Archive for the ‘Healthy Meals’ Category
Baked Chicken Breast
This is a relatively quick and easy recipe that you can make in about 20 minutes. Chicken breast is a staple food for people who wish to lose weight, but it can get really boring. If cooked carelessly, it can turn out very dry and tasteless. This recipe will make a very tender and juicy baked chicken breast that is seasoned well and is very tasty.
I prefer range-free chicken that doesn’t contain any hormones or antibiotics. These additives make chickens grow large, and, unfortunately, I believe that they can make people grow large as well. We are able to get range-free chicken at a reasonable price from Trader Joe’s here in Southern California.
Baked chicken breast can be served as a main dish or you can cut it into pieces that you can toss into a green salad.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
- Thyme
- Basil
- Oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat oven to 425°. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan and season liberally with thyme and basil and sparingly with oregano. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust cooking time according to the weight of the chicken, more or less time for more or less weight. Serve hot, tender and juicy.
Quick and Easy Broiled Salmon
This is a quick and easy recipe that you can make in about 10-15 minutes. I like Alaskan Wild Salmon because it isn’t farm-raised. We are able to get ours from Trader Joe’s here in Southern California.
Typically, a 1 to 1 1/2 lb package will make about 3-4 servings. We like to serve it with brown rice and sliced vegetables or with a green salad. This meal is made from good, whole, natural foods.
Ingredients:
- 1 – 1 1/2 lbs Wild Alaskan Salmon
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Lemon slice
Cut salmon into small slices and place in a shallow foil-lined pan. Cutting salmon into small slices will make slightly crispy edges and good texture. Sprinkle with parika and garlic powder. Broil on high for about 10 minutes. When salmon is cooked, remove from broiler and fold the foil over to enclose the cooked salmon and allow it to steam for about 5 minutes to make it tender and juicy. Cooking time will vary according to the thickness of the salmon. Garnish with lemon slice.
Palak Moong Dal
This is a delicious recipe for Palak Moong Dal. Dal is a thick soup or other Indian dish made with legumes. Palak Moong Dal is normally made with clarified butter or ghee, but plain butter or even coconut oil can be used in place of ghee if ghee is not available. Palak Moong Dal is a very healthy thick soup made with fresh vegetables and dried mung beans. It takes a couple hours to cook and you have to chop a lot of vegetables, but it is worth the trouble.
Start by obtaining all the ingredients from your grocery store. Some of the items you’ll probably have to buy from a health food store – like dried mung beans and fresh ginger root. We make it using organic vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole mung beans, rinsed clean
- 5 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 3 cups fresh spinach, cleaned, stemmed & sliced (or a 10-oz pack frozen spinach)
- 2 cups finely sliced onions (approx. 1 large onion)
- 4 cups red ripe tomatoes, sliced and chopped into chunks (approx. 3 large tomatoes)
- 3 cups chopped Anaheim chili peppers (approx. 3 large peppers)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger (minced with a chef’s knife)
- 1 tbsp crushed or minced garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 1/2 tbsp whole cumin seeds
- 4-5 tbsp ghee (or butter or coconut oil if unavailable)
1. Cook the Dal
Measure out 1 cup of whole mung beans into a large cooking pot with lid. Rinse the beans then strain through a mesh colander 5 or 6 times until beans are clean. Add 5 cups water to the pot and then add 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Place lid on pot and heat over high flame just until the water starts to boil, then turn the flame way down and cook slowly over a low flame for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Cook very slowly over a low flame to make a nice, creamy soup. After the mung beans have cooked for 1 1/2 hours, add the sliced spinach, then cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Prepare the “Spicy Tomato Butter”
While the dal is cooking, chop all the vegetables and prepare the spicy tomato butter. It is called “spicy tomato butter” because normally, you would use ghee (clarified butter) but you could also use butter or coconut oil if ghee is unavailable. The vegetables are cooked in a large skillet, adding ingredients gradually taking care to time everything very exactly.
- Start by adding ghee to the skillet, then bring to a boil and then add the whole cumin seeds. Cook the cumin seeds for about a minute or two until they begin to darken.
- Next, turn down the heat to a medium flame and add the sliced onions. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until the onions are soft and translucent and the flavor of the cumin seeds is infused into the onions. There should also be a very nice aroma of cumin seed at this stage.
- Next, add the chopped chili peppers, chopped coriander, ginger and garlic. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon and cook at this stage for a couple of minutes. Just cook long enough at this step to infuse the flavors a little bit.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes, then stir with a wooden spoon and cover the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are broken down and a are reddish yellow color. Stir occasionally during this time, taking care not to burn the vegetables. Add a little water if needed and adjust the flame as needed.
3. Add the Cooked Vegetables to the Dal
After the vegetables are cooked and the mung beans and spinach have simmered for 15 minutes, add them to the dal. At this time, add 1/2 tsp of garam masala and perhaps another 1/2 to 3/4 tsp of salt (to taste). Stir with a wooden spoon, then cover the pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes to marry up all the flavors. Serve hot.
Ginger Turkey Curry with Brown Rice
This is a delicious curry recipe that is relatively easy to make. You will need some turkey stew meat (turkey breast with all the fat and skin removed), fresh ginger root, Anaheim chili pepper, onion, garlic, plain yogurt, fresh coriander (cilantro), chicken broth and some curry powder. We buy our curry powder by the pound because it is more economical than what is available in grocery stores.
This recipe makes about 4 servings. It can be served by itself, but is best when served over brown rice. This isn’t exactly a core food because it is made with a dairy product (yogurt) but it is still good. It is made with good, whole, natural foods.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sliced onions
- 1 chopped green chili pepper (Anaheim chili)
- 1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lb. turkey stew meat, bite sized pieces
- 1 tbsp. curry powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
- 5 tbsp. plain yogurt
- cooked brown rice
Start by cooking the brown rice. Use a rice cooker or tightly covered pot. While the rice is cooking, slice the onions into thin slices. For large onions, you can quarter them first. Chop the chili pepper, then finely chop the ginger and garlic (peel the ginger root before chopping). Add the sliced onions, chopped chili pepper, garlic and ginger to a large skillet along with a tbsp or two of coconut oil or butter, then cook over a medium flame until the onions are soft and slightly translucent (about 10 minutes). Add water if needed to keep from burning.
Cut the turkey into bite size pieces and add them to the skillet along with the curry powder. Mix thoroughly and cook for about 2 minutes until the curry is distributed evenly and the meat is slightly seared.
Add the chicken broth to the skillet, bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook the turkey.
When the chicken broth and curry are a smooth consistency, turn off the flame add the yogurt and coriander (cilantro), then stir to thoroughly mix everything.
Serve in bowls over brown rice.
Portobello Mushrooms with White Wine
Portobello mushrooms are very popular and readily available in most local grocery stores and supermarkets. They are high in niacin, potassium and selenium. This is a delicious recipe that you can make very quickly and easily. It is cooked with white wine. You can make a non-alcoholic version simply by substituting the juice from 1/2 lime plus about 1 tablespoon of water instead of the white wine. The wine I used in this particular recipe was very inexpensive (Charles Shaw – also known as "Two Buck Chuck").
This is a good side dish and goes well with fish or meat as the main dish. They will make an excellent meal when served with steak, lamb or fish along with a tossed green salad or sliced tomatoes.
Ingredients:
- 4 Portobello mushrooms
- 1 lg onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
Cut Portobello mushrooms into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes. Chop the onion. Chop garlic cloves and place in frying pan. Sauté over a medium heat until garlic begins to look toasty. Add olive oil and turn heat down. Continue to sauté until garlic is soft and light brown in color, then add chopped vegetables to the pan. Salt to taste, then add white wine. Vegetables will be done when soft and brown.
Alternately: Use juice from 1/2 lime plus about 1 tbsp of water in place of the white wine.
Homemade Refried Beans
This is my recipe for homemade refried beans. There are numerous recipes for refried beans. The traditional fat used has been lard. Finding a good source for healthy lard is not easy. You need to know a butcher that can get it for you. Refried beans are excellent for healthy eating or for losing weight.
First you will need to cook the pinto beans. You should soak the beans in water overnight, then on the following day it takes about 3-4 hours to cook them. This recipe uses some chili powder, oregano and other seasonings to add spice. You will sauté some chopped onions in a little lard, butter or coconut oil, then add crushed or minced garlic, then add seasonings to gradually infuse more and more flavor. At the end of the cooking you will add some fresh squeezed lime juice. You add it at the end to keep from cooking away the flavor.
Fat Free Refried Beans
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups cooked beans
- 1 cup chopped onions (about 1/2 large onion)
- 1 tbsp minced or crushed garlic
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 juice from fresh squeezed lime (juice from 1/2 lime)
Mash the beans in a bowl with a masher and set aside for now. Add chopped onions to a heavy skillet and cook until soft and beginning to brown a little. Add 1 tbsp of water at a time to keep skillet moist and to keep from burning the onions. Then add garlic and continue cooking until the onions are a light brown color. Add mashed beans to skillet and mix thoroughly, then stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Continue to cook the beans in the skillet and stir with a spatula until it is a thick paste. At that time, add the lime juice and thoroughly mix it into the cooked beans. Turn off the heat once the lime juice is mixed in to avoid cooking away the lime flavor.
