Prevent Nausea, Vomiting and Diarrhea from Food Poisoning #Foodsafety #Publichealth

4 C’s of Summertime, all-the-time   

1) Clean  

Wash you hands often! Sanitize and clean your sinks and counter tops. Rinse all fruits and vegetables before eating them - even if they are organically grown.

2) Check 
Check what foods you’re preparing: Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate from each other to avoid cross contamination.

3) Cook 
Cook to the proper internal temperatures. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature. Be sure your thermometer is sanitized, clean and calibrated so your temperature is accurate.

4) Chill 
Refrigerate food right away. The temperature should be below 41°F. A thermometer in your refrigerator makes it easy to check.

Prevent Summer Sickness

Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 76 million people in the United States get some form of food sickness and food poisoning every year? Food poisoning can leave you with flu-like symptoms, fever, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea from harmful bacteria, toxins, viruses or parasites. The good news is that it can be prevented.

Avoid the Danger Zone

The FDA Food Code now identifies the temperature danger zone that most of these foodborne pathogens thrive in as between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C). For foods to be safe cold foods must be refrigerated at 41°F or below and cooked foods must be kept hot at above 135°F. It should be noted that when reheating cooked foods, the temperature should first be reheated to above 165°F for at least 15 seconds for the food to be safe. According to the FDA, foods should not be held hot for longer than 4 hours.

Easy Food Safety Tips
Get yourself a few food thermometers and a refrigerator thermometer if you don't have them already. Remember my food safety 4 C’s: Clean, Check and separate, Cook to the proper internal temperature and Chill in the fridge at a cool temperature below 41°F and above 32°F [32°F (0°C) is freezing].

Enjoy your summer in good health. Follow GardenCuizine's 4 C’s of Summertime, all the time!  Help your family and friends be food safe. Share this link with those you care about: Homefoodsafety.org.

"For helping spread the word about the importance of home food safety, I was entered into a drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card and an iPad through Summertime Food Smarts, a contest run by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods' Home Food Safety program. Home Food Safety is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of foodborne illness and providing solutions for easily and safely handling foods. Learn more at www.homefoodsafety.org"

Related Links:  
Grilling Guide/Safe temperatures for foods  
Use a Food Thermometer 
Blog Article © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved.
Photos courtesy of USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

Nutrient-dense Bok Choy (Pak Choi) #GardenCuizine

Growing and Cooking Nutritious

Bok Choy (Pak Choi) 

Cruciferous vegetables like nutrient-dense Bok Choy (also known as Pak Choi) provide numerous health benefits and may reduce cancer and inflammation risks. Bok Choy provides excellent nutrition with vitamins, minerals and cholesterol reducing plant sterols. This super nutritious Asian veggie comes in white or green ribbed varieties that deserve a place in your garden and on your plate.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Other healthy cruciferous veggies include: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, kale, collards, mustard greens, turnips, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, rutabaga, watercress, horseradish and radish. Members of the Brassica genus and Brassicaceae mustard family contain beneficial phytonutrients, such as isothiocyanates.

For Best Health
The US Department of Agriculture recommends adults eat 2 1/2 - 3 cups of vegetables every day. The amount recommended varies depending on your age, sex and level of physical activity. For optimum health, vary your vegetable intake with: 

• dark-green vegetables (bok choy, broccoli, spinach, collards, romaine, mustard greens, etc.)
• red and orange vegetables
• beans and peas (legumes)
• starchy vegetables

Use the new Food Guide Plate (MyPlate.gov) as a guide and make half of your plate a generous serving of fruits and vegetables. Balance the rest of your meal with a serving of lean protein food, whole grains, calcium sources and a low amount of fat.

Where can I find Bok Choy?
Ideally the best way to obtain the freshest and most flavorful Bok Choy is to grow your own. But, if you are not a gardener, no need to worry, you can usually find Bok Choy in your local supermarket or Asian market. 

When to Plant

Bok Choy grows best in the spring or fall. We plan on ordering seeds now to plant some later this summer for a fall harvest.

