Dietitian's Dish
 

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Dietitians Dish – March 29, 2021

Spring Transitions Mean a Fusion of Frozen & Fresh

Although March is coming to an end, it’s the beginning of the transition to all things SPRING! Frozen foods will still be essential to keep on hand for a quick, nutritious meal. So, before all the deals of Frozen Food Month end… STOCK UP!Frozen Food Month

But, don’t forget to enjoy Spring produce. In season is when they’re at their lowest prices and most flavorful. It’s a great time to buy some extra to freeze! Just blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water, then switching them to an ice bath. This process stops them from over-ripening and going to waste. Asparagus, a springtime favorite, offers a healthy addition to any menu. They’re a good source of Vitamins A & C, high in folate, and low in calories – with no fat, sodium or cholesterol! It is also high in fiber and chromium, which benefits the heart and blood sugar management. Chromium enhances insulin’s ability to move glucose from the blood into cells to make energy.

Help your health by taking asparagus beyond side dish status – add it to salads, mix it with other roasted vegetables, or even top a pizza!

Grilled Veggie Pizza

Grilled Veggie Pizza

  • 6 medium Roma tomatoes
  • 6 mini sweet peppers, cut into 1-in. strips
  • 1-1/2 Tbsps. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 6 asparagus spears
  • Yellow cornmeal for sprinkling
  • All-purpose flour for dusting
  • 1 (8- to 10-ounce) frozen pizza dough ball, thawed
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • Cherry tomatoes, cut in half (optional)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°. In large bowl, toss tomatoes and peppers with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper; transfer to rimmed baking pan. Roast 35 to 40 minutes or until the tomato and pepper skins are browned.
  • Meanwhile, heat small saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add asparagus; return water to boiling and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until tender-crisp. Transfer asparagus to bowl filled with ice water; cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces.
  • Prepare outdoor grill for indirect grilling over medium heat (about 400°). Sprinkle bottom of rimmed baking pan with cornmeal. Lightly flour work surface; place dough on prepared surface. With rolling pin, roll dough to 12-inch round; carefully transfer onto pan over cornmeal. With fork, poke dough several times to vent; slide dough onto center of hot grill rack. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until bottom of crust is browned, rotating once halfway through cooking; transfer crust back to baking pan.
  • In small bowl, stir garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Leaving 1-inch border, with back of spoon, spread garlic mixture over crust; squeeze tomatoes over pizza. Top with squeezed tomatoes, peppers and asparagus. Slide pizza onto hot grill rack. Cover and cook 3 minutes; top with cheese and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until edges of pizza are golden brown and cheese melts, moving pizza crust if necessary to prevent crust from burning. Top with cherry tomatoes, if desired. Transfer to cutting board; cut into 8 slices to serve.

 

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Dietitians Dish – March 22, 2021

Holiday meals often mean cooking too much and having leftovers.

You may have too much Easter ham or mashed potatoes left after the meal, and are looking for ideas to avoid wasting what is left. While I love the idea of nothing going to waste, it’s hard to want to just reheat the same exact meal the next day. BORING!

Frozen Food Month

Holiday meals often mean cooking too much and having leftovers.

It’s a great option for using up leftover mashed potatoes. Even if you don’t have leftovers, grabbing some prepared mashed potatoes is a great shortcut to this amazingly simple dinner option. Plus, gnocchi are versatile enough that you can add a favorite sauce or veggies. If you’ve got some leftover asparagus or frozen veggies on hand, be sure to add them for a nutritional boost!

Shortcut Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage

Shortcut Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage

  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
  • 1 package (24 ounces) prepared mashed potatoes
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 2 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice
  • 1-1/2 Tbsps. chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

  • Line rimmed baking pan with parchment paper; dust with flour. In food processor, pulse potatoes, eggs and flour 20 times or until mixture just comes together.
  • Heat large saucepot of salted water to a boil over high heat. On lightly floured work surface, knead potato mixture 30 seconds or until a smooth dough forms, dusting with additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking; divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll 1 piece of dough into 1/2-inch-thick log; cut log crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Gently roll a fork over each gnocchi; transfer to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining 3 pieces of dough. Makes about 150 gnocchi.
  • In large skillet, cook butter over medium heat 5 minutes or just until butter begins to brown, stirring frequently. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice, sage and pepper; cover to keep warm.
  • In 2 batches, add gnocchi to boiling water; cook 3 minutes or until gnocchi float to the top, stirring occasionally.
  • With slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with brown butter and toss. OPTIONAL: Make it a more nutritionally complete dish by adding sautéed, roasted, or steamed vegetables. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

 

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Dietitians Dish – March 15, 2021

Personalize Your Plate

For foods which may be out-of-season, stocking up on frozen items can fill the gaps. Flash freezing locks in their nutrients and quality, while eliminating much of the prep and minimizing food waste at home. With springtime officially on the horizon, are you looking ahead to enjoying the fresh flavors that come with seasonal fruits and vegetables. The convenience of frozen foods helps get a tasty meal on the table quickly.

Frozen Food Month
During National Nutrition Month® gain more skills to create tasty meals:

  • Keep healthful ingredients on hand.
  • Practice proper home food safety. (Learn more at Eatright.org/homefoodsafety)
  • Share meals together as a family whenever possible.
  • Reduce food waste.
  • Try new flavors and foods.
Try this fusion of fresh, frozen and pantry ingredients for a flavorful family dinner that’s on the table in 30 minutes.

Spring Pasta Primavera with Turkey

Spring Pasta Primavera with Turkey

  • 8 oz. spaghetti
  • 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-1/2-in. pieces
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1-1/4 lbs. turkey breast cutlets, cut in slices
  • 1/2 tsp. each of salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 medium leek, thinly sliced crosswise (white & light green parts)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2/3 cup carrot slices, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  • Heat large saucepot of water to boiling over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook as label directs, adding asparagus and peas during last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and vegetables; return to saucepot and cover to keep warm.
  • Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle turkey with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Add turkey and cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. With tongs, transfer turkey to bowl; cover to keep warm.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add leek to same skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add carrots and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and reserved cooking water; heat to simmering and simmer 2 minutes. Add turkey and simmer 1-2 minutes longer or until internal temperature of turkey reaches 165°; remove from heat. Stir in half the basil, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper.
  • Pour vegetable mixture over pasta mixture and toss until well combined. Serve immediately sprinkled with cheese and remaining basil.

Recipe and image source: Inseasonezine.com

 

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Dietitians Dish – March 8, 2021

Fast & Nutritious Meals with Frozen Foods

You don’t need to shop the prepared meals and frozen meals section of the store to get a quick, nutritious meal on the table. It just takes a little planning and prep before mealtime. Planning ahead also helps to prevent food waste and save money.

Frozen Food Month

  • Choose recipes and a list of meal ideas to prepare for the week.
  • Check the fridge, freezer and pantry to see what items you already have on hand.
  • Plan a weekly menu for what to eat at school, work and home.
  • Create a grocery list with all ingredients needed for menu meals and healthy snacks.
When you’re shopping, stock up on frozen items like vegetables, pasta, and fruit that can be combined into a variety of quick meals and snacks that are good-for-you. If you’ve got 5 ingredients on-hand similar to the ones in this Tortellini Skillet Dinner recipe, and 20 minutes to get dinner on the table, this pasta dinner is for you. It offers simple preparation and clean-up which is perfect when you’re pressed for time!

Tortellini Skillet Dinner

Tortellini Skillet Dinner

Directions:

  • Tortellini: In large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini; reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 4 minutes or until tortellini is thawed, stirring occasionally.
  • Pasta Sauce: Stir 1 (24-ounce) jar creamy vodka pasta sauce into skillet; increase heat to medium-high and heat to a boil.
  • Broccoli: Add 3 cups frozen broccoli to skillet; cook 3 minutes or until broccoli is thawed, stirring occasionally.
  • Chicken: Add 1-1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast meat to skillet; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is heated through, stirring frequently.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Place oven rack 6 inches from source of heat; preheat broiler to high. Sprinkle tortellini mixture with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; broil 2 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Recipe and image source: Inseasonezine.com

 

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Dietitians Dish – March 1, 2021

Renew Your Focus During…

Personalize Your Plate

If you made plans to improve your wellness in 2021 but feel like you got off-track, now is a great time to renew your focus! Everywhere you turn during March there are National Nutrition Month® AND Frozen Food Month campaigns offering wellness messages and recipe ideas. Draw inspiration from them.

Frozen Food Month
This week, focus on eating a variety of nutritious foods each day!

  • Include healthful foods from ALL food groups.
  • Learn how to read Nutrition Facts Panels.
  • Avoid distractions while eating & take time to enjoy your food.
  • Hydrate healthfully.
Have you felt sluggish and tired this winter? The dry environment caused by heating systems during winter can take its toll. It’s important to drink enough and make healthful beverage choices (without too many calories, added sugars or caffeine). Did you know that fruits and vegetables can help you hydrate? That doesn’t just mean juice either! Broccoli is 89% water and only has 31 calories in a 1-cup serving.
This side dish makes it easy to include a few different food groups, in a flavorful way. What a tasty way to enjoy some broccoli!

Garlicky Pesto – Broccoli Rice

Garlicky Pesto Broccoli Rice

Directions:

  • Long Grain White Rice: Prepare 1 cup dry long grain white rice as label directs.
  • Pine Nuts: In large skillet, toast 1/3 cup pine nuts over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring frequently; transfer to plate to cool.
  • Broccoli: Cut 1 medium head broccoli into florets. In food processor, pulse broccoli until small pieces remain. Heat large skillet over medium heat; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add broccoli; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Garlic: Mince 2 garlic cloves; add garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
  • Pesto: Remove skillet from heat; fold in 1/2 cup prepared pesto, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and rice. Serve rice sprinkled with pine nuts. Makes about 4 cups.

Recipe and image source: Inseasonezine.com