Fighting High Cholesterol Through Your Diet

Did you know that 14% of American adults have high cholesterol? If you've been reading some of my posts, you know that I was recently diagnosed with high cholesterol (290) and high triglycerides (192). High cholesterol does run in my family on my mother's side and though some members of my family were given medication to help reduce it, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. We're just predisposed to it I guess. I don't have to take medication yet, but I do have to take measures to help reduce it like losing weight, exercising regularly (which has been tough to get into the habit consistently I might add), and limit intake of high cholesterol foods and saturated fats. 

That last one I had to do a little research on. I knew what the the big culprits are, but I wanted to find out if I was missing something. Here is what I found. First, you should have a blood test given by your doctor every 5 years to test your cholesterol levels if you haven't already. Then meet with your practitioner to determine what the best course of action is for you.

• Total Cholesterol should be under 200mg
• LDL (Bad) Cholesterol should be under 100 mg
• HDL (Good) Cholesterol should be 40 mg or higher
• Triglycerides should be under 150mg

Too much cholesterol can also lead to narrowing of the coronary arteries, heart disease, angina, and/or heart attack. It is recommended that you should limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300mg; however, if you have been diagnosed with heart disease, it should be reduced to less than 200mg per day.  

As far as food, here are the Top 10 culprits of high cholesterol: 

1. Egg Yolks-Contain 210mg cholesterol in 1 egg yolk (212mg in an entire egg)
2. Caviar-Contains 94mg per tablespoon
3. Liver, Pate & Foie Gras-Cholesterol is manufactured by the liver so it stands to reason that eating liver would be extremely high. In fact, 100g of liver contains 564mg of cholesterol
4. Butter-1 tablespoon contains 30mg of cholesterol. When possible, use extra virgin olive oil or canola oil as a substitution. 
5. Shrimp-1 large shrimp contains 11mg of cholesterol
6. Breakfast Fast Food-Ham, Egg & Cheese Sandwich on a Biscuit contains 172mg of cholesterol per 100g 
7. Oil Packed Fish-Sardines contain 131mg of cholesterol per can
8. Cheese-Port de Salut has the most cholesterol at 123mg per 100g serving or 21mg per 1" cube
9. Processed Meats(Sausage)-Bratwurst contains 62mg of cholesterol per link
10. Shellfish(Oysters, Clams, Mussels)-Wild Eastern Oysters have the most cholesterol at 30mg per ounce or 7mg per oyster

After seeing this list, I was happy to realize that I only consume #4 and #8 in my regular diet and even then I use them sparingly. Next, I wanted to see what foods can help lower my "bad" or LDL cholesterol. Here are the Top 10 Cholesterol Lowering Foods: 

1. Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats-These include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, peanuts, olives and avocado. 
2. Bran (Oat & Rice)-Switch to whole oatmeal in the morning for breakfast and brown rice instead of white. 
3. Flax Seeds-These little seeds have been shown to reduce cholesterol by up to 14% by incorporating them into homemade baked goods, oatmeal, cereal or smoothies. 
4. Garlic
5. Almonds-Not to exceed 1 cup per day and can reduce cholesterol up to 10%. These should be in the raw form and not roasted or salted. 
6. Lycopene Foods-Any fruit or vegetable that is red in color; such as tomatoes or watermelon. 
7. Walnuts & Pistachios
8. Whole Barley
9. Dark Chocolate
10. Green Tea-East Asia believed that this tea washes the oils (fats) out of the body. Drink green tea plain with no added sweeteners or milk. By drinking this plain, you also get the benefits of drinking your 8 glasses of daily water intake. 

My diet consists of many of these foods already, but not consistently or the proper amounts. I plan on incorporating more of these servings into my diet in the coming months to see if it really makes a difference. I think it's not just one course of action, but making all the lifestyle changes at once and seeing them work in conjunction together. 

Have you had your cholesterol checked? 

What methods have worked for you in reducing your LDL?

20 Free (or Low Cost) Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer

School is out for the summer. Now what? 

This is a question most parents, including myself, face every year. Trying to entertain your children 24/7 for two months can be daunting. No matter what you try to do or plan, they will inevitably say at least once (or in my case 100 times!) "I'm BORED!" 

