Food, Recipe, and Activity of the Week - April 8, 2007
This week's features include:
Food - Ugli fruit
Recipe - Tropical fruit salad
Activity - Gardening
The ugli fruit is a mix between a grape fruit and an orange or a tangerine and has been grown in Jamaica since the 1930s. As the name implies, the ugli fruit, with its uneven surface and green-yellowish color, does not have an attractive appearance. Although its surface can be discolored, dented, and unevenly shaped, one should not be fooled by these characteristics. The ugli fruit is a very tasty fruit with a tangy sweet flavor. It serves well as an appetizer, or in a salad, or as a dessert. However, the availability in the stores is limited and one can only enjoy the fruit between December and April. In addition, due to its limited supply, the fruit is expensive. The fruit is fairly large in size, 4 to 6 inches; however smaller fruits are more flavorful. Ugli fruits can be stored at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. It is not advised to cook the fruit, since this will decrease its flavor. Like other citrus fruits, the ugli fruit is rich in vitamin C.
Nutrition information for 1 fruit (5 oz): calories: 36, carbohydrates: 8 g, protein: 1 g, fat: 0 g, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium: 0 mg, fiber: 2 g
Makes 5 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh pineapple cubes
- 1 1/2 cups Ugli fruit sections (approximately 1 Ugli fruit)
- 2 kiwi (approximately 3/4 cup)
- 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges in juice, drained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 1 carton (8 ounces) nonfat, artificially-sweetened vanilla yogurt
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine pineapple, Ugli fruit sections, kiwi, and mandarin oranges. Toss gently to mix.Cover and chill about 1 hour. Stir coconut extract into yogurt; set aside. Place 1/2 cup fruit into bowls. Spoon a dollop of yogurt mixture over each serving. Serve right away.
Nutritional Information (per serving): 68 calories, 0 grams fat, 2 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 15 mg sodium
Adapted from Diabetes Self Management website: www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipe
Are your tulips beginning to bloom? For many of us, this is one of the greatest treasures of spring.watching tulips and many other beautiful flowers bloom. Gardening not only provides us with beautiful flowers to enjoy, it provides us with physical activity from which we gain many health benefits.
For example, gardening for 30 minutes can burn anywhere from 120-200 calories. Fitness experts recommend focusing on major muscle groups while planting such as bending down at the knees when picking things up to work the quadriceps in the thigh. This will help increase muscle tone. It is also recommended to stretch muscle groups like the hamstrings (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh), calf muscles, biceps, triceps, back and even hands and feet before you plan to garden. If you have been cooped up in the house for most of the winter, they recommend to start stretching 2-3 weeks prior to gardening.
It is also important to keep these tips in mind:
- Use a cushion to protect your knees
- Always bend at your knees when picking things up
- Keep your back straight at all times to avoid excessive strain
- If you are planting or pulling weeds for a long period of time, remember to get up and stretch your legs every 10 minutes
- Drink plenty of water, especially if it is hot outside - avoid gardening if it is too hot and humid
- Where plenty of sunscreen and perhaps a hat to avoid sunburn
Remember to consult your physician before starting a new physical activity to avoid health problems.
Adapted from: CBSNews.com