How To Cook Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are among the most common staple foods in many cultures. They are very healthy and inexpensive. Pinto beans are the most highly consumed dried bean in the U.S.A. and the are very easy to cook. Pinto beans are an excellent source of protein – especially when combined with rice. Proteins are composed of amino acids. The body can produce all but 10 amino acids. These 10 amino acids are called “essential amino acids”. Foods containing all of these essential amino acids are called “complete proteins” and foods lacking in certain essential amino acids are called “incomplete proteins”. Some vegetables lack certain essential amino acids but when combined in the same meal with other vegetables containing the missing amino acids, a complete protein will result. Thus, certain combinations of vegetables with incomplete proteins balance each other out to form complete proteins. Beans and rice is one such combination.
In a recent Oprah Winfrey show, Dr. Mehmet Oz and freelance writer Dan Buettner discussed the “blue zones” – areas of the planet where people often live to be 100. Dan Buettner emphasizes what he calls the “Mesoamerican trifecta” — the predominant diet in much of Central America for the last 3,500 years. Mr Buettner states that “The diet consists of lightly salted corn tortillas, beans and squash” … which is “arguably the best longevity food ever invented.” Pinto beans are good for heart health, they are very high in fiber and help to stabilize blood sugar levels, thereby keeping you from getting hungry.
Fat Free Pinto Beans
- 3 1/2 cups pinto beans
Sort through the beans and pull out any stones or shriveled beans. Add beans to a pot with a lid. Add water to cover beans with 1 to 2 inches of water. You can’t add too much water because you’re going to rinse them the next day, anyway. Let soak overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, rinse the beans. This is an important step because the overnight soaking will pull out an enzyme that causes gas and that enzyme will now be in the water. So you rinse away all of that water along with the enzyme that causes gas so you get rid of it. Now add new water to the pot of beans as needed to just cover them. Heat over medium flame until water starts to boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check water level after about 20 minutes, then every 30 minutes afterwards, adding water as needed to keep water level just to the top of the beans. Do not allow the water to boil away and burn the beans. Stir with wooden spoon occasionally. Cook until beans are soft and the cooking liquid is of good consistency. Never add salt until beans are fully cooked.
Delicious Split Pea Soup
This is a recipe for split pea soup that I accidentally came up with. It started out as a recipe for Green Dal that was printed on a package of split peas. Green Dal is an Indian soup. I was not familiar with Indian cooking at that time. One of the ingredients was Garam Masala. I never bought Garam Masala before. The store was out of Garam Masala that particular day, so I bought Tikka Masala instead. That was a fortuitous accident because the result was really good. Tikka Masala goes really well with really split peas.
This is a very easy soup to make. It takes about an hour and a half. The split peas take an hour to cook, plus another 15 minutes to blend the cooked onions plus some time to chop the onions and prepare the ingredients. This is also a very healthy recipe. It will give you lots of energy without making you hungry.
Delicious Split-Pea Soup
- 1 cup Organic Green Split Peas (dry)
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. Tikka Masala Sauce
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- Salt to taste
Rinse and sort peas, drain and place in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water, tsp. sea salt and l/2 cup of the chopped onions.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour until the peas are tender.
While the peas are cooking, sauté the remaining onion with a little butter or coconut oil along with the garlic and Tikka Masala Sauce in a skillet. Add a little water if needed. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they are soft and just beginning to turn golden brown (about 10-15 minutes).
When the peas are cooked, add the sautéed onion mixture, stirring to combine. Simmer 10-15 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper.
Instant Brown Rice Curry
If you like brown rice and if you like curry dishes, then you can spice up a bowl of plain brown rice with a little curry powder and a dash of salt. It’s just a simple thing you can do to add a little variety.
Instant Brown Rice Curry
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 tsp curry powder
- Dash salt
Add 1 cup cooked brown rice to bowl, then mix 1/4 tsp. curry powder and a dash of salt. Serve while hot.
Milled Flaxseed
Milled flaxseed is a good natural food product that is high in Omega 3, Alpha linolenic acid and fiber. I prefer to buy Northern Edge brand because it comes in a vacuum-packed, air-tight re-sealable bag. Once the flaxseed has been flaked, it can become rancid very quickly. This particular brand is carefully milled at a cool temperature to preserve the nutrients.
For example, when making oatmeal, I will add the milled flaxseed after cooking. I will never add it to the boiling oatmeal during cooking.