Sunday, October 24, 2010

Thank You Readership! Guest-ProChef II, and Registered Dietitian, Judy Doherty Shares Culinary Skills with Bloggers at “From A Dietitian’s Perspective” for Cerebral Palsy

By Anthony Sepe

Each Sunday, I thank my readership for their loyalty and dedication to my blog, by providing a healthy recipe.  For those that know, this is a healthy repeat, but for those that are unaware and are new to the blog, this is my way of “giving back.”  It is also a way to “Pay it Forward.”  Each Sunday, not only will you have a healthy recipe, but you will have an expert in the field of dietetics, food and nutrition, provide the healthy recipe to you.  It is my pleasure to introduce to you this week, my colleague, Judy Doherty, PC II, RD, and her recipe:  “Spinach and Orange Salad.”

 

judy

      Judy Doherty, P C II, RD

Judy Doherty is the Chef and Publisher of Food and Health Communications.  Judy became interested in cooking at an early age, when she helped her grandmother in the kitchen.

She graduated 2nd in her class from the Culinary Institute of America.  Judy attended the Fachschule Richemont in Lucerne, Switzerland, where she studied pastry arts and baking.  She has many awards including the prestigious American Culinary Federation Gold Medal.  She has ProChef II Certification from the CIA.

Food and Health communications is a private publishing company that is dedicated to making nutrition education look and taste great.  They have been in business for more than 17 years and have a wonderful site at www.foodandhealthcom.

 

Baby Spinach and Orange Salad

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Ingredients:

  1. 1/2 pound fresh baby spinach
  2. 3 medium-sized oranges,peeled and diced*
  3. 1 cucumber, sliced
  4. 1/2 cup red onion, sliced thin
  5. 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
  6. Black pepper to taste
  7. Balsamic vinegar to taste


*can also use 2 cups canned
mandarin orange segments

Directions:


1. To assemble the salad,
put the spinach, oranges,
cucumber, onion and walnuts
in a large salad bowl.

2. Cover and refrigerate, up
to 12 hours, before serving
if necessary.


3. When ready to serve, toss
all ingredients to combine.


4. Allow everyone to top
their own salad with black
pepper and balsamic
vinegar.


Chef’s Notes:


An attractive way to serve
this salad is to arrange on a
large platter and drizzle with
balsamic glaze. Garnish with
fresh orange segments.
You can buy the balsamic
glaze ready made or it is
easy to make it yourself:
Take 2 cups of balsamic
vinegar and simmer lightly
for 20 minutes on the top
of the stove until you have
about 1/2-3/4 of a cup – less
than half the amount left.
The vinegar will be thick so
it can lightly cover the back
of a spoon. Cool and store
covered at room temperature
until ready to use. It is great
on salads or in marinades.

 

Nutritional Information:


Servings:
Serves 6. Each serving: 1
1/2 cups.
Total Preparation & Cooking
Time:
10 min. (10 Prep, 0 Cook)
Per Serving:
Calories: 98, Total Fat: 4g,
Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans
Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg,
Sodium: 48mg, Carbohydrates:
14g, Dietary Fiber:
5.5g, Sugars: 10g, Protein:
3.5g
Diabetic Exchanges:
Fruit: 1.0
Vegetable: 1.0

Stop by and visit Judy .

Thanks for reading today,

Anthony

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Thank You Readership! Guest-Chef & Registered Dietitian Roberta Schwartz Wennik Brings Vegas to Your Kitchen with Spin-A-Recipe® Slot Machine

By Anthony Sepe

Each Sunday, I thank my readership for their loyalty and dedication to my blog, by providing a healthy recipe.  For those that know, this is a healthy repeat, but for those that are unaware and are new to the blog, this is my way of “giving back.”  It is also a way to “Pay it Forward.”  Each Sunday, not only will you have a healthy recipe, but you will have an expert in the field of dietetics, food and nutrition, provide the healthy recipe to you.  It is my pleasure to introduce to you this week, my friend and my colleague, Roberta Schwartz Wennik, M.S., RD, and her recipe:  “Chicken in Tart Cherry and Rosemary Sauce over Wild Rice Waffles.”

 

Roberta_Wennik (3)

ABOUT ROBERTA SCHWARTZ WENNIK, MS, RD

Roberta Schwartz Wennik, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian, culinary nutritionist and a trained MBTIÒ (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®)  practitioner. She also is the author of numerous books, including Is Your Personality Type Making You Fat? (visit www.advantagediets.com for more information), Boomer’s Guide to Getting the Weight Off For Good, and Your Personality Prescription, as well as a freelance writer for popular magazines and a former newspaper columnist. As spokesperson for a national brand, she has appeared on television and radio. She is included in Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who of American Inventors (having received a patent for a unique nutrient monitoring system called Drawing the Line on Calories, Carbs, and Fat), and Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare. In her free time, Roberta volunteers her time with the Snohomish County Literacy Group.

Roberta’s latest endeavor is Spin-a-Recipe®, what she likes to call a “Vegas experience in your kitchen”. Play the recipe slot machine at www.spinarecipe.com to select healthy recipes and ingredients. Spin again and create hundreds of variations of each recipe. The following tasty and healthy recipe, “Chicken in Tart Cherry and Rosemary Sauce over Wild Rice Waffles “ was created on the slot machine. Enjoy. Do visit and take a spin for delicious nutritious dishes done your way!

 

Meat in Dried Fruit & Herb Sauce over Wild Rice Waffles

 

Waffles:
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 whole eggs
4 tablespoons canola oil
Vegetable oil cooking spray


Chicken and Sauce:

1 pound chicken breasts

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves (allow extra if plan to garnish with a sprig on each plate)

1/3 cup dried tart cherries (e.g. Montmorency)

2 tablespoon canola oil

2 scallions, chopped
1 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons fat-free or regular half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Prepare wild rice according to package instructions.  Cook until tender but not so long that the kernels burst their shells.  Drain well.
  3. Meanwhile, rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and then the kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
  4. Place in a foil-lined baking pan and cook in the oven until cooked through and tender.
  5. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Pull meat apart with forks into shreds.
  6. Waffles:  Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Whisk together all the wet ingredients in another bowl (except the vegetable oil cooking spray).  Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, gently whisking until just combined.  Fold in the wild rice.  Follow waffle iron manufacturer's instructions to cook, greasing with the vegetable oil cooking spray.  Keep cooked waffles warm while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  7. Gravy: In a medium saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat.  Sauté the chopped scallions and carrots until they take on a bit of color.  Add the chicken broth and rosemary.  Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the broth has taken on a deep flavor from the rosemary.
  8. Strain the broth and then return to the heat.  Add the tart cherries.  Continue to simmer until the fruit has softened and plumped.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  9. Stir together the water and cornstarch.  Add to the broth and continue to stir until well incorporated.  Continue to cook until the sauce thickens.
  10. Finish the sauce off with the cream, continuing to cook a minute or two to heat the cream.  Stir the chicken shreds into the sauce.
  11. To serve:  Place a waffle on each dinner plate.  Top with the chicken mixture and serve.  Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, if desired. 

Enjoy!  Be sure to stop by and visit Roberta.

Thank you for reading,

~Anthony

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Cooks Corner Recipe: Candied Apples

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Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 apple)

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 8  (4-ounce) Red Delicious apples, stemmed
  • 1  cup  sugar
  • 1/3  cup  light-colored corn syrup
  • 1/3  cup  water
  • 1/3  cup  cinnamon decorator candies (such as Red Hots)

Preparation

Line a large baking sheet with foil, and coat with cooking spray. Insert 1 (6-inch) white dowel into stem end of each apple.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and candies in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 300° (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat.

Working with 1 apple at a time, holding apple by its dowel, dip in syrup, tilting pan to cover apple. Turn apple quickly to coat evenly with syrup; let excess syrup drip back into pan. Place apple, dowel side up, on prepared baking sheet to harden (about 5 minutes).

Nutritional Information

Calories:
237 (0.0% from fat)
Fat:
0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g)
Protein:
0.3g
Carbohydrate:
61.4g
Fiber:
2.7g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
0.2mg
Sodium:
20mg
Calcium:
8mg

Source:  Mark Scarbrough, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005

Enjoy!

Thank you for reading,

~Anthony

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Follower Sunday: Thank You Readership! From A Sweet Beginning to a Healthier Ending, This Recipe is About Your Good Health

By Anthony Sepe

Each Sunday, I thank my readership for their loyalty and dedication to my blog, by providing a healthy recipe.  For those that know, this is a healthy repeat, but for those that are unaware and are new to the blog, this is my way of “giving back.”  It is also a way to “Pay it Forward.”  Each Sunday, not only will you have a healthy recipe, but you will have an expert in the field of dietetics, food and nutrition, provide the healthy recipe to you.  It is my pleasure to introduce to you this week, tips on breast health and heart health:  see www.cancer.org  and www.americanheart.org.  Good breast health, good heart health-this recipe contains the right ingredients for taking care of yourself and for sharing with others!

