Category Archives: Recipes

Good Nuts! Macadamia Crusted Tilapia

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Photo by Taste of Home

Macadamia nuts and tilapia are a tasty, healthy recipe combination.

Macadamia nuts get a bad rap for having “too much” monosaturated fat, or so says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the same big brother who says BPA in food packaging is safe for kids and that ketchup could be considered a vegetable. Apparently these tree nuts, along with Brazil nuts and cashews, are on the naughty nosh list because they exceed the cut-off point of 4 grams of saturated fat per 50 grams of nuts – macadamias have 6 grams of saturated fat.

But, if you love this buttery nut that hails from Hawaii and Australia, don’t fret! A recent study found that eating a heart-healthy diet that included 1.5 ounces of macadamia nuts per day versus eating the ‘regular American diet’ could possibly reduce total cholesterol by up to 9-percent along with additional reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Both diets in the study provided equal amounts of fat consumption and researchers observed that the reduction in LDL or bad cholesterol was more significant than would be predicted by just the healthy fats in the nuts alone, an indication that macadamias contain some other unknown property that helps lower cholesterol.

In plain English, all this science talk simply means that macadamia nuts are much more than the FDA has cracked them up to be. Used in moderation, as part of a heart-healthy diet, this nut may actually be doing your body good – but not chocolate covered!  If you’re looking for your daily dose of macadamia nuts, here’s a great healthy recipe I developed that was published in Taste of Home:

 Macadamia Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-3/4 cups macadamia nuts, finely chopped
  • 4 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Pineapple Salsa

  • 1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
  • 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions

In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs and cayenne. Place flour and macadamia nuts in separate shallow bowls. Coat tilapia with flour, then dip in egg mixture and coat with nuts.

Place on a greased baking sheet; drizzle with butter. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a small serving bowl, combine the pineapple, red pepper, onions, sugar, jalapeno, lime juice and ginger; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with fish. Yield: 4 servings (1-1/2 cups salsa).

Nutritional Facts1 serving (1 each) equals 681 calories, 51 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 135 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 19 g protein.

 

Oh, Yes I Did! Nuun Tri-Berry Electrolyte Jellies

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Nuun recipe perfect for Hood To Cost Relay - Team After Nuun Delight

Nuun electrolyte jellies are both a novel and nutritious recipe.

A Jell-O dish of some sorts has long been on the menu at our Easter gatherings, think big 60s style molds suspending little bits of fruit and marshmallow. But, hey, this is 2012 and I need some Jell-O that’s a little more ‘on-the-go’ friendly and addresses my electrolyte needs this week as I finish up training for the Boston Marathon. So hmmm, scratching head . . . why not combine my favorite sports drink tab (Nuun) with a mixture of plain and flavored gelatin to create some mighty-fine, finger-food fuel? Can’t wait for the reaction when I set down this masterful remix of our time-warped gelatin salad tradition on the big Easter buffet.

I’ve been drinking Nuun for years out on my long runs, the subtle yet seriously yummy flavors don’t overwhelm with sweetness – in fact, Nuun tablets are sugar-free with no artificial flavors or colors, providing optimal hydration without all those carbs that sometimes upset my stomach during a race. Now, these jellies do have some sugar in the recipe . . . a girl can’t live by sodium, magnesium and potassium alone!

I have used plain ole table sugar (sucrose) as studies are showing it is really the best best when it comes to endurance and so does this study.  For example, you can’t really ingest enough glucose and metabolize it at a rate fast enough to keep up with your needs in an endurance event and fructose is linked with tummy troubles. So, I’ve just stayed with sugar.  If you want to swap in coconut sugar instead, that will work well too — it’s 80% sucrose and free of fructose.

This recipe uses Nuun Tri-Berry tablets, but after the Boston Marathon, I am going to experiment more with this  recipe and make a ‘sweet victory’ version using Lemon Chai from the Natural Hydration line along with lemon Jell-O and a litt levodka . . . stay tuned for that!

