Tips for Health

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How to fall in love with winter veggies

January 22, 2010 in 21 Days to Health, Cherry Facts, Northwest Recipes, Tips for Health by jamen

The very best way to make your diet healthier is to eat more fruits and veggies, and winter is a perfect time to start. Winter vegetables like brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips and beets may have a bad rap, but they’re actually quite delicious. Better still, they’re all known to be packed with vitamins and minerals and low in calories and fat.

The key to enjoying winter veggies, especially if you turn your nose up to turnips or think you hate brussel sprouts, is to find recipes that combine them with flavors that you love. Try, for example, the salads below that mix crunchy cabbage with tangy Chukar Dried Cherries and savory Italian dressing or roasted beets with the sweet and sour flavors of honey, lemon and dried Tart Cherries.

To find the freshest veggies, take your family to the local farmer’s market. It’s a great way to get out into the fresh air and support local agriculture, plus most farmers will readily supply you with tips for selecting and preparing their fruits and veggies. Just make sure to bring your recyclable bags!

Cabbage Cherry Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups shredded red and green cabbage
  • 1/2 cup Chukar® Dried Cherries, any variety
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning herb mixture
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • Dash black pepper

    • Directions:

    Combine cabbage, dried cherries and green onions in large bowl. In small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients, then toss with cabbage. Cover and chill several hours. Yields 6 servings.

    Beet Carrot Cherry Salad

    Ingredients:

  • 3 medium-size beets (canned or roasted and cooled)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Chukar® Dried Cherries, any variety
  • 2 teaspoons minced cilantro

    • Directions:
    With a small sharp knife, peel beets. Cut into quarters and grate with the grating disk of a food processor. Wrap in paper towels and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the salad. Cut the carrot into chunks and grate with the grating disk of the food processor. Put the lemon juice, honey and salt into small jar, cover and shake to blend. Add the olive oil and shake again until emulsified. Combine the beets, carrots, dressing, dried cherries and cilantro. Serve immediately.

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    Why have a hamburger when you can have THIS??

    January 20, 2010 in 21 Days to Health, Northwest Recipes, Tips for Health by jamen

    We love Cooking Light magazine, especially when it offers us healthy and scrumptious recipes like this Dried Cherry-Toasted Almond Turkey Salad Sandwich:

    It’s perfect for dieters who miss the creaminess of mayo-based chicken or tuna salads and can be enjoyed on a bed of lettuce with shredded carrots as a hearty entrée salad. We use a half cup of chopped Cherry Medley instead of ¼ of dried cherries and a ¼ cup of golden raisins- the tanginess of the tarts and honey notes of the Rainiers are a nice touch.

     Dried Cherry-Toasted Almond Turkey Salad

    If you don’t have leftover turkey to use in this recipe, go to the deli section of your local grocery store and ask for a thick, eight-ounce cut of roasted turkey breast meat. For a quick meal, serve with baked chips.

    Ingredients:
    1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce)
    1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
    3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
    1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
    1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
    1/4 cup chopped red onion
    1/4 cup dried cherries
    1/4 cup golden raisins
    8 ounces roasted turkey (or cooked chicken) breast, chopped
    4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, cut in half

    Directions:

    Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds; cook 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; set aside. Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, ginger, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add almonds, celery, and next 4 ingredients (through turkey), stirring well to combine. Spoon 1/3 cup turkey mixture into each pita half.

    Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)

    CALORIES 398 (20% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 1.4g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.4g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 93mg; CARBOHYDRATE 56.1g; SODIUM 501mg; PROTEIN 25.9g; FIBER 6.9g

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    Shaping up and slimming down (with the help of our favorite superfruit)

    January 15, 2010 in 21 Days too Health, Cherry Facts, Tips for Health by jamen

    Getting in shape and slimming down is one of the most rewarding resolutions you can make. But let’s face it, it isn’t the easiest resolution to keep, either. Luckily, there are many ways to make getting in shape easier. One is particularly simple: add tart cherries to your diet.

     

    For starters, tart cherries may actually help make exercise less painful. Montmorency cherries have a high concentration of anthocyanin, an antioxidant which has been shown to give tarts natural pain-reducing qualities. In numerous studies, athletes who regularly consumed tart cherry juice reported fewer aches and pains than other athletes. That’s great news if you’re getting into shape, since the less painful your workouts are, the more likely you’ll keep up with them!

    Tart cherries may also help you slim down by preventing the buildup of belly fat. Studies have shown that mice that ate tart cherries tended to have less body fat than others eating the same food minus the cherries, suggesting that eating cherries can make your diet even less fattening. That also suggests that it can help you avoid increasing your body fat both as you diet and once you’ve reached your goal weight.

    Finally, like all cherries, tart cherries are choc-full of melatonin, a natural sleep aid. Getting a full night’s sleep is important for losing weight and shaping up, so if you don’t sleep well, try eating a handful of dried cherries before going to bed. The melatonin can help you sleep, which in turn will help you shed the pounds and get in shape.

    For ways to incorporate cherries into you diet, check out our recipe page. Also check out the Red Recovery Routine, which describes how to use cherries as a natural pain reducer when working out.

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    Eating well: Smart and healthy snacking with dried cherries

    January 8, 2010 in 21 Days too Health, Cherry Facts, Tips for Health by jamen

    Ma Chukar has long been a proponent of the “Chukar diet”, namely snacking on a handful of Chukar’s Cherry Medley when mid-afternoon cravings hit (Check it out around the 1 minute mark. You can plump cherries with fruit juice or water for an even healthier—and non-alcoholic—version): 

     In fact, we’re such big fans that we’ve decided to offer Free Shipping on all our conveniently-sized Fruit and Nut Snack Packs so you can enjoy the benefits of the “Chukar diet”.

    But why do we love snacking on Chukar Dried Cherries? A few reasons:

    1. They’re naturally satisfying: On top of being delicious, Chukar dried cherries are packed with fiber, so just a handful will satisfy most between-meal cravings. Plumping them in juice or water makes them even more filling.

    2. Health expert approved: So far we don’t know of any health experts recommending 1-2 servings of candy bars or potato chips a day. But we DO know that experts suggest consuming 1-2  half cup servings of dried cherries a day to reap health benefits ranging from vitamins and minerals to illness-fighting anti-oxidants.

      3. They’re convenient: Chukar Snacks Packs can easily be tucked into gym bags, desk drawers, briefcases or purses and 8 ounce bags can be split up into sandwich bags or small tupperware containers for a snack-sized serving. Since they’re dried, you won’t have to worry about odors, spoiling or crumbs!

    Start Snacking Healthy with Free Shipping on all Snack Packs!

    4. No Sugar (or anything else) Added: Northwest cherries are sweet on their own, so we never add sugar, or any other artificial ingredients. That means you’ll get your health-expert-recommended servings without any bad stuff like trans fats, sulfites or processed sugar.

     Happy snacking!

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    Start the New Year off with a Crunch: Cherry Almond Granola

    January 6, 2010 in 21 Days too Health, Northwest Recipes, Tips for Health by jamen

    We all know the key to health is starting the day off with a wholesome, filling breakfast, so we’re starting off our 21 days with a recipe for our favorite crunchy granola. Made with naturally dried Northwest cherries (Chukar’s dried blueberries or dried Columbia River strawberries work great, too!), this recipe is best enjoyed with skim milk, plain yogurt or by the handful as a healthy mid-afternoon snack.

    Cherry Granola Crunch

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup Chukar® Dried Cherries, any variety
    • 2 cups quick rolled oats
    • 2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
    • 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or substitute like Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 cup apple juice
    • 1/2 cup coconut flakes
    • 1/2 cup sliced almonds

    Directions:

    Soak dried cherries in apple juice or water at least 10 minutes. Drain well. In a large bowl mix rolled oats, Grape Nuts, wheat germ, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in 1 cup apple juice. Spread evenly in a lightly greased jellyroll pan or 9×13 inch pan. Bake in a 300 degrees oven for 15 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven; mix in coconut and almonds. Bake 15 minutes longer, stirring half way through. Remove from oven; mix in dried cherries. Store in airtight container for up to 1 month. Yields about 5 cups.

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