Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
Pizza is usually the Achilles’ heel of anyone trying to eat healthier meals, especially pizza with meat toppings. That’s why the next recipe in my mushroom “swapability” cooking adventure (recipes that swap out a portion of meat to make way for more mushrooms) was particularly exciting—a Mushroom Flatbread from registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward.
Remember, the three-step technique for “swapability” is to chop, cook and combine mushrooms into recipes to add an extra serving of veggies to the plate so your meal is tasty and healthy.
Treat yourself tonight by making this lightened-up simple, flavorful and filling pizza.
Recipe for Mushroom Flatbread (serves two)
- 6 ounces white button mushrooms
- 6 ounces cremini mushrooms
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 – 12 inch light whole wheat wraps
- 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Chop mushrooms into ¼-inch pieces.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat and cook, breaking meat into very small bits. Drain. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Remove from pan and reserve.
- Add olive oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Add beef back to pan and combine with mushrooms.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, oregano, and basil. Spread the cheese mixture on two 12-inch light whole wheat wraps, dividing evenly. Layer equal amounts of the beef and mushroom mixture on top of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
- Place the pizza directly on the oven rack. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.
** Tips: ½ cup cottage cheese blended with 1 tablespoon of milk in blender or food processor is a suitable substitute for ricotta cheese. Use fresh herbs like oregano and basil instead of Parmesan cheese and also use reduced fat cheese for a lighter version with less cholesterol, fat and saturated fat. **
And if this “swapability” technique intrigues you and you’re looking for other ingenious ways to eat healthier, then we have two exciting Twitter parties coming up that you’ll want to join. Both are in celebration of National Nutrition Month and should deliver lots of fun tips! Mark these dates on your calendar:
- March 8, all day: Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion (CNPP) Twitter Day. Join the conversation to engage with different communities and organizations in helping to promote the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, using the hashtag #MyPlateYourPlate on Twitter.
- March 12, 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. EST: Feed Your Family Well Twitter Party. Use the hashtag #Mushrooms on Twitter to join the conversation about how to serve your family more nutritious meals that they’ll love to eat. Beloved blogger Resourceful Mommy will lead the conversation and author of MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better, Elizabeth Ward, will be dishing out expert advice. You’ll even have the chance to win awesome prizes valued up to $150!
We look forward to chatting with you there!
Tags: antioxidants, appetizers, B vitamins, dinner, dinner recipes, Featured Contributor, lunch, meatless monday, Mushroom, Mushroom Channel, Mushroom News, mushroom pizza, Mushroom Recipes, Mushrooms, Portabella, potassium, recipes, selenium, vegetarian, vitamin d, weight loss
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
A true product of the good old Midwest, I find myself relying heavily on meat-centric meals during the cold winter months. But it’s National Nutrition Month – time to start lightening up my favorite meals and eating more vegetables.
Luckily, we are working closely with registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward who shared this healthy Almost Lasagna recipe with us. Here at the Channel, we are no strangers to adding mushrooms to dishes to up the nutritional content and we jump at the chance to ‘shroom up meals that usually don’t get enough mushroom love. Judging by the pantry-friendly ingredient list of this recipe and the fact that it calls for swapping a portion of beef with mushrooms, I thought it might deliver the perfect trifecta of easy, tasty and filling. (And fourth: healthy, but what is that… a quadfecta?)
Traditional lasagna feels so labor-intensive, but this recipe came together with minimal effort.
- Chop mushrooms to look like meat? Check.
- Cook ‘em like you would the beef? Easy-peasy (And a bit surprising because they really do look just like ground beef!)
- Combine the cooked mushrooms and beef and add ‘em to the recipe? 1-2-3 and done.
Is there anything more comforting than freshly-made tomato sauce enveloping tender pasta and morsels of beefy mushrooms? I think not!
This time around, I followed the recipe pretty close to the letter. Granted, I love spicy food, so I added a pinch (or three) of red pepper flakes to punch up the flavors. While I’m partial to ground beef, this dish would be just as tasty with ground turkey or chicken or tofu if that’s more your flavor. You can even use no meat and all mushrooms! We’d love to hear how you adjust a recipe to suit your tastes.
Stay tuned for more “swapability” adventures as we amp up the nutrition of other favorite meals!
