Pantry Raid Tip of the Week

If you read many nutrition articles in magazines or newspapers, you have probably heard the advice to "shop along the perimeter" for the healthiest selections in the grocery store.  I respectfully disagree. The middle aisles, while containing many junk foods like cookies, processed meals-in-a-box, chips, etc., also have many healthful items that can be stored in your kitchen for long periods of time, for those nights that you don't have time to de-bone chicken, chop vegetables or peel fruit. Some examples:

• instant brown rice
• canned, low-sodium vegetables or frozen vegetables with no added sauces
• fruit canned in juice or frozen fruit with no added sugar
• canned tuna
• canned or dried beans
• whole grain or multi-grain pastas
• jars of tomato sauce, salsas, or pasta sauce
• corn tortillas or whole-wheat tortillas

Bonus: often the fruits and vegetables that are canned or frozen are more nutritious than fresh, since they are picked at the peak of ripeness and not picked green and shipped across the world to get to your kitchen. And..... these foods are often cheaper!

Q&A: Hummus

Jennifer writes:

I'm in love with humus. All kinds. Is it one of those foods that seems like a good thing but really is not that great for you? Do you have a good recipe for it so that I don't have to spend over $5 for a good container of it? My favorite right now is the roasted red pepper.


No, hummus is definitely not a sham! It's very good for you and also cheap if you make it yourself- the tahini can be kinda pricey depending on where you buy it but if you look around you can find a deal- Trader Joes is usally good. I have a recipe for roasted red pepper hummus that I like a lot:


2 cloves garlic, minced
1-15oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste- usually found with the mediterranean foods)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (get them jarred in water, not oil)
1/4 tsp dried basil

Just throw it all in a blender and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste at the end.

Pantry Raid Tip of the Week

How much does your bread weigh? Seriously, check it out. A slice of bread should be roughly 1 ounce or about 25-30 grams. Some breads on the market are so big and so dense that each slice is like 2 in 1. Would you use four slices of bread for your PB&J? Probably not. Next time you buy bread, check the label and make sure the slices are reasonably sized, no more than 100 calories a piece, and have at least 2-3 grams of fiber.

More creamy comfort food

I received this recipe in a recipe exchange a while ago, and after I finished cringing at all the high-fat, high-sodium ingredients, thought I'd give it a go. My husband looked at me like I had grown a third arm because this is not something I would usually make, but he ended up loving it. If you and your family are fans of potato casseroles, try my lightened version:

Before:
Glorified Hash Browns: Serves 10; Warm oven to 350

2- 10 3/4 oz each cans condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
2- 8 oz each cartons spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
1- 2 # pkg frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Combine soup & cream cheese & microwave 3-4 minutes on high, stirring occasionally till cream cheese is melted. Add potatoes & stir till coated. Spoon into a greased 13" X 9" X 2" baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes or till potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese & bake 3-5 minutes longer till cheese is melted.


The proportion of creamy stuff to potatoes is way off in this recipe. It would turn out more like chowder than hash brown casserole if made as written. Do you want to eat straight cream cheese or do you want potatoes? Cut down the soup to 1 can, and use a low fat, reduced sodium version. Increase the potatoes to about 3# and use canned diced potatoes that have been rinsed. If using frozen, you can't get rid of any of the sodium, and you may end up with a brand that has been pre-fried if you aren't careful!

I've said it before, but cream cheese is a waste of digestion. Hardly anything nutritious to be found, just fat (saturated, at that). Swap half the cream cheese for reduced-fat ricotta, which  has a decent amount of protein and calcium, and you'll also cut out about 450 total calories. For the other half, use 1/3 less fat cream cheese, then add your own dried onions and chives (about 1T each). You'll save another 100 calories, and you get to keep the flavor.

Use only 2 oz of cheddar cheese on top, and use a deeper casserole dish so that it still covers the top- it's just there to make it look delicious, it's not a main flavor of the dish.

After:
 Glorified Hash Browns: Serves 10; Warm oven to 350

1- 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of celery soup (Campbell's Healthy Request), undiluted
1- 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
3# canned diced potatoes, drained and rinsed (about 4 -15oz cans)
2 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese


Combine soup, ricotta and cream cheese & microwave 3-4 minutes on high, stirring occasionally till cream cheese is melted. Add potatoes & stir till coated. Spoon into a casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20  minutes or until bubbling. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese & bake 3-5 minutes longer till cheese is melted.