From the Hearth

A New Year

It's the beginning of the year- and you may be feeling the results of rich foods and eating "on the go" from the holiday season. Consistently, one of the most popular New Year's resolutions is to eat healthier or lose weight. But no matter how resolute the intentions, the prospect can be daunting- the idea of eating healthy somehow becomes associated with eating 'rabbit food'. It doesn't have to be that way.

Healthy, lighter fare can be just as easy to cook as the standard recipes- and can be just as delicious. It may involve finding new recipes, or modifying current ones- and perhaps a little planning in the beginning until you are used to your lifestyle change. But these recipes taste wonderful- and can hopefully offer you plenty of delicious reasons to keep your resolutions on course.

Some quick tips that kaylee's found to be helpful:

Watch portion size.

Restaurants or fast food joints these days often serve up huge platters of food that are actually 2-3 sizes bigger than a recommended serving size. Use a scale or other means to measure the correct portion size until your eyes are accustomed to seeing what is normal and what is not. kaylee found this site to be helpful- it compares the recommended serving size in normal everyday terms (size of your fist, deck of cards, etc). There's a fun quiz to take to test your portion knowledge.

Find little ways to make differences.

Do you normally eat fish with a rich butter based sauce? Grill it and top with a pineapple-lime-cilantro salsa instead, or broil with a herb crust for big flavor. Use low fat yogurt in recipes instead of sour cream. Ask for your salad dressing on the side, and dip your fork tips into the dressing before each bite- the taste is there but you consume much less dressing. Top steamed veggies with freshly ground pepper and lemon juice instead of butter.

Cooking the food at home.

It's a surefire way to guarantee the food is following your diet restrictions. Canned soups and frozen dinners are loaded with extra sodium... but you can control that by cooking a huge batch of homemade soup or other meals, and freezing in several smaller containers to defrost as needed. You're also aware of how much butter is being slipped into the meals- and you can tell if there's any way you can use a more heart healthy unsaturated fat (olive oil, canola oil) in place of butter without compromising the flavor. Keep in mind that even the healthier fats do have calories.

Of course, with any major lifestyle change, she would recommend seeking a professional's advice. This month's recipes are either lower in sodium, calories, fat or carbohydrates than some of the other recipes kaylee's featured in the past. She has also included at the end of the column links to past recipes she has featured which are light and healthy. She hopes you enjoy them!

Tabouleh

Traditional Middle Eastern dish made of nutritious bulghur wheat, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped herbs, onions, and tomato. It's a light and flavorful alternative to a traditional greens based salad. The bulghur is available at most grocery stores, in the international foods section.

• ½ cup bulghur-washed and soaking in cold water for two hours
• 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, washed and chopped
• 1 bunch fresh mint, washed and chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped finely
• 2 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 4 Tbs. olive oil
• lemon juice to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• lemon wedges, for garnish

1. After soaking the bulghur in water for a couple of hours, wash once more and squeeze excess water out.
2. Combine bulghur, herbs, onion, tomato and olive oil in bowl. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and chill for 30 minutes.
3. To serve: Line a serving dish with romaine lettuce leaves. Place salad in center, and garnish with lemon wedges. The salad can be eaten in two ways: with a fork, or by using the romaine lettuce to scoop up a bite of the Tabouleh mixture.

Mixed Vegetable Grill

This is a versatile way to serve your favorite fresh vegetables- avoiding sauces and being smothered in butter. If you are planning to marinade meat to be grilled that evening, you can prepare the vegetable marinade at the same time, letting that wonderful flavor soak in until it's ready to grill. It can bealso served as a sandwich/wrap filler, particularly with the grilled shiitake mushrooms.

1. In a large zip lock bag, mix two tablespoons balsamic vinegar and four tablespoons olive oil. Toss in assorted fresh herbs (kaylee loves basil, rosemary, oregano or thyme) and add a pinch of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper, along with some red pepper flakes.
2. Add in your favorites of the following vegetables:
   
   • sliced eggplant (1/3" thick or less)
   • onion wedges
   • assorted green, red, yellow bell pepper quarters- seeded
   • mushroom caps- whole crimini or pieces of shiitake caps slices of summer squash or zucchini washed and trimmed asparagus stalks
3. Marinate in bag for two hours, turning occasionally. When ready, prepare the grill with cooking spray. Lay similar vegetables together, if possible (some cook more quickly then others) and grill for a few minutes each side until tender.

Veggies in Vinaigrette

A great time saver- this dish is perfect to make in advance and let the flavors marry while chilling.

• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1 cup cauliflowerets
• 1 small turnip, peeled and cut into 2-inch julienne strips
• 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon

1. Place the broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and turnip in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place vegetables in a large bowl; add onion. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Grilled Salmon Steaks

Salmon is extremely versatile- it can be served in salads, main dishes, dips, appetizers and purchased in a variety of forms, from smoked to caviar to fresh fillets. High in protein as well as a rich source of vitamin A, B-group vitamins, Vitamin D and Omega-3 oils. Salmon also contains less saturated fat than an equal serving of most beef or poultry.

• 4 eight oz. salmon steaks
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. minced shallots
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. white pepper

1. Place salmon steaks single layer in shallow baking dish.
2. Mix a marinade from the remaining ingredients. Blend until emulsified and drizzle over fish.
3. Place in refrigerator, and let set for 30 minutes. Turn steaks, and let set for another 10 minutes. Pre-heat broiler in the meantime.
4. Broil the steaks, for 6-7 minutes each side.

Spinach Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

Elegant and flavorful- no one will ever believe how easy it was to make. Serves: 12

• ½ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) fresh spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 whole beef tenderloin (about 3½ pounds), trimmed
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1. In a large nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon oil for 2 minutes. Add half of the garlic; cook until mushrooms are tender. Add spinach, ½ teaspoon salt and cayenne. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat; set aside.
2. Cut a lengthwise slit down the center of tenderloin to within ¾ in. of bottom. Open so meat lies flat. Spread with spinach stuffing. Fold one side of meat over stuffing; tie several times with kitchen string. Rub remaining oil over beef. Combine the onion powder, pepper, and remaining garlic and salt; rub over beef. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 40-55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches desired doneness (for rare, meat thermometer should read 140°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°). Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove string before slicing.

Berry Blintzes

Switching to "low fat" or "fat free" on some of the ingredients eliminates some of the fat, but doesn't scrimp on the taste. Perfect for special occasions when you want a scaled down version of the 'real thing'.

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• ¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream, divided
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons toasted wheat germ, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
• 1 cup unsweetened blueberries
• ½ cup unsweetened raspberries
• ½ cup unsweetened sliced strawberries

1. In a bowl, whisk egg whites, milk, sugar and salt. Add flour; beat until smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Heat an 8 inch nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. For each blintz, pour ¼ cup batter into center of skillet; lift and turn pan to cover bottom. Cook until lightly browned; turn and lightly brown the other side. Remove to a wire rack. When cool, stack blintzes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.
3. For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat the ricotta, cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream, sugar, 1 tablespoon wheat germ and vanilla until blended. Spoon about ¼ cup onto each blintz; fold ends and sides over filling.
4. Arrange blintzes folded side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; brush with melted butter. Cover and bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. To serve, top each blintz with berries and dollop of remaining sour cream. Sprinkle with remaining wheat germ.

Links to some previously featured light recipes

Slave Recipes Revealed particularly:

• Grilled Garlic Tomatoes-submitted by devotion{MGL}
• Couscous Salad- submitted by natasha, Blodger's girl
• "Light as a Cloud" Swirl- submitted by natasha, Blodger's girl

Fresh Fare particularly:

• Mango Salsa (especially topping grilled chicken or fish)
• Citrus Steamed Fish
• Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
• Grilled Vegetables

Time Savers for Busy Cooks particularly:

• Lemon Rice

Time Savers for Busy Cooks particularly:

• Pico de Gallo
• Vegetarian Burritos
• Spicy Salmon

If anyone would care to submit one of their favorite recipes, this one can be reached at kaylee{G}