Star Anise - Chicken Stir-Fry

Serve this over brown rice or shredded nappa cabbage or bok choi:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups green onions

1 15 oz can chicken broth

2 whole star anise

1/2 tablespoon corn starch

Brown the chicken in a little grape-seed oil.  Set aside on paper towels.  Add mushrooms, onions, ginger and garlic and saute until cooked through.  Add back in the chicken, chicken broth and anise, and simmer for 10 mins.  dissolve the cornstarch in 1/2 tablespoon of water and add to the mixture.  Simmer for about 3 mins longer, until sauce is thickened.  Server over brown rice.

Star Anise - Brined Grilled Turkey Breasts

We bought some star anise and I've found two great recipes that use it and are delicious!  The first is brined turkey breast.  First, bring the following ingredients to a boil in a very large pot:

1/2 cup salt

3 quarts water

1 onion, chopped into large chunks

4 star anise

handful of black peppercorns, crushed

1/2 cup ginger, roughly chopped

1/4 cup honey or brown sugar

Let this cool completely (we made the brining liquid the night before) and then add one or two turkey breasts (do two if you want leftovers!  we added the turkey to the pot first thing in the morning and let it brine all day).  You can also double the amounts and do a whole bird if you're ambitious!

Next, make a glaze.  Simmer the following together in a sauce pan.

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Grill the turkey breasts on low heat for about an hour (temp should be 165).  Brush with the glaze several times during the last 20 mins of cooking.

Tortillas

image from cookinglight.com

Next time you're out for Mexican and they ask, "flour or corn?" what should you say?  I was pretty shocked to see how these two seemingly similar foods stack up:

1 (yes, ONE) 6 inch (fajita sized) flour tortilla as 110 calories!

The same size corn tortilla has 45 calories.  Yes, that's right; corn tortillas have 65% fewer calories!  I think we know who wins this battle...

Protein Dense Foods

Today I had lots of fiberous carbs for lunch (squash and pear bisque soup, green salad with balsamic vinegar, reb bell peppers and beets), so I was looking to get a little more protein in my dinner without adding any carbs. I had also eaten very little fat by lunch time, so I was looking for protein dense food without too much regard to fat content to fix for my dinner. Here are how my favorite protein sources lay out in terms of nutritionals:

6 oz pork loin, trimmed and roasted without oil
354 calories, 16.3 g fat, 48.5 g protein

6 oz turkey breast, roasted without skin or oil
263 calories, 5.4 g fat, 50 g protein

6 oz chicken breast, roasted without skin or oil
317 calories, 12.3 g fat, 48.2 g protein

6 oz salmon, roasted without oil
291 calories, 12.9 g fat, 40.8 g protein

6 oz halibut, roasted without oil
238 calories, 5 g fat, 45.4 g protein

6 oz ground beef, 95% lean, fried without extra oil
284 calories, 11.2 g fat, 44.6 g protein

6 oz top sirloin, lean only, fried without extra oil
360 calories, 20 g fat, 42.1 g protein

What is amazing to me is the comparison between things I had previously thought to be comparable. For instance, turkey breast and chicken breast; while chicken breast is pretty protein packed compared to other items, turkey is much leaner and has more protein!

To a lesser degree, I also lumped all fish in to the same "low calorie" category. Halibut certainly earns that label, but salmon is actually fattier than chicken with less protein. Now, I realize that salmon's fat is the "healthy" kind, but it still drives up calories, and ultimately we need to eat fewer calories than we burn in order to lose weight.

In addition, I had thought that pork was lower in fat than beef (just because it's lighter colored, I guess) but lean ground beef is actually much less fatty with only slightly less protein. In fact, extra lean ground beef is comparable in content to chicken breast!

I guess we'll be having turkey breast for dinner tonight...

Quick and easy mustard vinaigrette

This can be used to dress any type of meat, veggie or salad. Just drizzle it over anything you want to give extra flavor to! It's 63 calories per serving, mostly from the olive oil.

For enough to dress 4 servings:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

I put this on pork tenderloin that I roast (at 425 for about 30 mins) and then slice into 1 inch thick "medallions".

Lighter Breading

I got this idea from a martha stewart recipe for lighter Chinese Sesame Chicken, and I think it would work well for any meat or vegetable that you'd like to bread.

For about two servings (similar to 2~3 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes): Mix together 2 tbsp whole grain flour and 1 egg white. Use this as a batter before pan frying items in a little oil as you would any other battered item. This has almost half the calories, a lot less fat, a lot more fiber, and a little less carbs and protein compared to using a whole egg and white flour. The only thing you're really missing out on is a little protein, but I think the pro's outweigh the con's!

