Porcini Mushroom Rub Grilled Steaks

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms, ground to small bits
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 – 6 oz lean cuts of meat such as eye cuts, top round or sirloin tip

 Directions:

1. Mix the dry ingredients
2. Coat the beef in the dry rub
3. Grill!

This is fast and simple and delicious.  I tried it because I really like beef, but had to find a way to enjoy it less often due to it’s higher saturated fat content.  Your nutritional information will really be dependent on the type of steak you use.  Enjoy!

Think Pink!

Two great articles on healthy diet and the impact on breast cancer from the Susan G Komen Foundation!   http://ww5.komen.org/default.aspx

Statement on Fred Hutchison Omega-3 / Breast Cancer Study

“The possibility that regular use of fish oil supplements could help reduce the risk of breast cancer, is of course, both potentially exciting as well as intriguing,” said Liz Thompson, senior vice president of Medical and Scientific Affairs for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. “These early findings demonstrate the need for follow-up studies. In fact, Komen for the Cure is already investing $7.5 million in a major study at Pennsylvania State University’s School of Medicine looking at how fish oils may be combined with the drug raloxifene to prevent breast cancer. In the meantime, we suggest women check with their health care providers about the pros and cons of using these and other supplements.”

The fish oil supplements studied, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, were preliminarily linked to a 32 percent drop in the risk of developing invasive ductal carcinoma (the most common type of breast cancer) among post-menopausal women. Researchers from the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle recently published results of their study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. The scientists found fish oil did not seem to affect the risk of lobular cancer

Getting to the meat of the matter – how does diet affect breast cancer?

Summer is the perfect time for a cookout. However, recent reports of concerns over potential health risks linked to eating meat or other high-fat foods may have you thinking twice about what to serve at your next get-together. We know our diet affects our health in many ways, but how do meat and fat affect our risk of breast cancer? 

Women who live in countries like the United States where people tend to eat a high-fat diet with more meat tend to have higher rates of breast cancer than women who live in countries where they tend to eat less meat and fat. This observation led researchers to look more closely to see if there was a link between either dietary fat or meat consumption and breast cancer risk. 

Overall, the scientific evidence shows no link between eating a lot of high-fat foods or meat and breast cancer risk.^1-7 However, what may be more important than the amount of fat or meat we eat are the types of fat and types of meat we eat.^3,8-9   

Dietary fat

Although, for adults, the total amount of fat in our diet does not appear to be related to breast cancer risk, certain types of fat may play a role. There are four basic types of fat: saturated fat and trans fat (“bad” fats); and monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat (“good” fats, when eaten in moderation).¹⁰    

Some studies have found that a diet high in saturated fat may increase breast cancer risk, but a diet high in monounsaturated fat may lower breast cancer risk.^2-3,11-12 Although the role of these fats in breast health is still under study, eating a diet low in saturated fat with a moderate amount of monounsaturated fat has other health benefits.  A healthy diet that swaps “good” fats for “bad” fats improves cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.¹⁰     

Meat

As with total dietary fat, the amount of meat a woman eats does not seem to impact her breast cancer risk.⁷ Most studies have shown no increase in breast cancer risk among women with a high intake of total meat, red meat (such as beef, pork or lamb) or white meat (such as chicken).^7,13

Instead, what may be more important is how the meat we eat is cooked.  When meat is cooked at high temperatures (such as when barbequing or grilling), chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are formed. Some, but not all, studies have suggested eating well-done meats may increase the risk of breast cancer.^14-18

Ongoing studies are looking at whether gene variations may affect how people absorb HCAs. These studies are looking to see if HCAs may affect different people in different ways depending on how their bodies process HCAs. These studies raise many interesting questions that will be explored in future research. At this time, however, we cannot draw solid conclusions about a possible role of HCAs and breast cancer risk. 

Although the role of meat in breast cancer risk is still under study, eating a diet with limited red meat is likely to have other health benefits. For example, eating a diet low in red and processed meats may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.^19-20 

Diet during adolescence

Our discussion above has focused on diet during adulthood and its impact on breast cancer risk. However, diet early in life may play a different or more important role. Initial data suggest both a diet high in fat and a diet high in red meat during adolescence may increase breast cancer risk, but further study is needed.^21-22   

Conclusions

With a healthy diet in mind, what are the best foods to serve at your next gathering?  Dr. Susan Hankinson, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School offers this advice, “Summer is indeed a great time for a cookout with friends and family. While enjoying these get-togethers, eating grilled vegetables and fish or chicken, with limited (if any) red meat, is both tasty and good for your health. Eating a diet that is low in saturated fat and low in meats (especially red and processed meats), but with moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat, has many health benefits. These benefits may include lowering breast cancer risk, but at present, this is still under study.”  

References

1. Hunter DJ, Spiegelman D, Adami HO, et al. Cohort studies of fat intake and the risk of breast cancer—a pooled analysis. N Engl J Med. 334:356-61, 1996.  

2. Smith-Warner SA, Speigelman D, Adami HO, et al. Types of dietary fat and breast cancer: a pooled analysis of cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 92:767-774, 2001.  

