In this segment, Registered Dietitian Veronica Rouse will reveal why California Prunes should be savored not just today, but every day. Far from being an occasional snack, these prunes offer a delightful fusion of freshness and sweetness, with an unexpected versatility in the kitchen. California Prunes are more than just a nutritious snack; they're a vital component for heart health, rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin K. Tune in for an enlightening conversation about the benefits of California Prunes and discover three heart-healthy recipes that you can easily prepare at home for a healthier heart. For more information visit https://californiaprunes.org/
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00:00 - The following portion of the Arizona Daily Mix is sponsored on behalf of California Prunes
00:07 by Veronica Rouse Consulting.
00:11 - February is Heart Health Month, and one simple snack can make a huge difference in
00:16 your well-being.
00:17 Last week, Brad spoke with dietician Veronica Rouse about why prunes should be a go-to item
00:22 in your diet.
00:27 February is Heart Health Month, and making it perfect time to spotlight California prunes
00:32 as a heart-friendly food.
00:33 And here to tell us how we can enjoy California prunes in different yummy ways is registered
00:38 dietician Veronica Rouse.
00:40 And Veronica, I have to say, prunes have always been my grandparents' food, you know?
00:47 We always hear about that.
00:48 But that's not the case, is it?
00:50 - No, absolutely, yes.
00:52 Thanks for having me back.
00:53 I'm excited to partner with California prunes for this segment to talk all about how we
00:57 can add California prunes to enhance our heart health in everyday dishes.
01:03 - All right, let's first, what is a prune?
01:06 So everybody understands what a prune is.
01:08 - Well, it is a plum that's dried, but it's not just that.
01:13 It is, well, yeah, I guess that's what it is.
01:16 It is a dried plum.
01:18 - That's very helpful.
01:19 But the great thing about it is that it's yummy, it's good for you.
01:22 And we have some great dishes here we're gonna talk about that are easy to make with the
01:26 prunes to give you that extra, I guess, sweetness to your dishes, right?
01:31 - Exactly, you got it.
01:34 - I like it.
01:35 Okay, so let's talk, of course, why it's important to have these prunes in your life.
01:40 - So these California prunes are very high in fiber.
01:44 So about a quarter of a cup, maybe that's four or five prunes, has less than 100 calories,
01:50 but three grams of fiber.
01:53 And we know that fiber is great to help with our gut health, our blood sugar, but also
02:00 can help lower our cholesterol levels.
02:02 And then these California prunes are also rich in a mineral called potassium.
02:07 And potassium is great to manage blood pressure.
02:10 It does the exact opposite of sodium.
02:12 So I'm sure you've heard you need to restrict sodium to help manage blood pressure.
02:16 Well, you can actually add potassium through foods like California prunes to help manage
02:22 blood pressure as well.
02:23 - I like it.
02:24 All right, let's talk about some things we can make with them.
02:26 Because again, I just noticed my grandparents just popping them right and left, but no,
02:30 not anymore, 'cause I've gotta give them a try.
02:32 So the first one is, what is this?
02:34 These are like energy balls?
02:36 - Exactly, yeah.
02:38 So they're energy balls or protein balls.
02:40 And typically when you see recipes about these energy balls, they're usually made with dates.
02:48 You blend dates in the food processor to make it like nice and sticky so they stick together.
02:54 But what I've done is I replaced the dates with prunes for this recipe.
02:58 - I like that.
02:59 - Yeah, exactly.
03:00 It's a great way to add those part healthy nutrients.
03:03 And then I added almond flour, as well as almond butter and a little bit of maple syrup
03:08 for sweetness.
03:09 - So there you go.
03:10 I didn't even know that they were in there.
03:11 That's awesome.
03:12 - You got it.
03:13 - Okay, let's talk bread.
03:14 So this is something that everyone likes to nibble on, especially as we are enjoying watching
03:18 some TV or something.
03:20 And of course, why not have healthy prunes?
03:23 - You got it, exactly.
03:24 So banana breads, well, let's start with bananas.
03:28 Bananas are another potassium-rich food to help manage blood pressure.
03:32 And when they get brown, we like to bake with them or encourage you to bake with them.
03:36 And banana bread's a really easy thing to throw together.
03:40 Everybody has a typical banana bread recipe they use, but what I encourage is to maybe
03:45 dice up some prunes, add them to your banana bread for like a nice sweet treat.
03:51 - I like that.
03:53 Okay, salads, this is what I'm big on.
03:55 And I never thought about putting prunes in my salad to give it a little taste, huh?
03:59 - Exactly, yeah.
04:00 I thought I would feature a little savory dish.
04:03 And this is with beets, broccoli, some low-saturated fat cheese, which is feta.
04:08 And then I added that sweet flavor through some diced prunes, as well as a nice crunch
04:15 with the walnuts.
04:16 - There you go.
04:17 And the dressing, very important when you put the dressing on, you don't wanna mess
04:19 that up.
04:20 What kind of dressing do you recommend?
04:21 - Exactly, you got it.
04:23 Extra virgin olive oil.
04:24 I always start with every dressing that way for heart health.
04:27 It's really great for cholesterol.
04:29 And then add some vinegar.
04:30 I use apple cider vinegar here.
04:33 And yeah, it's a really simple recipe, just a few ingredients, but tastes great.
04:37 Good for dinner, but also you could serve this for guests as well.
04:40 Really pretty dish.
04:41 - Ooh, there it is.
04:42 And that's, I love it.
04:43 That's it.
04:44 So something nice and easy.
04:45 - You got it.
04:46 - This is so incredible.
04:47 So I love this, Veronica.
04:48 So where can we find more about, of course, the California prunes and you?
04:52 - Yeah, so you can find all three of these recipes on my website, theheartdietician.com.
04:57 But I do encourage you to check out californiaprunes.org website, 'cause they have hundreds of recipes
05:04 and different creative ways to incorporate these prunes.
05:07 Like you said, not just popping them in your mouth, but put them in your dishes and have
05:10 some fun with them.
05:11 - I like it.
05:12 Hey, Veronica, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
05:14 - My pleasure.
05:15 Thanks for having me back.
05:19 - The preceding portion of the Arizona Daily Mix was sponsored on behalf of California
05:23 prunes by Veronica Rouse Consulting.
05:25 - Thank you.
05:26 - Thank you.
05:26 - Thank you.