Vegetable Spotlight: Peppers

Hot peppers (chilies) are often used to spice up dishes, and they are especially popular in ethnic cuisine. Chilies are an excellent source of vitamin C if you can withstand their powerful bite.  Contrary to popular belief, the hottest part of the chili pepper is not the seeds but where the seed attaches to the white membrane inside the pepper. This area has the highest concentration of capsaicinoids. Capsaicinoids are flavorless, odorless substances that act on pain receptors in the mouth and throat. Capsaicin is the primary capsaicinoid. Capsaicinoids can be found throughout the flesh of chili peppers though their concentration varies in different areas so that one part of a pepper may be hot and another part of the same pepper quite mild.

There are several varieties of chili peppers and each differs in flavor and heat intensity. Even within each variety, there may differences in how ‘hot’ each particular chili is. Typically, larger chilies are more mild because they contain less seeds and white membrane in proportion to their size. Most varieties can be found dried, canned, or fresh. 

Availability, Selection, and Storage

When selecting chilies, look for firm, glossy chilies with taut, unwrinkled skin and fresh green stems. Dried hot peppers should be glossy yet unbroken. Chilies should be stored unwashed and wrapped in paper towels in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Dried chilies should be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for a maximum of four months. To keep dried chilies for more than four months, store them in the refrigerator.

Preparation

It is very important not to touch your nose, eyes or mouth after handling or eating hot peppers. If you do, flush with water immediately. The capsaicin in the peppers can be extremely painful to your eyes and can even burn or irritate your skin (especially if you have cuts on your hands).

If possible, wear thin rubber gloves while preparing chili peppers. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water when done working with chilies. If the bite is too strong when you eat a chili, chew on bread or another starchy food; water only makes the bite worse as it spreads it.

To decrease the heat intensity of chilies, wash them, cut them open and remove the seeds and veins. Also, soaking cut up chilies in salt water for at least an hour will help cool them off.

To add a mild pepper flavor to your dish, poke holes in the chili of your choice with a toothpick (or cut slits in it) and add it to a food that is already cooking. When cooking is complete, remove the chili from the dish.

Posted by Dianne Gertson

FOOTBALL IS BACK! MAKE IT A HEART HEALTHY SEASON!

FOOTBALL IS BACK!  MAKE IT A HEART HEALTHY SEASON! 

Can you keep it healthy at the tailgate party or football-watching bash? Yes!

Football season is back! And the return of America’s most popular sport means the return of many beloved traditions – including lots of fried and fatty meats washed down with calorie-laden drinks.

But just because it’s football season doesn’t mean you have to pack on the pounds and put your heart at risk. In fact, you can do a lot to keep your tailgating and other parties heart healthy – without giving up the fun or the flavor.

Check out these helpful tips:

The meatsNo tailgate is complete without a pile of meat on the grill. Just be mindful of which ones you’re firing up. Choose lean or extra-lean beef burgers, and keep the patties to the size of a deck of cards. Or try turkey burgers or salmon burgers, which are tasty and give you the essential omega-3 fatty acids your body needs. If you crave the traditional fried wings, try replacing them with grilled chicken breast strips tossed in a small amount of your favorite sauce.

Picking the healthier meats  isn’t the only healthy choice you can make. Be careful about how you season it. Resist a heavy shaking of the salt shaker; instead, throw in some chopped onions or extra pepper to spice things up. Choose 100 percent whole-wheat buns or make a lettuce wrap. Or you can cut your burger in half and have just one side of the bun.

The sidesAt many football parties and stadium parking lots, there’s no shortage of chips or fries stacked high with chili, cheese and whatever else you can think of. However tempting they may be, you can fill up (and feel better later) by nibbling on vegetables throughout the game. “Load up on the veggies!” said Rachel Johnson, Ph.D., R.D., .a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont and a volunteer for the American Heart Association. “Have vegetables for dipping rather than chips. Serve plenty of salsa and bean-based dips rather than other high-calorie dips.”

Skewers are also a fun and flavorful way to snack. Load them up with onions and peppers, or throw some corn on the cob or zucchini on the grill.
The drinksBeer and full-calorie sodas are usually plentiful at football parties and games. If drinking alcohol at games, just remember to use moderation.

“Try not to overindulge on alcoholic beverages,” Johnson said. “Too much beer, wine or liquor impairs judgment and can cause us to eat more.”

If you do get a beer at the game, try one with the least amount of calories and carbohydrates.

For those who choose to drink alcohol, the American Heart Association recommends limiting to an average of one to two alcoholic drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. (A drink is one 12-ounce beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.)

As far as soda goes, you’ll usually find no-calorie options wherever the full-sugar kind is. Water is the best choice, though, especially at games early in the season where dehydration is a concern. If you want a little more excitement then just plain water, throw in some fresh fruit to give it a refreshing taste.

