You are what you eat- Feature Recipes

Many friends and family are following specific diet plans and many of them have passed along these healthy recipes and tips to share.  Vegan, Raw food, Vegetarian, Weight Watchers, South Beach Low fat/Low Cholesterol, Gluten Free diets are amoungst the recipes I wish to share. I know many that have had great success following these plans. It is a big step to take on one of these diet plans. It should be looked at as a lifestyle change and not as a diet. You have to be willing to take a look at your current eating habits and be willing to commit. Many friends along with myself have failed at these diets because we have given up after cheating. In the beginning expect to have set backs, but do not give up. Many eating habits are passed along from our parents and having the “western” diet has been against us. With the busy lifestyles we lead the “convience” foods are too readily available. Eating out has become a big part of our social lives. By changing what and how much you eat will benefit you later in your life and will be passed along to your children as well. Each of the diet plans that I have chosen to research have excellent recipes, which can make these lifestyle changes fun and less like dieting. This is especially a great way to look at it if you like to cook and entertain because you can get friends and family involved as well! Finding the right diet plan can be hard, but as you research these different diets you can find one that can work with the lifestyle you lead. Most importantly you must add exercise with any diet plan you choose.
The rate of obesity has sky rocketed in America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2009 32% of the adult population is obese. 58 million Americans are overweight, 40 million are obese and 3 million are morbidly obese. 8 out of 10 adults over the age if 25 are overweight. Having a BMI of 30 or greater puts you into the category of obese. 78% of the American population are not meeting the basic physical activity level. For more information about these statistics you can go to http://www.cdc.gov/



I am looking to make this a public forum for sharing tips and recipes for these diet plans.




Feature Recipe



Vegetarian Couscous Casserole

Ingredients
1 1/2 c Water
1/4 ts Salt
1 c Couscous, uncooked
15 oz Canned black beans, drained
8 3/4 oz Can no-salt-added whole
Kernel corn, drained
8 oz Canned sliced water Chestnuts, drained
7 oz Jar, roasted red peppers in Water, drained and cut into Strips
1/2 c Minced green onions
2 tb Minced pickeled jalapeno (can substitute FRESH jalapeno)
Pepper 1 c Part-skim ricotta cheese ( can substitute Fat Free cottage Cheese)
2 tb Balsamic vinegar
2 ts Sesame oil
1 ts Ground cumin
6 c Fresh spinach leaves

1. Combine water and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add couscous; stir well. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed. Add black beans and next 5 ingredients; stir gently. 2. Combine ricotta cheese, vinegar, oil, and cumin; stir into couscous
mixture. Spoon mixture into an 11x7x2" baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 3. Cut spinach leaves into thin strips. Place 1 cup spinach on each
serving plate; spoon couscous mixture evenly over spinach.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving): Calories 299, protein 15.3g, fat 5.8g, carbo 47.4g, sodium 206g, cholesterol 13mg





Quinoa Stir Fry with Edamame and Peanuts



Ingredients

1 cup of quinoa (cooked and drained)
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBS low sodium soy sauce (Braggs amino acids is good substitute)
1 cup Edamame (shelled and out of the pod)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts Sesame oil to coat pan
1 TBS sesame seeds
1 tsp of fresh, ground ginger (powder is fine if you can't find fresh)
1/4 cup chopped carrots pinch of fresh basil chopped

Directions:

Saute garlic, sesame seeds, and cayenne pepper in pan. Add quinoa, soy sauce, nuts, edamame, carrots, and ginger. Stir fry in pan until fully warmed and evenly coated. Garnish with fresh basil. This dish is simple, healthful, and delicious.



Quinoa- Although not a common item in most kitchens today, quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. Quinoa is available in your local health food stores throughout the year.



Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It is a recently rediscovered ancient "grain" once considered "the gold of the Incas." Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.