IT'S all over for another year, the chocolates, the eggnog, the Christmas pudding, the whole nine yards.
When we talk about stuffing over the holidays it doesn't just refer to what's inside the turkey. The coming of the new year brings with it the inevitable vow to eat healthy food and shed some pounds, but if you resign yourself to a diet of lettuce leaves and carrot sticks you'll be doomed to failure.
If you eat reasonable portions of food that tastes great and doesn't contain a lot of fat, you'll be taking a sensible first step towards weight control. The three recipes below offer a whole day's worth of eating the right way. Add some healthy snacks (fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, a latte made with skim milk) to bring your daily calorie total to approximately 1,500 calories.
Quick & Easy Breakfast Sandwich
This is a fast, easy and healthy version of the fast food breakfast sandwich we all know and love.
1 whole wheat or multigrain English muffin 1 Tbsp grated cheddar cheese ½ tsp butter 1 large egg 1 or 2 ¼-inch thick slices of a large vine-ripened tomato 2 thin slices Black Forest ham Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toast the English muffin, and while it's still hot from the toaster sprinkle the cheese evenly over both halves. Melt the butter in a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (this small amount of butter makes the egg taste a lot better than spraying the skillet with cooking spray); break the egg into a small bowl and whisk it with a fork. Add the egg to the skillet and briskly stir it with a spatula until it's cooked.
Spoon the scrambled egg onto the cheese-topped muffin bottom. In the same skillet sauté the tomato slice and the slices of ham until heated through (or you can leave the tomato uncooked if you prefer). Place the ham slices and tomato slice on top of the egg. Season with a tiny bit of salt and as much pepper as you like, and top with the other half of the English muffin. Makes one sandwich, approximately 350 calories.
Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
4 large portobello mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp paper towel ¼ cup reduced-calorie Italian dressing or balsamic vinaigrette, divided use ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced 2 10 oz. bags baby spinach ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Twist or cut the stems off the mushrooms; chop the stems and set aside. With a spoon, scrape the gills out of the mushroom caps and discard gills. Use one tablespoon of the dressing to brush the tops (rounded sides) of the mushroom caps; place the caps rounded-side down in a shallow foil-lined baking dish. Heat the remaining dressing in a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the mushroom stems, red pepper and garlic; cook and stir for two minutes.
Add the spinach; reduce heat to medium and cook until spinach is wilted. Spoon the mixture evenly into the mushroom caps and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Makes two servings, approximately 300 calories per serving.
Quinoa, Cucumber & Tomato Salad With Chicken
1 cup quinoa 3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth ¼ to ½ tsp salt 2 cups diced cucumber ¼ cup finely chopped red onion 2 cups halved grape tomatoes 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ¼ tsp cumin 3 cups chopped cooked chicken (a supermarket rotisserie chicken makes it easy) ½ cup chopped cilantro 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into thin slices
Place the quinoa in a bowl and cover it with cold water; let sit for five minutes. Drain in a strainer and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the three cups of water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; add the salt and the quinoa.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and translucent. Drain any residual water out of the pan; cover pan with a clean dish towel, replace the lid and let sit for 10 minutes. In a large bowl stir together the lime juice, vinegar, olive oil and cumin; add the cucumber, onion, and tomatoes, then the quinoa, chicken and the cilantro.
Toss together; taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with avocado slices. Makes six servings, about 350 calories per serving.
Angela Shellard is a self-professed foodie. She has done informal catering for sports and business functions and enjoys entertaining family and friends at home. Contact Angela at [email protected].
