Myths About Vegetables

Test Your Veggie IQ

Beachbody

1. FALSE: Yam is another word for sweet potato.
   The yam (Dioscorea Species) is a tuber, or underground stem, completely unrelated to the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Yams are starchier and grow mostly in tropical climates (some up to seven feet!). They aren't grown commercially in the U.S. and what are often labeled "yams" are in fact sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are sweeter and moister. Neither yams nor sweet potatoes are related to the common potato, either. Both are high in potassium and fiber, although the sweet potato is higher in calories.
   


2. FALSE: The first eggplant in America was grown by Benjamin Franklin.
   The first eggplant was actually grown by Thomas Jefferson. He is believed to have brought the plant from France, where eggplant was popular. Jefferson, a horticulture enthusiast, began growing it in his own extensive garden. He also was known for developing many strains of tomatoes that would ensure a longer harvest period and is often credited with introducing the french fry to American cuisine.
   


3. TRUE: Elephant garlic is not really garlic at all.
   Not really garlic on steroids, elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) is actually part of the leek family. The flavor of its cloves is similar to garlic and it is often grown in gardens to discourage pests.
   


4. FALSE: Boiled veggies contain more water than fresh.
   While they may seem more waterlogged, boiled vegetables contain less water. The heat releases much of the water retained in their cells in their raw state.
   


5. TRUE: Egyptians replaced the eyes of mummies with onions.
   The ancient Egyptians believed that onions warded off evil spirits, so the eyes of the dead were often replaced with onions to protect them against demons in the afterlife. The Egyptians would also have people place their hand on an onion when swearing to something. The walls of the pyramids are filled with paintings of onions, as they also believed the concentric circles of the onion symbolized eternit

Michi's Ladder Friendly Dips

4 Hearty and Healthy Dips

By Joe Wilkes
Beachbody

When aren't we going on and on about how you need to eat more vegetables? They're full of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and low in calories and fat. And one of the best ways to eat them? Raw. So you're trying to be a good camper, with your bowl of broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, and celery sticks, crunching your way to a leaner (and probably gassier) you. You know what would really make these veggies sing? Some dip! French onion dip
. . . or guacamole . . . or hummus . . . or nacho cheese. Ha! Guess again! Nothing can make your healthy vegetable snack descend the rungs of Michi's Ladder faster than a few dunks in a bowl of fatty, salty, delicious dip. But we're not completely heartless. Here are some variations on some old favorites that are actually pretty good for you!

1. Hummus. It's a perfect dip. Made primarily of creamed chickpeas, it's like dipping your vegetable in another vegetable! But not all hummuses (or is it hummi?) are created equal. Many are loaded up with tahini (the sesame paste that gives hummus it's nutty flavor) and olive oil, which are almost pure fat. Granted, they're both healthy fats, so a little is OK, but too much will pack on the pounds. Try making your own from scratch. Just puree a can of chickpeas in a food processor or blender with lemon juice, garlic, and cayenne pepper to taste. You can add as much tahini or olive oil as you think your diet can handle, or none at all. If the hummus is too thick, you could thin it with a little vegetable broth or water instead of oil.
   


2. Guacamole. Avocados? They're in the Pious Tier of Michi's Ladder. And guacamole is just mashed avocados, right? Right, but as with olive oil and tahini, avocados are full of calories. One avocado has 227 calories, and 21 grams of fat. Instead, how about an easy-to-make avocado dip? In a food processor, combine one avocado, one cup of nonfat yogurt, and one cup of nonfat cottage cheese (all top-tier ingredients from Michi's Ladder). Blend until creamy and no lumps from the cottage cheese remain. Add cayenne pepper and ground cumin to taste. For extra flavor and texture, mix in some chopped fresh cilantro and onion before serving.
   


3. French onion dip. OK, nothing made of instant soup (essentially flavored salt) and full-fat sour cream is going to pass Michi muster. But onions are in the top tier, so that's a start. Instead of sour cream, how about tofu? It's not just that white brick that sits in the back of your fridge after a well-intentioned impulse buy. Puree 2 cups of extra-soft tofu in a food processor with a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and garlic cloves to taste. Meanwhile sauté some chopped onions in a little bit of olive oil until caramelized. Mix the onions into the tofu mixture and deglaze the pan with a little white wine and add that to the dip as well.
   


