Sunday, May 31, 2009

Veggies with BowTie Pasta

A versatile dish that can be served alone with crusty bread or a fruit salad is Veggies with BowTie Pasta. If you have meat eaters in your family, consider a lean cut of meat for a lighter meal with fewer calories. Look to Dana’s blog on May 11th for tips and hints on adding protein to your dish without drying it out.

What makes this dish so versatile is the assortment of vegetables you can add to it. I change up the vegetables on a regular basis and it looks like a completely different meal. If you are short on time during the week, think about cutting up the vegetables and preparing your pasta ahead of time. Then when you get home, all you have to do is assemble the dish and sauté the vegetables, thus adding vegetables to your dinner table and making it a nutrient rich meal.

Safe Handling Tips for Vegetables and Fruits:
Each year, people get sick from foods that have not been properly handled, refrigerated, or cooked. If food is not handled properly, germs can grow to levels that make people sick.

Providing consumers with safe, wholesome fruits and vegetables is the first priority of farmers and produce managers. Fruits and vegetables can pick up dust and soil as they are being harvested, handled, packed, and shipped. They may also have trace amounts of chemicals and bacteria on the outer tissues that can be removed by washing. Consumers play an important role in making sure the food they eat is good for them and their families.

At the store: Look for fresh-looking fruits and vegetables that are not bruised, shriveled, moldy, or slimy. Do not purchase anything that smells bad, and do not buy packaged vegetables that look slimy. Remember, if it’s not in great shape at the store, you cannot make it any better!

Buy only what you need that can be used within a few days. Apples, potatoes, and citrus fruits can be stored longer. Handle produce gently at the store. Keep produce on top in the cart (putting groceries on top of produce can bruise it).

At home: Put produce away promptly. Keep most of your produce in the crisper. It has a slightly higher humidity than the rest of the refrigerator, which is better for fruits and vegetables. Throw away any produce that has been kept too long, or if it is moldy or slimy. Remember to keep all cut fruits and vegetables covered in the refrigerator.

Germs can adhere to the surface of produce and can be passed to the flesh when cut (cross contamination). The most important thing you can do is wash all fruits and vegetables in clean drinking water before eating, even if you do not plan to eat the skin, such as melons or oranges. Wash the produce just before you plan to use it, not when you put it away. However, lettuce can be rinsed before refrigerating to help maintain crispness. Washing in slightly warm water (not HOT) brings out the flavor and aroma of the fruit or vegetable you are preparing.

Temperature: All firm fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and avocados, should be washed in water between 80 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spraying: The best method for washing ripe or fragile berry fruits--strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries--is by spraying with a kitchen sink sprayer. Use a colander so you can gently turn the fruit as you spray.

Immersion: If you do not have a sink sprayer, berries and soft fruit should be placed in a wire basket or colander and then into a 5 to 8 quart pot of warm water. Move the basket in and out of the water several times. Change the water until the water remains clear. Do this process quickly. If the fruit absorbs too much water, it will lose flavor, texture, and aroma.

Dry: Dry with a paper towel. Greens, such as spinach, chard, kale, and collards should be cooked while wet, immediately after washing.

Cold Water Washing: Produce used in salads, such as lettuce, radishes, carrots, etc., should be washed in the coldest tap water available to maintain crispness. To get maximum crispness, immerse the greens in a mixture of ice cubes and water about a half-hour before serving.

Do not use detergent when washing fruits and vegetables. The detergent residues will be left on the fruits and vegetables. Produce items are porous and will absorb the detergent. The Food and Drug Administration has not labeled detergent to be used on foods.

In addition to washing, you should:

  • Peel and discard outer leaves or rinds. Scrub hearty vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, if you want to eat the fiber and nutrient rich skin.
  • Clean surfaces, utensils, and hands after touching raw meat and poultry and before you use them on fresh produce.
  • Keep refrigerators clean and cold (under 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover and refrigerate produce you have cut.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet or changing diapers, and before preparing food.
  • Read and follow label instructions such as "Keep Refrigerated" or "Use By" (a certain date).
  • Keep prepared fruit salads or other cut produce items in the refrigerator until just before serving. Discard cut produce items if they have been out of the refrigerator for more than four hours.

Enjoy Dinner Tonight!
Dee Lee


Wednesday, May 20, 2009


Turkey Chili

What a delicious dish that is easy to prepare and most of all healthy too! The benefits of using turkey are fewer calories, high-protein, lower cost and it is nutrient-rich. When purchasing the turkey at your local market check to make sure it is lean. Much like ground beef and chicken, there are varieties. One way to eat healthy is to choose leaner meat. With beef, chicken and turkey, the leaner it is, the less fat you will have in your dish. You can locate this percentage on the nutrition label.

