The two dietary factors which precondition obesity may be grouped as:
When the diet includes a significant majority of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, one's chances of developing obesity are almost zero. The extent to which processed and cooked foodstuffs replace the raw is invariably the degree by which weight problems develop.
Hi-PROTEIN TOSSED SALAD
This salad is designed for those people who work hard or play hard or both. They need more protein than do others. Yet, resulting from their high level of energy expenditure, they need their protein from foods which are high yielding and easily digested -- hence the combining of ricotta cheese with sunflower seeds.
serves 4
1 cup fresh broccoli
1 cup fresh yellow beans
1 lb ricotta cheese, broken into small pieces
2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
2 stalks of celery
1 small red bell pepper
3 lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
4 tbsp sunflower seeds
Scrub all the vegetables. Lightly steam the broccoli and yellow beans, if desired. Place all the ingredients except the sunflower seeds in the salad bowl and toss. You will find that the ricotta cheese becomes the salad dressing, so there is no need for aditional dressing. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top.
LOW-FAT SALAD DRESSING
It is difficult to find a creamy salad dressing with suitable low fat ingredients. This recipe is designed to overcome the problem while conforming to our general guidelines of being both nutritious and delectable. Its refreshing tanginess is provided by the fresh mint and lemon.
enough for 1 salad
1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese
2 tbsp tomato juice
1 tsp mint
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 slices ripe tomato, chopped
Place all ingredients in blender and blend. To make this suitable for a fruit salad, simply substitute pineapple slices and pineapple juice for the tomato and tomato juice.
TAHINI DIP
Tahini is simply made by grinding sesame seeds under high pressure with a little added sesame oil. Tahini, found at your health food store, is a convenient and easily digested form of sesame, a seed rich in polyunsaturated fats, protein, minerals and B vitamins.
enough for 1 bowl
1/2 cup tahini (sesame butter)
1 tbsp chives, chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt-free vegetable seasoning
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp water
Slowly blend the tahini, chives, parsley, seasoning and lemon juice together. Add the water gradually. Use only enough to make a smooth creamy consistency. Dip raw vegetables into this.
BLENDED NUT CREAM
One of the most nutritious and simpliest meals ever conceived is a simple fruit salad with raw, unsalted nuts. It is a protein-rich, easily digested meal suited to all. Yet many people find that dental limitations inhibit their chewing of nuts, while others with such problems as diverticulitis or hiatus hernia dare not risk a piece of nut passing through unchewed. Thorough blending into a smooth nut cream is the answer to these problems.
serves 2
3 medium oranges
1 large apple
3 oz raw cashews
3 oz raw almonds
Soak almonds in boiling water for 1/2 minute, then rinse under cold water (to remove tannic acid from skins). Peel and quarter oranges, removing seeds. Cut apple into four pieces and remove the core. Place the fruit in a blender. Add the nuts to the fruit and blend at top speed until smooth.
To serve, pour this nut cream over a tossed fresh vegetable or fruit salad. As a party treat or a tasty fruit meal, serve it in half papaya or pineapple. As a sweet after a light salad, it can be served in parfait glasses topped with a whole nut or a slice of orange.
Suggested sample menus for teens, based on the four food groups in "Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating."
WEEKDAY
Breakfast on the run
Yogurt with fresh or frozen strawberries, bananas or apples. (At home.)
Oatmeal muffin with peanut butter. (Grab and eat on the way to school or job.)
"Brown bag" lunch
Chopped chicken and lettuce sandwich, made with two slices of whole-wheat bread.
Carton of milk. Apple.
School cafeteria menu
Tomato soup. Ham cheese and lettuce on a kaiser roll. Apple. One glass of 2% milk.
After school snack
Banana.
Dinner
Stir-fried beef, with broccoli. Brown rice. Tomato salad. Slice of cake. One glass of milk.
Homework or evening snack
WEEKEND
Brunch
Orange sections. Tomato and parsley omelet.
Two slices of buttered whole-wheat toast.
Glass of hot chocolate, made with milk.
Snack
Bagel, with a slice of cheddar cheese and a glass of tomato juice.
Saturday night supper
Baked beans, whole wheat bread. Spinach salad. Cinnamon baked apple. Glass of milk.
Party snack
Carrot sticks, with herbed cottage-cheese dip.
Beverage: soda water with slice of orange.
Hot pepperoni pizza.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS
| 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed | 1/4 cup sugar |
| 1/4 tsp salt | 1-1/4 cup flour |
| 1/2 tsp baking powder | 3 very ripe bananas, mashed |
| 1/2 cup butter, melted | 1 egg |
| Vegetable oil spray | Preheat oven to 350F |
| spray 8x5x2.5 loaf pan | bake 50 mins |
Nutritional info: Calories 220, fat 9g, sat fat 5.5g; cholesterol 40mg; sodium 154mg; carbohydrates 34g; fiber 1g.
| 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed | 1/4 cup sugar | 1-1/4 cup flour | 2 tsp baking powder | 3 very ripe banana, mashed | 4 oz jar baby food 100% banana | 1/4 cup lo-fat buttermilk | 2 Tbsp vegetable oil | 2 egg whites, slightly beaten | vegetable spray |