Vegetables Archives - Nutrition Pair

Okra & Tomatoes

October 8, 2019 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

This Okra & Tomatoes recipe is so easy and so delicious! We live in the South and most people here prefer to have their okra fried and have usually not eaten it cooked any other way. Here is a healthy, delicious alternative that we often share with our clients. Okra is a low calorie vegetable high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, B-Complex & Folate. One surprising benefit of okra is found in the phytochemical, mucilage, which aids digestion and helps to reduce constipation. Remember, the health benefits of phytochemicals cannot be bottled, they must come from the source (the plant). So….eat (and enjoy!) your fruits and vegetables!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
1 package (16 oz frozen cut okra)
2 cans (14.5 oz) No Salt Added Chopped Tomatoes
1/2 t red pepper flakes
pepper to taste

Directions:

In large skillet, saute onion & garlic in oil.
Add okra, tomatoes, red pepper flakes and pepper.
Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Serve over cooked rice with grilled or baked meat on the side (if desired).

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving; Makes 6 Servings)

Calories: 84
Total Fat: 4.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 9 mg
Potassium: 380 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 8 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.5 g
- Sugars: 4.5 g
Protein: 2.6 g

Excellent source of Vit A, Vit C, Vit B-Complex, Manganese & Folate

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Scrambled Egg & Mustard Greens on Toast

January 18, 2017 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

Ingredients:

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups roughly chopped mustard greens
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
4 slices Sourdough Bread, toasted
3 radishes, thinly sliced, to garnish
A few sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Hot sauce, to garnish

(Photo Credit: Andrea Bemus)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard greens, red onion and garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes, just until greens are wilted and onion and garlic are fragrant.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs in a large bowl. Season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. When the greens are ready, add the eggs to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are scrambled and fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes.

While eggs scramble, toast your bread in a toaster oven or regular oven until lightly browned.

To serve, scoop the scrambled eggs onto the toasted bread and garnish with sliced radishes, chopped parsley and a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce.

Recipe Notes

If you cannot find mustard greens at your local farmers market or grocery store, substitute mustard greens with another spicy green such as arugula, or use spinach
To increase nutrients and colors, top each serving with a couple of diced cherry tomatoes

Nutrition Facts:

Per serving, based on 4 servings:

Calories: 234 Carbohydrates: 15 g

Total Fat: 14 g Fiber: 2.2 g

Saturated: 3.3 g Sugars: 1.9 g

Trans: 0 g Protein: 12 g

Cholesterol: 279 mg

Sodium: 420 mg

Recipe adapted from: www.thekitchn.com/

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Pierogies with Spinach & Tomatoes

September 17, 2016 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

Here is a quick & easy pierogie recipe made with spinach & tomatoes. Perfect for a Meatless Monday (or any day!). Pierogis (pronounced Pi-roh-ghees) are filled dumplings that originated in Eastern Europe. They are made with unleavened dough and can be filled with potato, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese and/or fruits. Also, they are often served with a topping, such as melted butter, sour cream or sauteed onions.

You can make your own pierogies or buy them in the freezer section of almost any grocery store (usually near the frozen potatoes). We like Mrs. T’s brand: http://www.mrstspierogies.com (in a blue box). They are inexpensive and make very quick and easy meals. There are tons of ways to cook them! Here is one of our favorite ways to cook pierogies:

Ingredients:

1-12 packs box of Mrs. T’s Classic Cheddar pierogies

1/2 of a 1# bag of frozen chopped spinach or 2- 10 oz. boxes frozen spinach (about 3 cups)

2 T olive oil

1 red pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 gloves garlic, minced

1-14 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes (do not drain)

Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Place the spinach in a microwavable bowl and heat approximately 4-5 minutes until it no longer feels frozen. Sauté onion & red pepper garlic in olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron works well) until the onion is transparent. Add the garlic & saute for approximately minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their water (do not drain) & the spinach. Cover the mixture and turn down the heat to low/simmer. Place the pierogies in a large bowl containing hot tap water. Allow to sit in the water for about 3 minutes. Pour off the water and re-add hot water (to warm them up) & allow to warm until they no longer feel frozen inside. Pour off the water and add the pierogies to your tomato/spinach saucepan mixture. Allow to simmer on a low temp for 5-10 minutes and then serve topped with parmesan cheese. This will make 4 servings (3 pierogies each).

