Here are the 5 best tips from our Label Reading Poster contest from the Food and Health Communications Blog:

LYNETTE KAISER: "I love the lesson on label reading and have found that my class participants get the best understanding of what they are eating by seeing it, instead of just reading the information. I use a king-sized Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and a participant to demonstrate what 40 grams of sugar looks like and what 12 grams of fat looks like. They are shocked to actually see what they are putting in their bodies, and after washing their hands they can still feel the film from the fat. It is easy for class members to understand how saturated fat gradually builds up in their arteries to cause clogged arteries and other heart disease. Reading labels has a new meaning. What suprises them the most that we are talking per serving amounts."

HOLLY says:
"- I like to take a label from a popular product that might not seem high in sugar (e.g. vitamin-enhanced water that’s made with sugar) and read through the label. I’ll get a participant to be my assistant. We’ll measure out the number of teaspoons of sugar in a bottle of that product into a clear jar.
- When leading a label reading class, I hand out actual food labels/empty packaging. I find that clients learn better from hands-on experiences. I ask them if they look at the label/nutrition facts panel, and if they do, what do they part do they look at? I also like to quiz the group (assess comprehension): e.g. how much fibre is in a serving of your product? How much sodium?
- We’ll often compare the nutrition fact panels of two related products, e.g. 1% milk vs. whole milk. I’ll ask the participants which product would they choose and why."

NANCY ROSA-MEJIAS says: "I use real labels to distribute among participants, I like the cereal labels, that way people can see how depending on their needs,(i.e., need less sugar, or less salt, some type of disease, like diabetis or high blood pressure), is the kind of cereal they should choose. Also it is interesting to see how the serving size varies on the different cereals depending on weight and not by cup. People emjoy having the label in front of them and discussing about which one is the best choice for them."

CARRIE TAYLOR says: "My favorite “ah ha” moment is teaching consumers how to interpret the added sugar content in terms they understand. Once they learn 4 grams sugar is equivalent to 1 teaspoon sugar, they simply don’t look at their favorite soda and candy bars the same way. It’s hard for them to ignore the fact that their 16-oz bottle for soda is simply water, coloring and 11 teaspoons of sugar. Learning this really opens their eyes for how the Nutrition Facts label can be helpful when shopping for their favorite foods."

From our contest at http://foodandhealth.com/blog/2010/06/5-mistakes-of-label-reading/

Thanks and congrats - we will be mailing you a Label Reading Poster Set soon!!

Our subscriber writes that she is making a food/cooking demonstration for a farmer's market. The good news is that she has plenty of wonderful fruits and vegetables. The challenge is that they only gave her a hot plate and an electric skillet.

"GREAT!" We tell her - an electric skillet is easy to use and it makes everyone feel like they can go home and cook just like you because almost everyone has a skillet and knows how to use it.

Here are our suggestions:

Warm salsa -

Summer's bounty of fresh peppers, tomatoes, onions, herbs and fruits lend themselves well to a warm salsa.

If I was going to make a warm salsa in the skillet, I would chop tomatoes (or use cherry tomatoes just as they are), peppers, green onions, cilantro and peaches/apricots. I would warm them gently - add cilantro and lime at the end and enjoy - this could go great with whole grain pita triangles, chips, veggies, fish, chicken, even fresh salsa or rice - the sky is the limit.

Skillet cobbler -

If you have berries and plums you can make a skillet cobbler. I would cut the plums in quarters and bring to a simmer with sugar and a bit of water plus cinnamon. Then when it is soft add the berries and stir and serve.

There are a few Farmer's Market handouts in our free section here.

And here is the link to a recipe for lower-calorie cheesecake, sorbet cake and a chart on the calories of these items compared to regular frosted cakes.

Whole grain tips and contest results:

We have been working on whole grain recipes this week and ran a contest for the best ideas from health educators. It was very hard to pick the 10 best responses - so we picked 11 and all are receiving our whole grain poster. We liked these because we know everyone is more pressed for time and money and they show a practical and delicious side that we liked. Here they are - we received them via phone, email and our blog:

1. "In response to what I do with whole grains in my kitchen. I always use whole wheat flour whenever I bake. It’s great for my family and no one even knows! I have also mixed whole wheat pasta with regular pasta until my family got use to the taste, now I just use whole wheat pasta when I cook. Lastly, I love trying out new food items. The newest item I have used is faro, a middle eastern pasta with a taste similar to barley. I have a great salad recipe for this grain. Have a great day!"" --- Terry Weideman, Professor – Nutrition, SI Coordinator-ASC
2. "I found a barley risotto recipe w/quick cooking barley and brown rice. Saute onions and mushrooms first in olive oil, add chicken broth and the two grains. Season with garlic powder and black pepper. Shred fresh spinach and add a little to bring out some color. It’s great." --- Cheryl
3. "I love using Barilla Plus pasta - it has a higher fiber and protein content which helps folks get more fiber and feel more full - this is especially great for diabetes patients. It has some semolina flour so it is more palatable than some 100% whole wheat pastas." --- Deborah Linehan, RD
4. "We are a whole grain family (even though my husband calls it the brown pasta!). I rave about whole grains to the college students I see all the time. I am a huge fan of whole wheat couscous – for the time pressed, it is very quick cooking and quite versatile. I like it in stuffed peppers in place of rice or as a one-dish meal with garbanzos, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, garlic, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh corn and a little olive oil and lemon juice.I also enjoy using bulgur for homemade tabouleh or mixed with brown lentils, parsely, lemon juice, garlic, green onion, shredded carrots, crushed red pepper and olive oil…all wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla." --- Shauna Schultz, RD
5. "Though I like to try to make whole grain recipes, more often than not I’ll just try to jazz up a batch of whole grain pasta or rice (could be barley, etc.). I add leftover brown rice or whole wheat pasta to soup—makes it more hearty and satisfying and can skip crackers. Another option I learned from my sister when I was a teenager is to use a higher proportion of rice to soup and make the dish casserole thickness. Sautéed onions, garlic, veggies, etc. can be added in to kick up the flavor and texture." --- Janice Cochran, MS, RD, Wellness Education Services, University at Buffalo
6. "I like to substitute flax seed, 1/4 cup ground, for some of the flour, whenever I make rolls or breads. When I do a group presentation about fat or fiber, I bring along the whole flaxseed, coffee grinder, and small snack-size plastic bags, so they can see how easy it is to grind the flax seed. Then, they get a sample of fresh-ground flaxseed to take home and use right-away! I suggest that they can also add it to yogurt, cereal, etc. for a nutritious Omega-3 boost!" --- Mary Therese Maslanka, RD, LDN
7. "I like quick cooking barley. Beef, spinach and barley soup is wonderful on a cold night. Add a salad and whole wheat bread for a a hearty meal. I also add light cream cheese (garden flavor is yummy)to cooked barley for a creamy side dish." --- Daryl Minch
8. "The “boil in bag” whole grain brown rice is great! No sodium and so quick and easy." Sharol Cripe
9. "Since brown rice takes so long to cook, I prepare an entire 2 lb. bag in a covered dutch oven in the oven. I then freeze the rice in 2 cup portions. It thaws quickly to use in a variety of recipes." --- Frances Wilkinson
10. "I love hot cereal in the morning, but who has tome to make it? On a weeknight or weekend, I make up two big pots of my favorite grains like quinoa or steel cut oats. For a calcium and protein boost, I mix in a quart envelope of dry milk powder before adding the water, and then I cook it on medium, stirring frequently until cooked. After they cool a little, I package the cereals in 1-cup portions and freeze. We just zap them in the microwave in the morning for a wonderful hot breakfast." --- Mary Choate
11. "I have a tip that makes an inexpensive version of “crab spaghetti”. Using whole wheat spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, basil, lemon pepper, and old bay MD Crab Seasoning. This gives the taste of crab without spending on crab meat." --- Charese Robinson, Associate Agent, Food Supplement Nutrition Ed.

Here are the results of the poll for what is your favorite grain food - whole wheat bread won and is followed closely by oatmeal and brown rice:

What do I demo this month?

I must say I have been surprised and inspired by the amount of calls we have had for vegetables and vegetarian recipes for cooking demos (if you are working on one send us an email). Vegetarian is a great theme for April, spring, farmer's markets and healthy eating on a budget of course.

Here are our recommendations for demos:

Baked Ratatouille Dinner - we recommend this one because it uses many spring veggies: eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, herbs - and it cooks in one hour unattended in the oven (along with our suggestions for spaghetti squash and baked potatoes).

Cooking demo tip: Prepare this recipe twice - once to start baking (or have prepared if you don't have a demo oven) and once to prepare for the class. To save time, have a few helpers for the chopped veggies. If you can bake it while you are preparing the demo recipe it will add a great appeal to have aroma and come out of the oven for participants to sample. You can make it in the microwave oven, too; in this case cut the baking time in half and make sure you cover the dish well.

FREE: in our blog: http://foodandhealth.com/blog/2010/02/roasted-vegetarian-dinner/

COMPLETE HANDOUT with recipes and nutrition analysis and photos for members

Whole wheat baking with white whole wheat flour - we chose this because we had a request for it! It is very easy to bake with white whole wheat flour.

Demo tip: make sure you make the dough ahead of time so it has risen before class starts. You can refrigerate it overnight, too. It is good to show the class how to mix the dough and to let a few helpers make a breadstick. This would make a great kids' project.

FREE: in our blog: http://foodandhealth.com/blog/2010/04/whole-wheat-breadsticks/

COMPLETE HANDOUT with info on white whole wheat flour and recipe for members

Grilled Veggies With Whole Wheat Couscous - we chose this because we really love whole wheat couscous. It takes 2 minutes to make and the higher fiber makes us feel fuller on a much smaller portion. The grilled veggies can be made in anyone's oven and this is a great thing to do for a lighter dinner or food demo.

Demo tip: Start chopping and broiling the veggies first because the couscous cooks quickly. We like to use a large 4 cup measure to boil 1 cup of water in the microwave (2 minutes) and then we add 1 cup of couscous, let stand and stir with a fork. It looks great if you put this dish on a big white platter. And we recommend making a lovely Mediterranean style buffet with fresh marinated veggies, this platter and some fresh fruits. Taste tests always rock!

FREE: in our blog: http://foodandhealth.com/blog/2010/04/whole-wheat-couscous/

COMPLETE HANDOUT with info on recipes and nutrition analysis and tips for whole grains for members

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1. Bore them with measurements. No one wants to watch you measure out everything while you cook. Solution: Premeasure everything in neat little cups and bowls. This keeps the work space clean and organized and it helps you go faster.

2. Use very fancy equipment. Remember you want to make it fun and easy. Solution: Use the equipment your attendees are likely to have at home. Of course it is good to offer tips for easy items like rice cookers, nonstick skillets and toaster ovens. But avoid the most expensive copper bowl or pots and pans from an expensive store.

3. Kill yourself preparing everything in advance. Solution: A great way to save time and energy is to have attendees wash their hands, don aprons and help you chop and cook. It keeps the demo interesting, relevant and moving. As one of our customers just said yesterday - it is all about them. If it looks fun and easy, everyone will want to try it.

4. Hide the ingredients. Yes, we did tell you to premeasure. Solution: But you do want to save and show all ingredients. Talk about the garlic powder that has parsley but no salt. Show them the canned tomatoes that are diced and ready to go without salt.

