Tuesday, Sep. 01, 2009

Stir crazy: You say vegetable oil; I say soybean oil

I usually surprise people when I tell them that the "vegetable" in their vegetable oil is soybeans. We're more aware of the ingredients in more expensive types of oil, such as olive, canola and sunflower because their names are used. But the primary source of nearly all of the vegetable oil we buy at the supermarket is what I see as I travel the roads of our Midwestern countryside this time of year: soybeans.

According to a 2008 study conducted by the farmer-led United Soybean Board, only 10 percent of Americans named soybeans as the major source of vegetable oil in this country.

I'm not sure why it isn't just called soybean oil because it has a lot going for it nutritionally: It has concentrated levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, both of which may decrease the risk of heart disease, plus it's also an important source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that may help prevent a variety of diseases and afflictions, says the Soybean Board.

Now, this doesn't mean you should run to the kitchen and start boiling a vat of vegetable oil for fried chicken! All oils should be used judiciously.

I fell for this yummy dessert "salad" when I found the recipe in a cookbooklet I received from Memorial Hospital in Belleville. It's titled "Lively Lungs Picnic Cookbook 2009," so I'm thinking it was put together by the folks who work in respiratory care. The recipe was submitted by Rachel Sandretti.

Caramel Apple Salad

6-8 Granny Smith apples, diced

8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained; reserve juice

1 teaspoon flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

8 ounces whipped topping, thawed

1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Mix flour, pineapple juice, sugar, egg and vinegar in saucepan. Cook on medium heat. Stir continuously until thick. Refrigerate until cold.

Add mixture to apples and pineapple. Fold in whipped topping and half of the chopped nuts. (Editor's note: I'd put it in a shallow casserole dish at this point.)

Sprinkle the rest of the nuts on top. Serve cold.

After running last week's non-tomato salsa recipes, a reader requested one made with cherries. I sent her three, but here is one of them from the Food Network Web site.

Cherry Salsa

4 cups cherries, stemmed, pitted, and chopped

8 green onions, chopped

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until well combined. Serve with your favorite chips.

Makes 6 servings.

Here's how to reach me: Phone, 239-2664; e-mail, sboyle@bnd.com; or write, Suzanne Boyle, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, 120 S. Illinois St., Belleville, IL 62222-0427.