For healthy eating, have a salad! UPDATE

Test Your Salad IQ

Salads can be a healthy way to eat your veggies, but there can be pitfalls, too.  Did you get the right answers on this salad quiz?

A.  Two tablespoons of regular Ranch dressing have….

• 14 grams of fat

B.  Which of the following is the smartest salad topping?

• Chopped ham

C.  This salad bar stand-by has a whopping 26 grams of fat per 3/4 cup.

• Macaroni Salad

D.  This type of lettuce provides almost no nutrition.

• Iceberg lettuce

 Improve Your Salads

• Maximize nutrition- build salads with a mixture of dark leafy greens  and add more fruits and vegetables
• Use low-fat ingredients
• Dress lightly with low-fat, reduced calorie dressings
• Eat healthy salads more often throughout the week and any time of day

For recipes shared at the recent Extension program “Healthy Salads,” visit the Finney County Extension Office website at www.finney.ksu.edu under Health and Nutrition.

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For healthy eating, have a salad!

Test Your Salad IQ

Salads can be a healthy way to eat your veggies, but there can be pitfalls, too.  Test your knowledge with this salad quiz, and leave a comment with your best responses.  Check back next Thursday for the answers and to see who got the most right!

A.  Two tablespoons of ranch dressing have….

1. 6 grams of fat
2. 14 grams of fat
3. 20 grams of fat

B.  Which of the following is the smartest salad topping?

1. Chopped ham
2. Bacon bits
3. Shredded cheddar cheese

C.  This deadly salad bar choice has a whopping 26 grams of fat per 3/4 cup.

1. Macaroni salad
2. Cottage cheese
3. Cole slaw

D.  This type of lettuce provides almost no nutrition.

1. Butter lettuce
2. Romaine lettuce
3. Iceberg lettuce

Salad Nutrition

Salad greens are a great source of many important nutrients!  Take a look at the list of nutrients that you can get from eating your greens:

Vitamin A (protects vision and boost immune system), Vitamin K (helps blood clot), Vitamin C (builds immune system and helps in healing), B vitamins (helps form energy), Folate (protects heart health), Iron (carries oxygen to cells), Calcium (strengthens bones & teeth, regulates heart beat), Potassium (helps balance blood pressure), Manganese (important part of enyzmes).

Improve Your Salads

• Maximize nutrition- build salads with a mixture of dark leafy greens  and add more fruits and vegetables
• Use low-fat ingredients
• Dress lightly with low-fat, reduced calorie dressings
• Eat healthy salads more often throughout the week and any time of day

Salad Bar Survival

A salad from the salad bar can be a healthy option if you choose wisely.  If not, it may end up with more calories and fat than the entree!  Here are some tips for salad bar survival:

1. Fill up on leafy greens
2. Bypass the pasta salads
3. Skip the meats, shredded cheeses and croutons
4. Choose a light dressing
5. Use a smaller plate
6. Stick to only one trip to the salad bar, except for fruit for dessert.

For recipes shared by participants at the recent Extension program and potluck luncheon on “Healthy Salads,” visit the Finney County Extension Office website at www.finney.ksu.edu under Health and Nutrition.

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Buy eggs today for easier peeling!

According to the American Egg Board, eggs that are 7-10 days old will peel more easily than very fresh eggs.  If you plan to hard-cook eggs for Easter and eat those eggs after the holiday, buy them soon  for easiest peeling.

Remember– hard-cooked, not hard-boiled

Because of their delicate protein content, eggs should be cooked carefully.  When eggs are cooked at too high a temperature or for too long a time, the whites shrink and become tough and rubbery and the yolks become tough and their surface may turn gray-green.  Here’s the best method for hard-cooking the perfect egg:

• Put the eggs in a saucepan.  Cover with water (water level should be at least 1 inch over the eggs.)
• Cover the pan and heat quickly until the water just begins to boil.
• Turn off the heat and slide the pan to a cool burner if necessary to stop further boiling. 
• Let stand 20 to 25 minutes, covered.
• Immediately drain the hot water and run cold water over the eggs or place them in ice water until they’re completely cooled.

Eggs for inexpensive protein

The protein in eggs is both high in quality and low in cost. It’s easy to compare the price of eggs to the price of other protein foods. A dozen Large eggs weigh 1 1/2 pounds, so the price per pound of Large eggs is two-thirds of the price per dozen. For example, if Large eggs cost 90¢ per dozen, they cost 60¢ per pound. At $1.20 per dozen, Large eggs are only 80¢ per pound.  You can compare the cost of different sizes of eggs with this helpful chart.