The key is to keep some sort of a routine and plan, plan, plan and then have a Plan B! Murphy's Law will always give you a rainy day the one time you plan to go to the beach. Try allotting 30 minutes before the start of each week to schedule in some fun activities for the week ahead; and don't forget to get their input. They're more likely to get up out of bed, ready to start the day when they know what's coming instead of plopping down in front of the television watching cartoons, sitcoms or playing video games.  

Use it as a guide. It gives them (and you) something to look forward to. If you're going out for the day, enlist a specific job for each person, this way they're more vested into the days events and gives them something to be responsible for.  Here is an example: 

Monday-Local Beach/Pool/Lake (pack towels, sunscreen, water shoes, floatation devices, etc)
Tuesday-Bowling (pack socks)
Wednesday-Doctor appointment (don't forget those yearly physicals!)
Thursday-Movie (pack a light jacket, sweater or sweatshirt in case it's too cold inside)
Friday-Kids in the kitchen (have them pick out the menu or choose which food to purchase)

This summer, it will just be G and I most of the time since R will be working. So in between college visits and cheering practices, I'll be filling our days with some of these fun activities. 

Here are 20 Free (or Low Cost) Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer

1. Take them bowling. With KidsBowlFree.com, registered kids get two free games of bowling every day all summer long. Click on the link to find a participating bowling alley in your area. Shoe rentals are an additional cost. 

2.  Visit a museum. If you own a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card, you can get a free ticket on the first Saturday of every month with their Museum on Us Program. Each cardholder gets one free admission to over 150 participating museums nationwide. 

3. Home improvement workshops. Home Depot's program teaches children DIY skills, tool safety and gives them a sense of accomplishment. They get to keep their creation and get a certificate of achievement. Lowes also had a kids clinic on weekends called Build and Grow. 

4. Free Movie Program. Many movie theaters offer free movies from July through August and are generally held weekday mornings. Check with your local movie theater to see if they offer this program and pick up a movie and time listing. It's a nice way to cool off the kids on a hot summer day! 

5. Kids in the Kitchen. Kids LOVE to be in the kitchen. Go to your local farm stand or market, have them pick out a new food to try or recreate one of their favorite dishes. Let them be the chef and help them out where needed depending on their age. 

6. Scavenger Hunt. I used to love these when I was younger. You can either hide specific items yourself or look around the area for items that are already there for kids to find. Stay local in your backyard or neighborhood or venture out to your local park. 

7. Ice or Roller Skating. Rates are generally under $10/pp (depending on age) for a 1-1 1/2 hour open skating session (skates not included). It's great exercise and fun, but be sure to bring a helmet and safety pads for those elbows and knees!

8. Go on a picnic. It's fun to eat a meal on a blanket outdoors and gives the kids a change of scenery. Bring a frisbee or wiffle ball and bat for some entertainment. 

9. If you have a scout, the Girl Scouts have a list of online activities for girls ages 5-9 and Boy Scouts have a list of games as well. 

10. Water fun. Don't have a pool, lake or beach at your disposal? Turn on the sprinklers and run through them, squirt each other with the hose or fill up balloons and have a water balloon fight! 

11. Local sports and activities programs. Check out your local parks and recreation department for offerings. Many have free or nominal fees for sports, arts, culinary instruction, etc. for kids. 

12. Free tours. Ask your local television station, hospital, fire house, vet or pet groomer, supermarket, sports stadium, etc. to give you a tour of their facility. They may offer such tours individually or in groups, so bring some friends along for a fun outing. 

13. Pictures/Scrapbooking. Do you have albums and albums of pictures nestled away from years gone by that you're kids haven't seen? Break them out and reminisce over the fun times (and crazy clothes and hairstyles!). My kids love to look back at their baby pictures from time to time, but generally don't go much further back than the last few years. If you have loose pictures, sort them out by occasion or year and enlist their help in putting them into a photo album or scrapbook. It can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. The key is you're working together and you'll be amazed at how many hours go by once you start digging in! 

14. Volunteer. Teach your children the importance of helping others by leading by example. Visit your local animal shelter if they love animals, elder care facility to read or play cards with the elderly, help out at your local church or civic center or Feeding America to help out at your local food bank. You'll feel great knowing you helped someone else! 

15. Reading and Library Events. Many libraries offer free summer reading events where the children read a certain number of books; then get rewards or prizes. Barnes and Noble offers their Summer Reading Program as well. Kids read any 8 books and record them in a Reading Journal, bring the Journal to their local B&N store; then they get to choose a free book. 

16. Computer Camp. Apple offers a Youth Program where they offer Apple Camp for kids ages 8-12. They will learn how to shoot their own footage, create an original song in GarageBand on an iPad, and put it all together in iMovie on a Mac. This free workshop, held at the Apple Store, spans three days and ends with campers debuting their masterpieces at the Apple Camp Film Festival.

17. Online Education. I'm not recommending that they spend hours on the computer each day, but computers do offer a wealth of information and learning capabilities, especially if it's a rainy day. Most websites break out their site by age group so click on the one that is most appropriate for your child. Check out sites like ABCMouse.com, Leap Frog, Jump Start, PBS Kids, Fisher-Price, and Disney. 

18. Concerts. Many towns offer free or nominal fees for local music concerts. Grab a blanket, pack a picnic dinner, dance and listen to some new music. 

19. Have a Stay-Cation! Does your town have a museum that you drive by every day? Stop in to see what's inside. A local park with hiking trails or row boats? Find out what you've been missing. Many of us (me included) take our local surroundings for granted and there is a wealth of information right outside your door. I for one have lived in NJ for 99% of my life, 40 minutes from NYC and have yet to visit the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island. (Yes, it's on my list for this summer!)

20. Local Sports Club. Check with your local sports club for kid activities. Many have special rates over the summer (i.e. 30 days for $30) where kids can swim or take certain classes where age appropriate. 

These are just a few things you can do to keep your kids busy this summer. If they attend a Summer Camp during the day, use this list as a fun weekend guide for the entire family to enjoy the fun.

Enjoy making memories together this summer! 

Common Herbs Used in Mediterranean-Style Cooking

Many assume that when cooking with certain types of herbs, they are restricted to certain types of cuisine. When in actuality, they are also quite popular in other areas of the world as well. Such is the case with many Mediterranean fresh herbs and spices. There are many herbs which you might automatically think would be associated in this list like basil, rosemary and fennel. However, there are some herbs like ginger and cilantro, that are also used in Mediterranean-style cooking as well. 

Today I'll be sharing the most commonly used fresh herbs in Mediterranean-style cooking that I like to use in many of my recipes here at Carrie's Experimental Kitchen. I've also given you a link to a dish I have prepared in the past using such herb; as well as a list of other herbs I don't use very often. 

Herbs I use in many of my Mediterranean-Inspired dishes:

Basil: 

• Originates from southern France and Italy and comes from the mint family
• Has a sweet, peppery taste
• Can be used in a variety of dishes like pesto, sauces, soups, salads, marinades and dressings
• Basil blends well with other herbs and spices such as parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, and saffron
• Try Basil Lime Pecan Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

Cilantro: 

• Cilantro has been found in both Southern Europe and the Middle/Far East
• This herb comes from the leaf of the coriander plant
• It has a strong flavor that tastes of a combination of sage and lemon
• Cilantro can be used in Mediterranean stews, soups, curries, vegetables, salads, relishes and tomato-based sauces
• Try Roasted Chicken with Pomegranate, Lime and Cilantro

Chives: 

• Chives belong to the onion family, but are milder and more delicate in flavor than onions
• They are native to Europe, Asia and North America
• Chives go well in salads and dressings, yogurt, egg, and pasta dishes, casseroles, baked potatoes, soups and sauces
• Chives also have insect repelling properties that can be used in the garden to control pests
• Try Low Fat Ranch Dressing (Copycat from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen)

Fennel: 

• Fennel originated by the shores of the Mediterranean
• It has a sweet, mild licorice taste and is commonly used with meat, vegetable, and grain dishes, soups, tomato sauces, cakes, pastries, breads, beverages, salads and dressings 
• Try Roasted Fennel & Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad

Garlic: 

• Garlic is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and is a versatile seasoning that complements most any savory dish
• It originated in Asia and has been used for over 7,000 years for cooking and medicinal purposes
• Garlic is widely used in Mediterranean sauces, stews, soups, salad dressings, casseroles, breads, and grain dishes
• Try Gremolata Roasted Potatoes , but a majority of my other recipes have garlic in them too! ;)

