Healthy cooking for 1, 2

Healthy cooking for one or two is no tall task

By Melissa Moore

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Do you consider it easier to dine out because it is too much trouble to cook for one or two?

For years, people have been telling me it is too difficult to cook for one or two people. But small quantity cooking can be quite tasty, as well as quick and enjoyable to prepare.

To better adjust the amount of food you are cooking, consider recipes that serve two when cooking for one, or use recipes that serve four when cooking for two. This makes it possible for you to have an extra serving for another meal.

If you only need a few vegetables for a recipe, visit the salad bar at the grocery store to purchase the right amount.

The following suggestions will help you utilize food when there are fewer mouths to feed:

- Plan weekly meals in advance.

- Use leftovers in a later meal. For example, baked chicken breasts prepared for dinner can be chopped the next day for chicken salad.

- Share larger quantity dried herbs and spices with your neighbor.

Vegetable Primavera

1 tablespoon reduced sodium chicken broth or water 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1/ 2 cup sliced yellow summer squash 1/3 cup peeled baby carrots 1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper 1 cup broccoli flowerets 2 teaspoons snipped fresh parsley

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of chicken broth, the mustard, olive oil and vinegar. Set aside.

Lightly coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add squash, carrots and sweet pepper to skillet. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender. Add broccoli and remaining chicken broth. Cover and cook about 3 minutes or until broccoli is crisp and tender.

Stir in the mustard mixture. Heat through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes two servings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories, 58; carbohydrates, 8 grams; total fat, 3 grams; sodium, 54 milligrams; protein: 2 grams; fiber, 3 grams; and potassium, 320 milligrams.

Melissa Moore, R.D., L.D. is a registered dietitian at the Cotton- O'Neil Heart Center, a division of Stormont-Vail HealthCare. Call Health Connections

at (785) 354-5225.

MELISSA

MOORE

Copyright 2005
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.