Nutrition Facts:

Amount Per Serving (4 Servings)

Calories: 315
Total Fat: 9.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 5.1 g
- Cholesterol: 6.0 mg
Potassium 109 mg
Sodium: 685 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 52 g
Dietary Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 10 g
High in both Vitamin A & Vitamin C!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Avocado Cucumber Mint Soup

April 19, 2016 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

It’s late April and it is starting to get warmer outside. This healthy dish is a gazpacho soup (a cold Spanish or Mexican soup made from vegetables and served chilled). When the temperatures begin to rise, you will find this soup to be incredibly cool and refreshing. The mint and cucumber aid in the cooling effect. This recipe is also amazingly fast, easy and healthy!

Ingredients

(Makes 2 servings)

2 medium-sized cucumbers, peeled & lightly chopped (~ 2 cups)

1 avocado

Juice of 2 large lime (or 1/4 cup lime juice)

2 packed tablespoons fresh mint

1 teaspoon green onion

Chili powder, pinch

Directions

Combine cucumber, avocado, lime juice, mint & green onion in a blender and purée well. Serve in chilled bowls and top with a pinch of chili powder. Eat immediately, or refrigerate until ready to enjoy. Can be served topped with sliced green onions, finely chopped tomatoes & slice of cucumber as an appetizing garnish.

(Recipe adapted from eatnaked.com)

Nutrition Facts

2 Servings (Amount per Serving)

Calories 194.0

Total Fat 14.3 g

Saturated Fat 2.0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g

Monounsaturated Fat 8.6 g

Cholesterol 0.0 mg

Sodium 49.8 mg

Potassium 828.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate 16.7 g

Dietary Fiber 8.8 g

Sugars 3.9 g

Protein 3.5 g

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

February 17, 2016 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

mexican quinoa This is an easy, healthy, kid/teen approved casserole made with chicken, quinoa & black beans. It’s a perfect dish when you are cooking for a crowd or if you are one who likes leftovers or “planned overs” like we do. It makes 10 servings! Also, this dish is gluten-free which is helpful for those folks who need to avoid gluten in their diet.

Quinoa is high in protein (has the most protein of any of the grains) and gluten free. Additionally, it is high in magnesium, zinc, iron and folate. Do you have any favorite quinoa recipes? Please feel free to post & share with us!

Ingredients:

1.5 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed in water)

1-14 oz. can low sodium cooked black beans, rinsed

1.5 cups low sodium salsa (“Marie’s” has a low sodium brand)

1.5 cup unsalted chicken broth (We like “Kitchen Basics”) (plus ½ cup more, if needed)

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1.5 cups Kraft 2% Mexican 4 Cheese Blend Shredded Cheese

1 T olive oil

1-2 T sliced jalapeno

1 medium onion, chopped

2 green peppers

2 red peppers

1.5 lb. boneless skinless chicken tenders, cut into small pieces

2 T homemade taco seasoning (1 T chili powder, 1 T onion powder & pinch of cumin)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix quinoa, black beans, salsa, chicken broth, garlic & ½ cup of the shredded cheese in a large bowl. Transfer to a well-greased casserole dish (approx. 9X13 inch size). We use our Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker and it works perfectly for this dish. Bake for 30 min.
While this mixture is baking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the jalapeno, onion, and peppers. Saute until golden brown and tender-crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.
Toss the raw chicken with the taco seasoning. When the quinoa is done with the first 30 minutes of baking, stir it really well and add the raw chicken. Stir the chicken into the mixture to get the chicken mostly covered by the mixture, and return to the oven for another 30 minutes of baking. If you notice any uncooked pieces of quinoa on top, just stir and bake a bit longer (may help to add a little more chicken broth).
When the quinoa is done, top with the peppers and remaining cheese. Bake another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

(Note: Recipe Adapted from “Pinch of Yum”)

NUTRITION FACTS (Per Serving):

Calories: 320

Total Fat: 8 g

Saturated Fat: 2.8 g

Trans Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 55 mg

Sodium: 300 mg

Carbohydrates: 33 g

Dietary Fiber: 7 g

Sugars: 2 g

Protein: 27 g

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Orzo Salad with Spinach & Pine Nuts

August 5, 2015 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

This is a cool delicious summer salad made with orzo pasta, spinach, feta, pine nuts & Craisins. It can be served as a main dish or a side. One of our favorites! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

16 oz Orzo, uncooked
2-32 oz containers of unsalted Chicken Stock (We use Kitchen Basics)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Fresh Basil, Julienned
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1.5 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 cup Dried Cranberries (We use Craisins)
1- 11 oz. package Raw Spinach
3 stalks chopped Scallions
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Cook orzo in unsalted chicken broth according to package directions but substitute chicken broth for water. Drain orzo well and toss with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper & allow to cool. Mix together orzo, basil, spinach, pine nuts, green onions, Craisins and feta cheese in a large bowl and mix gently. Whisk lemon juice and 1/3 cup olive oil and toss with salad. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Can be made the night before, however, do not toss with lemon juice and olive oil until serving. Serves 12.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 370
Total Fat: 19 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g
Cholesterol: 17 mg
Sodium: 262 mg
Potassium: 290 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 44 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.5 g
Sugars: 8 g
Protein: 11 g

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Tuna Pita Pockets

October 23, 2014 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

Tuna Pita Pockets

Running out of lunch ideas? Here is a an inexpensive, easy and healthy one!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

3/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 cans (6 ounces each) low-salt white tuna packed in water, drained

1/2 cup low-fat ranch dressing

3 whole-wheat pita pockets, cut in half

Instructions:

In a large bowl, add the lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, broccoli and onions. Toss to mix evenly. In a small bowl, add the tuna and ranch dressing. Stir to mix well. Add the tuna mixture to the lettuce mixture and stir to combine. Scoop 3/4 cup of the tuna salad into each pita pocket half and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITION FACTS:

Serving Size: ½ pita

Calories: 200

Total Fat: 5 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Trans Fats: 0 g

Cholesterol: 20 mg

Sodium: 350 mg

Carbohydrates: 23 g

Dietary Fiber: 4 g

Sugars: 2 g

Protein: 14 g

Fiesta Lime Chicken with Avocado

September 16, 2014 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces
2 medium avocados, diced
1 T + 1 T fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (or chop it more coarsely if you prefer)
2 T mayo or light mayo ½-1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved 1 T Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning Salt to taste

Instructions:

Shred the chicken apart until you have 2 cups of chicken shredded into fairly large chunks. Dice the avocados into medium-sized pieces; mix with 1 T of the lime juice, Mrs. Dash seasoning, and season avocado with salt to taste. Thinly slice the green onion and finely chop the cilantro. Mix mayo and 1 T lime juice to make the dressing.

Put the chicken into a bowl large enough to hold all the salad ingredients. Add the sliced green onions, tomatoes and dressing and toss until all the chicken is coated with dressing. Add the avocado and any lime juice in the bottom of the bowl and gently combine with the chicken. Then add the chopped cilantro and gently mix into the salad, just until it is barely combined. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/05/recipe-for-chicken-and-avocado-salad.html

NUTRITION FACTS:

Serving Size: 1 Cup

Calories: 260

Total Fat: 15 g

Saturated Fat: 2.5 g

Trans Fats: 0 g

Cholesterol: 65 mg

Sodium: 120 mg

Carbohydrates: 8 g

Dietary Fiber: 5 g

Sugars: 1 g

Protein: 23 g

Black Bean Burgers

August 17, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

We’ve been talking about this recipe for some time now. We finally posted it. This recipe was adapted from Awesome Black Bean Burgers found on www.seriouseats.com. This is a fantastic recipe that provides much flavor and is very filling. Play around with the seasonings and ingredients to find your flavor. The best tip was to cook the black beans first. That really does help to firm up the patties. Serve it with some steamed vegetables and fresh corn and you’ll have a very tasty meal. The Nutrition Facts can be found at the bottom. Have fun preparing and eating this great burger!

Bodacious Black Bean Burgers!

