Lewis & Clark Rolling Museum
On July 14, the Illinois Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Mobile Interpretztive Center will be at the Marshall courthouse to tell the story of Lewis & Clark through various maps of the territory explored by them. There will be lots of hand-on activity as participants learn about the trails of this historic duo. There is no cost for the program. For questions or to register please contact the Clark County Extension Office (217-826-5422). The times are noon – 2:30 p.m. and again from 5 – 7:30 p.m.
We received our order of RADA Knives. I am happy to report you can come to the U of I Extension Office and purchase the knives of your choice! We have in stock: Heavy Duty Paring, Peeling Paring, Granny Parer, Tomato Slicer, Vegetable Peeler, Serverspoon/spatula, Granny Fork, Carver/Boner, and the Steak/Utility knife.
Whole Versus Refined Grains
Are you hesitant about having that slice of bread, bowl of cereal, or plate of pasta? In an era of low carbohydrate diets and numerous articles warning about the role of grains in weight gain, it's easy to see why. But the good news is that there's only a "grain" of truth to the bad press about grains. Specifically, you should cut back on refined grains and eat more whole grains. Here's why.
The grains that make up the typical American diet are highly refined. What this means is that the bran (fiber-rich outer layer) and the germ (the nutrient-rich inner part) of the grain are removed during the milling process. Only the endosperm (middle part) remains. Although this process makes grains easier to use in cooking, it strips them of many of B vitamins, iron, vitamin E, selenium, fiber, and other disease-fighting components. Examples of refined grain products: white breads, baked goods, pasta, crackers, white rice, and corn flakes cereal.
Enrichment - Many refined grain products are enriched, which means that some of the nutrients such as niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and iron, are added back. However, enrichment doesn't restore insoluble fiber and other nutrients that are lost during the milling process.
Why Whole Grains Are More Wholesome
Whole grains contain the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. Because they haven't gone through the refining process, they are good sources of fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, vitamin E, and selenium. They also contain plant chemicals called phytochemicals, which are believed to have many health-promoting effects.
Whole grains can help with the following:
Examples of whole grains include the following: whole wheat, barley, brown rice, bulgur, corn, whole oats, quinoa, rye, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and spelt.
Choosing Whole Grains
How do you know if it's whole grain? Don't rely on the name or appearance of the product. Bread may be brown because it contains molasses, brown sugar, or food coloring, not because it's whole wheat. Product names that conjure up images of health and "back to nature" can still be made with mainly white, refined flour.
Look for the ingredient list on the product. It should always say "whole grain" or "whole wheat." Note that ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. If white flour is the first ingredient, that means that, by weight, there is more white flour than any other kind of flour in the product.
Don't be deceived by terminology. "Wheat flour," "unbleached wheat flour," or "stoned wheat" are not the same as whole wheat. Beware of products that say "made with whole wheat," "made with whole grain," or "made with oatmeal." This does not tell you how much whole wheat, whole grain, or oatmeal is in the product. You may find that it is a ways down on the ingredient list.
There are many benefits to eating more whole grains. They're more nutritious, healthful, and filling than refined grains, and have more texture and flavor. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming three or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, and making sure that at least half of your total intake of grains is from whole grains. Stock you pantry with whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole grain bread, and whole wheat pasta, crackers, breads, and rolls. Experiment with some delicious new whole grains and whole grain recipes–you'll be wholly glad you did!
Tips To Eat Whole Grains
- To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product – such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice. It's important to substitute the whole-grain product for the refined one, rather than adding the whole-grain product.
- For a change, try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Try brown rice stuffing in baked green peppers or tomatoes and whole-wheat macaroni in macaroni and cheese.
- Use whole grains in mixed dishes, such as barley in vegetable soup or stews and bulgur wheat in casserole or stir-fries.
- Create a whole grain pilaf with a mixture of barley, wild rice, brown rice, broth and spices. For a special touch, stir in toasted nuts or dried fruit.
- Experiment by substituting whole wheat or oat flour for up to half of the flour in pancake, waffle, muffin or other flour-based recipes. They may need a bit more leavening.
- Use whole-grain bread or cracker crumbs in meatloaf.
- Try rolled oats or a crushed, unsweetened whole grain cereal as breading for baked chicken, fish, veal cutlets, or eggplant parmesan.
- Try an unsweetened, whole grain ready-to-eat cereal as croutons in salad or in place of crackers with soup.
- Freeze leftover cooked brown rice, bulgur, or barley. Heat and serve it later as a quick side dish.
As Snacks:
- Snack on ready-to-eat, whole grain cereals such as toasted oat cereal.
- Add whole-grain flour or oatmeal when making cookies or other baked treats.
- Try a whole-grain snack chip, such as baked tortilla chips.
Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack with little or no added salt and butter.
Fish is a good source of protein, zinc and iron. Fish is low in saturated fat that contributes to high blood cholesterol levels. It is high in a healthier form of fat called omega-3 fatty acids. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids help make blood less "sticky" and therefore is less likely to form clots that can contribute to heart disease. Fish such as salmon/tuna/halibut/sardines and trout have the highest amounts of omega-3 acids.
The general suggestion is to eat fish two or three times per week. A serving of fish is 3 to 4 ounces cooked. This is a piece of fish about the size of the palm of your hand and about one-half inch thick.
If you are not eating fish regularly here are some ideas to help you include more fish:
- Start slow, with fish in at least one meal a week.
- Water-packed canned fish and frozen fish are just as healthy as fresh. This can be easy and usually less-expensive.
- Add fish and seafood to recipes that normally call for beef or chicken.
- Try different fish to find the ones you like and to get the most nutritional benefit.
Maybe when you think about eating fish you think about breading and deep-fat frying. For many people this is the most common way of preparing fish. As we know now this is not the healthiest way to prepare fish.
Healthier and easy ways of preparing fish include baking, grilling or microwaving. Fish is a good food to cook in the microwave oven. It cooks quickly and is naturally tender.
Canned fish like salmon and tuna can easily be added to salads and casseroles. Almost everyone has a favorite tuna casserole recipe, but even healthier and easier is to add the canned tuna to a lettuce salad. This is a great, easy to prepare meal.
So for your health include fish in your meals more often and if you have chance take a young person fishing and make more good memories.
Here are some simple recipes to get you started:
Salmon Cakes
1 can salmon, drained and flaked
½ cup saltine cracker crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon paprika
Mix all ingredients together. Form into cakes, using ¼ cup of the mix for each cake. Sauté until brown in a small amount of oil or cooking spray. Makes 8 cakes. Nutrition information: 100 calories, 4 g fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 260 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 13 g protein
Poached Fish
1 pound fresh or frozen fish fillets
½ cup skim milk
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
Black pepper
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Rinse fish fillets and pat dry. Spray microwave safe baking dish lightly with nonstick spray.
Put fish in single layer in dish.
Pour skim milk over fish fillets. Sprinkle bread crumbs on the tops of the fillets and season with black pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Cover with plastic wrap. Cook in the microwave oven on high 8 to 10 minutes. Fish is done when it is white, hot in the thickest part, firm and flakes easily. Serves 4. Nutrition information: 146 calories, 2 g fat, 6 g carbohydrates, 244 mg sodium, 24 g protein.
Making a Mustard Sauce
Heat 6 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard in a small saucepan. Mix and serve over your favorite fish.
- Barbara Farner, Extension Educator
