It's Good For You!

I recall, a few years ago, a girlfriend had quite a scare when her husband ended up in the ER with chest pains early one morning.  It basically came down to altering their lifestyle and eating habits with a little more exercise thrown in for good measure.  I was not only very concerned but on the other side of the coin, completely moved that she reached out to me to help them explore healthier eating habits.

Now of course, those of you who read this blog know that I'm a fan of bacon, butter, thick French sauces and heck well, I'm a baker so... you might be surprised that with minimal effort and a few key ingredients, health conscience menu planning is as easy as falling off a log.  Seriously!  A log!

Here are some tried and true facts about eating for better health especially when you must make a complete lifestyle adjustment; (from the wonderful folks at the Mayo Clinic).

 The food constituting a diet must include proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Each food type is nutritionally unique and complements the others for a well-rounded balance of vitamins and nutrients, according to the Mayo Clinic. The recommendations set forth by the Mayo Clinic for caloric proportioning calls for 45 percent to 65 percent carbohydrates, 20 percent to 35 percent fats and 10 percent to 35 percent proteins on a daily basis. So, to continue on with the lecture portion of this blog installment,  foods such as whole cornmeal, popcorn, whole rye, brown rice, quinoa and rolled oats are recommended as daily sources of carbohydrates...and who doesn't love quinoa?  Also highly recommended are cold water fish, tofu, soybeans, nuts, egg whites and skinless white meat chicken and turkey.  Of course common sense suggests limiting your salt intake...duhhhhh... right?

Okay, let's get to it.  Don't be afraid!  It'll be deeeeeeelish!

Grilled Cilantro/Lime Chicken

What you need:

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 cup of lime juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

a “shake” of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

How to do it:

Trim fat from chicken breasts and cut out middle tendon. Pound between waxed paper to flatten slightly. Combine olive oil, lime juice, red pepper flakes, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour over chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

Grill or broil the meat for 2 minutes on each side or until 160°F on an instant read thermometer.

Turkey Chili

What you need:

•                1/4 cup olive oil, divided

•                3 cups chopped yellow onions

•                3/4 cup diced red bell pepper

•                3/4 cup diced green bell pepper

•                2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

•                1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

•                3 pounds ground turkey

•                1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro stems

•                2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

•                2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

•                2 teaspoons ground cumin

•                salt to taste

•                3/4 teaspoon crumbled Mexican oregano

•                1/2 teaspoon sugar

•                1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

•                1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices

•                1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

•                6 cups low sodium chicken broth

•                1 1/2 cups cooked and drained kidney beans

•                1 1/2 cups cooked and drained black beans

•                1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

 How to do it:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 4 quart large, heavy saucepan and, when hot, add the onions and both the red and green bell peppers and cook until vegetables are soft and lightly caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the jalapenos and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the turkey, cilantro stems, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, salt, oregano, sugar, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until the turkey is cooked through and the spices are very fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the kidney beans and black beans and cook until the flavors come together and the chili has thickened, about 30 minutes longer. Add the cilantro, remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  (you can omit the sour cream btw).

Steamed Veggies and Quinoa

What you need:

1 c quinoa, rinsed
2 c water

4 med. carrots
3 med. zucchini squash
1 lg. Vidalia onion
12 oz. fresh mushrooms
2 tbsp. olive oil

How to do it:

Place water in a small covered saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add quinoa and stir. Reduce heat to a simmer and replace lid. Simmer for 11-12 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Cut peeled carrots in 1/2 diagonal slices. Cut onion in 8 sections. Place in steamer basket. Steam 10 minutes. Add zucchini. Cut in 1/2 inch slices. Salt lightly and steam 8 minutes more. In skillet cook mushrooms in butter 4 to 5 minutes. Cut mushrooms if too large. Combine with other vegetables. Steam until tender. Can be cooked ahead and microwave to warm.  Add to cooked quinoa and enjoy!

Grilled Pork Chop w/Maple Glaze

4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
Maple Glaze
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

How to do it:

( you can grill or bake... I prefer the grill, of course)

Grill directions:.

Heat grill. Rub both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. In small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Set aside.

When ready to grill, place pork chops on medium heat 4 to 6-inches from medium coals. Cook 15 minutes, turning once.

Brush pork chops with glaze. Cook an additional 10 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once and brushing frequently with glaze. Bring any remaining glaze to a boil; serve with pork chops.

Oven Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rub both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. In small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Set aside.

Brush pork chops with glaze. Bake pork chops for 30 minutes, basting with glaze every 8-10 minutes. Bring any remaining glaze to a boil; serve with pork chops.

As always, everything in moderation but remember, red wine IS our friend!

Enjoy!  With love, The Sunflower xo