Recipe for Almost Lasagna (serves six)
Ingredients
- 1 pound long fusilli pasta or linguine
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
- 8 ounces 93% lean ground beef
- 1 28-oune can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to package directions.
- Chop mushrooms in ¼-inch pieces. Reserve.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrot, onion and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.
- Place ground beef in pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking meat into very small bits. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the vegetable mixture to the beef in the skillet. Stir in the tomatoes, broth and basil; simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and parsley. Toss hot pasta with the margarine and return to skillet. Mix with meat sauce. To serve, scoop equal amounts of the ricotta into shallow bowls, top with pasta/sauce mixture.
Tip: Substitute firm tofu or 100% ground turkey breast meat for ground beef.
Tags: antioxidants, dinner, dinner recipes, Featured Contributor, immunity, meatless monday, Mushroom, Mushroom Channel, Mushroom News, mushroom recipe, Mushroom Recipes, Mushrooms, Portabella, potassium, selenium, vegetarian, vitamin d, weight loss
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Friday, February 3rd, 2012
A delectable wrap, ready in 10 minutes, is a fabulous weekend lunch or weeknight meal when you’re crunched for time. Keep reading for the full scoop from Paula from bell’alimento.
If you’re looking for a simple and scrumptious meatless meal option, you can’t go wrong with this vegetarian mushroom, spinach and roasted red pepper wrap. In less than 10 minutes you can have this on your plate and on its way into your belly!
A secret weapon in my fridge is flour tortillas. You can add just about anything to them, roll them up and ,voila, you have a meal in ready minutes. They also double as an easy peasy appetizer! I’m a big fan of easy and effortless entertaining, so these are a staple when I’m playing host.
This vegetarian wrap is “meaty” without the meat. The mushrooms are gently kissed with butter, added to silky smooth roasted peppers and given a little texture with the fresh spinach leave. They’re then enveloped by a soft, warm tortilla to complete the dish.
It’s refreshing, delicious and EASY.
Sauteed Mushroom, Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Wrap (Serves 4)
What you’ll need:
6 ounces button mushrooms – sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt/pepper
1 loosely packed cup fresh spinach
1 roasted red bell pepper – sliced
4 flour tortillas – warmed
What to do:
1. Into a medium sauté pan over medium heat add butter. Melt. Add mushroom and sauté for approximately 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Season with salt/ pepper. Turn off heat.
2. To assemble: Equally distribute spinach, bell pepper and mushrooms between each tortilla.
3. Wrap each like you would a burrito (or you could also simply fold in half and enjoy soft taco style).
Tags: appetizers, B vitamins, Bell'Alimento, dinner, dinner recipes, Featured Contributor, Food Photography, meatless monday, Mushroom, Mushroom Channel, Mushroom Recipes, Portabella, Portobello, weight loss
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Friday, May 14th, 2010
How to get more vitamin D The Tampa Tribune interviews Dr. Holick, and offers solutions for getting enough vitamin D each day. Our favorite recommendation of course is to eat naturally D-rich foods, like mushrooms! Take this quiz to see if you’re getting enough vitamin D. Check out Dr. Holick’s recent interviews with Reuters and Danbury News Times, too.
Healthy Snack Ideas # 4: Savory Mushroom Bruschetta Gather.com shares a recipe for mushroom bruscetta, one that takes little time and doesn’t add to the waistline! This delectable afternoon delight is the perfect 3 o’clock pick-me-up as mushrooms are chocked full of B vitamins, which help your body convert food to energy.
Get your vitamin D Cynthia Sass, RD, was interviewed for an ABC News Now segment about vitamin D to highlight foods that consumers can add to their diet in order to get an adequate daily intake of this vital nutrient. Fish, eggs and mushrooms are the three natural food sources of D discussed and mushrooms are further noted as the only plant source of vitamin D. See ‘shrooms get some recognition on WebMD’s vitamin D slideshow as well.
Slim Down Secrets: Feel full, stay slim with 5 easy dinners We can’t believe that bikini season is already around the corner. If you’re having a minor meltdown (you sure are NOT the only one), don’t stress because KNXV-TV recommends five simple dinners that will keep you slim and satisfied. We’re happy to find that portabella mushroom burgers make this short, coveted list.
