Dr. Tim Says….
What should I have in my kitchen?
For the last few weeks I have been writing about the healthiest choices for you to make at the grocery store.
Today I am continuing with fish — specifically shellfish — and will move on to fin fish next week. A lot of Ask Dr. Gourmet questions are about whether shellfish can be part of a healthy diet because many of them contain a lot of cholesterol. This is another area of confusion for a lot of folks but all fish is good for you and has been shown time and again in research to prevent (and even reverse) heart disease. In Your Pantry: Shellfish, Part Two
Featured Recipe
Pantry Meal: Tamale Pie with Black Beans
Growing up this had a lot of names depending on whose house I was at. Tortilla casserole, taco casserole, tamale pie, it didn’t matter. And there are endless variations. This one was created to be as simple as possible and to use items out of your pantry or freezer.
This is also made to be more family friendly and is less spicy than some folks might want. A bit more cumin (an extra teaspoon) and chili powder (another 1/2 teaspoon) will give it more flavor. Adding a bit of cayenne pepper adds the zing that you might crave.
There are a lot of taco shells on the market. Some of them still contain trans-fats, so check the package carefully. Interestingly, the house brand taco shells at my local Winn-Dixie don’t have any sodium in them.
This recipe is Coumadin (warfarin) safe, is low in sodium (salt), and it gluten-free. It is too spicy for those with GERD / Acid Reflux, and those who are lactose-intolerant may wish to avoid it due to the cheese.
Techniques: Saute
There are a lot of times that the term sauté is used to mean cooking anything in a skillet but the term is actually very specific. The term originates with the French verb sauter which means “to jump.”
This is because very high heat is used and the food should be in frequent motion (or jumping).
Because most foods contain a great deal of water, if a the pan is too crowded the foods will actually steam. To sauté properly, choose a pan large enough that there is at least 1/3 of the surface area of the pan exposed when the vegetables are added. Sauteing
