Celebrate the Year of the Dragon: A Feast of Color, Flavor, and Fortune

As we usher in the Year of the Dragon this Chinese New Year on February 10, 2024, we're not just marking another calendar date but embarking on a vibrant journey through a mosaic of traditions, colors, and, most importantly, flavors that promise luck, health, and prosperity.

The Chinese New Year is a time when families come together, not just in China but around the globe, to honor past traditions and welcome the future with open arms and full tables.

The Feast of Fortune

The Dragon, a symbol of strength, luck, and health, guides us through this year's festivities, where food plays a pivotal role in attracting good fortune. Here's a glimpse into the symbolic banquet:

• Dumplings: Shaped like ancient gold ingots, devouring dumplings is believed to bring wealth. Whether filled with pork, shrimp, or vegetables, the more you eat, the richer your year will be.

• 
  

• Longevity Noodles: These uncut noodles represent a long and prosperous life. Handle them with care to avoid cutting short your luck.

• 
  

• Tray of Togetherness: A platter divided into sections, usually six or eight, brimming with dried fruits, nuts, and sweets, symbolizes family unity and a harmonious blend of luck and fortune.

• 
  

• Spring Rolls: Golden and filled with vegetables or meat, they resemble gold bars, ushering in wealth and prosperity.

• 
  

• Oranges and Citrus Fruits: Their golden hue and sweet taste are auspicious symbols of luck, wealth, and abundant happiness.

• 
  

• Sweet Rice Balls: Their round shape and sticky texture represent family togetherness and reunion, essential values during this festive time.

• 
  

• Fish: A staple for ensuring abundance, the word for fish sounds like 'surplus,' promising a year of plenty.

• 
  

• Year Cake: The name of this sticky rice cake is a homophone for 'higher year,' symbolizing growth, success, and reaching new heights.

• 
  

• Eight Treasure Rice: Adorned with eight lucky ingredients, this dessert promises sweetness and prosperity in the year ahead.

• 
  

• Prosperity Cakes: With their cracked tops resembling flourishing flowers, these cakes are believed to bring blossoming fortunes.

• 
  

• Almond Cookies: Round-like coins; these cookies are a crunchy nod to a year filled with financial fortune.

• 
  

• Whole Chicken: A symbol of completeness and unity, serving a chicken in its entirety, including the head and feet, ensures a prosperous and united year ahead.

As we celebrate, let's remember that while the Lunar New Year is a shared moment across various cultures, each brings its own unique flavors and traditions to the table. Whether you're feasting on dumplings, savoring the sweet stickiness of nian gao, or enjoying the festive crackle of spring rolls, every bite is a step into a year filled with promise, health, and prosperity.

Happy New Year! May the Year of the Dragon roar with joy, luck, and success for you and your loved ones.

National Shut-In Visitation Day Your Visit Can Make a Big Difference

People who are shut-in may be lonely, have difficulty going to the market, 
cooking meals and/or eating. 

Your visit can make a big difference.

Most recently with Hurricane Sandy and the unpredictable weather conditions; we became aware of a large number of disabled and elderly people trapped in their homes and apartments (some trapped over 16 stories high.)

How you can help.

If you are interested in helping, there are numerous programs available, such as:

Meals-on-Wheels Programs (check your local listing)
Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program
Check local religious organizations.

National Pizza Day - Garden Pizza

Yields: 2 Servings

Serving Size: 1/2 pizza

Ingredients

1 Pizza Crust, 7-inch

8 Asparagus

2 Tbsp Red Onions

6 Grape Tomatoes

1 sl Squash

1/3 Red Pepper

1/4 cup Mixed Greens

1/3 cup Part-Skim Mozzarella, shredded

Nutrition Information

Heart Healthy Red Foods

 A Symphony of Scarlet Delight

Food Sources

Apples, Beets, Cayenne, Cherries, Cranberries, Kidney Beans, Red Grapefruit, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Radishes, Raspberries, Red Bell Peppers, Red Cabbages, Red Chili Peppers, Red Corn, Red Currants, Red Grapes, Red Onions, Blood Red Oranges, Red Pears, Red Peppers, Red Plums, Red Potatoes, Red Tomatoes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Watermelons

Do you know other foods that are Red?