Another tip is if someone in your family just refuses to eat turkey over beef you can cut the meat portion of the recipe in half and mix turkey and lean ground beef together. They may not even notice a difference. If that does not work you can substitute the turkey for the leanest ground beef and keep the chili healthy. Don't forget to get creative and add your own favorite ingredients, spices or flavors. You may end up with a new family recipe to share with others! I like to have fun when I am cooking by including family and friends, so feel free to modify this recipe to meet your personal taste.

Here are some food safety tips when handling turkey:

  • Remember to use separate cutting boards for meat and fruit/vegetables.
  • If you prepare the dish early remember to place it in the refrigerator. It's important to refrigerate foods and leftovers within two hours or less. This slows down bacterial growth. The best way to cool leftovers, such as chili is to divide the leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling.
  • Defrost in the refrigerator versus counter tops and remember to place the meat on the lower level to prevent cross contamination.


    I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Cassandra Coleman

Friday, May 15, 2009

Benefits of Salmon

The Hot Alaska Salmon Melts are not only good tasting but they are good for you. Most of us think of getting our calcium by consuming milk and yogurt, which is correct but you can also get your daily dose of calcium by eating the bones from the canned salmon. By crushing up the bones you are adding extra calcium to your diet. Think of it as "sneaking eating" and your family will never know. Another health benefit of salmon is the omega-3 fatty acids. These are important because they may help to thin blood and prevent blood platelets from clotting and sticking to artery walls. That in turn will aid in lowering the risk of blocked blood vessels and heart attacks.
This recipe can be adapted for your families taste buds! The canned salmon can be substituted for canned chicken or tuna. You may also use leftover hotdog or hamburger buns in the place of the English muffins. I hope you family will enjoy this recipe as much as mine does.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Stir fry is one of my favorite cooking techniques! It’s a simple and quick way to get a meal on the table. Stir fry is an Asian cooking method where vegetables and/or meat are cooked over high heat. Since they are cooked quickly, the vegetables retain their bright colors and their nutrient content. One advantage of stir fry is that you can cook the vegetables to the texture you desire, tender crisp if you like or cook a little longer for a softer texture, I usually place the lid over the skillet just at the end of the cooking to allow the vegetables to steam just a bit.

You can use almost any vegetable in stir fry, choose the vegetables that your family likes. The stir fry I am preparing for you today has a variety of brightly colored vegetables which add to the appeal of the dish. We are drawn to the bright colors of the vegetables, if a dish looks good we are more likely to try and enjoy it. When preparing your vegetables try to slice them so they are uniform in size so they will cook more evenly.

You can certainly make a vegetable only stir fry but if you choose to add a protein any of the following will work wonderfully, beef, chicken, pork, fish or tofu. In order to keep the meat from over cooking it is best to cook it first, once it is cooked thoroughly, remove it from the skillet, set aside and keep it warm. Once you have finished cooking the vegetables add your chosen protein back to the skillet, if you are using fish, break it up gently and stir minimally after you add the fish. Shrimp or scallops make a great protein addition too! If tofu is your choice, select firm tofu, slice it into bite-sized pieces and add it at the end of cooking.

The sauce I add to the stir fry pulls it all together and is a simple mixture of soy sauce, chicken broth and cornstarch. The cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce once it hits the heat. If you want to reduce the sodium, you can use light soy sauce, reduce or even omit the soy sauce. If you choose to use less soy sauce just increase the amount of chicken broth used.

Finally the cooking tools...you will need a large heavy skillet and spatula. Some assume you can’t stir fry without a wok but a heavy skillet that will handle the high heat works well.

I hope stir fry is a technique you will add to your cooking tool box, your family is sure to enjoy and you’re only limited by your imagination.

Healthy regards,
Dana

Friday, May 1, 2009

A New Spin on Quiche

I hope you are enjoying all the recipes from Dinner Tonight! This particular recipe for Rice Crust Quiche may be a little different than the more traditional quiche you are used to making…..or it may be a totally new experience for you. It is always good to experiment a little and this recipe will give you that opportunity!

First, the crust is a little unusual – would you agree? Who would think rice, egg and cheese could make a crust! It is actually easy and very healthy for your family. Be sure and use brown rice for a little added fiber to the diet. One other note – do not overcook the crust – remember it will be baked again when the filling is added.

The “meat” of the quiche can be any ingredient your family likes. Don’t be limited to a can of chicken or ham. Use left-over chicken from the previous night – be creative. You might even mix two different kinds of meat if you have a “little of this and a little of that” from the night before! The same rule applies to the vegetables mentioned in the recipe. Use what your family prefers. If they don’t like vegetables, you might try what Jessica Seinfield does...sneak them in anyway!!!!

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the ease of this quiche recipe. It is inexpensive to make and sure to be a family favorite. Give it a chance! If you have questions, please post them...it just might help someone else.

Donna