#Pam Smith RDN

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Power Snacking 101 Recipes

My Virtual Flavor kitchen was filled this week with countless delicious and nutritious snacks you can make in your own kitchen (watch this Pam Smith Flavor Show Episode here). Remember, eating strategic mini meals evenly spaced throughout the day is the way to eat well, live well... and even sleep well!  See below for these go-to power snack recipes: Homemade Chai Peanut Butter Sweet and Savory Quesadilla Pockets Four Hour Power Fruit & Nut “Truffles” Four Hour Power Fruit & Nut Mix 

Want to get the flavors that make this meal magical? They’re all available at psflavor.com!

Homemade Chai Peanut Butter

2 cups dry roasted peanuts, unsalted or lightly salted 1 tablespoon P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai 1-2 tablespoon honey, if desired ½ teaspoon kosher salt, if desired 1-2 tablespoons peanut or other oil, if desired

Method: 1. Place the peanuts into a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse a few times just until chopped.  For chunky peanut butter, remove ½ cup of chopped nuts and set aside.  2.  Process for 1 minute.  Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The mixture will look gritty and dry, like coarse salt. 3.  Process for another minute, then stop and scrape down the sides. At this point, the mixture will be shiny and softened, but not yet peanut butter! 4.  Sprinkle Mai Chai over the top, and the honey, salt and oil, if using. And then process an additional 1-2 minutes until it’s completely smooth and spreadable. Taste and add more spice, salt or honey if needed.  If you reserved some nuts for chunky peanut butter, add them now and pulse a few times to combine. 5.  Transfer to a storage container and cover.  It’s ready to enjoy!

Four Hour Power Fruit & Nut Mix

2 cups dry roasted peanuts, unsalted 2 cups dry roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), lightly salted 1 cup dried red tart cherries, unsweetened 1 cup dried blueberries, unsweetened 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup golden raisins

Method: 1. Mix together nuts, seeds and dried fruits. 2. For portability, portion ¼ cup to ½ cup of mixture into airtight bags.

Four Hour Power Fruit & Nut “Truffles”

Makes approximately 30 truffles 2 cups dry roasted peanuts, unsalted 2 cups dry roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), lightly salted 1 cup dried red tart cherries, unsweetened 1 cup dried blueberries, unsweetened 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup golden raisins ¼ to ½ cup fresh orange juice, as needed 1 tablespoon P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai, optional Finely ground pepitas, for “rolling”

Method: 1. Grind nuts and seeds together in food processor with cutting blade, with short pulses being sure not to turn into nut butter, add dried fruits and continue to pulse until sticky enough to form into balls, adding fresh orange juice as needed for moisture.  Add Mai Chai, if using, and pulse again to incorporate. 2. Form into balls and roll in pumpkin seeds to form "truffles".

Quesadilla “Pockets”

6 inch whole wheat flour tortilla, such as Ole High Fiber or Mission 2 tablespoons salsa 2 tablespoons drained black beans or shredded chicken or scrambled eggs 2 tablespoons mashed avocado 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese Sprinkle of P.S. Flavor!™ Adobo Kitchen or Creole Kitchen

OR

6 inch whole wheat flour tortilla, such as Ole High Fiber or Mission 1 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut butter 1 tablespoon all-fruit jam 2 tablespoons sliced strawberries, bananas or dried red tart cherries 1 1/2 tablespoons light cream cheese Sprinkle of P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai

OR

6 inch whole wheat flour tortilla, such as Ole High Fiber or Mission 1 1/2 tablespoons ricotta cheese 1 tablespoon roasted tomatoes or tomato sauce 1 tablespoon peppers or mushrooms 2 tablespoons shredded part-skimmed mozzarella Sprinkle of P.S. Flavor!™ Mambo Italiano

Method: 1. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the tortilla halfway through on one side 2.  Add your fillings to each quadrant of the circle, ending with the cheese.  Sprinkle with seasoning blend.

3.  Starting from one of your cut corners, fold each corner in so each filling has its own little pocket

4.  Cook it on a heated skillet on both sides (or in a panini pan) until browned and cheese is melted.

5.  Enjoy a warm melty quesadilla with all the ingredients in every bite!

Haydari Walnut Yogurt Dip

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (Fage is my favorite) 3 tablespoons feta cheese, grated 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1-2 cloves garlic, minced PS Flavor!™ Creole Kitchen, or Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste  1 teaspoon olive oil, for garnish (optional) 1 teaspoon Creole Kitchen or paprika, for garnish Sprig of fresh mint or parsley

Method: 1. Mix all ingredients with a spoon until well blended. 2. Place in a serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Creole Kitchen or paprika.

3. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint or parsley.

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Eat Well, Live Well — The Mediterranean Way

Diets consumed by people living in Mediterranean countries have been a subject of interest since antiquity, with more recent investigations focused on their health benefits. People residing in the countries along the Mediterranean Sea have lower rates of coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer.

The Traditional Mediterranean Cuisine 

Although there are many countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, offering different cultures, food availability, and lifestyles, there are broad characteristics that make up the foundation of this healthy way of eating:

An abundance of plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes) which are minimally processed, seasonally fresh, and grown locally. 

Olive oil as the principal source of fat.

Cheese and yogurt consumed daily in low to moderate amounts.

Fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts.

Red meat consumed in small amounts and used more as a sauce and to season food than as the main ingredient in meals.

Fresh fruit as a typical daily dessert, with sweets containing sugars and honey eaten only a few times each week.

Wine consumed in moderate amounts, usually with meals 

The traditional Mediterranean cuisine is low in saturated fat (less than 8% of total calories), with total fat ranging from 28% to more than 40% of total calories. Albeit higher than traditionally considered healthy, because the fats are of the beneficial type, the body appears to thrive -- and live long. In addition, the diet includes modest amounts of foods from animal sources. As in many traditional diets, plant foods make up the core of the daily intake. This balance increases the amount of nutraceuticals, vitamins, and minerals available in the diet, and at the same time, keeps the amount of saturated fat low. 

Health Benefits 

This isn’t new! In 1994, the Lyon Heart Study evaluated the effect of a Mediterranean diet on heart disease. More than 600 patients who had a heart attack were randomly selected to eat either a traditional American Heart Association diet or a Mediterranean-style diet. The Mediterranean-style diet used fish and poultry as the major sources of protein and was high in plant foods including fruits, vegetables, beans, bread, olive oil, and nuts. The diet guidelines called for less meat, butter, and cream. The study used a specially prepared spread that contained alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).

After only four years, the results of the Lyon Heart Study showed a significant difference in coronary events (heart attacks and stroke) in the groups who ate the Mediterranean diet versus the American Heart Association diet. The rate of coronary events was reduced by 73%, and total deaths were reduced by 70% in the Mediterranean-style group. 

More recently, a study was published examining more than 22,000 adults in Greece and their adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet. The data showed that the Greeks who had a higher degree of adherence to the diet had a significantly lower total death rate, and fewer deaths from heart disease and cancer.

Tips for Eating Mediterranean-Style (no matter where you live!) 

Use extra virgin olive oil as your main fat source.

Choose grains that are whole, unrefined, or minimally processed.

Limit use of unhealthy fats (saturated and trans).

Fill your plate with vegetables, using small amounts of olive oil in preparation or as a salad dressing.

Try fresh fruit for dessert; let small amounts of honey be the sweetener of choice.

Use fish, seafood, poultry, and legumes as your main protein sources, while limiting red meat.

Use small amounts of yogurt and cheese, mostly as a topping.

Use herbs and spices to boost flavor and lessen the need for salt.

Mix daily exercise with weight control and Mediterranean-style eating and you have a terrific recipe for healthier living. While there are many other healthy cuisines that can do just as well, the most convincing argument for going Mediterranean is the taste! 

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Better Breakfast Benefits

Start your day with breakfast. Without it, you will spend the entire day fighting an energy deficit. Right eating at the right times will get your body in gear, with the necessary fuel to keep it operative from a point of strength. Breakfast doesn’t have to be hard to eat – or to put together – just there within ½ hour of arising. Try grab-and-go specials like low-fat cheese melted on whole-grain toast with fruit; milk or Greek yogurt with fruit to accompany whole-grain cereal or a homemade muffin; or lean meat on toast for a quick, take-along sandwich.

If you aren’t quite sold on the importance of eating early and eating often, here’s a more in-depth explanation of what is happening in your body and why you need to keep your Metabolic Fire Stoked!

It’s not the calories taken in, but the calories burned that count – and your metabolism makes all of the difference!

At a cellular level, our metabolism is activated with a balance of supply and demand: a supply of optimum fuel and oxygen to the cells for energy metabolism, and a demand from the body systems for energy. A combination of factors – especially our stressful lifestyles and lack of self-care – causes our fat cells to lock down, slowing our metabolic rate to a snail’s pace and resulting in fats being stored rather than burned for energy. This “cocooning” effect is the result of constant stress demands on the body and not nearly enough of an energy supply to meet the needs.

While a calorie is indeed a calorie, your metabolism can increase or decrease (and thus burn or store those calories) depending on your eating patterns. The body was designed to slow itself down as a protective response to energy deficits. As a result, erratic eating patterns keep our metabolism locked in low gear, storing away every meal as if it were our last.

