EAT CABBAGE AND REDUCE CANCER RISKS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 7, 1993                   TAG: 9304070014
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Toni Burks
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long
EAT CABBAGE AND REDUCE CANCER RISKS
Researchers can't give specific recommendations, but one serving a week of cruciferous vegetables appears to provide some protection against colon cancer.
Cruciferous is the scientific name for vegetables from the cabbage family, including cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga, kale and turnips. Because of the good things these vegetables provide, try to eat cabbage or a member of its family at least once a week.
- Cancer connection: Eating cabbage and its cousins may decrease your risk of developing colon cancer.
- Fiber: All cruciferous vegetables are good sources of fiber, another apparent protective factor against colon cancer.
- Potassium: Cruciferous vegetables provide substantial amounts of potassium, an essential mineral.
- Vitamin C: A single 1/2-cup serving of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, or turnip greens supplies all the vitamin C you need in a day.
- Iron: These vegetables, with the exception of cauliflower, are good sources of iron. One serving of brussels sprouts provides about 1 milligram of the 18-milligram daily iron requirement for women.
- Carotene: Dark green members of the cabbage family are excellent sources of carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A. (If you eat foods high in beta-carotene, research suggests that you may reduce your chance of getting cancer.)
- Calcium: Cruciferous vegetables are among the best non-dairy sources of calcium. A 1/2-cup serving of kale provides about 11 percent of a woman's daily calcium requirement.
- Low-calorie: These vegetables contain about 25 to 35 calories per serving and have no fat. - Associated Press
\ MICROWAVE IT Canned peaches and fruit preserves are two speedy secrets to these stuffed chicken rolls. The microwave oven is another. The moist peach-raspberry filling heats quickly, so you won't have to worry about the chicken on the outside overcooking before the inside is done. For the shimmering peach glaze, simply melt the peach preserves in the microwave and stir in peach-flavored brandy. Raspberry-peach chicken rolls 6 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1\ lbs.)
Apple pie spice
1 8-oz. can peach slices, drained
cup raspberry preserves
cup peach preserves
1 Tbsp. peach-flavored brandy
Snipped parsley
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place each chicken breast half, boned side up, between 2 pieces of clear plastic wrap. Working from center to the edges, pound chicken lightly with flat side of meat mallet to form 6\ -in. thick rectangles. Remove plastic wrap.
Sprinkle each chicken breast half with apple pie spice. Place a peach slice and 2 tsps. of the raspberry preserves on one short end of each breast half. Fold in long sides and roll up jelly roll style, starting from edge with peach slice. Place chicken rolls, seam side down, in microwave-safe rectangular 2-qt. baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and turn back a corner to vent steam. Cook on high (100 percent power) 8 to 11 minutes (in low-wattage oven, 10 to 12 minutes) or until chicken is no longer pink, rearranging rolls after 4 minutes.
In 1-cup glass measure cook peach preserves, uncovered, on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted. Stir in brandy. Pour over chicken rolls. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6 servings. - Associated Press
\ MARKET SHOPPING Slowly but surely farmers are beginning to return to farm markets for another season and they're bringing lots of vegetable plants to stock home gardens.
Look for sturdy and healthy cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and berry plants, which can go into the ground as soon as it's dry enough to work. There are tomato plants, too - some with blooms - but it's definitely too early to put these outdoors. If you want to get a jump on early tomatoes, consider patio plants which are easy to move to a sheltered indoor area at night.
New crops of herbs and perennial flowers are available, and there are pansies galore. Look, too, for flowering plants that are ideal for Easter giving. There should be a showy display of cut daffodil bouquets this weekend. Other holiday items are decorated eggs and real rabbits.
Greens continue to be the most plentiful food item. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, dried apples, apples, eggs, country-cured meats, jams, jellies, relishes, pickles and horseradish are moregood things. A selection of produce - from sweet corn to Vidalia spring onions to tomatoes - is coming from warmer growing areas. Strawberries are available, too, for spring's first shortcake.
\ LEAN AND TRIM Low-fat yogurt and skim milk are the fat busters in this saucy entree. They add flavor and creamy texture but keep the fat level low. Another smart choice: pork tenderloin, one of the leanest of pork cuts. Pork with mushrooms 3/4 lb. whole pork tenderloin
Non-stick spray coating
1 cup sliced mushrooms
cup sliced green onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
cup skim milk
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules
[ tsp. ground nutmeg
[ tsp. pepper
Trim fat from pork. Cut pork crosswise into 8 slices. Place each slice between 2 sheets of clear plastic wrap. Using flat side of a meat mallet, pound to\ -in. thickness. Spray a large cold skillet with non-stick coating. Preheat skillet. Add pork and cook over medium-high heat about 3 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook for 2 to 4 minutes more or until no pink remains. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
Add mushrooms, green onion and garlic to skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Stir together yogurt, milk, flour, bouillon granules, nutmeg and pepper. (Mixture may appear to be curdled.) Add to mushroom mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return meat to skillet and cook 2 minutes more or until heated through. Makes 4 servings. - Associated Press
\ HELP!!! DEAR SOS: In making Chinese-style stir-fry dishes, I use cornstarch for the sauce. It is thick enough when the dish is taken from the stove, but it breaks down and becomes thin quickly. What can be done about this? - Charles
Dear Charles: Cornstarch, made from soaked, milled corn, is the preferred thickening agent in Oriental cuisine. It typically is added with sauce ingredients near the end of the cooking. Sometimes it is mixed with egg white and flavorings and used as a marinade.
Since you indicate that the sauce thickens properly, you're likely using the proper proportion of thickener to liquid. However, once the sauce has thickened, you should remove it from the heat because cornstarch breaks down right around the boiling point.
Another point to keep in mind: Chinese stir-frys often include a lot of barely cooked vegetables. Certain types, such as mushrooms, green onions and bell peppers, will give off liquid as they sit. So even though the cornstarch may have done its job, the vegetables will dilute and thin the sauce. - Chicago Tribune

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB