by Guest | Nov 16, 2022 | Recipes
These tender, low fat biscuits are a perfect way to use up extra sweet potatoes (or yams). I sometimes bake an extra sweet potato for dinner and use it to prepare these slightly sweet and spicy biscuits within a couple of days. They come together quickly and contain more fiber and vitamins than traditional biscuits. Serve hot from the oven or warm with butter, jam, honey, cream cheese or sharp cheese or serve on the side with a bowl of soup, beans or stew.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour (all purpose flour works too)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 – ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger OR nutmeg
- ¾ cup cooked, peeled, mashed sweet potato or yam (canned works too)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine OR refined coconut oil
- ½ cup milk (any kind, unsweetened and unflavored)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a metal baking pan with parchment or foil.
- Combine dry ingredients in medium large bowl. Whisk well.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, melted butter and milk, stirring well.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
- Knead the dough 5 or 6 times, turning the dough over itself to create layers.
- Flatten dough to ¾ inch thickness.
- Cut with a 2-½ inch biscuit cutter.
- If you want biscuits with lightly crisp browned outsides, evenly space biscuits in prepared pan so they aren’t touching. If you want them all over soft, place them closer together.
- Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden.
Yields about 12 biscuits.
Recipe Source: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven
Find more Kitchen Maven recipes in the recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times” where 100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity. The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes.
by Guest | Nov 16, 2022 | Being Well
November 17th is the Great American Smokeout. Every year on the 3rd Thursday of November, this day is an opportunity to work towards a healthier, tobacco-free community. Whether that means taking the first step towards quitting tobacco yourself or helping someone you know quit, there are lots of ways to get involved.
While tobacco use rates have gone down in the past few decades, 34 million people in the United States still smoke. Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the world, and according to the Oregon Health Authority, in 2019 we spent $9.8 Million on tobacco-related medical care in Tillamook County alone. Tobacco use of all kinds, including cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco like chew or dip, can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and type 2 diabetes. E-cigarettes, which are growing in popularity among youth, can negatively impact focus, memory, and brain development, as well as damage lung tissue. Quitting these products is the best thing you can do to improve your health.
Quitting looks different for everyone. You should plan your quit in a way that makes sense for you. Some people quit “cold turkey” on their own, but there are lots of free resources available to help you on your quitting journey. A few good places to start are:
- Talk to your healthcare provider: Your provider can help guide you through the quitting process, including making a quit plan, connecting you with additional resources and tools, and prescribing medication that can help reduce nicotine cravings. Tobacco cessation treatments are covered by most insurance plans.
- Build a support system: This can mean talking to friends and family about your plan to quit and what they can do to help support you, or connecting with a counselor. You can also use free phone, text, and online resources to get support.
- Oregon Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) (English) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) (Español): Free phone counseling, mailed and online resources, and nicotine patches or gum for those eligible. Available to anyone in Oregon age 13+.
- SmokefreeTXT: A free texting service with supportive messages to help you stay quit. Text QUIT to 47848 to get started.
- QuitSTART and QuitGuide: Free smartphone apps to help you manage cravings and stay motivated. Download them from your phone or tablet’s app store.
- This is Quitting: A free texting service specifically for teens and young adults who want to quit vaping. Text DITCHVAPE to 88709.
- Know why you’re quitting: Having a list of reasons why you want to quit (like health, money, or family) can help you stay motivated when you experience cravings.
- Make a plan to manage cravings: Activities like going for a walk, drinking water, or breathing exercises can help you get through difficult cravings. Planning these activities ahead of time and knowing your triggers makes it easier to respond in the moment, and the worst symptoms will usually go away within a few weeks.
- Keep trying: It takes most people several attempts to quit for good. Even if you slip, remember that you’re still one step closer to a tobacco-free life.
Using a combination of methods, such as medication and counseling, provides the best chance for long-term success. Use November 17th as a day to start building your quit plan, or if you’re ready to quit now, make it your first day of being tobacco-free.
If you want to support someone else in quitting, the best thing you can do is listen to their needs. Lecturing and nagging won’t help, but being patient and positive, even if they get frustrated or slip, can go a long way in helping someone stay tobacco-free. You can also make your home, car, and other spaces tobacco-free, remove any items or odors that may remind the person of tobacco (such as ashtrays or lighters), and avoid using tobacco yourself, especially while you are around the person trying to quit. For more tips on how to help someone else quit, visit https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/helping-a-smoker-quit.html
To learn more about the available tools and resources, visit tillamookchc.org/ph/tobacco-prevention. Remember: You don’t have to quit tobacco in one day. Start with day one.
