The Healthy Meals Thread

[Claudel Xerxes]

Forgive me. But as much as I love a great steak, or bacon, or sausage, or brisket, or deep fried turkey, or... Ahem. Long story short, I wanted to make a thread dedicated to some healthier dishes and meals. This doesn't mean that the dishes need to be completely void of sugar or fat or carbs, but just dishes and meals that are health conscience. Or meals that are well-balanced. Any takers?

 

[beginish]

Absolutely. I enjoy rich foods as much as the next guy, but I find my body screaming for less meet and more veg more and more often.

 

[Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt]

Follow Forks over Knives on FB or Twitter. You will get healthy meal overload. I've been using Americas Test Kitchen Vegetarian cookbook for the last few months and they have some super ideas. All copyrighted so I won't put them here.

My kids have really taken to vegetarian refried bean soft taco night. If you lightly fry the whole wheat tortillas it takes all of twenty minutes to make. Add some brown rice to give it a little more texture. Top as you like.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

I find that certain combinations of food are what make my stomach and energy levels healthy. Eating a protein with starchy foods like potatoes or beans is not a good choice for me (This is not a hard and fast rule but one I follow routinely). The stomach has to use acid to break down the protein and an alkaline to break down the starches, cancelling each other out, therefore sitting in your stomach and intestines longer. That's why I don't put beans in my chili. Fat and butter are not bad for you. Eating them in massive quantities along with wrong choices in veggies is another thing.

Canned & boxed foods I don't eat unless it is chicken stock or crushed tomatoes. I like the frozen veggies when not available like green beans and black-eyed peas. Plus, frozen veggies don't have any salt, unlike every canned food on the shelf.

When in doubt....eat lot's of hot sauce.

 

[Pepin]

A favourite healthy pasta recipe (which is easy to switch around) is:

Cook 3 cups of your favourite pasta (penne, rotini, linguini)

1. Saute some chopped red onion in olive oil.
2. Saute three other vegetables you like ( I usually choose from mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, etc.).
3. Add some diced tomatoes
4. Add salt, ground pepper, herbs (fresh or dried depending on the time of year) basil, thyme, marjoram.
5. When cooked, drain the pasta
6. Mix the pasta with the vegetables, herbs, olive oil.
7. Crumble some feta cheese over it, stir over low heat for about 30 seconds or so.

Serve and enjoy.

 

[davent]

Three night a week i have stir fried vegetables with rice, usually white basmati but presently have a bag of mostyl brwon with some red and black as well. Third of a cup of raw rice per serving. Usually a mix of brassicas, mushrooms, red peppers, loads of fresh ginger onion and garlic. If there's a leftover animal protein meat in the fridge i'l add an ounce or two of that, sometimes i'll prepare a block of tofu and add cubes of that but most of the time just vegetables.

Tasty, colourful, crunchy, endlessly variable and to my mind at least, healthy. Flavoured with soya sauce, MSG free oyster sauce, hot sauce and chicken stock. Doing this for a number of decades now and no intention to stop, still look forward to it.

Other days can be a bit over the top, but with moderation, portion control and great ingredients it may verge on being healthy?

And always a fresh garden salad with a balsamic vinaigrette and feta.

dave

 

[Pepin]

[MENTION=89559]davent[/MENTION] that sounds, and looks delicious. I will have to try that.

I use Thai Kitchens curry along with soy sauce, fish sauce to make a sauce for some stir-fry's.

 

[Luc]

I don't do much as I plan 1 vegetarian meal and 1 fish meal a week.

The fish meal usually rotates around fish tacos or fish with risotto (risotto tends to be heavier with the cheese and all). During summer time, I simply grill some fish on the weber with some green veggies or salad.

The vegetarian meal is something that makes me scratch my head each week. I always need to have one but struggle to pick something. It could be bean based (pasta flagole), bbq based (portobello burger) or simply something else like mac and cheese. The vitamix cookbook has an interesting Alfredo sauce with tofu, roasted red peppers and cheese. It actually tastes pretty good and I am not a tofu person at all.

My discovery so far goes for a product named "Quark" found in the cheese/milk section of the grocery store. It surprisingly has nothing and 0.25% fat. Other than being close to tasteless (no salt), it's decent once you add a bit of salt.

I make a Martguerita pizza sometimes which I consider light since there's no meat (make the dough, sauce and bake it).

 

[davent]

Thanks Pepin!
[MENTION=13506]Luc[/MENTION] if you can get past the 'gimmick' Thug Kitchen has been a surprisingly good vegan cookbook, no disappointments so far. I'd seen it in the book store but didn't even bother looking through it, i just thought marketing gimmick. Some time later my wife bought a copy, suits her sense of humor, i've been enjoying the food.

Pretty sure i saw a copy in our library, maybe yours too.

And their second book was under the Christmas tree.
dave

 

[Pepin]

I don't do much as I plan 1 vegetarian meal and 1 fish meal a week.

The fish meal usually rotates around fish tacos or fish with risotto (risotto tends to be heavier with the cheese and all). During summer time, I simply grill some fish on the weber with some green veggies or salad.

The vegetarian meal is something that makes me scratch my head each week. I always need to have one but struggle to pick something. It could be bean based (pasta flagole), bbq based (portobello burger) or simply something else like mac and cheese. The vitamix cookbook has an interesting Alfredo sauce with tofu, roasted red peppers and cheese. It actually tastes pretty good and I am not a tofu person at all.

My discovery so far goes for a product named "Quark" found in the cheese/milk section of the grocery store. It surprisingly has nothing and 0.25% fat. Other than being close to tasteless (no salt), it's decent once you add a bit of salt.

