'recipes' posts

Ingredients:

• 1 pound carrots, peeled, cut on the diagonal into ½” strips
• ½ pound Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, cut into thirds
• 1 ½ cups rinsed cranberries (frozen or fresh)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs raw honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cayenne (or more for spicier version)
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Place carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cranberries in a large bowl.
3. Drizzle olive oil and 1 Tbs honey and mix.
4. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper, mix gently.
5. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until carrots are fork tender, mixing gently about halfway through.
6. Remove from oven. Drizzle with reserved 1 Tbs honey and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:
A festive holiday winter dish that packs a fiery dose of nutrients. This antioxidant packed dish is high in vitamins A, C, potassium and is full of fiber. Honey acts as an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and has been used as a remedy for cough. Cinnamon works to maintain stable blood sugar levels and has been shown to boost brain activity. Cayenne contains capsaicin- which works to clear respiratory blockage.

Preparation Time: 40minutes total.
Yields: 4, 1 generous cup servings (Nutrition Facts is for 1 full of above recipe)

Source: Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson. (Celestial Arts, Berkeley, 2007).

Ingredients

• 24 small Brussels sprouts, trimmed with ragedy outer leaves removed.
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup grated cheese of your choice

Directions

1. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half from step to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
2. Place sprouts in pan, flat side down, sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning.
3. Once just tender, turn up the heat and cook until flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss once or twice.
4. Season with more salt, pepper and dusting of grated cheese.

 Remember twice-baked potatoes—yummy but oh, so fattening? Here’s a richer and sweeter version that’s much more heart friendly. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of antioxidants; pears are high in fiber. Next time you’re tempted to serve baked potatoes, think sweet.

Try this with: Honey Grilled Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 3 large pears, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, extra-light
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• chopped hazelnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Bake whole sweet potatoes at 425° for 45 minutes, or until done. Cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet sauté pears in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well for about a minute until sugar dissolves.
3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out pulp, leaving skin intact. Mash pulp.
4. Mix mashed potatoes and pears together and stir well. Stuff mixture back into shells.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with chopped nuts if desired.

Per serving: 170 calories, 2 gm protein, 35 gm carbohydrate, 4 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 gm fiber, 12 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK Extra-light olive oil has the same number of calories as regular olive oil, but has a very light flavor making it quite useful in sweet dishes. Sweet potatoes are often referred to as yams, but they’re actually two different vegetables. To save time, you can prepare ahead through step 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg white
• 1 Tbs water
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• ¼ cup packed brown cane sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cayenne (+/- per preference)
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of ground ginger
• 2 cups mixed raw nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275F.
2. In large bowl, whish egg white until foamy.
3. Add cold water, sugar, salt and spices and whisk. Add nuts and coat completely.
4. Spread in single layer on ungreased baking pan.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, then use a metal spatula to lift from pan and stir.
6. Return to oven for additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.
7. Remove from oven, mix again and let cool in single layer on metal wire racks.

Preparation Time: 45minutes total.
Yields: 8, 1/4 cup servings (nutrition facts is for one ¼ cup serving).

Recipe Adapted by Tarynne Mingione from Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart Living, 2005.

 
This tasty dish (serves 4) is easy enough for a week-night family meal while impressive enough for company. Any vegetable works well on the side.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt, optional
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine coriander, ginger, and pepper in small bowl. Trim any translucent “silver skin” from tenderloin. Rub tenderloin with 1 teaspoon olive oil, then coat with spice mixture.
3. Make glaze by combining marmalade with remaining ingredients.
4. Heat remaining teaspoon olive oil in oven-proof skillet. Sear pork over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and roast for 6 minutes.
5. Spread glaze over pork and continue to roast until meat is just done through, about another 6 minutes. Let meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Drizzle some of the remaining glaze over the pork slices.

Per serving: 299 calories, 24 gm protein, 28 gm carbohydrate, 11 gm fat, 2 gm sat fat, 7 gm mono fat, 74 gm cholesterol, 321 gm sodium (175 mg without salt)

THE SEASONED COOK If you’ve never cooked with coriander, you’ll find it a wonderful addition to your spice rack. Although coriander is the seed of the plant whose leaves we know as cilantro, it has a very different flavor.

Nutrition Goldmine: Pork tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork with only 4 grams of fat per 3 ounce portion, and is an excellent source of B vitamins.

Peas and mint team for texture and flavor in this super simple, light pasta dish. A perfect complement to pork, beef, chicken or fish, you’ll turn to this recipe often, especially when serving leftover meat. Serves 4.

Try this with: Glazed Raspberry Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons mint
• ½ cup minced parsley

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan bring broth and olive oil just to a boil.
2. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous lightly with fork. Add peas, mint, and parsley. Serve.

Per serving: 271 calories, 12 gm protein, 46 gm carbohydrate, 5 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 gm fiber, 127 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK To thaw peas, place in colander and rinse with warm water.

On a cold day when you need warming up, there’s nothing better than a homemade minestrone soup (serves 10). We like to make the whole recipe and then have it during the week for lunch or a quick dinner, or deliver it to friends and family as a surprise. The ingredient list may be a little long, but most of these should be staples in your kitchen. If not, put them on your list! Italian bread and romaine salad complete the meal.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 28- ounce can tomatoes, peeled Italian style
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 potato (½ lb) peeled and chopped
• 1 14-ounce can red kidney beans
• 6 cups fat free broth, chicken or vegetable, low-sodium
• 1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano
• 2 ounces pasta, (such as broken spaghetti)
• Optional Garnish: Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Sauté onion, garlic, celery and carrots in olive oil, until onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes,
2. Add the remaining ingredients except pasta. Stir. Bring to boil & simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add pasta (broken spaghetti is an excellent choice). Cook for 8-10 minutes longer, until pasta is al dente, not mushy. Stir frequently to keep pasta from sticking together.
4. Serve in bowls & garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Per serving: 149 calories, 8gm protein, 25 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 2 gm mono, 1 mg cholesterol, 5 gm fiber, 370 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK A variety of seasonal vegetables can be substituted or added such as green beans, summer squash, and mushrooms. Navy beans instead of kidney beans would give the soup a whole new look.

Nutrition Goldmine: Kidney beans are rich in folic acid, iron, fiber, and protein.