Tips and Recipes

Sweet Potato Recipes

No salt added!

When my dad was diagnosed with high blood pressure his doctor told him to avoid adding salt to his food and to choose foods that are low to no sodium. Of course my dad thought he would never enjoy food again. I knew I had to help. I showed him and my mom how to use spices and herbs instead of salt. We had a great time cooking and tasting all the different foods made with no salt. Needless to say, my dad enjoyed eating as much as he did before! We added dill to potatoes, ginger to carrots, and oregano to green beans. My parents didn’t realize how flavorful vegetables could taste with just a touch of herbs and spices. My mom started experimenting with meat dishes and found how new and delicious dishes tasted with the addition of mint, cilantro, curry powder, rosemary, etc. I have also stopped using salt for flavoring and have relied on spices and herbs to flavor my family’s foods. One of our favorite recipes is tuna salad sandwich without mayo. Check it out!

Tuna Salad

Ingredients: 
One 6.4-ounce pouch light tuna packed in water, drained
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 small red onion, peeled and diced (about 1/4 cup)
2 ribs celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
2 tablespoons olive oil
fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
Baby spinach

Directions: 
Combine the tuna, cucumber, onion, celery, and dill weed. Drizzle the olive oil and the lemon juice to taste. Season with Mrs. Dash. Make the sandwich with 1/2 cup tuna salad and 1/4 cup baby spinach on low sodium whole wheat bread, if available.

How to Soak Dry Beans

Dried beans are an inexpensive low-fat source of protein and fiber that can be easily added into our diet.  They are easy to cook but must be soaked prior to using in a recipe.  This requires just a little planning and preparation before they are ready to use.

1. Before soaking beans, pick them over, removing any small rocks or dirt pieces.
2. Put the beans in a strainer or colander and rinse with cold water
3. There are two methods of soaking beans – the Hot Soak and the Traditional Soak.  The Hot Soak allows you to soak and cook your beans in the same day.  Your beans will cook to a tender stage in about 30-45 minutes.
4. To Hot Soak your beans, heat 10 cups of water for each pound of beans in a large pot until it boils.
5. Add the dry beans and boil for 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, cover and let stand a minimum of 1 hour.  Soaking gets rid of many of the gas-producing substances in beans.
7. To use the traditional soak method, simply cover your dried beans with 3 times as much water as beans.  Cover and soak overnight.  Beans soaked by this method will take about 1 – 2 ½ hours for them to be tender.

Whichever method you use, drain and rinse your beans with fresh water after soaking and before using in your recipe. If you don’t have time to cook dried beans you can substitute 3 cans of drained beans for 1 pound of dry beans.

Bean recipes from Cooking with EFNEP cookbook:
15-Minute Soup
Makes 4 servings
Serving Size: about 11⁄2 cups
Ingredients
• 1 (16-ounce) can unsalted Great Northern Beans, drained
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (16-ounce) can chopped or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup macaroni

Directions
1. In a 2-quart pot, combine all ingredients except spinach and macaroni.
2. Heat until the liquid comes to a boil.
3. Stir in and break up spinach; bring to a boil again.
4. Stir in macaroni and simmer until pasta is tender, about 6–8 minutes.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
145 Calories, Total Fat .5g, Saturated Fat 0g, Protein 7g, Total Carbohydrate 28g, Dietary Fiber 7g, Sodium 135mg. Excellent source of vitamins A and C. Good source of iron and calcium.

SLOW COOKER DRIED BEANS
Makes 10 servings Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Ingredients
• 1 (1-pound) bag dried beans (pinto, black, garbanzo, etc)
• Water
• 1 onion, chopped (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Put dried beans in the colander and rinse. Remove any broken or discolored beans.
2. Put dried beans in a large mixing bowl. Add water to cover beans then add an additional 2 inches. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator overnight.
3. Drain beans and place in slow cooker with water to cover plus 2 inches.
4. Add onion if desired.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours or until
6. Add salt and pepper to taste
7. Drain if desired.

Food Preparation Tip: Experiment with adding different spices to beans.
Pinto beans can be mashed to make refried beans with no added fat. Refried beans can be used in tacos, taco salad, or as a main dish substitute.Nutrition Information Per Serving
110 Calories, Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g, Protein 7g, Total Carbohydrate 20g, Dietary Fiber 7g, Sodium 170mg. Good source of iron.
Analyzed with pinto beans.

Slow Cooker Cooking

What’s your favorite kitchen appliance? One of my favorites is the slow cooker. It may seem like an outdated piece of equipment but it can help save time and money. And the best part is many standard size slow cookers are affordable. A simple 3-4 quart pot, which is an ideal size for a small family, can start at $20 (or less if it’s on sale). This little investment can result in the most delicious meals! Below are some tips for using a slow cooker:
-Fill the slow cooker about half to two-thirds full…Do not overfill or the dish will not cook properly or safely.
-Choose inexpensive meats when they’re on sale such as chicken drumsticks and thighs, pork shoulder, Boston butt, beef round, and ground beef.
-Remove as much fat from meats. If using chicken, remove skin. Too much fat will affect the texture of the meat.
-Brown and sear meats, if possible. This adds a richer and deeper flavor to the dish. If using ground beef, pre-cook and drain off fat.
-Stack the pot according to your recipe. A general rule of thumb is whatever takes longest to cook goes on the bottom.
-Keep a lid on it! Resist the temptation to open the lid midway. Doing so releases moisture and heat that may affect your dish and cooking time.

Below is a simple chili recipe your family is sure to enjoy!
Chili

Ingredients:
1½ lb. lean ground beef, cooked and drained
2 cans, 15 oz. each, red kidney beans, rinsed
1 large can, 16 oz. no-salt-added tomato sauce
1½ cups Chunky Mild Salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. Chili powderOptional toppings: Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese, low-fat sour cream, diced tomatoes, diced red onions

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients except cheese into the slow cooker; stir. Cover with lid.
2. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours (or on high 3 to 4 hours).
3. Stir before serving. Top with optional ingredients.

Image from tiramisustudio (freedigitialphotos.net)

-Lisa

Oatmeal Muffin Day Recipes

Adding oatmeal to your muffins gives them a nutritional boost! Oatmeal is classified as a whole grain and can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity. Grabbing an oatmeal muffin makes a perfect on-the-go breakfast option.

Oatmeal Muffin Day Recipes:
Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins – makes 12 muffins

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 egg
• 1 cup applesauce
• ¾ cups white flour
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
2. Mix together oil, brown sugar, applesauce and egg.
3. Add flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix until moistened
4. Blend in raisins and oatmeal.
5. Sppon into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350˚ F for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Source: University of Nebraska, Lincoln Center

Blueberry Oat Muffins

• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup blueberries

Topping:

•  2 Tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat egg whites, water and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moist. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups (sprayed with nonstick spray) ¾ full. Sprinkle tops with topping. Bake at 400˚ F for 18 – 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan, the cool on rack. Makes 1 dozen.
Source: Akron Beacon Journal via eXtension

Oat Bran Muffins – makes 12 servings

• 2 ¼ cups oatbran
• ¼ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 banana (mashed)
• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbsp. raisins, dates, or other dried fruit
• 1 egg
• ½ cups orange juice
• ¾ cups non-fat milk
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 425˚ F.
2. Mix the first four dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix fruit together and blend with dry ingredients.
3. Mix the egg with orange juice, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients until it is moist.
4. Spray muffin tin with a non-stick coating. Pour batter into muffin tins.
5. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.
6. Muffins can be frozen for later use if desired.

Source: USDA What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl