Pick of the Week: Blueberries

It's week three of exploring Everyday Health's list of the 13 most powerful super foods. Today, we say good-by to the A's -- avocados and apples -- and turn our attention to one of my favorite fruits, blueberries.

The only thing bad about blueberries is usually the price. They made Everyday Health's list for many reasons:

• Blueberries are anti-aging superstars -- love that! -- loaded with antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve brain function and vision. Everyday Health says that studies have shown that eating blueberries slows impairments in motor coordination and memory that accompany aging.
• Blueberries reduce inflammation, which we have learned over the past decade is linked to just about every chronic disease, including Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
• Speaking of cancer, there are other studies that have shown that blueberries have much greater anticancer benefits than any other fruit.
• And now for my favorite reason: They taste so good, and one cup is only 1 Weight Watchers Point.

Selecting: Since blueberries are packaged, there is no picking through to find the perfect ones. Blueberries should have a healthy purplish-blue color and be free of mold and soft spots.

Storing: Blueberries will keep as long as two weeks, but it's best to remove them from the packaging they come in, place them in a single layer in a container, and store in the refrigerator. If you keep them in the original packaging, check daily and eat the berries that are getting soft. Any moldy ones, immediately discard. Wash right before using.

Freezing: Wash blueberries and remove any stems. Place on baking sheet in freezer until solid; then pack in plastic containers or freezer bags, leaving about 1/2-inch of headspace.

The following recipe is from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which the Council got from one of my favorite chefs, Carole Peck, chef/owner of the Good News Cafe in Woodbury, CT, a mainstay in that lovely town for at least two decades. The recipe even gives the formula for blueberry vinegar, which makes a perfect gift anytime of the year. When blueberries are in season, by some extra, make the blueberry vinegar, and you'll have a stash of holiday gifts ready to go!

BLUEBERRY, APRICOT AND SWEET ONION SALAD

1/2 cup sliced sweet red or white onion, rinsed

3/4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

8 pitted fresh or dried apricot halves

5 Tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tblsp. blueberry vinegar, recipe follows

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 cups packed arugula

• In a bowl, combine onion and salt; let stand at least 2 hours (can be prepped and refrigerated up to 3 days).
• Preheat broiler or grill. If using dried apricots, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand 5 minutes; drain.
• Arrange apricot halves on a broiler pan, skin side up; brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Broil until skins begin to brown, about 3 minutes Cool; cut in 1/4-inch slices; set aside.
• To prepare blueberry dressing: In a cup, whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons blueberry vinegar.
• Rinse salted onion; drain. In a bowl, toss arugula with half the blueberry dressing; arrange on four serving plates.
• In the same bowl, combine the blueberries and onion; toss with the remaining dressing; arrange on serving plates dividing equally. Garnish with apricot strips. Makes 4 servings.

BLUEBERRY VINEGAR

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups white wine vinegar

• In a blender container, combine blueberries, sugar and vinegar. Blend until pureed; strain. Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 1 cup.

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A son's distress

I love it when the tables are turned and the son reprimands the mom -- exactly what happened recently to me. My literal son wanted to know why he should read my blog, titled "Diet? Not again!," when I have admitted that I am back on a diet.

So today, I defend myself.

I agree with my dear son, Tim. I had sworn off diets, and I was content with losing a pound here, a pound there, until my husband had some serious medical issues recently. Game change.

Jack was really healthy on the outside -- and even his cholesterol and blood pressure were terrific. What no one knew is that inside his arteries were clogging at an amazing rate. Sure, Jack needed to lose a few pounds, but he is active and healthy. When we learned how deceiving numbers can be, I started reading everything I could about heart disease, and it finally sunk in that belly fat weight is the worse weight any of us can be carrying around. I knew that. I had read about it for years. And I hated my waist, but I thought that losing weight gradually was the way to go.

Once the severity of Jack's condition broke through our thick shields of denial, I started to read everything I could about the best way to shed belly fat, because to me, it was not about losing weight anymore. It became about living. I was scared. Truth is, I still am.

So Tim: Yes, you are correct. I am on a diet, although I swore I would not do that when I started this blog. But as your lovely wife pointed out, I am actually on a mission to eat healthier. I am trying to find the foods that will quickly help my belly shrink. So for now, that's protein, dark green vegetables, whole grains, nuts and berries. And yes, a glass of red wine now and then fits into my eating plan. Sugar is out, as are most white things and brightly colored veggies.

This is working for me. I can go out for meals, and easily find things on the menu to eat. At dinner, I am perfectly content with a large spinach salad, fish, chicken, pork or beef with a half cup of quinoa or brown rice. Lunch and breakfast I vary, but it's always some whole grains, a protein, and at lunch, I include some berries. For snacks, I reach for walnuts or almonds or string cheese. And I fit these foods into my daily Weight Watchers Points.

Maybe in a few years I'll be writing my own diet book!

Mind games

Saturday morning started off just fine. I exercised, and by time I hit the 8 a.m. Weight Watchers meeting, I had already walked 10,000 steps and did 30 minutes of weights.

I was ready for at least a 3-pound weight loss, because I had been absolutely perfect last week in my food choices, exercised daily, and I was weighing in the morning instead of my usual Thursday night weigh-in.

So when I got on the scale and was told I had gained .4 of a pound, I went ballistic. The poor woman who weighed me in realized very quickly that anything she said to me was not going to calm me down. I felt like going home and eating everything in sight.

All day Saturday, a battle was raging within. Half the time I was dreaming about chips, licorice and ice cream, the other half, I was internally screaming at myself to stay on track, not only because my daughter's wedding is around the corner, but because it's the healthy thing to do. Saturday was all about mind games. What a horrid day.

By about 5 p.m., I was so down on myself, I had convinced the inner me that I cannot lose weight. I suggested we get our favorite pizza -- garlic and meatball -- for dinner. But -- and it's a big one -- I asked my husband if he wanted pizza or grilled chicken salad. Jack knew I was not in a good place, and told me he really wanted the chicken salad. I know he was doing that for me, and he'll never know how much I appreciated that decision. Our salads were incredibly tasty, and exactly what I needed. Eating good, clean food calmed me down.

Why the weight is not coming off is still a mystery. But eventually, if I keep on track and keep exercising, eventually I have to start shedding pounds.

It's all about changing my lifestyle. And yes, I am following a diet -- more on that tomorrow -- but the diet I have picked really is an eating plan. And daily, I am not putting my head on my pillow until my pedometer reads 10,000 steps. Saturday night, to my amazement, I tracked 19,354 steps, a much better -- and so much more mature way to deal with my frustrations. Eating everything in sight hurts who? ME! Nobody else.

Today, I can honestly say that I am very proud of myself.

Plateaus

So I'm exercising at least an hour a day, eating really well, keeping my food diary, and have hit a 2-week plateau. The scale has not budged one inch, and even though my pants are getting looser, it's very hard to face that horrid scale every morning.

In the past, I would have given up and started eating everything in sight. But for some reason, this plateau is having the opposite effect: It is making me madder than I have ever been and more determined to see it through. I know that if I keep eating this way and exercising, eventually the pounds will start coming off.

So here's my next week plan for trying to break this plateau.

1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.

2. Drink 3 cups of green tea, which is supposed to rev up metabolism and help you shed pounds.

3. My wellness coach, Heather Pierce, suggests eliminating snacks and eating three meals a day. I usually do better it I have a snack, but to shake things up, I'll try this plan.

4. Hit 10,000 steps a day on my pedometer -- not an easy feat since I sit at a desk most days. I'll just have to make the time.

5. Eat carbs only every other day. The off days are protein only. I read that solution years ago. I must really be desperate.

6. Start and end each day with warm lemon water. That was an old trick of my mom's.

7. Take any solution from anyone reading this blog.

I'll let you know next week if it worked.

Alcohol rules!

I really love it. I could have two glasses a day, but I don't, because wine lets my guard down and I eat more.

Which brings me to some guidelines from the South Beach Diet. that I think are so terrific, worthy of a repost. I've also included what makes a serving of alcohol, because I tend to have a heavy hand.

South Beach's drinking tips:

1. Don’t drink too early in the evening because you may be tempted to have several drinks, and the calories start to add up.
2. Do alternate with seltzer and water to stay properly hydrated. You can also add seltzer to your wine for a refreshing spritzer.
3. Do eat a nutritious meal or snack containing lean protein before you start drinking. The protein helps to stabilize blood sugar and prevent cravings.
4. Do opt for red wine over white. Red wine is a better choice because it contains higher amounts of the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, which is found in grape skins.
5. Don’t go for regular beer; stick with light beer and drink it with meals.
6. Do choose extra-brut champagne, which has no added sugar or very little added sugar. Brut and extra-dry varieties of champagne have only a little more added sugar and are acceptable second choices.
7. Do choose sugar-free mixers for cocktails. Sugar-free sodas, flavored waters, vegetable-juice cocktail, diet tonic, club soda, or seltzer are your best bests. Be sure to avoid regular sodas, regular tonic, and fruit juices. Another tip? Use sugar-free powdered drink mixes to make punch or other fruit-flavored cocktails.
8. Do top your drink with garnishes like lemon and lime wedges, olives, or celery, but skip maraschino cherries, which are packed with sugar.

Servings:

• Red and white wine (one serving = 4 to 5 oz.)
• Champagne (one serving = 4 to 5 oz.)
• Vodka (one serving = 1 1/2 oz., which is a standard shot glass)
• Gin (one serving = 1 1/2 oz.)
• Rum (one serving = 1 1/2 oz.)
• Bourbon (one serving = 1 1/2 oz.)
• Light beer (one serving = 12 oz.)

Avoid:

• Regular beer
• Brandy
• Port wine
• Liqueurs (including Kahlua, Baileys Irish Cream, Amaretto, Grand Marnier, schnapps, etc.)
• Sherry
• Wine coolers (often contain a lot of added sugar)

Pick of the Week: Apples

March is a strange time to be writing about apples, but since I am dissecting the 13 most powerful super foods as identified by the Web site Everyday Health, apples it is this week.

What's not to like about apples? Sweet and crunchy, with juice that runs down your chin, apples for me have always been nature's candy. But what I love most is that there are so many different apple varieties, you can always find one to fit your mood.

My favorite time to eat an apple is at 4 p.m., my end-of-the-workday solution to not grabbing a box of cookies. And then after dinner, when I want something sweet, I slice an apple, sprinkle it with cinnamon, and pop it in the microwave to soften. So yummy.

Everryday Health quoted Jonny Bowden, PhD, author of "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" as saying: "An apple a day really does keep the doctor away." Why? Because apples are loaded with two powerful antioxidants -- quercetin and catechin -- that protect cells from damage and reduces cancer and cardiovascular disease. But you got to eat the skin, because it contains five times more polyphenols than the flesh. Lots of fiber too, which we all know keeps things moving in the right direction!

Before moving on to the nitty-gritty of apple picking, I want to talk about my new favorite apple, the Honeycrisp. We owe its creation to the folks at the University of Minnesota. The outside is red with pale green touches, the flesh a cream color. It is crisp and juicy, and has the perfect blend of a sweet with slightly tart taste. It's all purpose -- use it for baking, sliced into salads, eating as is. It holds up to anything.

CHOOSING: Apples should be firm, with no soft or brown spots.

STORE: Keep apples in the refrigerator. If left at room temperature, they will ripen 10 times faster than those kept in a cool place.

And now for my favorite salad. It really is perfect, especially if made with Honeycrisp apples.

APPLE, WALNUT & GORGONZOLA SALAD

4 cups baby spinach

4 cups baby arugula

4 apples, cored and sliced thin

4 green onions, diced

4 Tblsp. walnut oil

2 Tblsp. Sherry vinegar

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup Gorgonzola

• Mix together the spinach and arugula in a large bowl.
• Mix in apples and green onions.
• Place walnut oil in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in Sherry vinegar.
• Sprinkle vinaigrette onto salad and mix through.
• Top with cherries, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Makes 8 servings.

Recipe Exchange

Ann Blystone, after reading my post last week about Bloodroot vegetarian restaurant in Black Rock, asked for two recipes from Bloodroot's cookbook, which years ago she lent to a friend. Shr remembers these recipes fondly, so today, this blog's for you, Ann. All recipes are from "The Best of Bloodroot, Volume two, Vegan Recipes," and are written in the restaurant's friendly style.

COLCANNON

This is a basic Irish dish which is well seasoned and surprisingly satisfying. Potatoes are sometimes combined with cabbage, sometimes with kale. We like both. For a complete meal. serve Colcannon with a side dish of rutabagas and carrots (steps 3 and 4), as well as Apple Chutney (recipe follows).

1. Peel and quarter 8 medium potatoes. Boil in water to cover until tender, but not falling apart. Drain in a colander. Return to pot and shake over low fire until mealy. Mash potatoes with a fork, potato masher, or in a mixer. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup soy milk, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Finely shred 2 cups cabbage and 2 cups kale, well washed. Cover with water in a pot and bring to a boil, covered. Remove lid and boil uncovered 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander. Turn into frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fry for about 5 minutes until slightly browned. Add to mashed potatoes. Colcannon is now ready to be served as is, or can be reheated in a 350-degree oven.

3. Dice 1 bunch of carrots (about 2 cups) and an equal amount of peeled rutabagas. Add just enough water to steam vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until barely done. Uncover pot and raise heat, stirring, until vegetables are glazed and slightly brown.

4. Serve Colcannon with carrots and rutabagas topped with Shiitake-Beer Gravy, recipe follows, and diced scallions. Serve Apple Chutney on the side. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

SHIITAKE-BEER GRAVY

1. Mince 1 small onion, 3 large mushrooms and 1 large garlic clove. In a saucepan, heat 1/4 cup grapeseed oil. Saute vegetables until lightly browned.

2. Add 1/3 cup whole wheat flour and 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (not brewer's yeast). Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

3. Add 12 oz. beer, any inexpensive kind, or for especially full-bodied flavor, try Guinness Stout. Whisk gravy well, adding 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon agave nectar, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 bay leaves, 3 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoons red or brown miso, and 2 teaspoons tomato paste.

4. Cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If gravy becomes too thick, use water to reach desired consistency. Makes 1 quart.

APPLE CHUTNEY

1. Peel, core and slice 4 cups apples. We prefer Staymen Winesap, but any crisp cooking apple will do. Coarsely chop 1 cup onions.

2. Tie 1 teaspoon pickling spice in a piece of cheesecloth. Grind 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds with a mortar and pestle or a small coffee grinder,

3. In a stainless steel pot combine the apples, onions, pickling spices, and mustard seed with 3/4 cup seedless raisins, 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, and 3/4 cup cider vinegar. Add a rounded 1/4 teaspoon dry ginger and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

4. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours or until most of the liquid has cooked away. Be sure to stir frequently during this time to avoid burning.

5. Remove the cheesecloth with pickling spices. Cool, chill. Serve with Colcannon. Makes about 2 cups.