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...Continued
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Drain, reserve mushroom liquid, remove and discard any stems and thinly slice caps.
Whisk together broth, soy sauce and cornstarch; set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until no longer pink Add cabbage, carrot, zucchini, green onions, reserved mushrooms and mushroom liquid and stir-fry for 1 minute, until cabbage wilts. Add cornstarch mixture and simmer 1 minute, until liquid thickens. Remove from heat.
Wrap tortillas in plastic and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce on each tortilla, add chicken and vegetable mixture and roll up.
Nutrition Score per serving(2 tortillas, 1 cup chicken and vegetable filling): 390 calories, 14% fat (6 g; 1 g saturated), 50% carbs (49 g), 36% protein (35 g), 21 g fiber, 102 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 922 mg sodium.
With a 1/2-cup side of brown rice: 498 calories, 12% fat ( g; 1 g saturated), 57% carbs (71 g), 31% protein (39 g), 23 g fiber, 112 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 927 mg sodium.
3 Calorie Cutters
1. Thickening the sauce with cornstarch instead of a traditional butter-flour mixture.
2. Using fat-free chicken broth instead of the full-fat variety.
3. Using an intensely flavored oil (sesame) so the dish needs less oil.
Roasted Herb Salmon
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 min.
Cook time: 10-15 min.
Recipe note You may substitute thick fillets of cod or flounder, or whole snapper or trout for the salmon if desired. Round out the meal with steamed spinach and cooked quinoa.
4 5-ounce salmon fillets, about 1/2 inches thick
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Cooking spray
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
Make three to four 2-inch-long, 1/4-inch-deep, evenly spaced slits along the top of each salmon fillet (see "Technique" box at left).
In a shallow dish, whisk together mustard, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Add salmon and turn to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes. (If you are using a whole fish, do the same. The marinade will seep into the slits.) Reserve marinade.
Preheat oven to 450[degrees] F. Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
Arrange onion and tomato slices in the bottom of prepared pan. Place salmon on top of onion and tomato. Pour remaining marinade over salmon.
Roast 10-15 minutes, until fish is fork-tender.
Nutrition Score per serving (1 fillet): 196 calories, 32% fat (7 g; 1 g saturated), 17% carbs ( g), 51% protein (25 g), 2 g fiber, 74 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 385 mg sodium.
With 1/2 cup steamed spinach and 1/2 cup cooked quinoa: 382 calories, 24% fat (10 g; g saturated), 42% carbs ( g), 34% protein (32 g), 7 g fiber 238 mg calcium, 7 mg iron, 475 mg sodium.
3 Calorie Cutters
1. Roasting instead of pan-frying (pan-frying requires oil).
2. Eliminating oil in the marinade (it's not necessary).
3. Coating pans with cooking spray instead of oil or butter.
Pressed Tofu Kebabs, Thai-Style
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 min.
Cook time: 5-8 min.
Recipe note When using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes before using, to prevent scorching.
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 15-ounce container firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed (see
"Technique")
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 green onions, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
8 wooden skewers
1 cup whole-wheat couscous, cooked according to package directions
without added fat
1/2 cup prepared Thai peanut sauce
In a shallow dish, whisk together lime juice, cilantro, soy sauce, peanut oil, garlic and black pepper. Add pressed tofu and turn to coat. Cover with plastic and marinate 15 minutes (or up to 24 hours, refrigerated).
Preheat grill or broiler.
Remove tofu from marinade (reserve marinade) and cut the tofu into 16 pieces. Alternate pieces of tofu, red pepper and green onion on skewers. Brush with marinade. Grill or broil 5-8 minutes, until vegetables are charred and tofu is hot, turning frequently and brushing with marinade halfway through cooking. Serve kebabs with couscous. Serve the prepared peanut sauce on the side as a dipping sauce for the kebabs.
Nutrition Score per serving (2 kebabs, 1/2 cup couscous, 2 tablespoons peanut sauce): 370 calories, 22% fat (9 g; <1 g saturated), 57% carbs (53 g), 21% protein (19 g), 9 g fiber, 68 mg calcium, 3 mg iron, 746 mg sodium.
3 Calorie Cutters
1. Using peanut oil for flavor only, so that a very small amount will suffice.
2. Grilling or broiling: Dry-heat cooking eliminates the need for extra fat, since no oil is needed to coat a skillet.
3. Serving peanut sauce on the side, as a dipping sauce, instead of as a marinade.
RECATED ARTICLE: 1. Technique: stir-frying
Stir-frying is a great lowfat cooking technique because it calls for keeping the ingredients moving constantly in the pan, so very little oil is needed to prevent sticking. Oil is mostly used to add flavor. To start, set a wok or wide skillet over high heat until hot. Add seasonings like garlic and ginger first, followed by meat, then vegetables. (Meat is often cooked first, then removed so the drippings can flavor the vegetables; the meat is returned to the wok at the end.) But stir-fries do not require meat: You can whip up a satisfying vegetarian meal in minutes. The trick to the perfect stirfry is preparation: cut and measure all ingredients before the wok is hot; once cooking starts there's little time for anything else. Constant stirring is critical so that all ingredients come in frequent contact with the hot pan.
2. Technique: roasting fish
Roasting, especially at 450[degrees] F or higher, is an excellent (though not commonly used) way to prepare fish. Roasting involves minimum prep work and little or no added fat, and you can pop the dish in and let the oven do all the work (vs. the constant attention pan-cooking demands). Roasting is best for whole fish (such as trout, red snapper and grouper), fish steaks (such as tuna and salmon) and thick fillets (such as cod, flounder and monkfish). You can roast any variety of fish, but note that thin fish fillets will cook in just a few minutes. The technique is lowfat because very little, if any, fat is added to the pan. The flesh will remain moist while the outside becomes a golden, crisp, flavorful crust.
Before roasting, make three to four 2-inch-long, 1/4 -inch-deep, evenly spaced slits along the top (either whole fish or fillets), so the marinade can permeate the flesh. These slits will also make it easier to determine when the fish is finished: The flesh should turn opaque throughout. You can also roast fish on a bed of vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers), which will cook right along with the fish.
3. Technique: pressing tofu
There are two reasons to press tofu: to remove water and to compact the bean curd. Pressing tofu eliminates any crumbliness (a quality many people dislike), and the result is a wonderfully springy soybean cutlet. Tofu is a lowfat form of protein compared to animal meat protein (3 ounces of firm tofu contains 2 grams of unsaturated fat vs. 6 grams of fat, of which are saturated, in a 3-ounce lean sirloin steak). Pressing tofu is a fun technique to add to your lowfat cooking repertoire because it changes the consistency of the tofu, making it denser and chewier and giving it a more "meatlike" mouthfeel. To press a block of firm or extra-firm tofu (firm and extra-firm tofu contain less water than the soft varieties, so they retain their shape and are better suited for this technique; soft tofu is better for dressings, dips, puddings and shakes), first pat the tofu block with paper towels to dry it. Wrap the tofu in a clean cotton kitchen towel, place it in a shallow pan (to collect any water) and then top th e tofu with a heavy cutting board. Top the cutting board with pots (to weigh the board down). Let the tofu stand for 30-60 minutes (depending on how compact you want the block to be); drain the pan halfway through pressing, if necessary. Use this technique before marinating and grilling tofu, or before adding the tofu to stir-fries, stews, casseroles and salads.
What You Need EVERY DAY
The foods and serving sizes presented below will provide the daily nutrients that are considered important for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and good health, and preventing disease.
Fruits and vegetables: 10 servings daily
Here's how to get your daily 10 using two of our recipes.
* Roasted Herb Salmon (page 133): 2 servings (when served with the spinach)
* Stir-Fry Mu Shu Vegetables With Chicken (page 128): 2 servings
* 1 cup chopped Romaine lettuce salad: 1 serving
* 10 baby carrots: 1 serving
* 1 cup raw broccoli florets: 1 serving
* 1 orange: 1 serving
* 1 banana: 1 serving
* 1 peach OR 1 nectarine OR 1 apple: 1 serving
Whole grains: 8-10 servings daily
With this list, you can get your daily dose using our recipes and a few extras.
* Roasted Herb Salmon: 1 serving (when served with the quinoa)
* Stir-Fry Mu Shu Vegetables With Chicken: 3 servings (when served with the brown rice)
* Thai-Style Tofu Kebabs (page 135): 1 serving
* 1 cup Cheerios or Raisin Bran cereal: 1 serving
* 1/2 cup cooked bulgur wheat OR 1/2 cup cooked barley: 1 serving
* 2 slices whole-grain bread: 2 servings
Fish: three 3-ounce servings each week
* Roasted Herb Salmon: 1 serving
* Stir-Fry Mu Shu Vegetables With Shrimp (replace chicken with shrimp; see "recipe note" on page 128): 1 serving
* Tuna sandwich (made with 3 ounces of white or light tuna in water): 1 serving
Soy foods: 1-2 servings a day
* Thai-Style Tofu Kebabs: 1 serving
* 1 cup light calcium-fortified soy milk: 1 serving
Calcium-rich foods
Strive for 1,000 milligrams per day, or 1,200 mg per day if you are over the age of 50. Try to eat at least one serving of a calcium-rich food from a nondairy source. These options can help meet your daily requirements.
* Roasted Herb Salmon (when served with the quinoa): 238 mg
* 1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice OR 1 cup calcium-fortified soy milk: 300 mg
* 1 cup nonfat milk: 316 mg OR 1 cup yogurt: 383 mg
* 1 cup Total cereal: 333 mg
Fat
In a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, fat should make up less than 30 percent (or 66 g) of the total calories. Of that, less than 10 percent (22 g) should come from saturated and trans fats, with the remaining 20 percent coming from heart-healthy fats, like monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Here's an example of how you can keep your fat intake percentages where they should be for the day using our recipes along with a few other healthful foods.
* Roasted Herb Salmon (served with spinach and quinoa): 24% calories from fat (10 g; g saturated)
* Thai-Style Tofu Kebabs: 22% calories from fat (9 g; <1 g saturated)
* 1 ounce almonds (14 g fat; 1 g saturated)
* 1 teaspoon olive or sesame oil ( g fat; <1 g saturated)
* 1 tablespoon peanut butter (8 g fat; g saturated)
* 1/2 avocado (15 g fat; g saturated)
YOUR DIET checklist
Answer each question with a yes or no:
Are most of the fats you eat the heart-healthy monounsaturated kind (such as the fat in olive, canola and peanut oils, sunflower seeds, almonds, avocados)?
[ ] yes [ ] no
Do you eat 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day?
[ ] yes [ ] no
Have you used tofu as a substitute for meat in recipes?
[ ] yes [ ] no
Do you make an effort to use lowfat cooking techniques, such as roasting, broiling or stir-frying?
[ ] yes [ ] no
Do you eat eight to 10 servings of whole grains every day?
[ ] yes [ ] no
If you didn't answer every question with a yes (or even if you did), get ready to lose weight and feel more energetic with this month's Shape Your Best Life Nutrition section.
Robin Vitetta-Miller, MS., is a nutritionist, food writer and author of The Newlywed Cookbook (Sourcebooks, 1999) and Verdure (Clarkson Potter, 2000).
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