Spinach & Strawberry Smoothie

I haven't made a green smoothie in a while, so I thought I would try using spinach this go-around instead of kale. Spinach is a great alternative for those that don't care for the flavor of kale because the taste is not as strong.  I am a kale fan, but spinach is a nice change sometimes. It tastes great with pretty much any fruit you throw in the blender with it, but I think it is particularly good with strawberries and bananas. Like most smoothies, this is so easy to make and such a simple and great tasting way to fit in a large amount of leafy greens.

Spinach & Strawberry Smoothie

Makes ~6 (8oz) servings

Ingredients

4 cups fresh organic spinach leaves
1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 fresh banana
1 cup orange juice
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups ice

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until liquified and there are no visible pieces of ice

2. Pour in a glass and enjoy!

What are the nutritional benefits of this smoothie? Spinach is very high in vitamins A and K, and also and excellent source of folate, iron, vitamin C, and calcium. Strawberries are packed with vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C, and contain a prebiotic substance called fructooligosaccharide which ferments in the digestive tract, encouraging the growth of probiotics, and enhancing the absorption of calcium in the body. Orange juice tops it off with even more vitamin C.

Potato & Pea Soup

Here is another delicious and healthy soup with a creamy consistency that is completely dairy free! This is the first time I have made a recipe out of our Vitamix cookbook, and it was really great.  And the best part, aside from the soup tasting really good, is that there are not very many ingredients in it, and I had everything in the house already to make it. This was a really nice hot soup to have on a cold winter day. We ate it with some fresh egg salad sandwiches on toasted multigrain bread and some raw carrots - quick and easy for a weeknight!

Potato & Pea Soup

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
4 organic russet potatoes, quartered, with skin
1 cup frozen sweet peas
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4-inch piece lemon peel

Directions

1. Place potatoes, peas, onion, and 4 cups chicken stock in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Place cooked ingredients, remaining chicken stock and lemon peel in blender and blend until smooth.

(Recipe adapted from Vitamix: Create Recipes cookbook)

What are the nutritional benefits of this soup? Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Peas are high in vitamins A, C and K, as well as B vitamins, and are also high in fiber. Onions are rich in quercetin (a type of antioxidant) and vitamin C. 

Oat & Chia Energy Bars

My husband, Ted, and I workout quite a bit and like to grab an energy bar to take as a pre or post-workout snack. There are some great pre-packaged bars out there, but they can get pretty expensive and often contain a lot of artificial sugars and sugar alcohols. I have had "attempting to make a homemade energy bar" on my to-do list for a while, so this was finally my first stab at it, and they turned out great! At first, I thought I should have left them in the oven a few minutes longer because the consistency seemed a bit soft for a take-n-go energy bar. However, the next day, they were much more firm, making them a much better transportable snack. I ate one of these before I exercised today and I felt awesome during my workout! These bars are packed with nutient-rich ingredients, and the chia seeds are a great energy booster.

Oat & Chia Energy Bars

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup black strap molasses

1 large organic free range egg

2 organic free range egg whites

2 Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsp water

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup dried fruit (I used raisins)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp chia seeds for topping

Peanut oil for oiling baking dish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish with peanut oil.

2. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl. In separate, medium sized, mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar and molasses and beat with hand mixer until smooth.

3. In small bowl, whisk eggs. Combine chia seeds and water in another small bowl and let sit for 3-4 minutes to gel.

4. Add vanilla, chia seeds and eggs to peanut butter mixture. Beat with hand mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and stir in with a spoon. Fold in oats, raisins and walnuts.

5. Spread mixture into baking pan evenly. Sprinkle 1 Tsbp chia seeds over the top.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool completely in baking dish. Cut into 24 bars.

(Recipe adapted from preventionrd.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of these energy bars? Whole wheat flour is less refined than all purpose flour so provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and potassium. Black strap molasses is a very good source of several minerals, including iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, antioxidants and calcium. Walnuts are very high in omega-3 fatty acids, and are also high in vitamin E and B vitamins. Oats are high in soluble fiber, which helps reduce cholesterol levels.

