Eat These 3 Foods for Better Blood Sugar

Rates of diabetes are skyrocketing. But you could lower your risk significantly just by eating more of these three foods: spinach, almonds, and black beans.

Each one is a rich, healthful source of magnesium. And in a study of middle-aged people, those whose diets had the most magnesium were 36 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with the people who got the least amount of this mineral.

Get More Magnesium
The people at the high-intake end of the study got about 300 milligrams (mg) of magnesium each day. But for optimal RealAge benefits, you should probably aim even higher. RealAge experts Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD, recommend that people get 400 mg to 500 mg a day. And you've got lots of easy and delicious food choices to get you there. Enjoy half a cup of spinach, three-quarters of a cup of black beans, or an ounce of almonds for an extra 75–80 mg of magnesium. Other great food sources include halibut, bran cereal, baked potatoes, brown rice, and bananas.

Magic Mineral
Magnesium is essential for healthy blood sugar because magnesium helps your body use carbs for energy. Your body turns carbs into blood sugar, but when magnesium stores are low, your cells can't take up and use blood sugar properly -- a condition also known as insulin resistance. So help keep your energy system running smoothly by eating more magnesium-rich foods. Try these savory, magnesium-rich recipes from EatingWell to get you started:

• Make your taste buds crave spinach with this recipe: Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins.
• Try something new on taco night with this recipe: Black Bean Quesadillas.
• Satisfy your cravings for salty and sweet with these: Spiced Spanish Almonds.

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Bow Ties in Beef Blush Sauce

This pasta dish -- with lots of ground beef, garlic, a creamy sauce and a kick of picante -- is delicious, and great for busy weeknights

 Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large onion , chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 clove garlic , minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning , crushed
• 1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce package Neufchâtel cheese , cut into cubes
• 3 cup bow tie pasta , cooked without salt and drained (about 4 1/4 cups)

 

Directions

Cook the beef, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring often to separate meat.  Pour off any fat.

Stir the picante sauce and cheese in the skillet.  

Reduce the heat to low.  

Cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted, stirring often.  Stir in the pasta and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

about this recipe

Great for busy weeknights, this pasta dish has it all....lots of ground beef, garlic, and a creamy sauce with a kick of picante...it's delicious!

Super Snacks: 5 Best Snacks for Mood

Change your diet, change your mood? Science says the answer is yes. Food isn't just fuel for the body; it feeds the mind and changes our moods. Food scientists are still exploring the big picture regarding food and mood, but it's clear that certain foods have a feel-good factor. Try these five mood-boosting snacks.

Bananas

Bananas offer serious mood-lifting power, with their combination of vitamins B6, A, and C; fiber; tryptophan; potassium; phosphorous; iron; protein; and healthy carbohydrates.

When you eat a banana, you'll get a quick boost from the fructose as well as sustaining energy from the fiber, which helps prevent a blood sugar spike and ensuing drop in energy and mood. Carbohydrates aid in the absorption of tryptophan in the brain, and vitamin B6 helps convert the tryptophan into mood-lifting serotonin. Bananas are also a great source of potassium. While potassium isn't directly related to mood, it's needed to regulate fluid levels and keep muscles working properly, which is important for feeling energized, a key factor for a sunny outlook. And finally, bananas also offer iron, which is crucial to producing energy and fighting fatigue.
Best of all, bananas are available year-round and are easy to tote -- just make sure to pack them on top!

Get even happier: Bananas are among the best when it comes to mixing and matching mood-boosting snacks. For a sunny smoothie, blend a banana with one handful of spinach, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, and half a cup of apple juice. Spinach is one of the richest food sources of folate (vitamin B9) you can find, and flaxseed is full of omega-3s. When combined, these nutrients help maintain stable levels of brain serotonin and may help reduce your risk of depression.
For a sweet treat, try a frozen dark chocolate-covered banana, which you'll find in the freezer section of many natural foods stores. Or melt your own dark chocolate at home to dip banana slices in for a satisfying, mood-lifting fondue.

