Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (15 page)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds asparagus, tough ends cut off

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Truffle sea salt (can purchase online) and freshly ground pepper, to taste

6 thin slices smoked salmon (about 4 ounces), each cut in 4 lengthwise strips—protein; vitamin E

2 tablespoons Tangy Mustard Dressing (see recipe on page 103)

Cilantro sprigs, as garnish—a natural cleansing agent

Preparation:

1
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

2
Lightly coat the asparagus with the oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3
Grill for 3 minutes, or until al dente but not soft. Remove from the grill. The asparagus will continue to cook as they cool. Do not overcook the spears.

4
When cool enough to handle, wrap each spear with a slice of the salmon. Arrange on a serving platter and drizzle with the Tangy Mustard Dressing. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately, or chill to serve later.

Tangy Mustard Dressing

Makes 1-1/2 Cups

M
ustard is a good-for-you condiment. And here’s why: It contains phytonutrients—natural chemicals derived from plant foods, which can help prevent disease and keep the body working well. Mustard is also rich in selenium and magnesium, two “miracle minerals” that have anti-inflammatory properties. Mustard seeds come from the mustard plant, which is a cruciferous veggie related to broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Of course you’d have to eat massive quantities of mustard to get the maximum benefits, but eating it daily—in sauces, as a condiment, and so forth—is a great start. Green veggies and other root vegetables, like radishes, are fat-burning foods that help kick-start the body into losing weight. These appetite suppressants are free-radical “scavengers” that help flush toxins from your body.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup silken tofu—low cal, high calcium

1/4 cup white miso (purchase at an Asian foods market, or in gourmet foods area of supermarket)

1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup spicy mustard

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Truvia Baking Blend

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (purchase at an Asian foods market, or in gourmet foods area of supermarket)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Makes 4 Servings

Hero Recipe!

A
nother excellent source of fiber in an American classic sandwich. Joes always remind me of school cafeterias and summer camp. There was always something wonderfully fun about getting to eat a burger/sandwich that was messy by design. This version uses lentils in place of ground beef so you can up your health intake while lowering your calorie count. Lentil-buying tip: Whether you purchase lentils prepackaged or in bulk, look for those that appear largely unbroken (bags with broken lentils appear “dusty”). Buy from a source that has a good turnover. Sort through lentils before cooking them to remove any small stones or twigs. Spreading them out on a platter of a contrasting color will make this task easier.

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils, green

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced—nutrient-dense

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chile powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano—good for acne treatment program; high in vitamin K

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, preferably no-salt-added

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon yellow mustard—anti-inflammatory properties

4 whole wheat rolls, toasted (optional, for serving)

Preparation:

1
Combine the lentils and 4 cups of water in a large saucepan.
Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.

2
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cooked lentils, chile powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

3
Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through. Turn off the heat and let the lentil mixture sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Spoon the mixture over toasted buns, if desired.

Fresh Zucchini Pancakes

Makes 6 Pancakes

T
he first time I ate these savory ’cakes I was on a ski trip in Utah. My group was at a snowy roadside diner and these were on the breakfast special menu. We needed to tank up on solid energy food for a full day on the slopes, and zucchini is high in vitamin C, which helps water flow to the skin. I have since made them pretty much whenever I make pancakes for brunch. At home, I use whole wheat for my pancake batter, which is not called for in this recipe, but you certainly can use it instead of the biscuit mix.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup biscuit mix

5 rounded teaspoons Metamucil fiber powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium zucchini, thinly grated—cholesterol-lowering superfood

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 eggs—protein

1/2 cup buttermilk—the higher acid in buttermilk makes it taste better in these pancakes

Spray butter, to taste

1 cup sour cream, as topping—lactic acid, great for smooth skin

Preparation:

Mix together all the ingredients in the order listed with a wooden spoon. Save the spray butter for the griddle and flavoring at the end. Spoon the mixture in pancake-size dollops onto the spray-buttered hot griddle. Brown one side and then turn and brown the other side. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream.

Mom’s Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 Loaves

I
love sweets that have a smart side. I’m all about comfort food with a beauty benefit and this bread served warm with a pat of butter (or not!) is simply heavenly. Truffle butter and jalapeño butter are awesome, too, and I recommend you buy them for your refrigerator condiment section.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2-1/4 cups Truvia Baking Blend

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini—incredibly low in calories plus major hydration

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:

1
Grease and flour two 8 x 4-inch pans. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2
Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

3
Beat the eggs, oil, Truvia Baking Blend, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add the sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in the zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

4
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

5
Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and completely cool.

Grilled Beef Bracciole

Makes 2 Servings

M
y nieces call this delicious dish “roll-up steak,” and, for children, I have learned, anything with a theme or a twist gets them eating the healthy stuff. Start off here by preheating the grill.

Ingredients:

2 pounds round steak, flattened to 1/4-inch thickness

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, enough for seasoning and to taste

1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano or feta

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley—anti-inflammatory properties; boosts immune system

2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh oregano leaves

4 cloves garlic, crushed—cancer fighter!

Butcher’s twine

Preparation:

1
Brush the steak on the faceup side with 2 tablespoons of oil, then season with salt and pepper.

2
Combine the cheese, parsley, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the steak.

3
Starting with the long end, roll the meat up and tie it with butcher’s twine.

4
Brush the entire roll with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

5
Place the meat on the grill, seam-side up, and grill for about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating until golden brown on all sides.

6
Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Red Palm Oil Fish Stew
with Veggies

Makes 2 Servings

Hero Recipe!

T
his meal uses the latest beauty discovery—red palm oil. Red palm oil has been used traditionally in African-inspired dishes for centuries, but only as of recently are we starting to learn more about it and see its health benefits. Rich in vitamins A and E, I like to think of red palm oil as “the new Argan oil.” Red palm oil comes from the same part of the palm tree as regular palm oil, but it’s less processed and retains the red color from its high concentration of carotenes. Try to incorporate red palm oil in many of your dishes . . . start with a few shakes and build from there. This recipe comes from Juka’s Palm Oil brand, inspired by my friend Juka Ceesay.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fish (filet or whole fish of choice)

1 Maggi Seasoning Cube

Pinch of salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

3/4 cup red palm oil (find in the ethnic foods aisle, or online)

3 medium-size onions, chopped

3 medium-size tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 bunch scallions

1 teaspoon of soy sauce (optional)

1/2 habañero pepper (optional)

3/4 cup water

1/2 lemon

Preparation:

1
Remove the skin from the fish and rinse to clean.

2
Season the cleaned fish with 1/2 of the Maggi Seasoning Cube, salt, black pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon of garlic.

3
Heat the oil for 2 minutes and then sauté the fish until browned on both sides. (You can also bake the fish in the oven.) Remove the fish, reserving the oil.

4
Using the reserved oil, sauté the onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining garlic, scallions, the remaining ½ of the Maggi Seasoning Cube, soy sauce, and the habañero pepper (optional) for 20 minutes, until the liquid has completely evaporated. (Let it reduce down until it turns into somewhat of a paste: this is the secret of the dish.)