Holiday entertaining can be easier than many people realize. You may even enjoy feasting from the pantry. Not only are many pantry staples convenient and bursting with flavor, they can be a nutritious addition to any meal.

In fact, a recent study conducted by the University of California, Davis found that all forms of fruits and vegetables-canned, fresh and frozen-are nutritionally similar and contribute to a healthy diet. In some cases, canned fruits and vegetables are even more nutritious than their fresh and frozen counterparts. For example, cup of canned pumpkin contains three times more vitamin A than cup of fresh, cooked, mashed pumpkin.

Whether you’re combining rich pumpkin with hearty canned sweet potatoes for a mousse, pepping up your turkey stuffing with Southwestern flavors or even producing incredible mashed potatoes, canned ingredients can offer the busy holiday chef quick and easy ways to create new culinary customs while adding nutrients.

Chef, columnist and cookbook author Andrew Schloss offers this advice:

“Simplify your holiday meal preparations by using canned foods from your pantry. Not only are they delicious and nutritious, but they’ll also speed things up so you can enjoy the holiday festivities with your family, not your kitchen stove.”

The Canned Food Alliance has developed a contemporary twist on classic holiday fare, including Chili Cornbread Stuffing, Roasted Pear and Cranberry Relish, Glorified Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Potato Pumpkin Mousse.

These hearty dishes present classic ingredients in a whole new way and each recipe is made with canned foods, which add nutrition and convenience to any meal. In addition, Chef Schloss has developed a holiday tip sheet of suggestions for incorporating more canned food into your feasts.

For the recipes and tip sheet, or to search hundreds of other healthy and easy-to-prepare recipes, visit www.Mealtime.org. – Courtesy of NAPSI.

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