Asian Sloppy Joes

We've been craving Asian recipes this week.  This is not your usual sloppy joe.  This recipe is a fresh twist on a classic food.  It was devoured by our family.  This recipe is high in protein, low in fat and sugar, a great heart healthy dinner.  It was adapted from a food and wine recipe to reduce the salt and oil:   http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/asian-sloppy-joe-sliders

Serves 4-5       Prep Time: 15 minutes     Cook Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger (we keep ours in the freezer so we always have it on hand)
• 1-1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1 red onion, chopped (about 1 c)
• 1 tsp sabal oelek/asian garlic sauce (you can add more if you like it spicy, we cut it to make it good for the kids)
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 c Hoisin sauce
• juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 pound of organic ground chicken or turkey (could use soy if desired)
• 1 c chopped tomatoes
• salt (we didn't add any since Hoisin sauce is high in sodium) & freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Saute celery, and onion in sesame oil until softened
   
2. Add in meat, seasonings, & tomatoes
   
   
   
   
3. Saute until cooked through about 5 minutes, adding in ginger and garlic towards the end to maximize their nutritive benefits
4. Serve atop salad, rice, as a lettuce wrap (use bib lettuce), or on slider rolls

   

   Lettuce Wrap

   
   

As A Salad

Nutritional Benefits:

As a Slider

• Low in Calories
• Low in Fat: heart healthy
• High in Protein: essential for repairing and rebuilding tissues
• Ginger: anti-inflammatory (reduces swelling)  and aides in digestive stimulation, immune health
• Garlic: anti-inflammatory, heart heart (lowers cholesterol/blood pressure/triglycerides), anti-microbial

Nutritional Information Meat Mixture

(4 servings):

Calories: 250 (1,001 in whole dish)

Fat: 5.5g (22g in total dish )

Carbs: 26g (104 g in total dish)

Fiber: 1.3 g (5g in total dish)

Protein: 22.8g  (91 g in total dish)

Vitamin C: 75% of daily needs in total dish

Iron: 57% of daily needs in total dish

Chicken Stew

Who doesn't love a big bowl of healthy stew? You will not be saying "Where's the Beef?!".  This satisfying one pot wonder is great to prep the night before and have ready to be put on the stove to cook the next day for dinner.  Impressive dinner in a on a Friday night-with minimal effort? Here you go!

Serves: 8 (plus left overs)  Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 20 min (pressure cooker), 40 minutes traditional 

Ingredients:

• 2 c mushrooms-chopped
• 2 c sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
• 2 c chopped carrots (don't peel-more nutrients this way)
• 2 c chopped eggplant (about 1 medium)
• 1 c celery
• 3 c tomatoes (about 2 large)
• 3 c cabbage* (optional-we used it)
• 2 c chopped onions
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/3# chicken thighs cut into strips
• 1 c white wine
• 2 c water/broth (we used water)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground sage (or 2 tbsp fresh)
• 2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tbsp fresh)

*if thicker sauce is desired you'll need 1/4 c of corn starch (see instructions)

Instructions:

1. Chop all ingredients and place into a large pot (we used a pressure cooker-but a traditional stove pot is fine).  You can stop at this step and put everything in the fridge for the next day if you want.
   
2. Bring to a boil, and then down to a simmer until chicken is cooked, about 40 minutes.  If using a pressure cooker, you may need to add an addtional cup of water.  Bring to a boil (until pressure pops) and then reduce heat for 20 minutes.  Turn off and allow pressure to drop.
3. If you'd like to thicken the sauce, remove 1 1/2 c of the liquid into a heatproof measuring cup.  Stir in 1/4 cup of cornstarch.
4. Pour cornstarch liquid back into the pot and bring back up to a boil for about 2-4 minutes until thickened.
   
   
   
5. Serve with fresh muffins or bread.  We served these cranberry oat muffins.
   
   

Nutritional Benefits:

• High in Fiber
• High in Protein: awesome for repairing and rebuilding damaged tissues
• Low in Fat
• High in Vitamin A (carrots and sweet potatoes): great for bone, teeth, and eye health
• Anti-inflammatory 
• Full of Anti-oxidants (entire dish contains 1465% of daily needs)
• High in Potassium (entire dish contain 3913 mg)
• Good source of Vitamin C (entire dish contains 326% of daily needs)
• No added fat or sugar

Nutritional Information in Entire Dish:

Calories: 2104 (if 8 servings 263/serving)

Fat: 61g (if 8 servings 7.6g/serving)

Carbs:170 g (if 8 servings 21g/serving)

Fiber: 41g (if 8 servings 5g/serving)

Protein:199g (if 8 servings 25g/serving)

Pesto Chicken (dairy free)

This one is a great meal to prep ahead of time! Pour marinade into bags and throw into freezer-instant dinner on a busy night. All you'll have to do is take it out of the freezer and let thaw in the morning, toss into oven when you come home and yum! A dinner that will totally impress! We made this using up the left of the basil in the garden before the frost. Recipe is enough for 10 people.  We make a whole recipe for our family of 4 (plus left overs) and freeze half of it before cooking.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 c olive oil (could reduce this to 1/3)
• 1 1/2 c packed basil leaves
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 small onion (about 1 cup)
• 3 pounds of chicken (or could definitely make 4 pounds)-we used boneless/skinless organic chicken thighs, but chicken breasts can be used
• freshly ground pepper and salt to taste 

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend
   
2. Pour into a measuring cup if making to freeze in separate containers
   
3. If making to freeze-put chicken into freezer bag and pour marinade over
   
4. If making fresh: pour marinade over chicken, and allow to marinade 4-6 hours (or overnight)
5. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (or until internal temp reaches 145).
   

