Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Cook a Hearty Dinner for Under $10!

Leftover steak is also delicious in this meal; you don't have to reheat it. Whether the meat is cold or hot, this recipe is a winner.

Cost for serving four: $9.11

You could substitute any kind of cheese or vegetables you'd like in this easy and elegant main dish salad recipe. In the summer, grill outside and use fresh corn cut from the cob. In the winter, pull out your dual-contact indoor grill and use frozen corn. Yum!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. boneless sirloin steak or round steak
* 3 Tbsp. vinaigrette Italian salad dressing
* 3 ears fresh corn OR 2 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
* 1/2 cup sliced green onions
* 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
* 1 cup sliced mushrooms
* 1 cup cubed Havarti or Swiss cheese
* 1/2 cup creamy Italian salad dressing
* 4 cups mixed salad greens

Preparation:
Brush steak with vinaigrette salad dressing and let stand for 15 minutes. For round steak, marinate in the fridge for at least four hours, preferably eight.

If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and proceed with recipe.

In large bowl, combine corn, onions, pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese with creamy Italian salad dressing and toss to combine. Place on greens on serving plate.

Grill steak on two sided dual contact grill for 5-9 minutes until desired doneness. Or cook on outdoor grill, over medium coals, for 8-14 minutes until desired doneness. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and place on top of corn salad. Serve immediately. 4-6 servings

Calories: 327
Fat: 16 grams
Vitamin A: 25% DV
Vitamin C: 83% DV
Iron: 20% DV

South Los Angeles Residents are Paying for Bad Food Policy with their Health

South Los Angeles home to roughly 800,000 people, and spans approximately 60 square miles. South L.A. is truly a federation of smaller communities, yet each one is overrun with liquor stores and other small “corner stores”, at times referred to as convenience stores. Mainstream grocery stores are rare, and when they are present, the quality of the food is poor and the prices high.

Few of neighborhood stores sell fresh food at all; if they do have fresh items, the selection is limited and the items are overpriced and inferior.

In South Los Angeles, healthy food is hard to find, substandard and expensive.
Commercial corridors throughout South L.A are crowded with fast food. In other words, unhealthy food choices dominate the landscape – they are cheap and easily
available.

Did you know:
-In South LA, there are just four supermarkets (including major chain and discount) in all five zip codes. West L.A. had more major chain markets than East L.A., South L.A. and the Northeast San Fernando Valley combined.

-Studies have found that convenience stores in low-income and working class neighborhoods, on average offered one sixth the selection of vegetables, one third the selections of fruits and one ninth the selection of meat as a full service grocery store.

-44% of African Americans have cardiovascular disease while nine percent have diabetes.32% of Latino residents in Los Angeles County have cardiovascular disease and eight percent have diabete