A wholesome take on cooking

A healthy meal complete with all the food groups sounds like something only out of your mom's vocabulary, but it doesn't have to be. While it might seem a bit intimidating, cooking a healthy meal can be quite simple[HTML_REMOVED]and rewarding.

Nutritionist Karen Lamphere, who will be teaching a class through the Experimental College called "Heathy eating on the run" in March, said that nutrition should be important to students because it can "boost their immunity to viruses or other illnesses," as well as improve brain health and thinking ability.

What is healthy? United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) demonstrates the food groups with the traditional pyramid, consisting of grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and meats, and oils and dairy. However, knowing the basics is only the beginning. For instance, not all grains are created equal [HTML_REMOVED] the USDA recommends looking for and consuming whole grains rather than refined grains whenever possible. Instead of white bread, white rice and white flour, look for multigrain bread, brown rice and whole wheat flour.

As for fruits and vegetables, varying your consumption is highly recommended [HTML_REMOVED]different colors signify different nutrients, so this is a good way to shop for beginners.

Making the right choices can be a big challenge for those who are eating on their own for the first time. Lamphere said one of the biggest pitfalls in a student diet is the over-consumption of processed convenience foods. Many of these are "made with refined flours and unhealthy fats that are pretty much devoid of nutrition," she said. Students also don't tend to eat many fruits or vegetables, she noted.

Now that you know what to look for and what to avoid, the real challenge can be affording quality foods [HTML_REMOVED] but its not impossible. With careful attention and a bit of consumer savvy, you can eat well on a budget.

One way to save on quality foods is to buy dry foods in bulk. PCC store director Steve Mitchell said this is a good approach, because you can buy as little or as much as you want and you often get it for cheaper than when you buy prepackaged foods. Buying bulk and cooking for yourself has other perks too. "When you cook your own foods from basic ingredients, you know what's in there [HTML_REMOVED] you never know what's added to things when you buy them pre-packaged," Mitchell said.

Rice is an easy grain to incorporate into your diet and, if you opt for brown rice, is quite healthy. A small rice cooker, which can also be used to steam vegetables, can be purchased for about $10 and makes home cooking much less hands on[HTML_REMOVED] perfect for an inexperienced chef or a dorm resident.

Frozen fruits and vegetables can be a good way to save while maintaining a balanced diet. Frozen fruits, available at Trader Joes for about $2-4 per bag, can be mixed with yogurt and granola for a healthy breakfast or blended into a smoothie for a refreshing snack. Frozen vegetables like broccoli, peas and corn won't make much of a salad, but they can be stir-fried, steamed and microwaved [HTML_REMOVED] to name just a few options. Adding broccoli to home-made macaroni and cheese (with whole-wheat noodles, of course) is a good way to get some greens. Another option is saut[HTML_REMOVED]ing vegetables with soy sauce and eating with brown rice.

While the freezer section can satisfy many nutritional requirements, nothing compares to fresh produce. For those who choose to splurge on fresh fruits and vegetables, getting the most for your money is as simple as knowing the growing seasons, as buying out of season can be costly. "You will end up paying a lot more for a lesser quality product," Mitchell said. Though winter is a hard time for local agriculture, "citrus is it right now." It might sound limiting, but citrus will not only get you the most for your money, it will also provide you with a much-needed abundance of immune-boosting vitamin C.

Lamphere noted that shopping at farmer's markets is often cheaper because you are buying what's in season directly from the farmer.

To cover the protein group, Lamphere suggested canned beans as a very economical solution.

"They fill you up and are easy to put into tacos, burritos, soups and make dips with," she said.

She also said that eggs are a great source of protein and easy to cook.

If all this is still too overwhelming, stay away from a few key items and you'll be far better off. For those still shopping by process of elimination, Lamphere said that the worst thing anyone can eat are trans fats[HTML_REMOVED]"look for the words partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients list," she suggested. Another thing to avoid is high fructose corn syrup and really anything that comes in a box. "If the list of ingredients is lengthy and has a lot of things you can't pronounce, leave it on the shelf," she said.

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[HTML_REMOVED]Split-pea soup is a hearty and healthy winter meal that makes for great leftovers.[HTML_REMOVED]

Ingredients:

2 cups dried (and rinsed) peas ($0.90 / lb.)

8-9 cups water or broth

1/2 white onion, chopped and saut[HTML_REMOVED]d

1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped and saut[HTML_REMOVED]d

1 potato, peeled and chopped

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1-2 celery stalks, chopped

1-1 1/2 cups cooked ham or 2-3 vegetarian hot dogs

1 cup brown rice

thyme, salt, pepper to taste

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