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

 

Unlock the World of Pomegranates

How To Select
Select pomegranates that are plump, round, and heavy for their size.

How to Store
Whole pomegranates can be stored in a cool, dry area in the refrigerator for about 1 month or up to 2 months.

Nutrition Benefits
It is low in fat, saturated fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free and is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins C and K, and a good source of potassium, folate, and copper.

POM SALSA

by POM Wonderful
Visit POM for the Recipe

Pomegranate Breakfast Parfait
by @Jar_Of_Lemons  

How to Grow Pomegranate

Resources and References
1. POM Wonderful: Website
2. Wikipedia: Pomegranate

3. Healthy Pomegranate Recipes, EatingWell

. 

   

Turkey and Food Safety

Turkey and Food Safety

Salmonella and Food

You may know that Salmonella can contaminate poultry and eggs, but it also sneaks into many other foods. Learn what you can do to make your food safer to eat.

Salmonella is a bacteria that commonly causes foodborne illness, sometimes called “food poisoning.” The CDC estimates That It causes 1 million foodborne illnesses annually in the United States. During the past few years, outbreaks of Salmonella illness have been linked to contaminated cucumbers, chicken, eggs, pistachios, raw tuna, sprouts, and many other foods.

Five Facts That May Surprise You

Don’t let Salmonella make you or your loved ones sick. Learn these five facts – and tips for lowering your chance of getting a Salmonella infection.

Do I have a Salmonella infection?

Contact your doctor or healthcare provider if you have:
Diarrhea and a fever over 101.5°F.
Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving.
Bloody stools.
Prolonged vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down.
Signs of dehydration, such as:
Making very little urine.
Dry mouth and throat.
Dizziness when standing up.

You can get a Salmonella infection from a variety of foods. Salmonella can be found in many foods, including beef, poultry, eggs, fruits, pork, sprouts, vegetables, and even processed foods, such as nuts, frozen pot pies, chicken nuggets, and stuffed chicken entrees. When you eat food that is contaminated with Salmonella, it can make you sick. Contaminated foods usually look and smell normal, so knowing how to prevent Salmonella infection is important.

Salmonella illness is more common in the summer. Warmer weather and unrefrigerated foods create ideal conditions for Salmonella to grow. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze perishables (foods likely to spoil or go bad quickly), prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours. Chill them within 1 hour if the temperature is 90°F or hotter.

Salmonella illness can be serious and is more dangerous for certain people. Symptoms of infection usually appear 6–48 hours after eating a contaminated food but can take much longer. These symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts 4–7 days without antibiotic treatment. Some people may have severe diarrhea and need to be hospitalized. Anyone can get a Salmonella infection, but some groups are more likely to develop a serious illness: older adults, children younger than 5, and people with immune systems weakened from medical conditions, such as diabetes, liver or kidney disease, and cancer or their treatment.

Salmonella causes far more illnesses than you might suspect. For every one case of Salmonella illness confirmed by laboratory tests, there are about 30 more cases that are not. Most people who get food poisoning usually do not go to the doctor or submit a sample to a laboratory, so we never learn what germ made them sick.

To avoid Salmonella, you should not eat raw eggs or eggs with runny whites or yolks. Salmonella can contaminate eggs, even perfectly normal-looking ones. But these eggs can make you sick, especially if they are raw or lightly cooked. Eggs are safe when you cook and handle them properly.   Check Your Steps

Remember to follow the Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill guidelines to help keep you and your family safe from food poisoning. Be especially careful when preparing food for young children, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, and older adults.

Clean
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling uncooked eggs or raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices.

Wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you prepare the next item.

Don’t wash raw poultry, meat, and eggs before cooking. Germs can spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces.

Sanitize food contact surfaces with a freshly made solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of water.

Separate
Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods in your grocery cart and refrigerator.

Keep eggs in the original carton and store them in the main part of the refrigerator, not in the door.

Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods, such as salads and deli meat.

Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce and for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.

Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.

Cook
Use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature:
145°F for beef, veal, lamb, and fish (let the meat rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
145°F for pork and ham (let the meat rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
160°F for ground beef, ground pork, ground veal, and ground lamb
160°F for egg dishes
165°F for poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), including ground chicken and ground turkey
165°F for casseroles
Microwave food to 165°F or above.

Chill
Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or colder.
Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours (or 1 hour if the temperature is 90°F or hotter).

Cashew Chronicles. From Farm to Table

Cashew Chronicles. From Farm to Table

Cashews are a good source of protein, copper, magnesium, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and heart-friendly unsaturated fats.

Nutrition Information

Recipes and Serving Suggestions

1. Taste of Home, Cashew Recipes

2. Snack: eat alone; mix with other nuts and/or dried fruits
3. Add cashews to sauteed vegetables or salad greens
4. Sauté cashews with shrimp, beef, or chicken
5. Add to hot cereals
6. Roast cashews
7. Use cashew butter to make a sauce for fish, vegetables, tofu, or rice.

Nutritional Analysis Services

Ensure accurate, cost-effective nutritional analysis for your recipes with an extensive research database and 40 years of experience. An excellent service for the Recipe Bloggers, Media, Cookbook Publishers, Writers, Chefs, and Recipe Websites. Your readers will enjoy and benefit from the Nutrition information.

