Stuffed Squash With a Shortcut and Some Questions

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This squash was stuffed with Vigo's Red Beans and Rice which I cooked on the stove top (without adding the butter!)while the squash was baking.  I added a medium bunch of kale, cut up, halfway through the 20 minute cooking time.  If I were making it for company I would probably sprinkle some nuts or grated cheese on top and bake it to brown the top but since I was cooking for myself I just spooned the rice mix into the half acorn squash when it finished baking and ate it with a salad.  It was very tasty, hearty and satisfying.  I added no additional seasoning since the rice package comes fully seasoned. 

 This is an easy dish and looks nice to serve to others but I do have one concern.  When I looked up the nutritional information online it said, "totally fat free" and "0 calories from fat"; however, the label says one serving contains 1 gram of fat, 0 grams sat. fat.  So where are the 9 calories from the 1 gram of fat?  Also, the Ingredients list includes "Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed and Soybean Oil".  What?  Is there a minimum amount required before it has to be listed as part of the Nutrition Facts or Calories?  Now I feel like I've lost one of my favorite quick foods.  I'm going to work on a good combination of seasonings for my beans and rice dishes that does not include hydrogenated oil and all those other additives.

Quick Spanish Rice Salad

What can I do with 1/2 can leftover refried beans....

Quick Spanish Rice Salad

1/2 can vegetarian refried beans

1c of 5 minute brown rice

1 can diced tomatoes

1 red pepper, 1 onion chopped and sauteed 

Add chili powder and hot sauce or chopped chilies

Mix everything together and serve on a bed of chopped lettuce.  Top with thawed frozen corn.

Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit

I've always looked at beans as a good weight control food because they're so filling, high in fiber and low in fat but today's newsletter from Dr. Fuhrman's website extolls their virtues even more....

March 10, 2011

Dear Mary, Beans protect against colon cancer Colon cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in the United States, and it is the 2nd most deadly cancer.1 Proper nutrition can dramatically cut colon cancer risk. Numerous studies have found beans to significantly decrease the risk of colon cancer.2,3,4 A six year study tracking over 32,000 individuals found that those who ate beans, peas, or lentils only twice a week decreased their risk of colon cancer by 50%. If they cut their chance of colon cancer in half by eating beans twice a week, imagine the benefit of eating beans daily!  Beans' unique composition makes them a dietary wonder. Beans are rich in fiber and resistant starch and are not easily broken down by enzymes in the small intestine. They pass into the large intestine where bacteria ferment them into short chain fatty acids such as butyrate.6 Butyrate protects against colon cancer in many different ways:  • Butyrate halts cancer cell growth and causes cancer cell death.7 • Butyrate increases the expression of detoxifying enzymes and limits DNA damage due to oxidative stress.8 • Butyrate inhibits tumors from acquiring a blood supply.7 • Butyrate has anti-inflammatory affects.7 For more information go to Dr. Fuhrman's website here