Holiday Stress and a Recipe for Dinner

Ahh the holidays are upon us once again, and with them the stresses of paying bills and providing holiday meals and gifts.
Its not so tough when you dont have little ones running around foot asking after Santa, but it still is hard to juggle it all.

Thankfully all the people I have to buy for this Christmas have pretty much already been taken care of, since I buy a little something here and there as I have the money to do so. The only child I have to buy for is my niece and she is 13 so she would understand if I couldnt get her something but I would not pay a bill before not getting something for her. This year though thankfully I have her taken care of with some White Elephant gifts.

The biggest stress I have right now is just trying to figure out how to catch up on my past rent which has been looming over me for the last year and a half. Thankfully there are organizations out there that can and will help with that, even if its not the full amount that I need, any little bit can and will help. I have some holiday shopping to do still, but mainly its just for Thanksgiving dinner as its only about 2 weeks away.

So as I try and do every year here are a few budget friendly holiday dishes that are super yummy and inexpensive:

Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberry-Shallot Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 2 turkey tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds total)


• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided


• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided


• 4 shallots, peeled and quartered


• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried


• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth


• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) cranberries


• 1/4 cup dried cranberries


• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, or to taste


• 1 tablespoon fruit-flavored vinegar, such as raspberry or pomegranate

PREPARATION

1. Preheat to 450°F.


2. Sprinkle turkey tenderloins with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook, turning to brown all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°, 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the sizes).


3. Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 minutes. Add thyme and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add broth and cook, scraping up any browned bits, for 1 minute. Stir in fresh and dried cranberries and cook until most of the fresh cranberries have broken down, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir brown sugar, vinegar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into the sauce; cook for 1 minute. Cover and remove from the heat.


4. Let the turkey rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes. Thinly slice; serve with the sauce.

NUTRITION

202 calories; 5 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 428 mg sodium; 93 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 fruit, 4 lean meat

 

Two-Toned Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon buttermilk plus 2/3 cup, divided


• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream


• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion


• Pinch of salt plus 3/4 teaspoon, divided


• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks


• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks


• 1 small leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced, white and light green parts only


• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces


• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.


2. Combine 1 tablespoon buttermilk, crème fraîche (or sour cream), onion powder (or granulated onion) and pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate while you cook the vegetables.


3. Add potatoes, sweet potatoes and leek to the boiling water and return to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a vigorous simmer and cook until tender enough to pierce with a knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return the vegetables to the pan (off the heat).


4. Add the remaining 2/3 cup buttermilk, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, butter and pepper to the pan; coarsely mash with a potato masher. Serve topped with the sauce and chives.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare sauce (Step 2) and vegetables (Steps 1 & 3), cover and refrigerate separately for up to 1 day. Reheat vegetables, covered, in the microwave or a double boiler before continuing with Step 4.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 117 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 190 mg sodium; 318 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (142% daily value), Vitamin C (18% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat

 

Sweet & Sour Green Beans

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds green beans, trimmed


• 1/4 cup cider vinegar


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1 ice cube


• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots


• 2 tablespoons canola oil


• 1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

1. Fit a large pot with a steamer basket, add 1 to 2 inches water and bring to a boil. Add green beans, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain.


2. Meanwhile, heat vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in ice cube until it dissolves. Whisk in shallots, oil and salt.


3. Transfer the green beans to a large bowl, pour the dressing over them and toss to coat.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate beans (Step 1) for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the dressing (Step 2).

NUTRITION

Per serving: 71 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 4 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 99 mg sodium; 146 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

Sweet Potato Pie with Cream Cheese Swirl

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes


• 6 ounces crisp gingersnap cookies (26-28 small cookies)


• 2 tablespoons canola oil


• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar


• 3/4 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, divided


• 2 large eggs


• 1 large egg yolk


• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)


• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar


• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.


2. Tightly wrap sweet potatoes in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until very tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Carefully unwrap and set aside to cool.


3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.


4. Process gingersnaps in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl, add oil and stir until well combined. Using a spoon, spread and pat the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until just barely beginning to darken, about 10 minutes.


5. Clean and dry the food processor workbowl. Peel the sweet potatoes and transfer to the food processor. Puree until smooth. Measure out 1 1/2 cups (if you have extra puree, reserve it for another use). Return the 1 1/2 cups puree to the food processor. Add brown sugar, 1/2 cup yogurt, eggs, egg yolk, cinnamon and nutmeg; pulse just until combined. Spread the sweet potato filling in the warm crust.


6. Clean and dry the workbowl again. Add the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and ginger; puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice. Dollop tablespoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture onto the filling, spacing them evenly. Draw the tip of a wooden skewer or a thin knife through the cream cheese mixture and sweet potato filling repeatedly to create a swirled design.


7. Bake the pie until firm to the touch and starting to puff around the edges, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 2 hours.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Loosely cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving; blot any moisture on the top as needed.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 242 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 60 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 22 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 153 mg sodium; 270 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (135% daily value)

Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

-Recipies taken from Eatingwell.com

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Risk Of Diabetes May Be Reduced By Up To 25 Percent By Moderate Coffee Consumption

Drinking three to four cups of coffee per day may help to prevent type 2 diabetes according to research highlighted in a session report published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a not-for-profit organization devoted to the study and disclosure of science related to coffee and health.
Recent scientific evidence has

consistently linked regular, moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An update of this research and key findings presented during a session at the 2012 World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and Its Complications (WCPD) is summarized in the report.
The report outlines the epidemiological evidence linking coffee consumption to diabetes prevention, highlighting research that shows three to four cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to consuming none or less than two cups per day. Another study also found an inverse dose dependent response effect with each additional cup of coffee reducing the relative risk by 7-8 per cent.
Whilst these epidemiological studies suggest an association between moderate coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing diabetes, they are unable to infer a causal effect. As such, clinical intervention trails are required to study the effect in a controlled setting. One prospective randomized controlled trial, tested glucose and insulin after an oral glucose tolerance test with 12g decaffeinated coffee, 1g chlorogenic acid, 500 mg trigonelline, or placebo. This study demonstrated that chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline reduced early glucose and insulin responses, and contribute to the putative beneficial effect of coffee.
The report notes that the association between coffee consumption a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes could be seen as counter intuitive, as drinking coffee is often linked to unhealthier habits, such as smoking and low levels of physical activity. Furthermore, studies have illustrated that moderate coffee consumption is not associated with an increased risk of hypertension, stroke or coronary heart disease. Research with patients with CVD has also shown that moderate coffee consumption is inversely associated with risk of heart failure, with a J-shaped relationship.
Finally, the report puts forward some of the key mechanistic theories that underlie the possible relationship between coffee consumption and the reduced risk of diabetes. These included the 'Energy Expenditure Hypothesis', which suggests that the caffeine in coffee stimulates metabolism and increases energy expenditure and the 'Carbohydrate Metabolic Hypothesis', whereby it is thought that coffee components play a key role by influencing the glucose balance within the body. There is also a subset of theories that suggest coffee contains components that may improve insulin sensitivity though mechanisms such as modulating inflammatory pathways, mediating the oxidative stress of cells, hormonal effects or by reducing iron stores.
Dr. Pilar Riobó Serván, Associate Chief of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Jiménez Díaz-Capio Hospital of Madrid and a speaker at the WCPD session concludes the report, commenting: "A dose-dependent inverse association between coffee drinking and total mortality has been demonstrated in general population and it persists among diabetics. Although more research on the effect of coffee in health is yet needed, current information suggests that coffee is not as bad as previously considered!"

Related articles

• Drinking 3 to 4 Cups of Coffee a Day Reduces the Risk of Diabetes by 25 Percent, Report (medicaldaily.com)
• Risk Of Diabetes May Be Reduced By Up To 25 Percent By Moderate Coffee Consumption (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Moderate coffee consumption may reduce risk of diabetes by up to 25 percent (medicalxpress.com)
• Your Coffee Cup May Hold the Answer to Preventing Type 2 Diabetes (chasm63.wordpress.com)
• In T2 Diabetes, Which Comes First: High Insulin Levels or Insulin Resistance? (diabeticmediterraneandiet.com)

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Baking Substitutions

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Fructose In Moderation Could Be Beneficial For Diabetics

A new study by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital suggests that fructose may not be as bad for us as previously thought and that it may even provide some benefit.
"Over the last decade, there have been connections made between fructose intake and rates of obesity," said Dr. John Sievenpiper, a senior author of the study. "However, this research suggests that the problem is likely one of overconsumption, not fructose."
The study reviewed 18 trials with 209 participants who had Type 1 and 2 diabetes and found fructose significantly improved their blood sugar control. The improvement was equivalent to what can be achieved with an oral anti-diabetic drug.
Even more promising, Dr. Sievenpiper said, is that the researchers saw benefit even without adverse effects on body weight, blood pressure, uric acid (gout) or cholesterol.
Fructose, which is naturally found in fruit, vegetables and honey, is a simple sugar that together with glucose forms sucrose, the basis of table sugar. It is also found in high-fructose corn syrup, the most common sweetener in commercially prepared foods.
In all the trials they reviewed, participants were fed diets where fructose was incorporated or sprinkled on to test foods such as cereals or coffee. The diets with fructose had the same amount of calories as the ones without.
"Attention needs to go back where it belongs, which is on the concept of moderation," said Adrian Cozma, the lead author of the paper and a research assistant with Dr. Sievenpiper.
"We're seeing that there may be benefit if fructose wasn't being consumed in such large amounts," Cozma said. "All negative attention on fructose-related harm draws further away from the issue of eating too many calories."

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Overall Post-Meal Blood Sugar Levels Reduced By Snacking On Raisins

New research debuted at the American Diabetes Association's 72nd Annual Scientific Session suggests eating raisins three times a day may significantly lower postprandial (post-meal) glucose levels when compared to common alternative snacks of equal caloric value. The study was conducted at the Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Center (L-MARC) by lead researcher, Harold Bays, MD, medical director and president of L-MARC.

The study was conducted among 46 men and women who had not previously been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, but who had mild elevations in glucose levels. Participants were randomly assigned to snack on raisins or pre-packaged commercial snacks that did not contain raisins or other fruits or vegetables, three times a day for 12 weeks. Findings included:

• Compared to control snacks, raisins significantly decreased mean post-meal glucose levels by 16 percent

• Compared to baseline within group paired analysis, raisins significantly reduced mean hemoglobin A1c by 0.12 percent

• Consumption of the control snacks in the study did not significantly reduce mean post-meal glucose or hemoglobin A1c

"Compared to the snacking control group, the group consuming raisins had a significant statistical reduction in their after-liquid meal blood sugar levels among study participants who had mean baseline fasting glucose levels between 90 and 100 mg/dl.," said Dr. Bays. "This favorable glucose effect of raisins was further supported by the statistically significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c (a standard test for overall blood sugar control in diabetes mellitus) in the within group comparison to baseline. The within group comparisons from baseline with snacks did not demonstrate a reduction in hemoglobin A1c."

The study was funded by the California Raisin Marketing Board through a grant to the L-MARC Research Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

"Raisins have a relatively low glycemic index and contain fiber and antioxidants, all factors which contribute to blood sugar control," said James Painter, Ph.D., R.D., and nutrition research advisor for the California Raisin Marketing Board. "Decreasing blood sugar and maintaining normal hemoglobin A1c levels is important because it can prevent long-term damage to the heart and circulatory system."

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Health expert recommends fat tax on unhealthy foods in the UK

The director of the health promotion research group at the University of Oxford has recommended the introduction of a tax on unhealthy foods to help reduce the number of overweight and obese people in the UK.
Mike Rayner has proposed a tax on a range of less healthy foodstuffs, including a 12p ($0.19 4/10) tax on soft drinks to get people to switch to a healthier alternative, as so many people in Britain are obese – which he claims is costing the NHS billions of pounds each year. He argued that since tax increases were already used to deter people from  smoking and drinking, a fat tax would improve our health and help raise money for the Treasury.
Rayner commented "There's evidence to show that manipulating food prices can encourage healthy eating. So why are we so reluctant to change the way we tax food?
He added "We need to rethink the way we apply VAT to food. At the moment we have a muddled system: you do pay tax on some relatively-healthy things like smoothies, but you don't pay it on a lot of junk food like chips or doughnuts." He also pointed out that Denmark already has a "fat tax" on foodstuffs that contain saturated fats, which are known to raise cholesterol levels.
However, the idea was been countered by Labour MP Angela Eagle and the Liberal Democrat minister Steve Webb, who would instead prefer improved nutritional education and better packaging.

We here in America have something similar to the UK Fat Tax called a Sin Tax. A sin tax is a kind of sumptuary tax: a tax specifically levied on certain generally socially proscribed goods and services. These goods are usually alcohol and tobacco, but also include candies, soft drinks, fat foods and coffee, while services range from prostitution to gambling.

Sumptuary taxes are ostensibly used for reducing transactions involving something that society considers undesirable, and is thus a kind of sumptuary law. Sin tax is used for taxes on activities that are considered socially undesirable. Common targets of sumptuary taxes are alcohol and tobacco, gambling, and vehicles emitting excessive pollutants. Sumptuary tax on sugar and soft drinks has also been suggested. Some jurisdictions have also levied taxes on illegal drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.

The revenue generated by sin taxes is sometimes used for special projects, but might also be used in the ordinary budget. American cities and countries have used them to pay for stadiums, while in Sweden the tax for gambling is used for helping people with gambling problems. Acceptance of sumptuary taxes may be greater than income tax or sales tax.

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