The 10 Best Foods to Have on Hand
WebMD Feature from "Redbook" Magazine
Scott Uehlein, Canyon Ranch corporate chef, spends his days making good-for-you fare yummy. Here, 10 secret-weapon ingredients he suggests keeping in your kitchen, plus ways to use them
1. Jarred roasted red peppers
- Chop peppers; toss with fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a quick salad.
- Top turkey burgers and sandwiches.
2. Canned diced chile peppers
- Toss into a low-sodium vegetable soup for zip.
- Melt low-fat cheese over baked tortilla chips and top with black beans, salsa, and a sprinkle of chile peppers.
3. Canned artichoke hearts in water
- Chop and mix with herbs and low-fat cream cheese to spread on whole-grain breads.
- Rinse; toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper; roast at 425˚F until crisp on edges.
4. Frozen berries
- Blend with low-fat yogurt for fruit smoothies.
- Sprinkle over pancake batter in the skillet.
5. Frozen raw peeled shrimp
- Saute with vegetables until cooked through.
- Cook, chop, and add to an omelet.
6. Dried cranberries
- Add to a stir-fry.
- Stir into chocolate-chip cookie dough before baking.
7. Capers
- Sprinkle over fish with a squeeze of lemon.
- Make a pasta sauce with tomato sauce, capers, olives, garlic, and lemon zest.
8. Canned beans
- Process garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) with sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic for a quick hummus.
- Add black beans to a low-fat cheese quesadilla.
9. Salsa
- Mix with brown rice for a zesty side.
- Use as pizza sauce.
10. Couscous
- Use in stuffed peppers.
- Cook a few minutes longer than instructed, add minced onion, garlic, parsley, and rosemary, and form into 3-inch cakes. Saute and serve with low-fat sour cream.