It’s Valentine’s season again. Do you feel surrounded by pink hearts, chocolates and red cinnamon candies and pressured to present a gift to the sweetheart in your life? You do not have to spend money to show appreciation toward others. A homemade treat, a personal visit or a phone call can mean as much as an expensive gift. People just want to be acknowledged.
SPICY CORN CHOWDER
Nothing says comfort food like a steaming bowl of soup. The dish is a Valentine’s Day gift in itself. Don’t shy away from the spices. Serve with a salad, whole grain bread or the chicken melts recipe.
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3 to 4 small chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. finely chopped 125 mL red or yellow pepper
1/2 c. chopped red or 125 mL white onion
1-2 finely minced garlic cloves
3 tbsp. butter 45 mL
2 c. hot water 500 mL
2 tsp. chicken bouillon 10 mL
1 tsp. ground cumin 5 mL
2 c. milk or cream 500 mL
2 c. shredded Tex-Mex cheese 500 mL
1 10 oz. can cream corn
1 10 oz. can niblet corn
/4-1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce 1 to 2 mL
In a small skillet, saute the chicken with butter, onion, peppers and garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Pour chicken mixture into a stock pot. Add the water, bouillon and cumin and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once bubbling, reduce heat to a simmer and let stand for five minutes. Then stir in the cream, cheese, corn and Tabasco sauce. Cook over low heat until the cheese is melted, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.
Serves six to eight.
CHICKEN MELTS
4 bagels or English muffins, split in half
1/2 c. mayonnaise or 1ranch dressing 25 mL r2 c. cooked and cubed 5 chicken00 mL ch1/2 medium tomato, diced fine
2 c. shredded 5 mozzarella cheese[00 mL mo1/2 c. bacon bits 125 mL
Spread a thin layer of dressing on the bagel or muffin halves. Sprinkle with chicken, followed by tomato, cheese and bacon bits. Broil on a baking sheet for about four minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serves six to eight.
RELAXATION
Part of being happy is not only consuming good food and drink but learning to relax. Put your feet up and enjoy a book called There’s Lead in Your Lipstick by Gillian Deacon. It discusses the personal products we use daily. Are these products helping or hindering our well-being?
If beauty information is not for you, make a musical choice. Read This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin and learn about how helpful music can be for brain function.
VALENTINE’S CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Try these reduced fat cupcakes that taste as good as the full fat alternatives.
1 1/4 c. flour 300 mL
3/4 c. sugar 175 mL
1/4 c. cocoa 60 mL
1 tsp. baking soda 5 mL
1/8 tsp. salt .5 mL
1/2 c. water 125 mL
1/2 c. plain yogurt 125 mL
1/4 c. oil 60 mL
1/4 c. unsweetened 60 mL applesauce
1 egg
2 tbsp. coffee 30 mL
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 7 mL
1/2 c. dark chocolates 125 mL chips
3/4 c. whipping cream 175 mL
1/4 c. icing sugar 60 mL
2 tbsp. softened cream 10 mL cheese
few drops of vanilla extract
few drops of red food coloring
cinnamon heart candies, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a fork and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the water, yogurt, oil, applesauce, egg, coffee and one teaspoon of the vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat again until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and fill muffin tins (either papered or greased) with batter.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Beat the cream, cream cheese, icing sugar and remaining vanilla until stiff. Add food colouring if desired.
Spread over cupcakes and garnish with cinnamon hearts if desired. Garnish with fresh strawberries if you are serving the cupcakes immediately.
Source: Prevention Magazine
BENEFITS OF CHOCOLATE
•Natural antioxidants in chocolate called flavonoids help bodies stay healthy.
•The more processed the chocolate, the fewer flavonoids it contains. Dark chocolate has the most flavonoids, followed by milk chocolate. White chocolate has none.
BENEFITS OF RED WINE
•Red wine contains resveratrol, an antioxidant that comes from the skin of grapes and helps prevent cells from aging. White wine is processed differently and does not offer the same benefits.
•Suggested amounts are one small glass for women and two for men daily.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
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