Dietitians Dish – August 22, 2022

Pantry and Freezer Stock-up Tips

Shopping mindfully and stocking your pantry and freezer full of ready-to-use ingredients is a great way to save money. When you’re not sure what to plan for dinner, having that stock will help avoid costly restaurant prices and long delivery times.
Go to InSeasonezine.com for a variety of easy recipes that you can throw together from pantry and freezer staples!

It’s easy to create a restaurant-quality meal from pantry and freezer stock along with a few key weekly sale items. Create this linguine with scallops and serve it with some steam-in-bag frozen vegetables for a quick weeknight dinner that won’t break the bank!

Spicy Lemon -Basil Linguine with Bay Scallops

1/2 (16 oz.) package linguine
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. bay scallops, thawed and patted dry
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

3 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
2 Tbsps. thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions:

Prepare linguine as label directs; reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Drain linguine; return to saucepot and cover.
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add scallops, garlic, and crushed red pepper (optional); cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, linguine and reserved cooking water; cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.
Serve linguine sprinkled with cheese, if desired, and basil. Makes about 5 cups.

Dietitians Dish – August 15, 2022

Grill Some Seasonal Favorites

Vegetables are often included when planning a menu on the grill. But stone fruits aren’t typically the first thing you consider grilling. Their sweetness intensifies as the natural sugars caramelize. If you don’t try grilled fruit, you’re missing out on something DELICIOUS!

Rather than take a long time cooking a whole pork loin, cut it in cubes and thread it with pieces of seasonal vegetables and fruits for the perfect kabobs. Grill some extra skewers and serve atop a salad for lunch the next day. Eating healthier is simple if you plan your meals and choose to include lots of fruits and veggies.
Kabobs are an easy summertime meal with a variety of flavor combinations.

Honey Pork Tenderloin Kabobs

1/2 cup bourbon
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup mustard
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1-1/2 lb. pork tenderloin (cut into 24 one-inch cubes)

4 peaches (medium ripe, unpeeled, pitted and quartered)
4 green bell peppers (each cut into 8 two-inch pieces)
8 yellow onions (each cut into 4 two-inch pieces)

Directions:

Mix first four ingredients in a bowl; stir well and set glaze aside.
Thread 3 pork cubes, 2 peach quarters, 4 green pepper pieces and 4 onion pieces alternately onto each of eight 10-inch skewers. Brush kabobs with honey glaze mixture.
Lightly oil grill. Grill over medium-hot coals 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated, basting occasionally with glaze.

Recipe adapted from National Pork Board (on Yummly.com)

Dietitians Dish – August 8, 2022

Get Grilling & Chilling this Summer!

Staying hydrated and cool is essential in the summer heat. Eating more fruits and veggies will help, along with drinking enough water. Make them the focal point of meals and snacks. Choose foods with potassium (like cantaloupe) to avoid heat-related muscle cramps. Outdoor grilling will keep your A/C from working overtime while you cook. Kabobs cook quickly. Add pieces of fruit and vegetables to skewers with chunks of meat, seafood, tofu or other meat alternatives. Use portabella mushroom caps to create a burger or pizza. These options take less time to cook than a whole piece of meat, lowering your time in the heat!
Don’t forget to cool down with frozen fruits.
Freeze some pieces of fruit and blend them up for a variety of cool treats.

Blend frozen chunks of fruit into a sorbet.
Blend frozen cantaloupe with 100% OJ for a slushie beverage.
Blend frozen berries and banana with yogurt and 100% juice for a smoothie bowl.

Grilled Garlicky Kale Portobello Pizzas

2 cups packed kale, stemmed & chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 tsp. each of salt & pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
3/4 cup shredded, mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add kale; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Spray both sides of mushroom caps with nonstick cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place mushroom caps, gill side down, on hot grill rack; cover and cook 5 minutes.
Turn mushrooms over; evenly top with sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over sauce; top with kale mixture. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Dietitians Dish – August 1, 2022

Save Money with Simple Prep Skills

Boneless, skinless poultry is expensive these days.
Buy bone-in cuts to save $$, especially when they’re on sale.
Deboning is easier than you think. You just need a sharp knife or kitchen shears and a few extra minutes. Plus, a quick video with step-by-step instructions.
TIP: Be sure to debone before freezing to save you time later.

Once your chicken is deboned & skinned, try the oven-baked “fried” chicken recipe below. Then, use any leftover chicken in a delicious Korean lettuce wrap! Scan the QR code or go to InSeasonezine.com for the recipe.

Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

7 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 Tbsps. cayenne pepper sauce
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp. paprika
1-1/8 teaspoons salt
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 container (6 ounces) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsps. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

In medium bowl, whisk 6 garlic cloves, buttermilk and 1 Tbsp. hot sauce. Add chicken; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 425°. Line rimmed baking pan with wire rack; spray with cooking spray. In medium bowl, whisk flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Remove chicken from marinade, and discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp. salt and remaining 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture; place on prepared rack and spray with cooking spray. Roast chicken 30 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°.
In small bowl, stir yogurt, onions, lemon juice, and remaining 1 garlic clove, 1 Tbsp. hot sauce and 1/8 tsp. salt. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Serve 4 chicken thighs with yogurt mixture; cool remaining 4 chicken thighs, wrap with aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 4 days.

Dietitians Dish – July 25, 2022

Quick Dinners to Beat the Summer Heat

Grilling is a great way to beat the heat from cooking indoors. If you don’t have the time or equipment to grill there are plenty of options for quick cooking meals. Using more pantry staples which don’t need to be cooked is a great option to cut down on time. Even if you end up cooking, use the stovetop and cut any meats into smaller pieces so they cook quicker.

Whether you prep ahead by chopping vegetables and salad greens,
or buy convenience items already prepped and packaged, you’ll save time on busy nights if you have some of the prep work completed in advance.

Thai Pork Salad

1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch strips (about 1-1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup pad Thai sauce
1 bag (10.5 ounces) Asian chopped salad kit

Directions:

Prepare rice as label directs.
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add pork and cook 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sauce; cook 2 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 145°, stirring frequently.
In large bowl, prepare salad kit as label directs; add rice and toss. Serve pork over salad. Makes about 7 cups.

Smart Swap – Replace the pad Thai sauce with salsa and the Asian salad kit with a Southwest salad kit to create a fiesta of flavors. Double the recipe ingredients for a larger group but keep the amount of pork the same while adding canned corn and black beans (rinsed and drained). They’ll give you more servings and nutritional bang for your buck!