Friday, March 30, 2012

Low Fat Dinner Recipes That Are Easy To Make

In recent times, obesity has become a common issue among people of all ages. One of the most important factor for this is consumption of high fat foods. Fat is a component that lends taste to the food we eat, and it is necessary to consume fats in a moderate proportion. It is said that fats get processed in the body to provide us energy, necessary in our everyday activities. So, avoiding fat intake completely is also not advisable. It is recommended that taking up a low fat diet would provide us with essential fat intake, and also avoid the accumulation of excess fat in the body.

One should follow a low fat diet in every meal of the day, especially dinner. It is said that dinner should be a light meal and at the same time healthy. Consuming high quantity of fats during dinner may lead to storage of unwanted fats in the body as we do not indulge in any kind of physical exercises after dinner.

A healthy dinner should include a lot of vegetables, fibrous foods and fruits. Many people think that low fat dishes would taste very bland. But, now there are various ways to prepare mouth-watering dishes which have low fat content.

While cooking a low fat dinner, ingredients containing fat should either be added in less quantities or it should be substituted with something healthier. Instead of oil, low-fat sour cream can be used for cooking. It can also be substituted with jam or fruit for marinating chicken or fish. One should also avoid fried food stuffs and prefer food prepared by boiling, baking or steaming. Butter can be replaced by omega-3, low fat margarine or spices, to make a dish that is low in fat.

Let us look at some low fat dinner recipes that are easy to make and yummy to taste.

Low-Fat Spicy Chicken

Ingredients
  • 4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 medium-sized onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 green or red chilies
  • 3 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
  • 12 ounces fresh basil leaves
  • Basil sprigs
Preparation

Cut the chicken breasts and onions into ¼ inch thick slices. Peel the ginger and cut them into small pieces and chop the green or red chilies into long and thin slices. Take a bowl and mix brown sugar and soy sauce. Add chicken slices to it and let it marinate for 5-7 minutes. Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and when it turns hot, put in the marinated chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes in low heat (stir frequently) and when the chicken turns slightly brown, take it out and keep aside. In the same pan, fry onions in the remaining marinade for 3-4 minutes, and add garlic, ginger and chilies. Stir for a minute and put the cooked chicken into it. Cover the pan and let it cook well. Top it with basil leaves and basil sprigs.

Low fat Rice-Kidney Bean Dish

Ingredients
  • 400 grams kidney beans
  • 200 grams uncooked rice
  • 1 green pepper
  • 4 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt- as per taste
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1-2 green or red chilies
Preparation

Wash the kidney beans, and drain the liquid in a container and keep it aside. Chop onion, garlic, pepper and chilies into small pieces. In a large cooking pan, heat olive oil and add these ingredients into it. Put in cumin powder and salt, and fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes in low heat. Add rice and beans into it and mix all the ingredients. Add the liquid of the kidney beans, along with water, as required for the rice to cook fully. Cover the sauce pan and let it cook for 50-55 minutes on low heat. Before taking it from the heat, check whether all the water is drained. Transfer it into a bowl and serve hot.

Controlling the intake of fat is necessary, because consuming foods that are high in fats can lead to ailments of the heart and arteries. A dinner comprising dishes made of low fat, is a method of maintaining a healthy body in a delicious way.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Try Out Healthy Ground Beef Recipes For Dinner

Whether you called it ground beef or minced meat, it can be made into a tasty treat for dinner. Apart from its versatility, this affordable meat is a healthy choice for non-vegetarians. The lean ground beef contains a high percentage of proteins, vitamin B, zinc and iron. Many of us already know how to cook ground beef. If you are not, then also you can try out heart healthy ground beef recipes for dinner, with less effort.

Quick and Healthy Ground Beef Recipes

So, you crave for minced beef dishes and ground beef casserole recipes, but are concerned about the high calorie content? Not to worry, as there are some best healthy ground beef recipes, which you can try making at home. In order to ensure that you are consuming less fatty ground beef, purchase a reputable brand, approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Also, do not forget to add sufficient amount of veggies in your cooking. The following are some easy healthy ground beef recipes for you:

Healthy Ground Beef with Vegetables Recipe

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 ½ cups thinly sliced onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup finely chopped carrot
  • 1 ½ cups slices yellow bell pepper
  • 1 ½ cups slices red bell pepper
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes
  • 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup dry white wine (Optional)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions for Preparation

If you are looking for healthy low calorie ground beef recipes, this one is for you. This minced meat and veggie dish yields about 300 calories per serving. To start with cooking, preheat a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add beef and cook till brown. Drain oil and transfer meat into a platter. Return pan to heat and add olive oil. Saute onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Stir in carrot, yellow bell pepper and red bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes and then add cooked beef. Then, add all the remaining ingredients - tomato sauce, vinegar, white wine, salt and pepper. As it reaches boiling temperature, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and serve hot.