GardenCuizine Bok Choy Nutrition: calculated from USDA nutrient values
Good Source: Calcium, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron
Excellent Source: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K

1 cup of chopped Pak Choi (170g): Vitamin A - 7223IU (144% DV); Vitamin C - 44mg (74%DV); Vitamin K - 58mcg (72%DV); Calcium - 158mg (16%DV); Potassium 631mg (18%DV); Manganese - 0.2mg (12%DV); Vitamin B6 - 0.3mg (14%DV); Folate - 70mcg (17%DV) and Iron 1.8mg (10%DV).

For how to cook Bok Choy check out my Super Nutritious Bok Choy (Pak Choi) article on Dave's Garden.

Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a caloric intake of 2,000 calories for adults and children age 4 or older.
Blog Article and photo Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved.

Related Links: Cruciferous Vegetables and Cancer
How Many Fruits and Vegetables do You Need?

#Recipe Jersey Blueberry whole grain Oat Bars #GardenCuizine

~ Low Sodium~ 
Best Blueberry Bars

made with antioxidant-rich 

Jersey Blues and whole grain Oats

Usually for Mom's Birthday I bake her favorite - Key Lime Pie. This June was a special birthday for Mom and I opted for something different for her 80th birthday,  I decided on nutrient dense, seasonal Blueberry Bars. 

Last night we visited our local church's blueberry festival to pick up fresh Jersey blueberries for Mom's Blueberry Bar birthday 'cake'. Upon our arrival we found out the blueberries were so popular that they sold out!!! Thankfully, one of the planners found 3 last containers of fresh berries, which was all we needed for one 10 x 15 baking dish full of antioxidant-rich Blueberries sandwiched between cholesterol reducing whole grain oats.

Like many people (both old and young), Mom has to watch her cholesterol. Additional Plant Stanols, along with a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, is good heart disease prevention. Plant sterols and stanols are naturally occurring compounds found in fruits and vegetables. 

Plant Stanols and sterols have been scientifically proven to help reduce cholesterol. They have also been shown to be effective for those experiencing side effects from cholesterol lowering medications and can be consumed in combination with statin drugs.

Plant Stanols added to margarine

In addition to the rolled oats and blueberries, for even more heart-healthy, cholesterol reducing benefits - rather than using butter with saturated animal fat - I opted to use margarine specifically labeled made with, "Plant Stanols or Sterols."  

The American Dietetic Association recommends eating stanol-enriched foods 2-3 times per day to provide 2-3 grams per day of plant stanols as part of a heart (cardio)-protective diet*. A mere 1.5-1.8 grams per day of plant stanols can lower cholesterol absorption by 30-40%; and 2.2 grams per day, can lower cholesterol absorption by as much as 60%. [1] 

Several margarine's contain plant stanols/sterols. For example, Smart Balance Heart Right Light spread contains 1,700 mg of plant sterols per tablespoon serving (1,000 milligrams = 1 gram).

Mom's party 

Today we celebrated with a few close friends. One of Mom's friends said to her in Italian, "May you live to be 100 (Che tu possa vivere fino a 100 anni)! Mom enjoyed the Blueberry Bars... I hope someone you love will too!

*cardio-protective diet as defined by the American Dietetic Association: total fat intake of 25-35% of daily calories from fat with less than 7% of calories from saturated and trans fats; less than 200mg of dietary cholesterol per day; carbohydrate intake of 50-60% of total daily calories; 25-30 grams of fiber per day; and at least 15% of total calories from protein per day.

In addition, Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) recommended by the National Institute of Health's Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommends the above fat and cholesterol restrictions with additional focus on less than 2400 mg of sodium intake daily.

Best Blueberry Bars Recipe

Yields: one 10 x 15 baking dish; 25, 2 x 3-inch servings

Ingredients

vegetable non-stick pan spray

6 cups (888g) Jersey Fresh Blueberries (or frozen)
1 cup (200g) organic Florida Crystals® Sugar (or granulated sugar)
1/2 cup (120ml) Knudsen Pineapple Coconut Juice (or Orange Juice)
2 Tablespoons (22g) Cornstarch

Oat Topping

3 cups (240g) Old Fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cup (180g) unbleached white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups (330g) packed brown sugar
8 tablespoons margarine with plant stanols (112g) we used (U) kosher Smart Balance® - which is enriched with Omega-3 EPA/DHA and Vitamin E)

Putting it all together
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C)

• Lightly spray your baking dish and set aside
• Combine juice and corn starch and set aside
• In a medium pot, add the berries and sugar and prepare the filling. Stir over medium heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until juices are clear and bubbly
• Prepare the topping: In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix with hands; no need for a mixer (the margarine is real soft and does not have to be melted)
• Firmly press about half of the oat mixture into the bottom of your prepared baking dish
• Evenly ladle the cooked filling over the pressed oat layer
• Sprinkle the remaining oat blend over top and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: Calculated from USDA Nutrient Values: 1/25 of recipe (84g) per serving: 196 calories; calories from fat: 35; total fat: 4g (6%DV); saturated fat: 1g (5%DV); trans fat: 0g; cholesterol: 0mg; Magnesium: ~39.2mg (~10%DV); Manganese: ~.8mg (~41%DV); Selenium: ~8.6mcg (~12%DV); sodium: 38mg (2%DV); total carbohydrate: 40g (13%DV); dietary fiber: 3g (11%DV); sugars: 25g; protein: 3g; Vitamin A: 262IU (5%DV); Vitamin C: ~3.4mg (~6%DV); Calcium: ~20.9mg (2%DV); Iron: ~0.9mg (~5%DV).
 
Percent Daily Values (%DV) are reference values for adults and children age 4 or older, and are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your personal daily values may be higher or lower based on your individual needs.
References

[1] Oregon State University (OSU) Linus Pauling Institute
Related Links

Jersey Blues Dave's Garden article by Diana Wind
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Blog Article and photos Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved.

#NOLA Street Music like you've never heard before...#GardenCuizine #Music #Guitar #Jazz #Violin #Blues

NOLA Street Music 

like you've never heard before...

On our recent visit to New Orleans Louisiana on a walk through the French Quarter, we discovered this fantastic violin and guitar duet playing on Royal Street. Meet violinist Tanya Huang and guitarist Dorise Blackmon. Check out their website for more information: www.tanyandorise.com.

Related Links: Tanya & Dorise Cooking Up Some Good Music by: Terri-Dumas
Gardens of New Orleans by Diana Wind

Choose MyPlate Video #GardenCuizine @IANRNewsService

Video courtesy of Alice Henneman, MS, RD
Extension Educator University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Related Links: ChooseMyPlate.gov 
USDA Press Release re MyPlate

What a Weekend in #NOLA Vieux To Do June 2011 #GardenCuizine #LASeafoodFest

What a Weekend in New Orleans!

You can expect to find good food, fun and festivals all the time in New Orleans. We always try to experience different restaurants when we go too. This visit we checked out Chef John Besh’s brasserie restaurant ‘Lüke’ and Emeril’s Delmonico where we enjoyed a delicious garden salad, perfectly cooked Cajun seasoned redfish with roasted red pepper veloute and cinnamon beignets with chicory coffee crème anglaise. On the weekend we attended ‘Vieux To Do’, a festival trio of the Louisiana Seafood festival, Cajun-Zydeco music festival sponsored by the Jazz and Heritage Foundation and the Creole Tomato Festival sponsored by the French Market. Along the way we admired magnificent artwork: paintings, drawings, portraits and sculptures by the many artists surrounding the park at Jackson Square. The festivities stretched eight city blocks from Jackson Square to the old U.S. Mint. My distress for the hard working carriage horses in the hot southern sun lessened as the festive music penetrated my soul. A highlight of the festival included New Orleans top chefs and their food demonstrations. 

Some of the top chefs at the festival were: Chef Chris Lusk, Café Adelaide; Chef Patrick Henry, Taste and See Catering; Chef Tory McPhail, Commander’s Palace; Chef An Howard, Rouses Market; Chef Diana Chauvin, La Thai Cuisine; Chef Brian Katz, Red Fish Grill; Chef Keith Frentz, LOLA and Chef Ryan Gall of Salu.  

