A budget-friendly way to maintain good health and immune system

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Enjoy a balanced diet is important for good health and maintain the normal function of immune system. But it does not mean that we have to purchase those expensive “Superfoods” or “Organic foods” for a better health. Here are several tips with budget-friendly recipes to assist you eating healthily without extra expenditures.

Choose wisely for meat alternatives:

Tofu, dried beans and bean curd sticks are meat alternatives and source of protein, which are less expensive ingredients compared with fresh meats. But it is advisable to choose non-deep-fried plain soybean products to reduce the fat and sodium intake.

Purchase wisely for frozen ingredients:

Frozen ingredients provide similar nutritional value as the fresh ones with lower price and longer shelf life. Diced assorted vegetables provide dietary fibre and frozen fish fillets are thoroughly cleaned and deboned in advance, hence they can be conveniently stored in the fridge for later use.

Cook wisely with healthy recipes:

Vegetables like onion, celery and carrot are a good source of dietary fibre, adequate consumption ensures your intakes of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals meeting the daily requirement. You can prepare a variety of dishes easily by mixing and matching these ingredients with different types of meat, such as beef and chicken. Moreover, use of healthy ingredients to prepare your homemade dish, such as using curry powder and low-fat milk to replace ready-made curry sauce and coconut cream. It helps reduce saturated fat and sodium intake.

You can meet these goals with the help of budget-friendly “EatSmart Dishes” which are extracted from Diabetes-friendly Recipes of the Department of Health. More recipes and videos of cooking demonstration in English, Thai and Indonesia are available at https://www.fhb.gov.hk/pho/english/resource/diabetes-friendly_recipes.html

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Bean Curd Sticks with Chinese Black Mushrooms and Green Beans (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Dried bean curd sticks 3 ½ pcs (approx. 90 g)
Chinese black mushrooms (dried) 3 pcs (approx. 12 g)
Green beans 2 taels (80 g)
Carrot ½ pc (approx. 75 g)
Vegetable oil * 3 tsp
* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

Seasonings:
Salt ½ tsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Water ⅔ cup (160 ml)

Thickening:
Cornstarch 1 ½ tsp
Water 2 tbsp

Method:
1. Soak and section the bean curd sticks and tie into knots. Soak, trim, and slice the mushrooms.
2. Rinse, trim and section the green beans. Peel, rinse, and section the carrot.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick wok / pan. Stir-fry the mushrooms, beans and carrot. Stir in the seasoning sauce and bean curd and bring to boil. Cover and braise. Stir in the thickening sauce.

Pork and Vegetable Stew (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Lean Pork ½ catty (320 g)
Onion ½ pc (approx. 170 g)
Carrot ½ pc (approx. 75 g)
Celery 1 stalk (approx. 90 g)
Potato 1 pc (approx. 150 g)
Canned vegetable juice 1 cup (240 ml)
Cornstarch 1 tsp
Vegetable oil* 1½ tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Water 1 cup (240 ml)
* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

Method:
1. Rinse and chop the pork into small chunks, and marinate with cornstarch.
2. Wash, peel, and cut the carrot, onion, and potato into chunks; wash the celery stalks, remove the strings, and cut into chunks.
3. Stir-fry the pork in a non-stick pan until they turn golden brown. Then add the onion and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
4. Put the pork, onion, carrot, vegetable juice and water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Cover and let them simmer under low heat for about 30 minutes. (Add more water if needed.)
5. Add the potato and celery and let them simmer for about 1 hour or until the pork becomes tender. Add salt to taste.

Pan-fried Fish with Carrots and Zucchini (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Fish fillet 6 taels (240 g)
Carrot ½ pc (approx. 75 g)
Zucchini ½ pc (approx. 75 g)
Garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp
Ginger 4 slices
Vegetable oil * 3 tsp
* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

Marinade for fish fillet:
Salt ¼ tsp
Cornstarch ½ tsp
Shaoxing wine ½ tbsp
White pepper a pinch

Seasonings:
Soy sauce 2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Cornstarch 1 tsp
Shaoxing wine 2½ tbsp
Water 3 tbsp

Method:
1. Rinse the fish and marinate for about 30 minutes; peel, rinse, and slice the carrot; rinse and slice the zucchini.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a non-stick pan and stir-fry the carrot slices first and then the zucchini until they are softened. Set aside.
3. Clean the pan and use the remaining oil to fry the garlic and ginger. Add the fish, which has been pat dry, and pan-fry until the two sides are golden brown. Add the seasoning and bring the sauce to the boil.
4. Put the fish on top of the carrots and zucchini and pour the sauce over them.

Lettuce Wrap with Field Greens (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Dried tofu 200 g
Frozen mixed vegetable ½ cup
Dried Chinese black mushroom 8 pcs (approx. 16 g)
Water chestnuts (with skin removed) 4 pcs (approx. 70 g)
Lettuce leaves 8 pcs (approx. 60 g)
Vegetable oil* 3 tsp
* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

Seasonings:
Salt ½ tsp
Sugar ½ tsp
Dark soy sauce 2 tsp
White pepper a pinch
Shaoxing wine 2 tsp

Thickening:
Cornstarch 2 tsp
Water 3 tbsp

Method:
1. Soak, trim and chop the Chinese black mushrooms. Peel, wash and chop the water-chestnuts. Wash and chop the dried tofu.
2. Defrost the frozen mixed vegetable under running tap water.
3. Wash the lettuce leaves. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Stir-fry all the ingredients and add in seasoning until the ingredients are fully cooked. Add in the thickening sauce. Serve with the lettuce leaves.

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Chicken Curry with Eggplants (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Chicken drumsticks 2 pcs (approx. 320 g)
Thai green eggplants 5 pcs (approx. 120 g)
Garlic, finely chopped 5 cloves
Lemongrass, finely chopped 1 stalk
Red chili 2 pcs
Cornstarch 1 tsp
Vegetable oil * 3 tsp
* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

Curry Sauce:
Curry powder 2 tsp
Low-fat milk 1 cup (240 ml)
Salt ¾ tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Water ½ cup (120 ml)

Method:
1. Rinse the chicken drumsticks, remove any visible fat and cut into pieces, and then marinate with cornstarch.
2. Rinse, trim and cut the eggplants into wedges; rinse the red chili.
3. Mix well the curry sauce and set aside.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a non-stick pan and stir-fry the chicken and eggplants separately until they turn golden brown. Set aside.
5. Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir-fry the garlic. Add the curry sauce to blend well with the garlic. Then add the chicken, eggplants, lemongrass, and red chili. Cover and braise under medium heat for about 20 minutes. Skim the fat before serving.

Mixed Vegetables and Tofu Soup (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Soft tofu 1 pc
Egg 1 pc
Frozen mixed vegetables ½ cup
Fish fillet 3 taels (120 g)
Water 6 cups (1440 ml)

Marinade:
Shaoxing wine 1 tsp
White pepper a pinch

Seasoning:
Salt ½ tsp
White pepper a pinch

Method:
1. Rinse and defrost the frozen mixed vegetable. Rinse the tofu and cut into cubes.
2. Rinse and pat dry the fish fillet. Cut into cubes and marinate it.
3. Beat the egg and set aside.
4. Boil the water. Add in the mixed vegetables. When it boils again, turn to low heat and add in the tofu and fish fillet. When the fish fillet is done, add in the beaten egg gradually. Mix well and add the seasoning to taste.

Writer: Kurtus Lo, Dietitian of the Health Promotion Branch of the Department of Health

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