Serve with a great salad and a side of cauliflower rice (click for recipe) and your meal is essentially carb free!

Nutritional Benefits:

• High in protein for healing and repairing tissues
• Low Carb
• Low in Fat, if you don't eat a lot of the sauce
• Anti-inflammatory: garlic helps to reduce inflammation

Nutritional Information:

For serving (based on 5 oz servings/10 people) this is maximum amount of calories, assuming you eat all of the marinade, which you won't-made with boneless/skinless chicken thighs

Calories: 367 (this is assuming you eat all of the marinade, which you won't)

Fat: 23 g (this is inflated by marinade)

Carbs: 4 g

Protein: 36 g 

Risotto With Lowfat Chicken Sausage

Who doesn't love a one pot dinner.  1 dish, all your veggies, protein, and side.  A nice option for making a healthier risotto.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 c chopped onion
• 1 c arborio rice (risotto rice)
• 1 c white wine
• about 3 cups of broth or water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 banana peppers or 1 green pepper if you want it mild
• 1 c fresh greens
• 1 c carrot, chopped
• 1 c of fresh basil
• 1 pound of chicken sausage

Instructions:

1. Cook sausage on grill or stove top, set aside.  Cut into small rounds.
2. Saute onion until caramelized/softened
3. Add rice and saute with onion for 1-2 minutes
4. Add in wine, and stir until absorbed
5. Add in peppers
   
6. Continue to add broth (warm) about 1 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed
7. Add additional cups of broth (1 at a time) until rice is soft
8. Stir in carrots, greens, basil, and garlic at end to maximize nutrients,cook until greens and basil wilt.  Stir in sausage.
   
9. Serve

Nutritional Benefits:

• Low in fat
• High in calcium (greens and basil) for bone and teeth strength
• High in fiber
• Vitamim C (peppers): great for immune function and healing
• Vitamin A (carrots): great for healing and bone/teeth health

*note: if you are diabetic, you can reduce the amount of rice/sub brown rice, to make the veggie and protein a larger component of this dish.  You can also omit the wine to decrease sugar amounts.

Chicken Masala

Indian food is delicious and full of vibrant flavors. Often it is high in fat and calories, hidden in coconut milk and gee (liquified butter). This recipe uses the flavors but cuts the fat, making this a heart healthy, high protein recipe. 

Ingredients:

1c yogurt (can use low/nonfat/or Greek yogurt)

2 tsp Garam masala (Indian spice blend of cumin, curry, all-spice)

2 tsp (divided) fresh grated ginger-save 1 tsp to add to sauce at end of cooking

1 tsp cinnamon (heaping)
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cayenne (or less depending on your taste)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1-1.5 #s chicken thighs or breasts cut into strips
(plus additional below)

Mix above and marinate for 1-8 hours 

To pot on stove:

3 c chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 c chopped onion (large onion)

3 cloves garlic-chopped (can add 1/2 during cooking and other 1/2 at end of cooking-for maximum health benefits)

Simmer above and add 1/2 c of water if more liquid is needed 

Simmer until cooked and use stick blended to purée. 

Add marinated chicken and cook for about 15-20 minutes until cooked. Add garlic and ginger at end of cooking.

Nutritional Information:

Yogurt: High in Protein and calcium, beneficial bacterial cultures-great healing food

Chicken-high in protein and low in fat

Tumeric: Highly anti-inflammatory-used to decrease swelling topically or internally

Garlic: Anti-inflammatory, aids in blood flow/increased circulation, lowers triglycerides and cholesterol (best added at end of cooking)

Ginger: Anti-inflammatory, aids in blood flow/increased circulation (best added at end of cooking)

Tomato: packed with Vitamin C, which aids in healing, high in lycopene, an anti-inflammatory micronutrient that has been shown to fight cancer

For entire recipe (feeds 4)

Chicken Thighs (1.25#s)

Calories: 750

Fat: 40g

Carbohydrates: 0g

Protein: 100g

Fiber: 0%

Iron: 30%

Yogurt Sauce: 

Calories: 150

Fat: 8g

Calcium: 30%

Carbohydrates: 11g

Tomatoes: 

Calories: 97

Carbs: 21g

Fiber: 6.5 g  

Potassium: 1280mg

Vitamin C: 114%

Vitamin A: 90%

Onions:

Calories: 101

Carbs: 24g

Fiber: 3.4g

Protein: 2.2g

Potassium: 346mg

Vitamin C: 26%