Calcium and Iron -- how to get more?

Tofu Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:
1/4 cup white rice, cooked without salt
1 head green cabbage, cored
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 (15.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water
Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Steam cabbage about 5 minutes over boiling water.

Cool and carefully remove large outer leaves. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Saute onion for 2-3 minutes, add bell pepper and continue cooking about 3-5 minutes.

Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add tofu and rice to the onion mixture and gently stir. Add 1/2 of the tomato sauce, raisins, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each cabbage leaf and roll tightly, tucking ends in as you roll. Place the stuffed cabbage leaves seam side down in the baking dish.

Combine the remaining tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water and mix well and pour over the stuffed cabbage rolls. Bake for 1 hour.

Serves: 6

Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 5 rolls
Calories:136 g
Fat 6 g,
Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 417 mg
Carbohydrates 15 g

Spinach with Ginger

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Ingredients:
4 bunches of spinach, washed 3 times, drained
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp sugar
1-tsp fresh grated ginger
Instructions:

Heat a large wok on high heat, take off heat and spray with nonstick spray. Return to medium flame and add spinach, still damp with water clinging to it. Pan should still be hot enough that this makes a big sound and
you jump back a little! Use tongs or wooden utensil to move spinach quickly and add other ingredients. Turn heat to high and cook quickly until spinach is wilted. If you do not have a large enough pan, divide all your ingredients in two and do in two batches.

Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving: Calories 27
Fat 0.4 g, Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 266 mg,

Spinach 'n Apples

Ingredients:
4 cups Firmly Packed Spinach, Torn into bite size pieces
2 Tart Red Apples, Chopped
1/2 Red Onion Sliced And Separated Into Rings
2 Tsp Snipped Fresh Tarragon
1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts
1/4 cup Fat Free Ranch Dressing
Instructions:
Combine spinach, apples and onions. Sprinkle on tarragon and walnuts. Drizzle dressing over salad, and serve immediately.

Quantity:
Makes 4 servings.

Smothered Okra

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 medium onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped fine
2 pounds fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Instructions:

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and cook about 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

Add okra, Cajun Spice Mix, and tomato, and sauté for 15 minutes more. Reduce heat and cover.

Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until okra is tender.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving: Calories 2 g
Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 35 mg,

Roasted Asparagus and Garlic

Ingredients:
12 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups diagonally sliced asparagus
6 sprigs fresh thy
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Tear off 6 large pieces of foil. Divide garlic, olive oil, wine, asparagus, and thyme and arrange them on each piece of foil. Fold over each foil packet to seal. Place the packets on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the asparagus is tender, but still a little crisp. Carefully open packets and serve asparagus with juices poured on top.



Serves: 6

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 73 (54% from fat) | Protein 2g | Fat 4.7g (sat 0.7g) | Carbohydrate 5.3g | Fiber 1.7g | Cholesterol 0mg | Iron < 1mg | Sodium 3mg | Calcium 35mg

Mixed Greens With Turnips

Ingredients:
16 cups water
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbls white wine or rice wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups cubed turnip (2 turnips)
5 cups chopped collard greens (1 bunch)
5 cups chopped kale (1 bunch)
5 cups chopped mustard greens (1 large bunch)
4 cups chopped spinach (1 bunch)
3 tbls Louisiana-style hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Instructions:
1.Put the water, onion, garlic, chile pepper, vinegar, and bay leaf in a large pot.
2.Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3.Add the baking soda, turnips, collard greens and kale.
4.Bring back to a boil.
5.Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
6.Add the mustard greens and stir to mix.
7.Cover, raise the heat to medium, and cook for 4 hours.
8.Just before serving, stir in the spinach, hot sauce, and black pepper.

Quantity:
Makes 4 servings

Limas and Spinach

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen lima beans
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup fennel, cut in strips (4 oz)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups leaf spinach, washed thoroughly
1 Tbsp distilled vinegar
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp raw chives

Instructions:

Steam or boil lima beans in unsalted water approximately 10 minutes. Drain.

In a skillet, sauté onions and fennel in oil.

Add the beans and stock to the onions, cover, and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Cover and let stand for 30 seconds.

Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Serves: 7

Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories 93 g
Fat 2 g,
Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 84 mg
Carbohydrates g

Garlicky Kale


Ingredients:
2 pounds kale, about 2 bunches
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 or 5 cloves garlic
pinch red pepper flakes
splash red wine vinegar
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Remove stems from the kale and chop the leaves coarsely. Wash and drain well but do not dry.

Heat a large sauté pan, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and enough kale to cover the bottom of the pan, and cook over high heat while stirring to rotate the leaves. Add more kale as the leaves wilt. When all the kale has been added, season with salt, cover and reduce the heat to medium.