3. Boyd NF, Stone J, Vogt KN, Connelly BS, Martin LJ, Minkin S. Dietary fat and breast cancer risk revisited: a meta-analysis of the published literature. Br J Cancer. 89(9):1672-85, 2003.  

4. Kim EHJ, Willett WC, Colditz GA, et al. Dietary Fat and Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer in a 20-year Follow-up. Am J Epidemiol. 164(10):990-7, 2006.  

5. Prentice RL, Chlebowski RT, Patterson R, et al. Low-fat dietary pattern and risk of invasive breast cancer: the Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial. JAMA. 295(6):629-42, 2006.  

6. Sieri S, Krogh V, Ferrari P, et al. Dietary fat and breast cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 88(5):1304-12, 2008.  

7. Missmer SA, Smith-Warner SA, Spiegelman D, et al. Meat and dairy food consumption and breast cancer: a pooled analysis of cohort studies. Int J Epidemiol. 31:78-85, 2002.  

8. Willett WC. Specific fatty acids and risks of breast and prostate cancer: dietary intake. Am J Clin Nutr. 66:1557S-1563S, 1997.  

9. Cho E, Spiegelman D, Hunter DJ, et al. Premenopausal fat intake and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 95:1079-85, 2003.  

10. The American Heart Association. The Nutrition Center. http://www.americanheart.org/, 2009. 

11. Willett WC, Hunter DJ, Stampfer MJ, et al. Dietary fat and fiber in relation to risk of breast cancer. JAMA. 268(15):2037-2044, 1992.  

12. Wolk A, Bergstrom R, Hunter D, et al. A prospective study of association of monounsaturated fat and other types of fat with risk of breast cancer. Arch Intern Med. 158:41-5, 1998.  

13. Holmes MD, Colditz GA, Hunter DJ, et al. Meat, fish and egg intake and risk of breast cancer. Int J Cancer. 104(2):221-7, 2003. 

14. Zheng W, Gustafson DR, Sinha R, et al. Well-done meat intake and the risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 90:1724-9, 1998. 

15. Sinha R, Gustafson DR, Kulldorff M, Wen WQ, Cerhan JR, Zheng W. 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, a carcinogen in high-temperature-cooked meat, and breast cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst. 92(16):1352-4, 2000. 

16. Sonestedt E, Ericson U, Gullberg B, Skog K, Olsson H, Wirfält E. Do both heterocyclic amines and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids contribute to the incidence of breast cancer in postmenopausal women of the Malmö diet and cancer cohort? Int J Cancer. 123(7):1637-43, 2008. 

17. Mignone LI, Giovannucci E, Newcomb PA, et al. Meat consumption, heterocyclic amines, NAT2, and the risk of breast cancer. Nutr Cancer. 61(1):36-46, 2009. 

18. Wu K, Sinha R, Holmes MD, Giovannucci E, Willett W, Cho E. Meat mutagens and breast cancer in postmenopausal women–a cohort analysis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 19(5):1301-10, 2010. 

19. Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Rosner BA, Speizer FE. Relation of meat, fat, and fiber intake to the risk of colon cancer in a prospective study among women. N Engl J Med. 323(24):1664-72, 1990. 

20. Chao A, Thun MJ, Connell CJ, et al. Meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer. JAMA. 293(2):172-82, 2005. 

21. Linos E, Willett WC, Cho E, Colditz G, Frazier LA. Red meat consumption during adolescence among premenopausal women and risk of breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 17(8):2146-51, 2008. 

22. Linos E, Willett WC, Cho E, Frazier L. Adolescent diet in relation to breast cancer risk among premenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 19(3):689-96, 2010.

You know what I miss sometimes?  Comfort foods…  While there are some comfort foods I just can’t indulge in (such as pasta) because they trigger me to keep eating, there are some I could have, but miss.  This is a great recipe.  Simple, healthy and let’s me make multiple servings at once.

Low Fat Meatloaf – Six Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of extra-lean ground beef
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 slice whole grain bread as breadcrumbs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup tomato ketchup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a nonstick or silicone muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Crumble ground beef into a large bowl. Add shredded carrots and zucchini, and chopped onion and green pepper. Add chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs. Stir with a fork. Add egg whites and stir again with a fork until well blended. You can knead the mixture with your hands but sometimes this makes the meat overly tough.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan, and top each cup with ketchup. Bake for 25 minutes, making sure that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Nutritional Information:

• Calories                     150
• Fat                                 4.2g
• Carbohydrate           9.2g
• Protein                      18.7g

OK…I am susceptible to chocolate as the next person, and this just sounds fantastic and much healthier than most Brownie Recipes.