About Red Fruits and Vegetables.

Red fruits and vegetables get their color from natural plant pigments called lycopene or anthocyanins. Both are phytonutrients, which have health-promoting benefits, such as:

• Reduces the risk of several types of cancer, especially prostate cancer
• Reduces the risk of heart disease
• Protects our bodies’ cells from environmental damage (harmful free radicals)
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers LDL cholesterol
• Aids in memory
• Maintains the health of the urinary tract system

Lycopene is a carotenoid and antioxidant. Examples of food sources include tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and papaya.  

Anthocyanins, an antioxidant found in cranberries, raspberries, red grapes, strawberries, and other red-to-purplish fruits and vegetables, may help protect cells from damage.

In addition, red fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals and are rich in fiber. Fiber helps maintain the digestive system.

Kidney Bean, Red Onion and Tomato Salad
New York Times, by Nigella Lawson 

Ways to increase Red Food Intake:
Add strawberries or raspberries to cereal or low-fat yogurt.
Freeze seedless red grapes for a sweet snack.
Add thin slices of red tomatoes or red apples to a sandwich.
Add red kidney beans to soup, salads or rice dishes.
Dice tomatoes and red apples and add to a salad.

Definitions:
Phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) are found in plants and are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their colors. They help protect plants from diseases found in the environment and protect us in a similar way. Studies have linked an increase in fruit and vegetable intake with lowering the risk of specific cancers and heart disease. The following list describes how phytonutrients may also help protect human health.
1. Act as an antioxidant.
2. Improves immune response.
3. Improves cell-to-cell communication.
4. Destroys cancer cells.
5. Repairs DNA damage caused by toxins in the environment.

Antioxidants. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products (known as “free radicals”) that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants can prevent or slow down the damage caused by these free radicals and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also improve the immune defense and lower the risk of infection. Some examples of antioxidants include vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene, and flavonoids.

National Bagel and Lox Day Bagel Terminology and Nutrition Information

General Bagel Rules

*1 ounce of a bagel equals 80 calories (most bagels weigh about 3 ounces).
*Scooped, when the inside of the bagel is removed (Saves about 40 to 80 calories). 
*Smear equals about one to two tablespoons of cream cheese.

Joy Bauer, RD takes us through the bagel's history from its start in the royal palace of Poland, to the streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side to the plates of millions of Americans. Find out what's in a bagel and how you can enjoy the bagel without the guilt.

Meal Planning

Super Bowl Food Safety and Healthy Recipes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends closely refereeing food safety violations so every party-goer returns home a winner.

Illegal Use of Hands. Unclean hands are one of the biggest offenders for spreading bacteria, and finger foods are especially susceptible. Chefs and guests should wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Be sure to clean surfaces often and wash platters before refilling them with fresh food. 

Offside. Prevent violations at all costs and keep uncooked and ready-to-eat foods in their own zone. The juices from raw meat may cross-contaminate other food if they contain harmful bacteria. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and another for vegetables. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

Time Out. Call a "time out" and use a food thermometer to be sure foods are cooked safely. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef to 160 °F, and all poultry to 165 °F.

Holding refers to never holding hot or cold foods for more than two hours at room temperature or between 40 °F and 140 °F. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly to block offensive bacteria from multiplying. When in doubt, throw it out; do not eat it.

Instant Replay

There is no opportunity for an instant replay. To avoid these violations, make sure you understand the rules completely. Great resources are available before kickoff at the USDA's 

Selected Federal Agencies with a Role in Food Safety.

Resources

1. USDA. Avoid a Food Safety Penalty This Super Bowl Sunday

2. Julie Upton, RDN: A Game-Day Game Plan For a Healthier Super Bowl Spread

3. Kara Lydon, RD @karalydonRD  50 Plant-Based Super Bowl Snacks

National Girls and Women in Sports Day Resources in Sports Nutrition and Dietetics

From the National Girls and Women in Sports Day 

Thousands of sports educators, coaches, athletic directors, recreation directors, association members, sponsors, students, and parents across the country will show their support. 

