A Guide to Successful Gluten-free Baking

Leave a comment December 15, 2021 healthydigz

Baking is a science. Unlike traditional wheat-based flours, gluten-free flours typically require additional ingredients that contribute to successful gluten-free baking when it comes to binding, texture, and structure (due to the absence of gluten). Each flour has a different flavor, texture, and nutritional attributes. Understanding the personality of each gluten-free flour will help you choose the most suitable one for your recipe.

Before we get into the types of gluten-free options and how to make DIY flour blends, let me answer a few basic gluten-free baking questions.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a type of protein found in some grains that provides structure in baked goods. The most common gluten-containing grains include wheat, barley, and rye. It’s also found In relatives of wheat like spelt and kamut.

Can I just substitute a gluten-free flour for all-purpose in my favorite recipes?

It might be tempting to sub a gluten-free flour for all-purpose 1:1 and hope for the best! However there’s a good chance it might not turn out quite right. Some baked goods are more forgiving than others. Use the information below to determine if and when you need to alter amount and/or add ingredients like starches or binders.

How will gluten-free flour affect the baking time?

Most gluten-free baked goods will require a longer baking time to prevent a gummy, mushy texture. The reason? More liquid. The “toothpick test” isn’t the best indicator of doneness so make sure your oven is calibrated properly and use the time instead.

What about store-bought gluten-free flour?

Some popular flour companies now make 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blends that already have a proper mix of flours and starches (like xanthan gum). It’s a great option in a pinch because you can use as a 1:1 replacement for all-purpose flour and it mimics results of all-purpose flour. Just note that these are typically rice-based, so they aren’t as nutritionally dense as some of the other options mentioned here. They can also be expensive.

Popular Gluten-Free Flours

Rice Flour

Light, mild and easy to digest. Often used to make noodles in Asian cuisines. It’s also rich in carbohydrates and low in fat. A common ingredient In store-bought flour blends because it’s texture is most similar to all-purpose.

Chickpea Flour

Chickpea (or garbanzo bean) flour contains significantly more fiber and protein than others on this list. It’s also a good source of plant-based iron. Popular in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking.

Millet Flour

Millet flour has a mild, sweet flavor and a cake-like crumb. It works great in muffins and quick-breads. It’s also a very nutritious whole grain.

Buckwheat Flour

Despite what the name suggests, buckwheat is naturally gluten-free. It’s often used to make noodles (soba), pancakes and Russian blini. This flour adds a beautiful deep brown color to baked goods and has a nutty flavor.

Almond Flour

This may be the most versatile of the bunch. Almond flour has a high fat content which equates to moisture, tenderness and rich flavor. It can produce a “heavy” final product at times which might not rise as easily as traditional wheat flour baked goods.

Coconut Flour

It has a sweet coconut flavor and is very high in fiber. Note that it is also highly absorbent, so you’ll only need a small amount (1/3 or 1/4 as much) and you’ll likely need to combine it with another flour for structure.

Oat Flour

Oat flour is made from milled oats and has a mild flavor. It’s light texture lends soft and fluffy quality to baked goods. Remember that oats need to be certified gluten-free as they are often cross-contaminated.

Cassava Flour

Cassava is rich in carbohydrates and high in fiber. This flour is similar to wheat, so works well in a variety of baked goods.

Why use binders and starches?

In baking, gluten allows dough to come together and become elastic (think pizza dough!). When working with gluten-free flours, you’ll need to add an extra ingredient that does its job. This is where binders (like gums) and starches come in. In baking, these ingredients help hold everything together. They also add much-needed moisture and a more pleasant texture. Too much can lead to a gummy final product so it’s important to use the correct amount. See below for a description of some of the more popular options available.

CornStarch

Commonly used to thicken sauces and and soups. It’s not usually recommended in baked goods because it can taste too starchy.

Arrowroot Powder

Flavorless. Similar to cornstarch and a great substitute for those who avoid corn. Use it to thicken sauces or pie filling. Sub 2 teaspoon for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

Tapioca Starch

Also known as tapioca flour and is used as a thickening agent. It also provides “chew” and elasticity. It can contribute to browning.

Potato Starch

Similar texture to cornstarch and tapioca starch but derived from white potatoes. Helps bind recipes together and keep baked goods tender.

Guar Gum

Adds structure or “glue” to baked goods as a way to prevent a crumbly texture. It has 8x the thickening power of cornstarch!

Xanthan Gum

Similarly to guar gum, xanthan gum helps prevent crumbling in baked goods by providing structure and strengthening elastic networks. It’s corn-based.

DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blends

If you want to give gluten-free baking a try and prefer to experiment with your own flour blends, start with one of these! Option one is rice-based and will yield results most similar to all-purpose (wheat) flour. Option two is oat-based, which is a high-fiber choice. Option three is made with almond flour to create a dense, moist and ultra satisfying final product.

Rice Flour Blend

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour

1/4 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl, then transfer to an airtight container for storing.

Oat Flour Blend

1 1/2 cup [certified gluten-free] oat flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl, then transfer to an airtight container for storing.

Almond Flour Blend

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

2 1/4 cups buckwheat flour

1 3/4 cup potato starch

3/4 cup arrowroot powder

Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl, then transfer to an airtight container for storing.

Baking with gluten-free flour may seem a little intimidating at first. But you really can’t go wrong if you start with one of these flour blends. Once you determine the flavor and texture you desire in your baked goods, you can fine tune your flour recipe. Have some fun in your discovery and put your personal stamp on your creation. Happy Baking!

How to cook squash – from Kabocha to Delicata

Leave a comment November 20, 2021 healthydigz

I agree – they’re intimidating! The mounds of colorful, tough-skinned squash and gourds arranged in boxes outside the automatic grocery doors as their more approachable, thin-skinned cousins nestle in their cozy produce-aisle beds. There’s no doubt that members of the Cucurbitaceae family, notably pumpkins, gourds, and winter squash, are beautiful, if not interesting, ornamental works of Mother Nature. But it seems that many are destined to be arranged on the front stoop of every suburban home from November through December.

Underneath their colorful, sometimes rough, exteriors is nutrient-dense flesh that does really well in soups – it’s just the right amount of starch to yield a creamy texture. But don’t stop there. They are also delicious baked and roasted along with protein of your choice….think sheet pan dinner! Many varieties have edible skins and do not need to be peeled. This makes them easy to prepare and high in fiber. No lie – it was a game changer for me when I discovered I can cook and eat the peel.

In addition to fiber, winter squash is an excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C. If the nutritional attributes alone have not convinced you to make this healthy plant-based food a part of your regular diet, I hope you will give it a whirl once you learn all the delicious and versatile ways to use them in recipes. Personally, I love adding roasted squash to salads and puréed squash to baked goods (recipe below). Here I share with you some top picks for edible varieties.

Kabocha

Also known as Japanese pumpkin, kabocha squash has green skin, orange flesh, and a shape similar to pumpkin. The flesh is super sweet when cooked and is rich in beta-carotene – 1 cup has more than 200% DV (daily value) of vitamin A! Before preparing for cooking, place whole squash in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes to soften the skin. It will make cutting, peeling, and chopping an easier and much safer experience. Try using kabocha in place of the butternut squash in your favorite soup.

Acorn

Acorn squash varies in color from dark green to tie-dyed green with orange shades. The flesh is less sweet than kabocha and is more yellow than orange. Just one cup provides more than 25% DV of vitamin C. You can soften the squash if needed by heating in the oven, although it is small enough that this may not be needed. Trim the top from each squash, invert on the cutting board, and slice from bottom to top to create two halves. Remove seeds. You can bake the halves with a drizzle of olive oil and a touch of maple syrup for 30 minutes at 350°F – an excellent side dish. You can also slice into half moons to prepare for roasting.

Sugar Pumpkin

Sugar pumpkins look a lot like carving pumpkins so be sure to select those marked especially for cooking. They are sweeter than those cultivated for jack-o-lantern displays. The best way to cook the flesh is to roast the entire pumpkin – this allows the flesh to remain moist and helps the sugars to develop. Remove stem from pumpkin, rinse, and make several slits through the skin with a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for about an hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cooled. Cut off the top portion (around where the stem would be), remove seeds, and scoop out flesh. Try adding pumpkin to hummus or stir some into yogurt. Of course, you can always use it for baking!

Delicata

Probably on the top of my list for ease of preparation! Delicata squash has a mild, nutty flavor, firm flesh, and thin edible skin. Preparing this variety could not be simpler: rinse, cut in half, remove seeds, slice into half-moons, toss with some olive oil and salt and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes until browned. Delicious enough to eat on their own as a fiber-rich snack!

Now that you have a little more culinary knowledge about squash, why not put it to use and impress family and friends over Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s a recipe to inspire you:

Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Difficulty: Easy
Print

Ingredients

1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup Tapioca Starch (tapioca flour)
1/4 tsp xantham gum
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325ºF and combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until well incorporated. Pour into a greased shallow 8×8 pan or mini muffin pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 167 calories; 9.2 g fat; 20 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 0 mg cholesterol; 125 mg sodium.

Healthy Greens To Eat Now: 5 Not-So-Basic Leafy Greens

2 Comments July 17, 2021 healthydigz

When it comes to leafy greens, most of us rely on the basics like romaine, leaf lettuce and spinach week after week – and while all of these provide health benefits, there is a huge selection of leafy greens in the produce aisle that you could potentially be missing! Shaking things up can help keep things fun and interesting in the kitchen while also diversifying your nutrient intake.

We’ve all heard that it’s important to eat those green vegetables and I have to say, that age-old recommendation has merit! Leafy green vegetables are a total nutrition powerhouse providing plant-based calcium, iron and magnesium, plus vitamins A, C and K (vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and bone health).

If you don’t like the taste of one variety, chances are you can find an alternative. It might also be a matter of preparation method, so don’t hesitate to do some experimenting. Here are some of my favorites healthy greens along with simple ways you can try incorporating them into your regular rotation:

Arugula

Swapping arugula for romaine is a great way to spice up a salad (literally!). This leafy green has a peppery bite and delicate texture. It pairs perfectly with a light citrus vinaigrette and some shaved parmesan cheese (aka – the ultimate no hassle dinner side salad).

Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable, like its cousins broccoli and cauliflower, and therefore has added disease-preventative effects. Try tossing some arugula in a balsamic vinaigrette and sprinkle on top of baked flatbread and pizza – great way to amp up the nutritional value and add a refreshing flavor!

Arugula

Lacinato Kale

You might already be familiar with traditional “curly” kale that has become a grocery store staple in recent years. Lacinato or “dino” kale is the one that has a long flat leaves with a bumpy texture and newer to the scene. Add it to your favorite soup or stew near the end of cooking time for a pop of bright green color and an extra element of texture.

Cooking kale mellows its bitter flavor, so a quick sauté in some olive oil with a bit of lemon juice is a delicious way to enjoy this nutrient powerhouse. If you don’t want to turn on the stove, try massaging the chopped kale with a little salt and olive oil to soften the leaves for a more digestible salad.

Lacinato Kale

Chard

This leafy green comes in many varietals. The stem color ranges from white to purple and bestows its varietal name, such as red chard. Swiss chard is most commonly known and typically has a gorgeous bright pink or yellow stem.

Due to the large size of the leaves, chard makes a nice swap for tortillas (a great low-carbohydrate option!). Use the leaves to wrap hummus and vegetables or stuff with your favorite filling. You can also sauté the delicate leaves, as they cook up quickly. The stems are full of nutrition so chop them and sauté first with some onion and garlic for an amazing side dish. For an easy plant-focused meal, simply add in some chickpeas.

Red Chard

Watercress

Watercress is a cruciferous vegetable with long stems and small, circular leaves. It makes a great sandwich topper in place of traditional leaf lettuce for a fun presentation.

The bright, peppery taste does well with just a bit of vinegar and olive oil. You can also drop into soups just before serving for a burst of flavor. One of my favorite salads includes watercress, cucumbers, and radishes – fresh and delicious!

Watercress

Bok Choy

Bok Choy is a type of Chinese cabbage with a bright white stem surrounded by dark green leaves. Baby Bok Choy has a green stem and tends to be a little more tender.

It’s most commonly used in Asian cuisines including stir-fries and soups like ramen, but feel free to add it to salads and slaws. You can also cook Bok Choy on a sheet pan very easily – simply place quartered bok choy on parchment-lined sheet pan and toss with freshly grated ginger and sesame oil. Roast at 350° F until softened and serve with fresh lime wedges. Baby Boy Choy is also delicious grilled – place the quartered Baby Bok Choy on an oiled grill and brush with your favorite Asian-inspired marinate and cook for approximately 4 minutes or until tender.

Baby Bok Choy

Take Action

Leafy greens are available year-round in the supermarket. Make it a habit to add greens to your grocery basket very time you shop. Produce should be eaten as fresh as possible for maximum quality and nutritional value – greens are no exception. With such vast varieties, it’s time to try a couple new ones!

Plant-based Eating for a Healthier Planet

Leave a comment April 22, 2021 healthydigz

Happy Earth Day! What lifestyle changes are you making to help save our planet? You might be walking instead of driving to run errands or refashioning and recycling your house decors rather than trashing them. There is no change that is too small to make a difference in our environment!

The earth friendly changes I made consciously this past year include eating more plant-based food and reducing plastic bottles beyond disposable water bottles – think food containers and body care packaging. Eating more plant-based is not only better for the earth but it’s better for the body. Shifting to a plant-based diet contributes greatly to the reduction of greenhouse-gas emission. According to an Oxford University study, people who eat more than 0.1 kg (3.5 oz) of meat per day—about the size of a hamburger patty—generate 7.2 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each day, while vegetarians and vegans generate 3.8 kg and 2.9 kg of CO2e, respectively. That means you can reduce your carbon foot print by more than 50% by eating a meatless meal. Just like any lifestyle change, it’s not easy to switch to a meatless diet overnight. You don’t have to go vegan if that’s not your thing. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Think of it as a sliding scale – the more plants you eat instead of meat the less CO2e is produced – and make that shift gradually!

As I push forward with my quest for a more plant-based diet, I want to share with you some of my flavorful and interesting ways to incorporate more grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables into everyday meals. If you want a step-by-step guide to show you how to transition to a plant-based diet, you can get click the link to get my free e-book.

Have some fun making the shift to a plant-based diet

1. Explore some new plant-based foods

Try a new vegetable weekly. Don’t be intimidated just because you haven’t tasted or cooked it before. Check out your weekly farmer’s market for inspiration.
Buy fresh and seasonal to add interest and variety to your meals. Avoid processed plant-based food.
Experiment with high protein grains such as kamut, quinoa, spelt, teff, millet, and wild rice. They are easier to cook than you think. If you know how to cook rice, you can cook other grains.

2. Discover new seasonings

Use chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, and dill to flavor your grains
Add nuts and seeds to vegetables and grains for texture and taste.
Try spices from around the globe. You can learn a lot about cooking with spices from visiting a spice shop. If you don’t have one near you, try Oaktown Spice Shop (one of my fave) and they will ship your order to your door.
Sauce it up with tahini, hummus, sriracha, pesto, etc to heighten the flavor.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

3. Learn new cooking techniques

Checkout Instagram and YouTube for cooking demos to learn various cooking techniques.
Invest in a couple good cookbooks. One of my favorite cookbook by a fellow dietitian is Vegetable Cookbook for Vegetarians. It’s a perfect book for newcomers to the adventure land of vegetables. There are 200 recipes from artichokes to zucchini so you can be sure to find something new to try!
For plant-forward global recipes, I recommend Spicebox Kitchen, a new cookbook released in March, 2021 that throws a healthy twist to traditional recipes, such as whole wheat onion pancakes.

My Cooking Demo – an easy delicious plant-based meal

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A post shared by Susan Volkamer, RD (@healthydigz)

How Does a Virtual Cooking Class Work

2 Comments March 31, 2021 healthydigz

I took my first virtual cooking class last Saturday night! It introduced me to the flavors of Ethiopia, a cuisine I don’t know much about but eager to discover. I learned a few lessons, beyond the cooking lesson that will help you have a better experience at your first or next virtual cooking class.

This cooking class, Cooking with Mekdes: An Ethiopian Experience, was a fundraiser to support Rare Trait Hope, a non-profit organization with a mission to develop a cure for Aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU), a fatal genetic neuro-degenerative disease. A friend in Canada adopted a little girl, Makeda from Ethiopia who was diagnosed with this rare disease at a very young age. Her mother hopes for a cure in Makeda’s lifetime! If you want to support this worthwhile cause , the recording of Cooking with Mekdes is still available.

Virtual cooking classes offer you the opportunity to learn new knowledge of various ethnic cuisines and develop new cooking techniques. When traveling is limited by the Pandemic, this is a fun and entertaining way to escape to all corners of the globe and taste local food without leaving your home.

Ethiopian dishes I made when Cooking with Mekdes

Ginger with Garlic Paste
Asa Tibs Wet
Green Lentil Salad
Gomen Wet

Steps to consider for a Zoom cooking class

Register for the class well in advance! Some cook-along classes limit the number of participants so the chef can interact with the participants online and provide some handholding throughout the class. Some classes are more instructor-centric and done in a demo style so there’s no cap for the number of attendees. You can still submit questions in the chat box but the instructor may not get to your questions. The class I attended was a hybrid where you can choose to cook-along live or just watch and cook later at your own speed.

