Tag: healthy

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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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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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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Dark Hot Cocoa

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Need an excuse to indulge in some hot chocolate? You can thank me later! Chocolate has been consumed as a health food since we started eating. It’s high in antioxidants, flavonoids that help protect your heart, and vitamins and minerals such at magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron and selenium. According to a meta-analysis of 13 studies, consuming chocolate significantly reduced serum triglycerides when compared to a control. Other markers for heart health, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, did not show improved outcomes, but did not show worse outcomes either. So why not eat more chocolate? We typically add lots of fat and sugar to our chocolate. If you’re a chocolate lover, we recommend that you go for 70% cocoa or darker and be mindful of the fat and added sugar!

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Crispy Air Fried Latkes and Applesauce

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Just about every culture that has access to potatoes has some variation of a crispy fried potato cake. Of all the delicious potato cakes around the globe, it’s hard to choose a recipe. However, for potatoes, ‘tis the season for latkes! This recipe utilizes an air fryer, cutting back on excess grease but maintaining the crispy goodness. Latkes are traditionally paired with applesauce, which is incredibly simple to make, and sour cream. Now, if you’re looking to add even more nutrition to this dish, you have to be willing to tamper with the original recipe. Using a 50/50 blend of potato with another veggie such as parsnip or zucchini will add in more fiber, nutrients and cut the carbs for those who need to watch their intake. In addition, replacing sour cream with a 2% plain Greek yogurt will give added protein to balance out the carb-y potato. If you’re hesitant about the transition to Greek yogurt, try full fat first— it’s still lower in fat than sour cream. For 2 tablespoons, Greek yogurt has 1g of fat and sour cream has 5g. They taste the same, I promise!

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Feta Pumpkin Dip

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We’re knee deep in pumpkin season now! There are so many fun types of gourds to try, and you can use any of them in this recipe. Overall, winter squash is an excellent complex carbohydrate, with 2 to 3 grams of fiber per cup and an incredible source of vitamin A. The feta and Greek yogurt add fulfilling protein to this dish as well. This recipe not only makes a satisfying snack when paired with hearty, seed-laden crackers or veggies to dip in it but is also a tasty topping or spread to other dishes like soups, salads or sandwiches.

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Cod with Miso Squash Puree

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If you haven’t already, add miso to your seasoning repertoire! From a culinary standpoint, it is full of rich, savory umami flavor and it’s an excellent addition to sauces, marinades and spreads. But there are potential health benefits to miso as well. Miso paste is a seasoning used throughout East Asia and is known by many names. It’s been a staple for thousands of years, with evidence of its use dating back to around 500 BCE. If it’s been around that long, you know it’s good stuff!

Despite miso’s long history, research on its health benefits is new and few. As a fermented food, it seems to have many of the same health benefits of products we may be more familiar with, such as yogurt. Miso also seems to share many of the health benefits we from soy food, as it’s often made from a combination of soy and rice. It’s rich in isoflavones, which have been shown to help fight cancer and inflammation in the body.  This cozy fall recipe will be a new favorite! 

Serves: 2 

Ingredients: 

Asian Ginger Marinade 

  • 1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon olive or avocado oil 
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or grated (about 1/2”)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 3/4 – 1 pound cod fish fillet 

Butternut Squash Puree 

  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil for roasting the squash
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon white miso
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice

Start by roasting the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim both ends of the butternut squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over the cut side of both halves and sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over them. Place the halves face down on the baking sheet and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until softened. Test with a fork. 

While the squash is roasting, make the fish marinade by combining the maple syrup, low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger and parsley in a small bowl.  

Place the cod into a baking pan just large enough to hold the fish*. Pour the marinade over the fish. Marinate from 30 to 1 hour while the squash is cooking. Once the squash is done scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash into a food processor. You should have about 1 1/2 – 2 cups. 

Process the butternut squash with the butter, miso, and ginger until smooth. Add lemon to taste. Cover to keep warm.  Put the cod into the oven, roast for 8-10 minutes until the fish is just barely cooked through and the edges flake easily with a fork. Don’t overcook. Divide the squash puree between 2 plates, Top with the fish. Spoon a few teaspoons of the pan juices over the fish. 

Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro and microgreens (optional). Makes two servings.

Nutrition Facts:  
Serving size: about 1 cup of squash and 1 fish fillet 
Calories: 314; Fat: 8g; Carbs: 18.3g; Fiber: 2.3g; Protein: 44.9g; Sodium: 677mg

Recipe adapted from https://eatwellenjoylife.com/asian-cod-with-miso-butternut-squash-puree/

Squash Mac ‘N Cheese

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Squash as a pasta sauce base may sound unusual, but this is something community nutrition educator Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, has been serving up for years— and it has yet to be rejected by picky eaters. This is a great way to make a rich, flavorful pasta sauce that is thick and creamy without adding extra saturated fat, and the bright orange color gives the illusion of being extra cheesy, making it irresistible to kids. This sauce is also great for smothering other veggies like broccoli and cauliflower. If you’re looking for a unique way to get more veggies in your diet this fall, you’ve found it! For an extra filling all-in-one meal, try using a pasta made from lentils or chickpeas!

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Sweet and Savory Red Pepper Soup

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Red peppers can make a delicious addition to any meal, but serving them roasted really brings out their sweet, rich flavor. Peppers are an excellent source of many vitamins, such as vitamin A, E, C, B6 and B9, along with minerals such as folate and manganese. The vitamin C in red peppers is something that stands out. Research shows the average red bell pepper has over 300% the daily recommended amount of vitamin C. Compare that to an average orange that has about 90% the daily recommended amount. This high vitamin C content gives red peppers a powerful antioxidative effect, which scientists are researching as a way to alleviate arthritis.  

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Baked Chicken Veronique

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Grape season is here! A choice fruit for late summer, grapes are full of powerful antioxidants. Many of us are familiar with the study that came out years ago that left the media presenting the suggestion that we should drink one glass of red wine a day for our heart health. This is because the powerful antioxidant resveratrol has been shown to help prevent damage to blood vessels and reduce out “bad” cholesterol, known as LDL. However, alcohol is considered a toxin and can be damaging to our health. So how do we get resveratrol in our diet without red wine? Grapes. You can also find it in other fruits, such as blueberries and blackberries. Grapes are a common snack, but most people don’t use them in their cooking. This recipe is a unique sweet and savory way to cook with grapes and get some heart-healthy antioxidants in your system! 

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