- May Your
New Year Be Happy And Light
- BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE
FOR CANCER RESEARCH
The holidays
are over and once again, it’s time to resolve to eat more
healthfully. New studies show that one in four Americans is obese,
so the beginning of a new year is a good time to think about
how you eat.
The American
Institute of Cancer Research recommends an approach called “The
New American Plate” that helps people rethink their eating
habits, so they can reduce their risk of chronic diseases like
cancer, and help maintain a healthy weight. They advise that
vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans should cover two-thirds
(or more) of your plate. Animal meats should cover one-third
(or less).
An easy way
to change over to “The New American Plate” is with
a one-pot meal. This redesigned pilaf, for example, is a tasty,
fast one-dish meal with the ideal proportions.
New American
Pilaf - Makes
8 servings.
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground orange zest
4 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. canola oil, divided
8 oz. skinless, boned chicken breasts, diced
2 large shallots, finely diced
1 cup “wild pecan” rice (or brown rice)
1 cup wild rice
2 1/2-3 cups reduced-sodium, non-fat
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 cup unsweetened red grape juice
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced carrots
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
chicken broth, divided
Mix ginger
and zest with 1 tsp. oil. Rub mixture into chicken. Let stand
30 minutes. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium
heat. Add shallots and gently cook until translucent. Add pecan
rice (or brown rice) and stir until grains are translucent and
shiny. Add water as called for in package instructions. Cook
until rice is not quite tender and liquid is nearly completely
absorbed. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile,
repeat above process with 1 tablespoon oil, onion, wild rice
and broth.
While both
rices are cooking, heat grape juice in a small saucepan until
warm. Remove from heat and add cherries or cranberries. Let stand
about 20 minutes or until fruit is plump. Drain fruit, place
in medium bowl and set aside, reserving juice for another use.
Toast nuts in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly,
to bring out their flavor. Remove from the pan promptly and set
aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon
oil in a skillet. Add chicken and sauté, stirring constantly,
until lightly browned. Transfer chicken to a bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon
oil in the same skillet until hot. Add bell pepper and sauté
until tender-crisp. Transfer pepper to bowl of chicken. Place
carrots in skillet with enough broth to barely cover them. Cover
and simmer gently until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain carrots,
reserving liquid.
When both rices
are almost but not completely tender, combine them in a large
saucepan. Add and mix in fruit, chicken, bell peppers and carrots.
Cook over low heat until rice is completely tender, adding some
of the broth used to cook carrots, if necessary.
Stir to fluff
grains. Turn pilaf into serving dish. Sprinkle top with toasted
nuts.
Per serving: 363 calories, 13 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat),
47 g. carbohydrate, 15 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 208 mg.
sodium.
__________
AICR offers
a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday-Friday.
This free service allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions
about diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR is the only major cancer
charity focused exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition
and cancer. It provides a range of education programs that help
Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also
supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment
at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S.
It has provided more than $65 million for research in diet, nutrition
and cancer. AICR’s Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member
of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
____________________________________
ARTICLE POSTED
JANUARY 6, 2003 |
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