Richland County HEA will be holding their Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, November 3rd at the Community Bldg. in the Olney City Park from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. They will hold a quilt raffle, pie-a-rama; have themed gift-baskets for sell, and a white elephant & flower table. There will be a 50/50 drawing and door prizes. Go & have a good time!

Don't forget we will be delivering our goodies to Hutsonville's Heritage Home on Tuesday, November 6th directly after the Board Meeting. All HEA members are invited to come along for a fun trip! You can also attend the Board Meeting! Please plan on going to the Heritage Home.

If you are trying to get more calcium in your diet, don't count on cottage cheese. It usually retains only 25-50% of the calcium of the milk it is made from, though a few brands are fortified with added calcium. A cup of cottage cheese typically has 120-200 milligrams of calcium; a cup of milk has 300 milligrams; a cup of plain yogurt, about 400 milligrams. Still, low-fat/nonfat cottage cheese is rich in protein – and it is one of the few cheeses truly low in fat.

- Bev Combs, Nutrition Educator

Practicing some simple healthy habits regularly can make a big difference in your health. Below are some simple things you might do to be more active and make healthy choices in what you eat or drink.

You probably are already doing some of these things. Most of us would benefit by adding some of these things to our daily routine.

Read through the list and mark the things that you are already doing. Select a couple of things that you could do to be healthier. Practice these habits for a week or two. When you have gotten use to doing these try adding another. It is never too late to practice healthy habits.

Get Active

• I use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• I walk at least 10 minutes a day - three or more times a week.
• I park the car a bit farther away so that I can walk.
• I plan time together with family or friends that includes being physically active (walking, riding bikes, working outside, swimming, etc.)
• I walk or bike on a short trip instead of taking the car at least once during the week.
• I stretch or do easy exercises while watching TV.

Eat and Drink Healthy

• I eat with family or friends at least twice a week.
• I eat a fruit or vegetables at every meal.
• I eat a fruit or vegetables as a snack every day.
• I try not to eat too much fast food.
• I never supersize, unless it is to share with others.
• I buy frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables.
• I buy whole grain bread (whole wheat, bran, oatmeal, multigrain).
• I use small amounts of margarine, butter and salad dressing.
• I bake, broil, grill, microwave meats, fish, and poultry.
• I drink more water or fruit juice.
• I drink 1% or skim milk.
• I will try to do the following habits this week: ________________________________________________________

- Barbara Farner, Extension Educator

HEALTHY DESSERT RECIPES

The following recipes all have 300 calories or less, 10 grams of fat or less and 1/2 gram of trans fat or less per normal size serving. Whenever possible, canola oil was used in place of partially hydrogenated fat and butter. The following guidelines were used:

• When ingredient options appear in a recipe, the first ingredient choice is used for the analysis.
• "Optional" ingredients are omitted in the analysis.
• If a recipe gives optional serving sizes, the nutritional analysis is calculated using the first choice.

Oil Pie Dough – This is a "better for you" pie dough without saturated or trans fat!

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil

6 Tablespoons cold water

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour oil and water into a measuring cup but do not stir. Pour the mixture over the flour all at once. Stir these ingredients lightly with a fork until blended. Dough may be formed into a crust by patting into a pan with a spoon or may be rolled between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Yield: 2-9" pie shells or 16 tarts

Nutritional information per 1/8 of a pie shell: 112 calories, 7 g fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 67 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein

Better for You Pecan Pie – This recipe has all the wonderful flavors of traditional pecan pie but with about half the calories. The trick is cutting back on the amount of pecans, skipping the melted butter and substituting 1 egg white for one of the 3 eggs in the original recipe.

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

1/4 cup pecan halves

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 9-inch pie crust (analysis based on oil pie dough recipe)

Preheat oven to 350º. In a medium bowl combine corn syrup, maple syrup, flour, salt and eggs until well blended. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour filling into prepared crust and bake 50 minutes or until edges puff and center is set. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 295 calories, 9 g fat, 0 g trans fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 194 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber

Low-Fat Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake

3/4 cup chocolate chips, finely chopped

1 large egg white
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup egg whites or liquid egg substitute

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch spring-form pan with vegetable oil spray. Place chopped chocolate chips in a large bowl; set aside. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg white with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat cocoa, sugar, and milk until simmering, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Whisk in 1 cup egg whites or egg substitute, and then fold in beaten egg white. Pour batter into prepared pan and set in another pan at least 2 inches wider and deeper. Add enough water to bottom pan to come two-thirds up the side of the cake pan. (This is so edges won't burn.) Bake 30 minutes. Chill in refrigerator 8 hours before serving. Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 160 calories, 6 g fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 3 g fiber

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – This healthier version has half the fat and 1/3 less sodium than the traditional recipe.

1 tablespoon margarine (65% oil)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1 (8-ounce) can pineapple slices

4 maraschino cherries, halved (packed in juice) drained and halved

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons margarine

Coat a 9-inch round baking pan with cooking spray. Melt 1 tablespoon margarine in the pan by placing pan in a cold oven. Turn oven to 350º and remove pan after 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Spread evenly in the pan. Arrange pineapple and cherries in the pan atop the brown sugar mixture; set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites and egg with an electric mixer on high speed for 4 minutes. Gradually add the 3/4 cup sugar, beating on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed just until combined. In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk and 2 tablespoons margarine until the margarine melts; add to batter beating until combined. Pour batter into pan over pineapple slices. Bake in a 350º oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen sides and invert on serving plane. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 232 calories, 5 g fat, 0 g trans fat, 27 mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber

Double Chocolate Mini Fudge Cakes

3 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 egg whites

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Microwave chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes or until completely melted. Stir in cocoa powder and let stand for 10 minutes.

Beat egg whites and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed 3 minutes or until tripled in volume. Reduce speed to medium low; blend in melted chocolate mixture until well combined. Spoon batter into 6 paper-lined medium muffin cups.

Bake 18 minutes or until puffed and center is set. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped topping, if desired. Yield: 6 servings

Nutritional information per serving: 190 calories, 8 g fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein

- Carol C. Schlitt, Extension Educator