Healthy Cooking Recipes: Clean Eating Edition: Quinoa Recipes, Superfoods and Smoothies
salmon filets, about 4 - 5 ounces each
1 lb green beans (fresh, not canned or frozen)
2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
2 jalapenos, sliced (may be seeded for a milder flavor)
1 bunch of watercress or arugula, washed and patted dry
black pepper, to taste
For the salmon dressing:
2/3 cup toasted sesame oil
juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey (may use less or more to taste)
For the green bean dressing:
2/3 cup olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp cognac vinegar or white wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar is also OK)
a pinch each of salt and black pepper
Preparation:
Rinse the green beans to remove any dirt and trim off the ends. Steam the green beans in a steamer basket over about 1” of boiling water for about five minutes, or until they’re crisp-tender.
You can make your dressing while the beans are steaming. Peel and crush the garlic with a garlic press and place in a small bowl. Add the mustard and vinegar and then whisk in the olive oil until thoroughly combined. Toss with the green beans once they’re finished steaming and set aside.
Now it’s time to prepare the salmon filets. Turn your oven to broil and mix together the ingredients for the salmon dressing. Place the filets in a baking pan and pour half of the dressing over them. Peel and crush the ginger and slice the jalapenos, removing the seeds if you’d like less heat. Top the salmon filets with the crushed ginger and pepper slices and broil for about 5 minutes (adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the filets – about 8 minutes per inch of thickness is a good rule of thumb, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution).
Lay a bed of watercress or arugula on a serving platter and place the cooked salmon filets on top. Spoon the remaining dressing over the filets and serve along with the green beans.
Kale and White Bean Stew
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of kale (about 5 cups packed), washed and thinly sliced
1 lb cannellini beans, cooked and drained (other small white beans may be substituted if needed)
1 lb Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp each dried basil and dried thyme (or more, to taste)
½ tsp crushed red pepper
salt and black pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil and grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil, minced garlic and crushed red pepper over medium heat in a stock pot or large, heavy saucepan for about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, chicken or vegetable broth and kale and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the thyme and basil. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the kale wilts. Add the tomatoes and beans and continue simmering, covered for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve hot in soup bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.
Baked Beets
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized beets, sliced ¼ inch thick (peeling is optional)
½ cup water
¼ cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc is a good choice for this recipe)
1 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 shallot, minced
salt and black pepper, to taste
a pinch of nutmeg
Preparation:
Start by preheating your oven to 425 F. Arrange the sliced beets in a large (9” x 13”) baking dish and add the water. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about 45 minutes or until the beets are tender.
After the beets have been in the oven for about half an hour, you can start to make a béchamel sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan and add the minced shallot once the butter has melted completely. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes or until softened. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Whisk in the milk and then the wine slowly, adding just a little at a time. Once the milk and wine have been incorporated, bring the mixture to a slow boil – the sauce will start to thicken. Remove the sauce from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper and add a dash of nutmeg (or more, if desired).
Pour the sauce over the beets and continue to bake uncovered in the sauce for another 10 minutes or until the sauce bubbles and starts to turn golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven, allow them to stand for a minute and then serve the beets while they’re still hot.
Bean and Barley Vegetable Soup
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sized carrots, diced
1 cup uncooked barley
8 cups vegetable broth, beef broth or water
1 cup cooked white beans or pinto beans
½ cup crushed tomatoes (or tomato paste, if you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a stock pot and sauté the onions, carrots, garlic and celery for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water or broth, along with all of the other ingredients and bring the soup to a slow boil before reducing to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 1 – 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the barley is tender. Season to taste with salt and black pepper before serving.
This recipe is very adaptable; if you’d like, you can add virtually any vegetables or cooked meat to the pot along with the broth. Feel free to experiment as long as you leave in the superfoods in this recipe – the tomatoes, onion and beans – to make sure it provides the maximum nutritional value.
Chickpeas and Mustard Greens with a Balsamic Glaze
Number of servings: 4 as a side dish, 2 as an entrée
Ingredients:
3 tightly packed cups of mustard greens, washed, patted dry and sliced
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
4 tbsp vegetable broth
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar