OCR Text |
Show 1 k h r - 1 h A r r v , i , OT i rf U 1 i - J . I - ' !1 i - i 1 I v. , i ? I i I 4 I ' r 1 re you skipping lunch? Or have you gotten into the habit of less than nutritious lunches, simply because you're short on time? There's no need to short cut yourself on good healthy lunches this year. Try cooking once, but serving twice. By preparing a great entree on the weekend or some weekday evening in extra quantities, you can turn leftovers into fast fresh lunches for the following day or two. You'll short cut the work (and time in the kitchen), while keeping your diet long on health. Use food containers that have tight-fitting covers that help seal in freshness so foods stay great tasting longer while they avoid being crushed as they would in a paper sack. Chill foods in them, freeze in them; even use the containers to reheat foods in the microwave. You'll avoid waste too since they eliminate the need for disposable wraps or foil. The following recipes use dinner extras in fresh creative ways you'll hardly know they're from the same source! Store lunches immediately in tight-sealing food containers and refrigerate so they're ready to go when you are. A colorful food storage brochure provides a timetable for freezing and refrigerating foods for optimum freshness. To receive a copy send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope to: "Keep It Fresh With Rubbermaid" P.O. Box 1566 Medina, OH 44258 r I STEAK AND FRESH VEGGIES WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE An attractive luncheon for four, made from extra steak grilled the night before, leftover potatoes plus carrots, tomatoes and green bell pepper all spiced with a mustard vinaigrette. 1 sirloin steak (2 pounds), about 1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, 114-lnches thick, preferably seeded and cut Into thin 2-inch ' barbecued then cut crosswise strips, then blanched into i-inch thick slices cup slivered red onion Vi pounds cooked potato slices, 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard preferably red-skinned 1 teaspoon minced garlic and unpeeled V cup red wine vinegar 4 medium carrots, ends cut, then 3A cup virgin olive oil sliced into 2-inch thin strips Vs cup slivered fresh basil leaves, and blanched lightly packed 2 medium tomatoes, stemmed and cut into wedges In a 13 x 9 x 316-inch tight-sealing plastic slightly thickened. Fold in the basil. Spoon rectangular food container, arrange in rows: over steak and vegetables. Seal tightly and steak, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and bell refrigerate until toting time. Before pepper. Top with slivers of red onion. In a serving, if desired, remove cover and small bowl, stir garlic into mustard; whisk in microwave on High 116 to 2 minutes until vinegar. Slowly add the oil, whisking until medium-hot. Makes 4 servings. - . . . . f. . ' . , , , : - - x Here arc other tips for appetizing lunches or snacks Eating sandwiches several hours later? Tote Leftover vegetables? Toss with some bottled Italian Mucho chili? Stir some into baked beans; spoon sandwich spreads In a separate food container, dressing, then refrigerate and serve as a salad or over a hot dog or slices of roast beef; add to a then spoon onto the sandwiches right before sandwich accompaniment the next day. green salad for a modified "taco" salad, or toss eating. This helps prevent soggy bread, keeps with cooked macaroni and top with a little vegetables and other fixings fresh and crisp. Fresh fruit? For a change of pace, slice into bite- shredded cheese. size pieces, toss with orange, lemon or lime juice. Surplus chicken or turkey? Slice and freeze for then refrigerate in a small food container. Serve as Too much cooked rice? Stir into soups or stews; toss sandwiches later, or toss into a luncheon salad, or a light appetizer, salad or dessert. Add yogurt and, into a salad, or fold into pudding. ; into a stew. Just before serving, a dusting of wheat germ for additional nutrition and texture, if desired. Tired of hearing, "I'm hungry, Mom!"