Chilli Turkey Tortillas

Red kidney beans are a good source of fibre which helps to lower cholesterol. They are also good for controlling blood sugar levels. They are also a good source of fat free protein and contain other essential minerals. Fortunately they are a bean all of my family love so I make sure we eat them regularly.

These tortillas are perfect for the summer months. I have found that the quality of turkey mince can vary quite a lot. Make sure it is a good quality low fat one to keep the fat one to keep the fat content down.

Ingredients

450 g fresh turkey mince
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1-2 teaspoon chilli powder
freshly ground black pepper
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained
2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander
8 tortilla wraps

Filling
Shredded lettuce
tomato salsa
grated cheese
soured cream

Method

1. Dry fry the turkey mince in a large fying pan for about 10 minutes until the turkey is sealed, breaking up any lumps of mince with a wooden spoon.

2. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the chilli powder and freshly ground black pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring throughout.

4. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add the red kidney beans and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the turkey is cooked and a thick sauce is formed. Then stir in the chopped coriander.

6. Warm the tortillas as directed on the packet. Arrange some shredded lettuce on the tortillas. Top with some of the turkey mince, then add salsa, grated cheese and soured cream. Fold over and serve with a side salad.

Goodbye Diabetes

For the last few years my blood glucose levels have been normal. Last year my blood glucose levels were so good that the doctor recommended I stopped taking the one tablet I was taking. I then had another blood test a year later and the results came back as being in the normal range. The doctor began to doubt that I had diabetes and so referred me to the hospital for a blood glucose test.

At the hospital they took a sample of blood from my left arm. I then had to drink a glucose drink and stay around the hospital without moving about too much for two hours. After two hours I had another blood sample taken from my right arm this time. The two blood samples were sent off for comparison to see if I had diabetes.

The results came back saying my blood glucose levels were within the normal range and the doctor did not want to see me any more for diabetes!

I am still slightly in shock about this result as, as far as I had understood, diabetes cannot be cured and once you have it, you have it for life. However, almost three years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes and now I have been told that I do not have diabetes. It is going to take quite a bit of getting used to but my quest for health objectives have not changed. I will continue to try to live a healthy lifestyle and hopefully keep all those other nasty diseases at bay.

Beef and Tomato Gratin

This is one of my favourite meals. I serve it with a simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion. I also like to have some crusty rustic wholemeal bread ready for other members of the family as they enjoy mopping up the “gravy” with it.

Ingredients

• 350g lean minced beef
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 1 tablespoon plain flour (I use wholemeal flour)
• 300ml beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 4 large tomatoes, sliced
• 2 medium courgettes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 300ml skimmed milk
• 150ml low fat natural fromage frais
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190C.

2. In a large frying pan dry fry (without any added oil) the beef and onion for 4-5 minutes until browned.

3. Stir in the dried mixed herbs, flour, beef stock, tomato puree and black pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes until the mixture has thickened.

4. Transfer the beef mixture to an ovenproof gratin dish. Cover with a layer of the sliced tomatoes and then a layer of the sliced courgettes.

5. Blend the cornflour with a little milk. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

6. Add the cornflour mixture and cook, stirring for one to two minutes until thickened.

7. Remove from the heat and beat in the fromage frais and egg yolk. Season well with the black pepper.

8. Spread the white sauce over the layer of courgettes. Place the dish on to a baking sheet and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

9. Back in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with crusty bread and salad or steamed vegetables.

Serves 4

Motivation Monday

Exercise is important for good health. We all know that we should eat a healthier diet if we wish to maintain or improve our health but getting enough exercise can be more difficult for many people.

Over the years we have become more and more inactive. Since the advent of the motor car we walk much less than our ancestors and most of our lives contain much less physical work due to all of the labour saving modern equipment we own. Therefore, we have to artificially make time to exercise as this is a vital part of keeping healthy.

We should all be getting at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. If you are just beginning to make exercise a regular part of your life it is important to start gently. As you get fitter you can increase the intensity of your exercise. There is a good pdf document, Be Active Your Way, to help you get start on making exercise a part of your life.

Six Benefits of Regular Physical Exercise

1. Exercise improves your mood.

Exercise releases chemicals called endorphins in the brain. These endorphins have a strong effect on your mood. They help to reduce anxiety, stress and depression. Your self confidence will also improve as your body starts to look and feel better.

