Jerry the Blogger

Although I'm not usually a fan of pesto dishes, this recipe is remarkably easy to make and is loaded with healthy ingredients. The preparation time is only about 15 minutes and it only takes about another 15 minutes to cook. All things considered, that's pretty easy for a healthy meal that tastes great too.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole grain pasta
• 2 tsp. chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• PAM non-stick cooking spray
• 1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast (sliced)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green or yellow bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add pasta. When the pasta is al dente, drain and reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. In small bowl combine jalapeno peppers, cilantro, pesto, milk, and Parmesan cheese; set aside.

Spray PAM (Organic Olive Oil style preferred) into a large skillet and add chicken. Stir fry chicken over medium high heat until light brown. Add onion, garlic, and peppers and stir fry until chicken is thoroughly cooked and peppers are crisp tender.

Add cooked and drained pasta along with pesto mixture and chicken. Slowly add the pasta cooking liquid to make the sauce the correct consistency. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

This recipe serves six, each serving is about 360 calories with 5 grams of fat, 280mg of sodium and roughly 26 grams of carbohydrates.

Most people know that it's important to get enough nutrients in our food, but did you know you need to be aware of how many antinutrients you're eating? Antinutrients are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with your body's absorption of nutrients.

One common example of an antinutrient commonly found in food is phytic acid (found in many nuts, seeds and grains), which forms insoluble calcium, zinc, iron and copper in the body. Some proteins can also be antinutrients, such as the enzyme inhibitors found in peanuts that interfere with digestion. Another particularly widespread form of antinutrients are the flavonoids, which are a group of polyphenolic compounds that include tannins. These compounds combine with important nutrients such as iron and zinc and reduce the absorption of these nutrients in the body.

However, don't be too quick to write off all antinutrients. Tannins have anticancer properties, so foods such as green tea and red wine that contain large amounts of these compounds might be good for the health of some people despite their antinutrient properties. Antinutrients are found at some level in almost all foods for a variety of reasons. Although it's clear that antinutrients can interfere with the body's absorption of vital nutrients, these compounds may also have beneficial effects, such as reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease or diabetes.

Additionally, many traditional methods of food preparation such as fermentation, cooking, and malting increase the nutritive quality of plant foods through reducing certain antinutrients such as phytic acid, polyphenols, and oxalic acid. Such processing methods are widely-used in the US and other parts of the world where cereals and legumes form a major part of the diet.

So, should you avoid antinutrients at all costs? Absolutely not. But, as I've said in many previous posts, moderation is a key element to proper nutrition. Antinutrients can be harmful ... but they also offer some attractive health benefits. Just be aware of what you're eating and be sure to practice moderation and get plenty of variety in your diet.

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) promoting healthy eating habits and fighting eating disorders during its 22nd annual NEDAwareness Week, February 22-28.

The NEDAwareness Week is the non-profit group's largest public outreach campaign, held each year to raise awareness across the country about the potentially life-threatening seriousness of eating disorders and the societal pressures, attitudes and behaviors which contribute to them. Additionally, the outreach campaign is designed to promote patient rights and treatment access, so that those who suffer from eating disorders know that recovery is possible.

As part of 2009 NEDAwareness Week, NEDA has launched the STAR Program, (States for Treatment Access and Research), an effort to unite individuals, family members, treatment providers and advocacy groups. Being introduced in the legislature of 30 state capitals in February and March, the STAR program promotes a charter developed by the Academy for Eating Disorders that addresses the rights of eating disorder patients. The program's goal is to raise awareness among local legislators about the challenges in accessing adequate medical care to battle an eating disorder due to unfair practices by insurance companies and, ultimately, to change state law to address those problems.

Eating disorders are indeed more complex than poor lifestyle choices. Eating disorders are serious illnesses. NEDA's emphasis on the more serious side of these illnesses in 2009 is generating interest nationwide, with volunteer coordinators of events throughout the country using their local media muscle to spread the word about eating disorders. During NEDAwareness Week, hundreds of events will be held in communities coast to coast, offering an opportunity for people to gather information and learn how to support those with eating disorders.

For information on NEDAwareness Week, a list of events being held across the nation and eating disorders in general, visit http://www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.