Kasia the Expert

     The other day, my co-worker added whole grain Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop! popcorn to his salad, hold the croutons.  I bet he wasn't thinking of how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends making half of your grains whole, but it sure got me thinking of more ways on how to use popcorn in everday recipes.  After all, what better way to achieve this than getting creative with one of America's favorite whole grain comfort snacks--popcorn!

    Since every little bit counts when it comes to getting whole grain, try any of the following popcorn substitutions in your traditional recipes to help you cut calories, fat and sodium while increasing your whole grain--and fiber!--intake:

Original Recipe....	Replace what....	With....
1. Traditional fried chicken tenders	chicken batter	94% Fat Free Smart Pop! Butter popcorn (I really enjoyed this recipe)
2. Trail mix with chocolate chips	chocolate chips	94% Fat Free Smart Pop! Kettle Corn popcorn
3. Holiday sweet treats	your co-worker's famous holiday Bundt cake	Act II 100-calorie popcorn balls
4. Salad with croutons	croutons	94% Fat Free Smart Pop! Butter popcorn
5. Poultry stuffing with croutons	croutons	94% Fat Free Smart Pop! Butter or Kettle Corn popcorn

     Tell us, how do you enjoy your popcorn?  (please leave your comment via the link provided above).

     These days, my busy schedule makes it difficult to cook a well-balanced meal for dinner every night.  What's my solution?  Time to dust off the old ceramic slow-cooker!  Meals with my favorite meat, protein or protein-alternative, along with canned and fresh produce, are so easy to let slowly simmer all day while I take on the world.  I'm trying to be a little more creative than the typical beef pot roast and potatoes while sticking with ingredients I usually have in my kitchen.  Here are some interesting combinations I've tried:

Start with....	Suggested Pairings (Canned Produce)....	Also Add....
For a taste of the Caribbean in the middle of winter:  Chicken, boneless, skinless	Tropical fruit cocktail, Hunt's Diced Tomatoes, black beans	Sliced sweet or russet potatoes, fresh mint leaves and thyme, fresh lime wedges
For hearty, warm stew:  Lightlife Smart Ground-Original Beef Crumbles^	Hunt's Diced Tomatoes, Hunt's Tomato Sauce--Basil, Garlic and Oregano, corn, carrots and red kidney beans	Your favorite leafy greens (I enjoy baby spinach)
Meatless	Peas and carrots	Broccoli and cauliflower flourets, diced turkey bacon, sesame seeds

     ^Lightlife Smart Ground beef crumbles provide 1/3 fewer calories, 100% less fat, saturated fat and trans fat, 100% less cholesterol and good sources of potassium, fiber and protein compared to regular ground beef*.

     One of the greatest conveniences I enjoy about these combinations is around the canned produce--it's a simple solution to good nutrition.  For example, I feel good knowing the lycopene, the antioxidant found naturally in tomatoes, is actually absorbed better by the body after heating.

     What a treat to walk into a house filled with the aroma of a home-cooked meal that only took a few minutes in the morning to prepare.

*Comparison based on USDA's Nutrient Database for 2 ounces of 95% lean ground beef crumbles

      I recently learned that, according to NHANES*, tomatoes (besides potatoes), are America's most popular vegetable. What does a vegetable do to deserve so much attention? Eaten raw or used to make sauces, soups, juice and ketchup, tomatoes are among the most versatile vegetables and the canned variety - most convenient.

Last week we sat down with our Hunt's tomato expert, Rodney Green, Ph.D, to discuss the nutrient side of canned tomatoes and this week we decided to continue our tomato conversation to learn about the process of canning tomatoes.

Q:   Cooking vegetables can serve as a way to reduce bacteria that are naturally present in raw fruits and vegetables. I'd like to think of canning as cooking and if so, how does canning help reduce bacteria?

RG:   "Canned tomatoes have a specific formulation and thermal process that leaves them free of bacteria. Fresh tomatoes are often washed, but natural contours of raw fruits and vegetables prevent a complete removal of bacteria. Not all bacteria are pathogenic (harmful to humans), some just love to consume the natural sugars and nutrients of the tomato, breaking it down and causing rot. These are common bacteria in the soils where any produce is grown. The acid content and thermal process in canned tomatoes is set to inactivate these microbes".

Q:   Last week you mentioned, "From field to flume, our tomatoes are typically processed in less than 8 hours..." can you describe the benefits of this short process in more detail?

RG:   "Processing puts a "pause" on tomato breakdown (rot) that occurs in your cupboard or fridge. The canning process, in a matter of hours, takes the vine-ripened fruit from the field and locks its nutrients into a chamber (can) of decreased light, oxygen, and microbial invaders to preserve its nutrients, flavor, and texture for up to 2-years...something you can't get with a fresh tomato".

*National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey