Week
of May 25, 2003
Crock-pot
or slow cooker recipes rely on a low heat cooking
method to slowly cook foods without having to
add extra oils or fats. Steam rises as the food
cooks, and circulates within the pot to keep food
moist.
- When
you're cooking crock-pot recipes, try to refrain
from lifting up the lid to take a peak. When
you let the steam out, the temperature in the
pot drops. If you do peek you must add 15 minutes
of cooking time for every peek.
- Add
spices and herbs toward the end of cooking time
(if possible) Only add fresh herbs just before
serving.
- Make
sure the lid is on tight so that the heat and
steam will not escape.
- You
may want to brown meats before adding to the
Crock-pot. It is not necessary but it does add
color and remove some of the fat.
- You
will end up with more liquid than you start
because the liquid will not evaporate or boil
away.
- Dairy
products will separate with prolonged cooking
so add them in the last hour of cooking time.
To
find healthy Crock-pot recipes, you may want to
try
Healthy Crockery Cookery
by Mabel Hoffman.
Week of May 17, 2003
Omega-3
Essential Fatty Acids help improve skin and hair,
reduce blood pressure, aid in the prevention or
arthritis, lower cholesterol and triglyceride
levels and reduce the risk of blood clot formation.
Omega-3's are essential fatty acids that our bodies
cannot make by themselves. They must be obtained
from the food that we eat.
Below
are the recommended sources of Omega 3's by the
American Heart Association.
The American Heart Association recommends "eating
fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times
a week. Fish is a good source of protein without
the high saturated fat found in fatty meat products.
Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring,
sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are also high
in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA)."
"Also recommended is eating omega-3 fatty
acids from plant sources. Tofu and other forms
of soybeans, canola, walnut and flaxseed, and
their oils contain alpha-linolenic acid
(LNA). This is a less potent kind of omega-3 fatty
acid."
Here
is an easy way to poach salmon for use in salads,
sandwiches, pasta dishes, appetizers and more.
4 cups water
3 lemon slices, cut in half
3 onion slices, cut in half
parsley sprigs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 pound salmon fillets
Heat water, lemon slices, onion slices, parsley
sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper to boiling
in 10- or 12-inch skillet. Boil 3 minutes; reduce
heat to medium-low.
Add salmon, skin side down. Cover and cook 5 to
6 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork.
Remove salmon from liquid in skillet. Cool completely.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no
longer than 24 hours. Discard liquid in skillet.
Week
of May 11, 2003
We
have gotten so many emails from our readers who
are confused about the different types of fat
in their diets. In the cholesterol and fat section,
we have used the American Heart Association's
technical overview. We realize that this may be
confusing. This is a simplified version, but hopefully
one that is easier to understand.
Each
type of fat has a different effect on the body.
Sorry to say, most of these effects are not good
for you. Most researchers say that only two types
of fat are good for us, although they are beneficial
only when eaten in moderation. So here is the
simple breakdown:
Saturated
Fats are solids when they at room temperature
and turn to an oil when heated. Most saturated
fats are animal in origin that come from meat,
poultry, and dairy products. You
want to limit your intake of saturated fat as
much as possible. Saturated fats raise
cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and some
research shows that they seem to interfere with
immune functioning. Two vegetable sources which
you want to watch are coconut oil and palm kernel
oil which are high in saturated fat even though
they're plant oils.
Polyunsaturated Fats originate from plant
sources and are liquid at room temperature. They
are considered to be a "healthier" fat
because they help lower total cholesterol and
triglyceride levels. Vegetable oils such as safflower,
sunflower, sesame, cottonseed, and corn oil are
polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated
Fats include olive oil, canola, and peanut
oil. Oils that are high in monounsaturated fats
are the "healthiest" choice of oil,
as they help decrease the LDL levels or "bad"
cholesterol.
Hydrogenated
Fats begin as liquid fats but are solidified
when hydrogen atoms are added. A healthy or unsaturated
fat is converted into an unhealthy or saturated
fat. You may want to know why anyone would do
such a thing! Hydrogenated oils give products
longer shelf lives. The oil is less likely to
break down over time and become rancid tasting.
Most of the hydrogenated
fats we eat come from partially hydrogenated vegetable
oils which are found in packaged foods.
Take a look at the labels on packaged products
such as cookies, crackers, sauces, margarines,
shortenings and peanut butter. So before you buy
it and eat it, READ IT!
Before you do a slow burn against the food industry,
take a walk down the produce isle. This is where
you should have been shopping all along.
Week
of May 4, 2003
The
season is here for those wonderful sweet
onions - Vidalia, Texas 1015Y,
Walla Walla and more. They are so crispy and sweet.
Grill them with your favorite meats and vegetables
outdoors, use them in stir fries or just sliced
raw on your turkey burger. They are so good!
Try this simple, reduced-fat version of the famous
"Blooming Onion" with your favorite
sweet onions. It can easily be made in the oven.
2
Sweet Onions
Non stick cooking oil spray
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano, or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano,
chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Preheat
the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a large
baking or roasting panwith cooking oil spray.
Peel the Sweet Onions, then cut the bottom so
it is level, but leave the core intact. To make
the flower design, begin as if you are going to
cut the onion in half, from top to bottom, but
stop cutting 1/2 inch from the core. Cut the onion
this way 5 times to form ten sections or "petals."
Carefully loosen the petals slightly by rapping
the onion lightly on the work surface,
and loosening them with your fingers. Remember
that the flower will bloom more as it cooks.
Place the flour, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika
and mustard in a small paper bag. Spray the onions
with cooking spray to lightly coat each petal.
Put one of the onions in the bag and gently shake
to coat. Remove the onion and pat off the excess
flour mixture. Place in a prepared pan and repeat
with the other onion. Spray the coated onions
lightly again with cooking spray to aid in browning.
Bake the onions in the preheated oven for 35 to
40 minutes, until tender. Serve the onion flowers
hot, with low fat horseradish sauce below or barbecue
sauce as a dip, or as an accompaniment with grilled
poultry, fish or meat.
Horseradish Dip
Yields 4 to 6 servings
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
2 teaspoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 small garlic clove, finely minced
Combine
the sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish and garlic
in a bowl and mix well. May be prepared up to
one day ahead of time and stored, covered, in
the refrigerator.