A routine trip to his local grocery store has Tucsonan Chris Hauser on an all-inclusive path to better health, and may just win earn him the title of “The Smallest Winner.”

Hauser is one of six contestants selected for the Smallest Winner competition, the brainstorm of Maya Nahra, the Health & Wellness Educator for Boulder, Colo.-based Sunflower Farmers Markets.

Nahra was hired five months ago for the new position created for Sunflower, which will open its third Tucson location at 4282 N. First Ave. on Wednesday, and has 18 other markets in six Western states.

“It was pretty forward-thinking for Sunflower to create the position, and it fits in really well their mission of providing healthy food choices for people,” said Nahra, who earned a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from St. Louis University.

Nahra’s job has her leading in-store health sessions, planning healthy living events and menus and creating all in-store recipes and healthy living programs. She also regularly shares her tips – on Sunflower’s Web site and in newsletters and fliers – for living nutritiously.

She came up with the idea of a Smallest Winner competition, along the lines of the popular “Biggest Loser” television series, and culled six contestants from more than 44 entries for the competition. The competition runs from Jan. 1 through March 1. Contestants receive free consultations with Nahra on nutrition, exercise and vitamin supplements, plus gift cards for Sunflower and free temporary memberships to local YMCAs. In addition to weigh-ins, contestants’ cholesterol, tryglycerides and total body fat levels are tested.

“It’s not about who can lose the most weight in two months, it’s about adopting long-term lifestyle changes,” Nahra said. “We’re weighing all of the different criteria, and though weight loss is one of those, it’s more of an overall heart-healthy program.”

Hauser, whose first official weigh in had him at 219 pounds, has already lost 10.5 pounds, he said.

“I’ve been eating a lot better thanks to Maya’s help and exercising quite a bit. Ironically, my wife and I have a ‘Biggest Loser’ workout video,” said Hauser, who works for Pima Community College in Professional Development.

It doesn’t hurt that Hauser’s wife, Wendi, is a vegetarian who is open to trying new foods, he said.

“She made me a vegetarian lasagna that was incredibly healthy but tasted like it was very fattening because she put tofu in to cut the cheese content in half,” Hauser said. “I would have never thought I would enjoy something like that, but it was fantastic.”

The Hausers – who have a 3-year-old son, and another child on the way – find the Smallest Winner contest is actually helping the whole family.

“Because of my healthier choices in the contest, there is healthier food in the house for everyone,” Chris Hauser said. “Regardless of where I finish on March 1, it’s already been a really great thing for us.”

Contestants were selected on the basis of essays submitted entrants on why they’d make good contestants. The rest of the field in the Smallest Winner is composed of two people from the Phoenix area, two from Salt Lake City, and one from Littleton, Colo.

Nahra said prizes for the contest have yet to finalized, but will most likely include gift certificates for Sunflower.

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WHAT’S IN STORE

Festivitives for the Wednesday grand opening of the Sunflower Farmers Market at 4282 N. First Ave., include garland-cutting ceremony, free reusable shopping bags filled with more than $50 in healthfuly groceries, free food, and activities for kids. For more information, visit sfmarkets.com.

Nothing says “the holidays” better than your favorite home-cooked meals and desserts.

Unfortunately, the holidays can also mark the beginning of the end of your weight-loss plan.

The secret to staying on track is to focus on your priorities and plan to succeed. Don’t plan to give in, give up, or indulge.

Linda Simmons, 54, a local personal trainer, began cooking light for the holidays many years ago.

“I was competing in body building and I didn’t want to compromise,” she says. “Therefore, I adapted and created recipes that were low in sugar, fat and salt, and high in fiber, protein, nutrients and antioxidants – and tasted great.”

Through trial and error – and the use of low-fat, low-calorie substitutions – Simmons created new family favorites, including a No-crust Pumpkin Pie and Sweet Potato Bread Pudding.

She even gave the traditional green -bean casserole a makeover by using reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup in the dish and toasted leek chips instead of french-fried onions as the topping.

“People love it. I have a lot of requests from friends and clients for the dishes I make,” she says.

For those who prefer the original recipes, you can always opt for a smaller portion.

“It’s easy to be tempted to overindulge during the parties and celebrations that fill the holiday season,” says Felice Appell, spokeswoman for Weight Watchers of Arizona. “But with a little advanced planning and steely resolve, the season can be celebrated without any movement on the scale.”

It’s a good idea to continue to track your eating through the holidays as an extra 500 calories per day can equal to a pound of weight gain per week, she says.

At holiday parties, she says, be watchful of the four Cs: cocktails, cookies, candy and couture.

She also recommends that you:

• Swap high-calorie beverages, such as cocktails and eggnog for drinks lower in calories.

• Bring your own light cookies or shrink the size of your favorite treat.

• Use low-calorie egg, milk and sugar substitutions in recipes.

• Opt for hard candy instead of chocolate.

• Don’t wear big, baggy clothes to parties. Wear a great outfit that makes you want to look and feel your best.

“What can make or break one’s weight control success during the holiday season is forgiveness when you do overindulge – and it will happen – simply forgive yourself and get right back on track with your program,” Appell says.

Local massage therapist Kirsten Gromer, 40, indulges a little more during the holidays but doesn’t let it get out of control. She and husband Mark make regular trips to the gym.

And while Kirsten Gromer does a lot of cooking and baking, she also gives a lot of food away to friends, family and bachelors.

“I don’t think you should deprive yourself of things,” she says. “Otherwise you will splurge when there’s a holiday or party.

“But I think the biggest problem is that it’s in everybody’s belief system that they are going to mess up during the holidays. Instead of telling themselves that all these treats are coming and ‘I can’t resist’, I think people have to tell themselves that they can resist overdoing it, and then allow themselves a treat once in a while.”

HOLIDAY RECIPES

No-crust Pumpkin Pie

3 eggs

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar (or Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine softened

1 cup fat-free evaporated canned milk or soy milk

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup biscuit mix, such as low-fat Bisquick

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

3/4 cup low-fat granola

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric blender, combine eggs, sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin, biscuit mix and spices.

Cover and blend on low speed for 3 minutes. Pour into a 9-inch glass pie plate prepared with nonstick spray; let stand 5 minutes. Place pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle top with granola and continue to bake another 20 minutes, or until the center feels firm. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cool topped with low-fat Cool Whip or vanilla frozen yogurt.

Source: Linda Simmons, Tucson personal trainer

Leek Chips for Green Bean Casserole

Use these chips instead of french-fried onions on your favorite green bean casserole recipe.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced

salt and ground pepper, to taste.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat it with oil.

Trim the ends of leeks and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Transfer to bowl of cold water and separate slices into rings in the water to remove grit. Strain, and thoroughly dry the rings.

Place rings evenly on the baking sheet and toss to coat with olive oil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp from 30 to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and add salt and pepper to taste. Use to top your favorite green bean casserole recipe.

Source: Linda Simmons, Tucson personal trainer

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

Note: For the mashed sweet potato, cook one medium sweet potato whole in a microwave for 7 to 8 minutes. Let it cool, then cut in half and squeeze out cooked potato into small mixing bowl and mash with a fork. If potato is dry, add a small amount of milk or water.

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 cup soy milk or fat-free evaporated milk

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups dry whole wheat bread (4-5 slices)

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup chopped pecans (toasted)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Whisk in sweet potato, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a 9-inch square baking dish, place bread cubes, raisins and nuts. Pour egg-potato mixture over bread, press liquid into bread cubes with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into he middle comes out clean. Serve warm.

Optional icing: Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of either orange juice, milk and vanilla or brandy. Mix until the consistency is thin, and drizzle over the top. Serve.

Source: Linda Simmons, Tucson personal trainer

Cottage Cheese Potato Casserole

16 ounces nonfat cottage cheese

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons parsley (fresh or dry)

1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

1 teaspoon minced dry onion

1/4 teaspoon dill

1/4 teaspoon thyme

6-8 tablespoon skim milk

1/2 pound reduced fat cheddar or jack cheese (grated)

6 medium (Yukon Gold or Russet) potatoes (lightly cooked an sliced but still firm), skins on

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together cottage cheese, flour, seasonings, milk and cheese. Lightly spray casserole dish with nnstick cooking spray. Layer potatoes and cottage cheese mixture; repeat. Sprinkle additional cheese on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Source: Linda Simmons, Tucson personal trainer

Classic Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup Neufchatel cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup fat-free skim milk

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar, colored (for decorating)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside. Place butter and cheese in a large bowl; cream using an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until batter is pale yellow; beat in vanilla extract and egg. Add about 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/3 of milk to cheese mixture; mix batter on low speed until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and cheese mixtures.

