Chicken and Lime Fajitas

Cinco de Mayo is next Monday and being born in Texas, this holiday is huge in my family! I can remember being younger and watching my parents dust off the chip and salsa platters, margarita glasses, sombreros and tortilla warmers. We always had a huge party in our backyard where everyone gathered to munch one chile con queso, fajitas and icy frozen margaritas.
Here’s a yummy chicken and lime fajita recipe that is heart healthy and has a little kick. Happy early Cinco de Mayo!!

Total Time: 45 min
Olive Oil
1 T margarine
2-3 lbs bonesless, skinless chicken, cut into strips
1 large onion, cut into strips
1 red pepper, julienned
1 yellow pepper, julienned
2 T. chopped garlic
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
Seasoned Salt
Garlic
Pepper
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 T. dried clinatro
1/2 lime
6 roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
Flour Tortillas
Garnishes: Sliced Jalepeno, Sliced black olives, shredded mexican flavor cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and tortilla chips

1. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in large skillet Add margarine When margarine melts add chicken, onion, peppers, garlic, and seasonings (except lime).
2. When chicken is almost done, add tomatoes and squeeze lime over all.
3. Cook about 10 minutes longer on low. Serve with Spanish Rice and garnishes.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Trans Fat Trivia

Friday is finally here! This weather is certainly making it difficult for me to motivate myself during the week. I hope everyone gets to spend some time outdoors and enjoy the season this weekend.

Here's an informative true or false quiz about trans fats, which appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Measure your fat grams of knowledge
Here's a quiz to test yourself on trans fat.
True or false?

1. Trans fat is also known as trans fatty acid.

2. Trans fat behaves like saturated fat in the body by raising bad cholesterol.

3. Trans fat is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil.

4. The most common places you will find trans fats is in solid vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, cookies and snack foods.

5. The FDA estimates that the average daily intake of trans fat in the U.S. is about 4 grams.

6. Trans fat can occur naturally in some animal products such as butter, milk products, cheese, beef and lamb.

7. The USDA recommends choosing vegetable oils (except coconut and palm kernel oils) and soft margarines (liquid, tub or spray) when possible because the combined amount of saturated and trans fats is lower than the amount in solid shortenings, hard margarines and animal fats.

8. The USDA allows a manufacturer to list 0 grams of trans fat per serving if the product has less than .5 grams of trans fat per serving.

9. It is healthier to eat butter instead of margarine in order to avoid trans fat.

Answers: 1. True; 2. True; 3. True; 4. True; 5.False. Americans eat about 5.8 grams daily. 6. True; 7. True; 8. True; 9. False. The combined amount of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol for butter is usually higher than margarine even if the margarine contains more trans fat than butter.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, www.cfsan.fda.gov

Summer is just around the corner and nothing reminds me of summer like some delicious barbecue chicken. Pair this recipe with some grilled veggies or a fresh vegetable salad and maybe a baked potato topped with margarine and low-fat sour cream and you’ve got a low-calorie, heart healthy meal in a jiffy!


Jan's Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken Parts, Breast or legs or thighs skinned.
1 cup margarine liquid type
1/4 cup dill cut up fresh or 2 tbsp dill
2 tbsp garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper,very little

Directions:
Start your barbecue and cook the chicken parts as you would normally do. Last ten minutes of cooking add the melted margarine, salt and pepper; cayenne pepper; dill an minced garlic. Brush margarine mixture on chicken every 10 minutes - watch so chicken doesn't burn.
This is a great sauce for the chicken as well as corn on the cob and also baked potatoes. The dill is different and very tasty. The cayenne gives a bite of spice.

Number of Servings: 6

This recipe is courtesy of Jan Toomey, on http://www.margarine.org.

Does Heart Disease Have a "Look?"

I really like the following article because it relays the fact that heart disease doesn’t have a “look.” A woman who looks like she’s in great shape, eats fairly well and doesn’t smoke can still get heart disease people! Read on people, read on…

Heart disease is the number one killer of American women, and what may surprise you is that it doesn't just affect those who are older and out of shape.

Shelly Martel was 43, exercised regularly, didn't smoke and ate somewhat healthy.

Then she had a heart attack.

