Tag: Cleveland Clinic

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Serve as an appetizer dipped in the yogurt sauce, atop a fresh greens salad or with a warm pita pocket filled with fresh greens, tomatoes, scallions and cucumbers, topped with the yogurt sauce. Enjoy!

Falafel is a Middle Eastern specialty consisting of croquettes or balls that are made of spiced ground chickpeas. Traditionally, it’s deep-fried, but you can pan-fry in a small amount of canola oil.

Serve as an appetizer dipped in the yogurt sauce, atop a fresh greens salad or with a warm pita pocket filled with fresh greens, tomatoes, scallions and cucumbers, topped with the yogurt sauce. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yogurt sauce ingredients:

  • 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped and drained of excess water
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Falafel ingredients:

  • Falafel mix
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 tbsp canola oil

Directions

  1. For falafel: Follow directions according to the box. Usually, you add falafel mixture to 1 1/4 cups water in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and let sit 10 to 15 minutes while preparing yogurt sauce.
  2. For yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, mix all ingredients. To further enhance flavor, prepare ahead of time and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Stir before serving.
  3. Once the falafel mixture has had time to set, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil and let heat.
  4. Once oil has heated, turn down to medium. Scoop approximately 1/8-1/4 cup of falafel mixture into palm of your hand and form a small ball or disk. Continue with the rest of mixture, placing each ball into frying pan. Let falafel cook for approximately 5 minutes before turning over, paying special attention they don’t burn. Falafel should be slightly soft in the center yet golden brown on the outside.
  5. Once they’re cooked, serve as an appetizer dipped in the yogurt sauce, atop a fresh greens salad or with a warm pita pocket filled with vegetables.

Ingredient health benefits

  • Plain, nonfat yogurt: You’ve probably heard some confusing things about yogurt’s nutritional benefits, so here’s the skinny: Plain, nonfat yogurt is a good source of protein, calcium and probiotics for a happy gut. Regularly eating yogurt may also lead to a happy heart by regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
  • Cucumber: You probably know that cucumbers are hydrating (96% water), but did you also know they pack a punch when it comes to nutrient density? Among other great perks, cucumbers are high in potassium and low in sodium, which helps manage your blood pressure. And they’re a source of vitamin K, which builds healthy bones.
  • Garlic: A little allium with a lot of benefits. Like cucumbers, garlic may also regulate blood pressure, but in a different way. Garlic also has germ-fighting compounds that can help protect your food from nasty hitchhikers.
  • Lemon juice: Not only is lemon juice a good flavor additive, but it adds some nutrition to your dish, as well! Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C, which supports your immune system, and has antioxidants that protect your cells from damage-causing free radicals. The acids in lemon juice also help your stomach acids digest food.

Nutrition information (per serving)

1 serving = 2 falafels

Calories: 170 (16% of calories from fat)
Total fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 840 mg
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Dietary fiber: 8 g
Protein: 15 g

2 tablespoons yogurt sauce contains:

Calories: 20
Total fat: 0 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 20 mg
Carbohydrate: 4 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Protein: 1 g

— Recipe provided by Melissa Stevens, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition Program Coordinator, Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitative Services.

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What’s Wine Doing to Your Waistline?

You’re humming along on your diet, losing 1 pound a week. Suddenly you hit a plateau.

Hmmmm…could that nightly glass (or two) of wine have anything to do with it?

Yup. Wine has more calories than you might think.

Pour yourself a typical 5-ounce serving of cabernet sauvignon, and you’re all set to drink 122 calories. Make that 5 ounces of rose, and you’re drinking 131 calories. Or 5 ounces of chardonnay, and you’re drinking 128 calories.

Multiply that by two or three glasses, and those calories add up.

How your body processes alcohol

Alcohol is metabolized differently than food. First, it can’t be stored, and second, it has to be converted from its ingested state to one that is not so poisonous.

It passes through the stomach, and enters the bloodstream and the brain. But ultimately, alcohol must find its way to the liver, which is the only organ that knows what to do with it.

There, it takes center stage. The liver lets alcohol go to the front of the line, before other nutrients, because it simply needs to break it down into CO2 and water and get it out of the body.

