MSNBC has an interesting feature called "The 20 saltiest foods in America." They could not possibly have tested all the foods in America but they have certainly found twenty extremely salty foods. Here's a sample of the findings.
Saltiest Dish in America: Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Portobello - 7,300 mg sodium, 1,020 calories, 66 g fat
Saltiest Dessert: Atlanta Bread Company Raspberry Scone - 1,750 mg sodium, 360 calories
Saltiest Appetizer: Papa John's Cheesesticks with Buffalo Sauce - 6,700 mg sodium, 2,605 calories, 113 g fat, 296 g carbs
Saltiest TV Dinner: Swanson Hungry-Man XXL Roasted Carved Turkey - 4,480 mg sodium, 1,360 calories, 70 g fat
A lot of frozen foods have high salt counts in addition to Hungry-Man frozen dinner mentioned above. That's a grocery store aisle you may want to avoid if you are trying to cut salt.
We recently posted an asparagus recipe from Chef Bill Telepan. Now we see that Noodles & Company has a clever ad campaign going that features an asparagus. The ad says there are only two kinds of vegetables - asparagus and those who wish they were.
"I applaud the chef for choosing me as his muse for this fresh new recipe," said Asparagus. "I'm a totally fabulous vegetable, and he gets that about me." Noodles & Company's new Linguine with Fresh Asparagus features tender asparagus spears, roma tomatoes and linguine tossed in a light sauce of olive oil, butter, lemon, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs topped with parmesan.
Critics are calling this her best dish yet. "After eating it, I had a spearitual restaurant experience," said M.F.K. Fennel, author of The Art of Delicious Vegetable Eating. "Asparagus is fresh, saucy and confident in this recipe," said Alice Watercress from Chez Bon Appetit You May Eat Vegetables magazine. "She delivers a firm, flavorful and memorable performance," said Ima Foody from Eat Delicious Vegetables Daily Blog.
"That's fresh," said Asparagus. "I've known for practically ever that I'm delicious and talented and quite nutritious so I'm not surprised they feel this way. Look, I'm obviously fat-free, cholesterol-free and only a few calories per stalk. I'm high in folic acid and a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamins B6, A and C, as well as thiamin and rutin, which are very important anti-oxidants." Even the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board calls her one of nature's most perfect foods.
Asparagus spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soils.
Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period.
Each crown will send spears up for about 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer.
The outdoor temperature determines how much time will be between each picking...early in the season, there may be 4-5 days between pickings and as the days and nights get warmer, a particular field may have to be picked every 24 hours.
After harvesting is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce red berries and the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.
An asparagus planting is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system.
A well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted.
The larger the diameter, the better the quality!
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.
Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.
A lot of people are trying to start healthy diets and lifestyle this time of year. Fitness expert and health-guru Denise Austin offers the following suggestions for getting your year off to a good healhty start. She's also teamed with Tyson foods as you can see in the tips and in the video clip.
Moderation is key: Balanced food choices will put you on the path to success. Including Tyson recipe-ready chicken or steak in one or two meals a week will help cut down on fast food eating, and giving your family new and healthy meals to try. Try eating well 80 percent of the time and treating yourself the other 20 percent.
Mix it up: Don't get stuck in the rut of eating high-calorie foods for convenience sake. Tyson recipe-ready chicken or steak allows you to prepare a fast meal that is both tasty and good for you. Chicken or steak strips on a salad, in pasta, or even inside a wrap make a great, high-protein lunch, dinner or snack.
Curb snacking: Try putting an 8 p.m. curfew on your kitchen or brush your teeth after dinner to help keep temptation at bay and put a mental cutoff on eating plans for the evening.
Make it convenient: Even if you don't hit the gym every day, make exercise interesting by making walking dates with friends, or even just finding reasons to get up from your desk at work and move around.
Get in a routine: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, giving yourself eight hours of sleep for maximum energy. And make sure to start your day with a healthy breakfast; studies reveal that skipping meals can actually lead to overeating and weight gain.
Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is easier said this done but it does make a routine easier if you can pull it off. Here's Denise Austin teaching you how to make Southwestern chicken salad.
MSNBC has an 
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