The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (20 page)

¼ cup hearty red wine, dry vermouth, or water

1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning or dried oregano

Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper, add to the skillet, and cook, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the wine, and the herb seasoning. Bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits in the skillet with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet and cover with the lid ajar. Simmer until the chicken is opaque when pierced in the thickest part with the tip of a sharp knife, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 281 calories, 38 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 3 g fiber, 109 mg cholesterol, 733 mg sodium, 749 mg potassium. Food groups: 5½ ounces meat, 2 vegetables.

(For smaller appetites: 1 serving, with recipe divided into 6 servings) 188 calories, 25 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber, 73 mg cholesterol, 489 mg sodium, 500 mg potassium. Food groups: 3½ ounces meat, 1 vegetable.

Mexican Chicken Breast with Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillos, which are actually related to gooseberries and not tomatoes, are the main ingredient in the classic green Mexican salsa. It is surprisingly easy to make and good to have on hand to add a tart jolt of flavor to your food or to serve with baked tortilla strips as a dip. Here it dresses up sautéed chicken breast. Serve it with the Black Beans and Brown Rice
here
for a Mexican dinner at home.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Tomatillo Sauce

8 ounces tomatillos (preferably all the same size), husked

2 scallions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped

½ jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, crushed under a knife and peeled

Pinch of kosher salt

Chicken

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

2 (10-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to ¾-inch thickness and cut in half to make 4 portions

1 tablespoon Mexican Seasoning (
here
)

Lime wedges, for serving

To make the sauce: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the tomatillos and reduce the heat to medium. Cook at a moderate boil just until they turn olive green, using a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatillos from the water to a bowl as they are ready, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the tomatillos will burst. Carefully drain the tomatillos.

In a food processor (or a blender with its lid ajar), puree the drained tomatillos, scallions, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and salt. Set aside.

To prepare the chicken: Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Spray the chicken on both sides with the oil and sprinkle with the Mexican Seasoning. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes.

Pour in the tomatillo salsa and simmer until the chicken is opaque when pierced in the thickest part with the tip of a sharp knife, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve hot with the lime wedges.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 190 calories, 31 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 2 g fiber, 91 mg cholesterol, 208 mg sodium, 740 mg potassium. Food groups: 4½ ounces meat, 1 vegetable.

Chicken and Apple Curry

Chicken curry with a difference, this version is also loaded with fruit and vegetables. For a hotter curry, add ⅛ teaspoon cayenne with the curry powder. Spoon the curry over Basic Brown Rice (
here
), and sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons dark raisins, if you like.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 teaspoons canola oil, plus more in a pump sprayer

2 (10-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed, pounded to ¾-inch thickness, and cut into 4 equal serving portions

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium celery ribs, chopped

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice

1 tablespoon curry powder

¾ cup light coconut milk

½ cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

½ cup sliced natural almonds, for serving

Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, flipping halfway through cooking, until lightly browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and apples and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the curry powder and stir well.

Stir in the coconut milk, water, and lime juice and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Add the chicken and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is opaque when pierced in the center with the tip of a small, sharp knife, about 6 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a deep serving platter. Increase the heat under the skillet to high and boil the sauce until lightly thickened, about 1 minute. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and sprinkle with the almonds. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 444 calories, 35 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat, 7 g fiber, 91 mg cholesterol, 192 mg sodium, 1,007 mg potassium. Food groups: 5 ounces meat, 1 fruit, ½ nuts.

(1 serving, with recipe divided into 6 servings) 296 calories, 23 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 4 g fiber, 60 mg cholesterol, 128 mg sodium, 671 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, ½ fruit.

“Moo Shu” Chicken and Vegetable Wraps

Owing to their high sodium content, most Chinese condiments (such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce) should be used in moderation. In this variation on moo shu chicken, I’ve created my own hoisin sauce and substituted the hard-to-find vegetables with broccoli slaw.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Sauce

⅓
cup Homemade Chicken Broth (
here
) or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Chicken

4 teaspoons canola oil

1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut across the grain into ¼-inch-thick bite-sized pieces

10 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

1 (12-ounce) package broccoli slaw

3 scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

Wraps

12 Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves

To make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.

To prepare the chicken: Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli slaw, scallions, and water chestnuts and cook, stirring often, until the slaw is hot and wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir the reserved chicken and sauce mixture and add to the skillet. Stir until the sauce is thickened and boiling, about 30 seconds.

To serve, transfer the chicken mixture to a serving bowl. Let each person spoon the chicken mixture onto a lettuce leaf, roll it up, and enjoy.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving: 2 wraps) 144 calories, 11 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 4 g fiber, 24 mg cholesterol, 168 mg sodium, 397 mg potassium. Food groups: 1½ ounces meat, 3 vegetables, 1 fat.

Roast Turkey Breast with Root Vegetables, Lemon, and Garlic Cloves

Roast a turkey breast half, and you will get a generous amount of meat with enough to reserve for salad at another meal. In fact, you may want to roast 2 breast halves in the same pan to ensure leftovers. Many supermarkets carry turkey breast halves weighing 2½ to 3 pounds, but if your butcher has only the large whole breast, ask to have it split in half lengthwise. Think this recipe calls for a lot of garlic? Don’t worry. The roasting process creates a very soft, mellow flavor. If you like roasted garlic, eat the cloves; if not, discard them.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1 (2¾-pound) turkey breast half, with skin and bones

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning (
here
)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 head garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1½ cups Homemade Chicken Broth (
here
) or canned low-sodium chicken broth

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Using a small, sharp knife, make a narrow incision in the turkey breast to separate the skin from the rib bones. Slip your fingers under the skin to make a pocket. Season the flesh under the skin with the herbes de Provence, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ½ teaspoon of the pepper.

In a large roasting pan, combine the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnip, and garlic. Drizzle with the oil and toss well. Spread in the pan and top with the turkey.

Roast until the turkey is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast half registers 165°F, about 1½ hours. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and tent with aluminum foil.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Continue cooking the vegetables in the roasting pan, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the
oven. Add the lemon zest and juice, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Pour out and discard the fat in the pan. In a small bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over the broth and stir until dissolved. Heat the roasting pan over medium-high heat until sizzling. Pour in the broth mixture and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until lightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce into a gravy boat.