Holiday Healthy... useful & healthy recipes for those with heart disease or diabetes

Holiday Healthy... 

Wouldn’t it be brilliant if your Diabetes, High Cholesterol or Blood Pressure were just like a food allergy and you could simply avoid that food, take your meds and you’d be all set? With holiday season rapidly approaching and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years being just around the corner, if you have one of these conditions you may be forced to examine your eating habits and tune into your body and what will keep you healthy.  Special occasions can be challenging, but they aren’t impossible. 

Cooking for someone who has any of these conditions can also pose some challenges.  Here are some fantastic recipes and ideas for a Holiday Feast that’s really delicious for just about anyone.

Holiday Tips:

1. Remember you are in control!
2. Don’t obsess over trying to cook the perfect meal for everyone at the table.  Instead create a bunch of small dishes so that everyone can “mix & match” and get what they want out of their meal.
3. Try preparing some of your old favorite recipes but decrease the fat and sugar by using sugar substitutes and reduced or low fat products.
4. Don’t go to your holiday party starving! This will cause you to over eat and possibly indulge in a little more pumpkin pie than you’ll really mean to.
5. Exercise! Keep your body moving for at least 30 minutes a day. This movement will help keep your blood sugar levels controlled and burn those extra calories.

These tips are not meant just for those of you who have Diabetes, High Cholesterol or Blood Pressure… After all, what’s the best, healthiest diet for someone who is living with any of those conditions?  It’s the very same healthy- eating diet and guidelines for someone who doesn’t have them.

I hope you enjoy and try these recipes. They’ll be sure to please even your most hearty holiday eater!

Holiday Feast

Oven Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Gravy

Low-Sugar Cranberry Apple Dressing

Sweet Potato Pie

Oven Roasted Turkey

½          Cup dried cherries

2            Tablespoons olive oil

1            Teaspoons snipped fresh sage

1            10-12 lb Whole Turkey

1            Large onion, quartered

Mushroom Gravy

1½             Cups dried porcini, oyster, shiitake, and/or chanterelle mushrooms

2            Cups of boiling water

½             Cup all-purpose flour

1             Cup Low Sodium/Low Fat Chicken Broth

2            Tablespoons dry sherry

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place dried cherries, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sage in a blender container or food processor bowl.  Blend mixture just until cherries are finely chopped.

2. Slip your fingers between the skin and meat of the turkey just under the breast and loosen the turkey skin. Lift the skin and, using a spatula or spoon, carefully spread the cherry mixture directly over the turkey breast meat. Place the turkey on a rack, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Place the onion quarters inside the cavity of the turkey. Tie the legs together using butchers twine.  Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh portion of the turkey without the thermometer touching the bone. Brush the top of the turkey with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

3. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Roast in preheated oven for 2½ hours. After 2½ hours of cooking, cut the string between the drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. Uncover; roast 30 to 60 minutes more or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees farenheight. Remove turkey from oven. Cover; let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Mushroom Gravy…

Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a medium sized bowl. Pour boiling water over mushrooms to cover. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain mushrooms. Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with 100-percent-cotton cheesecloth, paper towels, or a coffee filter and reserve.

Pour pan drippings from turkey into a large measuring cup. Skim and reserve fat from drippings. Pour 1/4 cup of the fat ( if necessary, add butter) into a medium saucepan. Stir in flour.

Add enough mushroom liquid and chicken broth to remaining drippings into a  measuring cup to equal 2 cups. Add broth mixture all at once to flour mixture. Whisk over medium heat to make sure it’s all incorporated well. Cook and continue stirring  over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in mushrooms and sherry. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Turkey & Gravy Make 12 servings.

Per 5 ounce cooked meat and 2 tablespoons gravy, Calories 244, Total Fat 6 grams, (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 105 mg, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Dietary Fiber 1 gram, Total Sugar 4 grams, Protein 36 grams

Low-Sugar Cranberry-Apple Dressing

1            12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

3            tablespoons sugar

1½             tablespoons spoonable sugar substitute

¼             teaspoon ground cinnamon

2            medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced

2            teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice

In a saucepan place the cranberries, sugar, sugar substitute, and cinnamon and add water just enough to bring the cranberries to a float. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes and then drain, but leave a small amount of water in the pan.

Add apples and cover mixture for 5 more minutes or until apples are tender.  Stir in lemon juice.

Allow to cool then transfer dressing to a serving bowl. Cover and refigerate for at least two hours.  Serve chilled.

Makes 3 cups

Per 1/4-cup serving:39 calories (0 calories from fat), 0 protein, 0 total fat (0 saturated fat), 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium

Sweet Potato Pie

3            tablespoons reduced-fat margarine, softened

¼          cup packed light brown sugar

½          teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼          teaspoon ground ginger

¼          teaspoon salt

¼          teaspoon  ground allspice

1            large egg yolk

2           cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

1           cup evaporated skim milk

3          large egg whites

1           9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a large bowl, beat together the margarine, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice, and egg yolk. Mix in sweet potatoes and evaporated milk.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into sweet potato mixture. Do not over mix.  Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack until ready to cut into wedges to serve. Makes 10 Servings

Per serving: 203 calories (30% calories from fat), 5 g protein, 7 g total fat (2.3 g saturated fat), 32 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 26 mg cholesterol, 203 mg sodium

Asparagus & Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one of those things that when you think about eating it, you might say... I'll only order that in a restaurant, that's "restaurant food" it's too difficult and time consuming to make. Well, you guys know me by now and I'm not gonna lie to you...that's true and not true.

The reality is, risotto happens to be one of the easiest things to make. It's doesn't require a

huge skill level in the kitchen and just about anyone can make it. It also isn't as time consuming as you might think. It takes about 25 minutes, no more than you would normally be taking to make a dinner.... so here's the deal...although you can't just leave the risotto on the cooktop and walk away, you don't have to stand there constantly and stir it to death! You gotta pay attention to it, and you'll even have enough time to prepare other things while you're allowing it to cook

. As long as you get the basic concept of it which is, to allow the risotto to absorb a little broth at a time until it reaches a creamy consistency, you've got it!

Mushroom & Asparagus  Risotto

1 ½ Cups Arborio Rice

6 Cups Chicken Broth

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

½-1 Pound of Mushrooms (Assorted- it’s up to you!)

1 Bunch of Asparagus (the tips only) 

½ Cup Dry White Wine

4 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Cream
Salt & White Pepper to taste

1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

• In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer- leave on the stove simmering
• In another large sauce pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and stir in the mushrooms & asparagus– allow to sweat for about 3-5 minutes
• Remove from pan set aside
• In that same saucepan with the remaining juices from the mushrooms & leek, add Arborio Rice, slowly begin to combine wine and stir the rice constantly until the wine is completely absorbed.
• Then begin adding chicken broth ½ a cup at a time. Stir constantly until the broth is absorbed fully and repeat until you use all of the chicken broth. This should take approx. 15-20 minutes
• Remove from heat and add butter, mushrooms & leek with their liquid , cream & the parmesan cheese.

** sidenote**

Types of Mushrooms that you can use: Portobello, White, Shitake, Crimni, Button- For this recipe I think a combo of Portobello & White Mushrooms will be best, although Shitake is pretty darn good too!

What is Arborio Rice? Arborio rice is a variety of short-grained rice that’s used primarily for making risotto. It is always prepared al dente, or slightly firm to the bite.

It is super important to just keep your eye on the risotto, especially once you start getting closer to the stock being fully absorbed… if you don’t you might get some scorching of the rice on the bottom of your pan.

Do not add more ladels of stock before all of it has been mostly absorbed.

And finally… risotto turns really gummy if you let it sit for too long! It should be served right away. Should you want to reheat it if this happens, just add a little stock and heat and stir it until the stock gets reabsorbed and the risotto is creamy again!

Things you can use to accompany with Risotto are: Shrimp or Calamari, Roasted Chicken, Veal Medallions, Pumpkin, Squash, Peas, Prosciutto... I could go on an on....

Please feel free to leave any comments or ideas of your own! If you have any other recipes or stories that you'd like to share with me, please forward them to michelle@foodfromthehearttv.com

Enjoy the season my friends! Stay warm! Eat some soup! Some BUTTERNUT SQUASH & LEEK SOUP that is!!!

Winter has officially arrived... at least as far as I'm concerned!  It's cold and rainy outside and I want some HOT soup!!!! And nothing sounds better to me than two of my favorite fall combos... butternut squash & leeks!!!  This is a truly light, delicious, guilt free recipe for Butternut Squash & Leek Soup.  Oh, did I mention easy too?!

Butternut Squash & Leek Soup

1 Butternut Squash

(or you can buy it pre-packaged and cubed for you during the fall/winter months) 

2 Stalks of Leek 

3 or 4 Stalks of Celery 

1/2 Yellow or Red Bell Pepper

2 Medium Potatoes 

2 Cups Vegetable Stock or Chicken Stock (I use Chicken... but if you want to keep it vegetarian it's great that way too!) 

Pinch of Salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

Drizzle of olive oil

In a large stock pot saute the leek, celery & pepper in the olive oil.  Rough chop all of them- truly it doesn't matter how it's chopped, it's all going in the blender anyways! :-) Let them cook down for a few minutes on medium heat until the celery becomes translucent.  Add the butternut squash and the potatoes (which are peeled and cubed)... the salt & pepper... and then add the stock.  You're going to add enough just to cover the vegetables.  You don't want to add too too much liquid or else your puree will become too watery.  

Allow the soup to cook uncovered on a medium low boil for 20 minutes. 

Here's where the optional ingredients come into play... you could technically just put this all in the blender now and give it a little blend until it's a smooth consistency... and it would be INCREDIBLE!  It's one of my favorite soups that are just all natural and the vegetables really speak for themselves.  But... if you wanted to throw it over the edge just a bit... add a pat of butter and a couple tablespoons of heavy cream to it.  It will be smooth & creamy and oh so good!  

Enjoy the season my friends! Stay warm! Eat some soup! 

My absolute favorite Pumpkin Pancakes!

You all know me by now... I'm a sucker for anything pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg... this has it all!  It's the start of the holidays and these delectable pancakes are no exception!  I love them... and so will you! 


My absolute favorite Pumpkin Pancakes!!!!

In large bowl mix:

2 c. flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

In small bowl, mix:

2 slightly beaten egg whites

1 1/2 c. milk 

2 tbsp. oil

1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree

Add small bowl mixture to

large bowl. Stir just until moistened.  Don't over mix!  Heat griddle, brush lightly with oil. Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto hot griddle.

Makes 16 pancakes.

***** side note*****

The key to making perfect light pancakes is don't over flip them! I used to be a bad flipper and my pancakes never turned out fluffy! Thanks to this great trick I learned a few years ago, I no longer flip! Wait till you see a good amount of air bubbles that come up to the top of the uncooked side of the pancake... then FLIP!

And lastly, one of my favorite things to do with these pancakes is to mix the remaining half of the canned pumpkin with some whipped cream and use that as a topping for the pancakes while they are hot right off the griddle... it becomes all gooey and is a great alternative to using maple syrup... although that tastes pretty good on top of it as well! Crush some pecans and sprinkle them on top and you have a breakfast made in heaven!!!

Please feel free to email me any stories, memories or recipes that you would like to recreate at michelle@foodfromthehearttv.com!

Succotash Chowder

Not to embarrass myself too much, but just about the only thing I knew about Succotash was that Daffy Duck would always say... 

"ssssufferin' sssucccotassshh!!!" 

Never having made Succotash... let alone Succotash Chowder before, I had a friend that recently asked me for a recipe it.  Not wanting to let her down (I never want to let any of you down!) I went on the hunt for the best Succotash recipe.  I wanted to learn about it, where it came from, what it's origins are, and well taste it!  

So here's what I found out... and here's a recipe from another family friend that has this tried and true and says it comes from "The New Good Housekeeping Cookbook!" I've adapted it a little bit.. but I think between the two of us, this is a soothing, comforting dish that will soon be a family favorite! 

Apparently in the days of the Great Depression, Succotash had it's hey day!  It's primarily made from Corn & Lima Beans, two relatively inexpensive ingredients and was traditionally made for Thanksgiving celebrations in the North East.  

I gotta say, I'm loving Succotash now and I can't wait to start making it this winter for my family!  So warm & filling and so healthy! Who knew? 

Succotash Chowder 

6 Tbs Butter

2 Celery stalks, minced

1 Medium onion, minced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup all -purpose flour

3 cups of water or chicken broth/stock

1 8 oz can chopped tomatoes

1 16 oz. can kernel corn or creamed corn

1 16 oz. can lima bean

2 potatoes small dice 

2 cups half and half

Fresh thyme chopped for garnish. 

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepot over medium heat, melt butter... add celery, onion & green pepper (the trinity) and cook until the veggies are translucent and tender.  Stir occasionally.  Stir in flour until blended.  Gradually stir in chicken broth and potatoes... cook, stirring frequently until mixture is thickened.  About 10-15 minutes.  

Add tomatoes, liquid and all into soup mixture and add all remaining ingredients.  Cook for another 10-15 minutes.  

Top with some freshly chopped thyme. 

**sidenote** if you would like to add some smoked ham- add at the last minute while you're saute-ing your onions, peppers & celery.  

Mushroom Pockets

With the holiday season just around the corner, that usually means entertaining, holiday parties and feeding tons of family and friends.  Between gift buying, holiday decorating and planning travel, who wants to think about what you're going to prepare... and who wants to be in the kitchen for hours... NOT ME... OK that's a lie... I love being in the kitchen and I'm happiest while I'm in there, but I'm sure most of you want to serve something impressive and delicious and something that doesn't require hours of cooking in the kitchen!  

Well this is that appetizer recipe that will have your guests saying... WOW!  How gourmet!  And you saying... That was so easy, I had time to do some holiday shopping too! 

Wild Mushroom Phyllo Pockets

1 Box of Phyllo Dough 

1/2 stick clarified melted butter

1 Cup Shitake Mushrooms, finely chopped

1 Cup Portabello Mushrooms, finely chopped

1 Cup Brown Button Mushrooms, finely chopped

2 Shallots, finely diced

1 tsp. fresh thyme chopped 

1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbs. Olive Oil

4 oz. Goat Cheese

Cup Cake Muffin Tin

Preheat oven to 400°.    

In a large skillet heat olive oil and add mushrooms, shallots, thyme, salt & pepper.  Saute until all liquid evaporates and the onions turn golden brown.  Set aside, allow to cool.

Brush the inside of your cupcake tin with some butter- (do not use all of it) Cut Phyllo dough into squares large enough to fit inside of each round and have enough that forms a little cup.  Press about 3 sheet squares into each tin round.  Brush with a little more butter and bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes until a light golden brown.  Do not overcook, these will go back into the oven again.  Remove from the oven, set aside. 

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture into the Phyllo Dough Cup and top with a teaspoon full of goat cheese and a sprig of fresh thyme.  Place back into the oven for 3-4 more minutes until the cheese becomes soft. 

This is the perfect hearty, nutty, woodsy, YUMMY appetizer!

**sidenote** Some grocery stores actually sell prepared Phyllo Shells- they are usually found in the frozen foods section- where you would find your Phyllo Dough Sheets.  Those make it even easier! 

Phyllo Dough is fantastic because you can fill these with virtually anything!  Goat Cheese & Sun Dried Tomatoes, Feta Cheese and Parsley, Ham & Cheddar... it's endless and it's easy!  

Italian Wedding Soup...a'la Michelle's Wedding

Last night I had a massive craving for one of my favorite soups... so much so that I wanted it to be the best soup I've ever made... so, I started pilfering through my cookbooks and looking for a recipe for the perfect Italian Wedding Soup... unable to find the right book, I started searching on the internet high and low... and then I came across this incredible article about my beloved "Italian Wedding Soup" and couldn't believe what I was reading. 

Like most people, when I heard about Italian Wedding Soup I automatically thought that it was a dish or soup that was served at Italian weddings... and I'd also think ooohhh, how sweet, they eat a little soup together as husband and wife.  Warms my soul.   Well my friends, I couldn't have been more WRONG!  This soup actually has nothing to do with an Italian wedding, nor is it ever served at one traditionally... In Italy this soup is called... minestra maritata meaning, "soup marriage" or in our english translation, wedding soup.  To say two things go well together  in Italian, you'd say si sposono bene or "they're well married..." or more to the south, they're maritati... or "married'  So with this delicious wedding soup with meat & greens in a broth you'd say they are maritata.. or perfectly married... no wedding involved, but a yummy belly FOR SURE! 

So here is a recipe that is sure to warm your soul and the ingredients are perfectly married to each other. 

**side note** Italian wedding soup is traditionally made with escarole or chicory... my family tends to think that it's too bitter and maybe a little hard to find in some parts so I use fresh spinach.  It's a little lighter in terms of taste and doesn't make it as "hearty" but by all means, please use it in there if you like it!  

Italian Wedding Soup a'la Michelle's Wedding

Meatballs:

1/2 small onion, grated

1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 large egg

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

2 slice fresh white bread torn into small pieces

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated asiago or parmegiano cheese

1 lb ground beef 

3/4 lb ground pork-  I actually used Sweet Italian Sausage and cut it out of the casing... the fennel in it added amazing flavor. 

Freshly ground black pepper & salt to taste

Soup:

2 large boxes chicken stock

1 bag fresh spinach chopped

1/2 box Orzo pasta 

2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the meatballs- add the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl together and allow the bread to absorb some of the milk... let sit for a minute or two- add meats and combine well.  Place back in the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes to get cold again to allow you to easily roll into small meatballs... remember these meatballs are going into a soup and you want a small "bite" of meat, not some huge meatball... so roll them into about 1 inch in diameter balls. 

To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil n a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and spinach allow to simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes.  Then add the Orzo pasta and simmer on a low boil for about 15 to 20 more minutes.  

At the very end, sprinkle a little more cheese on top... it's truly a marriage made in my tummy!  Yours too!  With winter and cold weather coming up... this is the perfect soup! 

Molto bene!!!!