Think of your metabolism as a campfire that requires fuel to burn, and air to fan the fire’s flame. A campfire dies down during the night and must have wood added in the morning to begin to burn brightly once more. Without being “stoked” with new fuel, the spark turns to ash – there’s nothing left to burn.

Similarly, your body awakens in a slowed down state. If you don’t “break-the-fast” with breakfast and continue to feed it through the day to meet your body’s demand for energy and boost your metabolic system, your body turns to its own muscle mass (not fat!) for energy and slows down even more, conserving itself for a potentially long, starved state. Then, when the evening eating begins, most of that food will be stored as fat because the body isn’t burning energy at a fast rate; the fire has gone out.

The food you eat, after long hours without, is like dumping an armload of firewood on a dead fire. Sadly, there are many of us walking around with a lot of “dead wood” sitting atop our fires!

Regardless of the number of calories consumed when we do eat, the body can use only a small amount of energy, protein, and other nutrients quickly. The rest is thrown off as waste or stored as fat. Eating the American way robs the body of vital nutrients for the remaining twenty-four hours – until the next feeding frenzy. Undo this typical pattern in your own life – and eat to stoke your personal metabolic fire – by eating strategically. Balanced mini-meals eaten often through the day is a major activator of your body’s natural ability to lose weight. But you must start with breakfast!

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Chai Overnight Oats

Moroccan Shakshuka Brunch with Chai Spiced Baked Apples

Porcini Pepper Asparagus, Tomato, and Cheddar Frittata with Chai Pear & Blackberry Crisp and Prosciutto Wrapped Strawberry Bites

Salmon Brunch Bar

…And I can’t say enough about eggs! Whether in the shakshuka, frittata, scrambled, hard boiled, or poached – eggs are indeed in(credible)! Learn more about eggs here, and get a masterclass on poached eggs from Top Chef Season 15 finalist Chef Adrienne Cheatham in episode 6 of The Pam Smith Flavor Show. 

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BOOSTING IMMUNITIES DURING THE WINTER: A How-To From a Trusted RDN

We daily hear tips for prevention and protection in these COVID times: Wash your hands often and well, sneeze into your elbow, stay home so you don't spread illness when you're sick, social distance and wear a mask. And as an RDN, I’d like to add some ways to protect yourself from the inside-out with an extra dose of stay-well defense strategies! Use delicious wellness to keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're more able to fight off infection:

LINE UP FATTY FISH AND SHELLFISH Of all fats, long chain omega-3s (EPA and DHA) -- found in fish such as Pacific and Atlantic salmon -- created the highest blood levels of flu and virus-fighting T cells and interferon-gamma cytokines in a British study of 150 people. Cytokines are thought to help clear viruses out of your body. And, getting adequate selenium (plentiful in oysters, mussels, lobsters, crabs, and clams -- and brazil nuts!) also increases immune cell production of cytokines in a British study of 22 adults.

BOOST T-CELLS WITH TEA Ten Harvard subjects who drank 5 daily cups of black tea for 2 weeks had T cells that secreted 10 times more virus-fighting interferon, compared with nine people who drank the same amount of a tea substitute. Although this study was about black tea, green tea has been shown to have many immune boosting benefits as well.

GET MILK Dairy products provide conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which raised immune system response to the flu in an animal study. Early research suggests that CLA may have a similar effect in humans.

GO FOR GARLIC It could be a virus's worst enemy! One of our oldest cultivated plants, garlic has been used for centuries to treat everything from the plague and leprosy to toothaches. In the 1800s, American doctors prescribed garlic for colds and coughs. Today, scientists are busy uncovering the many ways that garlic keeps us healthy, and the list just keeps getting longer.

Garlic cloves contain hundreds of active ingredients, including sulfur-containing compounds (such as allicin) that give it its distinct and pungent aroma. Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral. It's also an expectorant that helps you cough up phlegm.

To get its full virus-fighting benefits, stick with fresh garlic cloves; when it comes to antibacterial activity, nothing is better than raw garlic - capsules don't cut it. Believe it not, most infectious disease researchers recommend 4 to 8 garlic cloves a day. If you cook it, do so very lightly, and before heating it, chop it, and let it sit for 10 minutes to give the disease-fighting compounds a chance to develop.

Try dried garlic, too! Dried garlic concentrates not only the flavor, but also the nutrients. But, as with other spices, it lose potency the longer it sits, so go for fresh spice blends!

STOCK UP ON BASICS An overall healthy diet builds resistance to viruses, but focus on these nutrients especially:

Protein: 5 to 6.5 ounces of chicken, fish, or meat for women; 6 to 8 ounces for men. Protein foods are also rich sources of iron, zinc, and Vitamin B12. Vitamins A, B6: At least daily servings of red or orange fruits and green leafy veggies. Vitamin E: Olive oil or canola oil; walnuts; almonds; sunflower seeds; and hazelnuts. Magnesium: Peanuts and peanut butter.

