Go Light On Sweets For Easter Polynesian Ham Makes Festive Meal
If you’ve waited until today to get your goodies for the kids’ Easter baskets, you may find a shortage of some favorites.
So what do you do without those cream-filled chocolate eggs, fluffy pink marshmallow bunnies, peanut butter cups and speckled jelly beans?
It is possible to step back from overloading your little ones with sugar and fat by using smaller amounts of candy and substituting other items in its place.
Here are some ideas from fellow dietitians around the country, via the Internet:
Add a twist to an Easter egg hunt by putting pennies, nickels and dimes in plastic eggs, or clues to a hidden treasure. Or do a word scramble by putting Bible verses, with one letter circled, in each egg.
Put soaps or erasers in the shape of ducks, rabbits and chicks, or fruit-flavored lip balm, in Easter baskets.
Add Easter-themed shoelaces, with appropriate colors for girls and boys.
Choose an adorable stuffed animal holding a small chocolate egg or bar.
Give movie tickets for a family-rated show for a rainy Saturday.
Buy new boxes of crayons or flashy pencils.
When all the fun is finished, here’s a recipe for your leftover holiday ham. Happy Easter, everyone.
Polynesian Ham and Rice
From “Favorite Casseroles” (General Mills, 1999).
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained, juice reserved
1-1/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup uncooked regular long-grain rice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (6-ounce) package frozen snow (Chinese) pea pods, mthawed
1/2 pound fully cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Mix reserved pineapple juice, broth, rice, curry powder and cayenne pepper in a 10-inch skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes (do not lift cover or stir); remove from heat. Fluff rice lightly with fork. Cover and let steam 5 minutes.
Cut each pea pod crosswise in half. Stir pea pods, pineapple and ham into rice mixture. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice, until hot.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 330 calories, 6 grams fat (16 percent fat calories), 53 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams protein, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 1,180 milligrams sodium.