Black Beans with Ham and Kale

This is another recipe high in fiber and very healthy for you. No changes where made from the original so the information below is exactly as you will find on the Whole Food Market site.

Image from Whole Food Market website

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (1/2-pound) piece cooked ham, cut into small cubes
2 bunches kale (about 1 pound total), stemmed and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans (no salt added), rinsed and drained, divided
2 cups water
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, more to taste (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ham to a small bowl; set aside.

2. Add kale, salt and pepper to pot and cook, tossing often, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pot then add onions. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, put 1/3 of the beans and all of the water into a blender and purée until smooth; set aside.

5. When onions are golden brown, add whole beans, chili powder, sugar, reserved ham, puréed bean mixture and salt and pepper to pot, stir well and bring to a simmer over medium high heat.

6. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in reserved kale and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 13oz/371g-wt.): 290 calories (80 from fat), 8g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 25mg cholesterol, 510mg sodium, 38g total carbohydrate (12g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 18g protein

Quick Beaf Lo Mein (Less Ingredients)

This recipe was tested just this week and was a success. The link you will find attached to the title of this blog takes you to the original recipe. The recipe listed below has less ingredients but still tastes great. Once again, this recipe was tested because of the recent search for meals with more fiber. The fiber content of the recipe comes for the broccoli and the pasta.

Image from www.homemadesimple.com

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of amino sauce ( has WAY less sodium than soy sauce)
2 tablespoons of brown sugar (could use less)
1 tablespoon of chili powder
4 cups of whole wheat spaghetti (recommend Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (peeled and minced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
3 cups of broccoli florets
an onion
1 lb of flank streak, cut in long strips (strew beef works as well)

1. In a small bowl mix together the first 3 ingredients. Set aside.
2. Begin cooking pasta.
3. In a large skillet over medioum heat, saute ginger, garlic, broccoli and onion for 5 minutes in the olive oil. Add steak and cook for another 5 minutes or until done.
4. Add pasta and amino sauce mixture to the skillet and cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Meatloaf "Muffins"

Meatloaf is known as a comfort food and as with many comfort foods, meatloaf can be a little fattening. Below is a delicious version of meatloaf that reduces the fat and sugar (yes meatloaf does have fat). The reason this recipe is called cupcake meatloaf is because it is shaped in muffin tins. The best name for this really would be Meat-Muffins since the meat is not shaped into a loaf.

Ingredients:

1 lb of lean ground turkey
3/4 C of rolled oats
1 egg
dash of salt and pepper (and any other spices you desire)
1/2 C of tomato sauce (no salted - usually the salted contains way too much salt)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you have a toaster oven, this is a great time to use it as you will make 6 meat muffins out of the amount above.
2. Spray a 6 muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
   
3. In a bowl mix all ingredients except the tomato sauce.
4. Press the meat into the muffin tins.
5. Cover the tops of the meat muffins with the tomato sauce and the spices of your choice.
6. Cook in the oven for about 30-35 minutes.

NOTE: You will notice in this recipe that there is not worcestershire sauce or ketchup. Those have been either completely removed or replaced because both contain high-fructose corn syrup - something you want to avoid.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Many do not think about cabbage rolls as a tasty addition or main part of a meal but it is a delicious main course. This recipe is very simple and allows for adaptation depending on one's diet restrictions. For those doing the South Beach diet, this is a permissible recipe beginning even from phase 1.

Image is from eatingwell.com

Ingredients:

12 cabbage leaves
1 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup of green onion
1/4 of green pepper
1 can of tomato sauce (no salt added)
Garlic salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place cabbage leaves in a pot filled with boiled water. Set the pot aside - do not continue to boil the water. Let is sit for 10 minutes.
   
3. While the cabbage "cooks," fry the ground turkey, onion and green pepper with the seasoning of choice (garlic salt and pepper are listed).
   
4. Pour 1/2 a can tomato sauce in the meat mixture, mix together and set aside.
   
5. Pour the water out of the cabbage pot and let the cabbage cool.
   
6. Place 1/4 cup of the meat mixture onto a leaf of cabbage. Tuck the leaf sides under so the the seams are on the greased cookie sheet. Repeat this step until all the meat mixture and cabbage leaves are used.
7. Use the other half of the tomato sauce to pour spoonfuls on top of the cabbage leaves. Sprinkle the sauce with some salt.
8. Cook for 20 minutes.

Note: The meat can be combined with cooked brown rice or other types of veggies. The choice is yours.

Greek Whole Wheat Pizza

Every week, my husband and I have a group of friends over. We share a time of good food and fellowship and each week we have a different theme. So on our pizza night, I made a version of the recipe below and for the healthy conscious people, it tasted good. For the men who think that whole wheat isn't really a great option, my husband liked this recipe. Who doesn't like pizza, right? This is simply a healthy version that allows you to have more pieces without worrying about your health.

The following recipe comes straight from Eat Better America website.

50 % less fat • 66% more fiber • 33% fewer calories than the original recipe. We tossed up a heart-healthier, whole wheat flour crust, dashed the salt and olive oil, and added plum tomatoes to make this pizza a wiser choice. From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:1 hr
makes:12 servings

Crust

• 1 package regular active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F
• 2 cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal

Topping

• 3/4 cup organic pizza sauce (from 15-oz can)
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
• 2 medium plum (Roma) tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1. In medium bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in flour, sugar, salt and oil. Stir with fork until dough forms. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead 12 times. Return to bowl. Cover; let rest 20 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with the cornmeal. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Spray hands with cooking spray; press dough into 15x10-inch rectangle on cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 minutes. Spread pizza sauce over partially baked crust to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with mozzarella cheese, chicken, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese.
4. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted and edges of crust are golden brown. Sprinkle with basil.

Nutritional Information
1 Serving: Calories 160 (Calories from Fat 45); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 270mg; Total Carbohydrate 19g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 2g); Protein 10g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 10%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Medium-Fat Meat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 MyPyramid Servings: 1/2 c Dairy, 1 oz-equivalents Grains *% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.