Cook, stirring occasionally; the cooking time will depend on the maturity of the kale. Young kale will be tender after 4 to 5 minutes. It may be necessary to add a splash of water if the leaves begin to scorch. When the leaves are tender, remove the lid and allow any excess water to cook away.

Remove the kale to a warm bowl and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and red pepper. Sauté just until you smell the aroma of garlic.

Sprinkle the garlic and red pepper over the kale and toss with a splash of vinegar. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves: 6

Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 1/3 cup
Calories 163 g
Fat 10 g,
Cholesterol -- mg,
Sodium 163 mg
Carbohydrates 16 g

Cabbage Comfort

Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound sliced cabbage
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Instructions:

In large saute pan, heat oil.

Saute onion until light brown, about 5-6 minutes.

Add sliced cabbage, salt, black pepper and caraway seeds.

Stir and cook for 30 minutes.

Serves:

Nutrition Facts:
Serving:
Calories 51 g
Fat 2 g,
Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 67 mg
Carbohydrates g

Brussels Sprouts & Chestnuts


Ingredients:
3 cups Brussels sprouts
1 cup whole roasted chestnuts or peeled chestnuts packed in water
1 orange, peeled and separated into sections
1/2 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Trim each sprout by cutting a little piece off the bottom. With a small paring knife, make an X in the top of the sprout. Repeat with all sprouts and place in steamer over 2 inches of boiling water. Steam the sprouts covered for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Remove sprouts from pot and allow to cool. Cut each sprout in half and place in a casserole dish. Layer the chestnuts on top of the sprouts. Place the oranges on top of the chestnuts. If using whole roasted chestnuts, add the broth and pour over all ingredients. Drizzle the casserole with oil. Grind in pepper and salt. Bake for 15 minutes or until oranges are soft.

To roast whole chestnuts: Mark an X on the rounded side of each chestnut with a pairing knife. Place all the chestnuts on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until soft. Let cool. Peel, trying to keep the chestnuts as whole as possible.

Quantity:
Makes 6 servings

Broccoli And Roasted Sunflower Seeds

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Ingredients:
2 large heads of broccoli with peeled stems, chopped
1/2 cup white raisins 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, dry roasted
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1/3 cup+ 1 Tbsp soy mayonnaise (Naysoya)
1 Tbsp preferred sweetener
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Plump raisins in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then drain. To roast sunflower seeds, place seeds in a dry skillet on low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Mix vegetables, raisins and seeds in a bowl. Mix mayonnaise, sweetener and lemon juice together and toss with salad. Makes about 7-8 cups. Serving size: 1/2 cup.

Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving: Calories 66
Fat 3.3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 57 mg,

Curried Tofu Scramble with Spinach

A basic vegetarian and vegan tofu scramble recipe inspired by the flavors of India. Feel free to add some more vegetables, too, such as broccoli or mushrooms.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 countainer firm or extra firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch fresh spinach
Preparation:
Sautee the garlic and onion in olive oil in a large skillet. Allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion turns soft. Add remaining ingredients except spinach and cook, stirring frequently for another 5 minutes or so, until tofu is hot and cooked, adding more oil if needed.
Add spinach and cook a minute or two, just until wilted, stirring well. Makes two servings of tofu scramble.

Nutritional Information:
Calories per serving: 236, Calories from Fat: 96
Total Fat: 10.6g, Saturated Fat: 2.0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 166mg
Total Carbohydrates: 21.7g, 7% daily value
Dietary Fiber: 8.3g, 33%
Protein: 21.0g
Vitamin A 340% RDA, Vitamin C 116%, Calcium 55%, Iron 9%
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Crock Pot Very Veggie Chili Recipe

You can eliminate a lot of sodium by soaking and using your own beans and fresh tomatoes in place of the canned ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, grated or sliced thin
1 1/2 cup corn
1 zucchini, diced
2 cans kidney beans
2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
dash cayenne pepper
dash tabasco sauce (optional)
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Here's a bunch from Apples for Health that feature foods on the high iron and calcium list as the main ingredient and meet your other dietary requirements. The first one is a little high in sodium. The rest are a lot lower....

I've been dieting for close to a year now and it's going very well. However, there are two nutrients that I have some trouble making sure I get enough of. Deficiency doesn't happen every single day or even every week, plus I take a supplement. But I'd rather be more consistent and try to get these nutriments through what I eat rather than what I take.

Keep in mind the following: I only eat 1800 calories per day. I watch salt, fat, carbs and cholesterol. I don't eat beef or pork.

a "balanced and varied diet" is what we prefer