4. Spinach dip. Nothing's a bigger hit at a party than that hollowed-out sourdough boule full of mayonnaise-y goodness. Instead of mayo though, try pureeing some nonfat yogurt and cottage cheese. Thaw out some frozen chopped spinach and mix that in and add some chopped water chestnuts and scallions for crunch and flavor. For extra zip and color, try mixing in some curry powder. With all that going on, you'll forget the mayo's gone! And don't forget to use whole grain bread.
   

White Bean Spread. Zero Saturated Fat

by Margaret Pfeiffer, R.D.
From DietWatch

Ingredients

• 1 can Navy or Great Northern or cannellini
• 1-1/2 teaspoons tahini (ground sesame seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon. garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

Mash all ingredients on a plate using a fork until smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a time to thin if desired. Scrape into a bowl to serve Serve as a spread on warm whole wheat flour tortilla, pita bread, crackers or toast.

Yield: Serves 4

Per serving: (3 tablespoons): Calories 140; Fat 1.5 g; Saturated Fat 0 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 480 mg; Carbohydrate 23 g; Dietary Fiber 6 g; Sugar 2 g; Protein 9 g; Vitamin A 0 RE's; Vitamin C 1.2 mg; Calcium 60 mg; Iron 1.8 mg. This recipe is 9.6% fat.

Top 10 Foods to Curb Cravings

By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Senior Writer

If you are still wasting time counting calories or carbohydrates, it is time to get the "whole" picture. The best way to slim down may just be to fill up… on the right kinds of whole foods that can help you curb those cravings for good.

"Switching from refined foods to whole foods will help you feel full on fewer calories," says Ivy Ingram Larson. "Eating plenty of whole foods can also help you reduce hidden sources of empty calories."

A whole foods diet, along with vitamin supplementation and exercise is part of the Fitter Firmer Faster (Health Communications Inc.) program developed by Ivy and her husband, Dr. Andrew Larson. The new book is a follow-up to the best-selling Gold Coast Cure, which was published in 2005.

“You’re not just going to lose weight,” Ivy says. “You will transform your body with our 3-pronged approach.”

And if anyone knows what a tremendous difference this healthy approach to weight loss can make, it is Ivy. More than eight years ago, this fitness instructor from Jupiter, Fla., was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Her symptoms included bladder urgency, loss of strength and depression. When Ivy was desperate for a miracle, her neurologist put her on a special diet known as the Swank Diet.

“I knew a lot about exercise, but I really had a lot to learn about proper nutrition,” Ivy says. “I thought it didn’t matter what I ate as long as my weight was under control.”

Since the Swank Diet was bland and hard to follow, Ivy and her husband (then in medical school) put their heads together to make some modifications. The result was the healthy eating plan outlined in their books.

“I made a tremendous switch in the types of foods I eat,” Ivy says. “I don’t eat standard, processed foods anymore.”

Today, Ivy is a walking miracle. She has been able to return to vibrant health without taking any medication. The doting mother attributes her awe-inspiring success to the program outlined in the Fitter Firmer Faster book. But this remarkable 3-pronged approach isn’t only useful for fighting diseases, it can help you get a killer body, too.

According to Ivy, eating wholesome, balanced foods can actually cause a person’s appetite to self-regulate. Now, in this eDiets exclusive, she shares 10 foods that can help you curb your cravings.

Vegetables and Fruits
In spite of what you may have read in other diet books, Ivy says, all fruits and vegetables are helpful for weight loss. In fact, fruits and vegetables are at the top of the Fitter Firmer Faster food list. These superstar foods are rich in nutrients, low in calories and packed with fiber.

Whole Grains
Get the whole truth. Ivy says that whole grains retain the nutrient-rich germ, which is no longer present in refined grains or flour. This means that whole grains are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential fats. Many studies have also linked whole-grain consumption to proper weight management.

Beans And Legumes
Bean there, done that. According to Ivy, beans and legumes provide the “maximum nutritional bang for the minimum calorie buck.” That’s because the foods in this group are packed with protein, fiber, iron, potassium and folate.

