Pumpkin Packs a Powerful Nutritious Punch

Fall is officially here. And with it comes cooler weather, shorter days and fall foods. One food that comes to mind for most people is pumpkin – pumpkins are everywhere, from Halloween displays, pumpkin laced coffee drinks, pumpkin muffins and most people’s Thanksgiving favorite…pumpkin pie.

Fall and Pumpkins photo by Carole Jakucs. 10/31/16
Image subject to copyright.

While some pumpkin laced and based foods can be loaded with fat and sugar, there are plenty of recipes on the internet -  from pumpkin muffins to breads and more, that are made with unsweetened applesauce and whole wheat flour. Pumpkin even makes for a delicious base for a tasty soup.

And guess what – pumpkin is healthy when not paired up with sugar, fat and white flour. Pumpkin is filled with good-for-you nutrients. And most abundant is Vitamin A.  Vitamin A is essential for human health. Among its many functions - it supports our immune system, eyes and vision.

So…go for it! Just remember to reduce the sugar and fat that sometimes accompany pumpkin recipes and replace them with healthy alternatives as above for a delicious fall treat.  

Green Beans Sauteed with Olive Oil

Green beans are one of the more familiar vegetables that typically appear on most Thanksgiving dinner tables. If you're looking for a healthier yet tasty version of a green bean recipe, this may be it.   The added bonus is that it's simple to make and only requires a few ingredients. Green beans are nutritious too, containing Vitamin C and fiber. This is a great recipe for the holidays or anytime of the year. Try to buy organic produce when you can to reduce your exposure to pesticides.

Green Beans by Stacey Sauvago. Public Domain Image.

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh green beans

1/2 cup of filtered water

1/4 – 1/3 cup of olive oil (depending on your personal taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse green beans well, cut off the tips/strings at each end of each bean, or buy fresh green beans (prepackaged) with the tips cut. If the beans are long, cut each bean in half.  If they are not, they don’t need to be cut. Place beans in a large 12 inch non stick saute/fry pan, add the filtered water to just cover the beans. Place a lid on the pan and cook at a low heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to get the beans softened but not overcooked to maintain higher levels of Vitamin C. 

Drain the remaining water out of the pan then brown the green beans for approximately 10 minutes on a medium heat, stirring them gently and occasionally. Now add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook for another 10 minutes while stirring them occasionally and gently. You can cook the beans longer to brown them more - they taste great this way too.
  
Remember - when cooking with olive oil, don't use a high heat due to its low smoke point. Maintain a lower to medium heat to prevent smoking of the oil. 

Green Beans with Olive Oil Recipe

Green beans are packed with Vitamin C and fiber. This is a great recipe for anytime of the year and it's simple and quick to make. It’s a great side dish for back yard barbecues or formal dinners. Try to buy organic produce when you can to reduce your exposure to pesticides.

Photo By: McKay Savage from London, UK [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh green beans

1/2 cup of filtered water

1/4 – 1/3 cup of olive oil (depending on your personal taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse green beans well, cut off the tips/strings at each end of each bean, or buy fresh green beans (prepackaged) with the tips cut. If the beans are long, cut each bean in half.  If they are not, they don’t need to be cut. Place beans in a large 12 inch non stick saute/fry pan, add the filtered water to just cover the beans. Place a lid on the pan and cook at a low heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to get the beans softened but not overcooked to maintain higher levels of Vitamin C.

Drain the remaining water out of the pan then brown the green beans for approximately 10 minutes on a medium heat, stirring them gently and occasionally. Now add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook for another 10 minutes while stirring them occasionally and gently.
  
*Remember that when cooking with olive oil you cannot use high heats due to its low “smoke point." Maintain a low heat to prevent smoking of the oil. High heat also leaches out some of the healthful qualities of olive oil. 

This can be served as a side dish to a roast or barbecued meats and provides approximately 4 servings.  Enjoy!