? Load up Extra cooking stock? Freeze in a food container, or on carrot sticks, celery with peanut butter, bean dip make a quick soup for lunch the next day by Extra corn bread? It's great for ham sandwiches, or and other healthy treats. Keep them fresh longer, adding a few cooked vegetables and bites of as a tasty stuffing for pork chops, chicken or turkey; refrigerated in tight-sealing containers. Other treats: chicken, ham or beef. it's also delicious for breakfast, hot off the griddle. granota, yogurt, fruitnut mix, muffins, bread sticks. WINTER PASTA Save the rest of the pasta.. .toss with tuna, slivers of red bell pepper, leftover green beans, chopped red onion, black olives and bottled Italian dressing. 3 cups drained, cooked pasta, such as tri-color radiatore, farfelle (bow ties), rotelle, linguini or spaghetti 1 can (6V2 ounces) tuna packed in water, well drained and flaked 1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin l'2-inch strips (V2 cup) 2 cup cooked fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces Vt cup chopped red onion Va cup sliced pitted black olives, well drained Yi cup bottled Italian dressing with cheese In large bowl, mix cooked pasta with tuna, bell pepper, beans, onion and black olives. Toss with dressing. Spoon into a 6-cup tight-sealing plastic food ; ; container. Makes 2 main-dish servings. - Storing Tip: If refrigerated overnight, extra dressing may be desired. A t - t L J r ' r" f T CANTONESE SALAD An Oriental chicken salad made from that leftover chicken, served on a bed of fresh spinach and spiced with a mustard-soy dressing. 4 cups shredded fresh spinach 2 cups cooked chicken strips, 4 x 1 -inches 1 cup fresh snow peas with ends snipped, then blanched and drained 1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin 2-inch strips Vi cup) 2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces (use white part and most of green) V cup sliced water chestnuts, drained 1 teaspoon dry mustard V cup low-sodium soy sauce V cup rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted In each of two 1.8-pint tight-sealing round plastic food containers, place Vi of spinach; alternately arrange V2 of the chicken, snow peas, bell pepper, green onions and water chestnuts. In a small bowl, place mustard; slowly whisk in the soy sauce until smooth. Whisk in the vinegar and oil. Drizzle each salad with V2 of the dressing. Top with the toasted sesame seeds. Seal tightly and refrigerate until toting time. Makes 2 main-dish servings. v 1 4 CREOLE RICE WITH HAM That leftover rice tossed with chunks of lean ham, seal lions and green peppers, then flavored with a spicy Creole sauce. 1 tablespoon peanut or other vegetable oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped (Yi cup) Vi cup chopped green onions (use white part and most of green) 1 cup bite-size lean ham chunks, lightly packed 1 cup tomato juice Yi teaspoon red cayenne pepper, or to taste 2 cups cooked enriched white rice In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in bell pepper, onions and ham; saute 2 to 3 minutes until bell pepper and onions are tender. Stir cayenne into juice, then pour juice over ham-vegetable mixture. Bring just to a boil; stir in rice. Stirring constantly, heat until hot. Spoon into a 4-cup tight-sealing plastic food bowl; refrigerate until toting time. Before serving, if desired, remove cover and microwave on High Vi to 2 minutes until hot. Makes 2 servings. i THE OVER-STUFFED PITA Stuff pita pockets with that leftover meat from dinner, shreds of lettuce, slices of crisp cucumber plus spoonfuls of salsa spiced with chopped onion and green chilies. Va cup thick chunky salsa, mild or medium 1 teaspoon minced green chilies, optional 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 whole wheat pita, 5-inches in , diameter, halved 3 to 4 very thin slices or 1 thick slice (halved) of roasted pork, veal, beef or meatloaf Vi cup shredded lettuce 6 thin unpeeled cucumber slices, halved 2 thin slices red onion, halved Va cup thin red bell pepper strips In a small bowl, mix salsa with green chilies and cilantro. Cut pita crosswise into 2 equal pieces. Place V2 of the meat in each pita half. Top with 1 tablespoon salsa. Stuff each half with xh of the lettuce, cucumber, onion and bell pepper. Top with remaining salsa. Refrigerate and tote in 6-inch-square tight-sealing plastic sandwich keeper. Makes one sandwich. M |