Shape dough into a ball and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Using your palms, press down on plastic wrap to flatten dough into a hamburger shape; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour on a flat work surface. Pull off about 1/3 of dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter, cut cookies out of dough and place on ungreased baking sheets. Roll up dough scraps and add back to dough ball. Pull off another 1/3 of dough and repeat process until all dough is used.

Sprinkle cookies with colored sugar and bake until edges just start to turn golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks and cook completely.

Makes 45 servings. (POINTS® Value: 1 per cookie)

Source: WeightWatchers.com

Chocolate-Splattered Pretzels

Pretzel nuggets, as needed

2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. Place the pretzels on the wax paper close together but not quite touching. Place the chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 minute.

Fill a small, re-sealable plastic bag with melted chocolate and carefully snip off a small corner of the bag with scissors. Squeeze the bag to drizzle chocolate over the pretzels using a back and forth motion.

Refrigerate 3 minutes or until the chocolate is firm, or allow the chocolate to firm up at room temperature, about 3 hours.

Makes 4 servings. (POINTS® Value: 2 per serving (1 serving plus 7 pretzels)

Source: WeightWatchers.com

Miraval Favorites for Thanksgiving

These recipes are courtesy of chef Chad Luethje of Miraval, Life in Balance, 5000 E. Via Estancia Miraval, in Catalina.

Black Quinoa and Pumpkin Flan with Roast Rack of Lamb and Cinnamon Peppercorn Sauce

For the Quinoa

3 cups black quinoa

7 cups vegetable stock

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

Lightly toast quinoa in a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until grain smells like popcorn. Rinse quinoa, then place in a small saucepot. Cover with vegetable stock. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and steam quinoa for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Leave covered and let stand for 5 minutes.

Remove lid and season with salt, pepper and parsley. Keep warm until ready to serve.

For Pumpkin Flan

3 cups pumpkin purée

1 egg

3 egg whites

1/4 cup evaporated skim milk

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Cooking oil spray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and well incorporated.

Lightly coat a 4-ounce ramekin or coffee cup with cooking oil spray. Spoon pumpkin mixture into 8 cups, filling only half way.

Place in a baking pan with a water bath.

Bake for 30 minutes or firm to the touch. Fill pumpkin molds with cooked black quinoa. Keep warm in the water bath until ready to serve.

For the Lamb

8 4-5 ounce lamb racks (Australian naturally raised preferred)

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons mixed herbs (parsley, basil and oregano)

1/2 teaspoon cooking oil spray

Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove all excess fat from lamb. Remove all but 1 bone from each portion. Season lamb with salt, pepper and herbs. Spray cooking oil into hot saucepan and sear lamb on all sides. Roast for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to rest before slicing.

Cinnamon Peppercorn Sauce

1/4 teaspoon cooking oil spray

2 cups onions

3 cups mushrooms

1 tablespoon peppercorns, cracked

2 teaspoons thyme

1/2 bay leaf

1/4 cup brandy

1 cup red wine

2 cinnamon stick

3 cups lamb stock/veal stock

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Heat a medium saucepot over high heat.

Lightly spray pot with cooking spray. Add onions, mushrooms and spices, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Degalze pan with brandy. Tilt pan towards flame to ignite the alcohol. Once the flame subsides, add red wine and cinnamon stick. Simmer wine to reduce by half. Add lamb stock or veal stock; allow to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water to form slurry. Whip into sauce. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and pepper.

For assembly

Place quinoa and pumpkin flan in the center of the plate. Sauté fresh spinach or artfully arrange fresh vegetables next to flan.

Ladle 1 ounce of sauce onto plate. Slice lamb and flan out.

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ON THE WEB

For more low-fat holiday recipes, visit:

www.caloriecontrol.org

www.weightwatchers.com

www.cookinglight.com

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TIPS FOR HEALTHFUL HOLIDAY COOKING

With a few common-sense changes in food preparation and eating habits, you will save calories (and Weight Watcher’s POINTS values) without losing the flavor. Here are some suggestions:

• Instead of eating dark-meat turkey choose white-meat turkey with the skin removed.

• Instead of making stuffing with turkey drippings choose stuffing made with a fat-free broth.

• Instead of preparing mashed potatoes with butter and milk choose mashed potatoes with broth and fat-free or 1 percent milk.

• Instead of following a traditional green bean casserole recipe choose making it with low-fat soup and breadcrumbs.

• Instead of making candied sweet potatoes choose baked sweet potatoes with light butter.

• Instead of serving regular dressing on your salad choose light or fat-free dressing.

• Instead of topping fish with hollandaise sauce choose fresh fruit salsa.

• Instead of using pan drippings in your gravy choose fat-free broth or bouillon.

• Instead of making a double-crusted fruit pie choose one-crust pumpkin pie or don’t eat the crust.

• Instead of mixing chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit into a recipe sprinkle the ingredient on top of the dessert.

• Instead of using raw nuts or coconut in a recipe toast either to bring out the flavor and use less.

• Instead of serving store-bought eggnog, brownies or cookies make your own “light” version for fewer calories per serving. Or serve spiced tea instead of eggnog.

• Instead of making regular sized cookies or brownies shrink the size of each.

• Instead of drinking wine choose white wine spritzers (4 ounces of white wine mixed with 4 to 8 ounces of diet beverage) to stretch the calories.)

Source: Weight Watchers International, Inc.

Andrew Clark, an exercise physiologist and owner of Performance Fitness, 2951 N. Swan Road, will offer free “nutritional tours” of a grocery store to help Tucsonans make smart food choices this holiday season.

The tours will be at 5 p.m. Dec. 12 and 11 a.m. Dec. 13 at Bashas’, 3275 N. Swan Road. Clark will offer basic nutritional guidance for a healthful lifestyle. He will talk about how to read a nutritional label and avoid holiday food pitfalls. He will recommend healthful alternatives.

“The holiday season is notorious for overindulging, however . . . it’s not one day or one meal that wreaks havoc on our health; it’s the routine choices we make 365 days a year that have the greatest impact on a healthy lifestyle,” Clark said in a news release.

Tours will begin by the checkout stand near the main store entrance. There is no fee but registration is required.

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Want to know more?

Call Performance Fitness at 325-5455 or visit www.performancefitnesstucson.com.

How you store fruits and veggies can extend shelf or fridge life – saving some cold hard cash

If you’re looking to stretch your food dollars, cut down on spoilage and enjoy your fruits and vegetables at their peak of ripeness, adopt an age-old Victorian adage: Everything in its place and a place for everything.

More than a few of us get home from grocery shopping and plop our produce willy-nilly into whatever space is available.

Even more of us have never adjusted the vegetable crispers in our refrigerators or know how they work.

A little knowledge about food storage can go a long way.

The first lesson in optimizing your produce is all about gas, specifically ethylene, says Tony “the Fresh Grocer” Tantillo, considered by many to be the pre-eminent produce expert in the U.S. The gas that is naturally emitted by fruits and vegetables as they ripen can be a friend, but is most often your enemy. Remember the adage about one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch? It really does. A single overripe or damaged apple emits ethylene to a degree that significantly speeds up the ripening, over-ripening and spoilage of just about anything else in close quarters.

Apples and bananas are public enemies Nos. 1 and 2 when it comes to gas bags, but scores of fruits and vegetables also emit it, says Tantillo. Separating heavy ethylene emitters from produce sensitive to it, such as leafy greens and broccoli, will have you throwing away less food.

On the flip side, ethylene can turn those rock-hard, flavorless avocados that were all that was available at the grocery store into ripe, soft ones ready in time for that guacamole for your dinner party. Don’t expect it to instantly transform your premature produce, but an avocado that would take three to six days to ripen on its own can be fully ripened in about a day with this simple trick: Get a brown paper bag, place the avocados in it with a ripe banana or apple, roll the top of the bag shut and store at room temperature.

The next easy lessons in food storage have to do with learning a little about your refrigerator. The coldest areas are in the back or along the sides, while the warmest are in the middle of shelves and bins and near the light.

As for the vegetable crispers, most refrigerators have two of them with humidity adjusters. Depending on what type of produce you normally buy, you may want to have one set to low humidity and one to high, or both set to high.

Given what you’ve learned from this little Food Storage 101 class, here’s how to take care of some common produce items:

Apples: Big gas bags. Picked at their peak, so any additional ripening just makes them mealy and mushy. Place in the coldest part of your refrigerator as soon as you get them home.

Avocados: Very vulnerable to gas bags. When hard and unripe, should be stored at room temperature. Ripe ones will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Bananas: Big gas bags. Keep at room temperature, as refrigeration won’t ripen them any further and will turn them black.

Carrots: Store in plastic bags in the coldest part of the refrigerator with the highest humidity. Keep them hydrated for optimum flavor, color and texture by adding a little water to the bottom of a plastic bag.

Corn: Refrigerate in the high-humidity crisper.

Lettuce and other greens: Refrigerate in the crisper in perforated plastic bags wrapped in damp paper towels.

Mushrooms: Store in paper bags placed in larger perforated plastic bags and store on a shelf in the refrigerator as opposed to a crisper, provided there are no open foods around to spread their odors, as mushrooms absorb them like a sponge.

Onions: Store at room temperature in a cool, dry, ventilated area in single layers, and keep them away from potatoes, as the two give off gases that cause each other to decay.

Potatoes: Don’t refrigerate, but store in the coolest, darkest, well-ventilated part of your house in burlap, brown paper or perforated bags, and keep them away from onions.

Tomatoes: Don’t refrigerate unless already fully ripe, and even then, let them warm to room temperature before eating. To ripen, place them stem up in brown paper bags with/or without an apple or banana, depending on how much they need to ripen in a given amount of time.

Sources: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (www.nutrition.gov); USDA Food and Nutrition Center (fnic.nal.usda.gov) and The Fresh Grocer (tonytantillo.com).

Healthful packed lunches don’t have to break your wallet

As a single mom, Angie Brown is always on the lookout for low-cost, healthful food to pack in her 5-year-old’s Lightning McQueen lunchbox.

The 30-year-old community outreach consultant says grocery store sticker shock can make it challenging to keep the son Ash Lyons Brown’s lunchbox filled with healthful items he loves.

“A healthy lunch is something we strive for every day, and being on a budget, as a single mom, is very important,” she says.

Brown’s secret to finding low-cost healthful offerings during lean economic times?

Trader Joe’s.

“They have great 100 percent juice, 100 percent fruit leather (a healthier version of the fruit roll-up), great whole wheat bread and natural peanut butter, along with cheap healthy cheese crackers. It’s perfect and my son loves it,” Brown says.

She says she has compared Trader Joe’s prices with similar items at other stores, including Wal-Mart, and say’s Trader Joe’s wins out on the items she puts in her son’s lunchbox.

Last year, Brown would put whatever was quick in Ash’s lunch, often a Kraft Easy Mac cup he could microwave at school, she says. But she found her son was frequently sick.

“We decided that eating healthy was the best way to fortify our immune system,” she says.

Now he takes a healthful, balanced lunch every day.

“It also helps to moderate his moods,” Brown says. “It keeps him on an even keel all day.”

Ash, who goes to Kino Learning Center, helps pack lunch, which his mom believes makes it more likely he will eat it.

“That way he owns it, it’s his,” she says.

Last year, Tucson mom Monica Bejarano’s three kids got hot lunches at school a few times a week.

This year, the Bejarano kids – Paul, 11; Gabrielle, 9; and Adam, 6 – are brown-bagging it every day to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School.

Bejarano is now sending nutritious lunches. But rising grocery prices are not making it easy.

“It’s unreal,” the 38-year-old says. “There’s not much you can do, but I try to find sales here and there.”

She makes the kids wraps from roasted chicken, tortillas, veggies and dressing. She also makes her own “lunchables,” with meat, cheese, crackers and veggies.

Bejarano said she does spend more on her groceries, opting for organic, hormone-free products. “It can be expensive,” she says. “But for me and my family, it’s worth it.”

Cathy Grumbles, a registered dietitian at Northwest Medical Center, agrees that eating healthfully can be pricey.

“It’s sad, but it’s becoming more and more true,” she says. “You have to be savvy when shopping for healthy food at the grocery store.”

But buying healthful foods is far less pricey than the cost of childhood obesity, she says.

A healthy lunch is imperative for children, Grumbles says.

“It’s fueling them to learn and grow,” she says.

Mardi Burden, who owns Oro Valley cooking school Cuisine Classique, 1060 W. Magee Road, says the secret to encouraging kids to eat a healthful lunch lies in letting them help plan and prepare.

“The best idea to get your kid to actually eat their lunch . . . is to let them help you make the food and pack the lunch,” she says.

Nirvair Khalsa, director of Khalsa Montessori School, says a healthful lunch is critical in helping children to thrive at school.

“If children are eating healthy,” she says, “they will feel better at school, they will perform better and they will have better behavior.”

Researcher: Healthy school lunches help kids concentrate

Healthy foods should be included on the list of back-to-school supplies for your children, says a University of Michigan Health System expert.

Dietitian Catherine Kraus explained that a healthy, balanced diet enables neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) to function more efficiently, resulting in improved concentration and memory.

“Childhood is a crucial time when bodies are growing and brains are developing. It’s so important to fuel the body with good nutrition, and teaching children smart eating habits at a young age is a great idea. It starts with the parents serving as the role model,” Kraus said in a university news release.

She suggested a number of ways for parents to provide well-balanced meals and snacks to give children the energy and nutrition they need to perform well at school.

Make sure children eat breakfast. Research has shown that children who skip breakfast don’t do as well in school as students who eat breakfast. A healthy breakfast includes a whole grain cereal, oatmeal or bread with a protein such as peanut butter or a hard-boiled egg. Including whole fruit instead of fruit juice adds more vitamins, minerals and fiber into the diet. Dairy products are acceptable as long as they’re in the form of fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese.

While many schools are striving to include healthier items on their lunch menus, there are still plenty of unhealthy items such as pizza, nachos and sweetened drinks.

“When children consume a high-fat, high-sugar meal, their bodies will crash, and they will become very tired and lethargic – which is not going to help them perform at their best level in school,” Kraus said.

If you’re concerned about the cafeteria choices at school, give your child packed lunches that include a type of whole grain, such as bread or tortillas, with a lean protein, such as tuna, turkey or chicken. Include assortments of fruits and vegetables in various colors and sizes. Healthy beverage choices include water, fat-free or low-fat milk, or 100 percent fruit juice.

At dinner, half of your child’s plate should include vegetables and fruit, one-quarter should consist of a lean protein, and one-quarter should contain whole grains, such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

“A smart dinner will help your child’s brain function,” Kraus said. “If they are satisfied after dinnertime, then they will sleep through the night, and a child needs at least eight to nine hours of sleep a night in order to function while in the school the next day.”

ROBERT PREIDT, HealthDay

HEALTHFUL LUNCH RECIPES

Packing healthful lunches is one way parents can help kids eat better and develop good eating habits – or change bad ones, says Indianapolis caterer Michael Violand.

“Through education and habit, things can change, especially for school kids,” he says, noting that he packs lunches for his two youngest children. “It’s a learned behavior.”

But kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a healthful packed lunch. Adults can cut costs as well as calories by bringing lunch, too.

Instead of indulging in cafeteria or takeout fare that can quickly add up to loads of calories and a hefty lunch bill, bring your own eats.

“Bagging lunch can pay off in health benefits as well as in your pocketbook,” he says.

Violand created these lunch-worthy recipes, which focus on fresh, simply prepared vegetables, chicken and pasta, as a welcome change.

Herbed Penne with Simple Grilled Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 servings Simple Grilled Vegetables (recipe below), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 cups hot, cooked wheat penne (about 8 ounces uncooked)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add Simple Grilled Vegetables (recipe follows) to pan; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and crushed red pepper. Remove from heat.

Combine pasta, basil, remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Toss well. Add Simple Grilled Vegetables; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4.

Simple Grilled Vegetables

8 4-inch portobello mushroom caps (about 1 pound)

4 medium red bell peppers, quartered

2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, each cut into 4 slices (about 1 1/4 pounds)

cooking spray

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat grill to medium-high. Arrange mushrooms (gill sides up), bell pepper quarters and onion slices on baking sheet. Coat vegetables with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with black pepper. Drizzle vinegar over mushrooms. Place vegetable on grill rack; grill 5 minutes on each side, or until tender.

Veggie Chili

5 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup bulgur wheat

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup each chopped onion and red bell pepper

2 tablespoons salt-free chili powder

2 teaspoons each minced garlic and ground cumin

1 28-ounce can low-sodium crushed tomatoes

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 cup frozen corn

1 15.5-ounce can low-sodium black or white beans, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

reduced-fat cheddar cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, lime slices, optional for garnishes

Put bulgur and 3 cups of the water in medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover; microwave until bulgur is tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add chili powder, garlic and cumin; sauté until fragrant.

Add remaining 2 1/2 cups water, tomatoes, pumpkin, zucchini and corn; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Stir in beans and bulgur; heat through. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Garnish if desired. Serves 4.

Tropical Lime Chicken

For salsa

1/2 cup pineapple tidbits

1 medium mango, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup chopped sweet red, yellow and orange bell peppers

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For chicken

3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

1/8 teaspoon pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1 cup uncooked couscous

In a small bowl, combine salsa ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving.

In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the lime juice, oil, lime peel and pepper; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Drain and discard marinade. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 3 inches from the heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package directions. Serve chicken atop couscous and top with salsa. Serves 4

Grilled Vegetable Pitas with Goat Cheese and Pesto Mayonaise

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared pesto

2 whole-wheat pitas, cut in half

4 lettuce leaves

4 servings Simple Grilled Vegetables

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese (or feta cheese)

Combine mayonnaise and pesto. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture into each pita half. Stuff each pita half with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 serving Simple Grilled Vegetables and 2 tablespoons cheese. Serves 4.

Gannett News Service

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TIPS

Tips for packing healthful lunches without blowing the budget:

• Take your kids shopping and involve them in the selection and packing process.

• Never shop hungry. You are likely to spend up to $40 more, and often on items with little nutrition.

• Shop with a list and stick to it.

• Clip newspaper coupons and search the Web for discounts.

• Buy in bulk. Freeze what you don’t use fresh.

• Avoid out-of-season produce.

• Read labels.

• Pack meatless lunches a few times a week.

• Pack water, 100 percent juice or low-fat or skim milk.

• Pack dinner leftovers.

• Have your kids pick items from the food pyramid online at www.mypyramid.gov/KIDS.

• Pack an occasional treat – a small bag of jelly beans, ginger snaps, skim chocolate milk. Or pack a nonfood surprise, like stickers or a love note from home.

Cathy Grumbles, registered dietician, Northwest Medical Center

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IF YOU GO

What: How to Pack a Healthy Lunch

When: 10 a.m. Oct. 4

Where: Khalsa Montessori School, 3701 E. River Road

Price: Free. Call to register.

Info: 529-3611 Ext. 203

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ON THE WEB

The Nemours Foundation has more information about children and healthy eating at http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit

Hearty eaters may find USDA servings hard to swallow, but vital for losing weightcontrol

Sometimes the hardest part about losing weight is realizing what you eat is only half the battle.

Eating less of it is the other half.

Amy Bocks, 33, recalls learning that lesson.

Two years and 50 pounds ago, she considered herself a healthful eater. “I always thought, ‘Well, I eat healthy,’ because we had gotten away from prepared and processed foods, but I would eat a lot of it.

“If we went to Subway, I’d get a turkey sub, but I’d get the foot-long. Or I’d make brown rice at home, but I’d get a plate of it instead of a cup,” Bocks said.

“It wasn’t easy,” Bocks said, but she finally put her portions back in check and reached her weight-loss goal in August. “What it really came down to was me measuring everything and getting an idea of what a serving was.”

In the case of portion control, size definitely matters. Less means more (weight-loss that is). Unfortunately, most of us don’t pay attention to portions.

Instead, we are caught in the land of supersized meals and the extra-long Coney. The fact is portion sizes have doubled or tripled during the past 20 years, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

For example, a bagel used to be 3 inches in diameter and 140 calories, today the average bagel is 6 inches in diameter and 350 calories. A cheeseburger 20 years ago was 333 calories and about the size of a Happy Meal burger. Today’s average cheeseburger is closer to 590 calories. And a turkey sandwich back then was just 320 calories. Today it’s about 820 calories.

Misjudging portion sizes can hinder your weight loss and weight control efforts, and for most of us portion sizes creep up over time, says Felice Appell, Weight Watchers of Arizona spokeswoman.

Studies at Penn State and Cornell universities have demonstrated repeatedly that when we are served larger portions, we eat more. They have also shown that Americans have become so accustomed to oversized portions of food that many of us can no longer tell how much we are overeating.

So just what is the right portion?

Typically, it’s about a half-cup to a cup of pasta, cereal, rice and ice cream. For meat and fish, it’s about the size of a deck of cards or a checkbook.

For those who remember dining at McDonald’s 20 years ago, the right portion of fries comes in that small paper bag you used to get. In fact, a child’s meal at most restaurants is closer to the portion most people should be eating.

Once she began measuring, Bocks was stunned. “If I made spaghetti at home and measured out a serving size and then we went out to eat and ordered the same thing, I was amazed at the difference.”

The problem is that many of us let our eyes instead of our stomachs be the judge, said Laurel Decker, a Weight Watchers leader in Tucson. Even after maintaining her goal weight for six years, Decker attributes her success to the fact that she still weighs and measures her food.

“If I am at home, I have my spoons and my scale handy,” Decker said. “If I am at a restaurant, I use the Weight Watchers’ standards of eye-balling portions, and I still write everything down.”

So what do you do if you eat a smaller portion, but you still want more?

A lot of it is in our mind, Decker said. To ward off feeling deprived, she advises eating slowly, waiting 20 minutes before getting seconds, drinking water and using a smaller plate.

“What made me stick to it was thinking about why I was doing it,” Bocks said. “I was 30 years old, overweight and with high cholesterol, and I wanted to be around for my daughter as she got older.

“Sometimes I had to physically stop myself because there were foods that I would love to eat and I would have eaten all of it. I had to ask myself why I wanted it so bad and then remember how hard I had worked.”

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STANDARD SERVINGS

Large portions are a fact of life in the U.S. In restaurants, fast-food outlets and even at home, many Americans consume far more calories than they really need. The portions we regularly eat can amount to three or four standard servings set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Compare the Standard Serving sizes below to your own portions.

Chopped vegetables: 1/2 cup

Raw leafy vegetables: 1 cup

Fresh fruit: 1 medium piece or 1/2 cup chopped

Dried fruit: 1/4 cup

Pasta, rice, cooked cereal: 1/2 cup

Ready-to-eat cereal: 1 ounce (1/2 cup to 1 1/4 cups, depending on the cereal; check the box for serving size)

Meat, poultry, seafood: 3 ounces (boneless cooked weight from 4 ounces raw)

Dried beans: 1/2 cup cooked

Nuts: 1/2 cup

Cheese: 1 1/2 ounces (2 ounces, if processed cheese)

Sources: American Institute for Cancer Research and the U.S. Department of Agriculture

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TEACH YOURSELF

To give yourself a reality check on portion control, follow these steps:

1. Pour your typical portion of food onto a plate.

2. Measure out a standard serving.

3. Compare the two.

4. Gradually reduce the amount of food on your plate to get it in line with the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid. In time, you should find it easy to get used to smaller portions.

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PORTION PITFALLS

Many people confuse a serving with a portion.

A serving is a unit of measure used to describe the amount of food recommended from each food group in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid and is also listed on the food’s nutrition label.

A portion is how much of a specific food you choose to eat. So you may serve yourself a plate of spaghetti and actually be eating three or four servings in that one portion or plate full.

With that in mind here are some tips from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid common pitfalls:

• Forget the old school of thought that snacking will spoil your appetite for dinner. Eat a healthful snack, such as fruit, between meals.

• When eating in front of the TV or anytime, don’t eat straight from the package or container. Serve some into a bowl.

• To minimize the temptation of having extra helpings, use a smaller plate and leave excess food out of reach.

• When eating out, split an entree with a friend or ask for a “to-go” box and wrap half of your meal when you get it.

• Store tempting treats out of sight. Go out for dessert instead of keeping it at home.

• Divide the contents from large packages into one-serving containers.

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HOW TO JUDGE A SERVING

If a measuring cup or spoon is not available, follow this guide.

Food/serving = About the size of

1 cup or 1 piece of fruit = a fist

1 ounce of cheese = thumb (tip to base) or 9-volt battery

1 cup dried cereal = large handful

3 ounces meat or fish = cassette tape, deck of cards or computer mouse

1 cup potatoes, rice or pasta = tennis ball

1-2 ounces of nuts or pretzels = cupped hand

1 tablespoon margarine = thumb tip to first joint

1 pancake = CD

Source: Weight Watchers

It’s easy to eat healthful when the food tastes good.

