Quick and healthy dinner

I got home later than usual last night and didn't have supper prepared. I did however, have a recipe on my computer for stuffed tomatoes that I found on http://www.vegetariantimes.com/.

This will become a staple for sure! It took about 5 minutes to put everything together, then I popped it in the oven for 30 minutes while my son had his bath and got ready for bed.

I lightly sauteed some zucchini and summer squash in some olive oil and salt to have as a side dish - presto! Healthy, filling, and most importantly, tasty.

for 4 stuffed tomatoes, you will need:

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed


• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)


• 3 green onions, sliced


• 1/4 cup of shredded cheese (divided in two)


• 1/2 tsp cumin


• 1 tsp chili powder


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 4 large tomatoes

1. cut the tops off the tomatoes (about an inch worth) and spoon out the centre.


2. chop the centres of the tomatoes and put into a medium sized bowl.


3. add the beans, corn, onions, 1/2 the cheese, cumin, chili powder and salt


4. mix well


5. spoon the mixture into the hollow tomatoes and top with the remaining cheese.


6. place in lightly oiled shallow pan


7. bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Yours in health,

Kerri Fullerton ND

The Facts on Fiber

The recommended daily intake of fiber is 14 grams per 1000 calories.

Food labels use 25 grams as their daily target, as most labels base their targets on a 2000 calorie per day diet.

Soluble fiber, found in oats, barley, beans, fruits and vegetables, help lower cholesterol and manage blood sugars.

Insoluble fiber, found in fruits, vegetables and grains such as wheat, give stool it's bulk and create regularity.

Isolated fibers, like inulin cellulose and oat hull, being added to foods such as yogurt does not have the evidence to back up it's use. It's not fair to say that 5 grams of inulin added to your granola bar will have the same health benefits as getting 5 grams of intact fiber from a whole food.

Sadly, the food label will just tell you the amount of fiber in the serving, not whether or not it is intact or isolated. Read the list of ingredients to see where the fiber is coming from.

What is the take home message? Human bodies need whole foods, not foods that have been manipulated to 'have all the goodness of whole foods'.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton