How to Make Dressings and Dipping Sauces at Home

How to Make Dressings and Dipping Sauces at Home

Do you wish you could replicate some of the fun meals you have enjoyed at restaurants? Eating dinner at home does not have to be boring. Meals that taste great and are fun to eat need not become a long and complicated project. You also don't have to spend a lot of money to prepare foods for your family that rival restaurant quality fare. Keep reading for how to make DELICIOUS dressings and dipping sauces at home!

 Let's Get Creative with Condiments

You're probably thinking that to make food like what you would get served in a restaurant requires that you run out for all kinds of complicated ingredients. This is not the case! In fact, if you get into the habit of stocking some basic ingredients, you can whip up all kinds of tasty and exciting sauces and dressings to liven up any meal.

 Pantry Essentials

 Here are some staples to keep on hand when you want to turn an ordinary meal into something creative and fun.

  • Plain yogurt, Greek is best but not necessary
  • Mayonnaise
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Pickle relish
  • Hot sauce
  • Prepared horseradish
  • Pickled jalapenos or other peppers
  • Capers
  • Olive oil
  • Vinegar

 Spices to Have on Hand

  • Garlic powder
  • Dill
  • Dried onion
  • Paprika
  • Thyme
  • Coriander

How to Make Homemade Vinaigrette

  • Three parts salad oil
  • One part vinegar
  • Two parts water
  • Tablespoon prepared mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • One smashed garlic clove

 Mix all ingredients in a glass jar. Cover tightly with lid and shake. Shake again before pouring over salad or prepared vegetables.

 How to Make a Homemade Ranch Dip

  • One cup Greek yogurt
  • One tablespoon mayonnaise
  • Two teaspoons garlic powder
  • One teaspoon thyme
  • One teaspoon dill

Stir all ingredients and use a rubber spatula to transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with fresh sliced veggies or healthy crackers for dipping.

How to Make Dressings and Dipping Sauces at Home

Make Russian Dressing at Home

  • 1 tbsp pickle relish
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • Two tbsp mayonnaise
  • Three tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp vinegar

 Mix all ingredients and transfer to a serving bowl to spoon over salad or serve with sandwiches.

How to Make a Healthy Coleslaw Dressing

  • Two tbsp plain yogurt
  • Three tbsp olive oil
  • One tablespoon mayonnaise
  • One tablespoon mustard
  • Two Tbsp vinegar
  • Two pinches sugar

Mix all ingredients and combine with a mixture of shredded cabbage, carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper.

How to Make Honey Mustard Dip

  • Half a cup of mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey

Mix all ingredients. You may need to warm the honey slightly by popping it in the microwave for a few seconds. Use a rubber spatula to transfer to ramekins for dipping chicken fingers or other fun foods.

 How to Make Spicy Mayo:

Spicy mayo is a fun way to kick your fries up a notch with a zesty dipping sauce. You can also spread it on your sandwiches or have it with sushi.

 Stir well. You can add cayenne pepper if you like it really spicy. Or you can reduce the amount of hot sauce if you're not that spicy.

 How to Make a Cucumber Salad Dressing

  •  Half a cup Greek yogurt
  • Half a cucumber, grated
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Two teaspoons vinegar
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • Two teaspoons dried dill
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 Stir all ingredients together. Add to a jar and shake well before serving with fresh salad. Also makes a nice dip for sandwiches.

How to Make Dips and Dressings at Home

 How to Make a Zesty Pretzel Dipping Sauce

  • 2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
  • Quarter cup mayonnaise
  • Two tbsp Greek yogurt
  • Two teaspoons dried dill
  • Black pepper

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Use a rubber spatula to transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with pretzels.

How to Make Barbecue Sauce from Scratch

  •  Half a cup of diced onion
  • Two tbsp cooking oil or butter
  • Quarter cup of ketchup
  • Two tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Quarter cup brown sugar
  • Three tbsp soy sauce
  • Two teaspoons black pepper

 Start by sauteing the onions in a saucepan. Add all other ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Use a basting brush to mop your homemade barbecue sauce over chicken before grilling. You can also bake it in the oven if you like.