33 Calories vs. 60
0.2g Fat vs. 2.3g
5.6g Carbohydrates vs 6.1g
0.9g Fiber vs. 0g
2.8g Protein vs. 3.6g

Cream Sauce

I love cream sauce, and this one is slightly better than the traditional recipe that uses butter, white flour, and whole milk.

Last night I made this and put in some red pepper flakes and a can of chopped tomatoes in juice. I served it over whole wheat penne with chopped chicken. It was creamy, spicy and delicious!

For 4 servings:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1 cup nonfat milk, room temp or slightly warm if possible
at least 1 teaspoon salt (more, to taste)

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan on medium until it is fragrant but not smoking. Sprinkle in the flour while whisking. Allow to cook 1~2 mins, whisking occasionally.

While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. The colder the milk, the more slowly you must pour and the more vigorously you must whisk.

Allow to thicken before seasoning.

Some ideas of healthy things you can add to this basic sauce to suit your tastes include:

• Herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, or herbs de provence
• Seasonings such as garlic, red pepper flakes, paprika, or chipotle chili powder
• Mild seafood such as scallops, shrimp, crab, halibut, or clams
• Spring veggies such as asparagus, carrots, peas and zuccini and/or summer squash
  
• A jalapeno or canned chipotle chili in adobo, or
• A can of chopped tomatoes in juice

Or any appetizing combination of these things! This sauce is so delicious and so much fun!

This cream sauce with nothing added has:
58 Calories per serving; 3.4 g fat (53%), 2.3 g protein (16%) and 4.5 g carbs (30%)

The traditional cream sauce with nothing added weighs in at:
69 calories per serving; 4.9 g fat (64%), 2.2 g protein (12%) and 4.2 g carbs (24%)

Plus, there is only 1 mg of cholestorol in this sauce, while the traditional sauce has 14 mg. That's 93% less!

Creamy Salad Dressing

I love this creamy dressing and it's super healthy, too!

The following dresses four large servings of salad generously:

1 cup low fat plain yogurt
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp coarse salt (or, to taste)
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or, to taste)

Calories per server 43; Fat 1g (22%), Protein 3.3g (31%), Carbs 5 (47%)

"No Stove" Summer Dinner

If you don't have a grill I highly recommend getting even a tiny, cheap one. Grilling is a great, healthy way to cook during the summer. It keeps you from having to heat your house up with your oven or stove! My favorite summer dinner, which we are cooking up tonight, is:

Buttermilk and Herb marinated grilled chicken breasts:


1 cup (or 2 half pint containers) lowfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp coarse salt

1/4 (approx) tsp fresh ground pepper
4 6 to 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (organic free range are the most delicious)


Combine the first four ingredients in a flat bottom bowl or deep pie plate. add the chicken and marinate 30 mins at room temperate or overnight or longer in the fridge.
Preheat your BBQ and grill on medium 5 to 8 mins per side (depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces). We have a gas grill with two burners. We preheat both on high, then turn one side down to low, put the chicken on the low side and close the lid.


This has 329 calories for each 6 ounce breast. Approx 13 g fat, 1 g carbs, and 50 g protein.


I serve this with bread salad...yum!


2 medium tomatoes sliced into wedges
4 1 inch slices of whole wheat bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
juice from 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons mint (or basil) cut into thin ribbons
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Allow to macerate for at least 5 and up to 30 mins. Toss before serving.


157 Calories; 9g fat; 16 g carbs (3g fiber); 4g protein.


These recipes and picture are from everydayfoodmag.com

Main Course Soups

Pork Posole

Serves 6

1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil

0.75 pounds pork tenderloin

1 medium onion

two garlic cloves

1 medium chipotle chile canned in adobo

2 cans chicken broth (reduced-sodium)

2 cans beans (black, red, etc.)

1 can chopped tomatoes in juice

chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

In 1 tablespoon of oil (preferable grapeseed or canola) in a large saucepan or stockpot, brown a pork tenderloin (about 0.75~1 pound) that has been trimmed of fat and halved crosswise. Brown on all sides and set aside on a plate.

In the remaining oil over medium heat, saute 1 chopped medium onion and 2 cloves of garlic that has been minced or pushed through a garlic press. Cook until onion is softened. Add 1 medium chopped chipotle chile (from canned, in adobo sauce), and cook a few minutes longer.

Add 2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 cans beans (any type), and 1 can of chopped tomatoes with their juice. Add pork, and then water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly, and simmer 5-10 minutes until pork is cooked through (if using thermometer, 145 deg F).

Remove soup from heat. Remove pork from soup and chop or shred, then add back to soup along with any accumulated juices.

