Benefits of Berries:  As if their sweet, juicy taste weren’t enough to make them a fantastic treat, berries are also a great source of dietary fiber and a variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that may help prevent cancer and heart disease.  A study of 72 middle-aged men and women published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that eating about 1 C of mixed berries each day for eight weeks increased good,  HDL cholesterol and lowered blood pressure, and a recent review of research with blueberries reported that they may prevent cancer cell growth.  Although further research is needed to confirm these findings, scientists believe that plant pigments called anthocyanins, which are found in berries, may be responsible for their potential health benefits.

Pick Your Own:  Visit a local “u-pick” farm, and gather your favorites!  Look for strawberries from late May to mid-June, blueberries from late June to mid-July, blackberries from mid-July to mid-August and red raspberries in August and September.  You’ll spend a few calories, too:  one hour of walking and picking fruit burns about 200 calories for a 150 lb person.

Stock Up and Enjoy:   The season for fresh, locally grown berries is short, but fortunately, they freeze well.  Follow these tips to ensure the berries freeze properly.  First, sort them.  Discard those that are bruised, and remove stems and leaves.  Rinse them in a colander, and allow them to air dry completely.  Spread them onto a jelly roll pan, and place it in a freezer for about 1 hour, or until the berries are slightly frozen. Transfer them to a freezer-safe, zip top bag, and freeze them for 6 months.  To use frozen berries in baking, dust them with a bit of the flour you’ve measured out to use in the recipe, and fold them frozen into the batter just before baking.  This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the batter and discoloring it.  To serve frozen fruit in a salad, spread the fruit onto a plate, and partially thaw in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.  Add the fruit to the salad and serve while it is still slightly frozen to avoid a soggy texture.

For more information on berries, visit

www.blueberrycouncil.org and

www.nasga.org.

References

Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Feb;87(2):323-31.

Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2013 Jan 24.

Divide the plate in half, and fill one side with fruits and vegetables, making it as colorful as possible to pack in a variety of nutrients.   Try steaming frozen or low sodium canned vegetables for easy side dishes.   Don’t like cooked veggies?  Salads, raw vegetables or mixed dishes, like stir fries, soups and pastas made with vegetables, all count.   Fruit options are also plentiful.  Slice fresh fruit and top a sandwich.  Add a handful of dried fruit to a salad.  Try low-fat yogurt with frozen or canned fruit (packed in water) for dessert.

Divide the other half of the plate in half again.  Fill one half with grains, and try to make more choices whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa or 100% whole wheat bread.  Fill the bottom half with lean protein, like lean beef, poultry without skin, pork, fish, beans, legumes, nuts or tofu.

Add some calcium-rich foods.  Having a cup of low-fat or non-fat milk or yogurt or a slice of low-fat cheese is an easy way to obtain bone-building calcium.   Try cooking with dairy, too:  smoothies, soups, puddings, hot cereals and sauces are delicious when  made with milk  Calcium-rich alternatives, like fortified soymilk, are also good.

Be creative!  Swap the usual lunch time sandwich for a salad made with a new grain or spice. Instead of reaching for soda, try a fruit smoothie for snack, or replace potato chips with a handful of nuts or low fat popcorn.  Check the food market or local farm stand for seasonal fruits and vegetables:   they’ll be less expensive and have more flavor when purchased soon after harvest.  Spring favorites that will appear fresh in the next few months include baby salad greens,  spinach, kale, asparagus, artichokes, peas, fava beans, new potatoes, morel mushrooms, rhubarb and strawberries.

Make small changes that work for you.  Instead of rethinking the entire plate at once, change one section at a time, choosing healthful foods and flavors you enjoy.   Over time, small changes that are maintained consistently become habits that lead to a healthier you!  To learn more about a healthy plate visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture at http://www.choosemyplate.gov.  For more information about National Nutrition Month and tips on healthy eating all year long, check out www.eatright.org/nnm.

Baked Chicken Mushroom Penne

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked regular or brown rice penne pasta

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into 1″ cubes

2 slices whole grain bread or 2 cups crushed rice crackers

4 tablespoons canola oil

2/3 cup matchstick carrots

8 oz sliced and chopped button mushrooms

1/2 cup all-purpose flour or super-fine ground rice flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups 1% milk, Lactaid or enriched rice milk

1 cup water

1 cup low fat, low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried celery flakes

Parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375° C.  Cook and drain pasta according to the package directions, leaving out the salt and fat.  Crumble bread to make 2 cups of crumbs.  Toss with 2 tablespoons of oil, and set aside.  In a large saucepan, heat remaining oil over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and carrots, and cook until tender.  Stir in flour, mustard, onion and pepper.  Add milk, water, broth and celery all at once.  Cook and stir until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly.  Remove pan from stove, and stir in pasta and chicken.  Pour everything into a 2 quart baking dish, and sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbling.  Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Per Serving: 241 Cal (33% from Fat, 18% from Protein, 49% from Carb); 11 g Protein; 9 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 5 g Mono Fat; 30 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar; 90 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 176 mg Sodium; 15 mg Cholesterol

 Notes:  For a gluten-free recipe, substitute brown rice penne (such as Tinkyada) for the pasta, rice crackers for the bread crumbs and super fine rice flour for the all-purpose flour.  Lactaid can replace the milk for a lactose-free recipe, and rice milk can be used for a dairy-free recipe.  If food allergies are a concern, please check the labels of all ingredients carefully to avoid allergens or cross-contamination.

“Cherry Wishes” Valentines

Who says healthy Valentine’s Day treats can’t be sweet and fun?  Here are ideas that won’t ruin New Year’s resolutions for healthy eating but are still festive.

Fill snack-sized baggies with dried banana chips and tie closed with a colorful ribbon.  Add a tag or card that says, “Bananas 4u!” or “You’re the top banana, Valentine!”

Fill a small gift bag with cherry flavored tea bags.  Add a note that says, “Sending ‘cherry’ Valentine’s wishes.”  Or, use blueberry or raspberry flavored tea bags with a note that says, “You’re berry special.”

Wrap bags of low fat, low sodium popcorn in red paper, and add a tag that says, “Popping in to say Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Use red pencils with a note that says, “You’ve got the ‘write’ stuff for a great friend, Valentine.”  Or, decorate a small top with a note that says, “Top friend!”

See more ideas (including directions for the Valentine Pals pictured above) on The Fit Fridge Pinterest site!

Lighter cookies – Try Eating Well’s “Festive Christmas Cookies” recipe book.  It’s free and full of treats that keep the fat, calories and sugar under control.

Holiday foods made allergen friendly – Living Without and Bob’s Red Mill team up to provide a cost-free/allergen-free holiday cookbook with gluten-, dairy- and egg-free makeovers of holiday favorites.

Great appetizers – Check out Cooking Light’s collection of 100 healthy appetizers.

Ways to make the holidays less stressful – Real Simple’s guide to stress-free holidays gives ideas on easy gifts and more.

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and blessed holiday season,

Kim for The Fit Fridge