Dark Chocolate Brownies with Sour Cherries – 12 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup powered sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
• 6 oz semisweet or bittersweet mini chocolate chips, divided in half
• 1/4 granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup blended with 3 tbsp lukewarm water
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 2/4 cup dried sour cherries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 F
2. Coat an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray
3. Sift together the flour, powered sugar and cocoa powder
4. In a heavy saucepan combine the oil, 3 oz of chocolate chips and place the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.  Do not overheat.
5. Remove pan from heat and stir in granulated sugar, corn syrup, almond extract and salt until sugar dissolves.
6. Stir in egg until smooth
7. Gently stir in dry ingredients
8. Fold in cherries and remaining chocolate chips
9. Transfer to pan and bake until almost firm at center, 25 to 30 minutes. 
10. Cool two hours on wire rack

Nutrition Info:

• Calories               192
• Fat                         6 grams
• Carbs                    34 grams
• Protein                 2 grams

I have really become a fan of Greek Yogurt lately.  I love Fage’ yogurt.  It’s tart and creamy and tastes amazing.  This recipe is one I haven’t made yet, but sounds yummy.

Crème Brulee’ – Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce tub of fat-free Greek yogurt*
• 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 strawberries cut into slices

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Spoon 2 tablespoons of preserves into the bottom of 4 4-ounce ramekins, then fill ramekins with Greek yogurt.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.
4. Place ramekins on a baking sheet under broiler until sugar caramelizes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Place strawberry slices on top and serve immediately.

Nutrition – Per Serving:

• Calories 172
• Total Fat 0.2g
• Cholesterol 2mg
• Sodium 100mg
• Carbohydrate 35.7g
• Protein 6.7g

Chicken and Noodle Salad with Chili Dressing – Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces rice noodles or angel hair pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 jalapeno (preferably red), seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch watercress (about 3 cups)
• 1 seedless cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
• 2 scallions, sliced

 Directions

1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
3. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, sesame oil, sugar, and jalapeño.
4. Slice the chicken. Divide the noodles, chicken, watercress, cucumber, and scallions among plates. Drizzle with the dressing.

 Nutritional Information – Per Serving

• Calories             475
• Fat                         11g
• Protein                38g
• Carbohydrate  54g

Szechuan Chicken & Pasta
2 Servings

Ingredients

• ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
• ½ small red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup uncooked fusilli pasta (about 3 oz)
• ½ bag (1 lb 5 oz-size) frozen Szechuan stir-fry mix with vegetables and Szechuan sauce

Directions

• Spray 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onion; stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is light brown.
• Stir in water; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is almost tender (do not drain).
• Stir in packet of sauce mix from stir-fry mix until well blended. Stir in vegetables; reduce heat to medium. Cover; cook 8 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with peanuts from stir-fry mix.

Nutritional Information

• Calories 350
• Total Fat 4 1/2g
• Carbohydrate 44g
• Protein 33g 

Mexican Coriander & Lime Chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 limes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons coriander, ground
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 12 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 4 red chilies

Directions

• Mix olive oil with coriander, paprika, sugar and the zest of the lime.
• Cover chicken breasts in marinade, squeeze juice of 1/2 lime over the meat, and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• When ready to bake, place chicken breasts in a baking dish and place 2 lime slices over each breast.
• Place garlic and chilies around the chicken and roast for 30-35 minutes at around 375 degrees F.
• Split roasted garlic cloves open and spread on the chicken if you love garlic.

 Nutritional Information – Per Serving

• Calories:                       388
• Carbohydrates:             1 gram
• Protein:             57 grams
• Fat:                              10 grams

I mentioned recently that McDonald’s is like a roach motel for me.  I CANNOT resist going in.  I really have to stay away from them to avert disaster.  Yesterday I passed one, and the smell of french fry grease was like an aphrodisiac. (Potential Dates, please note this information).  Through willpower, prayer and a near-miss with a Metro Bus I was able to avoid going in.  However, I have been craving french fries ever since.  So I did some research and found a great recipe to take my mind off of them!

Oven Roasted Greek Potatoes

2 Servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fat-free Italian salad dressing
• 2/3 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1.  In a small bowl, mix the lemon pepper, marjoram, basil, thyme, and rosemary. In a separate bowl, mix the water, olive oil, dressing, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/2 the seasoning mixture. Pour into a medium glass baking dish. Place potatoes in the dish, coat with the mixture, and sprinkle with remaining seasonings. Cover, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Bake potatoes 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, basting once half way through the bake time.

Nutrition Information:

• Calories:           205
• Carbs:              37 grams
• Protein:             4 grams
• Fat:                     6 grams

I am trying to work more seafood into my diet and I love pasta, so this recipe is amazing.  It was pretty easy to cut down to two servings.

Linguine with Scallops

Servings: Makes 6 servings.

 Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh or frozen scallops
• 12 ounces linguine
• 1 teaspoon margarine
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sliced green onion
• 3/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 Directions

1. Thaw scallops, if frozen. Halve any large scallops; set aside. Cook linguine according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat margarine and oil over medium-high heat. Add scallops; cook and stir about 2 minutes or until opaque. Remove scallops with a slotted spoon, leaving juices in skillet.
3. Stir broth and lemon juice into skillet. Bring to boiling. Boil for 10 to 12 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup. Stir in onion, parsley, capers, dill weed, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute. Add scallops, stirring just until heated through. Pour over linguine; toss gently.

Nutritional Info:

• Calories:           340
• Carbs:               47 grams
• Protein:           22 grams
• Fat:                    3 grams