• Look for one of THE NIBBLE’s favorites, Bilinski chicken sausages, a Top Pick Of The Week. They’re not only delicious, they’re low-fat and low-calorie too.
• Find traditional snacks in THE NIBBLE’s Snacks Section.

September is National Cholesterol Education Month: Heart disease is our number one killer. The NIH counts more than 65 million Americans who have high cholesterol. In addition to adopting a regular exercise routine (ouch!), it may be less painful to switch to the right foods. This benefits everyone in the household: adults who are closer to developing health problems and younger folks who can learn early how to avoid them. What you need to do isn’t so painful—in fact, it’s quite tasty. Every day, consider:

• Fiber. The key is to get plenty of fiber, which can be found in whole grains, cereals, breads and pastas, fruits and vegetables. Chose whole fruit, which contains fiber, rather than drinking juice.
• Fruits and vegetables. Add a variety of fruits and vegetables to your daily menu, serving a side of fruit with each meal. A smoothie is a better snack than ice cream or frozen yogurt. Include mushrooms, garlic and onion in your recipes: They have properties that are known to lower cholesterol.
• Beans. Beans and legumes (like lentils) are fiber- and nutrient-rich. You can easily find ways to add kidney, pinto or other beans to casseroles, soups and salads. They also make beautiful sides; see our Bean & Grains Glossary for ideas.
• Nuts. Make one of your daily snacks raw or roasted nuts. Nuts are a heart-healthy food. In In 2003, the FDA approved the following claim for seven different types of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts): “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” Walnuts are perhaps the best: Compared to other nuts, they have a significantly higher amount of alpha linolenic acid, a type of plant-derived omega 3 fatty acid, similar to that found in salmon, which many studies show lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.” Almonds are a “second place” choice.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Work fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and halibut into your meal plan, cook with canola oil and add tasty ground or whole flaxseed to recipes. Flaxseed can easily be added to cereal, soup, casseroles and when baking muffins and bread. If fish isn’t in your budget, take omega 3 supplements in capsule form.
• Olive Oil. Switch from butter to olive oil. The Mayo Clinic reports that the abundance of antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil help to lower your bad cholesterol while not touching the good. The FDA recommends two tablespoons per day for heart-healthy benefits. The flavors of olive oil vary widely, just like wine. We have some favorites that are so delicious, we have our two tablespoons a day for breakfast. See our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Guide.

As you can see, taking steps to lower cholesterol isn’t a chore—it’s delicious.

A jigger of Scotch poured over plain vanilla ice cream may sound unusual, but it creates a delicious dessert. And, it’s a “rabbit out of the hat” culinary magic trick when you need something quick and interesting for company. Porter (the beer) also works well. If your guests are culinary adventurers, give them two smaller dishes of ice cream, and let them decide their preference. You can put the ice cream in rocks glasses or sherbet champagne glasses to add to the fun, and serve them already “sauced” or provide guests with jiggers of the alcohol so they can pour their own.

• Find other ice cream ideas in THE NIBBLE’s Ice Cream Section.
• Here’s a recipe for a Chocolate Stout Ice Cream Float.

Don’t come near our jar of Mezzetta Deli-Sliced Tamed Jalapeño Peppers—we’re saving them all for ourselves.

Our favorite new condiment, these pickled jalapeño slices solve a problem as they add exciting new flavor to franks, burgers, sandwiches (any, but don’t forget grilled cheese!), salads, omelets, dips, relish trays and as long a list of savory foods as you can imagine—especially that obvious choice, nachos. Add a few to any plate as a zesty garnish.

We like jalapeño, but biting into even a small bit of a fresh one is a bit too much bite for us: too much burn, and when you’re in the food-tasting business, that takes out the taste buds for more time than we have to be out of commission.
 
Great For Diets, Too

We promise, you need have no fear when you bite into these. Plus, they’re sugar-free and are a dieter’s dream: 5 slices for 7 calories. They’re certified kosher by KSA.

Mezzetta also sells the same product unsliced, called Tamed Jalapeño Peppers En Escabeche, as well as numerous other varieties of whole and deli-sliced peppers.

In the Shop Online section of the website, the sliced variety can be found under Deli-Sliced and the whole peppers are under Imported & Domestic Peppers. We look forward to trying the others, but in the interim, thanks to G. L. Mezzetta of Napa Valley for this new discovery.

These jalapeño slices have been “tamed” by pickling—and are delicious on just about anything (photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE).

• Now choose your favorite foods from our more than 70 categories of food and beverages and dig up some fun food facts.