It was the fall of 1992 when Alma, Barb, Jodie and myself gathered around our dining room table to talk about ways we could share our home economics knowledge.
From that and several other meetings that fall we discovered we were all interested in doing some writing and that our focus would be on the use and management of the resources that all individuals and families have, namely time, talents, energy, attitude and money.
The acronym TEAM was adopted and our little group of hopeful writers adopted the name TEAM Resources. Our first writing efforts started with our local paper, The Rosetown Eagle, for which we are still writing.
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We were elated when we were granted the contract with The Western Producer.
Through the years TEAM has also come to signify our working arrangement, through sharing the responsibilities, letters, ideas, information, editing, food and fun.
Alma has been a great TEAM player and supporter, by keeping records of our columns, encouraging all of us and often hosting our meetings.
She has decided that now is the time to retire from writing TEAM columns but I claim that she is still a part of TEAM Resources, in that she is still inspiring the rest of us, being our muse.
We have all loved working with Alma and wish the very best to her in her retirement.
On behalf of TEAM, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your readership, comments and letters. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Skinnying down snacks
I love all of the food that goes along with the holidays, but unfortunately the new year often brings with it a few extra pounds. I’m trying to counter this trend by finding lower calorie options for snacks, making sure I get more exercise and drinking lots of water.
With preplanning, I think we can skinny down our holiday snacks without losing flavour or willpower.
Choose fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lower fat poultry, seafood and meat.
Rework your favourite recipes using lower fat ingredients or by reducing the fat content by substituting an unsweetened fruit puree such as applesauce for one-third of the fat content. This works well in cakes and muffins.
If you are going out, ask the hostess if there is something you can bring and then take along a lower fat or lower calorie dish.
Dips
Flavourful dips are frequently on the menu for casual entertaining. Skinny them down with low fat versions of cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, milk or mayonnaise. Another alternative is to use yogurt cheese.
This is an ancient Middle Eastern recipe that also works well in soups, on baked potatoes or in sandwiches. It really has a beautiful texture and taste.
Yogurt cheese
3 c. unflavoured yogurt, low-fat or regular 750 mL
Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a coffee filter, and place over a bowl.
Place yogurt in the strainer and allow it to rest for three hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator. About half the volume of yogurt will strain out into the bowl as liquid. The longer the yogurt sits, the thicker it gets.
Use the liquid for cooking rice, in smoothies or in making bread.
Spoon thickened yogurt cheese into another container. Cover and refrigerate.
Allow the dips to refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight to develop the flavours. Makes 1 1/2 c. (375 mL)
Yogurt cheese dip
1 1/2 c. yogurt cheese 375 mL
2 minced cloves garlic or 4 roasted garlic cloves
3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro* 45 mL
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 45 mL
3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives 45 mL
1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
1/4 tsp. pepper 1 mL
dash of hot red pepper sauce
- dill or basil can be used in place of the cilantro
Yogurt cheese dessert topping or fruit dip
1 1/2 c. yogurt cheese 375 mL
3 tbsp. brown sugar, icing sugar, honey or maple syrup 45 mL
1 tsp. vanilla or grated orange peel5 mL
or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 mL
Serve with a variety of fresh fruit.
Source: adapted from More Heart Smart Cooking with Bonnie Stern
Dippers
Make up a plate of raw vegetables to use as low-calorie dippers. I find that I use more vegetables for snacking if I clean and store them in containers in the fridge ready to eat. I also have a vegetable tray made up and covered in the fridge ready for use at every meal. My husband says he will eat raw vegetables if I have a dip.
Tortilla and pita chips
Replace high fat crackers and chips with these tasty dippers.Cut corn or flour tortillas into wedges and separate pita breads and cut them into wedges. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 F (200 C) oven for eight to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
The tortillas and pitas can also be seasoned by brushing with lightly beaten egg white and sprinkled with chopped fresh or dried herbs, sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
Put the whole tortillas directly on the middle rack of a preheated oven and toast them for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and starting to crisp. Turn them once and check periodically to make sure they are not getting too brown. Let them cool on a wire rack and then break into dipping-size pieces.
Source: Adapted from More Heart Smart Cooking with Bonnie Stern
Grilled shrimp and pepper skewers
2-4 clovesroasted garlic
3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley15 mL
2 tbsp. olive oil 30 mL
1/2 tsp. hot sauce 10 mL
1 tsp. sugar 5 mL
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
freshly ground black pepper
30–40 extra-large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small red pepper, cut into 2 cm 3/4 inch pieces
1 small yellow pepper, cut into 2 cm into 3/4 inch pieces
You will need 8 wooden skewers, 8 inches (20 cm) in length, soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients up to the shrimp. Mix.
Place shrimp in a shallow dish and pour on marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to two hours.
Alternate shrimp and both colours of peppers on the skewers.
Cook on an electric grill for about three minutes per side until shrimp are pink and peppers are tender crisp. Our grill cooks both sides at once and the shrimp were cooked in less than three minutes total.
Source: Adapted from Company’s Coming Heart-Friendly Cooking
Greek veggie kabob
This is attractive and is like serving Greek salad on a stick.
6 grape or cherry tomatoes
12 1/2-inch slices English cucumber 1 cm
12 1/2 inch cubes feta cheese 1 cm
12 1/2-inch squares red bell pepper 1 cm
6 black olives, pitted
1/3 c. tzatziki sauce 75 mL
(see recipe below or substitute for store-bought or Ranch dressing)
Thread ingredients onto skewers in the following order: one tomato, one slice cucumber, one cube cheese, one square red pepper, one slice cucumber, one cube cheese, one square red pepper, one olive.
Serve with tzatziki sauce for dipping.
Tzatziki
This is a Greek yogurt and cucumber dip that can be found in the dairy section of some grocery stores.
1 c. yogurt cheese 250 mL
1/2 c. grated cucumber, well drained 125 mL
2 cloves garlic, pressed or
4 cloves roasted garlic
In a small bowl combine yogurt cheese, cucumber and garlic. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour or until ready to serve.
I find that roasted garlic has a more delicate flavour and use it in place of fresh garlic.
Source: Adapted from Dietitians of Canada, Simply Great Food.
Beverages
Specialty coffees, liqueurs and cocktails can add calories quickly. If you are having a cocktail, choose soda water, water or a vegetable juice as the mix.
If you are making flavoured coffee, tea or hot chocolate, use extract flavourings rather than sweet syrup flavouring.
Also, choose skim milk rather than cream.
Dear TEAM: Could you please print a recipe for hot apple cider? Thank you. – P.D., e-mail.
Dear P.D.: In Canada soft apple cider means a nonclarified, nonfermented apple juice. It is difficult to find apple cider in most grocery stores. I have found it in specialty shops and health food stores.
Clear regular apple juice works fine with this recipe.
Mulled apple cider
8 c. apple cider or apple juice 2 L
1 red skinned apple, cored and sliced
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
zest and juice of two oranges
8 cinnamon sticks
Combine all ingredients, except the eight cinnamon sticks, in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until steaming, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until spices have infused the liquid, about 30 minutes.
Strain into warmed mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick for stirring. Serves eight.
Source: Adapted from Canadian Living, December 2002.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