 

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APRICOT CHERRY COBBLER

INGREDIENTS:

  1. 8 Fresh apricots (1 lb.) sliced
  2. 1/3 cup sugar
  3. 2 cups pitted cherries (1/2 lb.)
  4. 1 Tablespoon flour
  5. 1 cup all-purpose flour
  6. 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  7. 1/4 tsp. salt
  8. 1 1/2 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  9. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  10. 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
  11. 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
  12. 3/4 cup nonfat milk

PREPARATION:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine apricots and 1/3 cup cup sugar; set aside.  Combine cherries and 1 tbsp flour; set aside.  combine remaining dry ingredients; reserve 1 tsp sugar.  Stir in orange peel.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add milk; stir just to moisten dry ingredients.  Combine fruit in buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish; spoon batter over top.  Sprinkle with remaining sugar.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool slightly and serve.  makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Information:

190 Cal, 3g protein, 31g carbohydrates, 6g fat, 15mg chol, 220 mg sodium 2g fiber.

Source: Dessert to Warm the Heart

Share this healthy recipe and encourage the women in your life to have preventative screenings.

Thank you for reading!

Anthony

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Cooks Corner Recipes : Use Fresh Pumpkin for Cheesecake

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Broaden you baking horizons and use fresh pumpkin this year. It's easier than you think. There's no time to waste; pumpkins are in the store now. Save the pumpkin seeds and place them on a cookie sheet with foil and top them with your favorite spices and herbs and bake them—Yum, Yum.

Here's How:

1. Rinse pumpkin.

2. Place in the microwave.

3. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

4. Remove from oven.

5. Pierce entire pumpkin skin deeply with a fork or metal skewer.

6. Microwave on high for another 2 to 4 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and wrap in foil.

8. Let stand for about 5 minutes.

9. Slice open the pumpkin.

10. Remove seeds.

11. Scrape-out pulp.

12. Mash pulp.

 

Ms Pellegrini from About.com states that this pumpkin cheesecake recipe has a gingersnap crust, robust pumpkin flavor, and a smooth, creamy texture.

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Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake

To make pumpkin cheesecake, you’ll need:

· 1 1/4 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 10 oz)

· 4 tablespoons butter

· 2 lbs very soft cream cheese

· 1 1/2 cups sugar

· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

· 1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling

· 2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice

· 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 4 large eggs, room temperature

Prepare Oven and Pan

Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Create Cheesecake Crust

Combine the gingersnap crumbs with ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in the butter until the crumbs are moist and start sticking together. Pour the crumbs into the springform pan and press them into an even layer in the bottom. Don’t worry about going up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Once it’s done, turn the oven down to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make the Cheesecake Filling

While the crust is baking, make the filling. Put the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat it on medium speed until it’s really smooth. Scrape down the sides often to get any chunks of cream cheese incorporated. It’s important to get the cheese really smooth now, so we don’t do any unnecessary mixing later on.
Add the remaining 1-1/4 cup of granulated sugar and beat until smooth. Your cream cheese mixture should be lump-free by now, and once the sugar is added it’ll start to loosen up and look more liquid. Add the flour, beating until it’s just incorporated.
Then add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix on low speed until they disappear into the batter. Don't forget to keep scraping down the mixer bowl.
Now it’s time to add the eggs. We want our cheesecake to be perfect, without any cracks, so it’s really important to not beat the mixture too much once we start adding eggs. We don’t want to beat in any extra air that may cause the cake to crack. Add the eggs one at a time, on low speed, beating just until the egg disappears into the cheesecake.

Pour Filling In and Bake Cheesecake

Once everything is mixed, pour the filling onto the baked crust and put the cheesecake on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, turn the oven off, but don’t take the cheesecake out! Let it sit in the cooling oven for an additional 2 hours, without opening the door. This long, low baking time and gradual cool-down will give your cheesecake a great texture.
After the 2 hours is up, take it out of the oven and let it cool completely. Cover the top and refrigerate it overnight, or until it is firm to the touch.
The next day, carefully unmold it from the springform pan. It should slip out pretty easily, but you can use a knife to free it if you need to.

Serving Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Cut it into slices using a large sharp knife, rinsing it when you need to to get the cleanest cuts. This cheesecake is best served at room temperature.
You can top it with a little whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream, but the truth is, it’s so rich and flavorful, it’s excellent served plain. I guarantee this is the best pumpkin cheesecake you’ll ever make.

Source: About.com

Happy pumpkin carving and cutting, and thanks for reading my blog today!

~Anthony

Friday, October 8, 2010

Kidney Stone Protection and Designer Meals

 

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Let’s talk about the potatoes a bit, beside the fact, they are good for us.  They are fat-free and they are cholesterol-free; they contain a good source of vitamins and minerals  such as potassium and sodium.  The skins contain many of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber in potatoes, which is so important. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber.   They also contain antioxidants, too; however, it’s really what we top the baked potato with that can be either healthy or unhealthy, but we’ll save that for another post at a different time and topic.

What are kidney stones?  They are pebble-like crystals that form when certain chemicals build up in our urine.

Who get them?  One out of 10 people suffers a kidney stone during their lifetime.  It is reported that men are more prone to them than women, but kidney problems and family history also put us at risk.

What are the symptoms?

  • cloudy, bloody, burning urine
  • urge to urinate often
  • stabbing, irregular pain in the back or side
  • fever, chills, weakness,
  • nausea or vomiting

We need the “the fabulous 4” to help us with kidney stone prevention.  The nutrients our kidneys require to stay healthy—magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin B6.  The following meal plan teams these nutrients together with other kidney -friendly food components.  It’s an example, of how to make the “fabulous 4” a regular part of our daily diet:

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Breakfast:

  • a bowl of oatmeal
  • fresh raspberries

Whole grains, like those in hearty oatmeal, are super sources of magnesium.  This multi-talented mineral and fantastic group of minerals helps the body recycle oxalate, so the compound doesn’t build-up in our urine.

Besides magnesium, oatmeal is tops in fiber, too.  One cup can have as many as 4 grams.  Along with the fiber in fresh raspberries, this will put us well on our way to the daily fiber requirement for people age 50 and over.  Research shows that even just 10 to 15 grams of fiber a day might help prevent kidney stones.

 

 

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Lunch:

  • a tossed salad with avocado slices
  • a baked potato
  • a glass of lemonade

The salad and the baked potato will boost our potassium levels.  This vital nutrient lowers the calcium levels in our urine, which then lowers our risk of forming stones.  Most fruits and vegetables contain potassium, as do legumes, dairy foods, and fish.

The steamy baked potato and avocado come with another stone-stopping nutrient – vitamin B6.  Just as magnesium does, vitamin B6 helps our bodies maintain safe oxalate levels.  Other major sources are fortified cereals, bananas, and prunes.

For beverages, enjoy refreshing lemonade.  Its tartness comes from citric acid, a substance that dissolves stones before they grow painfully big.  For homemade lemonade, mix 4 ounces of lemon juice with 2 quarts of water and sweeten lightly.   This recipe seemed to do the trick in a recent small study.

As for other citrus drinks, they can’t compare with lemonade.  Orange juice has five times less citric acid than its popular counterpart.  And grapefruit juice, despite its citric acid, may increase our odds of forming kidney stones.

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Snack:

  • low-fat yogurt
  • dried-fruit trail mix

Calcium from foods like yogurt may blind with oxalate in our system and make it harmless.  Besides yogurt, the mineral’s sources include other low-fat dairy products, sardines, broccoli, black-eyed peas, and turnip greens.

Tell kidney stones to take a hike with the magnesium we get from the dried fruit trail mix. Or snack on the mineral’s other sources –seeds, legumes, artichokes, beet greens, and, rice.

 

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Dinner:

  • a salmon filet
  • black beans and yellow or almond rice
  • wedge of honeydew melon

The least meal of the day will round out your supply of potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6.  By this time, the fabulous 4 will be a real big hit with our kidneys!

PS:  I haven’t had another kidney stone in approximately 10 years!  When I was wheeled into surgery, my physician said, “I won’t start without you.” :)

Sources:

1. Inner Healing Power of Foods. Copyright 2004 Frank Cawood Medical Publishing

2. National Kidney and Urological diseases Information Clearing House. http://www.nih.gov ; Accessed October 08, 2010.

3. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-35-45-00;

Accessed October 08, 2010.

 

Thank you for reading and have a great day!

~Anthony

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Blood Clot Information: Coumadin & Food-Drug Interactions

Did you ever wonder why your physician or health care professional put you on a medication called Coumadin or another name it’s sometimes called, Warfarin?  Well, here are the answers to your questions, and more.  My colleague, friend and mentor, Dr. Nancy Collins, shared this on her website, and I am sharing with you too, which is very important-- if you, or loved one, or someone you know takes this medication.

Your Right to Know the Answers

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Drug-Nutrient Interactions with Coumadin

I just started taking Coumadin and was told I need to watch my diet. Why?

Coumadin is a medicine for people who are at an increased risk for harmful blood clots that can block the flow of blood to the heart or brain. Vitamin K is a vitamin that is needed for blood clotting to occur. That’s why vitamin K is the main nutrient that you need to pay attention to when you are taking Coumadin. Sudden changes in the vitamin K in your diet may affect how your Coumadin works and whether or not your body forms blood clots.