Her near death experience caught her completely off guard, and her story serves as a wake up call during this Heart Disease Awareness Month for Women.

"Thinking back, I'm trying to decide," Martel says. "Did I know this was coming on? I really can't say that I did."

That's because Martel isn`t your typical heart attack victim.

"I don't know how I had a heart attack, I just did," she says.

"To look at her you would not think she`s a woman with heart disease because she's slim, she's trim, she's in shape, she eats right, she exercises, I mean she does everything right," says Judy Meyers, coordinator of cardiac rehab at St. Alexius.

Still four years ago, as Martel was ironing her clothes for the next work day as a lab technician, she was hit with tightness in her chest and the other tell tale sign of an impending heart attack.

"I had horrible, horrible left arm pain and I kept thinking to myself," Martel says. "If I could just cut off my left arm that pain would be gone it was just excrutiating. It's the worst pain I've ever had."

So she drove herself to St. Alexius's emergency room, and 45 minutes later she went into cardiac arrest.

"I had chest compressions and the whole electric shock to bring me back," says Martel.

And she's lucky they were able to. Cardiologist John Windsor says the odds were against her..."

50 percent of women over the age of 45 will die from coronary artery disease, 75 percent of women over the age of 65 will die from coronary artery disease," Windsor says. "It is the leading killer."

Since Martel's brush with death four years ago, she’s had seven stents inserted into in her heart and has found out she likely has heart disease because it runs in her family. Her advice to other woman? Get to the ER or call 911 if you experience any chest pains, regardless of your age or health level. She says she likely would not be here to tell her story if she hadn’t.

***Fellow bloggers, it is evident from this article that you can't look at someone and determine whether they are at risk for heart disease. You have so many tools in your toolbox to help combat your risk for heart disease - lose the excess weight, don't smoke, eat heart health foods, make regular visits to your physician. By incorporating margarine into a heart healthy diet, you can rest assured that you are taking just one more step in reducing your risk.***

But The Fire's So Delightful

Tis the season to stay indoors, curled up by the fire with a piping cup of coca or soup and doing absolutely nothing.

My weekend plans are just that. My body is fiercely rejecting the bout of cold weather Atlanta seems to be getting so I’m just going to stop fighting it. I plan to catch up on some reading, watch old movies like the “Sound of Music,” and revel in the fact that I’m not outside.

I found this recipe this morning and plan on trying it Sunday, which is typically my day to cook. I love gumbo, especially during the winter. It’s usually exhausting trying to chop all the ingredients but this version seems much less “chop-heavy.” Plus, it’s from Paula Dean, the chef of the South, so how can it be bad? Always be sure to let your gumbo sit for a couple of hours before eating so it can absorb all the flavors. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Paula Dean's Gumbo

INGREDIENTS
• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
• 4 cups hot water
• 5 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

DIRECTIONS
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove.

Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine.

Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

Misinformation Regarding Margarine in Bon Appetit

As many of you know, I have a really serious issue with misinformation when it comes to people’s health. It’s hard enough to keep track of the latest health news without articles that present information that is erroneous and without merit.

An article in the February issue of Bon Appetit features an article in which the author advocates the use of butter of margarine, which is ludicrous. Most health professionals as well as the American Heart Association and the Federal government’s National Cholesterol Education Program strongly encourage the use of margarine over butter.

The Bon Appetit article notes that margarine contains harmful trans fat but you won’t find any soft or liquid margarine that contain trans fat, and trans fat levels of stick margarines have been greatly reduced. Margarine manufacturers continue to be the leaders in the food industry in removing trans fats from products, and they continue to innovate the market by adding healthy, functional ingredients such as antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins to products.

In addition margarine, compared to butter, actually lowers the risk of heart disease. Compared to butter, the typical 60 percent oil soft margarine product contains significantly less total fat and saturated fat than butter. Additionally, this 60 percent oil soft margarine product has 20 percent fewer calories than butter and no cholesterol.

Okay, I’ve said my piece and now I’m done…for today. I hope everyone is enjoying their week and I’ll see you back here soon!

Cute Ways to Use Your Leftover Margarine Containers

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I also hope that most of you are snuggled warm in your beds as I write this and not slaving over your computers.

Here’s a cute article on the many things you can do with your leftover margarine containers. By the way, I hope everyone used margarine in their recipes for Christmas!

Before you discard common household items, think about whether they can be reused. Recycling is great, but preventing waste is always your best option — and often your most frugal one. Today, readers share multiple uses for a simple empty margarine tub. Consider these ideas before you decide to toss them.

DONATE: I give mine to the school art department. They use them for paint projects and storage. — Laurie, Florida I give them to the local soup kitchen to send home leftovers to the clients. — Missyali, Ohio

ODDS AND ENDS: I use them to store small things, such as hair accessories, buttons and tea bags, or leftovers for the fridge. I use neon-color labels on them. I use them to bring food such as dry cereal, crackers and fruit to work, too. — Shorty, Canada

PERFECT PORTION: I use them to make sure I have 1 pound of hamburger in each freezer package. The 16-ounce container will be just 1 pound filled. I also use them for freezer containers. I mark each one with masking tape and label what's inside and the date I froze it. One pound of homemade soup frozen is two small bowls. Most of my leftovers go into them, too, and they stack well in the freezer. — Brat, e-mail

SAVE MONEY: I send my husband's lunch to work in them. He never brings home my containers, so this way I'm not losing any money. — Sherry, Michigan

CRAFT RECIPES: I use them for the kids' homemade play dough. — Heather, New York

GARDENING: I use them to start seeds in and to scoop potting soil. — Denise, Colorado

CATCH DRIPS: I use the lids as trays under houseplants and for pantry items such as molasses, honey and corn syrup. — Marcia P., via e-mail

REFILL AND REUSE: The small tubs are great for filling from larger containers of yogurt, ice cream, bagged snacks, gelatin and nonfood stuff like glue and paint. You can use them for kitchen compost scraps or to save leftover vegetables for soup. I've used the larger containers to hold coffee filters and brown sugar, too. — Paula, e-mail

PIGGY BANK: They're perfect little snack cups for kids. They're easy to make a small change jar/bank with or use in a backyard sandbox or at the beach, too. — Janine T., e-mail

HOMEMADE BUTTER: I whip my own butter to increase the volume and store it in plastic tubs. Just whip half a pound of butter and 1\/4 cup of milk, or try 1 cup butter and 1\/2 cup canola or olive oil. You can experiment with a variety of flavors, like adding jam or honey. — Jennifer B., e-mail

CUPCAKE KEEPER: I keep small margarine containers because a cupcake or muffin fits perfectly in them for the lunch box and they do not get smashed or soggy. I reuse them when I have something gross like chicken skin and freeze them until garbage day. That way it does not stink up my trash. — Debra, Nebraska

FOR PETS: I use them as scoops for pet food and as drinking bowls for pets. — Brenda, e-mail

Chocolate Sanwiches - Perfect For Kids of All Ages!

Kids of all ages will love this recipe because it's not only fun to eat but it's got food coloring in it, which kids adore.

Chocolate Sandwiches

Instructions:
Yield: 36 Servings

Sandwiches
½ cups margarine
1 cups Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1¼ cups All-purpose flour
½ cups Unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon Baking soda
¼ teaspoon Salt

Filling
2½ cups Confectioner's sugar
¼ cups Butter; softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 tablespoon Milk
Red food coloring
Green food coloring

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Shape dough into two 1½" thick rolls. Wrap in waxed paper. Chill for several hours. Place slices on ungreased cookie Bake at 375 F for 8-10 min. or until almost firm.

Meanwhile, combine filling ingredients except food coloring and mint or strawberry extract. Beat until spreading consistency. If desired, divide filling half - tint half pink and half green. Add appropriate extract to each one. Cool cookies, then spread wrong side of cookie and top with second cookie.

Your Chocolate Sandwiches is ready. Good luck!

Vancouver's Largest Gingerbread House

This story is just one of the many reasons I’ve vowed to spend more time in Canada. This is great and puts me in the Christmas spirit!!!

The World's Largest Gingerbread Man has, unfortunately, retired from the Hyatt Regency Vancouver's annual Gingerbread Lane, making way for Vancouver's Largest Gingerbread House.

The house is 11 feet high and 15 feet wide, and consumed 1.6 kg of brown sugar, 5 kg of icing sugar, 4 kg of margarine, 4 kg of molasses and 4 kg of flour.

For the next two Sundays, Vancouverites are invited to come to the hotel to decorate a gingerbread man for charity, with proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of B.C. and Yukon.

"We invite everyone to enjoy the spirit of Hyatt's Gingerbread Lane," said Steve McNally, Hyatt Regency Vancouver's General Manager. "The event is not only a feast for the eyes with gingerbread displays, but it raises much needed funds."

The event, which began last week, also features a four-foot-tall gingerbread man cut-out that people can put their face through to take photos. There will also be a collection of 36 handcrafted gingerbread houses on display from both professional pastry chefs and high school students.

Margarine as a "Super Food" in Fighting Heart Disease

Okay wow, am I the worst blogger on the face of the universe? I’m really sorry I’ve been such a huge slacker lately. Between business trips, the flu and car problems, every second of every waking hour has been packed.

Anyways, I’m always on the lookout for interesting articles on ways to fight heart disease. Here’s a goodie from the Indianapolis Star. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Some foods pack a particularly powerful punch when it comes to fighting heart disease.
"For some people, they're going to have a larger impact than others, depending on your family history," said Jennifer Jones, registered dietitian with St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana.

For those with a history of heart disease, eating a diet that includes these foods can at least delay heart disease or help recovery after a cardiac event, she said.

St. Vincent's Healthy Spirit magazine lists these five "super foods" that should be part of your diet:

1. Oatmeal: Oat bran in oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber, which binds to cholesterol, helping to remove it from your body and lowering your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Other good fiber sources: kidney beans, apples, pears, citrus fruits, peas and Brussels sprouts.

2. Fish: Fatty types of fish are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower blood pressure and triglycerides. Good sources: salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring and albacore tuna.

3. Soy: Soybeans are a rich source of protein, calcium, iron, B vitamins and fiber, and contain plant chemicals called isoflavones, which help protect against many diseases.

4. Nuts: Although nuts are high in calories, their unsaturated fatty acids help lower cholesterol and keep blood vessels healthy. Almonds and walnuts seem to have the most heart benefits.

5. Margarine: Regarding heart health, margarine is better for you than butter, as long as it's fortified with plant substances called sterols or stanols

Easing the Pain with a Little Cinnamon Toast

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts this week - what a slacker blogger I've been! In my defense though, this is probably the busiest time of year at work for me. Lots of meetings to attend and annual updates to prepare. In addition, I'm coming down with a nasty cold.

When I was a young girl and got sick my mother always used to make me cinnamon toast for breakfast. It's warm, sweet and hits the spot when you're not feeling 100%.

All you need to do to make cinnamon toast is spread some margarine on a piece of bread, sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar and stick it under the broiler until it's toasted and voila!!

I promise I'll be back with more heart health news later this week.

Macaroni and Cheese That Packs Nutritional Bang!

Macaroni and cheese is one of the best comfort foods out there. You just can’t beat it in my book. This recipe (from Good Housekeeping) has a new take on an old classic and it’s just as delicious yet actually provides some nutritional value.

Enjoy!!!


INGREDIENTS
1 package (16 ounces) multigrain or whole wheat rotini or penne pasta
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons margarine
1 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) or cracker crumbs
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
Salt and ground black pepper
10 ounces reduced-fat (2%) sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

PREPARATION
1. Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than label directs. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl. Stir in tomatoes; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In microwave-safe small bowl, heat 1 tablespoon margarine in microwave oven on High 20 seconds or until melted. Stir in panko and 1/4 cup grated Romano until blended; set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, melt remaining tablespoon margarine over medium heat; add onion and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

4. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk cornstarch into milk until blended. Whisk milk mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into onion mixture in saucepan; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil sauce 1 minute to thicken slightly. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in Cheddar, basil, and remaining Romano until cheeses melt. Stir cheese mixture into pasta mixture.

5. Transfer pasta mixture to six 1 1/2-cup au gratin dishes or one 13" by 9" glass baking dish; top with panko mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until center is hot and top is lightly browned.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (based on individual servings)
Calories: 645
Total Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 11 g
Cholesterol: 56 mg
Sodium: 1055 mg
Carbohydrates: 82 g
Fiber: 8 g
Protein: 34 g

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Who doesn’t love ice cream? I mean really, without ice cream my life would be filled with an empty void. Everyone’s got a favorite kind of ice cream. My mom loves plain old vanilla while my dad prefers mint chocolate chip. Me, I adore cookies and cream!

This cookies and cream cheesecake is great to serve at parties because its appearance is posh enough to impress even the snobbiest of guests. However, it often brings out the youthful side of people once they realize the desert tastes like cookies and cream ice cream. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser!

Cookies And Cream Cheesecake
Instructions:

Yield: 8 servings
2 cups Cream-filled Cookies *
6 tablespoon Margarine, Softened
1 Envelope Unflavored Gelatin
¼ cups Cold Water
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
½ cups Sugar
¾ cups Milk
1 cups Whipping Cream, Whipped
1¼ cups Cream-filled Cookies **
* The cookies (24) should be chocolate cream filled cookies and be
to as fine as can be done.
** These cookies should be chocolate cream-filled cookies and should be
coarsely chopped.


Combine cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on an electric mixer until well-blended Gradually add gelatin mixture and milk, mixing until well blended. Chill until mixture is thickened but not set. Fold in whipped cream. Reserve 1½ C cream cheese mixture; pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with cookies and reserved cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Who doesn’t love ice cream? I mean really, without ice cream my life would be filled with an empty void. Everyone’s got a favorite kind of ice cream. My mom loves plain old vanilla while my dad prefers mint chocolate chip. Me, I adore cookies and cream!

This cookies and cream cheesecake is great to serve at parties because its appearance is posh enough to impress even the snobbiest of guests. However, it often brings out the youthful side of people once they realize the desert tastes like cookies and cream ice cream. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser!

Cookies And Cream Cheesecake
Instructions:

Yield: 8 servings
2 cups Cream-filled Cookies *
6 tablespoon Margarine, Softened
1 Envelope Unflavored Gelatin
¼ cups Cold Water
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
½ cups Sugar
¾ cups Milk
1 cups Whipping Cream, Whipped
1¼ cups Cream-filled Cookies **
* The cookies (24) should be chocolate cream filled cookies and be
to as fine as can be done.
** These cookies should be chocolate cream-filled cookies and should be
coarsely chopped.

Combine cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on an electric mixer until well-blended Gradually add gelatin mixture and milk, mixing until well blended. Chill until mixture is thickened but not set. Fold in whipped cream. Reserve 1½ C cream cheese mixture; pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with cookies and reserved cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm.

Myth: Margarine is One Molecule Away From Plastic

I get emails from people about this topic all of the time so I will continue to post articles that address the myth that margarine is one molecule away from plastic. Here’s one reporter from the Montreal Gazette’s explanation of the myth:

This is no joke!" As soon as I see that phrase pop up in an email, I know what's coming. I'm going to be warned about some nasty substance that is unravelling the very fabric of society. Like margarine. It is "one molecule away from plastic," a widely circulating email proclaims.

Even flies are smart enough to stay away from it. We also have to be on the lookout for mouldy pancake mix, which apparently is lying in wait to kill us. Sodium benzoate, a common preservative, can trigger Parkinson's disease. And the MMR vaccine for children? Trading in mumps, measles or rubella for autism is not an attractive proposition.

These warnings, often forwarded by good Samaritans looking out for our welfare, are generally based on some sort of misinterpretation of scientific research. But not always. Margarine being "one molecule away from plastic" is just plain nonsense. Plastics are composed of long molecules called polymers, while margarine is a blend of fats and water. There is no chemical similarity between the two. In any case, being "one molecule away" is a totally meaningless expression.

Substances are made of molecules, which in turn are composed of atoms joined together in a specific pattern. I suppose one might say that hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, is one atom away from water, H2O, but even this is meaningless. That extra oxygen atom changes the properties of the substance dramatically. Stick your finger into a bottle of pure hydrogen peroxide and you will quickly experience the effect of that extra oxygen.

Even if margarine had some chemical similarity to plastic, which it does not, its properties could still be dramatically different. Slight alterations in molecular structure can account for very significant changes in properties. As far as flies staying away from margarine goes, I have yet to see a study confirming the allegation. In any case, our dietary decisions should not be based on the dining habits of flies

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

I am a total carb lover and pasta is by far my favorite carb to indulge in. This recipe is easy (as are all the recipes I post on my blog) and hey, anything with garlic is sure to come out delicious, right?!

Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Instructions:

Yield: 4 servings
½ cups Margarine
2 teaspoon Dried Basil; Crushed
2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder W/Parsley
¾ teaspoon Seasoned Salt
8 oz Fettuccine; Cooked & Drained
1½ cups Broccoli Floweretts; Cooked
3 tablespoon Walnuts; Chopped
½ cups Parmesan Or Romano Cheese

Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the basil, lemon juice, garlic powder and seasoned salt, blending well. Add the fettuccine, broccoli, walnuts and parmesan cheese, blending well and tossing to coat the fettuccine.

PRESENTATION:

Serve with a fresh spinach salad.

Your Garlic Parmesan Pasta is ready. Bon appetit!

Nutrition Misinformation on Margarine

I’m posting this article from EarthTimes.org in whole for two reasons: 1.) It supports the use of margarine over butter, noting margarine is recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Medical Administration and the American Heart Association. 2.) It discusses misinformation on the Internet, which is a rapidly growing problem.


PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 21 A U.S. survey showed that an overwhelming number of people are following health and nutrition advice from the Internet -- but many don't believe its accuracy.



Opinion Research Corp. polled more than 1,000 U.S. adults across the United States and found of the two-thirds of people seeking information from the Internet, 82 percent said they are specifically seeking health and nutrition advice, however, of this group 62 percent believe its accuracy.



Nonetheless, 89 percent said they follow the advice.



A statement by the American Dietetic Association said that food and nutrition misinformation can have harmful effects on the health, well being and economic status of consumers.



For example, almost all soft margarine free of trans fat, but many Web sites still advise people to choose butter, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration supports soft margarine as the healthier option, as does the American Heart Association.



"Soft margarine is a healthier choice because of its content of good fats and because many are available in lower calorie versions," Dr. Barbara Howard of the American Heart Association's Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, said in a statement.

Nutrition Misinformation on Margarine

I’m posting this article from EarthTimes.org in whole for two reasons: 1.) It supports the use of margarine over butter, noting margarine is recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Medical Administration and the American Heart Association. 2.) It discusses misinformation on the Internet, which is a rapidly growing problem.

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 21 A U.S. survey showed that an overwhelming number of people are following health and nutrition advice from the Internet -- but many don't believe its accuracy.

Opinion Research Corp. polled more than 1,000 U.S. adults across the United States and found of the two-thirds of people seeking information from the Internet, 82 percent said they are specifically seeking health and nutrition advice, however, of this group 62 percent believe its accuracy.

Nonetheless, 89 percent said they follow the advice.

A statement by the American Dietetic Association said that food and nutrition misinformation can have harmful effects on the health, well being and economic status of consumers.

For example, almost all soft margarine free of trans fat, but many Web sites still advise people to choose butter, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration supports soft margarine as the healthier option, as does the American Heart Association.

"Soft margarine is a healthier choice because of its content of good fats and because many are available in lower calorie versions," Dr. Barbara Howard of the American Heart Association's Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, said in a statement.

Baked Stuffed Peppers...Mmmm!

Baked Stuffed Peppers
Instructions:

Yield: 1 servings
1/8 cups Long-grain brown rice
1/16 cups Minced parsley
Salt
½ Eggs, slightly beaten
1 lg Sweet peppers, red or green
1/16 teaspoon Dried oregano leaves,crumble
¾ tablespoon margarine
1/16 cups 4 oz. chopped green chiles
¼ md Onion, chopped
Black pepper
1/8 cups Finely diced celery
1/8 cups Shred. sharp Cheddar cheese
1/8 cups Sunflower seeds

Cook rice in 1-½ cups boiling salted water for 35 mins or until tender. Drain if necessary. Set aside. Cut peppers in half. Remove seeds and white membrane. Parboil peppers in boiling salted water for 5 mins. Arrange in slightly oiled, shallow 1-½ qt baking dish. Melt butter in small skillet. Add onion, celery, and sunflower seeds. Saute until onion is tender. Remove from heat. Stir into rice. Add parsley, eggs,oregano, chiles, black pepper, and salt to taste. Fill peppers with mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Put about 1/3 cup hot water in bottom of dish. Bake at 400* for about 20 mins. Good served with: Stewed tomatoes and corn bread (bake corn bread along with peppers).

