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Category: Healthy Recipes

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Meals Can Be Easy, Healthful and Budget-Wise

Short of time? Got a thick waist or a thin wallet? Let eggs come to the rescue.

Most egg dishes are quick and easy enough for kitchen novices to prepare. And, to help you slim down, eggs are nutrient dense. They contain a good proportion of needed nutrients compared to their calorie count -; 75 in a Large egg. In addition to their high-quality protein and a wide assortment of other nutrients, eggs are good to excellent sources of choline (for memory development) and riboflavin (for producing energy). The lutein and zeaxanthin in egg yolks help reduce risk of blinding eye diseases.

Eggs are also one of the best buys among protein foods. To compare the price of eggs with those of other protein sources, keep in mind that a pound of Large eggs is two-thirds of a dozen. Since one egg equals one ounce of lean meat, you can use eggs to stretch more costly protein foods or all by themselves to provide a meal’s worth of protein.

Comforting for breakfast and handy for lunch, simple-to-prepare eggs are also a good dinner choice. Just pick a dish and, within minutes, you can serve a nutritious, inexpensive meal any time of day.

Easy Herb and Veggie Poach

4 servings

3 cups chopped fresh

broccoli florets (about 10

oz.) OR 1 pkg. (10 oz.)

frozen chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped sweet red

pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon garlic-herb

pasta sauce seasoning

mix

4 thin slices tomato

2 English muffins, split

and toasted

4 poached eggs*

1/2 to 1 cup (2 to 4 oz.)

shredded low-moisture

part-skim mozzarella

cheese

In small saucepan, stir together broccoli, pepper, onion, water and sauce mix. Cover and cook over low heat just until crisp-tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Place 1 tomato slice on each muffin half. Top with about 1/2 cup of the cooked vegetables, 1 poached egg and 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of the cheese.

*To poach: In saucepan or deep omelet pan, bring 2 to 3 inches of water to boiling. Reduce heat to keep water gently simmering. Break cold eggs, 1 at a time, into custard cup or saucer or break several into bowl. Holding dish close to water’s surface, slip eggs, 1 by 1, into water. Cook until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, about 3 to 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, lift out eggs. Drain in spoon or on paper towels and trim any rough edges, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/4 recipe: 242 calories,

10 gm total fat, 223 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 427 mg potassium, 21 gm carbohydrate, 17 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A and C, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, iron, dietary fiber.

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Artichokes: A Fun, Quick & Healthy Veggie

If you’re looking for something to liven up your meal, artichokes offer a terrific, tasty solution. This culinary favorite is fun to eat, can be quick to prepare and completes a “green serving” of the 5 a Day the Color Way regimen.

Besides being delicious, artichokes are naturally low in sodium and have no fat or cholesterol. They’re a rich source of vitamin C, folate and dietary fiber.

There are several ways to enjoy artichokes; they can be steamed, boiled, grilled, sautéed or roasted. But for anyone who is short on time, artichokes have a speedy cooking time in the microwave, making them a wonderful quick-meal solution.

To Microwave: Place one rinsed and trimmed artichoke upside down in a glass bowl with 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon each of lemon juice and oil. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high 7 to 10 minutes. Time can vary depending on size of artichoke.

When shopping for artichokes, select ones that squeak with a squeeze of the leaves for freshness and pick artichokes with thorned petals, as those varieties have a bigger, meatier heart. Just trim the thorns with scissors when ready to prepare. The “jumbo”-sized artichoke is a culinary favorite and can be found in your local market throughout the year.

Artichokes will keep for about a week in a plastic bag stored in your refrigerator. Their peak seasons are spring and fall, but new varieties developed by Ocean Mist are available year-round.

To eat, pull the base of each petal through your front teeth to strip off the “meat,” then discard the rest. The artichoke’s center “heart” is often considered the tastiest part and the prize of your work. The stem is an extension of the heart and also completely edible and delicious.

Artichokes’ sweet, mild flavor make them a marvelous partner for dips and sauces, such as this quick-to-make Balsamic Mint Dressing.

Artichokes with Balsamic Mint Dressing

Recipe courtesy of Ocean Mist

4 extra large or jumbo artichokes

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Rinse artichokes under running water. Cut off stem and top quarter of artichoke. Trim tips of petals with kitchen scissors, if desired. Pour 3 inches of water in large pot. Add artichokes and simmer, covered, until a petal pulls out easily, about 45 minutes, depending on size. Drain artichokes upside down on paper towels. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard the soft inner leaves and fuzzy choke. Arrange artichokes in serving bowl, cup side up. In a blender or food processor, blend remaining ingredients. Pour balsamic honey mixture into the centers of the artichokes. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 8 shared appetizer servings.

Nutrition Information per Serving: calories: 106, total fat: 3.5g, saturated fat: 0.5g, % of calories from fat: 26%, % of calories from saturated fat: 4%, protein: 4g, carbohydrates: 19g, cholesterol: 0mg, dietary fiber: 5g, sodium: 276mg

Note to Editors: Eighty-seventh in a series of columns by Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation. More stories at www.napsnet.com. Search: “Pivonka.”

