Elisa Zied

This delicious recipe for mini fish sticks will help you and your kids get in a key food we don't eat enough of. Reposted with permission from Living a Real Life with Real Food from Beth Warren, MS, RD, CDN, the recipe packs in plenty of protein, a good dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and little saturated fat and sodium. It also packs in plenty of "real food," defined by Beth as "Less processed, God given foods, meant to be manipulated into delicious meals and snacks in our own kitchens and not by the food industry."

Paired with vegetables, it makes a crunchy and satisfying dinner the whole family can enjoy.

Mini Fish Sticks

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon low fat (1%) milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 pound cod fillets, cut into 20 (1-inch) strips

1 cup whole grain panko (i.e. “Ians” Japanese breadcrumbs)

¼ cup flaxmeal

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

3/8 teaspoon garlic powder

3/8 teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Directions:

1. Combine milk and eggs in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add fish, and toss gently to coat. Place flaxmeal, panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add fish to panko mixture; seal bag. Shake bag gently to coat fish.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of fish; cook 4 minutes or until done, turning occasionally to brown all sides. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining fish. Serve with tarter dipping sauce if desired.

Nutrition Information (per serving):

Calories 143.5; Fat 6.0 g (Saturated 0.7 g); Cholesterol 56.7 mg; Sodium 68.8 mg; Carbohydrate 5.8 g; Fiber 1.6 g; Protein 15.2 g

Full disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Living a Real Food Life With Real Food by the publisher.
Photo credit: Meir Pliskin

Makes four servings: 1 chicken and 1 vegetable skewer each

Preparation time: 15 minutes (+ marinating time)

Cook time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup hummus

Juice of 1/2 small lemon (1 tablespoon)
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2 large bell peppers, preferably 1 red and 1 green, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium red onion, quartered lengthwise, wedges separated

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Directions:

1. Stir together the hummus, lemon juice, cumin, and 2 tablespoons cold water in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and stir to fully coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, prepare an outdoor or indoor grill. Arrange the bell peppers and onion onto 4 (8- to 10-inch) reusable or water-soaked bamboo skew­ers in alternating fashion and drizzle with the oil. Arrange the chicken onto 4 separate skewers. Discard any remaining hummus marinade.

3. Grill the chicken and vegetable kebabs over direct medium-high heat until fully cooked, about 12 minutes total, rotating only as needed.

4. Season with the salt, and serve.

Vital Stats (per serving): 240 calories, 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 65mg cholesterol, 460mg sodium, 12g total carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 4g sugars, 26g protein

Notes: For a full meal, serve the chicken and vegetables stuffed into 8 whole grain pita halves along with tzatziki sauce or plain Greek yogurt. Alternatively, serve on a bed of whole-wheat couscous with fresh mint and tzatziki sauce.

One Serving Counts As*: ½ Vegetable, 2-1/2 Protein, ½ Beans and Peas + 1-1/4 Healthy Fats

*These values can be used when using the Vital Foods List in Younger Next Week.

Source: This recipe was created as a bonus recipe for Younger Next Week by culinary dietitian Jackie Newgent.

Have a hankering for hummus? Try this delicious home-style kind, courtesy of Sharon Palmer, RD, The Plant-Powered Dietitian.

Home-style hummus starring nutrient-rich chickpeas is a staple of the healthy, plant-based kitchen. Providing a rich, tasty source of plant protein, hummus offers unlimited versatility: use it as an appetizer dip with whole grain pita bread and vegetables, spread it on sandwiches, and dollop it over salads and grains.

Makes 2 cups (8 servings)

Ingredients:

One 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), no salt added, with liquid

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of paprika

Instructions: 

1. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid. Put the beans into a blender or food processor.