 How to Make Italian Dressing at Home

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
  • One smashed garlic clove
  • One teaspoon dried thyme
  • One teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and cap tightly. Shake well. Let your dressing marinate for at least a half an hour before serving it with a fresh salad. Shake again before each use.

 How to Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Feeling like a shrimp cocktail? Whip this up in a hot minute.

 Combine ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to transfer to serving cups and present with a platter of chilled, cooked shrimp.

 How to Make Horseradish Mayo

 This makes a great accompaniment to a nice, thick juicy steak… or serve it alongside of a French dip.

Combine all ingredients. Transfer to ramekins and present on each person's plate before serving.

 Make French Dressing at Home

 Mixed ingredients together. Place in a jar or serving cups to enjoy with salad or dip fresh vegetables.

 How to Make Onion Dip

  • One cup Greek yogurt
  • Two tbsp mayonnaise
  • Two tbsp dehydrated onion pieces
  • Two shakes onion powder
  • Two teaspoons soy sauce
  • Two teaspoons black pepper

 Mix all ingredients together. Use a rubber spatula to transfer to a serving bowl and present with your favorite veggie slices, crackers and chips.

And a new one you may not have heard of before is below. Let me know what you think. 🙂

Homemade Romesco Sauce
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Romesco Salsa

Try this with a tuna lettuce salad or with your favorite veggies.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: healthy dipping sauces, red bell pepper
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 68kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 4 tbsp. flaked almonds
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil if avoiding oil, sub water
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. red chili flakes

Instructions

  • Heat an oven to 500°F (260°C) and line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Roast the peppers (whole) for about 20 minutes, or until nearly blackened on all sides. Remove from the oven and either wrap the peppers in aluminum foil or place them in a sealed bag and allow them to steam for a few minutes.
  • In the meantime, toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium-low heat, until golden brown. This will take about 5 minutes, take care not to burn the nuts. Set aside.
  • Now unwrap the peppers and remove and discard  the skin, stems, and seeds.
  • Place the flesh of the peppers into a food processor or blender along with the toasted almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and chili flakes.
  • Blend until creamy and smooth then taste and adjust the flavorings, adding more lemon, garlic, salt and chili flakes to taste.
  • Once cooled, store this salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Notes

Serves 10 - 2 tablespoons per serving

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tbsp | Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 782IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

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Favorite Meal Healthy Makeover: Classic Cheeseburgers

Favorite Meal Healthy Makeover: Classic Cheeseburgers

When you think of your favorite meals, you probably immediately associate these comfort foods with weight gain. It is true that if you eat traditionally hearty, stick-to-your-rib types of meals prepared in the way that one would expect them to be made, you will be overloading your system with fat and simple carbs. Both of these cause weight gain. So today we will discuss a favorite meal healthy makeover: classic cheeseburgers.

But just because you won't generally experience weight loss and improved health by gorging yourself on diner-style cheeseburgers does not mean that you must avoid a cheeseburger meal all together. Even if you're targeting weight loss goals – yes, you can indulge in a burger every now and then!

Here's a meal makeover for you to model after the next time you crave a cheeseburger:

Reduce your meat portion. If your super-sized meat meal consists of a half-pound cheeseburger, then make it a quarter pound or even smaller portion if possible. Again, if you don't like to measure, you can just estimate the meat portion that you would normally expect served and then divide it in half. Another option is to make the full restaurant serving but eat it for THREE different meals instead of one! Remember, leftovers are your friend.

Choose higher quality meats.

Saturated fats are worse for you when they come from animals that have been fed a high sugar diet. The beef that you get on your grocery store shelves comes from cows that were fed corn which is not a proper diet for cows. This causes the meat to taste sweeter and actually raise blood sugar levels.

