healthy – Page 4 – Well Dined

Tag: healthy

10
Feb
2014

Salmon and Lentils with Mustard Butter

categories: Recipes

In the ever continuing quest to eat less grains, I decided that I wanted to see how lentils paired with salmon. I found a couple recipes that I liked and combined them into one that worked for me. The lentils are cooked up nice and tender with veggies, and then mixed with the same mustard and herb butter that tops the salmon. This butter, you guys, it’s outstanding. I had a little bit left over and I spread it over toasted sourdough and savored every bite with eye-rolling pleasure. I want to make more of the butter just to do that again. This meal is so healthy and so yummy that I can’t stand it.

Salmon and Lentils with Mustard Butter
adapted from Ina Garten and Gourmet
serves 4

1⁄2 pound French green lentils
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced into half moons and thoroughly washed
few sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp kosher salt
3⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic (2-3 cloves)
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 1⁄2 cups Chicken Stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
bay leaf
2 tbsp good red wine vinegar

4 (8-oz) center-cut salmon fillets, skin on
2 tbsp butter

5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp chopped chives
2 tsp grainy mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan, add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the drained lentils, celery, carrots, chicken stock, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaf, add the vinegar, and season to taste.

Stir together the softened butter, chives, grainy mustard, and lemon juice with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add 3 tbsp of the butter mixture to the lentils and stir to combine.

Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Serve salmon, topped with remaining 2 tbsp mustard-herb butter, over lentils.

One Year Ago – Fall Pasta Dishes
Two Years Ago – Asian Glazed Ribs
Three Years Ago – Best Lasagna Ever

30
Jan
2014

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna with Homemade Spinach Whole Wheat Noodles

categories: Recipes

I had a plan to make spinach and butternut squash lasagna roll-ups last week. But then I decided to add chicken so that Jasper would be more likely to eat it (note that this plan failed, ha). And then I thought it would be good to make my own spinach whole wheat noodles, which turned out to be too fragile to roll up, especially with the heavy chicken added. So it turned into a regular layered lasagna instead, and I’m not even sad. The colors were so pretty, and it was gooey and cheesy and filling.

So here’s where I made a mistake – I thought I would be clever and puree the spinach in the food processor instead of the blender before adding in my flour in order to reduce the number of dirty containers. Except that the food processor didn’t really puree the spinach very well. I even had a moment where I stopped and thought I should transfer it to the blender and decided against it, *sigh*. All those little flakes of spinach made the dough very fragile and difficult to work with, but I stuck it out.

The noodles turned out fine (and they certainly tasted good) when cooked, but they were still too fragile to roll (and not very pretty).

So I just layered them instead and all was well. Now, remember earlier this week when I talked about having leftover butternut squash? Well, this is where it went. I pureed the roasted squash and shallots together to make a sauce. A little of that went on the bottom of the pan, then a layer of noodles. (more…)

20
Jan
2014

Miso Tahini Soup

categories: Recipes

After a bit of a hiatus, Melissa (Smells Like Brownies) and I are getting back to our weekly vegetarian lunches. Last week we tried this amazing soup recipe packed with veggies. It is warm and comforting, with lots of flavor and texture – plus it’s really easy to make. It’s also both vegan and vegetarian friendly. And gosh, isn’t it pretty?

The soup starts out with sliced squash (we used acorn) and tiny cubes of turnip simmered in water until tender. At first I thought that one small squash and one turnip wouldn’t be enough, but they turned out to be plenty! So don’t go overboard and think that you need to get more/bigger. The cooking water then becomes the base for the broth and miso, tahini, and lemon zest are added to round it out.

You can garnish the soup however you like, but we stuck with the original recipe and used avocado, chives, toasted nori, and toasted sesame seeds.

The soup can be served over a grain, and we choose to try out buckwheat. We are both avoiding white rice for health reasons and thought this grain-like seed would be fun to try. Unfortunately it cooks to a porridge like consistency instead of individual grains. So I would recommend barley or brown rice instead. (more…)

09
Jan
2014

Raw Tahini Date Salted Caramels

categories: Recipes

I’m about to get all raw food, vegan, and healthy on you. If those words make you cringe, don’t worry – these things are addictively delicious no matter what diet you follow! Let’s talk about dates – they are naturally super sweet and packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are also low calorie compared to processed sweets. In other words, they are nature’s guilt-free candy. Now let’s talk about Barhi dates. Oh. My. Gosh. These dates have a really short season and can be hard to find (I order them from here), but they are totally worth the hunt. They taste like butterscotch candy or caramel, just on their own! There is seriously a world of difference between Barhi and other dates, believe me. And in this recipe? Killer.

Now that we’ve established that you should totally use Barhi dates because they are way more delicious than any other kind, what else do you need to make these caramels? Tahini, coconut oil, cardamom, and that’s it! Blend it all up in a food processor and press into a lined pan. I had trouble getting all the coconut oil to incorporate, which didn’t make any difference taste-wise, but made them less pretty. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and freeze until firm.

Once they are firm, cut them into little squares and that’s it! You have to keep them in the freezer so that they stay firm, but that’s not so much to ask, is it? They are rich, sweet, and complex with the flavors of caramel, tahini, cardamom, and coconut coming together, and the sea salt just takes it over the top. Good for you, delicious, fits any diet, and makes great gifts – why are you not making these yet? Get on it!

Raw Tahini Date Salted Caramels
adapted from The Kitchn
*I made double

1 cup pitted dates (Barhi highly recommended)
1/2 cup tahini
2 tbsp coconut oil (room temperature)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
1/8 tsp fleur de sel or other finishing salt

Combine the dates, tahini, coconut oil, and cardamom in a blender or food processor. You should have a very smooth, creamy, and thick paste.

Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined loaf pan (or another equivalent container) and use a spatula to press it down evenly. Sprinkle with salt.

Freeze until firm. Remove from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces.

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.

One Year Ago – Glazed Figs – 2 Ways
Two Years Ago – Carnitas
Three Years Ago – Winter Soups

30
Dec
2013

2013 Wrap Up

categories: Recipes

Well, Folks – it’s been a great year! I look forward to keep sharing delicious and (sometimes) healthy recipes with you in the years to come. Until then – here are my most pinned recipes of 2013!

#1 – This healthy version of Shepard’s Pie with Sweet Potato and Turkey. I find this funny because the photos from this post are so bad!

#2 – Homemade Meat Ravioli – yum!

#3 – Homemade Spinach Ravioli. The raviolis are popular! (more…)

20
Dec
2013

Overnight Oats

categories: Uncategorized

So I love muesli – real muesli like this, not the kind you find in a cereal box – but it takes a lot of work to put together. When I started seeing overnight oats pop up on Pinterest, I thought it sounded pretty similar – raw oats soaked in yogurt with fruit – but with less work and made in mason jars. Everything is cooler with mason jars, so I decided to check it out. The recipe also involves chia seeds, which are uber-trendy right now, and with good reason! They are similar to flax seeds, but don’t have to be ground to be eaten, plus they do this super cool gel thing when soaked.

The base of the recipe is oats, chia seeds, yogurt and milk – places in a jar and shaken. Then you add in whatever flavors and sweeteners you want and let it set up in the fridge overnight (hence the name). For vegans or lactose-intolerant, simply substitute your favorite products here. Coconut milk would be especially delicious, I think. Of course, you don’t have to use a mason jar to do this, but it’s super cute and easy to transport!

The first flavor I tried was Vanilla Raspberry – made with vanilla extract, raspberry jam, and fresh raspberries. Yum!

Next I tried Mango Almond, with fresh mango, almond extract, and a little agave. This wasn’t quite as awesome, mostly because of the almond extract, but still good.

I’ve also made Pina Colada with coconut extract and pineapple jam. The options are pretty endless. Even if you don’t like fruit, you could do peanut butter, nutella, chocolate, or coffee flavors.

Packed with fiber, protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals – this is a super healthy breakfast or post-workout snack. It is really filling, too. Try it out and tell me what your favorite flavor combo is!

Overnight Oats

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp dried chia seeds

Combine in a container, stir in desired flavorings, and chill overnight.
For flavor ideas, check here and here.

18
Nov
2013

Chocolate Banana Pops

categories: Recipes

My friend Melissa (you know her by now as Smells Like Brownies) threw a Curious George themed birthday party for her 1 year old. She wanted to have some kind of banana snack at the party (cuz duh – monkeys) but really hates bananas, even the smell of them. So I volunteered to make something for her. These banana pops could not be easier, and they ended up being a huge success!