Tailgating Do’s and Don’ts

Choose your sides in moderation. Try to make sure your plate is colorful, with a variety of fruits and vegetables

• Drink lots of water. You may be feeling hungry, but you may actually just be dehydrated. Stay hydrated.

• Remind yourself to only eat if you are hungry – not just for something to do at the game. It may help to keep track of what you eat.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Reference:  American Heart Association; retrieved for www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/LosingWeight/Have-a-Heart-Healthy-Football-Season_UCM_430990_Article.jsp

Posted By: Fralonda Anderson CEP-FCS                                        

Women & Heart Disease

Women, justifiably so, fear a diagnosis of breast cancer. Breast cancer is widely perceived as the number one health threat faced by women. However, the primary cause of death among women today is heart disease. Each year 250,000 women will die as a result of heart disease. In fact, heart disease claims the lives of more women than breast cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease combined. For many years men and their symptoms were the major focus of the medical community. The classic symptoms of a heart attack, pressure on the chest and pain that radiates out to the jaw and down the arm, are symptoms almost exclusively felt by male coronary victims. Many doctors know only these symptoms and will not confirm that a heart attack has occurred if a patient does not exhibit these signs. Women on the other hand, can have a different set of symptoms when suffering a cardiac episode. Many report feeling fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, palpitations, heavy sweating and pain in the back and/or abdomen. Rather than experience a sudden dramatic event that virtually screams CALL AN AMBULANCE, a woman’s symptoms can be dismissed as the flu or incorrectly diagnosed as stress. Even diagnostic tests are designed to check more for male symptoms and consequences than those of a female. Both sexes accumulate plaque in their arteries. In men, plaque builds up in the form of a clog. In women, plaque collects in layers. Some tests that are used to detect blockages in arteries are designed to identify clots or clogs and therefore miss many cases of coronary artery disease in women. As a result, women are often misdiagnosed and do not receive the aggressive treatment that would be given to a man. This course of care includes the use of blood thinners and cholesterol–lowering drugs. In addition, surgery might be performed to insert a pacemaker to regulate the heartbeat, or insert stents to open blocked arteries. There are tests such as nuclear imaging and the echocardiogram which may be better suited for detecting heart disease in women. These exams monitor the

blood flow to and through the heart. In addition, while in the midst of a heart attack, women show an increase in the levels of certain proteins and hormones. If a coronary is suspected, a blood test can indicate their levels in the blood. Women can take steps to lower their risk of heart disease. They should know their cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure levels. If they smoke, quitting is imperative. Obesity and diabetes both can increase a women’s chances of dying from heart disease and both must be controlled. Your diet should be low in fat. Exercise can both strengthen the cardiovascular system and reduce cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure levels if they are high. As with any other disease, women need to be particularly vigilant if heart disease runs in the family. Most of all, if you are a woman and you are experiencing the symptoms listed here, don’t delay. Go to the emergency room. The American Heart Association offers programs and information that are designed specifically for women. For more information, call the American Heart Association at 1-888-MY–HEART.

Excerpted from nyc.gov

Posted by:  Dianne Gertson

Healthy Food Substitutions

Fruits and vegetables are so versatile! They add color, flavor and texture to almost any recipe and meal.

Here are some simple food substitutions that will help you incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your family’s lifestyle.

Calorie Substitutions

 Eating fruits and vegetables instead of higher-fat and higher-calorie foods may make it easier to control your weight. But remember, fruits and vegetables have calories too. The key is substitution, which can decrease the total amount of calories eaten in a day.

· Choose pieces of fresh, whole fruit instead of baked goods for a sweet snack.

· Choose crunchy vegetables instead of chips for a lunchtime side-dish.

· Choose broth-based vegetable soups instead of cream-based soups for a lower fat alternative.

· Choose a fruit smoothie instead of a milkshake.

· Choose fruits and veggies packed in water or 100% juice rather than those packed with syrup, fats, oils or creamy sauces.

Meal Substitutions

 When used as a substitution for higher-calorie, higher-fat ingredients, they bring healthy goodness to most any recipe.

· In casseroles, add vegetables like corn or spaghetti squash in place of starches such as rice or pasta.

· Use roasted vegetables in place of meats in Italian-style casseroles, such as lasagna or baked ziti.

Ingredient Substitutions

· Use fruits and vegetables to reduce the amount of fat needed, and lower the overall calories in a recipe.

· Use applesauce in place of oil in baked goods.

· Use puréed dried figs in place of oil in baked goods.

· Use puréed vegetables as a thickener for soups or gravies.

www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org 

posted by:  Dianne Gertson