Healthy hearts for heirs - low-cholesterol, low-fat recipes

Vibrant Life, Sept-Oct, 1990 by Georgia E. Hodgkin

Healthy Hearts for Heirs

Can your youngster get too much fat? You have probably read that your diet should be trimmed to 30 percent of calories as fat, but what about your child's diet?

You are not alone in your questions. It's now recognized that atherosclerosis may begin early in life.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends moderation in applying current dietary recommendations for adults to children's diets. Less than 30 percent of calories as fat may be too low, but 40 percent of calories as fat is thought to be excessive for the child more than 2 years of age.

Eating habits are established early in life. To help your child develop a taste for food that is lower in fat, make a few changes in your menus. In the following typical American day's menus, 42 percent of the calories are from fat.

Typical American

Day's Menu

Breakfast:

Scrambled egg Muffin with 1 tsp. butter

Sliced orange Homogenized milk, 1 cup

Lunch:

Big Mac French fries Chocolate milk shake Apple turnover

Dinner:

4-ounce steak Baked potato with 2 tsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. sour cream Broccoli Tossed salad with 1 Tbsp. creamy dressing Whole wheat roll with 1 tsp. butter Pudding made with homogenized milk

Changes for

Heir's Heart

Scrambled tofu Toast with margarine and fruit spread

Low-fat milk

Oatmeal burger in bun Pasta salad Low-fat milk Crisp, fresh apple

(Skip) Baked potato with lentils and 1 tsp. soft margarine

Tossed salad with French dressing Roll with 1 tsp. soft margarine

Pudding made with low-fat milk

To cut the fat at breakfast, try scrambled tofu for the egg, whole-wheat toast with soft margarine and fruit spread for the muffin, and low-fat milk.

SCRAMBLED TOFU

1 package tofu 1 Tbsp. oil 1/4 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. chicken seasoning 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

Cut tofu block in half. Place in fry pan. Steam to dry briefly. Chop fine like scrambled eggs. Add oil to the fry pan. Brown tofu in fry pan and add onion powder, chicken seasoning, and seasoned salt. Turn occasionally while cooking. Serve on platter garnished with parsley sprigs. Serves: 5 (1/3-cup servings). Calories per serving: 80. Grams fat per serving: 6. No cholesterol.

FRUIT SPREAD (*1)

2 or 3 dried fruits Unsweetened pineapple juice

Soak equal amounts of 2 or 3 dried fruits in unsweetened pineapple juice overnight in the refrigerator. A good combination consists of apricots, pears or apples, and dates. Place soaked fruit in blender and add enough pineapple juice to give the desired consistency. Nuts may be added. Store in refrigerator. Serves: varies. Calories: varies. No fat, no cholesterol.

PASTA SALAD

8 ounces dry seashell-shaped pasta 1 cup diced tomatoes 1 large unpeeled sliced cucumber 1/2 cup petite green peas 1/2 cup carrot chunks

Dressing: 1 cup low-fat cottage cheeseblended. Add 2 tsp. dill seed (or to taste) and 1/4 tsp. salt. Serves: 12 (1/2-cup servings). Calories per serving: 70. Grams fat per serving: 5. Cholesterol per serving: 10 mg.

At dinner skip the steak (your child has already had 262 percent of the protein recommended per day (*2)), substitute one tsp. soft margarine and 1/2 cup lentils over the baked potato for the butter and sour cream, use soft margarine rather than butter on the bread. The low-calorie French dressing will add flavor without the calories from oil, which is the principal ingredient in so many dressings. Making the pudding with non-fat milk will save several fat calories over the homogenized milk.

OATMEAL BURGER (No egg)

1 tsp. Savorex (or 1 Tbsp. Chef Bonneau's Instant Brown Gravy Mix) 1/4 cup hot water 1 cup grated raw potato 1 cup uncooked minute oatmeal 1 cup water 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts) 1/3 cup chopped celery with leaves 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs 1 tsp. garlic powder 2 Tbsp. oil

Dissolve Savorex in hot water and then mix all ingredients together except the oil. Form into patties. Saute slowly in oil. Serves: 8. Calories per serving: 154. Grams fat per serving: 8. No cholesterol.

ESAU'S POTTAGE

1 cup red lentils 4 cups cold water (or to consistency that you prefer) 1/3 cup raw rice 2 chopped onions 1/3 cup oil Salt to taste

Slowly cook all ingredients until the lentils and rice are tender, approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Serves: 12 (1/2-cup servings). Calories per serving: 120. Grams fat per serving: 5. No cholesterol.

FRENCH DRESSING

1 cup (8-ounce can) tomato sauce 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. onion juice 1/2 tsp. soy sauce 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. dried sweet basil 1/8 tsp. celery seed

Combine all ingredients in container with tightly fitting cover. Shake until thoroughly blended; chill. Shake again just before serving. Serves: 16 (1 Tbsp. each). Calories per serving: 3. No fat, no cholesterol.

With these substitutions, the percentage of fat changes from 42 to 31. Your child will tank you several years down the road when you have helped him or her learn to like the texture and flavor of less fatty meals.

(*1) From An Apple a Day, vol. 2, Auxiliary to LLU School of Medicine, 11245 Anderson Street, Suite 230, Loma Linda, California 92354.