I make a Martguerita pizza sometimes which I consider light since there's no meat (make the dough, sauce and bake it).

I have two nice quick fish dishes I make.

Salmon with a Mustard Glaze
1. Place a salmon fillet on a rack or foil.
2. Broil for a couple of minutes. (Until half done)
3. Mix a tablespoon each of Dijon and coarse-grained mustards, add some herbs (dried or fresh), add some salt and ground pepper, and a little white wine (or lemon juice).
4. When the fillet is half done take it out of the oven, spread the glaze over it and return to broil until done (timing depends on the thickness of the fillet).
Note: you can also do this with a maple glaze as well. Mixing maple syrup, spices, brown sugar.

Salmon in Parchment
1. Dice some celery, and shallots (or red onion).
2. Mix this with salt and ground pepper.
3. Get a piece of parchment roughly 14" x 14"
4. In the center place a small handful of the mixture.
5. Place a salmon fillet on top.
6. Put a quarter wedge of fresh lemon on top, with a few herbs.
7. Grab the corners of the parchment and twist it into a bundle.
8. Bake in the oven 350 for about 20 minutes (time depends on the thickness of the fillet).
Very flavouful as it cooks with the lemon, and steam from the diced vegetables.

 

[simon1]

Is grilled chicken, 'taters, and a green considered healthy?

Y'all knew there was gonna be a post like this.

Bacon wrapped chicken wings grilled indirect over lump charcoal and hickory, 'tater chips, and a pickle! And a cold beer of course for the extra carbs and calories.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Is grilled chicken, 'taters, and a green considered healthy?

Y'all knew there was gonna be a post like this.

Bacon wrapped chicken wings grilled indirect over lump charcoal and hickory, 'tater chips, and a pickle! And a cold beer of course for the extra carbs and calories.

 

[simon1]

Oh, I forgot to include the Rotel cheese dip for the potato chips in the pic.

My bad.

 

[Luc]

Thanks Pepin!
[MENTION=13506]Luc[/MENTION] if you can get past the 'gimmick' Thug Kitchen has been a surprisingly good vegan cookbook, no disappointments so far. I'd seen it in the book store but didn't even bother looking through it, i just thought marketing gimmick. Some time later my wife bought a copy, suits her sense of humor, i've been enjoying the food.

Pretty sure i saw a copy in our library, maybe yours too.

And their second book was under the Christmas tree.
dave

I will have a look

 

[GMJager]

Sweet and spicy Sriracha Tofu on brown rice. This was REALLY good. Crispy and tasty

 

[natenaaron]

Grilled portobello sandwiches are tasty.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

There are some great suggestions and amusing temptations (thanks, [MENTION=27468]simon1[/MENTION] Those wings look absolutely delicious).

This thread has recently become more important to me because my father died of a completely sudden, unexpected massive heart attack on the 17th, and I just got a call from my doctor two days ago telling me that I need to strictly eat low calorie, low-fat (bad fat) foods until I get some tests done in a couple of weeks. I'll try to post some of the stuff I'll be eating on here to keep the attention of anyone who's interested in having some healthy mean choices.

 

[langod]

Here's my once-a week go to for low-fat, low-cal chicken "Curry". It's not anything approaching real curry, just a curry-tasting stew. It's really quick to make, and my family loves it.

According to my math, it should come out to about 250 calories for 1 cup.
Served over Long grain brown rice adds about 150 calories per 1/2 cup cooked.
Almost no fat to speak of.

Makes 2-3 servings.

1 large chicken breast
1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings, then into half rings.
1 1lb of frozen vegetable mix of your choice (I like Birdseye "Normandy" -- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Zucchini)
2-3 Tbls curry paste (like Pataks)
1/4 cup water
2 cups lowfat/no-fat chicken broth
salt/pepper/hot sauce to taste
Cooked rice for serving

Get rice started if necessary. Mix curry paste and water together to make a slurry.

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, brown the chicken breast. You don't have to cook it through as it will cook more in the curry. When browned, remove, set aside and add onions to pan. Continue cooking onions at medium heat until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Dice or shred chicken while the onions cook.
Add curry slurry, vegetables, chicken and enough chicken stock to make a nice sauce and to provide enough liquid to steam the veggies. Cook covered at a strong simmer for about 15 minutes or until vegetables reach desired doneness. Stir occasionally, adding more broth if necessary.
Season with salt/pepper and hot sauce. (I think Sriracha works well in this dish.)

Serve over rice, garnishing as desired. Some suggestions: cilantro, diced tomato, black cardamom seeds, crispy onions, raisins, canned peaches or apricots. (If using raisins, add them to the curry a few minutes before serving so they "plump" up.)

 

[davent]

Tonight's supper for one, the usual stir fry with salad. Put the white basmati rice on set the timer for a half hour, chop and prep veg and put the salad together. Timer bell goes and i'm stir frying the vegetables. Takes very little oil to stirfry, just have to keep the vegetables moving in the wok.

For brown rice 45-50 minute to cook.

Tonight added a wee bit of leftover braised pork shoulder and leftover roast chicken at the end of cooking the vegetables and thickening the sauce.

Salad of mesclun, button mushroom, red pepper, carrot and green onion, it's the dressing where the damage might get done.

dave

 

[davent]

Did this one tonight as part of the March Mess Hall Cook Off.

I think a healthy easy to put together meal and ultimately super tasty!

Two pounds of overnight marinated, skinless/boneless chicken thighs roasted 35 minutes on a bed of curried cauliflower, green olives and reconstituted dried apricot pieces. Chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon to finish.

From Fine Cooking Oct/Nov. 2015

dave