A Blueberry A Day

Blueberries continue to generate increased interest for their potential health giving properties. According to research currently underway at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, blueberries top the list of some 40 fruits, juices, and vegetable in their antioxidant activity. Concord grape juice is next on the list with about two thirds of the antioxidant activity of blueberries followed by strawberries, kale, and spinach.

Blueberries are just now being recognized for their high antioxidant activity due to sophisticated new techniques for studying the antioxidant properties of food. The NABC (North American Blueberry Council) is in contact with researchers at Tufts University and will continue to monitor the progress in this area.

Blueberries have long been prized as a great tasting and value added fruit. The fact that blueberries are low in calories, virtually fat free, a good source of fiber, and now found to be high in antioxidants makes the blueberry an even more attractive fruit to the consumer and industrial user both here at home and abroad.

(Article courtesy of the North American Blueberry Council)

Chef Bill’s Blueberry Cobbler

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

2 cups blueberries (about 11 ounces)

Accompaniment: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In an 8-inch square or other 2-quart baking dish melt butter. Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg and stir in sugar until combined well. Add milk and whisk batter until it is just combined. Pour batter into melted butter; do not stir. Pour berries into center of batter; do not stir. Bake cobbler in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until cake portion is golden and berries exude juices.

Serve cobbler warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

Tips For Healthy Eating Lifestyle

Written by:
Lee Ann DiBiase MS,RD/LD
Clinical Dietitian
Summa Wellness Institute

Making Wise Food Choices is the easiest diet you can follow!!!!!
• Balance: Eat a variety of foods every day
Why: fun, not boring, tasty
Balance the healthful choices with the sweets, treats, and fried foods

• Smart snacks: Snacks are a good way to keep up your energy level during the day
Choices: Prepare it and offer just that:
Veggies cut up in baggies
Low fat dipping bowl or salsa
Cut up fruit or fruit kabobs
Apple slices with dips
Cheese stick or cubes eaten with toothpicks
Whole wheat crackers with cheese or peanut butter
Served with apple or pear
Yogurt mixed with fruit
A snack combining a protein (nut, dairy, meat) with a carbohydrate (fruit, vegetable, whole grain breads or crackers) is the best combination.
Other choices: bean burrito
Cheese quesadilla with lettuce
Yogurt and fruit smoothie with graham crackers
Bowl of whole grain cereal, low fat milk, and fruit

• Snacks and meals should be spaced 3-4 hours apart
Breakfast: 6:15 am
Snack: 10:00 am
Lunch: 12:00 pm
Home: 3:00 pm snack
Dinner: 6:00 pm

• Portion size: Super size is not super-follow normal portion sizes
Bread: 1 slice
Bagel: hockey puck
Pancake: CD
Piece of fruit: baseball
Pasta: tennis ball
Veggies: baseball or fist size
Cheese cubes: 2 dice

Stay away from POP!!!! Limit juice to 1-2 glasses a day.
Drink: water, milk, flavored waters

Eat when hungry and STOP when you start to feel full.
Try to eat with the TV off- eating should be in the kitchen/dinning room only

When you have a treat enjoy it.


• Eat breakfast: it is the most important meal of the day and it will keep you from falling asleep during morning classes
Choices: Have carbohydrates for energy, protein to feel full longer.
Two slices of whole grain bread with peanut butter and apple slices.
One cup of vanilla yogurt, mix in cereal, top with fruit
Leftover veggie pizza and a glass of milk
Whole grain waffles topped with pb, fruit or ricotta cheese
Hot cereal
Peanut butter on a bagel with fruit
Breakfast smoothie
Vegetable omelet
Ham on toasted English muffin
Leftovers

Facts about the” D” word
Diets are usually designed to restrict your choices.
Many diets focus on eating a single type of food or eliminating whole food groups
Diets based on deprivation make people want more of the restricted food
Diets are designed to fail, they do not teach proper and fun choices

Kitchen Gear

I'm always asked, "what's in your kitchen?" "What are the best pans to use?"
These days, you can buy really cheap kitchen gear. This is great, because it means anyone should be able to get their hands on all the essential bits of equipment they need, no matter what their budget is.

I’m giving you a list of the bare minimum items you need to have in your kitchen to be a well-rounded, efficient cook.

When it comes to things like knives, food processors and wooden chopping boards, it really is worth striving to get the best bits of kit you can afford. Two or three good-quality knives are much better than a whole set of cheap old hammy down ones. When you’re buying a knife, check that it’s a good weight, the blade is nice and rigid, and the handle feels good in your hand.

Also try and get a good-quality, non-stick frying pan. For saucepans, as long as they’ve got sturdy, thick bottoms. All the other stuff on the list you can spend as little, or as much, money on as you wish.

Essential kitchen kit
Ideally you’re going to want to get your kitchen well stocked with all of the equipment listed below. If you can’t get everything in one go, that’s fine, just buy what you can afford and pick up the rest when you can.

Stuff to buy right now
Set of non-stick
frying pans

Extra-large casserole
(cast iron, aluminium
or stainless steel)

Good sturdy
roasting tray

Knives (medium chef’s
knife, small paring knife and
serrated carving knife)

Thick sturdy wooden
chopping board and small
plastic chopping board

Set of thick-bottomed
saucepans (large,
medium and small)

Nest of mixing bowls

Wooden spoons

Sieve

Colander

Scales

Measuring jug

Rolling pin

Speed peeler

Potato masher

Box grater

Microplane-style
grater

Can opener

Tongs

Stuff you can pick up later
Wok

Large griddle pan

Metal whisk

Ladle

Slotted spoon

Fish slice

Plastic spatula

Pestle and mortar

Salad spinner

Different sieves
(one coarse, one fine)

Food processor

Pastry brush