LET’S COOK HEALTHIER

My pr contacts frequently share with me recipes that offer creative and healthy adaptations of time-honored recipes.  I’ve always enjoyed trying new recipes and discovering culinary twists along the way, especially healthier ones.  Healthier cooking begins with using fresher produce, leaner proteins, healthier oils, more plant-based ingredients like grains and beans, reducing salt or using a salt alternative, and using more herbs and spices for flavoring.  Enjoy the following healthy recipes and let’s get cooking!

BistroMD’s Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction

http://www.bistromd.com

2 (1 lb.) pork tenderloins

EVOO and S&P

1-1/2C apple cider

1/2C apple cider vinegar

1/4C maple syrup

Method:

Heat oven to 500F and place rack on upper third; pat tenderloins dry, brush with oil, season with S&P, cut into 1/4inch crosswise cuts; brown strips in medium-high pan; approximately four minutes per side; remove, place on baking sheet; bake for approximately fifteen minutes; in pan where the strips were cooked browned, add apple cider and vinegar; deglaze the fond; reduce by two-thirds (8”); add maple syrup and remove from heat; rest thoroughly cooked/baked pork (5”); arrange on serving platter, and add reduced sauce over strips before serving.

Suggested Side ~ Waldorf Apples

4 Fuji apples seeded and cut into wedges

1/2t ground cinnamon

2T golden raisins

1T EVOO

Method:

Heat oil for one-minute and then add apples; cook quickly for three-minutes until lightly browned; add cinnamon and cook for an additional two-minutes; add raisins and sauté for one-minute; remove and let cool.  Serve with Pork Tenderloins as a delicious side.

Penne Pasta with Pine Nuts

http://www.iberiafoods.com

16 oz penne pasta

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1C EVOO, like Iberia Spanish EVOO

1t dried oregano, Greek or Italian

1/4C grated Romano cheese

1/4C grated Parmesan cheese

1 oz pine nuts sautéed lightly in small amount of the EVOO

S&P to taste

Method:

Boil two-quarts of water and then add 1t salt and 1T of the oil to boiling water and then the pasta; cook pasta until al dente (8-10”) and drain well; add cooked pasta to large bowl and add to the pasta the grated cheeses, pine nuts, dried oregano, S&P, and remaining EVOO; mix thoroughly; serve with a fresh salad, garlic bread, etc.  

Chicken Kabobs

http://www.iberiafoods.com

2 lg chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into large pieces

2 lg zucchinis cut into one-half inch rounds

3 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces

2C EVOO, like Iberia Spanish EVOO

1T dried sweet basil

S&P to taste

8 bamboo skewers (soak in water and then dry; this will prevent the skewer form burning)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; insert skewer into cut chicken breast pieces, alternating with zucchini and red bell pepper (alternatively, use all veggies for a vegan kabob by using cherry tomatoes, zucchini slices and red bell pepper cuts); drizzle kabobs with EVOO and season with S&P and dried sweet basil; bake for fifteen-minutes, turning after eight-minutes for even cooking; remove from oven; let rest for at least five-minutes, and serve.

~ Healthy Food Shopping Tips ~

From George Zoitas, CEO, Westside Market NYC ~ http://www.wmarketnyc.com

“Make a plan ~ Plan out meals for the week and make a list of all the ingredients you will need. The planned meals will also ensure that you are incorporating all major food groups into your diet and a list will help in avoiding filling your cart with items that may break or stray you from the path of healthy eating.  Buy fresh ~ The fresher you buy the better and this can also mean frozen vegetables where the nutrients have been locked in.  Food shop with a full stomach ~ Walking through the grocery store hungry can make you give in to cravings easier.  Have a snack before you leave for the store or grab a bottle of water while you walk around.  Buy in season ~ Fresh fruits and vegetables are best when bought in season and also choosing a product that is grown closer to where you are from can mean two things – this product also often costs less and is tastier.  Let the store do the work for you ~ If cleaning and chopping vegetables is too time-consuming, especially after a long day of work, buy them already cut up from the supermarket (usually available in the produce aisle or salad bar).  These will turn into a quick stir fry with the addition of precut meat or poultry strips.  Shop the entire store ~ It has been said to only shop the perimeter of the store to avoid unhealthy food, but no area of the store should be off limits.  Interior aisles have a lot of great products like canned beans and whole grains that would otherwise be missed.”

~ In Closing ~

Consider changing your food shopping habits to ones that are healthy.  By adapting your healthy food finds and ingredients to culinary creations that are both delicious and healthy, you’ll also be expanding your taste traditions.  Hopefully these recipes, along with cooking and food shopping tips, will have you rethinking your next shopping trek to your favorite food store.

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy cooking…happy eating!

By Terry Herman

TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as the International Home+Housewares Show, the National Restaurant Show and the Sweets and Snacks Expo.  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  Her social media outreach includes Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Cision Seek or Shout, Plaxo, Red Room, Pinterest, and Tripatini.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

ALL MATERIALS COPYRIGHT PROTECTED

(Introductory photo credit from lifetime-weightloss.com; middle photo credit from ahealthysliceoflife.com; and, closing photo credit from healthylifedaily.com.)