The mission of the National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS) is to develop and deliver equitable and quality sports opportunities for all girls and women. 

National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) History
NGWSD is celebrated in all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies, and activities honoring the achievements of girls and women in sports and encouraging their participation.

NGWSD began in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women's sports. NGWSD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.

NGWSD is jointly organized by the National Girls and Women in Sports Coalition. The Coalition combines the experience and resources of four premiere girls- and women-serving organizations in the United States: Girls Incorporated,  the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, and the Women's Sports Foundation. 

Significant Events in the Law
NAGWS has served girls and women in sports for more than a century. A  variety of programs have been initiated to prepare teachers and coaches to work with female students and to challenge individuals and institutions to look at how they do business each day. 

In January 2013, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Dear Colleague Letter clarifying the school’s obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act) to provide extracurricular athletic opportunities for students with disabilities. The OCR’s announcement underscores our belief that every student, regardless of sex, means, race, religion… and ability, should be able to reap the benefits of sports.

Specifically, the Dear Colleague Letter does the following for schools:
1. Clarifies when and how schools must include students with disabilities in mainstream athletic programs
2. Defines what true equal treatment of student-athletes with disabilities means
3. Encourages and provides a road map for schools to create adapted programs for students with disabilities
Title IX/gender equity issues have been a long-time focus of NAGWS programs through programs like the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). 

The Importance of
Nutrition in Sports Resources

Lisa Dorfman, RDN, was featured on NBC to discuss key ingredients to a successful sports nutrition eating plan.

Resources.

1. Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition – A Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
2. Collegiate & Professional Sports Dietitians Assn. (CPSDA), Facebook
3. Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, Sports Dietitian
4. Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, LMHC, aka The Running Nutritionist®

Feeding Tube Awareness Week Meet People Leading Active Lives

The overall objective of Feeding Tube Awareness Week is to help raise awareness of enteral/tube feeding as a positive and often life-saving medical intervention for those who are unable to eat and drink enough on their own to sustain life and thrive (and in the case of children, grow and develop).

Moreover, Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation hopes to break down the social stigma that is currently attached to tube feeding by:

• Highlighting the positive outcomes associated with tube feeding
• Giving more information about the reasons people require tube feeding
• Countering stereotypes and misinformation about tube feeding

Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation is raising awareness of tube feeding through Feeding Tube Awareness Week

.

Tube Feeding Program at
 Medical Service Company

How Do G-Tubes Work?

National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

Fettuccine Alfredo

2 servings

Ingredients

¾ cup vegetable broth (see Tips for Two)
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 ounces of whole-wheat fettuccine
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Combine broth and garlic cloves in a small saucepan; boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the garlic cloves are soft, about 15 minutes.
2. After the garlic has simmered for about 10 minutes, cook fettuccine in the boiling water, often stirring, for 8 minutes. Cook until the fettuccine is just tender, about 1 minute more.
3. Meanwhile, transfer the garlic and broth to a blender. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. (Use caution when blending hot liquids; see Tip.) Return the mixture to the pot and simmer over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch mixture; whisk it until slightly thickened, about 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in sour cream and pepper. Return the pot to very low heat to keep the sauce warm. (Do not boil.)
4. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan; toss to coat well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately, passing the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan separately.

Tips for Two: Leftover canned broth keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in your freezer. The leftover broth in aseptic packages is kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Add to soups, sauces, and stews; use for cooking rice and grains; add a little when reheating leftovers to prevent them from drying out.

Pureeing hot liquids: Hot liquids can splatter out of a blender when turned on. To avoid this, remove the center piece of the lid. Loosely cover the hole with a folded kitchen towel and turn the blender on. Better airflow will keep the contents from spewing all over the kitchen—and yourself.

Make your Recipes & Menus Stand out with Nutrient Analysis Services, Recipe modifications, &/or Menu Development.  http://dietitians-online.blogspot.com/p/nutrient-analysis-services.html  

Contact Dr. Sandra Frank recipenews@gmail.com