Healthy and Seasonal Recipes

Let’s face it, we are hardwired to want to eat more in winter.

Although early humans might have needed to put on weight in the winter, when food was harder to come by and to stave off the cold, we don’t face those same problems in the modern world. But rather than deny ourselves the pleasures of winter fruits and vegetables, I suggest that we just think about how to best prepare those winter dishes to emphasize flavor without depending upon butter and salt.

I don’t believe in deprivation. We all want food that is high in flavor. We want food that is inviting. So even if we are trying to make our food healthier, let’s think about how to make it taste delicious so that we forget about what it isn’t and think about how good it is.

Let’s not deep fry the chicken. We don’t need a skillet full of oil. This version of fried chicken is full of Louisiana spices and gets a crispy coating if you don’t crowd the pieces. It even works when you make the pieces skinless. Chicken Paprikas tastes so rich you won’t notice the lack of sour cream. The stuffed pork loin will make a special dinner for company for a winter party. And the meatballs provide that comfort food touch for a cold winter’s day.

Remember, it’s all about flavor. If you want to remove fat, change the protein or reduce sugar, the way to do it is add spices, create layers of flavor and caramelize your vegetables. No one will know what you’ve done, but they will know that their dinner is delicious.

TIP: Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with the edge of your spoon to collect the bits that stick to the bottom. They are the key to maximum flavor.

Chicken Paprikas
Serves 6- 8

2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
3 ½ pounds skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
2 cups onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
½ cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups unsalted chicken broth
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
Additional paprika for garnish
One orange

❶ Heat oil in a large frying pan. Brown chicken, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

❷ In the same frying pan, sauté onions and garlic for 7 to 10 minutes. Add black pepper and paprika; sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

❸ Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

❹ Add chicken back into the pan. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

❺ Stir the flour into the yogurt in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the pan. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.

❽ Serve over cooked egg noodles. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika. For a nice brightness, grate orange zest onto each serving.

TIP: Meatballs don’t have to be fatty or even too meaty. If we eat them like the Italians do, they are small. Using a turkey and lean beef mixture with breadcrumbs, we can lighten the meatballs. By making them smaller than most American meatballs, we can get a better handle on portion size.

Meatballs
Makes about 20 to 24 meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning spice blend
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten with a fork
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped basil for garnish

❶ Preheat oven to 350 F.

❷ Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together gently with your hands. When the mixture is uniform, use a ¹⁄8 cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop to remove a scoop of the mixture. Shape the mixture gently into a ball and place the complete meatballs on a Silpat sheet on a baking sheet.

❸ Place in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and place on a platter. Garnish with chopped basil.

You can make the soup a day ahead. It tastes even better the next day.

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-pound butternut squash, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into coins
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups unsalted vegetable or unsalted chicken stock (use vegetable stock for a completely vegan soup)
2 tablespoons prepared curry powder
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

For garnish:

12 tablespoons coconut cream
½ cup sunflower seeds
bunch of cilantro, chopped

❶ Heat olive oil in a soup pot until it glistens. Add shallots and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add squash, carrots, potatoes, stock and 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, covered.

❷ Remove the cover and add the ginger and the other tablespoon of curry powder. Continue cooking for 10 minutes.

❸ Allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes, then purée with an immersion blender. Purée until completely smooth. (You can use a food processor, but ladle some of the vegetables and liquid into the processor bowl and process until smooth. Be very careful because the mixture is hot and might splash.)

❹ Return the smooth soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Serve in bowls. Garnish with 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut cream, 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds and chopped cilantro.

The recipe calls for Granny Smith apples. But there is no hard and fast rule. Here, we’ve use red apples. If you prefer a Red Delicious or any other type of apple, use what you like. Recipes are suggestions to spark your imagination. You can even have a mix of apples. It’s up to you.

Apples with Onions
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ pound onions, thinly sliced
½ pound of Granny Smith apples, cored and coarsely chopped
Juice of one lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup lemon balm leaves or parsley, chopped, for garnish

❶ Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet, until it shimmers. Add the onions and continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add the apples. Cook, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking, for 15 minutes.

❷ Stir in the lemon juice and stir to distribute throughout the dish. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with pepper or grind the pepper over the bowl. Be generous. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs and serve.

TIP: You don’t have to limit yourself to broccoli in this recipe. You can substitute cauliflower or even cubed butternut squash or cubed zucchini. A combination of vegetables also works well. Let your imagination run wild.

Broccoli Rice

1½ cups uncooked brown rice
3 cups unsalted vegetable stock or unsalted chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces low-fat Greek yogurt
1 pound broccoli florets, steamed
1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

❶ Cook the rice with the stock in a pot or a rice cooker, until done. Adjust the amount of liquid to the instructions of your particular rice cooker.

❷ In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Place the sautéed mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked rice, yogurt and broccoli. Stir gently but thoroughly to disperse the yogurt throughout the rice and to ensure that the broccoli is evenly distributed.

❸ In a small bowl mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, dried seasoning and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Be sure to distribute the oil all through the mixture.

❹ Place the rice and broccoli mixture in a 13 x 9 inch pan. Use a spatula to spread the mixture into 1 even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve.

Stuffed Pork Loin
6 servings

2 cups cornbread breadcrumbs
1 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili spice mix
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2½-pound pork loin, butterflied
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup salt-free chicken broth
½ cup chopped parsley for garnish

❶ Preheat oven to 325 F.

❷ Mix all of the ingredients except the pork in a bowl and whisk together thoroughly.

❸ Place the butterflied pork loin between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a flat tenderizer mallet or a wine bottle, pound the surface of the pork to ensure that the meat is of uniform thickness.

❹ Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and spread the bread mixture evenly on the meat. Roll the meat to make a long jelly roll. With kitchen string, tie the meat to keep it tightly rolled while cooking.

❺ In a skillet or roasting pan large enough to hold the roll, add the tablespoons of olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the roll and brown on all sides. Then, place the pan in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

❻ Remove the pork to a platter and deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, making sure to scrape the bits that stick to the bottom of the pan into the broth. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. It is okay to stir in any of the stuffing that has fallen out. It will only add to the flavor.

❼ While the broth is cooking, remove the string from the roll. Then pour the pan juices over the pork loin. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve sliced.

This recipe competes pretty well with traditional fried chicken.

Crispy Oven Chicken
Serves 4

Egg Wash:

1 egg
2 cups buttermilk

Chicken:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or a combination of thighs and breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch parsley, chopped for garnish

Coating:

1 cup flour
½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs or plain Panko
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

❶ Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a dark-colored rimmed baking pan in the oven to heat.

❷ Crack the egg into a large bowl. Beat with a fork. Add the buttermilk and beat gently to combine the egg and buttermilk. Set aside.

❸ Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk to combine well. This is the coating.

❹ Cut the chicken pieces into strips 2 inches wide. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and toss with tongs to coat the pieces.

❺ Dredge the chicken piece by piece in the coating. Dredge each piece a second time by first dipping the piece in buttermilk and then the coating. (You can omit the second coating if the first dredging seems sufficiently thick.)

❻ Remove the pan from the oven and pour half of the olive oil into the pan. Use a brush to spread the oil over the whole surface of the pan.

❼ Place each piece of chicken on the hot pan and return to the hot oven. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Carefully flip each piece. Add the rest of the oil to the pan, if needed. Return to the oven and cook an additional 10 minutes and serve, garnished with chopped parsley and more paprika.