Good nutrition for good health (info/recipes)

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In any disaster, maintaining good health is essential. I saw this innovative cookbook described in our local paper today. Some good ideas here.

In the Durham Herald-Sun today, syndicated article from Julie Sevrems, San Jose Mercury News:

. . . Evelyn Tribole's. . . Stealth Health: How to Sneak Nutrition Painlessly into your Diet" (Viking, $24.95). . . . "Taste is so important. I don't care if it's the healthiest thing in the world. If it's not tasty, you're not going to come back for more."

. . . Her coleslaw recipe calls for shredded hearts of broccoli, a crunchy and mild-flavored part of the vegetable that is high in vitamin C. Her Italian salsa, prefect atop crusty bread, boasts chopped spinach as well as traditional basil. She pours orange juice into orange Jell-O recipes for an additional punch.

. . . Beans. . . are a good source of folic acid and. . . may help prevent birth defects. . . . Iron-rich molasses (poured liberally into her spiced gingerbread) could help prevent anemia.

[The following two recipes could easily be made with stash ingredients with a little imagination.]

Enchilada Bake

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup vinegar

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and sorted

2-2/3 cups water

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 x 10oz can enchilada sauce

1 x 10oz can condensed tomasto soup

1 tsp ground cumin

12 corn tortillas

2 cups (8oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sliced olives

1/3 cup chopped chives

Combine onion and vinegar in bowl, cover and set aside. In large saucepan combine dry lentils, water, chopped bell pepper and garlic. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook 30-40 mins until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Puree lentils in food processor or blender until smooth. Using pan as your mixing bowl, combine pureed lentils, enchilada sauce, tomato soup and cumin. Stir until msooth.

Preheat oven to 350. Ladle generous amount (about a cup) of lentil sauce to cover bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Place 4 corn tortillas on top of sauce, tearing tortillas to fit as needed. Add 1/3 remaining sauce and spread evenly. Sprinkle 1/3 of marinated onion, cheese and sliced olives. Repeat layering, except before you place a layer of tortillas, "spackle" one side of tortilla with sauce, placing sauce side down toward cheese. Add sauce, onion, cheese and olives. Repeat layering. Cover pan with foil and bake 25-30 mins until heated through and cheese almost melted. Remove foil, bake additional 5 mins. Remove from oven, sprinkle chives on top. Let stand 5 mins before cutting. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 330 cals, 10.3 gm fat (26% cals from fat), 20 gm protein, 46 gm carbohydrates, 20 mg cholesterol, 28% RDA fiber, 29% RDA folic acid, 28% RDA calcium, 18% RDA iron.

Dark Fudge Brownies

1 x 15oz can unseasoned black beans

4oz unsweetened chocolate

1 tbs light butter

6 egg whites

2 cups sugar

2 tbs AP flour

2 tbs instant espresso powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 x 13 pan with nonstick veg spray. Place beans in colander, rinse thoroughly under running water, set aside to drain.

Place chocolate and light butter in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 60-90 seconds, stirring every 30 secs, until smooth.

In food processor, add drained beans and 2 egg whites. Blend until smooth. In large bowl combine bean puree, sugar, flour, espresso powder, and remaining egg whites. With electric mixer, beat until well combined. Mix in melted chocolate.

Pour brownie mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle walnuts on top. Bake for 30-35 mins. Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars. Makes 30 brownies.

Per serving: 110 cals, 3.4 gm fat (26% cals from fat), 3 gm protein, 19 gm carbohydrates, i mg cholesterol, 8% RDA fiber.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.co), May 12, 1999

Answers

Another interesting food tidbit...

I have been reading about the whole wheat kernals that so many of us are buying and storing. These kernals can be cooked in various ways and eaten, however, after a few months of eating cooked wheat kernals, you could actually suffer from malnutrition. This according to several Universities which have studied this.

Apparently the kernals must be ground in order for our bodies to utilize them effectively. (Makes sense) So all these folks who are buying the whole wheat and not making plans to have a way to grind it are putting themselves and their families at nutritional risk.

Aside from the wheat, there are some recipes which at our house are lovingly called "y2k meals" on my web page if you'd care to take a look. They are under Easy Camp Meals. Hope someone can use them. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/9684/home.html Sylvia

-- sylvia (msbrit@usit.net), May 13, 1999.


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