The pathways and mechanisms by which alcohol metabolism occurs read like they’re straight from a chemistry textbook. But on the most basic level, alcohol metabolism involves the breakdown of enzymes and the elimination of the byproducts.

Your gender, age, body size and genetics all play a role in how quickly alcohol is eliminated from your body.

Avoiding that slippery slope

Alcohol also clouds your judgment about healthy food choices. This is a problem when you’re watching your weight. Pairing a glass of wine with cheese and crackers, or chips and dip, can seem not only harmless but also like a great idea.

If you really want to cut down on liquid calories, here are five tips:

  1. Set alcohol aside for a while. Cut out alcohol for a few weeks and see what the scale says. You’ll likely be pleased.
  2. Cut your consumption. Go from two glasses to one per night. Or drink every other night or just on weekends.
  3. Reduce your pour. Stick to American Heart Association limits of one 4-ounce glass daily (for women) and two 4-ounce glasses (for men). Measure out 4 ounces in your favorite wine glass so you know when to say “when.”
  4. Switch up your drink ware. Invest in 3- or 4-ounce wine glasses instead of 5-ounce or larger glasses.
  5. Have water on hand. Alternate between sipping your wine and sipping this zero-calorie beverage.

Treat your body to a healthy snack instead

For the same number of calories as a glass of wine, you could be nourishing your body with a healthy and tasty snack. Some of my favorites are:

  • A caramelized onion frittata
  • ½ ounce of cocoa-dusted almonds
  • 6-ounce plain yogurt with ½ cup of raspberries

Take a look at your wine consumption, then try some of these ideas to see if they don’t bring you back on track with your weight-loss plan.

Posted on

What’s Wine Doing to Your Waistline?

You’re humming along on your diet, losing 1 pound a week. Suddenly you hit a plateau.

Hmmmm…could that nightly glass (or two) of wine have anything to do with it?

Yup. Wine has more calories than you might think.

Pour yourself a typical 5-ounce serving of cabernet sauvignon, and you’re all set to drink 122 calories. Make that 5 ounces of rose, and you’re drinking 131 calories. Or 5 ounces of chardonnay, and you’re drinking 128 calories.

Multiply that by two or three glasses, and those calories add up.

How your body processes alcohol

Alcohol is metabolized differently than food. First, it can’t be stored, and second, it has to be converted from its ingested state to one that is not so poisonous.

It passes through the stomach, and enters the bloodstream and the brain. But ultimately, alcohol must find its way to the liver, which is the only organ that knows what to do with it.

There, it takes center stage. The liver lets alcohol go to the front of the line, before other nutrients, because it simply needs to break it down into CO2 and water and get it out of the body.

The pathways and mechanisms by which alcohol metabolism occurs read like they’re straight from a chemistry textbook. But on the most basic level, alcohol metabolism involves the breakdown of enzymes and the elimination of the byproducts.

Your gender, age, body size and genetics all play a role in how quickly alcohol is eliminated from your body.

Avoiding that slippery slope

Alcohol also clouds your judgment about healthy food choices. This is a problem when you’re watching your weight. Pairing a glass of wine with cheese and crackers, or chips and dip, can seem not only harmless but also like a great idea.

If you really want to cut down on liquid calories, here are five tips:

  1. Set alcohol aside for a while. Cut out alcohol for a few weeks and see what the scale says. You’ll likely be pleased.
  2. Cut your consumption. Go from two glasses to one per night. Or drink every other night or just on weekends.
  3. Reduce your pour. Stick to American Heart Association limits of one 4-ounce glass daily (for women) and two 4-ounce glasses (for men). Measure out 4 ounces in your favorite wine glass so you know when to say “when.”
  4. Switch up your drink ware. Invest in 3- or 4-ounce wine glasses instead of 5-ounce or larger glasses.
  5. Have water on hand. Alternate between sipping your wine and sipping this zero-calorie beverage.

Treat your body to a healthy snack instead

For the same number of calories as a glass of wine, you could be nourishing your body with a healthy and tasty snack. Some of my favorites are:

  • A caramelized onion frittata
  • ½ ounce of cocoa-dusted almonds
  • 6-ounce plain yogurt with ½ cup of raspberries

Take a look at your wine consumption, then try some of these ideas to see if they don’t bring you back on track with your weight-loss plan.