New Orleans Culture
                                                
Horse and mule-drawn carriages are an integral part of New Orleans culture. They can be boarded in the heart of the French Quarter, on the side of Jackson Square throughout the day. We always see them; I saw the carriages on Friday taking tourists around to see the sights. It was a hot day, over 92 degrees, but not as hot as New Orleans gets in July and August. One of the horses caught my attention because he was heavily frothing at the mouth. Globs of white foam dripped to the hot street beneath his harnessed mouth (not an acceptable small amount of foam indicative of a wet mouth). I asked myself, am I the only one to be concerned by this? Why is the carriage rider just sitting back and ignoring this? The horse appeared to be breathing heavily too.

Vieux To Do
                                                  
The next day began the big weekend in New Orleans - three festivals rolled into one, known as the Vieux To Do. The streets were packed, the day was sunny and hot - the carriages were busy. The horses tongues were hanging out, some were breathing harder than others. I saw the same horse I had seen the previous day, still frothing at the mouth, but not as much. I had to approach the carriage driver. He leaned forward as I approached. I looked at him - then at his horse, “He doesn’t look too healthy,” I said. “He’s fine,” the carriage driver replied. “I do this every day for a living,” he added in a somewhat arrogant tone. I walked away feeling helpless and said a prayer for the animals.

Upbeat Zydeco music filled the air as we approached the French Market Creole Tomato festival. The market was packed with visitors from around the world. The Creole tomatoes weren't quite ripe yet, but hey, the show must go on! A huge fan blew a cooling mist to anyone who stood in front of it. We cooled off and enjoyed some music before strolling to the neighboring tented area featuring chefs doing cooking demonstrations. Top U.S. food bloggers were invited to sit in the front row, we sat in the back as we listened to Chef John Folse talk about the history of New Orleans cuisine. He also mentioned ‘Restaurant R’evolution’ his new business with former executive Chef Rick Tramonto of ‘Tru’ (a Chicago restaurant offering progressive French cuisine) set to open in 2011 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans. 

Photo collage copyright (C) 2011 Wind. All rights reserved. 

Editor’s comment: Regarding the carriage horses: As a former small business owner, I by no means wish to negatively impact anyone's livelihood. All I hope for is humane and fair treatment for all animals.

Memories of MyPyramid® #RDChat #GardenCuizine

Memories of MyPyramid®

Today, obesity and inactivity are at the highest rates America has ever seen. This is causing great concerns for the future health of many Americans. Obesity often results in unwanted complications like inactivity, knee replacements, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, non alcoholic fatty liver disease and heart disease.

Weight loss is especially desirable after the pounds are on and complications are lurking. Obese individuals may find themselves tempted with what may appear to be an easy solution, bariatric surgery.  “The annual rate of bariatric surgery in the United States increased nearly six fold between 1990 and 2000.” [1] Bariatric Surgeries include Gastric bypass, LapBand® (laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding) and Gastric Sleeve (vertical sleeve gastrectomy), a procedure in which the surgeon permanently removes more than half of the patient’s stomach, leaving the remains in a tube or sleeve shape. These weight loss surgeries are increasing at an alarming rate.

Time for a Change!

With all these unhealthy statistics on the minds of our nations leaders, it seems change is in order for better ways and teaching tools that may have an impact on improving and maintaining a healthy body weight, better diet and more fitness. Today, the USDA will be presenting a major image change by replacing their controversial MyPyramid® logo to what they hope to be a more useful and effective one. 

As I wait to see the First Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin unveil the new food icon that will serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices, I've been reminiscing to when the first food guide pyramid was released. The first USDA food guide pyramid was published in 1992. I had my award winning health food store and restaurant, Garden of Eden Natural Foods and Country Kitchen, Inc. in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Ahhh…we had some good times back then and served up some great wholesome food too. The food guide pyramid was the focus of attention in my eatery. I hung it smack in the center of the dining room on a wall of fruit adorned wall paper just above the chair rail that lined a row of oak slatted booths.