2. Add garlic, lemon juice, tahini, black pepper, and olive oil, as well as about half of the reserved bean liquid.

3. Puree the bean mixture, adding additional bean liquid as necessary to produce a smooth, very thick dip.

4. Pour the bean dip into a serving dish and garnish with paprika. If not serving immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Note: To serve hummus as an appetizer, place a small serving dish of garnished hummus in the center of a platter. Arrange triangles of whole wheat pita bread and pieces of fresh raw vegetables, such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, and snow peas, on the platter.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving (1/4 cup):

Calories: 89

Carbohydrate: 13 g

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 3 g

Total fat: 3 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Sodium: 160 mg

Star nutrients: Folate (10% DV), manganese (21% DV)

Source: The Plant-Powered Diet: The Lifelong Eating Plan for Achieving Optimal Health, Beginning Today, copyright © Sharon Palmer, 2012. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.

Whether you just ran a marathon (or are preparing for one), or simply want some nutrient-packed fuel to get your day going, this tasty twist on the typical pancake is sure to please. Add an extra half cup of fresh fruit or 100% fruit juice, and you're good to go. Enjoy!

Yield/Servings: 12 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup spelt flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 over-ripe banana

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 eggs

¾ cup vanilla almond milk

¼ cup walnuts

½ cup fresh blueberries

½ teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon together. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mash the banana and stir in the Greek yogurt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the banana and Greek yogurt mixture to the eggs, and stir until combined. Add the almond milk and stir until incorporated.

4. Pour the liquids into the bowl with the flour, and gently fold until just incorporated, taking care not to over-mix.

5. Stir in the walnuts and blueberries.

6. Heat a nonstick skillet or electric skillet over medium-low heat, and coat the skillet with butter. Note: only coat the skillet with butter for the first batch.

7. Pour ¼ cup of the pancake batter into the skillet and heat until bubbly and golden brown, about 2-1/2 minutes.

8. Flip the pancake with a flat-sided spatula and cook an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Nutritional Analysis:

Calories: 76

Carbohydrates: 12g

Fat: 2g

Protein: 3g

Fiber: 2g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 74mg

Notes: You’ll know pancakes are ready to flip when you see little bubbles on the surface. Make extra pancakes on the weekend and freeze the leftovers. They reheat quickly in the microwave and you’ll have a homemade no-fuss breakfast in a flash.

Source: Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies by Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, Tara Gidus, RD, and Kristina LaRue, RD

Full disclosure: No good or services were exchanged for posting this recipe.

What's your favorite way to make/eat pancakes?

What's not to love about this delicious, nutritious twist on lasagna? Yum!

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large zucchinis, sliced about ¼‑inch thick

4 large tomatoes, sliced about ¼‑inch thick

2 medium onions, sliced very thin

1 sprig fresh basil, 6–8 leaves, chopped or thinly sliced Italian seasonings
ground black pepper

8 ounces shredded 2% mozzarella

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2) In a 2½- quart oval bakeware dish (such as Corningware), pour the olive oil (or spray with olive oil cooking spray). Cover the bottom of the dish with sliced zucchini. Then, spread a layer of tomatoes and a layer of onions. Top with half of the sliced basil, Italian seasonings (or other herbs from your garden), and ground pepper.

3) Then add a layer of about half the shredded cheese.

4) Repeat (except for the olive oil).

5) Bake about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Hint: This recipe is especially great for using up end‑of‑summer veggies. An easy way to slice the basil is to roll up several leaves (stem edges inside), and then make thin slices. You end up with very thin strips, called a chiffonade.
Note: This recipe is adapted from Liz Manaster’s From A to Zucchini.

What are your favorite lasagna ingredients?

SOURCE: The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution by Marla Heller, MS, RD.

Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher.

Here are three delicious twists on tuna* you and your family are sure to enjoy.

Change of Pace Tuna Casserole from Don't Break Your Heart Cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) can condensed 98 percent fat-free, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 pound whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

2 tablespoons trans-free margarine

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 (6-ounce) cans of tuna, drained

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, blend soup with sour cream until smooth. Add pasta and pimiento; set aside.

