High Protein, Good Fiber Convenience Snack @kaysnaturals #glutenfree #wls

Product Review

Kay's Naturals Gluten-free 

Cinnamon Almond 

Protein Cookie Bites

We can't nibble on fruits and veggies all the time. Every now and then it is okay to indulge in convenience foods - only after reading the product label, of course! Nutrients in Kay's Naturals product line caught my attention for being gluten-free, low fat, and high in fiber and protein. And, the whole 1 ounce bag was under 150 calories.

Everyone in my family gave these protein bites a thumbs up, but we would not describe them as "cookies". They reminded us more like a cereal puff. Their stevia sweetened, cinnamon flavor is pleasant and their texture is light and crunchy. They can also be mixed with added nuts and dried fruit. 

• This protein snack is suitable for those on gluten-free diets and for post-op weight loss surgery patients who have low sugar and higher protein needs. They are available online direct from Kay's Naturals or from many different online retailers. Other flavors include Cinnamon and Honey Almond.

Excellent source: Protein
Good Source: dietary Fiber and Iron
Blog post and photo Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

You'll go nuts when u learn the highest food source of Selenium! #GardenCuizine

Brazil Nuts
highest source of trace mineral
Selenium

Recently, I had a patient ask me about the trace mineral Selenium. She wanted to know what Selenium was good for. I remembered learning about Selenium at Rutgers. My professor told us a story of someone who actually got sick from eating too many brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are the highest food source of Selenium.  

As I was writing up my patient's nutrition assessment, one of South Jersey Healthcare's dietetic interns stopped by to say hello. He asked me if I had ever seen a brazil nut fresh off the tree. "No," I replied. So this weekend, I tracked down some great photos taken by Lior Golgher (shown) that shows what brazil nuts look like clustered inside the fresh cut fruit. The outer shell looks like a crater and reminds me of a coconut.

Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) grow in the Amazon Rain Forest and can grow really tall - over 150 feet. One tree can produce 250 pounds of nuts!

Selenium is essential for good health but is only required in small amounts. The body uses Selenium to make antioxidant enzymes called selenoproteins, which may contribute to prevention of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. 

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Brazil nuts
Excellent Source: Selenium, Magnesium,Copper
Good Source: Thiamin  
One ounce (28 grams): 184 calories; total fat 19g; saturated fat 4g; monounsaturated fat 7g; polyunsaturated fat 6g; total carbohydrate 3g; dietary fiber 2g (8% DV); protein 4g (8% DV); Vitamin E 2 mg (8% DV); Thiamin 0.2 (12% DV); Magnesium 105 mg (26% DV); Phosphorus 203 mg (20%); Copper 0.5 mg (24% DV); Selenium 534 mcg (767% YIKES over the upper limit recommended for safe eating!!) Enjoy a few at a time or in with a variety of mixed nuts.

Besides brazil nuts, other food sources of selenium include tuna, cod, chicken breast meat, sunflower seed kernels and beef chuck roast. 

Selenium RDA

Kids age 1-3	Kids age 4-8	M/F age 9-13	M/F 14 - >70	Pregnant 14-50
20 mcg/d	30 mcg/d	40 mcg/d	55 mcg/d	60 mcg/d
UL: 90	150	280	400	400

M/F = males/females. Mcg/d = micrograms per day. UL = Upper Limit. RDA data courtesy of Diana Wind, RD using Institute of Medicine reference tables.
Photos Copyright (C) Lior Golgher Picasa Public Web Albums. A fresh cut Brazil nut fruit near Jauaperi River, Lower Rio Branco-Rio Jauaperi Extractive Reserve, Brazil.
Related Links:
What is Selenium? Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet 
Rainforest Alliance Brazil Nut Trees 
Heart Healthy Fats from Nuts
Blog post Copyright (C) 2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

@HungryHappening @SuperBowl Football Veggie Fritters (Mücver) #GardenCuizine

Super Bowl Appetizers - Football Shaped Zucchini Fritters
(aka, Mücver)

Yes, a dietitian will tell you that in moderation even fried foods can fit into a healthy diet.

