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Last Updated: Oct 6, 2008 - 12:00:27 PM |
AICR Ever Green Ever Healthy
July 2008
Topic: Food
Cool and Healthy Summer Meal Planning
from the American Institute for Cancer Research
Higher food prices are driving many people back home for dinner. Preparing your own meals at home is a perfect opportunity to put plenty of cancer-fighting vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans on your plate, but where do you begin?
Write down the foods by category such as fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and canned goods like beans and fish and low fat condiments like mustard and salsa for a focused list. Remember that bags of frozen vegetables and fruits (without sugar or fatty sauces) can be used as needed without worrying about spoilage.
Using AICR’s New American Plate as your guide, fill 2/3 of your plate with plant foods – vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, and 1/3 with lean meat or dairy. It’s an easy way to get the recommended 5 servings a day of plant-based foods that are full of fiber, vitamins and phytochemicals that seem to help prevent cancer.
Try some new whole grains like barley, bulgur and quinoa. Add some hearty beans to satisfy your appetite. Most beans have plenty of fiber, protein and folate, a B vitamin that may protect against cancer. Choose from kidney, black, white, pinto, navy, lima, chickpeas, and many others.
Some meal ideas are:
• Instant brown rice topped with stir-fry using plenty of chopped garden vegetables, a little lean animal protein like chicken or fish, plus something different like mango or nectarine chunks.
• Instant cold soup called gazpacho (see recipe) just requires reduced-sodium tomato juice, chopped onion, cucumber, bell pepper, zucchini, garlic and a dash of lemon juice and teaspoon of olive oil, plus hot sauce if desired whirled together in the blender for one minute.
• Microwave finely chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and snap peas on a plate in a single layer in 2 teaspoons of water and covered with a damp paper towel. Toss them with whole-wheat pasta and white beans for a delicious primavera with reduced-sodium tomato sauce or just a teaspoon of olive oil and parmesan cheese.
Spicy Gazpacho
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced, with their juice
2 large cloves garlic
1 slice stale white bread, crust removed*
1/2 cup reduced sodium tomato juice
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 tsp. white horseradish
2 tsp. white distilled vinegar
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup finely diced peeled cucumber
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
4 Tbsp. whole-wheat croutons
In blender, whirl tomatoes and garlic to a coarse puree. Tear bread into 1 inch pieces and add to tomatoes. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, horseradish, vinegar, oil, and cayenne pepper. Whirl until soup is a finely pulpy puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer soup to a container, cover, and chill 3-4 hours to overnight. It will keep up to two days.
Divide chilled soup among four soup bowls. To each bowl, add 1 tablespoon diced cucumber, pepper and onion. Top with 1 tablespoon croutons and serve immediately.
*If bread is not stale, set it on rack in a 225 degree oven until dry and hard, about 20 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 120 calories, 3.5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 18 g carbohydrate,
4 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 250 mg sodium.
© 2004-2008 by foodconsumer.org unless otherwise specified
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