Baked Sweet Potato, Roasted Squash and Mushrooms

Tonight I had a real hunger for vegetables and really had a nice assortment. I only had a small portion (3 oz.) of meat, roast pork, so I had plenty of room for veggies. I baked a sweet potato in the microwave and, and roasted 2 large mushrooms cut in half and a nice yellow straightneck summer squash. Preparation of the mushrooms was easy as I chose not to use any seasonings at all. I cut the mushrooms in half, and the squash in chunks and put them in an oven proof bowl. I gave them a light once over with olive oil pan spray and put them in the oven at 425°. I stirred them every 7-8 minutes and they were finished in about 15. I loved the earthy taste of the mushrooms and the slightly sweet and soft/crunchiness of the squash. I am grateful to be able to taste these subtle flavors without additional seasoning because I have cleared my taste buds of salt. There is nothing in these vegetables to hurt my diet as they have only 57 calories, 2.44 g protein, 11.68 g carbohydrates, 5.3 g fiber, .74 g fat, and only 7 mg sodium.

Sweet Potatoes

Sometimes when I eat baked sweet potato, I sprinkle it with ButterBuds, cinnamon, and/or nutmeg. Tonight I ate it unadorned and it was delicious. Baking sweet potatoes is a great way to add flavor to a low sodium diet. When I first started, I ate them almost every night. A whole cup of sweet potato baked this way has 180 calories, 6.6 grams of fiber, negligible fat and only 72 mg sodium. The glycemic index of sweet potatoes is lower than any form of white potato, coming in at 77. It is also high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. According to Wikipedia, “the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato”. Also, 2/3 cups of sweet potatoes contain 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin E without the fat of other sources. It is also very low in sodium.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-4/4//2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1374.67	77.42 g	232.25 g	1442.67 mg	18.25 g	11.95%

Top Ten Highest and Bottom Ten Lowest Glycemic Index Foods

I am going to be writing later about the glycemic index of foods and how they may affect the choices we make. But for now, this will just be an introduction to the glycemic index of foods. The glycemic index is based on the impact different foods have on insulin production in our bodies. Stressing the pancreas by constantly prodding it to produce insulin may lead to diseases such as diabetes (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). My approach to dieting is not necessarily to avoid sugars as I have no indication of blood sugar problems or any family history of diabetes, but I have noticed that high glycemic foods can affect how hungry I am and indirectly affect my diet. High glycemic foods are quickly converted to sugars and therefore require an insulin response from the pancreas. The sugar creates a high and the insulin creates a low that can lead to overeating.

I have compiled a list of high and low glycemic index foods for comparison. Glucose has an index of 100, and foods with an index less than 55 are considered low, between 55 and 70 intermediate, and above 70, high.

Top Ten High Glycemic Index Foods

1. Dates, 103
2. Parsnips, 97
3. Baguette, 95
4. Brown rice pasta, 92
5. Baked Potato, 85
6. Instant potato, 83
7. Cornflakes, 83
8. Microwaved Potato, 82
9. Rice Krispies, 82
10. Pretzels, 81
    

Bottom Ten High Glycemic Index Foods

1. Yogurt low-fat (sweetened), 14
2. The following foods all tie for second place.
1. Peanuts, 15
2. Artichoke, 15
3. Asparagus, 15
4. Broccoli, 15
5. Cauliflower, 15
6. Celery, 15
7. Cucumber, 15
8. Eggplant, 15
9. Green beans, 15
10. Lettuce, all varieties, 15
11. Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened, 15
12. Peppers, all varieties, 15
13. Snow peas, 15
14. Spinach, 15
15. Young summer squash, 15
16. Tomatoes 15,
17. Zucchini, 15
3. Soya beans, boiled, 16
4. Tied for fourth place.
1. Cherries, 22
2. Peas, dried 22
5. Chocolate milk, 24
6. Tied for sixth place
1. Pearl barley, 25
2. Grapefruit, 25
7. Tied for seventh place
1. Whole milk, 27
2. Spaghetti, protein enriched, 27
8. Tied for eighth place.
1. Boiled kidney beans, 29
2. Boiled green lentils, 29
9. Soya milk, 30
10. Apricots (dried), 31

Here is my recap for yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-3/24/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1381.14	101.3 g	196.35 g	1462 mg	20.81 g	13.56%

Diet Recipes-Balsamic Chicken and Poinsettia Fruit Salad

Vinegar is a great way to punch up low-fat and low-sodium recipes and no vinegar has more flavor than balsamic vinegar. This vinegar originated in Modeno Italy and is dark and thick with complex flavors. It has a sweet taste and combines well with chicken and vegetables, as well as, providing the dominant flavor in many salad dressings and as a crusty bread dip with extra virgin olive oil. It contains no fat or sodium and that makes it a great diet bargain, providing excellent flavor at little cost.

It is traditionally made from white grapes whose juice is reduced to 50% of its original volume by boiling. It is then fermented and aged, usually in hardwood casks.

Balsamic Chicken

This dish is easy to make and I usually have the ingredients on hand. Last night I made it and served it over brown rice for me and basmati rice for my wife. The proportions of vegetables aren’t too critical and any of your favorites can be incorporated. When my garden starts producing, I will use several of the squash varieties I typically grow.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, smashed by the side of a heavy knife
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or the less expensive chicken tenders)
2 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

Cooked brown, basmati, or white rice

Prep Tip

When preparing bell peppers, just cut straight through the stem from top to bottom and use your fingers to remove the stem, membrane, and seeds. This is much faster and easier than trying to carve around the stem.

Preparation

Spray a large skillet with olive oil or regular pan spray and sauté the onions and garlic for about three minutes until lightly translucent. Move the onions and garlic to the side and lightly brown the chicken breasts, about 4 minutes on each side. Add the next five ingredients and simmer about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The sauce will reduce and the flavors blend.

This will yield four 4 ounce portions of chicken breast and two and a half cups of balsamic vegetables. A meal of four ounces of chicken breast, one cup of vegetables, and ½ cup of brown rice contains only 334.73 calories, 31.59 g protein, 42.51 g carbohydrates, 2.27 g fat, and 108.29 mg sodium.

Poinsettia Fruit Salad

This natural fruit salad contains no added sugar but has plenty of flavor. The blueberries turn the whole salad a bright red, thus the name I use for it.

Ingredients
.5 Cup Wild Blueberries
3 Medium oranges peeled and cut into segments
1 large apple-peeled and cut into coarse pieces
16 oz. fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 lemon wedge-juice

Preparation

Combine first four ingredients and squeeze lemon juice over all. Stir to combine and refrigerate 1 hour or more to allow flavors to combine.

This recipe makes 8 cups and a one cup serving contains 56.38 calories, .91 g protein, 109.15 g carbohydrates, .3 g fat, no cholesterol, and 1 mg sodium.

Here is my recap from yesterday.

Daily Dietary Recap-3/11/2007
Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sodium	Fat	% Calories from Fat
1132.4	59.91 g	161.54 g	445.17 mg	11.72 g	8.52%