Issue Date: September 23, 2001
Pump up your pantry
Put your flabby cupboard on an improvement plan with a new shopping list. Load up on these 22 health basics.
You may think of staples as flour, sugar, butter and salt. But the staples in my kitchen are far more extensive, making it easy to whip up a nutritious meal or snack on a moment's notice. Here are 22 staples I keep in my pantry and refrigerator at all times. If you do the same, you'll always have the right ingredients on hand to eat smart.
Roasted red peppers, in jars. Loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants, they are an easy way to jazz up salads, sauces and casseroles.
Green chili peppers and jalapeño peppers, canned. Adds zest and antioxidants to any dish, including enchiladas, chili and sauces for fresh fish.
Frozen spinach. So full of vitamins and antioxidants, including lutein, it's a whole-body superfood, protecting the arteries, eyes, bones and brain. Add to soups, casseroles, pasta or rice.
Red, yellow or green onions. Underrated, onions can improve cholesterol and bones, and reduce risk of lung cancer. Toss them liberally, raw or cooked, into almost everything.
Blueberries, frozen or fresh. Packed with antioxidants that particularly promote good brain function and motor coordination as you age. Use in fruit salads, cereal or desserts.
Apples. High-fiber, antioxidant-rich red apples (my favorite kind is Gala) are excellent, whether eaten whole or cut into salads, desserts, curries or other casseroles. Eat the skin, too.
Oranges or orange juice. Full of vitamins and virus- and cancer-fighters, such as hesperetin. In a study at Harvard, a daily glass of orange juice cut the risk of stroke by 25%.
Salmon or sardines (fresh or canned). They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the whole body -- joints, brain, heart and lungs. Canned red or pink salmon has as much omega-3 as fresh.
Ground turkey breast, fresh or frozen. Extremely low in fat, it makes a good burger and is the perfect touch of protein and bulk in stir-fries, casseroles, and Mexican and Italian recipes.
Chickpeas, canned. Versatile for tossing into salads, casseroles, stews or soups and mashing into dips. Packed with protein and fiber, they curb sharp blood-sugar rises.
Diced or crushed tomatoes, canned. A powerhouse of antioxidants, including lycopene, tied to reduced heart disease, cancer and age-related decline. Makes a ready sauce or base for any dish.
Brown rice. A perfect whole-grain food. Eating whole grains prolongs life and helps prevent chronic heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
Whole-wheat bread. The only bread, aside from sourdough, that I keep around for toast and sandwiches. "Whole grain" should be the first ingredient listed.
Oats. This whole-grain, high-fiber food protects the heart, boosts immunity and curbs high blood sugar. The best: regular and steel-cut. Use in desserts.
Tea. Black or green, loose or bagged, decaffeinated or not: All are high in antioxidants if you brew the tea. Serve hot or iced; omit the sugar.
Walnuts. Versatile as a snack or sprinkled on salads, cooked vegetables and desserts. Walnuts fight heart disease, cancer and obesity. Use almonds, too.
Prunes (dried plums). Having these around to snack on boosts antioxidant intake. Prunes top all fruits and vegetables for antioxidant activity.
Mixed fresh greens. A must for salads. Antioxidant-packed fresh greens dressed in a little olive oil are an important staple in the life-prolonging Mediterranean diet.
Olive oil (extra virgin). The perfect oil, mostly monounsaturated fat, is linked to less heart disease and longer life.
Balsamic vinegar. Mix this great flavor with olive oil and garlic for a fabulous salad dressing. It curbs blood-sugar boosts from carbs such as potatoes -- as in potato salad.
Fresh garlic. Minced, roasted or crushed, garlic adds flavor, antioxidants and other health boosters to virtually any dish from salads to soups, stews, stir-fries and casseroles.
Vitamins. Good food is the No. 1 secret to being healthy, but compelling evidence shows that taking extra vitamins and minerals helps to reduce the risk of most every disease. I take a high-antioxidant multivitamin-mineral formula I developed myself. For information on ordering, call 1-800-627-9721 or visit stopagingnow.com.
Contributing Editor Jean Carper is an author and an expert on food as medicine. Her latest book is "Your Miracle Brain".
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Vegetable Lasagna with Creamy Ricotta & Get-Rich-Quick Tomato Sauce
I prefer a smooth, creamy ricotta compared with the more grainy variety. Short of buying and tasting all the ricotta brands, it's impossible to know what you're getting until you open the carton. A grainy-textured ricotta, however, can be quickly made smooth in a food processor.
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 40-42 minutes
1 pound each of 2 vegetables (see options and cooking instructions below)
Get-Rich-Quick Tomato Sauce:
3 Tbs. butter
2 medium onions, halved and sliced thin
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
Salt, if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper
15 oven-ready lasagna noodles
Salt, as directed
1 pound grated mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare vegetables (see below) to yield about 4 cups; set aside.
For the tomato sauce, heat butter over medium-high heat in a soup kettle. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently until soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and basil; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Stir in tomatoes, rinsing out cans with about 1/4 cup water and adding it to the pot. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer to blend flavors, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, if necessary, and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, mix 1 1/2 Tbs. salt and 2 quarts of very hot tap water in the13-by 9-inch pan for baking the lasagna. Add noodles and soak until soft and pliable,10 minutes. Drain and stack loosely (Noodles tend to stick together as they dry, but pull apart easily.)
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Smear 1/2 cup of the sauce over bottom of baking dish. Assemble the next 4 layers in the following order: 3 noodles, 6 tablespoons ricotta cheese spread over the noodles, a heaping 2/3 cup sauce, 1/2 of one of the cooked vegetables (alternating each layer), 3/4 cup mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Assemble final layer with remaining noodles, sauce and cheeses. Seal lasagna with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove foil, then broil until cheese is spotty brown, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes, before cutting and serving.
Serves 8 to 12
Nutrition per serving based on 12: 334 calories, 18g protein, 27g carbohydrates, 17g fat (10g saturated) 3g fiber, 618mg sodium
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