Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/category/food/

The Frugal Whole Chicken (or, Waste Not, Want Not) 105comments
August 19, 2008 @ 8:00 am - Written by Trent
Categories: Food, Frugality
Bookmarks: del.icio.us, reddit

Aunt Lee Geok’s Roast Chicken - whole by avlxyz on Flickr!A few days ago, I was inspecting the whole chickens that were on sale at the local grocery store. The price was quite nice - $0.88 a pound - and although it was a different brand of chicken than what I usually buy, I was considering making the purchase (we tend to buy free range chickens, which cost more).

Just then, I overheard a person behind me talking about how buying a whole chicken was a “waste of money” because you’re paying for parts you don’t use. This lady immediately bought a two pack of chicken breasts which - lo and behold - cost about as much as the whole four pound chicken I was looking at.

As she walked away, I couldn’t help but smile. A whole chicken is an incredibly frugal deal that provides the materials for several meals if you’re sensible about it. Here’s the game plan for turning a whole chicken purchase into several delicious meals.

Meal #1: The Chicken Itself
Cooking a whole chicken is really easy. All you have to do is unwrap it, remove the neck and gizzards (usually already separated for you - but save them for later), rinse it down well, rub the skin with salt (two tablespoons or so) and pepper (a few dashes) and a bit of vegetable oil (two tablespoons or so), then cook it.

“How do you cook it?” is the next obvious question. If you have an oven or a grill, one very simple way to do it is with a can of beer. Just open one up, drink about half of it, then insert the can into the chicken’s cavity, open end inside the chicken. Then, you can literally sit the chicken on the can. Toss it on the grill over indirect heat (off to the side) or in the oven at a low temperature and cook it until you get a temperature reading of about 165 degrees Fahrenheit from the breast. That’s it.

Then, just cut off the tastiest parts - most people enjoy the breasts, legs, wings, and thighs. Don’t worry about knowing how to cut it - just get the pieces off that you want. Serve it with a side vegetable, and you have cheap meal #1.

Meal #2: Leftover Pieces
When you’re done eating the chicken, you’ll have a carcass with quite a bit of meat still on it. Spend some time carefully extracting these little pieces of cooked meat and save them in a baggie in the freezer.

Why? This stuff is the perfect basis for any dish with chicken in it. Use it on a homemade chicken pizza, in a casserole, or in soup. Any recipe that uses diced chicken can use this stuff. Usually, you’ll have more than enough left to satisfy any recipe you might have.

Meal #3: Even the Waste Parts
Now, what about those leftover “junk” pieces you don’t want to eat? Even those are useful. Throw all of the leftover pieces (bones, skin, neck, gizzards, all of it!) into a big pot, add enough cold water so that the pieces are thoroughly covered, add a dash of salt and a dash of pepper, toss in a few vegetables (I like a small amount of onion, celery, and carrots - maybe 1/2 cup each), then crank it up to a boil. Once it’s boiling, drop it down to a low simmer and just let it cook all day - four hours, minimum.

When it’s done, remove the bones and strain what’s left, removing the chunks. The remaining liquid is chicken stock, and it’s infinitely useful in all sorts of dishes. It can be the basis of a soup, the liquid ingredient in a savory casserole, stir fry, curries, or anything else. Any recipe that uses bouillon or broth can use this liquid instead and will taste substantially better for it. You can freeze this stuff in freezer bags if you’d like.

One good way to do this is to have the whole chicken on Friday or Saturday evening, remove the extra meat after dinner, then boil the remnants the next day while you’re doing other household tasks.

A Look at the Costs
Let’s say, hypothetically, that you can get a whole four pound chicken for $7.50. You’ll also need perhaps $3 worth of vegetables to go with it, $0.50 in cooking materials, and you might burn $0.50 worth of energy in the cooking process. That’s a total of $11.50.

From that, you can produce a meal of chicken and vegetables to feed a family of four, a meal worth of leftovers, a bag full of chicken pieces in the freezer for a future meal for a family of four, and a bag of chicken stock for another meal or two. That’s five complete meals and the key ingredients for eight more meals.

What’s the Lesson Here?
For the most part, being frugal with food is just like being frugal with anything else: the more stuff you can reuse, the less expensive day to day life becomes. An ordinary whole chicken seems like a ho-hum purchase, but when you look at the possibilities that it provides, it becomes a much stronger purchase.

Here’s another example. Let’s say that you often buy vegetables, but only intend to eat part of it. I know, for example, that my family tends to eat about one and a half sliced zucchinis as a side dish, leaving that other half of a zucchini as a waste. Just go ahead and slice it and throw it with other miscellaneous vegetables into a freezer bag - whenever you have a leftover vegetable, just toss it in there. Then, once every few weeks (when the bag gets full), toss a bit of olive oil and a bit of garlic in a pan and make a stir fry out of the leftover vegetables. It’s an incredibly cheap meal (plus you can toss in some of those leftover chicken pieces).

If you spend a few minutes thinking about what you can do with the left over elements of any meal you prepare, you can usually come up with a tasty use. And when that tasty use keeps you from tossing those pieces in the trash, then it’s as good as found money.

http://www.tiphero.com/tips_295_use-google-alerts-to-save-money.html

Use Google Alerts to Save Money
Google has a neat little tool that sends you alerts whenever a search term you specify appears in a new web page, blog post, or news article. You can choose how often you want to receive alerts by setting it to once a day, once a week, or as it happens. Google will send you a digest of items containing your search term right to your inbox. You can setup multiple alerts and delete them at any time. I ve been using Google Alerts to save money in a variety of ways:

Coupons & Codes: There are several brands, products and stores I buy from on a frequent basis. I have set-up several alerts with store, product, and brand name and the terms coupon and code .

Sales & Deals: If I know I will be making an upcoming purchase for some product I will setup a google alert for that product s name and the terms deal and sale .

Product Reviews: For products I am looking into purchasing I will setup a google alert for the products name and the term review

Money Saving Tips: I m always interested in learning new money saving tips. I have several general money saving alerts set up including: money saving tips , frugal living , ways to save money , gardening tips . This alerts me anytime there is fresh new content on the web or in blogs that can show me how to save money.

You can setup a Google Alert at: www.google.com/alerts

For more money saving tips like this be sure to sign up for our newsletter
For more Money-Saving Tips — Sign up for our Free Newsletter
submitted by TipHero reader: Ray 07/24/2008 4:56 AM

I use google alerts to scout for new sweepstakes and freebies. I have several alerts setup for: sweepstakes, freebies, give aways, etc.

Posted by anonymous on July 25, 2008 7:55 PM

I use Google and Yahoo alerts, for other purposes, have not tried them for this purpose.
granny

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55865

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Last-Minute Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks

Whip up a fabulous holiday feast in a hurry

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD

I don’t know how this happens every year, but before I know it, it’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving! Suddenly, I’m stressing about how many side dishes to make, the appetizers that no one really needs, thawing the turkey, making pumpkin pie for the traditionalists plus “something else” for the dessert rebels ...

But remember, the important part of this holiday is enjoying the company of loved ones and taking time to reflect and be thankful. It’s not about spending hours making countless Thanksgiving dishes.

You know the saying, “choose your battles?” It works for Thanksgiving dinner, too. When your time is limited, choose which dishes you want to make yourself and which you can pull together using convenient products from the supermarket.

Dressing Up Store-Bought Products

Here are some tips and tricks for dressing up store-bought products so that they’ll taste and look special to your guests.

Mashed Potatoes

Add punch to frozen or boxed mashed potatoes by:

* Adding some lower-fat sour cream and freshly chopped chives.
* Stirring in some reduced-fat sharp cheddar and turkey bacon bits (cook the turkey bacon until crisp, then break it into bits).
* Stirring in roasted garlic cloves and fresh, finely chopped parsley while you’re whipping up the mashed potatoes with your mixer.

Stove-Top Stuffing

Instead of following the directions on the box, use 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine to saute some added vegetables (like 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup finely chopped celery, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1/2 cup finely grated carrot). Then add the seasoning packet and 1 3/4 cups water and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in bread cubes from the mix, cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Green Beans

Buy a bag of French-style green beans, and you’re halfway to a side dish. Microwave them right before serving and dress them up in the serving dish with any or all of the following:

* A sprinkle of one of the Mrs. Dash salt-free herb blends
* Some shredded Parmesan cheese
* Toasted slivered or sliced almonds
* A drizzle of olive oil or pat of butter/margarine (just enough to add a slight glaze to the dish)
* Red pepper strips sauteed in canola cooking spray or a little canola oil, olive oil, or butter/margarine
* Caramelized onions (thinly sliced onions sauteed in a nonstick frying pan with a little canola oil, olive oil, or butter/margarine until golden brown)

Pumpkin Pie

You have a few options here. You can buy a premade piecrust (available in the frozen food section or as foldable piecrust in the refrigerated section) and just whip up the pumpkin part. Or you can buy the pie already made at your grocery store or a pie shop, then dress it up with some fun garnishes. If you like to serve your pie with Cool Whip, buy Light Cool Whip and stir in a few pinches of pumpkin pie spice and a teaspoon or two of maple syrup.

