Fitness Food and You

Here’s something a bit different that is loaded with great nutrients and fiber!

ingredients

1 lg. sweet potato, diced

1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup red enchilada sauce (see recipe below)

8-10 corn tortillas

goat cheese

olive oil

fresh cracked pepper

fine sea salt

ingredients for enchilada sauce (will yield 2 ½ cups)

2 T olive oil

2 T all-purpose flour

2 T chili powder

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ t ground cumin

½ t garlic powder

½ t onion powder

¼ t crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 t salt

directions

Preheat the oven to 400⁰ degrees. Place the diced sweet potato on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, toss then roast another 15 minutes.

While the sweet potato is roasting prepare the enchilada sauce. (This can be also be prepared in advance and re-warmed.) Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium heat. Whisk in the flour and chili powder. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to whisk until lightly browned. Gradually whisk in the tomato sauce, chicken broth, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes and salt. Stir until smooth, and continue simmering over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Use 1 cup of this sauce and add in the black beans and sweet potatoes. Once the black beans are warmed, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Warm the tortillas in oven. Fill the tortillas with the black bean mixture and sprinkle with goat cheese. Top with any other desired toppings – guacamole, salsa, lettuce, avocado, cilantro, green onions, etc. (To keep the calories low, go easy on the goat cheese and other caloric toppings such as sour cream.)

 (NOTE: the taco recipe was adapted from a recipe found on http://www.wanderingroot.com and the enchilada sauce was adapted from a recipe found on http://www.recipegirl.com)

Somehow the combination of the cherry tomatoes and the nutmeg works! Lovely warm-spiced sauce. Give it a try!

ingredients (serves 4)

3 ½ lbs ripe cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded

½ t ground nutmeg

1 lb penne rigate (can use whole wheat)

2 t unsalted butter, divided

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 handful of fresh basil, leaves picked from the stalks

grated Pecorino Cheese

directions

Use a thick-bottomed, low-sided saucepan . Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in this pan and add ½ the garlic. Cook until the garlic begins to color. Add the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon of salt. Simmer over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Stir to break up the tomatoes. When it reduces to a sauce, stir in the nutmeg and the remainder of the garlic. Cook for a few more minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Test the seasoning adding pepper, then stir in the basil leaves and remove from the heat.

Cook the penne in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter. Add the pasta to the tomato sauce, stir to coat and serve with the grated Pecorino.

(Adapted from a recipe found in the “River Café Cook Book Green”)

If you’re a fan of chicken cacciatore, this recipe is for you!!! It’s my husband’s favorite!

ingredients

6 skinless chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts), bones in

salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup all purpose flour, for dredging

1 T olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 T drained capers

1 ½ t dried oregano leaves

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. (If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, sauté it in 2 batches.) Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’s recipe on foodnetwork.com)