 Visit Hungry Happenings for the story, ingredients and recipe.

Fun at our local Farm! Stinging Nettles @cherrygrovefarm Artisan Cheese #GardenCuizine @SuperBowl snacks

 Cherry Grove Farm

Look for local farms and CSA's in your area to seek out fresh eggs, fruits, vegetables, herbs, local honey, jams, apple butter, organic meats and other sustainable local fare. We recently discovered Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville, New Jersey in the Princeton area; they even make their own handcrafted farmstead cheeses. 

For Superbowl Sunday snacks we're trying one of their award winning cheese blends made with stinging nettles - Full Nettle Jack. Cheese can add nutrients, especially calcium, to your diet, but cheese can also add fat and sodium. Select reduced fat varieties when available and keep the portion sizes small and bite-sized. Serve cheese atop low sodium, multigrain crackers; melt cheese over veggies or multigrain nachos; enjoy shredded cheese atop salads and prepared foods.

Artisan Cheese with Greens = a Winning combo
Artisan cheese with Nettles...what is that? We used to have herbaceous perennial Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) growing near our garden that I actually planted there on purpose; and someone (we won't mention any names) dug them out to get rid of them thinking they were unwanted weeds, which to many they are. Stinging Nettles can actually be eaten like other nutritious weed greens - ie dandelion, purslane, violets, watercress. Nettles contain nutrients that include dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin A. 

Go @Ravens!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis Stinging Nettles: calculated by Diana Wind, RD from USDA Nutrient Database 
Excellent Source: dietary Fiber, Calcium, Vitamin A
Good Source: Magnesium 
1 cup (89g): 37 calories; dietary Fiber 6g (24% DV); Calcium 428 mg (42% DV); Iron 1.5 mg (8% DV); Magnesium 51mg (13% DV); Potassium 297mg (8.5% DV); Riboflavin 0.142 mg (8% DV); Vitamin A 1790 IU (36% DV); Lutein + Zeaxanthin 3718 mcg

Related Links
Test your Cheese Knowledge 
Edible Wild Plants
Photo collage and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Pomegranates > buy at Christmas and enjoy POMS for months ever after! #GardenCuizine

Pomegranate Seeds

Did you know Pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) have incredible keeping quality and storage capacity? According to Purdue University, the pomegranate is similar to an apple in having a long storage life. They say pomegranates can be stored up to 7 months without shrinking or going bad and if maintained at a temperature of 32º to 41º F (0º-5º C), the fruits actually improve in storage - becoming juicier and even more flavorful. 

We discovered that this indeed is true. The pomegranates that we had from Christmas stored in our refrigerator are still just as juicy, if not even more juicy, then the day we bought them! So next year stock up on pomegranates so you have plenty of POMS for your sweet Valentine ♥

To extract the seeds, simply wash the pomegranate and cut it in half. Then get a small bowl of water and dip the fruit into the water and gently squeeze it. For the most part, the seeds will fall into the water. You may have to poke and pluck out a few. Then, pick out any big membrane pieces that may have fallen into the water. Strain the seeds and save the liquid and the seeds to use in recipes. I haven't tried it yet, but according to POM Wonderful, the seeds (Arils) can be frozen for even longer storage.

Pomegranate seeds are an acquired taste. Some people are not too thrilled with them (like my husband, Harry). But they are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. And a few here and there make for a lovely gourmet food presentation. We use them atop salads; tonight we are tossing some in to a side dish of cous cous.

GardenCuizine Pomegranate Seed Nutrition data
Good Source: dietary Fiber and Vitamin C
Pomegranate seeds 1/2 cup arils (87g): 72 calories; dietary Fiber 3.4g (14% DV); Vitamin C 9 mg (15% DV); Folate 33 mcg (8% DV) 

Related Links
Pomegranate Purdue University 
Pomegranate Recipes 
Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Pomegranates
Blog post and photo Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved. 

ALMONDS = great choice for a Nutritious snack or in your next healthy recipe! #GardenCuizine

♥ Heart Healthy

 ALMONDS
Great Choice for a Nutritious Snack!

Fruits, Vegetables, NUTS, and Seeds are good sources of PLANT STEROLS that have been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Scientific evidence also suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. (See nutrition information for fat content).

Almonds harvested from Prunus dulcis trees grow well in California and Utah according to the USDA. The US is among the top world producers of almonds, with California producing over 80%. Spain, Iran, Morocco and Italy are among other almond producers. It was exciting to see almond trees growing in Sicily. The blooms are beautiful like peach blooms. Most species require pollination to yield the almonds.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reports good evidence that daily consumption of 2 to 3 g plant sterols* lowers total cholesterol concentrations in a dose dependent manner by 4 to 11% and LDL cholesterol concentrations by 7 to 15% without changing HDL cholesterol or triacylglycerol concentrations. Eat almonds as a healthy snack or add them to your favorite recipes.

* plant sterols are also added to some margarines, low-fat yogurts, orange juice, breads, and cereals - read the labels and look for the health claim "lowers cholesterol" 

 ♥ ALMONDS Nutrition:
calculated by Diana Wind, RD using USDA Nutrient Reference Data
Excellent Source: Vitamin E
Good Source: Protein; dietary Fiber; Riboflavin; Magnesium

 ________________________

1 oz (28g): 161 calories; Sodium 0 mg; dietary Fiber 3.4g (14% DV); Protein 6g (12% DV); Potassium 197 mg (6% DV); Calcium 74 mg (7% DV); Magnesium 75mg (19% DV); Vitamin E 7.3 mg (37% DV); Iron 1 mg (6%DV); Monounsaturated Fat 9g; Polyunsaturated fat 3.4g; Saturated Fat 1g; Riboflavin 0.3 mg (17% DV); Beta-sitosterol 37 mg 
Related Links
All About Almonds
Life Cycle of an Almond
Blog post Copyright (C)2012 Wind. All rights reserved.

Our feral feline "Tango, the Garden Cat" goes to the vet... @awanj @alleycatallies @HumaneSociety

Help Feral Garden Cats

Those of you who know me, know I am a cat lover since meeting my husband - the cat man. We never thought of the plight of feral cats until some arrived in our backyard. Now we try to help educate those we can to help in their survival. Anyone who has ever owned a domestic pet, knows how individual and special their animal personalities are and that they become part of the family.

All cats both domestic and feral are in abundance on our planet. Sadly, over 70% of cats taken to shelters (including domestic cats) get euthanized each year. Felines need your help for food, shelter and neutering to cut down on overpopulation and deaths. Donations to your local shelter or organizations like The Humane Society,  Animal Welfare Association or Alley Cat Allies help to make a difference.

Alley Cat Allies and others say that feral cats can not be adopted. I'm glad I didn't hear or think that before we adopted our sweet feral cat family. Some feral cats can be adopted into domestic homes. Our Tango, Zina and Cali are living proof. Doing this however, does not mean the cat(s) will become socialized to the point of allowing humans to pet and hold them. After years of love, food and security, our Tango and Cali only let me touch their noses - that is their limit. They eat, play with their toys, use their litter, and sleep happily in their beds. Zina on the other hand - our bravest feral cat - allows human touch, but she is still by no means a lap cat. At least not yet anyway.

Having feral cats live indoors may present a dilemma. The good news is they have food, safety, shelter and toys. The bad news is that if and when something goes wrong with their health it can be a challenge to take them to the vet since they probably won't allow you to pick them up. For us, the inevitable happened last night. We had to set a trap inside our house to catch Tango, the Garden Cat. Tango has what looks like some sort of tumor in his mouth. 

The vet did not find any tumors or masses. Tango was a cooperative patient, got his nails clipped, shots updated, a clean bill of health and is ready to come home from his second ever vet visit - his first was at AWANJ after being initially trapped and neutered. 

