Category: Recipes

Dijon Chicken

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Mustard is an underrated spice! We are used to a squeeze on a July Fourth bratwurst or spread on a classic turkey sandwich. But when was the last time you cooked with it? Whole mustard seed is used often in dishes across the Mediterranean to the Middle East and into India, often using the whole seeds toasted in oil to bring out their aromatic flavors. Dijon mustard is used quite a bit in French cooking as well. Try this mustard chicken recipe as a new way to use up that jar. If you’re feeling extra spicy, pair it with some sauteed mustard greens. —Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, community nutrition educator, Tevis Center for Wellness
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MIND Mussels

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Have you heard of the MIND diet? This is an eating pattern that combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,) two of the most popular eating patterns for good health, and with heaps of research to back it up. The MIND diet has been specifically researched to see the impact that is has on the health of our, you guessed it, mind! This includes research on conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and general cognitive decline associated with aging.

A high intake of veggies, fruit, whole grains and legumes, along with lean proteins, healthy fats like those found in cold water fish and some nuts and seeds, and reduced sodium and saturated fat are the hallmarks of this eating pattern. Try this MIND diet recipe and make it a meal with some crusty whole grain bread and lots of veggies. —Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, community nutrition educator, Tevis Center for Wellness

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Tuscan Saucy Beans 

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It’s time to embrace our heart health! Show your heart the love it deserves by staying active and eating a healthy, balanced diet. This includes plenty of plant-based foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes; lean proteins like fish, skinless poultry and low-fat dairy; and heart-healthy fats, which include olive oil, avocado oil, and whole nuts and seeds. The American Heart Association has an excellent example of what a healthy plate could include: The Deliciously Balanced Plate (heart.org) If you want to include more heart-healthy foods on your plate, this recipe comes together in 10 minutes and makes an excellent lunch or dinner. Serve with some veggies or crusty bread. –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator

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Iron Boost Borscht

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January is National Blood Donation Month! This time of year, we encourage anyone who can donate blood to do so. It’s also soup season, and this recipe celebrates both! Many people get turned away from making a donation because they have low iron levels in their blood. Low iron can manifest a variety of symptoms such low energy, pale appearance, difficulty focusing or difficulty regulating body temperature.

Certain populations are at higher risk of developing iron deficiencies include those who menstruate or are pregnant, children and infants, frequent blood donors, and people with heart failure or cancer. This recipe includes two iron-rich foods, beets and beef. You can get even more iron in this meal by cooking it in a cast iron Dutch oven. 

Interested in donating blood? Here are the requirements for blood donations from the American Red Cross: Blood Donation Eligibility Requirements | Red Cross Blood Services  –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator

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Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

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Squash season is here! This is a great recipe that can help sneak in some additional vegetables onto the dinner plate, and you can substitute any winter squash in this recipe. Try it with pumpkin, acorn squash, honeynut, delicatas or really any mystery gourd at the farm stand. Side note: You can eat any winter squash, which is always my excuse to buy some fun gourds!

Winter squash is a great source of many vitamins and minerals but it’s a great source of beta carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A. Winter squashes are also high in vitamin C, B6, magnesium and fiber.  –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator

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Perfectly Roasted Eggplant

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Eggplant can be a challenging vegetable to cook. If it’s not cooked right, you get the equivalent to an oil-soaked chunk of memory foam, but cooked correctly, you get the most savory, soft, creamy vegetable you could imagine. Eggplant is also a great vegetable to add to your diet because its nutrient dense with about 3 grams of fiber for 1 cup, an excellent source of potassium, and the skin is rich in anthocyanins, which can help reduce inflammation, and may help improve cardiovascular health. I strongly encourage you to try eggplant, and this is a great starter recipe. –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator

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Light Lemon Cod

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We hear a lot of talk about omega 3 fatty acids and salmon, but cod is another excellent source of these heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids. Cod has a soft but firm texture, and a mild flavor that has a hint of sweet to it. It’s also a great lean protein and an excellent source of B12. Cod also tends to be a lower mercury fish. If you have concerns about the contaminants in your fish, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does provide a watch list for recreationally caught fish, which are linked below. –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator

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Coconut-Lime Overnight Oats

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Here is a convenient, grab-and-go breakfast recipe with a fresh flavor. Overnights oats can be made with any flavors, fruits, nuts, seeds or nut butters, but however you flavor it, the combination of fiber-rich rolled oats and protein-dense Greek yogurt will keep you full and satiated all morning and help bring stable energy (and blood sugar) to the start of your day! If you’re looking to change this recipe into a healthy, hearty dessert, top it off with a crushed graham cracker or two crushed Biscoff cookies. —Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, community nutrition educator at the Tevis Center for Wellness

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Chicken with Rhubarb Sauce

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Although in the culinary would its often treated as a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable! And, as a vegetable, it has many health benefits; it’s rich in nutrients and a good source of fiber. Rhubarb originated from the western parts of China and has been used in traditional medicines for hundreds of years. Contemporary research shows that rhubarb has a host of health benefits. It has anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties, and it also has an impact on gut health. Not only does it have anti-microbial properties that help fight bad bacteria, such as H. pylori (the cause of stomach ulcers), but also helps to feed the good bacteria in our intestine while also strengthening the mucosal lining of the intestine. Learn more about rhubarb here. –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN

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Chicken Caprese Burger with Spinach Pesto

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As the weather continues to get warmer, you may find yourself craving a meal that feels light and fresh, but still satisfying and full of flavor. This Chicken Caprese Burger with Spinach Pesto is just the thing to make. Use lean ground chicken to cut down of the saturated fat that contributes to high cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease, while also including an extra nutrition boost by adding spinach into the pesto. You could also use other greens like kale, chard, beet greens or even peas! –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN

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