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February 06, 2006
Cabbage: Breast-cancer defense
You've likely heard about the anticancer properties of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but several recent studies suggest that cabbage may be in a class by itself. A study presented at the November 2005 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research found that Polish women who ate cabbage and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) four or more times a week were 74 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Other studies have found that cabbage may also protect against lung, stomach, and colon cancers. The superingredient seems to be sulforaphane, a phytochemical in cabbage that works by stimulating cells to eliminate cancerous substances. Granted, eating cabbage four times a week might be a little much, but adding it to soups and salads once or twice a week is a great idea.
Fresh-Vegetable Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans (about 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
4 (14 1/4-ounce) cans fat-free beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
4 cups chopped seeded tomato
2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (about 3 ounces)
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 cups shredded green cabbage
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in celery and next 9 ingredients (celery through kidney beans). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Add tomato, macaroni, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until pasta is done. Add cabbage, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes or until cabbage wilts. Serve with cheese.
Note: Refrigerate any remaining soup in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 cups soup and 2 tablespoons cheese)
CALORIES 272(25% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 12.5g; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 213mg; SODIUM 529mg; FIBER 6.4g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.4g
Oriental Salad
1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels
2 (5-ounce) packages Japanese curly noodles (chuka soba), crumbled
8 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
2 cups shredded carrot
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture into a bowl; cover and chill.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds, sunflower kernels, and noodles; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally. Spoon mixture into a large bowl; cover and chill. Add vinegar mixture to noodle mixture; let stand 15 minutes. Add cabbage, carrot, and onions, tossing to coat.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: : 3/4 cup)
CALORIES 183(30% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 1.4g,mono 2g,poly 2.4g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 68mg; SODIUM 259mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29g
Posted by Lisa at February 6, 2006 11:13 AM
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