Archives for July 2014

If you’re REALLY in a hurry, this dinner comes together in about 10 minutes!  Plus, it features a good balance of carbs, fiber, protein, and fats.  Scale up or down depending on your family size and need for leftovers.

Super Easy Beans & Salsa

Ingredients:

3 cans black beans, drained
1 jar or carton of salsa (your choice)
Shredded cheese (Mexican blend works well)

Directions:

Heat beans and salsa in sauce pan over medium heat heated through.  Stir in shredded cheese to melt slightly.  Serve “as is” or with chips or tortillas for those desiring more carbs.  Done!

Karen Donaldson, MS, RD, LD is a registered dietitian, personal trainer, and an EFT Certified Weight Loss Coach who specializes in helping people with emotional eating issues.   Her office now accepts insurance for nutrition counseling.  She can be reached at EXCEL Weight Loss Solutions at 233-0593.

This recipe has a few more ingredients than my usual ones, but it’s worth the effort!  The flavors are magnificent.  You can use leftover chicken to save time and substitute any veggies you have on hand for the asparagus (peppers, broccoli, etc.).  The lentils cook quickly and dinner can be ready in less than 30 minutes.  Great cold the next day for leftovers!  Double the recipe for larger families or more leftovers.

Lentil Salad with Asparagus and Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients:

½ cup dried lentils
1-2 bunches asparagus, broken into bite-sized pieces (or other veggies)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1-2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (optional)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
¾ tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2 tsp dried basil
½ tsp salt
One, 8 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts (drained, reserve the marinade)

Instructions:

Bring 3 cups water to boil and stir in lentils.  Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes until tender.   Drain water when finished cooking.  If adding chicken, use leftovers or bake in oven while lentils are cooking. 

Place about ¼ inch of water in a large fry pan and steam asparagus about 5 minutes, until just tender. 

Chop artichoke hearts into small pieces, reserving marinade.

Meanwhile, whisk together oil, vinegar, artichoke marinade, and garlic.  Stir in warm lentils, cooked chicken, tomatoes and asparagus.  Serve as is or over lettuce for a salad or in a wrap. 

Parmesan Cod, Baked Potatoes, and Fresh Veggies

This dinner is SO fast and easy you’ll be amazed!  Scale up or down depending on how many people you’re cooking for, but be sure to plan enough for leftovers for lunch the next day!

Ingredients:

1-4 pounds cod (use fresh cod, or frozen which has been thawed)
Lemon & Pepper seasoning salt
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Potatoes for baking
Red bell peppers and pea pods

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  While oven is preheating, wash and scrub potatoes and start cooking in microwave.  Wash and remove seeds from peppers and slice into thick pieces.  You can buy pea pods already washed and ready to eat, which saves time!

For cod, line baking pan with foil.  Generously season cod with lemon & pepper seasoning.  Bake, uncovered, for about 5 minutes per ½ inch thickness of fish or until fish almost flakes easily when tested with a fork.  Remove from oven and top with the fresh Parmesan.  Return to oven and broil for about 2 minutes, until Parmesan starts to melt and gets a bit brown and crusty. 

Remove fish from oven and serve with potatoes (eat the skin for more fiber, vitamin C, potassium and B vitamins) and the fresh veggies.   By the way, a small to average sized potato (approximately 1 cup) has about 30 grams of carbs, which fits well into  many low-carb diet plans. 

In less than the time it takes for delivery, you can serve up a meal that’s not only delicious but chock-full of healthy fats. This pesto is made with olive oil, walnuts, and pine nuts and is very yummy. So good you’ll want to cook extra for lunch leftovers!

Fast & Easy Pesto-Chicken Wraps

Ingredients: 2-3 pounds, boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
chopped One 11-oz carton Buitoni Pesto with Basil (or pesto of your choice)
½ purple onion,
thinly sliced Swiss or goat cheese (or cheese of choice)
1 tsp olive, avocado, or coconut oil
Romaine lettuce leaves and/or flour tortillas as “wrap”

Directions: Sauté chicken in oil of choice in large frying pan, about 8-10 minutes, until done. When chicken is almost done, add onion slices to just soften. Remove from heat. Stir in pesto and mix thoroughly. Place a spoonful or two of chicken mixture in a flour tortillas or Romaine lettuce leaf. Top with cheese of your choice and wrap it up! Serve with whatever raw veggies you have on hand and call it a meal.

Lentil Salad

 1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinse; 
5 TBS olive oil
4 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 – 1 tsp salt
4-8 oz jar sun-ripened dried tomatoes
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained (reserve marinade), coarsely chopped
2 TBS reserved artichoke marinade
1 15-oz can olives 
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped

 Cook lentils according to package directions, simmering about 20 minutes, until just tender. 
 Mix together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, spices, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and marinade.  Stir in olives, avocado, and chicken. 
Eat “as is” or serve over a bed of spinach, brown rice, or in a wrap.  Delicious and versatile too!  
Copyright EXCEL with Karen Donaldson, LLC.  2014.

Ingredients

For the burgers:

• 2 x 15 ounce cans black beans, drained
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, baked  (see below)
• Handful fresh cilantro
• 1-2 tsp Mrs. Dash (or other) Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 x 15 ounce can corn, drained
• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats or bread crumbs (or other substitute)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (plus olive oil for sweet potatoes)

For the avocado cilantro cream sauce:

• 2 large avocados
• handful fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash sweet potatoes.  Leave the skin ON and rub generously with olive oil and wrap in foil.  Bake about 45 minutes at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  J  The skin has tons of nutrition and this method of baking makes the skin soft and very edible!
2. Cook brown rice according to package directions.
3. Set aside 1 can of the black beans. Place remaining beans, sweet potatoes, cilantro, and seasonings in food processor or blender.  Pulse until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the rice, corn, and oats.  Mix well.
4. Heat olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Form mixture into patties and carefully transfer to the skillet. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the bottom is browned and set.  Flip carefully! Cook for an additional 4-6 minutes until the opposite side is browned and set as well.
5. While burgers are cooking, blend the avocados and cilantro in a food processor or blender until smooth.
6. Serve burger topped with the cilantro avocado cream sauce or a lettuce leaf or on a bun.  If the burger falls apart (which could happen!) serve as a salad or in a tortilla or Romaine leaf as a wrap. 

Eat mindfully and enjoy the aroma, textures, and flavors.  Experience gratitude for choosing foods that serve you well. 

Copyright EXCEL with Karen Donaldson, LLC.  2014.