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NOURISHING
NEWS: Cooking Tips for One or for Two
July 2004
Want to have healthy meals at home but think cooking for just one or two
people is too much work? It doesn’t have to be. Just try some of
these helpful tips to make cooking a little easier and more healthful.
You’ll see … a little planning goes a long way!
One
Ingredient - Many Uses
Try to design meals that make use of one food in a variety of ways.
• Make extra chili to top baked potatoes later in the week. Use
lean meat and lots of beans for fiber.
• Use leftover chicken or turkey in a salad or sandwich. Add plenty
of fresh greens such as spinach and arugula. Dice extra meat for use in
a potpie by mixing with light cream soup, vegetables (such as carrots,
peas and corn) and placing in a pre-made pie shell.
• Use leftover baked or grilled salmon (an excellent source of healthy
omega-3 fatty acids) to make a salmon salad by mixing with light mayo,
celery and onions for later use in sandwiches.
• Made too many veggies? Throw them in a stew or soup. Remember,
the more colorful, the healthier.
• Tomato soup can be enhanced with pasta, fresh vegetables and beans.
Lycopene, a pigment in tomatoes, may help prevent cancer. Add fresh basil
just before serving for extra flavor and nutrients.
Extra, Extra!!
Cutting recipes in half to serve only a couple of people may work for
some, but you can also prepare larger quantities and freeze or store the
meals for use later in the week. This way you cook less often and you
can take advantage of buying in larger quantities.
• Prepare large stews, freeze extras and then add more fresh vegetables
when you reheat.
• Freeze extra soup broth in ice cube trays. Use the cubes to enhance
the flavor of other entrees.
• Cut meat and poultry into smaller portions, wrap, date and freeze
for cooking small meals later.
• When cooking a pasta meal, boil extra pasta. Use half that day
with your favorite sauce then cool half and mix with a light vinaigrette
dressing, fresh steamed and cooled vegetables, and cooked beans for a
tasty pasta salad.
Is buying in bulk better? Sometimes.
Buying in bulk can often save money, just be sure you have enough space
to store the food properly. With the huge variety of beautiful produce
this time of year, shoppers face two dangers: buying too much and not
storing it safely. Time damages both taste and nutritional content. Keep
salad items in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Apples and pears
will keep well up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Store root vegetables
like potatoes and turnips in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, and
buy only what you can use in a week or two, as they toughen with age.
NOURISHING
NEWS ARCHIVES
June
2004 Newsletter
©CNS/RQA/CA, INC. 2/04
Using leftovers is a great way to decrease food waste and have appetizing meals on hand, but storing those leftovers must be done properly.
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