Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 8-25-17

Recipes
A side dish can really make the rest of your meal sing. It also can add vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients you may not get from the main course. Here are some healthy, tasty ideas.
Kale and White Beans
Thanks to loads of nutrients and fiber, kale is hard to beat as the new side green of choice. But it can be bland and hard to chew if it’s not made right. This recipe takes care of that.
1/3 cup diced Canadian bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound kale, chopped (about 6 cups)
1 15-ounce can great north-
ern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup` fat-free chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat, cook Canadian bacon until turns golden brown, several minutes. Add oil and onion, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add kale, beans and broth and cook, stirring, about 10 min- utes or until kale is tender. Season to taste.
Cheesy Stuffed Potato
They sometimes get a bad rap, but potatoes give you a big boost of potassium and fiber, if you eat them skin and all. This recipe has cheesy goodness and puts a new twist on an old favorite -- and gets you more vegetables to boot.
1 large potato, baked
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 cup steamed vegetables, such as broccoli and red
bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated freshly ground black pep- per, to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Slice baked potato lengthwise. Carefully scoop out
potato, leaving about 1/4" of pulp inside the shell.
Mash the potato in a medium mixing bowl.
Mix in the yogurt, black pepper, and cooked vegetables.
Place potato shells on baking sheet. Spoon mixture back into potato shells. Top with cheddar cheese.
Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Baked Asparagus With Balsamic Sauce
Asparagus is loaded with vitamin K and folate, and it has plenty of fiber, too. This version layers on a rich sauce that makes it a great side dish for that steak you’ve been craving.
1 bunch fresh asparagus, white ends trimmed off; about 1 pound
1 tablespoon whipped butter
1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste cooking spray
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange as- paragus spears in a 9x13-inch baking dish (or similar). Coat the top of asparagus with cooking spray, then sea- son with salt and pepper to taste.
Bake asparagus until tender (about 10 minutes de- pending on thickness of spears).
Melt butter in a small, nonstick saucepan over medium heat, then remove pan from heat. Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the baked asparagus spears and serve.
Quick Spinach Italiano
Potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and K, and more -- your arms will be bulging like Popeye’s in no time. Well maybe not, but you get the idea. This super-quick recipe uses frozen spinach, which is easy to keep on hand.
1 pound frozen spinach leaves, cut, not chopped, works best, partially thawed 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
Directions: Add olive oil to large, nonstick frying pan or skillet and heat oil until hot, but not smoking, over medium heat. Add garlic; saute for 30 seconds or so.
Stir in the spinach leaves; saute for a few minutes or until spinach is tender.
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, available in bags and tubs
freshly ground black pepper salt to taste, optional
Add pepper to taste. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and serve.
Wild Rice With Sun Dried Tomatoes
Wild rice has much more fiber than other kinds of rice. It also has lots of nutrients, a pleasant nutty flavor, and a chewy texture. This recipe adds the zest of sun-dried tomatoes for a bold side dish that will stand up to a hearty entree.
4 ounces wild rice
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 cup sun dried tomatoes,
not packed in oil
1/4 cup sliced black olives 1/4 cup minced parsley
Directions:Cook the rice in an abundant amount of boiling salted water in a large pot for 35 to 45 min- utes or until the grains have almost doubled in size and are tender, but still chewy.
Toast the pine nuts lightly (dry skillet) until tan and add to rice.
Gently toss all ingredients together to mix.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-B