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Easy Meals — Yes, You Can Can!
The secret to convenience cooking? It’s all about canned foods!
Healthy
You’ve probably heard that canned foods are just as healthy as fresh and frozen. Even the Produce for Better Health Foundation is encouraging us to enjoy all forms of fruits and vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh, dried and 100% juice) as part of a healthful diet. How many servings of fruits and vegetables do you need each day? It depends on your recommended calorie intake, which is based on your age, sex and activity level. Visit www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov for a quick customized calculator. Chances are, you need to eat more produce — and canned varieties are an easy way to do just that.
High Quality
Canned foods are packed at their peak of freshness and processed quickly to maintain nutritional value. The vitamin levels in canned foods remain consistent over time, making them a smart pantry staple for health-conscious shoppers. Look for low-salt and no-salt options, along with fruits and vegetables packed in water or natural juices.
Low Cost
In general, the shelf life of most canned food is at least two years. It’s unlikely you will find an expiration date on canned foods. Instead, a “for best quality use by” date is often stamped on the top or bottom of the can. With canned foods, unlike fresh, there’s no worry about having to use them quickly or risk wasting them. And since canned goods have a long shelf life, you can stock up when they go on sale. Visit your local ShopRite this week and take advantage of great prices during the Can Can Sale. Fill your pantry with canned fruits, vegetables, chicken, seafood, soups, stews, chili and more. They’ll come in very handy for making meals in just minutes.
Versatile
Check out these simple ideas for making great meals with canned foods.
Breakfast Smoothie: In a blender, combine an 8-ounce can of pineapple chunks (packed in juice), two 6-ounce containers of lowfat strawberry yogurt and 1 banana. Blend until smooth.
Southwestern Tortilla Wrap: Top a tortilla with canned chunk chicken (drained and sprinkled with Southwestern seasoning), shredded lettuce, chopped fresh tomato, canned black beans (drained) and canned whole kernel corn (drained). Add a spoonful of lowfat ranch dressing and roll up.
Italian Vegetable Rotini Soup: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine 4 cups of reduced-sodium beef broth, 2 cans of your favorite vegetables (drained) and a 14 ½-ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained). Heat until boiling and add 1 cup whole-grain rotini pasta. Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Caliente Chili Con Carne
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 (15.5-oz.) can ShopRite Organic light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5-oz.) can ShopRite Organic dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (8-oz.) cans ShopRite no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 (14.5-oz.) can Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped*
In 6 quart stock pot cook ground beef, half at a time, until brown. Drain fat. Return all meat to pot.
Stir in beans, tomato sauce, undrained tomatoes, chili powder, mustard powder, hot sauce, jalapeño pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
*Use caution when handling hot peppers. Wear disposable gloves or wash hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water afterward.
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 (14.5-oz) cans ShopRite diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-oz) can ShopRite no-salt-added sliced stewed tomatoes
1 (15.25-oz.) can ShopRite no-salt-added corn, drained
1 (15.5-oz.) can ShopRite Organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles
1/2 cup Kraft Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)
1. In 4-quart stock pot, cook ground beef until brown; drain fat. Add chili powder, cumin, black pepper, undrained diced tomatoes, undrained stewed tomatoes, corn, black beans, chiles and 2 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Top with reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, if desired.