And optimize your vitamin D levels. As I often discuss, getting more than adequate Vitamin D is one of the best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and Vitamin D deficiency is likely to be one of the culprits behind the seasonality we see with the flu. Some of the most delicious sources of Vitamin D come straight from that salmon that is giving you your omega-3 boost, and mushrooms (such as portabellas) that are exposed to ultraviolet light.

Beyond food, there are several things you can do to stay your best this Winter:

Get enough rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight infection.

Have effective tools to defuse stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off illness.

Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

May you eat well, live well -- and stay well! 

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The Beneficial Powers of Cardamom: For Your Blood Pressure

Cardamom is a seed pod, known for centuries for culinary and medicinal properties. This exotic and aromatic spice has a spicy, slightly citrusy flavor and contains many plant-derived chemical compounds that are known to have antioxidants, disease preventing, and health promoting properties. Cardamom is an ancient digestion aid that can ease stomach cramps and flatulence by triggering the release of bile that will help your body break down fat faster. And, in a study published in the Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics, when folks with high blood pressure added cardamom to their daily diets, it helped normalize their pressure readings in as little as 12 weeks. Turns out cardamom relaxes the blood vessels so they’re less likely to tighten up and cause blood pressure surges!

Use it: The study-proven dose is roughly ½ teaspoon daily. Cardamom lovers often sneak this spice into hot coffees, teas, and lattes to add a touch of sweetness and bring out their rich flavor.  Cardamom is a key ingredient in P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai. 

Get your cardamom in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Chai Overnight Oats

Apple Chai Puff Pancake with Mocha Chicken Sausage and Texy Marys

Porcini Pepper Asparagus, Tomato, and Cheddar Frittata with Chai Pear & Blackberry Crisp and Prosciutto Wrapped Strawberry Bites

Mocha Chili Cornish Game Hens over Chai Pilaf with Roasted Spiced Carrots (Bonus: Mai Chai Spiced Sangria!)

Moroccan Shakshuka Brunch with Chai Spiced Baked Apples

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The Beneficial Powers of Paprika: For Inflammation

If you only grab the paprika when you’re making deviled eggs, you’re missing out! According to researchers at North Carolina’s Brody School of Medicine, chronic inflammation can worsen dozens of different health problems, including skin rashes, arthritis, diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Thankfully, paprika is rich in saponins, natural compounds that bind to inflammatory molecules in the digestive tract, blocking absorption. As a result, researchers at Canada’s Guelph Food Research Center say enjoying just ½ teaspoon of the spice daily could cut your levels of tissue inflammation as much as 20 percent!

Use it: Paprika is available sweet, spicy, and smoked (our favorite!), so you can try it on anything from beef, chicken, and fish, to beans, rice, potatoes, roasted vegetables, and of course, you can still put it on your deviled eggs! 

Smoked Paprika is a key ingredient in P.S. Flavor!™ Smokey Southern, Porcini Pepper, Adobo Kitchen, Creole Kitchen, and Cha Cha Chili.

Get your paprika in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Pan Seared Smokey Southern Trout with Vegetable Couscous

Chili Lime Cedar Plank Salmon with Oven Roasted Vegetables and Smokey Sundried Tomato Aioli

Mambo Stacked Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Smokey Brussels Sprouts

Grilled Creole Surf and Turf Kabobs and Veggies with Smokey Chermoula Sauce

Creole Pecan Crusted Cod with Cauliflower Hominy Hash and Smokey Broccolini

Smokey Southern Oven Fried Chicken over Buttermilk Caesar Salad (Bonus: Smokey Southern Deviled Eggs!)

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How to Say Yes to Sweet While Saying No to Sugar

If you think healthy eating means a prison sentence, especially when it comes to desserts, you are in for a surprise! Yes, the truth is that as long as you continue to use sugar-laden foods or sugar substitutes, you will keep your taste buds trained for sugar. The healthy goal is to cut back on its use so you no longer need everything to taste sweet. Allow your taste buds to change so that the desire for sweetness can be met in a safe way -- from fruit and other naturally sweetened foods. Relying on the sweetness of fruit and using only small amounts of honey, leaves you flavor -- and lots of it! 

If a recipe doesn't rely on sugar for texture (like certain cakes and cookies), I try to eliminate or replace sugar with concentrated fruit juices, applesauce, pureed bananas, prunes, or apricots. I also replace sugar with smaller amounts of honey or pure maple syrup. Although these are still forms of sugar, the benefit is that they have a higher sweetness concentration so a smaller quantity may be used. The addition of cinnamon or vanilla will enhance the sweetness of the dessert even more.