Check if the class is recorded, just in case you can’t attend at the scheduled time. Most class organizer will email the recording to you if it’s available. Cooking along side a class recording may not have the same energy as cooking with a live class. But the upside with a recording is that you can pause, chop, eat and sip at your own pace. Cooking with a live class can be very fast-paced and even frantic at times, especially if you are not well prepared.

Get menu, recipes and grocery shopping list before your class. Be sure to allow adequate time to locate specialty ingredients if necessary. I registered for my class early which allow enough time for my friend to mail me the Ethiopian spices (ground rosemary, berbere, and koreima). Some online cooking classes may include pantry ingredients delivered to your door but be prepared to pay a higher price for that kind of service. Review the steps of the recipes to make sure you have cooking tools in you kitchen. This is especially true if you are cooking global cuisine where you may need tools like a paella pan, a clay pot or a steam basket.

Get a link for the zoom meeting. It should be sent to you at least a day or so before the class. Be sure you have great working wifi to avoid interruptions during your class. Log in at least 10 minutes before the scheduled class time to test the link and wifi to avoid any snafu. Set up your device in a place where you can see what the chef is doing as you cook. Test the volume to ensure you can hear well over cooking noises. Consider lighting and reflection on the screen of your device for image clarity. The set-up can be tricky depending on your kitchen space and configuration. I used a laptop so I was able to move it to various parts of the kitchen. Don’t forget to cover your keyboard to protect it from food and liquid spills.

Set up all the ingredients and tools needed for the recipes within your reach before the start of the class. You don’t want to be digging in the bottom cupboard for your lemon squeezer while the instructor is already onto the next step of the recipe . It’s ideal to pre-squeeze your lemons, prewash and slice or dice any meat and vegetables, and even precook some ingredients. I made the mistake of not reading through the recipe instruction for the lentil salad, calling for cooked lentils. Luckily, my cooking partner caught that step early in the class so I was able to cook the lentils in time for the salad. Having a friend as a sous chef was invaluable and loads of fun – highly recommend it!

Now that you are all set for your virtual cooking class, make yourself a cocktail or pour yourself a glass of wine. Relax and enjoy your culinary experience!

10 Foods To Eat in 2021 To Boost Your Immunity

1 Comment December 30, 2020 healthydigz

We all know hindsight is 20/20! Well, Year 2020 has sure shown us that our health can be tenuous if we are not resilient. Individuals who are medically comprised and the elderly have been most vulnerable during the pandemic due to their weaken immune system.

Besides the obvious precautions of social distancing, wearing a mask, and diligent hand washing, what protects us most against COVID-19 is our body’s natural immune system. It is undeniable that our diet can influence our immunity significantly.

As we head into 2021, if you are going to set one new year’s resolution, let it be….. building a stronger immune system. Here are 10 foods that will boost your immunity:

1. Elderberries

The berries and flowers of elderberries, from the plant species Sambucus nigra, are loaded with immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamins. Elderberry, a strong anti-viral, is particularly effective at fighting upper respiratory infections. Fresh elderberries are not commonly sold in the grocery store but you can find elderberry tea and syrup at health food stores and online. There are other delicious uses for elderberries if you are willing to spending a little time in the kitchen.

2. Chocolate

Chocolate comes in many varieties but it is the dark chocolate that offers health benefits. Dark chocolate contains much higher levels of flavonoids, antioxidants that protect our cells from damage and inflammation.The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants and less sugar. I suggest 70% cocoa or more but chocolate with much higher cocoa may taste too bitter for some. Dark chocolate bars make a good snack, as long as you keep moderation in mind.

3. Garlic

Garlic is widely used in many cuisines and it adds great flavor to food. Few of us think of its health benefits when we are savoring our garlic noodles but its immune-boosting properties come from a high concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. These compounds have been found to significantly reduce inflammation and protect against certain bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori.

4. Ginger

Ginger has been used for thousands of years in the Far East for its medicinal properties. A pungent spice for both savory and sweet dishes, ginger has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects that are beneficial to a healthy immune system. Research has shown that ginger may inhibit certain inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, and other immune-related conditions, including allergies, asthma, and colds.

5. Turmeric

This golden yellow spice is a key ingredient in curry dishes and has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions, such as allergies, diabetes, and ulcers. Studies have shown that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, may boost the immune system by activating certain immune cells and targeting proinflammatory cytokines. Cooking with turmeric is not complicated but do add some black pepper to enhance the absorption of curcumin.