Start by cutting bananas (however many you want to use) in half and carefully insert popsicle sticks. Pop them into the freezer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your chocolate dip. Place chocolate chips into a microwaveable bowl – you can use either milk or dark, I prefer dark. 8 oz of chocolate will cover 2 bananas (4 halves). Next, mix in some oil or butter – this makes sure the chocolate melts evenly and that it is shiny. I used coconut oil for the health factor and because it tastes great with chocolate. The ratio is 1 tbsp oil to 8 oz chocolate. Stir to coat the chips evenly with oil, then microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is just melted. Do not overcook it – once you burn chocolate, you can’t take it back.

While the chocolate is still warm, take the partially frozen bananas and dip them into the chocolate to coat. You may need to use a rubber spatula to ensure that the entire banana is coated. Allow any excess to drip off. Working quickly (the chocolate will harden quickly on the frozen banana), sprinkle with or roll in whatever toppings you want to use. I used sprinkles, walnuts, and toasted coconut. Return the bananas to the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Allow to soften for about 5 minutes at room temp, or longer in the fridge, before you serve them so that they won’t be rock hard. The banana inside should be the consistency of ice cream.

I used a 32 oz bag of chocolate chips to make 16 banana pops (from 8 bananas). These are super fun to make – I bet kids would love to get involved. And there is not a lot of sugar, depending on what kind kind of chocolate and toppings you use, making it a healthy snack/dessert. So go bananas! (more…)

28
Oct
2013

Apple Oat Muffins

categories: Recipes

Let’s start the week out with something sweet, and not even that bad for you. These muffins are mostly oats, held together by a little yogurt, and studded with chunks of delicious apples. The are unbelievably moist and spiced with cinnamon. Breakfast, dessert, whatever – these are going to get gobbled up fast.

I used braeburn apples, but any good baking apple will do. Some stores have little signs that tell you which apples are good for what.

See what I mean? There is more than 2x as much oats as there is flour.

The batter is very wet, but this is a good thing. I would dice the apples smaller next time.

My husband practically inhaled these bad boys. Seriously. Go make these. Right now. I’ll wait… Did you make them? Aren’t you glad you did?

You can invite your neighbor over for muffins and hot chocolate. I bet they’d love it.

They might even take one of the muffins you give them on an adventure to the airport. Cuz who wants to eat airport food, right? (more…)

25
Oct
2013

Healthy Moroccan Lamb

categories: Recipes

Super comforting spiced lamb on top of creamy mashed potatoes – how could that be healthy? Well for starters, there are no potatoes – that is a cauliflower and white bean puree. This looks like comfort food, and it totally is, but it is all veggies and protein with no carbs!

Start by caramelizing some carrots to release that sweetness. Then brown up some lamb. I used lamb chops and discovered that there is very little meat on them – next time I am definitely using cubed meat.

When the lamb is browned, add in garlic, spices, chard, and chickpeas (more protein!). I wondered why the original recipe didn’t call for tomatoes – they make so much sense here. So I went ahead and added them. The original recipe also just used paprika, which I thought was a little boring. I used paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander.

Another change from the original was that it called for polenta to serve with the lamb. Polenta is cooked corn meal, and I am trying to avoid grains. So I used a cauliflower puree instead and it was creamy and delicious – a good counterpoint for the tangy spiced lamb. (more…)

16
Oct
2013

Paleo Chicken and Carrot Cauliflower Puree

categories: Recipes

I am trying to avoid carbohydrates and starches as much as possible for health reasons (and not being very successful). For this reason, I like it when I happen upon a tasty looking Paleo recipe. I do not follow the Paleo diet by any means, but I do agree with some of their basic assumptions – like grains and processed vegetable oils are bad, and animal fat is good.

I liked this recipe even more when I saw that it was for the slow cooker. Loaded up with carrots, cauliflower, onion, garlic, and chicken stock – a pot of goodness!

Now, I usually don’t like chicken thighs, especially skin-on and bone-in, but I get that breasts dry out and fall apart so I followed the recipe on this one. Picking around the bone was still pretty irritating to me, but that skin that I crisped up (twice) in bacon fat? Yum city. I also threw a little fresh thyme in here because I grow it and why not?

The flavor is rich and satisfying, really great as comfort food. I will say that the proportions of this recipe as written are off. There is so little meat on these thighs that it would take 3-4 to fill someone up, especially if you don’t make some other kind of side (greens would have been so good!). And there was a huge amount of puree – I had enough leftover after serving to turn into a soup! So next time, I would double the amount of chicken and will reflect that in the recipe below. (more…)