Food, Recipe and Activity of the Week - March 16, 2008
This week's features include:
Food - Cabbage
Recipe - Cabbage soup
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
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb cabbage, finely shredded
- 4 celery ribs, sliced
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, low sodium
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 quart tomato juice, low sodium
- 4 cups water
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are tender.
Nutrition Information: 70 calories, 1 gram total fat, 14 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams protein, 1 gram fiber, 140 milligrams sodium, 0 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.
When winter weather is here, it is often hard to stay in shape and keep those muscles toned. However, one easy way to keep your abdominal (stomach) and lower back muscles in shape is to do some sit-ups. The great thing about sit-ups is that you can do them in your own home without the cost of fancy equipment!
It is very important to keep in mind the proper technique of doing sit-ups in order to avoid injury on your back and neck muscles. Here are some steps you can follow to ensure proper technique:
Lie on a padded surface, with your knees bent at about a 90 degree angle and your feet flat on the floor.
If you are a beginner, rest your hands at your sides because the closer your hands are to your head, the more difficult the sit-ups become. As you become more advanced, begin crossing your arms over your chest and eventually cross your arms behind your head. Avoid intertwining your fingers as this will put undo pressure on your head and neck.
As you bring your torso up, breath out. This will help focus the tension on your abdominal muscles.
To get the most out of your sit-ups it is best to stop halfway, when your head is about 6 to 12 inches off the floor.
After stopping halfway, pause for a bit, and then slowly and gently bring your torso back down to the floor.
It is important to do sit-ups slowly. Going too fast will not work the appropriate muscles and could cause injury and strain.
Don't overdo it. Try a set of 5 repetitions at the beginning. Then with each work-out, add more repetitions. And remember that going fast does not mean a better work out. Your muscles will become more toned if you do slow, concentrated sit-ups.
It is also important to keep in mind that exercises like sit-ups are considered "muscle toning" exercises, meaning they focus on strengthening a specific group of muscles. Muscle toning exercises are not meant to burn a lot of calories or benefit your cardiovascular system a great deal. For cardiovascular benefit, exercises such as brisk walking or jogging are great ways to benefit your heart and burn calories.
Caution: If you suffer from acute or chronic back pain, seek advice from a physician before doing sit-ups or any other exercise that could put strain on your back.
Adapted from The Physician and Sportsmedicine http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1997/06jun/sit_up.htm