Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash

From EatingWell: September/October 2007

Cumin and chili powder season a filling of turkey sausage, tomatoes, black beans and Swiss cheese for creamy acorn squash. Serve this stuffed squash with warmed corn tortillas for wrapping up bites of all the tasty ingredients.

6 servings Active Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients
•3 acorn squash, (3/4-1 pound each)
•5 ounces bulk turkey sausage
•1 small onion, chopped
•1/2 medium red bell pepper,chopped
•1 clove garlic, minced
•1 tablespoon chili powder
•1 teaspoon ground cumin
•2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
•1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed (see Tip)
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste
•1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
4.When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving : 259 Calories; 7 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 29 mg Cholesterol; 38 g Carbohydrates; 15 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 482 mg Sodium; 884 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable

Tips & Notes
•Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.

Bow Ties with Chicken and Cranberries

12 ounces Bow Tie pasta, uncooked
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup cranberry liqueur
OR
1/3 cup port wine
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup sliced shallots
OR
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
Chopped fresh thyme or parsley (optional)

Combine cranberries and liqueur in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cook in microwave oven at high power 50 seconds or until hot. Let stand while preparing pasta and chicken.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large, deep, nonstick skillet. Add shallots; cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine flour, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper in a plastic or paper bag. Add chicken; shake to coat. Add chicken and any remaining flour mixture to skillet; cook 5 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Add broth to skillet; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer uncovered 5 to 6 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly and chicken is cooked through.

Drain cranberries; stir into sauce. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add chicken mixture, tossing well. Sprinkle with thyme, if desired.

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

EAT BEETS

Many people are averse to beet having only experienced crinkle-cut slices steeped in overpowering vinegar. This is a shame because fresh beet has much to commend it in terms of flavor (sweet, slightly earthy), texture (smooth and velvety) and color (dark red/purple, or an appealingly lurid pink when combined with cream or yoghurt).
These attributes make it a key ingredient in many fabulous salads such as Beet Koshumbir And if you haven't tried fresh beet juice you may be pleasantly surprised at how subtle it is, particularly when offset with a sharper ingredient such as orange or apple.

HISTORY
Beet evolved from wild seabeet which is a native of coastlines from India to Britain. Two thousand years ago, prior to being modified by cultivation techniques, beet had a carrot-shaped root and only the leaves were eaten (the small root was used for medicinal purposes by ancient Greeks and Romans). The familiar rounded root variety was developed around the sixteenth century and gained widespread popularity in Europe a couple of hundred years later.
Today beet is common throughout much of North America and Europe. It is used extensively in Scandinavian, Eastern European and Russian cuisine.

BIOLOGY
The beet plant, Beta vulgaris, has deep tap roots and can grow in a variety of soil conditions. Other members of the genus include chard, sugar beet, spinach and samphire. The red variety is dominant but golden and white beet is grown on a smaller scale.

NUTRITION
Beet has a higher sugar content than most vegetables. It is rich in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and folic acid. The leafy tops are an excellent source of beta-carotene, iron and calcium.

BUYING TIPS

Beet should be firm with a smooth, undamaged surface. Smaller roots are more tender - avoid any larger than about 2½" diameter as they may have tough, woody cores.
If you want to use the leaves they should be crisp, fresh looking and not too long or thick (if you don't, it doesn't matter too much if they're a bit limp as they deteriorate much more quickly than the root).

STORAGE:

Cut off the leaves and store in an unsealed plastic bag in the fridge. The leaves should be used within a day or two but the root will keep for a couple of weeks.
PREPARING:

Tender baby roots can be grated raw in salads. Mature beet can be boiled (better for smaller, younger beet) or wrapped in foil and baked (better for larger, older roots).
To preserve the beet's color and nutrients, rinse and brush clean but do not remove the skin or root until after cooking. Cook until a skewer easily penetrates to the core (anything from 40 minutes to 2½ hours boiling or 1½ to 3 hours baking at 350°F). You may want to wear rubber gloves when cutting and handling beet as the pigmentation leaves a pretty stubborn stain.
The leaves can be cooked like spinach - steam uncovered in a pan with a small amount of boiling water (around ½" depth).

10 Weeks to a 5K

Artilce from www.cookinglight.com
Whether you're a seasoned runner or a walker, our 5K training program will help you achieve winning results.

Cooking Light teamed-up up with Derick Williamson, a senior coach with Carmichael Training Systems (www.trainright.com), a Web-based coaching service, to create a training schedule that is adaptable to athletes of all levels.

"Running is a tremendous impact sport," Williamson says, "yet people put a big goal on the calendar and then just start running. They'll run for a few days and feel good, so they jack up the intensity, volume, or both, which frequently leads to overuse injuries."
"One of our key goals is to maintain an injury-free state," he says. "To run a 5K, or any competitive distance, you need to build up to it." To accomplish this, Williamson created a program that incorporates running, walking, and cross-training, as well as weekly drills to perfect form and improve efficiency.

Download 10 Weeks to a 5K: Training Schedule
Quick Tip: Consistency is key to enjoyable running. Have a plan and train regularly for best results.
Training Glossary
Run/walk: Builds run volume (another way of saying how long or far you can run without needing to stop and rest) by alternating intervals of running with intervals of "recovery" walking. To do it: After warming up, run for three minutes, then walk for two; repeat for the full time prescribed. After a recovery day, repeat the sequence. As this gets easier, gradually increase the length of the running interval and/or decrease the walking interval. A typical progression might be: 3/2 run/walk; 4/1 run/walk; 5/1 run/walk; 6/2 run/walk; 6/1 run/walk; etc. As you progress, your goal is to shorten the recovery time and increase the total volume of running time. If using a heart-rate monitor, stay in the 50 to 96 percent range (of the average heart rate from the eight-minute run test); if using RPE, aim for a six or seven.
Elliptical trainer workout: A low-impact cardiovascular workout that continues to develop increased fitness on recovery (or non-running) days. "Cross-training helps you stay mentally fresh, as well as working muscle groups you don't normally use," Williamson says. Do it for the time prescribed at an RPE of five to seven. If you don't have access to an elliptical machine, cycling, swimming, rowing, and skiing are all great ways to boost your heart rate and give your mind and body a break from running.

Basic skip: A drill designed to improve running mechanics and emphasize proper form. To do it, perform an exaggerated skipping motion for the time indicated, focusing on the following aspects:
• Foot strike: how and where your foot hits the ground. "You want your foot to land directly beneath your center of gravity, or your belly button," Williamson explains. If you strain to plant your foot far out in front of you, it stresses the leg muscles and bones and could lead to pain or injury.
• Knee drive: how you use your legs to propel yourself forward. "Concentrate on bringing your thigh up to parallel with the ground, and leaving the lower half of your leg relaxed," Williamson instructs.
• Arm swing: how you use your arms to propel yourself forward. Bend your arms at 90-degree angles, and swing them so that your upper arms do not go higher than parallel to the ground. Avoid swinging your arms across the midline of your body.
Skip kicks: Designed to improve running mechanics and agility. Perform a traditional skipping motion, hopping on each foot twice to a "one-two" beat. As you move forward, kick your front foot out until your leg is almost parallel with the ground on the second half ("two") of the beat. Bring it down, and repeat on the other side. "This reinforces proper foot strike and a quick transition from the heel to the ball of the foot when you're running," Williamson says.
Strides: A drill designed to activate fast-twitch muscle fibers (which power explosive moves and develop speed). To do it: Find a flat, preferably grassy area, and run for 30 to 60 seconds at a moderate pace. Focus on mechanics, including foot strike, knee drive, and arm swing. Jog back to the starting point, and repeat for the time indicated.
Endurance walk: Builds size and strength in slow-twitch muscle fibers (the ones that power endurance or distance exercise). "This is essentially a recovery day," Williamson explains. "It gets you out, keeps you moving, and increases blood flow to your legs so you can recover more quickly for the next day's workout." To do it: Walk at a moderate pace without exceeding 88 percent of your average heart rate from the eight-minute run test. If using the rpe scale, aim for a six.
Foundation run: Builds run volume by eliminating recovery periods. To do it: Run for the prescribed amount of time at 50 to 88 percent of your average heart rate (from the eight-minute run test) or aim for an RPE of six or seven. If your heart rate becomes too high, simply back off the intensity. "The great thing about training with a heart-rate monitor is that it forces you to take it easy," Williamson explains.
Fartlek intervals: Increase leg speed and teach the body to tolerate and clear lactic acid (a byproduct produced by your muscles during a workout that can contribute to soreness and fatigue). To do them: After warming up for the prescribed amount of time, pick up your pace until your heart rate is between 98 and 108 percent of your average heart rate from the eight-minute run test. (The equivalent of an RPE of eight or nine.) Sustain that pace for two minutes, then resume your endurance pace for one recovery minute. Repeat sequence three times. Follow with the remaining time indicated in the day's foundation run.

ONE READER TRIED IT:
Felice Geoghegan is no stranger to running around. The 41-year-old mom spends her days juggling work, managing household responsibilities, and coordinating the schedules of her four active daughters. While she may live life at a race pace, Geoghegan wanted to really run―a 5K, to be exact. We decided to put her in touch with Derick Williamson of Carmichael Training Systems.
"My husband is an avid triathlete, and all of my daughters play sports, so I'm really motivated," Geoghegan explained. "I've participated in a few 5k [3.1-mile] races, but each time I've had to run and walk. My goal is to run the entire distance and improve on my 10.5-minute miles."
Geoghegan, who lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, hits the gym three times a week for a workout of strength training (mostly lower body) and cardio (on elliptical machine or treadmill). She found a 5k race just 10 weeks away―and was eager to start training for it.
After 10 weeks of training, Geoghegan completed her 5K race in 32 minutes, 15 seconds―and came in fourth in her age group. "The course was really hilly, so I'm letting myself off the hook for not finishing in less than 30 minutes," she says with a laugh.
Geoghegan admits the challenging terrain plus race-day nerves had her momentarily questioning her ability. "But as soon as I began running, I just got into that rhythm," she says. "I had the confidence from all of my training that I could do it, and I did!" Will she stick with it? No doubt. In fact, four weeks later, Geoghegan completed an 8.15-mile race, crossing the finish line nearly 20 minutes before her goal time of two hours. We'd say she's off and running.

Whether you're a seasoned runner or a walker, our 5K training program will help you achieve winning results.