to your health

did you know? one drink (and any kind) can actually keep your heart healthy, but two can actually be too many. one drink produces relaxation in your blood vessels, pumping up blood flow, but two makes the heart work harder, and blunts the normal dilation of vessels.

Get smart with these healthy cookbooks

healthy cooking substitutions

INSTEAD OF: USE:

Ham hocks Turkey thighs
Pork bacon Turkey bacon, lean ham, Canadian bacon
Lard, butter Small amount of vegetable oil
Pork sausage Ground turkey breast
Bouillons and broths Low sodium bouillon and broths
Cream Evaporated skim milk
Cheese Low fat or lite cheese
High fat cut of beef Round steak, rump roast, sirloin tip, pot roast, extra lean ground beef
High fat cut of pork Tenderloin, sirloin roast or chop, center cut loin chops

healthy menu ideas

For Breakfast
Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on whole-wheat toast; top with apple slices
Make a breakfast yogurt by mixing nonfat yogurt with fresh fruit and a cereal.
Add non-fat dry milk to Pancake, waffle, French toast batters - top with fruits
Serve low-fat cottage cheese with fruit, sprinkle with crushed cereal flakes

Sandwiches
Fill pita bread with veggies and tuna salad or turkey
Microwave a skinned and boned chicken breast and serve on a bun. Top with lettuce and a tomato slice or try barbecue sauce. Try tuna salad made with water packed tuna and reduced calorie mayonnaise or low calorie ranch.

Lunch and Dinner
Make a cold plate of slice fresh fruit with low fat cottage cheese or sliced lean meats, low fat cheese, and vegetables.
Fill heated tortilla with beans and top with salsa. Serve with yogurt, lettuce, and tomatoes- sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Top a baked potato with low fat canned chili. Add onions and small amount cheese.
Make a stir-fry using lean meats, seafood, or poultry and add some vegetables.

Desserts and Snacks
Top angel food cake with fresh fruit and whipped topping.
Layer Jello with pudding and fruited yogurt
Choose light popcorn or fat-free pretzels.
Top rice cakes with low-sugar jam and peanut butter
Have non-fat yogurt with berries- serve with vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers, fig cookies.

healthy cooking techniques

When cutting back on sodium, fat, and cholesterol, how you cook is just as important as what you cook. You can prepare foods with little or no oil for a healthier way of cooking.

Bake: Since baking generally does not require that you add fat to the food, it is a great alternative for cooking.

Microwave: This is a good alternative because it's fast and doesn't add any fat or calories.

Steam: Steaming is a way to keep all the nutrients in the food as well as the flavor.

15 minute healthful stirfry

3/4 pounds boneless beef round steak
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper
2 cups broccoli
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Trim fat from steak. Slice steak into thin strips. Heat oil in a skillet. Add beef strips and stirfry over high heat, turning pieces constantly, until beef is no longer red. Reduce heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and seasonings. Cover and cook until carrots are slightly tender (4 minutes). Add broccoli; cook until vegetables are tender-crisp. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; add slowly to beef mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened and vegetables are coated with thin glaze.

Calories, 150; Fat 5 grams

healthy macaroni and cheese? It's possible!

This recipe has only 392 calories per serving. It also contains 18 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of fiber.

1 pound macaroni
2 cups pureed winter squash
2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
1 1/3 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar
2/3 cup grated monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9 by 13-inch pan with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to bowl.

Meanwhile, place the squash and milk into a saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is almost simmering. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp.

healthy honey

Using honey in your cooking is a healthy alternative to white sugar. -- One cup of white sugar equals 3/4 of a cup of honey.
Honey Recipes

healthy snack time

most on the go snacks are not healthy. especially the vending machine kind. a sugary or starchy snack can send your blood sugar soaring and leave you hungry an hour later. On the flip side, healthy real-food snacks will fuel you through the day.

Plan ahead and try making healthy snacks packs once a week. Here are some ideas:

whole wheat crackers, string cheese, cherry tomatoes
carrots, yogurt, granola, hummus, seeds
frozen berries, nuts, edamame

healthy creole chicken

2 medium chicken breasts cut into one inch strips
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup chili sauce (low sodium)
1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Nonstick spray coating

Spray skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat. Cook chicken in hot skillet, stirring until cooked through. Reduce heat. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Calories, 255; Total fat, 3 grams

happy new year

the new year is all about resolutions. to honor this tradition we're devoting this month's topics to healthy eating. enjoy!