Senior News December, 2004 Vol. 25. No. 12

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Healthy food makes a bright segment on the television screen

2005 Medicare changes

The Christmas flood of 1964 swept through 40 years ago

Coping with stress - tips for caregivers this holiday

From age 14 to age 83, special volunteers are honored

Join the Over-60 Program at HSU this spring

Eureka Rotary and HSRC partner to deliver meals

Pick up a copy today! Better yet, subscribe and never miss an issue!

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A well-recognized duo creates a cooking set in a huge, bare television studio once every few weeks. It is Dave Silverbrand of KVIQ-TV Channel 6 and Project LEAN's chief chef Joyce Houston. Together they will create the magic that only television can do.

The fun begins when Joyce, a local public health nutritionist, sets up for Dave to join her. She has precooked some of the winter squash and onions that she'll sauté for the first take. The second dish will be microwave maple-filled pears. "When we started doing this, they told me that it can only take two minutes, and then Dave eats," Houston said.

Project LEAN - Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition - is a state program begun in 1992 to address healthy eating and the growing obesity problem. Humboldt County is in one of ten regions and the lead county in northwestern California for Project LEAN which is funded through tobacco education funds.

Houston's segment has been part of the Channel 6  newsroom since it produced three newscasts a day in 2001. When the news programs were cancelled, anchor Dave Silverbrand stepped up to the plate at Joyce's cooking counter to co-host - and eat. Wildberries Marketplace also stepped up as a willing partner to underwrite production costs. Now the cooking segment runs five times a day - during the Oprah show, the soaps and with the late news.

Silverbrand said that being part of the cooking segment has sensitized his cooking at home. "I had been getting reckless in my eating habits. Then I thought it was time to get serious about this and lost 25 pounds. I feel better than I ever did."

Silverbrand has been a jogger for years, but he experienced heart arrhythmia a year ago and learned that if it had not been caught in time it could have been fatal. "Now I realize I don't have to be an iron man. I can just watch what I eat."

Houston has been with the Humboldt County Public Health Branch since 1974. In the first years of Project LEAN, she would try different ideas to find out what would be effective nutrition education in the county. She worked with chefs and in schools and started the weekly Project LEAN articles in the Times-Standard in 1993. In schools she works to get kids to do some cooking. Recently she has been active in helping schools form healthy nutrition policies.

Project LEAN cooking is based on whole grains, fruits and vegetables - five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits daily - and a moderate portion of meat.

The same recipe is shown on Channel 6 all week, so you're bound to catch it on one of the five daily runs. If the recipe looks good and you can't take notes fast enough, you can pick up a copy at Wildberries Marketplace in Arcata or print it from the web site, www.northcoastlean.org.
Barbara Clark is editor of Senior News.


Sautéed Winter Squash
(adapted from The Simply Healthy Low Fat Cookbook)

1/3 cup raisins, dried cranberries or currants
√ cup hot water
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium red onion, cut into √-inch chunks
3 garlic cloves, slivered
1 √ lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks*
≈ cup white wine
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar

1. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and hot water; set aside to soften.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion, garlic, and squash pieces and cook, stirring frequently, until onion has colored, about 7 min.

3. Add raisins and soaking liquid, wine or broth, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 min.

*You can speed the total cooking time by putting squash pieces in a covered dish and microwaving for 2 min. before adding to onion mixture.

Makes 4 servings, with 164 calories per serving, 2.5 g fat, 0 mg. chol., 13 mg. sodium, 1.3 g. fiber.



Microwaved Maple-Filled Pears
(adapted from a 5-a-Day recipe provided by the Oregon Washington California Pear Bureau)
1/4 cup raisins, currants, or dried cranberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 tsp. g rated lemon peel
3 fresh, large pears, halved and cored (peeling is optional)

 1. Combine raisins, nuts, syrup, lemon peel and cinnamon, set aside.

2. Arrange pears, cut-side down, in microwave-safe baking dish. Cover with wax paper. Microwave on high for 4-5 min.

3. Turn pears over and spoon maple mixture into center of each pear half. Microwave, covered, on high for 2-4 min., or until pears are tender.

Serves 6, with 141 calories, 3 g. fat, 0 mg. Chol., 3 g. fiber 12 mg. Sodium.

Find more recipes at www.northcoastlean.org.