January Wellness News

January

 

Monthly

NationalBirth Defects Month
National Blood Donor Month
Book Blitz Month
International Creativity Month
Financial Wellness Month
National Mentoring Month
Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month
International Quality of Life Month
Thyroid Awareness Month
Self-Help Group Awareness Month
National Clean Up Your Computer Month
National Mail Order Gardening Month
National Get Organized Month
Be Kind to Food Servers Month 
Bread Machine Baking Month
California Dried Plum Digestive Month
Family Fit Lifestyle Month
National CBD Month
National Fiber Focus Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Lose Weight, Feel Great Month
National Menudo Month
Oatmeal Month
National Poverty in America Awareness Month
National Sunday Supper Month
Shape Up US Month
National Soup Month
National Slow Cooking Month
Wheat Bread Month

Weekly

1-7 Diet Resolution Week

5-11 National Folic Acid Awareness Week

5-11 National Lose Weight – Feel Great Week

6-10 No-Tillage Week

12-18 National Mocktail Week

12-18 Healthy Weight Week

17-23 National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week

19-25 Sugar Awareness Week

26-2/2 Meat Week

Daily Event
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday	1	New Year's Day; Ellis Island Opened, Global Family Day; National Hangover Day; National Bloody Mary Day, Rose Bowl
Thursday	2	Personal Trainer Awareness Day; Buffet Day; Cream Puff Day; Motivation & Inspiration Day; Georgia 4th State
Friday	3	Chocolate Covered Cherry Day; Drinking Straw Invented; Alaska 49th State; Fruitcake Toss Day
Saturday	4	World Braille Day; World Hypnotism Day; Utah 45 State; Spaghetti Day; Trivia Day; National Weigh-In Day
Sunday	5	National Whipped Cream Day; National Keto Day
Monday	6	Bean Day; National Shortbread Day; New Mexico 47th State; National Technology Day
Tuesday	7	National Tempura Day
Wednesday	8	National English Toffee Day; War on Poverty
Thursday	9	National Apricot Day; Connecticut 5th State; National Cassoulet Day
Friday	10	Cut Your Energy Cost Day; Bittersweet Chocolate Day; Oysters Rockefeller Day
Saturday	11	National Hot Toddy Day; National Milk Day
Sunday	12	National Pharmacist Day, Marzipan Day; Curried Chicken Day, National Hot Tea Day; National Sunday Supper Day
Monday	13	National Peach Melba Day, Korean American Day, National Clean Your Desk Day
Tuesday	14	National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day; Dress Up Your Pet Day; Organize Your Home Day
Wednesday	15	Strawberry Ice Cream Day; National Bagel Day
Thursday	16	National Fig Newton Day; International Hot and Spicy Food Day; Quinoa Day
Friday	17	Popeye Debuts; National Hot Buttered Rum Day
Saturday	18	National Peking Duck Day; National Gourmet Coffee Day; Winnie the Pooh Day
Sunday	19	Popcorn Day; Quark Day
Monday	20	National Cheese Lovers’ Day; National Buttercrunch Day; Martin Luther King
Tuesday	21	Granola Bar Day;  New England Clam Chowder Day; Rid the World of Fad Diets
Wednesday	22	National Blonde Brownie Day
Thursday	23	National Pie Day, Women's Healthy Weight
Friday	24	Natl Peanut Butter Day; International Day of Education
Saturday	25	National Irish Coffee Day, National Seed Swap Day
Sunday	26	Michigan 26th state;  National Peanut Brittle Day; Green Juice Day
Monday	27	Chocolate Cake Day; Holocaust Memorial Day, Viet Nam Peace Day, World Breast Pumping Day
Tuesday	28	National Blueberry Pancake Day
Wednesday	29	National Corn Chip Day; Kansas 34th State; National Puzzle Day, Chinese New Year
Thursday	30	National Croissant Day
Friday	31	Inspire Your Heart with Art Day, National Hot Chocolate Day, Pre-school Fitness Day
Saturday
Sunday

 Wellness Tip

Choose one thing you would like to change.

Focus only on this one goal.

Create a plan, including a backup plan.

There is always more than one way to achieve success.

Find Your Way. 

- Sandra Frank, Ed.D., RDN, FAND

 

Months at a Glance
January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December

 

 

Tempura Tofu and Spring Vegetables

Tempura is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep-fried.

Tempura batter is traditionally mixed in small batches using chopsticks for only a few seconds, leaving lumps in the mixture that, along with the cold batter temperature, result in a unique fluffy and crisp tempura structure when cooked. The batter is often kept cold by adding ice or by placing the bowl inside a larger bowl with ice in it. Over-mixing the batter will result in the activation of wheat gluten, which causes the flour mixture to become soft and dough-like when fried.

Specially formulated tempura flour is available in worldwide supermarkets. This is generally light (low-gluten) flour and occasionally contains leaveners such as baking powder. Tempura generally does not use breadcrumbs (panko) in the coating.

