Two for Thanksgiving

Please enjoy these recipes. Maybe you are tired of Granny’s plain on bread crumb stuffing recipe and want to try something new. Looking for a colorful side dish for your turkey dinner? This sweet potato salad is colorful, bright and tasty ,too.

Spicy Dried and Fresh Fruit Stuffing
(Serves 20, you can easily make half the recipe)

4 cups water
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup pitted dried plums
1 cup butter**
2 loarge onions chopped
20 slices slightly dried wheat bread torn into 1 inch pieces (or buy bread cubes)
6 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced (Granny Smith, Macintosh work well)
½ cup golden raisins (regular raisins work well or dried cranberries)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ cup white wine or apple juice

Preheat oven to 325◦. In medium saucepan over hight heat, heat water until boiling. Reduce heat, add apricots and plums and cook for 15 minutes until fruit is softened. Remove from heat, drain, cool and chop fruit into small pieces. Set aside. In large pot over high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until onion is transparent. Add bread and toss well to mix. Remove from heat, add chopped dried fruits, apples, and remaining ingredients and mix well. If stuffing is too dry, add a little more water or white wine (or apple juice). Place stuffing in an unbuttered baking dish and cook for about 90 minutes. Can be prepared ahead.

**You can easily reduce butter to ½ cup. The Nutrition Values are based on full cup of butter

Nutrition Values:
210 calories per serving
2.2 g protein
24 g carbohydrate
11 g fat
25 mg cholesterol
163 mg sodium
5.2 g dietary fiber


Art Smith’s Sweet Potato Salad
(I don’t know who Art Smith is, the recipe is from the AARP magazine )
Serves 8

4 small sweet potatoes
¼ cup fat free mayonnaise
1 TBS yellow mustard
4 celery stalks, sliced ¼” thick
1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼” diced pieces
1 cup diced fresh pineapple or crushed pineapple in natural juice, drained (save the juice for dinking!)
2 green onions finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste**skip the salt and try some lemon pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
Chopped fresh chives (use dried if you can’t find fresh or can omit)

1. Preheat oven to 400◦. Wrap each sweet potato in foil and bake for 1 hour, unwrap and let cool. Peel, cut in ¾” chunks
2. In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise and mustard. Add sweet potatoes, celery, red pepper, pineapple and green onions, toss gently. Season to taste with pepper and salt if you must!
3. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
4. Fold in pecans and sprinkle with chives

Giving Thanks

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.” Erma Bombeck

I am one of those people who likes an elegant Thanksgiving dinner, no TV allowed. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

I am, as always, thankful for good health. Too many people take good health for granted. Too many people are in a rut with their health, and while it is an uncomfortable rut, it is one they are used to. To those of you reading this, you are more than likely engaged in the Lifestyle Balance program, working hard, mentally and physically, on lifestyle changes, changes that will decrease your risk for diabetes and heart disease. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back, high five another class participant and thank your lifestyle coach. I will share this with you; you are lucky there is a program that can help you feel better and improve your health. I have asthma and the only thing that helps me feel better is my rescue inhaler when I am struggling. I would gladly give up calories and increase physical activity if it would lessen the burden of asthma. I envy you the opportunity to make changes that will improve areas of your health that would have to be controlled by medication. I don’t have that choice. Choices are good.

I am thankful that some smart people had the foresight to question whether reduction in fat grams and increase in physical activity could reduce people’s risk for onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a chronic disease that is life altering. I am grateful that they were right, it does work. And, I am grateful that people are taking part worldwide in this program.

I am thankful for all the caring lifestyle coaches in Montana who are so dedicated to the Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Prevention Program. Their expertise, knowledge and dedication makes for a hugely successful program. Those of you who are participating in this program know what I mean.

Not all diseases are created equal. Some may be prevented and some can overcome you with a vengeance. I read somewhere (be darned if I remember where I read it or even when and cannot find it on Google) that the most prayed for request at The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem is for the health of a loved one. That is pretty powerful. It confirms that we should never take our health for granted.

Please take a few minutes this month and in addition to your Keep Track books, on a separate sheet of paper, write down all the wonderful changes you are experiencing through participation in this program. People are enjoying quality of life they have never enjoyed before. Fill in the blank. Take a moment and reflect on what barriers you have overcome.

· Are you enjoying getting outside and walking with your family?
· Savoring the assortment of fall apples-if not, buy a couple of each variety and enjoy the sweetness, tartness, crispness of them. Pears too, I found 3 different kinds at the store.
· Enjoy the bounty of squash that is out there. Check out this website if you have squash and not sure what to do with it, it is quite versatile. http://whatscookingamerica.net/SquashRecipes.htm
· Maybe you found you are now able to enjoy a new activity, one you thought you would never do, or do again? Dancing, walking the dog, tossing a football with the grandkids?
· Walking up and down the stairs.
· Or like one participant whose story made it to the newspaper said, he could barely walk 300 yards, now he walks five miles at a time. He dropped 100 pounds through the program. WOW. “They are a good reason I’m still alive”. Now, that is being thankful.

This is a holiday that revolves around food. PLEASE, talk to your lifestyle coach for help in balancing, family, food, emotions and stress. You can do it, I know you can, and for this, I am thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving one and all.

Spice Up Your Life

The season of food is upon us. The road to weight gain is paved with good intentions, of others. Not wanting to be rude, we accept the offers of baked goods, sweets, gift boxes of processed meats and cheese. We will be invited to parties or show up at work where the food is laden with fat, sodium, and things we cannot pronounce. From now through pretty much February (Valentine’s Day remember), we are bombarded with food. Confidential to you—I am quite leery of food like meats and cheeses that can last a year without going bad, hmmm.

Sodium-DON’T Take it with a grain of salt

Diets high in sodium are linked to raised levels of blood pressure.
What exactly is blood pressure? There are 2 numbers,
· The top number, your systolic pressure, measures the pressure in the arteries while the heart is pumping blood.
· The bottom number, your diastolic pressure, measures the pressure between the beats.
· If you are healthy, your arteries are muscular and elastic. They stretch when your heart pumps blood through them. Your blood pressure rises with each beat and falls between beats.
· How much they stretch depends on how much force the blood exerts.
· Your heart normally beats about 60 to 80 times per minute.
· ** Special thanks to Lew Vadheim, MD for sharing this information in an easy to understand format.

Some sodium information:
· Sodium chloride is the chemical name for salt. Were you one of those smart mouthed kids trying to show off when you learned that NaCl was table salt? Oh, Mother, please pass the NaCl? · 90% of the sodium we consume is in the form of salt.
· We all need a small amount of sodium to keep our bodies working properly.
· The recommended guideline is about 1 tsp (teaspoon) per day, that’s less than 2300 milligrams (mg). People with hypertension, African-Americans, middle-aged and older adults should be using even less, they should aim for 1500 mg per day.
· The average intake for Americans aged 2 years and up is more than 3400 mg.
· The majority of sodium we are consuming is found in processed and restaurant foods.

What can you do to lower your sodium intake?
· Learn to read food labels at the store. If you are buying a processed food and the label says it is less than 300 mg of sodium per serving, that is your preferred choice.
· Choose fresh foods. If you want to season them use herbs and spices, not salt. You can find spice mixes that are sodium/salt free. They are flavorful, too. I was in a class and the instructor brought popcorn in and I remember eating some and getting these wonderful bursts of flavor that wasn’t salt. It was one of those mixes and so good.
· Here’s a good rule of thumb, the more calories a meal has, the more sodium will be found on your plate. Share a dish with someone, take half home for another meal or order a half portion if available.
· Eating out? Ask the waitperson if there are low sodium options or if the chef will not add salt or MSG to your food. Don’t be shy, you are paying for your food, ask for what you want. Be firm and friendly.

DASH
“The DASH diet is based on the research studies: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and has been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and improve insulin sensitivity. The DASH diet provides more than just the traditional low salt or low sodium diet plans to help lower blood pressure. It is based on an eating plan proven to lower blood pressure, a plan rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or nonfat dairy. Your doctor may have recommended this eating plan.”
http://dashdiet.org/dash_diet_book.asp?google&gclid=CMjJ5OXjoKQCFdFO2godl37B4g


Tips to carry you through the season: Reprise from November 9, 2009

You’ve been working hard at watching your calories-recording fat intake, carbohydrates. You’ve been so good about moving your body more. Now it is THAT time of year and you fear losing your momentum. Here are some ideas to help you maintain the progress you made during the year.

