7 in 7 - Saturday - Healthy Cooking Tips (3)

Top 10 Cooking Tips
www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Caregiver/Replenish/Top10CookingTips/Top-10-Cooking-Tips_UCM_301837_Article.jsp

3. Use your time and your freezer wisely. When you cook once, make it last longer by preparing enough for several other meals. Freeze it and have a ready-made healthy treat for the next time you are simply too tired to bother.

6. Canned, processed and preserved vegetables often have very high sodium content. Look for “low-sodium” veggies or try the frozen varieties. Compare the sodium content on the Nutrition Facts label of similar products (for example, different brands of tomato sauce) and choose the products with less sodium. If you buy canned, rinse veggies under cold water to reduce the level of sodium.


Questions:
1. What do you use your freezer for? Do you make extra and freeze for later?
2. What canned foods do you keep in your pantry? Do you look at sodium content or labels before buying?
3. Recipes: Any using canned foods or make-ahead-freezer-friendly ideas?
4. FUN: What are you looking forward to this weekend?

PERSONALS

Judy: We bought turnips, beets and sweet potatoes when my daughter was here but did not roast them. The turnips are growing greens on tops I will try roasted veg again and make them smaller in size and raise the heat. They sound good but for some reason steaming or boiling is what usually happens instead.

Cindy: I tend not to have smoothies as meals unless I am not really cooking in the evening and want something simple. Thank you for the link...off to check it out.

Cherry: Your smoothie with cherries sounds yummy...not sure we get frozen ones here and am not sure I would find almond flavoring or have the patience to seed fresh cherries, though    I think when I tried roasting vegetables last time the pieces were crowded and the oven set at 350 - so too low. Thanks for the information.

Beverly: I am enjoying the recipes, too. Am compiling and eager to try roasting vegetables again soon.

Jan: Interesting addition of parsley to your smoothie - would never have thought of that!

Pam: I think I read somewhere that people use the WW smoothie mix to flavor nf yogurt - wonder if that would be good or not so good?

Holly: I add garlic to my rice sometimes and always to mjudra (rice, lentils and browned onions)

Hope you all have something planned to do JUST for you!

1. What do you use your freezer for? Do you make extra and freeze for later?  I have a fairly large chest type freezer and use it for a lot of things.  I freeze meats/poultry/fish, frozen vegetables and fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. for baking, leftovers, baked goods (out of sight, out of mind) when I have them, and produce from my garden.  I don't often freeze full meals, just soups, chili, and casseroles when I make them or some other one dish meals
2. What canned foods do you keep in your pantry? Do you look at sodium content or labels before buying?  I usually keep different varieties of beans, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce/paste, corn, evaporated milk, salmon (which I prefer over tuna), pickles, olives, spaghetti sauce, chicken broth.  I don't usually compare sodium content but I do try to pick canned vegetables and beans with no salt added.
3. Recipes: Any using canned foods or make-ahead-freezer-friendly ideas? I have a recipe for a refried bean soup that I make often.
4. FUN: What are you looking forward to this weekend? I don't have anything special planned for the weekend.

Smoky Refried Bean Soup
(from Fat Free Vegan)

Use the minimum amounts of chipotle chili powder and hot sauce to make this a mild dish or add more to make it as hot as you dare.

1 large onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
15 ounces fat free refried beans
15 ounces black beans, cooked
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 - 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (to taste)
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

Spray a large, non-stick pot with cooking spray, and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook for one more minute. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook until the flavors blend, 20-30 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Garnish with fresh tomato salsa and serve with baked tortilla chips (count) and a large salad.

Makes 4 large servings. Per serving: 257 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 895mg Sodium; 14g Fiber.


Has anyone found a way around editing to take out the double spaces when copying and pasting a recipe?

I have a large freezer in my wash room. I freeze just about everything!! DH is retired military, so we usually go to the commissary about once every 2 mos. It is about an hour away from us. I usually stock up on meats when we go there. I also try to keep bread, english muffins,lots of frozen veggies.
Canned foods: I always have canned tomatoes on hand, canned soups (for emergencies), corn, peas. Sorry to say, that I almost never look at the sodium content before buying. I prefer fresh or frozen veggies, so I don't eat the canned ones too often, (other than the tomatoes).
I often freeze homemade soups & chili.
Looking forward to my grandson's visit tomorrow.

Questions:
1. What do you use your freezer for? Do you make extra and freeze for later?
Mostly have frozen meals and yogurt bars.

2. What canned foods do you keep in your pantry? Do you look at sodium content or labels before buying?
tomatoes, petite diced; tomatoes with green chilies; chicken broth; WW pasta; no sugar added pears and peaches: nsa mangoes; corn

3. Recipes: Any using canned foods or make-ahead-freezer-friendly ideas?

4. FUN: What are you looking forward to this weekend?
Mani and pedi