Dinner Tonight

Dinner Tonight

Healthy Cooking for a Healthy Texas

What Is Gluten-Free

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Pick any aisle in your local grocery store and you will see many packages with “gluten-free” labels. Or maybe you have a friend who requires to eat “gluten-free” foods. Gluten-free foods and products are made available for specific individuals who require foods without gluten.

 

What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and their various forms such as triticale. It gives structure to baked goods and can be used for a thickening agent or flavor enhancer.

Who should avoid eating gluten?
Most people do not have a problem with gluten. However for some people, eating foods with gluten can make eating foods a little less pleasant. People who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity, or in some cases people who have severe wheat allergies should choose foods labeled “gluten-free”. A 100% gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease today.

What is Celiac?
Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten damages the lining in the small intestine and keeps certain foods from being used for food. The disease is diagnosed by a medical professional using a blood test and intestinal biopsy.

Gluten-Free Foods
What types of foods should a person who cannot eat gluten choose? The following foods are considered gluten-free:

  • All plain meat, poultry, fish, and eggs (does not include breading or gravies)
  • Milk, butter, margarine, cheese, and plain yogurt
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Legumes and nuts
  • Corn and rice
  • Gluten-free oats (oats not processed or in contact with gluten containing foods), hominy, and buckwheat
  • Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, they can be contaminated with gluten if they are processed and distributed with other grains that contain gluten. Always check the ingredients label for information on whether or not a food contains gluten.

Gluten Free Foods and Health
Many people believe not eating foods with gluten is a more healthy option. The fact is many foods which are gluten-free are not enriched with essential vitamins and minerals as other gluten containing foods. Following a healthy eating pattern which includes reducing foods high in saturated, trans fat, sodium, and added sugar is the best option for a healthier you!

Bottom line, people with Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and those with severe wheat allergies should not eat foods made with gluten. If you think you might have one of these conditions, speak with your doctor before removing foods containing gluten.

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How to Pick Fresh Fish

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There are so many choices when it comes to selecting fish at the grocery store or fish market.   Choosing fish seem like a daunting task; however, you can be sure to take home a fresh fish with these simple checks:

  1. Flesh: The flesh of the fish should be firm, not soft. It should spring back when pressed gently.
  2. Smell: Fresh fish should not smell like a rotten or strong fishy odor. It should smell fresh without any harsh odor.
  3. Color: Fresh fish like finfish should be white. If you are purchasing a fish that might have a different flesh color be sure to choose fish whose flesh is bright and characteristic of the fish species.  Fish with gills should have bright red or pink gills.
  4. Skin: Fish with skin on should be shiny and the scales should be tight and not falling off.
  5. Appearance: Eyes should be bright, clear, and protruding. Fish with cloudy, pink, or sunken eyes are not fresh and should not be purchased.

Always remember to ask your local fish market or grocery store, when they are delivered fresh fish and how long the fish has been in the cooler.   Be sure to use fresh fish within two days of purchase.  If you do not plan on cooking with fish within two days freeze the fish for later use.

Learn more about How-to-select-fresh-catfish with these easy steps.

Join Chelsey as she makes a case for fish as a smart protein choice and how to make it an easy choice for dinner with tips on purchasing fish to make food dollars stretch.

If you want more tips on how to incorporate seafood into your dinners, check out our tips! 

If you are unsure about cooking seafood, check out our safety tips here. 

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Tips & Tricks: How to Select the Perfect Melon

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Thumping. Shaking. Lifting. You have probably seen people using these methods to select a watermelon, but do they really work? Following the steps below will help you choose a melon that is perfect!

Use your eyes.
Look the melon over before you select it. The melon should be firm and symmetrical. It should also be free from dents, bruises, or cuts.

Turn it over.
The main indicator of ripeness is found on the underside of the melon. The underside of the melon should have a creamy yellow spot. This indicates it has ripened in the field.

Use your muscles.
Lift the melon up. A great melon is heavy for its size. Avoid melons which are lightweight if they are larger varieties.

Know your melons.
There are over 1200 varieties of watermelons grown in 96 countries!
The most common types are:

  • Seeded: The seeded watermelon is the most traditional watermelon and can weigh between 10 to 25 pounds!
  • Seedless: Seedless watermelons are the result of hybridization.
    • Some claim they have white seeds, but these “seeds” are really empty seed coats and are safe to eat! Personal: These tiny favorites usually weight 1 to 7 pounds and are perfect for those who don’t want to share!
  • Yellow and Orange Meat: Most watermelons have red meat; however, there are yellow and orange meat varieties which are usually sweeter than the red!

Watermelons : Look for a field patch! A large yellow spot which indicates the watermelon was left on the vine to ripen sufficiently! Cantaloupe: The best indicator of the melon being ripe is smell. A sweet and intense smell. Rind should appear golden and not with a green hue. Honeydew: Slightly harder to choose but best indicator is weight and color. A ripe melon should appear pale yellow in color with a smooth rind. Should seem heavy for its size.

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Naturally Occurring Sugar versus Added Sugar

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Did you know that almost half of the added sugar in our diets comes from beverages such as sodas, fruit drinks, and other sweetened beverages?

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting calories from added sugars to no more than 10 percent each day.  On a 2,000 calorie eating pattern, this would equal 12 teaspoons or about 200 calories.

Added sugars are added to a food or food product when they are processed or prepared.  They can include ingredients such as sugars (brown, raw, turbinado, granulated), corn syrups, molasses, honey, and nectars to name a few.  Added sugars contribute calories but do not provide essential nutrients.

Some foods have naturally occurring sugar like fruits, vegetables, and milk, these foods are not added sugar.  Replacing foods and drinks high in added sugars is a step to establishing a healthy eating pattern for our children and family.

You can make a few choices throughout the day by replacing foods high in added sugars.  Here are a few options:

  • Eat fruit for dessert instead of cakes, cookies, or ice cream.
  • Flavor water with fresh fruit instead of sodas or sweetened tea.
  • Try choosing a smaller size of a food with added sugar.
  • Reduce the amount of sugar in an original recipe by one third.

Making small steps to reduce the amount of added sugar is a step in establishing a healthy eating pattern.

Watch this video to learn how to limit calories from added sugars.

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How to offer new foods!

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Enjoying new foods with your family is an opportunity to grown towards a healthy eating pattern. Whether this is their first time trying a new food, it is important to talk to your children and encourage them to make new fun food choices.

Here are a few tips in getting your child to try new foods!

Offer a new food first, at the beginning of a meal.  

Children are more likely to eat a new veggie or food when they are hungry.  Be sure to serve them the new food before serving the rest of the meal.

Prepare new foods in many different ways.  

Sometimes it is not the food the child does not like; it is how the food is prepared.  If your child does not like the food the first time, try it again either raw or cooked in a dish rather than by itself.

Engage your children in foods by having them describe the food by color, shape, feel, smell, and sound!  

This can make dinner entertaining!  Ask your children to describer the food in positive ways! Making trying new foods fun can help them develop their “taste” for a variety of foods!

Get them out in the garden and let them grow their favorite veggie!  

If you have a garden or even a small container, have your children grow a new vegetable or fruit and let them decide how to make it it!

Try new foods with your children.

 Children learn from watching others.  If you try a new food, they are more likely to try foods with you.

Food variety makes eating more interesting and incorporates a variety of foods into a healthy eating pattern.

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