Cranberry Sauce

Some people like cranberry sauce canned and jellied; others like the fancier types with whole cranberries and maybe flecks of orange zest or raspberry. If you’re in the latter camp, cheat a little by warming up a can of whole cranberry sauce in the microwave (to soften it) then whisking in:

* Some orange zest and finely chopped orange, or
* A few tablespoons of less-sugar raspberry preserves, or
* Your own favorite ingredients

Gravy

There are ways of making gravy quickly, by using products like bottled gravy or gravy packets. My guess is that the gravy packets taste best, because at least you are mixing it up the same day you serve it. The bottled gravy has one advantage, though — you just heat and serve. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Jazz these up by sauteing some garlic, onion, and finely diced mushrooms or finely chopped cooked turkey (or turkey gizzards if you desire) in a nonstick frying pan with a little canola oil or cooking spray and adding this to the prepared gravy.

If this is not an area where you want to cut corners, make a tasty light gravy using the brown crusty particles at the bottom of the roasting pan (that’s where the flavor is, anyway) with a minimum of the fat part of the turkey drippings, but most of the broth part. Cream up your gravy using a little fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk.

Rolls

Dress up heat-and-serve rolls with some flavored butters such as:

* A garlic-herb spread (blend softened butter or margarine with finely chopped herbs and bottled minced garlic or garlic powder)
* Cranberry-walnut-cinnamon spread (blend softened butter or margarine with finely chopped dried cranberry, chopped toasted walnuts and a few pinches of ground cinnamon)
* Zesty lemon spread (blend softened butter or margarine with finely chopped lemon zest)

You can also buy the rolls in dough form and bake them at home. Reduced-fat crescent-roll dough can be spread with any of the butters described above, rolled up, and baked in the oven.

See the recipe below for Quickie Garlic & Herb Crescent Rolls.

Lighten Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Jell-O Salads

You probably won’t find large Jell-O salads already made (I’ve seen only small tubs of prepared Jell-O salad at the market), but making them is a snap. If you’re making a layered salad (see recipe below) your biggest challenge is having to wait a few hours before you make the second layer (the first layer needs time to gel in the refrigerator).

When making your favorite Jell-O salads, there are a few easy things you can do to lighten them up:

* Use sugar-free Jell-O for at least one of the layers.
* For recipes that call for mayo, use light or low-fat mayonnaise.
* For recipes that call for cream cheese, use light cream cheese instead (fat-free cream cheese may not go over as well with all your guests).
* For recipes that call for Cool Whip, use light Cool Whip.

Sweet Potatoes

Generally this is a dish you have to make at home, but basically it involves nothing more than assembling the ingredients into the baking dish. Some recipes even call for canned sweet potatoes or yams.

Keep these dishes light by using less butter than the recipe calls for (add some fruit juice in its place), half the marshmallows called for, and substituting Splenda for half the sugar, if desired. You can also use egg substitute instead of some of the eggs.

Light & Festive Cranberry Jell-O Salad

A Pyrex or see-through 9x13-inch dish works well, because you can see the colorful layers from the side.

1 (0.6-ounce) box Sugar Free Cranberry Jell-O (makes 4 cups)
16-ounce can whole cranberry sauce
1 (6-ounce) box Lime Jell-O
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple (in juice), drained
8 ounces light Cool Whip (or similar light topping)
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces

* Stir 2 cups boiling water into cranberry Jell-O powder in medium bowl, and stir until completely dissolved (about 2 minutes). Stir in 2 cups ice water. Then whisk in the can of cranberry sauce. Pour mixture into a 9x13-inch dish and, with your whisk, spread the cranberries so they are evenly distributed in the pan. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.
* Stir 2 cups of boiling water into lime JELL-O powder in medium bowl, and stir until completely dissolved (about 2 minutes). Whisk in the light cream cheese until mixture is creamy. Stir in 2 cups cold water and the pineapple. Slowly pour this mixture over the gelled cranberry layer. Put back in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
* Just before serving, spread the light whipped topping over the top and sprinkle with walnut or pecan pieces.

Yield: 15 servings

Per serving (with walnuts): 193 calories, 3.5 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 0.7 g fiber, 120 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 30%

Per serving (without walnuts): 164 calories, 2.5 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 3.4 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 0.4 g fiber, 119 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 22%.

Quickie Garlic & Herb Crescent Rolls

These are so easy to make, and the recipe is easily doubled. (No need to butter these rolls; they taste great all by themselves.)

1 pop-can Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
2 1/2 tablespoons no- or low trans-fat margarine with 8 grams fat per tablespoon (Take Control, Land O’Lakes Buttery Taste in tub, etc.)
1 1/2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb no salt seasoning
2 teaspoons finely chopped chives (optional)

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
* Add margarine, Mrs. Dash, and chives (if desired) to 1-cup measure. Blend well with fork or spoon.
* Open pop can and, one by one, unroll the crescent roll dough and lay them flat on a work surface. Spread about a teaspoon of the margarine mixture over each of the triangles of dough (using a small spoon), then roll into crescents (start from the bottom of the triangle and roll toward the tip). Place on cookie or baking sheet.
* Bake for 11-13 minutes or until nicely brown and cooked throughout.

Yield: 8 servings

Per serving: 125 calories, 2 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (1.3 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 256 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 50%.

Originally published Nov. 18, 2004.
Medically updated November 2006.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Vegetable of the Month: Edible Cactus!

Public Information from the CDC
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

Edible cactus is also known as nopales (no-PAHles), nopalitos or cactus pads. This vegetable is popular in Mexico and other Central American countries, parts of Europe, the Middle East, India, North Africa and Australia. Its popularity is increasing in the United States where it can be found at Mexican grocery stores, specialty produce markets and farmer’s markets.

Edible cactus is characterized by its fleshy oval leaves (typically called pads or paddles) of the nopal (prickly pear) cactus.

With a soft but crunchy texture that also becomes a bit sticky (not unlike okra) when cooked, edible cactus tastes similar to a slightly tart green bean, asparagus, or green pepper.

Cactus pads contain beta carotene, iron, some B vitamins, and are good sources of both vitamin C and calcium.
What is the difference between cactus leaves (edible cactus or nopales)and the prickly pear?

As part of the cactus plant, the prickly pear is a fruit that is 2 to 4 inches long and shaped like an avocado. Its skin is coarse and thick, not unlike an avocados and it ranges in color from yellow or orange to magenta or red. Tubercles with small prickly spines can be found on the prickly pear’s skin. This fruit’s flesh, which ranges in color also from yellow to dark red, is sweet and juicy with crunchy seeds throughout.

The prickly pear can be diced like pineapple and used as a topping on yogurt or cereal or blended into a smoothie.

Availability, Selection, and Storage

Edible cactus is available year-round with a peak in the mid-spring and the best season from early spring through late fall. When buying edible cactus, choose small, firm, pale green cacti with no wrinkling. Be sure to pick cacti that are not limp or dry. Very small paddles may require more cleaning because their larger proportion of prickers and eyes.

Edible cactus can be refrigerated for more than a week if wrapped tightly in plastic.
Edible cactus is also sold as:

* Canned - pickled or packed in water
* Acitrones - candied nopales, packed in sugar syrup and available in cans or jars.

Cactus (Serving Size: 86 g)
Amounts Per Serving
% Daily Value
Calories 15
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g
0%
Sodium 20mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate 3g
1%
Dietary Fiber —g
—%
Sugars —g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A
8%
Vitamin C
15%
Calcium
15%
Iron
2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Preparation

The edible cactus you buy should be de-spined though you will need to trim the “eyes,” to remove any remaining prickers, and outside edges of the pads with a vegetable peeler. Trim off any dry or fibrous areas and rinse thoroughly to remove any stray prickers and sticky fluid.

Edible cactus can be eaten raw or cooked. To cook, steam over boiling water for just a few minutes (if cooked too long they will lose their crunchy texture). Then slice and eat! Cactus can also be cut and sauteed in butter or oil for a few minutes.

Steamed cactus can be added to scrambled eggs and omelets, or diced fresh and added to tortillas. They can also be substituted for any cooked green in most dishes.

The pads can be served as a side dish or cooled and used in salads. They taste especially good with Mexican recipes that include tomatoes, hot peppers and fresh corn.
Make Edible Cactus Part of Your 5 A Day Plan

* Cut up and add to salads.
* Dice and add to your favorite salsa recipe or any store
* bought salsa.
* Cut up and add to any corn side dish.
* Dice edible cactus and add to couscous along with diced tomatoes.
* Add to your favorite burrito along with lettuce and tomatoes.

2 Tbsp pine nuts
1/4 lb edible cactus (nopales), de-prickered, rinsed, and cut into _ inch squares
2 Tbsp peeled and diced medium-hot chili-pepper
or low-sodium diced tomatoes
1 3/4 up egg substitute
salt and pepper
cooking spray

* Toast nuts in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring often; reserve.
* Spray nonstick pan with cooking spray. Stir in cactus; toss gently over moderate heat until crisp-tender (about 4-5 minutes). Stir in chili pepper.
* Blend eggs, adding salt to taste. Add eggs to cactus and chilies. Stir often until set. Sprinkle with pepper and pine nuts and serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings
Each serving equals one 5-a-Day serving

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 52, Protein 10g, Fat 0g, Calories From Fat 5%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 2g, Fiber 0g, Sodium 264mg.

Sauteed Nopales, Peppers, and Corn

1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
1 large onion
1 Tbsp trans-fat free butter
4 small ears of small summer corn
1/2 lb fresh, firm edible cactus, deprickered, cut in 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice finely minced cilantro or parsley

* Halve peppers, then remove seeds and stems. Cut into 1/4-1/2 inch squares. Cut onions the same size. Cook both vegetables in butter in a heavy pan over moderate heat until just softened.
* Shuck corn, than cut from cob. Add edible cactus and corn to peppers and onion; stir over high heat until vegetables are cooked through, but firm-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs and serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings
Each serving equals four 5-a-Day servings

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 184, Protein 6g, Fat 4g, Calories From Fat 20%, Cholesterol 8mg, Carbohydrates 32g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 29mg.

Stir-Fried Edible Cactus With Tomatoes and Herbs

1 lb edible cactus, small and thin, prickers removed
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 pint small, ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh oregano, thyme, basil, salt, pepper

* Cut nopales into strips about 1/4 by 2 inches. Heat oil in large skillet; add garlic and toss. Add cactus and a pinch of salt; toss to coat. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until sticky juices are thoroughly exuded and cactus is not quite tender — about 5-8 minutes; stir fairly often. Mixture will appear quite sloppy.
* Uncover and stir often over moderate heat, until tender and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes.
* After mixture has finished heating, toss with onion and vinegar; add tomatoes, red bell peppers, and herbs and toss gently. Add salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 servings
Each serving equals four and one half 5-a-Day servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 61, Protein 3g, Fat 2g, Calories From Fat 30%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 10g, Fiber 1g, Sodium 145mg.

Cactus Leaf (Nopales) Slaw With Red Fresno Chile

4 cactus leaves
1 jicama
1 chili seeded and finely diced
1 orange, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

* Peel the jicama including the fibrous layer just beneath the skin. Cut in half and slice jicama into 1/8-inch thick pieces. Stack the slices and cut into julienne strips.
* Scrub cactus leaves and remove spines. Use a potato peeler or a knife to cut around the nodules and remove them. Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Place cactus leaves on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Set cacti leaves aside and allow to cool.
* Slice cactus leaves into thin julienne strips and combine with the jicama. Combine remaining ingredients and toss with your favorite vinaigrette dressing.

Yield: 4 servings
Each serving equals one 5-a-Day servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 53, Protein 1g, Fat 0g, Calories From Fat 5%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 13g, Fiber 5g, Sodium 5mg.

SOURCE: Melissa’s.

Nopales and Couscous Salad

2 1/2 cups cooked, whole-wheat couscous
3/4 lb small edible cactus (nopales), prickers removed
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, coarsely diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 fresh chili pepper
2 Tbsp cilantro

* Cook couscous according to package directions.
* Steam nopales about 4 minutes. Cool and cut into 1/4-inch wide strips.
* Combine lemon juice, salt, and olive oil; blend. Toss with nopales and onion.
* Remove stem and seeds from chili, then dice into small pieces. Add to nopales and toss.
* Combine with couscous and cilantro and mix well. Cover and chill until serving time.

Yield: 4 servings
Each serving equals three 5-a-Day servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 122, Protein 3g, Fat 4g, Calories From Fat 27%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 19g, Fiber 1g, Sodium 400mg.

SOURCES: This article is reprinted from “Vegetable of the Month: Edible Cactus,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Tricks and Recipes for Make-Ahead Meals

Make-ahead meals let you serve home-cooked dishes even on the most hectic day.

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Feature

Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD

Action-packed weeknights, overscheduled weekends, days when you have too much to do before guests come over or before you go to someone else’s house with a dish in hand — there are plenty of times when “make-ahead” meals can come to the rescue.

Make-ahead meals put you in control of your schedule. You do the preparation when you have some extra time, then you’re rewarded with a quick, home-cooked meal when things get hectic later in the day, week, or month.

Since dinnertime is often a hectic time for families, Janice Bissex, RD, author of The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers, says it can really help for moms or dads to make all or part of the meal in advance.

“Prepping ingredients to toss together at the last minute or assembling the full meal for reheating can make the dinner hour more relaxed and manageable,” Bissex tells WebMD in an email interview.

There are several ways to make your meals ahead of time. You can assemble them early and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to pop them in the oven. Or you can completely cook your meal, freeze or refrigerate it, then just warm it up at mealtime. Some make-ahead meals don’t even require baking — like main-dish green salads or pasta salads.