Potatoes
You say “poh-tah-to,” I say good for weight loss. Despite the bad rap potatoes have gotten in the press, Ivy says, they provide a “strong nutritional punch in a relatively low-calorie package.” Potatoes actually contain lots of healthy nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, B vitamins and phytonutrients. Just be careful what you top them with!

Fish
Swimmingly good. Since they are just packed with healthy omega-3 fats, eating fish actually promotes fat-burning in the body. Ivy says that the omega-3 fats found in most fish are also “the most potent anti-inflammatory substances available without a prescription.”

Soy
Oh say, can you soy? Eating soy can help you lose weight, because it is full of nutrients but low in calories. Soy foods such as edamame beans and soy beans also have the added advantage of being rich in fiber.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil
Just the flax, ma’am. Flax is actually a great source of omega-3 fat. According to Ivy, flaxseeds and flax oils are digested slowly, so they can keep you feeling full for hours. She also says that flaxseeds offer an added bonus for weight loss, since they are rich and filling in fiber.

Nuts and Seeds
Nuts about weight loss? Walnuts and pumpkin seeds are great sources of omega-3 fats. Other nuts such as almonds, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts are packed with monounsaturated fats.

Low-Fat Plain Yogurt
Ivy says that yogurts and other cultured dairy products like kefir contain more nutrition than milk. Yogurt is also a great source of calcium.

Omega-3 Enriched Eggs
Eggs-actly what you need to lose weight. Eggs are full of healthy nutrients, such as B vitamins, zinc, vitamins A & D, iron and the antioxidant lutein.

Fitter Firmer Faster is really three books in one. The health-conscious couple has made their approach easier than ever to follow by adding a detailed exercise program and more than 50 delicious recipes.

To get your own copy of Fitter Firmer Faster, click here.

To find out more information about The Gold Coast Cure, click here to visit the official web site.

You can lose weight and improve your health, but you may have to adopt a healthy lifestyle to accomplish those goals. eDiets now offers the Mayo Clinic Plan, developed by the doctors at the Mayo Clinic. Start today

Mexican Lasagna for Family Dinner

From Jillian Michaels

You're psyched about your new way of life, but your family isn't quite convinced, especially at dinner time. If you need a crowd-pleaser to win them over, try this healthy version of the classic lasagna. Trust me. They'll never know that it's lower in fat and calories than what they're used to!

Mexican Lasagna

Serves 12; 200 calories per serving

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4-ounce package taco seasoning mix
15 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
27 ounces canned whole green chilies (drain and reserve 2 tablespoons canned juice)
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
4 6-inch, low-carb tortillas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season the meat with a little salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium heat, break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook until browned. Drain off the grease. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and enough water to make a paste.

2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese, sour cream, reserved chili juice, Tabasco sauce, and 1⁄2 cup water. Spread a lit¬tle of the mixture to cover the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Cover the sauce with a layer of tortillas, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle the meat mixture evenly over the entire base. Cover with a single layer of whole green chilies and pour the remaining sauce on top.

3. Bake 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY

Show Your Family the Way

Sure, you'd love it if everyone in your family joined you in your health venture. Not only would it make dinner preparation and grocery shopping easier, but your spouse and kids would enjoy better health too. Until they see light, you can encourage loved ones by offering healthy dishes alongside old favorites, and by asking them if they'd like to join you when you exercise. Leading by example and flaunting your results can be a powerful influence -- just be patient and you'll see! -- Jillian Michaels

Wheat free, dairy free, nut free, meat free recipe

From Diet & Body Group member

Hi everyone

I know how hard it is to eat healthily, especially with a family that each wants different meals

We had this in mind when we developed damefandango.com ...a free recipe site which caters for all sorts of diets - have a look and see if there's anything you fancy!

Just as a taster, here's one of my favourites, devised by my partner, Scarlett...

Serves 2

Dame Fan and I both get superb seasonal veg boxes delivered. And sometimes I look in the box and think, "What the heck am I going to do with that?!" At the moment, they include celeriac - which is often combined with cream or cheese in recipes. So, faced with a lovely freshly-picked knobbly looking celeriac staring at me from the box, and determined to make good use of it without these, I started experimenting! And I am really pleased with the result. The recipe is vaguely based on one found on the Riverford organic farm site (which unfortunately also had dairy in it) and it is absolutely delicious. In fact, this is one of my current favourite dishes.