Walnuts

Walnuts contain a handful of components that contribute to a good mood, including omega-3s, vitamin B6, tryptophan, protein, and folate.
Higher blood levels of omega-3s have been linked with better mood and lower rates of depression, while lower blood levels of omega-3s have been associated with higher rates of depression and negative feelings. An animal study authored by Harvard Medical School Professor William Carlezon found that omega-3s and uridine (another substance found in walnuts, which plays an important role in helping metabolize carbohydrates) worked in the same way as standard antidepressant medications.
The standard dosage of omega-3 oils recommended by many experts is one gram (1,000 mg) per day. You'll get about the same amount, as well as a healthy dose of fiber and protein, in just half an ounce of walnuts. About two teaspoons of walnut oil will also do the trick, but you won't get the all the nutrition you would from the whole nut.

Get even happier: Crumble walnuts on top of a serving of organic yogurt for a crunchy and creamy treat with a double-dose of tryptophan.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are a super source of folate and magnesium, two substances that play a significant role in regulating and boosting mood. Just a handful of sunflower seeds delivers half the daily recommended amount for magnesium.
Magnesium, in addition to regulating mood, plays an essential role in hundreds of bodily functions. Magnesium deficiency is often responsible for feelings of fatigue, nervousness, and anxiety (since it triggers an increase in adrenaline), and it's been linked to various mood disorders. Sufficient, stable magnesium levels, on the other hand, help us achieve a calm and relaxed state, the prefect precursor to a good mood. It's so effective, in fact, that scientific studies have shown magnesium supplementation to be beneficial in treating major depression, suicidal tendencies, anxiety, irritability, and insomnia.
Folate (also known as vitamin B9 and as folic acid) is a B-complex vitamin that's intimately linked with nervous system function. Folate deficiency may result in feelings of irritability, depression, and brain fog, as well as insomnia. Being well rested and keeping a clear head are two of the primary factors in fueling a good mood, so snacking on sunflower seeds is a smart move in more ways than one.

Sunflower seeds are a good source of tryptophan and are often recommended by nutritional experts as a natural method of boosting serotonin levels. They're also rich in fiber, which helps maintain stable hormone levels -- one of the keys to keeping even-keeled.

Get even happier: Try this homemade trail mix to blast the blues: Sift sunflower seeds together with almonds, Brazil nuts, raisins, and dark chocolate chunks. Brazil nuts contain selenium, another natural mood booster.

Dark Chocolate

A number of unscientific studies name chocolate the number-one craved food in America, so it makes sense that indulging in chocolate makes for a happy experience. And as it turns out, there are some real reasons why that's so. For one, chocolate contains a number of substances that elevate mood, including fat, sugar, caffeine, phenylethylamine, flavonols, theobromine, and tryptophan.

Caffeine and theobromine are two naturally occurring stimulants found in chocolate. Along with sugar and fat, these substances provide a swift burst of energy and mood-lifting power. 

Chocolate also contains the mood-boosting compounds phenylethylamine, tyramine, tryptophan, and magnesium. While these substances are found in many other foods, even in higher concentrations, chocolate has an advantage because of its appeal on several sensory levels: it has a rich, mouth-pleasing texture; an intense taste; and an appealing aroma. For many of us, just the idea of indulging in chocolate is enough to elicit a positive emotional response.

In addition to these natural pick-me-ups, when you eat chocolate, a number of reactions occur, including the release of serotonin in the brain and mood-elevating endorphins in the body. This heady combination can result in a temporarily lifted mood and even a fleeting feeling of euphoria, which may explain why some people turn to chocolate when they're feeling blue.

Finally, cocoa is a natural source of antioxidant flavonoids, which increase blood flow (and thus oxygenation) in the brain, and which may contribute to better brain function. Not all chocolate is created equal, though. For the best health and happiness benefits, go for good-quality dark chocolate with a cocoa level of 70 percent or higher. The more cocoa it contains, the higher the levels of healthy compounds, so the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you.

Get even happier: Chocolate-covered almonds are a decadent snack full of fiber, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper, tryptophan, and vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Almonds help lower the glycemic index of the chocolate, preventing a spike in blood sugar and its resultant low energy and mood. In fact, fiber, manganese, copper, and B2 are power players when it comes to energy production -- and steady energy is a must for a happy mood.

