Improve hydration, skip added sugars with better-for-you beverages

(Family Features) How you start your morning can impact the rest of your day. If you’re looking to incorporate healthier choices into your morning routine, try a concept known as “habit stacking.” Building tiny, healthier habits into routines you already have, like enjoying a morning beverage or breakfast before you check your email instead of jumping right into the day’s tasks, can make it easier to stick to a new habit when it’s built into an existing routine.

If you already enjoy the routine of breakfast to start the day, consider swapping sugary drinks for beverages without added sugars like unsweetened green or black tea. When incorporated as part of an overall healthy diet, unsweetened tea can help support heart health.

If you need help getting started, Lipton, a proud national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, created these easy-to-make, better-for-you tea recipes.

A small handful of ingredients makes a big splash in Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies, ideal for an on-the-go breakfast. For a little refreshment any time of day, simple Sparkling Green Tea Cranberry Spritzers offer a solution with 0 grams of added sugars while non-alcoholic Green Tea Mojito Mocktails provide natural sweetness with 100% fruit juice.

Choosing beverages with no added sugars can contribute to a healthy heart, according to the American Heart Association, making these recipes perfect for daily habit stacking. Water is needed to keep your body running at its best, and because unsweetened tea is 99.5 % water, it provides a delicious way to help hydrate.

Discover more ways to improve daily routines at Heart.org/eatsmart.

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)

• 3 cups water
• 8 single-serving green tea bags
• 16 ounces frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium bananas, peeled, cut in half and frozen
• 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons fresh-grated peeled gingerroot (optional)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 teaspoons chia or flax seeds (optional)

1. In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.
2. In food processor or blender, process tea, berries, bananas and yogurt until smooth. Add gingerroot and vanilla, if desired, and process until smooth. Pour into four glasses. Sprinkle with chia seeds, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving (without optional ingredients): 136 calories; 1 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 3 mg cholesterol; 23 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 18 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 8 g protein.

Green Tea Mojito Mocktails

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)

• 4 cups water
• 4 single-serving green tea bags
• 32-40 sprigs fresh mint, plus additional for garnish, divided
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 1 cup 100% white grape juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 medium limes)
• 1 medium lime, cut into four wedges or lime zest twists (optional)

1. In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.
2. At serving time, add mint leaves to four glasses. Using muddler or wooden spoon, mash mint leaves several times to release juices. Don’t mash into pulp. Add ice.
3. Stir white grape juice and lime juice into tea mixture. Pour into glasses. Garnish each with lime wedge and mint leaf.

Tip: To get more juice from citrus, before slicing, microwave fruit on high 30 seconds, or until warm. When cool enough to handle, use citrus reamer or handheld juice press to juice citrus.

Nutritional information per serving: 45 calories; 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 10 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 1 g protein.

Sparkling Green Tea Cranberry Spritzers

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)

• 4 cups water
• 4 single-serving green tea bags
• 1 cup 100% cranberry juice or 100% cranberry-pomegranate juice
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 1/2 cup seltzer (flavored or plain) or low-sodium club soda, chilled
• 4 orange slices or lime wedges (optional)

1. In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Stir in cranberry juice. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.
2. At serving time, put ice cubes in four glasses. Pour tea mixture into glasses. Top each serving with seltzer. Garnish with orange slices.

Tip: To create cranberry-flavored ice cubes, fill ice cube tray with 100% cranberry juice and freeze.

Nutritional information per serving: 32 calories: 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 4 mg sodium; 8 mg carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 8 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 1 g protein.

SOURCE:
American Heart Association

(Family Features) Getting back into a routine during the fall can be a struggle. Consider a schedule that dedicates more nights to long-term wellness with easy, nutritious recipes.

Registered dietitian Alexis Joseph recommends Meatless Mondays, which help her family create fruit- and vegetable-forward dishes with nutrient-dense ingredients. One ingredient to consider is California grown prunes from Sunsweet – a good source of vitamins and minerals that help maintain bone and heart health, keep you feeling full and are an all-natural source of fiber and healthy fat.

“Dedicating time each week to your overall nutrition with ‘Meatless Mondays’ will motivate you to add healthful staples like California grown prunes from Sunsweet to your diet and make getting back into a routine easier,” Joseph said. “It can also yield results. Research suggests eating 5-6 prunes each day may help prevent bone loss and improve risk factors for heart disease and inflammation.”

Consider Joseph’s Cauliflower Tacos with Peanut Sauce or Veggie Stir Fry for your next weeknight meal. Both spotlight California grown prunes as a substitute for unhealthy fats and sugars to reduce calories and increase health benefits without losing flavor.

Find more mealtime inspiration at sunsweet.com.

Cauliflower Tacos with Peanut Sauce

Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into florets (about 6-7 cups)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 tortillas
• chopped green onions, for garnish
• California grown prunes from Sunsweet, for serving
• peanuts, for garnish
• lime wedges, for serving

Cabbage Slaw:

• 3 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Peanut Sauce:

• 4 California grown prunes from Sunsweet
• 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1/3 cup natural salted peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 2 tablespoons water, plus additional for thinning (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. On large baking sheet, place cauliflower in single layer. Add olive oil and salt; toss well to combine. Roast 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
3. To make cabbage slaw: In medium mixing bowl, add cabbage, carrots, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup and salt. Toss to combine; set aside to soften.
4. To make peanut sauce: In blender, blend prunes, milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, ginger, sriracha and water until smooth. Taste and add more water, if desired.
5. Warm tortillas, fill with roasted cauliflower and top with slaw, peanut sauce, green onions, prunes and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

Veggie Stir Fry with Prune Teriyaki Sauce

Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• salt, to taste, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas
• pepper, to taste, divided
• 1/2 cup roasted salted cashews, plus additional for serving, divided
• 1 cup edamame
• 2-3 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions, for serving
• California grown prunes from Sunsweet, for serving

Prune Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1 cup canned pineapple, plus 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup California grown prunes from Sunsweet (about 6 prunes)
• 6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon sriracha

1. In large skillet over medium heat, warm sesame oil. Once hot, add onion and pinch of salt; saute 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and ginger; cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, snap peas and pinch of salt and pepper. Saute 10 minutes, stirring often, until veggies are crisp tender.
3. To make teriyaki sauce: In blender, blend pineapple, pineapple juice, prunes, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, garlic and sriracha until smooth.
4. Remove veggies from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cashews, edamame and teriyaki sauce to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve on bed of rice garnished with green onions, prunes and additional cashews.

Photos courtesy of Alexis Joseph

SOURCE:
Sunsweet

(Family Features) Make sure your grill game is on fire this summer. The right prepping, seasoning and grilling techniques can help you serve your favorite foods in the tastiest ways all summer.

Consider these helpful tips from the flavor experts at Watkins.

Seasoning with Staying Power
The first step for impressive flavor is proper preparation. For dry seasoning, blot meat or sliced vegetables (such as zucchini) with paper towels to dry. Then rub 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil over each piece to help your seasoning or dry rub stick.

For marinades, after mixing – but before adding the meat – reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade liquid to baste meat while on the grill. If you’re dicing meat (except for shrimp), do so before adding it to the marinade so each piece can soak in as much flavor as possible.

Finally, no grilling menu would be complete without burgers. Adding a seasoning tailor-made for this all-American classic, like Watkins Organic Hamburger Seasoning, brings an unforgettable boost of flavor. You’ll want about 1 tablespoon of seasoning for each pound of ground meat – just be sure to mix in thoroughly before you make your patties to distribute the flavor evenly.

Flavor for All Your Favorites
While most people think of meats for grilling season, there are so many ways to spice up all your favorite foods and beverages. For fajitas, you can use chili lime seasoning for the meat and put it on the rim of your lemonade or margaritas, too.

You can also switch it up and roast potatoes instead of fries to go with a well-seasoned burger. Try peppercorn Parmesan seasoning for a complementary flavor. If you’re looking for a finishing touch for steak, mushrooms make a perfect enhancement and you can use the same steak seasoning to prepare them.

A Showstopping Side
Grilled corn makes a fresh, juicy side for summer meals. For tender kernels and a milder char flavor, leave the husks on, soak the corn in water for 20-30 minutes and grill over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes. For more char and caramelized flavor, remove the husks and grill over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently.

After grilling, remove the husks (if needed) and lightly coat the corn in butter before seasoning. Corn can work with a range of flavor profiles – get creative with Watkins Organic Mesquite, Chili Lime or Peppercorn Parmesan seasoning blends to make your most memorable corn yet.

Whatever you add to your menu, enjoy finding new summer staples. For more flavors and grilling inspiration, visit watkins1868.com.

Southwest Pork Chops

• 2          tablespoons Watkins 1868 Organic Grilling Chili Lime Seasoning
• 2          teaspoons Watkins Organic Black Pepper
• 2          teaspoons cooking oil of choice
• 1/2       teaspoon Watkins Fine Himalayan Pink Salt
• 8          pork loin chops (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• hot sauce (optional)

1. Combine chili lime seasoning, black pepper, cooking oil and pink salt. Spread mixture evenly over pork chops. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat grill to medium heat. Grill pork chops 4-5 inches from heat source, turning frequently, until no longer pink when cut near bone. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Peppery Beef Kebabs

• 1          pound sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2          tablespoons Watkins 1868 Organic Grilling Steak Seasoning or Watkins 1868 Organic Grilling Salt Free Steak Seasoning
• 1          teaspoon Watkins Organic Ground Black Pepper
• bell peppers, cut into chunks (optional)
• onions, cut into chunks (optional)
• mushrooms, cut into chunks (optional)
• cooked couscous or rice

1. Sprinkle sirloin with steak seasoning and black pepper. Thread beef onto skewers along with bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, as desired.
2. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Grill, turning occasionally, until meat is cooked to desired doneness, 5-7 minutes. Serve atop cooked couscous or rice.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
Watkins Spices