Dietitians Dish – June 5, 2023
Taco Tuesday or All Week Menu Ideas
Turkey and Mushroom Tacos
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1-1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 8 oz. finely chopped mushrooms
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 12 whole-wheat tortillas warmed
Directions:
- Combine chili powder, Italian seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Set it aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until brown. Add turkey and cook 5-7 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly. Add seasoning and 3 Tbsp. water to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Top tortillas with turkey and with your favorite taco toppings (lettuce, tomato, salsa, avocado slices, guacamole, shredded cheese, and Greek yogurt or sour cream).
Recipe and image courtesy of HealthyFamilyProject.com.
Dietitians Dish – May 29, 2023
Grill Up a Quick Meal!
The intense heat from grilling makes it easy to cook a great meal quickly. That is especially true if you cut food into smaller pieces before cooking. That’s where kabobs come in as a great meal option. When trying to cook meat more quickly, cut it into smaller pieces and use a skewer. Smaller pieces cook more evenly and faster than a whole piece of meat. One meat that you might not think of cutting up before cooking is pork tenderloin!
As lean as skinless chicken breast, pork tenderloin meets the “extra lean” criteria for the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart Checkmark. This means it contains less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams or less of saturated fat, and 480 milligrams or less of sodium per label serving. Pork is a health-forward choice containing an excellent source of Protein, Niacin, Thiamin, Zinc, Riboflavin, and Vitamins B6 & B12. Add a variety of colorful vegetables to pork tenderloin and you have a health-forward meal that will fuel any summertime activity!
Pork Tenderloin and Veggie Kabobs
- 12 (8-inch) wooden skewers
- 2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil
- 2 tsps. lime zest
- 1-1/2 tsps. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 2 small pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
- 2 orange and/or red bell peppers, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small red onion, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
Directions:
- Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat; soak skewers in water 20 minutes. In medium bowl, whisk lime juice, oil, lime zest, chili powder, salt and black pepper; add pork and toss.
- Alternately thread pork, bell peppers and onion onto skewers. Place skewers on hot grill rack; cover and cook 13 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 145°, turning once.
- Optional: For a more complete meal, serve over a salad mix with slices of avocado and your favorite dressing.
Dietitians Dish – May 22, 2023
Hooray for Red, White, and Blue Foods!
Fruit (such as berries) contains fructose, a natural sugar that doesn’t require insulin to be metabolized. Because of the fructose content, fruit tends to be well-tolerated by people with diabetes. But portion control is still key.
Strawberries – 1-1/4 cup
Blueberries – 3/4 cup
Blackberries – 3/4 cup
Raspberries – 1 cup
Strawberry Blackberry Quinoa with Honey Dressing
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 pkg. (16 ozs.) strawberries
- 2 Tbsps. honey
- 2 Tbsps. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 pkg. (6 ozs.) blackberries
- 3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
Directions:
- Place water and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18-20 minutes or until most water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, hull strawberries and chop. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lemon juice, and salt until blended. Stir honey mixture into quinoa. Fold in strawberries, blueberries, almonds, and mint until evenly blended.
Recipe and Image source Driscolls.com..
Strawberry and Blueberry Watermelon Mint Salad
- 3 Tbsps. sugar
- 3 Tbsps. water
- 1 tsp. grated lime zest
- 1 pkg. (16 ozs.) strawberries
- 3 cups cubed watermelon
- 1 pkg. (6 ozs.) blueberries
- 5-6 Tbsps. large mint leaves
Directions:
- Combine sugar, water, and lime zest in a small saucepan. Heat sugar mixture over
medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Remove sugar mixture from heat.
Allow it to cool as rest of ingredients are prepared. - Hull strawberries. Cut watermelon into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes. Chop mint leaves.
- Combine strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, mint, and sugar mixture in a large serving bowl. Toss salad gently to mix evenly. Serve immediately.
Recipe and Image source Driscolls.com..
Dietitians Dish – May 15, 2023
Add Color and Flavor for Better Nutrition!
Broiled Salmon with Watermelon Avocado Salsa
- 1 cup watermelon juice*
- 4 salmon filets, about 6 ozs. each
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- 2 Tbsps. agave
- 2 Tbsps. soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup seedless watermelon, diced
- 2 large avocados, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 3 green onions chopped
- 2 Tbsps. lime juice
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed, diced
- Dash salt to taste
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, jalapeño, green onions, and cilantro leaves. Whisk to combine, then add the watermelon and avocados to the bowl. Top with crumbled queso fresco. Season to taste with salt and gently toss to combine.
- Preheat the broiler and move a rack to the upper third of the oven.
- Combine the watermelon juice, agave, soy sauce and garlic in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.
- Heat the canola oil in a large, oven-proof, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the salmon and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and repeat on the second side.
- Add the watermelon juice mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly. Turn the salmon to coat it with the sauce, then transfer the pan to the oven. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the salmon begins to get slightly crisp and brown on top.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then transfer to a serving platter. Top with the salsa and additional glaze from the pan. Serve immediately.
Recipe and image courtesy of Watermelon.org.
Dietitians Dish – May 8, 2023
Lower Your Carbon Footprint – Waste Less Food!
Food is a type of organic waste that emits methane gas when broken down. That same methane gas is significantly affecting climate change. Wasting food also squanders the resources used to produce it. The EPA says preventing food waste is one of the easiest and strongest actions you can take to save money and lower your climate change footprint. Search for recipes using food scraps you have left over from other recipes. Start with these delicious recipes that use watermelon rind (without the green skin) and potato peels!
Watermelon Rind Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sliced, peeled watermelon rind with thin layer of pink flesh attached (1-1/2 x 1/4 – inch pieces)
- 12 oz. whole grain fusilli pasta
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Directions:
- Cook fusilli according to package directions, adding watermelon rind in the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking, until pasta is al dente and watermelon rind is tender. Drain and rinse until cold water to stop the cooking process. Cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined.
- In large bowl, toss pasta and watermelon rind with dressing until well coated. Fold in tomatoes, cheese, and basil.
Recipe and Image courtesy of Watermelon.org.
Potato Peel Crisps
- 1 cup potato peels
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. spices (salt-free)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400oF. Wash and dry potatoes well before peeling them. Remove any rotten spots. Use the potatoes in another recipe.
- Spread the peels out in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with oil. Move the peels around so they get coated in oil.
- Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the peels over and cook an additional 5 minutes until crisp and golden. When crisped to your liking, remove the pan from the oven.
- Put the crisped peels into a large bowl and sprinkle on salt and spices. Mix thoroughly to distribute seasonings. Serve as a nutritious alternative to bagged chips!