2. Exercise helps prevent or manage chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

Exercise halves your risk of developing coronary heart disease. It helps to reduce high blood pressure and helps to boost the good cholesterol (HDL) and reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Weight bearing exercise such as walking helps guard against osteoporosis by promoting bone density.

Regular exercise can also reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer, breast cancer, , prostate, lung and endometrial cancer.

3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.

Exercise helps your body to burn calories and increases your metabolism so, when combined with a healthy diet, can help in weight loss or weight maintenance.

4. Exercise strengthens hearts and lungs

Regular exercise helps to keep your cardiovascular system in good order so your heart and lungs can work optimally.

5. Exercise improves the quality of your sleep.

However, exercising before just going to bed can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep so it is better to exercise earlier in the day.

6. Exercise can be fun.

Exercise can be fun if you choose an activity you enjoy. Walking, dancing, playing tennis or football or playing with your kids are all enjoyable activities and when shared with other people can give much pleasure so make sure you find something you enjoy. If you don’t like going to the gym, then don’t go. Do something you do enjoy instead!

Here is a fun video to help you get some exercise today.

Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise programme.

Weekly Family Meals

It’s the weekend yet again and time to think about what I am going to eat for the next week. Normally it is not a problem as I have a four week menu system that I designed. It is flexible enough to slip new recipes in and to take some recipes out depending on how I am feeling.

I get very easily bored by eating the same things all the time and need to regularly change our dinners. I have very wide tastes in food and like just about everything. During the last three years my tastes have changed too and I find that I now eat things I would never have considered eating three years ago. For example, I now eat sardines fairly often whereas before I would never have even thought of having them.

Anyway, I have been thinking this week that I would like to try some new recipes but the overall menu for the week must be healthy and follow the following healthy eating guidelines:

• At least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. I love all kinds of vegetables so do not find this difficult. I have to be careful with fruit because they contain more natural sugars. However, if you do not have diabetes then this will not be a problem for you. I keep telling my family that they should eat a rainbow meaning they should eat a wide variety of colours as each colour provides different nutrients. They seem to like this idea and it helps to encourage them to eat up their fruit and veg.

• 3 portions of whole grains a day such as wholewheat pitta bread, wholewheat bread, brown basmati rice, wholewheat pasta, oats, bran etc. I normally have oats for breakfast, pitta bread for lunch and then basmati rice or pasta for dinner.

• 4 portions of fish per week. Two oily types of fish such as mackerel and salmon and two non-oily fish such as haddock and canned tuna. For lunch I will often have mackerel, salmon, sardines or tuna in pitta bread and then for dinner have cod, haddock, fresh tuna, fresh salmon etc.

• Lean meats with visible fat removed such as extra lean minced beef and poultry such as chicken breasts without the skin. I always have two dinners which include chicken, one dinner which includes extra lean minced beef or other lean meat such as pork steaks. On a Sunday we always have a roast but I try to choose the leanest meat I can and cook it without adding any extra fat.

• Skimmed milk, no fat/low fat yoghurt, low fat cheese. I do not eat much cheese although I love it as I have found that even low fat cheese is quite high in fat. I love fat free natural yoghurt (with no added sugar) and will often have it on strawberries in the summer. I always have skimmed milk on my cereal or in my cups of tea. I do not often drink coffee any more as I have totally gone off it even though three years ago I was a coffee addict.

• Beans, nuts, seeds, pulses. I almost always have butter beans on a Sunday and have red kidney beans once a week in a healthy chilli con carne or a totilla. I have a few walnuts and seeds with my breakfast cereal. I also like lentils but other family members are not very keen on them. I am always on the lookout for recipes with lentils that I think they might eat. Pine nuts are very nice sprinkled on fruit.

• A small treat – I like my two squares of 70% cocoa chocolate in the evening!

This picture from the Foods Standards Agency, the Eatwell Plate, is a very good visual guide to what we should be eating and in what proportions.

Exercise Motivation?

Ah, Monday is almost over and I have missed my exercise for the day. It’s just been too hot here this last week, I’ve had far too much work to do  and there has been the Wimbledon tennis finals to watch over the weekend and …..

Well, I just did not get around to it.

Yes, I know it is a lame excuse but ….

What excuses do you have for missing exercising? How do you motivate yourself when there is just too many other things going on in your life at the same time?  Curious minds need to know so they can keep up with their exercise routines much better than they are at the moment!

