Here it comes ... 2023! When it comes to food, we all seem to set resolutions with the new year. Whether you're cutting carbs, reducing sugar, limiting your red meat intake, or just looking for a few updates to your salad game, check out these delicious recipes to help you keep your resolutions this year.
Let's say you've resolved to eat healthier in the New Year, but find yourself tripped up over and over again by your unconquerable yen for food that's rich and delicious. And let's also say that one of your favorite dishes is mashed potatoes.
There are no potatoes in this recipe, but by the time your family and guests have polished off a serving of this side dish, every one of them will be swearing that these are the smoothest, tastiest mashed potatoes they've ever eaten — although it's possible that the more discerning among them will note that there's something a little bit different about that flavor. That would be because they're not potatoes. Rather, this dish is a 100 percent cauliflower puree with a tiny tad of butter and some salt thrown in. That's right — only three ingredients. Four, if you count the water.
And it's very simple to make. You just cut a head of cauliflower into pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick. Combine the pieces with the salt and butter, then put it all in a large skillet and pour in enough water to nearly cover the contents. Bring the water to a boil, throw on a lid and let it steam for 10 minutes or just until the cauliflower becomes tender.
Now for the hardest part. You're going to boil and reduce the water in which the veggie was steamed as a way to concentrate its flavor — a step that requires you to wait patiently. Afterward, you can resume charging ahead, pureeing the reduced liquid and the cooked cauliflower in a blender until silky smooth.
That's it. Not only is this puree tasty, smooth and light, it's also the perfect vehicle for any sauce ... just like mashed potatoes.
Cauliflower mashed potatoes
Start to finish: 55 minutes (25 minutes hands-on)
Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 small head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 pounds), core removed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Chopped chives for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet combine the cauliflower with the salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter cut into small chunks. Pour in enough water to reach just below the top of the cauliflower pieces, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the cauliflower with a slotted spoon to a bowl and bring the liquid remaining in the pan back to a boil. Boil the liquid until it is reduced to about 1/3-1/2 of a cup. Working in two batches, transfer half of the cooked cauliflower to a blender and add half of the reduced liquid. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides several times as necessary. Transfer the mixture to the skillet. Repeat the procedure with the remaining cauliflower and liquid and heat the puree in the skillet, stirring, just until hot. Add salt to taste and serve, topping each portion with a tiny slice of the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and a sprinkling of chives.
Note: The puree can be made ahead and heated in a double boiler or the microwave.
Nutrition information per serving: 94 calories; 51 calories from fat; 6 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 212 mg sodium; 9 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 4 g protein.
Sara Moulton is host of public television's "Sara's Weeknight Meals." She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows including "Cooking Live." Her latest cookbook is "HomeCooking 101."
After being up to your eyeballs in eggnog, you're probably in desperate need of a detox. And by detox, we mean a truckload of fresh fruits and vegetables prepared as minimally as possible, because you have things to do! And we're not just talking any vegetables. We're talking super cruciferous vegetables, full of the good fuel that your body needs to rev up for the new year.
Though the term may be unfamiliar, cruciferous vegetables are not. Arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, and radishes are among many vegetables in the cruciferous family, which are prized for their flavor, texture, and nutrients. Chef Katherine Polenz says, "Cruciferous vegetables are underutilized, but are so rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients. Dark leafy kale is high in minerals and proteins, and provides a great textural addition."
This vegetable spring rolls recipe is packed full of these super-vegetables, which means it's also full of antioxidants; fiber; vitamins C, E, and K; and folate. We've added some creamy hummus and the ultra-flavorful dukkah spice blend.
An aromatic spice blend with Egyptian roots, dukkah is unique because it includes seeds and nuts, like hazelnuts, pistachios, and sesame seeds, which adds a welcome richness to vegetarian recipes. Dukkah is commonly used as a seasoning on traditional flatbreads, but once you try it, you'll be hard pressed to find something that couldn't use a sprinkle. It should be easy to find at your local grocery store or specialty market.
To pair with the spices, we've added some of our favorite crunchy cruciferous veggies, which also happen to be vibrant in flavor and color. Each vegetable, from the kohlrabi (kind of like radish/broccoli) to the watermelon radish, lends a new flavor and texture to the spring roll, so each bite is unique. The beauty of this recipe is that you can mix and match your favorite flavors, adding broccoli, shredded cabbage, or even tofu.
We call for most of the vegetables to be julienned, which is a cut in the shape of a thin matchstick. This cut is perfect for a spring roll, because it's big enough to be crunchy, but thin enough to bite through. The best way to cut a julienne is to slice each vegetable about 1/8-inch thick, then cut those slices into matchsticks. A mandolin will do it twice as fast, if you have one.
Once you have your juliennes in order, it's time to give the kale a little extra attention. Kale is a needy vegetable_though to be fair, it really does a lot of work for us, and we probably owe it a good massage from time to time. If you've ever declared, "Ugh, I hate kale," it's probably because it wasn't properly coaxed and coddled into a good mood.
For sciency reasons (enzymes, compounds), kale benefits from a literal massage, where you take the leaves and rub them together until they soften. You will see a notable change in the appearance of the leaves, which will turn a more vibrant shade of green, and they will also be much softer and more tender. The kale will also be sweeter.
Serve these spring rolls as a light lunch, on a platter as a party snack, or alongside a nice veggie soup for a satisfying dinner. And if a raw, vegetarian spring roll is going a little too cold turkey, we'll look the other way if you want to add some grilled shrimp or chicken. Maybe just not that leftover prime rib.
Vegetable spring rolls
Servings: 12
Start to finish: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup plain yogurt
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
Sea salt, to taste
6 to 8 leaves lacinato (or Tuscan) kale
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 spring roll wrappers
1 cup hummus
1 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned
1 watermelon radish, peeled and julienned
2 tablespoons Egyptian dukkah spice blend, plus more as needed
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup cilantro or mint leaves
1 daikon radish, peeled and julienned
4 red radishes, julienned
3 small (or 1 medium) beets, peeled and julienned
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toasted black sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then cover and refrigerate.
Trim the stems from the kale leaves and cut the leaves into 4-inch squares (you will need 12 total). Transfer the kale to a large resealable bag and add the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Seal the bag and gently massage the leaves to tenderize the kale.
Fill a large shallow bowl with warm water. One at a time, dip the spring roll wrappers into the water and soak until just pliable, about 10 seconds. Remove from the water and lay on a clean work surface and blot the wrap to remove any excess water.
Starting at about 1 inch from the lower edge, place a square of the massaged kale, then spread about 1 tablespoon of hummus across the kale. Top with a thin layer of kohlrabi and watermelon radish. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of dukkah, about 1 tablespoon of green onion, and about 1 tablespoon of herbs. Top with a layer of daikon, red radish, and beet, then season with additional dukkah or salt and pepper, to taste.
Dampen your fingertips. Carefully, but firmly, pull the lower edge of the wrap up and over the filling to start the roll. After the first full rotation, fold in each side of the wrap to close in the ends and continue to roll closed, ending with the seam-side down.
Transfer the completed roll to a platter, and then continue to form 12 rolls. Do not stack the finished rolls, as they will stick together if touching. Cover the finished rolls with lightly oiled parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve the spring rolls, use a very sharp knife to cut each roll in half. Drizzle with the reserved lemon yogurt sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Chef's note: If kohlrabi or watermelon radishes are unavailable, substitute with an equal amount of prepared broccoli slaw mix, jicama, or chayote squash.
Nutrition information per serving: 193 calories; 57 calories from fat; 6 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 399 mg sodium; 32g carbohydrate; 10 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 5 g protein.
All too often, chopped salads wind up tasting mediocre and doused in dressing. We were set on creating a simple version that was fresh and flavorful.
We settled on a mix of flavors and textures, selecting cucumber, fennel, apples and romaine. Red onion added a bit of sharpness, and a modest amount of crumbled goat cheese offered a creamy textural contrast. We lightly salted the cucumber to remove excess moisture, allowing it to drain in a colander.
Poaching the chicken in a steamer basket enabled us to use no extra fat. Once the chicken cooled, we cut the breasts into chunks and combined the pieces with the other salad ingredients.
We decided to whisk the goat cheese into the dressing in place of some of the oil, and also found that marinating the heartier ingredients in the dressing for just five minutes before adding the romaine infused every component with flavor while still keeping it fresh and light. Use any sweet apple here, such as Fuji, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Jonathan, Macoun, or Gala.
FENNEL, APPLE AND CHICKEN CHOPPED SALAD
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour, 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and pounded to 3/4 inch thickness
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious apples, cored, quartered, and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 romaine lettuce heart (6 ounces), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
DIRECTIONS:
Toss cucumber with 1/2 teaspoon salt in colander and let drain for 15 to 30 minutes.
Whisk 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt in Dutch oven until salt is dissolved. Arrange breasts, skinned side up, in steamer basket, making sure not to overlap them. Submerge steamer basket in water.
Heat pot over medium heat, stirring liquid occasionally to even out hot spots, until water registers 175 F, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pot, remove from burner, and let sit until meat registers 160 F, 17 to 22 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes. (Chicken can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
Whisk goat cheese, vinegar, tarragon, and oil together in large bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Add chicken, cucumber, apples, fennel, and onion to dressing and gently toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Add lettuce and gently toss to coat. Season with pepper to taste. Serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 359 calories; 112 calories from fat; 12 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 109 mg cholesterol; 477 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 20 g sugar; 32 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Fennel, Apple, and Chicken Chopped Salad in "The Complete Diabetes Cookbook ."
Not all burgers have to be beef.
All you hamburger purists, hear me out: We've been turning to our grills more as we leave the house less than we would pre-COVID-19. Use this time to get yourself out of whatever hamburger rut you've been in. Put down the frozen patties and try mixing up something delicious with your hands.
Burgers come in all shapes and sizes, in different meats, and yes, some without any meat at all. Ground turkey or chicken is a great, healthy alternative to beef, and most burger recipes can be helped with the addition of vegetables such as chopped leafy greens, mushrooms or grated carrots to help add bulk, flavor and nutrition.
Making your own burger patties is easy. Consider making the patties a few hours before you plan to grill them and let them cool on a covered tray in your fridge so the mixture can really set. This will also make more tender, wet burger mixtures — such as bean burgers, or ground chicken — more likely to hold their shape on the grill. When mixing your burgers, make sure the mixture isn't too wet that it will fall through your grill grates, but also not too dry or you'll have tough burger patties to chew. To keep more of the mixture on your burger and not on your hands as you shape your patties, dip your hands in cold water right before forming.
After you've shaped the patties, don't forget the magic thumb imprint in the middle, which burger experts say helps keep the burger from puffing up in to a round ball and helps keep the shape and patty from shrinking.
TURKEYBALL BURGERS
Recipe courtesy of Geoff Smith, sports editor
Serves: 3 to 5
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of ground turkey
1 cup of spinach
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 egg
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Provolone cheese slices
1 loaf of French bread
1 avocado
DIRECTIONS:
Take the spinach and chop it down until the pieces are relatively small. Take the turkey meat and place in a bowl. Add egg, bread crumbs, feta cheese, spinach, salt and pepper on top of the turkey, then use your hands to combine ingredients together. Once the mixture is the right consistency for you, form balls with the mixture, and press into patties. A package of turkey should make between 5 to 6 burgers, depending on the size you want.
Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Once the grill has reached temperature, place patties down on grill. Cook on each side for 5 to 6 minutes depending on patty size. Add slice of favorite cheese on top if you want. As patties finish up, cut French bread to size, and place on top rack of grill (off the heat) to toast.
Put the patty on the french bread, then cut the avocado into slices. Place 3 to 4 avocado pieces on top of the patty.
CHICKEN RANCH BURGERS
Recipe courtesy of Lindsey Hollenbaugh, managing editor of features
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground chicken
One 1-ounce package dry Ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (can use bacon bits in a pinch)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
hamburger buns
DIRECTIONS:
Combine ground chicken, ranch dressing mix, cooked bacon, and cheddar cheese. Form into 3 or 4 burger patties.
Prepare grill. Grill chicken burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve on hamburger buns with favorite burger toppings.
CALIFORNIA BLACK BEAN BURGERS
This recipe has been a favorite in my family for quite a while (and one of the only vegetarian recipes I can make that won't get me a "Great! Would be better with beef..." comment.) Yes, it can get a little messy, but I love these lightly spiced patties that I can make more or less spicy with a good salsa. — Meggie Baker, calendar editor
(From Betty Crocker)
INGREDIENTS:
One 15-ounce can black beans with cumin and chili spices, undrained
One 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, undrained
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 hamburger buns, toasted
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or salad dressing (optional)
1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
3 tablespoons thick-and-chunky salsa
DIRECTIONS:
Place beans in food processor or blender. Cover and process until slightly mashed; remove from food processor. Mix beans, chilies, bread crumbs and egg. Shape mixture into 5 patties, each about 1/2 inch thick. Coat each patty with cornmeal.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in oil 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until crisp and thoroughly cooked on both sides. Add to burger buns and top with mayonnaise, lettuce, patties, salsa.
SALSA BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Courtesy of Becky Drees, features designer
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup prepared salsa
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 cup well-crushed tortilla chips
cup grated white onion
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons avocado oil or canola oil, divided
DIRECTIONS:
Place salsa in a fine-mesh sieve and stir a few times to drain excess liquid. Mash beans with potato masher until no whole ones remain. Stir in salsa, tortilla chips, grated onion, egg, mayo, chili powder, cumin and salt. Let stand 10 minutes.
Form mixture into 8 burgers about 3 inches wide (1/3 cup each). Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add 4 burgers and cook until browned and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining burgers. Serve on buns with guacamole, tomato slices, sprouts and red onion.
Consumers may be facing an increased demand for meat substitutes as the cost of meat increases. One option to adding easy protein to a meal is using beans, either dried or canned.
Beans are high in protein and fiber, and contain no saturated fat. According to self.com, a cup of black beans has 15 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, 227 calories and no saturated fat. Pair beans with some vegetables and healthy fat, and you've got a well-rounded meal.
Most people are familiar with dry beans as navy beans, red kidney beans or black beans sold in one-pound packages at the grocery store. However, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of dry bean varieties, including many heirlooms, such as "Vermont Cranberry," with interesting histories.
