Pizza made with Veggies

Here is a great way to introduce Veggies into a meal.

Start with 1 package of Crescent Rolls


1 cup sour cream

One half cup mayonnaise

1 package dry, Ranch dip mix

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup zucchini, grated
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1, 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

Spread out crescent rolls on a baking sheet to form a crust and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and dry dip mix and spread over crust.


Place vegetables over dressing and top with shredded cheese.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into squares before serving.

Try adding your favorite spices to suit your taste.

Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

Here is a nice recipe that is easy to make and feeds 4 to eight people depending on What is served with this meal, but for sure wine is a good choice. 8 boneless chicken breasts 4 slices Swiss cheese 8 slices of ham 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup chicken broth One half cup dry white wine One quarter cup flour 1 tsp. oregano Fresh parsley sprigs Salt and pepper Place chicken breasts in between two pieces of wax paper and pound until about one quarter inch thick and coat lightly with flour. Place one half slice cheese and 1 slice of ham on each chicken breast and roll breast up, secure with a toothpick or a piece of string. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, add chicken breasts, wine, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook each side for about 10 minutes on each side. Garnish with parsley. Sweet and Sour Carrots 1 pound carrots cut in one quarter inch diagonal slices 1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks (in own juice) One quarter cup sugar 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. vinegar 1 Tbsp. soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste. Cook carrots in boiling water until just crisp tender. Drain and set aside. Pour one third cup of pineapple juice into a small saucepan (you may need to add some water to get the full one third cup). Reserve the pineapple chunks. Combine sugar and cornstarch and add to pineapple juice while simmering over low heat. Add vinegar and soy sauce, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine carrots and pineapple chunks in a serving dish. Pour pineapple juice mixture over carrots and pineapple chunks and mix.

Stuffed Eggplant

Here is a great recipe, easy to make and tastes good


4 medium eggplants
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
One half tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Trim tough ends off of eggplants then slice them in half lengthwise. Cook eggplants in lightly salted boiling water for 7 minutes or until just barely tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Cook ground beef in frying pan and then drain off fat. Add onion, garlic and tomatoes and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then.

Transfer meat mixture to a bowl. Scoop out cooled eggplant halves, leaving about 1/2 inch thick shells and reserve the pulp. Remove the seeds from the pulp as best you can. Add pulp to the ground beef mixture then stir in egg, nutmeg, cumin, salt and pepper and half of the cheese.

Spoon mixture into the eggplant shells. Place the shells in a baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Add this salad with the main couse.

Cucumber Salad

3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced
One third cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh mint, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
One half tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Place cucumbers in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over cucumbers and stir to coat.

Enjoy

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 oz., crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small baking dish, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with crackers,chips or tacos.

Pork and Pineapple Casserole

1 16-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained but reserve some liquid
6 to 8 pork loin chops
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 potatoes
8 to 10 strips of bacon or slices of Canadian bacon

Line casserole dish with crushed pineapple, Cover with pork chops and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with slices of raw potato, then slices of bacon. Cover with lid and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Check dish a few times while cooking and if the casserole starts to dry out, if so, add some of the reserved pineapple juice.

Use lean pork chops and low fat bacon to cut back on the fat content.

Carrots and Broccoli

1 16-oz. package of fresh baby carrots
1 lb. fresh broccoli, cut into bite sized florets, and peeled, thin slices of stalk
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
2 Tbsp. orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place carrots in large pot and bring to a boil.

Cook for a couple of minutes then add broccoli, cover the pot and reduce heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is just crisp tender.

Drain veggies and place in a serving dish.

In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add orange zest, ginger and orange juice and mix well. Pour butter sauce over veggies and toss to coat.

Salt and pepper to taste.

You could use reduced sugar orange juice but there really isn't much in the recipe to begin with.

Cheese Herb Stuffed Chicken Breast

4 - 6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
One half cup black olives, sliced
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Cut a 2 - 3 inch slit in each chicken breast. Combine mozzerella cheese, parsley, olive oil and oregano and mix well. Stuff each chicken breast with an equal portion of cheese mixture. Place stuffed chicken breasts in a baking dish. Combine tomatoes, olives and cornstarch and mix. Pour over chicken and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Feta cheese is fairly low in fat if you are looking for something a little tastier.

