by Stephanie Shank

Is it really the luck of the Irish or do they just recognize the
importance of foods high in fiber? There really is no luck
involved. It's an awareness of the overall health benefits of a
high fiber diet. The most typical dish common to all of our
March menus is corned beef and cabbage. Delicious, but enjoy it
with a sprinkling of advice from Fiberlady. With all due respect
to Irish culture and tradition, Fiberlady must stay true to her
mission.

Opt for high fiber foods. St. Patrick's Day is the ideal time to
offer all of those green foods that you know are so beneficial
to all of the leprechauns in your life. Besides the obvious
green lettuce, share some broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, green
beans, asparagus and green peas. Not only are these green foods
enormously healthy, many of them help curb heart disease, lower
cholesterol and inhibit some cancers.

Heart disease is the leading factor of death for American men
and women today. To add salt to the wound, more than 95 million
Americans have high cholesterol, a major contributor to heart
disease.

Saturated fats are the major culprit in raising blood
cholesterol. Those who have high cholesterol levels should be
watching their entire diet, not just the meat portion. Reducing
the amount of fatty foods is as important as choosing leaner
cuts of red meat when trying to lower cholesterol. Protect
yourself and those you love against heart disease and high
cholesterol by eating more fruits and vegetables.

Exercising regularly, maintaining a normal body weight, choosing
unsaturated fats and including 20-35 grams of high fiber in your
daily diet will all contribute to a healthier you, whether you
are Irish or not so Irish.

Preparing the ever popular corned beef supper this season can be
less damaging to the arteries if you reduce your portion of
fatty corned beef. No need to eliminate it entirely, just
include more accompaniments such as fiber-rich cabbage and
turnips. Whole grain Irish soda bread can be served to round out
a high fiber menu for the St. Patrick's meal.

Fiberlady wonders how many grams of fiber there are in a four
leaf clover. No matter. It's the quest to find that four leaf
clover that makes all of the difference. If you find one, enjoy
the promise of good luck and continue the quest for good health.

Corned Beef with Cabbage and Boiled Vegetables Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1¼ pounds corned beef, trimmed of all visible fat 1 small head
green cabbage, cored and cut into 6 wedges 18 baby carrots 6
small purple-top turnips, peeled and halved 1 cup pearl onions
or small pickling onions 6 small red potatoes, scrubbed and left
whole

Preparation:

1. Bring the corned beef and enough water to cover to a boil in
a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Reduce the heat and simmer,
partially covered, until almost tender, about 1½ hours.

2. Add the cabbage, carrots, turnips, onions, and potatoes to
the pan; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially
covered, until the vegetables and corned beef are fork tender,
about 45 minutes.

3. Transfer the corned beef to a platter and carve into slices.
Lift the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon and
serve with the corned beef.

Per serving (1/6 of dinner): Calories: 320; Total Fat: 12 grams;
Fiber: 7 grams

 Irish Brown Soda Bread 12 Servings

Ingredients:

4 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup bread flour 1/3 cup rolled oats 1
teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking
sheets.

2. In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, white
flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Gently mix in the
buttermilk until a soft dough is formed. Knead very lightly.
Divide dough into 4 pieces; form into rounded flat loaves. Mark
each loaf with an 'X' and place on prepared baking sheets. 3.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 45
minutes.

Per serving: Calories: 206; Total Fat: 1.5 grams; Fiber: 5.4
grams

About the author:
Stephanie Shank aka Fiberlady has studied nutrition for many
healthy years which prompted her commitment to a high fiber
lifestyle and the development of her informative website High Fiber Health.