People think cooking healthy food takes a lot of time, looks too complicated, and they don’t know where to start.
But to eat healthy, you are much better off eating at home, then you know what is actually going into your meal. So, here are a few easy recipes to get started with …
PEPPERS STUFFED WITH MILLET, TOFU AND GINGER
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes. Serves: 4
1-3/4 cups water
¾ cup millet or quinoa
2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise & seeded
1/4 cup flavored baked tofu, diced
2 medium carrots, grated
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp canola oil
1-1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari
2 tsp minced Serrano or jalapeño pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger
Preheat oven to 425°F. Position rack in upper third of oven. Combine water and millet in a medium size saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the millet is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes.
Meanwhile, place bell pepper halves cut-side up in a broiler-safe pan. Bake until starting to soften, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn broiler to high. Combine tofu, carrots, cilantro, oil, tamari, hot pepper, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Stir in the millet. Stuff each pepper-half with about 1 cup of the mixture. Broil the peppers until heated through and the millet is starting to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH PESTO
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 4- 6 minutes. Serves: 2
3 large zucchini, washed and ends trimmed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 bunches basil
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup shredded parmesan
Create noodles by using a spiralizer tool. Sauté the “noodles” in olive oil over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Wash and dry basil; add to blender with pine nuts, lemon, extra virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding more olive oil and/or water as needed. Toss zucchini noodles with pesto and top with Parmesan.
SIMPLE SALMON PATTIES
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 8 minutes. Serves: 4
2 (14.5oz) cans wild salmon, drained and flaked
1 cup seasoned regular or gluten-free breadcrumbs
½ cup chopped parsley
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 fresh eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
In a large bowl add salmon, breadcrumbs, parsley, sea salt, pepper, and mustard; combine well using clean hands. Once combined, add eggs and lemon juice. Combine well. Form mixture into eight patties.
Bring olive oil to medium-high heat in large skillet and cook burgers for four minutes on each side, until cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside.
TROPICAL ANGEL
Prep time: 10 minutes. Serves: 6 – 8
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tsp fructose
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 commercially available nonfat angel food cake
1-1/2 cups fresh pineapple pieces or 1 (12oz) can unsweetened pineapple
2 pints strawberries, sliced thin
Stir fructose and vanilla into yogurt, set aside. Layer cake and fruit in a glass loaf pan or large wine glasses, starting with cake, ending with fruit (cake, fruit, cake and fruit). Just before serving put a dollop of yogurt on top of each. Garnish with pineapple and/or strawberry or other fresh fruit!
Decadent Hint: Pour a little coconut rum over the mixture before serving (so it can soak through) and before adding the garnish.
Capt. Jan Robinson’s Ship to Shore Cookbook Collection is available at your local marine or bookstore. Visit www.shiptoshoreINC.com or email CapJan@aol.com.