Ginger: 

• Mediterranean cooks use ginger, which originated in southeast Asia, to enhance both sweet and savory dishes like stir fries, sauces, cakes and cookies, and puddings
• Try Soy-Ginger Grilled Flank Steak

Mint: 

• Mint is used in eastern Mediterranean cooking, and peppermint and spearmint 
• According to Greek mythology, the word mint comes from Minthe; a Greek nymph who was loved by Pluto, and was changed into a plant 
• Peppermint is often used to flavor candy and desserts, while spearmint is often found in teas, sauces, and jellies that are served with meat, as well as vegetables, like potatoes and carrots. 
• Mint is also added to salads, stews, soups and stuffings
• Try Fettuccine with Pink Grapefruit & Mint

Onion: 

• Onion's are extremely popular to Mediterranean cuisine, as it enhances other vegetables, soups, sauces, seafood and meat dishes, grains and legumes 
• There are hundreds of varieties of onions including the large, round Spanish onion, the red-skinned Italian onion, smaller, yellow or white onions, pearl onions and green onions; all of which vary in appearance and potency
• Try Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille

Oregano: 

• Oregano grows wild throughout the Mediterranean and is a cooking staple
• It is related to marjoram, but has a stronger flavor
• You'll find oregano in French, Greek and Italian dishes, especially in tomato-based recipes
• Mediterranean oregano is also used to marinate meats and seafood before grilling and to season olives, cheeses, vegetables (especially eggplant), egg dishes, grains, breads, casseroles, meats, poultry, and salads
• Oregano also pairs well with other spices, like basil, garlic, thyme, and parsley
• Try Italian Vegetable Beef Soup with Orzo

Parsley: 

• Parsley originated in Southern Europe and is used in sauces, soups, meat marinades, dressings, salads, casseroles, stuffings, omelets, soft cheeses, and potato dishes
•  The two main types are curly and flat-leaf parsley, both rich in vitamins and minerals
• Try Lemon Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Rosemary: 

• Rosemary is a native Mediterranean spice and it's needle-like leaf has a sweet, woodsy flavor 
• Italian cooks use it frequently in marinades and with roasted and grilled foods, like vegetables, poultry, and seafood, but it also works well in stews, sauces, dressings and focaccia
• Try Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers

Sage: 

• Sage is a Mediterranean spice in the mint family and has a strong, slightly bitter-sweet taste
• Mediterranean cooks use it to flavor a variety of foods, including meats, seafood, poultry, stuffings, soups, breads, bean salads and dressings 
• Try Portobello Mushroom, Zucchini and Sage Risotto

Saffron:

• Originated in Crete, Greece
• According to Wikipedia, saffron has been described as tasting like"metallic honey with grassy notes" and contributes to that yellow-orange hue in foods
• Try Roasted Garden Vegetable Saffron Risotto

Sea Salt: 

• Sea salt is found in Mediterranean breads, pickled vegetables, dressings, and with cheeses, meats and grains or any savory dish and a few sweet ones as well
• Sea salt enhances other flavors, seasons on its own, and provides a necessary nutrient
• Try Lime Roasted Zucchini and Shallots

Thyme: 

• Thyme originates in the Mediterranean, and has an herbal, minty flavor and scent
• It's used in many savory recipes and especially with tomatoes and in slow-cooked dishes like soups and sauces 
• Try Creamy Mushroom & Thyme Soup

If you would like to try some other common herbs used in Mediterranean cooking other than the ones listed here, try these: Bay Leaves, Chervil, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Cumin, Fenugreek, Marjoram, Nutmeg, and Turmeric.

*I also wanted to thank those that had sent me personal messages regarding my father in-laws heart valve replacement surgery. It was supposed to be today, but we received a call yesterday afternoon that the doctor had an emergency and had to postpone his procedure for a couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted! xo 

Bring Your Child to Work Day and How You Can Help Support Your Favorite Food Bloggers

Today is Bring Your Child to Work Day. This is a wonderful opportunity for children ages 8-18 to see what it is we as adults do each day and find a possible career path for themselves. Whether it be working in an office, working in the great outdoors or even writing your own food blog; teaching our children by being a positive role model with a good work ethic is important for them to succeed in their future. My older daughter had the opportunity to work at my husband's office last summer and though she really loved the people, she realized that working in an office environment wasn't something she would like to do as a career path. She will be a senior in high school next year and is currently researching colleges that would allow her to follow her love of sports and continue on her academic path as an Athletic Trainer. 

So today, I'm "bringing" my youngest daughter Gabrielle to work with me. Well, sort of! To start, I thought I'd share a little bit about what it takes to be a food blogger as I'm sure many of you do not realize how many hours go into writing just one post. Most bloggers are generally operated by one person doing the following tasks and still manage to run a household or work outside of the home.....multitasking at it's best!

• Researcher
• Recipe creator
• Shopper
• Cook
• Recipe Tester
• Dishwasher
• Photographer
• Food Styling
• Prop Styling
• Photo Editor
• Managing Editor
• Writer
• Editor
• Marketer
• Publicist
• Accountant
• Information Technology

You know how I'm always saying how easy it is to create a restaurant quality meal at home? Well my daughter Gabrielle is proof! Not only did she come up with this recipe idea, she prepared it, wrote the post and helped photograph some of the pictures. AND, this was last summer when she was only 10...see I told you it was easy! I'll have to ask her create another recipe for the blog again soon as she really has some great ideas of her own. Click on the link under the picture to see Gabrielle's recipe for Homemade Gnocchi with Sausage Bolognese....

Homemade Gnocchi with Sausage Bolognese

On another note...

How you can help support your favorite food bloggers:

If you see a facebook group or website that posts my photos and writing onto his or her page instead of linking to Carrie's Experimental Kitchen directly, they are in violation of both the Federal DMCA Act and Copyright Law. The reason why this is bad is because it costs a great deal of money to operate Carrie's Experimental Kitchen and other websites where content is illegally taken from. When people take content that others have written and developed and put it on their sites, it makes it harder for those offering the content to pay for services that they provide free of charge to you. Hours, sometimes days, are put into creating one post, that all the offender’s do is copy and paste in order to drive traffic to and  promote their site and/or facebook page. Once our content is stolen, we are also penalized for having duplicate content on the internet, and our recipes receive lower priority in search engines as well.

Often when this happens, it isn’t meant as a violation of a federal law and is just someone who wants to share a recipe that they really liked. But sometimes, this is done by people and even companies who repeatedly copy and paste content from those who have worked hard to develop it, willingly and knowingly.

Often, these people say “You can’t copyright recipes”.  While you can’t copyright a random list of ingredients, our writing (descriptions, introductions, instructions, etc) and photographs are copyrighted – and each post represents hours of work that these folks steal in under a minute and use as a platform to build their sites on.

However,  just about everyone reading this who shares recipes do so with no malicious intent, and bloggers realize that. This is intended for those who willingly violate federal law despite having received complaints, and having been reported, by knowingly and repeatedly stealing content from sites to place on their own.

If you see a site or facebook page with repeated complaints, a blogger who has to build new sites because their old ones are taken down, these are clues that such sites and pages are being run by repeat offenders who fully understand that what they are doing is illegal. A lot of people don’t realize that the websites we enjoy free of charge cost a great deal of money to operate. These sites and pages that run primarily off of stealing content from other sites take all food bloggers one step closer to not being able to afford to continue.

It’s easy for us to share a recipe. While photos are copyrighted, all of the bloggers I know welcome sharing photos as long as a link to the recipe is given to the recipe rather than the entire recipe reposted. See my example below where I use a photo from another blog:

I love Stacey Little’s Sweet Cornbread Muffins! Here is a link if you want to check out the recipe! http://southernbite.com/2013/01/09/sweet-cornbread-muffins/

Thank you so much for helping all of the bloggers who provide free sites around the web for all of us to enjoy and a special thanks to all of the Carrie's Experimental Kitchen friends who have made me aware of this growing problem. Without all of you, there wouldn’t be a Carrie's Experimental Kitchen!

*A special thank you to Southern Plate for creating this document for fellow food bloggers to share. If you are a food blogger who would like to repost the above statement, changing out your url for Carrie's Experimental Kitchen, please feel free to do so.