The folate comes in the form of enriched pasta, black-eyed peas and spinach.  Where does the luck come in?  African-Americans eat black-eyed peas for luck on New Year’s because they resemble coins.  Noodles are considered in many Asian cultures to bring long life.  Many cultures, East and West, eat greens on New Years because their resemblance to folded money is supposed to bring wealth during the coming year. 

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra for spaghetti cooking water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut in small (1/4-inch) dice
1 can black-eyed peas, drained, 1/4 cup canning liquid reserved
Pinch red chili flakes or to taste
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dry
8 oz. bag pre-washed baby spinach
8 oz. whole grain thin spaghetti
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh ground parmesan or to taste
2 tbs chopped parsley

1. Put pasta on to cook according to package directions.
2. As pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet.  Add red pepper and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes.
3. Add red chili flakes and thyme, cook for one minute more.
4. Add the beans with their reserved liquid, and stir in the spinach. Continue until it is wilted, and remove the pan from the heat. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
5. When pasta is cooked, drain and add to pan with vegetable mixture and toss to combine. 
6. Sprinkle on parsley and grated parmesan.  Serve.

SERVINGS: 4

NUTRITION INFO: 405 calories; 11.6 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated),  65 grams carbohydrates; 6.3 grams fiber; 15 grams protein; 56% DV folate.

How many of us keep our New Year’s Resolutions?  More often than not, energetic promises are broken as the year wears on and life catches up with our better intentions. 

But if you decide to get more folic acid this is one resolution you just might keep.  It’s easy!  Either:

1. Take a daily multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid (click here to find out how San Francisco women can get a year’s supply of free vitamins) 

OR

2. Eat a daily bowl of cereal that’s been fortified with 400 mcg of folic acid (download a graphic of which cereals are).

Your hair, skin and nails will thank you!  Since your body uses folic acid to make new cells, getting enough may give you shinier hair, stronger nails and healthier skin.  The rest of your body will thank you too, as folic acid supports heart health and may help to prevent certain cancers, including breast cancer. 

Your future children will thank you also.  Getting enough folic acid at least 3 months before becoming pregnant reduces the risk of having a baby with serious birth defects of the brain and spine (neural tube defects).  It may also lower the risk of premature birth and other serious  birth defects like cleft palate.

So, resolve to Go Folic in 2012! What’s to lose?

The Study

Poor nutrition is thought to play a role in pregnancy complications, such as preterm births and poor growth rates within the womb. The researchers asked 36,000 pregnant Danish womenabout their diet, weight and vitamin use.

Among those who said they had taken multivitamins at least eight out of the 12 weeks before conception, there were 4.3 percent preterm births (before 37 weeks). For those who didn’t take the supplements, the number was 5.3 percent. The vitamin-popping women were also less likely to have a smaller-than-normal baby.

While not conclusive, study findings are similar to those of a similar 2010 study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.  In this study, women who took folic acid at least 1 year before getting pregnant had a greatly reduced risk for having a premie.

Great news for women thinking of getting pregnant!

In California, 1 in 12 babies are born too early. Babies born before 37 weeks are not yet fully developed. Some babies who are born too early don’t live. Those who do survive often have serious life-long problems like blindness, deafness, lung problems, heart problems, liver problems, retardation, learning disabilities, difficulty eating, anemia, and cerebral palsy.

Some nutritionists recommend that pregnant women or women who are thinking of becoming pregnant not take mega-doses of certain vitamins.  However, it’s hard to eat right all of the time.  If you’re planning to get pregnant, eating right + taking a good daily multi with 100% of the RDA for all major vitamins (vs. mega-doses) can give you added insurance that you’re doing everything you can for your future baby’s health.  

San Francisco Women – Get Your Free Vitamins!

If you are a woman between the ages of 14-50 and live in San Francisco, you can get a year’s supply of FREE multivitamins from the SF Dept. of Public Health.  Click here to find out how.  And to get the most out of your vitamins, read our recent post on this topic.

Make Your Own Smoothie

To make your own smoothie, blend 1/2 papaya with 1/2 cup of your favorite fruit juice, add a dash of lime and honey to taste.   Boost the nutritional content with a scoop of protein powder or some yogurt and you’ve got a full meal!

Rather chew than drink?  Try this Minted Papaya and Pineapple Salad from the Healthy Snacks website.  Yum!

Exfoliate and more!

Papaya also has papain, which can clear away dead skin cells and impurities. It’s also helpful if you have acne. A number of expensive facial products now use this extract.  But you can make your own.  Apply the inside layer of the Papaya skin directly onto your skin. Leave it for no more than 5 minutes (more can be drying).  This mask will help remove dead skin cells, improve skin elasticity and shrink pores.

For a mask using the fruit itself, Online Health Tips recommends pureeing one cup of fresh pineapple (which has bromein, another enzyme that promotes healthy skin) and half a cup of fresh papaya. Add honey to mix it into a fine paste. Use this after cleansing the face to open up pores and make the skin more receptive to the moisturizing effects of the mask.

What’s your favorite papaya recipe?

It’s time once again for a tasty recipe from Go Folic!  This week we bring you a twist on an old favorite: macaroni and cheese.  Kids and adults alike love a warm bowl of Mac and Cheese.  Why not add a healthy kick with some veggies?  (We also go heavy on the hot sauce, but we’ll leave that up to you).