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

1/4 cup sesame oil

1 pound boneless chicken breasts cut into one half-inch strips

1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Zest from 1 lemon

1 8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained

Hot cooked rice or noodles

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok; stir-fry chicken for several minutes. Add fresh broccoli, onion, carrot and ginger and cook until crisp-tender.

With a zester, remove zest from lemon peel. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and water chestnuts and cook until heated through. Serve over rice or noodles.


Use skinless chicken to cut down on the fat. It will be great tasting either way, :-)

Baked Chiken with a Lime Twist

4 - 6 chicken thighs or chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. grated lime peel
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. seasoned pepper

Put lime peel and lime juice in a resealable plastic bag and place chicken in the bag and shake to coat.

Remove chicken and place in a baking dish.

Combine garlic salt and seasoned pepper and sprinkle over chicken.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 - 60 minutes or until juices run clear.

If you want a little lighter meal use skinless chicken breasts.

Vegetable Paella

Here is a list of the things you need for this great meal

Vegetable Paella


2 large onions, diced
One quarter cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 cups brown rice, uncooked
6 cups chicken broth
1 phial saffron filaments
2 cups water
1 cup fresh green beans cut into one half inch pieces
1 12-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and diced
1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into one half inch pieces
One half cup parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and cook onions until tender. Add garlic and tomatoes and continue to cook for several minutes. Add 5 and three quarters cups of the chicken broth, water, salt and pepper and rice. Heat remaining one quarter cup chicken broth and infuse saffron filaments in hot chicken broth. Add broth to the skillet and cook over medium heat until most of the water is absorbed. At this time add asparagus, green beans, artichokes and parsley; continue to cook for 20 minutes. Garnish with tomato wedges and serve. As a variation to the vegetable paella you may add your choice of seafood like clams, mussels or shrimp. You may also vary the type of vegetables used in this recipe. We would suggest fresh broccoli, small pieces of fresh corn on the cob, fresh zucchini and other fresh summertime veggies. Anything goes so be creative and experiment.

The Skinny: This dish is low in fat and calories. Of course, this can change depending on what other ingredients that you may choose to add. You can find low fat chicken broth in most stores and there would be no problem to using this in the recipe.

Clams Casino, Chicken with creamy sause, baked Pineapple for dessert

Appetizer -- Clams Casino

36 littleneck clams
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
12 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine

Shuck the clams and place each one back onto one of the shells; and reserve the juices in a small saucepan.
Sprinkle some parsley over each clam. Place a square of bacon on each clam, followed by a slice of butter.
Pour a small amount of wine over each clam. Place clams on a baking dish and bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees.
While clams are baking, heat juices until slightly thickened. Remove clams from oven and pour a small amount of juice over each clam. Serve hot.

The Skinny: Use low fat bacon.




Main Course -- Chicken with Creamy Apple Sauce

4 - 6 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Three quarters cup apple cider
2 cups thinly sliced Gala or Braeburn apples
1 cup Half and Half

Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt, pepper and thyme.

Heat oil in a skillet and cook chicken breasts on each side until juices run clear.

Remove chicken from skillet and cover to keep warm.

Add apple cider to pan and cook over medium heat for several minutes. Add apples and Half and Half and cook over low heat until tender. Place chicken on a serving platter and pour sauce over. Serve this over hot rice or pasta.

The Skinny: Use fat free Half and Half.

Fresh Steamed Broccoli with Garlic Walnut Butter

1 bunch fresh broccoli, cleaned, and cut into florets
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
One quarter cup walnut, crushed

Steam broccoli florets until crisp tender; meanwhile, saute garlic in butter in a saucepan, then add walnuts and stir.

When broccoli is just done, remove from steamer and place on a serving platter. Pour butter/walnut mixture over broccoli and toss slightly.

The Skinny: As a general rule, we do not substitute for real butter.




Dessert -- Baked Pineapple Crisp

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed
1/4 cup coconut rum
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/3cup butter
4 large white chocolate/macadamia nut cookies, crumbled
1/3 cup flaked coconut

Combine pineapple cubes and rum in a baking dish and toss. Combine sugar and flour and butter until mixture is crumbly. Add crumbled cookies and coconut. Sprinkle over pineapple and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The Skinny: If you do not want to use rum, you may substitute one half tsp. coconut extract and one half tsp. rum extract. If you cannot find fresh pineapple, you may use 2 20-oz. cans of pineapple chunks, drained (use fresh pineapple if you can).

Baked Potato Soup

4 - 5 baking potatoes
2 cups water
1 quart milk
1/2 cup celery
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley or dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in the oven and cook for about 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Heat the water in a large saucepan and add chopped celery to the water and simmer with a cover on until celery is tender.

When potatoes are fully cooked, slice down the center and scoop the pulp out of each potato and add to celery and water. Add milk. butter, sour cream, bacon, green onions, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, parsley or dill and salt and pepper.

Allow mixture to simmer over low-medium heat until it thickens. Serve hot with cheddar cheese sprinkled on top. You may also add chives (from the top of the green onions), bacon pieces and sour cream.

The Skinny: Use low fat milk, sour cream and cheese.

Cooking Potatoes

Hot Potatoes



I meet a lot of people who like to talk about their food likes and dislikes. So please believe me when I tell you that I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't like stuffed baked potatoes.

In winter, when you want to eat something that warms, fills, and satisfies you, a stuffed baked potato can be more welcome than the finest caviar. It makes a perfect companion to grilled or broiled steak or other meat, poultry, or seafood. And, depending on the potato's size and what you mix in, it can become - to use an overused phrase that really does make sense in this case - a meal in itself.

For any baked potato, success starts with the potato itself. The best for baking and stuffing are those known as the Russet Burbank, developed in the early 1870s by the great American botanist Luther Burbank. High in starch, low in moisture, and thick-skinned, it develops a crisp surface and fluffy interior when baked. Since this is the type most widely grown in the great potato state of Idaho, it has also come to be known as the Idaho potato - or just simply the baking potato.

Whatever you call them, look for ones that seem heavy for their size, dry-skinned, solid, and free from blemishes or green spots. For the best quality, I suggest seeking out organic potatoes, which are only beginning to catch on in Idaho but also are grown in California, Colorado, and Washington, among other states. Of course, regular non-organic potatoes will work fine, too.

The next key to success is how you bake it. Some people swear by wrapping potatoes individually in foil. While that keeps the potatoes extra-moist and cooks them faster, it also results in softer, less appetizing skins. Instead, I like to bake my potatoes on a bed of coarse rock salt, which helps them develop delicious, crispy skins - and also holds the stuffed potatoes steady during the final stage of baking.

While scooping out the baked potatoes' flesh, mashing it with other ingredients, and then baking them again takes some extra time, it's easily done in stages. If you like, stuff the potatoes and refrigerate them until just over half an hour before serving. Then, instead of baking them for the final few minutes as instructed in the recipe, warm them up first in a 325-degree oven for 20 minutes, then raise the temperature to about 400 degrees. for about 10 minutes more to crisp up the skins.

Once you've tried my recipe, you'll agree that the little extra effort is worth it. Then, start using your imagination to vary the stuffing with sausage or smoked fish, other seasonal vegetables, different cheeses, or whatever else inspires you.

STUFFED TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH HAM, MUSHROOMS, AND GRUYERE CHEESE

Serves 6

6 large baking potatoes, scrubbed clean

Rock salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked ham, cut into julienne strips 1 inch long

1/4 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and thinly sliced

Granulated salt or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

8 ounces shredded Gruyere, Swiss, or Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Put the potatoes on a cutting board. With the tip of a small, sharp knife, score a lid shape on the top of each potato about a third of the way down, cutting into the potato about 1/8 inch all the way around.

Spread a bed of rock salt about 1/4 inch thick on a baking tray large enough to hold the potatoes without touching. Place the potatoes lid sides up on the rock salt. Bake the potatoes until they are tender enough to be pierced easily with a wooden skewer, about 45 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, leaving the oven on, and let the potatoes cool slightly on the bed of rock salt.

Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot enough to flow freely, add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter starts to foam, add the ham and mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the ham and mushrooms to a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Holding each hot potato with a kitchen towel, cut off the lid with a sharp knife, following the scoring mark. Using a sharp-edged tablespoon, scoop the flesh from the potatoes and the lids, leaving a wall about 1/4 inch thick, transferring the potato flesh to a large mixing bowl; set aside. Return the potato shells and lids to the baking tray with rock salt and return to the hot oven, leaving the oven door open, to keep the potato shells and lids warm.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher and season with salt and generously with pepper. Add the creme fraiche or sour cream and the remaining butter and continue mashing until thoroughly blended. Stir in the ham, mushrooms, and 2 ounces of the cheese.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the oven temperature up to 500 degrees.

Carefully spoon the potato mixture back into each potato shell; the mixture will mound above the rim of each potato. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the filling. Leave the lids unfilled, placing them around the side of the tray.

Return the baking tray to the oven and bake until the potatoes are heated through and the cheese has melted, 7 to 10 minutes. To further brown the cheese, briefly use the broiler, keeping close watch to prevent burning.

Carefully transfer the potatoes to a heated serving platter or individual plates. Place the lids on top of the potatoes at an attractive angle, partially inserting an end into the filling to secure each lid. Serve immediately.

From Wolfgang Puck

Corned Beef Hash

Corned Beef Hash FoodReference.com
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs. corned beef
3 potatoes
2 Tbsp. butter
1 green or red pepper
1 large onion
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp. butter

DIRECTIONS

Place corned beef in kettle, add water to cover, and bring to boil, then lower to a simmer and allow to cook for 3 hours.

Remove from kettle and let cool.

Trim off excess fat and cut into small cubes.

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, but still firm

Drain, then cool.

Chop pepper and onion into a fine dice, then saute in butter until wilted.

Put corned beef, potatoes, pepper and onion in a bowl, then add whole egg, egg yolk and Worcestershire sauce.

Blend well, form into a compact loaf, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, preferably overnight. Or form into individual patties.

Heat butter in skillet and add meat mixture, turning to cook thoroughly.

When meat is nicely browned, place under a broiler for a few minutes to make the top crisp.

Serve with poached eggs.

Courtesy of FoodReference.com.

Foof Cravings

Seeking solace in a hamburger?

Cravings are not just physiological – emotions can also play a huge part in why you crave the foods you do.

It’s easy to associate certain foods with certain times or places that make you feel soothed or comforted. These associations can be directly related to your cravings. For example, if you're tired or ill, you may crave chicken soup like your Mom used to make.

If you’re lonely, you might crave ice cream because that’s what your parents gave you to cheer you up when you were a child. In times like these, it's important to focus on the nurturing that your body really needs. For instance, do you need a break? More rest? More nutrients?

There is a very fine line between what can be called a craving and what may be an episode of emotional eating. Next time you experience a craving, ask yourself if it has any emotional motivation.

It might be hard to admit to yourself that you're reaching for food to help make you feel better, and even harder to face and deal with the stress and emotions that lead you to seek comfort from food in the first place. But if you can establish a connection between a craving and an emotional need you can learn to satisfy the emotional need instead of numbing it with food.

Before you go craving mad

Everybody experiences cravings now and then, whether for physical, emotional or any other reasons. It’s nothing to stress about and nothing to feel guilty over.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with cravings is not to let them get out of control – learn to recognize what’s going on with your cravings at a physical and an emotional level, and try to prevent the craving if you can.

If you can’t prevent it, remember that sometimes satisfying your craving a little, before you go craving mad, is the best way to respond.

A little satisfaction on your cravings

If you really feel like having a piece of candy, have it. But stop at one!

If you can’t prevent it, often the best way to beat a craving is actually to satisfy it – a little.

The problem with many cravings is that they get out of control when you don’t satisfy them initially. For that reason, it’s best not to eat "around" the food you are craving.

If you really feel like having a piece of candy, have it. Don't try to substitute it with a range of other foods if you think you'll end up eating the candy anyway.

If you obsessively avoid the food you’re craving, you’re also far more likely to binge on it eventually than if you have a small amount when you first crave it.

