Recipe: Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A and C and are a great source of fiber and potassium. These fries could make a tasty side dish or snack.

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, rinsed and dried
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4″ thin strips, or to your desired thickness and length. Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients (oil and spices) until potatoes are evenly coated.

Spread out the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. (Try not to overcrowd the sheet, or have multiple layers of fries — you want them to be roasted, not steamed.)

Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning the fries once or twice during that time to cook evenly. (May take more or less time, depending on the size and thickness you cut the fries.) Remove once the edges slightly begin to brown and fries begin to crisp.

Helpful Tips:

Experiment with some of your favorite seasonings! This recipe is adaptable so you can make it perfect for you!

Try putting a cooling rack on your parchment lined pan and placing the potatoes on the rack. This allows air to circulate underneath the food and eliminate the need to turn the potatoes.

Original recipe found here.

National Nutrition Month

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? This month try to focus on "getting your plate in shape." Set a goal to improve your diet by eating more fruits and vegetables, or replace processed foods with whole grain foods. For several links to helpful diet and nutrition resources, click here.

Congratulations to our "Drink More Water" Challenge Winners!

Congrats to our winners and to everyone for participating! Hopefully you began to see some positive changes from drinking more water and will keep it up! Stay tuned for info about the next challenge that will begin the end of April!

Food Safety

Have you ever wondered how long to cook your 9 pound turkey? Or maybe after it's cooked you're not sure how long you can store it in the refrigerator. If you are questioning that or any other meat (bison, sausages, lamb, hot dogs, chicken etc.) you can get all the info you need to be sure your food is safe by visiting foodsafety.gov

The website also has guidelines to help you thaw foods safely and keep your eggs, dairy and produce germ free to prevent food-borne illness.

No More Pyramid

Did you know that we no longer have a food guide pyramid to illustrate the recommended daily servings for each food group. Two of the outdated versions are shown below.

Instead, we have MyPlate. It was developed as a simple, easy to understand icon that reminds consumers to eat healthfully. It includes the five food groups we need to have at our meals; fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and dairy.

To learn more about MyPlate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov

Adult Vaccine Recommendations

Vaccines aren't just for children! As an adult it's important to keep your vaccines up-to-date to help protect yourself and your loved ones from illness. For more information on what vaccines adults need to get, click here, and for information on the most recent changes in vaccine recommendations, click here.

Are you still drinking that water?....

There's one more week left of our "Drink More Water" challenge! Keep drinking that water and remember to enter all your tracking by February 28th to be eligible for great prizes!

Healthy Teeth For A Healthy Heart

Did you know that brushing and flossing your teeth may protect your heart and arteries from cardiovascular disease? Research suggests that there is a link between flossing and heart disease. One study found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease, while another study concluded that the presence of gingivitis, cavities, and/or missing teeth was as good at predicting heart disease as cholesterol levels. Researchers aren't really sure why or how mouth health is connected to heart health, but more research is being done to answer these questions. Using your toothbrush and floss could do more than just give you a bright, healthy smile, it could help keep your heart healthy too! For more information click here.

If you need a sweet treat...

Research suggests that flavonol, a substance found in cocoa beans and dark chocolate,
may improve blood flow and lower your blood pressure.
But... even the healthiest chocolate adds
calories to your diet, so treat yourself sparingly!

Training for any race

Our own Clark Merkley gave a GREAT presentation yesterday at our brown bag! He shared his motivation for starting to run as well as some great tips on how to start training for any race! He also shared a great website to get your own personal training schedule! Check out http://halhigdon.com
There's ton of races scheduled for around the county throughout the year so there's plenty of opportunity to give it a try! Start training now for our 3rd annual Healthy Lifestyles 5k that will take place on August 11th! Find your motivation!

For other races around the county check out www.utahraceguide.com