Therefore, members of Tucson’s Breast Cancer Boot Camp make it a point to share their favorite healthful recipes on a regular basis. This week we feature two recipes that ran in the group’s recent newsletter.

Ginger Carter, a local nutritionist and breast cancer survivor/boot camp member, gave kudos to the recipes featured below for a “Three Bean Salad” and “Sherry’s Really Good Chicken Salad.”

First she examined the ingredients for the Three Bean Salad. “I love it. It has great protein, good Omega-3 and fabulous phytonutrients (plant-based). That is a fabulous recipe.”

The important thing about it is it has a lot of protein and it’s primarily plant protein. Anyone who is into any kind of prevention, especially those dealing with cancer, need to up their phytonutrients. “As of 2005, the government agencies, FDA and USDA, now recommend eating nine to 13 fresh raw fruits and vegetables a day,” she said.

The second recipe, also great, needed just a couple of modifications to boost its nutrition content, she said.

“It has good protein from the chicken. The only thing I would do is substitute a light mayonnaise for the mayonnaise, and instead of using processed orange juice, I would use fresh-squeezed oranges.” The reason, she said, is it will eliminate some of the fat and “the fresh-squeezed oranges provide you with four times the nutrition of the juice.”

Here are the recipes. Enjoy!

Three Bean Salad

1 cup red kidney beans, freshly cooked or canned

1 cup white kidney beans, freshly cooked or canned

1 cup chickpeas, freshly cooked or canned

3/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1 small green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

1/2 (or less) cup olive oil

For canned cooked beans and chickpeas, drain, drain again and pat dry with paper towels. If you plan to cook the beans yourself, follow the initial soaking directions for the beans on the package and then cook until tender. One half cup of dry, uncooked beans yields about 1 1/4 cups cooked.

In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, red and white kidney beans, the chopped scallion, garlic, parsley and chopped green pepper. Add the salt, a few grindings of pepper and the wine vinegar. Toss gently with a large spoon. Pour in the olive oil and toss again. This salad will be greatly improved if it is allowed to rest for at least an hour before serving. Resting overnight will make it even better.

Source: Recipe is originally from “Food of the World-Time Life Books” published in 1968.

Sherry’s Really Good Chicken Salad (modified)

2 cups cooked chicken

1 red apple, cut into small chunks

1 green apple, cut into small chunks

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup seedless grapes; 1/2 cup currants

1/2 cup sliced almonds; 1/2 cup chopped red onion

Dressing:

1 cup (light) mayonnaise

1/4 cup of (fresh-squeezed) orange juice

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and enjoy.

Source: Recipe is originally from “Favorite Recipes of Breast of Friends” cookbook, created by a breast cancer support group in Prescott.

You can e-mail Nutritionist Ginger Carter at juiceplushealthy@comcast.net. Or visit the Breast Cancer Boot Camp Web site at www.bcbootcamp.org.

Share chocolate, wine with someone special

Pick up that glass of wine and take a bite of that chocolate. It’s OK.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, let yourself indulge in a few pieces of chocolate or a glass of red wine with your sweetheart. It may not be as much of a diet disaster as you think.

According to the American Dietetic Association, red wine and dark chocolate can be good for your heart.

“The stress in our lives and the junk we eat oxidizes in our bodies and ages us and harms our cells,” said Gale Welter, University of Arizona’s Campus Health nutritional counselor. “The antioxidants found in dark chocolate and red wines scavenge on the free radicals that harm our blood cells and make them healthier.”

These free radicals are known to damage arteries and harm our blood vessels. The antioxidants stop that from happening. They also have been known to decrease LDL (bad cholesterol), and increase HDL (good cholesterol), said Dr. Cynthia Thomson, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at UA.

“If you’re at a Valentine’s Day dinner and you have the choice between hard liquor and red wine, the red wine will be better for you,” Thomson said. She also suggested strawberries dipped in dark chocolate for an extra boost in antioxidants.

Thomson, however, doesn’t suggest you drink or eat a box of chocolates every day to protect your heart.

“If you already drink or want to complement your meal with a piece of chocolate, then that won’t hurt you. The best chocolate is dark in color and high in cocoa. It’s also not as sweet. But remember portion control,” she said. “Healthful eating habits and exercise are your best bets at helping your heart.”

Chocolate Strawberries

6 ounces dark chocolate

3 tablespoons Half & Half cream

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

20 large strawberries

In a one-quart glass bowl combine chocolate and cream. Heat in microwave oven on high 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Add butter and stir until melted. Dip each strawberry into the chocolate mixture allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. If necessary, add additional cream to the chocolate to achieve desired coating consistency. Transfer the coated strawberry to a baking sheet lined with foil or waxed paper and repeat process. Allow the chocolate to cool and then chill the strawberries until chocolate is set, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Per strawberry: calories 57; fat 3 grams; saturated fat 1.9 grams; cholesterol 2 milligrams; Vitamin C 15 milligrams

Source: American Dietetic Association

Perimeter of store is where you’ll find more-wholesome foods

One of the best ways to sabotage a healthy diet is to stock your kitchen with junk.

If that’s the case in your home, your pantry and your shopping strategy may need an overhaul.

Most people would agree that healthy eating starts with smart shopping, yet we fail to give it a second thought when we walk through the supermarket doors.

Either it’s a shot in the dark and we go aisle by aisle getting whatever appeals to us, or we feel like we are running through a minefield and trying to avoid fat-filled temptations at every turn.

There is a better way that will get you back on track to the healthy, lean body you deserve.

The food and beverage industry, including your favorite grocer, has placed a high priority on health and wellness and helping consumers to find products that promote a healthy lifestyle. Faced with increasing competition for the American grocery dollar, the nation’s largest grocery chains are battling back with a variety of measures that includes offering more organic and natural foods, the Associated Press reports.

The trick is to find healthy goods by planning ahead, knowing where to spend your time, what ingredients to look for and how to read nutrition labels so you can easily compare serving sizes, calories and fat content, said Abby Floyd, registered dietitian and nutrition coach with Body Basics Health and Fitness.

Plan ahead
“I think planning out some healthy meals for the week and making a list of all the things you will need for that” is a good start, said Floyd, a mother of two and regular Bashas’ shopper. “I think sometimes we get suckered into things at the store that aren’t necessarily healthy and things we didn’t plan on buying.”

Nadine Sterling, 65, a Weight Watchers leader who lost 50 pounds on the program years ago, said, “If you don’t have the right food in the house, you’re going to have the wrong food.”

Her mistake back then was not having a plan. “I never knew what I was going to buy.

Whatever appealed to me at that moment, I got.”

A healthy shopping list should include the basics such as plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meat, fish and poultry, beans and nuts, Floyd said.

“We all know we need to eat fruits and vegetables, but sometimes having them available, like buying a deli tray of vegetables that you don’t have to wash and prepare, really helps people to eat more healthfully. Part of planning ahead is having healthy snacks staring you in the face so that you can make good choices.”

Shop the perimeter (first)
Most grocery store layouts are the same, with the most-wholesome and fresh foods on the outer edges of the store.

When shopping for her family “there are a few things I get from the middle of the store, but for the most part I really stick to the outer edges of the store,” Floyd said.

She advises clients to do the same.

“That’s where you’re going to have your fruits and vegetables, the whole grains usually, the dairy products and then all of your meats.”

The inside aisles contain canned, boxed and frozen foods that have more preservatives and added junk, she said.

“So I always tell people to spend the majority of your time along the perimeter and then if you have to go into the middle for certain things, that’s where you have to start reading your labels.”

Sterling shops the produce section first and spends most of her time there. “I plan my meals around the fruits and vegetables, and I use them to stretch my points.

“At Weight Watchers, we divide our plate into quarters. So you have a quarter that is starch, a quarter that is protein and half that is for fruits and veggies. So for example, if cantaloupe is on sale, I buy lots of cottage cheese and have that for breakfast.”

Compare labels
When reading labels you want to pay attention to several things – calories, fat grams, fiber and ingredients and choose the least processed foods, Floyd said. (See related story on how to read labels, Page 6.)

Most importantly, look at serving sizes, Sterling said. “You can look at something and assume it’s one serving, and think ‘That’s not bad; it’s only 150 calories,’ and then afterward realize it was two servings. “So it’s a real good idea before you eat it to check the serving size.”

And one last tip, Sterling added. “Put the groceries in the trunk on the way home.” Otherwise “it’s real easy to tear into a bag of cookies and you don’t want to be doing that.”

> Check out next week’s Valentine’s Body Plus to read about how Abby and her husband work out together.

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FIX YOUR SHOPPING LIST
In the accompanying photos Abby Floyd, registered dietitian and nutrition coach with Body Basics Health and Fitness, takes you through Bashas’, 3275 N. Swan Road and offers tips on what to look for when shopping.

● Make a list and stick to it. You can print out a user-friendly form at www.organizedtimes.com/grocery.

● Don’t shop hungry. Snack on something healthy before you hit the supermarket.

● Stick to the edges. Hit the perimeter of the store where you’ll find more wholesome, fresh foods.

● Experiment. Try a new fruit and a new vegetable each week. Use fruit in smoothies, salads or on meat.

● Fast, but healthful. Fruit and veggie trays and single-serve packages of cut fruit make a great fast food.

● Divide it up. Use baggies to portion out serving sizes. Put one serving of carrots or cookies in each bag.

● Compare labels. Eating healthy means paying attention to calories, fat and ingredients. (For more on labels, see Story on Pag XX.)

● Put your blinders on. As you pass by the junk food aisle remember empty calories are wasted calories.

● Set out fresh veggies. Use them as a pre-dinner snack while you cook. Consider it a nutrient-filled appetizer.

● Let kids help. They can contribute to the meal planning, and then reward them by eating together as a family.

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MORE WAYS TO FIX YOUR SHOPPING LIST
Dairy: Nonfat or low-fat milk. Low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt. String mozzarella cheese is naturally low in fat. Hard cheeses are often better than pasteurized; just eat them in smaller portions. (Tip: If you don’t like the consistency of cottage cheese, put it in the blender. It makes a wonderful dip.)

Frozen foods: Frozen vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, green beans and carrots are good to keep on hand in case you run out of fresh. Berries, even the frozen kind, are packed with cancer-fighting properties. Whole-grain waffles.

Canned and dried foods: Tuna packed in water. (Canned goods contain a lot of sodium which leads to high blood pressure.) Whenever possible choose fresh; or canned items without added salt and fruit packed in juice. Dried foods such as beans are a great source of protein.

Deli: Deli lunch meats have less sodium than prepackaged. Ask for lean meats or the nutrition information.

Condiments: Light mayonnaise, light or low-fat dressings.

Beverages: Water, 100 percent juice.

Snacks: Light popcorn. Bake your own cookies at home. Whole grain crackers. Skip the chips. Nuts such as almonds provide fiber and healthful monosaturated fats. (Beware of portions as they’re high in calories.)

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FACTS BOX
● If you can’t shop healthy for yourself, do it for your kids.

A new study by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago reported that 1 out of every 3 American teenagers is so out of shape that even climbing stairs leaves them winded. Remember, if you don’t bring burgers, fries and junk food into the house, they can’t eat it. And many youth would eat fresh fruit and vegetables if it was cut and ready to go.

● Shopping healthy is an upward trend.

In a December 2004 survey of 804 shoppers, the Grocery Manufacturers Association found that most Americans (73 percent) are buying more nutritious food than ever before.

It looks intimidating at first – deciphering a food label – but the truth is anyone can do it quickly and easily once you learn what to look for.

Some of the things you’ll want to look for on a label is serving size, calories, fat and fiber.

Start by examining the words on the package where you’ll find the advertiser’s health claims, a list of ingredients for foods that have more than one ingredient, and a nutrition facts label.

Don’t be fooled by the package claims such as a “good source of whole grains” or “high in vitamin C.” Instead look for certified claims such as 100 percent fruit juice or 100 percent whole grain, according to Abby Floyd, registered dietitian with Body Basics Health and Fitness in Tucson.

As a rule of thumb, try to avoid foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients or ones you can’t pronounce, Floyd said

The Nutrition Facts label will help you to be a smarter shopper by identifying foods that are good sources of fiber, calcium, iron and vitamin C (nutrients most of us don’t get enough of.)

It’ll also help you to compare which are lower in fat, calories and sodium (nutrients most of us get too much of.)

1. Start with serving size.

Look here for the serving size (the amount of one serving), and the number of servings in the package.

Compare your portion size to the serving size listed on the label. If the label’s serving size is one cup, and you eat two, you are getting twice the calories, fat and other nutrients listed on the label.

2. Check out the total calories and calories from fat.

Find out how many calories are in a single serving and the number of calories from fat. It’s smart to cut back on calories and fat if you are watching your weight.

3. Let the percent daily values be your guide.

Daily Values are average levels of nutrients for a person eating 2,000 calories a day. (A DV of 5 percent means 5 percent of the amount that a person on a 2,000-calorie a day diet would eat. You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day.)

4. The highs and lows of daily values.

Five percent or less is low – aim low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Twenty percent is high – aim high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

5. Limit fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Total fat includes:

● The bad fats – saturated and trans fats are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

● The good fats – polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, nuts and avocados.

Limit total fat to 100 percent of DV or less per day.

Sodium: high levels can add up to high blood pressure.

Cholesterol: Aim low for the percentage of sodium and cholesterol.

6. Get enough vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Eat more fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron to maintain good heath and help reduce your risk of certain health problems such as osteoporosis and anemia.

7. Additional nutrients

Protein: Most Americans get more protein than they need, so a DV percentage is not required on the label.

Carbohydrates: There are three types – sugars, starches and fiber. Select whole-grain breads, cereals, rice and pasta plus fruits and vegetables.

Sugars: Simple carbohydrates or sugars occur naturally in foods such as fruit juice (fructose) or come from refined sources such as table sugar (sucrose) or corn syrup.

MORE ON HEALTHFUL SHOPPING

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ON THE WEB

Check out these Web sites for more information about diet and nutrition, and nutrition labels.

American Diabetes Association – https://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/foodlabel.jsp

American Dietetics Association – www.eatright.org

American Heart Association – www.americanheart.org

Food and Drug Administration – www.cfsan.fda.gov

Head to one of these local farmers markets for holiday gifts and maybe some yummy foods and ingredients for your holiday feast or treats.

The Tubac and Market on the Mall are closed this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but reopen next week. The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market is closed for the season.

TODAY

ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: A unique little market features a small variety of produce on Wednesdays. When: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Jácome Plaza (in front of the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave.) Info: 326-7810

THURSDAYS

TUBAC FARMERS MARKET: Closed tomorrow for the holiday, but back in business Nov. 30, featuring locally grown produce, fresh baked goods, gourmet items and cooking demos. No arts, crafts or jewelry. When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Plaza de Anza, south of Tubac Info: (520) 398-2506 Directions: south of Tucson on Interstate 19

FRIDAYS

MARKET ON THE MALL: The new University of Arizona farmers market is closed during the Thanksgiving holiday and at semester breaks, but that still gives you a couple of weeks before Christmas to check out its about two dozen booths, offering goods such as honey, salsa and American Indian fare. When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: West end of mall, North Campbell Avenue and East Third Street Info: 621-4550, welter@health.arizona.edu

EL PRESIDIO FARMERS MARKET: Run by the same folks who put on the downtown market Wednesdays When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: El Presidio Park, 115 N. Church Ave. Info: 326-7810

SATURDAYS

PLAZA PALOMINO FOOD FAIRE: Southwestern specialties, such as tamales, salsa and pastries are the name of the game. When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: 2970 N. Swan Road Info.: 320-6344

RINCON VALLEY FARMERS MARKET: In addition to fresh produce, you’ll find crafts and holistic pet items. When: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: 12500 E. Old Spanish Trail Info.: 591-2276, www.rinconinstitute.org/rvfm

ORO VALLEY FARMERS MARKET: Organic fruits and veggies, as well as flowers and aromatherapy, but no arts, crafts or jewelry. When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: 11000 N. La Cañada Drive Info.: 793-8344

SUNDAYS

ST. PHILIP’S PLAZA FARMERS MARKET: This weekly market is Tucson’s the biggest. No arts, crafts or jewelry. When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: 4380 N. Campbell Ave. Info: 793-8344

TUESDAYS

COMMUNITY FOOD BANK FARMERS MARKET: The other Food Bank farmers markets, this one every Tuesday accepts food stamps and caters to Food Bank customers, but the public is welcome. When: 8 a.m.-noon Where: 3003 S. Country Club Drive Info.: 622-0525

Vegetarians have at least two vegan options for dining out this Thanksgiving. Plus some other restaurants serving traditional meals are including vegetarian options. Check with those eateries.

GOVINDA’S NATURAL FOODS BUFFET: The vegetarian, organic buffet will have a vegan-only menu and special hours for its all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving Feast buffet. No reservations needed. When: noon-8:30 p.m. Where: 711 E. Blacklidge Drive Price: $12.95 adults, $4.95 ages 7-12, $3.95 children 4-6 Info: 792-0630, www.govindasoftucson.com

LOVIN’ SPOONFULS: This vegan eatery has a special Thanksgiving menu and hours. It also is taking orders for whole pumpkin pies. When: Order during regular hours, 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday • Nov. 23 noon-4 p.m. Where: 2990 N. Campbell Ave. Price: varies Info: 325-7766, www.lovinspoonfuls.com

Here are local independents with various, generally more traditional Thanksgiving offerings tomorrow.

Except where noted, reservations are strongly recommended and most may be booked by now.

METRO RESTAURANTS: Some of the restaurant group’s eateries will be open for the holiday. All are offering some regular menu items, with special turkey entrees. Both Old Pueblo Grilles also have vegetarian options.

• Where: City Grill, 6350 E. Tanque Verde Road, 733-1111 • Grill on the Green at Canoa Ranch Golf Club, Green Valley, 5800 S. Camino del Sol, (520) 393-1933 • Metro Grill Park Place, 5870 E. Broadway, 571-7111 • Metropolitan Grill, 7892 N. Oracle Road, 531-1212 • Torres Blancas Golf Club, 3233 S. Abrego Drive, (520) 625-9192 When: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Where: McMahon’s Prime Steakhouse, 2959 N. Swan Road (327-7463) When: noon-8 p.m.

• Where: Old Pueblo Grille, 60 N. Alvernon Way, 326-6000 • Old Pueblo Grille – Foothills, 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd., 297-1999 When: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Prices: vary Info: phone restaurant or log on to www.metrorestaurants.com

HILTON TUCSON EL CONQUISTADOR GOLF AND TENNIS RESORT: Four options at the resort’s restaurants, all at 10000 N. Oracle Road. Prices listed are per person and do not include tax and tip. Ages 5 and younger eat for free.

• Where: Sundance Café and some banquet rooms offer Thanksgiving brunch, including Oven Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Relish, an array of savory cocktails and a multitude of desserts. When: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Price: $47 adults, $18 ages 6-12 Info: 544-1289

• Where: La Vista Restaurant’s holiday brunch with traditional and nontradi- tional fare, including Café Pepper Crusted Kobe Steamboat of Beef and a dessert buffet with an ice cream sundae station. When: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Price: $30 adult members, $32 nonmembers, $16 ages 6-12 Info: 544-1985

• Where: Last Territory Steakhouse & Music Hall’s “Family Style” Thanksgiving dinner includes Fine Fried Turkey. With 48-hours’ notice, complete meals can be ordered for pickup 1-8 p.m. Nov. 23. When: 2:30-8 p.m. Price: dine-in $32.95 adults, $16.95 ages 6-12; to-go meals are $36 Info: 544-1738

• Where: Dos Locos’ “simpler, more intimate” three-course dinner includes Slow Roasted Turkey and Sweet Potato Dauphinoise and a Brandied Eggnog Milkshake When: 5-8 p.m. Price: $36 adults, $16.95 ages 6-12 Info: 544-1723, www.hiltonelconquistador.com

ACACIA AT ST. PHILIP’S: Because it is offering two seatings for a four-course prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner, Acacia will be closed for its regular lunch service. Reservations required. When: 1 and 4 p.m. Where: 4340 N. Campbell Ave. Price: $45 adults, $20 age 6-12, free to 5 and younger Info: 232-0101, www.acaciatucson.com

ANTHONY’S IN THE CATALINAS: A traditional dinner with a special menu is being offered. Reservations required. When: 1-8 p.m. Where: 6440 N. Campbell Ave. Price: Call Info: 299-1771, www.anthonyscatalinas.com

CANYON CAFE: The restaurant at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort offers two options:

• Thanksgiving breakfast buffet, including a handmade tortilla station, eggs Benedict and treats from executive pastry chef Rohan Wirasinha. When: 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Price: $28 adults, $14 children 4-12

• Thanksgiving dinner buffet, with plated main course. When: 3-8 p.m. Price: $44 adults, $21 children 4-12 Where: Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive Info: 615-5496, www.loewshotels.com/hotels/tucson

CUP CAFE: The restaurant at The Hotel Congress is offering a special three-course Thanksgiving menu, including a vegetarian option, for the holiday. When: 1-9 p.m. Where: 311 E. Congress St. Price: $30 per person Info: 798-1618, www.hotelcongress.com/cup

PASTICHE MODERN EATERY: Open special hours Thanksgiving Day with special additions to the menu, including appetizers and salads. When: noon-8 p.m. Where: 3025 N. Campbell Ave. Price: varies Info: 325-3333, www.pasticheme.com

RAZ – MODERN RIVIERA CUISINE: Includes a Champagne/wine flight option. Reservations required as space is limited. When: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Where: 1929 E. Grant Road Price: $28 adults (add $11 for champagne/wine flight), $14 children younger than 13 Info: 327-2223

VENTANA ROOM: Choose from a three-, four- or five-course menu developed by Chef de Cuisine Philippe Trosch, with wine pairings by Maître d’Hôtel and Wine Director Kevin Brady. When: 3-8 p.m. Where: Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive Price: $75 for three courses, $85 four courses, $95 for five courses Info: 615-5494, www.ventanaroom.com

WESTWARD LOOK RESORT: Executive Chef Jamie West’s Thanksgiving feast will be served in two facilities at the resort, 245 E. Ina Road:

• Where: Sonoran Ballroom will have dinner served buffet style with live music. When: 1-4 p.m. buffet Price: $45 (plus tax and tip) per person, half price to children 4-12, free to ages 3 and younger.

• Where: Gold Room offers a three-course meal. When: limited times Price: $49 per person The buffet still has openings, but bookings for the Gold Room are nearly full. Info: 297-1151, www.westwardlook.com

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ON THE WEB

For “unturkeys”

• www.tofurky.com

• www.freshtofu.com/product-turkey.php

• www.fieldroast.com

For recipes

• www.peta.org/feat/canada

• www.vegweb.com/thanksgiving

• www.ivu.org/recipes/holiday

• http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm

• www.vegsource.com/thanks.htm

•www.vegetarianabout.com

Candy corn isn’t what Niki Tilicki would choose as a comfort food, but on a recent day she mindlessly put one handful after another into her mouth.

“I don’t even like the stuff … and I didn’t even realize I was doing it.”

In another episode, Tilicki downed a half row of Chips Ahoy cookies and “afterwards”, she said, “I felt sick.”

Tilicki, who has worked diligently on the Weight Watchers program since August to lose about 20 pounds, realized her recent drive to eat was not hunger, but concern for her mother.

“My mom is really sick right now. Her brain is bleeding and she has an aneurism, so she’s having surgery in December.”

In times of stress, many Americans turn to food to provide temporary comfort. That’s not necessarily a problem, unless it sets up a pattern of uncontrollable eating and weight gain.

“Situations, not hunger, trigger a stress eater’s desire to overeat their favorite comfort foods,” said Deborah Wright, general manager at Weight Watchers of Arizona. “You don’t have to give up foods that make you feel better, but you do need to break the pattern of out-of-control eating which can make matters worse.”

The holidays can worsen the situation because there is no shortage of emotions, stressors or temptations.

“We’re entering the time of the year now when there are many, many pressures to eat more because of the festive occasions,” said Dr. John Racy, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona. “Many people get the idea that food should not be wasted. It should be eaten. So there can be a zillion reasons to eat and very few reasons to stop.”

While stress and anxiety triggered Tilicki’s eating, Ronda McNeely was a happy eater. Food was a reward.

A lifetime Weight Watchers member since losing 50 pounds two years ago, McNeely said she had to break the habit of celebrating with food.

“When there’s a good event in your life, the first thing everyone thinks of is ‘Let’s eat!’ Let’s have this or that because that’s what you’ve done your whole life.”

McNeely and Tilicki say their strategies to break the cycle of emotional eating include support meetings where they learn techniques for coping from people who have been there.

Racy said people start using food for comfort from the day they are born and it continues into adulthood.

“Often, food is our most reliable friend. People disappoint you or hurt you or let you down; food does none of that. It’s very reliable. You eat and enjoy it and it makes you feel good.”

What’s more is that there are “very few pleasures that compete with food,” Racy said. “What else can we do three or four times a day with great pleasure for a lifetime? Even when we are sick and dying and most of our pleasures have gone, food can remain a pleasure.”