When making Boston baked beans, I've used cranberry beans at times, but found that the best tasting baked beans occurred when I used dry soy beans. My neighbor gave me that tip. He told me that his late father, a dairy farmer, always made baked beans using soy beans. I recommend planting edamame, which is actually soy bean, harvesting some as shelling beans while the pods are still green and steaming or boiling those for eating fresh, and then leaving the rest to mature to the dry pod stage. The pods are then threshed or shelled as I do my other dry beans.
It is good to know the dry bean conversion when preparing to cook bean dishes:
- 2 cups of dried beans = 1 pound of dry beans
- 1 pound of dry beans = up to 6 cups of cooked beans
- 1 cup of dry beans = 3 cups of cooked beans
- A heaping 1/2 cup of dried beans = one 15-ounce can of beans
- 1 1/2 cups of cooked and drained beans = one 15-ounce can of beans
- These are approximations as the actual amounts will vary a little depending upon the size of the dry beans.
One final note, my wife reminded me that when she freezes cooked and drain beans, she first spreads them out on a flat pan and then places that in the freezer. Once the beans are frozen, she'll gather them up and store them in freezer bags. By doing this, you don't wind up with a large frozen clump that requires a jackhammer to break apart when needing less than the whole bag of beans.
WHITE BEAN, KALE AND SAUSAGE SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 quart diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans — mash some of the beans
1 bunch kale, chard or spinach, chopped and sauteed
3 links chicken or pork Italian sausage, chopped and sauteed
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste, optional
DIRECTIONS:
In stockpot, saute onions, garlic and celery in olive oil.
Add bay leaves, thyme, tomatoes and stock. Simmer 10 minutes.
Add white beans, kale. Simmer another 10 minutes.
Add sauteed sausage. Season to taste.
BLACK BEAN CAKES WITH SALSA CRUDA
This black bean cake recipe, which is really black bean burgers, is from the "Light Cooking" book, Publications International, Ltd, 1995. Instead of the salsa cruda, my wife and I use jarred salsa along with chopped avocado and shredded cheese (usually sharp cheddar) for the topping. Also, we used our dry beans rather than the canned beans. We found that starting with our own dry beans, soaked over night and then cooked, were meatier than using a can of store-bought beans, which made the burgers too moist and a bit mushy. Also, the leftovers actually seemed to have a beefy taste the next day. Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Salsa Cruda (recipe follows)
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced — large scoop garlic powder
Non-stick cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare Salsa Cruda.
Place beans in medium bowl, mash with fork or potato masher (in food processor) until almost smooth, leaving some beans in larger pieces. Add flour, cilantro, yogurt, chili powder and garlic; blend well.
Form patties.
Spray large non-stick skillet with olive oil cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat until hot. For each cake, drop 2 heaping tablespoons bean mixture unto skillet; flatten to form cake with back of wooden spoon. Cook 6 to 8 minute until lightly browned, turning once.
Serve with Salsa Cruda, shredded cheese, avocado and salsa. Garnish with lime wedges, pepper and fresh cilantro, if desired.
SALSA CRUDA
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour. Bring to room temperature before serving.
BOSTON BAKED BEANS
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups dried navy beans
1/2 pound bacon
1 onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours (25 to 30 minutes when using fresh dry beans harvested from the garden). Drain and reserve the liquid.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Arrange the beans in a 2-quart bean pot or casserole dish by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of the dish, and layering them with bacon and onion.
In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over beans. Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
Bake for 3 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the beans are tender. Remove the lid about halfway through cooking and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.
CROCKPOT RED BEANS AND RICE
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 7 hours
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound dried red beans
7 cups water
whole green bell pepper, chopped
1 whole onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 pound Andouille sausage or Polish sausage, sliced
3 tablespoons Creole seasoning
Hot cooked rice
DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients except rice in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook, covered at High for 7 hours or until beans are tender. Serve with hot cooked rice and some homemade cornbread.
(We substituted chicken broth for the water, added 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice at the end and preferred chorizo sausage to the Andouille because there is no casing on the chorizo.)
Basil pesto isn't just for pasta. We found a way to imbue chicken with basil and garlic that would hold up on the grill.
How did we get enough flavor into the chicken? We used homemade pesto, which tastes stronger and fresher than store-bought. We added the pesto base to separate mixtures for marinating, stuffing, and saucing the chicken.
We found that bone-in chicken breasts had the most flavor. We cut pockets in them to fill with pesto and then marinated the stuffed breasts in more pesto. We added a third dose of pesto in a sauce to serve with the chicken after it was grilled.
GRILLED PESTO CHICKEN
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour, 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
4 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
DIRECTIONS:
Process basil, 1/2 cup oil, garlic, lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer 1/4 cup pesto to large bowl and set aside for marinade. Add Parmesan to pesto left in processor and pulse to incorporate, about 3 pulses; transfer 1/4 cup pesto to small bowl and set aside for stuffing. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to pesto left in processor and pulse to incorporate, about 3 pulses; set aside for serving.
Starting on thick side of breast, closest to breastbone, cut horizontal pocket in each breast, stopping 1/2 inch from edge so halves remain attached. Season chicken, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon pesto reserved for stuffing in each pocket. Tie each chicken breast with 2 pieces kitchen twine to secure. In large bowl, rub chicken with pesto reserved for marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-low. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature of 350 F.)
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken skin side up on grill (cooler side if using charcoal). Cover and cook until chicken registers 155 F, 25 to 35 minutes.
Slide chicken to hotter side of grill (if using charcoal) or turn all burners to high (if using gas), and flip skin side down. Cover and cook until well browned and chicken registers 160 F, 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove twine, carve chicken, and serve with remaining sauce.
Nutrition information per serving: 442 calories; 247 calories from fat; 28 g fat (14 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 279 mg cholesterol; 860 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 23 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Grilled Pesto Chicken in "Master of the Grill."
To apply some modern tricks to old-school chicken salad, we turned to our spice rack. Most spices boast an impressive portfolio of phytonutrients — often the very same compounds that give them such potent flavor.
Mild, creamy chicken salad was an ideal canvas. First, we found we could replace two-thirds of the mayonnaise with low-fat yogurt (and use less dressing overall) and still deliver enough creamy tang to keep everyone happy. To spice up our dressing, we added turmeric and black pepper.
Long used as a medicinal spice in India, turmeric is associated with many health benefits. Black pepper — commonly paired with turmeric — may boost the potency of turmeric, especially in the presence of a little heart-healthy fat.
With our dressing ready, we poached chicken breasts to perfection by heating them just until the water reached 170 F, then removing the pot from the heat and letting the chicken cook through slowly and gently.
For add-ins, we opted for dried cherries and toasted walnuts to provide crunch. Instead of a whisper of herbs, we stirred in 1/3 cup of parsley leaves (herbs, like spices, contain concentrated nutrients), which added a pop of green color and an herbal back note. Two cups of tender baby spinach provided a fresh finish to our updated chicken salad sandwiches.
TUMERIC CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
Salt and pepper
2 (4- to 6-ounce) organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed of all visible fat
1 teaspoon cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch ground cinnamon
1/4 cup organic plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup unsweetened dried tart cherries
1 shallot, minced
12 slices hearty 100% whole-grain sandwich bread
2 ounces (2 cups) baby spinach
DIRECTIONS:
Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in 6 cups cold water in Dutch oven. Submerge chicken in water. Heat pot over medium heat until water registers 170 F. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until chicken registers 165 F, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
Combine oil, turmeric, and cinnamon together in bowl and microwave until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool slightly. In large bowl, whisk oil mixture, yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together until smooth.
Pat cooled chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add chicken, walnuts, parsley, cherries, and shallot to bowl with yogurt mixture, toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide chicken salad evenly over 6 bread slices, then top with spinach. Top with remaining 6 bread slices. Serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 485 calories; 141 calories from fat; 16 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 31 mg cholesterol; 762 mg sodium; 70 g carbohydrate; 17 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 25 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Turmeric Chicken Salad Sandwiches in "Nutritious Delicious ."
We set out to create a fresh, bright chicken salad inspired by the flavors of Mexico.
A simple tequila-lime mixture boosted the chicken's flavor both in a quick marinade before cooking and, when cooked down with some orange juice, as a reduced sauce drizzled over the chicken after cooking. Grilled avocados gave the salad more smoky depth.
We cooked the chicken over the hotter part of the grill to get a good char while cooking the more delicate avocados at the same time on the cooler side. To bring the salad together, we created a bright, tangy vinaigrette by combining lime juice and olive oil with cayenne and honey for well-rounded flavor.
GRILLED TEQUILA CHICKEN WITH ORANGE, AVOCADO AND PEPITA SALAD
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour
Chef's note: Ripe, but firm, avocados are critical for successful grilling. If your avocados are overripe, skip seasoning and grilling and simply peel and slice the avocados before assembling the salad.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons lime juice (3 limes)
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
3 oranges, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ripe but firm avocados, halved and pitted
6 ounces (6 cups) watercress, chopped
1/3 cup pepitas, toasted
1 shallot, sliced thin
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk tequila, water, 3 tablespoons lime juice, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt together in bowl until salt is dissolved. Transfer 1/2 cup marinade to small saucepan. Pour remaining marinade into 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, add chicken, and toss to coat. Press out as much air as possible, seal bag, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, flipping bag occasionally.
Let oranges drain in colander set over large bowl, reserving juice. In second large bowl, whisk 1/4 cup oil, honey, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons lime juice together; set aside for salad.
Before grilling, brush avocado halves with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from marinade, let excess marinade drip off, and transfer to plate.
For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour two-thirds evenly over half of grill, then pour remaining coals over other half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken on hotter side of grill. Cook (covered if using gas), turning as needed, until chicken is nicely charred and registers 160 F, 8 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, place avocados cut side down on cooler side of grill and cook until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken and avocados to cutting board and tent with aluminum foil.
Add drained orange juice to reserved marinade in saucepan, bring to simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk dressing to recombine, then add watercress, pepitas, shallots, and drained oranges and toss gently to coat; transfer to platter. Peel grilled avocado, slice thin, and lay on top of salad. Slice chicken on bias into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, lay on top of salad, and drizzle with reduced marinade. Serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 566 calories; 349 calories from fat; 39 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 36 mg cholesterol; 364 mg sodium; 26 g carbohydrate; 8 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 18 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Grilled Tequila Chicken with Orange, Avocado, and Pepita Salad in "Master of the Grill ."
Portobello mushroom burgers are no longer just a sad substitute for beef burgers; they are legitimately delicious choices on their own.
For charry grilled portobellos that wouldn't leak moisture and make the buns soggy, we decided to try scoring them, a technique that works well with oven-roasted mushrooms. It worked like a charm on the grill.
We lightly scored the mushrooms on the smooth, non-gill side in a crosshatch pattern. This helped expedite the release of moisture, which dripped out and evaporated on the grill, ensuring intense mushroom flavor and toasty, non-soggy buns. The crosshatching also allowed the mushrooms to absorb more marinade — a flavorful mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar and garlic.
Once they were cooked, we filled the portobello caps with a savory mixture of feta, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers before stacking them on grilled buns with basil mayo, baby arugula, and sweet grilled onions.
If your mushrooms are larger or smaller than 4 to 5 inches, you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. If the mushrooms absorb all the marinade, simply brush the onions with olive oil before grilling.
GRILLED PORTOBELLO BURGERS
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
4 portobello mushroom caps (4 to 5 inches in diameter), gills removed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry and chopped
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 (1/2 inch-thick) slices red onion
4 kaiser rolls, split and toasted
1 ounce (1 cup) baby arugula
Cut 1/16 inch-deep slits on top of mushroom caps, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern. Combine mushrooms, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in 1 gallon zipper-lock bag, seal bag, and turn to coat. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Combine feta, red peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes in bowl. Whisk mayonnaise and basil together in separate bowl. Push 1 toothpick horizontally through each onion slice to keep rings intact while grilling.
— For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
— For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-high.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Remove mushrooms from marinade, and brush onions all over with remaining mushroom marinade. Place onions and mushrooms, gill side up, on grill. Cook (covered if using gas) until mushrooms have released their liquid and are charred on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip mushrooms and onions and continue to cook (covered if using gas) until mushrooms are charred on second side, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer onions to platter and discard toothpicks. Transfer mushrooms to platter, gill side up, and divide feta mixture evenly among caps, packing down mixture. Return mushrooms to grill, feta side up, and cook, covered, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
Return mushrooms to platter and tent with aluminum foil. Spread basil mayonnaise evenly over roll bottoms and top each with 1 mushroom and 1 onion slice. Divide arugula evenly among burgers, then cap with roll tops. Serve.
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Nutrition information per serving: 612 calories; 657 calories from fat; 40 g fat (9 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 37 mg cholesterol; 1134 mg sodium; 49 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 15 g protein.
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For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Grilled Portobello Burgers in "Vegetables Illustrated ."
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America's Test Kitchen provided this article to The Associated Press.
It seems counter-intuitive, but cooking the daylights out of the broccoli is the key to this soup's sweet, nutty vegetable flavor. Our first step was to call for a full 2 pounds of broccoli.
Following a technique from renowned California chef Alice Waters, we sautéed the broccoli in a little butter, added a cup of water, and let it cook until it was very soft and nutty and sweet. We discovered that adding just a pinch of baking soda with the water accelerated the braising time by helping to break down the cell walls of the broccoli.
Adding fresh baby spinach right before pureeing ensured that our soup had a bright color and it also enhanced the vegetable flavor. As for the cheese, a mix of sharp cheddar and nutty Parmesan gave the soup enough cheesy flavor and richness that we didn't need to use any cream.
BROCCOLI-CHEESE SOUP
Servings: 6-8
Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
3-4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 ounces (2 cups) baby spinach
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and baking soda. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking.
Add broth and 2 cups water and increase heat to medium-high. When mixture begins to simmer, stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer half of soup to blender, add cheddar and Parmesan, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer soup to medium bowl and repeat with remaining soup. Return soup to pot, place over medium heat and bring to simmer. Adjust consistency of soup with up to 1 cup remaining water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.
Nutrition information per serving: 143 calories; 69 calories from fat; 8 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 380 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 9 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Broccoli Cheese Soup in "All-Time Best Soups ."
This fresh, hearty side dish will stand out among its richer, creamier counterparts . We achieved perfectly cooked brown rice by boiling it in abundant water. Sprinkling the rice with bright lemon juice while it was still warm boosted its flavor.