But be warned, this advice can be dangerous if you ignore the “a little” part. If you know you can’t stop at a little, it’s best not to start at all.

If you are facing a craving that a small portion won't fix, try putting the 'Four Ds' into practice.

1. Delay for a few minutes and the urge will pass
2. Drink water
3. Deep breathe
4. Do something else to take your mind off eating

Cravings for the Forbidden Foods

When people want to lose weight or change their eating habits, they often deem certain foods “forbidden”. This may seem noble, but in reality it’s just a set-up for cravings.

Saying “I’m not going to eat any chocolate at all” is a sure-fire way to end up craving it a week later. It’s better to have the occasional, planned treat than to deny yourself a food altogether.

Restricting a certain food group, such as carbohydrates, also pretty much gurantees a craving.

For example, if you eliminate bread from your diet for an extended period of time, it's bread that you’re most likely to crave.

Staying interested in what you’re eating is key to preventing cravings. A monotonous, boring diet in which you only eat certain foods will inevitably lead to cravings.

Cravings and how to prevent them

At 10 am it’s chocolate, by noon it’s fries, at 3 pm you can’t live without that Coke, and by 9 pm you’re spoon-deep in a tub of ice cream.

Sound too familiar? If you feel like you’re constantly craving one food or another, it’s very likely that you’re simply not eating properly.

First, you may just be hungry. Do you get enough calories from protein, healthy fats and carbohydrate?
Do you eat at regular enough intervals?
When you’re hungry you’re more likely to crave high-calorie, high-fat foods.

Cravings are also often related to dips in blood sugar levels, which happen when you don’t eat regularly enough. If you experience a dip in blood sugar, you’re likely to look for a quick fix in the form of chocolate or other candy.

Eating regular, well-balanced meals, with plenty of lowfat protein (eggs, fish, lean meat, legumes, leafy greens) will ensure that your blood sugar levels are stable and that you are getting the calories you require throughout the day. This can make a huge difference to getting your cravings under control.

Smart snacking on fruit, nuts, seeds (pumpkin, sunflower etc.) chopped vegetables, homemade soup, yogurt or lowfat cheese will also help you prevent a mid-afternoon blood sugar slump and the cravings that accompany it.

Also keep in mind that lack of certain nutrients can lead to cravings. For example, lack of protein may cause you to crave ice cream, lack of carbohydrate may cause you to crave fries, and so on.

The same goes for micronutrients – chocolate contains zinc and magnesium, so your afternoon Hershey’s bar may simply be satisfying a physiological need for more broccoli.

Although, if you’re craving chocolate sometimes no other food will hit the spot – there’s a reason Hershey’s doesn’t make a broccoli bar.

Bean Salad

5 BEAN SALAD

One 16 oz can of each of the following.

green beans
peas
wax beans
garbanzo or lima beans
kidney beans

1/2 cup of each of the following (chopped).

cauliflower
celery
onion
green pepper
1/4 cup chopped sweet vinegar peppers

Dressing:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1 cup cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Drain canned ingredients and empty into a large salad bowl, add the chopped cauliflower, celery, onion, and peppers.

In a blender, combine sugar, paprika, vinegar, garlic, hot pepper flakes and oil. If you do not have a blender use a small bowl and a whisk, works really well.

Pour over vegetables; stir together well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Cooking steak

If you have ever had a steak cooked by some one else and it did not satisfy your taste buds, you are not alone.

Do you like it cooked rare, or as my brother puts it, waved over the fire.

Steak cooked the way you like it is a real art, and one that is not done without a lot of trial and error.

Well done Steak is more to my personal preference and it is hard to get one done just right.

