Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 WebMD Feature from "Redbook" Magazine Uehlein, Canyon Ranch corporate chef, spends his days making good-for-you fare yummy. Here, 10 secret-weapon ingredients he suggests keeping in your kitchen, plus ways to use them 1. Jarred roasted red peppers* Chop peppers; toss with fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a quick salad.* Top turkey burgers and sandwiches.2. Canned diced chile peppers* Toss into a low-sodium vegetable soup for zip.* Melt low-fat cheese over baked tortilla chips and top with black beans, salsa, and a sprinkle of chile peppers.3. Canned artichoke hearts in water* Chop and mix with herbs and low-fat cream cheese to spread on whole-grain breads.* Rinse; toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper; roast at 425¢¶F until crisp on edges.4. Frozen berries* Blend with low-fat yogurt for fruit smoothies.* Sprinkle over pancake batter in the skillet.5. Frozen raw peeled shrimp* Saut«± with vegetables until cooked through.* Cook, chop, and add to an omelet.6. Dried cranberries* Add to a stir-fry.* Stir into chocolate-chip cookie dough before baking.7. Capers* Sprinkle over fish with a squeeze of lemon.* Make a pasta sauce with tomato sauce, capers, olives, garlic, and lemon zest.8. Canned beans* Process garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) with sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic for a quick hummus.* Add black beans to a low-fat cheese quesadilla.9. Salsa* Mix with brown rice for a zesty side.* Use as pizza sauce.10. Couscous* Use in stuffed peppers.* Cook a few minutes longer than instructed, add minced onion, garlic, parsley, and rosemary, and form into 3-inch cakes. Saut«± and serve with low-fat sour cream. ~ Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - Wow! What a ride!~ Unknown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 >1. Jarred roasted red peppers I toss some in the food processor when making my opil-free hummus. Mmmm, delicious! >3. Canned artichoke hearts in water I'm 53 and have never tasted these in my life. One of these days I'll grab a can/jar and try them. >4. Frozen berries Got a bunch of these in the frezer right now from last summer. I toss some in oatmeal or my muffin mix on a steady basis. I really should use them more often and get rid of the old, as it's soon time for this year's crop to start coming in. Already the grocery store has blueberries at the same price as last summer and the new strawberries are in already. >5. Frozen raw peeled shrimp No can do! I'm addicted to shrimp and can eat the whole darn bag in one sitting, dipping them one by one in a bowl of ketchup. My dad and I used to polish off 5 pounds of jumbo shrimp every year on either his or my birthday. >6. Dried cranberries So hard to find unsweetened ones, so when I do use them I mix them half and half with raisins. >7. Capers Another food I never tried. Looks like mouse turds. >8. Canned beans NOW you're talking my usual food choices! But buying dried beans and cooking them in the crockpot or pressure cooker are cheaper and healthier - no salt! >10. Couscous I used to love couscous but lately the smell of it just turns me off. I'd rather cook up a different quick cooking pasta, like orzo (looks like rice). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 > >3. Canned artichoke hearts in water > > I'm 53 and have never tasted these in my life. One of these days I'll grab a can/jar and try them. At $2-$4 a can, depending on size of the hearts and brand - I honestly don't get the huge deal about artichoke hearts. > >4. Frozen berries > >7. Capers > Another food I never tried. Looks like mouse turds. Much more flavorful, if I remember right! > >8. Canned beans > > NOW you're talking my usual food choices! But buying dried beans and cooking them in the crockpot or pressure cooker are cheaper and healthier - no salt! I've honestly considered cooking my own black beans - but I only use about 1 can a week, tops! I take the cheapest can I can find (Goya brand) and rinse all that 'gook' out - so hopefully I'm rising off some carbs and salt! SulaBlue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Sue, they don't get mushy that way? SulaBlue > freeze them in 1 or 1 1/2 cup freezer bags. I usually put one cup of beans > in one of the snack-sized bags, then pop the small bags into a 1- gallon > freezer bag and just defrost what I need for the recipe I'm using. > > > > Sue in NJ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 > > >7. Capers > > Another food I never tried. Looks like mouse turds. > > Much more flavorful, if I remember right! I *hope* so! LOL All I know is that people say it's like anchovies - all you taste is the salt. BTW, anchovies are another food I never cared to try. Being I've been on sodium restricted diets since childhood there are a number of salty foods I never tried. > I've honestly considered cooking my own black beans - but I only use > about 1 can a week, tops! I take the cheapest can I can find (Goya > brand) and rinse all that 'gook' out - so hopefully I'm rising off > some carbs and salt! Oh, that gunk at the bottom of the cans are horrible, yet some recipes I've seen called for it to be included and not rinsed off. (shudder!!) Goya is the brand I always get, too, when I buy canned. They seem to be a better quality than store brands or other small imported ones. If all you use is one can a week and still want to use the dried, make up the whole bag and freeze them in 1 or 1 1/2 cup freezer bags. I usually put one cup of beans in one of the snack-sized bags, then pop the small bags into a 1-gallon freezer bag and just defrost what I need for the recipe I'm using. Sue in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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