Farmer's Market Bounty: Healthy Chicken Tenders and Veggie Medley

On of my favorite Saturday morning activities whilst in Vermont, was to visit the local farmer's market. The organic produce I brought home was fresh, crisp, and loaded with nutrition and flavor. I love knowing that when I chop veggies and take a bite out of something, there are no residues from pesticides and best of all, everything was picked fresh that morning.

The Saturday market in Woodstock, VT, Mt. Tom Farmer's Market is a collection of local growers and craftsmen and similar to what can be found at many rural farmer's markets across the country. It's also nice to support the local economy, and even better is that I spend less on this wonderfully fresh, locally grown produce than I do if I purchased at the commercial grocery store.

Markets obviously offer different things depending upon where you are, and yet there's a similarity which is comforting. What I've miss most since leaving Vermont is the widely practiced focus on supporting local farmers, ranchers, and growers. It's everywhere, but I've never seen such a presence of it as I did there.

Below is a very simple meal using the lovely veggies procured at the market. The more natural color to a meal the better, to my way of thinking. Simple, nutritious, inexpensive - also very filling! All that is required are a few veggies and a little chicken. The idea behind this dish it not to use any extra salt or fats - the result is surprisingly satisfying and you'll barely know you're heating a healthy meal.

Healthy Chicken Tenders and Veggie Medley

Serves 2

• 6 chicken tenders - should be boneless and already portioned out, preferably organic/cage free
• 1 organic red pepper
• 1 organic green pepper
• 1/2 organic red onion
• 1 organic tomato
• Mrs. Dash seasoning of choice (used as a salt-free seasoning option)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (finely chopped)
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano (finely chopped)
• Organic Pam Olive Oil cooking spray (or similar)
• Freshly ground black pepper, if desired to taste.

1. The chicken can either be grilled or broiled - the idea is to cook it without using any fats. Be sure whichever method chosen that you don't overcook the meat. Because you're not using any fats, you'll want it as tender and juicy as possible. Spray both sides of the chicken with the non-fat cooking spray and sprinkle with the Mrs. Dash seasoning of choice. I used the garlic and herb variety.
2. Chop the peppers and onion into small chunks and mix with the finely chopped thyme and oregano; saute lightly over medium heat using the cooking spray - no more than 2-3 minutes. The veggies will remain crisp. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash - be sure not to use anything with salt.
3. Slice the tomato and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash - do not cook. 
4. Once everything is on your plate, sprinkle with a little pepper if desired.
5. Enjoy a very nutritious and satisfying meal!

Allergy Warning: Unless you're allergic to certain herbs and seasonings, or tomatoes, allergy exposure should be minimal or none at all.

Stir Fry Veggie Spaghetti

Spaghetti is one of those foods which can be prepared in a myriad of ways - I happened upon this one by accident. Though, I'm sure someone somewhere has done this before, I never had and now I don't like my spaghetti prepared any other way. Full of robust flavor and using organic beef and veggies, this is not your typical spaghetti dish - something you'll discover with the first bite. Italian sausage had always been my meat of choice for spaghetti in the past, however the organic beef (or bison if you can get it) is healthier than the sausage with a higher nutritional value. One can either make their own sauce or use a pre-made sauce of their choice (hey, we have busy lives) though if you go that route I'd recommend organic. This recipe makes quite a lot of food, so if you're cooking for only one or two, just cut the recipe in half. You'll still have extra, but it reheats well (see below).  

Tuna, Veggie, and Walnut Casserole

It can't always be about gooey chocolatey goodness. 

For this casserole dish, use healthy ingredients and whole-wheat pasta, and you'll have a nice family-fun meal that won't stretch the waistline (unless you can't resist and take heaping portions like I did the first time I made this). This dish goes great with a small spinach or baby greens salad. Since this is a pasta dish, I recommend leaving bread off the menu.

 

What you really need to ask yourself is do you want an easy to prepare meal that tastes great right from the oven, freezes well, and chances are the kids will like it too? This casserole is just that - not a great deal of effort and a lot of goodness goes into this dish. The idea came from a tuna casserole recipe from Cooking Light; however, I changed things up a bit (well, quite a bit) as I prefer a few more veggies and other goodies they just didn't include. Now, this is still a pretty healthy recipe - the additional calories from the walnuts are worth the nutritional value you'll get, and the walnuts give it a surprisingly nice crunch. As a bonus, it's a great way to get your kids (young and old) to eat their veggies. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE.

Tuna, Veggie and Walnut Casserole

Recipe by: Rising Wolf Kitchen

Yield: 10 servings

• 13.25 oz whole wheat Rotini pasta
• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 12 oz bag frozen veggie mix (corn, carrots, peas and green beans)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 3 cups fat-free milk (add up to 1/2 cup more if you prefer a 'soupier' casserole)
• 1/2 cup + 1oz (5 oz) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbs Dijon mustard (the brand I used has horseradish)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) fresh and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 3 cans regular tuna
• 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler on low setting.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions (omitting the salt and fat).
3. Heat a fairly large skillet over medium heat; add the olive oil.
4. Add onions and veggies; cook approx 6 minutes or until onions begin to tenderize. 
5. Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute stirring constantly. 
6. Slowly add milk; cook 5 minutes stirring constantly until slightly thick. 
7. Stir in cream cheese, mustard, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tuna and walnuts.
8. Remove pan from heat; stir in noodles and 1/4 cup of the Parm cheese.
9. Spray 4 quart oven-safe baking dish with cooking spray; spoon casserole mixture into dish and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parm cheese over the top. 
10. Broil 5 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 
11. Let stand five minutes before serving. 

Allergy Warning: this recipe contains dairy and nuts (in posted version) 

Printing Note: I haven't figured out yet how to do those printable recipe cards within the post, but once I do I'll share the recipes in a printable format. 

Beauty and the Pepper

Photo Credit: Epicurious.com

Years ago in high school, I pulled out an article from a health magazine (cannot for the life of me remember which one) which had a Chinese face map, the first I'd seen, but going beyond acne, the article also listed foods that are extremely beneficial to skin. Being obsessed with maintaining a 'peaches and cream' complexion, I began researching how various foods and ingredients affected my skin. A few minor additions and deductions from my diet left me more than pleased with results.  Chinese Face Map

Research has advanced in the past ten years so the 'super food' list has changed somewhat, but the concept is still the same. I've found lists from multiple sources (medical doctors, dietitians, nutritionists) and I've discovered conflicting food items on those lists, though most have similar. So, based upon the best lists I've found, and tested, here is a list of 'super foods' for beauty, health, and fitness.

Information on these lists were obtained from Katherine Brooking, MS, RD (Cookinglight.com), Dr. Nicholas Perricone (Epicurious.com) and Lisa Drayer, MA, RD (The Beauty Diet).

• Dark Chocolate: This is at the top of my list because I absolutely love that chocolate (some types) can be beneficial. An excellent source of antioxidants and can even give you glowing skin (think mood elevation when eating chocolate). Stick with chocolate that is 80% cocoa solids or more and even melt a bit on strawberries or blueberries for a double dose of goodness.
• Strawberries: The vitamin C is a building block of collagen. One cup contains over 100% of your daily Vit C needs. 
• Blueberries: One of the best sources of antioxidants as well as an anti-inflammatory. 
• Apples: Also an anti-inflammatory and a source of quercetin (a plant-derived flavonoid) and fiber. 
• Chilie Peppers: Capsaicin (compound that gives hot sauce and chili peppers heat) can reduce hunger levels and raises GLP-1, an appetite suppressing hormone. 
• Walnuts: Excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (component of the lubricating layer that keeps skin moist and supple). 
• Tomatoes: this red fruit (vegetable if cooking) is high in lycopene and can offer additional protection against sunburn (though don't forget the sunblock!). 
• Romain Lettuce: Six leaves provide more than 100% of your DV of vitamin A which increases cell turnover and helps improve circulation.
• Olive Oil: unfortunately many people shy away from oils because they fear the fat content, but this oil provides essential fatty acids that help skin resist UV damage (not to mention it's delicious). 
• Water: This is always my #1 but it's not always easy to remember to consume the recommended daily intake and even though the 8 glasses a day rule isn't necessarily valid, it's best to drink whenever you feel parched or thirsty because going without will leave your skin parched. 
• Asparagus: Rich in fiber and rutin (may help prevent broken capillaries) and a great source of gluthathione.
• Tea: this doesn't necessarily have to be green tea. There are many non-caffeinated varieties such as Honeybush and Rooibos which provide all of the benefits without the caffeine. 
• Wild Salmon: Wild is best (and tastiest) and it is one of the best foods for you! It is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation, keep our cells supple (think glowing skin), improve circulation and help with brain function.
• Sweet Potatoes: A great source of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells by destroying the free radicals that can damage cells (including skin cells). The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A which helps keep the skin smooth.
• Walnuts: Smooth skin tone, healthy hair, vibrant eyes and strong bones can all be attributed to the dominant nutrients found in walnuts (The Beauty Diet). With a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids and also provide vitamin E (beautiful skin).
• Spinach: I've recently come to enjoy spinach salads. Since I currently don't have a veggie garden, I pick up organic spinach and spring greens from Costco. Tasty, low in calories and inexpensive. It has an excellent lutein content (healthy eyes) and beta-carotene as well as vitamin C, several B vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, dietary fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids-WOW! I top my salads with a small serving of Newman's Own dressing (wide variety) for a very healthy side dish or a whole meal.

This may seem like a lot of foods, but really when you consider what you eat throughout the day, it wouldn't take much to add just a few of these items to your daily diet, or even replace some of the less nutrient-rich with one of these 'super foods'. Remember, you are your own responsibility and to always do your own research and check with your doctor if you have any questions about actual health benefits or concerns when changing your diet.

Wishing you a long and healthy life!