Tag Archives: New American Plate

Yummy Beans Help with Resolutions

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January 10 2012 blog Basic Caribbean Black BeansGood for your health and your budget, this week’s Health-e-Recipe for Basic Caribbean Black Beans is also great tasting. Beans are ideal sources of cancer-fighting fiber and the B vitamin folate. They also supply inexpensive protein so you can cut back on red meat for lower cancer risk, as AICR recommends.

Simply sautée onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil – they’re all cancer-fighting ingredients that contain plenty of phytochemicals to protect your body’s cells. Adding tomatoes brings the specific compound, lycopene to the mix. (FYI, canned tomatoes contain more of this compound than fresh tomatoes). Lycopene has shown evidence of protection against prostate cancer in research studies.

Black beans are the protein source in this recipe, making it a balanced entrée. Usually, AICR advises rinsing and draining canned beans to reduce salt content – but here, buying no-salt-added beans lets you keep the liquid in your dish.

Seasoned just right with phytochemical-rich cumin, oregano and sage, plus a little hot cayenne pepper if you like and cilantro as garnish, your Basic Caribbean Black Beans keep the fat and calories low. Round out this dish with brown rice and a green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette.

For more cancer-fighting recipes that put hearty beans in your diet, download our free brochure, Beans & Whole Grains on the New American Plate. Click here to subscribe to our weekly Healthy-e-Recipes.

photo copyright: Bigstock


Holiday Health Starts Now

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I’m a firm believer that it’s possible to enjoy holiday parties and treats without sacrificing health and gaining extra pounds.

This eNews article, Five Secrets for a Festive and Cancer-Protective Holiday Table, outlines 5 strategies to help you meet that goal. Here are a few more ideas to navigate the holiday season and stay on a healthy track.

  • Be a holiday food snob. Choose treats wisely – for example, focus on those that are only available to you this time of year. Yes, those M & M’s in holiday colors are tempting, but really, the classic ones all taste the same and are available all year round. One of our family favorites is “Grandma Steinmann’s Coconut Candy” that we make and eat only around Christmas. The novelty of those “once a year candies” makes them truly a treat.
  • Use a salad plate at buffets. Research shows that the amount of food on our plate influences how much we eat and how satisfied we are. Also, we experience the most flavor and enjoyment out of the first few bites. You can still eat your favorites, but with smaller portions you’ll end up with fewer calories and have enjoyed it all just as much.
  • Step away from the food table. At parties, position yourself across the room from the food and beverage tables. This may help you make more conscious decisions about what and when to eat and even just one less plateful of rich appetizers or one fewer caloric beverage at each party adds up to serious calorie savings.

For many more ideas on making healthy choices day in and day out, check out our New American Plate Challenge page. Challenge #12 sums up many of the tips presented over the 12 weeks, so you’ll find some great tips there.

What are strategies you use to enjoy holiday indulgences and maintain your healthy habits?


Recreating Your Favorite Menu Items at Home

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Here at the Research conference, attendees are able to look forward to even more than expert sessions on the most current topics in diet and cancer. Today in between presentations on ‘Diet and Cancer Prevention’ and ‘Cancer Treatment and Survivorship’, we served up a savory, nutritious lunch menu, including:

  • Tagine Spiced Pan Seared Chicken Breast
  • Farro Garbanzo Pilaf
  • Cider Braised Red Cabbage (Link to Health-e-Recipe)
  • Baby Carrots
  • Spiced Apple Chutney

This menu is well worth trying at home. To recreate dishes you’ve seen or tried elsewhere, start by looking at similar recipes and substituting ingredients to fit your preferences.

For the tagine spiced pan-seared chicken breast, try this:

Cook about 1 lb. boneless , skinless chicken breast using the ingredients and preparation methods from the Seared Herb Chicken and Veggies recipe. Keep the breast whole instead of cubing it, and take out the veggies from this recipe. Instead, serve your meal with a side of Red Cabbage with Apples.

Today’s lunch follows AICR’s guidelines for the New American Plate with the whole grain farro garbanzo pilaf. Here’s how you can make a similar dish. The extra sauce from the chicken drizzled over this grain dish will add both moisture and great flavor.

Vegetarian Plate

Simple Farro Garbanzo Pilaf

1 cup rinsed farro (makes about 2 cups cooked)
½ cup diced onion
3 cloves finely minced garlic
1 cup garbanzo beans, (cooked from dry or canned, drained and rinsed)
2 ½ cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan.

Add diced onion and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Add farro and sauté another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chickpeas and continue sautéing for an additional 3 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Cover pan, reduce to heat to medium low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and farro is soft.

Serve with tagine spiced chicken breast and drizzle extra sauce from chicken over the faro for added moisture.

Makes 6 servings

 Per serving: 200 calories, 4 grams total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 34 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 150 mg sodium.

Voila! You have mixed-and-matched a few recipes to create your own version of a star meal served at this year’s Annual Research Conference.

Some of you may still be wondering, what exactly is farro?

Farro is a grain that looks and tastes similar to brown rice with a slightly nutty flavor. It has a thicker, creamier texture than some other grains, similar to risotto. Farro is high in fiber and research shows that foods containing fiber, such as whole grains reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

Have other farro recipes? Share ideas for your favorite dish starring farro.