Cool Salmon for a Hot Day



This dinner is very low in calories with a side roll and fruit salad.  We
like this when the weather is hot and don't feel that hungry.  Start
 by poaching your salmon filet earlier in the day and keep it chilled in the refrigerator.

Yesterday boasted 100+ degree weather here in the Bay Area.  My family needed a supper that wouldn't heat up the kitchen and was cool to eat.

A shredded vegetable salad tossed with lime vinaigrette and topped with poached salmon seemed like a good idea.  The salmon was cooked early in the day and kept chilled.  Served with fresh fruit and a whole grain roll, this was super simple and refreshing.

Serves:  1 

Place a 3 or 4 ounce salmon filet in a medium-sized skillet and add enough water to cover.  Simmer for about 7 minutes or until cooked through.  Don't overcook if you can help it or it may dry out.

The vegetable salad was comprised of what was in the refrigerator.  Using a vegetable peeler, I shredded a small peeled cucumber and a carrot and added it to a bowl.  A thinly sliced whole baby Bok choy was next.  Finally a handful of chopped parsley.   This was tossed with 1/2 of a large lime squeezed, a tablespoon or so of canola oil, and sea salt and pepper to taste.  Extra lime was sliced and served with the salmon.

Calories for 3 ounces of poached salmon, the shredded salad, a cup of chopped fruit (watermelon, canary melon, and pineapple), and a whole grain roll comes to about 440.  Vitamin C and B12 requirements are met for the day and a quarter of your potassium needs are met.  This meal is also high in selenium which is good for your eyes, as well as Vitamin A. 

Experiment with veggies you like and are in season, add a little protein, and voila(!) you have the start of a healthy meal.  Have fun!

- Kim Fielding

Chicken with Bok Choy and Cucumber over Rice



Refreshing and filling chicken with vegetables and citrusy soy sauce.

Hot summer nights mean that I don't always want to cook or even think about turning on an oven. I want to prepare and eat something cool and refreshing yet filling for the three sons. This recipe was designed last year for the Alpha Plan and continues to be a hit. Adapted from a recipe found in Bon Appetit (May 2008), the original called for snow peas, but I swapped in fresh broccoli florets instead which worked fine. This evening, the mix was served over brown rice, but noodles are good too.

Prepare the chicken, veggies, and rice or noodles in advance and place in the refrigerator until everyone is ready to sit down to the table and eat.  Add the dressing just before serving or the chicken will get mushy.

serves:  4                    prep time:  30 minutes

2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3 cilantro sprigs plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 green onions, chopped
1 crown of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise
½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons ponzu sauce or soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
Brown rice, rice noodles, or pasta, cooked

Poach the chicken breast by bringing a medium skillet filled with salted water to simmer. Add the chicken breast, 3 cilantro sprigs and half of the chopped green onion.  Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside about 7-10 minutes depending on the size of the breasts. Transfer chicken to a platter to cool.  In the same water, cook the broccoli until crisp tender, about 1 minute.

Drain and cool the broccoli, discarding the green onion and cilantro sprigs. Coarsely shred the chicken. Mix chicken, chopped cilantro, the other half of the chopped green onion, broccoli, bok choy, and cucumber in a bowl and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Whisk together ponzu, vinegar, oil and ginger in a bowl. Add dressing to the chicken mix and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over rice or noodles.

Place one cup of steamed brown rice or noodles on a plate and top with a quarter of the chicken vegetable mixture.  Serve watermelon slices on the side.  This entire meal offers under 400 calories, almost 7 g fiber, lots of vitamins C, several B vitamins, selenium, phosphorous, and manganese.

*Ponzu Sauce is basically a citrus enhanced soy sauce. You can squeeze one teaspoon each orange and lemon juice into ½ cup soy sauce. It can be refrigerated for a week or more.

- Kim Fielding

Crispy Panko Chicken

Chicken thighs are moist and flavorful with this preparation.

Chicken thighs were on sale this week so I took advantage of the opportunity to make an inexpensive and easy to prepare main course.  Juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, the pepper infused oil adds just a hint of spicy heat to the coating.

serves: 12                    prep time:  15 minutes
                                  cook time:  40 minutes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup canola or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups of panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place the oil and cayenne pepper in a heat-proof dish and warm to meld the flavor of the pepper into the oil (microwave 15-20 seconds).  In a pie pan, add the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly.  Using your hands, moisten them with a teaspoon or so of oil and rub it all over a chicken piece.  Place the lightly oiled chicken thigh into the seasoned panko and turn so that both sides are covered with the crumbs.  Repeat this for all of the chicken pieces and place on a shallow baking sheet. 

Bake chicken until well browned and cooked through, 30-40 minutes.  Allow the chicken to stand, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes to let crisp.

Each piece of panko crispy chicken has approximately 240 calories.  Delicious served with steamed veggies, a large green salad, and brown rice.

- Kim Fielding

Broccoli Rabe



Fresh organic broccoli rabe.

Broccoli Rabe, Broccoletti, or Rapini, looks very much like a young broccoli but is in fact a relative of the turnip.  Common in Italian/Mediterranean cuisine, it has a slightly bitter and nutty taste and pairs well with olive oil and garlic.
serves:  4                      prep time:  15 minutes

One bunch of broccoli rabe
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add the broccoli rabe and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 3-5 minutes.  Drain in a colander.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium meat.  Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Don't overcook or burn the garlic or it will become bitter.  Add the broccoli rabe and toss to coat.  Cook for an additional minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Each serving offers approximately 110 calories and 2 g fiber.  Broccoli rabe pairs well with chicken and lean grilled meats such as flank steak.

- Kim Fielding

Pan-steamed Zucchini with Mushrooms



Use a variety of summer squash in this quick sauteed side dish.


















August brings an abundance of summer squash to the farmer's markets.  Purchase several varieties and mix them into this side dish. 

serves: 4                prep and cook time:  15 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large mushrooms, sliced thinly
1/2 of a small onion, diced
2 large summer squash: zucchini, pattypan, crookneck, or other variety, sliced
Vegetable or chicken broth, or water
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat the oil and add the mushrooms and onions.  Stir and cook until they soften, adding broth or water as needed to keep them moist.   Add the summer squash to the pan and stir to mix the onion, mushrooms and squash all together.  Add a couple of tablespoons more of broth and place a lid on your skillet.  Let the vegetables cook over medium-low heat, stirring once or twice, until cooked tender, about 4 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This dish offers less than 50 calories per serving.

- Kim Fielding

Arugula Salad with Blueberries and Almonds

Arugula was mixed with spinach in this version of the salad.

Fresh blueberries are abundant in the stores right now and we decided to add them to our salad tonight.  Arugula leaves have a natural "bite" in that they are slightly peppery  and the blueberries paired well with them.  A simple vinaigrette was sweetened with jam and balsamic vinegar.  Finishing with a sprinkling of sliced almonds made this a quick side dish that my family enjoyed.

serves:  4                    prep time:  15 minutes

Four handfuls fresh arugula leaves, or a mix of spinach and arugula
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 small shallot, minced fine
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the washed arugula leaves in a salad bowl and top with the washed and dried blueberries and sliced almonds.  Whisk together the vinegar, oil, jam, and shallot, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  (This dressing makes enough for two or three salads that serve four people.)  Drizzle just enough dressing over the salad to moisten and toss well.

One serving of salad offers 155 calories.  We served this salad alongside grilled tri-tip (3 ounces), zucchini and mushrooms sauteed with onion and broth, and a small potato with Greek yogurt.  Calories for this entire meal is less than 500 calories.

- Kim Fielding