Dietitians Dish – March 07, 2022
Convenient Meals at Home!
Sometimes, the simplest of meals happen when we put a bigger focus on grains and veggies. Pantry staples can be wholesome and convenient. Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables offer valuable nutrients and can be time-savers. Simple and convenient meal ideas are stuffed peppers and hearty salads. Peppers can be filled with a variety of textures and flavors. Salad kits can be topped with extra ingredients to make a complete meal. A great recipe or a little imagination can go a long way towards a meal that tastes better than take-out!
Greek Stuffed Peppers
- 1 cup pearled farro, rinsed and drained
- OR 1/2 cup whole grain brown rice (optional swap)
- 2 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1/2-pound lean ground turkey
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped eggplant
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian style diced tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 . Prepare farro (or brown rice) as label directs.
- Place bell peppers, cut side up, on rimmed baking pan. In large skillet, cook turkey over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until browned, breaking up turkey with side of spoon; with slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
- In same skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add eggplant; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes with juice; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, farro and turkey.
- Fill bell peppers with farro mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until peppers are tender.
Turkey Taco Salad
- 4 (10-inch) burrito flour tortillas
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 3/4 cup enchilada sauce plus additional for serving (optional)
- 1 bag (11.5 ounces) Southwest chopped salad kit
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F; turn 4 (20-ounce) ramekins upside-down on rimmed baking pan. Spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray; lay over ramekins, pressing sides of tortillas down around ramekins. Bake tortillas 12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp; let stand 5 minutes.
- In large skillet, cook turkey over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until browned, breaking up turkey with side of spoon; stir in enchilada sauce and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
- In large bowl, prepare salad kit as label directs; serve in tortilla bowls topped with turkey, avocado and enchilada sauce, if desired.
Dietitians Dish – February 28, 2022
Let Nothing go to Waste!
Planning a menu around items on sale and uses for any leftovers is a great strategy to save money and stay on track with healthier choices. If you have a plan, you’ll be less likely to get to the late afternoon and face the question of “What’s for dinner tonight?”. That makes the costly option of take-out too real. To stay on track with intentions you set for 2022, try to create a weekly menu that makes use of leftovers in a new way. Don’t just reheat or serve them the same way for a second meal. Upcycling leftovers in a new way keeps things more exciting and may help you stick with a weekly menu. Add this vibrant, flavorful salad to this week’s menu and then use any leftovers blended with a few other ingredients as a smoothie for breakfast the next day. You’ll feel full of energy with this nutritious start to the morning!
Kiwi, Clementine and Blackberry Salad
- 1/2 cup unsalted pepitas
- 1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsps. raw honey
- 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
- 1 tsp. poppy seeds
- 3 clementines, peeled and separated
- 2 kiwis, peeled and thinly sliced crosswised
- 4-1/2 cups spring mix salad greens
- 1-1/2 cups halved blackberries
Directions:
- In large skillet, toast pepitas over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring frequently; transfer to plate to cool.
- In large bowl, whisk yogurt, lemon juice, honey, oil and poppy seeds; fold in clementines, kiwis, spring mix and blackberries. Makes about 6 cups.
- Transfer 2 cups salad and 2 tablespoons pepitas to zip-top plastic bag; freeze overnight or up to 1 month.
- Serve remaining salad sprinkled with remaining 6 tablespoons pepitas.
Winter Kiwi, Clementine and Blackberry Smoothie
- 1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
- 2 cups frozen leftover Kiwi, Clementine & Blackberry Salad
- 1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut water
- 1-1/2 Tbsps. honey
Directions:
- Purée all ingredients in a blender on high until smooth. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.
Dietitians Dish – February 21, 2022
Achieve Plant-entions with Simple Additions
If your intentions for 2022 included adding more fruits, veggies or other plant-based foods, sheet pan meals are one easy way to accomplish it! You can easily add diced up fruits and vegetables to a sheet pan with smaller portions of protein and then serve up a side of whole grains to round out the meal.
Meal Planning Tip:
Cook up a large batch of a grain such as brown rice or quinoa for the first meal and then plan other meals during the week to use up the leftovers. It’ll cut down on cook time for those later week meals!
Cook up a large batch of a grain such as brown rice or quinoa for the first meal and then plan other meals during the week to use up the leftovers. It’ll cut down on cook time for those later week meals!
This yummy recipe for pork and apples serves 4 and takes just 25 minutes to roast. The only hands on time is about 15 minutes of prep work! If you can’t find the acorn squash, swap for yams and dice them into smaller pieces to reduce their cook time.
Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin and Apples
- 1-1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin
- 2 tsps. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 large apple, cored and chopped
- 1/2 medium acorn squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 . Line rimmed baking pan with foil; spray with cooking spray and place pork on pan. In small bowl, stir cinnamon and paprika. Brush all sides of pork with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- In large bowl, toss garlic, apple, squash, onion, cherries, remaining cinnamon mixture and 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; spread on pan around pork. Roast 25 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 145 and vegetable mixture is tender. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing.
For this and other recipes, check out inseasonezine.com.
Dietitians Dish – February 14, 2022
Healthier Sweets for your Heart!
Whether you’re showing your sweetheart some love or just enjoying some “sweet” heart protection, eating more fruits and vegetables reduces risks for heart disease. A variety of preliminary research is identifying berries as an essential fruit group in a heart-healthy diet. They’re high in fiber, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and polyphenols. These nutrients tend to benefit heart health because they help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, plus reduce oxidative stress.
Watermelon even has a nutrient profile earning it the American Heart Association’s Heart Check Mark. Along with many heart-protective nutrients, it contains magnesium (which steadies heartbeat) and phosphorus (which has a role in the heart’s electrical activity). Create some fun with fruit and enjoy a sweet way to love your heart!
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
- 2 pints strawberries
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Neufchatel cream cheese
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 5-6 vanilla wafer cookies (~3 Tbsp. crumbs)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 . Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse half the cauliflower 10 times or to rice-like consistency. (You should have about 6 cups.) Transfer cauliflower to large microwave-safe bowl. Repeat with remaining cauliflower.
- Add water to cauliflower; cover bowl with plastic wrap; heat in microwave oven on high 12 minutes or until very tender. Uncover; let stand 30 minutes. Place cauliflower in clean kitchen towel; squeeze until very dry.
- In same bowl, stir steamed cauliflower, garlic, egg whites, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, oil, salt and black pepper.
- Press cauliflower mixture into 14-inch circle on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 24 minutes or until browned. Add preferred toppings and cook 7-10 more minutes.
Dietitians Dish – February 7, 2022
Go the Distance with Pizza!
Whether you’re celebrating the Big Game or Valentine’s Day, these recipes are sure to please. Forget the buffet of unhealthy game-day foods or elaborate, calorie-filled Valentine’s meal with your sweetheart. Simplify your celebrations and enjoy some twists on a favorite food – PIZZA! These better-for-you pizzas are so full of flavor you won’t be disappointed! Start with a thin & crispy cauliflower crust. Then, add whatever toppings you prefer. Or make mini versions in a muffin tin. Both lend themselves to a variety of topping combinations!And don’t forget dessert – these sweet recipes are available on InSeasonezine.com.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- 1 medium head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-1/2 tsps. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 . Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse half the cauliflower 10 times or to rice-like consistency. (You should have about 6 cups.) Transfer cauliflower to large microwave-safe bowl.
Repeat with remaining cauliflower. - Add water to cauliflower; cover bowl with plastic wrap; heat in microwave oven on high 12 minutes or until very tender. Uncover; let stand 30 minutes. Place cauliflower in clean kitchen towel; squeeze until very dry.
- In same bowl, stir steamed cauliflower, garlic, egg whites, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, oil, salt and black pepper.
- Press cauliflower mixture into 14-inch circle on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 24 minutes or until browned. Add preferred toppings and cook 7-10 more minutes.
Cauliflower Pizza Cups
- 1 large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
- 2 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 2 tsps. no salt added Italian seasoning
- 24 slices turkey pepperoni, chopped
- 1/2 cup low sodium marinara pasta sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 . Liberally spray 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In food processor, pulse half the cauliflower 10 times or to rice-like consistency;
transfer to large microwave-safe bowl (you should have about 6 cups). Repeat with remaining cauliflower. - Heat cauliflower in microwave oven on high 8 minutes or until tender; stir in eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning and of the pepperoni. Heat cauliflower mixture in microwave oven on high 2 minutes; stir.
- Firmly press cauliflower mixture into prepared cups; with back of spoon, make small well in center of each. Bake cups 18 minutes or until browned; add sauce, mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 of the pepperoni. Bake cups 10 minutes or until cheese melts; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Cool cups in pan 5 minutes; remove cups and serve sprinkled with parsley, if desired.