Simply Baked Salmon

Shopping. Card-writing. Party-going. Baking. More shopping. It's clear to see how the holiday season can leave us feeling frazzled! And to fit all these extra tasks into our already busy schedules, we find ourselves skimping on exercise and relying on take-out food more than usual. Definitely not a prescription for wellness.

To combat holiday stress try taking a day to focus on just on yourself and your wellbeing. Why not:

• Go for a brisk walk around your neighborhood and admire the holiday decorations.
• Treat yourself to a relaxing massage or facial.
• Take a candlelight bubble bath.
• Skip the cookies for a day and focus on wholesome eating (Need ideas? Try the "Simply Baked Salmon" recipe below.)

Eating well, exercising, and getting a good night's sleep are key to feeling good and staying healthy. And why wait for the New Year to take charge of your health when you can start today.

Simply Baked Salmon

I made this simple dish one evening when I felt that I just wanted something simple and ultra-healthful. Wild Salmon is one of my favorite "super foods" and this recipe couldn't be easier to prepare. Perfect for a busy December evening. Another great thing, this dish goes with almost anything, I served it with steamed broccoli, peas, and boiled Yukon Gold potatoes.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds salmon filet
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.
2. Place fish skin side down in an oven safe baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and then drizzle with water, lemon juice, and olive oil. Then spread the parsley out evenly over the fish.
3. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Nutrition Information:

(For ¼ of recipe) 285 calories; 1 g carbohydrate; 34 g protein; 15 g fat (2 g sat); 0.5 g fiber; 660 mg sodium. Exchanges: 5 lean meats.

Cardamom Rolls (Kardemumma Bullar)

It was a cold, wet, and windy day today in New England. It was not a day for being outside, not even on the roads. So when trying to figure out how I was going to keep my outdoor-loving, active toddler busy all day long, I decided it might be time to introduce him to baking. What better activity to warm up with on a blustery November day? And surely there was a chance he might enjoy kneading some dough.

First on the list of baking projects was "bullar," a type of sweet roll commonly eaten in Sweden. It is fair to say that my son Elliott loves bullar. They are a treat typically reserved for visits to or from mormor (my mom), since otherwise I would have a hard time getting him to eat anything else. But today called for special measures.

As it turned out, Elliott was much more interested in eating the bullar than helping me make them. I guess he is still a little too young to knead dough, though he did enjoy sprinkling cardamom all over the kitchen! And he definitely enjoyed the final product.

The following recipe is adapted from a wonderful children's cookbook, called, coincidently, "Elliot's Extraordinary Cookbook."

Makes about 32 rolls

Dough:
1 cup of butter (1 stick)
2 cups low-fat milk
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon + 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
5 1/2 to 6 cups + 1/2 cup flour
Muffin papers

Filling:
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cardamom (or substitute cinnamon)
1 egg, beaten
Pearl sugar (optional)
Slivered almonds (optional)

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add milk and continue heating another minute or so, until warm (but not hot).
2. Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
3. Pour the milk-butter mixture into a warmed mixing bowl and then add the yeast mixture. Stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup sugar and the cardamom and mix. Premeasure the flour, and then, with the mixer running on low speed, add to flour 1/2 cup at a time. Continue to add flour until the dough forms a ball and separates from the work bowl and is smooth and slightly sticky to touch.
4. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts. (Or place the bowl on rack over a pot with very hot water.) Let rise for 40 minutes, until doubled in size.
5. Meanwhile, leave the butter for the filling out to soften and combine the sugar and cardamom in a small bowl. Distribute about 32 muffin papers onto 2 baking sheets.
5. Spread flour out over a baking table. Transfer dough to the table and knead for a minute or two. Divide into 2 pieces. Use a rolling pin dusted with flour to roll each piece into a rectangular shape (about 9 x 14 inches).
6. Use a spatula to spread butter out over the dough. Then sprinkle with the cardamom-sugar mixture. Roll the dough, starting at one of the long ends, and then slice each roll into about 16 pieces. Place in the muffin papers, cover with a dish towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
8. Brush tops of rolls lightly with the beaten egg mixture. If desired, sprinkle with pearl sugar or slivered almonds.
9. Bake in the center of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. (Keep a close eye on the rolls while baking as it may take slightly less or longer.)