Enjoy!

"Margarine - is it healthier than butter?"

I’m desperately trying to become more technically savvy but it’s not easy. There’s so many different tools on the Internet today that I just can’t seem to keep up. I thought having a blog might help my “techy skills” and it has a little bit, but certainly not enough.

I’m very proud of myself though because I listened to a Podcast today. My very first Podcast and it was all about margarine and eating heart healthy. The Podcast was from the Mayo Clinic and was entitled, “Margarine – is it healthier than butter?” The registered dietitian from the Mayo Clinic, Katherine Zeratsky, stated,

“Quite generally speaking, margarine is the better choice…Now with the many choices of different margarines, they have made the margarines contain less trans fat, and therefore there are some better choices out there.”

If you are interested, the Podcast is available here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/margarine/HB00097

Unrelated Side Note: I'm moving into my new house on Saturday and I've discovered packing is the most miserable thing in the world!

Marshmallow Fudge

Lately I've been really into baking. Granted, I'm no Betty Crocker but this Marshmallow Fudge is right up my ally. Even the novice baker could manage it and it really satisfies those chocolate cravings I often seem to have.

Marshmallow Fudge


Instructions:
Yield: 36 servings

1 package Marshmallows (12oz)
1 package Chocolate bits (12oz)
4½ cups Sugar
2 Hershey milk choc bars
1 can Evaporated Milk
½ lb Margarine
2 cups Nuts
1½ teaspoon Vanilla

Directions:
Boil sugar and milk for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over other ingredients in large bowl, stir until chocolate and marshmellows are dissolved. Add vanilla and nuts, then pour into greased pan.

From the Kitchen of: Mary Jacobson

Your Marshmallow Fudge is ready. Happy cooking!

Margarine Spill Causes Traffic Jam

I never knew that margarine had the ability to cause a major traffic problem? According to an article from Stuff.co.nz, a truck carrying a load of margarine accidentally spilled its contents on a frequently traveled road in Melbourne.

According to the article, “Workers are at the scene, along with the fire brigade, ambulance, police and two heavy-haulage tow-trucks.” All of the margarine must be removed by hand so it’s a very tedious process.

Who knew my favorite heart healthy spread could cause such a raucous!

I Heart Margarine Receives Web Award!

I just found out that my blog was chosen as one of MyHeartCentral.com’s Top Sites. According to their Web site,

“Our 2007 Top Site winners include small websites and individual blogs and were chosen based on their candid and informative content. In giving these awards, we hope to recognize the individuals and organizations who share our vision in providing comprehensive, interactive and vital information on living with heart disease.”

This is very exciting news for me as the purpose in starting in this blog was to provide information about heart disease and how everyone can live a heart healthier life. Thanks so much MyHeartCentral.com!

If you would like to check out the other heart health winners, please visit: http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/top-sites.html.

Herbed Garlic Croutons

This makes a simple yet elegant addition to any salad:

Herbed Garlic Croutons

Instructions:

Yield: 4 servings
4 tablespoon Margarine (unsalted)
2 Cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Basil
½ teaspoon Oregano
2 cups Whole wheat bread cubes,½"

In a large skillet, heat margarine. Add seasonings. Cook for about 1 minute to soften. Stir in bread cubes and saute until browned and crisp. Scatter on tops of soups or salads just before serving. Makes 2 cups. VARIATIONS: - try other seasonings of your choice such as curry powder, cut into cubes. Spread on ungreased baking sheet. Toast in 400 deg F oven for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Store in tin at room temperature for 1-2 days; some of their crispness will be lost if stored in plastic container. They may be reheated and crisped in 350 deg F oven for 5 minutes.

Your Herbed Garlic Croutons is ready. Happy cooking!