Wheat free, dairy free, nut free, meat free version...

Ingredients

* 1 small celeriac, peeled and cubed
* 1 leek, sliced
* 1 onion, chopped quite finely
* 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into reasonably big chunks
(you're going to slice these later)
* Handful of cherry tomatoes
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced finely
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 4 heaped tsp sun dried tomato paste
* ¼ pint water
* 2 tbsp red wine
* Pinch sugar
* Salt and pepper
* 1 dessert spoon oil

Instructions

Heat the oven to 170°C. In a pan, boil the celeriac, potatoes and leeks with a little salt for about 10 minutes.

In another pan, heat the oil and fry the onion until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Then add the tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the wine, water, cinnamon, tomato paste and bay. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then add the sugar and seasoning and stir well.

When the potatoes, celeriac and leeks are done, drain them and put the leek and celeriac into an oven proof dish - you can split them between individual dishes if you prefer.

Take the bay out of the tomato sauce and pour over the leeks and celeriac. Slice the potatoes and arrange on top. Brush the potatoes with a little oil and season with pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes and serve.

Maybe serve with...

I serve this with various things, but tend to keep it quite simple, mostly for reasons of speed! The bake works well with lovely dark green leafy vegetables, such as wilted spinach, and also with the crunch of something like julienne carrot. Kale works well, as does stir fried dark cabbage - and also courgettes. If you didn't want to use potatoes, you could stir cooked pasta through the mixture and bake that instead, for 10-15 minutes.

For those able to eat wheat...

You could add a sprinkling of breadcrumbs mixed with a finely chopped or dried herb over the potatoes if you wished - to give it a bit of crunch. Add the breadcrumbs 10-15 minutes before the bake is ready.

Enjoy!

Dame Fandango
damefandango.com

Bruschetta with Tomato Mango Salsa

by Christine Leishman
For DietWatch

Prep time: 10 minutes; additional time required to let salsa chill
Cooking Time 2-3 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large, firm, ripe red tomatoes
• 1 large, firm, ripe yellow tomato
• 1 ripe mango
• 1/4 red onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 6 large slices of sourdough French bread, approx. 2 ounces each
• 1 clove garlic

Method

Core the tomatoes and chop them into small chunks. Cut the mango in half on either side of the seed. Score the fruit into small cubes and scoop them into the bowl with the tomatoes. Mix all the remaining seasonings in and let the flavors mellow several hours before serving.

Grill the bread over a medium hot flame and rub a couple of times with the clove of garlic. Scoop about 1/2-cup of salsa on each toast per serving.

*It's fun to have the guests grill their own bread and rub with garlic as part of the party warm up.

Yield: 6 servings
Per serving (5 oz): Calories 209; Fat 3.5 g; Saturated fat <1>

Carbohydrate points: 2.6
Carbohydrate (g): 39.3
Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Fruit, 2 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

---

Chris Leishman began her cooking career at Greens Restaurant, the renowned vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco. Her interest in health and nutrition eventually led her to UCSF Medical Center where she was the Recipe Development Coordinator for both the patient and retail foodservice. She led cooking classes for the Outpatient Weight Management group, the Heart Disease Reversal Program, and Millberry Student Program. Her work for Dr. Dean Ornish's Heart Disease Reversal Programled to the publication of her cookbook Recipes From the Heart

Top 9 Health Trends for 2007

"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra

By Steve Edwards, Beachbody

They say that knowledge is power, but who's got time to sift through all the muck and decide what's truly worth reading? At Beachbody, our aim is to keep you at the top of the learning curve about things that matter. Here are nine hot topics that will become big news in the upcoming year. And if they don't, they should, because all of them will have an effect on the health and well-being of you and your friends and family.

1. We'll eat more locally produced foods. Get to know the acronym CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, because eating locally is going to become more and more popular. Eating food prepared in your area is the easiest way to ensure it's safe -- something that's becoming more and more of a concern lately. When you also factor in the cost and environmental effects of transporting food, it makes even more sense. Not only are foods from afar harder to monitor, the adverse effects of transportation on our environment, and hence the food, are becoming very hard to ignore.

   Once known only as your local farmers' market, CSA organizations are becoming more popular and prices for these foods are now competitive with corporate giants. All of which will create a positive effect on the health value and safety of the foods we eat.

   For more on CSA, check out this edition of Steve's Mailbag at Beachbody.

2. Preventative health care will become more prevalent. Without a national health care plan it's tougher than ever for Americans to use their doctors for most of their health needs. Not only that, but given that many of us use HMO plans that limit our ability to easily get to the right doctor or specialist, we need to take more responsibility for our personal health issues than we have in the modern age.

   While the downside of this issue is obvious, the upside may have a bright future. First off, we're becoming aware that we need to get more educated where our health is concerned. Secondly, we're more aware of the value of getting a second opinion. But the biggest change is that insurance companies are finally beginning to acknowledge the fact that preventative health care, in the form or diet, exercise, and alternative medical practices, is worth covering.

   Healthy bodies get sick less, injured less, and require fewer visits to hospitals and doctor's offices. By adding incentives for healthy habits we'll save so much money on sick care (what happens when preventative health care is ignored) that we might even begin to agree on a national health care plan.

3. We'll learn what pH means to our diet. Our diets are too acidic, which is something we've been dealing with in various ways over the last 50 years. First, it was too much fat, then too little protein, then too many carbs, then too many of the wrong types of carbs, then too little fat. What we end up with is a diet that has too much acid. Welcome to the pH diet, the next generation of diet books about to hit the best-seller list.

   Before you jump on the bandwagon, allow us to simplify it for you. Foods tend to be alkaline, high on the pH scale, or acidic, low on the pH scale. Our bodies digest foods better when the mix is towards the middle or upper range of this scale. Unfortunately, most of our favorite foods tend to be on the low end. Sugar, meat, alcohol, coffee, chips, fried stuff, most processed foods, and almost anything we refer to as "junk" has a low number associated with it. High pH foods include most plants in their natural state and Rolaids, Maalox, and other stuff we use when we suffer from "acid indigestion." Since the latter ones have no food value, the best way to stay healthy is to eat more fruits and vegetables. And you don't need a best-selling diet book to tell you that.

4. Food safety will become a major issue. This will lead to more scrutiny as to how we raise and harvest the things we eat. Finding E. coli and other pathogens in our food and water has become so real it's almost commonplace. Once the safest place to eat and drink on the planet, the U.S. news headlines are starting to make us look like a developing country. While there are many reasons for this, the bottom line is that we can no longer just assume it's safe to eat the food and drink the water just because we're, well, Americans. We've allowed our agriculture and meat industries to fly under the radar for a long time and now we're paying for it.

   Thankfully, we're not a developing country and have government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help us out. They are our health watchdog and provide a lot of useful information about keeping you and your family safe. Checking their Web site regularly will help you to stay informed.

5. We'll acknowledge childhood obesity as a serious issue. The latest numbers estimate that between 32 and 44 percent of our children are overweight by the time they hit preschool. And these numbers are rising. With type 2 diabetes (which stems from obesity) the fastest growing disease on the planet, we've hit the economic point where we can't literally afford to ignore this issue any longer. Not that we've been totally ignoring it but we haven't given this issue the attention it deserves, probably because, by far, poverty-stricken children are leading the way. Now that it's blown into a full-scale socioeconomic problem, expect to begin to see some changes.
   


6. We'll name our poison. We'll have some say over whether or not we eat genetically modified foods and other artificial or altered products. Outlawing trans fat is getting all the headlines but these synthetic bits of artery-clogging gunk are just the tip of the humankind-messing-with-nature iceberg. GMOs (genetically modified organisms) have been an insidious part of our diets for decades. Finally, we're starting to become educated about them and they've hit the mainstream radar.

   For more on this issue, buy or rent The Future of Food, an inside look at the history of GMOs and their past and future health risks to you. We'll have a review for you in an upcoming issue.

7. Organic will come under fire. There is no doubt that the trend towards producing foods that are grown by more natural methods is a good one, but expect some controversy in the upcoming months. Having an "organic" label has made an impact on the market and big business has been buying up small traditionally organic companies and lobbying to weaken organic standards.