Another helpful formula is that one egg equals one ounce of lean meat, poultry or fish. This means that you can use two eggs as your main dish at a meal or you can use eggs to “stretch” more expensive protein foods. For instance, you might use one cooked egg per serving along with half the usual amount per serving of expensive meat or seafood in a casserole or salad.

Eggs are nutritious and economical, so when they go on sale for the Easter holiday, stock up!  They’ll keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 weeks to enhance many family meals.

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Buy fish on sale … try a new fish dish!

Grocery stores recognize Lent by putting various kinds of fish on sale. Fish is a good source of protein and is low in saturated fat.  Nutrition experts recommend eating at least two servings a week of a variety of broiled or baked fish.

Increase omega 3 fats

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna are high in omega-3 fats. These healthy fats promote brain, nervous system and eye function. Omega 3 fats also decrease risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Humans cannot make omega 3 fats, so we must get them from food. Besides fatty fish, other good food sources of omega 3 fats include canola oil, flaxseed and walnuts.

Try a new fish dish

This is a great time to try some new fish dishes at economical prices. Here’s a simple and tasty way to cook any type of fish from the Iowa State Extension website Spend Smart. Eat Smart:

1. Turn on the oven; preheat to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking pan with foil (easy clean-up); lay the filets in the pan.
3. Drizzle with olive or canola oil, lemon or lime juice, salt/pepper or other seasonings of your choice.
4. Bake about 20 minutes—the fish will flake when it is done. (It is okay to start with frozen fish, it just takes a little longer.)

BBQ Chip Crusted Fish

Here’s one of my favorite easy fish recipes.  The delicious flavor will appeal to even those who think they don’t like fish!

4 mild fish filets (we like tilapia)

2 T lemon juice

2 T olive oil

1/2 cup crushed barbecue potato chips

Place fish in greased baking pan.  Combine lemon juice and oil, drizzle over fish.  Top with chips. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  YUM!

For those who prefer something even more crispy, try the Mouthwatering Oven-Fried Fish from Iowa State, too.  There are lots healthful ways to cook fish!  Buy some fish on sale this month and aim for one or two new fish dishes each week for your health.

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It’s Potato Time!

Since March 14 was National Potato Chip Day and March 17 is St Patrick’s Day, this is a great week to talk about all things potato!

Potatoes are the world’s most widely grown tuber crop, and the fourth largest food crop — after rice, wheat, and corn. The average American eats 125-140 pounds of potatoes a year!

Potato Nutrition

Potatoes contain a number of important nutrients. A medium potato provides 45% of the Daily Value of vitamin C, 18% of potassium, 10% of vitamin B6 and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. The fiber content of a potato with skin equals that of many whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals. In addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber, potatoes also contain an assortment of phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and polyphenols, which provide many health benefits.

Potato History

While we often link the potato to Ireland, it is actually a New World original!  The Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 2000 B.C. In 1536 Spanish conquistadors conquered Peru, discovered potatoes, and carried them to Europe. Sir Walter Raleigh is credited with planting the first potatoes in Ireland, (but it is far more likely that they arrived in Ireland through trade with the Spanish.) Potatoes arrived in the American colonies in 1621 when the Governor of Bermuda sent two large cedar chests containing potatoes and other vegetables to the new settlement at Jamestown, Virginia.

The Irish Potato Famine

The Irish working class lived largely on potatoes and when the potato blight reached Ireland in the 1840’s, their main staple food disappeared. This famine left many poverty-stricken families with no choice but to struggle to survive or emigrate out of Ireland. Over the course of the famine, almost one million people died from starvation or disease. Another one million people left Ireland, mostly for Britain, Canada and the United States.

Colcannon- A Delicious Irish Potato Dish

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 slices bacon

1/4 medium head cabbage, chopped

3/4 large onion, chopped

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving drippings, crumble and set aside. In the reserved drippings, saute the cabbage and onion until soft and translucent. Putting a lid on the pan helps the vegetables cook faster.
3. Drain the cooked potatoes, mash with milk and butter and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the bacon, cabbage, and onions, then transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl.  Serves six.
4. Nutrition facts- 240 calories, 11 g fat, 4 g dietary fiber, 70% of Daily Value of vitamin C.

For more great potato recipes and facts, see Mom’s Dinner Helper from the United States Potato Board.

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