6. Matcha Green Tea

Matcha is a fine bright-green powder produced by grounding young green tea leaves. Because of entire leave is used rather than steeping green tea leaves in water, Matcha can be as much as 3 times more concentrated in caffeine and flavonoids than green tea. These antioxidants support the immune system by protecting our cells against free radicals and oxidative damage. Matcha has an earthy, almost sweet, vegetal flavor. You just add boiling water to Matcha powder and stir. Beware of the added sugar when ordering Matcha in a cafe – an average cup at Starbucks has 30 grams of sugar!

Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist on Pexels.com

7. Nuts

Nuts are among the best sources of vitamin E, a fat soluble antioxidant involved in immune function. Vitamin E has the ability to regulate the body’s immune system by stimulating the activity of natural killer cells, white blood cells involved in the innate immune response. The vitamin may reduce the risk of certain infections, including respiratory infections. In addition, vitamin E deficiency may result in an impaired immune response. Make sure your diet is adequate in vitamin E in by eating nuts, including almonds and hazelnuts, and other vitamin E-rich foods regularly.

8. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables – kale, cabbage, collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and mustard greens – provide sulfur-containing compounds, as well as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients. Research suggests that cruciferous vegetables may support immune health by reducing the risk of certain cancers, such as gastric and prostate cancers, as well as by exerting anti-microbial activity, which may protect against gastrointestinal infections.

9. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specially omega-3s, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA have anti-inflammatory properties such as reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids involved in heart disease and arthritis. Best sources of omega-3s are wild salmon, sardines, herring, and anchovies.

10. Fennel

Aside from its many culinary uses, fennel and its seeds offer many immune-boosting properties. Research has shown that fennel has anti-microbial and anti-viral activity, and has the potential to protect against infections and various gastrointestinal conditions. Both the fennel and its seeds are low in calories but high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals including calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. To reap the health benefits of fennel, try incorporating raw fennel bulb into your salads or using the seeds to flavor soups, broths, baked goods, and fish dishes.

Take Action

Our body’s incredible immune system is designed to protect us from harmful threats in our surrounding. Although It will flight foreign invaders with specific inflammatory responses, what makes people sick is a combination of environmental exposure and their level of resilience. Why not eat delicious healthy foods to show some support for your disease-fighting cells!

How to Lighten Up a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

Leave a comment November 24, 2020 healthydigz

Many of us love a traditional Thanksgiving meal because it brings comfort and warm memories of our family. However if you have been working hard to reduce fat and sugar intake to achieve better health, it can be stressful when faced with excessive amount of food that doesn’t fit into your diet. What is one to do?

First and foremost, don’t set yourself up with unrealistic expectation of restricting yourself on Thanksgiving. It is only once a year so keep it in perspective. Instead, take control and modify how you make these traditional holiday dishes so you can enjoy them guilt free. Here are some ways to cut fat and sugar without sacrificing the classic taste of a Thanksgiving dinner:

Roast turkey

Buy a fresh turkey, organic if possible, for better flavor and texture than a previously frozen one. Choose a plain bird over a self-basting one to lower the sodium content. To ensure a moist turkey, bake unstuffed, leave the skin on while roasting and remove from the oven when internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the breast. A 3.5 ounce serving of breast meat without skin has less than a gram of fat.

Gravy

Use a gravy cup or refrigerate the pan juices (to harden the fat) and skim the fat off before making gravy. Save around 56 grams of fat per cup!

Dressing

Use a little less bread and add more onions, celery, vegetables or even fruits such as cranberries and apples.

Candied yams

Cut back on the fat and sugar by leaving out the butter and marshmallows. Sweeten with fruit juice, such as apple, and flavor with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Green bean casserole

Cook fresh green beans with chunks of potatoes instead of cream soup. Top with almonds instead of fried onion rings.

Mashed potatoes

Use low-fat buttermilk, garlic powder and a little aged parmesan cheese instead of whole milk, and butter. It will be just as creamy and even more flavorful with the cheese.

Bread

Stick with plain sourdough baguette rather than cornbread or buttery dinner roles. Slice the bread into smaller pieces.

Dessert

Serve some attractive and delicious fruit, such as persimmon and kiwi along side a classic Thanksgiving dessert so you have choices. Try this Light Pumpkin Pie recipe which has 1/2 the calories of a regular pie.