Cucumber Sandwiches

  These cucumber sandwiches are delightful. They remind me of the appetizers that were served at weddings when I was a child, and I love going to weddings. They're also a great way to enjoy the fresh cucumbers in abundance throughout the summer, and the leftover cream cheese spread can be used as a dip for other seasonal vegetables. Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

1 8-oz. package 1/3 less fat neufchatel cream cheese

3-4 Tbsp. dried chives

1 medium cucumber

4-6 slices dense texture whole grain bread

Directions:

Mix the cream cheese and dried chives by hand in a small mixing bowl. Use 3-4 Tbsp. of dried chives, depending on your taste preference. 

Use a whole grain bread with a dense texture so it doesn't fall apart with all the cream cheese and cucumber slices on it. Bakery style breads work really well for these sandwiches. 

Cut the cucumber in half and then slice it longways. It can be peeled or unpeeled, depending on your preference. 

Spread some cream cheese mixture on 2 pieces of bread. Then place the cucumber slices. 

Sandwiches can be served whole or cut into halves or thirds. 

Save any leftover chive cream cheese to use as a dip for tomatoes, carrots, or any of your favorite seasonal vegetables.  

Grapefruit Jalapeno Fish

  This recipe was inspired by an article I read in the September 2011 issue of Vogue magazine. The author had traveled to Mexico and wrote about a chef that used grapefruit with chili peppers. A lot of spicy Mexican dishes use lime to balance the heat from the peppers, so grapefruit seemed like a nice change up on the usual citrus fruit. I kept this idea floating around in my mind for a few months trying to figure out the best base for the sauce. Then a Foodista fish recipe caught my attention. It was a more typical lime and pepper recipe, but it had mayonnaise as the base. Mayonnaise is used more frequently in actual Mexican cooking, as opposed to the Tex-Mex that most Americans are used to. The taste of this dish is phenomenal, even if I did make it!

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup lite mayo

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/2 red grapefruit

1/4 cup sliced, pickled Jalapeno peppers with the juice

12 ounces of Pollock fillets

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425F. 

Combine the first 4 ingredients to make the sauce. Be sure to remove the juicy grapefruit segments from the tough membranes. Also, there's no need to chop the peppers, the slices from the jar are perfect! 

Stir together the ingredients for the sauce, mashing grapefruit with the spoon.  

Place fillets in a glass baking dish. 

Cover with sauce. 

Bake 9 to 11 minutes.

  Here is a picture of the feast I served with the fish. Fresh corn on the cob with tub margarine, a scoop of fat-free vegetarian refried beans with shredded mozzarella cheese, a cucumber, tomato, and buttery red leaf lettuce salad, and some chips and salsa for good measure.

Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms

  This recipe takes just a few minutes and only 4 ingredients. It can be served as an appetizer or a side dish. The portabella mushrooms have a meatier texture than regular mushrooms, and they hold flavors better and maintain a firmer texture when cooked.

 

Ingredients:

1 carton baby bella mushrooms

olive oil

garlic powder

dried basil

Directions:

Wash mushrooms thoroughly and drain to dry.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. 

Add whole mushrooms. Sprinkle with garlic powder and basil.

Saute mushrooms evenly on both sides. 

Serve immediately.

Turkey Burgers & Sweet Potato Wedges

  Hopefully by the end of November you are not completely worn out with turkey, but even if you are, this recipe for Turkey Burgers should wake up the taste buds. The Sweet Potato Wedges served with it are sweet, savory, and delicious. Plus, sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber and vitamin A. According to the USDA, 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes provides 110 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 180% of the Daily Value of vitamin A. 

Serve turkey burgers on whole wheat buns, with lettuce, onion, Swiss cheese, ketchup, and mustard. Add tomato slices in the summer, when the quality of tomatoes is better. I used whole wheat bread in place of a bun because I like the taste and texture, and that's what I had on hand. 

Turkey Burgers
Ingredients: 
1 pound ground turkey (93/7 lean meat)
3/4 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients and mix well with hands.
Form into 4 hamburger patties.
Spray a skillet with non-stick spray, and cook burgers over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes until well-done.

Be sure to use garlic powder, not garlic salt, for a low sodium dish.


Sweet Potato Wedges
Ingredients:
Whole sweet potato
Cinnamon
Dried basil

Directions: 
Plan to use one potato per person.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Wash potatoes, peel, and cut into wedges.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
Arrange wedges on baking sheet, spray with non-stick spray, and sprinkle with cinnamon and basil.
Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

Shrimp & Grits

  This recipe is inspired by a lighter version of the traditional shrimp and grits that I had in Charleston, South Carolina this summer. Shrimp and grits is usually served with kielbasa sausage and enough butter and cream to make you smack your mama, but I've substituted with skim milk and part-skim mozzarella cheese, reduced the amount of butter, and added some vegetables while keeping all the delicious flavor. 

 

Grits

Ingredients: 

Quick grits, 4 servings prepared as directed with salt

1 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup skim milk

1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1 green onion, chopped, to garnish

Directions: 

Prepare grits according to instructions on container. 

Over medium-low heat, add butter and stir until melted. 

Add milk and cheese, and stir until cheese is melted and well blended. 

Add pepper and salt and stir. 

Serve grits and garnish with chopped green onion. 

