North Shore LIJ

November 22, 2011

8 Thanksgiving Calorie Savers

Eric Sieden

Click the Thanksgiving infographic for larger sizes

The average American eats about 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving, according to the American Council on Exercise. But you can enjoy the holiday without stuffing yourself. Here’s how:
 

• Cut half the calories in turkey by not eating the skin. 
• Add more vegetables to stuffing (carrots, celery, mushrooms) so you’ll use less bread. Swap in whole wheat for white bread as a healthier option.
• Cook yams with skim milk and save up to 70 calories per serving
• Save up to 55 calories per serving by preparing a green bean casserole with milk, fresh mushrooms and seasonings rather than cream of mushroom soup. 
• Make fresh cranberry sauce sweetened with orange juice instead of refined sugar.
• Choose pumpkin pie with a low-fat crust for dessert, and save 10 grams of sugar and almost half of the carbs compared with a similar slice of pecan pie.

How do you plan to keep your Thanksgiving dinner healthy? Tell us in the comments.

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November 21, 2011

How to Store and Enjoy Leftovers

Nancy Copperman, RD

Many people think the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. Here’s how to enjoy yours safely, according to the American Dietetic Association.

Storage

• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of cooking the food. 
• Store leftovers in airtight, shallow containers (two inches deep or less).
• Remove turkey from the bone and store it separately from the stuffing and gravy. You can leave sliced breast meat, legs and wings whole.

Reheating and Eating

• Eat leftover turkey, casseroles and cooked vegetables within three or four days. 
• Use stuffing and gravy within one to two days. 
• Finish fruit and cream pies within two to three days and cheesecake within seven days. 
• Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring leftover gravy to a steady boil on the stove before serving it a second time.
• Regardless of how many days have passed: When in doubt, throw it out!

The American Dietetic Association offers additional information on holiday food safety.

Tuesday’s blog will include tips on watching your waist on Thanksgiving.

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November 18, 2011

7 Tips to Thaw and Cook Turkey Safely

Nancy Copperman, RD

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Make sure Thanksgiving is a happy occasion by handling and cooking your turkey properly. For a frozen bird, there are three safe ways to thaw it.

• Refrigerator thawing: For safe thawing in the refrigerator, allow about one day of thawing for every four to five pounds of turkey. For example, a 15-pound turkey will take three days to thaw in the refrigerator. Set your refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Microwave thawing: Remove all original packaging, metal pieces and gizzard bags from the bird. Put the turkey on a microwave-safe plate to catch any drippings. Make sure that your microwave oven is big enough to contain your bird with the door closed entirely. Following the instructions in the owner’s manual for defrosting, put the turkey in the microwave oven on the defrost setting. Cook the turkey immediately after thawing, because some areas may warm up and begin to cook during the defrost process. Never refrigerate or freeze a microwave-thawed turkey.
• Cold-water thawing: Keep turkey in its original airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the whole bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. The estimated minimum thawing time is 30 minutes per pound for a whole turkey, so a 15 pound turkey will take 7.5 hours. Remember to stay with the bird in order to change the cold water every 30 minutes to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Never thaw turkey or other raw meat on at room temperature or under hot water, and never refreeze thawed turkey or any raw meat. Full Post - to Detail View

August 09, 2011

Watch Out for Hidden Calories

Nancy Copperman, RD

Of the top five major sources of calories for adults, only two foods are good sources of protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They are chicken and yeast breads. The rest of the foods--grain-based desserts (for example: cookies, cakes, pies, muffins) and sweetened sodas, energy drinks and alcoholic beverages--are not a significant source of nutrition, but they are a significant source of calories. So try to cut down on portion sizes and frequency of these foods and instead to replace them with fruit, water, flavored seltzers and decaffeinated iced tea flavored with sliced lemons, lines, oranges and mint.

Improve the quality of chicken dishes and yeast breads (for example, bagels, croissants, fruit breads) by considering the following:

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June 06, 2011

Think “MyPlate” for Healthy Eating

Nancy Copperman, RD

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) just announced a new graphic, MyPlate, to help Americans follow the recently released 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines are issued and updated every 5 years by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. They provide advice for Americans ages 2 and older about consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices, and being physically active to attain and maintain a healthy weight, reduce risk of chronic disease and promote overall health.

MyPlate replaces the familiar Food Pyramid that many of us have seen on food packaging and posters. MyPlate is a picture of a plate divided into protein, fruit, vegetables and grains portions accompanied by a serving of dairy. Every time we serve our food onto a plate at mealtime for ourselves and families, we can try to recreate the MyPlate foods and portion sizes.

MyPlate emphasizes:

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Compare sodium in food like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose food with lower sodium content.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

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