According to the recipe that I followed on preventionrd.com, here is the nutrition information for one bar: 138 calories, 5.8g fat, 9mg cholesterol, 71mg sodium, 19.8g carbohydrate, 2.8g fiber, 3.6g protein, and 420mg omega 3 fatty acids

Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce & Mexican Brown Rice

If you are looking for a delicious yet healthy Mexican style meal, this is for you! I have always wanted to try making a mole sauce but most of the recipes seemed a little too involved, especially for a week night. I came across this simple mole sauce recipe and so decided to make some enchiladas to go with it. Most enchilada recipes have sour cream and/or lots of cheese in the filling, but I wanted to do something that was healthier and also dairy free, aside from topping some of them with a small amount of cheese. I left one enchilada free of cheese for our son (because he has a milk allergy). And honestly, the mole sauce and enchiladas themselves are so good, the cheese isn't necessary! I also used multigrain tortillas instead of flour tortillas for a healthier spin on the recipe, and they were really good. The best part is that these enchiladas taste even better the next day, so make great leftovers. I made these for dinner last night and we had them again for dinner tonight. 

To make shredded chicken for dishes like this, I am a fan of slow-cooking the chicken breasts in chicken stock for 5 hours. When you take the chicken out, it pretty much just falls into pieces, making the shredding very easy. It is really simple to do it this way, but you just need to make sure you plan ahead since it takes several hours. You could pop the chicken in the slow cooker the evening before and store it in the fridge until you are ready to make the rest of the meal.

This Mexican brown rice is so flavorful, I think even those who aren't brown rice converts would like it. The key is slow-simmering the rice in the puree of tomatoes, garlic, onion, and chicken stock. To save some time, make the rice ahead of time if you can (since it takes an hour to cook) and reheat it at dinner time. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce & Mexican Brown Rice

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 pound organic free range chicken breasts
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp canola oil 
1 cup red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 oz canned diced green chili peppers
1 (28oz) can stewed tomatoes
8 multigrain tortillas
1 cup 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese (optional), for topping

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and pour in 2 cups chicken stock, or enough to just cover chicken breasts. Cook on low for 5 hours.

2. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred using 2 forks. Set aside, or store in refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large frying pan, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add shredded chicken, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, corn, chilies, and stewed tomatoes. Stir until evenly combined and cook, continuing to stir, until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.

4. Spread a thin layer of mole sauce (recipe below) on bottom of large rectangular baking pan so that enchiladas do not stick.

5. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and wrap to hold together. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Spoon mole sauce over enchiladas, trying to cover as much of exposed tortillas as possible so that they do not dry out in oven. Top with cheddar cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com)

Mole Sauce

Ingredients

2 tsp canola oil

1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried cilantro

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 (10.75oz) can condensed tomato soup

1 (4oz) can diced green chile peppers

Directions

1. Heat canola oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

Mexican Brown Rice

Ingredients

1 (14.5oz) can organic diced tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 cups organic chicken stock, divided

1 1/2 cups organic long grain brown rice

1 Tbsp canola oil

3/4 cup frozen vegetables

Directions

1. Place diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 1/2 cup chicken stock in food processor. Process until smooth.

2. Place oil, rice and frozen vegetables in a large sauce pan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.  Add tomato mixture and remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 50-60 minutes, or until rice is no longer crunchy, stirring occasionally. Add additional chicken stock or water as needed.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Multigrain tortillas are less refined than flour tortillas, and contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals as a result. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Corn provides some fiber and vitamin C, folate and thiamin, as well as minerals phosphorous and magnesium. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Canned tomato products, such as the stewed tomatoes, diced tomaoes and tomato soup in this dinner, contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes, and also provide lots of vitamin C. Cocoa powder, used in the mole sauce, contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Cumin is a good source of iron and calcium. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber.

Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy

My husband, Ted, made a locally-raised, all-natural free-range turkey for a little pre-Thanksgiving dinner a few nights ago, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it was the best turkey I have ever had. The flavor and tenderness were just perfect, and he prepared the turkey by rubbing it with canola oil instead of butter. But the absolute best thing about this turkey was that our son, Charlie, could not get enough of it. We had to refill his plate 3 times with turkey! The next time we make a turkey, it will be with the same exact method as Ted used on this one.

Anyone that has had Ted's cooking knows that he is a master at making good sauces. It turns out that he is also a master at making amazing gravy! He said that the key to making the gravy was to constantly whisk it and not let it brown.  Gravy is not exactly healthy, but since this is the one time in the whole year that we will make gravy, it is nice to indulge a little bit for a special occasion! 

Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy

Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients

12 pound all-natural free-range turkey
2 organic apples, quartered
2 stalks of organic celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound organic carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
Canola oil, for rubbing the turkey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Season cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Rub outside of turkey with canola oil and then season with salt and pepper. Our butcher tied the legs together for us, but if your is not tied, use some kitchen twine to tie legs together. 

3. Combine apples, celery, carrots, onion, and lemon in a large bowl and mix together. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with as much of the mixture as needed to fill it.  Place the remainder of the mixture in the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the giblets and neck to the mixture in the bottom of the roasting pan.

4. Place roasting rack over the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Place turkey on the rack, front side up, and tuck the wings in underneath the turkey (so that the breast meat will cook evenly).

5. Bake turkey in center of the oven. The classic method for baking a turkey is 20 minutes per pound, according to foodnetwork.com. Our 12 pound turkey was done in 2 hours and 45 minutes, as indicated by the pop-up thermometer that came with our turkey.  To be sure, check the temperature of the thigh meat with a meat thermometer. It is fully cooked when the thigh meat is 165 degrees.

6. Remove turkey from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes to lock in the juices. Discard vegetable mixture in cavity and pan. Remove giblets and discard, or save if desired.

7. Carve and enjoy!

Gravy

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
Turkey drippings
Organic chicken stock, for thinning
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Remove rack and vegetable and giblet mixture from roasting pan. 

2. Pour turkey dripping through gravy separator. 

3. Heat roasting pan over medium heat on the stove and melt butter in pan. As butter is melting, whisk in flour to make a roux. When butter and flour are fully combined, whisk in turkey drippings gradually.  Once all drippings are whisked in, if gravy is not thin enough, whisk in chicken stock until gravy reaches desired consistency.

4. Serve with turkey and enjoy!

What are the nutritional benefits of gravy?  Absolutely none, but it is a nice treat once a year at Thanksgiving to make your turkey even more delicious!

What are the nutritional benefits of turkey? Turkey is very high in protein. Just one 4oz serving provides 28g of protein! Turkey is also a great source of iron. If you choose the white meat portion and discard the fat, turkey is very low in fat.  Also, if you discard the fat, you won't double up on the fat if you use gravy!

Steamed Artichokes

Steamed artichokes are really easy to make, taste very good and make a great appetizer.  If you have never eaten a fresh steamed artichoke, you remove one petal at a time and eat the fleshy portion at the bottom, then discard the remainder of the petal. The flavor of the artichoke flesh is great on its own, but is also very good dipped in a little bit of melted butter (if you want to have more of a splurge - which we did last night!).  This is a really nice appetizer if you have company, and is very good with a nice glass of wine.  My husband made these artichokes last night and we munched on them while making a home-made pizza and sipping on some read wine.

Steamed Artichokes

Ingredients

2 fresh whole organic artichokes

Water for steaming

Directions

1. Remove stems with a knife and cut off tops of artichokes, just enough so that they will stand in pan.

2. Fill bottom of medium-sized sauce pan with about 1/4 inch of water, just enough to create steam.  Bring water to a simmer and place artichokes in pan, stem side up. Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes, or until you can easily insert a knife into the fleshy portion of the artichoke.

