The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth (14 page)

6 fresh pineapple rings (prepared, in the refrigerator case)

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

2 cups (330 g) precooked frozen brown rice (e.g., Trader Joe’s Frozen Organic Brown Rice)

2 cups (40 g) loosely packed baby arugula or baby spinach

Preheat the grill to medium heat (or preheat the oven broiler).

To make the teriyaki sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the juice, tamari, mirin, ginger, and garlic powder, if using. Set 1/3 of the teriyaki sauce aside. Pour the remaining 2/3 of the teriyaki sauce over the salmon to coat and use it to baste the salmon several times while grilling.

Sprinkle the pineapple with pepper, if desired. Grill the salmon and pineapple rings for 2 to 3 minutes per side (depending on thickness), or until the fish reaches desired doneness and the pineapple rings have light grill marks.

Prepare the frozen rice as directed on the package and stir in the arugula, if using, while it’s piping hot, letting it rest for a minute or two to wilt. Serve the fish over the rice and greens and dress to taste with the remaining third of the teriyaki dressing.

Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 561 Calories; 7g Fat (10.3% calories from fat); 48g Protein; 87g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 88mg Cholesterol; 745mg Sodium

Jonny’s Mega Omega Salmon
in a Snap

From Dr. Jonny
: This is one of the few recipes in the several books Chef Jeannette and I have done together that I can actually take credit for inventing—hence the title! Although I’m no gourmet cook, I’ve learned to throw a few things together over the years that taste good, are easy as pie to make, and are nutritionally fabulous. I gave the outline of my very unscientific recipe to Chef Jeannette—“throw in a handful of spinach”—she worked out the delicious details, and came up with this much better version! The thing of it is, wild salmon blends beautifully with sautéed spinach, and when both are lightly cooked in the best coconut oil on the planet, the resulting taste is superb. We love the organic spice pack that comes with the salmon we get from Vital Choice (see
www.jonnybowden.com
, under Online Store/Healthy Foods), but you can make your own spice mix or use salt and pepper—just don’t forget the turmeric. Turmeric is the superspice of all time, having both serious anti-inflammatory properties and some anticancer activity as well. You can knock this dish out in less than 10 minutes. Full of flavor, it satisfies without stuffing, and best of all, it has minimal impact on blood sugar, ensuring that you won’t experience cravings and hunger ten minutes after the meal! Note: I sometimes sprinkle a few slivered almonds on the dish right before it finishes cooking.

1 1/2 tablespoons (25 ml) Barlean’s coconut oil

4 Vital Choice Wild Alaskan skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces or 170 g each), thawed

2 Vital Choice organic spice packs (included with the salmon order, or use salt and black pepper, to taste)

1 bag (6 ounces or 170 g) triple-washed baby spinach

1 teaspoon turmeric

3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

2 tablespoons (28 ml) water

2 teaspoons butter

Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the salmon fillets to the pan and sprinkle the Vital Choice spice packs to taste over the surface of the fillets. Sear for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Flip and sear the uncooked side for 1 minute, sprinkling the spice packs on the seared sides, to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the spinach.

Sprinkle the turmeric and lemon pepper over the spinach and add the water. Cover for 2 minutes. Remove the cover, add the butter, stir, and recover for about 1 to 3 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Do not overcook!

Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 276 Calories; 14g Fat (45.3% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 94mg Cholesterol; 231mg Sodium

From Dr. Jonny
: A reader wrote in to my “Ask the Doc” column in
Clean Eating
magazine and asked whether smoking (or drying) salmon affects its omega-3 fat content. The answer is kind of a cool math problem. The omega-3 content remains exactly the same—unaffected by smoking or drying. But because there is less moisture in the fish, the omega-3 is now more concentrated. So an ounce of regular salmon (part of which is water) has less omega-3 by
percentage
than an ounce of dried salmon (none of which is water). Get it? Don’t worry if you didn’t—the point is, smoked salmon is still a great source of omega-3 fats, and this particular hearty and satisfying dish is especially rich and slightly smoky!

1 cup (195 g) uncooked whole wheat orzo

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 cups (240 g) prepared diced onion (or 1 yellow or Vidalia onion, diced)

1 cup (460 g) soft silken tofu

3/4 cup (175 ml) milk (cow’s, unsweetened plain, soy, or almond)

3 tablespoons (45 g) Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon (15 ml) brandy or cognac

1 tablespoon (11 g) mustard seeds

2 cups (300 g) peas (or use 1 can [14 ounces or 400 g] quartered artichoke hearts, well drained)

1 package (8 ounces or 225 g) sliced smoked salmon, in 1-inch (2.5 cm) strips

Prepare the orzo according to the package directions.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. While the onion is sautéing, blend together the tofu, milk, mustard, and brandy, using an immersion blender or food processor. Stir in the mustard seeds.

When the onion is tender, add the cream sauce, peas, and salmon, and mix gently to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until hot throughout. Serve over the hot orzo.

Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 503 Calories; 15g Fat (26.6% calories from fat); 34g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 35mg Cholesterol; 218mg Sodium

From Dr. Jonny
: Chef Jeannette and I were talking the other day, and we both have noticed the explosion of “limited-ingredient” products that are hitting the supermarket shelves. Seems there’s a premium on simplicity these days—one of my favorite brands of dog food even has a limited-ingredient version. The appeal of five-ingredient recipes is that you know exactly what’s in them, and they’re generally really easy to make. Here’s Chef Jeannette’s version of a five-ingredient nutritional powerhouse. (Okay, I’m fudging slightly. There’s a sixth optional ingredient herb.) By now you’ve heard me talk about the benefits of salmon so many times, you’re probably sick of hearing about it, but in case you missed it the first 100 times, salmon is high in omega-3 fats, which contribute to the health of your brain and heart; high in protein; and high in a powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin. All the ingredients in this dish are easy to find—look for the sweet chili sauce in the Asian or ethnic section of any large grocery store.

1 large egg

2 tablespoons (28 g) sweet chili sauce, plus extra for topping

2 tablespoons (5 g) minced fresh basil or cilantro, optional

1 can (14 3/4 ounces or 420 g) wild Alaskan salmon (or 2 cans [7.5 ounces or 210 g each] Vital Choice Wild Red), drained and flaked

2 tablespoons (10 g) quick-cooking oats

2 teaspoons sesame oil

In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, 2 tablespoons (28 g) of the chili sauce, and fresh herb, if using. Add the salmon and oats and mix until well combined. Form into four 1-inch (2.5 cm) patties. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the patties and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Serve the salmon cakes with extra chili sauce for topping, if desired.

Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 172 Calories; 7g Fat (39.5% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 90mg Sodium

From Dr. Jonny
: Okay, I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a huge fan of the sandwich as a go-to meal. Why? Because your basic deli sandwich uses junky, low-quality, high-carb bread and meats that are filled with nitrate and sodium, not to mention sauces loaded with sugar. But there’s no doubt that a sandwich can make an excellent quick (and healthy!) meal, providing you build it with the right materials.

We use sprouted-grain wraps and pockets, but you can also use whole-grain options. Sprouted grains retain their natural plant enzymes, which are beneficial for digestion and are also nutrient rich. Some argue that the nutrients in sprouted-grain breads are easier to absorb, but others argue that the effect is minor. No matter. Sprouted, and whole-grain, wraps are preferable to the bulky rolls made with refined white flour that come with the average deli sandwich. Whole grains are fine, but make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat or whole oats, and look for at least 2 grams of fiber per slice, preferably 3. For protein and omega-3 fats you can’t do better than salmon. Heirloom tomatoes taste like tomatoes are supposed to taste, plus they offer a nice helping of the antioxidant lycopene.

1/2 can (6 ounces or 170 g) wild salmon, drained (we like Vital Choice)

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (25 to 28 ml) prepared ginger dressing, to taste

2 tablespoons (20 g) diced red onion

1/4 cup (35 g) grated English cucumber (or seeded regular cucumber)

Sprouted-grain pita pocket

1/2 cup (10 g) spring or mesclun mix

2 slices heirloom tomato

In a small bowl, mix together the salmon, dressing, red onion, and cucumber until well combined.

Slice the pita open, leaving one section connected so it holds together. Open it and lay the greens and tomato slices over one half. Pile the salmon mixture on top and close the top over all to cover.

Yield
: 1 sandwich
Per Serving
: 480 Calories; 16g Fat (30.4% calories from fat); 43g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 88mg Cholesterol; 650mg Sodium