NO SUGAR RECIPE MODIFICATIONS:

If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you can instead use:

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or 1/4 cup honey (reduce liquid by 3 Tbs. or add 3 Tbs. flour); reduce baking temp by 25 degrees

3 mashed bananas, plus 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and touch of vanilla

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup apple juice plus 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder as a substitute for 1 cup milk in a recipe

1/2 cup dried fruit puree (pureed apricots, unsweetened pitted dates, prunes) with a touch of cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened applesauce, crushed pineapple or mango puree with 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and a touch of vanilla

“Chai Pear and Blackberry Crisp with Orange Vanilla Ricotta Cream” gives us a delicious example of how this can be done -- replacing Sugar in the Raw with the a small amount of honey. This scrumptious crisp that can be used for brunch or dessert is completed with a nutty, crunch topping for extra texture, and uses P.S. Flavor!™ Mai Chai in the ricotta rather than a heaping amount of sugar. When selecting fruit for your crisp, choose fruits that are seasonal (pears and blackberries are wonderful for the fall and winter, while peaches and raspberries will be most sweet in the summer months) and buy them ripe -- giving the most natural sweetness, and many times eliminating the need for more. It's a perfect addition to the high-protein, flavor-packed brunch bar that was featured in the December 2020 P.S. Flavor!™ Cooking Club! To get the full menu and recipes, click here. 

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Eat Well, Love Well

It's a cliché that hot romance always cools down, especially in the marriage bed. Unfortunately, it's often true. Low sexual desire is the most common sexual complaint among couples, affecting one third of American couples. Add in fatigue and dysfunction, and it's a wonder the fires find a way to burn at all. But that doesn't mean you have to give up on intimacy -- or your libido. And for your health's sake, you shouldn't, because the health benefits of physical closeness are real -- and the emotional and spiritual bond tightly held through a couple's intimacy is vital.

WHAT'S FOOD GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Exciting new medical research tells us that good health is an essential part of good sex -- and preparing the body for peak performance in intimacy is as vital as an athlete preparing for a winning game. What you eat (or don't eat) has a direct impact on your love life, affecting your hormone, energy and stress levels. Seriously!

What about oysters, champagne, chocolate, strawberries, asparagus and cayenne pepper -- all promise to ignite passions in the bedroom, right?

Interestingly enough, there's a new philosophy about why these "aphrodisiacs" work -- if they do. They're good for your heart. And what's good for your heart is good for your libido, too. After all, if your arteries are clogged, getting blood to flow down south can be problematic. In fact, research shows that when obese men lose weight and get more exercise their erections improve.

Here are some romance-enhancing wonders, and a little "why" behind the "if":

Fish (including oysters): Fatty fish like oysters, salmon, scallops and sardines are loaded with healthful monounsaturated fats called Omega 3's which help with blood flow and healthy circulation. And they carry a hefty dose of testosterone boosting zinc, too.

Champagne: So you've already heard the buzz that a daily glass of red (or white for that matter) raises good cholesterol and helps prevent arteries from clogging. But go easy. Too much alcohol can reduce testosterone levels and sperm count. All you'll want to do in bed is sleep.

Whole Grains, Nuts and Seeds: Research shows that whole grains -- especially oats -- help lower cholesterol, keeping your arteries clean. Load up on foods heavy in healthful monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and zinc. Each of these nutrients is linked with increased sexual desire.

Spices: The right spices not only heat things up on the tongue, but also in the bedroom. Chili pepper and ginger help improve circulation, and hot spices like cayenne, curry and cumin help warm the body.

Chocolate: Don't forget the chocolate, if you like it dark and bitter (see Chocolate 101). Cocoa is a stimulant that increases sensitivity and reproduces feelings of excitement, putting you on a natural high that can make you more ready for love. This favored dessert fix also contains methylxanthines, which stimulate the transmission of nerve signals.

The Bottom Line

The best way to boost your love life is by eating well and often, with balanced mini-meals of whole food carbohydrates and lean proteins, drinking lots of water and restricting your alcohol consumption. If you're looking ahead to an evening "date for romance" -- take a power nap in the afternoon, be sure to stay well hydrated with water, and power snack throughout the day to have the needed energy to make your night most enjoyable. It may not be as romantic as serving your significant other chocolate fondue, but it works.

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Chocolate 101

Chocolate was once reserved for the royal and the very rich -- today, it is comfort food for the masses. The average American consumes about 11 pounds of chocolate per year, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. No surprise, women tend to eat more chocolate than men; those living in the West seem to eat more than people in other regions of the country.

How about you? Does chocolate -- with a soothing, velvety voice -- call to you from inside its glittering foil wrapper, drawing you in? The recent flurry of media reports about chocolate may ring in your mind. Is chocolate's call a siren song, leading to weight gain and health problems? Or is it calling you to a treat with health benefits?

