Go Hearty and Healthy this Winter with Disease-Preventing Recipes and "Superfoods"

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Dec 01, 2011, 09:07 ET

CHICAGO, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Winter is when people tend to burn firewood rather than calories and turn to not-so-good comfort foods instead of their healthy favorites. But with expanding obesity rates in the U.S., heart disease a leading cause of death and type 2 diabetes affecting at least 24 million American adults and children, diet is more important than ever. Keri Glassman, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., nationally recognized nutrition expert and book author, is here to help with a unique collection of disease-preventing recipes that are hearty to pacify wintertime cravings yet healthy to fuel the body without undesirable calories.

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"People crave comfort in the winter, but unfortunately, they often find it in unhealthy foods," said Glassman. "By choosing the right ingredients and having inspirational recipes on hand, you can use food to comfort both your mind and body."

Each recipe in Glassman's disease-preventing "Hearty and Healthy Winter Recipe Collection" contains nutrient-rich ingredients that have been shown to help prevent disease when part of a healthy lifestyle. The recipes include:

Thai Sweet Potato Bisque with Parmesan Whole-Wheat Crostini
Vegetarian Greek Pizza & Spinach Saute
Lemon-Walnut Chicken & Spiced Kale Chips
Parmesan-Crusted Halibut & Spicy Sprouts
Vegetarian Portobello Mushroom Stack Over Quinoa
Zesty Beef Stir-Fry Over Brown Rice

From the beta-carotene-packed sweet potatoes in the bisque to the protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas in the vegetarian mushroom dish, every ingredient was chosen for its taste and health benefits," said Glassman. "It's important for people to know the value of healthy food ingredients and most of all, how they can combine to make mouth-watering meals!"

As a common ingredient in all of the above recipes, canola oil delivers on heart health. It has the least saturated fat and most omega-3 fat of all cooking oils and is free of trans fat and cholesterol. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a qualified health claim for canola oil on its potential to reduce the risk of heart disease when used in place of saturated fat.

"The oil you choose to cook with is as important as major recipe components," said Glassman. "Everybody needs a moderate amount of healthy unsaturated fat in their diet for good health and canola oil is one of the best sources of it."

In addition, canola oil is a good source of vitamins E and K and very versatile with a light texture, neutral flavor and high heat tolerance (smoke point of 468 °F).

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SOURCE CanolaInfo