Greetings Everyone,
As I watched the stock market crashing this morning, I was spending one of those rare days in the kitchen and thinking about my list of "Healthy Packaged Foods" and my "Basic Recipe(s)" template that I have posted and thinking about something new to write about.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=7168So, I decided to see how much I could simplify this program while reducing the cost and optimizing the nutritional value of it.
The SimplicityLunch 1 28 oz Can Whole Tomatoes (no salt added)
1 16 oz Bag Mixed Frozen Vegetables
4 oz Frozen Chopped Collard Greens
1/2 Large Bag Success Instant Brown Rice
This took about 10 minutes to make, only because the rice takes 10 minutes to make. I put the tomatoes and the veggies in a pot and as soon as the rice was done, i added it.
I then made this again for dinner.
Dinner1 28 oz Can Whole Tomatoes (no salt added)
1 16 oz Bag Mixed Frozen Vegetables
4 oz Frozen Chopped Collard Greens
1/2 Large Bag Success Instant Brown Rice
Of course, I could have made a double bath at once.
Time involved to cook and prepare is 10-20 minutes maximum. If I cooked one batch for the day, the total cooking and prep time is 10 minutes.
If you wanted, you could add whatever spices and/or seasonings you prefer. I added a little Mrs Dash, Table Blend.
SatietyI could barely finish the amount that each batch made for each meal. So, I ate 2 large bowls from each batch for each meal and had about 1-1.5 large bowls left over from each batch to have as a snack in between meals. For those who like 3 meals, that is the same as 3 large meals.
It is an enormous amount of food.
The AffordabilityThe Tomatoes were 2 for $3.00 but that is for an imported Italian brand I buy which happens to be no salt added. If I used the Publix brand, they were 1.29 each and if I use the Costco 102 oz cans, it comes to .60 per 28 oz. So, by shopping at Costco, the cost of the tomatoes to $1.20 a day.
The mixed vegetables were .83 cents a pound though the collards were slightly more but do not have to be used. So, at .83 cents per pound, the veggies for the day come to $2.08
I pay around $3 for the larger box of Success Instant Brown Rice which contains 4 bags so 1 bag is .75 cents. However, if I bought the regular brown rice at Public, it would come be just about half price and be .40 for the day. I didnt see any at Costco today so it may even go cheaper.
I also checked potatoes and they were 5 lbs for 1.99 at Public. To substitute the same amount of potatoes for the rice would be about the same as the bulk rice.
Tomatoes... $1.20
Veggies .... $2.08
Rice.... $0.40
Total Price for the day $3.68
The Nutritional Value(From The CRON-O-Meter)
The percentages (%) are of the RDA/DRI
GeneralCalories 1513
Protein / 59.4 g / 108%
Carbs /329.1 g
Fiber /71.5 g
Fat /9.6 g
Without Flax/With Flax
Protein 13%/(13)
Carbohydraye 82%/(81%)
Fat 5% / (7%)
Vitamins Vitamin A | 65584.7 IU / 2186%
Folate | 490.2 µg / 123%
B1 (Thiamine) | 2.0 mg / 167%
B2 (Riboflavin) | 2.3 mg / 180%
B3 (Niacin) | 29.2 mg / 182%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)| 5.1 mg/ 103%
B6 (Pyridoxine) | 3.5 mg / 271%
Vitamin C | 235.8 mg / 262%
Vitamin E | 17.2 mg / 114%
Vitamin K | 1671.0 µg / 1393%
Minerals Calcium | 1247.5 mg / 125%
Copper | 2.5 mg / 282%
Iron | 27.6 mg / 345%
Magnesium | 687.9 mg / 164%
Manganese | 11.4 mg / 494%
Phosphorus | 1297.4 mg / 185%
Potassium | 5294.0 mg / 113%
Selenium | 65.0 µg / 118%
Sodium | 609.6 mg 122%
Zinc | 10.8 mg / 98%
Lipids Saturated | 1.7 g
Omega-3 | 0.6 g /(1.7)
Omega-6 | 3.2 g /(3.5)
Cholesterol | 0.0 mg
While the Omega 3 may seem low, it is over the estimated minimal need. However, just adding in 2 tsp's of ground flaxseed would raise the omega 3 to 1.7 and the omega 6 to 3.5. The omega 3 would then pass the AI set by the NAS and the ratio of onega 6 to omega 3 would be a 2 to 1. if you add 3 tsps, the omega 3 would be 2.2, which would now surpass the recommend amount set by the NIH, the Omega 6 would 3.6 and the ratios still under 2 to 1. The cost to do this would be pennies.
The calories are 1513, and 1553 with the Flax so each "batch" is about 750 depending on the starch used. If you wanted, you could add in a piece or two of fruit which would raise the calories about 60 calories for each serving.
The only remaining issue would be Vit D and Vit B12, which we have thoroughly covered in this forum.
For Those Who Are Not PerfectI ran the numbers again using un-enriched instant white rice.
General Energy | 1497.0 kcal
Protein | 57.3 g 104%
Carbs | 316.4 g
Fiber | 64.5 g
Fat | 6.0 g
Vitamins Vitamin A | 62481.6 IU 2083%
Folate | 460.5 µg 115%
B1 (Thiamine) | 1.8 mg 148%
B2 (Riboflavin) | 2.2 mg 173%
B3 (Niacin) | 31.0 mg 194%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)| 5.0 mg 99%
B6 (Pyridoxine) | 3.4 mg 260%
Vitamin C | 228.6 mg 254%
Vitamin E | 16.7 mg 111%
Vitamin K | 1499.3 µg 1249%
Minerals Calcium | 1222.3 mg 122%
Copper | 2.3 mg 252%
Iron | 26.0 mg 325%
Magnesium | 470.9 mg 112%
Manganese | 7.6 mg 329%
Phosphorus | 1065.2 mg 152%
Potassium | 5240.1 mg 111%
Selenium | 51.3 µg 93%
Sodium | 576.3 mg 115%
Zinc | 8.8 mg 80%
Lipids Saturated | 1.0 g
Omega-3 | 0.5 g
Omega-6 | 1.7 g
Cholesterol | 0.0 mg
The only issues now is the zinc, which we covered in another forum and could easily be met with some minor adjustments. However, I am not recommending white rice, just using it as an example to show the difference between the two.
Not bad!
See?
Following this program can be a real SNAP!
In Health
Jeff
PS here is the Amino Acid profile
First the RDA for adults 19 and over
14 mg/kg/d of histidine
19 mg/kg/d of isoleucine
42 mg/kg/d of leucine
38 mg/kg/d of lysine
19 mg/kg/d of methionine + cysteine
33 mg/kg/d of phenylalanine + tyrosine
20 mg/kg/d of threonine
5 mg/kg/d of tryptophan
24 mg/kg/d of valine
Which for 70 kg Adult is
.98 gms of histidine
1.33 gms of isoleucine
2.94 gms of leucine
2.66 gms of lysine
1.33 gms of methionine + cysteine
2.31 gms of phenylalanine + tyrosine
1.4 gms of threonine
.350 gms of tryptophan
1.68 gms of valine
The above diet surpasses everyone of these numbers as follows
1.4 gms of histidine
2.5 gms of isoleucine
3.8 gms of leucine
2.9 gms of lysine
1.5 gms of methionine + cysteine
4.2 gms of phenylalanine + tyrosine
2.5 gms of threonine
.7 gms of tryptophan
2.8 gms of valine