Your Best Healthy Recipes

Your Best Healthy Recipes

 How you keep full, happy, and healthy at the dinner table. 

  If you're trying to lose weight and get in shape, you're not alone. Fitness expert Kathy Smith has joined forces with Beliefnet to create "America Walks with Kathy Smith," an innovative program connecting people all over the country. As the October 4, 2008 date of the walk approaches, Kathy holds a contest each month to address a different component of fitness. In February, she asked readers to submit their favorite healthy, delicious recipes.

Quick & Skinny Chili

 1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef, turkey or chicken 
one medium onion, chopped
one jar of Classico fire-roasted tomato and garlic spaghetti sauce
1/2 jar of water
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons chili powder

Brown meat and onions together until onions are transparent and meat is cooked through. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. [Author's note: I love to add a little fat-free sour cream on top!] Variations: add 1 small green or red bell pepper chopped with ground meat or 1 can of black beans or a few chopped jalepenos or all of it together.

Good-for-You Tacos and Spicy Rice

 Low-carb tortillas
1 pound chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
strips of red bell pepper
black olive slices
fat-free sour cream

Follow instructions on taco packet to season chicken and make soft tacos. Each one should be: tortilla, 4 strips of chicken, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, 4 pepper slices, some black olive slices, lettuce and 1 tablespoon sour cream. [Author's note: I really like these and they are not calorie laden. My husband and boys love them too.] 

Spicy Rice (great with Tacos)

2 cups water
1 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon Smart Balance buttery spread
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp. chili powder

Combine all ingredients and cook according to the rice instructions. Great flavor and good for you!

Veggie Burritos

 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup salsa
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 flour tortillas

Cook vegetables in oil with garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salsa. Place mixture and two cups cheese on tortillas. Roll and place in a 12x8 inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake five more minutes. 

[Author's note: It's just as good without the cheese if you are really counting calories! And you can also spray the skillet with Pam instead of using oil for the same reason.]

Golden Buddha Soup

 1 cup diced onion
2 peeled carrots, diced into small cubes
1 diced shallot
1/2 cup ghee
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp tumeric
4 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup soaked basmati rice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large can of chickpeas
1 small can of coconut milk

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, on medium heat, melt ghee in a heavy large soup pot. Saute onions, carrots, shallots in ghee for 5 min. Add spices and garlic. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 15 min. Add broth and chickpeas, bring heat up to medium, and bring to a boil. Add soaked drained rice. Lower to simmer and cook 15 minutes more. Stir in coconut milk and lemon juice. Add more water if necessary and simmer for 15-20 minutes more or until vegetables and rice are soft. Serve with whole wheat naan or pita bread.

Edamame and Shrimp for Two

 1/2 cup frozen or fresh edamame (green soybeans)
1 cup cooked shrimp
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon red chili pepper sauce
1 ounce rice vinegar
3 ounces soy sauce (low sodium is best)
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 bundle odon noodles (whole wheat spagetti can be substituted)
2 cups mixed greens

Place the edamame in a glass bowl, cover and cook in the microwave on high till desired tenderness (one minute). Meanwhile, cook the udon noodles in boiling water, then drain. [Author's note: I purchase the udon noodles and red chili pepper sauce at a local Asian food store. I always keep it in stock for a quick stir fry.] In sauce pan, combine the oil, seeds, pepper sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Sweeten to taste. Heat. Toss in cooked shrimp, cooked edamames and noodles. Toss until well coated and hot. Serve over fresh greens. 

Sausage, Apples, and Yams

1 cooked sausage of choice (pork, beef, tofu)
1 apple (peeled or unpeeled)
1 large sweet potato or yam
1/2 onion, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Cook yam in microwave (5-6 minutes). Heat olive oil in pan, saute onions and sliced apple. Add sliced sausage and diced yam (when done). Add maple syrup and water. Cover and cook on low until apple is at desired tenderness.

Best Red Beans and Rice

 5 cans of red beans
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of onions
1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 cup of celery
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 ham hock
1/2 stick of margarine
cayenne pepper and salt to choice

Saute pepper, onions, celery, and garlic in a stick of margarine until carmelized. Add cayenne pepper, red beans, salt, bay leaves, tomato paste and smoked hamhock. Simmer for two hours. [Author's note: Prepare rice and, boom, you're in N'awlins.]

Cabbage Patch Stew

1 lb. hamburger meat, browned
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 can of jalapeno beans
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup celery, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger meat. In a large pan, boil cabbage, bell pepper and onion for 2 minutes. Add jalapeno beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili powder and celery. Add browned meat. Simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

ABC Meatball & Veggie Soup

 Saute (until onion is translucent) in 2 tablespoons olive oil, in a large stockpot:

1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
1 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

Add to veggies in stockpot:
3 Qt. chicken stock
1 - 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with liquid
6 oz. tomato paste
1/4 c parsley (fresh), minced
1 tsp basil (dried)
1 tsp thyme (dried)
Bring to a boil, and add:
1 - 1 lb. bag frozen Italian meatballs, 1/2 oz. size

Reduce heat and simmer for a long time, stirring occasionally and skimming fat from surface. Eventually, veggies will be soft, and all will cook down into SOUP! Soup may be refrigerated or frozen for storage at this point, or continue:
In separate saucepan, boil water and cook until almost done:
1/2 box - 12 oz. alphabet pasta, or other small pasta (change the soup name as necessary!)

Drain pasta well - may be kept, covered and refrigerated, for several hours until needed. Add pasta to soup a few minutes before serving; this step keeps the ABCs from becoming mushy by overcooking. (If serving soup immediately, simply add dry pasta to boiling soup and simmer until pasta is cooked.)

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Makes about 15 servings - can be doubled, too, for a real crowd.