A feast of fiber

DEAR HELOISE >> Everyone talks about FIBER in our diets, but no one says how much fiber we should be eating, or which foods have the highest fiber. Can you set the record straight on this matter?

— Jillian M., Pendleton, Ore. DEAR JILLIAN M. >> Jillian, women need about 25 grams of fiber daily, and men need about 38 grams. Here are some delicious ways to get your fiber: Pears — 5.5 grams of fiber. Avocados — 10 grams per cup. Raspberries — 8 grams per cup. Bananas — 3.1 grams in a medium banana. Kidney beans — 11.3 grams per cup. Almonds — 3.5 grams per ounce. Air-popped popcorn — 3.6 grams per 3 cups.

To add more fiber into meals or snacks, try putting nuts and berries on your cereal and using whole-grain tortillas or bread when making a sandwich. DEAR HELOISE >> I lost the recipe for Shrimp Dijon. Would you please reprint it?

— Judy W., Newport News, Va. DEAR JUDY W. >> This one of my all-time favorite recipes! You’ll need: 1 1/2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup flour 1 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 6-ounce package cream cheese, softened

Melt butter or margarine in a frying pan. Add shrimp and onions and saute for 3 minutes; do not brown. Sprinkle flour into the mixture while thinning the mixture with the milk a little at a time to avoid lumping. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and cook 3-5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until blended; warm through but do not boil. Serve over rice.

Besides being a nice dish for your family, it makes a wonderful meal for company. To get a copy of the pamphlet that has my Shrimp Dijon recipe and several more tasty recipes as well, send $3, along with a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, long envelope, to: Heloise/Main Dishes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 782795001. Or you can order it online at Heloise. com. FYI: Be sure to defrost shrimp in the refrigerator or in cold water. Microwaving the shrimp could affect the moisture and nutrients. DEAR HELOISE >> I always have way too much pie crust, and I hate throwing it away, but what can I do to use up all that dough? — Patty F., Woodbury, Minn. DEAR PATTY F. >> Patty, I’ve made pies and had leftover pie crust dough, so I roll it out and brush it lightly with a little melted butter. Then I sprinkle it with some brown sugar, cinnamon and maybe some finely crushed almonds (optional). After this, I roll it into a long tube shape and slice into 1-inch-thick rolls. I place these circular chunks on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. You can bake these with the pie or after the pie is done baking.

BREAD FLOUR VS. ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR DEAR HELOISE >> Is there really a difference between all-purpose flour and bread flour?

— Amy G., McAllen, Texas DEAR AMY G. >> Amy, bread flour has more protein content than all-purpose flour, and the higher the protein content, the more elastic the dough. This also means more volume and a better texture. If a recipe calls for a certain type of flour, it’s usually best to use the recommended type to have the best results.