Food, Recipe, and Activity of the Week - March 29, 2009
This week's features include:
Food - Cabbage
Recipe - Simple fish tacos
Activity - Soccer
History
Cabbage has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and has been domesticated for over 2,500 years. Though many people connect cabbage to the Irish, the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia around 600 B.C. Early cabbage was not like the full-bodied head grown today, but instead was more of a loose-leaf variety. Northern European farmers developed the head variety in the Middle Ages. French navigator Jacques Cartier brought cabbage to the Americas in 1536.
Facts
The botanical name for cabbage is Brassica oleracea capitata. The English name cabbage comes from the French word caboche, meaning head, referring to its round form. Other vegetables related to the cabbage include Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi.
Cabbage is a hardy vegetable that grows well in fertile soil and takes only three months to grow. There are various shades of green types available as well as red and purple varieties. Green cabbage is grown more often than the red or Savory varieties but red is being used more often for color in salads and cooked dishes. Savory varieties, which are dark green in color, are grown for salads and slaw.
All varieties of cabbage are available all year round. When selecting cabbage for purchase look for large, compact heads that are heavy for their size. Choose those with tender green leaves showing no signs of damage or insect nibbles.
At home, store the whole head of cabbage in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week. Fresh cabbage from the garden will last up to two weeks. The older the cabbage gets though, the stronger the flavor and odor will be. Once the head is cut, the cabbage will lose its freshness so plan to use within a day. If the cabbage was fairly fresh when cut, the unused portion should last a couple days longer if put in a plastic bag and a couple drops of water are put on the cut side.
Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family and may reduce the risk of some cancers including colorectal cancers. Nutritionally, cabbage is high in beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and fiber.
Unfortunately, some people don't benefit from eating cabbage because they see it as an unpleasant vegetable with a bad odor. However, the cook, not the cabbage should be blamed for this problem. Cabbage contains isothiocynates that breakdown into smelly sulfur compounds when cooked. The longer the cabbage is cooked, the stronger the smell becomes. Aluminum pans also increase the reaction. The solution to smelly cooked cabbage then is a short cooking time in stainless steel pots and pans. Cook the vegetable, uncovered, in enough water to cover the vegetable. To keep the cooking time brief, boil the water before adding the cabbage and cook just until tender. Another option is to microwave the vegetable. Cut the cabbage in to wedges, sprinkle with water, and cook just until tender. Or to eliminate cooking altogether, enjoy cabbage in a salad like coleslaw.
One medium head of cabbage is equivalent to 2 pounds of cabbage or 4 servings. One pound of raw cabbage is equivalent to 2 cups cooked.
Nutritional Information (per half cup cooked green cabbage): 16 calories, 3.6 mg carbohydrate, 2.9 g fiber, 18.2 mg Vitamin C
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
- 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 package low sodium taco seasoning, divided
- 1 lb (4 total) cod or white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cups shredded red and green cabbage
- 2 cups diced tomato
- 12 6-inch warmed corn tortillas
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, and 2 Tbsp seasoning mix.
- In medium bowl, combine cod, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and remaining seasoning mix; pour into large skillet.
- Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until cod flakes easily when tested with a fork.
- Fill warm tortillas with fish mixture.
- Top with cabbage, tomato, sour cream mixture, lime wedges, and taco sauce.
Nutrition Information: 270 calories, 7 grams total fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 16 grams protein, 4 grams fiber, 400 milligrams sodium, 35 milligrams cholesterol.
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more recipes and access to the recipe’s full nutritional profile, visit www.cdc.gov.
Soccer is a fun, inexpensive, and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by children as well as adults. The joy of watching your child scoring his or her first goal, or playing with your family in the park, or being part of a team is indescribable. The physical workout and the social event is a great contribution to your overall health.
For the leisure soccer player where the level of play is low to moderate and physical contact is limited, the only equipment needed is shoes and a soccer ball. It is advisable not to use running shoes, since this type of shoe does not support sideway movement. Use either a cross training shoe, a tennis shoe, or a real soccer shoe. For the more competitive player who participates in soccer practice or games, real soccer shoes and shin guards are recommended.
Like many other physical activities warm-up before playing is important. Kicking a ball without any stretching or warm-up is to ask for an injury. Start your warm-up with some jogging for about 5 minutes, or some other type of light exercise. Then gradually increase the pace until you reach a sprint and hold this pace for 5 seconds. Once you feel warm and your muscles feel loose, stretch your legs including your hamstrings, quadriceps, and the inside of your thighs. Loosen your ankles by lifting your leg then rotating your foot in circular motions. If you are really competitive you should complete a few outburst sprints after stretching out. In addition, try a few jumps and in the air pretend that you are heading an imaginary ball.
After your soccer game or practice. Make sure to cool down by jogging slowly for 5 minutes and then stretch out your muscles again. If you have exercised for 1 hour and you weigh 130 lbs you have burnt approximately 480 kcal, if you weigh 150 lbs you have burnt approximately 540 kcal, and if you weigh 200 lbs you have burnt approximately 750 kcal.
Remember, always consult with your physician before starting a new exercise program.