Cookbooks make great gifts

New this fall, the American Heart Association’s “Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook” offers convenient and delicious ways to cook up meals that are nutritiously balanced, heart-healthy and ready when you get home from a day of work or play.

With the crush of the holiday season fast upon us, many parents opt for convenience in an effort to save time and money. But fast food is not always the best choice.

Today, obesity is rampant and illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes are on the rise in both adults and youth. Heeding the old expression that the best gift is the gift of good health, the American Heart Association suggests that its “Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook” might be the best gift of the holiday season.

The 256-page cookbook is available in bookstores and online wherever books are sold.

It includes 200 easy-to-follow, heart-healthy recipes with 18 color photos. All the dishes featured in the cookbook—including Shrimp Jambalaya, Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cinnamon Quinoa with Peaches—meet the American Heart Association’s dietary recommendations.

“The ‘Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook’ is the perfect solution for individuals on-the-go and gives consumers the opportunity to make a nutritious meal they can enjoy while saving time and money,” said Lori Jones, nutritionist and American Heart Association volunteer.

“In addition to great recipes, the book also contains helpful information on the benefits of slow cooking, how a slow cooker can help you eat well and also includes the American Heart Association’s nutrition guidelines.”

For more information on the “Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook,” and other cookbooks from the American Heart Association, visit heart.org/cookbooks.

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Like us on Facebook for a chance to win your very own        “Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook”

The contest closes on Nov. 13, at which point West Newsmagazine will draw the winners.

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For cooks looking for recipes with a southern flair. Dillard’s once again is offering Southern Living’s “Cooking for Christmas” for only $10 in an effort to make the holidays a little brighter for families of seriously ill children.

All St. Louis-area Dillard’s stores will donate proceeds from the cookbook’s sales to Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis, which provides a “home-away-from-home” to families whose children are being treated at area hospitals.

The hardbound cookbook, which is illustrated with gorgeous photos, features more than 275 delicious holiday recipes and 12 mouthwatering menus in addition to gifts from the kitchen, decorating ideas and entertaining tips that are certain to make this holiday season unforgettable. Best of all, it’s a gift that gives back.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis provides a “home-away-from home” for families of seriously ill children traveling to St. Louis for medical treatment.

The organization has grown from an eight-bedroom facility in 1981  to now include three Houses, eight extended-stay apartments, and three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms – one at Mercy Children’s Hospital, one at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and one at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center.

The Ronald McDonald House provides comfort, care and lodging for up to 59 families every day of the year.

For more ways to assist RMHC St. Louis at the holidays, visit rmhcstl.com/holidays.

Sample recipe from “Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook”

Shrimp Jambalaya

Serves 4

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Slow cooker size/shape: 3- to 4 1/2-quart round or oval

Slow cooking time: 5 to 6 hours on low plus 30 minutes on high, or

2 1/2 to 3 hours on high plus 30 minutes on high

The word “jambalaya” is thought to come from jambon, the French word for ham. It’s a given, then, that ham is one of the primary ingredients of jambalaya; however, you don’t need much when you use smoked ham and chop it finely to distribute its distinct flavor throughout the dish.

Ingredients:

1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained

1 cup water (if cooking on low) or 1 1/2 cups water (if cooking on high)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 medium rib of celery, sliced crosswise

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 ounces lower-sodium, low-fat smoked ham, all visible fat discarded, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

2 teaspoons dried parsley, crumbled

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 medium dried bay leaf

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8 ounces raw medium shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled, rinsed, and patted dry

1 cup frozen cut okra, thawed

1 cup uncooked instant brown rice

1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

In the slow cooker, stir together the tomatoes with liquid, water, onion, celery, bell pepper, ham, parsley, oregano, garlic, thyme, cayenne, and bay leaf. Cook, covered, on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.

If using the low setting, change it to high. Quickly stir in the shrimp, okra, and rice and re-cover the slow cooker. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Discard the bay leaf. Serve the jambalaya sprinkled with the parsley.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)

Calories 196

Total Fat 2.0 g

Saturated Fat 0.5 g

Trans Fat 0.0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g

Cholesterol 78 mg

Sodium 472 mg

Carbohydrates 30 g

Fiber 4 g

Sugars 7 g

Protein 14 g

Dietary Exchanges

1 1/2 starch

2 vegetable

1 1/2 lean meat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from American Heart Association Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, Copyright © 2012 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.