Daily Dish on the Fly for July 25th 2020

Breakfast is more than just an eye-opener that helps you transition from sleep to the day ahead. Eating breakfast, especially one that includes whole grains, reduces your risk for heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure, reports the May 2008 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter.

A host of mostly small studies show that eating breakfast, as compared with skipping it, makes for smaller rises in blood sugar and insulin after all of the day's meals and snacks. Smoothing out the blood sugar and insulin roller coaster can help reduce levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. It can also curb the appetite.

What you eat for breakfast matters just as much as whether you eat it, if not more so. The Harvard Heart Letter suggests these menu ideas that are heavy in whole grains, fruits, and healthy protein sources:

• a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal topped with fruit and walnuts

• a bowl of high-fiber, whole-grain cereal such as Fiber One, Shredded Wheat, or Cheerios with milk and sliced banana, strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit

• 6 or 8 ounces of 1% yogurt with blueberries and sunflower seeds

• a whole-grain English muffin with peanut butter

• an omelet made with one egg and one egg white, or egg substitute, served with whole-grain toast and orange slices

• a smoothie made with milk, yogurt, orange or pineapple juice, strawberries or blueberries, and banana, plus some oat bran, ground flax seeds, or wheat germ for extra fiber and healthful oils.

Resource: https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/a-healthy-breakfast-may-protect-against-heart-disease

Low-Sodium Meal Plan for the Week from Allina Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota

https://www.allinahealth.org/health-conditions-and-treatments/health-library/patient-education/heart-failure/diet-and-nutrition/low-sodium-sample-menu-plans-for-one-week

Spanish Marinated Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 cup red wine vinegar

• 2 cups water

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon dried basil

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 pounds small fresh mushrooms

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Directions

• In a large shallow dish, combine the first 9 ingredients. Add the mushrooms and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

• Drain mushrooms, discarding marinade.

Nutrition Facts 1/4 cup: 10 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 21mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

Garlic Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients

• 1 shallot or small onion, thinly sliced

• 1 package (14 ounces) frozen sugar snap peas, thawed

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

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Directions

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Cook and stir peas in bacon drippings until heated through. Add shallot and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

Nutrition Facts 1/2 cup: 126 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 5g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.

Brown Sugar-Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

• 1 salmon fillet (1 pound)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

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Directions

• Preheat oven to 425°. Cut salmon into 4 portions; place in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Remove from oven; preheat broiler.

• In a small saucepan, mix remaining ingredients; bring just to a boil. Brush over salmon. Broil 6 in. from heat until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 1-2 minutes.

Nutrition Facts 3 ounces cooked fish: 225 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 491mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 0 fiber), 19g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch.

Marinated Shrimp

• about 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 pounds uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and defined

• 1 cup olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

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• In a bowl, combine the shrimp, oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

• Pour shrimp and marinade into a large deep skillet. Add wine or broth, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a serving dish.

Nutrition Facts 1 piece: 40 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 42mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein.

Healthy Fruit Smoothies

• 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup fat-free milk

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed

• 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pineapple chunks

• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

• 4 ice cubes

• 2 tablespoons sugar

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• In a blender, combine all ingredients; cover and process for 30-45 seconds or until blended. Stir if necessary. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately.