(Berkeley Wellness)
You may know your cholesterol numbers, but what do you really know about blood cholesterol? See how you do on this pop quiz.
1. If you’re 35 years old, do you need to have your cholesterol measured?
2. Do you need to fast for the test?
3. Do your LDL (“bad”) and HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels add up to your total cholesterol?
4. At what point is high HDL cholesterol too much of a good thing?
5. Is there any way to burn off cholesterol?
6. Do any food labels list good and bad cholesterol?
Answers
1. Yes. Everyone over 20 should have it measured at least once every five years. There is no upper age limit.
2. Yes, you should. Though you need not fast to get your total cholesterol number, to measure LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (fats in blood) you need to fast for 12 hours.
3. No. There’s still another type of cholesterol “package,” called VLDL, that is included in the total number.
4. There is no upper limit. Anything over 60 milligrams/deciliter (1.6 millimoles/liter in Canada and elsewhere) is considered protective. Under 40 mg/dl (1.0 mmol/L) is a coronary risk factor for men; under 50 mg/dl (1.3 mmol/L), for women.
5. No. Unlike fat, it can’t be burned for energy.
6. The cholesterol that we eat is simply cholesterol—you don’t consume the “good’ or “bad” kinds. HDL and LDL are cholesterol “packages” made in the body. Dietary cholesterol comes only from animal products, notably meats and dairy products. The liver also makes cholesterol. Saturated fats (found chiefly in animal products) and trans fats (in many processed foods) raise LDL cholesterol levels even more than dietary cholesterol does.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Molten Spiced Chocolate Cakes
These I served for dessert for our Christmas dinner. What is great about this recipe is that I made them the day before, kept them in the refrigerator and baked them just before we sat down for dinner. They need to be served warm. I used ramekins and served each guest their own. A little ice cream on top is all you need. They were yummy!
(I tripled the recipe with no problems)
Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon or other red wine( I used 1 Tbsp of strong coffee)
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cinnamon, Saigon or 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Ginger, Ground(optional)
1/8 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cloves, Ground (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 4 (6-ounce) custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs and yolk. Stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pour batter evenly into prepared custard cups.
3. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully loosen edges with small knife. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead: The chocolate mixture can be prepared up to 1 day ahead of time. Pour the batter into prepared custard cups; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Test Kitchen Tip: Molten cakes prepared with Saigon Cinnamon will have a warm, flavorful cinnamon taste. Use Roasted Saigon Cinnamon for a robust, sweet-spicy cinnamon flavor.
Calories: 567
Fat: 35 g
Carbohydrates: 57 g
Cholesterol: 219 mg
Sodium: 209 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 6 gCopyright © 2008 McCormick & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserve
(I tripled the recipe with no problems)
Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon or other red wine( I used 1 Tbsp of strong coffee)
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cinnamon, Saigon or 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Ginger, Ground(optional)
1/8 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cloves, Ground (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 4 (6-ounce) custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet. 2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs and yolk. Stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pour batter evenly into prepared custard cups.
3. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully loosen edges with small knife. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead: The chocolate mixture can be prepared up to 1 day ahead of time. Pour the batter into prepared custard cups; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Test Kitchen Tip: Molten cakes prepared with Saigon Cinnamon will have a warm, flavorful cinnamon taste. Use Roasted Saigon Cinnamon for a robust, sweet-spicy cinnamon flavor.
per serving
Calories: 567
Fat: 35 g
Carbohydrates: 57 g
Cholesterol: 219 mg
Sodium: 209 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 6 g
Cherry Tomato and Asparagus Salad
This recipe I changed a bit but it was a great accompiment to our Christmas dinner. I made this earlier in the day and served it at room temperature. The gorgonzola topping went well with the fillet of beef.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and halved or green beans
6 cups halved cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes in varied colors
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1 ripe avocado, cut into cubes
1 cup sliced basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I left out the mustard)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
I added 1 clove of garlic squeezed & 1 -2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
1. Boil asparagus in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Mix asparagus with remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to coat evenly with dressing.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
CALORIES 213 (72% from fat); FAT 17g (sat 4.1g); CHOLESTEROL 8.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13g; SODIUM 347mg; PROTEIN 5.9g; FIBER 5.9g
Sunset, JUNE 2010
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and halved or green beans
6 cups halved cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes in varied colors
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1 ripe avocado, cut into cubes
1 cup sliced basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I left out the mustard)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
I added 1 clove of garlic squeezed & 1 -2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
1. Boil asparagus in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Mix asparagus with remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to coat evenly with dressing.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
CALORIES 213 (72% from fat); FAT 17g (sat 4.1g); CHOLESTEROL 8.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13g; SODIUM 347mg; PROTEIN 5.9g; FIBER 5.9g
Sunset, JUNE 2010
Happy New Year!
Wow, the holiday week flew by as always, it gets faster as I get older! As always lots of fun and good food. It is always great to see the family and get together with our friends. On Christmas Eve I start out the day making cinnamon rolls with my son for our breakfast on Christmas morning,(his sister loves cinnamon rolls). Recipes to follow...
Our family tradition for Christmas Eve is to go to church at 5pm and come home to a Crab Cioppino dinner with pasta to soak up the sauce and my garlic bread. I usually have ice cream for dessert, (to cool the pipes). We were joined by my son-in-law's parents which was a wonderful treat as they live 4 hours away and we don't see them often. They also joined us for Christmas dinner.
This time of year I throw any healthy options out the window, it is all about the favorite recipes from the past and traditions.
Christmas breakfast we started with our new tradition, cinnamon rolls. Then I tried something new, biscuits and sausage gravy with a side of bacon sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar. OH YEAH! Our other tradition is bagels with lox, cream cheese with the trimmings. I know, way too much, but it is the tradition and everyone looks forward to their favorites.
Christmas dinner we splurged and tried Filet Mignon roasts from Costco. We actually bought 2 and cooked one rare and one medium rare. They came out great, I think with a little 'tweeking' on the recipe we will do this again. The meat was so tender and it cooked in 25-30 minutes. Everyone loved this over the prime rib. In the future we will cook 2 separate roasts that way we can please everyone.
My dessert came out yummy too, Chocolate molten cake!
Of course the highlight of the holidays is being able to spend time with our new grandchild and see Christmas through her eyes!
Off to Tahoe for a few days of rest and relaxation and lots of snow!
We then headed south to Angels Camp for some New Years celebrations with great friends! Lots of fun and laughter, isn't that supposed to be the best medicine?
Now it is time to get back to the real world and get back to a healthy lifestyle...
Our family tradition for Christmas Eve is to go to church at 5pm and come home to a Crab Cioppino dinner with pasta to soak up the sauce and my garlic bread. I usually have ice cream for dessert, (to cool the pipes). We were joined by my son-in-law's parents which was a wonderful treat as they live 4 hours away and we don't see them often. They also joined us for Christmas dinner.
This time of year I throw any healthy options out the window, it is all about the favorite recipes from the past and traditions.
Christmas breakfast we started with our new tradition, cinnamon rolls. Then I tried something new, biscuits and sausage gravy with a side of bacon sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar. OH YEAH! Our other tradition is bagels with lox, cream cheese with the trimmings. I know, way too much, but it is the tradition and everyone looks forward to their favorites.
Christmas dinner we splurged and tried Filet Mignon roasts from Costco. We actually bought 2 and cooked one rare and one medium rare. They came out great, I think with a little 'tweeking' on the recipe we will do this again. The meat was so tender and it cooked in 25-30 minutes. Everyone loved this over the prime rib. In the future we will cook 2 separate roasts that way we can please everyone.
My dessert came out yummy too, Chocolate molten cake!
Of course the highlight of the holidays is being able to spend time with our new grandchild and see Christmas through her eyes!
Off to Tahoe for a few days of rest and relaxation and lots of snow!
We then headed south to Angels Camp for some New Years celebrations with great friends! Lots of fun and laughter, isn't that supposed to be the best medicine?
Now it is time to get back to the real world and get back to a healthy lifestyle...
Friday, December 24, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Cookies, Cookies and More Cookies
My daughter, and my new granddaughter and I had our holiday cookie bake day yesterday! We prepare the cookie dough the day before we plan to bake and then get together the next day and become baking fools! HA! Of course we have to sample everything to make sure it tastes excellent for gift giving. I did buy some delicious sliced turkey and ham and cheese for our lunch break, one does need a little protein to balance with all sugar! We have our favorites we like to bake; chocolate chip, Santa's whiskers(coconut), honey walnut, gingerbread, madelines, oatmeal, and pumpkin. I also tried old fashion fudge with peppermint candies on top. Each year we mix it up and try something new, but mostly keep to our most requested cookies. We had a great day with lots of cookies to give away and share with friends and family.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Agave
Interesting information about agave...when you think about it any sugar that is processed is still a form of sweetener...
I do like the agave syrup for its neutral flavor and it dissolves easily.
(Berkeley Wellness)
Derived from the same cactus-like Mexican plant as tequila, agave is being added to an increasing number of foods as a “natural” sugar alternative. But is agave really healthier than regular refined sugar?
Agave syrup has only a few more calories than table sugar (20 versus 16 per teaspoon). But while table sugar (sucrose) is half fructose and half glucose, agave syrup contains up to 90% fructose, depending on how it’s processed. That’s substantially more fructose than what’s in widely used high-fructose corn syrup. In fact, agave syrup is often called a “fructose sweetener.”
Fructose doesn’t cause the spikes in blood sugar that glucose does, and so agave is marketed as “diabetic friendly.” But there are no studies to support this. In fact, some studies suggest that large amounts of fructose can promote insulin resistance (and thus increase diabetes risk), boost triglycerides (fats in the blood), lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and have other harmful effects on the heart, and possibly the liver, too. Consuming agave syrup just adds to your fructose load. Fruit is also high in fructose, but unlike agave syrup it contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and is filling.
Other claims debunked
Agave syrup isn’t even as “natural” or raw as marketers want you to think. To turn the plant’s juice into the sweet syrup, it typically undergoes processing similar to that used to make high-fructose corn syrup from starch; some agave products may also be diluted with corn syrup. If there are any nutrient differences, they are minuscule—no sugar is a good source of nutrients. Don’t expect to reap significant antioxidant benefits from agave, either. According to one recent study, agave syrup contains “minimal antioxidant activity’’—on par with refined sugar and corn syrup.
Bottom line: You can add a little agave syrup to yogurt and cereal, if you like, or use it in coffee or tea and in baking. Because it’s sweeter than sugar, you need less, and it dissolves well. But don’t be swayed by the health claims. Agave syrup is simply another form of processed (and concentrated) sugar.
I do like the agave syrup for its neutral flavor and it dissolves easily.
(Berkeley Wellness)
Derived from the same cactus-like Mexican plant as tequila, agave is being added to an increasing number of foods as a “natural” sugar alternative. But is agave really healthier than regular refined sugar?
Agave syrup has only a few more calories than table sugar (20 versus 16 per teaspoon). But while table sugar (sucrose) is half fructose and half glucose, agave syrup contains up to 90% fructose, depending on how it’s processed. That’s substantially more fructose than what’s in widely used high-fructose corn syrup. In fact, agave syrup is often called a “fructose sweetener.”
Fructose doesn’t cause the spikes in blood sugar that glucose does, and so agave is marketed as “diabetic friendly.” But there are no studies to support this. In fact, some studies suggest that large amounts of fructose can promote insulin resistance (and thus increase diabetes risk), boost triglycerides (fats in the blood), lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and have other harmful effects on the heart, and possibly the liver, too. Consuming agave syrup just adds to your fructose load. Fruit is also high in fructose, but unlike agave syrup it contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and is filling.
Other claims debunked
Agave syrup isn’t even as “natural” or raw as marketers want you to think. To turn the plant’s juice into the sweet syrup, it typically undergoes processing similar to that used to make high-fructose corn syrup from starch; some agave products may also be diluted with corn syrup. If there are any nutrient differences, they are minuscule—no sugar is a good source of nutrients. Don’t expect to reap significant antioxidant benefits from agave, either. According to one recent study, agave syrup contains “minimal antioxidant activity’’—on par with refined sugar and corn syrup.
Bottom line: You can add a little agave syrup to yogurt and cereal, if you like, or use it in coffee or tea and in baking. Because it’s sweeter than sugar, you need less, and it dissolves well. But don’t be swayed by the health claims. Agave syrup is simply another form of processed (and concentrated) sugar.
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