3. Melt margarine in a sauté pan and sauté mushrooms, onions, and celery until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

4. Mix vegetables into soup mixture; fold in tuna.

5. Pour tuna mixture into a lightly-greased 11/2-quart baking dish. Top with almonds. Bake, uncovered, about 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Cooking Tip: To make this meal more nutritious, add a 10-ounce (283.5-g) package of thawed, frozen vegetables, such as chopped broccoli or mixed stir-fry vegetables, when you add the pasta to the soup in step 2.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 335 Total Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 31 mg Sodium: 416 mg Total Carbohydrates: 37 g Dietary Fiber: 7 g Sugars: 5 g Protein: 22 g Iron: 3 mg

Provencal Grilled Tuna Salad from Don't Break Your Heart Cookbook.

4 servings

Ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks, each about 1-inch (2-cm) thick

3 tablespoons white wine or broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) dried

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cups salad greens

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup each thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers

Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:

1.    Place fish in a glass dish.

2.    To make vinaigrette, combine wine or broth and next 5 ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well.

3.    Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) over fish, add garlic, and turn to coat. Marinate for 15 to 30 minutes, turning once. Reserve remaining vinaigrette for salad dressing.

4.    Coat grill rack with cooking spray and place on grill to heat 1 minute. Place tuna on grill 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) over heat source. Cover with lid or tent with foil. Cook, turning once, until tuna begins to flake easily when tested with a fork, about 7 minutes. Discard marinade.

5.    Meanwhile, arrange salad greens on 4 plates. Place hot tuna on greens and add cherry tomatoes and peppers.

6.    Shake remaining vinaigrette and drizzle over salads.

Nutrients Per Serving: Calories: 273 Total Fats: 11 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 55 mg Sodium: 158 mg Total Carbohydrates: 8 g Dietary Fiber: 2 g Sugars: 2 g Protein: 36 g Iron: 2 mg

Acapulco Tuna Salad from The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 6‑ounces cans tuna, very low sodium

2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise made with olive oil

1 medium tomato, diced

½ small sweet onion, diced very finely

1 jalapeño, diced, seeds and spines removed

1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:

Drain the water from the tuna and mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 112 Total Fat: 3 g (with EVOO regular mayo) Cholesterol: 40 mg Sodium: 115 mg Total Carbohydrates: 3 g Dietary Fiber: 1 g Protein: 18 g

*According to the FDA, women who are planning to get pregnant, pregnant or nursing and young children can safely eat up to 12 ounces of light tuna or up to 6 ounces of albacore tuna each week.

SOURCES:

Change of Pace Tuna Salad and Provencal Grilled Tuna Salad reposted with permission from Don’t Break Your Heart Cookbook by Shara Aaron, MS, RD and Monica Beardon, RD, LD.

Acapulco Tuna Salad reposted with permission from The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution by Marla Heller, MS, RD.

Full disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution from the publisher.

How do you like to eat tuna?

In the clever, information-packed new book, The Clean Separation, Kara Landau (The Traveling Dietitian) helps readers who have endured a life-changing event--a break-up or end of a relationship, the loss of a job, or the death of someone close to them--use the power of nutrition to lift their spirits and move them towards the next chapter of their lives. With warmth and positivity, Landau lays out a 'business plan' that readers can personalize to help them structure their lives while minimizing stress as they move towards their 'new normal'. She also utilizes her insights about the eating habits and lifestyle practices of people from around the globe to make real-world recommendations readers can use to optimize their health and well being. Delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts by Susan Irby (The Bikini Chef) round out The Clean Separation to help readers follow the book's food and nutrient recommendations.

Even if you haven't recently endured a break up of any kind, you'll no doubt find this delicious Thai Tasty Chicken Wrap from The Clean Separation a delicious addition to your menu. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups chicken breast, roughly chopped

Pinch sea salt

Pinch black pepper

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup diced green onion

1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts

2 Tablespoons chopped
 fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root

1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon thai red curry paste

4 8-inch high fiber flour tortillas

4 leaf lettuce leaves

Directions

1.  Season chopped chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, adding the water, as needed, to prevent drying.

3. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooked chicken, green onion, peanuts, coriander, and ginger root.

