Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole - Southern Style

Yams and sweet potatoes have always been a Thanksgiving favorite for most families-especially in the South! But I'm from Southern California and we do things with the "usual" ingredients and give them a bit of a twist! This dish came about when my sister became a Weight Watcher. She always hosts our Thanksgiving potlucks and I am always in charge of the "TUBER BRIGADE" of recipes for our crowd. Not wanting to spoil her Thanksgiving, I came up with this very tasty yet low-fat casserole that has become as necessary to our holiday celebration as my potato and cauliflower mashers.

The ingredient amounts are adjustable to fit your crowd, I always figure about 4-6 ounces of sweet potatoes or yams per person. Because of all the fruits, you find yourself eating less of the dish. It's not only full of vitamin A and potassium, but lots of fiber as well!

Pre-heat your oven to 400. Spray a 2-1/2 quart casserole with butter-flavored Pam and set aside.

For two pounds of potatoes have ready:

1 large can sliced peaches in syrup

1 C each prunes and dried apricots, plumped up for 30 minutes in warm orange or pineapple juice (simply put fruit in a saucepan and cover with the juice, bring up to a simmer and then shut off the heat)

1 C fresh cranberries, frozen or fresh (defrost if using frozen)

1 to 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

kosher salt and pepper

2 tbsps lite margarine

1/2 C toasted and chopped pecans

Some options that are always nice are to also plump up dried pears, dried apples and even for a different texture of the same fruit-dried peaches. Just remember to also plump them with the prunes and apricots as well.

Scrub and dry potatoes. Bake on a cookie sheet about 40 minutes or about 3/4's of the way roasted. Cool for about 10 minutes. Peel and cut into chucks not too much thicker than the peach slices and prunes.

Combine the potatoes with the peaches, syrup from the peaches, prunes with the juice, cranberries, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper to taste. Combine well.

Dot with margarine. Bake for about 15 minutes or until potatoes have finished baking. Top with toasted and chopped pecans. Serve.

Carine Nadel is on The Reader's Advisory Panel of Woman's Day magazine and has had numerous articles and recipes published both on various websites and print publications. To read more of her work, log onto: http://www.Carine-whatscooking.blogspot.com

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The Glycemic Index List and Top Notch Fruits

There are a lot of good reasons to choose foods that are low on the glycemic index list. The biggest of these reasons is that by choosing foods that are low on the glycemic index list, you are picking foods that slowly release glucose into your bloodstream. This means you will get to avoid the peaks and valleys of the sugar rush. If much of your diet centers on sugary processed foods, then one of the best moves you can make for your health is to satisfy your sweet tooth in a different way and that way is by selecting healthy fruit.

Many fruits are not only low on the glycemic index list, but are loaded with tons of nutrition as well. In the world of fruit, there are many picks that are great options for anyone looking to eat a nutritious diet and stay on the low end of the glycemic index list. However, it is important to note that, overall, vegetables in general, are lower on the GI than many fruits. That stated however, there are many great fruit picks, such as grapefruits, oranges and prunes.

Citrus on the Glycemic Index List

While much is always made of the Vitamin C content of grapefruits and oranges, it is important to note that they have respectable amounts of other nutrients as well. For example, grapefruits have a variety of B vitamins as well as minerals such as zinc, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Grapefruits are also a low-calorie pick for anyone on a diet. Why its even safe to state that the grapefruit is famous for being a filling food that is also low calorie. This is part of the reason it's a great choice for anyone wishing to incorporate more foods low on the glycemic index list.

Like the grapefruit, the orange is also a food that is low on the glycemic index list. Oranges are famous for being packed with Vitamin C, but like the grapefruit, oranges are also packed with numerous B Vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Surprisingly, oranges also contain a good amount of calcium and other minerals such as magnesium and phosphorus. Both oranges and grapefruits are wonderful picks at the low end of the glycemic index list.

Dried Fruit

A prune is a dried plum, but it's a dried plum that packs a big time nutritional punch. Prunes have a very high ORAC value and that means that they are very good for you. ORAC is acronym for oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and is used as a measurement of the antioxidants contained within a food. As it turns out, prunes are one of the higher foods on the ORAC scale, which means that they can potentially help your body fight off the effects of aging. That's right, a little prune can do all of that.

There are lots of fruits that are simply fantastic for those looking to eat low glycemic index list foods. Grapefruits, oranges and prunes are three good bets as they are available for much of the year, will keep in your refrigerator for a long time, and are readily available.