Nuun ‘Tri-Berry’ Electrolyte Jellies

Jello made with Nuun Tri-Berry tablets

• 1 env. (1/4 oz.) unflavored gelatin
• 1¼ cup cold water
• 3 NUUN Tri-Berry sports drink    tablets
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch
• 2 pkg. (3 oz. each) sparkling wildberry flavor gelatin*

Pour cold water into small bowl, drop in Nuun tablets and let dissolve. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over Nuun-gelatin mixture, let stand 1 min. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in Nuun-gelatin mixture until blended. Bring to boil on medium heat; cook 5 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add dry gelatin mixes; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Pour into 9×5-inch loaf pan** sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Remove from mold by holding pan upside-down over cutting board, it will slip out. Cut into 24 pieces.

*you can use any mixture of Nuun and flavored gelatin that you prefer
** In lieu of the loaf pan, I used a 24-ct ‘brownie bite’ silicone baking mold.

Nuun Tri-Berry Hydration

This is what the current Nuun Tri-Berry container looks like!

‘Better-For-You’ Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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Looking for a quick banana bread recipe that is not too fat-laden yet moist and tasty enough to go ape over? Several years ago, I gave a makeover to my favorite banana bread recipe by replacing some of the fat with applesauce and a fat-free sour cream substitution. The success of the swap was as clear as the crumbs left in the pan – it was a winner with my family for a breakfast treat and afterschool snack. Plus, I’ve even been known to sneak a piece on occasion– hey, it might be a cheat on the Paleo, Zone and other low-carb diets, but you have to live a little people! Recipe written by yours truly, Jennifer Fisher, and originally published in Country Woman February/March 2010, p34.  Enjoy!

 

‘Better-For-You’ Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1-1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
  • 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs; mix well. Beat in the bananas, sour cream, applesauce and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture just until moistened. Fold in chips. Transfer to two 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).

Nutritional Facts: 1 slice equals 155 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 148 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Chips

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In honor of National Potato Chip Day (March 14th), I have a salty celebration for the taste buds that won’t leave you with greasy fingers, a guilty conscience and, heaven forbid, clogged arteries. Thanks to the impressive nutritional powers of the sweet potato, this snappy snack food brings your body more fiber, vitamins and antioxidants and fewer carbohydrates than the lowly ole regular potato. This easy-peasy recipe for Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Chips is a real winner, there’s nothing better than homemade chips – except healthy homemade chips!

Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Chips

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • Olive oil flavored baking spray
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 500º F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
  • Wash and dry sweet potato. Leaving peel intact, slice sweet potato crosswise as thinly as possible (use a sharp knife, mandolin or food processor).
  • Arrange slices on prepared baking sheets, taking care not to overlap slices.  Spray lightly with baking spray. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper.
  • Bake in 500 °F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Chips will be done when crisp with lightly browned edges and orange centers. Length of baking will vary depending on how thinly potato was sliced. With the oven up this high, keep a close eye on the process.
  • Remove chips from oven and let cool.  If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

Tired of Egg Whites and Chicken? Time to Meet Meat!

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Attention carnivores!  The April 2012 edition of Runner’s World has hit the stands, tackling the meaty issue of whether or not eating beef and other red meats is beneficial for the athlete.  Go ahead and indulge in moderation, the scientific verdict shows that lean red meats in moderation helps to rebuild and strengthen muscles by replenishing vital protein and amino acids lost during training. Additionally, iron is plentiful in beef, making a steak dinner a fine way to refuel for endurance athletes who require approximately 30-percent more of this nutrient than the general population.  Plus, a modest 3.5-ounce serving of lean beef provides 34-percent of the daily requirement for Zinc, a mineral that encourages a resilient immune system.

For many of us, this renewed belief in beef is nothing new.  I’ve been blabbing about beef and how it’s helping my running performance now for a couple years.  Thanks to the Texas Beef Council, I gave up my boring grilled chicken breast existence to enjoy the bounty of delicious lean beef – did you know there are actually a whopping 29 cuts of lean beef?  And, when I say ‘lean,’ I mean each 3-ounce serving contributes  ‘less than  200 calories, less than 10 grams of total fat, less than 4.5 grams of saturated fat and less than 90 milligrams of cholesterol,’ according to the nutritionists at TxBeef.org.

Check out this delicious tenderloin I roasted up for dinner the other night. It’s basically a ‘no recipe’ recipe. Simply season the outside of the beef (about 1 pound) with salt and pepper and chunk on a wire rack in a big roasting pan. Cook in the oven at 375 F degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until meat thermometer measures at least 135 F degrees).  Let rest for 5 minutes, slice and enjoy!