Start the year right recipes!

Let's kick off the new year with healthy food.  Please contribute your favorites. 

Mine is a "steam fry."  It's fast and it's low calorie, and it fills you up!  Put fresh veggies into the steamer and top with well seasoned chicken tenders.  Steam until the chicken is just cooked through.  Serve with a little of your favorite seasonings over 1/2 cup of brown rice.  I use an Asian sesame ginger dressing. 

You could also make this with shrimp, tofu, or any other protein that cooks quickly.

Do the veggies get mushy?  I have trouble eating soft veggies.  What type of a steamer do you use?

I am so proud of my newest dish!!!! So here is a new year re-do of a fav comfort food....Fake shepards pie...I cooked down  whole head of cauliflower with sauted sweet onions in evoo ( and using low sodium veg broth) and I blended with hand blender/mixer until smooth and thick...I poured this over my  cooked ground turkey breast meat with onions, mushrooms, red peppers and garlic...I baked a small sample to see if it is something my hubby would like and it tastes terrific...so its meat and vegetables but looks like potatoes!!!! I squeezed in cauliflower in a heathly tasty way!!! now dinner is waiting to be baked...I would of used a layer of another veg but I didn't have anything on hand that was fresh for the low sodium part...oh well!!!! Its low sodium....low sugars and guilt free and was really easy....I used tons of no salt herbs and herb blends...what ever I had on hand...I love this forum and the web site...thanks darlene

Mmmmm, 

That does sound great!  I would like to know what kind of steamer to use and where is an inexpensive place to buy one?  Do you think Walmart might have one?  Can I just add a little water in a sauce pan to steam the vegetables?

A great new soup recipe I just came across on www.homemakers.com  Note that the nutritional info is based on a large 2 cup serving! I haven't tried it yet but it sounds good and easy to me.

Mediterranean Tomato, Lentil, and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

Hello! I'm new. If I'm supposed to go sign up somewhere else before I post here, please let me know!

I'm a member of another group on Calorie Counters, called Working Moms 2009. That's a very small group of five friends, who use the site to support our ongoing efforts to lose weight. It's open to anyone, though, so if you would like to check it out, please do so. The creator was Rachel Neeley, so I think you have to ask and be "confirmed" as a member, (or something like that!)

I used eDiets for years and years, starting in 2000 and continuing for five years or so, but eventually got tired of the same old meal planning data base, and needed a change. But, it did work, and I was able to lose 33 pounds and reach my goal of 150 back in 2001. Since then, I've slowly crept up, and last summer tried to get serious about losing again.

I'm 53, am married and work full time. I have three daughters, ages 21, 18 and 14. (What stress??? ) I'd like to lose 20 pounds in the next three months, which is do-able, with lots of focus, planning and continued support! That's why I'm here!

Claire, I'm curious about those chicken tenders in your steamer basket-- how many did you use and how long did it take them to cook through? Did you cut up a chicken breast yourself, and if so, how small were the "tenders"?

dhbulldogs: (I will have to go look up your profile and get your real name!), I love your recipe for "lightened" Shepherd's Pie. It sounds wonderful. Did you make it up? Would you be willing to type out the recipe (with quantities?) I definitely would like to try that. The South Beach Diet (which I tried a few times) has a cauliflour-as-fake-mashed-potatoes recipe which my husband and I really like. I think your cauliflour puree would work very well as the topping for Shepherd's Pie!

marvagreen: I don't think just putting a little water in the bottom of the saucepan would really work to steam the food--I think it would be more boiling or blanching than steaming. I think you will want the food above the surface of the water, so it's cooked just by the steam, and retains more of its color, texture and taste. Walmart must sell them--Target does, Walgreen's, and most grocery stores. They aren't expensive, maybe $4? I use mine every day, and haven't boiled a vegetable in years! I have never steamed chicken tenders, though!

My recipes are at home, and I'm at work now, so I'll post a favorite one this evening.

Carla

This soup recipe looks delicious cant wait to try it.  Thanks for typing it up!!

Your welcome! But, I didn't really type it, I just copied and pasted from the web site where I got it. Let me know how it is when you make it!

Here's one of my new favorites: Red Snapper Livornese. You can substitute another fish if you don't have access to Red Snapper. This makes four servings.

Red Snapper Livornese

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 whole canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound red snapper fillets
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, capers, black olives, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 11x7 inch baking dish, and arrange the snapper fillets in a single layer in the dish. Drizzle lemon juice over the fillets, and then pour the remaining sauce over all.
4. Bake for 15 minutes for 1/2 inch thick fillets, or 30 minutes for 1 inch thick fillets. Baste once with the sauce while baking. Snapper is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

I have made this four times now, and everyone I serve it to loves it. Nutritional info per serving: Calories: 228 Fat: 10.4 grams; Cholesterol: 42 mg; sodium: 561 mg; carbs: 9.1 g; fiber: 2.4 g; protein: 25.1 grams