Food, Recipe and Activity of the Week - January 7, 2007
This week's features include:
Food - Pecans
Recipe - Pecan and brown rice dressing
Activity - Water exercise
In the crown of a 130 feet pecan tree one can find hard shelled nuts called pecans. The name pecan means "the nut too hard to crack by hand" and has been consumed by humans for ages. The Native American Indians commonly used pecan nuts for bread, spices, and fermented drinks. Pecan originated from central Texas and northern Mexico, from which it has been spread to other states including Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona, Louisiana, and even the northern state Iowa. Pecan trees were a common sight in Texas in the 1500s. However, the quality of its wood increased the demand and almost eliminated the pecan tree's existence. However, in the early 1900s the governor of Texas, James Hogg, was devastated by the pecan tree's rapid decrease. On his deathbed Hogg asked that a pecan tree would be planted on his grave instead of a stone. Its nuts would be given out to the people to plant and make Texas the land of trees. Today, the pecan tree is the state tree of Texas.
Today, pecan production is a multi-million dollar business providing over 342 million pounds in 1999. The varieties of pecans are many including, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Pawnee, Sioux, Desirable, Shawnee, Wichita, and Shoshoni. There are also different nut qualities ranging from "Fancy" to "Damaged". The color of the pecan indicates its quality. The lighter the color the higher the value of the nut. Pecans can be bought all year around, but the best time is to during the fall months when they are ripe and fresh. If in the shell, buy smooth pecans, which are not light for their size. Search for uniform shapes and light colors.
Pecans should be stored in airtight bags or containers, preferably in the refrigerator (6-9 months) or the freezer (2 years). The nuts can be thawed and refrozen without losing quality. If the nut is shriveled or smell very strongly, discard it.
Pecan nuts are covered with a layer of tannins, which causes a bitter taste. The bitter taste can be removed by washing the nuts and soaking them in lukewarm water will enhance their sweetness. Allow the pecans to dry for 15 minutes on a paper towel.
Nutrition facts per serving of pecan nuts (1 serving = 1 oz Shelled - 1/4 cup) energy: 200 kcal, total fat: 20 gm, saturated fat: 2 gm, protein: 3 gm, cholesterol: 0 gm, carbohydrates: 4 gm, fiber: 2 gm, sugar: 1 gm
Pecan nuts are high in protein, and unsaturated fats and have no cholesterol. They are also low in sodium. Pecans are rich in iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and have been found to be a good source of oleic acid. Although, pecans contain large amounts of fat, the fat is unsaturated. The unsaturated fatty acids may help lowering "bad" cholesterol levels, such as LDL.
Makes 12 one-half-cup servings
Ingredients:
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2 cups uncooked brown rice
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5 cups chicken broth
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1 teaspoon salt
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2 cups chopped onions
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2 cups chopped celery
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1/4 teaspoon black pepper
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1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
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1 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Combine rice, chicken broth and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring once. Reduce, heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Cook onions, celery and garlic until tender in a pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick coating. Stir in cooked rice. Add pepper, poultry seasoning and pecans. Service with roasted turkey or baked chicken.
Nutrition Information (per 1/2 cup serving): Calories 250; Total Fat 10g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 645mg; Total Carbohydrate 35g; Protein 7g
Source: Dr. Jerry Parsons Texas A&M Extension, www.plantanswers.com/recipes.htm
Being physically active during the winter months can be difficult. Cold temperatures and snow can keep one from enjoying outdoor activities like walking or riding bikes. Thus, the winter months are a good time to head to the pool. The indoor pool, that is. Water exercise is one of the best forms of low impact fitness activities around. In fact, water exercise is recommended for pregnant women, the elderly and overweight, those with arthritis, and individuals recovering from injury.
The buoyancy of the water reduces the “weight” of a person by as much as 90 percent. Thus, the stress on joints, bones, and muscles is also reduced. As a result, getting injured during water exercise is unlikely as is the likelihood that one will feel sore after a water workout. This, however, does not meet water exercise is not a good workout. In fact, water exercise encompasses all components of fitness: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility.
Aerobic workouts in the water are a good option for those who find land activities too painful. Running, jumping, and kicking are not as jarring as they are on land. When determining the intensity of a workout in the water, keep in mind the fact that heart rate can be reduced by as much as 17 heart beats per minutes when compared to land exercise.
Water is great for strength training. Instead of weights, the water provides the needed resistance. Pushing and pulling the water away from the body with cupped hands, creates a strength training effect. Hand-held paddles and gloves can increase the resistance.
One of the best advantages of the water is its effect on flexibility. Water, especially warm water, allows for ease of movements that may be difficult to do on land. And with lessened effects of gravity a fuller range of motion can be achieved in the water, which is good for long-term flexibility.
Whether one chooses to join a water aerobics class or swim laps, the activity should include a warm-up period followed by a period of increased heart rate and finished with a cool-down.
A 150-pound person can burn approximately 272 calories doing water aerobics for 1-hour. The same amount of calories can be burned in 30 minutes if swimming the crawl stroke at a moderate pace.
Always be sure to consult a physician before beginning any new form of physically activity.
For more information on swimming and other cardiovascular activities, go to www.acefitness.org