The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (27 page)

2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2½ cups Homemade Chicken Broth (
here
) or canned low-sodium chicken broth

2½ cups water

1 cup Italian rice for risotto, such as arborio

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a medium Dutch oven or flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook just until they are warm, about 1 minute. Season with the salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, bring the broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to very low to keep the broth mixture warm.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring well, until it turns opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir about ¾ cup of the hot broth mixture into the rice. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the rice absorbs almost all of the broth, about 3 minutes. Add another ¾ cup of broth and stir until it is almost absorbed. Repeat, keeping the risotto at a steady simmer and adding more broth as it is absorbed, until you use all of the broth and the risotto is barely tender, about 20 minutes total. During the last minute of cooking, stir in the zucchini mixture so it can reheat. The risotto should be loose but not soupy. If you run out of stock and the risotto isn’t tender, add more hot water. Stir in the oregano and lemon zest.

Divide evenly among four soup bowls and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 280 calories, 10 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 3 g fiber, 4 mg cholesterol, 384 mg sodium, 585 mg potassium. Food groups: 2 grains, 2 vegetables.

Asparagus and Ricotta Polenta Pizza

This is a pretty dish, with green asparagus and white cheese set off by the golden polenta crust. Serve it as a light supper or even as a brunch dish when company comes over.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

2¼ cups water

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal (polenta)

6 ounces asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed

⅓
cup low-fat ricotta

½ cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat mozzarella

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or oregano, for serving

Crushed hot red pepper flakes, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with oil.

To make the polenta: Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until the polenta comes to a boil. Using an oiled rubber spatula, spread the polenta evenly in the springform pan.

Bake until the polenta is firm and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the polenta.

To make the pizza: Spread the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Dollop heaping teaspoons of the ricotta over the polenta. Top with the asparagus, and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake just until the mozzarella melts, about 5 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the pie with the basil and hot pepper. Cut into six wedges and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 108 calories, 5 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 2 g fiber, 6 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 143 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 whole grain, 1 vegetable, ½ dairy.

Side Dishes

Black Beans and Brown Rice

Quick “Baked” Beans

Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms

Broccoli Ziti

Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds

Baby Carrots and Edamame with Ginger-Lime Butter

Roasted Cauliflower with Sage

Collard Greens with Bacon

Corn and Tomato Sauté

Corn and Vegetable Pudding

Italian Kale and White Beans

Roasted Mushrooms with Thyme and Garlic

Smashed Yukon Golds with Buttermilk and Scallions

Basic Brown Rice

Indian Rice with Cashews, Raisins, and Spices

Quinoa with Broccoli

Creamed Spinach with Mushrooms

Sugar Snap Peas and Lemon Butter

Summer Squash and Walnut Sauté

Squash and Bell Pepper Casserole

Sweet Potato Steak Fries

Don’t let side dishes be an afterthought in your menus. It is easy to get into a rut with this category, so I have created more interesting versions of old favorites. Look for ways to combine two food groups in a single dish, such as kale and beans or carrots and edamame. Or add nuts to increase the protein in a vegetable dish, as I have done to dress up the Brussels sprouts and summer squash recipes. Above all, don’t be afraid of a little butter. One tablespoon in a recipe that serves four to six people isn’t much, and the flavor payoff is worth the extra few fat grams. More important, the fat helps your body absorb the vegetables’ nutrients.

Black Beans and Brown Rice

Don’t serve plain white rice when you can offer this nutritious version with Latino flavors. Even if you leave out the black beans and cilantro, this is still a great way to dress up brown rice.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup long-grain brown rice

1½ cups water

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir well.

Stir in the water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover tightly. Simmer until the rice is tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 40 minutes. Add the beans, but do not stir them into the rice. Cover the saucepan again and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the beans are hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro with a fork, fluffing the rice as you do so. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 139 calories, 4 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 299 mg sodium, 339 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 whole grain, 1 beans.

Quick “Baked” Beans

Baked beans is a favorite side dish, but it can take a long time to cook. Here is my quick stovetop version, with apples and red bell pepper to increase the fruit and vegetable servings.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1 strip reduced-sodium bacon, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch dice

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into ½-inch dice

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon amber agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar