Tips for Healthy Cooking for a Delicious 4th of July

I just returned from a wedding in Puerto Rico where much of the food was local fried plantains and sauce driven food – it made me think that we have our annual clambake this weekend in the Hamptons, and since that involves lobster and butter and hot dogs, I was trying to think of what other ways we could incorporate healthy cooking into our 4th of July family weekend.

Cooking healthy food for the 4th of July basically translates into reducing the sodium and sugar content, as well as the grams of saturated and trans-fats in your holiday meal. It also means adding vitamins and minerals by serving vegetable and fruit based dishes. Keep your traditional Independence Day recipes by making small changes to the portion size too!

Meat on the Grill
Place chicken and fish on the grill for healthier fare. The healthiest fish include salmon and trout because they contain omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your heart. Choose skinless chicken breasts instead of dark meat. Replace hamburgers with turkey burgers or vegetarian burgers.

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Replacing Chips and Soda
Replace the chips and soda in your Fourth of July meal with healthier options. Instead of store bought potato chips grill steak-cut French fries brushed with olive oil to use with dips, alongside fresh cut vegetables such as carrot and celery sticks. Instead of soda, serve fresh brewed lightly sweetened iced tea with fresh lemon. Take out your blender and mix up fresh fruit smoothies with strawberry’s, peaches and other summer fruits.

Dessert
I am always a fan of “homemade’ baked goods and everything organic from scractch! Bake your own all-natural desserts this Independence Day instead of purchasing commercial baked goods. Use whole grain flour to add fiber and vitamins. Bake with egg substitutes to reduce the cholesterol content. Banana bread, carrot cake, fruit cobblers and oatmeal raisin cookies represent desserts on the healthier side. Instead of ice cream serve sorbet and low-fat frozen yogurt. Throw some fruit kabobs on the grill made with pineapple and plums.

Reduce and it Still Tastes Good
To make healthy adjustments to your favorite recipes, start by simply reducing the portion size. Cut a pie into eight slices instead of six and make smaller hamburgers. Remove the salt from recipes or reduce the amount by half — except in baked goods. For pasta salad and dip recipes that call for mayonnaise and sour cream, use low-fat versions or substitute low-fat yogurt for half the amount called for to preserve the taste of the full-fat version.

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Le Top Chef Series: Herb Cheese Stuffed Garlic Burger

Adding you favorite herb-flavored cream cheese from your local market or bagel shop makes this burger a breeze to make and oh so tasty. Use a specialty bun for that gourmet touch. The only essential thing when stuffing a burger with cheese is to make sure that the edges are sealed well, to keep the cheese from leaking out during cooking.

Makes 6 servings
Total Time: 20 min.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds ground beef chuck, 85% lean
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons herbed garlic cream   cheese, such as Boursin
• Oil for coating grill grate
• 6 hamburger buns, split

DIRECTIONS:
Using your hands, mix the beef, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well blended; do not overmix. Using a light touch, form into 12 patties no more than 1/2 inch thick.

Put a portion (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) of cheese in the center of each of 6 patties; top with the remaining patties and press together, taking care to seal the edges well.

Refrigerate the burgers until the grill is ready. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the burgers on the grill, cover, and cook for 9 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes, for medium-done (150 degrees F, slightly pink). Add a minute per side for well-done (160 degrees F).

To toast the buns, put them cut sides down directly over the fire for the last minute of cooking. If serving the burgers directly from the grill, serve on the buns. If the burgers will sit, even for a few minutes, keep the buns and burgers separate until just before eating.

source: ivillage.com

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Le Top Chef Series: Grilled Chicken with Tortellini Pasta Salad

By Tara Duggan, Chronicle Staff Writer

The pasta salad is somewhat decadent, so you don’t need much of it.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound small dried tortellini
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 stalks celery hearts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 slices prosciutto, diced, or some julienned salami
• 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved if large
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or about 3 ounces diced fresh mozzarella

DRESSING:

• 3 tablespoons fresh pesto, stirred before measuring
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pasta cooking water or plain water (if needed)
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Add frozen peas during the last 5 to 8 minutes so that they cook along with the tortellini.

Meanwhile, flatten chicken breasts with a mallet to a uniform 1-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Grill in a lightly oiled grill pan over medium-high heat until browned, 5-8 minutes per side. Lower heat and continue cooking until no longer pink in the middle but still juicy, about 2-4 minutes. Let rest a few minutes.

When peas and tortellini are done, drain, reserving pasta water for dressing, then gently rinse in cold running water until cool. Allow to drain completely. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. If the dressing is very thick, add 1 tablespoon pasta cooking water.

Combine tortellini, peas, celery, prosciutto, tomatoes and mozzarella in a medium bowl. Gently toss with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the chicken.

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Le Top Chef Series: Mini Cheddar Burgers

Perfect activity for little hands, and perfect to eat for little mouths!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Grill: 8 minutes

Makes 12 mini burgers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2  pounds ground beef (90 percent lean)
• 1  tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4  teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2  teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4  teaspoon black pepper
• 12  small round dinner rolls (such as potato rolls or dollar rolls)
• 24  leaves fresh arugula or other leafy green, cleaned
• 12  slices sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces total)
• 12  slices plum tomato

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat gas grill to medium-high or prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion flakes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
2. Shape seasoned beef into 12 small patties, about 1/4-cup mixture for each, forming patties that are 2-1/2 inches across and 1/2 inch thick.
3. Split the rolls in half and toast the cut side on the grill, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large platter. Top buns with arugula leaves.
4. Transfer hamburger patties to the grill and cook 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 additional minutes or until cooked through. Top burgers with cheese. Slice should be roughly the size of the burger; if not, cut or fold it to fit. Grill until slightly melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Transfer burgers to lettuce-topped buns and place a plum tomato slice on each. Serve warm.

source: parents.com

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