In general, milk is known for abetting strong teeth and bones, good skin, immune system support and the prevention of dental decay, hypertension, respiratory problems, some forms of cancer and other illnesses.

And now, it helps to reduce heart disease. A study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that three glasses of milk per day may lead to an 18% decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

While some people steer clear of milk because of the saturated fat, the researchers, from Harvard University and Wageningen University in The Netherlands, found no link between the consumption of regular or low-fat dairy and any increased risk of heart disease, stroke or total mortality.

That doesn’t mean you should embrace the calories and fat of whole milk. Switch whole milk for 2% lowfat milk and wean your way down to 1% and 0% fat.

Three glasses a day keep the doctor away.
Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

• Try Superpremium Milk. We love the “superpremium” fat free milk that removes some of the natural water content. It concentrates the milk flavor so that 0% tastes like 2%. It’s well worth the extra money.
• Go Lactose-Free. There are plenty of lactose-free milk options for sensitive people. THE NIBBLE office has only lactose-free milk and soymilk in our office. Lactose-free milk tastes exactly like conventional milk and is available in lowfat and nonfat versions.
• Consider Organic Milk. One of the best-selling organic products is milk, since conventional herds can be injected with the growth hormone rBGH/rBST. You can even find milk that’s organic and lactose-free. Organic Valley makes certified organic Fat Free/Skim Lactose Free Milk and 1% Lactose Free Milk. There’s a $1.00 coupon on the website.

You don’t have to drink milk by the glass. Add it to tea (chai with a hefty pour of milk is a natural). Switch regular coffee for latte. And try this comfort food, one of our diet tricks:

• Fill a mug with nonfat milk and heat it in the microwave. Time will vary based on milk temperature, so start with 60 seconds for cold milk and see what works best in your microwave.
• Remove mug from microwave and stir in a packet of noncaloric sweetener or a bit of agave nectar.
• You can play around with spices (cinnamon and nutmeg work well) or extracts (a bit of vanilla or banana, for example; or stir in a piece of mashed banana).

Milk it for all it’s worth.

Elvis Presley’s favorite sandwich (photo courtesy Hipsubwg.Blogspot.com.

Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935, and left the world too soon in 1977.

As has been told many times, his favorite food was a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Try one to see if you and Elvis enjoy the same snack. Here’s the recipe, from Are You Hungry Tonight? Elvis’ Favorite Recipes.

Enjoy it while listening to your favorite Elvis tunes. Buy a CD of his 30 top hits or download any of the Top 30 MP3.
 
RECIPE: ELVIS PRESLEY’S FRIED PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA SANDWICH

This is Elvis comfort food. The King enjoyed “peanut butter and ’nanner sandwiches” at all hours of the day and night. Enjoy your sandwich with one of Elvis’ favorite beverages: Pepsi Cola, orange and black cherry soda.

 
Preparation

1. MASH the banana in a small bowl with the back of a spoon.

3. SPREAD the peanut butter on one piece of toast and the mashed banana on the other.

3. FRY the sandwich in melted butter until each side is golden brown. Cut diagonally and serve hot.
 
MORE ELVIS RECIPES

There are many ways to keep grilled salmon interesting. But instead of topping it with sugar-laden chutney, sauces and glazes, take a healthy approach.

In this idea from Whole Foods Market, grilled wild salmon (so much better than farmed salmon) tops a mound of tabbouleh, which is made with whole-grain bulgur wheat. The salmon is marinated in olive oil, fresh orange juice and zest.

It’s topped with a Middle Eastern/Israeli salad of chopped cucumber, red onion and halved cherry tomatoes. We add dill and/or parsley to our chopped salad. In season, substitute chopped vine-ripened tomatoes.

We purchased our tabbouleh to save time, but here’s the recipe to make it from scratch, along with the citrus-marinated salmon.

An extra-healthy salmon recipe combines all
those omega-3s with whole-grain tabbouleh.
Photo courtesy Whole Foods Market.

It’s easy to make your own grilled chicken,
fish, kebabs and roasts in this Cuisinart
Vertical Rotisserie.

One of our most popular articles last January was 10 Appliances For Low Calorie Cooking.

Take a look at how you can whip up low calorie foods—with high taste—using a:

Find our favorite low calorie products in THE NIBBLE’s Diet Foods Section.
  

Some people don’t eat more whole grains because they take too long to cook.

But with a pressure cooker, brown rice is ready in 10 minutes, beans in 20 minutes (and really long cookers like short ribs in 40 minutes).

Start your healthy New Year with a pressure cooker. We love our top-of-the-line Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker, but there are less expensive (and smaller) alternatives like this Presto pressure cooker for $29.99 (we haven’t tested it).

As a rule of thumb, an hour in a conventional pot becomes 20 minutes in a pressure cooker.

With a pressure cooker, there is no need to pre-soak your beans. Hearty and healthy beans ready in 40 minutes are difficult to pass up!
 
HOW TO COOK BEANS IN A PRESSURE COOKER

1. RINSE the beans under running water. Place them in a pressure cooker and cover with liquid to 2 inches above the top of beans. For more flavor, use stock or broth instead of water. You can also add dried herbs.

2. COOK for 20 minutes under high pressure. Remove the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for another 20 minutes or so, stirring and testing occasionally. Depending on the beans, they may be finished well before 20 minutes; so keep checking until you reach your desired texture.

3. DRAIN, season and serve.
 
TIPS

[1] A pressure cooker helps us eat healthier: beans, brown rice and other whole grains are a snap (photo courtesy Kuhn Rikon). [2] If you have a bay leaf, toss it in the pot. It pairs well with different types of beans, below (photo of bay leaf on the tree courtesy Doobee). Here are the different types of bay leaf.

Here are pairing suggestions from The Kitchn: