cook healthy

Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces beef sirloin, or other boneless steak, about 1 inch thick, trimmed
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, (see Shopping Tip)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 medium-to-large firm ripe melon
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 6 cups lightly packed torn Boston lettuce, (about 1 head)
• 1/2 cup slivered red onion
• 1/2 cup thin cucumber slices, halved
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup lightly packed torn fresh mint leaves

PREPARATION

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare and 6 minutes per side for medium. Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing crosswise.
3. Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and crushed red pepper to taste in a small bowl. Cut melon into enough 5-inch-long matchsticks to make 4 cups. (Reserve any remaining melon for another use.) Cut bell peppers into 2-inch-long matchsticks. Combine the melon and peppers in a large bowl along with lettuce, onion, cucumber, cilantro and mint.
4. Add the sliced beef to the salad. Whisk the dressing, pour it over the salad and gently toss to combine.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 150 calories; 3 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 21 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 15 g protein;3 g fiber; 690 mg sodium; 721 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Folate (23% daily value), Potassium (21% dv), Zinc (17% dv), Iron (15% dv).

1. Strawberries

A cup of halved strawberries offers 3 grams of fiber and about 50 calories. You'll also get more than a full day's recommended dose of vitamin C—an antioxidant that helps keep your skin looking younger.

2. Zucchini

You’ll also get 3 grams of fiber in a cup of cooked zucchini, but only about 30 calories. Plus, zucchini contains lutein and zeaxanthin—two phytochemicals that accumulate in the eyes and help prevent age-related macular degeneration. AMD is a leading cause of blindness in older people, but much of the damage occurs decades earlier.

3. Green Beans

One cup of cooked green beans has 44 calories and boasts 4 grams of fiber. It's also an excellent source of vitamin K, a nutrient that research suggests is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones.

4. Corn

You’ll get 5 grams of fiber (and 177 calories) in a cup of cooked corn. Or in a large ear of corn, 3 grams and 127 calories. Like zucchini, corn provides the eye-health phytochemicals lutein and zeaxanthin.

5. Raspberries

A cup of raspberries has a whopping 8 grams of fiber—and for only 64 calories. Another boon: some of the fiber is soluble—in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature (see Tip)
• 1 cup sugar, or 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract, (optional)
• 1 cup grated zucchini, lightly packed (about 8 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 mini 6-by-3-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Whisk egg whites, sugar (or Splenda), applesauce, oil and lemon extract (if using) in a medium bowl. Stir in zucchini.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients; slowly, mix in the zucchini mixture with a rubber spatula. Fold in walnuts. Do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
5. Bake the loaves until a toothpick comes out almost clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

NUTRITION

Per slice: 118 calories; 3 g fat ( 0 g sat , 1 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 1 gfiber; 88 mg sodium; 37 mg potassium.

INGREDIENTS

SLAW

• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 3/4 cups shredded carrot
• 1 3 /4 cups shredded daikon radish (see Tip)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

MEATBALLS & SANDWICH

• 8 ounces ground pork
• 8 ounces ground chicken breast
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallion whites
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce or other Asian hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 20-inch baguettes, preferably whole-wheat, cut into thirds
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1-2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce or other Asian hot sauce
• 36 thin slices English cucumber (about 1/2 large)
• 2/3 cup gently packed fresh cilantro

PREPARATION

1. To prepare slaw: Whisk lime juice and sugar in a medium bowl. Add carrot, daikon, scallion greens and basil and toss to coat. Set aside.
2. To prepare meatballs: Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
3. Gently mix pork, chicken, water chestnuts, scallion whites, garlic, fish sauce, chile-garlic sauce and pepper in a large bowl (do not overmix). Using a generous 2 tablespoons each, make 18 meatballs. Bake on the prepared baking sheet until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. To assemble sandwiches: Cut each portion of baguette in half horizontally, then pull out about half of the soft bread in the center of each piece (reserve for another use, if desired). Combine mayonnaise and chile-garlic sauce to taste in a small bowl. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture on each piece of baguette. Divide the reserved slaw among the sandwiches and top with cucumber and cilantro. Add 3 meatballs to each sandwich. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 430 calories; 9 g fat ( 2 g sat , 2 g mono ); 57 mg cholesterol; 67 g carbohydrates; 3 g added sugars; 24 g protein; 5 g fiber; 821 mg sodium; 474 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (117% daily value), Vitamin C (39% dv), Iron (23% dv).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons garam masala (see Note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces chicken tenders
• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Stir together garam masala, salt and turmeric in a small dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the spice mixture and dredge in the flour. (Reserve the remaining spice mix and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the remaining flour.)
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved spice mix and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons flour and stir until coated. Add tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and the onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in cream. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 300 calories; 12 g fat ( 4 g sat , 5 g mono ); 79 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 26 g protein; 3 g fiber; 659 mg sodium; 692 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), potassium (20% dv), iron (19% dv).

     delicious way to cook a healthy indian dish...

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups green beans, trimmed (about 12 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 pound raw shrimp, (21-25 per pound; see Note), peeled and deveined
• 2 16-ounce cans large butter beans, or cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put green beans in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley.
3. Divide the green beans among 6 plates. Top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 245 calories; 8 g fat ( 1 g sat , 6 g mono ); 115 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 8 g fiber; 596 mg sodium; 855 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (43% daily value), Fiber (33% dv), Vitamin C (30% dv), Iron (25% dv), Potassium (24% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv).\