3. Serve with melted butter.

What are the nutritional benefits of artichokes? Artichokes are a good source of fiber and vitamins C, K and folate. They are all packed with antioxidants, ranking number 7 on the USDA's list of the top 20 best sources of antioxidants.

Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread

I am always looking for dairy free "treats" that are still somewhat healthy for my son, Charlie.  I came across this recipe and had to give it a try because it is perfect for the holidays.  I am not a big fan of pumpkin pie or other pumpkin-flavored things, but I would eat this pumpkin bread anytime! The pumpkin flavor is not overwhelming and the whole wheat flour adds a slight nutty flavor that I love. The olive oil keeps the bread moist without making it fall apart, and the density of the whole wheat flour helps hold it together as well. 

This bread is great for breakfast with some eggs, or as a dessert.  I think it is best with a good cup of coffee!  

Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 large organic free range eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Oil and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, olive oil, and honey. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until evenly combined.

4. place batter in prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until lightly browned, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. Place loaf on a wire rack to continue cooling.

(Recipe adapted from doortodoororganics.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this bread? Pumpkin puree provides lots of fiber and is a good source of vitamins A and E, as well as iron. Whole wheat flour is less refined than all purpose flour so provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.

Classic Meatloaf

This is one of my husband's favorite dinners, which works out very well for me because it is so easy!  The great thing about this meal is that all of the prep work can be done ahead of time. I assembled the meatloaf in the pan, cut up the broccoli and put it in a pan with a small amount of water, and peeled and cut the potatoes and put them in a pan with chicken stock - and then put it all in the refrigerator in the morning.  When it was time to make dinner, I just popped the meatloaf in the oven and put the pans on the stove. I like to make my own bread crumbs because it is hard to find pre-packaged bread crumbs that are whole wheat and dairy free. I walk you through how I make them below.

We made these same roasted garlic mashed potatoes last weekend - click here for the recipe! They are completely dairy free and taste every bit as good as traditional mashed potatoes made with butter and cream. The roasted garlic and chicken stock add plenty of flavor and richness.

To make the broccoli, just place it in a pan with a small amount of water (just enough to create steam), and cook over medium heat until tender - about 10 minutes.

Classic Meatloaf

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 organic free range egg
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 Tbsp ketchup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. If you make your own bread crumbs: place wheat bread in toaster and toast on medium setting; bread should be toasted enough that it is no longer soft, but crisp. Let toast cool and then break into pieces in small food processor. Grind toast pieces into small bread crumbs.

3. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together with hands until evenly combined.  Place mixture in a bread pan and pat down until top is flat. Top meatloaf with additional ketchup, if desired.

4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Compared with conventional beef, grass-fed beef is lower in total fat, higher in omega-3 fatty acids and higher in vitamins, particularly vitamin E. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese.

Cranberry & Toasted Almond Spinach Salad with White Wine Poppyseed Vinaigrette

If you are looking for an easy go-to side salad, this is a great one! My husband loved this salad so much, he had a whole second serving of it. Most poppyseed dressings tend to be creamy, but this one is completely dairy free, and just as good as any dairy-containing poppyseed dressing I have ever had.  

I would recommend making the dressing ahead of time so it has time to marinate together. I made ours about 6 hours before dinner.  Making it the day before would probably be even better because the longer it sits, the better it tastes. I also toasted the almonds ahead of time and just tossed them in a container after they cooled.  

If you are in charge of taking a salad to your upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas get-togethers, this would be a delicious and easy option. If you were to make the dressing and toast the almonds ahead of time, it would take just a few moments to toss them together with the cranberries and dressing, or you could serve the dressing on the side.

Cranberry & Toasted Almond Spinach Salad with White Wine Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Makes ~8 Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cups sliced almonds
1 pound fresh organic spinach leaves
1 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp minced yellow onion
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

1. In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add almonds and toast until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. In a large jar, combine sesame seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. Place lid on jar and shake vigorously to combine.  

3. In a large bowl, toss spinach with cranberries and almonds.  Toss with dressing, or serve dressing on the side.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this salad? Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. Almonds are high in manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, and copper, and vitamins E and B2. Sesame and poppy seeds are good sources of calcium, phosphorous and iron. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Shallot Soup

I have been trying out different soups in our Vitamix, and last night I decided to try making a soup with butternut squash.  This recipe could not be any easier to make, and it is also really healthy due to containing very little fat but lots of vitamins and fiber.  It was a really nice hot soup for a cold day, and would be great on Thanksgiving!

This soup can be made the night before or you can roast the squash, shallots and ginger ahead of time and toss them in the blender with the stock when you are ready to make dinner.  Any leftover soup would also freeze well, making an easy dinner to pull out when you don't have much time to cook.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Shallot Soup

Makes ~ 6 servings

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 large shallot, peeled and quartered

1 (1/2 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

4 cups organic chicken stock

2 Tbsp organic chives, chopped

Fresh black pepper, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine squash, shallot, ginger, olive oil, and salt in a baking pan. Toss until evenly combined. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Let cool for 10 minutes.

3. Place squash mixture and stock in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into stock pot. Cook over medium heat until throughly heated. (If you use a Vitamix, it will heat the soup; put in stock pot on stove to keep warm over low heat, if needed). Top with chives and pepper, if desired.

(Recipe adapted from my recipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this soup?  Butternut squash is low in fat, high in fiber, and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, folate, beta carotene, and the mineral potassium. Shallots are a good source of fiber and potassium.

Broiled Whitefish with Roasted Asparagus

The Lake Superior whitefish at our store looked really good this week, so I picked some up to make for dinner last night. We didn't do anything fancy to it - just seasoned it with same paprika, salt and pepper and served it with fresh lemon. It was such a nice, light dinner.  It went very well with the roasted asparagus and wild rice that we made to go with it.

As I usually do, I made the rice in the morning to save some time, and just reheated it while we made the rest of the dinner. Pre-making the rice allowed us to have our meal ready in just over half an hour in the evening!  My husband, Ted, was home yesterday so we cooked dinner together while enjoying a nice glass of wine - I pretty nice Monday evening if you ask me!

Broiled Whitefish with Roasted Asparagus

Broiled Whitefish

Ingredients

1 pound fresh Lake Superior whitefish, with skin
Paprika, salt (optional) and black pepper, for seasoning
Fresh lemon wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

2. Place fish, skin side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Season with salt (optional), pepper and paprika.  Bake for 10 minutes, then increase temperature to broil, and broil for 5-7 minutes.

3. Cut fish into 4-ounce servings.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh asparagus
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, for seasoning (optional)
Fresh lemon wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Snap off woody ends of asparagus.  Place in baking pan and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss until evenly coated. Roast in oven for 25 minutes.

3. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over asparagus before serving, or serve with lemon wedges.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? White fish is very low in fat and high in protein.  It is also a rich source of B vitamins and the minerals selenium and iodine. Asparagus is high in vitamin K and is also a great source of vitamin A, folate and iron. Wild rice is a great source of protein and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, C and E.

Brined Chicken Breasts with Baked Tomatoes & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The last time we visited my family, my dad made this chicken, and it was so good that I wrote down the recipe to bring back with us. This brine is so simple and infuses a lot of flavor into the chicken.  It can be challenging to make grilled chicken taste really good without a sauce, but this is one grilled chicken recipe that is so good that no sauce is necessary!

The baked tomatoes are also something that my dad introduced us to.  We did not follow any specific recipe for these ones, but were inspired by how we recalled that my dad usually makes them.  They are a really good side dish with  grilled chicken, and can easily be made dairy free by omitting the parmesan cheese.

My husband loves potatoes, and I wanted to try something new that was also dairy free so that our son, Charlie, could eat them.  These roasted garlic mashed potatoes were so flavorful, we didn't miss the butter and milk at all. The chicken stock and roasted garlic added plenty of richness without any of the  dairy (or fat!).

Brined Chicken Breasts with Baked Tomatoes & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

Brined Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

1 pound organic free-range chicken breasts

2 cups water

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 Tbsp kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a gallon-sized sealable bag.  Place in the refrigerator to brine for 7 hours.

2. Preheat grill.  Cook chicken breasts for 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper in small bowl.

3. Remove steams from tomatoes and cut tomatoes in half.  Place tomatoes in baking pan, flesh side up.  Top with bread crumb mixture and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

5 organic white potatoes
2 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
1 head fresh garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2. Wrap whole head of garlic in aluminum foil and bake for one hour.

3. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potatoes and chicken stock to a small pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes, or until tender (can be pierced with a fork and won't break apart). Drain the potatoes, reserving the stock.

4. Add 2 or 3 roasted garlic cloves to the potatoes. Mash potatoes with a potato masher, and add reserved stock as you mash until you achieve desired consistency.  For creamier potatoes, use a hand mixer.  Save the remainder of the head of roasted garlic for other recipes in the next several days (ie. soups, the spread on bread, etc).

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene and vitamin C. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese.

Tofu & Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

I have been looking forward to making this recipe all week, not only because I love peanut butter and tofu, but because I have never cooked with molasses before and wanted to give it a try.  Black strap molasses is great for you, providing lots of iron and calcium, and it also adds a really nice flavor to food.  I have made various peanut sauces that we have really liked before, but the addition of molasses to this one made it one of my favorites.

If you like spicier food, you can add a little cayenne pepper, to your taste, when you make the sauce. Just add it to the peanut butter mixture to simmer with the rest of the ingredients. Or you can always leave it out and let people add some to their own plates. We did not use any cayenne pepper, but fans of spicy food may like that addition.

As I usually do, I cooked the brown rice in the morning since it takes an hour to simmer, and just reheated it at dinner time. I also chopped up the vegetables  and got the excess water out of the tofu ahead of time so all I had to do was toss them in the pan later on. Since I did these few things ahead of time, it only took me 20 minutes to make dinner in the evening - not too bad at all, especially for a dinner that we liked so much!

Tofu & Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 small head organic broccoli, chopped
1 organic red pepper, chopped
1 small package fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pound organic extra firm tofu
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup hot water
4 Tbsp white vinegar
4 Tbsp organic tamari
3 Tbsp black strap molasses
Ground cayenne pepper, to taste (if desired)

Directions

1. Place tofu between a couple of layers of paper towels in a plate. Place a heavy object, such as a sauce pan or the top of a grill pan, on top and let sit for about 15 minutes to squeeze out the excess water. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, red pepper and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add tofu and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, hot water, vinegar, tamari, and molasses. Pour over vegetable and tofu. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Serve over brown rice.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Peanut oil has a high smoke point, which makes it a healthy option for cooking at higher temperature on the stove top. A high smoke point means that the oil will not begin to oxidize, creating undesirable chemical byproducts in your food, until it reaches a much higher temperature, as compared to other oils. Peanut oil contains the same amount of fat and saturated fat as olive oil, and is a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Peanut oil is also a great source of vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Zucchini is a good source of fiber and vitamins A, C and folate. Mushrooms  are an excellent source of minerals selenium and potassium as well vitamins riboflavin, and niacin, and are the only item you will find in the produce section that supplies some vitamin D! Being a plant-food, tofu is a cholesterol free food, and is a great source of calcium and contains some iron. It is also a great source of protein. Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and potassium. Black strap molasses is a very good source of several minerals, including iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium.