Some Delicious & Healthy Food Recipes from Karen
Many people are intimidated by eating healthy. They think its going to be complicated or require a level of culinary skill that they don’t have. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Below we have included some healthy cooking recipes that anyone can follow. We hope these healthy food recipes help you to begin your path toward healthier living.
Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breasts
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 handful of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Whisk together all ingredients and pour over chicken breasts. Marinate for at least 1 hour. Grill chicken on the grill or grill pan for 5-7 minutes a side, depending on size and thickness of breasts.
Naked Pasta and Chicken Salad
I call this naked pasta because there’s no dressing on this salad. The marinated chicken adds all the “dressing” you need. The freshness of the parsley, basil and red wine vinegar on the pasta gives you the flavor of a dressing without the added oil.
Balsamic Marinate Chicken Breast, sliced at an angle
1 sliced cucumber
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced tomato
sliced red onion (as much as you want)
sliced radishes (as many as you want)
1 bag of pre-washed spinach
½ pound cooked rigatoni pasta
chopped parsley
chopped basil
splash of red wine vinegar (1-2 tablespoons or so)
salt & pepper
crumbles of queso fresco, feta or blue cheese (or whatever cheese you like)
Combine first seven ingredients in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Combine cooked rigatoni with the parsley, basil and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta mixture to the salad mixture. Add the crumbled cheese of your choice and serve!
Spicy Coconut Marinated Chicken with Mango & Avocado Salsa
The ingredients may seem exotic but you won’t believe how good this marinade is! I love Thai inspired cooking and this recipe is delightfully simple. The salsa is an absolute must with this dish. If you’re afraid of combining sweet with savory (like my husband), just try it! If I can convince Matthew that mangos and jalapenos go together, there’s hope for anyone. I like to serve this with a side of brown rice or whole wheat tortillas.
1 jalapeño, roughly chopped (remove seeds and veins if you prefer it less spicy)
3 green onions, roughly chopped
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
½ can unsweetened coconut milk (about 6 ounces)
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Put the jalapeño, green onions and cilantro into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the soy sauce, coconut milk, lime juice and lime zest and pulse until mixed. Add the chicken to a bowl or plastic baggie and pour the marinade on top. Coat the chicken completely and refrigerate. Let it marinate for a least an hour. Remove chicken from the marinade and pat each breast with a paper towel to remove the excess. The chicken will not brown if there’s too much marinade on it. Grill the chicken on a grill or grill pan for 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on the size and thickness of the breasts. Serve with the Mango & Avocado Salsa on top (recipe follows). Squeeze more lime juice on top if desired and garnish with cilantro.
Mango Salsa
1 mango, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (remove seeds and veins if you don’t want it too spicy)
½ cup red onion, diced
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
Mix all ingredients together and let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend. Serve on top of the chicken.
Herbed Olive Chicken Thighs with Lemon
I saw a similar recipe in an issue of Cooking Light magazine and it inspired me to share mine (much more delicious, of course)!
6 skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic
1-2 cups chicken broth
10-12 jumbo green olives, chopped or sliced
5 chopped sweet cherry peppers & a tablespoon or so of the juice
1 chopped sprig of thyme (or equivalent of dried thyme)
1 chopped sprig of rosemary (or equivalent of dried rosemary)
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp lemon juice
Handful of chopped parsley
Salt & pepper
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken thighs. Brown them on both sides in the olive oil (about 4 minutes per side). Remove from pan & set aside. Add the onions to the same pan & sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic and herbs. Sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the chicken broth & scrape the pan to get all the good stuff off the bottom. Add the olives and sweet peppers and the sweet pepper juice. Put the chicken back in the pan and lower the heat. Cover & simmer for 30 minutes or so. Add the lemon zest, juice and parsley just at the end. Serve over whole wheat pasta, couscous or brown rice.
Grilled Halibut with Oh Boy! Bulgar Salad
If you’ve never had bulgar, you’ll be amazed at how delicious it is and how easy it is to make. You may know it as the main ingredient in Tabbouleh but it’s very versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. Bulgar is basically just cracked wheat and is low in fat and high in fiber (about 7 grams per serving). This salad can be served cold as a side dish, or topped with fish (pictured) or chicken. You won’t believe how good it is! Once you try it, you’ll want to find a million ways to prepare it. I had some pistachios, so I added them but the salad is just as delicious without nuts. Same goes for the hard boiled eggs.
Grilled Halibut:
4 Halibut filets, about 6 ounces each
Olive Oil
Grill seasoning or salt and pepper
Fresh lime juice
Preheat grill or grill pan. Brush halibut with olive oil on both sides and season with either your favorite grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side. Squeeze lime juice over the top.
Oh Boy! Bulgar salad:
1 cup of bulgar
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 chopped red onion
1 cup frozen corn
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tbsp chopped jalapeno
1 juiced lime
1 chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded)
2 chopped tomatoes (seeded)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups fresh spinach
4 hard boiled eggs (optional)
1/2 cup roasted pistachios (optional)
Salt and pepper
Boil the water and pour it over the bulgar in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and let is soak for 15-30 minutes. Drain the bulgar in a colander and set it aside. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the red onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the corn, garlic and jalapeno. Cook for a few more minutes and then let it cool. Add the mixture to the drained bulgar, along with the lime, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro and pistachios. Season with salt and pepper. Lay some fresh spinach on each plate and add a scoop of bulgar salad. Put a halibut filet on top and surround with slices of hard boiled egg.
