Lighten Up!

If you’re like me, you try to sneak as much healthy stuff into mealtimes as you possibly can, while avoiding the “Eww, gross!” reaction. When my husband and I were first married, he was strictly a meat and potatoes man. I once cut firm tofu into small squares, coated it in Italian breadcrumbs, and then fried it with some chicken bouillon and told him it was chicken tenders. When I let it slip over a month later, it wasn’t pretty but when it comes to healthy eating, score 1 for subterfuge.

A healthy diet does not consist solely of salads. It is possible to lighten dishes up without losing any of the flavor. The key is to make minor changes in the ingredients which still provide the “Mmmm, good!” result you want. Buttermilk is a great substitute for heavy cream in sauces. While it doesn’t work as well in desserts, you can make light and fluffy pancakes and cornbread with buttermilk, which has a lot less fat and calories than regular cream. Also, canola oil and extra virgin olive oil are much healthier to cook with then vegetable oil. Cornmeal is a very versatile grain that can not only be used for cornbread, but also to coat chicken or fish to bake or fry. Whole grain pastas are a great source of vitamins, in addition to being a great item to use for leftovers. Serve leftover chili, chicken pie, or beef stew over whole grain pasta, or even wild rice. 

Reduced fat cream cheese (or even Neufchatel cheese), when melted into a dish, is a great substitute for Cream Of soups, particularly when paired with flavored bouillon for taste. A great sauce for pasta or rice is to mix 1 Tablespoon grainy mustard with 1 cup reduced fat sour cream or plain yogurt. You can also jazz it up by adding some lemon juice or your favorite fresh herbs.

Meat can be a staple in a healthy diet, provided it is lean. For instance, instead of buying a pack of pre-cut stew beef, buy a whole roast and cut it up yourself, making sure to trim the fat off. The only fat needed in red meat is the marbling in steak that is necessary for great flavor. Chicken, on the other hand, does not need any fat at all to taste good. Since there are no nutritional benefits to chicken skin, try using skinless chicken breasts in your dishes instead of legs or thighs. My grandmother would turn over in her grave if she knew I was making her chicken pie recipe with chicken breasts and veggies but my version is a family favorite so no one’s complaining. 

The key to healthy cooking is to find ways to lighten up dishes and expand upon the leftovers so that not a single “Eww, gross” is uttered when you serve it up. Happy cooking!

STEW BEEF

 1 ½ - 2 lbs pot roast, cut into small pieces

8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms

2 cups baby carrots

3 lbs red potatoes, washed and cut in large pieces

1 small onion, chopped

1 can beef broth

1 Tbs. fresh parsley, if desired

Salt & pepper to taste

Layer vegetables in bottom of a slow cooker. Salt and pepper to taste. Put the meat on top of the veggies and pour the beef broth over the meat. Add parsley and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Do not stir. Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 3 hours, or until the meat is done. If a thicker sauce is desired, coat the meat in flour and cook in olive oil in a skillet until lightly browned before adding to the veggies in the slow cooker.

CHICKEN PIE

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

12 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms

1 bunch fresh broccoli florets, chopped (peas or carrots can also be used)

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup zesty Italian dressing, divided

8 oz. Neufchatel cream cheese, diced

2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick)

2 cups skim milk

½ tsp. salt

4 Tbs. butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium, add the chicken, mushrooms, broccoli and 2 Tbs. of the dressing. Salt and pepper if desired. Cook until chicken is done and veggies are tender. Spread the cream cheese and remaining dressing over the mixture and cook until dissolved. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan coated with nonstick spray.

In a separate bowl, combine the baking mix, milk and salt. Stir until no lumps remain. Pour batter over the top of the chicken mixture. Dot with butter. Bake approximately 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

NOTE:  The cooked chicken and veggie mixture is great served over pasta or rice.