Pasta Bolognese

There are many variations of this classic Italian dish, but they all fall into the category of wholesome comfort food. Pasta bolognese was one of my favorite dishes growing up, which made me think that maybe my17-month old son would like it. I've found the best way to introduce new foods to him is to let him see the food when it's cooking (he finds the whole cooking process fascinating) and then give him a little tasting spoon when it's done. Seeing me eat something often peaks his curiosity too. Well, after his first taste of the bolgonese sauce, it was clear to me that this was going to become a staple in our household.

Pasta Bolognese

Serves: 4 adults

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, grated
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons red wine (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a Dutch oven or large pot.
2. Crumble beef into the skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned all over. Transfer to the Dutch oven. Add 1/2 c water to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; pour into the Dutch oven.
3. Add remaining water, tomato paste, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add the thyme and red wine and cook for another few minutes.

Serving suggestions: Spaghetti (or other pasta), brown rice, or crepes. Garden salad.

-- Posted by Maria--

Bulgur Salad with Grilled Chicken and Avocado

There is nothing like a cool and tasty salad when it's hot out. And I guess you could say I'm on a bulgur kick. In addition to bulgur, this recipe features other nutrition-packed ingredients such as avocado, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and fresh parsley. If you are short on time, skip the marinating and grilling and use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. You could also make this salad with orzo pasta or couscous.


Bulgur Salad with Grilled Chicken and Avocado

Servings: 2

Marinating time: 30 to 60 minutes

½ tablespoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
½ cup bulgur
1 cup water
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 avocado, peeled, cored, and sliced

1. Place ½ tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, mustard, and chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes, turning chicken halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, place bulgur and water in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for 30 minutes or until bulgur is tender, but with a bite.
3. Prepare indoor or outdoor grill. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Slice into strips.
4. In a large bowl, combine the somewhat cooled bulgur, tomatoes, scallions, and parsley. Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil and toss. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
5. Distribute bulgur salad onto two plates and top with sliced grilled chicken and sliced avocado.

Nutrition Information

(For ½ of recipe) 420 calories; 38 g carbohydrate; 33 g protein; 17 g fat (3 g sat); 12 g fiber; 420 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 starches; 4 very lean meats; 1 vegetable; 3 fats.

Side suggestions: Pita bread or baguette.

Mediterranean Lamb Kebabs

If you are looking for a break from your usual beef, chicken, or pork, lamb is a great alternative. Lamb is naturally rich in protein, vitamin B12, niacin, zinc, and iron. Additionally, most of its fat is the good kind (mono- and poly- unsaturated). Another plus, because lamb is naturally tender and flavorful, you generally don't need to marinate it before grilling or broiling.

Mediterranean Lamb Kebabs

Servings: 6

2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, visible fat trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Place lamb, peppers, and onions in a large bowl. Add olive oil, garlic, and thyme and toss to combine.
2. Place onions, peppers, and meat on skewers. Season with salt and pepper
3. Broil for 12-14 minutes, turning skewers a couple of times for even browning. Do not overcook; lamb should be slightly pink inside. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information
(For 1/6 of recipe) 310 calories; 7 g carbohydrate; 32 g protein; 17 g fat (4 g sat); 1.5 g fiber; 510 mg sodium. Exchanges: 4 lean meats; 1.5 vegetables; 1 fat.

Side suggestions: Couscous, arugula salad, and cherry tomatoes.

--posted by Maria--

Caribbean Shrimp and Scallops

We were in the mood for shrimp and scallops this week, so I came up with this recipe, which turned out great. The dish was really tasty and fresh -- perfect for summer!

Living in New England, it's not hard to find good, fresh seafood year-round. But if you live in parts of the country where fresh seafood is harder to find, here are some tips for finding good-quality shrimp and scallops:

• Frozen seafood is the next best thing, when good-quality fresh isn't available (much of what you buy "fresh" may have been previously frozen, anyway); just follow the package instructions when thawing
• Buy seafood that smells fresh and mild; there should be no strong odor
• Raw shrimp should have firm flesh and be translucent
• Raw scallops should smell mild and slightly sweet; be moist and shiny; and have a milky white, pinkish, or tan color; and they should have almost no water around them
• Rinse scallops before cooking to remove any sand
• To devein shrimp: after peeling, use a sharp knife to cut a quarter-inch cut down the shrimp's back and remove and discard the black "vein" with your fingers

Caribbean Shrimp and Scallops

Servings: 4

Marinating time: 1 hour to overnight

2/3 cup orange juice
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons jerk seasoning
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
1 pound sea scallops
Cooking spray
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 scallions, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, lime juice, oil, and jerk seasoning. Combine the marinade and shrimp in a plastic resealable bag, shake to coat, and marinate 1 hour to overnight, turning at least once. During the last 10 minutes of marinating time, add the scallops.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet or wok with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and scallions, and sauté 2 minutes. Remove seafood from marinade and add to skillet, cooking about 3 minutes on each side, or until done.
3. Season dish with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Information
(For ¼ of recipe) 315 calories; 13 g carbohydrate; 43 g protein; 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated); 1 g fiber; 925 mg sodium. Exchanges: 6 very lean meats; 1.5 fats; 1 vegetable.

