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Coastline Cooks! Shrimp & Grilled Corn Salad & Aegan Chicken Salad Sandwich

August 7, 2012 By

   

     Last month, Coastline’s dietitian Kim cooked up two low fat, antioxidant filled dishes that are also quick and easy to make. She started with a Shrimp & Grilled Corn Salad; shrimp is a great source of lean protein. Add in some corn, green onion, cilantro, and roasted bell pepper and you instantly have more flavor and antioxidants. Roasted bell pepper is a great source of vitamin C and corn is full of fiber. This is a great summer-time recipe as most of the these ingredients can be found at your local farmer’s markets or gardens! 

 Ingredients

  • 6 ears shucked corn or 4 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1 cup bottled roasted red bell pepper, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
  • 12 ounces cooked shrimp, chopped (or lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tbsp. ranch dressing (or mayo or plain yogurt)
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
  • 12 Boston lettuce leaves

Preparation: Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Place corn in pan; cook 8 minutes or until slightly charred, turning frequently. Cool slightly. Cut kernels from ears of corn; place in a large bowl. Add celery and next 4 ingredients (through crabmeat) to corn; toss gently to combine. Combine lime juice, ranch dressing, black pepper, salt, and ground red pepper in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour dressing over shrimp mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve salad over lettuce leaves. (Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light, September 2010.)

    The popular chicken salad is often made with heavy mayonnaise, making it a high-calorie, high-fat meal. However, this recipe lightens the classic with a mixture of low-fat yogurt and hummus, two great add-ins that together contribute calcium, protein, and fiber. This recipe also includes a multitude of chopped veggies to add some color,  flavor, and nutrients. You can enjoy this chicken salad on its own or in between two slices of whole wheat bread or whole wheat pita. This versatile recipe can also be used with tuna for those who want to change up the flavor and get your daily dose of DHA.

Ingredients

  • 1 12.4 oz. can chicken breast or tuna, drained or 1.5 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup hummus
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation: Break up chicken in a large bowl using a fork. Stir in onion, lemon juice, yogurt, hummus, olives, red bell pepper, and dill. Sprinkle with feta cheese, serve, and enjoy. (Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com.)

 

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July is National Ice Cream Month – Tips to lighten up your sundae

July 16, 2012 By

     July is National Ice Cream Month, and really, what is summer without a few bowls of ice cream? Happily, you can make simple changes to lighten up your sundae without sacrificing the flavor.

     Like many products, there are now hundreds of varieties of ice cream to suit everyone’s needs and individual tastes. From good old-fashioned full cream to fat free frozen yogurt, to everything in between, including vegan, sugar-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, and Greek yogurt ice cream, you surely have your favorite.

     If you aren’t diabetic or lactose intolerant, we recommend going with a brand that uses the least amount of ingredients; oftentimes you can satisfy your craving with a smaller serving of the “real stuff.” The next best thing would be a low-fat ice cream with fewer calories in case you still want the big serving!

     The toppings are the next easiest place to lighten your caloric intake, and can actually be an opportunity to get some antioxidants into your body.

     Walnuts or almonds: walnuts are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids and almonds are a great source of calcium.

     Rasberries, blueberries, or strawberries: Any berry is great for you and contains a boat load of antioxidants – cancer fighting molecules. Berries also contain the least amount of sugar per serving, which is favorable for diabetics.

     Fat-free cool whip doesn’t necessarily have a nutritional benefit, but is lower calorie and still tastes delicious. Shredded coconut is also a great alternative that is high in potassium – but don’t load on too much because it’s also high in calories.

     For a more detailed list of brands of healthier ice cream you can purchase, check out this list from health.com (they also provide a list of healthy homemade ice cream recipes).

     And for a list of diabetic friendly ice creams, livestrong.com has published this article.

     We hope you enjoy the summer and at least one yummy frozen treat!

     Don’t forget to tune into a new Cooking with Coastline show, which airs monthly on Dartmouth’s Cable Access channel. Check out their website here for dates and times. And don’t forget, you can always subscribe to our website from our homepage to receive email notifications when we add the latest Cooking with Coastline episode.

 

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Coastline Cooks’ Recipes: Provencal White Fish and a Kale & Feta Salad

April 5, 2012 By

     On her second show, Kim made Provencal White Fish and a Kale & Feta Salad. You can watch the show on our website, or you can catch it on Dartmouth Community Television. As always, Kim’s focus is on cooking recipes that are nutritious, low in sodium, heart and diabetes friendly, and delicious. Below are the two recipes featured on her most recent show:

     Provencal White Fish is a perfect example of a recipe that makes fish healthy and delicious, without resorting to the bland taste of plain baked fish. Consuming fish 1-2 times a week is a great way to get your Omega-3 fats, which are great for brain function. And this recipe is chock-full of tasty, colorful, anti-oxidant rich vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. white fish (sea bass, haddock, halibut, hake)
  • 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 3/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
  • 2 handfuls fresh spinach
  • 2-4 tablespoons white wine

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut fish into 3-4 ounce portions; pat dry and lie flat in a baking dish. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the mushrooms; cook 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, and spinach; add wine. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and spoon over fish. Bake for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

 

Kim’s second recipe is for a Kale and Feta Salad. This recipe is full of leafy green kale which is rich in nutrients, such as iron, calcium, and lutein. Lutein is especially beneficial for the eyes and preventing cataracts and macular degeneration.  Feta cheese is always a good lower-fat cheese option that gives any recipe more flavor without adding the salt shaker. This recipe is also super quick and easy to make!

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches of tuscan kale, finely chopped (about 8 cups)
  • 4 ounces of crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation: Wash and dry kale. Finely chop into bite size pieces. Add feta cheese and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine shallots, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil until thickened. Toss the dressing with the kale and feta.

We hope you enjoy these quick and tasty recipes. Keep checking back for future recipes, or subscribe to our website on Coastline’s homepage and they will be sent straight to your inbox!

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Happy New Year!

December 31, 2011 By

    

      January 1st is such a refreshing day. We can put all of the baggage of the past year behind us and look forward to the New Year with optimism and hopefulness. As we ring in 2012 with our family and friends, many of us will also begin to write a list of New Year’s resolutions, determined to rid ourselves of bad habits starting this Sunday.

     When I searched the internet for the most popular New Year’s resolutions, two came up over and over again: exercise more and eat healthier. While these are worthwhile goals, they are also enormous undertakings, and make us feel as though we need to overhaul our lives to achieve them. And so, by January 5th we have given up because such grand goals are too vague and too hard to achieve.

     But there is good news! There is an entirely different way we can make New Year’s resolutions achievable. Because so many New Year’s resolutions have to do with health, I want to share an article by one of my (and many people’s) favorite doctors, Dr. Oz. Instead of vowing to exercise every day for an hour, or eat nothing but vegetables, Dr. Oz recommends making smaller, more manageable goals.

     His main idea is that, over time, by creating and accomplishing smaller goals, you slowly–but more effectively–introduce healthier habits into your life and eventually transform your entire lifestyle because small goals are easier to work toward and therefore easier to accomplish.

     In the article, which you can read here, Dr. Oz gives a new, small goal each day for 28 days. Some examples include aiming to walk just 30 minutes a day, drinking a cup of green tea, or eating more wild salmon, tomatoes, or garlic.

     And remember, your goal doesn’t have to be health-related. This approach can be used to tackle any large goal, from getting more organized, to saving more money or spending more time with family and friends. Breaking up large resolutions into small, realistic goals will keep you motivated and on your way to success.

     From all of us at Coastline, have a happy and healthy 2012, and good luck with your resolutions!

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Enjoy 3 Nutritious & Delicious Fall Recipes

November 25, 2011 By

     Just because the Farmer’s Markets have come to an end, doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy local, nutritious produce. There are many delicious and healthy fruits and vegetables that are harvested in the fall, many of which can be stored throughout the winter months. Our resident dietitian, Kim Ferreira, has highlighted a few, and detailed their nutritious benefits. She scoured the web and found some simple and tasty recipes featuring each veggie, as well.

     Apples

     Apple – picking season begins in late August/early September and lasts through November. Because apples keep well in cold storage, they are available all year long. Apples provide an excellent source of fiber, so make sure to eat fresh or baked apples with the skin!

Apple-Fennel Slaw (courtesy of the Mayo Clinic)

Ingredients

1 medium-sized fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

2 carrots, grated

2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup apple juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine the fennel, apple, carrots, and raisins to make the slaw. Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and refrigerate.

In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar and apple juice. Place over medium heat and cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup – about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the cider vinegar. Pour the apple juice mixture over the slaw and stir to combine well. Chill thoroughly. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Butternut Squash

      Butternut squash – as well as other varieties such as winter squash, pumpkin, and acorn squash - is at its best from early fall through winter. This hardy squash can be kept for up to three months in a cool, dry place and does not need to be refrigerated. Butternut squash provides 460% of your daily vitamin A and beta-carotene, and 50% of your daily vitamin C per serving, and is an excellent source of vitamin E.

Butternut Squash and Kale Soup (courtesy of MyFirstKitchen.net)

Ingredients

4-6 links of spicy Italian Sausage, cut into pieces

1 butternut squash, cubed

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

4-6 cups of chopped kale

4-6 cups of chicken stock

salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes

In a large pot, cook the sausage over medium-heat until nicely browned on all sides. Take out the cooked pieces, drain them on some paper towels. Add onions to the pan of sausage drippings, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook for about four minutes or until the onions start to get just a bit of color. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the squash and cook for a couple minutes. Add a couple pinches of red pepper flakes if you’d like. Add the kale, and carefully stir everything around just to coat the greens in some of the fat. Season them with a bit of salt and pepper, too.