Thin slices or strips of vegetables or seafood are dipped in the batter, then briefly deep-fried in hot oil. Vegetable oil or canola oil are the most common; however, tempura is traditionally cooked using sesame oil. Many specialty shops still use sesame oil or tea seed oil, and it is thought certain compounds in these oils help to produce light, crispier batter.

Cooking Light
Tempura Tofu and Spring Vegetables

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) package water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained
12 cups peanut oil
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
1 ½ teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 pound baby carrots with green tops
4 ½ ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
6 ¾ ounces rice flour (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups club soda, chilled
12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed

Directions

1. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels; cover with paper towels. Top with a heavy skillet; let stand for 30 minutes. Discard paper towels. Cut tofu in half horizontally; cut blocks into 16 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Cut slices in half, crosswise, to form 32 (1 x 1/2–inch) rectangles.

2. Clip a candy/fry thermometer onto the side of a large skillet; add oil to pan. Heat oil to 385°. Combine vinegar and the next 3 ingredients (through ginger). Trim carrot tops to 1 inch; peel carrots.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add club soda, stirring until smooth. Using a slotted spoon, dip the tofu in the batter. Place tofu in hot oil, and fry for 1 minute or until golden, turning once. Make sure the oil temperature remains at 375°. Remove tofu, and drain.

4.  Return oil temperature to 385°. Using a slotted spoon, dip carrots in batter. Place carrots in oil; fry for 2 minutes or until golden, turning once. Make sure the oil temperature remains at 375°. Remove carrots; drain. Return oil temperature to 385°.

5.  Using a slotted spoon, dip peas in batter. Place peas in oil; fry for 1 minute or until golden, turning once. Make sure the oil temperature remains at 375°. Remove peas, and drain. Serve tofu and vegetables with tamari mixture.

Resources

1. Wikipedia, Tempura

A World of Beans Awaits

A World of Beans Awaits! Celebrate National Bean Day by exploring a variety of beans and the specialty dishes they inspire. From the hearty black beans to the versatile kidney bean, there's a flavor for every palate!

The nutrition information below is based on 1/2 cup of cooked beans prepared from dry beans. No salt has been added; therefore, sodium levels are insignificant. Beans contain no cholesterol and a small amount of fat. Beans are a great source of fiber, high in potassium, and contain many B vitamins. Beans also provide between 7% to 18% of one's daily iron needs.

All About Beans

U.S. Dry Bean Council

The U.S. Dry Bean Council (USDBC) is a private trade association comprised of leaders in the bean industry with the common goal of promoting the U.S. edible bean trade, both in the United States and abroad, and educating U.S. consumers about the benefits of beans. The USDBC gives a voice to the bean industry and informs consumers, health professionals, buyers, suppliers, and the media about the good taste, nutritional value, and versatility of beans.

The USDBC is also a resource for information on U.S. exporters, overseas importers, U.S. dry bean classes, trade policy issues, and the role of U.S.-grown beans in international food-aid efforts. USDBC also publishes foreign language newsletters and other publications designed to help overseas importers, packagers, and canners better understand and maintain contact with the U.S. dry bean exporting trade.

As part of USDBC's mission, the organization collaborates with public health organizations, research centers, universities, and the entire supply chain, from seed suppliers to farmers, processors, wholesalers, distributors, and transporters.

While the USDBC is privately funded, its representatives work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in overseas markets and often co-sponsor activities with the U.S. Government. These activities include hosting trade missions from foreign countries to visit U.S. production and processing facilities, participating in trade shows worldwide, coordinating trade missions of U.S. exporters and growers to visit overseas markets, and producing education.

The USDBC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a marketing office in Pierre, South Dakota. In addition, USDBC representatives worldwide facilitate activities and dialog between U.S. and overseas trade.


Benefits
Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat and are a cholesterol-free source of protein. Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease.

A nutrient-rich food, beans contain protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals, such as folate, B vitamins, manganese, potassium, and iron.

Folate, a vitamin essential for pregnant women and their unborn babies, is found in beans. During pregnancy, women need more folate. Expectant mothers who consume enough of the proper nutrients can help reduce the risk of birth defects.

Beans are especially important for people with specific food allergies and intolerances. For example, some people can't tolerate gluten, a natural protein in wheat, barley, and rye. Because beans don't contain gluten or significant allergens found in various grains, substituting beans can help provide the fiber and other nutrients that people on restricted diets may need to include. Beans come in various convenient forms (such as canned beans, bean flour, and dehydrated beans) that can replace allergenic and gluten-containing ingredients.

Recipe Resource
U.S. Dry Bean Council


Black Bean Soup Garnished with

Green Onions

Ensure accurate and cost-effective nutritional analysis for your recipes utilizing an extensive research database and over 35 years of experience. A valuable service for Recipe Bloggers, Media, Cookbook Publishers, Writers, Chefs, and Recipe Websites. Your readers will benefit from the Nutrition information and a Registered Dietitian. Contact: Dietitians-Online.com; Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, FAND at recipenews@gmail.com 954.294.6300