Choosing the Right Breakfast Cereal

Posted on March 23, 2011

Reading nutrition labels on the sides of  breakfast cereal boxes can make you wonder if you’ve gone astray and landed in the candy aisle by mistake. Sugar, sugar, and more sugar, plus a helping of fat, all with little or no nutritional benefits.

My family eats a ton of breakfast cereal every week, so I always try to make it as healthy as possible. My husband, who wins the prize for healthy breakfasts, consumes his cereal with a heaping portion of cut-up fresh fruit and homemade yogurt (see previous post for my yoghurt recipe). My son drowns his cereal in milk. My daughter adds cereal to her cup of raspberry or strawberry yogurt, the only flavors she likes. And, I eat mine with a minimal amount of milk due to lactose intolerance.

How do I cater to everyone without buying four different boxes of cereal? The answer is by making a delicious cocktail of healthy breakfast cereals which I combine with homemade granola. In a large, airtight plastic container, I mix about half the box of  two different cereals (today, it was three: Nature’s Path Optimum Cranberry Ginger, Kashi GoLean, and the remainder of the All Bran cereal from the bran muffins I made). I add homemade granola, and it’s good to go (see previous post for granola…I sweetened my latest batch with maple syrup, walnuts, and dried mango bits…yummy!). Whether you mix and match, or you’re a one-cereal-box  gal or guy, here are some essential tips for choosing a healthy breakfast cereal.

Tips for Choosing the Healthiest Cereal Brands on the Shelves

  • Look for cereals containing the following first on their ingredient lists: whole wheat, whole grain, whole oat flour, or rolled oats. This ensures that the product has not been subject to fiber-robbing refining processes.
  • Look for cereals containing at least 2 grams of fiber per serving. Whole grain products contain fiber, but refined grain products do not. Examples of the three high-fiber cereals include: General Mills Fiber One (14 grams of  fiber per 1/2 cup serving); Kellogg’s All Bran Cereal (10 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup serving); and Kashi GoLean Crunch (8 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup serving).
  • Look for cereals low in sugar. A maximum of 5 grams of sugar (about 1 teaspoon) per serving is advised. Cereals containing dried fruit, such as raisins, are likely to have a higher sugar content, but the nutritional benefits are generally worth the extra sugar.
  • Look for cereals with no more than 2 grams of fat per serving.
  • Look for cereals fortified with 100% folic acid and 100% iron.
  • Vegans and non-meat eaters should look for cereals fortified with 100% B12.

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Bran Muffins with Attitude

Posted on March 19, 2011

Most people get the bulk of their daily fiber at breakfast from cold cereals, warm oatmeal, toasted  whole wheat bread or rolls, fresh fruit, or bran muffins! This recipe for bran muffins, made from All-Bran cereal combined with dried cranberries or apricots and walnuts, comes from Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be. Each regular-size moist and tasty muffin contains a whopping 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and 208 micrograms of folic acid…all for less than 200 calories!

Bran Muffins with Dried Apricots, Walnuts, and Candied Ginger

Makes 15 regular muffins or about 52 mini muffins
Cooking spray for greasing the muffin pan (or use muffin cup liners)
3-1/2 cups All Bran Cereal
1 cup boiling water
¼ cup canola oil
¾ cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
½ cup walnuts
1/3 cup chopped candied ginger

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the muffin cups with cooking spray or line with muffin liners.
  2. Place the cereal in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Do not stir. Set aside.
  3. Combine the canola oil and sugar in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the buttermilk and eggs and whisk again. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground ginger and whisk just until well combined. Add the All Bran mixture and mix with a spoon, then add the remaining cranberries, walnuts, and candied ginger and mix until well combined. (The batter will be quite thick.) Let the batter sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  4. Gently stir the batter, then divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean: about 20 minutes for regular muffins, about 12 for mini muffins. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly before serving.

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Homemade Rocks! Delicious Caesar Salad Dressing

Posted on November 4, 2010

caesar-salad

Who doesn’t love a great Caesar salad packed with crispy romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, Parmesan shavings, and a perfectly tangy dressing. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Here’s a recipe for a delicious homemade Caesar salad dressing from the second edition of Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be, my Mom’s Choice Award-Winning cookbook. My family begs for this dressing and I’m sure yours will too.

Makes about 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small garlic clove, squeezed through a garlic press or minced
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablepsoons canola oil

Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil and canola oil in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil and canola oil, whisking until emulsified.

Note: This salad dressing will separate as it sits. Whisk or shake it to re-emulsify it. The dressing will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: 1 tablespoon salad dressing: Calories: 117 cals; Protein: 0; Carbohydrates: 0; Fat: 13 g; Fiber: 0; Sodium: 96 mg; Diabetic Exchange: Fat 2.5

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10 Foods for a Healthier You!

Posted on November 19, 2009

healthy-life

10 Foods for a Healthier You!

  1. Whole grains. Whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, barley, and oats. Whole grains are a great source of vitamins and fiber. Rule of thumb: Brown is best. Avoid refined white foods stripped of their nutrients.
  2. Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants. Prunes, blueberries, blackberries, mangosteen, kiwi, grapes, broccoli, red pepper, beets, spinach, and artichokes. Antioxidants promote cell regeneration and basic metabolic functions. Dark chocolate and tea also contain antioxidants.
  3. Fish high in DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, sardines, tuna, halibut, and anchovies. Omega-3s fatty acids are essential to good heart health, fetal brain development, and they can help reduce depression. Ask your doctor about supplements, particularly if you are at risk for heart disease, or if you are pregnant.
  4. Low-fat dairy products.  Milk, yogurt, and cheeses. Calcium is the key to strong bones and preventing osteoporosis. If you are lactose intolerant, try calcium-fortified foods, such as orange juice and soy milk, or supplements. The average Daily Intake of calcium for people between the ages of 31 and 50 years, is about 1,000 milligrams.
  5. Mono and polyunsaturated oils. Olive, canola, peanut, corn, safflower, sunflower, sesame, and flaxseed oils. Use these cholesterol-busting oils in salad dressings, cooking, and baking. Minimize saturated fats, such as butter, lard, and the white fat on meats. Avoid all trans fats, including stick margarine.
  6. Soluble fiber. Oatmeal, barley, and brown rice. There are two types of fiber: soluble (from whole grains) and insoluble (from fruits and vegetables). Soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol. Insoluble fiber is excellent for digestion, but it does not affect cholesterol levels.
  7. Nuts and seeds. All kinds. Filled with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, nuts and seeds are the perfect snack, salad topping, or baking boost.
  8. Vegetable proteins. Tofu, beans, nuts, and seeds. These fat-free sources are excellent alternatives to meat and poultry.
  9. Folic acid. Lentils, fortified breakfast cereals, asparagus, spinach, and orange juice. Folic acid is critical in preventing neural tube birth defects and cleft palate, and it has the cardiac benefit of lowering homocysteine levels, a by-product of protein metabolism in your blood. Most people need about 400 micrograms of folic acid per day.
  10. Resveratrol. Red wine, raspberries, peanuts and mulberries. The antioxidant resveratrol may have some cardioprotective benefits.

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