To easily turn our brown rice into an appealing side salad, we stirred in crisp, browned bites of asparagus, more lemon juice, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy toasted almonds. We like the flavor of brown basmati rice, but any long-grain brown rice is acceptable. Look for asparagus that is bright green and firm.
Toast the almonds in a skillet (without any oil) set over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent scorching.
Brown rice salad with asparagus and goat cheese
Servings: 6-8
Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Brown rice:
1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Asparagus and vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
Salt and pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add rice and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 22 to 25 minutes. Drain rice, transfer to parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, and spread into even layer. Drizzle rice with lemon juice and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of asparagus with tips pointed in 1 direction and remaining asparagus with tips pointed in opposite direction. Using tongs, arrange spears in even layer (they will not quite fit into single layer); cover and cook until bright green and still crisp, 2 to 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until tender and well browned on 1 side, 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to occasionally move spears from center to edge of pan to ensure all are browned. Transfer to plate and let cool completely. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Whisk olive oil, shallot, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Transfer cooled rice to large bowl. Add asparagus, all but 2 tablespoons goat cheese, and dressing; toss to combine. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Add 1/3 cup almonds and 3 tablespoons parsley; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining almonds, reserved 2 tablespoons goat cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley; serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 347 calories; 148 calories from fat; 16 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 8 mg cholesterol; 861 mg sodium; 41 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 11 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like "Brown Rice Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Lemon" in Holiday Entertaining .
Quick-cooking and delicately flavored, yellow summer squash and zucchini are favorites in Mediterranean cuisines and perfect for a light side dish. To create a fresh, simple recipe, we started with very thinly sliced squash, using a peeler to make even "ribbons" and discarding the waterlogged seeds.
The ultra-thin ribbons browned and cooked so quickly that they didn't have time to break down and release their liquid, eliminating the need to salt them before cooking.
The cooked squash needed little embellishment; a quick, tangy vinaigrette of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and lemon and a sprinkle of fresh parsley rounded out the flavors.
We like a mix of yellow summer squash and zucchini, but you can use just one or the other. The thickness of the squash ribbons may vary depending on the peeler used; we developed this recipe with a peeler that produces ribbons that are 1/32 inch thick.
Steeping the minced garlic in lemon juice mellows the garlic's bite; do not skip this step. To avoid overcooking the squash, start checking for doneness at the lower end of the cooking time.
Sautéed zucchini ribbons
Servings: 4-6
Start to finish: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
4 (6- to 8-ounce) zucchini or yellow summer squash, trimmed
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Combine garlic and lemon juice in large bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Using vegetable peeler, shave off 3 ribbons from 1 side of summer squash, then turn squash 90 degrees and shave off 3 more ribbons. Continue to turn and shave ribbons until you reach seeds; discard core. Repeat with remaining squash.
Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and lemon zest into garlic-lemon juice mixture.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add summer squash and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until squash has softened and is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer squash to bowl with dressing, add parsley, and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 132 calories; 83 calories from fat; 9 g fat ( 1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 318 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 4 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Sautéed Zucchini Ribbons in "The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook ."
Spaghetti squash is a large round squash that forms spaghetti-like strands when it's cooked. Its texture is crisp, its taste is mild, and it can indeed replace spaghetti in the recipe of your choice. This is especially good news if you're searching for an alternative to pasta, either because you're allergic to gluten or because you're seeking a more nutritious landing pad for a delicious sauce.
Spaghetti squash can be steamed, roasted or cooked in the microwave. Whatever method is used, the squash cooks much faster if you start by slicing it in half. But you have to be careful — sawing through its thick skin can be dangerous. Happily, just a few minutes in a microwave will soften up the squash enough to alleviate this danger.
After cooking the squash and halving it, I finish it off in the microwave, which tenderizes it in 17 to 20 minutes rather than the 30 to 45 minutes required when it's steamed or roasted. By the way, most recipes instruct you to halve the squash lengthwise, but if you halve it crosswise, as in this recipe, you'll end up with strands that are much longer ... and more spaghetti-like.
When the squash has cooled, use a fork to scrape out the strands. Having prepped the squash to this point, you can store it in the refrigerator for a few days until you're ready to prepare a sauce and finish it, an option you can't employ with actual pasta that, because of its starch content, turns into a big gummy wad of stuck-together strands. (You can also freeze spaghetti squash.)
After scooping out the squash strands, add them to the creamy goat cheese sauce, then simmer them for 5 minutes while they soak up the flavor. Again, this is something you can't do with actual spaghetti, which would not only become too soft but also completely absorb all of the sauce if you simmered it at length.
You can pair spaghetti squash with any sauce you would add to regular pasta. Just remember to let the spaghetti squash cook in the sauce — whatever kind it is — for a few minutes before serving.
Spaghetti squash with creamy goat cheese sauce and shredded zucchini
Start to finish: 1 hour (30 active)
Servings: 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds zucchini
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
One 3- to 3 1/2 pound spaghetti squash
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1 ounce grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
DIRECTIONS:
Coarsely grate the zucchini, preferably using the grating disk of a food processor, toss it in a colander with the salt and let it drain for 20 minutes.
Prick the spaghetti squash in three or four places with a skewer and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Cut in half crosswise and microwave for 5 minutes. Scrape out and discard the seeds and microwave again for 8 minutes or until the strands of squash are easy to scrape out.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the onion in the oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Working with one handful at a time, squeeze the zucchini tightly to get rid of excess moisture. Add the squeezed zucchini to the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring for 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve the skillet.
Let the spaghetti squash stand until it is cool enough to handle, then scoop out all the strands (you should end up with about 4 1/2 cups). Add the vegetable broth, 1 cup water, the sage and the cheese to the skillet and bring to a boil, whisking. Add the spaghetti squash strands, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until the squash is tender. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 minute more until the mixture is heated through. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper to taste, transfer to four bowls and top each portion with one-quarter of the nuts.
Nutritional information per serving: 326 calories; 170 calories from fat; 19 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 43 mg cholesterol; 582 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrates; 8 g fiber; 14 g sugar; 14 g protein.
Sara Moulton is host of public television's "Sara's Weeknight Meals." She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows including "Cooking Live." Her latest cookbook is "HomeCooking 101."
I have been a fan of homemade granola for as long as I can remember. I literally grew up with it as my mother made it way before it was a trend to do so.
When I was in college, I would pack big tins of her granola to take back to school with me. I would snack on it when I studied, and top my college cafeteria salads with it. Today, I love having a hearty homemade granola on hand to add to my morning yogurt or take with me as an easy breakfast snack when I travel.
As I began cooking for myself, I adapted my mother's recipe with my favorite fruit and nuts. My favorite granola changed as my tastes changed.
And, that is the great thing about granola. It is totally customizable. You can add or subtract anything you don't like as long as you have an oat base. Recently, I was in Los Angeles visiting two of my favorite food friends and it just so happened that we all brought our granola as gifts. I brought my recipe that I am sharing here.
Bob gave me some of his new granola that he made a bit more austere for his January cleanse. He uses a base of half rolled oats and half rye flakes, and the addition of rye flakes gives his granola a delicious savoriness. Finally, Anthony gave me a jar of his version of Eleven Madison Park restaurant's sweet and salty granola that is so addicting, you can eat it by the handfuls.
