Healthy Recipes
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (wear gloves or wash hands thoroughly after)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cup chicken broth
1 can cooked navy beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz cooked chicken breast, cubbed
¼ cup jack or sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Procedure:
1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in soup pot until tender.
1. Add jalapeno, chilies, cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt and sauté another minute.
2. Stir in chix broth, beans and chicken
3. Bring to a boil
4. Cover and simmer for 25 min
5. Stir in cilantro and cheese and serve
Rice Pilau
Basmati is the rice considered to be the best among the many Indian variations, its name means “Queen of Fragrance” and is the one most often used in festive Indian dishes. Brown basmati rice contains more nutrients than the white variety. Rice pilau can be used along with dal to make a simple meal, or can be used as part of a more elaborate meal. Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups basmati rice
4 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1/3 cup raw cashews, almonds, or pistachio nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 in piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and shredded
1 or 2 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
2 ½ cups hot water
1 cup fresh peas or finely sliced green beans
½ teaspoon garam masala
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1. Rinse the rice and soak in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes, then drain. Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy pan over low heat. Add the nuts and saute, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Remove from the oil.
2. Increase the heat to medium. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, and chillies to the pan and cook until the cumin is golden brown, stirring constantly. Stir in the rice ans stir-fry for 2 min. Add the hot water, peas, garam masala, salt and raisins if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy. Serve at once.
Mushroom and Spinach Crusted Quiche
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup packed chopped spinach
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
2 tbsp water
Filling:
6 eggs
½ cup whole milk or fat free half and half
¼ tsp salt
dash of black pepper
6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup (3 oz) diced ham
1. Heat olive oil in skillet
2. Add onion and sauté until it begins to brown
3. Add mushrooms and stir and cook until they begin to brown.
4. Add spinach, salt, pepper and cook a few min.
5. Add cornmeal and water and stir well
6. Lightly coat a 9” pie plate
7. Set aside
8. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper together thoroughly
9. Fold in cheese and ham
10. Pour filling into crust and bake at 350o for 40-45 minutes
11. Allow to stand at least 10 minutes before serving
Eggplant-Quinoa Roast
This high energy grain from South America’s Andes mountains is given an international flavor in this vegetable-rich dish, needing only a green salad to complement it. Serves 4
*Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is an ancient grain making a come-back. It has a high amino acid content (protein), is easy to cook and digest, and is gluten-free, making it a great alternative for people with corn or wheat allergies. It can be substituted for rice or millet in most recipes. Quinoa must be washed thoroughly, place in a fine mesh strainer and rinse until the water runs clear
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons sesame oil
12 ounces eggplant, cut into 8 thick slices
2 tablespoons tamari
1/4 cup lemon juice
½ cup water
1 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot
1 cup quinoa, washed
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 zucchini, coarsely grated
Parsley sprigs to garnesh
1. Heat the oven to 350oF. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet and cook the eggplant slices until brown. Arrange them in a single layer in a baking dish. Combine the tamari, lemon juice, water and ginger and pour over the eggplant slices. Bake in the oven for 10 min. Turn the slices over and cook for 10 min more, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
2. Place the quinoa in a large pan with double its volume of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 min, until tender. Drain if necessary. Add the red bell pepper and zucchini to the sesame oil remaining in the skillet and saute until soft. Add the quinoa, mix well and spoon over the eggplant. Press down well. Return to the oven and bake for 5-10 min longer. Serve hot.
Chicken Picatta
Recipe serves 4
Ingredients:
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken tenders
2 TBLS flour
4 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 TBLS chopped fresh parsley
2 tsps capers, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Lay the tenders on a work surface. With a smooth
scaloppine pounder or a rolling pin covered in plastic
wrap, flatten to 1/4″ thickness. Dredge the cutlets
lightly in the flour.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil
to the skillet and heat until sizzling. Place the chicken in
the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes per side or until lightly
browned and cooked through.
Add the lemon juice, parsley, and capers. Bring the mixture
to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes to allow
the flavors to blend. Season to taste with the pepper. Serve the
chicken with the pan juices.
Note: pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness
is an important step because it allows the chicken to
cook evenly so both ends are moist and delicious
Apple Muesli
A quick and easy recipe when time is short. Oats are renowned for their energy-giving properties, as well as the warmth they give to the body. Because they are very alkaline, they relieve tension and help you to practice “proper relaxation”. Serves 4-6
1/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice
2 eating apples, cored and coarsely chopped
Generous 3 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Milk, yogurt, or soy milk to serve
1. Soak the raisins in the apple juice for 20 minutes. Put the chopped apples in a bowl, add the raisins and apple juice and toss to combine them.
2. Stir in the rolled oats and honey. Add the almonds and stir well to mix everything together. Serve at once with milk, yogurt or soy milk.
Glazed Salmon
This is a recipe right out of the Curves Cookbook. It’s a great healthy way to cook salmon. Every time I’ve cooked this, the salmon doesn’t take more than 40 min… so keep an eye on it.
8 oz. salmon filet
lemon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1. Place salmon in a heavily greased baking dish, skin side down. Season with lemon pepper. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Shake together remaining ingredients to make a basting sauce. Uncover salmon and brush sauce on. Broil until nicely browned, basting several times.
*It’s best if you get salmon with skin on it–turns out much moister. It’s DELISH!