For lots more info on the Glycemic Index List go to http://the-glycemic-index-guide.com. Also check out the FREE 10 part mini-course, "Glycemic Index Secrets", it might be all you'll ever need (and did I mention it was free!!)

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Low Calorie And Vegetarian Recipes - 3 Fun Brownie Recipes

Vegetarians, even those who follow the stricter "vegan" regimen often find ways to adapt recipes to account for their meatless diets. What follow are three brownie recipes suitable for those following the vegetarian regimen (those allowing the use of eggs and dairy products, unlike the stricter "vegan" diets which do not).

Wherever possible, it is recommended that organic products (those containing no additives) be used where ever possible.

Saucepan Brownies

These are called saucepan brownies because the original recipe called for a stick of butter which was melted in a saucepan. The texture of these brownies is more cake-like than fudge-like.

Mix in one bowl:

• 1/2 cup organic flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

In separate bowl mix:

• 1/2 cup pureed prunes (a 4 oz. jar of baby food prunes is perfect)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 organic or free range eggs (or equivalent amount of egg substitute like Egg Beaters)

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Put in 8 x 8 inch square pan. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until edges look dry and start to pull away from the pan.

Fat-Free Fudge Brownies

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 egg whites or equivalent egg substitutes *like Egg Beaters
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly moistened.

Pour batter into an 8x8 inch pan which has been sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 325 F. for 23-25 minutes, or just until the edges are firm and the center is set.

COOL TO ROOM TEMPERATURE and cut into squares.

The following recipe was originally taken from the L.A. Daily News.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BROWNIES

By Charlotte Balcomb Lane

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup fat-free egg substitutes
• 1 jar (10 oz.) sugar-free raspberry preserves (or apricot, or cherry)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flour

Thoroughly coat a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. (cook's note: seems to me that a thorough dusting with flour will work instead.)

Set aside.

With an electric mixer, combine sugar and cocoa. Gradually pour in egg substitutes and raspberry jam, beating on low-speed until sugar is no longer grainy.

Add vanilla, salt, and almond extract and beat briefly to mix. Combine flour and baking soda and stir in with a flexible rubber spatula. Do not over mix. Turn into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for a 30-35 minutes. Brownies should be slightly underbaked but not runny in the center. Allow to cool and cut into 2x2"squares. Makes 24.

TEST KITCHEN NOTES:

Because of jam, these brownies are sticky to cut.

To reduce sticking, wet the knife between each cut or partially freeze the brownies before cutting. (Side note: this is assuming you've been able to wait till they were cool to cut them, rather than scooping some out with a spatula!)

Discover all the other great low calorie and vegetarian recipes just waiting for you at my low calorie and vegetarian recipes [http://www.low-calorie-and-vegetarian-recipes.org] website or at [http://www.low-calorie-and-vegetarian-recipes.org]

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Wholesome Salads

Kohlrabi is sometimes called Northern orange. This sort of cabbage contains much of vitamin PP, potassium and phosphorus.

SALAD OF KOHLRABI WITH APPLES AND GARLIC

Ingredients:

300 g of kohlrabi, 200 g of apples, 200 g of mayonnaise, 10 g of garlic, 10 g of marjoram, 30 mL of beet vinegar, pepper and salt to your liking.

Cut kohlrabi in straws. Grate apples. Add pounded garlic, salt, pepper, beet vinegar. Mix salad, pour it with mayonnaise and add marjoram.

Seeds of pomegranate look like a ruby. But they are not only beautiful. Juice of pomegranate contains vitamins, organic acids and tannin - substances, improving blood and contributing to better assimilation of food.

SALAD OF POMERGRANATE AND ONION

Ingredients:

1 big pomegranate, 2 middle-sized onions, salt to your liking.
Chop onion small and wash 2-3 times in hot water, then put in colander, squeeze juice off pomegranate seeds. Mix part of seeds with onion and pour with squeezed juice. Decorate salad with a rose cut off onion, filled with pomegranate seeds. Put it in the middle of salad, and put circles of onion around.
White cabbage contributes to normal metabolism and delays turning of carbohydrates into fat.

SALAD OF FRESH CABBAGE AND PRUNES

Ingredients:

400 g of white cabbage, 100 g of prunes, 50 g of carrot, lemon juice and sugar to your liking.
Soak prunes beforehand. Cut cabbage in straws, pour with some sugar and grind to receive juice. Now squeeze cabbage. Remove seeds off swelled prunes and cut it in small. Grate carrot. Mix everything and add lemon juice. Decorate salad with prunes and carrot slices.

