A Healthy Brunch for Mom

Mother's Day is coming up! Treating Mom to a festive brunch is a great way to show her you care. But instead of braving the crowds (and calories!) at one of those giant restaurant brunch buffets, why not prepare a healthy brunch at home? Here are several simple and delicious recipes from our sister site Epicurious.com, all featuring fresh ingredients that are in season right now.

Artichoke and Mushroom Fritatta

Asparagus, Peas, and Basil

Fluffy Baked Eggs with Roasted Vegetable Hash

Cauliflower and Feta Omelet

Egg Roulade Stuffed with Turkey Sausage, Mushrooms, and Spinach

At the bottom of each recipe, you'll find a link to a complete nutritional analysis, which you can save to your Nutrition Data pantry. 

For more healthy recipe ideas, our Healthy Dinner Tonight feature delivers a fresh new recipe to your email inbox every day, or subscribe via RSS and view them on your favorite blog reader or igoogle homepage.

Happy Mother's Day!

On lard, pie crusts, and whether all saturated fats are the same

Two questions were posted on the NutritionData blog recently:

Q. I've been reading that lard is now considered a good fat, as long as it's not hydrogenated. I realize that lard is still saturated fat, so it's not 'good' like olive oil. And like all fats, it must be eaten in moderation.  But I'm wondering what you think about going back to Gramma's pie crust recipe. Crisco/butter just never did make the same good crust ...

Crust-y Curious

Q. Like Crusty Curious, I've also been wondering about lard and pie crusts, as well as other saturated fats. If we limit our intake of saturated fats to recommended amounts, does it matter what TYPE of saturated fat we use? Are palm oil, coconut oil, butter, lard, and beef drippings (for homemade gravy) all equivalent, nutritionally? Or is there some good reason to avoid certain of these? Thanks in advance--this is a *great* site!

Judy

A. Pie crusts are a matter near and dear to my heart and I've been collecting pie crust recipes for years. My current favorite uses a mixture of butter (for flavor) and trans-fat free shortening (for flakiness).  But you will find equally ardent advocates for all-butter crusts, old-fashioned lard, and even some die-hard shortening devotees.

Epicurious.com's Associate Editor Lauren Salkeld (who is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute's Classic Pastry Arts Program) says, "We made all butter dough in school, so that’s what I’m used to. I find it flaky and I prefer the flavor."

Epicurious Food Editor Sarah Kagen has long been a fan of this recipe, which uses part butter and part shortening. "But lately," she says, "I've had several crusts made with part butter and part lard, and I have to say, I think I've been converted. The lard creates flakiness like shortening, but it adds a wonderful golden toastiness." 

Epicurious Senior Editor Megan Steintrager confirms that lard is making a comeback as a trendy new ingredient among foodies.

Aside from the culinary debate, is there any difference nutritionally between butter, lard, and the naturally saturated fats found in palm kernel and coconut oil (used to make trans-fat free shortening)? 

Here are a few facts (all of which can be found here on NutritionData.com) that might surprise you :

1. Butter contains about 20% less fat and calories per ounce than lard or saturated vegetable fat, because it contains some water. (When substituting butter for other fats, adjust quantities accordingly.)

2. All of these products contain a mixure of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Lard actually contains the least amount of saturated fat (11g per ounce) while coconut oil contains the most (24g per ounce).

3. Animal fats (lard and butter) contain more monounsaturated fat than palm kernel and coconut oil. In fact, lard contains more monounsaturated fats (13mg per ounce) than saturated fats (11g per ounce).

4. Butter contains twice as much cholesterol (60mg per ounce) as lard (27mg per ounce). Vegetable shortenings contain no cholesterol.

5. Lard contains 280mg of omega-3 fatty acids per ounce; butter has 88mg per ounce. (Palm kernel and coconut oil contain little or no omega-3s).

6. Butter contains a fair amount of vitamin A (700mg per ounce) whereas palm kernel oil contains a good helping of vitamin K (7mcg per ounce).

7. Both palm kernel and coconut oils contain natural phytosterols, which can help to reduce cholesterol levels by blocking the cellular uptake of cholesterol.

Regardless of what form of fat you're trying to build a case for, you can find some support for it here. And of course there's the argument (discussed on the blog recently) that saturated fat isn't really bad for you, anyway; it's the carbs you eat with it that do the damage. (More comforting for bacon eaters than pie lovers.)

The only fat I can advise you to avoid completely are shortenings made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (old-style Crisco) or a mixture of fully hydrogenated and unhydrogenated vegetable oils (new-style Crisco). The former is full of trans fats and the latter, although it claims to be nearly trans fat free, is full of "interesterified fats," which appear to be no better for you. (Also take care to select lard that has not been hydrogenated.)

No matter what form of fat you use, of course, pie crust is not a low-fat item.  One slice of a double-crust pie will use up about a quarter of your daily allowance of fat and around 80% of your allowance for saturated fat (not counting the filling).

So, in answer to the questions above, as long as your overal intake of fat, calories, and saturated fat is not excessive, and you are avoiding all hydrogenated products, use whatever you like to make your pie crust. (And send me your recipe!)

Last minute ideas for healthy holiday dishes

Looking for some healthy Thanksgiving dishes to serve tomorrow? Check out all the healthy holiday recipes in Nutrition Data's Diet and Wieght Loss Blog.   Dana Lilienthal, M.S., R.D. has tracked down some terrific recipes that will help you make it a Thanksgiving without misgivings, such as these Spiced Carrots, Parsnip and Fennel Puree or Herb-Rubbed Turkey. All of Dana's selected recipes come with a complete ND analysis, which you can add to your pantry for easier diet tracking.

While you're on the Diet and Weight Loss blog, check out nutrition consultant Elaine Murphy's Strategies for Thanksgiving, such as how to Indulge without Guilt.

And, finally, when you're ready to start working off the excesses, Nutrition Data's fitness expert Steve Cabral will show you the way and answer your questions.

I wish everyone a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

Making the great American cook-out a little safer

As we head into Labor Day weekend, just a quick reminder that grilling meat over direct flames can create a significant amount of cancerous compounds--but a few simple steps can prevent this.  Before you fire up that barbeque, take a moment to review our Guide to Grilling Meats.  Then, choose from hundreds of tasty marinades at Epicurious.com. (Marinating is one of the keys to preventing the formation of carcinogens--and also the key to tender, flavorful meat.)

Have a wonderful (and healthy) holiday weekend!

Healthy Stuff on Epicurious.com

Congratulations to our sister site, Epicurious.com, which just unveiled a spiffy new design for their already fabulous website.   Among the new and improved features are a "healthy" section in their new group blog and an updated collection of healthy recipes. 

Their new easy-to-search format makes it easy to pick up a healthy recipe or menu when your inspiration fails you. For example, this easy Beet Salad would be a great way to use the beets I got from my CSA this week. Or, check out this Healthy Picnic Menu, just in time for Labor Day weekend.

Congratulations, Epi!

On today's menu: weeds

If you read this blog regularly, then you know that my family signed up for a CSA share this year. (Community Supported Agriculture is a way of supporting local farmers by buying a share in their entire harvest. Learn more about CSAs at LocalHarvest.com.)

Part of the fun of a CSA is getting an opportunity to try vegetables that would otherwise never end up in my shopping cart, such as the sweet potato leaves I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.  One of our options this week was purslane, a plant related to the portulacas you might plant in your garden.  I first read about purslane in Artemis Simopoulos's book The Omega Diet.  Purslane is one of the richest vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

A big part of the reason that the meat from pasture-raised cattle (and wild game) is higher in omega-3 fats is because grazing animals favor these succulent wild greens and will eat them preferentially over other grasses.  It makes good grazing for people, too. According to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 100 grams of purslane contains 300-400 mg of omega-3 fats (alpha-linolenic acid), along with over half a day's supply of vitamin E, a third of the day's vitamin C, and a quarter of the day's vitamin A.  But does it taste good?

Adventures with vegetables

Sweet potato leaves: who knew they were so delicious (and good for you)?!

As part of our commitment to eat more local foods (see my post "Five ways to make your diet healthier (for the planet)"), we joined a CSA this year.  Back in March, we paid a lump sum  to a local organic farmer in exchange for a share of this year's crops.  Now that the growing season is underway, we get a  basket every week, full of whatever vegetables they're harvesting that week.