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Tips on Cooking, Baking With Heart-Healthy Spreads

You may already know that heart-healthy margarine spreads are great for topping foods to give them a tasty, buttery flavor. But did you know that they are good for cooking and baking, too?

To check if a spread is heart-healthy, look for a cholesterol-free soft tub spread that is made from 50 percent to 60 percent vegetable oils, has 2 grams or less of saturated fat and contains no trans fat per serving.

Dana Jacobi, author of the “12 Best Foods Cookbook,” offers these tips for cooking and baking with margarine spreads:

* To measure soft tub spread correctly, make sure to level the cup or spoon.

* When sautéing, use medium heat to maintain the flavor and to avoid burning the spread.

* For baking, chill the spread in the freezer before measuring it if the recipe calls for creaming it with sugar.

* When melting a spread for baking, remember that it melts quickly. In the microwave, 3 tablespoons of tub spread melts in 15 seconds, versus 30 seconds for butter.

Now that you know which spreads to choose and how to cook with them, try it for yourself. The following recipe uses a heart-healthy spread and produces perfect results.

DANA JACOBI’S OATMEAL-RAISIN COOKIES

(Makes 36 cookies)

1/3 cup chilled Promise Buttery Spread

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon mild molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream Promise Buttery Spread with sugar until it is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Mix in egg, molasses, vanilla and salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir in flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon until almost blended. Add raisins and almonds, mixing gently until ingredients are combined.

Drop the dough 1 tablespoon at a time onto the baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. – NU

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Two Healthy Chinese Recipes

Chinese cooking has healthy, well balanced recipes that can very well fit in almost any dietaty regiment. Today, I am sharing with you two of these healthy recipes for your enjoyment.

Chinese Recipe of Beef Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked rice, cold

Directions:

Combine soy sauce, sugar and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook eggs about 45 seconds, stirring constantly, until eggs are just set. Transfer eggs to a bowl and set aside. Add ground beef and next 3 ingredients to same pan over medium heat. Sauté about 3 minutes, stirring often to break up meat, until browned. Stir in ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute. Discard excess fat. Increase heat to high and add rice. Stir-fry about 1 minute, until heated through. Stir in soy sauce mixture and eggs and stir-fry 30 seconds longer.

Per serving:
calories 338, fat 15.7g, 43% calories from fat, cholesterol 133mg, protein 16.8g, carbohydrates 31.0g, fiber 1.6g, sugar 2.5g, sodium 547mg, diet points 8.3.

Classic Chinese Chicken Teriyaki

1/4 cup lite soy sauce
3 tbsp prepared spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 sliced thin medium onion
1 cut in half garlic clove
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 skinned boned chicken breast halves, each about 4 oz
1 spinach and pepper saute (see recip, e for this)

Directions:

In medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, mustard, sugar and ginger;
set aside.

In large, nonstick skillet, over high heat, toast sesame seeds until golden brown, about 4 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.

In same skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until soft, about 5 minutes, if desired, discard garlic clove halves. Add chicken and soy sauce mixture to skillet. Cover and simmer, turning chicken over once, until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare spinach and pepper saute. To serve, place chicken on platter, pour sauce and vegetables over chicken and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place sauteed mixture on platter. Garnish with scallion fan.

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Healthy Entertaining: The Sweet Benefits Of Raisins

Party food doesn’t have to be fattening. There are a number of festive, delicious-and healthful-dishes you can serve at parties and get-togethers. For instance, dishes prepared with California raisins are tangy, flavorful and provide numerous health benefits. California raisins are loaded with vitamins, minerals, powerful anti-oxidants, potassium, vitamin B6, and they are also fat- and cholesterol-free. Here is a sampling of easy-to-prepare dishes perfect for a party.

• Dinner Parties-Liven up your next gathering with Sweet and Spicy Jerk Chicken.

• Cocktail Parties-Raisins, Red Onions and Wine-seared Scallops are easy to make, full of flavor and always a crowd-pleaser.

Getting hungry? Try this recipe for Tropical Shrimp Cocktail:

Tropical Shrimp Cocktail

Dressing

Juice of one lime

Juice of one orange

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small jalapeno pepper; seeded, deveined and minced

2 tablespoons finely diced red onion

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Shrimp Salad

16 large cooked, peeled and deveined prawns (size 16/20)

1/3 cup California golden raisins

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1 ripe mango, diced

1 firm-ripe avocado, diced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Lime wedges; for garnish

Dressing

Whisk ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

Shrimp Salad

In a medium mixing bowl, toss the prawns with 2 tablespoons of the dressing to coat and set aside. Add remaining salad ingredients except for lime wedges to the bowl and toss with remaining dressing. Cover and chill well.

Divide the chilled fruit mixture among 4 stemmed cocktail glasses or small bowls. Top with the prawns (4 or more per serving) and garnish with wedges of lime.

Salad ingredients should be prepared up to 1 hour in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Serves: 4

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories 240 (44% from fat); Total Fat 14g (sat 1g, mono 6g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 45mg; Protein 7g; Carbohydrates 33g; Fiber 7g; Iron 2mg; Sodium 55mg; Calcium 38mg.

Serve this Tropical Shrimp Cocktail as a refreshing starter or main course.

categories Healthy Recipes

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