For more information, visit Dietitians-Online Nutritional Analysis Services

Contact:
Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, FAND
recipenews@gmail.com
954-294-6300

National Stuffing Day: Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, A classic Thanksgiving side—made fully plant-based. Food Safety

Vegan Cornbread Stuffing 

A classic Thanksgiving side—made entirely plant-based. Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, this familiar holiday favorite is now completely vegan. The deep cornbread flavor anchors the dish, while poultry seasoning (which contains no poultry!) delivers that nostalgic Thanksgiving aroma without chicken broth or turkey stock.

This high-fiber recipe is perfect for serving a crowd, and the cornbread can be made ahead for easy holiday prep.

Vegan Cornbread. 
Servings: 12

Yield: 6 cups

Nutrition Profile:

Nut-Free Dairy-Free High-Fiber Vegan Vegetarian Egg-Free Low-Calorie

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp water

• 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal

• 1 ¼ cups whole-grain cornmeal

• ¾ cup white whole-wheat flour

• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¾ cup unsweetened plain soymilk

• 3 Tbsp avocado or canola oil

Stuffing

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 ½ cups chopped onion

• 1 ½ cups chopped celery

• 1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning

• ½ tsp ground pepper

• 5 cups crumbled day-old Vegan Cornbread

• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

---

Instructions

Make the Cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, stir together water and flaxseed meal; let sit 3–5 minutes to thicken.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

4. In another bowl, whisk soymilk, oil, and the flax mixture. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

5. Pour batter into the baking dish and smooth the top.

6. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Loosely cover and let sit 1 day to dry slightly (ideal for stuffing).

---

Make the Stuffing

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat; stir in poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.

4. Add crumbled cornbread and broth, mixing gently to moisten.

5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.

6. Cover and bake 25 minutes.

7. Uncover and bake another 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp.

To make ahead

Store Vegan Cornbread, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Fillers

Almost anything can serve as stuffing. Many popular Anglo-American stuffings contain bread or cereals, usually with vegetables, herbs, spices, and eggs. Middle Eastern vegetable stuffings may be based on seasoned rice, on minced meat, or a combination. Other stuffings may contain only vegetables and herbs. Some stuffing types include sausage meat, while vegetarian stuffing sometimes contains tofu. Roast pork is often accompanied by sage and onion stuffing in England; roast poultry in a Christmas dinner may be stuffed with sweet chestnuts. Oysters are used in one traditional stuffing for Thanksgiving. These may also be combined with mashed potatoes for heavy stuffing. Fruits and dried fruits can be added to stuffing, including apples, apricots, dried prunes, and raisins. In England, a stuffing is sometimes made of minced pork shoulder seasoned with various ingredients, such as sage, onion, bread, chestnuts, dried apricots, dried cranberries, etc. The stuffing mixture may be cooked separately and served as a side dish. This may still be called stuffing, or it may be called dressing.

Food Safety

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that cooking animals with a body cavity filled with stuffing can present potential food safety issues. These can occur because when the meat reaches a safe temperature, the stuffing inside can still harbor bacteria (and if the meat is cooked until the stuffing reaches a safe temperature, the meat may be overcooked). For turkeys, the USDA recommends cooking stuffing/dressing separately from the bird and not buying pre-stuffed birds. (Stuffing is never recommended for turkeys to be fried, grilled, microwaved, or smoked). The turkey's internal temperature must reach a safe minimum of 165 °F. Check the temperature in the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast.

Resources
1. Stuffing, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2. Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes, EatingWell

Ways to Use Less Stuff

The purpose of  "Use Less Stuff" is to raise awareness of the garbage produced in America between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. The estimated extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage.

Through education and collaboration with many individuals and organizations worldwide, Just-Use-Less aims to share the message of common sense, timeless wisdom, and gratitude for what we have been given. Just Use Less.

Ways to Use Less Stuff During the Holidays and Any Time

Plan meals using portion control to minimize waste. Recommendations: Food/Drink Portion Per Person Turkey  3 ounces, without bone Stuffing  1/4 cup Sweet Potato Casserole  1/3 - 1/2 cup Green Beans  1/2 cup Cranberry relish  2 to 3 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie  1/8 - 1/10 of a 9" pie

After a party, put leftovers in plastic containers or bags and send them home with guests, or donate to food banks.

Bring your own camera instead of using disposable cameras.

Cancel mail-order catalogs you no longer use.

Bring your own shopping bags.

Consolidate your purchases into one bag rather than getting a new bag at each store.

Plan your shopping in advance. Save money on fuel by making fewer trips to the stores. Avoid last-minute shopping when you won’t have time to make careful gift choices.

Consider giving gift certificates or making a donation to a favorite charity in your friend/family's name.

Give homemade food or something you’ve made yourself from reused items.

Shop for gifts at antique stores, estate sales, or flea markets since one person’s trash is another’s treasure.

When buying electronics, remember to buy rechargeable batteries to go with them.

Send e-greetings to family, friends, and business associates who are online. Did you know about 2.65 billion Christmas cards are sold annually in the US?

Get a tree that can be planted or mulched afterward, or buy an artificial one.

Compost your food waste. Fruits and vegetables and their peels, pits, and seeds are perfect for composting, a great natural fertilizer.

Resources

Keep America Beautiful believes each of us holds an obligation to preserve and protect our environment. Through our everyday choices and actions, we collectively have a huge impact on our world. Keep America Beautiful follows a practical approach that unites citizens, businesses, and government to find solutions for preventing litter, reducing waste, and beautifying communities.