Side suggestions. Baked sweet potatoes. Steamed green beans.

Blueberry Muffins

I woke up a little on the early side this morning. As I was trying to go back to sleep, I couldn't shake the thought of blueberry muffins from my head. So I headed down to the kitchen, made some tea, and started flipping through my cookbooks and magazines in search for the perfect recipe.

While there is nothing like a fresh, still warm-from-the-oven blueberry muffin, too often they are like eating dessert, not a wholesome breakfast. Of course, it's also possible for a muffin to taste "too healthy." A quick search through my recipe collection and on the internet yielded a lot of recipes, but none that were just what I was looking for. As a last whim, I decided to glance through one of the books I recently acquired for an article I was writing, The Volumetrics Eating Plan by Barbara Rolls, PhD. Sure enough, there was a recipe for blueberry muffins that intrigued me. Though it used applesauce in place of all but one teaspoon of oil (which seemed a little too restrictive to me), overall, the recipe was pretty close to what I was looking for.

Always up for an experiment in the kitchen, I decided to give the recipe a try. Though the base of the recipe remained the same, I did make some adaptions and modifications, including subsituting kefir for buttermilk, increasing the amount of canola oil (it's a good fat after all!), and using a 10-grain flour mix instead of whole wheat flour. I also increased the size of the muffins because I only had 12-cup muffin tin, not 16 as the original recipe called for. The end result was exactly what I was looking for, a super-moist, tender, bursting-with-blueberries muffin, that didn't leave you feeling like you just ate a pound of butter.

Here is the final recipe. Remember, a key to tender muffins is mixing the wet and dry ingredients as little as possible.

Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 good-sized muffins

1 1/2 cups + 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup 10-grain flour (or whole-wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cardamom (or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon)
1 1/4 cups low-fat kefir (buttermilk or plain yogurt would also work)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, 10-grain flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Make a well in the middle.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the kefir, applesauce, egg, oil, and vanilla extract.
4. Toss the blueberries in 1/4 cup of flour.
5. Spray a 12-muffin muffin pan with cooking spray.
6. Add the kefir mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
7. Portion the mixture into the muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
8. Place the muffin pan on a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes before removing. Enjoy!

Like most baked goods, these muffins are best served when still slightly warm. Once cooled, you can wrap leftover muffins in plastic wrap, place in a resealable bag, and
toss in the freezer for future breakfasts or snacks.

--posted by Maria--

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

This week's feature was inspired by something called "Take and Bake" bread I found in the bakery at Whole Foods. I picked up a loaf of ciabatta, baked it for seven minutes at home, and assembled grilled veggie sandwiches (recipe below).

If you are a CooksAid subscriber, you know that we feature one vegetarian recipe a week, along with a seafood recipe, a chicken recipe, and a couple of other recipes featuring beef, pork, and/or other meats. This goes along with our idea of a well-balanced diet.

If you don't usually eat at least one meatless dinner per week, you may want to give it a try. Adding a vegetarian dinner to your week can increase your intake of plant-based foods, which has a number of health benefits such as helping you maintain a healthy weight; lowering your blood pressure; improving your cholesterol levels; and reducing your risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Here's this week's recipe - you won't even miss the meat!

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

Servings: 2

¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking spray
½ zucchini squash, sliced at an angle into ¼-inch slices
½ summer squash, sliced at an angle into ¼-inch slices
¼ yellow onion, sliced into ¼-inch strips
½ red bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch strips
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small loaf Ciabatta bread (about 5 ounces), sliced in half down the middle, then lengthwise to make 4 slices

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, horseradish, and thyme. Set aside.
2. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray, or use nonstick foil on an outdoor grill. Heat grill pan or grill over medium-high. Spread out vegetables on pan or foil, season with salt and pepper, and cook about five minutes, turning once.
3. In a medium bowl, toss vegetables with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and oil.
4. Toast bread in a toaster or on the grill for about 45 seconds. Spread mayonnaise mixture on bread, top with vegetables, and serve.

Nutrition Information
(For ½ recipe) 340 calories; 45 g carbohydrate; 8 g protein; 15 g fat (2 g saturated); 4 g fiber; 920 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2.5 starches; 2.5 fats; 1.5 vegetables.

Side suggestions. Fruit salad.

--posted by Krisha--

Bulgur, Bean, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

I spent the past week vacationing with my husband, Pete, and 13-month old son, Elliott, in a summer cottage on Cape Cod. Cooking while you are on vacation is different. Because you usually don't have a stocked pantry, you have to start with a full shopping trip to get even the most basic of ingredients, such as olive oil and butter. You also want to keep meals extra simple--after all, who wants to spend hours in the kitchen when everyone else is out enjoying the sun? So when my mom, who was coming to visit for a couple of days, offered to bring along some home cooked food, I didn't object!

When my mom arrived, I helped her unpack a basket of goodies that included homemade cardamom "bullar" (a type of Swedish sweet roll), fresh bread, oven-roasted turkey, salad greens from her garden, and a bulgur and bean salad. I was so curious about this bulgur and bean salad that I had to try a little sample before dinner. It was delicious and a perfect summer food. The beans helped make the salad hearty enough for a vegetarian entree and the sun-dried tomatoes added a punch of flavor. Since I'm always looking for new ways of incorporating whole grains into my recipes, I decided to recreate the salad for CooksAid.

The salad I ultimately created was very similiar to my mom's, except she served hers with pesto sauce, and to keep things simple (and on the lighter side), I just mixed in a bunch of fresh basil in mine. Whether you are looking for a dish to bring to a summer barbecue, a refreshing summer dinner, or want to incorporate more whole grains into your diet, this is a recipe to try:

Bulgur, Bean, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

Servings: 4

2 cups water
1 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup basil, chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a medium pot, add water and bulgur. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 minutes, or until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender.

2. In a large bowl, combine bulgur, beans, tomatoes, onion, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information
(For 1/4 of recipe) 330 calories; 53 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 6.5 g fat (0 g sat); 12 g fiber; 355 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 starches; 1 very lean meat substitute; 1 fat.

Side suggestions: Spinach and feta salad. Drizzle 4 cups baby spinach with 4 teaspoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar; toss to combine. Top with crumbled feta. Crusty bread.

--posted by Maria--

Grilled Steak Salad (with Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette)

This week's recipe, Grilled Steak Salad, was inspired by the perfect weather we are finally having in New England. As a girl who grew up in Texas, I welcomed the milder, shorter summers when I first moved to Boston. But after living here for five years and spending this past winter cooped up inside with our new baby, Mia, I found myself dreaming of the hot sun, flip flops, sunscreen, and warm skin.

Cut to summer. It is the end of June, and it finally looks like good weather is upon us. For my husband, Kevin, and me, that means getting out on the grill and eating all of our meals on the deck.

What to cook? When creating this recipe, I was attempting to "summerize" my go-to meal at my favorite restaurant: Abe and Louie's salad and a nice steak (not to mention a good bottle of red wine). That's what inspired this recipe. It received rave reviews from Kevin, and I think the bleu cheese vinaigrette could be my signature dressing:

Grilled Steak Salad

Servings: 2

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 + 2 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese
½ pound top loin (strip) steak, visible fat removed
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ small red onion, chopped

1. Prepare vinaigrette by whisking together mustard, vinegar, oil, 2 tablespoons bleu cheese, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare outdoor or indoor grill.
3. Season steak with salt and pepper, and grill 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness of steak and desired degree of doneness. Let cool slightly then slice into ½-inch strips.
4. Toss together lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. Arrange steak slices on top of salad, drizzle with vinaigrette, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bleu cheese.

Nutrition Information
(For ½ of recipe) 440 calories; 8 g carbohydrate; 39 g protein; 28 g fat (8.5 g sat); 3 g fiber; 385 mg sodium. Exchanges: 4 fats; 3.5 vegetables; 3 lean meats.

Serving suggestion: Warm dinner rolls or breadsticks.

--posted by Krisha--

Welcome!

Welcome to the CooksAid blog. CooksAid is a healthful menu mailing service created and run by two nutrition experts -- Maria Adams and Krisha McCoy! Check us out at http://www.CooksAid.com/

Maria and Krisha have dedicated this blog to providing our readers with great recipes, health tips, and other things in their lives that relate to food and nutrition (or not!).

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