The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (26 page)

4 red bell peppers

¼ cup pine nuts

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (10-ounce) package thawed and chopped frozen spinach, squeezed to remove excess moisture

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (
here
)

½ cup (2 ounces) chopped reduced-fat Swiss cheese

2 tablespoons panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs), preferably whole-wheat panko (see
here
)

1 large egg white

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added petite diced tomatoes with juice, undrained

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is just tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with oil to lightly coat.

Cut the tops from the bell peppers to make “lids.” Discard the stems and dice the pepper tops. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the ribs and seeds from the peppers. If needed, trim the bottoms of the peppers so they can stand without tilting. Set aside.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Spread the pine nuts evenly in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet. Add the onion, diced pepper tops, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and Italian Seasoning and stir to evaporate excess moisture, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the pine nuts and let cool slightly. Stir in the rice, cheese, panko, egg white, salt, and pepper and mix well.

Divide the spinach mixture evenly among the peppers, pressing it firmly into each to make a high mound, and then place the peppers in the baking dish. Pour the tomatoes
and their juice around the peppers. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, about 30 minutes more. Divide the peppers and tomatoes among four shallow bowls and serve.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 276 calories, 12 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 8 g fiber, 5 mg cholesterol, 156 mg sodium, 677 mg potassium. Food groups: 2 starches, 2 vegetables, 1 dairy, ¼ nuts.

Variation

Bell Peppers with Beef and Vegetable Stuffing:
Reduce the brown rice to ¼ cup. Add 4 ounces ground sirloin to the cooked onion mixture and cook, breaking up the meat with the side of a spoon, until it loses its pink color, about 5 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 297 calories, 18 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 8 g fiber, 21 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 748 mg potassium. Food groups: 1½ starches, 1 ounce meat, 2 vegetables, 1 dairy, ¼ nuts.

Freezing Brown Rice

With white rice, the nutritious bran has been removed. Brown rice has the bran intact, to provide vitamins, fiber, and texture. The only problem with brown rice is that it takes a long time to cook, especially for a weeknight meal. This is easy to fix by cooking the brown rice ahead of time.

Simply simmer the brown rice in water until it is tender, about 45 minutes. The rice will expand during cooking to about three times its original size: 1 cup uncooked brown rice will yield about 3 cups cooked rice. Drain and rinse the rice under cold running water and let it cool completely. Store the rice in zippered plastic freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When you want to serve it, just microwave in the bag until it is heated through, about 3 minutes on high for 2 cups of cooked rice.

Vegetable and Bulgur Chili

This vegetarian dish is packed with vegetables and is very filling, even though it is low in calories. Adding bulgur to vegetable chili thickens the juices to provide a meaty texture. There are many add-ins that you can stir into the pot—corn kernels, canned beans, and cubes of butternut squash are just a few. You could serve it with a half sandwich, fruit, and some yogurt for a great weekday lunch. If you are watching sodium, you can reduce the salt or eliminate it.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch rounds

2 medium celery ribs, cut into ½-inch slices

1 large red bell pepper, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 large zucchini, cut into ½-inch-thick half-moons

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder, or 1 canned chipotle in adobo, minced

2 cups water

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice, undrained

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup bulgur

8 tablespoons nonfat sour cream, for serving

Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in the water, tomatoes with their juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the Dutch oven. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the bulgur. Simmer until the bulgur is tender, adding more hot water as needed if the chili gets too thick, about 20 minutes more. Divide among eight soup bowls, and top each with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro. Serve hot, with the lime wedges.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 109 calories, 3 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 5 g fiber, 1 mg cholesterol, 337 mg sodium, 342 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 whole grain, 2 vegetables.

Moroccan Vegetables on Garbanzo Couscous

With the bold flavors in this vegetable stew, the need for salt is highly reduced. I do put a little in the couscous, however. Although it’s not traditional, you might like to top each serving with a dollop of yogurt to increase the protein.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Vegetables

1 teaspoon sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian or Spanish

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 (1¾-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 large carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

2 large zucchini, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

1 large red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch squares

1 large yellow onion, unpeeled, cut into sixths

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Couscous

1 cup water

½ cup whole-wheat couscous

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce

½ cup water

Chopped fresh cilantro or mint, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To prepare the vegetables: Mix the paprika, coriander, ginger, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl and set aside. In a large roasting pan, combine the squash, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion. Add the oil and mix gently to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender, about 1 hour. During the last 5 minutes, stir in the spice mixture and garlic.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous: In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous. Immediately add the garbanzo beans and cover tightly. Let stand until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

When the vegetables are done, transfer them to a deep serving platter. Place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stove. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned juices in the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour over the vegetables and mix gently.

Fluff the couscous mixture with a fork. Spoon the couscous into six soup bowls, top with equal amounts of the vegetable mixture, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot, with the lemon wedges.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 295 calories, 10 g protein, 56 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 12 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 431 mg sodium, 1,213 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 beans, 2 whole grains, 3 vegetables.

Curried Vegetables and Garbanzo Beans

The intriguing flavors of Indian cuisine are in full sail in this vegetarian entrée. You could serve it on brown rice, but potatoes provide enough starch to make this filling.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 medium red-skinned potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

4 medium carrots, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

4 medium celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 medium yellow onions, cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moons

1 tablespoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup light coconut milk

½ cup water

½ cup canned reduced-sodium garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

½ cup plain low-fat yogurt

Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the curry powder and cayenne pepper.

Stir in the coconut milk and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, about 25 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, add the garbanzo beans.

To serve, divide among four soup bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro. Serve hot, with the lime wedges.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 271 calories, 7 g protein, 39 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 8 g fiber, 2 mg cholesterol, 207 mg sodium, 1,106 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 beans, 1 starchy vegetable, 1 vegetable.

Summer Vegetable Risotto

Like pasta, risotto is a beloved Italian dish that can be enjoyed on the DASH plan when it is combined with lots of vegetables. The rice needs near constant attention, but it is fun to stand in front of the stove and stir while chatting with friends or family. Don’t heap Parmesan onto the risotto; use just enough to season each serving.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 teaspoons olive oil