Tuna and Bean Salad

We have had a heat wave this week and it has been far too hot to spend much time in the kitchen. This salad is ideal for times like this. It is very easy to prepare but full of healthy nutrients too.

Ingredients

100g green beans, chopped
410g can butter beans, rinsed and drained *
2 cans tuna chunks in springwater (about 400g in total), drained
200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Mixed salad leaves

Dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon or 4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Method

1. Steam the green beans until tender, rinse under cold water and drain.
2. Place the green beans, butter beans, tuna, tomatoes and onion in a bowl, and toss well.
3. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and pour over the tuna mixture, cover and place in the fridge for ten minutes to chill.
4. Arrange the salad leaves on a plate and top with the tuna mixture.

Serves 4

235 calories per portion

* I think butter beans are better known as lima beans in the USA.

Take Care in this Heatwave

The UK is experiencing a heatwave this week and it is particularly hot where I live. Today is especially hot and sticky and I am doing all I can to keep cool.

Heatwaves like this can be dangerous for us because we are not used to dealing with these high temperatures.

Risks Associated with Hot Weather

1. Dehydration
2. Heat stroke or exhaustion
3. Sunburn

Strategies to Avoid Problems

1. Keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.
2. When outdoors keep in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat.
3. Wear light, loose fitting cotton clothing.
4. If the sun is streaming in through the windows close the blinds or curtains to block it out.
5. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.
6. Relax. Avoid too much physical exercise during the hottest part of the day.

This video covers some very important points:

Get Fit From the Inside Out

After writing the article, A Few Extra Pounds May Help You Live Longer, I was worried that people would take this as an excuse to not lose weight or even gain weight. However, my article was not intended for this purpose.

What I was trying to stress is that people who are a few pounds overweight who eat healthily and take regular exercise can be healthier than skinnier people who take very little exercise and do not take care with the food they are putting inside of their bodies.

A figure on the bathroom scales or a BMI chart is far too simplistic in regards to health. Although most doctors believe that BMI is a good indicator of a person’s health it is not foolproof. Exceptions occur especially in regards to athletes who have built up more muscle mass than average and so have a BMI score which puts them in the obese category.

Real obesity does have negative consequences on a person’s health. It has been identified as a cause for many different diseases but having a healthy BMI score does not guarantee one is healthy either.

People who do not look fat on the outside can be hiding internal fat which surrounds vital organs like the heart, liver and pancreas and doctors now think this internal fat could be as dangerous as the more obvious visible fat.

Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College, London has undertaken research funded by Britain’s Medical Research Council. He and his team scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to find out where they were storing fat. They discovered that as many as 45 percent of women and nearly 60 percent of men with normal BMI scores had excessive levels of internal fat. This has lead doctors to worry that thin people may falsely assume they are healthy because they are not overweight.

There is much more to being healthy than just being a healthy weight. As I stated in my previous article, it is also important to make good food choices, take regular exercise and keep blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control.

It is interesting that Dr. Steven Blair, an obesity expert at the University of South Carolina is quoted as saying. “Normal-weight persons who are sedentary and unfit are at much higher risk for mortality than obese persons who are active and fit.”

Therefore, when attempting to be healthy it is not enough to just watch how much you are eating to maintain a BMI score in the healthy weight range. It is also important to watch what you are eating and, arguably even more important, to take regular exercise in order to maximise your health.

Start your week off healthily by making sure you do some form of exercise today.

Further Reading

1. Internal fat deposits may endanger people who look thin externally
2. Thin people can be fat on the inside
3. Exercise critical to melt internal fat
4. Abdominal and Total Body Fat Loss Linked to Regular Exercise, Researcher at Yale Finds

A Few Extra Pounds May Help You Live Longer

Photo from stock.xchng

Being obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or more, is bad for one’s health but a new study reported in the New York Times states that being a few pounds overweight could protect people, especially the elderly, from an early death.

Researchers found that while underweight and obese people die earlier than people of normal weight, those who are overweight actually live longer than people of normal weight.

From this study it looks like keeping a healthy lifestyle is more important than losing a few extra pounds. However, the researchers are keen to emphasise that they are not encouraging people to put on weight as there are many negative health consequences associated with being overweight and obese.

In order to enjoy better health it is important to choose a healthy lifestyle by making good food choices, taking regular exercise and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control.

Perhaps we should all stop beating ourselves up about being a few pounds overweight and concentrate more on achieving a healthy lifestyle if we want to improve our overall health rather than just concentrating on what the scales tell us we weigh.