Listen to Donna Feldman’s Interview with Eileen Behan and learn more about Eileen’s approach to eating well and permanent weight loss.

Debbie Koenig’s new book  delivers the plan you need for the whole family to eat well.  

In a clear, comforting tone Debbie explains how to create the New Moms Pantry, stocked with all the basic ingredients you will need to make her delicious recipes.  She even tells you how to turn grown-up  food into baby food, which is both good for baby and efficient for the cook.

With more than 150 recipes, intelligent health tips, and comments from real moms just like you, Parents Need to Eat Too will be your go-to resource and make you the confident parent you want to be.

One of my favorite recipes from her book is Arroz Con Pollo ( chicken and rice) it is delicious, try it today!

Nothing is much easier than hard boiling an egg. Cook eggs slowly so the boiling water does not bounce them around and break the shell. A  properly cooked egg is solid but not rubbery, and it should be easy to peel. Over cook an egg and you get a dark green ring around the yolk. The green discoloration is harmless,  caused by the  iron and sulfur from the yolk and white coming in contact, and cooking too long.

To hard cook an egg:

• Bring the water to a boil
• Place the eggs in the water using a tablespoon to set them in softly, reduce heat so the water boils gently not at a rolling boil. Use enough water to cover the eggs completely.
• To hard cook an egg can take 10 to 20 minutes depending on the number of eggs being cooked and the temperature of the raw eggs before cooking.

Knowing when an egg is cooked to desired hardness is tricky, for that reason I use an egg timer.

Simply place the eggs timer in with the eggs and water, bring to a boil as you normally would. When the color changes from red to purple and reaches the desired spot on the scale you wish:  soft, medium or hard, you will have the perfect egg,  cooked just the way you like it. You can find an egg timer at any good kitchen store or go to one of the links listed below.

Harold Egg Timer

Lux Color Changing Egg Timer

Norpro Egg Rite Timer

Yes, You  should eat more seafood

Seafood includes fish such as salmon, tuna, trout and tilapia and shellfish, such as shrimp, crab and oysters and it  carries a lot of nutrients but it is it’s omega-3 fatty acid content known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that makes it so important. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends an intake of 8 or more ounces of seafood every week, (children can eat less) and  most adults eat only 3 1/2 ounces per week.  Eating 8 ounces of seafood per week will provide about 250 mg of EPA and DHA on average per day, an amount associated with a reduced risk of cardiac death, among individuals with and without pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Simply put eating fish contributes to the prevention of heart disease.

What about the health risks associated with fish?

Methyl mercury is a heavy metal found in seafood in varying levels,  Moderate, consistent evidence shows the health benefits from consuming a variety of seafood outweigh the health risks. To maximize the health benefits chose fish low in methyl mercury with a higher EPA and DHA content, compare the list below.

If you are one of those people who eats more than 8 ounces of seafood choose a mix of seafood, emphasizing those lower in methyl mercury; salmon, anchovies, herring, sardines, Pacific oysters, trout, and Atlantic and Pacific mackerel ( not king mackerel , which is high in mercury). Use the chart below to compare fish and for more guidance on buying seafood use the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch  Fish Guide

What about children and new mothers, should they eat fish?

The nutritional value of seafood is of particular importance during pregnancy when the fetus is growing. Moderate evidence indicates that consuming omega- 3 fatty acids, in particularDHA, from at least 8 ounces of seafood while pregnant and breastfeeding is important to visual and cognitive health of the baby. Therefore it is recommended women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume at least 8 and up to 12 ounces of seafood low in methyl mercury- the fish to avoid include tilefish, shark, swordfish and king mackerel. Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding can eat all types of tuna, including white albacore and light canned tuna , but should limit white tuna to 6 ounces per week because it is higher in methyl mercury, see the tuna comparison below. If you want to serve your child canned tuna for the health benefits but worry about health risks, limit the amount you serve to 2 ounces of canned light tuna per week. This is a small amount of fish, but it can contain more than 200 mg DHA.

EPA+DHA content in 4 ounces of fish

Salmon: 1,200-2,400

Oysters: Pacific - 1,550

Trout: freshwater - 1,000

Tuna: Bluefin, Albacore - 1,700

Tuna: Albacore canned - 1,000

Tuna: light canned - 150-300

Cod:   200

Scallops:  200

Haddock: 200

Shrimp: 10

Mercury content in 4 ounces of fish (mcg)

Salmon:   2

Oysters: Pacific-  2

Trout: freshwater-11

Tuna: Bluefin, Albacore - 54-58

Tuna: Albacore canned-40

Tuna: light canned -13

Cod :14

Scallops:8

Haddock: 2-5

Shrimp:0

Read the complete list of EPA and DHAand Mercury Content in 4 ounces of seafood in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 Appendix 11  It is in Appendix 11 on page 85.

Almost everyone I talk to loves pasta, but it is also the food people tell me they most often overeat.  When eating spaghetti and meatballs measure the portions of pasta and bread,  and serve it with an abundant amount of vegetables . The vegetables   help keep portions in control, and if you take your time and eat slowly, you are likley to eat only what you truely need.

In this picture three ounces of meatballs (270 calories) is served with 1/2 cup of sauce ( 50 calories) on top of 1/2 cup of cooked spaghetti (110 calories), and 1 cup of cooked spinach ( 42 calories) and a salad of shredded romaine ( 8 calories per cup) a little onion and red pepper ( 14 calories) and 1 tbsp of Italian dressing ( 45 calories) .

Each extra one ounce slice of bread will provide an extra 80 calories,  dip in a small amount of olive oil ( 45 calories). Serving plain Italian bread, in thin slices is one way to trim calories, one slice of garlic bread or  Texas Toast will carry about  150 calories.

A one-cup serving of pasta all by itself carries about 220 calories. If you cannot keep to the 1/2 to 1 cup portion, I recommend for most men and women than you will need to combine the pasta you cook with vegetables so you can have a portion that feels filling to you.  This picture demonstrates what combining an equal amount of spaghetti squash ( upper left) and green beans ( upper right) looks like. The vegetable pasta combination carry about 154 calories per cup , the wheat pasta 220.

If combining pasta with vegetables seems weird to you, then serve pasta only on special occasions. Don’t count on colored noodles to be a source of vegetables either. Spinach or tomato basil pasta has small amounts of vegetables added, but they carry very little in the way of extra nutrition, and be cautious of ramen noodles too. Instant ramen noodles are steamed, fried, and air dried before packaging and carry a great deal more fat and sodium than most other noodles. Look at the portions and serving size listed on the package. This goes for whole wheat pasta and pasta called “light” or “low carb.” Whole wheat pasta will contain more fiber and B vitamins, making it a more nutrient-rich food, but the calories are the same as white pasta. An 80- to 100-calorie portion counts as one carb, and that is a half-cup portion cooked.

To make a better “fortified” tomato sauce combine jarred spaghetti sauce ( look for a sauce with 50 calories per 1/2 cup) and simmer it with an equal amount of chopped or pureed no sodium added tomatoes. This doubles the amount of sauce you have, increases the tomato content,  cuts calories to 35 calories per 1/2 cup, and reduces the sodium content by almost half and it tastes terrific.

Tags: pasta, Spaghetti