Paulette Mitchell, author of 13 cookbooks including A Beautiful Bowl of Soup, says her favorite strategy for make-ahead meals is to plan a soup and salad menu.

“All soups often benefit from being made ahead because standing time allows the flavors to blend,” she says. Further, she says, most homemade salad dressings taste better when they are made a day in advance.

If you’ve got a slow cooker, you’ve got a leg up on make-ahead meals. Judith Finlayson, author of The Healthy Slow Cooker, calls the slow cooker the most effective time manager a cook can have.

“You can get all the ingredients prepped and even partially cooked, in most cases for up to two days ahead,” she says.

Many slow-cooker recipes are suited to being prepared ahead of time, she says. Slow-cooker dishes like stews and chili also lend themselves to being frozen or refrigerated and reheated.

“You can do “big batch” cooking and have dinner for a second night during the week,” she says. “Eat a portion on the day it is cooked, and freeze the rest for future meals.”

Make-Ahead Meals for Breakfast or Brunch

Here are four make-ahead breakfast or brunch options for the next time you have to feed a crowd fast first thing in the morning:

1. Crepes. Just cook the crepes the day before and keep them in a sealed bag — or wrapped well in foil — in the refrigerator. Fill them with a mixture of fruits or assorted jams the next morning. Or add a ham and cheese filling, then heat them up. You can have the filling ingredients chopped and shredded and ready to go the night before, too.

2. Strata. Strata is an overnight breakfast entree by design. You’re supposed to let it sit in the refrigerator, then bake in the morning. Thus it’s a perfect make-ahead option.

3. Quiche. Quiche can be served warm or cold. Just bake it the day before, and, if you want to serve it warm, heat it up in the microwave.

4. Breakfast Breads, Coffee Cakes, and Muffins. You can always make bakery items ahead and serve them cold or warmed up in the microwave. To round out the breakfast or brunch, have fresh fruit ready to serve with it. You might also want to cook up a plate of light breakfast sausage, grilled Canadian bacon, or lean ham — all of which can be warmed up in the microwave in two minutes.

Make-Ahead Meals for Dinner

Here are a few dinner dishes that are well suited to making ahead of time:

* Most casserole-type dishes lend themselves to being made ahead, like tuna noodle casserole, au gratin style potatoes, chicken enchiladas, or a creamy chicken and rice dish.
* Stew-type dishes, cooked and kept in the refrigerator, are ideal for warming up on demand — a serving or two (or more) at a time.
* If the ingredients are already cooked, cut, and ready, you can toss main-dish green salad together in less than 5 minutes.
* Chilled pasta and rice salads (and salads made with other whole grains) are perfect when you need a cool dish to serve with virtually no time to spare.
* Some mostly meat (or fish) dishes, like meatloaf, chicken Parmesan, and crab cakes, can also be made ahead and then cooked or reheated.

Recipes for Make-Ahead Meals

To get you thinking of all the dishes that you can make now and eat later, here are a few entree recipes to get you started!

Ragu Bolognese

This sauce tastes even better the day after you make it. Just keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator and warm it up to serve over hot noodles. You can even make the noodles ahead of time and warm both up together when the time is right.

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1/3 cup minced carrot
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
2 ounces pancetta bacon, finely chopped
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half or whole or low-fat milk
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (or bottled marinara sauce)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
5 cups cooked and drained whole-grain blend spaghetti noodles

* Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and saute until soft. Add beef and pancetta, stir, and cook the vegetable-meat mixture until meat is nicely brown (about 15 minutes). While it’s cooking, break the beef up into smaller pieces with spatula or spoon.
* Pour in the half-and-half or milk, and cook until most of the milk has evaporated (about 5 minutes).
* Add to slow cooker and stir in tomato sauce and beef broth. Cook on LOW for at least 3 hours (but will be fine for 8-10 hours). Or, stir the tomato sauce and broth into the large saucepan with the meat and vegetable mixture, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
* Meanwhile, start boiling water for the pasta. Add noodles and boil until al dente (just barely tender) and drain well. Serve meat sauce over cooked and drained noodles.

Yield: 5 servings
Per serving: 399 calories, 27 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 7 g fiber, 930 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 28%.

