April 25, 2024

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by Shirley Plant

May 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Looking for an easy snack recipe? Try this healthy dip! Scoop up with celery sticks or carrot sticks for a nutritious, filling everyday snack.

 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

 

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas ( 14 fl.oz, 398 ml)
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp tahini
5 tbsp olive or camelina oil
1 tsp cumin
1 whole roasted red pepper
sea salt to taste

Directions:
To roast a red pepper, cut in half, clean out seeds and place face down on a tray. Place under broiler and cook until skin is black. Remove from oven and cover with a tea towel to trap steam. When cool, remove blackened skin.

In a food processor blend chickpeas, garlic, tahini, oil, cumin, salt, lemon juice and red pepper until smooth.

Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

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Spinach Salmon Bake by Helen Agresti R.D.

April 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Spinach Salmon Bake

One dish and that’s it!  This heart healthy salmon bake contains an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids and cancer fighting antioxidants.  Omega-3′s are less likely to be stored as fat due to their many important functions throughout our body.  They’re also known to ease joint pain, improve cognitive function, and decrease belly fat.  Spinach, well-known for it’s high iron content is loaded with antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and K.  The green leafy powerhouse and colorful fingerling potatoes combine to add a generous amount of heart healthy fiber.

Ingredients:
•    1 lb fingerling potatoes, washed and quartered
•    2-3 salmon filets, skinned
•    3 c baby spinach, washed
•    extra virgin olive oil
•    1/2 lemon, juiced
•    1 teaspoon rosemary, crushed
•    sea salt, to taste
•    balsamic glaze, to taste
•    orange ginger seasoning, to taste, *a little goes a long way.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat baking pan with no stick cooking spray.

2. Place potatoes on bottom of pan. Lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt. Bake alone for 20 minutes.

3.  Remove potatoes from oven and turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees.

4.  Place spinach on top of potatoes.  Toss spinach with olive oil and sea salt.   Place salmon over spinach.  Top with lemon juice and orange ginger seasoning.

5.  Bake for 40 min or until internal temperature of salmon is 140 degrees.

Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti. For more information and recipes, go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com

 

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Southwestern Black Bean and Veggie Cakes

March 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Southwestern Black Bean and Veggie Cakes

These flavorful, vegetable-filled cakes make for a perfect side dish, fun appetizer, or hearty breakfast.

Yields: 16 – 18 cakes (recipe can be cut in ½)

 

Ingredients:
2 15-oz cans black beans
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1- 1 ½ cup)
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped (may substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder), 1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 ¼ cup cornmeal, divided
1 large egg, white only
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cilantro
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus additional for pan-frying

Directions:
Sauté: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil.  Add onion, garlic, and pepper, cooking over medium heat until softened (approx. 4-5 minutes).  Add corn and mix.  Stir in the cumin, cilantro, and pepper, and heat until fragrant (approx. 1-2 minutes).  Add salt to taste.  Remove from heat, and allow mixture to cool.
Blend: Rinse beans with water before mashing – this will remove up to 40% of the sodium.  Mash beans by hand or with a food processor – if using a processor, mash 1 can at a time.   If needed, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to aid in the blending.
Mix: Place the mashed beans mixture in a large bowl.  Add egg white and ¼ cup cornmeal, mixing thoroughly.  Stir in the chopped spinach and cooked vegetables.
Coat: Place remaining cornmeal in a separate bowl.  Scoop ~ ¼ cup of the bean mixture, and place in the cornmeal – rolling until evenly coated.  Remove and flatten to ~ ½ inch thickness.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Cook: Heat ~ 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Place 3-4 cakes in the pan, cooking until crisp (~2 minutes per side).  When finished, remove and place cakes on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Get Creative: Serve the cakes with low-fat or fat-free plain Greek yogurt, salsa, avocado, guacamole, or anything else that you desire!

Recipe by Laura Maydak. Laura is currently a graduate student in the University of Pittsburgh’s Coordinated Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics program on her way to become a registered dietitian.  Connect with Laura on LinkedIn or on twitter (@lmaydak) for motivation and tips to live your healthiest, happiest life – all given with a healthy dose of humor.

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Pumpkin Oat Protein Muffins

February 26, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Pumpkin Oat Protein Muffins
Serves 15

Calories: 160 kCal
Fat: 2.6g
Carbs: 28g
Protein: 7g

 

Ingredients:
2 cups oat flour
1 can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
6 tbsp honey
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup rolled oats (do not use instant oats)
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (I use soy, but whey or other plant based would work)
2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin tins with light spray oil or muffin wrappers. I used coconut oil spray, and it worked nicely.
2) Mix all ingredients except chocolate in a bowl until well blended. Batter will be very thick.
3) Add 1/3 cup of batter to each muffin cup. Should fill 15 cups. Add 2 chocolate chunks to the top of each muffin, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until browned and toothpick comes out clean.
4) Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers when cooled.

Recipe by Cyanne Demchak. Cyanne is a Philadelphia-based blogger, marathoner, and at-home cook. In between long days of conference calls and business travel, she shares her love affair with running, recipes and thoughts on healthy living on RunStretchGo.com. She can also be found on Twitter (@cldem), on and Pinterest (RunStretchGo).

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Squash: A Superfood? By Lori Rosenthal

September 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Fall has arrived and with it came a slew of delicious, seasonal fruits and vegetables to enjoy. One that should definitely not be missed is winter squash.

Winter squash comes in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes, each with a unique flavor profile and texture. When selecting winter squash, opt for those that feel heavy for their size and have a hard, undamaged rind.

The most popular types are butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash:

Acorn Squash: Acorn shape, dark green skin with hints of orange or yellow and pale yellow-orange flesh. It has a sweet, nutty flavor.

Butternut Squash: Pear shape with beige/tan skin and sweet, orange flesh.

Spaghetti Squash: Long, oval shape with yellow skin and flesh. When cooked and removed from the skin with a fork, it forms spaghetti-like strands, making it a healthy alternative to pasta.

Winter squash is an excellent source of vitamin C, packing half of our recommended daily dose in just one cup. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin A, getting its yellow-orange pigment from carotenoids, which include beta-carotene (may reduce risk of macular degeneration.) The darker orange the squash, the more carotenoids it contains. Both vitamin A and C are antioxidants, compounds which protect our cells from damage caused by free-radicals, reducing risk of cancer and heart disease. Winter squash is a good source of dietary fiber, containing approximately 6 grams per cup. Fiber not only keeps us feeling full for longer, but also improves gut motility, promotes blood sugar control, has a cholesterol lowering effect and protects us from various forms of cancer.

Winter squash is not only packed with health promoting nutrients; it’s also easy to cook, delicious and very versatile. When preparing squash, steaming is one of the fastest and healthiest cooking method. All it takes is four simple steps: halve, de-seed, peel and cube. Squash can also be baked, broiled, roasted, sauteed, boiled or microwaved. When microwaving a whole squash, be sure to puncture the skin in several places with a fork or knife to prevent it from exploding.

This is one of my favorite winter squash recipes. It is tasty, simple to prepare and freezes well. Serve it with a dollop of low fat, plain yogurt for protein and added flavor.

Butternut Squash and Apple Cider Soup

1 butternut squash (1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove peeled, minced garlic
3 slices fresh, peeled ginger
1-14 oz can or box of low sodium vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups apple cider

1. Peel squash with a vegetable peeler (from stem to root) and cut lengthwise with a heavy knife. Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon, cut lengthwise again and then into chunks.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic.
3. Once they have softened (~5 min), add ginger, squash, vegetable broth and cider. Cover and cook over a medium flame for approximately 20 minutes or until the squash is very soft.
4. Remove from heat, uncover and let cool.
5. Puree in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Adjust the thickness with additional cider if desired.

Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN
Bariatric Dietitian
Twitter: LoRoRD

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