Healthy Recipes for Cooler Weather

When it’s cold outside, nothing warms the heart like soup or a “comfort food” classic that sticks to your ribs.

Corn Chowder

Here’s a creamy chowder without the cream—or fat. 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp celery, finely diced

2 Tbsp onion, finely diced

2 Tbsp green pepper, finely diced

1 package (10 oz) frozen whole kernel corn

1 C raw potatoes, peeled, diced in 1/2-inch pieces

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 C water

1/4 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp flour

2 C lowfat or skim milk

Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add celery, onion, and green pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes.

1. Add corn, potatoes, water, salt, pepper, and paprika. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook covered for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
2. Place 1/2 cup of milk in jar with tight-fitting lid. Add flour and shake vigorously.
3. Gradually add milk-flour mixture to cooked vegetables. Then add remaining milk.
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to boil and thickens.
5. Serve garnished with chopped, fresh parsley.

Nutritional Information:

Yield: 4 servings

Serving size: 1 cup

Calories: 186

Total fat: 5 g

Saturated fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 5 mg

Sodium: 205 mg

Total fiber: 4 g

Protein: 7 g

Carbohydrates: 31 g

Potassium: 455 mg

Source: Keep the Beat: Heart Healthy Recipes from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Institute

 

Meatball Soup

This soup beefs up the health by using chicken with lean beef to lower the fat.

1/2 lb ground chicken

1/2 lb ground lean beef

10 C water

1 Tbsp annato (also called achiote), optional, for coloring

1 bay leaf

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 C green pepper, chopped

1 tsp mint

2 small tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp oregano

4 Tbsp instant corn flour

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 C cabbage, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 package (10 oz) frozen corn

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 medium chayote, chopped (added zucchini can be used instead)

1/2 C cilantro, minced

1. In large pot, combine water, annato, bay leaf, half of onion, green pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of mint. Bring to boil.
2. In bowl, combine chicken, beef, other half of onion, tomato, oregano, corn flour, pepper, garlic, and salt. Mix well. Form 1-inch meatballs. Place meatballs in boiling water and lower heat. Cook over low heat for 30–45 minutes.
3. Add carrots, chayote, cabbage, and celery. Cook over low heat for 25 minutes. Add corn and zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Garnish with cilantro and rest of mint.

Nutritional Information

Yield: 8 servings

Serving size: 1 1/4 cups

Calories: 161

Total fat: 4 g

Saturated fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 31 mg

Sodium: 193 mg

Total fiber: 4 g

Protein: 13 g

Carbohydrates: 17 g

Potassium: 461 mg

Source: Keep the Beat: Heart Healthy Recipes from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Institute

 

Beef Stroganoff

Lean top round beef and plain lowfat yogurt transform this rich dish into a heart healthy meal.

1 lb lean beef (top round), cubed

2 tsp vegetable oil

3/4 Tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 lb mushrooms, sliced

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 C white wine

1 C plain lowfat yogurt

6 C macaroni, cooked in unsalted water

Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in nonstick skillet. Sauté onion for 2 minutes.
3. Add beef and sauté for 5 minutes more. Turn to brown evenly. Remove from pan and keep hot.
4. Add remaining oil to pan and sauté mushrooms.
5. Add beef and onions to pan with seasonings.
6. Add wine and yogurt, and gently stir in. Heat, but do not boil.*
7. Serve with macaroni.

* If thickening is desired, use 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Calories are same as for flour, but cornstarch has double the thickening power. The calories for cornstarch are not included in the nutrients per serving given above. To add cornstarch, take small amount of wine and yogurt broth and put aside to cool. Stir in cornstarch. Add some of warm broth to cornstarch paste and stir. Then, add cornstarch mixture to pan.

Nutritional Information

Yield: 5 servings

Serving size: 6 oz

Calories: 499

Total fat: 10 g

Saturated fat: 3 g

Cholesterol: 80 mg

Sodium: 200 mg

Total fiber: 4 g

Protein: 41 g

Carbohydrates: 58 g

Potassium: 891 mg

Source: Keep the Beat: Heart Healthy Recipes from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Institute