Recipe of the Month



Holiday Cake

Ingredients
  • 2 cups well-cooked pinto beans
  • ¼ cup liquid from cooked beans
  • ½ cup margarine
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • ½ cup instant nonfat dry milk
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 cups finely chopped peeled apple
  • 1 cup currants or raisins
  • cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
  • Puree or mash beans with liquid until smooth; set aside.
  • Beat margarine with sugar in bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in egg, vanilla, and bean puree; set aside.
  • Combine dry ingredients in another bowl.
  • Mix half of flour mixture into batter.
  • Add apple, currants, and walnuts to remaining flour mixture; fold into batter.
  • Coat 9-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Pour batter into pan.
  • Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into 20 pieces.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
  • Serves 20.
Beans are an excellent source of protein and are low in fat. Beans also have fiber. Fiber can help lower blood cholesterol and reduce cancer risk.

En Español


MANGO DELIGHT

Ingredients
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 3 packets unflavored gelatin
  • 5 medium, very ripe mangos
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup evaporated skim milk
  • 2 cups light whipped topping
Directions:
  1. Put the orange juice into a small, heat-proof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Peel mangos, cut fruit from pits, and puree in blender or food processor. You should have 4 cups of puree. Transfer the puree to a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and evaporated milk.
  3. Warm the juice and gelatin over a bowl of hot water until liquid and smooth. Whisk the gelatin into the mango mixture.
  4. Stir in the whipped topping.
  5. Fill a 10-cup mold with cold water and pour all the water out. Fill the mold with the mango mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, at least 2 to 3 hours.
  6. To serve, wrap a warm, damp towel around the mold. Invert a serving plate over the mold and, holding plate and mold together, turn plate upright. Lift the mold away carefully. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired.
Serve cold.
15 servings.

Mangos are a good source of vitamin A, which is important for growth and vitality.

En Español


CORN SALAD

Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
  • 2 small tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and diced
  • ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, or to taste, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic or other vinegar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp sugar, optional
Directions:
  • Mix corn, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, jalapeno and cilantro in a medium bowl.
  • Mix oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl.
  • Add to corn mixture and stir to coat evenly. Adjust seasonings.
  • Makes 6 servings

En Español


Fruit and Juice Smoothie

Ingredients
  • 1 banana, fresh or frozen, peeled and cut into pieces ½ cup fruit, washed, peeled and cut up
  • Examples: strawberries, peaches, pineapple, papaya ¾ cup juice
  • Examples: apple, orange, pineapple, cranberry ½ cup low fat vanilla yogurt
Directions:
  • Put fruit into blender first.
  • Add juice.
  • Add vanilla yogurt.
  • Blend until smooth
Cooking Suggestions
  • In place of vanilla yogurt, use plain yogurt and add 1 teaspoon vanilla and ½ teaspoon sugar or honey, if desired.
  • n place of yogurt, use ½ c. tofu
This recipe is high in vitamin C because it can contain strawberries, papaya and orange juice. Vitamin C is good for your skin.

En Español


Sweet Potato Pudding

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate
  • 2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice
  • 1 banana sliced
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
Preparation

Blend all ingredients. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Makes 8-10 small servings.

To make a sweet potato pudding pie, pour ingredients into a pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Sweet potatoes, like other vegetables with a deep orange color are a great source of vitamin A and fiber. Vitamin A helps protect against certain types of cancers and is good for your eyes. Fiber can help lower blood cholesterol.

En Español

Gazpacho

Ingredients
  • ½ cup finely chopped tomato
  • ½ cup finely chopped celery
  • ½ cup finely chopped cucumber
  • ½ cup finely chopped green pepper
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 teaspoons of minced parsley
  • 2 teaspoons chopped chives
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ½ cups tomato juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
Preparation

Combine tomatoes, celery, cucumber, green pepper and onion in a large bowl. Sprinkle parsley, chives and garlic over vegetables. Combine Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, olive oil and tomato juice in a jar. Cover and shake well. Pour over vegetables; add salt and pepper; toss to mix well.

Cover bowl and place in refrigerator; chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold. Makes 4 servings.

This recipe is high in vitamin C because it contains tomatoes and peppers. Vitamin C is good for your skin and immune system.

En Español

Lentil Salad

Ingredients
  • 1-cup lentils, rinsed
  • 6 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (canned is okay)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 large sweet red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1-teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Preparation

Cook lentils in water until tender (about 15 minutes), but still intact and slightly firm, then drain and allow cooling. Add oil, lemon juice, green onions, tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley, red pepper, salt and peppper and combine thoroughly. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

You will love this delicious Middle Eastern salad. The lentils and chickpeas are a good source of iron and fiber.

Fiber can help lower blood cholesterol and reduce cancer risk. You need iron to keep your blood strong.

Lentils and garbanzo beans are very healthy foods that contain iron and fiber.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients
  • 1 pound of dried split peas
  • 1 onion
  • 3 potatoes cubed
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 10 cups water or chicken broth
Preparation

Rinse and sort dried split peas-discard any debris.

Ina large pot (cast iron if you have it), put the peas and the rest of the ingredients.

Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the peas and vegetables are soft, about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

This recipe provides many nutrients, but especially iron. Children who are picky eaters sometimes do not get all the iron they need every day.
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