March’s Featured Food:
Green Peas
|
Joanne Milkereit, a registered dietitian since 1974 and Certified Diabetes Educator, has varied and extensive experience in the nutrition field. Joanne serves as a Lowcountry Food Bank Board Member and Chairwoman on the Nutrition Committee. From 1984 to 2001, Joanne was with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). There she developed and directed the American Dietetic Association dietetic internship, provided medical nutrition therapy for patients, participated in nutrition education for health professionals and was a member of MUSC’s Geriatric Assessment Team. Her published research is in education techniques for achieving diet goals.Joanne is co-author of a cookbook, wrote a weekly newspaper column for one of Chicago’s neighborhood newspapers for six years and has appeared on nearly 100 T.V. shows. A member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), Joanne has been an officer in ADA organizations at the local, state and national levels. On three occasions ADA organizations have honored her as Outstanding Dietitian of the Year and have presented her both the Commendation Award and the Meritorious Award. Currently a Charleston, SC resident, Joanne enjoys cooking with her grandchildren as she teaches them the tasty pleasures of eating well. Past Issues |
Eat Well, Be Well ~ Notes from Joanne Celebrate National Nutrition Month by getting your protein the low-fat way. Look to green peas and other vegetables for protein; these foods never have any cholesterol. So why not eating some meatless meals? The protein we get from foods are the building blocks needed in all parts of our body. All food groups in MyPyramid (except fruits) have some protein. We don’t need to eat flesh foods (beef, chicken, fish, etc.) to get enough. Green peas and other legumes such as pinto beans and soy products have more protein than most other vegetables. That is why they are featured in the “meat and bean” group of MyPyramid. Most people eat far more protein than they need. Because flesh foods often cost more than legumes, many people are spending extra money for protein-rich foods. Remember, all flesh foods have artery-clogging cholesterol. Most have quite a bit of fat. If you think meals without meat would be boring or tasteless, just think about foods from all parts of the world. Imagine savory Indian curies, Spanish black beans and rice, bean burritos, Mid-eastern pepper pilaf or good ole New England baked beans with corn bread. Of course, for good nutrition, a day of meatless meals should include all the food groups. General Protein Needs
Try these recipes. Try this colorful salad for a meat-less lunch or light supper: Layered Vegetable Salad
Place lettuce in a 3-quart bowl or 13x9” serving dish. Top with layers of cabbage, onion, peas, corn and carrots. Sprinkle with the chili powder. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream and sugar. Spread evenly over the top of the salad. Cover tightly and chill for several hours to blend the flavors. Makes 8 servings. Menu idea: Serve with cheese toast (using a reduced-fat cheese) and fruit. This savory dish uses only ½ pound of ground meat for 6 servings: Indian Stew
Brown the meat and onion together in a large skillet. As the meat and onion brown, add the garlic and chili powder. When browned add the oregano, potatoes, tomatoes, vinegar and water. Cook until the potatoes are done. Add the drained peas and raisins. Heat through. Makes 6 servingsTake the next step: Next week plan two main meals that do not include flesh foods. What is a “Food of the Month”? Our “Food of the Month” is a product available in our Lowcountry Food Bank's warehouses. It is one that meets our criteria of a healthy food. What is a LCFB “Healthy Food”? Healthy foods are fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat and poultry, low-fat dairy products, whole grains and foods that do not contain excessive amounts of fat or caloric sweeteners. How are our recipes designed?
We’d Like to Hear from You ***This feature has been developed by Joanne Milkereit, RD, CDE for the Lowcountry Food Bank |