Macaroni and Cheese with Glazed Vegetables

Yield: 5 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups shredded lowfat Cheddar cheese
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, lima beans, peas, green beans)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/2 cup 100% orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.  Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
4. Add onions to skillet and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
5. Add evaporated milk, eggs, ground black pepper, and 1 1/2 cups cheese; mix until smooth.
6. Add cooked macaroni noodles to the cheese sauce and stir until well coated.
7. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
8. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top bubbles and begins to brown.
10. While the macaroni and cheese is baking, cook mixed vegetables in a microwave safe dish according to the instructions on the package.
11. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well blended.
12. Drain vegetables and toss with the orange juice mixture.
13. Serve 1 cup of macaroni and cheese alongside 3/4 cup of glazed vegetables.

Recipe from Champions for Change Soulful Recipes.

We talk a lot here at Go Folic about the importance of taking a multivitamin every day to help keep you healthy.  But what is the best way for you to take your vitamins?

Here are some helpful hints:

1. Check with your doctor first: especially if you have any allergies or specific dietary needs.  Ask your doctor what type of vitamins you should be taking regularly.
2. Take your vitamins with food: this will help your stomach digest the vitamins without giving you a stomachache and help your body absorb the vitamins and minerals.
3. Take your vitamins regularly: so you don’t forget!  With your busy schedule, it’s easy to miss your daily vitamin dose.  Taking your vitamins at the same time every day will help you remember more easily.
4. Don’t mix and match: if you start taking a multivitamin, be careful about other dietary supplements or medications you may be taking.  There is such a think as too many vitamins, so you want to be careful.  If you have questions, ask your doctor.
5. If you have any problems, stop right away and talk to your doctor

If you hate the idea of swallowing pills, you’re not alone.  Big multivitamin pills can be really uncomfortable to swallow.  If you’re having trouble, there’s a few things you can try.

• Tilt your head backwards, which will create a clear channel for you to swallow the vitamin.
• Put the vitamin on your tongue first, then swallow liquid.  If you place liquid in your mouth first, oftentimes your throat will close up, making it difficult to swallow your vitamins.
• Try thicker liquids to “trick” your throat into opening wider.  Thinner liquids like water allow your throat to stay small, which can hurt when you’re taking a vitamin.  Your throat must open wider to swallow something thicker, like a shake or smoothie, allowing your multivitamin to sneak through.
• Practice!  It’s not always easy the first few times you try, but it will become less uncomfortable with practice.

Also, we here at Go Folic sometimes sneak our vitamins into sweet treats like spoonfuls of ice cream.  Not exactly doctor recommended – but delicious!

Do you have any tips for people who are not comfortable with swallowing pills?

Ever needed a condom, but didn’t know where to get one fast?

Well now MTV Staying Alive and iCondom have got you covered.  The app helps users to find condoms when they need them, where they need them – even late at night.

This is how it works: The app allows users to instantly locate the nearest place that sells condoms via GPS. It also provides information which has been uploaded by other users about the dispenser or retailer – for example if the machine is broken or if the shop is open 24 hours. All this means iCondom will be used to create the world’s largest condom distribution map.

You can get the app for your iPhone here.

According to a new study, the effects of this type of violence can be experienced for the rest of the survivor’s life.  Women who’ve suffered from gender-based violence are more likely to develop anxiety disorders or other mental woes, experience physical and mental disabilities, and have worse quality of life than other women.

The more violence a woman was exposed to, the greater her risk of developing mental illnesses, according to the study.

For example, about 15 percent of women who had been subjected to one form of gender-based violence experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But, if women were subjected to three or more forms of gender-based violence, that number jumped to more than 56 percent, the investigators found.

Suicide rates were significantly higher for women who’d experienced gender-based violence. The average rate of attempted suicide was 1.6 percent for all women in the study, but it was 6.6 percent for women who’d experienced one form of violence, and 34.7 percent for women exposed to three or more types of violence.

Rates of physical and mental disabilities were also much higher for women who had experienced gender-based violence. These women also tended to report an impaired quality of life.

What You Can Do:

If you or someone you know has experienced gender-based violence, there are ways to get help.

If you live in the United States, call The Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org.

Women living in San Francisco can visit the LEAP (Looking to End Abuse Permanently) website, which can help you develop a safety plan.  They also maintain a current list of resouces (PDF) for counseling, legal services, and shelters.

Women living in Oakland or the East Bay can visit A Safe Place (or call 510.536.SAFE) or HAVEN (or call 248.334.1274).

For more information about gender-based violence, visit The Hotline’s website.

Chicken Tomatillo Salad

Yield: 6 servings (1 cup per serving)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup husked and quartered tomatillos
• 3 tablespoons light Italian dressing
• 1 fresh Anaheim chili, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken or turkey
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. In a blender or food processor container, puree tomatillos with Italian dressing, Anaheim chili, and ground black pepper; set aside
2. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss
3. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well to coat
4. Cover and chill for 20 minutes or make a day ahead to allow flavors to blend
5. Serve on lettuce-lined plates or bowls.

Enjoy!

Not only do we want your feedback, we also want to pay you for it!

Take 5 minutes and answer some short questions and you’ll have the chance to win one of three $100 Visa Gift Cards from Go Folic!

Right now, your odds of winning are pretty good.  Let’s just say you have a better chance of winning $100 from Go Folic than you do of winning the lottery, getting struck by lightning, finding a four leaf clover, or getting pregnant unexpectedly (OK maybe not that last one).

So take our survey and win some money!  It will really help us out and make the stuff we post online even better.

You can find our survey here!