The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (28 page)

Cook the bacon and oil together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 6 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the beans, ketchup, agave, and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 183 calories, 8 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 6 g fiber, 5 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 546 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 beans, 1 fruit, 1 vegetable.

Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms

This is an outstanding side dish for simply prepared meat, poultry, or seafood. Baby bok choy and shiitake mushrooms were once available only at Asian markets, but now most supermarkets carry them.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 teaspoons canola or corn oil

8 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, cut in half vertically

1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon unpeeled finely shredded fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 baby bok choy (6 ounces), well rinsed

½ cup Homemade Chicken Broth (
here
) or canned low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

⅛
teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the scallion, ginger, and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Arrange the bok choy in the skillet. Add the broth, the ¼ cup water, soy sauce, and hot pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the bok choy is just tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 7 to 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetable mixture to a serving bowl. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon water into a ramekin or custard cup, sprinkle in the cornstarch, and stir until dissolved. Whisk into the skillet and bring to a simmer to thicken the sauce. Pour any juices from the serving bowl into the skillet and whisk. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 53 calories, 3 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 246 mg sodium, 322 mg potassium. Food groups: 1½ vegetables.

Broccoli Ziti

You can enjoy pasta on the DASH diet, and it is even better augmented by plenty of vegetables. This mixture is versatile and goes well with the Italian-style red sauces that everyone loves.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 broccoli head (about 14 ounces)

1½ cups ziti or other tubular pasta

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Heat the oil and garlic together in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic is softened and fragrant, but not browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Trim the broccoli, cutting the florets from the stalks. Peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler (don’t worry about getting every bit of the peel off) and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.

Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using a wire sieve or a skimmer, transfer the broccoli to a bowl. Leave the water boiling.

Add the ziti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. During the last minute, return the broccoli to the water. Drain the ziti and broccoli and transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in the garlic-oil mixture, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 122 calories, 5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 56 mg sodium, 259 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 grain, 1 vegetable.

Variation

Green Beans and Fusilli:
Substitute 10 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, for the broccoli; and substitute short fusilli for the ziti.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 120 calories, 4 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 38 mg sodium, 189 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 grain, 1 vegetable.

Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts

The brawny flavor of broccoli rabe (also called rapini) meets its match with garlic and vinegar and then gets a crunchy, sweet note from pine nuts. As with many other greens, the amount of time required to cook the broccoli rabe is up to you. Fifteen minutes is about average; you can cook for as little as 5 minutes or as long as 30 minutes.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 bunch broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped into ¾-inch-wide pieces

¼ cup pine nuts

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Rinse the broccoli rabe well in a large bowl of cold water, then lift the pieces out of the water, leaving any grit behind in the bowl, and transfer to another bowl; do not drain.

Heat a nonstick medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a small plate.

Cook the oil and garlic in the skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. In batches, add the broccoli rabe and any clinging water to the skillet. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar. Season with the salt, and stir in the pine nuts. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 105 calories, 5 g protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 161 mg sodium, 281 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds

There used to be one way to cook Brussels sprouts: boiling. Now, most cooks have discovered how well roasting complements them. Try these with sautéed pork chops.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

10 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted (see “Toasting Nuts,”
here
)

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

⅛
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with oil.

Spread the Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and spray them with oil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until barely tender with browned edges, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the almonds, vinegar, and pepper and toss. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 70 calories, 4 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 18 mg sodium, 324 mg potassium. Food groups: 1½ vegetables, ¼ nuts.

Baby Carrots and Edamame with Ginger-Lime Butter

Why have plain baby carrots when you can jazz them up with edamame and a quick sauce? I often cook with a bit of butter, which can make the difference in a dish.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

8 ounces baby-cut carrots

1 cup thawed frozen edamame

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

Freshly grated zest of ½ lime

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the carrots and cook until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Add the edamame and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Drain in a colander.

Cook the butter and ginger together in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until the ginger softens, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, lime zest and juice, salt, and pepper and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 72 calories, 3 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber, 5 mg cholesterol, 96 mg sodium, 289 mg potassium. Food groups: ½ beans, ½ vegetable.

Roasted Cauliflower with Sage

Like its cousin Brussels sprouts, cauliflower is even better when roasted instead of boiled. Once you have experienced golden-brown, crisp-tender, and fresh-tasting roasted cauliflower, you may never go back to cooking it the old way.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon olive oil, preferably extra-virgin, plus more in a pump sprayer

1 cauliflower (about 1¼ pounds)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with oil.

Trim the cauliflower and break into bite-sized florets. Spread on the baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and lightly browned around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the 1 tablespoon oil and garlic to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Add the garlic-oil and sage and mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 35 calories, 2 g protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 28 mg sodium, 286 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 vegetable.

Collard Greens with Bacon

Collard greens are usually cooked with pork, as the fat helps improve the absorption of the greens’ nutrients. A little reduced-sodium bacon does the trick here. Most supermarkets now carry 1-pound bags of chopped collard greens. Just because they are bagged does not mean they do not have to be cleaned, so rinse well before using.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 slices reduced-sodium bacon, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (1-pound) bag chopped collard greens, rinsed, but not dried

½ cup water

½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Cook the bacon and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until the bacon is crisp and browned, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

In batches, stir in the collard greens with any clinging water and cover, letting the first batch wilt before adding another. Add the water and hot pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens are very tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the vinegar.

Transfer the collard greens and any cooking liquid to a serving dish and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 114 calories, 6 g protein 10 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 4 g fiber, 8 mg cholesterol, 116 mg sodium, 136 mg potassium. Food groups: 2 vegetables, 1 fat.

Corn and Tomato Sauté

It is fun to eat corn on the cob, but for a more upscale version, cut the kernels off the ears and sauté them with cherry tomatoes. This vegan dish, high in potassium and fiber, is really best with summer corn and tomatoes, although it is also a good way to improve on frozen corn.