HELOISE: Carrots: Handling a healthy snack

Dear Readers: Cabbie (our miniature schnauzer) and I love fresh carrots as snacks! An average-size carrot has about 35-48 calories per 100 grams, so they are healthy for both of us! Carrots are excellent for eye health, among many traits, and it’s because an average carrot has two and a half times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A.

But did you know that cooking carrots releases more vitamin A (beta carotene) than consuming them raw? I didn’t! And juicing a raw carrot makes a vitamin-packed drink, too.

Carrots are orange, typically, but around the world, they can be red, yellow, white and even purple! Texas A&M University has a maroon one, the BetaSweet. The school’s colors are maroon and white, so of course it developed a maroon carrot!

How best to store carrots? The vegetable drawer of the refrigerator is the place. Remove the leafy tops if there are any, but don’t cut into the flesh itself, according to our experts, and keep them in a plastic bag. Separate carrots from other fruits and vegetables, such as apples.

And baby carrots? Are they a special miniature variety of carrot? Nope. They are regular carrots that are cut down to about 2 inches long, scrubbed, peeled and polished.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: To keep brewed coffee fresh-tasting, always put a pinch of salt in the coffee before brewing (my mother’s recipe). It will never have a bitter taste. You can leave it out or put it in the refrigerator.

Hylda Wilson, Jacksonville, Fla.

An old hint that many people do, but today’s coffee is processed differently, so there usually is not a bitter taste, unless the coffee is left to sit too long.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: Ever go to make your kids’ lunch and find you’ve run out of lunchmeat? A good substitute for baloney is packaged hot dogs, most of which are precooked. Simply thin-slice lengthwise and place on your favorite sandwich bread, add your favorite condiments, and they’ll never know the difference.

Will in California

Dear Heloise: When I come across a recipe I want to make in one of my magazines, I copy the page and take it to the store to buy all the ingredients needed. It saves time not having to write a grocery list and saves missing any items. Most everyone has a home copier today with his or her computer. Works well for me.

Janet, via e-mail

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate