How to cook amaranth porridge, produced by registered dietitians. Amanranth seeds are not only high in fiber but they are a good protein source as well. If you are looking to change up your regular oatmeal breakfast routine, then check out this easy-to-make, nutritious alternative.

For the full nutritional breakdown of amanranth, read this article from dietitians - You Can Cook Amanranth Porridge.



 

In this video, you will hear our Editor-in-Chief, Gloria Tsand, RD, interview Dawn Jackson Blatner. Topic of discussion is the Grapefruit Active Lifestyle Meal Plan meant for the active person.



 

Listen to heart health expert Dr Janet Brill on foods that can prevent a second heart attack.

Host: Gloria Tsang, RD
Guest: Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D, RD, LDN

Are you one of the 13 million heart attack survivors in America?  What can you do to prevent a second heart attack? Dietitian Dr Janet Brill, author of the book Prevent A Second Heart Attack, discusses some hot topics regarding heart attack prevention, and natural heart-healthy foods you can incorporate to your diet.



 

In this You Can Cook episode, we shine the spotlight on wheat berries, which are the whole grains that are used to make wheat flours. In North America, we consume such a variety of products made with wheat flour, but to get the full benefits of the whole grain, wheat berries are the way to go. Think of wheat berries as the least processed edible form of wheat.

The main thing to remember when it comes to cooking wheat berries is that they do take a longer time on the stove. Before you start, first rinse the grain under running water until the water runs clear. Add them to a pot of boiling water and stir. Once the water starts to boil again, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. ½ cup raw wheat berries will yield 1 1/8 cups cooked. Once done, wheat berries are a hearty addition to any salads or soups.

It is time to shine the spotlight on a whole grain often found in bird seed! More than just bird’s food, gluten-free millet is actually a generic name assigned to many types of small-seeded annual grasses, that have been grown in various parts of the world dating back thousands of years.

Pre-toasting millet before cooking improves its flavor and texture. To pretoast, put millet in a skillet over medium heat with no cooking oil, stir frequently for a few minutes until the seeds turn golden brown,and give a pleasant nutty aroma.

Place toasted millet in a pot with water, and bring to a boil on the stove. Once the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer covered for 20 to 30 minutes. ½ cup raw millet with yield 2 cups cooked. Doesn’t get easier than that!

This time around, we tackle a unique-looking grain with many names. Buckwheat, despite the name, is not actually related to wheat. In fact, this pyramid-shaped grain is related to rhubarb, which makes it a gluten-free choice. There are a few names for buckwheat - usually buckwheat groats or kasha, and a French name I just don’t dare to pronounce.

To cook buckwheat, you can use the raw groats, or you can use kasha, which is the pre-toasted version. Kasha will take less time to cook than the raw groats.

Place kasha in a pot with water, and bring to a boil on the stove. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer covered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. That’s it! Simple and quick!

 

Our whole grain pick for October is the gluten-free brown rice. Did you know that some cultures treasure rice so much that they have multiple words in their language to describe its various states? If you are new to brown rice, the key to perfectly cooked brown rice is to give it enough time to fully cook. Typically, regardless of the variety, they will take more time to cook than white rice.

First, rinse brown rice under running water until the water runs clear. If you prefer, you can rinse the rice in a bowl, then change the water a few times until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain well, then, add it to a pot, along with water or broth.

Let it simmer on the stove for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for another 10 minutes before fluffing. A half-cup of raw brown rice will yield one and a quarter cup cooked.

 

One of the most popular grains in the marketplace today is quinoa. To prepare quinoa from scratch, start by rinsing half a cup of raw grains under running water. This step is important because it helps remove the bitter-tasting saponins naturally found in quinoa. Drain well, then, add it to a pot, along with liquid. Let it simmer on the stove for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

A half-cup of raw quinoa will yield one and a half cup cooked, so you can easily store the leftover in the fridge for next day’s lunch.

Dr. Navindra Seeram, Professor with the College of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island shares with us some recent findings of blueberries and brain health. HealthCastle Nutrition Tidbits podcast.

Host: Gloria Tsang, RD
Guest: Dr. Navindra Seeram, Ph.D.

We’ve all heard about the wonderful heart benefits of blueberries may provide.  More studies found that these tiny blue fruits may also help our brain as well.  Dr. Navindra Seeram, Professor with the College of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island shares with us some recent findings of blueberries and brain health.



 

 

No more Miracle Whip. How to make homemade mayonnaise by Registered Dietitians.

When it comes to the popular tuna salad sandwich filling, a classic condiment often used is mayonnaise. But store-bought mayonnaise-type dressing such as Miracle Whip comes with undesirable fillers and preservatives. The good news is, it's fairly simple to make your own mayonnaise.

Today in this No More Packaged Food series, we show you how to whip up your own mayonnaise using common everyday ingredients. The result will please your taste buds and help you keep money in your wallet! The ingredients you need are: corn oil, pasteurized egg yolk, white wine vinegar, dry mustard, salt and sugar. First, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine lemon juice and vinegar, then whisk half into the yolk mixture. Whisk briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit. Once you notice this change, you can increase the oil flow to a thin stream while continuing to whisk. Once half of the oil is in, add the rest of the lemon juice mixture. Keep whisking until the rest of the oil is incorporated.

There! In just about 5 minutes with simple ingredients and a bit of elbow grease, you've got yourself an all-natural mayonnaise that tastes better and costs less.

Gloria Tsang, author of Go UnDiet talks about why diets don't work and teaches us how to UnDiet.

Host: Sofia Layarda, MPH, RD
Guest: Gloria Tsang, RD

We’ve heard over and over again that diets don’t work, but many of us still follow them, multiple times. Is there a way to get off the dieting roller-coaster and make real change happen? We are joined today by our very own Gloria Tsang, editor-in-chief of HealthCastle.com and author of the book Go UnDiet. She talks about why diets don’t work and teaches us how to UnDiet.



 

 

No more already-made Alfredo sauce from a bag or pouch. How to make healthy Alfredo sauce. Podcast created by Registered Dietitians.

When it comes to easy dinners, pasta dishes are popular with busy families. Perhaps you have a white-sauce fanatic in your family, or want to change it up from the usual tomato-based sauce. Whatever you do, skip the powder mix. They simply have too many artificial ingredients, including trans fat.

It is possible to make a creamy white sauce that can also please the nutritionist in you. In this No More Packaged Food series, we show you how YOU can make your own low-fat alfredo sauce using real milk and cheese in very little time! Your secret weapon here is using low fat milk, evaporated skim milk and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

First, stir flour with the milk. Sautee minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the flour-milk mixture and cook until the sauce begins to boil.  stir constantly. Reduce the heat to low, and add salt, evaporated milk and cheese. Cook until all the cheese is melted. Toss the cooked noodles in the sauce. Serve with freshly ground pepper and chopped parsley. The homemade version is so tasty, we are sure you won’t miss the powdered mix ever again. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

Nutrition Tidbits Podcast - Alissa Hamilton discusses the real truth behind orange juice.

Host: Gloria Tsang, RD
Guest: Alissa Hamilton

How many of you reach for a glass of orange juice as part of your morning routine? Alissa Hamilton, author of the book Squeezed shares some surprising truths about orange juice. It may shock you.



 

 

Say "no thanks" to frozen bagel bites and make your own healthy mini bagel bites.

Busy on-the-go families need easy, tasty and nutritious snacks to fuel them. A popular snack item marketed to families with kids is boxed mini bagel bites in your freezer section. Unfortunately, these frozen snacks come with a lengthy list of ingredients, like trans fat, you don’t want your kids to eat regularly.

Today in this No More Packaged Food series, watch us make our own version of mini bagel bites using easy ingredients. First, cut mini bagels in halves. Then coat each half with tomato sauce, and top with diced turkey and grated mozzarella cheese. Bake them at 350F for 10 minutes, and top with scallion just before serving. There! an easy, simple and delicious snack that is kid-friendly and fun to make. In fact, you can get the kids involved in choosing what to top the bagels with. The homemade version tastes so much better than the boxed frozen stuff, that we are convinced you will skip the boxed bagels the next time you’re grocery shopping.

 

Check out some new food products we spotted at a grocery trade show.

Over 400 food companies gathered in Vancouver for the Annual Grocery Showcase Event this week. This is the second year we’re invited to be here. Let me take you to some of the great finds on the trade show floor.

From new food products, to fanciful gourmet, there’s no shortage of food samplings on the show floor. Some companies took this opportunity to introduce new product lines, like the Smart dinner from Kraft, and yogurt drinks with cholesterol-lowering plant sterols from Astro BioBest.

While many food companies told us about their healthy ingredients, it’s always nice to hear a human story behind a new product launch.

We also spotted a new way of ingredient list labeling. Instead of listing an array of ingredients by weight, McCain introduced a pizza line with ingredients breakdown based on the four basic components of making a pizza: Crust, then cheese, then sauce, then toppings.

My personal favorite find, is got to be finding whole grains!  I tried red rice the first time in Thailand last year, so I was excited to see them here. Whole grain red rice is gluten free, high in fiber, and is a great alternative if you like rice with nutty flavor and chewy texture.

Nutrition Tidbits Podcast - Bonnie Taub-Dix discusses which green label term really means it.

Host: Gloria Tsang, RD
Guest: Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN

With Earth Day approaching, there's a renewed interest in our food supply and how they impact the environment and our health. Dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, author of the book Read It Before You Eat It, helps us learn which label term really means it, and which one is just marketing gimmick.



 
Transcript:
Gloria Tsang, RD: Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, Editor-in-Chief for Healthcastle.com. With Earth Day approaching, there's a renewed interest in our food supply and how they impact the environment and our health. Joining me today is dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, author of the book Read It Before You Eat It. She is here today to help us learn which label term really means it, and which one is just marketing gimmick. Thank you for joining me Bonnie.

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN: Hi Gloria!

Gloria Tsang, RD: Now there are so many terms that we are going to talk about so let’s just dig right in. Does organic produce mean that the product is good for the environment?

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN: You know that really depends. Organic products are better for the environment but question is when you see the word organic on a label, is that product better for you? And the answer is that it really depends upon the product because organic is a  word that is like a health halo where a lot of people assume that organic means local and sustainable and some people even believe that organic means low in calories; which of course it doesn’t have anything to do with it because organic on a candy label still means organic candy or organic cookies, it is still the product that it is.

Gloria Tsang, RD: That’s good to know. For most of our readers, the most confusing thing about organic is that when they see organic on meat products. We often see now there is humanely treated, you know, things like that are on meat products. What about organic in meat products. What does that mean to us?

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN: Well, organic poultry, dairy and meat and eggs usually mean that it is produced without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics. Humanely raised and slaughtered definition doesn’t tell you about the nutrition quality of the food. That really depends upon the product. And that’s the very, very important thing, probably the most important thing about organics products, is that it really is more important to look at the profile of the food. The total profile: does it contain sodium, sugar, trans fat, saturated fat. Organic shouldn’t override or supersede looking at the nutrition facts panel to see what’s really in your food.

Gloria Tsang, RD: With the local food movement, again getting back to orgnanics. Does purchasing organic food mean we are actually supporting the local economy?

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN: No, in many cases it does but again, you have to check your label. We have so many organic products that come from other countries like China and that is far from local. So organic doesn’t mean local and also local doesn’t mean organic because there are many local farmers that may not use organic methods of raising their produce. So again, you want to look at organic, local and sustainable. Those labels should be on your food to give you the total picture.

Gloria Tsang, RD: That is a good point. So the next most confusing term is natural. I have seen this term on an array of products from snack bars to ice cream to cereals. So what does it mean when it says natural on the front of the package?

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN: I can answer that quickly. It doesn’t mean anything. All that it means is that you are probably going to see a lov...

 

Commerical granola bars are not the only option. Learn how to make healthy and tasty granola bars at home, with wholesome ingredients.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “granola”? Is it something nutritious, natural and tasty? Many commercial granola bars you find in the store tend to be none of those things. Some even contain high fructose corn syrup and trans fat! Luckily, you can make your own bars in just minutes, and provide a natural product for anyone to enjoy!

Today in this No More Packaged Food series, we show you just how simple it is to make your own granola bars. First, mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl (granola, oatmeal, dark chocolate chips, and ground walnuts). Then, add in the wet ingredients (honey and natural peanut butter) and mix them well. Pour this mixture into a pre-oiled baking pan, pat it down, and chill for 2 hours before cutting into bars. Then, wrap each bar individually so that they are ready for you anytime you need them. There you have it, easy, tasty and at a lower cost. Given the ease of making these bars from scratch, there is absolutely no excuse for buying the over-engineered stuff from the store.

 

Focus on getting fruits and veggies from three different color groups to maximize the benefits from the produce you eat.

We have been hearing the 5-a-day slogan for the past 10 years? March is the Nutrition Month and it's time to ditch this mantra and embrace 3-a-day instead. Yes we all need to try to eat more fruits and vegetables.  But it's more important to eat different 3 color groups. That's because they all contain different sets of antioxidants. So let's go 3-a-day: in other words, 3 colors a day. Let's take a look at the 5 different color groups.

Green veggies are no strangers to us. Indeed, when we say vegetables, most people think of veggies within the green color group. That's because green veggies are full of fiber and also a vitamin called lutein, that reduces the risk of storke and protect against macular degeneration.

The next group is white. White is also no stragner to us. That's because potatoes are in this group. But other than potatoes, there are other nutrient-rich produce in this group, such as cauliflower, mushroom and bananas. Collectively, white produce contain antioxidant anthoxanthins and allicin, which helps lower blood pressure and protect against stomach cancer.

Red color produce are delicious. Red-colored produce contain lycopene, that's another powerful antioxidant that helps prevent prostate cancer.

Orange group produce contains potassium and beta-carotene that helps prevent cancer, especially the lung, esophagus and stomach cancers.

The last group purple is my favorite, but is probably the group most people eat the least.  They contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help prevent heart disease and lower the risk of cancer.
So how do you go about adding more fruits and veggies in your diet and more importantly, more colors?
The easiest thing to do is to add veggies or produce in every single meal. Or if you are making salsa on movie night, can you add more corn niblets or diced carrtos? You see the combination is endless, just use your imagination. There's really no right or wrong way of eating fruits and veggies, as long as you are eating more.

 

No more sweet and sour sauce in a bottle. Here is an easy recipe that you can make your own delicious sweet and sour sauce from fresh ingredients - and toss the additive-laden bottled version.

Which dishes come to your mind when you think of Chinese food? For many of us, it’s the Sweet & Sour dish! The bottled stuff has a long ingredient list. But, you can easily make this sauce at home with some simple ingredients, in just under 2 minutes. Today in this No More Packaged Food series, we’re cooking up Sweet & Sauce chicken to show you how easy it is to prepare this dish.

What you need to do, is to  dice some chicken breast in cubes, and cut up some bell peppers and pineapples into small chunks. Your next step is to pre-mix the sauce.  Our sauce recipe includes 1 Tbsp sugar, 1½ tsp corn starch, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce,1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1½ Tbsp vinegar, and ¼ cup water.  When the chicken cubes are almost done, mix in the pre-mix sauce.  Then, add the remaining ingredients in the cooking pan. The whole process of premixing the sauce only takes 2 minutes! You will have 2 minutes to make a healthy version of the sweet & sauce sauce, won’t you?

Liz Weiss gives us some hints on how to go about cooking more at home.

Host: Gloria Tsang, RD
Guest: Liz Weiss, MS, RD

Eating healthy is usually one of the top 3 new year's resolutions. And yet, it's hard to eat healthy if you don't start cooking more at home. Dietitian Liz Weiss just released her family cookbook No Whine with Dinner. She is here to give us some hints on how to go about cooking more at home.



 
Transcript:
Gloria Tsang, RD: Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, Editor-in-Chief for HealthCastle.com. Eating healthy is usually one of the top 3 New Year’s resolutions.  And yet, it's hard to eat healthy if you don't start cooking more at home.  Joining me today is dietitian Liz Weiss. She just released her family cookbook No Whine with Dinner. She is here today to give us some tips on how to go about cooking more at home. Thank you for joining me Liz.

Liz Weiss, MS, RD: It’s good to be here. Happy New Year.

Gloria Tsang, RD: Happy New Year. I often hear from readers “I want to eat no packaged foods so I should learn cooking” or “I should cook more at home.” Why does it seem so hard for so many people to cook at home.

Liz Weiss, MS, RD: Well people think. And I want to say think, that cooking at home require lots of time, lots of energy, lots of money and advanced cooking skills. It really doesn’t if you make a plan. If you find a few recipes that you like, write down a shopping list, hit the grocery store and come home. Keep it simple. You don’t have to go with the most gourmet recipes, just keep it simple. If you have plans, you can come home and cook healthy meals for yourself and for your family. In the end, you save a lot of money because it cost a lot of money to eat out. And you also end up, and as a dietitian, this is what I love, you end up eating a much healthier diet. Because restaurant meals tend to be high in sodium and saturated fat and calories. You don’t know what you are eating! When you cook at home, you have much more control. You can get more fruits and veggies on the table; more whole grains. The opportunities are really endless when you cook at home.

Gloria Tsang, RD: What exactly do you mean when you say “have a plan”. I think that is the hardest to grasp for most people. What do I do? What is step 1 to make a plan?

Liz Weiss, MS, RD: Right. And I was not born with the organizing gene, my husband will tell you that. But if you can try to get even a little organized… here is one thing. Say you go to a grocery store typically on a Sunday, sit down and plan out what you are going to make that week. And then make a grocery list. Actually, on my website mealmakeovermoms.com, we have a free downloadable supermarket shopping list. You can just fill that out or make your own list. And then go to the grocery store knowing what you are going to buy and what your plan of attack is. And then when you get home, you can start cooking. Some people like to do all their cooking on a weekend, other people don’t mind doing a little bit of cooking everyday of the week. But find those recipes, make that grocery list, go to the store and also have a well stocked pantry. Because for people who are not planners and want to do the last minute thing, if you have a well stocked pantry, you are more likely to be able to whip up quick meals at home.

Gloria Tsang, RD: So what do you say to those that say they don’t have time to cook. I think time is the number 1 reason that people tend to go out and grab take out. It seems to be less to do that than to try to cook something, serve and wash dishes. So what do you say to those people who say they don’t have time to cook?

Liz Weiss, MS, RD: Well, I actually think it takes more time to order from a restaurant or order take out.