Shrimp

Ingredients: 

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 chopped tomato

3/4 pound large 26/30 count shrimp, peeled, ready to serve

1/4 tsp. salt

The tomato in this recipe will cook down quite a bit, but it adds to the flavor and color of the dish and helps the shrimp to cook. I used a yellow tomato because that's what I had on hand, but red will work just fine. 

Directions: 

Over medium heat, melt butter in a skillet. Add garlic powder and immediately add shrimp. Stir well. Add chopped tomato and continue to stir often for about 10 minutes. Add salt, stir, and serve.

Corn

Ingredients: 

1 can low-salt whole kernel corn

1 Tbsp. tub margarine

Directions: 

(This one is easy.) 

Cook corn and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat until margarine melts. Stir often. It should only take a few minutes for the corn to get hot enough to serve.

MyPlate Complete Meals

  Since this blog is about healthy eating, I want to start featuring more full meals that match up with the MyPlate model and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The MyPlate model is a quick and easy way to think about meal planning. Just fill half of the plate with vegetables or fruits, one quarter with grains (preferably whole grains), and the last quarter with a lean protein (animal or plant). Top it off with low-fat milk, yogurt, or soy milk. 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov

A well balanced meal.

  Four of my recent posts are featured in this photo. Lean meatloaf, cornbread with a heart healthy fat source, a few slices of fried green tomatoes, and fresh, sliced heirloom tomatoes make a healthy, delicious, and filling meal. Have an 8 oz. glass of milk, or some yogurt or sugar-free pudding for daily calcium.

Fried Green Tomatoes

  Since tomatoes are now coming in from my little garden, I decided to fry up some of the green ones today. When made right, fried green tomatoes taste better then candy, and these are really good. I used whole wheat flour along with cornmeal, a small amount of sugar, and just a dash of salt, and lightly pan fried them in heart healthy vegetable oil. Draining on a wire rack helps to avoid sogginess. This recipe makes a lot of the coating, but it can be halved if needed. 

Ingredients:

4 to 5 green tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons sugar

dash of salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions: 

Put cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt on a dinner plate and stir together with a fork until well combined. 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. 

Dredge sliced tomatoes in coating and fry on both sides until light brown. 

Place fried tomatoes on a wire rack to drain and cool. Eat within a few minutes of cooking.

Baked Beans

  This is a fun recipe for baked beans that mixes a few different types of beans. The result is more flavor and a more interesting presentation. Just be aware that this recipe makes a big pot of beans, so either prepare it for a large crowd or decrease the recipe as needed. 

  Beans are a great source of healthy fiber, and this recipe really has a moderate amount of sugar. Feel free to substitute your favorite beans, such as Great Northerns or limas, or add any variety of peppers for extra spice. Stick to 1/2 cup for a serving size.

Ingredients:

4 cans pork and beans

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed well

2 cans butter beans, drained

1 onion, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 bottle barbecue sauce

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in an oven safe pot. 

Bake at 325F for 1 hour.

Surviving Summer Cookouts

  The 4th of July has passed, and I hope everyone had a good time grilling out and watching fireworks shows. Although the holiday is over, we are still in the middle of summer cookout season. Here are some tips for lower calorie foods and healthier cookouts. 

The Grill: 

  Meats typically used for grilling-hotdogs, sausages, and hamburgers-often contain high amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. Look for reduced fat hotdogs, sausages made with chicken, lean hamburger meat, ground turkey for turkey burgers, or veggie burgers that can be grilled. 
  The grill is not just for meat, try grilling marinated vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and peppers. They can be put on skewers or into aluminum foil. Chopped potatoes with the skins on are also great grilled in foil. Just spray some non-stick cooking spray onto aluminum foil, place a handful of potatoes or other vegetables in the middle, and wrap them up into little potato boats.
  Another opportunity to add some extra vegetables is in toppings, slice fresh tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers to top burgers and hotdogs. Also try whole wheat buns rather than white.

Salads and Side Dishes: 

  A nice, fresh salad is another great way to get some extra servings of vegetables. Top tossed salads with reduced fat dressing to lower the calories, but still get the health and taste benefits of polyunsaturated fats. Leave the peels on vegetables and fruits for more fiber and nutrients. Make potato salad with lite mayo and unpeeled potatoes. Use whole wheat pasta for pasta salads. Also try one of these Yummy Salads.

  Baked beans are a good source of fiber and protein, but can often contain a lot of extra sugar and saturated fat. If you are preparing baked beans, limit the amount of brown sugar and bacon fat that you add. Have a moderate sized serving, about 1/2 cup. Have chips in moderation, too. If that bag of potato chips is calling your name, go ahead and have a few to avoid feeling deprived and eating the whole bag.

Desserts:

  One of the best desserts in the summer is fresh fruit. Any variety is available this time of year, especially yummy berries. Try blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries over frozen yogurt or sorbet.

  Throw together your own Fresh Fruit Salad , or try my Fruit Salad recipe. Frozen bananas or other types of frozen fruit can be refreshing on a hot summer day.
  My American Flag Cake recipe is also a lighter option for a more traditional dessert.

Beverages:

  The best thing to drink in the heat to cool off and rehydrate is ice water. Since it can be a little boring sometimes,and not everyone likes water, lower calorie drinks like sugar-free lemonade or diet sodas are good, too. If you're planning to have alcohol at your cookout, go for light beer and spritzers.  

  Cookouts are a staple of the summer season. These healthy tips should keep you on track and eating right all summer long.