Recipes for a healthy new year

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

MOUNT VERNON — Many folks made resolutions for better health in 2007, particularly if they overindulged at the end of 2006. As yummy as holiday treats are, eventually they put out a wake-up call that too much of a good thing isn’t such a good thing.

Americans are beginning to realize that there’s no need for fad diets, or any other kind of diet, for that matter. Being healthy, well and of ideal weight requires, in most cases, a lifestyle change, not weeks of eating grapefruit, popping diet pills, starving oneself or listening to advice from movie stars.

Losing weight, experts now advise, is a matter of eating less and better, exercising more, drinking plenty of water and cutting down on fats. A balanced diet means eating many different foods, to get as many nutrients as possible.

This is good news, especially for those who love to eat, but the trick is to keep the fat intake low and the nutrient intake high. Substitutions are helpful in this regard — low-fat yogurt for high-fat mayonnaise, spices for salt, fruit juice or cider instead of sugar, olive oil instead of other kinds, whole grain flour or white whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose white.

Eat as few processed foods as possible, eat lots of vegetables (raw or lightly cooked) and fruits and, when cooking, notice the high-fat ingredients in recipes and leave them out or substitute. Here are some ideas.

MOCK SOUR CREAM
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon (or more) fresh lemon juice

Combine cottage cheese and buttermilk in a blender. Process until smooth. Stir in lemon juice to taste. Makes 1 cup.

BLACK-EYED PEAS VINAIGRETTE
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1/4 cup vegetable or fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup fresh carrots, grated
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cook black-eyed peas according to package directions. Combine broth, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl, mixing well. Let stand while peas cook. Drain peas and combine with carrots, onion and parsley, tossing to mix. Add dressing and toss until coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Serves 12.

BAKED SALMON WITH CARROT-ZUCCHINI STUFFING
4 4-ounce salmon steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup carrot, shredded
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh basil or tarragon, minced, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried basil or tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add zucchini, carrot, parsley and basil, mixing lightly. Place vegetable mixture into a lightly greased 10-by-10-inch baking dish. Coat salmon steaks with lime juice. Arrange over vegetable mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily. Serves 4.

PEPPER STEAK
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean round steak, cut into strips
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cored
2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons light (low-salt) soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon thawed, undiluted apple juice concentrate
2 tablespoons white whole-wheat flour
3 cups cooked brown rice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add steak and sauté until brown. Add tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms and onion. Stir in soy sauce, ginger and pepper. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of pan juices and the apple juice with flour. Stir mixture into skillet and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Serve over hot rice. Serves 6.


By Kimberly Orsborn, News Staff Reporter