Truly, with all the reports out there about the healthy benefits of chocolate, it's difficult to cull out the truth. But here it is: even a little chocolate packs plenty of fat (most contain 8 to 16 grams) and calories (around 200) per serving. And that's if you nibble only a few pieces. 

But, there's some sweet news about solid dark chocolate, too! Stearic acid, one type of fat in chocolate, doesn't appear to increase LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) levels, and a single 1.4-ounce portion (the government's recommended serving size) contains little to no caffeine. In addition, dark chocolate contains ample amounts of beneficial antioxidants called flavonoids, like those found in wine, tea, and various fruits and berries. There are several interesting lines of research about chocolate, such as how chocolate affects blood pressure, cholesterol, and the tendency to form blood clots. The effect of antioxidants in chocolate can be studied because white chocolate is similar, but without the antioxidants. This provides a good comparison.

Blood pressure Preliminary research shows a short-term decrease in blood pressure for people who worked dark chocolate into their diets.

Cholesterol In controlled amounts, the specific types of fat in cocoa butter don't seem to raise blood cholesterol levels. To the contrary, the flavonoids in cocoa may reduce the dangerous plaque-making form of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

Blood clots Flavonoid-rich cocoa and chocolate seem to have a mild tendency to make platelets less sticky. Sticky platelets are more likely to cause blood clots inside arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

However, one study has brought in a word of caution to the health hype of chocolate: Controversial findings reveal that women between the ages 70-85 who consume chocolate daily had 3.1 percent lower whole-body bone density and strength than those who consume chocolate less than once a week. This finding is surely a minor blow to the positive cardiovascular properties of chocolate. It is suggested that additional studies are needed to confirm the observations as with all the research thus far. The studies showing chocolate's health benefits were relatively small, because feeding large numbers of people controlled amounts of cocoa products is difficult. More extensive research with larger populations may add more strength to these conclusions.

So Should I or Shouldn't I Eat Chocolate?

As with all foods, the answer depends upon the quality and quantity of the cocoa product. Studies have not yet determined the exact amount of chocolate to eat for maximum health effect, but three-quarters of an ounce (really, that small of a piece!) of dark chocolate provides an equal amount (400 milligrams) of antioxidants as a glass of red wine. I know, I know, some would say that antioxidants never tasted so good!

The key words to the observed health benefits are dark chocolate (not sweet milk chocolate or candy bars!) and a few ounces a week (not a few ounces an hour).

If you ate 1 1/2 chocolate bars a day above your calorie needs, you would gain about 4 pounds in one month! Gaining weight can lead to many health problems and would eliminate any benefit from having more flavonoids in your diet.

If you're going to indulge on Feb. 14 or any other day, here are some tips on working cocoa-containing products into your diet without adding too many calories:

Choose dark chocolate. Look for bars with at least 60 percent cocoa solids (some brands of dark chocolate contain as much as 75 percent). Milk chocolate has fewer flavonoids than dark, and white chocolate and commercial candy bars have almost none. Look at the ingredients. To get the most flavonoids, make sure the first listed ingredient is cocoa solids or mass or chocolate liquor, not sugar.

Limit yourself to a very small piece of chocolate (a bite-sized piece or about one-third of a bar).

Enjoy a berry or small piece of fruit dipped in chocolate.

Remember, white chocolate has virtually no flavonoids. And some confections called "chocolates" are really just a thin shell of chocolate with sugary insides. These are best grouped with other empty-calorie snacks, as they contain little cocoa or flavonoids.

Bottom Line: if you're going to have candy of some type -- dark chocolate is among the best choices and, in moderation, it can be part of a heart-healthy strategy. So, when you eat that little nip of chocolate, savor and enjoy! And if you are craving more, consider the other flavonoid-rich foods with fewer calories such as grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and spinach. These are smart, colorful and flavorful ways to keep your diet balanced -- and your body well!

Photo by David Greenwood-Haigh on Unsplash.

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The Beneficial Powers of Cayenne: For Your Weight Loss

This eye-watering spice is rich in capsaicin - the stuff that gives chili peppers their fiery kick. But cayenne isn’t just for the kick! In fact, Purdue University research suggests sprinkling ½ teaspoon of cayenne onto your heaviest meal of the day to speed up weight loss. In their studies, when subjects enjoyed a cayenne-laced meal, they ate 70 fewer calories without realizing it. Follow-up studies suggest that cayenne ups your body’s production of at least six different fat-burning proteins.

Use it: Sprinkle cayenne on meats and vegetables before roasting, add it to soups, chilis, and stews, and let it give extra zip to your vinaigrettes! 

