Healthy Recipe Spotlight: Speedy International Stew

This recipe is even simpler than the Southern Stir-Fry recipe that I introduced and yet it is just as nutritious as some of my more complex meals.  All of the ingredients can be kept on hand and assembled in a matter of minutes...yes minutes!

This meal contains no cholesterol, is low in fat, and is high in fiber. It has adequate but not excessive protein. The tomatoes contain lycopene, the bright red pigment that provides its color. Cooking the tomatoes actually increases our ability to absorb the tomatoes' lycopene as cooking releases it from the plant's cells.

According to Neal Barnard, MD of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, "A study at Harvard University  showed that men who had just two servings of tomato sauce per week had 23 percent less prostate cancer risk compared to those who rarely had tomato products. 

Men consuming 10 or more servings of tomato products each week had a 35 percent reduction in risk, and that was true even if their tomatoes came in the form of pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, or ketchup."

Speedy International Stew

From "The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook: Over 300 Delicious Low-Fat Recipes You Can Prepare in Fifteen Minutes or Less" by Mary and John McDougall, MD

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Makes 4 servings

2 14.5-oz. cans stewed tomatoes (Italian, Mexican, or Cajun)

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 16-oz. can corn kernels, drained and rinsed

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or heat in a microwave.  I like to coarsely chop the tomatoes so that they are in bite-sized pieces before adding to the other ingredients.

Serve with a loaf of fresh bread and a simple green salad for a hearty, quick meal.

I am a Plant-Based Nutrition Counselor, a graduate of Cornell University's plant-based nutrition program, the only collegiate program in the country which focuses on the medical benefits of a low-fat, plant-based lifestyle, and am board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.  I help people to achieve their wellness goals by providing them with the tools that they need to gain control over their health.  I hope you enjoy my blogs.  If you would prefer individualized assistance with your weight, with a chronic, degenerative disease, with other health and wellness aspirations, or if you would like me to speak to a group, please email me at traceyeakin@gmail.com or give me a call at 724.469.0693 to arrange a time.

I can personally attest to this lifestyle.  The results are nothing short of dramatic.  I had been a vegetarian for 20 years when 4 years ago I adopted an entirely plant-based lifestyle.  Since that time, I have lost over 50 pounds and have kept it off and resolved an autoimmune condition known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or ITP.  My body was attacking and destroying my platelets.  I could have faced platelet transfusions or the removal of my spleen.  A low-fat, plant-based lifestyle changed everything for me.  My goal is to help as many people as possible to make similar positive changes in their lives.