Skim Milk, Salmon w/Tarragon Mayo and a Healthy Bed-Time

  

Skim Does a Body Good
   

Once upon a time, milk was milk. It came from a cow, in one type, usually in a glass bottle. But as with every other consumer product today, you have a surprisingly large number of choices when it comes to buying milk. Some variations are recent, such as organic milk, milk with nutrients like omega-3 acids, milk packed in glass, plastic, or paper, even flavored milk. But the most important choice of all is which of the four levels of fat should you get.

Is there really that much of a difference between whole and skim milk and the different percentages in between? The answer is a resounding yes—and that difference can have a big impact on your health.

Compare the calories and fat in an 8-ounce glass of milk for the four usual suspects you see in your grocer’s refrigerator:
Whole milk    150 calories    8 g fat
2% milk    120 calories    4.5 g fat
1% milk    100 calories    2.5 g fat
Skim milk    80 calories    0 g fat

If you think these differences in fat content don’t sound like a lot, consider that most fat in milk is saturated fat, the biggest contributor to heart disease and high cholesterol in our diets. American adults tend to think about milk consumption only from the carton to the glass—and most of us don’t actually drink a lot of milk. But we do consume a lot of milk in things like ice cream, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, soups, and the ultimate culprit, cheese. The fat and calories in milk really add up when you factor in all the other milk sources.

Let’s say you decide to switch to skim milk. If you drink two glasses of whole milk every day, you’d save 140 calories per day. Although that doesn’t sound like much, over a year’s time those calories are the equivalent of nearly 15 pounds. The extra fat and calories from 1% and 2% add up, too. If you drink two glasses of 1% milk a day, that’s 150 grams of fat per month instead of 0 grams of fat from the same amount of skim! 

 

Salmon with Tarragon Mayo

Flavored mayonnaise is a wonderful way to boost the taste of fish. And by using the poaching liquid from the salmon to make couscous, you not only make the side dish harmonious with the fish, but delectable as well.

Ingredients
4 (4 ounce) salmon steaks or fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 to 2 bay leaves
Strip of pared lemon zest
4 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 cup couscous
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 cups watercress, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

Serves 4

Preparation
1    Place the salmon in a deep-sided, nonstick skillet. Pour the wine over it and add the bay leaves, lemon zest, and seasoning to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and poach the salmon until just cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. It should still be very slightly translucent in the center.
2    Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, grated lemon zest, and tarragon. Season lightly with salt and pepper and spoon the mixture into a serving bowl.
3    When the fish is cooked, drain off most of the cooking liquid into a measuring cup, and add enough boiling water to make 1 1/2 cups. Cover the pan with a lid to keep the salmon warm, off the heat.
4    Pour the diluted fish broth over the couscous in a bowl and leave for 3 to 4 minutes for the liquid to be absorbed. Fluff up the couscous with a fork and stir in the chopped tomatoes, scallions, and watercress. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over it, and stir to blend everything together. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5    Serve the warm salmon with the couscous salad and the tarragon mayonnaise.
Per serving: 463 cal, 15 g fat (3 g sat), 46 g carbs, 33 g protein, 4 g fiber, 73 mg chol, 247 mg sodium

 

A Healthy Bedtime Check-in

 

What is your going-to-bed ritual? Each of us has one. Whether it includes reading, writing in a journal, or just brushing our teeth and getting into our jammies, these are precious moments in which we focus entirely on ourselves. Which makes bedtime the perfect time for self-reflection.

An honest assessment of how you did today against your healthy lifestyle goals, done in the quiet of your own bed—and entirely unspoken—will not only help you focus on what’s important in your life, but make you far more committed to doing even better tomorrow.

Here are some questions you should consider asking yourself each night before closing your eyes. The answers you give can help you focus on what you need to do to control your diabetes. Don’t underestimate the power they can have on your health and happiness!

Did I…

• follow the diabetes regimen I agreed to with my doctor?  
• take my medicines as I’m supposed to?     
• walk as much as I could have?       
• make time for a little extra movement?        
• floss my teeth?       
• get outdoors and enjoy some fresh air?       
• take at least 15 minutes to really relax and unwind?      
• avoid sitting for more than an hour at a time?       
• laugh out loud?      
• stay positive?    
• spend quality time with family, friends, or coworkers?        
• get angry or stressed when I shouldn’t have?    
• show love or gratitude to someone?        
• accomplish the things I wanted to?      
• watch too much TV?    
• waste time on my laptop, cell phone, or iPad?    

All of this information comes from the Reverse Diabetes Newsletter.  You can subscribe to this newsletter by following the link below.  Just click on Newsletter on the page and you can subscribe there.

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