Fitness Food and You

This is a very flavorful, hearty dish. Perfect for these very cold, winter days!

ingredients (serves 4)

1 1/2 lbs chicken sausage

1 handful sage—2 T finely chopped, 2 T coarsely chopped

1 t fennel seed

¼ t ground cloves or ground allspice

coarsely ground black pepper

1 T olive oil

1 ½ lbs butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, sliced

½ – 1 t crushed red pepper

¼ t freshly grated nutmeg

salt to taste

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

directions

In a medium bowl, mix the sausage, finely chopped sage, fennel seed, cloves and lots of coarsely ground pepper.

In a Dutch oven or a large skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage mixture and cook, breaking the sausage into large pieces with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the squash, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, nutmeg and coarsely chopped sage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

(Adapted from a recipe found in “Every Day with Rachael Ray”, January/February, 2015)

This is a hearty & healthy dish–perfect for cold weather! Love the flavors!

ingredients

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

1 cup diced sweet potato

1 cup small cauliflower florets

¼ cup thinly sliced yellow onion

2 t curry powder

½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth

¼ t salt

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

directions

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potato to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add the cauliflower, onion, and curry powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring the mixture constantly. Add the broth, salt, chickpeas and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with brown rice.

(Adapted from a recipe found on http://www.myrecipes.com)

I never made Manhattan clam chowder before because it seemed daunting. This recipe popped up in The Wall Street Journal and it’s EASY and DELICIOUS!  It’s origins are from The  Oyster Bar Restaurant in Grand Central Station!

ingredients  (serves 6)

1 T olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

½ cup diced green peppers

24 littleneck clams, well scrubbed

2-3 medium red potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 (28-ounce) can chopped plum tomatoes with juice

½ cup tomato purée

3 cups water

1 cup dry white wine

1 t dried thyme

2 T chopped fresh flat-leap parsley

1 bay leaf

½ t black pepper

1 cup finely crumbled saltines

directions

Heat the oil in a lidded soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, celery and green peppers, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the clams, cover the pot and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes. Use tongs to remove the clams from the pot, discarding any that did not open. Shuck the clams and set the meat aside: discard the empty shells.

Add the potatoes, tomatoes, tomato purée, 3 cups of water and wine and let simmer until the potatoes start to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the clam meat and simmer until the clams are cooked but still soft, about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, parsley, bay leaf, pepper and cracker crumbs, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

(Adapted from a recipe found in the Wall Street Journal, Sat/Sun, January 10-11, 2015)

This is a perfect side dish for any plate……it has great crunch, colors, and fabulous Asian flavors! If you want to serve it as a larger salad, double the recipe.

ingredients (serves 4)

2 cups thinly sliced bok choy

½ cup grated carrot

½ cup sliced red bell pepper

2 T rice vinegar

1 T dark sesame oil

1 t sriracha (spicy sauce made with red chili and garlic)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ cup unsalted cashews, rough chopped

directions

Place the vegetables in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha. Toss the dressing over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cashews and serve.

(Adapted from a recipe found in Cooking Light, January, 2015)