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Layer
the good food this summer
June 24, 2009
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Some
of the easiest summer meals come in layers.
By layered foods, I’m referring to build-your-own burritos
or tacos, pizza with assorted extras and baked potatoes that
you can load with your favorite fillings.
These foods are favorites for most of us. And, there are a
few reasons for that. For starters, they can be customized.
Got a picky eater? Not a problem when he can choose to leave
off the chopped broccoli or salsa.
That’s why kids love these foods so much. Kids like
choices, and being in control of what’s on their plates
enables them to be more independent – within limits.
The fact that tacos and pizza are finger-friendly helps, too.
Another advantage of layered meals is that leftovers are usually
good to eat. In fact, if you keep the components of the layers
separate from each other – chopped tomatoes in one bowl,
refried beans in another – you can more easily use those
ingredients in other ways.
Use extra lettuce and chopped veggies – tomatoes, green
onions, and bell peppers, for example – as the foundation
of a tossed salad or add them to a wrap sandwich.
Layered foods are also appealing because they’re colorful.
They taste good, and they can be almost endlessly varied by
changing the combinations of ingredients.
Best of all, they can be highly nutritious, too.
What are the top toppers and how can you use them?
* Burrito and taco fixings. Set out flour tortillas or taco
shells and a variety of fillings. Good choices: refried pinto
beans or black beans, ground soy burger crumbles (available
in the frozen foods section of most supermarkets) and chopped
tomatoes, green onions and dark green leaves such as spinach
and Romaine lettuce.
More options include guacamole or avocado slices, sliced black
olives and your favorite salsa. If you add cheese, use it
sparingly and make it low fat. Use nonfat plain yogurt or
reduced-fat sour cream.
The same toppings are good on nachos. Heat beans on the stovetop
or in a microwave oven first, then spoon warm beans over a
big pile of tortilla chips that have been spread out on a
pizza pan or baking sheet.
Add cheese and salsa and cook in a hot oven – about
ten minutes – until cheese is melted. Remove the chips
from the oven and top with chopped, fresh veggies and a scoop
of nonfat yogurt before serving.
* Pizza combos. Build your own pizza, starting with the crust.
Buy ready-to-use pizza crusts at the supermarket, or buy fresh
pizza dough from your neighborhood pizzeria. Some natural
foods stores also sell balls of whole wheat pizza dough.
Top the crust with a thin layer of bottled pasta sauce. Swirl
in some pesto using a spatula for a change of pace.
Sprinkle on some shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese, but
use it sparingly. Try cheeseless pizza, too. You may be surprised
to learn you don’t miss the cheese, and you’ll
reduce the saturated fat content of the meal considerably.
Good toppers include sun-dried tomatoes, chopped vegetables
– onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach
leaves, sliced tomatoes and black olives – as well as
soy sausage crumbles and pineapple chunks.
* Baked potato fillers. Top a baked potato with chili, lowfat
cheese, salsa, chopped broccoli, nonfat, plain yogurt, or
many of the other toppers described above. Leftover lentil
soup, which thickens when it’s a day or two old, works
well as a gravy-like topper, too.
Layer it on this summer and all year long.
Suzanne
Havala Hobbs is a licensed, registered dietitian and clinical
associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and
Management and the Department of Nutrition in the UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health. Send questions and comments
to suzanne@onthetable.net.
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