Winter Recipes To Take Away The Chill

Healthy, Hearty Winter Meals

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The cold weather has arrived (for some of you it's here in full force!)... Here are a few wonderful dishes to take the chill off.

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Christmas Broccoli Rice Casserole

Ingredients

3 cups cooked coarsely chopped broccoli florets
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 large egg
1 cup low fat (1%) milk
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 slices whole-wheat bread, in 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 large egg whites, divided
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.

In mixing bowl, combine rice with one egg white, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread rice mixture in an even layer in baking dish.

Coat medium skillet liberally with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and peppers until soft, 5 minutes. Mix in broccoli and oregano. Spread vegetable mixture over rice.

In another bowl, whisk egg with remaining two egg whites. Whisk in milk, and season with cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pinch of black pepper. Pour over casserole.

In food processor, whirl bread to make breadcrumbs. Mix in Parmesan cheese and season with pepper. Sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs evenly over casserole.

Bake casserole 30-35 minutes, until it is just set and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let casserole sit for 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve hot or warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 160 calories, 3.5 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 22 g carbohydrate, 10 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 250 mg sodium.

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It’s not about the temperature outside. Whether snow already blankets your street or the sun still shines a balmy 70 degrees, these are the shortest days of the year and nothing warms evening’s early arrival like a bowl of hot soup. Serving soup is also one of the easiest ways to mix vegetables, fruit, spices, grains and beans in combinations that help your body draw more nutritional benefits from their phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals.

Happily, making soup from scratch can be nearly as easy as boiling broth. Soups that start with butternut squash are among my favorites because the preparation is a snap. Although you can buy butternut squash already peeled, diced and ready to use, I prefer the more economical route of buying a whole squash.

To prepare squash for soup: Pick out one with a long, straight neck; remove its thin skin using a swivel-bladed peeler (like you are peeling a carrot); slice the column into thick rounds, then stack and cut them into generous cubes. Although it sounds like an arduous process, it truly takes about five minutes once you have done it a couple of times.

One of the reasons I love to use squash in soups is that it plays well with so many other ingredients. From mushrooms and tomatoes to pears and cinnamon, there’s a combination for every mood, a fix for every craving.

True to form, here is a comforting, velvety butternut squash puree with orange bell pepper, leek and paprika. Crunchy pumpkin seeds and an optional smoky note of Spanish paprika round out the surprising and delicious flavors. One Squash Makes Many Soups

Winter Squash and Sweet Pepper Soup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium leek, white part only, chopped
1 large orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 cups diced butternut squash
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
3 cups fat free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, crushed (for garnish)
1/8 tsp. Spanish paprika, smoked or dulce (sweet), optional, for garnish

Heat oil in medium Dutch oven or heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté leeks until translucent, 4 minutes. Add bell pepper, squash and pinch of salt, stirring to coat with oil. Reduce heat, cover and cook vegetables gently to release juices, 10 minutes.

Stir in garlic and paprika for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add broth, increase heat and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer soup until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover, and let soup cool for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Transfer soup to blender, cover and whirl soup to a velvety puree. Or, using an immersion blender, puree in the pot. Blend in orange juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide soup among four soup bowls. Place pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook, shaking and swirling the pan, until seeds are plump and mostly golden. Crush seeds and add to soup as garnish. If using, sprinkle Spanish paprika. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 250 calories, 10 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 37 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein,7 g dietary fiber, 430 mg sodium.

Written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life. Used by permission.

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When it’s chilly and gray outside, what better way to warm up than with an eye-popping, warm-you-to-your-core pasta dish. This week’s recipe combines whole-wheat pasta with Parmesan cheese, spinach and cherry tomatoes. It’s comforting and easy to prepare.

Selecting whole-wheat pasta is important. After all, in its natural unrefined state, wheat is a powerhouse of nutrients. Thought to have originated in Asia, it has been consumed as food for more than 12,000 years. Wheat is generally considered the most important crop in the world. Not native to the Western Hemisphere, it was introduced in the late 15th century when Columbus sailed to the New World.

This nutrient-rich dish is further fortified with spinach – a vegetable that’s currently enjoying a resurgence. In a Bon Appétit magazine poll in 2005, 56 percent of those who responded reported that spinach was their favorite vegetable. Of course, the leafy green vegetable first earned America’s devotion in 1929, with the introduction of Popeye the Sailor Man. Popeye’s creator was a vegetarian who wanted to make sure everyone knew the benefits of eating their veggies.

There are actually four types of spinach. These include savory (the type we commonly buy fresh), semi-savory (which features a somewhat curly leaf), smooth leaf and baby (a smaller and more tender variety). All are generally available in most food markets and, regardless of the type, pack a nutritional punch. Spinach is particularly rich in folate, potassium and vitamins A, C and K.

A few spoonfuls of grated cheese add bold flavor without overwhelming the fat or calorie content. Add just a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts to surprise the palette with an unexpected crunch and earthy flavor.

Cheesy Pasta with Spinach and Tomato

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups cooked whole-wheat macaroni
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Romano cheese
Pinch of crushed red pepper, optional
Pinch of dried basil, optional

Toast pine nuts in small pan on medium-low heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant and lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Be careful to not over toast or burn. Set aside in small bowl.

In medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until hot and then add onions. Sauté onions until lightly caramelized, then add garlic. Add tomatoes, toss with onions and garlic in pan to coat. When tomatoes begin to soften and burst, add spinach, and sauté until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

While the pasta is still hot, add it to the spinach and tomato mixture. Add cheeses. Remove from heat and let dish sit for several minutes. Top with toasted pine nuts and season with red pepper flakes and basil, if using.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 210 calories, 9 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 150 mg sodium.

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