Wellness Department - Healthy Cooking Demonstration
|
Wellness Links
|
 |
|
|
|
On Thursday, March 16th a healthy cooking demonstration was conducted by our very own Keith Peffers, Director of Food Services in LSF 144. The menu for this cooking demonstration included: poached tilapia with a pineapple salsa and sauteed chicken with raspberry sauce. This cooking demonstration was designed to show how easy it is to prepare a heart healthy dish in very little time and with very little equipment. Participants were given the opportunity to taste samples of the dishes after the demonstration. More of these types of cooking demonstrations are in the works for the future.
TILAPIA FACTS
- Native to Israel/Northern Africa. Also known as St. Peter’s fish.
- First fish to be farmed by man. Egyptians began raising tilapia in lakes and ponds 2,500 years ago. Drawings of tilapia farming have been found on Egyptian tombs dating back to 2,500 BC.
- Aquaculture/Farming--Raised in both outdoor and indoor ponds, therefore, they are not able to escape into rivers to compete with other fish. Tilapia feed on algae and plankton which helps to keep their water clean. They are abundant and easily grown. One pair can produce up to 100,000 fish in 6 months. They are 50 times cheaper to produce than beef. They are disease resistant, reproduce easily, and do not require antibiotics because they are naturally used to close quarters. Tilapia are warm water fish, ideally, between 76-84 degrees F.
Nutrition—High in protein, low in sodium, low in fat. Contains Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, B complex vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorous. Extremely low mercury levels due to its short life span and the fact that it doesn’t eat other fish that may contain mercury. A 4 oz fillet contains 90 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids and 21 grams of protein. Tilapia is a lean, white, flaky fish.
- Omega-3 fatty acids—Linolenic (omega-3) acids can be found in fish, canola oil, wheat germ, flax seeds, soybeans, walnuts, and animals that live on grass and leaves. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to produce higher energy levels, decrease arthritic stiffness, lower blood presser, reduce blood clots, reduce abnormal heart beating (arrhythmia), and maintain skin and coat—deficiencies can show a dry dull coat, hair loss, greasy skin and increased susceptibility to skin inflammation.
Poached Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa
4 Tilapia filets
1 Lemon
1 Fresh pineapple
1/2 Green pepper
1/2 Red bell pepper
1 T Chopped cilantro
1 t Fresh lime juice
Prepare the salsa by removing rind and core of pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, add diced green pepper and red pepper, cilantro and lime juice, set aside. In a saute pan, add water and juice from lemon until it just covers the fish. Bring water to a simmer, do not boil. Add tilapia filets and cook for approximately 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes when lightly touched. Remove fish and top with salsa, serve immediately.
Chicken w/ Raspberry Sauce
Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.03
Title: CHICKEN WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE
Categories: Poultry
Yield: 4 Servings
1 c Fresh or frozen Raspberries
1 ts Finely shredded orange peel
1/2 c Orange juice
1/2 ts Chicken bouillon granules
1/8 ts Ground nutmeg
1/8 ts White or black pepper
2 ts Cornstarch
1 tb Cold Water
4 x medium (12 oz total) boned skinless Chicken Breast halves
~------------------------------------------------------
Thaw raspberries if frozen; set aside. In a large skillet combine orange peel, orange juice, bouillon granules, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Add chicken. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or till chicken is tender and no longer pink; turn chicken after 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. Stir together cornstarch and water; add to skillet. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Gently stir in raspberries; heat through. Pour over chicken. Per serving: 177 calories, 27 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 328 mg potassium.
