Almost Too Filling

My husband is an eater. And by that I mean, he really can put a meal away. Which is great, but also a lot of work. So I'm constantly trying to find recipes that are simple yet very filling. I have found that the most filling meals tend to have a good healthy carb to protein ratio. I rarely use white rice, white flour or white pastas. I also use a lot of legumes and vegetables to balance out the brown rice, whole wheat pastas and whole wheat flours of the meal. The good thing about these ingredients is that not only are they healthy, but they also withstand the 'leftover' period. They transport well to work and are tasty reheated or eaten cold.

The following recipe will feed about 4 people. I doubled the recipe and it made TONS of leftovers, some of which I bagged into individual serving sizes in zipper bags and froze (these also reheated well). It is an Egyptian dish that blends rice, lentils tomatoes and savory seasonings into a beautifully layered, filling, nutritious meal. I will take this to the next potluck because it was so easy to make!

Egyptian Koshari

¾ cup lentils

4 cup water

¾ cup long grain brown rice

1 cup macaroni

Olive Oil

1 small red Onion, coarsely chopped

1 small Green, Yellow or Red Pepper, sliced

3-4 cloves Garlic, minced

15 oz can no-salt added diced tomatoes

Season with: Red pepper/cilantro/cumin/garlic powder/basil

Salt/pepper

To Do:

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic. Add 4c water/broth and brown rice. 5min later, add lentils. Simmer.

Boil macaroni separate according to package directions.

In a skillet, sauté onion, garlic and peppers. Add tomato, and seasoning. Simmer for 10-20min until flavorful and hot.

In a casserole or serving dish, layer macaroni followed by rice and lentils and topped with tomato mix. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve.

Happy Eatings,

Gabriella

Delish and Nutrish: Making small changes for a better meal!

So, I've learned recently that the only way to get people to actually read your blog is to WRITE a blog. So, here I am. I really want to make a cookbook one of these days. I actually want to do a lot of things 'one of these days', it's just really a matter of BEGINNING these things. I'm a starter but not a finisher. I get so bogged down with perfecting things that I run out of time to just get things out and down on paper. With baby now, things are even harder to complete. I am DETERMINED however, to really be about the business of getting this blog going and get my book underway. I have sooooo many delicious and nutritious recipes sitting on my computer waiting to be sent out to the masses.

One of my favorite things to do is find recipes that sound delicious (and fattening, and high in cholesterol and calories, etc.) and make them more healthy for myself and my family. Oftentimes people associate healthy with bland and boring. This is not the case. Let me offer you some suggestions to make your not so nutritious meal options healthier and equally (if not more) delicious with some small changes.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Bangin' Brown Rice
First off, NO MORE WHITE RICE. I repeat, NO MORE WHITE RICE. White rice is not as nutritionally sound as brown rice and the substitution of brown rice is easy and tasty! Spray a saucepan with olive oil and sautee chopped onions and minced garlic. Add 2 parts low-sodium vegetable stock (I love Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth) to 1 part long-grain brown rice. Add your favorite herbs and spices (garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, etc.) while rice is simmering. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and serve.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Better for you Vegetables
Do NOT slather your freshly cooked steamed vegetables with butter. YUCK! Instead, use a high quality EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) to lightly coat your vegetables. Or, avoid these additions altogether by tossing veggies in fresh lemon juice and herbs.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Mashed Potatoes
Forget the butter and milk in these babies. Use a low-sodium vegetable broth and a bit of EVOO to substitute. Not only do they leave your potatoes more flavorful, but also healthier and lighter.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Greek Yogurt
Use plain Greek Yogurt (2% or fat-free) instead of sour cream in many recipes. Greek Yogurt has more protein, less calories and lower fat than traditional sour cream. Plus, it tastes good! I have used Greek Yogurt in coffee cake, and cheesy potato casserole and nobody could tell the difference. Also buy Greek Yogurt instead of regular yogurt. It has less calories and more protein which will keep you fuller longer.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Use your Broiler
Broiled food tastes just as good as pan-seared food and uses little (if any) added fats or oils. Plus, the broiler is super quick! My husband likes to broil his fish and we also use the broiler to make tasty 'grilled' cheese sandwiches, mini pizzas and heat up our leftovers.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Salad Dressing
Mix fresh lemon juice, a smidgen of EVOO and herbs and spices like basil, black pepper, sea salt and garlic powder to make a light, healthy and delicious drizzle for your salad. You can even add your favorite balsamic vinegar to give your salad extra tang. Even low-fat dressings can have hidden calories and chemicals. Keep it natural with this easy idea.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Quinoa
An amazing grain, quinoa packs a protein punch you would not believe! Plus, it cooks super fast (about 15 minutes) which means you will be ready to chow down in no time. Simmer 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water or low-sodium broth. I have also added chopped spinach and drained/rinsed black beans to make a healthy side dish that my family loves.

DELISH and NUTRISH: Roasted Red Potatoes
Cube red potatoes, scatter on a pre-sprayed (with olive or canola oil) baking sheet, cover with your favorite herbs and spices and a smidgen of EVOO. Toss. Roast your potatoes at 425 degrees for about 35 minutes. Dip in your favorite no sugar added ketchup (I love Annie's Organic Ketchup). They taste better than the french fries at the drive-thru!

DELISH and NUTRISH: Egg Subsititutes for Baking
I love to use applesauce and banana as substitutes in recipes that call for eggs. Use 3 TBS of natural smooth applesauce for 1 egg. Use 1/2 of a banana to substitute for 1 egg. You can also use tofu and Ener-G Egg Replacer (found at most health food stores) to replace eggs. Also, in many recipes you can reduce the egg count by using egg whites only. Or for example, in a recipe that calls for 2 eggs, use 2 whites and 1 yolk. Most of the fat and cholesterol is found in the yolk so whenever you can reduce the amount of yolk being used, you will reduce the cholesterol, calories and fat content in your recipe.

Eating healthy is best done when the changes you make are small. If you feel like you're 'missing out' on something, the chances that you will return to poor eating habits is higher than if you make small adjustments here and there. In my next post I will include a new recipe for an old favorite. Stay tuned!
Happy Eatings,
Gabriella