Serves 4

Ingredients

 2 russet potatoes (or 4 red potatoes), sliced very thin*

1 Tablespoons butter, melted

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Herbs of choice

Salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray the bottom of a shallow 9” round oven proof pan (such as a quiche dish) or 9” cast iron skillet** with cooking spray, or brush with some of the melted butter.  Starting in the outer circle, slightly overlap the potato slices until you have you a solid layer.  Brush lightly with the melted butter, sprinkle with spices, salt & pepper to taste, and then sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers until you have used all of the potatoes, finishing top layer with the cheese.

Bake approximately 45 minutes, or until fork tender and golden.

Serving ideas:  I like to serve these with grilled pork tenderloin and a green veggie.

Variations: Change up the cheese: cheddar, blue cheese, mixture of cheeses, etc.

Use ½ white potatoes and ½ sweet potatoes.

Add thinly sliced onions, or chopped jalapeno, or chopped/sliced garlic.

Notes:

* I use a mandolin to slice my potatoes very thin.

** Sometimes I use mini cast iron skillets and serve everyone an individual pan.

 Crab Cakes with Avocado Citrus Sauce

Serving Size: 8

1          pound crab meat

1          egg

2          teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼         teaspoon dry mustard (I like Colman’s)

2          tablespoons mayonnaise or plain non-fat yogurt

1          teaspoon lemon juice, fresh

½         teaspoon lemon zest

1          tablespoon Dijon mustard

1          tablespoon butter, melted

1          teaspoon cilantro or parsley

1          teaspoon old Bay Seafood seasoning

½         cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a sheet pan with vegetable cooking spray, set aside.

Combine all ingredients except for crab meat.  Fold in crab meat. Form into 8 patties, place on sheet pan.  Bake 12-15 minutes, turning midway, until lightly browned and set.

Serving Ideas: Line a plate with mixed greens, place a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes, top with a crab cake.  Drizzle Avocado Citrus Sauce on top.

Optional: top with a poached egg.

NOTES: If you like spicy, add some chopped fresh jalapeño to the mix.

Avocado Citrus Sauce

(Adapted from California Avocado)

 Serving Size: 8

1          teaspoon unsalted butter

3          cloves garlic, minced

½         cup evaporated skim milk

½         teaspoon orange zest

2          tablespoons orange juice

1          tablespoon lime juice

1          tablespoon lemon juice

1          avocado, ripe, mashed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in small saucepan, add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored.

Add the milk and bring to a simmer, do not boil, stirring frequently.

Add the orange zest, juices and the avocado, heat until warmed.

Serving Ideas: Good served over crab cakes, grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.

NOTES: Quick and easy sauce. If you like spicy, add some chopped jalapeno when cooking the garlic.

Studies have shown that we eat with our eyes and the colors of fruits and veggies are very pleasing to the eye. Eating a variety of fruits and veggies every day will provide you with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  Vitamins are organic components in food that are needed in small amounts for growth and maintaining good health.  Minerals are inorganic nutrients found in foods that are essential for growth and health too.  The term “phyto” originated from a Greek word meaning plant, phytonutrients are organic components of plants, and these components are thought to promote human health.  Let’s look at some of the colors and see what they do for us.

White fruits and vegetables, such as garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, bananas, and white peaches provide you with vitamin A, C, allicin and quercetin.  These are important for circulation, bone health, and immune boosting activity.  Green fruits and vegetables include leafy greens, green pepper, green onions, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, and kiwifruit provide vitamin A, C, folate, lutein, calcium, fiber, and beta carotene all important for healthy cells, lungs, liver and eye health.  The color red provides us with lycopene for healthy cells and scavenges harmful free-radicals.  Some springtime examples would be: blood oranges, papaya, strawberries, beets, radish, radicchio and rhubarb.  Think heart and artery health with blue/purple fruits and veggies: blueberries, purple Belgium endive, and purple potato.  Last, but not least, the orange/yellow fruits and veggies which contain beta carotene, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C are necessary for our vision, immune system, and growth & development.

The USDA guidelines suggest we eat two-plus servings of fruit and three-plus servings of vegetables per day.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports only 32.5% of Americans consumer two or more servings of fruits per day, and 26.3% consume three or more servings of vegetables per day.  To help you “spring clean” your diet consume more fruits and vegetables, which are naturally cholesterol free, low in fat, low in calories, and high in fiber.  The weather’s great, so why not take advantage of your local farmer’s market or produce section of your favorite market and see how many colors you can consume on a daily basis to help you spring clean your diet?

Lunch options include a Chicken or Roasted Turkey Salad, a Chicken Hummus Bowl, and a Steak Lettuce Wrap.  All are between 280 to 360 calories, and contain 22 to 35 grams of protein. The sodium level is from 310 to 590 mg, which is not too bad for an entrée, with one exception – the Roasted Turkey salad has 830 mg of sodium.  To reduce this by 380 mg you can skip the olives and pepperoncini.

To order, just tell the associate that you are ordering from the “Hidden Menu” and per the website, “they will take care of you”.