4. In a small mixing bowl, stir together yogurt, mustard, honey, lime juice, and curry paste. Mix well and then add to chicken mixture.

5. Place wrap onto a flat working surface. Top each with 1 lettuce leaf, spread with 1 1/2 Tablespoons yogurt mixture and top with 1/2 cup chicken mixture. Fold one edge of wrap in towards the center slightly. Fold both side edges over filling.

6. Spray non-stick saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add wraps and heat until lightly golden. Serve warm or cold as an on-the-go snack.

Tasty Tip:

Make chicken mixture ahead of time for the ultimate go-to snack for mid-week. These wraps are delicious served hot or cold.

Nutritional Analysis:

Serving size: 1 wrap

Calories: 292.5

Fat: 10.4g

Saturated fat: 2.4g

Carbohydrates: 23.7g

Protein: 31.5g

Fiber: 9.7g

Sodium: 355mg

Is there a nutritious, delicious meal you like to cook or eat after a break-up or loss?

Source: The Clean Separation by Australian dietitian Kara Landau (The Traveling Dietitian) with recipe contributions by Susan Irby (The Bikini Chef).

Full disclosure: The publisher sent me a complimentary copy of the book.

As parents, we're all overstretched and time crunched--not just during hectic holiday time, but year-round. For many of us--even those who have nutrition degrees!--feeding ourselves and our families in a healthful way sometimes takes a back burner to more pressing things, like going to basketball practice, getting to dance class, or doing something as simple as taking a shower! Fortunately, we don't have to sacrifice all to get nutritious food on the table--all it takes is a little bit of planning and some help from the pros.

To the rescue is culinary dietitian Michelle Dudash. In her terrific new book, Clean Eating for Busy Families, Dudash helps families whip meal times--and tasty meals--into shape with practical, time-saving ideas. Here are some highlights from our conversation.

EZ: As a mom, what do you see as the biggest challenge parents face when trying to get meals on the table for their families?

MD: I think the biggest challenge parents face when it comes to family meals is trying to fit everything in during the mad early evening rush. The kids need to get picked up or dropped off. Little ones need bathing. Parents want to squeeze in their workout. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared for mealtime by having a stocked pantry and fridge with the staples and simple go-to recipes that produce excellent results with minimal clean up and prep time.

EZ: What do you personally find to be the biggest challenge when feeding your family?

MD: The number one challenge I face is getting dinner on the table at a reasonable time. I try squeezing in a few workouts during the week at the end of the workday, and also pick Scarlet up from school. The smoothest sailing, relaxing nights are those that include meals made in the slow cooker (like my Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetable Tacos), ready to pop into the oven (like my Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach), or the delicious leftovers from the night before (Sizzling Sesame Noodles with Pork, Cabbage & Scallions).

EZ: What advice--or first steps--do you recommend to overextended parents who don't think they have enough time to prepare healthy meals for their families?

MD: My advice for busy parents is to take three simple steps:

1. Properly stock your kitchen. In the time that you would call in your takeout order, drive in traffic, wait in line and pay, get in and out of your car and back home, you could have prepared a fresh meal at home, provided that you had the needed supplies standing by. My book Clean Eating for Busy Families offers weekly, monthly and quarterly shopping lists, breaking grocery shopping down into manageable pieces to provide healthy meals. I also recommend always having a piece of paper stuck to the fridge where family members can jot down things they need from the store. It’s a running list that is ready when you are.

2. Plan meals ahead and have a go-to recipe arsenal. Planning ahead can be as detailed as writing out a monthly or weekly calendar of dinner menus, or as free-spirited as simply having three fresh proteins and vegetables on hand for the week for dinnertime. So, plan your meals out Saturday, do all of your shopping on Sunday and as soon as you get home, you’ll be ready to get dinner going.

3. Make one-dish or make-ahead whenever possible. One-dish meals that contain a vegetable, protein and starch (complex carbohydrate) are lifesavers..and dish savers! Recipes that you can make ahead in the slow cooker or have ready to just pop in the oven open up space during the mad evening rush.

EZ:Which recipe (or recipes) in your book are your favorites and why?

MD: While I love all of the recipes in the book, my favorites are those that are my husband’s and 3-year-old’s favorites! Scarlet’s favorite recipe is Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders with Dill Dip (we call chicken nuggets), which tastes even better than deep-fried versions. She also loves the Scarlet-Approved Lemon Cilantro Edamame Hummus. When I gave her a taste, she said, “I want more” and ate it by the spoonful. She also loves the Turkey, Vegetable & Oat Mini Meatloaves with Marinara Sauce (we call them meatballs, since I cut them up for her). When she tried the Toasted Sesame Salmon Nuggets with Sweet-Savory Scallion Sauce, she thought they were chicken nuggets, so of course, she devoured those.

EZ: How does your daughter like to help you in the kitchen? How can families involve their kids in the cooking/prepping process and what do you think the benefits of involving kids in the kitchen are?

MD: Scarlet absolutely loves to help me in the kitchen. She asks, “Can I help?” I let her break eggs (a bit of a mess), stir ingredients, flip pancakes and quesadillas (with my hand over her hand, being very careful), sprinkling cheese and spreading almond butter on toast. Scarlet is now 3 years old. She is better at stirring and aiming ingredients into the bowl. She wants to be so independent and wants to do everything.

I really think kids can be a great help in the kitchen and can save you time, too. Little ones can wash and spin vegetables and set the table. Scarlet recently set the table for the first time—yes! Older kids can chop, clean up, and cook things. When kids help in the kitchen, they feel empowered and are excited to eat things that they make. They love to be helpful and it builds their confidence.

Where can people find your book?

Visit my website www.michelledudash.com for direct links to online stores where you can purchase now, or find the store nearest you like Barnes and Noble, Whole Foods, and independent book stores.

So what are you waiting for? Dudash's book makes a great holiday, birthday, or hostess gift--or gift for yourself! Check it out!

The following recipe (in my mind, it has SUMMER written all over it!) comes from the brand new book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide Quinoa Cookbook (Penguin, 2012) by The Bikini Chef herself, Susan Irby. Hopefully this recipe (and the gorgeous photo) will inspire you to try this not-so-common grain. If you make it, please send a shot of yourself (or friends and family) enjoying it.

Asparagus’ slightly bitter flavor is the perfect balance for tart lemon, sweet cilantro, and earthy quinoa.  Not only is this dish flavorful, it’s super healthy for you too.  Packed with antioxidants from asparagus, vitamin C, and the centerpiece of this dish ~ quinoa.  Quinoa is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids, is naturally gluten-free, and is high in fiber.  Add chopped grilled chicken to this recipe for extra protein. 

Makes 4 cups

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups water

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

3 medium asparagus spears, stems trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons chopped white onion

¼ cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped yellow bell pepper

2 teaspoons fine lemon zest

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Fill a medium mixing bowl with ice and add about 2 cups of water or enough to cover ice.  Set aside.

2. Fill a medium stockpot or saucepan halfway with water.  Place on high heat until boiling.  Add ½ teaspoon sea salt to the boiling water.  Quickly add asparagus pieces and boil for only a few seconds, about 15 seconds.  Quickly drain and transfer asparagus to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Drain thoroughly and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine quinoa, white onion, and remaining 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer (or low).  Simmer for 15 minutes or until almost all liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Add asparagus, bell peppers, lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro leaves, remaining teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to quinoa.  Stir well and serve in 1 cup servings, or as a side dish, serve in ½ cup servings.

Serving size: 1 cup as an entree

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 185

Carbohydrates: 34 g

Fat: 3 g

Fiber: 4 g

Protein: 7 g

Source: The Complete Idiot’s Guide Quinoa Cookbook (Penguin, 2012) by Susan Irby The Bikini Chef. To learn more about Susan, click here.   

Do you eat quinoa? How do you like to prepare it?

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