Eggs

Eggs might not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of a snack, but a hard-boiled egg is easy to make and easy to transport. It's also a really good-for-you and good-for-your-mood snack. Full of high-quality protein and omega-3s (from hens eating a diet rich in omega-3s), eggs are also an excellent source of vitamin B12 (riboflavin) and a good source of vitamins B2, B5, and D. And one boiled egg contains more than 20 percent of the daily recommended amount of tryptophan.

While carbs are crucial for converting tryptophan into serotonin, protein is an important part of the process, too. A balanced diet that includes high-quality lean protein, like you find in eggs, and healthy carbs also helps stabilize blood sugar and prevent emotional highs and lows. And the Vitamin B12 in eggs plays a significant role in the production of energy and helps alleviate memory problems and symptoms of depression.

Get even happier: Add your egg to whole-grain toast for a satisfying snack that will give you a boost of long-lasting energy and fuel a feeling of well-being. Complex carbohydrates are an ideal pairing for protein-rich eggs, since they temporarily produce a calming effect by delivering a dose of tryptophan and triggering the production of serotonin. Carbohydrates also aid in the absorption of tryptophan in the brain.

 

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Scallop Piccata on Angel Hair

Superfine angel hair and delicate scallops are coated with a light lemon, white wine and caper sauce. Make it a Meal: Serve with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and Asparagus with Anchovies & Garlic.

Total Time: 35 min

SERVES 6












INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound(s) dry sea scallops, tough muscle removed
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounce(s) whole-wheat angel hair pasta
• 1/2 cup(s) white wine
• 1/2 cup(s) clam juice
• 2 teaspoon(s) cornstarch
• 1/4 cup(s) chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon(s) capers, rinsed and chopped
• 2 teaspoon(s) butter
• 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the scallops; cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
3. Cook pasta in the boiling water until not quite tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse.
4. Whisk wine, clam juice and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
5. Cook garlic in the pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine mixture; bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, capers and butter; cook until the butter melts, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Return the scallops to the pan, add the pasta and cook, stirring gently, until heated through and coated with the sauce, about 1 minute. Stir in parsley and serve immediately.

6 Foods That Weaken Bones

6 Foods That Weaken Bones

What you eat plays a big role in whether you're getting the nutrients you need to build strong bones. What might surprise you, though, is that your diet can also play a role in sapping bone strength. Some foods actually leach the minerals right out of the bone, or they block the bone's ability to regrow. Here, the six biggest bone-sappers:

1. Salt
Salt saps calcium from the bones, weakening them over time. For every 2,300 milligrams of sodium you take in, you lose about 40 milligrams of calcium, dietitians say. One study compared postmenopausal women who ate a high-salt diet with those who didn't, and the ones who ate a lot of salt lost more bone minerals. Our American diet is unusually salt-heavy; most of us ingest double the 2,300 milligrams of salt we should get in a day, according to the 2005 federal dietary guidelines.

What to do: The quickest, most efficient way to cut salt intake is to avoid processed foods. Research shows that most Americans get 75 percent of their sodium not from table salt but from processed food. Key foods to avoid include processed and deli meats, frozen meals, canned soup, pizza, fast food such as burgers and fries, and canned vegetables.

2. Soft drinks
Soft drinks pose a double-whammy danger to bones. The fizziness in carbonated drinks often comes from phosphoric acid, which ups the rate at which calcium is excreted in the urine. Meanwhile, of course, soft drinks fill you up and satisfy your thirst without providing any of the nutrients you might get from milk or juice.

What to do: When you're tempted to reach for a cola, instead try milk, calcium- and vitamin D-fortified orange juice, or a fruit smoothie made with yogurt. Or just drink water when you're thirsty, and eat a diet high in bone-building nutrients.

3. Caffeine
The numbers for caffeine aren't as bad as for salt, but caffeine's action is similar, leaching calcium from bones. For every 100 milligrams of caffeine (the amount in a small to medium-sized cup of coffee), you lose 6 milligrams of calcium. That's not a lot, but it can become a problem if you tend to substitute caffeine- containing drinks like iced tea and coffee for beverages that are healthy for bones, like milk and fortified juice.

What to do: Limit yourself to one or two cups of coffee in the morning, then switch to other drinks that don't have caffeine's bone-sapping action. Adding milk to your coffee helps to offset the problem, of course.

4. Vitamin A
In the case of vitamin A, recent research is proving that you really can get too much of a good thing. Found in eggs, full-fat dairy, liver, and vitamin-fortified foods, vitamin A is important for vision and the immune system. But the American diet is naturally high in vitamin A, and most multivitamins also contain vitamin A. So it's possible to get much more than the recommended allotment of 5,000 IUs (international units) a day -- which many experts think is too high anyway.

Postmenopausal women, in particular, seem to be susceptible to vitamin A overload. Studies show that women whose intake was higher than 5,000 IUs had more than double the fracture rate of women whose intake was less than 1,600 IUs a day.

What to do: Switch to low-fat or nonfat dairy products only, and eat egg whites rather than whole eggs (all the vitamin A is in the yolk). Also check your multivitamin, and if it's high in vitamin A, switch to one that isn't.

5. Alcohol
Think of alcohol as a calcium-blocker; it prevents the bone-building minerals you eat from being absorbed. And heavy drinking disrupts the bone remodeling process by preventing osteoblasts, the bone-building cells, from doing their job. So not only do bones become weaker, but when you do suffer a fracture, alcohol can interfere with healing.

What to do: Limit your drinking to one drink a day, whether that's wine, beer, or hard alcohol.

6. Hydrogenated oils
Recent studies have found that the process of hydrogenation, which turns liquid vegetable oil into the solid oils used in commercial baking, destroys the vitamin K naturally found in the oils. Vitamin K is essential for strong bones, and vegetable oils such as canola and olive oil are the second-best dietary source of this key nutrient, after green leafy vegetables. However, the amounts of vitamin K we're talking about are tiny here -- one tablespoon of canola oil has 20 micrograms of K, and one tablespoon of olive oil has 6 micrograms, as compared with 120 micrograms in a serving of spinach.

What to do: If you're eating your greens, you don't need to worry about this too much. If you're a big lover of baked goods like muffins and cookies, bake at home using canola oil when possible, and read labels to avoid hydrogenated oils.


WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

 

Prep Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

• 8 fresh salmon fillet , 3/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 orange
• 4 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth
• Swanson® Chicken Stock
• 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• orange slices

 

Directions

Place the fish into a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the black pepper and drizzle with the oil.

Bake at 350°F. for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Grate 1 teaspoon zest and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from the orange.

Heat the cornstarch, broth, vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.  Cook and stir until the mixture thickens.  Top the salmon with the orange slices and serve with the sauce.

Cooking Basics: When grating the zest from citrus fruits you'll want to avoid grating too deeply. There's a white layer between the zest and the flesh, called the pith, which can be bitter.


Serving Suggestion: Serve with a brown and wild rice blend and steamed cut green beans. For dessert serve vanilla ice cream with almond cookies.

about this recipe

In less than 1/2 hour you can enjoy this tender baked salmon, topped with a savory sauce that gently enhances the flavor without overwhelming it.

How to get more whole grains in your diet

How to get more whole grains in your diet

It's no secret that whole grains are good for us. They deliver way more nutrients per calorie than refined grains do, which just happens to fall in line with one of the major themes of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (published by the U.S. Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments): packing as many valuable nutrients into as few calories as possible each day.

How much each day?


The guideline. The dietary guidelines say we should make sure that at least half of the six servings of grains we eat in a day are whole, not refined. In short, we should "Increase whole-grain intake by replacing refined grains with whole grains." 

Daily amount. A person consuming 2,000 calories per day should have at least 48 grams of whole grains (or three servings) and an equal amount of refined grains. You can get about 16 grams of whole grains from any one of the following: a one-ounce slice of bread, one ounce of pasta or rice (uncooked), a six-inch tortilla, or about one cup of cereal. 

Enriched grains. The other three servings can be refined, as long as they're enriched. These are refined grains that have nutrients such as folic acid or calcium added to them. Whole grains are not enriched, so if you replaced all your refined grains with whole ones, you'd need to get those nutrients elsewhere, perhaps through dietary supplements. 


Whole vs. refined


Common whole grains. These include barley, corn (whole cornmeal and popcorn), oats, rice (brown and colored), rye, wheat and wild rice. 

The whole seed. A whole grain contains all the components of the grain seed, including the bran, germ and endosperm; those parts are stripped away when grain is refined. 

Nutrients. Whole grains contain fiber and important vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, selenium and B vitamins, all of which are lost when grains are milled to remove the bran and germ (making them "refined"). 

Health benefits. Eating whole grains may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and is linked to lower body weight; it may also help prevent type 2 diabetes. 

By the numbers


Percentage of Americans who meet the daily whole-grain recommendation: less than 5
Servings of refined grains Americans consume daily: 6 (No more than three are recommended.)
SOURCE: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010

Shop smart


Stamp of approval. A growing number of products carry the Boston-based Whole Grains Council's stamp, which highlights the amount of whole grain per serving. Check the ingredient list: some kind of whole grain should be listed first or second (after water). 

"Multigrain."Be aware that whole-grain content isn't listed on Nutrition Facts panels, and labels can be misleading. For instance, multigrain bread may have plenty of whole grains or none at all.
"Bran," "wheat germ." The Whole Grains Council notes that these terms do not signal whole grain content. 

Fiber. Don't get confused by fiber content: Whole grains have fiber, but a food that has fiber doesn't necessarily have whole grains. 


Eating whole grains


Start with cold cereal. This is a tasty and convenient source of grains, but some brands have more whole grain than others. General Mills has reformulated its cereals to have at least 8 grams per serving (some have 16). Be conscious of sugar content, though: Lucky Charms have 10 grams of sugar per serving. Better yet, choose Cheerios, which have 1 gram of sugar per serving. 

Or cook up some hot. When you cook oatmeal, whose whole oats count as whole grains, you can control the amount of sugar, salt and butter (Post recipe suggestion: Peanut Butter-Banana Oatmeal). You can also add uncooked oatmeal to your favorite meatloaf or meatball recipe, or use it in homemade breads, muffins and cookies. 

But don't ignore the everyday ones. Popcorn - air-popped, popped in the microwave or cooked on the stovetop in a little bit of olive oil - is a perfectly legit whole grain. (Just go easy on the butter and salt.) So is the corn in cornbread and tortilla chips. Again, though, keep an eye on the sodium and fat. 

Bake your own bread. It's easy, and you can use white whole-wheat flour, which is milled from "white" or albino wheat instead of the more common red wheat. One suggested Post recipe: Seeded Quick Wheat Bread. Another resource is the cookbook "King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking" (Countryman Press, 2006, $35). 


WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Turkish Chicken Thighs

 

Prep Time:

0 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 40 mins

   

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

 

1. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Whisk yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, mint and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade). Place the chicken on a broiler rack and broil until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake until the chicken is juicy and just cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. (Thigh meat will appear dark pink, even when cooked through.) Serve immediately.

Chicken thighs are higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.

about this recipe

The acidity of the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and keep it moist. If you can't find hot paprika, substitute 2 teaspoons sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

8 Winter Superfoods to Add to Your Grocery Cart

Winter is not over yet, so following on yesterday’s post with foods that will help you look good, here is an article for Winter Superfoods to help keep you healthy.

Sweet Potato
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest this large edible tuber ranks highest in nutritional value of any vegetable. With 6 grams of fiber and just 160 calories, plus vitamins A and C and potassium, it's no wonder. The sweet potato is among the oldest cultivated vegetables and remains a popular staple throughout the world. Only distantly related to the potato, it packs a much stronger nutritional punch than its pale-hued cousin. The darker skinned variety Americans call a yam is actually a misnomer, having no relation to the tropical root at all. True sweet potatoes are full of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Bake, roast, steam or mash for an easy weeknight side dish.