Forest Mushrooms feeds growing need for fungi The specialty mushroom market has really mushroomed (pardon the pun) in recent years, which can be attributed to the maturation of America’s palate, and the growing interest in Asian cuisine. Not only are the flavors of specialty mushrooms remarkable, but so are their health benefits. Mushrooms give recipes a flavor boost alongside a powerful punch of nutrients. Mushrooms are high in fiber; low in carbs and fat; have more protein than most produce; and double as an umami-rich meat substitute. Madison.com further dishes on the nutrients in specialty mushrooms here.
Tags: B vitamins, Holick, Mushroom News, vitamin d, weight loss
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Friday, May 7th, 2010
The New Superfoods Fitness highlights the common white button mushroom as one of ten lesser-known superfoods that will keep your body healthy and slim – without costing you a fortune at the grocery store. Swapping meat for mushrooms is highlighted as a successful weight-loss strategy, and the most common of all ‘shrooms is recognized as one of few natural food sources of vitamin D.
Vitamin D levels dip San Francisco Chronicle interviews the world’s leading vitamin D expert, Dr. Michael Holick. Lack of vitamin D can lead to heart disease, cancer, depression, insomnia, diabetes and chronic pain so be sure to get adequate amounts of this crucial nutrient. Adequate daily vitamin D intake may be hard to come by as this nutrient is often not found naturally in foods. But, rest assured that all mushroom contain D – they’re the only source in the produce section.
The Trading Post 2009’s Taste of Home “Mushrooms: Every Day, Every Way” recipe contest winner is highlighted. Have you entered this year’s contest? If you’re lacking inspiration, give this winning portabella burger recipe a try.
EAT YOUR VEGGIES: Adding vegetarian dishes to the menu will benefit your health Vegetarian diets are becoming more common these days. They’re not simple though, without a little planning the risk of depriving yourself of key nutrients is high. But if done right, a vegetarian diet can be satisfying and good for your waistline. A tip the Bradenton Herald offers readers is one of our weight-loss favorites – substitute meat with mushrooms. Studies have shown that substituting four ounces of mushrooms for four ounces of meat once a week for one year could save more than 18,000 calories and nearly 3,000 grams of fat – that adds up to more than five pounds!
Chef’s kitchen: Try an Herbed Mushroom Tulip The Olympian’s resident chef admits she used to avoid mushrooms at all costs but now she just can’t get enough. Chocked full of selenium, B vitamins and fiber, mushrooms are not only a nutritional powerhouse but they also add flavor to everyday meals.
Mushroom has a lot to offer Our friends up in Canada agree that there’s no reason to not love mushrooms. No fat, hardly any carbs or calories, low in sodium – mushrooms lack all the bad stuff and provide nothing but the good: vitamins, minerals, fiber and flavor.
Tags: B vitamins, Dr. Holick, fiber, low sodium, meat substitute, Mushroom News, Recipe Contest, selenium, superfood, vitamin d, weight loss
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Friday, March 5th, 2010
Best and Worst Foods Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN tells “Early Show” viewers to always “Go for those ‘shrooms!” She makes note of the fact that it’s not always those bright colored veggies that pack a nutritious punch – those that are light in color do too, like mushrooms! Light-colored mushrooms are the leading source of the antioxidant selenium in the produce aisle.
Trend Alert: The ‘Fifth Taste’ Is Coming On Strong, As More People Say I Want My Umami We’ve heard that this is the year for umami and don’t you bet that WE of all people are excited! If you haven’t heard, umami is the savory fifth taste found naturally in mushrooms. Delish.
How to Order a Healthier Pizza The Baltimore Sun helps readers make healthier pizza choices by advising to load up on the veggies – in particular mushrooms because they are nutrient-packed, high in fiber and low in calories.
Keri Glassman and The O2 Diet Glassman touts her love for mushrooms again in this segment featured on “700 Club.” She highlights mushrooms as the only fruit or veggie with vitamin D, which is very important for immunity. Also discussed are the benefits of swapping meat for mushrooms – if you take away about four ounces of meat a weak and substitute it with mushrooms, you can lose about five pounds over one year!
Tags: fiber, immunity, Mushroom News, pizza, selenium, umami, vitamin d, weight loss
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Friday, January 29th, 2010
Belly-Flattening Foods Mushrooms are the only natural source of vitamin D in the produce aisle. Studies show that vitamin D deficiency actually could hinder weight loss, and provoke obesity and abdominal fat. Swap mushrooms for meat to get your vitamin D, and to cut calories! Also, mushrooms have ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant with anti-tumor growth properties.
Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Self magazine recommends this recipe for cold winter days to help boost your energy. Mushrooms are chocked full of B vitamins, which your body uses to convert food into energy.
Foods That Make You Feel Good Eat nutrient-rich, D-filled mushrooms to boost your mood this winter! Vitamin D actually improves your cell membranes’ receptiveness to serotonin, a neurotransmitter essential for mood, appetite and other important regulatory functions.
Tasty Fungi: Creamy Mushroom Bisque Recipe Mushrooms are meaty and rich in flavor, and can be deliciously dynamic when different varieties are combined, as they are in this wonderful bisque. Mushrooms are low in calories yet still dense in nutrients, adding protein and fiber to every serving.
Mushrooms provide vitamin D during winter Nutrition expert and author, Keri Glassman, thrives on finding superfoods like mushrooms that carry extended benefits for health and happiness. “Eating the right foods does more than just make you healthier – they can help you feel better and look great too,” says Glassman. “Overcome sunless winter days by incorporating foods with natural vitamin D and high antioxidants into your diet – mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable with vitamin D.”
Tags: B vitamins, energy, mood, vitamin d, weight loss
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Winter vegetarian bean stew Savor the rich meaty texture of Portabellas in this awesome vegetarian stew – a hearty soup perfect for cold wintry days. Don’t let your soup get too soupy, though; be sure to remove the inner gills of your ports before they’re cooked!
Cremini Mushrooms Stuffed With A Caper And Crab Salad Savory.tv shares many of the health benefits of mushrooms alongside a delightful recipe for stuffed caps. Mushrooms’ copper and potassium content is noted, as is their energy-boosting B vitamins and immunity-strengthening antioxidants!
100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories To stop weight gain, most Americans only need to remember one thing: energy in must equal energy out. In other words, the calories you consume must be equivalent to those you burn and if you want to lose weight, the scale must be tipped toward energy out. These tips for cutting calories from Prevention can help you do just that! They’ve provided great suggestions for all food situations: breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, beverages and even dining out. Check out the lunch/dinner tab for a great mushroom tip: slash calories by adding veggies, like mushrooms, to pasta sauces instead of meat!
Cutting Salt Intake Would Boost Nation’s Health Like the taste of salt? If Americans cut their salt intake by a mere half teaspoon per day, it would result in public health benefits on par with reducing high cholesterol, smoking and obesity. It could even reduce the number of heart attacks in the U.S. by up to 13 percent. All mushrooms are very low in sodium, so add them to your meals to get that great umami flavor to replace the desire for a salty taste!
Portobello Mushroom Marinara Sauce Get rid of meat in your pasta sauce and add the wonderful texture and flavor of Portabella mushrooms instead – cutting some calories, fat and sodium out of your meal. This sauce can be ready to serve in just 30 minutes or less, great for those late work nights.
Tags: B vitamins, copper, immunity, low sodium, potassium, recipe, vegetarian, weight loss
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Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Mushrooms: The Flavor of the Dark The New York Times touts mushrooms as the “most versatile of ingredients,” highlighting their meaty texture and deep flavor. The nutritional bang for your buck that you gain from adding mushrooms to your favorite dishes is also noted. One serving of raw white button mushrooms only adds a mere 18 calories to your meal, but tons of nutrients! Did you know mushrooms are chocked full of B vitamins, which help to break down proteins, fats and carbs to get you energized?
Vitamin D: It does a body better than we thought We’ve all known that vitamin D is great for bone health, but more and more new scientific research suggests links between low vitamin D levels and many chronic illnesses. On the flip side, increasing the amount of vitamin D in your diet (by eating D-rich foods like mushrooms!) can possibly decrease your risk for certain cancers, help you lose weight and boost your immune system.
Fungus or Feast? Make Room for Mushrooms Need a last-minute recipe idea to spice up your holiday menu? Why don’t you give one of these five unique mushroom recipes a shot, per recommendation from The New York Times!
Tags: B vitamins, bone health, cancer prevention, energy, immunity, Mushroom News, Mushroom Recipes, vitamin d, weight loss
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