Simple Risotto

Risotto is a staple meal in our house. It's one of those meals you can whip together with on-hand pantry items, yet it's completely satisfying, and especially popular with the little ones. The other night I made it with a very low sodium chicken broth so that my 9 month old could enjoy it too...which he definitely did!



Simple Risotto

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Stir in rice and saute for another 2 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 cup of broth and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue to add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring regularly. Cook until broth is gone or rice is tender, adding water if necessary.
3. Season with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Penne with Leafy Greens

Nutrient-packed leafy greens, such as Swiss Chard, are in season this time of year. Swiss Chard is a definite super food, rich in vitamins K and C, and calcium. You could also substitute another leafy green, such as spinach in this recipe, but if you've been eyeing these vibrant greens in your local market, and just haven't been sure what to do with them, then this is your chance to pick some up and give them a go...

Penne with Leafy Greens

Servings: 2

2 tablespoons hazelnuts, roughly chopped
6 ounces penne (slightly less than ½ of a 1-pound box of pasta)
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon butter
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

1. Toast hazelnuts in a small skillet over low heat. Stir and toss for a few minutes, until fragrant.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. When pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of water before draining.
3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add chard and sprinkle with salt. Increase heat to medium-high and stir until chard begins to wilt. Cover the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the reserved pasta water and butter to the chard, and cook until the butter is melted. Then add the drained pasta, mix well, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
5. Season with pepper to taste. Portion onto two plates, and top with parmesan and hazelnuts.
   
   
   Nutrition Information
   (For ½ of recipe) 470 calories; 71 g carbohydrate; 17 g protein; 14 g fat (4 g sat); 5 g fiber; 660 mg sodium. Exchanges: 4 starches; 2 vegetables; 2 fats; ½ high fat meat substitute.

Garlicky-Beef Stir-Fry

A stir-fry is an easy way to get a colorful mix of vegetables on the table. It's also a great way to make use of leftover, uncooked vegetables. Subsitute your leftovers or favorites in the recipe below and make your own stir-fry creation...

Garlicky-Beef Stir-Fry

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound boneless sirloin steak, visible fat removed, and sliced into thin strips
2 medium carrots, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
6 tablespoons water
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
2 cups snow peas, ends trimmed
2/3 cup hoisin sauce

1. Heat oil in a wok (or large nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic and beef, and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, or until beef is cooked through. Place meat onto a plate and wipe out pan.
3. Add the carrot and water to the wok. Cover partially and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes.
4. Add the pepper and snow peas and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the hoisin sauce, increase the heat to high, and cook for about 30 seconds.
6. Add the beef and cook for about another minute.

Nutrition Information
(For ¼ of recipe) 400 calories; 29 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 20 g fat (7 g sat); 4 g fiber; 765 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 lean meats; 3 vegetables; 1 fat; 1 starch.

Serve with rice, for optimal nutrition go for brown rice.

Lemon-Tarragon Salmon

Here's an easy and fresh spin on a salmon dinner. Try serving it with sauteed asparagus and rice pilaf.

Servings: 2

Juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¾ pound salmon, cut into 2 filets
Cooking spray
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, tarragon, and sour cream. Set aside.
3. Place salmon, skin-side down, in a baking dish covered with cooking spray. Season fish with salt and pepper, and then spread the sour cream mixture over the salmon.
4. Bake fish about 20-22 minutes, until opaque throughout, and then serve.

Nutrition Information
(For ½ of recipe) 340 calories; 5 g carbohydrate; 37 g protein; 18 g fat (6.5 g sat); 0 g fiber; 400 mg sodium. Exchanges: 5 lean meats; 1 fat.

Moroccan-Style Chicken

This a fun, tasty chicken entree that the whole family is sure to enjoy. Try it with the couscous and citrus salad...it's a nice change from the usual chicken and broccoli.

Moroccan-Style Chicken

Servings: 4

4 teaspoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 chicken quarters, skin removed
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried ginger
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.
2. Drizzle olive oil into a baking dish and then add onion and garlic. Place chicken on top of the onion and garlic, and pour over the chicken stock and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Season the chicken with the paprika, ginger, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
3. Bake chicken in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and baste with juices. Cover with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 175˚ F.
4. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Nutrition Information
(For ¼ of recipe) 238 calories; 8 g carbohydrate; 28.5 g protein; 10 g fat (2 g sat); 1.5 g fiber; 596 mg sodium. Exchanges: 4 very lean meats; 1 fat; 1 vegetable.

Side suggestions: Couscous. Prepare using chicken stock instead of water for added flavor. Moroccan citrus salad. Combine 2 peeled and chopped oranges, ¼ c raisins, ¼ c slivered almonds, 2 t lemon juice, and ¼ t cinnamon in a small bowl. Cover and chill until served.

Spinach Meatballs

If you are looking to sneak some greens into your family's diet, then these meatballs then these meatballs are for you. You can vary the below recipe by adding your favorite herbs or spices, or substituting another vegetable, such as grated carrots, for the spinach. Consider making a double batch and freezing the extra in a resealable plastic freezer bag.

Spinach Meatballs

Servings: 4-6

1/3 cup oats
1 tablespoon corn starch
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 tablespoons yellow onion, grated
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

1. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, corn starch, and water. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until golden, 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the ground beef, spinach, and salt to the oat mixture and stir with a spoon to combine. Then add in the egg, pepper, and sautéed onions and use a spoon or your hands to mix until well combined.

4. Wet hands and form meat mixture into small balls, making sure that they are all about the same size. (Recipe should make anywhere from 30 to 40 meatballs, depending on size). Place meatballs on a wet cutting board.

5. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add about 1/3 of the meatballs. Shake the pan so that they cook evenly while retaining round shape. Once browned on all sides, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes (depending on size), until cooked through. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Side suggestions: Boiled Yukon gold potatoes. Steamed baby carrots. Lingonberry jam.

Risotto with Turkey and Peas

Risotto requires constant monitoring, frequent stirring, and a little patience, but other than that it's really quite simple and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Once you have the basics down you can vary it by mixing in additional ingredients that you may have on hand--whether fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables, or leftover chicken. In the below recipe I made use of some leftover Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast and added in peas (a classic pairing with risotto, and a favorite vegetable of my almost 2-year old son). Both my son and husband loved this simple comfort meal.

Risotto with Turkey and Peas

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup risotto (arborio rice)
3-4 cups chicken stock (look for one with less than 500 mg sodium per cup)
1 cup frozen peas
1-2 cups roasted turkey breast, diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Add 1 cup of stock and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue to add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and adding more stock once most of the liquid has been absorbed.
3. Stir in frozen peas and turkey breast and cook until heated through. Drizzle with lemon juice, stir, and serve.

Serving suggestions: Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a side salad.