You’re what you eat! Or, so the saying goes. Prevention magazine has come up with some of the healthiest recipes on the planet in their new cookbook, “101 Recipes You Can’t Live Without.”
Prevention’s contributing editor, Leslie Bonci, dropped by Access Hollywood Live to share a few recipes for healing dishes.
SWISS CHARD, EGGPLANT & MUSHROOM LASAGNA
(serves 10)
INGREDIENTS:
3 medium eggplant, trimmed (3 pounds)
3.5 pounds Swiss chard, thick stems trimmed, chopped
12 ounces mushrooms, chopped (about 3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 cups part-skim ricotta, drained
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
4 cups prepared reduced-sodium marinara sauce
1 package (9 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles, preferably whole wheat
1.5 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 1 ounce)
DIRECTIONS:
1. HEAT the broiler. Slice the eggplant lengthwise, 1⁄3” thick. Coat the slices on both sides with cooking spray and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, working in two batches, and broil 6” from the heat until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and broil until the opposite sides are browned and the flesh is very tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. FILL a large pot with about 1⁄2” of water and place a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and add the Swiss chard, working in two batches. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain thoroughly. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the chard tightly with your hands to extract as much water as possible and blot the chard dry with a clean kitchen towel.
3. HEAT the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and liquid has evaporated, 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the garlic and pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute. Add the Swiss chard and cook until heated through and any liquid has evaporated, 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4.COMBINE the ricotta, egg, and egg whites in a large bowl and season with freshly ground black pepper.
5. SPREAD 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a deep-dish, 9” × 13” baking dish. Add 4 noodles and cover with half of the ricotta, then half of the eggplant, then half of the Swiss chard-mushroom mixture, then 1⁄2 cup of the mozzarella, and then 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat the layers again, starting with the noodles and ending with 1 cup sauce. Top with a third layer of noodles (you may have some leftover), the remaining 1 cup sauce, and 1⁄2 cup mozzarella. Top with the Parmesan.
6. COVER with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned, 15 minutes longer. Rest 30 minutes, slice into 10 pieces, and serve.
*****
PUMPKIN SEED-COATED CHICKEN BREASTS W/BULGAR PILAF
(serves 4)
INGREDIENTS:
3⁄4 cup bulgur
3⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds (1½ cups)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1.5 teaspoons cumin seeds
Juice of 2 limes (about 1⁄4 cup)
1⁄3 cup dried cranberries
4 scallions, white and some green, thinly sliced (about 1⁄3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus leaves for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
1. HEAT the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring 11⁄8 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the bulgur and 1⁄8 teaspoon salt. Return to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. COAT a baking sheet with cooking spray. Pulse the pumpkin seeds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add the chili powder and 1⁄8 teaspoon salt and pulse once or twice to combine.
3. PLACE 3 shallow bowls in front of you. Add the flour to the first bowl. Beat the eggs in the second bowl and season with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the pumpkin seeds to the third bowl. Dip the chicken breasts in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg, then press into the pumpkin seeds so the mixture adheres. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning once about halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. HEAT the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until partially softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and cumin seeds and cook until tender and lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the bulgur and stir to combine. Stir in the lime juice, cranberries, scallions, and chopped parsley. Divide the chicken and bulgur among 4 plates and garnish with parsley leaves.
*****
SEAFOOD PAELLA
(servings 4)
INGREDIENTS:
3 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, diced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 large red bell pepper, chopped (about 1¼ cups)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup short- or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 can (14.5 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon saffron
16 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
Lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS:
1. HEAT a large heavy skillet or paella pan on medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate with a slotted spatula and press lightly with another paper towel to drain.
2. DISCARD all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the chorizo and raise the heat to medium high. Season the shrimp with the paprika, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and opaque in the thickest part, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. ADD the bell pepper and onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, rice, and 1⁄2 cup of the parsley and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the rice turns opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, peas, saffron, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally during the first 20 minutes of cooking, until the rice is cooked through, the bottom layer of rice has turned light brown and crisp in spots, and the liquid is absorbed, 24 to 28 minutes. (If the water evaporates before the rice is cooked through, add more as needed.) Stir in the chorizo and shrimp and remove from the heat.
4. FILL a large pot with about 1⁄2” water, insert a steamer basket, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the clams, and steam, covered, until the shells open, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the clams to a bowl as they open and discard any that do not open. Divide the paella among 4 bowls and top with the clams. Serve with the lemon wedges.
*****
STRAWBERRY-RICOTTA CREPES
(serves 10)
INGREDIENTS:
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 pounds strawberries, cored and finely chopped (about 4 cups)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), about 1⁄3 cup
5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus extra (optional) for serving
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
3⁄4 cup white whole wheat flour
2 large eggs
2 cups fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons (about 4 teaspoons)
DIRECTIONS:
1. ADD the lemon juice, granulated sugar, and 2 cups of the strawberries to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the berries are very soft and broken down and the liquid is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
2. COMBINE the ricotta, cream cheese, 4 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar, and the remaining berries in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. WHISK together both flours, the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, add the milk and vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk until no lumps remain.
4. HEAT an 8” skillet on medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and pour about 1⁄4 cup of the batter into the skillet. Immediately tilt the skillet and swirl the batter around to coat the entire cooking surface. Cook until the bottom side is golden brown, 1 to 11⁄2 minutes. Loosen with a spatula and flip, using the spatula and your fingers to help turn the crepe. Cook until the opposite side is golden brown, reducing the heat to medium low if the crepe browns too quickly, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel.
5. REPEAT with the remaining batter, spraying the skillet with cooking spray each time. Stack the finished crepes, placing wax paper or parchment paper between them to prevent sticking, and keep covered with the towel.
6. SPREAD about 1⁄4 cup of the ricotta mixture over each crepe. Loosely fold in half and fold again to form triangles. Reheat the reserved strawberry sauce on low heat, if necessary. Top each crepe with about 2 tablespoons of the sauce and garnish with the lemon zest. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top, if using.
For more, visit Prevention magazine’s website.
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