Healthy & Tasty Dishes for 2012

By www.GourmetKosherCooking.com

Resolution or no resolution, healthy eating is always a smart choice. The interesting dishes below are all good for you and taste good, too!

For more nutritious and delicious recipes, visit www.gourmetkoshercooking.com.

Asian Tofu Salad

Ingredients:

2 boxes extra firm tofu, drained on paper towels for 30 minutes, sliced horizontally into 4 rectangles
½ bottle sesame garlic sauce, or other Asian marinade
1 can garbanzo beans
½ bag frozen baby green peas
¼ cup scallions, sliced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
4 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Preparation:

Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Generously cover the tofu with the sesame garlic sauce. Flip the tofu over so that all sides have some sauce on it. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the tofu is still soft but dry. Chop it in bite size pieces. Add the garbanzo beans, green peas, scallions, and cilantro and toss together. Separately whisk the tahini, lime juice and soy sauce together. Pour over the tofu mixture. It is best to make this a day in advance so that the flavors blend well together. Serve at room temperature, warm, or cold.

Grilled Chicken with Zaatar and Lemon

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons zaatar spice
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 pieces of chicken
2 lemons, cut into 4 wedges
2 large Vidalia onions, cut into thick slices

Preparation:

Whisk together oil, zaatar, lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate for at least 1 hour.

Heat grill to medium – 350 to 450 degrees. Grill chicken, skin side down, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes; watch for flare-ups and move chicken to a cooler spot if needed. Turn chicken and grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Grill lemon wedges and onion in last few minutes, turning once, until grill marks appear on the lemon and the onions are cooked through. Serve with chicken.

Indian Salmon

Ingredients:

(6-ounce) boneless, skinless salmon fillets
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:

Preheat broiler. Combine all spices and rub over fillets. Place fillets on greased broiler pan. Cover with foil and broil for about 7 minutes. Remove foil and broil an additional 5 minutes. Serve with basmati or jasmine rice.

Black Bean, Edamame and Wheat Berry Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 cups water
½ cup dry wheat berries
½ of a 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
1 cup chopped tomato
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
½ teaspoon cumin (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, cilantro or basil, chopped on top

Preparation:

Combine the water and wheat berries in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 55 minutes or until wheat berries are tender. Place in a strainer, run under cold water, and drain. Combine the wheat berries with the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Top with parsley, cilantro or basil. Cover and store in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

Harvest Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, scrubbed, cut into chunks
3 carrots, peeled, sliced into thick wheels
6 celery stalks, washed, cut into 1-inch pieces (including leaves)
1 white turnip, scrubbed, cut into quarters
2 parsnip roots, scrubbed, sliced into chunks
1 large yellow onion, peeled, cut into eights
6 garlic cloves, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 leek, washed, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup chopped parsley (including stems)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
4 bay leaves
1 cube vegetable bouillon
2 cups chicken or beef stock or broth (optional)
8 cups water (6 cups with stock)

Preparation:

Heat oil, salt and oregano in a 4-quart stock pot. When oil is hot add onion, garlic, parsley, peppercorns and bay leaves. Lower heat and simmer until soft.

Dissolve bouillon in 1 cup hot water and slowly add to oil. Increase heat and slowly add stock and/or water to mixture. Just before it begins boiling, add potatoes, carrots, parsnip and turnip. Bring to boil briefly, then lower heat and simmer covered about 30 minutes.

Add celery and leek and simmer covered another 30 minutes.

{By www.GourmetKosherCooking.com for Matzav.com Newscenter}