'recipes' posts

If you relish an explosion of flavors, you’ll love this savory blend of spices, olives, and chicken. And it’s as heart-healthy as it is delicious. Spices offer a wealth of antioxidants, which contribute to healthy arteries. Ginger and turmeric are known to help circulation, similar to aspirin. Serves 4.

Try this with: Festive Bulgur Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pound boneless skinless fryer chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 12 pitted large green olives, halved
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine paprika, cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and flour. Toss with chicken pieces.
3. Place chicken and mixture in small baking dish. Combine broth and lemon juice and pour over chicken. Add olives and lemon slices.
4. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve.

Per serving: 243 calories, 37 gm protein, 11 gm carbohydrates, 6 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 2 gm mono fat, 96 mg cholesterol, 3 gm fiber, 286 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK Turmeric gives food a beautiful golden color and cumin adds a spicy note that you’ll recognize from your favorite Mexican dishes.

This is a dessert that most people love from their childhoods, but for some reason today it gets overlooked as not “special enough.” But special is exactly what it will be called when you make it. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 baking apples such as Rome or Jonathan Gold
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped candied ginger
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Core apples to ½ inch of bottom.
3. Combine the dry ingredients plus ½ teaspoon of the water in a small bowl and mix, then spoon into the cavities until full.
4. Set apples in an 8" x 8" baking pan, pour remainder of water in pan bottom, seal in foil and bake 30 minutes or until apples are soft.
5. Serve warm. Optional toppings include a dollop of nonfat frozen yogurt or nonfat sour cream.

Per serving: 93 calories, 0 protein, 24 gm carbohydrate, 0 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 gm mono fat, 2 gm fiber, 5 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK Use the remaining mixture by simmering 5-10 minutes and spoon over apples before serving. Make extra apples for breakfast too!

This is a perfect and heart-friendly meal for company without being too fussy or labor intensive. And, if you prepare plenty, you’ll have leftovers for your family the next day. You’ll be amazed at how much better homemade chutney is—and less expensive! With cancer-fighting sautéed Swiss chard and whipped winter squash, you’ve prepared a flavorful—and memorable—meal. Serves 4.

Fruit chutney (serves 6)

Ingredients

• Canola oil spray
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Spray saucepan with oil. Sauté onions 2-3 minutes until translucent.
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, 6-10 minutes.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving (1 tablespoon): 71 calories, 0 gm protein, 19 gm carbohydrate, 0 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 0 gm mono fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 gm fiber, 4.9 mg sodium

Pork

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon tarragon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Combine the Dijon mustard, vinegar, water, and tarragon.
3. Place pork on broiler pan. Spread half of Dijon mixture on top.
4. Broil 7 minutes. Turn and spread with remaining mixture. Broil 7 more minutes or until done. Slice and serve with fruit chutney, squash, and Swiss chard.

Per serving: 180 calories, 26 gm protein, 1 gm carbohydrate, 7 gm fat, 3 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 0 gm fiber, 152 mg sodium

The more that has been done to a food, the less it has to offer you. Fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, legumes and whole grains, enjoyed as close to their natural state as possible this holiday season, will keep your energy levels high, your appetite content, and weight gain off your worry list.

Reunite with Your Appetite

These next few months feel like the fast-forward button is stuck on…work demands remain high, yet family and friends require a significantly greater share of your attention. I fully support the extra shot of espresso to fill your tank this season, as long as you put the brakes on and slow way down at the dinner table.

It takes at least 20 minutes after you start eating for your stomach to signal your brain that it’s receiving food and to slow production of hunger hormones (ghrelin) and kick up production of leptin (satiety hormone). If you are shoveling food in your mouth like you are training to take on Takeru Kobayashi (hot dog eating champ), you are going to end up miserable. Slow down. Take time to chew thoroughly, put your fork down between bites, breathe, and enjoy the company.

Speaking of company…unfortunately when we are graced with the presence of loved ones, we tend to eat much more than we would by ourselves. Eating with just one other person encourages you to eat about 35% more, and in a group of 7 or more, you’ll eat roughly 96% more than you would if you were eating alone. Now you have an excuse not to invite that bizarre cousin right? Kidding. For those of us blessed with large families and parties of friends, make sure to pace yourself with the slowest eater at the table (anyone in a highchair is fair game), start eating last, and determine how much you are going to eat before you sit down. We eat about 92% of what we dish up in the buffet line, so now is the time to be chintzy (not on your Uncles gift). If there is a choice in plate size, go for the smaller one. Just a two-inch smaller diameter plate (from 12 to 10”) reduces your consumption by 22%. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry, not when you have reached the point where you are too full (it’s too late).

Put Vegetables on the Guest List

During the holidays we do a fine job getting our fix of fruits (apple pie, wine), grains (gingerbread), and meats (duck, turkey, or whatever other animals we aren’t willing to prepare the other 360 something other days a year). What about our true friends that are packed full of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber), while contributing few calories and little fat? Vegetables! Displace 20% of your plate with these guys and you will save a couple hundred calories. There are 3,500 calories per pound, so do the math: Over the next two month celebration marathon, that’s a new years resolution besides losing weight gained over the holidays!

Embrace the season – focus on seasonal winter vegetables, such as:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup 100% Pomegranate Juice
• Juice and zest of one orange
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs honey
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Whisk entirely and serve immediately.

Preparation Time: Less than 5 minutes.
Yields: 1 cup of dressing

Ingredients:

• 4 cups washed and rinsed baby spinach
• 2 ripe pears
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 4 baby Clementine oranges
• 1 Tbs dried cranberries
• 1 Tbs pistachios (shelled, dry roasted, salted)
• 1 Tbs dry roasted almonds
• 1 Tbs dry roasted pecans
• 1 Tbs dry roasted walnuts
• Fresh cracked pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut pear into small cubes and place in bowl and cover with lemon juice (to prevent browning). Let sit 5 minutes.
2. Peel Clementines and cut individual segments in half.
3. Pour pear bowl over greens.
4. Add oranges, cranberries and nuts and toss salad completely.
5. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper if preferred. Add dressing if preferred.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Yields: 4 servings (Nutrition Facts is for ¼ of recipe above).

Ingredients:

For Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• 2 Tbs honey
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cayenne

For Quinoa-

• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, rinsed and patted dry
• ½ cup toasted pecans (see note below)

Instructions

1. To roast squash: Preheat oven to 400F. Cut acorn squash in half. Using a spoon, remove seeds and stringy flesh.
2. In small bowl, whisk honey, oil and spices and brush onto exposed sides of squash. Place (face down) on rimmed baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or when flesh is soft and tender. Meanwhile while squash is roasting, prepare quinoa.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa, broth, spices, salt and pepper to a boil then reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Once all liquid is absorbed, stir in honey, cranberries, parsley and pecans.
5. Spoon carefully into roasted squash and serve immediately.
6. To toast pecans: Preheat oven to 350F. In a single layer, spread pecans on rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes or until fragrant.

Recipe Notes: A hearty dish with a heavy serving of Vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber. Quinoa is a complete protein, so there is no need to add any meat entrees to round out the meal. Quinoa may also be spooned over tender baby spinach. Add a festive vinaigrette to greens if needed.

Preparation Time: 55 minutes total.
Yields: 2 servings (Nutrition Facts is for one-half of acorn squash plus generous ¾ cup quinoa filling).