The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (30 page)

¾ cup quinoa

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

1½ cups water

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chopped broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. (There is no need to rinse the broccoli.)

Place the quinoa in a fine-meshed wire sieve and rinse under cold running water to remove its naturally occurring invisible bitter coating. Drain well.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the quinoa, add the water and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover tightly. Simmer until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid, about 20 minutes. (Don’t worry if a little liquid remains.)

Remove from the heat and add the broccoli. Do not stir. Cover tightly and let stand for 5 minutes to reheat the broccoli. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 110 calories, 4 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 261 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 starchy vegetable, 1 vegetable.

Creamed Spinach with Mushrooms

You can have “steakhouse night” with this seemingly sinful classic and the Filet Mignon
au Poivre
with Bourbon-Shallot Sauce
here
. Or serve it topped with roasted or grilled chicken breast or roasted salmon fillet for a truly delicious meal. Don’t bother to use fresh spinach here… frozen works beautifully.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (10-ounce) packages thawed frozen spinach, squeezed to remove excess liquid

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups low-fat (1%) milk

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, to evaporate the excess liquid, about 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over the milk and whisk to dissolve. Stir into the spinach mixture and cook, stirring often, until boiling and thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 98 calories, 7 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber, 9 mg cholesterol, 272 mg sodium, 573 mg potassium. Food groups: 1½ vegetables, ½ dairy.

Sugar Snap Peas and Lemon Butter

In this side dish, the delicate flavors of sugar snap peas, butter, and chives combine so the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A little butter (or any oil) helps the body absorb the vegetables’ nutrients more efficiently.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Freshly grated zest of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar snap peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Scoop out and reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Drain the sugar snap peas in a colander.

Return the sugar snap peas to the saucepan and add the reserved water, butter, lemon zest and juice, chives, salt, and pepper. Mix well, allowing the melting butter to mingle with the water. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 62 calories, 2 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g fiber, 8 mg cholesterol, 53 mg sodium, 174 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 vegetable, ½ fat.

Summer Squash and Walnut Sauté

Two kinds of squash, green and yellow, are complemented by crunchy walnuts in this quick side dish.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then into ¼-inch-thick slices

1 medium yellow summer squash, cut in half lengthwise and then into ¼-inch-thick slices

¼ cup chopped walnuts

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch of kosher salt

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the jalapeño and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute.

Add the zucchini and yellow squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, garlic, and salt and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 61 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium, 131 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Squash and Bell Pepper Casserole

Here is an old-fashioned vegetable dish that everyone knows and loves, with extra flavor from green peppers and Italian seasonings. To save washing an extra pan, use an ovenproof skillet that can perform double duty.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

2 medium yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise and then into ½-inch-thick slices

1 small yellow onion, chopped

½ medium green bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch dice

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (
here
)

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs), preferably whole-wheat panko (see
here
)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in an ovenproof medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the yellow squash and sauté, stirring often, until it is beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Italian Seasoning.

In a small bowl, stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the garlic. Add the panko and mix well. Sprinkle evenly over the squash mixture.

Bake until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Serve hot from the skillet.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 84 calories, 2 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 281 mg potassium. Food groups: 2 vegetables, 1 fat.

Sweet Potato Steak Fries

Orange sweet potatoes (also called yams) add color and flavor to everyday meals. Roasted at high temperature, they can be ready for serving in a surprisingly short time. (A true sweet potato, also called batata or boniato, has yellow flesh and isn’t as sweet as the orange variety.) If you want to add a bit of spice, substitute 1 teaspoon chili powder for the black pepper. Note that sweet potatoes count as vegetable servings, and they have the calories of starchy foods. If you are tracking servings, count it under both categories (that is, 2 starches and 2 vegetables).

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

3 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (1½ pounds)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with oil.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut each lengthwise into 6 long wedges. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray with the oil, toss, and spray again. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the fries and bake until lightly browned and tender, about 15 minutes more. Season with the salt and pepper, toss well, and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 148 calories, 3 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 5 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 575 mg potassium. Food group servings: 2 starchy vegetables.

Desserts

Baked Apples Stuffed with Cranberries and Walnuts

Buttermilk
Panna Cotta
with Fresh Berries

Cantaloupe and Mint Ice Pops

Peach and Granola Parfaits

Easy Pear Crisp

Roasted Pineapple with Maple Glaze

Fresh Strawberries with Chocolate Dip

Sometimes the best dessert is nothing more than seasonal ripe fruit. When the occasion calls for something more complex, use fruit as the main ingredient to reap its many health benefits. The Make It Your Way Granola
here
(much less sugary than commercial versions) can be put to good use in desserts as a cinnamon-spiced topping for a crisp or to layer with juicy fruit and creamy yogurt. These desserts use the minimum amount of such natural sweeteners as honey and agave. (If you want to substitute refined sugars, go ahead, but so many of my students are interested in the natural sweeteners that I have complied with their requests.) So when the mood strikes, treat yourself to a healthful dessert.