AUTHOR: Amy McVeety, Tobacco Prevention and Education Program Coordinator at Tillamook County Community Health Center
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 9, 2022 | Being Well
In October, Tillamook County Wellness offered a popular series of classes on financial literacy. We learned that we always have something new to learn about how to manage the everyday costs of living. But that got me thinking, “What are the costs of living with a chronic condition, like diabetes, and how does that affect your overall lifestyle?”
Many people think of diabetes as merely an issue of too much sugar in the diet. However, diabetes can not only cause long-term health issues, but it can also mean additional expenses over time, especially if it is not treated properly. In fact, diabetes is the most expensive chronic condition in the United States. People with diabetes must manage their condition and consider the cost of doctor’s visits, medications, and supplies.
For people with diabetes, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels help decrease the risk of complications, such as nerve damage, vision problems and heart disease, among other problems. Naturally, better management of the disease can also mean lower health care costs.
Let’s consider some of the costs on a personal level related to diabetes.
People diagnosed with diabetes shoulder medical expenses 2.3 times greater than those without diabetes. According to the researchers at Good Rx, when the various costs are tallied, including the cost of extra doctor visits, over-the-counter supplies, and lost wages, a typical person with diabetes taking insulin could spend a shocking $4,800 a year in extra costs – even with health insurance. That figure represents about 10% of the average American’s annual wage.
Costs get even more expensive for those living with uncontrolled diabetes, with more than one chronic condition, or those lacking insurance altogether.
More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, and more than seven million of those people treat their condition using insulin. In Tillamook County, it is estimated that one in three people have prediabetes, and that nine out of ten don’t even know it or have no symptoms. Those numbers have likely increased during the pandemic, but they have not been measured yet.
These out-of-pocket costs present a significant burden for people with diabetes, over and above the work of monitoring their disease, checking blood glucose levels, and the toil of regular insulin injections.
You can take control of these potential costs by prevention — lifestyle changes can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. Prevention is especially important if you’re currently at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes because of excess weight or obesity, high cholesterol, or a family history of diabetes.
The Tillamook County Family YMCA offers a year-long program with the goal of losing 6-7% of body fat and working up to 150 minutes of physical activity each week. The group meets every week for the first 16 weeks and every other week after that. The next cohort is expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. And the best part, this program is free!
Past participants of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (mentioned above) have lost 15-19 lbs. on average and increased their activity to 151-550 minutes per week on average. Those are impressive – yet very attainable – statistics that will improve your overall health.
Additionally, the Tillamook County Family YMCA offers a wide range of programs to help you live a better, healthier life: including the National Diabetes Prevention Program, Living Well with Diabetes, Living Well with Chronic Conditions, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and other fitness programs. Check out their website for more information at https://tillamookymca.org/.
The bottom line is, that taking a few simple changes in your lifestyle now may help you avoid the serious health complications of diabetes in the future and save you money as well. It’ s never too late to get started!
AUTHOR: Patti Atkins, APR, Marketing Communications Consultant to TCCHC
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 9, 2022 | Recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 ripe pears
- 3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons honey (see Notes) orbrown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon dried cranberries
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut pears in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or melon baller.
- Place the pears in a baking dish. Fill centers with walnuts and drizzle about half a teaspoon of honey over each pear.
- Sprinkle each pear half with cinnamon and cranberries.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pears are soft when poked with a fork. Serve warm.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Honey is not recommended for children under 1 year old.
Photo and Recipe Source: https://foodhero.org/recipes/cinnamon-baked-pears
by Guest | Nov 2, 2022 | Recipes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons uncooked white rice
- ¼ cup grated carrot or zucchini
- ½ cup finely chopped onion, divided
- 1 ¼ cup finely chopped tomato, divided
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh mint or ¼ teaspoon dried mint (optional)
- 8 ounces ground meat, 15% fat or less (beef, chicken, turkey or pork)
- ¼ cup plain bread crumbs (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 6 cups low-sodium broth (any type)
- 1 or 2 sprigs fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 2 cups chopped vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned)
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- For meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix together the rice, carrot, ¼ cup onion, ¼ cup tomato, egg, salt, oregano and mint, if desired. Mix in ground meat. Add bread crumbs to help the mixture stick together, if desired.
- Using the palms of your hands or a scoop, roll the mixture into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Set the meatballs aside and wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add ¼ cup onion and 1 cup tomato and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in broth, oregano and garlic powder, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Add meatballs to the broth. Cover and simmer until the internal temperature of a meatball reaches 165 degrees on a food thermometer, about 20 minutes.
- Add vegetables to the soup and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Top with a squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- No breadcrumbs? Use 1 Tablespoon cornstarch instead.
- Thanks to the Food Hero Latinx Workgroup for this recipe.
Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/meatball-soup-0?fbclid=IwAR3mgYu2TihsgRszLdTTUWwrzdbhnAbpdy9O9CEF0tYvVo3koS-AyTYMCkk