There are similarities between all three granolas — we all use maple syrup and dried cherries — but there are differences too, and that is the sheer beauty and deliciousness of it.
I like my granola crisp, but not crunchy, and I have found that if you add a little granulated white sugar to the oats as they toast, it helps to crisp the mixture. Generally, all the sweeteners are melted with the oil because that is the easiest way to coat the oats and nuts. The added granulated sugar is not melted and therefore adds a rougher crisp texture as it cooks into the mixture.
Besides the secret addition of granulated sugar, I use olive oil where others use coconut oil or canola oil because I like the flavor and viscosity of olive oil, and it is healthy to boot. I sometimes use unsweetened dried coconut, but sweetened dried coconut is easier to find. Since I have a low sugar-to-oats-and-nuts ratio, it adds some sweetness. I also add salt and vanilla extract to my oil and maple syrup mixture for dimension. When it comes to adding fruit, I always add dried cherries, crystallized ginger and Turkish apricots. Then I add whatever else that I have in the pantry including dried cranberries and white raisins.
The bottom line is that granola is all about what your favorite flavors are. If you like almonds and dried figs, or hazelnuts, or even bits of dark chocolate, use them instead or alongside my mix-ins.
Elizabeth's dried fruit and nut granola
Servings: Makes 40 servings (Each is 1/2 cup)
Start to finish: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 cups toasted rolled oats (18-ounce container)
2 cups shelled pistachios (8-ounce bag)
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped or other favorite nut
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds (8 ounces)
1 cup packed sweetened dried coconut
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup light brown sugar or maple sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups dried cherries (8-ounce bag)
2 cups dried cranberries or white raisins
2 cups candied ginger, cut into slivers
2 cups dried apricots cut into slivers, or other dried fruit as desired
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 300 F.
In a very large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir well to blend.
In a small saucepan, warm the maple syrup, brown sugar and olive oil over low heat, stirring gently, until the sugar is melted. Stir to combine the sugar and oil.
Pour over the dry ingredients. Stir over-and-over again to coat all the ingredients equally. Spread the mixture evenly on a piece of parchment paper set into a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden. (Note: You will need to check the granola and stir it, about every 15 minutes so that all of the ingredients are toasted and brown.)
Set a timer to go off halfway through the baking time, so that you can give the granola a good stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it's ready, remove the pan from the oven, and stir well — this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet — and cool completely.
When cool to touch, transfer the granola back to the very large bowl. Add the dried fruit and stir (or shake, if using a jar or bag) to mix. Store in an airtight container — storage jar, or re-closeable plastic bag.
Serve with yogurt, milk, honey and fruit, or eat straight up!
Nutrition information per serving: 308 calories; 112 calories from fat; 12 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 mg sodium; 45 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 26 g sugar; 7 g protein.
Elizabeth Karmel is a barbecue and Southern foods expert. She is the chef and pit master at online retailer CarolinaCueToGo.com and the author of three books, including "Taming the Flame."
Generations of Americans have grown up heralding meat and potatoes as the classic dinner of choice. Who doesn't love the taste of that time-honored combination, filling our bellies with the comfort of a juicy, fatty steak and fluffy, carby spuds? Just thinking about it is enough to make us pine for the 1950s when this was considered a healthy meal.
I have good news, however. I have discovered that with a little creativity, any main dish can be turned into a salad, scratching the itch without ditching nutrition. So yes, meat and potatoes can be made healthier and lighter.
Try my Meat and Potatoes Steakhouse Salad recipe. It stretches just one 8-ounce steak into feeding four people, which means alongside that tasty steak, each person will also be filled up with a slew of veggies. I used filet mignon because it's a lean cut of beef, and since only a couple of ounces of meat needed per person, the whole dish remains reasonably priced.
Cute baby potatoes on the salad mean you'll also feel satisfied in a way that frankly only comes from a starchy side. In fact, the entire salad celebrates steakhouse flavors, including garlicky meaty mushrooms, flash-cooked asparagus, tomatoes, blue cheese, chives and a creamy dressing made from Dijon mustard and aromatic tarragon. It's like the steakhouse menu itself morphed into a complete meal on a plate. At 322 calories per serving, you might have steak and potatoes a little more often.
Meat and potatoes steakhouse salad
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
6 cups of baby spinach or mixed greens
1 8-ounce filet mignon, trimmed of visible fat
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound asparagus, steamed until just barely tender
1/2 pound baby potatoes, boiled until tender
4 small tomatoes, quartered
1 ounce blue cheese, in crumbles or chunks
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Tarragon-Dijon Dressing:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Place the greens on a large platter and set aside.
Heat a heavy saute pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle the steak with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and half of the olive oil and then cook in the pan until cooked to desired doneness, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside to rest.
In the same saute pan, add the remaining olive oil, mushrooms and garlic and cook just until mushrooms begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
Make the dressing: Whisk together the Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil and tarragon until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Layer all the salad ingredients on top of the spinach and drizzle with the dressing and serve. (May be chilled if preferred, but I like the slight warmth of the steak, mushrooms and potatoes on the salad.)
Nutrition information per serving: 322 calories; 122 calories from fat; 14 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 61 mg cholesterol; 493 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 25 g protein.
Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
Make-ahead meals and cooking for the freezer, once relegated to suburban supermoms who had it more together than the rest of us, are now trendy with the healthy-eating crowd.
Sure, we call it "meal prep" but it's pretty much the same thing: Make good food in advance, so that we can eat it sometime in the future. In the past, this was primarily to save meal-planning stress, dishwashing time, and money. Now, we are recognizing another implicit benefit: We are more likely to make healthy food choices if something tasty and nutritious is already prepared.
Cook once but eat twice has long been the battle cry of the make-ahead meal, with Italian comfort foods such as lasagna and eggplant Parmesan perhaps being the poster-children of this eat-one-freeze-one movement. So I overhauled these Italian casseroles into my Eggplant and Spinach Parmesan, a healthier veggie-filled version that are actually quite easy to pull together, and freeze beautifully.
To make my healthy tweaks, I focused on an eggplant Parmesan dish, simply because I felt the pasta would be missed less. The eggplant, usually breaded and fried, was simply seasoned and roasted, and no one in my family missed the extra breadcrumbs or oil. I added in baby spinach, which contributed nutrients but also a nice layered lasagna-like element to the dish.
Without actual pasta, though, I knew I needed to keep some serious cheese. Using part-skim ricotta as the main component worked well, and I boosted the flavor with just a little bit of nutty Parmesan, and a reasonable quantity of mozzarella for melty-stretchy goodness. Luckily, marinara needs no makeover, as long as you buy or make one without extra sugar or preservatives. My version is vegetarian, but feel free to add a pound of lean browned ground turkey or beef if you want.
The recipe makes enough for eight, so a small family can freeze half for a second meal, or divide up leftovers into individual servings for DIY single-serving frozen meals. You can also double the recipe and really load up that freezer. I buy a bunch of foil baking pans at a warehouse store, because just seeing a stack of those pans in my cupboard inspires me to cook double and stock up the freezer.
Eggplant and spinach Parmesan
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium eggplants, about 1 1/2-2 pounds total
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
olive oil mister (or nonstick spray)
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg white
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
5 cups baby spinach
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese plus 1/4 cup additional for topping
4 cups prepared marinara sauce (no sugar added)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch slices. Place on a large baking sheet fitted with a baking rack. Sprinkle with half the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and spray lightly with an olive oil mister. Bake for 10 minutes, and then flip over the slices. Season the second side with the remaining garlic, another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and spray with olive oil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until slices are tender, but not falling apart, and then allow to cool enough to handle. Lower the oven temperature to 350 F.
Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl the ricotta, egg white, Parmesan cheese, Italian herb seasoning, black pepper and remaining salt. Spray the inside of a medium-sized baking or casserole dish. Place 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce at the bottom of the pan.
Layer in order: half the eggplant, half the ricotta cheese, half the spinach, half the 1 cup of mozzarella, half the (remaining) sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with sauce. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Cover with oven safe lid or with foil (spray lightly with oil to avoid sticking), and bake until hot and bubbly, about 45 minutes, removing cover halfway through the baking time. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.
Chef's tip: The dish will firm up as it cools, if you are trying to cut neater squares.
Nutrition information per serving: 236 calories; 99 calories from fat; 11 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 28 mg cholesterol; 855 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 16 g protein.
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy."
Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
Have you had enough pie yet? I know, no such thing. We're in the holiday season now, people, which means there's something awful for you lurking around every corner. These are the cakes of dreams, the cakes that only come around once a year. It's OK to eat an entire holiday favorite with your husband in a single day, right?
Unfortunately, no, it is not right (I am doing it anyway). But to redeem myself, I'm providing you with some really easy, healthy dinner recipes that will help you maintain some balance this holiday season: a stuffed delicata squash, black bean and sweet potato tacos and a quick pork loin with kale.
You can make all of these recipes with in-season produce. Holiday farmers markets abound in the Berkshires and southern Vermont right now, and there's plenty of local fare to eat this time of year, including meat. All the markets I listed will have plenty to choose from. I went to the first Berkshire Grown holiday market in Williamstown before Thanksgiving and it was excellent — tons of vendors, lots of greens and brussels sprouts, and squash and potatoes, and onions and more, plus cheese, bread and other stuff to help get you through the winter.
Delicata squash stuffed with sausage and black rice (or beans and black rice)
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 delicata squash
1 cup crumbled, cooked sausage (or 1 cup white beans or chickpeas)
1 cup cooked black rice (you can also just use brown or wild rice)
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together garlic, onion, rice, sausage, salt and pepper together in bowl; add broth and stir. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds and fill each half with rice/sausage mix. Place in baking tray, cover with foil and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. If desired, finish for 1 to 3 mins under the broiler (you can even add a little shredded cheese, but that's not that healthy!).
Black bean and sweet potato tacos
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 can black beans
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp paprika
½ chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 package 4.5" corn tortillas
1 tsp olive oil
Directions:
Heat oil in medium-size saucepan and add sweet potatoes, cumin, turmeric and paprika; saute for 5 to 7 minutes, then add onions and garlic. Cook until soft, around 2 to 3 minutes, then add black beans. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until most liquid has been absorbed. Put filling into taco shells and enjoy.
Chili-rubbed pork loin with kale
Ingredients:
1 pork loin, 1 to 1 ½ pounds
½ tbsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of kale
1 finely chopped clove garlic
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Rub pork loin with chili powder, oil and salt, and roast for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, flip pork loin over and roast another 25 minutes.
Melt 1 tbsp butter on stovetop, and add kale, garlic, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Cook until soft but still green, 5-10 minutes.
Holiday marketplaces
Pittsfield, Mass.: Lighthouse at the Boys and Girls Club, Dec. 12 and Jan. 9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Bennington, Vt.: First Baptist Church, Dec. 12 and 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Great Barrington, Mass.: Mounument Valley Middle School, Dec. 19 and Jan. 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Williamstown, Mass.: Williams College Towne Field House, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
When it comes to making beef stews, the French are clear winners.
French beef stews — from wine country's Boeuf Bourguignon to southern France's Daube a la Provencale — get their unmistakable flavor from onions, red wine, chunks of beef, herbs and often bacon or fatty pork that simmer together for hours, creating heady, delicious aromas. My entire family can identify French stews bubbling in the oven from the moment they waltz into the kitchen. Immediately, their eyes light up and their lips form into a knowing smile in anticipation of one of their favorite meals.
So, dare I make a healthy version of a dish that celebrates my (Marseille-born) husband's heritage, especially given he grew up eating a truly-perfect version of stew made by his mom? I treaded lightly, but found a few tricks that kept the flavor while vastly improving the nutrition profile.
The good news is that the main source of richness — red wine — stays. The tweaks were actually quite simple. I cut nearly all of the bacon, keeping one slice for flavor and boosted the smoky quality by adding calorie-free smoked paprika. The flavor held up enough that my family didn't notice, even if I confess I did (still worth the trade-off.) I doubled the veggie quantities (and added more American-stew carrots), boosting vitamins and fiber, and reduced the meat by about 25 percent compared to my normal stew, slashing fat, and no one even noticed.
Regarding the vegetables, I cut them a little larger than usual — just slightly bigger than bite-sized — so they would remain bulky, even after long simmering. Bulkier vegetables meant a less compact stew visually, which meant a nice big bowl of stew per serving. Last tweak was to make the stew a day ahead, chill it and skim off the congealed fat before reheating. Whatever silkiness the stew may have lost by the missing fat was more than made up for by the extra time the flavors had to marry. You can also let the stew cool a bit on the counter and spoon out liquid fat as best you can, if your family is like mine and simply can't wait to dig in.
French-style beef stew with veggies
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 24 hours, including inactive marinating and chilling time
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 pounds lean stew beef, cut into 2-3-inch pieces
3 medium yellow onions, sliced lengthwise, about 4-5 cups total
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 slice of bacon, cut into small pieces
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 carrots, chopped into slightly larger than bite sized pieces, about 2-3 cups
1 stalk celery, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced thickly (or quartered)
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup beef broth
4 stems fresh rosemary and thyme, tied together with kitchen string
2 bay leaves
Water
DIRECTIONS:
Place the beef cubes in large glass bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour over the red wine. Let marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, chilled. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Remove the beef from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and dry gently with paper towels.
Heat 1 teaspoon tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Sprinkle the bacon with smoked paprika and cook another minute until fragrant. Remove the bacon and set aside, reserving the fat in the pot. Add the remaining two teaspoons of olive oil in the Dutch oven and brown the beef on all sides. You may need to work in batches.
Remove the beef from the pot and set aside. Add the onions into the pot and cook over medium heat until soft, about ten minutes. Increase the temperature to medium high and add the rest of the vegetables and the garlic. Once the mushrooms are softened, about ten more minutes, add in the reserved marinade and bring to a simmer. Add the browned beef, the bacon, beef broth, herb bundle, bay leaves, and enough water to cover just barely to cover the meat. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 to 4 hours, until the meat is tender.
Check the stew every hour and add a little more water if the stew looks dry. Remove the lid for the final half hour of baking to allow the sauce to reduce a little. Remove the herbs. Cool the stew on the counter, and spoon off and discard fat collecting at the top. (Even better: chill for several hours or overnight. Scrape off congealed fat from top of stew, and reheat to serve.)
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Nutrition information per serving: 284 calories; 80 calories from fat; 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 83 mg cholesterol; 176 mg sodium; 14 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 32 g protein.
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Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy."
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Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
As we moved from pandemic to endemic last year, we all wanted things to go back to normal, whatever that normal might look like. And it felt like we were ready for celebration and revelry starting with Thanksgiving, continuing through the December observances, and finishing up with a Happy New Year toast.
Well, yes … and no. It seems that autumn brought a triple play of viruses to our area, with both teachers and students missing multiple days of school. I seem to have avoided all of them (knock wood, puh-puh-puh, or whatever you do to ward off a jinx), and I ended up covering in the classroom for so many colleagues who were down for the count. Nonetheless there were secret snowflake gift exchanges, candy cane sales, sweet treats in the faculty rooms, delicious food presents from friends far and wide, and a lot of good cooking with those gifts. I definitely felt that I indulged a bit, and quite happily did so, for it was wonderful to enjoy the season in ways I had not since 2019.
Now it’s back to reality, the humdrum doldrums of deep winter, and often we take turning the page on the calendar as the impetus to begin anew and make resolutions to better ourselves, our lives and our world. A perennial theme relates to health. Exercise is one subset of this topic (and I am reminded how devotees of going to the gym hate the month of January when the facilities and classes are more crowded!) and another is healthy eating. Maybe you want to cut back on portion size and calories, or perhaps to make a commitment to more plant-based eating. Either way, it can be challenging to come up with ways to make food delicious without some of the most tasty, but less healthy, ingredients.
I’ve been playing around for a while with a crumb topping for vegetables. It is so easy and so versatile, and will bring a bit of pep to your plate. Although it uses Parmesan and thus is not vegan, a common substitute is nutritional yeast and I am sure that would work well. For the zucchini version below, I sauté them in a pan with a bit of olive oil. Roasting works well for many other vegetables, and the crumb topping can likewise just be sprinkled on top. If you are steaming something, such as broccoli or green beans, you will want to drizzle a bit of olive oil over the breadcrumb-topped vegetables.
Whether you want to eat more vegetables, or just want a tasty topping for your veggie sides, this is a quick and easy way to add some zest — pun intended!
ZUCCHINI WITH LEMON-PARMESAN BREADCRUMBS (GOOD WITH OTHER VEGETABLES, TOO!)
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs, regular, panko, or homemade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon lemon zest, about ½ lemon
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2-2 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch-thick half moons
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste, and optional)
DIRECTIONS
Warm about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook for about a minute until they begin to toast a bit. Do not leave the pan for even a second as the breadcrumbs can burn quite suddenly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before adding the Parmesan, lemon zest and garlic powder. Mix to combine.
Heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the zucchini, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until zucchini is softened and beginning to brown. If you want more caramelization, you can cook a bit longer.
Remove the zucchini to a serving dish and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
If using the breadcrumb topping on steamed vegetables, drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the top before serving.
This year, how about a Chinese New Year's resolution — more stir-frying.
It's a choice that not only can lead to more flavorful eating, but also healthier food.
Grace Young, author of "Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge," says this traditional Chinese technique, which involves cooking food quickly over high heat in small amounts of oil, is intrinsically healthy because it calls for small amounts of meat and fat, but plenty of vegetables.
Young says there are a few essentials for creating successful stir-fries.
First, get a good wok or large skillet. Whichever you use, it should conduct heat well and be large enough to hold all the ingredients without crowding them. She avoids nonstick surfaces and recommends choosing either a 14-inch flat-bottom carbon steel wok or a 12-inch stainless steel wok or skillet.
Next, be sure to heat the pan first, then add the oil, then add the food. Adding oil to a cold wok or frying pan and then heating it will cause foods to stick to the pan.
In terms of oil, Young says it's important to choose one with a high smoke point, such as peanut, grapeseed or canola. These help quickly sear the foods and won't break down over high heat.
Lastly, Young cautions against overcrowding, which will cause meat and vegetables to steam or braise rather than caramelize and cook quickly as they should with this fast, high-heat technique.
This recipe for stir-fried crystal shrimp from Young's book is a tasty way to celebrate Chinese New Year. Not only are shrimp an excellent low-fat source of protein, they also are considered by the Chinese to represent happiness and laughter and often are included in New Year's dishes.
STIR-FRIED CRYSTAL SHRIMP
Start to finish:
1 hour 20 minutes
(20 minutes active)
Servings: 4
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
2 tablespoons egg white, lightly beaten (about 1/2 egg white)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 slices ginger, smashed
3 scallions, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch sections
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
In a large strainer rinse the shrimp. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt over the shrimp, then stir the shrimp in a vigorous circular motion for about 1 minute.
Rinse the shrimp under cold water, then shake out the excess water. Sprinkle 1 more teaspoon of salt over the shrimp and repeat the stirring and rinsing process. After the shrimp have been thoroughly rinsed, set on several sheets of paper towels. With more paper towels, pat the shrimp dry.
In a medium bowl combine the shrimp, egg white and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is totally dissolved and no clumps are visible. Put the shrimp mixture uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
In a 3-quart saucepan over high heat bring 1 1/2 quarts water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to low. When the water is barely simmering, carefully add the shrimp, gently stirring them so that they do not clump together. Cook for 1 minute or until the shrimp just turn pink but are not cooked through.
Carefully drain the shrimp, shaking the strainer to remove any excess water.
In a small bowl combine the broth, rice wine, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, and the pepper. Set aside.
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch skillet over high until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, add the ginger and scallions. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, or until the ginger and scallions are fragrant.
Add the shrimp and peas, then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir the broth mixture to recombine, then swirl it into the wok. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked and the sauce just clings to the shrimp.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 210 calories; 79 calories from fat (38 percent of total calories); 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 172 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrate; 25 g protein; 1 g fiber; 1,340 mg sodium.
(Recipe from Grace Young's "Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge," Simon & Schuster, 2010)
There are countless ways to make a meatless chili, and for a diabetic-friendly version we turned to tempeh as our starting point.
Tempeh, which is made from cooked and fermented soybeans, is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, but low in sodium and carbs. We treated it like ground meat, crumbling it and cooking it in a little oil until browned, then building a flavorful base for our chili.
A hefty tablespoon of cumin seeds added a bold flavor backbone while traditional aromatics rounded out the classic chili flavor profile. A chopped bell pepper and a couple of cut-up carrots added texture and a subtle sweetness that paired well with the tempeh.
To give our chili a burst of freshness and color, we added zucchini and frozen corn at the end along with the cooked tempeh. We prefer 5-grain tempeh in this chili, but any type of tempeh will work well.
VEGETARIAN CHILI
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
4 teaspoons canola oil
One 8 ounce package five-grain tempeh, crumbled into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
9 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
Salt and pepper
3 cups water
One 28-ounce can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
One 15-ounce can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup frozen corn
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
DIRECTIONS:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tempeh and cook until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate and set aside.
Add cumin seeds to the now-empty pot and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil, carrots, onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, chipotle, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in water, tomatoes, beans, and oregano, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until chili is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes.
Stir in corn, zucchini, and tempeh and cook until zucchini is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition information per serving: 295 calories; 80 calories from fat; 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 714 mg sodium; 42 g carbohydrate; 11 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 17 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Vegetarian Chili in "The Complete Diabetes Cookbook ."