You can get the beneficial powers of cayenne without the Bam! by including it in spice blends. For that reason, cayenne is a key ingredient in both P.S. Flavor!™ Creole Kitchen and Caribbean Kitchen. Hot, but not fiery hot, especially when these blends are used as a salt & pepper replacement instead of a rub.

Get your cayenne in your meals with any of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes: Creole Pecan Crusted Cod with Cauliflower Hominy Hash and Smokey Broccolini Grilled Creole Surf and Turf Kabobs and Veggies with Smokey Chermoula Sauce Caribbean Shrimp Penne with Asparagus, Sundried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese Pan Seared Bronzed Pineapple Chicken with Warm Winter Roasted Vegetables

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The Beneficial Powers of Porcini Mushroom: For Your Vitamin D

Dried porcini mushrooms bring rich and flavorful elements of umami - adding deep, woodsy, craveability to dishes. Porcini mushrooms have been shown to have potent anti-oxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Wild mushrooms like porcinis are used medicinally throughout Asia for their immune boosting power, perhaps due to mushrooms being the only produce item with natural vitamin D. They are an excellent source of phytochemicals, B vitamins, and many minerals, particularly selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and manganese. 

Use it: Whether sprinkled on your food or used in a spice blend, Porcini mushroom powder will add a depth of flavor and umami boost that will increase cravability in every bite. 

Porcini mushroom is a key ingredient in P.S. Flavor!™ Porcini Pepper.

Get your porcini mushroom  in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Umami Gazpacho with Adobo Black Bean, Tomato, and Corn Salsa and Tiki Chiller

Porcini Pepper Crusted Steak with Creamy Horseradish Sauce and Roasted Baby Potato, Cherry Tomato, and Green Bean Salad

Porcini Pepper Asparagus, Tomato, and Cheddar Frittata with Chai Pear & Blackberry Crisp and Prosciutto Wrapped Strawberry Bites

Chili Lime Seared Pork Chops with Mango Red Pepper Chutney and “Crashed” Porcini Potatoes

Chili Lime Salmon with Porcini Pepper Polenta and Pan Seared Asparagus

Speedy Porcini Meatloaf with Cheesy Cauliflower and Adobo Green Beans

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The Beneficial Powers of Turmeric: For Disease Prevention

This exotic spice has a golden yellow hue and slightly peppery, gingery taste. It’s wildly popular in Asian, Indian, and African cuisines. If you’re not already a fan, here’s a great reason to try it: Turmeric is a “cooling” spice with super anti- inflammatory and antioxidant benefits that might slow down age-related brain damage, including Alzheimer’s. It’s loaded with curcumin, a potent antioxidant that shows promising cancer-fighting abilities in lab studies, helping to thwart tumor growth and block biological pathways needed for melanoma and other cancers to flourish. In 2007, Chinese scientists found curcumin helps tamp down hormones needed for prostate cancer to take root in the body. Curcumin has also been linked to type 2 diabetes prevention through nourishing the insulin-producing pancreas. Pair turmeric with black pepper to seriously amplify its effects. Scientists from India found that adding the black pepper compound piperine to curcumin increased its bioavailability in humans by 2,000 percent.

Use it: Just sneak it into your favorite foods (fish, chicken, beans, eggs, vegetables, grains, etc.) to jazz them up. Turmeric is a key ingredient in P.S. Flavor!™ Adobo Kitchen. About 1/7 of the jar is turmeric, and another 1/7 is black pepper -- amplifying the beneficial powers of turmeric with every bite. 

Get your turmeric in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Adobo Black Bean Soup with Moroccan Spiced Shrimp and Tomato Bruschetta

Umami Gazpacho with Adobo Black Bean, Tomato, and Corn Salsa and Tiki Chiller

Chili Lime Seared Pork Chops with Mango Red Pepper Chutney and “Crashed” Porcini Potatoes

Speedy Porcini Meatloaf with Cheesy Cauliflower and Adobo Green Beans

Adobo Avocado “Blend” Burger with Chili Lime Ketchup and Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad

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The Beneficial Powers of Mustard: For Your Strength

This unassuming flavor enhancer is considered a ��superfood” by many because it is a natural anti-fungal and antiseptic food. It also is one of the few sources of selenium, a trace mineral known for its anti-cancer properties. A recent study conducted by North Carolina State University found there are compounds in mustard that have an anabolic affect, which helps increase lean muscle mass and strength.

Use it: In addition to using as a condiment and in spice blends, mustard is a favorite as an emulsifier in salad dressings. Organic ground mustard is a key ingredient in P.S. Flavor!™ Caribbean Kitchen.

Get your mustard in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Pan Seared Bronzed Pineapple Chicken with Warm Winter Roasted Vegetables

Caribbean Shrimp Penne with Asparagus, Sundried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

Citrus Spice Chicken Piccata with Creamy Orzotto and Roasted Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes

Citrus Spice Seared Scallops and Corn Risotto

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The Beneficial Powers of Garlic: For Your Immune System

This potent onion relative contains more than 70 phytochemicals, including the active ingredient allicin, which, in addition to lowering blood pressure, fights infection. Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in the body, but unlike antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; the garlic consumers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other studies suggest that garlic lovers who chow more than six cloves a week have a 30 percent lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50 percent lower rate of stomach cancer.

Use it: Add 1-2 cloves raw or roasted garlic, or ½ tsp. granulated to your cooking once a day. Garlic is a key ingredient in P.S. Flavor!™ Mambo Italiano, Rustic Ranch, Smokey Southern, Creole Kitchen, and Cha Cha Chili.

Get your garlic in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Citrus Spice Chicken Piccata with Creamy Orzotto and Roasted Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes

Grilled Creole Surf and Turf Kabobs and Veggies with Smokey Chermoula Sauce

Pan Seared Smokey Southern Trout with Vegetable Couscous

Mambo Stacked Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Smokey Brussels Sprouts

[psflavor]

The Beneficial Powers of Cumin: For Your Energy

Cumin seeds are aromatic and potent, with the ability to significantly change the flavor of a dish. They are featured prominently in Mexican, Mediterranean, Indian, Middle Eastern, and certain Chinese cuisines. Back in the Middle Ages, cumin was one of the most popular - and most accessible - condiments for the Europeans. As is usually the case with spices that have been in use for thousands of years, cumin contains potent antioxidants and appears to provide a number of potential health benefits: serving as a blood sugar stabilizing agent, fighting osteoporosis, boosting immune function, and increasing energy thanks to being loaded with iron.

Use it: Cumin’s nutty peppery flavor packs a punch when it comes to adding to chili and other Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, as well as playing an important role in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine where it is a key component of curry powder. It adds an exotic flair to rice, legumes, and vinaigrettes, and is delicious when added to vegetables before sautéing or roasting.

Cumin is a key ingredient in several P.S. Flavor!™ spice blends, including Texy Taco, Cha Cha Chili, Moroccan Spice, and Chili Lime.

Get your cumin in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:

Texy Shrimp Tacos with Mocha Citrus Salsa, Cabbage Slaw, and Cilantro Crema

Texy Lentil Autumn Vegetable Soup with Chipotle Cheddar Cornbread

Rustic Ranch Chicken Upside-Down Taco Salad

... and don’t forget Texy Taco Tuesdays! 

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Chocolate: From Bean to Your World

Chocolate is grown in the tropics near the equator. Cacao refers to the tree as well as its fruit and seeds. Yellow-green grooved, oval fruit, about 12 inches long, grows directly from the trunk and lower branches of the tree. At harvest, the pods are cut from the trees, split open, and emptied of their 24 to 40 navy bean-sized seeds.

The natural beans are bitter, and without other ingredients or processing would not be considered delicious. First, the beans are fermented for a few days, and then dried for preservation. Dried beans are roasted to open up the flavor, similar to roasting coffee. In areas of the world where people still grow and harvest their own cocoa beans, roasting may be done at home, over an open fire. Otherwise the dried beans are bagged and shipped to a factory for roasting.

After roasting, the beans are broken open and the insides (known as nibs) are removed and ground. The ground nibs harden into chocolate liquor, which is sold as baking chocolate. 

Cocoa powder occurs when the fat, called cocoa butter, gets removed from the cacao liquor under pressure during processing. The leftover dried solids get ground into the product that is sold as cocoa powder. Unsweetened cocoa powder adds deep chocolate flavor to desserts, beverages and spice blends!

To make eating chocolate, the chocolate liquor is combined with the cocoa butter. Other ingredients may be added with additional processing. To create the chocolates many know and love, candy makers pour chocolate into molds or "enrobe" (coat on all sides) nuts and other fillings. 

Some of the more common pieces and fillings are truffles, combining melted chocolate, butter or cream, sugar, and various flavorings, which, when cooled, are rolled into balls and typically coated with cocoa powder or dipped into melted chocolate; pralines, a confection made of nuts and caramelized sugar; ganache, a rich mixture of chocolate and heavy cream; nougat, a chewy or firm confection made from sugar or honey, roasted nuts, and egg whites; and marzipan, a sweet, pliable mixture of almond paste, sugar, and sometimes egg whites that's often tinted with food coloring and molded into fruit shapes.

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Chocolatier Erika Dupree (owner of Simply Erika in Jacksonville, FL) shows off the whole process at Cocoatown’s Bean to Bar seminar in September 2020. 

Top photo by Rodrigo Flores on Unsplash; bottom photo from Erika Dupree on Instagram.