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. cans of Low Sodium Black Beans ½ cup Feta Cheese

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons Light Miracle Whip

1 small Onion, finely cut 1 teaspoon Garlic

1 small Red Pepper, finely cut 1 Whole Egg, beaten

½ small Green Pepper, finely cut ¾ cup Plain Panko (Low Sodium)

½ cup Roasted Cashews ½ TBSP Mrs. Dash Steak Grilling Blend

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Rinse the Black beans and spread in single layer on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Cook beans for approximately 20 minutes. (Cooking beans help to eliminate liquid and provide for a more firm burger.)

Allow beans to cool after cooking.

2. While beans cook, cut onions and peppers finely. Heat olive oil in pan. Sautee onions and peppers, add garlic.

Let onion and peppers continue to cook and soften and mix flavors. Place cooked pepper and onion in a large bowl.

3. Place cashews in food processor. Using pulse mode, chop cashews. Typically takes 10-12 short pulses. Add cashews

to onion and pepper mixture.

4. Place beans and feta cheese in food processor. Mix until it has a consistency close to that of ground beef.

Add mixture to the onion, peppers and cashews.

5. Add panko, Mrs. Dash, Miracle Whip and egg to mixture. Fold together using hands. Mixture will become sticky.

Remember, if you are using an egg, you must wash hands after folding mixture.

6. Form into 8 patties of equal size. Should fit easily within palm of hand.

Black Bean Burgers can be grilled or cooked indoors. Medium heat should be used to allow patties to firm up without burning outsides.

Using olive oil or not stick spray, coat pan. Allow pan to heat and then place burgers in to cook.

Allow approximately 5 minutes of cook time on each side. Once flipped, add cheese slice for extra flavor. Enjoy!

Note:

Ø You can use ¼ cup of egg substitute in place of the egg.

Ø Low sodium beans and panko help to keep this a lower sodium meal.

Ø Patties can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

You can also freeze patties on parchment paper and then place in a zip-lock freeze bag.

Remember to place a piece of parchment paper between each patty. Allow to thaw approximately 1 hour before cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Burger (166 g)

Servings per recipe: 8

Calories 297

Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat 12g 19%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 29mg 10%

Sodium 176mg 7%

Potassium 481mg 14%

Total Carbs 36g 12%

Dietary Fiber 11g 43%

Sugars 3g

Protein 14g

Vitamin A 9%	Vitamin C 28%
Calcium 10%	Iron 17%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Recipe analysis on: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php

Accessed 8.15.2014

Recipe adapted from Awesome Black Bean Burgers, on www.seriouseats.com

Accessed 6.10.2014

Falling in Love…..with Food!

June 28, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

I was reading an article the other day and it made me think about something. You know how much we stress the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, people will start eating a “newer, healthier” food but then quickly return to the former ways of eating. Why is that? If taste, flavor, texture don’t meet your expectations, or if you are not used to those things, you may not want to continue eating them. In the article, How to Make Someone Fall in Love with You, the author went through a list of occurrences that need to happen to help you fall in love. One was of great interest:

“‘Obviously, you have to meet, but there’s something else going on: repeated exposure. As marketers know very well (and anyone looking for love should learn about marketing), repeated exposure makes us like almost anything. Repeated exposure, it turns out, increases our liking for practically everything, from the routine features of our lives to decorating materials, exotic foods, music, or people.'”

So how do we “fall in love” with new foods, new vegetables, new fruits? We need repeated exposure to them! Allow yourself to not like the taste of a new food but assess how you could prepare it in a different way to make it work for you…… and no, I don’t mean bread it and drop it in a vat of hot oil! We often see this exposure rule in kids. When we continue to offer a new vegetable, ultimately, they not only try the food but begin to really enjoy eating it!

Go ahead, try new foods but remember the rule of repeated exposure. You may find yourself falling in love with broccoli!

It’s Your Heath. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~ John

Okra & Tomatoes

Scrambled Egg & Mustard Greens on Toast

Pierogies with Spinach & Tomatoes

Avocado Cucumber Mint Soup

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

Orzo Salad with Spinach & Pine Nuts

Tuna Pita Pockets

Fiesta Lime Chicken with Avocado

Black Bean Burgers

Falling in Love…..with Food!

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