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of All about women site, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others. She also has Blog for women [http://www.womanspassions.com/blog/]

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How to Stay Healthy

Prunes is a type of plum species mostly European plum which is also called sugar plum because of its high sugar content. The fruit is usually sold as a dried fruit. The dried fruit normally has a wrinkly texture and chewy in the inside when eaten. In most cases fresh prunes are grown for the sole purpose to be eaten immediately as a whole or as a desert.

In the world one of the best cultivators are sunset growers and control a large portion of the market. There is a perception that normally people who eat prunes are old people, so there has been an effort to re brand the fruit so that it appeals to the younger generation.

There are various uses of prunes and some of them are as follows:

To produce oil
The kernel that is inside the fruit can be crushed and in the process produce oil that can be used in baking. But this is not possible now as the farming practices now are that the prunes are normally canned or dried and then sold,so getting oil in large quantities for export will be hard to accomplish.

Making brandy
Prunes can be made into brandy by using the residue which is the left over part from the prunes and then pressing them gently and in the process of this produces brandy.

As food
From eating them straight from the packet or stewing them and then eating them, they are a good source of food that has many health benefits to the person that eats them like reducing hunger and providing various vitamins and reduces constipation.

Used to make juice
When prunes is made into juice it helps in the prevention of complications such a s constipation which is a problem in passing of stools in the toilet.

So taking prunes does help to prevent constipation and is the best antioxidant fruit out there in the market. So in the long run prunes help to slow the aging process by helping to protect the cells from being damaged so in the process prevents the aging process.

Another benefit of eating prunes is that it also helps the heart in that the antioxidants help to reduce cholesterol in the blood stream which can lead to problems with the arteries being blocked which increases the risk of a heart attack. Prunes also helps to lower blood pressure because of the high concentration of fibers that is present in the fruit.

Prunes also are a good source of vitamin A which helps with our eye sight and also helps in the formation of strong and healthy bones of the body.

Prunes also have small amount of vitamin B3 that is helpful in the metabolism of carbohydrates,fats and proteins. It also helps the skin in keeping it healthy by providing it with the proper nutrients. And also an interesting fact is also that prunes help in the breaking down of sex hormones.

Prunes also are very helpful in that the fibers in them help in the slowing down in the rate that food leaves your stomach which makes a person less hungry and less likely to eat more. Prunes help in the preventing of type 2 diabetes which affects mostly people who are over weight .

So the drying of prunes has lead to the concentration amounts of nutrients which is more than fresh fruits have.
Prunes are found to have a good amount of potassium that helps in giving healthy bones. In addition to that prunes also has a good adequate supply of iron that helps to transport oxygen to various parts of the body and also helps in the metabolism process which is when you are eating the food is chewed and then turned into energy so that the body can use the energy.

Due to there sweetness in nature they can be used as a natural sweetener in cakes and cookies. It can also be used as a substitute for oil when you are baking. Prunes also have low glycemic load which helps in decreasing the rate of metabolism which means one is less hungry and also makes people have a low metabolic rate and have more energy in the process.

Prunes which naturally have a high content sugar which is perfect for the body as the high content of sugar is quickly absorbed into the body. Another advantage of prunes is that where the fruit is taken raw or is cooked they help in the restoration of hemoglobin which is the protein molecule which helps to carry oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues and then returns carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs.

It also helps to restore cell count which help in the fighting of infections in the body. So if the fruit is eaten raw or cooked they are recommended for there quick source of energy and also are effective in the suppression of hunger which helps to avoid being over weight. And finally I hope you will take a journey with me to improving your health so do take that step to improve your health.

Michael onimbo is an expert in the field of healthy living and if you want to find out more visit http://loseweightdiet-michael.blogspot.com/

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Try the Flavour of Juicy Plum

Plum is also known as gage is a stone fruit placed in the genus Prunus and subgenus Prunus. Plum can be distinguished from other members of family like peaches, cherries and bird cherries by its shoot which bears a terminal bud and the side buds are solitary. The stem is short and bears 1-5 flowers in groups. The fruit is characterized by the presence of one groove running across the surface with a stone like seed. Mature plum fruits have a dusty-white coating which gives them a glaucous appearance which can be rubbed off. This dusty-white coating is due to the layer of the epicuticular wax and is known as wax bloom. Dried fruits are known as plums or prunes but presently plum word is most appropriately used for them as prunes are other types of plums. The name plum has originated from a Latin word.

The fruit is sweet in taste with tart skin. It can be eaten fresh or may be used in making jams and other preparations as the fruit is juicy. Plum juice can be fermented to yield plum wine and after distillation it produces brandy known as Rakia in Eastern Europe. In Central England a cider like alcoholic beverage known as plum jerkum is produced from these fruits. Dried plum fruits are also sweet in taste, juicy and rich in efficient amounts of antioxidants. They along with prunes are popular for their laxative effects. This effect may be contributed due to the presence of a large number of chemical compounds namely dietary fiber, sorbitol and isatin. Prunes and prune juice are often used in treating some of the problems associated with the digestive system. Prunes can be beneficial in treating constipation also.

Dried and salted plums are often used as snacks and are sometimes known as salao. Various flavours of dried plums are available at Chinese grocers as well as all over the world. Pickled plums are also available at the Asian as well as the specialty stores. Like other members of the rose family they also contain cyanogenic glycosides, including amygdalin. These compounds upon metabolism decompose into sugar molecule and yield hydrogen cyanide gas. The seeds are not toxic but can affect human health if consumed in large proportion. Prune kernel oil is obtained from the inner layer of pit. They are available in a wide variety of sizes and colours ranging from red, yellow, white or green. They also produce flowers in the early spring and if conditions remain favourable about 50% of the flowers will produce successful fruits. If the weather conditions tend to remain dry the fruits drop as young green buds and may also suffer from fungal infections like brown rot. Plum is used as food by many larvae of Lepidotera.

About this Author

Navodita Maurice

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How to Prepare a Moroccan Tagine

Food in Morocco plays an important role in traditional life. From weddings to baptisms to circumcisions, it is the basis of social gatherings and celebrations. From couscous to tagines and pastilles, the delicate flavors are a blend of tastes of many civilizations. Arab, Berber, Middle Eastern, French and Jewish are just some of the influences on what is today recognized as Moroccan cuisine.

Over the centuries, the chefs of the royal kitchens refined the cuisine to create local mouth-watering dishes to titillate our taste buds. Apricots, dates, figs and raisins local foods while almonds, pine nuts and pistachios are used exte3nsively. Spices such as cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, saffron and mint lend an exotic flavor. And mint tea is the favored drink, with freshly squeezed juices a close second.

A truly traditional Moroccan dish is a tagine, a stew of vegetables with poultry or beef and dried fruit. The fruit is added towards the end to give an overall sweetness to the dish.. The vegetables are set around the meat, which is placed in the center of the pot together with the fruit. The tagine is then covered and cooked slowly over a charcoal stove (called kanoun). Tagines also contain salted or preserved lemons, giving them a unique flavor that can't be replicated using fresh lemons. Traditionally, the tagine is served with couscous, rice or bread. When eating, start on the outside with the vegetables, working your way to the meat at the heart of the dish. Here is a recipe to get you started on a traditional tagine:

Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds
1 chicken, cut up into 6 pieces
170 g (6 oz) dried prunes, chopped fine
60 g (2 oz) whole, blanched almonds
1 large white onion, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

The day before, prepare the chicken marinade. Wash the chicken in salted water and drain. Mix crushed garlic with 1 tbsp salt to make a paste. Rub into the chicken and then rinse under running water until the chicken no longer smells of garlic. Drain and set aside. Rub the chicken pieces with salt, cumin, and pepper and let stand for 1 hour.

Cover the prunes with cold water, add the cinnamon and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or longer - until the prunes are tender.

Place the chicken pieces in a 5-quart deep casserole over medium heat and add the chopped onion, turmeric, ginger, salt, pepper and almonds. When the almonds are brown, remove with a perforated spoon and
drain on kitchen paper. When the chicken is browned, cover with water just so the chicken pieces are covered and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the prunes and some of the prune water to the casserole and continue cooking until the chicken and prunes are very tender.

Sprinkle with the almonds and serve at once.

About this Author

I'm a trip consultant, planner and manager who loves creating unique intercultural adventures for families. I want to impart information,tips and personal experiences especially related to family adventure travel.
http://www.familyadventuretravelworks.com
Sylvia@travelworks4u.com
http://www.familyadventuretravelworks.com/how-to-prepare-a-moroccan-tagine

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