Choosing meats from grass-fed animals means that you will have a better-quality beef when you do treat yourself to some beef in the form of a juicy burger. Even though beef is sometimes publicized as not being good for you, good quality red meat contains iron which is an essential nutrient.

Trade American cheese for aged cheddar or any other aged cheese.

American cheese is really not cheese. It's some whey-based “cheese food” product that is heavily processed. American cheese is more like butter and may create digestive difficulties for people who are allergic to milk or who do not tolerate dairy products. The digestive complications that come with eating cheeses like American or mozzarella which is made from whole milk, can cause bloating and gas which may mimic weight gain. If you're striving for healthy meals, you're better off eating and aged cheese which does not contain lactose.

Healthy Recipe Makeover: Classic Cheeseburgers

Reduce your serving of complex carbs.

When we think of that delicious diner burger, we envision the meat sitting atop a thick hamburger bun made of enriched white flour.

If you have no other carbohydrate alternatives and enjoy your burger on a bun, every once in a while, you can treat yourself to a burger on a bun by at least reducing the size of the bun.

How to do this? One trick to try is to hollow out the middle of the bun. What you have left is a thin breadbasket that can hold your burger meat and other toppings. So, you still get the sandwich, but you aren't consuming as many carbs.

Another way to reduce carb intake is by replacing that enriched white bun with a whole wheat roll or a roll made of some other type of whole grain. If you can find smaller rolls to serve your burger on or choose a flatbread alternative, you will be reducing the amount of carbs and helping yourself by choosing a healthy alternative.

Go bunless.

This is the better option especially if you plan to enjoy some starchy sides in addition to your burger bun.

For example, some people enjoy a potato salad side with their cheeseburger. A half a cup serving of potato salad can be your healthy carbohydrate alternative to the high sugar burger bun.

Ditch the fries.

Another typical side that you'll get with your diner burger is French fries made from white potatoes and a lot of them. Swap out that giant pile of fries for a variety of healthy veggie toppings.

Also: fried foods add weight gain and clog your arteries… and the white flour from the large portion of fries is something a healthy weight watcher could do without.

If you're really craving that side of fries, you have some alternative options. One, you can make a side of white potatoes with skins on, drizzled with olive oil and oven bake until crispy.

Just be sure that you stick to a small portion, no more than 3/4 of a cup if you're really digging those potatoes. If you choose potatoes as your white starch then skip the burger bun entirely.

Other foods to give you a healthier French fry experience are oven roasted parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, or a combination of these types of healthy root vegetables. Again, choose to bake instead of fry and drizzle with a healthy oil such as olive which is rich in Omega fats.

If you're opting out of a starchy side for your burger, you can fill your plate with fresh veggies and healthy toppings.

Here are some ways to make your healthy burger meal really delicious. Fill your belly and round out the meal with balanced nutrition are toppings such as…

  • sauteed onions and peppers
  • sauteed mushrooms
  • pickles
  • lettuce
  • tomato
  • raw onion
  • hot peppers
  • green peppers
  • cucumber and onion salad
  • pickled beet salad
  • a side of vinegar slaw

Better yet, switch to turkey (my favorite) and try some lowfat feta cheese. Check out the delicious recipe below. Be sure to tell us what you think! oxoxo

Healthy Recipe Maker: Classic Cheeseburgers
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Turkey & Feta Burgers

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: feta, lightened hamburgers, sun dried tomatoes, turkey burger
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 553kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp. sun dried tomatoes
  • 4 kale leaves
  • 1 lb. 450g ground turkey
  • ¼ cup 40g feta, crumbled
  • 4 whole wheat burger buns
  • 4 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 to tomato sliced
  • lettuce leaves

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  • Place the sun dried tomatoes and kale into a food processor or high-speed blender and blitz until minced.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, minced sun dried tomatoes, kale and crumbled feta cheese. Form the mixture into four burgers and lay them on the baking sheet. Place the sheet into the hot oven and bake for 7 minutes, then flip the burgers over and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the burgers from the oven and assemble the buns.
  • Toast the buns and spread each bun with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Place ¼ of avocado on the bottom of each bun and add the burger. Next top the burgers with tomato and lettuce leaves, before covering with the top bun. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 1338mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 6245IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 6mg

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Give your BLT Sandwich a Healthy Makeover

Give your BLT Sandwich a Healthy Makeover

Who doesn't love a BLT? The classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich never goes out of style and is a perennial favorite with bacon lovers. Well now's your chance to give your BLT sandwich a healthy makeover!

So, you love bacon, but you are also trying to watch your fat intake and lose weight. How can you make over your bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich?

Cut your normal portion of bacon that you would typically eat in half. Bacon is loaded with flavor. You honestly don't need much at all to get a big burst of bacon to dance on your taste buds. So instead of taking a huge bacon portion that leaves you sluggish and over-satiated, have a smaller amount of bacon and savor it slowly.

Avoid white bread; choose whole grain instead.

Everyone pictures the classic BLT on white. But it can be just as delicious eaten on whole grain bread which is much better for your digestion. Whole grain bread contains complex carbs thanks to the fiber. This means it won't send your blood sugar soaring the way that white bread does. Whole grain bread also contains vitamin B6, Magnesium, and other nutrients lost in the milling process.

Eat less bread.

There are many ways you can accomplish this. You can decide to have an open-faced sandwich on one slice of bread instead of two.

Or you can do two slices but make them thinner. There are many brands of healthy whole grain bread that are also sliced thin. This way, you're eating less carbs but still able to enjoy a sandwich that you hold in your two hands and bite into.

Go for spring greens or another type of dark green lettuce instead of the usual iceberg lettuce that you see on a BLT. Iceberg lettuce is fresh and crisp but is also devoid of nutrition. If you love the crunch of iceberg, then you can still have some on your BLT as it is more or less like crunching on water. But it's also a smart idea to add some fiber-rich, vitamin-packed green lettuce to your bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. You can put the two distinct types of lettuce together for a good balance and flavor.

Go for quality tomatoes.

Hot house tomatoes are rushed through ripening using artificial means. This is why they look pinker or orange instead of the deep red color of homegrown tomatoes and seem flavorless. The lack of flavor also points to a lack of good nutrition from your tomatoes!

The best tomatoes have great flavor and color and are high in vitamin C and other beneficial nutrients. If you can get farm fresh or garden-grown local tomatoes that have ripened on the vine, you can ensure that your BLT sandwich will contain the most nutritionally superior tomatoes possible!

Healthy BLT Makeover

Add avocado.

Avocado and bacon make great companions. Plus, if you're eating less bacon than you normally would because you're trying to cut back on saturated fat, you should really add in a healthy fat. Avocado is ideal for this purpose. In fact, speaking of fat, mayo is a common addition to a BLT. You can cut or entirely eliminate the mayonnaise if you really want to enjoy that savory sandwich without a lot of guilt.

Want your BLT to have health-giving superpowers? Pile on some sprouts. Fresh sprouts are packed with nutrition. Take your sandwich to the next level of healthy. Add fresh sprouts to your BLT sandwich for more crunch, flavor, and some vitamins to boot.

For the final healthy addition, mix up a quick homemade vinaigrette with red wine vinegar olive oil, a little bit of salt and a shake or two of dried thyme. Top your sandwich with a few shakes of that and you have the ultimate healthy BLT!

And if you up for a real health challenge, try this vegetarian chickpea, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Let me know what you think!

BLT Healthy Recipe Makeover
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5 from 1 vote

Chickpea, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches

Servings: 2
Calories: 361kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Ingredients

  • 1 cup 165g chickpeas, drained
  • 1 tbsp. tahini
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. sriracha sauce
  • ½ small red onion diced
  • salt & pepper
  • 4 slices whole wheat bread
  • 2 lettuce leaves
  • 1 to tomato sliced

Instructions

  • Place the chickpeas in a bowl and mash with a fork, leaving some of the chickpeas a little chunkier for added texture. Add the tahini, mustard, sriracha, maple syrup, onion and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
  • Toast the bread and spread the chickpea mixture onto two slices. Top the chickpea mixture with lettuce and sliced tomato. Now cover with the second slice of toasted bread and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 667mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2328IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 5mg

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Healthy Taco Makeover

Healthy Taco Makeover

Tacos are all the rage these days, and for good reason. You can even find t-shirts that express your love of tacos to the world. And while the American tradition of boxed taco kits featuring a crunchy hard corn tortilla shell lives on, these days the taco bar has been raised. That means you've got plenty of healthy options while getting your taco on. In other words, it's easier than ever to get a healthy taco makeover.

First things first: let's take a look at that tortilla shell.

Non-fried is the better option and if it doesn't have white flour you're ahead of the game. Pick up a plain corn tortilla for your taco. Compared to the wheat ones they may smell a little funny it's true. But if you brush with a bit of olive oil for that good fat and pop in the toaster oven for a few minutes, you will soon have a much-improved corn taco which counts as whole grain.

If you really want to go low carb, replace your taco shell with a big lettuce bowl made from a couple of leaves of crunchy iceberg lettuce. Granted, there really is no nutritional value to iceberg lettuce. But it makes a nice edible holder for your taco ingredients, and you can mix in some spring greens for a burst of good vitamins.

Looking to reduce fat?

Then make your taco meal something other than ground beef or shredded pork. These are meats that are higher in saturated fat. If you're striving for improved heart health and weight loss, look for some nutritious alternatives.

You still have plenty of options to fill that taco shell. Some include black beans, vegetarian refried beans, lean shredded chicken, or fresh fish such as salmon, tilapia, or shrimp.

Another way to ensure that your taco is as healthy as possible is to avoid any fried ingredients. Keep in mind that if a crispy tortilla is your jam, there's always the air fryer option for those who love a little crunch.

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Choose fish that has been gently broiled in the oven or on the stove top rather than coated with breading and fried.

Swap out half the meat!

If you love meat on your taco and would feel sad without it, try this healthy work around. Cut down your portion of meat that you plan to serve with your taco. Add in a half a can or so of organic black beans to complete your portion serving while still managing to reduce the amount of meat that you're eating.

Go crazy with the fixings. There's plenty to get happy about when making a healthy taco and that includes tomatoes, onions, peppers, and green, leafy lettuce.

You get your choice of fresh or jarred salsa — either will work and both will be healthfully delicious. But fresh is superior because the vitamin C will still be available. (See recipe below for delicious homemade salsa).

You can also be generous with your serving of jalapenos if you're into extra spicy tacos. Olives get the nod of approval for being a healthy fat, so slice up a few black or green ones. While you're at it, top your taco with a few sprinkles of chopped fresh cilantro for a burst of color and vitamin C.

Fun fact about hot sauces: some actually contain butter as part of the recipe.

If your hot sauce is more light orange in color, then likely there has been butter mixed in to create a savory smoothness. Tabasco sauce is a basic recipe that does not include added fat. Our favorite, Cholula, comes with a little garlic. When in doubt, check labels.

For your taco cheese, this is considered a saturated fat. But if plan to enjoy a black bean taco, then it's okay to add a modest serving of cheddar or other aged cheese which will balance out your protein along with the beans.

Add in a healthy fat in the form of fresh avocado.

Chop it up or mash into a quick guacamole seasoned with some finely chopped onion, fresh cilantro bits and a squirt of lime if you have it.

To replace the saturated fat laden sour cream, choose Greek yogurt which will balance out any spiciness from the hot sauce or jalapeno peppers if you eat those on your taco.

A final way to ensure that you won't be veering into the unhealthy fattening taco territory is to watch your portions.

