Healthy Recipes

Growing older is an inevitable part of life. Our diets have a powerful impact on growing older and the aging process. By choosing the right foods getting older does not have to mean feeling older. Knowing how to counteract the effects of aging through a healthy diet can help you maintain youth, add some years to your life span and give you a renewed sense of well being.  Keep your calorie consumption and fat intake down, eat plenty of whole grain, fish, fruits and vegetables to help stretch your life-span a bit further. Turning back the clock may not be so difficult after all, especially if you have a few great recipes to motivate you to healthy eating.

Here are a few great recipes that we love and eat often.

Seafood Stew

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove minced

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

1-1/2 cups diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce ( 8 oz.)

3 tablespoons dry red wine

4 ½ teaspoons fresh oregano minced

4 ½ teaspoons fresh parsley minced

2 cans of chopped clams or ( 8-10 fresh clams)

12 uncooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined

¼ pound of scallops

¼ pound white fish cut in bite size pieces

Saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, add wine, tomato sauce, oregano and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the clams, shrimp, scallops and whitefish. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and the scallops are opaque. Serves 2-4 Approximately 300 calories in 1 3/4 cups. If you like it a bit spicy you can add 2 teaspoons of chili powder or ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
This is an adapted version of a recipe found in Cooking For 2, 2007.

Capellini with Pine Nuts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chicken

(Shrimp or scallops can be substituted for the chicken)

4 oz. whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta

3 oz. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. chicken breast tenderloins cut into bite-size pieces

½ tsp. salt

3 cloves of garlic minced

¼ cup minced basil

½ cup pine nuts

( I also add an 8oz. can of diced tomatoes)

1. Prepare the pasta per package instructions and soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and save the water. Chop the tomatoes.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat while the pasta is cooking.

3. Season chicken with salt to taste. Add chicken and garlic, stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes water and can of tomatoes, cook until chicken is done. About 5 minutes.

4. Drain pasta, add to skillet and toss, add basil. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Serves about 4..about 390 calories per serving.
This is an adapted version of a recipe found in Prevention Magazine March 2008.

Lemon Chicken and Mushrooms

4 chicken thighs

1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms

1 whole lemon

2-3 Tbsp. of lemon pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Sprinkle the olive oil in a glass baking pan. Place the chicken in the pan. Arrange the mushrooms around and on top of the chicken. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and mushrooms. Make sure it is drenched good in the juice of the lemon. Sprinkle the lemon pepper liberally over the chicken and mushrooms. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for1 ½ hours. (I sometimes cut up 2 small red potatoes and add that to the mushrooms and chicken as well) Serves 2.

Feeling like you need a treat?

Here is some good news especially if you like wine and chocolate.

One or two glasses of red wine a day can work to protect the body from the effects of aging. An antioxidant called resveratrol is found in red wine that helps keep the body young. Good quality dark chocolate also contains antioxidants that have been found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and provides an energy boost. Have a small piece daily.

It is a known fact that lean eaters do outlive their voracious eating counterparts. So stay slim and eat healthy!! Great New Year’s resolution for all of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Here’s to your good health and a long and prosperous life.

ChucknGayle