Chicken Florentine Pie

2 cups shredded, skinless roasted chicken breast (you can use a roasted chicken from the store)
2 cups cooked brown rice (you could also use 1 pouch of microwavable frozen brown rice, or instant brown rice)
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon parsley flakes or 2 teaspoons fresh, finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped sweet or white onion (or chopped green onion)
10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed in microwave and drained well
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons prepared pesto (i.e. from frozen section), OPTIONAL

* If baking right away, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with canola cooking spray.
* Add shredded chicken, brown rice, herbs, onion, spinach, ricotta cheese, pepper, and Parmesan to large mixing bowl and gently mix together well with spoon.
* Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Keep the covered dish in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
* When ready to bake, place covered dish in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil; spread pesto over the top of the dish, and bake about 10 minutes longer.

Yield: 6 servings
Per serving (without pesto): 260 calories, 26 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 7.8 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 61 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 175 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 27%. (With pesto): 299 calories, 27 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 227 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 34%.

Alfredo Potato Lasagna

If you want to make eight servings of this dish, double the ingredients and use a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. To make it ahead of time, just prepare the dish up to Step 5. I used Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo (in 16-ounce jar) for the recipe and it worked very well. If you don’t want to use tuna, you can substitute 1 1/2-cups of any shredded meat, such as roasted chicken or grilled salmon.

3/4 cup (6 ounces) bottled Alfredo sauce (choose a brand with no more than 6 grams fat per 1/4 cup serving)
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut widthwise into 1/8-inch thick slices
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more if you like)
12-ounce can albacore tuna (in water), drained
1 cup frozen peas or edamame, lightly thawed
1 cup shredded part-skim Jarlsberg or reduced-fat Swiss cheese (or use gruyere, smoked gouda, or white cheddar)

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees if you’re baking the dish right away. Coat a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
* Add Alfredo sauce and milk to a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Spread a heaping 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer one-third of the potatoes over the sauce and sprinkle with a dash or two of pepper.
* Add Parmesan cheese, tuna, peas or edamame, and shredded cheese to a large bowl and toss to mix well. Spread half the tuna mixture over the potatoes in the dish. Top with a heaping 1/4 cup of sauce, then half the remaining potato slices. Top with more black pepper and the remaining tuna mixture.
* Finish by spreading a heaping 1/4 cup of the sauce on top, then the remaining potato slices. Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top. If you aren’t baking right away, cover with foil and keep in refrigerator until ready to bake.
* When ready to bake, keep the dish covered with foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then uncover the dish, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake about 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings
Per serving (using Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo): 342 calories, 26 g protein, 36.5 g carbohydrate, 10.8 g fat, 4.8 g saturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 5.5 g fiber, 534 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 28%.

Published September 7, 2007.

SOURCES: Judith Finlayson, author, The Healthy Slow Cooker. Paulette Mitchell, author, A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. Janice Bissex, MS, RD, author, The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers.

Last Editorial Review: 9/7/2007

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Healthy Bread Machine Recipes

Whip up home-baked bread the easy way with these tips and healthy bread machine recipes.

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

Some people love to knead bread. Maybe it relaxes them or helps them work out frustrations. The bread machine is the perfect appliance for everyone else — those who love the smell and taste of freshly baked bread and rolls, but don’t have the need to knead.

The day I brought my bread machine home years ago was the day I retired from the whole “mixing, kneading, first rising” ceremony of bread making. I’ll be honest with you, though — I’m not crazy about the square loaves baked in the bread machine. That’s why I’m a “dough cycle” kind of gal. This way you have the best of both worlds. You get to skip the mixing, kneading and first rising, yes. But then you take over and shape your bread or rolls, let them rise near your preheating oven, and bake them the old-fashioned way.

The dough cycle means the bread machine can do most of the work for you even if you’re making pizza crust, rolls, or baguettes. When you press the “dough cycle” button, the machine stops the process after the first rising so you can form the dough. It then rises in its new shape for about 45 minutes, and then it’s into the oven.

Bread Machine Tips

Whether you “do the dough cycle” or let your bread machine bake your bread, there are some tips that hold true for all bread machine recipes. In fact, most regular bread recipes can be converted for use in the bread machine if you keep the following in mind:

* Use the right yeast. The yeast that works best in the bread machine, in terms of the timing and the way it’s mixed with the other ingredients without being dissolved first, is called “bread machine yeast” or rapid-rise yeast.
* Use the yeast in time. Check the date on your yeast packet or bottle to make sure it hasn’t expired. Some bread experts suggest keeping your yeast in the refrigerator between uses — but then you have to remember to bring it to room temperature before adding it to the bread machine.
* Use the right amount of yeast. You’ll need about 1/2 teaspoon yeast for each cup of flour.
* Store the yeast properly. Before the jar or packet is opened, store it in a cool, dry place in the pantry or in the refrigerator. Once opened, keep the yeast in a sealed container in the back of the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.
* Room temperature is the rule. You want all the liquids (and the yeast) added to the bread machine to be around room temperature. That’s because yeast likes to grow in a warm environment. You can use the microwave to gently warm milk straight from the refrigerator, if need be.
* Dry milk or wet milk? Some bread machine recipes call for dry milk and water. But if you’re going to start your bread machine right away instead of using a timer, you can replace the water with milk or buttermilk and delete the powdered milk.
* Use the right size machine. Some bread machines make 1-pound loaves, some 1 1/2 pound loaves, and some can handle 2-pound loaves. Make sure your bread machine isn’t too small for the amount of dough you’re mixing. Generally, 1-pound loaf machines can handle up to 2 3/4 cups of flour and 7/8 cups of liquid, The larger machines can accommodate 3 to 4 cups of flour and 1 to 1 1/3 cups of liquid.
* Follow the 50% whole-wheat rule. In almost every bread machine recipe I make, I use half whole-wheat flour and half white flour. This way, the bread (or roll) is still somewhat light and airy but has more fiber and nutrients than if I’d used all white flour.
* Take a peek. After letting the bread machine mix the ingredients for a while and form the dough, peek in to make sure the dough is slightly sticky, but not wet. You may need to add a teaspoon or two more liquid or flour to achieve this state.

Favorite Healthy Bread Machine Recipes

After being a happy bread machine owner for about a decade now, I’ve collected quite an assortment of favorite healthy bread machine recipes. Here are just a few of them.

Cinnamon Twists

3/4 cup low-fat milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons egg substitute or beaten egg
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rapid rise or bread machine yeast
Filling:
1 1/2 tablespoons less-fat margarine or whipped butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

* Add milk, canola oil, egg substitute, whole-wheat flour, white flour, sugar, and salt to bread machine pan. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the yeast in there.
* Set bread machine to DOUGH cycle and press start.
* After about 1 hour and 40 minutes, the bread machine will finish. Place the dough on a long sheet of waxed paper lightly dusted with flour. Roll the dough into a 10-inch x 14-inch rectangle. Spread the margarine or whipped butter over the top.
* Add brown sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and blend well. Sprinkle evenly over the margarine-topped dough. Let the dough rest about 8 minutes. Cut the rectangle into 14 strips (about 1 inch wide). Fold the top end of each strip down to meet with the bottom end and then twist it a few times. Place the twisted strips on a jellyroll pan covered with nonstick foil that has been coated with canola cooking spray.
* Cover with a towel, if necessary, and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 40 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown, or about 15-18 minutes.

Yield: 14 twists

Per twist: 108 calories, 3 g protein, 17.5 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 130 mg sodium. Calories fat: 25%.

Panettone Bread

If you can’t find dried mixed fruit or glace holiday fruit, you can substitute 1/3 cup dried cranberries plus currants and 1/3 cup coarsely chopped maraschino cherries.

3/4 cup low-fat milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs, beaten (use a higher omega-3 brand if available)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lite pancake syrup or honey
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 3/4 cups white flour or bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons rapid rise or bread machine yeast
2/3 cup chopped dried mixed fruit or assorted glace holiday fruit

* Add all the ingredients except yeast and dried fruit into the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast. Select the DOUGH setting and press START.
* Ten minutes before the end of the DOUGH cycle (set your kitchen timer), sprinkle the mixed fruit over the top of the dough. When the cycle is over, you might need to knead in whatever fruit hasn’t been incorporated (it just takes a minute).
* Shape dough into a round about 8 inches wide and 3 inches high, and place on a foil-lined or nonstick cookie sheet.
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees while the bread rises in a warm place (cover with a towel if necessary). When double in size, bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 18 servings

Per serving: 118 calories, 4 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, .4 g saturated fat, 24 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 197 mg sodium. Calories fat: 19%.

Garlic & Herb Pizza Crust

1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons water, warm or room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons molasses
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon rapid rise or bread machine yeast

* Add water, molasses, olive oil, garlic, basil, and oregano to bread machine pan (unless a different order is recommended by manufacturer). Add both types of flour to pan, and add the salt in one of the corners. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast.
* Select the DOUGH cycle and press start.
* When the dough cycle is complete, about 1 hour and 40 minutes, divide dough into 4 pieces. Press and stretch each piece out into a circle about 7 inches wide. Top with your desired sauce (pizza sauce or pesto) and toppings (cheese, veggies, etc.)
* Bake the mini pizzas in a 400-degree oven until crust is golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving (crust only): 250 calories, 7 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g fiber, 538 mg sodium. Calories fat: 19%.

Published September 27, 2007.

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, is the “Recipe Doctor” for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic and the author of numerous books on nutrition and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

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