Nutrition for life

Have you ever tried eating smart? It’s not just about making savvy nutrition choices like opting for whole grain over white, steamed over fried, or baked over sautéed.

It’s about boosting your eating knowledge to reap rewards that go beyond losing weight or reducing health risks. Think of the really big picture ... a better overall quality of life and a higher level of vitality.

The good news is, eating right doesn’t have to be hard. More and more food companies are creating ever healthier products with reduced levels of trans fats, saturated fats, sodium and added sugars.

Unilever - manufacturer of brands such as Lipton, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Bertolli, Ragu, Hellmann’s and Promise — has slashed percentages of these four “nutrients of concern” — in addition to cholesterol — in its products as part of a new front-of-pack logo and recipe program called Eat Smart/Drink Smart, which helps consumers make smarter food selections and better decisions in meal preparation.

“With a nutritional stamp, such as Eat Smart/Drink Smart, families benefit from eas-ily being able to make better food choices, which help them shop, cook and eat smart.” says Jenna Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD, CSSD, Registered Dietitian in Massachusetts.

Opting for more nutritious products, and preparing simple yet delicious recipes with a focus on proper nutrition will help boost your food intellect — and your vitality.

How’s Your Vitality?

A recent study conducted by Unilever found vitality to be directly linked to good health, and good eating choices, in particular.

Put simply, choosing to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle yields long-term, far-reaching benefits. The research uncovered some interesting facts about America’s sense of vitality:

- 63 percent said their level of vitality depends on how well they take care of themselves.

- Four of the top six physical drivers of vitality were food-and-nutrition-related.

- 61 percent of those surveyed found that vitality was extremely important to them, yet 75 percent said they weren’t satisfied with their own vitality levels.

To help Americans determine and improve their own levels of vitality, Unilever has created My Vitality Index (www.myvitalityindex.com), an easy-to-use, online resource that provides valuable information for enhancing health and wellness.

The Web site includes a customized vitality quiz; tips and advice for achieving more vitality; better-for-you recipes distinguished by ingredient, nutrient, and recipe category; and more.

Eat Smart(tm) Recipes meet Unilever-established criteria, which help consumers stay in line with U.S. Dietary Guidelines for trans fats, saturated fats, sugars, sodium (salt), and cholesterol. All of thse dishes are Unilever Eat Smart(tm) recipes.

Fettuccine With Turkey Bolognese Sauce

6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 teaspoon Bertolli Olive Oil

2 carrots, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 to 1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

1/4 cup dry red wine or chicken broth

1 jar (1 pound 10 ounces) Ragu Old World Style Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 box (16 ounces) fettuccine, cooked and drained

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook carrots, onion and celery, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until tender. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with spoon, until turkey is thoroughly cooked. Stir in wine.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce and parsley. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Season, if desired, with salt and pep-per. Serve over hot fettuccine.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 490, Calories From Fat 50, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 6g, Cholesterol 45mg, Sodium 680mg, Total Carbohydrate 70g, Sugars 11g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Protein 41g, Vitamin A 80%, Vitamin C 10%, Calcium 6%, Iron 25%

Oven-Baked Harvest Apples

4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

4 large McIntosh or golden delicious apples, cored

3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 tablespoon finely chopped pecans

4 teaspoons Promise Buttery Spread

2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel top third of apples. In 8-inch baking dish, arrange apples peeled-side up; set aside.

In small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, cranberries, pecans and cinnamon; evenly spoon into center of apples, then evenly top each with spread. Pour water around ap-ples. Bake uncovered, basting occasionally, 1 hour or until tender.

Microwave Directions: Peel apples as above. In microwave-safe pie plate, arrange ap-ples. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Meanwhile, combine sugar mixture as above; evenly spoon into apples, then top each with 1 teaspoon Spread. Cover with waxed paper and microwave an additional 2 minutes or until apples are ten-der. Let stand 5 minutes.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 200, Calories From Fat 40, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 4.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 35mg, Total Carbohydrate 43g, Sugars 34g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Protein 1g, Vitamin A 6%, Vitamin C 16%, Calcium 2%, Iron 4%

Gremolata-Crusted Tilapia

6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 slice whole grain bread

1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise

6 tilapia fillets (about 1-1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In food processor, process bread until small crumbs form; remove and set aside. Into processor, add parsley, garlic, lemon peel and pepper; process until blended. Add may-onnaise and process just until blended.

On baking sheets or broiler pan, arrange fillets. Evenly sprinkle with lemon juice, then evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then bread crumbs. Bake 15 minutes or until fish flakes with fork.

(This recipe is "Best Life" approved. Best Life is a trademark owned by Best Life Corp. Learn more about the Best Life program at www.thebestlife.com.)

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 150, Calories From Fat 45, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 5g, Cholesterol 60mg, Sodium 150mg, Total Carbohydrate 3g, Sugars 0g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Protein 24g, Vitamin A 4%, Vitamin C 4%, Calcium 2%, Iron 4%

Mandarin Chicken Salad

4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup Wish-Bone Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced (about 3 cups)

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1 package (10 to 12 ounces) mixed salad greens (about 4 cups)

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup seasoned croutons

In large bowl, blend dressing and marmalade. Add chicken, red onion and salad greens; toss to coat. Gently fold in oranges and croutons.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 400, Calories From Fat 140, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 15g, Cholesterol 90mg, Sodium 430mg, Total Carbohydrate 30g, Sugars 21g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 36g, Vitamin A 60%, Vitamin C 70%, Calcium 10%, Iron 15%