Get Cookin': Woodsy Rice and Dried Fruit Pilaf

If you are so inclined, feel free to count up the nutritional advantages of this deeply flavored pilaf to justify eating it. Unhulled rice is packed with vitamins and fiber, the recipe contains no added fat, the preparation is as easy as boiling water. Or, just simmer a mix of wild and brown rice in low-fat chicken or vegetable stock to pump up the flavor, slip in a sweet and sour handful of raisins and cranberries (those little healthful touches here and there throughout the day add up whether you know it or not) and all you have to think about is how good it is. Hint: Make sure you don’t lift the lid too soon (the recipe is specific about timing), and you will have perfect rice.

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup wild and brown rice blend

1 tablespoon walnut or grapeseed oil

2 cups low fat chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the cranberries and raisins in a shallow bowl and add just enough hot water to cover them. Allow to stand while the rice cooks.

Place the onions and rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tightly fitting lid. Stir in the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes without disturbing the rice.

Remove the rice from the heat WITHOUT UNCOVERING IT. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. It is very important that you do not uncover the rice before it has had a chance to absorb the last bit of liquid and fluff up, otherwise it will become gummy.

Drain the cranberries and raisins and stir them into the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

(Serves 4)

Berry Nice

Cranberries have an impressive ability to help maintain bladder health, of great interest to millions prone to UTI infections. In addition, they contain Vitamin C, potassium, and ellagic acid, mentioned in an earlier column as potential cancer fighter. Sadly, in the raw state cranberries are excessively sour, and commercial products, such as highly sugared juice and cranberry sauce, while tasty, can offset other health benefits. But if you want some unadulterated cranberry power, add dried cranberries to salads, vegetable dishes, grilled foods, and healthy snacks where their tartness is a pleasant counterpart to other flavors. And if you ever wanted to know what it would feel like to be hip deep in cranberries during the harvest season, log on to the folks that will show you how at http://www.traveltomuskoka.com/balafestival

Health Notes

What good are raisins in a healthy diet? For starters, they give you an ideal low-fat snack, B vitamins, minerals, principally potassium, and lots of fiber. Plus, a 3-ounce handful helps you pump iron, the dietary kind that helps prevent anemia. Iron usually comes in those saturated fat-wrapped packages called steaks and chops, or the beef or lamb cut of your choice. If you have severed your ties to meat products, or seriously reduced the amount of meat you eat, as recommended by that food pyramid I mentioned at the beginning of today’s column, add a few raisins to your cereal, snacks and salads during the day. You will boost your iron intake (though not necessarily provide all you need) without increasing your fat and cholesterol consumption. One word of caution, though. Dried fruit is a storehouse of concentrated sugar, so the calorie count is much higher than fresh fruit. If you are on a weight reduction program, you may want to limit raisins and other dried fruit and look for alternate ways to boost your iron.