You can get your fill of a single taco, going lighter on the protein and cheese and going heavier on the fresh veggie fix ins. Make sure to eat your taco mindfully to get the full enjoyment while managing to avoid going on a wild taco eating binge.

And don't forget to try our own delicious taco recipe here. We eat this almost weekly!

 

Healthy Taco Makeover

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: chicken, quick and easy, tacos
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 491kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Cooked Chicken Shredded we use leftover Costco chicken
  • ½ Cup Onion chopped
  • 1 14 ½ Ounce Can No Salt Added Tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning*
  • 8 ounces Reduced fat cheddar cheese optional
  • 8 Corn Tortillas

Instructions

  • Cook onion in oil until tender
  • Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, salt, Taco Seasoning
  • Heat through and serve corn tortillas with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, and other preferred condiments – makes 6-8 tacos

Notes

*For Taco Seasoning Mix• 3 Tablespoons arrowroot or corn starch• 2 Tablespoons chili powder• 1 Tablespoon paprika• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon cumin• 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon onion powder• 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight container

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 663mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 330mg | Iron: 3mg
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Salsa

This homemade salsa is made with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro, and is rich in Vitamin C. Combining this recipe with bean burritos (or other meat burritos or tacos) will increase the iron in the foods served with (beans, tortillas, chicken).
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: easy, healthy
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 8kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Roma Tomatoes about 2 large, diced
  • 1/4 cup Onions diced
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 whole Jalapeno or Anaheim Jalapeno (Medium Heat); Anaheim (Mild Heat)
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt To taste

Instructions

  • Chop all vegetables to desired size (remove seeds from pepper)
     2) Add lemon juice and salt
     3) Mix all ingredients together
    4) Chill 2 hours and Serve
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Nutrition

Serving: 1Tbsp | Calories: 8kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

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Healthy Recipe Makeover: Pizza

Healthy Recipe Makeover: Pizza

Healthy Recipe Makeover: Pizza

Pizza is a lot of fun, but we all know it's a food to avoid if you're looking to shape up, drop some pounds and improve your cardiovascular health.

Ordering pizza from the local Italian restaurant is always tempting. But now you're dealing with really a huge amount of cheese and a big serving of white flour in the dough. Plus, there's just something about having that huge box with the big pizza pie in it that makes it really hard to stop at just one slice. None of this is good for weight loss minded eaters.

Let's see if we can healthy up a pizza night with a homemade version.

First, revisit the crust. You have a few healthy options for this. One, you can make a whole wheat pizza crust from scratch using a few simple ingredients. It's even a fun project to do with your kids: kneading the dough and waiting it for it to rise, then punching it down and even tossing it in the air a few times.

Another option if you don't want to make dough from scratch is to pick up a frozen whole wheat dough from the grocery store. These pizza doughs come ready to make, so all you have to do is roll it out and press it into press it onto a big metal sheet.

Finally, if you're going lower in carbs, you have many options in the way of cauliflower crust pizzas from the frozen section of your grocery store. Or could make this delicious looking cauliflower pizza crust by clicking here. They're quite delicious and can help you stay on track with carbohydrate reduction so you can continue on your path to weight loss and good health.

If you normally salivate for a meat lovers pizza pie, just know that sausage and pepperoni and ham are not ideal if you're looking to do pizza but keep it healthy. Some options for not going meatless with your pizza are to find a high-quality brand of sausage. Artisan could be a better option or sausage that comes from farm-raised animals.

Try draining the fat from the sausage with paper towels.

Crumble a little bit over the top of your pizza pie but reduce the serving size. Instead, add fresh veggie toppings to balance out the saturated fats in the meat.

What kind of veggies can you enjoy on your pizza? If you're trying to lose weight, the good news is there's really no limit to how much vegetables you can eat. You have many options for topping your pizza pie including fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, roasted veggies like zucchini and eggplant and peppers, diced mushrooms, onions, peppers, black olives. The possibilities abound and you really don't have to worry about your diet when it comes to the veggie portion of your meal.

Choose the sugar-free sauce.

If you're doing a jarred sauce for your homemade pizza pie, choose a brand that does not contain added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Somewhere along the way someone decided that sweet stuff should be added to jarred tomato sauces. You'll find these sugary offenders in common brands that live on your grocery store shelves.

Despite this, tomato sauce is quite delicious without any sugar at all. So, if you can find a better-quality brand that contains simple ingredients like tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, and spices, you can stick to your healthy eating plan and not ingest extra sugar unnecessarily.

What about the cheese?

Did you know that in Italy, pizza doesn't always come with cheese on it, never mind copious amounts? Minimizing your cheese serving is the way to go if you're looking to enjoy pizza night but keep it healthy and on the weight loss plan.

We mentioned this before, but mozzarella can be difficult to digest. This is due to the lactose. Between the yeast in the dough and the lactose in the pizza cheese, you are likely to experience some belly distension after eating pizza. The good news about this: it could actually be a fake out in terms of thinking that you gain 10 lb. overnight after eating a slice or two.

To avoid this, take a Lactaid supplement which will help you digest the milk sugar that's present in mozzarella. Another option is to top your pizza with provolone which is really just aged mozzarella. Aged cheeses have less or no lactose which is simply milk sugar.

Reduced fat mozzarella, also known as partial skim, can be a healthier alternative to whole milk mozzarella when it comes to Italian American favorites like pizza.

Wanting to get your veggie on? Opt for a white veggie pizza instead of the traditional red sauce pie. For this, you'll need some reduced fat ricotta and half skim mozzarella. Sauté either fresh broccoli, fresh spinach, or a combo of the two, with minced garlic and olive oil. Roll out your whole grain pizza dough and spread with a thin layer of the ricotta followed by the sauteed veggies. Sprinkle on more cheese, then bake at high heat.

If you're feeling especially adventurous, try the delicious Mini Sweet Potato Pesto Pizza below. And stay tuned for our next recipe makeover.

Healthy Recipe Makeover: Pizza
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Mini Sweet Potato Chicken Pesto Pizza

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: healthy pizza, sweet potatoes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 327kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • cup 60g basil (green) pesto
  • ½ cup 55g mozzarella, grated
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 7 oz. 200g cooked chicken breast
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking tray with baking paper or foil.
  • Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise (¼ inch thick) and rub with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
  • Place the sweet potato slices on the baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip and top each slice with pesto, chicken and mozzarella cheese.
  • Return the tray to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 16526IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 1mg

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Healthy Recipe Makeover: Grand Slam Breakfast

Healthy Recipe Makeover: “Grand Slam” Breakfast with Eggs, Pancakes, and Breakfast Meat

Every once in a while, you've just got to have one of those big breakfasts. But that seems pretty impossible when you're trying to eat healthy and work on weight loss goals.

So, the question is: must you skip the grand slam breakfast and say goodbye to having delicious things like over-easy eggs and pancakes and bacon in your life?

The answer is that if you're willing to modify your grand slam into a triple play or insert some other baseball term that works with healthy eating, then you definitely can continue enjoying Sunday breakfast types of meals in moderation. Try some good portion control as well as certain food substitutions to make this perennial favorite over into a tasty and healthy meal.

Here's how to do a healthy makeover on your grand slam diner breakfast:

Primarily, limit portions. If you're used to a diner breakfast that fills a dinner plate slice that serving in half. This food is rich, and it will fill you up. You should be able to get your fill of breakfast goodness with much smaller portions.

Choose your carb carefully.

Select a starch to star as the main feature of your special morning meal. We don't think much about this… but when dining out on a big breakfast you're served three different forms of starch. That's triple the amount that you really need.

Think about it, what does your restaurant breakfast typically come with? Pancakes, hash browns and toast. That's three starches and that is crazy. Think of all the running you would have to do to burn that off. No wonder so many people find it so hard to lose weight!

Healthify carbohydrate-laden pancakes by skipping the boxed pancake mix. Instead opt for made-from-scratch pancakes that feature healthier ingredients such as whole grain wheat, rice, spelt or oat flour. Mix safflower oil into your pancake batter instead of corn or vegetable oil.

Replace the generous pat of butter that typically adorns breakfast pancakes with a heart-healthy substitute.

For the topping, try a drizzle of honey straight from the bee, or real maple syrup straight from the tree.

Thinking that bacon, sausage, or ham will make a great side for your pancakes? You do have healthy options. If you choose sausage, make it turkey sausage instead of pork. Turkey is loaded with nutrition and is much lower in fat.

Love bacon?

Instead of the nitrate version you would get from grocery store, choose a brand of natural bacon that has been hardwood smoked and does not contain added nitrates. Fun fact about nitrates: they occur naturally in celery and some green veggies. So, check the label of your meat to see if celery nitrates have made the list of ingredients.

Here's a tip about foods with nitrates. If you do eat food with nitrates, you can help the nitrates to break down in your body by taking them with vitamin C. That's why it might make sense to enjoy a glass of OJ with your modified Sunday breakfast. Just remember though that orange juice, especially the kind that comes in a bottle from concentrate, contains excessive amounts of sugar.

To stop your blood sugar from spiking, you can either drink a small glass of orange juice… or put just four or six ounces in a taller glass and then fill the rest with water. Water with a splash of OJ is a nice thirst quencher that's much lower in sugar than full-strength fruit juice.

Another great option for getting a dose of vitamin C to balance your fatty breakfast meat intake is to serve a side of fresh garden tomatoes with your food or enjoy a glass of chilled tomato juice.

What about pork roll? Pork roll is a highly processed pork product and it's not the best idea if you're looking to make healthy choices and reduce fat intake.

Eggcellent. Wondering what type of healthy changes, you can make to the egg portion of your modified breakfast? First, consider trading whole eggs for egg whites. That is traditionally been a way to reduce cholesterol in the diet. However, eggs are good for you and an important source of protein. So rather than get rid of the nutrient rich yolk, you might consider having one egg instead of two since you'll also be enjoying some breakfast meat which counts as a protein source.

Healthy up your egg for breakfast by cooking it in olive oil instead of butter. Cooking spray works great because you can coat the pan using less oil.

You can also poach your egg. You don't need a special poaching pan. Just add a small amount of water to a frying pan and when the water begins to boil crack the eggs in. Reduce heat to a simmer and keep a close watch on the eggs until done to your liking. Then drain the extra water by placing a cover over the egg pan and lifting the edge slightly to let the water flow out of the side while keeping the egg in the pan.

Choose eggs from free range chickens. Chickens that graze on grass and enjoy fresh bugs as their main source of food will give you eggs that are richer in antioxidants and other nutrition. If you can get local farm eggs from free range chickens by all means indulge.

Looking for an even healthier option for your morning breakfast routine? Try this delicious egg pot recipe. Of course you can cook the eggs all the way. Stay tuned for the next healthy recipe makeover.

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BAKED EGG POTS

Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 183kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC

Equipment

  • Oven safe dishes Cast Iron or Glass bakeware will work

Ingredients

  • 3 cups 90g baby spinach
  • 3-4 tomatoes* chopped
  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 4 eggs
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
  • Heat a dry non-stick frying pan on the stove over a medium heat and let the spinach shrink, add a splash of water if necessary.
  • Add in the chopped tomatoes, paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide between two ramekins. Make a well in each dish and break an egg inside it.
  • Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for around 17-20 minutes until the egg is cooked to your liking.

Notes

*If you don't like or can't eat tomatoes, you can substitute any of your favorite vegetables. For example, crookneck squash (yellow), zucchini (green), asparagus, red bell peppers (or any other color). You can also substitute canned tomatoes (preferably reduced sodium). Pick your favorite vegetables or whatever you have in-house. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1half recipe | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 327mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 922mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 8659IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 4mg

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