Pumpkin
Why it’s good for you: Pumpkin is a low-calorie vegetable that’s high in fiber and vitamin A. “Its orange color is a dead giveaway of its high amount of beta carotene, which helps prevent heart disease,” says Brill. “It’s also so versatile for cooking.”
How to eat it: There’s no need to cook your jack-o-lantern; canned pumpkin is an easy and accessible grocery-store staple.
Serving size: 1 cup, from canned
Calories: 83
Recipe: Pumpkin Oatmeal with Yogurt and Raisins
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 ½ cups water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup quick-cooking steel-cut oats
½ cup canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup raisins
1 tablespoon molasses
½ cup sugar-free vanilla yogurt
4 tablespoons chopped walnuts, divided
In an 8-cup microwave-safe dish, stir together the water, cinnamon and oats. Cook in the microwave on high power for 4 to 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the microwave and stir in the pumpkin puree, raisins and molasses. Spoon into 4 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons yogurt and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Serve immediately.
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 188
Fat: 6 g
Sodium: 23 mg
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 12 g
Protein: 6 g
Recipe excerpted from the upcoming Blood Pressure Down by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN (Three Rivers Press, May 2013). To learn more about this book, visit DrJanet.com
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