Those who have struggled with emotional eating admit food soothes the pain or allows them to check out of uncomfortable situations. Sometimes they do it mindlessly.

You should seek help if you are having frequent episodes of binge eating, if you are trying to fill an emptiness beyond hunger, if you are controlling your eating to gain control over your life, if you are sickly thin or making yourself throw up, if you have gained a lot of weight in a short period of time or if you are putting on an extra five pounds a year, or if you are obsessed with food and eating, Racy said.

For the standard or occasional overeater, one way to stop is to think of cutting back on eating as a self-reward, not a self-punishment. Bring some thinking into it. Do not eat mindlessly.

“Recognize that it’s a lifelong struggle,” Racy said. “It’s not easy but it’s a matter of changing one’s habits. Overeating is also a matter of habit and you don’t always have to play that card. I remember some wise person who succeeded in losing weight said to me, ‘I love food, but I decided I love myself more than I love food.’ ”

EMOTIONAL RESCUES

Lonely? Call a friend. Do something nice for someone else. Go to a place where there are people, such as the mall, a coffee shop or bookstore.

Sad? Rent a feel-good movie. Put on your favorite music. Write in a diary or journal. Take a nap.

Anxious? Get outdoors and walk until the feelings go away. Get busy with your hands: read a book, practice an instrument or take up knitting, puzzles or scrapbooking.

Angry? Exercise and break a sweat. Talk to the person who is making you angry to work things out. Write your feelings in a journal. Blast your favorite music and dance.

Happy? If you are excited about an event or job well done, reward yourself in some other way such as with a nice book, an item of clothing or a piece of music.

Bored? Chew gum. Do something with your hands, such as play cards. Change your scenery. Get outdoors. Garden or do yard work.

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LONG-TERM STRATEGIES
● Don’t feed your feelings. Deal with them. Attend a support group or write about it in a journal.

● Always ask yourself, “If I eat this, will it make the situation better?”

● Tell friends “no” when it comes to snacks, treats and dishes that will sabotage your healthful eating.

● Don’t bring your favorite binge food into the house. Instead buy treats for your family that you don’t like.

● Be aware of the situations in which people tend to overeat so you won’t fall into the trap. Examples: eating with others; being around lots of food; using a large plate versus a small plate; not paying attention (such as eating while watching TV).

● HALT! As in never get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired.

● Think. Remember what you really want. Do you want the pleasure of eating or the pleasure of being fit and healthy? Keep your eye on the prize.

● If you are going to a holiday party, be sure to take a dish that you can eat, or pack some healthy snack. Also, make sure not to skip any meals that day so you don’t arrive hungry.

● Remember, it’s a lot harder to take a pound off than it is to put it on.

● You can have your favorite foods in moderation. Limit yourself to one bite or a small serving of an indulgence. If you overdo it, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on the wagon.

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RESOURCES
1. Overeaters Anonymous. Members use a 12-step program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. OA views compulsive overeating as a physical, emotional and spiritual disease. Membership is free. Call 733-0880 for a local support group and meeting sites.

2. Weight Watchers TurnAround allows you to find, along with weekly support groups, the eating structure that fits you best based on two different approaches to healthy, livable, sustainable weight loss and weight control. Call (800) 651-6000. Cost is about $13 a week, plus a registration fee.

3. Books. “Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think” by Brian Wansink (Bantam, 2006, $25 hardcover)

4. Seek out a professional. It’s normal to feel emotional from time to time, but if you can’t shake your mood within two weeks, you may want to schedule a visit with your doctor or a counselor.

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CHEESECAKE
Royal No-Bake Lite Cheesecake,

make as directed

Cover with one can of unsweetened pie cherry filling

Calories for 1/16th of pie: 130

3 grams fat

3 Weight Watchers points

DEVILED EGGS

Hard boil one dozen eggs. Halve lengthwise.

Remove yolk and put in small bowl.

Crush yolk with a fork.

Add 1/2 cup fat-free Miracle Whip

Add 1/8 cup mustard

salt & pepper to taste

Fill egg white with yolk mixture.

Sprinkle with paprika

1 egg (2 halves) equals 2 Weight Watchers points

SALAD
1 bag European style lettuce greens

2 zucchini squash – sliced

grape tomatoes

sliced bell peppers – red, yellow and orange

other vegetables can be added or substituted

use a fat-free, oil-and-vinegar-type dressing

salad is 0 Weight Watchers points

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EVENTS
> Thanksgiving Day Thank-A-Thon, sponsored by Overeaters Anonymous, will be 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 23 at St. Francis in the Foothills Church, 4625 E. River Road.

> Overeaters Anonymous Youth meets 11a.m.-noon Saturdays in Cafeteria Dining Rooms C and D at the University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Ave.

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RESOURCES ON THE WEB

Overeaters Anonymous: www.oa.org

Weight Watchers: www.weightwatchers.com/arizona

Scott Uehlein,

Canyon Ranch

Thanksgiving Yams

This is a vegan recipe from Canyon Ranch. Some measurements are unorthodox because Canyon Ranch’s staff reduced the recipe to a 10-serving portion from more than 100 servings.

1 jumbo (12-1/8 ounce) yam

6 3/4 ounces fresh pineapple, diced

1 1/2 ounces brown sugar

a little less than 1/8 ounce ground cinnamon

1 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/2 teaspoon lime juice

Peel and dice yams. Steam in saucepan for 7 minutes. Cool in refrigerator.

In mixing bowl, toss remaining ingredients. Add cooled yams and com.

Pour into oiled baking pans. Bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. Serves 10.

Nutritional information per serving ( 2 ounces)
Calories, 67; percent calories from fat, 1 %; fat, 0 grams; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; sodium, 55 mg; dietary fiber, 2 g; calcium, 13 mg; carbohydrates, 16 g; protein, 1 g

Cranberry Chutney

Some measurements are unorthodox because Canyon Ranch’s staff reduced the recipe to a 10-serving portion from more than 100 servings.

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2 1/3 tablespoons yellow onions, diced

1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 1/8 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced

2 2/3 tablespoons dry sherry

.26 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/8 cup fresh cranberries

4 2/3 tablespoons granulated sugar

less than 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 teaspoon cilantro stems, minced

1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar

less than 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Sauté onion in olive oil. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté briefly. Add sherry and bring to boil. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until cranberries pop open and mixture thickens. Mash slightly with potato masher. Cool and serve. Serves 10.

Nutritional information per serving (1 ounce)
Calories, 41; fat, 0 grams; percent calories from fat, 5%; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; sodium, 4 mg; dietary fiber, 1 g; calcium, 5 mg; carbohydrates, 9 g; protein, 0 g

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Some measurements are unorthodox because Canyon Ranch staff reduced this recipe to a 10-serving portion from more than 100 servings.

1 yellow onion (4 1/2 ounces), diced

2 2/3 ounces celery, diced

2 2/3 ounces carrots, diced

1 1/4 ounces olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh garlic

1/4 teaspoon dry thyme

1 1/4 teaspoon dry rubbed sage

16 ounces chicken stock

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon medium black pepper, ground

0.56 pounds light wheat sourdough bread

Sauté onions, celery and carrots in olive oil. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Add herbs and sauté briefly. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring to boil.

Serves 10.

Nutritional information per serving (2 ounces)
Calories, 75; percent calories from fat, 11; fat, 1 gram; cholesterol, 1 milligram; sodium, 276 mg; dietary fiber 1 g; calcium, 16 mg; carbohydrates, 14 g; protein, 3 g

Justing Morrow,

Canyon Ranch

Thanksgiving

Turkey Gravy

This gravy starts with a roux, which is used to thicken mixtures such as soups and sauces.

Some measurements are unorthodox because Canyon Ranch staff reduced this recipe to a 10-serving portion from more than 100 servings.

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 1/2 ounces yellow onion, diced

1 ounce shallots, diced

1/2 tablespoon, plus 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter

2 ounces all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups turkey stock

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoons medium black pepper, ground

Heat oil in saucepan. Add shallots and onions and cook until translucent. Add butter and cook briefly. Add flour and cook until golden roux forms. Add turkey stock and whisk until boiling and thick. Add salt and pepper. Serves 10.

Nutritional information per serving (2 ounces)
Calories, 43; fat, 1 gram; percent calories from fat, 28%; cholesterol, 7 milligrams; sodium, 125 mg; dietary fiber, 0 g; calcium, 8 mg; carbohydrates, 6 g; protein, 2 g