Pesto Pasta

          This was a pretty hectic week so I went to the freezer to see what I could scrounge up.  A nice stash of frozen basil pesto made for a super simple and quick dinner.  My garden produced an amazing amount of basil over the summer and I didn't want it to go to waste so I cut it all down before winter and made tons of pesto to save for a rainy day.  Filling ice trays with pesto creates perfect single servings that keep for several months covered in the freezer and defrost nicely in the microwave in about 20 seconds.  I like to use Mark Bittman's pesto recipe from How to Cook Everything with whole wheat pasta, mushrooms and grape tomatoes.  

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 lb package dried whole wheat pasta, any variety
• 2 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 cloves of garlic; 1 whole, 1 minced
• 2 T pine nuts
• ½ C + 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ C grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz sliced portobello  mushrooms
• 1½ C cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1.   Cook pasta as directed on package.

2.  Combine the basil with ½ tsp of salt, 1 garlic clove (whole), pine nuts, and  ¼ C olive oil in a food processor.  Pulse, slopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl and add another ¼ C olive oil slowly until you reach desired consistency.

3.  Saute mushrooms over medium heat with 1 T of olive oil and 1 clove garlic, minced stirring frequently - about 10 mins. 

4.  Drain the pasta and toss with pesto, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Nutritional Information:
Serving size: 1 C 

Calories:  374

Fat:  20.8 g total fat, 3.5 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat

Carbohydrates:  38.5 g

Protein:  11.3 g

Fiber:  7.2 g

Sodium:  220.2 mg

Cholesterol:  5.5 mg

          While this recipe does contain 20 g of fat per serving, the majority is unsaturated fat which is heart healthy and can lower LDL or the bad cholesterol.  

Black Beans and Rice with Chicken and Apple Salsa

          This recipe from bon appetit is a keeper!  It is a simple recipe that uses a few quick tricks to spice up rice and beans.  This a great meal to make when you are short on time with the use of canned beans and a rotisserie chicken. You can speed things up even more with pre-cooked frozen brown rice.  I love Trader Joe's Frozen Organic Brown Rice.  Each 2 C packet takes only three minutes in the microwave for perfectly cooked brown rice!  
          Also, look for low sodium versions of canned black beans and chicken broth.  The same recipe using conventional canned black beans and chicken broth produce 994 mg of sodium per serving or 43% of the daily value vs just 164 mg or 7% of the daily value in my version.  You can find low sodium or no salt added versions of pretty much any canned good, broths/stocks, and even deli meats at most supermarkets. If you don't see what you are looking for, just ask and many times the store will order it for you. 
          Why make the effort to lower your sodium intake?  High consumption of sodium leads to hypertension. Hypertension is dangerous because it causes the heart to work too hard which can harm your arteries, heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes.  Most Americans exceed the Institute of Medicine's recommended 2300 mg of sodium per day due to the intake of processed and pre-packaged foods (not from the salt shaker).  Choosing low sodium or no salt added versions of pre-packaged foods can dramatically cut down your sodium intake and lower your blood pressure!

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 C chopped peeled Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 C chopped cilantro, divided
• 1/3  C finely chopped red onion, divided
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/3  C finely chopped green bell pepper
• 2 T canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¾ tsp cumin seeds
• 3 C low-salt chicken broth
• 2 15-ounce cans no added salt black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 C cooked brown rice
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4–6 lime wedges

1.   Combine apple, ¼ C cilantro, 2 T onion, and 1 tsp lime juice in a small bowl; toss to coat. Set apple salsa aside.

2.  Combine remaining onion, bell pepper, and oil in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until completely softened, 6–7 minutes. 

3.  Add garlic, chili powder, ground coriander, and cumin seeds; stir constantly for 2 minutes. 

4.  Stir in broth and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer briskly, mashing some of the beans with the back of a spoon and stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 8–10 minutes. 

5.  Season with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

6.   Divide rice and beans among plates. Top with chicken and apple salsa. Garnish with remaining ¼ cup cilantro and lime wedges.


Nutritional Information:
Recipe yields 6 servings

Calories:  458

Fat:  12.7 g total fat, 2.1 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat

Carbohydrates:  47.3 g

Protein:  38.3 g

Fiber:  10 g

Sodium:  163.7 mg

Cholesterol:  86.7 mg

          Enjoy this flavorful dish packed with protein and fiber and low in sodium!
 

Mediterranean Barley Salad

          This recipe for Mediterranean Barley Salad makes for a hearty and healthy meal.  I like to make a large enough batch to serve at dinner with plenty of leftovers to pack for lunches during the week.  The recipe below has been adapted from Cooking Light and yields eight 1 C servings of the barley mixture.

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 C uncooked hulled or pearl barley
• 1 (15 oz) can no-added salt chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 red pepper finely chopped
• 2 T sun dried tomatoes (packed without oil) diced 
• 1 C grape tomatoes halved
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 C packed mixed greens, spinach, or arugula
• 2 oz feta crumbles
• 1 ½ T kalamata olive tapenade 

1.  Cook the barley according to package directions or follow this simple recipe if you purchase barley from the bulk section of your grocery store.

2.  Combine the cooked barley, chickpeas, bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes and grape tomatoes  in a large bowel.

3.  Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes together and pour over barley mixture.

4.  Serve the barley mixture over a mound of greens and top with a sprinkling of the tapenade and feta cheese.

Nutritional Information:
Serving size: 1 C barley mixture over greens

Calories:  188

Fat:  7.3 g total fat, 1.4 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat

Carbohydrates:  25.7 g

Protein:  6.6 g

Fiber:  6.8 g

Sodium:  421 mg

Cholesterol:  5.4 mg

          This is a simple recipe packed with flavor that is low in calories but high in fiber to keep you satisfied.

Saturday Morning Buttermilk Pancakes

What better way to start off 2012 than with breakfast – it is the most important meal of the day after all.  While the majority of my mornings consist of cereal and fruit, buttermilk pancakes have become a Saturday morning ritual in our house.  The recipe I use has been adapted from one of my go to cook books, The Joy of Cooking.  I use a 50/50 mix of all-purpose and whole wheat pastry flours to include whole grains at breakfast without creating dense pancakes (as whole wheat flour would).  You can play around with the ratio too; slowly increasing the amount of whole wheat pastry flour.  They come out with the same great taste and texture as the recipe using all-purpose flour exclusively and offer the added benefits of whole grains with more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Even better, they will fill you up faster and keep you satisfied longer.  I also like to add lemon zest and blueberries for an extra burst of flavor!

Recipe:

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl:

·         ¾ C All-Purpose Flour

·         ¾ C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

·         1 T Sugar

·         1 tsp Baking Soda

·         ½ tsp Baking Powder

·         Zest of 1 Lemon

In a separate bowl combine liquid ingredients:

·         1 ½ C Buttermilk 

·         3 T Melted Unsalted Butter

·         2 Eggs

·         ½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Reserve ¾ C Fresh or Unsweetened Frozen Blueberries

Allow your pan (or pans to speed up the process) or griddle to heat up on medium heat while you mix the liquid ingredients into the dry.  Be careful not to over mix – lumps are OK.   Grease your pan with a bit (you really don’t need much to do the trick) of butter, canola oil, or non-stick spray and scoop ¼ C of the batter onto the hot pan.  Top the batter with a few blueberries and wait for tiny bubbles to form around the edges then flip to cook the opposite side.

Don't have buttermilk?  No problem, you can easily make your own by adding vinegar to milk: 1 tablespoon of vinegar for every cup of milk.  It is easiest to measuring out 1 T of vinegar in a 1 C measuring cup and then fill the rest with milk.

This is a simple recipe for a great weekend breakfast that doesn’t take much more effort than a store bought box mix but tastes amazing!

Nutritional Information With Comparison to Bisquick Original (with 1% milk and 2 eggs):

(3 pancakes/serving)

Calories: 248	vs	313
Fat: 9 g total fat, 5 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat	vs	9 g total fat, 2.3 g sat fat, 2.6 g trans fat
Carbohydrates: 33 g	vs	48 g
Protein: 8.4 g	vs	8.3 g
Fiber:  2.7 g	vs	1.7 g
Sodium: 270 mg	vs	748 mg
Cholesterol:  81 mg	vs	23 mg

          Based on the comparison above, the Saturday Morning Buttermilk Pancakes are a smart choice with less calories, no trans fats, more fiber, and  a lot less sodium than the store bought mix.