Dear Heloise: You had a recipe for fast coleslaw that was easy to make and had a nice taste to it. Having just graduated from college and moved into my first apartment, I have to prepare my own meals, and I'd love to have that recipe.-Tiffany B., Hartford, Conn.
Tiffany, I'm happy to repeat my Fast Slaw recipe for you. Here it is:
1 (1-pound) package coleslaw mix
1/4 cup Italian dressing (or 1/2 cup, depending on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon soy sauce.
Place all ingredients in a large plastic bag and shake, shake, shake! You can add a teaspoon of lemon juice if you'd like, or if you want something with a bite, add a dash of hot sauce. If you're looking for more recipes that have stood the test of time, go to my website, www.Heloise.com, or send a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, business-size envelope, along with $3, to: Heloise/Main Dishes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Since you're just starting to make all of your own meals, you'll find a wealth of new ideas and inspiration in various recipes. Once you start cooking, you'll even develop your own twists on favorite foods.-Heloise
BLENDER SLAW
Dear Readers: Speaking of slaw, blender slaw appeared in my mother's book "Heloise's Kitchen Hints" back in 1963. I've retested it, and it's as reliable today as it was back then. A reader in Ohio wrote to say that she cut her cabbage into large chunks, placed the chunks in a blender, then covered it with water and gave it a buzz. She drained the water, and she had slaw!
I like to add some green salad olives, a little low-cal Italian dressing and a dash of dill.-Heloise
HEAVY ORANGES
Dear Heloise: My hint is something I didn't learn until I was in my 50s: When buying oranges, pick the heaviest ones. They're the ones that are very juicy and delicious!-Cathy B. in Houston
HIDDEN SUGAR
Dear Heloise: I'm discovering that many foods we eat-ketchup, yogurt, dried fruit, breakfast cereals, even some coleslaws-have sugar in them. I find this disturbing since there are many diabetics and people who are trying to lose weight who don't know about these hidden sugars.-Kate G., Garden Grove, Calif.
Kate, it's very important to read labels and keep abreast of nutrition news. Like you, I wish food manufacturers would cut back or eliminate sugar in their foods. A little sugar isn't a bad thing, unless your doctor doesn't want you to eat it. However, our American diets have very high amounts of sugar, which is in many favorite foods.-Heloise
FOOD FACTS
Dear Readers:
- According to the website Say No to Food Waste, in America it is estimated that between 40 percent and 50 percent of food is thrown away, which is about $165 billion worth of food.
- If we reduced our wasted food by 20 percent, we could feed 25 million Americans.
-Heloise
King Features Syndicate