Dietitians Dish – September 4, 2023
Appeal of Apples!
| • Weight management | • Heart health | • Immune system support | • Brain support |
| • Gut health | • Lung protection | • Diabetes management | • Cancer prevention |
may be key to unlocking better health.
These 5-ingredient or less options make a great start to the morning, or a tasty lunch, snack, or dessert!
Apple-Peanut Butter Breakfast Nachos
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/3 cup creamy unsalted peanut butter
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 medium Fuji or Gala apples
- 1/2 cup granola
- 1/4 cup sweetened dried cherries
Directions:
- In small skillet, toast coconut flakes over medium heat for 3 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring frequently. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter and warm water.
- Cut 2 medium Fuji or Gala apples into quarters; remove cores and slice 1/8-inch thick. On a serving plate, layer half the apples and drizzle with peanut butter mixture; repeat layers.
- Sprinkle granola over nachos. Then, sprinkle cherries and toasted coconut over nachos. Makes about 5 cups (4 servings).
Apple Cookies
Core and slice apples horizontally. Top with creamy nut or seed butter, granola, and mini chocolate chips.
A Healthy & Delicious Treat!
Dietitians Dish – August 28, 2023
Batch Cooking Saves Time
Batch cooking is one type of prep that goes a long way for busy weeknight meals.
This batch cooked chicken using a slow cooker is great for weekend meal prep.Once they’re cooked, you can dice or shred up the chicken breasts and portion out (and freeze) for other recipes. Individual recipe portions can be frozen in separate freezer-safe, zip-top plastic bags and stored for up to three months. Just be sure to label the bags with the contents, portion size and date.
These and other delicious recipe ideas featuring pre-cooked chicken are available on InSeasonezine.com. This is also a great option if you’re cooking for a large group!
Batch Slow Cooker Chicken
Ingredients:
- 6-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10 chicken breasts)
- 2 tsps. garlic powder
- 2 tsps. ground black pepper
- 2 tsps. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 cups less-sodium chicken broth
Directions:
- Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic powder, pepper, onion powder and salt.
- In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, add chicken and broth; cover and cook on high 3-1/2 hours or low 7 hours or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°.
- Transfer 2 chicken breasts to cutting board; chop. Transfer remaining chicken to large bowl; with 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces. Makes 4 cups chopped chicken and 9-1/2 cups shredded chicken.
Tuscan Chicken Skillet Pasta
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
- 1/2 (16-ounce) package linguine
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- In a large, high-sided skillet, add pasta and 2½ cups water, heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, spinach, salt, pepper, and chicken; cover and cook 8 minutes or until pasta is al dente and sauce has thickened.
- Stir in cheese; serve garnished with basil and cheese, if desired. Makes about 6 cups.
Dietitians Dish – August 21, 2023
Watermelon – Not Just a Summertime Food!
It’s an all-year-round, nutritious pick that makes a refreshing snack, dessert, or meal ingredient. Each bite delivers vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients. Turns out that vitamin A (8% DV), vitamin B6 (8% DV), vitamin C (25% DV), potassium (6% DV), magnesium (6% DV), thiamin (8% DV) and phosphorus (2% DV) found in watermelon support whole-body wellness.
When watermelon is added to fish or seafood, the result can be a nutrient powerhouse! Beneficial nutrients in fish and seafood can help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve sleep and overall wellness. They make a quick meal ingredient since most types of fish and seafood cook in about 15 minutes.
Fish Tacos with Watermelon Guacamole
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups diced watermelon
- 2 medium avocados, peeled & chopped
- 2 Tbsps. lime juice
- 2 tsps. diced jalapeno pepper
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (4-oz.) can diced green chilis, drained
- 1-1/2 lbs. cod
- Dash of chili powder
- Dash of salt
- 14 corn tortillas
- 3-4 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage & carrot)
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 cup diced watermelon
Directions:
- Guacamole: In a medium bowl, mash avocado to a mix of smooth and chunky. Add lime, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, and chilies and mix thoroughly. Add watermelon and salt (if desired) and toss. Cover and refrigerate to let flavors blend.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place cod on sheet and sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Bake for 12-20 minutes (depending on thickness of fish) or until barely cooked through. Remove from oven and cut into pieces.
- Heat tortillas on a grill or griddle. Top each with a few pieces of fish, 1/4 cup cabbage mixture, a heaping spoonful of guacamole, a Tbsp. of salsa, and a few pieces of diced watermelon.
Recipe and image courtesy of Watermelon.org.
Dietitians Dish – August 14, 2023
Back to School Mood Boosters
With all the stress and changes to adjust to be sure to fuel up with healthier items. There are a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals that can help improve one’s mood.
Try packing some of these foods in your kiddos’ lunches (or your own)!
Fatty fish and shrimp are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and can cross directly into the brain giving an almost immediate boost in mood.
Dark Chocolate contains natural serotonin, antioxidants, and mood boosting flavonoids.
Chia seeds contain magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, micronutrients, protein, and fiber in a tiny package. A diet low in magnesium can contribute to physical weakness and feelings of depression.
Blueberry-Banana Chia Seed Muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In medium bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, sugar, oat flour, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In large bowl, whisk eggs, bananas, and oil until combined; stir in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in blueberries and divide into the prepared muffin cups; sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake muffins 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean; cool 10 minutes in pan. Makes 12 muffins.
Dietitians Dish – August 7, 2023
Sweeten Your Summer – with Peaches
If you don’t like the simplicity of raw, fresh produce as a snack, add them to your meals. Try grilling peaches! Their sweetness is intensified when they are grilled, which is also true of many types of fruits.
Instead of biting into a ripe, juicy peach, cut it into wedges and grill it, then add them to a salad. There’s a great wellness combination when served with pork. Peaches provide 6% of Vitamin A and 15% of Vitamin C that your body needs daily. They also contain Vitamins E & K, niacin, folate, iron, choline, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and copper. Pork contains many of the same nutrients just in larger amounts. Try these recipes to power up with pork and peaches!
Grilled Bone – In Pork Chops
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 8 bone-in pork chops (half inch thick; about 3 ounces each)
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 3 peaches (ripe, firm, pitted, and cut in wedges)
Directions:
- Begin by making the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, vinegar, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Remove half to make sauce later.
- Place pork chops in a resealable plastic bag with the marinade. Place the plastic bag in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Remove the pork chops from the bag and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork chops on the center of the grill grate, then place peach wedges cut sides down around the outer edge. Cook pork chops until they release from the grill, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes. Grill peaches just until grill marks have formed and flip to grill both sides. Cook the pork chops to an internal temperature of 145°F and let rest for 3 minutes. Use grilled peach wedges in the arugula and peach salad recipe shown below.
Arugula and Peach Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsps. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cups loosely packed baby arugula
- Grilled peach wedges (from above recipe)
Directions:
- In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and thyme leaves. Whisk in the oil next.
- Add the baby arugula and peach wedges. Gently toss until evenly coated. Serve with grilled pork chops.
Recipes (adapted) and images from Yummly.