It's been a fun challenge to get through the weekly mound of fresh greens, lettuces, beets, and squash before the next one arrives.  This week's basket included a vegetable I'd never had before: sweet potato greens, presumably plucked from the crown of sweet potatoes that we'll be enjoying later this season.

I wasn't sure if I'd find nutrition information for sweet potato greens in the Nutrition Data database but they popped right up.  (Here's the listing for steamed sweet potato leaves.) Like most greens, they're very low in calories. Plus, they're an excellent source of vitamin K. (You can read more about this little-known nutrient in this post on  Vitamin K and blood thinners.)

The farmer suggested sauteeing them in a bit of oil, salt and pepper (what doesn't taste good that way?!).  So this morning I did just that and folded the lightly wilted greens into an omelet with a bit of Boursin cheese.  DELICIOUS!  Turns out that sweet potato greens are tender and mild --not at all bitter--and without that "chalky" feeling that spinach can leave on your teeth.  Check your local farmer's market this weekend for this delectable treat!

Analyzing recipes on ND: how to make your results more accurate

Q. I am using ND to analyze the nutritional content of some of the recipes I make at home. But I'm not always sure which entry from the database to select. For example, if I'm analyzing a soup recipe that contains carrots, should I select the listing for raw or cooked carrots?

A.  Some nutrients are lost when foods are cooked in water. So if I were going to cook carrots, drain them, and then add them to a recipe, I would choose the entry for cooked carrots. On the other hand, if the cooking liquid is part of the finished dish, as in a soup, many of those lost nutrients are retained. If I were going to chop carrots and add them to a stew or soup, I would probably choose the entry for raw carrots. (You can read more about how various cooking methods affect the nutrient content of foods here.)

There's also a practical consideration. Recipes usually give the weight or measurement of the uncooked ingredient (1 cup of chopped carrots or 10 ounces of raw spinach, for example), but the volume of an ingredient can change dramatically when it's cooked. For example, six cups of raw spinach will reduce to about one cup of cooked spinach.  I find it's often easier to select the correct quantity if I use the listing for the uncooked ingredient. I figure that being accurate about the quantity matters more than the relatively minor nutritional differences between cooked and raw versions.

As you can see, it's not an exact science.  Hopefully, these general guidelines will make it a bit easier to choose the right listing according to the situation and will make your analyses more accurate.  Just remember that the minor inaccuracies that will inevitably arise are not nearly as important as the overall picture that analyzing your diet can provide.

For more help with this tool, read Analyzing Meals and Recipes.

Healthy Recipe: Wild Rice Salad

Wild Rice Salad makes a terrific side dish for a picnic or barbeque. Wild rice, which is botanically unrelated to regular rice, is lower in carbs, and higher in protein, zinc, and iron.  I particularly like this recipe from our sister site, Epicurious.com. The sweet and hot red peppers add bright flavor and a burst of vitamin C. This recipe is also wheat and gluten free. Click here to see the complete nutritional analysis. Click "add to pantry" to save this recipe for future reference.

Food as sunscreen

May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Now that the warmer weather has arrived, it's time to remind everyone that applying a good sunscreen before heading outdoors will reduce your risk of skin cancer and prevent premature skin aging. Foods such as avocados and tomatoes can also help protect your skin--but I'm not suggesting that you smear yourself with guacamole!

Eating certain nutrients can help protect your skin from the inside. Vitamins C and E are particularly effective in preventing and repairing ultraviolet damage to the skin.  Eating foods rich in these nutrients has actually been shown to help prevent or lessen the extent of a sunburn!

Here's the tricky part: These vitamins are much more effective together than either is by itself, but there aren't many foods that are high in both nutrients. Foods high in vitamin C include red and green bell peppers, guava, kale, parsley, collard greens, turnips, and broccoli.  Vitamin E is found in wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, safflower and sunflower oils, almonds, and avocados.

To give your skin maximum protection, you'll need to combine foods from both groups.  Guacamole with fresh red and green pepper strips would make a delicious, skin-loving snack! Try this guacamole recipe from Epicurious.com. Or, how about a crisp broccoli salad topped with slivered almonds? Here's my own personal recipe.   These foods help nourish and protect your skin, but remember to wear your sunscreen, too!

A delicious and nutritious lunch: Greek Chicken Salad

Check out this recipe for Greek Chicken Salad that I found in the Diet and Healthy Eating section of SELF.com.  This is healthy Mediterranean-style eating at its best: a bountiful array of nutrient-packed veggies with a bit of lean protein and healthy fat to give it staying power.  Click here to see the ND analysis for this recipe. (You can also save it to your ND Pantry for future reference.) The salad provides 100% of your vitamin A and C for the day, along with almost half your daily requirement of fiber.  If your local market has a good salad bar, you can even collect most of the ingredients already washed and chopped.

To get a new healthy recipe delivered to your in-box every week, sign up for SELF's free Recipe of the Week newsletter.

What's for dinner tonight? A hearty feast that's gluten- and dairy-free

I have really come to rely on the Advanced Recipe Search tool at Epicurious.com.  I can browse recipes by category (such as "Wheat/Gluten-Free" or "Low Sodium"), search for recipes that feature certain ingredients (like chicken or beans) and even exclude recipes that contain things I want to avoid (such as dairy).  I can narrow my search to specific courses (brunch, soup, dessert, etc.), cooking techniques (slow-cooking, baking, barbecue, etc.) or cuisines (Asian, Creole, Southwest, etc.).  I can even search for seasonal and holiday recipes.

As we've been talking quite a bit on the ND Blog about dairy-free and gluten-free diets, I thought I'd look for a quick and healthy winter dish that would also work well for those who don't eat wheat or dairy.  Using the advanced search function on Epicurious, I quickly found this terrific recipe for Chicken and White Bean Chili.

Local produce hard to find in winter?

I'm a big fan of the local food idea.  Eating food grown close to where you live saves a ton of gas, spares the environment, supports local growers, and puts fresher, more nutritious food on your table. If you live in Southern California or the southeastern U.S., the growing season is more or less year-round. But what about the rest of us?

Where I live in Maryland, for example, not much grows in the winter. So how do we get our five-a-day without resorting to fruits and vegetables that have been trucked in from California or flown all the way from South America? Growing your own sprouts (or "micro-greens") can provide you with fresh, crisp greens throughout the winter. And what could be more local than your own kitchen windowsill?

Got (whole) milk?

You've heard the all the mooing about milk and weight loss: A diet high in dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc) can help you lose more weight than a diet containing little or no dairy. The dairy industry has been milking this research for all it's worth, with their "24/24" weight loss program (drink 24 ounces of milk every 24 hours).  But, of course, you're advised to choose low-fat dairy products in order to control fat and calories.

So, I was fascinated by this new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which found that women who regularly eat whole milk or other full-fat dairy products gain 15%-30% less weight over a ten year period than women who choose only low-fat dairy products.   Is this good news or what?  Brie is now diet food!!

What's for dinner tonight?

Like most of us, I allowed myself a little extra leeway over the holidays, enjoying rich foods and sweets that I would normally forego.  Although New Year's Day is still a few days off, I'm already eager to get back to a leaner, healthier way of eating.  How about you?

This morning, I visited our sister site Epicurious.com for inspiration.  For years, epicurious has been my go-to resource for fancy but fool-proof recipes. (I made their Boeuf Bourgignon for our family's holiday meal last week and it was a huge success.)  But did you know that they have a great collection of low-fat, low-sugar and heart-healthy recipes, too?

Here's what I'm cooking tonight...

I found this recipe for Sake-steamed Sea Bass on Epicurious as part of a menu for a healthy Asian-inspired New Year's Feast.  Doesn't it look amazing?  A light but luxurious dish like this is the perfect way to ease back into healthier eating. The nutritional information included with the recipe shows that the recipe is low-fat (5 g/serving), with only 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.  For more complete nutritional information, I also analyzed the recipe using Nutrition Data's pantry tool. 

Turns out it's also a good source of vitamin B12 and selenium, and contains a substantial 29g of protein.  The analysis also revealed that the recipe contains about 526 mg of sodium. If you're watching your salt intake, you can cut that to 366 mg per serving by substituting low-sodium soy sauce.  (You can see the full ND analysis for this recipe here.)

I'd like the meal to include a bit more fiber as well. Swapping brown rice for white rice would only an additional gram of fiber and would really change the feel of the dish. So I think I'll stick with white rice, but serve the dish with some baked acorn squash, which adds 9 grams of fiber per serving.  To identify foods that are high in fiber or any other nutrient, use ND's nutrient search tool.