********** p.s. Panera just tweeted me the link to the nutrition facts. ***********

Why ReThink Your Drink?  Americans consume 200 to 300 more calories each day than we did 30 years ago, and nearly half of these extra calories come from sugar-sweetened drinks.  Simple: more calories mean more weight.  In fact just one can of soda a day can add up to 10 pounds or more of weight gain in a year!  A typical 12-ounce can of cola contains 136 calories and 33 grams of sugar.  This works out to be almost 8 teaspoons of sugar and 135 of the calories come from sugar.

Red light – green light, do you remember playing this game as a child?   Well we can also play this game with our drink choices.  “Red” beverages, which should be consumed rarely if not at all, contain over 12 grams of sugar per 12 ounces, therefore they are high in sugar, also many have a high sodium and/or fat content, and they contain “empty” calories with little or no nutrients, which can lead to weight gain and other chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  Examples include regular soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, pre-sweetened coffee and tea drinks, and juice drinks with added sugars.

“Yellow light” drinks contain 6-12 grams of sugar per 12 ounces and/or they contain artificial sweeteners and moderate amounts of sodium.  These drinks get the “yellow” light because they should only be consumed occasionally.  100% fruit juice and flavored low-fat milk are part of the “yellow” group because they may contain more than 12 grams of sugar for a 12 ounce serving, but these are natural sugars, not added sugars and they contain important nutrients.  The key is to consume these in smaller portions of 8 ounces or less.  Other “yellow” beverages include diet soda, diet iced tea, sweetened soy milk, and other low-sugar drinks.

Go Green!  These are the healthiest choices!  Drink plenty “green” beverages because they contain 0 to 5 grams of sugar per 12 ounce serving.  “Green” beverages have no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.  Examples include water, seltzer water, 1% or skim milk (in small portions) and unsweetened soymilk (in small portions).  Water hydrates the body, quenches thirst, and supports other bodily functions necessary for overall health.  Bored with plain water?  Add a slice of lemon or lime or float some fresh berries in your water to add a touch of flavor.  Follow the ReThink Your Drink campaign introduced by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and drink plenty of the “green light” choices; water, seltzer water, skim or 1% milk.

Meatless Mondays is a great campaign to “think outside the box” for at least one day a week.  How about a veggie wrap for lunch with roasted vegetables and low-fat cheese rolled in a whole-wheat tortilla? Diets rich in whole plant foods tend to have lower calories, saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium, while increasing your vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals, fiber and healthy fats and carbohydrate intake.  Going meatless one day a week does not automatically make your diet healthier.  Remember to balance your food choices, choose more healthy options and keep your calorie intake in check.

Registered Dietitian (RD) Day is Wednesday, March 13^th; “this is a day when we recognize the important work of RDs in improving the public health through food and nutrition” says registered dietitian and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Melinda Johnson.  The RD credential is vital when determining who is the best source of safe and accurate nutrition information. Scientific research highlights nutrition as one of the leading lifestyle factors in health promotion and disease prevention throughout life.  RDs translate nutrition science into practical and applicable ways for people to bring nutritious foods into their daily lives.  It is our role to discern between fact and fiction and give people the tools to make realistic eating behavior changes.

Are you wondering what a healthy diet looks like?  I’ve got an app for that!

MealLogger – is an easy and personal nutrition coaching service that allows you to connect virtually with me, your RD coach.  No fad diets, no calorie counting.  You gain the advantage of nutrition advice that is tailored for your eating habits, your health concerns and your lifestyle.

February American Heart Health Month Fundraiser:  American Heart Association & Pampered Chef !

“I’m always writing that people need to cook. February is American Heart Month! Now through February 26th I am hosting a fundraiser for the American Heart Association with Pampered Chef. Go to www.pamperedchef.biz/saygrace select ‘order online’ and search for my name  “Peggy” to order through my fundraiser. I love the stoneware, and many of the tools.  In fact, I have had my 2 pizza stones (rectangle & round) for more than 15 years!”

Barramundi is a great source of omega-3s – a heart healthy fatty acid.  A 5-ounce portion has between 600 to 800 milligrams of omega-3s, which is nearly half the weekly amount recommended in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  It also has nearly half the calories of salmon, only 137 calories for a 5-ounce portion, and negligible saturated fat.   Enjoy!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 5-ounce barramundi fillets

1 Tablespoon grape seed oil

Zest of 1 lime

Salsa

1 jalapeno, diced (ribs and seeds removed if you don’t want the heat!)

1 Roma tomato, diced

¼ cup grape tomatoes, diced

½ red onion, diced

¼ cup Japanese cucumber, diced

½ avocado, diced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Place fish fillets in an oven-proof baking dish. Mix the grape seed oil and lime zest, brush fillets with mixture.  Season the fish with salt & pepper, to taste.  Bake 10-15 minutes, just until fish flakes easily with a fork.

While the fish bakes make the salsa.  Mix all the salsa ingredients in a bowl, set aside.

To serve: top the baked fish with the salsa.  I like to serve this with a side dish of brown rice.

NOTES:  be creative with your salsa ingredients, I just use what’s in my fridge, for example: when I have mangoes on hand, I reduce the amount of tomatoes and add some diced mangoes.

This fish is very versatile – it can be baked (400°F, 10-15 minutes), grilled (3-4 minutes per side), or broiled (5 minutes per side).