Pomegranate
Fondly known as the "jewels of winter", pomegranates and their juice have been credited with everything from lowering cholesterol to managing type 2 diabetes and helping to fight prostate cancer. The tasty red seeds called arils are a good source of fiber, vitamins B and C, potassium, and polphenols (antioxidants). Munch on the seeds or toss them into salads, grain dishes and yogurt. Drink the juice and you lose the fiber but still get a mega dose of free-radical fighting antioxidants.

Kale
Unlike other delicate leafy greens, kale freezes well and tastes sweeter after frost exposure. It grows so well in winter, one variety was actually named "Hungry Gap" thanks to its ability to thrive during a period when few other vegetables do. Kale is praised for its anti-inflammatory properties and high levels of vitamins A and C, lutein, zeaxanthin, iron, and calcium. Sauté with garlic and olive oil or make kale chips by tossing with olive oil and salt and baking until crisp.

Grapefruit
Sweet and tangy grapefruit will help keep your immune system buzzing long after winter's last snowfall. One-half cup serving provides 70 percent of your daily vitamin C requirements plus pectin and fiber, both of which will keep you full and regular. Ruby red and pink varieties are also high in lycopene, the same antioxidant that's in cooked tomatoes and which may help prevent cancer, heart disease and macular degeneration. Slice in half and eat with breakfast or peel a whole grapefruit for an easy on-the-go snack. Or try broiling grapefruit (sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon) for a simple, healthy dessert.

Cranberries
For decades people have been drinking cranberry juice to fight urinary tract infections, but mounting evidence suggests that cranberries have other beneficial properties as well. Recent research shows that cranberries and cranberry juice contain antioxidants that may protect against certain types of cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness. Only 5 percent of harvested cranberries are sold fresh, the remaining 95 percent are processed into juice drinks, sauce, and sweetened dried cranberries. Although fresh cranberries are too bitter and sour to eat, beware of heavily sweetened cranberry juice cocktails and snacks. A better alternative: make a compote or chutney using fresh berries paired with a sweeter fruit such as apples or pears. Or add unsweetened cranberry juice to club soda for a tangy yet refreshing cocktail.

Kidney Beans
Named for their resemblance to the human organ bearing the same name, kidney or red beans rank number one on the USDA's list of 20 high antioxidant foods (as measured by their total antioxidant capacity per serving size). The soluble fiber in kidney beans helps regulate blood sugar levels, and like all beans, they are an excellent source of protein and iron. With less fat than meat, these legumes are a healthy, versatile, and affordable protein alternative. Toss into soup or a salad or make a big batch of vegetable chili to warm you on the chilliest days.

Cocoa
Unsweetened cocoa is number 10 on ORAC value list, an antioxidant content rating scale developed by the USDA. High in phenols and flavonoids, cocoa has twice as many antioxidants as red wine and almost three times as many as green tea according to researchers at Cornell. While not unique to winter, what's better than a frothy cup of hot cocoa when the temperature dips?

Pecans
Loaded with protein, unsaturated fats, fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants, these scrumptious nuts are available year round, but harvested in the late fall and early winter. A diet rich in nuts helps to lower cholesterol and keep blood vessels strong. Eating pecans daily may also delay age-related muscle nerve degeneration. Choose raw over roasted and salted (or worse yet, candied) and try to stick to a one-ounce serving, or about 20 halves, a day as the calories add up fast.

 

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Turkey Thigh Cacciatore

Buttered noodles and darker turkey meat make this comforting dish the perfect, hearty meal for a cold winter's night.

Prep Time:

0 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 15 mins

SERVES 4

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds turkey thighs, about 2
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/3 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 14- to 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound egg noodles

Directions

Pat turkey dry, then season with 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons oil in a 12-inch deep heavy skillet over moderately high heat until it shimmers, then brown turkey, turning once, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to moderate and cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic in skillet, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper is softened, about 6 minutes. 

Add wine and bring to a boil, stirring up brown bits. 

Add tomatoes with juice, broth, and turkey, then simmer, partially covered, turning turkey occasionally, until turkey is cooked through and tender, about 45 minutes. 

Transfer turkey to a cutting board to cool and keep sauce warm, covered.

Discard skin and bone from turkey, then slice meat and stir into sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook noodles in a pasta pot of boiling salted water until just tender, then drain well and toss with butter in pot. Serve Cacciatore over noodles tossed with MUSHROOM CELERY SALAD

 

about this recipe

This is such a comforting dish with buttered noodles and turkey standing in for the usual chicken. It's made easy to eat by discarding the turkey skin and bone after cooking, so the turkey really integrates into the sauce.

6 Natural Ways to Look Amazing for Years

Like the old saying goes, "You are what you eat." And health and beauty experts agree that what you eat can make you beautiful, both inside and out. Read on……

According to Keri Glassman, nutritionist and registered dietitian, scientists have been pursuing the answer to ageless beauty for years. "There aren't any foods that will turn back the clock -- at least, not that we know of yet." Glassman told AOL Health. "But there are foods that can make you look much better and slow down the aging process."

Check out these double-duty foods that have been proven to enhance your beauty, whether eaten or applied to your body directly:

Olive Oil
The food: "Besides being among the healthiest types of fats, olive oil tends to be rich in polyphenols, which aren't just antioxidants," explained Glassman. "They're also antifungal and antibacterial agents." Dr. Howard Murad, associate clinical professor of medicine (dermatology) at UCLA's Geffen School of Medicine and founder of Murad Skincare Inc., agreed. "Essential fatty acids, in particular, and other healthy fats keep us hydrated, supple, youthful and beautiful," he told AOL Health. "Fat sounds like a four-letter word today, but the right fat in the right amount will feed your skin, as well as your brain and your cellular membranes, like no other nutrient." Murad suggested three to four servings a day of this good fat.

The mask: "Eating olive oil is great, but you can put it right on your skin, too," said Glassman. "I like to mix it with a little avocado, apply and leave it on for 10 minutes. It's so nourishing, you can almost feel your skin drinking it up."

Honey
The food: "Nature's bacterial agent." said Glassman. "When eaten, its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties can protect your body." She added that daily consumption of this sweet additive boosts the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in the blood, improving blood flow to the skin.

The mask: When used on the skin, honey is good for treating acne and reducing redness. "It's also a natural humectant, which means it keeps all the water you're drinking in the right places," added Glassman. According to The Bastyr Center for Natural Health, the teaching clinic of Bastyr University in Seattle, honey contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to decrease pain and the appearance of scars. Here's Glassman's recipe for Sweet Honey Cleanser: Mix 1/2 teaspoon honey, 2 teaspoons yogurt and 2 teaspoons brewed green tea. Apply to face and leave on for about 10 minutes.

Papaya
The food: "The rejuvenating enzymes and vitamin A found in papaya can benefit many skin issues and can be safely used by all skin types, including those with sensitive skin or rosacea," Louisa Maccan-Graves, celebrity beauty expert and author of "Hollywood Beauty Secrets: Remedies to the Rescue," told AOL Health. Glassman added that his tropical fruit also contains the skin-loving vitamins C and E. "Besides promoting healthy cell turnover and aiding in the formation of collagen and elastin, vitamin C is key in countering the effects of sun damage," she said. "Vitamin E is also vital because it's an important way the body wards off sun damage, such as age spots and wrinkles."

The mask: "When applied topically, papaya helps exfoliate skin, repairs sun damage, fades age spots, and helps smooth the complexion," said Maccan-Graves. "Papaya is nature's Retin-A." She offered this recipe: Cut a slice of ripe papaya, remove the seeds and pulp, then rub the inside peel of the papaya peel on a clean face, focus on lines around the mouth and eyes, crow's-feet, thinning temples, neck and hands. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse off with tepid water. "Do this mask twice weekly," she advised.

Coconut
The food: "This tropical wonder does more than make a good pina colada," said Glassman. According to the Coconut Research Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., the coconut has numerous beauty benefits, including supporting the natural chemical balance of the skin, relieving dryness and flaking, and protecting the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging. "Coconut also improves the absorption of the minerals calcium and magnesium, which are crucial for a gorgeous grin," added Glassman.

The mask: The Coconut Research Center also states that when applied topically, the oil in coconuts can help form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward off infection. Glassman's "Tropical Skin Rejuvenator" mask is as follows: Mix 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, 1/8 cup ripe mango and 1/8 cup ripe papaya. Apply to face and leave on for about 10 minutes.

Pineapple
The food: "When eaten, pineapple contains a large dose of vitamin C, a necessary element to fight off free radical damage," said Murad. The percentage of water in pineapples is nearly 90%, which he said is essential for youthful looking skin. "Vibrant health from the inside out lies in maintaining strong cells that can attract and keep water the way younger cells do," he explained. "So if you can repair your cell membranes while attracting water nutrients to them, you can fight aging, as well as disease."

The mask: "Applied to the skin in a mask, pineapple contains natural fruit enzymes that will exfoliate your skin, leaving the complexion smooth and with a natural glow," he said. The web site beauty-soap-and-bubbles.com offers this recipe for homemade pineapple mask: Puree one slice of pineapple, then mix in a bowl with 2 tablespoons yogurt and 4 tablespoons cornmeal. Leave on for five minutes. "Incorporating exfoliation into your skincare regimen three to four times a week will provide you with less breakouts, a brighter, healthier complexion and improve the tone and texture of the skin," added Murad.

Rosemary
The food: Glassman stated that there's a reason why so many beauty products, both skin and hair, contain this herb -- and it's not just for its scent. "Whether we eat it or use it topically, the fragrant oils stimulate circulation and act as an anti-irritant." This potent plant has also been known to help fight acne, clear blemishes and moisturize dry skin. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that rosemary can also neutralize free radicals (harmful molecules that cause premature aging, as well as diseases). And according to the blog on Sephora.com, rosemary oil boosts hair growth, while improving texture, shine and thickness.

The mask: Glassman offered the recipe for her "Go Green Face Scrub:" Mix 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 avocado,1 teaspoon parsley and 2 tablespoons kosher salt and apply to face. Leave on for about 10 minutes.


WHAT’S FOR DINNER ?!

Linguine with Clam Sauce

 

 Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• FOR THE CLAMS:
• 3 dozen little neck clams
• 1 tablespoon corn meal
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 pepperoncini
• 1 cup dry white wine
• FOR THE SAUCE AND PASTA:
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• 1/4 cup minced fennel
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 peperoncini, crumbled or minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Scicillian)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound linguine
• 1/4-1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Directions

Place clams and cornmeal in a sealable container. Add water to cover, place lid on container, and soak, refrigerated, for at least one hour and up to overnight.

Heat a skim of oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, parsley and pepperoncini and cook, stirring frequently until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes.

Lift the clams out of the soaking liquid and into the pot (the sand they release will have settled to the bottom of the bowl -- be sure to leave it there). Add the wine, raise the heat to high, cover the pot and cook until the clams open, about 7 minutes. 

Transfer the clams to a bowl. Allow them to cool then remove them from their shells; reserve the juice. Chop the clams. Strain the juice through a very fine sieve or a coffee filter and reserve. 

Start the soffritto (sauce). Heat ½ cup of oil over medium-high heat in a high-sided skillet large enough to hold the cooked pasta. 

Add the onion, celery and fennel and fry, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, about 7 minutes. 

Add the garlic then the peperoncini and oregano. Fry, stirring frequently, until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes. (The soffritto can be prepared in advance and reheated.) 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is not quite al dente -- flexible but not done. 

Add the clams and their broth to the soffritto and reduce the heat to medium-low. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. 

Lift the pasta out of the cooking water and put it into the clam sauce. Raise the heat to high and cook the pasta in the sauce, stirring frequently, until the linguine absorbs much of the sauce, and is nicely al dente, 2 to 4 minutes. 

Add the parsley and re-adjust the seasoning with salt to taste and lots of black pepper. Serve topped with additional olive oil if desired.