Tango and his furry friends were the subject of a 

short 3-part garden cat story that you can read on Dave's Garden.

Related Links
Tango, the Garden Cat part 1: Tango Arrives
Tango, the Garden Cat part 2: Tango's Garden Adventure
Tango, the Garden Cat part 3: Home for Christmas

Caring for Feral Cats in Winter 

International Year of Quinoa 2013 #GardenCuizine @QuinoaCorp @aiq2013 @IYQ2013

• Quinoa, also spelled Quinua, gets the honor of being in the international spotlight this year. Quinoa is an ancient grain, not a newcomer by any means. Have you ever tried it? My family has been enjoying whole grain quinoa for years now. I first had quinoa that was sold by Ancient Harvest Quinoa Corporation back in the 1980's when it was being offered in my health food store. Today, quinoa products are available in common grocery stores, not just in specialty food markets.

• Quinoa cooks up quickly and has a pleasant light and fluffy texture. Like rice, it works well in soups or cooked with added flavors from veggies, fruits, nuts and herbal seasonings.  

• Quinoa provides such exceptional nutrition that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations wants us all to celebrate quinoa and quinoa farmers for providing such a nutritious functional food in the fight against malnutrition and world hunger.

• And, if you enjoy gardening, you may want to try quinoa in your garden. Quinoa grows similar to amaranth, adding rich colors and texture to yard and garden landscapes.

Read more about Quinoa 

in my Dave's Garden article
"The International Year of Quinoa"

Related Links 
International Year of Quinoa 2013 
Quinoa Recipes

Happy New Year! @EatRight Eat More #GardenCuizine Why? Disease Prevention.

You and Your Family deserve to
 Celebrate the New Year 

with a Wealth of Good Nutrition

Eat more dietary fiber and phytonutrients from beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables 

Healthy New Year Menu

• Hoppin' John made with Blackeye Peas, Frijol Carita, (Cowpeas) - symbolic for coins - "peas for pennies"
• Collard, Turnip or Mustard greens - symbolic for greens, currency $ dollars
• Cornbread - symbolic for gold and a staple for any Southern inspired meal
• Pork for added protein but not necessary when beans are served with brown rice or other grain since grains and beans makeup a complete high quality protein.

Hoppin' John is an American meal inspired by African, French and Caribbean ancestry. The main ingredient - cowpeas - are seeds of a green bean subspecies of Vigna unguiculata legumes. Other Vigna subspecies include Chinese long beans (shown in above photo), also known as yardlong beans that can be grown in your home, community or school gardens.  

These unique legumes are enjoyed for Good Luck at New Year's and are common in cuisines of Southeastern Asia, Thailand and Southern China. Cultivars include Chinese Red Noodle, Blue Goose and Texas Pinkeye.

Related Links
Barley Hoppin' John recipe
Cowpeas please! The History and Importance of the Cowpea plant by Melody Rose
Fruits and Veggies, More Matters
Blogpost Copyright (C)2012 Wind. All rights reserved. Photo yardlong beans displayed in Singapore, courtesy of Wikipedia

How-to-Make Cioccolato Pizzelles #GardenCuizine #recipe

Diana's Cioccolato Pizzelles

Cocoa Pizzelles with garden anise seeds were among our favorite Christmas treats this holiday season. Our private Italian sweets connoisseur (Mama, who else!) rated them two thumbs up! Adding unsweetened cocoa provides chocolatey flavor, plus healthy antioxidants.

Recipe Yields: 50
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (Tbl sp) (28g) unsalted butter
2 Tbl sp (26g) vegetable shortening (trans fat free)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl sp Canola oil
1 tsp (2g) anise seeds

2 cups (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
1 Tbl sp (15g) baking powder
1/8 tsp (dash) salt

6 eggs
1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract 
3/4 tsp anise oil (oil vs. extract - look for at your Italian Market)

Putting it all together

• Locate your pizzelle iron and plug it in to get it preheated and ready.
• Melt the butter and shortening with the oil; add the seeds so their anise flavor infuses into the oil. Remove from heat as soon as melted - set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt to combine.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs well. Beat in the sugar. Slowly pour in the melted oil blend.
• Mix in the dry ingredients until the batter is shiny and thick.
• Cover the batter bowl with a damp towel until ready to use.

• Spray your pizzelle iron with nonstick spray before making your first pizzelle.
• Using a tablespoon, measure 1 tablespoon dollops of batter in the center of each pizzelle; close the iron and let cook for about one minute. You will have to experiment with how long it takes your pizzelle iron to perfectly bake your pizzelles. It is a little more difficult to tell when chocolate pizzelles are done because of their color. Once you get a rhythm going though, they bake-off pretty fast. Have fun!
• Remove the hot pizzelles using a fork as needed to carefully pull them off the iron.
• Allow the pizzelles to completely cool on wire baking racks before stacking them! Otherwise, they will get soft and not be crisp. If you accidentally stack them while still warm and they do get soft, you can rescue them by single layering the pizzelles on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 deg F. oven until reheated. Remove from oven and be sure to let them completely cool before stacking.
• Once your pizzelles are all made and completely cooled - store in airtight containers - share and enjoy!

Buon Natale!

GardenCuizine Nutrient Analysis Cocoa Pizzelles: calculated from USDA nutrient values 1/50 of recipe (20g): one pizzelle: ~72 calories; total fat: 3g; monounsaturated fat: 1.2g; polyunsaturated fat 0.5g; saturated fat: 0.7g; sodium 39 mg; total carbohydrate: 10g; Iron: 0.7mg (4%DV); Protein: 1.4g (3%DV); Folate: 12 mcg (~3%DV); Selenium: 3.6mcg (5%DV)

Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a caloric intake of 2,000 calories for adults and children age 4 or older
Recipe, photos and blog post Copyright (C)2012 Wind. All rights reserved.

Energize your Holiday w/Honey Roasted, Cocoa Volcano Dust PECANS #GardenCuizine

Heart Healthy

 Honey Roasted ♥ Cocoa Volcano Dust
 P E C A N S

Fruits, Vegetables, NUTS and Seeds are good sources of PLANT STEROLS (phytosterols) that have been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Eat nuts alone as a snack or use them in recipes as part of a heart healthy diet. These jazzed up pecans make a nutritious addition to holiday cookie trays or atop a holiday garden salad.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following qualified health claim: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”  

Ingredients
1 pound raw pecan nuts
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground dried hot peppers from your garden
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
 
1/8 cup water
1/8 cup honey
2 tablespoons canola oil

Putting it all together

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Layer the nuts on your baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes or until fragrant and toasted.
• Grind your dried hot peppers (seeds and all) in a spice grinder (we use a small coffee grinder just for spices)
• In a small bowl combine the sugar, salt, cocoa and spices
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and set aside.
• Place the toasted nuts in a large bowl and toss with the spice mixture.
• Return the nuts to the lined baking sheet and bake another 8-10 minutes.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheet.
• Store in air tight container. Serve atop holiday garden salads, as a snack, or in your favorite baked goods or recipes.

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data PECANS: calculated by Diana Wind, RD using USDA Nutrient Reference Data 

Excellent Source: Manganese
Good Source: dietary Fiber, Thiamin  

1ounce (28g) PECANS = 193 calories; dietary Fiber 3g (11% DV); 276 mg Omega 3; Monounsaturated fat 11.4g; Polyunsaturated fat 6.1g; Saturated fat 1.7g; Protein 2.6g (5% DV); Thiamin 0.2 mg (12% DV); Magnesium 34 mg (8% DV); Manganese 1.3mg (63% DV); Zinc 1.3 mg (8% DV); Phytosterols 29 mg
Related Links
Pecan Nutrition in a Nutshell 
Antioxidants in Pecans