Add the chicken stock. The liquid should cover the vegetables. Add the sausage back into the pot, add a little extra salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and cook for about an hour.

Brussels Sprouts

     Brussels sprouts are at the peak of their season from September to February. Choose small, bright-green sprouts that are compact and blemish-free, and avoid those that are wilted or have loose, yellowing leaves. One cup of cooked brussel sprouts contain only 56 calories, yet are an excellent source of folate and vitamins A, C, and K. They are also a great source of fiber, iron, potassium, thiamin, and B6.

Brown Butter & Dill Brussels Sprouts (EatingWell: September/October 2010)

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add brussels sprouts, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling often, until the butter turns a nutty brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and scrape into a large bowl with a rubber spatula.

      Remember that cooking with vegetables can be simple and almost always nutritious. And check out some of the upcoming classes Kim has scheduled, including Holiday Eating where Kim gives participants tips and healthy alternatives to avoid weight gain over the holidays.

     Holiday Eating will be held Tuesday, December 20th at the Mattapoisett Council on Aging. Click on our Calendar of Events to see what other health and wellness classes Kim has coming up.

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New City Initiative Creates Healthier Options at Local Restaurants

September 20, 2011 By

     It seems like every time you read an article about healthy eating, the author makes a point to tell you to stay away from restaurant food. The portions are toobig; there are too many calories; the ingredients are too rich and fattening; and the list goes on. Well, last week, Mayor Lang, along with restaurant owners, and community partners – including Coastline’s own dietitian, Kim Ferreira – held a press conference to officially announce the Healthy Dining New Bedford initiative.

     This initiative is part of the Mass in Motion program and any restaurant can join. To qualify, restaurants go through a basic application process. Oftentimes, restaurants already offer healthy choices, but may not advertise them on their menu. To be approved, restaurants need to do a few things like:

  • allow guests to substitute a side salad or vegetables for french fries
  • highlight low-calorie and low-fat menu items
  • offer low-fat or skim milk
  • allow diners to order “half a meal to go” (servers will serve half the meal and bag the other half up ahead of time)

     Many restaurants have signed on and been approved, including Cafe Arpeggio, Center Cafe, Churrascaria Novo Mundo, Cork, Destination Soups, Freestone’s City Grill, Ginger Grill, Lebanese Kitchen, Pizan’s NY Style Pizzeria, Rose Alley Ale House, St. Luke’s Hospital, and the Waterfront Grille. All approved restaurants will get to display the Healthy Dining New Bedford decal in their window.

     Even if your favorite restaurant isn’t on this list, remember you can always ask your waiter to substitute vegetables for french fries, to put your salad dressing on the side, or to bake your fish instead of fry it.

     To learn more about Healthy Dining New Bedford, become a fan of their facebook page here and check out the article the Standard Times ran about the program last week.

     And remember, you can always meet with Kim for one-on-one, personalized nutrition counseling, or you can visit our calendar to check out Kim’s workshops which focus on specific healthy eating topics like artificial sweeteners, bone health, portion control, brain health, pesticides, and food additives.

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Feeding Those in Need

July 15, 2011 By

     As summer returns to the Southcoast, so do the farmers’ markets. Farms from all across Massachusetts have begun to set up their tents, tables, and baskets of vegetables and fruits so residents can enjoy fresh and healthy local fruits, vegetables, jams, and relishes.

     While local farmers have helped increase and simplify people’s access to locally grown produce, and while many of us have looked forward to these farmers’ markets all winter, there are still a lot of people who have limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables because they either cannot afford it or they lack transportation to farmers’ markets. At Coastline we confront this problem every day.

     In working towards a solution, we recently applied for, and were awarded, two grants from the Department of Agricultural Resources totaling $48,750. Both grants will be used to help make fresh produe available to our low-income and homebound seniors.

     We were awarded $40,000 for our Farmers’ Market Coupon Program. Councils on Aging, Housing Authorities, and other community organizations have been given over 1,000 vouchers to distribute to qualifying seniors. (To qualify, seniors must meet certain income guidelines.) Each voucher is worth $25.00 and can be used at any participating farmers’ market.

     We were also awarded $8,750 for our Farmers’ Market Homebound Program, which allows our Meals on Wheels drivers to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to qualifying homebound seniors twice over the summer months.

     These two programs give seniors access to healthy food while helping support the local farm economy. These projects are also the latest in our efforts to help seniors adopt healthier lifestyles and habits so they can continue living independently. Coastline also puts on classes, workshops, and programs to educate seniors about wellness topics like Bone Health, Dietary Guidelines, Artificial Sweeteners, and Healthy Cooking.

     To learn more about local farmers and farmers’ markets, check out Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership’s website. On their homepage, click on the “On-Line Farm Guide” button to find farms near you.

     Click here to learn more about our Elderly Nutrition Program. You can find a calendar of upcoming classes and workshops on our website, as well.

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