Low-Calorie Grilled Shrimp Salad

By Laraine Perri
From Health magazine

Juicy watermelon, tangy feta, and firm grilled shrimp make this recipe a summery star.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (21–25 count)
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3⁄4 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Olive oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1⁄4 cup sliced fresh mint, divided
4 cups arugula
8 (4-inch) seedless watermelon wedges
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.

2. Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Stir in 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Lightly spray grill or grill pan with olive oil spray, and cook shrimp about 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a plate to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and more pepper to taste. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

4. In a medium bowl, combine red onion and 2 tablespoons mint. Add dressing, and toss gently. To serve, place 1 cup arugula on each of 4 plates and top with 2 melon wedges and 1⁄4 of the onion-mint mixture; sprinkle with equal amounts of feta, top with about 6 shrimp, and garnish with some of the remaining fresh mint. Serve immediately. (Serving size: about 6 shrimp, 1⁄4 of the watermelon mixture, and 1 cup arugula)

Nutrition:
Calories 273; Fat 13g (sat 5g, mono 6g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 193mg; Protein 23g; Carbohydrate 17g; Sugars 13g; Fiber 1g; Iron 4mg; Sodium 728mg; Calcium 223mg
(PHOTO: YUNHEE KIM)

Last Updated: February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Healthy Cooking

Healthy Salads: This Indulgent Salad Is Loaded With Lobster, Not Calories

At just 290 calories, this simple but decadent recipe for lobster and corn salad with tarragon vinaigrette is as light as it is tasty.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 3 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears)
1 pound cooked lobster meat, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Instructions:
1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients (through tarragon) in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil in a slow, thin stream, and add salt and pepper; set aside.

2. Gently combine corn and lobster in a serving bowl. Add vinaigrette and chives, and toss gently before serving. (Serving size: about 1 cup)

Nutrition:
Calories 290; Fat 17g (sat 4g, mono 11g, poly 2g); Cholesterol 87mg; Protein 24g; Carbohydrate 11g; Sugars 2g; Fiber 1g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 588mg; Calcium 74mg

By Laraine Perri

Last Updated: February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Healthy Cooking

FAQs: A Reality Check on Omega-3s

Q: How much of the good fats do I need each day?
A: That’s open to debate, but the Institute of Medicine says 1.1 grams (1,100 milligrams) a day is enough for women. You may need a combination of foods and supplements to reach that level. Studies indicate more is probably better.

Q: Will supplements give me fishy breath or burps?
A: A fishy odor or aftertaste is usually a sign of a poorly made product. Before buying, look for the words “molecularly distilled” on the label, a sign that any yucky stuff has been removed.

Q: Isn’t fish risky because of all the contaminants?
A: Mercury and PCBs are cause for concern. But experts say seafood is safe for most of us as long as it’s limited to about two meals per week. For more info on safe fish here.

Last Updated: February 19, 2009
Filed Under: Nutrition and Eating Well

5 Reasons to Love (Good) Fat

If you skimp on healthy fats—omega-3s in fish, supplements, and some plant and dairy products—you’re missing out on a great way to help prevent a host of common problems. Here’s a quick look at how good these fats really are, and the best ways to work them into your life.

1. Fight those aches
How omega-3s help: Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center found that nearly two-thirds of patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain stopped needing anti-inflammatory pain pills after taking fish-oil pills for 20 to 30 days. The key may be omega-3s’ ability to fight inflammation.

How to get them: You don’t necessarily have to take the pills, says Joseph C. Maroon, MD, a University of Pittsburgh neurosurgeon. Cold-water ocean fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) and lake trout are the best sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3s.

2. Stay slim
How omega-3s help: Mood swings can lead to bring-on-the-brownies moments that sabotage your efforts to lose weight. Omega-3s may help by stabilizing your moods, says Douglas Bibus, PhD, an omega-3 researcher and scientist at the University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center.
How to get them: Bibus recommends taking a high-quality supplement for 30 days. If you don’t notice a difference, increase your dosage.

3. Have more “up” days
How omega-3s help: Another form of omega-3s known as DHA makes up 25 percent of your body’s brain fat and manages the production and flow of the feel-good chemical serotonin. People who battle depression seem to be DHA-deficient.

How to get them: Researchers believe a DHA supplement may be a gentler (and ultimately more effective) alternative to antidepressants, says David Perlmutter, MD, author of The Better Brain Book and an expert on the relationship between nutrition and neurological disorders. But don’t count on just any supplement available at a drugstore or on the Web. Here’s a list of omega-3 supplements judged in independent tests to be fresh and free of contaminants, and to have the amount of good fats listed on the label.

4. Breathe easier
How omega-3s help: Omega-3s may help reduce the inflammation associated with asthma. In a recent Indiana University study, patients taking fish-oil supplements were better at controlling exercise-triggered symptoms than people taking a placebo or just eating a normal diet were.
How to get them: A supplement is your best bet, Bibus says.

5. Keep your heart healthy
How omega-3s help: In addition to fighting inflammation, omega-3s may lower blood pressure and reduce clotting. And they may help fight diabetes, too. “Diabetes has a strong inflammatory component, which leads to a much greater risk of developing heart disease,” Bibus explains. Omega-3s help cells lower blood sugar, a key to avoiding diabetes, Perlmutter adds.
How to get them: Eat plant foods like flax, walnuts, spinach, arugula, avocados, and canola oil, and soy products like full-fat tofu and edamame. They have a form of omega-3s called ALA that may help prevent heart disease, according to Harvard Medical School scientists. Also eat coldwater fish twice a week. And if you like eggs, shop for brands like Eggland’s Best that contain high levels of omega-3s. Bon appétit.

by Julia Rosien

Last Updated: February 19, 2009
Filed Under: Nutrition and Eating Well