· Don't arrive at a party starving; you're likely to overeat. Instead, before you leave home eat a piece of fruit, a small salad or a lean protein snack. Eating a healthful snack will prevent you from overindulging on cookies and egg nog.
· At the appetizer table, fill your plate three-quarters full with fresh vegetables and fruit. Reserve the remaining quarter for anything you want, so you don't feel deprived. A small taste will satisfy your craving and not throw you off course, remember moderation.
· Drink plenty of water; it helps reduce your appetite. Try to avoid alcoholic beverages, they are empty calories. If you must drink soda, try switching to diet. There are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 oz can of soda. Better yet, try sparkling water with a lemon or lime slice.
· When socializing, stay more than an arm’s length away from the food tables or if you must, if it is everywhere, then stand near the healthier snacks, the veggie tray, fruit platters or something you don’t like, avoid the temptation.
· If you are planning a party or there will be a company party, talk to the party planners about healthy meetings. It’s OK to tell them you are watching your food intake and request that some low-calorie, healthy foods are provided, and it is also OK to bring your own.
· “Taste is the number one reason why we make the choice to eat one food rather than another. So, here is the key to healthy holiday eating. Stop imagining that you have to give up your favorite holidays treats, like those once-a-year cookies made by a special relative. As soon as you even imagine being deprived, you want to eat more. Instead, plan to enjoy one or two cookies rather than a whole plate. To get the most flavor and pleasure from slow down and savor every bite.”, November 2008 www.eatrightmontana.org

For more information on cutting back on salt, visit The Nutrition Source
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt/
Low sodium recipes:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/recipes.html and http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dash-diet-recipes/RE00089

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/25/health/policy/25vegetables.html

And, now, something to make you think:
Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?
Stephen Wright, comedian

Quinoa and Squash Gratin

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
Salt to taste
2 to 3 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 1/2 pounds summer squash, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 large eggs
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese (2 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a two-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the summer squash, thyme and rosemary. Cook, stirring often, until the squash is tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, and stir in the squash mixture, the cooked quinoa and the cheese. Mix well and season, then scrape into the baking dish. Place in the oven, and bake 35 minutes or until it’s set and the top is lightly browned. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Yield: Serves four to six.

Advance preparation: You can prepare the squash through Step 1 up to a day or two before you assemble the gratin. The gratin will keep for four or five days in the refrigerator and reheats well.

Nutritional information per serving (four servings): 220 calories; 12 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 173 milligrams cholesterol; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 103 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 13 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (six servings): 146 calories; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 116 milligrams cholesterol; 11 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 69 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 8 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com. Her new book, “The Very Best of Recipes for Health,” was published in August by Rodale Books.

Making Lemonade from Lemons

I recently had a pity party. I really don’t like them and I don’t like being invited to them, so I tend to not burden my friends with an invitation.

I found myself wallowing in the old “what am I, chopped liver?” thoughts. I went home that night and really spent time by myself, thinking. Yeah, I know, scary stuff-me thinking. But I did. And what I realized is a hurtful childhood memory was driving my pity party. Lucky me, I am pretty astute to that particular episode and the feelings that arise from the memory of it. This did help me flash forward to the present and say, “hey, wait a minute, I’m not 10 years old anymore” (haven’t been for a looong time). The realization helped bring me back to the current situation I was in and the reason for my pity party. I then thought things through carefully and sorted out my woes and felt much unburdened and refreshed when I was through and I managed to not do any emotional eating, though a Snickers was sounding mighty comforting.

I do believe that some people see life through the “glass half full” all the time or “glass half empty” all the time. I am not sure where I fall on this. I do know I am trying to be more positive and have lots of talks with myself, hmmm, that makes me sound a bit, well, let’s say that it sounds like I am one donut shy of a dozen. I guess I should say I am trying to think things through more and look at things in a more positive light. And you know it does help with how I feel about things and view the world, OK, maybe not the world, my cynicism remains intact on the world. Trying to look at things in a more positive manner can change a person’s outlook , demeanor and how we approach life’s problems.

Enough about me, let’s talk about you. How can you take life’s bitter, hard to swallow moments and make them palatable?

· Make a list with 2 columns. In one column list out what is not working for you. In the other column, list 3 possibilities. Write what matters to you, what is important, what is of interest to you. Look at the 2 side by side, you will see what is currently missing in your life. This may help you put things in perspective and even help move you forward. (Special thanks to my friend Judith for this). What I learned is, we can’t always make sweeping changes, much as we like but we can work on how to make the current “issue du jour” work for us. No easy task but a challenge to get you thinking and motivated.

· Here is another way to think about this and I do love this and take full credit for it, take a globe and hold it. I think so many of us are conditioned to look at the US where we live and maybe look east to Europe or west to Asia. Do you ever think of turning the globe over and looking at Australia, New Guinea? That is how I started looking at problem solving. We get so conditioned to doing what we are used to, and there is the old adage, “do what you’ve always done and you’ll get what you’ve always gotten” or another way “stupidity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results”.

I do my very best thinking and introspection when I am walking or riding my exercise bike. Exercise is quite good for clearing cobwebs, during or after the event. Your body is revved up and you are de-stressing which can certainly clear your mental vision. It can help you think things through.

Some other tools to help you:
· You use your Keep Track book for monitoring food consumption and physical activity. How about keeping a journal of your feelings? This can help put things in perspective for you. Reading something a few days after you wrote it down can open your eyes, especially after you have calmed down and are not in that vortex of emotions. It can open a pathway for you to make changes, or at least get you thinking about them. It can also help you if you are stress or emotional eating. “I’m mad at my spouse so I will eat this chocolate cake”. As if that is really making things better with your spouse.
· You are going through some wonderful life changes right now by participating in Lifestyle Balance. This is quite empowering. You are taking care of YOU. How great does that feel? Pretty wonderful I suspect. Savor that moment and wrap it up in your brain for a rainy day when you may be having a pity party. Open it up when you need to and enjoy it, relive it. You have taken positive action to care for number one, yes, that's you, keep it up.

30 Days to More Fruits and Veggies
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calendar_2007-09.pdf

Weekly Humor:

My mother taught me about JUSTICE . "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Yellow Lentils with Spinach and Ginger

Serves 4
Ingredients

1 teaspoon white or black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup yellow lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 cups baby spinach leaves, stemmed and chopped, or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Directions
Toast only the white sesame seeds before using. Place the sesame seeds in a small, dry saute or frying pan over medium heat. Cook briefly, shaking the pan often and watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove the seeds from the pan as soon as they begin to turn brown. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, ginger, curry powder and turmeric and cook, stirring, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the lentils, stock and coconut milk. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer until the lentils are tender but still firm, about 12 minutes. The mixture should be brothy; add a little water if needed.

Stir in the spinach, cover and simmer for about 3 minutes longer. The lentils should still hold their shape. Uncover and stir in the salt. Serve hot, garnished with the cilantro and toasted white or untoasted black sesame seeds.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving) 239 Calories, 14 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol 169 mg sodium, 9 g fiber

from EAT RIGHT MONTANA

Extension Agents Help Women Get Strong
For Life’s Heavy Lifting

Ah August in Montana! The final month of summer means lots of physical activity for Montanans - outdoor fun as well as plenty of farm, ranch, and garden work. Thanks to a series of classes taught by Extension agents across the state, many older women are now better able to handle the challenges of daily living.

“Since 2007, over 400 Montana women have enhanced their strength and improved their health with MSU Extension’s StrongWomen™ program,” says Lynn Paul, PhD, RD (registered dietitian), Extension Food and Nutrition Specialist at MSU in Bozeman. “These classes, taught by me and 23 Extension agents in 15 counties, have been a tremendous boost for how participants feel and what they are able to do. Our research, conducted with Dr. Rebecca Sequin from Tufts University, has documented improvements in strength, balance, endurance, and sleep, as well as reduction in pain from arthritis and other conditions.”

The Extension agents who lead StrongWomen™ classes enthusiastically practice what they preach, since they are all required to do strength training themselves. They have numerous stories to share about the benefits of the classes from all corners of the Treasure State.

· Jona McNamee, Cascade County: A striking benefit of StrongWomen™ classes is that participants do not break bones when they take a tumble down the stairs or slip on ice in the winter. Stronger muscles help protect our aging bones, plus we actually teach women how to protect themselves in a fall. I also often hear that women in our classes sleep better at night and have fewer aches and pains during the day.

· Barb Andreozzi, Deer Lodge County: Ages in our classes range from 42 to 90, with an average around 70 years ‘young.’ I constantly hear that the participants are able to get back to doing things that they used to do - carrying 25 pound bags of dog food, pulling clothes over their heads easily, and keeping their balance on uneven ground. In many ways, these classes help people maintain an active, healthy, independent lifestyle.

· Jane Wolery, Teton County: For me personally, one of the biggest benefits is sleeping better at night. And, researchers have discovered that sleep is very important for both our mental and physical health. Our participants also report quicker recovery from accidents, like falling off a horse, and wonderful improvements in their endurance for the outdoor activities they love, like fly fishing.

“The evaluations for MSU Extension’s StrongWomen™ classes have been extremely positive. Overall, the participants rate the class 9.7 on a scale of 1 to 10,” notes Paul. “That’s why we are doing research to learn how best to deliver programs like this in rural areas of Big Sky country.” If you want to be stronger and feel better this fall, Dr. Paul recommends these ways to get into a strength training groove:
· Contact your county MSU Extension Office to find out about upcoming StrongWomen™ classes.
· Visit StrongWomen™ online (www.strongwomen.com/) for a variety of follow-along fitness programs.
· Look for local strength training programs through fitness centers or certified personal trainers.