Makes six ¾-cup servings stir-fry and six ½-cup servings brown rice

1. Combine brown rice and 4 ½ cups water in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Turn heat down to low. Cover and cook until water is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt-free seasoning blend, granulated garlic, and cilantro. Mix well. Keep warm. A rice cooker may be used with the same quantity of brown rice and water.

2. Heat canola oil in a large skillet or a wok. Cook onions for 2 minutes or until translucent.

3. Add chicken, squash, and remaining salt-free seasoning blend. Stir-fry over high heat for 10 minutes or until squash is tender.

4. Add red peppers, corn, green chilies, tomatoes, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for no longer than 2 minutes so vegetables will remain crunchy. Do not overcook. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 2 minutes. Serve hot.

https://blogs.butler.edu/healthyhorizons/wp-admin/post.php?post=5687&action=edit

¾ cup stir-fry and ½ cup brown rice provides 1 ¼ oz equivalent meat, ¼ cup red/orange vegetable, V cup starchy vegetable, ¼ cup other vegetable, and 1 oz equivalent grains.

Basic Mashed Potatoes

Place potatoes into microwave-safe dish. Do NOT puncture the skin. Cover — if covering with plastic wrap, poke small hole in plastic. Microwave on high, 10-12 minutes. Using a kitchen towel or oven mitts, remove hot dish. Carefully remove cover. Mash well with a fork. Stir in ½ cup each low-fat plain yogurt and low-fat milk, plus 1½ Tablespoons oil.

At about 19 cents per serving, potatoes are the largest, most affordable source of potassium in the produce department. They have even more potassium than a banana! Most Americans are not meeting the recommended amount of potassium per day — and that’s a big deal. Potassium can help lower blood pressure and may decrease chances of kidney stones and bone loss.

http://whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/featuredlinks/MeetingYourMyPlateGoalsOnABudget.pdf

For more heart-healthy bilingual recipes see link below:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/sp_recip.pdf

How much water should I drink?

Without water, you would die in a few days. So it’s important that you get enough water. But how much water is enough? Experts generally recommend that you drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid every day. But it doesn’t have to be all water. You could satisfy some of your fluid needs by drinking milk, tea, soda, coffee, or juice, which are composed mostly of water. Just remember that juice and sodas are high in sugar. Many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are also mostly water.

If you’re being physically active and sweating a lot, you’ll need more fluid. You’ll also need more if the weather is hot. Women who are pregnant should drink about 10 cups of fluids daily. And women who breastfeed should drink about 13 cups of fluids daily.

It’s generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time you’re thirsty, you may already be a bit dehydrated. On the other hand, you don’t need to be constantly carrying around water bottles and drinking lots of water. You are probably getting all the fluid you need if you are rarely thirsty and you produce a little more than six cups of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day. Dark urine can be a signal that you need more fluid.

http://www.womenshealth.gov/fitness-nutrition/nutrition-basics/water.html

Tips – Eat Well: A Personal Approach to a Healthful Weight

• Set a personal weight-loss goal and write it down. Start with a goal of losing about 10 percent of your current body weight.
• Keep a food diary for one week. Write down everything you eat and drink.
• Pay attention to what you are eating now and why. Identify the sources of your personal “hidden” calories, such as eating your child’s leftovers.
• Substitute fat-free or low-fat milk for whole milk, and save about 65 calories for each 8-ounce serving.
• Watch nutrition labels: Products labeled “low-fat” can be high in calories. For example, low-fat yogurt can be high in calories. Enjoy fat-free, no-sugar-added yogurt instead for a fraction of the calories.
• Include high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, in your diet. They take longer to digest, so they make you feel full longer. In addition, many fruits and vegetables contain water, which provides volume but not calories.
• Cut your favorite candy bar into bite-size pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and store the pieces in the freezer. When a sugar craving hits, unwrap and eat one piece. By the time the candy thaws in your mouth, your craving may be satisfied.
• Identify the nonessential, high-calorie foods you buy out of habit. Stop buying them! If they’re not in your pantry, you won’t eat them.
• Make extra amounts of your favorite low-calorie foods and freeze individual portions. It’s an easy way to control portion size and have handy options available for last-minute meals and snacks.
• When eating out, consider having two low-calorie appetizers instead of an entrée. It will help you feel satisfied and full without splurging on calories.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/WeightManagement/No-Fad-Diet-Tips_UCM_305838_Article.jsp#.V31OsssUWM9

http://www.whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/featuredlinks/cookbook-homes.pdf

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a healthy diet limits the amount of calories people should consume from solid fats and added sugars. Does that mean no desserts?

Eat Less Sodium: Quick tips 

Nine out of 10 Americans eat more sodium (salt) than they need. Too much sodium increases your risk for health problems like high blood pressure. Use these tips to help lower the amount of sodium in your diet.

Check the label.

• Use the Nutrition Facts label to check the amount of sodium in foods. Try to choose products with 5% Daily Value (DV) or less. A sodium content of 20% DV or more is high.
• Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”

Shop for low sodium foods.

• Load up on vegetables, fruits, beans, and peas, which are naturally low in sodium. Fresh, frozen, and dried options are all good choices.
• When you buy canned foods (like vegetables, beans, or fish), choose ones with labels that say “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
• Compare the sodium in prepared foods like bread, soup, and frozen meals. Choose the ones with less sodium.
• Limit processed meats – especially ones that are salted, smoked, or cured, like hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats.

Prepare your meals with less sodium.

• If you use canned foods that aren’t low in sodium, rinse them before eating or cooking with them. This will wash away some of the salt.
• Use unsalted margarine or spreads with no trans fats.
• Don’t add salt to the water when you cook pasta or rice.
• Try different herbs and spices to flavor your food, like ginger or garlic.
• Take the salt shaker off your table.

Get less salt when you eat out.

• When you order at a restaurant, ask that salt not be added to your food.
• Choose low-sodium options when you can – like dishes that are steamed, broiled, or grilled.

Add more potassium to your diet.

Eating foods with potassium can help lower your blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, beans, milk, and yogurt.

http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/nutrition/eat-less-sodium-quick-tips

Get to Know Your Spice Rack