The Perfect Summer Meal: Arugula, Grape and Sunflower Seed Salad

A refreshing salad can be a perfect meal on hot summer day. To top it off, this recipe combines a variety of healthy ingredients, so the delicious salad also provides the important nutrients your body needs. 

With antioxidants from the grapes, healthy fats and vitamin E from the sunflower seeds and oil, folate and vitamin A from the arugula, it’s hard to beat the nutrition profile on this summer salad.

You can also try topping the salad with a protein like salmon or tuna to make a well-balanced dinner entree.

Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving 

• Calories: 81 
• Calories from fat: 34% 
• Fat: 3.1 g 
• Saturated fat: 0.3 g 
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.5 g 
• Polyunsaturated fat: 2 g 
• Protein: 1.6 g 
• Carbohydrate: 13.1 g 
• Fiber: 1.2 g 
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg 
• Iron: 0.7 mg 
• Sodium: 124 mg 
• Calcium: 47 mg 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon honey 
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup 
• 1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard 
• 2 teaspoons grapeseed or olive oil 
• 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula 
• 2 cups red grapes, halved 
• 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels 
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Preparation:

1. Combine vinegar, honey, syrup and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk.
2. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.

The recipe is courtesy of Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light (May 2008). 

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Ready To Go Nuts? 6 Tips for Adding Nuts to a Healthy Diet

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains the health benefits of nuts and provides tips for incorporating them in a healthy diet. 

They say good things come in small packages and nuts are no exception. Filled with protein, fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants, nuts pack lots of good things into a small, convenient and healthy package. They keep you satisfied, help curb unintended grazing and have powerful cancer-fighting properties.

Previously shunned by healthy dieters because of their high fat content, it turns out that nuts actually contain heart-healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fat, which has been shown to lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.

In addition to being healthy, nuts are inexpensive and have a long shelf-life, which makes them perfect for throwing in your purse or briefcase when you’re on the go.

Before going nuts with nuts, check out the following tips to incorporating them into a healthy diet:

Control portions
Nuts are high in calories, so moderation is key. Limit serving size to one to two ounces per day. 

Use nuts as a substitute
Instead of simply adding nuts to your diet, use them to replace foods that are high in saturated fats like meat, or contain empty calories.

Always read the nutrition label
Look for items with nutrition labels that say “dry-roasted” or “raw” and avoid those that just say “roasted.” Roasted nuts often contain added oils. Also, choose unsalted nut varieties.

Love the nutty flavor? Try nut butters
There are a variety of nut butter options available today including peanut, almond and cashew. Before making your purchase, make sure the nut butter does not include added ingredients like sugar or hydrogenated fat.

Store properly 
If you’re buying a large bag of nuts, store them in the freezer for maximum freshness and to aid in portion control.

Chop or grind nuts as an add-in or topping
Add nuts to yogurt, oatmeal, salad or stir-fry to infuse them with the nutty flavor while keeping portions in check. You can also mix nuts with herbs to use as a crunchy coating for fish or chicken. Sound good? Check out this healthy recipe for almond encrusted tilapia.


- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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Crispy, Crave-worthy and Low-Calorie: Kale Chips Recipe

You know those days when carrots or low-fat yogurt just won’t cut it and you need a snack with a satisfying crunch? Fear not, there’s no need to resort to potato chips. Instead, try this recipe for kale chips. They’re low-calorie, filled with powerful antioxidants, a good source of calcium, fiber and vitamins A and C and they’re oven-baked, not fried. Sound too good to be true? Give them a try and you’ll be raving, too.

Ingredients:

• One bunch of kale, any type, rinsed and dried
• 2 to 3 tsp olive oil
• Salt or soy sauce, to taste
• Seasonings of choice - try chili flakes, paprika, garlic powder or Parmesan cheese*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove the kale leaves from the tough end and inner stems. Cut longer leaves in half or bite-size pieces. 
3. Place kale pieces in large bowl and toss in about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. The kale leaves only need to be lightly coated with oil. Too much oil makes the chips limp and greasy. If more oil is needed, add about 1 teaspoon at a time. Sprinkle in salt or soy sauce and seasonings of choice.
4. Put the kale pieces in a single layer in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleaning. 
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until crisp.  Toss halfway through for more even baking. Watch carefully as they can burn easily.

Nutrition Information: Amount per serving

• Calories: 47
• Total Fat: 1.5 g
• Total Carbohydrate: 6 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Fiber: 2 g

This recipe yields 10 servings (5 large chips).

*Adding Parmesan cheese increases calorie and fat content.

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Enjoy this Fall Favorite: Fresh Apple Salsa

Apple salsa brings together the fresh flavor of delicious fall apples and healthy nutrients. Apples are packed with a soluble fiber called pectin and powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. These two key nutrients reduce blood cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of artery-clogging plaque.

Serve fresh apple salsa with roasted chicken or pork, black beans or with tortilla chips as a dip.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced peeled Fuji or Jonagold apple (about 3/4 pound)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients, stirring well.

Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving

• Calories: 21
• Fat: 0.1g
• Saturated fat: 0.0g
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.0g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.0g
• Protein: 0.2g
• Carbohydrate: 5.7g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg
• Iron: 0.1mg
• Sodium: 50mg
• Calcium: 4mg

The recipe makes 12 servings.

This recipe is courtesy of Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Cooking Light (October 2010).

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