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Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2513 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 The Lunch Crunch Eating Right When The Budget Is Tight (NAPSA)—When household expenses are under the knife, a few simple changes in the kitchen can help you cook up many beneficial savings and health advantages. Consider these money-saving tips from the Cookware Manufacturers Association: • Save on lunches. Largecapacity cookware lets cooks prepare soups and stews that provide extra portions for freezing and reheating for next-day meals. • Pressure cookers and slow cookers save time and money. Each cooks foods economically, requiring less energy. Because they tenderize and heat foods thoroughly, you can use inexpensive or less-prepared cuts of meat. • Size the portion to the pot. Pots or pans too large for the amount of food cooked use more energy than necessary. • Consider multiuse pans that pull double duty. An oven-proof skillet, for example, can be used for baked casseroles. This reduces the number of pieces used and later cleaned. Check labeling to prevent going over a pot’s or pan’s temperature tolerance in oven heat. • Baking bread at home is easier than many people realize. A few cups of flour, water and yeast combine with heat and turn into golden brown breads. The warm, inviting aromas fill the home. Today’s bread makers make the task of kneading even easier. • Measure out all the dry ingredients for several loaves of bread at one time and store the mixtures in plastic resealable bags. Just add the wet ingredients to the premade packs when it’s time to bake. (NAPSA)—If you are crunching the numbers when it comes to saving money and losing weight, pack a homemade lunch and meet both goals. Packing a healthy lunch at home is easy and saves you from spending money on unhealthy and often expensive lunches out. Variation is key, so include fresh fruit and crunchy snacks. Fruit-Filled French Toast Has Lots Of Appeal (NAPSA)—Here’s eye-opening news: It may be easier than you know to wake up to delicious, nutritious, fruit-filled French toast. It helps to start with raisin bread. Or you can impress friends and family at an elegant brunch with this slightly more elaborate version, easily assembled the night before: Banana French Toast Makes 4 servings. Keep a selection of pots, pans, skillets and other items of various sizes in your kitchen to meet different needs. • Don’t stop with bread— The steps in making pies and cookies are surprisingly simple, too. As an added bonus, baking at home from scratch helps you avoid processed ingredients and preservatives. • Using a lid when boiling water and other liquids takes less time, therefore less energy in heating. • Inspect kitchen equipment and replace items without lids, with poorly fitting lids, loose handles or a damaged cooking surface. • When replacing kitchen equipment such as pots, skillets and baking pans, get durable materials. Quality cookware makes cooking more enjoyable, and the products are easier to clean. • Learn more. Much more information on cooking and cookware can be found in the “Guide to Cookware and Bakeware” offered by the Cookware Manufacturers Association at www.cookware.org. Here’s an idea to munch on: Cholesterol-free pretzel crisps make a great addition to a healthy lunch. For example, Pretzel Crisps are a great addition to any lunch as they have no trans fat and are cholesterol-free. At only 110 calories per 1-oz. serving, they’re a great alternative to fattening crackers and chips. The crisps come in a variety of flavors such as Buffalo Wing, Everything, Garlic, Honey Mustard & Onion and All-Natural Original. Pair them with your favorite sandwich and a cup of homemade soup. Add a side of fresh fruit for a healthy balanced lunch with crunch. 8 slices Sun-Maid Raisin Bread 2 medium bananas cut in 1⁄4-inch slices 1 cup milk 4 ounces softened cream cheese 3 eggs 1 ⁄3 cup sugar 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Powdered sugar (optional) Heat oven to 350F. Place four slices of raisin bread in a single layer in a buttered 9inch-square baking dish. Top with bananas and four slices of raisin bread. Blend milk, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over raisin bread. Let stand 5 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Bake 40 to 45 minutes (50 to 55 minutes if refrigerated) until set and top is toasted. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut French toast into diagonal halves and remove with spatula. Dust servings with powdered sugar, if desired. French toast made with raisin bread and filled with bananas can be a great way to start the day. News of Nutrition The raisins and bananas are not just good, they’re good for you. Here’s why: • Dried fruits are great for a snack—about 1⁄4 cup of raisins is equivalent to a serving of fruit. • Compared to other common snacks, raisins do not trigger the “let down” or low-energy response found a few hours later with other snacks among people tested. • Potassium, a key nutrient in raisins and bananas, may help reduce the risk of stroke, lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart arrhythmias, and prevent some types of kidney disease, the National Institutes of Health reports. • Adding just 3 ounces of raisins daily to the diet may prevent constipation and protect against some colon diseases. • Bananas provide vitamin B6, which helps support the immune system, and are rich in vitamin C. Learn More You can get more tips and recipes from the experts at Sun-Maid Growers of California by visiting www.sunmaid.com.