Fight Food Fatigue!
Bring new flavor to the table by using out-of-the-ordinary
ingredients
WHEN THE CLOCK IS TICKING on the impending dinner
hour and you're running low on time or creativity, it's easy to
reach for the fail-safe ingredients you know and love: potatoes,
rice, lettuce and corn. But why not spice things up-yes, sometimes
literally-by incorporating new vegetables, flavorings or side
dishes into your mealtime plan? We've rounded up a few contenders
below. Remember: Spare the spud, and spoil the taste buds.
1. Swiss Chard
Spinach's hardier cousin, like kale and other sturdy greens,
packs a bit more "bite," which mellows with gentle cooking such as
steaming or sautéing. Serve it alone as a side dish, or incorporate
it into soups, stews or pastas, where the wilted greens will add
subtle texture along with vitamins and minerals.
Nutrition: One cup, when cooked, provides more than
200 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 50
percent of vitamin C and 700 percent of vitamin K. Plus, it's high
in minerals such as iron, potassium and manganese.
Side dish: Strip the leaves away from tougher
inside stems, then chop both groups roughly. Sauté stems in olive
oil with minced garlic for three to four minutes, then add leaves,
cover and cook until soft and wilted, about four more minutes. (A
splash of balsamic vinaigrette before serving adds bright
flavor.)
2. Anchovies
Don't be afraid of the fish: When chopped and sautéed in olive
oil over low to medium heat, tiny anchovy fillets cook down and
disappear, leaving only their sweet, salty sea flavor. While you're
probably familiar with them as an ingredient in Caesar salad
dressing, try mincing them and adding to tomato- or cream-based
pasta sauces for an extra flavor boost.
Nutrition: Just 1 ounce provides 16 percent of a
day's protein, 28 percent of niacin and 7 percent of both calcium
and iron-at only 59 calories.
Main dish: While pasta boils, chop a tin's worth of
anchovies, then add fillets to a pan with a few garlic cloves, a
half-pound of cleaned shrimp and a splash of olive oil. Cook over
low heat until shrimp is opaque. When pasta is done, drain and
return to the pot, then stir in shrimp mixture. Season with fresh
parsley, a squeeze of lemon and shredded Parmesan cheese.
3. Turmeric
Turmeric gives ballpark mustard its golden hue (and often is
added to egg salad for the same reason), but don't forget about its
flavor! The warming spice is a frequent star in curry sauces, but
can just as easily be sprinkled atop sautéed apples or
cauliflower.
Nutrition: One tablespoon offers 16 percent of a
day's iron and 6 percent of fiber. It's also been linked to lowered
cholesterol.
Recipe idea: See "How Do I Use That?" at right.
4. Polenta
Create a creamy side dish by simmering this prepared cornmeal
according to package directions with stock, cream or water-any will
work, to varying flavor results. When refrigerated, the leftovers
become firm enough to cut into bars or wedges, which can be baked
and sprinkled with salt and pepper for the same taste in
finger-friendly form.
Nutrition: One-third cup has 167 calories and
provides 13 percent of your daily fiber.
Side dish: Trying to beat the clock? Instant
polenta takes about one-third the time of regular.
5. Artichokes
We think of artichokes as vegetables, but they're actually the
buds of a thistle plant. Preparing them from scratch can be time-
and effort-intensive: Most cooks chop off the top one-quarter of
the plant, snip off the end of each petal to remove thorns, then
boil until a petal near the center pulls out easily (25 to 40
minutes). Luckily, most supermarkets sell jars of already-cooked
petals in oil.
Nutrition: One artichoke offers 41 percent of the
day's fiber, 27 percent of folate, 22 percent of vitamin K and 15
percent of vitamin C. Its high levels of the antioxidant silymarin
help liver function and aid in breaking down fatty foods.
Recipe idea: See "How Do I Use That?" at right.
-By Sam Mittelsteadt