THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996 TAG: 9602070038
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: MORSELS
SOURCE: Ruth Fantasia
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
IT'S NOT just Punxsatawney Phil, the meteorologist-groundhog, who gets confused in February.
We snack-eaters do, too.
February is Healthy Heart Month, so we're encouraged by the American Heart Association to eat low-fat, low-salt, low-cholesterol treats.
But it's also National Snack Food Month, according to the Snack Food Association and the National Potato Promotion Board, so we'll be bombarded with promotions for chips, dips, popcorn, puffs and other not-necessarily-good-for-us munchies.
Why not compromise, with healthful snacks?
Most plain pretzels are low in fat; so is popcorn when it's not covered in butter.
Baked chips are lower in fat than the fried versions, but some of them taste like cardboard. Maybe that explains why sales of salsa - also low in fat - have surpassed sales of ketchup in recent years.
One co-worker - a sort of connoisseur of low-fat foods - eats rice cakes with a tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter and a few raisins every day. Meanwhile, I down bags of fat-laden cookies.
She keeps a basket of fruit on her desk; I hide chocolates in desk drawers. She thinks low-fat cheese is food; I think it tastes like plastic.
She says she'll live longer. I say I'll die happy.
Somewhere there's a middle ground. Maybe February is the time to find it.
Smart cooking
If you'd like some lessons in heart-healthy cooking, the Meal Center at Hannaford Food and Drugs Superstore in Virginia Beach has teamed with the American Heart Association to offer a series of free classes and demonstrations.
Space is limited, so call 490-1202, Ext. 123, for reservations. Here are some of the events:
10 a.m to noon Friday: Discussion of the Food Pyramid.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday: Blood pressure screenings and healthy snack tastings.
11 a.m. Sunday: Healthful eating for families, and meal preparation.
11 a.m Monday: Heart-smart recipes and ideas.
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 17: The mental and physical impact of eating.
Here's the beef
If you think you have to give up red meat in a heart-healthy diet, think again. The American Dietetic Association and the National Livestock and Meat Board have developed several lower-fat beef recipes such as this one for Bistro Beef Steak. We've included one recipe here; look for others near the meat case in March or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Lean 'N' Easy Recipes, 17th Floor, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611.
Celebration of food
For those who enjoy food - no matter the fat content - the Williamsburg Inn will offer three Classic Affair Weekends.
``Authentic French Cuisine,'' held Feb. 16 to 18, will spotlight visiting chef Andre Solter, retired chef of New York's Letuce Restaurant and author of ``The Letuce Cookbook.''
March 1 to 3, owner-chef Gerard Pangaud of Gerard's Place in Washington, D.C., will be host for ``A Taste of European Splendor.''
``Regional Virginia Seafood Specialties'' will be led by Jimmy Sneed, chef-owner of The Frog and the Redneck restaurant in Richmond, Aug. 2 to 4.
The Classic Affair weekend package costs $425 a person, double occupancy. Call (804) 447-8679 for reservations for any or all.
New on the shelf
Some flavors of Life Savers contain 14 candies instead of the standard 11 or 12. It's the first major change to the size of the roll in the candy's history. . . . McCormick's Bag 'n' Season brings back the cooking-in-a-bag technique. The package costs $1.69 and contains a seasoning blend and bag. You add meat and vegetables. Varieties include pot roast, chicken, spare ribs, pork chops and turkey breast. . . . M&M/MARS has introduced Milky Way Lite, with 170 calories and 5 grams fat. A regular Milky Way has 280 calories and 11 grams fat. The slogan for the new bar is ``Bet you can't tell it's `lite.' '' We couldn't. ILLUSTRATION: FILE PHOTO
Looking for a lower-fat beef recipe? Try Bistro Beef Steak
by CNB