Peppers and Scallops and Pasta Recipe

Peppers are healthy, full of vitamin C and this recipe is a delicious way to get the most from the ocean and the garden!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz angel hair pasta
• 1 tbsp peanut oil or olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced sweet red or yellow peppers
• 1 cup thinly sliced green bell peppers
• 1 cup thinly soiced onions
• 1 lb sea scallops – medium to large
• 1 tsp seasme oil
• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Procedure:

1. Bring a larg pot of water to boil and add pasta, cooking according to the package directions until tender; drain and set aside.
2. Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium-high heat. (Peanut oil tolerates the heat better than olive oil, but if allergies are a concern, use a frying type olive oil)  Let the oil heat for one minute.
3. Stir-fry peppers and onions until just cooked, about 5 minutes.  Remove vegetables; set aside.
4. Stir-fry scallops, 3 minutes.  Return vegetables to the wok and toss with scallops.  Add sesame oul and soy sauce.  Toss , cover and cook bout 2 minutes.  Serve while hot, over angel hair pasta.

Eggplant Componata and Pasta

If you’re not sure what to do with your eggplant, try this relish type eggplant recipe over pasta!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups cubed eggplant
• 1 – 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 – 1/2 cup thinkly sliced zucchini
• 1 large sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup thinkly sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 8 ounces of rigatoni
• 1/2 cup grated sapsago or Paremsan cheese

Procedure:

1. In large saucepan, over medim heat, heat oil and add onions, cooking until soft and stirring often.
2. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute and add eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, parsley, bsil, oregano, sage, thyme, and hot pepper sauce.  Cover and cook over medium low heat until all the vegetables have released their natural juices.  This will take about 10 minutes.  Increase heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the veggies are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the rigatoni until tender.  drain and pout pasta onto a serving platter.  Top with the vegetables and sprinkle with cheese.

Super healthy and good for you with less than 25% of your calories from fat.

Healthy Pasta and Cabbage

Maybe you wouldn’t think of pairing these two up in the same dish, but you’ll love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 head green cabbage
• 2 tbsp caraway seeds, crushed
• 1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 8 oz wide egg noodles
• 1 – 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt

Procedure:

1. Coarsely shred or chop cabbage.
2. Over medium-high heat, saute cabbage, caraway, and pepper in the oil, in large nonstick skillet, for about 10 minutes.
3. Add stock, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 30 minutes.
4. In a large pot, boil noodles until tender.  Drain and add to cabbage, brown for 5 minutes.  Serve with plain yogurt for dipping on top of each serving as people desire.

Experiment with different kinds of noodels, the healthier the better!

Corny Pasta Topped With Avocado Sauce

This will soon be a holiday and Sunday favorite salad.  Use the corn pasta for the best flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 large avocado, the large green Florida Avocado, or 2 Black Haas
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 10 oz corn pasta (found in health food stores)

Procedure:

1. Peel and pit the avocado; cut flesh into chunks. 
2. In a food processor or blender, place avocado, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and oregano; process until smooth and creamy.
3. bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add corn pasta and cook ccording to package directions until just tender.  Drain and place in a large bowl.  Toss with avocado sauce. 

This is my personal favorite pasta dish.  For variations, toss with halved cherry tomatoes, and chives or green onions.

Minty Three Bean Salad

This is a flavorful veggie salad for your Sunday dinners or Holiday Buffet.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed
• 1 lb yellow wax beans, trimmed
• 1/2 lb fresh shell beans, shelled
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• dash of low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh lovage, optional

Procedure:

1. Blanch green and yellow beans until cooked through to the crunchy/tender stage. (2 minutes)
2. Plunge them into cold water and drain and set aside.
3. Blanch the shell beans.  5 – 10 minutes if they’re small, larger beans might take 20 minutes.
4. Plunge them into cold water and drain and set aside.
5. To prepare the dressing, mix honey nd hot water and in a non-aluminum pan, combine honey mixture with cider vinegar, until honey dissolves.  Cool slightly and add oil, soy sauce and mustard.
6. Add beans, onion, and garlic,  Toss with dressing.  Sprinkle mint and lovage over the beans.

Mexican Chicken And Spinach Salad

What a healthy combination!  Less than 200 calories!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• juice of 2 lemons
• 4 closves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 cup shredded spinach or other greens
• 2 tbsp tasted sesame seeds

Procedure:

1. In a shallow baking dish, glass perferrably, mix tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, peppers, oregano, cumin and cinnamon.
2. Place the chicken between sheets of waxed paper.  Pound with a mallet to an even thickness, about 1/3 inch. 
3. Place the chicken in the spice mixture and coat evenly.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning the pieces once.
4. Preheat broiler or grill.  Place the chicken on a lightly oiled rack, reserving marinade, then broil or grill unti cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side.
5. In pan, boil marinade about 30 seconds.  In large bowl, toss greens with marinade, mix well.  Slice the chicken and serve on the greens.  Stprinkle with sesame seeds.

Marinated Veggie Salad

This salad is wonderful any day of the week, but put it on a Holiday Thanksgiving Meal Buffet, and you’ve got a low calorie diet dish that everyone will dip into!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower florets, in bite sized pieces
• 2 cups broccoli florets, small pieces
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1 cup green beans in about 1 inch pieces
• 2 tblsp frozen apple juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp grated onions
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp anise seed
• 2 small yellow squash cut into 1/4 inch slices (2 cups)
• 2 small zucchini cut into slices

Procedure:

1. Combine cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and green beans in steamer basket. 
2. Cook 5 minutes and then drain and rinse.
3. To make dressing, in a 1 qt canning jar, combine apple juice concentrate, vinegar, lemon juice, onions, mustard, garlic, oregano and anise, shake well.
4. In a large bowl, combine steamed veggies with the yellow squash and zucchini.  Pour dressing over vegetables; toss gently.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Stir.

Bananas and Vitamin B6

Your nerve signals travel from cell to cell and from the brain to other areas of your body.  Vitamin B6 helps that happen.  If you don’t have enough of this vital vitamin, you might end up suffering from depression, have a shortened attention span and other problems.  Vitamin B deficiencies may also be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Add a banana to your next bowl of “flakes” for a great start to a healthy day.

Boiled Rice Prevents Dehydration

Lots of things contribute to a state of dehydration during our busy days.  Exercise, heat, and a bout of diarrhea can cause dehydration and we don’t always take the time to replace the lost liquids until we find ourselves dizzy, not thinking clearly, and being exhausted.

When you’re dehydrated, you’ve lost electrolytes which can also cause other serious problmes as well.  You need salts and minerals in your blood, cells and tissue fluids. 

You can replace your electrolytes without buying costly sports drinks.  An age old and simple method in replacing our nutrients when dehydrated, or when suffering from diarrhea, is to cook up some rice and then drink the cooled water the rice was boiled in.  That water contains those valuable nutrients you’ve lost!

The Native American Fruit – Blueberry Is Big on Good Health

The blueberry is true blue when it comes to being a native American fruit.  It was originally called a star berry because each little blue ball of fruit has a star at the site of the little five pointed flower.  It’s deep blue color is why this berry really is a star!! 

That dark blue color comes from “anthocyanin,” one of its most powerful antioxidants. 

The blueberry is a nutritional power engine that when you eat just one half cup serving, you’re getting the same antioxidant benefits as if you had eaten 5 servings of carrots, or peas, or apples or squash or even broccoli!