Serve soup with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

648 calories, 11.3% fat (8.2 g), 33.5% protein (54.27 g), 56.7% carbs (92 g with 22 g fiber)

This soup is on the high side, but the ratios are right, and it's very nutritious. To cut back on the calories you could have half a bowl and have a salad.

Italian Wedding Soup

Serves 6

1 pounds ground turkey (dark meat)

2 cloves garlic

1 egg

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 medium onion

2 cans chicken broth (reduced-sodium)

2 cans tomatoes, chopped in juice

1 can black beans

2 heads escarole, coarsely chopped

Make meatballs by combining 1 pound of ground turkey, 2 cloves of garlic pressed or minced, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a bowl. Mix, and form into 1 or 2 tablespoon balls.

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil (grapeseed or canola). Saute 1 medium onion that has been halved and thinly sliced until softened. Add 2 cans chicken broth (reduced sodium), and 2 cans diced tomatoes with their juice. Add the raw meatballs and water to cover. Cook until meatballs float.

Add 2 heads of chopped escarole a little at a time until completely added. Cook until escarole is wilted and meatballs are cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.

578 calories, 23 % fat (15 g), 32% protein (47 g), 45% carbs (65 g with 18.5 g fiber)

Another super nutritious soup! I love the extra yummy factor of the meatballs hiding away in the soup.

Brownies

Hallelujah, I have found a light brownie recipe. Now, these are not comparable to "real" brownies, so bare with me. But, when faced with no brownies or these brownies, the choice is easy. We made them last night, and you do need to make it with everything including the frozen yogurt and the chocolate on the top in order for it to reach it's full potential.

This is from Every Day Food Magazine. You can find the original recipe here.
Makes 8.

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for ramekins
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 pint vanilla frozen yogurt
  

1. Preheat oven to 350. Brush eight 8-ounce ramekins with oil; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, applesauce, and oil until smooth. Whisk in egg white and vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Divide batter among ramekins; smooth tops. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until a toothpick inserted in center of a brownie comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a rack to cool completely. (To store, cover ramekins with plastic wrap, and keep at room temperature, up to 2 days.)
3. Assemble sundaes: Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring, until almost completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Top brownies with frozen yogurt and chocolate.

267 calories, 42% (12.5 g) fat, 9% (6 g) protein, 49% (34.9 g) carbs with 2.3 g fiber

Milk

It occurred to me that I don't really know how the different milks compare to each other. You've got whole, 2%, 1% and "nonfat" and then there's rice and soy milk, which I have always assumed are healthier then your typical cow's milk just because they sound healthy. So, here's a break down and my recommendation on what to put on your cereal or in your coffee:

1 cup of whole (homogenized) cow's milk (too FATTY):
146 calories, 49% fat (7.9 g), 21% protein (7.9 g), 30% carbs (11 g with 0 fiber)

1 cup of 2% cow's milk (a little better):
122 calories, 36% fat (4.8 g), 27% protein (8.1 g), 38% carbs (11.4 g with 0 fiber)

1 cup of 1% cow's milk (can you see where this is going?):
102 calories, 20% fat (2.4 g), 34% protein (8.2 g), 46% carbs (12.2 g with 0 fiber)

1 cup of nonfat (skim) cow's milk (much better!):
83 calories, 2% fat (0.2 g), 42% protein (8.3 g), 56% carbs (12.2 g with 0 fiber)

So, as far as cow's milk, I vote for non-fat. The variations of cow's milk all have about the same amount of carbs and protein, but without the extra fat the percentage that carbs make up is much higher in the lower fat version. If you are doing a low-carb diet you might want to compromise with 2% because it's got almost the same amount of carbs, but a lot less fat than whole milk.

So what about those "healthy" milk alternatives? How much healthier are they?

1 cup of Rice Milk (where did all that nice protein go?):
120 calories, 15% fat (2 g), 1% protein (0.4 g), 84% carbs (24.8 g with 0 fiber)

1 cup of Soy Milk (niiiice):
127 calories, 31% fat (4.7 g), 30% protein (11 g), 39% carbs (12.1 g with 3.2 g fiber)

Rice milk has about as many calories as 2% milk but much less fat and protein. All those calories are coming from carbs with NO FIBER. You might as well just go drink a can of coke!

Soy milk has about as much as many calories and as much fat as 2% cow's milk, but it's got waaaay more fiber and a good amount more protein. Because of this, soy milk is my vote for putting in my coffee. The extra fat helps the coffee from tasting watered down, but I'm getting a little more fiber and protein than I would if I used milk or half and half. Here are the status for half and half. I know you'd never drink a cup, but for comparison I'm keeping the amounts consistent:

1 cup of Half and Half (don't do it!):
315 calories, 78% fat (27.8 g), 10% protein (7.2 g), 13% carbs (10.4 g with 0 fiber)

Compared to whole milk even, half and half clearly doesn't cut it--Less protein, and only a few less carbs! And exponentially more fat! I've heard stories of people on the Atkins diet switching to half and half because it's got a few less carbs. This makes no sense to me, since you get a very few extra carbs with whole or even 2%, and so much less fat and more protein.

Bottom line for me is, use nonfat milk when you're going to consume more than a couple of tablespoons in order to keep the calories low, and use soy milk with you want something a little extra. Soy milk isn't as delicious as half and half, but for the great nutitional deal you get I think you can learn to like it!

Breakfast

I have really been enjoying getting back to eating a healthy breakfast now that I'm back in my regular routine after the holidays. At my job we have a Cafe that serves breakfast. Most people get homefried potatoes, bacon, and eggs with cheese. Yum! But waaaay too many calories, fat and simple carbs to eat every day if you don't run marathons! And, if you do, you probably prefer food that gives you more energy!

My goal with all my meals is to get them high in protein and low in fat, and if there are carbs there must be fiber. They also must be at least bareably tasty. I'm not talking gourmet, but if it tastes like cardboard I'm not going to be able to eat it day after day! Here's some of the breakfasts that I've been enjoying for the past month:

Egg white omelet and oatmeal: I get this at the Cafe at work. Approx. 1/2 cup of raw egg whites cooked in a small pan sprayed with vegetable oil, stuffed with equal amounts of spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms that have been lightly steamed. I eat this with a packet of dijon mustard. In addition I've been getting a 1/2 cup of regular oatmeal sprinkled with 1 tablespoon of sweetened dried shredded coconut and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, with 1/4 cup of nonfat milk. Note: DON'T ADD SUGAR to your oatmeal...you'll ruin a perfectly good breakfast. I add the coconut 'cause it's sweetened but there's not as much extra carbs as adding sugar. Plus coconut has some good nutrients in it!
This breakfast is about 225 calories, 29% fat (7.4 g), 28% protein (15.8 g) and 43% carbs (24.4) with 4.3 g fiber.

Bacon Scramble: One of my favorite breakfasts to cook up at home (the Cafe doesn't serve turkey bacon...bummer) is 2 chopped thin slices of turkey bacon in a small pan, then, when crispy, pour in the whites of four eggs and toss in a handful of baby spinach and scramble it all together. Note that this does not need any extra fat salt!
This is only 140 calories. 35% fat (5 g), 57% protein (19.7), and only 6% (2 g) carbs with .5 g of fiber. A great breakfast for low-carbers who don't want to overload on fat.

Egg over Oatmeal: Another home breakfast that's yummy and quick is a half a cup of steel cut oatmeal that's been cooked up and refrigerated the night before, in a bowl with a tablespoon of water and an egg cracked over the top. I cover and microwave this until the white is just set, which often requires that I leave the bowl in the microwave with the door shut for a minute or two after the timer goes off. I like runny yolks, and with this I add a sprinkle of salt and break the egg up into the oatmeal. Egg whites would lower the fat content, but the yolk is what makes this good.
This is about 156 calories, 42% fat (7.3 g), 23% protein (9.2 g) and 35% carbs (13.3 g with 2 g of fiber).

Yummier Cottage Cheese: The all-time quickest breakfast is 1 cup of nonfat cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon of low sugar jam (I like apricot) and 2 tablespoons of Kellog's bran buds. You can also sprinkle on a little cinnamon to make it extra yummy and healthy (cinnamon is really good for you!). This is also great for snacking since it doesn't require cooking anything.
This is about 215 calories, 1% fat (0.3 g), 53% protein (28.8 g) and 46% carbs (25.2 g with 5 g fiber)

Starbucks Spinach Feta Wrap: When I'm really in a hurry and don't have time to wait in line at the Cafe, or if I go for breakfast after 10 when the Cafe closes, I get one of these.
This is 240 calories, 35% fat (10 g), 20% protein (13 g), and 45% carbs (29 g with 7 g fiber). Not bad for a pre-made breakfast item!

I've also been substituting a quarter cup of soy milk in my 16 oz drip coffee each morning. I love half and half in my coffee, but the extra fat on my food log every day was really bugging me. I like the soy cause I can use a lot of it and it cools my coffee down quickly so I can drink it right away.

The calorie counts and nutrition for these meals were estimated using fitday.com

Post your comments and share your favorite healthy breakfasts!