Good for you and your budget

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Many house- holds and businesses are feeling the tight grip of today’s economic climate. While the financial downturn is leaving many restaurants without customers, it is keeping the home cook busy whipping up recipes that are fiscally friendly. In addition to financial considerations, the growing obesity epidemic is driving the demand for homemade meals to be healthy and nutritious as well.

By cooking at home, you can manage your budget and more importantly, your health and the health of your family. By carefully choosing nutritious ingredients, you can help reduce the risk for heart disease and obesity while still enjoying satisfying and delicious meals. Making good food choices will benefit you and your family for years to come.

Many tools exist to help aid in these daily decisions. Go Red For Women Æ, a national movement created by the American Heart Association and sponsored by Merck, provides families with nutritious recipes as a first step in the prevention of heart disease and improvement of overall health. Each of these recipes includes a nutrition analysis to quickly determine how well a certain dish will fit into your eating plan. It’s your health, your choice. Choose to make heart-healthy meals for you and your family while also keeping expenses in check.

For more information about Go Red For Women, visit www.GoRedForWomen.org. Merck is a leader in cardiovascular disease research, working to help the world be well.

Swiss Chard and Ricotta Manicotti

Serves 4; 2 filled shells per serving

Cooking spray

8 dried manicotti shells

Filling:

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 8 ounces)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1 large egg white

1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:

3 large Italian plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut into wedges

1/4 cup no-salt-added tomato paste

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Also:

1/2cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Prepare pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well in a colander, being careful to not tear the shells. Set aside.

Meanwhile, discard the stems of the chard. Stack several leaves and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Repeat with the remaining leaves.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chard. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the chard is wilted and the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool slightly. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor or blender, process the sauce ingredients for about 20 seconds, or until chunky (do not process until smooth). Pour 1 cup sauce into the baking dish, spreading to cover the bottom.

Gently spoon about 1/4 cup filling into a manicotti shell, being careful to not tear the shell. Transfer to the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining shells. Top with the sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Cook’s tip: Take care to not overcook the manicotti shells. To make sure they don’t get too soft and split, start checking them about 2 minutes before the package instructions say they should be ready.

Nutrients per serving: calories, 324; total fat, 8.5 grams; saturated fat, 4 grams; trans fat, 0 grams; polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 grams; monounsaturated fat, 2.5 grams; cholesterol, 28 milligrams; sodium, 606 milligrams; carbohydrates, 44 grams; fiber, 5 grams; sugars, 11 grams; protein, 19 grams.

Dietary Exchanges: 11/2 lean meat; 2 starch; 3 vegetable.