Healthy Recipes For Dinner

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

2011-03-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Mushrooms add a savory flavor that makes beef taste even meatier, while red wine brings acidity for balance. Splurge on great steaks in this simple recipe; with so few ingredients, the meat shines through.

Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) package presliced baby portobello mushrooms
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper; coat with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a serving platter; keep warm.

2. Add mushrooms to pan. Coat mushrooms with cooking spray; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid almost evaporates. Remove pan from heat; add butter and rosemary, stirring until butter melts. Pour sauce over steaks.

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 244 (46% from fat)
Fat:: 13g (sat 6g,mono 4g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:: 23.3g
Carbohydrate:: 3.8g
Fiber:: 0.9g
Cholesterol:: 74mg
Iron:: 1.9mg
Sodium:: 235mg
Calcium:: 24mg

Chipotle Bean Burritos

2011-03-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

Add chips and guacamole to this hearty vegetarian dish for an easy Mexican meal.

Time: 30 mins

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained
3 tablespoons refrigerated fresh salsa
6 (10-inch) reduced-fat flour tortillas (such as Mission)
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 3)
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons light sour cream

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.

2. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon onions, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 361
Fat:: 10.3g (sat 3.8g,mono 3.1g,poly 2g)
Protein:: 16.8g
Carbohydrate:: 52.2g
Fiber:: 11.4g
Cholesterol:: 19mg
Iron:: 3.3mg
Sodium:: 735mg
Calcium:: 395mg

Chicken and Bow-tie Pasta with Walnut Pesto

2011-03-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

To make sure the walnut pesto ingredients are evenly minced, stop the food processor halfway through processing, and scrape down the sides. Total time: 26 mins

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Salad:
2 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta; about 6 ounces)
2 cups cubed cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
Walnut Pesto:
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove
Remaining ingredient:
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

Preparation

To prepare salad, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water. Combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl.

To prepare walnut pesto, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until finely minced. Add pesto to pasta mixture, tossing gently to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 4 plates; top each serving with salad mixture.

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 374
Fat:: 12.5g (sat 2g)
Protein:: 29.4g
Carbo:: 36.3g
Fiber:: 3g
Chol:: 60mg
Iron:: 3.6mg
Sodium:: 393mg
Calcium:: 62mg

Chile Dusted Shrimp with Corn Relish

2011-03-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

A little sugar might seem out of place in the three-pepper spice rub here, but it caramelizes during cooking to give the shrimp a lovely browned look. The fresh vegetable mix has a nice sweet-sour flavor to balance the spicy shrimp. Load shrimp and veggies into tortillas for great Southwestern shrimp tacos.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

3 1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons bottled minced ginger
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Preparation

1. Combine 2 teaspoons sugar, chili powder, chile powders, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Add shrimp to spice mixture; toss well to coat.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and corn to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Transfer corn mixture to a bowl; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup green onions.

3. Wipe pan with a paper towel. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until done, turning once. Serve with corn mixture.

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 342
Fat:: 9.6g (sat 1.5g)
Protein:: 37.9g
Carbo:: 28g
Fiber:: 3.7g
Chol:: 259mg
Iron:: 5.3mg
Sodium:: 569mg
Calcium:: 114mg

Baked Polenta Lasagna

2011-03-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

This polenta lasagna is a great way to work extra vegetables into a weeknight meal, as it calls for chopped zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and red bell pepper.

Prep time: 15 mins

Baking time: 45 mins Oven: 350°F

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup meatless fat-free sausage, crumbled (such as Lightlife Gimme Lean)
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) tube of polenta, cut into 18 slices
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Spoon 1/2 cup marinara sauce into an 8-inch square baking dish to cover bottom, and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in sausage; cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Add remaining marinara sauce; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Arrange 9 polenta slices over marinara in baking dish, and top evenly with half of vegetable mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese over vegetable mixture; arrange remaining polenta over cheese. Top polenta with the remaining vegetable mixture, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

4. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 221 (20% from fat)
Fat:: 4.9g (sat 1.4g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.1g)
Protein:: 12.3g
Carbo:: 30.9g
Fiber:: 4.6g
Chol:: 5mg
Iron:: 2.8mg
Sodium:: 880mg
Calcium:: 125mg

Salmon Steaks with Ginger

2011-03-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

This delicious and nutritious Asian style salmon is a simple way to dress up the filet and wind down your day.

Prep: 5 minCook: 10 min.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbs. sesame oil

4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
1 cup sliced green onion

Yields: 4 servings

PREPARATION

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add salmon and dot with half the butter mixture. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned on one side. Turn, dot with remaining butter and cook another 4-5 minutes until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with green onion.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 487
Fat: 23.6g
Chol: 181mg,
Protein: 63.7g,
Carbo: 1.9g
Sodium: 367mg

Stuffed Chicken Cacciatore

2011-02-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, cooking chicken with a savory blend of vegetables, cheeses and seasonings turns an ordinary meal into one worthy of any special occasion.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook: 18 mins

Bake: 15 mins

Oven: 375° F

INGREDIENTS

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

3 tbsp snipped oil-packed dried tomatoes

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

1 cup quartered small white mushrooms

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

Hot cooked pasta

Grated parmesan cheese

Yield: 4 servings

PREPARATION

1. Place each chicken beast half between to pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap.

2. Divide basil leaves, dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese evenly among chicken pieces. Fold in the side edges; roll up from bottom edge. Secure with wooden toothpicks.

3. In a large ovenproof skillet, cook chicken rolls in hot oil over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until light brown, turning once. Remove from skillet; set aside.

4. Add onion, sweet pepper, mushrooms, and crushed red pepper to skillet; cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and oregano, cook 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Return chicken to skillet. Spoon some sauce over chicken; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese.

5. Bake in a 375° F oven about 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove toothpicks. Serve chicken and sauce with pasta.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories: 416

Fat: 11 G (Sat. 2g)

Chol: 86 MG

Sodium: 697 MG

Carbo: 36 G

Protein: 41 G

Fresh Mediterranean Salad

2011-02-27T18:04:00.000-08:00

This fresh Mediterranean style recipe is a quick, delicious and colorful dish the entire family will enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 mins
*no cooking time necessary

INGREDIENTS

Vinaigrette:
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
2 cups sliced fennel bulb (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1 cup pitted ripe olives, halved
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

PREPARATION

1. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk until blended.

2. To prepare salad, combine fennel and the next 6 ingredients (through tomatoes) in a large bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, tossing until well combined. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories:: 119
Fat:: 8.1g (sat 1.8g,mono 4.5g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:: 3.2g
Carbohydrate:: 10g
Fiber:: 3.1g
Cholesterol:: 5mg
Iron:: 1.7mg
Sodium:: 346mg
Calcium:: 74mg