Couscous Can Provide Needed Fiber In Diet

Most of us are aware that a healthy amount of fiber in our diet is beneficial. High-fiber foods help control blood cholesterol levels and aid the body’s natural elimination process.

Some of us even know how much fiber is recommended on a daily basis: 25-35 grams. But that’s the adult recommendation. What about kids?

An “Age + 5” guideline has recently been suggested by the American Health Foundation. A reasonable daily goal for children and teenagers, the foundation says, is the age of the child plus 5 grams. For example, my 8-year-old daughter should consume 13 grams of fiber per day.

Use the Food Guide Pyramid as your reference and concentrate on the bread, fruit and vegetable groups. Check package labels for the amount of fiber per serving.

Encourage a high-fiber breakfast. Make lunches with some raw veggies in addition to a fruit serving. Focus on whole grains and a fruit and two vegetables for the evening meal.

A cup of oatmeal at breakfast has 4 grams of fiber and an orange has 2 grams. An apple at lunch increases your fiber by 3 grams. Three-fourths cup of green beans at the evening meal contributes 2 grams, while adding 3/4 cup of cooked barley adds 5 grams.

Check out today’s couscous dinner and get almost 8 grams of fiber in one meal.

Quick Ham-and-Mushroom Pilaf

From “Quick & Healthy Cooking” (Rodale Press, Inc.).

1 can (14-1/2-ounces) reduced-fat chicken broth

2 cups packaged sliced mushrooms

1 cup diced cooked lean smoked ham

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup couscous

1/2 cup sliced onions

Add enough water to the broth to make 2-1/2 cups of diluted broth and set aside.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat for 1 minute over medium-high heat.

Add mushrooms and ham to the skillet and saute until mushrooms are lightly browned and any liquid has evaporated. Stir in the diluted broth and the pepper. Bring the broth to a boil, then stir in the couscous and onions.

Remove the skillet from heat, cover and let it stand until the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 223 calories, 1.5 grams fat (6 percent fat calories), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 368 milligrams sodium, 7.7 grams dietary fiber.

, DataTimes MEMO: The goal of Five and Fifteen is to find recipes where you can do the shopping in five minutes and the cooking in 15. Merri Lou Dobler, a registered dietitian and Spokane resident, welcomes ideas from readers. Write to Five and Fifteen, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

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