5. Forget the presentation. A grand finale, before allowing everyone to taste your items, is to make a beautiful presentation on a large oversized platter. Solution: Use a large white plate. We love white plates - everything looks more professional on white. Don't be afraid to mix and match plates - we have a huge stack of "orphans" in our kitchen of all sorts of white china that is fun to serve upon. We are always shopping and looking for china for presentations.

And here are a few tips more to keep your demo smooth -

• Practice, practice, practice. Make your demo item a few times for dinner yourself.
• Smile and have fun along the way - pretend that you are cooking for a best friend.
• Have handouts with recipes they can refer to along the way so they are not worried about writing down the recipe - and they can take notes to help them learn your valuable tips. Make sure you put your name and email/website address so they can contact you afterwards for more info.
• Break the ice. Yesterday we got a call from a long time subscriber. She is going to start her demo by removing all of the prepared foods from a virtual pantry onstage. And she is going to explain how one of her valued clients did exactly that - he pitched the canned/boxed goods in his kitchen and he and his wife each lost almost 20 pounds by following the DASH diet, cooking all meals and using fruits and vegetables front and center. He became her client because he was concerned about their health when his 36 year old brother suddenly passed away from a stroke. It is always great to use a testimonial or ice breaker story in the beginning.

Here is a favorite recipe from our library - it uses tilapia which is an inexpensive fish (you could also use chicken) and the baked salsa brings more flavor, more vegetables and less salt.

Salsa-Broiled Tilapia

16 ounces tilapia fillets

2 cups chopped tomato

1 lime, juice only

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2- teaspoon minced jalapeno

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Preheat oven broiler.

Place fish in baking dish and top with tomato, lime juice, green onion and jalapeno.

Broil until fish is done, about 10 minutes.

Serve fish hot with baked salsa spooned over the top and garnish with chopped cilantro (or parsley).

Serves 4. Each serving: 130 calories, 3.2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 59 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 19 g protein.

Happy cooking!

Judy

This wonderful vegetarian dinner was easy to make. It used 15 different vegetables and only took about 15 minutes to prep. The baking time was 1-1/2 hours - and it was unattended. The house smelled wonderful and now we have leftovers for tomorrow, too.

I found these graffiti eggplant in the market today and immediately thought of making ratatouille and a vegetarian roasted dinner. Roasted dinners are my favorites - you put everything in the oven and then serve when done. The house smells great and there is little attendance time. Plus you are more efficient with energy use because everything goes in the oven.

Ratatouille

Here are the main ingredients:

2 eggplant, cubed

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

1 onion

garlic - minced - 2 cloves

1 shallot

1 cup mushrooms

1 bell pepper

2 cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tsp parsley

1 cup water or broth

Place all ingredients in a large covered casserole:

Bake for 1-1/2 hours.

We also added a steak potato and a fancy yam:

And a spaghetti squash:

It is easy to make this delightful squash -you cut it in half, remove the seeds and place it cut side down in a covered baking casserole. A microwave can cook it in 10 minutes, but we chose to throw it in the oven with the ratatouille and the yams.

And in the mean time, while these items baked, we made an heirloom tomato salad and the snack bowl for the week.

This is celeriac - it is a root that has a distinct celery flavor. It is delicious when put in soups and when shaved or minced finely for salads.

These are heirloom tomatoes. They are non-hybrid, open pollinated tomatoes that are very intriguing in the number of colors and shapes they are available. Generally they are interesting and very flavorful. It was our best choice for the winter market and since we were going vegetarian there is more room in the budget for fun items like these.

The salads, we decided, should be individuals - diners have their choice of red or yellow heirloom tomatoes, complete with julienne (thin strips) of celeriac and shaved organic carrots. We topped these with olive oil and balsamic vinegar glaze and black pepper:

I also bought huge pears and honey crisp apples - so those got washed and put in a bowl in the refrigerator - waiting to be snacks for the week. I noticed they disappear faster when put in a bowl:

It took about 1-1/2 hours for the ratatouille, potato, yam and spaghetti squash to cook until perfect. (The oven was 375-400 degrees):

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