It was during my nutrition studies at Rutgers University in 2005 when the USDA introduced their new version of the pyramid. It had vertical bands of solid colors representing the food groups. I remember being a bit shocked, because I had just studied and learned all about the old version. Relearning about the new MyPyramid® wasn’t that bad though. I liked the fact they added a silhouette walking up steps to symbolize the need for exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. And I liked the fact the USDA introduced a Kid's version of MyPyramid® too.

The 2005 logo maintained the pyramid shape, but excluded pictures of foods that people were accustomed to seeing in the first pyramid - many people complained about not understanding the new pyramid and found it confusing. To add to the confusion, serving sizes were not clearly stated like they were in the previous version. To find out nutrition recommendations, an individual would have to log in to the MyPyramid.gov website to find out. Although nutrition needs vary per individual and this was personalized nutrition information, it caused even more trouble because not everyone had a computer and frankly, it was too much work and trouble - some lost interest - some just didn't care. 

MyPyramid® was deemed unsuccessful in terms of reaching the majority of Americans. 

• Tune in to USDA Live coverage June 2, 2011  10:45 AM EDT for news of the new food icon
• or Twitter #RDChat for more on the new USDA logo coverage

Related Links:  
Let's Move
Dietary Recommendations and how they have changed over time  
Here it is!!! Check out the new food icon
American Heart Association comments on the new icon

References: [1] Trus TL, Pope GD, Finlayson SR; National trends in utilization and outcomes of bariatric surgery; Surg Endosc. May;19(5):616-20. Epub 2005 Mar 11

Bionico - Mexican Fruit Salad #GardenCuizine

Bionico

Mexican Fruit Salad

Ensalada mexicana de la fruta

Energize yourself and your friends and family with the benefits of a refreshing fruit salad. Reap the benefits from dietary fiber, antioxidants and important nutrients like Vitamins A and C. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume about 2 cups of fruit per day. Mexican fruit salad is easy-to-make for company or to bring to a barbeque or party.  

I first prepared Bionico for my Cinco de Mayo theme meal celebration at South Jersey Healthcare cafe during my dietetic internship. A lot of people tried it, and judging by the small amount that was leftover - it was popular! Recently, I made Bionico again, for a garden party in Mt. Bethel, PA. By the time we left, the fruit salad was almost all gone. 

What makes Bionico so delicious is the sweet and creamy cinnamon yogurt sauce and crunch of granola served over top of the fresh fruit. The yogurt topping adds calcium and protein; and the granola adds nutritious, cholesterol lowering whole grains. 

Serving tips:

• Some recipes call for mixing the sauce in with the fruit, but you may want to serve the sauce and the granola on the side because some people might be lactose intolerant or simply prefer their fruit plain.   
• Most people won't know to try their fruit with the yogurt sauce and granola toppings, so you may want to make a sign and post it near the fruit salad with a serving suggestion. I usually just type it up on our computer and say, "Bionico Mexican Fruit Salad ~ top fruit with cinnamon yogurt sauce and organic whole grain granola."  
• For added fun and festive decor, decorate the serving bowl with homemade or store bought Mexican themed cutouts to give your serving presentation a Southwest look.  
•  I've tried making the sauce with fat-free sweetened condensed milk and prefer using regular sweetened condensed milk. Experiment for yourself and use whatever you like best. In my opinion, using yogurt rather than sour cream, which is often used in Bionico recipes, makes this recipe a healthier version overall.

Putting it all together

This is a GardenCuizine 'freestyle' recipe: use any measurements you wish to use and any fruit you have available; locally grown, seasonal fruit is always a good first choice. Garnish with sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), fresh mint or lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) from the garden. 

Fresh cut fruits

Prepare a large bowl or your choice of assorted cut fruits, such as:

Strawberries

Bananas

Oranges
Cherries
Watermelon

Blueberries

Pineapple

Papaya

Mango

Bionico Sauce

Combine the following ingredients and toss with fresh cut fruit or serve on the side

2 cups Vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup Sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon Honey

1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon 

Granola Topping

Make your own granola or purchase granola from the grocery store. Serve on the side or atop the sauced fruit. One of our favorite granolas is Cascadian Farm® organic dark chocolate almond granola made with whole grain oats, whole grain wheat and whole grain barley.

Buen provecho!

Related Links: Fruits and Veggies More Matters

Why is it Important to Eat Fruit?  

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
Blog Article and photos Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved.

Native New Yorker, Italian Food, Gardens and Family Memories...

Salottolo Family Memories 

by Junetta Salottolo Mehl

post 1: I Can Remember
Mom's short stories will be posted as I get them from her. She will be celebrating her 80th birthday June 11, 2011. Now that she is retired, we all thought it would be nice if she started to share family memories and stories of food, fun and special times. Mom (Junetta) has had to wipe away many-a-tear as she routes through her treasure box of beloved photographs to pick the ones she wants to share most with you. Mom will be typing her memories on her computer and I will be blogging them without any alteration to her content. Buona lettura 

I can remember, as early as seven years of age, visiting my grandparents at 2753 Briggs Avenue, Bronx, NY. My grandmother, Nonna, would beat the yolk of two or three eggs, mix this with sugar and it was a delicious treat that I would have every time we visited. My grandfather, Nonno, would usually talk with the men in Italian. And Nonna would talk to the women in Italian. But the funny thing was that, when they spoke to me, they would speak in English.

My grandparents' home was a three-story row home. I think my father's cousin, Babe, lived on the third floor (before she married). No one ever went up there. It was out-of-bounds. There was a basement which was accessible from an inside door in the pantry. And there was a back yard with a garden that Aunt Sally, my father's sister, took care of. I loved that back yard. It was my first introduction to gardening and that interest has stayed with me my whole life. Thank you Aunt Sally. You were a good teacher!


The garden was as wide as the house was wide with row homes on either side. If you stood in the yard with the house behind you and looked up, you'd see an eight or ten-story apartment building. That's why that little garden was like a 'Garden of Eden' right in the middle of the Bronx.


A few relatives of my grandparents lived on Valentines Avenue which was within walking distance. I especially remember one elderly woman who was called Zia. Once in a while we'd visit her apartment. However, if you kept on walking past Zia's house, you'd come to Fordham Road. This was a major shopping area anchored by the department store called 'Uptown, it's Alexanders.' I visited this store many times with Aunt Sally and /or her sister, Aunt Mary.

Related Links

The Salottolo Family

Photographs: Top picture is my grandmother, Phyllis Salottolo, with mom - her first child - Junetta Josephina Maria. The picture was taken in the backyard garden at Briggs Ave.

Second photo is Junetta, taken from the back porch at Briggs Ave.

Portanini Portabella Mushroom Panini

Portanini^TM

Grilled Portabella Mushroom Panini
with Roasted Red Peppers 

and low-fat Garden Basil spread

This sandwich special sold out in the cafe at South Jersey Healthcare's Regional Medical Center. Sales were strong, even before 12 noon. At that time we knew this recipe was on its way to being a popular National Nutrition Month grill special. And it was indeed. 

Never having offered this special, my supervisor had me start with preparing 3 cases of portabella mushrooms. They sold quickly - we had to prepare another 3 cases. Everything had to be remade, not just once, but three times! I quickly mixed together another batch of low fat garden pesto spread and roasted another batch of red bell peppers. Some of the Portanini^TM success was attributed to the fact that it was a meatless Friday for people observing Lent.

Recipe and Development

I came up with the Portanini^TM during National Nutrition Month^® - a promotion from the American Dietetic Association focusing attention on 'Eating Right with Color' from all the food groups. Each dietetic intern (there were 5 of us) had a chance to feature their own specials during the month. After another intern had success the previous week with a zucchini squash panini, I decided to feature my portabella mushroom sandwich as a panini too.

Portanini^TM Nutrition

The vegetable-packed, portabella mushroom panini provides an excellent source of Vitamins A, C and K, dietary fiber, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, selenium, copper, manganese and iron. And it is a good source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, phytosterols, zinc, magnesium and calcium. The dressing and cheese are sources of sodium, as well as flavor; therefore the seasoning should be used sparingly. 

Eating the recommended daily amount of vegetables is easy with a Portanini^TM. MyPyramid recommends adults consume 2 1/2 - 3 servings of vegetables a day. This panini packs in 2 servings of sliced portabella mushrooms, and 1 serving of dark green spinach.

Putting it all together

Yields 4 servings (note: you can easily use this recipe as a guide and make it for large crowds as we did at the hospital cafe)

4 Portabella mushroom caps

2 Tablespoons San-J Tamari Sesame gluten-free dressing

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

5 oz frozen chopped Spinach (or 4-5 cups raw fresh)

3 oz low-fat shredded cheese blend (we used a Tex-Mex 4-cheese blend)

4 slices roasted red peppers

2 Tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

1 teaspoon garden basil pesto (homemade is the best kind!)

Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning to taste (garlic, salt, onion, black pepper, parsley, red pepper, orange peel, paprika, green bell pepper)

8 slices Italian Panini (or gluten free) bread

Prepare the next 5 steps and then you will be ready to make your Panini sandwiches

1. Rinse mushrooms under water and rub tops with hands to clean off surface microorganisms. Slice each mushroom into 4-5 slices and place in a large bowl or pan. Drizzle olive oil and San-J dressing over mushrooms and gently toss to coat; set aside
2. Unthaw spinach and squeeze out excess liquid. Hand mix together the spinach and shredded cheese; set aside
3. Combine the mayo and garden basil pesto with seasoning and set aside
4. Roast red peppers, slice (skin on) into 1/4" strips and set aside
5. Grill or sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until tender. Remove to a holding pan.

Panini sandwich assembly

1. Spread the basil mayo on each slice of bread.
2. Arrange 4-5 cooked mushroom slices on one slice of bread.
3. Top with 2 ounces of cheese/spinach blend.
4. Top with 4 slices of roasted red peppers.
5. Grill using a Panini press or on a flat top griddle or cast iron skillet until heated through.

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: serving size 1 sandwich (266g): calories: 347; total fat 15g; saturated fat 3g; trans fat 0; cholesterol 10mg; sodium 548mg; total carbohydrates 40g; dietary fiber 5g; protein 16g; Vitamin A (73%DV); Vitamin C (58%DV); Calcium (19%DV); Iron (20%DV)

Special Thanks to Janelle, Holly, Victor, Tammie, Art, Joel, Linda and everyone who helped me at SJH!

Related Links

San-J products and recipes
for Vitamin D: Read product labels - try Dole portabella mushrooms with vitamin D. Vitamin D is added the same way that milk gets fortified - by UV light. 
Blog Article and photos Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved. 'Eat Right with Color' is a slogan for the American Dietetic Association's National Nutrition Month®

Eat Right with Color all year! #NNM #GardenCuizine

Eat Right with Color all Year!

                

Now that National Nutrition month is officially over, the American Dietetic Association's theme of Eating Right with Color is a good motto to continue throughout the year in our daily diets. Affordable, colorful foods include common fruits and vegetables from apples to zucchini. Eating a variety of fruits, veggies and whole grains every day energizes and provides our bodies with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants and other important nutrients.

Colorful foods does not mean exotic or expensive hybrid veggies like cheddar-colored, green or purple cauliflower, although they can be. Cheddar-colored cauliflower varieties are higher in Vitamin A than regular white cauliflower. Purple cauliflower boasts higher amounts of anthocyanin antioxidants than other colors. And in general, all colors of cauliflower (raw or cooked) are good sources of dietary fiber and folate, and are excellent sources of Vitamins C, K and beneficial phytonutrients.

Other nutrient dense cruciferous veggies include: broccoli, kale, collard greens, watercress, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, kohlrabi, mizuna, turnips, rutabaga, broccoli rabe, arugula, mustard (seeds and greens) and radish.

Related Links

Top 10 ways to enjoy Cauliflower
Cruciferous Vegetables Linus Pauling Institute 
Cauliflower Popcorn Recipe Video Kids Eat Right
Aloo Gobi (Punjabi-style Cauliflower and Potatoes with Ginger) Recipe
Blog Article and photo Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved. 'Eat Right with Color' is a slogan for the American Dietetic Association's National Nutrition Month®