Campbell's suggests 'souping up' to lose weight
Move over, Weight Watchers, Atkins and South Beach. Campbell's has announced its own weight-loss program, the Soup for Life Plan.
The diet draws on research that shows soups can help people lose weight by making them feel full so they want to eat less. The diet is described in a free 40-page booklet that includes recipes and weight-loss strategies. Campbell's soups play a major role in the diet plan, but there also are recipes for dishes such as chicken and vegetable stir-fry, Cajun fish and berry shortcake.
Details: www.campbellwellness.com .
Ice cream event benefits charity
Cold Stone Creamery is sponsoring the third annual World's Largest Ice Cream Cake Social on Thursday to benefit The Make-A-Wish Foundation. The event will be held at its stores nationwide, including four locations in the Pittsburgh area.
Patrons will be treated to a free slice of ice cream cake from 5 to 8 p.m. at Cold Stone Creamery stores at Brentwood Towne Square, Robinson Town Centre, Collier Town Square (Bridgeville) and in Squirrel Hill.
During July -- National Ice Cream Month -- the ice cream company has been donating a portion of sales of all ice cream and ice cream cakes to The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Details: www.coldstonecreamery.com for the nearest store, address and phone number.
Dining discount program continues
WDVE (102.5 FM) has announced its "Dining Discount" restaurants schedule for August. At 9 a.m. every Friday, the radio station offers $50 gift certificates for a price of $25. Upcoming eateries are:
Details: www.dve.com .
Winery sponsors relaxation program
Christian W. Klay Winery is sponsoring "Mid-Summer Meditations -- A Spiritual Journey for Body, Mind & Spirit!" to raise money for the Fayette Friends of Animals, a no-kill shelter, starting at noon Aug. 15.
The afternoon event features massages, yoga, meditation, neck and back massage, crafts and food vendors. There is no admission fee, but a donation is appreciated.
The winery is in Chalk Hill in the Laurel Highlands along the historic National Road (Route 40).
Details: (724) 439-2424 or www.cwklaywinery.com .
No-can preserves keep kitchen cool
For those enticed by homemade preserves but intimidated by home canning, there is a compromise, according to the Washington Post.
After cooking the fruit mixture for the recommended amount of time, transfer the hot preserves to small resealable containers and set aside in an ice bath to cool. Cover and refrigerate the preserves for no more than seven days.
You might make just a half-batch of a recipe or give a lot away because the jam or jelly won't have the shelf life of canned preserves.
Tomatoes, refrigerators do not mix
With luscious, home-grown, red orbs of summer hitting area farmers markets and stores, keep in mind how to properly store them.
Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator is a bad idea. The cold temperature destroys the natural sugars in tomatoes and spoils their flavor. That's the word from NatureSweet Tomatoes, a tomato-producing company. Tomatoes belong on the countertop, kept in a ventilated container -- perhaps a colander in which they also can be washed.
Tomatoes are low in fat and sodium, contain fiber and are high in potassium and vitamins A and C. Ounce for ounce, cherry tomatoes have twice the vitamin C of larger tomatoes. The riper a tomato is, the more nutritious. Fresh red tomatoes contain almost four times the vitamin A of fresh green tomatoes. Uncooked tomatoes have more vitamin C than cooked tomatoes.
It would take roughly 300 cherry tomatoes to equal the calories of one chocolate ice-cream cone. Additional Information:
Send your news
Send food and nutrition news to A La Carte in care of Living, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, D.L. Clark Building, 503 Martindale St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212; fax (412) 320-7966; or e-mail tribliving@tribweb.com .