Healthy Ground Beef and Macaroni Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 pound extra-lean (93%) ground beef
  • 2 cups macaroni noodles, cooked
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 (28 ounces) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup finely grated low fat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions for Preparation

This is one of the healthy ground beef recipes that you can try out at home. Preheat a thick skillet, and brown onion and beef. Stir in tomato sauce and cook for another 10-15 minutes over medium low heat setting. Season with salt to taste. Stir well and taste, if the seasonings are perfect for your taste. Remove from heat, cover lid and keep aside. Cook macaroni in a pot, as per the directions mentioned in the package. Check for doneness and drain water. Transfer cooked macaroni into serving bowls. Then, top it with meat mixture, grated cheese and pepper. While serving, garnish the dish with basil.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

A Number Of Different Ways To Cook Salmon

There are many ways of cooking salmon, which include baking, frying, grilling etc. One often gets bored by eating the same kind of recipes, but almost all the salmon recipes call for different style of cooking, that is when we again switch back to the normal boring recipe! And that is why I have mentioned here almost all styles of cooking salmon. Many times, we are not lucky enough to find fresh salmon, and the only option which is left is frozen salmon. If you cook frozen salmon the same way as the normal one, there is a possibility of it tasting different, a bit less tasty. The correct way of cooking frozen salmon has been given below. With the help of this recipe, you will be able to answer the question?

Ingredients
  • 12 ounce salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Coarse-grained salt
Process

Preheat the oven to 450º F and start seasoning with pepper and salt. Now place the salmon on a non-stick pan, side down. Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for about 12 - 15 minutes, or until it is cooked thoroughly. So now you can give rest to the question, how to cook baked salmon.

 Ingredients
  • 2 frozen pie crust circles or make your own
  • 1½ tbs butter
  • 2 cups hot or newly cooled cooked rice (do not use instant rice)
  • 1 pint canned red or king salmon
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 beaten egg
  • Salt and pepper as desired or needed
  • 1 tsp granulated onion (optional)
Process

Take onions and butter and place them in a microwave. Cook until the onions are clear. Till that time, mix all the ingredients and place in a pie crust lined pie pan, pressing down a bit lightly. For covering, use the top crust and seal. Cut the openings and lightly brush canned milk on the crust and then bake at 350º F, until it turns golden brown. Serve hot.


Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 4 (6 ounce) fillets salmon
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 slices lemon
  • 1/8 tsp salt
Process

Firstly, preheat a big heavy skillet for about 3 minutes, over medium heat. Then cover salmon with olive oil and place in the skillet, increasing the heat to high. Cook for 3 more minutes and then sprinkle pepper, salt and capers. Now turn it over and cook for about 5 minutes. You will understand that the salmon is done, when it flakes with fork. Garnish with lemon slices while serving.

Ingredients
  • toasted sesame oil
  • ginger soy salad dressing
  • Wasasbi rice seasoning
  • frozen salmon fillets
Process

Preheat the oven at 350º F. Take aluminum sheets, which are big enough to fit the salmon and brush them with toasted sesame oil. Place a piece of frozen salmon on each sheet and brush the sides and top of the fish with ginger soy salad dressing. Then sprinkle wasabi rice seasoning on each piece. Once you are done with this, join the ends of the aluminum foil and fold, only till it reaches the salmon. Fold, to seal each piece into individual packet. Place these packets onto a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Serve with slice of lemon.

Ingredients
  • 1 lemon, wedged for garnish
  • 2 pounds salmon fillets or 4 salmon steaks, ¼ lb. to ⅓ lb. each
  • 1½ tbs olive oil, extra virgin
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Process

First brush the charcoal or gas grill grates with oil, so that the salmon does not stick. Then place rack about 4 inches from the heat source and heat the grill at a high temperature. Now brush a thin coat of oil on the pieces of fish and grill for about 5 minutes, flesh side down. After 5 minutes, turn over the fish and grill for 2 - 3 minutes more. Serve immediately.

These were some of the tasty answers to your question, how to cook salmon? Try each of the recipes and decide which is your favorite. You can also try the same recipes with other fish.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

How To Make Healthy Fruit Salad

One of the best delicious desserts is really the bowl ful of fruits or most popularly known as fruit salad. Seems just as a platter filled with fruits, fruit salad dish is essentially made with salad recipe dressings. The fruit salad dish is broadly valued all over the world for its sweet fruity taste plus different health benefits, that the range of fruits gives.

The bowl of fruit is not simply a dessert, but may also be consumed just as one entre. To put in a few additional graces for the recipe, you could try covering the fruits in thick sweet syrup or some basic thick fruit juice. Usually, you don't get an opportunity to enjoy fruit salad in hotels or restaurants, so it is always better that you try making your own fruit salad recipe at residence.
Well, the procedure of making fruit salad recipe is most likely the best. All you have to do is make preparations with a few of your preferred fruits and a couple of other elements. If you could have fruit trees planted in the backyard, it is going to be truly easy that you can make the salad. You may also look at the closest grocery store for fruits which may be difficult to find in the patch.

Most fruit salads contain these fruits like components: grapes, apples, peaches, pineapples, and also the likes. You can even pick up a few fresh and nice strawberries and blueberries. In order to provide some flavors, you may as well make use of new honey, sour cream and some mint leaves on the top end of the fruit salad. As a rule, two cups filled up with various clean fruits are adequate to make a fruit salad which will serve up 3-4 people. Subsequently, merely mix them right along with the fruit salad dressing and revel in your bowl filled with nourishing and delicious fruits snack.

Preparing the salad is generally similar to the easiest way you make the delicious platter of fruit - a common disparity is that you have to create a dressing for the salad. There are actually various dressings on hand that ought to be elected in respect to the fruits you intend to include within the salad recipe. Within Europe, for example, mayonnaise is needed as the primary elements for the salad, while condensed milk is needed as the leading dressing ingredients for fruit salads in Asia. Those salads, no matter what type of dressing, contain single common flavor: they are definitely meant to get sweet.