RECIPE CORNER

Artwork:� Fruits and vegetables

�� Send your great food ideas to the editor.� Your recipes will be evaluated by dietitians, and if necessary, adjusted to make them more diabetically appropriate.� Then he gets to taste them...

�� This issue, all our recipes were supplied by Jennifer Layton, RD, Clinical Nutrition Manager at Capital Region Medical Center, in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Tortellini & Chicken Soup

�� Here�s a soup with a wide range of ingredients-- chicken, rice, vegetables, even cheese-filled spinach pasta.� Let diners add Parmesan cheese to taste.� If you�re concerned about sodium, consider using reduced-sodium chicken broth.

Ingredients:

3�� large cans (about 49-1/2 oz./1.4 kg each) chicken broth; or 4-1/2 quarts (4.3 liters) homemade chicken broth

1�� package (about 9 oz./255g) fresh cheese-filled spinach tortellini

1�� pound (455g) spinach, stems removed, leaves rinsed and coarsely chopped

1�� pound (455 g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into � inch (1cm) chunks

8�� ounces (230g) mushroom, sliced

1�� medium-size red bell pepper (about 6 oz./170g), seeded and diced

1�� cup (130g) cooked rice

2�� teaspoons dried tarragon

�� Salt and pepper

�� Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

�� In an 8- to 10-quart (8- to 10-liter) pan, bring broth to a boil over high heat.� Add tortellini; reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, until just tender to bite (about six minutes).

�� Add spinach, chicken, mushrooms, bell pepper, rice, and tarragon to broth; return to a boil over high heat.� Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in center; cut to test (about two minutes).� Season soup to taste with salt and pepper; serve with cheese to add to taste.

�� Makes 11 servings.� Per serving:� 204 calories; 18g protein; 19g carbohydrate; 6g fat (1g saturated); 39mg cholesterol; 2g fiber; 1,785mg sodium.� Exchanges:� 1 starch, 3/4 vegetable, 2 lean meat.

Winter Flower Bud Rice

�� When fresh cauliflower and broccoli are at their seasonal peak, try this savory, vegetable-studded rice as an accompaniment to your favorite veal and poultry entrees.

Ingredients:

2�� cups (200g) cauliflower flowerets

2�� cups (145g) broccoli flowerets

1�� tablespoon butter or margarine

1�� large onion (about 8 oz./230g), finely chopped

2�� gloves garlic, minced or pressed

1�� cup (200g) short-grain white rice

�� cup (120mL) dry white wine

3-3 1/4 cups (710 to 770 mL) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

2/3�� cup (60g) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

�� Pepper

Instructions:

�� In a 3- to 4-quart (2.8- to 3.8-liter) pan, bring 2 quarts (1.9 liters) water to a boil.� Add cauliflower and cook for three minutes; add broccoli and continue to cook until both vegetables are barely tender when pierced (about two more minutes).� Drain, immerse in ice water until cool, and drain again.

�� Melt butter in a wide nonstick frying pan over medium heat.� Add onion and garlic.� Cook, stirring often, until onion begins to brown (about five minutes).� Add rice and cook, stirring often, until rice begins to look opaque (about three minutes).� Stir in wine and 3 cups (710 mL) of the broth; cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil.� Reduce heat so mixture boils gently; continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for ten more minutes.

�� Stir cauliflower and broccoli into rice mixture.� Continue to cook until rice is tender to bite and almost all broth has been absorbed (eight to ten minutes).� Add more broth if rice becomes too dry.� Stir in 1/3 cup (30g) of the cheese; season to taste with pepper.

�� To serve, spoon rice mixture into a warm serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup (30g) of cheese.

�� Makes 6 servings.� Per serving:� 240 calories; 10g protein; 36g carbohydrate; 6g fat (3g saturated); 12mg cholesterol; 3g fiber; 264mg sodium.� Exchanges:� 1-1/2 starch, 1/4 other carbohydrates/sugar, 2 vegetables, � high-fat meat/protein, � fat.

Light Chicken Stroganoff

�� To make this tempting dish, we revised a favorite that contained a generous measure of butter and sour cream.� The new version is far lower in fat than the original, but just as rich in flavor.

Ingredients:

�� cup (35g) sun dried tomatoes, not packed in oil

1�� pound (455g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into �-inch (1cm) strips

�� Ground white pepper

1-1/2-2�� tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2�� tablespoons (23mL) vegetable oil

1�� medium-size onion (about 6 oz./170g) thinly sliced

8�� ounces (230g) mushrooms, sliced

�� teaspoon grated fresh ginger

�� teaspoon dried thyme

4�� teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons (30mL) water

�� teaspoon sugar

1�� cup (240mL) plain low-fat yogurt

8�� ounces (230g) medium-wide eggless noodles

2�� cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/4�� cup (60mL) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

3/4�� cup (180mL) dry white wine

2�� tablespoons (30mL) dry sherry

�� Chopped parsley

Instructions:

�� In a small bowl, soak tomatoes in hot water to cover until very soft (about one hour).� Drain well, cut into strips, and set aside.

�� Sprinkle chicken with white pepper; dust with flour and shake off excess.� Heat 1 tablespoon (15mL) of the oil in a wide nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.� Add chicken, about half at a time, and cook lifting and turning often, until lightly browned (4 to 5 minutes).� Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

�� When chicken has been cooked, heat remaining 1 � teaspoons oil in pan.� Add onion, mushrooms, ginger, and thyme; cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and mushrooms are lightly browned (ten to twelve minutes).

�� Meanwhile, stir cornstarch mixture and sugar into yogurt and set aside.� Also, in a 4-1/2- to 5-quart (4.3- to 5-liter) pan, cook noodles in 2-1/2 quarts (2.4 liters) boiling water just until tender to bite (about ten minutes); or cook according to package directions.� Drain, then arrange around edge of a warm deep platter; keep warm.

�� Stir garlic into mushroom mixture and cook for one minute.� Then stir in broth, wine, and sherry.� Bring to a boil, stirring.� Add tomatoes, chicken, and yogurt mixture.� Bring to a boil, stirring until sauce is thickened.� Spoon chicken mixture into center of noodles, and sprinkle with parsley.

�� Makes 4 servings.� Per serving:� 526 calories; 41g protein; 62g carbohydrates; 9g fat (2g saturated); 69mg cholesterol; 5g fiber; 150mg sodium.� Exchanges:� 2 3/4 starch, 3/4 other carbohydrates/sugar, 1-1/2 vegetables, 4 very lean meat/protein, 1 3/4 fat.

Rich Pound Cake

Ingredients:

2�� cups whole-wheat pastry flour or half whole-wheat and half white flour

1�� teaspoon baking soda

1�� teaspoon baking powder

1�� teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4�� teaspoon ground coriander

�� cup brown rice syrup

3/4�� cup egg substitute or 6 egg whites

1�� teaspoon almond extract

1�� teaspoon butter flavor extract (optional)

1/4-1/2 cup non-fat buttermilk (start with 1/4 cup, if batter is too stiff, add extra 1/4 cup)

1�� tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil

1�� cup non-fat yogurt

Instructions:

�� Preheat oven to 350F (175C).� Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with no-stick cooking spray.� Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.� Mix liquid ingredients in a large bowl.� Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients a little at a time, beating with mixer after each addition.� Pour batter into sprayed pan.� Bake fifty to sixty minutes, until golden on top and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.� Cool fifteen minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.� Serve with strawberries, blueberries, or any sliced fruit.

�� Makes 14 servings.� Per serving:� 99 calories; 2g protein; 15g carbohydrate; 3g fat; 1mg cholesterol; 135mg sodium.