Why do I have to have my blood tested so much when I am taking Coumadin?

Coumadin is prescribed to prolong the time it takes blood clots to form. Your doctor will draw your blood often to test for your INR (International Normalized Ratio) and PT (Prothrombin Time). These tests measure how long it takes for blood clots to form and tells your doctor if you are taking the right amount of Coumadin.

What might happen if I eat too much vitamin K?

Too much vitamin K in your diet can decrease the effect of your Coumadin and result in blood clots. While there are many other things that can affect blood coagulation (certain medications, alcohol, and some medical conditions), watching your intake of vitamin K is one way to help make sure the Coumadin your doctor prescribed in working the way it was intended.

How much vitamin K can I have each day?

Rather than focus on how much vitamin K you should eat, experts say it is more important to keep your vitamin K intake consistent from day to day. It is suggested that you limit your intake of high vitamin K foods to no more than one serving each day, and limit intake of foods “moderately high” in Vitamin K to no more than 3 servings daily. It is also important not to have drastic changes in your vitamin K intake from day to day. For example, if you eat 3 cups of a high-vitamin K food like spinach one day and none the next, this can affect the way your Coumadin works.

What foods are high in Vitamin K?

It is suggested that you eat no more than 1 serving daily of these foods that are high in vitamin K: One half cup of cooked kale, cooked spinach, cooked turnip greens, cooked collards, cooked Swiss chard, and cooked mustard greens and ¼ cup raw parsley.

It is suggested that you eat no more than 3 servings daily of these foods that are moderately-high in vitamin K: One half cup cooked Brussels sprouts, one cup raw spinach, raw turnip greens, shredded leaf lettuce, raw broccoli, raw endive lettuce, and raw romaine lettuce.

Are there any other things that can interact with my Coumadin dose?

Yes. Alcohol (greater than 3 drinks per day) can increase the effect of Coumadin. Talk to your doctor about how much alcohol you drink and whether or not it can affect your blood clotting.

Many over-the counter dietary supplements, including ginger, garlic, ginko, and vitamin E, can effect blood clotting. It is best not to take any vitamin or herbal supplement, including Vitamin E, when you are taking Coumadin. Be sure to discuss any herbs, vitamins, supplements, and other medications that you are taking with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Coumadin.

References

1.  ADA Nutrition Care Manual. Available to subscribers at www.nutritioncaremanual.org. Accessed August 2007.

2.  Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Drug Nutrient Interactions Task Force. Important information to know when you are taking Coumadin and Vitamin K. Available at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/cc/coumadin1.pdf. Accessed August 2007.

3.  Nancy Collins, PhD, RD, LD/N, FAPWCA. RD411 .

Thank you for reading!

~Anthony

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Cooks Corner Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Buttons with SMART BALANCE®

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Great taste & good health together!

We can live a lifestyle that’s not compromised by unhealthy trans fat and hydrogenated oils, unhealthy habits and unhealthy food restrictions.  It’s easy to replace them with better heart-healthier and delicious options such as Smart Balance Light Spread and Creamy or Chunky Natural Peanut Butter.  These are typically without palm kernel oil and are gluten and gelatin free.  This natural oil blend is reported to enhance ratio of HDL “good” cholesterol to LDL “bad” cholesterol.  Enjoy these cookies!

INGREDIENTS:

Peanut butter Chocolate Buttons

  1. 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  2. 1 tsp baking soda
  3. 1/2 cup Smart Balance, Butter Blend, Softened
  4. 1/3 cup Smart Balance Sweetened Creamy Peanut Butter
  5. 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  6. 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  7. 1 large egg
  8. 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  9. 54 milk chocolate chunks

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. Combine the Smart Balance Butter Blend, Smart Balance Peanut Butter, and sugars in a large bowl.  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 2  minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Reduce to low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just blended, scraping bottom and sides after mixing.
  3. Shape dough into 54 balls, place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets about 1’ apart.  Bake 6 minutes, place a chocolate chunk on each, pressing down lightly to adhere, and bake 1 minute or until golden on the bottom. Place on cooling rack and cool completely.
  4. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Makes 54 cookies total
  • Nutrition Facts:  1 cookie per serving: 63 calories, 1g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 3.1g fat, 1.2g sat fat, 2.0 g monounsat fat, .4g polyunsat fat,9g trans fat, 230 mg omega 3 fatty acids, 7 mg cholesterol, 69 mg sodium, 0g fiber.
  • Thanks for reading and enjoy the healthy cookies!

~Anthony