   Before you dismiss this as a conspiracy theory, consider some of the companies that have joined the organic movement: Chevron, Disney, DuPont, ExxonMobil, General Electric, McDonald's, Monsanto, Nike, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Phillip Morris, Starbucks, Target, and Texas Instruments. This list is not exactly synonymous with health and is more often associated with words like smog, obesity, toxic waste, greed, and cancer.

   Organic is the fastest growing segment of the food industry so it's not surprising that the big players want in. But with the almighty quarterly earnings statements replacing health as the industry's Holy Grail, things are getting rocky. According to Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, "Congress voted to weaken the national organic standards that consumers count on to preserve the integrity of the organic label. The process was profoundly undemocratic and the end result is a serious setback for the multibillion-dollar alternative food and farming system that the organic community has so painstakingly built up over the past 35 years."

   This health vs. money war is just getting started. As consumers, we need to do our best to stay informed and make our voices heard. Your local CSA affiliate is probably the best place to start.

8. We'll begin consuming less soy. It's not that soy's bad for you; it's that we're eating way too much of it. One of the GMO world's star pupils, soy is now found in many foods that don't conjure up thoughts of tofu and it's beginning to have some serious effects on our health. For more on this issue, check out Soy to the World and The Soy Dilemma.
   


9. We'll question our reliance on prescription medications. The war on drugs is becoming the war on prescription medications and it's time we began to see the connection between Scarface and pharmaceutical companies. We've joked about the drug-addicted celebrities, but prescription drug addition has moved far beyond a microcosm of the Hollywood elite with paychecks that exceed some countries' gross national product.

   Since our pharmaceutical companies have been bombarding the airwaves with advertisements, prescription medications have become the number one escalating area of teen drug abuse. In fact, it's the only growing area. According to the annual study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 840,000 fewer teens are using illegal drugs compared to five years ago. However, overall drug abuse is only slightly down, meaning virtually that same number has turned to using various types of prescription medications.

   Of course, prescription meds serve a great purpose in our society. But they are also drugs and can have far worse effects than marijuana and alcohol—by far the two most popular illegal teen drugs—if the problem is left unchecked. Banning, or at least heavily restricting, the pharmaceutical companies' advertising ability to advertise substances where the side effects can be far worse than what's being treated is where we should start. After all, we already restrict alcohol ads—and just imagine the outrage over an ad like this, "Stressed? Why not try some medical marijuana?"

   Churning out obese, drug-addicted, and undereducated kids is not the cornerstone of creating a great society. The revolution begins in 2007 -- and it starts with you.

If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, just email us at mailbag@beachbody.com. If you'd like to receive Steve Edwards' Mailbag by email, click here to subscribe to Steve's Health and Fitness Newsletter.

Check out Steve's responses to your comments in Steve Edwards' Mailbag on the Message Boards. And if you'd like to know more about Steve's views on fitness, nutrition, and outdoor sports, read his blog, The Straight Dope.

Oat Bran Muffins

From The Personality Diet
Click here for more information!

Servings: 12 Category: Bread

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups oat bran
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 mashed banana
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 2 Tablespoons raisins, dates, or other dried fruit
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix the first four dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix the egg with orange juice, milk and oil. Mix fruit and blend with dry ingredients.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry until it is moist.
4. Spray muffin tin with a non-stick coating. Pour batter into muffin tins.
5. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Remove muffins from pan after 10 minutes. Cool on a rack. Freeze muffins for later use.

Whole-Wheat Penne with Eggplant and Ricotta

From South Beach Diet Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes 4 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan 1 1⁄2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes 8 ounces whole-wheat or spelt penne 1 small onion, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Get More Delicious Recipes Gain exclusive access to our huge recipe database. Search by ingredient, print out shopping lists, and save favorites. Join South Beach Diet

Instructions
Heat oven to 450�F.

Lightly coat a baking pan with oil. Place eggplant in the pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, season with salt and pepper, toss to coat, and spread in an even layer. Bake, stirring once, until eggplant is lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

While eggplant is roasting, cook pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta, place in a large bowl, and add tomato mixture, eggplant, and cheese. Toss to combine, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutritional Information:
420 calories
14 g fat
4 g saturated fat
18 g protein
62 g carbohydrate
12 g dietary fiber
320 mg sodium

South Beach Diet