bite
Use the Can By Anja Winikka Jayplay writer
Don't just stack them into cool-looking towers. Grab a can opener and cook with them.
History of the Can
After experimenting for 15 years, a Parisian named Nicholas Appert came up with the idea of preserving food by partially cooking it, sealing it in bottles with cork stoppers and immersing the bottles in boiling water. Appert assumed that as with wine, air exposure to food would spoil it. And, voial! He was right.
Source: Can Manufacturing Institute www.cancentral.com
They may not be the most glamorous items to land in your shopping cart at the grocery store, but considering the price and the convenience, those little steel cylinders packed with nutrients are a good bet for a healthy meal.
The real stuff
You can rest assured the can stacks up just as well as its fresh and frozen counterparts when it comes to nutrition. According to a University of Illinois study, canned foods retain just as many nutrients as fresh and frozen foods. In fact, in some cases canned foods provided more nutrients to the body than fresh and frozen foods. This is because the canning process, which involves heating the can and its contents at a very high temperature, makes some nutrients such as dietary fiber, which are found in fruits and vegetables, more soluble. So it's easier for the body to use and digest.
Can cooking
Because canned foods are just as healthy as the frozen and fresh version, you can be confident using them in your recipes. If you want to start cooking with canned foods, stock your cupboard with some basic items.
American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Cynthia Sass suggests buying fruit such as pineapples canned in their own juice, vegetables such as tomatoes seasoned with garlic and onions, and protein such as canned baby shrimp and vegetarian refried beans. Sass says that canned foods are also great because you can find seasonal fruits and vegetables all year round. So grab a can of beans and wrap up a burrito for lunch or mix yogurt with a can of blueberries at breakfast.
Contact writer at:
awinikka@kansan.com
Recipes: NowYouTry
Peachy chicken
Arrange chicken pieces in a baking pan. Bake in an oven on moderate heat until almost done; drain fat. Distribute evenly in the pan with drained, canned sliced peaches; drained, canned sliced jalapenos and a small amount of canned chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper and bake about 10 minutes longer until chicken juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife, and flavors are blended. Serve with steamed rice.
Pasta perfect
In a salad bowl, mix cooked and drained bow-tie pasta; drained, canned asparagus spears cut into 2-inch pieces; rinsed and drained canned white beans; red bell pepper squares and prepared Italian dressing. Dust with grated Parmesan cheese.
Spring frost
Freeze unopened cans of pitted fruit. For easy, frosty spoon drinks, submerge an unopened can of frozen fruit in hot water for about 2 minutes. Open the can and pour any liquid into the food processor bowl. Remove frozen fruit to a cutting surface and cut it into 1-inch chunks; add to food processor bowl. Process until slushy, adding some lemon-lime soda and rum or vodka. Serve immediately in stemmed glasses with spoons and straws and garnish with lemon or lime slices and mint sprigs.
Source: Canning recipes from www.mealtime.org and the Canned Food Alliance
After opening a can of food, you should immediately move it to another container to prevent spoilage and rust.
In 2002 humans consumed more than 24 billion cans of food.
No additives are needed to preserve canned foods. Sometimes salt is added to canned foods, but it is only for flavor and isn't necessary for food safety.
Did you Know?
Source: Can Manufacturing Institute www.cancentral.com
4
Jayplay 04.28.05