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THE MAIN INGREDIENT – YOUR HEALTHY HEART

pdutkoski@shaw.ca

*** THE MAIN INGREDIENT segment aims to inform, educate, share skills and knowledge. It also hopes to satisfy most of our TASTEBUDS (the five elements of taste perception: salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami or savoury). Email your request INGREDIENT(s) be featured for its uses, nutrient contents and/or cooking tips, and comments/suggestions. ***The author has had 13 years of experience in the field of Food and Nutrition, Research, Community/Public Health and Food Services combined. Earned the Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics (Philippines.) and Food and Nutrition Technology Program (Canada). Information presented in this segment is based on nutritional books, online searches and personal knowledge of the author. Furthermore, all recipes featured in this segment are personally developed and/or original creations of the author, and are intended solely for personal use of the end users. This article and contents are copyrights and patent pending and therefore, no portion/ parts or whole can be re-produced for any other use other than stated above without the author’s expressed permission. Mbpd

Since February is all about celebrations of the heart.. it is very appropriate to feature a few main ingredients that are really cardio friendly. Also, this may be a good opportunity to feature other controversial foods that are exclusive for love’s sake.. Aphrodisiacs!

According to Health Canada (2008), Cardiovascular or heart disease has the number one mortality (death) rate in Canada. Here are the factors: Smoking; Foods rich in saturated fat; Physical inactivity; Stress; Family history of heart disease; and Overweight/Obesity.

We are aware that in order to achieve a healthy heart, there are 4 components in food that we need to include in our diet: low fat, low sodium, high fibre grains and fruits and vegetables ( 5-10 servings/ day). Unfortunately, our Filipino dishes are not necessarily like that mentioned above and we are not meeting the daily serving needs that the Canada Food Guide has recommended. Thus here are a few recipe suggestions that you’ll definitely find appetizing and will take good care of your heart.

TASTEBUDS:

Savoury: Greens, Fruit & Nut Medley Salad

Sweet/Sour: Very Berry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed greens

1 cup baby spinach

2 -3 pieces sliced mushroom

2 Tablespoons red onions, sliced

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup sliced almonds

½ cup chopped pear

Dressing:

100ml vanilla flavoured non fat yogurt

¼ cup non fat buttermilk

Procedure:

Mix greens and baby spinach in a salad bowl.

2.Top with chopped pears, sliced almonds, sliced mushrooms, onions and grated parmesan cheese.

3. Mix yogurt and buttermilk and pour over top .

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups skim milk

1 banana

½ cup frozen raspberries

½ cup frozen strawberries 2 -5g package natural sweetener ( aspartame free)

100 ml strawberry flavored fat -free yogurt

3 whole strawberries for garnishing

Procedure:

In a blender, pour milk and yogurt. Blend
Add banana, strawberries & raspberries. Blend
Add natural sweetener.
Pour into flute glasses with fresh strawberry on the rim.
Serve cold

Yield: 3 servings

Savoury: Chicken Pochero

( Philippine Chicken Stew)

Savoury: Turkey Chili & Chips

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken breast

2 teaspoons turmeric powder

1Tablespoon lemon juice

½ Tablespoon patis

1 red gala apple, diced

½ cup dice jicama ( singkamas)

½ cup sliced saba banana or plantain

¼ cup cabbage

¼ cup red bell pepper

½ cup pechay or bokchoy

½ medium onions, sliced

100 grams sweet peas

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tomato, sliced

2 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup water

Procedure:

Marinate chicken in lemon juice, turmeric powder and patis for 30 minutes. Bake at 375F until golden brown.
In a heavy sauce pan, fry banana. Remove from pan then sauté, onion. Add garlic and then add tomatoes.
Add chicken, diced apples, jicama.
Add water then simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Add sweet peas, cabbage and pechay.
Season with salt and pepper .
Serve hot over top of steamed rice

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey

3 pieces low fat hotdogs

1 cup canned chick peas/garbanzo beans

1 cup canned white beans

1 cup canned black beans

1 cup canned red beans

2 cups spaghetti sauce

1 500gram can stewed chopped tomatoes

1 medium onions,

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Chips: 6 pieces large whole wheat flat bread, cut in triangles. Bake at 275F for 10-15 minutes.

Procedure:

Saute onion and garlic.
Add ground turkey until no longer pink.
Add all 5 beans and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add stewed tomatoes and simmer for another 3 minutes.
Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
Add sliced hotdogs, salt and pepper. Simmer until cooked.
Serve with chips.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Sweet: Mango Strawberry Mold

Mocha Delight

Ingredients:

1 package (7 g) Mango gelatin

1 1/2 cups mango juice

½ cup sliced strawberry

¼ cup non fat whip toppings

¼ cup ripe mango slices

2 -5gram package natural sweetener

Garnishing:

strawberry pieces and mango slices

Procedure:

Heat mango juice in low heat and bring to a boil.
Pour over powdered mango gelatin and blend until all gelatin dissolves
Add whipped toppings and blend well
Pour over a mold (ramekin) with sliced strawberries and mango slices at the bottom.
Refrigerate until set.

Yield: 4 servings

3 cups skim milk

100 grams ground mascovado cocoa or dark chocolate shavings

1 tablespoon ground coffee

2 Tablespoons fat free whip toppings

2 package-5grm natural sweetener ( no aspartme)- optional

Procedure:

At a low heat, simmer milk.
Add chocolate and ground coffee.
Pour mixture using filter paper
Top with whip crème

Yield 2-3 cups

Now, let’s tackle a bit of the controversy: The Aphrodisiacs:

From the goddess of love and sensuality, Aphrodite, aphrodisiac is a substance that is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviours have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable. Mostly folkloric, however a lot of people are curious enough to try and find the truths for themselves. Here are a few that you will definitely recognize as part of this group:

Balut: a fully fertilized duck egg but not hatched. Except for the shell, boiled balut is eaten whole ( beak, feather, bones…). The belief is because high protein content will help make stronger knees and increase stamina.
Papaya (unripe)- green papaya contains the female hormone estrogen, also believed to promote milk production in breast feeding mothers and increase a woman’s libido. It also has very good antiseptic properties.
Oyster-This may be a total folklore, however the shape has made it very notorious… the real truth is. .it is the mind that made it’s reputation. However it’s high zinc content is related to increased fertility.
Coffee- The caffeine stimulates the body thus making the blood flow faster and keeps you alert longer. It is also a very good source of anti oxidants.
Chocolate- Just because of the sweetness, it feeds the mind thus the emotions. Being energetic is the reason for being indispensable to love.

One Comment on "THE MAIN INGREDIENT – YOUR HEALTHY HEART"

Carl Christoper Arroyo on Mon, 23rd Aug 2010 5:00 am

O.K.!

THE MAIN INGREDIENT – YOUR HEALTHY HEART

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