Look for future posts on the following subjects.


cooking steak in the oven
how to cook steak in a oven
cooking tuna steak
cooking sirloin steak
cooking steak times
cooking ribeye steak
cooking perfect steak
cooking steak tip
steak cooking temperature
cooking t bone steak
cooking round steak
cooking recipe steak
cooking steak grill
cooking flank steak
cooking salmon steak
cooking cube steak
cooking venison steak
cooking porterhouse steak
cooking veal steak
cooking steak indoors
new york steak cooking
cooking ham steak
cooking steak stove
cooking deer steak
cooking steak time
cooking angus steak
cooking a fillet steak
cooking rib eye steak
chart cooking steak
cooking new york strip steak
cooking shark steak
recipe for cooking tuna steak
cooking mesquite over ribeye steak wood
cooking prime rib steak
cooking pork steak
cooking skirt steak
cooking a beef steak
cooking rib steak
cooking chuck steak
cooking indoors porterhouse steak
tri tip steak cooking instructions
bear steak cooking
steak cooking instructions
cooking london broil steak
buffalo steak cooking
cooking elk steak
cooking top sirloin steak
cooking eye round steak
cooking a good steak
steak cooking guide
tip cooking steak in oven

Nutrition Facts Table

Trans fats and you

In December, 2005, large food manufacturers placed new Nutrition Facts Tables on their products to include the amount of trans fat in the food. (Small food manufacturers will be required to include this information on the Nutrition Facts Table by December 2007.) The reason? Trans fat is thought to be more unhealthy than saturated fat in increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Armed with these new labels, you may now become a savvy trans fat detector. The less you eat the better.

What is trans fat?

Trans fat is created when an unsaturated fat is processed or hydrogenated. Hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid. Hydrogenated fats extend a food’s shelf life or improve its shape or texture. These fats are found in commercial baked goods and for cooking in many restaurants and fast-food chains.

Trans fat may be found in deep fried foods from fast food outlets, partially hydrogenated margarines, crackers, cookies, popcorn, chocolate bars, candy, doughnuts, cakes and other commercially baked products. The words “partially hydrogenated” or “vegetable oil shortening” in the ingredients list on a food package will tell you the product contains trans fat. Foods with partially hydrogenated margarines and shortening are a major source of trans fat.

Impact on heart disease and stroke

Certain types of dietary fat contribute to atherosclerosis, heart disease and other conditions. For example, saturated fats (found in fatty meats and full-fat milk products, snacks and fast foods) and trans fats raise blood cholesterol – and heart disease risk along with it. A high level of blood cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack and can increase your risk of stroke. Trans fats are more hazardous to your health than saturated fat because they not only raise your “bad” cholesterol (low density lipoprotein or LDL-cholesterol) levels, but they also lower your “good” cholesterol (high density lipoprotein or HDL-cholesterol).

Unfortunately, scientists have not been able to determine any safe levels of trans fat intake. The best advice is to try to eliminate or lower trans fat from your diet as much as possible. And while Canadians are becoming increasingly aware of the health risks associated with them, our consumption of trans and saturated fat is one of the highest in the world.

What you can do

By lowering or eliminating the amount of trans fat and saturated fat in your diet, you lower your risk for heart disease and stroke, too. Here’s how:

• Read the Nutrition Facts Table on all labelled foods to help you choose products such as margarines, snacks, cookies and crackers with less or no saturated and trans fat (less than 10% daily value) and avoid products with higher saturated and trans fat (greater than 10% daily value). Choose lower-fat versions of products that contain trans fat, such as microwave popcorn, coffee whiteners and croutons. Read more about food labels.
  
  
• Look for the Heart and Stroke’s Health Check™ symbol on food packaging in the grocery store. Every food in the program is evaluated by the Foundation’s dietitians based on Canada’s Food Guide. The Health Check™ symbol is your assurance that the product contributes to an overall healthy diet. Visit www.healthcheck.org for a list of more than 500 products.
  
  
• Include the “good” fats. Some fatty acids, like omega-3 (Found in cold water fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring, trout and cod, flaxseed, canola oil, soybean oil, nuts, omega-3 eggs and liquid egg products) are actually good for your heart and are an important part of a healthy diet.
  
  
• Follow Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating if you’re trying to reduce trans fats.
  
  
• Eat a healthy diet that includes 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit per day.

Advocating for change

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is co-chairing, with Health Canada, the National Trans Fat Task Force. The Task Force is working closely with food manufacturers to significantly reduce or eliminate trans fat from foods sold in Canada.

Read more about the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s recommendations

Read more about other dietary fats

Dietitians of Canada www.dietitians.ca

Last reviewed March 2006.