Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Sunday, May 11, 2008

500 Club: Test your nutrition knowledge

By Crystal Kircher, Gundersen Lutheran

1. Grains can be divided into two categories: whole and refined. Which type is better for you?

A. Whole. B. Refined

2. All breads that are brown in color are considered whole grain.

A. True B. False

3. Sea bass, cod, flounder and red snapper all fall into what category?

A. Freshwater fish B. Fatty fish C. Lean fish

4. In general, saltwater fish are higher in sodium than freshwater fish.

A. True B. False

5. Which of the foods listed below is not high in protein?

A. Oranges B. Meat C. Eggs D. Milk

Answers: 1: A.) Whole grains have more nutrition such as B vitamins and fiber, and help keep you satisfied longer. 2. B) False. Make sure to check the ingredient list. To ensure that your bread is whole grain, look for whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. 3. C) Lean fish. Sea bass, cod, flounder and red snapper all have less than 5 percent fat by weight. 4. B) False. Fish flesh doesn’t store sodium from water; therefore saltwater fish are usually not higher in sodium. 5. A) Oranges. Although oranges are low in protein compared with the other foods listed above, oranges do contain 3 grams of fiber per orange.

Sweet Potato Fries

1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled (2 medium potatoes)

1 tablespoon Canola oil

½ teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch thick matchsticks and toss with oil and teaspoon salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake until the fries are tender and crisp, approximately 30 minutes. Season with additional salt to taste; serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving: 150 calories, 4 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 340 mg sodium, 2.5 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber.

Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream and Rum Sauce

1 (3-4 pound) pineapple

¼ cup brown sugar

Cooking spray

¼ cup rum

2 teaspoons butter

1 pint light vanilla ice cream

Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple, peel and cut crosswise into eight rings, about ½ inch each. Use spoon or apple corer to carve out the center of each ring. Spray large grill pan with cooking spray and heat over a medium flame. Grill the pineapple, in two or three batches, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until it is nicely brown and grill marks have appeared. (You may also grill on an outdoor grill sprayed with cooking spray before heated). While the last batch of pineapple cooks, heat the butter, sugar and rum in small sauce pan over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat. Place a pineapple ring on each plate, scoop ¼ cup of ice cream into the center of the ring and drizzle about 2 teaspoons of sauce on top.

Nutrition information per serving: 154 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated), 2 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates and 1 g fiber.

Crystal Kircher is a registered dietitian at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. The 500 Club is a healthy-eating program coordinated by Gundersen Lutheran registered dietitians, and its members include restaurants, grocery stores, delis and vending companies.