Mealtime Solutions For Healthier Diets Having a difficult time intro ducing healthful meals into ev eryday menus? Sometimes the easiest solution is to make a few changes to your cooking habits. Featured Recipe This dish created by Bill Scepansky, corporate chef for Ke gel’s Produce, Lancaster, demonstrates the creativity possible to add class to vegetables. This recipe is a lot easier to prepare than it may seem at first glance. Don’t be afraid to try something new and to substitute ingredients if you prefer certain flavors. Scepansky said the micro-arugula is a miniature version of arugula. If you can’t find it in the produce section, substitute the regular-size arugula. FIRE-ROASTED VEGETABLE PARE AIT 6-ounces eggplant, cut '/-i-inch thick slice, skin on 6-ounce tomato, cut '/i-inch thick slice 2-ounces red pepper, cut -/-inch julienne 6-ounces zucchini, cut '/-inch slice 6-ounces squash, cut '/4-inch slice 2-ounces red onion, '/4-inch slice Baguette, '/4-inch rounds, seasoned and toasted Opal Basil Vinaigrette 1-ounce extra-virgin olive oil 1-ounce oil, blended 1-ounce balsamic vinegar 1-ounce water 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon opal basil, small chiffonade 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper Mix together all ingredients well. These quantities yield just enough to lightly coat roasting veg etables and leave about 'A teaspoon vinaigrette per serving for drizzling on finished dish. Garnish: 10 Kalamata olives, pitted 1 tablespoon capers, drained, rinsed 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, whole shaved 5 yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved 1 cup loose micro-arugula Using vinaigrette recipe, lightly coat all roasting ingredients separately. A little goes a long way. (The vegetables take differ ent times to cook). Roast all roasting vegetables in single layer, on sheet pans in a 450-degree oven for about five minutes or until colors are bright, beginning to brown lightly, and vege tables are tender. Cool and store until time for assembly. Re serve any juice that accumulates on pan after roasting. Add to vinaigrette recipe for added flavor. To assemble: In small glass or serving dish, layer a slice of toasted baguette, followed by a slice of roasted eggplant. Add three strips red pepper and two slices yellow squash. Add two individual rings of roasted red onion, two slices roasted zucchini, and a slice of roasted tomato. To garnish: Drizzle each parfait with A teaspoon dressing. Top each stack of vegetables with four capers, one olive, a sliver of Parmesan, A yellow teardrop tomato, and pinch of micro arugula. Drizzle with Vi teaspoon vinaigrette and serve. This may look like a dessert, but Fire-Roasted Vegetable Parfait is actually a vegetable dish created by Bill Scepansky, corporate chef for Kegel’s Pro duce, Lancaster. • Fresh is always best. When ever possible, use fresh produce. • Mix old-fashioned oats or cream of wheat hot cereal into meatloaf mixtures before baking. The cereal keeps meatloaf moist and delicious. • Incorporate cereal into reci pes to add additional bran, tex ture, and flavor. • The crunch found in cereal livens up salads. The natural wheat and barley cereal adds a nutty crunch and complementary flavor to tomatoes and onions. • Chicken breasts can benefit from a crunchy coating too. Sim ply crush the wheat and barley cereal in a blender, combine with zesty seasonings and coat the chicken. The result is a chicken breast that is crispy on the out side, yet juicy and full of flavor inside. • Cereal can play a role in cake and muffin recipes. Cream of wheat adds a touch of texture to muffins and raisin bran serves as the secret ingredients in Crunchy Cinnamon Coffee Cake. For additional recipe ideas, visit the Post Cereals web site at www.postcereals.com and www.quakeroatmeal.com. BROWN RICE SALAD WITH APPLES 3 cups brown rice, cooked 1 Granny Smith apple, diced 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped Vz bunch green onions, chop ped 'A cup walnut pieces 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed 3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped 'A cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste In a mixing bowl, combine cooked rice with all other ingre dients. Toss mixture lightly. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Yield: 4 to 6 servings. TRIPLE BERRY CINNA-CLUSTER CRISP 'A cup flour 'A cups brown sugar 'A cup butter 3 cups Cinna-Cluster Raisin Bran cereal, lightly crushed I pint blueberries 1 pint strawberries I cup raspberries 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 3 tablespoons tapioca Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour and brown sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cereal: set aside. Mix ber ries in 2-quart shallow baking dish or 9-inch square baking dish; set aside. Mix sugar, water, and tapioca in medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil, stirring con stantly. Pour over berries; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cereal mix ture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream if de sired. Makes 12 servings. Cereal plays a role in these recipes, which add bran, texture, and flavor for healthful eating. CLASSIC MEATLOAF 1 to IVz pounds lean ground beef or turkey 3 A cup quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked Vt cup finely chopped onion Vz cup catsup 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced Vi teaspoon salt Lee Laverty Mount Joy 'A teaspoon black pepper Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape meatloaf mixture into 10x6-inch loaf on rack of broiler pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until meatloaf is to medium doneness, not pink in center and juices show no pink color. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. If you have recipes for topics listed below, please share them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you include ac curate measurements, a complete list of ingredients, and clear instructions with each recipe you submit. Be sure to include your name and address. Recipes should reach our office one week be fore the publishing date listed below. Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. January 25 Breads, Muffins, More February 1 Heart-Healthy Recipes 8 Valentine Specials IS Cherries Recipe Topics APRICOT HONEY OATMEAL Vh cups water Vi cup chopped dried apricots Vi cup honey Vz teaspoon ground cinnamon Vi teaspoon salt 2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked In a 3-quart saucepan, bring water, apricot, honey, and salt to a boil. Stir in nuts, return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cook about 1 minute for quick oats or 5 minutes for old-fashioned oats or until most of liquid is absorb ed, stirring occasionally. Let stand until desired consistency. 4 servings.
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