Life> no use

The 10 best foods to have on hand

(Redbook)
Updated: 2006-07-07 15:43

Scott Uehlein, Canyon Ranch corporate chef, spends his days making good-for-you fare yummy. Here, 10 secret-weapon ingredients he suggests keeping in your kitchen, plus ways to use them.

1. Jarred roasted red peppers

Chop peppers; toss with fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a quick salad.
Top turkey burgers and sandwiches.

2. Canned diced chile peppers

Toss into a low-sodium vegetable soup for zip.
Melt low-fat cheese over baked tortilla chips and top with black beans, salsa, and a sprinkle of chile peppers.

3. Canned artichoke hearts in water

Chop and mix with herbs and low-fat cream cheese to spread on whole-grain breads.
Rinse; toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper; roast at 425?F until crisp on edges.

4. Frozen berries

Blend with low-fat yogurt for fruit smoothies.
Sprinkle over pancake batter in the skillet.

5. Frozen raw peeled shrimp

Sauté with vegetables until cooked through.
Cook, chop, and add to an omelet.

6. Dried cranberries

Add to a stir-fry.
Stir into chocolate-chip cookie dough before baking.

7. Capers

Sprinkle over fish with a squeeze of lemon.
Make a pasta sauce with tomato sauce, capers, olives, garlic, and lemon zest.

8. Canned beans

Process garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) with sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic for a quick hummus.
Add black beans to a low-fat cheese quesadilla.

9. Salsa

Mix with brown rice for a zesty side.
Use as pizza sauce.

10. Couscous

Use in stuffed peppers.
Cook a few minutes longer than instructed, add minced onion, garlic, parsley, and rosemary, and form into 3-inch cakes. Sauté and serve with low-fat sour cream.