread.

If you're on a tight timeline, keep things simple by using brown rice mix. Fluff in sweetness and crunch by adding dried fruit, almonds, and orange zest. Alternatively, build layers of complexity by browning aromatic vegetables, slow-boiling the rice separately, and then baking the components together to fuse all of the dish's earthy flavors. See both options when you read more.

Sugar By Any Other Name

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 02:00:00 -0800

Just because you walk into a health food store doesn't mean you're going to get something healthy. You've still got to read the labels because unwanted sugar can still sneak into your food, cleverly disguised under other names.

Here's a list of sweeteners:

cane juice crystals
corn syrup
high fructose corn syrup
evaporated cane juice
unbleached sugar cane
organic dehydrated cane juice
malted barley extract
brown rice syrup
sucrose
fructose

The thing is, once any form of sugar gets into the body, there is little difference in how the body uses it. Sugars are a kind of carbohydrate, which your body needs for energy.

When you eat foods that are mostly sugar, like soda and candy, they are absorbed quicker which causes your blood sugar levels to quickly rise, and then fall. When you eat whole foods like fruits, sugars are released slowly into the bloodstream.

Fit's Tips: If you're concerned about your sugar intake, and you don't want to bother with deciphering the ingredients, just look at the amount of sugars on the label.

Sunday Dinner: Black-Eyed Peas With Pork and Greens

YumSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:30:06 -0800

Pork chops may be filling and healthful, but because they're a leaner cut, they aren't always full of flavor.

To keep your taste buds dancing, incorporate the other white meat into a classic Southern staple that's got major sass: the Hoppin' John.

A medley of black-eyed peas, brown rice, kale, and pork come together with the help of tomato, broth, vinegar, and paprika. Enjoy a dish that's got a little bit of everything when you keep reading.

Your Healthy Food Swaps

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

Since decadent foods like ice cream, baked treats, and fried foods tend to be high in the calorie department, it's good to have a few healthy food swap ideas up your sleeve. Here are some shared by fellow FitSugar readers.

"Avocado instead of mayo . . . sure it may have fat in it but it's healthy fat and tastes delicious. Hummus instead of cream in sauces and soups . . . adds a ton of flavor and protein." - mamasitamalita
"I use balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette) on my salads without any oil. It gives the same powerful flavor kick but for a lot less calories." - laellavita
"Replace ranch dressing on my salad with cottage cheese." - genipher85

For more great ideas, keep reading