Vegetarian Chili Not Tasty, So I Ate Berries & Nuts, Which Fight Cholesterol & Fat & Was Yummy!
Posted: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
by Fran Larson
http://www.franniesquotes.com/
Every day around 4:00 p.m., I get the "What's for dinner" blues. I know I should not complain, because there is much to be thankful for, but somehow the idea of thinking what to prepare for dinner and cooking it just doesn't have a big appeal to me.
So, I came upon this idea. Why not cook dinner in the morning (in my crock pot) and then come 4:00 p.m., I could be doing other things while inhaling a wonderful aroma of a home-cooked meal? It would be so great. I would be a hero. Jim would not be pacing around in the kitchen to see if there is any action or any plan of action for dinner. I would take my shower, serve up the vegetarian chili and Jim could put on one of our movies that stream in from Net Flicks.
Triple Berries And Almonds Fight Cholesterol Fat
As it turned out, munching on berries and almonds was not a bad choice. The frozen sweet berries just melted in my mouth. The marriage of berries and almonds gave me extra energy, while satisfying my hunger. (I get the frozen triple berries from Sam's).
One cup of blueberries has about 80 calories. You probably know that fiber is the magic bullet of weight loss success. It keeps you satisfied throughout the day - and away from the fridge. But you may not know that berries are an excellent roughage source. Raspberries are the fiber queens with 8 grams per cup. Blackberries come in a close second with 7.4 grams, and blueberries have 3.5 grams. (Women's health org)
According to the American Heart Association, the average American takes in 15 grams of fiber. Several organizations recommend 25 - 30 grams a day. The American Dietetic association recommends 25 - 35 grams a day. If your intake is 15 grams or less and you want to increase your fiber intake, increase it gradually. If you jump from 15 to 35 grams a day, it may cause stomach cramping and gas.
Keep in mind that you need to increase your water intake when you start increasing your fiber intake. This will also reduce any cramps you get.
Almonds themselves can actually help you maintain lower cholesterol levels, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Low cholesterol levels make you less likely to develop heart disease, which according to the Almond Board of California is the leading cause of men and women in the United States.
A handful of almonds contain. approximately 164 calories. Ah, but these are good calories, good fat (it is monosaturated fat, which is the type that is great for your heart (also found in olive oil and salmon).
They also contain good amounts of protein, fatty acids, omegea-3, omega-6, Vitamin E, Zinc, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium and Magnesium. It is better to buy the unsalted ones.
So, go ahead and munch on berries and almonds and well, the vegetarian soup is up to you.
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More commentsSome might call you a nut Fran, but I think you're a berry.:) As far as almonds, I'm sure in a properly diverse diet they are probably good for cholesterol, as is most everything else in a properly diverse diet. I'm sure if you looked hard enough you could probably find literature from the Almond Board of California that would attribute almonds as the cure for everything from heart attack to hang nails, and get a nice plot of beach front property in the Florida everglades as well. Well maybe not the beach front property, but you get the idea, right?:) Love your stuff.
Hi Fran. I don't know why, but your title gave me the giggles. Maybe it's because it reminded me of the not so cooked rice I cooked years ago. Anyway, so glad Jim enjoyed your great idea. This was a fun and informative article. Great job as usual. Blessings to you! Teresa
Sounds good. I'll have to try the berries and almonds. I like raw almonds and walnuts. I'll have to at least try the soup.
You serious Fran? vegetarian ? Anyway, what you recommend is very healthy. I think I can learn to eat more greens than meat (at this age) many unforeseen things may be coming out if we still indulge in meaty foods.
Good article Fran, thanks for sharing
I like berries in yogourt with grape nuts sprinkled on top. I should say I liked it, I over-dosed on it and have been off it for a while. Your article has made me think I should give it another try. Love berries! Thanks Fran.
Oh Fran! I love the crock-pot idea as well. There is nothing like walking into the kitchen at 4:00 in the afternoon and already smelling something wonderful! The lucky thing for me is that I was kicked out of the kitchen early on in our marriage, and Scott is the one that deals with the What's for Dinner question. Great helpful hints for keeping hunger at bay! Thank you!
I have pecan remnants in my mouth right now (I find I need to watch carefully how many nuts I eat because I can be overboard with my Weight Watchers in no time with nuts since usually 1/4 c is 4 points and I only get 20 in a day) I hear you! we can make good choices, that taste good and are healthy for us - all healthy food doesn't taste like saw dust! Thanks for this very encouraging article!
Send your hubby over as we are having company and I am grilling chicken breasts, making sweet potato "fries", having a fruit smoothie and a tossed salad with apples, tomato and yes, those browned pecans.... plus fresh banana bran muffins - you can come too had have some yogurt instead of the chicken?
Then I guess I'm doing things right. I took over the cooking in our house about four months ago (my wife loves it). I use dried cranberries and almonds in almost every salad I make. I also make a spinach salad that includes strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Speaking of blueberries, I wish they weren't so expensive to buy. I've got a recipe for a Blueberry Port Wine. It sounds yummy and I'd love to try it.
Though I'm not a vegetarian, I try to eat right. Good to know that almonds
help to maintain lower cholesterol levels, I like almonds.
Thanks for sharing Fran
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