Dietitians Dish – August 2, 2021

Beat the Heat… Get Grilling!

Grilling is a great option for cooking foods using a minimal amount of added fat. The heat of the grill browns the outside of the food, sealing in rich flavors. Using direct or indirect heat, almost any food can be grilled including lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, tofu, vegetables and fruits. Get creative by utilizing skewers, grill-top baskets and foil-packets.

Fruits and vegetables can boost the flavors of any meal.

Add mashed berries or avocado slices onto a grilled cheese sandwich. Dice some grilled berries, watermelon or stone fruits, and add to pasta salad. For breakfast or a snack, serve grill peaches filled with oatmeal, cottage cheese or yogurt.

Grilled Avocado

Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat.
Slice in half and remove pits.
Drizzle with olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
Grill cut side down for 3-4 minutes.

Grilled Mango

Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat.
Cut the cheeks off of the mango and into slices.
Brush with oil and honey, if needed.
Grill flesh side down for 1-2 minutes. Flip and grill 1-2 minutes more.

Mango and Avocado Chutney

Ingredients

2 firm, ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and diced
2 firm, ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
2 Tbsps. serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsps. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend. Serve with grilled fish, seafood, or chicken.

Recipe adapted from National Mango Board (Mango.org)

Dietitians Dish – July 26, 2021

Food as Medicine…

What has been a trendy term is now getting mainstream attention. Doctors are prescribing healthy diets loaded with fruits and veggies instead of medications. Insurance companies are giving vouchers for fresh food purchases. Nutrients in foods are being evaluated to determine which may help to manage health conditions, prevent health problems from developing, and boost immunity. Shifting to a few meals each week that are plant-based, can have a significant benefit on a healthy lifestyle, as long as you’re making nutrient-rich choices. Fruits and vegetables as a whole offer a variety of benefits.

Grilled Watermelon and Pork Kebobs Mushrooms offer many vitamins, minerals and micronutrients with very low calories and some protein. Their umami flavor and variety of nutrients, along with their known benefits are what make choosing mushrooms a win-win.

Sheet Pan Mushroom Fajitas

2 medium onions, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
2 large bell peppers, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
2 large portabella mushroom caps, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
6 (6-inch) tortillas
Optional toppings: avocado, salsa, hot sauce, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce and/or cabbage, shredded cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl toss together onions, peppers, and mushrooms with oil and spices. Distribute on the large baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until veggies are soft to fork and slightly browned at the edges.
Heat tortillas in a hot pan over medium heat, if desired. Divide the portobello mushroom fajita mixture into 6 tortillas. Garnish with cilantro. Optional: Serve with salsa, avocado, shredded cheese, shredded cabbage, and a squeeze of lime.

Recipe Source: The Mushroom Council

Dietitians Dish – July 19, 2021

Refreshing fruits and veggies!

You don’t have to sip a beverage to stay hydrated. Lots of produce are high in water content. During the hot summer weather, consuming lots of fresh fruits and vegetables can offer true refreshment and much needed hydration. Whether you sip or chew your way to staying hydrated, there are plenty of tasty options to accomplish it.
The lists below contain foods with 70% or higher water content.

90-99%

Cantaloupe
Strawberries
Watermelon
Lettuce
Cabbage
Celery
Spinach
Squash (Cooked)

80-89%

Apples
Grapes
Oranges
Carrots
Broccoli (Cooked)
Pears
Pineapple

70-79%

Bananas
Avocados
Potato (Baked)
Corn (Cooked)
Shrimp

Have a summer cookout and hydrate your guests with some of these flavorful foods in a unique way!

Grilled Watermelon and Pork Kebobs

6 Tbsps. brown sugar
6 Tbsps. soy sauce
6 Tbsps. diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsps. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground thyme

Dash of pepper, to taste
1 lb. lean pork chop, cut into 1” cubes
32 cubes watermelon (1”)
16-24 zucchini rounds (1/2”)
16 pineapple chunks (1”)
24 pieces bell pepper (1”)
Cooking spray

Directions:

Combine sugar, soy sauce, onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Pour into a zip-lock bag and add pork pieces. Seal bag, mix thoroughly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning bag on occasion.
Remove pork from bag and reserve marinade. Thread 5 pork pieces, 4 watermelon cubes, 2 to 3 zucchini rounds, 2 pineapple chunks, and 3 peppers on each of 8 skewers, alternating the order.
Heat the grill to medium high.
Spray cooking surface and place kebobs on grill. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on grill heat,or until done, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade. Garnish with sesame seeds and chunks of watermelon.

Recipe (adapted) and Image courtesy of Watermelon.org.

Patriotic Fruit Salad

1/2 watermelon, flesh removed and cut into star shapes
Strawberries, halved

Blueberries
Honeydew balls
White Grapes

Directions:

Mix up your favorite red, white and blue fruit salad items and serve in hollowed out watermelon bowl.

Recipe (adapted) and Image courtesy of Watermelon.org.

Dietitians Dish – July 12, 2021

Let’s Talk about Magnesium!

There are hundreds of tiny functions in the body that require magnesium to work properly. If you’re trying to stay cool in summer, magnesium is important for regulating body temperature. It also helps to regulate blood sugar levels, blood pressure, muscle and nerve function; make protein and DNA; and build bones. If you have health conditions like diabetes or celiac disease, you may be at greater risk for magnesium (Mg) deficiency.

Possible low Mg symptoms:

Loss of appetite
Nausea & vomiting
Fatigue & weakness

Possible severe Mg deficiency:

Numbness & tingling
Muscle cramps
Seizures
Abnormal heart rhythm

Magnesium is natural to many foods, and fortified (added) in others. Eat a variety of seeds, nuts, beans, whole grains, fruit (esp. bananas) and green leafy vegetables (esp. spinach), as well as fortified cereals and beverages. If you’re following the food as medicine trend, try these recipes for their magnesium-rich ingredients.

Grilled Lemon-Spinach Stuffed Pork Chops

1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsps. finely chopped shallot
3 tsps. olive oil
1 bag (8 ounces) baby spinach

3/4 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 + 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 + 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
4 boneless center-cut pork chops (~2 lbs.)

Directions:

In large skillet, cook garlic and shallot in 2 tsps. oil over medium heat 2 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and cook 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted; remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. black pepper; cool 5 minutes and coarsely chop.
Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat. With sharp knife, carefully cut a horizontal slit in thickest part of each pork chop to create a pocket; stuff each pork chop with about 2 Tbsps. of spinach mixture. Coat pork chops with 1 tsp. oil; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
Place pork chops on hot grill rack; cover and cook 12 minutes or until internal temperature of pork chops reaches 145°, turning once halfway through cooking.

Frozen Banana Cream with Fresh Berries

2 medium bananas
2 Tbsps. nonfat milk
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 Tbsps. chopped, unsalted nuts or seeds
3/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

Line large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Peel and slice bananas; place on prepared pan and freeze 2 hours.
In food processor, pulse frozen banana slices until they resemble coarse crumbs; process until smooth. Add milk and nutmeg; process until combined.
Transfer banana mixture to medium bowl; stir in nuts or seeds. Divide mixture into 4 bowls; evenly sprinkle with raspberries and blueberries. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Dietitians Dish – July 5, 2021

Sensationally seasonal!

Enjoying what’s in season and having the ability to boost the nutrients fueling your body is important. Varying the selection of foods you eat and choosing a variety of colors is key to giving your body and mind the nutrients they need to thrive. How will you enjoy a rainbow of colors with what’s in season?

Cedar Planked Salmon with Jalapeño-Corn Salsa

1 cedar grilling plank
2 ears of corn, silks and husks removed
2 jalapeño peppers
4 tsps. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsps. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsps. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle powder
1-1/2 lbs. fresh salmon fillet
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Immerse plank in warm water at least 30 minutes. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.
Coat corn and jalape os with 2 teaspoons oil. Place corn and jalape os on hot grill rack; cover and cook 5 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides. When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cob. Cut jalape os lengthwise in half; with knife, scrape out seeds and veins then finely chop.
In medium bowl, toss onion, cilantro, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, chipotle powder, corn and jalape os. Makes about 2 cups.
Place salmon, skin side down, on plank and rub remaining 2 teaspoons oil over top; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place plank with salmon on hot grill rack; cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until salmon turns opaque throughout and internal temperature reaches 145° . Drizzle salmon with lemon juice and top with salsa to serve.

Watermelon Bites

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2-1/4 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2-1/2 tsps. chopped fresh basil
12 (3 x 1-1/2 x 1/2-inch) pieces watermelon

4 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup blueberries
2 Tbsps. balsamic glaze

Directions:

In food processor, pulse cheeses and 2 teaspoons basil until combined. Transfer cheese mixture to small zip-top plastic bag; snip bottom corner with kitchen scissors. Makes about 2/3 cup.
Top watermelon pieces with cheese mixture, strawberries and blueberries; drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon basil. Makes 12 bites.

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